which is the intention of the word Evangelist from Evangelion a Cryer or Publisher of good news So that if he was now an Evangelist it was his preaching and publishing of the Gospel made him so And whereas you say there were Apostles Prophets c. I say and the Scripture saith that the Apostles were at Jerusalem not scattered And as for Prophets and Evangelists you read of none before this scattering time As for the seventy Disciples they were not men in office their time was limited them and their mission ended at least at the death of Christ for the twelve might not preach after that by vertue of any former mission but were to stay at Jerusalem in the last mission until they had received power from on high therefore if the Seventy were amongst them or any of the Seventy that is nothing for your purpose who indeavor to darken truth with words that so you may delude the simple Yet thirdly It s said That all the Church were scattered c. And if you will have Evangelists and Prophets which the Scripture mentions not and the Seventy or part of them which is nothing to your purpose yet were these all the Church was there not 3000 converted at one Sermon Act. 3. and many more after who walked in sweet fellowship and yet must all these needs be Apostles Prophets c. in your sence if some of them were such dare you affirm that they were all such the Scripture being so apparantly clear to the contrary every circumstance weighed Is not your own Argument a non sequitur because there were 12 Apostles and Philip was afterwards an Evangelist and there were seventy Disciples once Comissioned which mission was ended at the death of Christ the whole Church was scattered except those Apostles and none else you own therefore it might be Apostles Prophets c. The Apostles not scattered but still at Jerusalem no Prophets nor Evangelists we read of before this the Seventy non-Commissioned a goodly Argument or Answer for those who have no eys to see nor hearts to understand Secondly The Apostles you say might give them Commissions Answ And they might not give them Commissions You mention Act. 15. 22 23. because the Apostles sent two chosen men of the Church to the Gentils upon special occasion therefore they might mission all these This is one of your own Conclusions and it looks like your self there is but little Logick or Retorick in it you raise an Objection The Text not doth say so and seem to Answer it Arguments drawn from silent Authority conclude nothing And Sir Your own Argument it is that is drawn from silent Authority they might mission them the Scripture is silent your Argument concludes nothing but indeed it s like all the rest you instance amongst other Examples Melchisedech we read of no Parents that he had it doth not follow say you therefore that he had none c. A learned and deep conclusion Doth not the Scripture say he was without Father without Mother c. Heb. 7. 3. Thirdly You say Did not the Lord give them commission by immediate Revelation c. To prove this you produce the extraordinary as you call them Effects 1. The hand of the Lord was with them Act. 11. 21. And dare you say that the hand of the Lord is not with the preaching brethren c. 2. The extraordinary number of converts their great and quick harvist shews it I say In this likewise hath the Lord manifested his approving and calling of the preaching brethren the great number of Converts from Antichristian and Babylonish ignorance and confusion the the hand of the Lord hath been with them and a quick harvest there hath been through grace your selves it is that most evidently and eminently prove your selves Non-called of the Lord upon this account no hand of the Lord hath been with you no Converts drawn to Christ by you but take your Parishes and your Tythes souls perish for want of knowledge and if you make two or three in your Parish a little zealous and formal in Antichristian wayes you bless your selves make them the seal of your Apostleship immediatly Lastly you say by way of Concession giving though not granting c. you will clear all by asking two questions 1. When did these dispersed Disciples preach c. you answer in times of persecution therefore those which were scattered c. implying that if they had not been scattered they had not preached Now you think you have hit the nayl upon the head but Sir a word by the way 1. Did or could persecution make that to be lawfull which you say in it self is sinfull and unlawfull is it first sinfull and unlawfull in your deep judgement and yet lawfull in persecution This is Logick contrary to your own practise you do that in fear of persecution which you would never do in love without and leave undone that you would have done you could cease preaching of Lectures afternoon-Sermons c. in the Episcopal time for fear of persecution before it came not preach the more as you confess the preaching brethren did but I suppose it would have been sinfull for you to have preached if persecution had come 2. I answer Have not your preaching brethren preached in times of persecution too have not there been many Sauls that have breathed out threatnings against them and would not these priestly Pharisees as gladly as ever Saul to Stevens have consented unto their death nay have they not sought after it as Esau the blessing with tears But yet blessed be him who is in the bush they cannot obtain their desires Yet of late daies have not many been imprisoned the Churches scattered c. and then upon your own account is it not a time for the brethren to preach c Your second Quaere is Where did they preach You answer Not at Jerusalem a planted settled constituted Church but amongst the Heathens c. You say That may be lawful in an unplanted Church c. which is utterly unlawful in a planted constituted Church c. I answer 1. That it s undoubtedly lawfull in a constituted Church for the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 14. Ye may all prophosie one by one that is in a constituted Church and God gives gifts to men to profit withall others as well as themselves And they are undoubtedly none of the Churches of Christ who deny the free operation of the Spirit of Christ in the brethren they are such as quench the Spirit and despise prophesying 2. I answer That the publike preaching of the brethren in this Nation is not in constituted Churches of Christ neither in Ministers Members nor in Manners in Doctrine Worship or Discipline but of Antichrist and the Devil for his servants you are to whom you obey c. therefore its lawful and a fit time for them to preach for the gathering of the Saints out of Babylon and Confusion and that upon your own account
most of the people of the Nation c. The eighth a bulwark all your wisdom is not able to undermine it 1 Cor. 14. 1. 31. Where the Apostle exhorts them to desire spiritual gifts but rather that they might prophesy and tels them vers 31. They may all Prophesy one by one hence our brethren conclude that all that have gifts may Prophesy c. In your answer to this you pretend a great deal of confidence and assurance that your gifted brethren are deluded with the word All when the truth is that your self it is who is under the delusion The Question you say will be who are meant by this word All vers 31. ye may all Prophesy c. You answer first Negatively It cannot be meant of all the Saints for then women should preach who are forbidden I answer 1. The Scripture it self is clear women are excepted ver 34. All may c. There is no limitation no prohibition of any except women and women are not altogether forbidden neither compare this with cha 11. 5. Joel 2. 28. women may Prophesy by permission and in subjection to the man c. 2. You say Private Professors are nowhere commanded to leave their Callings and go study Arts Sciences c. Oh blindness with a witness Is not the Spirit of Christ sufficient to help men to preach prophesy unless they study Arts and Sciences the Scripture saith ye may All Prophesy Private men is a title you have learnt from Rome its true it doth not say you must all leave your Callings and study Arts and Sciences this is not commanded to any nor practised by any and truly Sir I think there are none but Asses in the things of God who study Arts and Sciences to help them to preach and prophesie your Scriptures produced 1 Cor. 7. 20. ch 12. 29. I have answered already therefore I pass it in this place 2. You answer positively by All is meant all such as are Prophets the Text is clear ver 29. Let the Prophets speak c. Thus far you say truth by All is meant the Prophets that is those who have the spirit of Prophesie you proceed and say They were extraordinary your reason is because they spake by Revelation without study ver 31. I say they were not extraordinary but ordinary such as could speak to edification exhortation and comfort ver 3. and this many of the brethren could do then and can do now it s your selves that are no Prophets for you cannot speak by revelation without study but in the strength of the Lord the preaching brethren can And here it is you are lost you measure other mens condition by your own because you cannot preach without study therefore you think none else can c. I conclude with you That the word All is to be confined to the Prophets All ye that are Prophets may preach All ye that have the Spirit and so the Gift of prophesy may preach and prophesy for prophesy was no Office but a Gift as I have already shewed So then notwithstanding all your sophistications and wrenchings All that have the Gift may prophesie the preaching brethren that have the Gift may prophesy You say It s worth the observing that the word Prophet is never given to any but Ministers men in Office I have already answered that Prophet or Prophesy is never called an Office in the Scripture but a Gift and the distinguishment of Christ between a Prophet and a righteous man Mat. 10. 41. its not the Office but the Gift every righteous man hath not a Prophets gift there are various operations still the same spirit You say That all that are Prophets and can open hard Prophesies without study interpret Scripture to edification c. Who so hath these Gifts may use them But Sir where and when do you mean 1000 years ago but not now Why this is all we plead for man you have granted our desire let the Hearers be judges let the Saints be judges let the Prophets be judges God hath given that Spirit of Prophesy to interpret Scripture speak to edification and comfort of the Saints c. You say They are Prophets because the duties of Prophets are ascribed to them No need of so much of one thing being so clear and granted of all But you must needs have them extraordinary Prophets and here you harp or else you were gone But you say You will easily prove them to be extraordinary Prophets but stay Sir not so easily done as said But you say You prove it vers 30. If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by c. They preached extemporary Revelations they were by the singular Revelation of the Spirit to give the sense of Scripture Answ 1. I wonder from whence you had this distinction of ordinary and extraordinary Prophets Doth the Scripture teach you any such thing I suppose you minde by extraordinary such as foretold things to come as in the Old Testament c. But why you call them extraordinary I know not and for ordinary such as by the same spirit can speak for the edifying of the Saints the difference is onely in the operation of the same spirit in some one way in some another in some more in some less but it s given to every one to profit withal 2. That upon your own account and in your language these Prophets were ordinary extraordinary were such as could foretel things to come as Elijah Elisha Esay c. In the New Testament Agabus Act. 11. 27. chap. 21. 10. 11. such these Prophets were not For the work of the one was to foretell of the other to build up and edifie the Church You say These Prophets are set amongst extraordinary Gifts or Officers Ephes 4. 11. I wonder how you dare thus to abuse the Scripture and truth who or where are those Gifts or as you call them Officers called extraordinary but it s your own ignorance if not baseness to delude the people under these terms you call Apostles and Prophets Evangelists extraordinary and pick out from amongst the same Pastors Teachers for ordinary What Scripture teacheth you this to call one ordinary the other extraordinary If I can shew you no Prophets c. you shall shew me no Pastors nor Teachers in the World Well you say There were three things objected 1. They could not be extraordinary because their doctrine was to be tryed c. You answer first That this trying and judging did not consist in calling them to an account c. But I say It consisted in judging the truth of what was spoken to try the spirits whether they were of God for there were and are false Prophets for this was the Church of Ephesus commended Rev. 2. 2. For trying those who said they were Apostles and were not and found them lyars 2. You say An extraordinary Prophet though in penning Scripture infallible yet in other things he might err you instance in Aaron Exod. 32.
by one what all the Presbyters Nay all the Prophets but who are they All the gifted brethren See ver 34. none are prohibited but women Let your women keep silence for they are not permitted to speak but men are permitted Obj. The Lord intends Prophets only and it s said in another place 1 Cor. 12 29. Are all Apostles Are all Prophets c The interrogation implies a negation all are not Prophets Answ 1. All are not Prophets Secondly All that have the gift of Prophesie are Prophets and may speak and ought to speak for the edifying of the Church as in its place I shall let you see more at large Now if all that have the gift of Prophecy that is to speak to the edifying of the Church may Prophecy ver 3. then this may occasion confusion some may say and you say so too Nay saith the Apostle the spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets For God is not the author of confusion but of peace c. That is when one Prophet or gifted Brother hath spoken and another hath any thing revealed let the first hold his peace but how can he hold his peace the spirit of Prophecy is strong and violent and men cannot contain themselves its like fire within them Numb 11. 25. 1 Sam. 19 20. to the end But saith the Apostle there is no such thing in this prophesying For the spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets that is they are able to contain themselves and be silent while another speaks c. else it would occasion confusion But God is not the author of confusion but of peace So that the sum of all is That he that is a Gospel-Prophet can contain himself and be content to hear another speak as well as himself c. By all which it appears that a man may be sent and may Preach or Prophesie without such an approbation or examination as you speak of else those Acts 8. acted unlawfully in preaching without any such Probation But to return to your selves you come short of any such probation by the Presbytery its true there was a Presbytery in the primitive times but what is that to you who know no true Church nor Ministry but are enemies unto it you have only Popish forms amongst you without the power the name of Church Ordinances Ministers but are indeed and in truth enemies to Church Ordinances Ministers reproach them persecute them and are for the most part a pack of cheaters and deluders of the people for your own advantages I own probation by such a Presbytery the Scripture speaks of before admission to office although still I say men may Preach as gifted Brethren without any relation to office but as for your Presbytery it was conceived in Hell brought forth in Rome and yet lives and pants for breath in England but its end is to be burned See Esai 65. from 11. to 16. Your Third in your mission is Separation by ordination of the Presbytery which thing I own as relating to persons in Office by a lawful Presbytery yet still I have two exceptions 1. Not that Ordination to office ever did or shall where its right prevent the gifts of the Brethren No Sir it was not the end for which it was appointed 2. You have no such Presbytery therefore no such ordination you have yours by succession from the Pope only you have of late altered the name from Bishop Priest and Jesuite to Presbyter but the nature is not changed as deeply ingaged and inraged against the truth as any Jesuite in Rome and I assure you I should as freely accept of the Prayers and the hands of a pack of Jesuits as of yours as relating to this of Ordination But to return to the word Sent where it seems the force of your Argument lieth wherein you are so much mistaken you judge it to be the outward mission consisting of Election Probation Ordination whereas indeed and truth it hath the least relation to it if any at all my grounds are these 1. From the nature of the word and work the word Sent in those high things of God relates to God and his sending immediate So Christ was the Sent of the Father to do the Fathers work thus was Paul an Apostle one sent not of men neither by man but by Jesus Christ Gal. 1. 1. and he was sent not to Baptize but to Preach the Gospel 1 Cor. 1. 17. so the word and work joyned together it being a heavenly work preaching of the Gospel it s a heavenly sending that is here intended 2. The manner of expression the interrogation which as you say and it s granted implies a strong negation how can he preach except he be sent He cannot preach c. that is he cannot preach in the Spirit and power of the Lord to the conversion and building up of souls except sent by Jesus Christ in the power of the spirit and if so sent he can preach and doth preach though all the world say him nay and you being so much mistaken in the truth no wonder you have such a company of Divines as you are pleased to call them all the Ministry of the Nation are sent by your account for you have all one manner of call and sending according to the outward form if one be sent then all are sent and think you did the Lord ever send forth such a company to preach his Gospel of idle drunken whoring proud covetous envious ignorant profane persons as the most part of them are nay and some too such dunces sots that all their wit cannot make a Sermon in your way of Sermon making yet these have the same sending with you And this I must tell you that if God inlighten any of your profession in the Truth they renounce this kind of sending trample it under feet return it from whence it came But to return men can preach by your mission but they cannot preach unless sent of God to convert Souls in the power of the internal sending But to proceed to the third Argument If this be such an outward mission or sending as you imagine then it makes all other preaching unlawful for its such a sending as that there is no preaching without it how can he preach then What the Apostle writ to the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 14. You may all prophesie one by one was unlawful and the preaching of scattered brethren Acts 8. was unlawful the preaching of Paul Acts 9. 20. immediately after his conversion before he was separated to the work of Ministry Chap. 13. 2. was unlawful and he had cause to repent it if what you affirm were truth but he rejoices in it Gal. 1. 15 16 17. No sooner was Christ revealed in him but he preaches him he went not up to Jerusalem to them that were Apostles before him c. But to the great objection that lieth in the way against you That gifting is sending and all gifted persons are sent
lye 1. Idleness in that you could spare so much time and leisure to read such a lye Saints work is to redeem the time 2. Ignorance in relating as well as reading not knowing that the relating of lyes and falshoods is no work for Saints but dishonourable to Truth 3. Vanity vain minds to delight in reading and relating such abominations 4. Malice in making use of a lying Story to dishonour Saints and Truth But if it be a son of your own begetting as me thinks it looks exceeding like your self remember that all lyars must have their portion in the Lake that burneth in the fire that is not to be quenched and this lye do you apply in scorn to the Baptists But give me leave to tell you that its your selves that are indeed the great swallowers you tell of an Ox but you can swallow the tenth of the whole Nation if you had it not only Corn and Hay but the Lambs Calves Pigs and Geese Eggs and leggs if not tails and all and yet not content was there ever such swallowers in the world beside think you be judge your self in time 1. Absurdity This is that will confound all Callings and Societies c. then every Souldier that hath a Commanders gift may be a Commander and a General without a Call c. then farwell all Answ You make use of Comparisons not consistent with the thing in hand those varieties of stations amongst men must have variety of distinct Callings to it but this of Preaching and Prophesying is that which all the brethren that have gifts are called to as I have often proved that in the Church all may Prophesy that have the gift and yet no confusion but peace and order and indeed it s nothing else but your ignorance and your pride in being afraid of such an equality with your Brethren as the Scripture presents you with 2. Then every gifted boy and woman should preach c. To this I have answered you already 3. Then all may preach and deliver the Supper c. To this I have likewise answered already 4. This would open a flood gate to all Errors Heresies c. I wonder what people in the world more full of Errors Heresies and Blasphemies then the Pope and your selves who have confined all preaching to your selves no way like this to nourish ignorance and nuzzle up people in blindness and abominable Worships 5. Then all vain glorious Hypocrites c. would turn Preachers c. the emptiest barrels make the loudest sound c. And is it otherwise now amongst your selves Who hold their heads highest who makes the greatest sound who thinks they have Gifts beyond all others Is is not your selves and would you not exclude all beside your selves had you so much power empty barrels making great sounds but being try'd there is nothing but vanity and pride And whereas you say All vain glorious Hypocrites would turn Preachers I would have you to know that the Saints have a Spirit of discerning and if they finde such persons they exclude them therefore this is no way to set up vain-glorious Hypocrites it is that Spirit of discerning God hath given to them that makes them discover so much Hypocrisie amongst you 6. Then the Church of Christ which is his Body would be monstrous all eye all ear all head c. contrary to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 12 14 15 28 29. Answ No truth in your conclusion For 1. I say not that all have Gifts but all that have Gifts may Preach there are some in the Body that have not those Gifts or do not exercise them 2. I say that to those who do exercise them the Gift is different Diversities of Gifts yet the same Spirit and diversities of operations yet the same Lord c. As there are diversities of Members yet the same Body And so 3. Diversities of Callings some Apostles that is sent for the gathering of Churches some Prophets gifted brethren in the Church exercising for the edifying of the Body of Christ Pastors and Teachers for to feed and watch yet not to hinder but rather to further and incourage the Prophets Deacons to see to the necessities of the poor c. Thus you see or may see that this order is so far from making a Monster that it sets every member to do his office in his place every one to exercise his Gift in the Body according to the measure he hath received But you it is who make a monster in all its parts a filthy corrupt leprous body without or at best with rotten false painted artificial members leggs arms c. without a head Jesus Christ never was never will be Head to such a Body and your are the men the Ministers that form up and present him with such a body and then cry it up boasting of this Body dance about this ill-favoured Calf and cry out against the true Churches to be monstrous Bodies when your selves are the Monsters all the while 7. If this be tolerated it will make both Ministry and Ministers contemptible c. Answ I thought where I should take you at last Oh you love Honour as well as your Profit to have the cap and knee and to be called of men Rabbi then it goes gallant and pleaseth the heart of a proud Pharisee but you are mistaken this is not the way to make Ministers vile but the alone way for them to be esteemed of as the Ministers of Christ when they walk according to the Truth and endeavour not the dethroning of any to exalt themselves and this is that hath made you dishonourable in the eyes of Christians your pride and vileness in this particular You say The toleration of such irregularities is not so small an error as some imagine c. Alas Sir do you want the power of the Civil Magistrate to exalt you into the throne it seems it matters not what becomes of Souls let them be ignorant let them sink let them perish so your Honour may be upheld you care not c. You 'l make it a matter of consideration and concernment to the Civil Magistrate to oppose the way and Truth of Christ for your own self ends and interests The sixth Argument Every Preacher must be able in some good measure above ordinary Christians not only to divide the Word aright 2 Tim. 2. 15. Soundly to interpret and give the true sence and meaning applying the same to edification but he must be able also to convince gain-sayers Tit. 1 9. But every Gifted Trades-man Nailer Taylor c. is not able to divide the Word aright nor to convince a learned adversary and gainsayer Ergo. The Major you say is clear of it self the Minor you pretend to prove which I deny your proof is this Those who want learning both Humane and Divine cannot be sound Interpreters nor solid Disputants but most of our Gifted artificers want learning both Humane and Divine Ergo. Sir I question what you
intend by Learning Humane and Divine whether you minde a perfection of Learning for you set no bounds upon your terms if so it s to be doubted that your selves are but Ignoramus's in both in your best and most experienced Art of humanity you come short of many Heathens and Philosophers and I am very confident that many in this Nation who never knew what an Art or Science meant in its form or method in way of School Study have more natural Philosophy Logick Retorick in their heads then your selves who so much pride your selves in your shame But whether am I wandring into the bottomless Pit of mans wisdom take your honour in this blackness and darkness and go on spoiling souls by your Philosophy Col. 2. 8. till the Lord prevent you You say in the Minor of your first Argument That every gifted Trades-man nailer tailor c. is not able to divide the word aright c. And is every Priest of your Calling in the Nation able to divide the Word aright in your own judgement or is one in ten nay in twenty be the judge your self if not be ashamed to bring such Arguments any more because every gifted Trades-man is not able therefore none are able c. because every Priest is not able therefore none are able Artificers in their art of preaching And in your second Argument you say most of them want learning c. And may not your selves say most of your own Calling want learning humane and divine I am sure you want divine learning else you would not make such humane Arguments against the divine truth but we confess your Argument we want learning not humane but divine and we wait on the Lord for his teachings acknowledging with the Apostle Who is sufficient for these things 2 Cor. 2. 16. You say Nor to convince a learned Adversary Truly now adays your selves are the learned Adversaries the Church of Christ hath to deal withall And this I must tell you and you 'l finde it by experience that the gifted brethren will in the light and strength of truth overturn all the wisdom of the flesh as it s exercised against the truth in you or any others God will make all fleshes wisdom and pride and glory vale it self and fall down at the presence of his truth in his Saints as Dagon before the Ark you are mistaken Sir to think its your humanity that makes you able to divide the Word aright and that makes you an able Disputant it s the power of the Spirit of Christ in his people that makes them able to divide the Word and to convince gain-sayers Therefore your Argument is weak and hath nothing in it if any thing it reacheth your selves as well as others nay more then others because you live in that sphear and yet want but the gifted brethren see their wants and acknowledge it not boast of their fulness like your selves and they see they may want learning both humane and divine and yet divide the Word aright be solid Disputants for the truth so far as they have received not walking without or beyond their line knowing the Lord is their light and strength who never fails those that trust in him and only one thing I desire to Query of you If ever the like was read or heard of in Scripture so much ado about humane Learning to beat down truth and prevent the free operations of the Spirit in Saints Did any seek to hinder Gods workings in this way Oh Sir you want learning humane Arts and parts Therefore prophesy not preach not unto us If Old or New Testament Law or Gospel Moses or Christ hath done the like pray produce it If not be ashamed for ever to account your self a Minister of the Gospel and to mak use of such an engine against truth and its Owners as never any in the world made use of but Babylon and Egypt You grant That Translations are excellent helps yet there is such an emphasis and fulness in the Original that the Translation is nothing to the glory of it Answ It s like that is the reason you are so filled and puffed up with this outward fulness as that the Original of all fulness the fulness of the Spirit is scarce ever spoken of by you as if the Spirit of the Lord was not sufficient for these things You complain What miserable wrakings and rentings of Texts have come into the world for want of this Learning Come Sir Let us now a little consider who are the greatest wrackers renters and tearers of Scriptures The learned Humanists or the preaching Brethren The preaching brethren they hold and say that salvation is through Grace and that without any relation to any qualification or good in the creature according to Isay 55. 1. Rom. 4. 5. The Humanists say no but there must be some creature qualification some good in the creature before the soul must presume to come to Christ The preaching brethren hold and say that none but believers are to be baptized because there is neither precept nor president for it The Humanists say Infants must though no Scripture for it and this is their practice The preaching brethren say That the Saints are the Church of Christ and that they dare not own any else to be members if they manifest the contrary 1 Cor. 1. 12. because they are the body of Christ chap. 12. 27. and compact together Ephes 4. 16. with carnal ones they can have no spiritual fellowship 2 Cor. 6. 15. 16. But the Humanists say nay to this They will turn the world into Church and make all Christians thus deluding them thus forming up a monstrous body for Christ if he would accept of it But you might with better acceptation present your Church at the feet of the Pope then at the feet of Christ Thus owning a communion with them rather in their Estates tythe Pigs Geese and Eggs then with their souls for some of you will confess they are no Christians but deluded ones for self-ends and would not own them nor have any fellowship with them were it not for their bellies their God is their belly and their glory will be their shame The preaching brethren they own none for Christians but those who are convinced and converted by the preaching of the Gospel The Humanists want the power of the Civil Magistrate to convert souls for them The preaching brethren they say That Christ is King of Saints and that its his work alone to accept or reject in matters of conscience relating to the knowledge or worship of him and that who so gets into his room is the Antichrist But the Humanists Pope-like and Queen Mary-like cry out imprison hang burn banish the Sectaries that will not do as we say c. The preaching brethren say That preaching is a Gift and that its the work of the Saints according to their measure to communicate having received freely freely to give But the Humanists say nay
loosness and prophaness lay not the blame upon the practice of the Truth but let it light where it is So that it s not the preaching of Gifted Brethren that brings in Errour but the preaching of uncalled and ungifted ones such as your selves are that brings in Errour and it s the preaching of Gifted ones that will be a means of its discovery and bringing out The sixteenth Argument If the Church be Gods House and Family then no man may presume to exercise any Function there without a Call from God but the Church is Gods House and that God should appoint Officers and Order in his own House is but reason Granted but this is the order of Gods House That all his Children should communicate each to other according to the Gift as I have already proved and it s the order of the Devils house to destroy this order of the Lords Jer. 11. 21. The seventeeneth Argument from the Rise of it That which springs from pride and self conceitedness cannot be good but this kind of Preaching springs from pride and self conceitedness Ergo It cannot be good The Major is granted that the Minor is true You say you judge by their actions you judge of springs by their streams and trees by their fruit But are you so ignorant bold and impudent as to judge of Saints for doing their Duty its their duty to Preach and Prophesie and in Humility and Obedience they act in it not taking the Office but exercising the Gift as they have received having freely received they freely give But it s your own preaching that flows from pride and self conceitedness you that would preach and none else we hinder none from preaching that hath the Gift your selves it is who usurp the Office by reason of your imaginary gifts being never called to it by God or man according to the Truth You it is who thrust your selves in by violence whether the people will or no the dry keck and bramble it is indeed who desire to rule that is the reason so many of the honest Party have left you because of your driness and emptiness and that is the reason you are so much troubled for want of the ruling scratching persecuting power but your preaching Brethren desire not to rule unless over their corruptions nor to scratch unless they could by the power of Truth scratch away your Ignorance Envy and Pride against the Lord and his Truth c. it s the irregular using of Gifts which is when men would by that means stifle all except their own this flows from Pride The eighteenth Argument If Christ at his Ascension gave only some to be Pastors and Teachers then all Gifted men may not Teach but Christ at his Ascension gave only some to be Pastors and Teachers Ephes 4. 11. 1 Cor. 12. 28 29. Ans If a gifted Brother should have brought forth such a gross and palpable untruth you would have thought it had been for want of learning the very Scriptures you produce to prove it being so evident against youâ— your falshood lieth in the words only Pastors and Teachers see the Scriptures God hath set some in his Church 1. Apostles 2. Prophets 3. Teachers c. how dare you be so bold as to say only Pastors c 1. Apostles That is men sent for the gathering of the Saints 2. Prophets That is Gifted brethren Prophesying according to the measure of Faith And 3. Out of these Prophets are taken Pastors and Teachers no Prophet no Pastor nor Teacher c. Thus briefly the falacy of your Argument is made manifest the gift is for all I will pour out my spirit upon all c. The nineteenth Argument That which hath neither precept nor president is neither commanded nor commended in the Word of God may not be tolerated in the Church of God But this kinde of Preaching by Gifted Brethren hath neither precept nor president in all the Word of God Ergo it may not be tolerated in the Church of God You conclude This new found Officer a gifted Preacher out of office is not to be found in the Bible I have already proved this truth that it is commanded and commended there is both Precept and President 1. Precept They shall declare the glorious majesty of thy Kingdom to the sons of men Psal 145. 11 12. As every one hath received so let them administer Commended 1 Cor. 14. 5 6. 2. President All the Prophets in the Old Testament acted sutable to the gift it was no Office viz. Prophesie but a gift 1. In the New Testament the scattered brethren Act 8. and Paul Acts 9. 20. straight way he Preached he never looked for an office as you dream and the truth is I can scarce imagine that you are so ignorant of this truth as you seem to be but that others might rest themselves quiet and satisfied in what you say Let your ignorance in presenting such gross untrue conclusions that this Preacher is not to be found in the Bible be recanted and repented of for shame The twentieth Argument From the practice of all Reformed Churches That which is condemned in all the Churches of God and is contrary to their practice ought not to be tolerated in our Church but this practice of private mens Preaching without a Call is condemned by all the Churches of God and is contrary to their practice Ergo. As for the Major and the Minor your Churches and your old Divines are no rule for me to walk by nor to any others who have their eyes in their heads no further then they follow Christ the Spirit and the Scripture The Spirit in the Scripture is the rule of Saints and this I am sure the custom of the Churches in the Scripture is contrary to your customs their custom was That Preaching brethren should both Preach and Prophesie 1 Cor. 14. 31. And for those who will be contentious against this truth there was nor is no such custom in the Churches of the Lord therefore keep the example of your Churches and Divines to your self who walk not according to the rule if any man walk not according to this rule it is because there is no light in him Isai 8. 20. Thus have I briefly run through your Pulpit-Guard and doubt not but that I have Routed you in all your Twenty Strong Holds that now the way being opened again the Gifted brethren may come in to your Pulpit without sin or shame As for your Indictment against the Lay-Prophet as you call him it is so ridiculous so poor and low not being accompanyed with common reason the Jury you pretend to call are your Witnesses the evidence you call it You have lost your self in the very form no wonder if you are lost in the matter you forsake the Scripture and flie to Apostatized Churches or rather to those who call themselves Churches Jews and are not but we have examined them and found them lyars you calling old Divines men of
and unlawfull in publike where doth the Scripture make this distinction But Sir I suppose I have found you you will keep it in private that so your Diana may stand your honour and esteem among the vulgar and that your god your bellies may be fed to the full c. Phil. 3. 18 19. As for that place 1 Cor. 11. 5. you say The words are not taken actively for womens preaching but passively for their attending on prayer and prophesying c. And who told you so Sir you are very quick of apprehension ready to give interpretations I suppose you may thank your Logick Rhetorick and Philosophy for it Is there ever such a word in the Text nay is it not evident that there is no such thing intended Examine the Scripture 1. He speaks of men in particular and women in particular every man that prayeth and prophesieth every woman that prayeth and prophesieth he doth not say every one that doth attend upon praying c. 2. If he intends the woman that she doth attend upon the praying of another then he intends the same to the men likewise for its one and the same only the manner differs So then there is no rule given to him that speaks in prophesie either man or woman 3. The Text saith Every woman that prophesieth c. Pray tell me Sir whether when a man prophesieth and preacheth the things of God whether the women that are present hearing do prophesie then because the man doth if the women then the men where now Sir you will make all Prophets anon both men and women 2. You say You must distinguish of prophesying there is prophesying which is preaching thus say some these women did not prophesie I thought you were gotten into a Wood almost lost you hear what some say But how can they tell who told either you or them so 2. You say Prophesying is taken for publishing and singing praise c. Psal 68. 11. there were shee preachers If so Sir why not men and women to teach and preach according to the gift See to this purpose Col. 3. 16. 3. You say Suppose you grant as your Divines confess that its the sense of the place that women in those times were inspired with the Spirit of prayer prophesie c. according to Joel 2. 28. yet they failing and abusing their liberty the Apostle enjoyns them silence for ever in publike 1 Cor. 14. 34 35. There is no such thing Compare that with this and it forbids but the disorder not the thing by permission in submission the women that have a gift may prophesie which is the sence of the Scripture The eleventh Objection 1 Cor. 16. 15 16. The house of Stephanas addicted themselves to the Ministry of the Saints c. Hence you say the Anabaptists ignorantly gather that a man may call himself to preaching c. Sir you are malitiously mistaken and the ignorance is in your self 1. In calling them Anabaptists for practising Baptism according to the Scripture that grieves you it seems but you have learnt a new way both for matter and manner for matter Babies instead of believers for manner sprinkling at the holy Font instead of baptising in a River You are loth to go in there with your long Gownes you have found a better way then ever was prescribed or practised who now Sir are the Ignoramusses 2. You belie them but that is no wonder you say they gather that a man may call himself to preaching It s your own forgery they never said so but 1. If God gives gifts then he cals them to it 2. The Church finding such gifts approves of them ownes them rejoyceth in them c. And as for the Scripture you mention you say first It doth not appear that they were Ministers and Preachers but rather Deacons and Church-officers who did serve and minister to the necessities of the Saints c. This is but your word and there is no probability for it but that you have learned to evade truth but all will not serve you I say therefore first they were Ministers and that preaching ones too 1. Ministers the word is clear for that They gave themselves to the ministry of the Saints 2. Preaching ones too ver 16. That ye submit your selves to such and to every one that helpeth with us and laboureth they were such as did help with the Apostles and labour In what In giving Alms or distributing No. Labour in the Gospel it s usually applyed that way I laboured more abundantly then they all saith Paul 1 Cor. 15. 10. and the Elders that labour in the word are worthy of honour c. this word Labour is nowhere given to Deacons 3. Yet out of office only by gift I prove it thus 1. It s the houshold of Stephanas that Paul baptized and was his first fruits at Achaia tell me when they did or any else chuse a houshold or family to be all Ministers in office 2. They addicted themselves to the Ministry were not called by office c. 3. That ye submit to such and every one that helpeth he doth not say to every one in office but to every one that helpeth that is every one that hath the gift and helpeth to the building up of the rest let others submit their judgements unto such in points of difference and controversies If Paul intended it to every Pastor in the Church of Corinth there were very many then it seems for there was the houshold of Stephanas and so every one else that doth labour with us how many officers will you make in the Church if what you say were truth You say They gave themselves to the service were not compelled or hired c. It seems at least then they were not such officers as the Parsons of the Nation are for they must be hired and well paid too or else they will not serve they are far from the temper of Stephanas and his family 2. You say Take it which way you please either for the service of the Presbyterie or Deaconship yet this is the same they being lawfully called did freely give themselves to the service c. Their calling I have already proved unto you not by office but gift and they readily did the service you call the Anabaptists the Firebrands of Societies Sir 1. They have been and will be a firebrand to Antichristian Societies and the Lord will by them dash such to pieces by their doctrine life and practise 2. They are the only upholders of lawfull Societies both Civill and Divine 3. Your selves are in deed and truth the firebrands of Societies both Civill and Divine For Civill you could be content to burn up Nations Parliament People and all for the establishment of your own interests burn up Churches the Societies of Saints rail and call them all that naught is when your selves are the men upon whom the guilt lieth you abuse and wrest the Scripture to your own ends and interest viz. No
man taketh this honour to himself without a Call c. It s spoken of the Priests under the Law who were a type of Christ and not of your bastard Tribe of Levites c. Your answer to the objection I have already sufficiently cleared that they were gifted persons not officers c. The twelfth Objection Heb. 5. 11 12. When for the time ye ought to have been teachers c. here say they the Apostle blames them because they were not all Teachers The substance of your answer is that there are two sorts of teachers publike teachers and private teachers the one by men in office the other by men out of office But who gave this distinction of publike and private Christians of publike and private teachers I know not they are terms the Scripture is not acquainted withall therefore away with them to Rome from whence they came and call not that or them private whom God hath made publike say no more for shame that its lawfull for them to teach in private and unlawfull in publike doth the place and manner make so much difference If it be lawfull to teach the way of God to one or two in private is it not lawfull to teach the same to them in publike and if to one or two why not to ten if to ten why not to an hundred to a thousand if in private why not in publike doth the Scripture know any such distinction or approve one more then another If not be silent for ever and ashamed of your folly and make no more such distinctions where the Lord hath made none The thirteenth Objection 1 Pet. 2. 9 Ye are a royal Priesthood c. Rev. 3. 10. 1. 6. and hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests c. Exod. 19. 6. All Priests must teach but all Believers are Priests Ergo all Believers may teach You answer The fallacie lies in the word Priest you read of two sorts of Priests 1. Some by Office c. 2. Others a royal Priesthood proper to all Believers c. who as the former come near to God 1. Have boldness and access c. 2. Offer sacrifice of prayer and praise 3. Slay their sins and mortifie the old man c. 4. In respect of common annoynting so all Believers have an unction of the Spirit of God which leads them into all truth 1 Joh. 2. 20. and being thus taught they may and must teach others These are your own words And now Sir where is the Fallacie in your self or in the preaching brethren your own confession shall be your judge one day But you pretend to mend all again with the word privately the way of the Lord how often have you confest the truth and then think to lick your self whole again with that one word that the Scripture ownes not upon your account but breathes forth light and truth to the contrary as clear as the Sun when it shines at the noon-day yet when you have confest the truth you pretend to over-turn it again with that word private with shame acknowledge your ignorance if not your malice 2. You answer You 'l shew the weakness of this Argument you say per idem thus The office of a King is to rule but every Believer is a King Ergo. And if so why do ye not get into the Throne c. I answer Your Argument looks like your self Because Believers are Kings Ergo they do and shall reign with Christ over Sin Satan Flesh and World with him in glory this is the truth in the mystery but you draw scurrilous and reproachful conclusions to make the Saints and truth contemptible be advised of your folly in time and repent least you walking in John a Leydens wayes cry up Office Office thinking to carry away all the crown and glory from the Saints when indeed and truth you have no more part nor portion in the business then Simon the Sorcerer c. I say be warned of crying up your selves above the Magistrate Parliament and Councel of State c. resolving to ruine all if you may not reign least you come to John a Leydens end c. The fourteenth Objection 1 Pet. 4. 10 11. As every one hath received the gift even so minister the same one to another c. every man must use the talent God hath given him c. Mat. 25. Hence you say they argue All that have gifts must use them but many private men have gifts Ergo they must use them Your answer 's true But where not publikely for then many women who have excellent Gifts should be Preachers but privately c. You have no other shift to put off truth but this silly distinction of publike private c. you have worn it thred-bare being so often put to it in the very plain express terms of Scripture that you know not where to shift your self but put off your load upon this word private to which I have said so much in answer unto it that I suppose the most weak and simple may see into your Fallacie but Sir you leave your case desperate at last but no wonder when it is so bad that it seems you are glad to steal away from it for you confess that which you have so long opposed You say He comes ver 11 to the gift of Prophesie and ministring according to our Abilities Is it the Gift of Prophesie indeed it s well you confess it It seems you had not audaciousness enough in you to contradict this truth shining so clear in your conscience You say Its the gift of Prophesie Surely these are not Prophets in Office you dare not say so it seems but as every man hath received this Gift so let him minister if any man speak c. Here you are blank and glad to be gone with speed to the next you saying so little and to so little purpose the Scripture it self being so undeniably clear that daunts all gain sayers as appears in your answer I shall say no more unto it but pursue you to that which follows The fifteenth Objection Rev. 11. 3. The two Witnesses Prophesie not only the Clergy but all the Faithful You answer 1. That borrowed Speeches make no grounded Arguments I answer That the truth of those speeches shall stand and hold firm when your Logick and Rhetorick shall have an end 2. You say The Witnesses consisted of Pastors and People the one Preaching the other Professing against Antichrist c. Be sure then it s not you nor your People who walk in Antichristian wayes but you it is must be witnessed against and if you have not already wil kill the witnesses And why not the people witness by Preaching as well as Prophesying if every one may administer according to the gift received as in the former Argument c. The last Objection is a Sceleton A penny worth of their small Reasons a parcel of bare bones the very naming of them is confutation sufficient as 1 Cor.
Who told you they were three persons have you it in Scripture or by tradition from Rome if in Scripture produce it when you come forth in publick next for mine own part I know no such Scripture And this I shall with confidence affirm that neither Father Son or Spirit are at all called Person or Persons as God but it s a Title proper only to man in Scripture given to none else and therefore come from Rome Be instructed now therefore ye wise men of the Earth and do not judge so harshly of honest men because they cannot believe that which is not written in Scripture and be content to be fools that you may be wise and let these Traditions return to their first center 23. That Christ hath removed the Law and now the pure Gospel is the only Rule What yet more ignorance and malice Is this one of the wrinkles and deformities one of the delusions of that deluded Sect I wonder you have left out one this comes very near it that they expect salvation by the Free grace of God in Jesus Christ Is this such a strange wrinkle and delusion with you that Christ hath removed the Law I pray what was the end of his coming if not to remove the Law as a dispensation held forth in the hands of Moses The Law came by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ Joh 1. 17. First he came to fulfil the Law every jot and title of it Mat. 5. 17 18. He fulfilled all the righteousness of it for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness Mat 3. 15. and so is the end of the Law for righteousness to all those who believe Rom. 10. 4. Secondly He hath removed the Curse and condemnation of it Gal. 3. 13. Rom. 8. 1. Thirdly He hath removed the Rule of it as in the hands of Moses for there it was the Rule that produced the Curse it was a ministration of death and now the pure Gospel is the only Rule of Saints And is this such a mystery and deformity to you a Minister of the Gospel and ignorant of this Truth Sir I must tell you that if you were a Christian in good earnest you should not you could not be ignorant that the Gospel the Law of Christ is the Rule of the Saints Mat. 28. 20. Act. 3. 22. They are marryed to him and subject to him Rom. 74. Christ takes all that old dispensation both Moral and Ceremonial into his own hands and is the substance of the Ceremonies and righteousnes of the Moral Law and now gives forth the substance of the Moral again to them in them not as a Rule of righteousness but as a law of love a law of Grace and pure Gospel if you will have it though you think the word pure Gospel is reproach enough although you cannot be litterally ignorant that the Gospel signifieth glad tydings and is not this glad tydings think you and pure Gospel when a soul comes to see all the wrath and enmity that was against him contained in Ordinances taken away Ephes 2. 13 14. and fulfilled and now there is no ministration of death against him the Law of God is in his heart within him without him a law of love and grace no death no wrath nothing but love and grace and the love of Christ constrains such souls to yield obedience to him and to follow him where ever he goes But to conclude the Thirtieth Tenent They give a Supream and Independent power in all Ecclesiasticall causes and censures to their single Congregations And can you produce any other rule in the Gospel then this must you needs have one Church to rule over another or rather your selves to rule over the whole will nothing content you unless you may be Lords over Gods heritage Sir we allow no Synodian nor Classical power but advice and counsell we own c. it s not an Independent power neither only independent as to man and creatures but depending upon Jesus Christ and if you can produce any other rule in the Gospel let us know it that we may be informed If you mention Acts 15. I say first they sent to Jerusalem for advice and counsell and secondly those to whom they sent were able infallibly to determine the case ver 28. They could say It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay upon you no greater burthens then these necessary things c. And truly were there such Apostles and Elders amongst us we should gladly acknowledge them and receive from them but as for your Classicall power we own it not we submit not to it c. Thus have I briefly run through your Looking-glass and truly it may be a Looking glass for your self if the Lord open your eyes to see into it wherein you may first see your ignorance and blindness in calling so many precious truths of Christ wrinkles and deformities and delusions of the deluded Sect. And secondly you may see your malice and envy in charging so many falshoods upon them when it s your selves that are guilty of those crimes you endeavour to fasten upon them Thus you say You have given a taste out of a full sea whereby it appears that the Anabaptists are no such harmless creatures as some imagine A full sea it is indeed of lyes and scandals on the one part and truth ignorantly or wilfully abused by you on the other part No such harmless creatures c. if you could by your lyes and scandals perswade people to it thus dealt the Scribes Pharisees and the hypocrites your brethren in iniquity with Christ and the Saints of old Mat. 12 24. Joh. 8. 48. 10. 36. Act. 14. 2. You commend those who desire to see more of their Errors to Mr. Edwards Gangraena and the rest of your brethren in the same iniquity with you but you do well to commend them to the Gangraena the vilest viper that ever appeared in the world against Christ and his truth and Saints herein justifying your brethren in their iniquity and so drawing upon your self all the righteous blood shed from Abel until now you build the Tombs of the Prophets Christ and his Apostles pretend high estimation of them Pharisee like Mat. 23. from the 29. to the end Well you draw your conclusion How needfull is it both for Church and Common-wealth to joyn the labour of the Vniversities for confutation of the Anabaptists Indeed Sir you had need joyn all your forces Church Common-wealth that is the Magistrate Universities and all for the suppression of truth I wonder you had not conjured the Prince of darkness to your assistance in this great work and undertaking it seems their errors are so great so dangerous in your eye as that you fear miserably some great disaster or change you cry out lamentably upon their doctrine as that it will bring destruction to Church State Souls all But what are their principles that are so full of danger Answ
I shall give some brief hints 1. That Justification and Salvation is by grace alone through Christ without any relation to any thing done by the creature 2. That this Justification and Salvation is enjoyed by faith 3. That this faith is the gift of God 4. That where this faith is truly wrought it produceth an universall obedience to the whole Law of Christ and that its the Believers priviledge only to be baptized 5. That obedience to Magistrates is the will of God and they submit for conscience sake 6. That believers are to press forwards after perfection in the use of lawfull means as Prayer Preaching Conference Fellowship c. 7. That none are the Ministers of the Gospel but such as have received the Spirit and power from on high 8. That the Spirit of Christ and the Scripture is sufficient for the Ministers calling and both Minister and peoples salvation 9. That its the work of the Lord and of him alone in the ministery of the Gospel to convert and build up souls 10. That all the Saints may and ought to exercise their gifts for the good of others according to the measure they have received 11. That it is their duty to be men of peace and as much as in them lieth to live peaceably with all 12. That a vizard and shew of holiness and innocency to deceive others without the power and life of godliness is the deepest hypocrisie and shall be punished with the deepest damnation 13. Their expectation is of a change in the day of the Lord wherein they shall be made conformable to him in glory 14. And in the mean time they are saved by hope that as the Anchor of the soul is cast into that which is within the vail where they are held both sure and stedfast Where they are cheared and comforted against all the black mouths and false scandals and lying tongues of Devil Priests or men that shall be opened against them notwithstanding you fear not neither tremble to do the work of the devil in laying false scandals and accusations to the charge of Gods Elect without just cause the Lord will in his time reprove you and rebuke you Well but I pass by because I must hasten to your Arguments I shall only take notice of a word or two more because its bootless to trace you in your folly You say You have forborn all gall and bitterness and tempered your reproof with love and meekness that you have dipt your nails in oyl that your witness is on high that you have done nothing out of envie spleen or passion to the persons of the men c. Truly Sir you have buttered words were your deeds answerable when the truth is that there is nothing else but gall and bitterness lying and false accusations are these words rouled in Sugar you would fain be shut of them have them banished the Nation I thought to what your sugered words would amount at last and indeed no wonder for it is the best portion that ever the world could afford the Saints As for your ensuing preface unto your first Argument I pass it over because in answering your Arguments I shall answer those things which seem to have weight in them because reiterations are both needless and useless The Arguments against the Preaching of gifted Brethren Examined and Answered Argument I. If God were angry with those in the time of the Law that did usurp the Priests office then he being Jehovah the same for ever will be angry with those in the time of the Gospel that do usurp the Ministers office But God was angry with those in the time of the Law that did usurp the Priests office Ergo He will be angry with those in the Gospel that do usurp the Ministers office Your Major you say is clear from the immutability of Gods nature he is the same that is truth But for to give you a discovery of the Fallacie and weakness of your Argument I shall give you a two-fold Answer First Your Major joyns the Priesthood of the Law and the Ministery of the Gospel together when the truth is there is no comparison between them The Priests were to offer Sacrifice and they only to teach the people and to minister about the things of the Altar as they were Types of Christ the great high Priest who offered himself once for all a Sacrifice for the sins of his people But the Ministers of the Gospel they are no Types of Christ they do not offer Sacrifice for sin c. Therefore there is no comparison between them none might meddle with the office or work of a Priest because it was appointed of God and did so clearly represent that great high Priest Christ Jesus but the work of a Minister of Christ is to declare forth what they have heard and seen from the Lord Jesus who is already come 1 Joh. 1. 1. 2. and this is the work of every Saint according to the measure of the gift received But secondly I answer I grant the truth of your Major in the terms but I deny that gifted brethren usurp the ministerial office in their preaching usurpation is a sin but for men to speak of the things of God according to the measure they have received is no usurpation Rom. 12. 6. 1 Pet. 10. 4. 11. nor sin but every Christians duty although you by your Logick and Retorick and forged innovations and abusive Interpretations would amaze and amuze the world and affright the Saints with Vzzah and Korah Dathan and Abiram c. But know that they are such as never came from Christ but the smoak ascending out of the bottomless Pit endeavouring to darken the bright shining of the Sun of righteousness in and by Saints Korah Dathan and Abiram were smiten for doing that they were forbidden you smite the Saints for doing that they are commanded and for which they are commended 1 Cor. 14. from the first to the fifth You apply that unto the gifted brethren which retorts it self justly upon your self For first you say usurpation to the Office of the Ministry is a great sin gifted brethren only exercise their gifts not usurp the Office but your selves it is that usurp the Office without the gift many yea most of the Ministers of the Nation usurp the Office but for the gift they are not only ignorant of but enemies to it And secondly not only usurp the Office without the gift but usurp the Office likewise without any colorable ground for it They cry up Office Office of the Ministery when they know not what it is and have no more authentick Authority for their Ordination to their Office then the Pope and the Devil can give them You instance Korah c. and apply it to the preaching brethen but truly if the Lord give you eyes but to see it you might more truly apply it to your selves you thrust your selves into the Priests Office as if you were holy and none but you and
c. And know this will yet lie in your way and is not so easily removed as you imagine you pretend a distinction between gifting and sending Many thousands in the Nation are gifted you say but may not dare not preach c. Your gifted brethren it seems may not dare not preach you keep them in subjection but your sent ones though no gift at all they may and dare to do it or abuse it and what account will you give to the Lord for this at last think you You say None may preach in a constituted Church without sending in your way And yet in the constituted Church of Corinth they might all viz. who had the gift prophesy one by one you instance Barnabas and Saul Act. 13. 1. 2. who though they had gifts must be ordained Yet Saul preached Act. 9. 20 21 22. before he was ordained or had seen the Apostles see vers 27. And when Paul and Barnabas were Ordained it was not to preach in a constituted Church but to the world as you may see Act. 13. You say If bare gifts be a sufficient Call c. Then gifted boys may preach as the little gifted Boy at Stafford And why not Sir will you limit the holy One of Israel and dare you reproach the Scripture as you do out of the mouths of babes and sucklings he ordained strength and will confound his foes Then gifted women may preach you say This is your own conclusion because we say as the Scripture saith that gifted brethen may preach or prophesie therefore you in reproach will conclude that gifted women may preach but it s your conclusion and to your self I leave it and according to the Mystery of the truth I think there are but few if any besides women preachers among your selves You produce Mat. 10. 1. 5. Which you say fully clears the scruple where Christ distinguisheth gifting men from Authoritative sending v. 1. he gifts them vers 5. he sends them I answer First Is this such a sending as you have talked of in your mission Election Probation Ordination or an immediate sending as he sent Paul before he was Ordained Here is not a word of Ordination but sending no laying on of the hands of Christ but gifting sending and so the gifting and sending of the gifted brethren is when the Lord enables them in a measure unto it and saith in them to them go as in Paul Gal. 1. 16. As for those gifts you mention Mat. 10. 1. I query if you or any of your sent Brethren have those gifts or if you are so sent as those vers 5. You conclude two things that must concur in making a Minister gifts abilities qualifications both of life and learning This if rightly understood is a truth and I freely own it But you seem pag. 12. to bring in a mixture a hodge podge Arts Sciences Latine Greek Hebrew c. And is it true indeed that these gifts are required in a Minister then no Minister without them I wonder then the Apostles could be Ministers who are said to be illiterate or unlearned men Act. 4. 13. Or were they made partakers of the Spirit of Christ and are not the Saints now yea or else they are none of his Rom. 8 9. and is not the same Spirit sufficient now as then yea certainly to those who trust in him but it s the spirit of Antichrist that seeks out after humane helps to supply the room or want of this Spirit of Christ and having gotten it they grow proud of it are self-conceited in it make it their great idol and dare reproach the Spirit and power of the Lord appearing in his Saints Secondly He must have power and Authority from the Presbytery to exercise his Gifts he must not run before he be sent I have Answered this already what Presbytery sent Paul when he preached Act. 9. or the scattered brethren Act. 8. c. And where is that Presbytery among you that have power thus to send It seems you have high esteem of your Presbytery else you would not mention it so often when it s but a new trick of the Devil to give another name when the Prelate was out of date Alas you were ignorant of Presbytery your selves not long since but now the name lifts you up to Heaven although the nature of the Prelate still remains I suppose you harp so much upon this string that so they might preach nothing but what you approve and then your dark kingdom might it may be stand the longer but the Lord Jesus will consume and destroy Antichrist with the spirit of his mouth and the brightness of his coming You say All Preachers are sent either by God or by the Devil c. To this we fully assent without Tertullian your witness and I pray you look you unto it Are those who minister according to the measure of the gift given them in your account intruders usurpers sent of the Devil or of God Look to your self man you are upon a very sharp point and keen rock lest you fall or be split before you are aware Therefore I beseech you take a little view who are likeliest to be sent from God or the Devil your selves or your gifted Brethren The gifted brethren exercise the gift they have received either first when occasion and opportunity is offered to inform the judgement in the Gospel of Grace and Truth that so if the Lord work souls may be enlightned and converted or secondly to build up the Church in its most holy Faith he doth his Office as a member in the body that it may grow up in him who is the Head Your selves First make up a Church a body as you call it of Christ a monstrous body of prophane ones and give them Ordinances tell them they are Christians and so delude them and without infinite mercy damn them for ever Secondly Are ignorant of and envious to the truth the Saints and Servants of God Thirdly Do not the work of Christ preach baptize Believers converted gather Churches build up Saints but the contrary by way of opposition to all Fourthly For the most part are carnal loose base in conversation not so much as common civility or civil honesty yet all one sending Now be your selves judges who are sent from God and who from the Devil who doth the work of Christ and who the work of the Devil Oh consider this you who forget God lest he come and tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver Pag. 13. You say 'T is for Wolves and false Prophets to be self called and to come of their own accord c. Answ You say truth They are wolves who are Self-called Thieves and Robbers Joh. 10. you mention it but the Query lieth here still Who are the Self-called ones you or the preaching brethren And so who are the wolves you or them Gifted brethren they preach only by Gift as they have received as I said either for conversion
that I know belongs to a Pastor but a gifted brother may do it it is his duty when time opportunity and liberty cals for it only the brother doth it according to his gift as a member the other waiting on his office as one entrusted by the Church more then ordinary for that end It is with the Church in this case as with a body Politique that needs Magistrates and Officers not for its being but for its wel-being it s not Magistracy that gives a being to a People but a People gives a being to the Magistracy and the Magistracie is or should be for the Peoples good So it is in this case with the Church it s not the Pastor that gives being to the Church but the Church gives being to the Pastor the Church and Ordinances are before Pastors Object But there must be some one or other to preach for the gathering of the Church and such a one is before the Church and may be said to give being to the Church Answ True but we are not now speaking about preaching out of but in a constituted Church And secondly out of a constituted Church gifted brethren may preach for the gathering of a Church or Churches and if God give a blessing to them and manifest his presence with them as those Acts 8. with Acts 11. they may baptize them and gather them into fellowship as they did You pretend absurdities that will follow If men may preach without a call they may baptize deliver the Supper exercise Church censures without a Call I say it is not without a cal the Churches freedom or desire is cal enough for either if the party be gifted to it all lawful Cals to preach either wthin or without are sutable to the gift If no gift the cal is unlawfull and that Church which hath power to call an Officer hath power to call forth any gifted brother to do service for the Church if he have a freedom within himself to do it But you say then gifted boyes and gifted women and gifted Midwives may preach if all gifted persons may preach But by the way pray Sir what is the difference between women and midwives you might have done well to distinguish for I thought midwives had been women all this while but I have told you already that there is difference between gifted brethren and gifted women that is your own nonsensicall conclusion because gifted men may preach therefore gifted women Secondly Should I give by way of concession though not grant That it s not lawfull for men out of office to baptize yet they may preach and that 1. From the command for it s not the reasoning from the greater to the less will serve you but it s the command that makes things lawfull or unlawfull there is a command of preaching if not of baptizing Rom. 12. 3 6. 1 Pet. 4. 10 11. Examples Acts 8. 4. and 9. 20. and 18. 26. 2. Preaching and Baptism were not so united together as never to be separated as you pretend See 1 Cor. 1. 17. But to your fourth Argument If no Priest or Prophet might offer Sacrifice under the Law without a Call then none may preach the Word or deliver the Sacraments under the Gospel without a Call but no man might offer Sacrifice under the Law without a Call Ergo c. This Argument is one in substance with your first I thought your University Divinity had delivered you from such Tautologies and although I suppose there is enough said in mine Answer to the first for satisfaction to both yet I shall follow you in this likewise that so I may not leave one stone unturned nor any part of your warlike frame uncharged that so your Pulpit-Guard may be wholly and totally routed And to your Argument I give you a treble Answer First that there is no comparison to be made between the Jewish Priests and the Ministers of the Gospel although indeed your selves in many things run parallel with them but this I have answered to your first Therefore Secondly I answer that it s not the parity of Jewish Priests and Ministers of the Gospel that will hold in your Argument that is nonsensicall like most of the rest because the Jewish Priest or Prophet in time of the Law only might offer Sacrifice therefore none may preach or minister Ordinances under the Gospel without a Call you may as well make this Argument Because none were circumcised under the Law but men children therefore none under the Gospel but men children must be baptized But Sir the limiting of the Legal Sacrifice to the Legal Priesthood is no ground why none but Ministers in office should preach it was sufficient to them that none but them should offer Sacrifice So under the Gospel the command of Christ is the rule of Saints and that is it that makes things lawfull or unlawfull the Lord will have his servants not to hide their talents but that which they hear in secret they shall proclaim upon the house top that is publiquely not to hide as by stealth his goodness within them and this which you for base and self-ends so much cry out against was never forbidden but ever approved both in the old and new Testament any servant of the Lord might and did prophesie and preach forth the goodness of the Lord to others Moses wisheth that all the Lords people were Prophets And the Propet David Psal 145. 10 11 12. speaks once for all both for Law and Gospel All thy works shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall bless thee they shall speak of the glory of thy Kingdom and talk of thy power to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts and the glorious majesty of his Kingdom Note man it s the Saints work and priviledge to declare the glorious majesty of the Kingdom of Christ And why Because they have been in the Kingdom and have seen it and can speak of it by experience 2 Pet. 1. 10 11. You are mistaken man it s not your University nor your Call that teacheth you knowledge in the Kingdom of the Lord and that is the reason of your so deep ignorance of and hatred against the Truth but it s the Saints work to preach the glad tydings of the Kingdom The Gospel is called The word of the Kingdom Mat. 13. 19. And who shall preach the word of the Kingdom Why the Saints shall declare the glorious word of thy Kingdom and talk of thy power and hence it is that the same Prophet David Psal 68. 11. saith The Lord gave the word and great was the company of those that published it or the army as the Margin notes it In the Hebrew A great Army of Saints publishing the Truth believe it Sir you are mistaken to imagine that God hath given a Patent to any Society or Generation of men under the Sun of what name or title soever they dignifie or distinguish themselves whether Pope Cardinal Jesuite
Bishop Priest or Presbyter that so they might monopolize Preaching to themselves so making that a trade cum Privilegio which is proper and in common to the Saints according as God shall reveal unto them where the Lord speaks the word there will be Preachers And truly Sir you endeavour what you can to make the Saints to come short of other Creatures the whole Creation in their spheres and places all set forth the praise of their Maker and shall not the Saints sutably to their sphears capacities and understandings do the like Thy works shall praise thee O God and thy Saints shall not be behind the whole Creation they shall bless thee they shall talk of thee they shall declare thee to the sons of men c. But 3. I answer that all the Saints are a spiritual and a holy Priesthood 1 Pet. 2. 5. and their Priestly Office under the Law had no relation at all to yours under the Gospel or any other officiating ministry for that Priesthood was 1. A Type of Christ and 2. Of the Church of Christ c. 4. I answer and conclude That Gifted Brethren do not preach without a Call as none might sacrifice without a Call c. And whereas you say and give it as your reason That Preaching is a greater work then offering sacrifice I say it s not the greatness of the work but the will of the Lord commanding the work that makes the thing either lawful or unlawful whereas you make so many reiterations of a Call and that many creep in at the window c. I have said enough to this already and proved it so that your selves are the men though you see it not and not the Gifted Brethren You say That a true Minister preacheth in Gods Name by vertue of a Call c. And to this purpose you mention Paul who often speaks of his Call I say first That he never mentions his Call to such a base and ungodly end as you so often mention yours viz. that you might stop and silence the workings and the gifts of the Spirit in all except in you selves where it is not neither but University Gifts instead of the Spirit a Mystery of Iniquity 2. If his Call had been no better then yours he might and would have been ashamed of it rather then to have boasted as you do but believe me your glorying is not good your glory will be your shame in the end But to your Reasons to convince men of the necessity of a Call to this Sacred Function yours is a sacred one in deed as sacred as the holy Chair of Rome 1. Reason Without it all Ordinances are null c. Answ I grant it for truth that is the reason that all your Ordinances are null your Preaching null for you preach people into an outward formality without power Hence it is that the work of the Sent-preaching Brethren is to undo what you have done And this I can assure you that it would be much easier in an ordinary way to convert Souls to Christ amongst Indians and Heathens then in England you their teachers have so rivited them in the ways of ignorance and formality the leaders of the people have caused them to Erre Your Baptism null because ye were not called nor sent of God but run before you were sent you have sprinkled Babes instead of baptizing Believers Your Supper and Communion null because you have prepared a Table for the Troop and furnished a drink offering for that number Isai 65. 11 12. Therefore shall you be numbred to the sword and shall all bow down to the slaughter 2 Reas He can expect no success c. Answ That is the reason you do not profit the People at all 3. Reas People cannot hear such with comfort c. Answ That is the reason so many honest Souls depart from you they are driven forth they cannot hear because they know the voice of Christ and must follow it 4. Reas God will have all things done according to that order and rule he himself hath prescribed Answ True that is that his Saints should Preach the Word of his Kingdom that office should not put out Gifts c. but all things should be done in order that is the reason the knowing and godly part leave you because Gods Order is not amongst you You prescribe two notes of those who have not the Spirit 1. Separatists dividing and separating from the true Church of Christ c. Answ I grant it but we separate not from the true but from the false Church of Babel and confusion both in Ministry and in Members in Doctrine and in Manners in Government and in Ordinances and from such we are commanded to separate and have no fellowship with them Your Church and Ministry are such as have a form of godliness but without denying the power therefore from such we are to turn away to separate as the Geneva reads it 2 Tim. 3. 5. And that is the reason why Souls when they are once informed in it they run from you as from an unclean and monstrous Babel and Antichrist obeying the Call of the Lord Rev. 18. 4. Come out of her my People partake not of her sins lest ye partake of her plagues And your selves it is who have separated from the true Church Ordinances Order and all that have forgotten Sion and forsaken the Lord in preparing a Table for the Troop c. 2. Sensualists following the Dictates of corrupt reason forsaking their Callings c. You are mistaken and that upon a double account 1. They do not follow the dictates of nature but of the Spirit of Truth in the written Word of God they do not leave their Callings and live idle they can work and preach too But 2. Your are the men who lie under this gilt you it is who are Sensualists following the dictates of corrupt reason Hence it is that you must live by sense and reason fetch in your maintenance by the force of civil power from the People whether they will or no cannot trust God with your maintenance no this is enough for the poor believing Anabaptists as you call them who are the Sensualists now your selves it is who I do not say forsake your Callings but live altogether idle without a Calling scorning to live in that lawful way God hath appointed men to live in Idlers you are and yet cry out against idleness out of your own mouths shall you be condemned Thus you make it appear that you have indeed the spirit of delusion The fifth Argument From the Absurdities that would follow c. Before I come to your first Absurdity I cannot but note your Story in your large Swallows of the man you say your read of that swallowed an Ox all except the Tail But Sir I pray you does your Story lye or do your self lye If it be your Story it argues Idleness Ignorance Vanity and Malice in you to read and repeat such a
might be an inferiour Church-officer or Deacon without a Call and Ordination from the Church then no man may be a Preacher a superiour Church-officer without a Call or Ordination The truth is granted though not by you understood there is a difference as I have already shewn and proved between the preaching of gifted brethren and Church-officers in relation to the manner of administring but not the matter the one waits upon it as his office the other as his gift You instance That if in the Common wealth none may intrude into anothers calling but must first serve an Apprentiship then much less may any intrude into the Ministry c. who do not first serve an Apprentiship That is the substance and the thing you drive at and indeed I knew before that you would turn Preaching into an Art and Trade that so you might be the true Merchants of Babylon And would Christ have the Scriptures to dwel in the Saints richly and abundantly and should they hide it there and not bring it forth for the good of others The tenth Argument If every man must study to be quiet do his own Work and keep the bounds of his proper calling then private men may not be Pulpit-men but the Apostle commands 1 Thes 4. 11. That every man study to be quiet c. Who are the unquiet men the gifted brethren or your selves who is it that casts out floods of contention and unquietness but your selves but you would have your brethren to be quiet and let you alone in your sin that so the blind leading the blind both might fall into the ditch this would be a sinfull quietness and silence But Sir may not a man follow his Calling preach and yet be quiet too May not the Nailer keep his Hammer the Husbandman his Plough c. and come into the Pulpit and yet be quiet too Is not preaching and prophesying one part of a Christians generall Calling if gifted unto it or may not a Christian come from his Hides his Shop his Arms his Blew Apron to the Pulpit without a Black Gown Is there so much vertue in that or doth all your office and divinity consist in it or rather doth not your colour manifest your nature Let every one abide in his calling 1 Cor. 7. 20. This I have answered already it relates to Servants not to leave their Masters after conversion c. and not to that end for which you learned Rhetoritians ignorantly apply it against the Lord and his Truth Your first and Second Query and Answer I wave as not material to my work in hand But the Objection you seem to Answer in it I shall a little touch If Paul had a double Calling why not We Your Answer is First There is a great difference between Paul and You He had much learning You no learning Stay Sir where is it said Paul had so much learning he had the gifts of the Spirit but what else This is Learning enough for Paul and mean Abilities yet according to the Ability let them minister Secondly He had an extraordinary measure of the Spirit had his Learning given him by Revelation Inspiration c. We by industry study c. Had Paul his by the Spirit and have You yours by another way No wonder if you make use of it to another End But have you indeed gotten another way to get the gifts of preaching have you Simon-like bought them for mony or have you Pharisee-like wrought hard for them oh the Lord will curse and blast all such gettings the Princes of Zoan and spiritual Egypt shall appear to be fools in the end I deny not reading of and meditation on the Scriptures But unless the Lord freely inspire and teach by his Spirit all your study and reading is nothing But your Art of studying and making Sermons I utterly protest against Thirdly you say The work of the Ministry is a distinct Calling c. Not so distinct but that they may make use of another as Paul Distinct Duties Not so distinct but that another may perform them but he is in a distinct manner to attend upon them and officiate in them The power of the Keys is not given to the Church but to Peter and his Successors c. To the Pope and his Ministers But the Keys of the Kingdom were not given to Peter more then to Paul but to Peters faith and to all that have obtained or shall obtain like precious faith Fourthly The Apostle labors 1. That he might not be burdensom to the Church which was poor 2. Thess 3. 8. But you will not labor but live upon the People though poor you will Lord it over them and have it from them if they have it without them 2. That he might stop the mouths of false Prophets Who would accuse him for making advantage of the Gospel But you will not labor let false and true Prophets say what they will of you but will make advantage of the Gospel you are so far from the Apostles temper that let what mouths will be open against you yet your mouths are still open for the gain 3. That he might be an Example of Industry But you are resolved notwithstanding to be Examples of Pride and Idleness you bind heavy burdens for others and cry out against their Idleness but will be sure not to touch them your selves with the least of your fingers But Fifthly you confess at last That a man may keep two Callings though your selves intend not to live lawfully in one but a Minister may teach School as Samuel had a School of yong Prophets Had a Lay Prophet as you call them said so much you would have been ready to cry out ignorance in tearing wresting and abusing Scripture to self Ends There is never a word of School or Colledge in the Text. But may a man a Minister have two Callings the one subordinate to the other and then why may he not bake and preach nayl and preach patch and preach and plow and preach too as well as fish and preach make tents and preach c. The eleventh Argument If the Calling of the Ministry be a distinct Calling have distinct offices and duties belonging to it c. then every private man though gifted may not intrude himself into it but so it is Mat. 16. 19. 18. 18. John 20. 21 23. The power of the keyes is not given to the whole body of the Church but to the Apostles and their Successors the Ministers of the Gospel to them belongs the power of remitting and retaining sins authoritatively in Christs name c. I answer 1. That I have already told you that there is difference between men ministring by office and by gift The Calling of the Minister is distinct yet not so distinct as to prevent the gifted brethren as you imagine and they may administer according to the measure they have received yet not intrude themselves into the office of the Ministry and the truth
the same Principle with your Church I wonder you left out your Mother Church of Rome she could have spoken as much in the case as both you and they all have done You produce Ordinances Scots Covenant c. and why not the Spanish Inquisition too Seeing you are upon this account you might have raked to the bottom and have brought in all the forces of the King of Darkness to this great day of Tryal But Sir your Judge Jurates Evidence and all are too low and weak to amaze or amuse your preaching Brethren It seems you have considered and wisely brought in the Councel of Trent for one in your third Edition and that though last in name yet I suppose first in being and father to all the rest of your Jurates witnesses And here before I pass because you begin to Judge I shall let you see not mine but the Scriptures judgment upon the false Prophets of the Nations who prophesie lyes in the name of the Lord smiting others in the face saying Which way went the Spirit of God from me to thee The Judge is Christ himself who is not only both Lord Judge and King of Saints Isai 33. 22. but of the world too Isa 99. 1. The false Prophets of the Nation that set themselves against the Lord and his Anointed is the Prisoner to be tryed The Witnesses are 1. The Scriptures the Old and New Testament 2. Reformed Churches who walk suitable unto the Scripture 3. Deluded Souls 4. Publike peace and weal of Nations Judge Cryer Call the Prisoner to the Bar. Cryer False Prophet come forth hold up thy hand heart thy Indictment Thou art here Indicted by the name of False Prophet or Ministry that hast a long time stood up and prophesied lyes unto the Nations in my name under what title or term soever thou hast been distinguished whether Cardinal Prelate Jesuit Presbyter or Priest thy name is False Prophet in deed and truth thou art here accused for high Crimes against the Lord and his People against the peace of Nations c. Judge Art thou guilty or not Answ Not guilty Judg. Call the Evidence 1. Scriptures come in what say you against the Prisoner at the Bar He is here Indicted by the name of False Prophet and thou art called to speak thy knowledge of him Dost know him by that name Scripture Yea my Lord I know him by that name long since Rev. 16. 13. 19. 20. who hath deceived them who dwell on earth and my Lord I have many things to say against this Prophet although he hath sate a long time as queen thinking that he shall see no sorrow and hath made use of me to confirm him in his wayes and to establish the men of the Earth so much the more firm in these delusions therefore I can speak the more experimentally of him First although it s written in me that thy people are a selected severed people from the World to worship thee in Spirit and Truth and that the wicked have nothing to do to take thy name in their mouth while they hate to be reformed yet this false and lying Prophet hath deluded souls all along many hundred of years forming them up with the out-side of a profession without the truth and power made them Christians though deluded ones before they knew thee or ever heard of thee I ruth and plain-dealing in this kinde he hath ever been inveterate against And I have done my part my Lord to inform him of his error but he would not believe me but give me the lye wrest my words at his pleasure for his own ends he hath likewise been an enemy to the peace of thy people of thy family because they could not joyn with him in his Babylonish Worships and say Amen to his deceits He hath alwayes ill requited thy Servants and hath abused my Sayings for that end and notwithstanding I have informed him that its only by thy Spirit men come to the knowledge of the mystery of thy will yet he hath always opposed this truth looking after it in the bottomless Pit of his own inventions In a word my Lord he hath been a Traytor to thy Crown and Dignity pretending a desire that thou shouldest Reign but that which he looked after was to reign himself abusing me and my Sayings Isa 9. 6 7. to exalt himself So sitting in thy seat exalting himself above thee over the conscience of thy people And so in deed and truth what ever his pretence is He is the false Prophet the Antichrist that was to come into the world This shall suffice at present my Lord though I could say much more if time would permit but I shall give way to the other Witnesses Judge Call in another Witness Christian Churches and Saints come in give your Evidence against the Prisoner at the Bar who is arraigned by the name of False Prophet Churches My Lord We have much to say against him for we know him by woful experience It s true my Lord he hath past under the name of thy Ministry in Office but he hath been far from the nature of thy Ministry which is meek peaceable and loving longing to convert souls unto thee and whatever his pretence hath been or is he hath been is a deadly Enemy to us thy Disciples and Followers and hath been swoln with the enmity against the Seed of the Woman no sooner could we receive any of thy truth but he fell a quarrelling with us and inventing reproachful nick names for us that so he might make us appear odious before the world his deluded Church if we come to see into the freeness and fulness of thy grace in justifying sinners and saving of souls without any relation to any thing done by us he immediately endeavors to reproach us with the odious name of Libertine if we come to see into the Law of the Gospel which is a Law of love and that Christ is the Judge King and Law-giver to the Saints that we have all the Law in him from him for righteousness and for Rule he then called us Antimonians if we separated from the world in their Babylonish wayes and worships according to thy-will and command he then branded us for Separatists if we practised Baptism according to thy written Word he then called us Anabaptists if we held forth that the power of thy law of love shed abroad in the hearts of thy people and written in thy Scripture was sufficient to keep them from sin and to carry them on in a way of holy walking with thee and that thou acceptest of no obedience but that which flows from this principle of love then he called us the Family of Love as if that had been reproach enough to be of that Family And divers other false Titles and Terms hath he reproached us withall He hath been a man of as beastly language against thy Truth and Saints as ever breathed on the Earth Besides we could no sooner come
out from the worlds ways and Worships congregating our selves together according to thy will edifying each other in love desiring to relie on none but thy self but he casts out floods of reproach and persecution after us calling us Independents c. And further he hath been an Enemy to the free operation of thy Spirit in thy Saints thinking to limit thee to himself whereas in truth he knew thee not and such hath been his boldness that he hath adventured to arraign all my gifted Members that so he might silence them for ever and so continue me the reproach and scorn of himself and the World In a word my Lord to conclude he it is that hath been the cause of persecution unto us in all Ages stirring up the Civil Magistrate to imprison burn banish hang us c. all for thy truth and sake In him and amongst them thou shalt finde the blood of Saints and Martyrs be headed for thy Testimony and to thee it is they address themselves crying How long Lord how long will it be ere thou avenge our blood on them that dwell on the Earth Judge Call in another Witness Deluded Souls come in give your Evidence against the Prisoner at the Barr what say you do you know the man his name is False Prophet Del. Souls Yea my Lord We know him by wofull experience but his name then was True Ministry sometime Papal sometime Prelatical sometime Presbyterian but We have found by wofull experience that he nicknamed himself and was not the man he professed himself to be for my Lord he it is that instrumentally hath deluded us with forms and customes and traditions bearing us in hand that we were Christians when there was no such thing Sometimes he would tell us that those who were Christians must do thus and thus yet would still make us a Church give us Ordinances when alass for the most part we knew not what a Church was nor the use and end of Ordinances And my Lord such was our ignorance that this pleased us The Prophets prophesied lyes and we delighted in it But miserable is the end And my Lord such was the falsness and deceit of this Prophet that if any of the servants of truth came amongst us and indeavored to fright us by the power of truth out of our delusions and formalities this lying Prophet would presently cry out against them bid us beware of them They were Wolves in sheeps cloathing c. and have prevented us often from hearkning after and imbracing truth when our consciences oft-times hath convinced us they by their lying against the truth have prevented us and we have now found it by sad experience that he is indeed the false Prophet the Woolf that comes in sheeps cloathing And therefore my Lord that which we desire is Justice against him as the grand ring-leader of souls in a way of falshood delusion and confusion c. Judge Is there yet another Witness if so call him in Publick Peace and weale of Nations come in give Evidence against the Prisoner at the Bar he is here arraigned by the name of False Prophet Dost thou know him hast thou any thing to say against him Peace Yea my Lord I know him very well likewise by sad experience he hath pretended himself to be the Minister of the Gospel and upon that account hath prevailed the more in doing mischif He hath prevailed not only upon the consciences of the vulgar sort of people but of the Civil Magistrate getting in his power for to accomplish his own ends and designs Under Papacy sending forth his Emissaries Jesuites c. to work upon the consciences of his deluded Followers perswading that it was a meritorious work to murder Magistrates or any that differed from him and that they might lawfully understake any practice blow up Parliaments ruin Nations foment Wars c. and all for furthering of his own wicked design and since his name hath been changed to Episcopal Presbyterian and Reformed Church and Clergy yet my Lord he is still the same man as formerly as proud covetous and contentious as ever stirring up and fomenting divisions War and blood not willingly permitting thy peaceable people to have a being their Pulpits being their Cock-pits for that end sowing strife and divisions amongst the people stirring up and enraging the vulgar sort to the breach of peace and trouble of thy Saints They it were who preacht the Nation into a War at first for their own ends and interests and when but an appearance that they might fail of their expectation they turn round again to another Interest and foment another War kindling a fire in Scotland and other parts that so they might burn up England and all under the pretence of holiness fastings prayings contributions pretended for the poor that so they might have supply of money to usher in an Enemy in my bowels to destroy me denying obedience to the Civil Magistrate and faithfulness to the Commonweath and the truth is my Lord I am at a stand and know not what to do I am never like to give that to the people that they so earnestly long for viz. peace and quiet so long as this Generatiō of men reign thus in the world and in the consciences of men and therefore my Lord that which I desire is Justice Justice against this perfidious trayterous and troublesome creature Judge Here hath been enough said Prisoner what sayst thou for thy self thou hast been here arraigned by the name of False Prophet and thou hast heard thy witness what plea hast thou for thy self that sentence should not be given against thee Prisoner My Lord they have much wronged me and mistaken my name my name is not False Prophet as they pretend but reformed Ministry teaching the way of God c. And as for their accusations they are mistaken Sir it s the Anabaptists Independents Sectaries c. that are the disturbers of the peace and enemies to thy truth c. Judge If this be all thou hast to say for thy self I must proceed to Judgement therefore prepare to hear thy Sentence for the truth is that although I have with patience heard these Witnesses and thy plea likewise yet I am a Witness my self as well as thy Judge and I know their witness is truth for I judge not after the hearing of the ear nor the seeing of the eye but with righteousness will I judge that I may save the meek of the Earth I say 11. 3 4 I will come near in judgement and will be a swift witness against the Sorcerers and against the adulterers c. Mal. 3. 5. And although I have a long time been silent and refrained my self and let thee alone in thine evil and pernicious wayes yet now will I cry like a travelling woman I will destroy and devour at once I say 42. 14. I will make wast mountaines and Hills and dry up all their herbs and bring the blind by a way they know
it s a greater work to gather souls out of your delusions then out of Heathenisme and downright Idolatry In conclusion you gather up all in a parallel in which I shall a little trace you too that so you may in your colours appear to the world The Parallel 1. Those dispersed had extraordinary gifts 1. Your gifted brethren have ordinary by the same Spirit 1. But your selves have neither but what you gain from Universities and men 2. Those had an immediate Call 2. The brethren immediate by the Spirit mediate by the Church and Saints 2. But you have neither for you are enemies to them both 3. These converted many souls 3. So the brethren convert many 3. But it s you who pervert and delude with Antichrists forms customs c. 4. The hand of the Lord was with them 4. So the hand of the Lord is with the brethren 4. But the hand of the Lord is against you and that makes you gnaw your tongus for pain and not repent of your deeds 5. Those preached the word of God 5. So do the brethren the Gospel of Salvation and in it the Law of righteousness and of love 5. But you preach the Law and your selves through ignorance not knowing what you affirm or say 1 Tim. 1. are enemies to the Gospel in its righteousness in its rule 6. These preached in time of persecution 6. So do the brethren and of peace too 6. You persecute and permit no time of peace for the Saints in your wils and desires 7. Those preached in unplanted Churches amongst Heathens 7. So do the brethren or at least in constituted Antichristian Churches which is the greater task to undo that which you have done 7. You are enemies to Churches planted according to Gospel rule and preach to build up Antichristian constituted Churches in Antichristian invented forms ordinances c. I suppose you may now notwithstanding your vain confidence if mercy enlighten you see the weakness and invalidity of your Answers and Parallels how far short you come of levelling the strong hold it s yet as strong as ever I now pursue you in the Rear upon your march unto the rest The sixth a Fort and so you will finde it boast not scorn not Acts 13. 14 15. Paul and Barnabas coming into the Synagogue the Rulers sent to them not as Apostles but as men having gifts that if they had any word of exhortation they should say on You answer 1. That Paul and Barnabas were men in office c. and had commission to teach the Nations c. I answer 1. That Prophets as I have already proved were not men in office but in gift and as for the Apostleship of Paul he owned it not in way of office as from men Gal. 1. and he preached before this in Chap. 13. by way of gift you dare not deny it and the separating and sending of them was not that they were ever the more impowered to any office for they had been at the work before but the Lord said Separate me Saul and Barnabas to the wark whereunto I have appointed them that is let them not abide in the Church but go forth to the work appointed for them preach to the world where was most need so that it was no new work or office but a going on in the work of the Lord in the gift of the Spirit which was not of man or by man but by Jesus Christ 2. You say They were known to be teachers in office and all to the end of this second is but probability known to be preachers in office when the Scripture mentions no such thing when they had never seen them before its likely and for ought you know had not heard of their fame but undoubtedly they did not know them to be men in office for they were unbelieving Jews and Gentiles zealous it seems of the Law and knew not what Gospel-office meant but rather in all places almost persecuted the servants of the Lord accounting them Sectaries like your selves therefore they could not know them to be officers 'T is a non sequitur that unbelievers men ignorant of the Gospel should know Gospel-officers that unbelievers should take those they never saw before for Gospel-officers and the Text it self is clear for they speak unto them to exercise their gifts not as men in office upon your own account but they sent unto them saying Ye men and brethren c. that is any of you men and brethren that have any word of exhortation to the people say on c. 3. You say This was practised in corrupt times c. that in corrupt times it was permitted for some out of order to preach c. as you say Apollonius confesseth c. you conclude that we are not to follow Jewish corrupt customs but to walk by rule c. I answer first I cannot but take notice of your ignorance in calling such an approved practise both in Law and Gospel a corrupt Jewish custome if it had been so indeed then no Prophet might have spoken unto them who prophesied by gift only and for the most of them they did no miracle to convince the people that they were extraordinarily sent If it had been a corrupt practise they should in your order have persecuted John for want of mission he did no miracle yet preached a new doctrine of Repentance and the scattered brethren should have had no admittance the custom should have prevented them as for the new Testament it was the custome as hath been proved already for gifted brethren to preach and for those that were contentious and denyed it There was no such custome in the Church of God 2. I answer that you are worse then those Jews who though in many things they erred from the truth yet in this they retained some principles of honesty willing to have the people instructed but you are the men who do what in you lyeth to shut up the Kingdom of heaven from the people c. 3. I answer you cry out against those approved practises of the Jews and continued custome in the Churches of the Gospel for corruption and confusion but you take up corrupt confused practices your selves never mentioned either in Law or Gospel and these pass for currant with you but the uncorrupted wayes of God they are corrupted wayes with you are you not of the number of those who call evill good and good evil c. how do you think to escape the wo c The seventh a Tower and it will not easily fall The example of Apollos Act. 18. 24. an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures taught diligently c. because he preached without a Cal therefore gifted brethren may preach without a Call this you say is a Tower a strong Tower c. But stay Sir reproach not scorn not that is no answer to the Truth You answer first That this is an example but no precept c. And is not example enough to