Saints to do But the hearing of the present Ministers of England is that the doing whereof doth cast contempt upon the wayes and institutions some one or more of them of our Lord Jesus and hardens persons in a false way of worship and rebellion against him Therefore The major is laid down in such full clear and evident expressions bottom'd upon Scripture and right reason as carry a brightness with them that none but such as are desperately and judiciously blinded will or can gainsay The minor or second Proposition viz That the hearing of the present Ministers of England is the doing of that which doth cast contempt upon the wayes and institutions of our Lord Jesus and hardens persons in a false way of worship and rebellion against him is by our dissenting Brethren gainsaid Answ. If the major be understood of real and not only imaginary and in the opinion of men of it self per se and not by accident through the prejudice or ill disposition of some persons casting contempt and hardning the major is granted and the minor denied otherwise it is not granted But let us attend the proof of the minor Three things saith he are therein asserted 1. That our hearing these persons is that which casts contempt upon the wayes and institutions of Christ. 2ly That it hardens persons in a false way of worship 3ly That it hardens and encourages souls in their rebellion against the Lord. As for the first A brief observation of some of the institutions of Christ clearly bottom'd upon the Scripture will abundantly evince its original to be from God First then That Separation from the world and men of the world from all wayes of false worship and the inventions of men thereabout untill the Saints of the most High be apparently a people dwelling alone and not reckoned among the Nations however it be decryed and found harsh in the ears of carnal men is one grand institution a man may run and read in the following Scriptures Numb 23.9 Joh. 15.9 2 Cor. 6.14 15 17 19. Ephes. 5.8 11. 2 Tim 3.5 Hos. 4 15. Revel 18.4 Prov. 4.7 Nor is it denied by some of our conforming Brethren Answ. By the world and men of the world in opposition to the Saints of the most High are understood such professed Christians as are not visible Saints able to give such an account of their conversion and proof of their integrity as the Elders and members of a gathered Church in the Congregational way are satisfied with to be sufficient for their admission into their Church Or that enter not into Church covenant explicite or implicite And dwelling alone is meant either of joyning alone with such a Church in hearing praying and Sacraments or of dwelling alone in their habitations Not being reckoned among the Nations may be understood either of not being members of a national or parochial Chureh or not under a national Government whether Ecclesiastical or Civil or not taking upon them anâ— Offices or employments in either such Church or Common-wealth In none of these senses is the Proposition proved by any of the Texts alleged concerning the first part of the separation from the world or men of the world but the Proposition is both false and dangerous The first Text Numb 23 9. is only a prophesie of Balaam concerning the people of Israel after the flesh that they should dwell alone and not be reckoned among the Nations to inferr thence any of his sorts of separation to be the institutions of Christ concerning the Christian Churches is without any shew of reason it might yield better proof for a national Church Christian against this Author if any institution of Christ concerning the Châ—istian Church visible could be thence deduced John 15.19 Christ saith to his Disciples If ye were of the world the world would love his own but because ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you And it is true that the Saints of the most High are not of the world that is that party that are opposite to Christ that hate him and the profession of his name and accordingly hate them that are for Christ as v. 18. shews but that by the world is meant a national or parochial church or national State Common wealth Kingdom City or House as such because of the mixture of good and bad is most false It is true that Christ chose the Apostles and other Christians out of the world by his calling by the Gospel and the work of his Spirit that they might not be united to the world in their enmity against him or his word but be a peculiar people to himself zealous of good works Not by any institution to separate themselves from other Christians by profession into a Congregational Church contra-distinct from national or parochial in the Episcopal or Presbyterian way of Discipline by an explicite or implicite Church covenant or into a plantation or body Politick or Oeconomick independent on any civil Government or Governours of the Nations 2 Cor. 6.14 15 17 19. or rather 18. for 18. is the last v. of that chapter hath been and so have Ephes. 5.8 11. Rev. 18.4 in the last Section of the Answer to the 8th chapter shewed to be impertinently alleged for proof of such a Separation as is here meant Nor is it proved 2 Tim. 3.5 but it is a precept for Timothy to turn away either in respect of arbitrary society or in respect of associating with such as are there described in the work of the ministry or other employment as wherein they would be either treacherous to him or a hinderance or a blot to him Hos 4.15 is only a precept unto Judah of not being Idolatrous as Israel Prov. 14.7 is a precept advising men in prudence That they go from the presence of a foolish man when they perceive not in him the lips of knowledge To allege Texts so farr from the proving of what they are brought for shews rather a mind willing to cheat honest and weak people than any regard to truth or honesty And as I said the position is false For it supposeth Christ to have instituted such a Separation as he hath told us in sundry parables shall not be till the end of the world Matth. 13.30 40 49. such as neither Christ in the seven Epistles to the seven churches of Asia nor St. Paul in that to the Corinthians or any other ever urged such as never was attempted but it was judged schismatical and proved unhappy in the conclusion And it is dangerous sith it puts persons upon withdrawing their subjection not only from Ecclesiastical rulers but also from civil and houshold Rulers that are counted the world or men of the world that they may be a people dwelling alone and not reckoned among the Nations which would overthrow also all States bodies politick and houshold government and is contrary to Rom. 13.1 1 Cor. 7.20 24. It is added
according to the word of God but after the prescript of man for the matter of their doctrine they may be false Prophets but this is not so much as offered to be proved concerning the present Ministers of England and therefore it is untruly said that it cannot be denied that there is a perfect harmony between them and those false Prophets As for their removals from places of less to places of greater value it is a thing which may be objected to Preachers and Pastors of the Congregational Churches and may be upon just cause and therefore of it self proves not so much as a covetous minde whether it be out of gaping and greedy desire after preferments God may be the only judge If preparing War be meant of suing for their dues by Law it may be just nor is a Minister bound to live upon alms or voluntary contribution the Elders of the separated Churches have found by experience how great a misery it is for a Student though godly and painful to live of the benevolence of their Churches nor is it any sin for a Minister more than for another man to make use of the Magistrate and Law to gain his due according to the Law of the Land And however some have instilled into peoples heads the unlawfulness of requiring or paying Tithes or other dues to the present Ministers as they did before to Non-Conformists yet there is no colourable plea for not paying them it being not unlawful for me to pay what is unjustly demanded there being therein no doing of wrong though there should be a suffering of wrong And therefore it is but vainly pretended that they cannot in conscience put into Ministers mouths when there is no appearance of sin in doing it and if their Consciences be misled by erroneous Casuists poor men may thank them for their vexations and beware of hearkening to them and not clamour against the Ministers as the only cause of their trouble if out of meer obstinacy they deny to pay they are to blame themselves It is added 6. That they sadden the hearts of the righteous Ezek. 13.22 what need I turn aside to make application of this to the Prophets of this day who that is serious doth not experiment the truth thereof in his own soul to see the Name and Ordinances of God prophaned the ceremonies and inventions of man subjected unto by such as pretend to be Ministers of Christ would make an heart of stone to bleed much more those whose hearts are made tender by the Lord. Those of our Brethren that as yet attend upon their Ministry will tell us they are troubled at their compliance and conformity All that look in the least after reformation say they could wish it were otherwise so that this character also is visibly upon them Answer By lyes sadning the hearts of the righteous as Ezek. 13.22 is granted to be a character of a false Prophet but this Author omits that and makes that a character of a false Prophet which is not and applies that to the Ministers which he goes not about to prove they are guilty of Perhaps those righteous persons he means are sadned out of mistakes as conceiving the Name and Ordinances of God prophaned when they are not as the Israelites were when they mistook the Reubenites fact in building an Altar Josh. 22.11 12. Perhaps it may be without their fault perhaps the Ministers are sadned as well as they perhaps the sadness is from such erroneous suggestions as are instilled into the people by such as hold the same principles of separation with this Author perhaps men as righteous as they who are sadned do without any sadness attend upon their Ministry perhaps they are sadned that they stumble at that they need not perhaps they are more sad at such principles of division as pervert them that are counted otherwise righteous than at any thing they perceive practised by the Ministers of England If sadning the hearts of righteous by the inventions of men be a character of false Prophets and that for it the Ministers of England are to be judged such the renting of errors and fancies which have been in the Congregational Churches and even by their Teachers the many unnecessary scruples janglings oppositions arrogant wilful carriages deceitful and unrighteous dealings in Members which have sadned the hearts of many sober and better composed spirits and made them weary of their societies the heart bleedings for professors abominations are indeed as signal characters of false Prophets in their Churches as of the Ministers in the Church of England being such Though there were an utter oblivion of what of old was done by Separatists in England the Low Countries in new England yet what hath been done in England in our times and is yet in the memory of many yet alive should have stopped this Authors mouth and made him forbear to object that against the Ministers of England which may perhaps more fully be retorted on those whose Ministry he would have attended on The Elders and Messengers of the Congregational Churches meeting at the Savoy Octob. 12. 1658. in the Preface to the decclaration of their Faith and Order do of their own accord say It is true that many sad miscarriages divisions breaches fallings off from the holy Ordinances of God have along in this time of temptation especially in the beginning of it been found in some of our Churches Yea such insinuations as this Author urgeth against the Ministers of England would have proved not only the Ministers of the reformed Churches of late but even the Angels of the seven Churches of Asia the teachers of the Churches of Corinth and other the best Churches in the Primitive times to have been false Prophets But I forbear He addes 7. That they mix the word of God with their dreams Jer. 23.25.29 in the Margin The notes on Matth. 28. in the foresaid Translation are Here do all Preachers learn what they should teach nothing else but Gods word nothing else but that the Lord hath commanded them not their own dreams and inventions So do the present Ministers of England as hath been proved Sect. 7. Pressing rigid Conformity no proof of the Ministers being false Prophets Answ. This needs no further answer than what is before given 8. Saith he That they come in Sheeps cloathing having the horns of a Lamb but are inwardly ravening Wolves and speak like Dragons i. e. pretend to the Holiness and Meekness of Christ and Saints but are inwardly full of raven and cruelty yea terrible in their Edicts and Laws stirring up and making use of the powers of the world to persecute kill and destroy the Saints Mat. 7.15 Revel 13.11 which second Beast is no other than the false Prophet mentioned Revel 19.20 as might easily be demonstrated As face answers face in a glass so do the present Ministers of England the false Prophets there spoken of Are not all the Persecutions Imprisonments Slaughters and Butcheries of
the Children of God that the first Beast hath exercised upon the Saints for this 1260. years to be charged upon this Generation of men yea who do more eagerly press a rigid Conformity not only contrary to the Kings Declaration from Breda and others since published by him but also as is thought to his natural temper and the inclination and bent of his spirit though to the infringing of the liberty the banishment the taking away the lives of the Saints who love Truth and Peace and humbly beg that they may be suffered for the tribute they pay as in the Dominion of the Grand Seignior they are in quietness to serve God according to their perswasins Answ. It is true false Prophets are noted by Christ Matth. 7.15 to be in outward shew as sheep meek and holy inwardly cruel But this is not the form denominating them false Prophets nor a signal character of them by which they are known but a reason of the caution of being deceived by their fair shews That by which they are false Prophets and are known to be such is their fruits v. 16. which though variously expounded by the Ancients and Maldonat understands it of their works Grotius of the works of iniquity yet of the Ancients some understand it of their faith Protestants some by fruits understand their false doctrine and evil life as Beza their doctrine manner of teaching spiritual efficacy in their hearts their life customes and intentions so Diodati Annot. their doctrin self-seeking and wickedness so the large Annot. Pareus The fruit of a false Prophet is his false and damnable doctrine Dr. Hammond Ye shall certainly know and discern them if you take notice of and weigh the doctrines which when they have gotten some authority with you they will presently endeavour to infuse into you Piscator in his Scholies From the effects of their doctrin For as for what pertains to life it may be that he may teach well who lives ill Molin Vates l. 3. c. 5. The fruits which their doctrine produceth in the minds of Auditors That the doctrin is meant by the fruits Matth. 7.16 was long since in my Antidote Sect. 9. asserted and in my Praecursor vindicated Sect. 14. to which I still adhere and therefore count this which is here made a signal character of a false Prophet unfit to that end as being congruous to them who are no Prophets in pretence and to them who may be true Prophets or Teachers The second Beast Revel 13.11 is saith Molin Vates l. 5. c. 17. The Roman Clergy with the Pope himself the Bishop of Rome with his Clergy saith Mr. Mede Comment on Revel 13.11 most of the Protestant Divines make it either the Pope when he usurped the power over the Emperour or the Pope and his Clergy who were indeed terrible in their Edicts and Laws stirring up and making use of the powers of the world to persecute kill and destroy the Saints But this did not shew them false Prophets but their false doctrine But that as face answers face in a glass so do the present Ministers of England the false Prophets there spoken of is said with much heat and without proof That all the Persecutions Imprisonments slaughters and butcheries of the Children of God that the first Beast whether he mean it of the Roman Emperours or ten Horns that is ten Kings into which it was parted or the Bishop of Rome hath exercised upon the Saints for this 1260. years are to be charged upon this generation of men that is the present Hierarchy and Ministry of England which he means if he speak pertinently is I confess a very dreadful and heavy sentence but pronounced à non judice who I hope will be found a false Prophet in the event as it shews him inwardly cruel to them and by his own rule is a signal character of himself being a false Prophet I hope by their appeal to heaven they will get this Indictment quasht I presume the rigid conformity pressed hath not yet tended to the banishment the taking away of the lives of the Saints who love Truth and Peace and I wish such writings and practices as this Author and some others are deemed to use do not exasperate the King and Parliament to effect it I assent to what he saith of his Majesty as having by experience found it true which in all humble thankfulness I acknowledge nor do I doubt but he is as the Poet describes a good Prince Est piger ad paenas Princeps ad praemia velox Quique dolet quoties cogitur esse ferox Concerning the Declaration from Breda and other Declarations since published by his Majesty how far the pressing of rigid Conformity opposeth and who are the causes thereof is above our cognizance who are at so great a distance That the present Ministers who are the ordinary Teachers to be heard are the men that do it hath no likelihood sith they are the men upon whom the rigid conformity is pressed and therefore this allegation is very inaptly made a signal character of their being false Prophets Sect. 8 The charge Ezek. 22.26 reacheth not the Ministers of England It follows 9. That they put no difference betwixt the Holy and Prophane Ezek. 22.26 Do not even the Ministers of England the same Are not all their dear Brethren and Sisters living and dead though Drunkards Swearers Adulterers and Adulteresses c. Are not as was said the children of them all admitted to the Font and they themselves to the Lords Table Is not the childrens meat frequently given unto Dogs and the holy Ordinances prostituted to be polluted by the worst of men Answ. The charge Ezek. 22.26 is against the Priests of the Law accusing them of neglecting to discern between clean and unclean Offerings as Piscator in his Analysis Grotius They made not them to understand to wit the difference from that which was common They are the very words from Lev. 10.10 where they are commanded to do what here they are said to have neglected That is holy which is dedicated unto God Profane which is in common use Polluted which is forbidden to be eaten clean which it is lawful to eat Aynsworth on Lev. 10.10 That ye may separate or to make difference and this is meant not only for themselves but others as in Ezek. 44.23 They shall teach my people the difference between holy and profane and cause them to discern between unclean and clean And for not doing this the Priests are blamed Ezek. 22.16 see also Lev. 20.25 holy Heb. holiness meaning of persons and things In Greek Between the holy ones and the profane which Texts and others as Levit. 22.1 2 3. shew that this thing was an evil indeed of a Levitical Priest when either they admitted unclean and profane Offerings of Beasts or Fowls or legally unclean persons or taught not the people to put difference between them yet was no Character distinguishing a false Priest from a true
as a wine-bibber and gluttonous person in his miracles as one that wrought them by the Devil who are therefore condemned by Christ as guilty of the very sin of blasphemy against the holy Ghost Matth. 12.31 is known as being what is frequently remarked in the Scripture 4. We no where find the disciples attending upon the Ministry of the Scribes and Pharisees notwithstanding this supposed command or permission of Christ. Nay 5 We cannot but think the supposition hereof not onely inconsistent with and opposite to that expression concerning Christ Mar. 6.34 And Jesus when he saw much people was moved with compassion towards them because they were as sheep not having a shepherd what without a shepherd and yet the Scribes and Pharisees whose feeding they might lawfully attend upon doth Christ pity them in this desperate state and not give them one word of direction to wait upon these profound and worthy Doctors but also contrary to that solemn command given forth from the Lord Acts 2.40 Save your selves from this untoward generation and the practice of the disciples who continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayer Acts 2.42 6. Were that the intendment of Christ as is suggested and the argument of our brethren valid a lawfulness to hear the veriest blasphemer in the world that denies that Christ is the Messiah affirms that he was a deluder of the people a gluttonous person a winebibber one that did miracles by Belzebub the prince of Devils that persecutes even to death Christ in his people might by a like parity of reason be deduced Christ commanded or at least permitted his disciples to hear the Pharisees who were such as hath been proved therefore 't is lawful to hear persons with the same characters upon them But God forbid any such injurious dealing should be offered to Christ or that any who pretend to fear God and I hope do so in reality should stand by a cause which hath no better arguments to defend it than what may be as righteously every way made use of for the attending upon the Ministry of the greatest blasphemer or opposer of Christ in the world Evident then it is notwithstanding the great flourish that many make with this Scripture for the abetting their attendance upon the present Ministers of England that it refuses to admit the least sanctuary thereunto The Scribes and Pharisees mentioned Matth. 23.1 2. may for ought we know be Magistrates not Ministers if Ministers they were as hath been proved lawfully so Christ says concerning them Whatever they bid you observe and do that observe and do Therefore 't is lawful to attend upon the Ministers of England whose lawful calling to their office cannot be proved yea though there is not the least intimation of a command from Christ or so much as a permission to his disciples to hear the Scribes aad Pharisees Nugae tricae siculae If this be to dispute a man need not fear but to be able to multiply arguments at an easie rate for whatever he hath a mind to undertake the defence of Yet this is supposed by many to be of greatest moment in this controversie I reply If by attendance on the Ministry of the Scribes and Pharisees be meant a constant and ordinary hearing of them as their ordinary shepherds as this Authous words seem to import doubtless neither Christ did command nor permit his disciples such an attendance both for the reasons given by this Authour and specially because he asserts himself as their onely Master or Doctour Matth 23.8.10 yet the mention of their sitting in Moses his chair or seat notes more then their discourse upon particular occasional meeting to wit their ordinary expounding the Law of Moses in their Schools where our Lord Christ permitted his disciples and the multitude to hear them with this limitation and proviso in and as they taught the Law which hearing he did not forbid them but allow them with such caveats as are there given in that Chapter And against such hearing none of the reasons of this Authour are of force Not the first for though such personal evils were sufficient motives to keep back people either from following their example or private counsels yet not to keep them back from hearing Gods Law expounded by them The same answer is for the second reason The permission of Christ is not to hear the Pharisees teach all the Doctrines of their Sect he had before warned them of receiving their traditions Matth. 15.14 the leaven of their doctrine Matth. 16.12 In which no doubt they understood the doctrine about justification by the works of the Law to be comprehended But the permission of hearing them is onely as they sate in Moses his seat that is as they taught them the duties of Moses his Law which he said Matt. 5.17 He came not to destroy but to fulfil which is manifest from the illative particle therefore v. 2. because they sit in Moses seat and bid you observe what Moses did you are to observe what they bid you observe and consequently may hear them so teaching The third reason hath the same answer with this overplus That to prevent any conceit of allowing the hearing of them in their blaphemy he avoucheth himself to be their Master and Teacher v. 8.10 To the fourth it is but from a testimony negatively and so of no force We read not that they used the Lords Prayer yet none will say they did not less that they might not we read not of their alms or fasting yet they might do both To the fifth it was but a limited permission of hearing them as they taught Moses Law not as allowing constant attendance on them as their shepherds Christ did conceive the people to be without a shepherd notwithstanding the Pharisees teaching the duties of the Law because though that doctrine were right and to be observed yet it was not sufficient to feed them to eternal life Acts 2.40 St. Peter did well to exhort his auditors to save themselves from that untoward generation of opposers of Christ as his Master before would have him and all his disciples do not doing after their works nor following their perverse doctrine and the Church did rightly practice in continuing in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayer yet he neither did nor was to disswade them from hearing or practising the Pharisees doctrine of the observing the duties of Moses his Law which they were obliged to observe To the sixht I grant it lawful to hear any man teach truth which is Gods and may be heard from the mouth of any man with whom God allows us converse and communion as they are men though we are to hold no communion with them in wickedness nor willingly hear their blasphemies That the Pharisees as such were not Magistrates nor lawful Ministers nor considered as such is shewed before Neither do we say that Christ permitted attendance on the Ministry
thereof it is not a reasonable postulatum which he demands to be granted him that in the present enquiry the whole thereof be divolved upon the Scriptures of the New Testament Yea were it granted him yet it would disadvantage those separatists with whom he concurs in Judgment about Nonconformity and separation from the Church of England and the Ministers thereof who use many places of the Old Testament not only about the Sabbath and it's observation but also about Baptism and the Lords Supper Churches ministry and ceremonies in their enquiries and himself also in the present enquiry who useth about election of Ministers by the people and other things in this dispute out of the Old Testament and even the Levitical ordinances sundry places and therefore I conceive not any reasonableness in his postulatum of divolving the whole upon the Scriptures of the New Testament Sect. 4. The judgment of the Antients not useless in this controversie That which he also speaks not perplexing our selves nor the consciences of any with the judgments of men in Generations past wherein they cannot acquiesce though to take of the prejudices of some against truth upon the account of its seeming Novelty we may here and there manifest their harmony with us in the main principles of the ensuing structures may seem to be a reasonable postulatum or demand in respect of those who are not able to examine what is said by Fathers Councils Schoolmen Protestant and Popish writers forraign and domestick and I should have liked it well if he had wholly omitted any such citations in this book which hath been dispersed so farr as I can learn chiefly if not only among such Nevertheless if we would intimate as if in this and other controversies of the separatists and others there were not use of studying and alledging those writers I think his postulatum or demand unreasonable For as Dallaeus in his Learned Book against Popish worship hath done much service to the truth in shewing out of the Fathers that the Popish worship of Saints Angels the Host or bread in the Eucharist Crosses Images and Reliques according to the tradition of the Latins was unknown to the Christians of the three first centuries so it may be of good use to satisfie mens consciences that no such separation as now is from the present Ministers of England was allowed of by the first Fathers and Writers or any approved Council it being a thing of much moment in the arguments about the Lords Day and other Festivals the Sacraments Church and Ministry to understand what was the judgment and practice of the primitive Christians with whom Religion was more pure than in after times though corruptions too soon crept in among them Sect. 5. No approved practice of the Saints afore the Law Countenanceth separation from the present preachers in England Yet saith this Author inasmuch as some Beams of Light may be communicated unto the present Enquiry by a retrospection into the state of things in the time of the Old Law it shall not be grievous to us nor will it be altogether unprofitable to the Reader briefly to remark so far as may concern the matter in hand the state and management of affairs under that Oeconomy and Dispensation Not to mention the Administration of Holy things in the time of the Antediluvian Fathers nor the General Apostacy from the pure wayes of God in the dayes of Seth when according to their duty the faithful remnant the sons of God separated from the Wicked or the daughters of men and solemnly joyned themselves together to worship God according to his holy appointments Gen. 4.26 Let us take a brief view of things with relation unto the People of God after the giving of Moses Law when a Standard was set up for them to repair unto and they became being gathered into one as a City on an Hall conspicuous unto all Answ. How some beams of light may be communicated unto the present enquiry by a retrospection into the state of things in the time of the Old Law will not be easie to discern if the whole thereof be divolved on the Scriptures of the New Testament Yet it will not be grievous to me to examine what I find produced for his purpose I grant that Dr. Owen hath in his Book in Latine of the nature rise progress and study of true Theologie shewed divers Corruptions in the Ages before and after the Flood of Noah in Theologie and the pure Worship of God unto Moses his time and that the restitution of true Theologie was sometimes by a separation from the Wicked when there was a general Apostacy from the true wayes of God unto a prophaning of the Name of God as some conceive Gen. 4.26 is meant either by blaspheming or by setting up of Idol-worship as it was before Abrahams separation Josh. 24.15 But neither by him nor I think by any other is it shewed that a separation was approved from Preachers that teach no worse Doctrine than is held forth by the Articles Homilies and other avowed Books of the Church of England or from a Society or Church that was no more polluted by Idolatry or other Corruptions in Worship than are chargeable on the publick enjoyned Worship of the Church of England If Gen. 4.26 be meant of a Reformation by setting up separate Congregations as Dr Owen conceives in that Book l 2. c. 3. it was that therein they might call on the Name of the Lord which shews it was from them that did not call upon the Name of the Lord not from them that did as in the Worship of the Church of England is done And if Noah did reform by separation it was from Wicked men who had filled the earth with violence Gen. 6.13 which doth indeed make a necessary separation though it appear not but that Noah continued to preach to them and live among them 1 Pet. 3.20 2 Pet. 2.5 But is not the cause of the separation avowed by this Author from the Ministers and Church of England And though it be true that by the Law at Mount Sinai and other acts of Gods providence Israel became being gathered into one as a City on a Hill conspicuous unto all yet how then a Standard was set up for the people to repair unto needs some explication sith such as Job and such like holy persons if he or any other lived at that time seem not to have repaired to them nor were bound to repair to them unless they would be made Proselytes which the avoiding Idolatry of the Gentiles might require of them not such Corruptions onely as are in the Church of England But let us see what beams of light may be communicated unto the present enquiry by retrospection into the state of things in the time of the Old Law Sect. 6. Jewish Laws admitted some dispensation and addition First then saith he that the Lord gave unto the people of the Jews whom he had chosen out of all
the Nations of the World to be a People near to him his peculiar Treasure above them all Statutes and Ordinances to walk by both with relation to Civils and Ecclesiasticks which they were indispensably bound to conform to without adding to or detracting therefrom That the management of all their affairs was singly to be bottomed upon and conform to these Statutes and Judgments is very frequently asserted in Scripture Exod. 21.1 Lev. 18.4 19.37 20.22 25.18 26.15 43. Deut. 4.1 5 8. 5.1 7.11 11.1 32. 12.1 26.16 30.16 1 Chron. 16.12 28.7 Psal. 89.30 Ezek. 5.6 36.27 Dan 9.5 Answ. It is granted that the Lord gave unto the people of the Jews Statutes and Ordinances to walk by both with relation to Civils and Ecclesiasticks or as usually they speak Ceremonials and that they were bound to conform to them and so much the Texts alledged do prove But that they were bound indispensably to conform to these Statutes without adding to or detracting therefrom and that the management of all their affairs was singly to be bottomed upon and conform to these Statutes and Judgments is not asserted in those Scriptures there being not one of them that saith that they were bound indispensably to conform to them Our Lord hath determined to the contrary in justifying his Disciples plucking the ears of Corn on the Sabbath Davids eating the shew bread and entring into the house of God and confirming his determination by the words of the Prophet Hosea 6.6 in his dissertation against the Pharisees Mat. 12.3 7. in which there was a dispensation with and detraction from the Laws of the Sabbath and the Shew-bread about Ecclesiasticks for a time in some Case And for addition to Laws Ecclesiastical the assemblies keeping other seven dayes besides those prescribed in the Law of the Passover 2 Chro. 30.23 and to civils that ordinance of David 1 Sam. 30.25 Shew that in both some additions might be by the Prince Captain or private persons to both sorts of Lawes with Divine approbation And that the management of all the affairs of the people of Israel both civil and ecclesiastical was not singly to be bottom'd upon and conform to those statutes and judgments but that in both sorts of affairs humane prudence and the Rulers Authority might order many things may be cleared from sundry instances of David Jehoshaphat Hezekiah and others which there will be occasion more fully to discusse in examining the allegations brought by this Author to prove the major of his first argument Ch. 1. of this treatise Sect. 7. The election or ordination of Levites is no rule for election or ordination of Ministers now Secondly saith he that persons were appointed by the Lord to be chosen by the Congregation for the publick administration of ordinances and worship cannot be denied Thus were the Levites Exod. 13.2 12 13. and 22.29 Numb 3.12 called therefore the Wave-offering of the Children of Israel Numb 8.9 10 11. because given up by them to the Lord as their offering by solemn ordination and imposition of hands Answer it is true that the Levites were wholly given unto God from among the Children of Israel to do the service of the Congregation but it is not true that they were appointed by the Lord to be chosen by the Congregation God saith Numb 8.16 in stead of the first-born of all the Children of Israel have I taken them to mee And upon what occasion God took the Levites in stead of the first born is to be seen in Exod. 32.26 29. Deut. 33.9 Saith Ainsworth annot on Numb 3.12 So that here appears no choice of the Congregation so as that it was left to them to take or to leave those It is true also that Numb 8.9 it is said that Moses shall bring the Levites before the Tabernacle of the Congregation it was therefore his business to present them and that he should gather the whole assembly of the Children of Israel together and that he should bring the Levites before the Lord and the Children of Israel that is some of the chief of them as the first born in the name of the rest shall lay or impose hands on the Levites saith Ainsworth annot on Numb 8.10 And then it follows v. 11. Aaron shall offer or wave the Levites before the Lord for an offering or wave-offering of the Children of Israel that they may execute the service of the Lord. And then Aaron was to make an atonement for the Levites and Moses should set the Levites before Aaron and before his Sons and offer them for an offering unto the Lord and that he should separate the Levites from among the Children of Israel and the Levites should then be Gods v. 13 14. The reason of the laying on of the hands of the Children of Israel upon the Levites was to signifie their obedient yielding them to God in their stead to do the service of the Children of Israel in the Tabernacle of the Congregation and to make an atonement for the Children of Israel that there might be no plague among the Children of Israel when the Children of Israel came nigh unto the Sanctuary v. 19. But these were not the Priests they were distinct from the Levites to wit Aaron and his Sons who were called of God Heb. 5.4 without the Prophets laying on of hands Now it was the Priests office to do that work in which was the worship of God to wit the offering Sacrifice sprinkling the blood and such other duties the Levites were imployed to do other services as the bearing of the utesils and such like in respect of which they were to attend on the Priests Deut. 10.8 therefore it is said by God v. 19. I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his Sons So that the choice was Gods the presenting Moses his act the yielding them by imposition of hands signifying their offering them to God in stead of themselves was the act of the first-born the wave offering and cleansing them Aarons act which may more truly be called their solemn ordination than the imposition of hands by the first-born But were it true that in this act of imposing their hands there was election and ordination this waâ— not a successive election or ordination as is when one dies and another is chosen and ordained in his room as oft as there is such vacancy when one Minister dies and another comes in his stead For this election or ordination if it may be so called was but once and of the whole company together and so is no pattern for election or ordination of Elders successively by a particular Congregation or the major part of them Sect. 8. The Texts enjoyning the observation of things appointed prove not that some things undetermined might not in Gods worship be ordered by men Thirdly saith he that persons thus invested into the office of Priesthood were not left to the liberty of their own