Reply to a Book, Reply · Part 30
Sect. 32. to 40. examined.
IN the eight following Sections I find nothing which I am by name called to examine, excepting that here and there my name is mentioned in his repeating things already ſufficiently cleared▪ onelyonly in the 39 Section, whereas they complained of manifeſt injury done by the Anſwerer to me, whom he reproached in publick about the meeting of diverſe to heare me upon the grounds of Religion in Catechiſing the family, where I lived (though enough hath bene ſaid, in the 20 Section, for the ſatiſfaction of the indifferent Reader, about my carriage in that buiſenes.) it will be requiſite, upon a new provocation, to add 2 or 3 words, in this place alſo, for the removeall of ſome intimations injuriouſly caſt in by the Anſwerer to faſten a ſuſpicion of diſorder upon that private excerciſe. For 1. in his ſecond, anſwer, he ſuppoſeth, that I there preached, without a calling▪ whereas I neither preached (in the ſenſe wherein he taketh the word, viz, by vertue of a publick office in that place) nor performed that private excerciſe, without a ſufficient calling thereunto, both from the duety of my private domeſticall relation to my owne family, and from the deſire of the Maſter of that family, where I then lived, to thoſe of his houſhold, and whereas others deſired to partake of the benefit of it, their deſire was calling ſufficient for their admittance to that private excerciſe, by vertue of the ſpirituall relation which all Chriſtians have mutually among themſelves, and the right which thereby they have to communicate in the gifts and labours of one another, for their aedification. So that, even for this cauſe, there was good reaſon for them and me to be offended at ſo publick a ſlander of that action, and of our intentions therein. As for the place of Scripture miſapplyed by him, out of Mat. 28.19, to reprove this duety; it doeth not forbid private men any duety, the performance whereof is required in other texts. as. 1. Maſters to their owne familyes in inſtructing them. Deut. 6.7.9. Deut. 11.19.20. Gen. 18▪ 19. Eph. 6.4. Phil. 2. 2. every Chriſtian, according to his gift, for the helpe of others 1. Pet. 4.10. Heb. 10.24.25. Mat. 3.16. 3. If yet the Anſwerer is not ſatiſfyed, let him know that more may be pleaded, for the warrant of that action, in reference to me, even from that place of Scripture, then I will inſiſt upon, if I would plead all that I might, or indeed need to make uſe of, ſeing it was a mere private excerciſe, performed, according to my meaſure of gifts, with good warrant of the fore named texts, and not falling within the meaning of that text, which he miſapplyeth, in reproach againſt me. So that the word of the Lord is not made a reproach to him, but I may ſay, that, for the diſcharge of a Chriſtian duety, I have borne reproach. Neither was that the onelyonly ſermon wherein I was reproached by the Anſwerer in publick, as many can teſtifye, which I ſtrove to beare with patience, and ſhould ſtill have borne in ſilence, if he would have ſuffered me to be quiet, at laſt.
In his third anſwer he girdeth at another, whoſe name he mentioneth not, but the accuſation is anſwered in the examination of the 24. 25. 26. Sections,
In his fourth anſwer, to make good his publick reproaching me, he quarrelleth the name given to that excerciſe, when it is called catechiſing a family, which he calleth a mockery, but produceth nothing to prove that name to be unfit for that action, nor that action ſo done, to be unlawfull, but venteth his paſſion, becauſe he wanteth Arguments againſt it.
In his fifth anſwer he ſayth, that, not he, but the Claſſis deprived them of thoſe meetings, whereas I acknowledge no ſuch power to be due to the Claſſis, nor ever did they ſpeake with, me about it, nor did I ceaſe for any meſſage left by them with Mr. Wh. nor would I have given place, by ſubjection to them, to have deſiſted from that worke, in acknowledgment of their juriſdiction, in ſuch caſes: but when I heard that the Anſwerer tooke offence at it, and traduced it, by private whiſperings, as tending to ſchyſme, and when I ſaw that my ſtaying in that place was a burthen to him, that I might not ſeeme to give offence to him, onelyonly, for peace ſake, I removed my dwelling to another part of the country, where I might be quiet, and ſo, not the Claſſis, but he onelyonly was the cauſe of the ceſſation of that meeting.
In his ſixth anſwer he chargeth ſome that reſorted to that meeting with offenſive & ungodly ſchyſming from the Dutch Church, how truely let him ſee to it. For my part, I never heard that any of them were guilty of that crime, nor doe beleive it to be true.
In his ſeaventh anſwer he ſuppoſeth that our owne conſciences told us that it was not right, which we did, ſeing at the word of man, we left it. Thus am I as one that holdeth the wolfe by the eare, when I have to doe with ſuch a ſpirit, which, whether a man hold or let goe, will not ſpare. But I will anſwer him in two words, by remembring him that Chriſtian actions are of two ſorts. 1. Actions of Chriſtian duety. Theſe muſt be done, who ever ſhall diſlike them. 2. Actions of Chriſtian liberty. Theſe may be done or omitted, according to conſiderable circumſtances. To apply this. For one to inſtruct his family by catechiſing, or otherwiſe, or for Chriſtians to communicate their gifts for mutuall aedification, theſe are neceſſary duetyes which no man may forbid: and, if they ſhall; yet they muſt not be omitted. But to receive ſuch and ſuch a number of perſons, is ſo in our liberty, as, in caſe of offence, we may omitt it. And, upon this warrant, I deſiſted, not from the duety (which I have occaſionally performed ſince, when J have bene in that houſe) but from performing it in the preſence of ſo many. But let them, who, by taking offence unjuſtly, hindred the good of many, provide themſelves for their account to our Lord Chriſt, in that day when hidden things ſhall be declared, when they, and I, and the poore ſoules that are greived for their hindrance ſhall appeare together before his righteous tribunall. In hope and expectation whereof, is my comfort in the middeſt of theſe troubles (as it was Iobs,Iob: 19.3. v: 25. whom his freinds had reproached ten times.] For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he ſhall ſtand at the laſt day upon the earth, &c.