The Hirelings Ministry None of Christs, Title page – Dedication
The Hireling Ministry None of CHRISTS, OR A Discourse touching the Propagating the Gospel of CHRIST JESUS.
Humbly Presented to such Pious and Honourable Hands, whom the present Debate thereof concerns.
By ROGER WILLIAMS of Providence in New England.
London, Printed in the second MonethMonth, 1652.
In this Discourse are briefly touched these Particulars.
1. THe Nationall and Parishional Constitution of Churches, is found to be the Grand Idoll of the Nation.
2. The inforcing of the Nation to such a constitution, is the greatest soul oppression in this Nation.
3. The Hireling Ministrie attending upon such assemblies or others, is none of the ministrie of Christ Iesus.
4. The Universities of the Nation, as subordinate and subservient to such ministries and Churches, are none of the Institutions of Christ Iesus.
5. It is the absolute duty of the civil state to set free the souls of all men from that so long oppressing yoake of such ministries and churches. Yet
6. Ought the Nation and every person in it, be permitted to see with its own eyes, and to make free choice of what worship and ministrie, and maintenance they please, whether parochial or otherwise?
7. The Apostolical Commission ▪ and ministrie is long since interrupted and discontinued. Yet
8. Ever since the beast Antichrist rose, the Lord hath stirred up the ministrie of Prophesie, who must continue their witness, and prophesie until their witness be finished, and slaughters probably neer approching accomplished,
9. The provocation of the holy eyes is great in all courts throughout the Nation, by millions of legal oaths, which if not redressed, may yet be a fire kindled from his Iealousie; who will not hold him guiltless which taketh his name in vain.
10. The free permitting of the consciences and meetings of conscionable and faithful people throughout the Nation, and the free permission of the Nation to frequent such assemblies, will be one of the principal. Meanes and expedients (as the present state of Christianity stands) for the propagating and spreading of the Gospel of the Son of God.
To all such Honourable and Pious hands, whom the present Debate touching the propagating of CHRIST'S Gospel concernes: AND TO All such gentle Bereans, who with ingenious Civility desire to search whether what's presented concerning Christ Iesus, be so or no.
All humble respective Salutations.
IT being a present high Debate (Honourable and Beloved) how the Gospel of Christ Jesus might more be propagated in this Nation: 2. And being desired by eminent friends,The Author's Call to this Endeavour. to cast in my mite towards it: 3. And having been engaged in several points of this Nature, in my former and later Endeavours, against that bloody Tenent of Persecution for cause of Conscience: 4. And also having been forced to observe the Goings of God, and the spirits of Men, both in Old and New England, as touching the Church, the Ministry and Ordinances of Jesus Christ; I did humbly apprehend my Call from Heaven; not to hide my Candle under a Bed of Ease and Pleasure, or a Bushel of Gain and Profit; but to set it on a Candlestick of this publike Profession, for the Benefit of others, and the Praise of the Father of all Lights and Godliness.
2. For the Substance and most of this, I suddenly drew it up, and delivered two Copies unto two eminent friends of Jesus Christ, Contrary to Intention and Desire.and this Nation: But being importuned for more Copies then I was possibly able to transcribe, and being (therefore) advised by some honourable Friends, to use the help of the Press; I am thus beyond my first Intentions and Desires) held forth in Publike.
3. If ought I have expressed seem harsh, dissatisfactory, or offensive; I am humbly bold (I hope in the power of the Most High) to profess my readiness to discuss; debate; dispute; either by Word or Writing, with whom, or before whom soever the present Debate concerns, with all Christian meekness, and due submission.
4. It is true, I do absolutely deny it (against all commers) to be the Burthen of the Civil State to take cognisance of any Spiritual cause;The Civil Power in all Ages, deceived by the deceived and deceiving Hirelings, and I do positively assert it, to be the proper and alone work of the holy Son and Spirit of God in the hands of his Saints and Prophets, to manage Heavenly and Spiritual causes (and that only with Spiritual Weapons against Spiritual Oppositions.) And therefore that the Higher Powers have been constantly deceived by the Mercenary and Hireling Ministry; who being themselves deceived, deceive; and tack about (as the Wind, and Time, and Advantage blows) from Popery to Protestanisme, from Protestanisme to Popery, from Popery to Protestanisme again! From Prelacy to Presbyterie, from Presbyterie, many to Independency; and will again to Presbyterie and Prelacy, if not to Popery (in some cases) rather then lose (as they say) the Liberty of Preaching. But what that loss is of somwhat else (Gain, Honour, &c.) let themselves, and all men, judge impartially in the fear of God. Yet
5. I humbly acknowledge (as to Personal worth) I deal with men, for many excellent gifts, elevated above the common rank of men; yea, and for Personal Holiness (many of them) worthy of all true Christian Love and Honour: In which respects when I look down upon my self,The excellent Gifts and Spirits of many, who are yet captivated with a mercenary spirit and principle. I am really perswaded to acknowledge my unworthiness to hold a Candle or a Book unto them. And yet, if I give flattering Titles unto men, my Maker (said Elihu) would quickly take me away; and why therefore (since I have not been altogether a stranger to the Learning of the AEgyptians, and have trod the hopefullest paths to Worldly preferments, which for Christ's sake I have forsaken) since I know what it is to Study, to Preach, to be an Elder, to be applauded; and yet also what it is also to tug at the Oar, to dig with the Spade, The Author's humble advice to such excellent and worthy Spirits as are …et captivated in the Trade of Hirelings.and Plow, and to labour and travel day and night amongst English, amongst Barbarians!) why should I not be humbly bold to give my witness faithfully, to give my counsel effectually, and to perswade with some truly pious and conscientious spirits, rather to turn to Law, to Physick, to Souldiery, to Educating of Children, to Digging (and yet not cease from Prophecying) rather then to live under the slavery, yea and the censure (from Christ Jesus and his Saints, and others also) of a mercenary and Hireling Ministery?
6. To which end, my humble and hearty cry is to the Father of Lights, to plead with all his Children of Light effectually; so that they may look up, wonder, and say, Am I a Child of Light?Holy persons most unfit for unholy places: Is the Father of Lights my Father, and the Saints my fellow Brethren and Schollars in Christ Jesus, the children of Light also? What make I then in dark places, like those that have been dead of old? What make I amongst the Graves and Tombs; the Livings, Benefices, Promotions, Stipends &c?
I have been told a quick passage between the truly Noble Earl of Essex (in Queen Elizabeth her days) and a truly able and zealous Non-conformist: I have said the Earl, been studying a great while these two points; First, the Persons of the Bishops; and I have laboured with the Queen to prefer none but good men to her Bishopricks.
The next thing is their Places; which if I find them to be as bad as their Persons be; then, then &c. But they soon cropt off that Noble head &c.
That same blessed Spirit breaths (I doubt not) in many heavenly spirits of our Times in Parliament, in Councel in the Army; and their holy desire hath been to prefer the choice and flower of Able and Godly men to Places in City ▪ God most wisely disposeth of his work, some to the Fathers, and some to the Children.in Country, in University. It may yet so please the Father of Spirits, to stir up their Noble minds to meditate as well Hirelings places, as they have too well known their persons. It may also be, that his most holy and pure Eye sees they have been highly honoured, and enough already: More work is left for growing sprigs, for whom some Crownes are kept to which their Fathers heads were not so fitted.
7. And yet although I humbly give the Civil state it's Right, to wit, to take down places or persons which themselves or Fathers have erected: yet am I also far from taking off a yoke from one,Impartial soul freedom to all the people of the Nation. to clap on the neck of others. Let the Townes, the Parishes, and divisions of people in the three Nations be undisturbed by any civil Sword, from their consciences and worships; though traditional, though Parochial: and let their maintenance be by Tenths and Fifths, or how they freely please.
1. Only let it be their souls choice and no inforcing Sword, but what is spiritual in their spiritual causes.
2. I plead for Impartiality and equal freedom, peace, and safety to other Consciences and Assemblies, unto which the people may as freely goe, and this according to each conscience, what conscience soever this conscience be (not transgressing against Civilities) whether of Jews or Gentile.
Object. But would you have say some, Jews, Turks, and Papists live in Protestant countries?
I answer, I judge it here only seasonable to say, that I humbly conceive, that this objection, and all that can be said (as to piety or policy) is satisfied in my late unwashing of M. Cotton's washing of the Bloody Tenent: in that late endeavour, I humbly hope, I have made it evident, that no opinion in the world is comparably so bloody, or so blasphemous as that of punishing, and not permitting, in a civil way of Cohabitation, the consciences and worships, both of Jewes and Gentiles.
Ireland hath been an Akeldama, a field of blood; probable it is, that the guilt of all that blood, Protestant and Papist, Where the guilt of all the bloud spilt in Ireland lies.will fall upon this Bloody Tenent, of which both Papist and Protestant are guilty; to wit, of not permitting the Hereticks, the Blasphemers, &c. as the Sword falls either into the hand of a Popish or a Protestant Victor.
What a voice from heaven is there, in the forepast ages of our Fathers, now rotten under us! From Henry the second his time, when Englands first yoke was clapt on poore Irelands neck, I say from Henry the second his time, unto Henry the eight, while their consciences had freedom under popish Kings of England, how little bloud was spilt, English or Irish, compared with the showers and rivers both of one and the other, spilt in the few years of our Protestant Princes, while the consciences of the Catholicks have been restrained by the civil Sword and penalties?
Eightly, In the discourse it will appear, how greatly some mistake, which say I declame against all Ministries, all Churches, The ministry of Prophets, and the People of God have assembled with them all the reigne of Antichrist.all Ordinances; for I professedly avow and maintain, that since the Apostasie, and the interrupting of the first ministry and order, God hath graciously and immediatly stirred up and sent forth the ministrie of his Prophets, who during all the raigne of Antichrist, have prophesied in sackcloth, and the saints and people of God have more or less gathered to and assembled with them: they have praid and fasted together, and exhorted and comforted each other, and so do, notwithstanding that some are not perswaded and satisfied, (as others conceive themselves to be) as touching the doctrines of Baptismes, and laying on of hands.
Lastly what ever be the Issue of all their publick agitations, my humble and hearty cry to the Father of mercies, is for every soul in the three Nations, that desire to fear him; whether of higher or lower rank, that we may more and more cry and endeavour for assurance of personal reconciliation in the blood of the lambe, more and more for participation of the divine Nature in the purity and holiness of the spirit of God: more and more lament (with Jeremy) the division and desolations of God's people and the holy Ordinances and Worship of God in Christ Jesus; The duty of each particular child of God in the midst of differences and dictractions.more and more press after love and all possible communion with God's people in the midst of many differences: more and more abound in mercy and compassion to the soules and consciences; and wofull conditions of others, Jews or Gentiles, and more and more prepared with the golden shoes of the preparation of the Gospel of peace, ready for all the good pleasure of God in Christ Jesus; for prosperity, for adversity, for abundance, for want, for liberty, for imprisonment, for honour, for dishonour for life for death, as knowing that they that suffer with Jesus, shall not only Reigne with him, but here also in the midst of outward sorrows, be filled with Joy unspeakable, and full of Glory.