Queries Propounded to the Churches of Christ, To the reader
TO All them that love the publiſhing of the Everlaſting Goſpell of King JESƲS; I having given in many of theſe queries, to divers of the Synod, yet could never have any Anſwer from them; And having taken the Proteſtation, in which we are to ſtand for a thorow Reformation, according to the Word of God:
AS ALSO,
THe cauſe of propounding theſe Queries is, that notwithſtanding, being ready to ſubmit to His Majeſty, and State, as Maſters of our fleſh, ſo farre as concernes our Eſtates, Libertie and lives; And walking conſcionable in the way and worſhip of God; according to Chriſts inſtitution and the primitive practice, To whoſe Word, as our onelyonly Law giver, we ought to have recourſe; he being faithfull in all his houſe, and therefore worthy of more Glory then Moſes: Heb. 3.2, 3. yet have we been, and ſtill are, both in Print and Pulpits, reproached with the name of Anabaptists, and ſaid to deny civill government; as by Dr. Featley, Bakewel the Baker, M. Edwards, &c. which how falſe it is, let all that know any of us judge: yea the Prelates and High-Commiſsion before whom we witneſſed the truth, when ſome that now do rail againſt us hid their heads, and fled their Countries: But yet, ſo long as we practice according to the Great Charter of King Jeſus, though we walk in the way called Hereſie, as Paul did, Acts 24.14, yet ſo worſhip we the God of our Fathers; being ready as the Apoſtle Peter adviſeth, 1 Pet. 3.15. Alwayes to give an Anſwer to every man that asketh, with meekneſſe and fear. As alſo, to receive any information produced from the Word of God: And to that end, if we might enjoy that priviledge that was under the Law among the Iewss, Acts 13.19, and ought to be in all the Churches of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 14.29.31. and 1 Pet. 4.10, which order ought to be continued for ever, Matth. 28.20. 1 Tim. 5.20. which is to come openly to declare the truth, or convince error, we ſhould be glad: And ſo that aſperſion of running into holes and Chambers, and preaching in Tubs, as they ſay, would be taken away: Which privacie we have been forced unto, as the Diſciples of Chriſt did for fear of the Iewes. John 20.19. But as Paul ſaith, we are not to ſeek our own, but every one, anothers good: 1 Cor. 10.24. and 2.12.14. And as Chriſt requires, deny our ſelves: And not like that evill ſervant, hide our Talent in a Napkin. Matth. 25.24, 25, 26. Neither ſhould the contempt of our perſons diſcourage us, ſeeing there was a poore wiſe man, Eccleſ. 9.14, 15. delivered the City by his wiſedome, it being beſieged by a great King, and great Bulworkes built againſt it, yet no man conſidered that ſame poore man. Alſo Jer. 49.19, 20. and 50.45. God will work that great deliverance by weak meanes. Alſo, Jer. 29.14. For thus ſaith the Lord, hear ye the counſell of the Lord, that he hath taken againſt Babylon, and his purpoſes that he hath purpoſed againſt the Land of the Caldeans; ſurely the leaſt of the flock ſhal draw them out, ſurely he wil make their habitation deſolate with them, therefore the meanes or inſtrument by which God workes, is not to be condemned, but the wiſedome and power of God magnified: As Iudges the 7. So 1 Cor. 1.18. to the 29. Where the Apoſtle declares the preaching of the Croſse, is to them that periſh fooliſhneſſe, but unto us which are ſaved, it is the power of God; For it is written, I will destroy the wiſedome of the wiſe, and will bring to nothing the under ſtanding of the Prudent: Where is the wiſe? where is the Scribe? where is the diſputer of this world? Hath not God made fooliſh the wiſedome of this world? for after that in the wiſedome of God, the world by wiſedome knew not God, it pleaſed God by the fooliſhneſſe of preaching, to ſave them that beleive. And 2 Cor. 8.12. it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not; for it is very probable, that this unnaturall War will never ceaſe, nor Prerogative of the King, priviledge of the Parliament, and Libertie of the Subject be obtained, till ſighting for the Goſpell with carnall weapons be laid down; and the conſcience left free for Chriſt, the King, Lord, and Lawgiver, to rule by his own Lawes and Statutes, preſcribed in his VVord. Iſa. 33.22. James 4.12. There is one Law-giver, who is able to ſave and to deſtroy. VVherfore although we are to ſubmit to the Magiſtrates as the Fathers of our fleſh, yet unto God as the Father of our ſpirits (Heb. 12.9. and Chriſt bids (Matth. 13.50. Let both grow together unto the Harveſt; though not in the Church, yet in the world Shewing a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit, for by their fruit ye ſhall know them. And conſider who muſt go up and perſwade Ahab, that he might go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead, 1 Kings 22.20, 21, 22. but a Spirit that would go forth, and be a lying ſpirit in the mouth of all his Prophets; and the Lord ſaid, thou ſhalt perſwade him, and prevail alſo, go forth and do it. Alſo Rev. 16.13, 14 & I ſaw three unclean ſpirits like frogs, came out of the mouth of the Dragon, and out of the mouth of the Beast, and out of the mouth of the falſe Prophet, which are the ſpirits of Divels, working miracles, and goe forth unto the Kings of the Earth, and of the whole world, to gather them to the Battle of that great day of God Almighty.
By EDWARD BARBER, Citizen and Merchant-Taylor, of London.
End of the text · Edward Barber, Queries Propounded to the Churches of Christ (1650)