The Reviler Rebuked, Treatise · Part 2 · Head 13 – Head 15
13. Head of Contradiction to themſelves. Concerning Ordinances.
Section 29.
I Noted here what they pretend to own, viz. Praying in families, with reading and inſtructing of Children, and teaching according to the Apoſtles Doctrine▪ but contradict it, in their giving over the courſe of Familyprayer, ordinarily, Morning, and Evening, and at Meals: nor do I hear they teach Children, but what leads them to an imitation of their new forms. R. F. *Page 30.as before, asketh me, touching that which they ſay they own; And art thou offended at this?
Rep. 1. I am not offended at the practice pretended, but at the bare pretence of the practice, viz. at ſaying and not doing, and at back-ſlidings from the old and good ways of the Lord.
2. I am offended at R. F. his denying (as before) our raiſing Points, Reaſons, Ʋſes, Motives and Tryals from the words of Scripture, and yet juſtifying their teaching according to the Apoſtles Doctrine: for ſure, if all they reach be according thereunto, it will go near to fall under ſome of thoſe heads, viz. of Motives, Tryals, Points, Reaſons or Ʋſes; and if they ſo teach one another in their families, why do they condemn us for teaching after that maner in the publique aſſemblies?
3. I am offended at R. F. his ſubtilty, or ignorant ſimplicity (all along) that he puts off his Reader with anſwer to one part of the Contradiction, but not to the other; as in what followeth: I obſerved, they pretend to own all that is Gods, Baptiſm, the Lords Supper, Church-fellowſhip, Sabbaths, &c. but (as I ſaid) 'tis in a ſenſe contradictious to the light that ever they had, have, or can have truly from Scripture. This man ſpeaks not to the latter part of the charge, but onelyonly to the former: We do own that which is Gods free love and mercy to us, and all that is Gods; as Baptiſm, the Lords Supper, Church-fellowſhip, Sabbath.
Rep. Here are fair words, but what the ſenſe and meaning of them is, and how contradictious to Scripture, and the ordinary uſe of the terms and phraſes, we may gather from what hath paſſed before.See Part 1. Sect. 3. 8.
1. All Water-Baptiſm is diſ-owned by them, and he that ſaith he owneth Scripture-Baptiſm (which comprehends the ſign and the thing ſignified) and doth diſ-own all Water-Baptiſm, he doth wittingly, or unwittingly contradict himſelf.
2. The Lords inſtituted Bread and Wine Supper they deny, (as was ſhewed Part 1. Sect. 39.) contrary to the Scripture; And he that ſaith he owneth all that is Gods and diſ-owneth Bread and Wine, as inſtituted by Jeſus Chriſt, (to be uſed by the Churches, as the outward viſible ſign and memorial of the Lords death to his ſecond coming) is beſide himſelf, as well as without his Book.
3. All forms of Church-fellowſhip (but their own) they deny; and that can be no true Church-fellowſhip of theirs, which diſ-own the Scriptures from being the word of God, and rule of their fellowſhip, and of their Church.
4. As for a day of Reſt, one day in ſeven, it was a mercyThe Sabbath a mercy, and a duty. of God to Iſrael of old, that he made known unto them his holy Sabbath, Nehem. 9. 14. and I think it is a mercy ſtill, and a pledge of love, that Gods holy Sabbath (exchanged ſince Chriſts reſurrection from the ſeventh to the firſt day of the week) hath not ceaſed in any Age; for the ſtanding Rule and Law of the fourth Commandment, obligeth to one day in ſeven (whether the laſt or the firſt of the ſeven, it is a mercy we have either) but doth R. F. and his fellows own the outward part or reſt of the Sabbath, according to Gods command? not, that I finde in any of their writings, hear one for all, *Several papers, pag. 19.The worlds Sabbath is without them, and they have no reſt but in a form without: The Saints Sabbath is within, where Chriſt is come to give them reſt, and they are ceaſed from their own works.
5. It is the mercy and love of God to give a heart to look more into the inſide of Ordinances, then upon the outſide; but he that is unfaithful in the leaſt, is unjuſt alſo in much; and he that breaks the leaſt of God Commandments (as to the outward part of an Ordinance) and teach men ſo, ſhall be called or reckoned the leaſt in the kingdom of heaven.
14. Head of their Self-contradiction. Concerning Speech and Silence.
Section 30.
THey ſit ſilent for an hour, or half, or quarter, and when others in (though not of) their company ſpeak freely, they check it (as I obſerved) with this, or the like ſaying, In the multitude of words there cannot want ſin; and yet they are in their Letters, and Pamphlets, full of tautologies, &c. R. F. paſſeth this Section over with deep ſilence, but in this Pamphlet he hath verified the charge,
1. Of multiloquious needleſs repetitions, where he thinksSect. 31, 32. to vindicate the Scriptures, by frequent and impertinent quotation of them: And,
2. Of Silence in many paſſages, where it was neceſſary he ſhould have vindicated himſelf, and his Brethren, from their own Contradictions.
15. Head of their Self-contradiction. Concerning Elders.
Section 31.
THis Section alſo he lets paſs, (as having nothing to ſay) where I noted J. Naylers interfering, viz. The ordaining of Elders was not by man, and yet it was by the Spirit of God in the Apoſtles; the Spirit made uſe of them then, as he did of the Brethrens and Churches ſuffrages and prayers: To grant an uſe was made of men in the call of Elders, and yet to deny the Call was given of God by man, is to ſpeak Daggers and Contradictions, as all along I have cleared it in fore-mentioned inſtances.