No Power But of God, Part 4
A word to the Miniſtery, or a few words to th… that have taken to themſelves the name of the Miniſtery of England.
BEloved, it may be thought ſtrange you, that a man ſo mean as my … ſhould ſo preſume as to ſpeake a word you, or to thinke that you ſhould vouch… to ſpend ſo much time as to hear or … what my thoughts are of you. But (O y… learned Clergy) I will caſt my ſelfe dow… at your feet, and earneſtly beſeech you give me audience for one quarter of houre, for my heart doth burne within … and though I have been ſilent this ma… months, yet now the words will burſt o… and let me indeed prevaile with you … your attention a little; for I will aſſ… you, I have rode on horſe-back, and run… foot many miles, yea and many times heare a few words from you; yea many ſtorme and ſhower, heat and cold, hav… gone through to learne ſomething of … from you, and I doe not repent of it, … ſhould doe it if it were to be done agai… wherefore let me intreat your patience little, if it be but to give you a briefe count of what I have heard and learn… …m you: And although mine eyes have … been enlightned at the two fountains, … truſt that they have been anointed …th a little clay, for I ſee men like trees …king If I do faulter a little in my ſpeech, …re with me, for I doe want the Hebrew … Greek tongue, which is ſo excellent, …t a man would part with any thing … it unleſſe grace, but I would not give the …ſt graine of grace, if I had any to ſpare, …not the third part of a graine for all … tongues, arts, and parts under the …mne.
The firſt would that I would whiſper in …ur eare is this, by way of Query con…ning theſe times. My brethren, if I may …ſo bold to call you ſo, let me aske you …tly, Have you not ſeene nor heard of …oſe great and wonderful deliverances …th in England, Scotland, and Ireland? or if …u have heard of it, doe you not believe … that you be ſo ſilent in your thanks to mighty God the Father of theſe mercies? …t it may be you have heard of it, and doe …leeve it, and yet you cannot give the …ory to God; why? becauſe, theſe mercies …d deliverances came in, as I have heard …me of you ſay, by a blaſphemous Secta…n Army.
Oh what pride and ſelfiſhneſſe is this mon! that when the Almighty doth ſe… in deliverance after deliverance, one tu… ling in after another; yet if theſe mer… come not in by ſuch inſtruments as … pleaſe, we will not take it as a mercy: … mercies no mercies, if they come not to by our own meanes, in our owne time, …a… in our owne way? why, ſhall not that G… that gave them freely, reach them forth us by what hand he pleaſeth? hath t… Lord appeared in his Almighty power, … companied with his bleſſed preſence in … head of our Armies? And yet are they blaſphemous and Sectarian Army!
When they and we have been in … greateſt ſtraits, and at the fartheſt diſtan… from all humane helps, hath not the Lo… appeared for our deliverance? And yet blaſphemous Sectarian Army!
Hath not our Army asked counſel … God, and adviſed with his people, befo… they have entred upon the work? And yet blaſphemous Sectarian Army!
Hath not our Army had many dayes … faſting and praying? and have they not ſen… their letters to the well-affected both i… England and Wales, to intreat them to ſee unto the Lord to cleare the way befor… …em? & yet a blaſphemous Sectarian Army! Are not the greateſt part of the Officers … the Army, men ſo well doctrinated in … doctrine of Chriſt, that they can and are …dy to render a reaſon of their hope in …? & yet a blaſphemous Sectarian Army! Do they not endeavour to puniſh Swear…, Stealing, Sabbath-breaking, and all …er things puniſhable by the Law of God … man, to the utmoſt of their power? … yet a blaſphemous Sectarian Army!
Do they not look upon the Scriptures as … rule, and the Holy Spirit as their …de? and if any Presbyierian, Independent, … Anabaptiſt come and bring not this do…trine, they bid him not God ſpeed? … yet a blaſphemous Sectarian Army!
Do they not in all their deliverances …re and endeavour to give the glory to …d, and lay themſelves at his feet, as poor …ruments in his hand? And yet are they …aſphemous and Sectarian Army!
Do they not grow and thrive daily more … more in the knowledge of God, teach… one another in pſalms and hymns and …ritual ſongs? And yet a blaſphemous …arian Army!
…h not the Lord God Almighty crown'd …r endeavours with bleſſed ſucceſſes, and unheard of deliverances? and yet a b… phemous Sectarian Army!
O my brethren, my brethren! Is the … indeed dark to you, that you cannot … Is that fallen upon you, that was threat… upon your Tribe, Mic. 3. 6. Therefore … ſhall be unto you, that ye ſhall not have a vi… and it ſhall be dark unto you, that ye ſhall not vine; and the ſun ſhall go down over the Proph… and the day ſhall be dark over them, &c. Is … this your ſtate at this day? Examine a li… are you not guilty of thoſe ſins mention in this chapter, for which theſe plague… darkneſſe were ſent. Examine your ſe… by the Spirit of God, in the 5. verſ. of … third of Micah. Thus ſaith the Lord to Prophets, that make my people erne; that with their teeth, and cry peace; and he that … teth not into their mouths, they even prepare … againſt him. Now I do but ask you, whe… you have not cauſed the people to … Again, I do but ask you, whether you … not bitten ſorely with your teeth, of la… Again, I do but ask you, whether you … not war in your hearts againſt him … putteth not into your mouths, or pa… not his dues, as you call it? Now I do … ask you whether theſe things be ſo, or … You do not as yet hear me charge you …
Now if it be ſo with you, lo then here the ground why you do not behold nor …nnot ſee the Lord in all theſe mercies. …hy, it may be you have cauſed the people … erre, and bit at the Saints with your …eth: there is your ſin (it may be) & the day dark unto you, and the ſun is gone down; there the puniſhment.
Many other things I might ſay to this: …t I call to mind to whom I ſpeak; A …ord to the wiſe is or ſhould be enough. …t indeed bear with me a little, for I am …our weak brother, and you have offended …e, contrary to the command of Chriſt, …ho ſaith, Thou ſhalt not offend thy weake …other. If you ask me wherein you have …ffended me? I tell you, in many things; will inſtance but in a few.
Firſt, you have cauſed me to ſtumble and …lmoſt to fall, To ſee you faſting, and pray…ng, when you ſhould be rejoicing and …raiſing; and again ſometimes to ſee you …ejoicing, when others are weeping. Oh why do you call theſe dayes of deliverances …nd glorious appearances, ſuffering dayes, …uffering times!
What, is Sions King on comming; and …et fad and ſuffering times!
What, is the Sun riſing with healing in his wings; and yet ſad and ſuffering times
What, hath the Enemy ceaſed to ſpoil… and now is he ſpoiled? and yet ſad an… ſuffering times!
Hath the Lord God brought back th… outcaſt of his people, and cauſed them … ſit under their own vine? and yet ſad an… ſuffering times!
What, hath the Lord made his people praiſe and a fame amongſt and in the mid… of thoſe that had them in ſcorn and reproach? and yet ſad and ſuffering times!
What, is the Lord reducing Magiſtraci… and Miniſtry to their primitive inſtitution and yet ſad and ſuffering times!
Doth not the ſword of Juſtice, without reſpect of perſons or partiality, begin to be drawn out of that old ſcabberd, wherein it hath lain and ruſted for many yeares? and yet ſad and ſuffering times!
Do we not live in an age, wherein men and women may be as good as they can, but not ſo wicked as they would? and yet ſad and ſuffering times!
Did we not lately live in ſuch times, wherein it were ſafer to commit ſinne then to reprove ſinne; and now it is ſafer for a man to reprove ſinne then to commit it? and yet ſad times!
Indeed I have admired, when I have con…ered of this, that you that ſhould have …en calling upon the people to take no…e of the wonderful incomparable good…ſſe of God to this Engliſh Nation of late, …at ſo they might give the glory to God: …u have endeavoured either not to ſuffer …e people to take notice of it, or if you …uld not prevaile in that, then you would …telling the people, that this which they … Mercy is no mercy, if (ſay you) that you … conſider by whom theſe things come
But when I have turned over the leaves the Bible, and there taken notice that in ages, under all diſpenſations, there were innumerable company of that Tribe, …mmonly knowne by the name of Prieſts, …ophets, or Watchmen, or Seers: yet …eſe men above all others have had their …eſe hand in all the bloody and barba…us plots, inſurrections and rebellions: …d to carry on theſe deſignes, have you not …de uſe of the power and ſtrength of Em…ours and Kings to war one with ano…r? and by this means have not you been … cauſe of the loſſe of thouſands of Chri…ns lives, their blood ſpilt? and all this …th been under the pious pretences of Reformation, Church-order, puniſhing … Hereticks, and Schiſmaticks, and ſo p… tending to reform the Church of its Here… and Schiſme; on the contrary, you ha… deformed it into Formality, Superſtitio… and Idolatry. I ſay, when I did a little co… ſider this, then I did not wonder that … ſame generation of men in our dayes ha… trod in their predeceſſours ſteps. The… fore now, O all ye Miniſters of Engla… that have ſought your ſelves more then … glory of God! for to you I do ſpeak: … eare a little unto me, and I will ſpeake … you the words of truth and ſoberneſſe; for … that I have written already, is but the co… text or coherence. Now next will follo… in order the diviſion, and the doctrine, wi… ſome reaſons to prove the truth there… and ſo I ſhall have done with the expli… tion, and I will leave you to make the a… plication, for you are wiſe, &c. Let me th… begin at the beginning. As ſoon as ever … Church of God came to be a corporat… people, and had a Temple with Ordinan… and Offices, then immediately it was peſte… with falſe Prophets, wicked and Idolatro… Prieſts; ſo all the Prophets all along gi… large teſtimony to this. I ſhould want bo… time and ſtrength to lay downe the clo… …f witneſſes to this truth; and I have gotten …our patience but for a little time, where…ore I will be briefe, and in as few words … I can, I ſhall trace this Tribe from the …rophet Iſaiahs dayes untill this day, Iſa. … 8. 7. The Prieſts and the Prophets have erred. Hoſ. 6. 9. As troops of robbers wait for a man, ſo …he company of Prieſts murther in the way. Ezek. 22. 26. The Prieſts have violated the Law. …o in Hoſ. 6. 9. & Jer. 26. 7. And thus we …inde the foure hundred falſe Prophets a…ainſt one poore Micaiah.
Thus alſo was the condition of the Church of God in Eliahs time, 1 King. 18. 19. …o the 23. when there were foure hundred …nd fifty Prophets in Iſrael, and yet ſaith Elijah to the people, v. 22. I even I onelyonly remain a Prophet to the Lord.
So in the Prophet Jeremiahs dayes, Jer. 50. that whole Chapter ſpeaks of their ſinnes and puniſhment.
So in Ezekiel his dayes, what unheard of wickedneſſe did the Lord complaine of to be in them; as in Ezek. 34. from the firſt verſe to the end of the tenth verſe, as you may read at large? And then the Prophet Daniel and Hoſea, do not they hint at the wickedneſſe of theſe men? &c.
And then after all this, ſee what the Prophet Micah ſaith of them, Mic. 3. from th… 5. verſe to the end of that Chapter; and … from the time that the Church of Go… had a Temple with Ordinances and officer… untill the very time that Chriſt came in th… fleſh. You ſhall finde that there was har… ly ever any wicked plot diſcovered again… Church or State, but theſe men have had hand in it, if not the chiefe contriver… of it.
And ſo if you pleaſe to obſerve the Ol… Teſtament, when ever you finde the Church before Chriſt came in the fleſh, in Apoſtaſie or declining from the true worſhip of God to Idolatry and Superſtition, the origina… or inſtrumental cauſe of it aroſe from th… lying ſpirits in the mouths of the Prophets But to ſay no more of that, and to come … little nearer home, and ſearch the New Teſtament, and we ſhall finde that when the Lord Jeſus Chriſt came in the fleſh, who were then the greateſt oppoſers of him? were they not the learned Clergy-men? yea ſurely: if the Scriptures be true, theſe were the people that were the moſt cruel peſecuters that Chriſt met with in the fleſh: it is needleſſe to give you a relation of their carriage towards Chriſt, the foure Evangeliſts being but a briefe hiſtory of it, there you may …ad of their mockings and ſcourgings, …aling him before Magiſtrates as an evill …oer, as a ſower of ſedition, as a deſtroyer …f their Temple and Law, and as a blaſphe…er; and who were the chiefeſt inſtruments … this but the Prieſts, yea the high Prieſts, …he moſt knowing men in the Law? theſe …en called the word of Reconciliation …dition, and the pure doctrine of Chriſt …ereſie and Blaſpemy: theſe leaders of the …ople followed Chriſt from place to place … their owne perſons, or in their Spies to …ſnare him in his words, and to ſtirre up …e people againſt him, Luk. 5. 21. & 6. 7. …atth. 26. 3. & 15. 1. & 16. 21. Mar. 8. 11. 31. … 14. 1.
And as they dealt with Chriſt, ſo after they …d put him to death, they mete the ſame …eaſure to his Apoſtles, almoſt, if not alto…ther: And it hath been ſince them the …d condition of the Church of Chriſt, for moſt ſixteen hundred years laſt paſt, eſpe…ally ſince the falling away, ſpoken of Theſſ. 2. 3. to ſuffer by her enemies as an …il doer: Truth hath been perſecuted for …ror, light for darkneſſe, Chriſt for Belial; …d that by theſe men who pretended moſt … God: They will be wolves ſtill, but …ey will be in ſheeps cloathing, Mat. 7. 15. They will ſtill kill you, but they will pr… tend they do God ſervice by it, Joh. 16. …
Obj. But me thinks I heare the Learn… Clergie of our times, ſaying: Why, … grant all this, and more; we do not no… cannot deny but the Prieſts, yea the Hig… Prieſts and the great learned men in tho… dayes were enemies, nay the greateſt en… mies that ever Chriſt and his Apoſtles … upon the earth: But what is that to … we have had a learned pious zealous Cleg… in England for many years.
A. But let me under correction in th… you to conſider what pious men they ha… been: And if you grant me liberty, … hope you will, where ſhall I begin? in He… the eighths time, or in Queen Maries daye… for all thoſe dayes they were moſt as R… miſh as ſome are now. We will begin th… in Henry the eighth's dayes, when th… Kingdom was under the height of Poper the Clergy and Laity were all cruel Papiſt And when the King denied the Popes S… premacie, and went about to demoliſh t… Abbies, which they knew was not out … any pious zeale he had for Reformation but out of wrath, pride, and covetouſneſ… yet how did all the Clergy ſide with hi… except a few poor Friars and Monks, th… were all undone by it?
Then againe, in the dayes of Edward the …xt, by reaſon of the Kings pious diſpoſi…on, though but young, the Clergy feared …urne, and preſently a great part of them …ll on preaching againſt ſome particular …ints of Popery; and in the meane time …e Lord Protector, with ſeveral others, …ere reſolved to reforme the Church, and …eſently began to aboliſh the Maſſe-book, …ith moſt of the Popiſh-Service, and cauſed …e Common-prayer-book to be read in …gliſh, and preſently all the Clergy were …alous Proteſtants, except ſome foure or …e of them, as Gardiner, Bonner, Day, &c. …nd then about three or foure years after at …e moſt, Queen Mary was made Queen of …gland, and then the Clergy bethought …emſelves, and preſently turned about …gaine, except a few, as Latimer and Hooper, …d Cranmer, and Rodgers, and Ridley, …c.
Then theſe men began to be more cruel …gainſt the poore Saints then ever they …ere before, Bonner then being Biſhop of …ondon, if the hiſtories be true; and truly I …ould not bring hiſtory to prove any thing …write, had I not learned it from you: but … returne to our matter in hand. I have …eard you often ſay, Keep cloſe to the text in hand, and I hope I ſhall as near as can.
Well then, after Queen Mary was dead and Queen Elizabeth had the room, withi… ſix months, the whole Tribe of them, except ſomefew, turned quite about againe and all turned Proteſtants again; in which ſhape, and under which viſage, they ha… continued untill the beginning of th… Parliament: they had gotten a trick to ca… all their Antichriſtian Services and Popi… Ceremonies, the Rights and Ceremoni… of the Church of England; then all the ancient proud Prelates, with the reſt of thei… ſuperſtitious dumb Prieſts, muſt be called the Archbiſhops, Biſhops, Deans, and Miniſters of Jeſus Chriſt: and then for th… Tapers and Candles, Tables and Altar… Bowings and Cringings, Tippets, Hood… and Surpleſſes, Bell, Book, and Candle and what would not then go down? An… if any ſhould refrain to come to their A… ſemblies, to worſhip their God in thei… decent order, Excommunicate him, agrie… him, and at laſt baniſh him to New-England or ſome other remote Iſland, that he migh… not diſturb the peace of this moſt famou… flouriſhing Church of England.
Well, the Parliament of England had not …te long, but the Wolfe covered with ſheeps …oathing was diſcovered; and after a little …nſideration, it was put to the Vote, then …ddenly after tumbled downe the Prelati…l Diſcipline root and branch, there muſt …t be any more Archbiſhops, Biſhops, …eans and Chancellours, and Prebends: …ell, what followed? why, preſently the …eateſt part of our Clergy were become …alous Presbyterians: and why ſo? is …at the true diſcipline of Chriſt? why, …hether it be or no, it is eſtabliſhed by a …w, and confirmed by a Covenant.
Well, how doe they carry themſelves …der this Diſcipline? why, the change is …eat both for our honour and means, ſaith …e Clergy.
Firſt, for our honour; they will not let … ſit in the Lords houſe, nor ſcarce in the …ſſemblies Synod.
And ſecondly, for our means, that did …long to our Tribe by inheritance; to wit, …e Biſhops, Deans, and Chapters lands; …e Parliament have ſold it, and gave …e money to their Souldiers: and to tell …e truth, this is the cauſe that many of … cannot ſpeak well of the Parliament, …or of the Souldiery neither, though ſome of our Coat have better grounds to co… plain on them both, then this.
Obj. But indeed deal plainly with m… what grounds have they for their diſſenti… from, and complaining of the Parliamen… and Army, as they do at this day?
Miniſter. What grounds, doeſt thou ſa… why, art thou a ſtranger in Iſrael? an… doeſt thou not know, that this preſe… Parliament and Army (I put them both t… gether, for they act as one) doeſt thou n… know that this preſent pretended Parli… ment, for ſo we call them, hath deni… that to us, which was never denied to an… of our fore-fathers ſince King Henry th… eighth's time untill now? for though th… Religion, both in Doctrine and Diſciplin… were often changed, as thou haſt well ſai… before; yet ſhalt thou never finde in an… hiſtory that doth ſpeak of theſe things, th… ever there was any liberty granted to any for all men and women in the Kingdom were under the preſent government, were … good or bad, they were to ſtoop to it, … pay for it, by which means we had all th… people in ſubjection to us in a ſweet wa… of uniformity; but now although Presby tery be eſtabliſhed by a Law, and confirmed by a Covenant; yet notwithſtanding this pretended Parliament doth ſuffer a blaſhemous factious Sectarian generation of …en and women, commonly called and …owne by the names of Independent and Anabaptiſt, to Preach Publikely and pri…tely, by which means they have drawne way many of our moſt hopefull hearers, …nd loving Pariſhioners, and if we ſhould …t them alone, we feare that all men will …unne after them; and by this means our …iniſtery is ſlighted, and our perſons de…iſed, and our dues leſſened; and doeſt …ou thinke that we can hold our peace? …ake it thine owne caſe, and thou wilt not …lame us. But to deale plainly, we have …reater grounds (ſome of us) then all this, …ut I forbear to name them.
Anſw. I muſt confeſſe, that theſe things …hat you have named have ſomething in …hem; ſo that unleſſe a man hath more then …ature, he cannot beare it; but I hope beter things of ſome of you, although I thus …peak: it is true, if your tongues were your …wne, you ought to ſpeake, and plead for …our honour, credit and profit. But after …ll theſe things doe the Gentiles ſeeke, Matth. …. 32.
There is but one thing more in what …ou have ſaid to be anſwered, and that is that Uniformity; it is true, it were to be … ſired, and it would be ſweet to ſee it … but we may not expect to have it in the fu… neſſe thereof untill that Scripture is f… filled, Iſa. 11. 9. See the 6, 7. & 8. verſes.
As long as a people agree in things ſu… ſtantial, things circumſtantial are to … borne with, for we cannot ſee all by o… mans eyes; there are babes, and they m… have milke, and there be young men th… can eat ſtrong meat, and there be old me… that are going on to perfection, which a… in a higher forme then the two forme… And the Apoſtle ſaith, As every one hath r… ceived Chriſt, ſo let him walke in him. But le… all men be ſure that they have a warran… for what they doe; there is a rule for th… Maſter, and another for the ſervant; a rul… for the Husband, another for the wife; then is a rule for the Father, and another for th… childe, and yet all from one and the ſam… God: ſo there is a rule for the …abe that i… in Chriſt, and another for the young ma… that is in Chriſt, and another for the ol… men that are in Chriſt; yet all from on… God by one Spirit made good to us in on… Lord Jeſus Chriſt. But I have heard ſome of you render other reaſons of your diſſenting from the Parliament and Army. ſhall but only name one of them, and that this. You ſay, both the Parliament and …rmy, in their principles and practiſe, do …derſtand the Covenant in a way wherein …ey do take to themſelvs a greater latitude …en ever the Covenant intended, if not …int-blank break it. To which I anſwer, they do ſo, it is more then I know: I ſay, they do underſtand the Covenant in a …y wherein they do give it too large a la…ude, that I cannot clearly ſee: But this do clearly ſee and know, That you, or …oſt of you do draw or ſpin it out beyond …e ſtaple, I, into ſo ſmall a thred, that it …ll not hold the weaving. My meaning is, …u go about to make the Covenant ſpeak …d tye men, wherein it doth not. But I …bear; for if I ſhould go to particulars …rein, it would riſe to a greater Volume …en all this little Book.
But it may be you have not been kindly …alt with by this Parliament, and there…re you complain of them. If ſo, let me …ll you, this is but to render evil for evil. Pet. 3. 9. Let no man render evil for evil.
But if you reply and ſay, that I do re…ire that of others that I do not practiſe …y ſelf: Then let me anſwer for my ſelf …d ſpeak plainly, and I muſt confeſſe, that if any man have occaſion to ſpeak again the Parliament, I more: for if I ſhoul… yield to nature, I ſhould ſpeak more again them then moſt of you do; for they ha… not dealt kindly with me, as I ſuppoſe… could inſtance in many things, I will me… tion but a few; as firſt, I have ever from th… firſt been on their ſide, and ſerviceable un… them either in body or purſe: beſides, whe… I have heard any treachery againſt them, have diſcovered it, I have endeavoured a… wayes from the firſt untill now, and ho… I ſhall, to vindicate them when I have hear… them ſpoken againſt, as I have often according to my ability to the uttermoſt; and … the reward I have received from them … temporals, is ſoon reckoned, juſt nothing yet all I expected from them. I have le… mony upon the Publique faith, which ha… been often promiſed, but never a farthin… paid. Again, I loſt mine eſtate by ſidin… with them, and ſtanding for them: I wa… in a baniſhed condition, one hundred an… forty miles from home, for the ſpace o… two full years; in which time it had bee… no leſſe then preſent death to me once t… appeare in my native Country amongſt … own Kindred, and all for ſiding with them and ſince I have returned home again, (th… …mighty God making the way open, …hoſe name I deſire for ever to praiſe) I …ve not medled with any of the Parlia…ents profitable places as Exciſe or Cuſtom … recruit my loſſes; yet ever ſince I have …en ſtill under hard Task-maſters in point … payment, as Contribution, Exciſe, and …e like, according to their neceſſity, and …ine ability. And yet I dare not ſpeak a …ord againſt them, nor have a hard thought … them: For the Lord is with them, and …ath told me that deliverance is coming, …ut I am too ſudden in mine expecting de…verances. And as long as I behold the …ord with them, I ſhall not think any thing …oo dear for them.
And now (if you will know) this is the …eaſon that you grieve me, when you …reach and pray againſt them, as I have …ften heard you. And therefore beare a …ittle with me, if I doe a little blame …ou.
Again, I would fain be ſatisfied of theſe …nſuing particulars: they be not Charges, …ut Queries, wherein I am a little unſatisfied, viz.
1. From whom did you receive your Commiſſion? Who made you Miniſters? God, or man?
2. By what power do you ſtand in th… Miniſtery? you deſpiſe the Magiſteri… power, and alſo the Military power, as… humbly conceive, by your diſowning … your ſelves, and teaching others ſo … doe.
3. Whoſe worke do you doe, Gods … mans? if you have received your Commi… ſion from him, it will appeare by you… practiſe in doing his worke.
Firſt, from whom did you receive you… Commiſſion? who made you Miniſters … God, or men? I propound this to you, th… rather becauſe many men of underſtanding I heare ſay, That your calling to, an… ſtanding in the Miniſtery, is from Anti… chriſt: Others ſay that you be called o… men, but not of God; and both theſe have very ſtrong arguments to prove what th… ſay, and I (being weak) cannot anſwe… them, wherefore I propound it to you… They ſay further, that you were fitted for … the Miniſtery at Oxford or Cambridge, and ordained to it by the Anti-Biſhops.
Now if this be true, I am very much unſatisfied in your calling to the Miniſtery, becauſe Oxford and Cambridge be but humane and literal Schools, and cannot give knowledge in ſpiritual things; and if ſo, the… other man may be as ſpiritual as you …t never was there; and if as ſpiritual as …u, why is not he fit to ſpeak of ſpiritual …ngs publikly and privately as well as you. Againe, they ſay, that you were ordained the Miniſtery by the late Popiſh Biſhops …ich are now voted downe both root and …nch, as Antichriſtian; and if thoſe that …d ordaine were Antichriſtian, what are …oſe that he ordained? (you are wiſe, I will …ve you to judge) and if I might be …ought worthy to give you advice, declare your ſeveral Congregations, your diſ…ning that fleſhly carnal ordination, as …leſſed be God) ſome few of your Coat …ve already done; and if you doe it, do it …eedily, for many of you will be laid aſide …eedily; the day begins to be dark over the …rophets, as in Mic. 3. 6. And the Lord will …eake to his people by a ſtammering lip, and ano…er tongue, as in Iſa. 28. 11.
Secondly, by what power doe you ſtand …n the Miniſtery? you deſpiſe the preſent …agiſterial power, and alſo you diſowne …he Military power, and theſe were the two …aine pillars that have borne up your …ribe ever ſince King, Henry the eighth's …aies, as hath been largely proved before; …nd I am confident, that u…l…ſſe you doe improve all your policie and wiſdome, a… that ſpeedily too, (for the buſineſſe w… not admit of delayes) you will be laid a… for the moſt part. If I were by you, that might whiſper a word or two in your ea… I would tell you of other things which am confident will come to paſſe ſpeedily but I hope the Seers do ſee.
3. The third Quaerie is, Whoſe work … you doe? If you be made able Miniſters … the Goſpel, then you are faithful labour… in your Maſters vineyard: If you have r… ceived your commiſſion from Chriſt, it wil… be known to us by your doing his wor… Now the people of this Nation, or many … them at leaſt, are muttering and ſaying, th… you be not like to your maſter Chriſt. … ask them wherein it doth appear that yo… are unlike to him? They will produ… many particulars; I will mention but few, viz.
1. You (ſay they) be unlike to Chriſt i… this: Chriſt did reprove and blame thoſ… and onelyonly thoſe that were reproveable an… blame-worthy; and that to their face… never behind their backs, as hath been obſerved by you. The Scripture ſaith, Spea… evil of no man! and he that doth, the Scripture cals him Back-biter. Now it hath bee… ſerved, that you have cryed out exceed…gly againſt a people, that have been ſome…es an hundred miles from you; Not …ce, but often; and that not in the ſpirit …meekneſſe, but in paſſion. Now the Pro…ets before Chriſt, that were good, did …ver do ſo; neither did the Apoſtles after …riſt ever do ſo; as I can find. Thoſe that … the true Prophets of Chriſt, will with …icaiah ſpeak the truth to Ahab, although …th him they be beheaded for it, 1 King. …. 8. They will with Nathan tell David …hou art the man, 2 Sam. 12. 7. They that be …e Lords true and faithful Prophets, will …ith Nehemiah tell the Princes and Rulers … their faces, that they oppreſſe the people with …xes, Nehem. 5. 7. Alſo the Lord commanded …eremiah, that he ſhould ſpeak the mind of the …ord to the faces of the people, 1 Jer. 17. The …ue and faithful Prophets of the Lord muſt …ith Amos preach the death of Jeroboam …nd captivity of Iſrael, not behind their …acks, but at Bethel in the Kings chappel, …lthough with Amos they be beheaded for …, Amos 7. 12, 13. Yea, they ought with the …rophet Zechariah to tell the Rulers and …eople of Iſrael to their faces, That becauſe …hey had forſaken the Lord, the Lord had forſaken …hem; Although by the command of the King, with Zechariah they be ſtoned for 2 Chron. 24. 20, 21. In a word, (to adde n… more) they will with John Baptiſt t… Herod to his face, th…t it is not lawful fo… him to have his Brothers wife, althoug… with him they be beheaded for is, Mar. … 18, 19.
Now whether the Prophets of our daye… be like unto theſe Prophets, I wi…l appeal… to all England to judge.
2. The people are ſaying, that there is vaſt difference between Chriſt and his Apo… ſtles, and you: For Chriſt and his Apoſtle did feed the people with true bread; and you make the people believe, you feed them with bread in their Fathers houſe, and you feed them with husks, and that among ſwine. Whereas you ſhould feed his lambs, and give every one his meat in due ſeaſon; it is obſerved that moſt of you (for I ſpeak not of all) doe tie your ſelves to one Text and one Method, one rode and way; ſo that for the moſt part you doe not reach every mans condition. You be like unto Chriſt, when you are carried forth with a ſweet temper of love to all men, as Chriſt was. Now there be two ſorts of men.
Firſt, Saints.
Secondly, Sinners.
To begin with the laſt.
1. There are ſinners, and they are of two …rts.
1. Ignorant.
2. Prophane.
Firſt, Ignorant: to theſe you ſhould hold …rth thoſe meanes that Chriſt hath ap…inted to enlighten them.
Secondly, Prophane: deale with theſe as …riſt and his Apoſtles d…alt with ſuch men the ſpirit of meekneſſe, inſtructing thoſe at oppoſe themſelves.
Secondly, then there are alſo in your …ongregations ſome few godly men and …omen, ſonnes and daughters, and theſe … of two ſorts.
1. Weake.
2. Strong.
Firſt, weake bruiſed reeds, and ſmo…ng flax; theſe muſt have have milke, theſe …uſt not be received to doubtful diſputa…ons. Theſe be Lambs, doe as Chriſt, carry …em in your boſomes: O let theſe have …eir meat in due ſeaſon; you may not …ſpiſe theſe weak ones, nor grieve them.
Secondly, thoſe that be more ſtrong, …ercome them with love, 1 Pet. 3. 8, 9. Feed …eſe with food convenient for them. Build …emup in their moſt holy ſaith. We finde Paul in 14. Rom. give two directions to t… weake Saints, and two directions to t… ſtrong Saints.
1. To the weake, that they ſhould n… envy the ſtrong Saints in the uſe of the liberty.
2. That they being weake, ſhould n… doe thoſe things that the ſtrong did, wi… a galled conſcience.
Then he gave two directions to t… ſtrong Saints.
Firſt, that they ſhould not deſpiſe t… weake.
Secondly, that they ſhould not grie… the weake.
Now my brethren, you have all th… ſorts of people (I ſuppoſe) in your … Congregations: do you give every one … meat in due ſeaſon? are you indeed li… Chriſt in this? whether you are or no, will appeale to all impartial hearers … judge.
Thirdly, againe I heare the people ſa… ing of you; That if you were the faith ful Miniſters of Chriſt, you would ſpen… more time to ſeeke his honour, and leſ… time in ſeeking your owne honour: Man of you are often praying to God to kee… up the honour of the Miniſtery; but we ha… … more need be praying to Almighty God eſtabliſh a true Miniſtery, and then the …rd will undoubtedly keep up their ho…ur. Why, my brethren, it is your work, it was Pauls, to have Chriſt alone exalted. …t may it not be ſaid of many of you, That …u ſeek your owne things in the firſt …ace, and the things of Chriſt in the …ond place? Doe you give the glory of all … good you doe to God, as Paul did? Cor. 15. 10. But I laboured more then …y all, yet not I, but the grace of God in …e.
Doe you ſo exalt Chriſt, as to be nothing your ſelves, as he did? I am not worthy to called an Apoſtle, ſaith he: Again he ſaith himſelfe, he was the greateſt of ſinners: …d then againe in another place, I am leſſe …n the leaſt of all Saints: And then againe, deſire to know nothing among you but Jeſus …riſt and him crucified. Now I appeale to …ur own conſciences, whether this be your …actice.
Fourthly, againe I heare the people …eaking of you, and ſaying, That you be … like to Chriſt in this alſo, you put too …gh a price upon gifts, and too low a …ice upon grace. Hence it is, that you cry … one ſo frequently, and ſpeak of the other ſo co…dly: They ſay, and I doe almoſt … lieve it, that you carry up into the pulpi… whole glaſſe full of humane learning an… wiſdome, ſo varniſhed and coloured ove… that the world hath taken it for ſpiritu… things, and ſo millions of poor ſouls ha… been deluded by it for the ſpace of man… years. Now if I might be thought worth… let me aske you, Did ever Chriſt and h… Apoſtles cry it up ſo exceedingly? nay … ther did not they lay it by in the things … God? view well the firſt book of the Cor… tians, and the two firſt Chapters. Now w… ſet up humane wiſdome in competitio… with Chriſt, when we make it abſolute… neceſſary for the diſpenſation of the Go… ſpel, yea ſuch an eſſential qualification, as without it none could be inabled for th… holding forth the word of life. Now th… doth detract from the All-ſufficiencie … Chriſt, as if he could not furniſh his Sain… with the tongue of the learned, to ſpeak word in ſeaſon to thoſe that are wear… without thoſe humane arts and parts. I d… not ſpeak againſt learning, for it is excellen… in its place; A good ſervant, but an ill M… ſter: and indeed it is no new thing to hea… the learned Clergie cry out ſo much again… theſe poor illiterate mechanick fellows, fo… …h were Chriſt and the Apoſtles eſteemed their forefather s… … this the Carpenters …ne? Matth. 13. 55. Mar. 4. 5.
So in Act. 4. when Peter and John were …ought before the high Prieſts, when they …v the boldneſſe of them, and perceived …t they were unlearned and ignorant …n, they marvelled, and they took know…ge of them that they had been with …us. Theſe Prieſts doe out-ſtrip many of …r Prieſts, for they will ſcarce take notice …any, whom they call unlearned, to have …en with Jeſus. O all ye Nations in the …rld, beware of the Wolf that comes in …eps cloathing, Matth. 7. 15. and of that …ſt that hath a horne like a Lamb, Rev. …. 11.
I had many more things to enquire of …u, I will but name them now, and ex…aine them hereafter, viz.
Firſt, I would ask you, if the truth of God …eak forth in the face of Jeſus Chriſt in …n deſtitute of learning, whether there …th not appear the more of God, and leſſe man?
Secondly, I would aske you, whether all …e grand errours, now in Rome, France, …d Little England, were not brought in … firſt by great learned men in humanity?
Thirdly, I would ask you, whether … greateſt perſecutors that ever Chriſt and Apoſtles met with all, were not the great learned men, the chief Prieſts and Rabbi…
Fourthly, I would ask you, whet… when the Lord Chriſt was upon Earth, … propheſied of the Perſecution of his Chu… in all ages, eſpecially towards the la… dayes; whether Chriſt hath not fore… us that it ſhall be perſecuted by the … learned Clergie, comming to us in Sh… cloathing, Matth. 7. 15. and having ho… like a Lambe, Revel. 13. 11.
Fifthly, I would ask you, whether … not ſo at this day? and whether amongſt … Miniſtry there be not many great Sch… lars in humanity, meer ignorants in D… nity?
Sixthly, I would ask you, whether … mane learning in an erronious man do not prove the greateſt enemy to truth?
Seventhly, I would ask you, whether … do not think in your conſcience, that … men and women in this Nation at this … be not deceived? and if ſo, then let me … you who deceived them? See Matt. 24.
Eightly, Let me ask you whether the L… Chriſt is not now beginning to advance Kingly glory, in reducing Magiſtracy … …niſtery to its primitive inſtitution? and …o, then moſt of you muſt become new …n, or elſe you will be laid aſide. I had …ny more things to propound, but I call …minde your patience which is not great, … mine own promiſe, which was that I …uld be brief; and ſo I leave you as I …nd you, ſo far your friend as you are …iſts and his Churches, &c.