<!DOCTYPE ETS PUBLIC "-//UMDLPS//DTD EEBOPROOF 2.0//EN">
<ETS>
<TEMPHEAD>
<REVDESCR>
<CHANGE>
<DATE>2009-03-21</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>Taryn Hakala</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
</RESPSTMT>
<ITEM>Proofed text and revised markup.</ITEM>
</CHANGE>
</REVDESCR>
</TEMPHEAD>
<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="A87181">
<STC T="W">H976</STC>
<STC T="T">E542_17</STC>
<BIBNO T="umi">99865187</BIBNO>
<VID>117424</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>THE Prie&s;ts Patent <HI>CANCELLED,</HI> OR THE Lay-mans An&s;wer, to the PRIESTS <HI>OBJECTIONS.</HI></P>
<P>Wherein the pretended grounds of the Mini&s;tery for the upholding of their Arbitrary practi&s;es, over the Con&s;ciences and E&s;tates of the People are an&s;wered, and refuted, by undeniable Arguments from &s;cripture and Rea&s;on.</P>
<P><HI>By</HI> William Hartley.</P>
<Q><BIBL><HI>Zach. 13.4.</HI></BIBL>
<P>And it &s;hall come to pa&s;&s;e in that day the Prophets &s;hall be a&s;hamed every one of his vi&s;ion, which he hath prophe&s;ied, neither &s;hall they weare a rough garment to deceive. <HI>Ver&s;. 5.</HI> But &s;hall &s;ay I am no Prophet, I am a husband man, for man taught me to keep Cattell from my youth.</P>
<P><HI>Laicis licet curam de reformanda religione, &amp; eccle&s;ia &s;u&s;cipe|re, ce&s;tantibus, vel non facientibus officium, vel facultate de&s;titutis Epi&s;copis &amp; Eccle&s;ia&s;ticis.</HI> Polan.</P></Q>
<P><HI>LONDON,</HI> Printed by <HI>G. Daw&s;on</HI> for <HI>Henry Cripps</HI> and are to be &s;old in Popes-head Alley. 1649.</P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB REF="2">
<PB N="1" REF="2">
<HEAD>The Lay-mans An&s;wer to the Prie&s;ts Objections, &amp;c.</HEAD>
<P>_IT is no &s;mall piece of Sophi&s;try, that the e|nemies of the Go&s;pels Freedome have made u&s;e of; In putting terms of <HI>Odium</HI> and &s;candall upon the per&s;ons and endea|vours of tho&s;e, who de&s;ire to promote the Peoples Liberty: <HI>viz. Puritan, Round|head, Anababti&s;t, Independent, &amp;c.</HI> to which may be added, that learned, deep, and mo&s;t <HI>Authentick</HI> expre&s;&s;ion (mentioned in the <HI>Scots</HI> Declaration) to wit <HI>Tub|preachers:</HI> and now as (if the&s;e names were worn thred bare) tho&s;e who &s;tand for equall and impartiall Ju&s;tice, are &s;tigma|tized, and branded under the notion of <HI>Levellers;</HI> giving ma|ny groundle&s;&s;e, and improbable con&s;tructions upon their can|died endeavours tending unto publique &s;afety: charging them with di&s;mounting <HI>Magi&s;tracy,</HI> overthrowing <HI>Mini&s;tery,</HI> de|nying <HI>Property:</HI> whereas their de&s;ire is, that Magi&s;trates rule by Law, and not by Will; Mini&s;ters walk after Go&s;pel order, and not carry them&s;elves as <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Many Mini|&s;ters write them&s;elves Re|ctors of &s;uch a place.</NOTE> lords over Gods Inheritance, and every man to enjoy his birth-right due unto him, by the laws of God and Nature: and no man to be (by Patent) va&s;&s;alized, either in Per&s;on or E&s;tate: And for a want of a right under|&s;tanding, or &s;erious con&s;ideration, of the intentions of the per|&s;ons &s;candalized: Hence it is, that the People fight again&s;t their own Freedome, cry up a <HI>King,</HI> cry down a <HI>Parlia|ment;</HI> &s;peak again&s;t the <HI>Army,</HI> Maligne the wel-affected, &amp;c. <HI>All</HI> which mi&s;cheifes may be properly interpreted to flow from the generality of the Clergie, who through the power|full influence, and &s;ubtill in&s;inuation, they have gained upon
<PB N="2" REF="3">
their hearers affections, doe bend the Peoples hearts to the crooked bow of their &s;elf-concernments: What a great and cro&s;&s;e wheele the Clergie have been to this Kingdome, is evi|dent by &s;everall ancient writers; omitting former pre&s;idents, I referre you to the Reigne of <HI>Henry</HI> the eighth. In who&s;e time, <HI>Cardinall Wool&s;ey</HI> and the Clergie (the King not plea|&s;ing their humours) did di&s;avow the Maje&s;tracy of the Nation, pretending their Oath of Allegiance to the <HI>Pope;</HI> but <HI>Wool|&s;ey</HI> with <HI>Abbots, Priors, &amp;c.</HI> being rooted, the Clergie (&s;ee|ing them&s;elves brought into &s;uch a premenirie) ea&s;ily di&s;pen|ced with the Oath to the <HI>Pope,</HI> and &s;ware &s;upremacy to King <HI>Henry:</HI> but at that time (&s;aith my Author) the Clergie was in great danger to have been overthrown; And when the Bi&s;hop of <HI>Roche&s;ter</HI> made a plau&s;able argument (grounded upon cu&s;tome) for continuance of their Spirituall Livings, a Gentleman of Grays Inn made an&s;wer, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">See the large Chronicle of England pag. <HI>923.</HI></NOTE> <HI>It was a cu&s;tome for Theeves to Rob upon Shooters Hill, ergo, they may Rob.</HI> The in&s;olency of the Bi&s;hops again&s;t the &s;upream authority, <HI>viz.</HI> (the <HI>Parliament</HI>) crowned with their own ruine is fre&s;h in memory. (I forbeare to in&s;tance any thing from the Synod) But, how mutable in principles of Religion this generation of men have been, is notoriou&s;ly manife&s;ted; I &s;peake not to prejudice any pious man (being fully per&s;waded there hath been, and is, (even at this time) a competent number of god|ly Mini&s;ters, who have, and will &s;eale the Te&s;timony of Truth with their Bloods) but in reference to the generality of the Clergie, who&s;e Religion <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Bee of any Religion rather then &s;uffer, or loo&s;e their bene|fices.</NOTE> turneth (like Cocks of weather) with the &s;tronge&s;t Winde: In the time of <HI>Henry</HI> the eighth, the Clergie were Papi&s;ts; In <HI>Edward</HI> the &s;ixth, Prote&s;tants; in Queen <HI>Mary</HI> Reigne, Papi&s;ts; in Queen <HI>Elizabeths</HI> time Prote&s;tants, and now <HI>Epi&s;copall, Presbyterian,</HI> for <HI>Church Government,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Regis ad exem|plum, &amp;c.</NOTE> <HI>&amp;c.</HI> which being con&s;idered, doth it not deep|ly concern all Chri&s;tian, (<HI>Berean</HI> like) to &s;earch the Scripture for Truth and Knowledge; and no longer take their Religion upon tru&s;t from their Mini&s;ters: but, by a principle of light in them&s;elves from the Go&s;pel, may be able to render a rea&s;on of their own Faith. It is to be well approved of, for great men to entertain Chaplains in their Families; but it would add
<PB N="3" REF="3">
to their Honours if (after religious <HI>Brookes</HI> example) they would become their own Mediators to God, to pray, give thankes for, and to in&s;truct tho&s;e who are committed to their charge. And as we highly commend the <HI>Parliament</HI> in de&s;i|ring godly and able Mini&s;ters to pray and preach before them: &s;o likewi&s;e we &s;hould heartily rejoyce if the Kingdomes Re|pre&s;entatives would <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Then the contention be|twixt M. <HI>Love</HI> and M. <HI>Dell,</HI> would be at an end.</NOTE> them&s;elves (rather then by proxii) being be&s;t privy to their owne concernments, repre&s;ent to God their owne condition; and although this may appeare <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Mr. <HI>Bates</HI> interrupted Mr. <HI>Hartly</HI> in his exerci&s;e, refu&s;ing either to heare or conferre, being a&s;&s;i&s;ted with a company of rude, ignorant, and unworthy per&s;ons, broke up the <HI>Meeting</HI> with di&s;order.</NOTE> grievous in the eyes of Mini&s;ters, and per&s;ons ignorant of the knowledge and priviledge in the Go&s;pel, yet it is a glorious and acceptable work in the eyes of God and all per&s;ons, who&s;e ends are for the advancement of Truth. Let's heare what can be &s;aid again&s;t it.</P>
<P><HI>Jehovah</HI> (Lord Almighty) is the God of Order,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 <HI>Object.</HI></NOTE> and in all Ages, as there were Kings elected to execute the Magi&s;trati|call Office in matters of Civill-Government: &s;o there were per&s;ons &s;eparated and appointed, to exerci&s;e juri&s;diction in things &s;pirituall. Therefore the Mini&s;tery of the Church of <HI>England</HI> is grounded upon fundamentall authority.</P>
<P>We an&s;wer, God is not the Author of confu&s;ion:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Reply&punc;</NOTE> And in order to Government there was a Law given (Gods onely Vicegerent) unto which, all per&s;ons were bound to yeeld &s;ubjection alike: Ma&s;ters of Families, elde&s;t, or <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Gen. 34.19.</NOTE> Noble&s;t of Tribes, (which were &s;tiled Heads or Chiefe of the people) &s;tand authori&s;ed in point of execution. As for <HI>Monarchs, Kings,</HI> or more properly <HI>Popes,</HI> when by your Clergy ren|dred over all per&s;ons, and all cau&s;es, whether Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall, or Civill &s;upream Judges, and Moderators. Such creatures were never of <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">1 Sam. 8 7. Ho&s;ea 13 10.</NOTE> Divine in&s;titution, their foundation, and continu|ance, being (<HI>ex &s;uperabundanti</HI>) grounded upon conque&s;t and tyranny. And as for per&s;ons qualified with an outward power over their brethren in things Spirituall, we finde no &s;uch thing; God being the God of all Spirits, and unto him &s;hall all fle&s;h come. Is not the Sea a proper Continent for every Rivelet?</P>
<P><PB N="4" REF="4"><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 <HI>Object,</HI></NOTE>There is a fallacy in <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Dolus ver&s;a|tur generalibus</NOTE> generals; but I &s;hall give you parti|cular in&s;tances warranted by Scripture even before the Flood. Whom doe you conclude <HI>Enos</HI> to be? The Scripture wit|ne&s;&s;ing, that in his dayes <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Gen. 4.26.</NOTE> men began to call on the name of the Lord. And doe we not read that <HI>Noah</HI> was a preacher of righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e. If <HI>Noah</HI> was a Preacher, it will nece&s;&s;arily imply he had an Auditory: which being granted, this mu&s;t follow, that all were not Preachers.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">Reply.</NOTE>It is true, <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Commune non di&s;tinguit.</NOTE> Univer&s;als yeeld no &s;afe conclu&s;ions: Therefore we &s;hall an&s;wer to your pre&s;idents. Fir&s;t to your <HI>Querie</HI> touching <HI>Enos,</HI> doubtle&s;&s;e he was a godly man, as al&s;o were the generality of people in his time: &s;o intimate the words by you quoted, <HI>viz.</HI> at that time <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">There were &s;ix generations between <HI>Enos</HI> and <HI>Noah,</HI> till who&s;e time we read not of the worlds A|po&s;ta&s;y.</NOTE> <HI>men began to call on the name of the Lord;</HI> and <HI>Enos</HI> was one of tho&s;e men. Whe|ther <HI>Noah</HI> preached righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e to the world, either by per|fecting of the Ark, or by way of Exhortation, or both, is not much que&s;tionable: This being mo&s;t cleare, that tho&s;e which called upon the Lord (with <HI>Enos</HI>) were pre&s;erved; and tho&s;e who refu&s;ed to be preachers (like <HI>Noah</HI>) of Gods righteou&s;|ne&s;&s;e, were de&s;troyed. And doubtle&s;&s;e, if <HI>Noah,</HI> and <HI>Lot,</HI> had had more fellowes (in their generations) tho&s;e mo&s;t u&s;efull &s;ervants Fire and Water, had never proved <HI>Sodoms,</HI> and the Worlds implacable ma&s;ters.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">3 <HI>Object.</HI></NOTE>But what &s;ay you to <HI>Melchizedeck?</HI> was not he a man in order of the Prie&s;thood? approved by God, ju&s;tified by man, for unto him faithfull <HI>Abraham</HI> paid his Tenths. Now if all be Prie&s;ts alike, and no di&s;tinction in per&s;ons, why did not <HI>A|braham</HI> receive Tythes of <HI>Melchizedeck,</HI> according as <HI>Mel|chi&s;edeck</HI> did of <HI>Abraham?</HI></P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">Reply.</NOTE>We give our judgement, this <HI>Melchizedeck</HI> was not man, but God, as is manife&s;ted, <HI>Heb.</HI> 7. by his Title, or Motto, that is to &s;ay, <HI>King of Righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e, King of Peace.</HI> And in all Ages (&s;ince the world began) we have not read of &s;uch a King as <HI>Righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e,</HI> or &s;uch a Kingdome as <HI>Peace.</HI> And that this <HI>Melchi&s;edeck</HI> was God, or the very Chri&s;t, is cleare from <HI>Heb.</HI> 7 3. <HI>Without Father, without mother,</HI> without de&s;cent (or pedegree) <HI>having neither beginning of dayes, nor end of life,</HI> but made like unto the Sonne of God, abideth a Prie&s;t for ever.</P>
<P><PB N="5" REF="4">This is a manife&s;t contradiction of the old and new Te&s;ta|ment: For if this <HI>Melehi&s;edeck</HI> had been God,<NOTE PLACE="marg">4 <HI>Object.</HI></NOTE> then <HI>Abraham</HI> had pre&s;ently died: For <HI>no man can &s;ee God and live,</HI> and you know <HI>Abraham</HI> continued long after time. Neither could he be Chri&s;t, being not born till thou&s;ands of yeares afterwards. <HI>When the fulne&s;&s;e of time was come, God &s;ent his Son, &amp;c.</HI></P>
<P>No contradiction at all,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Reply.</NOTE> (onely your mi&s;pri&s;ion) be it gran|ted, God as he is in his E&s;&s;ence, and incomprehen&s;ible glory, cannot be &s;een or comprehended by any mortall eye, yet God in his di&s;pen&s;ations and manife&s;tations, is both &s;een and com|prehended of the creature. What &s;ay you to the burning Bu&s;h in the Wilderne&s;&s;e that &s;pake unto <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> and the &s;till Voyce that talked with <HI>Elijah,</HI> Doe not the Scriptures &s;ay, God was in the <HI>Bu&s;h,</HI> and God was in the <HI>Voyce?</HI> which the Author to the <HI>Hebrewes</HI> lively &s;ets forth, <HI>Hebr.</HI> 1.1. <HI>God</HI> (&s;aith he) <HI>who at &s;undry times, and after divers manners &s;pake unto the Fathers by the Prophets, hath in the&s;e dayes &s;poken unto us by his Sonne, who is the brightne&s;&s;e of his Fathers glo|ry, and the expre&s;&s;e image of his per&s;on;</HI> which image we in|terpreting according to the my&s;tery of the Go&s;pel, Je&s;us Chrt&s;t is rendred to be God manife&s;ted in the fle&s;h. This con|&s;idered, we have ground to beleeve that <HI>Melchi&s;edeck</HI> which appeared unto <HI>Abraham</HI> in the &s;hape or form of a man, was Chri&s;t: And his own words (at a conference with the Jews) &s;eem to imply as much, viz. <HI>Abraham &s;aw my dayes and re|joyced.</HI></P>
<P>It's granted <HI>Melchi&s;edeck</HI> was a Type of Chri&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">5 <HI>Object.</HI></NOTE> and &s;o the Scripture quoted by you &s;aith, <HI>Hebr.</HI> 7.3. <HI>like unto the Son of God,</HI> but you know every <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">Omne &s;imile non e&s;t idem. Reply.</NOTE> like is not the &s;ame.</P>
<P>We under&s;tand a Type to be a Form, or Image, repre&s;enting &s;omewhat that is not properly in its &s;elfe, or a &s;hadow which vani&s;heth upon the apparition of the &s;ub&s;tance: Now if this <HI>Melchizedeck</HI> was a Type, or repre&s;entative, Chri&s;t (the re|pre&s;ented) being come, this type is of no validity, but (as minded before) this <HI>Melchi&s;edeck</HI> abideth for ever: and it was the apex or height of Chri&s;ts dignity to be &s;tiled a Prie&s;t of the &s;ame Order. And for your Schoole-Maxime, Every like is not the &s;ame; in the Scripture &s;en&s;e the words <HI>&s;imilis</HI> and
<PB N="6" REF="5">
<HI>&s;icut (vel aut qua&s;i, like</HI> or <HI>as</HI>) are of propinquity, <HI>Iohn</HI> 1.14. <HI>We beheld his glory as the glory of the onely begotten Son of God,</HI></P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">6. <HI>Object.</HI></NOTE>But if <HI>Melchizedeck</HI> were God or Chri&s;t, why did he take Tythes? God or Chri&s;t hath need of <HI>Abrahams</HI> &s;ub&s;tance, but this <HI>Melchizedeck</HI> (as you mu&s;t confe&s;&s;e) did really receive Tenths of <HI>Abraham;</HI> if &s;o, to what end or u&s;e did he take them, except for conformation of a Prie&s;t-hood.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">Reply.</NOTE>Wee An&s;wer, That the Tythe which <HI>Melchizedeck</HI> re|ceived of <HI>Abraham,</HI> was not the tenth of encrea&s;e of Cattell, Corn, Wine, Oyle, &amp;c. but a Tenth part of the prize that he had obtained in overthrow of the foure Kings that took his Nephew <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><HI>Gen.</HI> 8.18.</NOTE> <HI>Lot</HI> pri&s;oner: Moreover <HI>Melchizedeck</HI> was not a Prie&s;t to <HI>Abraham,</HI> for <HI>Abraham</HI> was his own Prie&s;t to offer up his own &s;acrifices, as may be in&s;tanced in the &s;tretching forth his hand to &s;lay <HI>I&s;aac:</HI> and to your <HI>quaere,</HI> to what end, or what u&s;e <HI>Melchizdeck</HI> made of the Tenths received, I &s;hall re&s;olve you when I know after what manner the three Angels did eat of <HI>Sarahs</HI> Milk, Butter, and dre&s;&s;ed Calfe. How in|con&s;i&s;tent then to Scripture or Rea&s;on is your argument for Tythes or Prie&s;t-hood from any pre&s;ident of <HI>Melchizedeck.</HI></P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">7. <HI>Object.</HI></NOTE>While our fathers <HI>Abraham, I&s;aac,</HI> and <HI>Jacob</HI> were in a &s;trange land, there could be no &s;ettled Prie&s;thood; but when the I&s;raelites were an entire People, then <HI>Aaron</HI> and his &s;eed were appointed to teach the People, no other tribe permitted to that office; and doe you not read of Gods Judgement in|flicted upon <HI>Corah, Dathan</HI> and <HI>Abiron,</HI> for meddling with the Prie&s;ts Office, a faire warning for Lay-men to take heed how they thru&s;t them&s;elves into the office of the Mini&s;tery.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">Reply.</NOTE>Wee an&s;wer, That the Ceremoniall and Typicall part of Gods wor&s;hip was appointed to the Leviticall Prie&s;t-hood, as the offering up of &s;acrifices of Sheep, Goates, or the like; for &s;in offerings, heave offerings, &amp;c. But the reall and &s;ub|&s;tantiall part of Gods wor&s;hip, as Prayer for pardon of &s;inne, Prai&s;es for mercies received, Preaching or declaring the good|ne&s;&s;e of God one to another, &amp;c. was referred to all per|&s;ons indifferently: as may appear by the de&s;ire of <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> when he was acquainted that others be&s;ides the Prie&s;ts taught
<PB N="7" REF="5">
in the Camp, would God (&s;aith he) that all the Lords people were Prophets: and for your pre&s;ident in the puni&s;hment of <HI>Corah, Dathan</HI> and <HI>Abiron,</HI> (we conceive) it had relation to their contempt and mutinie again&s;t <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and <HI>Aaron,</HI> (as publike Officers) and not meerly or &s;imply for offering Sa|crifice: As may be in&s;tanced, that it is lawfull at a bar of ju|&s;tice for all &s;tanders by to go along with the Maje&s;trate in con|demning a Malefactor, but it is a high offront to ju&s;tice for any there pre&s;ent to pull the Judge from the &s;eat of Judicature to give &s;entence them&s;elves: you may con&s;ider the altar erect|ed (for a good end) by the <HI>Rubenites, Gaddites</HI> and half the tribe of <HI>Mana&s;&s;eth</HI> is not condemned; and <HI>Manoah</HI> (no Levite but an <HI>Ephramite</HI>) his Sacrificing a Kid upon a rock was by God approved: and for your prerogative di&s;tinction of Laity and Clergie, the Scripture doth hold forth no &s;uch thing, God having made of one blood all mankinde, Jew and Gentile, Male and Female, Bond and Free, are all one in Chri&s;t;<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Acts</HI> 10.</NOTE> and wee much wonder at that &s;elf-conceited expre&s;&s;ion in your formall prayer, <HI>viz.</HI> the Tribe of <HI>Levi</HI> the lot of thine own inheritance: &s;eeing God is no re&s;pecter of per&s;ons; but in every Nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteou&s;|nes is accepted. And to your caveat of Lay-men entering in|to the mini&s;tery (if you mean preaching and declaring the word of God) be it an&s;wered, we have as good right to that imployment or (function) as to the lands we hold, or cloathes we weare.</P>
<P>But you may under&s;tand Chri&s;t &s;peaking to the Tribe of <HI>Le|vi,</HI> Yee tythe Mint and Commin,<NOTE PLACE="marg">6. <HI>Object.</HI></NOTE> and neglect greater mat|ters, the&s;e things yee ought to have done and &amp;c. here Chri&s;t approved of a Prie&s;t-hood to receive Tythes: now if &s;ome had power to receive, others were appointed to pay; &s;o it will nece&s;&s;arily follow, there is to be a di&s;tinction in per&s;ons, &s;ome mini&s;ters to beare rule in the Church and teach,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Reply.</NOTE> others to heare and yeeld &s;ubjection to their government.</P>
<P>Wee an&s;wer, That Chri&s;t commanded obedience to the Le|viticall Prie&s;t-hood, and approved the paying and receiving of Tythes: but the time when, and end for all duties comman|ded by God of the Creature is to be <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Taking &s;cri|pture out of place, maketh this conclu&s;ion and divi&s;ion a|mong&s;t us.</NOTE> con&s;idered, as it may be
<PB N="8" REF="6">
in&s;tanced, at the in&s;titution of Circumci&s;ion, in the time of the law, it is written, every male which is not circum&s;ized, that &s;oule &s;hall be cut off from his people: but in the time of the Go&s;pel, it is &s;aid, If yee be circum&s;ized, Chri&s;t &s;hall profit you nothing: &s;o then, you are to con&s;ider the time when the Leviti|call Prie&s;t-hood was commanded, and you &s;hall finde it to be before Chri&s;t took <HI>Aarons</HI> Office: for when he offered up him&s;elf (once for all) then the Leviticall Prie&s;t-hood had an <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Chri&s;t when he was upon the cro&s;&s;e &s;aid all was fini&s;hed, and then gave up the gho&s;t.</NOTE> end: and for your better &s;atisfaction, take the Apo&s;tles argument, <HI>Heb.</HI> 7.11. if perfection were by the Leviticall Prie&s;t-hood; what further need was there that another Prie&s;t &s;hould ri&s;e after the order of <HI>Melchizedeck,</HI> and not be called after the order of <HI>Aaron:</HI> the next ver&s;e thus, <HI>If the Prie&s;t|hood be changed, there is made a</HI> <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Mark our liu|cy wool&s;ie Cler|gie, mini&s;ters of the Go&s;pel, yet exact tythe ac|cording to the Levitical prie&s;t|hood.</NOTE> <HI>nece&s;sity of a change of the Law:</HI> that is, if Chri&s;t (the onely High-prie&s;t) hath made a perfect reconciliation, and attonement unto God by his own blood, there needeth no more &s;acrifice for &s;in, and that law which did enjoyn the people to bring offerings or pay tythes, for upholding of tho&s;e typicall &s;acrifices; is now abroga|ted: for you are to take notice, that the end of the in&s;titution of Tythes was more properly for the maintenance of a daily &s;acrifice, and not &s;olely or &s;imply for the Prie&s;ts profit, as you may read <HI>Numb.</HI> 18.26. <HI>When yee take tithes of the children of I&s;rael (which I have given you from them for your inheritance) then yee &s;hall offer a</HI> <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">When the Par&s;on takes a tythe Calf, Lamb, Pig, Goo&s;e, &amp;c. it fils his belly or his pur&s;e.</NOTE> <HI>heave offering for the Lord:</HI> It was a complaint upon <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">1 <HI>Sam.</HI> 2.29.</NOTE> <HI>Elies</HI> &s;ons, that they had made them&s;elves fat with the offerings of the people. So then, it is evident Chri&s;t is our High-prie&s;t, and all the Saints of God are par|takers of his Prie&s;t-hood, 1 <HI>Pet.</HI> 2.9. and have all intere&s;t alike (by him) to offer up <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg"><HI>Rom.</HI> 12.1.</NOTE> &s;pirituall &s;acrifices unto God.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">9 <HI>Object.</HI></NOTE>But what &s;aith S^t <HI>Paul,</HI> 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 12.28. <HI>God &s;ent &s;ome to be A|po&s;tles, &s;ome to be Prophets, &s;ome to be Teachers: Are all A|po&s;tles?</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 <HI>Tim.</HI> 4.14.</NOTE> <HI>Are all Prophets? Are all Teachers?</HI> And it was charged <HI>Timothy,</HI> not to neglect the gift that was given him by laying on of hands of the Pre&s;bytery, that is to &s;ay, ordi|nation of Mini&s;ters.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">Reply.</NOTE>We an&s;wer, that the Apo&s;tle in the chapter quoted, did in|form the <HI>Corinthians</HI> of the diver&s;ity of gifts, or &s;everall ope|rations
<PB N="9" REF="6">
of Gods Spirit, as not hereditary to any particular per|&s;ons, or &s;ociety of men, and that in the Church, or among the Saints, all are not alike gifted. For, &s;aith he, <HI>All cannot pro|phe&s;ie,</HI> all are not qualified with abilities to teach, all have not the gift of healing, &amp;c. Its your duty, as <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 31. to covet ear|ne&s;tly the be&s;t gifts, that is, labour to become Apo&s;tles, covet to prophe&s;ie, de&s;ire to be able to teach; intimating that it was a great fault to be alwayes learning, and yet never come to perfection. For the gift that <HI>Timothy</HI> was commanded not to neglect, is prophe&s;ying, and impo&s;ition or laying on of hands (as we give our judgement) was u&s;ed either in point of confirmation, or healing, as may be in&s;tanced, <HI>James</HI> 5.16. <HI>If any be &s;ick let him &s;end for the Elders of the Church, &amp;c.</HI> and if the Tran&s;lator had put in <HI>Elder&s;hip</HI> for <HI>Presbytery</HI> (w^c^h is the proper &s;ignification of the word from the originall)<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> We might have under&s;tood &s;omething of the religion in the Kirk of <HI>Scot|land,</HI> and we wonder at the quaint &s;peech of your Church Re|formers, viz. <HI>Orthodoxall, Canonicall, Cla&s;&s;icall, Provinciall,</HI> (though &s;ignificant) yet not Go&s;pel, or vernaculer words: It is de&s;ired that the Clergy would u&s;e plain Scripture language, and not amu&s;e the peoples under&s;tanding by ob&s;cure and <HI>AE|nigmative</HI> expre&s;&s;ions</P>
<P>To deny ordination is to give way to confu&s;ion,<NOTE PLACE="marg">10 <HI>Object.</HI></NOTE> and to o|pen a doore for the &s;preading of all errors, here&s;ies, and &s;chi&s;me, every Mechanick f<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">llow will be &s;tepping up into a pulpit to vent his own fancy. Doth not the Apo&s;tle <HI>Peter</HI> tell you, that unlearned men pervert the Scriptures to their owne de|&s;truction.</P>
<P>We an&s;wer, that graces and abilities from God do ordaine,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Reply,</NOTE> con&s;titute, and create a Mini&s;ter, not an Univer&s;ity, hand pa|tent, or licence of the creature: For, &s;aith the Apo&s;tle,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 1.12</NOTE> <HI>I thanke Ie&s;us Chri&s;t our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he coun|ted me faithfull, in putting me into the Mini&s;tery:</HI> to w^c^h you may add that expre&s;&s;ion, <HI>Gal.</HI> 1.11. <HI>I te&s;tifie unto you brethren, that the Go&s;pel which was preached of me, is not after man, for I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by revelation of Ie&s;us Chri&s;t.</HI> To your caution touching the &s;prea|ding of errors, here&s;ies, &amp;c. we an&s;wer, The light of truth is
<PB N="10" REF="7">
able to overthrow the darkne&s;&s;e of error; one burning lamp is able to convince the vanity of a thou&s;and dark Lanthornes. No <HI>ignis fatuus</HI> can abide the Sunne. And for Mechanick men preaching, if you mean Trade&s;men, or Artificers, <HI>viz.</HI> Carpen|ters, Fi&s;hermen, Tentmakers, &s;uch were the Apo&s;tles of Chri&s;t, and no di&s;paragement to their <HI>Cloth</HI> (as you call it) or Mini|&s;tery: Nay, the Apo&s;tle layes an injunction upon the Mini|&s;ters to labour, from a pre&s;ident of him&s;elf, <HI>Acts</HI> 23.24. <HI>The&s;e hands have mini&s;tred to my nece&s;&s;ities, I have &s;hewed you all things, that &s;o labouring you ought to &s;upport the weake, and remember the words of the Lord Ie&s;us, how he &s;aid, It was a more ble&s;&s;ed thing to give then to receive.</HI> And for tho&s;e un|learned men that pervert the Scriptures, are &s;uch who are untaught and unlearned in Chri&s;t, the Scriptures quoted having no relation to humane learning in the tongues: For in all ages the greate&s;t Scholars were mo&s;t ignorant of Ch<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;&s;t, and the poore and &s;imple receive the Go&s;pel. Be it granted, that &s;ome through ignorance (or mi&s;pri&s;ion) have perverted the Scripture; becau&s;e &s;ome tender eyes have been prejudiced by the Sunne, <HI>Ergo,</HI> it is not good to behold the light of the Sunne at all.</P>
<TRAILER><HI>FINIS.</HI></TRAILER>
<EPIGRAPH><Q><L>Nihil &amp; natum &amp; perfectum,</L>
<L>Gloria in excel&s;is Deo, &s;it &s;alvus populus.</L></Q></EPIGRAPH>
<PB REF="7">
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
