Innocents no saints: or, A paire of spectacles for a dark-sighted Quaker. Whereby, if he be not wilfully blind, he may discern truth from lies. Being, a rejoynder to a paper lately published intituled, Innocency cleared from lies. In vindication of Samuel Smith, minister of the Word at Cressage in the county of Salop, from the calumnies of those pretended innocents. By E.D.

Second Observation, That wherein they have re∣plyed, They cloud it rather then cleare it.

HEre thou hast accused them and that concerning the things of God saying,They have now learned to teach the holy Spirit of God to speak. And againe, for the Scriptures thou alledges I own, but they do not prove the Steeple-house a Church, neither the house of God which likely is the end, thou brings them for.

No Do they not prove the places of Christian assemblies to be called a Church, [Rejoynder.] nor the house of God? how fitting then had it been for you to have given the true sense of those Scriptures, since we take them so, and cannot without grosse absurdity take them otherwise?

When you say Steeple-houses and the spirit of God in the scrip∣ture sayes Churches, then are ye charged as though you would teach the Spirit of God to speak, who calls the places of publique assemblies for divine worship by the name of Churches, as was in the Ministers book clearely proved against you, by, Eccles. 9.1. 1 Cor. 11.18, 19.22.28.34, 35. Acts 19.37.

Why do ye not speak in that Idiom and propriety of speech, which the holy spirit in Scripture useth; but do rather reject it, and preferre and compare your own language with or before it? do you not then take too much upon you, you Sons of men? when he speaks of his own he is a lyar, and 'tis of your owne new naming and new speaking, when you call the publique places for divine worship Steeple-houses: know you not that the deno∣mination of a thing is taken from the more worthy part? Solo∣mons Temple was not called a Slaughter-house, because of the Altar and sacrifices done therein, but the house of God because of his presence therein, 1 Kings 8.11. For the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord: then not the Steeple-house but the Church, because of the assembly of Gods people therein. A dead citty containes living Citizens, Our bodies our houses of clay containe our spirituall souls; so in the like Metonymy of speech, The materiall Church containes the spirituall house, the living stones, 1 Cor. 11. v. 18.19. When ye come together in the Church, That is, when ye the living and spirituall house do come together in the materiall Church. Acts 19.37. These men are not robbers of Churches. Here the places of assembly are called Churches; Therefore they prove what the Minister brings them for. But to what end should we bring scripture against these men! when they alone shall interpret as sitting in Peters chair, and if they say, That is not the sense, you may not gaine say it, since these persons alone would be of an unerring spirit. And now, people, strive no more about words.

Againe you say, He came not to them to disprove their do∣ctrine, [Reply.] &c.

I can assure you (for I was then present), [Rejoynder.] that the Minister was then imployed in the Lords work on the Lords day, and had not answered his calling, if upon that provocation of yours he had turned aside, to observe your doctrine, that so he might have dis∣proved it; besides, do you not know, that you and all others of your Sect, after so many disputations had by many Reverend Divines in the land with those Champions of yours, yea with Jesuites themselves which have come masked under your names

and fought under your colours; and after so many books writ∣ten against your tenents and waies, to which your whole Acade∣my could never give a Resolving or reasonable answer, I say, do you not know that after all this, the Ministry and Church of God in England looks upon you this day as Heathen and Pub∣licans, Math. 18.17. and do avoid you as men excommunicate, and not to be converst withall, for what conference or disputa∣tion is to be had with a people, that either do disparage the scrip∣ture, or will make it speak their sense only? Sirs, commune with your own hearts and see if it be a leight thing, that you are thus cast off of the Church of God, and looked upon, as men given up of God to be deluded of Satan! I believe few Ministers in England will henceforth afford you that honour, as to dispute or have any thing to do with such a people; Let them alone, sayes Christ, They are blind leaders of the blind.

If any bring not this doctrine receive him not to house, nor bid him, God speed: never marvell then, that further conference is not had with you.

A Lamentation may be taken up for them that depend upon thee, [Reply.] or thy Ministry, or to receive the word from thy mouth who was afraid to maintaine what thou preaches to them.

Lament not so much for them as weep for your selves, [Rejoynder.] yet if any of them do mourn with godly sorrow of heart for sinne, though you despise them; a broken and a contrite heart the Lord will not despise: advance not your selves, as though you were so sinlesse that ye needed not to repent, Isai. 65.14. Behold my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart.

There are some souls which depend upon his ministry which can in sincerity say, We blesse God who hath called this servant of his to the work of the ministry amongst us, and for the mani∣fest grace of God in him, and for the work of God we have joyn∣ed our selves to that Congregation, as some of you also somet. me did, and rejoyced in his light for a season. The Lord hath owned this servant of his, and the Church of God doth owne him, as one that is faithfull to him that appointed him. And for what he preaches to them it is the doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles, as 'tis recorded in the scriptures; this is it which this minister of Christ doth and hath maintained, and against this truth and doctrine of Christ, the Gates of hell shall not prevaile, and this he is not afraid to maintaine.

Why,what will the Ministry of the word fall, if hire be

taken away? is that the foundation on which it stands?

[Rejoynder.] The minister sayes in his answer, This is the great quarrell of all they have against us, as the Jesuites main engine to overthrow the Ministry: But here this Innocent seemes to do, as they who fained themselves to be just men, and came to Christ to aske questions, That they might catch him in his words, So, he askes the question, Is taking of hire the foundation? No, taking hire is not the foundation on which the ministry stands: The mini∣stry and Church of God is built upon Christ the foundation, for other foundation can no man lay, than that which is already laid.

But read, read, I say, and understand the 83 Psalm v. 3.5. and 12. See there what designes what engines the Conspirators and enemies use, to overthrow the Church of God. They have taken crafty counsell against thy people, they have consulted against thy hidden ones, &c. Who sayed, Let us take to our selves the houses of God in possession. See now whether the spirit of God speak to you in plaine termes, that you are the men, or such like men; Again, Psal. 74.8. They sayed in their hearts let us destroy them together, they have burnt up all the Synagogues of God in the land. See sirs, The malice of Satan and of his instruments is not only against the persons of men, but against the places and profession of religion, They say, Let us take the houses of God in possession which were the Store-houses whereinto the Tythes were brought, Mal. 3.10. That so there may be no residence nor maintenance; They burn up all the Synagogues of God in the land, that so there may be no place of publique worship: the Psalmist shewes you, to what purpose they do it, That the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. If then the minister sayed, it was an engine to overthrow the ministry, to take away the maintenance, he is not alone in this: the holy spirit of God in these Prophets witnesses this truth against all such conspirators as your selves. I may fit∣ly compare this designe of taking away the ministers right and maintenance to the practise of Satan, who moved God against Job to destroy him without cause. What sayes the divel? hast thou not made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath. Put out thy hand now and touch all that he hath. Job 1.11. The divel would leave all the servants of God as poor as Job. So Julian, Domitian, Dioclesian, those persecuting Em∣perours in their time, took into some of their hands the Church revennues: of which two last named Emperours, the history re∣ports, that the one occidit presbyteros, and the other occidit presby∣terium. The one slew the Presbyters, but that would not do, for

the blood of the Martyrs was the seed of the Church, but the other slew the Presbytery, (that is) took away the maintenance; so that the men, the house, the hedge, and all that they have, might be touched (as t'was in Jobs case), so the divel would have it, so those persecuting Emperours, and so would the Quakers have it! What then shall become of the schools of the Prophets, Learning, Piety, and defence of the truth? Is not this the ready way to bring in Barbarism, Heathenism, Heresie, and to lay the Lords vine∣yard wast? when every proud fantastick spirit shall take upon him to preach, neither sent of God nor approved of his Church; yea when women also are allowed for publique speakers, as your woman-speaker was in your publique meeting neere Cond the sixth day of July last, 1658. contrary to the manifest Scripture, Cor. 14.34. Let your women keep silence in the Churches for it is not permitted unto them to speak. May not these men (as the Minister well sayeth) be looked upon as the greatest enemies, the Church of God hath at this day in this nation? be not you found among the number of those, who would take the houses of God, Store∣houses, and maintenance into possession. And let the Synagogues of God stand in the land; for our Saviour Christ himself resorted to those publique places, Luk. 4.16. And as his Custome was he went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up for to read. And v. 38. He arose out of the Synagogue and went into Simons house. Pray you take notice then, if he did not preferre the publique place of assembly which was the Synagogue before Simons house, which was his owne disciples house? Psal. 87. The Lord loveth the Gates of Zion more then all the dwellings of Jacob.

[Reply.] But you say, Who now cries out against the Supreme power?

[Rejoynder.] The supreme power hath indeed very justly granted toleration and liberty to truly-tender consciences: the Minister only minds you, that you abuse not your liberty to Licentiousnesse, and by occasion thereof go too farre (as some do,) against whom the Su∣preme power have declared themselves in the acts of the late Par∣liament; And for his fidelity to the present Government I can witnesse, that at that very time when your meeting was at Cressage, this Minister was then teaching (among other things,) the sub∣jection to authority, and shewing the Lawfullnesse and necessity of the Magistracy.

But in your 19 page, where you quote in the Margin, Isaiah 54.13. you write, And he alone shall teach his people whereas the words there are; And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord:

Pray you, why do ye add or diminish? will you make Scripture of your own? Shew me where it is written, And he alone shall teach his people: God himselfe commands parents to teach, and Ministers to teach, Psal 78.5. For he established a Testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel which he commanded our fa∣thers, that they should make them known to their children, that the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born, who should arise and declare them to their children. So then here is a succession of teaching to be continued to the ge∣nerations to come, Parents to teach their children; you may tru∣ly say, Gods teaching is supereminent above mans teaching, yet you speak of your own, when you say, He alone shall teach his people; for it is written, He gave some Apostles, and some Pro∣phets, and some Evangelists, and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Ministry, for the edify∣ing of the body of Christ, Eph. 4.11.12. So then Ministers as well as parents ought also to teach.

Notes

• Reply p. 7.
• Churches not Steeple-houses
• Reply. p. 13.
• Ministers Maintenance.
• Lord Cooke his Report.
• 1 Tim. 2.12. I permit not a woman to teach.
• Pulique places before private houses.
• Scripture misrecited.