And further, if they will bring instances of charity to the poor, out of scripture, and other authors, let them be just, and always when they would make the application of it to the ministry, to put honestly the word poor before ministry: viz. poor priest, poor minister: otherwise let them let fall their argument for charity for the poor (which no good christian will go about to dispute against) and see what their arguments for justice in the case will do for them. They say it is a just debt, a matter of communicative justice; but when people do not see cause to commune with them, but quite the contrary, and buy none of their ware or merchandize, pray what justice is there in this? Why truly none, but a great deal of injustice.

4th. He says, "if any man fail of doing his just proportion, he thereby exposes either the minister to lose so much of his just due, (but he falls short of proving it a just due) or the other inhabitants to pay more than their just proportion, and so he is guilty of manifest wrong and injustice."

No, where the people are not consenting (and if they were consenting, the New Testament is silent to any such way of maintaining gospel ministers) to this proportion, but see an evil in it: and there is no force under the glorious gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, as I have abundantly and clearly (to those who are not blinded) proved above, even from the very texts of scripture which he brings and wrests to prove the contrary, of which let the impartial judge.

Thus he and they building their structure of maintenance upon a bad foundation, viz. legal force, it will fall to the ground, if the magistrates do not help: for which he calls very loud: and well he may, considering he and others of his mind are ready to faint and fall without it. But by what hath been said, I would charitably hope that all moderate christian magistrates will take care that the preachers eat only the grapes of their own vine, and the milk of their own flock, and keep so far just as to let other folks' grapes and milk alone. But if the priests and magistrates will join together in

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persecution, then will the poor sufferer appeal from them to our great High Priest, and just Judge of heaven and earth, and through his grace patiently suffer what he shall please to permit to come upon us.

5th. In his third page he says, "The public ministry of the gospel in any town is a public privilege, and every inhabitant is considered therein, and partakes in the privilege for the preaching of the gospel is the great engine of salvation, and means of faith. Rom. i.

16. x. 17."

If he means that there is no other preaching the gospel but from his sect, we openly declare to the world, that we differ from him in our judgment, and we believe upon good grounds too. And what gospel, or glad tidings (which the word imports) can that be to people to preach to them, "that a certain number of them are eternally ordained to damnation :" and, for ought these knowing men know, they may themselves be some of them; for they cannot tell who these damned ones are. I think it would be abundantly better if those prying ministers would let the secret will of him that made them alone; for that belongs to God, and not to man. "The revealed truths belong to us, and our children." And to tell people they can never be free from the act of sin while in this world, is really miserable news, and dreadful tidings indeed; since sin is the cause of God's wrath and damnation, and since we cannot in conscience join with such anti-gospel ministers, they ought not in conscience to take our money or goods from us.

Again he says, Every one is invited to take of the water of life freely. Rev. xxvi. 17."

But, by their leave, theirs is the water of death, if we must always sin even in our best duties, then he knows that "The wages of sin is death;" and may not any good christians be truly thankful when they are delivered from such a sinful ministry? And what a knock he gives himself in saying, "We take of it freely," and his pages are written on purpose to make people believe they ought to pay for it, and that they may force it from them too. So we may plainly see that their waters, which

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proceed from them in such bitter streams, are the waters of death; because we cannot have them freely, according to the doctrine of the Holy Ghost in the holy scripture, which he himself hath brought.

Again, whereas he says, "Where there is no vision, or preaching the gospel, the people perish. Prov. xxix.

18."

This is contrary to what they say, when they teach that vision and revelation is ceased.

He goes on, "Being without God, without Christ, without the covenant, they are in a hopeless perishing condition.".

If he would infer from these words, that where there is no public vocal teaching the people perish, the Almighty has been kinder than his minister; for he has graciously promised, that he would teach his people himself: "The children of the Lord are taught of the Lord, &c. And thine eyes shall behold thy teachers, who cannot be removed into a corner." Isa. xxx. 20. which cannot be meant of outward preachers, for they are often removed into corners: but God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit cannot. And Christ promised to send the spirit of truth, which should lead and guide into all truth (not into sin.) Now, to say that such who have not outward vocal preaching perish, is absurd; and he must want charity, and then all his harangues in his pulpit are but like sounding brass.

But now, says he, "Where the kingdom of God is preached, every man is at liberty, and hath an opportu nity to be pressing into it," (and I add, without paying for it) Luke xvi. 16. "But where the kingdom of satan is preached (which is sin for term of life) the people have liberty to fly from it." Further he says, "If any refuse the counsel of God against themselves, it is their own fault."

Answer. If any do so, it is their own fault indeed; but to refuse the evil counsel of a sinful minister, is a virtue, and no fault at all.

Again, "They have a price put in their own hand, although being fools, they have no heart to improve

it."

We are willing to be counted fools by such wiselings; but let him know, that wisdom himself said, "He that will be wise, must first become a fool."

He proceeds, and says, "It was a privilege to them that were invited to the marriage of the King's Son, though they made light of the invitation, and would not come." Mat. xxii.

Answer. Those that rightly come to the marriage of the King's Son, the Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, must put off the garment spotted with the flesh, lest it be said to them, "Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having on the wedding garment?" Let every true christian fear, lest he bring on himself that awful sentence, " Depart from me all ye that work iniquity, I know you not;" notwithstanding they had eat and drank in his presence, and in his name they had cast out devils, and done many wondrous works, and he had taught in their streets; yet nevertheless, because they were found in the acts of sin, they must depart from him.

Now, says he, "Every inhabitant, partaking in the public privilege of a gospel ministry, reason and justice requires, that every one should bear a part of the external charge, in order to the maintenance of it."

Answer. But every person not partaking of what he calls so, and believing that, as these erroneous priests preach it to be a bondage, and not a privilege; to force such to pay too, is altogether unreasonable, and great injustice; let all sensible christians judge.

4th. He says, "It is warrantable from scripture, that such inhabitants as refuse to pay any thing toward the support of the ministry, should have their just proportion taken from them by legal distress."

Answer. We want him, or any of his brethren, to show us that warrant from holy scripture; for he hath not done it yet: and where shall we find that it is warrantable from scripture, and the doctrine and practice of Christ and his apostles? for what he has produced from holy scripture, has fairly proved to the contrary; and as for his legality, that great word, it is only what others

of his spirit have pleaded in former ages. Did not Nebuchadnezzar persecute the servants of God by a law? Could not they say they suffered legally? Did not the Jews say concerning our Lord, "We have a law, and by that law he ought to die ?" Did not the people of Massachusetts make a law, and by it hang the poor innocent quakers? Did not all those say, that they suffered legally? And do not some of the New-England ministers justify it in their pulpits to this day? though others there are (I believe) really sorry for it.

"Oh, but (say our modern teachers, who have money for it) we hope you will not compare us christians to Jews and heathens."

Why not, if found in their practices? For when once people go to persecute others for their conscientious dissent, it is most certain they go from the spirit of Christ, as may fairly be proved from Christ's own expressions; and doubtless all persecutors are antichrists, notwithstanding their fine gilding of it over, with the words, legal distress, and prosecution.

In his fourth page he begins thus, "For it is a just and legal debt, as has already been proved." (To those that agree to it, and contract it, he should have added.)

Answer. But unjust and illegal to those who cannot, for conscience sake, consent to it, and therefore it is a mistake in him to say, "It has already been proved;" for he hath not, nor can he prove it (to force any by a coercive power) to be consonant to the holy scripture.

In page the 4th he says, "God has given his ministers a just right to some proportion of every man's estate, in the place were they minister."

What, Jews, heathens, and all? What, every man, whatsoever? Where proves he that? For my part, if I were a minister for money, I should think that what I got from other people against their wills, would never prosper, but would be a curse to, and upon me, and tend to the consumption of the rest of my estate, rather than augmenting of it: and I have heard some moderate ministers, who have money for their preaching, say the same.