was not so convincing till they had beene with Christ themselves now what is all this to preaching or to ones being sent that he might preach you know Saint Paul saies how shall they preach except they be sent and sending is either ordinary or extraordinary and if you will needs have this woman to be a Preacher shew us her Commission You will say she preached but how is that proved well suppose she did preach for we will grant nothing where is her sending mentioned you will say it is not expressed her fact is sufficient I tell you that if she preached and was not ordinarily called it followes it was extraordinary and so unimitable and shew me if you can any instance in the Scripture that ever any person tooke upon him to preach publikely but they were called thereunto not onely inwardly by God but outwardly by the Church and that expressed in the Scripture unlesse in some cases extraordinary so even the Apostles themselves who were extraordinary called for their manner yet their calling is set downe both inward and outward also and now if the Apostles who were extraordinarily called for manner and yet is set downe for all that how comes it to passe that the womans fact which you would have ordinary is not set downe seeing ordinary callings and ordinary actions which the succeeding Churches was to walke by for directions are not regestred the Apostles as was sayd were extraordinary in the manner of their calling and in the manner of the exemption of that to which they were called but the substance of their dutie which they exempted to wit preaching was communicated to posterity else how hath God provided for his Church but as for these allegations of yours out of the Acts and of this woman of Samaria if you will have her a Preacher they were extraordinary both in circumstance and substance the reason of the first because of the persecution at Jerusalem there were none now to preach the Gospell but such as God had extraordinarily raised up and you should doe well to shew us when here was ever any such practise of preaching by lay men in the times of the Apostles libertie and when they were freed from the stops and hinderances of persecution then the cause could not possibly but winne credit to judicious understanders but when you can alleadge no examples then the woman of Samaria and these Christians in the Acts I must needs conclude to you as Christ did to the woman vers 22. yee worship you know not what no more doe you of what you affirme of the second for the reason before alleadged The next argument is taken from the 8. of Luk. 39. the man in whom Christ wrought the Miracle being possessed with divels after the divels were gone from him Christ bids him to goe to his owne house and tell what great things the Lord had done for him ergo a lay man may publikely preach the Gospell this inference is like the former well but how prove you hee was a preacher Marry because the Text saith hee went and preached some copies read it Published but it seemes where ever you finde the Word preached or prophesied in the Scripture though God he knowes the meaning is farre otherwise where in this case the holy Ghost onely by way of Narration hath set downe this miracle and how the person in whom it was wrought published it for the joy that possessed him and why doe not you as well conclude that because those two blind men in Matth. 9.31 that had received their sight were Preachers too for the Text saith they spread abroad his fame in all that countrey and you may better so conclude from these two then from the other because these two proclaime his fame Why although it be a generall expression yet containes more in it then that and may as well have relation to Christs doctrine as to that particular miracle he did to them in this there was but a dispossession of those divels and this proclaiming of what Jesus had done for him now if you will needs have this man to be a Preacher too and so a warrant for you you may be pleased to know that although he had no extraordinary spirit yet the fact may and was (l) For some things are extraordinary besides the penning of Scripture and working of Miracles as we see in Timothy and Titus for they went up and down and performed the offices â—f Vice-Apostles when yet they were mediatly called by the Church extraordinary because that hee in so doing had the command of Christ (m) Christ purposely commandeth him to shew forth the worke of God so that he being accounted for a true Prophet and Minister of God might so get the more credit to his doctrine Calvin on the place and that from his owne mouth which I thinke you will confesse to be extraordinary doe you thinke or suppose if the ordinary way as Christ prescribes in Matth. 17.21 if doing Miracles were performed by some Ministers to restore a man from some soare disease or to dispossesse him from Satan by Prayer and Fasting would not you if such a one should disperse that act through a whole Citie when he was wished onely to goe to his owne house and to declare what great things the Lord hath done for him conclude him that so did to be a Preacher I know you would else what can you make of this example certainely these be very strange collections to say that because such a one reeceived such a perticular mercy by Prayer and Fasting and proclaimed it to his friends or neare neighbours and to those of his neere acquaintance he was therefore a Preacher so here the Act on Christs part was suddaine and so no doubt but extraordinary and upon the suddaine performance of the same the man proclaimed what Christ had so done being full of great joy that if he could he would as the Text saith have continued with Christ and may not you as well conclude that those two blind men were Preachers for they did the same that this man did in spreading abroad his fame if you say that these two were not sent but the other were then let mee aske you this question where is it said that the woman of Samaria was sent and yet you will have her a Preacher and besides upon the same ground that you take her to be a Preacher upon the same will I prove the two blind men to be so too for the woman she called her Citizens to come to Christ the other which was dispossessed of the divels went and preached what things God had done for him and these two blind men that Christ cured went and spread his fame abroad now if it be a sufficient proofe to make a dissent in these actions because the one Text saith the one preached and the other hath it not and so to make a difference upon the word Preaching which in the sence is all one
no man knowes the things of man but the spirit of a man which is in him so nothing can reveale Gods love to the soule concerning Predestination and Sanctification but the Holy Ghost which sheds abroad the love of God in the hearts of his people and as Jesus Christ doth impart these things by his Spirit to his people so he sends his Ministers to preach the same not in the words of mans wisdome but in the demonstration of the Spirit Now I would intreat you in the next Pamphlet to tell me if there be not a large difference between the interpretation of the true and universall revealed meaning of the Holy Ghost in the sacred Scriptures as well by the understanding of the Originall and line reading pointing collation as by the Spirit himselfe And the certification of those things that concerne a mans Eternall Salvation by the same Spirit which lye hid in Gods everlasting love yet revealed in the Scriptures of which the Apostle here speaks It is true a man my run into extreames as well one way as in another And as he that is skilled in Arts and Tongues without the light of the holy Ghost cannot universally interpret apply Scripture according to the minde of Christ so a man that is destitute of skill in Arts and Tongues and hath nothing in him but that light which proceeds from Gods Spirit cannot on the other side expound according to the originall for God workes by meanes he will and doth convey his minde revealed so farre forth as men can comprehend him with the conjurison of those meanes he hath ordeined instrumentally to communicate himselfe now your selfe saith that this may be desired in those that want it besides the Apostle wishes that the Corinthians had the gifts of tongues calling it a spirituall gift now if this be a spirituall gift and ought to be desired and witout which a man cannot interpret according to that tongue in which the holy Ghost spake then God doth communicate himselfe more to him in larger measures of his revealed will by those meanes he hath ordeined and commended to that purpose then to him who is deficient in the enjoyment of those meanes by which he so conveyes himselfe and so he that is universally qualified and hath both these is fit for the vvorke of the ministery (Å¿) Therefore to the end that unquiet and troublesome men should rashly thrust in themselves to teach or rule it is expresly proviâ—ed that no mâ—n should without calling take upon him a publike officâ— in the Church unlesse called This we may oftentimes marke in Paâ—l when hee meanes to approve his Apostleship hee doth alledge his calling if so great a Minister dare not take this upon him but by the commandement of the Lord how great shamefulnesse shall it be if any man wanting either of these shall challenge such honour to himselfe Calv. iustit pag. 522. and so is not he that is wanting in either true it is that Jesus Christ hath not greater adversaries then those that are greatly learned and unsanctified witnesse the Pharisees but yet againe he hath no greater friends and souldiers to fight his battels although vilified by the world then those who have those humane excellencies sanctified unto them to the other five answers because they are for their substance conteined in the first and are answered in that I will here passe them by and come to the next where you say All the call mentioned in Scripture was the peoples great necessitie and their great willingnesse to heare is most untrue yet to be admitted in cases extraordinary and if you had made that limitation you had done well but when your speeches are indefinite making no caution and restruction where it is required you shew your palpable ignorance for God hath prescribed other things as additionall to the calling of a Minister publikely to preach the Word besides the peoples necessitie and their owne willingnesse his orders must be observed not neglected now the peoples necessitie is to be relatively considered and so made their election but before a Minister can be compleatly fitted for the publike function of the Church hee must be ordained by the Presbytery for if none be fit for the publike function of the Ministery but men sufficiently learned as before was declared how can the people judge of his ability who have no knowledge therein And if the Apostles would not have any to execute the office of a Deacon in the Church which was a lesser and an inferior Church-officer why should those that are designed to a greater and more publike duty miss of that confirmation And (t) You should understand that the assurance of the inward calling dependeth upon the outward for albeit the Spirit of God worketh that assurance yet he worketh by the outward means by the judgement of the Elders and of the Church touching his aptnesse for the Ministery whilest he considereth that calling is not the calling of men but of God through the Ministry of men so that this separation of the knowledge of an inward calling from the outward is not only absurd but confirmes the Anâ—baptists which boast of an inward calling where no calling of the Church went before Cart. 2. rep to Whitg 1. part p. 260 261. although a man can plead never so much his inward calling yet sent he must be as well by the Church as by God himselfe and shew if you can any person in the New or Old Testament that ever publikely Preached unlesse in extraordinary cases but he was confirmed in his calling by the Church now what necessity you can plead is somewhat hard to be understood doubtlesse there was no necessity in you so to doe when there were godly Divines and others to do it or is your necessity so great as those Christians in the 8. Acts when there were none at all but the Apostles now at the persecuted Church at Jerusalem if you object that those Ministers that did so preach did not Preach Jesus Christ purely what of that they preached him truly did they overthrow any substantiall points of Faith the Apostle Paul notwithstanding did rejoyce when some preach Christ out of envy so although they preached him not purely yet they preached him truly To the next Spenc. That it may be lawfull in a mans family but not in a Church Answ And so it may be lawfull in a mans family but not in a Church For as there is no member of the body of Jesus Christ but is of the same nature of the whole a publike member of a publike body and the spirit proceeding from the head to every member is one and the same spirit and his gifts of like nature publike gifts of a publike spirit for the good of the whole body and so though they be members of one body and are to be assistant one to another in that body yet can these members performe the duties of each other indeed in the generall
Evangelist Cartwright 1. Part of his Râ—â—â—yao Whitgift Pag. 380. offices were extraordinary true but yet by them and after them the ordinary offices have the same distinctions as thus Pastors Elders and Deacons are not these distinct offices from all which that hath beene spoken it is a necessary conclusion and issuing from these premises to wit That as God hath set downe not onely a distinction of those Offices and Officers which are extraordinary but also ordinary and that even in these ordinary Offices which should sueceed perpetually in the Church the least of them cannot take that publike Office upon him without the call of the Church as was instanced in these Deacons Acts the sixth it followes invincibly that there is an absolute and plaine distinction betweene and a difference in a puplike and private Spirit and so of those persons in whom there are and that when such places are void no man can take upon him that arrogancy unlesse in case of necessitie to execute them unlesse called thereunto Againe that there is difference betwixt the spirit of a Minister publikely called and a private man to whom God hath given the gifts of the Spirit is proved from Saint Paul where he sayes the Spirit of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets and not to every private man as Master * In his Cases of Conscience Perkins sayes and hee shewes also that God doth give a larger measure of gifts to Ministers and publike dispensers of his Word and Sacraments then to ordinary and private men (b) The Vertues of the third Commandement consists in the propagation and spreading abroad of the true doctrine of Gods Essence not that publication which is done by the publique Ministry and which belongeth to the publique function of the Church but that propagation which pertaineth to every one because every one privately in his place is bound to bring others to the knowledge and worship of God Deut. 4.9 Luke 22.32 Col. 3.16 1 Thess 5.11 Ursin Cat. and this also may bee proved by a necessary induction from those words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 14.5 I would that you all spake with tongues from which it is evident that the Apostle by ascribing to the knowledge of tongues the Epithite of a spirituall gift and that those men whom God hath called also by his Spirit to the worke of the Ministery sanctifying those gifts unto them it followes necessarily that to whom larger gifts are given both unto the knowledge of tongues and of the Scriptures in those tongues that there a larger measure of grace may and doth dwell now if a larger measure of grace and gifts doe remaine in some men more then others then those men are more fitter for the greatest Offices in the body and so likewise a distinction of their duties must be granted for the manner for the knowledge of the true and exact meaning of the Scriptures and the extents of the holy Ghosts meaning therein (c) Withour the study and learning of Arts and Sciences men cannot be made fit to teach nor the purity and sincerity of doctrine maintained against Heretiques Ursin Cart. There must be something else to concurre besides the gifts and graces given to the Elect and to this purpose (d) Wherefore saith he serves the Schooles of the Prophets and the knowledge of Arts and Tongues but to divide the Word aright and to distribute to every mans necessities Bolton in his 3. Treat pag. Master Bolton speakes excellently and so also how shall the Ministers of God convince the learned adversaries if there be no skill nor knowledge in Arts and Tongues from all which it appeares that as God endued his Ministers with larger measures of gifts in tongues and in the knowledge of the holy Scriptures and these being sanctified unto them and hath not given such large measures to private men who have not such publike offices designed to them by the Church because indeed not fit hee must needs be a very strange man that will deny that there are not private gifts nor private Christians the consent of judicious godly and learned Divines assenting thereunto and so those Divines as Perkins Calvin Bolton c. doe onely shew that there ought to be a mutuall edifying of one another in those graces that God hath given to his people and members of the Church but they doe not prove this speech That there is no private gifts nor private Christians Now because that which followes in your booke is not to be questioned but by all faithfull men Divines and others granted to wit that Christians may edifie one another mutually and according to those gifts that God hath given them we will therefore proceed to that which followes to be answered And first you make an objection against the universalitie of this truth That none ought to preach but those in office Objoct nor else may be properly said to preach To this you answer when the dispersed Christians in that persecution were scattered abroad it it said that they went about preaching and the hand of the Lord was with them Act. 11.19 20 21. But doe you thinke that this is a sufficient warrant for you to preach publikely Rep. in a time when the Word of God is freely preached by his faithfull messengers and who have ordinary callings thereunto As for those Christians without doubt it was extraordinary in them to doe this and if you had seriously weighed the circumstance of the place and the cause thereof you would not have made such a bad conclusion for by reason of the greatnesse of the persecution at Jerusalem some Christians scattered themselves abroad except the Apostles now the Apostles (e) Because they would rather lose their lives at Jerusalem then â—epart from the Congregations they had converted Gualt in 4. Acts. remaining at Jerusalem privately for feare of the persecutors as some thinke as St. Paul did in the like case for feare of the Jewes and so by that meanes the Gospell could not be preached to them other places Saint Steven was stoned and others of them no doubt but were in prison there was now a necessiâ—â—e that the Word should bee preached by them if at all especially in those parts of Iudea where the Churches at that time were not planted or if they were it was newly done and these Christians no doubt were extraordinarily called to the same and mee thinkes there is such strength in the particle therefore of Act. 8.4 the scope of that Chapter being to declare the persecution of the Church and of the stoning of Saint Steven and of his buriall then comes the holy Ghost with an inference therefore those that were scattered abroad preached the Word implying that had not that persecution beene and that the Apostles had not thought fit to suspend their preaching in these places there had beene no such gate opened for these men to doe as they did and besides also in the next verse speaking of Philip