of Christ But such are the Ministers before mentioned of the Reformed Churches Ergo This will be proved at once with the next which is Argument 3. Either these Pastors of the Reformed Churches are the true Ministers of Christ or else there are none such visible in the world But there are such visibly and certainly in the world as was proved Else there is no Church no Ordinances no Christianity no Christ For he can be no King without Subjects and Laws no Master without a School and Scholars no Physitian without Patients no Husband without his Spouse no Head without a Body no Intercessor without a Church to intercede for And to Believe the holy Catholick Church and the Communion of Saints is part of our Belief and therefore the Christian faith is gone if these be gone And that either we or None are Christs true Ministers I prove thus 1. We challenge the adversary to name us the true Church and Ministry if these be none of them where be they and who are they speak out or give up your wicked cause If you know not who they be or where then how know you that there are any such True Ministers are like a Light that shineth to all the house even the lights of the world and like a City on a hill that cannot be hid Matth. 5.14 15 16. 2. But let us try the particulars 1. The Seekers have no Church or Ministry 2. The Quakers have no Ordination that we know of and are every way so unworthy and had no being in the world till a few years ago that he is either no Christian or of a crazed brain that thinks Christ hath no Church or Ministry but them 3. The Anabaptists Socinians Swenkfeldians Familists Paracelsians Weigelians and such like have no more to shew for their Ministry and Churches then we but their errors and are so few and so lately sprung up that of them also I may say that he that takes them for the only Church or Ministers is either out of the faith or much out of his wits 4. The Eastern and Southern Churches have no more to shew for their Ministry and Churches then we but are incomparably more ignorant and erroneous few of them doing more then Read their Liturgies and Homilies and so administer the Sacraments 5. All the controversie therefore lyeth between us and the Papists Either they are true Ministers and a Church or not If not then it s left to us If they are then we are so much more For we have much more unquestionable evidence of our Title 1. The Office of a Tâ—aching Guiding worshiping Presbyter which we are in is beyond all question and yielded by themselves to be of Divine Institution But the office of a Mass-Priest to make a god of a piece of bread and turn bread into flesh so that there shall be Quantity colour taste c. without bread or any subject and a mans eyes tast or feeling shall not know that its bread or wine when we see taste and feel it as also to celebrate publike worship in an unknown tongue this Office is more questionable then ours 2. It remaineth a great doubt whether the Pope be not the Antichrist but of our Ministry there 's no such doubt 3. For Knowledge Godliness and Utterance and all true Ministerial abilities as it s well known what an ignorant Rabble their common secular Mass-Priests are so those military Fryers and Jesuites that are chosen of purpose to play their game among us and credit their cause if they have any reliques of truth or modesty will confess that the generality of our Ministers are much beyond theirs for parts and Piety or at least that we cannot be denied to be true Ministers for want of necessary Abilities We should rejoyce if their Ministers Priests or Jesuites were neer of such Piety as those of the Reformed Churches Some of their Jesuites and Fryers are learned men in which also we have those that equal the best of them but for the learning ability or Piety of the common Ministers on both sides there is no comparison to be made 4. All the Question then is of the way of entrance And there 1. The Papists seek not the Peoples consent so much as we do 2. They despise the Magistrates consent in comparison of us 3. And for Ordination which is it that all the stress must be laid on we have it and neerer the Rule of God then they Are 〈◊〉 ordained with fasting prayer and imposition of hands so are we M 〈…〉 it be by one of a superiour Order Who then shall Ordain or consecrate the Pope And yet a multitude of our Ministers are ordained 〈◊〉 Bishops if that be necessary But the great Objection is that we have not an uninterrupted succession from the Apostles and so those that ordained us had no Power and therefore could not give it to us Proposition 6. The want of an uninterrupted succession and so of Power in the Ordainers doth not disable our title to the Ministry or set us in a worse condition then the Papists For if it be only the succession of possession of the Office there is no man of brains can deny but we have an uninterrupted succession down from the Apostles But if it be a succession of Right Ordination that is questioned 1. The Papists have none such themselves 2. We have more of it then they 3. It is not necessary that this be uninterrupted All these I prove 1. The Popes themselves from whom their power flows have been Hereticks denied the immortality of the soul Whoremongers Sodomites Simonists Murderers so that for many of them successively the Papists confess they were Apostatical and not Apostolical see in their own Writers the lives of silve. 2. Alexand. 3 6. John 13. 22. 23. Greg. 7. Vrban 7. and abundance more Joh. 13. was proved in Council to have ravished maids and wives at the Apostolick doors murdered many drunk to the Devil askt help at dice of Jupiter and Venus and was kill'd in the act of Adultery Read the proofs in my Book against Popery pag. 269 270 255 101. The Council at Pisa deposed two Popes at once called them Hereticks departed from the faith The Council at Constance deposed Joh. 23. as holding that there was no eternal life immortality of the soul or Resurrection The Council at Basil deposed Eugenius 4. as a Simonist and perjured wretch a Schismatick and obstinate Heretick Now these men are uncapable of the Ministry as an Infidel is for want of Essential Qualifications As Copper is no currant coyn though the stamp of the Prince against his will be put upon it Undisposed matter cannot receive the form A fit man unordained is neerer the Ministry then such a man ordained So that here was a Nullity 2. And all the following Popes were the successors of Eugenius that was deposed and thus judged by a general Council but by force brought them to submit and held
hadst immediately from God in Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus that Good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us The Holy Ghost is to help us in keeping that which is committed to us and not to reveal more 2 Tim. 6.13 14. I give thee charge in the sight of God that thou keep this Commandment without spot unrebukable till the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ There was a form of Doctrine delivered to the Church of Rome Rom. 6.17 And 1 Tim. 5.17 The Elders that Rule well are worthy of double honour especially they that labour in the word and Doctrine You see their work was to Rule and labour in the word and Doctrine 1 Tim. 4.13 14 15 16. Till I come give attendance to Reading to Exhortation to Doctrine meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them that thy prof 〈…〉 ing may appear to all Take heed unto thy self and unto thy Doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee 1. Tim. 4.6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things thou shall be a good Minister of Jesus Christ nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine whereunto thou hast attained Mark here the description of a good Minister of Christ One that 's nourished up in the words of faith and good doctrine which is the use of Schools and Universities and having attained it makes it his work to teach it and put others in remembrance of it Tit. 1.7 9 10 11. For a Bishop must be blameless as the steward of God holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught mark that that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and convince the gainsayers For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers whose mouths must be stopped who subvert whole houses teaching things which they ought not c. So 1 Tim. 3.1 5. The office of a Bishop is to Rule and take care of the Church of God To take heed to themselves and to all the flock and feed the Church of God and to watch hereunto according to the word of Gods grace which is fully and wholly delivered by his Apostles and is able to build us up and give us an inheritance among the sanctified as Act. 20.28 20 27 35 32. 1 Thess. 5.12 13. We beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you this is their Office and to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake and not revile them as the servants of Satan do and be at peace among your selves Heb. 13.7 17 24. Remember them which have the Rule over you which have spoken to you the word of God Obey them that have the Rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may do it with Joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you Salute all them that have the Rule over you The Elders of the Church are to pray with and for the sick Jam. ◠14 They must feed the flock of God among them taking the oversight of it 1 Pet. 5.1 2. Thus you see their Office and work 2. And that they were not to bring any new Doctrine further appears in that they have a charge to Preach no other doctrine 1 Tim. 1.3 Nor to be tossed as children with every wind of doctrine Eph. 4.14 Nor carried about with divers and strange doctrines Heb. 13.9 3. Yea if any man bring not the doctrine of Christ we must not receive him into our houses or bid him God speed lest we be partakers of his evil deeds for be that abideth not in this doctrine hath not God 2 John 9.10 11. Gal. 1.8 9. Though we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel to you then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed As we said before so say I now again If any man preach any other Gospel to you then that ye have received let him be accursed And Rom. 16.17 18. Now I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them 1 Tim. 6.3 If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholsome words the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the Doctrine which is according to Godliness he is proud knowing nothing but do 〈…〉 ing 4. And if all Ministers must be receivers of new Doctrines the Church would never know when it hath all but would be still obeying an imperfect Law 5. And it would be an oppression to the Church instead of a Direction to be so overwhelmed with new Doctrines and Precepts 6. And it would accuse Christ the Lawgiver of such mutability as wise Princes are not guilty of to be still changing or adding to his Laws 7. There was great occasion for the New Testament or Gospel upon the great work of our Redemption but there is no such cause for alterations since 8. The Priests before Christ were not to receive new Laws as is said 9. The companions of the Apostles that wrought Miracles had not all new Revelations but did it to seal up this Gospel 10. What need we more then actual experience that God doth not give New Revelations to the world and none since the Scripture-times have sealed any other by Miracles And thus I have proved to you the two sorts of Ministers as Paul plain 〈…〉 distinguisheth them 1 Cor. 3.10 11 12. Eph. 2.20 There are Planters and Waterers Master builders that lay the foundation and others that build thereon 〈…〉 ther foundation can no man lay then that which is laid but every man that 〈…〉 ildeth hay or stubble and loseth his work doth not nullifie the Ministry We are built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ being the head corner-stone but we are not built on the foundation of every Pastor Teacher Elder Bishop or Deacon Though both in their places Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers are given for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the Edifying of the body of Christ Eph. 4.11 12. That we might be one united Body having one fixed standing doctrine ver. 14 15 16. And how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him mark whence the Church receiveth it God also bearing them witness but not every Elder or Teacher both with signs and wonders and with divers Miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own will Heb. 2.3 4. Prop. 2. And now that these later Ministers need not prove their calling by Miracles I prove thus 1. God never imposed such a task upon them nor commanded the people to require such a proof not
bent against the Ministers Argument 6. If besides all this God own us by such a blessing on our labours that he maketh us the means of propogating and continuing his Gospel and Church and brings most of his chosen to Vnion with Christ Reconciliation Holiness and to Heaven by our Ministry then certainly we are his true Ministers But experience assureth us of the former therefore so much for Argument Proposition 9. If a Minister be in quiet possession of the place and fit for it the people are bound to obey him as a Minister wiâ—hout knowing that he was justly ordained or called Argum. 1. We must obey a Magistrate without assurance of his call and title Rom. 13. therefore a Minister 2. Christ commanded hearing and obeying them that were not called as God appointed because they were Priests or sat in Moses Chair and taught the truth Luke 16.29 Matth. 23.2 Luke 5.14 Matth. 8.4 Mark 1.44 3. Else the people are put upon Impossibilities Can all the poor people tell before they submit to Minister what is essential to his call and whether he have all that is so and whether his Orders be true or forged and whether they that ordained him were truly ordained or chosen themselves Not one of twenty thousand knows all this by their Pastors Proposition 10. The Ordinances are valid to the people when the Minister is uncalled and unordained if they know it not He that hath no just call shall answer for what he doth as an Intruder but the people shall have for all that the fruit of his ministration and Preaching and Baptism and other acts shall not be Null to them 1. The Papists themselves confess this 2. Else scarce a man could tell whether he be baptized or may use any Ordinance because he cannot have an exact account of the Ministers call no nor know that he is indeed a Christian I knew divers in the Bishops daies that forged themselves Orders and acted long before it was discovered 3. It is the Office which is Gods Ordinance that is blest and valid to the people and not his call only 4. It is he that sinneth that must suffer and not the Innocent therefore his sin depriveth them not of their due 5. As an usurping Magistrate oweth us protection though he shall answer for his usurpation so an usurping Minister oweth us his labour so that the people are bound to hear and obey men when they are uncertain of their due call if they possess the place and shall have the blessing of such Administrations For we are sure the Office and work is of God Proposition 11. The truth of our doctrine depends not on our calling Were we no Ministers we can prove the Gospel true which we deliver And any man must be believed that brings a truth that concerneth our peace Therefore let Quakers and Seekers and Papists first disprove our Doctrine if they can and not cheat the people by perswading them that our calling must first be proved as a Prophets must be Object But you have your learning only from Books and Vniversities and so have not true Ministers Answ We have it from God in the Use of his means even by Prayer Reading study learning his works word of our Teachers whether at Universities or elswhere And we are commanded to study and meditate on these things and give our selves wholly to them and to meditate on Gods Law day and night Psal. 1.2 2 Tim 2.15 1 Tim. 4.13 15. Christs Ministers must be Teachers or Tutors to others and commit the things which they have heard to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also 2 Tim. 2.2 Good Ministers of Christ are nourished up in the words of faith and good doctrine and so attain to it 1 Tim. 4.6 All should learn according to their time of teaching Heb. 5.11 12 14. We study nothing but the Word and works of God and is not that a wretch and not a man that will reproach us as no Ministers for doing that which we have our Reason for and which must be the work of our lives Poor Christians as you love God and your souls and would not cast off Christ and Heaven let not Deceivers draw you to cast off the Ministry Scripture or the Ordinances of God Octob. 23. 1657. FINIS