in the New Testament we meet with no such command laid upon the people We reade that Timothy and Titus and the Presbytery are to lay on hands but not a word of command for the people but rather against it as we have shewed 3. When it is said That the children of Israel laid on hands it is not imaginable that all the Israelites did put on hands but it was done by some chief of them in the name of the rest And as Ainsworth observes It was done by the first-born For the first-born was sanctified and consecrated unto the Lord Exo. 13.1 Because the Lord when he destroyed the first-born in Egypt spared the first-born of the Israelites therefore he challengeth a right in all their first-born and they were to be given to him And now the Levites were taken by God in stead of the first-born as appears Numb 8.16 17. And hence it was that the children of Israel that is the first-born of Israel were to lay on hands upon them for the Levites gave an atonement for them and were offered up unto the Lord in their stead and as the Rabbins say Every first-born laid on hands on the Levite that was for him Which if it be so will afford us two other answers to this text 4. That the children of Israel had not onely a special command but a special reason also for what they did And therefore this example cannot be made a patern for New Testament practice 5. That this laying on of hands upon the Levites was not for them to set them apart for the service of the Lord but rather a setting them apart for a Sacrifice unto the Lord. It was the command of God that the children of Israel must put their hands upon the Sacrifices they did offer unto the Lord. The Levites were now to be waved or offered before the Lord for an offering of the children of Israel and to be offered in stead of the first-born And therefore the first-born did put their hands upon them as their propitiation and atonement It is very observable That notwithstanding this Imposition of hands the Levites were not thereupon invested into their office and made able immediatly to execute it But Aaron the Priest was to wave them before the Lord for a wave-offering that they might execute the service of the Lord. It was Aarons waving of the Levites and separating them from among the children of Israel that did constitute and make them Church-officers And thus at last we have put an end to our first part concerning the Divine Right of the Gospel-Ministry and have as we hope sufficiently cleared to the consciences of our people That there is such an Office as the Office of the Ministry perpetually to be continued in the Church of Christ. That no man ought to take upon him either the Office or the Work of the Ministry unlesse he be lawfully ordained thereunto That Ordination of Ministers is an Ordinance of Christ and ought to be by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery c. We cannot but expect to meet with many Adversaries that will oppose what we have here written Some will deny the very Office of the Ministry Others will grant that there was such an Office in the Apostles dayes but will say that it is now quite lost Some will grant that the Office of the Ministry is perpetually necessary but will adde That it is lawfull for all men gifted to enter upon the publick work of the Ministry though they be not called and ordained thereunto Some are for an immediate and extraordinary Call to the Ministry Some will deny all Ordination of Ministers Others will grant Ordination but deny Imposition of hands Others will grant Imposition of hands but say That it ought to be done by private Church-members and not by the Presbytery By this it appears that our Adversaries differ as much one from another as they do from us And therefore we need not be much afraid of their opposition for in writing against us they will be necessitated also to write one against another It is we confesse a great lamentation and shall be for a lamentation that there should be such differences and divisions amongst Christians and especially amongst those that professe the Protestant Reformed Religion and have made a necessary and just separation from the Idolatry and superstition of the Church of Rome Hereby God is greatly dishonoured True Religion hindered and disgraced The wicked are hardâ—ed in their wickednesse The Popish party is encouraged The godly party weakned and great stumbling blocks are laid before weak Christians to deter them from true conversion But we hope that this which we have written will contribute something towards the healing of these differences and uniting of all godly and unprejudiced people in peace and truth This is our design this is the success we pray for We have been necessitated to make frequent mention of A Platform of Church-Discipline agreed upon by the Elders and Messengers of the Churches in New-England and have expressed our dissent from some things therein contained But we desire the Reader to take notice 1. That in the Preface to this Platform they assure us of their hearty consent to the whole Confession of Faith for substance of Doctrine which the Reverend Assembly presented to the Parliament and tell us of an unanimous vote of a Synod at Cambridge 1648. which passed in these words This Synod having perused and considered with much gladnesse of heart and thankefulness to God the Confession of Faith published of late by the Reverend Assembly in England do judge iâ— to be very holy orthodox and judicious in all matters of Faith and do therefore freely and fully consent thereunto for the substance thereof c. And do therefore think it meet that this Confession of Faith should be commended to the Churches of Christ amongst us and to the honoured Court as worthy of their due consideration and acceptance 2. That as we agree wholly in the same Confession of Faith so also we agree in many things of greatest concernment in the matter of Church-Discipline 3. That those things wherein we differ are not of such consequence as to cause a schism between us either in worship or in love and affection Our debates with them are as it was said of the disputes of the ancient Fathers one with another about lesser differences not contentiones but collationes We can truly say as our Brethren do in the fore-named Preface That it is far from us so to attest the Discipline of Christ as to detest the Disciples of Christ so to contend for the seamless coat of Christ as to crucifie the living members of Christ So to divide our selves about Church-communion as through breaches to open a wide gap for a deluge of Antichristian and prophane malignity to swallow up both Church and Civil State The main intendment and chief drift of this our undertaking hath been to oppose those that say
we can do our selves Frastra â—it per plura c. If this Doctrine were true the Apostles needed only to have preached and to have converted the people to the faith and when they had done to have said We have now done our work you may now elect and ordain your Officers your selves the power to do these things belongs to you But the Apostles did quite contrary and therefore certainly Ordination is not the peoples but the Ministers Office Adde thirdly that which to us seems to be of weight That all that is written in the Epistles concerning the Ordainers and the qualification of the ordained c. is all written in the Epistles unto Timothy and Titus who were Church-Officers In the other Epistles which were written unto the Churches there is no mention made of these things which doth abundantly prove unto us That the work of Ordination is a work belonging to Ministers and not to the people Lastly We might argue from the nature of Ordination It is a potestative and authoritative mission It is an eminent act of Jurisdiction not onely confirming a Minister in that Office which he had before by Election but conveying the very Office-power of preaching and administring the Sacraments It is that as we have said which gives the essentials of the Ministerial Call And therefore by the rule of the Gospel it belongs to Officers and not to private persons The Scripture doth accurately distinguish between Church-Rulers and private believers Heb. 13.17 24. 1 Thess. 5.12 Private persons can with no more lawfulnesse convey power to another to administer the Sacraments then they can themselves lawfully administer the Sacraments Church-power is first seated in Christ the head and from him committed to the Apostles and from them to Church-Officers And they alone who have received it from the Apostles can derive and transmit it to other Ministers And though we freely confesse That all Church-power is in the people finaliter objective that is for their use and benefit according to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 3.22 All things are yours whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas all are yours i.e. for your service and salvation yet we are farre from thinking that all things are theirs formally and originally that is of their making and authorizing Or that they that are not Ministers themselves can derive the Ministerial Office to others This we beleeve to be both against Scripture and reason The serious consideration of these things is of marvellous concernment for the people of our age upon this one account especially because there are a generation of men risen up amongst us that renounce and disclaim all Ordination from Ministers as unwarrantable and Antichristian and take it up from the people as the only way of the Gospel herein committing amongst many other these three evils 1. In renouncing the Ordinance of Christ and calling that which is truly Christian Antichristian 2. In setting up a new way of Ordination which hath not the least footing in the New Testament or in all Antiquity 3. In plunging themselves into this inextricable difficulty for he that renounceth Ordination by Ministers as Antichristian must of necessity renounce not only our present Ministry but all the Ministers and Churches in the Christian world he must turn Seeker and forsake all Church-communion as some in our unhappy dayes do For all Ordination by the people is null and void as being not only not grounded upon Scripture but against Scripture And to intrude into the Ministerial Office without Ordination is as the sinne of Corah and his company as we have formerly shewed Our desire is that these particulars may be duly weighed by all sober Christians It will not be amiss here to consider what is said against this Thesis by the Elders of New-England In four things they agree with us 1. They say Church-officers are to be ordained 2. And to be ordained by Imposition of hands 3. That where there are Elders Imposition of hands is to be performed by those Elders 4. That where there are no Elders if the Church so desire Imposition of hands may be performed by the Elders of other Churches But they differ from what we have asserted when they say In such Churches where there are no Elders Imposition of hands may be performed by some of the Brethren chosen by the Church thereunto For the proof of this they bring a Reason and a Scripture The Reason is If the people may elect Officers which is the greater and wherein the substance of the Office consists they may much more occasion and need so requiring impose hands in Ordination which is the lesse and but the accomplishment of the other Answ. 1. If this Argument were valid it would follow that people might ordain their own Ministers not only when they want Elders but when they have Elders For if Election give the essence to a Minister and Ordination only an adjunct we see no reason why they that give the essence should not also give the adjunct And why an adjunct should belong to the Officers in that Church to whom the essence doth not belong But 2. We say That Scripture-light being Judge Election is not the greater and Ordination the lesse It is possible that it is upon this ground that some men have made so slight of Ordination that so they might entitle the people thereunto But we have abundantly shewed 1. That Election doth not give the essence of the Ministerial Call That Election is only the designation of the person that is to be made a Minister not the making of him a Minister 2. That Ordination is that which gives the essence That it is an Authoritative appointing of a person to the Ministry and an actual investing him into the office That it is held forth in the Scripture as the greater and therefore not given to one and the same persons but this later referred to the more honourable persons as appears from Acts 6.3 5. Tit. 1.5 1 Tim. 4.14 1 Tim. 5.22 The Text they quote in the Margine for the proof of this is not out of the New Testament but the Old out of Numb 8.10 11. And thou shalt bring the Levites before the Lord and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord for an offering of the children of Israel that they may execute the service of the Lord. Ans. 1. This Text doth not prove that for which it is brought but makes rather against our Brethren For they say That where there are Elders Imposition of hands is to be by the Elders and not by the people but in case of want of Elders But here Aaron and his sons were present And if it proves any thing it proves that the people may ordain where there are Elders which our Brethren will in no case consent unto 2. That the children of Israel were commanded by God immediately to lay on hands upon the Levites But
ISA. 66.21 I will also take of them for Priests and for Levites saith the Lord. EPHES. 4.8 11 12 13. When he ascended up on high he gave gifts unto men And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ. Till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. HEB. 5.4 5. And no man taketh this honour to himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high-Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Son to day have I begotten thee 1 TIM 4.14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee which was given thee by Prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery LUTH Tom. 4. Lat. Ien. fol. 19. Non fortunat Deus labores eorum qui non sunt vocati quanquam salutaria quaedam afferant tamen non aedificant Ius Divinum Ministerii Evangelici OR THE DIVINE RIGHT OF THE Gospel-Ministry Divided into two Parts The first Part containing A Justification of The Gospel-Ministry in general The Necessity of Ordination thereunto by Imposition of hands The Vnlawfulnesse of private mens â—ssuming to themselves either the Office or Work of the Ministry without a lawfull Call and Ordination The second Part containing A Justification of the present Ministers of England both such as were Ordained during the prevalency of Episcopacy frâ—m the â—oul aspeâ—sion of Antichristianism And those who have been Ordained since its abolition from the unjust imputation of Novelty Proving that a Bishop and Presbyter are all one in Scripture and that Ordination by Presbyters is most agreeable to the Scripture-Patern Together with an Appendix wherein the Iudgement and Practice of Antiquity about the whole matter of Episcopacy and especially about the Ordination of Ministers is briefly discussed Published by the Provincial Assembly of London LONDON Printed by Iohn Legat and Abraham Miller 1654. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER IT is reported of Bucer that he was so eager of Peace with Luthâ—r that he was like to a man Qui prae nimia aviditate etiam foeces haurireâ— who by an overmuch greediness after Unity was ready to swallow down many of Luthers errours For our parts Though we should be loath to buy Peace with the loss of Truth yet such have been the unexpressible mischiefs that the divisions of Brethren have brought upon this Nation and such is our earnest desire after an happy Accommodation that we hope we can truly close â—hough not with the former yet with another saying of Bucers That we would willingly purchase with the losse of our lives the removing of the infinite scandals that have been given to the Churches of Christ by the divisions of Christians Eusebius reports of Constantine though a great Emperour That he was more troubled with the dissentions of the Church then with all the warres in his Dominions That he took them so to heart that he could not sleep quietly for them yea although he had a spiritfull of heroick valâ—ur yet the dissentions of the Church were such evils to him as to cause him to shed many a tear c. Our prayer to God is that the same affection towards the Churches of Christ in these three Nations may be kindled in all our brests And We doubt not but through the grace of God We are able in Sincerity to profess with Luther That we are as desirous to imbrace Peace and Concord as We are desirous to have the Lord Iesus to be propitious to us And therefore fore-seeing that this ensuing Treatise will meet with many Adversaries of different Perswasions and with much opposition We thought fit to give the Reader notice of our intentions here lest We should be thought to be enemies to Peace and hinderers of that long desired and often praied for Union between dissenting Brethren There are six sorts and ranks of men whom We have occasion to deal with in this Book 1. Such as are against the very Office of the Ministery and that affirm That there is no such Office instituted by Christ to be perpetual in his Church We look upon this Assertion as destructive unto Christian Religion and to the souls of Christians 2. Such as say That it is lawfull for any men that suppose themselves gifted though neither Ordained nor approved by able men to assume unto themselves a power to preach the Word and Administer the Sacraments This Opinion We judge to be the high-way to all Disorder and Confusion an inlet to Errours and Heresies and a Door opened for Priests and Jesuites to broach their Popish and Antichristian Doctrine 3. Such as hold That the Ministry of England is Antichristian That our Churches are no true Churches but Synagogues of Satan and that there is no Communion to be held with us This Opinion We conceive to be not only false and uncharitable but contradictory to Peace and Unity 4. Such as say That Episcopacy is an higher Order of Ministry above Presbytery by Divine Right That Christ hath given the sole Power of Ordination and Jurisdiction unto Bishops And that Ordination of Ministers is so appropriated to them by the Gospel that all Ordinations by single Presbyters are null and void and that Sacraments by them administred are no Sacraments These Assertions We look upon not only â—s groundlesse and unscriptural but as cruel and utterly overthrowing all the Protestant Reformed Churches and Ministers Now though We hope We can truly say that We have with all Meekness and Christian Moderation managed the Debate with these four sorts of Adversaries and shall be ready to exercise all Offices of Christian Love and Affection towards them and by requiting good for evil labour to heap coals of fire upon their heads yet notwithstanding such is the great Distance between Them and Us in Judgement and Practice and such is the bitternesse of their Spirits in their Opposition against Us that We have little hope for the present till the Lord be pleased to work a happy change of Judgment in them of any real and hearty Accord and Agreement with them 5. A fifth sort are our Reverend Brethren of New and Old-England of the Congregational way who hold Our Churches to be true Churches and Our Ministers true Ministers though they differ from Us in some lesser things We have been necessitated to fall upon some things wherein they and We disagree and have represented the Reasons of Our Dissent But yet We here profess That this Disagreement shall not hinder Us from any Christian Accord with them in Affection That We can willingly write upon Our Study-doors that Motto which Mr Ieremiah Burroughes who a little before his Death did ambitiously indeavour after Union amongst Brethren as some of
holy Spirit he gave unto his Ministers which he gave to no earthly Monarch the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven he committed to them the Word of Reconciliation he made them Stewards of the Mysteries of God and Watchmenâ—ver â—ver the precious Souls of his people There is hardly any thing necessary for man in his Natural or Civil Relation but the Ministry is compared to it Are Light and Stars necessary Is Saâ—â— necessary Are Rulers Shepherds Stewards Ambassadours Husbandmen Builders Angels Chariots and Horsmen necessary Ministers are called The Light of the world The Salt of the earth Stars in Christs right hand They are Angels Rulers Ambassadors Stewards Husbandmen Fathers Shepherds Builders Watchmen The Chariots and Horsmen of Israel The people of Constantinople professed they could sooner want the Sun then Chrysostom's Ministry And Chrysostom tels us That Herod might very well have saved John Baptist notwithstanding his Oath for his Oath was to give the daughter of Herodias what she should ask though it were to half his Kingdom but John Baptist's head was more worth then all his Kingdome Hence it is That the Devil in all Ages hath laboured by his wicked Instruments to discountenance disparage and overthrow the Ministry as knowing that it is a spiritual Engine in the hand of the Lord of Hoasts to batter down his Strong holds and designed for this very purpose to bring people from the power of Satan unto the Kingdom of Iesus Christ. In the Old Testament though the Ministry that then was was acknowledged to be of Divine Institution yet even then it was by a carnal part of the World opposed as a superfluous humane Invention and the Persons to whom that Ministry was committed were in their several Generations vilified and traduced as a Society of men which rather sought some worldly carnal personal interest then the sacred things of Gods Kingdom Thus Enoch who had this Testimony that he pleased God â—ndured hard speeches which ungodly sinners spoke against him Noah a Preacher of Righteousnesse was not believed in his Generation they did not they would not know any thing till the Floud came and swept them all away Moses a Prophet mighty in word and deed had Jannes and Jambres to resist him in Aegypt and Corah and his company to withstand him in the Wilderness Elijah that man of God whom one calleth an Earthly Angel and an heavenly Mortal who whilst he lived on Earth below commanded the Heavens and Clouds that are above yet was he persecuted by Jezebel and accounted by Ahab both an Enemy to him and to the State and accused to his face as the Troubler of Israel Thus Jeremiah sanctified from the Womb was smitten and imprisoned Michaiah imprisoned Urijah slain with the Sword Zechariah stoned to death In the New Testament John Baptist who was filled with the holy Ghost from his Mothers womb was beheaded And Christ Iesus himself who was not ashamed to be stiled the Minister of the Circumcision The Bishop of our souls The Apostle and High-Priest of our profession was crucified between two thieves The holy Apostles of whom the world was not worthy were not worthy to live in the world but were despised and rejected of men and accounted the scum and off-scouring of the world In the ten first Persecâ—tions The Devil especially endeavoured the ruine of the Godly and Learned Ministry It is said expresly of the sixth Persecution That the Emperour Maximinus raised it against the Teachers and Leaders of the Church thinking that if these Captains were removed out of the way he should the easilier prevail against the rest The greatest Design thâ—â— Julian the Apostate had for the overthrowing the Christian Religion was by destroying of Learning and taking away the means of subsisâ—ence from the Ministry The Scripture tels us that for the space of 1260 daies that is all the time of Antichrists reign the two Witnesses should prophestein sackcloth and this sackcloth is not yet put off nor as yet likely to be For there are a Generation of men risen up amongst us that say That it is the greatest cheat that ever was put upon Christians to make them believe that there is a distinct Office of the Ministry pâ—culiar to some men and not to others This they call a Monopolizing of the Ministery and the worst of all Monopolies And they say just as Corah and his Company You take too much upon you yee sons of Levi Are not all the people of God holy And may not any man that is gifted preach though he be not Ordained But in the mean time they forget that this Speech of Corahs was accounted Rebellion and that the earth was not able to bear it but opened her mouth and swallowed him up and the rest of his companions It was heretofore accounted a great fault for a Minister to be a Iustice of Peace and tâ—ought incompatible with his Calling and impossible for one man to wait upon both But there are many in our daies that continuing in their Civil Callings think themselves able to discharge the Ministerial And although the Apostle out of the sense of the weightiness of it cried out Who is sufficient for these things Yet there are very many that think every man almost sufficient And as Jeroboam made Priests of the lowest of the people which were not of the sons of Levi and it was reckoned as his great sinne So it is with us The lowest of the people and such as are not called to the Ministry nor trained up in the Schools of the Prophets are become Preachers and cried up as the None-such of our times There are divers waies by which some men endeavour to destroy the Ministry 1. By railing upon and reviling their persons and raising all manner of reproaches against them as if they were the onely Incendiaries of Church and State pestilent fellows the causers of all the disturbance in the Commonwealth 2. By crying down the present Ministry as Antichristian because made as they say by Antichristian Bishops 3. By taking away their Maintenance 4. By setting up the basest and meanest of the people and such as have no Arts nor Knowledge in the Tongues to be Preachers that thereby they might make the world believe That the Ministerial Office is of all other the lowest and the easiest 5. By dâ—crying the very Office it self These with others of the like Nature are thâ— waies and means by which men seek to ruine the Ministry and thereby Religion and to open a wide gap to all Errours Heresies Blasphemies Prophaneness and Atheism Herein dealing with us as Alexander did with the Athenians who desired to make Peace with them upon condition that they would deliver eight of their chief men into his hands Demosthenes to disswade the Athenians from delivering them up tels them a Fable of the Wolves and the Sheep The Wolves desired to make Peace with the Sheep upon condition they would deliver up their Dogs to be destroyed which they
are of his Houshold Though all other Saints may be called Stewards of the manifold grace of God according to the proportion of the gifts and talents which they have received for their Lords use and so every man must give an account of his Stewardship even for civil gifts and common graces yet neither are all men nor all Saints as such any where stiled by the holy Ghost to be Stewards of the Mysteries of God as the Ministers of Christ are And it is one peculiar Argument which the holy Ghost useth why the Bishop must be eminently blamelesse above other Saints because he is so to carry himself in Gods House as one who in a speciall way is the Steward of God 6. They are called Preachers by way of Office or Gods Heralds though others may know and speak the same things viz· These authoritatively are sent forth to proclaim the minde of the Lord. 7. They are called Embassadors for Christ God hath given to them the Ministry of Reconciliation and hath committed to them the Word of Reconciliation 8. They are Super-intendents and Overseers of the Flock and if they had no such Office then in the discharge of this work they might be charged to be Busie-bodies And so we shall call this a sin which God Almighty hath charged upon them as their duty 9. They are called Stars in Christs right hand 10. The Angels of the Churches and our Lord himself doth clearly distinguish betwixt the seven Stars in the Church and the seven golden Candlesticks which are seven Churches he evidently puts a difference betwixt the Churches and the Angels set in them and over them in the Lord. The third Argument is drawn from the Lords speciall care in requiring peculiar gifts and qualifications in Persons so distinguished and designed for this work as formerly If the Lord out of his speciall care to the good of the souls of People hath appointed peculiar gifts and qualifications above what is required in all Saints as such in all who enter into the work of the Ministry then the Office of the Ministry is by Divine Instiâ—ution For why should God require such qualifications for an Office if he first had not appointed such an Office Suppose a Parliament should lay down severall qualifications for every man that is to be made a Justice of Peace Doth not this clearly infer that there is such an Office as of a Justice of the Peace But our Lord doth require peculiar gifts and qualifications c. Not only those Moral Theological Christian gifts and graces which are required in all Saints at such as to be blamelesse vigilant sober c. But such qualifications as are peculiar Though gifts as gifts do not alone invest into an Office yet where these are so strictly and peculiarly required they argue that there is an Office God requires 1. That they be apt to teach Saints may be Saints though they be not fitted to teach others It is â— good degree of Saintship when they are swift to hear slow to speak and apt to learn and we could wish the Saints in our times could learn and practise that Lesson but those faithful men to whom the Ministry is to be committed must be apt to teach 2. That they be not only apt but able to teach others also 3. That they be such as holding fast the Word may be able by sound Doctrine to exhort and convince Gainsayers 4. That they be such as stâ—dy to shew themselves approved unto God Workmen that need not be ashamed Rightly dividing the Word of Truth And who then is a faithfull and wise Steward whom the Lord may make Ruler â—ver hiâ— Houshold tâ— give them their portion of meat in due season 5. That these gifts be tried and approved by others for no man can be a competent Judge of his own gifts The Deacons must first be proved and if the Deacons the lowest Officer of the Church must by Divine appointment be first proved before he be admitted to use the Office of a Deacon how much more is this required in the Office of the Ministry which is far higher 6. That those that are to prove and approve observe these things without carnall preferring one before another that they doe nothing by partiality that they lay hands suddenly upon no man and this the Apostle chargeth them with before God and the Lord Iesus Christ and his Elect Angels Now why are all these qualifications required Would not all these injunctions about such an Office be superfluous if such an Office were not by Divine Institution 7. The qualifications are so many the work so eminent the successe so various the Ministry of the Word being to some the savour of life unto life and to others the savour of death unto death that the Apostle in admiration of the difficulty and dignity of this employment crieth out Who is sufficiâ—nt for these things But they who are alienated in their mindes as they snuffe at the service of God and bring the torn and the lame and the sick as if any thing though never so bad were good enough for an Offering to the Lord so they account the work of the Ministry so mean and the Office so contemptible that they say in opposition to the holy Apostle For these things who is not sufficient boldly intrâ—ding themselves into this work without any gifts or qualifications sutable and approved thereunto presuming to be Teachers of the Law and of the Gospel yet not undeâ—standing what they say or whereof they do affirm The fourth Argument From peculiar duties If God require peculiar duties of Ministers which he doth not require of Beleâ—vers as Beleevers then there is such a distinct Office by Divine Institution But God doth require peculiar distinct duties of Ministers 1. They are commanded to take special care of the Church of God to take the oversight of the Flock of God yet not as Lords over Gods Heritage but being examples to the Flock 2. When they have undertaken this work they are charged not to neglect the gift that is in them which was given by the laying on the hands of the Presbytery 3. Wholly to minde this Work and the Office Meditate on these things give themselves wholly to them that their profiting may appear to all It is not reason that they should leave the Word and serve Tables but they must continually give themselves to Prayer and to the Ministry of the Word It is true that the work of the Apostles was exceeding great yet it is as true that their gifts were extraordinary and the assistance they had was above measure God testifying to the word of his grace by many signs and wonders Now if the Apostles endued with those transcendent abilities would not suffer themselves to be diverted how much more doth the work of the Ministry challenge the whole man of them whose parts and
assistances are so farre inferiour that they may attend the special service of God without distraction Have not the Ministers now as much need as Timothy then to give attendance to reading as well as unto exhortation and doctrine to meditate upon these things and give themselves wholly to them that their profiting may appear to all that so they may save themselves and them that hear them 4. Not only wholly to minde this work in private but in publike to Preach the Word to be instant in season and out of season Rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine With meeknesse they must instruct those that oppose themselves They must labour even to weariness in the Word and Doctrine They must be willing to spend and to be spent upon the Service of the faith of the people A necessity is laid upon them to preach the Gospel the neglect whereof involves them in a Woe If they doe it willingly they have a reward and if not yet a Dispensation is committed to them 5. Not only to preach the Word but also to administer the Sacraments 6. And also to ordain others into the work of the Ministry Of which more hereafter In all these works not to feed themselves but to feed the Flock to look not only to their lives but to their doctrine to watch not only for their own souls but for the souls of others 7. They are commanded so to watch over the Flock as those that must give an account 8. They are commanded to take heed to themselves and to their doctrine not only how they live but how they teach that they may edifie both by living and teaching and though they meet with many discouragements unfruitfulnesse in some and unkinde oppositions from others yet they must continue in these things and persist in their work when they have laid their hands to this Plough they must not look back but must persevere to speak the things which become sound Doctrine to preach the Word to be instant in season and out of season to reprove rebuke and exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine The fifth Argument is drawn From the peculiar distinct duties enjoyned the people in reference to their Teachers If the Lord requires peculiar distinct duties from the people in reference to their Teachers then this Office is by Divine Institution But the Lord requires peculiar distinct duties in the People in reference to their Minister c. 1. To know and acknowledge them such as are over them in the Lord. 2. To remember their guides who have spoken unto them the Word of God We are prone to forget our duty towards them God is sensible of this sin and gives out these commands to cure this forgetfulnesse 3. Highly to esteem them and that in love and this also for their works sake Though the Saints are not to esteem or think of them above what is meet yet this esteem must not be vulgar as that which is only common to ordinary men and believers When the â—nthankful world despise the Ministers the Saints are obliged to account them worthy of double honour and to esteem them highly very highly and abundantly This high degree of esteem must be in love for if we love the Embassage and the Lord who sends the glad tidings of Salvation How beautifull then are the feet of his Embassadours This esteem of them in love must be for tâ—eir works sake Now if this work was not of God he would never give so many injunctions to honour these work-men But this work of the Ministry in reconciling sinners to God is so stupendious that the Angels with admiration desire to look into these things And in the dispensation of this mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God is made known by the Church not only to men buâ— to Cherubins and Seraphims Principalities and powers in Heavenly places the manifold wisedom of God 4. To obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves unto them 5. To encourage them that they may do their work with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable to the Flock as uncomfortable to the Pastour 6 To maintain them He that is taught in the Word must communicate to him that teacheth in all good things Why doth the holy Ghost spend almost a whole Chapter upon this Subject and after many arguments why doth the Apostle make that appeal Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple and they that wait aâ— the Altar are partakers with the Alâ—ar And whereas some might say This practise is Mosaicall and fit for the Jewish Priesthood but not for Gospel-times He prevents this Objection and asserts as a Divine Institution that God hath thus ordained that they which preach the Gospel shoâ—ld live of the Gospel But this doctrine of the maintenance of Ministers hath been of late so largely and solâ—dly asserted by several able pens that we shall not need to sâ—y any more about it But no wonder that those which would take away and detain the maintenance should also be willing to deny the Office They that take away the Oyl would break the Lamp in sunder as a thing uselesse and unnecessary Object But some may say the Apostles did work with labour and travell night and day that they might not be chargeable Doth not Paul himself appeal to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Yea you your selves know that these have ministred to my necessities and if the Apostles laboured and had no maintenance though they were extraordinary why should not other ordinary Ministers labour and why is their maintenance a duty necessary We answer 1. This travell with their own hands for a subsistence was a peculiar case of Pâ—ul and Barnabas and was not the practise of the other Apostleâ— for Paul saith I only and Barnabas have not we power to forbear working as the other Apostles and Brethren of the Lord and Cephas 2. When they refused to receive maintenance this refusal was upon especiall occasion As 1. Either the Churches extream necessities the daies of danger and exigencies of the Saints In such case though marriage was lawfull I suppose it is good for the present distresse I say it is good for a man to forbear marriage and so Paul did both forbear marrâ—age and also refused maintenance but none can conclude from hence the marriage of Ministers is unlawfull or their maintenance unneedfull Or 2. This refusall of maintenance was in case of scandall when false Teachers had crept into the Church of Corinth who boasted of themselves and their own doctrine and that they would Preach the Gospel freely and so cried down Paul and his Ministry therefore in this case Paul preached the Gospel freely I was chargeable saith he to no man and in
there is no question And for the more clear understanding of all the persons aforementioned the Ministers of the Lord we referre the Learned Readers to the Histories Magdeburgens to Illyricus his Catalog testium veritatis to Iacob Vsher de Eccles. succes statu and amongst our English Writers to Mr Fox his Acts and Monuments and to Mr Sim. Birckbeck his Treatise called The Protestants Evidence And if any further demand saying Though many particular men did appear against Antichrist yet how doth it appear concerning those multitudes of Professors called the Berengarians and the Waldenses that their Churches had Ministers We Answer That Berengarius is reported to have been so great a friend to Learning and Learned Preachers that at his own proper cost and charge he brought up many Scholars specially such as were Students of Divinity by whose help his Doctrine was spread almost through all France and the Countries adjoyning which is a great complaint that the Popish Authors had against him And when it was objected against the Waldenses that they said Ministers should live upon Alms or work for their living They answer that they wished that happinesse to their Ministers that they might be free from servile labours for so they should have more time for their studies and more fitnesse to instruct us For we are not grown to that superstition or rather madnesse as to think our Ministers do sinne unlesse they labour with their hands As it is reported of one who of a Priest turned Husbandman because it is written In the sweat of thy brows shalt thou eat thy bread Our Lord hath not suffered us to fall in this manner Yet many of our Ministers are brought to that necessity that they must either work or starve But this these holy Saints did not account in those times to be the Ministers duty but lamented it as the Churches misery By all which it appears that the Berengarians and the Waldenses had their Ministers even under the reign of Antichrist As there were Saints and Ordinances and Ministers under the reign of Antichrist so many of these godly Ministers suffered Martyrdom during the tyranny of the Beast for their appearing against Antichrist And if these Ministers and Priests died for the Name of Christ against Antichrist then surely the Ministry was not lost nor is it Antichristian But that there were such Ministers and Martyrs for the Name of Christ in every Country is apparent by the Câ—talogue of Martyrs which you may see more at large in Mr Fox In Germany Nicholas of Antwerp Iohannes Pistorius of Holland George Sekerter at Rustat Mr Bersival at Lovain Pâ—ter Bruly at Dornick in Flanders with many others In France Laurentius Cruceus at Paris Iohn du-Beck in Champaign Aimond at Burdeaux Geffery Varagle at Thuren What need we relate Peter Bruis and other godly Ministers when Thuanus records that all those who would not recant were burnt alive among whom he saith were many Priests In Spain Dr Cacalla called the Standard-bearer to the Gospellers Francis de Bivero Priest of Valladolid Alfonso Perez Priest of Valence It would be too long to speak of Savanarola in Florence of Iohn Huâ— Hierom of Prague in Bohemia and many other godly Ministers burnt alive for the testimony of Jesus But we need go no farther then to England for examples and here not to insist on the troubles of Iohn Wickliff Nicholas Herford Philip Repington with other pious Ministers in the time of Richard the 2d nor the cruel burnings of William Taylor and William White under Henry the 4th and many others in the succeeding times Only peruse the History of Henry the 8th and Q. Mary Under Henry the 8th Mr Fox records these famous Ministers suffering Martyrdom Mr Thomas Bilney Mr Burfield both burnt anno 1531. Iohn Fryth burnt anno 1532. William Tyndal called the Apostle of England burnt anno 1536. Iohn Lambert burnt anno 1538. Robert Barns Tho Garret William Hierom Divines burnt together in Smithfield anno 1541. We instance in these among others and have named the time of their sufferings and the pages of the Book where their sufferings are recorded that when you have considered their holy lives and godly death how they imbraced the flames of fire as beds of Roses for the name of Christ you may for ever abhor the thought of accounting such worthy Ministers of Christ as Antichristian And if you descend to the bloudy dayes of Qu. Mary you may finde all the Land over Ministers of Christ burning for the name of Christ. Take but the first year of that fiery trial Anno Dom. 1555. and see how these Antichristian flames kindled upon the godly Preachers Mr Iohn Rogers Vicar of Sepulchres Protomartyr burnt in Smithfield Feb. 8. Mr Lawrence burnt at Coventry about the same time Mr Iohn Hooper burnt at Glocester Feb. 9. Dr Rowland Taylor burnt at Hadly Feb. 9. Mr Iohn Lawrence burnt at Colchester Feb. 29. Mr Robert Farran burnt at Carmarthen in Wales March 30. Mr George Marsh burnt at Westchester April 24. Mr William Flower burnt at Westminster April 24. Mr Iohn Cardmaker burnt at London May 30. Mr Iohn Bradford burnt in Smithfield Iuly Mr Iohn Bland burnt at Canterbury July 12. Mr Robert Samuel burnt at Ipswich Aug. 31. Dr Nicholas Ridley and Mr Hugh Latimer at Oxford Octob. 26. Mr Iohn Philpot burnt in Smithfield Decemb. 18. Not to name the year following In this one year you may read of these holy Ministers with others counting not their lives dear unto themselves so they might finish their course with joy and fulfill the Ministry which they received of the Lord and dare you call these blessed Martyrs the limbs of Antichrist who had all their limbs torn in pieces and consumed by Antichrist If you profess your selves Protestants be not like the Papists in their brutish rage who digged up the bones of Bucer and Paulus Fagius It was the praise of Boaz that he left not off his kindenesse but it will be your reproach that you have not left off your unkindenesse neither to the living nor to the dead The Turks so farre honoured Sâ—â—nderberg that when he was buried at Lyssa they with great devotion digged up his bones counting it some happinesse if they might but see or touch them and they that could get any part of them caused them to be set in silver or in gold and so to hang about their necks as ornaments of greatest worth If the Turks did this to him that was an enemy and they Mahumetans to him a Christian how may they rise up in judgement to condemn many in this generation who professe themselves Christians yet condemn the most eminent souldiers and Martyrs of Jesus Cursed be this anger for it is cruel and this rage for it is fierce If you be real Protestants for shame bridle your fury which in some regards is worse then Popish Do you cry out Antichrist Antichrist and
yet crucifie Christ again in his members Is not this to partake of Antichrists sin Howsoever when you have done your worst these holy Ministers and Martyrs are happy in heaven and their memorial shall be in all ages blessed upon earth when their enemies shall perish and leave their names for a curse unto Gods chosen If the Lord had his holy Ministers not onely in suffering times to be Martyrs but also in times of Reformation if the Lord stirr'd up his Ministers as his chiefest instruments to bring his people from the power of Antichrist as of old he led his people out of Egypt by the hands of Moses and Aaron then surely the Ministers are not Antichristian But the Lord did stirre up his Ministers in several places to detect the frauds of Antichrist and by their Ministry he did reduce his people from that Antichristian tyranny Before you heard of many Worthies as Wickliff Hus Hierom Prague c. But in the 16. Century how wonderfully did the Lord raise up for the rescue of his people the Ministry of Luther and with him what a troop of expert valiant Champions Philip Melancthon Conradus Pellican Fabricius Capito Osiander Bucer and many others in Germany Zuiâ—glius in Helvetia Iohn Calvin and Farellus that unwearied souldier of Christ as he is called These with multitudes of others in England France and othâ—r Countreys held their life in their hands hazarded all for the Gospel of Christ these smit spiritual Egypt in her first-born These even these bare the heat of the day and we are entred upon their labours And is this all the thank that ye render to God or them that when they delivered you from Antichristianisme you condemn them as Antichristian If ever since the beginnings of Reformation the pious painfull Ministers in the Reformed Churches have stood in the breach have prevented our spiritual relapsing into Aegypt if they have spent their time parts and studies night and day to fight the battels of Christ against Antichrist then it is not only a groundlesse mistake but an ungodly sinful scandall to censure them as Antichristian How is it that ye are not afraid to speak evil of the servants of the Lord set up by his Spirit for the defence of the Gospel Will any rational man versed in the writings of those Worthies believe that Zanchius Bullinger Beza Brentius Iunius Pareus Piscator Musculus Scultetus Chamier or of our Countreymen Iewel Reignold Whitaker Perkins with multitudes of others who were willing to spend and be spent in defending the truths professed in the Reformed Churches against the Romanists Will any sober Christian believe that these were members of the Roman Harlot The Popish party cannot so bely them but have found them to be their greatest adversaries Will any man be so senslesse and stupid as to account David who slew Goliah or Eleazar the son of Odo who slew the Philistims till his hand was weary or Shammah who when all Israel fled from the Philistims he stood in the midst of a ground full of Lentiles and defended it and slew the Philistims and the Lord wrought a great victory Will any man be so mad as to say that David and his worthies were the only friends of the Philistims and so bury them and cause them to go down to the grave among the uncircumcised Forget not the great appearances of Christ which have been gloriously seen and felt in the faithfull Ministers of this Land Have not they preached and pressed to the conscience the practical points of Christianity and hath not the Lord set a visible seal to their Ministry in the souls of thousands Dare you say that these practical Ministers Greenham Dod Dent Dyke Bains Rogers Hildersham with a world more of whom the world is not worthy that they were Antichristian Who art thou that givest thy mouth to evil and thy tongue frameth deceit Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother and slanderest thine own mothers son Hast thou considered their work of faith labour of love patience of hope If thou hast not why wilt thou speak evil of things and persons thou knowst not And if thou hast read and considered confesse and give glory to God and say God was in these Ministers of a truth Be not like those seduced Professours Who measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves with themselves were not wise These silly or rather proud Christians and their false teachers traduced the great Apostle as if he had not Christ to whom Paul answers and we with him If any man trust to himself that he is Christs let him of himself think this again that as he is Christs even so are we Christs These holy Ministers were the precious members of Christ and will you make them as much as is in you the members of an harlot God forbid The 9thConsideration is drawn from the sad consequences of this censorious groundles opinion For as touching our selves and the Ministers of this present Age We say nothing but We resolve in the strength of Christ to be faithfull to the death and not to fear the revilings of men and in the midst of all your undeserved reproaches to persist in the work of the Lord and to commit our selves to him that judgeth righteously Concerning these sad consequences we appeal to your serious and sober thoughts in these few Queries Q. 1. Doth not this Opinion in rejecting all the godly Ministers of the Reformed Churches as Antichristian much promote the Cause of Antichrist which you seem vehemently to oppose Now if any build that which he hath destroyed he makes himself a transgressor For 1. Is it not the great work of Antichrist to destroy our Ministers to smite the Shepherd that the Flock may be scattered Certainly if the Lord in his wrath should suffer you so far to prevail as to suppresse Learning trample upon the Universities and ruine the Ministers That there should be no Learned men to detect Popish Impostures and refell their errors That neither shield nor spear should be left among thousands in Israel you would in this more advance Antichrist then if you were his sworn Vassals even an Army of Friars and Jesuites deceiving and being deceived 2. Do not most of your Arguments symbolize with the Romanists as if they were arrows shot out of their quiver They renounce us upon this ground That we are no true Church have no true Ministry and do not you agree with them in this unchristian principle and are not we forced to prove the being of our Church and Ministry in all ages against you with the same Arguments we use against them and herein do not you gratifie the common Adversary and strengthen their hands 3 Have you not cause to enquire whether you be not acted by the same Spirit For you know the Spirit of Christ is a Spirit of meeknesse and that wisedom which comes from above is first
pure and then peaceable gentle easie to be entreated But the Spirit of Antichrist is high and hot and furious usurping an infallibility of judgement and unchurching all that differ from him and do not you unsaint all persons and unchurch all Societies dissenting from you and may not this rise from the spirit of delusion which worketh strongly in the Children of disobedience 4. It is the Opinion of many that the slaying of the Witnesses is not past but that the time thereof is very near when Popery shall once again prevail And the Reformed Churches shall be punished by taking away these Witnesses for a time because they received them not according to the dignity of their Embassage And are not you preparing your selves and others to help on this slaughter why do so many pray in bloud and offer strange fire upon Gods Altar as if nothing could give content till the Ministry be ruined and doth not this Tenent That the Ministers are the Limbs of Antichrist binde you to shed their bloud and to account it good service to God not only to unsynagogue them which you have done already but to kill them That so among you also may be found the bloud of the Prophets and of the Saints Q. 2. Do you not hereby wound all the Reformed Churches darkning the beauty and obstructing the progresse of Reformation When the Lord stirred up Luther in Germany Zuinglius at Zurich Calvin at Geneva to set upon this great work multitudes in all Nations begun to embrace the truth and to fly from the rents of Babel Antichrist was made so naked and bare in all the filthinesse of his whoredomes that the whole world was ready to forsake her Had not Satan stirred up this cursed Tenent wherewith many were levened Rotmannus Cnipperdoling Iohn Leyden and others opposed Luther as a false Prophet as bad as the Pope and of the two they said Luther was the worst Antonius Pockquius under pretence of spirituall liberty seduced many into the reality of carnall security and how furious the Antinomians and Anabaptists were in Germany we had rather lament then expresse And did not Satan by these Agents prevail to weaken the hands of those Heroick Worthies and so caused the work to cease and many to relapse How little hath been the Progresse of the Protestant Religion ever since And now of late when the Lord stirred up many in this Island to seek to serve the Lord with a pure worship the work went forward with great felicity till this conceited opinion obtained since which time the spirits of professors have been so alienated and embittered that the way of truth is every where evill spoken of Q. 3. Hath not the Lord greatly testified from Heaven against this Tenent in his spirituall Judgements upon many the great promoters of it Since they despised the Ministry deserted the Ordlnance how are they fallen from heaven some turning Scepticks and Seekers others Ranters and Quakers and what not falling and falling till at last they grow openly prophane and profligate Atheists Q. 4. Doth not this opinion greatly endanger the souls of others Are not all sinfull enough naturally hating Teachers and scorning to be reproved being enemies to light and truth Why should you strengthen the hands of sinners that whereas formerly they could not sin against light but they had many checks of conscience now they despise instruction and hate to be reformed and when they sin most fully and fouly yet they sin without reluctancy and glory in their own shame so that if these men perish in their gain-sayings yet may not their bloud be required at your hands who have not only misled them into errour but have killed them with prejudice against the remedy which should reclaim them Q. 5. Is not this opinion the sad abuse of the great liberty now enjoyed In times of former trouble How did Professors live sincerely love fervently pray and fast and mourn together But by these Tenents the Staff of Bands and Beauty is broken and dashed in pieces one upon another which may justly provoke the Lord to cut short the day of liberty that men may learn by the want of liberty how to prise and sadly bewail their wofull abuse of it Q. 6. If your principles about an universall liberty be true why are you so untrue to your own principles you can well endure men that deny the Immortality of the soul the verity of Scriptures the Deity of Christ the God-head of the holy Ghost and those that defend any thing whatsoever is contrary to sound doctrine These you can tolerate defend hug in your bosome and if any one speak against any the broachers of those errours You cry out Persecution Persecution yet at the self same time you persecute to your uttermost all Ministers who take themselves bound in conscience to defend the Ministry You do and can tolerate the most prophane and hereticall but these Ministers Consciences you cannot tolerate Are you not partiall in your selves and become Judges of evil thoughts whilst you justifie that in your selves as a duty which you condemn in others as an abominable iniquity Why are your professed principles so uneven and you so contradictory to your own principles Be not like the Jews who please not God and are contrary to all men Q. 7. Have you not cause to fear that the Lord may leave you as he did your Predecessors in Germany who held the same Tenents with you gloried as much as you in their own confidences and condemned as you do all others Railed first against the Ministry then raged aginst the Magistracy brought both Church and State into confusion put the Countrey into burning Flames wherein at length themselves were consumed to ashes Do not therefore persist in kindling these false fires Walk no longer in the light of the sparks that you have kindled lest you have this at the hand of the Lord to lie down in sorrow CHAP. IV. Containing part of the Third Proposition SHEWING That none ought to take upon him the Office of the Ministry without a Call IT is manifest by the Word of God That no man ought to take upon him the Office or work of a Minister till he be lawfully called and ordained thereunto As the Church and State are distinct Polities so have they Subjects Laws and Officers distinct alwaies in the formal conception though materially in divers things they may agree Mat. 12.21 Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods The things of God and Caesar are distinct Thus Luke 2.11 Man who made me a Iudge or divider over you a Preacher and a Judge are two distinct callings These Officers for their Institution Vocation Incouragement depend not solely nor principally upon man but are given and confirmed to theChurch by Christ the King of Saints and great Shepherd of Souls for ends and purposes most honourable and necessary in all ages of the world Mat. 28.29
is evident because these Titles are applied not onely to extraordinary but to ordinary Ministers The Ministers of the seven Churches of Asia are called Angels the Ministers ordained by Titus Stewards the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Overseers or Bishops now a Ruler is a name of Office and implieth a Commission to constitute him in that capacity Fourthly We argue From the constant distinction that is made in Scripture between gifts and calling We reade Ioh. 20.21 22. First Christ gives his Apostles their Commission As my Father hath sent me even so send I you Then he gives them their gifts Receive the Holy Ghost Thus also Isa. 6.6 7 9. God touched his lips with a coal from the Altar and gifted him Afterwards he gives him his Commission Thus also it was with the Prophet Ieremy 1.5 9. God sends him and then puts forth his hand toucheth his mouth and fiâ—s him Even as it is in all civill Governments Gifts make not any man a Judge or a Lord-Maior Sheriff or Common-Counsell man though he be never so richly qualified for these Offices unlesse he be lawfully appointed thereunto So is it in Church-affairs it is not gifts but calling that constitutes a Minister therefore that distinction of a Minister by gifts and a Minister by calling hath no footing in the Word of Truth If gifts were sufficient to make a Minister then women might preach as well as men for they may have as eminent gifts Indeed gifts are a necessary qualification of the person to be called but make him not a lawfull Minister till called and ordained And if he take the Office upon him unsent he is an Usurper and may fear to perish in the gain-saying of Corah notwithstanding his gifts Fifthly We argue from the Rules laid down in Scripture for the calling of men to the Office of the Ministry The Word of God doth exactly tell us the qualifications of the person that is to be called 1 Tim. 3.2 3. c. The Scripture also directs for the manner of his calling to the work who are to Ordain How he is to be Ordained 1 Tim. 4.14 c. Now either these directions are superfluous and unnecessary or else it is a truth that no man ought to take this Office upon him without such a call Nor were these directions given for that age only but for all the ages of the Church to the end of the world as appears evidently from 1 Tim. 6.18 compared with 1 Tim. 5.7.21 In the first place he is charged to keep those commands without spot to the appearance of Iesus Christ And in the second place there is as solemn a charge particularly applied to quicken his diligence and faithfulnesse about matters of the Church and especially the ordination honour and maintenance of the Ministry in ordinary as appeareth by the context before and after from ver 17. to ver 23. The same charge is laid down also by way of direction Chap. 3. and particularly committed to Timethy's care ver 14. And one main ground why Paul chargeth Timothy to be so carefull about these particulars especially at Ephesus was That thereby false doctrine might be prevented 1 Tim. 1.3 4. for which there is scarce a more effectuall means in the world then a publike and regular care of calling persons duely qualified to the Ministry And we cannot but look with sad hearts upon the spreading of errours in these daies of generall Apostasie as the righteous judgement of God upon the supine negligence of men in this particular among others The same charge upon the same ground is laid upon Titus Cha. 1.5 9 10. where also the Apostle gives singular directions for the qualification of the person to be ordained both in point of gifts and grace which are all vain and unusefull if any may enter upon the Ministry without Ordination Sixthly We argue from that confusion which would come into the Church if every man that presumes himself gifted should intrude himself into the Office of the Ministry without a regular call Saint Ierome held it an infallible sign of a Church falling into ruine Vbi nulla Ministrorum est electio manifestum cognosce collabâ—nt is Christianismi judicium where there is no choice of Ministers acknowledge this a manifest evidence of Christianity decaying The reason is apparent The prostituting of this sacred and weighty Office to the wils of men opens a door to all disorders and the introducing of all heresies and errors How much did the Church of Antioch suffer from such as came from the Apostles and had no Commission Act. 15. Gal. 2.5 besides that contempt and scorn which it exposeth the Ministry unto Admit the same in the Common-wealth or in an Army Might he that would make himself a Maior Judge Constable a Colonell Captain c. what an Iliad of miseries would thence â—nsue is easier to be imagined then expressed CHAP. V. Containing part of the Third Proposition PROVING That none may do the Work of the Ministry without Ordination NO man may perform the work of the Ministry but he that is solemnly set apart and ordained to be a Minister Having in the precedent Chapter asserted the necessity of Ordination to the work of the Ministry against the presumptuous usurpation of such as run and are not sent We shall by the grace of God in this Chapter vindicate the work of the Ministry unto those whom God hath set as Officers in his Church That there is a work belonging to the Ministry is out of question and what that work is is confessed by all It belongs to them to dispense the mysteries of God the keys of the Kingdom of God are in their hands It is their work to watch for souls as they that must give an account of them at that great day To preach the Word and by sound doctrine to convince gain-sayers to administer the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper to pray for and blesse the people in the Name of God to rule and govern the Church having a care of discipline and all these as in the place and person of Christ. Of how great necessity these works are unto the Church is evident unto understanding Christians and hath been demonstrated already It now remains to be enquired whether all or any of these works may be performed by men uncalled though gifted or whether they be peculiar unto Ministers Those with whom we have to do yeelding all the rest to the Ministry challenge in their writings a liberty to preach the Word and in their practises some of them a power of praying for and blessing the people how justly we shall shew when we have first stated the Question which we shall do briefly and plainly that we may not seem to disallow what we ought to countenance commend nay to command in the Name of the Lord and that we may prevent and anticipate the cavils of some gain-sayers For the right stating of the Question we shall
Question is What may be done in an ordinary way in Churches where Ordained Ministers either are or may be had Though we will not prescribe against necessity yet we would not have necessity pretended where none is For we reade that the Indians were converted to the Christian Faith by the means of Aedesius and Frumentius two private men but we reade not that either of them took upon them the Office or work of the Ministry Frumentius was ordained Bishop of the Indians by Athanasius Theod. Eccl. hist. l. 1. c. 22. And it is observable how great a journey he undertook rather then to run or officiate without a Call The Iberians were converted as the same Authour relates by the means of a Captive Maid but they sent to Constantine for ordained Ministers by whom they might be further instructed and guided in the waies of God which probably our gifted men would never have done These things thus premised we come now to prove our Proposition That None may undertake the work of the Ministry but he that is solemnly set apart thereunto not respecting so much the number as weight of Arguments First We argue thus That work for the doing of which God hath designed speciall Officers of his own neither ought nor may be performed by any that are not designed unto that Office But God hath designed speciall Officers of his own for the preaching of the Word Therefore None ought or may preach the Word but such as are designed unto this Office The major of this Argument is confirmed by these Reasons First Because God hath severely punished such as have done the work appointed by him to speciall Officers though they had no intent to invade the Office unto which that work was by God designed This appears manifestly first in the case of Saul 1 Sam. 13.8 9. c. He lost his kingdom for offering sacrifice though but once and that in a great straight The Philistims were ready to assault him he had not made his peace with God Samuel delaied his coming the people began to scatter from him whereupon he constrained himself and offered a Sacrifice yet for this one presumptuous though as it might seem necessitated act he hears from Samuel that he had done foolishly i. wickedly and from God that his Kingdom was irrevocably rent from him Secondly In the case of Vzzah 1 Chro. 13.9 10. who put his hand to the Ark and that out of a good intention to keep it from falling when the Oxen shook it and yet the anger of the Lord was kindled against him and he smote him that he died Better it had been for Vzzah to have kept his hands farther off then to have touched the Ark without warrant and better for the people of God that he had so done for for his rashnesse God made a breach upon them and smote him and this act of his did not help but hinder the bringing of the Ark up into the place prepared for it Thirdly In the case of Vzziah 2 Chro. 16.16 17 18. c. who when he was strong had his heart lifted up to his destruction for he transgressed against the Lord his God and went into the Temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the Altar of Incense but the Priests of God withstood him and said It appertaineth not to thee Uzziah to burn Incense to the Lord but to the Priests the Sons of Aaron that are consecrated to burn Incense Go out of the Sanctuary for thou hast transgressed neither shall it be for thine honour from the Lord God and though he was a King yet the Lord smote him immediatly with the plague of Leprosie of which he was not healed till his death This famous History holds forth these great Truths 1. That it is a transgression against God in any to enter upon the work designed by God to another calling 2. That the Original of this transgression is pride of heart 3. That it is the Ministers duty to testifie and bear witnesse against such transgressions 4. That it is dishonourable in the sight of God whatever foolish people may imagine thus to transgresse 5. That God will not be alwaies silent to suffer such transgression unpunished in the greatest when his Ministers warnings are rejected Vzziah would enter into the Sanctuary and is separated from the Congregation Now though God be not so immediate in the severe punishing of such presumption in our daies yet these things are written for our instruction upon whom the ends of the world are come that we should not be presumptuous as some of them were lest we also perish as these did Secondly Because this practice doth make void or at least unnecessary or insufficient those Officers which God hath appointed This is in it self a truth of clearest evidence What needs a peculiar Officer to be set apart to a common work As in the naturall body there is no peculiar member set apart as the Organ of feeling because this sense is common to every member so in the body of Christ there need not any speciall Officer be designed for such a work as is common to and may be performed by every Christian. Thirdly Because this practice doth confound and disturb that order which God hath set in his Church therefore it must needs be sinfull God is the God of order and not of confusion 1 Cor. 14. and hath commanded that every one should do his own work 1 Thess. 4. Rom. 12. And abide in his own calling 1 Cor. 7. He hath condemned those that walk disorderly 2 Thess. 3. and are busie bodies he hath placed in his Church different orders some Shepherds some Sheep some Teachers of the Word some to be taught as their places so their works are distinct as the different members of the body have different offices but now as in the body there would be confusion if any member should do the work of another member so is it in the Church if any member shall invade the duty of another This takes away distinction between Shepherds and Flock Pastor and People Rulers and Ruled and with the new Astronomers casts down Stars towards the Centre and advances and wheels the dull earth to and in an heavenly orb No marvel such Phaetons burn up the spiritual world by presuming to govern the chariot of the Sun Thus the major being cleared we come to the minor or Assumption That God hath set peculiar Officers apart for the Preaching of the Word For the proof of this these two things are to be done First We must prove that Ministers are Officers the Ministry an Office set up by God in his Church For this we referre to the foregoing Propositions in which this Point hath been largely discussed And indeed who can in reason deny that those that are set by God in his Church as Stewards Heraulds Watchmen c. are set by God as Officers in his Church The Apostle himself reckonâ— them up as special members in the body
to preach without a lawfull call The Apostles in the Synod of Ierusalem speak of certain men that went out from them and troubled the Gentiles with words subverting their souls They went out They were not sent out but they went out of theiâ— own accord this is spoken of them by way of reproof And then it followes they troubled you with words subverting your souls He that preacheth unsent is not a comforter but a troubler of the people of God not a builder but a subverter of souls There be many in our daies like Ahimaaz they will be running without either call or message and haply they may out-run Gods Cushi's we wish they meet with no worse successe then he in a spirituall sense to prove uselesse Messengers We argue from the practice of the Ministers of Christ If they have been as carefull to make proof of their mission as of their doctrine then is mission required in him thâ—t will Preach the Word But they have been thus carefull Therefore If any gifted man may preach without a Call why doth the Apostle so often make mention of his Call Rom. 1.1 Gal. 1.15 16. 1 Cor. 1.1 when the Disciples of Iohn murmured against Christ for baptizing Ioh. 3.27 28. Iohn answers A man can receive nothing unlesse it be given him from heaven ye your selves bear witnesse of me that I said I am not the Christ but that I am sent before him Here Christs undertaking to baptize is justified by his Mission When the chief Priests and the Scribes with the Elders asked Christ Luk. 20.2 Tell us by what authority doest thou these things or who gave thee this authority Christ makes answer by demanding another question The Baptisme of Iohn was it from heaven or of men Which teacheth us these two truths First That none ought to preach without being authorized and sent Secondly That this Call and Sending is not only from men but from heaven True it is such as is the Ministry such ought the Call to be if the Ministry extraordinary the Call extraordinary if the Ministry ordinary the Call must be ordinary but we reade of no Ministry allowed in Scripture without a Divine Call There is a threefold Call to the Ministry mentioned Gal. 1.1 The first is of or from man only when any is designed to this work errante clave that hath no inward qualification or Call from God This though it authorizeth to outward administrations in the Church yet will not satisfie the conscience of him that so administers The second is by man as the instrument when any is designed to the Ministry by those whom God hath intrusted with the work of Ordination according to the rule of the Word these God cals by man Act. 20. This is the Call of ordinary Pastors The third by Jesus Christ immediatly and by this it is that Paul proves himself an Apostle an extraordinary Minister Lastly we argue thus That work may not be performed by any which cannot by him be performed in faith But preaching by a Brother Gifted but not Called nor Ordained cannot be done in faith Therefore A Gifted unordained brother may not Preach Concerning the major we shall say little the Apostles general Canon Rom. 14. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin doth evidently demonstrate it The truth of the minor appears in that there is no warrant in Scripture which is the ground of faith for such a practice For first there is no 1. Precept that such should preach if there were a precept it was then a necessary duty that every gifted person ought to perform it was a sin if any gifted person should not preach though he could preach but one Sermon only in all his life Where is the necessity laid upon them as the Apostle speaks of himself that they preach the Gospel 2. There is no Precept that any should hear them or obey them in the Lord or maintain them these duties of the people areappropriated to those that are Preachers by Office Mal. 2. The Priests lips should preserve knowledge and the people should enquire the Law at their lips Luk. 10.16 The hearing of them is the hearing of Christ and the refusing of them is the refusing of Christ It is not so said of any that preach without mission but contrarily there is a strict charge not to hearken to such Ier. 17.14 and a complaint of them that heap to themselves teachers 2 Tim. 4. Thus the Apostle Heb. 13 7 17. Remember them obey them submit your selves to them that have the rule over you and have spoken to you the Word of God So 1 Tim. 5.17 Let the Elders that rule well be accounted worthy of double honour c. Nothing of this is spoken of gifted Brethren yet if they may lawfully preach all this may they challenge and all that hear and plead for them are bound in conscience to yield because all this is due for the works sake 1 Thess. 5.12 Secondly There is no promise in Scripture made unto any that Preach and are not thereunto lawfully Ordained We say no promise either of 1. Assistance A Minister must depend upon God for his inabling unto the great work which he undertakes for all our sufficiency is of God and we have no sufficiency of our selves so much as to think any thing 2 Cor. 3.5 and God hath promised this assistance only to those whom himself sends Thus Exo. 4.10 Go saith the Lord to Moses and I will be with thy mouth Isa. 6.7 8 God touches the mouth of Isaiah and sends him Ioh. 20.21 22. Christ sends and gives the holy Ghost to the Apostles and to them is the promise Ioh. 13. The Spirit of truth shall lead you into all truth Doth God do thus to those that run and are not sent O let the great errours broached of old by Origen and others that presumed the the undertaking of this work without a Call and in our daies by Anabaptists Socinians and others that despise a regular lawfull Call bear witness Surely we may say that if any amongst us Preach without a Call and yet Preach the truth they have not their assistance by vertue of any promise from the hand of God 2. Protection Thus God hath promised to those whom he sends on his message Thus the Lord encourageth Ieremiah ch 1.18 19. I have made thee this day a defenced City and an iron pillar and a brazen wall against this whole Land and they shall fight against thee but shall not prevail against thee for I am with thee saith the Lord to deliver thee Thus also Act. 18.9 the Lord incourageth Paul Be not afraid but speak and hold not thy peace for I am with thee and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee So also Act. 23.11 Be of good chear Paul c. And as we finde that God hath promised protection to those he sends so also the Ministers of God have incouraged themselves to a faithfull discharge of their duty against
in the Text fore-named was onely for those times and not to continue to the end of the world Answ. 1. This is not true For if the Ministry he to continue to the end of the world then the way of entring into the Ministry enjoyned by the Apostles is also to continue And there can no reason be brought why the one should be abolished and not the other 2. Timothy is enjoyned to keep this commandment without spot unrebukable untill the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ. Beza translates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haec mandatâ— Keep these commandments that is saith he all the commandments commanded him in the whole Epistle Thus Deodate That thou keep this commandment that is Not only that which is contained vers 11. 12. but generally all other commandments which are contained in this Epistle Now this commandment of laying hands suddenly on no man is one of those commandments which he was to keep without spot untill the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ which evidently proves That Ordination is an Ordinance of Christ and is to last to the end of the world It is worth observing which is also hinted by a Reverend Minister that there are 4. descents of men sent and ordained 1. Christ himself was sent and had his Commission from his Father Ioh. 20.22 23. Iesus Christ did not glorifie himself to be made an High-Priest but was anointed thereunto by God his Father Act. 10.38 2. Christ Jesus as he was sent of his Father so he sent forth his Apostles Ioh. 20.23 It is said Mat. 10.1 That Christ called unto him his twelve Apostles and sent them forth and gave them their commission Nay it is said Mar. 3.14 And he ordained twelve The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he made twelve that they should be with him and that he might send them forth to preach This making was an authoritative appointing them to their Office The Apostles would not have dared to have preached the Gospel had they not been commissionated by Christ thereunto 3. The Apostles went about ordaining Elders in every Church Paul ordained Timothy 2 Tim. 1.6 4. Timothy and Titus did ordain others as they themselves had been ordained and that by the Apostles own appointment Tit. 1.5 1 Tim. 5.22 Nay we reade of a Presbytery ordaining 1 Tim. 4.14 And as Timothy was intrusted with the Word of Christ so he is commanded to commit the same trust to faithfull men able to teach others also that so there may be a succession of Teachers Thus we have four descents recorded in Scripture 1. God anoints Jesus Christ and ordains him to his Ministerial office 2. Christ ordains his Apostles 3. The Apostles ordain extraordinary and ordinary Officers 4. And these ordain others And this commandment is given to be observed till the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. And thus as the Authour fore-mentioned saith The Apostles admitted men in their own practice into the Ministry and thus they appointed for succeeding times and can any think that Ordination ended with that age Is there not the same cause necessity use and reason for it in after ages as in the first times of the Church when there were as yet extraordinary gifts stirring in the Church which are now ceased and therefore the more need of a standing Ministry Sure we are of two things 1. That there are more and more clear Texts for Ordination then for popular Election Our Brethren in New-England and many in Old England are very much for Election by the people And so are we if it be rightly ordered and managed But we desire them to shew us as clear Scriptures for Election as we have done for Ordination 2. That there is as much if not more in Scripture for the Justification of Ordination as for any other part of Church-Government as for the divine right of Synods of Excommunication of Ruling Elders or any other part of Discipline in which we agree together How then it should come to passe that many in our daies should cry up the divine right of Election by the people of Excommunication and other parts of Church-government and cry down the divine right of Ordination we know not Indeed we confesse That the Papists do too much extoll it calling it a Sacrament and not only a Sacrament in a generall sense as Calvin seemeth to do but a Sacrament in a proper sense as Baptism and the Lords Supper are called Sacraments And also in appropriating it to Bishops as distinct from Presbyters Hence it may be it is That some in our age running into the other extream as the nature of man alwaies is apt to do do too much vilifie and undervalue it and because they like it not brand it with the black mark as they do other of the Ordinances of Christ of Antichristian Ordination But we hope better things of our people and beseech them to take heed of those that call good evil and evil good and that call the Institutions of Christ the doctrines of Antichrist So much for the first Assertion CHAP. XI Proving the Second Assertion about Ordination to wit That the essence of the Ministeriall Call doth properly consist in Ordination THe Second Assertion is That the essence of the Ministeriall Call doth properly consist in Ordination The contrary to this Assertion is maintained by many Reverend Divines who set up Election in the room of Ordination and make Ordination â—o be but an adjunct unto and a consequent of this Ministeriall Call and a confirmation of a man into that office which he hath bestowed upon him by his election The essence and substance of the outward calling of an ordinary Officer in the Church say the Ministers of New-England in their Platform of Church-Government doth not consist in his Ordination but in his voluntary and free Election by the Church and in his accepting of that Election In opposition to this we have already endeavoured at large to prove That the essence of the Ministeriall Call doth not consist in popular Election And therefore we intend to be very brief in proving the contrary That it doth consist in Ordination This we make out by these ensuing arguments 1. If Election doth not give the essentials of the Ministeriall Office then Ordination doth For the outward Call of a Minister as it is agreed on all sides doth consist only in his Election or Ordination But Election doth not c. as we have formerly shewed by divers arguments Ergo. Ordination doth 2. If Ordination makes a man a Minister that was not one before then it gives the essence of the Ministeriall Office But Ordination makes a man a Minister that was not one before Ergo c. That this is so appears 1. From the Ordination of Deacons Act. 6.3 Look ye out seven men c. whom we may appoint over this businesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to put a man into an Office which he had not before Thus it
nothing will more encourage him to persevere in it and to expect a blessing from it than the evidence that he is deputed by God to this Office That he is feeding the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made him oversâ—er This was Gods encouragement to Ieremy and Isaiah There is required in Ministers a singular confidence in Gods assistance and a singular expectation of direction protection provision supportation and benediction which they cannot have unlesse they be fully assured that their function and Ministry is from heaven heavenly Hence it is that Paul laboureth to make out the authority of his calling to the Corinthians and Iohn unto the Pharisees and Christ unto the Iewes Thirdly For our enemies sake that cry down the prâ—â—ent Ministers as â—â—als Priests as Popish and Antichristian That Goliah-like defie the Armies of the living God That tread under their feet not onely the Ministers but their Ministry And say to us Bow down that we may go over That make our bodies as the ground and â—s the street for them to go in That say of us just as the Jewes did of Christ Crucifie them crucifiâ— thâ—â— Now that such as these may know That when they fight against our Ministry they fight against God whose Ministry it 〈◊〉 And that when they persecuâ—e us they persecute Christ whose servants we are And that it is in vain to kick against pricks That we are 〈◊〉 in Christ's right hand and that they shall feel the power of his right hand that would pluck us out of his right hand That even Ieroboam's hand though a King shall wither if he stretch it out against a true Prophet of the Lord That we are a plant of Gods planting and therefore shall not be rooted up Therefore it is that we have undertaken this work The Thesis we shall lay down is this That the Ministers of the Church of England that now are and have been since the reformation of Religion are lawfully called to their Office so as they need not renounce their Ordination nor have their people any just ground of separation from them in that respect The present Ministers of the Church of England are of two sorts either such as have been made Ministers since the abolishing of Prelacy by the imposition of the hands of preaching Presbyters or such as were ordained heretofore by the laying on of the hands of the Bishop together with other Ministers And there are two sorts of Dissenters amongst us There are some that dislike our present way of Ordination and say it is invalid because performed by Ministers without a Bishop There are others dislike our former way of Ordination and say it is null and of no validity because we were made by Antichristian Bishops One side deny our Ministry to be of God because we want Bshops to Ordain us The other side deny our Ministry to be of God because we had once Bishops to Ordain us And thus is the present Ministry like Jesus Christ himself crucified between two opposite parties But as Christ though crucified yet rose again and is ascended up into heaven So we doubt not but the Ministers of Christ though they prophesie in sackcloth for the present and may perhaps â—e slain and lye in the streets for three dayes and an half yet they shall rise in spight of all their enemies and be called up into heaven in the sight of them In opposition to these two sorts of Dissenters we shall lay down these two Propositions That the Calâ— to the Office of the Ministers which some of our present Ministers did receive during the prevalency of Episcopacy was lawful and valid That the Call to the Office of Ministry which our present Ministers do now receive since the abolishing of Episcopacy is lawful and valid CHAP. I. Containing the first Prâ—position and proving it by Arguments drawn from the Principles of our Adversaries THat the Call to the Office of the Ministâ—ry which some of our present Ministers did receive during the prevalency of Episcopacy was lawful and valid THere are some amongst us that refuse to hear our Ministers because they were Ordained as they say by Antichristian Bishops and think they are bound in conscience to renounce our Ministery till we have renounced our Ordination And as the Antipaedâ—-baptist would rebaptize all that are baptized amongst us So the Brownist would re-ordain all that are ordained amongst us For our parts we are confident that there is neither warrant out of the Word of God for rebaptization nor re-ordination That the latter which is our present work may the better appear we must premise a distinction which we have formerly made use of in our Vindication where we have also spoken something about this subject We must distinguish between a defective Ministery and a false Ministery as we do between a man that is lame or blind and a man that is but the picture of a man We do not deny but that the way of Ministers entring into the Ministery by Prelates â—ad many deâ—ects in it for which they ought to be truly and greatly humbled but yet we adde Thâ—t notwithstanding all accidâ—ntâ—l corrâ—ptions it is not substantially and essentially corrupted so as there should be need of re-ordination The Scribes and Pharisees were not onely wicked in their conversation but mingled the leaven of false doctrine with their teachings and had many defects in their entrance yet our Saviour saith Matth. 23.2 3. The Scribes and Pâ—â—risees siâ— in Mosâ—s his seat All therefore c. If they that sate in Moses his Chair were to be heard in all things that they taught according to the Word though they did not live as they taught and had many failings in their entrance much more they that sâ—t in Câ—thâ—drá Christi in the châ—iâ— of Christ and teach 〈◊〉 quae sunt Christi those things which Christ would have them teach and live according to what they â—each although there were many defects in their entrance into the Ministry Aâ— every defect in a Christian doth not make him no Christian and every defect in the administration of the Gospel-Ordinances doth not make them no Gospel-Ordinances So â—very defect in the way of entrance into the Ministry doth not make that Ministry a false Ministry or no Ministry Now that our Ministry during the prevalency of Episcopacy was lawfull and valid for the substance of it though mingled with many circumstantiall dâ—fectâ— appears two manner of wayes 1. We will arâ—ue â—ccordiâ—â— to the judgement of those who hold that the whole essence of the Ministeriall call consisteth in the election of the people and that Ordination is nothing else but a solemne installing of a Minister into that Office which he had before conveyed unto him by his election Our Brethrâ—n of New â—ngland though they hold Ordination by imposition of handâ— to be of divine institution yet not so necessary as if a Ministers call were a nullity
are members of the Church general visible and have right unto all the Ordinances of Christ as the circumcised Iew had and wheresoever they come to fix their dwellings may require an orderly admission unto the Ordinances there dispensed unlesse by their sins they have disinherited themselves 3. We say That it is agreeable to the will of Christ and much tending to the edification of his Church That all those that live within the same bounds should be under the care of the same Minister or Ministers to be taught by them and Governed by them and to have the other Ordinanceâ— dispensed unto them sutable to their condition as they shall manifest their worthinesse to partâ—ke of them And â—hat to remove altogeher those Parochial bounds would open a gap to Thousands of people to live like sheep without a shepheard and insteed of joyning with purer Churâ—heâ— to joyn with no Churcheâ— and in a little time as we conceive it would bring in all manner of prophanenesse and Athiesme Suppose a godly man living under a wicked Minister or â—n Hereticall Minister or a Minister that admits all men promiscuously to the Sacrament without any examination would you have this man bound to hear him and to receive the Sacrament from him If the Government of the Church were once setled and countenanced by the Civil Magistrate care would be taken that there should be no place for such kind of objections 2. Such a person in such a case ought rather to remove his Habitation if it may be done without any great prejudice to his outward estate then that for his sake that good and old way of bounding of Parishes rightly understood should be laid aside Suppose he cannot remove without very great prejudice to his outward estate In sucâ— a case It is much better as we conceive till the Church Government be further setled and hath further countenance from Civil Authority to relieve such a one by admitting him into another Congregation for a while than wholly to break and dissolve that Laudable and Church edifying way of distinguishing Congregations by local bounds But would you then have every man bound to keep constantly to the Minister under whom he lives We are not so rigid as to tie people from hearing other Ministers occasionlly even upon the Lords day But yâ—t we beliâ—ve that it is most a greeable to Gospel order upon the grounds forâ—mentioned that he that fixetâ— his hâ—bitâ—tion wherâ— there is â— godly able Orthodox Minister should ordinarily waite upon his Ministry joyn to that Congregation where he dwells rather then to another In Scripture To appoint Elders in every Church and in every City is all one They that were converted in a City who were at first but few in number joyned in Church-fellowship with the Elders and Congregation of that City and not with any other But the Church of England is a National Church and therefore cannot be a true Church because the Church of the Iewes was the only National Church and there are no National Churches now under the New Testament This objection lies as a great stumbling block to hinder many Christians from joyning with our Churches and therefore we shall take some pains to remove it For the better answering of this objection we shall premise this distinction of a national Church A Church may be called National in a two fold respect Either because it hath one national Officer worship and place of worship Thus it was among the Iewes they had one high Priest over all the Nation they had one place to which all the Males were bound thrice in a year to assemble and one special part of worship to wit Sacrifice which was confined to that publick place unlesse in case of extraordinary Dispensation Such a National Church we are far from asserting or endeavouring to establish Or a Church may be called National when all the particular Congregations of one Nation living under one civil Government agreeing in doctrine and worship are governed by their lesser and greater Assemblies and in this sense we assert a national Church But there is no example of any national Church in the New Testament The reason is because we have no example there of any Nation converted to the faith 2. There are Prophesies and promises of National Churches Psal. 72 10 11 17. Isai. 2.2 Isai. 19.18 In that day shall five Citiâ—s spâ—ak thâ— Languagâ— of Caâ—aan â—nd swear to the Lord of Hostâ— â— and v. 19. then shall be an Altar 〈◊〉 the midst of the Land of Egypt and a pillaâ— at thâ— border tâ—â—reof to the Lord. And so on to vers 24 25. In that day shall Isrâ—â—l be the third with Egypt and with Assyâ—ia â—ven a blessing iâ— the midst of the Land Whom the Lord of Hosts shall blessâ— saying Blessed be Egypt my people and Assyria the work of mine hands and Israâ—l mine inheritance From this full place we gather 1. That in the times of the New Testament there shall be National Churches 2. That these Churches shall combine in one way of worship by Oath and Covenant 3. That the Lord own 's those Churches thus combined as hiâ— own and promiseth to blesse them 3. Even the Iewes themselves when their Nation shall be turned to the Lord and return to their own Land shall become a National Church not as having one High Priest one place of worship and one special publick worship in that one place for these things were Typical and Ceremonial and so were to vanish but as agreeing together in the same way of doctrine worship and covenant as other Christian Nations doâ—â— This is evident from Ezek. 37.21 to the end of the Chapter But we do not find in the New Testament that the particular Churches of any Nation are called a Church in the singular number But Churchâ—â— And therefore we look upon it as an unscriptural Expression to call the Congregations of this Nation The Church of England We find that several Congregations in the same City are called a Church as in Ierusalem Act. 8.1 That there were many Congregations in Ierusalem is evidently proved both in the Reasons of the Assemblie of Divines against the dissenting Brethren where they prove it both from the variety of Languages and from the multitude of professours and Ministers as also in our Vindication of the Presbyterial Government And so Act. 12 1 5. And Act. 15.4 22. Thus it was with the Ephesians called â— Church Act. 20.17 and Revel 2.1 and yet had many Congregations as appears from the Bookeâ— fore-quoted And if five Congregations may be called one Church why not five hundred 2. We might instance that the Churches in divers Cities are called A Church compare Gal. 1.13.22 23. with Act. 26.11 where the Churches of divers Cities are called expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. Yet further it appears that all the visible Churches in the World