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A49813
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A treatise relating to the call, work & wages of the ministers of Christ as also to the call, work & wages of the ministers of antichrist : wherein a testimony is born ... / Thomas Lawson.
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Lawson, Thomas, 1630-1691.
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1680
(1680)
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Wing L728; ESTC R34510
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85,782
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120
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Thus Israel was guilty of forsaking the Fountain of Life of Living Mercies and of having recourse to broken Cisterns The labour of the Apostles and their living concern was to bring People to Shilo the Store-house of heavenly Wisdom Knowledge and sound Understanding the Fountain of Life the Well-spring of pure Wisdom spiritual Treasures Virtue Peace Joy Consolation and Spiritual Refreshments in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwells Bodily of whose plenitude that is fulness his receive Grace for Grace Now after the Apostles dayes the Star being fallen Smoke arisen Sun and Air darkned the Purity of the Primitive Church spoiled in a word upon the encroachment of the Apostacy the golden Cup of Abomination and Fornication was received by Christendom which became as Waters in this smoke evaporating out of the bottomless Pit the pure Fountain of Life was lost the truly impowering Call of the Lord of the Harvest was lost then in the Apostatized Roman Church Schools and Colledges were erected into which were received Heathen Poems Comedies Tragedies Fables spoiling Philosophy Heathen Metaphysicks and in and through learning of these Youth was qualified for the Gospel Ministry as they say and these Universities were called by the Apostatized Roman Church Well-springs of Divinity Fountains of the Gospel Ministry Thus the Fountain of Life being turned from broken Cisterns were entertained Luther on 2 Pet. 2.1 spake freely of Apostatized Popish Universities The whole World saith he is of this Opinion that these are Fountains or Well springs from which proceed such as ought to teach the People This is a horrible Error saith he forasmuch as nothing so detestable proceeds from any thing or place as from Universities c. The Roman Popish Religion being brought into this Nation by Austin the Monk and others in process of time Cambridge and Oxford came to be founded and made Universities and were called Well-springs of Divinity c. And though Protestantism and a great share of Reformation be pretended and professed yet the divine Call into the Ministry is denyed and altogether or in a high measure ascribed to Schools of Humane Learning yea and Cambridge and Oxford are still termed Well-springs of Divinity the two Fountains and the two Eyes of the Nation The Almighty is opening an Eye to see the Living Fountain the Well-spring of Life and to press after the same and to deny the Idolatrous use and abuses of Man made Well-springs and Fountains though Schools teaching the knowledge of the Creation of useful and necessary Accomplishments are to be contended for but out of their place Idolatrous as in setting them in the room of the Lord of the Harvest William Tindall in his Parable of the wicked Mammon saith Many are not ashamed to rail and blaspheme saying How should he understand the Scripture seeing he is no Philosopher hath never seen his Metaphysicks and how can he be a Divine who knows not what is Subjectum in Theologia Nevertheless as a man without the Spirit of Aristotle or Philosophy may by the Spirit of God understand Scriptures even so by the Spirit of God understands he that God is to be sought c. and yet knows not what meaneth Subjectum in Theologia that is the Subject in Divinity because it is a term of their own making Drawing to a Conclusion let me say that to confine the Ministry to Natural Tongues Arts and Sciences is contrary to the Lords Call in the Patriarchal Mosaical and in the Morning of the Evangelical Dispensation yea and contrary to the Call promised after the Apostacy after the three dayes and an half wherein the Beast and the Locusts Anti-christ and his apostatized Ministry should be bred fitted and qualified in the Smoke of the Pit earthly and fallen Wisdom Rev. 11.11 Besides this my Testimony take the Testimony of our Country-man Gell who said I do not here confine the Gifts of God unto mans Approbation or Ordination Surely saith he the Lord may fill whose Hand he will speak by whom he will In all Ages saith this Gell God raised up Priests and Prophets without the Authority yea against the Authority of Men Amos 3.8 Acts 4.18 19 20. 'T is unreasonable saith he to confine the Spirit of God unto certain Theses Articles Confessions and Opinions of mens making they seem to dare and provoke the wise God in that they cannot say that their Dictates proceed from an infallable Spirit yet would they limit and bound the infallable Spirit of the God of Truth by their presumtuous humane Spirit which as themselves confess is Fallable and subject to Error We stay so long saith Bishop Hall upon the Shell of Tongues that we can hardly have time to chew the sweet Kernel of Knowledge So may I say Natural Tongues Arts Sciences and Endowments are so doted upon and concluded to be the enabling qualification for the Gospel Ministry as that the heavenly Anointing the real ability for the Gospel Ministry is not waited for but by most of the Worldly wise Linguists and Sophisters derided CAP. III. Of the Original of Bishops in Gospel dayes and of the Identity that is Oneness and Sameness of Bishops and Elders in the Primitive Age. THe Apostles in the Power of the Lord laboured and were livingly concerned to turn the Jew from Judaism and the Gentile from Gentilism to Christ in whom Oneness and the new Creature is witnessed After visiting the Churches before gathered and in the Spirit of discerning observing a Care begot in some particular Members for the good prosperity growth and decent order of their fellow Members the oversight care and charge of particular Assemblies were commended to such and they were called Elders because chosen for the most part of the elder sort of People and the same were also called Bishops that is Overseers or Superintendents because of their Office of overseeing and taking care of the rest They were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Presbyters or Elders for that they were so in Age the Law having so provided that no man should be promoted to that Dignity till he was thirty five Years old or else because they ought to be such in Manners and circumspect Carriage saith Sr. Thomas Ridley in his view of the Civil and Eccleslastical Law Pope Boniface the First thought good that not any under thirty Years of Age should be ordained a Presbyter that is an Elder Afterward it was decreed by the Authority of the Lateran Council that one might be made an Elder at twenty five Years old Polydor. de Invent. lib. 4. But this limiting to a certain Year savours of the Will of Man not of the Spirit Now 't is my Judgment that the same Individuals particular Persons that in the Purity of the Primitive Age were sometimes called Elders they were also called Bishops that is Overseers as the same Person may be sometime called a Minister sometime a Teacher this Doctrine in the Beauty of the Primitive Church was not called Heretical but
speaking of those words silver gold have I none said Behold the Riches of those who were Priests of Christ but let us quickly apply these things to our selves who are prohibited by the Law of Christ if we have any regard thereunto to have Possessions in the Country and Houses in the City What do I say Possessions or Houses No not to multiply Coats or Money if we have Food and Rayment let us therewith be content Orig. Hom. 15. on Levit. Cyprian Bishop of Carthage about the year 250. testified That the Church maintained many Poor and that her own Diet was sparing and plain and all her Expences full of Frugality Cypr. Epist 27 34 36. Prosper testified further That a Minister able to live of himself ought not to participate of the Goods of the Church for saith he they that have of their own and yet desire to have somewhat given them do not receive it without great Sin Prosp de vit contemplat lib. 21. In these dayes all Necessities of Indigent Ministers of the Poor of the Banished of such as were condemned by the Heathen Emperors to work in Mettal-Mines c. were supplied and relieved by Free and Voluntary Contributions distributed by the Deacons for that end appointed The said Cyprian about the Year 250. speaking familiarly of this thing called the Brethren that cast in their Monethly-Offerings Fratres Sportulantes from the Word Sportulae which the Heathen Romans used for Salaries Wages Fees for Judges and Ministers of Courts of Judicature This they borrowed from the Heathen Romans and applied to their Monethly-Collections Selden In the Apostles dayes Satan tryed the Ship of the Church Teachers and Hearers and as many as he found unsound Leeking as I may say he spouted into their Hearts the stinking Stream of Covetousness but in succeeding Ages the Devil that infernal Sea-Monster Physeter swallowed up the Ship of the Church in the whirle-Pool of Apostacy Ignorance Pride Covetousness as the Apostle foretold About the Year 310. one Lucina a devout Maid of Rome dying made Marcellus Bishop of Rome her Heir and gave him all her great Substance From that time forth saith Polydor lib. 6. the Bishops of Rome were greatly enriched and then came to be puft up with Pride Which Riches the Apostles denyed Sylvester was Bishop of Rome about the Year 314. When Constantine the first Emperor that embraced the Christian Faith the Son of Constantius and Helene offered him a Golden Scepter he refused it as a thing not fit for a Priests Function Sabel Euseb Chron. While the Church was under Persecution by the Roman Emperors it remained in much Purity of Doctrine and Conversation a time of Sufferings is a time of Seriousness But Constantine the Great embracing Christianity his Empire turned Christians by the Lump whether Nominal or Real let the Wise in Heart judge the Fan being over Carnal security Ease Pride Covetousness and Ambition grew up in the Garden of the Church After the Church came under Christian Princes saith Jerom in Power indeed and Riches she became greater but less in Virtue Tom. 2. in vita Malchi Constantine saith Hospinian gave great Gifts and Donations to Churches Of which thing Mantuan said Caesar hic in nostram gestaus pia pectora gentem Immensas donavit opes vasa aurea fundos Vnde Sacerdotes magnis proventibus ancti Through Constantine the Clergy grew most Wealthy Possessing Lands and Gold also in Plenty This Constantine gave to Sylvester Bishop of Rome the City Rome and great Lands and Dominions thereabouts also a Triple Crown in token that he made him Supream Head over all Churches in Asia Africa and Europe as some of their own Writers mention though others question it At the time of this Donation a Voice was heard from Heaven Hodie venenum funditur in ecolesiam This Day Poyson is poured into the Church Hermannus Gigas Napier Bishop Jewel on Hag. And the same Words were written in the presence of many upon a Wall in the Lateran Palace as saith Maleolus Nauclerus Napier 'T was a true Saying of Aug. Marl. on Acts. 20.35 Religio peperit divitias et filia devoravit Matrem that is Religion brought forth Wealth and the Daughter devoured the Mother Sylvester was the first if Histories may be credited who let in a Deludge of Mass-Priests Orders Ornaments Temples Singing-men Sacrifices Sanctuaries Vestiments Oyntments Surplices Miters embroidered Garments under this pretence 1. That Christian-Religion might not seem inferiour to Heathenism in outward Lustre and Pomp. 2. That the Pagans by the likeness of these Rites with theirs might be the more easily drawn to Christianity Pareus on Rev. 8. Must Evil be done that Good may come of it Was letting in Streams of Babylon the Way to lead others out of Babylon Had it not been more Christian-like if he had said I must not go to them they must come to us Yet all was not hereby quite spoiled the Star called Wormwood fell but upon the third part of Rivers and Fountains Rev. 8. All were not Imbittered thereby nor Corrupted This Constantine the Great demolished Pagan Temples caused Churches so called to be built enriched them with great Gifts and Possessions and gave to Sylvester and to his Successors as several testifie the City Rome and the Lordship of Italy and translated his Imperial Seat to Bizantium from his Name called Constantinople Sylvester advised that the Revenues of the Church should be divided into four Parts whereof one was to go to the Maintenance of the Bishop the Second part to the Priests Deacons and to the rest of the Clergy the Third part to the repairing of places of publick Worship the Fourth part to the Poor Impotent and Strangers But in all this there was no mention of Tythe which the Clergy now hath seized on and People are forced to maintain the Poor and to Contribute to Repair their Churches so called and upon denyal greatly Suffer for the same Honest Wickliff having his Eyes in measure opened to see the Evil that spread as a Leprosie in the Church through Constantines bounty bare Testimony saying Constantine the Emperor and Bishop Sylvester committed great Error through their enriching the Church For this and other Articles the Council of Constance a City of Helvetia under Pope John the Twenty fourth pronounced this Wickliff a Heretick and commanded his Bones to be digged out of the Earth and Burned Sum. Conc. et Pontif. Though in this Sylvester's Day much was amiss in the Church yet little in comparison of after Ages for the bottomless Pit was but as I may say beginning to smoke his Day was but as the drop of a Bucket to the main Ocean to ensuing Dayes the Mid-night of Apostacy wherein Doctrinal Errors and Covetous Practices darkned Sun and Air spoiled the Glory of the Primitive Church If I should Particularize what vast Sums of Money went out of England in the Dayes of Popery to the See of Rome it would seem incredible As