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A45336
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The pulpit guarded with XVII arguments proving the unlawfulness, sinfulness and danger of suffering private persons to take upon them publike preaching, and expounding the Scriptures without a call ... : occasioned by a dispute at Henly in Arden in Warwick-shire, Aug. 20, 1650 ... : in the close are added six arguments, to prove our ministers free from antichristianism / composed and compiled by a friend to truth and peace.
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Hall, Thomas, 1610-1665.
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1651
(1651)
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Wing H437; ESTC R11676
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84,387
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104
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Ioh. 1. 47. Behold an Israelite indeed c. The reason why so many fall away is they were formalists never humbled under the sight and sense of their sins never received the truth in love 2 Thes. 2. 10 11. but lived in Pride Hypocrisie barren under the means of grace and therefore God gives them up to strong delusions to believe lyes in his just judgement he punisheth one sin with another when men be ungrateful unfruitful unanswerable to Times and Means not walking worthy of the Gospel then God gives them up to Heretical and soul-damning ways and Errours if Ahab will not hearken to Micaiah a true Prophet he shall be deluded by lying spirits if the Gentiles when they know God by the light of nature will not glorifie him as God in giving that honour and respect to him which they could not but apprehend to be due to the divine Majestie c. God will give them up to vile affections so punishing the breach of the first Table by giving them up to the violation of the second 3 Get meek and humble spirits these the Lord hath promised to teach his way when spiritual Pride is punished with a fall those high-flown Heresies which abound amongst us whence come they but from Pride Hunt not after novelties neither be wise above that which is written 4 Let your principal care be about practical fundamental points such as Faith Obedience a good Conscience how you may mortifie your special corruptions and crucifie the flesh with its affections and lusts study how you may live soberly in the use of the creature Religiously towards God Righteously and justly in all your dealings with the sons of men for if you do these things you shall never fall and that you may do them is and shall be the Prayer of him who is the weakest of all his Brethren and the meanest in his fathers house even From my study in Kings-Norton March 3. 1650. Your servant T. H. To the Lay-Preachers at Henly Warwick Aâ—lcester c. and to all their Factors Favourers Followers and Abettors c. Truth and Peace BRethren for so in the judgement of charity I cannot but call you though withal I must tell you that you are erring Brethren and such as are troubled with the Falling-sickness a disease very common in these last and worst times Had you faln forward you might have gained by your fall to fall backward is more dangerous as we see in old Eli who fell backward brake his neck and died But which is worst of all you are faln backward into one of the most dangerous paths that men can fall into viz. the way of the Anabaptists who are as * Histories tell us a turbulent Sect subverters of the very foundations of States viz. Magistracy and Ministery Satans factors his Seedsmen to sowe Errours and Heresies in the Nations and how fruitfull they have been in this kind we have sad experience amongst us Heresie is of a spreading nature sowe but a few Tares and they quickly overspread the whole field with fair words and fine speeches they deceive the siâ—ple with plaistred words they parget over the matter like the Whore of Babylon that hath a golden cup to hold out to her followers And that the world may see I do them no wrong I shall present you with a Looking-glass collected out of approved Authors wherein you may clearly see the wrinkles and deformities the deliriums and delusions of that deluded Sect that by their fall we may learn to tremble and fear lest we also be tempted and led away with the errours of the wicked A Looking-Glass for Anabaptists THeir first Tenent is That Infant-Baptism is a childish needless thing and that none must be baptized til he come to a perfect Age and can make a confession of his faith That Infant-Baptism came from the Pope and the Devil 2. That all Gifted-persons may preach without Ordination 3. That God reveals his will not onely by the written Word but also by Dreams and * Visions which they beleeve more then the Word They deny all consequences from Scripture though never so clear requiring express Syllabical Scripture 4. That the Saints in this life are pure without spot and need not use that Petition Forgive us our sins 5. No man can with a good conscience exercise the office of a Magistrate under the New Testament 6. They are rigid Seperatists they seperate themselves from all Reformed Churches 7. They are tumultuous They raised tumults in Germany and filled it with the fire of Sedition to the loss of six hundred thousand men saith Alsteed Their doctrine being seditious their lives are answerable God punisheth unmortified ungodly lives with base and loose Opinions 8. They deny Original sin to be in Infants that so they might overthrow Baptism 9. They hold Free-will by nature in spiritual things 10. That a man may have more wives then one 11. That cloaths discover sin therefore they being as perfect and pure as Adam in his innocency ought to go naked 12. That Christ died intentionally for all 13. No Christian ought with a safe conscience take an Oath nor by Oâ—th promise fidelity to a Mâ—gistrate 14. That a Christian cannot with a safe conscience possess any thing proper to himself but he must let all be common 15. That wives of a contrary Religion may be put away and then 't is lawful to take others 16. Universities Humane Arts and Learning they cry down as needless They burnt all books save the Bible 17. That 't is unlawful to go to Law 18. Wars are unuseful or any use of the Sword 19. That Preaching Praying Sacraments singing of Psalms and all Ordinances are Legal The Spirit is all 20. The Magistrate must compell none in matters of Religion but must tolerate all 21. That the Father son and Holy Ghost are not Three distinct Persons and in Essence one God 22. That the soul sleepes when it parts from the body and neither goes to heaven or Hell till the day of Judgement and that the souls of men are but terrestrial vapours like the life of beasts perishing with the body 23. That Christ hath removed the Law and now the pure Gospel is our onely Rule 24. The Old Testament is abrogate and useless and at least they prefer their New Lights before the Gospel 25. That the Saints are freed by Christ from all Laws Covenants Vowes Paying of Tythes or Debts 26. After Rebaptization they cannot sin 27 We may dissemble our Religion deny Christ before men so we keep the truth in our hearts God delights not in our blood nor requires that we die for the Truth 28 The Scripture is to be turned into Allegories 29. Heaven and Hell are nowhere but within a man 30. They give a Supream and Independent power in â—ll Ecclesiastical causes and Censures to their
the womans solicitations and inticiâ—g to whom he yeelded ex amicabile quadam benevolentiâ out of a loving and indulgent affection towards her c. as a very reverend Divine hath well observed Taking upon her to be a Teacher at first she became a Seducer and undid all her posterity hence she is suspended from Publike teaching for ever The eleventh Objection 1. Cor. 16. 15 16. The house of Stephanas addicted themselves to the Ministery of the Saints c. Hence the Anabaptists ignorantly gather that a man may call himself to Preaching and needs no ordinary Call to the Ministery A. 1 It doth not appear that the house of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} were Ministers and Preachers but rather Deacons and Church-Officers who did serve and administer to the necessities of the Saints in collecting and distributing alms for their support and to this end they freely gave up themselves as being lawfully called to that ministery and service 〈◊〉 to the service of the Saints they were not compelled or hired to it but which was their glory they chearfully and spontaneously gave themselves to the the service of the Saints to succour the poor to harbour strangers and exiles to attend the sick and languishing Saints c. 2. Take it which way yo please either for the service of the Ministery or of the Presbytery or Deaconship still this is the sun that they being lawfully called did freely give up themselves to the service Those Anabaptists the fire-brands of Societies as one rightly stiles them that make these Saints to call themselves do make the Scripture to contradict it self for it tells us No man may take this honour to himself without a Call Eph 4. II. Christ gave some Pastors c. they did not un of themselves c. Obj. The Apostle v. 16. commands them to submit themselves to such Ergo they were Gifted Preachers A Had you concluded herefore sure they were Gifted Officers you had hit the Nail on the head Had they been usurpers the Apostle would never have enjoyned subjection i. e. reverence and honour sutable to their Offices and submission to their pious admonitions and godly exhortations q. d they have spent themselves to further you and submitted themselves to the meanest for your good therefore do you spend your selves for them and submit your selves to all acts of love and kindnels for their good This submission must be mutual Eph. 5. 21 The twelfth Objection Heb. 5. 11 12. When for the time ye ought to have been Teachers c. Here say they the Apostle blames them because they were not all Teachers A. The fallacy lieth in the word Teachers there are two sorts of Teachers 1. Some are publike Teachers who teach as Officers authoritatively by vertue of a call Rom 12. 7. these Teachers must attend on Teaching Now the Apostle doth not blame them because they were not such Teachers for he blames women and children as well as men for being dull of hearing c. 2. Others are private persons who must teach in a private way and these the Apostle blames that when for the time they might have been to full of knowledge that they might have been Teachers of others in a private way by exhortation admonition counsel and reproof c. yet they had need of milk and to be taught their Catechism when considering the great means of knowledge which they had long enjoyed they might have been fit for stronger meat The thirteenth Objection 1 Pet. 2. 9. Ye are a Royal Priesthood Rev. 3. 1 0. and 1. 6. And hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall reign on earth Exod. 19. 6. All Priests must teach but all Believers are Priests Ergo all Beleevers may teach Answ. The fallacy lies in the word Priest We read in Scripture of two â—orts of Priests 1. Some were Priests by Office and these were to offer Sacrifice and teach the people c. these are called a â—ituall Priesthood this is swallowed up by the Priesthood of Christ 2. There is a Royal Priesthood proper to all Believers who are called Priests comparatively 1. The Priests the sons of Levi are said to come neer to God Deut. 21. 5. So Believers by saith have boldness and access of God and draw nigh to him 2. In respect of the Sacrifices they offer viz. Prayer and praise Psal. 116. 17. 2. Good works Heb. 13. 15. 16. 3. Themselves they must slaughter their sins and mortifie the old man and offer up their souls and bodies in sacrifice to God and so they are Kings spiritually because they raign over â—in and Satan 4. In respect of the common anointing Priests were anointed so all believers have an unction even the Spirit of God which shall lead them into all truth 1 Ioh. 2. 20. and being thus taught they may and must teach others privately according to their places and stations the way of the Lord but not publikely for then the whole body should be eye c. 2. A. I shall shew the weakness of this Argument per iaem thus The Office of a King is to Rule but every beleever is a King Ergo 〈◊〉 â—o ye not get into the Throne put on your Kingly Robes take state upon you ride on with King Iohn a Leyden the Taylor who had fifteen wives and at last came to hanging c. The fourteenth Objection 1 Pet. 4. 10 11. As every man hath received the 〈◊〉 even so minister the same one to another c. Every 〈…〉 the Talent which God hath given him Mat. 25. else Gâ—â— will take it from him and curse him Thus they argue All that have gifts must use them But many private men have gifts Ergo they must use them Answ. All that have gifts must use them true but where not ministerially and publikely for then many women who have excellent Gifts should be Preachers but privately in that sphere and place where God hath set him publick persons must use their Talent publickly and private persons by private instruction admonition and in their Families This place onely enjoyns every man to be helpful in his place according to the Gifts which God hath given him but are no command for Lay-men to turn Preachers Having spoken of the use of Gifts in general v. 11. he descends to two particulars v. 12. First to the gift of Prophesie Secondly the ministring according to our abilities The fifteenth Objection Revel. 11. 3. the two witnesses Prophesie not onely the Clergy but all the faithfull Answ. 1. Borrowed speeches make no grounded Arguments 2. These witnesses consisted both of Pastors and people the Pastors witnessed by publike preaching against Antichrist and private persons by making an open confession and profession of the truth against him and so many women were Martyrs yet no Preachers and this is that Peter commands 1 Pet. 3. 15. to be ready to