Lyars saith Jeremy chapter 50.36 And such this Angel here found these false Apostles Lyars such as not onely spake that which was false in it self but spake it knowingly with a minde to deceive Such properly are Lyars Lyars properly who Not every one that speaketh an untruth which true and honest men may doe unawares unwittingly against their wills who thereupon do not deserve this brand to bee called Lyars But when any shall do it knowingly and willingly animo fallendi with a purpose to deceive So did these false Apostles here in the Text They said they were Apostles which they were not and which they knew they were not and they did it purposely to deceive the people thereby to insinuate themselves into their affections to gain respect to their persons and entertainment to their false doctrines which they held forth Lying a foul crime Obs A foul crime Such is Lying So the spirit of God looked upon it whilst it reckoneth those who are habitually and customarily such among that cursed crew those abominable ones Murtherers Whoremongers Sorcerers Idolaters and all Lyars so you have them put together Rev. 21.8 and 22.15 and the same doom passed upon them as upon the other viz. that they shall have their part in the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Which not to dwell upon it let it make all who hear it wary Aplication Take heed of it lest upon the tryal they should be found in this number Lyars in any kinde Diverse kindes of Lyars and Lying we meet with 〈◊〉 Scripture Three kinds of Lyes and Lying Three most observable 1. There is a Civil Lye such as is used too often in bargaining A civil Lye in Contracts and other affairs of this life which some distinguish into a Jocose and a serious Lye a merry and a very Lye a Lye in Jest and a Lye in earnest The latter of which they sub-divide into a Noxious and Officious Lye which last they give allowance to An officious Lye which is made in favour of others for their help or benefit But even this Lye however it hath a mask put upon the face of it carrying a shew of honesty and Charity An officious Lye not to be allowed because it is beneficiall to our neighbour without any wrong or detriment it may be to any yet indeed and in truth it is no more allowable then the former Being against the Commandment of God which forbiddeth a lie to be told in what cafe soever Surely if a man may not tell a lye or talk deceitfully for God which Job sharply reproves in his friends Job 13.7 much less then may he tell a Lye for his neighbour Truth is a precious this 〈◊〉 weighing down what ever can 〈◊〉 in the ballance against it Whereupon the Wise man forbiddeth to part with it upon any termes Buy the truth but sell it not Prov. 23.23 O take heed Christians that none of you who professe your selves to be of the truth as Saint John speaketh of sincere Christians 1 John 3.19 the true children of that God who is the God of truth the true disciples of Christ who stiles himself the Truth John 14.6 be found lyars in this kinde Knowing that you must be tryed though happily not by man here whom you may deceive yet by God hereafter who cannot be deceived Whose judgement being according to truth as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 2.2 he will certainly then find out those that are Lyars 2. There is an Hypocritical lye An hypocritical lye A counrerfeit profession of Religion when men have onely that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that outward form of godliness as the Apostle calleth it 2 Tim. 3.5 When faith and repentance and other Graces are dissembled Of this lying speaketh Saint John 1 Epist 1.6 If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darknesse professe union and communion with God and Jesus Christ and yet go on in sinfull wayes and courses we lye Such lyars were Judas and Demas Ananias and Saphira Such were the Scribes and Pharisees whom our Saviour fitly compares to painted Tombs upon this account denouncing a woe against them Mat. 23.27 28. Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for ye are like unto whited sepulchres which indeed are beautiful outwardly but within are full of dead mens bones and all uncleannesse Even so ye outwardly appear righteous unto men but within ye are full of hypocrisie and iniquity And such are all Hypocrites who professe and appear to be what they are not having fair faces but foul hearts lyars all Now take heed again that none of you be found in this number knowing and remembring that there will come a day of Tryal Such shall that last day be when all must appear before the judgement seat of Christ to receive according to that which they have done in the body whether it bee good or evil as the Apostle tells us in the second Epistle to the Corinthians the fifth chapter verse 10. Now that day will bee a day of Revelation the Revelation of the righteous judgement of God as the same Apostle calls it in his Epistle to the Romanes chapter 2. verse 5. Then shall all maskes and disguizes bee pulled off and all shall appear to bee what in truth they were All standing naked before the Tribunal of Jesus Christ O take heed that none of you then bee found Lyars Which if you shall bee O what shame and confusion will then cover your faces Then must you look for no other but the Lyars portion to bee shut out with Dogs as the Text hath it in the Revelations chapter 22. verse 15. to have your part in that Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Thirdly There is an Heretical Lye An heretical Lye a falshood in matter of Christian Doctrine when some Doctrine is held forth contrary to the Word Of this lye speaketh Saint John in his first Epistle chapter 2. verse 21. No lye is of the Truth calling the Teachers or maintainers thereof Lyars Who is a lyar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ so it followeth in verse 22. Now take heed also that none of you be found amongst these lyars These Lyars to bee avoided To which end avoid those that are so and found to bee so This will men do by those who are found to be Cheaters setting forth false wares to sale or minting of false and counterfeit Coyn not of the right stamp or mettal all will take heed of them no man will trust them And so deal you by False Teachers Many of which of late times have been Tryed by the Angels of the Churches the true and faithfull Ministers of Christ in this Nation whom as I said Christ hath made Tryers by Office and they have been found by them lyars so declared and proved by their Preaching and Writing no better then Cheaters holding forth false dangerous and pernitious Doctrines
THE False-Teacher TRIED and CAST. A subject vseful at all times and but too seasonable for the present By John Brinsley Minister of the Gospel at Great Yarmouth LONDON Printed by J. T. for Thomas Newberry in Cornhil neer to the Royal Exchange 1658. To all the truly well-affected and well-meaning Souls in the Town of Great Yarmouth who are not willing to be deceived in matters of greatest concernment Dearly beloved in the Lord PAssing along through this Chapter as I have done the former in a weeke dayes Exercise I fell with this Text wherein meeting with a subject but two seasonable for the present times and I wish I might not say for this place I have not unwillingly given way to somewhat more then usual inlargements And what the Lord hath so given in to me I now present unto you Wherein you have onely another stroke given to the same nail that was sometimes since fastened by a * The false Apostle tried and discovered by Mr. William Bridge master of the neighbouring Assembly The Lord grant that it may so enter and stick in your hearts as that there may not be any door there left open to let in them whom you are forbiden to receive into your * 2 John 10. Houses Of this sort some and too many have crept in already among you And if like liberty be still indulged I may without any Prophetical spirit tell you you must expect yet more and those more dangerous What your duty in reference to them is you have here held forth The Lord make you truly and conscientiously wise in the discharge of it To whose grace commending you I rest One desirous to watch for your souls John Brinsley Yarmouth Aug. 10.1657 THE FALSE-TEACHER Tryed and Cast Revel 2.2 And thou hast tryed them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them lyars IN this Division of the Context and the following verse we have the commendation which the Son of man the Lord Jesus giveth of and to the Angel the Minister or Ministers of the Church of Ephesus which commendation we have here first propounded then expounded Propounded in the former part of this verse 1. In a general way I know thy works then in particular instancing in some of those works which he took such special notice of which were three his Labor his Patience his Zeal shewed in not bearing with those that were evil Then expounded in the sequel Explanat singuli quasi retro vâ—stigia legens Pare in Text. where he again toucheth upon each of these three particulars Onely in a reirograde way inverting the order according to the custom of the Hebrews which we often meet with in Scripture beginning first with the last 1. Shewing how and wherein this Angel had expressed his zeal in not bearing with those which were evil viz. in his proceeding against false Apostles false teachers whom upon the Tryal he had found to be lyars And thou hast tryed them c. Secondly What his patience was and wherein he had shewed it viz. In bearing much from those whom he could not bear with And hast born and hast patience verse 3. Thirdly What his labour was even an unwearied indeavour of doing service to God and his Church And for my name sake hast laboured and hast not fainted It is the first of these I have now to deal with And hast tryed Wherein we have two things declared 1. Parts of the Text. whom and what What evil ones those were which this Angel was so zealous against could not bear And 2. What he did to them What evil ones the false Apostles Them which say they are Apostles and are not What he did to them He tryed and convicted them Thou hast tryed them and found them lyars Upon these look we severally by way of Explication 1. Part 1 The persons dealt with The Persons whom this Angel could not bear Them which say they are Apostles but are not Such there were some and those not a few in those proto-primitive and Apostolical times Strange that there should be so yet so there were As in the times of the Prophets there were false Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so in the times of the Apostles there were false Apostes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the Apostles word 2 Cor. 11.13 For such are false Apostles Ques And what were these false Apostles Answ What true Apostles were False Apostle what we know such as were immediately sent by Christ to preach the Gospel to the whole world Of this sort were the twelve who received their Commission from their Lord Master Christ whil'st he was with them upon earth to whom afterwards was added Matthias who was substituted in the room of Judas And such was Paul who received the like immediate Commission from Christ himself being in heaven These were true Apostles who being thus called answered their calling by preaching of the true Gospel And from hence we may learn what those false Apostles were Which were of two sorts as the false prophets also were and as Tyrants are said to be False apostles of two sorts Titulo Exercitio Some in respect of their calling onely others in respect of their Doctrine also First 1. In respect of their Calling Some in respect of their calling such as said they were Apostles but were not Such as pretended to an immediate Commission from Christ that they were immediately called and sent by him as the true Apostles were when as they were not so in truth Such were those whom Saint Paul there speaketh of in that Text last cited Pseudoapostolos istos voc at non ut ego quidem opinor quod salsam aliquam doctrinam sparsissent c. Bez. Gr. Annot. in Loc. 2 Cor. 11.13 False Apostles so called as Beza and others conceive of it not in regard of any false Doctrine which as yet they had preached but in regard of their false-Title the false claim which they made to that Office They pretended themselves to be Apostles And the more to win upon the belief of the people they carried themselves like Apostles transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ as it there followeth imitating them both in Doctrine and life which they did as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they are there described deceitful workers out of a by and sinister respect not seeking Christ but themselves not his glory or the salvation of his people but their own temporal advantage Even as Satan the prince of darkness is sometimes transformed into an angel of light as the Apostle there goeth on vers 14. suggesting things vvhich seem to savour of piety and zeal and holinesse as if the motion proceeded from a holy and blessed angel whereas he intendeth nothing less but under that pretence to deceive poor simple souls So did those false apostles They pretended themselves to be the Apostles of Christ and they held forth his Doctrine so imitating
without suspicion upon this Account then Teachers are to be tryed There being so many false Teachers and many of them so subtile great is the danger of being deceived 2. Reas 2 And secondly as great danger in being deceived The danger in being deceived by them As it is in drinking of poison there is great danger to the Body so there is in receiving and drinking in heretical doctrines which are no other but poison to the soul what the Psalmist Heresie the Poyson of Aspes and from him the Apostle saith of wicked men in general Psal 140.3 Rom. 3.13 It may well be applied to Heretical Teachers in particular The poison of aspes is under their lips The poison of the Aspe or viper is secretly instilled without any great sense or pain yet desperately mortal to the person that is bitten or stung by it who being thereby cast into a dead sleep he never waketh more And truely such is the nature of false and heretical doctrine it is secretly and insensibly instilled into the soul but oftentimes proves mortal to it casting the soul into a dead sleep from which it never wakes till it come in hell So desperate oftimes is the conditions of poor deluded souls Like as the Apostle saith of the Seducers 2 Tim. 3.13 so it proves often true in the seduced They wax worse and worse going on from one error to another from a lesser to a greater from Schisme to Heresie A truth sadly experimented in many instances in this Nation of late times How many seemingly and hopefully well meaning souls have there been who by hearkening to such Teachers false Teachers have been so impoisoned with their Doctrines as that now they are swollen thereby so swollen with spiritual pride the worst of prides as that they refuse and scorn the advice of whatsoever soul-Physians the true Ministers of Christ so as unless God undertake them in a more then ordinary way there is little hope of their recovery Such and so great is the danger in being deceived by such Teachers So our first parent The serpents deceiving our first parent how dangerous to her and her posterity our great Grandmother Eve found it by sad experience Being deceived by Satan speaking in the Serpent she was in the transgression as the Apostle hath it 1 Tim. 2.14 Thereby she became guiltie of that first transgression which had not infinite mercy stept in had brought everlasting ruine upon her and all her Posteritie And how fatal hath this proved to many others their hearkning to Satan speaking in and by unsuspected instruments we know what happened to King Ahab whilest he hearkned to his false prophets following the Counsel which they gave him bidding him to go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper an arrow strikes him between the joynts of his harness giving him a mortal wound as you have the storie 1 King 22.32 And what happened to his Body how often hath it happened unto the souls of many who by hearkening unto false teachers have met with some Errors some Heresie some dangerous and damnable Doctrine which hath been as an Arrow piercing their hearts giving them a deadly wound and upon this account again great Reason that Teachers should be tryed before they be trusted To these some other might be added Reas 3 Christians beleeving without trying make themselves the servants of men To receive and believe teachers upon their word to receive their Persons and believe their Doctrine without examination and tryal is to make men the servants of men which Christians ought not to be ye are bought with a price saith the Apostle be not ye the servants of men 1 Cor. 7.23 Christians being bought with a price redeemed with the precious blood of Jesus Christ as Saint Peter explaines it 1 Pet. 1.18 19. and so made his servants his freemen they are not to mancipate and inslave themselves to any other what ever specially to inslave their souls and consciences so as to suffer any man whatever to have the command over them This is that which Saint Paul so smartly reproves his Corinthians for 2 Cor. 11.20 Ye suffer if a man bring you into bondage This did the false Apostles their new teachers tyrannizing over their consciences by imposing upon them their Ceremonial observances And this they suffered submitted to though contrary to their Gospel libertie Such was their esteem of those new Teachers that they readily received their Doctrines and conformed to their injunctions though diverse from and contrarie to that which they had received But this Christians ought not to do Being Christs freemen they are not to inslave themselves to any so as to yield an absolute credence to their Doctrines and dictates This is an honour which is peculiar onely unto Jesus Christ who being an absolute Lord over his people justly challengeth their absolute dependance upon him and obedience to him so as to receive his word without Tryal Not so any other who be what they will yet are subject to miscarry Let God be true and every man a Lyar saith the Apostle Rom. 3.4 A Lyar and that both passively and actively subject to be deceived himself and so to deceive others Such are the best of men being left to themselves farther then as they are assisted and directed by the spirit of truth Onely Jefus Christ he is the truth as he saith of himself John 14.6 And being so he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be believed on his word Not so any other whether Man or Angel Not that we have dominion over your Faith saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 1.24 They are not to be received but upon tryal They who said they were apostles were yet tryed by this angel of the Church who is here commended by his Lord and master for so doing I know thy works c. Thou hast tryed them which say they are apostles c. Thus have you the doctrinal confirmation Illustration That which remains is Application 1. Applic. Too great credulty taxed Where in the first place by way of reprehension I might take a just occasion to tax and censure the too great credulitie that is to be found among many Christians in this Nation at this day who if any come unto them pretending to gifts and calling they presently receive him hearken to him believe him giving intertainment to his person and doctrine not trying not examining the one or the other By which means they become guiltie of that which the Apostle cautions his Ephesians against Eph. 4.14 Children-like they are tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine yea some of them carried like as those swine were into which the devils entred of which the storie tels us that they ran violently down a steep place into the sea Mat. 8.32 into most pernicious dangerous and damnable errors And how should it be otherwise They who will trust without trial must make account at one time or other to be deceived
Which that none of you may be 2. Use 2 Christians exhorted to try Teachers By way of exhortation in the second place let me desire you to propound this Angel as a pattern for your imitation See that you try before you trust This will you do in matters of civil concernment How much more then in spirituals in things which concern the welfare of your souls your eternal salvation Herein you cannot be too wary And therefore take heed what Teachers you hearken to Yea though haply they be of great name and note much cryed up by many what ever their parts and gifts be yea what ever their life and conversation be yet do not so far make your selves servants to any of them as to pinne your faith upon their sleeve be not over credulous especially if they be such as these in the Text such as pretending to an extraordinary calling shall hold forth new doctrines such as the Church of God hath not been acquainted with Now bee jealous of them fearing what you have just cause to do that they are not what they pretend to be They say they are Apostles but are not Therefore bring them to the trial A thing which Christ himself commendeth Argument 1 A thing commended So he doth in this angel here among whose good works hee reckons up this for one his trial of such Thou hast tried them which say they are apostles and are not This tended to his praise Now this is one of the things which the Apostle willeth Christians to have an eye unto Phil. 4.8 If there be any vertue any praise any thing truly praiseworthy from men much more if commended by God think on these things so think of them as to do them Now were there no other Argument this alone should be sufficient to induce Christians to this practice doing this in a conscientious way with a respect to the honour of Jesus Christ which questionlesse this Angel here did for the asserting and vindicating of his name and truth whatever they meet with from men they shall have his approbation and commendation But secondly Argument 2 Commanded this is not onely commended but also commanded Those forenamed Texts are expresse being not onely counsels but precepts Try the spirits whether they be of God Prove all things So as this is not onely a Liberty but a duty a thing not onely expedient but requisite not onely what may be done but must be done Teachers especially if suspitious they must be tryed Quest But who shall try them and How shall they try them Two useful questions Take the resolution of each 1. Quest 1 Who shall be the tryers of these teachers Who are to try them Answ 1 Answ 1 To this I answer First Generally all Christians Generally all Christians To them are those forenamed exhortations directed of trying of spirits and proving all things General Lessons for all Christians who being spiritual are made judges of all things So 1 Cor. 2.15 He that is spiritual judgeth all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spiritual man not the Pope to whom some of his Parasites apply that Text. Nor yet onely the Clergy as they have been called the Ministers of the Gospel to whom custom in former ages hath appropriated that Title calling them spiritual persons in way of distinction from the so called Laity But every Christian who is enlightened and regenerated by the spirit of God He is this spiritual man who judgeth all things understanding and discerning the truth of God so much as concerneth his own salvation And being thus qualified he not onely may but ought to exercise this his judgement upon those whoever they are that bring doctrines contrary to or diverse from that truth trying them This are private Christians to do according to those abilities that measure of the spirit of discerning which God hath given them But Secondly Ans 2 This are the Ministers of Christ after a more special manner to do Specially the Angels of the Churches the ministers of Christ As it is in trying of gold if any pieces be suspicious every one before hee receiveth them will try them for himself having his scales for that purpose but the Gold-smith doth this after a more exact manner having not onely his scales for the weight but his touch-stone for the mettal Thus though all Christians are to try suspicious teachers doctrines yet the Ministers of Christ are to do it after a special manner Ministers Tryers by office they being tyrers by Office Such were the Apostles in their times Such were the Apostles and Evangelists who exercised this power upon divers trying and discovering them to bee what in truth they were nothing lesse then what they pretended So did Simon Peter upon Simon Magus the father of Hereticks as he is called a broacher and maintainer of divers blasphemous and damnable Heresies Peter tryeth and discovereth him to be what in truth he was not what he gave out himself to be and was by many taken for as you have the story Acts 8.21.23 And the like did Paul to Hymeneus and Alexander whom as he saith he delivered to Satan that they might learn not to blaspheme 1 Tim. 1. last proceeding against them by Ecclesiastical censures for the Heresie which they held forth in denying the Resurrection of the dead to whom Philetus also as it seemeth was joined whom upon the same account he taketh notice of 2 Tim. 2.18 19. And what himself did he willeth his Evangelist Timothy also to doe the like If a man teach otherwise saith he to him 1 Tim. 6.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preaching other doctrine then that which the Church had already received from Christ and his Apostles and consent not to wholesom words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godliness from such saith he withdraw thy self have no communion with them whether Ecclesiastical or Fraternal but look upon them as they are as contagious persons not fit for Christian societie And the like he requires from Titus A man that is an Heretick after the first and second admonition reject Tit. 3.10 Thus did Paul set himself against the whole generation of false teachers willing all the Ministers of Christ in a special manner to do the like This did our Apostle and Evangelist Saint John whose zeal against that infamous Heretick Cerinthus is famous with whom he would not so much as enter into the Bath least the houses should fall on his head Vide Danaeum in August de Heres Chap. 8. and at whom he is conceived to strike as elsewhere in his Gospel in his first chapter so in those two places of his first Epistle 1 John 2.22 and 4.3 And the like did this angel here in the Text the minister or ministers of this Church of Ephesus To him or them it is that this commendation is here given for dealing with these false apostles
due consideration of his fitness for that work that one Ceremonie Imposition of hands being by a Synecdoche put for the whole action of Ordination And so it hath been continued generally through the Churches of Christ unto this day Now then would we try a false teacher make trial of the calling which he pretends unto whether Extraordinarie or ordinarie Extraordinary Calling attended with Extraordinary Gifts 1. Extraordinarie Such a calling many since the Apostles times have layed claim to pretending an immediate call from God the like to that which the Apostles had of which kind there are not a few creeping abroad in the world at this day Now how shall they be tried why by their Gifts An Extraordinarie calling is attended with extraordinarie gifts So was the Apostles calling it was attended with the gift of tongues Illiterate men speaking the most learned Languages And with the gift of working miracles Thus Paul asserts vindicates the truth of his Apostleship 2 Cor. 12.12 Truely saith he speaking to his Corinthians among whom happily there were some that questioned his calling the signes of an Apostle were wrought among you in all patience in signes and wonders and mighty deeds miraculous works by which he might be certainly known to be no less an Apostle then any of the twelve So then shall any pretend to such a call an immediate and extraordinary calling make enquirie for their Gifts their Works This was the Jews enquirie concerning Christ when they saw him take upon him that authoritie which he did to alter customs of long continuance to reform and rectifie what the Sanhedrim the great Counsel and the rest of the Priests tolerated What signe shewest thou unto us say they seeing thou doest these things John 2.18 Hence they conclude surely he held himself to be a Prophet and thereupon they require him to give some signe of it to evidence that his extraordinary calling by some extraordinary works Thus were the Prophets of God ordinarily wont to evidence the truth of their calling The case of John Baptist ex traordinary Ordinarily I say though not alwayes For we read of John the Baptist to whom our Saviour giveth Testimonie that he was a Prophet yea more then a prophet Mat. 11.9 that is an excellent and extraordinary Prophet being the Herald of Christ as the next verse setteth him forth yet he wrought no miracles So saith that Text John 10.41 John did no miracle But thus ordinarily it was That John being a Prophet should not work miracles the Jewes looked upon it as an unwonted thing This the other prophets before him usually had done Yea and John himself however hee wrought no such miraculous works as casting out of devils raising the dead restoring sight to the blinde Yet he did that which was equivalent he foretold many things all which accordingly came to passe So the Jewes there take notice of it in the words following All things that John spake of this man of Christ were true the event verified all his predictions Now let those who pretend to the like vocation to an extraordinary calling to be the Messengers of God of Christ sent by him in an immediate way let them shew some such evidences extraordinary gifts Otherwise without any breach of charitie they may bee suspected nay concluded to be what these pretended Apostles here were found to be no other but Lyars This for the extraordinary calling 2. 2. Ordinary calling tryal For the Ordinary such as pretend to it let them be examined and tried by their qualification and separation 1 By due qualification 1. For their qualification whether they be indued with Ministerial abilities and gifts Thus it is those whom God calleth to an Office he furnisheth them with sutable abilities for the discharge of it Thus calling Saul to be King it is said He gave him another heart 1 Sam. 10.9 endowing him with heroical gifts and parts fit for the Government of his Kingdom And thus sending Moses to Pharaoh he promiseth to be with his mouth and to teach him what he should say to make him fluent and eloquent who naturally was slow and stammering as he there saith of himself Exod. 4.10 11. And Isay being called to be a Prophet hath his lips touched with a living coal from the Altar a figure of the gift of the Holy Ghost fitting him for that service Isay 6.7 And thus the Apostles though before as I said illiterate fishermen yet being called to that Office they were endued with gifts sutable thereunto And so is it with all ordinary Ministers and Teachers If called of God they are also gifted by him Though not all alike There being diversities of gifts as the Apostle tels us 1 Cor. 12.4 Diversities both for kinde and measure and that of Ministerial Gifts To one is given by the spirit the word of wisdom to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit as the eighth verse there hath it so as one excelleth in Doctrine another in Application the former more properly the Doctors the latter the Pastors work as Diodate there expounds it Yet so as every one hath a ministerial gift fitting him for the work to which he is called The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall saith the verse there foregoing verse 7. To every one that is called to any publick service in the Church there is some gift given whereby the Holy-Ghost sheweth it self in him rendring him in some kind useful and serviceble for the good and benefit of the comunity where there is no such gift to be found let not such a one be looked upon as a Minister of Christ sent by him Here is the first thing to be enquired for in a Teacher a Ministerial Qualification 2. 2 A warrantable separation The 2d is a warrantable separation a seting a part to the work Thus was Paul separated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he saith of himself Rom. 1.1 Paul a servant of Jesus Christ called to be an Apostle separated unto the gospel of God So he was Intentionally in Gods destination and appointment from his mothers womb as he tells his Galatians chap. 1.15 yea from Eternity in Godseverlasting Predestination designing him for the service but actually set a part thereunto by the command of the Holy-Ghost at what time he was sent to preach the gospel unto the Gentiles of which we read Act. 13.2 As they ministered unto the Lord and fasted the Holy Ghost said separate mee Barnabas and Saul unto the work whereunto I have called them Which in what way it was done the next verse declareth And when they had fasted and prayed Ordinarily done by Imposition of hands and layd their hands on them they sent them away Such was the manner of Primitive Ordination which the Church of God in after ages hath observed by fasting and prayer and Imposition of hands to set a part the Ministers of Christ unto the service of