of them and the Lord is among them wherefore then lift you up your selves above the Congregation of the Lord Numb 163 Nor could I ever yet hear of any thing more eminent among them than is error and confusion who have taken qualifications to give Commission Alas this must needs break the unity and blast the purity of the Churches quickly N 1. It must needs break the unity of the Chuâ—ches a blessing how desirable in it self and how dear to our Saviour if nothing but fitness and forwardness bee requisite to make an Officer or Minister Wo to the Common-wealth of this Israel If every one that had ability had therefore authority too If every one that probably is or presumeth himself to be fit for such or such an Office were thereby put into it and must be so obeyed or if every one who is qualified for must bee therefore counted a Judge Justice yea or but a Constable Hath God provided against such intrusions upon civill Offices and will he permit it in sacred Taken such care in order to the accord and quiet of the Common wealth and hath he thrown it by with respect to his Church which is so much dearer to him than are all the Societies in the world beside Who would be ruled if but to presume our selvs qualified would make us rulers either in Church or State Surely this would make the militant Church like that military body where qualifications to command were a commission for a Company The Church should have all Officers and no Souldiers quickly and if it did not run with such an army into blood and confusion yet would soon and surely run with it into bitternesse and contentions ' He that can secure me the peace and unity of that Kingdome where every one that is fit may be thereby supreme or of that County wheâ—â— every one that is fit may be thereby Sheriffe or but of that Corporation where every one that is fit may be thereby Major shall be with me a none-such among men and may perswade if any that the beauty and harmony of the Churches of Jesus may be preserved too wherein every one that judgeth himself fit is thereby made a Minister and Officer Let me add â—his if Ministers are not Officers * the Church hath none For who else can shew me so clear evidences And if men may bee bold with this Office in the Church to invest themselves with it and to execute at pleasure why they should be backward to or baulk any other Office I know not For this of all others is most sacred and most circumscribed And if all Offices lye in common where shall we look for the Churches Concord Ah Sirs have wee read the 12 to the Romans from the the 3 to the 9 or the 1 Cor. 12 And can we think our blessed head and Master in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and kindnesse so remisse about conferring Offices and so regardlesse of the Churches concord as this amounts to What! are there so many unities and all with respect had to the Church One body and one spirit even as they are called in one hope of their calling one Lord one faith one baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in them all Eph. 4.5 6. Lo therefore Christ hath given Pastours and Teachers names of Office verse 8 11. that they may keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace verse 3. and that till we all come in the unity of the faith c. ver 13. N. 2. This will blast the purity of the Churches too and let in what not that is destructive to verity and the power of Godlinesse If our stiâ—ring times have not given sufficient testimonie to this sad truth I know not what times ever did or shall What through uncalled Preachers and uncatechised hearers Oh! the havock and convulsions that are made in the Churches of Jesus And indâ—ed who can expect but that those who will vainly or violently enter upon the Ministery without Ordination shall likewise venturously employ themselves in it without observation Witnesse those false teachers whereof Peter tells vs. 2 Peter Chapter 2. and Jude from the fourth to the twentieth verse Who may or how can wee expect other than unsetlednesse in the love of the Gospell and unsoundnesse in the life of godlinesse from that man or men who shake off the order of the Gospell Surely they that heap to themselvs teachers walk but after their own lusts therein and have it ching ears turned from the truth and unto fables 2 Tim. 4.3 4. And therefore whether they that make themselvs teachers are like to walk in the law of God and to lead you in the ways of that truth which is according to godlinesse judg ye What lesse can be said than this That measuring themselvs by themselves and comparing themselvs among themselvs they are not wise and if the premisses be considered how wicked Sect. 3. It 's for the beartning and comfort of such teachers that beside qualifications they shall have the Office committed to them their comfortable incouragement much conducing to the credit and interesse of that King Jesus whose Embassadours they are Sirs the duties difficulties and discouragements of Ministers how various are they how involved And alas what sorry things are our best qualifications to support us without the strong aid of that grace which sets before us the benefit of our Commission to stay and cheer our hearts Who of us my brethren but must confess with Paul that wee are not sufficient of our selvs so much as to think any thing as of our selvs Where then is our sufficiencie and what is our support Our sufficiency is of God who also hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament 2 Cor 3.5 6. That God who hath made us Ministors is the spring head of our sufficiencies in the discharge and exercise of our Ministry and that God hath made us Ministers is the stay and basis of our hopes in all the difficult emergencies of our Ministry * See 2 Tim. 1.11 12. That our God hath sent us is the stablishing consideration against all despondencies and discouragements that he will supply strengthen secure and work all our works in us and for us And Lo by this it is that God would have us to chide down our fears and to keep up our faith I sanctified thee saith he to Jeremie and I ordained thee a Prophet unto the Nations Doth Jeremie say Aâ— Lord God! I am a child behold I cannot speak Ay but hear what the Lord saith unto Jeremy say not 〈◊〉 am a child for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak Be not affraid of their faces for I am with thee to deliver thee saith the Lord Behold I have made thee a defenced City c. Jer. 1.5 6 7 8 18 19. An beloved God doth
Reader had'st thou seen the publick tears that were bled forth at the eyes or heard the passionate throws that were breathed â—orth from the hearâ—s by one of those â—â—â—vâ—nts of Christ that were now solemnly set apart That ever he should preach so many sermons without a solemn sending forth and to which he could see no promise of successe c. It could not but have made some impression upon thy heart as it did upon mine and many others I shall detain thee no longer but to deliver my own soul in the words of Zealous and Studious Baxter * First sheet for the Ministry p. 14. Christian Reader as ever thou wouldst be sanctified confirmed and saved hold fast to Christ Scripture Ministry and Spirit and that in the Church Communion of Saints and abhor the thoughts of separating each from other And to declare my sense of the same truth in the same terms with holy and humble Dr. Sibbs * Epistle to the Reader before P. Bayns on â—he Ephefianst now in heaven I speak not as if way were to be given to Voâ—stian lawless licentious liberty 〈◊〉 prophesying that every one as soon 〈◊〉 he is big of some new conceit shonâ— bring forth his abortive monster Fâ—â— thus the pillars of Christian faiâ—â— would soon be shaken the Church 〈◊〉 God which is an house of order wouâ—â— become a Babel an house of confusioâ— The doleful issues of which pretendeâ— liberty we see in Polonia Transylvaâ—nia and in Countries neerer hand Reader the doleful issues which we seâ— in England let us sigh over spreaâ— before the Lord in whom Irest Thy soul-friend JOHN NORMAN CHRIST'S Commission-Officer OR AN Ordination-Sermon 2 Timothie 2.2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses the same commit thou to faithfull men who shall be able to teach others also THese two Epistles of Timothy and the next to Titus what are they but Paul's Directory for the regular continuance and reverend carriage of the Gospel-Ministry Two things he infisleâ—h upon principally The investituâ—e of some with the Office of Ministers the imployment of such in this Office How and on whom Timothy and Titus shall confer it and how themselves and those should carry themselves in it what was their part for delegating men to the Ministry and what must be their own and others part and demeanour in the Ministry These things are very accurately and abundantly interspersed Lo it is not enough without further preface that Timothy in these and Titus in the next Epistle look how they do comport themselvs but they must commit this sacred trust to others the necessity of the Ministry is so eminent and this with the best-sighted caution and most studious circumspection the nature of the Ministry is likewise so excellent This this beloved much reverenced which is the end of your present convention is Paul's charge and must be Timothie's care in this verse The things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses the same commit thou c. Four things wust be here briefly enquired into 1. The matters or things which are to bee committed 2. The manner how 3. The man by whom 4. The men to whom these things are to bee committed First what are the things which Timothy must commit Paul tells him The things that thou hast heard of me the same commit thou But whether those which hee had heard from Paul publickly and openly in his preaching or more particularly those at his own ordination when hee was put into the Ministry by Paul a) 2 Tim. 1.6 together with the Presbytery b) 1 Tim. 4.14 be the chief or only things in our Apostles eye it is not expressed The ensuing words bespeak the last at least partly if not principally intended Timothy it is plain is not only charged in these Epistles with teaching others but with ordaining teachers And no doubt but with committing unto others the Office to teach he is to commit such Gospel-truths by teaching as shall be of best and most inserviency to their holy and happy conduct throughout the difficulties and discharge of their office of Teachers A point of easie observation and eminent use which could not probably be omitted at the Apostles Ordination of Timothy that hath obtained well-nigh an universall concurrence at every Ordination since Secondly but how must Timothy commit these things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It would be little other than a wast of precious time and of your patience to produce the severall Scriptures in which or purposes to which this word is used There are but two senses I humbly conceive that can with any probability bee tendered here viz. Either that Timothy commit these things to others in way of doctrine only by teaching and opening these things to them or in way of delegation also and speciall trust as the word is often used c) 1 Tim. 1 18. cum 2 Tim. 1.14 Lu. 12 48. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The ophylactus hoc discrimen constituit in verbis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Illud accipit de miraculoruÌ„ doni boc verò de Minillerio vi deâ—plura apud Bezam ad loc Leigh Crit. sac ad verbum trusting these things with them as Officers who are to teach others and must therefore be a depository and treasure-house of divine truths for others This latter sense which eminently taketh in the committing of the Office to teach is that which to me seems most especially in our Apostles design and purpose for these two reasons Because 1. This most openly corresponds not only to the subject in hand but to the scope of the whole both Epistles being to direct Timothy especially about publick Ordinances and Officers how he shall Ordain Officers and how these and himself shall order the affairs of their Office 2. This hath the most obvious if not the only countenance from the Characters given us of the men to whom Timothy is to commit these things which are immediately subjoined For if Timothy were to commit these things to them only in way of doctrinal teaching what need or use was there of so severe a restriction or of such speciall qualifications as we read added faithfull men able to teach others also which Gillespy in his Miscellany Questions Collins in his Vindiciae and the London Ministers in their Jus Divinum Ministerii Evangelici do very well observe No doubt but as to the doctrinall teaching of these things Timothy was no less a debtor than was Paul to the Barbarian as well as Greek to the unlearned as well as learned both to the wise and to the unwise Rom. 1.14 So that Timothy is to coÌ„mit these things more than in way of doctrine only He is to commit them in way of delegation also unto such faithfull men as shall be able to teach others which cannot rationally be understood of other than publick and authoritative teaching if either 1. the quality of the men or 2.
the contents and aim of these Epistles which concern publick tranfactions in the Church especially publick teachers or if 3. the command it self be duly weighed fo◠such as are to teach but privately an◠from grounds of charity only need n◠such commitment of these things t◠them nor needs it that there be such choyce of men this being every ma◠and womans duty Heb 5.12 Nor ca◠any thing be justly impleaded from the Apostles use of the future tense who shall b◠able to teach others also for though tha◠they shal be able to teachothers be necessari◠antecedent to the commitment of the Office◠sensu physico i. e. that they shal have abi◠lities to teach yet it followeth the commitment of the Office sensu morali i. e. tha◠they shall use such abilities ordinarily or b◠able to teach others acceptably and lawfully remembring still that old honest an◠veceived principle Illud tantum possumu◠quod jure possumus We are able to do n◠more than we are able in Law or may 〈◊〉 lawfully And thus our text aptly corresponds to that of the same Apostle Rom. 10. vers 15. How shall they preach except they be sent i. e. how shall they preach warrantably Abilities they must have before sending but sending vests them with authority So that the words speak as much in effect as this Doth Timothy know such as are faithfull and fit or able to teach others he must commit these things to them as Trustees for others Doth he find any so qualified for the Office to teach hee must leave them Commissioned to this Office Are they qualified with fidelity and ability Timothy must commit to them a furniture of authoriy Thirdly but how must Timothy commit these things this Office to them What! he only he and none but hee No we never find the Ministry committed to any by a single person but still it is done by severall in society We always read of more than one concurring to it and never remember less than two And those are no less than were Paul Barnabas Act. 14.23 The Twelve are associates in it Acts 6.2 3 6. and it is the joint act of how many teachers and Prophets Act. 13.1 2 3. The seat and subject of this power is not a Presbyter but the Presbytery 1 Tim. 4.14 Can we rationally think that Paul doth require Timothy to commit the Ministry to others so as recedes from and hath no consistency with the practice of Paul in the same case upon Timothy himself Well and who of us doth not remember that Timothy received his Commission no tonly by the laying on of Paul's hands but of the Presbytery likewise 2 Tim. 1 6. and 1 Tim. 4.14 True 't is that Titus is to Ordain Elders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 City by City where the Churches were planted and their condition called for it but with this proviso as Paul had appointed him Tit. 1.5 And who can think that Paul's appointments and Paul's actions should so little accord or so much interfere that Paul should order either Titus there or Timothy here to do that singly by himself which Paul an Apostle never did if I may not say never durst but in society It is granted that this command did concern Timothy eminently and signally above others but not exclusively so as to shut out all others It must be done by others likewise though it be directed to and is to be directed by him especially as one that had an eminent and speciall trust about the ordering of this and all other Church affairs being by office an Evangelist 2 Tim. 4.5 Fourthly Yet once more to whom must Timothy commit this trust these things in way of office What to all the Congregation No There must be some to be taught as well as others sent forth to teach What then to any of whatever qualification Nor this They must be at least men of a good life faithfull men yea and men of good learning too that shall be able to teach others also The text thus opened the truth is obvious which I shall at this time take up or observe from it Observ Those that are authoritatively from Christ in his Church to teach others must have that Office committed to them as well as bee qualified for that Office How orient me thinks is this observation in all its truths from the text Lo 1. Some there must be in the Church who are authoritatively from Christ to teach others But then 2. That there may be such in the Church who are from Christ to teach authoritatively they must have the Office committed to them by some Timothy Yet 3. Timothy may not give Commission to this Office unlesse he find qualifications for this Office Timothy may not dare to confer authority on any without due cognizance first had both of their fidelity and ability Well 4. Hath God qualified any with fidelity and ability yet though they are able to teach others they may not acceptably teach others in the sense mentioned unlesse for proof of those abilities untill Timothy hath from God committed to them authority likewise But to lead you further abroad Give me leave to open and offer to you these five things and thereto lend me I beseech you your most strict and serious attention 1. There must bee some in the Church who are by Office from Christ authoritatively to teach others 2. They must be qualified for this Office 3. They must have this Office cōmitted to them 4. How it must be cōmitted And 5. Why it must be committed to them First there are to be some in the Church who are by Office authoritatively from Christ to teach others I say by Office but this not civil but spiritual Officers wee are not in the Common-wealth but in the Church to which Christ hath promised I will also make thy Officers peace Isa 60.17 Thus brethren and beloved we may with Paul magnifie our Office * Rom. 11.13 An Office the Ministry is 1 Tim. 3.1 Yea such is the Deaconship ver 10.13 and therefore this much more which as to your want and its worth doth so much transcend that as the Apostles intimate Act. 6.2 What lesse than this that it is an Office doth Paul assert of his own Ministry Rom. 11.13 or assure the Saints of ours when he tells them Rom. 12.4 That as we have many members in one body naturall and all members have not the same Office so 't is in the body mysticall too ver 5.6 wherein Deacons Pastors Teachers and Rulers be in distinct Office as the 7. and 8. verses import So that Preachers are by Office distinct from and dignified above the people Are all Teachers saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 12.29 It is no more possible that all be Ministers or Teachers in the body spiritual than that all be Magistrates in the body civill or that all be Officers in the body military or that all the members be eye or tongue in the body
presbyters in Office whose part it was in the Ordination of Timothy 1 Tim. 4.14 Their common care and charge it was and not Pauls only 2 Tim. 1.6 We never read Paul to have practiced in or to have pretended to a sole power of Ordination or to so much as a negative voice in that particular though no doubt he had a greater latitude of authority than any can now lay claim to as being an Apostle not of or by man but by Jesus Christ Yet Paul was neither ordained nor did Ordain without the concurrence of some other Act. 13.1 2 3. ch 14.23 ' If any will yet implead ordination by a presbytery because without a Prelate 1 he ought to produce the divine institution of a Prelate distinct from a dignified beyond a Presbyter or Minister Certain we are the Apostles have left no such one upon their list of Church Officers Eph. 4 11. Rom. 12.6 7 8. 1 Cor. 12.28 and clear it is that a Bishop and Presbyter are all one in the language of the Scripture a) See sect 2. Tit. 1.10 b) vid. Hieronym ad Loc. Idem est ergo Presbyter qui Episcopus c. 1 Tim. 3.1 2. c) Post Episcopum Diaconi ordinationem subjicit Quare i st quia Episcopi Presbyteri una ordinatio est uterque exim saeerdos est Ambros ad Loc. c. having the same office the same ordination the same characters given to and qualitier ' required in them and the same work being committed to them And as clear 't is that a Presbyter or ordinary Minister is vested with a power of government or rule 1 Tim. 5.17 Heb. 13.7 17. 1 Thes 5.12 Act. 20.17 28. 2. Hee ought to prove the divine investiture of prelates with Ordination ard imposition of hands different from presbyters whereof ' we read not one word in all the Scriptures but of the laying on of the hands of the presbytery in fair and open characters 1 Tim. 4.14 True 't is that we read of Ordination by Timothy and Titus ' Evangelists by Paul and Barnabas Apostles but this neither directly serveth the cause of the Prelates they being neither Apostles nor Evangelists nor indirectly unlesse they can prove themselves to be a distinct order or dignity of Ministers by the divine appointment of Jesus Christ in that sence can put in a plea of being their successors which a Presbyter in a fair construction may 1 Pet. 5.1 2. Though a Prelate without a forced construction cannot Where doth ' the Scripture prescribe that there should be any ordination of Prelates different from or over and above their former ordination as Presbyters Or that there should be any Ordination by prelates as distinct from Presbyters When it is a ruled case that a Bishop or Prelate ordained per saltum i. e. who never had the Ordination of a Presbyter himself but only of a Bishop can neither consecrate and administer the Sacrament of the Lords body nor ordain a Presbyter d) of the Church l. 3. ch 39. by which it appeareth that a Bishop doth not excell a Presbyter by a distinct and higher order or power of order ' for which Doctor Field hath produced the acknowledgment of the most learned among the Papists d) Aquin. Bonavent Dominic à Soto Armacanus Camerar Contarenus e The instance of Timothy and Titus as if Bishops of Ephesus and Crete will be a covering too narrow For as we never read the Spirit of God calling them Bishops in Scripture the Post-script to those Epistles being disowned from being any part of the Canon by many Papists even by Baronius and the Rhemists and are so disproved by severall Protestants f vide Beza Anot. maj ad 1 Tim. 6.22 ad 2 Tim. 4.23 ad Tit. 3.14 So Timothy is expresly enough called an Evangelist 2 Tim. 4.5 ' Nor could their frequent removes g see them described Jus Divin Min. Evan. par 2. p. 69. Smectimnuus sect 13. after the mention of their being at Ephesus and Crete have any consistence ' with the charge or Office of a Bishop which obligeth to a fixed residence among his flock to passe other reasons h see Jus Di vin Minist Evang. par 2. c. 5. throughout against their diocesan Episcopacy ' Their frequent diversions and journeys and various dispatches to and fro at the desire of the Apostles and as might best subserve the design and welfare of the generall visible Church do loudly enough proclaim them to be Evangelists I know there are on the other hand that vest the people with this power and priviledge of Ordination beyond what was ever possessed by the Prelates But with no countenance that I know from Christ yea or conveniency to Christians while it is little other than a seed-plot of dissentions among them and of divisions into parties and while beside their distance from the power of ruling whose place it is to be ruled such are their disabilities disproportion to make proof of mens ready instruction to the kingdom of God either in cleering the difficulties of the Gospel or in eâ—viâ—cing gainsayers 'T is true We read whatsome ingeniously observe before us k) London Ministâ—e in their Jns div min. evan par 3. c. 13. of Ordaining Elders in every Church but we never read of Ordaining Elders by any Church They Ordained them Elders in every Church Act. 14.23 Who Ordained them Paul and Barnabas for the people not the people for themselves That every Church should Ordain them Elders in every Church grates too much upon common sense and truth Nor will the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 help it out for what ever bee the import of l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. To stretch out the hand which is still done in Ordination with imposition of hands Nor can there much more be evinced by the usage of this word in this place if there be any worth in that observation of learned Stephanus that it signifieth not to give suffrage but to create ordain c. when it governs an accusarive case as here it doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Steph. Thesaur Ling. graec ad verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manifest enough it is both from what is antecedent to this expression and what is after it that Paul and Barnabas were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to whom they must necessarily bee understood to relate nine times besides in the narrative or relation which is herewith made ver 21. ad finem Far be it from mee to divest the Churches of Jesus from any part of those priviledges which are given them by his charter Let it be granted them for me that the people may choose and look out men and set them before the Presbytery as they did for Deacons before the Apostles still observing their limies Act. 6.3 5 6. But the Presbytery 't is that commit the Ministry appoint and send forth the men as then did the Apostles ver 3.6
and spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 If they had not acquired learning i. e. by their own studâ—es they had which is better infused learning by the Spirit of grace The Spirit did still make an extraordinary supply of learning from himself unto such as were allowed of him in the Ministâ—y that were without an ordinary supply thereof by Schools of learning To one was given saith Paul by the Spirit the word of wisedom to another the word of knowledg by the same Spirit to another prophesie to another discerning of spirits to another diverse kinds of tongues to another the interpretation of tongues all which were wrought by the self-same Spirit 1 Cor. 128 10.11 2. Sect. Do not adventure upon publick authoritative teaching in the Church without a commission If you expect the assistance acceptance allowance and approbation of Christ Oh! do not adventure upon it without authority first given you of Christ If affectation if avarice if ambition or whatever else it be shall be putting you on let the aw of this truth of God your accountableness to the God of truth prepoÌ„derate stay you back as ever you would answer it to Christ to his Church or to your own Consciences another day Sirs the time is coming when aâ—l Vâ—zards shall bee pluck'd off and what were your aims by what your abilities for and why you declined authorâ—zing to the Ministry shall bee produced in open Court and conscience shall bee put to it will you nill you to answer such interrogatories as these are Who made you a teacher in Israel who required this at your hands who gave you this authority c. And sirs will not this bee a sad indictment from the Lord in that day I did not send these Prophets these preachers yet they ran I have not spoken to them yet they prophesied Well is it so that such teachers must have a commission as well as qualifications from our Lord Jesus Christ Oh! that such among us who exercise the Ministry enjoy the maintenance and expect the reverence of Ministers yet never entred by the door of Ordination upon the discharge of this Office but have climbed up some other way would seriously lay it to heart What is the Ministry an Office and the external committing of the Ministry unto men God's Ordinance how is it then that such do that I say not that such daâ—e ordinarily exercise the Ministry as to the preaching part who never were and perhaps never will be who never did design nor do now desire to be solemnly set apart to the Ministry Consider I pray you these two things 1. That to do the proper work of a Minister or Officer of God cannot bee safe 2. To do the preaching work of a Minister cannot but be sinfull N. 1. To do the proper work of a Minister or Officer of God cannot bee safe without his ordination or appointment thereunto Men may passe it by it is true but God will not put it up unpunished The holiest pretexts of Korah and his complices will not help them if they seek the Priesthood Numb 16.3.10 31.32 33. God is so far from bearing withit in common men that he would at no hand take it from the chiefest magistrate witnesse Sauls losse of the Kingdome for it though burdened then with so great straits 1 Sam. 13 8 to 15 Vzziahs leaprosie to the day of his death for it though before this hee had been blessed with so great successe 2 Chron. 26.16 to 22. And now beloved is not ordinary authoritative teaching in the Church the proper work of a Minister of Christ Yea what is if this benot Wherefore or whereunto is a Minister ordained else if not to be a Preacher and Teacher of the Church in faith and verity 1 Tim. 2.7 wherefore worthy of double honour else if not for labouring in the word doctrine which eminently bespeaketh preaching 1 Tim. 5.17 Wherefore is the Gospell and this Office committed to him else if not for manifesting the word through preaching Tit. 1.3 yea indeed not so much to baptize as to preach 1 Cor. 1.17 Beloved therefore 't is we are allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel 1 Thes 2 4. therfore are we appointed of God to this trust in the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.11 therefore and thereunto it is that we are so adjured and called upon God in the Gospell I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judg the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom preach the word be instant inseasoÌ„ out of seasoÌ„ c 2 Tim. 4.1 2. ' Sirs is there any proper act of a Gospel-Minister If there be not why do you not plainly tell us there is no such Officer left us If there be may not preaching put in as fair and full yea a fairer and fuller claim than any Say you the administration of the Sacraments is al proper act of this Officer Be it so but consider I beseech you whether preaching may not put in for the precedence thereunto Are Gospell-Ministers more eminently or more expresly said either to be commissioned to be Ministers for that act then for this 1 Cor. 1.17 1 Tim. 2.7 or more commended in their ministry by that act than by this 2 Tim. 2.15 or more to bee counted of with respect to their ministry for that act than for this 1 Tim. 5.17 1 Thes 5.12 13. or are we more often or more openly circum-scribed or described as the Ministers of the Lord by that than by this ibid Heb. 13.7 Or are wee more concerned and commanded and charged to attend upon that act of our Ministery than this Rom. 12.7 8. 1 Tim. 4.13 14 15 16. Sure I am though I exclude not the administration of the Sacraments from being a proper act of an Office-Minister and one of those purposes and ayms why God will have men put into the Ministry yet preaching the Gospell is with more abundant frequency expressed among the acts of Ministers and with more abundant fulness evinced to be the aym of God by the Ministry If you have but overly read the Scriptures yet you cannot but observe this With what consonancy therefore to sound reason or Scripture-revelation the administration of Sacraments shall be received to bee the Proper act of a Minister of Christ and authoritative teaching rerejected mean-while judge ye And if it be as it is proved to be the proper act of a Minister thus to preach authoritatively what an adventure you run what an attempt you rush upon Oh that you may attend in time who Ordinarily discharg this part of our Office without Ordination thereunto N. 2. Todo the preaching work of a Minister ordinarily without Ordination cannot but be sinfull What though we yeeld that there may be an essay without it for tryal of qualifications wil it therefore be an excuse for such who make it a trade or course or because the