this good Lord bless his Labours to thine Use I am Thine in all Christian Service Tho. Manton The Contents CHAP. I. OF Tryal of Spirits in general Folio 1 CHAP. II. Of the Properties of the Spirit of God with the vindication of them from common mistakes Folio 13 CHAP. III. Of four other Qualifications of the Spirit of God and the vindication of them Folio 23 CHAP. IIII. Containing two other Properties of the Spirit of God Folio 31 CHAP. V. Of the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication Shewing how he doth assist in Prayer Folio 40 CHAP. VI. Of the difference between the Spirit of Grace and Supplication and the common gift of Prayer Folio 50 CHAP. VII Of the Spirit of Prophesie mentioned Act. 2.17 18. Folio 57 CHAP. VIII Of the witnessing Spirit mentioned Rom. 8.16 Folio 73 CHAP. IX Of the continuance of the Ministerial Spirit and Office in all ages on Isa 66.21 Folio 86 CHAP. X. Of the Spirit of Corah and his gainsaying on Jude vers 11. Folio 106 ERRATA PAge 2. l. 8. for permission read commission l. 10. for commission r. permission p. 3. l. 2. for shews r. would shew l. 16. for spirit of r. spirits of p. 5. l. 3. for into r. unto p. 9. l. 1. for Templers r. Temples p. 12. l. 15. for thy r. the p. 13. l. 9. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 15. l. 6. for unsuitable to good r. unsuitably to do good p. 16. l. 12. for Uzzah's r. Uzziah's P. 17. l. 1. for the Apostles pray r. the Apostle prays l. 6. for there are r. there are p. 19. l. 3. for inconstancy r. incontinency p. 26. l. 12. for fleight r. sleight p. 22. l. ult for first r. fifth p. 29. l. 16. for bot r. not for â—n r. an p. 49. l. 8. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 62. l. 17. for certain 〈◊〉 certainly l. ult for gelist came r. gelist come p. 64. l. 1. for bouted r. 〈…〉 CHAP. I. Of Tryal of Spirits in the general THere are evil Spirits as well as good reprobate Angels which did not abide in the truth as well as Elect Angels which were confirmed in grace and truth The Scripture mentions a Spirit of the world 1 Cor. 2.12 a mans own spirit Ezek. 13.3 a perverse spirit Isa 19.2 a spirit of Divination a spirit of Antichrist a spirit of error and giddiness as well as a spirit of truth of Faith of Love of Meekness as Satan sets up false gods in opposition to the true and living God and false Christs in opposition to the true Christ so he also sets up lying spirits in opposition of the true Spirit false Apostles false Prophets false Ministers in opposition of the true and faithful Ministers of Christ And the worser sort of Spirits are abroad Satan walks up and down too and fro in the earth Many false Prophets are gone out into the world they have from God a kind of permission though no approbation 1 King 22.22 and from men too much commission and connivence and this comes to pass by the wise and gracious ordering of God Partly for the punishment both of Ministers which have too much complyed with the Sins Errors and Schismes of the times and of Professors which have loathed Manna grown wanton and weary of the most holy and wholesome truths and desirous of Novelties And partly for the probation and tryal of the truly sincere and sound Pastors and People Deut. 13.1.2 1 Cor. 11.19 As Josephs chastity was tryed by his strong temptations to uncleanness Gen. 39. or possibly God shews us the misery and mischief of toleration under which as we plainly see whatsoever is dear and precious in the eyes of God and his People is basely prophaned and abused It is therefore necessary that we should try the Spirit Indeed it is not easie to discern the difference of Spirits a bodily blemish as defect of an eye an arme or hand is discernable by every child or fool but a defect in the Intellectuals is less discernable and spiritual deceits are spun with the finest thred and least of all discoverable or confutable yet it is dangerous not to discern them The spirit of some Herbs are as hurtful as others are healthful The House and Home of good Spirits is Heaven of bad ones Hell each of them labour to conduct men to the respective places from whence themselves do come Adam and Eve not discerning Satan in the Serpent plunged both their persons and posterity into a world of woe and misery and many of their posterity are in like manner cheated into Hell 2 Pet. 2.1 2 3. The Persons that are to try are the Church of God the Catholique and particular Churches Pastors Governors and every Christian Those that are truly Regenerate have in measure the Spirit of God and them God will keep that either they shall not erre foully or not finally And those that have onely the common gift of the Spirit may thereby be enabled soundly though not sanctifyingly or savingly to discern and discover errors Tryal is in order to passing judgment and though private Christians have not the judgment of decision yet they have and are to use the judgment of private practical discretion that their faith may not be implicite and blind resting only upon men But alass what ever right or liberty all Christians have sundry of them have no ability of trying spirits at least not in all cases as Infants in age Ideot's and those that are weak in the faith which are indeed to be cherished and received but not into doubtful disputations Rom. 14.1 Castles cannot be built in the Aire Foundations must be laid and Walls built before the Roof can be laid or Pinacle set up Some have need of milk and not of strong meat being unskilful in the word of righteousness Heb. 5.12 13. Oh that they would learn the first principles of the Oracles of God and build themselves in their holy faith upon firm Foundations which through Gods wisdome and goodness are more plain and easie before they exercise themselves in matters too hard and high for them Psal 131.1 The Spirits that are to be tryed are those Spirits that we have need and occasion as well as ability to try All Spirits need not trying either because their folly and falsehood is manifest to all men at the first sight Those that Preach other Gospels are to be accursed Gal. 1.7.8 They are neither to be entertained in our house nor saluted by the way 2 Ioh. 10. When Cerinthus was in the Bath Iohn disputed not with him but leaped out from him Get thee behind me Satan is good in this case Or because they have been duly tried alreadie there is a time of trying and but a time and then there is a time of holding fast that which upon trial we find good and abstaining from all appearance of evil 1 Thes 5.21 The Beraeans having by scarching
which seems to be the lowest degree of true repentance The Spirit of God saith to the soul these are true words I writ them do own them and will maintain them and so he sets his Seal to these truths as the soul by receiving and beleiving Gods Testimony sets to her Seal also Ioh. 3.33 2ly He owns the graces that are in beleivers to be his work as he doth own the Scripture to be his word as he doth attest fidem quae creditur the Doctrine the Object of faith so he doth attest fidem quae creditur the infused habit or grace of faith some Officers in Corporations and other Towns do seal Cloth Lether c. to witness thereby that what they seal is truly made rightly drest or of due length c. So the Spirit of God when we beleeve doth seal us Ephes 1.13 saying as it were this is true faith a lively faith firmly fastened on the word of God so I might say of Hope Love Repentance c. for the Spirit of God doth not only freely give us the things of God but also giveth us to know them 1 Cor. 2.10.12 he telleth which graces are genuine and which are spurious which are real and which are counterfeit he that teacheth us to know what we do beleeve and that we do beleeve love hope repent c. 3ly He makes application of the promises to the soul thy name and mine are not in the Scripture What an huge Volumne would the Bible be if every Saints name that have been are or shall be were written in it God hath wise and good ends why this is not done it is enough that particulars must needs be included in the general but Gods people especially at some times are unapt and unable to make particular application of the promises therefore God by his Spirit which is also called his finger Mat. 12.28 with Luk. 11.20 points at thee or me when he is a Spirit of conviction or of bondage as sometimes he is Ioh. 16.9 Rom. 8.15 or witnesseth against us then he puts our name into the threatnings which in the word indefinitely or generally spoken as cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Law to do them Gal. 3.10 if you live after the flesh you shall dye Rom. 8. and saith as Nathan to David thou art the man that the soul cannot shift or shuffle off conviction or terror but when it will witness for a man then it puts its name in the promises as thus thou Peter Andrew Thomas Bartholomew confessing and forsaking thy sin shall find mercy Prov. 28.13 1 Ioh. 1.9 When God by his Spirit as by his hand takes hold on us and saith Thou art mine and I am thine and the soul by the hand of faith takes hold on God and saith likewise Cant. 6.3 then there is a comfortable marriage made by joyning of hands 4. He doth from these raise up much consolation in the soul and therefore is fitly called the comforter Ioh. 16.7 And the Kingdom of God is in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 The certainty and assurance of our salvation doth arise from this or such a like Syllogisme He that believeth shall be saved But thou believest Therefore thou shalt be saved The first Act of the Holy Ghost doth seale the major or first proposition The second Act doth seale the minor or second proposition The thir addeth further assurance and evidence then that which is inferred from the premisses The fourth doth raise us up to the joy of this salvation Psal 51.12 But because there are many pretenders to the witness of the Spirit that have neither part nor lot in this business for their heart is not right in the sight of God and as many said here is Christ and there is Christ when he was neither here nor there so many professe they have the Spirit which have it not These are they that separate themselves sensual having not the Spirit Jude v. 19. Schismatical persons which say I am of Paul I of Apollo and I of Cephas c. may think themselves spiritual but they are therein Carnal and walk as men I Cor. 3.1 2. whether there be an immediate witnes of the Spirit given by God in some cases I need not nor will I now dispute for these words speak only of such a witness of the Spirit as together with the leading of the Spirit is common to all the Sons of God and this I believe I may truly say 1. The Holy Spirit doth ordinarily if not alway witness with our spirits mediately by the fruits effects and gracious operations thereof or else to what end are marks and signs set down in Scripture and we commanded to try our selves by them 1 Ioh. 3.14 2 Cor. 13.5 Gal. 6.2 3. 2. The Spirit of God in the brest of the believer and the Spirit of God in the Bible are the same Spirit of truth and therefore the Spirit of God will not speak peace to the wicked Isa 57.21 or witness them to be the Sons of God which by their pride lying cruelty treachery or allowing themselves in sin declare themselves to be of their father the Devill Ioh. 8.44 1 Ioh. 3.8 So it doth not condemn the generation of the just which are weary and heavy laden do hunger and thirst after righteousnesse 3. The Spirit of God witnesseth in ordinances or at least not without them not in the neglect and contempt of them God indeed doth not tye his own hand but ours God can feed with Manna but will not when men may plough and sow How the Spirit of God doth make use of holy Ordinances we have heard before those that think themselves above ordinances are indeed much below them 4. There is ordinarily a spirit of bondage antecedent to the spirit of adoption v. 15 16. it first convinceth of sin then of righteousnesse Ioh. 16.9 5. The witnessing Spirit is a working spirit a spirit of sanctification Rom. 1.4 5. canst thou find the work of the spirit or at least some prints and parcels of that work A few grapes saith Dr. Sibbs discover a tree to be a Vine not a Thorn and truth of one grace doth evidence truth of all graces it is a golden chain God hath linked them together let none put them asunder 6. They onely have the witnesse of the spirit that are led by and walk after the spirit vers 1.14 Now these words do import both their having and acting of spiritual life Dead things may be drawn but cannot in propriety of speech be said to be led or to walk 2. They import motion a continued motion after some thing that goes before 3. A willing motion when the soul is not haled hurried or violently forced but they are led I cannot enlarge CHAP. IX Of the continuance of the Ministerial Spirit and Office in all ages on Isa 66.21 THese words are a gracious Gospel promise in which the Lord
lye is not the Spirit of God yet it is not true that every spirit which speaks any truth is therefore the Spirit of God Satan doth sometimes attest the highest and holyest truths viz. That Fesus is the Son of God that the Apostles are the Servants of God which shew the way of Salvation Act. 16.17 but our Saviour silenceth them and would not suffer them to speak though they spoke truths Mark 1.34 Act. 16.18 The difference therefore between Satans speaking truth and Gods Spirit speaking truth is this 1. If Satan speaks truth he speaketh not of his own a lye only is his own Ioh. 8.44 he doth but borrow truths or rather steal them from from the Scriptures the Ministers or people of God Fer. 23.30 2. When Satan speaks truth he usually misapplies it as Iobs Friends did many precious truths 3. He never speaks truth in the love or for the advantage of it but to be a pretence shadow and introduction to a lye If Error should appear in her own shape she would be very horrid and deformed therefore she puts on her the Mantle of Truth or gets some truth usually to bear her company CHAP. III. Of four other Qualifications of the Spirit of God and the vindication of them A Third Property of the Spirit of God is Light he is the Spirit of Light of Wisdom and Knowledge Isa 11.2 of Revelation in the knowledge of Christ Eph. 1.17 As God is light and Christ is light a Sun a bright Morning Star the Spirit is compared to fire Act. 2. 1 Thes 5. Heavenly fire which gives light as well as heat but Hell-fire is hot and dark Satan is that Prince of darkness the Ruler of the darkness of this world which darkens and blinds the minds of them that beleeve not 2 Cor. 4.4 Object But doth not the evil Spirit bring also a light with it Answ Satan doth indeed transform himself into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11.14 especially in times and amongst persons pretending to much light and abounding in all utterance and knowledge 1 Cor. 1.5 And therefore we are to understand that the Light of the Spirit of God is to argue or convince the world of sin of righteousness of judgment Ioh. 16.8 Eph. 5.12 13. to shew us as the Angel did Dan. 10.21 that which is noted in the Scripture of truth to explain the glorious Mysteries of the Gospel and Godliness that we may discern them in a spiritual manner which a natural man cannot do 1 Cor. 2.10 11. to shew us that by Sun-light which reason can either not see at all or but as it were by Moon-light The Gospel is an everlasting Gospel Rev. 14.6 and the Spirit bids us contend for the faith once delivered to the Saints not alway in delivering This Light is a Light of the same nature with the light held forth in the Word Psal 119.105 the Word is a Lantorn a dark Lantorn say some without the Spirit but I am sure that Spirit is a going fire a deluding spirit that carries not but contemns and confounds this Lanthorn and there is no light in them Isa 8.20 The light that is in them is darkness and how great is that darkness Mat. 6.23 Gods people are led by the Spirit when they are led by the word inspired by the Spirit 2 Pet. 1. ult and they are taught by God when taught by his Book No Spirit of Christ doth abstract any mans faith from the Word of God which is indeed the word of faith Rom. 10.8 Spiritual knowledge doth not exclude but contain in it the litteral knowledge though the litteral knowledge may be without the spiritual yet the spiritual knowledge of Gods Word is not without the litteral We are not warranted to expect or trust to Enthusiasm's or praeter-scriptural much less contra-scriptural Revelations as they which had Moses and the Prophets the Books of Moses and the Prophets and those that sate in Moses Chair were not to expect guidance from revived returning Ghosts but to hear Moses and the Prophets Luk. 16.29 Mat. 23.2 3. so we which besides Moses and the Prophets have also Christ and his Apostles and have the Canon of the holy Scriptures perfected have much less reason to expect Revelations and to sleight the holy Scriptures but may and ought to build on the foundations of the Prophets of the old Testament and the Apostles of the new Eph. 2.21 That light which contradicts old Articles of faith and coyns new ones that Canonizeth new Scriptures or preacheth new Gospels yea the very questioning of Carping or Cavilling against known received Truths is of Satan Gen. 3.1.5 And he that preacheth another Gospel though he seem wise as an Angel and have the Tongue of an Angel and seem as holy and zealous as the Angels is to be accursed Gal. 1.7 8 9. The fourth Property of the true Spirit of God is Lowliness and indeed the more light the more lowliness The more loathing of our selves Ezek. 36. 27. with 31. for the Spirit convinceth us of sin Ioh. 16.8 makes Paul to judge himself the chief of sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 and to be carnal Rom. 7.14 but the evil Spirit is proud and puffeth up 1 Tim. 3.6 1 Cor. 8.1 is supercilious and censorious of other men speaking evil of persons and things which they know not and saying stand by thy self I am more holy then thou Isa 65.5 calling others carnal sensual divelish while they pretend themselves to be free from sin But the Apostle who had the true Spirit of God saith if we that is If I John that writ this Epistle or other Apostles or Beleevers say that we have no sin we are lyers 1 Ioh. 1. The first Property of the true Spirit of God is Liberty where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 He is a free Spirit Psal 51.12 Satan is a slave and of a servile Spirit and so all his Agents and Servants are yea say some that is it which we plead for viz. Liberty but you must therefore take notice of the marks of this Liberty First That Liberty which is from the Spirit of God is not a Liberty to sin but from sin Iohn 8.34 2 Peter 2.19 Secondly This Liberty overthrows not either Ecclesiastical or Civil Government 1 Pet. 2.13.16 for this were to make it a Cloak of maliciousness Thirdly This Liberty is to and in the service of God and not from it men now talk much against Forms but there are some Forms of Gods Institution and others of mens inventions though we be free from all sinful superstitious forms of mens inventing yet we are not therefore free from the lawful and needful Forms that are of Gods appointing His service is perfect freedom The sixt Property of the Spirit of God is Unity Unity Love and Peace is the fruit and effect of the good Spirit Eph. 4.3 Gal. 5.22 we are all made to drink into one Spirit as we all Jews and Gentiles are by
that are come from beyond Sea to Preach to our Assemblies to revile and raile against Protestant Ministers to vent Errors and Heresies to the reproach and dishonour of the Protestant Religion To furnish all sort of men and scratch their itching eares with an heap of teachers for they will not abide called officers or sound Doctrine 1 Tim. 4. as the adulteress too often pleaseth the unchast Husband more then the beautiful yoke-fellow as Witches and Wizzards are merry at their diabolical fancied Feast as though they did eat and drink the most pleasant and wholesome meats and drinks How strangely did Satan fill the heart of Hacket Copinger and Arthington whose story you may read in Camdens Elizabetha as well as see the like in very many now adays To promote those sins that in opposition to the sins of the world and the sins of the flesh are properly and purely Sathanical viz. Errors Heresies Seduction for Satan is not a drunkard adulterer a swearer or a covetous person but a lyer seducer that abode not in the truth to disturb the unity and peace of our Congregations whilest almost every man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an absurd man out of his place 2 Thes 3.2 multitudes of souls perverted very few saved a good Protestant of the old stamp whether conformable or non-conformable is worth a thousand of these new Saints Finally I have heard an ignorant one distempered in brain and overcome with melancholy speak excellently of the most divine and deep Mysteries of Religion and Doctor Merick Causabone indeavors to shew how this may be done by natural causes and we read that the Anabaptists in Munster having made a Law that all the Citizens should bring their goods into a common stock there were Maids amongst them could tell how much every man had left at home like as Paul did discern Ananias and Saphirah It is easie to guesse who taught them Little did Peter a pious and eminent Apostle think that he acted Satans part till Christ discerned and discovered Satan Mat. 16. CHAP. VIII Of the witnessing Spirit mentioned Rom. 8.16 EVery matter of worth and weight is to be transacted before and proved by two sufficient witnesses unus testis nullus testis In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established the Apostle produceth here two witnesses of our Adoption Son-ship which is a thing of very great consequence and concernment our Spirit and Gods Spirit and these witnesses depose point blank we cry Abba Father vers 15. and this is not a false cry but a true cry and the Spirit it self beareth witness together with our Spirit that it is so the Spirit as we use to say by way of excellency the Bible the Scripture the eminent excellent Spirit Infinite Eternal Spirit a wit-witness of greater authority evidence and credit After the reading of these and other words of Scripture it is unnecessary as well as it is beyond my purpose to prove that the Spirit doth witness that we are all the children of God I shall only enquire into the manner how the Spirit of God witnesseth And first it must be granted that the witness-bearing of the Spirit here mentioned is spoken of not as a peculiar priviledge of two or three or a few eminent Saints but as the general or usual priviledge of all the Saints of God which are led by the Spirit are the children Heirs of God and joynt Heirs with Christ and how this witness is born I shall endeavour to shew 1. Negatively 2. Affirmatively Negatively First not by outward voice as of Christ Mat. 3. ult Mat. 17.5 which voyce saith the Apostle Peter was heard of many 2. Pet. 1.18.19 this witness is inward and secret it is hidden Manna Rev. 2.17 which no man knows but he that receiveth it As Satan can suggest thoughts into the soul which no by-stander can see So can the Spirit of God set his privy seal upon the soul and none discern but the spirit of a man in him 2ly The Spirit of God doth not use the Ministry of Angels though Christs his Sonship was proclaimed by such Heavenly Heralds Luk. 1.30 31 32. Luk. 2.9.13 3ly The Spirit of God doth not witness our Adoption by immediate Revelation and Inspiration Jesus Christ indeed received not the Spirit by measure Ioh. 3.34 The fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily Col. 2.9 and the Prophets and Apostles were in their measure so inspired 2 Pet. 1. ult by virtue of which Inspiration that which was not Canonical before was so aâ—ter and new Truths and Tenets were to be received and beleeved But now we may say are all Apostles are all Prophets Yea are there now any Apostles any Prophets so inspired 4ly The Spirit of God doth not witness our Sonship in such dark and dubious phrases as Apollos Oracles used to be delivered in but there is such certainty and clearness in this Testimony that it doth either altogether or in a great measure suspend and silence doubts and distrusts he that sees the Sun knows it is bright and light he that tastes honey knows it is sweet and he that tastes the hidden Manna and hears this Testimony is fully perswaded and satisfied by it Rom. 8.38 5ly The Spirit of God doth not witness to all men that they are the children of God there are multitudes myriads of men that never heard it when we speak of it to them we are as it were Barbarians to them this high Language of Canaan is an unknown Tongue to them for they must be the children of God by Adoption indeed before they be witnessed to be so prius est predicare de esse quam de cognosci Yea the Elect of God have it not before conversion nor usually in the first act of conversion then they lye under the spirit of bondage v. 15. and are in the pangs of the new Birth nor always afterward for the Testimony is not de esse but de bene esse of a Christian not their Diet but their Banquet not common food but a Cordial a witness the most punctual faithful witness doth but speak when there is need and occasion he witnesseth not alway but for always Secondly Affirmatively The Spirit of God I conceive doth witness all or at least some of these ways First He doth attest Scripture truths unto the soul saying the same in the breast of the beleever that it saith in the Bible by irradiating those truths he making the the light of Gods word brighter and illuminating the eyes of the soul he makes the sight better so that the divine Authority Infallibility and Majesty of the Word of God doth appear I shall instance in two sweet and comfortable Scripture truths Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness Mat. 5.6 which seems to be the minimum quod sic the lowest least degree of saving faith and Come to me I will give rest to them that are weary and heavy laden Mat. 11.28
and may lawfully do it Now the word Prophet always imports a distinct Order Office and Calling from others The Apostle forbids women to Preach though the Corinthian women might be as well or better gifted then any woman or man now adays is yet certain the Apostles did not forbid those women whom my Text doth allow to Prophesie and whose Prophecying is here mentioned as a blessing as well as the Prophecying of men had such Prophetesses as Deborah and Huldah and the Daughters of Philip the Evangelist came to Corinth or if they were now alive they might Prophesie by virtue of a special Calling and Office and none should either forbid them to Prophesie or being uncalled what ever gifts he may seem to have imitate them in Prophesying And Thirdly Of the ordinary and perpetual Officers of the Church 1 Cor. 12.28 for some of the gifts which Christ gave to men at his Ascension did fall upon them also Eph. 4.11 The third Proposition This Prophesie is not rightly and regularly fulfilled in the Preaching of uncalled and ungifted men For First As they have no lawful ordinary Call as might easily be proved yea is already by those which professedly undertake that work nor have either Dreams or Visions or any other extraordinary ways of receiving the materials of their Preaching so they have not any extraordinary Call above what many others have which are gifted as well as they save that possibly these are less bouted and adventurous then then they to give it no worser name which yet do not dare not Preach nor can it be charged on these as a sin that they do not Preach as it would be a sin and a great one too if they did not Preach which are called to it Secondly They seem to be highly conceited of their Parts and Gifts they judge any one sufficient for these things being swift to speak slow to hear like humor hardly kept within its own bounds no Text too hard for them to expound no difficulties which they cannot unty once themselves said that the work of the Ministery was enough to take up the whole man and that it was not fit that the gravest godliest ablest Minister should be a Justice of Peace or in any civil Authority but not only Military men but even Handicrafts-men can all the week day entangle themselves in the affairs of this life and on the Lords day discharge the highest and hardest work of the Ministery whereas it is more scriptural and rational that Ministers should execute civil Offices then that Souldiers or Handicrafts-men should execute Ministerial Offices and there are more presidents of the one then of the other Thirdly They very frequently despise the Ministry which is an Office and a worthy work 1 Tim. 3.1 and Ordination by the hands of the Presbitery which is an unquestionable Ordinance of God used and approved by the Apostles and Apostolick men upon whom God poured out more of his Spirit then these can pretend unto and also prescribed and commanded by them in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus Fourthly All the Errors Heresies Blasphemies Rantings Quakings of these times have been bred and fed by the Preaching of uncalled persons in New England the Doctrine of the Familists Anabaptists Antinomians and Libertines was bred and brought up in those Nurseries saith Mr Weld All the Ministers of England since the Reformation have not broached so many Heresies and Blasphemies nor perverted a fourth part of the number that these pretended Prophesiers have done in a few years hence it is that the Arminians in the Netherlands and Heritical and Schismatical persons elsewhere are usually for this liberty of Prophecying now the abounding and tollerating of errors not to speak how distructive it hath been by consequence to the lives of men is far worse the most cruel persecution for the one is but destructive to the body and outward welfare of Christians but this is destructive to the souls of men divides and subdivides the Church subverts the faith and graces of the Spirit In the one true Religion was crowned with Martyrdome whereby the Gospel was much honoured and sanguis Mariyrum was semen Ecclesiae but in the other true Religion is extreamly dishonoured yea lost in a crowd of false opinions and patience and perfeverance also the one did but occidere Presbiteros the other Presbiterium Fiftly These gifted mens preachings are either rude rambling loose discourses having no method nor matter of weight in them whereas the Spirit of God gave the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speak apothegms Act. 2.4 wise and weighty sentences not many words to little purpose as phrantick phantastick men do Act. 26.25 or if their Preaching be sound and solid they either steal their matter from others as possibly some idle ignorant Ministers also do to pretend that they are Prophets too but the Lord is against them Ier. 23.30 or they have little variety thereof if our gifted men should be so much and often for many yeers together in one place employed as some Ministers of the Gospel are their shallowness and emptiness would easily appear Sixtly Satan I fear hath an hand in this business for how easily can he transform himself into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11.14 and counterfeit the Spirit of God upon the soul as amongst the Jews he made use of false dreams and lying visions Ier. 23.25.27.32 Deut. 13.1 Isai 28.7 14.14 Ier. 23.16 so also amongst Christians I read that septemes pueri concionantur in the order of St. Francis and Cornelius Mus was an eloquent Preacher at twelve yeers of age and an assertor of Popery in the Council of Trent and many amongst us were much taken with the child-Preacher and though some gifted men as in charity I am bound to judge till the contrary appear have sincere aims and ends and do intend to glorifie God and edify the Church yet finis operis the end of the work though not finis operantis the end of the Worker and yet the end of the Worker also so far as Satan hath any hand in it is to cause the Ministry to be dishonoured and despised as the most eminent Ministers the Apostles were amongst them that did abound in all utterance and all knowledge and came behind in no gift 1 Cor. 1.5 and Chap. 4. yea to destroy the Ministry to make every one a Minister and a Magistrate is to destroy the Ministry and Magistracy to cause the Seals of the Covenant of Grace Baptisme and the Lords Supper to be sleighted and set at nought to cause sundry to turn aside unto vain jangling desiring to be teachers of the Law under standing neither what they say nor whereof they affirm 1 Tim. 1.7 being not able to clear up any one truth or solidly state or determine any controversie or interpret any obscure part of Scripture or vindicate the truth of God from Popish Socinian Arrian Arminian Errors To open a door to the Popish Priests and Jesuites