God and before God 9. Postremo Lastly the Bishop takes and delivers to them all the Book of the Gospel saying Receive power of reading the Gospel in the Church of God 10. Pontifex The Bishop shall say the Ministers and Chaplains answering Lord have mercy upon us O God the Father of Heaven have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the world have mercy on us That it may please thee to blesse sanctifie and consecrate these elect ☞ We beseech thee hear us 11. They sing one and the same Hymn only the one is in Latine the other in English Veni Creator Spiritus Mentes tuorum visita c. 12. Pontifex The Bishop shall lay his hands upon the heads of each of them kneeling upon their knees before him saying to every one Receive the Holy Ghost whose Sins thou dost forgive they are forgiven and whose Sins thou dost retain they are retained 13. Pax The Peace of God be alwayes with you the blessing of God Almighty the Father Son and Holy Ghost descend upon you English Pontifical 1. We decree that no Deacons or Ministers be ordained but only upon the Sundays more heathenishly spoken then the Pope in his Pontifical immediatly following jejunia quatuor Temporum commonly cald Ember-weeks Constit Can. Eccl. can 31. 2. And this be done in the Cathedral or Parish Church where the Bishop resideth and in the time of Divine Service in the presence not only of the Archdeacon but of the Dean ibid. 3. And here it must be declared unto the Deacon that he must continue in that office the space of a whole year except for reasonable causes it shall otherwise seem good unto the Bishop The Book of ordering Priests and Deacons 4. The Bishop before he admit any person to holy Orders shall diligently examine him in the presence of those Ministers that shall assist him at the imposition of hands Can. 35. 5. None shall be admitted a Deacon except he be twenty three years of age and every man which is to be admitted a Priesâ— shal be full twenty four years old The Preface to the Form and Manner of making Priests and Deacons c. 6. The Archdeacon or his Deputy shall present unto the Bishop sitting in his Chair near to the holy Table such as desire to be ordained Deacons each of them being decently habited saying these words Reverend Father 7. The Bishop Take heed that the persons whom you present unto us be apt and meet for their learning The Arch Deacon shall answer I have enquired of them and also examined them and think them so to be 8. Then the Bishop shall say to the people Brethren if there be any of you who knoweth any impediment or notable crime in any of these persons let him come forth in the name of God and shew what it is 9. Then the Bishop shall deliver to every one of them the New Testament saying Take thee authority to read the Gospel in the Church of God 10. The Bishop with the Clergy and People shall sing or say the Litany O God the Father of Heaven have mercy upon us miserable sinners O God the Son Redeemer of the world have mercy on us That it may please thee to bless these they Servants ☞ We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. Come Holy Ghost our souls imspire And lighten with Celestial Fire c. 12. The Bishop shall lay their hands severally upon the heads of every one that receive the order of Priesthood the Receivers humbly kneeling upon their knees and the Bishop saying Receive the Holy Ghost whose Sins thou dost forgive they are forgiven and whose Sins thou doest retain they are retained 13. The Peace of God and the Blessing of God Almighty the Father Son and holy Ghost be amongst you and remain with you always Amen To which it were easie to adde other parallel particulars but these upon a slight view of the Roman Pontifical offering themselves being sufficient to confute that assertion of Whitgift and Mr. T. that the Book of ordering Ministers and Deacons is almost in no point correspondent to the Roman Pontifical we content our selves with them From whence the ingenuous Reader will soon determine to whom ignorance and rashness may justly be imputed We add 6thly The Popish Priests must kneel down upon their knees at the feet of the Lord Bishop that ordains them and he must say to them blasphemously enough Receive the Holy Ghost whose Sins ye forgive they are forgiven whose Sins ye retain they are retained which exactly accords with the fashion of ordaining the Priests of England To which Mr. T. replies in a long harangue not at all to the purpose giving us an account what Whitgift and Hooker say to this prâ—ctice confesses at last they offer some force to the Scripture to which they allude tells us those words may be used prayer-wise Answ 1. The Question is Whether in the particular instanc'd in there be an exact symmetry betwixt the Ordination of the present Ministers of England and the Priests of Rome This Mr. T. denies not but leads the Reader to the consideration of somewhat else 2. The use of the words John 20. 22 23. he grants to be an offering force to the Scripture and if so it is wicked and abominable to wrest the Scripture to our private interpretation is undoubtedly so 3. That they should be used prayer-wise is a most ridiculous evasion the manner of expression evinceth the contrary 4. Mr. Richard Hooker Eccles Polit. lib. 5. sect 77. as câ—ted by our Animadverter interprets it of the collation of the gifts of the holy Ghost which if we should interpret of the Office of Ministry it belongs as we have said to the Church not to such a thing as a Lord-Bishop to collate We proceed in the Parallel 7thly The Popish Priests are not ordained in and before the Congregation to whom they are to be Priests but in some Metropolitan Cathedâ—al City So the Priests of England To which Mr. T. replies 1. This is not alwayes so Answ I challenge him to give one instance of the contrary for these six or seven years last past 2dly It may be before the Congregation to whom the person is to be Priest Answ What may be is one thing what is another We say not only that it may be but that it ought to be yet we know it is not 'T is added in S. T. 8thly The Popish Priests take the care of Souls though nâ—t elected by them from the presentation of a Patron by the Institution and Induction of a Lord Bishop so the Ministers of England To which our Animadverter This is not always so nor when so Popish Answ 1. The first is most notoriously false and we challenge Mr. T. to make it good if he can 2. the latter remains to be proved by him to assert it is not Popish is a piece of beggary this Animadverter is much used to What he hath before said is
be viz. when Antichrist according to Paul whose Epistles Peter conversed with 2 Pet. 3. 15. should be revealed In respect of each of which the title is applicable to the present Ministers 1. They assume the title of Teachers falsly as is proved chap. 3. of S. T. 2dly They teach false things as we demonstrate ch 5. 10. of S. T. 3dly That they are teachers of a great part of the Lie of Antichrist their Discipline Worship and Doctrine thereabout being for the most part hammered at his forge cannot be denied Secondly Of them it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they shall bring in Heresies of destruction The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to bring in besides i. e. besides mens expectations or besides the Truth taught by Godly Teachers by themselves in part also to countenance their Errors so the Assembly They shall do it fraudulently under the vizard of Truth so Aretius They shall do it privily and subtilly pretending a shew of Piety and name of the Church so Gerh. Heresies of cestruction are no other but the Heresies or false Doctrines of Antichriâ—â— such as destroy and lay waste the Church the Truths and Institutions of Christ being alien and contrary to what is of his prescription and are supported by force and violence against them that do oppose them For which at the last swift destruction is brought upon themselves Upon which account Antichrist as is thought is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 9. 11. i. e. a Destroyer and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Thess 2. 3. the son of destruction or perdition That the Ministers and Church of England do thus is too evident to admit of a denial They assume to themselves the name of the Church cry out against all others that separate from them as Hereticks and Schismaticks preach some truth with which they slily mix their Errours that lay waste the Institutions of Christ and persecute all these imprison waste ruine destroy them or at the least attempt it to the utmost of their power that stand up against their Innovations and Church-destroying Doctrines The greatest difficulty may seem to be in those words that are spoken of them Thirdly That they shall deny the Lord that bought them the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They denied not that he bought them if it be meant of Christ but denied him as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Lord cast off in part at least his Authority as sole King and Lord of his Church And this too not openly and in words which is against the express letter of the Text they shall privily or slily bring it in but in practice doing that which doth invelop or wrap up in it a denial of the Despotical or Kingly Office and Authority of Christ And this saith Grotius the word signifies De tali desertione quae non verbo sed reipsa fiat figurate usurpatur Hugo Grot. Whence Dux Gregis the Captain of this Herd is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that lawless-one that despiseth sets light by the Laws and Authority of Christ That hereof the present Ministers are guilty we prove chap. 4. 5. of S. T. So that not one of the Scriptures produced but may justly be applyed to them And the Conforming-Ministers are rightly charged as the false Prophets of the Jews are in the places produced in S. T. This Mr. T. denies but if he would have made good his denial in my conceit he should have produced the particular places mentioned and manifested that they could not properly be applyed to them But he knew an easier way Mentiris Bellarmine mentiris a few keen words against his Antagonist would cost him little 'T is true he tells us that the present Ministers teach the Fundamentals of Christian Religion but what he means by the Fundamentals of Religion he tells us not Doth he intend that they own one God c. so did the false-Prophets The great Fundamental of true Religion is That God is to be worshipped according to the Revelation he hath made of himself in the Scriptures of Truth that all we do in his Worship and Service that relates to it as such be bottom'd on divine prescript This fundamental they deny introducing the Ordinances and Inventions of man and making these a part of Worship A departure from which is the ground of all the Apostacy that ever was in the World 4thly This Animadverter's plea for the Church and Ministers of England is not much better than what was or might have been made use of by Jeroboam himself for his Ministry Church and Worship Touching which precious Ainsworth in his Arrow against Idolatry ch 3. introduceth Jeroboam speaking after this rate I see my course O men of Israel to be much suspected if not wholly misliked of many some thinking my Ceremonies to savour too rankly of Heathen Superstition some charging me plainly with flat Apostasie and forsaking of God But how far off I am from all such Impiety I hope to manifest to all indifferent persons chiefly sith that I have neither spoken nor done against any Article of the Ancient Faith not changed any Fundamental Ordinance of Religion The very plea of Mr. T. for the present Ministers given us by Moses but worship with reverence the God of my Fathers and love him as I am taught with all my heart and with all my soul cleaving unto him alone who is my life and the length of my dayes Other Godds of the Nations I utterly abhor with all their impure rites and services The alteration I have made is in matters of circumstance things whereof there is no express certain or permanent Law given us of God and which are variable as time place or person give occasion and such as good Kings have changed before me and have been blameless This the sum upon which he dilates excellently and Sect. 12. introduceth him asserting his Worship for substance to be the same that God commanded by Moses We worship saith he the same God we offer the Sacrifices of Beeves and Sheep burn Incense pay First-fruits and Tythes and observe all the Ordinances that our Fathers have kept since the World began We hold the main Article of our Messiah to come and of Redemption from our sins by him Thus plausibly with much more mentioned by that worthy person before-named in his Arrow against Idolatry a Tract to say no more worthy the perusal Might Jeroboam plead for himself and practice as Josephus tells us he did B. 8. Jews Antiq. â—ap 3. yet are his wayes and worship abominable and not to be joyned with And yet Mr. T. hath not hitherto said more for the justification of the Ministers and Worship of England Parvas habet spes Troja si tales habet If no more can be pleaded in defence of the present Ministers and Worship than Jeroboam could plead for his Innovations and horrible Apostacy from God their case is deplorable indeed Sect. 11. In the height of the
what though the Jews were in their minority and therefore to be kept under those beggarly elements c. until the time appointed by the Father Gal. 4. 1 2 3 9. Doth it therefore follow that God hath not determined the whole of his Worship now Is the Son because grown up to offer to God what Worship he pleaseth This indeed follows That we are not under those beggarly Elements and to return to them or any like them not of the appointment of Christ is an act of great ingratitude to the Lord for his love and faithfulness manifested to us in the establishment of a more sublime and spiritual Worship under the Gospel As also that it is great wickedness to introduce impose or subject to such beggarly Elements now these stood for the most part in bodily rites in differences of meats and drinks of times places garments c. of which he may do well humbly to inform his good Mother the Church of England that she is too too guilty The like may be said of his 6th Reason The time before Christ was an estate under Moses a Servant the estate of Christians is under Christ the Son Gal. 4. 4 5 6 7. Heb. 3. 5. Therefore we are no longer to be subject to Mosaical appointments had been somewhat tolerable arguing but therefore 't is greater love in the Lord not to determine the whole of his Worship to us now which being the Position he attempts the proof of should have been his Inference is such a pittifull illation that one would never expect from such a learned person as Mr. T. It rather follows Therefore Christ hath determined the whole of his Worship under the New Testament being faithful as a Son when Moses the Servant according to the appointment of the Lord gave forth Laws for the ordering the whole of the affairs of the then House of God especially considering that he was the Prophet like unto Moses whom the Father promised to raise up into whose mouth he said he would put his words and that he should speak unto the Sont of Men whatever he commanded him Deut. 18. 18. Accordingly when he comes into the world 't is said of him He revealed the Father Joh. 1. 18. Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he plainly and delucidly expounded to them the mind and will of the Father that the Father spake to us in or by him Heb. 1. 1. and gives us a charge to hear him Mat. 3. 17. Reas 7. His seventh Reason is like the rest 'T is true had not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or hand-writing of Mosaical Ceromonies been abolished Col. 2. 14. we had not reaped the fruit of Christs death by which they were abolished Ephes 2. 14 15. and so consequently tasted the less of the love of the Lord. But that therefore 't is a greater argument of love in God not to determine the whole of his Worship or that if he haâ— done so we had not reaped the fruit of Christs death is such a sort of nakedness in Mr. T. his arguing that one would not willingly discover did not the vindication of Truth necessitate one hereunto Reas 8. His eighth Reason is if possible more weak and absurd The Apostles judged it a great benefit to the Christian Churches that they were exempt from the Rites and Ceremonies of the Mosaical Law Acts 15. 28. therefore they accounted it an effect of Gods love that he had not determined the whole of his Worship to us With what affection others will peruse these passages I cannot tell for my part I heartily pitty him that he should ever undertake the defence of a cause so deplorable as to be driven to such pittiful shifts in the managerie thereof which I cannot impute to his want of Abilities which he will one day find he might better have imployed than in his present undertaking but the desperateness of the Cause he endeavours to defend It follows indeed that therefore they accounted it an effect of Gods love that they were delivered from the burden of those external Rites and Ceremonies especially as they appertained to the Covenant of Works and so do we 'T is strange if this Animadverter reckon it to be so that he should plead for the same the like yea worse Ceremonies imposed not by the Lord but by men whose servants we never were nor in these matters ought to be But that they accounted it an effect of love that God had not determined the whole of his New-Testament-Worship is such a câ—imination as their souls abhorred But he proceeds Reas 9. 'T is an effect of greater love to the Gentile Churches that God hath not determined the whole of his Worship because they being of divers Nations and Languages under divers Governments used to divers Customs they could not conveniently if at all practise such an Uniformity of Circumstances as they must have done if God had so determined Answ 1. That their being of divers Nations c. should discapacitate them with respect to their conforming to the will of God even in Circumstantials of Worship as such any more than they are discapacitated in their conforming to that part of Instituted Worship Mr. T. grants to be determined by the Lord is beyond the ken of my shallow understanding 2dly That the Saints must have practised any external Uniformity I suppose he means it with respect to Liturgies falsly called Divine Service in use amongst the Papists and Church of England Vestments called Holy c. if God had determined the whole of his Worship we crave leave to deny he hath so done yet such an Uniformity ought not to be practised 't is wretched and abominable And yet had the Lord seen it meet to have enjoyned any such thing it ought to have been practised nor would it by the Saints have been accounted a less argument of his love to them because thereby they should have been exposed to outward inconveniencies This reason at the best is but carnal and selfish from our conveniencies external or inconveniencies a measure of the Lords love in Divine Appointments is not to be taken But there is yet one Reason behind Reas 10. The Assertion That God hath determined the whole of his Worship in Circumstantials relating to it as such is to infringe our Christian Liberty and to bring us into such bondage as they were in under the Law therefore not agreeable to that love God bears to the New-Testament-Churches Answ 1. That the Lords determining the whole of his Worship should in the least infringe our Christian Liberty is a monstrous assertion it rather establisheth it in the freedom it gives not only from the Jewish Ceremonies but the Inventions and Devices of men with force and violence attempted to be imposed upon us For if God had determined the whole of his New-Testament-Worship it cannot be supposed that we owe the least homage or subjection to these We may not be the servants of men 2dly I never yet thought
of wisdom nor faithfulness in Christ he did foresee what parts of Worship were and should be requisite and what parts were essential and necessary to be observed were determined in Scripture as for accidental things they were left to the prudence and authority chiefly of Rulers Who told him so This canting he surely learned of the Romish Cabal Christ was faithful in that he revealed what was his Fathers will in Spirituals but for Externals appointed but a few things and left the rest to be ordered under general Rules as it should be found convenient in after times Answ 1. These are Mr. T. his dictates of which you must expect his proofs when he hath greater leisure but in the mean while no man can reasonably be blamed if he refuse to subscribe to them 2dly If Christ hath determined what parts of worship are essential and necessary to be observed as he grants this part of the Controversie is at an end and must be by him acknowledged to be so till he have proved First That there are accidental parts of Instituted Worship Secondly That unnecessary trifles may be added to the essential and necessary parts of Worship as parts thereof Thirdly That what Christ thought not necessary to be observed is necessary to be observed because men think so But 3dly Would Mr. T. would direct us to the place where Christ hath granted that power to the Rulers or any else to add what they shall judge convenient to his Worship he being Head of his Body the Church and King of Saints we suppose he will not have the confidence to assert they may do this without his leave the doing so being a plain usurpation of his Throne and Kingly Authority I have read over the New Testament more than once and must profess I find not the least intimation of any such thing therein but the contrary 4thly We do not understand how Christ could be faithful if he revealed only what was his Fathers will in Spirituals and neglected to do so with respect to Externals as Mr. T. intimates when he was to reveal the whole will of his Father to his Church and for that end came into the world John 1. 18. Heb. 1. 2. Nor 5thly Can we conceive how it consists with the wisdom of Christ to leave it to men the greatest and wisest of them to determine what is fit and convenient to be added to his Worship because nothing is more evident than that they are incompetent Judges hereof Their folly herein being frequently remarked in the Scripture Jeroboam thinks it convenient that the People worship at Dan and Bethel and that they have golden Calves as visible representations of that God whom they worshipped Ahaz thinks it decent and convenient that a stately Altar the pattern whereof he had seen at Damascus be set up by the Altar of the Lord that was at Jerusalem which things were the provocation of the eyes of his glory The truth is the wretched additaments of the Sons of men to the Worship of Christ owe their original to this one abominable figment of Mr. T. That what is by men thought convenient in the Worship of Christ is left to be ordered by them In the Papacy Holy Water is by Pope Alexander thought to be convenient to be reserved in Temples to sanctifie the People and drive away Devils So is the Dedication of Temples by Pope Higinus That all of ripe years do every Easter receive the Sacrament by Pope Zephirinus That Priests Stand when the Gospel is read by Pope Anastatius The Letany by Pope Gregory Confirmation of the Baptized by Clemens as 't is said though many of these things are antedated and ascribed as to their Original to persons that would have abhorred them Scultetus Med. Patr. p. 1. l. 11. c. 10. saith Of all the Epistles of the first Popes no man that reads them attentively but acknowledgeth them to be forged The Epistles Decretal which pass under the Names of Clement c. are all forged and that for six Reasons saith Perkins The like saith Dr. Prideaux in his 9th Orat. de Pseudoepigraphis Sect. 3. The Celebration of the Mass upon the Altar by Xistus or Sixtus The Distinction of Parishes by Dionysius with a command to Preachers to keep within their Bounds The singing the Creed by Pope Marcus The Glory to the Father to be said after the Psalms And the Order of Queristers or Singing-Men by Pope Damasus The Dedication of Churches by Bishops by Foelix Pope Stephen the 7th thinks it convenient to Degrade all that had taken Orders from P. Formosus he himself gives them new ones John Sicco the Successor of Silvester an 1003 makes a Decree that the election of the Roman Popes should belong only to the Roman Clergy without the consent of the People because the People are to be led and not followed he establisheth the Feast of All Souls P. Urban An. 1096 ordained That no Clergy or Layman should eat Flesh from Shrovetide to Easter Innocent the third ordained Transubstantiatioâ— yea the Fathers of the Council of Constance publish a Decree in these words Although Christ after Supper hath instituted and administred to his Disciples this venerable Sacrament under both kinds of Bread and Wine yet notwithstanding the Authority of the sacred Canons the laudable and approved custom of the Church hath observed and doth observe that this Sacrament ought not to be finished after Supper nor administred under both kinds and seeing this custom hath been according to reason brought in and a long time observed by the Church and holy Fathers it is to be held for a Law Concil Const. Sess 3. And if the case be so with us as is suggested by this Animadverter 't is not to be thought that our condition is in the least better'd by the removing the carnal ordinances of the Jews 't is by many degrees worse than theirs They had a stinted number of Ceremonies of the institution of the Lord We have an innumerable company of the devising of man nor any security but we may have a thousand more for if â—â—e Rulers shall judge them convenient they may ordain them and we are bound to submit unto them if Mr. T. his Doctrine be true But blessed be the Lord things are far otherwise Christ hatâ— not broken the yoke of the Jewish observances off the necks of his Disciples to have them become such servants of men as to stoop to every Theatrical and Ludicrous Ceremony that under the notion of Conveniency shall be by them thought fit to be imposed on them If he hath let Mr. T. produce one Scripture in which he hath so done if not we expect he manifest so much Christian modesty as to retract his over-confident Assertion that Christ hath under general rules left what relating to the externals of Worship was to be added to be ordered as it should be found convenient in after-times We further add in S. T. That 't is not lawful
respect to the power of God we deny the consequence of the Major Proposition God can if he please by the ministration of Angels good or bad effect that for which the Word is preached but it doth not therefore follow that we may attend the Ministry of these especially the latter of them 2. If of a may be of credibility with respect to Institution i. e. I have ground to expect it will be by virtue of the promise of God for the blessing of his own Institution and making it effectual for the end intended we deny his Minor which he will be able to make good when he proves that the preaching the Word of God by the present Ministers is a Divine Institution upon which the Lord hath promised his blessing for the making it effectual for the ends for which he hath instituted the preaching of the Gospel which we have already disproved 3. This Argument may be righteously retorted against himself That preaching the Word of God in which by virtue of any Institution of the Lord or promise of his Blessing and Presence thereupon I may not expect should be effectual for that good for which preaching the Word was instituted by him is not to be attended But this is true with respect to the preaching the Word of God by the present Ministers Which will be taken for granted till what is offered in this Treatise to prove it be enervated and the promise of the Presence and Blessing of God upon their so doing as his own Institution be produced Which as yet we have not met with Therefore He goes on Arg. 9. That is not unlawful lawful he means the neglect of which may be the occasion and reason of a mans condemnation But the neglect of hearing the present Ministers may be the occasion and reason of a mans condemnation Therefore The minor he proves thus The neglect of coming to the Light may be the reason of mens condemnation John 3. 20. But the neglect of hearing the present Ministers is a neglect of coming to the Light for they hold forth the Light Therefore Answ 1. We deny the minor of both Propositions The coming to the Light John 3. 20. is believing in Christ the true Light John 1. of their not so doing Christ complains John 5. 40. That the neglect of hearing the present Ministers should be a refusing to believe in Christ is not easily demonstrated 2. There are others that hold forth the Light in the Animadverters sense i. e. preach the Gospel beside and at another rate than the Prelatists and their Dependanâ—s whom if we hear by his own Argument we neglect not to come to the Light 3. The present Ministers hold not forth the pure Light of the Gospel they obfuscate darken it by humane Traditions and Ceremonies 4. We may more justly argue those Teachers that oppose and hinder the holding forth the Light or the fruitful faithful preaching of Gods Word may be the occasion and reason of mens condemnation and so not to be owned and joyned with But the present Ministers of England do so Therefore The Major will not be denied the Minor is for the most part Mr. T. his own in his Fermentum Pharisaeorum p. 7. and is generally known to be true I would gladly be informed how those that are disaffected adversaries to and do oppose fruitful faithful and godly preaching which Mr. T. affirms the Teachers of England do can be said to hold forth the Light His tenth Argument follows Arg. 10. We may go to them as Teachers of us who have the words of eternal Life John 6. 68. But the present Ministers who teach the Gospel of Christ have the words of eternal Life for it contains his words and is the power of God to Salvation from the matter of it Rom. 1. 16. 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. Answ 1. By the words of Eternal Life he means the Doctrine or Matter of the Gospel in which sense we deny his Major That because a man hath read the Scriptureâ— and got a Systeme of Divinity into his head without one drop of the Spirit or inward experience of the things he notionally understands therefore he is fit to be a Teacher of the Gospel and must be attended will not in hast be believed by such as have acquaintance with the Mysteries thereof John 6. 68. proves it not being spoken of Christ who was in the bosom of the Father sent into the World commissionated by him to preach the words of eternal Life 2. That the Gospel from the matter of it is the Power of God to Salvation I must crave leave to enter my demurrer against 't is the energie or powerful working of the Spirit of the Lord with it which makes it to be so upon the account whereof the words of Christ are by Peter said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words of eternal Life which to affirm that any of the Sons of Men have as Christ had to whom the Spirit was given without measure is little less than blasphemy without which the matter of the Gospel or the Glorious-Truths contained therein operate not to the salvation of any for want whereof 't is to some the savour of death unto death a stumbling-block foolishness not profiting them at all In it lies the whole of its energie and power its mightiness to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ is said to be through God 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. Sect. 2. Arguments for hearing the present Ministers refuted Personal quâ—lifications to be heeded in hearing The case of the Beraeans Acts 17. 11 12. examined It s impertinency to the matter in hand manifesteâ— The Ministers of England forbidden to preach in Christs Name The weakness of Mr. T. his reasoning from Luke 9. 49 50. Mat. 7. 22 23. discovered In hearing the Ministers we hear not Christ Luke 10. 16. considered Of their preaching the Gospel of Peace The reception of gifts how to be improved Of the interest of Saints in Gospel-Ministers Forbidding men to hear the present Ministers no glorying in men These are no Stewards of the Mysteries of God THE eleventh Argument Mr. T. advanceth to prove the lawfulness of hearing the present Ministers is thus formed If we ought to hear the Word of God as Gods Word we ought to hear it at any time from any person without consideration of the personal qualifications of them that deliver it But the Word of God is to be heard as Gods Word and not as the words of men 1 Thes 2. 13. Therefore Answ We deny the consequence of the first Proposition That we hear the Word of God as Gods Word i. e. with reverence and godly attention is our duty of which the Apostle 1 Thes 2. 13. that in hearing we ought to have respect to personal qualifications we have proved abundantly in this Treatise He adds Arg. 12. They may be right hearers of the Word who may hear them as the Beraeans did Acts 17.