The pulpit guarded with XVII arguments proving the unlawfulness, sinfulness and danger of suffering private persons to take upon them publike preaching, and expounding the Scriptures without a call ... : occasioned by a dispute at Henly in Arden in Warwick-shire, Aug. 20, 1650 ... : in the close are added six arguments, to prove our ministers free from antichristianism / composed and compiled by a friend to truth and peace.

The second Argument.

If none may preach but such as are sent, then every Gifted Brother may not preach.

But none may preach but such as are sent:

Ergo, every Gifted Brother may not preach.

The Minor was denyed: Men might preach, though they were not sent.

I proved the contrary, from Rom. 10. 15. How shall they preach, ex∣cept they be sent? The Interrogation is a strong Negation: q. d. They cannot preach authoritatively, without a Mission and Commission from God. Well they may preach as Usurpers, but not as God's Ambassa∣dours. Hence the Lord so often reproves them for Impostors and False Prophets, that preach without authority and sending, Ier. 14. 14. and 23. 21. and 27. 15. I have not sent these Prophets, yet they run; I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. So that he is not onely a False Prophet that teacheth Lyes, but he also that teacheth without a Com∣mission or Calling, (as a judicious Divine wel observes) sive vera prae∣dicet, sive falsa; whether he preach true or false. The Question is not in) what he teacheth, but by what warrant: it's no asking what they teach, since they have no Calling to teach. Faith commeth by hear∣ing a sent Preacher, and not an Intruder: and therefore Isaiah (Chap. 6. 8.) wil not stirre til God give him a Commission, and bid him Goe. Paul doth not preach til Christ bid him Arise and Goe, Act. 9. The Fa∣ther thrusts forth Labourers Matth. 9. 38. The Son gives Pastors and Teachers, Eph. 4 11. and, the Holy Ghost makes them Over-seers, Act. 13. 3, 4. and 20. 28.

Great is the presumption of those who are self-called, and make them∣selves preachers: those are bolder theno the Priests and Prophets in the Old Testament, or Christ and his Apostles in the New Testament; who never preached til they were sent.

This Mission implies three things. 1. Election by the Church, 2. Probation and Examination by the Presbytery, (for, the spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets) whether sound in Do∣ctrine, of godly Life, and apt to teach, 1 Tim. 3. 2, 3, 10. 3. A

Separation by Ordination of the Presbytery, when by the Word, and Prayer, and Imposition of hands, he hath power given him to preach the Word, and administer the Sacraments, Acts 13. 1, 2. and 14. 23. 1 Tim. 4. 14. Tit. 1. 5. So that a Divine Call or Mission to preach, must pre∣cede Preaching: for none can preach savingly, with a good conscience, and hope of success, unlesse Divinely sent and called.

Object. There is one great Objection lieth against this Truth, viz. That Gifting is Sending: all gifted persons are sent, Gifts being the seale of Mission. Preaching is not so much an act of Office, as of Gifts. Gifts, and Talents carry with them Letters Patents of Commission to trade with them, &c.

Answ. Gifts are one thing, and Sending is another: there are thousands in the Kingdome which are gifted; yet may not, dare not Preach; Prach∣ing being a formal act of Pastors who are sent, Rom. 10. 14, 15. None may preach (though singularly gifted) in a constituted Church without authoritative sending. Barnabas and Saul had singular gifts, yet must be ordained notwithstanding, Acts 13. 1, 2.

And if bare Gifts be a sufficient Call, it must of necessity follow, that all that have gifts are called to preach: then gifted Boyes must preach; as the little Gifted Boy now at Stafford preacheth Re∣demption against the baptizing of Infants, &c. for now they begin to boast, that out of the mouthes of babes and sucklings their foes shall be con∣founded. 2. Then gifted women, who have better gifts then many of these Preachers, must also preach (as some of them hold andp pra∣ctise) though the Apostle permit not a woman to speake in the Church, but to keep silence.

There is one place which fully cleares this scruple, Matth. 10. 1. 5. where Christ distinguisheth Gifting of men, from Authoritative Send∣ing. Vers. 1. he gifts them; Vers. 5. he sends them, and gives them their Commission, Goe. We may not confound what the Word distin∣guisheth.

Briefly, there are two things that must concur to the making of a Minister.

First, Gifts, abilities, and qualifications both of Life and Learning, fit for so high and holy a Calling: and these consist of many branches, as a learned Divine of our age wel observes. Opus est hic intellectu tam verborum quàm rerum; opus est judicio, quod abstrusa eruat

••bscura illustret, ambigua distinguat, diversa conferat, hyperbata (si tulerit occasio) disponat, & reponat ordinatâ serie. Requiritur demum me∣moria & lingua, jugi excitata praxi ut praecepta retineantur, & efferantur in bonum publicum. Ista perficiunt constant lectio, penetrans meditatio, fida & tempestiva collatio.

Thus you see there are more Gifts required in a Minister then the world dreames of; as Arts, Sciences; Latine, Greek, Hebrew; Reading, Me∣ditation, Conference, utterance, Memory, &c. besides Temperance, Humi∣lity, Piety, Gravity, Mortification, Self-denyall in many lawful liberties which others may take &c.

Secondly, He must have power andq authority given him from the Presbytery to exercise those Gifts: he must not run before he is sent, but must have an Outward Call as well as an Inward, 1 Tim. 4. 14. Christ himselfe was sent, and he sent his disciples Iohn 20. 21, 22, 23. As my Fath••r hath sent mee, so send I you. These mysteries must be committed onely to faithful men, who are able to teach others, 2 Tim. 2. 2. they must be Scribes instructed for the Kingdome of God, &c. Matthew 13. 52. Else, as one wel observes, In tam praeposterâ dis∣ciplinae ruinâ tot essent sensus, quot capita, tot dissensus, quot sensus, & plures procul dubiò Praedicantes loquacissimi, quàm Auditores humanis∣simi.

All Preachers are sent either by God, or by the Devil: they that can∣not prove their Cal from God, may know who sends them.r Tertul∣lian shal tel them, What is not of God comes from the Devill. I shall conclude this point with the words of as Reverend and Learned man. It hath been generally received in the Church, that both Mat∣ter and Forme, Mission and Vision, Gifts and Calling, must concur to the constitution of him who exercises a publick Ministery. For even our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom all fulnesse dwels, glorified not himselfe to be made a High-Priest, but wast called of God as Aaron was, Heb. 5. 45. And the rule is there given, that no man takes 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, an ho∣nour or office to himselfe, whatsoever be his parts or abilities. And the Apostle saith not. How shall they 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, publickly preach the Word. without gifts and abilities? but, except they be sent, Rom. 10. 15. It must not be denyed, but that every member in the body hath 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, his proper office, Rom. 12. 4, 5. whereby it may contribute to the good and edification of the whole. The Word of God that dwells in any, ought to diffuse it selfe for the benefit of others, in their families, re∣lations,

and conversations. The talent which God hath given to every one, is to be put forth to use. The Samaritane-woman may call out her neighbours to Christ, and the Shepheards may spread abroad what they have heard of him, though they be but shepheards, and neither Priests nor Levites; but every star in his owne Orb or Sphere. Diversa est ra∣tio membri & instrumenti publicì; there's a difference between a pri∣vate member of the Church, and a publike instrument: For all the Free∣men of this City or Corporation are not Aldermen: and the edification of the body by Ministers, and by membership, are plainely distinguisht, Ephes. 4. 11. & 16.

If every Phaeton that thinkes himself able, may drive the Chariot of the Sun, no wonder if the world be set on fire. I should not doubt to say, that as in some cases, Omnis homo miles; against a sudden assaulter or invader, every man is a souldier: so, as the case may be, Omnis Christia∣nus Evangelista; every Christian is an Evangelist; as Edesius and Fru∣mentius publisht the Gospel to the Indies, and the woman to the Iberi∣ans; as the Ecclesiastical History reporteth, &c. Thus he.

'Tis for Wolves and false Prophets to be self-called, and to come of their owne accord: True Prophets are alwayes sent; as Moses, Isaiah, Amos, the Levites, Christ and his Apostles, &c. but false onest Come; they are not Sent.

But what said the Gifted Brother to this Argument? Altum silenti∣um! not a word; the brightnesse of this truth shone so strongly in his face, that he was fain to Face about, and desire of theu Reverend Mo∣derator, that he might first urge his own Arguments, and I should have liberty to urge mine after; which being granted him, è postico discedit, having finish'd his own Arguments, he never staid to heare mine, but left his followers (of which we had more then a good many) to shift for themselves, &c.

Goliah being non-plust, vanquisht and fled, I set upon the multitude, and with this following Argument Routed them all.

Notes

• 2▪ A Vocatione & Missione.
• Hinc pater, ne∣minem esse au∣diendum, nisi legitimè mit∣••atur ad praedi∣candum à De A Lap. Smith on the Crced, p. 342.
• D. Vines Serm. against Herefies, on 2 Pet. 2. 1. p. 9, 10, &c.
• Calv. Instit. l. 4. c. 3. S. 10, 11. Bowls Pastor Evang. p. 1. & 81. H••m. Disput. p. 112.
• o

  Zanchy in 4 Praecept. p. 652 Ames Medul. I, 1. cap. 53.
• 'Tis not a mans able parts which makes ••im the Steward of any of your houses, but your commit∣ting the Keys in∣to his hand Not Abilities, but a commission, make an Ambas∣sadour. Dr. Vines.
• Vide Rutherf. Due Right of Presbyt. p. 269. and 273, 274, 275.
• p

  Edwards Gan∣graena, Part 1. p. 29. Among all the confusion and disorder in Church-matters, both of Opiniens and ••ractices, all forts of Me∣chanicks taking upon them to preach and baptize; as Smiths, Taylors, Shoo-makers, Pedlers, Weavers, &c. there are also some women•• preachers in our times, who keep constant Lectures, preaching weekly to many men and women, both in Lin▪ colnshire and London, &c.
• Antidote against Lay-preaching, p. 18.
• ••rid. Ser. Lat. p. 29.
• Bernard against S••paration, p. 132.
• Perkins Treat. of calling, p. 760. &c.
• Vide Autidote against Lay-preaching p. 12. 13. &c. Am••s C. G. l. 4. c. 25. Quaest. 2.
• q

  ld tantum possumus, quod jure possumus To teach i•• the Church, is an act of power and authority.
• Antidote against Lay-preaching. p. 15. 1••.
• Prid. Orat 8.
• r

  Al••erius esse non sunt nisi diabol, quae Dei non sunt. Tert.
• s

  Dr. Vines Ser. on 2 Pet. 2. 1. p. 11. &c.
• t

  The very hav∣ing of learning either a quired∣ly or i••••piredly, is not sufficient to authorize preaching with∣out a special cal. Antid. ag. Lay-preaching. p. 22 &c. Though thou be able to teach thy brother, and thy brother thee, yet neither of you ought Ministerially to do so, till thereunto you have (as the Apostles) a specia••cal. Idem ibid.
• Bell. de Eccles. Milit.
• ☜
• Socrates, l. 1. c. 15. 16.
• Theodor. l. 1. c. 23.
• t

  John 20. 8. Al that com•• be∣fore me &c.
• u

  Mr. Jo. Trap. These men come∣meerly to dispute not to see, or be convinced.