A treatise of the nature of a minister in all its offices to which is annexed an answer to Doctor Forbes concerning the necessity of bishops to ordain, which is an answer to a question, proposed in these late unhappy times, to the author, What is a minister?

CHAP. XIX. His Argument answered.

I Have been over tedious in this Discourse. Here you may discern the vanity of his Argument from that Text, if prea∣ching be taken in that late sense, as I have expounded it, I deny that there are any Presbyters which are not Teachers. If Prea∣chers be taken in this strict sense for such as preach Studied Ora∣tions, I say that there are many Presbyters which are not Prea∣chers, and do not labour in the Word in that sense, and yet there are no Presbyters which have not the power of Administring the Sacraments. It is very weak that he saith there must be Preachers, which are no Preachers; for Presbytery, doth not depend upon preaching in this kind, nor doth the name or office signifie a Prea∣cher; but if he will, there may be preachers who do not labour, make it their Chief pains to preach; there may be differences in the Industries of men, and industrious men may be industrious in one piece of their Office, and not in another, 1 Cor. 15. 10. St. Paul saith, he laboured more than they all, that was, without doubt, in preaching, aud yet 1 Cor. 1. 14. he baptized but a few, industriously attending one, and not so much the other; but the sense of the Text is apparent, I think, and do you forgive my tedious digression.

But he urgeth, that the Bishops Factors provide ill for them; for by the Apostles determination, the meanest Minister that is

conscientious and laborious in preaching should have more re∣spect than his Diocesan, who sits, &c. but labours not to feed them with the Word of Life.

The Text doth not say the meanest conscientious Minister, &c. but saith, that those who rule well, and labour in the Word like∣wise, are more deserving that honour, than they that rule well only. It may be it is spoken only of Bishops; howsoever it is only an Addition of the obligation to him who labours; and truly I think that Bishop who doth not labour in the Word is wor∣thy of little; but I confine not labouring in the Word to preaching only studyed Sermons; but to instruct Preachers, to write, to overthrow ill opinions, and the like, and this is labouring in the Word and Doctrine.