SEC. II.

Now there are four other things which may be required * for the warrant of our preaching by other men; all which will be found to commend our Ministery to you, as the want of the same will very much disparage, if not wholly condemn the preaching of others.

The first particular of them, is, humane learning; this our adversaries allow us to have, who do not so much for the ge∣nerall part of them as pretend unto it: and be not now un∣willing, beloved, to suffer that little we have of it to commend * us so far above them that want it. O but alas! you abuse it, say they: so beloved do you your gifts, and must you therefore despise and reject them? I pray you, examine, doth not your knowledge puffe you up that lifts you so high as the pulpit, and higher yet in your own conceit and vain-boasting? this I am certain of, that if we do abuse learning, you abuse both it and us much more: (I speak not here of your undervaluing, but slandering both:) while you say of learning it is Antichristian, an Idoll, and I know not what: and while you deceive the hearts of the people, by a bold and more slanderous perswa∣ding Page  24 of them that we say, None may preach, unlesse he comes f•om the University, that all our calling lies in our learning: which things you your selves either do or might know we de∣ny; we do not say, beloved, that humane learning doth im∣power, but enable to preach: it doth not make us Ministers (for that I shall shew you anon, we have by Ordination ac∣cording to the Word) but able Ministers. Beloved, do not think that humane learning is an enemy to God, which is in∣deed the chiefest outward blessing of this life, it being not ob∣nox•ous to the * worlds violence as all other outward blessings are, and so neerer to grace. Think not humane learning is con∣trary to truth, which the God of truth himself hath made so much, and such honourable use, in all ages, of, for the mani∣festation of his truth unto the world: Consider the penmen of holy Scripture, and to whom among them, if it be safe to make such a comparison, are we most beholding? and con∣sider whether they had not the benefit of humane learning. As for Moses, that publike Minister and honourable penman of the very * theme and ground of the old Testament, he was learned in all the learning of the Egyptians: as for Solomon, Isaiah and Paul (to mention no more) whose Songs, Prophe∣cies and Epistles, you value above all the rest of the Bible; had not these, all of them, the gift and blessing of humane learning? Solomon, the wisest of men, the greatest Philosopher that ever was, who writ from the Cedar to the Isop that growes upon the wall: Isaiah bred up at the Court, and had by his own con∣f•ssion the tongue of the learned: and who know's not that Paul was bred up at the feet of Gamaliel?

There are three parts of humane learning that are judg'd * expedient to make a Minister such a workman as needs not be ashamed; History, Tongues, and Arts, and these only so far as they are necessary helps for true understanding and expounding the Scripture, which is our onely text to preach upon: I do not say we have all these so far as we should, yet this I say, that so far as we want them, so far we are workmen that had need be ashamed; and those that have attained a ripeness in them, are the more to be commended and honoured, by how much the more they are fitter for their work thereby. 1. For History, * Page  25 the story of the Bible commends that to us, and not only in it self but in other histories, besides it self, without which truly the history of the Bible, nor Prophecies, nor Promises, belong∣ing to our times, can well, if at all, be understood. 2. For Arts, * we require no more then may serve to answer the Apostles precepts before named, that a man that desires the office of a Bishop be able to convince gainsayers, and apt to teach; which cannot, indeed, as experience proves in these times of ordina∣ry acquiring abilities be gained and had without competent acquaintance with Logick and Rhetorick. 3. And lastly for * Tongues, I only desire you to think with your selves, how it had been possible for Apostles themselves to have kept their commission, and preacht to all nations, as in Acts 2. unles they had had the gift of languages: and whether the gift of tongues be such a contemptible thing as you make it, if acqui∣red, which we see God made (when inspir'd) the great gospel miracle, and means for the transplanting his Church from the Jew to the Gentiles? withall, how your selves (your selves may consider) would ever have enjoy'd the Bible in English, or un∣derstood of it, so much as you do, had you not been beholding to the humane learning of other men for it.

Yea, my brethren, if you recollect, you may easily remember * that sensible experience shew'd you the good and need of all three, at that one [late] conference with us at Wiviliscombe: where your selves had occasion to quote the Original: to retire to the state of our Churches in England for many years agon: and also to dispute in form and method; which if you remem∣ber not, above a thousand of people I suppose will for you: and which, if you remember, me thinks, should possess you with better conceit of humane learning in all its parts, of Hi∣story, Tongues and Arts.

A second particular that the eyes of men may look upon, * and see in us, and not in you; is of great weight, and is this; that we are members of, and allowed lawfull Ministers by a true Church, yea, and by all the Reformed Churches in the world. Then how can your blast possibly hurt, or your pretences reach or equall us; when alas poor men, you are neither members of, nor allowed lawfull Ministers, by any one true Church, but Page  26 have been condemn'd, and silenc'd, by the verdict of all the Churches and Councils that ever were.

I say, you are no members of a true Church; because you * have rent your selves, by dangerous schism, from all the refor∣med Churches in the world: Besides, you are not in the uni∣versal visible Church: for why? you were indeed, but by re∣nouncing your Baptism, you are again gone out of the door of that Church also: poor souls, you little imagine, of what dan∣gerous consequence, the renouncing of the ordinance of Ba∣ptism is, which was in due time administer'd to you in a true * Church, by a lawfull Minister; for the bare repeating of it, by one that is neither a Minister nor member of the true Church. O which way, can you then become true Ministers? or be al∣lowed so to be by any lawful Church? out this should seem to be according to your principles, which is so agreeable to many of your practices; I mean, to be Preachers before you are Christians: there are two fellows, within our knowledge here, within a few miles of this place, that were publike preachers, (and one of them to my knowledge hath taken a Church, a Parish, a Pulpit upon him, for a long time,) and yet were not rebaptiz'd (though long before against Infant-baptism) till about a moneth ago: I do not affect to relate such stories, but the passage was so full to my present purpose, though so gross and ridiculous, I could not hansomely leave it out.) Then no wonder if all Christian Churches and Christian Councils re∣nounce and condemn such unworthy preachers as you are; while we have the commendation, allowance, and liking of all the reformed Churches in the world, and may commend our selves to you and to all people else, without vainglory, as judged worthy by the spirits of the Prophets, whom all the Churches of Christ salute, a thing not sleighted by modest men.

A third particular that men may justly look for in the Mi∣nisters * of the Gospel is, that they be fixt and setled: and this may commend the Ministers of England above their opposers, who are not fixt either with regard to place or time.

1. With regard to place; we are fixed stars in the hand of Christ, having our station and place in the body of the Church; every one knowing his particular people and flock, over Page  27 which he is made an over seer: while since the Apostolicall times, such a steering, Ministery was never known, in a setled Church not under persecution that could make a lawfull pre∣sident, for our wandering Comets, these itinerary ubiquitarian opposers of ours.

Indeed a setled Church of Christ may sometimes appoint * some able men (whom with safety and prudence they may) to preach the Gospel among the heathens: or upon some no∣table exigence, and want of Ministers, in a true Church; that might bear the name and perform the Office of Itinerary Mi∣nisters: yet in such an extraordinary case as this, these men should be sent by the Church, and have their bounds and limits too. But our Itineraries are without all order, bounds and cal∣ling, but what they allow to themselves, and never remember themselves to be in a constituted Church, wherein indeed though the labourers be few, yet is there no such extraordinary need of such preachers as they.

2. We are fit in regard of time, while they (in all ages that * have known such men) have risen and fallen, risen and fallen, risen and fallen, like the proud inconstant waves of the sea in a storm, raving, raging, roaring and dashing against the rock the Church (the fixt and abiding foundation of our house) untill they dashed themselves to pieces, fiaming out their own shame, and fretting and chasing themselves away into ayr and nothing: while the Church of Christ, and the setled Ministery hath stood as mount Sion that cannot be moved throughout both storms and ages. The Scripture doth more then allude to the difference in hand, describing them thus; false prophess shall a∣rise; * but the lawfull Ministers of the Gospel thus; He hath set them in the Church. 1. False prophets shall arise, (i.) actively a∣rise, * of their own accord raising up themselves; while the true ones are passive, such as the Lord God shall raise upto us. Like to this is that other expression, there are many false prophets gone out, of their own accord, running before they are sent: while the true ones stay for Commission and mission, for how shall they preach except they be sent, yea and thrust out too sometimes? 2. False prophets shall arise (i.) from beneath: while the true ones with Paul have their call from Heaven, and Page  28 come down from above, as Eliah's mantle, and the gifts and blessings of Christs Ascension. 3. False prophets shall arise (i.) of a sudden and unexpectedly, while the true ones God hath set (i.) fixt, posuit, hath placed in the Church, to the end they * may abide by the blessing of his presence, and fellowship with them, to the end of the World.

Now let it be supposed that the scale is even in other re∣spects, yet doubtless there's something of weight in this in the balance of reason indifferently carried: for who doth not va∣lue staid constancy, before uncertainty? upstart novelty may please the vulgar, while the old and standing truth will onely satisfie solid men.

The fourth and last particular thing I shall mention here, that men may expect in the Preachers of the Word in a Chri∣stian * Common-wealth, is allowance and order from the Chri∣stian Magistrate: Which we have, and you have not: you know well enough that the Laws of the Land, and two Or∣dinances of Parliament never yet repealed, are against you; so that the disorderly practice of publick preaching by men un∣sent, is is a breach of the Laws of the Land, which is manifest sin by the Word of God, unlesse the same word doth com∣mand you to do what the Magistrate forbids, which I am sure you cannot, and think you dare not offer to prove: but as for us, the setled Ministery of Christ in England, 'tis known to the world, we are own'd and authoriz'd by the Christian Magistrate, which is more my brethren, for the clearing of our call in a Christian Common-wealth then you imagine; yea, that something is necessarily to be done by the Christian Ma∣gistrate for the full and regular Ordination of Ministers, is jointly agreed on, both by Calvenists and Lutherans, Prala∣tians, Presbyterians; and Ames the head of the Congregati∣onall way: and certainly such as deny it, are in this particular no good friends to Ministers or Magistrates, to make such a distance betwixt them: * but take heed, I say, not the power of ordaining is held by them, or by us, to lie in the Magi∣strates hands, yet they and we say, that in a Christian Com∣mon-wealth, something belongs to the Magistrate to do, in order thereunto: the Lutherans whom you applaud so much Page  29 for the making of a full and regular ordination, Place some-what in the hands of all the three Orders, Classes, or Estates, (as they term them) viz. the Ministery, Magistracy, and peo∣ple; * and to the Ministery they give examination, ordination, and inauguration; to the Magistrate nomination, presentati∣on, confirmation; to the people consent, suffrage, approving, or as circumstances may require postulation: Not willing to give all to the Minister with Papists; to the Magistrate with Erastians; or to the people with Libertines, Anabaptists, Brownists, &c. and to the purpose Amesius speaks, who goes as far in this as we desire, for the care that all things (saith he, touching ordination of Ministers he means) be done rightly, be∣longs to the Magistrate, whose care and power doth contribute to us; and disown you.

'Tis but vain to say, that this is to fetch our power from the earth, for we rather look on the favour of Magistrates and their assistance, as a plain performance of that Gospel-pro∣mise, Isa. 49. 23. And Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers, and their Queens thy nursing Mothers; which I know not how can come better to passe, then by their providing the sincere milk of the Word for us.

Now thus far we are come, having stept beyond you four degrees into the approbation of indifferent men, we are found to have for our wartant in preaching what you have or allow, and over and above what may well be required by any other men: yet one thing remains of greater concernment then all the rest: for further yet we excell you in this, that we have besides what the Word requires either to make or manifest us true Ministers, the sum of the following Section.