A Stay Against Straying, Part 2 · Section 10
SECT. 10.
THe next Objection is thus layd dovvne: None can heare without a Preacher: None can preach, except he be ſent, Rom. 10. 14. 15. Therefore I cannot Lawfully heare him, that hath not a Lawfull ſending.
His anſwer to it is: Treat.1. That Concluſion is neither in the Text nor ſound. 2. I may Lawfully heare him that hath no Lawfull calling, as I have formerly ſhewed. 3. The ſending there intended is Gods gracious worke of providence in rayſing up men, by enabling and dispoſing them to preach, &c. 4. If faith came by the preaching of unlawfull Ministers, it followes thereupon, that ſuch Preachers are ſent in the Apostles ſence. This is the ſumme of his anſvver.
Anſw. It was a cunning trick, which Themoſtocles was once taught by a man of Lacedemonia, that becauſe they might not take the Tables away, wherein a Law was engraven; He ſhould therefore turne them up-ſide downe, which was as good as to take them away altogether. Howſoever, the Treat: takes not from us the Tables of holie Scriptures, wherein is written the Law of Chriſts Miniſters, yet by a prittie deviſe, hee turnes them here upſide downe: Which is as good as to take them quite away. J know what J ſpeake, and will ſtand to it; For if this place, Rom. 10, 14, 15. reſpects not a true outward calling, but is to be underſtood promiſcuouſly of all Miniſters, be their calling never ſo falſe, diviliſh, Antichriſtian. I ſay, if this Text be ſo to be interpreted, then have not the Miniſters of God any more to ſay for the juſtification of their ſtanding, then the Miniſters of Satan (I uſe Pauls phraſe*2. Cor. 11. 15.) have to ſay for theirs. Yea moreover, hence the baſe Familiſts aH. N. his Exhort. to his Childr., and ſuch giddie-heads, who deny all outward calling to particular men and ſay, every one that can preach the Word, are Miniſters alike; Are juſtified‡He that justifies the falſe claime of a uſurper▪ condemnes the partie, whoſe title is right and good. in their moſt vile aſſertion. ☉ facinus horrendum, ſancti viri.
But to cleare the Text from the Treat: falſe gloſſe; And by it, to prove the truth, which we hold; I will here lay downe this argument.
If Paul by ſending,Proofe 1. Rom. 10, 14, 15. doth not at all intend unlawfull Ministers: Then are not unlawfll Miniſters to be heard: But the first is true, therefore the ſecond.
The propoſition which needeth only to be cleared, may bee thus manifeſted: Such as the Apostle intended, Rom. 10. ought and may Lawfully preach: But Antichriſtian Miniſters, neither ought nor may Lawfully preach; Ergo, the Apoſtle, Rom. 10, meanes not Antichriſtian Ministers.
The Major is moſt evident, and cannot be denyed by any that beares the face of a Chriſtian. The Minor is cleare and certaine by theſe ScripturesbHeb. 5; 4. Numb. 16. 5, and 18, 7, 2 Chro, 26 18 Act. 14 23. ler. 23 21.. Beſides granted of all, both Papiſts and Proteſtants. To wit, that it is great ſinne to exerciſe any ſpirituall functiō or Miniſterie, without a true outward calling. Of this judgment were Francis Ribera cComment. in Heb. 5, 4., Toletus dIn Joh. 10. pag: 597., Royardus eFeria Ter: Poſt. Pent., Luther fComment. in Gal. c. 1; v. 8.Pareus gComment; in Heb. 5. 4;, Piſcator hibid., Ames iCaſ. Conſc. l. 4. c. 25.Slater, kOn Rom. 2. v. 3., Cartwright lRepl. to Whitg; p. 54 63., Wilſon mComment; on Rom. 10; v. 15., Bilſon nChur; Gov., & others.
2. If we may Lawfully communicate in, and with that Miniſtery, which the Apostle ſpeaketh of, Rom. 10. 15. then he intends not here any unlawfull Miniſterie. But the firſt is true; Ergo the later is true alſo.
The Propoſition cannot be doubted off. The Aſſumption wee prove by our Oppoſites Confeſſion; For they grant, it is unlawfull to communicate in, and with a falſe Office.
3. If the Holy Ghoſt doth testifie that by ſending, Rom. 10. the true and Lawfull Miniſters of Chriſt are intended: Then are not falſe and unlawfull Miniſters intended in that place. But the firſt is true; Ergo the later is true alſo.
The Propoſition is grounded on the words of the Text: How ſhall they preach, except they be ſent? As it is written, how beautifull are the feet of them that preach the Goſpell of Peace, and bring glad tytings of good things.
Theſe words are taken out of Eſa. 52. 7. where the Prophet (according to the interpretation of all Learned men upon the place) hath reference to the Miniſters of Chriſt; I ſay, to ſuch only, whoſe outward calling (whether extraordinarie or ordinarie) was Lawfull and true.
So CyrillusoComment. in Eſa. 52. 7., Dionyſiuspibid., Areulariusqibid., Wigandribid., Hyperius sOn the place., Bullingerustibid., Mollerusuibid;, Zwinglius (x), Marloratusyibid;, Gualteaibid;. Muſculusbibid;, Vrſinuscibid;, Oecolampadius, and others.
The Aſſumption needs no proofe; except a man would make ſome queſtion, whether it ſhould be day, when it is manifeſted to him, that it is not night.
4. If unlawfull and falſe Ministers are not ſent from God; But from the Devill and Antichrist; Then doth not the Apoſtle in Rom. 10. 15. intend falſe and unlawfull Ministers; But the antecedent is true; Ergo, alſo the conſequence.
The Major or antecedent is grounddibid; on theſe Scriptures*Ier. 14: 14; Rev 9 3; and 13; 14; 15; 16 and 18; 15 17; 2 Theſ. 2; 3; 4; 2 Chro. 11. 15; Rev. 16. 3.. And among other reaſons layd downe by Zanchy eQuia non mittuntur ab eo, ſed a Diabolo. Explicat. Philip; 3. 1 p. 176; Tom. 4., wherefore unlawfull Miniſters …h…uld be avoyded, he gives this for one; Becauſe God ſends them not, but the Divell. So Cartwright ‡ fRepl; to Whitg. p. 88; 204.ſpeaking of the Hierarchy (vvhichwhich comprehends all falſe Offices in the Kingdome of the Beaſt) ſayth, it came out of the Bottomleſſe pitt of hell, and from the Devill. Perkins gExpoſ. Serm; mount. Mat 7; p. 239; vol. 2., Pareus hComment; in Mat. 24. 23., Muſculus iComment, in Mat. 7., Latton kSyons Plea., the Authors of the Admonitions to the Parliament lAdmon. 1., and others ſay ſo too.
The Aſſumption is as manifeſt; For durſt any man affirme, that Miniſters not ſent from God, but from Satan and Antichriſt, are here meant by the Apoſtle.
5. Such have a promiſe of Gods gracious preſence with them, and of his bleſſing on their labours and Ministerie, who are ſaid, Rom. 10. 15. to be ſent; But unlawfull Miniſters have no ſuch promiſe of Gods preſence with them, nor of his bleſsing on their labour and Ministerie. Therefore by ſending Rom. 10. the Apoſtle intendeth not unlawfull Miniſters.
He that ſhould denye this argument, would ſhew more ſpight then wit; For both pa…ts are as cleare as the Sunne at noon-day. For the other part of the reaſon, there can be no exception againſt it; For ſeeing this place, which is the foundation of their cauſe, is very Sand; the whole building (like a tottering wall) muſt needs fall to the ground.
2. For his ſaying; He hath before ſhewed, that it is Lawfull to heare him that hath no Lawfull calling.
I anſwer, I cannot finde this proved any where in his Booke; For I profeſſe in the word of truth, I ſee little difference betweene his grounds for hearing in falſe Churches; and the Nicolaitants reaſoning for eating in idol-Temples.
For thus they would plead:mEuſeb: lib: 3; cap. 29; Ireuaen lib: 1. c. 25 Meats and Drinkes are the good Creatures of God, and may be uſed in a civill way Lawfully; Now we receive them no otherwiſe, whatſoever ends and reſpects others have.
Convenient rebus nomina ſaepe ſuis.
What is the Treat. plea but the ſame: Hearing is a naturall action: And although he heares falſe Miniſters, yet is not his private meaning to honour the ſtate of the Office, as the reſt doe. Thus (Chius ad Coum) their Doctrines are alike.
But doth not this in the meane time, ſhew a deſperate cauſe, which hath not any authenticall records of the Holie Ghoſt. VnderUnder the ſhadow whereof, it can find any ſhelter to ſhrowd it ſelfe.
What, in the whole Booke of God‡Evangelicae & Apoſtolicoe literae, & veterum Prophetarum Oracula perſpicuè nos inſtituūt, quid oporteat ſapere de voluntate, & ſenſu Dei. Ponentes ergo contentionē ex divinitus inſpiratis Oraculis que uaeram is ſolutionem eorum, quae proponuntur. Theod. lib. 1; c. 7. is there not one place of Scripture to be found? What, nothing in the Prophets? Nothing among all the writings of Chriſt and of his Apoſtles? But it muſt bee held up (as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh foreign) by the ſleight nEpheſ. 4. 14;of men, and cunning craftines, whereby they lay in wait to deceive.
Againſt this kind of reaſoning, I might here bring that exception which Tertullian oDe praeſcript: adverſ: haeret.did of old againſt his Oppoſites. What hath Athens to doe with Jeruſalem, the Schoole of Philoſophie with the Church of Chriſt.
Jn matters of faith men ſhould ſo weigh and conſider of things, as not to write what reaſon, but what Religion, not what Philoſophers, but what the Prophets and Apoſtles, not what fancie thinks, but what the Spirit of God doth ſay.pSenſus noſtri, & enarrationes ſine his teſtihus non habent fidem. Origen: in Hierom. Hom. 1.
Indeed, if a man liſt to be contentions, he may finde ſomething to ſay to every thing, though little to purpoſe to any thing; For what cauſe ſo bad, but ſome will have a colour for it.
Hath not the Stewes of Rome found PatronspHarding in confutat. of the Apolog. Have not ſome defended commones of WivesqP. Clemens.; yea and worſe too; Therefore with the Prophet this ſhall alwayes be my prayer: O let mee not vvander from thy Commaundements; Remove from mee the vvay of Lying; And take not the Word of Truth out of my mouth.
3. For his Expoſition, it is drawen in by the haire of the head; And well,rPſal. 119 10. 29. 43. it reſembleth a Shipmans hoſe, for you may apply it to vvhat you wil, rather then to the point in hand. There is not a Writer, I am perſwaded, that ever gave ſuch a ſence of the place; As if wiſedome had been borne with him▪ and ſhould dye with him.
I ſhall not ſteppe out of the way, to call in here a few well deſerving audience of the Learned. Famous PareussComment. in Rom. 10. 15. an interpreter one of a thouſand; upon the place writes thus: How ſhall they preach, except they be ſent, why ſo? What hinders but he may preach that is not ſent? indeed he may ſo to doe, but not as Gods meſſenger: For as no man is the Kings Ambaſsadour, unleſſe he have his Commiſſion: So ſuch Preachers as will declare in Gods name his mercies and benefits, ought neceſſarilie to be ſent by him; For he rejecteth all them as intruders, which runne and teach without his Commiſsion. VntoUnto the preaching therefore of the Word, a calling is required, &c. And though hee speake here properly of the Apostolicall Commiſſion, which was extraordinarie. Notwithstanding it muſt alſo be underſtood of ordinarie Miniſters: For none is a Lawfull Preacher of the Word, except God call him. Now, the Lord cals ſome immediately, as of old the Prophets and Apoſtles. Others mediately by an outward calling of the Church. So he. The very ſame Hyperius, Fagius, Ochinus, Toſſanus, Olevianus, Grinaeus, Martyr, Rolloc, Hunnius, Rungius, Brentius, and others on the place.
Now, howſoever falſe Miniſters are not ſent of God, according to the intent of the Apoſtle, Rom. 10. 15. yet I confeſſe, he hath a ſpeciall guidance, government and direction, both in their rayſing up, comming forth, and preaching ſuch and ſuch truths, for the good of his elect in many places where they come.
It is ſaid of Joſephs Brethren, that out of envy they ſold him to the Midianites tGen. 4, 8.; and yet the Scripture elſe-where ſaithuGen. 45. 3. 8. Pſal. 105 17.; God ſent him into Egypt.
Now, ſurely the ſame God, which could uſe their mallace, by which he was ſold into Egypt, for the corporall profit of his people there; he can uſe as well the powerxPareus in Comment. Gen: 45 7. p. 429. Tom. 1. of Antichriſt, (by which the Miniſters of falſe Churches have their calling) for the ſpirituall comfort and good of his choſen ones. And howſoever hee is no author of unlawfull Miniſteries: Neither can it be properly ſaid that he ſends them: Yet he ſo wiſely ordereth and diſpoſeth of them, that he brings to paſſe hereby his owne purpoſe and will, to the prayſe of the glorie of his grace, in the propagation of the Goſpell, to the converſation of many.
But let it here be remembred, that their places for all this, are not the better, neither their adminiſtrations the more warrantable; Nor any people the more juſtifyed to heare them, then were Iacobs Sonnes to be juſtifyed in what they did to their Brother, becauſe the Lord by it did them good.
That which God doth this way, is not of any promiſeaCartwright, Hom. in Eccleſ. c. 3 fol 83. 84. that he hath made, but out of his ſuperabundant grace, turning the ſinnes of his people (as the Apothecarie doth poyſen to Medicines) to their profit and good.bThings done by unlawfull inſtruments, ſo farre as they reſpect the accompliſhment of Gods will and pleaſure, either in the ſafety of his Church trial of his Childrē &c. the Scripture attributeth them to God; as author & doer; and ſo farre forth are moſt holie workes; But ſo farre as they reſpect the action done, and inſtruments; they are wicked workes, and they inſtruments are ſent from the Devill Pareus in Hoſ. 8. p. 529.
Laſtly, that which he ſaith followes, it followeth not, but is (foreign) a Concluſion il-gathered. But I ſee it is an eaſie thing to conquer, if begging will procure one that. Put caſe uſurpers of civill offices, ſhould by their adminiſtrations profit ſome people; Muſt it follow therupon, that ſuch men are ſent forth by the King? Indeed ſo it muſt be taken, or elſe the Treat: expoſition is neither in the Text, nor ſound. But (cadet in curſu) he runnes in vaine, as he hath done all the way before.
Before I end this Section, I deſire to aſke one thing of our Oppoſites. Suppoſe there be a man whom they would heare, but know not vvhether ever any converſion hath followed his preaching: May they in ſuch a caſe heare him or no? If they ſay yes, then wherefore are the effects of falſe Miniſters made the maine ground of hearing them? If they ſay no? Then hovv can they heare any? Conſidering they knovv not certainly by vvhoſe preaching another is converted. As is the way of an Eagle in the aire, ſuch is the way of an adulterous Woman, it is hid and cannot be ſeen.