Sacrilegious Desertion of the Holy Ministry Rebuked, Chapter 1
Sacrilegious Deſertion OF THE HOLY MINISTERY REBUKED, AND Tolerated Preaching of the GOSPEL VINDICATED, Againſt the Reaſonings of a Confident Queſtioniſt, in a Book called [Toleration not to be abuſed.] With Counſel to the NONCONFORMISTS, And Petition to the PIOUS CONFORMISTS.
By one that is Conſecrated to the Sacred Miniſtery, and is reſolved not to be a wilful Deſerter of it, in truſt that any undertakers, can juſtifie him for ſuch deſertion at the Judgment of God; till he know better how thoſe can come off themſelves, who are unfaithful Paſtors, or unjuſt Silencers of others.
1 Cor. 9. 16.
For though I preach the Goſpel, I have nothing to glory of: For neceſſity is laid upon me, yea woe is unto me, if I preach not the Goſpel.
1 Tim. 1. 12. & 2. 9. & 3. 6.
For which cauſe I ſuffer theſe things, nevertheleſs I am not aſhamed, &c.
1 Theſ. 2. 15, 16.
Who both killed the Lord Jeſus and their own Prophets, and have perſecuted us, &c.
Printed in the Year, 1672.
Tolerated Preaching OF Chriſts Goſpel VINDICATED.
CHAP. I.
Of the Author and the Title.
SECT. I.
I Am one my ſelf that am ſo greatly deſirous of His Majeſties Clemency, and that this preſent Toleration ſhould not be abuſed by any, eſpecially ſilenced Miniſters; that if this had been all that Author endeavoured, I ſhould earneſtly …e ſeconded him. And I am not without fear of the Weakneſs, Raſhneſs, Injudiciouſneſs and Imprudence of ſome that yet are earneſt and profitable Preachers. But when I find that by not-abuſing our Liberty, he meaneth, not-uſing it, and that he hath the face to exhort us to deſert our Office, when the King doth hinder them from forcible reſtraining us; and that, when it is Gods work which we are vowed to, he cometh to us (as the old Prophet) in Gods name, to charge us to forbear it, my Conſcience bids me help to ſave the weaker ſort that need it, from ſuch pernicious fallacies. And if I ſpeak plainly of the quality of his arguings, I deſire the Reader not to interpret it, as if I had not the heartyeſt deſire of Peace, and all Brotherly Love and Concord with all conformable, godly, faithful Miniſters. But words are not anſwered according to their nature, when the nature of them is not opened.
Sect. 2. Who the Author is, and why he reſolveth his Queſtion on the Presbyterian Principles, and paſſeth by the Epiſcopal Non-conformiſts, as if he were ſo ignorant of the preſent State of England, as not to know that there are many ſuch (when at the Kings return, 1660. it was Biſhop Uſhers Form of Epiſcopal Government which they all offered for Concord, who were employed in that work) theſe are little matters, not to be inſiſted on. Only I ſhall tell him that I have met with few Presbyterian Miniſters in England: though moſt have that name given them in their Licenſes. A Presbyterian is one that is [For the Divine Right of Ruling-Elders, unordained, having no Power to Preach and Adminiſter Sacraments; and for the Government of the Church by Presbyteries, Claſſes, and Synods, compoſed of Teaching-Elders in Parity with theſe Ruling-Elders Conjunct, ſo that a General Aſſembly of them is the true Eccleſiaſtical Head of a National-Church.] Of late, a Presbyterian is like the Puritan of old: A word which hath as many and as bad ſignifications, as ſpeakers have diverſity of deſigns or intents. In one mans mouth a Presbyterian is an Epiſcopal Proteſtant of the ſobereſt ſort, who is neither for Sects, nor for Church-Tyranny; and ſo impudency hath called them Presbyterians many years, who offered the ſaid Epiſcopal Form, which A. Biſhop Uſher proved to be the true Government of the ancient Churches. And ſo we have made Epiſcopal Presbyterians, who are againſt unordained Elders, and for Biſhops. In anothers mouth a Presbyterian is one that is reſolute againſt Popery. In anothers mouth a Presbyterian is one that is for the ſerious practice of a holy life. In another mans mouth a Presbyterian is one that is againſt Biſhops. And ſo Independents and many others Sects would be Presbyterians too. And in other mens mouthes a Presbyterian is one that is of Biſhop Reynolds, and Dr. Stillingfleets judgment, that no Form of Government (beſides the meer Paſtoral Office, and Church-Aſſemblies) is preſcribed in the Word of God, but variouſly left to variety of occaſions. Among all theſe, when you ſpeak with a Railing Ruffian, he muſt tell you which he means himſelf: But when we meet with a Divine that underſtandeth the common uſe of the Word, we muſt take him to uſe it in the firſt proper ſenſe. In which ſenſe I ſay again, that I am acquainted with few comparatively that are for Presbytery; but I know many that are for Paſtoral Adminiſtration without Church-Tyranny or Schiſm.
Sect. 3. As the Author honoureth himſelf with the praiſe of being a Lover of the Truth and Peace (which commendation all the contending parties, from the Papiſt to the Quaker are as ready to give themſelves) ſo I hope I ſhall the eaſilier obtain his pardon, if (believing him) I ſhall prove that it is Truth and Peace which he oppoſeth. And if I offer him a better way to ſecure them; aſſuring him that I agree with him in his main deſign, to bring the Conformiſts and Non-conformiſts nearer, and to a more amicable concord in the Work of God, and not to drive any further from mutual Communion than they are.