The Pulpit Guarded, Part 2
Diluuntur Sophismata: OR, An Answer to all the Cavils, Scruples, Scriptures, Objections and Arguments, which are brought in defence of Lay-Preachers.
The first Objection.
GEN. 18. 19. The Lord commends Abraham for teaching his Familie: Ergo, Private persons may be Preachers: (This was a long Cutlers Argument; and 'tis like their Logick.)
Answ. The Answer is easy: 'tis one thing to instruct ones Family, and another thing to Preach: a private Person that hath Gifts, may use them in the teaching of his Family the way of the Lord, (as Abraham did) because he is commanded so to doe; but he hath no command for Preaching. This is all that can be gathered out of this place, as appears by our large Annotations on the place. That which is here said of Abraham, should bee done by every father of a Family, who is so Religiously to order his houshould, as to make it like unto a Church, &c.
2 Should wee grant that Abraham did teach publickly,Abraham wa… a K…ng, a Prie… a Prophet in … own Fam…ly. Dr. Cheyne… Ser. on Gen. 1. p. 1. 1. yet it will not be any advantage to you; for Abraham was one of the Patriarchs, and so was called by God immediately; for the Patriarchs were the Prophets and Teachers of their age, and the Lord for that end prolonged their lives, that they might be lights of the World. Besides, Abraham is expresly called a Prophet, Gen. 20. 7. Which title is never given to a meer privat man, in all the Scripture, but only to one in Office.
Now let's see how this hangs together: Because Abraham (who was a man that had singular familiarity with God, was a Patriarch, a Prophet, and one immediatly called by God) did teach: Therefore, every Naylor, Taylor, Artificer, &c. that is neither Patriarch, Prophet, nor hath any Call either Mediate or Immediate, may be a Preacher.
The second Objection.
From Numb: 11. 25. to 30. Eldad and Medad Prophesied; Vide Robinson against Yates, p. 34 &c.and Moses wisheth that all the Lords people were Prophets: Ergo, All that have Gifts may Prophesie and Preach.
Answ: Ainsworth on Numb. 11 25. Subter…ugere conantes illud …nus, in lucom protracti f…erunt per signum, miraculosum, atque ita ad illud munus vocat i at que constituti sun…. piscat. fuit do num temporale. V. caiv in loco.1 If the prophesying of the seventy Elders were extraordinary, then it will not any way help you, who are to walk in an ordinary way; but that their prophesying (what ever it were) was extraordinary, is confest on all sides; even Mr. Robinson grants it; and M. Ainsworth acknowledgeth it to have been a temporary Gift and Miracle, for confirmation of their Office, and continued but for that day, as Sauls did, 1 Sam: 10. 6, 11. So then they Prophesied by an extraordinary instinct and impulsion of the Spirit, who both Gifted them and Called them.
Now let our gifted-Artificers shew us how they are endowed (as these were) with an extraordinary Spirit of Prophesie, and wee shall bee so far from envying them, that we shall gladly heare them. But alas, we find that instead of an extraordinary Spirit of Prophesie, they are led by an ordinary Spirit of delusion, &c.
2 The Spirit of Prophesie here spoken of, was a Spirit of Government, as appeares by the context, vers 16. 17. Moses being not able to beare the burthen of government alone, the Lord sen…s him helpers, seventy Elders, men furnished with his Spirit; these the Lord Calls extraordinarily to assist Moses in the work of government: hence the Lord takes ofNon idem numero, sed specie, i. e. aliquid spirhul …uo simile pr…ucam. A Lap. Trapp in locum … Prophetasse, aliquid de eo q…. … ebat ad gub…nati … p…li & ex instincta dei laudes Dei …. Lap. the Spirit of Moses, and gives to these seventy Judges; i. e. the Lord gave the same of wisdome and judgement to them, as he did to Moses: This done they Prophesie vers: 25, id est, they publish Gods prayses, and have a Spirit of government put upon them, whereby they utter prudential things concerning the government of the people: for, as an acute Commentator observes, they Prophesied, nec praedicendo, nec praedicando; but by uttering grave and wise sentences, Apothegms or couns…ls (as Moses did) concerning the publike affaires of Israel; by political and prudential speaking of things ap e…tay…ing to Government: So that this is not meant of salvifical teaching others, but a political discoursing unto others: Thus he.
This Spirit of Prophecie did include five things, as à Lapide observes: 1 Prudentiam regendi. 2 Doctrinam & cons…ium ad dubia tam juris & justitiae, quam ceremoniarum & religionis, aliaque quael…et resolvenda. 3 Occultorum cognitionem ad decidendas lices & causas occultas. 4 Propriae fu…urorum praenotionem, ad ea vel accersenda, vel praecavenda & arcenda à populo. 5 Dei laudes & hymnos, u… Saul dici…ur Prophetâsse, cùm quasi Enthusiasmo actus Dei laudes cecinit, 1 Sam. 10.
3 Moses his wish is not that all might Preach; but that God would give his People his Spirit, that they might bee able to rule: q. d. Oh that the Lords People had a Spirit of Government put upon them, that so they might know how to behave themselves towards their God, and towards those seventy Elders which the Lord had extraordinarily designed for that purpose! Neither doth hee simply desire that all might Prophesie, but that all were Prophets, i. e. gifted and called for such imployment: so that his wish implies that none might Prophesie till they are Prophets and men in Office; so that this place, take it which way you pl…ase, makes against Lay…mens Preaching. As first, because those that were called extraordinarily, did Prophesie, Ergo, Such as are not called ordinarily may Preach. Secondly, Because the Lord gave a Spirit of Government to these seventy, that they might be able to utter Prudentiall sayings, Ergo, Artificers may Preach. Thirdly, Because Moses wisheth that all the Lords People were Prophets, i. e. men in Office, and so might Prophesie, Ergo, Lay-men who never were called to bee Prophets, might Prophesie, &c. These things hang together tanquam arena sine calce, like ropes of sand; and come as neer together as St. Germans Lips, which were nine miles asunder.
The third Objection.
From 2 Chron: 17. 7, 8, 9. and 2 Chron: 19. 6. to 11. & 29. 45, &c. Here (saith Mr. Robinson against Yates, p. 38.) are most pithy and excellent Sermons of King Jehosaphat and Hezekiah, both to the Iudges and the Levies. Besides hee sent his Princes to teach in the Cities of Iudah. Now if Jehosaphat and his Princes taught▪ (who were not men in Office) then private gifted persons may also teach, though they bee not called, nor in Office.
Answ: I shall white two Walls with one Brush, and answer to both these Objections under one head.Unâ fideliâ duos parietes dealbalo.
1 A: As I did before, pag: 5. distinguish of Preachig so I must now of Teaching.
Teaching in Scripture is taken two wayes. 1 Sometimes largly for a Fathers teaching of his Children, a Master his Servants: thus Gen: 18. 19. Abraham teacheth his Family; and the Lord commands Fathers to teach their Children, Deut: 4. 10. & 6. 7. & 11. 19. Thus Kings and Princes are to teach their inferiors, by quickning them, and exhorting them to doe their Duties in their places thus Judges at an Assize exhort both Pastors and People to live quietly and Godlily in their particular callings; yet this is not Preaching properly so called: for all Teaching is not P…eaching;b… a Master teacheth his Schollar, and a Father his Child yet doth not Preach. Thus Iehosaphat makes a generall exhortation to the Judges and Levites, to bee faithfull in the discharge of their Places as Judges on the Bench use to doe; yet this is not Preaching, neither is it so called: read but the Text, and it will clear it selfe, 2 Chron: 19. 6, 7. Iehosaphat 1 Exhorts the Judges to bee impartiall and sin…ere: v: 8, 9, 10. Hee exhorts the Levites to fidelity and sincerity; to this end hee sets up a Presbytery and appeals, v: 10, 11. For in Ierusalem they had a high State or Councell of Sanedrim, to which all appeals were made from inferior Courts, and to which all causes of difficulty were referred, both for Ecclesiasticall and Civill affairs: a notable place against Independency.
Thus did the Princes teach: they did not take upon them to bee expounders of the Law, or usurp the Priests Office; they did not Preach Sermon-wise, or in the same manner as the Levites did: else why doth Iehosaphat send Levites to teach the Word of the Lord, if the Princes might or could have supplyed their Office?
2 Take Teaching strictly for a Pastorall act, and so none but Priests,If Kings and Princes might be Pastors and Teache…s, they should be Papes to carry both Swords, temporal… and spirituall. to all. Ruth. We may not so expound Scri… …ure▪ as to make … contradict it self, or to con…ound distinct …allings. Amiae semper Scripturarumlites. Levites and Prophets may Teach: and thus the Levites are said to Teach, v: 8, 9. And they i. e. the Priests and Levites, which Iehosaphat sent, taught the People; How? Not as the Princes in a generall exhortation, but, v: 9. they have the Book of the Law of the Lord with them; It they expound, and out of it they teach the People: And see two excellent fruits and effects of their Teaching, v: 10. The fear of the Lord fell upon all the Kingdomes round about, so that they made no Warr against Iehosaphat. Oh that Magistrates would promote the Ministery! this would bee a means to preserve our Peace, and free us from the fear of Enemies. 2. Exalting and incouraging a faithfull Ministery, is a means to blesse and increase our temporalls, v: 12, And Iehosaphat waxed great exceedingly, and built Castles and Cities of stone: hee had Riches in abundance.
We must distinguish between Regall Teaching and Ministeriall Teaching. Kings teach in a civil, coactive, commanding way: but Pastors in a Ministeriall Pastoral way, as men in Office.
3. The Princes teach Efficienter, i. e. by causing the Levites to do their duty. He set Princes to teach, i. e. to see the people taught, saith a Reverend Divine;Hildersham …, Joh. 4 p 247 V. Large Annot. on Bible. Princ pum illorum officium non erat docere: sed id intelligendum est de procuratione docendiquâ procurabant u… d…cerent Levitae▪ suâ praesenti… authoritatem illis conciliantes apud populum, cum que ad illos audi…ndos coh…rtantes. Formaliter, they taught not by themselves in their own persons (for Magistracy and Minestery are two distinct Callings, and have distinct duties, upon which there must be no incroachments; yet one may be helpful to another, in suo genere, for the good of both) but by the Levites, who expounded the Law, the Princes onelyonly accompanyed them, and by their civil authority did countenance and assist them in preaching: now 'tis a rule Quod quis per alium facit id per se facere videtur; What I command my servant to doe I am said to doe my selfe. So Christ is said to baptize, but 'twas by his Disciples; …or hee baptized none himselfe, Ioh: 4. 1. Hence Iunius in loc. reads it thus: Shalac lesarau; Misit cum praefectis suis Levitas ad docendum: Iehosaphat sent with his Princes Levites to teach; hee sent them to take care that the Levites should doe their Office in that time of Apostacie.
4 I answer by way of Concession; Dato, sed non concesso: suppose we should give you that which we doe not grant you; viz. That the Princes did Preach;Piscat. in loc. yet here's a vast difference between them and our gifted-brethren:V Rutherf. for,
1 These Princes were sent to teach,Due Right of p. 282. &c. by the Magistrates command, but our Iehosaphats have by many Acts and Ordinances prohibited our gifted-Brethrens preaching.☜
2 These were Princes, and so men of choice breeding, of rare abilities, able to teach: what is this to our Naylors, Taylors, &c. who have no such breeding nor abilities.
3 They had Levites to joyn with them, who were men in Office: But you (many of you) scorn at Ministers, nick-name them, and revile them. as Antichristian, Baals-Priests, Legalists, troublers of Israel, their Calling Anti-christian,V. Rathbard. against Sepa…at. p. 68 V. Col…iers … books against both Trinity Ministery. and their maintenance Antichristian, &c. here's convitiorum plaustra, whole loads. Let such know that Christ takes the indignities done to his Embassadors as done to himselfe: He that despiseth you, despiseth me: Wee are oft commanded to love our Ministers, yea to have them in singular love, to count them worthy of double honour, not to rebuke an Elder, but to intreate him as a Father, 1 Tim: 5. 1. And the Lord gives a special caveat, that wee take heede that wee forsake not the Levite as long as wee live upon the Earth, Deut: 12. 19. How contrary to these Precepts doe many in our times walke, who hate not so much the person as the Function; and rail upon us not for personal failings, but because wee are Ministers: Let such learn of those Princes to countenance and assist the Levites, if they would prosper.
4 Admit they did Preach,… yet 'twas but once, and that in a time of extraordinary reformation, when the Church was in a collapsed condition, and the People fell to Idolatry.
Now let's gather up all, and see what wild conclusions our opposites draw from hence.
1 Because Kings and Judges may exhort Magistrates and Ministers to do their duties Ergo Lay…men may Preach.
2 B…cause Princes goe with the Levites, to countenance and assist them, Engo▪ Gifted-brethren may go against Levites, to ruine and overthrow them.
3 Because Princes teach in a collapsed Church, when the People were fallen to Idolatry, Ergo, Lay-Prophets may teach in a constituted Church, where all the rags and reliques of Idolatrie are ruined.
These are Arguments à baculo ad angulum: Because my staffe stands in the corner, Ergo,'twill rain to morrow, &c.
The fourth Objection.
From 1 Sam: 10. 5, 6. Saul did Prophesie and his servants did Prophesie, 1 Sam. 19. 20, 21.
Answ. This was extaordinary, as being a supernaturall work of the Spirit▪ and not an Office:… Saul by the instinct of the Spirit prayseth God, and thereby was confirmed in his Kingly Calling; and for confirmation of him in that Office the Spirit of the Lord came upon him; and so his servants for a time were transported with divine raptures, as in an extasie, and joyned with the sons of th… Prophets in pra…sing God with Psalms and Songs▪ and speaking of Divine matters; and were so transported with a Spirit of Prophesie, like the Prophets, that they forgot their businesse, which was to take David.
Here's no Preaching to oth…rs▪ no usurping the Levites Office; but all extraordinary; which makes nothing for your usurped Ordinarie Teaching.
The fift Objection.
The example of Elisha called from the Plough, 1 King 19. 19. And Amos (chap. 7. 14. 15.) from the Stalls.
Answ: These were called extraordinarily,Extraordinarium non facit regulam commun…m. and shewed it by their extraordinary gifts in the discharge of their places and Callings; and therfore Amos when hee was forbid to Preach, doth not plead that hee was a Gifted-man,…can loci, p. 340. &c. but pleades and proves his extraordinary Call, and that hee was sent of God to Preach his Word, Amos 7. 15.V. Owen Duty of pastors and People, p. 33. 34, &c. The Lord tooke mee as I followed the Flock, ond bid mee goe, Prophesie; I did not runn on my owne Head, nor Call my selfe, but the Lord gave mee my Commission.
A sixth Objection.
Joel 2. 28. Where the Lord promiseth in the Gospel t…mes to pour out his Spirit upon all flesh, and their sons and daughters should Prophesie, &c. And Isa: 54. 13. All thy children shall bee taught of God, Jer: 31. 33, 34. Joh: 6. 45.
Answ: The Scripture is the best Interpreter of it self; and one place, compared,Optimus interpres seriptura…st scriptura. helps to illustrate another: If wee looke into Acts 2. 16, 17, 18. it will illustrate this place; there Luke applies this Text in Ioel to the dayes of the Messias,P…ophet a …ic donum h…guarum, ali…qu… SS charisma… significat. … Lap. when Christ should p…ur out his Spirit abundantly, and that upon all sorts of People, without distinction of Nations, or conditions of Persons, be they n…ver so meane, never so low and contemptible, be they sons or servants, male or female, bond or free, rich or poore, Jews or Gentiles: Yet I will pour on them, saith God, and that abundantly, not only Dona gratis data, common gifts, as the gift of Tongues and Languages, the gift of working Miracles, the Spirit of Prophecie and Divine revelation, whereby they shall bee able ex tempore, without study, to expound prophetick Scripture, and foretell things to come, as Agabus did, and the four daughters of Philip; Their old men by divine Dreames should foretell things to come, and their young men should see Divine and Prophetick Visions, &c. Acts 19. 6. & 21. 9. 1 cor: 14.
But I will also give them Dona gratum facientia, my speciall Grace, as the Spirit of illumination, Sanctification, Regeneration, Faith, Love, Obedience; I will teach all Beleevers, all my Elect, of what Age, Sex or condition soever, this precious and more excellent way.
This Promise was fullfilled initially, and in part,*See this more fully cleared in that clear little T…act▪ Antidor. against Lay Preach. p. 22. Acts 2. 11, 17. when at the Feast of Pentecost, Christ did pour out the Spirit abundantly on the Apostles, and they spake variety of Languages; but it's now fulfilled in all the elect, to whom God gives his Spirit abundantly, yet with this difference; formerly, they had extraordinary gifts of the Spirit; but now, ordinary.
So then wee see these words are only a promise, but no precept for Lay-preaching: Now to argue thus; Because in the Primitive times God endowed Beleevers with an extraordinary measure of the Spirit; so that they could Prophesie ex tempore; therefore men that want now this extraordinary gift may turn Preachers.
2 B…cause the Lord promiseth to bless his People, not only with temporal but Spiritual blessings, Ergo, They must all Preach and use their gifts in publick.
3 Because the Lord promiseth to pour his Spirit on his handmaids (they did Prophesie and foretell things to come in the Primitive times) therefore women (who are forbidden yet) now may Preach, &c. This is Naylors, Logick and smels very strong of the Anvile.
As for these promises, Ier: 31. 34, &c. the sum of them is but thus much, viz. that in the dayes of the Gospel, Gods people shall by his Spirit have a more full and cleere unders…anding of divine Mysteries, that there shall not need so much labour in teaching them, as formerly with little fruit: for now they shall all be taught of God.