The Wise Gospel Preacher, Sermon · Part 10
The firſt Ʋſe is of Vindication.
The firſt ſhall be for Information or Vindication of all ſuch Perſons or Churches, which ſutable to this Doctrine, thus practiſe, and thus do, even improve and exerciſe what Gift or Gifts the Lord hath intruſted them with for Preaching-work; freely, willingly, faithfully, and humbly, as they have opportunity in publick Aſſemblies, and Church-Fellowſhips, though they be neither Prophets nor Prophets Sons; that is, neither educated in humane litteral Arts, nor called or admitted into any Office of Miniſtry, yet do Preach as the Spirit gives them utterance: I ſay, according to what hath been proved and opened in the Doctrine, That the way and work of ſuch is lawful; for ye may all, that fear the Lord, and are able, Propheſie one by one, Women only excepted: I ſay, not only he that hath five Talents, but he that hath but one Talent, may publickly by Preaching improve it. Mark, I ſay not as ſome would have it, that he that hath no Talent may Preach, but every one only that ſears the Lord, and hath ſome ſufficient degree or meaſure of Gifts for ſo doing; Even he I do aſſert may and ought to Preach as he hath opportunity, and let the Prophets judge, 1 Cor. 14.29, 32. Therefore know and conſider this day, ye Rabbies of the World, ye learned, ſeparated, and anointed Sons of Levi, I mean you Clergy-men, who are, or would be, the ſole ingroſſers and monopolizers of all Preaching-work in your own hands, as the alone Sons Eli; reproaching and condemning the Preaching of the Goſpel by Illiterate or Mechanick men, Lay-men, or Trades-men, as you pleaſe to call them, as not only fooliſh and diſorderly, but an incroachment and uſurpation upon the Prieſt's Office, even the Sin of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram; never remembring, as you ought, what the Lord ſaith, Have you never read, Out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings thou haſt perfected praiſe, Matth. 21.16.
But ſince this Doctrine, if not too dark, is notwithſtanding derogatory to the honour, reputation, and profit of the Learned Preachers of this day, I ſhall a little conſider of their learned, but miſapplyed Objections.
Object. 1. How can the Preaching of the Brethren, or private Chriſtians, in or unto the Church, be parallel'd with the Act of thoſe in that of Numb. 16. thoſe reproached Miniſtry, even God's faithful Miniſters, Moſes and Aaron, crying out, You take too much upon you, verſ. 3, 4. but ſo do not the Propheſying Ones, they own Chriſt's Miniſters and Official Ones, and their Preaching and Adminiſtrations to be of Chriſt, and not too much for ſuch alone to be miniſterially exerciſed in; and ſo did not thoſe.
Secondly, Theſe were Miniſters, but not content with their own Function or Miniſtry, they aſpired to another higher, even Aaron and Moſes's Miniſtry, as appears verſ. 9, 10, 11. But the Prophets that pretend to a liberty to Preach, neither pretend or affirm that every Preacher is an Official or Ordain… Miniſter of the Lord Jeſus; neither do they aſpi… to equality or ſuperiority with or above others … Chriſt's Miniſtring Ones, but acknowledge they a… neither the one nor the other of Chriſt's Goſpel Miniſtry, but Members in particular.
But thirdly, Note, There is no agreement be tween the deſign of thoſe men, and the work of the… men I plead for, their deſign was ſacrificing or offering Incenſe, the work onelyonly of Aaron, and hi… Sons, 'twas Cenſering, not Preaching, as is cle… verſ. 15, 16, 17, 18. But the higheſt of thoſe me… or this Doctrines deſign, is Preaching, not offering or performing Miniſterial Function, but priva… Mens and Brethrens liberty, as hath been prove from that paſſage, Ye may all propheſie or Pread one by one. To as little purpoſe will that Text anſwer our Clergy-mens deſign and errant for which they improve, as this Numb. 16. I mean th… 1 Cor. 7.20. Let every Man abide in the ſam… Calling wherein he was called.
This might, if it had been written at that time have been applyed aptly by Moſes in the buſineſ… he had in hand; but what is all this againſt the lawfulneſs of private Chriſtians Preaching. Preaching, though an excellent Work, is no peculiar Calling, but may be performed by Perſons of another Calling; neither do ſuch as aſſert our practice i… this way of Preaching, depart from their Callings, or not abide therein, though this is no ſatisfaction to their Adverſaries: therefore theſe feeble Objections will not ſuffice to rational Chriſtians enlightned in this Doctrine, as ſufficient to oppoſe this way of Preaching. Therefore know and conſider this day what I ſhall affirm, till you can more ſubſtantially oppoſe it; to wit, That it is lawful and laudable, a Liberty, yea, a Duty incumbent upon every Man that feareth the Lord, and hath received the Gift, to ſpeak a word in due ſeaſon for Edification, Exhortation, and Comfort, to uſe and exerciſe the Gifts he hath received of the Lord in Propheſying or Preaching in the Congregation, That all may learn, and all may be edified, 1 Cor. 14.31. Therefore not onelyonly may Paſtors, or Teachers, but any Brother of the Church that is qualified, whether Young or Old, Servant or Maſter, Son or Father, Rich or Poor, Learned or Unlearned, of what Imployment or Calling ſoever, whether Miller or Merchant, Inn-keeper or Shoop-keeper, Brick-layer or Taylor, Cobler or Shoo-maker, one or other lawful Imployment, For ye are all one in Chriſt Jeſus, Gal. 3.8. Thus much for this Uſe.