A Just Defense of Hearing the Sermons, Chapter 10 · Section 1
Sect. 1. Christs direction Matth. 23.2, 3. warrants hearing the present Ministers.
HAving hitherto been upon the Confirmation of the truth asserted by us, viz. That 'tis not lawfull for Saints to hear the present Ministers of England, we come now to consider, what is in this matter objected by our d…ssenting Brethren. This is that they say,
Object. 1. Christ commands (or at least permits) his Disciples to hear the Scribes and Pharisees (who were men as corrupt in their doctrine, as vicious in their lives, as the present Ministers of England can be supposed to be) Matth. 23.1, 2. Therefore it is lawfull to hear these.
Answ. This being the main Objection used by our dissenting Brethren in this day (as it was by others in times past) their very Achilles in this controversie, we shall speak the more largely to it. To which I reply, that this is justly urged to prove it lawfull to hear the present Ministers of England preaching▪ the doctrine of Christ, because Christ allowed his Disciples and the multitudes hearing the Scribes and Pharisees teaching the law of Moses, notwithstanding they were erroneous, vicious, intruders in that business, as much or more than are the present Ministers of England into the office, or work of preaching the Gospel. That the force of this reason may be perceived, it is to be noted, that it was the office of the Priest, who were to be of the Tribe of Levi, to instruct the people in the law of Moses, as we find the Prophet Malachi speaking, Mal. 2.7 The Priests lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth, for he was the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts, yet there they are complained of to have departed out of the way, to have caused many to stumble at the law, to have been partial in the law, v. 18, 9. Which occasioned, especially after the return from the Captivity of Babylon, the rising of sundry Sects among the Jews, as Sadduces, and Pharisees known by their peculiar tenents and usages, who were not all, nor necessarily of the Tribe of Levi, as it is certain concerning St. Paul, that he was a Pharisee, and the son of a Pharisee Acts 23.6. yet of the Tribe of Benjamin, Philip. 3.5. which therefore had no special function of teaching committed to them by God, having neither extraordinary nor ordinary calling of God, but had betaken themselves to that way, as the orders of Friers among the Papists, by their voluntary choice, yet, as the Friers among the Papists, so the Pharisees among the Jews bare the greatest sway with the common people, as having greatest influence upon their Consciences in matters of Religion, and in process of time greatest power in the government of the State▪ though they were not the ordinary Magistrates. Now to these Pharisees were adjoyned Scribes, who were Writers, Teachers, Expositors, Disputers, Rabbins, Masters, Lawyers, or Doctors of the Law, among whom our Saviour is said to sit at 12 years old in the Temple hearing them, and asking them questions, Luke 2.46. By which it is apparent, that they which were then the Doctors of the law used to sit in the Temple to resolve cases about the law; for which reason they were said to sit in the seat of Moses, Matth. 23.2. Concerning whom, though our Lord Christ had charged them with corrupting the law by their traditions Matth. 15.3. Mark. 7.8 and had warned his Disciples to take heed of the leaven of their Doctrine, Matth. 16.6 11.12. yet Matth. 23.1, 2, 3. he spake to the multittude, and to his Disciples, saying, the Scribes and Pharises sit in Moses seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say and do not. Now our Lord Christs appointing them to observe what they bid, shews he allowed or permitted their hearing them; (for otherwise they could not observe what they bid them) yet not absolutely, for then he should have contradicted himself in warning them against their traditions, and the leaven of their Doctrine, but conditionally or respectively, that is what they bid them do according to the law of Moses, in whose seat they sate, that is took upon them to be expounders of the law of Moses. Whence it is inferred, that while the Ministers of England teach the doctrine of Christ, they may be heard notwithstanding defects in their calling, and their personal evils, as the hearing of the Scribes and Pharisees was allowed by Christ to his Disciples. And the Argument may be formed thus. That hearing of Ministers against which there is no more just exception than was against the hearing of the Scribes and Pharises sitting in the seat of Moses in Christs time by his Disciples, is lawful for Christian Saints now: But there is no more just exception against hearing the present Ministers of England, than was against hearing of the Scribes and Pharisees sitting in the seat of Moses in Christs time by his Disciples. Therefore the hearing the present Ministers of England is lawfull to Christian Saints now. The major proceeds on this rule, that what in the same case our Lord Christ allowed to his Disciples then, is allowed by him to Christian Saints now, which, if it be not granted, Christs resolutions then are no satisfactions or directions to our Consciences now, which were to make those Scriptures useless, which were blasphemous. The minor is proved by shewing the exceptions against hearing the present Ministers are not greater nor more just then against the Scribes and Pharisees, and the hearing of them, nor the Christian Saints now any more forbidden to hear the present Ministers, than the Disciples of Christ then to hear the Scribes and Pharisees. Again, we may thus argue, That which warranted Christs Disciples hearing the Scribes and Pharisees in his time notwithstanding other defects warrants the Saints hearing of the present Ministers of England; now notwithstanding other defects which is grounded on such rules of Logick as these De paribus idem est judicium, Of things alike we are to have the like judgement Idem quà idem semper facit idem, the same consequent follows on the same reason as it is the same. But the Scribes and Pharisees preaching or declaring the will of God warranted Christs Disciples hearing the Scribes and Pharisees in his time notwithstanding other defects. Therefore the present Ministers preaching or declaring the will of God notwithstanding other defects warrants the Saints hearing now the present Ministers of England. The minor is grounded upon that, which is intimated to be the reason of Christs direction Matth. 23.2, 3. that they sate in Moses his chair, that is taught the observation of Gods Law, and that what they bid them observe according to it they were to hear and do, as on the contrary they were not, when they taught corrupt traditions of men, and other leavened Doctrine. To these things this Author thus answers.