A Just Defense of Hearing the Sermons, Chapter 10 · Section 13
Sect. 13. Conformists Ministry hath been instrumental to Convert Souls.
Object. 9. But the Ministers of England are true Gospel-Ministers, for they convert Souls; which the Apostle makes the Seal of his Ministry or Apostleship: therefore it is lawful to hear them.
To this we say, 1. That the Ministers of England are true Gospel-Ministers, is absolutely denyed by us; what is offered in this Objection proves nothing.
1. Paul makes not the Conversion of the Church of Corinth, singly, a sufficient demonstration, or convincing argument of his Apostleship; he only useth it, as what was most likely to win, and work upon their affections, who upon other accounts could not but know that he was an Apostle of the Lord Jesus.
2. Conversion of Souls is no argument, either of a lawfull call to an Apostleship, or Ministry of Christ.
For, 1. Many have converted Souls, that were not Apostles, as ordinary Ministers.
2. The Lord hath used private brethren, women, yea, some remarkable providences, as instruments in his hand for the conversion of many Souls; yet who will say that private brethren, women, or Divine Providences, are Apostles or Ministers of the Lord Jesus.
But 3. Should it be granted, that conversion of Souls is an argument of a lawfull Ministry, where are the Churches, nay where are the particular persons converted by them? We have not heard of any, nor will it be an easie task for the Objectors to produce instances in this matter.
I reply, That the Ministers of England, who preach the Gospel truely, are true Gospel Ministers, may be denied absolutely, but not justly, their preaching the Gospel truely being it, which alone is the form denominating a Minister a true Gospel Minister; though more be required to his regularity. Election by a Congregational Church, Ordination by an Eldership, or Bishop, do not make a true Gospel Minister without it, and it doth it notwithstanding some other defects. But conversion of Souls is no certain sign of a true Gospel Minister, or the defect of it an argument against it: nor do I alledge 1 Cor. 9.1, 2. to prove either. Yet when the Gospel of Christ is truly preached, and so blessed an effect follows on their labours, who do so, it is a good motive to the converted to hear them who have been instruments of their conversion, and is an engagement to them to follow their doctrine and conversation, 1 Cor. 4.15, 16. Heb. 13.7.17. 1 Thes. 5.12, 13. And if this Author, or any other do separate from them, who have been instruments of their conversion, and continue still to preach the Gospel truly, because they abide in their station without renouncing Episcopal Ordination, or accepting of an election by a congregational Church, they do it unwarrantably and injuriously. As for the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 9.1, 2. the Apostles aime is to shew he was as free, and might use his liberty as much as any other Apostle, being as truly an Apostle as any other, which might, besides other evidences, from the effect of his Apostleship on them appear to them; so that it is an argument of his Apostleship, though not singly, not, as this Author conceives, a motive to win upon their affections; yet I think it an argument from and of some thing proper to the Apostle, and the Corinthians, and therefore would not meerly from conversion of Souls, conclude a true Gospel Ministry in all that have been instruments therein. As for the demand, where are the Churches, where are the particular persons converted by them? It may perhaps be as justly demanded of this Author, where are the Churches or particular persons converted by the Ministers of the congregational Churches in old or new England, or Holland? Mr. Robert Baylie of Scotland in his Dissuasive from the Errors of the time, Mr. Thomas Edwards in his Gangraena tell stories of the fruit of separation, which I will not avow as true: yet so much of truth may be picked out of them, as may stop the mouths of them, that extoll those Ministers, and decry the best of the Conformists; who yet have been, if not of late, yet heretofore Fathers in Christ to the Members of the Congregational Churches, and to the most eminent in the Churches of old or new England. But this disparagement of some, and extolling of others, is an odious course tending to nothing but promoting of faction, and weakning the hands of them that do the work of Christ, and therefore do pray that this spirit of pride and bitterness may be extinguished, than in love we may serve one another, and that nothing be done out of strife and vain-glory, but that in lowliness of mind each may esteem others better than our selves. And I wish none had vented or read such criminations as those in the book entituled Prelatical preachers none of Christs teachers, in which he breaks out thus, p 61. They that were …oundly right down without any abatement or need of explication, Ministers of a Prelatical Ordination, have amongst them in matters of true Religion, sound knowledge and piety towards God reduced the generality of the Nation to a morsel of bread. All those Idolatrous and Superstitious conceits and practises, all the bloody ignorance and prophaeess, all that customary boldness in sinning, that hatred of goodness and good men, which are the nakedness and shame of the land, and render it obnoxious to Divine displeasure, may justly call this generation of men either fathers, or foster fathers, or both, p. 75. he terms their Ministry a Ministry which is no where approved or sanctified by Christ in his word, but obtruded upon Christians with an high hand by those who are confederate both in spirit and in practise with the scarlet coloured beast, and drunken with the blood of the Saints (a description which belyeth not the Prelatical Priesthood and Ministry,) and then applies the description Revel. 13.11. to them, and the warning Revel. 14 9. to those who joyn to them, p 76, 77. he makes the Bishops to comply with Antichrist in claiming and exercising a power of imposing on men what they please in matters of Religion, or faith, and worship, under what penalties they please also, makes those ordained and Ministers under them and by them to receive the mark of the beast, p. 52. though God did before the discovery of the evil of Prelacy benefit Souls by them, yet not after. But enough of this; there remains yet that which follows,