The Pulpits Patronage Against Unordained Usurpation, Part 1 · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. The fifth Argument.
THat ought to be in every ſettled, well-ordered Arg. 5 Church, that hath been found eſſentiall, and fundamentall, unto imperfect and unpoliſht ones; as that ought to be in every able and underſtanding man, that a new-born Babe or little Infant cannot be without: for natura inchoat àminimis, drawes firſt the rudeſt and ſmalleſt lines; the ſtouteſt Lion is but a little lump at firſt, hath nothing in it in the firſt attempt of nature, but what's eſſentiall and of abſolute neceſſity, can poliſh afterward and perfect, but not begin; the unborn Embryo, or Infant, hath all its neceſſaries and eſſentialls in the firſt draught, (m)Pſal. 139. 16.Thine eyes did ſee my ſubſtance, being yet imperfect, and in thy Book were all my members written, which in continuance were faſhioned, when as yet there was none of them. So in the Chaos, or firſt confuſed heap, which God created (n)Gen. 1. 1, 2., there was the ſpawn and ſeed of all that goodly frame, that afterwards appeared; the firſt imperfect lines in every picture, have the eſſentialls of the portraiture intended, which afterwards are poliſhed and filled up.
But in the youngeſt, rudeſt, moſt unpoliſht, newborn Church that ever was, there were ſome that attended and did act in holy things. There is no queſtion but Adams Family was the rudeſt, moſt unpoliſht Church that ever was, ſeeing he and his Wife were caſt out from the holy and immediate preſence and face of God, into the curſed, ſtubborn, unſubdued earth, that was inabled and encouraged to rebell and kick againſt him, (o)Gen. 3 17, 18, 19.and was condemned and adjudged to an hard, unuſuall & unwelcome ſtate of toile and drudgery; ſo bruiſed and diſtempered with this great Fall, that it was not eaſie to retain his ſenſes; had ſomething to diſtinguiſh him, and make him differ from the devils, and be a ground-work and foundation to build his Faith and Hope upon; and that was a ſhort, obſcure, imperfect promiſe of ſalvation in the Womans Seed (p)Gen. 3. 15., which he had little leiſure to conſider, ſo great was his confuſion and diſtraction at the firſt, and ſo full of terror and diſappointment, his arraignment and conviction.
Yet in Adams Family, ſome did attend and act in holy things; for in proceſſe of time, Cain brought of the fruit of the ground, an offering unto the Lord; and Abel brought of the firſt-lings of his flock, and of the fat thereof; this they could not have done, if their Father Adam had not inſtructed them, and taught them how to do it. So Enoch is by the Apoſtle Jude (q)Jud. 14, 15▪acknowledged a Prophet, and his Prophecy recorded and accounted a part of Holy Writ. Noah is call'd by Peter, a Preacher of righteouſneſſe (r)2 Pet. 2. 5.. So after the Flood, we find Melchiſedech a Prieſt (s)Gen. 14. 18:, Abraham expreſly call'd a Prophet (t)Gen. 20. 7, and by conſequence, the other patriarches and heads of Families by the Pſalm…ſt, ſaying, Touch not mine Anointed, and do my Prophets no harme (u)Pſal. 105. 15.; and ſo along in all theſe rude unpoliſht ages of the world, ſome did attend and act in holy things; and the Prieſthood ſettled in the firſt born, unleſs by ſome miſcarriage they were deprived of it, as Reuben was (w)Gen. 49. 4.: ſo that at the laſt the firſt-born, for that and other reaſons, were dedicated and given unto God (x)Exod. 13. 2 Exod. 22. 29., for there were Prieſts before that ſolemn conſecration of the firſt-born, or the ſeparation of the Tribe of Levi to that imployment; for before the giving of the Law, there is mentiō made of Prieſts: (y)Exod. 19. 22.: and there are young men ſent by Moſes to offer ſacrifice, before the Tribe of Levi was aſſumed (z)Exod. 24. 5, which could be no other but the firſt-born of every Family. Now if in theſe rude, unpoliſht, and imperfect draughts of Churches, there were ſome ſet a part to attend and act in holy things; how much more ought ſuch to be in perfect Modells? if in a frame of Building that's to be ſold at Sturbridge Fair, there be foundations, walls, and roof, though all imperfect and unfurniſht; how much more are there foundations, walls, and roof, in White-Hall, Hampton Court, and ſuch other ſtately and royal Fabricks.