The Pulpits Patronage Against Unordained Usurpation, Title page – Table of contents
ΠΟΙΜΗΝΟΠΥ'ΡΓΟΣ.
Paſtorum Propugnaculum. OR, THE PULPITS PATRONAGE Againſt the Force of Un-ordained Uſurpation, and Invaſion.
By THOMAS BALL, ſometimes Fellow of Emmanuel College in Cambridge, now Miniſter of the Goſpel in Northampton, at the requeſt, and by the advice, of very many of his Neighbour-Miniſters.
Jerem. 6. 27.
I have ſet thee for a Tower, and a Fortreſs among my people, that thou mayſt know and try their way.
Jer. 23. 4.
And I will ſet up Shepheards over them, which ſhall feed them, and they ſhall fear no more, nor be diſmaied; neither ſhall they be lacking, ſaith the Lord.
LONDON, Printed by S. G. for John Wright at the Kings-head in the Old-Bayley. 1656.
To my Reverend and Loving Brethren, the Miniſters of the Goſpell, within the Countie of Northampton.
Beloved,
IT hath pleaſed God, in his goodneſs & mercy, at the laſt, to inable your Servant to abſolve the task impoſed on him by very many of you, though not ſo ſoon as you expected, and himſelf deſired, yet as ſoon as he was able, and the preſſing duties of his Miniſtry and Family would give him leave; had I been importuned (as many are) to print my Sermons upon any ſubject that I have treated of, I ſhould have been aſhamed to have been ſo ſlow; but its well known, nothing here publiſhed hath ever been the ſubject of my Preaching-labours; ſo that my frequent Preaching, did not onelyonly interrupt and ſpend my time, but did alſo divert and place my thoughts upon matters Forein and Heterogeneal; yet I think if my ordinary Sermons were penned ſo exactly, and my ſtile ſo punctuall and elaborate, as many of my Brethrens be, I ſhould have been more able and ready for the Preſs, but I have been accuſtomed to ſtudy matter, & take ſuch words as offered themſelves, and were ſuggeſted in the time of ſpeaking: being therefore now for to compoſe, and think of every thing before I wrote, I found it heavier and harder than my Sermons ever were. Theſe rubs have much retarded my ingaged ſervice and endeavours to my Brethren, and the Church, and Cauſe of God, if happily it may be thought to be concerned in theſe lucubrations.
I have made bold to uſe the Plurall Number, becauſe I deſigned to be your common mouth, vox & praeterea nihil, and to publiſh nothing but what I had ground to think was all your ſenſes, as by many of the Writings received from you, I ſhall be able to demonſtrate, if required.
If any think, I have been light and laviſh in illuſtrations, let them conſider, this is my firſt piece, and hanging long upon the wheel, I was conſtrained to refreſh my ſelf with toyes and ſtories, which I thought might happily be a refection alſo unto others, and eaſe the tedium of a long diſcourſe; yet I hope it hath not hindred light, nor any way impeached the ſtrength and cleerneſs of the matter; what ever it is, I humbly offer it unto your worths, taking it as a great favour from God, and reſpect from you, that I was thought worthy to be accounted,
Your unworthy Servant, Tho: Ball. Northampton Decem. 17. 1655.
The CONTENTS.
THe Firſt Part ſhews there is a Miniſtry, where in ye have,
1. An Introduction, ſhewing the difficulty, and yet neceſſity of the Work, cap. 1, 2, 3. unto pag. 24
2. The grand Objection againſt it anſwered, cap. 4. unto pag. 32
3. The Queſtion ſtated, cap. 5. unto pag. 52
4. An Advertiſement unto the Reader, concerning the difficulty of compelling mens aſſent, where the concluſion is Fides, not Scientia, Faith, not Science, cap. …. unto pag. 64
5. The Theſis or Poſition argued, from ſixteen grounds, in ſo many ſeverall Chapters, unto p. 130
6. Eight Objections, with their Anſwers, in ſo many Chapters, unto pag. 153
The Second Part, ſhewing the neceſſity of Ordination, wherein ye have,
1. A Reaſon of this Second Part, cap. 1. unto pag. 163
2. An Introduction unto the Doctrine of Ordination, by ſuch degrees and ſteps as lead unto it, cap. 2. unto pag. 173
3. What is not meant by Ordination, cap. 3 unto pag. 187
4. How farre the People ought to have an hand in Ordination, cap. 4. unto pag. 212
5. A Deſcription of Ordination, cap. 5. unto pag. 235
6. The equity of it argued, from eight ſeverall grounds, cap. 6. unto pag. 251
7. Objections anſwered, cap. 7. unto pag. 289
The Third Part, ſhewing what Miniſters by there Office are obliged, and bound to, where in ye have,
1. The Deſign and Purpoſe of this Part, cap. 1. unto page 292
2. The Diſcipline here meant, deſcribed, cap. 2. unto pag. 306
3. The inconveniences attending this Part of the Office intimated, and a willingneſs to be exempted, cap. 3. unto pag. 315
4. The Grounds and Reaſons of our perſwaſton, that we are ingaged, offered, cap. 4. unto the end.