The Shepherds Wanderings Discovered, Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. In which the main Queſtion is ſtated, and Mr. Sheppards Extenſions and Limitations of it are Examined.
THis great point of controverſie as you call it, you lay downe p. 21. open it p. 22. I will be thrifty of my paper, and take you at the ſecond rebound; in the cloſe of the 22 page you tell us, The ſumme of what you hold is this,
That a man out of office, gifted indeed and fitted to the worke, may lawfully in a publike way expound and apply the Scriptures to the people in a ſettled Church, without any externall call of the Church enabling and authorizing him to the office.
That is without Election, Ordination, or confirmation, (as you expound it before) this propoſition you, 1. Extend. 2. Limit. 3. Pretend to prove. 4. And to Vindicate from objections. In this Chapter I will examine your Extenſions and Limitations. For your Extenſions, you ſay it may be done,
1. In ſome caſes ordinarily and conſtantly, what caſes theſe are we cannot learne from you, you inſtance only one, viz. where no preacher in office can be had: this we grant you, neceſſity hath no law.
2. It may be done you ſay by taking Texts, raiſing obſervations "and doctrines, and making applications thereof.
"3. It may be done on the Lords day, or any other day.
"4. In the publike Aſſemblies.
5. In the publike meeting place.
6. In the Pulpit.
We grant you all this where there are no preachers in office can be heard; it may be done as you ſay ordinarily and conſtantly, and he that doth it may expect a more extraordinary aſſiſtance of God, in regard the ordinary means faile. But (Sir) what kind of conſtituted Churches are theſe that have no preachers in office belonging to them. I take it, a conſtituted Church muſt be a body of Chriſtians united, and under the inſpection of a Paſtour.
Extraordinarily and occaſionally, if on the Lords day the congregation be met, and the Miniſter failes through ſickneſſe or otherwiſe, and there be no preaching Miniſter near to whom the people may go, we agree with you, that a private perſon, if prepared and truly gifted, may either in the Church, or in ſome other place, according to his gift, diſcourſe of the Scripture to the people, though we think he might ſpend the time as well in repeating a Sermon to them, and they ſpend their time as well in going home and ſearching the Scriptures, and meditating and praying privately.
It is true that you ſay, that there were exhortations in the Jewiſh Synagogues, but the places you quote, Io. 16.20. Acts 18.28, 13, 15, 20, 9. prove onelyonly that Jeſus Chriſt ſo taught, and Paul and Apollos (called by the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 3.5. a Miniſter, and rank'd with Paul) ſo exhorted, none of theſe were meere gifted brethren.
Page 24.You would have ſuch men as theſe, viz. Naylers, Taylors, Bakers, Weavers. p. 22. have leave and encouragement to viſit Pariſhes deſtitute and unprovided, and exerciſe their gifts; and doubtleſſe you ſay this would doe more good then ſetting up meer Readers.
I anſwer: 1. Provided that firſt all thoſe be firſt employed who are more fit for it, being more eminently gifted with learning and the knowledge of the Tongues, being alſo ſober and godly.
2. Provided that according to the Apoſtles rule, theſe ſame Nailors leave making Nailes, and the Taylors leave ſtitching, and the Coblers cobling, and the Weavers weaving, or elſe I am afraid that rule of the Apoſtle will be broken, which he gives to preachers, 1 Tim. 4.15. Meditate upon theſe things, give thy ſelfe wholly to them, and that v. 13. Give attendance to reading, to exhortation, and to doctrine. Surely you will not ſay, that thoſe rules concerne onelyonly preachers ordained, that are paſtors: for then it muſt follow. That it is Gods will that the paſtors of Churches ſhould meddle with his word reverently and ſeriouſly, and ſpeake of it premeditately: but the gifted brethren have a priviledge to prate at randome and ex tempore, and that curſe denounced on them that doe the worke of God negligently belongs onelyonly to paſtors in office.
3. Provided that they be called and ſent out, and ordained according to the Goſpel-rule, elſe they will not be able to anſwer him that queſtions them, who gave you this authority? it will be no Scripturall anſwer to ſay: the State gave it me, with theſe proviſoes, I grant you what you would have, eſpecially conſidering your excellent limitations, and your ſober reproofe of extravagant members in p. 24. 25, 26, 27. Againſt which I have nothing to ſay, but eaſily grant you that all Goſpel-preachers muſt be limited by thoſe rules. And I am glad to heare from you ſo ſober a checke of the lawleſſe preachers of this ſinfull age.
But yet (Sir) you muſt pardon me, if I yet after all this ſay to him that would be a preacher foreign one thing is yet wanting, if you be an ordinary conſtant preacher, viz. A ſolemne ſetting apart to the office after Probation by faſting and Prayer, and laying on of the hands of the Preſbytery, without which his conſtant preaching will be a conſtant ſinning againſt God in the rules of the Goſpell. This now you oppoſe by 10 Arguments, from the 27 to the 50 page of your booke: I come now to the ſtrength of them.