The Shepherds Wanderings Discovered, Chapter 2
CHAP. II. In which part of the Authors Second chapter is examined: and the Preachers grants are opened, how far, and in what ſenſe they have granted the things mentioned.
THe Author is pleaſed in the firſt Chapter to tell us, that he grants theſe things:
1. That that there are or ought to be in all the Churches of Chriſt regularly conſtituted, certain Officers call'd Preachers, Paſtors, Teachers, or Elders, &c. Eph. 4.11, 12. 1 Cor. 12.29, &c.
2. That no man may take this office upon him; but he that is called, and ſet apart to it, according to the Goſpel way and rule 1 Tim. 5 22. Lay hands ſuddenly on no man. Acts 13.3. When they had faſted and prayed, and layd their hands on them, they ſent them away.
So that he grants the Goſpel rule for Goſpel Preachers to be that thoſe that take the Office upon them ſhould be ſolemnly ſet a part by faſting and prayer, and impoſition of hands.
3. That theſe officers are to be heard, acknowledged, ſubmitted to, honoured, maintained, countenanced, and furthered in their office by the people. 1 Theſ. 5 12. Eph. 5.21, &c.
4. The opinion denying the Miniſtery, is as bad as that denying Magiſtracy: and both of them hereticall, dangerous, and damnable.
5. He grants, that the publique and common preaching the word by ſuch officers in the Church of Chriſt is the ſpeciall, and great ſtanding Ordinance of Chriſt now under the Goſpel for the gathering to, and perfecting Saints in the Church, there to continue to the worlds end, Eph. 4.11. Matth. 28.20. Rom. 10.17.
In the cloſe of that Chapter he ſaies:
We utterly diſlike therefore all opinions and practiſes that tend to the derogation or prejudice of this Office, Ordinance, and Miniſtry, which muſt be kept ſafe, and untouched; and we may not endure it to be ſpoken againſt. Thus much we grant to the Preachers.
(Sir,) Although we believe that Gods word doth oblige you to believe and grant this, and all this: yet we have cauſe to thank you, that in this erronious and backſliding age (wherein ſo many have loſt their firſt love) you will thus far bear witneſſe to the truth of God. This is much more then thoſe that uſually handle your ſubject will grant: and I ſuppoſe enough (if well improved) to bring you to cloſe with that other piece of truth, againſt which you contend, viz. That Publique preaching the Goſpel amongſt profeſſors is a proper and diſtinct act of theſe Officers.
In this ſecond Chapter you come to tell us, what we have granted you, and there you confeſſe we grant you twelve things.
"1. That ſuch as have not been brought up in the Ʋniverſity, or want School-learning, may (being duely called) become publique preachers.
This indeed I have granted, in my Vindiciae, p. 14. but in theſe terms onelyonly: that School-learning is not abſolutely neceſſary. So that doubtleſſe in caſes of neceſſity, when the Church of God cannot be ſupplied enough with men of learning, this may be done (and I conceive this is our caſe and part now) for truly, I judge a godly gifted man, duely ordained and ſet a part to the work (though unlearned in part) farre fitter for the Miniſtry then a prophane wretch (though the greateſt Scholler in Chriſtendom.Quoniam non omnibus forte etiam nullis ea donorum ubertas obtingit a ſpiritu, quae Apoſtolis. Nulla fuerit impietas quod donis illius diminutum eſt ſupplere diſciplinarum adminiculis Eraſmus. in Eccleſiaſt. edit. Froben. An. 1554. Hodie quum pluſquam neceſſaria fit linguarum cognitio, & Deus hoc tempore mirabile beneficio eas ex tenebris in lucem eruerit ſunt nunc magni theologi qui fuoioſè adverſas eas declamitent quum certum ſit ſpiritum ſanctum eterno elogio hic ornaſſe linguas, colligere promptum eſt quonum ſpiritu agantur iſti cenſores. Calu. in c. 4. 1. ep. ad Corin.) Thus far now this is granted. Yet withall I cannot think that God would have ſupplied miraculouſly the firſt preachers of the Goſpel with an extraordinary gift of tongues; and an infallible ſpirit in expounding Scripture: if he had not in his wiſdome thought that it was moſt fitting for one that were learned in the Originall Tongues to interpret Scripture publiquely.
A ſecond thing you ſay we grant is, That the Ceremony of impoſition of hands is not neceſſary to the making of a Miniſter.
But who hath granted this I know not. I have not, for p. 76. I ſay, that I cannot think it can be omitted without ſin in an ordinary orderly ordination: and I give reaſons for it. Nor can I finde any place where my reverend brother, Mr. Hall, hath been ſo free in granting away Scripture precepts. Nor is it much conſiderable who hath granted it; for who ever they are, they have granted away a truth was not theirs to diſpoſe of. The word of God hath not granted it; and we cannot grant you away any piece of that, unleſſe you can bring us a ticket under Chriſts hand. Nay, you your ſelfe will not grant it, for p. 2. you ſay, they muſt be ſet apart, Non eſt minimum iota legis à quo non màgni montes pendent.according to the Goſpel rule. Now what that is, you tell us, 1 Tim. 5.22. Lay hands ſuddenly on no man. And Acts 13.3. To the Law, and to the Teſtimony, (Sir,) Iſ. 8.20. Except we could finde ſome ordinations there, without this we cannot make ſo ſlight a buſineſſe of it, eſpecially when the holy Ghoſt layeth ſo much weight upon it as to expreſſe the whole ordinance of ordination by it.
3. A third thing you ſay was granted is, That ſuch as intend the miniſtry, and are to be ſet apart for it, may as probationers preach publikely, and that Batchelours of Art may common-place in a Chappell, to the end that their Abilities may be tried and judged.
This indeed is granted you by Mr. Hall, Pulpit guarded p. 4. Vindiciae miniſt. 17. V. Mr. Rutherford, Due Right p. 281. 305.and by my ſelfe, upon that ground of Scripture, 1 Tim. 5.22. yet not without due limitation. 1. As Probationers. 2. Before the Elders, or the Church in which he is conſtantly to preach. So Mr. Hall limits it.) I have added, 3. Not without the approbation of the Presbytery that is to ordain him. 4. Not to make a work of it, but to doe it ſome few times. And (Sir) theſe are Scripture bounds. For the text onelyonly ſayes,A minori ad majus affirmandi. Lay hands ſuddenly on none, and Let him be firſt proved (which is ſpoken of Deacons, but holds a fortiori, to preachers. So that all his preaching muſt be in order to a proof, and a ſecuring of Timothy from laying on hands ſuddenly. Now (Sir) the means muſt be proportionate to the end; Reaſon tels you with theſe limitations, it is granted, ſir.
4. You ſay we grant, that ordaining is not the onelyonly thing neceſſary. We grant it indeed, for there muſt be before this miniſteriall gifts, 1 Tim. 2.2. and an inclination to the work, 1 Tim. 3.1.
5. We doe grant you, That in extraordinary caſes, as when no regular ordination can be had, nor any poſſibility of obtaining it, as in caſe of perſecution, or the like; or when people are diſperſed into Countries, where no Miniſter can be had, or where a Church is to be planted amongſt Infidels; and ſo in the infancy of the Church. Alſo in the corrupted collapſed eſtate, & generall diſorder of a Church. So when the Church is in any danger; as in caſe of lack of a Pilat or Captain, when the ſhip is in danger, or the Souldiers aſſaulted, the Marriners or Souldiers may appoint a Captaine or Maſter of the ſhip: ſo may the people in theſe and ſuch like caſes ſet apart, and appoint one of themſelves to this office, and here (as they ſay) God doth call immediately and extraordinarily.
Si itaque hic factum eſt in us qui immediate ſunt vocati, &c. V Chemnit. l. com. p. 3. p. 137. Edit. fol. Ʋ. Calv. Inſtit. l. 4. ſect. 14. Neceſſitas non habet legem.That ſame word ſuch like comes in unhandſomely after your large enumeration of all the neceſſary caſes, I know or ever heard of. Yea, you reckon one too many. For ſuppoſe a Church be to be planted amongst Infidels, I thinke Gods way is the beſt way to doe it in. So it was Acts 13.3, 4, 5: he did not ſend meerly gifted perſons to doe it, but calls from Heaven to his Church to ſet a part Paul and Barnabas, before they went; which they did by faſting and prayer, and laying on of hands: yet both of them were extraordinarily gifted. Indeed if ſuch ordination cannot be had) we grant it.
6. You ſay we grant, That every private man may in his "own family read and apply to his own family ſomething from the letter of Scripture.
Expounding is not a proper terme for their ablities. Otherwiſe we grant it.
7. You ſay truely we grant, That any private Chriſtian may privately and occaſionally, exhort, teach, admoniſh, reprove or comfort his brother.
8. You ſay we grant, That any private Chriſtian may write "upon any Scripture, and teach another by pen.
No (Sir) we onelyonly ſay, able orthodox private Chriſtians may.
9. We freely yield, That private Chriſtians occaſionally "meeting together, may repeat Sermons, relate experiences, and confer one with another.
10. We grant that private perſons may make an open confeſſion "of their faith, if called to it, or forced to it.
11. "That Magiſtrates may give publique charges, and make ſpeeches and exhortations to the people; we yield it.
12. That any man may make a publique apologie or defence to cleare himſelfe from unjuſt accuſations we grant, if he be called to it in ſeaſonable time, and convenient place he may doe it; but not to juſtle out an Ordinance of God.
You ſay, "We will make further uſe of this afterwards. We will wait upon you for that (Sir) In the mean time let me make a little.
And now (conſcientious Reader!) if thou beeſt of an humble learning ſpirit, judge betwixt us the miniſters of the Goſpell, and Mr. Sheppard. Is there not room enough in theſe grants for a Chriſtian in his own private family, or in a private meeting (if he be of an humble and ſober ſpirit) to exerciſe all the gifts he hath? but the Pulpit muſt needs be made big enough for him to ſit in, even with the Ambaſſadors of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt? and to preach in their place? Judge, I pray thee Reader, whether the Preachers of the Goſpell of Chriſt in England be ſo guilty of ſmothering the brethrens gifts, as Mr. Sheppard would make them to be p. 12, p. 74, 75. of his book, and ſee how thoſe pages and theſe agree.