The Shepherds Wanderings Discovered, Title page
Reſponſoria ad Erratica Paſtoris, SIƲE, VINDICIAE VINDICIARUM. ID EST, The Shepherds Wandrings diſcovered, in a Revindication of the great Ordinance of GOD: Goſpel-Preachers, and Preaching.
By way of Reply and Anſwer to a late Booke, called, The Peoples priviledges, and duty guarded againſt the Pulpit and Preachers encroachment. And their ſober juſtification and defence of their free and open expoſition of Scriptures. Publiſhed by William Sheppard, Eſq.
Wherein Mr Sheppards pretended guard, conſiſting of ten Propoſitions and ten Arguments, is examined, and found to weare nothing but wooden Swords. And all his Replyes to Mr Tho. Halls Arguments, and Mr Collinges Arguments in his Vindiciae Miniſterii, brought againſt Not ordained perſons ordinary preaching, are found but cavils and too light. And the Truth ſtill maintained, That thoſe that dig in the Lords Vineyard muſt be ſent; in that, Preaching and expounding Scripture publiquely, are proper acts to Goſpel-Officers; not common to all.
Wherein alſo the great queſtion, How far the Spirit of God (that dwels in all the Saints) doth or doth not inable them to underſtand Scripture, is opened. And in it is plainly diſcovered by Mr Sheppards wreſtings and miſ-applications of Scripture: that himſelf hath not ſuch a ſpirit of Scripture interpretation as is fitting for them that publickly open the Scriptures; and in the Preface is ſhewed how much the holy Spirit of God is abuſed in theſe evill times.
By John Gollings, M.A. and Preacher of the Goſpel in Norwich.
Iſ. 28.20. For the bed is ſhorter then that a man can ſtretch himſelf on it, and the covering narrower then that he can wrap up himſelfe in it.
Quis enim mediocriter ſanus non facile intelligat, Scripturarum expoſitionem, ab iis petendam eſſe, qui earum doctores ſe eſſe profitentur. Fierique poſſe inermo id ſemper accidere, ut multa indoctis videantur abſurda, quae cum à doctoribus exponuntur, eò laudanda videantur elatius, quo abjectius aſpernanda videbantur & eo accipiantur aperta dulcius, quo clauſa difficilius aperiebantur. D. Aug. de moribus Eccl. Cathol. & Manichaeorum; t. 1. operum impr. Col. Agrip. p. 286. col. B. I.
London, Printed for R. Tomlins at the Sun and Bible neer Pie-corner. 1652.