The Bloody Tenant Washed and Made White in the Blood of the Lamb, Part 2 · Chapter 25
TO CHAP. XXV.
IN this 25. chapter, becauſe I had ſaid, as they have growne in Grace, they have growne in diſcerning their lawfull Liberty to heare the word from the Engliſh Preachers.
He tels us, he might here engage himſelfe in a controverſie with me, but that neither the Treatiſe will permit: nor is there need, ſince it hath pleaſed the Father of Lights to ſtirre up the ſpirit of a faithfull witneſſe of his Truth, in this particular, Mr. Canne, to make a large and faithfull Reply to a Booke printed in Mr. Robinſons name, tending to prove ſuch a lawfull Liberty.
Reply. Mr. Cann is unknowne unto me, and his Booke alſo: which I have not had the Liberty to get, in theſe remote ends of the world. I ſhall willingly beſtow the reading of them if they come to my hands, and God give opportunity, eſpecially if I ſee the ſpirit of a faithfull witneſſe in them, which the Examiner extolleth. OnelyOnly I am apt to thinke, as young men grow in yeares, and gifts, they will alſo grow up to the mellow-mildneſſe, and ſoftneſſe and moderation of riper age as Mr. Robinſon in many things did.
Now from the name of Engliſh Preachers (which I uſed in my ſpeech) the Examiner though he ſeeme to decline the engaging of himſelfe in a controverſie about hearing of them, yet he taketh occaſion to enter into a threefold diſcourſe about them.
The firſt in (this chapter) concerning this title, Engliſh Preachers. Secondly, concerning hearing them in chapter 26. Thirdly concerning their calling in chap. 27.
The ſumme of his diſcourſe about the title of theſe Preachers, ſtandeth in theſe particulars.
Firſt, that Mr. Cotton acknowledgeth, the ordinary Miniſters of the Goſpel, to Paſtors, Teachers, Biſhops, Overſeers, Elders: and that their proper worke is, to feed and governe, a truly converted, holy, and godly people, gathered into a flock or Church-Eſtate.
And not properly Preachers, to convert, beget, make Diſciples, which the Apoſtles, and Evangeliſts properly were: ſo that according to Mr. Cottons confeſſions, Engliſh Preachers are not Paſtors, Teachers, Biſhops, Elders, but Preachers of glad newes (Evangeliſts) men ſent to convert and gather Churches, (Apoſtles,) &c.
Secondly, yet the Examiner confeſſeth, that at the Paſtors feeding his flock, and at the Prophets prophecying in the Church, an unbeleiver coming in may be convinced, &c. but this is accidentall, &c.
Thirdly, the Examiner acknowledgeth that it pleaſed God to worke perſonall Repentance in the hearts of thouſands in Germany, England, Low-Countries, France, Scotland, Ireland, &c. Yea, and who knoweth but in Italy, Spaine, and Rome, alſo, &c. but all this hath been under the notion of Miniſters feeding their flocks, not of Preachers ſent to convert the unconverted, and unbeleiving.
Reply. 1. Though I acknowledge the ordinary Miniſters of the Goſpel, to be Paſtors and Teachers: yet it is farre from me to thinke (howſoever the Examiner againſt my mind reporteth my mind otherwiſe) that they are not properly Preachers, to converts beget, or make Diſciples, &c.
For firſt though the worke of ordinary Miniſters were not to convert, but to feed ſoules: yet their act of feeding is properly exerciſed by preaching the word. Timothy (as a Miniſter) is taught of Paul how to behave himſelfe in the houſe of God which is the Church of God, 1. Tim. 3.15.
And this he gave him in charge (as one great part of his worke) to preach the word in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, 2 Tim. 4.1, 2. Beſides they were neither Evangeliſts, nor Apoſtles, ſurely (for then they could not have been ſo miſcarried) but the ordinary Miniſters of the Goſpel, (Paſtors, and Teachers of Churches) of whom Paul ſpeaketh, (Phil. 1.15, 16.) Some preach Chriſt ſaith he, even of envie, and ſtrife, and ſome of good will: The one preach Chriſt of contention not ſincerely: the other of Love.
Againe, Paul ſaith the Lord hath ordained, that they who preach the Goſpel ſhould live of the Goſpel, 1 Cor. 9.14. Speaketh he that only of Apoſtles, and Evangeliſts onelyonly, and not of ordinary Church-Officers? of all doubtleſſe, according to Gal. 6.6.
Moreover, what are Preachers but publiſhers of the Goſpel, or glad tydings of the word of God? for ſo ſaith the Apoſtle, preach the word, 2 Tim. 4.2. And what is preaching the word, but explication and application of it? and is not the explication and application of the word, as fit to feed ſoules, as to convert them?
Secondly, when he makes it to be not the proper worke of Paſtors, and Teachers, to preach for converſion, but accidentall onelyonly, and counteth and calleth it a moſt prepoſterous worke for ordinary Miniſters to preach for converſion, &c.
He muſt needs give me leave to diſſent from him, my Reaſons be 1. from the inſtitution and worke of the Miniſtery to the worlds end, whereof one is, to make Diſciples, Matth. 28.19, 20.
Say not, that is a peculiar Act of the Apoſtolick Office: for the Lord Jeſus ſpeaketh of three Acts: making Diſciples, Baptizing, Teaching: and in the exerciſe of theſe he promiſeth to be with his Apoſtles, and their ſucceſſours unto the end of the world, ver. 20. Succeſſours I ſay, for the Apoſtles themſelves were not to continue themſelves in the exerciſe of thoſe Acts to the end of the world, in their owne perſons, but in their ſucceſſors, the ordinary Miniſters of the Goſpel.
Secondly, from the end why Chriſt gave Paſtors, and Teachers, as well as Apoſtles and Evangeliſts: which was for the worke of the Miniſtery, for the gathering together of the Saints, as well as for the building of them up to a perfect man, Epheſ. 4.11, 12, 13.
Thirdly from the Eſtate of the Church, wherein it ſeldome or never falleth out, but ſome Hypocrites are found: and beſides them, many Infants, and theſe had need of converting Grace.
Fourthly, from the ordinary way of Converſion, which is by hearing the word, and the word preached by a Miniſter ſent, Rom. 10.14. to 17. either therefore there muſt be no converſion of ſoules after the deceaſe of the Apoſtles and Evangeliſts: or thoſe who are to be converted, muſt be converted by private Chriſtians, or by the ordinary Miniſters of the Goſpel, the ſucceſſors of the Apoſtles; but ſurely not the firſt: for God will have in every age ſome or other converted to his Grace to praiſe his name throughout all Generations.
Not the ſecond: for they ſhall not be ordinarily converted by private Chriſtians, for the Apoſtle ſaith, Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by a Preacher, and him ſent. Therefore the third way remaineth, that Faith is intended of God to be wrought from age to age by the ordinary Miniſtery of the Goſpel.
If the Converſion of ſoules were accidentall to the worke of the Miniſter, it were then praeter ſcopum efficientis, beſides the intent of the worker. But it is neither beſide the intention of the principall worker, God (for he worketh all things according to the Counſell of his owne will, Epheſ. 1.11.) nor beſides the intention of the Miniſter, for as hath been ſaid, it is one maine intent and end of his Office, to make Diſciples, and gather Saints; and Solomon maketh it an act of wiſdome, and therefore not an act of accidentall caſualty to winne ſoules, Prov. 11.30.
If it be ſaid why are they called Paſtors, if they be alſo Fathers? Paſtors are for feeding: not for begetting.
Anſw. Paſtors are alſo Fathers: and though they be called Paſtors, yet the ordinary Miniſters of the Goſpel have other Titles alſo, which imply more then feeding: as they are called Teachers, and Teachers of the ignorant, Rom. 2.20. (to miniſter ſaving knowledge to them) as well as of men of underſtanding. And Elders in the greek Language have their name from Embaſſadors, foreign an Elder, from foreign an Embaſſador, and it is one worke of heavenly Embaſſadors to beſeech men to be reconciled unto God, 2 Cor. 5.20. yea and Paſtors themſelves (whoſe worke is properly to feed) their feeding is with the word of Life, which is able to quicken dead ſoules to life, as to nouriſh living ſoules to growth in Chriſt Jeſus. The whole worke of Peters Apoſtolicall calling was wrapped up in a Paſtorall name, and worke, John 21.15, 16, 17.
Thoſe two Reaſons therefore are voyd of true and ſound reaſon, which moved the Examiner to enter upon this paſſage. Firſt, becauſe (ſaith he) ſo many excellent and worthy perſons mainly preach for Converſion, and yet account themſelves fixed and conſtant Miniſters to particular Congregations, &c.
Secondly, that in theſe great Earth-quakes of all Eſtates civill and ſpirituall, ſuch a Miniſtry might be ſought after, whoſe proper worke might be preaching for converting of ſoules to Chriſt.
For by that which hath been ſaid may plainely appeare that thoſe conſtant Miniſters who mainly preach for Converſion (ſo be it they attend, not to that onelyonly, but to building up alſo) they doe herein attend to a proper worke of their calling: and now to looke for another new Miniſtry (ſay of Apoſtles or Evangeliſts) to attend converſion of ſoules onelyonly, is to looke for a bleſſing which the Lord hath not promiſed: and beſides himſelfe hath ordained ſufficient ordinary meanes for that end, as hath been ſhewed both here, and in ſome former paſſages of this Treatiſe.