The Duty of Pastors and People Distinguished, Preface · Chapter 3
CHAP. 3.
Containing a digreſſion concerning the name of Priests, the right of Chriſtians thereunto by their intereſt in the Prieſthood of Chriſt, with the preſumption of any particularly appropriating it to themſelves.
ANd now the tranſaction of theſe things, in the Chriſtian Church, preſents it ſelfe, to our conſideration; in handling whereof, I ſhall not at all diſcourſe, concerning the ſeverall Church Officers inſtituted by Chriſt and his Apoſtles, for the edification of his body: nor concerning the difference between them, who were partakers at first of an extraordinary vocation, and thoſe who ſince have been called to the ſame work in an ordinary manner, divinely appointed for the direction of the Church: neither yet doth that diverſity of the adminiſtration of government in the Churches, then when they were under the plenitude of Apoſtolicall power, and now when they follow rules preſcribed for their reiglement, come in my way.
Further, Who are the ſubject of the keyes in whom all that ſecondary eccleſiaſticall power, which is committed to men doth reſide, after the determination of ſo many learned men, by cleere Scripture light, ſhall not by me be called in queſtion: All theſe though conducing to the buſineſſe in hand, would require a large diſcuſſion, and ſuch a Scholaſticall handling, as would make it an inconſutilous piece, of this popular diſcourſe: my intent being only to ſhew, that ſeeing there are, as all acknowledge, ſome under the New Teſtament, as well as the old, peculiarly ſet apart by Gods own appointment for the administration of Chriſts ordinances, eſpecially teaching of others by preaching of the Goſpell, in the way of office and duty, what remaineth for the reſt of Gods people to doe, for their own and others edification.
But here before I enter directly upon the matter, I muſt remove one ſtone of offence, concerning the common apellation of thoſe who are ſet apart for the preaching of the Goſpell: that which is moſt frequently uſed for them in the New Teſtament is foreign, ſo 1 Cor. 3. 5. 2 Cor. 3. 6. and Chap. 6. 4. and 11. 15, 23. 1 Tim. 4. 6. and in divers other places; to which adde foreign, 1 Cor. 41. a word though of another originall, yet of the ſame ſignification with the former: & both rightly tranſlated Miniſters: the names of Ambaſſadours, Stewards and the like, wherewith they are often honoured are figurative, & given unto them, by alluſion only, that the former belonged unto them, and were proper for them, none ever denied but ſome Rabſhakes of Antichriſt; another name there is, which ſome have aſſumed unto themſelves, as an honour, and others have impoſed the ſame upon them for a reproch: viz. that of Prieſt, which to the takers ſeemed to import a more myſterious imployment, a greater advancement above the reſt of their brethren, a neerer approach unto God, in the performances of their office, then that of Miniſters: wherefore they embraced it, either voluntarily, alluding to the ſervice of God and the adminiſtration thereof amongſt his antient people the Jewes, or thought that they ought neceſſarily to undergoe it, as belonging properly to them, who are to celebrate thoſe myſteries, and offer thoſe ſacrifices, which they imagined, were to them preſcribed: the impoſers on the contrary, pretend divers reaſons why now that name can ſignifie none but men rejected from Gods work, and given up to ſuperstitious vanities; attending in their minds, the old Prieſts of Baal, and the now ſhavelings of Antichriſt: it was a new Etimologie of this name, which that learned man cleaved unto, who unhappily was ingaged into the defence of ſuch errours, as he could not but ſee, and did often confeſſe: Hook: eccleſ. polit lib 5. Whitgift. anſ. to the Admon.To which alſo he, he had an entrance made by an Arch-biſhop; to wit, that it was but an abbreviation of Preſbyters, knowing full well, not only that the ſignification of theſe words, is divers amongſt them, to whom belongs jus & norma loquendi, but alſo, that they are widely different in holy writ. Yea farther, that thoſe who firſt dignified themſelves with this title, never called themſelves Preſbyters, by way of distinction from the people, but only to have a note of diſtance among themſelvs: there being more then one ſort of them that were ſacrificers, and which eo nomine, accounted themſelves Priests: ſetting aſide then all ſuch evaſions and diſtinctions as the people of God are not bound to take notice of, and taking the word in its ordinary acceptation, I ſhall briefly declare, what I conceive of the uſe thereof, in reſpect of them, who are Miniſters of the Goſpell: which I ſhall labour to cleare by theſe following obſervations:
1. All faithfull Miniſters of the Goſpell, in as much as they are ingrafted into Chriſt, and are true believers, may, as all other true Chriſtians, be called Prieſts: but this inaſmuch as they are members of Chriſt, not Miniſters of the Goſpell: it reſpecteth their perſons, not their function, or not them as ſuch: now I conceive it may give ſome light to this diſcourſe, Rev. 1. 6. & 5. 10. & 20. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 5. &c.if we conſider the grounds and reaſons of this metaphoricall appellation, in divers places of the Gospell, aſcribed to the worſhippers of Chriſt; and how the analogie, which the preſent dispenſation holds with what was eſtabliſhed under the adminiſtration of the Old Teſtament, may take place: for there we find the Lord thus beſpeaking his people, ye ſhall be unto me a kingdome of Prieſts, an holy nation, Exod. 19. 6. ſo that it ſhould ſeeme that there was then a twofold Priesthood: a rituall Prieſthood, conferred upon the tribe of Levi, and a royall Prieſthood, belonging to the whole people: the first is quite abrogated and ſwallowed up in the Prieſthood of Chriſt, the other, is put over unto us under the Goſpell, being aſcribed to them and us, and every one in covenant with God, not directly and properly, as denoting the function peculiarly ſo ca…led, but comparatively with reference had to them that are without; for as thoſe who were properly called Prieſts, had a neerer acceſſe unto God, then the reſt of the people, eſpecially in his ſolemne worſhip, ſo all the people that are in covenant with God, have ſuch an approximatiō unto him by vertue thereof, in compariſon of them that are without, that in reſpect thereof, they are ſaid to be Priſts: now the outward covenant made with them, who were the children of Abraham after the fleſh, was repreſentative of the Covenant of grace made with the children of Promiſe, and that whole people typified the hidden elect people of God; ſo that of both there is the ſame reaſon. Thus as the Prieſts the ſons of Levi are ſaid to come neere unto God, Deut. 21. 5. and God tels them that him whom he hath choſen, he will cauſe to come neere unto him, Numb. 16. 5. choſen by a particular calling ad munus to the office of the rituall prieſthood: ſo in regard of that other kind, comparatively ſo called, it is ſaid of the whole people, What nation is there ſo great that hath God ſo nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for, Deut. 4. 7. their approaching nigh unto God made them all a nation of Prieſts, in compariſon of thoſe dogs and unclean Gentiles that were out of the Covenant: now this Prerogative is often appropriate to the faithful in the new Teſtament: for through Chriſt we have an acceſſe by one ſpirit unto the Lord, Eph. 2. 18. & 3. 19. We have boldneſſe & acceſſe with confidence: ſo James 4. 8. Draw nigh unto God, and he will draw nigh unto you: which acceſſe and approximation unto God, ſeemed as before was ſpoken to be uttered in alluſion to the Prieſts of the old Law, who had this Priviledge above others in the publike worſhip, in which reſpect only things then were typicall. Since becauſe we enjoy that prerogative in the truth of the thing it ſelfe; which they had onelyonly in type, we alſo are called Prieſts: and as they were ſaid to draw nigh in reference to the reſt of the people; ſo we, in reſpect of them, who are ſtrangers to the Covenant: that now are ſaid to be afarre off, Epheſ. 2. 17. and hereafter ſhall be without, for without are dogs, &c. Rev. 22. 15. thus this metaphoricall appellation of Prieſts is in the firſt place an intimation of that tranſcendent priviledge of grace and favour, which Jeſus Chriſt hath purchaſed for every one that is ſanctified with the bloud of the Covenant.
2. We have an intereſt in this appellation of Prieſts, by vertue of our union with Chriſt, being one with our high Prieſt, we alſo are Priests: there is a twofold union between Chriſt & us: the one, by his taking upon him our nature, the other, by beſtowing on us his Spirit: for as in his Incarnation he took upon him our fleſh and bloud by the work of the Spirit, ſo in our regeneration he beſtoweth on us his fleſh and blood, by the operation of the ſame ſpirit: yea ſo ſtrict is this latter union, which we have with Chriſt, that as the former is truly ſaid to be a union of two natures into one perſon, ſo this, of many perſons into one nature; for by it, we are made partakers of the divine nature, 2 Pet. 1. 4. becoming members of his body, of his fleſh, and of his bones, Epheſ. 5. 30. we are ſo parts of him, of his myſticall body, that we and he become thereby as it were one Chriſt; for as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body being many, are one body, ſo is Chriſt, 1 Cor. 12. 12. and the ground of this is, becauſe the ſame ſpirit is in him and us; in him indeed dwelleth the fulneſſe of it, when it is beſtowed upon us, onelyonly by meaſure: but yet it is ſtill the ſame ſpirit; and ſo makes us, according to his own prayer, one with him: as the ſoul of man being one, makes the whole body with it, to be but one man; two men cannot be one, becauſe they have two ſouls; no more could we be one with Chriſt, were it not the ſame ſpirit in him and us: now let a man be never ſo big or tall, that his feet reſt upon the earth, and his head reach to heaven, yet having but one ſoul, he is ſtill but one man: now though Chriſt for the preſent, in reſpect of our nature aſſumed, be never ſo far remote and diſtant from us in heaven, yet by the effectuall energie, and inhabitation of the ſame spirit, he is ſtill the head of that one body, whereof we are members, ſtill but one with us. Hence ariſeth to us a twofold right to the title of Prieſts;
1. Becauſe being in him, and members of him, we are accounted to have done, in him, and with him, whatſoever he hath done for us; we are buried with Chriſt, Rom. 6. 4. dead with him, v. 8. quickned together with Chriſt, Epheſ. 2. 5. being raiſed up, we ſit together with him in heavenly places, v. 6. riſen with him, Coloſ. 3. 1. now all theſe in Chriſt, were in ſome ſence Sacerdotall; wherefore we having an intereſt in their performance, by reaſon of that heavenly participation, derived from them unto us, and being united unto him, that in them was ſo properly, are therefore called Prieſts.
Secondly, by vertue of this union, there is ſuch an analogie between that which Chriſt hath done for us as a Prieſt, and what he worketh in us, by his holy spirit, that thoſe acts of ours, come be called by the ſame name with his, & we for them, to be termed Prieſts. Thus becauſe Chriſts death, and ſhedding of his blood, ſo offering up himſelf by the eternall ſpirit, was a true, proper ſacrifice for ſin, even our spirituall death unto ſin, is deſcribed to be ſuch, both in the nature of it, to be an offering or ſacrifice; for I beſeech you Brethren (ſaith S. Paul) that you offer up your bodies a living ſacrifice, holy, &c. Rom. 12. 1. and for the manner of it, our old man is crucified with him, that the body of ſin might be deſtroyed, Rom. 6. 6.
Thirdly, we are Prieſts as we are Chriſtians, or partakers of an holy unction, whereby we are annointed to the participation of all Chriſts glorious Offices; we are not called Chriſtians for nothing; if truly we are ſo, then have we an unction from the holy one, whereby we know all things, 1 Ioh. 2. 20. and thus alſo were all Gods people under the old Covenant, when God gave that caution concerning them, Touch not my CHRISTIANS, and do my Prophets no harm, Pſal. 105. 15. the unction then of the holy ſpirit, implies a participation of all thoſe endowments which were typified by the anointing with oyl, in the old Teſtament; and inveſts us with the priviledges in a spirituall acceptation, of all the ſorts of men, which then were ſo anointed; to wit, of Kings, Prieſts and Prophets: ſo that by being made Chriſtians (every one is not ſo that bears that name) we are ingrafted into Chriſt, and do attain to a kinde of holy and intimate Communion with him, in all his glorious Offices, & in that regard are called Prieſts.
Fourthly, the ſacrifices we are injoyned to offer, give ground to this appellation; now they are of divers ſorts, though all in generall, Euchariſticall; as firſt, of prayers and thankſgivings, Pſa. 116 17. I will offer unto thee the ſacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord; And again, Let my prayer be ſet before thee as Incenſe, and the lifting up of my hands be as the evening ſacrifice, Pſa. 141. 2. ſo, Heb. 13. 14. Therefore let us offer unto God the ſacrifice of praiſe, that is, the fruit of our lips. Secondly, of good vvorks, Heb. 13. 14. to do good, and to communicate forget not, for vvith ſuch ſacrifices God is well pleaſed. Thirdly, foreign or ſelf-ſlaughter, crucifying the old man, killing ſin, and offering up our ſouls and bodies, an acceptable ſacrifice unto God, Rom. 12. 1. Fourthly, the ſweet Incenſe of Martyrdom; yea, and if I be offered up on the ſacrifice and ſervice of your faith, Philip. 2. 17. Now theſe and ſundry other ſervices acceptable to God, receiving this appellation in the Scripture, denominate the performers of them prieſts. Now here it muſt be obſerved, that theſe aforenamed holy duties, are called Sacrifices, not properly, but metaphorically onelyonly, not in regard of the externall acts, as were thoſe under the Law, but in regard of the internall purity of heart, from whence they proceed. And becauſe pure Sacrifices by his own appointment, where heretofore the moſt acceptable ſervice to Almighty God; therefore now, when he would declare himſelf, to be very much delighted with the spirituall acts of our duty, he calls them, Oblations, Incenſe, Sacrifices, Offerings, &c. to intimate alſo a participation with him in his Offices, who properly and directly is the onelyonly Prieſt of his Church, and by the communication of the vertue of whoſe ſacrifice we are made Prieſts, not having authority in our own names, to go unto God for others, but having liberty through him, and in his name, to go unto GOD for our ſelves.
Not to loſe my ſelf and Reader in this digreſſion, the ſum is, the unſpeakable bleſſings which the Prieſthood of Chriſt hath obtained for us, are a ſtrong obligation for the duty of praiſe and thankſgiving, of which that in ſome meaſure we may diſcharge our ſelves, he hath furniſhed us with ſacrifices of that kinde, to be offered unto God: for our own parts, we are poor, and blinde, and lame, and naked, neither in the field, nor in the fold, in our hearts, nor among our actions, can we finde any thing worth the preſenting unto him; wherefore he himſelf provides them for us, eſpecially for that purpoſe, ſanctifying and conſecrating our ſouls and bodies, with the ſprinkling of his blood, and the unction of the holy ſpirit. Further, he hath erected an Altar (to ſanctifie our gifts) in heaven, before the Throne of grace, which being spread over with his blood, is conſecrated unto God, that the ſacrifices of his ſervants may for ever appear thereon: adde to this, what he alſo hath added, the eternall and never expiring fire, of the favour of God, which kindleth and conſumes the ſacrifices laid on that Altar: and to the end that all this may be rightly accompliſhed, he hath conſecrated us with his blood, to be Kings and Prieſts to God for evermore. So that the cloſe of this diſcourſe will be, that all true Beleevers, by vertue of their intereſt in Jeſus Chriſt, are in the holy Scripture, by reaſon of divers alluſions, called Prieſts, which name, in the ſenſe before related, belonging unto them as ſuch, cannot on this ground, be aſcribed to any part of them, diſtinguiſhed any wayes from the reſt, by vertue of ſuch diſtinction.
Secondly, the ſecond thing I obſerve concerning the buſineſſe in hand, is, that the offering up unto God, of ſome metaphoricall ſacrifices, in a peculiar manner, is appropriate unto men, ſet a part for the work of the Miniſtery: as the ſlaying of mens luſts, and the offering up of them being converted by the preaching of the Goſpel, unto God: ſo Saint Paul of his Miniſtery, Rom. 15. 16. That I ſhould be the Miniſter of Ieſus Chriſt, unto the Gentiles, miniſtring the Gospel of God; That the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, &c. Miniſters preaching the Gospel, to the converſion of ſouls, are ſaid to kill mens luſts, and offer them up unto God, as the fruit of their calling; as Abel brought unto him an acceptable ſacrifice, of the fruit of his flock; and ſo alſo in reſpect of divers other acts of their duty, which they perform in the name of their Congregations. Now theſe ſacrifices are appropriate to the Miniſters of the Goſpel, not in regard of the matter, for others alſo may convert ſouls unto God, and offer up prayers and praiſes, in the name of their companions: but in reſpect of the manner, they do it publikely and ordinarily; others privately, or in extraordinary caſes; now if the Miniſters, who are thus Gods inſtruments for the converſion of ſouls, be themſelves ingrafted into CHRIST; all the acts they perform in that great work, are but parts of their own duty, of the ſame nature in that regard, with the reſt of our spirituall ſacrifices: ſo that they have not by them, any further peculiar intereſt in the Office of the Prieſthood more then others: But if theſe Preachers themſelves do not belong unto the Covenant of Grace, (as God oftentimes out of his care for his flock, beſtows gifts upon ſome for the good of others, on whom hee will beſtow no graces, for the benefit of their own ſouls, men may adminiſter that conſolation out of the Word unto their flock, which themſelves never taſted, preach to others, and bee themſelves caſtawaies. Saint Paul tells us that ſome Preach Chriſt out of envy and contention, not ſincerely, but on purpoſe to adde to his affliction; and yet ſaith he whether in pretence or in truth, Chriſt is preached, and therein doe I. rejoyce, yea, and will rejoyce, Philip. 1. 16, 17, 18. ſurely had there been no good effected by ſuch Preaching, Saint Paul would not have rejoyced in it; and yet doubtleſſe it was no evidence of Sanctification, to Preach Chriſt meerely out of contention, (and on purpoſe to adde to the affliction of his ſervants) but I ſay if the Lord ſhall be pleaſed at any time to make uſe of ſuch, as inſtruments; in his glorious worke of converting ſoules, ſhall we thinke that it is looked upon, as their ſacrifice unto God? No ſurely, the ſoule of the Lord is delighted with the Repentance of ſinners; but all the ſacrifices of theſe wicked men are an abomination unto him, and therefore they have no intereſt in it; neither can they from hence, be ſaid to be Prieſts of God, ſeeing they continue dogges and uncleane beaſts, &c. ſo that all the right unto this Prieſtly Office, ſeemes be reſolved into, and be the ſame with the common intereſt of all beleevers in Chriſt, whereby they have a participation of his office: whence I affirme;
Thirdly, that the name of Prieſts is no where in the Scripture attributed peculiarly, and diſtinctly to the Miniſters of Goſpel as ſuch; let any produce an inſtance to the contrary, and this controverſie is at an end: yea that which puts a difference betweene them, and the reſt of the people of Gods Holineſſe, ſeemes to be a more immediate participation of Chriſts Propheticall Office, to teach, inſtruct, and declare the Will of God unto men, and not of his ſacerdotall, to offer ſacrifices for men unto God. Now I could never obſerve that any of thoſe, who wereſo forward of late to ſtile themſelves Prieſts, were at all greedy of the apellation of Prophets; no, this they were content to let goe, name and thing; and yet when Chriſt aſcended on high, he gave ſome to be Prophets, for the edification of his body, Epheſ. 4. 11. none as wee finde to be Prieſts: Prieſts then (like Prelats) are a ſort of Church Officers, whom Chriſt never appointed; whence I conclude;
Fourthly, that whoſoever maintaineth any Prieſts of the New ſtament, as properly ſo called in relation to any Altar or Sacrifice, by them to be offered, doth as much as in him lyeth diſanull the Covenant of grace, and is blaſphemouſly injurious to the Prieſthood of Chriſt; the Prieſt and the Sacrifice under the new Teſtament are one, and the ſame: and therefore they who make themſelves Prieſts, muſt alſo make themſelves Chriſts, or get another ſacrifice of their owne. As there is but one God, ſo there is but one Mediator of God and man, the man Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Tim. 2. 5. now he became the Mediator of the New Teſtament chiefly by his Prieſthood, becauſe by the eternall ſpirit he offered up himſelfe unto God, Heb. 9. 14. 15. neither is any now called of God to be a Prieſt as was Aaron, and without ſuch divine vocation to this office, none ought to undertake it, as the Apoſtle argues, Heb. 5. now, the end of any ſuch vocation, and office is quite ceaſed; being nothing but to offer gifts and ſacrifices unto God, Heb. 8. 3. for Chriſt hath offered one Sacrifice for ſin for ever, and is ſate downe at the right hand of God, Heb. 10. 12. yea by one offering he hath perfected them that are ſanctified, v. 14. and if that did procure remiſſion of ſins, there muſt be no more offering for ſin, v. 18. and the ſurrogation of another makes the bloud of Christ to be no better then that of bulls and goates. Now one of thoſe they muſt doe, who make themſelves Prieſts, (in that ſence concerning which we now treat) either get them a nevv ſacrifice of their owne,For offering the Hoſt or their Chriſt they pray: Supra quae, propitio ac ſereno vultu reſpirere digneris, & accepta habere ficut dignatus es munorae pueri tui juſti Abel, & ſacrificium Patriarchae noſtri Abrahae: with many more to that purpoſe. or pretend to offer Chriſt againe; the firſt ſeemes to have been the fault, of thoſe of ours, who made a ſacrifice of the Sacrament, yet pretended not to beleeve the reall preſence of Chriſt in, or under the outward elements or ſpecies of them; the other of the Romaniſts, whoſe Prieſts in their Maſſe, blaſphemouſly make themſelves Mediators, between God and his Son, and offering up Chriſt Ieſus for a Sacrifice, deſire God to accept him; ſo charging that ſacrifice with imperfection, which he offered on the Altar of the Croſſe, and making it neceſſary not only that he ſhould annually, but daily, yee hourely ſuffer afreſh, ſo recrucifying unto themſelves, the Lord of glory. Further, themſelves confeſſing, that to be a true ſacrifice it is required, that that which is offered unto God be deſtroyed, and ceaſe to be, what it vvas, they doe confeſſe by what lyes in them, to deſtroy the Son of God, and by their Maſſe, have tranſubſt anciatd their Altars into Croſſes, their Temples into Golgatha's, their Prelates into Pilates, their Prieſts into Hangmen; tormentors of Ieſus Chriſt, Concerning them and ours we may ſhut up this diſcourſe, with what the Apoſtle intimates to the Hebrews, viz. that all Prieſts are ceaſed, who were mortall, now ſmall cauſe have we to beleeve them to be immateriall ſpirits, among whom we finde the Workes of the fleſh to have been ſo frequent.
And this may give us ſome light, into the iniquity of thoſe times, whereinto we were lately fallen; in which Lord Biſhops and Prieſts, had almoſt quite oppreſſed the Biſhops of the Lord, and Miniſters of the Goſpell; how unthankefull men were we, for the light of the Goſpell, men that loved darkeneſſe rather then light. A wonderfull, and horrible thing vvas wrought in our Land, the Prophets propheſied falſly, the Prieſts bare rule by their meanes, almoſt the whole people loved to have it ſo, and what ſhall we now doe in the end thereof, Ierem. 5. 30. 31. ſuch a haſty Apoſtacy was growing on us, as we might juſtly wonder at, becauſe unparalelled in any Church, of any age: but our revolters were profound, haſty men and eager in their maſters ſervice. So what an height of impiety, and oppoſition to Chriſt, the Roman Apoſtacy in a thouſand yeeres attained unto, and yet I dare aver that never ſo many errors & ſuſpitions in an 100. yeeres crept into that Church, as did into ours of England in 16. and yet I cannot herein give the commendation of ſo much as induſtry to our Innovators; (I accuſe not the whole Church, but particulars in it, and that had ſeized themſelves of its authority) becauſe they had a Platforme before them, and materialls provided to their hand; and therefore it was an eaſie thing for them to erect a Babel of Antichriſtian confuſion; when the Workemen in the Roman Apoſtacy were forced to build in the plaine of Chriſtianity without any praeexiſtent materialls, but were fain to uſe brick and ſlime, of their own proviſion; beſides they were unacquainted with the maine deſigne of Satan, who ſet them on worke; and therefore it is no wonder if thoſe Nimrods oftimes hunted counter, and diſturbed each other in their progreſſe; yea the firſt mover in Church Apoſtacy, knowes, that novv his time is but ſhort, and therefore it behooves him to make ſpeedy worke in ſeducing, leſt he be prevented by the comming of Chriſt.
Then having himſelfe a long tract of time granted unto him, he allowed his agents to take leaſure alſo; but what he doth novv, muſt be done quickly, or his whole deſigne will be quaſhed: and this made him inſpire the preſent buſineſſe, with ſo much life and vigor. Moreover, he was compelled then to ſow his tares in the darke, while men ſlept, taking advantage at the ignorance and imbroylement of the times; if any man had leaſure enough to ſearch, and learning enough to ſee and finde him at it, he commonly filled the world with clamors againſt him, and ſcarſe any but his vowed champions durſt be his Advocates; in our time he was grown bold and impudent, working at noone day; yea, he openly accuſed and condemned, all that durſt accuſe him, for ſowing any thing but good Wheat, that durſt ſay that the tares of his Arminianiſme and Popery was any thing but true doctrine: let us give ſo much way to indignation, we know Satans trade what it is, to accuſe the brethren, as men are called after their profesſions, one a Lawyer, another a Phyſitian, ſo is he the accuſer of the brethren; now ſurely if ever he ſet up a ſhop on earth, to practiſe his trade in, it was our High Commisſion Court, as of late imployed, but foreign.