Private Men No Pulpit Men, Postscript
Poſt-ſcript.
I Shall now give the Reader an account, why I ſingle out Mr. Cotton to make ſo much uſe of his Teſtimony in this controverſie, and herein I ſhall make good what is ſaid in the frontiſpice of this diſcourſe, viz. that Lay-mens preaching is not allowed, by the Judgement or practiſe of the Churches of Chriſt in New-England. And I chooſe out Mr. Cottons teſtimony, not onelyonly becauſe he is a godly and learned Preacher, and expounds the Scriptures alledged (by J…hn Knowls for private perſons preaching) as I did (and do) againſt it (as others alſo do) but becauſe in all things, wherein I have made uſe of him, as a witneſſe, he carries with him the Vote of the Churches of Chriſt in New-England, and it ſhould ſeem of all the Churches of the Separation in Old-England, if N. H. and J. H. the publiſhers of one of theſe books of Mr. Cottons be not deceived.
To make this good.
1. That Mr. Cottons vote carries with it the vote of the Churches of Chriſt in New-England, we gather, becauſe the Title of one of theſe books (wherein he ſpeaks againſt Lay-mens preaching) is this, The Way of the Churches of Chriſt in New-England; and the ſubject of the book is to ſhew and make good the practiſe of the Churches there in matter of Order, and Diſcipline, and Government. Now in this book there is no ſuch practiſe as private perſons preaching mentioned, nay Mr. Cotton expreſſes himſelf often and pathetically againſt it, and ſhews us, that they are ſo far from allowing meer Lay-men to preach, that they do not allow all Eccleſiaſticall Officers among them to preach, for by this he diſtinguiſheth preaching and ruling Elders, that preaching, and adminiſtring the Sacraments Keys of the Kingd. of heaven c. 5. Ibid. p. 22.is that Key of Authority that is peculiar to preaching Elders. The Ruling Elders have not received power to preach, but to charge any of the people in private, that none of them live inordinately without a Calling, or idly in their Calling, or ſcandalouſly in any ſort. So that the practiſe of the Churches of Chriſt in New-England alloweth not private mens preaching, and therefore not their Judgement, unleſſe their practiſe be not according to their judgement.
2. What approbation theſe two books of Mr. Cotton (cited in this Diſcourſe) have in Old-England, we may learn from the publiſhers of them.
1. N. H. and J. H. the publiſhers of the one (viz. The Way of the Churches of Chriſt in New-England) calling it A Full Declaration of the Church-way in all particulars meaſured and examined by the golden reed of the Sanctuary, have in their Epiſtle to the Reader theſe words,—with ſeconds of frequent intimations, that we hold with the Churches of New-England. And again, With much adoo we have (ſay they) preſented you with a fuller Declaration of All Our Way, according to the Scriptures in this learned, yet modeſt Treatiſe of (The way of the Churches of Chriſt in New-England.) And we do in this our Epiſtle certifie Our aſſent thereunto, ſaving that we do not yet fully cloſe with ſome expreſſions paſsim in the book, before ſome of which we minded it to note a* in the Margin. And we finde not this ſtar before any of the teſtimonies which we have cited againſt private perſons preaching. And therefore we have for us in this Controverſie the judgement as of Mr. Cotton, and the Churches in New-England, ſo of all thoſe Churches and perſons in Old-England which are contained in thoſe publiſhers ALL OƲR, and WE. And who, and how many they are, they beſt know, who made that Manifesto. Their We and All Our, with the drift of the Epiſtle ſeem to imply an unanimous conſent.
And the Reverend publiſhers of the other book (viz. The M. Tho. M. Goodwin. M. Phil. Nye.Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven) albeit they ſeem to diſſent from Mr. Cotton in this point of propheſying, yet are expreſſe (I am ſure) againſt that which is practiſed among us, defended by John Knowls, and oppugned by me in this Diſcourſe. For take their cautions in their own words, it muſt be, ſay they, ſometimes To the Reader.onelyonly. 1. Occaſionally not in an ordinary courſe. 2. By ſuch men as are fit for office. And 3 not aſſuming this of themſelves, but judged ſuch by thoſe that have the power, and ſo allowed and deſigned to it, &c. Thus▪ and thus onelyonly, they conceive gifted Brethren may preach; and had theſe cautions been obſerved, we had not had this controverſie a foot; and how unſuitable the practiſe of our private Preachers hath been to theſe limitations is ſo manifeſt, that I need not, nor will ſpeak: it were to ſpeak rather ad perſonas, which I meddle not with, than ad rem, which is that I ſeek, the clearing of the truth.
And, as I ſaid, though theſe learned men ſeem to diſſent from Mr. Catton, yet wherein the difference lies (having conſidered their cautions and his writings) I confeſſe I ſee not, unleſſe it be in the word Occaſionally. For Mr. Cotten permits none (though gifted men, and Eccleſiaſticall Officers) unleſſe Paſtors or Teachers to preach. Mr. Peters Colleague hath himſelf Mr. Noriceheld up all the ordinances in the whole work of the Miniſtery, all the time of Mr. Peters reſiding here in this Kingdom, in a letter to his friend.for which he bleſſeth God for Divine aſſiſtance, conſidering the greatneſſe of the Congregation, and the weakneſſe of his body formerly.
I ſhall conclude with that patheticall paſſage of Mr. Cottons, which I wiſh them to obſerve who make ſo ſmall a matter of this buſineſſe. We (ſaith he) be far from allowing that ſacrilegious Keys of the Kingd. of heav. c. 2.uſurpation of the Miniſters Office, which we hear of (to our grief) to be practiſed in ſome places, that private Chriſtians ordinarily take upon them to preach the Goſpel publiquely, and to miniſter the Sacraments. And if his eye could have helped his ear, it would have affected his heart with more grief, to ſee it done with that contempt of the ordinance of Chriſt. Why he cals it ſacrilegious uſurpation, he gives not his reaſons, but we may gather them to be ſuch as theſe. That 'tis uſurpation.
1. It appears from that of the Apoſtle, I ſuffer not a woman to teach, nor to uſurp authority over the man, but to be in ſilence. And 1 Tim. 2. 12. 1 Cor. 14. 34.the ſame Apoſtle, Let your women keep ſilence in the congregations, for it is not permitted unto them to ſpeak, but they are commanded to be under obedience. In which places it is evident, that power to preach, is to have authority, and this being not given by God to women, if they take it, they do uſurp authority, and are not under Obedience; and ſo do others if they take it. How is this Authority given? From Mr. Cotton we have an Anſwer, and a 2 Reaſon.
2. The Lord Jeſus Chriſt the Head of his Church is the foreign Rev. 3. 7.foreign firſt proper ſubject of the ſoveraigne power of the Keyes. He Iſa 9. 6 Keys of the Kingd. of Hea. c. 7. p. 29, 30.hath the Key of David, He openeth, and no man ſhutteth, &c. And himſelf declareth the ſame to his Apoſtles as the ground of his granting to them Apoſtolicall power. Matth. 28. 18. And—it is from the ſame ſoveraigne power that all the Offices or Miniſteries in the Church are ordained by him. 1 Cor. 12. 5 yea and all the members are ſet in the body by him, &c.
And again, ſpeaking of the Key of Order or Authority, he hath theſe words. This Key when it was promiſed to Peter, Matth. 16. 19. Ibid. c 2. p. 20.and given to him with the reſt of the Apoſtles, Joh. 20. 23. they thereby had power to binde and looſe: and it is the ſame Authority which is given to their Succeſſors the Elders, whereby they are called to feed and rule the Church of God, as the Apoſtles had done before them. Act. 20. 28. And afterwards (ſaith he)—By vertue of this Key as they (viz. the Elders, the Apoſtles ſucceſſors as before) preach with all Authority not onelyonly the Doctrine of the Law, but alſo the Covenant of the Goſpel; ſo they adminiſter the Seals thereof Baptiſme and the Lords Supper. And this is peculiar to Preaching Elders, viz. to preach and adminiſter the Sacraments, as before is cited out of the ſame Author.
So the ſumme of all this comes to thus much, That Chriſt Heb. 5. 4, 5.took not this power and authority in the Church unto Himſelf, but it was given unto him. All power in heaven and in Matt 28. 18.earth is given unto Him. And he hath ſet this Order in the Church, that ſome ſhould be officers to preach and rule. Other Si nem… honorem ſibi ritè in Eccleſiâ uſurpat niſi qui vocatus eſt, ut Aaron. Heb▪ 5 4. Quiſquis ſine legitimâ vocatione baptizat, eum temere in alienam functionem involare d…co. Quid enim? Cum ne Dei quidem Filius ſe ingerere voluer it, an ſibi neſcio quis Terrae fil…us ſe publicum tanti myſterii diſpenſatorem nullâ authoritate creabit? Calvin Tract. Theol. p. 350.Members he hath ſet in the body in their places (to do their own buſineſſe, ſo the Apoſtle, 1 Theſ. 4. 11.) as in the naturall body, ſo in the Church. 1 Cor. 12. 18. And they to whom Chriſt hath given the Authority, Power or Key to preach and adminiſter the Sacraments, they muſt do it; And the Key or Authority Chriſt hath given not to private members, but to Preaching Elders, i. e. ſuch as are Miniſters, called to the Office of the Miniſtery So then private members taking on them to preach, or adminiſter the Seals, do take to themſelves that Key, Power and Authority, which Chriſt hath given to another, and ſo they uſurp, and their preaching is uſurpation, and matter of grief to ſee Chriſts followers violate his Ordinance, and break His Order, and the more where it is done with contempt.
The Lord Jeſus is our Lord and King, under whoſe feet the Father hath put all things, and given Him to be the Head over Epheſ. 1. 22.all things to the Church, let us ſincerely and ingenuouſly endeavour to know and keep his Orders; as we have received Col. 2. 6.Chriſt Jeſus the Lord, ſo walk in him. Prove all things, and hold faſt that which is good. And the Lord root out of our hearts the 1 Theſ. 5. 21.ſpirit of Contradiction, that we read not books rather to confute them, then to throw down our ſelves humbly under the Cott. Way. Epiſt.power of Truth. Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Giles Workman, Private Men No Pulpit Men (1646)