A

Διατριβή

by those

that are

À not ordai

ted, Anno

1647.

tudinary body, and not able to do, as his heart was fet; he endeavored to put this bleffed work into more hands, than the fuperftition, or policy of former times Concerning Would permit.* When other mens fpirits Preaching ftood otherwife, he could with Mofes fay, Would God that all the Lords People were ned. Prin- Prophets. How oppofite was the mind and practice of this good man, to those blind Popifh Guides, who in their age tooke away the Key of Knowledg and entred not in themfelves, and those that were entring they hindred. Their Scriptures are loc ked up in a strange language, Knowledg confined to a fhaven Crown, and the key of inftruction tied to a Caffock Girdle. This Reverend Author was otherwise perfwaded, and in his opinion, not fingular; having with him, the concurrent Judgment of men eminent in their generation: fuch as Zuinglius, Mufculus, A= retius, P. Martir, Voetius, and of our own, Mr. Cartwright, Dud, Fenner, Mr. Bates, Dr. Ames, and others; as appears in that fhort difpute; which was feasonably published by him, in a time wherein

m any

many of our Reformers were very zea lous to keep diftin&t, a Laity and Clergy according to that Popish wont, and in fuch rigidnefs that none might be permitted to teach or inftruct out of the Scriptures, but fuch as are by them put into holy Orders. It was at that time endeavored much, that there might be no preaching, but by thofe ordained, and no ordination, but by a Claf. Presbitery: fo that in conclufion, without fuch a form of Government as is laboured for, under that Title; In an ordinary way there can be no Ministry, no Converfion, no Churches, no Sermons, no Sacraments, which if fo, will prove as ingaging a Maxime to erect Presbi tery, as no Bishop no King, or Extra ecclefiam nulla falus was for Popery and Epif vinummi copacy. We are not in love with, or 1. plead for any of those Univerfalities leaft b4 An of all for the laft we are not for all to admittance of all that preach without ordination,nor for any to fuppofe preach ordinarily without approbation gift to yet if the truths of Chrift Jefus be prea-each ched without either, we dare not fay (as ordination fome):

a

a Jus di

!nifterii,

univerfal

themfetus

without

fome) fuch preaching is not a means to beget faith. But this we humbly affert: Perfons duly approved of for their Piety and Gifts, though not ordained, nor in Office, we deem every way qualified for this work, according to God and man. Our establishment is both pious and prudent. Peace or difturbance in civill affairs, is much from the lips ofthofe that are the publick Preachers in a Nation; It is of concernment by what Party the fole appointment of fuch fhal be claimed: We grant formerly the Clergy only were intrusted and none might preach but fuch as had Patents ecclefia from the Bishops or their Alsigns: But cal, are then who appointed Bifhops? they were ficers, not not an independent Tribe,facred &from rates themfelves; as our Ordainers, but their rife by Commission and from the Civil Magiftrate(as Cromwel was appointed Vidained by car general in spiritualibus by H· 8.) Preswithout biters are not fo.*

* Officers

Chrifts of

thefe offi

Cers are

both elected and or

the Church

commiffion from the

We do not defpife ordination, nor Civil Ma-thofe that in the Name and Authori¡giftrate.

Jus Divity of Jefus Christ inaugurate Perfons

pa. 88.

to

It is doubt

ftici.Lib.a.

to this facred Office: lefs an Ordinance: But that none may preach but fuch this we deny, and diftinguifh with Junius between prea ching and other Church Duties materi ally confidered, as done Ex officio or as Ecclefiadone Ex communi jure; and this with cap.6. Scripture warrant alfo. That place Rom. 10. evidently implieth as much, for there must be a Church or Corporation before Officers, Beleevers before a Church, (which is cœtus fidelium) the glad tidings of good things must be preached before Beleeving, and Preachers fent before a ny fuch good Tidings brought: Now this fending cannot be a putting into Church relation or Office; Because as yet no Church, but more common and generall: As when one man Ex charitate inftructs & teaches others, Parents their Children, Governors their Families, Christian Kings and Princes the people under their charges; Deputing fit and learned perfons, fome for Juftice and Civil Government, others for the inftru tion of their people in the knowledg of Tefus

Jefus Chrift. When a confiderable number by fuch bleffed means become living Stones, and built together as a Spiritual Houfe, He that was fent by the Magiftrate or in any other Providential way, thus to inftruct, (being called there unto) becomes a Steward of this House, and a difpenfer of thofe Mifteries in a more peculiar relation to this people, and to Jefus Chrift, whofe name is in a fpecial way put upon them Matth.18.

Preaching thus or by virtue of fuch Office or Relation, hath for its Object a Church and Beleevers principally: The former way is rather for the begetting Faith and gathering beleevers into fuch a ftate.

Our Brethren seem to limit all preaching to a Church, and to fuch as are already Beleevers, as the chief fcope and principal ufe of this Ordinance Their words are these: "The Word "ought to be preached to Infidels, Matth. "28. But the Principal Object of preaching is the Church, Prophecy is not "(i.e. not fo much) for them that beleeve

not,