men became fuch by birth and education, and not
by converfion and renovation of fpirit: then
there was none fo vile, none fo wicked, none fo
profane, who became not a member of the church.
And the teachers and paftors thereof becoming the
companions of princes, and fo being enriched by
their benevolence, and getting vaft treasures and
eftates, became puffed up, and as it were drunken
with the vain pomp and glory of this world: and
fo marfhalled themfelves in manifold orders and
degrees; not without innumerable contefts and
altercations who fhould have the precedency. So
the virtue, life, fubftance, and kernel of Chriftian
religion came to be loft, and nothing remained but
a fhadow and image; which dead image, or car-
cafe of Chriftianity (to make it take the better with
the fuperftitious multitude of heathens that were
engroffed in it, not by any inward converfion of
their hearts, or by becoming lefs wicked or fuper-
ftitious, but by a little change in the object of their
fuperftition) not having the inward ornament and
life of the Spirit, became decked with many out-
ward and visible orders, and beautified with the
gold, filver, precious ftones, and the other splendid
ornaments of this perishing world: fo that this
was no more to be accounted the Chriftian religion,
and Christian church, notwithstanding the outward
profeffion, than the dead body of a man is to be
accounted a living man; which, however cunningly
embalmed, and adorned with ever fo much gold In the
or filver, or most precious ftones, or fweet oint- church of
ments, is but a dead body ftill, without fenfe, life,
or motion. For that apoftate church of Rome has perftitions
introduced no fewer ceremonies and fuperftitions monies in-
into the Chriftian profession, than were either among troduced,.
Jews or Heathens; and that there is and hath been either a
as much, yea, and more pride, covetoufnefs, un- mong Jews
• As were betwixt the bishop of Rome, and the bishop of Conftantinople.

Rome are

no lefs fu

and cere

than were

or Hea-
thens:

H

Whether,

difference

twixt the

tions?

cleanness, luxury, fornication, profaneness and atheism among her teachers and chief bishops, than ever was among any fort of people, none need doubt, that have read their own authors, to wit, Platina and others.

Now, tho' Proteftants have reformed from her in and what fome of the moft grofs points and abfurd doctrines there is be- relating to the church and ministry, yet (which is to Proteftants be regretted) they have only lopt the branches, but and Papifts retain and plead earnestly for the fame root, from in fuperfti- which thefe abufes have fprung. So that even among them, tho' all that mafs of fuperftition, ceremonies, and orders be not again established, yet the fame pride, covetoufnefs and fenfuality is found to have overspread and leavened their churches and ministry, and the life, power and virtue of true religion is loft among them; and the very fame death, barrennefs, drynefs and emptiness, is found in their miniftry. So that in effect they differ from Papifts, but in form and fome ceremonies; being with them apoftatifed from the life and power the true primitive church and her paftors were in: fo that of both it may be faid truly (without breach of charity) that having only a form of godlinefs (and many of them not fo much as that) they are deniers of, yea, enemies to, the power of it. And this proceeds not fimply from their not walking anfwerably to their own principles, and fo degenerating that way, which alfo is true; but, which is worse, their laying down to themselves, and adhering to certain principles, which naturally, as a curfed root, bring forth thefe bitter fruits: these therefore shall afterwards be examined and refuted, as the contrary pofitions of truth in the propofition are explained and proved.

i.e. nati

The Prote

For as to the nature and conftitution of a church* onal. (abftract from their difputes concerning its conftant ftantchurch vifibility, infallibility, and the primacy of the church how they of Rome) the Proteftants, as in practice, fo in prinmembers ciples, differ not from Papifts; for they engrofs

become

thereof.

within

within the compass of their church whole nations, making their infants members of it, by fprinkling a little water upon them; fo that there is none fo wicked or profane who is not a fellow-member; no evidence of holiness being required to conftitute a member of the church. Nay, look through the Proteftant nations, and there will no difference appear in the lives of the generality of the one, more than of the other; he, who ruleth in the children of disobedience, reigning in both: fo that the Chriftianity reformation, through this defect, is only in holding fifts in the fome lefs grofs errors in the notion, but not in renewing of having the heart reformed and renewed, in which the heart. mainly the life of Christianity confifteth.

chiefly con

nistry all

Hofea 4. 9'

§. VI. But the Popish errors concerning the mi- A Popish niftry, which they have retained, are moft of all to corrupt mibe regretted, by which chiefly the life and power of evilsfollow Christianity is barred out among them, and they kept in death, barrenness and drynefs: there being nothing more hurtful than an error in this refpect. For where a falfe and corrupt miniftry entereth, all manner of other evils follow upon it, according to that scripture adage, Like people, like prieft: Likepeople, for by their influence, inftead of miniftering life like prieft. and righteoufnefs, they minifter death and iniquity. The whole backflidings of the Jewish congregation of old are hereto afcribed: The leaders of my people bave caused them to err. The whole writings of the prophets are full of fuch complaints; and for this caufe, under the New Testament, we are fo often warned and guarded to beware of false prophets, and falje teachers, &c. What may be thought then, where all, as to this, is out of order; where both the foundation, call, qualifications, maintenance, and whole difcipline are different from and oppofite to the ministry of the primitive church; yea, and neceffarily tend to the shutting out of a Spiritual miniftry, and the bringing in and establishing of a carnal? This fhall appear by parts.

T 3

§. VII.

Quef. I. §. VII. That then which comes first to be queftioned in this matter, is concerning the call of a minifter; to wit, What maketh, or how cometh a man to be, a minifter, paftor, or teacher in the church of Chrift?

Anfw.

fifteth.

We answer; By the inward power and virtue of the Spirit of God. For, as faith our propofition, The call of Having received the true knowledge of things fpiritual and where by the Spirit of God, without which they cannot be in it con- known, and being by the fame in measure purified and Sanctified, he comes thereby to be called and moved to minister to others; being able to speak, from a living experience, of what he himself is a witness; and therefore knowing the terror of the Lord, he is fit to perfuade men, &c. 2 Cor. v. II. and his words and miniftry, proceeding from the inward power and virtue, reach to the heart of his hearers, and make them approve of him, and be fubject unto Object. him. Our adverfaries are forced to confefs, that this were indeed defirable and beft; but this they will not have to be abfolutely neceffary. I fhall first prove the neceflity of it, and then fhew how much they err in that which they make more neceffary than this divine and heavenly call.

Arg.

First; That which is neceffary to make a man a 1. The ne- Chriftian, fo as without it he cannot be truly one, ceffity of an must be much more neceffary to make a man a mito make a nifter of Chriftianity; seeing the one is a degree above Christian, the other, and has it included in it: nothing lefs

inward call

man a

than he that fuppofeth a master, fuppofeth him firft to have attained the knowledge and capacity of a scholar. They that are not Chriftians, cannot be teachers and minifters among Chriftians.

But this inward call, power and virtue of the Spirit of God, is neceffary to make a man a Chriftian; as we have abundantly proved before in the fecond propofition, according to these fcriptures, He that hath not the Spirit of Chrift, is none of his. As many as are led by the Spirit of God, are the Sons of God: Therefore

Therefore this call, moving and drawing of the Spirit, must be much more neceffary to make a minifter.

Spirit re

operation

Spirit.

Secondly; All minifters of the New Testament 2. The miought to be minifters of the Spirit, and not of the niftry of the letter, according to that of 2 Cor. iii. 6. and as the quires the old Latin hath it, Not by the letter, but by the Spirit: and teftiBut how can a man be a minifter of the Spirit, who mony of the is not inwardly called by it, and who looks not upon the operation and teftimony of the Spirit as effential to his call? As he could not be a minifter of the letter who had thence no ground for his call, yea, who was altogether a ftranger to, and unacquainted with it, fo neither can he be a minifter of the Spirit who is a ftranger to it, and unacquainted with the motions thereof, and knows it not to draw, act, and move him, and go before him in the work of the miniftry. I would willingly know, how thofe that take upon them to be minifters (as they fuppofe) of the gofpel, merely from an outward vocation, without fo much as being any ways fenfible of the work of the Spirit, or any inward call therefrom, can either fatisfy themfelves or others that they are minifters of the Spirit, or wherein they differ from the minifters of the letter? For,

the law the

to doubt,

and mini

Thirdly; If this inward call or teftimony of the 3: Under Spirit, were not effential and neceffary to a minifter, people then the ministry of the New Teftament would not needed not only be no ways preferable to, but in divers respects who should far worse than, that of the law. For under the law be priests there was a certain tribe allotted for the miniftry, fters. and of that tribe certain families fet apart for the priesthood and other offices, by the immediate com mand of God to Mofes; fo that the people needed not be in any doubt who fhould be priefts and minifters of the holy things: yea, and befides this, God called forth, by the immediate teftimony of his Spirit, feveral at divers times to teach, inftruct,