A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many useful questions and cases of conscience are…A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many usefull questions and cases of conscience are…

But that railing Rabshaketh, the anonymous Erastian before mentioned, goeth so far as to cry down all necessity of Ordination or any special call to the Ministry of the Word and Sacraments, and alloweth any Christian, whether Magistrate or Subject, both to Preach, Baptize, and minister the Lords Supper, having no Ordination or special Mission to that effect. 'Tis a sufficient answer to him, offer it now unto thy governor, will he be pleased with thee? Mal: 1. 8. Who will endure such a confusion in a State, that any man may assume public offices and administrations, not being thereunto called and appointed? And shall the Church (which must go a great deal further than the law and light of nature,) come short of that which nature it self teacheth all humane societies? 'Tis both a natural and a scriptural rule, Let all things be done decently and in order, 1 Cor: 14. 40: for God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, Ibid. vers. 33. If it were an intolerable usurpation in a mans own family, if any man should take upon him ⟨p. 37⟩the stewards place to dispense meat to the household, not being thereunto appointed. How much more were it an intolerable usurpation in the Church, the house of the living God, for any to make themselves stewards of the mysteries of Christ, not being appointed▪ 2• I argue from, Rom: 10. 15. And how shall they Preach except they be sent? Suppose they be well gifted, yet they may not preach except they be sent and appointed thereunto. This sending must needs be Ordination, not the Churches Election: a people may choose to themselves, but cannot send to themselves: The choosing of an Ambassador is one thing, the sending him, another thing: The Ambassador nominated and elected by the King, may not go to his work and act as an Ambassador, till he be sent forth with his commission and power delivered to him. There have been several exceptions made, and more may be made against this argument; yet all of them may be rationally taken off. Except: 1: The Socinians reply, that the Apostle speaketh this of his own time when the doctrine of the Gospel was new, and did therefore require a special mission: But that now Ministers being to Preach no new doctrine, need not such a special call. Answ. This is not only, not grounded on the Text, but is contrary both to the metaphor and to the context:

But that railing Rabshaketh, the anonymous Erastian before mentioned, goeth so far as to cry down all necessity of Ordination or any speciall call to the Ministery of the Word and Sacraments, and alloweth any Christian, whether Magistrate or Subject, both to Preach, Baptize, and minister the Lords Supper, having no Ordination or speciall Mission to that effect. 'Tis a sufficient answer to him, offer it now unto thy governour, will he be pleased with thee? Mal: 1. 8. Who will endure such a confusion in a State, that any man may assume publick offices and administrations, not being thereunto called and appointed? And shall the Church (which must go a great deal further than the law and light of nature,) come short of that which nature it self teacheth all humane societies? 'Tis both a naturall and a scriptural rule, Let all things be done decentlie and in order, 1 Cor: 14. 40: for God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, Ibid. vers. 33. If it were an intollerable usurpation in a mans own family, if any man should take upon him