Some important truths about conversion, delivered in sundry sermons, / by Increase Mather, D.D.…

And I am persuaded ⟨p. xvi⟩one Reason why the Church at Ephesus was so vigilant & zealous against false Teachers, was, because Paul had before-hand told them, that they should be tried with this Temptation, Rev. 2.2. with Acts 20.29. Now then being forewarned be forearmed also. And to that end let me add a third word which is this, when the Lord hath removed from you your present Teachers, see that you carry it with respect to the Ministry of the word as ought to be. Do not think it safe for your Souls to Live without Ministry & Ordinances, which Christ will have to be, & to continue in his Church even unto his Second Coming, Matth. 28.28. 1. Cor. 11.26. Eph. 4.12, 13. Nor may you think that every Christian is fit for this work, for which who is sufficient? 2. Cor. 2.16. An Interpreter must be one of a Thousand, Job. 33.23. Know therefore that humane Learning (as tis commonly termed) is very useful and needful for one that would approve himself an able Minister of the New Testament. How shall a man be able argumentatively to convince the Subtle Adversaries of the truth without this; which yet is the necessary qualification of every Scripture-Bishop? Tit. 1 9. How shall Scriptures hard to be understood he opened without this help? 2. Pet. 3.16. Indeed extraordinary Officers were not always fitted for their work by a precedent education, but as they were suddenly & extraordinarily ⟨p. xvii⟩called unto the Lord's work, so they were suddenly and miraculously gifted thereunto. But search the Scriptures and you will find that Ordinary Teachers in the Church were ever fitted for that great work of Teaching the Lord's people by a learned Education. There were in the old-Testament Church, not only Extraordinary but ordinary Prophets. Hence Ams saith, chap. 7.14. I was no Prophet. He was an Extraordinary Prophet, but therefore his meaning is that he was no ordinary Prophet: whence he adds neither was I a Prophet's Son, meaning that he was not educated in the School of the Prophets; for those are frequently styled the Sons of the Prophets, who were not their natural Sons, but their disciples or Scholars, being diligently instructed in the Law of God, that so they might be fit to Interpret the same to others. Hence were the appellations of Nazarites, Scribes, Pharisees, Lawyers, &c.