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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88695	The persecuted minister, in defence of the ministerie, the great ordinance of Jesus Christ. Setting forth the severall names of Apostles, prophets, &c. [brace] 1. That there is a ministerial office. 2. That the sacrament of baptisme by a lay-person is invalid. 3. That necessity is no plea. 4. That the long omission of the Lords Supper is unwarrantable. With many other things, plainly and methodically handled / by William Langley late of S. Maryes in the city of Lichfield, minister ...	Langley, William, b. 1609 or 10.	1656 (1656)	Wing L408; Thomason E860_4; ESTC R202682	143,990	208

or not lawful calling cannot execute any Ecclesiastical office in the Church with a good conscience The power of Teaching and Administring the Sacraments doth belong only to the Pastors of the Church 43. Com. place of the power authority of the Church Christ relig fidei de Eccles Milit. guberna● 20. this is the judgment of Zanchy Credimus enim legitimis Ministris magnam esse à Christo datam authoritatem ad ea nimirum ad quae etiam vocati sunt praestanda ad praedicandum Evangelium ad sacr as liter as juxta fidei analogiam interpretandas c. We believe Christ hath given great authority to lawful Ministers namely in such matters as for which he calleth them to preach the Gospel to interpret the holy Scriptures according to the Analogie and rule of faith and amongst other things Christ relig fid de Bapt. 8. he adds to administer the Sacraments which Christ instituted And again we believe that holy Baptism is to be administred by those by whom also the Gospel is preached And in another place Externa quidem symbola per ministros homines dispensat Christ relig fid de Sacra Novi rest Confes Christ relig de Spir. sanct cap. 4. He giveth the outward signes by men his Ministers Of this judgment is learned Beza Vtitur autem Spiritus sanctus seipsum imbecillitati nostrae accommodans c. The holy Ghost accommodating himself to our weaknesse useth man to this Ministery that is of the Sacraments designed thereunto And again De Eccles cap 5.27 he makes use of the Ministery of men both in the preaching of the Word and administring the Sacraments Christ saith Virrell committed the administration of the Sacraments to them alone to whom the preaching of the Word is committed Of the Sacraments Of this judgment is Amesius Bell. enerva Tom 3. lib 2. de Bapt. cap. 1. qu. 2. pag 340. Jus baptizandi proprium effectum est vocationis Baptisme is an Act of Office And again institutio simpliciter considerata non est actus potestatis sed charitatis sed baptizare semper ubique est actus potestatis Though teaching be an act of charity yet Baptism is ever an act of authority Trelcat instit l●b 2. de Bapt. Conjuncta sunt officium docendi Evangelium administrandi Sacramenta The office of preaching and administring the Sacraments are conjoyned together and belong onely to a Minister of the Gospel Nee privato homini etiam in casu necessitatis c. The same speaks Marlorat Euch. loc com de Baptismo Baptismatis administratio ei commissae cui verbi praedicatio And so Melancthon in postil 3. of John Bib. pars quint. cap 6. de Bapt. Piscator institut Bapt Sarce Loc com de Bapt Reud in his Isagog I might instance a full Grand-Jury who all give their verdict against Baptisme by private persons as properly belonging to Ministers Inftit Chr. Relig lib. 4. cap. 15 20 21 22. de Bapt. De Sac. Bapt. lib. 1. cap. 7. But we will name no more onely conclude with Calvin whosoever is pleased to consult with him will hear him speak aloud for the Ministery onely debarring all other persons from the act of Baptisme A quibus administrari debeat Nempe ab Ecclesiae Ministris non à privatis aut mulieribus c. Vnde hic abusus invaluit His defence of this truth occasioneth Bellar to exclaim against him who wonders that any should deny Baptisme by Lay persons in case of necessity De hoc etiam nunquam ix Ecclesia dubitatum invenio Vnde nova est inaudita Calvini haeresis Which he finds was never doubted of in the Church from whence then is this new and unheard of heresie of Calvin But Calvin might well reply That the heresie is on Bellarmines part and not his What Bellarmine endevoured to prove is learnedly answered by Trelcatius and if I mistake not this great Doctor confutes himself Jus baptizandi ex officio ordinario convenire solis Sacerdotibus The right of Baptizing ordinarily belongs onely to Ministers and for an extraordinary calling the Church admitteth none To this it seems agree some of the Fathers Munus baptizandi proprium id esse dicunt Sacerdotum The office of Baptizing is proper to the Ministery so speak Isidore Epiphanius Ignatius and therefore the great Doctor doth very ill to say Novam enim Heresin Calvinus excogitavit That Calvin was the father of this Heresie I therefore conclude this with the Greek Catechisme Quest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To whom doth the Administration of the Sacraments properly belong 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Answ When the feeding of Christs flock and the administration of the Sacraments are conjoyned it is not to be doubted but the Administration of them properly belongs to those to whom the word is committed CHAP. IV. That the administration of the Sacrament of Baptisme by a private person one not set apart to the Ministery is no Sacrament but invalid and to no purpose with answer to some Objections FIrst every Sacrament that receives not warrant from the Institution of Christ is no Sacrament But Baptism by Lay-persons receives no warrant from the Institution of Christ therefore no Sacrament Buc. 46. com pl of the Sacrament Zanch. of the Sacr of the New Test 11. This is the hinge of all the rest The Proposition is undeniable Christ is the Instituter and Ordainer of every Sacrament to him only it belongeth to institute a sign of grace a Sacrament is in the predicament of relation and if a mans action relate not to this institution it is but a humane invention a trick and devise of man That which giveth life to a Sacrament is divine institution if this be wanting it is but a piece of forgery Zanch obs Atho 1. cap. 24. Sacramentum enim ut in Ecclesia definiri solet est invisibilis gratiae visibile signum adde ex verbo hoc est ex institutione Christi ad eam rem consecratum hoc est à prophano usu ad hanc rem sacram translatum A Sacrament as the Church hath used to define it is a visible signe of an invisible grace adde by the word that is by Christs institution consecrated to that purpose For pray you whence hath water virtue to be a signe of such a thing but from the institution of Christ Zanch. in eod loc Tom 9. in Ioh. 13. tract 80. Tolle verbum nullum fuerit Sacramentum Take away the word and it shall be no Sacrament Detrahe verbum inquit August quid erit aqua nisi aqua Pull away the word saith S. Augustine and what is the water but water Every Sacrament must have Gods Word to warrant it Atters lib. 1. of the Sacram. in gen cap. 4. l. 2. of Bapt. cap. 4. or else it is no Sacrament and such Sacraments as have not Gods command for their institution are

this I come to the third thing in which the Ministerial office chiefly consists and that is the Administration of the Sacraments viz Baptism and the Lords Supper The Apostles and other Ministers in the purest times whom the godly Ministers and Preachers in these daies doe succeed did not only preach but also Baptize Act. 2.38 41 8.12 13. for which there is a command Mat. 28.19 and so administer the Supper of the Lord Last Confess of Helv. of the Minist of the Church form Confes Doctr. of the Church of England Confes Bohem. cap. 9 French Confes Art 25. Acts 20.7 1 Cor. 10.16 for which there is likewise a command 1 Cor. 11.23 that in these things the duty of Pastors consists is apparent by the Confession of the Reformed Churches The offices of the Ministers are divers yet notwithstanding most men doe restrain them to two in which all the rest are comprehended to the teaching of the Gospel of Christ and lawful administration of the Sacraments CHAP. III. That the Sacraments ought to be administred onely by a lawfull Minister one ordained and set apart to the work of the Ministery IT is the consent and harmony of the Reformed Churches That none may administer the Sacraments in the Congregation before he be lawfully called It is not amisse to set down the Confession of the Churches as farre as concerns our present purpose first that of Helvetia No man ought to usurp the honour of the Ecclesiastical Ministery La● Confes● of the Minist of the Church cap 18. that is to say greedily to pluck it to him by bribes or any evil shifts or of his own accord But let the Ministers of the Church be called and chosen by a lawful and Ecclesiastical election and vocation that is to say Let them be chosen religiously of the Church or of those which are appointed thereunto by the Church and that in due order without any tumult Ibidem seditions or contention And to the end that he might more fully declare their Ministery he addeth further That the Ministers of the Church are Stewards and Dispensers of the Mysteries of God Now the Mysteries of God Paul in many places and especially in the 3d to the Ephesians doth call the Gospel of Christ And the Sacraments of Christ are also called Mysteries of the antient Writers Therefore for this purpose are the Ministers called namely to preach the Gospel of Christ unto the faithful and to administer the Sacraments For this function is to be given to none Art 17. whom the Ministers and they to whom this charge is committed by the Church doe not finde and judge to be skilful in the Law of God Form Confes of Helv. of the Minist of the word to be of blamelesse life and to bear a singular affection to the name of Christ which seeing it is the true Election of God is rightly allowed by the consent of the Church and by the laying on of the hands of the Priest But Ministers ought not of their own accord to presse forward to that calling Confes of the Church of Bohemia pag. 351. but ought according to the example of the Lord and the Apostles to be lawfully appointed and ordained thereunto Therefore it is not permitted to any among us to execute the office of the Ministerie And in p. 352. or to administer holy functions of the Lords unlesse according to this custome of the primitive Church and order appointed by God he come to this function and be called and assigned thereunto which thing may also manifestly appear by the ancient Canons of the Church S. Cyprian hath in like sort set down the manner of ordaining Priests Engl. Confes pag. 361. Art 6. Further we say that the Minister ought lawfully duly and orderly to be preferred to that office of the Church of God and that no man hath power to wrest himself into the holy Ministerie at his own pleasure Wherefore these persons doe us the greater wrong which have nothing so common in their mouthes as that we doe nothing orderly and comely but all things troublesomely and without order And that we allow every man to be a Priest to be a Teacher and to be an Interpreter of the Scriptures This especially every one ought to take diligent heed of Confes of Belg. pag 364. that he doe not by unlawful means thrust himselfe into those offices For every one must wait untill he be called of God himselfe that he may have a certain testimony of his vocation and may know that it is from the Lord. Concerning Ecclesiastical Orders they teach Conf. Auspurg Art 14. That no man should publickly in the Church teach or minister the Sacraments except he be rightly called according as S. Paul giveth commandment to Titus to ordain Elders in every City Neither is it to be permitted to every one Conf. Wirth mberg Art 20. although he be a spiritual Priest to usurp a publick ministerie in the Church without a lawfull calling c. This is the Confession of the Church of England Of the Church of England Art 23. It is not lawfull for any man to take upon him the Office of publick teaching or ministring the Sacraments before he be lawfully called to execute the same To this agrees the Assembly of Divines Humble advise of the Assemb of Divines chap. 17. There be onely two Sacraments ordained by Christ our Lord in the Gospel that is to say Baptism and the Supper of the Lord Neither of which may be dispensed by any but by a Minister of the word lawfully ordained Salvo semper incolumi Orthodoxae Ecclesiae judicio Confes of the office dignity and power of persons Art 13. So the Church of Sueveland Here it is manifest that the true and fit Ministers of the Church such as be Bishops Seniors annointed and cōnsecrated can doe nothing but in respect of this that they be sent of God For how shall they preach saith Paul except they be sent Secondly It is the judgment of all the Orthodox Ministers of the truth for we are not only Dispensatores Ministeriorum as the vulgar Latine but Mysteriorum as the Original Administers of his Sacraments 6. Tom. loc com de Minist Eccl. cap. 3. To the calling of the Ministery belongs the Administration of the Sacraments as a special part thereof saith Gerardus Those to whom the Ministery of the word is committed their office is properly to administer Baptisme for to whom Christ said Preach the Gospel to them also he said Baptize 47. Com. place of Baptisme The Apostle enjoyns the washing of water with the word of the Gospel saith Bucanus And again putting the question What is the Ministery Quest Answ 42 Com. place of the Ministery It is an Ecclesiastical function upon earth assigned to preach the Word and administer the Sacraments And further in the same place He that hath either no calling in the Church

their arms to strip them naked and bare to shew their own emptinesse and nothingness Oh! how many are there that preach Faction not Religion that cry up Michaël not Christ that study State-affairs not Gospel that catch at popular applause and rather hunt themselves into fame than souls into Heaven Se praedicantes non Christum Preaching themselves not Jesus Christ Divinity by too many is made a shift to dig they are too lazie to beg ashamed and therefore shark a living out of the Church This is not the end why God hath placed these Officers in the Church but to be faithful and powerfull in the discharge of their duty The onely thing that should be desired by a Pastor is the weal and benefit of his flock for if the mark whereat we look be but to make our commodity by the Gospel of Jesus Christ wherein doe we differ from thieves and robbers This is that whereof the Lord complains so grievously by his Prophets The Priests teach for hire the Prophets prophesie for money yet will they leane upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord among us And again these shepheards cannot understand they all look to their own way every one for his advantage and for his own purpose Moses blessing Levi before his death saith first They shall teach Jacob thy judgments and Israel thy Law they shall put incense before thy faece and then addeth Blesse O Lord his substance accept the work of his hands As if he should have said So long as Levi and his Sons doe not seek their own commodity but thy glory thou art righteous and canst not forget to provide in large manner both for them and theirs A third end is the edifying of the body of Christ this concerns such as are to be called and converted The gifts of the Spirit are given to every man to edifie withall 1 Cor. 12.7 Positi estis dispensatores sed in aedificationem non in destructionem aliter non fidelis dispensatio sed crudelis dissipatio saith Bernard Ye are placed for edification and not the destruction of any It is true the word proveth the savour of death to death but that is accidentally and not the proper work of it whilest we seek to win your soules to God give us the hearing otherwise it is not possible our doctrine should tend to edification Christ delivers to the people a parable of the Sower and of the seed Some fell by the way side and it was troden down some fell upon a rock and assoon as it was sprung up it withered away And so Luke 8. beginning at the 4th verse this Christ uttereth for their edification but observe the latter part of the 8th verse When he had said these things he cryed He that hath eares to hear let him hear he cryed not onely to manifest his affection but our dulnesse he is not said to cry above four or five times in all his life He cryed as he taught in the Temple John 7.38 He cryed when he raised Lazarus from the dead John 11.43 He cryed John 12.44 He cryed on the Crosse Mat. 27. at which time he delivered matter of great consequence So here this expression being upon a cry must not lightly be respected of us Men have 2 Feet but scarcely one to walke in the way of God 2 Eyes but scarcely one to see the things of God 2 Hands but scarcely one to work in his Vineyard 2 Ears but scarcely one to hear the word of God A good ear saith the Wiseman will hearken unto wisdome whence observe two things First that we hearken unto nothing but that which is good unto wisdome Secondly that we hearken unto it gladly with a great desire to learn for in Scripture phrase obaudire is obedire So Christ in the Gospel Luke 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me that is He that obeyeth you obeyeth me and He that despiseth you despiseth me If we would make our Election sure we must not begin à priori but à posteriori such as with a good heart hear the Word of God and keep it and bring forth fruit shall inherit the kingdome of God but it shall be taken away and be of no benefit to those that are carelesse and fruitlesse Now that you may edifie and profit hear Gods word frequent the publick Ordinances wait at the gates of wisdomes house Prov. 8.34 35. Lay your Noses open to the sweet savour of Life your Eyes unto the Day starre that is sprung from on high and your Ears unto the voice of the wise Charmer Doe not as some desire to know that they may onely know which is curiosity or that they might be known which is vanity but ro edifie and better your selves which is true wisdome Audiatis ut sciatis saith Bernard sciatis ut aedificemini hoc integritas est ut aedificetis hoc charitas est Hear to know know to edifie your selves this is integrity to edifie others this is charity Secondly that thou mayest edifie pray fervently that the Lord would shew thee his waies and teach thee his paths If any man saith the Apostle lack wisdome Jam. 1.5 let him aske c. Thirdly Read much and meditate the sacred Scriptures as the affections are most moved by hearing so the judgment is best informed by reading Reade meditate pray and contemplate reading enquireth meditation findeth prayer requesteth and contemplation tasteth Fourthly that thou mayest edifie lay aside prejudice and malice guile envy and heare the word as a new-born babe the smell possest with Rue cannot sent the Rose the tast infected with gall imagineth all morsels bitter It is a Rule in Philosophy Nothing receives any thing but which is empty of all other things of a contrary nature the Eare must be empty of all sounds the Tast of all savours the Eye of all colours before there can be entertainment given to a new object certainly he hath a most wicked heart that dares come into Gods presence and carp at his Word that cometh with an intention to lye at catch Keep thy foot when thou goest saith Solomon to the house of God and be more ready c. Eccles 5.1 By feet he means the affections there is Oris custodia Prov. 13.3 The mouth wants keeping David prayes God Psal 141. to set a watch before it There is Cordis custodia Prov. 4.23 the heart needs keeping too There is Manuum custodia Esa 56.2 The hands doe often what they should not All the parts of the body yea the powers of the soul are in the phrase of Scripture meant by the feet yea all our actions Take notice that that which cures thee doth not alwaies please thee thou nauseatest that Physick that would doe thee most good doe not sequester thy Pastor because he would sequester thee from thy hypocrisie doe not thrust him out of his vineyard because he bringeth thee sowre grapes and sharp wine of reproofs doe not cast upon him false imputations because

own beauty and judge your selves the fairst and refinedst stuffe you must be ownd forsooth as the GODLY PARTIE Oh! it is an injury not to give you that title you give your selves forth to be The Temple of the Lord Th Temple of the Lord and if reproved presently cry We are Abrahams children of all men you are the hardest to be cured for why should Physick be administred to those that are perfectly sound I must take the liberty to tell you That you forget to build up the Cedar-work of piety and learn onely to paint over with Vermilion to borrow the words of a worthy Divine Men think you Saints you think your selves Angels Flatterers make you Gods and GOD knows you are Devils and will smite such painted walls and rotten gilded posts It is not amisse to give some Characters of you that you may be known and avoided 1. The best things published with the best intent scape not the lash of your censure he that doth not dance after your pipe shall be sure to be scoured and scourged 2. Malice and Envy are seated in your looks and you let slip no advantage that may accomplish your own ends though to the ruine of your neighbours 3. You are tender of no mans Reputation if be crosse your humours his name fame and credit shall be shipwrackt and all the scandals and contumelies that can be imagined shall be layd to his charge to render him vile and odious 4. Before you want matter for persecution bare information shall serve your turn contrary to the Law of God or man 5. You are knowne by your lofty lookes envenomed tongues cruell hands surly salutations and imperious commands 6. Perfoetorem oris By your stinking breath which proceeds either from some hot distemper of your mouth rotten humours in the stomach or ulceration of the lungs If Mr. M. and his crew finde fault with my tartnesse let them know half is not told Emendate vitam ego emendabo verba Mend your waies and I will mend my words Cessate perversè agere Cease from doing evil and I will cease to reprove and rebuke I pray God give you sober judgments peaceable spirits devotion with profession Zeale without envy love without partiality and Religion with Gospel charity for were you guided by this as they that will be Judges of other mens actions ought to be you would forbear to censure or condemn but if my prayers prove ineffectuall and that your flinty hearts cannot be broken know that your sharp frosts and nipping blasts shall not marre the beauty or enervate the vertue of my flourishing tree which God assisting shall stand unshaken in your greatest storms My Saviour came once with Pax vobis Peace be unto you at another time with Vae vobis Woe be unto you The searching wine of Reprehension to eat out the dead flesh is for you more necessary than the oyle of Consolation Woe unto them that prophesie to such as you are smooth things and deceits Isa 30.10 11. Yet if any be so bold as to bring sowre grapes and the sharp wine of reproofs and you once come to be fretted with the just Reprehension of your Hypocrisie then farewell Pastor expect expulsion from thy poor Vineyard thou shalt finde these fiery Serpents wheresoever thou goest with their venemous and burning stings wounding thy person doctrine name fame and whatsoever is dearest to thee I conclude you men of ill temper'd constitutions all earth in your hearts all water in your stomachs all aire in your brains and all fire in your tongues your hearts heavy your stomachs surfeited and watry your brains light and aërie your tongues flaming and fiery you never are at rest but like the troubled Sea cast up myre and dirt Lord deliver me from unreasonable men for all men have not Faith Farewell The persecuted MINISTER In defence of the MINISTERIE The great Ordinance of JESUS CHRIST THE SECOND PART HAving begun a Discourse of severall things touching the Ministerie as in the First Part of this Book the heads of which are layd down in the Title Page I intend by Gods assistance to treat 1. Of the continuance of the Ministerie 2. What is required to the constituting of Gospel-Ministers 3. The excellency and dignity of their calling 4. What respect they ought to bee of amongst Christians 5. That the contempt of them is a great and grievous sin CHAP. I. Ephes 4.13 Of the continuance of the Ministerie till the end of the world and that as long as there is a Church there will be Pastors and Teachers FOr the continuance of the Ministerial Office it is not temporary but lasting and must remain unto the end of the world Ephes 4.13 untill we all come to the unity of the faith and of c. This Unity in the Text hath a double relation 1. To Faith 2. To Knowledge And the object of both is Christ Faith is taken passively Adams The Saints meeting or actively either for that whereby a man believeth or for that which a man believeth either for the instrument that apprehendeth or for the object that is apprehended Now if we take it for the form there is an Unity of Faith Ratione objecti non ratione subjecti One in respect of the object on which it rests not one in respect of the subject in which it remaineth every man hath his proper faith and every faith hath Christ for its object he that seeth must see with his own eyes he that feeleth must feel with his own hands he that entreth into the mansion of glory must have oyle ready in his own lamp the just shall live by his own faith and we shall all meet in the unity of one holy Catholick faith Now if we take it in the other sense for Christ in whom we have believed we shall meet undoubtedly in the unity of those joyes and comforts which we have long expected and all Believers since the Creation till the worlds Dissolution shall meet in the unity of faith Secondly there shall be Unity of Knowledge at the last day though the manner of knowing ceaseth yet the matter remaineth all our knowledge in this life is through the spectacles of faith in the glasse of the Scriptures we see in part we know imperfectly we behold Christ through the lattesse Cant. 2.9 darkly through a glasse 1 Cor. 13.12 but in heaven we shall know him face to face we shall live by sight not by faith faith and hope shall vanish there shall be onely fruition in heaven and in this we shall all meet 1 Joh. 3.2 To a perfect man full perfection is reserved for heaven when our reunited bodies and soules shall possesse perfect glory and reign with our Saviour for ever We are said here to be one body whose head is Christ 1 Cor. 12.27 but there one perfect man and in truth the expression is very patheticall for the Saints in glory cannot be called a body for a body receives augmentation