A gag for Lay-Preachers.  
WHEREAS Illiterate men or such as can but read the English Bible, in contempt of a learned and settled Ministry, according to the variety of Sects, undertake publicly to preach the word of God, and exercise other ministerial Acts amongstus, and pretend to receive countenance, or at least connivance, from the higher Powers for so doing; It is to be considered that (what licence soever they may assume unto themselves) they want both Power and Authority so much as to preach the word.  
For Power or Ability, 
I.  1 The word of God not being to be known by itself, such men are not able without other Principles to discern and distinguish it from other writings. 2. God having declared himself in Hebrew and Greek, but not in English that we know of; nor no Translation of holy Scripture by men subject to error (however it render the sense) being the word of God; nor the Truth of a Translation being to be known but by recourse to original Tongues and Copies, our Translation especially being the work of men otherwise condemned as Antichristian; without skill in languages they cannot so much as understand his word. 3. Though they were expert in the languages, As we distinguish betwixt Principal and accessary parts in the holy Scriptures the main of the Gospel belonging unto all men taking up little room, and the greatest part even of the New Testament bearing reference to Particulars, as Romans, Corinthians, &c. unto whom we are nothing akin, and not importing laws but Judgements or reports of Judgements and practice in particular Cases (legally binding us Englishmen no more than judicial or ceremonial laws given to the Israelites) they cannot conceive or explicate the sense thereof as it was intended, without skill in the Histories and Antiquities of those Nations. 4. Nor lastly could they understand thus much of Scripture, can they Apply and bring home these precedents to rule our collateral Cases (which is the proper use we are to make thereof) without logic and Discourse to make the Parallel, which Explication and Application we call Preaching. So that for want of Arts and Tongues and other human Learning, the People cannot approach the mount of Divinity as it stands exposed unto all men in the prime Revelations, the holy Scriptures; nor much less bring us mysteries from thence, but borrow the light which they have thereof more remotely from the Learned. And for private Spirits, or new revelations of the will God not having his Probat by miracles, or any other Gospel than is derived from these writings (which some well spoken under the name of gifted men to salve the matter by an extraordinary manner without learning boast of) we pass not.  
And how then can we conceive these are the men entrusted with the ministry of the Gospel? 
II.  where choice is to be had, men (while they are Reasonable) delegate not uncapable subjects; especially to a work whereto all the reverence that can be used (in choosing and raising Persons, in regard of his Majesty with, or for, whom they are to deal) is too little: And certainly God sees such as he employs qualified. Yet personal sufficiency is not enough without a political ordination; supposing these men had Ability, for Authority or commission either from God or men to put that Faculty in office (which even in handicrafts for freedom in Trade is stood upon) they are still to seek, and have no more to show for Preaching then for further Judging or Ruling their Brethren, when (upon insinuation with the multitude) they shall dare to declare themselves. Corah's sin Numb. 16. being the bottom of it. Wherefore such lay idiots must keep their distance, and leave the dispensation of these sacred ordinances unto their spiritual Guides (men of nearer access and intimacy with the mind of Christ separated to that work) unto whom they properly belong. And however these men carry the matter, we cannot suspect that the higher Powers are our Adversaries herein; who though they have seen cause to reject the corrupt order that was established in the Church, have reason to be jealous of the people's motions; and though they have been willing to try the spirits, intend not surely upon that score (without all regard either of learning or modesty) to let loose such incoherent tongues to advance confusion, and try the mastery amongst themselves; or to believe any Spirit but according to its qualifications, and the evidence men shall make thereof.  
If it be objected, 
Object. I.  That the holy Scriptures were written to Persons of ordinary Capacity and Literature. We must consider. 1. That these men unto whom they were directed understood the Divinity, the Language, and all the Circumstances of these Writings, which made that easy unto them, which without study we cannot attain to. Secondly, They that were directly concerned needed no such help of logic and Discourse to Apply them, and make collateral Inferences and Deductions as we do.  
If it be objected that the Holy Apostles, 
II.  the primitive patterns of our Ministry, were Illiterate men. It is to be considered. 1. That all Illiterate men in those days, were not Apostles; And though the twelve Apostles were such Illiterate men, Saint Paul was not, nor Barnabas, nor Timothy, and Titus, whom Paul Instituted: which shows that unlearnedness is no proper qualification for an Apostle or Preacher of the Gospel. Secondly, Witnesses and Publishers of things which they had seen and heard (such as the Apostles in a manner wholly were) needed no such learning as Expounders and Appliers of ancient and foreign Writings. And lastly, though our Saviour took such Ignorant men, he left them not such; he took fishermen, whom he made Fishers of Men (that his Power and the Grace of God might be seen in their weakness.) Yet he took time for it; he called Disciples, Matth. 4. but made them not Apostles till Matth. 10. As we take Servants or Apprentices, whom we afterwards make free of our Trades. These Teachers of the Times (We deny not) may be gifted men too, and gifted in some sort for Preaching or declaiming roundly to the People: But we see they are not gifted like Apostles for Preaching of the Word of God as now it stands (which is the only thing which should bestead them.) 1. The Apostles understood that they taught the Word of God, and that they had Commission from God to teach it. Secondly, As they were sent to Preach, they were supplied with Arts and Tongues, where they were requisite: And lastly, they had a further power of working Miracles, to witness such their Mission and Authority unto others. In all which these men remain as defective as other mortals.  
We do well indeed to be imitating the Apostles, but it must be in these things wherein they are imitable; not so much in their extraordinary Office, or supernatural workings, (which are not in our power) as their Christian purity and holiness, their diligence and humility, not judgings of ourselves above that which is meet. Yet i● nothing but their Spirit will serve the turn (considering that God now adays works not ordinarily, but by means) one would think that Divines (such as with some reasonable qualification upon their Industry, by public Ordination, orderly succeed the Apostles in their Charge of regulating and teaching others) might as well pretend to the Spirit the Apostles wrought by, as those men that see but with their eyes, and believe upon such grounds as they afford them, and have nothing apostolical but their own Presumption and noise to show for it.  
The Wife man gives good Advise, Prov. 26. 4, 5. Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. And again, Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit. And thus (I conceive) we may observe the latter part thereof; In showing these men the weakness of their grounds in general, and remonstrating what blind Guides they are like to make, to take down their conceits of themselves, and keep them to their Lasts. To descend with them to their particular Debates, upon these grounds, (they being no better Disputants than Preachers) were the way (I am sure) to transgress the former part, to enter a Brawl, and make ourselves like unto them. Whatsoever therefore their Provocations of Divines to Conference and Disputations therein be (till they rectify their Principles, and improve their Learning) they are to be esteemed but as the extravagant workings of their Distempers; and Indignities, as if a Carter should challenge an Officer of the Army at Cudgels, or dare our renowned general to cuffs. Such weapons being fitter (with their noise and dust) to offend even Spectators, then decide differences; And such Challengers rather to be kicked then encountered.