A True MINISTRY ANATOMISED.  
Where it is clearly proved by SCRIPTURE, 

I. What a true Ministry is, and what a Ministry God set in the Church.  
II. A Ministry not so set, is not the Ministry of Christ.  
III. Our Ministers of England have not the gift of Tongues.  
iv Truth is not obtained by Study.    
By Thomas Lipeat, not the Author, but the Actor.  
LONDON, Printed by J. C. and are to be sold at the Black Spread-Eagle at the West-end of Paul's. 1651.   

Gentle Reader,  
HAving a cloud of Witnesses to witness with me the Truth contained in this little Treatise, and having a great Battle to fight, even with beasts after the manner of men; The weapons of our warfare are spiritual, warranted in Scripture: And these our enemies are Merchants that make the Nation believe they trade in Divine things. Indeed, they have large Shops: their Shops are an evil Conscience; the things which they sell, is frothy stuff, foaming out their own shame, Envy, Hatred, and Malice; poisoning the understandings of them that trade with them: yea, they trade in the Temple: we buy, and they sell; but both buyer and seller shall be whipped out. And, gentle Reader, my desire for thee is, that if thou hast bought a cup of Poison of these Merchants here discovered in this little Treatise, That thou mayst drink a cup of Blessing to cure thee withal.  
Thus leaving thee, I desire thou mayst be so wise, even with Wisdom itself, to discern the Truth, to believe it, and love it, and to hate even the appearance of evil with a deadly Hatred. Far ye well.  
Yours, in all Love, and tenderness of spirit, Thomas Lipeat.   

A Clear description of a true Ministry, differing from the Ministry of Antichrist: and this Ministry of Antichrist is that which overfloweth this Nation, from the one end to the other as it will appear proved in Scripture, which Record is true. The Apostle Paul doth clearly set down what a true and faithful Ministry is, as we find in 1 Cor. 12.28. saying, God hath set some in the Church; as first Apostles, secondarily Prophets, thirdly Teachers, after that Miracles, than gifts of Healing helps in Government, diversity of Tongues: some of every sort, according to the express words of the Apostle. As also the same Apostle doth further declare, in Ephes. 4.11. saying, God gave some to be Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors, and some Teachers. As if the Apostle had said, If any man desire to know the Ministry of Christ from the Ministry of Antichrist, here it is recorded by me Paul which am also a Minister of Christ: This is the Ministry that is set in the Church; this is the Ministry that did plant the Churches in that Order of whom we find in record of Scripture: This Ministry is infallible; this Ministry spoke as the Spirit gave them utterance: this Ministry is able to deliver the mind of God in the purity of it; for they were vessels in whom God did speak: they spoke by the inspiration of the holy Ghost. We find not in all the Scriptures, that any Ministry was short of this that is here recorded. We never find in Scripture, that any Churches were planted, or that any did administer the Ordinances, but this Ministry that is infallible, as Paul declares, in 1 Cor. 11.23. saying, That which I have received of the Lord, I have delivered unto you.  
But there is a Ministry in this Land, which hath deluded this Nation, making men believe that they are the Ministers of Christ, and that they have the gift of Tongues, when indeed they do but tell you a false thing. Also, they make men believe they are Divines; when it is clear in Scriptures, there is no Divine but God alone. Indeed, if they be Divines, it is but as the maid did divine, in Acts 16.16. And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her master much gain by soothsaying. So indeed they get to themselves great Live by the spirit of Divination by deluding and bewitching the Nation with their Sophistry and cunning, and making men and women believe they have the gift of Tongues, when at the best, and the most that can be said of all they have, it is but humane Learning. We find in Scriipture, that Simon Magus could not buy the gift of the holy Ghost with money: but when he did desire to purchase this gift, what was the answer of Peter to him? Thy money perish with thee.  
But to make it appear that our Priests of England have not this gift of Tongues, is to be proved. I first prove this to be true, from this ground. All that they have more than other men have, it is but to read the Hebrew and Greek Tongues; and this is learned for money, even as a child learns to read the English Tongue: thus Antichristian Ministers indeed have this Humane Learning. But Humane Learning is no help to the understanding of the mystery of salvation: this is bought with money, and therefore no gift: it is, at the best, but a practice, and not a gift. If you will know what a gift of Tongues is, look into Acts 2. there it is said that when God was pleased to give the gift of Tongues, than they spoke as the Spirit gave them utterance. We do not find that these Galileans went to Schools of Learning, to speak the wonders of the Lord in so many several Languages. Now the text saith, There were of every nation under heaven, as we see in the fifth verse. And when this was noised abroad the multitude came together, and were confounded, because they heard him speak in his own tongue wherein they were born. This indeed was the gift of Tongues; it was not bought with money, as their Humane Learning is, which is but a practice, and not a gift, as is before declared. Oh that the Nation had that discerning spirit, to discern the true Ministry of Christ from the Ministers of Antichrist! These Ministers of Antichrist, under this notion of the gift of Tongues, make poor ignorant men and women believe that they are able Ministers to define an infinite God: poor finite creatures as they are, they know not what God is in Himself, nor what he is to his Creatures. Christ saith, No man knoweth the Father, but the Son, and him to whom the Son will reveal him.  
The Ministers of Christ did not study to find out truth; as Christ said to his Disciples, To you it is given to know the mysteries of salvation. And yet thus Ministers of Antichrist make men believe they find out truth by study. I remember there is a saying in Scripture, where the Lord said, I was found of them that sought me not and I was made manifest to them that asked not after me: where then was Studies? where then was Humane Learning, which is the God of the Nations? And again, we find in Gal. 1.11, 12. But I certify you, brethren, that the Gospel which was preached of me, is no after 〈◊〉; For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.  
But it may be it will be objected that i● these time's revelation is ceased; there is to such revelation now in our days as hath been in former time.  
Answ. There is the same Revelation and Inspiration as was in former time; else how can finite creatures know the mind of an infinite God, and his love to them in Christ from all eternity? Truly those that deny Revelation and Inspiration, must also deny the Scriptures: and in Jer. 31.33, 34. the Lord declares, that he will make a Covenant with his people, and will put his Laws into their hearts, and write them in their inward parts: and there the Lord saith by the witness of his Spirit witnessing to our spirits, that we are the children of God. And in ver. 34. the Lord saith, And they shall teach not more every man his Neighbour, and every man his Brother, saying, Know the Lord; for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord. And again, mark that saying in 1 John 2.27. But the Anointing which we have received of him, abideth in you; and ye need not that any man teach you, but as the same Anointing teacheth you of all things: And truly, if these immediate Teachings of God be not by Revelation, nor by Inspiration, I wonder how it will be made to appear that these Scriptures are true; seeing it is not in the power of any finite creature to make known the mystery of salvation, or the love of God in Christ according to the purpose of God from all eternity?  
We find in 1 Cor. 2. to the fourth verse, the Apostle declares, that he came not in the excellency of man's wisdom declaring unto them the testimony of God; declaring that he did desire to know nothing but Christ and him crucified; even to preach a naked Christ to declare nothing but a bare Christ upon his own terms: and truly he did not come with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power. Where is there such a Ministry now with us in England as this is? The Apostle saith in vexse 7. We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery: and in the ninth verse declares, that eye hath not seen, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, the thing which God hath ●rep●●ed for them that love him: And in the tenth verse he saith, But God hath revealed them to 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 spirit: for saith he the Spirit searcheth 〈…〉 of God. Yet our Ministers of A●●christ which 〈◊〉 with us in England say, We must study to find out Truth. Truly this is contrary to he Ministry which is recorded in Scriptures as clearly hath been proved.  
Truly our Ministers study how to 〈◊〉 the Rich of the world to be their friends and how to have the sword to befriend them and study to get fat Live and study how to rail against men that walk not in the same form with them, even with madness and bitterness of spirit: where is there a Minister in England that is familiar with the poor as they are with the rich? no, they are for the most part proud persons, haughty, high minded, gormandizing greedy belly gods; a false dissembling lying generation; they are such as are spoken of in Hosea 6.9. saying and as Troops of Robbers wait for a man, so the company of Priest's murder in the way by consent; for they commit lewdness. Truly so is it with our Priests of England; how many years have they committed murder by consent? they live like dro●es, and lie in their dens to study mischief, and to set the Nation a burning with Madness one against another.  
But some may say, why do you term them to drones? Truly, I understand this term to be most fit and suitable for them; and for the most part you shall find but one in a parish, as commonly you shall see but one drone in a Hive of Bees. But we see in a hive of Bees where a drone is that lives upon the honey that the poor Bees work for: The nature of the Bee is, they with one consent will take the Drone and drag him out, they will not suffer the Drone to live there, to eat up the honey that the labouring Bees work for: Oh the Wisdom of God to behold in these little creatures that they should be so wise in their generation; it is a wonder of wonders to consider of in these small creatures: and truly I can but wonder to see how this Nation is besotted, to maintain in every Parish one Drone, and in some Parishes two Drones to eat up the honey that all the labouring Bees work for; and as it is with these Drones in a hive of Bees, they will not work; so is it with our Drones, they will not work, but they will compel the poor Bees to work for them, and they will eat of the best honey too; and when these Drones lie upon their beds of Down; the Ministers of Christ must lie in a Dungeon, or some stinking prison; as Paul declares in 2 Cor. 11.23. saying, Are they Ministers of Christ: I speak as a fool, I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in Prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. And so the Apostle goes on from this 23. verse, to the end of verse 27. and in verse. 27. he saith, In weariness and painfulness, in watch often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness: and in verse 28. he concludes, Besides all these things, he had the care of all the Churches: Thus you see what Paul did undergo being a Minister of Christ. Peter also in Acts 5.18. Paul and Silas, Acts 16.24. This is recorded of the true Ministry of Christ and what they did undergo for the Truth. Whereas our Drones lie lurking in their dens, studying how to get the fat of the Land, and how to rail against the people of God. But I pray mark, they are not set in the Church according as that Ministry was which is recorded in Scripture by the Apostle Paul, and which is mentioned in the former part of this Treatise; as we find in 1 Cor. 12.28. there the Apostle faith, God hath set them in the Church: And again in Ephes. 4.11. he saith, God gave some to be, as it is there declared. Here is as great a difference betwixt these that God gave and that God set to be in the Church, and these Drones of England, as there is between light and darkness; the one is given of God and s●●●b God; the other stusty to be as he is: and he is ordained of Antichrist in that place he is The Ministry which was given of God, or set in of God s●●●k as ●●e Spirit g●ve them ●●terence: these study what they must speak; and yet they are not ashamed to say they are fit and able Ministers of Jesus Christ and that they are Divines; indeed if they are Divines they are devilish Divines, as hath been proved in Acts 16.16.  
There is one thing more to be noted by this Ministry of Antichrist, which is worthy of observation; the thing to be noted is this, Oh, say they, None can declare the mind of God but we that are men of Learning: Illiterate men cannot find cut the Mystery of Truth they cannot understand the Hebrew and Greek Tongues as we can; therefore notable Ministers of Christ. But I pray mark the cunning of the men of this Craft. They say, men that are not learned in these Tongues cannot find out the Truth, for there are things in the Hebrew Tongue which must be interpreted into English, which they cannot do that are illiterate men: But I desire that all the Nation did but understand their craf; they say the Hebrew and Greek must be interpreted into English, and yet they say we have the word of God in our own Tongue perfectly; if that be perfectly, the word of God in our own Tongue, which they say it is then what need any further Interpretation? And if it need to be interpreted, than it is not perfect: But the word of God is as pure and perfect in our English, as ever it was in the Hebrew and Greek Tongue; Therefore it need not help of the Hebrew and Greek Tongue to interpret it into our own Tongue.  
The word of God is one entire being, it cannot be so divided as they make men believe; the Word that was in the beginning, and was made flesh, and dwelled amongst us, as we find in John Cap. 1. and the beginning cannot be divided: The word of the Lord doth endure for ever: This which they call the pure word of God, which is the Scripture, these silly Drones count it impure themselves from this ground, and yet do not see it themselves: The Reason is because there must be made a more clear interpretation from the Hebrew and Greek into our own Tongue: But if they were the true and faithful Ministers of Christ, as they say they are, than I wonder how they dare be so unfaithful in their office that they do not let us have that which they call the word of God without further interpretation in our own Tongue: But if you have any conference with them, they will tell you it is the pure word. Now mark I beseech you in the former part of this Treatise it hath been proved by divers places of Scripture, what a true Ministry is and where it followeth on the contrary part, that whosoever he be under the Sun that is not thus warranted in Scriptures, and that delivers not the mind of God with that infallible spirit, with inspiration or Revelation is not the true Ministers of Christ, but the Ministers of Anti-christ: And therefore I desire the Lord to set it home to the understandings of men to discern a true Ministry; and the Lord say unto all those that desire to know a true Ministry as P●●● said in Collos. 2. v, 8. Beware lost any man deceive you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ; to believe a Ministry not warranted in Scriptures, for there it hath been proved that our Ministers of England hath not the gift of Tongues, for their learning is bought with money, therefore no gif●. Again, the glory of salvation is not obtained by study, for it is a free gift, also a finite creature cannot define an infinite God no otherwise then he doth discover himself by inspiration or Revelation; as the Lord saith in divers places, as in Isaiah 44, v. 13. jer. 31. v. 33, 34e john 1. v. 20. and 27. Heb. 8. v. 10, 11. Also Christ said to his Disciples, To you it is given to know the Mystery of Salvation. And Christ declared the same thing in john 6. v. 45. It is written in the Prophets, and they shall be all taught of the Lord, every man that hath heard and hath learned of the Father, cometh to me. Christ did not say, He that doth hear this man or that man what they say, shall come unto me. And again, it is written He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches. It was the Spirit that said in 1 Cor. 2. v. 12. God hath set that Ministry in the Church. And in Ephes. 4, v, 11. God gave that Ministry there recorded to be in the Church: But we never find in all the Scripture that God said that man shall go to Schools of Learning to be tutored by man, to be made fit and able Ministers of Jesus Christ But in 1 Cor. Chap. 2, v. 4. My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the, Spirit and of power. Paul that was a faithful and true Minister of Christ, exhorts the Collossians to take heed of a false Ministry, saying to them, Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, and not after God. Now it is not warranted in Scriptures that men must go to men to learn humane learning to be made able and fit Ministers of Christ; therefore a Tradition of man, and not an Ordinance of God, But indeed these men are wise in their generation as Christ said, The children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light: For if they once leave interpretation, than they know the hope of their gain is lost, and then what shall they do; work they cannot, and to beg they are ashamed, and they will not do as Paul did, when he said, These bands of mine have ministered to my necessity, and to those that are with me. Truly, if Paul were now alive, this generation of Ministers would have judged him to have been a Ranter or some false Teacher, when he became all unto all: Now if men do not believe all they say to be true, and not be in the same Anti-christian form with them, than what followeth? Oh such a one is a Rauter, or a Blasphemer of God, and of the ways of God; then they rail and revile such persons that will not own their worship and Ministry: And truly it must be so, for the Scriptures must be fulfilled; as Christ said, Ye shall be hated of many for my Names sake. Indeed this stone is cast aside of you Builders.  
Object. But some may say, Why do you call them bvilders? In the former part of 〈◊〉 Treause you did call them lazy idle Drones that ea●●s be ●o●●y that the labouring Bee works for, and in this place you call them Builders how can these two things stand together?  
Answ. Truly they are Builders, and that according to Scriptures; they are Builders that seeks to make up the breaches in B●b●l; but we have a Proverb in England, When men begin to justify a bad matter, we use to say. The more they strive, the more it stirks: So is it with our Anti-christian brood, with our crcking Frogs, that came from the bottomless pit● the more they go about to prove themselves to be the Ministers of Christ the more it doth appear to the godly, they are but the Ministers of Antichrist: For when they build it is what they study and what they conceive, or what they think will serve their own turn, to maintain their standing in great pomp, even to Lord it over others that for Conscience sake hold forth things contrary to their Light. These things are declared not to envy the person of any in the Nation, but that where a Candie is light, it will show ●ight to those that are in the house: So now light is come amongst us in England, even Truth itself is broke forth to us, Notwithstanding maugre the malice of the Devil, and envy of Truth; Yet Truth shall never be ashamed.  
THOMAS LIPEAT, Not the AUTHOR, But the ACTOR.  
FINIS.