J^ 
 
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a< the i&htoloaicnt s, 
 
 $*#* * ; _ *>,, 
 
 PRINCETON, N. J. 
 
 Collection of Puritan Literature. 
 
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//>/?// 
 
 
 s/c>?,st tu ///^ ^"-yfwi 
 
*- V 
 
 THE 
 
 PATTERN 
 
 OF 
 
 Ecclefiaftical 
 
 ORDINATION- 
 
 O R 
 
 APOSTOLICK SEPARATION. 
 
 Beinga DTcouifc upon J3s ihe ij. 4.,?, 
 
 At firft intended focthe fatisfkdttotl of lom.c Ob- 
 jections raifed upon the faid Trinitary Text by a Pri- 
 vate, Worthy Friend, and now by hisdefire 
 
 made | ublick for iht S uisfacTron anJ L ltructi- 
 on of others whom it may conurn. 
 
 i ^/ . — _ .. 
 
 By Edward ITukenun^ Rector of St. Matthews Fii- 
 day-ftreet : London. 
 
 '£*70-kc*», *rn9feftct^s« Con,ii Gangrenf. can. 6. 
 
 LONDON, 
 PrintW bj J. (j* for Richard Riytfttx, at the An-tl n/i i 
 
 i 6 64. 
 
^ 
 
 
 IMPRIMATUR: 
 
 Ex ALd. Lamb. 
 Junii22. 1664. 
 
 Geo. Stradling S. T\P. ^eyer.'tn Chrijlo 
 Tat. J). Gilb.drchiep.Cant. a Sae. Domejl. 
 
To the mofi: Reverend Father in God, 
 
 AndthciUghc Honourable, 
 
 G I L B E R T, 
 
 Lord .Archb'Qiop of Canterbury, 
 
 Primate and Metropolitan of all / ; //^- 
 
 land, xr\d one of the Lords of his 
 
 Majeftics mod Honourable 
 
 Privy Council. 
 
 Moft Reverend Father in God, 
 
 Hen Iconfuler, as 1 cannot but often do 
 jo, (for Ingratitude is an unpardona* 
 ble crime) the Ltrgencfs of your For* 
 mcr Favours ^amongjl the reft of my 
 Honourable Friends ; and that Influence 1 rcceiv d 
 from you,whenyoufl?onefo bright in afomewhat lower 
 Orb than now you do : 1 cannot > but conffs at leaft, 
 my debts toyou far greater 7 than ever IJhall be ever 
 able to pay. 
 
 Children canne^er make a fuffaent return tin* 
 
 to their Parents^ though they Jhould honour them 
 
 with all they have, all that they can do orfuffer : 
 
 Jhice without them they could never have been in a 
 
 capacity 
 
capacity ofReing, much Ufs of Well Being. Ira- 
 mortales gratiarum horti. 
 
 77 is mahs me now jo bold to prefent this fmall 
 Handful oj Tender, Firft Fruits unto your Grace, 
 which I conffi rwere agamji my Will Crop' d from me 
 by a Friendly, Ovzr powerful hand. 
 
 And indeed, to whom fhould I devote the Pat- 
 tern o/Ecclefiaftick Ordination, but to the Grea- 
 tejl Affile and Arch Angel of it in this our Church, 
 next under Chrijl, lour Self ? 
 
 It is no ceremonious but Fundamental point, the 
 Ordination to and execution of the Minijlerial Fun- 
 ction . And yet y lexpeB hard cenfures from the World 
 on all fides : but Fear none that are uncharitable. 
 
 If any will but take the pains to teach me better, I 
 (hall be thankful. 
 
 However your Lordjbip and the World mayguefs 
 by this, how IJpend that Talent of Health and 1 ime, 
 «&c. which God is pleafed to Lend me. 
 
 I caft both it and my Jelf at your Graces Feet ; 
 Mid think my/elf to have obtain d enough, if it find 
 acceptance mitk or ^rouElion from, you 
 
 My Lord, 
 
 <j u l - t i 1( Whofe obedient Son and Servant, 
 
 J i££4, in theBleflld jcfu^I am, 
 
 fc Edward Wakeman. 
 
flBKS 
 
 THE PATTERN OF 
 
 Ecclefiaftical Ordination : 
 
 OrApoftolic Separation. 
 
 Adtsi;.^, j. 
 
 4. So they being fent forth by the Holy Ghojl, dc* 
 parted 
 
 5. And when they were at Salamis, they breached 
 the word of God in the Synagogues of the jews. 
 
 The whole ftoiy runs thus, 
 
 V.i. N§w there rvere in the Church that was at Antioch, 
 certain Prophets and Teachers , as Barnabas, and 
 Simeon that was called Niger, W Lucius tf/Cyrene, 
 *#iManaen which had been brought up with Herod the 
 Tetrarch 5 W Saul. 
 
 V. 2. And as they mini fired unto the Lord a id Faffed^ 
 the holy Ghoftfaid, Separate me Barnabas WSaul, 
 for the work whereuntol have called them. 
 
 V. 3 . And when they badfajled and prayed, and laid their 
 hands on thcm> they fent them away. 
 
 fa 
 
 7b. 
 
 >9 
 
 V.4. 
 
2 3 he T cittern of 
 
 V. 4. So the) being fent forth by the holy Ghgft, departed 
 «#/0 Seleucia, and from thence they failed to Cyprus. 
 
 V- 5 . And when they were at Salamis, they Preached the 
 Word of God in the Synagogues of the J-ews. 
 
 He Text is a relation of the entrance 
 of two that were folemnly ordained 
 upon the facrsd Minifterial Fun- 
 (ftion. 
 
 Paul and Barnabas after fome con- 
 fiderable time fpent amongft the 
 fage and learned Piophets at Ami- 
 cch^ that noble nurfery, and fuch reputation gotten, as 
 that they were thought lit enough to be intruded with 
 a publick employment for the Church at tferufalem 
 (nor that without defert, for St. Luke tells us at thep, 
 and 11. chapters, They were full of the Holy Ghofl) are 
 now by vertue of an exprefs from the fame Holy Ghofi^ 
 feparated, or, (which is all one) confecrated to their 
 Apoftlefbip, by the laying on of hands. 
 
 I call it their Apoftlefhip, rather than Bpfcvfacy or 
 Pr/e/lhood (though neither interpretation want its Pa- 
 trons) as finding in their execution of that Function 
 whereunto they were now calTd (and we do not read 
 of any new Ordination of them afterwards) little agree- 
 ment with the Office of a Bifhof, it being limited to 
 fome particular Church • and lefs with that of a Pres- 
 byter^ which gave him neither power of Ordaining nor 
 yet oiCenfures : both which St. iWat leaft is recor- 
 ded to have exercifed>and that indifferently, in any part 
 of the World. 
 
 Eefides that it feems too much below thtEmirtency 
 of an Afofile (though the Schoolmen be not afhamed 
 
 to 
 
Ecclefiafiical Ordination. \ 
 
 to fatten all their feven Orders upon our Saviour Chri/1 
 hirnfelf) to be tyed to thofc Gradations, now when the 
 Spirit was poured out upon all Plefli, which were only 
 neqeflary for thefucceedingChriftian Church, where- 
 in the Gifts of the holy Ghofl wwe in great part to be 
 fupplied by Mans endeavour. 
 
 This Apojllejlip therefore being conferred upon 
 them, immediately li*ke faithful Stewards they appli- 
 ed themfelves diligently to the Performance of their 
 charge, And being fent forth by the Holy Ghofl depar- 
 ted — And when they were at Salamis they preached 
 the word of God in the Synagogues of the tfews. 
 
 In the former part or which words we have laid down 
 their comrnifsion for this great Function in thefe words, 
 Betng fent forth by the Holy Ghofl. 
 
 In the latter we have expreffed their Exercife of that 
 i^wtf/^Synechdochically layed down in thefe words, 
 They departed and preached the word of God in the Syna- 
 gogues of the J-ews. 
 
 Their Comrnifsion is twofold. 
 
 Firft, Internal from the Holy Ghofl, expreffed in the 
 text, fent forth by the Holy Ghofl. 
 
 Secondly, External from the Church, implied by 
 the connexion of this with the former verfe, They on 
 whom the Prophets had layed their hands, They were fent 
 forth by the Holy Ghofl. 
 
 Which Comrnifsion from the church, if we again 
 confider with Reflection upon this from the Holy Ghofl, 
 we may obferve by way of Deduction the joynt con- 
 currence of the one with the other, or the certain 
 eflFeftofthis Impofition of hands, the gift of the Holy 
 Ghofl. 
 
 In,or from the 2.partjl fhall fhew you that the duty of 
 
 B 2 fuch 
 
4 The ^attem of 
 
 •fiich as are thus Commifsioned by the Holy Gbofl and by 
 the Churchy is Preaching, and what that Preaching was, 
 is, or ought to be. 
 
 But before I enter upon the particulars named, be- 
 caufe the text hath been otherwife by fome interpre- 
 ted • it will be very requifite that I give youfome ac- 
 count of the exposition that I mean to follow. For, 
 
 There are who contend that Ordination is nothing 
 concerned in this place ; that Paul and Barnabas were 
 not by this imposition of hands admitted to any degree 
 Mini(lerial,hut only received it in way of a Blefsing up- 
 on the expedition they were now about to be imploy- 
 edin. 
 
 So our Annotator upon the Rhemifts interprets it, 
 which we might fufpeft, done out of too much heat of 
 contention • and that becaufe They had expounded 
 AHT^yhlay in the fecond verfe, Spying cf Mafs, He 
 would needs find fault too with their conftruing Im- 
 fofition of hands, in the nextverfe, Giving of orders*, 
 but that we find the fame opinion in fome of the Roma- 
 nifts too; all of them grounding it upon St. Pauls af- 
 fertion in the beginning of his Epiftle to the Galatians, 
 chap. i. v. the i. Paul an Apoftle, not of men, neither 
 by man, but by yefm Chrift. 
 
 For anfwer to which, it is confefs'd, not only that 
 Paul had an Immediate calling hom God but alfo that 
 fuch a Mifsion was altogether as efTential to the. Apo- 
 ftlefhip, as to the Prophets in the Old Teftament. 
 
 but this Catling ox Sending was nothing elfe' proper- 
 ly but the Designation and Appointment of fit perfons 5 
 which while the High-Prieft of the New-Covenant 
 was prefent with them, had perhaps annex'd unto it 
 their Inauguration : Both however were received imme- 
 diately from him, After 
 
dejiajlical Ordination. 5 
 
 After his A [c en ft on this latter muft needs be left in 
 the hands of the Church. 
 
 Nor doth: it any way blemifli their P:c 
 above the after-Fathers of che Church, to own Ordi- 
 nation By nun, finpe their Matter had vouchfafri to 
 receive the lacrament of Baftifm from one, who he 
 hdhifelfhad pronounced kfs than thelcAft flfthefe Pro- 
 fheticdl Ordatners. 
 
 So then our Apoftle was nor A***H>** f receiving 
 his Authority f rem Men, nor is any Presbyter : For all 
 atefeiuby x\\z Holy Gboft h neither was he ai *>fy^*«; 
 defined or ffo/i* £y w,i# to this Mimilery, as all ordi- 
 nary Paftors are 3 but he might nevertheless be or- 
 dained by. man, and Co (to omit late Interpreters,) St, 
 Chryfojlom tells us, he was (in bis Homily upon my 
 text X H ' ;To '^ r ' u Hi at<3,-oa[o» 5r* /«*t* t£*un'tf< m(P7'Jh»jj as 
 having no authority to exercife his Apoftlefirp to 
 which he was called by fpeci.il Direction from the 
 J/0/7 Ghofi, till he was ordained to it by the hying on of 
 hands. 
 
 So that there is no reafon why &U i«*3? xe»r«|in the 
 text urged, mould be any more then k*]' *t/t*>l^ q« 
 in the I, to Timothy, by the commxndment of God, or 
 A*«9«A»p*704 ©*£, in almoft all the reft: of his Epiftles, 
 bytflewillofGod. 
 
 Nor is it worth the while for them to urge the Letter 
 of the SyriAck ti antlation, which renders it, Not of the 
 fens of man, nor by the hand of the f on of man \ tor it 
 follows, but by the hand of Jefus Chrifl • which is 
 enough, methinks,to make them forfake the argument, , 
 2nd look better int j the Propriety oi the Language. 
 
 It feems then not improbable, that all Apoftles 
 after Chrifts Afcenfion into Heaven, . received their 
 
 Aaoftle- 
 
6 The Tattcrn of 
 
 Apoftlefhip by Impofition of hands from the ^church . 
 That Timothy had his office A/a <p&mU&< ? by the de- 
 fignaiion of the Spirit is not to be denied •, i Tim.$ 14, 
 But yet that it was M5t*7*»$ Zhfotw x^^^ivith the laying 
 on of hands, is clear from the fame place, and more ex- 
 prelly and particularly from another, ^ ™* &M*iut #/ 
 ■XHjSfft* by the laying on of my hands, 2 Tim, i. 6. And 
 dowenotreadthat Tiw^wasplac'd at Ephefus, as 
 Titm was left at Crete, to ordain others after the fame 
 manner? Tit. 1.5. 
 
 Even Matthias himfelf,of whofe choice we find men- 
 tion without any of his Ordination -, For though our 
 Englifh in translating %vyKa.h4>*<pl£n he was numbrei 
 with, make the text feem to imply him fufficiently 
 inflated in his Apoftolate, by having the lot fallen up- 
 on him, yet the Original will better bear Erafmus's 
 Cooptatm eft, or Beza's Communibus calculi* alleffus, 
 after which,implying only a Nomination, might welt 
 follow a folemnAdmifsion, though we have no mention 
 of it in this facred Hiftory. 
 
 Here you fee we have an *Apoet*-*1e /*<>/, froimthe Holy 
 Ghoftioi Barnabas and Saul, the Holy Ghoft faid, fe- 
 parate me Barnabas and Saul, for the work whereunto 
 I have called them, at the fecond verfe. Which to fay, 
 was no more than (end away Barnabas and Saul to Cy- 
 prus, betrayes fo much Ignorance in the ufe of that 
 exprefsion in both Teftaments, that I think it can- 
 not find much entertainment with any Perfon of 
 Reafon. 
 
 This Separation therefore was nothing elfebut their 
 Ordination, and the conferring that power upon them 
 which the Holy Ghojl now call'd them to by an Exter- 
 nal, Extraordinary Call, and afterwards ratified by an 
 
 internal^ 
 
Ec cleft aft ical Ordination* 
 
 Internal \Ordmary Calling, at their hying on of hands up- 
 on chcm. 
 
 And lb I come to the Fir ft part of my text, which re- 
 prelents unto us their Commifsion^ and that fir (I from 
 the Holy Ghoft, exprefly given us in theft words, 
 
 Being Jent forth by the Holy Ghoft 
 
 This is the fort particular, namely, that the Hoh 
 G bo (I is the Superintendent or the Unciion, they re- 
 ceiving their Commtfsion from him. 
 
 T hat by the Holy Ghoft s fending, is rather to be un- 
 derftood his Inward giving them that Power which 
 their Ordination intituled them unto, than either his 
 Extraordinary Calling of them, before mentioned in 
 the fecond verfe, or the Secret In ft in c7 of the Spirit di- 
 recting them whither they (hould go (though bothex- 
 pofitions have their throngs of Aflcrtors) I am for 
 my part, induced to think, becaufe the former Inter- 
 pretation fcems to impofe a needlefs repetition upon 
 the text : the latter, (befides that this Cyprus whither 
 they went, was Barnabas' s own Countrey (as appears 
 plainly at the latter end of the 4. chap!) fo that he 
 might in all probability be carried thither by his own 
 Affection) hath none or very few Parallels in this Hi- 
 ftory or clfewhere, either Hiftorical or Gramma- 
 tical. 
 
 For firft,how many Journeys of S. P*ul znd others 
 do we here meet withall without the leaft mention of 
 the Holy G ho ft s fending' it being fufficiently known and 
 elfewhere to be collected, that they were directed by 
 him in almoft all their undertakings. 
 
 And then fecondly, The (pint cf Prof he fie (except 
 where in general thofeExtraordinary gifts are expretYd 
 inone,asSt. Johnq, 39. and the like) is not ufually 
 
 called 
 
8 ~77* Patterhjf 
 
 called, n9%Vfug 1t Ayt§9 i but barely n»?^, not the #0/7 
 C7^/?, but the £/>//•/>, as you may fee in the 1 i, 19, 2 } 
 and 2 1 , chap, ot this book, to name no more 5 whereas 
 this power of Orders is ftyled the holy Ghofl in fto very 
 form which the greatefl: part of the Weftern Church 
 hath taken up from our Saviours own mouth. 
 
 And in the 20. of this book v. 28. the Presbyters 
 which were ordained by the Apoftles, are charged by S. 
 Paul at Miletm, to take heed unto the Flock^ over which 
 the Holy Ghofl had made them overfeers. T hefe had no 
 Extraordinary Mission as our Apoftle here, and yet 
 Tbeywere fent hy the Holy Ghofl h and therefore, why 
 not Theft in the fame fenfe i For, 
 
 In the 2. v. they were fent by him upon his Immedi- 
 ate choice and appointment : In the text they were fent 
 by him upon his Be flowing that Power which the Pro- 
 phets at Anttoch bid them receive at their laying on of 
 hands. 
 
 So then from the Holy Ghofl comes all Power to ex- 
 ercifeany facred Minifterial Office in the church of 
 God. This was the chiefeft bufinefs of God the Fa- 
 ther, and God the Sons breathing forth or fending 
 down the Holy Ghofl from Heaven, to qualify and make 
 fome fit for the performance of Church-work, with his 
 KieijuJdL. his gifts, according to their feveral fiations 
 and capacities^ for when Chrift gave the gifts of the 
 Holy Ghofl to men, Ephef 4. 8. He gave fome Apofllcs, 
 fome Ev.wgclifis^ fame Paftcrs and Teachers for the per- 
 fecting of the Saints, for the work of the Mini fiery, verfe 
 the 11 And as a learned obferver fays very well, All 
 the reafon in the world that he foould have a fyectal hand 
 
 \iving,whtr^himfelf i$ to he received. Receive 
 ye : he Holy Ghofl, J>oh. 20. 22. 
 
 V>ho- 
 
Ecclefiajlical Ordination. 9 
 
 Whofoever therefore undertakes this Vi r arfare{iox fo 
 the work of the Levitts is often call'd in the book of 
 Numbers) without a Commission from him, viz, the 
 Holy Ghofi, though he make pretence of never fo plau- 
 fible Intentions, is but a Traytor to the Holy Gholi, and 
 can look for no better thanks than lizzah had for his 
 officicusPr0phan.1t/ on. 
 
 Foi though there be mention here of Apo files only 
 receiving the Holy Ghofi, 'tis evident they receiv'd not 
 this Gift as Apo files, butasentring into an Ecclefiajli- 
 cal Mini fiery : elfe why did they impart the fame af- 
 terwards to Bijhops and Presbyters, which St. Pauls 
 Hiftory and Writings do abundantly vvitnefs. 
 
 The text then doth as nearly concern Us atprefent 
 in the Chnfiun Church, as if Pxul and Barnabas had 
 been now ordained Priefts. 
 
 So that I may without offence (I hope) to the fcope 
 of the Hiftory, take a view of it, efpecially as itrepie- 
 fents us with the Priefts Ordination, the chief bufinefs 
 of this prefemfolemnity. 
 
 And that we may be the better afcertain'd, that it is 
 the HjIj Ghofi who gives this Power •, let us enquire, 
 fo far as we may, what the Power is, and howdiftingui- 
 flied from other Gifts of the Holy Ghofi who thus com- 
 ffiifsions. 
 
 Not to run too hxbtckwards> bat to begin with the 
 Jpefiles themfelves. 
 
 You may oblerve in the Gofpel that the H Ij Ghofi 
 is twice promifed by our Saviour to his Apoftles, once 
 under the promife of the Keys, in the 1 6 of ^ t. Matthew 
 v. the 18. about two years oeiore his Ptfsien: afte 
 wards under the promife of a Comforter ; or as the lear- 
 ned Grotius tranflates it, an Advocate) L-kc 24. 49, af- 
 
 C ter 
 
, o 7 he Tattern of 
 
 ter his RefurrecJion (though ye (hall find the fame Pro- 
 rrtife made unto them 3 and often repeated the Day be- 
 fore his Pafsion, in the 14, i5 5 and 16. chapters of St. 
 John, and forne moneths before that, to all Beleevers> 
 M. ^0/7*7.38. and yet ;fooner to his Apo files in the 
 lo. of St. Mat. v. the 20 ) 
 
 The Termer of thefe was performed after his Re fur- 
 rettion, S. John 20. 22. whenhefaid unto them D Re- 
 ceive ye the holy Ghofi, whofefoever fins ye remit ■, they 
 are remitted, and whofefoever fins ye retain, they are re- 
 tained.The Latter was performed upon the day oiPen- 
 tecefl 5 as appears m the fecond of the Atfs of the Apo- 
 ftles 5 when the hcly Gkojl came down from Heaven in the 
 (hap e of cloven fiery Tongues, which came as it were in 
 a windy , rufhmg Chariot ? zndjate upon each of them, yea 
 rfjwfinfpired them with the Gift of Tongues, verfe i 9 2, 
 
 Now Both thefe gifts had a Power annex'd unto 
 them. 
 
 With the Fir ft, was a Power of the Keys 5 
 
 The Other was a Power fr em on htghjk Power oicenvi- 
 ttion by Miracles^ When the Comforter is come, he fhall 
 convince the world of Sin,ef Righteoufnefs,& of Judg- 
 ment^ St. John i6.2. A Power of Anfwering for them- 
 felves without taking thought before hand ^ W hen they 
 ihould be brought beiore Governours, for the name and 
 the caufeofChrift 3 St. Mat. 10. iS, 19, .20. And a 
 Power of knowledge of the truth, St. John 14. 26. The 
 Comforter which ts the holy Ghofi, whom the Father will 
 ftnd in my name, he fhall teach you all things. 
 
 You <hall find a third Power given by chrift to his 
 Apofties 5 immediately upon having created them Apo* 
 files, a power of Miracles, S t , Mat. \ o . 1 . He gave them 
 
 Power 
 
Eeclefiafticd Ordination. i \ 
 
 Power again ft undcAn Spirits to caft them out, And to 
 heal all manner of Stckn \ d all manner of Difeafe. 
 
 There is Laftlj another Covt of Gifts of theffr/ji cboft, 
 which though they were always in the Church oi God, 
 yet Now firft came under that name. And thofe are 
 Rich as the Apoftle reckons up in rhe 1 2 of his Epiftle 
 to the Rom. 1/. the 8. He that giveth let him do it with 
 [implicit) : He that ruleth,witb diligence : He that ftv:w- 
 eth mercy ^wnh cheerfulness : Together with federal 
 other graces which he reckons up, and calls Gifts in the 
 6,verfe, (Having then gifts, dffering According to the 
 grace that ts given to *#,) and Fr nit of the Spirit in his 
 5. to the (7*/. v. the 22. 
 
 That thefe Ghojllj Gifts of the fourth kind of Sancti- 
 fying Graces,iiz perpetually to be enjoyed by the faith- 
 ful, isconfefs'donallhands. 
 
 That the rower of Miracles which the Apoftles ex- 
 ercifed while Chnft was upon the Earth, was a Gift Ex- 
 traordinAry, and not to out-laft their own times, will be 
 eafily admitted among us : and the fame of that which 
 was given at the Feaft of Pcnteco(l : excepting that 
 part of it mentioned in the 14. oiSt.fohn, The Giftdi 
 knowledge, which we muft warily diftinguilh, what ic 
 was in the Apoftles, and what in thzftcceeding Chu: ch- 
 They had in its Fulnefs, they were taught all things by 
 it, but after ages had only that Proportion which feen 
 good to the Author and Dijpoferoiiz. For, 
 
 Should we leave this wholly among the Extraordi- 
 nary Gifts of the Apoftles, we had quite relinqui 1 d our 
 intereft in the Comforter, and fhould have no more 
 reafon to look for him at our Vem Creator, than to 
 expeft the mighty rulhing Wind or the Sound from 
 Heaven, or the clown Tongues as ot Fire. 
 
 C2 The 
 
i z Tl)e (Pattern of 
 
 The contromfie thea lies in the Gift firft named,, 
 which is the fame we enquire after : fome making it 
 the fame with Sanctifying Grace : fome the fame with 
 Grace Enabling for the Performance, which I take to 
 be nothing elfe but that Gift of Knowledge under the 
 fecond kind of Graces mentioned 5 and of thefe, fome 
 there arc (in our own Church I mean,) who think it no- 
 thing infenour to that which the Apoftles had, A plain 
 Infallibility : The reft confound it with that Gift of 
 the Comforter > as it belongs to the Univerfal Church, 
 
 They that think it the fame with Sanctify ing Grace , 
 (to fay no more) muft needs forget that $udas jfcariot^ 
 (in whom was little or no fign rather of Saxltifying 
 Grace^ when he betrayed his Msfter,) was one of the 
 twelve,and (if we may draw any parallel from the Law) 
 that Caiapbds the High Prieft prophefied, St. $ohn II, 
 *>.4P 5 5o, and 18,14. 
 
 They would eafily confefs that it is too pofsible 
 there maybe more employed in the Building of Gods 
 Ark the churchy than fhallbe/r<?/i?r*Win it. 
 
 To them who imagine an infallibility of theSpirit ac- 
 companying all true Ordination, and dare call them Lay* 
 men, which arrive not at the fame perfection of know- 
 ledge xv\uch they dream themfelves M afters of (when 
 indeed to differ from them in any one fond opinion is 
 enough to fetch us under this Cenfure) the woful expe- 
 rience of their too fruitful Errors is a fufficient an- 
 fwer. 
 
 And Laftly, that Holy Orders confift in being quali- 
 fied in fome meafure with abilities fit for the Execution 
 of them, hath not any Authority, fo far as lean find, 
 from holy Writ : For although God do require this 
 Ability in every one, in fome more, in fome lefs, yet 
 
 he 
 
lejiaflical Ordination. i ? 
 
 he hath not r / promife to tye it to ihc chur- 
 
 ches Ordination : for, the ; omforter is no othcrwifc 
 promifed than other Graces offpecial Favour, uj 
 condition of our receiving them • And we have too 
 experience that we do often Grieve and Jguench this 
 Holy Spirit of God in our Under/landings as well as in 
 our Conscience. 
 
 Whatfoever therefore it is, it mud: needs be an Ac- 
 cefsion to the Prieflhood } and we are to acknowledge 
 God the Author oft double Blefsing, when he provides 
 Bezaliels and Aboliabs for the work of this his Spiritual 
 Tabernacle, Whereas he hath then promifed this 
 Tower oi Orders to all that enter upon his more /»»?- 
 diatefcrz'ic^whzn he directed the Apoftles to lay us 
 down that pattern of Ordination, It being a Gift ot p^ 
 petual Necefsity in the churchy which if at any time it 
 were denyed, would open a gap to confufion in the Dtf- 
 penfitionox Admint(lration of holy things, which can 
 in no wife proceed from the God of Order and De- 
 corum, 
 
 It remains that theGift of theHely Ghofi in Ordinati- 
 on is nothing elfe bnt that Authority and Right the Qr- 
 d lined have in the Admimflration of Divine Myfteries - y 
 That Gift whereby the Prieft (not to fpeak here of the 
 Bijbops Power) hath a kind of property in Difpenfwg 
 Gods holy written word and Sacraments 5 in offering up 
 the pnblick prayers of the Congregation for them, and 
 in Pronouncing Gods fentenceof pardon or condemna- 
 tion upon them, 
 
 And this is properly our inward Calling, 
 
 Thofe other gifts of Grace and Knowledge (fuch as 
 Arts^ and Lang^agcs^znd Virtues) vth'ich may precede 
 qvx Ordination ^ as they are Motives to any man fo 
 
 qualifi 
 
) 4 The Pattern of 
 
 qualified to offer himfelf to the Church of Gods fer- 
 vice, are an Invitation, and in thatfenfe, an inward 
 Galling. As they do enable any man for the perfor- 
 mance of his Duty 5 they are not a warrantable Calling 
 but a Blefsing, and do not confer any Right upon him 
 to the Prieflhood, but only ftrengthen his hands in the 
 Discharge of it. 
 
 Were this rightly confidered, the world would not 
 be fo full of miftakes concerning the Call t® the Fun- 
 ction. 
 
 But do we not now rather wonder that tixtHoly 
 Ghofl referves not this fo great a Gift in his own hands, 
 than that he owns the Donation of it * 
 
 It is a jPw£r over the Conferences, over the Souls of 
 men. That by which our Saviour differences Cod him- 
 felf from the moft Potent upon earth, at the 10. of St. 
 Mat. Fear not them which kill the body, hut are not able 
 to kill the foul. An&tmMan confer thisP^jw of his 
 own authority ? No, 9 Tis the Lord of the Harvefl that 
 rauft fend thefe Labourers into his Vineyard : and he 
 never fends them into it by a Falfe Key, through zBack 
 Bore, over the Wall, or in at a Window : But hath given 
 Order and Power to his church to let them in by a fo-* 
 lemn Confecrathn of them to his Service -, And fo I am 
 fallen upon 
 
 The fecond particular, or fecond part of their Com- 
 mifsion: Their External Commifsion for what they un- 
 dertake, given them, by the laying on of hands , They 
 on whom the Prophets had layed their hands, They were 
 fern forth by tr>e holy Ghofl. 
 
 \\ the days ofold D there were three forts of Perfoas 
 that were Anointed, The King, The Priejl, and the 
 Prophet ; who though they were defigned and Appoin- 
 ted 
 
Eccle/tajlical Ordination. i c 
 
 ted by CW,had yet fome External, Ceremonious a&ions 
 performed towards them by Man, 
 
 And thus in the New Tefhment, though the Holy 
 Ghoftbt theff/ ' ctton, yet there is noway for ic to be 
 appl/edbut by the Laying on of bands, 
 
 Which impofition of bands is here put for all the 
 ceremonies ot Ordination, as Preaching afterwards 
 the Apoftles o/)?W,bya kind of Synecbdvcbt^ a i 
 being being put for the whole, and is much us'd in Holy 
 Scripture. 
 
 The more eflential ceremony is x\\t form of words 
 ufed with it, Receive the holy Ghofl, &c. 
 
 So that, that late obfervation of the ufe of fmfn 
 tun cfhdvds upon Lay-men-, ior Ele<5tion into their Of- 
 fice., had better have been ipared thsnpubliihed, to be 
 laved open, as it f 'is, to the giddy mis-interpretation of 
 troublefome unfetled times, andquarrelfome, irrecon- 
 cileable Spirits. Tor, 
 
 What if the fame were there ufed (which was long 
 enough ago confelVd i ) Is therefore a Presbyter and 4;; 
 Elder of the fame Sanhedrim all one i both equally con* 
 fecratedand fet apart from the Peopled I hefe will be 
 the colle&ions ot fome readers: Whereas if the Aa- 
 t-hor had but mentioned the Forms of our Ordination, 
 ashehathdone//^/ir of the^nr/, it had beenaneafie 
 matter for every one to fee fome difference between Sit 
 tibi faculty tfndican&i, and Accife Spiritum Sanctum, 
 And thofe two Ceremonies, fome-of the Church of 
 Rome (cited by Franctfcusde Sancta Clara, upon our 
 56. Article) acknowledge fufficient for Ordination, 
 .konins tin fti$* to be bat a miitakeof the Greek 
 ithers exprefsions, by undc ng Material where 
 
 they meant Spiritual : All (excepting fome Sycophants 
 
 of 
 
i 6 The fatterri of 
 
 of the Court of Rome^ that affirm the Pope can make 
 a Prieft by a Prieft, nay though never fo far diftant, by 
 faying only Efto facer dos y ) count them neceflary chiefly 
 inrelpefi of the Apoftles praftife, which in things not 
 depending upon circumflances variable, ftands for a Law 
 to their Succejfors; But then withallperhaps 7 in as much 
 as it is fcarce pofsible for the Church to exprefs in few- 
 er figns her Commifsion^ without which we can have 
 no aifurance of the Holy Ghofts. 
 
 Having in the beginning of this difcourfe (hewed 
 that Bar n abas and Saul and others were manumfzd by 
 the Church even in thofe very times wherein xhzHoly 
 Ghofl was flied forth in an ample meafure, and that Men 
 have always had to do in giving Commifsions to all fuch 
 as are to execute any office in the Church : I might 
 from hence prefs the necefsity of a calling from the 
 Churchy which Calvinc himfelf urges from this place 
 in the 4. hooky the 3. ch. the 14 Section of his Infiitutes^ 
 hi thefe words, Sic Paulmn quoque Singular i pr&rogati- 
 va Dorninusper feipfumdefignavit^ ut Dijciplina Ec- 
 clefiaftic& Vocation is interim uteretur. 
 But fince this is an Article not denied by any,but fuch 
 who have fo far renounc'd their Underfl an dingy that 
 they are refolved to hearken to none but their wtw'Schif- 
 matical, "Fanatick Teacher s^ I conceive it more perti- 
 nent and of greater concernment, and more advantagi- 
 ous to the Fathers and Sons of the Church, to clear the 
 Text from giving Patronage to that opinion fo magni- 
 fied of late, that the power of Ordination belongs cf right 
 to the Presbytery ^ (a Pofition condemned by the Coun- 
 cil of Trent) Sejf. 23, can* 7.) and is but ufarped by the 
 Biftop. 
 
 It I would enter upon a difcourfe of the Bifiops 
 
 Right 
 
Ecclejtajlical Ordination. 1 7 
 
 Right in Ordination, I might tell them, It was a very 
 Ancient Ufurpation (it it be one) even within one year 
 
 after Chrifts Afcenlion into Heaven (as Chionologers 
 reckon it) For we find (at the 6. of tlhsbook, which 
 treatsof things done within the 33. year of Chrift) 
 the Afofilts laying on their hands upon the feaven Dea- 
 cons, without any challenge from the Seventy two of be 
 ing excluded. 
 
 But to keep to the Text : It will fuffice to enquire 
 by what Title thefe Prophets of Anttoch exercifed this 
 Power, and fo consequently whether their praclicc be a 
 fut ficient ground for this opinion. 
 
 That it is not the fame Power to Ordain a Pricft 
 and to Ordain an Apoftle, is true • But it makes the 
 more for them,fince it is far more plaufible to fay, that 
 Priefls have a power to ordain * Prieft, than that they 
 havefo to consecrate a Bijhop. 
 
 Some therefore to avoid this, fay, there were Bifhops 
 among thefe Prophets, three at leaft ^ Others fay, that 
 the Prophets themfelvcs did not lay their hands on 
 them, but fent them to the Apo files at Jernfalem, and 
 that it was they that layed their hands on them. 
 
 A learned Divine among us, with far greater proba- 
 bility, affirms, they were more than meer Presbyters, in 
 that they were Prophets, reckoned at the 4. of S. Pauls 
 Epiftle to the Ephef. v. the u. in the next rank to the 
 Apofiles, before Evangeltfls, they themfelves being 
 even Apofiles Secstnds ordinis, if I miftake not his 
 meaning. 
 
 The two former Opinions have no countenance at all 
 from the lext, and fo I leave them ^ The Lajilntzt- 
 pretation, though very probable, may admit of forac 
 difpute : fince the Scripture feems to evidence that this 
 
 D spirit 
 
i g 7he Pattern of 
 
 Spirit of Prophecy (which is thought chiefly to confift 
 in interpreting the wordoi God by Immediate Infpira- 
 tiw) was at this firft breaking forth of the ^un-beams 
 of the Gofpel, communicated to far greater numbers of 
 men, than were likely to have any Precedence or Autho- 
 rity in the Church, above Presbyters. 
 
 Read the 14. of the 1 Epiftle to the Corinthians^ and 
 you (hall find the Apoftle exhorting all his Corinthians 
 to defire efpecially the Gift of Prophecy ing : and at the 
 34. v. of the fame chapter, he commands Women to keep 
 filencc in ^CW^, implying that They alfo fometimes 
 had this Gift of Prophecy ing : as we fee Atfs 2 1 .9. Phil- 
 lips Daughter x were PropheteJfes y zgreeabte toGods pro- 
 mife repeated out of the Prophet $oel, at the fecond 
 of the ./?#.?, verfe the 17, your Daughters fhall Pro" 
 phecy. 
 
 The refult of which will be, that thefe Prophets 
 were rather inferiour to Presbyters in Authority than 
 above them, though perhaps fometimes ^^r 0/ */>* 
 Holy Ghoft, that is, better enabled by the 5//W* for 
 the performance of that part of the fresbyters charge 
 which confifted in Preaching. 
 
 And therefore, fincewe cannot conclude they had 
 the Paver of Ordaining Jpofiles y unlefs we acknow- 
 ledge them at leaft equal to Apoftles, which this Inter- 
 pretation doth not make good : with fubmifsion to the 
 Reverend Author, or any other who (hall other wife in- 
 ftrud me, I think we need not contend for their Supe- 
 riority abo?e Presbyters : but rather be contented with 
 this, that whatever they were they did not this by any 
 Power tranferr'd upon them in ordinary^ no not even as 
 they were Prophet s y but by Particular ^ Extraordinary 
 Appointment and Revelation from the Holy Ghoft. For 
 
 fo 
 
EccUJta/lical vrdination. j p 
 
 fo much St Luke tells us exprelly in the next verfe 
 fave one before my Text, As they mimflred to the 
 L f dxnd Fa/led, the Holy G 'ho (I /aid ', Separate me Bar- 
 nabas and baul for the work whercumo I have called 
 them. 
 
 What then will this advantage them towards the 
 grounding a perpetual practice on it i 
 
 Dui ft the fern (do you think) confecrate an Ffifb- 
 Priefl without thofe Ceremonies mentioned in the 8. or 
 9. chap, of Levit. becaufe God himfelf did dtjpenfe with 
 them in the ConfecrMion of Eleazer upon Mount Her, 
 Hum. 20 i Or, 
 
 Might the Priefts prefume to ufe any other Altar for 
 Burnt offerings^ than that in the Tabernacle, becaufe 
 God for the Conviction of Baals Prophets^ approved 
 of Elijahs Sacrifice^ which he offered upon ftones that 
 we do not read where were ever Hallowed^ 1 Kings 1 St 
 
 Why did not They who had fo many Judgements de- 
 noune'dagainft them, for letting their children paffc 
 through the fire^ make this jeply for their Innocency, 
 Lord, why do.4 thou lay thine heavy hand upon us 1 
 DiJft not thou command the Father of the F.uhml, 
 thyfeiv.nt Abraham^ to off:r up his Son, his only Son 
 jfaac for a burnt sacrifice ( 
 
 Ir the Prophets at Antioch ordained fome n~on a 
 ($zm\ command [xoxx\ the Holy Ghofl: Let not Presby- 
 tcrs challenge to themfelves the [am: Power till they 
 can (hew the fame Patent tor it. but, 
 
 If it were abfolutely necefTary, nay only lawful to 
 follow all Examples recorded in Holy Writ, and which 
 too perhaps are not therein condemn^, we ihould 
 quickly dath the firft againft the fecond Table, and caft 
 offour service to God, our Obedience to the Church, 
 and our Love to one another. Di T he 
 
20 The Pattern of 
 
 TheConfequences would be fuch as this • there 
 were but twelve that Chrift adminiftred the Bleflfed 
 Sacrament unto, before he departed this world, and 
 they were all Men, and his Difciples, yea Apoftles, and 
 it was after Supper, in an upper chamber, and in ^ferufa- 
 lem, together with many other circumftances, the leaft 
 whereof if any omitted, would look but of a bad com- 
 flecJion. There muft be no more, nor any other now. 
 
 But to the bufinefs in hand. Without all queftion 
 it is not over fafe for any Presbyters to venture upon 
 the conferring of Orders upon any, where there are no 
 Bifhops. For though, 
 
 Thofe Churches beyond Sea, (not to meddle with 
 our Neighbours) urge the Example of the Levites, ex- 
 ecuting the Triefts office, when the Pnefts were too 
 few, at the 29 of the 2 book of chron, yet if they did 
 well confider that this was done but till the other 
 Priefts were Sanctified, certainly they would long 
 before now have provided rhemfelves of Bifhops, 
 
 Indeed the Proteftant Churches beyond the Seas 
 had Bifhops once 5 and where is the advantage which 
 any of them have received by Reje&ing them * Alafs 
 they are fofew, that you can fcarce name any. 
 
 Indeed if Toleration and promifcuous Indulgence of 
 Here fits, which are no where fo rife, as where there 
 are no Bijhofs, be an advantage, then Amflerdam is as 
 happy, yea happier now, than ever it was. or any other 
 place can be. 
 
 I find in Mr. Durels excellent Treatife of the Confor- 
 mity of other reformed Churches with the reformed 
 C^rr^/Englandjthat when fome religious Prote^ 
 Hants in the Churches of Bohemia were in great ftraits 
 and under ftrange Perfections, and refolved to betake 
 
 them- 
 
Ecclejtajlical Ordination. 2 1 
 
 ihemfelves unto the Woods and Mountains and Ca- 
 veins of the Earth, where they might ferve G 
 curely.- Nothing fo troubled them in this theft' fad con- 
 dition as how to fuppli the Defect and Mortality of 
 their lawful Minifktry* For they thought 1 
 m vain expert any Romifh Bilhop to come amongft 
 them for the Gofpel fake • Doubts and Fears did arife 
 in their minds, Whether fuch an Ordination^ by which a 
 Presbyter and not a B/piop fhould create another Pesbyter^ 
 tvohU be l.nvfuti $ and how they fhoxld be able to maintain 
 fitch an Ordination as well again fl others, when op p." 
 fed, as to their own people, if by them qneflioned. 
 
 gvaffabat animos met us, an fit Is legit una foret 0~di- 
 nstio, ft Presbyter Presbyterum crearet, non vero Epif- 
 coptts. Et quomodo talem Ordination trn^fi Us moveatnr 
 defenfiiri effent, five apud altos y five apud fucs > fays 
 Comment its in Fratr. Bohem hi ft or ia Seel. S9. 
 
 TheRefultof their Doubts and Feais was this in 
 feort : They fent one Michael Z amber gifts, a Mini- 
 fies with two others to the confines ot Moravia and 
 Auftria, whither they heard fome of the Waldenfes 
 were fled for Confcience fake, to acquaint them with 
 their condition, and with what pafs'd amongft them 
 about the Elertion oi their Mimfters by Lot-, and 
 having found Stephanits their Bifliop, alter they had 
 imparted to each other their fufferings, anddeclaied 
 their Faith and Do&rine, the faid Michael Zambtr- 
 gitts with his two Collegues, were confecrated Bi- 
 ihops by Stephanits and another Bifhop, with fome 
 Presbyters whom they call'd and joynd with them 
 in that work, and fo returned home with Epifcopal 
 power •, which was by them tivnfmitted to their 
 buccefTors until this day. Thus Mr, Vitrei pag. i*„ 
 
 li 
 
z% The Tattcrn of 
 
 If the Authority of the Scriptures, the Practice tf the 
 F/imitive Church, the Tepmony of the Ancient Fa- 
 thers, the Confession of fuch as have been ftirevvdly fuf- 
 pedtedto \>z Adversaries, and the Decrees and Canons 
 of General Councils be of any validity herein, we are 
 well enough, and might hope to give fufficient fatis- 
 fa&ion to all that have not Abandon'd their Senfe 
 and Reafon, and (hew them cleerly 5 that to Bijhops only 
 belongs the Office of Ord nation. 
 
 Nor is it ftrange that Ckrift hath left this Power with 
 the Angels only of hisChuch: fince this laying on of 
 hands is no Naked or Empty Solemnity, but the Real 
 conveyance of that Commifsion from the HolyGhofi. 
 Which brings me to, 
 
 The third particular to be handled, which is byway 
 of Deduction, the Joynt concurrence of the Internal 
 with the External Commifsion, or the certain effect 
 of this impofition of hands, The giving of the Holy 
 Ghoft. Of which briefly. 
 
 You read before, that God hath folemnly engaged 
 himfelf to his Church, to accompany their outward 
 Donation with the Gift of his Holy Spirit* in as much as 
 he dire<fledand commanded his Apottles to leave us 
 this pattern of Ordination : which is as it were an Ec- 
 clefiaftical Procreation, and to continue as long as God 
 hath a Church in the world. 
 
 Now that God made good this promife in their 
 own Ordinations it appears h the forecited place at the 
 20. of this book, v m 28. Take heed unto the Flock over 
 ivbich the Holy Ghoft hath made you Overfeers •, like an 
 Unction as it were, poured forth by Hinds ; Which un- 
 £ :t had reached farther than the Apo(l 1 es,St, Paul 
 had never commanded Titus to Ordain Elders in every 
 Gity. Now 
 
Eccle/tajlical Ordination* i-> 
 
 Now whatfoever belonged unto 7V#/,why may not 
 the whole Church lay claim unto it i not doubting but 
 that God who always was lb jealous of the le.ifl Pol- 
 lution of the Piiefts under the darknefs of the L.iw y 
 will not leave his Holy Myfteries to be difpenfed by 
 common hands (for no more they would be, if they 
 were not fanffifcd by the Holy Ghofl^ as well as by 
 the Bifiop) now in the Light of his Glorious Goficl. 
 
 So that Mr. Okv^hathnoreafon, while he reckons 
 upfome of Chnfts inimitable Actions, to put together 
 his faying to Ldzdrm^ Lazure veni foras 5 and I 
 faying to his Difciples, Accipite Spiritum Santfum. 
 One of thefe being a Miracle neceflary only at the firfl 
 Publilhing of the Goipel, the other an Jftoiferfet*" 
 Alufe in the Church to the worlds end. See Calvin 5 
 Inflit. the 4. book 19. chap, 29. Sec?. 
 
 Thus I have done with the Dodtrine of the firfl: part 
 of my Text,namely, The Commission internal from the 
 Holy Ghofl, and External from the Church. 
 
 I proceed now to the 2. and the laft part, namely, to 
 /hew you that the duty of fuel; as are Commif stoned by 
 the Holy 6 ho fl and the Church is Preachings and what 
 that Preaching was , is , or ought to be, which is the 4# 
 particular. 
 
 That St. Paul and Pamabas were to Preach the word 
 of God, feeing they were Apoftles, is, I fuppofe, deni- 
 ed by none, and therefore lhallnot trouble the Reader 
 with any turther Argumentation, than two or three 
 places of Scripture, whereby to prove that this was 
 their Bufinefs. 
 
 Says, Jefus to theDifciples St. Matthew 28. verfe 
 18. All power is given unto me in Herven andm Earthy 
 verfe \<$,Goe ye therefore and teach all Nations, &c. 
 
 And 
 
24 Tl>e Pattern of 
 
 And verfe 20. Teaching them to obferve all things 
 whatsoever ihave commanded you. 
 
 Si. Mark the 16 . ve>fe 15. Go ye into alltheWorld, 
 and Preach the Go [pel to every creature. 
 
 And in St. Luke the 24. verfe 47, &c. you may 
 find ibmewhat to the fame purpofe, that they weie 
 to do fo : and here in my text as well as in other places 
 we find .they did fo, from this time forwaid, to the day 
 of their death. 
 
 The fpcwifh High- Priefl^ was calTcf the Meffenger or 
 Angel of the Lord of Hops : namely, becaufe he execu- 
 ted Gods commands in giving of the Law to the 
 People t and teaching them what they fhould do, Mai. 
 the 2. v. the j/AyytKot $/ « $t* ^^?cty^d7ay y as Diodo' 
 rut Siculushnhit. 
 
 And thus under the New Teftament too, fuch as are 
 to difpenfe the Word and Sacraments are called, and 
 therefore called Meffengers of God^ov The Churches An- 
 gels. For look what the duty of an Ambaffador or 
 Meffevger upon Earth, of an Earthly Potentate is, the 
 fame is the tufinefs of the Minijlers ofGod y viz. to de- 
 clare his Will, and to treat about matters of concern- 
 ment, which is done, as by other ways, fo by this too 
 of Preaching. Which what it was then, and what 
 it is or ought to be ncrv^ comes next to be difcourf d of. 
 
 The Preaching then (and indeed fuch it ought to 
 be Now) was the declaration of the Gofpel orChrift, 
 or the glad tidings of Salvation whereby men weie 
 fecured of eternal happinefs upon condition of Repen- 
 tance from dead works, and aftedfaft Faith in all Gods 
 Attributes : and (wherefoever there is deleft, as there is 
 indeed in the beft of our performances) an Affiance in 
 the Merits of Chrift, That Gofpel or Dodrine they 
 
 Preach 'd 
 
\ajllc4 OrJm.ii'i •!. 
 
 : 
 
 5 
 
 Preach'd which came down from Heaven, which was in " 
 jpired and falcd by the //^ Ghoft,and confirmed by 
 Miracles. And this they did by immediate Inlpiratio n 
 of God. 
 
 We live in an age whofe Religion dwells altogether 
 in their £.vrj : lb little are we tor the Practice. They 
 think //flipadays, that Preaching, ^ they call it, not 
 as the Scriptures mean it, and Pulpit, Extemporary 
 Dtfcourjes are the fum total of the Prieflly duty, and 
 the be (I of Chnftian Privileges. 
 
 But this is a grofi ^i/^ both of the t&0£, the /V^- 
 cbers, mdthemfelves. For let it be granted, as mod 
 true it is, that Preaching is an holy, excellent OrdI 1 
 nance of God, appointed by him for the falvation of 
 Souls, if warrantable undertaken, and rightly managed 
 and performed $ -It may be a Comfort to the Confer- 
 ence that is Comfortleffe, allelevation to Souls that 
 are Afflicled, a Deletory for Sin, an helpful means to a 
 good life, and an excellent inftrument tending to pro- 
 mote all the parts of Gods fervice, and at laft to bring 
 us to Salvation. 
 
 Itpleafeth God, faith St. Paid 1 Cor. 1. %ijij the 
 foolijhnefs of Preaching tofavc fome, and, laving, tiae 
 Faith comes by Hearings and Hearing by the Word of 
 God, and how fhxll they hear without a Preacher*: fays 
 the fame Apoftle to the Romanes, chap, 10. v. the 14. 
 
 But then we muft not miftake, but warily diftin- 
 gui h what is meant by the Word of God, which is, The 
 Doctrine of the Gojpel, and what by Preaching, which 
 is, Not the manner of delivering, but the matter deli- 
 vered. 
 
 - Tor notwithstanding all the wonderfull and rare Ef- 
 k6ts, which may be wrought by Prc<tching,yet Preach- 
 
 E mg 
 
L 6 TbeTatternof 
 
 mgand Sermons ^(\xc\\2.s are now in ufe, are not the 
 Word of God ,in the proper eft and flrittefl fenfe 5 Though 
 yet the Englifh Puritan will not believe this, infomuch 
 that he magnifies any pulpit Difcourfe, above the writ- 
 ten Word oi "gW, comprehended in the Writings of the 
 Prophets and Apoftles, daily read in Churches at the 
 fettimeof Divine Service, and which he makes of 
 little or no efteem or ufe in the converfion of Soules 
 unto God 5 Beleeving it to be much inferiour to that 
 of Preaching upon a Text by the fandy Clock. 
 
 Certainly, That thing which fweetens others, muftbe 
 hvfweetcr ot it felfs And if the waters in the channels 
 o: the i/ry#j of the Earth be fo pure and pleajant, how 
 much more excellent and whole fome rauft the Spring it 
 f elf be, and the\hzce from whence thofe Waters flower 
 In the one there is no fear of the Spawn of Toads, or 
 the Vipers venome : no deftruftive foul-damning Te- 
 ments ofHereticks to be found in theScriptures,impofed 
 on us h whereas by too fad experience we have known 
 and find it, that thepeftiferotts breath of fome Pulpit* 
 mm hath been that which hath firft given life to the 
 Fa&ions and Herefies in this our Church, and then by 
 their laying about with their Hands and Tongues, hath 
 fired the Church and Kingdom, nay almoft burn'd it 
 to allies, had not God in his mercy, as well as in his 
 Juftice, removed the Incendiaries ^ who becaufe they 
 cannot daringly go on and profper, lay all the Pri- 
 vate trains they can to difturb our Peace, the Peace 
 of the Church andKingdome too, and to break our 
 Unity, 
 
 I (hall not inveigh here againft the fecular ends and 
 
 Ungodly Interefts which of late were introduced by 
 
 this their fharifatcal kind of piety, nor . tell you how 
 
 I they 
 
*7 
 
 I i/lical Ordination. 
 
 they corrupted the favour of life into a favour cf death* 
 {Corruptio optimi eft pefsima.) You well know the 
 Seditions and Difturbances, the Cheats and Treafons, 
 Murders, Plunders, Sequeftrations, Imprifonments, 
 Banishments, &c. which were caufed and acfted by fome 
 mens public k as well tofrivAte Infinuations, whole Cal - 
 ling .gave them too great an opportunity, and all an 
 the notion of Painful, Soul-favwg , Godly Preachers, 
 fuperferninare harefin, to fcatter tares in the Field 
 of God, and fow thai which Preaching ought to Root 
 
 up. 
 
 And as one fays very well for me, Preaching and 
 Thirfting after the Word, are fo good things, that the 
 very Names of them may miflead good People if they 
 be mifappiyed : And fo they are very often 5 For a 
 great many there are that mod vainly and impertinent- 
 ly apply to Sermons or popular Orations all thofe glori- 
 ous things which are fpoken of the Word of God, and 
 of Preaching, as Faith and Salvation, Ro m 10.14. i cor, 
 
 I. 21, 
 
 Man by the Fall got a crack in his Underftan ' 
 hisjWil grewPerverfe,and hisAflfediions dull and he.r 
 AH the Faculties of his Soul are depraved, and he is 
 ready to comply with any thing but the coiv of 
 
 God, and Obedience to the truth: and therefore in- 
 deed upon this confederation, it may, it muft be grant 
 that there is more need of humane Artifice, witty 
 Complyings, fober Infinuations and Ingenious devices 
 to recover men horn 1 :s of their w.iys, and to 
 
 keep them right when they arte fo ^ hut this may be 
 done by other ways would men admit of the \\ 
 well, nay better, and with more eafe, than by the Pul- 
 pit, For I do beleeve (for I know no reafon to the con- 
 
 E 2 traryj 
 
?.S 71: c Tat tern of 
 
 trary) as many fouls went to Heaven Before,- as do 
 NOW] that we havefo much Pulpit Preaching. 
 
 And yet miftake me not : For I do not fay this to 
 decry and undervalue Preaching, that ancient Ecclefi- 
 aftical Ordinance, but to magnifie the Reading and 
 Hearing of the Scriptures, which are indeed the Word 
 of God: and to teach you that the Scriptures are the 
 bell: or Sermons. 
 
 That Word which came down from H eaven, and was 
 fealed by the Spirit of God: That Word which has been 
 fpoke by the mouth of all the Holy Prophets and Apo- 
 flles : That Word which has been watered with the 
 Blood of Martyrs, confirmedby Miracles, and ftrangely 
 prcferved even beyond all Miracle, and Believed in all 
 ages: And n^/VA Word, which way, or in what man- 
 ner foever it be conveyed unto us , whether by Reading 
 in Leffons,or Epiftles or Gofpels,is the fame thing ftiU, 
 and ought to have the higheft eftimateinour Affe&i- 
 and challenges as greedy an ear as anything can doe. 
 That the Reading of the Scriptures in the Church, is 
 Preaching to the People, Iihallgiveyou fome unquefti- 
 onable Teftimonies of Councils and Fathers : and if 
 this be not fufficient, or whether it be or no, produce 
 the Supreme Authority of the Scriptures them- 
 felves. 
 
 Let the firft be that of ^y?/^ M4rtyr in his fecond 
 Apology to the Gentiles, tjUs Eni*My*pfai *v*j&> **^ c *y 
 
 Xj 1 ^TCAJ/O? &ye\i< (j.ZVOVT(t)» &n TO O.VT0 ffWihtVfflt yilftWy ZjTtL 
 
 &K p.t npotiv (j.<tTcL<r$'S 'Attot'qwv, ^ Tec avyy^.^.y.a.7A ffi n&<p*<TY? 
 arctyti cc<TKi)eu ykyjJLS *>30*fi* f * 7A VOLUffA^ifv to 'ctvaftvoxTKOVTOf) 
 
 niuKTvo$<rrnZrcu that is to fay, on the Day called Sun- 
 day all that ahid£ in Towns or the Qountreyis about* meet 
 
 in 
 
2 9 
 .' one fUcti andthe Records of th: Apo flics, on 
 t>'ngs if : : : l arc ready* fur at occa 
 
 Prefidenr in a \ • . i 
 ivjhu;, ::hortetlj to the imttatton of fuel) 
 
 cedent things j'and in another place he fays 3 that in.: I 
 Writings the Judgment to come is Preached. 
 
 Take another from St. Chryfoflom^ who was as 
 great ana as golden a Preacher as - itb 
 
 Tongue: yet his Writings tell us that it grieved . 
 very foul to lee men Flock and Crowd more to hear his 
 Pulpit Difcourfes, than they did to hear the Scriptures 
 Read in time ot Divine Service • a Fault too common 
 m this our age. I mall quote you his own words, make 
 the heft you can ot* them, where he tells you that All 
 things that arc necefjiry to Salvation, are plain and obi . - 
 ous to the eyes, clecrly lajed dmn in the Scriptures, f$ 
 that reading is fufficient to convey the knowledge of lh % 
 to us : and as tor other things it is fufficient that th 
 are not NecefTary rand that it is mens Curio ft :y or Sloth - 
 fulnefsfi may add their Invincible lgnora?ice,that makes 
 them fo greedy, of fo much Pulpit Preaching. The 
 good Fathers words are, " - tj T* < vpn^A* {jAufit *,- «u m » 
 
 \>i djn^dHit 3 iU tSto *; Ta.yr* (ht«ts If you look into the 
 Council of Fafe, you will find that the Fathers of that 
 Council fay, The Prieffs being abfent or troubled with 
 Infirmity, do Preach by their Deputies, rvho are appointed 
 in thetr (lead to read the Homilies. Lett or per fonat verba 
 fublimia^ faith St. Cyprian, Evangclinm chrifli legit, 
 a fratribm confpicilur D cum gaud 10 fr at emit at ts au- 
 di tut. 
 
 T he fourth Council of Toledo calls the ufcal Readi- 
 ng 
 
^o The Pattern of 
 
 ing of the Gofpel Preaching. And I meet with the 
 fame Opinion and exprefsion divers times in Ruper- 
 ttu and Isidore in their Books de officii* divinis & 
 Ecclefiaflicis, J fid, lib, I. chap. 10. Rupert, lib. I. ch. 
 
 But if thefe authorities be not fufficient, hear what 
 the Scriptures themfeives doe fay,Deuteron. 3 1 . v. 13. 
 Tefhall Read this Law before all ifrael, that ye may learn 
 to Fear the Lord Bleffedis he that Reads the Words of 
 this Prophecy, faith St. John, and they that Hear and keep 
 thofe things which are Written therein. Revel, i.ver. 3. 
 and Ads 15. ver. 21. Mofes of old time hath them that 
 ? reach him, in that he was Read,ot being Read every Sab- 
 bath day. 
 
 And furely good reafon there is ? that the Scrip- 
 tures and the Reading thereof ihould be preferr'd before 
 that thing we call Preaching in the Pulpit, 
 
 For the one is the immediate word olGod who is In- 
 fallible, the HolyGhoft did Preach it : The Other are 
 the words of a Mortal Red Earthy who knows . not the 
 thoufand part of what he is ignorant. Humanum efl er- 
 rare. Our Sermons are no farther pious and religious 
 than that they are derived from the falutary Fountains 
 of Holy Scripture. They never were confirmed by 
 Miracles fromHeaven 3 nor (hall they be, as the Scrip- 
 tures have been. 
 
 And then for the Matter delivered, and the Manner 
 of the Delivery^ how Poor and tfejune and shallow will 
 the belt fliapen Words and Nrratives of the beft Rhe- 
 toricians^ Orators, Poets, or Hiftorians appear 5 when 
 compared with thefacred Oracles of God< 
 
 Would you have the Efficacy of Preaching to con- 
 fid in Derivation from Antiquity, in the fubftance of 
 
 Matter 
 
; ' 
 
 Ei heal Ordination, 
 
 Matter,\i\ Appofitenefs of Sentences jxi Elegancy of Style, 
 
 fee 01 things, in validity ot Proofs) in : 
 r/>y of the Author, and the ?*jwr it hatn to effedi that 
 
 tor winch it was ordain d< Take up the 5^;. 
 then, and fall to Reading, and Frequent the Temple 
 where it will be Preach'd, i.e. Read unto yon, and tnc 
 Lord give you a good and a right under/landing. 
 
 carding the Scriptures we look for life,(o faid our 
 Blelfed Saviour, T% /***/* A/a/w and the Prophets, let 
 them bear them. Tor, Thefe things are written that 
 might bclctve in him, i. e. Chrift, and that Bcleevingys 
 might have lift through his name, 
 
 You know who find it, Cur fed is he that Adds or Di- 
 minifhes. I only lay, The bringing in of [o many Ser- 
 mons into the Church was the thrufting out of the 
 Bible not long fince. 
 
 The Church both**# znddotb Preach without Ser- 
 mons, namely, when by her caretull order, the bo j 
 of Holy Writ arefolemnly Red. 
 
 And truly, for ought 1 know, as the Learned Mr. 
 Thorn edike, in his Juft Weights and Meafures, page 
 i oi. fays, and moft wife men believe, cc they that ne\ 
 cc heard many Sermons may have heard more and better 
 cc Preaching, than hundreds and thoufands oi Sermons, 
 ci dangerous, ii not deft ruclive, to Salvation, (a thing 
 c < which experience proves more than possible) can fur- 
 cc ni/h them,who (hall cio nothing elfe but run from Set — 
 
 non to Sermon. 
 
 "I grant it was a juft complaint at the Reformation, 
 u that the People were not taught their duty. But I co 
 cc not grant, either that they cannot be taught heir 
 " Duty,without wo Sermons every Lords Day: or that 
 "they are like to be taught their Duty, by twofer- 
 tc mons every Lords day, Ic 
 
.5 r The Pattern of 
 
 It is not pofsible to have men for all Churches fit to 
 preach twice a day, to the edifying of the People. It 
 jvill never be pofsible to maintain their Preaching to 
 be fuch as may be accounted an Office of Gods fervice, 
 Thus He, and confequently not a D? [charge of the Holy 
 Ghofhimdthz Churches Commifsion^(o\, But you may 
 read more concerning this point in the 5 book of the 
 Judicious Mr. Hooker, 
 
 Thus I have done with the Explication of the parts 
 or Doctrines deducible from the Text. 
 
 Let us now look upon them in the life of them • and' 
 from the Four particulars named, we (hall receive efpe- 
 cially Four Cautions towards the better performance 
 of our Duty, in order to the facred charge- under- 
 taken. 
 
 One for the Bifhof^ three for the Priefls. 
 
 Firft, From the Grant of our Commifsion from the 
 Holy GhoJl h Not to dare to enter upon this Employment 
 except we find our felves in fome meafure fit f^or the ; 
 difcharge of it. 
 
 Second, From the Grant of our Commif ion from the 
 Church % Not to forget what obedience yie owe to our 
 Spiritual Fathers in God, 
 
 I bird, From the efficacy offmfofitionofHoly Hands 
 towards the conferring of the Holy Gbofi 5 That Biihops 
 uie all pofsible care, as they (hall one day anfvver it, not 
 only for themfelves, but for all thofe, whom they may 
 by their own negled:, or theirs whom they intrnft for 
 them, fuffer to run upon their own Perdition, not to 
 difpenfe this facred Gift of the Holy Ghoft, but to 
 tile Glory ofG od 9 and the improvement and Benefit of 
 the Church, 
 
 And laftly> From their xareful allying themfelves 
 
 i& 
 
' 
 
 Eeclefiaftical Ordination. ]] 
 
 tcthe Execution §f their charge », in Preaching the word; 
 That we prove diligent followers ot fo good an £.v- 
 
 Ample. 
 
 Each ofthefe are very Weighty, and might be very 
 worthy Confideration. I (halibut touch upon each of 
 them as far as is necefTary, and fo conclude h For to lay 
 true, if the Fir (I and the Lafl only were well cbferv'd, 
 the Reft might be Spared. 
 
 Were All that come for Holy Orders fit for the Exe- 
 cution of their charge, they would be better acquain- 
 ted with their Duty to the Church, than to (mot heron 
 to (purn at her Commands, and were all both Able and 
 Likely to be Diligent in the ufe of their Abilities after- 
 wards, the Bijhops choice would be made to his Hands, 
 it being impofsible for him to grant amtfs, when none 
 ask but fuch to whom he ought not to deny. 
 
 To begin with the Fir ft of thefe, That none pre- 
 fume to enter upon this great Employment, except 
 they find themfelves//- in fome meafure for the dis- 
 charge of it, fit for Abilities of Knowlegc in the Myfte- 
 rtes of God, and fit too for piety oiLifc, 
 
 Fit fiffty for Abilities of Knorvlege. None ouqht to 
 thruft themfelves (as in a matter ot courfe, after fome 
 years fpent in a Gown) upon this Service of God, with 
 any of their Learning in their too eafily procured i'efti- 
 monials *, Thefe will not Sufficiently qualify. For thus 
 while they cry out againft Tawar, they themfelves 
 prave J>udah^ nothing differing from thofe whom they 
 think meanly of, but in that Thefe profefs Ignorance 5 
 They themfelves only being guilty of it. Thefe are not 
 fit MefTengcrs for the Holy Ghoft 5 For he doth not cx- 
 peft the Detf and the Dumb, the Blind and the Lame 
 Should offer themfelves to go upon his Embafly. He 
 
 F ' calls 
 
^4 IbeTaitOnof 
 
 cz\\siox. Witness (Hay-Fellow- Witneffes, for both 
 the Affiles arid the Holy Ghofl too are Witneffes of 
 thefe things, Atts 5. 32,) and we mull: not prefent him 
 fuch, who are indeed too ready to be fworn, but know 
 nothing of the caoic in trial. How will thefe invite 
 Chrifts Guefts to his Supper in the Parable, St. Luke 
 14. 16. that know not themfelves where it is kept «f 
 Whofe Hearers excufe will be, Not, / have bought a 
 F 'arm or Oxen , I have married 'a Wife 5 But, you tell 
 me not where the Feaft is, I am unacquainted with the 
 way. And do ye not think thofe fo bidden will taft as 
 much of the Supper, as thefe Bidders'. 
 
 S. Paul counts it nothing lefs than afwerving from 
 theFaith(& thats fomewhat of kin toApoftacy)** defire 
 to be teachers of the Law, under (landing neither what they 
 fay y nor whereof they affirm : 1 Tim. i # 6, 7. Such in- 
 deed may efcape our Saviours Woe to the Lawyers for 
 taking away the Key of knowledge: for that they never 
 hadit. Henceit comes to pafs, that when men are 
 forc'd into the Pulpit by the Peoples Out-cries, or 
 through Ignorance or Indigency, they Preach neither 
 Chrift nor themfelves, but their Parifh : knowing no 
 difference between the Dodtrineof the Church, and 
 the Opinions of the Vulgar . which in a little timefhall 
 make fuch Preachers vile enough amongftf^wtoo. 
 And miferable men that muft be frighted into their 
 Duty, to avoid the contempt of their Hearers. Shall 
 any man make fo little account of deftroying Gods 
 People, when he isfent amongft them to build them 
 up < of polluting that Fountain of Living Waters, 
 which he ought to give clear paffageto? Nay, dare 
 any man fallen fo many errors and abfurditics upon the 
 Holy Ghofl himfelty whofe. Mdfage he undertakes to 
 
 deliver * 
 
Ecde/iaflical Ordination, : \ 
 
 deliver-' What is this lefTe than frejttwptuout fin* 
 for which under the Law there was no Sacrifice i wh 
 whofoever is guilty of, let him know, that he grid - 
 that Spirit, wnofe Gift he begs at his Ordination, and 
 k will coft him fome Groans too if ever he mean it dial! 
 be turned to a Bhfsing. 
 
 Secondly, It is required that they be fit for Piety of 
 Life \ And this condition hath fo great Affinity with 
 the Former^ that we may juftly fear tobedepriv'd of 
 both, it we be guilty of the want of cither. Thus 
 Balaam being fo far poifefTed of the Love of the world, 
 and his profer'd Preferment with King BaUk, that he 
 was in hopes God would change his purpofe, and fuffer 
 him to go and curie ifrael, had at laft an anfwer fitting 
 his humour,but fuch a one as prov'd a crime to hearken 
 to. 
 
 Methinks a man that knows himfelf enamoured with 
 the Delights, 01 that is refolved upon the Trade of 
 Sin, iliould be as much afraid of having any thing to 
 do with the Holy Gbofl, as \\\zGadarencs wereot ha- 
 ving Chrift among them, which a Learned Commen- 
 tator attributes to their guilty Confciences, not their 
 lofs of the Swine. For how can fuch prefume to have 
 more Joy in Gods prefence, than Abimelcch and Laban 
 had in his appearing to them, which was neither togive 
 nor fromife them any Blefsing, but only to rebuke 
 them c 
 
 The Canon Law forbids the Church to receive 
 Tithes from the Profits of fin : Not that the Thief the 
 ilfurer or the Harlot have any Privilege or Exemption 
 granted them, but in as much as God cannot accept 
 fuch Obhuions, and therefore neither muft the Par [on. 
 
 And dare we offer our fins themfelves, for the Im- 
 
 F 2 ploy- 
 
? 6 Tlie Pattern of 
 
 mem of the Holy Ghoft { as though he could be 
 content with Servants that fcorn to wear any but the 
 Devils Livery. Such who, if we were to offer (as 
 the Priefts under the Law were) the fame facrifice 
 for our own Sins, and for the Sins of the Congrega- 
 tion, might be quit with God for the Number (with 
 reverence be it fpoken) as being able to vie fins with the 
 whole Congregation? 
 
 Far more excufe it would be for them to ftay behind, 
 and Bury their Dead (and free Leave they might have) 
 than thus to follow Chrift : to follow Chrift into the 
 Holy q{ h 'dies, while they are not fit fo much as to 
 come within the Camp for Uncleannefs> 
 
 I dare nor fpeak this out of any Prefumption of my 
 own either Abilities or Upr;ghtnefs 5 But do acknow- 
 ledge my felf to have as much need of Hezekiahs Pray- 
 er (2 chron. 30, 18,) as any of my Brethren, The good 
 Lord pardon every one that preparethhis heart to feck the 
 Lor d,t hough he be not prepared or cleansed according to 
 the Purification of the Sanctuary. 
 
 And may the Lord hearken to thefe words, and fo 
 Sanctify all thofe by the Baptifm of the Holy chef}, 
 that are, or (hall hereafter be Ordained to the Mini ft e- 
 rtal Function, that they may never Forget whofe Ser- 
 vice they undertake,and their Canonical Obedience to 
 the Fathers of the Church, which comes next to be 
 look'd into •, as being deduced 
 
 From the Grant of their Commifsionfrom the Church, 
 which is, that they forget not to Honour and obey all 
 fuch under whofe Protection and Government in the 
 Church they are. 
 
 Did men but ferioufly confider that Voluntary, fo- 
 feiifc Oath which they take at their Ordination, to ob- 
 
 ferve 
 
Fcclc/iiflical Ordination] 37 
 
 ferve the Canons and Articles of the Charch, and this 
 in the Pre fence of God and the Btfiop, upon the pain of 
 D:\lyuction, we lhonld not then nave my eaufe to com- 
 plain ot Neutrality, Prevarication, ai fferency 111 
 the Execution of their Office. They wouldnot then 
 Grumble and Spurn at the Churches injunctions, and 
 <r/;^tf the fouls of fuch as are committed to their charge, 
 intoruine. But thanks be to God, that this may be 
 cured by the care and Vigilance ot our good Bilhops - 
 and therefore the lefs may fuffice to be fpoken to it. 
 
 Pardon, O Pardon me, my mo ft Honourable and al- 
 ways to be Revered Fathers, if the Text by my poor 
 Pen re-minds ycu, that you are to ufe all pofsible care 
 concerning the Perfons to whom you difpenfe the fa- 
 cred C/ftof the Holy Ghofl, I know yog neither con- 
 fide in Tcftimonials alone, nor Parts. without Good Re- 
 £#r*ofthem that are without * You are to Co?nmandz\\d 
 Rule, We to obey. And therefore I return to fuch as ate, 
 or are to be Commifsion d. 
 
 You read in the Divifion of the Text, that Preach- 
 ing was St. Pauls and St. Barnabas 3 sch^^ r ( t md con- 
 fequently ours,) in a Synecdoche only, and not the 
 whole performance that lies upon us. 1 here is likewne 
 neceflarya right and due, frequent adminiftranon of 
 the Eicharifl, and of Biptifm, as oft as need requires, 
 a Reconciling of Neighbours that are at variance,anda 
 catechijltcal InlkiuCzion olzW fuch as are of younger 
 years, this is our duty too. but although Preaching be 
 not tnefum total of our duty that lies upon us, yet we 
 muft take heed of feeking advantage from hence, we 
 muft not leave it quite out. 
 
 There are fometimes#a^rrydiverfions from it(I 
 fpeak ofthofewho have a charge of fouls committed 
 
 to 
 
 
fl The Pattern of 
 
 to them,) occafions of the fame importance for the 
 good of the Church with Preaching : but it will not 
 be fafe for any to fnatch up thefe for a pretence to idle- 
 nefs, and think he can anfwer God as eafily as Man * y 
 As if God had layedafide that Attribute which Mofes 
 leaves not out, even while he implores his Mercy, 
 Num. 1 4. 1 8. By no means c leering the guilty. He that 
 would teach the people that he ought to have liberty 
 fometimes to forbear,(hould do it by his Dodtrine, not 
 by his Pra&ice .■ as our Saviour dealt with the Phari- 
 feeSj firft vindicating the Lawfulnefs of doing even fer- 
 vile works on the Sabbath, and yet for the prefent for- 
 beariug hirafelf to do them , as Grotius obferves $ For 
 he heals the man without fo much as a Touchy only fay- 
 ing to him, Stretch forth thine hands. Mat. 12. 13. 
 
 It all the Lords People were Prophets, there would 
 yet be need of /r^*/?* Preaching, fo much adoe we 
 have to Learn to Praffife, what we know 7 never fa 
 cleerly. 
 
 But then if \yz look upon the Late times, whofe too 
 much and dangerous Preaching, has been far worfe than 
 the Neglect oi Preaching, how will it concern every 
 one, now that God hath refiored our lately miferable 
 Church to Peace ?,nd Order, to let our felves to weed- 
 ing apace, to root up every plant our Heavenly Father 
 ha th aot planted : and to be at leaft nothing lefs fedu- 
 lous in feafoning the Lump with the Leaven of the 
 Kingdom of Heaven, than our Adver -fanes have been, 
 and ziejnfcattering the LeavetoCthc pbartfeestio (hall 
 we deliver our own fouls, and not cut offthofe commit- 
 ted to our charge {Num. 4. 1 7.) from among their Bre- 
 thren 5 fo lhall we give-prootof thofe Gifts of the Holy 
 Ghcft which we receive at our Ordination : and having 
 
 dif- 
 
Eccle/ta/liCiil Ordinal • *-, 
 
 rtfcharg'd our C$*fcicnces here,' in (owing tW sood 
 feed committed to us, we (hall hereafter reap Lite ever- 
 
 lafting. Winch God of the Riches of his Mercy 
 grant all thedergy and People o( this Land, for theMe- 
 rits and Satisfaction of his Son Jefus Chrift : to whom 
 with the Father and the Holy Ghoft be rendred as is 
 molt due, all Honour, Power and Glory for ever and 
 ever. Amen. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 .-..,. 
 
 
"3 
 

 L