A Christian Directory
§. 6. Direct. 6. Look up to the blessedness of departed souls, as members of the same body, rejoicing with them, and praising God that hath so exalted them. This, is the benefit of holy Love, and Christian Unity, that it maketh our brethren's happiness to be unto us, in a manner as if it were our own. 1 Cor. 12. 25, 26. That there should be no schism in the Body, but that the members should have the same care one for another—that if one member be honored all the members rejoice with it. So far as selfishness is overcome, and turned into the Uniting Love of Saints, so far are all the joys of the blessed souls in Heaven, become the joys of all that truly Love them upon earth. How happy then is the state of all true believers, that have so many to rejoice with? Deny not God that Thanks for the saving of so many souls, which you would not deny him, if he saved but your friends, estates or lives. Especially when afflictions or temptations would deprive you of the Joy which you should have in God's mercies to yourselves, then comfort yourselves with the remembrance of your brethren's Joy. What an incongruous undecent thing is it for that man to pine away in sorrows upon earth, who hath so many thousand friends in Heaven, in joy and blessedness, whose Ioyes should all be to him as his own?—
§. 7. Direct. 7. When you feel a cooling of your love to God, or of your zeal or reverence or other graces, think then of the temper of those Holy S • uls, that see his glory! O think, with what fervor do they Love their God? with what transporting sweetness do they delight in him? with what Reverence do they all behold him? And am not I his servant, and a member of his family as well as they, shall I be like the strangers of this frozen world, when I should be like my fellow Citizens above? As it will dispose a man to weep to see the tears and grief of others; and as it will dispose a man to mirth and joy to see the mirth and joy of others; so is it a potent help to raise the soul to the Love of God, and delight in his service, to think believingly of the Love and Delight of such a world of blessed spirits.
§. 8. Direct. 8. When you draw near to God in his holy Worship, remember that you are part of the same society with those blessed spirits that are praising him in perfection. Remember that you are members of the same Chore, and your part must go to make up the Melody; and therefore you should be as little discordant from them as possibly you can. The quality of those that we join with in God's service, is • pt either to dull or quicken us, to depress or elevate us; and we move Heaven-ward most easily and swiftly in that company, which is going thither on the swiftest pase. A believing thought that we are Worshipping God in Consort with the Heavenly Chore, and of the high and holy raptures of those spirits, in the continual praise of their Great Creator, is an excellent means to warm and quicken us, and raise us as near their holy frame, as here on earth may be expected.
§. 9. Direct. 9. When you would possess your hearts with a lively sense of the odiousness of sin, and would resist all temptations which would draw you to it, think then how the blessed souls with God do judge of sin, and how they would entertain such a temptation if the motion were made to them? What think they of Coveteousness, Pride or lust? What think they of malice, cruelty or lying? How would they entertain it, if Lands and Lordships, pleasure or preferment were offered them to entice their hearts from God? Would they venture upon damnation for a whore, or for their games, or to please their appetites? Do they set as light by God and their salvation as the ungodly world doth? Oh with what scorn and holy indignation would they refuse a world, if it were offered them instead of God? with what detestation would they reject the motion to any sin?
§. 10. Direct. 10. When you would revive in your minds a right apprehension and estimation of all earthly things, as Riches and Honors and Greatness and Command and full provisions for the flesh, bethink you then how the blessed souls with Christ esteem them. How little do they set by all those things, that worldlings make so great a stir for, and for which they • ell their God and their salvation? How contemptible are Crowns and Kingdoms in their eyes? Their judgment is more like to God's than ours is. Luk. 16. 15. That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. All the world would not hire a Saint in Heaven, to tell one lie, or take the name of God in vain, or to forget God or be estranged from him for one hour.
§. 11. Direct. 11▪ When you see the Godly under the contempt of sinners here, accounted as the filth of the world, and the off-scouring of all things, defamed, reviled, hated and persecuted, Look up then to the Saints with Christ, and think how they are esteemed and used. And when you would truly know what a Believer is, think not how they are esteemed and used by men, but how they are esteemed and used by Christ. Judge not of them by their short afflictions, nor by their meanness in the flesh, but by their endless happiness, and their glory above. Look up to the home and world of Saints, if you would know what Saints are, and not to the few scattered imperfect passengers in this world that is not worthy of them.
§. 12. Direct. 12. When you are tempted to think meanly of the Kingdom of Christ, as if his flock were so small and poor and sinful as to be inconsiderable, look up to the world of blessed souls which dwell above. And there you shall see no such paucity, or imperfections, or blemishes as are here below: The Subjects there are such as dishonor not their King. Christ's Kingdom is not of this world, Joh. 18. 36. If you would know it in its Glory, look up to the world where it is Glorious. If when you hear men contemn the Kingdom of the Saints of Christ, and at the same time did but see, (as Stephen did) a glimpse into that Kingdom, and all the Glory of the blessed there, what thoughts would you have of the words which did dishonor it?
§. 13. Direct. 13. When you hear sinners boast of the Wisdom or Numbers of their party, and appealing to the learned or great ones of the world, look up to the blessed souls with Christ, and ask whether they are not more wise and numerous than all the sinners upon earth. The greatest Doctors are ignorant and unlearned, in comparison of the meanest soul with Christ: The greatest Monarchs are but worms, in comparison of the Glorified Spirits with God. If they say to you, Are you wiser than so many and so wise and Learned men? ask them, Are you or all the ungodly wiser, than all the blessed souls with Christ? Let the wiser party carry it.
§. 14. Direct. 14. When you are tempted to be weary of a holy life, or to think all your labor is vain, look up to the blessed souls with Christ, and there you will see the end of Holiness: There you will see that of all the labor of your lives, there is none that you are so sure to gain by; and that in due time, you shall reap if you faint not; and if you sow to the spirit, of the spirit you shall reap everlasting life. Gal. 6. 8 9. And that when you have done the will of God, if you have but patience, you shall inherit the promise, Heb. 10. 36. Ask yourselves, whether any of those blessed souls Repent now of the Holiness of their lives on earth? or of their mortifying the flesh, and denying themselves the delights of sin?
§. 15. Direct. 15. When you are tempted to turn back in the day of trial, and to forsake Christ or his cause when persecution ariseth, then look to the blessed souls above, and see what is the end of suffering for the sake of Christ and righteousness. To foresee the great reward in Heaven, will convince you that instead of being terrified by sufferings, you should rejoice and be exceeding glad. Are you to lie in Prison, or to burn in the Flames? so did many thousands that are now in Heaven: And do you think that they repent it now? Ignatius, Polycarp, Cyprian, and many such holy men, were once used as hardly as you are now, and put to death by cruel men: Rogers, Bradford, Hooper, Glover and multitudes with them, were once in Prison and burnt in the Flames; but where are they now, and what is the end of all their pains? Now whether do you think the case of Bonner or Bradford to be best? Now had you rather be Gardener or Philpot? Now which think you doth most repent? the poor Waldenses that were murdered by thousands? or the Popes and Persecutors that murdered them?
§. 16. Direct. 16. When you are dismayed under the burden of your sins, the greatness of your corruptions, the weakness of your graces, the imperfection of your duties, look up to the blessed souls with Christ, and remember that all those Glorified spirits, were once in flesh as you now are, and once they lay at the feet of God, in tears and groans and cries as you do: They were once fain to cry out of the burden of their sins, and mourn under the weakness of their graces, as you now do. They were once as much clogged with flesh as you are; and once as low in doubts and fears, and bruised under the sense of God's displeasure: They once were as violently assaulted with temptations; and had the same corruptions to lament and strive against as you have: They were once as much afflicted by God and man? But is there any of the smart of this remaining?
§. 17. Direct. 17. When you are deterred from the presence of the dreadful God, and think he will not accept such worms as you, look up to the blessed souls with Christ; and remember how many millions of your brethren are there accepted to greater familiarity than that which you here desire: Remember that those souls were once as dark and distant from God, and unworthy of his acceptance as you now are. A fearful Child receiveth boldness, to see his Brethren in his Fathers arms.
§. 18. Direct. 18. When you are afraid of Satan lest he should prevail against you and devour you, look up to the blessed souls with Christ; and see how millions are there safely landed, that once were in as dangerous a station as you are. Through many tribulations and temptations they arrived at the Heavenly Rest: Satan once did his worst against them: They were tost on the Seas of this tempestuous world: But they were kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation, and so may you.
§. 19. Direct. 19. When you would duly value all your present means and mercies, and see whither they tend, look up then to the souls with Christ, and see whither the like mercy hath conducted them. The poorest Cottage and the hardest fare are great mercies as they tend to endless blessedness. This now and Heaven after, is great; though the thing in itself be never so small. Heaven puts the value and signification upon all your mercies: The wicked make Cyphers of their greatest blessings, by separating them in their esteem and use, from God and Heaven, which is the measure of their estimate.
§. 20. Direct. 20. When you see Divisions among believers, and hear one for this party, and another for that, and hear them bitterly censuring each other, look up then to the Saints with Christ, and think what perfect Love and Peace and Concord i • among them. Consider how unlike our factions and Schisms are to their fervent Love and Unity? And how how unlike our jarring strifes and quarrels are to their harmonious Praise of God. Remember in what work it is that they are so happily united, even Love and Praise uncessant to Jehovah: And then think, whether it would not unite the Saints on earth, to lay by their contendings for the preeminence in knowledge, (covered with the guilded name of Zeal for the Truth of God ), and to employ themselves in Love and Praise, and to show their emulation here, in striving who shall Love God and each other with the more pure heart and fervent Love, 1 Pet. 1. 22. and who shall Praise him with the most heavenly alacrity and delight. Consider whether this work of blessed souls be not like to be more desirable and excellent, than the work of self-conceited wrangling Sophisters? And whether there be any danger of falling into Sects and Factions or falling out by emulations or contentions, while we make this work of Love and Praise the matter of our religious converse? And consider whether almost all the Schisms that ever vext the Church of God, did not arise, either by the Pastors striving who should be the greatest, (Luk. 22. 24, 26.) or by the rising up of some Sciolist or Gnostic, proudly pretending to know more than others, and to vindicate or bring to light, some excellent Truth which others know not, or oppose? And when you see the hot contendings of each party, about their pretended Orthodoxness or wisdom (which I am. 3. is purposely written against) remember how the concord of those blessed souls, doth shame this work, and should make it odious to the heirs of Heaven.
§. 21. Direct. 21. When you are afraid of Death, or would find more willingness to die, look up to the blessed souls with Christ, and think that you are but to pass that way, which all those souls have gone before you; and to go from a world of enmity and vanity, to the company of all those blessed spirits: And is not their blessed state more desirable, than such a vain vexatious life as this? There is no malice, nor slandering, nor cruel persecuting, no uncharitable censures, contentions, or divisions; no ignorance, nor unbelief, nor strangeness unto God: nothing but Holy, Amiable and Delightful. Join yourselves daily to that Celestial Society: suppose yourselves spectators of their Order, Purity and Glory, and Auditors of their harmonious Praises of Jehovah: Live by faith in a daily familiarity with them: say not that you want company or are alone, when you may walk in the Streets of the Heavenly Jerusalem, and there converse with the Prophets and Apostles, and all the glorious Hosts of Heaven. Converse thus with them in your Life, and it will overcome the fear of death, and make you long to be there with them: Like one that stands by the River side, and seeth his friends on the further side, in a place of pleasure, while his enemies are pursuing him at his back, how gladly would he be over with them? And it will embolden him to venture on the passage, which all they have safely past before him. Thus Death will be to us as the Red Sea, to pass us safe to the 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 Land of Promise, while our pursuers are there overthrown and perish. We should not be so strange to the World above, if we thus by faith conversed▪ with the blessed ones.
§. 22. Direct. 22. When you are overmuch troubled for the death of your Godly friends, look up to that world of blessed souls, to which they are translated, and think whether it be not better for them to be there than here? and whether you are not bound by the Law of Love, to rejoice with them that are thus exalted. Had we but a sight of the world that they are in, and the company that they are gone to, we should be less displeased with the will of God, in disposing of his own, into so Glorious a state.
§. 23. All these improvements may be made by a Believer, of his daily converse with the souls above: This is the Communion with them which we must hold on earth: Not by Praying to them, which God hath never encouraged us to do; nor by praying for them (For though it be lawful to pray for the Resurrection of their Bodies, and the perfecting of their blessedness thereby, yet it being a thing of absolute certainty as the day of Judgment is, we must be very cautelous in the manner of our doing this lawful act; it being a thing that their happiness doth not at all depend on, and a thing which will-worshippers have shown themselves so forward to abuse, by stepping further into that which is unlawful; as the horrid abuses of the Names and days, and shrines and relicts of real or supposed Saints, in the Papal Kingdom sadly testifieth.) But the necessary part of our Communion with the Saints in Heaven, being of so great importance to the Church on Earth, I commend it to the due consideration of the faithful, whether our forgetfulness of it is not to be much repented of, and whether it be not a work to be more seriously minded for the time to come.
§. 24. And I must confess I know not why it should be thought unlawful to celebrate the memorial of the life or martyrdom of any extraordinary servant of God, by an Anniversary solemnity, on a set appropriate day: It is but to keep the thankful remembrance of God's mercy to the Church: and sure the life and death of such, is not the smallest of the Churches mercies here on earth. If it be lawful on the 5 of November, to celebrate the memorial of our deliverance from the Powder-plot, I know not why it should be thought unlawful to do the like in this case also: Provided, 1. That it be not terminated in the honor of a Saint, but of the God of Saints for giving so great a mercy to his Church. 2. That it be not to honor a Saint merely as a Saint, but to some extraordinary eminent Saints: Otherwise all that go to Heaven must have Festivals kept in remembrance of them; and so we might have a million for a day. 3. That it be not made equal with the Lord's Day, but kept in such a subordination to that Day, as the Life or death of Saints, is of inferior and subordinate respect, to the work of Christ in man's Redemption. 4. And if it be kept in a spiritual manner to invite men to imitate the Holiness of the Saints, and the constancy of the Martyrs, and not to encourage sensuality and sloth.
CHAP. XI. Directions about our Communion with the Holy Angels.
§. 1. Direct. 1. BE satisfied in knowing so much of Angels as God in Nature and Scripture hath revealed, but presume not to inquire further, much less to determine of unrevealed things. That there are Angels, and that they are holy Spirits, is past dispute. But what number they are, and of how many worlds, and of what orders and different dignities and degrees; and when they were created, and what locality belongeth to them, and how far they excel or differ from the souls of men, these and many other such unnecessary questions neither Nature nor Scripture will teach us how infallibly to resolve. Almost all the Heretics in the first ages of the Church did make their doctrines of Angels the first and chief part of their Heresies: arrogantly intruding into unrevealed things, and boasting of their acquaintance with the orders and inhabitants of the higher worlds. These being risen in the Apostles days, occasioned Paul to say, Col. 2. 18. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility, and worshipping of Angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind.
§. 2. Direct. 2. Understand so much of the Ministry of Angels as God hath revealed, and so far take notice of your communion with them; but affect not any other sort of communion.
I shall here show how much of the Ministry of Angels is revealed to us in Scripture.
§. 3. 1. It is part of the appointed work of Angels, to be Ministring Spirits for the heirs of salvation, Heb. 1. 14. Not Ministers or Servants of the godly, but Ministers of God for the godly: As the Shepherd is not a servant of the sheep, but for the sheep. It is not an accidental or occasional work which they do extraordinarily; but it is their undertaken Office to which they are sent forth. And this their Ministry is about the ordinary concernments of our lives, and not only about some great or unusual cases or exigence. Psal. 34. 6, 7. Psal. 91. 11, 12.
§. 4. 2. It is not some, but All the Angels that are appointed by God to this Ministration, Heb. 1. 1, 4. Are they not all ministering Spirits sent forth, &c. Mark here, that if you inquire whether God have any higher Spirits, that are not employed in so low an Office, but govern these Angels, or if you inquire whether only this world be the Angels charge, or whether they have many other worlds also (of Viators ) to take care of: neither Nature nor Scripture doth give you the determination of any of these questions: and therefore you must leave them as unrevealed things: (with abundance more with which the old Heretics and the Popish Schoolmen, have diverted men's minds from plain and necessary things.) But that all the Angels minister for us, is the express words of Scripture.
§. 5. 3. The work of this Office is not left promiscuously among them, but several Angels have their several works and charge: Therefore Scripture telleth us of some sent of one message, and some on another: And tells us that the meanest of Christ's members on earth, have their Angels before God in Heaven, Matth. 18. 10. I say unto you, that in Heaven their Angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven. Whether each true Believer hath one or more Angels? and whether one Angel look to more than one Believer? are questions which God hath not resolved us of, either in Nature or Scripture: But that each true Christian hath his Angel, is here asserted by our Lord.
§. 6. 4. In this office of Ministration they are servants of Christ as the Head of the Church, and the Mediator between God and man, to promote the ends of his superior office in man's Redemption, Mat. 28. 18. All power is given to me in Heaven and Earth, John 13. 3. Eph. 1. 20, 21, 22. And set him at his right hand in the celestials, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the Church. Rev. 23. 16. I Jesus have sent mine Angel to testify unto you these things in the Churches. Whether the Angels were appointed about the service of Adam in innocence? or only began their Office with Christ the Mediator as his Ministers, is a thing that God hath not revealed. But that they serve under Christ for his Church is plain.
§. 7. 5. This care of the Angels for us is exercised throughout our lives, for the saving of us from all our dangers, and delivering us out of all our troubles. Psal. 34. 6, 7. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles: the Angel of the Lord encampeth about them that fear him, and delivereth them: Psal. 91. 11, 12. For he shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways; They shall bear thee up in their hand, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. In all our ways (that are good) and in every step we tread, we have the care and Ministry of tutelary Angels. They are our ordinary defense and guard.
§. 8. 6. In all this Ministry they perfectly obey the Will of God, and do nothing but by his command. Psal. 103. 10. Zech. 1. 8, 10. Matth. 18. 10. being his Messengers to man.
§. 9. 7. Much of their work is to oppose the malice of evil spirits that seek our hurt, and to defend us from them: against whom they are engaged under Christ in daily Warr or Conflict, Rev. 12. 7, 9. Psal. 68. 17. & 78. 49. Matth. 4. 11.
§. 10. 8. In this their Ministration they are ordered into different degrees of superiority and inferiority, and are not equal among themselves. 1 Thess. 4. 16. Jude 9. Dan. 10. 13, 20, 21. Eph. 1. 21. Col. 2. 10. Eph. 3. 10. & 6. 12. Col. 1. 16. Zech. 4. 10. Rev. 4, 5. & 5, 6.
§. 11. 9. Angels are employed not only about our bodies, but our souls, by furthering the means of our salvation: They preached the Gospel themselves, (as they delivered the Law) Luke 2. 10, 9. Luke 1. 11, &c. Heb. 2. 2. Gal. 3. 19. Acts 10. 4. Dan. 7. 16. & 8. 15, 16, 17. & 9. 21, 22. Luke 1. 29. & 2. 19. Especially they deliver particular messages, which suppose the sufficiency of the Laws of Christ, and only help to the obedience of it.
§. 12. 10. They are sometime God's instruments to confirm, and warn, and comfort, and excite the soul, and to work upon the mind, and will, and affections: That they do this persuasively, and have as much access and power to do us good, as Satan hath to do us evil, is very clear: Good Angels have as much power and access to the soul, to move to duty, as Devils have to tempt to sin. As God hath sent them oft upon monitory and consolatory messages to his servants in visible shapes, so doth he send them on the like messages invisibly, Judge. 5. 23. Mat. 1. 20. Psal. 104. 4. Luke 22. 43. An Angel from Heaven is sent to strengthen Christ himself in his agony.
§. 13. 11. They persecute and chase the enemies of the Church, and sometimes destroy them: as Psal. 35. 5, 6. 2 Kings 19. 35. Isa. 37. 36. and hinder them from doing hurt, Numb. 22. 24.
§. 14. 12. They are a Convoy for the departing souls of the godly, to bring them to the place of their felicity, Luke 16. 22. though how they do it we cannot understand.
§. 15. 13. They are the attendants of Christ at his coming to judgment, and his Ministers to gather his elect, and s • ver th • wicked from the just, in order to their endless Punishment or Joy: 1 Thess. 4. 16. The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Arch-angel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up, &c. Matth. 13. 41, 49. The Son of man shall send forth his Angels, and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all offenses or scandals, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire. At the end of the world, the Angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire, &c.
§. 16. Direct. 3. Understand our near affinity or relation to the Angels, and how they and we are concerned in each others condition and affairs. As to our Nature our Immortal souls are kin or like unto the Angels, though our Bodies are but like the Brutes. Those souls that are created after the Image of God, in their very Natural Essence (as Rational and Free agents ) besides his Moral Image of sanctity, Gen. 9. 6. may well be said to be like the Angels: He made us little lower than the Angels, Psal. 8. 5. And God hath made us their charge and care; and therefore no doubt hath given them a special Love unto us, to fit them to the due performance of their trust. As Ministers have a special paternal Love to their flocks, and as Christians are to have a special Love to one another to enable and engage them to the duties appointed them by God towards each other; so these excellent Spirits have no doubt a far purer and greater Love, to the Image of God upon the Saints, and to the Saints for the Image and sake of God, than the dearest friends and holiest persons on earth can have. For they are more holy, and they are more perfectly conformed to the mind of God, and they love God himself more perfectly than we, and therefore for his sake do love his people much more perfectly than we. And therefore they are more to be loved by us than any mortals are; both because they are more excellent, pure and amiable, and because they have more Love to us. Moreover the Angels are servants of the same God, and members of the same society which we belong to. They are the Inhabitants of the heavenly Jerusalem, of which we are heirs: They have possession, and we have title, and shall in time possess it. We are called to much of the same employment with them: we must love the same God, and glorify him by obedience, thanks and praise, and so do they. Therefore they are Ministers for our good, and rejoice in the success of their labors, as the Ministers of Christ on earth do, Heb. 1. 14. There is not a sinner converted, but it is the Angels Joy, Luke 15. 10. which showeth how much they attend that work. We are come to Mount Zion, and unto the City of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of Angels, &c. Heb. 12. 22, 23. 24. They are especially present and attendant on us in our holy Assemblies and services of God; and therefore we are admonished to reverence their presence, and do nothing before them that is sinful or unseemly, 1 Cor. 11. 10. Eccles. 5. 6. The presence of God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect Angels, must continually awe us into exact obedience, 1 Tim. 5. 21. With the Church they pry into the mystery of the dispensations of the Spirit to the Church, 1 Pet. 1. 12. And so by the Church, that is, by God's dealings with the Church, is made known the manifold wisdom of God, even to these heavenly principalities and powers, Eph. 3. 10. In conclusion, Christ telleth us that in our state of blessedness we shall be equal to the Angels, Luke 20. 36. and so shall live with them forever.
§. 17. Direct. 4. When your thoughts of Heaven are staggering or strange, and when you are tempted to doubt whether indeed there is such a life of glory for the Saints, it may be a great help to your faith, to think of the world of Angels that already do possess it. That there are such excellent and happy inhabitants of the superior Orbs, besides what Scripture saith, even reason will strongly persuade any rational man: 1. When we consider that Sea, and Land, and Air, and all places of this lower baser part of the world, are replenished with inhabitants suitable to their natures: And therefore that the incomparably more great and excellent Orbs and Regions should all be uninhabited, is irrational to imagine: 2. And as we see the Rational Creatures are made to govern the Brutes in this inferior world, so reason telleth us it is improbable that the higher Reason of the inhabitants of the higher Regions should have no hand in the government of man. And yet God hath further condescended to satisfy us herein, by some unquestionable apparitions of good Angels, and many more of evil spirits, which pu • s the matter past all doubt, that there are inhabitants of the unseen world. And when we know that such there are, it maketh it the more easy to us to believe that such we may be, either numbered with the happy or unhappy Spirits: considering the affinity which there is between the nature of our souls and them: To conquer senseless Saducism is a good step to the conquest of irreligiousness: He that is well persuaded that there are Angels and Spirits, is much better prepared than a Sadducee to b • lieve the immortality of the soul: And because the infinite distance between God and man, is apt to make the thoughts of our approaching his Glory either dubious or very terrible, the remembrance of those myriads of blessed Spirits that dwell now in the presence of that glory, doth much embolden and confirm our thoughts. As he that would be afraid whether he should have access to and acceptance with the King, would be much encouraged if he saw a multitu • e as mean as himself, or not much unlike him, to be familiar attendants on him. I must confess such is my own weakness, that I find a frequent need of remembering the holy Hosts of Saints and Angels, that are with God, to embolden my soul, and make the thoughts of Heaven more familiar and sweet, by abating my strangeness, • mazedness and fears: And thus far to make them the Media (that I say not the Mediators ) of my thoughts, in their approaches to the Most High and Holy God: (Though the remembrance of Christ the true Mediator is my chief encouragement.) Especially when we consider how fervently those holy Spirits do love every holy person upon earth, and so that all those that dwell with God, are dearer friends to us, than our Fathers or Mothers here on earth are (as is briefly proved before,) this will embolden us yet much more.
§. 18. Direct. 5. Make use of the thoughts of the Angelical Hosts, when you would see the Glory and Majesty of Christ: If you think it a small matter that he is the Head of the Church on earth, a handful of people contemned by the Satanical party of the world, yet think what it is to be Head over all things, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, (that is, Gave him a power, dignity and name, greater than any power, dignity or name of men or Angels), and hath put all things under his feet, Ephes. 1. 21, 22, 23. Being made so much better than the Angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they: Of him it is said, Let all the Angels of God worship him, Heb. 1. 4 6. Read the whole Chapter. Our Head is the Lord of all these Hosts.
§ 19. Direct. 6. Make use of the remembrance of the glorious Angels, to acquaint you with the dignity of human nature, and the special dignity of the servants of God, and so to raise up your hearts in thankfulness to your Creator and Redeemer who hath thus advanced you. 1. What a dignity is it that th • se holy Angels should be all Ministring Spirits s • nt for our good? that they should love us, and concern themselves so much for us, as to rejoice in Heaven at our conversion? Lord! What is man; that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou visitest him: For thou hast made him a little lower than the Angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor, Psal. 8. 4. 5. 2. But yet it is a higher declaration of our dignity, that we should in Heaven be equal with them, and so be numbered i • to their society, and join with them everlastingly in the praise of our Creator. 3. And it is yet a greater honor to us, that our Natures are assumed into union of person with the Son of God, and s • advanced above the Angels. For he took not on him the nature of Angels, but the seed of Abraham: N • r hath he put the world to come in subjection to the Angels, Heb. 2. 5, 16. This is the Lord's doing, and it is wondrous in our eyes.
§. 20. Direct. 7. When you would admire the works of God and his government, look specially to the Angels part: If God would be glorified in his works, then especially in the most glorious parts: If he take delight to work by Instruments, and to communicate such excellency and honor to them as may conduce to the honor of the principal cause, we must not overlook their excellency and honor, unless we will deny God the honor which is due to him. As he that will see the excellent workmanship of a Watch or any other Engine, must not overlook the chiefest parts, nor their operation on the rest: So he that will see the excellent order of the works and Government of God, must not overlook the Angels, nor their Offices in the Government, and preservation of the inferior creatures, so far as God hath revealed it unto us. We spoil the Music if we leave out these strings. It is a great part of the glory of the works of God, that all the parts in Heaven and Earth are so admirably conjoined and jointed as they are; and each in their places contribute to the beauty and harmony of the whole.
§. 21. Direct. 8. When you would be apprehensive of the excellency of Love and Humility, and exact obedience t • the will of God, look up to the Angels, and see the luster of all these virtues as they shine in them. How perfectly do they Love God and all his Saints? Even the weakest and meanest of the members of Christ? With what humility do they condescend to minister for the heirs of salvation? How readily and perfectly do they obey their Maker? Though our chiefest pattern is Christ himself, who came nearer to us, and appeared in flesh, to give us the example of all such duties, yet under him the example of Angels is also to be observed, and with pleasure to be imitated. And ask the enemies of Holiness, who urge you with the examples of the Great and Learned, whether they are wiser than all the Angels of God?
§. 22. Direct. 9. When you are tempted to desire any inordinate communion with Angels, as visibly appearing or affecting your senses, or to give them any part of the Office or honor of Jesus Christ, then think how suitable that Office is to your safety and benefit which God hath assigned them, and how much they themselves abhor aspiring or usurpation of the Office or honor of their Lord: And consider how much more suitable to your benefit this spiritual ministration of the Angels is, than if they appeared to us in bodily shapes. In this spiritual communion they act according to their spiritual nature, without deceit: And they serve us without any terrible appearances; and without any danger of drawing us to sensitive gross apprehensions of them, or enticing us to an unmeet adhesion to them▪ or honoring of them: whereas if they appeared to us in visible shapes, we might easily be affrighted, confounded and left in doubt, whether they were good Angels indeed or not. It is our communion with God himself that is our Happiness. And communion with Angels or Saints is desirable but in order unto this: That kind of communion with Angels therefore is the best, which most advanceth us to communion with God: And that reception of his mercy by instruments is best, which least endangereth our inordinate adhesion to the Instruments, and our neglect of God. We know not so well as God, what way is best and safest for us: As it is dangerous desiring to mend his Word by any fancies of our own, which we suppose more fit; so it is dangerous to desire to amend his Government and Providence, and Order, and to think that another way than that which in nature he hath stated and appointed, is more to our benefit. It is dangerous wishing God to go out of his way, and to deal with us, and conduct us in by-ways of our own; in which we are ourselves unskilled, and of which we little know the issue.
§. 23. Direct. 10. When you are apt to be terrified with the fear of Devils, think then of the guard of Angels, and how much greater strength is for you than against you. Though God be our only fundamental security, and our chiefest confidence must be in him, yet experience telleth us how apt we are to look to instruments, and to be affected as second causes do appear to make for us or against us: Therefore when appearing dangers terrify us, appearing or secondary helps should be observed to comfort and encourage us.
§. 24. Direct. 11. Labor to answer the great and holy Love of Angels with such great and holy Love to them, as may help you against your unwillingness to die, and make you long for the company of them whom you so much Love. And when death seemeth terrible to you because the world to come seems strange, remember that you are going to the society of those Angels, that rejoiced in your conversion, and ministered for you here on earth, and are ready to convoy your souls to Christ. Though the thoughts of God and our blessed Mediator should be the only final object to attract our Love, and make us long to be in Heaven, yet under Christ, the Love and company of Saints and Angels must be thought on to further our desire and delight: For even in Heaven God will not so be All to us, as to use no creature for our comfort: Otherwise the glorified humanity of Christ would be no means of our comfort there: And the heavenly Jerusalem would not then have been set out to us by its created excellencies as it is Rev. 21. & 22. Nor would it be any comfort to us in the Kingdom of God, that we shall be with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Luke 13. 28. Matth. 8. 11.
§. 25. Direct. 12. Pray for the protection and help of Angels, as part of the benefits procured for the Saints by Christ: and be thankful for it as a Privilege of believers, excelling all the dignities of the ungodly. And walk with a reverence of their presence; especially in the worshipping of God. It is not fit such a mercy should be undervalued or unthankfully received: Nor that so ordinary a means of our preservation should be overlooked, and not be sought of God by prayer. But the way to keep the Love of Angels, is to keep up the Love of God: And the way to please them, is to please him: For His will is theirs.
§. 26. Direct. 13. In all the Worship you perform to God, remember that you join with the Angels of Heaven, and bear your part to make up the Consort: Do it therefore with that holiness, and reverence, and affection, as remembering not only to whom you speak, but also what companions you have: And let there not be too great a discord either in your hearts or praises. O think with what lively joyful minds they praise their glorious Creator: and how unwearied they are in their most blessed work! And labor to be like them in Love and Praise, that you may come to be equal with them in their Glory, Luke 20. 36.
CASES OF CONSCIENCE ABOUT Matters Ecclesiastical, Wich are not before handled.
By RICHARD BAXTER.
LONDON, Printed, by Robert White, for Nevill Simmons, at the Sign of the Princes Arms in St. Paul's Church-yard. 1673.
READER,
I Have something to say to thee of the number of these Cases, somewhat of the Order, and somewhat of the manner of handling and resolving them. I. That they are so Many is because there are really so many difficulties which all men are not able to resolve: That they are no more, is, partly because I could not remember then anymore that were necessarily to be handled, and I was not willing to increase so great a Book with things unnecessary.
II. As to the Order I have some Reasons for the order of most of them, which would be too tedious to open to you: But some of them are placed out of order, because, 1. I could not remember them in due place. 2. And great haste allowed me not Time to transpose them. If you say that in such a work I should take time, I answer, You are no competent judges, unless you knew me and the rest of my work, and the likelihood that my time will be but short: They that had rather take my Writings with such defects which are the effects of haste, than have none of them, may use them, and the rest are free to despise them and neglect them. Two or three Questions about the Scripture, I would have put nearer the beginning if I could have time; But seeing I cannot, it's easy for you to transpose them in the reading.
III. The resolution of these Cases so much avoideth all the extremes, that I look they should be displeasing to all that vast number of Christians, who involve themselves in the opinions and interests of their several sects as such; and that hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, with respect of persons. But there will be still a certain number of truly Catholic impartial Readers, whose favorable acceptance I confidently prognosticate; and who, being out of the dust and noise and passions of contending sides and parties and their interests, will see a self-evidencing Light in those solutions, which are put off here briefly, without the pomp of formal argumentation, or persuading Oratory. The eternal Light reveal himself to us, by Christ who is the Light of the World, and by the Illumination of the spirit and word of Light; that we may walk in the Light, as the Children of Light, till we come to the World of Glorious Everlasting Light. And what other defect soever our knowledge have, if any man hath knowledge enough to kindle in him the Love of God, the same is known of Him, and therefore is Beloved by Him, and shall be Blessed with and in Him forever, 1 Cor. 8. 1, 2, 3.
CASES OF CONSCIENCE ABOUT Matters Ecclesiastical.
Quest. 1. How to know which is the true Church, among all pretenders, that a Christians Conscience may be quiet in his Relation and Communion?
I HAVE written so much of this already in four Books ( viz. one called, The Safe Religion, another called A Key for Catholics, another called The Visibility of the Church, another called A true Catholic, and the Catholic Church described,) that I shall say now but a little, and yet enough to an impartial considerate Reader.
The terms must first be opened: 1. By a Church is meant a Society of Christians as such. And it is sometimes taken Narrowly, for the Body or Members as distinct from the Head, as the word Kingdom is taken for the Subjects only as distinct from the King; And sometimes more fully and properly for the whole Political Society, as constituted of its Head and Body or the Pars Imperans & pars Subdita.
2. The word Church thus taken, signifieth sometime the Universal Church called Catholic; which consisteth of Christ and his Body Politick, or Mystical; And sometime some Part only of the Universal Church. And so it is taken either for a subordinate Political Part, or for a Community, or a Part considered as Consociate, but not Political; or as many particular Political Churches Agreeing and holding Concord and Communion without any Comon Head, save the Universal Head.
3. Such Political Churches, are either of Divine Constitution and Policy, or only of Human.
2. By Christians, I mean such as Profess the Essentials of the Christian Religion. For we speak of the Church as Visible.
3. By [ True ] may be meant, either Reality of Essence, opposite to that which is not really a Church in this univocal acception; or else Sound and Orthodox, in the Integrals, as opposite to erroneous and defiled with much enormity. And now I thus decide that question.
Prop. 1. The True Catholic Church consisteth of Christ the He • d, and all Christians as his Body, or the Members. As the Kingdom consisteth of the King and his Subjects.
Prop. 2. As all the sincere Heart-Covenanters make up the Church as regenerate, and mystical or invisible, so that all that are Christened, that is, Baptized, and profess Consent to all the Essentials of the Baptismal Covenant, not having Apostatized, nor being by lawful Power Excommunicated, are Christians, and make up the Church as Visible.
Prop. 3. Therefore there is but One Universal Church, because it containeth all Christians; and so leaveth out none to be the matter of another.
Prop. 4. It is not Ignorance or Error about the mere Integrals of Christianity, which maketh them no Christians who hold the Essentials, that is, the Baptismal Covenant.
Prop. 5. That the Baptismal Covenant might be rightly understood and professed, the Churches have still used the Creed as the explication of the Covenant, in point of faith; and taken it for the Symbol of the Christian Belief. And no further profession of faith was or is to be required, as necessary to the Being of Christianity.
Prop. 6. If proud Usurpers or Censurers take on them to excommunicate, or unchristian, or unchurch others, without authority and cause, this maketh them not to be no Christians, or no Churches, that are so used.
Prop. 7. Therefore to know which is the true Catholic or Universal Church is but to know who are Baptized-Professing-Christians.
Prop. 8. The Reformed Churches, the Lutherans, the Abbyssinians, the Copties, the Syrians, the Armenians, the Jacobites, the Georgians, the Maronites, the Greeks, the Muscovites, and the Romanists, do all receive Baptism in all its visible Essentials, and profess all the Essentials of the Christian Religion, though not with the same Integrity.
Prop. 9. He that denieth any one essential part, in itself, is so a Heretic as to be no Christian, nor true member of the Church, if it be justly proved, or notorious; that is, none ought to take him for a Visible Christian, who know the proof of his denying that essential part of Christianity, or to whom it is notorious.
Prop. 10. He that holdeth the Essentials primarily, and with them holdeth some error which by unseen consequence subverteth some Essential point, but holdeth the Essentials so much faster, that he would forsake his error, if he saw the inconsistence, is a Christian notwithstanding? And if the name Heretic be applicable to him, it is but in such a sense, as is consistent with Christianity.
Prop. 11. He that is judged a Heretic and no Christian justly by others, must be lawfully cited, and heard plead his Cause, and be judged upon sufficient proof, and not unheard, or upon rash presumption.
Prop. 12. Christianity and Heresy being personal qualities, and nowhere found but in individuals, nor one man guilty of another's error, it followeth that it is single persons upon personal guilt that must be judged.
Prop. 13. Any man may judge another to be a Christian or Heretic, by a private judgment of discerning, or the reason which guideth all human actions: But only Church Rulers may judge him by that public Judgment, which giveth or denieth him his public privileges and Communion.
Prop. 14. If by notorious injustice Church Rulers condemn Christians as no Christians, though they may thereby deny them communion with those public Assemblies, which they govern, yet do they not oblige the people to take such injured persons for no Christians. Else they might oblige all to believe a lie, to consent to malicious injuries, and might disoblige the people from Truth, Righteousness and Charity.
Prop. 15. There is no one Natural or Collective Head and Governor of all the Churches in the world (the Universal Church) but Jesus Christ; And therefore there is none that by such Governing power, can excommunicate any man out of the Universal Church: And such Usurpation would be Treason against Christ, whose Prerogative it is.
Prop. 16. Yet he that deserveth to be excommunicated from one Church, deserveth to be excommunicated by and from all, if it be upon a Cause common to all; or that nullifieth his Christianity.
Prop. 17. And where neighbor Churches are Consociate and live in Order and Concord, he that is orderly excommunicate from one Church, and it be notified to the rest, should not be taken into the communion of any of the rest, till he be cleared, or become fit for their communion. But this obligation ariseth but from the Concord of Consociate Churches, and not from the Power of one over the rest: And it cannot reach all the world, where the person cometh not, nor was ever known; but only to those who through neighbourhood are capable of just notice, and of giving or denying communion to that person.
Prop. 18. From all this it is clear, that it is not either Papists alone, or Greeks alone, or Protestants alone, or any party of Christians, who are the Universal Church, seeing that Church containeth All Christians. And that reviling others (yea, whole Nations) as Heretics, Schismatics, and no Christians, or Churches, will no more prove the Revilers to be the only Church or Christians, than Want of Love will prove a man to be one of Christ's Disciples, who by Love are known to all men to be his.
Prop. 19. It is therefore the shameful language of distracted men, to cry out against other Christian Nations, It is not you, but we that are the Catholic or Universal Church. And our shameful Controversy, which of them is the Catholic, is no wiser than to question, Whether it be this house or that which is the Street? Or this Street or that which is the City? Or whether it be the Kitchen, or the Hall, or the Parlour which is the House? Or the Hand, or Foot, or Eye which is the Man? O when will God bring distracting Teachers to Repentance, and distracted people to their wits!
Prop. 20. There is great difference in the Purity or soundness, of the several parts of the Universal Church; some being more Orthodox and holy, and some de •• led with so many Errors and sins, as to make it difficult to discern whether they do not deny the very essentials.
Prop. 21. The Reformed Churches are the soundest and purest that we know in the world, and therefore their privilege exceeding great, though they are not all the Universal Church.
Prop. 22. Particular Churches consisting of Lawful Pastors and Christian people, associated for personal Communion in Worship and holy living are societies or true Churches of Christ • institution, and the chief parts of the Universal Church: As Cities and Corporations are of the Kingdom?
Prop. 23. There are thousands of these in the world, and a man may be saved in one, as well as in another: Only the purest give him the best advantages for his salvation; And therefore should be preferred by all that are wise and love their souls, so far as they are free to choose their Communion.
Prop. 24. The case then being easily resolved [which is the true Church]? viz. All Christians as Christians are the Catholic or Universal Church? and All Congregations afore described, of true Pastors and Christians being particular true Churches, differing only in degrees of purity, he is to be suspected as a designing deceiver and troubler of the world, that pretending to be a Learned man and a Teacher, doth still perplex the Consciences of the ignorant with this frivolous question, and would muddy and obscure this clear state of the case, lest the people should rest in the discerned truth.
Prop. 25. The Papal Church as such, being no true Church of Christ's institution (of which by itself anon) it followeth that a Papist as a Papist is no member of the Church of Christ, that is, no Christian. But yet whether the same person may not be a Papist and a Christian, and so a member of the Catholic Church, we shall anon inquire.
Prop. 26. There are many things which go to make up the fitness and desireablness of that particular Church, which we should prefer or choose for our ordinary personal Communion: As, 1. That it be the Church of that place where we dwell; If the place be so happy as to have no divided Churches, that it be the sole Church there; However that it be so near •• to be fit for our Communion. 2. That it be a Church which holdeth Communion with other neighbor Churches, and is not singular or divided from them; Or at least not from the Generality of the Churches of Christ; nor differeth in any great matters from those that are most pure. 3. That it be under the Reputation of soundness with the other Churches aforesaid, and not under the scandal of Heresy, Schism or gross corruption among those that live about. 4. That it be under the countenance and encouraging favor of the Christian Magistrate. 5. That it be the same Church of which the rest of the family which we are of, be members; That Husband and Wife, Parents and Children, Masters and Servants be not of several Churches. 6. That the Pastors be able Teachers, prudent Guides and of holy lives, and diligent in their office. 7. That the Pastors be regularly called to their office. 8. That the members be intelligent, peaceable and of holy, temperate and righteous lives. But when all these cannot be had together, we must choose that Church which hath those qualifications which are most needful, and bear with tolerable imperfections. The most needful are the first, second and sixth of these qualifications.
Prop. 27. He that is free, should choose that Church which is the fittest for his own edification; that is, The best Pastors, people and administrations.
Prop. 28. A man's freedom is many ways restrained herein. As, 1. When it will tend to a greater public hurt, by disorder, ill example, division, discouragement, &c. 2. When superiors forbid it; As Husbands, Parents, Masters, Magistrates. 3. By some scandal. 4. By the distance or inconvenience of our dwelling. 5. By differences of Judgment, and other causes of contention in the said Churches: And many other ways.
Prop. 29. A free man who removeth from one Church to another for his edification, is not therefore a Separatist or Schismatic: But it must not be done by one that is not free, but upon such necessity as freeth him.
Prop. 30. It is schism or sinful separation to separate from, 1. A true Church as no true Church; 2. From Lawful Worship and Communion, as unlawful; But of this more in its proper place.
Quest. 2. Whether we must esteem the Church of Rome a true Church? And in what sense some Divines affirm it, and some deny it.
WAnt of some easy distinguishing hath made that seem a Controversy here, which is so plain, that it can hardly be any at all to Protestants, if the question had been but truly stated.
Remember therefore that by a Church is meant, not a mere company of Christians, any how related to each other; but a society consisting of an Ecclesiastical Head and Body, such as we call a Political society. 2. And that we speak not of an Accidental Head (such as the King is, because he Governeth them suo modo by the sword): for that is not an Essential Constitutive Part: But of a Constit • tive Ecclesiastical Head and body. 3. That the question is not, Whether the Church of Rome, be a Part of the Church, but whether it be a true Church. And now I answer;
1. To affirm the Church of Rome to be [ the Catholic or Universal Church, ] is more than to affirm it to be [ a true Catholic Church ] that is, a true part of the Catholic Church; and is as much as to say that it is the whole and only Church, and that there is no other; which is odious falsehood and usurpation, and slander against all other Churches.
2. The Church of Rome is so called in the Question, as it is a Policy or Church in a general sense; And the meaning of the Question is, Whether it be a Divine or a Human or Diabolical Policy; A Lawful Church.
3. The Church of Rome is considered, 1. Formally, as a Church or Policy, 2. Materially as the singular persons are qualified. It is the Form that denominateth. Therefore the Question must be taken of the Roman Policy, or of the Church of Rome as such; that is, As it is one Ruler pretending to be the Vicarious constitutive Governing Head of all Christ's Visible Church on earth, and the Body which owneth him in this Relation.
4. Therefore I conclude (and so do all Protestants) that this Policy or Church of Rome is no true Church of Christ's Instituting or approbation, but a Human sinful Policy formed by the Temptation of Satan the Prince of Pride, deceit and darkness. The proof of which is the matter of whole loads of Protestant Writings. And indeed the proof of their Policy being incumbent on themselves, they fail in it, and are still fain to fly to pretended false Tradition for proof, in which the Sophisters know that either they must be Judges themselves, and it must go for truth because they say it; or else that if they can carry the Controversy into a Thicket or Wood of Fathers and Church History, at least they can confound the ignorant, and evade themselves. Of this see my Dispute. with Johnson, and my Key for Catholics, &c.
5. The Bishop of the English Papists, Smith called Bishop of Chalcedon in his Survey, cap. 5. saith, [ To us it sufficeth that the Bishop of Rome is St. Peters successor; and this all the Fathers testify, and all the Catholic Church believeth: But whether it be jure Divino or humano is no point of faith. ] The like hath Davenport called Fransc. à Sancta Clarâ more largely. By this let the Reader judge whether we need more words to prove their Church to be such as Christ never instituted, when the belief of their Divine right, is no part of their own faith.
6. If the Church of Rome in its formal Policy be but of human institution, it is 1. Unnecessary to salvation; 2. Unlawful: Because they that first instituted it had no Authority so to do, and were Usurpers. For either the makers of it were themselves a Church or no Church. If no Church, they could not lawfully make a Church. Infidels or Heathens are not to be our Church-makers; If a Church, then there was a Church before the Church of Rome, and that of another form. And if that former form were of Christ's institution, man might not change it: If not, who made that form? And so on.
7. Our Divines therefore that say that the Church of Rome is a True Church, though corrupt, do not speak of it formally as to the Papal Policy or Headship, but materially, 1. That all Papists that are visible Christians are visible Parts of the universal Church. 2. That their particular Congregations considered abstractedly from the Roman Headship may be true particular Churches, though corrupt: which yet being the only difficulty shall be the matter of our next enquiry.
Quest. 3. Whether we must take the Romish Clergy for true Ministers of Christ? And whether their Baptism, and Ordination be nullities?
I Join these two distinct Questions together for brevity.
1. As True signifieth Regularly called, so they are commonly Irregular and not True Ministers. But as True signifieth Real opposed to a nullity, so it is now to be further considered.
2. The doubt lieth either of the sufficiency of his Call, or of somewhat that is supposed to destroy it by contradiction or redundancy, 1. Whether he want anything of absolute necessity to the office, who is called in the Church of Rome, or 2. Whether there be anything in his office or entrance, which nullifieth or invalidateth that which else would be sufficient?
For the first doubt, it is not agreed on among Papists or Protestants what is of necessity to the Being of the office. Some think real Godliness in the person is necessary; but most think not: some think that Visible, that is, seeming professed Godliness, not disproved by mortal sin is necessary; and some think not: some think the people's Election is necessary, and that ordination is but ad been esse; and some think ordination necessary ad esse, and Election ad been esse, or not at all: And some think Both necessary ad esse, and some Neither: Some think the Election of the people is necessary, and some think only their Consent is necessary, though after Election by others; Some think it must be the Consent of all the flock or near all; And some only of the Major part; And some of the Better part, though the Minor. Some think the Ordination of a Diocesan Bishop necessary ad esse, and some not. Some think the Truth of the Ordainers Calling, or power, to be necessary to the validity of his Ordination, and some not: some think the number of two or three or more Ordainers to be necessary, and some not: some think it necessary to the validity of the Ministry that it come down from the Apostles by an uninterrupted succession of truly Ordained Bishops, and some think not: some few think that the Magistrates command or license is necessary, and only it, and most deny both. Johnson, alias, Terret, the Papist, in his Disputation against me, maintaineth that Consecration is not necessary ad esse, nor any one way of Election, by these or those, but only the Churches reception upon such an Election as may give them notice, and which may be different, according to different times, places and other circumstances.
In the midst of these confusions What is to be held? I have opened the Case as fully and plainly as I can, in my 2 Dispute. of Ch. Gov. about Ordination, to which I must refer the Reader: Only here briefly touching upon the sum.
1. There are some personal qualifications necessary to the being of the office (of which anon) and some only to the well-being.
2. The efficient conveying cause of Power or office, is God's will signified in his own established Law; in which he determineth that such persons so called shall receive from him such Power and be obliged to such office-administrations.
3. Any Providence of God which infallibly or satisfactorily notifieth to the Church, who these persons are, that receive such Power from God, doth oblige them to submit to them as so empowered.
4. God's ordinary established way of Regular designation of the person, is by the Churches consent and the Senior Pastors ordination.
5. By these Actions they are not the proper Donors or efficients of the Power, or office given, but the Consent of the people and the Ordination do determine of the Recipient, and so are Regularly causa fine qua non of his Reception. And the Ordination is moreover a solemn Investiture, in the office, as when a servant is sent by delivering a Key to deliver possession of an House, by his Masters consent, to him that had before the owners Grant; And so it ceremoniously entereth him into visible possession; Like the solemnizing of Marriage, or the listing of a Soldier, &c.
6. The people's Consent (before or after) is not only by Institution, but naturally necessary, that a man become a Pastor to those persons (for no man can Learn, obey, &c. without consent): But it is not of necessity to the Being of the Ministry in General, or in the first instant: A man without it may be authorized as a Minister to go Preach the Gospel for Conversion, and Baptize and gather Churches, though not to be their stated Pastor.
7. When death, distance, corruption, heresy or malignity of Pastors within reach, maketh it impossible to have Ordination, God's choice of the person may be notified without it; as by, 1. Emi • ent Qualifications, 2. The people's real necessities, 3. And the removal of Impedimens • , and a concurrence of inviting opportunities and advantages; 4. And sometimes the people's desire. 5. And sometimes the Magistrates commission or consent; which though not absolutely necessary in themselves; yet may serve to design the person and invest him, when the ordinary way faileth; which is all that is left to Man to do, to the conveyance of the power.
The case being thus stated, as to what is necessary to give the power or office, we may next inquire whether any Papists Priest have such Power, by such means.
And, 1. We have sufficient reason to judge that many of them have all the personal qualifications which are essentially necessary. 2. Many among them have the consent of a sober Christian people (of which more anon.) And Mr. Jacob who was against Bishops and their Ordination, proveth at large, that by Election or Consent of the people alone, a man may be a true Pastor, either without such Ordination, or notwithstanding both the vanity and error of it. 3. Many of them have Ordination by able and sober Bishops: if that also be necessary. 4. In that Ordination, they are invested in all that is essential to the Pastoral Office.
So that I see not that their Calling is a Nullity through defect of anything of absolute necessity to its being and validity: though it be many ways irregular and sinful.
II. We are next therefore to inquire whether any Contradicting additions make null that which else would be no nullity. And this is the great difficulty. For as we accuse not their Religion for having too little, but too much, so this is our chief doubt about their Ministry.
And. 1. It is doubted, as to the office itself, whether a Mass-Priest be a true Minister, as having another work to do, even to make his Maker, and to give Christ's real flesh with his hands to the people; and to preach the unsound Doctrines of their Church: And these seem to be essential parts of his function.
The case is very bad and sad: But that which I said about the Heresies or Errors which may consist with Christianity, when they overthrow it but by an undiscerned consequence, must be here also considered. The prime part of their office is that (as to the essentials, ) which Christ ordained: This they receive, and to this they sew a filthy rag of man's devising: But if they knew this to be inconsistent with Christianity or the Essentials of the Ministry, we may well presume (of many of them) they would not receive it. Therefore as an error which consequentially contradicteth some essential article of faith, nullifieth not his Christianity who first and fastest holdeth the faith, and would cast away the error if he saw the contradiction, (as Davenant, Morton and Hall have shown Epist. Conciliat. ) So is it to be said as to practical error in the present case. They are their grievous errors and sins, but for ought I see, do not nullify their office to the Church. As a Mass-Priest, he is no Minister of Christ (As an Anabaptist is not as a Rebaptizer, nor a Separatist as a Separater, nor an Antinomian, or any erroneous person as a Preacher of that error;) But as a Christian Pastor ordained to preach the Gospel, baptize, administer the Lord's Supper, pray, praise God, guide the Church, he may be.
The same answer serveth to the Objection as it extendeth to the erroneous Doctrines which they preach, which are but by Consequence against the Essentials of Religion.
2. But it is a greater doubt, Whether any power of the Ministry can be conveyed by Antichrist, or from him? And whether God will own any of Antichrists administrations: Therefore seeing they profess themselves to have no office but what they receive from the Pope, and Christ disowning his usurpation, the same man cannot be the Minister of Christ and Antichrist; as the same man cannot be an officer in the Kings Army and his Enemies.
But this will have the same solution as the former. If this Antichrist were the open professed enemy to Christ, then all this were true: Because their corrupt additions would not by dark consequences, but so directly contain the denial of Christianity, or the true Ministry, that it were not possible to hold both. But (as our Divines commonly note) Antichrist is to sit in the Temple of God, and the Popes Treason is under pretence of the greatest service and friendship to Christ, making himself his Vicar General without his Commission. So that they that receive power from him, do think him to be Christ's Vicar indeed, and so renounce not Christ, but profess their first and chief relation to be to him, and dependence on him, and that they would have nothing to do with the Pope, if they knew him to be against Christ. And some of them write, that the Power or Office is immediately from Christ, and that the Pope, Ordainers and Electors do but design the person that shall receive it (Because else they know not what to say of the Election and Consecration of the Pope himself who hath no superior.) And the Spanish Bishops in the Council of Trent held so close to this, that the rest were fain to leave it undetermined; so that it is no part of their Religion, but a doubtful opinion, Whether the power of Bishops be derived from the Pope, though they be Governed by him.
But as to the other, the case seemeth like this: If a subject in Ireland usurp the Lieutenancy, and tell all the people that he hath the Kings Commission to be his Lieutenant; and command all to submit to him, and receive their places from him, and obey him: And the King declareth him a Traitor (antecedently only by the description of his Laws,) and maketh it the duty of the subjects to renounce him: Those now that know the Kings will, and yet adhere to the Usurper, though they know that the King is against it, are Traitors with him: But those from whom he keepeth the knowledge of the Laws; and who for want of full information, believe him to be really the Kings Lieutenant, (and specially living where all believe it) but yet would renounce him if they knew that he had not the Kings Commission, These are the Kings subjects, though in ignorance they obey an Usurper. And on this account it is that A. Bishop Usher concluded, that An ignorant Papist might be saved, but the Learned hardly. But when the Learned through the disadvantages of their Education are under the same ignorance, being Learned but on one side to their greater seduction, the case may be the same.
The same man therefore may receive an Office from Christ, who yet ignorantly submitteth to the Pope, and receiveth corrupt additions from him.
But suppose I be mistaken in all this, yet to come to the second Question,
II. Whether Baptism and Ordination given by them be Nullities, I answer, no; on a further account, 1. Because that the Ministry which is a nullity to the receiver (that is, God will punish him as an Usurper,) may yet perform those Ministerial Acts which are no Nullities to the Church. Else how confused a case would all Churches be in? For it is hard ever to know whether Ministers have all things essential to their Office? Suppose a man be ignorant or an Heretic against some essential Article of faith; or suppose that he feigned Orders of Ordination when he had none; or that he was ordained by such as really had no power to do it; or suppose he pretended the consent of the majority of the people, when really the greater part were for another; If all th • s be unknown, his Baptizing and other administrations are not thereby made Nullities to the Church, though they be sins in him: The Reason is, because that the Church shall not suffer, nor lose her right for another man's sin! When the fault is not theirs, the loss and punishment shall not be theirs. He that is found in possession of the place, performeth valid administration to them that know not his usurpation, and are not guilty of it. Otherwise we should never have done Re-baptizing, nor know easily when we receive any valid administrations, while we are so disagreed about the Necessaries of the Office and Call; and when it is so hard in all things to judge of the Call of all other men.
2. And as the Papists say, that a private man or woman may baptize in extremity, so many Learned Protestants think, that though a private man's Baptism be a sin, yet it is no nullity, though he were known to be no Minister.
And what is said of Baptism, to avoid tediousness, you may suppose said of Ordination, which will carry the first case far, as to the Validity of the Ministry received by Papists Ordination, as well as of Baptism and Visible Christianity received by them. For my part, God used Parsons Book of Resolution corrected, so much to my good, and I have known so many eminent Christians, and some Ministers converted by it, that I am glad that I hear none make a controversy of it, whether the conversion, faith, or Love to God be valid, which we receive by the Books or means of any Papist?
Quest. 4. Whether it be necessary to believe that the Pope is the Antichrist?
IT is one question, Whether he be Antichrist, and another, Whether it be necessary to believe it? To the first I say, 1. There are many Antichrists: And we must remove the ambiguity of the name, before we can resolve the question. If by Antichrist be meant, [ One that usurpeth the Office of a Universal Vicar of Christ, and Constitutive and Governing Head of the whole Visible Church, and hereby layeth the ground of Schisms, and Contentions, and Bloodshed in the world, and would rob Christ of all his members, who are not of the Popes Kingdom, and that formeth a multifarious Ministry for this service, and corrupteth much of the Doctrine, Worship and Discipline of the Church, ] in this sense no doubt but the Pope is Antichrist.
But if by Antichrist be meant him particularly described in the Apocalypse and Thessalonians, then the controversy de re, is about the exposition of those dark Prophecies. Of which I can say no more but this, 1. That if the Pope be not He; he had ill luck to be so like him. 2. That Dr. Moors Moral Arguments, and Bishop Downhams and many others expository arguments, are such as I cannot answer. 3. But yet my skill is not so great in interpreting those obscure Prophecies, as that I can say, I am sure that it is the Pope they speak of, and that Lyra, learned Zanchi and others that think it is Mahomet, or others that otherwise interpret them, were mistaken.
II. But to the second Question, I more boldly say, 1. That everyone that indeed knoweth this to be the sense of those Texts, is bound to believe it.
2. But that God who hath not made it of necessity to salvation to understand many hundred plainer Texts, nor absolutely to understand more than the Articles and fundamentals of our Religion, hath much less made it necessary to salvation to understand the darkest Prophecies.
3. And that as the suspicion should make all Christians cautelous, what they receive from Rome, so the obscurity should make all Christians take heed, that they draw from it no consequences destructive to Love or order, or any truth, or Christian duty. And this is the advice I give to all.
Quest. 5. Whether we must hold that a Papist may be saved?
THis question may be resolved easily from what is said before.
1. A Papist as a Papist, that is, by Popery, will never be saved, no more than a man's life by a Leprosy.
2. If a Papist be saved, he must be saved against, and from Popery, either by turning from the opinion, and then he is no Papist, or by preserving his heart from the power of his own opinions. And the same we may say of every error and sin. He that is saved, must be saved from it, at least from the Power of it on the heart, and from the guilt of it by forgiveness.
3. Everyone that is a true sincere Christian in Faith, Love and true Obedience shall be saved, what error soever he hold that doth consist with these.
4. As many Antinomians and other erroneous persons, do hold things which by consequence subvert Christianity; and yet not seeing the inconsistence, do hold Christianity first and faster, in heart and sincere practice, and would renounce their error if they saw the inconsistence, so is it with many Papists. And that which they hold first and fastest and practically, doth save them from the power, operations, and poison of their own opinions: As an Antidote or the strength of nature may save a man from a small quantity of poison.
5. Moreover we have cause to judge that there are millions among the Papists, corrupted with many of their lessor errors, who yet hold not their greater; that believe not that none are Christians but the Popes subjects, and that Christ's Kingdom and the Popes are of the same extent, or that he can remit men's pains in another world, or that the Bread and Wine are no Bread and Wine, or that men merit of God in point of Commutative Justice, or that we must adore or worship the Bread, or yet the Cross or Image itself, &c. Or that consent to abundance of the Clergies tyrannical usurpations and abuses: And so being not properly Papists, may be saved, if a Papist might not. And we the less know how many or few among them are really of the Clergies Religion and mind, because by terror they restrain men from manifesting their judgment, and compel them to comply in outward things.
6. But as fewer that have Leprosies, or Plagues, or that take poison scape, than of other men, so we have great cause to believe, that much fewer Papists are saved, than such as escape their errors. And therefore all that love their souls should avoid them.
7. And the trick of the Priests who persuade people that theirs is the safest Religion, because we say that a Papist may be saved, and they say that a Protestant cannot, is so palpable a cheat, that it should rather deter men from their way. For God is Love, and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God: And all men must know us to be Christ's Disciples, by loving one another; And he that saith he loveth God, and loveth not his Brother, is a liar: And charity believeth all things, credible: That Religion is likest to be of God which is most charitable, and not that which is most uncharitable, and malicious, and like to Satan.
To conclude, no man shall be saved for being no Papist, much less for being a Papist. And all that are truly holy, heavenly, humble, lovers of God, and of those that are his servants, shall be saved. But how many such are among the Papists, God only knoweth who is their Judge.
THe Questions whether the Greeks, Abbyssinians, Nestorians, Eutychians, Antinomians, Anabaptists, &c. may be saved, must be all resolved as this of the Papists, allowing for the different degrees of their corruption: And therefore I must desire the Reader to take up with this answer for all, and excuse me from unnecessary repetition.
As for such disputers as my Antagonist Mr. Johnson, who insisteth on that of Tit. 3. 10. A man that is an Heretic—is condemned of himself; when he hath proved that the word Heretic hath but one signification, I will say as he doth. Till then, if he will try who shall be damned by bare equivocal words, without the definition, let him take his course, for I will be none of his imitators.
Quest. 6. Whether those that are in the Church of Rome, are bound to separate from it? And whether it be lawful to go to their Mass or other Worship?
THese two also for brevity I join together.
I. To the first, we must distinguish of separation: 1. It is one thing to judge that evil which is evil, and separate from it in Judgment. 2. It is another thing to express this by forbearing to subscribe, swear, or otherwise approve that evil. 3. And another thing to forbear communion with them in the Mass and Image Worship, and gross or known sins. 4. And another thing to forbear all communion with them, even as to Baptism, and other lawful things. 5. And another thing to use some open detestations or protestations against them.
2. And we must distinguish much of persons, whether they be Ministers or people, free or bound, as Wives, Children, &c. And now I answer.
1. There is no question but it is a duty to judge all that evil which is evil, among the Papists or any other.
2. It is the duty of all to forbear subscribing, swearing to, or otherwise approving evil.
3. It is the duty of all Mass-Priests to renounce that part of their calling, and not to administer their Mass, or any other unlawful thing.
4. It is the duty of all private Christians to forbear communion in the Mass, because it is a kind of Idolatry, while they worship a piece of Bread as God: As also Image-Worship and all other parts of their Religion, in which they are put upon sin themselves, or that which is notorious scandal and symbolizing with them in their Bread-worship, or other corruptions of the substance of God's Ordinances.
5. It is their duty who have fit opportunity, (when it is like to do more good than harm) to protest against the Papal corruptions where they are, and to declare their detestation of them.
6. It is the duty of those that have children to be baptized, or catechized, to make use of more lawful and sound Ministers, when they may be had; rather than of a Papist Priest.
7. But in case they cannot remove or enjoy better, I think it is lawful, 1. To let such baptize their children, rather than leave them unbaptized. 2. To let their children be taught by them to read, or in Arts and Sciences, or the Catechism, and common principles of Religion, so they will mix no dangerous errors. 3. And to hear those of them preach, who preach soundly and piously (such as were Gerrhard Zu • phaniensis, Thaulerus, Ferus, and many more). 4. And to read such good Books as these now mentioned have written. 5. And to join with them in such Prayers as are • ound and pious, so they go no further.
8. And Wives, Children, and such other as are bound, and cannot lawfully remove, may stay among them, and take up with th • se helps, dealing faithfully in abstaining from the rest.
II. The second Question is answered in this. Only I add, that it is one thing to be present as Elias was, in a way of opposition to them; or as Disputants are, that open their errors; or as a wise man may go to hear or see what they do without compliance, as we read their Books: And it is another thing to join with them in their sinful worship, or scandalously to encourage them in it by seeming so to do. See Calv. Contr. Nicod. &c.
Quest. 7. Whether the true Calling of the Minister by Ordination or Election, &c. be necessary to the Essence of the Church?
BY a Church here we mean a Political Society of Christians, and not any Assembly or Community. And no doubt but Pastor and Flock are the constitutive parts of such a Church; And where either of them are notoriously wanting, it is notorious that there is no true Church. Therefore all the doubt is, whether such parts of his Call be necessary to the being of the Ministry, or not? And here we must conclude, that the word [ Ministry ] and [ Church ] are ambiguous: By a Mister or Pastor is meant either one that God so far owneth as to accept and justify his administrations as for himself, even his own good and salvation; or one whose administrations God will own, accept and bless to the people.
I. In the former sense 1. He is no true Minister that wanteth the essential qualifications of a Minister, viz. that hath not, 1. The understanding and belief of all the essential Articles of faith, without Heresy. 2. Tolerable Ability to teach these to the people, and perform the other essentials of his office. 3. Sincere Godliness, to do all this in Love and obedience to God as his Servant, in order to life eternal. 2. And he is thus no true Pastor as to God's acceptance of himself, who hath not a lawful Calling; that is, 1. Ordination, when it may be had; 2. The Consent or Reception of that Church of which he pretendeth to be Pastor, which is still necessary, and must be had, if Ordination cannot.
II. But in the second sense, he is a Pastor so far as that God will own his Administrations as to the Peoples Good, who 1. Hath possession, 2. And seemeth to them to have necessary qualifications, and a lawful call, though it prove otherwise, so be it, it be not through their willful fault, that he is culpable or they mistaken in him. If he be not a true Believer but an Infidel, or Heretic, he is no Minister as to himself, that is, God will use him as an Usurper that hath no title: But if he profess to be a believer when he is not, he is a true Pastor visibly to the people; Otherwise they could never know when they have a Pastor: Even as real faith makes a real Christian, and Professed faith maketh a visible Christian, so is it as to the Ministry. If he seem to understand the Articles of faith and do not, or if he seem to have due ordination when he hath not, if he be upon this mistake Accepted by the people, he is a true Visible Pastor as to them, that is, as to their Duty and Benefit, though not as to himself. Yea, the people's consent to his entrance is not necessary ad esse, nor to his Relation neither, so far as to justify himself, but to his Administrations and to his Relation, so far as their own Right and benefit is interested in it. So that two things are necessary to such a Visible Pastor as shall perform valid administrations to the Church, 1. Seeming necessary qualifications and Calling to it. 2. Possession, by the people's Reception or Consent to his Administrations and Relation so far as to their benefit.
And II. Thus also we must distinguish of the word [ Church ] It is, 1. Such an entire Christian society as hath a Minister or Pastor whose office is valid as to himself and them; Or it is such a society only as hath a Pastor whose office is valid to them but not to himself: Let us not confound the question de re and de nomine. These societies differ as is said. Both may fitly be called True Churches.
As it is with a Kingdom which hath a Rightful Prince, and one that hath an Usurper, so is it here, 1. If it have a Rightful King accepted, it is a Kingdom in the fullest sense: 2. If it have an Usurper accepted as King, it is a Kingdom, but faulty. 3. If the Usurper be only so far accepted as that the people consent not to his entrance, no nor his Relation so as to justify his title, but wish him cast out if they could procure it; but yet consent to receive that Protection and Justice which is their own due from the possessor, and consent to his Relation only thus far, this is a Kingdom truly, but more defective or maimed than the first. 4. But if the people do not so much as Receive him, nor submit to his Administrations, he is but a Conqueror, and not a King, and it is (in respect to him) no Kingdom, (though in respect to some other that hath title and consent without actual possession of the Administration, it may be a Kingdom.) And this is the true and plain solution of this question, which want of distinction doth obscure.
Quest. 8. Whether sincere faith and Godliness be necessary to the Being of the Ministry? And whether it be lawful to hear a wicked man, or take the Sacrament from him, or take him for a Minister.
THis question receiveth the very same solution with the last foregoing, and therefore I need not say much more to it.
I. The first part is too oft resolved mistakingly on both extremes. Some absolutely saying that Godliness or Faith is not necessary to the Being of the Ministry; And some that it is necessary. Whereas the true solution is as aforesaid; Sincere faith and Godliness is necessary to make a man a Minister so far as that God will own and justify him as sent by himself, as to his own Duty and Benefit: For he cannot be Internally, and Heartily a Christian Pastor that is no Christian, nor a Minister of God, who is not Godly, that is, • s not truly Resigned to God, obeyeth him not and Loveth him not as God. But yet the Reality of these are not necessary to make him a Visible Pastor, as to the Peoples Duty and Benefit.
2. But the Profession of true Faith and Godliness is necessary so far, as that without it the people ought not to take him for a Visible Minister, (as the profession of Christianity is to a visible Christian.)
3. And in their choice they ought to prefer him caeteris paribus, whose profession is most credible.
Obj. That which maketh a Minister is Gifts and a Calling, which are distinct from Grace and real Christianity.
Answ. Every Minister is a Christian, though every Christian be not a Minister or Pastor: Therefore he that is a Visible Pastor must Visibly or in Profession have both.
Obj. But a man may be a Christian without saving Grace or Godliness.
Answ. As much as he may be Godly without Godliness. That is, he may be Visibly a Christian and Godly, without sincere faith or Godliness, but not without the profession of both. It is not possible that the profession of Christianity in the Essentials, can be without the profession of Godliness: For it includeth it.
II. To the other question I answer, 1. A man that Professeth Infidelity or Impiety, yea that Professeth not faith and Godliness is not to be taken for a Minister or heard as such.
2. Everyone that professeth to stand to his Baptismal Covenant professeth faith and Godliness.
3. He that by a vicious life or bad application of doctrine contradicteth his profession, is to be lawfully accused of it, and heard speak for himself, and to be cast out by true Church-justice, and not by the private censure of a private person.
4. Till this be done, though a particular private member of the Church be not bound to think that the Minister is Worthy, nor that the Church which suffereth him and receiveth him doth well, yet they are bound to judge him one who by the Churches reception is in possession; and therefore a visible Pastor, and to submit to his public Administrations: Because it is not in a private man's power, but the Churches, to determine who shall be the Pastor.
5. But if the case be past Controversy and notorious, that the man is not only scandalous and weak and dull and negligent, but also either 1. Intolerably unable, 2. Or an Infidel, or gross Heretic, 3. Or certainly ungodly, a private man should admonish the Church and him, and in case that they proceed in impenitency, should remove himself to a better Church and Ministry: And the Church itself, should disown such a man, and commit their souls to one that is fitter for the trust.
6. And that Church or person who needlessly owneth such a Pastor, or preferreth him before a fitter, doth thereby harden him in his usurpation, and is guilty of the hurt of the people's souls, and of his own, and of the dishonor done to God.
Quest. 9. Whether the people are bound to Receive or Consent to an ungodly, intolerable, heretical Pastor, yea or one far less fit and worthy than a competitor, if the Magistrate command it, or the Bishop impose him?
FOr the deciding of this take these Propositions.
1. The Magistrate is authorized by God to Govern Ministers and Churches, according to the orders and Laws of Christ (and not against them:) But not to ordain or degrade, nor to make Ministers or unmake them, nor to deprive the Church of the Liberty settled on it by the Laws of Christ.
2. The Bishops or Ordainers are authorized by Christ, to judge of the fitness of the person to the office in general, and solemnly to invest him in it, but not to deprive the people of their freedom, and exercise of the natural care of their own salvation, or of any Liberty given them by Christ.
3. The people's Liberty in choosing, or consenting to their own Pastors to whom they must commit the • are of their souls, is partly founded in nature, (it being they that must have the benefit or loss, and no man being authorized to damn or hazard men's souls, at least against their wills): And partly settled by Scripture, and continued in the Church above a thousand years after Christ, at least in very many parts of it. See Blondels Full proof de jure plebis in regim. Eccles. Hildebertus Caenoman. (alias Turonensis ) even in his time showeth that though the Clergy were to lead and the people to follow, yet no man was to be made a Bishop, or put upon the people without their own consent: Epist. 12. Bibl. Pet. To. 3. p. 179. Filesacus will direct you to more such testimonies: But the thing is past Controsie. I need not cite to the learned the commonly cited testimony of Cyprian, Plebs maximam habet potestatem indignos recusandi, &c. And indeed in the nature of the thing it cannot be: For though you may drench a mad man's body by force, when you give him physic, you cannot so drench men's souls, nor cure them against their wills.
4. Not that the Peoples consent is necessary to the general office of a Gospel Minister, to Preach and Baptize; but only to the appropriation or relation of a Minister to themselves; that is, To the Being of a Pastor of a particular Church as such, but not of a Minister of Christ as such.
5. A man's soul is of so great value above all the favor of man, or treasures of this world, that no man should be indifferent, to what man's care he doth commit it; nor should he hazard it upon the danger of everlasting misery, for fear of displeasing man, or being accused of schism or disorder.
6. There is as great difference between an Able, Learned, Judicious, Orthodox, Godly, diligent, lively Teacher, and an ignorant, Heretical, ungodly, dull and slothful man, as is between a skillful and an Ignorant Pilot at Sea; or between an Able, experienced, faithful Physician, and an ignorant, rash and treacherous one, as to the saving men's lives. And he that would not take a Sot or Emperick for his Physician who were like to kill him, and refuse the counsel of an able Physician, in obedience to a Magistrate or Bishop, hath as little reason to do the like by his soul; nor should he set less by that than by his life. And, if Paul said, we have this power for Edification and not for destruction, we may say so of all Magistrates and Bishops. Sober Divines have lately shown their error who teach men that they must be ready to submit to damnation if God require it, or to suppose that his Glory and our salvation are separable ends; because damnation is a thing which nature necessitateth man not to desire or intend! And shall we ascribe more to a Magistrate than to God? and say that we must cast our souls on a likelihood of damnation to keep order, and in obedience to man? No man can be saved without knowledge and Holiness; An ignorant, dead, ungodly Minister, is far less likely to help us to Knowledge and Holiness, than an Able holy man. To say God can work by the unfittest instrument is nothing to the purpose; Till you prove that God would have us take him for his instrument, and that he useth equally to work by such as well as by the fit and worthy, or that we expect wonders from God, and that ordinarily without tempting him! Yea, when such an Usurper of the Ministry is like to damn himself, as well as the people.
And here to lenifie the minds of Ithacian Prelates towards those that seek their own Edification, in such a case as this, or that refuse unworthy Pastors of their imposing I will entreat them to censure those near them no more sharply than they do the persons in these following instances. Yea if a separatist go too far, use him no more uncharitably, than you would do these men.
1. Gildas Brit. is called Sapiens, and our eldest writer; And yet he calleth the multitude of the lewd British Clergy whom he reprehendeth in his Acris Correptio, Traitors and no Priests; and concludeth seriously, that he that calleth them Priests, is not eximius Christianus, any excellent Christian. Yet those few that were pious he excepteth and commendeth. Shall he account them no Priests, for their sinfulness, and will you force others, not only to call them Priests, but to commit their souls to such men's conduct? When Christ hath said, If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the ditch? And Paul, Take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine; for in so doing, thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee?
The second is our second (and first English) Historian Beda, and in him the famous Johannes Episc. Hagustaldensis Eccles. who as he reporteth wrought many very great miracles, as Eccles. hist. l. 5. cap. 2, 3, 4, and 5. is to be read: This man had one Herebaldus in his Clergy, after an Abbot; who himself told Beda as followeth. That this Johannes Ep. cured him miraculously of a perilous hurt, taken by disobedient Horsemanship; And when he recovered, he asked him, whether he were sure that he was Baptized? who answered, That he knew it past doubt, and named the Presbyter that Baptized him. The Bishop answered him; If thou wast baptized by that Priest, thou art not rightly baptized: For I know him, and that when he was ordained Presbyter, he was so dull of wit, that he could not learn the Ministry of Catechizing and Baptizing. Wherefore I commanded him altogether to give over the presumption of this Ministry, which he could not regularly fulfill. And having thus said he himself took care to Catechize me the same hour; And—being cured—vitali etiam unda perfusus sum, I was baptized.
I commend not this example of re-baptizing, the rather because, it seems the Priest was not deposed till after he had Baptized Herebaldus: But if he went so far as to re-baptize and account the Baptism a Nullity, which was done by an unable insufficient Presbyter, though rightly ordained, judge but as favourably of men that avoid such Presbyters in our age.
The third instance shall be that of Cyprian and all the worthy Bishops in the Councils of Carthage in his time, who re-baptized those Baptized by Heretics! And consider with all that in those times many were called Heretics whom we call but Schismatics, that drew Disciples after them into separated bodies and parties, speaking perverse things, though not contrary to the very Essentials of Religion. I justify not their opinion. But if so many holy Bishops counted the very Baptism of such a nullity, be not too severe and censorious against those that go not all so far from an insufficient or ungodly, or grossly scandalous man, for the me • preservation of their own souls.
To these I will add the saying of one the honester sort of Jesuits, Acosta; and in him of an ancienter than he: Lib. 4. c. 1. p. 354. de reb. Indic. He extolleth the words of Diony • ius Epist. 8. ad Demoph. which are [ Si igitur quae illuminate sacerdotum est sancta distinctio, proculdubio ill à sacerdotali ordine & virtute omnino prolapsus est, qui illuminans non est, multoque sane magis qui neque illuminatus est. Atque mihi quidem videtur audax nimium bujusmodi est, si sacerdotalia • unia sibi assumit; neque metuit, neque veretur ea quae sunt Divina praeter meritum persequi; put • tque ea latere Deum, quorum sibi ipse conscius sit; & se Deum fallere existimat, quem falso nomine appellate Patrem; audetque scelestas blasphemias suas (neque enim preces dixerim) sacris aris infer; easque super signa illa Divina, ad Christi similitudinem dicere. Non est iste sacerdos; non est; sed infestus, atrox, dolosus, illusor sui, & lupus in dominicam gregem ovina pelle armatus. ] His plura aut majora de evangelici ministry, & culmine & praecipitio qui expectat, cuique ad resipiscendum non ista sufficiunt, infatuatum se juxta Domini sententiam, & nullo unquam sale saliri posse demonstrate. I will not English it, lest those take encouragement by it, who are bent to the other extreme.
7. Yet it will be a great offense, if any censorious self-conceited person, shall on this pretence, set up his judgment of men's parts, to the contempt of Authority, or to the vilifying of worthy men; and especially if he thereby make a stir and Schism in the Church, instead of seeking his own edification.
8. Yea, if a Minister be weaker, yea, and colder and worse than another, yet if his Ministry be competently fitted to edification, he that cannot leave him and go to a better, without apparent hurt to the Church, and the souls of others, by division, or exasperating Rulers, or breaking family order or violating Relation duties, must take himself to be at present, denied the greater helps that others have, and may trust God in the use of those weaker means, to accept and bless him; because he is in the station where he hath set him. This case therefore must be Resolved by a prudent comparing of the Good or Hurt which is like to follow, and of the accidents or circumstances whence that must be discerned.
Quest. 10. What if the Magistrate command the people to receive one Pastor, and the Bishops or Ordainers another, which of them must be obeyed?
1. THe Magistrate and not the Bishop or people, (unless under him) hath the power and disposal of the Circumstantials or Accidents of the Church; I mean of the Temple, the Pulpit, the Tythes, &c. And he is to determine what Ministers are fit either for his own Countenance or Toleration and what not. In these therefore he is to be obeyed before the Bishops or others.
2. If a Pope or Prelate of a foreign Church, or any that hath no lawful Jurisdiction or Government over the Church that wanteth a Pastor, shall command them to receive one, their command is null, and to be contemned.
3. Neither Magistrate nor Bishop, as is said, may deny the Church or people any Liberty which God in Nature, or Christ in the Gospel hath settled on them, as to the Reception of their proper Pastors.
4. No Bishop, but only the Magistrate can compel by the Sword, the obedience of his commands.
5. If one of them command the reception of a worthy person, and the other of an intolerable one, the former must prevail, because of obedience to Christ, and care of our souls.
6. But if the persons be equal, or both fit, the Magistrate is to be obeyed, if he be peremptory in his commands, and decide the case in order to the peace or protection of the Church; both because it is a lawful thing, and because else he will permit no other.
7. And the rather because the Magistrates Power is more past controversy, than Whether any Bishop, Pastor or Synod can any further than by counsel and persuasion, oblige the People to receive a Pastor.
Quest. 11. Whether an uninterrupted Succession either of right Ordination or of Conveyance by Jurisdiction, be necessary to the Being of the Ministry, or of a true Church?
THe Papists have hitherto insisted on the necessity of successive right Ordination: But Vo • tius de desperata Causa Papatus hath in this so handled them, and confuted Jansen, as hath indeed shown the desperateness of that Cause: And they perceive that the Papacy itself cannot be upheld by that way; and therefore Johnson, alias Terret, in his Rejoinder against me now concludeth, that it is not for want of a successive Consecration that they condemn the Church of England, but for want of true Jurisdiction, because other Bishops had title to the places whilst they were put in: And that successive Consecration (which we take to include Ordination) is not necessary to the being of Ministry or Church. And it is most certain to any man acquainted in Church History, that their Popes have had a succession of neither. Their way of Election hath been frequently changed, sometimes being by the people, sometimes by the Clergy, sometimes by the Emperors, and lastly by the Cardinals alone. Ordination they have sometime wanted, and a Lay-man been chosen: And oft the Ordination hath been by such as had no power according to their own Laws. And frequent intercisions have been made, sometime by many years vacancy, when they had no Church, (and so there was none on Earth, if the Pope be the Constitutive Head) for want of a Pope; sometime by long Schisms, when of two or three Popes, no one could be known to have more right than the other, nor did they otherwise carry it, than by power at last: Sometimes by the utter incapacity of the possessors, some being Lay-men, some Heretics and Infidels, so judged by Councils at Rome, Constance, Basil; and Eugenius the fourth continued after he was so censured and condemned and deposed by the General Council. I have proved all this at large elsewhere.
And he that will not be cheated with a bare sound of words, but will ask them, whether by a succession of Jurisdiction, they mean Efficient Conveying Jurisdiction in the Causers of his Call, or Received 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 Jurisdiction in the Office received, will find that they do but hide their desperate Cause in Confusion and an insignificant noise. For they maintain that none on earth have an Efficient Jurisdiction in making Popes. For the former Pope doth not make his successor; And both Electors, Ordainers and Consecrators, yea, and the people Receiving, they hold to be subjects of the Pope when made, and therefore make him not by Jurisdiction giving him the power. Therefore Johnson tells me, that Christ only, and not man, doth give the power, and they must needs hold that men have nothing to do but design the person Recipient by Election and Reception, and to Invest him ceremonially in the possession. So that no Efficient Jurisdiction is here used at all by man. And for Received Jurisdiction, 1. No one questioneth but when that Office is received which is Essentially Governing, he that receiveth it receiveth a Governing power, or else he did not receive the Office. If the question be only, whether the Office of a Bishop, be an Office of Jurisdiction, or contain essentially a Governing power, they make no question of this themselves. So that the noise of Successive Jurisdiction is vanished into nothing. 2. And with them that deny any Jurisdiction to belong to Presbyters, this will be nothing as to their case, who have nothing but Orders to receive.
They have nothing of sense left them to say but this, That though the Efficient Jurisdiction which maketh Popes be only in Christ, because no men are their Superiors, yet Bishops and Presbyters who have Superiors, cannot receive their power but by an Efficient Power of man, which must come down by uninterrupted succession.
Answ. 1. And so if ever the Papal Office have an intercision, (as I have proved it hath had as to lawful Popes) the whole Catholic Church is nullified; and it is impossible to give it a new being, but by a new Pope.
But the best is, that by their Doctrine indeed they need not to plead for an uninterrupted succession either of Popes, Bishops or Presbyters, but that they think it a useful cheat to perplex all that are not their subjects. For if the Papacy were extinct an hundred years, Christ is still alive: And seeing it is no matter ( ad esse ) who be the Electors or Consecrators, so it be but made known conveniently to the people, and Men only Elect and Receive the person, and Christ only giveth the power (by his stated Law) what hindereth after the longest extinction or intercision, but that somebody, or some sort of persons may choose a Pope again, and so Christ make him Pope? And thus the Catholic Church may die and live again by a new Creation, many times over.
And when the Pope hath a Resurrection after the longest intercision, so may all the Bishops and Priests in the world, because a new Pope can make new Bishops, and new Bishops can make new Priests. And where then is there any show of necessity of an uninterrupted succession of any of them. All that will follow is, that the particular Churches die, till a Resurrection: And so doth the whole Church on earth every time the Pope dieth, till another be made, if he be the Constitutive Head.
2. But as they say that Christ only Efficiently giveth the Power to the Pope, so say we to the Bishops or Pastors of the Church. For there is no act of Christ's Collation to be proved, but the Scripture Law or Grant: And if that standing Law give Power to the Pope, when men have but designed the Person, the same Law will do the same to Bishops or Pastors: For it establisheth their Office in the same sort. Or rather in truth there is no word, that giveth power to any such Officer as an Universal Head or Pope, but the Law for the Pastoral Office is uncontrovertible.
And what the Spanish Bishops at Trent thought of the Divine Right of the Bishops Office, I need not mention.
I shall therefore thus truly resolve the question.
1. In all Ordinations and Elections man doth but first choose the Recipient person: 2. And Ceremoniously and Ministerially Invest him in the Possession when God hath given him the power: But the efficient Collation or Grant of the Power is done only by Christ, by the Instrumentality of his Law or Institution. As when the King by a Charter saith, Whoever the City shall choose, shall be their Mayor, and have such and such power, and be Invested in it by the Recorder or Steward: Here the person elected receiveth all his Power from the King by his Charter, (which is a standing Efficient, conveying it to the Capable Chosen person,) and not from the Choosers or Recorder; only the last is as a servant to deliver possession. So is it in this case.
2. The regular way of entrance appointed by Christ to make a person capable, is the said Election, and Ordination. And for order sake where that may be had, the unordained are not to be received as Pastors.
3. If any get Possession, by false pretended Ordination or Mission, and be Received by the Church, I have before told you that he is a Pastor as to the Churches use and benefit, though not to his own. And so the Church is not extinct by every fraudulent usurpation or mistake, and so not by want of a true Ordination or Mission.
4. If the way of regular Ordination fail, God may otherwise (by the Churches necessity and the notorious aptitude of the person ) notify his will to the Church, what person they shall receive: (As if a Lay-man were cast on the Indian shore and converted thousands, who could have no Ordination) And upon the people's Reception or Consent, that man will be a true Pastor.
And seeing the Papists in the conclusion (as Johnson ubi supra ) are fain to cast all their cause on the Churches Reception of the Pope, they cannot deny reasonably but ad esse the Churches reception may serve also for another Officer. And indeed much better than for a Pope. For 1. The Universal Church is so great, that no man can know when the Greater part Receiveth him, and when not, except in some notorious declarations. 2. And it is now known, that the far greater part of the Universal Church (the Greeks, Armenians, Abbyssinians, Copties, Protestants, &c. ) do not receive the Roman Head. 3. And when one part of Europe received one Pope, and another part another Pope for above forty years together, who could tell which of the parties was to be accounted the Church? It was not then known, nor it is not known yet to this day: And no Papist can prove it, who affirmeth it.
As a Church e. g. Constantinople may be gathered, or oriri de novo where there is none before, so may it be restored where it is extinct. And possibly a Lay-man (as Frumentius and Edesi • s in the Indies ) may be the instrument of men's conversion. And if so, they may by consent become their Pastors, when regular Ordination cannot be had.
I have said more of this in my Disputations of Church-Government Disp. 2. The truth is, this pretence of a Necessity of uninterrupted successive Ordination, Mission, or Jurisdictional Collation ad esse, to the being of Ministry or Church, is but a cheat of men that have an interest of their own which requireth such a plea, when they may easily know, that it would overthrow themselves.
Quest. 12. Whether there be, or ever was such a thing in the world, as one Catholic Church, Constituted by any Head besides or under Christ?
THe greatest and first controversy between us and the Papists, is not What man, or Politick person, is the Head of the whole Visible Church: But, Whether there be any such Head at all, eiPersonal or Collective, Monarchical, Aristocratical or Democratical under Christ, of his appointment or allowance? Or any such thing as a Catholic Church so Headed or Constituted? Which they affirm and we deny. That neither Pope nor General Council is such a Head, I have proved so fully in my Key for Catholics and other Books, that I will not here stay to make repetition of it. That the Pope is no such Head, we may take for granted, 1. Because they bring no proof of it; whatever they vainly pretend •• 2. Because our Divines have copiously disproved it, to whom I refer you. 3. Because the Universal Church never received such a Head, as I have proved against Johnson. 4. And whether it be the Pope their Bishop of Calcedon ubi sup. & Sancta Clara System. • id. say is not de fide.
That a Council is no such Head, I have largely proved as aforesaid Part 2. Key for Cath. And 1. The use of it being but for Concord proveth it. 2. Most Papists confess it. 3. Else there should be seldom any Church in the world for want of a Head (yea, never any.)
For I have proved there and to Johnson, that there never was a true General Council of the Universal Church: But only Imperial Councils of the Churches under one Emperors power, and those that having been under it, had been used to such Councils: And that it is not a thing ever to be attempted or expected, as being unlawful and morally impossible.
Quest. 13. Whether there be such a thing as a Visible Catholic Church? And what it is?
THe Ancients differently used the terms [ A Catholic Church ] and [ The Catholic Church ]—By the first they meant any particular Church which was part of the Universal; By the second they meant the Universal Church itself. And this is it that we now mean. And I answer Affirmatively, There is a Visible Universal Church, not only as a Community, or as a Kingdom distinct from the King, but as a Political Society.
2. This Church is the Universality of Baptized Visible Christians Headed by Jesus Christ himself.
There is this, and there is no other upon earth. The Papists say, that this is no Visible Church because the Head is not Visible.
I answer, 1. It is not necessary that he be seen, but visible: And is not Christ a Visible person?
2. This Church consisteth of two parts, the Triumphant part in Glory, and the Militant part: And Christ is not only Visible but seen by the triumphant part. As the King is not seen by the ten thousandth part of his Kingdoms, but by his Courtiers and those about him, and yet he is King of all.
3. Christ was seen on earth for above thirty years: and the Kingdom may be called visible in that the King was once visible on earth, and is now visible in Heaven. As if the King would show himself to his people, but one year together in all his life.
4. It ill becometh the Papists of any men, to say that Christ is not visible, who make him, see him, taste him, handle him, eat him, drink him, digest him, in every Church, in every Mass throughout the year, and throughout the world: And this not as divided, but as whole Christ.
Object. But this is not quatenus Regent.
Answ. If you see him that is Regent, and see his Laws and Gospel which are his Governing instruments, together with his Ministers who are his Officers, it is enough to denominate his Kingdom visible.
5. The Church might be fitly denominated Visible secundum quid, if Christ himself were invisible; Because the Politick Body is visible, the dispersed Officers, Assemblies and Laws are visible. But sure all these together may well serve for the denomination.
Quest. 14. What is it that maketh a Visible Member of the Universal Church? And who are to be accounted such?
1. BAptism maketh a Visible member of the Universal Church; and the Baptized, (as to entrance, unless they go out again) are to be accounted such.
2. By Baptism we mean, open devotion or dedication to God by the Baptismal Covenant, in which the adult for themselves, and Parents for their Infants, do Profess Consent to the Covenant of Grace; which includeth a Belief of all the Essential Articles of the faith, and a Resolution for sincere obedience▪ and a Consent to the Relations between God and us, viz. that he be our Reconciled Father, our Savior and our Sanctifier.
3. The Continuance of this Consent, is necessary to the continuance of our visible membership.
4. He that through ignorance, or incapacity for want of water, or a Minister, is not baptized, and yet is solemnly, or notoriously dedicated and devoted to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, in the same Covenant, though without the outward Sign, and professeth openly the same Religion, is a visible Christian, though not by a complete and regular visibility; As a Soldier not listed nor taking his Colours, or a Marriage not regularly solemnized, &c.
5. He that forsaketh his Covenant, by Apostasy, or is totally and duly excommunicated, ceaseth to be a visible member of the Church.
Quest. 15. Whether besides the Profession of Christianity, either Testimony or Evidence of Conversion, or Practical Godliness be necessary to prove a man a Member of the Universal Visible Church?
1. AS the Mediator is the way to the Father, sent to recover us to God, so Christianity includeth Godliness; And he professeth not Christianity who professeth not Godliness.
2. He that professeth the Baptismal Covenant, professeth Christianity and Godliness, and true Conversion. And therefore cannot be rejected for want of a Profession of Conversion or Godliness.
3. But he that is justly suspected not to understand his own profession, but to speak general words, without the sense, may and ought to be examined by him that is to baptize him: And therefore though the Apostles among the Jews who had been bred up among the Oracles of God, did justly presume of so much understanding, as that they baptized men the same day that they professed to believe in Christ; yet when they baptized converted Gentiles, we have reason to think, that they first received a particular account of their Converts, that they understood the three essential Articles of the Covenant: 1. Because the Creed is fitted to that use, and hath been ever used thereunto by the Churches, as by tradition from the Apostles practice. 2. Because the Church in all ages, as far as Church History leadeth us upward, hath used catechizing before baptizing; yea, and to keep men as Catechumens some time for preparation. 3. Because common experience telleth us, that multititudes can say the Creed, that understand it not.
If any yet urge the Apostles example, I will grant that it obligeth us when the case is the like: (And I will not fly to any conceit of their heart-searching, or discerning men's sincerity.) When you bring us to a people that before were the Visible Church of God, and were all their life time trained up in the knowledge of God, of sin, of duty, of the promised Messiah, according to all the Law and Prophets, and want nothing, but to know the Son and the Holy Ghost, that this Jesus is the Christ, who will reconcile us to God, and give us the sanctifying Spirit, then we will also baptize men, the same day, that they profess to believe in Jesus Christ, and in the Father as reconciled by him, and the Holy Ghost as given by him. But if we have those to deal with who know not God, or sin, or misery, or Scripture Prophecies, no nor natural verities, we know no proof that the Apostles so ha •• ily baptized such.
Of this I have largely spoken in my Treatise of Confirmation.
4. It is not Necessary to a man's Baptism and first Church-membership, that he give any testimony of an antecedent godly life: Because it is Repentance and future obedience professed that is his title; and we must not keep men from Covenanting, till we first see whether they will keep the Covenant which they are to make. For Covenanting goeth before Covenant-keeping: And it is any the most impious sinner who Repenteth, that is to be Washed and Justified as soon as he becometh a Believer.
5. Yet if any that Professeth Faith and Repentance, should commit Whoredom, Drunkenness, Murder, Blasphemy, or any mortal sin, before he is baptized, we have reason to make a stop of that man's baptism, because he contradicteth his own profession, and giveth us cause to take it for hypocritical, till he give us better evidence that he is penitent indeed.
6. Heart-Covenanting maketh an invisible Church-member, and Verbal Covenanting and Baptism make a Visible Church-member. And he that maketh a Profession of Christianity, so far as to declare that he believeth all the Articles of the Creed particularly and understandingly (with some tolerable understanding though not distinct enough and full) and that he openly devoteth himself to God the Father, Son, and Spirit, in the Vow and Covenant of Baptism, doth produce a sufficient title, to the Relation of a Christian and Church-member; and no Minister may reject him, for want of telling, when, and by what arguments, means, order, or degrees he was converted.
7. They that forsake these terms of Church entrance, left us by Christ and his Apostles, and used by all the Churches in the world, and reject those that show the Title of such a Profession, for want of something more, and set up other stricter terms of their own, as necessary to discover men's conversion and sincerity, are guilty of Church tyranny against men, and usurpation against Christ: And of making Engines to divide the Churches; seeing there will never be agreement on any human devised terms, but some will be of one size, and some of another, when they forsake the terms of Christ.
8. Yet if the Pastor shall see cause upon suspicion of hypocrisy, ad melius esse, to put divers questions to one man more than to another, and to desire further satisfaction, the Catechumens ought in conscience to answer him, and endeavor his satisfaction. For a Minister is not tied up to speak only such or such words to the penitent: And he that should say, I will answer you no further than to repeat the Creed, doth give a man reason to suppose him either Ignorant, or Proud, and to suspend the reception of him, though not to deny it. But still ad esse no terms must be imposed as necessary on the Church, but what the Holy Ghost by the Apostles hath established.
Quest. 16. What is necessary to a man's reception into Membership in a particular Church, over and above this foresaid title? Whether any other Trials, or Covenant, or what?
1. A Particular Church is a regular Part of the Universal, as a City of a Kingdom, or a Troop of an Army.
2. Every man that is a member of the particular Church, is a member of the Universal; but everyone that is a member of the Universal Church, is not a member of a particular.
3. Every particular Church hath its own particular Pastor (one or more), and its own particular place or bounds of habitation or residence: Therefore he that will be a member of a particular Church, 1. Must cohabite, or live in a proximity capable of Communion. 2. And must Consent to be a member of that particular Church, and to be under the Guidance of its particular Pastors in their Office work. For he cannot be made a member without his own Consent and Will; nor can he be a member, that subjecteth not himself to the Governor or Guide.
4. He therefore that will intrude into their Communion and privileges without expressing his consent before hand to be a member, and to submit to the Pastoral oversight, is to be taken for an invader.
5. But no other personal qualification is to be exacted of him as necessary, but that he be a member of the Church Universal. As he is not to be baptized again, so neither to give again all that account of his Faith and Repentance particularly which he gave at Baptism: Much less any higher proofs of his sincerity: But if he continue in the Covenant and Church-state which he was Baptized into, he is capable thereby of reception into any particular Church upon particular Consent. Nor is there any Scripture proof of any new examinations about their Conversion or sincerity, at their removals or entrance into a particular Church.
6. But yet because he is not now looked on only as a Covenant-maker, as he was at Baptism, but also as a Covenant-keeper or performer, therefore if any can prove that he is false to his Baptismal Covenant, by Apostasy, Heresy, or a wicked life, he is to be refused till he be Absolved upon his renewed repentance.
7. He that oft professeth to Repent, and by oft revolting into mortal sin, (that is, sin which showeth a state of death) doth show that he was not sincere, must afterward show his Repentance by actual amendment, before he can say, it is his due to be believed.
8. Whether you will call this Consent to particular Church Relation and • ury by the name of a Conant or not, is but lis de nomine: It is no more than mutual Consent that is necessary to be expressed: And mutual Consent expressed may be called a Covenant.
9. Ad melius esse, the more express the Consent or Covenant is, the better: For in so great matters men should know what they do, and deal above board: Especially when experience telleth us, that ignorance and Imagery is ready to eat out the heart of Religion in almost all the Churches in the world. But yet ad esse Churches must see that they feign or make no more Covenants necessary than God hath made▪ because human unnecessary inventions have so long distracted and laid waste the Churches of Christ.
10. The Pastors Consent must concur with the persons to be received: For it must be mutual Consent: And as none can be a member, so none may be a Pastor against his will. And though he be under Christ's Laws what persons to receive, and is not arbitrary, to do what he list, yet he is the Guide of the Church, and the discerner of his own duty. And a Pastor may have reasons to refuse to take a man into his particular Charge, without rejecting him as unworthy. Perhaps he may already have more in number than he can well take care of. And other such Reasons may fall out.
11. In those Countries where the Magistrates Laws and common consent, do take every qualified person for a member of that Church where his habitation is, (called a Parish,) and to which he ordinarily resorteth, the Pastor that undertaketh that charge, doth thereby seem to consent to be Pastor to all such persons in that Parish. And there Cohabitation and ordinary conjunction with the Church, may go for a signification of consent, and instead of more particular Contract or Covenant, by virtue of the exposition of the said Laws and Customs. Yet so, that a man is not therefore to be taken for a member of the Church, merely because he liveth in the Parish; For so Atheists, Infidels, Heretics and Papists may do: But because he is, 1. A Parishioner, 2. Qualified, 3. Joyning with the Church, and actually submitting to the Ministry.
12. Where there is this much only, it is a sinful slander to say that such a Parish is no true Church of Christ; however there may be many desirable orders wanting to its better being. Who hath the power of trying and receiving we shall show anon.
Quest. 17. Wherein doth the Ministerial Office essentially consist?
THe Office of the Sacred Ministry is a mixed Relation (not a simple) 1. As the Minister is related to Christ he is His Servant or Minister by Office, that is, one Commissioned by him for that sacred work, where there is, 1. The Commission itself, (which is not Particular, but General, in a General Law, applicable to each singular person when qualified,) 2. The determination of the individual person who is to receive it: which consisteth in the Call, which I have opened before, and therefore repeat not. Only note again, that by virtue of the General Commission or Institution of the Office in specie, the power is conveyed from Christ to the Individual person, and that the Church (Electors or Ordainers) are not the Donors, Authorizers or Obligers, but only instruments of designing an apt recipient, and delivering him possession. 2. That by virtue of this Institution, Charter, or Law-Commission, it is that the acts of a man seemingly or visibly called, are valid to the Church, though really he were not ordained, or truly called, but deceived them by hypocritical intrusion.
2. The Causation or Efficiency of Christ in the making any one a Minister, is 1. Dispositive, making him a qualified fit recipient; 2. Then Applying the General Commission to him, or giving him the Function itself.
1. The Dispositive acts of Christ are, 1. Giving him competent Knowledge for a Minister: 2. Giving him competent Goodness, that is, Love to God, Truth and Souls, and willingness for the work. 3. Giveing him competent Power or Abilities for Execution, which is principally in Vtterance; and so qualifying his Intellect, Will and Executive Power.
2. The Immediate Conveyance or act of Collation, is 1. An Obligation laid on the person to do the work. 2. Authority given him to warrant him, and to oblige others: That is, a Ius docendi, gubernandi, &c.
3. The form of the Relation is denominated, 1. From the Reception of these Efficiencies in general▪ 2. From the subordination which hereby they are placed in to Christ, as their Relation is denominated a Termino.
1. Formally the Office consisteth in 1. An Obligation to do the work of the Office. 2. Authority to do it, and to oblige others to submit to it.
2. These make up an Office which being denominated also from the Terminus, is considered, 1. As to the nearest term, which is the work to be done. 2. The remote, which is the object of that work.
The work is 1. Teaching: 2. Ruling: 3. Worshipping. And so it is essentially [ An Obligation and Power, of Ministerial Teaching, Ruling and Worshipping God. ]
2. As to the object it is, 1. The world to be Converted. 2. The Converted to be Baptized and Congregated or ordered into particular Societies, (so far as may be). 3. The Baptized and Congregate, to be 1. Taught, 2. Ruled, 3. Guided in Worship.
From all which resulteth an Office, which is Ministerially subordinate to Christ, as 1. The Prophet or Teacher 2. The Ruler, 3. The High Priest and Lover of his Church; And it may be aptly called both, a Teaching Ministry, a Ruling Ministry (not by the Sword, but by the Word) and a Priesthood or Priestly Ministry.
II. As the Pastor is related to the Church, he is 1. A Constitutive part of particular Political Churches: 2. He is Christ's Minister for the Church and for Christ; that is, to Teach, Rule and Worship with the Church. He is Above the Church, and Greater than it, as to Order and Power, and not the Minister of the Church as the Efficient of the Ministry: But he is less and worse than the Church Finally and Materially; and is finally the Churches Minister, as the Physician is the Patients Physician; not made a Physician by him, but chosen and used as his Physician for his cure: So that to speak properly, he is not from them, but for them. He is Christ's Minister for their good; As the Shepherd is his Masters Servant, for his Flock, and so finally only the servant of the Sheep.
The whole uncontrovertible work of the Office is laid down in my small Book called Universal Concord, to which I must refer you.
Quest. 18. Whether the Peoples Choice or Consent is necessary to the Office of a Minister in his first work, as he is to Convert Infidels, and Baptize them? And whether this be a work of Office? And what Call is necessary to it?
I Conjoyn these three distinct Questions for expedition.
I. That it is part of the Ministers Office-work to Teach, Convert and Baptize men, to bring them out of the world into the Church, is undeniable, 1. In Christ's express Commission, Mat. 28. 19, 20. Go disciple me all Nations, baptizing them —2. In the execution of this Commission.
2. That this was not peculiar to the Apostles or their age is proved, 1. Because not an extraordinary work, like Miracles, &c. but the first great business of the Gospel and Ministry in the world. 2. Because others as well as the Apostles did it in that age, and ever since. 3. Because the promise is annexed to the Office thus described [ I am with you always to the end of the world ]: Or if you translate it [ Age ] it is the Age of the Church of the Messiah incarnate, which is all one. 4. Because it was a small part of the world comparatively that heard the Gospel in the Apostles days: And the far greatest part of the world is without it at this day, when yet God our Savior would have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5. Even where the Gospel hath long continued, for the most part there are many still that are in infidelity. And so great a work is not left without an appointed suitable means for its performance: And if an Office was necessary for it in the first age, it is not credible that it is left to private men's charity ever since. 6. Especially considedering that private men are to be supposed insufficient, 1. Because they are not educated purposely for it, but usually for something else: 2. Because that they have other Callings to take them up. 3. Because they have no special obligation. And that which is no man's peculiar work, is usually left undone by all.
II. The people's Call or Consent is not necessary to a Ministers reception of his Office in General, nor for this part of his work in special: But only to his Pastoral Relation to themselves.
1. It is so in other functions that are exercised by skill. The Patients or People make not a man a Physician, or a Lawyer, but only choose what Physician shall be their Physician, and what Lawyer shall be their Counselor.
2. If the people's Call or Consent be necessary, it is either the Infidels or the Churches. Not the Infidels to whom he is to preach: for 1. He is Authorized to preach to them (as the Apostles were) before he goeth to them. 2. Their Consent is but a Natural-consequent-requisite for the Reception and success of their Teaching, but not to the Authority which is pre-requisite. 3. Infidels cannot do so much towards the making of a Minister of Christ. 4. Else Christ would have few such Ministers. 5. If it be Infidels, either all or some? If some, why those rather than others? Or is a man made a Minister by every Infidel auditory that heareth him?
2. Nor is it Christian people that must do this much to the making of a General Minister; For, 1. They have no such Power given for it, in Nature or the Word of God. 2. They are generally unqualified and unable for such a work: 3. They are nowhere obliged to it, nor can fitly leave their Callings for it; Much less to get the abilities necessary to judge: 4. Which of the people have this power? Is it any of them, or any Church of private men? Or someone more than the rest? Neither one nor all can lay any claim to it. There is some reason why this Congregation rather than another should choose their own Pastors: But there is no Reason (nor Scripture) that this Congregation choose a Minister to convert the World.
III. I conclude therefore that the Call of a Minister in General doth consist, 1. Dispositively in the due Qualifications and • nablement of the person: 2. And the Necessity of the people, with opportunity, is a providential part of the Call. 3. And the ordainers are the Orderly Electors and determine • s of the person that shall receive the power from Christ.
1. For this is part of the power of the Keys or Church-Government; 2. And Paul giveth this direction for exercising of this power to Timothy, which showeth the ordinary way of Calling, 2 Tim. 2. 2. And the things which thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Act. 13. 1, 2, 3. There were in the Church at Antioch certain Prophets,——As they ministered to the Lord, the Holy Ghost said, separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them; And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. And they being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed. In this (whether it be to be called an Ordination, or rather a Mission ) there is somewhat Ordinary (that it be by men in office) and somewhat extraordinary (that it be by a special inspiration of the Holy Ghost.)
And Timothy received his Gifts and Office by the Imposition of the hands of Paul and of the Presbytery. 1 Tim. 4. 14. 2 Tim. 1. 6. 1 Tim. 5. 22. Lay hands suddenly on no man.
These instances make the case the clearer, 1. Because it is certain that all that Governing power which is given by Christ to the Church under the name of the Keys, is given to the Pastors: 2. Because there are no other competitors, to lay a reasonable claim to it.
Quest. 19. Wherein consisteth the Power and Nature of Ordination? And to whom doth it belong? And is it an Act of Jurisdiction? And is Imposition of hands necessary in it?
I. THis is resolved on the by before. 1. Ordination performeth two things; 1. The designation, election or determination of the person who shall receive the Office: 2. The Ministerial Investiture of him in that office: which is a Ceremonial delivery of Possession; As a servant doth deliver possession of a house by delivering him the Key, who hath before received the power or Right from the Owner.
2. The office delivered by this Election and Investiture, is the sacred Ministerial office in General to be after exercised according to particular Calls and opportunities; As Christ called the Apostles, and the Spirit called the ordinary general Teachers of those times; such as Barnabas, Silas, Silvanus, Timothy, Epaphroditus, Apollo, &c. And as is before cited, 2 Tim. 2. 2. As a man is made in General a Licensed Physician, Lawyer, &c.
3. This Ordination is Ordinis gratiâ, necessary to order: and therefore so far necessary as Order is necessary: which is Ordinarily, when the greater interest of the substantial duty, or of the Thing Ordered is not against it. As Christ determined the case of Sabbath keeping, and not eating the Shewbread. As the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath, and the end is to be preferred before the separable means: so ordination was instituted for order, and order for the thing ordered and for the work of the Gospel, and the good of souls, and not the Gospel and men's souls for that Order: Therefore when, 1. The death, 2. Distance, 3. Or malignity of the Ordainers depriveth a man of Ordination, these three substitutes may notify to him the Will of God, that he is by him a person called to that office: 1. Fitness for the works, in Understanding, Willingness and Ability; 2. The Necessity of souls, 3. Opportunity.
II. The power of ordaining belongeth not, 1. To Magistrates, 2. Or to private men, either single or as the body of a Church; but 3. To the Senior Pastors of the Church (whether Bishops or Presbyters of a distinct order, the Reader must not expect that I here determine):
For, 1. The Power is by Christ given to them, as is before proved; and in Tit. 1. 5.
2. None else are ordinarily able to discern aright the Abilities of a man for the sacred Ministry. The people may discern a profitable moving Preacher, but whether he understand the Scripture, or the substance of Religion, or be • ound in the faith and not Heretical, and delude them not with a form of well uttered words, they are not ordinarily able to judge.
3. None else are fit to attend this work, but Pastors who are separated to the sacred office. It requireth more time to get fitness for it, and then to perform it faithfully, than either Magistrates or people can ordinarily bestow.
4. The power is nowhere given by Christ to Magistrates or people.
5. It hath been exercised by Pastors or Church-officers only both in, and ever since the Apostles days, in all the Chu • ches of the World. And we have no reason to think that the Church hath been gathered from the begin •••• till now, by so great an error, as a wrong conveyance of the Ministerial power.
III. The word Jurisdiction as applied to the Church officers, is no Scripture Word, and in the common sense soundeth too bigg, as signifying more power than the servants of all must claim; For there is One Lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy. But in a moderate sense it may be tolerated As Jurisdiction signifieth in particular, 1. Legislation, 2. Or Judicial Process or Sentence, 3. Or the Execution of such a sentence, strictly taken, so Ordination is no part of Jurisdiction. But as Jurisdiction signifieth the same with the power of Government, Ius Regendi in general, so Ordination is an Act of Jurisdiction: As the placing or choosing of Inferior officers may belong to the Steward of a Family or as the Calling or authorizing of Physicians belongeth to the College of Physicians, and the authorizing of Lawyers to the Judges or Society, or the authorizing of Doctors in Philosophy, to the Society of Philosophers or to particular rulers. Where note that in the three last instances, the Learning or Fitness of the said Persons or Societies, is but their Dispositio vel aptitudo ad potestatem exercendam; but the actual Power of conveying authority to others, or designing the Recipient person, is received from the supreme power of the Land, and so is properly an Act of Authority, here called Jurisdiction.
So that the common distinguishing of Ordination from Jurisdiction or Government, as if they were totâ specie different, is unsound.
IV. Imposition of hands was a sign (like the Kiss of peace, and the anointing of persons, and like our kneeling in Prayer, &c. ) which having first somewhat in their nature, to invite men to the use, was become a common significant sign, of a superiors benediction of an inferior, in those times and Countries. And so was here applied ordinarily for its antecedent significancy and aptitude to this use; and was not purposely Instituted, nor had its significancy newly given it by Institution; And so was not like a Sacrament necessarily and perpetually affixed to Ordination.
Therefore we must conclude, 1. That Imposition of hands in Ordination is a decent, apt, significant sign, not to be scrupled by any, nor to be omitted without necessity, as being of Scripture, ancient, and common use.
2. But yet that it is not essential to Ordination; which may be valid by any fit designation and separation of the person. And therefore if it be omitted, it nullifieth not the action. And if the Ordainers did it by Letters to a man a thousand miles off, it would be valid: And some persons of old were ordained when they were absent.
V. I add as to the need of Ordination, 1. That without this Key, the office and Church doors would be cast open, and every Heretic or Self-conceited person intrude.
2. It is a sign of a proud unworthy person, that will judge himself fit for so great a work, and intrude upon such a conceit, when he may have the Judgment of the Pastors, and avoideth it.
3. Those that so do, should no more be taken for Ministers by the people, than any should go for Christians that are not Baptized, or for married persons whose marriage is not solemnized.
Quest. 20. Is Ordination necessary to make a man a Pastor of a particular Church as such? And is he to be made a General Minister and a particular-Church-Elder or Pastor at once, and by one Ordination?
I Have proved that a man may be made a Minister in general, yea and sent to exercise it in Converting Infidels, and baptizing them, before ever he is the Pastor of any particular Church. To which I add, that in this General Ministry, he is a Pastor in the universal Church, as a Licensed Physician that hath no Hospital or Charge, is a Physician in the Kingdom.
And, 1. As Baptism is as such our Enterance into the universal Church, and not into a particular; so is Ordination to a Minister an entrance only on the Ministry as such.
2. Yet a man may at once be made a Minister in general, and the Pastor of this or that Church in particular: And in Kingdoms wholly enchurched and Christian, it is usually fittest so to do; Lest many being ordained sine titulo, idleness and poverty of supernumeraries, should corrupt and dishonor the Ministry: Which was the cause of the old Canons in this case.
3. But when a man is thus called to both at once, it is not all done by Ordination as such; but his complicate Relation, proceedeth from a complication of Causes. As he is a Minister, it is by Ordination. And as he is The Pastor of this People, it is by the conjunct causes of appropriation; which are, 1. Necessarily the Peoples Consent; 2. Regularly, the Pastors approbation and recommendation, and reception of the person into their Communion. 3. And sometimes the Magistrate may do much •• oblige the people to consent.
4. But when a man is made a Minister in general before, he needeth no 〈◊〉 Ordination to fix him in a particular charge; but only an Approbation, recommendation, particular Investiture, and Reception. For else a man must be oft ordained, even as oft as he removeth. But yet Imposition of hands may fitly be used in this particular Investiture, though it be no proper ordination, that is, no collation of the office of a Minister in general, but the fixing of one that was a Minister before.
Quest. 21. May a man be oft or twice Ordained?
IT is supposed, that we play not with an ambiguous word, that we remember what Ordination is. And then you will see Cause to distinguish, 1. Between entire true Ordination, and the external act or words or ceremony only. 2. Between one that was truly ordained before, and one that was not. And so I answer.
1. He that seemed Ordained, and indeed was not, is not Re-ordained when he is after Ordained.
2. It is needful therefore to know the Essentials of Ordination, from the Integrals and Accidentals.
3. He that was truly Ordained before may in some cases receive again the Repetition of the bare words and outward Ceremonies of Ordination (as Imposition of hands). Where I will, 1. Tell you in what Cases. 2. Why.
1. In case there wanted sufficient witnesses of his Ordination; and so the Church hath not sufficient means of notice or satisfaction, that ever he was ordained indeed: Or if the witnesses die before the notification. Whether the Church should take his word or not, in such a case, is none of my question, but Whether he should submit to the Repetition if they will not.
2. Especially in a time and place (which I have known) when written and sealed Orders are often counterfeited, and so the Church called to extraordinary care.
3. Or if the Church or Magistrate be guilty of some causeless culpable incredulity, and will not believe it was done till they see it done again.
4. Or in case that some real or supposed Integral (though not essential) part was omitted, or is by the Church or Magistrate supposed to be omitted; And they will not permit or receive the Minister to exercise his office, unless he repeat the whole Action again, and make up that defect.
5. Or if the person himself do think that his ordination was insufficient, and cannot exercise his Ministry to the satisfaction of his own Conscience, till the defect be repaired.
1. In these cases (and perhaps such others) the outward Action may be repeated.
2. The Reasons are, 1. Because this is not a being twice ordained. For the word Ordination, signifieth a Moral action, and not a Physical only: As the word Marriage doth, &c. And it essentially includeth the new Dedication and Designation to the Sacred office; by a kind of Covenant between the Dedicated person and Christ to whom he is consecrated and devoted. And the external words are but a part, and a part only as significant of the action of the mind. Now the oft expressing of the same mental dedication doth not make it to be as many distinct dedications. For, 1. If the Liturgy or the persons words were tautological, or at the Ordination should say the same thing often over and over, or for confirmation should say often, that which else might be said but once, this doth not make it an often or multiplied Ordination: It was but one Love which Peter expressed, when Christ made him say thrice, that he Loved him▪ nor was it a threefold Ordination which Christ used, when he said thrice to him, Feed my Lambs and Sheep.
2. And if thrice saying it that hour make it not three Ordinations, neither will thrice saying it, at more hours days or months (or years) distance, in some Cases. For the Time maketh not the Ordinations to be many. It is but one Moral Action. But the common error ariseth from the custom of calling the outward action alone by the name of the whole moral Action (which is ordinarily done to the like deceit in the case of the Baptismal Covenant, and the Lord's Supper.)
3. The common judgment and custom of the World confirmeth what I say. If persons that are married▪ should for want of witness or due solemnity be forced to say and do the outward action all over again; it is by no wise man taken in the proper moral full sense, for a second Marriage: but for one marriage twice uttered.
And if you should in witness bearing be put to your Oath, and the Magistrate that was absent should say, [Reach him the Book again, I did not hear him swear], The doing it twice is not Morally two witnessings no • Oaths, but one only twice Physically uttered.
If you Bind your Son Apprentice, or if you make any Indentures or Contract, and the Writings being lost or faulty, you write and sign, and seal them all again, this is not morally another Contract, but the same done better, or again recorded. And so it is plainly in this case.
4. But Re-ordination morally and properly so called, is unlawful: For, 1. It is (or implieth) a lie • ▪ viz. that we were not truly Dedicated and Separated to this office before.
2. It is a Sacrilegious renunciation of our former dedication to God: whereas the Ministerial dedication and Covenant is for Life, and not for a trial; which is the meaning of the Indelible Character, which is a perpetual Relation and obligation.
3. It is a taking the Name of God in vain; thus to do and undo and do again: and to promise and renounce and promise again, and to pretend to receive a power which we had before.
4. It tendeth to great confusions in the Church; As to make the people doubt of their Baptism, or all the Ministerial Administrations of such as are re-ordained, while they acted by the first Ordination.
5. It hath ever been condemned in the Churches of Christ, as the Canons called the Apostles, and the Churches constant practice, testify.
5. Though the bare Repetition of the outward Action and words be not Re-ordination, yet he that on any of the forementioned occasions is put to repeat the said words and actions, is obliged so to do it, as that it may not seem to be a Re-ordination, and so be a scandal to the Church. Or if it outwardly seem so by the action, he is bound to declare that it is no such thing, for the counterpoising that appearance of evil.
6. When the Ordainers or the common estimation of the Church, do take the Repetition of the words and Action for a Re-ordination, though the Receiver so intend it not, yet it may become unlawful to him by this accident, because he scandalizeth and hardeneth the erroneous, by doing or receiving that which is Interpretative Re-ordination.
7. Especially when the Ordainers shall require this Repetition on notoriously wicked grounds, and so put that sense on the action by their own doctrines and demands: As for instance.
1. If Heretics should (as the Arians,) say that we are no Ministers, because we are not of their Heresy, or Ordained by such as they.
2. If the Pope or any proud Papal Usurpers shall say, You are no Ministers of Christ, except we ordain you; And so do it to establish a traiterous usurped Regiment in the Church; It is not lawful to serve such an usurpation. As if Cardinals or Arch-bishops should say, none are true Ministers but those that we Ordain: Or Councils or Synods of Bishops or Presbyters should say, None are true Ministers but those that we Ordain. Or if one Presbyter or one Bishop without Authority would thus make himself master of the rest, or of other Churches, and say, You are no Ministers unless I Ordain you; we may not promote such Tyranny and Usurpation.
3. If Magistrates would usurp the power of the Keys, in Ecclesiastical Ordination, and say that none but they have power to Ordain, we may not encourage such pretences by repetition of the words and Action.
4. If they would make something necessary to Ordination which is not, as if it were a false Oath, or false subscription or profession, or some unlawful Ceremony (as if it were Anointing, wearing Horns, or any the like) and say, You are no Ministers without these, and therefore you must be Reordained to receive them.
5. Yea if they declare our former Ministry causelessly to be Null, and say, You are no Ministers till you are Ordained again, and so publicly put this sense upon our Action, that we take it as Re-ordination; All these Accidents make the Repetition of the words and actions to be unlawful, unless when Greater Accidents notoriously preponderate.
Quest. But if such Church Tyrants should have so great power, as that without their Repetition of Ordination on those terms, the Ministry might not be exercised, is it lawful so to take it in a case of such necessity?
Answ. 1. Every seeming necessity to you, is not a necessity to the Church: 2. Either you may publicly declare a contrary sense in your Receiving their new orders or not.
1. If you may not as publicly declare that you renounce not your former Ministry and Dedication to God in that office, as the Ordainers declare their sense of the Nullity of it, so that your open declaration may free you from the guilt of seeming consent, I conceive it is a sinful compliance with their sin. 2. Yea if you may so declare it, yet if there be no necessity of your Ministerial liberty in that place, I think you may not take it on such terms. As, 1. If there be worthy men enough to supply the Churches wants there without you. 2. And if you may serve God successfully in a persecuted state, though to the suffering of your flesh; 3. Or if your imprisonment for Preaching be like to be as serviceable to the Church and Gospel as your continued Preaching on those scandalous terms. 4. Or if you may remove and Preach in another Country.
9. When any such case doth fall out, in which the Repetition of the outward Action and Words is lawful, It is not lawful to mix any false or scandalous expressions: As if we were required to say falsely, I accept this Ordination as confessing myself no Minister of Christ till now: or any such like.
10. In a word, A peaceable Christian may do much as to the mere outward Action and Submission, for obedience, peace, order, or satisfaction to his own or other men's Consciences. But, 1. He may do nothing for good ends which is false and injurious to the Church. 2. And he may not do that which otherwise were lawful, when it is for evil ends, or tendeth to more hurt than good; As to promote Heresy, or Church-Tyranny and Usurpation; whether in Pope, Prelates, Presbyters or People.
Quest. 22. How many Ordainers are necessary to the validity of Ordination by God's institution? Whether one or more?
MY Question is not of the ancient Canons, or any human Laws, or customs: For those are easily known. But of Divine Right: Now either God hath determined the case as to the number of Ordainers necessary, or not: If not, either he hath given the Church some General rule to determine it by, or not. If not, then the number is not any part of the Divine Order or Law, And then, if we suppose that he hath determined the case as to the Ordaining office and not to the Number, then it will follow that one may serve. The truth I think may be thus explained.
1. There is Ordo officialis primarius, and ordo ordinis, vel exercitii, vel secundarius; An Order of Office primary, and an Order of Exercise secondary, in the Church. As to the first, the Order of office, God hath determined, that the Ordaining officers, and no others, shall ordain officers, or give Orders. And having not determined whether one or more, it followeth that the ordination of one sole lawful ordainer is no nullity on that account because it is but one, unless somewhat else nullify it.
2. God hath given General Rules to the ordainers for the due exercise of their office, though he have not determined of any set number. Such as are these: That all things be done in Judgment, Truth, Love, Concord, to the Churches Edification, Unity and peace, &c.
3. According to these General Laws, sometimes the ordination of one sole ordainer, may not only be valid but regular: As when there are no other to concur, or none whose concurrence is needful to any of the aforesaid Ends. And sometimes the concurrence of Many is needful, 1. To the Receivers satisfaction: 2. To the Churches or people's satisfaction. 3. To the Concord of Pastors, and of Neighbor Churches, &c. And in such cases such Consem or Concourse is the Regular way.
4. Where there are many Neighbor Pastors and Churches so near, as that he that is ordained in one of them, is like oft to pass and Preach and officiate obiter in others, and so other Churches must have some communion with him, it is meetest that there be a concurrence in the Ordination.
5. The ordainer is certainly a superior to the person that cometh to be ordained while he is a private man; And therefore so far his ordination is (as is said) an Act of Jurisdiction in the large sense, that is, of Government: But whether he be necessarily his superior after he is ordained, hath too long been a Controversy. It is certain that the Papists confess, that the Pope is ordained such by no superior: And it is not necessary that a Bishop be ordained by one or more of any superior order (or Jurisdiction either.) And though the Italian Papists hold that a superior Papal Jurisdiction must needs be the secondary fountain of the ordaining power, though the ordainer himself be but of the same Order; yet Protestants hold no such thing. And all acknowledge that as Imposition of hands on a Lay man to make him a Minister of Christ or an officer, is a kind of official Generation*, so the Ordained is as a Junior in Office, is as it were a Son to the Ordainer as the Convert is said to be peculiarly to his Converter: And that a proportionable honor is still to be given him. But whether he that ordaineth a Presbyter and not he that ordaineth or Consecrateth a Bishop, must needs be of a superior order or office is a question which the Reader must not expect me here to meddle with.
Quest. 23. What if one Bishop ordain a Minister, and three or many or all the rest protest against it, and declare him no Minister, or degrade him? Is he to be received as a true Minister or not?
SUpposing that the person want no necessary personal Qualification for the office, There are two things more in question; 1. His Office whether he be a Minister. 2. His Regularity, whether he came Regularly to it; and also his Comparative relation, whether this man or another is to be preferred. I answer therefore.
1. If the person be utterly uncapable, the one Bishop or the many whosoever taketh him for uncapable, is for the Truth sake to be believed and obeyed.
2. If the man be excellently qualified, and his Ministry greatly Necessary to the Church, whoever would deprive the Church of him be it the One or the Many, is to be disobeyed, and the ordainers preferred.
Obj. But who shall judge?
Answ. The Esse is before the Scire: The thing is first True or false before I judge it to be so: And therefore whoever judgeth falsely in a case so notorious and weighty, as that the welfare of the Church and souls is ( consideratis considerandis ) injured and hazarded by his error; is not be believed nor obeyed on pretence of order. Because all Christians have judicium discretionis, a discerning judgment.
3. But if the case be not thus to be determined by the persons notorious qualifications, then either it is, 1. The man ordained, 2. Or the People that the case is debated by, whether they should take him for a Minister; 3. Or the neighbor Ministers.
1. The person himself is caeteris paribus more to regard the judgment of many concordant Bishops, than of one singular Bishop; And therefore is not to take orders from a singular Bishop, when the Generality of the wise and faithful are against it; unless he be sure that it is some notorious faction or error that perverteth them, and that there be notorious necessity of his labor.
2. The Auditors are either Infidels to be converted, (and these will take no man upon any of their Authorities), or else Christians converted. These are either of the particular charge of the singular Bishop who ordaineth, or not: If they be, then pro tempore for orders sake, they owe him a peculiar obedience, till some further process or discovery disoblige them, (Though the most be on the other side). But yet they may be still bound in Reason most to suspect the Judgment of their singular Bishop, while for orders sake they submit to it. But if they are not of his flock, then, I suppose the Judgment and Act of many is to prevail so much against the Act of a single and singular person, as that both neighbor Ministers and people are to disown such an ordained person as unfit for their Communion under the notion of a Minister, (Because Communion of Churches is maintained by the Concord of Pastors ). But whether the ordained man's Ministry, be by their contradictory declaration or degradation, made an absolute nullity, to himself and those that submit to him, neither I will determine, nor should any other Strangers to the particular case: For if he be rejected or degraded without such cause and proof as may satisfy other sober persons, he hath wrong; But if he be so degraded, on proved sufficient cause, to them that it is known to, it giveth the degraders the advantage.
And as 1. All particular members are to be obedient to their proper Pastor.
2. And all particular Churches are to hold correspondency and communion according to their capacity; so must men act in this and such like cases respectively according to the Laws of Obedience to their Pastor, and of Concord of the Churches.
Quest. 24. Hath one Bishop power by Divine right to Ordain, Degrade, or Govern, or Excommunicate, or Absolve in another's Diocese or Church, either by his consent, or against it? And doth a Minister that officiateth in another's Church, act as a Pastor, and their Pastor, or as a private man? And doth the Ministerial office cease when a man removeth from his flock.
I Thrust these questions all together for their affinity, and for brevity.
1. Every true Minister of Christ, Bishop or Pastor is related to the universal Church by stronger obligations than to his particular charge; As the whole is better than the parts, and its welfare to be preferred.
2. He that is no Pastor of a particular Church, may be a Pastor in the universal, obliged as a consecrated person to endeavor its good, by the works of his office, as he hath particular opportunity and call.
3. Yet he that hath a particular charge is specially and neerlyer related and obliged to that charge or Church, than to any other part of the universal (though not then to the whole: ) And consequently hath a peculiar Authority, where he hath a peculiar obligation and work.
4. He that is (without degrading ) removed from a particular Church doth not cease to be a General Minister and Pastor related to the Universal Church; As a Physician put out of a Hospital charge, is a Physician still. And therefore he needeth no new ordination, but only a special Designation, to his next particular charge.
5. No man is the Bishop of a Diocese as to the measure of ground, or the place, by divine right, that is, by any particular Law or determination of God: But only a Bishop of the Church or people: For your office essentially containeth a Relation to the People, but Accidentally only to the Place.
6. Yet natural Convenience, and God's General Laws of Order and Edification, do make it usually (but not always) best, and therefore a duty, to distinguish Churches by the people's habitation: Not taking a man for a Member eo nomine, because he liveth on that ground; But for order sake taking none for members that live not on that ground; and not intruding causelessly into each others bounds.
7. He that by the Call or Consent of a Neighbor Pastor and people doth officiate (by Preaching, Sacraments, Excommunication or Absolution) in another's special charge for a day, or week, or month, or more, without a fixed relation to that flock, doth neither officiate as a Lay-man, nor yet unlawfully or irregularly; But, 1. As a Minister of Christ in the Church Universal. 2. And as the Pastor of that Church for the present time only, though not statedly: Even as a Physician called to help another in his Hospital, or to supply his place for the time, doth perform his work, 1. As a Licensed Physician, 2. And as the Physician of that patient or Hospital for that time, though not statedly.
8. No man is to intrude into another's Charge without a Call; Much less to claim a particular stated Oversight and Authority. For though he be not an Usurper as to the Office in General, he is an Usurper as to that particular flock. It is no error in Ordination to say [ Take thou authority to preach the Word of God, and administer the holy Sacraments when thou shalt be thereto lawfully called, ] that is, when thou hast a particular call to the exercise, and to a fixed Charge, as thou hast now a Call to the Office in general.
9. Yet every Bishop or Pastor by his Relation to the Church Universal, and to mankind, and the interest of Christ, is bound not only as a Christian, but as a Pastor, to do his best for the common good; and not to cast wholly out of his care, a particular Church, because another hath the oversight of it. Therefore if an Heretic get in, or the Church fall to Heresy, or any pernicious error or sin, the neighbor Pastors are bound both by the Law of Nature and their Office, to interpose their Counsel as Ministers of Christ, and to prefer the substance before pretended order, and to feek to recover the people's souls, though it be against their proper Pastors will. And in such a case of necessity, they may ordain, degrade, excommunicate and absolve in another's charge, as if it were a vacuity.
10. Moreover it is one thing to excommunicate a man out of a particular Church, and another thing for many associated Churches or Neighbors to renounce Communion with him. The special Pastors of particular Churches, having the Government of those Churches, are the special Governing Judges, who shall or shall not have Communion as a member in their Churches: But the neighbor-Pastors of other Churches have the power of Judging with whom they and their own flocks will or will not hold Communion. As e. g. Athanasius may as Governor of his flock declare any Arian-member excommunicate: and require his flock to have no Communion with him. And all the neighbor Pastors (though they excommunicate not the same man as his special Governors, yet) may declare to all their flocks, that if that man come among them, they will have no Communion with him, and that at distance they renounce that distant Communion which is proper to Christians one with another, and take him for none of the Church of Christ.
Quest. 25. Whether Canons be Laws? And Pastors have a Legislative Power?
ALL men are not agreed what a Law is, that is, what is to be taken for the proper sense of that Word. Some will have the name confined to such Common Laws as are stated durable Rules for the subjects actions: And some will extend it also to personal temporary verbal Precepts and Mandates, such as Parents and Masters use daily to the children and servants of their families. And of the first sort, some will confine the name [ Laws ] to those acts of Sovereignty which are about the common matters of the Kingdom, or which no interior Officer may make: And others will extend it to those Orders which by the Sovereigns Charter, a Corporation, or College, or School may make for the subregulation of their particular societies and affairs.
I have declared my own opinion de nomine fully elsewhere, 1. That the definition of a Law in the proper general