Propositions and Principles of Divinity Disputed, Section 72
PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE SACRED MINISTERIE OF THE CHVRCH, VVHERE THE DOCTRINE OF the Law & the Goſpel are compared together. LXXII.
1 VVEE hauehave done with the true markes of the true Church: that is, with the truth of Gods word, Sacraments and Praier: nowe becauſe that all thinges are to bee orderlie done in the Church; it is meet that we ſet down, how theſe things ought to bee adminiſtred.
2 We hold that as the truth of al the ſinceare doctrine that doeth appertaine vntounto aeternall life; ſo alſo the true manner of the gouernment of the Church, was giuen from aboue by the holie Ghoſt: both vntounto the Fathers before the Lawe, and to MOSES in the wilderneſſe, and alſo vntounto the Apoſtles. And to be ſhort, that this truth touching doctrine and gouernment, was moſt faithfullie & moſt fullie ſet downe both by MOSES and alſo by the Apoſtles.
3 And although from the beginning vntounto the end of the world, there was, is, and ſhall bee but one doctrine of ſaluation, yet was there not alwaies one & the ſame forme of the diſpenſation thereof.
4 For it pleaſed GOD at ſundrie times and in diuers maners to make the ſaid doctrine known vntounto the world: according vntounto the which diſpenſation, it was alſo needefull to frame the forme of the miniſterie thereof.
5 The principall and chief end therefore of the holie Miniſterie in reſpect of ſaluation, was alwaies one: namelie, the laying open of Gods goodnes, touching the ſaluatiō of men, by meanes of the free couenant made in Chriſt onelie: who both before, and vnderunder the rudiments of the Law was ſhadowed, and manifeſted in deed in the fulneſſe of time.
6 Yet of this holie miniſterie both before and vnderunder the law, there were three generall parts; namely, to teach, to ſacrifice, to bleſſe, as might be ſhewed by many teſtimonies of the ſcripture: vnderunder the name of ſacrifice, we vnderſtand, all ſorts of rites, as vnderunder the name of bleſsing, wee containe publike prayers.
7 Of the holy doctrine there hauehave beene two kindes. namely, the law, denouncing judgement and death; & the Goſpell offering life, freelie giuen vntounto the repentant.
8 Yet is it not properlie the lawe, but the tranſgreſsion thereof that doth kill.
9 The Legall ceremonies were certaine appurtenances both of the law and the Goſpell, wherin as in a glaſſe, were to be ſeene, though in a contrary regard, both the curſſe of the law, and alſo the bleſsing of the Goſpell.
11 The miniſtery of Moſes, notwithſtanding, compared with the miniſtery of the Goſpell, is for three cauſes called the miniſtery of death. The one, becauſe that the lawe written, was giuē by Moſes, whereby death was more manifeſtly layde before the eyes of ſinners, then euer before.
12 The other, becauſe Moſes did labor much more in ſetting downe the Lawe, then in opening the promiſes of the Goſpell; that men might learne by the terrors thereof, to frame thē-ſelues vntounto the receiuing of perfecter things, that were to be manifeſted at the time appointed, and not place the hope of ſaluation in theſe rites. Thirdly, becauſe the Lawe indeed dooth point out the diſeaſe that bringeth death, but doth not heale it; yea rather encreaſe the ſame through our falt, in that it requireth of vsus, the execution of the Commandements, and giueth vsus not abilitie to performe them.
12 But in the Goſpell (the picture whereof in a ſorte, was that externall worſhippe of the Lawe) God giueth by his holy ſpirite, the abilitie to performe the promiſe of the ſame, that is, the power to repent and belieue. And therefore the preaching of the Goſpell, is called the ſpirite ingraffed in our heartes, but the Lawe is tearmed the dead letter, that is, a dead writing engrauen in Tables of Stone.
13 Wherefore the Miniſtery, not onelyonly of the olde, but alſo of the newe Teſtament, was ordained not by men; but by the Lord, who both inſtructed, and alſo called both the Patriarches, and alſo Moſes & Aaron to exerciſe the ſame, and afterwarde declared to Moſes the rule and the forme thereof, as hee would hauehave it executed among his people: wherevnto it was not lawefull to adde, or to detract any thing.
14 And becauſe the Lord fore-ſawe the negligence and the wickednes of the Prieſts, hee did therefore ordaine in the auncient Church both before and vnderunder the lawe, not onelyonly an ordinary (which vnderunder the lawe, was eſpeciallie aſſigned vntounto the Tribe of Leuy) but alſo an extraordinary that is a Propheticall miniſterie: vntounto whome the Prieſts and Kings themſelues were to yeld obedience, and whoſe office was to teach the whole people, partly by a more exquiſite expoſition of the lawe, and partly by terrifiyng the diſobedient by fearfull Reuelationes of Gods judgments, and comforting the godlie by moſt louing promiſes.
15 Their miniſterie was extraordinarie, for although there were certaine colledges of Prophets, when and as often as it pleaſed God, yet were they not apointed by man, neither did they leane vponupon any ordinarie calling: Briefly, God did enſpire with his Spirite whome it pleaſed him, reſpecting therein, neither ſex nor calling.
16 Both theſe Miniſteries, did the Lorde promiſe vntounto his people by MOSES, and withall ſhewed, how falſe Prophets whome the people were to take heede of, might bee diſcerned from the true, whome they were to heare.
17 The Lord ordained this Miniſterie of men, not that he was compelled thereto by any neceſsitie, but that therby he regarded mans infirmitie.
18 Yet he neuer vſed it, in ſuch ſort, as hee would giuegive his owne glorie therevnto, that is, the authoritie to performe thoſe thinges, which the diuine power alone bringeth to paſſe: but he effecteth externall things onelyonly by his Miniſterie, performing thoſe thinges by his owne inward power alone, which were declared vntounto the ſenſes of the hearers, by the outward miniſterie of men.
19 Therefore hee performeth what he thinkeh good inwardlie in the vnderſtanding, and will of man, when and as often as it pleaſeth him, even without the externall miniſterie: but he who ever neglecteth the ordinarie miniſterie, or by vnbeleefe doth ſeuere the inwarde force from the outwarde adminiſtration; that man tempteth God & ſheweth himſelf vnworthie of his grace. But as for thoſe that any wiſe aſcribe the proper worke of God, vntounto the miniſterie of men, they are to bee accounted meere ſuperſtitious, and even plaine Idolators.
Defended by ARON CAPEL an Engliſh-man of London.