Parallels Censures, Letter 1 · Section 13
The thirteenth Section.
The next point to be handled is your ſeaventh in nomber, viz.
That a miniſter may be made without Elders (ordinarily I meane) for extraordinary courſes are not now to be vſed for ought I ſee: this point you blame as error: Let vsus ſee whether it be error or not.
I hold that a miniſter may be made without Elders: more plainly I ſay that when the Church wanteth Elders, the Church hath powre to Elect, approve & ordeyne her owne Elders, alſo: to elect, approve, & ordeine her owne Deacons both men & woemen: For if you remember what was before ſpoken to your fifth poſition, viz: that the church hath the powre of Chr in it ſelf, viz: that it hath Chr. the covenant, & al the promiſes given to it being yet but few in nomber, & that the Church hath theſe things in true title & intereſt as her owne freehold then you shal ſee what wil follow hervppon: namely that the Church hath powre to receave in members & caſt▪ out members, to receave in her Officers & to diſchardg thē of office, the church hath powre to the preaching of the word to the adminiſtring of the ſeales of the covenant, to binding & loſing, which workes she cannot do herſelf being many, therfor she appointeth fit perſons therto, viz: ſuch officers as Chriſt hath given to his Church, which are the Elders, ſtil notwithſtanding reſerving her powre to herſelf when occaſion shalbe offered: theſe things are ſufficiently proved already in answer to your fifth imputation: but you have ſome thing perhaps to ſay for ordination; that the Church hath not powre of it: then belike al the promiſes are not given to the Church, for if ordination be not given to the Church, then the miniſtery is not given to the Church, for it ſeemeth you make ordination a great part of the miniſterie: but know for your learning that ordination doth give nothing at al to the Miniſter: For election is the ver…e eſſence & forme of the miniſter: for in election powre to adminiſter is given to the officer elect: For when the Church choſeth the miniſter, doth not the Church in effect ſay: we give the A. b, powre to adminiſter the word, ſeales of the covenant, & cenſures in the behalf of the whole Church? & the miniſter Elect doth then actually poſſeſſe & aſſume that powre delegated vntounto him by the Church: ſo when the Church choſeth her Deacons doth she not in effect ſpeake thus: we give you, c.d.e.f. powre to collect, & diſtribute the Churches Treaſury, & to miniſter for the body & mē bers of the Church in other general ſervices, helpful to the body & outward part: this is evident enough if you wil not be blind wilfully: For as in matter of mariage, this is the very forme of mariage: I take the formy wife, & I take the for my husband: So in the matter of office this is the very forme therof: we take the for our Paſtor: I take you for my flock: & ſo forth of the reſt: now ordination is nothing but the publishing of the officers election with prayer made for him & admonition given to him to be faithful: The Church doth the former which is al in all even the very forme, the latter is but the leſſer & an accident without which the officer may be a true officer: declare the contrarie to this if you can if not yeeld to the truth.
Ob. But you wil ſay the word mentioneth an Eldership which muſt ordeine, & Paul commandeth Titus to ordeyne Elders, Tit. 1.5. 1. Tim. 4.14.
Ans. 1. The place of Timothie compared with 2. Timoth, 1.6. yeeldeth this ſence, that Timothie by …he exerciſe of prophecy wherein he was trayned, & by the impoſition of the Apoſtles handes whereby the extraordinary gifts of tongs & prophecy were then vſually conferred, had an excellent grace (ſo the word is in the originall) conferred vppon him.
But let it be granted that Timothie had a miniſterie conferred vntounto him, ſurely it muſt needes be the office of an Evangeliſt, & what is that to an ordinary Elders office: Paull only & the Apoſtles could create Evangeliſts.
Further let it be yeelded you that Timothie was made a Bishop of Epheſus by the Eldership of Epheſus, the Eldership in that action did nothing but that which the Church appointed them to, & for the effecting wherof they had powre & authority from the Church who is the Fountaine of al the powre that any officer hath.
Ans. 2. To the place of Titus I thus answer, that Titus ther is not commaunded to ordeyne miniſters, but to conſtitute Elders: For the word is not to ordeyne, or to lay on hands, but to conſtitute: if you vnderſtand the Greek tongue you wil acknowledg that I ſay to be true: now to conſtitute an Elder ſignifieth Election, approbation, & ordinatiō: not ordination only as the objection importeth: but you know, or els you are a ſworne ſlave to the Prelates, that the Church hath powre to Elect & approve her Elders: yet Titus is heer commaunded to doe it: whence wee muſt needes conclude that Titus only should teach & direct the Churches in conſtituting of her Elders according to the Apoſtolique inſtitution: which what it was Titus being an Evangeliſt & wel acquainted with the Apoſtles courſe, could wel tel: & this muſt needes be the ſence of this place, except you have any thing to ſay againſt it, which we pray you let vsus heer if ther be any thing: you ſeeme in this point to diſtingnish the calling of Elders; as if ther were two manners or formes of calling Elders ordinary & extraordinary: I know no ſuch thing, & therfore I leave that till I ſee it expounded.
Paralleles, Cenſures, Obſervations, aperteyning to the thirteenth Section.
Al this thirteenth Section hath for the ſubject matter of it the ordination or making of miniſters, & the queſtion of it is this, viz: whither a company of faithful people gathered into the name of Chriſt by the voluntary covenant of the new Teſtament, have not powre of themſelves to create their owne Paſtors, & Deacons: Although that which hath been ſpoken concerning the ſeaventh Section may fully & ſufficiently ſatisfie al this doubt: yet I thought meet to add certaine argumēts of plaine evidence for the further declaration hereof that al ſcruples & shifts may be taken away.
The firſt Argument.
They which have powre to enter into, & to aſſume the New Teſtament, have alſo powre to aſſume al the ordinances of the new Teſtament, & ſo by neceſſary conſequent the miniſtery.
Two or three faithful people have powre to enter into, & to aſſume the new Teſtament of Chriſt:
Ergo: two or thre faithful people have powre to aſſume al the ordinances of the new Teſtament, & therfor the miniſtery.
The Minor only is doubtful which may thus be confirmed, Gal. 3.14-16. wher the Apoſtle ſaith plainly that the promiſes were made to Abraham & his ſeed, viz: to the Faithful, vsus. 16. that the bleſſing of Abraham came vppon the beleeving gentils: vsus. 14. & that theſe promiſes & bleſſing is the covenant or new Teſtament, vsus. 15. wherevppon it followeth that ſeing the Faithful have the bleſſing, the promiſes, the new Teſtament, therfor they have the powre of enjoying the miniſtery: For the miniſtery is one part or ordinance of the new Teſtament.
The ſecond Argument.
They that have Chriſt & with Chriſt all things els: they that have al things aperteyning to life & Godlines: they that have the promiſe of this life & of the life to come have the powre to aſſume the miniſtery, for that is a part of Godlines.
But the Faithful, be they but two or thre, have with Chriſt al things els, Rom. 8.32. have the promiſe of life & Godlines, 2. Pet. 1.3. have the promiſe of this life, & of the life to come, 1. Timoth. 4.8.
Ergo: The Faythfull though but two or three have powre to aſſume the Miniſtery.
The third Argument.
They who have powre to examine, & elect their Officers have alſo powre to pray for them, & to commaund them to miniſter, which is ordination.
But the Scripture teacheth plainly that the Faithfull have powre to Elect and chooſe their owne Officers: as Deacons, Act. 6. one to bee an Apoſtle, Act. 1.26. Elders, Act. 14. alſo to approve them: Act. 6.3. 1. Timoth. 3.10. and you confeſſe no leſſe your ſelf.
Ergo: the Scripture teacheth plainly, (& you by conſequent grant indeed, though you deny in wordes) that the Faithful have powre to pray for ther officers Elect, & to commaund them to adminiſter: & that is ordination,
The Fourth Argument.
They that have powre to make a Church, have powre to make a miniſter or miniſters: For they that can doe the greater, can do the leſſe.
Two or thre Faithful people have powre to make a Church.
Ergo two or thre Faithful people have powre to make miniſters.
The reaſon of this argument is, for that the Church is the body of Chriſt, the Spowſe of Chriſt, & the miniſtery is but one part of the body, one Servant of the Spowſe, one of the ornaments of the Church.
The Minor is plaine: For two or three Faithful people have Chriſt Ieſus, have the promiſes, have the holy things of David, which are Faithful, have the bleſſing of Abraham, being Abrahams ſeed & furthermore the Apoſtle, Heb. 8.10-12 expounding what the new Teſtament is teacheth that they that have the Lawes of the Lord put in their mindes, & written in their harts, are the people of God, & have God for their God, & ſo are the Church of the new Teſtament: Mr. Bern. this point is cleerer then can be denyed, & al the world can never be able to overthrow it, the vnderſtanding & feeling whereof I do …artily wish vntounto your ſoule, & to al the vpright harted of the Land.
The Fifth Argument.
They that are the true matter of the Church of the new Teſtament, shallbe inveſted with the true forme of the new Teſtament: they that have true matter & forme, have the true property which ariſeth from the vnion of matter & forme, that is Chriſts miniſterial powre to aſſume al the meanes of their edification to Salvation: & ſo by conſequent the miniſtery.
Two or thre Faithful people are the true matter of the true Church of the new Teſtament: & therfor have the true forme or covenant of the new Teſtament induced vppon them: & ſo being a Church ſubſiſting of true matter & forme, have the true property ariſing from the vnion of the matter & forme, viz: the powre of our L. Ieſus Chriſt; to aſſume & vſe al the meanes of their edification to ſalvation: & ſo by conſequent have powre to aſſume the miniſtery.
Ergo two or thre Faithful people being a true Church, may create, that is Elect, approve, & ordeyne their owne officers.
And this may ſuffice for the proof of this point.