The Catechizing of Families, Chapter 44
CHAP. XLIV. Of the Sacred Ministry, and Church, and Worship.
Qu. 1. THough you have opened the Doctrine of the Catholick Church, and the Communion of Saints, before in Expounding the Creed, because the Sacraments cannot be understood, without the Ministry and Church, will you first tell us what the Ministerial Office is?
A. The Sacred Ministry is an Office instituted by Christ, in subordination to his Prophetical Office, to Teach, and to his Priestly Office, to Intercede in Worship, and to his Kingly Office, to …e Key-bearers of his Church, to trie and judge of mens ti… to its Communion; And this for the converting of the Infidel World, the gathering of them into th… Christian Communion, and the helping, guiding and edifying them therein.aMat. 28. 19, 20. & 16. 19. Act. 2. 42. Ro… ▪ 1, 2. Mat. 24. 45. & 22. 3, 4. 1 Cor. 4. 1, 2.
Q. 2. Are they Ministers in Office … any but th… Church?
A. Yes: their first work is upon the World, t… make them Christians, and gather them into th… Church by Teaching and Baptizing them.†Act▪ 14. 23. & 20. 28. Tit. 1. 5. 1 Tim. 3.
Q. 3. Is not that the common work of Lay-me… that are no Officers?
A. Lay-men must do their best in their capacity …nd station; but 1. Officers do it as separated to …his work, as their Calling: 2. And accordingly do …t by a special Commission and Authority from Christ: …. And are tryed, chosen and dedicated thereto, as …pecially qualified.
Q. 4. What must Christs Ministers say and do for …he Worlds Conversion?
A. Luk. 14. and Mat. 22. tell you: They must …ell men of the Marriage Feast, the blessed Provi…on of Grace and Glory by Christ, and by Evi…ence and Urgency compell them to come in. More …articularly,
1. They must speak to sinners as from God, and … his Name, with a [Thus saith the Lord.] They …ust manifest their Commission, or at least, that …e Message which they bring, is his; that men may …now with whom they have to do; and that he that …espiseth, despiseth not men but God.bAct. 26. 17, 18. Luk. 10. 16. 1 Thess. 4. 8. …at. 9. 13. Luk. 24. 47.
2. They must make known to Sinners their sinfull, …angerous and miserable State, to convince them of …e necessity of a Saviour. As if they should say, … He that hath no sin, that is no Child of Adam, …t shall not die and come to Judgment, that needs …o Saviour, Pardon and Deliverance; Let him neg…ct our Invitation: But Sin and Misery are all mens …ecessity.]
3. They are to tell men what God hath done for …em by Christ; what a Saviour he hath given us: …hat Christ hath done and suffered for us.*Ioh. 3. 16. Heb. 10. …4. Rom. 3. 1. 10. Tit. 2. 14.
4. They are to tell men what Grace and Glory is purchased for them, and offered to them, and what they may have in Christ and by him.
5. They are to tell men how willing God is of mens Recovery, so that he beseecheth them to be reconciled to him, and Ministers are sent to entreat them to accept his Grace, who refuseth none that refuse not him.
6. They are to acquaint men with Gods Conditions, Terms and Expectations: Not that they giv… him any satisfying or purchasing Price of their own, but that they Accept his free gift according to i… proper nature and use, and come to Christ th… they may have Life; but that they come in time and come sincerely and resolvedly, and believe an… penitently return to God; for which he is ready t… assist them by his Grace.†2 Cor. 5. 19, 20. Luk. 14. 17.
7. They must acquaint men with the methods … the Tempter, and the hinderances of their Faith an… Repentance, and what opposition they must expec… from the Flesh, the World and the Devil, and ho… they must overcome them.
8. They must acquaint men what great Assista… ces and Encouragements they shall have from Chri… how good a Master, how perfect a Saviour and Co… forter, how sure a Word, how sweet a Work, ho… good and honourable Company, and how many m… cies here, and how sure and glorious a reward f… ever: and that all this is put in the Ballance for th… choice, against a deceitful transitory shadow.c1▪ T… ▪ 3. 5. Eph. 6. 11. 2 Cor. 2. 11. Heb. 11. Heb. 12. 2▪ 29. 2 Cor. 4. 16, 18.
9. They must answer the carnal Objections of deceived Sinners, and shew them clearly that all is Folly that is said against Christ and their Conversion.
10. They must make men know how God will …ake it, if they unthankfully neglect or refuse his Grace, and that this will leave them without remedy, …nd greatly adde to their Sin and Misery, and that …here is no more Sacrifice for sin, but a fearful look…ng for of Judgment, from that God who to such …s a consuming fire: and that it will be easier for …odom in the day of Judgment than for such.d2 Tim. 2. 25. Tit. 2. 8. Heb. 2. 3. & 10. 2, 23.
Q. 5. In what manner must Christs Ministers preach …ll this?
A. 1. With the greatest Gravity, and Holy Re…erence, because it is the Message of God.
2. With the greatest Plainness: because men are …ull of understanding.
3. With the clearest Proof and convincing Evi…ence, to conquer Prejudice, Darkness and Unbe…ef.
4. With powerful winning Motives, and urgent …mportunity, because of mens disaffection and avers…ess. And, O what powerful motives have we at …and, from Self-love, from God, from Christ, from …ecessity, from Heaven and Hell!eTit. 2. 6, 7, 8. Heb. 5. 10, 11. 1 Cor. … 17, 18. Mat. 7. 29. Act. 2. 37.
5. With Life and Fervency, because of the un…peakable importance of the Matter, and the dead…ess and hardness of mens Hearts.
6. With Frequency, in season and out of season, because of mens aptness to lose what they have heard and received, and their need still to be carried on.
7. With Constancy to the end, that grace may be preserved and increased by degrees.
8. With seemly and decent Expressions, because of captious Cavilling hearers, and the Holiness of the work.
9. With Concord with all the Church of Christ, as preaching the same Faith and Hope.
10. By the Example of Holy practice, doing what we perswade them to do, and excelling them in Love, and Holiness, and Patience, and Victory over the Flesh and World: and winning them, not by Force, but by Light and Love.f1 Cor. 14. 2 Tim. 2. 15. 1 Pet. 3. 16. A… ▪ 20. 25. 29. 31, 32.
Q. 6. What is it that all this is to bring m… to?
A. 1. To make men understand and believe what God is to them, what Christ is, what Grace and Glory are, as is aforesaid in the Christian Faith.
2. To winne mens Hearts to the Love of these from the Love of sinful fleshly Pleasure, and to fi… their Wills in a resolved Choice.
3. To engage them in the obedient Practice o… what they Love and Choose, and help them to overcome all Temptations to the contrary.*Act. 20. 21.
Q. 7. Why will God have all this and the rest whic… is for the Church, to be an Office, Work of chosen, sep… rated, consecrated Persons?
A. 1. It is certain that all men are not fit for i… (Alas too few!) The Mysteries of Godliness are dee… and great. The Chains of Sinners are strong: and God useth to work according to the suitableness of means. Great abilities are requisite to all this: And God would not have his cause and work dishonoured, by his Ministers unfitness: Alas! unfit men have been the Churches great Calamity and Reproach.g1 Tim. 3. 16, 1, 2. Tit. 1. 6, 9. 2 Tim. 2. 15. 2 Tim. 2. 2. 1 Tim. 4. 15.
2. God would have his work Effectually done; and therefore by men that are wholly devoted to it. Were they never so able, if they have avocations and do it by the Halves, dividing their Labours between it and the World, this will not answer the Necessity and the End: Even a Paul must do it publickly and from House to House, night and day with Tears, Act. 20. 20, 28. It must be done in season and out of season, 2 Tim. 4. 1, 2. Timothy must meditate on these things, and give himself wholly to them, 1 Tim. 4. 15. Paul was separated to the Gospel of God, Rom. 1. And Ministers are Stewards of his Mysteries, to give the Children their Meat in season.
3. It is much for the Comfort of the Faithful to know that it is by Gods own ordained Officer, that his Message of Invitation, and his Sealed Covenant, Pardon and Gift of Christ and Grace, are delivered to them.h2 Cor. 5. 19.
4. The very being of an Ordered Church requireth a Guiding official part: It is no Rules Society without a Ruler: No School without a Teacher. Men must know to whom to go for Instruction: The Law was to be sought from the mouth of the Priest, as the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts, Mal. 2. 7. Read Act. 14. 23. Tit. 1. 5. Eph. 4. 14, 15, 16. 1 Thes. 5. 12, 13. Luk. 12. 42, 43.
5. The safety and preservation of the Truth requireth the Ministerial Office. As the Laws of England would never be preserved without Lawyers and Jugdes, by the common People; so the Scriptures, and the Faith, Sacraments and Worship would never have been brought down to us as they are, without a stated Ministry, whose Interest, Office and Work it is continually to use them. See 1 Tim. 5. 20. Eph. 4. 14. Rom. 16. 16, 17. 1 Tim. 3. 15. Heb. 13. 7, 9, 17. None have leisure to do this great work as it must be done, but those that by Office are wholly separated thereto. Will you leave it to Magistrates, or to the People, who if they were able, have other work to do? Deny the Office, and you destroy the Church and Work.
Q. 8. How are men called and separated to the Sacred Ministry?
A. There are many things concurr thereto. The first Ministers were called immediately by Christ himself, and extraordinarily qualified: But ever since, all these things must concur:
1. A Common Obligation on all men to do their best in their places to propagate the Gospel and Church, and to save mens Souls, is presupposed, as a preparatory antecedent.
2. There must he necessary qualifying Abilities: 1. Natural Wit and Capacity. 2. Acquired improvement and so much Knowledge as must be exercised in the Office. 3. If Apt to Teach and Able, signified no more than to Read what is prescribed by others, a Child, Fool or an Infidel were Apt and Able. Ability for competent Utterance and Exercise. 4. And to his Acceptance with God and his own Salvation, saving Faith and Holiness is necessary. If you would know the necessary degrees of ability, it is so much without which the necessary acts of the Office cannot be done, 2 Tim. 2. 2. The things that thou hast heard of me among many Witnesses, the same commit thou to Faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
3. The approving Judgment of other Senior Ministers is ordinarily necessary; For men are not to be the only Judges themselves where the publick interest is concerned. And the Investing Ordination of such, is the orderly Solemnizing of their entrance, and delivery of Christs Commission; and is that to the General Office of the Ministry, which Baptism is to Christianity, and Solemn Matrimony to Marriage, or Coronation to a King. This is not done by the Election of the People; It is not their Work to choose Ministers to the General Office, or men to call the World.i2 Tim. 2. 2. Tit. 1. 5. Act. 14. 23. & 9. & 13. 2.
4. To make a man the Pastor of a particular Church or Flock, the consent both of the Man and of the Flock is necessary; and to the well being also, the Consent of the Neighbour Pastors, and to Peace and Liberty the Princes. This is an Ordination or Relation which may be often renewed and changed; but the Ordination to the General Office is to be but once: To license a Physician, and to choose him for my Physician are divers things: And so it is here.
Q. 9. What Laws or Canons have Pastors power to make for the Church?
A. 1. None to the Universal Church, for that hath no Ruler or Law-maker or Judge but Christ; man being utterly uncapable of it.
2. None which shall Cross the Laws of Christ, in Nature or Scriptures.
3. None which are of the same kind and use with Christs own universal Laws, and no more needful to one Place or Age than to all: For this will accuse Christ, as if he had been defective in his own Legislation, when more must be added of the same kind.kIsa. 33. 22. Iam. 4. 12. 1 Tim. 4. 6. 1 Cor. 3. 5. & 4. 1.
4. Taking the Word [Laws] strictly, Pastors as such have no Legislative power. But taking it laxly, for Mandates or Directions given by just Power, such as a Parent or Tutor hath, they may make such Laws as these: 1. Such as only enjoyn the obeying of Christs own Laws. 2. And such as only determine of such meer Accidents of Doctrine, Worship and Discipline, as Christ hath commanded in General, and virtually, and left the particular sort to humane determination of Governours (as Time, Place, Utensils, &c.) 3. Such as are not extended beyond the Churches of which they are Pastors, to others of whom they are no Rulers. 4. Such as being Indifferent are not made more necessary than their Nature and Use requireth; Nor used to the Churches Destruction or hurt, but to it's Edification. 5. Such as being mutable in the Reason or Cause of them, are not fixed. And continued when the reason of them ceaseth.lMat. 20. 27, 28. 2 Cor. 1. 24. 1 Pet. 5. 1, 2, 3. 2 Cor. 3. 6. 1 Pet. 4. 9, 10, 11.
Christ calleth us Minsters that we may not think we are Lords of his Heritage: Our Work is to expound and apply his Laws and perswade men to obey them, and not to make Laws of our own of the same kind, as if we were his Equals, and Lords of his Church. It's true, he hath bid us determine of Circumstances to the Churches Edification, and the Pastor is Judge for the present Time and Place, what Chapter he shall read, what Text he shall preach on, and in what Method, what Psalm shall be Sung and in what Tune, and such like: But who made him Lord of other Churches, to impose the like on them? Or how can he prove that the very same circumstances are necessary to all, when a day may alter the case with himself, which depends on mutable causes. If all the World or Land be commanded on such a day to read the same Psalm and Chapter, and occurrents make any Subject far more suitable, who hath power to deprive the present Pastor of his Choice, and to suppose Ministers unable to know what Subject to read or preach on, unless it be they that make such men Ministers that they may so rule them?
Q. 10. Why must there be stated Worshipping Congregations?
A. 1. For the Honour of God and our Redeemer, who is best honoured in united solemn Assemblies, magnifying him with one Mind and Heart and Mouth.m1 Cor. 14. Heb. 10. 21, 22. Act. 14. 23.
2. For the preservation of Religion, which is so best exercised; honoured and kept up.
3. For the Benefit and Joy of Christians, who in such concordant Societies, receive Encouragement, Strength and Comfort.
4. For the due Order and Honour of the particular Churches and the whole.
Q. 11. Is every worshipping Congregation a Church?
A. The Name is not much worthy of a debate: There are divers sorts of Christian Assemblies which may be called [Churches.] 1. There are occasional accidental Assemblies that are not stated. 2. There are stated Assemblies like Chappels, which have only Curates, and are but Parts of the lowest political Governing Churches. 3. Christians statedly associated under such Pastors as have the Power of the Church Keyes for personal Communion in Holy Doctrine, Worship and Conversation, are the lowest sort of Political Governed Churches. 4. Synods, consisting of the Pastors and Delegates of these may be called Churches in a laxe sence. 5. And so may a Christian Nation under one King. 6. And all the Christian World is one Catholick Church as Headed by Jesus Christ. 7. And the Roman Sect is a spurious Church, as it is headed by a humane uncapable Soveraign, claiming the Power of Legislation and Judgment over all the Church on earth.
Q. 12. But how shall I know which is the true Church, when so many claim the Title; the Papists say it is only theirs?
A. I have fully answered such doubts on the Article of the Holy Catholick Church and Communion of Saints, in the Creed. Either you speak of the Whole Church, or of a Particular Church which is but a Part. If of the whole Church, it is a foolish question, [How I shall know which is the true Church] when there is but one. If of a Particular Church, every true Christian Society (Pastors and Flocks) is a true Church, that is, a True Society as a part of the Whole.
Q. 13. But when there are divers contending Churches, how shall I know which of them I should joyn with?
A. 1 If they are all true Churches, having the same God, and Christ, and Faith, and Hope, and Love, You must separate from none of them, as Churches, though you may separate from their sins: But must communicate with them in all lawful Exercises, as occasion requireth. 2. But your fixed Relation to a particular Pastor and Church peculiarly, must be chosen, as your own Case and Benefit, all things considered, doth require. When you can have free choice, the Nearest and Ablest and Holyest Pastor and Society should be chosen: When Violence interposeth, a Rulers will may do much to turn the scales for a tolerable Pastor and Society: if it make it most for the common good, and your Edification.
Q. 14. May men adde any thing to the prescribed Worship of God?
A. Worship is a doubtful Word; If you will call meer mutable Accidents and Circumstances by the Name of Worship, Man may adde to them, such as is putting off the Hatt, the Meetre and tune of Psalms, and such like. But men may do nothing which implyeth a defect in the Laws of Christ, and therefore may make no new Articles of Faith, or Religion, or any thing necessary to Salvation, nor any Sacraments or Ordinances of Worship of the same kind with Christs, much less Contrary thereto.
Q. 15. May we hold Communion with a faulty Church and Worship?
A. Or else we must have Communion with none on Earth: All our personal Worship is faulty; we joyn with them for Christian Faith and Worship. If the Minister say or do any thing contrary, it is his sin, and our presence maketh it not ours. Else we must separate from all the World. But we may not by false Professions, Subscribing, Swearing or Practice, commit any sin our selves for the Communion of any Church on Earth.nLuk. 4. 16. & 6. 6. Mat. 8. 4.