Treatise of Miscellaneous Questions, Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
That the Ministery is a perpetuall Ordinance of Christ in the Church, and that Ministers are to bee received as the Embassadours of▪ Christ, now aswell as in the Primitive times.
THat which hath long lurked in the hearts of many Atheists, is now professed and argued for, by that sierce furious Erastiane, whose book was published the last year at Franeker. He cryes out that the world is abused with that notion of a pretended sacred ministerial calling, that though the Apostles and others who first preached the Gospel, were indeed sent and set apart for that holy calling, which was also confirmed by signes and miracles, and they were therefore to bee received and submitted unto, as the Embassadours of Christ, yet Ministers and Pastours now are not to be acknowledged, as the Embassadours of Christ, neither is there any such thing now to be acknowledged, as a speciall distinct sacred calling, or solemne setting apart of men to the ministerie of the VVord and Sacraments, but any who is fit and gifted, though not called or ordained, may both preach and minister the Sacraments, Baptisme and the Lords Supper. The Sect of Seekers also hold that there are not at this time, neither have been for many ages past any true Ministers or Embassadours of Christ. Now for confutation of these Errors, and for the confirmation and setlement of such as are any way shaken or troubled therewith, I have thought good here in the first place, to make sure this principle that the Ministery as it is distinct both from Magistracy, and from private Christians, is a perpetuall standing Ordinance of Christ in his Church to the end of the world. This I prove first from, Mat. 28. 19, 20. That Commission, Goe ye and teach all nations, baptising them, &c: could not be meant of the Apostles onelyonly or other Ministers of Christ at that time, respectively and personally, but must needs be extended to true Preachers and baptisers in all ages to the end of the world, as is manifested by the promise added: and loe I am with you alway even unto the end of the world.
2. From Eph. 4. 11, 12, 13. Where the Ordinance of Pastors and Teachers, for the work of the Ministery reacheth as farre as the perfecting of the whole body of Christ, and the gathering in of all the Elect, and consequently as far as the end of the world.
3. From those evangelicall prophesies and promises of Pastors and Teachers, Ier. 3. 15. and 23. 4. Isa. 30. 20. and 62. 6. 7. and 66. 21. Ezekiell 44. 23. which are not restricted to the Churches of the primitive times, but the true Churches of Christ in all ages interested therein.
4. Christ hath appointed his Gospell to bee preached to all nations, Mat. 24. 14. Luke 24. 47. and all the world over, Mat. 26. 13. and to every creature under heaven, Mark 16. 15. The preaching of the Gospell is the meane and way ordained of God to save them that beleeve, Rom. 10▪ 14. 1 Cor. 1. 23. Now although there was a large spread of the Gospell in the Apostles times through so much of the world as was then knowne, yet that universall commission was not then so perfectly performed and fulfilled as it shall bee before the end be. And however all the Elect were not gathered in at that time, but many of them to be yet gathered in, which must bee done by preaching. And who can foreign but foreign who shall do the office of a Herauld, but he that is an Herauld? The holy Ghosts word used for preaching, is borrowed from Herauldry.
5. Christ hath appointed faithfull and wise stewards to bee rulers over his houshold, to give them their portion of meat in due season, Luke 12. 42. which was not appointed for the primitive times onelyonly, but till he come again, as appeareth by verse. 43. Blessed is that servaut whom his Lord when he commeth shall finde so doing, and verse. 45. But and if that servant say in his heart, my Lord delayeth his comming, &c. More of this Scripture afterwards.
6. From 1 Tim. 6. 14. The Apostles having in that Epistle given direction concerning Church officers, Bishops, Elders, Deacons, with many other particulars belonging to the Ministery, when he comes to the close of the Epistle, hee gives a strict and solemne charge to Timothie to keep this commandement, without spot, unrebukable, untill the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ, which cannot be understood of Timothy personally, but 'tis a charge given in his person to all the Ministers of the Gospell, who shall live till the appearing of Christ.
7. From Revel. 2. 24, 25. There is a charge, that which ye have alreadie hold fast till I come, and this charge is given to two sorts of persons. First foreign vobis, to you Bishops or Pastors, for there were more of them then one in Thyatira, as likewise in Philippie, Phil. 1. 1. Antioch, Act. 13. 2. and 15. 35. Ephesus, Act. 20. 17. 28. 36. 37. The like may be observed of other primitive Churches. Secondly, foreign to the rest of you, viz. of the flock and body of the Church. As the charge cannot be restricted to the Church of Thyatira, no more can it bee restricted to the Ministery in Thyatira. But in them Christ chargeth all both Ministers and Church Members to hold fast the Jewell of the Gospell till he come again.
8. It is the Priviledge of the new Jerusalem which is above, that there is no temple therein, Revel. 21. 22. no Ministery, no Preaching, no Sacraments in heaven, but God shall be all in all. An Immediate enjoyment of God in this world without ordinances is but a delusion. In the Church triumphant prophecies shall faile, 1 Cor. 13. 8. but in the Church militant, despyse not prophesyings, 1 Thes. 5. 20.
If any object (as some fanatick persons have done) Ier. 31. 34. and they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, &c. 1 Ioh. 2. 27. and ye need not that any man teach you. I answer first, These Scriptures are to be understood comparatively, in the same sence as God said, he would have mercy and not sacrifice, Hos. 6. 6. The Spirit of illumination and knowledge shall be so aboundantly powred forth under the Gospell, and God shall so writ his lawes in the hearts of his people, that there shall be almost as much difference between those under the old Covenant, and those under the new Covenant, as there is between those that need a Teacher, and those that need not a Teacher. 2. As the Law is not made for a righteous man, 1 Tim. 1. 9. viz. to compell him as with a bitte and bridle, for hee needeth no such compulsion, but obeyeth filially and willingly, yet the Law is made for a righteous man to bee a rule of obedience to him. So beleevers under the Gospell need not to bee taught by men as Ignorants are taught, they are not without understanding as the horse or the mule; for they shall all know me, saith the Lord, Ier. 31. 32. and ye know all things. 1 Ioh. 2. 20. yet they need a teaching Ministery for growing in knowledge; for their edification building up, for strengthning and confirming them, and for putting them in remembrance and stirring them up, Ephes. 4. 12. 2 Pet. 1. 12. and 3. 18. Phil. 1. 9. There shall ever bee need of the Ministery, both to convert such as are not yet converted, and to confirme such as are converted. The Apostle 1 Thes. 3. 2. thought it necessary to send Timothy to the Church of the Thessalonians to establish them, and to comfort them. 3. As long as we are in this world, that promise that wee shall not need any man to teach us, is not perfectly fulfilled, for we know but in part, 1 Cor. 13. 9. 12. we shall ever need a Teacher til we be in heaven and see Christ face to face. 4. And thus we must needs understand these Scriptures objected, unlesse we will make them to contradict other Scriptures, Ier. 3. 15. Rom. 10. 14. 1 Cor. 1. 23. and how can a man understand without a Teacher, Acts 8. 31.
Object 2. But if we beleeve the Ministery to bee a perpetuall ordinance, and if there be a promise that Christ will bee with the Ministery to the end of the world, then wee must also beleeve a succession of Ministers since the Apostles dayes, and that in the midst of Popery it self, Christ had a true Ministery. Answer, If our beleeving the holy Church universall, and that in all ages Christ hath had and shall have a true Church, doth not inferre that wee must beleeve the Church either alwayes visible, or alwayes pure, so our beleeving a perpetuall Ministery, doeth not inferre that therefore wee must beleeve either a lineall or visible succession of Ministers, or their purity and preservation from error. There is nothing of this kinde can bee objected against our beleeving a perpetuall Ministery, but it falleth as heavy upon our beleife of the perpetuity of the Church.
Object. 3. The multitude of beleevers are under the new Testament made a royall Priest-hood, 1 Pet. 2. 9. And Christ hath made us Kings and Priests unto God, Revel. 1. 6. Answer, First Peter explaineth himself, 1 Pet. 2. 5. ye are anholy Priesthood to offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. VVhat these spiritual sacrifices are we may finde in other Scriptures, the mortification of the flesh and offering up of our selves to God, Rom. 12. 1. Contrition Psal. 51. 17. Prayer and supplications, Psal. 141. 2. Heb. 5. 7. Rev. 5. 8. thanksgivings, Psal. 50. 14. 23. Heb. 13. 15▪ almes deeds, Phil. 4. 18. Heb. 13. 16. As to these all beleevers are indeed an holy Preist-hood, but not as to publick Ministeriall administrations. 2. This objection drives at the taking away of Magistracy and civill government, aswell as of the Ministery, for Christ hath made beleevers Kings aswell as Priests, and if Kings then not Subjects. 3. The same thing was said to the people of Israel, Exod. 19. 6. and ye shall be unto me a kingdome of Priests, yet God appointed the sonnes of Aaron onelyonly to be Priests, as to the publick administration of holy things▪ 4. The same God who hath made Christians an holy Priesthood, hath promised to the Church of the new Testament, that he will set a part and take from among them, or of them (by way of distinction and speciall calling) Priests who shall Minister before him in the holy things, Isa. 66. 21. Ezek. 44. 15. 16. &c. Whom hee calleth Priests not in the Jewish nor Popish sence, but for their offering up of the Gentiles to God by the preaching of the Gospel, and sanctified by the holy Ghost, Rom▪ 15. 16. Or wee may conceave they are called Priests by the Prophets, that they might be the better understood, speaking in the language of those times: even as for the same reason when the Prophets spake of the Church of the new Testament, They mention mount Zion, Jerusalem, sacrifices, incense, the feast of Tabernacles, &c. But I must not forget what the Erastian Grallator with so much spite and derision rejecteth, viz. that there is not onelyonly a perpetuall Ministery in the Church, but that Ministers lawfully called, are to be receaved as the Embassadours of Christ, and as sent of God. If there must be a perpetuall Ministery yet. That child of the devill and Enemy of Christ (for hee can be no other who is an Enemy to the Ministery of the word and Sacraments) ceaseth not to pervert the right wayes of the Lord.
He will by no meanes acknowledge any Ministers in the Reformed Churches to be the Embassadours of Christ, though the Apostles were. It seemes he hates this name the more, because Embassadours by the law of Nations are inviolable persons, how much more the Embassadours of Christ? But let us now see whether the word of God gives not as high a rise and Authority even to the ordinary Ministery of the Gospell, as an Embassadour from Christ. When Paul saith, Wee are Embassadours from Christ, 2 Cor: 5. 20. he speaks it not in reference to any thing peculiarly apostolicall, or any thing incompetent to ordinary Ministers, the contrary is most plain from the Text it self, He hath committed unto us the word of Reconciliation. Now then wee are Embassadours for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, wee pray you in Christs stead, be yee reconciled to God. Now if Paul was the Embassadour of Christ, because he had committed unto him the word of reconciliation, then all true Ministers of the Gospell are also the Embassadours of Christ for the same reason. See the like Eph: 6. 20. For which I am an Embassadour. for what? Not for working miracles, casting out Devills, planting Churches in severall Kingdoms, or the like, but for opening my mouth boldly, to make knowne the mistery of the Gospell, vers. 19. wherein he desires to be helped by the prayers of the Saints. By the same reason all faithfull and lawfully called Ministers are the Embassadours of Christ, as well as the Apostles: Even as under the old Testament, the Priests who were ordinary Teachers, and called in an ordinary mediat way, were the Angels or Messengers of the Lord of Hosts, Mal: 2. 7. as well as the Prophets. 2. Chron▪ 36. 16▪ So wise men and Scribes are said to be sent of God as well as prophets, Math. 23. 34. And the Ministers of the seven Churches in Asia are called Angels, Revel: 2. 3. and an Interpreter of the word of God is a Messenger, Iob 33. 23. Now Christ hath given to the Church Pastors and Teachers, as well as Apostles, Prophets, and Evangelists, all these are from Heaven, not from men, Ephes: 4. 11.