Warrantableness of the Preaching of Unordained Persons, Summary
Only that the Reader may see the fruit of our Brethrens opinion (as indeed posito uno absurdo, sequuntur mille) I shall present him with a list of some novel and strange assertions which they have been hurried into by the force of their principles.
Novel and strange passages.
1. They implicitly deny Jesus Christ to have preached to the Iews as a teacher by Office, for thus they say, p. 13.
A man is not a teacher by Office to all that he may preach to: If he preach to Heathens—such as will not receive iustruction, yet they are said to be taught, though they stumble at the Word, Mat. 13. 54. He (i. e. Jesus) taught them, and yet v. 57. they were offended at him. But a man is not a teacher by Office unto such heathens.
And the Apostles, according to them, were no Officers to Heathens; for they thus argue, pag. 18. That such are no Officers to people as cannot exercise Church-government over them: But (say I) the Apostles cannot exercise Church-government over heathens. What have I to do to judge them that are without. 1 Cor. 5. 12. Ergo.
2. One that is really gifted for preaching (for ought we know) may lawfully preach without approbation from a Church, or others, p. o.
3. It is the work of God and Christ onelyonly, to send Preachers, let it be proved wherever a Presbytery was impowred to send. pag. 126. And the Church is in no better case with them; for they say, The person sending is Christ, neither a Church nor a presbytery, pag. 125. And afterwards.
Sending is nothing else but Christ commanding to go and preach, not by a Presbytery, but by the word. And how a Presbytery can send, but by exhorting to follow the command of Christ, we know not. And in such a doctrinall way (for ought we see) a private Christian may exhort to go and teach, pag. 130. So that now both Presbytery and Church are thrust out of Office, and every one that is apt to teach, is commanded to preach, though neither Presbytery nor Church send him; And every private Christian hath as great a power to send Ministers, as either Church or Presbytery, which who can read without wonder?
4. If the Major part of a Congregation be wicked, we suppose then it is no true Church; and if once it were a true Church, yet now it ceaseth to be so, or is unchurched. pag. 237.
5. They talk of Pastors administring the Sacraments not as Pastors; for thus they say, If Pastors preach and give the Sacraments to their own flock, they act as Pastors, but if they perform these acts to any, not of their own Congregation, they do it not as Pastors, pag. 280. Then they do it as gifted-men, for that is the other branch of the distinction. He that preacheth to strangers not as a Pastor, preacheth as a gifted-brother (that they grant). And therefore he that administreth the Sacraments to any not as a Pastor, doth it as a gifted-brother.
6. We see no inconvenience in asserting that heathens converted to Christianity may be a Church, before they be baptized, pag. 288.
7. A minister as oft as hee changeth his place and people, needeth a new ordination, pag. 290.
8. They say, It is our mistake, when we assert that Baptisme doth admit, or make a man stand in relation to a Church, whereas baptizing is not into a Church, but into the name of Christ, pag. 292.
9. They say, If a people turn hereticall, or starve a Minister, or combine to vote him out; the sin of the people doth nullify the office of the Minister, pag. 296.
And, that I may tread in our brethrens steps who were so ready to catch at the appearance of a contradiction in the Provinciall Assembly, I shall put them in mind of two or three foreign or seeming repugnancies at least, if not grosse contradictions.
Self contradicting passages.
They say, pag. 20. that one that is really gifted for preaching may (for ought we know) lawfully preach without approbation from a Church or others, pag. 20.
And they urge 1 Pet. 4. 11. to prove it the duty of gifted persons to preach, and surely if it be a duty, then it obligeth whensoever a man may do it lawfully.
And yet, pag. 149. they say, We grant, that to a mans exercise of his gifts in this or that place, there is praerequired a call from the people, or Magistrate: And how can any man preach but he must preach in this or that place? Quod nusquam fit non fit.
2. They say, When an ordained Minister removes from one charge to another, They chuse him not as one that is to be made a Minister, but as one already made and now to be made their Minister, pag. 300. And yet, pag. 302. They say, when he removes, he is to have a new Ordination, and a new Election. The Gospel knoweth no difference between making a man a Minister, and making him their Minister. pag. 302.
3. They say, Men to be sent to the heathens to convert them, should be Ordained, because the conversion of soules is a proper work of the Ministry; pag. 300. And yet, pag. 302. they say; When men are sent to heathens, if they be Officers, yet they preach not as Officers: The conversion of souls is the work of the Ministry, not the proper work.
FINIS.
End of the text · Matthew Poole, Warrantableness of the Preaching of Unordained Persons (1659)