Plea for Pauls Presbytery in Scotland, Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII.
Whether or no some doe warrantably teach that a Pactor hath no pastorall power to preach and administrate the Sacraments, without the bounds of his owne Congregation? and from whence essentially is the calling of a Pastor?
OVr brethren who teach that the ordination of Pastors is onelyonly from that power of the keyes that they imagine to be in the body of beleevers must needs, holding such an humane ministeriall Church, fall in divers errors; as 1. that he cannot officiate pastorally without that number of beleevers, from whence essentially he hath his pastorall calling. 2. When the Churches necessity shall call him to remove to another independent flocke: He is no Pastor while he be ordained and chosen of new by that flocke. So the English Puritanisme, English Puritanis. c. 2. a… 6. p. 5.and M. Best.M. Best against Paget, p. 133, 134.
We hold that a Pastor may officiate, as a Pastor without his owne congregation.
1. Arg. That which the brotherhood and communion of Sister-Churches requireth to be done, that Pastors may lawfully doe; but this the brotherhood of Sister-Churches requireth to be done, Ergo, &c. the assumption is proved, 1. Because death, or necessary absence of Pastors, necessity of keeping the flocke. 2. Necessity of convincing the gainsayers if the present Pastor be weake in learning, yet able to cut the word aright (saith M. Paget) requireth this.Pagets answer to Dave…port, p. …35. M. Best Church plea, p. 30, 31. M. Best answereth, Officers of Churches may be helpfull to other Churches, as Christians, but not as Ministers.
Answ. This Argument presupposeth that Pastors not as Pastors, but as Christians either may administer the Sacraments lawfully, and so any Christian may administer the Sacraments, which is both Popish and absurd, or that it is not lawfull for Pastors to administer the Sacrament out of their owne congregation, or to any other of another congregation then their owne, and so yet communion of Sister-Churches, in these acts, is cleane taken away. 2. Our Argument is from Church-communion not in Christian acts as Christian, but in ministeriall acts as ministeriall.
2. Arg. If Ministers (as M. Paget argueth) may labour to convert unbeleeving strangers, and to adde them to their flocke, that they may enlarge Christs kingdome, then they may exercise Pastorall acts over, and above others then these of their owne charge; but the former is true, Ergo, so is the latter. The assumption is cleare, because Prov. 93. Wisdome sendeth out her maids to call in these that are without; and 1 Cor. 14. 24. the Prophets as Prophets were pastorally to convince; and so to convert In…idels, who were not of their charge. M. Best answereth, These acts are not acts of a Minister as a Minister, a man and a wife, a father and a childe, a Pastor and a flocke are relatives, as I am a Father, I exercise not proper acts as a Father, but towards my owne children, what good I doe to others cannot be said to be the acts of a Father, but rather of a friend, a neighbour, a Christian, &c.
Answ. He presumeth that a Pastor may preach and exercise pastorall acts, as a Christian, but so all Christians may pastorally preach though not called of God, contrary to the Scripture:aHeb 5 4, …. Rom … 14, 15. 1 Tim. …. 21. Acts. 23. Acts 6 5. Acts 13. 2. Acts 1…. 23. 2 Tim. 2. 2. 1 Tim 3 1, 1. Tit 1 5. Enerist ep 2. Cal…tu… ep 2 ad Epise. Gal c 3. … 3 c. de … Episc Vasquez in 3. Tho. To…. de sacr disp. 240. c. 1. n. 2. so women and private persons may invade the Pastors chare.
2. It is vaine to presse similitudes while they blood, for Christ properly is the bridegroome and husband of his Church, Eph. 5 6, 27. John 3. 29 Rev. 19. 9. Rev. 21. 9. Is…. 54 5. Pastors are but the foreign under suitors for the bridegroome, John 3. 29. This is Popish doctrine to make such a relation betwixt a mortall man and an independent Church. Pope Enaristus and Calix…us saith, while the Bishop liveth, the Church can no more bee given to another, without his consent, nor the wife can bee given to another then to her owne husband, without his consent. And so said Innocentius the third therefore at the consecration, after imposition of hands (saith Vasquez) and anointing of the Bishop, and delivering to him a staffe, a consecrated and blessed ring is put on his ring-finger in token he is married to the Church; but what have we to do with such trash as this? For in a word, the comparison of a marriage in this point is either Popish or unseasonable, or both; because the mutuall consent betwixt A. B. and his wife, being essentially marriage, as the Canon Law, Divines, and sound Casuists acknowledge, it maketh A B. a husband, and also the husband of such a wife during their life-time; but election of the people that A. B. be their Pastor, and A. B. his acceptation of the Church as his charge, maketh him not both a Pastor, and also the Pastor of that Church; because the ordination of the Presbytery maketh A. B. formally and essentially a Pastor, I meane a called Pastor under Christ; but the election of the people and his consent doth not make him a Minister, but doth only appropriate him after he is made a Minister to be the Minister of such a Church, and so the comparison halteth in the maine point for which it is alleadged; therefore A. B. is made indefinitely a Pastor for the Church, and is obliged to labour the conversion of all, within and without the bounds of his Church, in as far as he is a Pastor: But forasmuch as the Church thinketh good to appropriate his Ministery to this particular congregation, for the more commodious congregating and gathering of the sheep of Christ, he is not so their Pastor, as he cannot exercise Pastorall acts towards others also, neither doth the place, Acts 20. 28. and 1 Pet. 5. 2. insinuate any such marriage-relation betwixt Pastor and Parish, as that he is a Pastor to none but his owne Parish, for as he is to seed specially, these over which the Holy-Ghost hath made him overseer, and amongst whom he is principally by the Churches speciall appropriation and application of his ministery to them: So also hath the Holy-Ghost made him an over-seer to feed indefinitely, and as Gods providence shall offer occasion, as many as God hath purchased by his bloud, Acts 20. 28. and as many as are the Lords heritage, 1 Pet. 5. 3. whether they be of his owne congregation or no, as the words clearly import, and he is a Pastor to them as they are the Lords heritage conquered with his bloud, and not because he is appointed Pastor over them, and no more.
3. Arg. Beleevers of divers congregations are members of a visible politicke body, and are to keep Church-communion together in exhorting, rebuking and comforting one another, and so may eate bread at the Lords Table, and be made one body, 1 Cor. 10. 27. but by this doctrine they may not eat at one Table of the Lord; For if the Pastor may not administer the Sacrament lawfully to persons of divers congregations, neither may they receive the Lords Supper from him; for if it be unlawfull for the Pastor to administer the Sacrament to these of other congregations, seeing he is to them as a Non-Pastor, and as a Christian only, they cannot lawfully receive the Supper of the Lord from a Non-Pastor: Yea, and Pastors baptizing Infants of other congregations doe sinne, and these Infants thus baptized are In…idels and non-baptized, because they are baptized by one who is a Non-Minister to the baptized.
4. Arg. 4. Arg.That opinion must be reasonlesse and without ground, the speciall reason and ground whereof is false. But the speciall ground and reason of this opinion is false, Ergo, &c. I prove the assumption: The speciall ground thereof is, that ordination and election of Pastors are all one, and that Pastors have essentially their calling from the election of the people; but there be wide differences betwixt ordination of a Pastor which essentially maketh him a Pastor, and the peoples chusing him to be their Pastor;The… in. 1. as 1. that all Divines according to Gods Word make them different things,Tim. 4. 14. as doe Theophylact, Cypr. ep. 33.Cyprian, Athan ep. ad O…th. Ambros. com. in 1 Tim. 5.Athanasius, Ambrose, Chrysostome, Hyperius, Aretius, Professors of Leyden, Morneus, Plessaeus, …hrys. …om. 13. in 1 Tim.Zanchius, Willet, Gers. Bucer, Zipperus. 2. The word of God restraineth ordination of officers to Pastors,Hyper. in 1 Tim. 4. 1 Tim. 4. 14. 1 Tim. 5. 22. 2 Tim. 2. 2. Tit. 1. 5.Ar… in 1 Tim. 4. Acts 6. 6.Profess Leyd. disp. 42. …n. 32. Ecc▪ M. Plesseus de p. 30. Acts 13. 1, 2, 3. and ascribeth election of officers to the people, Acts 6. v. 5. 3. Ordination is an act of authority and supreme jurisdiction conjoyned with fasting, Zanch in 4 praecep Wille… Synop. pap p. 2. cont. 5. q. 3 Gers Buce… degub. Eccl. sect 86. p. …35. Zipp…r. de Pol. Eccl. 2. c. 1…. n. 8, 9, 10.praying, and laying on of the hands of the Elders; but publ…e praying and dedicating the Pastor to Christs service with imposition of hands is given to Pastors, Acts 6. 6. 1 Tim. 4. 14. Acts 13. 1, 2, 3. but never to the multitude of beleevers: Give an instance in all the Scripture of the ordination of Pastors and officers of the New Testament that way. No man ever alleadged any; one place in Numbers they bring, where the children of Israel are said to lay on hands on the Levites; but judge how six hundred thousand sighting men could all lay their hands on the Levites? and these were not all Israel, but certainly these must be the heads and Princes of Tribes, who put hands on the Levites, as the word is often taken, as I observed before. Now ordination is an act of jurisdiction, such as is to send an Embassador; but that an Embassador consent to goe (such as is election) is no act of jurisdiction: For a father to give his daughter in marriage to one is an authoritative act of a father; but for the daughter to consent to the choise, is no act of authority, but an act of her private choise. 2. Ordination is that which formally makes the man and Pastor: The peoples election doth only appropriate the mans ministery to such and such a people: It is one thing to make a gold ring, this is an act of art, and another thing to propine and gift the ring to such a person. M. Jacob saith, the people hath power to reject a Minister who is unworthy; True, they have power to reiect him from being their Minister, but their power of election or rejection hath no influence in either ordaining him to be a Pastor, or rejecting him from being no Pastor.
Neither is it much that M. Best saith, 1. Obiect.that in this an Apostle differeth from the Pastor, that the Apostle is a Pastor through the whole Christian world, but the Pastor is tyed to a certaine congregation out of which he is not a Pastor.
Answ. We allow of no Pastors ordained Pastors without a certaine flocke; but this hindereth not, but ordination of a Pastor is one thing, and tying of a Pastor to be a Past…r of such a flocke is another thing, and that these two come from divers causes and grounds. An Apostle was a Pastor to all the world, yet might he exercise pastorall acts of preaching and praying towards these people who would not receiue his ministery, and against whom he was to shake off the dust of his feet, Mat. 10.as a witnesse, and a Pastor is only the Pastor of that flocke over the which the Holy-Ghost by the Churches authority hath set him as their Pastor; but yet so, as when he preacheth in another congregation, he ceaseth not to be a Pastor, howbeit he be not the Pastor of that flocke.
They object, Obiect. 2.The essence of a Pastor is from something, but it can be from nothing but from the consent of the people. So M. Jacob.Hen. Iac. of Chu…. govern. c 7: p. 168.
Answ. The pastorall calling is essentially from something, but it is not from the consent of the people; because a man may exercise pastorall acts of preaching toward these who are most unwilling to receive his ministery, Ergo, the pastorall calling must be essentially from the ordination of Elders, 1 Tim. 4. 14.
3. They object, Obiect. 3.Whatsoever is essentiall at some times and places for the making of a Minister, is essentiall for ever; but the peoples consent at some times and places is for the making of a Minister essentiall, and no other thing at that time can be essentiall: For example, when Christians came first out of Antichristian tyranny, when there are no lawfull Pastors, and in the first conversion of the Indies, Separatist Protest. anno 1616. a…. 10. 3. pe…. pos 5. p. 47. M Jacob Church gov…n. …. 7. p. 47.where there are no Pastors. So Separatists and M. Jacob.
Answ. I borrow this Argument, what is essentiall at some time and places for the making of a Pastor is evermore essentiall; but ordination of Pastors by Pastors, and sending them to preach to the Indies, who are unwilling to receive their ministery is onelyonly essentiall to make a man sent thither a Pastor; for peoples consent in that case cannot be essentiall, where they will not give their consent at all, and non ens cannot be essentiall to the making of a Pastor.
2. What is essentiall for making a Minister who is extraordinarily called of God, is not ever more essentiall to the making of a Minister ordinarily called of God, in an Island where the Gospell is, if all the Pastors should dye, the people might chuse Pastors to themselves, but they could not then make Pastors, God onelyonly without the ministery of other Pastors in that case should make Pastors; but it followeth not hence that Pastors ordinarily have not their calling to be Pastors from the ordination of Pastors.
4. They object, Obiect. 4.When the Church electeth her Pastor, she saith, we give thee A. B. power to administer the word, seales and censures, and the Minister doth possesse and assume. Ergo, the people election is the essence of a Ministers calling.Smith ce…s. paral▪ p 112, 113. So John Smith.
Answ. It is presupposed by order of nature, that A. B. is first called and ordained a Pastor by Christ, and … laying on the hands of the Elders, 1 Tim. 4. 14. before the people can elect him for their Pastor: For if A. B. be no Pastor, people cannot chuse him to be their Pastor, neither doth the peoples election give any such power to A. B. That power is given by the Presbyteries act of ordination, by order of nature, before the peoples formall act of election: As the husband who in a Lapidaries shop chooseth a gold ring for his wife, and putteth it on her finger, presupposeth it was a gold ring before his chusing thereof, neither doth his chusing thereof make it a gold-ring, but onelyonly make it his wifes gold-ring by application to her: Just so, peoples election appropriateth such a man who is already a Pastor to such a charge, but doth not make the Pastor a Pastor, but chuseth him only to be their Pastor.
5. Smith laboureth to prove that the ministery commeth not by succession from Ministers: Obiect. 5.For then (saith he) the ministery should be before there were any Church;Smith paral. …2. but the Church is before the ministery, and calleth the Ministers to office.
Answ. The Church ministeriall, the governing Church, whereof we now speake, cannot be before there be a ministery; for then there should be Ministers before there be Ministers, which is against common sense: The Church mysticall is before the Church ministeriall, I grant; but a Church mysticall, or a Church of beleevers may chuse Pastors before they can ordinarily be their Pastors, but they cannot make Pastors: Yea, and God at same times supplyeth the want of popular election, while he calleth one to preach to a people, never consenting he shall be their Pastor, and so neither can the objector maintaine a succession of beleevers alwayes calling Ministers, nor doe we hold a constant ordination of Pastors in a continuall line of succession from the Apostles made by Pastors, the succession may be interrupted, but then God himselfe supplyeth the want of ordinary ordination appointed by himselfe, 1 Tim. 4. 14. Tit. 1. 5. 1 Tim. 5. 21, 22. Acts. 6. 6.
6. They object, 6. Obiect.If a Ministeriall power come (saith M. Smith),Smith. ib. by succession from Presbyteries, then are Presbyters Lords of the Churches faith, in respect that the Church cannot enioy the holy things of God, howbeit she be of her selfe the body and Spouse of Christ, without the Presbyters consent.
Answ. Any may here see right downe Anabaptisme, because the Church cannot enjoy pastorall preaching, and the Sacraments without Pastors appointed of Christ for that effect, Mat. 28. 18, 19. John 20. 21, 22, 23. Mar. 16. 15. therefore Pastors are Lords of the peoples faith, so they may have Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord, because they are Christs Spouse and body, without Pastors.
2. By this goodly Argument, private beleevers preaching and baptizing are Lords of the faith of other private beleevers, who are their hearers, because notwithstanding that private beleevers be the body and Spouse of Christ of themselves; yet can they not, by M. Smiths reasoning, enioy the holy things of God, without the ministery of private Christians preaching and administrating to them the Sacraments.
7. Smith objecteth, …. Obiect.If ministeriall power come by succession from Ministers, then Ministers may excommunicate the whole Church of Christ.
Answ. This is most weake, Illud tantum possumus quod de iure possumus. And by this reason the beleevers may excommunicate the whole ministery also, which is no lesse absurd.
8. Smith addeth, 8. Object.If the Eld…rs and Deacons dye, the succession faileth, and a mnisteriall power of Christ …eing once lost can never be recovered againe, and so there shall be no Ministers in the world.
Answ. Suppose in this or that Church all the Ministers should dye, yet it followeth not that a Ministery can utterly faile in the Church: It is contrary to Eph. 4. 11. and to the perpetuity of Christs kingly government and Thr…ne,Psal. …9. 36. 37▪ which shall endure as the dayes of heaven: Psal. 72. v. 4, 5, 6.And what if God extraordinarily supply the want of ordination in this or that particular Church? A ministeriall power is conferred in that case immediately upon some, in a Church removed from any Church-consociation from other Churches, and so Christs ministeriall power dieth not.
9. Smith re…soneth thus, 9. Obiect.to prove that beleevers may ordaine their owne officers, That which is given by Christ to the Church is in the power and possession of the Church, but officers and offices are given to the Church.
Answ. What is given to the Church sinaliter & obiectivè, that is for the behoofe and good of the Church, for their edification and salvation as Gods proposed end, such as preaching and baptizing, that is in the Churches power and possession, is most false, and so I deny the maior proposition; for preaching and baptizing is given by Christ for the good and salvation of women and private Christians; yet women and private Christians may not preach, baptize and ordaine Ministers. Whatsoever is given to the Church, subiectivè, as to the proper subject, Mistresse and Spouse, to dispose and carve upon at her pleasure, is in the Churches power and possession: It is true, but now the assumption is false, because officers and offices are not so given to the Church of beleevers as to the subject. Christ ascending on high, gave Pastors and teachers for the Church of beleevers, for their gathering and perfecting, but not to the Church of beleevers.
10. If two or three (saith M. Smith) faithfull ones have power to make a Church,10. Object. then have they power to make the Ministers of the Church, but two or three have power to make a Church. Ergo, two or three faithfull ones have power to make the Ministers of a Church. He proveth the major. They who can doe the greater can doe the lesse, to make a Church is greater; for the Church is the Body, Spouse and Wife, the Ministers are but an ornament of the body, and so the lesse: The assumption he proveth, two or three faithfull ones have Christ, the holy things of David, the promises. Ergo, two or three have power to make a Church.
Answ. These who can make a Church mysticall have power to make a Church ministeriall, or Ministers of a Church: that I deny: As for the probation, this proposition (These who can doe the greater can doe the lesse) must be right taken: It is true, in these same kind of works, and in the same kind of power. Christ can forgive sinnes, Ergo, he can doe lesse, he can say to a sicke man, take up thy bed and walke: So if by prayer Jacob obtaine a blessing from God, which is greater, then by prayer he will obtaine deliverance out of the hands of Esau, which is lesse; but in powers of divers kinds it holdeth not true: A beleever by prayer may obtaine grace and perseverance, which is greater, but it followeth not, Ergo, hee can open the eyes of the blind, and worke miracles, which is lesse; and therefore howbeit three can make a mysticall Church, which is greater, by a power of saving grace (which is gratia gratum faciens) It followeth not, that therefore they have a ministeriall and pastorall power of the keyes (which is gratia gratis data) to preach and make Ministers: For then, because Mary Magdalen hath power to beleeve that Christ buried shall rise againe from the death, which is greater; therefore she hath power to preach and baptize, which is a lesser power: He who hath power to make a ship, hath not for that power to make a cup.
11. Smith reasoneth thus: These who have the true matter and forme, have the property which ariseth from the matter and forme, that is Christs ministeriall power to assume all the meanes of their edification to salvation; but two or three faithfull ones are the true matter of the Church of the New Testament, and therefore have the true forme or covenant of the New Testament, and so have a ministeriall power arising from these two.
Answ. These who have the true matter and forme of a mysticall Church of beleevers, these have the union and property of a mysticall Church resulting from matter and forme, is most true; but they have not for that the true property of a ministeriall Church; faith, and the covenant written in the heart is not the forme of a ministeriall Church, but of a mysticall Church of beleevers. Sixe borne Scottish men dwelling in Paris, make a body of Scottish men; but they are not for that a politicke body of Scottish men living according to the Lawes of Scotland: Foure beleevers are a mysticall Church borne over againe by the Spirit of Christ; but if they be no more but single beleevers, they are not for that a ministeriall Church, which is necessarily a politicke body governed by Christs Lawes, consisting of shepheard and flocke: But this man will have three beleevers, because they are beleevers, to be Ministers, and so taketh away all vocation and ordination of Church-officers by the Churches authority, which is flat Anabaptisme.