Survey of the Survey of that Sum of Church Discipline by Hooker, Book 1 · Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV.
Whether a Pastor or Professor be first a member of the Catholick visible Church, before he be a member of a single Congregation.
MR. H. Some Paradoxes fall from the Pen of Mr. R. a Pastor Page 81.gifted and called by the Church, is a member of the visible Church before he be their Pastor, though he be a member of no Congregation.
2. That a Pastor may have a calling from the Church before he be elected by a Congregation, and so an Individuum vagum, a Pastor of all people, and yet of no particular people. But if all the Congregations are all the members that all the v…sible Church hath, then he that is not a member of a particular Congregation, is no member of a visible Church, for that which comes not within the number of members is no member; but all particular Congregations are all the members that a visible Church hath.
Ans. That he must be a member of a visible Church, before One must be a member of the visible Church, though no member of a Congregation, before he can be a Pastor of a Congregation.he be the Pastor of a single flock is clear.
1. He must be baptized into one body visible, whether of Jews or Gentiles, 1 Cor. 12. 13. for an unbaptized man cannot be a Minister.
2. The qualifications of an Elder or Watchman, 1 Tim. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4. 2 Tim. 2. 2. Tit. 1. 6, 7, 8. And that he be in covenant with God, and visibly holy, and th… he as well as the Deacons, 1 Tim. 3. 10. may be proved to be such as agree to learned and godly members, who are broken off from membership for no scandal, but through persecution, and pestilence, then it cannot be a paradox, if some that are no members of a single Congregation, and so visible professors known to be faithful and able to teach others, as 2 Tim. 2. 2. and so in covenant visibly, as the visible Israel of God, and as Gods covenanted Nation and Kingdom, Isa. 19. 16, 17, 25. Rev. 11. 15. Psal. 2. 8, 9. Psal. 22. 27. and members of the visibly covenanted people, and Church of God, be called to be Pastors and Elders, except it be said that publick suffering for Christ, and affliction only, and not sin make men learned and holy, uncapable to be Elders.
2. That a Pastor is made a Pastor by ordination, 1 Tim. 3. 22. 2 Tim. 2. 2. Tit. 1. 5, 6, 7. Acts 6 6. by such as Timothy, Titus, Apostles and Elders is clear in Scripture: and not one word in Scripture saith, that unofficed men laid hands upon any to make them Elders. Nor will it ever follow that a Pastor may be ordained, and called a Pastor, or an individuum v…gum, and appointed over no certain flock, except that Mr. H. prove that we now, when Apostles are ceased, do separate the ordination of officers by the Presbytery, from the election of the people, A Pastor is made a Pastor by only ordination, but it follows not, Ergo, he is now lawfully made a Pastor by ordination separated for any designed and certain flock, consenting and chusing him to be their Pastor. When Augustine confesseth that the Donatists, who separated themselves from the true Catholick Church, did beget sons to the Church, and had the true Sacraments, he shews that they were members of the Catholick Church, though members of a separated Church. De Baptismo contra Donatist. lib. 1. c. 10. Certe quidem nati erant, nec tamen ad ipsam Ecclesiam, de quâ nati erant, per pacis uaitatis vinculum pertinerent; ergo ipsa generat, & per uterum su… & per uteros ancillarum ex eisdem Sacramentis tanquam ex viri sui semine.and that the presbytery may do as the prelates, ordain a man to be a pastor every where, when as no certain flock calls him; which we teach not: for ordination only makes a pastor, sola ordinatio, but that ordination is not solitary, and it's alone, but inseparably joined with an inviting, and chusing, and consenting people. But that consent and choice doth not formally constitute a man an officer, but only appropriate his labours to this consenting people. Mr. H. argues here just as the Papists do. If we be justified sola fide, by faith only, and not by works; ergo we are justified by such a faith as is void of all works, and so by a dead faith: we deny the consequence, the man seeth with the eyes only, ergo he sees with the eyes plucked out of the head: The like Paradox M. H. imputes to me, if only ordination formally make a Minister, ergo ordination now where Apostles are not, though separated from election of a certain flock, makes a lawful Minister in a setled Church-state, it follows not: indeed in some cases, as hereafter I shall clear, only ordination of Officers makes a lawful Minister.
Nor is it here as Mr. H. imagines in the case of marriage; for marriage-covenant makes both a man a husband, and a husband to this woman only, and to no other: but election of the people makes not a man a Minister, but only appropriates his Ministerial labours to this flock fixedly.
3. Not is that any thing but a fansied contradiction, he that is not a member, inchurched and married to one only particular Congregation (for so is Mr. H. his sense) he is not a member of the Catholick visible Church; For Presbyterian members are so neither members one way nor another.
1. Apostles and members dissolved are not fixed members of a single Congregation, and yet members they must be of the visible Church Catholick: sure it is no Paradox, that the Apostles are such members, for they had right to all the seals in all Congregations; Ergo, they must by this reason be members and no members: the like may be said of godly professors so journers, of these baptized by Iohn Baptist, Matth. 3. by Peter, Act. 10. by Paul, Act. 16. For if we say that professors are only members of a particular Congregation, then we confine a Brother to be gained only to one Congregation, let all the rest perish, they are not my brethren.
2. To deny men to be members of the Catholick visible Church, is to confine all the Church-blessings, and Church-prayers, Church-comforts, Church-faith in Church-hearing, Church-partaking of seals to the one only Congregation whereof I am a member, for in all other Congregations whereof I am no member, there is no assembly-glory, nor no assembly comfort The woful absurdities which follow from the membership of Pastors and Saints confined to one only Congregation.promised, Isa. 4 5, 6. no assembly, o… Church-protection, and Church-leading from a cloud by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night, no joy in the publick sanctuary, Ps. 84. 1, 2, 3. Ps 42. 1, 2, 3, 4. Isa. 2. 2, 3. no comfort in a Church-way through …ion in which the fool shall not erre, Isa. 35. 89. no more comfort to me, who am not a member of that flock, then to the Heathen and the Eunuch; for I have no more a place there then the Heathen: contrary to Isa. 56. 4, 5, 6. nor have I Interest in Church-holiness, Zach. 14. 20, 21. and the sanctuary beauty, Ps. 27. 4. Ps. 23. 6. which the Angels desire to learn by the Church, Eph. 3. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 12. 1 Cor. 11. 10. more then if I were excommunicate by Mr. H. his way.
3. Consider if this be not a Judaizing, and a confining of all these spiritual priviledges, and glorious Church-comforts, Worship, and Church prayer once confined to Bithel, to the Temple, 1 Kings 28. 29, 44. Dan. 6. 10. which Christ hath made common, and excepts of in all places, Ioh 4 21. 1 Tim. 2. 8. Rev. 1. 10. to one single Congregation, whereof I am a member.
4. Its against the nature of the seals, that is, our union by spiritual ingraffing into one body, 1 Cor. 12. 13. and we all eat one bread, 1 Cor. 10. 17. our communion in love with all the Saints is here sealed, and the broken bread seals the body of Christ broken, not for one man, and for onelyonly one single Congregation, but it seals Christs love to the Redeemed world, Ioh. 3. 16. 1 Ioh. 2. 2. to the whole redeemed, saved, sanctified Church, Eph. 5. 23, 26, 27. Ioh. 10. 11. & 11. 51, 52. for the Catholick Bride, not a limb, a single Congregation is the complete object of Christs intent.
2. The complete and adequate matter of his work and soul-travel on his incarnation, dying, rising, ascending, interceding, giving of the holy Spirit, Luke 19. 10. & 2. 10. 1 Ioh. 2. 2. 1 Tim. 1. 15. Rev. 1. 5, 6. Heb. 7. 25. Ioh. 16. 7. Isa. 53. 11.
3. The onelyonly complete recipient, and principal subject of all the gracious and saving actings of Christ, of Church-callings, of the Promises, Covenant preached.
5. By this the congregational body may say, I have no need of thee.
Obj. Yea, I have materially need of thee for counsel, rebuke.
Ans. But is Body-need, Organ-need, and Church-need that Paul speaks of, 1 Cor. 12. 26. Peters body hath no Organ-need of Pauls feet to walk, for he hath two feet of his own; but he may have physical need of another kinde: So the Congregation hath need of Heathens to rebuke them, but this is no Church-need.
6. Paul, 1 Cor. 12. would have no schism in the body, but would have the Churches to have the same Church-care one of another, and not to be divided in one Faith, one Baptism, one Church-head, one Church-Gospel, &c. which must be, if I be not a member of all congregations.
7. We are to suffer one with another, rejoyce one with another, but no Church-feeling is required of me, if I and those of another congregation be not of the same visible body, by vertue of the fellow-feeling between the members, the Apostle cannot speak of a natural compassion: for humanity will teach Christians to mourn at the destruction of Heathens, but they are not for that of the same body of Christ with us. But as Churches and members of associate Churches are visible professors and members no less than single congregations.all these prove that there is a visible body of m…y congregations, and so that there is a Catholick integral visible body. So we thus argue: If the Church-actings, and sufferings, and rejoycing condition of those of associated Churches be visible and audible to us, no less than the Church-actings, and sufferings, and rejoycing condition of the single congregation, whereof I am a member: then must the one be a visible Body and Church as well as the other.
But the latter is true. The Proposition is clear: for if the properties and accidents be visible, the subject is visible; because this is the formal reason why a congregation is visible, for we see not the spirits and faith in the hearts of the single congregation, but we see their profession in single persons, and their meetings in one place, for hearing, praying, praising and partaking of the seals. Now all these we see in three or four or six meetings, or conventions of the Churches associated, which shall but make one numerous congregation of ten thousand, as the dissenting Brethren said of the Church of Ierusalem: and we see them severally meet, as we see the Church of our own single congregation. As for their poverty, sickness, imprisonment, and the sufferings of these of the same congregation of which we are members, we see not these in Church meetings, but in single members, and these must be visible in many congregations, as the famine in Iudea for which Paul made a collection, as well as in one. From all this its clear, that it is false which Mr. H. saith, That all particular Churches are all the members that the Church visible hath. For Apostles, godly sojourners, dissolved members, are not members of congregations, not are they congregations themselves, and yet they are members of the visible integral Catholick Church.