A Just Defense of Hearing the Sermons, Answer to preface · Section 19
Sect. 19. A true Gospel Ministry may be in a false Church so deemed.
Secondly, A Church may be said to be false many wayes.
1. Because it was irregularly constituted, that is not gathered by consent, or Church-covenant, or baptism, but by humane Laws, in forcing men to meet together in one Congregation, or more; because dwellers in such a Precinct, or born or living in such a Countrey. In this respect I conceive the Quaerist makes a national Church a false Church.
2. Because it is an hypocritical company, which doth indeed make them a false Church before God, yet quoad nos they are a true visible Church, if there be no falsehood in that which is descernible by men.
3. Because it is Schismatical, so as to break off from other parts of the Catholique Church, without a justifiable cause, whether out of ambition, passion, misapprehension or any other such like undue motive.
4. Because it is heretical, or Heresy is broached and upheld by a party in it. Now I confess, that it can hardly be, that there should be a true Ministry in a Church tainted with Heresy. Yet sith our Lord Christ, writes to the Church of Pergamos, as one of his seven Golden Candlesticks, though there were that held the Doctrin of Balaam and of the Nicolaitans, Revel. 2.14, 15. and in like manner the Church of Thyatira, or the Angel of it suffered the Woman which called her self a Prophetess, to teach and seduce his Servants to commit Fornication, and to eat things Sacrificed to Idols. I inferre those Angels were true Ministers, though in a Church in some sort false, that is, tainted with heretical or false doctrin. And sith the Church of Corinth was manifestly Schismatical, 1 Cor. 1.11, 12. Yet Apollos a true Minister to them, or who else were their Pastors. And sith the Church of Sardis is charged, as having a name that it lived but was dead, yet the Angel of it, one of the seven Stars in Christs right hand, then may there be a true Ministry in such false Churches, Revel. 3.1. that is schismatical, or hypocritical not consisting of real Saints. And if it be, that what is charged on Laodicea, Rev. 3.15, 16, 17. were by reason of defect in Church constitution and disciplin (as Mr. Brightman conceived) then also a false Church, in respect of such irregularity may have a true Ministry. But because this is only an argument ad homines, to such as concurre with Mr. Brightman in his conceit; I will prove, that in a National Church, or a Church irregular in its constitution or discipline, miscalled false, may be a true Ministry of Christ.
1. If the truth of the Ministry depend upon the truth of the Church or it's regularity, then where is no true regular Church, there is no true Ministry. But that is false, sith there may be a true Ministry, where there is no Church at all, and therefore no true Church. Ergo, the truth of the Ministry depends not on the truth of the Church: but a true Ministry may be in a false Church.
2. If there be a true Ministry, though to or in a National visible Church or Catholique, then that extent, which is conceived to be inconsistent with a true Gospel Church, makes not the Ministry false, but Peters and Pauls Ministry to the Jews or Gentiles Churches, were true Ministries, though the Churches were National or Catholique, even set by God in the Church, 1 Cor. 12.18. Ergo.
3. If Ministry to Churches Hypocritical, Schismatical, and in some sort Heretical may be true Ministry, much more to a Church National, irregular in constitution and discipline, those being greater degrees of falsehood than this. But the antecedent is before proved from the Epistles to the Corinthians, to the Churches of Pergamos, Thyatira, and Sardis; Ergo the consequent is true.
4. If the regular constitution, disciplin of the Church, the election of the Church or their sending be extrinsecal or accidental, not necessary, or essential to the truth of the Ministry, then may there be a true Ministry in such a Church as this Author calls false. But the antecedent is true, sith the Apostles were true Ministers, afore the regular constitution and discipline of Churches, without their Election or mission, therefore the consequent is also true.
5. If the denomination of true Ministers be from the truth of their Doctrin, and no other form denominating them, and there may be a Ministration of true Doctrin in such a supposed false Church, then there may be a true Ministry in such a false Church, for where the form denominating is, there the Subject is rightly denominated from it. But the antecedent is true, both from all the Texts before alledged, which place the truth of Ministry in the Doctrin taught, and no other thing, and in that the Colossians learned the grace of God in truth, from Epaphras he is termed St. Pauls Fellow-Servant, and for them a faithfull Minister of Christ, Col. 1.6, 7. and reason and experience confirms the possibility of preaching true Doctrin in a National mis-called false Church, therefore the consequent is also true.
6. If false Prophets, false Apostles, false Brethren be only denominated from their false Doctrin, then they are not false Ministers but true, who teach the truth of the Gospel, notwithstanding their defects, or the Churches in which they are. But the antecedent is true, as may be evinced from, 2 Pet. 2.1. 2 Cor. 11.13. Gal. 2.4, 5. 1 John 2.1…, 21, 22, 26. 2. John. 7. and many more places which denominate them false Prophets, false Teachers, false Apostles, false Brethren, Antichrists, not Ministers of Christ, from their erroneous Doctrin, therefore from it, and not from defects of Churches, or other things are they false Ministers, and if they preach true Doctrin, true Ministers though in an irregular Church. There being nothing offered against this to be answered, I pass on to this Authors next Quaerie.