Confirmation and Restoration Necessary Means, Proposition 9 – Proposition 12
Prop. 9. It is moſt evident that Miniſters, People, and Magiſtrates, have each a Power of Judging; but different, as they have different works.
2. VVHen the Queſtion is, To whom the Sacraments, and other Ordinances, and Church-Relations, and Priviledges are to be Miniſterially deliverd as from Chriſt, and to whom not? Here the Miniſters of Chriſt are the Judges. And ſo are they, when the Queſtion is, Whom muſt we teach, direct, and perſwade, and in Chriſts Name command the people to avoid, or to hold Communion with? For thoſe two are our own work in the Execution. And if either Magiſtrate, people, or any other muſt be Judge, where Miniſters muſt Execute and work; Then 1. We have not that common Judicium Diſcretionis to guide our own actions, which is allowed, and Neceſſary to every Chriſtian. 2. Then the Rulers of the Church, are not only degraded, and made no Rulers, but are put into that ſlavery, and ſubjection to them, that are commanded to obey them, which no Paſtour muſt deſire the People, or any one of them to be in. For we muſt not deny them a Judgment of Diſcretion, about their own actions. 3. And by this courſe, Miniſters that are the Eies of the Body, muſt not only be guided by other parts, but they muſt execute againſt their own Knowledg, and Conſcience, when other men miſs-judge. 4. And if ſo, either God commandeth us to ſinne, when ever people, or Magiſtrates bid us, (which none dare ſay) or elſe it is no ſinne, when it doth but get their Vote: and ſo we may warrantably do what the Magiſtrate bids us, (as Hobbs thinks) or what the people bids us, (as others as unreaſonably think) As if it would be a ſufficient excuſe for me, to ſay, Lord I did what the Magiſtrate, or the Major Vote of the people bid me, though it was that which thou forbideſt. 5. If the people have no ſuch Power over one another, then they have none over their Rulers or Guides: But they have none ſuch over one another. Indeed in order to Unity, a Major Vote may (not effectually oblige) but occaſion an obligation: But as to Government, let them ſhew us if they can from Scripture, where the Major Vote of a Church hath the Government of the Leſſer part, or that the Leſſer may go againſt their own Judgment, and Conſcience, meerly becauſe the greater part requireth it. This Governing Vote, is as ſtrange a thing to the Scripture as a Pope is. 6. Paſtours, or General u…fixed Miniſters, may receive perſons into the Ʋniverſal Church ſometime, without receiving them into any particular Church: And what have any people there to do with the tryal, or Approbation of their Profeſſion or Qualifications? One can lay no more claim to it then another. And ſure all the world muſt not have the tryal of them. 7. What people did Philip adviſe with before he Baptized the Eunuch? Or who but Philip alone was judge of his Profeſſion? What Vote approved of the 3000 Converts, Acts 2 or of Paul, Acts 9. or of Lydia, or the Gaoler, Acts 16. or any other that ever were admitted by the Miniſters of Chriſt in Scripture times. And what Magiſtrates were the Approvers for 300 years after Chriſt? No nor after. 8. If in this part of our Office we muſt obey men, againſt God (whether Magiſtrate or People) then in other parts: And ſo if the Vote of the Church, or Magiſtrate, forbid me to pray or preach againſt Pride, Covetouſneſs or Drunkenneſs, I muſt obey them, that is, I muſt obey men before God, and pleaſe men, and be no longer the Miniſter of Chriſt. 9. What can be more plainly contrary to Scripture, then for the people by a Major Vote, to Rule thoſe whom God commandeth to obey, as their Rulers? Heb. 13. 7. & 17. 24. 1. Tim. 5. 17. 1 Theſ. 5. 12. Acts 20, &c.
Object. Paſtours have but a Miniſterial Ruling Power.
Anſw. Who doubts of that? But is a Miniſterial Rule no Rule? No man on earth hath more then a Miniſterial Power: For all are under God, and the Redeemer. All Judges, Juſtices, and other Officers in the Commonwealth, have but a Miniſterial Rule as Officers: But is that no Rule? Or ſhall the People therefore Rule theſe Rulers? We are Chriſts Miniſters for the people: we are theirs finally, but have our Power from Chriſt only Efficiently. If the People are the Rulers, who are the Ruled? It's a ſtrange ſociety, when the Ruling, and Ruled part is the ſame; where all the Body is a Head and an Eye. 10. If People or Magiſtrates will oblige the Miniſters by their Power, whom they ſhall Baptize, Confirm, or Abſolve, and what Profeſſion they ſhall accept; then muſt the People and Magiſtrates undertake to Anſwer it before God, and to bear all the blam, and puniſhment, if we miſcarry in obedience to them. And truly if they dare undertake this, we ſhould gladly accept of the condition, with a thouſand thankes, if we could but be ſure that God would give us leave, and thus acquit us, and accept of our ſervice on theſe terms. O then how eaſy a thing were it to obey, rather then to Rule. So much for the Power of the Miniſters in this (and other ſuch like) worke.
2. When the Queſtion is, Whether ſuch a Profeſſor be fit for our own Communion or not, and whether it be our duty to avoid him or not, then the People have a Judgment of Diſcretion: Not a Governing Judgment, as the Paſtours have; but a Judgment that muſt be the Immediate Guide of their Actions. Yet this is to be thus exerciſed: They are to look to Gods Word as the Rule, and to truſt that with a Divine Faith: They are alſo to look at the Judgment and Directions of the Paſtours, that are their authorized Guides; and to truſt them as the Officers of Chriſt. For the Word is their Regulating Guide; the Paſtours are their authorized Directing Guides; and their own Underſtandings are their Immediate Diſcerning Guides. So that they muſt not be wiſe in their own conceits, nor leane to their own Underſtanding, without the uſe of Scripture, and Miniſtery; but uſe their Underſtandings for the improvement of theſe. So that if they know not that the Poſtours of the Church do miſlead them, contrary to the Word of God, they cannot deny them obedience (For the command to obey them is unqueſtionable.) Or if they have not a grounded ſtrong preſumption, or probability of it, they may not ſuſpend their obedience; but muſt leave the Paſtours to the work of their Office, and truſt them in it, and avoid thoſe whom they reject, and hold communion with thoſe whom they accept, and introduce, confirm, or reſtore. But in caſe they know that a Paſtour leadeth them into ſinne, they are not to follow him: and if they have juſt ground for a ſtrong ſuſpicion of it, they muſt ſuſpend, and conſult with other Paſtours, and get full information: For Chriſtian People are not to be Ruled as beaſts, but as the Children of God; and muſt underſtand what they are required to do, and why, as being free Subjects, (though Subjects) in the Kingdom of Chriſt, and to be governed accordingly.
3. When the Queſtion is, Whether Miniſters are to be puniſhed for abuſing their Power, Receiving or Rejecting men to the injurie of the Church, and contrary to the Word of God: here the Magiſtrate is the Judge. For as forcing, or puniſhing corporally is his work, ſo he muſt be the Judge, where he is the executioner, or elſe he ſhould be forced to go againſt his own Judgment, and to be a meer ſervile executioner, which were to him an inſufferable injury.
But here, 1. The Magiſtrate muſt not give the Miniſter a Law to Govern the Church by; (unleſs the determination of circumſtantial appendants) but muſt ſee that we Govern it according to the Word of God, our only and ſufficient Rule. 2. And he muſt not be over buſy, nor unneceſſarily intermeddle in the works of another Office, nor be too confident of his own Underſtanding in the matters of the Paſtours work, as if he knew better then they. 3. But he muſt correct or caſt out thoſe Miniſters that will not obey the Word of God; Puniſhing us for breaking the old Rule, and not making new Rules for us, is their work, ſo be it, he can procure a better ſupply; 4. In this caſe, if the Magiſtrates Judgment be right, he doth his duty, and Miniſters muſt obey him: If he erre, he may be guilty of perſecution, in hindering good, under pretence of puniſhing evil. If his errour tend not to the deſtruction, or great and certain hurt of the Church; the Miniſters whom he caſteth out, are bound to obey him, and give place to others, and beſtow their labours, in ſome other Country, or in ſome other kind at home: But if his errour lead him to deſtructive perſecution, we muſt Paſſively ſubmit, but not Actively, or Negatively obey him, but muſt preach as long as we are able, and do our duty, till by priſon, or death he ſtop us in the exerciſe.
Prop. 10. To this Miniſterial Approbation of the Profeſſion, and Qualification of the expectant, there is to be adjoyned a Miniſterial Inveſtiture, or Delivery of the Benefit expected.
THis is the proper work of the Miniſters of Chriſt. He that is Himſelf in the Heavenly Glory, hath left his Spirit within to draw men to him, and his Miniſters without, to Deliver up the Counter-covenant on his part, in his Name, and to eſpouſe them to Chriſt, and to Accept them in his Name, and ſtead. And this Inveſtiture is one of the principal parts of the Nature and uſe of Sacraments, which all have not fully Conſidered of. The Papiſts tell us of ſeven Sacraments, Baptiſm, Confirmation, Pennance, Orders, the Euchariſt, Matrimony, and Extream Unction. Calvin ſticks not to yield them three. The name Sacrament being not in Scripture, but of meer Eccleſiaſtik uſe, and being a word that will ſtretch, I diſtinguiſh between three ſorts of Sacraments. 1. For any Divine Inſtitution which notably ſignifieth Spiritual Grace: And ſo (though I think Extream Unction none, as being now no duty, yet) I doubt not but there's more then ſeaven. 2. For any ſolemn Inveſtiture of a perſon by Miniſterial Delivery, in a ſtate of Church-priviledges, or ſome ſpecial Goſpel-mercy. And ſo I grant that there are five Sacraments: Baptiſm, Confirmation, Abſolution, the Lords Supper, and Odination. As a man that delivereth Poſſeſſion of a houſe, doth deliver the Key to him that enters; and as we are Inveſted in the Poſſeſſion of land, by the delivery of a twig and turfe; and as Miniſters were wont to be inveſted, or have Induction into the Churches by giving them the Books, and the Bell-ropes; and as women were wont to be married with a ring, and as a Prince doth Knight a man by a ſword; ſo Chriſt by his Miniſters doth firſt by Baptiſm Inveſt us in our Church-ſtate, and Infant-priviledges: and by Confirmation, confirm us in our Church-ſtate, and Inveſt us with a Right to the Priviledges of the Adult: and by Abſolution reinveſt us in the Priviledges that we had forfeited: and by the Lords Supper Deliver to us Chriſt and his Benefits, for our ordinary nouriſhment, and growth in Grace: and by Ordination he Inveſteth the pardon ordained with Miniſterial Power. 3. But taking the word Sacrament in that ſtricteſt ſence, as our Divines define a Sacrament, as it is an outward ſigne of Chriſts Inſtitution, for the obſignation of the full Covenant of Grace, betwixt him and the Covenanter, and a delivery, Repreſentation, and Inveſtiture of the Grace, or Benefits of that Covenant; thus we have only two Sacraments, Baptiſm, and the Lords Supper. But truly I would not quarrel with them for the meer name, as to the five which I mentioned.
Prop. 11. The ſolemn Miniſterial Inveſtiture of Profeſſours, into the Right of the Church priviledges of the Adult, is either 1. Of the unbaptized, who are now firſt entered. 2. Or of the Baptized in Infancy, that never proved ungodly, nor violated that firſt Covenant. 3. Or of thoſe Baptized, whether in Infancy or at Age, that have ſince Proved wicked, and broke that Covenant. The firſt of theſe Inveſtitures is, to be by Baptiſm; the ſecond by Confirmation; and the third by Abſolution. So that the ſolemn Inveſtiture that I am pleading for, is by Confirmation to one ſort (that never proved ungodly ſince their Baptiſm) and by Abſolution to the other ſort that broke their Covenant.
THe Baptiſm of the Adult, we have not now to do with. Of thoſe that are Baptized in Infancy, ſome do betimes receive the ſecret ſeeds of Grace, which by the bleſſing of a holy education, (and ſome among the prophane) is ſtirring within them, according to their capacity, and working them to God by actual deſires, and working them from all known ſinne, and entertaining further Grace, and turning them into actual acquaintance with Chriſt, as ſoone as they arrive at full natural capacity: ſo that they never were Actual ungodly perſons. To theſe their Inveſtiture in the ſtate of Adult-members upon their perſonal Approved Profeſſion, is a Confirmation of the mutuall Covenant that it findeth them under, and of them in that Covenant.
But there are others (I doubt the moſt) that ſince their infant Baptiſm, have proved Actual wicked ungodly perſons; if not openly flagitious and ſcandalous, yet at leaſt, unacquainted with any ſpecial ſanctifying work, till after they attain to the full years of diſcretion.De Exhomologeſ. vide Albeſpin. in Tertul. de Paenit. c. 10. pag. 297. & Obſerv. paſſim. Theſe break their Covenant made with God in Baptiſm, in which they were devoted to him, and engaged to live to him, forſaking the fleſh, the world, and the Devil. And therefore theſe muſt come in as Penitents (even as if they had proved wicked after an Adult Baptiſm, they muſt do:) and therefore it is firſt an Abſolution which they muſt receive: not only a Particular Abſolution from an Act of haynous ſinne (which afterwards may be renewed upon particular penitence) but a General Abſolution from a ſtate of ſinne. Yet this doth conſequently participate of the Nature of the former, and hath a Confirmation in it, or with it: Not a Confirmation in the wicked ſtate that ſuch have lived in, but a Renewal, and ſolemn Confirming of the Covenant, between God and them, which in Baptiſm was made. So that to ſuch it is as an Abſolution and Confirmation Conjunct.
Prop. 12. This ſolemn Inveſtiture on perſonal Profeſſion, being thus proved the Ordinance of God, for the ſolemn renewing of the Covenant of Grace, between God and the Adult Covenanter, it muſt needs f…llow, that it is a corroborating Ordinance, and that corroborating Grace is to be expected in it from God, by all that come to it in ſincerity of heart: And ſo it hath the name of Confirmation upon that account alſo.
THe Papiſts quarrel with us, and curſe us in the Counſel of Trent, for denying their Ends of Confirmation, and making it another thing. But they faſly deſcribe our Opinion: We do not take it to be a meer Catechiſing, or receiving the Catechized to the Lords Supper, or to a higher form: But we take it to be the Approbation of the perſonal Profeſſion of them that claime a Title to the Church-ſtate, and Priviledg of the Adult, and an Inveſting them ſolemnly ther…in, upon the ſolemn Renewal (and perſonal Adult enterance) into Covenant with God. Now in this Renewed Covenant, as they give up themſelves to Chriſt afreſh, and perſonally engage themſelves to him, and renounce his enemies, owning their Infant-Baptiſm, when this was done by others in their names, ſo God is ready on his part to bleſs his own Ordinance, with the Collation of that Corroborating Grace, which the Nature of the Renewed Covenant doth import. Otherwiſe God ſhould appoint us means in vain, and fail them in the Uſe of his own Ordinances, that uſe them as he hath appointed: which is not to be imagined: Though the unſound h…pocritical Receivers may miſs of this bleſſing; and though as the Degrees of Coroborating Grace, God is free to give it out as he pleaſeth. So that the Papiſts ſhall have no cauſe to ſay, that we needleſly, or erroneouſly do deny either the name of Confirmation, or the true uſe and ends of it, or the notional Title of a Sacrament to it in a larger (yet not the largeſt) ſence. We affect not to fly further from them, then we needs muſt; much leſs to fly from the Ancient Practice of the Univerſal Church: But we muſt crav… their pardon, if we introduce not their An… ointing (though ancient) ſeeing when i… was uſed of old but as an Indifferent Cere…monie, they have turned it now into a proper, neceſſary Sacramental ſigne: And if we give not the Confirmed a boxe on the eare, as they do for a holy ſigne, or abuſe it not as they in many reſpects, and turne it not into a meer deceiving formality, in this alſo we muſt needs crave their pardon. So much of the Name, and Ends of Confirmation.