Part 26

[Sidenote: III. _A certain Assurance and Establishment given of God to many of his Saints and Children._] _Thirdly_, God hath given to many of his Saints and Children, and is ready to give unto _all_, a _full_ and _certain Assurance_ that they are his, and that no Power shall be able to pluck them out of his Hand. But this Assurance would be no Assurance, if those who are so _assured_ were not _established_ and _confirmed_ beyond all Doubt and Hesitation: If so, then surely there is no Possibility for such to miss of that which God hath assured them of. And that there is such _Assurance_ attainable in this Life, the Scripture abundantly declareth, both in general and as to particular Persons. As _first_, _Rev._ iii. 12. _Him that overcometh will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God, and he shall go no more out_, &c. which containeth a general Promise unto all. Hence the Apostle speaks of some that are _sealed_, 2 Cor. i. 22. _Who hath also sealed us, and given the Earnest of the Spirit in our Hearts_: Wherefore the _Spirit _so_ sealing _is called the_ Earnest _or_ Pledge of our Inheritance_, Ephes. i. 13. _In whom ye were sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise_. And therefore the Apostle _Paul_, not only in that of the _Romans_ above noted, declareth himself to have attained that Condition, but 2 _Tim._ iv. 7. he affirmeth in these Words, _I have fought a good Fight_, &c. which also many good Men have and do witness. And therefore as there can be nothing more evident than that which the _manifest Experience_ of this Time sheweth, and therein is found agreeable to the Experience of former Times, so we see there have been both of _old_ and of _late_ that have _turned the Grace of God into Wantonness_, and have _fallen from their Faith and Integrity_; thence we may safely conclude such a _Falling away possible_. We also see that some of _old_ and of _late_ have attained a certain Assurance, some Time before they departed, that they should _inherit eternal Life_, and have accordingly died in that _good Hope_, of and concerning whom the Spirit of God testified _that they are saved_. Wherefore we all see such a State is attainable in this Life, from which there is not a _Falling away_: For seeing the Spirit of God did so testify, it was not possible that they should perish, concerning whom _he who cannot lie_ thus bare Witness.

PROPOSITION X.

Concerning the MINISTRY.

_As by the _Light_ or _Gift_ of God all true Knowledge in Things spiritual is received and revealed, so by the same, as it is manifested and received in the Heart, by the Strength and Power thereof, every true _Minister_ of the _Gospel_ is ordained, prepared, and supplied in the Work of the _Ministry_; and by the Leading, Moving, and Drawing hereof ought every _Evangelist_ and _Christian Pastor_ to be led and ordered in his Labour and Work of the Gospel, both as to the Place _where_, as to the Persons _to whom_, and as to the Time _wherein_ he is to _minister_. Moreover they who have this Authority may and ought to preach the _Gospel_, though without _human Commission_ or _Literature_; as on the other Hand, they who want the Authority of this _divine Gift_, however learned, or authorized by the _Commission_ of _Men_ and _Churches_, are to be esteemed but as _Deceivers_, and not _true Ministers_ of the _Gospel. [Sidenote: The Gospel to be preached freely. Mat. 10. 8.] _Also they who have received this holy and unspotted Gift, _as they have freely received it, so are they freely to give it,_ without Hire or Bargaining, far less to use it as a _Trade_ to get Money by: Yet God hath called any one from their Employment or Trades, by which they acquire their Livelihood, it may be lawful for such, according to the Liberty which they feel given them in the Lord, to receive such Temporals (to wit, what may be needful for them for Meat and Clothing) as are given them freely and cordially by those to whom they have communicated Spirituals._

§. I. Hitherto I have treated of those Things which relate to the _Christian Faith_ and _Christians_, as they stand each in his private and particular Condition, and how and by what Means every Man may be a _Christian_ indeed, and so abide. Now I come in order to speak of those Things that relate to _Christians_, as they are stated in a _joint Fellowship_ and _Communion_, and come under a visible and outward _Society_, which _Society_ is called the _Church of God_, and in Scripture compared to a _Body_, and therefore named the _Body of Christ_. [Sidenote: _The Church of God is the spiritual Body of Christ._] As then in the natural Body there be divers Members, all concurring to the common End of preserving and confirming the whole Body, so in this _spiritual_ and _mystical Body_ there are also divers Members, according to the different Measures of _Grace_ and of the _Spirit_ diversly administered unto _each Member_; and from this _Diversity_ ariseth that Distinction of Persons in the _visible Society_ of _Christians_, as of _Apostles_, _Pastors_, _Evangelists_, _Ministers_, &c. That which in this Proposition is proposed, is, _What makes or constitutes any a Minister of the Church, what his Qualifications ought to be, and how he ought to behave himself?_ But because it may seem somewhat preposterous to speak of the _distinct Offices_ of the _Church_ until something be said of the _Church_ in general, though nothing positively be said of it in the Proposition; yet, as here implied, I shall briefly premise something thereof, and then proceed to the particular Members of it.

§. II. It is not in the least my Design to meddle with those tedious and many Controversies wherewith the _Papists_ and _Protestants_ do tear one another concerning this Thing; but only according to the Truth manifested to me, and revealed in me by the Testimony of the Spirit, according to that Proportion of Wisdom given me, briefly to hold forth as a necessary Introduction both to this Matter of the _Ministry_ and of _Worship_, which followeth those Things which I, together with my _Brethren_, do believe concerning the _Church_.

[Sidenote: I.] [Sidenote: _The _Etymology_ of the Word _[Greek: ekklêsia: εκκλησια]_ (the Church) and Signification of it._] The _Church_ then, according to the grammatical Signification of the Word, as it is used in the holy Scripture, signifies an _Assembly_ or _Gathering of many into one Place_; for the Substantive [Greek: ekklêsia: εκκλησια] comes from the Word [Greek: ekkaleô: εκκαλεω] _I call out of_, and originally from [Greek: kaleô: καλεω] _I call_; and indeed, as this is the grammatical Sense of the Word, so also it is the real and proper Signification of the Thing, the _Church_ being no other Thing but the _Society_, _Gathering_, or _Company of such as God hath called out of the World, and worldly Spirit, to walk in his LIGHT and LIFE._ The _Church_ then so defined is to be considered as it comprehends all that are thus _called_ and _gathered_ truly by God, both such as are yet in this inferior World, and such as having already laid down the earthly Tabernacle, are passed into their heavenly Mansions, which together do make up the one _Catholick Church_, concerning which there is so much Controversy. [Sidenote: _No Salvation without the_ Church.] Out of which _Church_ we freely acknowledge there can be no Salvation; because under this _Church_ and its Denomination are comprehended all, and as many, of whatsoever _Nation_, _Kindred_, _Tongue_, or _People_ they be, though outwardly Strangers, and remote from those who profess _Christ_ and _Christianity_ in Words, and have the Benefit of the Scriptures, as become obedient to the _holy Light_ and _Testimony of God_ in their Hearts, so as to become sanctified by it, and cleansed from the Evils of their Ways. [Sidenote: _What the_ Church _is_.] For this is the _Universal_ or _Catholick Spirit_, by which many are called from all the _four Corners of the Earth, and shall sit down with_ Abraham, Isaac, _and_ Jacob: By this the _secret Life and Virtue_ of Jesus is conveyed into many that are afar off, even as by the Blood that runs into the Veins and Arteries of the natural Body the Life is conveyed from the Head and Heart unto the extreme Parts. [Sidenote: Turks _and_ Jews _may become Members of this_ Church.] There may be Members therefore of this _Catholick Church_ both among _Heathens_, _Turks_, _Jews_, and all the several Sorts of _Christians_, Men and Women of Integrity and Simplicity of Heart, who though blinded in some Things in their Understanding, and perhaps burdened with the Superstitions and Formality of the several Sects in which they are ingrossed, yet being upright in their Hearts before the Lord, chiefly aiming and labouring to be delivered from Iniquity, and loving to follow Righteousness, are by the secret Touches of this _holy Light_ in their Souls enlivened and quickened, thereby secretly united to God, and therethrough become true Members of this _Catholick Church_. Now the _Church_ in this Respect hath been in Being in all Generations; for God never wanted some such Witnesses for him, though many Times slighted, and not much observed by this World; and therefore this _Church_, though still in Being, hath been oftentimes as it were invisible, in that it hath not come under the Observations of the Men of this World, being, as saith the Scripture, _Jer._ iii. 14. _One of a City, and two of a Family._ And yet though the _Church_ thus considered may be as it were hid from wicked Men, as not then gathered into a _visible Fellowship_, yea, and not observed even by some that are Members of it, yet may there notwithstanding many belong to it; as when _Elias_ complained he was _left alone_, 1 Kings xix. 18. God answered unto him, _I have reserved to myself seven thousand Men, who have not bowed their Knees to the Image of_ Baal; whence the Apostle argues, _Rom._ xi. the Being of a _Remnant_ in his Day.

§. III. [Sidenote: II.] [Sidenote: _The Definition of the _Church_ of _God_, as gathered into a _visible Fellowship.] _Secondly_, The _Church_ is to be considered as it signifies a certain Number of Persons gathered by God’s Spirit, and by the Testimony of some of his Servants raised up for that End, unto the Belief of the true Principles and Doctrines of the Christian Faith, who through their Hearts being united by the same Love, and their Understandings informed in the same Truths, gather, meet, and assemble together to wait upon God, to worship him, and to bear a joint Testimony for the _Truth_ against _Error_, suffering for the same, and so becoming through this Fellowship as one Family and Houshold in certain Respects, do each of them watch over, teach, instruct, and care for one another, according to their several Measures and Attainments: Such were the _Churches_ of the primitive Times gathered by the Apostles; whereof we have divers mentioned in the holy Scriptures. And as to the _Visibility_ of the _Church_ in this Respect, there hath been a great Interruption since the Apostles Days, by Reason of the _Apostasy_, as will hereafter appear.

§. IV. [Sidenote: _How to become a Member of that_ Church.] To be a _Member_ then of the _Catholick Church_, there is Need of the _Inward Calling of God_ by his _Light in the Heart_, and a being leavened into the Nature and Spirit of it, so as to forsake Unrighteousness, and be turned to Righteousness, and in the Inwardness of the Mind to be cut out of the _wild Olive Tree_ of our own first fallen Nature, and ingrafted into _Christ_ by his _Word_ and _Spirit in the Heart_. And this may be done in those who are Strangers to the History, (God not having pleased to make them Partakers thereof) as in the _fifth_ and _sixth Propositions_ hath already been proved.

[Sidenote: _The _outward Profession_ of the Members of the _true Church.] To be a _Member_ of a particular _Church of Christ_, as this inward Work is indispensibly necessary, so is also the outward Profession of, and Belief in, Jesus Christ, and those holy Truths delivered by his Spirit in the Scriptures; seeing the Testimony of the Spirit recorded in the Scriptures, doth answer the Testimony of the same Spirit in the Heart, even as _Face answereth Face in a Glass_. Hence it follows, that the inward Work of Holiness, and forsaking Iniquity, is necessary in every Respect to the being a Member in the _Church of Christ_; and that the outward Profession is necessary to be a Member of a particular gathered _Church_, but not to the being a Member of the _Catholick Church_; yet it is absolutely necessary, where God affords the Opportunity of knowing it: And the outward Testimony is to be believed, where it is presented and revealed; the Sum whereof hath upon other Occasions been already proved.

§. V. [Sidenote: _The Members of the Antichristian Church in the Apostasy, their empty Profession._] But contrary hereunto, the Devil, that worketh and hath wrought in the _Mystery of Iniquity_, hath taught his Followers to affirm, _That no Man, however holy, is a Member of the Church of Christ without the outward Profession; and unless he be initiated thereinto by some outward Ceremonies_. And again, _That Men who have this outward Profession, though inwardly unholy, may be Members of the true Church of Christ, yea, and ought to be so esteemed_. This is plainly to put _Light_ for _Darkness_, and _Darkness_ for _Light_; as if God had a greater Regard to Words than Actions, and were more pleased with vain Professions than with real Holiness: But these Things I have sufficiently refuted heretofore. Only from hence let it be observed, that upon this false and rotten Foundation _Antichrist_ hath built his _Babylonish Structure_, and the _Antichristian Church_ in the _Apostasy_ hath hereby reared herself up to that Height and Grandeur she hath attained; so as to exalt herself above _all that is called God, and sit in the Temple of God as God_.

[Sidenote: _The Decay of the _Church.] For the particular _Churches_ of _Christ_, gathered in the Apostles Days, soon after beginning to decay as to the _inward Life_, came to be overgrown with several Errors, and the Hearts of the Professors of _Christianity_ to be leavened with the old Spirit and Conversation of the World. Yet it pleased God for some _Centuries_ to preserve that _Life_ in many, whom he emboldened with Zeal to stand and suffer for his Name through the _ten Persecutions_: But these being over, the Meekness, Gentleness, Love, Long-suffering, Goodness, and Temperance of _Christianity_ began to be lost. [Sidenote: _When Men became Christians by _Birth_, and not by _Conversion_, Christianity came to be lost._] For after that the Princes of the Earth came to take upon them that Profession, and that it ceased to be a Reproach to be a _Christian_, but rather became a Means to Preferment; Men became such by Birth and Education, and not by Conversion and Renovation of Spirit: Then there was none so vile, none so wicked, none so profane, who became not a Member of the _Church_. And the _Teachers_ and _Pastors_ thereof becoming the Companions of Princes, and so being enriched by their Benevolence, and getting vast Treasures and Estates, became puffed up, and as it were drunken with the vain Pomp and Glory of this World: And so marshalled themselves in manifold Orders and Degrees; not without innumerable Contests and Altercations who should have the [79]Precedency. So the Virtue, Life, Substance, and Kernel of _Christian Religion_ came to be lost, and nothing remained but a Shadow and Image; which dead Image, or Carcase of _Christianity_ (to make it take the better with the superstitious Multitude of _Heathens_ that were engrossed in it, not by any inward Conversion of their Hearts, or by becoming less wicked or superstitious, but by a little Change in the Object of their Superstition) not having the inward Ornament and Life of the Spirit, became decked with many outward and visible Orders, and beautified with the Gold, Silver, precious Stones, and the other splendid Ornaments of this perishing World: So that this was no more to be accounted the _Christian Religion_, and _Christian Church_, notwithstanding the outward Profession, than the _dead Body_ of a Man is to be accounted a _living Man_; which, however cunningly embalmed, and adorned with ever so much Gold or Silver, or most precious Stones, or sweet Ointments, is but a dead Body still, without Sense, Life, or Motion. [Sidenote: _In the Church of _Rome_ are no less Superstitions and Ceremonies introduced, than were either among _Jews_ or _Heathens.] For that _Apostate Church_ of _Rome_ has introduced no fewer Ceremonies and Superstitions into the _Christian Profession_, than were either among _Jews_ or _Heathens_; and that there is and hath been as much, yea, and more Pride, Covetousness, Uncleanness, Luxury, Fornication, Profaneness and Atheism among her Teachers and chief Bishops, than ever was among any Sort of People, none need doubt, that have read their own Authors, to wit, _Platina_ and others.

[79] As was between the Bishop of _Rome_ and the Bishop of _Constantinople_.

[Sidenote: _Whether, and what Difference there is betwixt the _Protestants_ and _Papists_ in Superstitions._] Now, though _Protestants_ have reformed from her in some of the most gross Points and absurd Doctrines relating to the _Church_ and _Ministry_, yet (which is to be regretted) they have only lopt off the Branches, but retain and plead earnestly for the same Root, from which these Abuses have sprung. So that even among them, though all that Mass of Superstition, Ceremonies, and Orders be not again established, yet the same Pride, Covetousness and Sensuality is found to have overspread and leavened their _Churches_ and _Ministry_, and the Life, Power and Virtue of _true Religion_ is lost among them; and the very same Death, Barrenness, Dryness and Emptiness, is found in their _Ministry_. So that in Effect they differ from _Papists_ but in Form and some Ceremonies; being with them apostatised from the Life and Power the true _Primitive Church_ and her _Pastors_ were in: So that of both it may be said truly (without Breach of Charity) that having only a _Form of Godliness_ (and many of them not so much as that) they are _Deniers_ of, yea, _Enemies_ to, the Power of it. And this proceeds not simply from their not walking answerably to their own Principles, and so degenerating that Way, which also is true; but, which is worse, their laying down to themselves, and adhering to certain Principles, which naturally, as a cursed Root, bring forth these bitter Fruits: These therefore shall afterwards be examined and refuted, as the contrary Positions of Truth in the Proposition are explained and proved.

For as to the Nature and Constitution of a Church[80] (abstract from their Disputes concerning its constant Visibility, Infallibility, and the Primacy of the Church of Rome) the Protestants, as in Practice, so in Principles, differ not from _Papists_; [Sidenote: _The _Protestant_ Church how they become Members thereof._] for they engross within the Compass of their _Church_ whole Nations, making their Infants Members of it, by sprinkling a little Water upon them; so that there is none so wicked or profane who is not a Fellow-member; no Evidence of Holiness being required to constitute a Member of the _Church_. Nay, look through the _Protestant Nations_, and there will no Difference appear in the Lives of the Generality of the One, more than of the Other; he, who _ruleth in the Children of Disobedience_, reigning in both: [Sidenote: Christianity _chiefly consists in the Renewing of the_ Heart.] So that the _Reformation_, through this Defect, is only in holding some less gross Errors in the Notion, but not in having the Heart reformed and renewed, in which mainly the _Life_ of _Christianity_ consisteth.

[80] i. e. _National._

§. VI. [Sidenote: _A _Popish, corrupt Ministry_ all Evils follow._] But the _Popish Errors_ concerning the _Ministry_, which they have retained, are most of all to be regretted, by which chiefly the Life and Power of _Christianity_ is barred out among them, and they kept in Death, Barrenness and Dryness: There being nothing more hurtful than an Error in this Respect. [Sidenote: _Like People, like Priest._ Hosea 4. 9.] For where a false and corrupt _Ministry_ entereth, all Manner of other Evils follow upon it, according to that Scripture Adage, _Like People, like Priest_: For by their Influence, instead of ministering Life and Righteousness, they minister Death and Iniquity. The whole _Backslidings_ of the _Jewish Congregation_ of old are hereto ascribed: _The Leaders of my People have caused them to err_. The whole Writings of the Prophets are full of such Complaints; and for this Cause, under the _New Testament_, we are so often warned and guarded to _beware of false Prophets, and false Teachers_, &c. What may be thought then, where all, as to this, is out of Order; where both the Foundation, Call, Qualifications, Maintenance, and whole Discipline are different from and opposite to the _Ministry_ of the _Primitive Church_; yea, and necessarily tend to the Shutting out of a _Spiritual Ministry_, and the bringing in and establishing of a _Carnal_? This shall appear by Parts.

§. VII. [Sidenote: Quest. 1.] That then which comes first to be questioned in this Matter, is concerning the _Call of a Minister_; to wit, _What maketh, or how cometh a Man to be, a Minister, Pastor, or Teacher in the Church of Christ?_

[Sidenote: _Answ._] [Sidenote: _The Call of a _Minister_ and wherein it consisteth._] We _answer_; By the _inward Power and Virtue of the Spirit of God_. For, as saith our Proposition, _Having received the true Knowledge of Things spiritual by the Spirit of God, without which they cannot be known, and being by the same in Measure purified and sanctified, he comes thereby to be called and moved to minister to others_; being able to speak, from a living Experience, of what he himself is a Witness; and therefore _knowing the Terror of the Lord, he is fit to persuade Men_, &c. 2 Cor. v. 11. and his Words and Ministry, proceeding from the inward Power and Virtue, reach to the Heart of his Hearers, and make them approve of him, and be subject unto him. [Sidenote: Object.] Our Adversaries are forced to confess, that this were indeed desirable and best; but this they will not have to be absolutely necessary. I shall first prove the Necessity of it, and then shew how much they err in that which they make more necessary than this divine and heavenly Call.

[Sidenote: Arg.] [Sidenote: 1. _The Necessity of an _inward Call_ to make a Man a _Christian.] _First_, That which is necessary to make a Man a _Christian_, so as without it he cannot be truly one, must be much more necessary to make a Man a _Minister of Christianity_; seeing the one is a Degree above the other, and has it included in it: Nothing less than he that supposeth a _Master_, supposeth him first to have attained the Knowledge and Capacity of a _Scholar_. They that are not _Christians_, cannot be Teachers and Ministers among _Christians_.

But this inward Call, Power and Virtue of the Spirit of God, is necessary to make a Man a _Christian_; as we have abundantly proved before in the second Proposition, according to these Scriptures, _He that hath not the Spirit of Christ, is none of his. As many as are led by the Spirit of God, are the Sons of God_:

Therefore this Call, Moving and Drawing of the Spirit, must be much more necessary to make a Man a _Minister_.