Part 28

[Sidenote: II.] [Sidenote: _Christ is the _Head_, his _Body_ undefiled._] _Secondly_, The Church is defined _to be the Kingdom of the dear Son of God, into which the Saints are translated, being delivered from the Power of Darkness. It is called the _Body of Christ_, which from him by Joints and Bands having Nourishment ministered and knit together, increaseth with the Increase of God_, Col. ii. 19. But can such Members, such a Gathering as we have demonstrated that Church and Members to be, among whom they allege their pretended Authority to have been preserved, and through which they derive their Call; can such, I say, be the Body of Christ, or Members thereof? Or is Christ the Head of such a corrupt, dead, dark, abominable stinking Carcase? If so, then might we not as well affirm against the Apostle, 2 _Cor._ vi. 14. [Sidenote: _What Fellowship hath Christ with _Belial_?_] _That Righteousness hath Fellowship with Unrighteousness, that Light hath Communion with Darkness, that Christ hath Concord with Belial, that a Believer hath Part with an Infidel, and that the Temple of God hath Agreement with Idols?_ Moreover no Man is called the _Temple of God_, nor of the _Holy Ghost_, but as his Vessel is purified, and so be fitted and prepared for God to dwell in; and many thus fitted by Christ become his Body, in and among whom he dwells and walks, according as it is written, _I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my People_. It is therefore that we may become the _Temple of Christ_ and _People of God_, that the Apostle in the following Verse exhorts, saying out of the Prophet, [85]_Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean Thing, and I will receive you; and I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters, saith the Lord Almighty_. But to what Purpose is all this Exhortation? And why should we separate from the Unclean, if a mere outward Profession and Name be enough to make the true Church; and if the Unclean and Polluted were both the Church and lawful Successors of the Apostles, inheriting their Authority, and transmitting it to others? Yea, how can the Church be the _Kingdom of the Son of God_, as contra-distinguished from the _Kingdom and Power of Darkness_? And what Need, yea, what Possibility of being translated out of the one into the other, if those that make up the Kingdom and Power of Darkness be real Members of the true Church of Christ; and not simply Members only, but the very Pastors and Teachers of it? But how do they _increase in the Increase of God, and receive spiritual Nourishment from Christ the Head_, that are Enemies of him in their Hearts by wicked Works, and openly go into Perdition? [Sidenote: Priests _frivolous Distinction of _Enemies_ to God by _Practice_, and _Members_ of his Church by_ Office.] Verily as no metaphysical and nice Distinctions, that though they were practically as to their own private States Enemies to God and Christ, and so Servants of Satan; yet they were, by Virtue of their Office, Members and Ministers of the Church, and so able to transmit the Succession; I say, as such invented and frivolous Distinctions will not please the Lord God, neither will he be deluded by such, nor make up the glorious Body of his Church with such mere outside hypocritical Shews, nor be beholden to such painted Sepulchres to be Members of his Body, which is found, pure, and undefiled, and therefore he needs not such false and corrupt Members to make up the Defects of it; so neither will such Distinctions satisfy truly tender and Christian Consciences; especially considering the Apostle is so far from desiring us to regard this, that we are expresly commanded to _turn away from such as have a Form of Godliness, but deny the Power of it_. For we may well object against these, as the poor Man did against the proud Prelate, that went about to cover his vain and unchristian-like Sumptuousness, by distinguishing that it _was not as Bishop but as Prince he had all that Splendor_. [Sidenote: _The Answer of a _poor Rustick_ to a _proud Prelate.] To which the poor Rustic wisely is said to have answered, _When the Prince goeth to Hell, what shall become of the Prelate?_ And indeed this were to suppose the Body of Christ to be defective, and that to fill up these defective Places, he puts counterfeit and dead Stuff instead of real living Members; like such as lose their Eyes, Arms, or Legs, who make counterfeit ones of Wood or Glass instead of them. But we cannot think so of Christ, neither can we believe, for the Reasons above adduced, that either we are to account, or that Christ doth account, any Man or Men a Whit the more Members of his Body, because though they be really wicked, they hypocritically and deceitfully clothe themselves with his Name, and pretend to it; for this is contrary to his own Doctrine, where he saith expresly, _John_ xv. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, &c. That _he is the Vine, and his Disciples are the Branches; that except they abide in him, they cannot bear Fruit; and if they be unfruitful, they shall be cast forth as a Branch, and wither_. [Sidenote: _A withered Branch can draw no Nourishment, so has no Life nor Virtue._] Now I suppose these cut and withered Branches are no more true Branches nor Members of the Vine; they can no more draw Sap nor Nourishment from it, after that they are cut off, and so have no more Virtue, Sap, nor Life: What have they then to boast or glory of any Authority, seeing they want that Life, Virtue, and Nourishment from which all Authority comes? So such Members of Christ as are become dead to him through Unrighteousness, and so derive no more Virtue nor Life from him, are cut off by their Sins, and wither, and have no longer any true or real Authority, and their boasting of any is but an Aggravation of their Iniquity by Hypocrisy and Deceit. But further, would not this make Christ’s Body a mere Shadow and Phantasm? Yea, would it not make him the Head of a lifeless, rotten, stinking Carcase, having only some little outward false Shew, while inwardly full of Rottenness and Dirt? [Sidenote: _A living Head upon a lifeless Body, what a _Monster_ would that be?_] And what a Monster would these Men make of Christ’s Body, by assigning it a real, pure, living, quick Head, full of Virtue and Life, and yet tied to such a dead lifeless Body as we have already described these Members to be, which they allege to have been the Church of Christ? Again, the Members of the _Church of Christ_ are specified by this Definition, to wit, as being the _sanctified in Christ Jesus_, 1 Cor. i. 2. But this Notion of _Succession_ supposeth not only some unsanctified Members to be of the _Church of Christ_, but even the Whole to consist of unsanctified Members; yea, that such as were professed _Necromancers_ and open Servants of _Satan_ were the true Successors of the Apostles, and in whom the Apostolick Authority resided, these being the Vessels through whom this Succession is transmitted; though many of them, as all _Protestants_ and also some _Papists_ confess, attained these Offices in the (so called) _Church_ not only by such Means as _Simon Magus_ sought it, but by much worse, even by Witchcraft, Traditions, Money, Treachery, and Murder, which _Platina_ himself confesseth[86] of divers Bishops of _Rome_.

[85] 2 Cor. 6. 17, 18.

[86] In the Life of _Benedict_ 4. of _John_ 16. of _Sylvester_ 3. of _Boniface_ 8. of _Steph._ 6. of _Joan_ 8. Also _Onuphrius_’s Annotations upon this _Papess_ (or _Popess_) towards the End.

§. XI. But such as object not this Succession of the Church, which yet most _Protestants_ begin now to do, distinguish in this Matter, affirming, _That in a great Apostasy, such as was that of the Church of _Rome_, God may raise up some singularly by his Spirit, who from the Testimony of the Scriptures perceiving the Errors into which such as bear the Name of _Christians_ are fallen, may instruct and teach them, and then become authorized by the People’s joining with and accepting of their Ministry only._ Most of them also will affirm, _That the Spirit herein is subjective, and not objective_.

[Sidenote: Object.] But they say, That _where a Church is reformed_ (such as they pretend the _Protestant_ Churches are) _there an Ordinary orderly Call is necessary; and that of the Spirit, as extraordinary, is not to be sought after_: Alleging, that _Res aliter se habet in ecclesiâ constituendâ, quàm in ecclesiâ constitutâ_; that is, _There is a Difference in the constituting of a Church, and after it is constituted_.

[Sidenote: _Answ._] [Sidenote: _A Difference objected between _Constituting_ a _Church_ and one as _Constituted.] I answer, This _Objection_ as to us saith nothing, seeing we accuse, and are ready from the Scriptures to prove the _Protestants_ guilty of gross Errors, and needing Reformation, as well as they did and do the _Papists_; and therefore we may justly lay Claim, if we would, to the same extraordinary Call, having the same Reason for it, and as good Evidence to prove ours as they had for theirs. As for that Maxim, viz. _That the Case is different in constituting a Church, and a Church constituted_, I do not deny it; and therefore there may be a greater Measure of Power required to the one than to the other, and God in his Wisdom distributes the same as he sees meet; but that the same immediate Assistance of the Spirit is not necessary for Ministers in a gathered Church as well as in gathering one, I see no solid Reason alleged for it: For surely Christ’s Promise was _to be with his_ Children _to the End of the World_, and they need him no less to preserve and guide his Church and Children than to gather and beget them. Nature taught the _Gentiles_ this Maxim,

_Non minor est virtus, quam quærere, parta tueri._

To defend what we attain, requires no less Strength than what is necessary to acquire it.

For it is by this inward and immediate Operation of the Spirit, which Christ hath promised _to lead his Children _with_ into all Truth_, and to _teach them all Things_, that Christians are to be led in all Steps, as well last as first, which relate to _God’s Glory_ and their own _Salvation_, as we have heretofore sufficiently proved, and therefore need not now repeat it. [Sidenote: _It is a Device of Satan for Men to put the _Spirit’s Leadings_ far off to former Times._] And truly this Device of _Satan_, whereby he has got People to put the immediate Guidings and Leadings of God’s Spirit as an extraordinary Thing afar off, which their _Forefathers_ had, but which they now are neither to wait for nor expect, is a great Cause of the growing _Apostasy_ upon the many gathered Churches, and is one great Reason why a dry, dead, barren, lifeless, spiritless Ministry, which leavens the People into the same Death, doth so much abound, and is so much overspreading even the _Protestant Nations_, that their Preaching and Worships, as well as their whole Conversation, is not to be discerned from _Popish_ by any fresh living Zeal, or lively Power of the Spirit accompanying it, but merely by the Difference of some Notions and Opinions.

§. XII. [Sidenote: Object.] Some unwise and unwary _Protestants_ do sometimes object to us, _That if we have such an immediate Call as we lay Claim to, we ought to confirm it by Miracles_.

[Sidenote: _Answ._] But this being an Objection once and again urged against the _Primitive Protestants_ by the _Papists_, we need but in short return the Answer to it that they did to the _Papists_, to wit, [Sidenote: _Whether _Miracles_ be now necessary to confirm the _Gospel_?_] That _we need not Miracles, because we preach no new Gospel, but that which is already confirmed by all the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles; and that we offer nothing but that which we are ready and able to confirm by the Testimony of the Scriptures, which both already acknowledge to be true_: [Sidenote: John Baptist _and divers _Prophets_ did none._] And that _John_ the _Baptist_ and divers of the _Prophets_ did none that we hear of, and yet were both immediately and extraordinarily sent. This is the common _Protestant Answer_, therefore may suffice in this Place; though, if Need were, I could say more to this Purpose, but that I study Brevity.

§. XIII. [Sidenote: _The Constitution of the _Independent_ Church._] There is also another Sort of _Protestants_, to wit, the _English Independents_, who differing from the _Calvinistical Presbyterians_, and denying the Necessity of this _Succession_, or the Authority of any _National Church_, take another Way; affirming, _That such as have the Benefit of the Scriptures, any Company of People agreeing in the Principles of Truth as they find them here declared, may constitute among themselves a _Church_, without the Authority of any other, and may choose to themselves a _Pastor_, who by the _Church_ thus constituted and consenting, is authorized_, requiring only the Assistance and Concurrence of the _Pastors_ of the neighbouring Churches, if any such there be; not so much as absolutely necessary to authorize, as decent for Order’s Sake. [Sidenote: _Gifted Brethren._] Also they go so far as to affirm, _That in a _Church_ so constituted, any gifted Brother, _as they call them,_ if he find himself qualified thereto, may instruct, exhort, and preach in the _Church_; though, as not having the _Pastoral Office_, he cannot administer those which they call their _Sacraments.

To this I answer, That this was a good Step out of the _Babylonish Darkness_, and no Doubt did proceed from a real Discovery of the _Truth_, and from the Sense of a great Abuse of the promiscuous _National Gatherings_. Also this Preaching of the _gifted Brethren_, as they called them, did proceed at first from certain _lively Touches_ and _Movings_ of the Spirit of God upon many; but alas! [Sidenote: _Their Loss and Decay._] because they went not forward, that is much decayed among them; and the _Motions_ of God’s Spirit begin to be denied and rejected among them now, as much as by others.

[Sidenote: _The Scriptures give no Call to Persons _Individual.] But as to their _pretended Call from the Scripture_, I answer, The Scripture gives a mere Declaration of true Things, but no Call to particular Persons; so that though I believe the Things there written to be true, and deny the Errors which I find there testified against, yet as to those Things which may be my particular Duty, I am still to seek; and therefore I can never be resolved in the Scripture whether I (such a one by Name) ought to be a Minister? And for the resolving this Doubt I must needs recur to the inward and immediate Testimony of the Spirit, as in the Proposition concerning the _Scriptures_ is shewn more at large.

§. XIV. From all this then we do firmly conclude, that not only in a general _Apostasy_ it is needful Men be extraordinarily called, and raised up by the Spirit of God, but that even when several Assemblies or Churches are gathered by the Power of God, not only into the Belief of the Principles of Truth, so as to deny Errors and Heresies, but also into the Life, Spirit, and Power of Christianity, so as to be the Body and House of Christ indeed, and a fit Spouse for him, [Sidenote: _True Ministers Qualifications, Call and Title._] that he who gathers them doth also, for the preserving them in a lively, fresh, and powerful Condition, raise up and move among them by the inward immediate Operation of his own Spirit, _Ministers_ and _Teachers_, to instruct and teach, and watch over them, who being thus called, are manifest in the Hearts of their _Brethren_, and their Call is thus verified in them, who by the feeling of that Life and Power that passeth through them, being inwardly builded up by them daily in the _most holy Faith_, become the Seals of their _Apostleship_. And this is answerable to another Saying of the same Apostle _Paul_, 2 Cor. xiii. 3. [Sidenote: _Their laying on of Hands a Mock to God and Man; a keeping the Shadow, whilst the Substance is wanting._] _Since ye seek a Proof of Christ’s Speaking in me, which to you-wards is not weak, but is mighty in you._ So this is that which gives a _true substantial Call_ and _Title_ to a _Minister_, whereby he is a real Successor of the Virtue, Life, and Power that was in the Apostles, and not of the bare Name: And to such Ministers we think the outward Ceremony of _Ordination_; or _laying on of Hands_ not necessary, neither can we see the Use of it, seeing our Adversaries who use it acknowledge that the Virtue and Power of communicating the _Holy Ghost_ by it is ceased among them. And is it not then foolish and ridiculous for them, by an _apish Imitation_, to keep up the Shadow, where the Substance is wanting? And may not they by the same Rule, where they see blind and lame Men, in Imitation of Christ and his Apostles, bid them _see_ and _walk_? Yea, is it not in them a Mocking of God and Men, to put on their Hands, and bid them _receive the Holy Ghost_, while they believe the Thing impossible, and confess that that _Ceremony_ hath no real Effect? Having thus far spoken of the _Call_, I shall proceed next to treat of the _Qualifications_ and _Work_ of a true Minister.

§. XV. [Sidenote: Quest. 2.] [Sidenote: _The Qualification of a_ Minister.] As I have placed the true _Call_ of a _Minister_ in the _Motion_ of this _Holy Spirit_, so is the _Power_, _Life_, and _Virtue_ thereof, and the pure _Grace of God_ that comes therefrom, the _chief_ and _most necessary Qualification_, without which he can no Ways perform his Duty, neither acceptably to God nor beneficially to Men. [Sidenote: Philosophy _and_ School-Divinity _will never make a_ Gospel Minister.] Our Adversaries in this Case affirm, that _three Things_ go to the making up of a Minister, _viz._ 1. _Natural Parts_, that he be not a Fool. 2. _Acquired Parts_, that he be learned in the Languages, in Philosophy and School Divinity. 3. _The Grace of God._

The _two first_ they reckon necessary to the Being of a Minister, so as a Man cannot be one without them; the _Third_ they say goeth to the Well-being of one, but not to the Being; so that a Man may truly be a lawful Minister without it, and ought to be heard and received as such. But we, supposing a natural Capacity, that one be not an Ideot, judge the _Grace of God_ indispensibly necessary to the very Being of a Minister, as that without which any can neither be a true, nor lawful, nor good Minister. As for _Letter-learning_, we judge it not so much necessary to the Well-being of one, though accidentally sometimes in certain Respects it may concur, but more frequently it is hurtful than helpful, [Sidenote: _A poor _Laick_ instructed the learned _Taulerus.] as appeared in the Example of _Taulerus_, who being a learned Man, and who could make an eloquent Preaching, needed nevertheless to be instructed in the Way of the Lord by a poor _Laick_. I shall first speak of the _Necessity of Grace_, and then proceed to say something of that Literature which they judge so needful.

[Sidenote: Proof 1.] _First_ then, as we said in the _Call_, so may we much more here, if the _Grace of God_ be a necessary _Qualification_ to make one a _true Christian_, it must be a _Qualification_ much more necessary to constitute a _true Minister of Christianity_. That _Grace_ is necessary to make one a _true Christian_ I think will not be questioned, since it is _by Grace we are saved_, Ephes. ii. 8. [Sidenote: _God’s Grace alone doth constitute a true and lawful _Teacher.] It is the _Grace of God that teacheth us to deny Ungodliness, and the Lusts of this World, and to live godly and righteously_, Tit. ii. 11. Yea, Christ saith expresly, _That without him we can do nothing_, John xv. 5. and the Way whereby Christ helpeth, assisteth, and worketh with us, is by his _Grace_: Hence he saith to _Paul_, _My Grace is sufficient for thee_. A Christian without _Grace_ is indeed no Christian, but an Hypocrite, and a false Pretender. Then I say, _If Grace be necessary to a private Christian, far more to a Teacher among Christians, who must be as a Father and Instructor of others, seeing this Dignity is bestowed upon such as have attained a greater Measure than their Brethren. Even _Nature_ itself may teach as that there is more required in a Teacher than in those that are taught, and that the Master must be above and before the Scholar in that Art or Science which he teacheth others. Since then Christianity cannot be truly enjoyed, neither any Man denominated a Christian without the true Grace of God, therefore neither can any Man be a true and lawful Teacher of Christianity without it._

[Sidenote: Proof 2.] _Secondly_, No Man can be a _Minister_ of the _Church_ of _Christ_, which is his _Body_, unless he be a Member of the _Body_, and receive of the Virtue and Life of the _Head_:

[Sidenote: Arg.] [Sidenote: _Who first must be a Member of the Body, and then Life is received, and Virtue from the Head._] But he that hath not _true Grace_ can neither be a Member of the _Body_, neither receive of that Life and Nourishment which comes from the _Head_:

Therefore far less can he be a _Minister_ to edify the _Body_.

That he cannot be a Minister, who is not a Member, is evident; because he who is not a Member is shut out and cut off, and hath no Place in the _Body_; whereas the Ministers are counted among the most eminent Members of the _Body_. But no Man can be a Member unless he receive of the Virtue, Life, and Nourishment of the _Head_; for the Members that receive not this Life and Nourishment decay and wither, and then are cut off. And that every true Member doth thus receive Nourishment and Life from the _Head_, the Apostle expresly affirmeth, _Ephes._ iv. 16. _From whom the whole Body being fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every Joint supplieth, according to the effectual Working in the Measure of every Part, makes Increase of the Body unto the Edifying of itself in Love_. Now this that thus is communicated, and which thus uniteth the Whole, is no other than the _Grace of God_; and therefore the Apostle in the same Chapter, _Ver. 7_. saith, _But unto every one of us is given Grace according to the Measure of the Gift of Christ_; and _Ver._ 11. he sheweth how that _by this Grace and Gift both Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers are given for the Work of the Ministry, and edifying of the Body of Christ_. And certainly then no Man destitute of Grace is fit for this Work, seeing that all that Christ gives are so _qualified_; and these that are not so _qualified_, are not given nor sent of Christ, are not to be heard, nor received, nor acknowledged as _Ministers of the Gospel_, because his Sheep neither ought nor will hear the _Voice of a Stranger_. [Sidenote: _The Sheep of Christ, neither ought, nor will hear the Stranger’s Voice_.] This is also clear from 1 _Cor._ xii. throughout; for the Apostle in that Chapter, treating of the _Diversity of Gifts_ and _Members of the Body_, sheweth how by the _Workings_ of the _same Spirit_ in different _Manifestations_ or _Measures_ in the several Members of the _Body_ the whole _Body_ is edified, saying, _Ver._ 13. That _we are all baptized by the one Spirit into one Body_; and then, _Ver._ 28. he numbers up the several _Dispensations_ thereof, which by God are set in the Church through the various Workings of his Spirit for the Edification of the Whole. Then if there be no true Member of the Body which is not thus baptized by the Spirit, neither any Thing that worketh to the Edifying of it, but according to a Measure of Grace received from the Spirit, surely without Grace none ought to be admitted to work or labour in the Body, because their Labour and Work, without this Grace and Spirit, would be but ineffectual.