Anonymous on Article XXIII: Of Ministering in the Congregation

or humoursome Fancy of Men to separate themselves for this great Work : For then every one that thought himself qualified for the Ministry, would be lawfully called ; and the hottest Heads and boldest Spirits would intrude and thrust themselves upon the Sa— cred Function: And thus there might be as many Preachers, as there are conceited Zealots, and as many different Congregations as Teachers; and all manner of Confusion and Disorder, under the spe- cious Pretence of Zeal for God, would be brought into the Church: And as he hath not left it to the private Impulse of Conceit to sepa- rate for the Ministry, fo he hath not authorized the People to sepa- rate any for that Purpose, or left it to the humour of Men and Wo- men to appoint and constitute their own Pastors. When the Con- gregation of the Jews was in a Tumult, and valued it self for be- ing Holy, he gave no Encouragement to Corap, Dathan, or Abiram; but punish’d them severely for their Offence. And when he reveal’d Christianity by his Son, he gave no Authority to the People to chuse the Apostles, to separate Evangelists, or to send the Ministry. Un- der the old Law none were allow’d to take this Office upon them, but those that were called of God, as was Aaron. And when our Saviour came into the World, © he gloritied not himself to be made “an High-Priest ; but He called him, who said, Thou art my Son, « this Day have I begotten thee : Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedeck ”*. The Apostles that were appointed to publish the Gospel over the World, did not thrust themselves up- on that Office, but were called by our Lord, and sent out by him for the Work of the Ministry : And to shew that none were allow’d to run upon that Sacred Employment , without his Order, he was pleas’d to appear to St. Paul, and to send him in an astonishing Man- ner. The lawful Call therefore must be the same, which God hath appointed and established, and which is not to be disus’d or over- ruPd by the Humour or Authority of Man. After the Ascension of our Lord, the Apostles set Bishops and Presbyters apart for this Work, and sent them to preach, and administer the Sacraments, as Christ had sent themselves : And after the Decease of the Apostles, the Bishops ordain’d by them, set others apart to succeed themselves. And thus the Ministry lawfully call’d, hath continued in the Church to this Day; and may the same continue to the End of the World. St. Paul gives us an Account of his Practice, which was not diffe- rent from the rest of the Apostles. For this cause left I thee (Titus)

in Crete, that thou sbouldest set in Order the Things that are

Og , and ordain Elders in every City, as I had appointed TPees |

II. It is not lawful for any Man to take upon him this Office, before he be lawfully call’d, and sent to execute the same : For Men are not born Teachers, neither is it in the Power of any Company

of Christians , to separate whom they think fit for the Purpose. If | X

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Article XXIII. nistring the Sacraments. For God hath not left it to the Conceit, Gn ad

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154 An EXPOSITI ON of the

Article meer natural Parts were sufficient for it, then every one who fancies XXIII. he hath Abilities for it, might take this Office upon him. What Confusion must this Liberty make amongst Christians, when one gifted Zealot cries out, here is Christ, and another calls as loud. that there is Christ, a third contradicts both these, and cries out of another Christ ; and as many different Ways of Worship are re- commended, as there are different Sentiments and Parties. To pre- vent this, there must be a lawful Call agreed upon ; namely, to prevent Divisions and Schisms, and the Distraction and Confusion of honest well-meaning Christians. But what can this lawful Call be, but the same which God at first appointed? Can it be thought that there were no Men of Parts amongst the other Tribes of 1/-el, which were not appointed to officiate in the Sanctuary, or that all the Priests and Levites were gifted Men? Or way we not believe that many in Israel were found able for their Callings, understanding. Men, and fit for Law or Camp, who never pretended to the Priest- hood? And may we not think, that amongst the Priests and Levites, there were some that were not so quick-witted and sharp, as those of other Tribes? What then, might the Israelites, that were not Priests by Descent, usurp that Office, because they were more gifted, and could discharge it better than others Or must the Priests turn Seculars, because they were not so well gifted By no means, but the Appointment and Command of God was to be observ’d ; his Order was to be followed, and the Priest was to officiate, and to attend at the Altar, because ordain’d by him, if he was not fo sharp. as others : And others were to attend to, and honour him in their Callings and Ministration, though more knowing than him. For the same Lord, that had separated the Family, and allotted their Station, was at Liberty to qualify Men as he pleas’d, and his Or- dinance was to be strictly obferv’d , let Men’s Abilities and Parts be never so signal and extraordinary. What is found true amongst the Israelites, is also of Force amongst Christians ; for though God hath not entail’d the Ministry upon a particular Family, yet he hath ap- pointed, and set apart some to be Apostles , fome Pastors, and Teachers: And it may happen that some that are called, may not have such strong and excellent Parts, as others may en- 7 What then? Shall the Ministry be slighted 2 And may others, who pretend to be more knowing, thrust themselves into their Room ? LT May God’s Way of fendmg Pastors be laid aside? And may others et up one of their own ? By no Means, for it is not the Parts that make the Mimistry, but the legal Separation of the Mission, the Au- — and Power that is given from above. And when Men are lawfully call’d and sent, God is able to employ ordinary Parts in his own Way, to be Instruments in saving Souls, and to work Won- ders; as was manifest in the Success of the Apostles Ministry, who were illiterate Men, and not able of themselves, by any Contrivance or Power of their own, to produce such a mighty Change upon the ewish Nation, or the Heathen World. It can be no other: than a wlation of God’s Order, and an unlawful Intrusion into his San- Quary, when Mea take this Office upon them in a Way * rom

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Thirty Nine ARTICLES.

from the Practice of the Apostolical Age, and Primitive Times. Whether this be done under the Pretence of better Parts and Gifts, or of the Choice and Applause of the People, the Intrusion is the same, and cannot be justitied or warranted , either by God’s Word, or the Practice of the best Times. For, God bath set some in the Church, first Apostles, secondarily Prophets, thirdly Teachers : Are all Apostles ? Are all Prophets? Are all Teachers?

III. Those are to be judg’d as lawfully call’d and sent, which are chosen into the Office by Men, who have publick Authority given them in the Congregation , to chuse and fend Ministers into the Lord’s Vineyard; that is, who are called by Men, who succeed the Apostles, and had Authority’ given them to ordain others to carry on the Work of the Ministry. For though at first they were immediately called by God, and his Son Jesus, or by his Apostles divinely inspir’d : Yet because Miracles were not be continued to the Church, such an immediate Choice was not always necessary ; but the Power of chusing and ordaining, must needs fall into the Hands of those Men, who were lawfully sent by the Apo- stles, or their Successors. The true Meaning of being lawfully call’d by Men who have publick Authority given them in the Congregation, will fall into these plain Enquiries : Whether those that were sent by the Apostles, and were their undoubted Succes- sors, were authoriz’d and deputed to send Ministers, or to ordain them for the Use of the Church 2 Or whether every particular Congregation hath Power to chuse their own Pastors > Or whether the Spirit of every Man is to be mov’d by the Spirit of God, to take upon him this Work, and that Impulse be sufficient ? If the Spirit in our Days1s to separate Men, then itmust follow, that every one, who thinks he 1s mov’d by 1t, 1s to be a Minister ; unless we can find a Difference (without the Help of a Miracle) to distinguish Presumption from a real Call, or the pretended Impulse of the Spi-

rit, from that which is so in Earnest. And as to the Power in a

Congregation to chuse and ordain their own Teachers, it was ne- ver known in the Primitive Times, or pra&is’d : Betides, it is so unreasonable to suppose a Congregation antecedent to a Pastor, or an House without a Builder, that in those early Times, we must of-

fer Violence to our Reason to believe it: Tis true, the Church of

Antioch did separate Barnabas and Saul, for the Work of the Mi- nistry; but it was not the People, but the Governors of that Church, such as Simeon, Lucius, and Manaen, Prophets and Teachers divincly inspir’d, and able to send Labourers into the Vineyard; and those they sent were only put upon the Work they were engag’d in before by the Holy Ghost : And if any in our Days could be sepa- rated in that Manner, I should count them lawfully called. It remains then, that those only who were sent by the Apostles, or received Holy Orders from them, were authoriz’d, and had publick Autho- rity given them, to separate Men for the Work of the Ministry, to lay Hands upon them, and by Supplications and Prayers to re- commend them to the Grace of God. And as they are directed by

X 2 St.

Article XXIII. 6 a. of

1 Cor. 12,28 the hirft Pare,

166 An EXPOSITION of the

Article XXIII.

Eph. 4. 11.

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St. Paul in his Epistle to Timothy, to chuse Men of such and such Qualifications ; they may and do separate those for the Ministry, that are most likely to prove serviceable for the Order, Edification, and Peace of the Church. And in this Primitive manner the Pa- stors of our Church are chosen, and set apart for the Work of the Ministry ; receiving their Ordination from those that originally receiv’d the Power from the Apostles and the Lord Jesus. And be gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evanpelists, and

some Pastors and Teachers, for the perfectin of the Saints, for the

Work of the Ministry, for the Edifying of the Body of Christ,

From this Explication of the Article ye may judge of the Pre- tenders to the Ministry ; consider the true Value that is to be put upon your own ; and conclude, that ye cannot encourage it better, than by conforming to the Directions of it. OY 3

I. Ye may now judge of the Pretenders to the Ministry, and of the Challenge they make to it; for our Church assures you, tis not lawful for any Man to take upon him the Office of the Ministry, and that any may not Preach and Administer the Sacraments : Judge

then who they are that usurp this Office, and do an unlawful Thing.

Are they True Preachers, that plead they receive their Commission

from the Spirit only, and are mov’d by the Holy Ghost > Our Church says they are not: For those ought to be judged to be law- fully call’d and fent, who are chosen and called to this Work by Men; whereas these Spiritual Teachers declare, they receive not their Power from Men, but immediately from God himself ; and thus they would open the Door to Enthusiasts, when our Church shuts it, and bolts it against them. Are those then true Ministers, which own they receive it from Men, from the Presbyters of the

Church by Imposition of Hands, and of Prayer ? Our Church

declates against these : For the Article says, they must be called to the Work by Men who have Publick Authority given them in the Congrepation to call and send Ministers. This Congregation can

be reputed no other than the Catholick Church ; and that has never

given. or allowed, unto Presbyters alone, Power or Authority, to nd Labourers into God’s Vineyard ; nor can they produce any in

the Apostles Times, or the First and Second Century, that were fo

Ordain’d ; for the Presbytery that Ordain’d Timothy was made up

of an Apostle, and Apostolical Men. If therefore ye will hearken

to our Church, such Ministry is not Lawful ; or according to the

Apostolical Patterns. What, in the next Place, shall we think of

that Ministry, which is chosen and ordain’d by the Body of the People? When a Society of Men separate from our Church, club together for Communion in the Word and Ordinances ; and by a bold and daring Attempt, appoint whom they please to be their preaching Elder ; and laying Hands upon him appoint him to be their Minister. But who gave them this Power? Whence have oy this Authority? Or how can they in Sobriety think, that God is pleas’d with such Usurpations : When, contrary to the Practice of the Apostles, and the Methods of the Primitive Times, they heap to themselves Teachers? If this is Evangelical, any that dissent _

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Thirty Nine ARTICLES. 167

the Catholick Church, Arians, Socimans, Hereticks, can never want Preachers, so long as they have the Confidence to chuse and te the Gifted Men amongst them for that Purpose. Thus our urch disdains such a Ministry ; and ye may see the Danger in at- tending to it ; for as such have no Lawful and Evangelical Com- mission; their Instructions at the best, can be but the Advice of pri- vate Men ; and how far that will bear them out in the great Day, it stands them in hand to consider; for the Spirit says exprefly : The time will come, when they will not endure sound Doctrine; but after their cown Lusts shall they beap to themselves Teachers, havin itching Ears ; and they rm turn away their Ears from the Truth, and (hall be turned unto Fables. nr - 2. Ye may without prejudice consider the true Value that is to

Article XXIII.

2 Tim. 4. 3,4.

be put upon your own Ministry; in an Age that is too apt to slight

and despise them ; to misrepresent them as crafty Cheats, and subtle Impostors ; for they ate in Truth sent by God, are ordain’d by those that he commissioned; they come with his Message, speak in his Name, and delivet that very Word, by which Men shall be judged at the last Day. And a Ministry fo authoriz’d and employ’d, deserves to be heard, and ought to be in Estimation amongst us. *Tis come to hard Terms, when we are forced thus to plead for our Character; and our Reputation must be low in the Opinion of some, when it is found necessary to speak thus plainly ; but if it offends, we cannot help it ; if it is a Fault, we must commit it; for it is fit ye should know whose Meflengers we are, and who has sent us; and as Wo

will be to us if we preach not the Gospel, fo Wo will be to them,

who will not hearken or will not obey it. We speak not this for Advantage ; nor court we your Commendation for private Ends : Provided ye will receive the Word with Meekness, as it is the Word of God, that ye will govern your Hearts and Lives by it, ye may (if ye can) despise our Persons, hearken to Reproaches, and joyn in disesteeming us: No matter how ye deal with us, so your Souls be but sanctify’d by the Word, purify’d by the Blood of je-

sus, and saved in the Day of the Lord. But the more ye reverence your Saviour, value his Word, and esteem his Favour ; the more

will ye prize his Ministry for his sake, and regard us, who enjoy that Authority in Earthen Vessels, and are subject to the Infirmities

of Men: For as our Lord suffers when we are ill us’d for his sake;

and Religion lies neglected, when it is despis’d upon our Account;

so the Ministry will partake of that Favour that is shown to our

oreat Master. And as ye improve in Knowledge and real Piety as ye grow in Vertue and Grace; it will have your Esteem, and that Assistance and Support, which unfeigned Zeal can discover towards it. He that despiseth Us, when We N Minister before the Lord, despiseth in Effect him that sent us. But he that maintains the Dignity of the Ministry, in defiance of all pretending Teachers, appears in the Cause of Christ, and maintains that Authority he has given unto Men. But if, after all, we must submit to Calumnies and Reproaches, and must undergo Censures and Rebukes ; we have this Consolation, that our Master was so us’d by an ungrateful

World,

I EXPOSITION of the

Article XXIII.

Matt. 10. 24,

World, and enjoin’d us to be content. The Disciple is not above his _ nor the Servant above his Lord; it is enough for the Disciple to be as his Master, and the Servant as his Lord : If they have cal- led the Master of the House Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of the Houshold. 3

3. Le cannot encourage the Ministers of Christ better, than by conforming to the Word which they preach, and living as that com- mands. We then value it in good Earnest, when we constantly en- deavour to please God in Christ, as that exhorts, and do our best to be ready for Death and Judgment. Tis but a small Ccmmendation, when ye are taken with the Composure of Words, and never show it in your Deeds, or are heated with Fancy, and never engage the Heart

in Practice. Let it be your Care to practise what ye hear, and to de-

Jam. 1. 21, the first Part, able 10 save your Souls,

monstrate the Power of the Word, in the Reformation of your Lives: That ye may upon our Intreaty forsake your Sins, break off evil Habits, mortify your Lusts, improve in Piety, and grow better

Men : Let the Sermons that ye approve, become Rules of Life, and what ye say ye value, improve your Morals ; then ye will be the Praise of the Ministry, and in the Great Day we may rejoice toge- ther for ever. Receive with Meekness the ingrafted Word, which is

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Thirty Nine ARTICLES. J