Rogers on Article XXIII: Of Ministering in the Congregation

The propositions.

1. None publikely may preach, but such as thereunto are authorized.

2. They must not be silent, who by office are bound to preach.

3. The Sacraments may not be administred in the Congregation but by a lawfull Minister.

4. There is a lawfull Ministery in the Church.

5. They are lawfull Ministers, which be ordained by men lawfully appointed to the calling, and sending forth of Ministers.

6. Before Ministers are to be ordained, they are to be chosen, and called.

1. Proposition. None publikely may preach, but such as thereunto are authorized.

The proofe from Gods word.

THis truth in the holy Scripture is euident. For there we finde, how

[?] The godly men were both called by God, and commanded to preach, before they would, or durst so doe. So was Samuel ¹, Ieremie ², Iohn Baptist ³, Christ Iesus himselfe ⁴, who also to preach did send the twelue Apostles ⁵, and the seuentie Disciples. ⁶.

2 The wicked and false Prophets for preaching afore their time, are blamed ⁷.

3 A commandement is giuen vs to pray the Lord of the haruest, that hee would send forth labourers into his harvest ⁸.

4 Lastly wee doe read, that God hath ordained in the Church some to be Apostles, some Prophets, some teachers, some to be workers of miracles ⁹, and Christ beeing ascended into heauen, gaue some to be Apostles, some Prophets, some Euangelists, and some Pastors and teachers ¹⁰.

And all this is acknowledged by the reformed Churches¹¹.

Errors & Adversaries to this truth.

And so are wee against them,

Which to their power doe seeke the abolishment of publike preaching in the reformed Churches, as doe first the Papists, who phrase the Preachers to be vncircūcised Philistins ¹², sacrilegious ministers ¹³, Hieroboams priests, inordinate ¹⁴, and vnordered Apostataes ¹⁵, and next the Barrowists, who say how the said Preachers are sent of God in his anger to deceiue the people with lies ¹⁶.

Who publish how the word is not taught by the Sermons of ministers, but onely by the Reuelation of the Spirit: so did Muncer, the Anabaptist ¹⁷, and so doth H. N.¹⁸, and his Familie of Loue¹⁹.

Who runne afore they be sent, as doe many both Anabaptists, and Puritanes, as Penrie, Greenewood, Barrow, &c. or which hold, how they which are able to teach, and instruct the people, may, and must so doe; and that not priuately onely, but publikely too, though they be not ordinarily sent, and authorized thereunto; which was the doctrine of R.H.²⁰.

Who teach, that Lay-men may teach to get faith ²¹, and that euery particular member of the Church hath power, yea and ought to examine the manner of administring the Sacraments, &c. and to call the people to repentance: so teacheth Barrow ²².

2. Proposition. They must not be silent, who by office are bound to preach.

The proofe from Gods word.

As publikely to preach, before men are sent, is a grieuous fault: so not to preach being sent is a great sinne. Hereunto beare witnesse.

1. Our S. Christ, whose words are these, Surely, I must also preach the Kingdome of God. For therefore am I sent ²³.

2. Peter. and Iohn, who being charged to speake no more in the Name of Iesus, said, Wee cannot but speake that which wee haue heard, and seene ²⁴.

3. S. Paul. For hee writeth, Necessitie is laid vpon mee, and woe is mee if I preach not the Gospell ²⁵.

4. The apostles of Christ. For though they were beaten for so doing: yet ceased they not to teach, and preach Iesus Christ ²⁶.

5. All the Churches of God which be purged from superstion, and errors ²⁷.

Errors, & adversaries vnto this truth.

Then, as in glasse they may see their faults.

Who maintaine, how there ought to be no publike preaching at all, as doe the Anabaptists ²⁸.

Which depraue the office of Preaching, as doe the Libertines, saying that preaching is none ordinarie meanes to come vnto the knowledge of the word ²⁹, and especially the Familie of Loue, who tearme the publike preachers in derision, Scripture learned ³⁰, Licentious scripture learned ³¹, good-thinking-wise ³², Ceremoniall, and letter Doctors ³³, Teaching masters ³⁴. and further say, It is a great presumption that any man, out of the learnednesse of the letter; taketh vpon him to be a Teacher, or Preacher: Againe, It becometh not any man to busie himselfe about preaching of the word. so, and more too, the Familie ³⁵.

Which take vpon them the office of publike preaching, without performance of their duty, either through ignorance, that they cannot; worldly emploiments, that they may not; negligence, that they will not; or feare of troubles, that they dare not preach the word of God.

Yet thinke wee not (which our Sabbatatians let not to publish,) that

Euery minister, necessarily and vnder paine of damnation, is to preach at least once euery Sunday ³⁶. and

Vnlesse a minister preach euery Sunday, he doth not hallow the Sabboth day in the least measure of that which the Lord requireth of vs.³⁷

3. Proposition. The Sacraments may not be administred in the Congregation but by a lawfull minister.

The proofe from Gods word.

In the holy Scripture wee read that the publike ministers of the word, are to be the Administers of the Sacraments. For both our S. Christ commanded his disciples, as to preach: so to Baptize ³⁸, and celebrate the supper of the Lord ³⁹, and the Apostles, and other ministers in the purest times (whom the godly Ministers. and Preachers in these daies doe succeede) not onely did preach, but also Baptize ⁴⁰, and Minister the Lords Supper ⁴¹.

And hereunto doe the Churches of God subscribe ⁴².

In saying that none may administer the Sacraments in the Congregation afore hee be lawfully called, and sent thereunto, wee thinke not (as some doe) that the very beeing of the Sacraments dependeth vpon this point. viz. whether the Baptizer, or giuer of the Bread, and wine be a minister, or no.

Neither is it the meaning of this article that priuately in houses, either lawfull ministers, vpon iust occasion, may not; or others, not of the ministerie, vpon any occasion (in the peace of the Church) may administer the Sacraments.⁴³

The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth.

Hereby wee declare our selues not to fauour the opinion, that publikely.

Some may minister the Sacraments, which are not meerely, and full ministers of the word, and Sacraments; and so thinke both the Anabaptists, among whome, their king (when it was) after Supper tooke bread, and reaching it among the Communicants did say, Take, eate, & shew forth the Lords death; their Queene also reaching the Cuppe, said, Drinke yee, and shew forth the Lords death ⁴⁴, and the Presbyterians at Geneua, where the Elder (a Laie man) ministereth the Cup ordinarily at the Communion ⁴⁵. Some ministers (and namely the Puritane Doctors) may not minister the Sacraments. For (say the disciplinarians) the office of Doctors is onely to teach true doctrine ⁴⁶, but in our Church (of England) the Doctor encroacheth vpon the office of the Pastor. For both indifferently doth teach, exhort, and minister the Sacraments ⁴⁷.

None though a lawfull Minister, may administer, the Sacraments, which either is no preacher ⁴⁸, or when hee ministreth them doth not preach ⁴⁹, which be the errors of the Disciplinarians, or Puritanes.

Publiquely, and priuately too the Sacrament of Baptisme may be administred by any man, yea by women, if necessitie doe vrge. So hold the Papist. For saith Iauell ⁵⁰, in the time of necessitie the minister of Baptisme is euery man, both male and female. A woman, be shee yong or old, sacred or wicked, Euery male that hath his wits, and is neither dumbe, nor so drunken, that he can vtter the the words, as wel Pagā, Infidel, & heretik: the bad as the good; the schismatik, as the Catholike, may baptize. And yet vsually in the ciuill warres both in France, and in Netherland, the Papists did rebaptize such children, as of the Protestant not lai-mē, but ministers, had afore bin baptized ⁵¹.

This priuate Baptisme by priuate persons was also taught long since both by the Marcionites ⁵², and Pepuzians ⁵³.

4. Proposition. There is a lawfull ministerie in the Church.

The proofe from Gods word.

God, for the gathering, or erecting to himselfe a Church out of mankinde; and for the well gouerning of the same, from time to time hath vsed, yea, and also doth and to the end of the world will vse the ministery of men lawfully called thereunto by men. A truth most euident in the holy Scripture.

Iesus said vnto his Apostles, Goe, and teach all Nations, baptizing them, &c. and loe, I am with you alway, vnto the ende of the world ⁵⁴.

Christ gaue some to be Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Euangelists, and some Pastors, and Teachers, for the gathering together of the saints, for the worke of the ministerie, and for the edification of the body of Christ, till we all meet together (in the vnitie of faith, and knowledge of the Sonne of God) vnto a perfect man ⁵⁵.

A truth also approued by the Churches ⁵⁶.

Adversaries vnto this truth.

Oppugners of this truth, are

First the Anabaptisticall Swermers, who both tearme all Ecclesiasticall men, The Diuells ministers; and also, as very wicked doe vtterly condemne the outward ministerie of the word, & Sacraments ⁵⁷.

And next the Brownists, who divulge that in these daies: No ministers haue the calling, sending or authoritie pertaining to a minister; and that, It will hardly be founde in all the world, that any minister, is, or shall be lawfully called ⁵⁸, such also be the Barrowists which say, there is no ministerie of the Gospell in all Europe ⁵⁹.

5. Proposition. They are lawfull Ministers, which be ordained by Men lawfully appointed for the calling, and sending forth of Ministers.

The proofe from Gods word.

S. Paul in the beginning of his epistle vnto the Galathians, giueth vs to obserue the diuers sendeth-forth of men into the holy ministery: whereof

Some are sent immediately frō God himselfe. So sent, was by God the Father, both Iesus Christ ⁶⁰, and Iohn Baptist ⁶¹, by God the Sonne, in his state mortall the twelue Apostles ⁶², in his state immortall, and glorious, S. Paul ⁶³.

This calling is speciall, and extraordinarie: and the men so called were adorned with the gift of miracles cōmonly, as were Iesus Christ, and his Apostles; but not alwaies, for Iohn Baptist wrought none.

And they were also enioyned, for the most part, as the Apostles, to preach throughout the world ⁶⁴, howbeit our Sauiour was limited ⁶⁵.

Some againe were sent of men: as they be, who are sent of men not authorized thereunto by the word of God, and that to the disturbance of the peace of the Church: such in the Apostles time, were the false Apostles; in our daies be the Anabaptists, Familie Elders, and law despising Brownists.

And some lastly are by men sent: so in the primitiue Church by the Apostles, were Pastors, and Elders ordained ⁶⁶, who by the same authoritie ordained other Pastors, and teachers ⁶⁷. Whence it is that the Church, as it hath bin: so it shall till the end of the world be prouided for. They who are thus called haue power neither to worke miracles, as the Apostles had; nor to preach, and minister the Sacraments where they will, as the Apostles might, but they are tied euery man to his charge, which they must faithfully attend vpon; except vrgent occasion doe enforce the contrary.

The calling of these men is tearmed a generall calling, and it is the ordinarie, and in these daies the lawfull calling, allowed by the word of God.

So testifie with vs the true Churches else where in the world ⁶⁸

Adversaries vnto this truth.

This truth hath many waies bin resisted. For there [?]e which thinke, how in these daies there is no calling, but the extraordinarie, or immediate calling from God, & not by men, as the Anabaptists, Familists and Brownists: of whome afore.

The Papists albeit they allow the assertion: yet take they all ministers to be wolues, Hirelings, Laie men, and Intruders, who are not sacrificing Priests, annointed by some Antichristian Bishop of the Romish synagogue ⁶⁹.

Either all, or the most part of the ministers of England, saith Howlet ⁷⁰, be meere Lay men, and no Priests, and consequently haue noe authoritie in these things. It is euidēt, &c. because they are not ordained by such a Bishop, and Preist, as the Catholike Church hath put in authoritie.

6. Proposition. Before Ministers are to be ordained, they are to be chosen, and called.

The proofe from Gods word.

Though it be in the power of them which haue authority in the Church, to appoint Ministers for Gods people: yet may they admit neither whome they will, nor as they will themselues: But they are both deliberately to chuse, and orderly to call such as they haue chosen.

This made the Apostles and Elders in the primitiue Church straightly to charge, that suddenly hands should be laid on no man ⁷¹.

To make a speciall choise of twaine, whereof one was to be elected into the place of Iudas ⁷².

By election to ordaine Elders in euery church, and by praier and fasting, to commend them to the Lord ⁷³, and by laying on of hands to consecrate them ⁷⁴.

To describe who who were to be chosen, and called. For they are to be Men, not Boies nor women ⁷⁵, Men of good behauiour, not incontinent, not giuen to wine, not strikers, not couetous ⁷⁶, not proud ⁷⁷, not froward nor irefull ⁷⁸, nor giuers of offense ⁷⁹, finally men of speciall gifts, apt to teach ⁸⁰, able to exhort ⁸¹, wise, to diuide the word of God aright ⁸², bold, to reprooue ⁸³, willing to take paines ⁸⁴, watchfull, to ouersee ⁸⁵, patient to suffer ⁸⁶, and constant, to endure all manner of afflictions ⁸⁷.

And this doe the Churches Protestant by their Confessions approoue ⁸⁸.

The Errors, and adversaries vnto this truth.

In error they remaine, who are of opinion, that

The due election, and calling of Ministers according to the word of God, is of no such necessitie to the making of Ministers: an erroneous fancie of the Anabaptists, and Familie of Loue.

That women may be Deacons ⁸⁹, Elders, and Bishops: the former, the Acephalians; the latter, the Pepuzians did maintaine.

A speciall care is not to be had both of the life and the learning of men; or that wicked men, of euill life; ignorant men, without learning; Asses, of no giftes; loiterers which doe no good; or fauourers of superstition, and idolatry, which do great hurt, are to be admitted into the ministery.

They are causes, which indeede are none, to debarre men from the ecclesiasticall function, as if men haue bin twice married (an error of the Russeis ⁹⁰, be married ⁹¹, haue had certaine wiues ⁹², haue not receiued the Sacrament of Confirmation ⁹³, haue bin baptized of Heretikes ⁹⁴, these may not be Priests, say the Papists; or if either they haue not bin trained vp in the Familie; or be not Elders in the said Familie of Loue ⁹⁵.

Footnotes

1. 1. Sam. 3.3, 4. &c. 20.
   ↩

2. Ierem. 1.4, 5. ↩

3. Ioh. 1.6. ↩

4. Ioh. 20.21. ↩

5. Matth. 10.5. ↩

6. Luke 10.1. ↩

7. Ierem. 14.14.23.21.27.14, 15.29.8, 9. ↩

8. Matth. 9.38. ↩

9. 1. Cor. 12.28.
   ↩

10. Eph. 4.11. ↩

11. Confess. Helv. 2. cap. 18. Bohe. cap. 9. Gal. ar. 31. Belg. ar. 31. August. ar. 14. VVittemb. ar. 10. Suev. ar. 13. ↩

12. Ans. to the execut. of Iust. cap. 3. p. 44. ↩

13. Ibid. c. 9. p. 211 ↩

14. Ibid. c. 5. p. 91. ↩

15. Ibid. c. 3. p. 41. ↩

16. R.A. confut. of Brovvn. p. 113 ↩

17. Sleiden. com. lib. 5. ↩

18. H. N. euang. c. 13. § 6. and Spir. land. c. 48. § 5. ↩

19. Letter to the B. of Roch. ↩

20. R.H. on Psal. 122. ↩

21. R.A. confut. of Brovvnisme. p. 113. ↩

22. Bar. disco. p. 36. ↩

23. Luke 4.43. ↩

24. Act. 4.17. &c. ↩

25. 1. Cor. 9.16, 17.
    ↩

26. Act. 5.42. ↩

27. Confess. Helv. 1. ar. 15. & 2. c. 9 18. Bohem. cap. 9. Gal. ar. 25. Aagust. ar. 7. VVittemb. ar. 20. Sue. ar. 13. ↩

28. Bulling. cont. Anabap. c. 12. ↩

29. VVilkins. against the Fam. of Loue, ar. 14. p. 66. ↩

30. Theophil. against VVilk. ↩

31. Pat. of the pr[?]s. Temp. ↩

32. H.N. proph. of the Sp. c. 2. § 7. ↩

33. Fam. let. to the B. of Roch. ↩

34. H.N. Spir. l. c. 25. ↩

35. Idem 1. exh. c. 16. § 15, 16. ↩

36. D.B. doct. of the Sabboth, 2. booke. p. 174. ↩

37. Ibid. p. 277. ↩

38. Matth. 28.19 ↩

39. Luke 22.19. 1. Cor. 11.24, 25 ↩

40. Act. 2.38.41.8.12, 13.10.47.16.32, 33. Ioh. 1.25. 1. Cor. 1.14.16. ↩

41. Act. 20.7. 1. Cor. 10.16. ↩

42. Confess. Helv. 2. c. 18. Bohem. c. 9. Gal. ar. 25.31. August. ar. 7. VVittem. ar. 20. Sue. ar. 13. ↩

43. T.C. 1. rep. p. 113. ↩

44. Suri[?]s com. p. 237. ↩

45. Survay of dis. cap. 15. out of the Geneva lavves. ↩

46. Lear. discours. p. 17. ↩

47. Fruct. Ser. on Rom. 12. p. 40. ↩

48. The administration of the Sacraments ought to be committed to none, but such as are preachers of the word. Lear. disco. p. 60. It is sacriledge to separate the word (viz. Preaching) frō the Sacram. Ibid. The preaching of the word is the life of the Sacraments. T.C. 1. rep. p. 125 ↩

49. The vnchangeable lawes of God be (saith T.C.) that none minister the Sacraments, which doe not preach. T.C. 1. repl. p. 104. § 3. Where there is no Preacher of the word, there ought to be no minister of the Sacraments. Lear. disc. p. 62. ↩

50. Iauel. phil. Cor. par. 5. fol. 559. ↩

51. So in Netherland were children rebaptized, when the Duke of Alva there tyranized. Trag. hist. of Antvverp. The like Repabtization was vsed by the Papists at Tholouse, Troys, and other cities in France, especially an. 1562. See the Chron. of France. ↩

52. D. August. ad Quodv[?]t. c. [?]7. ↩

53. Epiphan. h[?]res. 42. ↩

54. Matth. 28.20. ↩

55. Eph. 4.11, 12, 13. ↩

56. Confess. Helv. 1. ar. 15. & 2. c. 18. Bohem. c. 8.9.14. Gal. ar. 25.29.30.31. Belg. ar. 30.31. August. ar. 7. Sax. ar. 11. VVittemb. ar. 20. Sue. ar. 13.15 ↩

57. Althemar. conciliat. Loc. pugnan. lo. 191. ↩

58. R.H. on Psal. 122. ↩

59. Bar. disco. p. 104. ↩

60. Ioh. 20.21. ↩

61. Ioh. 1.6. ↩

62. Matth. 10.5. ↩

63. Acts 9.15. ↩

64. Matth. 28.20. ↩

65. Matth. 15.24. ↩

66. Act. 14.23. 1. Tim. 4.14. ↩

67. 1. Tim. 22.5.
    ↩

68. Confess. Helv. 1. ar. 17. & 2. c. 18. Bohem. c. 9. Ga[?]. ar. 31. Belg. ar. 31. August. ar. 14. VVittem. ar. 21. S[?]ov. ar. 13. ↩

69. Concil. Trid. sess. 7. [?]an. 7. ↩

70. Hovvl. 7. rea[?]. ↩

71. 1. Tim. 5.22.
    ↩

72. Acts 1.23. ↩

73. Acts 14.23. ↩

74. 1. Tim. 4.14.
    ↩
75. 1. Tim. 2.12.
    ↩
76. 1. Tim. 3.2.
    ↩
77. 1. Pet. 5.3.
    ↩

78. Titus 1.7. ↩

79. 2. Cor. 6.3.
    ↩
80. 1. Tim. 3.2.
    ↩

81. Tit. 1.9. ↩

82. 2. Tim. 2.15.
    ↩
83. 1. Tim. 5.20. Tit. 1.9.
    ↩

84. Matth. 9.38. 2. Tim. 4.2. ↩

85. Acts 20.28. ↩

86. Act. 5.41. 2. Tim. 4.7, 8. ↩

87. 2. Cor. 11.23.
    ↩

88. Confess. Helv. 1. ar. 25. & 2. c. 18. Bo[?]em. c. 9. Gal. artic. 13. Belg. ar. 31. August. ar. 14. VVittemb. ar. [?]0. Sue. ar. 13. ↩

89. Sigebert. ↩

90. Liberus rerum Moscov. p. 30. b ↩

91. Coster. Ench. controv. c. 15. de c[?]l. sacerd. ↩

92. Test. Rhem. an. 1. Tim. 5.2. ↩

93. Concil. Trid. sess. 23. c. 4. ↩

94. 1. quaest. 1. ventum.
    ↩

95. Such ought not to busie thē selues about the vvord. H.N. document. sent. c. 3. § 1. and 1. Exhort. c. 16. § 16. ↩