.
Subsection
.
.
Order of Contents
Articles
Essence of Valid Ministry
Latin
.
Articles
1500’s
Bullinger, Henry
The Decades ed. Thomas Harding (1549; Cambridge: Parker Society, 1850), vol. 4, 5th Decade
Vermigli, Peter Martyr – The Common Places… (d. 1562; London: Henrie Denham et al., 1583), pt. 4
ch. 1, ‘Of the catholic Church’
‘Of Sundry Ministers of the Church’ 3
‘Of Calling, & Especially unto the Ministry’ 9
‘Of the Authority or Contempt of Ministers’ 15
‘Of the Office of Pastors’ 16
‘Of the Efficacy of the Ministry’ 21
‘Of the Mighty Simpleness of the Ministry’ 25
Appended Orations
Beza, Theodore – A Brief & Pithy Sum of the Christian Faith made in Form of a Confession (London, 1565), Ch. 5
27. The pastors and doctors be but instruments by the which God conducts the ministry of his Word
Viret, Pierre – A Christian Instruction… (d. 1571; London: Veale, 1573)
The Sum of the Principal Points of the Christian Faith
A Familiar Exposition of the Principal Points of the Catechism
9th Dialogue, Of the Power and efficacy of the ministry of Jesus Christ, and of that which He gives to the ministry of others
13th Dialogue: Of the Church & of the Ministry of the Same
Of the Ministry of the Church, and of the gifts necessary to the same
How that the Ministry of the Word of God is perpetually necessary to the Church in this world
Of other Gifts of God which are not so necessary for the Church as the gift of preaching
How the Lord takes the ministers of his Church of his very people, and not of a strange people
14th Dialogue: Of the Preaching of the Gospel
Of the Principal parts of the ministry of the Church
Of the Excellency of the ministry, and of the other two parts of the same
19th Dialogue, How Greatly Necessary the ministry of the Church and prayer is for all men during this life
Virel, Matthew – 1. Of the Ministry of the Word, by the which the Holy Ghost begs faith in our hearts, keeps and increases it in A Learned & Excellent Treatise Containing All the Principal Grounds of Christian Religion (London, 1594), bk. 3
Virel (1561-1595)
Ursinus, Zachary – The Sum of Christian Religion: Delivered… in his Lectures upon the Catechism… tr. Henrie Parrie (Oxford, 1587), pp. 959-60
1. What the Ministry is
2. What are the degrees of Ministers
3. For what end and purpose the ministry was instituted
4. Unto whom the ministry is to be committed
5. What are the duties and functions of Ministers
.
1600’s
Church of Scotland – A Humble Acknowledgment of the Sins of the Ministry of Scotland (1651)
Pastors and Elders, let us grieve and break our hearts over our sins in Christ’s ministry. May this cause us to look to Christ for all of our righteousness, and may it spur us on to walk more humbly and closely with Him as we work in His Vineyard. Use this in secret prayer throughout the year.
Church members, bring reformation to our land and humbly encourage your elders with this article.
Turretin, Francis – 22. ‘Is it necessary that there should be a public ministry and a calling to it in the church? We affirm against Fanatics and Enthusiasts.’ in Institutes of Elenctic Theology, tr. George M. Giger, ed. James Dennison Jr. (1679–1685; P&R, 1994), vol. 3, 18th Topic, p. 210 ff.
van Mastricht, Peter – ch. 2, ‘The Ministers of the Church’ in Theoretical Practical Theology (2nd ed. 1698; RHB), vol. 5, pt. 1, bk. 7
.
1800’s
Miller, Samuel – The Importance of the Gospel Ministry: an Introductory Lecture… (1827) 68 pp.
Binnie, William – The Holy Ministry, p. 120 ff. 3 pp. in The Church
Binnie was a professor in the Free Church of Scotland.
.
2000’s
Macleod, William – ‘The Essence of the Ministry’ (2006) 17 paragraphs The opening address given at the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) Seminary in Sept., 2006.
Macleod helpfully and practically gives eight things that it is not and two things that it is.
.
What is the Essence of a Valid Ministry?
Quote
1600’s
Francis Turretin
Institutes… (P&R), vol. 3, Question 23, p. 218
“X. …What is essential to the ministry cannot be changed without making another ministry. But the essence remaining untouched, it does not cease to be the same ministry, although a varied and manifold change as to the accidents may have taken place.
The essence of the ministry is placed in this–that all saving truth pertaining to the conservation of faith and piety be retained and taught; that the true sacraments instituted by Christ may be administered; and that the people may be held under a legitimate government.
The accidents make its state good or bad. The good is when the preaching of the Word is pure and entire without any mixture of error or superstition; when the sacraments are rightly celebrated according to the institution of Christ without addition, or detraction, or alteration; and the Christian people are governed in a holy manner according to the Word of God and not in a tyrannical manner.
The bad on the other hand is when the truth preached is mixed with errors and superstitions; the sacraments are in different way altered and corrupted; and the government is either confused or unjust and tyrannical…
But still it must not be thought that the ministry ought at once to cease and be extinguished on account of any corruption whatsoever and depraved state; as life is not at once extinguished, but can subsist in the midst of weakness and disease.”
.
Latin Article
1600’s
Voet, Gisbert – Ecclesiastical Politics (Amsterdam: Waesberge, 1663), vol. 3, pt. 2, bk. 2, ‘Of Ministers & the Ecclesiastical Ministry’, Tract 1, ‘Of the Necessity, Difficulty, etc. of a Minister’
8. Various Pretexts for the Scorn of the Ministry and Ministers are Shaken Off 293
.
.
.
Related Pages