〈◊〉 a diminution whereby the greater is express'd by the less and more is to be understood than is spoken But what do all these signifie to the condemning of those ceremonies and circumstances which God hath neither forbidden nor commanded but left free to his Church for to enjoyn particular persons to make use of 3. Those Scriptures which forbid the adding unto or taking from the Word of God Deut. 4.2 Ye shall not add to the word which I command you neither shall you diminish ought from it that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you Deut. 12.32 What thing soever I command you observe to do it thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it Josh 1.7 Be strong and very couragious that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded thee turn not from it to the right hand or to the left that thou may'st prosper whithersoever thou goest And to the same effect Josh 23.6 8. Prov. 30.6 Add thou not to his word lest he reproove thee and thou be found a lyar Revel 22.18 19. I testifie unto every man that heareth the words of the Prophesie of this book if any man shall add unto these things God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophesie God shall take away his part out of the book of life The Reader needs only to be call'd upon to observe well What it is to add unto or diminish from God's Word It is no other than This to say the Lord hath spoken what he hath not spoken or the Lord hath not spoken what he hath spoken It is to give God the Lye as Solomon intimates Add thou not to his Word lest thou be found a lyar To take from Gods Word is like clipping of the King's coyne To add to it is like setting the King's stamp on base metal both crimes of an heinous nature Thus the false Prophets are taxed for prophecying lyes in God's name and prefacing Thus saith the Lord to their own dreams and the deceit of their own hearts Jer. 23. Now Lay the saddle on the right horse Wherein do we add any thing to Gods word or take any thing from it Wherein do we deny any thing which it affirms or affirm any thing of it True it is concerning the word of God whether it be by misconstruction of the sense or by falsification of the words wittingly to endeavour that any thing may seem Divine which is not or any thing not seem which is were plainly to abuse and even to falsifie Divine Evidence which injury offer'd but unto men is most worthily counted heinous Which point I vvish they did vvell observe vvith vvhom nothing is more familiar than to plead in these causes the Lavv of God the Word of the Lord vvho notvvithstanding vvhen they come to alledge vvhat Word and Lavv they mean quote continually Bye-speeches in some historical narration or other and urge them as if vvritten in most exact form of Lavv. Hooker l. 3. Eccles Pol. which it denyes Let all of the Catechist's perswasion enter seriously into themselves and examine impartially Whether they are not more truly guilty of this crying sin when they boldly add and hold forth their own sense and explication of Scripture as the pure word of God when they impose burthens on the consciences of men which God hath not imposed by making that unlawful to practise for conscience-sake towards God which God hath no where forbidden or that necessary for conscience sake to be performed which God hath not required It is hard to find more notorious imposers in this kind than they are Witness those novel traditions of theirs added unto the Word of God Kneel not when commanded by authority but stand or sit wear no linnen garment cap or tippet no cassock and girdle but a cloke or coat or jerkin like to other Trades-men Use not the sign of the Cross though it really import no more than the word cross spoken doth that only affecting the eye as the other doth the ear yet use it not for God will be offended with you if you so do Teach not your children forms of Prayer c. Let it be considered if this be not adding abominably to the word of God to condemn any Church much more many Churches as repudiated or divorced from God Cat. p. 87. for enjoyning the practise of certain circumstances relating to the outward worship of God without any opinion of the necessity or Divine authority of the things themselves enjoyned such circumstances as if they were not enjoyned every private Christian might for himself determine To make this the mark of the Beast the character of the Whore c. Yea Is it not adding to the word of God to referr all those Texts to the worship of God which speak of his word But now to evince that these Texts do not forbid all kinds of additions to the word of God otherwise then as hath been explained and that therefore the distinction of corrupting and preserving additions is not so Popish but that every good Protestant may safely admit it and that it is utterly false which the Catechist asserts That every addition of what sort soever is a corruption because an addition I will mention briefly some lawful additions that are not here forbidden See Dr. Burges's answer to the reply made to Bp. Morton's general defence p. 136 c. lawful additions I mean still not as parts of the word of God but as preservatives of the text or meaning or observation of it Such then are additions 1. Which preserve the text as divers readings marginal notes the Jewish Massoreth 2. Which preserve the sense as interlineary glosses marginal references commentaries And 3dly Which preserve the observation of the Scripture as the building and ordering Synagogues for the reading of it the dividing it into certain sections for every Sabbath the ordination of holy Feasts and Fasts upon occasion c. These are additions for the better keeping of God's word onely and so not forbidden by these texts of Sacred Writ which call us unto the custody and observance of it as it is delivered to us 4. Those Scriptures which prohibit the worshipping of God by the commands of men and Will-worship Isa 29.13 Their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of men Which is again referr'd to by Christ Matt. 15.19 In vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrines the commandments of men The thing charged in these words is The esteeming of those things which men only have deliver'd to be a real worshipping of God i. e. the equalling of mere humane ordinances with Divine commandments yea the preferring of the commands of men to those of God's For our B. Saviour had before accused them for transgressing the command of God by their tradition and making
from that precedent command or example which warranted it but if it were not then was it done meerly upon the dictates of prudence reason then if vve be sufficiently warranted by that example as is by them supposed to act after it we are also sufficiently warranted to act upon the meer dictates of prudence and reason without the necessity of any other either command or former example for so doing But then besides this Examples are of a very different and tickle nature sometimes they are barely related in Scripture and neither commended nor dispraised sometimes they are praised yet so occasional or extraordinary that we may not presume to imitate them and if we would imitate them the suiting of all circumstances of our case to theirs without which they are not our examples is full of difficulty when all is done Examples are no farther a Law to us than they are conformed to some law or rule of God's themselves In short Examples are either of moral necessary actions then they call for our imitation by vertue of that law which they required before of others or of circumstantial mutable actions which others might have done or left undon then that cannot be necessary unto us in its self which was not necessary unto them in the same case But after all would the brethren of the separation stand to these their own explications of Scripture-prescriptions by general rules or examples rest in what is so warranted grounded we might quickly hope for an end of controversy with them as having both these on our side against them But these are peculiar priviledges reservs for themselves to fly unto upon occasion and not to be granted unto us for when we offer to justifie our Church-rites and observances by general precepts rules and permissions of Holy Scripture and many special examples there upon record this will not serve our turn but they call for express texts from us for the enjoyning of them They conclude themselves from examples So and so it must necessarily be but we may not conclude from them So and so it may be lawfully Thus far in the general CHAP. III. The Catechist's opinion as to this point set down at large in his own words from above twenty places of his Book and then summed up together to be viewed at once LEt the Catechist novv speak his own opinion in his own words Pag. 8. The wayes and means of the vvorship of God are made knovvn unto us in and by the written Word only vvhich contains a full and perfect revelation of the will of God as to his whole worship and all the concernments of it Pag. 9. 10. to the end that vve might expect instruction from the written Word alone in his Worship and act therein accordingly he sends us and directs us thereto expresly for that purpose and not once intimates in the least any other way or means of instruction to the end He frequently affirms that it is sufficient able and perfect to guide us therein He hath commanded us not to make any addition thereunto and peculiarly interdicted us the use of any such things as are of the institution or appointment of men Pag. 22. The Lord Christ is the absolute Lord over his own house and He hath given out the Laws whereby he will have it guided and ruled whilst it is in this world Pag. 26. If we observe any thing in God's worship but what he hath appointed we cannot submit our souls and consciences to his authority therein Pag 27. This is the first thing that Faith regards in Divine Worship it resteth not in any thing closeth not with any thing but what it discerns that God hath commanded and therein it eyes his authority as He hath required it Pag. 28. Christ is to be consider'd in all our obedience as the great and only Law-giver of his Church Pag. 34. The outward manner of observance is to be kept entire according to the primitive institution of Christ not admitting of any corruptions in it to avoid the greatest trouble Pag. 35. 36. He is the Head and King of the Church the next immediate and special Law-giver of it appointing unto it all his ordinances and its whole worship as it becomes him who is Lord of the house Pag. 42.43 The thing principally to be attended to in the manner of the celebration of the Worship of God and observation of the institutions and ordinances of the Gospel is That we observe and do all whatsoever the Lord Christ hath commanded us to observe in the way that he hath prescribed and that we add nothing unto or in the observation of them that is of mans invention or appointment Pag. 46. 47 48. Whatsoever belongs unto to the Worship of God in the way or manner whereby any of the Ordinances of Christ is to be performed comes also under the command of Christ which is duly to be attended to and observed Indeed whatever is of this nature appointed by Christ it doth therefore belong to the worship of God and what is not so appointed neither doth nor can be any part thereof Of this nature are the celebration of all other Ordinances with Prayer for every thing is sanctified by the word of God and Prayer 1 Tim. 4.5 Of some of them indispensably in the Assemblies of the Church 1 cor 10.16 17. 11.20 24 25 33. with care in the observation of the general rules of Love Modesty Condescention and Prudence doing all things decently and in order 1 Cor. 11.33 14.40 Gestures in some sacred actions Matt. 26.20 26. John 13.23 all which the Church is diligently to enquire into as things that belong to the Pattern of the House of God the goings out thereof and the comings in thereof the forms thereof and the ordinances thereof promised to be shewed unto it Ezek. 43.11 To attend carefully to their observation is its duty being left at liberty to all other circumstances which no authority of man can give any real relation to the Worship of God unto Pag. 48. The perswasion of some that the Lord hath not prescribed all things wherein his worship is concern'd seems to proceed from a negligence in enquiring after what he hath so prescribed Pag. 49. A principal part of the duty of the Church in this matter is to take care that nothing be admitted or practised in the worship of God or as belonging thereunto which is not instituted and appointed by the Lord Christ In its care faithfulness and watchfulness herein consists the principal part of its Loyalty unto the Lord Jesus as the Head King and Law-giver of his Church and which to stir us up unto He hath left so many severe interdictions and prohibitions in his Word against all additions to his commands upon any pretence whatever Pag. 54. 55. All such inventions he speaks expresly of Religious Rites appointed by the Church to farther Devotion Decency and Order are in themselves needless
to our B. Saviour as a person singularly well deserving of the Jewish Nation Now it is farther observable of their Synagogues That they were built in High places of their Cities and higher than their own houses That out of reverence to them none were suffered to make them Thorow-fares or to use them for common matters That in every Synagogue was an ark or chest wherein they laid the book in resemblance of the Ark of the Covenant That when they prayed they turned their faces towards that Ark as a monitory sign of the Ark of God and his dwelling between the Cherubims That they had appointed Officers Chief Rulers Scribes and Ministers answering to the High-Priest Priests and Porters in the Temple That men and women were distinguished in their ranks and seats in the Temple And That the Scriptures were read there by certain Sections Act. 15.21 every Sabbath day These are points commonly acknowledged by the Jewish Antiquaries and yet is not the building of Synagogues or the ordering of God's service in them at any time blamed by our Saviour S. Luk 4.16 20. or his Apostles nay we find them frequenting of them and conforming to them It was our B. Saviour's custom to go into the Synagogue every Sabbath day and there he stood up for to read and there was deliver'd to him the Book which he afterwards closed and gave it again to the Minister as they say it was the manner of the Scribes when they had read the Text. Totum regimen Ecclesiarum Christi conformatuÌ„ fuit and Synagogarum exemplar Grot. In Act. 11 30.13 1. Nay It is the judgment of the Learned that our B. Saviour and his Apostles in the Government of the Church had a special eye to the pattern of the Jewish Synagogues 8. The observation of certain Festivals for which they had no special precept or institution from God Such were the dayes of Purim observed by some for three dayes and appointed to be observed two dayes yearly in the 14. and 15. dayes of the Month Adar The Iewes ordained Hester 9.27.28 29. saith the Text and took upon them and their seed and upon all such as joyned themselves unto them that it should not fail that they would keep those dayes according to the writing and according to the appointed time every year and that those dayes be remembred and kept throughout every generation every family every province and every city c. In which dayes they read the History of Esther in their Synagogues Such were the seven dayes 2 Chron. 7.9 wherein Solomon and all Israel with him kept the dedication of the Altar Such the seven dayes also added by Hezekiah and the Princes 2 Chron. 30.23 27. when they kept the passeover fourteen dayes together celebrated by the people with gladness and not without a token of Divine acceptance Such also the Feast of the Dedication in the Book of Maccabees after the purging of the Temple prophaned by Antiochus and the re-building of an Altar in the room of that which he had violated 1 Mac. 4.56 59. They kept the Dedication of the Altar eight dayes and offered burnt-offerings with gladness and sacrificed the sacrifice of deliverance and of praise Moreover Judas and his brethren with the whole congregation of Israel ordained that the dayes of the dedication of the Altar should be kept in their season from year to year by the space of eight dayes c. Yea 2 Maâ—c â— 1â— and they wrote to the Jews at Egypt that they also should keep it at the same time c. This Feast the Jews call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The Feast of Light and burning of Candles not unlike the name Candlemas an account whereof is given by some from the strange kindling of fire to consume their sacrifices by others See 2 Mac. 10.3 from the lighting up of many Candles at this Festival Of this Feast of Dedication in Winter we read in the Gospel of St. John S. John 10.22 23. and how that our B. Saviour graced and approved it by his presence in the Temple as Divines are wont to argue his approbation of the marriage-feast S. John 2. by his presence at it 9. Certain dayes and times of fasting voluntarily enjoyned or kept by them Of this sort were those mentioned by the Prophet Zecharie Zech. 7. instituted by the Jews in the time of their exile for a remembrance of sad Providences that had befallen them the Fast of the fourth fifth seventh and tenth month and continued by them after their return as appears by their Kalendar and the consentient testimonies of men well acquainted with their practise The Fast of the fourth month in remembrance of the breaking down of their Walls Jer. 52.6 The Fast of the fifth month in remembrance of the burning of their Temple v. 12. The Fast of their seventh month in remembrance of the murther of Gedaliah whom the King of Babylon had deputed their Governour Jer. 41.2 And the Fast of the tenth month in remembrance of the siege 2 Kings 25.1 and taking of their City And I should wonder saith Grotius upon the Prophet Zecharie it should ever come to be disputed Quod an populo liceat disputati hoc saeculo mirarer nisi contradicendi libido omnia de certis incerta faceret Grot. in Zech. 3.3 whether or no such like Fasts might be appointed and observed by a people without Divine command but that the spirit and lust of contradiction can make of certain things uncertain Nor had they only these anniversarie Fasts returning upon certain months among them but also weekly Fasts in reference unto which it is said the Disciples of the Pharisees S Mat. 9.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Luk 5.33 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Mark 2.18 St. Luke 18.12 and of John did fast much and often used to fast As to the Pharisees that strictest Sect of the Iews they we read fasted twice a week on the Munday and Thursday of every week And when it was demanded of our Saviour Why his Disciples also did not fast as the Disciples of Iohn and the Pharisees were wont to do he only excuseth them for their Present state but affirms of them that after the departure of him the Bridegroom They should fast in those dayes even so fast S. Mark 2.25 And it is these setled fasts voluntarily undertaken that He speaks unto in his Sermon upon the Mount St. Matt. 6.16 1â— and it is nothing but the Pharisaism and hypocrisie of this kind of Fast that He at any time decryes When ye fast saith he be not as the hypocrites but he supposeth them nevertheless to fast nay he adds a reward to such Fasts for substance as the hypocrites observed when sincerely performed Thy Father which seeth thee to fast in secret shall reward thee openly Yea these ordinarie fasts are reckoned
Scripture in their ex-tempore discourses of it Is not this plainly to alter and add to the Holy word of God The Catechist saith Vzza dyed for putting the Ark into a Cart when he should have born it upon his shoulders The Text saith Vzza vvas smitten with death because he put his hand to the Ark namely to support and hold it vvhen the oxen stumbled And the Margin referrs to Numb 4.15 Numb 4.15 The sons of Kohath shall come to bear it the Sanctuary but they shall not touch any holy thing lest they die Upon vvhich place Mr. Ainsworth noteth Mr. Ainsworth on that place This judgment here threatned was executed upon Vzza a Levite who putting his hand to the Ark of God vvas therefore smitten of God 1 Chron. 13.10 Let them take more heed for the future of quoting Scripture thus without book without first examining of it It is highly incongruous for them who pretend so much to honour and cleave in all things exactly to the written word thus to mis-represent and abuse as well as misapply it Cat. p. 57. So the Catechist else-where also doth when he invidiously compares the affections excited by the decent rites and usages of the Churches appointment to inflaming themselves with Idols Isa 57.5 In which place the Prophet speaks either of those lusts which their Idolatries led them to or those venereous fires which represented their going a whoring after Idols slaying the children in the valleys and offering them unto them But I proceed 5. Of Vzziah the King in offering incense contrary to God's institution that duty being appropriated unto the Priests of the posterity of Aaron 2 Chron. 26.16.19 A note here is needless it being said that he acted contrary to God's institution I will therefore onely specifie the words of the text wherein yet there is some farther emphasis But when he was strong 4 Chron. 26.16 17 18 19. his heart was lifted up to his destruction for he transgressed against the Lord his God and went into the Temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the Altar of incense And Azariah the priest went in after him and with him fourscore priests of the Lord that were valiant men and they withstood Uzziah the King and said unto him It pertaineth not unto thee Uzziah to burn incense unto the Lord but to the Priests the sons of Aaron that are consecrated to burn incense Go out of the Sanctuary for thou hast trespassed neither shall it be for thine honour from the Lord God Then Uzziah was wroth and had a censer in his hand to burn incense and while he was wroth with the Priests the Leprosie even rose up in his forehead before the Priests in the house of the Lord from beside the incense Altar Fair warning to all that usurp the Priests office and take that honour unto themselves not being first called and consecrated thereunto 6. As a token in the New Testament of God's displeasure in temporal visitations on such miscarriages in his Church 1 Cor. 11.30 For this cause saith the Apostle many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep That cause if look'd into will appear no other than a perverting of the whole design of the sacred Eucharist with the feast of charity thereto adjoyned the turning of it into a common meal Not discerning the Lord's body with many factions and uncharitable abuses 7. The Catechist closeth these instances with an intimation of a more severe punishment now substituted against such transgressions in the room of that which God so visibly inflicted under the Old Testament Hebr. 10.25 26 27 28 29. The words are these Not forsaking the Assembling of our selves as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as ye see the day approaching For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries He that despised Moses law dyed without mercy under two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troddâ—n under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he vvas sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace In this place the Apostle speaks apparently of that heinous sin of wilful Apostacy from Christianity and the despiteful rejection of it and therefore it is certainly mis-applyed to any miscarriages of an inferiour aggravation Thus now I have by God's help reflected upon those Scripture-quotations vvhich the Catechist hath here and there dispersed to invite or frighten his Reader to an entertainment of his admired Principle That nothing may be used or allowed of in or about the worship of God which is not commanded or instituted in the written Word And this concludes the first and general part of my Discourse PART II. CHAP. I. The Catechist's confidence with the boldness usual to men of his way remarqued His sixfold enumeration of Gospel-institutions The first of them fixed upon viz. The calling gathering and setling of Churches with their officers as the seat and subject of all other solemn instituted Worship Quaery How setled Churches are the subject of all instituted worship since Preaching of the word goes before them which the Catechist names for the fourth Gospel Institution I Pass forward now to the examination of some particulars and He certainly who so confidently asserts That Christ hath published all the Laws of his own Discipline and That the perswasion of any that he hath not prescribed all things wherein his worship is concerned proceeds from their negligence in enquiring may well be expected to give the world a good punctual and clear account of these matters Only in the entrance into this task it may not be amiss to observe how boldly the men of this way are accustomed to reflect upon our B. Saviour on the supposition that he hath not ordered and appointed all particulars as they imagine Thus formerly in the book of Ecclesiastical Discipline it vvas averr'd Nisi Reip. suae statum omnem constituerit magistratus ordinarit singulorum munera potestatemque descripserit quae judiciorum forique ratio habenda quomodo elvium finienda lites non solum minus Ecclesiae Christianae providit quà m Moses olim Iudaica sed quam à Lycurgo Solonae Numa civitatibus suis prospectum sit Lib. de Eccles Discipl That unless Christ would shevv himself less faithful than Moses and less wise than Lycurgus Solon Numa those Heathen Legislators he must needs have set down in holy Scripture a certain compleat and unchangeable form of Church-politie Well But which are the principal institutions of the Gospel to be observed in the worship of God Cat. p. 23. 14. To this the Catechist Answers 1 The calling gathering and setling of Churches vvith their officers as the seat and
for the regulation and preservation thereof This sixth Gospel-Institution might very well have been referr'd to the first and I shall content my self to have there shewed the weakness of the foundations here again built upon Only we may observe that by the Catechist's distribution of this power of discipline between Minister and People the Authority which he leaves in words wholly to the Elders See Ch. 10. is little more than a power of executing the Brotherhood's decrees to whom he saith the power of tryal judgment consent or dissent appertains a power yet without authority which looks very like a contradiction However he tells us VVomen are barr'd and excepted from this duty of the body of the Church and consequently these female-members of the Church perform not that obedience unto the Lord Christ which is required in the rest as to this Institution acting in compliance with their Guides and Rulers with the consent of the Brethren only without any previous rational consideration of their own and so if his reason hold are ruled without their knowledg and against their will and by a blind obedience which is not saith he in any thing acceptable unto Christ I admonish these good women therefore once more to stand up for their priviledges of Church-membership and refer them to what hath been already noted Chap. 12. But a word or two ere we part of the places of Scripture here referr'd to as a proof that this power of discipline is so far by Christ committed to the body of the Church the male-members 1. All that can be observed from Acts 15. is this that the Brethren consented unto what the Apostles and Elders determined and appointed verse 6. The Apostles and Elders came together to consider of this matter and therefore all that speak to the case are 1. Peter verse 7. 2. Barnabas and Paul verse 12. and then 3. James the Bishop of the place concludes with his sentence whereto they all agree 'T is expresly said of the Multitude verse 12. All the multitude kept silence As for the multitude gathered together at Antioch verse 30. needs must the Church be assembled since the Letter written was directed to be read unto them for their satisfaction But then that the multitude of the Brethren thought it their duty to meet together as fellow-tryers and judges of the difficult question about Mosaical Ceremonies is weakly inferr'd from Act. 21.22 See this place before quoted P. 1. Ch. 5. Where James the Bishop of Jerusalem tells Paul how much the multitude of Jewish converts were offended at his preaching down Circumcision and Non-conformity to their approved Customs and since it could not be but that they would hear of his presence there was a necessity to call them together that he might vindicate himself before them and remove the prejudice they had concerning him verse 22. What is it therefore The multitude must needs come together for they will hear that thou art come Nor is it likely that the devout women more zealous and forward usually than others Act. 13.50 were excluded from this multitude and then if the Catechist have observed right there is a must for them too as well as the Brethren they also have a Duty and concernment to look after the administration of Church-discipline 2. For 1 Cor. 5. Where saith the Catechist the multitude are blamed who applied not themselves to this duty The matter is the Excommunication of the incestuous Corinthian That which S. Paul chargeth upon them in general is That there was so notorious an offender among them as one that had married his Father's wife and they yet demean themselves so unconcernedly as if it had not been a crime deserving censure and reproach But then as to the judging part he takes that to himself verse 3. I verily as absent in body but present in spirit have judged already as though I were present concerning him that hath done this deed i. e. Though I am not present with you yet by virtue of that authority which belongs to me being sufficiently assured of the truth of the fact I have already pass'd sentence on him that hath thus offended He doth not expect their tryal and judgment and consent as the Catechist would order the matter but gives the doom without it commands them to see it inflicted ver 4.5 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ when ye are gather'd together and my Spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such an one to Satan i. e. That in a publick Assembly gather'd in the name of Christ in which you are to suppose me vertually present among you by authority of Christ committed to me and from me to you ye proceed to excommunicate him And then farther it is to be noted that this speech of St. Paul might have a prime reference to the Ministers of the Church of Corinth for his Epistle was written to the whole Church the Pastors as well as the Flock However there cannot be from hence inferr'd any thing but that the matter was to be done according to St. Paul's charge and command and by virtue of his authority in the presence of the whole congregation women no dobut as well as men or at most all the whole congregation for the freeing themselves from the scandal of allowing his wickedness appearing in some way of declarative suffrage and consent which consent of theirs entitles them by way of interpretation so far to have acted in this censure but no way intimates that the Apostle's excommunication had not been valid and efficacious without their consent Certainly the power of binding and loosing was never given by Christ to the promiscuous multitude nor do we ever read that he required their consent as necessary to the validity or efficacy of it And this is all I shall add of this matter Two or three short reflections more shall end this Chapter and Book together And First I take notice of a three-fold Directory * One more was observed before Chap. 10. prescribed by the Catechist for the exercise of Church-discipline a thing not becoming so profess'd a Champion of Christ's prescribing the very manner of his own Institutions The first Directory is for private admonition in four particulars Cat. p. 195. 196. Cat. p. 195. 196. Especially four things are to be diligently heeded 1. That the whole duty be so managed that the person offending may be convinced that it is done out of love to him and affectionate conscientious care over him that he may take no occasion thereby for the exasperation of his own spirit 2. That the persons admonishing others of their offence do make it appear that what they do is in obedience to an Institution of Christ and therein to preserve their own souls from sin as well as to benefit the offenders 3. That the admonition be grounded on a rule which alone gives it authority and efficacy 4. That there be a readiness manifested
should not have a primary regard unto the honour of their master by whose authority and for whom they rule Nay they are commanded in this capacity to serve God Be wise now therefore O ye Kings saith the voice of God in the Psalmist Psal 2.10 11 12. be instructed ye judges of the earth serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish Now the Religious service proper to and expected from Kings is not only personal such as is required of all other men but that of their regal Capacity in the use of their Royal power and authority St. Austin declares excellently well how Kings ought to serve God In hoc Reges sicut eis divinitus praecipitur Deo serviunt in quantum reges sunt si in suo regno bona jubeant mala prchibeant non solum quae pertinent ad humanam societatem verum etiam quae pertinent ad divinam religionem Aug. contr Cresc l. 3. c. 51. In this saith he Kings do as 't is commanded them serve God as Kings if in their Kingdom they command what is good and prohibit what is evil and that nto only with reference to humane or civil Society but concerning Divine Religion And again saith he Quomodo ergo Reges Domino serviunt in timore nisi ea quae contra jussa Domini fiunt religiosâ severitate prohibendo atque plectendo Id. ep ad Bonifac. How do Kings serve the Lord in fear unless by prohibiting and punishing with a Religious severity such things as are done against Gods Commands Quomodo ergo Reges Domino serviunt in timore nisi ea quae contra jussa Domini fiunt Religiosâ severitate prohibendo atque plectendo Id. Ep. ad Bonifac. For they serve God otherwise quà homines as men and another way quà Reges as Kings As men vivendo fideliter by living uprightly but as Kings leges justa praecipientes contraria prohibentes convenienti rigore sanciendo by establishing Laws with a convenient rigour which command righteous things Thus Josiah made all Israel to serve the Lord their God 2 Chron. 34.33 and forbid the contrary In this they serve God as Kings cùm ea faciunt ad serv endâ—m illi quae non possunt facere nisi reges when they do those things in order to the serving of him which they cannot do but as Kings which none else can do but Kings To this purpose was that Injunction to the King of Israel That he should write a copy of the Law in a book out of that before the Priests the Levites Deut. 17.18 19. and it shall be with him saith the Sacred Text and he shall read therein all the dayes of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and keep all the words of this Law and these Statutes to do them And at the inauguration of Joash 2 Chron. 23.11 the Book of the Testimony was given unto him as an intimation that he was to be custos utriusque Tabulae an observer of both Tables and that not only himself but to see them observed by others and if not vindex to punish them And that we may not think this charge of Religion peculiar to those Kings of Israel it is promised to the Church of the New Testament also That Kings shall be her nursing Fathers Isa 49.23 60 16. and Queens her nursing Mothers and that she should suck the breasts of Kings And besides this a supply of Arguments might be drawn from the largeness of their Commission specified in the New Testament it self Where they are called The Ministers of God Rom. 13. and the Ministers of God for good and revengers to execute wrath upon evil-doers indefinitely and Prayers are required to be put up for Kings and all in Authority 1 Tim. 2.2 that we may under them lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty But 4. It seems to deserve some special observation that Kings as such are properly enough to be called Christ's Vicars deriving from and holding under him their Kingly Power Prov. 8.15 By me saith he Kings Reign and he is elsewhere styled The King of Kings Rev. 17.14.19.16 ch 1.5 and Lord of Lords and Prince of the Kings of the Earth And so they are to be look'd upon not only as the Ministers of Divine Providence in the general for the good of humane Societies but Christ's Vicars also in the external Government and Administration of his Church The Kings of Israel were Types of Christ to come and Christian Kings now are and ought to be as his Vice gerents and deputies in his Kingdom to exercise that coercive power which he prohibits the Officers of his Church as such to execute Our Blessed Lord and Saviour indeed in the state of his Humility on earth did not much exert his Kingly Authority by using of outward force in matters appertaining to God's Religious Worship and Service and yet two notable instances we have wherein he hath set a copy to be transcribed by others St. John 2. St. Mat. 21. both of them upon the occasion of his finding in the Temple those that sold Oxen Sheep and Doves and the changes of money sitting He made saith the Text a scourge of small cords and drave them out of the Temple c. And This we finde he did when he came as King riding on an Asse the multitudes crying Hosanna to the Son of David Christ the Head of all Principality and Power to whom all power is given in Heaven and Earth hath some things in his Kingdom reserved peculiar to himself but yet in others he useth certain Ministers and Deputies The Actions in the administration of the Kingdom of Christ which he reserves as peculiar to himself to his own management are such De imperio sum pâ—test c. 4. sect 5. as Grotius calls Terminales referring to the beginning and ending the entrance and conclusion of his administration such as concern the beginning and entrance are the giving of Laws to his Church under hope of eternal reward or under pain of eternal damnation and the constituting of a Ministry unto himself and thus is he the only Law-giver as I had occasion to intimate towards the end of the first part of the discourse precedent That which concerns the end is a definitive Jurisdiction at the last day the final sentence of Absolution and Condemnation in which respect he is the only Judge of all and as he alone hath done the former so will he do the other himself alone in his own person without a Substitute or Vice-gerent But then There are other Actions of Christ's Kingdome call'd by Grotius Mediae of a middle nature coming between these two terms i. e. between the beginning and ending of Christ's regal Administration and these partly concern the inward and partly the outward man Christ acteth in the inward man by the secret motions of his Spirit in subserviency unto which yet