Evangelists 4. Pastors and Teachers Ephes. 4. 11. elsewhere wee finde other names of Gifts and Offices as workers of Miracles Gifts of Healing Helpes Governours Diversities of tongues Interpreters of tongues 1 Cor. 12. 28 29 30. Item Deacons Exhorters Rulers Rom. 12. 7 8. and Bishops Presbyters and Deacons 1 Tim. 3. 1 8. and 5. 17 18 19. From whence I make these inferences 1. If these Officers appointed for the first building of Christs Church were by degrees set in a priority and superiority one above another then I may conceive that a priority and superiority of spirituall Officers is not repugnant to the government of Christs Church But these Officers were so set in relation of degrees one above another therefore I may conceive that such a gradation of spirituall Officers is not repugnant to the government of Christs Church 2. If there was no independent parity in the first Officers instituted in Christs Church then I have reason to conceive that an independent paritie is not answerable to Christs intention in instituting Officers in his Church But there was no independent parity in these first Officers instituted in the Church Therefore I have reason to conceive that an independent parity is not answerable to Christs intention Here two things may be objected or excepted against this Rule of Decision First that the Apostles who were Christs first Officers were equal one to another and independent one from another But to this I answer That I speake not of the Officers appointed before the constitution of the Church but of those that are named expresly to beare office in the Church already constituted Secondly if then it bee said that the inequality of these first Office-bearers doth proceed from the difference of extraordinary and ordinary Officers then requisit at the first constitution of the Church which is not now requisite after it is once constituted then I answer that here I neither intend nor have need to consider which Officers were extraordinary and which ordinary because I take notice of them onely at this time as they were Officers extant at first to build up the Church and my inference goeth no further as yet nor must I come to admit of that distinction in my thought till the matter it selfe carry me to it Fourthly I finde the severall charges and duties of these Officers to be these 1. Christ sending forth his Apostles appointeth them to be his witnesses unto the utmost parts of the earth of that which he hath done for our salvation Acts 1. 8. Also hee giveth them charge to teach all men to observe whatsoever hee had commanded them and to baptise those that received their doctrine Matth. 28. 19. 20. This they did and so gathered a Church together wherein at first the faithfull having all things common brought their goods to the Apostles feet making them distributers thereof unto such as had need But the Apostles found this charge imposed upon them to be too troublesome and not proper unto their spirituall calling therefore they betooke themselves unto their owne peculiar charge which was to attend unto prayer and the Ministery of the word Acts 6. 4. and gave advice that Deacons should be chosen whose peculiar charge at their first institution was to serve the tables Ibid. verse 2 3. yet it is evident that they also preached the word and bore witnesse of Christ Ib. verse 9. 10. and Cap. 8. verse 5. and baptised the beleevers Ib. Chap. 8. vers. 12. 38. Besides these Deacons we finde that the Church being constituted other Officers in it are named and said to bee different in charges As the charge of Prophets was to prophesie according to the Analogie of faith of Deacons to attend their Deaconship of Teachers to attend teaching of Exhorters to attend exhorting of Distributers to distribute of Rulers to rule with diligence Rom. 12. 6. 7. 8. of speakers with tongues to speake and of Interpreters to interpret 1 Cor. 14. 27. Besides these duties thus generally mentioned we finde more particular charges mentioned As first concerning the duties of Prophets how they ought to prophesie of speakers with tongues how they ought to speak unto edification in the Church 1 Cor. 14. 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33. Secondly concerning Rulers where we finde the charge given to Timothy and Titus either as Evangelists or as ordinary Bishops and Overseers of the Churches next unto the Apostles their charge was to set in order things which the Apostles left undone for the constituting of the Churches amongst which the ordaining of Elders and Deacons in every Church was a chiefe duty belonging to them 1 Tim. 1. 3. Tit. 1. 5. item To represse and inhibit false doctrines 1. Tim. 1. 3. Tit. 1. 10. 11. item To settle a course of prayers in the Church 1 Tim. 2. 1. item To appoint due maintenance for widowes and Elders 1 Tim. 5. 9. 17. 18. item To be Judges in matters of accusation against Elders ibid. verse 19. and to give imposition of hands to those that were approved and fit for the Ministery ibid verse 22. item To maintaine their authority not to suffer themselves to be despised therein 1 Tim. 4. 12. Tit. 2. 15. And lastly to commit the things which they had heard of the Apostles unto faithfull men able to teach others who should be successors in that place 2 Tim. 2. 2. As for other Rulers in the Pastorall charge their duty is specified to be a watching over the soules of their flock as those which must give an account Heb. 13. 17. and in doing this they are bound to call their sheep by name to lead them out and to goe before them Ioh. 10. 3. 4. item To defend them against the wolves though they hazard their life in so doing ib. verse 11. item To visit the sick pray for them Iam. 5. 14. item To keepe the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven to shut it and open it as occasion shall require Matth. 16. 19 and 18. 17 18. and 1 Cor. 5. 4. 5. And then the generall duty of all Officers is that as every one hath received the gift so he should minister the same to others as a good steward of the manifold graces of God 1 Pet. 4. 10. From all this I make these inferences 1. If all these charges and duties are different and yet should be administred jointly as by severall members of one body then it seems such a priority and superiority in some and subordination in others is to be observed as is in the members of a naturall body one in respect of another But all these charges are different and yet so to be administred as is mentioned 1 Cor. 12. 4 5. and till the end of the Chapter Therefore it seems such a priority and superiority in some and subordination in others is to be observed 2. If these charges in their naturall property as they stand in relation one to another be repugnant to an independent parity then
The VVay TOVVARDS THE FINDING OF A DECISION OF The chiefe Controversie now debated CONCERNING Church Government LONDON Printed in the yeare 1641. The Way TOVVARDS THE FINDING OF A DECISION OF the chiefe Controversie now debated concerning Church-government FIRST I presuppose I am to speak to men that make conscience of their waies and consequently study to walke by a rule I presuppose in the second place that the rule by which they desire to walke is chiefly the cleere word of God but where this cannot be had that the principles and inditements of sound reason they will not reject and lastly when reasonings may be doubtfull that they will neither be singular and wilfull in their owne sense but inclining to heare the judgement of others nor unwilling to yeeld unto that wherein all such as are esteemed to bee most rationall doe agree with such men I desire to speake and would tell them that I finde in the controversie of this time divers little Treaties put forth many bitterly and indiscreetly some modestly and wisely writen some for and some against Episcopacy all of them standing for particular tenets labour to uphold their owne forme of government as the best and onely lawfull ordinance of God None that I have met withall doe looke upon the matter without partiality to seeke concerning the points chiefly to be questioned a Decision which I thinke may be taken from undoubted grounds and undeniable principles Therefore I thought it might be of use to put something to paper also in this kinde as it were to make a triall whether or no the way to decide this great controversie might not be found out so as to give present satisfaction to the more simple and scrupulous and to shew to the more learned and judicious whose doubts lie deeper a method whereby to resolve themselves if they will follow the same without prejudice I shall endeavour to doe I take then the matter chiefly questionable though not hitherto mainly and expresly questioned to be this Whether or no Christ hath not for the uniting and building up of his Church instituted some overseers or Bishops for I use these names indifferently to be before and above others in Church government or whether for the uniting and building up of his Church he hath made all overseers to bee equall and independent one from another If the first be affirmed then the question must be what that Priority and Superiority is which Christ hath allowed of and how it ought to be exercised above others But if the last be maintained then we must be taught what that prime and unsubordinate Authority of every overseer is in his peculiar charge and how he should exercise it Now to finde a way to decide these questions I am as one who is doubtfull that I may beare a part of the burthen of those who are in doubt Therefore to bee able to resolve my selfe it will be necessary to lay some grounds from whence inferences may be made appliable to the questions now in hand The grounds must be cleere doctrines of holy Scripture concerning the matters which are fundamentall in the question The inferences must be rules taken from those doctrines whereby my understanding may be directed to go the straight way towards a decision of the question and the application must be a consideration of the particular circumstances of things now debated so far as they are determinable by the rules which may be found out Thus then to finde grounds of Decision I must take notice first of things fundamentall to the question which I suppose are these 1. To what end Christ hath gathered together and compacted into one body severall beleevers which are called his Church 2. What it is properly to build up his Church 3. What Officers were appointed by Christ to be the builders of his Church 4. What their severall charges and duties were in the Church and how they were to administrate the same every one according to his gift and place 5. How these that were committed to their charge were to behave themselves towards them 6. How according to the intention of Christ and the rules proceeding from his spirit the chiefe builders his immediate followers the Apostles did put all in execution here then their practice in the way of government is to be taken notice of If these things can be found cleerly in Scripture I hope they will afford me some light to satifie the doubts of my weake conscience which now must be full of scruples for other mens sakes But when I shall have gathered all that from cleer Scripture can be gathered in these matters if yet something should be found obscure and doubtfull concerning particulars now agitated whereof perhaps no cleere precept is extant in Scripture from whence I may be able to gather such inferences as may settle my conscience and put it out of doubt concerning some questions in government as whether this or that in such or such a case ought either to be or not to be done Then I thinke I should doe well to looke first upon the Apostles practice in like cases or if that be perhaps also either unknowne or not well knowne as not recorded in the word then I suppose it will not be amisse to consider the laudable practice of other times and chiefly those who most immediately followed the Apostolicall age taking notice of that which they did in such like cases that if perhaps in all Churches of all ages and places I finde some undoubted tokens of universall consent I may be willing to rest in it and not affect singularity chiefly if I should also finde that all the Churches of this present age doe either consent fully thereunto or at least doe not so farre dissent from the same as to condemne others who follow not their different practice in such cases In all which Churches I say I ought to take notice in those cases which shall be thus doubtfull of their formes of government so farre as I shall finde the same subordinate unto the maine end for which Christ gathered his Church and not repugnant but consonant unto the rules and practice of the Apostles which are cleerly recorded For I conceive that if it can be made apparent that either the end for which Christ gathered a Church or the meanes of building it up appointed by him or the rules and constitutions of the Apostles delivered to the builders which were to be their followers or their owne practice in governing the Church according to Gods will is repugnant to all Priority and Superiority of one Pastor above another then it must be granted that no such government ought to be admitted But if this not onely cannot be made apparent but rather the contrary namely that both the aime of Christ in compacting his Church into one body and the means by which it is to be built up and the rules given to the builders and the practice of the chiefe Master builders whom
unto the Deacons may in like cases be exercised in these times And this may suffice also concerning this matter to give yet a further entry towards the determination of the point in hand Then the ground next precedent was the distinction of Officers first instituted in the Church from which I did infer that if there was no independent parity but a superior priority amongst them that then a superior priority was not to bee thought repugnant to Christs intention in building up his Church which being granted I now proceed further to gather this that if the superior parity was not ground upon the persons of the Officers but upon the offices committed unto them which in some respect were to be perpetuall in the Church then I may inferre that as the perpetuall offices are in priority and superiority one above another so the Officers must bee distinguished by their degrees and therefore to finde out the degrees of subordination in the Officers we must reflect upon the nature of the offices as they stand in relation one to another And this also may suffice at this time towards a further determination of the point in hand And then the ground that went before this was that which concerned the building up of the Church from whence as heretofore it hath beene described I inferre this that such a priority and superiority of spirituall Officers one above another as is most fit 1. To unite all Saints into one perfect man till they come to the fulnesse of the stature of Christ 2. To free them from the divers windes of doctrine and deceit of seducers 3. To make them able to supply spirituall gifts one to another for their mutuall edification is that priority and superiority which Christ doth allow of If therefore we can observe what kinde of priority and superiority is best able to work the effects or if it bee found that they cannot bee brought to passe except severall congregations become as one body under one watching superiority which may have an eye unto them all alike then we shall bee able yet more fully to determine this point in hand And then the first ground of all was that which described the ends wherefore Christ would have all beleevers united to one body From whence I gather this that the priority and superiority of officers in spirituall government which is most fit to make the faith and knowledge of Christ apparent unto the world to build up the beleevers amongst themselves to preserve them from all adversaries and to uphold the credit of Gods Kingdome is most answerable to Christs intention and therefore to know what that priority and superiority is the properties which can reach these ends must bee found in it which properties if they be not repugnant but rather consonant to that inspection which one overseer may have over others in many congregations then it will follow that such an inspection is not repugnant but rather consonant to Christs intention And so I thinke I have found matter enough whereby the nature of that priority and superiority which is to be defined may be knowne if we will meditate now fully upon these heads and discusse more distinctly the particulars contained under the same which in due time may be done by Gods assistance Thus I have laid grounds and gathered rules to resolve my doubts first whether yea or no a superior priority be more answerable to Christs intention then an independent parity in the government of his Church Secondly what that priority and superiority is Now I must come to the consequent of this second question viz. How this priority and superiority ought to be exercised towards others and to determine this wee may gather rules from three grounds which cleere Scripture doth yeeld unto us The first ground is to be taken from the nature of the dutie expressed in the peculiar name wherein the singular properties of the charge is denoted The second is to be found in the speciall commandements given to the chief Watchmen according to which they were to behave themselves in their charge of Superioritie above others The third is to be observed in the examples and practice of those that commendably and lawfully exercised their authority over others or in the discommendable practice of those that varied from the Rules To touch these things but in a word at this time I observe from the chiefe Names viz. of Shepherd of Ruler of Watchman and of Bishop or Over-seer that the propertie of Superiority standeth chiefly in the Relation which he that is set over others hath unto the members of the Church who in comparison of him are like a flocke of sheepe or like a Common-wealth and company of men subject to certain Laws and Constitutions by which they are to be directed in their joynt course and way of life and lest they should fall into some danger by transgressing the same the inspection to be had over them is cōmitted to his charg So that if we take notice what the true essential property of a Shepheard is in his leading superiority or of a watch-man set in the Tower of a Citie or of an Overseer set to look to a family in a house the same Priority Superiority may be atributed unto the chiefe officers which Christ hath appointed for his Church From whence againe I inferre that according as the flock is small or great the watchtower high or low in a big or little Citie the companie lesse or more so the superiority in the charge may be differenced and by degrees extended or contracted The name of Steward also is attributed unto the chiefe officer but not unto him alone yet it imployeth a power of dispensing these things which the M. of the house hath appointed to be given unto his houshold Therefore as the things to be dispensed are different and either more or lesse uniuersally to bee administred so the difference of superiority may be observed in the Stewardship The name of a husbandman is somewhat of an other kind for it imployeth a property rather of painfulnesse then of power and authority wherein wee conceive that according to the entent and nature of the soile so the husbandry must be for as the soile may be larger or lesser so the Charge in the husbandry thereof may be differenced In like manner the name of Builder may be differenced according to the largenesse of the house and different duties in the building thereof Lastly the name of Angell is given to the Chief Officer in a peculiar manner as denoting a Superiority of message wherein he is employed by God towards others to declare his will and see it executed in his Kingdome For hee is the Ambassadour of God unto his people and hath the beams of his authority conferred upon him Thus then I gather that all these names of Shepherd Ruler Watchman Over-seer Steward Husbandman Builder and Angell denote cleerly a Superiority of Office over and towards the persons unto