are called Pastors Teachers Helpers and Governours As these rankes are expressed in the 1 Cor. 12. 28. Of helpers wee reade they were added to the Christian Church in the sixth of the Acts whose office seemes to be in the place of the Levites as they are called Deacons And Governours in the Church as neither the Synagogue nor the Christian Church could bee well governed without called Elders in both Churches As Ambrose speaking in his Homilies upon the fifth of Timothie and the first verse saith to this effect Both the Synagogue and afterward the Church had Elders without whose counsell nothing was done in the Church though in his times they were almost lost as he saith in the same place which saith he by what negligence it is growne out of use I know not unlesse peradventure by their negligence or rather the pride of the teachers whilest they alone would be all and doe all If these governours were so decayed in his time how much more are they now worne out of memorie in these our dayes But who list to peruse the history of the primitive times may observe that so long as this government stood in equall dependancie with their Pastors there could no heresie ever get footing in the Church of God But after it was lost and neglected the Arrian heresie crept into the Church and filled the universall Church and all Kingdomes with ambition contention heresies and warre as in the Revelation The name of Elders is now become an uncouth and abhorred name though it hath beene alwayes used from the beginning both in Church and Common-wealth to signifie both politique and Ecclesiasticall Governours For if we consider the derivation of the word Priest it is no other but Elder as in the Greeke it is called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which in Latine is Senex {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} being rendred Presbiter and in English Elder being the comparative of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} And in this sence the Apostles called themselves Elders as John in his second Epistle 1. verse The denominations of Pastors Teachers Bishops and Elders in the Church were promiscuously used because though they were distinguished by particular duties and administrations yet all was of one and the same spirit and power As Paul 2 Tim. 1. 11. accounted himselfe a Preacher and teacher of the Gentiles aswell as an Apostle But there is no name that belongs to the functions of the Church of God that doth so much trouble the Church and the whole world as the name Episcopus Which though I find it but once or twice named in the New Testament as though the holy Ghost thought it not convenient often to use that name foreknowing and foreseeing how much mischiefe it would bring forth to the Christian Church yet I finde it a name much and frequontly used by the Antient Fathers and Historians insomuch as for the reverend and high esteeme it got among them it is advanced to signifie preheminence and a spirituall office and dignitie and honour above temporall Monarchs or rather at least in some of their owne conceits and expressions higher then a Monarch a Pope of universall supremacie above all that is called God Notwithstanding that the name derived from the Greeke {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} signisieth no more but to survey to consider of the deportment of the flocke by God committed unto his charge as of which he is to â—enderian account so that the etymologie of the word will not imply that lording power which they doe arrogate unto themselves But {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which signifies busie-bodyes or medlers in other mens matters derived of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in Latine alvis and the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which is in the language of this age usually rendred Bishop seemes to me a very opposite word to decipher the lording Bishops of our times which like the Aâ—gels that left their primitive station omitting the proper worke of their ministeriall functions doe moue in an improper orbe of secular affaires and so may well be called ' {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Busie-bodies or busie Bishops If any desire to know the office and dutie of a Bishop as the holy Scripture setteth it forth let them reade the third Chapter of Paul to Timothie and also the first of Peter the fifth Chapter the second and third verses where the office of a Bishop is described under the name of an Elder Of antient and primitive government of the Church of God The antient Apostolike and Primitive Government was under Pastors Deacons and Elders in every Congregation The manner of their government was twofold the first part whereof was particular to every man in his function The second part was joyntly and publickly together and none without another The Pastor Teacher or Bishop his particular function or office was as a President overseer and director not only as a Teacher but also as an Elder watching over the health of their soules and outward manners and conversation caring for the spirituall good and salvation of every one whose office is set forth in the first of Timothie the 3. chap. 2. 3. 4. 6. verses Hee must be a man blamelesse continent vigilant sober of good behaviour given to hospitality apt to teach not given to wine no striker nor greedy of filthy lucre no brawler not covetous one that ruleth well his owne house having his Children in subjection with all gravity hee must not be a novice lest through pride he fall into condemnation and he ought to be of good report among the adversaries that the word of God be not evill spoken of Also Peter exhorts Bishops under the name of Elders acknowledging himselfe also to be an Elder saying Feed the flocke of God which dependeth upon you caring for it not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind not as though yee were Lords over Gods heritage but that ye may be ensamples to the â—locke And as Paul advised Timothy to preach the word of God Bee instaâ—t in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine And after the same manner and in the same sence Christ excited Peter that the more he loved him the more he should labour to feed his lambes his sheepe his flocke But Lordly preheminence Christ did not onely forbid saying The Lords of the Gentiles have power over them but it shall not be so among you but also â—aith Hee that would bee the greatest among you let him doe most service to the rest But that fearefull admonition of Christ me thinkes should shake the hearts of our Bishops with feare that use predominance over their fellowes and Church of God Mat 24. Who is a faithfull and wise servant whom God hath made ruler
wished rather to die than to live Therefore God ordained these kind of Elders to be an assistance in his publicke ministration that as Moyses among the Jewes and Paul in the Church of God planted the Word in publicke So these might be as Apollo's to water it in private and that by their vigilancie and diligence in every place of the Congregation they might be ready to suppresse by divine instruction exhortation and admonition out of the word of God Murmurings grudgings contentions strife cursings railings and all soâ—â— of inordinate walkings This was the private and particular duty of these sorts of Elders by the power of the Word to kill the Cockatrice in the egge and to pull up the weeds of sinne by the roots For this cause they are described in the fourth of the Revelation to be the wings of the foure beasts placed round about their bodyes full of eyes within for they are knit unto the Ministers in a peculiar and inseparable neerenesse and their discerning operation is not to extend beyond the bounds of the Professors of the Church for as Paul saith what have wee to doe with those that are without These sortâ— of Elders are so necessarily annexed to the publicke ministration of the Word as that the Church cannot be without them but that by the want thereof she doth expose her selfe to all kind of dangers externall and internall like a bird without wings Therefore Christ tooke not away this kind of Elders but rather established them in their function and office both in private and publicke as in the 18. of Matth. 15. 16. 17. If thy brother trespasse goe and tell him his fault betweene thee and him alone if hee heare thee thou hast woâ—ne thy brother If he heare thee not take yet with thee one or two that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be â—oâ—firmed And if he will not vouchsafe to heare them then tell the Church Which is to make the offence and the offender knowne to the Congregation the Elders acquainting the Pastor the Pastor acquainting the Congregation they all joyne in publicke censure and discipline Paul hath some rules which pertaine to private admonition for it ought to be done in all gravitie prudence and in much love Galat. 6. 1. If a man bee fallen by occasion into any sinne yee which are spirituall restore such a one with the spirit of meeknesse considering thy selfe lest thou also bee tempted Beare one anothers burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ The Elders ought to excell in brotherly love and wisedome and to use their exhortations with much temperance as Paul hath set before them in another place 1 Tim. 5. 1. Rebuke not an Elder but exhort him as a father and the younger men as brethren The elder women as mothers and the younger as sisters with all purenesse And there is another particular dutie which pertaines to these Elders as also to the Pastors and Ministers which is to visit the sicke and those that are burthened or troubled in conscience as Iames saith If any be sicke let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray for him and anoynt him with oyle in the name of the Lord For oyle is an embleme of the holy Ghost which by comfortable exhortations out of the word of God with prayer is like oyle unto the bones or as wine that glads the heart Such refreshment are the Elders to the sicke for the prayer of faith shall save the sicke and the Lord shall raise him up and if he have committed sinne it shall be forgiven him And for this cause there is a mutuall confession among Christians when any thing doth vehemently oppresse the conscience therefore saith James confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another that yee may be healed for the prayer of a righteous man availeth much if it be fervent Of Discipline and censure Now I come to the second part of government which consisteth also in these three functions The first sort is called promiscuously Pastors Teachers Bishops for they have received the gift of one and the same spirit according to the measure of Christ as Ephes. 4. For the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the ministery and for the edification of the body of Christ untill wee all meet together in the unitie of faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God unto a perfect Man and unto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ The second sort is Deacons The third is called by a generall name in common to them and the Pastors Teachers and Bishops which is the name of Elders for that in their publicke execution of Discipline they are joyntly united so that though the Pastor have the leading voyce and precedencie yet he is not to execute nor pronounce sentence in the Church without the Elders nor yet to ordaine either Deacons Elders or Pastors without their counsell and the generall consent of the Church so that the Pastors Teachers and Bishops are not to beare the burthen alone it would bee too heavy for them as it was for Moyses if they bore the like conscience to God as Moyses did and if it were too heavy a burden for one man in those dayes when the Church was but one Nation and but one Congregation and had but one Tabernacle How must it not now needs be a farre greater weight when the Church is many Nations farre and wide dispersed and many distinct Congregations But notwithstanding the Elders be joyned in one power with the Pastors and Bishops so that nothing ought to bee done without them the Pastors have this preheminence that the worke both of Discipline censure and ordination of Elders Pastors and Deacons is attributed unto them as most proper to their function For this cause Paul tells Titus in his Epistle cap. 1. that he left him in Crete that hee should continue to redresse things that remained and ordaine Elders in every Citie as saith he I appointed thee And Acts the 14 23. And when they ordained them Elders by election in every Church and prayed and fasted they commended them to the Lord in whom they beleeved For neither divine censure nor ordination could be done without them neither would the Apostles nor Pastors of the primitive times for the space of two hundred and fifty yeares either censure or ordaine any Elders Pastors or Deacons without the Election and counsell of the Church and Elders But a little after these times when pride began to creepe into the hearts of the Pastors Teachers and Bishops and that the zeale and care of the Elders grew cold and negligent as Cyprian Bishop oâ—Carthage lib. 4. speaking of the cause of the then present peâ—secutions among other things saith What plagueâ— what sâ—ripes doe we not 〈◊〉 when no not the Confessours and Elders do◠〈◊〉 Disciplineâ— And from this degrâ—â— of luke-warmnesse it came to be
omitted and after the Nicene Councell quite extinct and wiped out of memory So that no marvell if our age call it the new-brought-in discipline and government of Pastors Elders and People In this discourse of Discipline I must have relation to that which is gone before for that which is part of government in the theoricke is also a part of Discipline in the practicke therefore though I have shewed that election and ordination are necessary relatives in the Church that as proper to the Congregation this other to the Pastours and how they were practised by the Apostles yet it is needfull to reforme the Judgements and opinions of men to shew how it is most proper for Congregations to choose their Pastours and Elders and Deacons and also their consent and counsell in their ordination To satisfie any indifferent judgement it is best to make It a perpetuall rule and patterne to follow the example of the Apostles but it is an enforcing reason that is necessary that the people whose summum bonum doth instrumentally consist in their Pastor should be well acquainted and sufficiently experimented in his life and conversation as also in his doctrine which they ought to taste by their â—are for the earth tasteth words as the palate doth meat before they make choyce of him though it may bee they cannot nor is it required at their hands to trie his schollarship but their capacities if it be a Congregation that hath lived and been nourished under a wholsome and structifyng ministerâ— may well judge and taste the sweetnesse of the divine gift of Preaching by the â—are and so trie his doctrine as the men of Berea did the doctrine of Paul and it may so happen in some Congregations that are well edified in the Word of God that they may have among themselves some of their Deacons able and sufficient to succeed their deceased Pastor and withall I doe not thinke it fit to exclude the choyce and presentation of the Universities nor to debarre their Letters of commendation nor for one Congregation to supply the want of another for all Congregations are members one of another and every Christian University is a Congregation and they all make but one Church to God But what shall I say of Patrons presentations I know not unlesse I should say they are too frequently the seed of Simony For except the Nobles and Peeres of this Kingdome doâ— freely bestow their presentations I feare there are not many that doâ— the like and to speake truly of their first donation it was not done purely For the Donors in reserving a presentation to them and their heires they kept backe a part of the possession they had dedicated to God as did Ananias and Saphâ—râ— And so if they bee righty considered they are are as unnecessary evills in the Church as Deanes and Prebends which no man can tell to what use they serve in the Church But if Patroâ—s cannot be admitted by our law let them present three or foure at the least that the Church may have her choyce and as much as may be avoyd that horrid crime of Simony And as for ordination though the power thereof rest in the Pastors and * Bishops yet it is great arrogancie and presumption to forsake the Apostolike and Primitive practise and usurpe a singularity and predominancie to themselves as if they would disdaine the humility of the Apostles and condemne the wisedome of the holy Ghost But that which doth foster and nourish men in a good opinion of this errour to attribute such absolute power to the Bishops and Clergie is that mysticall doctrine of Antichrist which in that smoakie darknesse thrust upon the world for an undeniable truth that the Church in her essence is to bee conceived to bee the Bishops and Clergie and that they onely have the unerrable Spirit of God and that thereby they have power to doe all things as much and as absolutely as Christ himselfe when he was on earth as once a Romish Priest averred to me that the Priests or Clergie were the soule of the Church The nourishing and maintaining of this opinion is the cause why the world hath so long and so madly doated after Episcopacie But if we thinke it fit to cast away the pride and ambition of man abhorre this opinion and let the worke bee of God and not of man Of Excommunication Now touching Excommunication which is that supreme Discipline and divine power which purgeth and segregateth the drosse from the pure gold in the temple of God This part of Discipline is of so high and holy a nature and qualitie as that of a Christian it ought to bee had in a most reverend estimation above all the powers of earth for it is thunderbolt and lightning of God that upon whom it falleth and pierceth it doth consume with a terrible â—lame and grind him to powder with a direfull fall This power is committed unto the Church not to Bishops alone not to the Pastors or Clergie onely neither have the Elders this power appropriate unto them but the Church As Mat. 18 17. If he will not heare then tell it unto the Church Now the Church is not properly to bee conceived to consist in any one person who is but a member of the whole nor can she be said to be any one proper function in the Church but the whole Church consisting of one head Christ and many members indued with divers and many administrations and gifts of one and the same spirit and in this sence every particular publicke Congregation is an entire Church and a member of the universall Church throughout the world because a Congregation containes in it selfe the whole Church of God as she hath one and the same head Christ one and the same Spirit and one and the same ministration of the same Word and Sacrament and one and the same God and Father of all above all in all and through all and one And thus having the same Word and Doctrine the same functions of Pastors Teachers Deacons and Elders the same Sacraments Administration Discipline and Government so that hereby they are united one into another and one in all and all in all The private exercise of this part of Discipline I have spoken of which by degrees in private admonition if it bring not forth the fruits of repentance and amendment proceeds to the first degree of publicke correction Tell the Church This information is made by the Elders who have used the private discipline of exhortation with much wisedome and patience upon some particular persons who with hardnesse of heart have resisted the power of God through ungodlinesse They declare the offence to the Pastor and the Pastor in the publicke assembly acquainteth the people with the offence and if the delinquent be present hee is caused to stand up before the Pastor who reproves him with the sharpe Judgements of God against his sinne by the Word seeking to
enlighten his mind and mollifie his heart Which if it prevaile with him hee falleth upon his knees and desireth the Congregation to pray for him which done the Pastor pronounceth unto him the remission of sinnes if the Church judge him penitent if they find him still obstinate and of an unrelenting heart then they pronounce him debaâ—red from the holy Communion of the Supper of the Lord and continue him upon the stoole of repentance with much exhortation patience and long forbearing till they convince him or otherwise separate him from the Congregation for a time if after hee continue in his foulenesse of sinne then hee is againe called to the Congregation and admonished which if then it take no effect hee is excommunicated by laying on of the hands of all the Elders after that hee is accounted as an enemie or as Paul saith Anathema to the Church and wholly and finally given over to Satan according to the words of our Saviour the 18. Matth. 18. Whomsoever yee bind on earth shall bee bound in heaven and whom yee shall loose on earth shall bee loosed in heaven Judge I pray you if all the politicke wits in the world could ever have devised such a pure and subtile discipline as should spie into the inward secrets of the thoughts and intentions of the heart and should purge the conscience and should cut off the consuming cankers and rotten members from the body of the Church What Romish Apothecary could ever have composed such a soule-saving medicine Observe how the holy Spirit hath commanded this discipline to bee alwayes practized in the Church When Achans covetousnesse troubled the Congregation by moving Gods wrath against them a diligent search was commanded to bee made and being found out Achan and his house were cut off Josh. 7. And also if there bee a scorner or contentious person saith Solomon cast out the scorner and so strife will goe out and so contention shall cease Also Rom. 16. 17. 18. Now saith Paul I beseech you brethren marke them diligently which cause division and offences contrary to the dâ—ctrine which yee have learned and avoid them And more plainly in the 2 Thess. 3 6. 10. Wee command you brethren in the Name of Christ that yee withdraw your selves from every brother that walkes inordinately and not after the instructions which yee received of us And in the foureteenth verse he saith If any man obey not your saying note him by a letter and have no company with him that hee may bee ashamed yet account him not as an enemy but admonish him as a brother But if he come to the last degree Excommunion then saith our Lord Christ let him be anathema But if you would see the Apostles practice in this discipline See 1 Cor. 5. chap. 4 and 5. verses Paul having certaine intelligence that there was odious fornication among them hee writ thus unto them When yee are gathered together and my spirit in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that such a one I say by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ bee delivered unto Sathan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may bee saved in the day of the Lord Jesus And out of this text make a profitable observation that Paul will not have Excommunication though but in the second degree executed in any private manner but by the publicke assembly gathered together neither doth hee allow it to be done in any name but in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ Neither doth hee attribute the power either to himselfe or the Church but onely to the Lord Jesus Now and lastly I must conclude with the last part of Discipline that is Synodicall assemblies which are of three degrees The first is particular to every Congregation which consists of the Pastors the Deacons and the Elders of that Church whose customes is the best reformed Churches to meet once a wâ—eke or as need requires to take an account of all things that concerne the duties of the Elders and the Church-revenues the Pastor being their chiefe guide Those things about which they chiefly busie themselves are first to catalogue the Professors of their Congregation their Catechâ—â—inists distinguished from those that are thought fit to be admitted to the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ their Baptized their Penitents their Excommunicates their number of Elders and Deacons Pastors and Teachers one or two as the place requires In this their assembly they consider the spirituall estate and condition of the flocke examine the revenues of the Church and the necessities of the poore and what things soever they â—ind meet to edification The Pastor exhorting the Elders to diligence care and zeale in the worke of the Lord the Deacons to honesty compassion and a good conscience The second order of Synodes is in the reformeâ— Churches called the assemblies of the Presbyteries held monethly or quarterly under which they comprehend the Pastors and Church Elders for every Pastor brings with him two or three Elders after the quantity of the Congregation and this Synode is a company of Pastors and Elders of a shire or wapontake In these Assemblies they examine the spirituall condition of every parish take view of their order diligence doctrine and manners as well the doctrine and manners of the Pastors and Elders as of the younger people And there they proceed to such further order and censure as by the holy Scriptures they are taught And in these Synodeâ— all errours in opinion heresies and Schismes that are found noysome to the Congregation are reproved and the parties exhorted and admonished In these their Synodes they alwayes from time to time choose one President to guide the affaires and thus they avoyd that preheminence which Episcopacie greedily hunts after The third degree is the superlative assembly of Presbyteries which is either Nationall or Provinciall which in some Churches are held yearely or otherwise as occasions fit over which the prince and Soveraigne is the Principall Elder and the Presbyters and Elders appoint one Pastor for the time President of the assembly who moderates and guides the affaires The matters handled in this Synode are a generall review of both the former Synods and specially to take care of the preservation of the puritie of Doctrine and suppressing of Heretickes and errours and all misdemeanours and Schismes in the Church And whatsoever is done in any of these Synods is certified from one to another and through the Nationall Church of all their most materiall censures which may concerne them in generall wherby the Church is preserved in a sweet and pleasant decorum unitie puritie and peace The unerrable patterne of these Synods is taken from the practise of the Apostles Acts 15. shewing by what rules of temperance and wisedome they ought to judge and give sentence taking the Scripture for their rule the holy Ghost for their guide not laying any burden on the Church by Lawes Decrees or Canons as I have before