his territory restraineth or expelleth the insolent and untamed disturbers of the Church 65. He taketh care also for maintaining the Ministers and Schools and supplyeth the temporall necessities of Gods Servants by his command assembleth Synods when there is need of them and summoneth calleth out and draws to tryall the unwilling which without the Magistrates strength and authority cannot be done as hath bin already said he maketh Synods also safe and secure and in a civil way presideth or moderateth in them if it so seem good to him either by himself or by a substitute Commissioner In all which the power of the Magistrate though occupied about spirituall things is not for all that spiritual but civill 66. Fourthly they differ in the end The immediate nearest end of civil power is that the good of the Common-wealth may be provided for and procured whether it be in time of Peace according to the rules of Law and counsel of Judges or in time of War according to the rules of Military prudence and so the temporall safety of the Subjects may be procured and that external Peace and civil Liberty may be preserved and being lost may be again restored 67. But the chiefest and last end of civill Government is the glory of God the Creator namely that those which do evil being by a superior power restrained or punished and those which do good getting praise of the same the subjects so much the more may shun impiety and injustice and that Vertue Justice and the Morall Law of God as touching those eternal duties of both Tables unto which all the posterity of Adam are obliged may remain in strength and flourish 68. But whereas the Christian Magistrate doth wholly devote himself to the promoting of the Gospel and Kingdom of Christ and doth direct and bend all the might and strength of his authority to that end This proceedeth not from the nature of his office and function which is common to him with an Infidell Magistrate but from the influence of his common Christian calling into his particular vocation 69. For every member of the Church and so also the faithful and godly Magistrate ought to referr and order his particular vocation faculty ability power and honour to this end that the Kingdom of Christ may be propagated and promoted and the true Religion be cherished and defended So that the advancement of the Gospell and of all the Ordinances of the Gospell is indeed the end of the godly Magistrate not of a Magistrate simply or if ye will rather t is not the end of the office it self but of him who doth execute the same piously 70. But the end of Ecclesiastical power yea the end as well of the Ministry it self as of the godly Minister is that the Kingdom of Christ may be set forward that the pathes of the Lord be made straight that his holy mysteries may be kept pure that stumbling-blocks may be removed out of the Church least a little leaven leaven the whole lump or least one sick or scabbed sheep infect the whole flock that the faithfull may so walk as it becometh the Gospell of Christ and that the wandring sheep of Christ may be converted and brought back to the sheep-Fold 71. And seeing this power is given of the Lord not to destruction but to edification Therefore this same scope is propounded in Excommunication which is the greatest and last of Ecclesiastical censures namely that the soul of an offending brother may be gained to Christ and that being stricken with fear and the stubborn sinner filled with shame may by the grace of God be humbled and may as a brand plucked out of the fire be snatched out of the snare of the Devill and may repent unto salvation at least the rest may turn away from those which are branded with such a censure least the soul infection do creep and spread further 72. Fiftly they are distinguished by the effect The effect of civil power is either proper or by way of redundance The proper effect is the safety temporal of the Common-wealth externall tranquillity the fruition of civil Liberty and of all things which are necessary to the civil Society of men The effect by way of redundance is the good of the Church to wit in so far as by execution of Justice and good Laws some impediments that usually hinder and disturb the course of the Gospel are avoided or taken away 73. For by how much the more faithfully the Magistrate executeth his office in punishing the wicked and cherishing and encouraging good men taking away those things which withstand the Gospell and punishing or driving away the troublers and subverters of the Church so much the more the orthodox Faith and Godlyness are reverenced and had in estimation sins are hated and feared Finally and all the subjects contained as much as concerneth the outward man within the lists of Gods Law Whence also by consequence in happeneth by Gods blessing that the Church is desiled with fewer scandalls and doth obtain the more freedom and Peace 74. But the proper effect of the Ecclesiasticall power or keys of the Kingdom of Heaven is wholly spirituall for the act of binding and loosing of retaining and remitting sins doth reach to the soul and conscience it self which cannot be said of the act of the civill power And as unjust Excommunication is void so Ecclesiasticall censure being inflicted by the Ministers of Christ and his Stewards according to his will is ratified in Heaven Mat. 18. 18. and therefore ought to be esteemed and acknowledged in like manner as inflicted by Christ himself 75. Sixthly they are also differenced in respect of the Subject The politick power is committed sometimes to one sometimes to more sometime by right of election sometime by right of succession But the Ecclesiasticall power is competent to none under the New Testament by the right of succession but he who hath it must be called by God and the Church to it neither was it given by Christ to one either Pastor or Elder much less to a Prelate but to the Church that is to the consistory of Presbyters 'T is confessed indeed and who can be ignorant of it that the power as they call it of order doth belong to particular Ministers and is by each of them apart lawfully exercised but that power which is commonly called of jurisdiction is committed not to one but to the unity that is to a consistory therefore Ecclesiasticall censure ought not to be inflicted but by many 2 Cor. 2. 6. 76. Seventhly they differ as touching the correlative God hath commanded that unto the civil power every soul or all Members of the Common-wealth of what condition and estate soever be subiect for what have we to do with the Papists who wil have them whom they call the Clergy or Ecclesiasticall persons to be free from the yoke of the civill Magistrate The Ecclesiasticall power extends it self to none other subiects then unto those
faith or of the most hard and unusuall cases of Conscience Of the controversies of fact there is another and different consideration to be had for besides that it would be a great inconvenience that plaintifes persons accused and witnesses be drawne from the most remote Churches to the generall or universall Counsell the visible communion it selfe of all the Churches on which the universal Counsel is built and whereupon as on a foundation it leaneth is not so much of company fellowship or conversation as of Religion and Doctrine All true Churches of the World doe indeed professe the same true Religion and faith but there is beside this a certaine commixture and conjunction of the Churches of the same Nation as to a more near fellowship and some acquaintance converting and companying together which cannot be said of all the Churches thorowout the habitable world 38. And for this cause as in Doctrinall Controversies which are handled by Theologues and Casuists and in those which belong to the common state of the orthodox Churches the Nationall Synod is subordinate and subjected to the Universall lawfully constituted Synod and from the Nationall to the Occumenicall Synod when there is a just and weighty cause an appeal is open So there is no need that the Appeals of them who complain of injury done to them through the exercise of Discipline in this or that Church should goe beyond the bounds of the Nationall Synod But 't is most agreeable to reason that they should rest and acquiesce within those bounds and borders and that the ultimate judgement of such matters be in the Nationall Synod unlesse the thing it self be so hard and of so great moment that the knot be justly thought worthy of a greater decider In which case the controversie which is carried to the Universall Synod is rather of an abstract general Theologicall Proposition then of the particular or individuall Case 39. Furthermore the Administration of the Ecclesiastick power in Consistories Classes and Synods doth not at all tend to weaken in any wise hurt or minish the authority of the Civill Magistrate much lesse to take it away or destroy it yea rather by it a most profitable help cometh to the Magistrate forasmuch as by the bond of Religion mens consciences are more straitly tyed unto him There have been indeed phantasticall men who under pretence and cloak of Christian liberty would abolish and cast out Lawes and Judgements Orders also Degrees and Honours out of the Common-wealth and have been bold to reckon the function of the Magistrate armed with the Sword among evill things and unlawfull But the Reformed Churches doe renounce and detest those dreams and do most harmoniously and most willingly confesse and acknowledge it to be Gods will that the World be governed by Lawes and Plicy and that hee himself hath appointed the Civill Magistrate and hath delivered to him the sword to the protection and praise of good men but for punishment and revenge on the evill that by this bridle mens vices and faults may be restrained whether committed against the first or against the second Table 40. The Reformed Churches believe also and openly confesse the power and authority of Emperours over their Empires of Kings over their Kingdoms of Princes and Dukes over their Dominions and of other Magistrates or States over their Common-wealths and Cities to be the ordinances of God himself appointed as well to the manifestation of his owne glory as to the singular profit of mankinde and withall that by reason of the will of God himself revealed in his Word wee must not onely suffer and be content that those doe rule which are set over their own Territories whether by hereditary or by elective right but also to love them fear them and with all reverence and honour embrace them as the Ambassadours and Ministers of the most high and good God being in his stead and preferred for the good of their Subjects to powre out Prayers for them to pay tributes to them and in all businesses of the Common-wealth which are not against the Word of God to obey their Laws and Edicts 41. The Orthodox Churches believe also and do willingly acknowledge that every lawfull Magistrate being by God himself constituted the keeper and defender of both Tables of the Law may and ought first and chiefly to take care of Gods glory and according to his place or in his manner and way to preserve Religion when pure and to restore it when cecayed and corrupted And also to provide a learned and Godly Ministry Schools also and Synods as likewise to restrain and punish as well Atheists Blasphemers Hereticks and Schismaticks as the violaters of Justice and Civill Peace 42. Wherefore the opinion of those Sectaries of this Age is altogether to be disallowed who though otherwise insinuating themselves craftily into the Magistrates favour doe denie unto him the authority and right of restraining Hereticks and Schismaticks and doe hold and maintain that such persons how much soever hurtfull and pernicious enemies to true Religion and to the Church yet are to be tolerated by the Magistrate if so be hee conceive them to be such as no way violate the Lawes of the Commonwealth and in no wise disturb the civill Peace 43. Yet the civill Power and the ecclesiasticall ought not by any means to be confounded or mixed together Both Powers are indeed from God and ordained for his glory and both to be guided by his word and both are comprehended under that precept Honour thy Father and thy Mother So that men ought to obey both civill Magistrates and ecclesiasticall governours in the Lord To both powers their proper dignity and authority is to be maintained and preserved in force To both also is some way entrusted the keeping of both Tables of the Law also both the one and the other doth exercise some jurisdiction and giveth sentence of Judgement in an externall court or judicatory But these and other things of like sort in which they agree notwithstanding yet by marvellous vaste differences are they distinguished the one from the other and the rights of both remain distinct and that eight manner of wayes which it shall not be amisse here to adde that unto each of these Administrations its own set bounds may be the better maintained 44. First of all therefore they are differenced the one from the other in respect of the very foundation and the institution For the politicall or civill Power is grounded upon the Law of Nature it selfe and for that cause it is common to Infidels with Christians the Power ecclesiasticall dependeth immediatly upon the positive Law of Christ alone that belongeth to the Universall Dominion of God the creator over all Nations but this unto the speciall and Occonomicall Kingdom of Christ the Mediator which he exerciseth in the church alone and which is not of this World 45. The second difference is in the object or matter about which The power politick or civill
is occupied about the outward man and civill or earthly things about Warre Peace conservation of Justice and good order in the Common-wealth also about the outward businesse or externall things of the Church which are indeed necessary to the church or profitable as touching the outward man yet not properly and purely spirituall for they doe not reach unto the soule but onely to the externall state and condition of the Ministers and Members of the Church 46. For the better understanding whereof t is to be observed that so farre as the Ministers and Members of the Church are Citizens Subjects or Members of the Common-wealth it is in the power of the Magistrate to judge determine and give sentence concerning the disposing of their bodies or goods As also concerning the maintenance of the poore sick the banished and of others in the church which are afflicted To regulate so far as concerneth the civill order Marriages Burials and other circumstances which are common both to holy and also to honest civill societies to afford places fit for holy Assemblies and other externall helps by which the sacred matters of the Lord may be more safely commodiously and more easily in the church performed To remove the externall impediments of divine worship or of Ecclesiasticall Peace and to represse those which exalt themselves against the true Church and her Ministers and doe raise up trouble against them 47 The matter may further be thus illustrated There is almost the like respect and confideration of the Magistrate as he is occupied about the outward things of the church and of the Ecclesiastick Ministery as it is occupied about the inward or spirituall part of civill Government that is about those things which in the government of the common-wealth belong to the conscience It is one thing to governe the common-wealth and to make politicall and civill Lawes another thing to interpret the Word of God and out of it to shew to the Magistrate his duty to wit how he ought to govern the common-wealth and in what manner he ought to use the sword The former is propâ—r and peculiar to the Magistrate neither doth the Ministery intermeddle or intangle it self into such businesses But the latter is contained within the office of the Ministers 48. For to that end also is the holy Scripture profitable to shew which is the best manner of governing a common-wealth and that the Magistrate as being Gods Minister may by this guiding Starre bee so directed as that he may execute the parts of his office according to the will of God and may perfectly be instituted to every good work yet the Minister is not said properly to treat of civill businesses but of the scandalls which arise about them or of the cases of conscience which occurre in the Administration of the common-wealth So also the Magistrate is not properly said to be exercised about the spirituall things of the church but rather about those externall things which adhere unto and accompany the spirituall things 49. And in such externall matters of the church although all Magistrates will not yet all yea even heathen Magistrates may and ought to aide and help the Church Whence it is that by the command of God Prayers are to be made also for an heathen Magistrate that the faithfull under them may live a quiet life with all godlinesse and honesty 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. 50. Unto the externall things of the Church belongeth not onely the correction of Hereticlis and other troublers of the Church but also that civill order and way of convocating and calling together Synods which is proper to the Magistrate for the Magistrate ought by his authority and power both to establish the Rights and Liberties of Synods assembling together at times appointed by the known and received Law and to indict and gather together Synods occasionally as often as the necessity of the Church shall require the same Not that all or any power to consult or determine of Ecclesiastick or spirituall matters doth flow or spring from the Magistrate as Head of the Church under Christ but because in those things pertaining to the outward man the Church needeth the Magistrates aid and support 51. So that the Magistrate calleth together Synods not as touching those things which are proper to Synods but in respect of the things which are common to Synods with other meetings and civill publick Assemblies that is not as they are Assemblies in the name of Christ to treat of matters spirituall but as they are publick Assemblies within his Territories for to the end that publick conventions may be kept in any Territorie the licence of the Lord of that place ought to be desired In Synods therefore a respect of order as well civill as ecclesiasticall is to be had And because of this Civill order outward defence better Accommodation together with safe accesse and recesse the consent and commandement of him who is appointed to cake care of and defend humane order doth intervene 52. Moreover when the Church is rent asunder by unhappy and lamentable Shcismes while they who have raised the troubles and have given cause of solemne gathering a Synode whether by their Heresie or Schisme or Tyranny or any other fault of others use to place the great strength and safeguard of their cause in declining and fleeing the tryall and sentence of a free Synode as being formidable to them Who seeth not that they cannot be drawn to a publick and judiciall tryall nor other disobedient persons be compelled to obedience without the Magistrates publick mandate and help 53. The object of Ecclesiasticall Power is not the same with the object of the civill Power but much differing from it for the ecclesiasticall Power doth determine and appoinr nothing concerning mens bodies goods dignities civill rights but is imployed onely about the inward man or the soul not that it can search the hearts or judge of the secrets of the conscience which is in the power of God alone Yet notwithstanding it hath for its proper object those externalls which are purely spirituall and doe belong properly and most neerly to the spirituall good of the soul Which also are termed {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the inward things of the Church 54. Those things then wherein the ecclesiasticall Power is exercised are the preaching of the Word the Administration of Sacraments publick Prayer and Thanksgiving the catechising and instructing of children and ignorant persons the examination of those who are to come the holy Communion the ecclesiasticall Discipline the Ordination of Ministers and the abdication deposing and degrading of them if they become like unsavoury salt the deciding and determining of controversies of Faith and cases of conscience canonicall constitutions concerning the treasurie of the Church and collections of the Faithfull as also concerning ecclesiasticall Rites or indifferent things which pertaine to the keeping of decencie and Order in the Church according to the generall rules of
Christian love and prudence contained in the Word of God 55. 'T is true that about the same things the civill Power is occupied as touching the outward man or the outward disposing of divine things in this or that Dominion as was said not as they are Spirituall and Evangelicall Ordinances piercing into the conscience it selfe but the object of the Power ecclesiasticall is a thing meerly and purely spirituall and in so far as it is spirituall for even that jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall which is exercised in an outward court or judicatory and which inflictâ—â— publike censures forbidden from the use of the holy Supper and excludeth from the society of the church doth properly concerne the inward man or the repentance and salvation of the soul 56. Surely the Faithfull and Godly Ministers although they could doe it unchallenged and uncontrolled and were therein allowed by the Magistrate as in the prelaticall times it was yet would not usurpe the power of life and death or judge and determine concerning mens honours goods inheritance division of Families or other civill businesses seeing they well know these things to bee heterogeneous to their office But as they ought not to entangle themselves with the judgeing of civill causes so if they should bee negligent and slothfull in their owne office they shall in that bee no lesse culpable 57. To the object also of Ecclesiasticall power belongeth the assembling of Synodes so far as they are spirituall Assemblies proper to the church and assembled in the holy Ghost for being so considered the governours of churches after the example of the Apostles and Presbyters Acts 15. in a manifest danger of the church ought to use their owne right of meeting together and conveening that the churches endangered may be relieved and supported 58. Thirdly Those powers are differences in respect of their formes and that three wayes For first the civill Power although in respect of God it bee Ministeriall yet in respect of the Subjects it is Lordly and Magisteriall Ecclesiasticall power is indeed furnished with authority yet that authority is liker the Fatherly then the Kingly authority Yea also t is purely Ministeriall much lesse can it be lawfull to Ministers of the Church to bear dominion over the flock 59. Emperors Kings and other Magistrats are indeed appointed fathers of they countrey but the are withall Lords of their People and Subjects Not as if it were permitted to them to bear rule and command at their owne will and as they list for they are the Ministers of God for the good and profit of the Subjects yet it belongs to their power truely and properly to exercise dominion to hold principality to proceed imperiously It is indeed the duety of Ministers and Rulers of the Church to oversee to feed as shepherds to correct and rectifie to bear the keyes to be Stewards in the house of Christ but in no wise to be Lords over the house or to governe as Lords or Lordlike to rule yea in brief this is the difference between the civill Magistrate and the Ecclesiasticall Ministery in respect of those that are committed to their trust that the lot of the former is to be served or ministred unto the lot of the latter to minister or serve 60. Now we have one onely Lord which governes our souls neither is it competent to man but to God alone to have power and authority over consciences But the Lord hath appointed his owne Stewards over his owne Family that according to his commandment they may give to every one their allowance or portion and to dispense his mysteries faithfully and to them hee hath delivered the keyes or power of letting in into his house or excluding out of his house those whom he himself will have let in or shut out Matth. 16. 19. and 18. 18. Luk. 12. 42. 1 Cor. 4. 1. Tit. 1. 7. 61. Next the civill power is indued with authority of compelling But it belongs not to the Ministery to compell the disobedient if any compulsion be in or about Eclesissticall matters t is adventitious from without to wit from the help and assistance of the Magistrate not from the nature of Ecclesiasticall power from which it is very heterogenous and therefore if any Suspended or Excommunicate persons should be found who shall be so stiffe-necked and so impudent that at once he cast off all shame and make no account at all of those censures but scorn or contemn the same or peradventure shall insolently or proudly engyre and obtrude himself upon the Sacrament or being also filled with divelish malice do more and more contradict and blaspheme the ecclesiasticall Ministry in such cases hath nothing more to do by way of jurisdiction But the Magistrate hath in readinesse a compelling jurisdiction and externall force whereby such stubborn rebellious and undaunted pride may be externally repressed 62. Last of all the power of the Magistrate worketh onely politically or civilly according to the nature of the Scepter or Sword maketh and guardeth civill Lawes which sometimes also hee changeth or repealeth and other things of that kinde hee effâ—cteth with a secular power But the ecclesiasticall power dealeth spiritually and onely in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by authority entrusted or received from him alone neither is it exercised without prayer or calling on the Name of God nor lastly doth it use any other then spirituall weapons 63. The same sinne therefore in the same man may be punished one way by the civill another way by the ecclesiasticall Power By the civill Power under the formality of a crime with corporall or pecuniary punishment By the ecclesiasticall Power under the notion or nature of scandall with a spirituall censure even as also the same civill question is one way deliberate upon and handled by the Magistrate in the Senate or place of Judgement another way by the Minister of the Church in the Presbytery or Synod By the Magistrate so farre as it pertaineth to the Government of the Common-wealth by the Minister so far as it respects the conscience for the ecclesiastiall Ministery also is exercised about civil things spiritually in so far as it teacheth and admonisheth the Magistrate out of the Word of God what is best and most acceptable unto God or as it reproveth freely unjust judgements unjust wars and the like and out of the Scripture threatneth the wrath of God to be revealed against all unrighteousness of men So also is the Magistrate said to be occupied civilly about spiritual things 64. Therefore all the actions of the civill Magistrate even when he is imployed about Ecclesiasticall matters are of their own nature and essentially civill He punisheth externally Idolaters Blasphemers Sacrilegious persons Hereticks Prophaners of holy things and according to the nature and measure of the sin he condemneth to death or banishment forfeiture of goods or imprisonment he guardeth and underproppeth Ecclesiasticall Canons with civill authority giveth a place of habitation to the Church in
which are called Brethren or Members of the Church 77. Eightly there remaineth another difference in respect of the distinct and divided exercise of authority For either power ceasing from its duty or remitting punishment that doth not surely it ought not prejudice the exercise of the other power namely if the Magistrate cease to do his duty or do neglect to punish with secular punishment those malefactors which by profession are Church Members Nevertheless it is in the power of the Governors of the Church by the bridle of Ecclesiastical Discipline to curb such men yea also by vertue of their office they are bound to do it and on the other part the Magistrate may and ought to punish in life and limb honours or goods notwithstanding the offenders repentance or reconciliation with the Church 78. Therefore the one sword being put up in the scabbard it is free and often necessary to draw the other Neither power is bound to cast out or receive him whom the other doth cast forth or receive The reason whereof is because the Ecclesiastical Ministry doth chiefly respect the repentance to salvation and gaining of the sinners soul wherefore it also imbraceth all kind of wicked men repenting and receiveth them into the bosome of the Church The Magistrate proposeth to himself another and much differing scope for even repenting offenders are by him punished both that Justice and the Laws may be satisfied as also to terrifie others hence it is that absolution from Ecclesiastick censure freeth not at all the Delinquent from civill Judgment and that external sword 79. Seeing then there are so many and so great differences of both Offices and seeing also that the function of Ministers and Elders of the Church is not at all contained in the office of the Magistrate neither on the other part this is comprehended within that Magistrates shal no less sin in usurping Ecclesiastical power ministring holy things ordaining Ministers or exercising Discipline Ecclesiasticall then Ministers should sin in rushing into the borders of the Magistrate and in thrusting themselves into his calling 80. Neither are those powers more mingled one with other or less distinguished where the Magistrate is a Christian then where he is an Infidell For as in a believing Father and in an Infidel Father the rights of a Father are the same so in a Christian Magistrate and in an Infidell Magistrate the rights of Magistrates are the same So that to the Magistrate converted to the Christian Faith there is no accession of new right or increase of civil power although being indued with true Faith and Piety he is made more fit and willing to the undergoing of his office and the doing of his duty 81. So then the Word of God and the Law of Christ which by so evident difference separateth and distinguisheth Ecclesiastical Government from the Civill forbiddeth the Christian Magistrate to enter upon or usurp the Ministry of the Word and Sacraments or the juridicall dispensing of the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to invade the Church-Government or to challenge to himself the right of both swords spirituall and corporal But if any Magistrate which God forbid should dare to arrogate to himself so much and to enlarge his skirts so far the Church shal then straight way be constrained to complain justly and cry out that though the Pope is changed yet Popedom remaineth still 82. It is unlawfull moreover to a Christian Magistrate to withstand the practise and execution of Ecclesiasticall Discipline whether it be that which belongs to a particular Church or the matter be carryed to a Class or Synode Now the Magistrate withstandeth the Ecclesiastick Discipline either by prohibitions and uniust Laws or by his evil example stirring up and inciting others to the contempt thereof or to the trampling it under foot 83. Surely the Christian Magistrate if any time he give any grievous scandall to the Church seeing he also is a member of the Church ought no ways disdain to submit himself to the power of the keys Neither is this to be marvelled at for even as the office of the Minister of the Church is no ways subordinate and subjected to the civil power but the person of the Minister as he is a member of the Common-wealth is subject thereto So the civil power it self or the Magistrate as a Magistrate is not subjected to Ecclesiastick power yet that man who is a Magistrate ought as he is a member of the Church to be under the Churches censure of his manners after the example of the Emperour Theodosius unless he wil despise and set at nought Ecclesiastick Discipline and indulge the swelling pride of the flesh 84. If any man should again object that the Magistrate is not indeed to resist Ecclesiasticall Government yet that the abuses thereof are to be corrected and taken away by him The answer is ready in the worst and troublesome times or in the decayed and troubled estate of things when the ordinance of God in the Church is violently turned into tyranny to the treading down of true Religion and to the oppressing of the Professors thereof and when nothing almost is sound or whole divers things are yielded to be lawfull to godly Magistrates which are not ordinarily lawfull for them that so to extraordinary diseases extraordinary remedies may be applyed So also the Magistrate abusing his power unto tyranny and making havock of all t is lawfull to resist him by some extraordinary ways and means which are not ordinarily to be allowed 85. Yet ordinarily and by common or known Law and Right in settled Churches if any man have recourse to the Magistrate to complain that through abuse of Ecclesiastick Discipline injury is done to him or if any sentence of the Pastors and Elders of the Church whether concerning Faith or Discipline do displease or seem uniust unto the Magistrate himself it is not for that cause lawfull to draw those Ecclesiasticall causes to a civil tribunal or to bring in a kind of political or civil Popedom 86. What then Shall it be lawful ordinarily for Ministers and Elders to do what they list or shall the Governors in the Churches glorying in the Law by their transgression dishonour God God forbid For first if they shall trespass in any thing against the Magistrate or municipal Laws whether by intermedling in judging of civil causes or otherwise disturbing the peace and order of the Common-wealth they are liable to civil tryal and judgments as it is in the power of the Magistrate to restrain and punish them 87. Again it hath been before shewed that to Ecclesiastical evils Ecclesiastical remedies are appointed and fitted for the Church is no less then the Common-wealth through the grace of God sufficient to it self in reference unto her own end and as in the Common-wealth so in the Church the errour of inferior judgments and Assemblies or their evil Government is to be corrected by superior judgments and Assemblies and so still by
A FORM FOR Church Government AND ORDINATION OF MINISTERS Contained in CXI Propositions propounded to the late GENERALL ASSEMBLY at Edinburgh 1647. Together With an ACT concerning Erastianisme Independencie and Liberty of Conscience Published by Authority LONDON Printed for ROBERT BOSTOCK at the King's Head in Pauls Church-yard MDCXLVII Act approving VIII generall Heads of Doctrine against the Tenents of Erastianisme Independencie and Liberty of Conscience asserted in the CXI Propositions which are to be examined against the next ASSEMBLY BEing tender of so great an ingagement by solemn Covenant sincerely really constantly to endeavour in our Places Callings the preservation of the Reformed Religion in this Kirk of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government the Reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the Word of God and the example of the best Reformed Kirks and to endeavour the neerest Conjunction and Uniformity in all these together with the extirpation of Heresie Schisme and whatsoever shall be found contrary to sound Doctrine And considering withall that one of the special means which it becometh us in our Places and Callings to use in pursuance of these ends is in zeal for the true Reformed Religion to give our publick testimony against the dangerous tenents of Erastianisme Independency and which is falsly called Liberty of Conscience which are not onely contrary to sound Doctrine but more speciall lets and hinderances as well to the preservation of our own received Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government as to the Work of Reformation and Uniformity in England and Ireland The Generall Assembly upon these considerations having heard publickly read the CXI following Propositions exhibited and tendered by some Brethren who were appointed to prepare Articles or Propositions for the vindication of the Truth in these particulars Doth unanimously approve and agree unto these eight generall Heads of Doctrine therein contained and asserted viz. 1. That the Ministery of the Word and the Administration of the Sacraments of the New Testament Baptisme and the Lords Supper are standing Ordinances instituted by God himself to continue in the Church to the end of the world 2. That such as administer the Word and Sacraments ought to be duely called and ordained thereunto 3. That some Ecclesiasticall censures are proper and peculiar to be inflicted onely upon such as bear Office in the Kirk Other censures are common and may be inflicted both on Ministers and other Members of the Kirk 4. That the censure of Suspension from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper inflicted because of grosse ignorance or because of a scandalous life and conversation As likewise the censure of Excommunication or casting out of the Kirk flagitious or contumacious offenders both the one censure and the other is warrantable by and grounded upon the Word of God and is necessary in respect of Divine institution to be in the Kirk 5. That as the Rights Power and Authority of the Civill Magistrate are to be maintained according to the Word of God and the Confessions of the Faith of the Reformed Kirks So it is no lesse true and certain that Jesus Christ the onely Head and onely King of the Kirk hath instituted and appointted a Kirk Government distinct from the Civill Government or Magistracy 6. That the Ecclesiasticall Government is committed and intrusted by Christ to the Assemblies of the Kirk made up of the Ministers of the Word and Ruling Elders 7. That the lesser and inferiour Ecclesiasticall Assemblies ought to be subordinate and subject unto the greater and superiour Assemblies 8. That notwithstanding hereof the Civill Magistrate may and ought to suppresse by corporall or civill punishments such as by spreading Errour or Heresie or by fomenting Schisme greatly dishonour God dangerously hurt Religion and disturb the Peace of the Kirk Which Heads of Doctrine howsoever opposed by the authours and fomenters of the foresaid Errours respectively the Generall Assembly doth firmly beleeve own maintain and commend unto others as solid true orthodox grounded upon the Word of God consonant to the judgement both of the ancient and the best Reformed Kirks And because this Assembly through the multitude of other necessary and pressing businesse cannot now have so much leasure as to examine and consider particularly the foresaid CXI Propositions Therefore a more particular examination thereof is committed and referred to the Theologicall Faculties of the four Universities of this Kingdom and the judgement of each of these Faculties concerning the same is appointed to be reported to the next Generall Assembly In the mean while these Propositions shall be printed both that Copies thereof may be sent to Presbyteries and that it may be free for any that pleaseth to peruse them and to make known or send their judgement concerning the same to the said next Assembly A. Ker. CXI PROPOSITIONS Concerning THE MINISTERIE AND GOVERNMENT OF THE CHURCH 1. AS our Lord Jesus Christ doth invisibly teach and govern his Church by the Holy Spirit So in gathering preserving instructing building and saving thereof he useth Ministers as his instruments and hath appointed an order of some to Teach and others to Learne in the Church and that some should be the Flock and others the Pastours 2. For beside these first Founders of the Church of Christ extraordinarily sent and furnished with the gift of Miracles whereby they might confirme the Doctrine of the Gospel hee appointed also ordinary Pastours and Teachers for the executing of the Ministery even untill his coming again unto Judgement Ephes. 4. 11 12 13. Wherefore also as many as are of the number of God's People or will be accounted Christians ought to receive and obey the ordinary Ministers of God's Word and Sacraments lawfully though mediately called as the Stewards and Ambassadours of Christ himself 3. It is not lawfull for any man how fit soever and how much soever enriched or beautified with excellent gifts to undertake the Administration either of the Word or Sacraments by the Will of private persons or others who have not power and right to Call much lesse is it lawfull by their own judgement or arbitrement to assume and arrogate the same to themselves But before it be lawfull to undergoe that sacred Ministery in Churches constituted a speciall Calling yea beside a lawfull Election which alone is not sufficient a Mission or sending or as commonly it is termed Ordination is necessarily required and that both for the avoyding of confusion and to bar out or shut the door so far as in us lieth upon Impostors as also by reason of divine Institution delivered to us in the holy Scripture Rom. 10. 15. Heb. 5. 4. Tit. 1 5. 1 Tim. 1. 14. 4. The Church ought to be governed by no other persons then Ministers and Stewards preferred and placed by Christ and after no other manner then according to the Lawes made by him and therefore there is no power on earth which may