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A96941	A modell of the government of the church under the gospel, by presbyters, proved out of the holy scriptures, to be that one, onely uniform government of the universall visible church, and of all nationall, provinciall, classicall and congregationall churches: which is according to the will and appointment of Jesus Christ. Which may serve to stay such as are doubting, with hope of full satisfaction, and clear demonstration of this truth, shortly to be made by the reverend Assembly of Divines. / Composed by a Presbyterian minister of the city of London, and approved by divers of his learned brethren, and at their request published.	Walker, George, 1581?-1651.	1646 (1646)	Wing W362; Thomason E342_3; ESTC R200927	24,926	36

preaching of the same word and doctrine which they wrote and preached Thirdly Although the Pastours and Teachers which succeed the Apostles are unable to work miracles and to write infallible Scriptures and give unchangeable rules to all Churches as the Apostles did because they have not such extraordinary gifts and calling Yet in things which are in the power of ordinary Presbyters and Pastours as meeting many together in Synods and Presbyteriall Assemblies to decide and determine controversies according to the Scriptures it is a thing as easy and ordinary for them wherein to imitate them as for many Lords and Commons to meet in a Parliament to remove grievances in the Common-wealth And certainly so farre as God makes us able we are bound to follow their practice and examples Fourthly The more extraordinary gifts that the Apostles had the lesse need they had to meet in Synods and Assemblies either all or divers of them together Paul and Barnabas had an infallible spirit and did dispute against the errour at Antioch and condemned it by as infallible a sentence as the Apostles did at Jerusalem And yet for a paterne to all succeeding Churches and to make the judgement and determination of more authority in all Churches of beleeving Jews and Gentiles and to shew the unity of spirit and uniformity of doctrine and discipline among them all an appeal was made to a generall Synod of all the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem And therefore the necessary use and reason of such Synods and Classicall Presbyteries being still the same in all ages And ordinary Ministers of Christ having more need of common help and assistance because many eies see more then one and many heads consulting together will better search out the truth and true sense of Scripture in doubtfull matters and of great concernment The objection doth make more for the confirmation of the doctrine to wit that the practice and examples of the Apostles in the manner of governing the Church is of divine authority and ought to be esteemed the will and appointment of Christ 7. Now out of these points plainly proved by cleer texts of holy Scripture We may easily raise a perfect definition or description of that Government partly Ecclesiasticall which Christ as King of his Church hath set up therein namely this That it is the exercise of power and authority in matters spirituall which concern the salvation of souls given by Christ to the Pastours and Elders of his Church for the gathering building up and well ordering of it and for the perfecting of the Saints the members thereof For the confirmation of this definition in every part and member of it we have expresse words of holy Scripture First the Commission which Christ the supream Lord gave to his Apostles and to their successours in all ages to the end of the world was not only by preaching the Gospel to make men Disciples but also to open the kingdom of Heaven and by Baptisme to admit beleevers and Disciples into it and to teach them to observe all things whatsoever he had commanded them Matth. 28. 19 20. But to shut out unbeleevers as being under damnation and in the kingdom of Satan Mark 16. 16. And that by this Commission not only power and authority was given them to propound the word by way of doctrine but also to use the rod of discipline and to correct and censure all such as were offenders untractable and puffed up the Apostle Paul sheweth 1 Cor. 4. 20 21. Where he saith that when he cometh to Corinth he will know not the speech of them that are puffed up but the power For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power even to use the rod of correction and sharp censure as the next words shew viz. What will you Shall I come to you with a rod or in love and in the spirit of meeknes And what this rod is the next chapter immediatly declares in which he gives them a charge In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to excommunicate in their solemne Assembly the incestuous person And 2 Cor. 10. 8. and Chap. 13. 10. He doth plainly affirm that to him and his fellow-Ministers the Lord hath given power and authority even to use sharpnesse Secondly That this power is not carnall nor exercised about worldly matters but is spirituall and mighty through God exercised in pulling down the strong holds of sin and Satan casting down imaginations and every high thing which exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ The Apostle affirms 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. Thirdly This power and authority is given to be exercised for edification not for destruction as the Apostle teacheth 2 Cor. 10. 8. 13. 10. even for the perfecting of the Saints and for the edifying of the body of Christ Ephes. 4. 12. Fourthly The exercise of this power and authority is uniform and the waies of it the same in all Churches No supreme Magistrate hath power to alter it it is not to be usurped nor contended for by any to whom God hath not given abilities nor called thereunto It belongs to the Pastours and Teachers who have a calling to expound publikely the Word and law of Christ and to their assisting Elders who are fit to judge accordingly For such the Apostles appointed to be their successours and not civill Magistrates which were not known in the Church till many years after the days of the Apostles And to the Apostles and their successours the Lord Christ gave this power to rule his Church and it continued in their hands in all the Apostolicall Churches The same waies which the great Apostle of the Gentiles observed himself he taught in every Church every where 1 Cor. 4 17. and so he ordained in all Churches 1 Cor. 7. 17. And when any swerved from the institution of Christ in the use of the ordinances and contended for forms and fashions differing from the common rule and custom The Apostle reproved and blamed them as appears 1 Cor. 11. 16 17. The Pastours Elders and Teachers who labour in the Word and Doctrine and watch for the souls of the people and by the holy Ghost are made overseers over the flock are the Governours and rule over them in the Lord and they ought to submit themselves to be ruled and guided by them as being the stewards of Gods house his Church and dispensers of the mysteries of Christ as these places following do shew Act. 20. 28. Take heed to your selves and to all the flock over the which the holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God And 1 Cor. 4. 1. Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God And 1 Thes. 5. 12. We beseech you brethren to know them that labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you And to esteem them very highly in love

Christs institution unto the office of expounding the word and ministring in all holy things in the Church the house of God of which they are stewards officers and Ministers Proved Sect. 3. and 5. 12. Church Discipline without sound Doctrine is a body without a soule The key of Doctrine is the soul life guid and direction of Discipline and those two keys of the Kingdome of Heaven are inseparably tyed together and committed by Christ to the same hands Discipline hath no power nor authority over the conscience but from the word rightly applyed They who are bound and loosed on earth according to the infallible word are also bound and loosed in heaven And Censures erring from the word are void in heaven Sect. 9. 13. Civill Magistrates other grave godly wise and discreet men are not excluded but may be chosen assisting Church Elders and together with preaching Presbyters may rule and Govern in those Elderships whereof they are Elders and have power and authority by the word of God to judge and determine in the Presbytery together with the Pastours and not otherwise who are scandalous offenders unworthy for the present to be admitted to the Lords table For the word expounded by Ministers thereunto lawfully called is the law and perfect rule of all acts of Church Government and Censures 14. Provision of Commissioners who are no Church Elders and who are authorised onely by the Civill Magistracy to judge who are scandalous offenders not fit to receive the holy Sacrament is in the judgement of the best Divines of the reformed Churches and appeares by Scriptures before alledged to be a meere invention of humane policie which hath no example or warrant in Gods word and a manifest usurpation and giving of that power to others which Christ hath appropriated to the Apostles and Presbyters of his Church and so is contrary to the will and appointment of Jesus Christ Godly ministers generally are of this judgement that their approving and yeelding to the practice thereof is a breach of the Nationall league and Covenant King Vzziah was plagued by God with an incurable leprosie for medling in the administration of holy ordinances and in so doing his heart was lifted up to his destruction and he transgressed against the Lord his God 2 Chron. 26. 16. In many men who highly applaud extoll and vehemently urge this new device and practice it favours too much of scorne contempt envy and a most uncharitable opinion conceived against the godly learned faithfull Ministers of Christ and watchfull Pastours of his Church and brands both them and all those who are to be set up hereafter in all places of the land if the godly reformation desired be really intended and sincerely prosecuted with insufficiency and want of grace to do the worke unto which God hath called them It seemes to call in question the faithfullnesse of Christ who hath promised to be with them allwayes even unto the end of the world Math. 28. 20. Many wise and godly people hold it a perverse imagination and a thing unreasonable to thinke that wise discreet and godly men being chosen Elders of the Church and joyned in Elderships with learned and faithfull Ministers who can expound the word and give them the true sense of the law of Christ shall or will not be more able to judge of scandalls and what persons are fit or unfit to be admitted to the Lords Supper then the same persons being commissioners by themselves As if Christ were not able ready and willing to give grace and assistance to them which are his chosen servants and ministers of his Church in things spirituall all as the supreme magistracy is to give to his new formed Creatures who are never owned by Christ in all the new Testament Surely no rationall man will so much as dreame That Ministers of Christ who are able to teach the supreme Magistrate his duty how to be just and to rule over men in the feare of God are not able to rule their owne flock over which the holy Ghost made them overseers or that Church Government in their hands to whom Christ hath committed it will prove more arbitrary irregular unlimited and tyrannicall then the Government both of Commonwealth and Church in the hands of Civill Magistrates seeing Ministers and Church Elders have a certaine and infallible rule the word of God to which alone they are limited and by which the spirit of God is promised to direct them in all Censures and Church Government But civill Magistrates have no such speciall promise of assistance from Christ and they rule by the uncertain lawes of men and have an arbitrary power to make lawes which are sometimes found contrary to the word of God and therefore unjust and tyrannicall over the Consciences of Christians till they be repealed and declared to be void And there can be no just suspition or feare of tyranny in the Government of the Church left in the hands of Church Elders where Christ hath placed it seeing the supreme Magistracy as keeper of both tables in all Christian Kingdomes and states hath as much Civill power to curb and punish them for male-administration of Church Government abuse of their power and manifest corruption of Christs ordinances and to depose and cast them out of their office when they are scandallous and incorrigible as they have to reprove him by Gods word for any notorious scandallous sinnes to admonish him of his duty to threaten him from God and to lay his judgements close to him when he goeth on in his sins of injustice profanenes licentiousnes and the like And now I will conclude all with some breif answers to the grievous accusations and loud clamours raised against the Ministery in generall as if the staine and guilt of all those errours and scandallous vices of pride covetousnes ambition and ignorance envy and cruelty which were found heretofore in the corrupt Popish and Prelaticall Clergy did still cleave to all Presbyters and Pastours of Christs Church and were hereditary to them We meet with this accusation and calumnie now adayes allmost in every company and at every rich mans table and in every libellous Printed pamphlet set forth weekly by Newes Mongers That Presbyterians are as proud as Prelates and if Ministes get into their hands Church Discipline they will tyrannize and Lord is over their flocks and the same spirit of pride envy covetousnes errour and cruelty will worke in them which ruled in the Prelates and in popish Bishops formerly To these I answer first That if we search all histories of the Church in all ages we shall never finde in any Church or Kingdom so many godly learned faithfull and sincere Ministers holding so fast their integrity of life and purity of doctrine under so great corruption of Government both in Church and State and after so great tyranny raging in both together with so many temptations hatred and persecution of godly and zealous Preachers and so open countenancing of prophanenes errour and heresie as we have had of late years and have at this day whom neither persecution losse of goods and estates nor bonds nor imprisonment no nor hopes and offers of preferment honour or riches could move from their stedfastnes And yet all this cannot stop the mouths of the sons of Belial whose hearts are hardened and their tongues set on fire of hell to revile the Ministers of Jesus Christ whose blamelesse lives convince them of malicious slander lying and impudency Secondly It is manifest to all equall and judicious men that the supreme Magistracy hath been the cheif cause of such an ungodly and scandallous Ministery pestring this Kingdome of late yeares For who like Jeroboam did preferre the basest of the people to be Priests of the high places namely Court flatterrers ambitious bribers importunate beggers Simoniacks and slaves to great mens lusts but the suprem Magistracy licentious Nobility profane gentry and covetous patrons of benefices Who but the supreme Magistracy hindred the lawfull ordination of Ministers by Presbyteries after strict examination and tryall had of their learning and gifts and upon testimony and experience of their honest life and conversation and gave the sole power thereof into the hands of those who commonly hated true godlines and either carelessely or corruptly and of purpose admitted vile unworthy persons into the holy calling of the Ministry who were either unlearned and not gifted or if learned and men of parts were vicious men of corrupt minde prone and strong to do mischeif Thirdly the supreme Magistracy by robbing the greatest part of parish Churches and selling away all impropriat Benefices to the Nobility and Gentrie and they covetously retaining them in their possession have made the Churches and Ministery base contemptible and beggerly And Lastly it seemes to reflect upon the supreme Magistracy in these dayes That there is such a scarcity of profitable pr●●●chers and that many Congregations are wholly unprovided and others are out of necessity forced to content themselves with soule-starving shepherds and many young men of learning and of hopefull gifts finding no lawfull way of entering into the Ministery and terrified with the intolerable taxes and other great grievances and discouragments under which many Ministers of great worth do lye groaning are moved to withdraw their mindes from the study of Divinity and betake themselves to other callings This certainly is not the fault of the learned Presbyters of this time who earnestly desire and have petitioned for liberty by the civill sanction to joyne together in Classicall Presbyteries and to ordaine Ministers according to the advice of the Reverend Assembly and the rules by them gathered out of Gods holy word It remaines therefore that they and all the godly in the land do cry mightily unto God in dayly prayer that he would pour out his spirit upon the high Court of Parliament and incline the heart of the supreme Magistracy to yeeld to the petitions and importunity of the City of the Assembly and of the Ministers of the Countrey and to be intreated in so necessary pious profitable and religious a request so easily granted to satisfie the longing desires and hungring and thirsting soules of all godly people that they and we may rejoyce together in the Lord and may blesse his holy name for the abundance of peace extended to us like a river and the Lord Christ may be our King and his Name one in all the three Kingdomes FINIS

for their works sake And 1 Tim. 5. 17. Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in the word and doctrine And Heb. 13. 7. Remember them who have the rule over you who have spoken to you the Word of God and vers. 17. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account These and divers other Scriptures do clearly shew what that Government is which Christ hath appointed in his Church 8. The next part to be considered is to whom Christ Jesus first committed this Government and where he first setled it and in what Church from whence it is derived propagated and communicated to all other Churches which shall be in all ages And in this the Gospell is very clear For it tells us that he first and immediately committed it to his Apostles as they were to teach all Nations and to be the Pastours of the universall visible Church In their hands and in that Church he first setled it for the use of all the members thereof even all Nationall Provinciall Classicall and particular Churches gathered by the Gospell preached in every Nation Countrey State City and Circuit That the Lord Christ having all power in Heaven and earth given unto him did give Authority to the Apostles to preach the Gospell to all Nations to baptize them and to teach them to observe all things whatsoever he had commanded them I have before shewed out of the Gospell Math. 28. 19. 20. That he gave to them the keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven and power to open and shut to binde and lose to remit and retaine sins it is manifest Math. 16. 19. Where he said to Peter when he answered in the name and as the mouth of all the rest Thou art Christ the Son of the living God I will give to thee the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven and whatsoever thou bindest one earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever thou shalt lose on earth shall be losed in heaven and Math. 18. 18. where he gave the same power to them all againe and Iohn 20. 23. Whosesoever sins ye remit they are remitted to them and whosesoever sins ye retaine they are retained And that they ordained Presbyters Bishops Pastours and Teachers in the name of Christ and by the Authority which he gave them it appeares Act. 14. 23. where it is written that Paul and Barnabas ordained Presbyters in every Church of the converted Gentiles and Act. 20. 28. where Paul admonisheth the Presbyters whom he had ordained in the Church of Ephesus to take heed to the flock over which the holy Ghost had made them Bishops that is overseers And they appointed the same order and forme of Government in all Nationall and Provinciall Churches and in every Classis and particular Congregation as in Iudea and Ierusalem so in Corinth Ephesus Asia Galatia Macedonia Creet and the rest as divers Scriptures besides those before named 1 Cor. 4. 17. and 2 Cor. 10. 8. and 13. 10. do abundantly testifie as Ephes. 4. 12. where Pastours and Teachers as well as Apostles are said to be given by Christ for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery and for the edifying of the body of Christ and 1 Thess. 5. 12. where he mentioneth some who laboured among them and were over them in the Lord and Act. 15. 6. where we read of a generall assemblie of Apostles and Presbyters gathered to consider a great matter and to decide a controversie and send out their decree to all Churches and 1 Tim. 3. 1. 2. c. where the office of a Bishop that is a Pastour or overseer is commended for a good worke and the qualification and ordination of such after triall and examination is described as also of Deacons and 1 Tim. 5. 17. where mention is made of ruling by Elders and by them who labour in the Word and Doctrine and vers. 22. of ordaining by laying on of hands and also Chap. 4. 14. And Tit. 1. 5. and 1 Pet. 5. 1. 2. and Iames 5. 14. where Elders of the Church and their worke and behaviour is prescribed In all these places we have Church Government set forth in Presbyteries and in the hands of Presbyters and Presbyteriall Bishops Pastours and Teachers lawfully called and upon due triall ordained by imposition of hands as being that Government appointed by Christ and observed in all Churches But of no other forme of Government do we read in any writings of the Apostles and Evangelists in the New Testament For as there is but one God and Father of all and one Lord Jesus Christ and one faith one Baptisme and one whole universall Church which is but one body moved and informed by one Spirit 1 Cor. 8. 5. and Ephes. 4. 4. 5. So every member of this one body in every Nation City and Countrey and every Congregation of Christians whether Jewes or Gentiles is informed moved and guided by that one spirit as the Apostle testifieth Rom. 12. 5. and 1 Cor. 12. 12. 13. as Pastours and Teachers so also governments are set in the Church by God and the spirit distributeth gifts to them as he himselfe will 1 Cor. 12. 11. and 28. And there is but one law to all which is the word of God which is called the law of Christ Gal. 6. 2. and the law of the spirit of life Rom. 8. 2. because the spirit speakes to none neither doth move or guide any Christian but by this word and law of Christ Iohn 16. 13. 14. as was before shewed What Church soever doth swerve or decline in any materiall or substantiall point of Doctrine or Discipline from that one law and rule of Christ which is the heavenly paterne shewed to us in the Scriptures as the Paterne of the Tabernacle was shewed to Moses in the mount Exod. 25. 40. That Church comes so much short of Apostolicall perfection and hath in it too much mixture of humane policy and infirmity Whatsoever new light proud vaine foolish and fanaticall persons may pretend all sound and stable Christians both ought and will looke to the law and to the testimony of Christ and if any speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa. 8. 20. In respect of this our uniforme Government by one law the word of Christ and one spirit the soule and life of the whole visible Church it is a body uniforme homogeneall and similar And as in all naturall uniforme bodies every part hath the same name with the whole as every particular part of aire is called aire and every river fountaine and drop of water is water and is so called as well as the whole element Even so every Nationall Provinciall Classicall and particular congregation in every Nation City and circuit is a Church and is so called as the Church of Judea Act. 11. 22. 26. the Church

of Antioch Act. 13. 1. the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 1. 2. and of Thessalonica 1 Thess. 1. 1. and the Churches of Galatia Gal. 1. 2. yea and the particular Congregation in the house of Aquila and Priscilla Rom. 16 15. and 1 Cor. 16. 19. and in the house of Nymphas Coloss. 4. 15. and of Philemon vers. 2. are every one called the Church as well as the universall body is called the Church Math. 16. 18. Ephes. 1. 22. Coloss. 1. 24. and 1 Tim. 3. 15. 9. The principall parts of this Government of Christ which allwayes ought to go together and are inseparable in every well ordered and constituted Church are two First Doctrine which the Apostle calls {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Secondly Discipline which he calls {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2 Tim. 3. 16. which our Saviour in allusion to other Scriptures calls the keyes of the Kingdome of heaven Math. 16. 19. For as keyes do open and shut the doore of an house so do both Doctrine and Discipline open and shut the Kingdome of heaven Christ his true Church They open it to believers and to humble and paenitent persons and shut it against unbelievers and scandalous obstinat sinners who continue in their impenitency after conviction And for this cause our Saviour calls Doctrine and Teaching by expounding that word and law aright the key of knowledge Math. 23. 13. and Discipline he calls the key of David Revel. 3. 7. alluding to the words of the prophet Isa. 22. 22. where the Lord saith that he will lay the key of the house of David upon the shoulder of Eliakim so he shall open and none shall shut and he shall shut and none shall open that is I will commit the Government into his hands as the words before shew to rule the house of Juda as a Father The preachers of the word by convincing Doctrine do wound the wicked and are said to root out to pull and throw down and to destroy Jer. 1. 10. Yea and to torment the world to smite the earth with plagues and to shut heaven Revel. 11. 6 10. And by the converting word of the Gospel and the ministery of reconciliation to heal the broken in heart to open the prisons and to set captives at liberty Isa. 61. 1. And to build and to plant Jer. 1. 10. And to open the right way into the sheepfold Joh. 10. 16. The key of discipline also doth by censures which are according to the infallible Word of God shut out ignorant and scandalous persons from Communion with the children of the Kingdom purgeth out the old leaven and so bindeth the obstinate that they are bound in heaven Matth. 18. 18 1 Cor. 5. 7 13. But by declaring in the name and word of Christ absolution and remission of sins to persons penitent it opens the door of the Kingdom and receives into Christs sheepfold such as are brought back from going astray and loseth such as are bound 2 Cor. 2. 10. The exercise of the power of these two keys consists in divers publike acts done with authority by commission from Christ First the main act of doctrine is preaching the Word as the mouth of God to the people and applying it fitly to all sorts of persons instructing the ignorant discovering to them the corruption of their nature by which they are Children of wrath Eph. 2. 1 2 3. and so humbling them in their own eyes driving them out of themselves drawing them to Christ by the promises of the Gospel wooing them and as Ambassadours for Christ praying them in Christs stead to be reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5. 20. and espousing them to Christ 2 Cor. 11. 2. And on the other side reproving rebuking and admonishing with authority as messengers of God all sinners and transgressours 2 Tim. 4. 2. Tit. 1. 13. Threatning and denouncing judgements hell and damnation against all that are hard hearted and impenitent as the Apostles did Act. 8. 23. and 13. 10. Rom. 2. 1 2 5. 1 Cor. 6 9. Heb. 20. 26 29. Iam. 5. 1. 2 Pet. 2. 13. Iude vers. 4. 11 14 15. These acts of doctrine private Christians may perform mutually among themselves and according to the measure of grace which God hath destributed to every one they are in brotherly duty and in Christian zeal and charity bound to perform them privately But publike Ministers only called of God and sent to preach can do them with power and authority as Gods mouth and Christs Ambassadours and their word is to be received as the Word of God 1 Thes. 2. 13. and as a message from heaven with fear reverence and trembling Isa. 66. 5. The acts of discipline which are to be performed by Gods Ministers also not as preachers in the pulpit before all the Congregation but as Presbyters in the Consistory are divers First receiving accusations before witnesses 1 Tim. 5. 19. Secondly publike admonition and personall reproof and rebuke of such as are convicted of offence and scandall by two or three witnesses 1 Tim. 5. 20. Tit. 3. 10. Thirdly after admonition condemned and scorned and the authority of the Eldership despised and sleighted these scorners are to be refused and rejected Tit. 3. 10. which cannot be if they be admitted to the holy Communion The Apostle injoins every faithfull Minister to withdraw himself from perverse persons of corrupt mindes 1 Tim. 6. 5. And he commands the brethren in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that they withdraw themselves from every brother that walketh disorderly 2 Thes. 3. 6. Certainly he is blinde and hath the eye of his reason put out who doth not in these forenamed places see and understand that all scandalous perverse and stubborn persons are by the Commandement of Christ which is Jus divinum to be refused and not admitted into holy Communion which is Excommunicatio minor that is lesser excommunication The fourth act of discipline is the censure of the greater Excommunication which is the utmost censure of a Church member even casting him out of Church communion for his obstinacy in his scandalous sins and refusing to hear and obey the Church After this sentence given against any person he is in our Saviours phrase to be esteemed as an heathen man who is no member of the Church for the present but shut out of Gods Kingdom and in the Apostles phrase he is delivered to Satan and taken captive by the Devil and held in his snare 2 Tim. 2. 26. This censure is according to the will and by the appointment of Jesus Christ Matth. 18. 17. Where he saith of him who will not hear nor obey the Church Let him be to thee as an heathen and as a Publican The Apostle in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ commanded the Elders of the Church of Corinth by this censure and with the power of the Lord Jesus Christ to proceed against the incestuous person to put him away from among them

Provinciall or Classicall is generally of more authority and more to be respected in all Churches then the same sentence and determination proceeding from the Eldership of a lesser or particular Congregation as we see Act. 15. Where the decree of the Apostles and Elders in a Nationall or rather Oecumenicall Synod at Ierusalem was of more authority in all Christian Churches then if it had proceeded from the Eldership of Antioch in which were Paul and Barnabas the two great Apostles of the Gentiles who were able to decree infallibly the same things and appealed to Ierusalem not to learn but to make their doctrine of more authority as appears Gal. 2. 2. 6. Proved Sect. 5. 6. 5. All Elderships consisting of preaching Presbyters and other Elders who do rule well and all the members of such Elderships are Jure Divino and by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ 1 Tim. 5. 17. and the acts of Government done by assisting Elders together with preaching Presbyters who by their office and calling have authority and ability to expound the word and law the infallible rule of Government are certainly according to the will and appointment of Christ and being conformed to the rule are ratified in heaven Math. 18. 18. 6. All superiour Elderships and greater Assemblies whether Nationall Provinciall or Classicall consisting of preaching Presbyters successours of the Apostles and Evangelists and of other assisting Church Elders who are chosen members of the universall Church unto the common Pastours whereof the Apostles Christ immediatly committed the Government of the whole Church and by them to the Presbyters who do succeed them in severall Nations Provinces Cities and circuits are by the superiour Assemblies and Synods held by the Apostles and Elders gathered together at Jerusalem about matter of greater concernment Act. 6. 2. and 15. 6. and 21. 18. warranted and declared to be Jure Divino and by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ Proved Sect. 8. 7. The Appeals from Congregationall Elderships to Classicall and from Classicall to Provinciall and Nationall are by the Appeal of the Church Presbyters and the two great Apostles Paul and Barnabas at Antioch to the high Synod at Ierusalem warranted and demonstrated to be Iure Divino and by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ and their powers also 8. Occumenicall or universall Assemblies consisting of Pastours and Elders chosen out of all true Orthodox Christian Churches and sent as delegates from every Nationall Church are warranted by that Synod at Ierusalem Act. 15. In which the Apostles there residing together with the two great Pastours of all the Churches of the Gentiles Paul and Barnabas and the Elders in Ierusalem and delegates from Antiochia Syria and Cilicia were assembled to decide a Controversie which concerned the universall Church of Christ And cannot with any good reason be denyed to be Iure Divino and by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ 9. Though notorious scandalous offences for which persons thereof guilty are to be kept from the Sacrament of the Lords supper untill they professe repentance and promise amendment are easie to be discerned and noted by the generall multitude who may privatly judge them to be such Yet the Lord Christ in his word gives power and authority to none by vertue of their office and calling to judge and declare by publike sentence what scandalous offences are worthy of such a censure and to keepe persons guilty of them from the holy Communion But onely Elderships Congregationall Classicall or others meerely Ecclesiasticall in which there are preaching Presbyters who are able and have a publike calling from Christ to expound the word of God which is the law and rule by which scandalous sinnes must be judged and censures given and executed For on their persons and consciences the scandall and guilt will lye heavy if they profane the holy Sacrament by giving it wittingly to such as will eat and drinke unworthily and be guilty of the body and blood of Christ 1 Cor. 11. 17. Proved sect. 3. and 5. 10. There are certain particular rules as the Scriptures cited in this foregoing discourse and divers others do shew some openly expressed in the word of God others by necessary consequence from thence diducted which sufficiently direct all Elderships and all persons who are Elders in them in the exercise of the power Ecclesiasticall before mentioned and in performing all necessary acts of Church Government as receiving accusations publike admonition reproofe rebuke refusing to communicate with or to admit to the holy Communion sinners convicted of scandalous sins and persisting therein without repentance Excommunication and casting out of the Church them who refuse to be ashamed and reclaimed by the former meanes used and continue in contumacie disobedience scorne and contempt of the Churches iudgement and proceeding with them in the Name and by the Power of the Lord Jesus Christ Proved Sect. 9. 11. Although the Scriptures give great power to Christian Kings and Supreme Magistrates over the Church of God in their dominions and the civill Government thereof is in their hands And all Christians and Ecclesiasticall persons of all orders and degrees are bound in Civill matters to be subject to them and to obey and honour them Rom. 13. 1. Tit. 3. 1. and Pet. 2. 13. And as nursing fathers to the Church Isai. 49. 23. they have the power which David Solomon Asa Iehoshaphat Hezekiah and Iosiah exercised in purging and reforming the Church in commanding Ministers of the word and Church officers to execute their offices faithfully in punishing with Civill censures and deposing such as are scandalous and incorrigible in providing maintenance and setting up able Ministers to teach and instruct their subjects and allotting Gods portion to maintain his worship and service in his Church in granting liberty to all to professe true Christian religion and to make lawes for the punishing and restraining of wicked profane persons from disturbing their people in the holy service of God Yet seeing the exercise of Government meerly Ecclesiasticall and the administration of holy ordinances is by Christ committed to the Apostles and their successours Pastours Teachers and Church officers with promise to be with them to the end of the world And the office and authority of expounding the word which is the law and rule of Ecclesiasticall Government is left in their hands without mention of Civill magistracie which neither then was Christian nor for many ages after and yet the Church was well Governed encreased mightily and flourished in all piety religion and godlinesse Therefore the supreme Magistracie is not allowed nor warranted by Scripture but excluded from intruding into the administration of holy Church ordinances and must leave the power of judging and determining of all things which concerne the publike worship and service of God to the infallible word of Christ the holy Scriptures and to those who are by God set apart and furnished with gifts and abilities and ordained according to