with them and to overtop them of which more anon 3. I grant you also that in all such Countreys as aforesaid where Popery and Church-tyranny prevaileth the name of Ecclesiastical Courts and Discipline is applyed to that mungrel power which is neither Fish nor Flesh and that the true Spiritual Power set up by Christ is corrupted and turned into a secular thing or by confusion a third sort arisen out of both And that Popish Princes are wofully abused by this deceit while that the reverence of the name of the Church and Church-Government doth perswade them to ruine the Church indeed and to set up their Subjects to be the Governours of themselves and to give away their own power to their servants and then to stoop to the power which they have given 4. And I grant you that all this mischief would much be cured if Magistrates would keep the Sword to themselves and use it only according to the judgement of their proper Courts and would leave the Power of the Church Keyes to the Pastors valeant quantum valere possunt and let it be thought penalty enough for an excommunicate person qua talis to be excommunicate And not to take him to be a penitent or worthy of the Communion of the Church that had rather be there than in a Gaol There be wiser wayes of bringing men to Repentance and to the Communion of the Church than by saying Choose this or the Goal You are worthy to be in the Church if you had but rather be in it than in a Prison Christ said Forsake all or ye cannot be my Disciples And some say Be Christs Disciples or forsake all The Church will receive you if you will but accept her communion rather than imprisonment or beggary A kind Church indeed of which more anon 5. But notwithstanding all these concessions I must further tell you that it is the Pastors of the Churches that must keep up the interest of Christianity in the world and that as the bad ones are the greatest plagues so the good ones are the greatest blessings of the earth even the salt and lights of the world And none but the enemies of Christ are their enemies as such And as the Ministry hath grown better or worse so hath Christianity either risen or fallen in all times and places of the Church on earth Of which see Two Sheets which I have written for the Ministery against the Seekers and Malignants long ago 6. And though the Carnal Clergy afore described deserve all the invectives in your Books and their Usurpations and turning Church Discipline into a secular thing do call aloud for a just detection and rebuke and it would be the happiness of the world if the eyes of all Christian Princes and Rulers were opened in this point yet I must tell you that I believe most sober pious Protestant Divines are really agreed in the main things that you desire and intend And that both you and some of your adversaries both do amiss to make the difference seem wider than indeed it is And that making Verbal differences seem real and small ones seem great is an ill employment when a few distinctions and clearer explications would make both sides see that they are almost of one mind Therefore all that I shall do in this business is to lay down my own judgement and I think the judgement of all the pious and sober part of the Episcopal Presbyterian Independents and Erastians or Politicians in certain brief Propositions which shall carry their own evidence past all contradiction of Learned and Considerate Christians Prop. 1. THe work of the Gospel-Ministry is not a work of meer Charity and Liberty but an Office-work Authority Reason and Love are its principles Matth. 28. 19 20. Titus 1. 5. Acts 14. 23. 2. This Office is instituted by Christ himself and by the Holy Ghost Ibid. Acts 20. 28 c. 3 It was instituted for great and necessary ends that the Ministry might be Christs Agents Messengers Sâ—ewardâ— c. for the furthering the affairs of his Spirituâ—l Kingdom and mens salvation in the world 1 Cor. 4. 1 2. 1 Tim. 3. 1 2 3 c. Acts 20. 28. 1 Thess. 5. 12 13. â—â—b 13. 17. 4. It was first put into the hands of Apostles châ—sâ—n by Christ himself who were to be the Gatherers Edifiers â—nd Guides of his Church and to be its foundation built on Christ and the transmitters of the Gospel and a stated Ministry to the following Ages 5. Though the extraordinary part of their work ceased with them the ordinary part continueth after them with a Ministry which is to continue to the end of the world Eph. 4. 11 c. 6. This Office was in time before a Christian Magistrate and must be the same where there is any such and where there is none Matth. 28. 20. Eph. 4. 12 14 16 c. 7. It consisteth in an Authority conjunct with an Obligation to do their proper work 8. This Ministerial Office is subordinate to Christ in the three parts of his Office Prophetical Priestly Kingly as they are commonly distinguished or in Teaching Worshipping God and Governing his flocks John 20. 21. Matth. 28. 19 20. 1 Cor. 4. 1 2. 1 Tim. 3. 2 3 c. 5. 17. Acts 6. 4. 9. It is essential to the Office to have all these in Divine Authority but not in Exercise nor in the Civil Liberty of exercising them which may be hindered Acts 5. 18 c. 10. The Office is to be judged of by Gods Institution and not by the Ordainers wills intention or contrary expressions if the essence of the Office be delivered in general words 11. Christ made these Officers the Key-bearers of his Churches that is the Rulers or Guides who have authority under him over Church communion to judge what members shall be taken in and who shall be put out Mat. 16. 19. Heb. 13. 17 24. 1 Thess. 5. 12 13. 12. The first and great act of this Key-bearing power never denyed them from Christs time to this day is the power of Baptizing and of judging who shall be admitted by Baptism into the Church or number of visible Christians Mat. 28. 19 20. Acts 2. 41. 8. 12 13 38. 13. This power is not arbitrary but Ministerial regulated by Christs universal Laws which describeth every mans Title to admittance which is his own or Parents if an Infants understanding voluntary serious Profession of Consent to the Baptismal Covenant Acts 2. 38. 8. 12. 10. 47 48. Mâ—r. 16. 16. Matth. 28. 20. 14. If one Minister refuse such Consenters others must admit him And if many should agree utterly to tyrannize both Magistrates by just Laws may correct them and the people desert them for better Guides 1 Kings 2. 27. 2 John 10 11. Mat. 7. 15. 16. 6. 15. The Churches Communion and Sacraments are not to be common to all the world Otherwise the Church were no Church as consisting of
by any neighbour Pastor that like the Pope usurpeth authority over other Churches Nor should any standing Laws at all be made of such things where there is no need especially where the case is mutable and it belongeth to the Pastors function to determine it as occasion serveth 2 Tim. 2. 15. Mat. 24. 45. 30. Whether these Antecedent Determinations of Concordant Pastors in a Synod shall be called Laws or Canons or Decrees is but lis de nomine And also whether this power be called Legislative or Jurisdiction And who will trouble the Church unnecessarily about words and names But yet I think they may be best called Canons or Agreements And I wish that high Titles be laid aside lest it encourage the usurping Spirit that aspireth after too high things 31. Grotius de Imperiâ— summarum potestatum circa sacra hath said so much and so well of all this Controversie that it is a shame to us all that we need any more and a shame to me to trouble the world after him with Writings on that subject so far less useful and to any one to cloud that which he hath clearly and judiciously stated were it not that renewed occasions require it 32. Pastors have not only the charge of right ordering the Assemblies but also of helping and overseeing all the individuals of their charge And to help them in the personal application of the Scriptures to themselves and to resolve their particular Doubts and Cases of Conscience and to reprove admonish and comfort the individuals as there is need As a Physicion is not only to read a Physick Lecture to his Hospital but to Govern each Patient in order to his Cure 33. Ordination is rei ordinis gratia an act of Office by which the Ministerial Office and Power is Ministerially delivered by way of Investiture and Solemnization as a house is delivered by a Key and a parcel of Land by a Turf and Twig by the hand of a Servant appointed thereunto Or as our Church state is delivered to us by Baptism by the like investiture Though yet it is God directly who giveth the Power and that secondarily by his servant thus investeth us in it though not without the previous Call which is necessary thereunto 34. Ordination is not an idle Ceremony which the Ordainer must perform upon the judgement of others Prince or people without his own cognizance of the person or against his Conscience But he that must ordain must first judge the person fit to be ordained and therefore must also try his fitness 1 Tim. 5. 22. 35. So much of the Antecedent power of the Ministry in which it is to be noted that Ordination and Baptism are efficient acts like Generation in nature under God the first efficient as ex Quo omnia and as they are ordinis gratia are the beginning of Government also And Government is an Ordering act as under God the supream Governour ut per Quem omnia And Sacramental entertainment with Christs body and blood in Church Communion is Actus Amâ—ris a final act of friendship under God as the final Cause ad Quem omnia 36. The subsequent part of the Pastoral Government is by using the members of the Church in the exercise of the Pastoral Office according to their several deserts which is by a General and particular application of the Word of God to their Consciences and guiding them in circumstances and judging of actions and persons according to that Word in order to the good of souls and the preservation of the Church and truth Acts 20. 28. Heb. 13. 17. 37. When the whole Church falleth into notorious sin the Pastors must reprove them and call them to repentance And if they apostatize forsake them as ceasing to be a Church 38. When a single member falleth into notorious scandal the Pastor must admonish him and call him to repentance and if he remain impenitâ—nt and obstinate after due admonition and publick exhortation and patience he must as Christs Steward of his Word and Family pronounce him a person unfit for Church communion and require or command him in the name of Christ to forbear it and the Church to forbear his communion declaring him also unpardoned by Christ till he repâ—nt and binding him over to his judgement So that Excommunication is a Sentence of the person as uncapable of Church communion according to Christs Laws and a fore-judging him as unpardoned and condemnable by Christs judgement unless he repent and a command to the sinner to forbear the communion and priviledges of the Church and to the Church to avoid him 1 Cor. 5. Titus 3. 10 c. 39. If the sinner repent the Pastor is Christs Officer in his name to pronounce him pardoned if his repentance be sincere and the Guide of the Church to require them to receive him again into their communion 2 Cor. 2. 7 10 11. Gal. 6 1 2 3. 40. Because Magistrates and people as aforesaid cannot attend so great a work as this without the neglect of their particular Callings and are not to be supposed so â—it as the Pastor and because God hath made it the work of his Office the people are to rest in his judgement about the fitness and Title of those that have the publick Church communion with them though they are the Judges and Choosers of their Domestick and private familiars And they must not separate from them that are thus regularly admitted 41. Yet when the Pastors by mal-administration give them just cause the flock may seek their due remedy of which more anon 42. This power is essentially in the Ministerial Office and therefore is in every single Pastor and not only in some few or in the abler sort or only in a Synod Mat. 16. 19. 43. When a Church hath but one Pastor he must exercise it alone with due consideration and advice But when a Church hath many Pastors they must exercise it and all Church guidance in a way of Concord and avoid all dissentions among themselves Ephes. 4. 3 4 5. 1 Cor. 1. 10. John 17. 21 22. 44. Therefore in such a case a particular Pastor may be obliged oft to suspend some such acts because the Major Vote of his Syn-Presbyters are against it Not that they are his Governours for the Majority of Vote but because the Laws of Concord require the Minor part to submit to the Major 45. The same is the reason why in Elections Consents and other acts belonging to the flock the Major Vote should carry it in things lawful not because the people have any true Church Government but because they are obliged to Unity and Concord And in that case the Law of Nature calleth the Minor part to submit to the Major lest there never should be any Concord had 46. And the same is the reason why in Synods and Councils the Major Vote of the Bishops must prevail in lawful things not forbidden of God 47. If any Pastor in the world
whether they be Church-members or not And he may as a Keeper of the Churches Priviledges and Peace till forfeited restrain all excommunicate persons from forcing themselves into the Communion of the Church which did excommunicate them 90. So contentious are Pastors oft times and so necessary is the Magistrates Office to the publick peace that every Church should be under the eye of some Justices of the Peace or Censors appointed by force to silence intruding Bawlers and Railers and to restrain Ministers from making it their publick work unpeaceably to traduce and revile their Brethren and represent dissenters as odious to the flock And if such Magistrates had kept the Churches Order and Peace according to their Office it had prevented abundance of the Papal Usurpations which were the fruit of Magistrates neglects 91. Lay Chancellors exercising the Spiritual Power of the Keyes though they should pro forma use the stale of an Ordinaries pronunciation is such a sort of Church Government as I will never swear that in my place and Calling I will not at any time endeavour to alter by lawful means 92. The Parents are put in the fourth Commandment rather than the Magistrate or Pastor because their authority is the most plenary Image of the Divine Authority in these respects 1. Their Authority is not by Contract but by Nature 2. It is the primary radical power 3. It is most universally necessary to mankind 4. And it representeth Gods Government 1. In that it is founded in Generation as Gods in Creation 2. Because thence ariseth 1. The fullest Image of his Dominion in the Parents fullest Propriety in his Child 2. Of his sapiential Rule in the Parents Government as in presence 3. Of his Love which Parents are allowed to exceed all other Rulers in Therefore God calls himself Our Father 93. Q. What if the Magistrate Minister and Parents have opposite Commands Which of them is to be obeyed e. g. The Magistrate bids you meet in one place for publick Worship the Bishop in another and the Parent in a third The Magistrate bids you Learn one Catechism and no other the Bishop another and not that and the Parents a third The Magistrate bids you stand the Pastor bids you kneel the Parents bid you sit The Magistrate bids you pray by one form the Bishop by another and the Parents by a third or none The Magistrate commandeth one translation of the Scripture and the Bishop another The Bishop commandeth you to use a Ceremony or to keep a holy day and your Parents forbid it you In such cases which must you conform to and obey Answ. When I am desired and promised by those concerned in it that it will be well taken I will answer such kind of questions as these But till then I will hold my tongue that I may hold my peace 94. No contrary commands of Church-men as they are called nor any of our own Vows or Covenants can excuse us from obedience to the Higher Powers in lawful things which God hath authorized them to command that is which are belonging to their place of Government to regulate Though if the question be but e. g. What Medicine and Dose shall be given to a Patient or by what Medium a Philosopher shall demonstrate or what Subject and what Method and Words a Pastor shall use for the present edification of his flock or how a Surgeon shall open a Vein or a Pilot guide his Ship c. the Artist may be obeyed before an Emperour by him that careth for his life or his understanding But yet as all these are under the Government of the King so he may give them general Laws especially to restrain them from notorious hurtfulness Sir If all these Propositions be enow for the Concord of sober Christians in these matters I hope neither you nor I nor any lover of the Church and Peace shall need to use much sharpness against the Opinions of such dissenters But if they be not I know not when we shall have concord And yet that you may see that I am not over sollicitous of my Peace I will make up the number with these less pleasing Propositions 95. Because Corruptio optimi est pessima Magistrates and Ministers are of all men usually either the greatest Blessings or the greatest Burdens of mankind on earth Saith Campanella Metaph. Potentiae Corruptio est Tyrannis maxima mundi mala Sapientiae Corruptio est Haeresis maxima mundi mala Amoris Corruptio est Hypocrisis maxima mundi mala though indeed he might as well have named more As Tyranny is in the greatest part of the whole world which is Heathen Infidel and Popish the principal sin which hindereth the Gospel and Kingdom of Christ forbiddeth the preaching of the Word of life for mens salvation And therefore a sin which no Christian Magistrate or Preacher should think of but with great abhorrence and none by any palliation should befriend it so Prudent and Good Princes are under God the Pillars of the world For they are the Chief Officers of God to shew forth his Power Wisdom and Goodness Truth and Holiness Justice and Mercy in their Government And by their Laws to promote the obedience of his Laws And to encourage the Preachers and Practicers of Godliness Sobriety and Righteousness And to defend them against the Malignity of those that would silence oppress and persecute them on earth And by their examples and punishments to bring all ungodliness intemperance and injustice unto shame None therefore that possess so great a mercy should undervalue it or be unthankful 96. Wise Rulers will watch the Plots of such enemies as would use them as the Devil would have used Christ who carried him to the Pinnacle of the Temple in hope to have seen his fall the greater who would have them with Herod arrogate the praise of God unto themselves or with Pharaoh or Nebuchadnezzar to disdain to be under the Soveraignty of their Maker and ascribe to them the Divine Prerogatives And would make it seem their honour to have Power to do the greatest mischief that the pretence and claim may make them odious and so may debilitate and undermine them That like a draught of cold water to one in a Pleurisie they may kill them by pleasing them 97. It is an unchristian carnal craft for the Protestant Clergy of several Opinions to lay false charges on one another as being enemies to the Civil Government when really their principles therein are all the same Or to make the differences of Statesmen and Lawyers to be taken for differences in Religion purposely to make one another and their Religion odious and to strengthen themselves by the errors and passions of Princes till at last they have tempted the world to think as bad of all and of Religion it self as they have said of one another and by undermining others fall themselves 98. But yet that Party who really make a Religion of the Doctrine of
it And it is seldom heard of for all the industry and subtilty of Rome that any Prince or State doth Voluntarily turn Papist that is once delivered from the Yoke and that ever again parteth with his power when he hath recovered it But yet that even this Argument from Notorious Interest doth not recover the Liberty of Countreys subject to the Pope you will the less wonder if you consider these three things 1. That the Papal Interest hath got such rooting in their Subjects minds that it is not in their power to reassume their right The Clergy are so numerous subtile ubiquitary and potent and the people so commonly deceived and so tenacious of ancient Customs that to make this Change might cast all into a flame And they think it better to lose part than all And no doubt but the examples of Henry the third and Henry the fourth of France maked some think that if they displease the Pope and his Consederates they have not sufficient security for their lives 2. And Princes stand usually on such terms of danger or jealousie from one another that they are fain to keep such a Peace at home lest they expose themselves to a greater mischief from abroad And they are broken by the Papal subtilty especially in Germany and Italy into such Fractions and petty Principalities that few of them are strong enough to defend themselves against the Confederates of the Pope when potent Emperours heretofore could not do it And many of them especially the House of Austria do take this Copartnership of the Pope to be a great part of their strength And as anciently many Emperours were forced to choose their Caesars and Copartners when the defence of the Empire was too hard for themselves alone so divers Princes are glad to make use of the Papal interest and power for their own security though upon terms that else would never be submitted to And in some Countreys the Rebellious disposition of the Subjects driveth them to accept of this dear remedy and they choose rather to strengthen themselves by a Copartner than to stoop to the wills of their inferiours For here you must take notice that the pretence of a Jus divinum and of Spirituality and the Interest of Christ and of the safety of their souls doth make this kind of servitude much less dishonourable than it is to be overtopt by a neighbour Prince or to be curbed by their subjects For what dishonour is it for a man to be subject to his Maker and Redeemer Nay what greater honour can there be And the Roman Clergy have used themselves to Canonize those Princes that have been most zealous for their Grandure and to raise the fame and praises of such as have raised that which they call the Church that the very ambition of the Clergies Praises doth do much to tempt some to a tame acceptance of a Copartner who pretendeth to be the Vicar of Christ When this servitude goeth for sanctity and carrieth not with it the reproach of other sorts of servitude 3. And it greatly furthereth their success that the Popes Agents are commonly bred up in Learning and so are made able to over-wit the Laity And that it is their great design to gratifie the Lusts of Princes by indulging their voluptuous sensual lives that so they may spend their dayes in such things as will never advance their understandings to an ability to discern the cheats of their Copartners And they detestably cherish the Ignorance of the Common Laity that they may be the fitter to be led and mastered by them even as men keep women from Learning and great attainments lest they should be the more uncapable of subjection And thus as Satan leadeth men to Hell so the Papal Usurper bringeth the Laity into their power by their own consent by such pleasing baits as make their servitude easie to them And it is not your telling them of their interest that will prevail against all these temptations They that will lose Heaven and their salvation by such cheats may lose half of their earthly Dominions by them as long as the other half sufficeth to satisfie their concupiscence and to maintain their honour and pleasure in the world The Roman Usurpation consisteth of two parts 1. The Usurpation of such a Pastoral Power as they have no right to 2. The Usurpation of a great part of the Magistrates power sometime directly and sometimes indirectly in ordine ad spiritualia and constantly by the cheat of the false name of Church power put upon the Magistrates part of Church Government as if it were the Clergies part I. The Usurpation of a Pastoral power which belongeth not to them is the chief part of their Iniquity And it consisteth in these among other particulars 1. In the impious and arrogant claim of an Universal Pastorship over all the world The Roman Prelate must be the Teacher of all the world the High Priest of all the world and the Spiritual Ruler of all the world which because he cannot do by himself he must do by others as far as he can to uphold his usurpation He must be the Law-giver and the Judge of all the world even at the Antipodes and where he hath no acquaintance nor access 2. By this he undertaketh to be a Bishop in other mens Diocesses and to rule in all matters where he hath no more power than any Pastor hath in another Pastoral Charge 3. And by this he undertaketh to be the Spiritual Father and Governour of all the Kings and Rulers of the Christian world and so to have the power of excommunicating them when he thinketh there is cause and to brand them as uncapable of Christian communion with their own Subjects or with any other Christians 4. By this he usurpeth authority of imposing what Pastors he please even such as will carry on his interest upon all the Churches in the world and depriving both Princes and people of their just liberty of choice 5. By this also he usurpeth the power of deposing what Bishops or Pastors he please and depriving the people of their necessary helps and faithfullest Teachers Yea of putting whole Nations under Interdicts of serving and honouring God in Church-assemblies commanding all Pastors to shut up the Church doors and forbidding them to perfom their office and to preach Christs Gospel or administer his holy Sacraments 6. By this he sendeth forth his Missionaries and setteth up Societies of Jesuits and Fryers to do his work and commandeth all Princes and people to receive and countenance them 7. By this he layeth claim to a right of maintenance for Himself and his Missionaries in all parts of the world in the name of Christ who hath said that the labourer is worthy of his hire 8. By this he granteth Dispensations Pardons Indulgences commandeth praying to Saints and Angels and praying for the Dead as being in Purgatory and by this he setteth up his whole new frame of self-devised Worship
were a Leaden unpowerful Sword which Christ hath put into their hands and Excommunication were invalid when the Sword forceth not the impenitent to dissemble Repentance and Submission When great worldly baits have enticed worldly men into the Sacred Office as to a worldly preferment and Trade they will judge accordingly and manage it like themselves which is and hath been the Churches Pest We would beg on our knees of Kings and Magistrates if it would prevail to leave Church Censures to our Lords intended use and valeant quantum valere possunt and to keep their Sword out of Church-mens hands and to punish men in their own Courts for every crime that deserveth it but not quatenus excommunicate or meerly because the Clergy hath judged them unmeet for Church Communion He that taketh Excommunication alone for no punishment is not fit to be in the Communion of the Church and therefore should not be driven for fear of a Prison to that which he hath no right to So that you must not charge the acts of Princes nor of ambitious Cardinals c. neither on Calvin Beza or any such as them And as to Lay-Elders or Lay-Chancellors I am no more for them than you are that is as the Magistrates Officers or as the Churches Sub-Officers circa sacra non in sacris But sure those of them who are introduced on a mistaken conceit of Divine right and do no more than the Pastors do are no Usurpers of Coercive power You see by the late Acts of King and Parliament in Scotland that all External Church power is declared to be in the King And what would you have more No doubt the meaning is not All power about external things For the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper and the persons baptized c. are external objects Nor can it be all power that is exercised by the external parts of the body For the Tongue of the Preacher and the Hand of the Baptizer as well as the Ear of the Hearer is an external part But in these two senses it is true and commonly consented to by all that I remember of my acquaintance that are Christians 1. That all the power of the Sword or of forcing by Mulcts or bodily punishments as distinct from the power of the Word that worketh directly upon the soul alone by the senses is in the King and not in any of the Clergy though it be about the matters of Religion 2. And that all power in Church matters and Religion Extrinsecal to the Pastoral Office as instituted by Christ is of right the Kings and his inferiour Magistrates And what would you or any man have more 4. And as to the exercise of our Office we all confess except the Papists that we are responsible to the King and Magistrates for our faults yea for our injurious mal-administration And that though the King be not the Chief Pastor nor hath the power of the Keys which Christ gave to his Ministers yet he is the Ruler of all Churches and Pastors by the Sword as well as of all Physicions And is not all this enough to satisfie you that we claim no part of the Magistrates Office As you say our power is but Perswasive It is 〈◊〉 By the Word It is but on the Conscience It is under the Magistrates coercive Government And so it is like a Physicions or a Tutors in a Colledge But that I pray you leave not out 1. That it is not under the Magistrates as to the derivation of the office or power that is It is no office which the Magistrate made or may unmake 2. That it is as immediately of Divine Institution as the Magistrates And therefore in your similitude you must suppose your Physicion and Tutor to have a Commission from God 3. That God hath described our office and limited the Magistrates office so that he hath no power from God to hinder the Ministry 4. But if he do it injuriously we must not resist but patiently suffer for obeying God So much of the nature of the office II. Now that it is certain that God hath committed to Pastors such a Government of his Church by the Word as to stated commissioned Officers because I have past by the proofs in my following Propositions I will add some here Supposing what Dr. Hammond hath said of the Power of the Keyes and that no man with common sense can take the Power of the Keyes for any thing less than a power of Church Government or Authoritative Guidance and so a Power of receiving in and putting out as there is cause It is plain in that Christ first reciteth his own Commission and Power Matth. 28. 18 19 20. and thence dateth the Commission of his Apostles as it was to endure to the end of the age or world See Isa 22. 22. Rev. 3. 7. 1. 18. compared with Matth. 16. 19. John 20. 23. The word Presbyter and Bishop can signifie no less as Acts 4. 8 c. compared with Acts 14. 23. 15. 2 4 6 22 23. 16. 4. 20. 17 28. Titus 1. 5. James 5. 14. 1 Pet. 5. 1. Rev. 4. 4 c. And nothing less can be meant by 1 Tim. 5. 17. The Elders that Rule well are worthy of double honour c. Heb. 13. 17. 24. Obey them that have the Rule over you for they watch c. 1 Thess. 5. 12 13. Know them that labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you 1 Tim. 3. 1 4 5. If a man desire the office of a Bishop he desireth a good work One that Ruleth well his own house having his children in subjection For if a man know not how to rule his own house how shall he take care of the Church of God So Tit. 1. 7 c. 1 Pet. 5. 1 2 3 4. Many other I pass by And for the act of excommunication or excluding unmeet persons from Christian Church Communion it would be tedious to stand to vindicate all those plain Texts from any mens exceptions 1 Cor. 5. per totum Titus 3. 10. 2 John 10 11. 2 Thess. 3. 6 14. Rev. 2. 14 15 20. But while I am writing this I remember that I have long ago written a small Book called Universal Concord in which I have described all the Pastoral Office and Work If you can prove it less than I have there named in any one point you will so far ease us and take nothing from us at all that gratifieth our flesh If you can deny none of that we are agreed And in the Preface to the same Book I have given you twelve Reasons of the great use of Church Discipline which shall save me the labour of the third point which I intended next to speak to save only that I will briefly ask you III. Would you have any difference made between the Christian Church and the Pagan and Infidel world If not If you would it must be such a
of Christ in those Countreys where Popery and Church-tyranny prevail hath long been by the Magistrates annexing their executions to the sentence of the Church as it is called and becoming the meer Executioners of the judgement of other men No Magistrate should be debased so as to be made the Churches Executioner If the Magistrate will punish a man it must not be meerly quatenus excommunicate that is as punished already but for the fault for which he was excommunicate And if so then he must try and judge him for that fault at his own barr and not punish him unheard because the Church hath sentenced him And if Rulers would more leave the Church to the exercise of its proper power and let excommunication do what it can of it self unless the nature of the crime require a distinct Secular judgement and punishment it would do much to heal all the divisions and perturbations in the Christian world For which course I have these Reasons following to urge 1. It is a great contempt and reproach to Christs institution of discipline to tell the world that it is a powerless uneffectual thing of it self unless the Secular Sword do enforce it Such Pastors vilifie their own power also which is so useless 2. It is a corrupting of Christs discipline and destroying the use of it For it cannot be known now what the Keyes do of themselves when the Sword goeth with them No man knoweth when Repentance professed is credibly real and moved by divine Motives and when it is dissembled for avoiding of the Secular punishment 3. It must leave the Pastors conscience unsatisfied in his administrations and bind him to abuse Christ when he must say to men If you had but rather say that you repent than lye in a Gaol I absolve you and give you the Sacraments and pronounce you pardoned by Christ. Who can administer on these terms 4. It is a dangerous deluding of the sinners soul that seemeth intimated by this way 5. It is a wilful corrupting and confounding of the Church when men shall be forced to be its members though they be Infidels Heathens or most impious if they had but rather say they are Christians than lye in Gaol And by this means it is that no man can know who are really of the Church of Rome or of any tyrannical Church but only who had rather say they are of the Church than be undone which any Infidel and Atheist will soon do Therefore let not Rome boast of the number of her members which are unknown 6. It is a changing of Christs terms of Covenant Christianity Communion and Absolution when Christ saith He that from his heart believeth and repenteth and forsaketh the flesh and the world for me shall be my Disciple and be pardoned and he that credibly professeth thus much shall be taken into the Church which are truly Christs terms now cometh the Church-tyrant and saith He that will say that he believeth and repenteth rather than he will forsake the flesh and the world and will choose the Church before a Gaol shall be pardoned and have communion with the Church or at least have the seals of pardon to delude him 7. By this means the Church is mostly constituted in such Countreys of the grossest wicked hypocrites And it is made a scorn to Infidels and Heathens and their conversion hindered thereby when they see that Christians are worse than they 8. And by this means these hypocrites ruine the Church it self as an enemies Souldiers in an Army And nominal Christians and Pastors that are heartily enemies to Christ do him more wrong and cause more divisions and ruines in the Church than they could have done if they had staid without 9. It destroyeth most of the hopes or the success of those Pastors as to the converting and saving of mens souls Because when the Magistrate is made but their executioner the people take all their sufferings as from them And they will bear that from a Magistrate which they will not bear from a Minister whose Office is to Rule them by Reason and by Love And so such Pastors are usually feared and hated by the people whereby they are disabled to do them that saving good which can be done on none against his will 1 Cor. 8. 13. 9. 22. 1 Tim. 4. 16. 10. And hereby a Church-tyranny is set and kept up in the world by which persecutions and divisions have been maintained for many hundred years and the Ministers of Christ have been forbidden to preach his Gospel to the unspeakable injury of souls and the lives of many hundred thousands have been a Sacrifice to the Pride and Avarice and Cruelty of the Clergy to the great dishonour of the Christian Name 11. And hereby Princes have had a power set over them to the diminution of their proper power and part of their dominion subjugated to others under the false name of Ecclesiastical Authority yea and their own standing made troublesome and unsafe and multitudes dethroned and Wars raised against them by the Clergies pretended power or instigation of which all the Wars between the â—erman Emperours and the Papalines are full proof recorded in all the Histories collected by Freherus Ruberus and Pistorius in Sabbellicus Nauclerus and multitudes of other Historians and our English Histories by Ingulphus Matthew Paris Hoveden c. And the Italian by Guicciardine and many others Nay what Countrey is there where the Papal and Tyrannical Clergy have not overtopt or troubled the State 12. And when all this is done they would deceive the Princes themselves into a Consent and so into the guilt of their own disturbance and their peoples misery And cast all the odium upon them and say we do but deliver you into the hands of the Secular Power it is they that do the execution on you when yet a General Council the Rule of their Religion Later sub Innoc. 3. Can. 2 3. deposeth such Temporal Lords that will not do such execution 65. He that desireth the Communion of the Church doth take it for a grievous punishment to be cast out of it And he that doth not desire it is unfit for it Therefore he that cannot feel the penalty of an Excommunication alone but only of a Mulct or Prison may be fit enough for further punishment but is unfit for the Communion of the Church 66. Yet is the Magistrate the Protector of the Church a Keeper of her Peace and Priviledges and of both Tables and must use his power to promote Religion 67. To which end he may prudently by moderate means constrain some that neglect their own salvation to hear Gods Word and confer with such as can instruct them and use those means which God hath made universally necessary to bring the ignorant to knowledge and may restrain them from actual open sin and from scorn and opposition of the means that should convert them and from hindering others from the means of salvation and from
Rebellion are to be disowned by all that will be true to God and to his Officers In my Sermon to the Parliament the day before they Voted the Restoration of the King I said somewhat of the difference of the Protestant and Popish Religion in this point And a Papist Gentleman first wrote an Invective against me as if I had given no proof of what I said And several persons of unknown names wrote Letters to me to urge and challenge me to prove it Blindly or wilfully overlooking the undeniable proof which I had there laid down from one of their General Councils viz. The Decrees of approved General Councils are the Papists Religion The Decrees of approved General Councils are for the Popes deposing Temporal Lords if they exterminate not such as deny Transubstantiation and giving their Dominions to others Ergo The Popish Religion is for the Popes deposing Temporal Lords in that case and giving their Dominions to others The Major is not questioned The Minor besides the Concil Rom. sub Greg. 7. which determineth that the Pope may depose Emperours I there proved from the express words of Concil Lateran sub Innoc. 3. Can. 3. which uttereth it at large And if any Protestant do with Dr. Tailor Dr. Gunning and Dr. Pierson doubt of the authority of those Canons that 's nothing to the Papists who justifie it as an approved Council and vindicate it as you may find with copiousness and confidence in the printed Answer to the last named Doctors What impudency then is it in these men to challenge me to prove and yet overlook my proof 99. CHRISTIANITY according to the Scripture and primitive simplicity in Doctrine Worship Government and Life doth constitute a CHRISTIAN and a Christian Church The making of humane additions and mutable adjuncts to seem things necessary doth constitute a SECT And alas how small a part of the Christian world is not entangled in some such Sect. To be united to all Christians in the bond of Christianity is to be a Catholick To trouble the Churches peace by striving to set up one Sect or Faction and suppress the rest is to be a Schismatick and Sectary So then if some will by a superstitious unscriptural rigour of Discipline make every Pastors power arbitrary or the peoples which is worse in judging of mens inward holiness and will lay by the Scripture Title which is a sober Profession of the Baptismal Covenant and think by this strictness to advance the honour of their party as to purity They will but endlesly run into divisions And by setting themselves at a greater distance from common Christians than God alloweth them provoke him to cast on them some greater shame And if any others will make their unnecessary forms of Synods and other adjuncts to seem so necessary as to enter into Leagues and Covenants to make them the terms of the Churches Unity God will not own such terms nor ways nor will they be durable while the ground is mutable And if in the Countreys where Popery and Church-tyranny prevail any other more lofty faction shall perswade the people that there must be no King any longer than their domination is upheld and shall seek to twist the corruptions grandure or mutable adjuncts of their function by Oaths into the very Constitution of the State Like the Trent Oath swearing the Subjects to obey the Church yea putting the Church before the State and swearing them not at any time though commanded by the King to endeavour any alteration in that Church-Government no nor to consent to any that so the subjects may be as fast bound to them as they are by the Oath of fidelity to their Kings It is time in such a case to pray God save the King and to write on our doors Lord have mercy on us And a true subject in such cases when it comes to swearing must learn Seneca's Lesson No man more esteemeth vertue than he that for the love of it can let go the reputation of it And must be content to be called Disloyal disobedient factious that he may not be so nor betray his Soul his Prince and his posterity 100. But to put my self out of the reach of any rational suspicion besides what is said I profess that I ascribe all that Power to Kings which is given them by any Text of Scripture or acknowledged by any Council General or Provincial or by any publick authentick Confession of any Christian Church either Protestant Greek or Popish that ever I yet saw And if this be not enough as to matter of Religion leaving the Cases of Law to Lawyers I can give you no more Object Eccles. 1. 18. In much wisdom is much grief and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow 7. 16. Be not righteous over much neither make thy self over wise why shouldst thou destroy thy self 9. 2. As is the good so is the sinner he that sweareth as he that feareth an Oath Isa. 59. 15. Truth faileth and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey 1 Kings 22. 13. Let thy word I pray thee be like the word of one of them and speak good Answ. V. 14. As the Lord liveth what the Lord saith unto me that I will speak Luke 12. 4. I say to you my friends Be not afraid of them that kill the body and after that have no more that they can do But c. 1 Thess. 2. 15 16. They please not God and are contrary to all men forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved to fill up their sins alwayes for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost Acts 20. 24. But none of these things move me neither count I my life dear unto my self so that I might finish my course with joy and the Ministry which I have received c. 1 Cor. 4. 17 18. For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding eternal weight of glory While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen For the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal Sept. 21. 1669. Addition Of the Power of Kings and Bishops out of Bishop Bilson and Andrews LEst you should wrong the sober Episcopal Divines so as to think that they claim as jure Divino and as Pastoral any Coercive forcing power but only an authoritative perswading power and that of the Keyes of the Church I will transcribe some of the words of that Learned Judicious Bishop Bilson in his Tract of Christian Subjection By which you will see that all forcing power claimed by them is only Magistratical as they are the Kings Officers and not from Christ. Note also that constantly he distinguisheth the Magistrates power from the Pastors by the Sword as the instrument of execution which even about Ecclesiastical matters is proper to the Magistrate As the power of the Word and Sacraments or Keyes of
the Church is the Pastors And these are the shortest plainest and least ambiguous terms and more clear than Internal Ecclesiastical and Civil which have all much obscurity and ambiguity Pag. 238. Princes only be Governours in things and Causes Ecclesiastical that is with the Sword Bishops be no Governours in those things with the Sword Pag. 240. We confess Princes to be Supream Governours Supream bearers of the Sword We give Princes no power to devise or invent new Religions to alter or change Sacraments to decide or debate doubts of faith to disturb or infringe the Canons of the Church But of these two last I must tell you what we Puritans as they call us hold 1. That the King may and must decide doubts of faith in order to execution by the Sword as who shall be banished or imprisoned as a Teacher of Heresie 2. And that Canons circa sacra not takeing the Pastors proper work out of his hand may be made by the Magistrate even if he please without the Prelates And if Pastors make Canons the◠are but in order to their proper way of execution Pag. 252. And if Princes shall not bear the Sword in things and Causes Ecclesiastical you must tell us who shall Since by Gods Law the Priest may not meddle with the Sword the consequent is inevitable that Princes alone are Gods Ministers bearing the Sword to reward and revenge good and evil in all things and causes be they Temporal Spiritual or Ecclesiastical unless you think that disorders and abuses Ecclesiastical should be freely permitted Page 256. This then is the Supream power of Princes which we teach That they be Gods Ministers in their own Dominions bearing the Sword freely to permit and publickly defend that which God commandeth So may they with just force remove whatsoever is erroneous vicious and superstitious within their Lands and with external losses and corporal pains repress the broachers and abetters of Heresies and all impieties From which subjection to Princes no man within their Realms Monk Priest Preacher or Prelate is exempted And without their Realms no mortal man hath any power from Christ judicially to depose them much less to invade them in open field least of all to warrant their Subjects to rebell against them These be the things which we contend for and not whether Princes be Christs Masters or the functions to preach baptize impose hands and forgive sins must be derived from the Princes power and Laws or the Apostles might enter to convert Countreys without Caesars delegations These be jests and shifts of yours Page 261. To Bishops speaking the Word of God Princes as well as others must yield obedience But if Bishops pass their Commission and speak besides the Word of God what they list both Prince and people may despise them Page 258. His Word is Truth and therefore your Bishops cannot be Judges of the Word of Christ but they must be Judges of Christ himself that speaketh by his Word which is no small presumption My Sheep hear my voice They be no Judges of his voice Page 259. If you take judging for discerning the People must be discerners and Judges of that which is taught Page 271. Ph. If General Councils might err the Church might err Th. As though none were of or in the Church but only Bishops Or all the Bishops of Christendome without exception were ever present at any Council Or the greater part of those that are present might not strike the stroke without the rest See pag. 350 351 352. Et seq That only Magistrates may touch body or goods Page 358. The Watchmen and Shepheards that serve Christ in his Church have their kind of Regiments distinct from the temporal Power and State But that Regiment of theirs is by Counsel and perswasion not by terror or Compulsion and reacheth neither to the goods nor to the bodies of any men Page 366. As for your Episcopal Power over Princes if that be it you seek for and not to take their Kingdoms from them I told you If they break the Law of God you may reprove them If they hear you not you may leave them in their sins and shut Heaven against them If they fall to open Heresie or wilful impiety you may refuse to communicate with them in prayers and other divine duties yea you must rather yield your lives with submission into their hands than deliver them the Word and Sacraments otherwise than God hath appointed Say you so I promise you Sir if Kings must be dealt so strictly with though it cost you your lives I will be a Non-conformist a little longer though it cost me my livelihood rather than give Baptism the Lords Supper Absolution and the justifying assertions at Burials as commonly as I must do if I conform P. 525. Pastors have their kind of Correction even over Princes but such as by Gods Law may stand with the Pastors Vocation and tend to the Princes salvation and that exceedeth not the Word and Sacraments Other Correction over any private man Pastors have none much less over Princes Princes may force their Subjects by the Temporal Sword Bishops may not force their flock with any corporal or external violence Pag. 526. Chrysostom saith For of all men Christian Bishops may least correct the faults of men by force Judges that are without the Church may compell But here in the Church we may not offer any violence but only perswade We have not so great authority given us by the Laws as to repress offenders And if it were lawful for us so to do we have no use of any such violent power for that Christ crowneth them which abstain from sin not of a forced but of a willing mind Hilary teacheth the same Lesson If this violence were used for the true faith the doctrine of Bishops would be against it God needeth no forced service He requireth no constrained confession I cannot receive any man but him that is willing ☜ I cannot give ear but to him that intreateth I cannot sign that is baptize any but him that gladly professeth So Origen For all the crimes which God would have revenged he would have them revenged not by the Bishops and Rulers of the Church but by the Judges of the world Bishops by vertue of their Callings cannot command others or authorize violence or arms Pag. 541. Parliaments have been kept by the King and his Barons the Clergy wholly excluded and yet their Acts and Statutes good And when the Bishops were present their Voices from the Conquest to this day were never Negative By Gods Law you have nothing to do with making Laws for Kingdoms and Commonwealths You may teach you may not command Perswasion is your part Compulsion is the Princes Page 245. Far better St. Ambrose saith If the Emperour ask for Tribute we deny it not The Lands of the Church pay Tribute If he affect the Lands themselves he hath power to take them no man among us is any let to
difference as Christ hath appointed us to make And doth our Baptismal Covenant contain no promise and profession of godliness and obedience as well as of Belief and so of Repentance and a better life 2. Who would you have to be Judge in this matter Shall every one be Judge himself Then all Pagans Murderers Blasphemers may come in and turn Religion and the Church into a scorn If any must judge you would not sure set the Magistrates or people such a task on pain of damnation to leave their Calling to try and judge of the qualifications of expectants or Church-members 3. Whom do you think Christ committed this business to Who were the Judges of the Capacity of persons to be baptized or the desert of persons to be rejected Diotrophes could not have rejected Christians injuriously if he had not then had some Governing power 4. Hath not all Christs Church exercised such a Discipline as I have described since the Apostles days till now saving the corruption of it by ill additions or carnal neglects And hath all this Church been from the beginning under a false Government in the main Or is not Reformation a righter way than extirpation of Discipline as well as of Doctrine and Worship 5. Is it not the wickedness of Christians that is the chief hardening of Turks and other Infidels against Christianity And would they not encrease this pollution that would have the most vicious to be equally received with the best 6. Is not Faith for Holiness and did not Christ come to purifie a peculiar people and restore us to the Image of God And if for want of Discipline Saints and Swine be equally Church-members and partakers of holy things is that agreeable to this design of our Redeemer 7. If Oeconomical Government and School Government and Colledge Government be no wrong to Kings neither is the Church Government which Christ hath instituted I do not say all this to intimate that you say the contrary But because your Charge on Luther Calvin and other Protestants sheweth that you do sure mistake them And to tell you that I joyn with you in disowning the KINGDOM and Magistracy of the Mock-Church of Rome and of all that will imitate them But that I take the Enmity to and grosse neglect of true Church-Discipline to be one of Satans principal services that is done him upon earth against true Godliness The Churches and the Magistrates Power stated in matters of Religion In an hundred Propositions which almost all sober Protestant Teachers are agreed in A Reconciliation of the sober Episcopal Presbyterians Independents and Erastians To my very Learned sincere and worthy Friend Ludovicus Molinaeus Dr. of Physick The Author of many Treatises on this subject Dear Sir UPON the perusal of your Writings which you sent me the love of the Church and of Truth and Peace and you doth command me to tell you as followeth 1. That I make no question but that the Pride of the Clergy with their Covetousness hath for above twelve hundred years been a greater plague to the Churches throughout the Christian world than all the cruelties of the Laity And that the sensless forgetting the matter and manner of Christs decision of his Apostles Controversie Which of them should be the greatest hath divided the East and West and corrupted and kept down Religion whilest that the lives of the Prelates have perswaded the observers that they still took it for a more important Question Which of them should be the greatest than Whether they or their people should be saved And it hath ever been a matter of easie remarque that there have been seldom any dangerous Schisms on one side or any cruel Persecutions on the other side which the Clergy have not been the principal causes of And that the Laity would be more quiet if the Clergy did not delude them or exasperate them And that even the more mistaken and violent sort of Magistrates would have some moderation in their Persecutions if the Clergy did not make them believe that a burning killing Zeal is the mark of a good Christian and is the same that in Tit. 2. 14. is called a zeal of good works and that to destroy the bodies of men truly fearing God is the way to save their own souls or their Dominions at least when indeed the zeal of Christs commanding is a zealous Love to one another and a zealous doing good to others and the Devilish zeal as St. James distinguisheth it James 2. 15 16 17. is an envious hating hurting zeal 2. That in all this the Laity are not innocent but must thank themselves for the evil that befalleth them and that on two notable accounts 1. Because they have ordinarily the choosing of the dignified and beneficed Churchmen and they have but such as they choose themselves They think it is their wisdom as well as piety to make the Honour and Profit so great as shall be a very strong bait to Pride and Covetousness And when they have so done the Proudest and most Covetous will certainly be the Seekers and that with as much craft and diligence as an ambitious mind can use their parts to And he that seeketh by himself and friends is likest to find And the more humble and heavenly any one is and consequently most honest and fit to be a Pastor of the Church the further he will be from the Seekers way So that except it be where the world hath Rulers so wise and strangely pious as to seek out the worthy who seek not for themselves its easie to prognosticate what kind of Pastors the Church will have And verily they that choose them are the unfittest to complain of them Whereas if the Churches maintenance were such as might but prevent the discouragements of such as seek the Ministry for the works sake and for the love of souls that so Students might not make it a Trade for wealth but a self-denying dedication of themselves to God the Churches would be accordingly provided And they that intend the saving of souls would be the Candidates by their own and their Parents dedication as now they that intend a Trade to live and serve the flesh by in an honourable way are too great a part of them Or men might be further rewarded ex post facto for their Merits without being tempted to study principally for that reward And if we will needs have carnal men let us not wonder if they live carnally And if the carnal mind be enmity to God and neither is nor can be subject to his Law Rom. 8. 6 7. we may easily prognosticate how Christs enemies will do his work and guide his Church and whether their wills and wayes will be such as the conscionable can conform to 3. And the Laity are unexcusable because it is they in all those Countreys where Popery and Church-tyranny prevaileth who put their Sword into the Clergies hands and give away their own authority and set up men to vie