labour in the Word and Doctrine Much use hath been made of this Text to little purpose I shall not now mention any of all that I have seen and read of it but give you as God hath enabled me the true sense of this Scripture and let the unprejudiced Reader judge And that we may understand the mind of Christ in it we will consider 1. By whom and to whom this Direction was given It was by the Apostle Paul the great planter of the Churches of the Gentiles and who as an Apostle had Power and Authority to order and determine all the affairs that concern'd the Discipline and Government of the Churches of his own planting Both this and the other Epistle was written by him to Timothy whom he left as his Substitute or Surrogate with Apostolical Power under him in the Church of Ephesus to ordain Presbyters as there should be occasion and to dispose of the Dignities and Revenues of the Church to such as were most worthy of them and would best improve them to the Glory of Christ and the Churches benefit And for the same end it was that he left Titus in Crete as his Substitute or Overseer in that Island as appears Tit. 1.5 So that this advice was not sent to the people nor to the Inferior Presbyters who were to be ordered by it but to one in a higher Sphear of Authority and by whom they were to be ordered whether for distinction sake he be called Evangelist or Bishop or President or Moderator the difference is but verbal 2. What doth the Apostle mean by the double honour here There are two things that seem to bid fair for the Sense which will both come to one in the issue 1. The Honour of Maintenance and so we find the word sometimes used in Scripture as ver 3. of this Chap. Matt. 15.6 Acts 28 10. and the following words of the Apostle in this Scripture seem to look this way and then the Sense must be this Let those Officers of the Church that best discharge the Duties of their Office in ruling but especially in Preaching which is the more noble and necessary part of their Work have the greatest encouragement on this kind i e. Let not the Revenues of the Church which were then but small and uncertain be bestowed promiscuously much less partially 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but so as may best subserve the Churches good Government and the grand Design of preaching the Gospel 2. The Honour of Authority and Obedience And this is the prime sense of the Word as it is used in the Fifth Commandment Honour thy Father and thy Mother Exod. 20.12 is the same with Obey your Parents Eph. 6.1 And obey them that have the rule over you Heb. 13.17 and so is the word used Heb. 5.4 No man taketh this Honour unto himself i. e. this Office this Dignity this power and authority And this indeed is much more worthily and properly call'd Honour than a rich worldly Revenue or a fat Benefice or Bishoprick things unborn in those days which men too often abuse both to God's dishonour and their own Now if this be the Double Honour here intended as to me seems most probable at least that it is included as the most eminent part of it then the sense will be this Let those Presbyters or Ministers that appear on experience and tryal to have a Spirit of Government but especially with it an eminency of ability and diligence in preaching the Word be made Rulers and Superintendents over the inferior part of the Clergy let such be taken into the Collegium Presbyterorum regens the Regency of the Church So that it is not the distinction of Office but the qualification of the Officer that the Apostle gives this direction for 3. We must consider the persons on whom this double honour is to be conferr'd or who are thus to be dignified as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies and these are Elders describ'd 1. In genere by their Office 2. In specie by their Qualifications 1. By their general Office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a word always us'd to denote the Ministers of the Word in the Gospel-Church as Act. 11.30 ch 14.23 ch 15.2 6 22 23. ch 16.4 ch 20.17 ch 21.18 Tit. 1.5 Jam. 5.14 1 Pet. 5.1 2 Ep. John 1. and Epist 3.1 2. By their special Qualification which is double 1. They much be such as Rule well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is another Title peculiarly given in the New Testament to the Ministers of the Word whose Office it is to Rule as well as to Preach 2. They must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as labour in the Word and Doctrine So that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not distinguish as I have said between two Offices but between the twofold Qualifications of one and the same Office There were in the Church of Ephesus which was a Collegiate or Presbyterial Church many Presbyters the Talent of whose Gifts lay diversly as we find it doth in all other Churches some were fitter for Government others for Preaching some excelled in one Gift others in another Now the Apostle advises Timothy how to make his choice of Persons for Government in the Presbytery whom to prefer to and entrust with a double honour or higher degree of Dignity and Power in this kind and sphere of Government and tells him they must be such as have behav'd themselves well in the Pastoral Government of their particular Flocks and Congregations and especially such of them as are most eminent and laborious in Preaching the Word whereby they purchase to themselves a good Degree as it is said of the Deacons 1 Tim 3.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a place of higher Honour and Trust from a Deacon to a Presbyter from a Presbyter to a President Preferments ought to be dispensed according to every ones Qualifications and Merits Whence it appears that there are Degrees in the Ministerial Office And this is that the Apostle here gives this Direction about not at all countenancing a Non-Preaching Ruling Lay-Elder but discountenancing a Lordly Lazy Non-Preaching Bishop or Superintendent That the Preaching Elder or Minister of the Gospel is to Rule as well as to Preach the Word is so plainly asserted in Scripture that I think cannot by any be denied But if this Ruling Power were divided by Christ or his Apostles between Them and the People or any part of the People can any one give us a reason why neither Christ nor his Apostles should ever speak a word to direct us how the Division of this Ruling Power must be made What must be their part and what ours How they must be qualified as well as we and the Deacons for which they were careful to give the necessary Rules Yea and how they must be maintain'd too For to lay the burden of an Office on a Man and to make no provision for his Maintenance seems hard and not
Priscilla and Aquila of Nymphas and Philemon which were equivocally call'd Churches because some Congregations of the Believers did either occasionally or statedly assemble to worship God there or as others think because all of these Families were converted to Christianity and so became Churches or Houses of God which is little to our present Question Besides these Churches thus planted by the Apostles in Towns and Cities did still retain their first names and singularity For one may always observe that where the Scripture speaks of the Churches of a whole Province or Countrey it speaks of them as of different and distinct Churches in the plural number as the Churches of Judea 1 Thes 2.14 the Churches of Asia 1 Cor. 16.19 the Churches of Syria and Cilicia Act. 15.41 the Churches of Galatia 1 Cor. 16.1 and Gal. 1.2 and the Churches of Macedonia 2 Cor. 8. 1. because all these were large Countries in which were many great Towns and Cities in which the Churches were distinctly planted and according to which they had their names and number But when it speaks of the Christians in one Town or City it speaks of them as one Church in the singular as the Church of Jerusalem Act. 8.1 the Church of Antioch Act. 13.1 the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 1.2 So when the Churches of Asia are spoken of together they are the seven Churches according to the number and names of the seven great Cities of Asia in which these Churches were planted but when written to singly it is the Church of Ephesus and the Church of Smyrna and the Church of Sardis c. And it is to be observed 1. That this account never once fails in all the New Testament which proves that it is not spoken indifferently but industriously and for our instruction 2. That Churches were thus reckoned in the times of John when he was in Patmos which was 64 years after Christ in all which time it is incredible that all the Christians in one of these great Cities were no more than would make up one Congregation 3. That there is no mention in the Scripture of any Churches planted in the Countreys adjacent to these Cities and Towns yet it is rational to suppose that there were many Converts and some Congregations too in the Country-Villages as well as in the great Towns and therefore that these made up but one Church with that of the Town or City Hence I conclude that these things being written by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost for our admonition a Church and a Congregation are in the language and account of Scripture two things And that it is very unreasonable and unwarrantable to alter the first Constitution or Denomination of the Churches as they were left us by the Apostles as far as they went and therein a Rule given us to do the like 'T is true the Universal Church was once but one single Congregation at Jerusalem and from which all the other Churches sprang as so many Daughters on which account she is call'd the Mother of us all but when other Churches were form'd that at Jerusalem was no more the Universal Church but only an integral part of it and co-ordinate with other Churches for its Universality was not of the Essence but only a sperable adjunct of it nor did she propagate these Churches which afterward sprang from her as she was Universal but as she was a Church And so all the Churches of the Apostles planting were at first but single Congregations yet it doth not thence follow that every single Congregation is a Church I mean that which in the Scripture is honour'd with the name of a Church that is the Presbyterial Synodal Classical Diocesan or Collegiate Church I would not be thought to deny to the Congregational or as now they are call'd Parochial Churches any thing either of name or of priviledge that is their right but will call them for distinction sake Pastoral Churches and grant that they have a power of governing themselves as such as every Family hath a power and right to govern it self and every Troop and Company in an Army by their own proper Officers within their own Sphears and cannot be legally impos'd on by other Family-Masters or other Captains with whom they are equal But what Families are to Corporations and these to Kingdoms or Common-wealths and what Troops and particular Companies are to Regiments and these to Armies such are Congregations to Churches that is Presbyterial Churches and these to the Universal I am not now concerned to speak of the Church Universal which is in Scripture call'd The Church but of the Presbyterial which alone is that which in Scripture is call'd a Church that is a perfect and adult Church that hath power by its Officers to propagate and constitute other Churches and Congregations and to over-rule all the particular Pastors of the Charges and Congregations that are within its bounds and limits This Presbyterial or Collegiate Ruling Church must consist of a pars Regens and a pars Regenda all cannot be Rulers here nor equally interessed in the Power of Government that were Democracy and but one little remove from Anarchy neither can the Power rest in one single Person that were absolute Monarchy which is the common Parent of Tyranny but it must therefore be a select number or Collegium of such of the Presbyters or Ministers of the Gospel as are best qualify'd with Age Gravity Experience Learning Piety and especially Humility Charity Moderation and Contempt of the World with an Holy Zeal and Diligence which are the Qualifications the Scripture in this case requires And this company of Ruling Presbyters in every such Church must have one Head or President which is the Episcopus Episcoporum or else it were a Monster an heap of confusion and unororganiz'd matter This Head must be One else there can be no union nor consistency of the parts nor attainment of its ends This One Head must be fixt and constant and that in the same Person till there be just cause to change else the Government cannot be steddy but is dissolved and broken and consequently the Church with all its particular Congregations most dangerously expos'd And this is that Government which is call'd Aristocracy and may as properly be call'd a mixt or limited Monarchy which I take to be most agreeable to the Pattern given us in the Mount of the holy Scriptures And is so far from intrenching upon the Right or infringing the Liberty or Government of the Church Congregational that it is the best Defence to it and as a strong Wall about it 'T is true it may be abus'd and what is there in the World that may not but to plead against any Form of Government only from the Abuse of it is Cavil and not Argument From what hath been said I conclude that the Presbyterial and Diocesan Church in the Essentials of their Constitutions are one and the same thing Tho' there be many Words
that are between them And now Sirs you see here 's a Foundation for a much larger Discourse than time or strength will at present bear I shall contract my self into as narrow a Circle as I am able that I may not too far transgress the Bounds assigned me CAP. II. The Doctrinal Proposition Stated and Cleared THIS practical Text appears to be very pregnant of practical Doctrine which might be distributed into several Branches But he that studies brevity must avoid all unnecessary division I shall offer but these three Proposition I. That Believers are Christs own mystical Flock and He their great Shepherd Prop. II. That the Ministers of the Gospel are they to whom the LORD Jesus Christ hath committed the Care and Rule of this his mystical Flock Prop. III. That a Ministers want of Care and Concern for the Flock of Christ is an indication of the want of Love to Christ himself Either of these singly would fill up more time than is allotted me for this Action The second Proposition is that wherein the stream of the Text seems to run and unto which both the other will without forcing come in to its Improvement Wherefore I shall lay down this for the Basis and Bound of my following Discourse That the Ministers of the Gospel are they to whom the LORD Jesus Christ hath committed the Care and Rule of his Mystical Flock In the Prosecution of this Truth I shall briefly answer these four Questions 1. What this Flock is concerning which this charge is given or who they are whom our LORD would have us to understand by His Lambs and His Sheep 2. Why these Names of Lambs and Sheep are given them 3. Who the Ministers of the Gospel are with whom this charge is left 4. What the Duty is that is required of them or what our dear LORD and Master would have us to understand by Feeding them And then shall conclude all with some useful Inferences both to Ministers and People Quest 1. What this Flock is concerning which this Charge is given or whom our LORD would have us to understand by His Lambs and His Sheep Sol. The Question needs not many words The general sense of this common Scriptural Metaphor is obvious But that which makes the question is that distinguishing if it be here a distinguishing Relative My Sheep Mat. 25.32 33. We have there all the World divided into two sorts Sheep and Goats i. e. Believers and Unbelievers Wherefore by Sheep in that Scripture and with whom the Lambs are also included being oppos'd to the Goats we may understand no other than true Believers The sound and sincere part of Professors which is no larger than the Church Invisible These indeed are His Sheep in the most proper and peculiar sense But that the Word in the Text must not be so restrain'd is certain because our Commission would then be unintelligible and lose its ends it being impossible for us to be assur'd who are the Sheep and who the Goats till the Judgment of the Great Day determine and reveal it Who then are My Lambs and My Sheep If I may expound my Text by that of Matth. 28.19 the question will well-nigh be answered Go ye therefore and teach all Nations That Teaching here is the same with Feeding in the Text I suppose will be granted All Nations i. e. those of all and of any Nation that are willing to receive the Gospel and to be taught by you And that all Nations are His both as Creator and Redeemer I hope will not be denied But then how are all Nations call'd His Sheep and His Lambs I have already said that all Nations are those of the Nations that would receive the Gospel of which sort Christ hath had some in all Nations Besides many of those that are not actually his Sheep are Potentially and Electively so The extent of the Commission and Command seems to run thus Feed all those both Young and Old that will be fed by you of what Nation or Countrey or Place soever they be that those that are not yet actually my Sheep may be made so and then cared and provided for as such This is the general Call of the Gospel If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Joh. 7.37 And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Joh. 6.37 All that will may and must be fed But yet not all alike As there are Babes and Strong Men in Gods House so there is Milk and stronger Meat that which will cherish one will choak another All Ordinances may not be indifferently administred unto all In the Old Temple there was the Inner and the Outer Court so there is in the New But this being a matter of Order and Discipline may be recogniz'd in a more proper place This little may now be enough to be said on this first question Quest 2. Why are these names of Lambs and Sheep given them Sol. We find 't is a Metaphor that the Spirit of God in Scripture delights much in Were it expedient 't were easie enough to illustrate the Analogy in many particulars But that it becomes not the present occasion I shall but suggest these two general Reasons 1. To mind us what we are of our selves 2. To teach us what we should be 1. To mind us what we are of our selves The Sheep as one observes is of all Cattel the most silly Franz Histor Animal Sacr. Fearful Weak and Unprovided for self-defence none so subject to Diseases and to be Infected of one another Nor any other Creature more apt to go astray or so unapt to return without the help and care of the Shepherd No other kind of perfect Animal so unable to subsist and to preserve it's Species in the Earth without the care and conduct of Man as is the poor Sheep therefore no other Metaphor more proper to express the Nature and Condition of the Church of Christ in the World by which without the Wisdom Power Providence Faithfulness Love and All-sufficiency of our Heavenly Shepherd the LORD Jesus Christ must inevitably and eternally perish 2. 'T is to teach us what we should be The Sheep you know is that Creature which was of old in a more especial manner dedicated to God and offered to him in Sacrifice and made a Type of Christ our great Propitiatory Sacrifice The first Offering to the LORD that we find honour'd with his Acceptance was that of Abel of the Firstlings of his Flock Gen. 4.4 Besides the Sheep is a Creature not only Ceremonially clean but is naturally cleanly and delights not in the Mire and Dirt as the Sow 'T is a Meek Innocent Patient Creature and us'd as a common Emblem of Patience 'T is one of the most profitable of Cattel of which there is nothing but is one way or other useful to all the purposes of humane Life And which is very remarkable they have a natural Instinct of vehement Love and Regard for
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that labour among you and admonish you So Heb. 13.7 Those that Rule are the same with those that Preach the Word and ver 17. They are said to Watch for Souls which as it may imply other work so it must import Preaching the Word in which sense the word is ordinarily used in Scripture And here the Rulers and the Watch-men are the same Many other Texts there are that freely offer to avouch this Truth but these are enough to prove what I aim at That the work of a Minister of Christ is both to Teach and to Govern the People committed to his charge And he that is not fit to Govern is not worthy to Teach them But to obviate any scandalous Reflexions that Ignorance or Envy may make on this Position and Claim of our Governing Power in the House of God which is his Church We heartily declare our Abhorrence of all those Popith Tenets and Pretensions which are any way derogatory to the just Power and Authority of the Civil Government under which we live and unto which we profess our chearful and constant Obedience both as Men and as Christians Our Spiritual Government of Gods Spiritual Kingdom in our respective Charges being no more prejudicial to that of Temporal States and Kingdoms than is the Despotical which is the Natural Right of every Family Yea so far from prejudicial that it is accumulative both of their Honour and Security as the Experience both of the Primitive and of the best Reformed Churches have unquestionably proved and which might in many particular instances were it necessay be demonstrated From what hath been now thus briefly said I conclude this Question That Feed my Lambs and my Sheep implies these two things Teach them and Rule them wherein the whole works of the Ministerial Office is included But to tell you how they must be taught and how they ought to be ruled will need much more time than is here allotted me or is now convenient for me to take Yet this being the Main of my Errand to you something must be spoken to it as time and strength will serve in the Applicatory part to which I now proceed CAP. III. The Doctrine improved by way of Instruction THIS Doctrine would be useful more ways than I shall be able now to apply it Yet give me leave to suggest some of the more necessary things under these three general Heads Instruction Exhortation Encouragement 1. By way of Instruction and that in these eight particulars 1. In the Right and Propriety that Christ hath in his Church They are his own Sheep Joh. 10.3.4 No Shepherd in the World ever had or can have that absolute undefeasible supream independent and natural Propriety in his Flock as Christ hath in his They are His both as God and as Redeemer His by right of Creation Donation Purchase Regeneration and their own voluntary Choice and Self-dedication His Portion His Inheritance His peculiar Treasure Nothing is nearer nothing dearer to him than they His Mark and his Name is upon them his Spirit his Nature his Image his Glory shines in them The Scripture is full of his Claims to them and by which they are distinguish'd and separate from all the rest of the World Joh. 15.19 And this is the ground of that Caution 1 Pet. 5.2 3. Feed the Flock of God which is among you Neither as being Lords over God's Heritage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruling but not Domineering Governing but not Tyrannizing more Regio imperantes as Deputies and Rulers in trust not as Lords and Kings Non Regnum sed Cura Presbyteris commissa est beccause they are not Yours but God's Heritage his Clergy whether Ministers or People for the word in the use as well as derivation of it reaches both Church-Tyranny is an Encroachment upon Christ's peculiar Right To Rule with a Lordly Grandeur with Rigour or Arbitrariness to Monopolize the Power which ought to be more equally distributed is very injurious not only to the Flock but to him who is the LORD of it and whose Servants and Stewards we profess our selves to be And which is a guilt that the proudest He upon Earth will not have the hardiness to own before his Judge another day 2. In the tender Affection and Care he hath for them Nothing is more apt to endear a thing to us than Propriety That which is our own we love though it be not as it should be nor as we wish yet because 't is our own And those that do otherwise are justly reckoned among the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without natural Affection and worse than Infidels But should I begin to tell you what dearness of Affection the LORD Jsus Christ hath for his poor little Flock where should I end Eternity will be little enough with admiration and praise to recount the glorious Soul-ravishing Instances of this Love He loved them so as to leave the Eternal Throne of his Glory and the sweet Repose he had from Everlasting in the Bosom of the Father for them So as to humble and abase himself to the vile Raggs of our Humane Nature to the Miseries and Necessities of an indigent life to the proud Scorns and blasphemous Indignities of a wicked and horridly ungrateful World to the foul Temptations and Buffettings of Satan to the imputation of Sin the only thing so abhorrent to his pure and sinless Nature to the Bondage Obedience and Curse of the Law to the Wrath of God which he never in the least for himself deserved and which to any one else would have been utterly unsupportable to the most ignâ—â—â—inious torturous and accursed Death of the Cross and to the power of Death his own Servant and common Executioner for a time And all this his Love to them overcame and sweetned to him Yea and having loved them he loves them still and will love them to the end yea without end And therefore delights to speak of them always with some Intimations of their dearness to him as his Friends his Brethren his Children his Lambs his Spouse his Members c. for all which I had no need to quote you the Scriptures And as is his Love to them so is his Care of and Provision for them When he saw it expedient for them to depart from them as to his bodily presence and to leave them here in a Militant state exposed to the Rage of his and their Enemies both Temporal and Infernal to be hated and tempted and persecuted to the death for his sake O how did his Soul pity them with what compassion did he embrace them and seal his unchangeable Love to them what a stream of endearing Affection and Care doth there run thro' his parting Discourses with them Joh. 14.15 and 16. How sweetly doth he counsel and comfort them there and is so concerned for them that he seems to take no care for himself though he knew that dreadful Hour was now come wherein that Wrath must be
say if I say any thing did not the sense of my Duty oblige me to accept of the Burthen that is laid upon me and to discharge it with that sincerity and impartiality according to the measure that is given me of God for his Churches Service as doth become one that desires to be found faithful I confess my heart cannot but shrink at the thoughts of entring into this rough and thorny Province this Seat of War where I see so many Parties engag'd and Swords drawn at one another God knows and my Brethren are my Witnesses that this is not a Work of my own seeking nor am I come as an Advocate of any of the contending parties but with an earnest desire and design of Peace and Truth In the prosecution whereof I shall purposely as far as possible decline any use of the sentiments or suffrages of such as have been at sharps on this Argument and confine my self to those Oracles of the divinely inspired and revealed Truth in the Holy Scriptures the Rule which at last we must be determined by if ever we be well determined The word that God this way putteth in my mouth that shall I speak as he shall please to give me understanding and utterance and let those that are otherwise minded consider before they censure Should I pretend to assume the whole Question of Church-government it would swell into a volume whereas I intend only this one short Chapter for what I shall now say on this Subject and therein as little as I can which yet to some perhaps may seem too much and to others too little I shall not spend any time in writing an Encomium of Government either in general or particular which hath been done by many others of the usefulness and necessity whereof the whole rational world is experimentally sensible But of Government there are divers kinds according to the diversity both of the matter and form of it That which we are now to consider is the Ecclesiastical or the Government of the Church and House of God in the World The Apostle tells us There is no Power but of God the Powers that be are ordained of God Whosoever therefore resisteth resisteth the Ordinance of God Rom. 13.1 2. The Powers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Potestates Governments that are amongst men are God's Ordinance tho all the evil ways of climbing into it and male-administration of it or imprudent circumstances in the constitution of it be not of God but of men But if all the Powers and Governments of the world be of God then hath he not left his Church which is his peculiar Kingdom without Government But the Question is not Whether Ecclesiastical Government in the general be jure divino but whether there be any particular Form of this Government that is so and what that Form is This is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Nodus vindice dignus There are some that deny there is any Form of Church-Government appointed of Christ under the New-Testament but that it is left to be modified by the Rules of Human Prudence and Discretion But then such would do well to let us know when and where and to whom the Lord Jesus Christ hath committed this Power of Legislation and establishing the Forms of Government to his Churches 'T is true there are some Circumstantials of Government that are and must be left to the Discretion of Governors to be adapted pro re natâ to the present state of the Governed But if the Essentials of Government be left to the wisdom and will of men then are the Churches in a very ill case Nor do I know how we shall be able to prove That as Moses was faithful in all the house of God as a servant so Christ much more as a son over his own house Heb. 3. begin But that he was so de facto in the business of Government and Discipline as well as in Doctrine and Worship and satisfaction to God as our Redeemer is well enough to be prov'd from the Scriptures Whence I conclude that the Government of the Church is appointed of Christ in the Holy Scriptures in specie as well as in genere Of those that are thus far agreed there are yet divers Opinions and Parties some are for this Form of Government others for that the Reasons of which disagreement are commonly some such things as these 1st An invincible ignorance of the true sense of the Scriptures in this Point and the very mind of Christ and his Apostles in them Charity obliges me to believe that there are very many of most of the contending Parties that would readily and cheerfully acquiesce in the Sentiments of their Opposers could they but overcome the Reasons which they think they have truly and rightly drawn from the Scriptures to be otherwise minded And yet it is most certain that there is gross and affected ignorance enough among the Contenders of all sides And these are the persons that are wont to be most fierce and confident The mind of Christ is in it self but one and can be no more therefore our disagreement about it necessarily concludes our Ignorance or something worse on the one side or the other 2. The natural fondness that men have for their own Ways and Lusts Though there is no Government in the World of so pure a nature or firm a texture or constitution but that it may be abus'd to the service of base ends and private interest yet there are some Modes and Forms of Government that are in themselves more directly accommodated by the Policy of the Compilers and Founders of them to such purposes And such are they especially that are of mens devising and obtruding on the Spiritual Kingdom of Christ For Usurpers be sure will always frame their Laws and Methods in favour of their own Designs And were there nothing else but private Interest and Design among the Parties concern'd that difference that is amongst men on this account must needs be an occasion of contention But much more must such as are acted by Principies of true Conscience and Integrity think themselves bound to protest against all such politick and carnal Forms of Government 3. The Gross Abuse and Degeneracy of a good and well ordered Government The purest and most durable Metal if not well kept will in length of time grow foul and rusty and look very unlike it self and then it will be question'd and quarrell'd at and deny'd to be what in truth it is And the same fate are the best Governments in the World subject to As was the Kingly Government among the Assyrians in the days of Sardanapalus and among the Romans in the days of Tarquinius Superbus And so it hath been of several other Forms of Government amongst men The best and most sacred Constitutions that ever were in the Earth by their abuse have fallen under the Odium and contempt of the more inconsiderate part that are apt to lust after new things and
the Teaching and Ruling Authority together and committed it in conjunction to the same hands But what God hath joined together let no man put asunder Quest 3. By what Laws must they be ruled Sol. Not by Laws of mens devising which they are wont to accommodate to the service of their own Inclinations and Ends but by the written Laws of his own prescription The Oeconomy is Spiritual and Divine and so must the Laws be by which it is administred Other Foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 The Foundation of Government and Discipline as well as of Doctrine and Worship is laid by Jesus Christ and whoever lays any other Foundation in either of these entrenches on Christ's Prerogative and shall do it to his own peril Tho' in the necessary Circumstantials of all these humane Prudence and Authority hath a determining power for the Order Peace and Edification of the Church but not to its destruction or disturbance I say the necessary Circumstantials but unnecessarily to multiply Circumstantials under the Notion of Indifferents and on pretence of Decency or Authority is a very unacceptable and offensive piece of Superstition and to impose them as the indispensible terms of Communion on such as are not satisfied about them is not the least Instance of Church-Tyranny Church Officers are but Christ's Deputies and not Lords of Gods Heritage and therefore must rule by Christ's Laws For he is our Judge our Law-giver and our King Isa 33.22 Our Power is but to execute 't is he that must make and give the Laws And what these Laws are and where to be found I need not say the Holy Scriptures are his Statute-Book If they speak not according to this Rule it is because there is no light in them 2. The Rulers If there be some to be ruled there must be others to Rule Relata se simul ponunt tollunt qui novit unum Relatorum novit alterum Yet here it will be enquired who are those that are to Rule I shall not take notice of the Regal Power or how far it being Christian it extends both over Pastors and People not only as Civil Subjects but as Christian Churches and not only in the things of men but in the things of God but shall refer my Reader for this to Mr. Baxter of National Churches and to others that have written of it it being forreign to my present Text. But as Pastors and People are two distinct Political Bodies so there must be two distinct Forms of Government proper to each of them I shall speak 1. Of the People These are to be rul'd and not to rule in the House of God I know this is an hard saying and that there are many that can badly bear it nor would I thus displease them could I help it and yet be faithful Those that are for a Democracy seem to be guided by the same Spirit as they were Numb 16.3 Who gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said unto them ye take too much upon you seeing all the Congregation is holy every one of them Wherefore then lift ye up your selves above the Congregation of the LORD That the Tribe of Reuben should be guilty of such a thing was not so strange but great pity it was that any of the Tribe of Levi should conspire with them There is no Minister of Jesus Christ that can consent to such an Usurpation and be innocent and true to the Trust committed to him Let those that are for the Peoples ruling in the Church of Christ shew us when and where the Keys of Government or any one of them was put into any of their hands Where did our LORD make them partners with us in the Government of his Church Or what part of the Governing Office and Work was it that he assigned to them Herein I am sorry that I must dissent not only from Men of an inferiour Note and more Heterodox Principles but from the Learned Calvin too and almost all that follow him For I could never yet find in Scripture any such Officer as a non-preaching ruling Elder appointed of Christ or of his Apostles in the Church The one and only Officer that Christ himself made was the Minister of his Word the Evangelical Pastor whose work was to feed and to rule the Flock To which the Apostles afterward added the Office of the Deacons as Servants to them and Helps in the meaner part of their work as may be seen Act. 6. begin and as Moses did for the ease of his Government by the advice of Jethro Exod. 18.18 c. Which tho' it be Apostolical yet cannot be said to be Primarily but only Secundarily Jure Divino The Scriptures that are alledged in favour of this Ruling Lay Elder do not as I think prove any such conclusions which I shall now examine and leave all to the consideration of such as can without prejudice weigh what I am now bold to offer One Text we have Rom. 12.6 7 8. To which I have this exception If the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that ruleth be here mention'd as a distinct Officer in the Church then why not all the rest of which we have these seven in this one Scripture viz. he that prophesieth he that ministreth he that teacheth he that exhorteth he that giveth he that ruleth and he that sheweth mercy But if we go to work in this way how will Offices be multiplied in the Church beyond all that was ever intended or imagined And then 1 Cor. 12.28 29 30. where we have no less than nine mention'd among which we find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they would have to signifie the Ruling Lay-Elder and so we would believe too could they prove that all the rest here mentioned were so many Offices in the Church They insist very confidently on these words of sanction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath set and appointed but why this word which hath undeniably an equal relation to all should make or prove one to be an Office and not another I confess is a depth that I am not able to fathom Here as I think the great mistake lies that Gifts and Offices are confounded The Apostle 1 Cor. 12.4 5 6. very plainly distinguishes between Gifts Administ ations and Operations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where by Gifts are meant the Abilities bestowed upon the Offices or Administrations in order to the operations or effects of them to the edifying of the Church Now in the fore-mention'd Scriptures we find a diversity of Gifts and Operations but Gifts and Offices are not the same But there is one Scripture more which hath been already quoted on the Doctrinal part of this Discourse which seems to speak more fully to their purpose and to make a distinction between Preaching and Ruling Elders viz. 1 Tim. 5.17 Let the Elders that Rule well be accounted worthy of double honour especially they who