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A88108
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A brief plat-form of that government which is called Presbyterial. By William Ley minister of the Word at Charlwood in Surrey.
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Ley, William, b. 1620 or 21.
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1648
(1648)
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Wing L1887; Thomason E457_1; ESTC R204958
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18,562
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30
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not censure but by the law of God But is not the Church holy and hath it not in it many times rare gifted Brethren as well as officers Is not this objection a kin to that of Core Yee take too much upon you you sons of Levi seeing that the congregation is holy There is a three-fold Holiness 1. A Regenerative holiness of sanctification 2. A Federall holiness of covenant and Church-membership 3. A Separative holiness by way of Office Jer. 1.5 Though the Church may bee granted to bee holy in the first and second sens yet never in the third Remembar Vzzah Corah Dathan Abiram and King Vzziah 2 King 15.5 But to the point 1. Som are gifted as Christians 2. Others are gifted as Officers and in this sens the Brethren are ungifted Brethren Rom. 10.15 Hebr. 5.4 But here a great question is moved at this day Whether the Magistrate have not the power of Church-Government in him and so the Keyes fall not onely out of the hands of the people but of officers themselvs The Reverend Divines of London tell us that the Magâ—strate hath a power circa not in Ecclesiam 1. They have a defensive patronizing power Isa 49.23 2. A Diatactick or Regulating Ordering Power 3. A Compulsive Punitive Power as Custodes utriusque Tabulae the Keepers of both Tables But as for a Supreme power they desire to bee excused as bound not onely to give to Caesar what is Caesars but to God what is Gods To these I add what Sleidan relate's of Luther Sleid. Com. 1 14. That hee would not have Caesar stirred up as head of the Church or as Protector and Defender of the Faith for this saith hee is a wrong to Christ and these are fals and emptie Titles Ambrose tell 's us in his Epistle to Valentinian A good Emperor is within the Church not above it Eusebius bring 's in Constantine thus speaking to the Ministers Euseb l. 4. de vit â Constant You are Overseers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of those things don in the Church I of those things which are don out of it Ridley in his conference with Mr Latimer Fox Martyrol saith Fox Martyrol pag. 1564. Here cometh to my remembrance that notable saying of Valentinian the Emperor for choosing the Bishop of Millain Set him saith hee in the Bishops seat to whom if wee as men do offend at any time wee may submit our selvs Rivet in his Commentary on the fifth Commandement tell 's us that the Magistrate may bee considered either as an officer of the Common-wealth or els as a member of the Church as an Officer of the Common-wealth so hee hath authority over each particular person as a member of the Church so hee is subjected to Ecclesiastical discipline this hee illustrate's by a Simile The The King doth command and obey his Physitian and confirm's also by a proof from Heb. 19.17 Master Calvin could not brook this Title of Supreme Head and Governor Calv. nos Anglos blasphemos dixit quòd Regem summum caput sub Christo vocarent Cal. Gom. in Amos 7. ver 12. and therefore accounted our English Courtship of styling our King next to Christ Supreme Head and Governor to bee no less then blaspemie and hee tell 's us further that somtimes the Magistrate is negligent nay somtimes the Magistrate may stand in need of correction himself as hapned to Theodosius Caesar who was excommunicated by Ambrose for his great slaughter at Thessalonica Pareus tell 's us that the Magistrate punisheth one way the Church another the Magistrate imprisoneth the Church excommunicateth the Magistrate proceed's immediately the Church by leasure first admonishing then censureing the Magistrate his eye is upon the Law the Churches on Repentance The promise of bindeing by excommunication Ista promissio an unius anni dicenda vel paucorum Cal. in Instit lib. 4. cap. 11. of loosing by receiving into Communion was not a promise made to the Church for one yeer onely till the Christian Magistrate were grown up it was not a Leas but a Legacie And indeed were it otherwise the Church would bee in a wors condition under Christian Magistrates then under Heathen For Paul's command prevailed over the Corinthians to purge out their old Leaven 1 Cor. 5.7 Now it is neither Paul nor Apollos that sine nutu Caesaris can prevail for Reformation and bring his Congregation to an effectual purge If a Physitian should bee prohibited to purge the body of his Patient till hee were back't with a command from higher Powers as the Officer is to purge the body of his Church hee would esteem it a thing extreme injurious to him and his Patient III. By Presbyterial Government every particular Church shall have a Consistory consisting of Pastor and Elders of the same Church who ought to meet once a week to dispatch incident business Acts 21.18 It hath authority to assemble and inquire into the conversation of men of all sorts and degrees to judg upon Lewdness Prophaneness Negligences and thereupon to admonish 1. Privately 2. Solemnly 3. Publickly And to withdraw Communion that they may bee ashamed to suspend from Sacrament upon contumacie 2 Thes 3.14 And to conclude inferior differences ariseing within the Body IV. In the last place I com to set down the variety of Officers which are thus disposed 1. Pastors are thus disposed 2. Elders are thus disposed 3. Deacons 1. Pastors are Officers instituted by Christ Rom. 10.15 Heb. 5.4 1. Pastors Tit. 1.5 1 Tim. 3.2 to ver 8. Naynot onely by Christ but by all the persons of the Trinity 1. God the Father 1 Cor. 12.28 2. God the Son Ephes 4. ver 11.8 3. God the holy Ghost Acts 20.28 Consider good Reader the desperate malignity that such bear to the Trinity to the Church to the Scripture that denie the office of the Ministerie to bee instituted by Christ what doth the great Wolf Satan desire more then the delivery up of the Shepherds that so hee may tear in pieces the Flock of Christ while there is none to deliver see Matth. 28.19.20 Go saith Christ and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father the Son and the holy-Ghost teaching them to observ all things that I have commanded you and Io I am with you to the end of the World with you Hee mean's not their Persons for they died but their Office which is perpetual This place will not admit of so frivolous a Descant as som have made of it Mr. M. of H. * That Christ promiseth his Saints to bee with them to the World's end which though true yet it hath no ground nor is deducible from this proof for there are two different and distinct Particles in the last vers them and you By them is understood the Flock by you the Pastors To conclude that which God hath promised in all ages that calling which hath its Seal from heaven in
Rod a sanctified means for recoverie 't is not for us to say with Lot Nay my brethren do not so wickedly nor with Eli It is no good report I hear of you If a garden were over-spread with weeds if a Common-wealth with Theevs if a Familie with stubborn Sons and Servants what must bee don think you would you not as the Lord command's bring them out to the Congregation and make them examples that all may hear and fear and do no more wickedly Bad men brought forth bad times let us begin to reform the men and the times shall bee innocent els the times like the ground are accursed for our sakes Gentlemen Center not your actions upon your self bee not emptie vines and self-bearing trees build not your own houses and let the hous of God lie waste do somthing for Christ for his Church for the Common-wealth that both Church and Common-wealth may know yee live not onely a vegetative and sensitive but a rational and spiritual Life I confess I am plain with you but I may say with David Is there not a caus hath hee not don the like Psal 2.10 Hee take's notice indeed that the Heathen rage and the people imagin vainly yet the totall application of subjection to Christ is pressed home to Kings and Rulers bee wise now therefore Ministers must bee like bees painful profitable carrying their stings about them as well as honie Christ gave his Apostles Tongues but they were fierie a Sword but 't was two-edged John was not onely a shineing but a burning Light Paul's presence was contemptible but his Epistles powerful I might indeed have qualified som expressions in respect of that great respect and reverence I bear to all of you but becaus dutie must prevail above interest and the discharge of Conscience above Courtship I have therefore set an edg upon the Government intending by the sincere performance of my own Office to oblige you all to the serious and speedy accomplishment of your new engagements and thus I commend you to God and earnestly beg a blessing on your favorable assistance to the Caus of Christ whose unworthie Servant I am and for his sake Your's in all Obligations both of Love and Service WILLIAM LEY A Brief delineation of that Church-Government which is called Presbyterial THough where the Sun shine's it is not necessarie to light Candles yet seeing mans neglect in reading the Word his ignorance in understanding of it his wilfulness in opposing it is very great all helps are necessarie every stone is to bee moved whereby hee may advance his knowledg in those things which do manifestly concern the glory of God and do discover the Kingly power and prerogative of Jesus Christ For though it bee happie for us that Christ is a Priest and Prophet yet hath hee a more durable and glorious Office then either of these to wit that of a King whereby hee reign 's in our hearts rule 's in his Church over-rule's Satan and all his enemies Christ came into the world to manifest his Regal power to which Satan and his complices have been perpetually opposite see Psal 2.1 Further the historie of his Passion put 's it out of all doubt for this was the onely point of his accusation confessed by himself Job 8.33 Prosecuted by the Jewes Luke 23.2 Prevalent with Pilate Joh. 19.12 Mentioned in his superscription Joh. 19.19 so that his death may in this sens bee styled not a Redemption but a Martyrdom for to bee a Martyr is to die a Witness and Christ died to bear witness to the truth which may shame many brethren in these daies that will not dare to Seal that Caus with their ink which Christ hath already sealed with his blood I intend not in this discours to spin out the Caus by any unnecessary florishes for I had rather engage the Readers judgment theu his fancie It is a jugling art to throw mists of wit and tart sentences upon the advers party that so the nakedness of the Caus may lie undiscerned The Points I shall insist upon are these Four That God hath instituted a Government in his Church That the Subject of Ecclesiastical power are not all the members of the Church in common but the Presbyterie consisting of Pastors and Elders I shall show what Presbyterial Government is I shal give account of the variety of Officers distinguished by the Word with the proper Acts whereunto they are obliged I. GOD hath instituted a Government in his Church The proofs 1 Cor. 12.28 2 Cor. 10.18 and 13.10 Rom. 12.8 Becaus there hath ever been a Government in the Church of God as is evident in the Old and New Testament and ever since the Apostolical times till now of late the Truth of a Government was never called into question Becaus without Church-Government Truth cannot bee maintained Order established Ignorant instructed Vnity anb Vniformity embraced the Peace of the Church secured Offenders removed Ordinances purely administred all which things ought to bee kept inviolably by the Word of God If there bee a Government in the State nay in every Family consisting of Officers and Elders much more in the Church which is the hous and family of God so it is that of necessity every body whether Natural Politick or Ecclesiastical is susteined by it Rules 2. I. That Government is best that com's neerest the precept and pattern of the Word of God and the best examples of the reformed Churches 1. To the pattern of the Word of God for it is all-sufficient 2 Tim. 3.16 and to this our conscience binde's us 2. To the best examples as Scotland Holland France Germany c. and to unite with these Charity Fraternity and our Covenant binde us II. That Government is best which is not redundant or superfluous in challenging any power above or beyond the Word nor deficient or wanting in any one branch or notable particular contained in it The Definition of Church-Government Church-Government is a power or authority spiritual revealed in the holy Scriptures derived from Jesus Christ our Mediator and given by him onely to his own Officers and by them exercised in dispensing the Word Seals Censures and all other ordinances of Christ for the edifying of the Church of Christ Parts proved 1. It is Spiritual The Kingdom of Christ is not of this world therefore are they called the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 16.19 and 18.15 16 17 18. 2. It is revealed in the Scripture 1 Cor. 12.28 2 Thes 3.6 and 14. 1 Tim. 1.20 1 Cor. 5.4 5. 2 Cor. 2.6 Tit. 3.10 3. It is derived from Christ Ephes 4.8 Joh. 20.21 22 23. 2 Cor. 10.8 4. Onely to his own Officers Matth. 16.19 and 28.20 1 Tim. 5.17 1 Cor. 4.21 5. For the edifying of the Church of Christ Ephes 4.12 13. 1 Cor 4 2. 1 Cor. 14.12 II. The Subject of Ecclesiastical Government are not all the members in common but the Presbyterie or Church-representative consisting of Pastors