they be applyed without speciall commandment to be the matter of form of a stinted prayer or thanksgiving at this time they are the devise of man that is they are so applyed by man without the extraordinary guidance direction of the holy Ghost Let us suppose a stinted form of Liturgie or prayer to be framed of the very words and sentences of scripture wherein nothing is to be read by way of prayer praise exhortation or declaration of the end and use of the sacraments but the very text of scripture if it be demanded whether this stinted Liturgie be the devise of man or no I conceive our brethren will answer That the matter and form both is of God as they are parcells of holy writ but as they are prescribed and used as a stinted form it is the devise of man This may be concluded from their grounds for all stinted forms of prayer and administration to be used in the publick congregation not commanded of God be the devises of men as they hold But this foresaid stinted form is not commanded of God as they affirm Therefore it is the devise of men There is now no form commanded of God as they professe and therefore to prescribe any text of scripture to be read in the administration of the sacraments or the Lords prayer to be used as a prayer is the devise of man What is more constantly affirmed by them then this That a stinted form of Liturgie is no necessry means of Gods worship because in time of the Law God prescribed none to his people when they were in their minority In times of the Gospel our Saviour Christ who would not be wanting to his church in the necessary means of worship hath given no form to be used of all churches throughout the world nor tyed any one member of the church precisely to this or that form of words in prayer and none others That we are not necessarily bound to the very words of the Lords prayer because the Evangelists do not tie themselves to the same words or number of words in recording that form of prayer the Apostles did not bind themselves to those words but used others according to their severall occasions nor do we reade in scripture that they laid any bond upon the churches to repeat over those very words Though therefore the prayer it self was taught by Christ the matter be of God and the form as it is canonicall scripture and though it be left as a perfect and genuine rule of prayer yet the application and use of it in such and such manner at such or such times in prayer in respect of the words themselves that is of men and not of God by particular institution Thus the reason may be contracted briefly the ordinary use of the Lords prayer without variation or addition is either commanded of God and so necessary or devised by men and so free and arbitrarie either it is a naturall help as some speak to supply some defect or taken up upon free choice But it is not commanded of God it is not necessary necessitate praecepti or medii nor an help naturall to supply some defect Therefore it is free and arbitrarie as that which may be done onely but it is not necessary to be done This being observed it will easily appear how little that distinction of using forms inspired by the holy Ghost but not of forms devised by men will avail because there is no form at all prescribed by God as they maintein Secondly if that distinction be granted it is here impertinently alleadged because it cannot be applyed to any part of the reason For forms of prayer inspired by the holy Ghost and recorded as parts of the sacred Canon be not of necessary use for us because they are recorded have not the true matter and form of prayer as they are there registred but as they are put up in faith to God being suitable to our occasions and a devised form of prayer fit for the matter tendred unto God in holy affiance by the work of the holy Ghost hath the true matter and form of prayer God never gave commandment that all our petitions should be presented unto his Majesty in a form of words inspired by the holy Ghost immediately God never disallowed the prayers of the faithfull because the externall form or phrase of speech was devised by man If the devised form of prayer before and after sermon be worship acceptable to God because it is devised of him who is called of God to devise and endite it then all men living are called and commanded to devise the worship of God and not for themselves alone but others in some cases Then the forms of prayer publick or private morning and evening the forms of thanksgiving before and after meals is devised worship but acceptable for the foresaid reason But that God hath called and authorized every man living or all in the church to devise a worship acceptable to his Majesty is most strange And so this first reason stands firm That all things essentiall to prayer or necessarily required in prayer by the word of God may be observed in a stinted from devised by men CHAP. III. A stinted Liturgie or publick form of prayer is no breach of the second commandment THat which is the breach of no commandment which is no where disallowed in the word of God either in expresse words or by necessary consequence that is no sin For sin is a transgression of the law and where there is no law there can be no sin But a prescript form of prayer of Liturgie is the breach of no commandment is no where disallowed in the word of God The exposition of the commandments is to be found in the Prophets and Apostles but the Lord by his Prophets and Apostles doth in no place restrain us to the use of conceived prayer so to call it Prayer is Gods ordinance but whether our prayers be uttered in our own or others words whether by pronouncing or reading that is not appointed God requireth that we lift up our hearts unto him and ask of him in the name of Christ whatsoever we stand in need of and is agreeable to his will But when spake he one word of praying within book or without in this or that precise form of words More particularly a stinted form of prayer for matter and externall form lawfull and pure fit in respect of our occasions and the necessities of the church read or uttered with knowledge affiance and intention of heart is not a breach of the second commandment either in the deviser or user For if all stinted forms of publick prayer be a transgression of the second commandment then in their common nature such stinted forms agree with images devised for worship But stinted forms or prayer agree not in their common nature with images devised for worship False worship forbidden in the second commandment is
primitive church after the apostles the discipline of the church was in some cases very severe partly to prevent the abuse of Gods ordinances partly to maintein the dignitie and authority of the censures neverthelesse the godly were compelled to tolerate many disorders which they could not redresse not in doctrine and worship but in manners and conversation For as soon as Christians began a little to breathe from the fear of bloudy persecution they fell into dissolute idlenesse and began to nourish debate strife hatred emulation pride c. to heap sinne upon sinne as might be proved at large by the complaints of the Fathers made of the sinnes of the times in all sorts ministers and people men and women But it was and ever hath been the judgement of them who did so grievously complain of the sinnes of their times that the godly did not communicate with others in their sinnes although they did continue with them in the communion of the sacraments If a church depart from the Lord by any transgression and therein remain irrepentant after due conviction and will not be reclaimed it manifesteth unto us that God also hath left it and that as the church by her sinne hath separated from and broken covenant with God so God by leaving her in hardnesse of heart without repentance hath on his part broken and dissolved the covenant also The Lord Jesus threatneth the churches for leaving their first love and for their lukewarmnesse that he will come against them speedily and remove their candlestick that is dischurch them except they repent and spue them as lothsome out of his mouth It is true the Apostles mention corruptions in the churches with utter dislike severe reproof and strait charge of reformation and the Lord Jesus threatneth the churches for lukewarmnesse and leaving their first love But neither Christ nor his Apostles did ever blame the faithfull for holding communion in those churches in the ordinances of worship or give them charge to depart if disorders and abuses were not forthwith corrected and amended Not to enquire what is due conviction Not to enquire what is due conviction or when a church is to be deemed obstinately impenitent it is most untrue that the toleration of disorders or maintenance of corruptions of some kind by some yea by many in the church is to us a manifest token that God hath left it The history of the church from the very first plantation thereof unto this very day doth evidence that many and foul abuses disorders and corruptions have continued in the churches of God when yet the Lord did not utterly take from them all tokens of his visible presence This is confessed of the church of the Jews And if they continued the church of God when they had broken covenant for their part so long as the Lord continued the signes of his visible presence among them how dare any man think or say that God hath utterly left or forsaken that people amongst whom he dwelleth plentifully by the means of grace and unto whom he imparteth the graces of his Spirit though for their sinnes they deserve to be cast off The Lord is God and not man therefore the sonnes of Jacob are not confounded The Jews at first were chosen to be the people of God not for their righteousnesse but of the rich grace and mercy of God They continue to be his church not for their righteousnesse but according to his free and gracious promise And so long as Christ doth of his mere grace and love bear with the manners of his church and giveth her not a bill of divorce it is not for men to say or judge that he hath utterly left and forsaken her And seeing the faithfull must follow Christ dwell with Christ and abide with him so long as Christ doth dwell in the assembly by his presence and plentifull means of grace it is not lawfull for them voluntarily to depart and break off communion CHAP. XI Of holding communion with that assembly in the worship of God where we cannot perform all duties mentioned Matth. 18. 15 16 17. VVHosoever neglecteth Christs rule in proceeding with his minister or others of the church both partaketh in their sin and sinneth against Christs command Matth. 18. If he be ignorant of Christs rule and order yet he sinneth but if he know it and do it not then his sin remaineth Now the rule prescribed by Christ is That one brother offended should warn any member of the same church whereof he is a member if he offend him yea though it be his minister And if he reform not he must proceed to warn him more solemnly taking two or three with him doing it in the name of Christ If this admonition take not effect for reformation he must tell the church If the church then will not do their duty he must clear himself protesting against their neglect therein Hos 2. 12. The brief and plain meaning of this objection is That every Christian is bound to perform all those offices mentioned to every delinquent brother in society or communion and that it is not lawfull to abide in society or communion where a man cannot perform all those duties without defiling or undoing himself And therein is implyed that seeing the Jews had no such order for excommunication established amongst them therefore they might hold communion not withstanding the corruptions that were found amongst them To trie the strength of this argument let it be granted that our Saviour speaketh not of private managing of civil affairs and private injuries whereby we might recover what we lost by the injurie of our brother for that is an indulgence or benefit no commandment of rule and duty yea sometimes it is a fault not to suffer wrong but of church-admonitions and censures and that order which he hath set for the winning or punishment of offenders But then by a delinquent brother we must not understand onely one of the same particular society or fellowship but any one of what countrey or condition soever with whom we have religious fellowship If thy brother If any man that is called a brother thy brother that is a Christian For our Lord hath appointed no such course to be taken with them that are out of the church Suppose Christians of distinct societies living remote one from another do trespasse one against the other is not the innocent party bound to hold the course here prescribed with the delinquent brother The rule of our Saviour is not That one brother offended should admonish any member of the same church whereof he is a member that is an addition which the text will not acknowledge but If thy brother trespasse against thee Christ speaketh here unto his Apostles but not unto them simply as Apostles but as disciples Christians and followers of Christ because the things here commanded are common to all
merit of the Creatour much lesse can sinfull man who faileth continually in his best duties and offendeth in many things supererogate by doing some outward act not required or forbearing somewhat in it self allowable when outwardly and inwardly he cometh short in many things commanded But in every externall act which is neither work of piety mercy nor justice but onely an appertenance thereunto or an outward prerogative onely a Christian is not bound by the law of God evermore to do that which is best There is a latitude and extent of the commandments which God gave in bounty wherein he requireth not all that he might but what he pleaseth and if we keep our selves within the bounds prescribed of God we sin not David did well in taking care for and purposing to build the house of the Lord but seeing the Lord never spake word to David saying Build me an house if that resolution had never come into his heart he had not sinned They that sold their possessions and laid the price at the Apostles feet did very well whereas they might still have reteined their possessions without sin He that hath the gift of continency doth best if he marry not saith the Apostle in respect of the present occasion and his own freedome But if he marry he â—inneth not The Law required a sacrifice without blemish but simply the best in the flock it did not require He is accursed that having a male for sacrifice doth offer a corrupt thing but no such heavy doom is denounced against him who doth not offer simply the best male in his flock The churches of God sin not in reteining their ancient confessions of faith and forms of catechismes being sound plain and full in matters fundamentall concerning faith and obedience though some more exact methodicall or perfect might be framed If the excellency of one form exclude all others which have not the same measure or degree of exactnesse it will not be easie for our brethren to resolve how either to preach or pray or perform any other service to God at all How shall a minister resolve himself whether this be simply the best sermon that he can make for matter the fittest the exactest for method most proper for phrase profitable for composure How shall a Christian resolve himself whether it be best for him to pray ever so long as he shall be enabled or to contract himself as occasions shall require If a scrupulous Christian should enquire whether he might use the Lords prayer at all or use it onely and none other he could expect no satisfactory answer from them that oppose a stinted form of prayer by this argument For first they will tell him He may use a petition two or more or all in the Lords prayer even word for word if the holy Ghost directeth him then That the heads themselves in those petitions are so generall as no man can well for himself or others use them aright without some speciall relation or application to his or their particular estate or occasions neither can any mans or churches case or understanding reach unto all things needfull for all occasions times and persons as those heads do comprehend That our Saviour giveth us a rule and direction how to pray but tyeth us not to that form That the prayer cannot be ours properly if rehearsed because we are to say Our father and all things necessary for our selves and others for past and future times and conditions are comprehended in it and That if we ask all things comprehended in those petitions at one and the same time we shall ask things contrary which cannot be done in faith Lastly seeing it is a most perfect prayer wherein is no want or superfluity if it were Christs meaning to enjoyn the saying over of these words for our prayer to God then ought we to use these onely and none other because it should be but babbling presumption to joyn or put other prayers in stead of that which is so absolute and sufficient for the Lord will be worshipped with the best we have c. Lay these things together and what resolution can be gathered to that question but this He may use it He may not use it He may use other prayers with it When he useth it he may use none other because it is most perfect and sufficient For answer it might be added That in publick prayer the capacity and edification of the people is more to be respected of the minister then his own ability of conceit or utterance The phrase and disposition of words used in prayer in the assembly should rather be grave and simple then strained to the highest degree of fervency that the messenger of God is able It is also to be considered that what is simply best is not best in relation to this or that circumstance or end what is best in a time free is not best in a time not free And if a stinted form of Liturgie be not necessary to help the inability of the minister it may be expedient upon other grave and weighty considerations concerning the good of Gods church both ministers and people The imposition of set forms so to be used for matter and manner by our ministers hath a variation from I may say an opposition unto the law of fear and service sc That we should love the Lord with all our souls all our strength c. That which is said of our form to be used for matter and manner is altogether impertinent or turneth the edge of the argument For either all publick forms of prayer wherein a minister maketh not use of his own but other mens gifts be unlawfull and derogatorie to the honour fruit and benefit of Christs ascension and then it is impertinent to urge this of our form for matter and manner Or some forms be lawfull notwithstanding a minister maketh not use of his own but other mens gifts and then this is no just exception against the use of our Liturgie For if any publick stinted form of prayer be lawfull then ours is lawfull so farre and in what it agreeth with that lawfull form for matter and manner And what reason soever disproveth the use of ours for matter manner or what else soever can be objected that disproveth the use of all set forms that be of the same nature and use for matter or manner Thus therefore you may take the Argument If some set or stinted form of prayer be lawfull ordinarily to be used without addition or alteration though therein the minister make use not of his own but others gifts then our stinted form of prayer is not unlawfull because it is to be used ordinarily without addition or alteration though therein the minister make use not of his own but of others gifts For whatsoever maketh our form unlawfull that maketh all forms agreeing with ours in that particular unlawfull But the former hath been
not uttered without premeditation settled and digested or at least which is not immediately suggested by the Spirit in respect of words and phrase of speech If the latter then devised worship is not forbidden in the second commandment but worship devised by another For that prayer which should be pure worship if devised by a mans self is unlawfull worship when devised by another And so devised worship or prayer is not condemned but worship or prayer devised by another man And if this be not the devise of man I know not what is Can this alter the nature of the worship in the hearer or him that joyneth that the words in prayer are invented by another studied by the governour or more suddenly conceived In the judgement of some Divines the three first commandments are thus distinguished each from other That the first commandment conteineth all those our duties towards God which are naturall The second all those duties in Gods speciall worship which are instituted and either of these is both inward and outward The third commandment requireth the well using of both these and of all other things which come of God If this distinction be allowed a stinted form as such doth not at all belong to the second commandment For instituted worship and not the order or manner of performance is the matter of the second commandment Stinted prayer is unlawfull because a man in devising it doth not exercise his own gifts Though he exercise not his gifts in devising it in reading or uttering it as a prayer he may set his understanding judgement faith hope love humility fervency and other graces of Gods Spirit on work And if the minister do not may not the people exercise their gifts in hearing and so though it be unlawfull to him it is not so to them Stinted prayer voluntarily taken up upon a mans self is not so much unlawfull but prayer imposed upon men because in such case they subject themselves to mans ordinance in Gods worship This is a strange description of mans ordinance in the worship of God or of worshipping God after the ordinances of men For thence it will follow that the same devised worship voluntarily taken up hath some allowance as the ordinance of God and ceaseth onely to be of God when it is imposed Whereas the ordinances of men in Gods worship condemned in scripture are not mere matters of order forms of words and phrases circumstances of time and place determined by men according to the generall rules but matters of worship devised besides and against the word of God and are unlawfull whether voluntarily taken up and devised of our selves or imposed by others A prescribed set form is not agreeable to the word of God for circumstance because the prescribing of it is to set apart or sanctifie it for such an use without Gods command and so to idolize it above other prayers In what sense a stinted form of prayer is or may be set apart hath been shewed before But this description of setting apart or prescribing is a mere devise barely affirmed without any shew of reason What is here objected against a prescribed form may be affirmed of a prescribed place time and order for the celebration of Divine ordinances which are of the same nature with it and no more determined by the word of God And suppose the minister or governour maintein some erroneous conceit touching the prescribed form of prayer are the people children or servants hereby authorized to withdraw themselves from such prayers or the prayers themselves made unacceptable to such as know how to use them aright One man is of opinion that a prescribed form is better then another another that a prescribed form is unlawfull one that it is best ordinarily to use a stinted form another that he is to pray alwayes according to the present occasion in a different order and phrase of speech In these cases if the least errour do stain the prayers to others that they may not lawfully joyn together with whom shall the faithfull joyn at all Is not this to fill the conscience with scruples and the church with rents Errours and abuses personall they rest in the persons so erring and stain not others It is harsh to affirm that such hath been the estate of the church ever since the death of the apostles almost if not before that a Christian could not without sinne joyn with any publick assembly in prayer or participation of the sacraments that he must either separate from the prayers of the assembly and depart from the sacraments or derogate from the authoritie of God and worship him after the ordinances of men For if such was the state of the Christian church from that time what is become of those great and pretious promises made to the church in the times of the Messias Did the church begin to draw and give up her breath both in one day Many things were amisse in the church many corruptions did begin to bud in the apostles times and after their departure did put forth with greater vigour and the saints of God I doubt not offended many wayes through ignorance and infirmity which God in mercy was pleased to pardon unto them But that the state and condition of the church was such that a Christian could not hold communion in prayer and the sacraments with the churches of God is contrary to the many promises in scripture made to the churches of the New Testament It is true the scripture doth forewarn us of an apostasie from the faith and the mystery of iniquity began to work in the apostles dayes and after their death things declined more and more But that within an age or two after the apostles departure out of this life things were so corrupted that the godly might not hold communion with the church in prayer and participation of the sacraments is more then an advised Christian will dare to affirm or think But if a stinted form of prayer be unlawfull both to minister and people to him that administers according to it and them that joyn a Christian might not safely joyn in any church-assembly or congregation in prayer or participation of the sacraments within few ages after the death of the apostles if at all Unlawfull commands in matters of religion especially cannot be obeyed without sinne Hos 5. 11. and it is a sinne to walk after them many wayes In matters of religion if the commands of men be contrary to the commands of God for substance or matter of the thing commanded we must obey God rather then men But if the command of man be for substance of matter agreeable to the rules of scripture pressed onely with too great strictnesse or severitie it is not evermore against God nor our superiours nor the present age and posterity nor ourselves to yield obedience If it be an holy form of baptisme voluntarily to baptize into
derived from the community of the faithfull as the immediate receptacle Christ hath given some to be Apostles and some to be Doctours not all to be Apostles nor all to be Doctours But if the power of ordinary ministers be in the church and the power of ordinary teaching be given to every believer all should be made Doctours though not to continue so in excercising the power God hath set some in the church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers after that miracles c. Teachers in respect of their function office and jurisdiction are immediately from God as well as the Apostles and God hath set some onely to be Teachers not all The steward is appointed of the master of the family alone and hath all his authority and jurisdiction from him but the ministers of the Gospel are the stewards whom he hath set over his house The harvest is the Lords and to him it belongeth to send forth labourers into the harvest There be differences of ministeries but the same Lord. But if they have their order office and authority from God immediately they derive it not from the community of the faithfull Every embassadour in the cause of his embassage doth immediately depend upon him from whom he is sent both with the incorrupt and indelible instrument of commandements or mandates But the ministers of the word are the embassadours not of men but of Christ they are the ministers of Christ as having received power office and gifts from him and not of the church as if they derived their power from the faithfull The Pastours may be called the ministers of the church as the Lords ministers or servants and the churches ministers or servants are taken indifferently but they are the Lords ministers as they receive their authority office and gifts from him which they are bound to exercise and imploy to the glory of his name the ministers or servants of the church because they minister to the church or in the church and are instituted by the head of the church for the use and profit of the body The people are sheep and not the ministers but the Lords and for the Lord and the ministers are servants for the church but the Lords and not the churches in the sense above named And so they are and ought rather to be called the ministers of Christ then of the church for all power spirituall and ecclesiasticall is a gift of God supernaturall given to the church because it is first given to certain persons in the church and by them agreeth to the church as faith prophesie c. is in the church not primò and immediately but agreeth to particular persons in the church The officers are part of the house and houshold and they are the Lords servants in his house also and the people are the Lords servants in his house and not onely his house or houshold but they give not authority to the officers neither be they servants peculiar to do the things which belong to servants in office by peculiar right Power ecclesiasticall both of Order and Jurisdiction as it is usually called is signified by the power of the keyes or the power of binding or loosing But the power of the keyes is immediately given to the ministers and guides of the church from God and not from the church or community of the faithfull For the keyes contein not onely order but power exercise and all ecclesiasticall jurisdiction which the guides of the church received immediately from Christ As Peter received the keyes of the kingdome of heaven so the rest of the Apostles and as the Apostles so all their successours received them from Christ The Apostles had extraordinary power and might in some cases exercise it singularly and personally without concurrence of others and their commission was of larger extent then the charge of ordinary Pastours or church-governours but the spirituall power to bind and loose remit and retein sinnes open and shut the kingdome of heaven is communicated to all officers from the hand and by the mandate of the same Lord and Master One ministeriall power may be in degree of dignity above another for the power of one may be about more noble acts then the power of another or in the same kind the power of one may be more extended and the power of another more contracted Thus the Deacons had for the object of their power and care not so excellent a thing as that of Pastours Evangelists and Apostles thus the power of ordinary Pastours was not so universall as the Apostles even as in the orders of servants domesticall some are imployed about lesser some about greater and more honourable subjects But all power of the servants must be derived from the same master of the family upon whom they depend and unto whom they ow service and the whole power of the Lords ministers is derived immediately from Christ and not from the faithfull knit together in covenant The church cannot convey what she never had But the church may chuse her ministers as the Papists say The church doth chuse the Pope for the Cardinals do not chuse the Pope by their authority but of the church Therefore the church conveyeth authority to her ministers The church cannot virtually or formally convey what she never had but ministerially she may sc as ministring to him who hath power and virtue of deriving it Nothing can give that which it had not formally or virtually unlesse it give it as an instrument to one who hath it but so it may give what it never had nor is capable of A man not having a penie of his own may give an hundred pounds if the King make him his almoner A steward may give all offices in his masters house as ministerially executing his masters pleasure Thus the church deriveth as taking the person whom Christ describeth and out of power will have placed in this or that office in the church The persons of the ministers are not immediately separated by Christ to that function as were the Apostles but their gifts calling and authority is immediately from him In respect of their graces and office there interveneth to midst betwixt Christ and them but the appointment or designation of them to this or that place is from the church The office is not given of men but of God onely although in conferring and speciall applying that power and exercise he use men as instruments or ministers The church is in setting out or ordaining this or that man as the colledge is in chusing when she taketh the man whom the statute of her Founder doth manifestly designe And therefore though the church have power to elect their minister it followeth not that the power of the keyes is immediately in the whole multitude or society of the faithfull For electours have not evermore authority over him whom they elect
is not in fault as here we may well think some in Corinth mourned and endeavoured to have the incestuous person removed who else should inform the Apostle now far absent of this abuse and their grosse security but could not prevail and yet the Apostle rebuketh the whole society And the same may be observed in the Prophets they rebuke the common sinnes of many as if all had corrupted their wayes Again the Apostle might rebuke the whole society that he was not cast out when yet the authority to cast him out perteined to some onely Some he might rebuke because they were puffed up and did not sorrow nor admonish governours to do their office others because they did not cast him out or rebuke him earnestly to bring him to repentance Both the brethren and the officers might be remisse the one to stirre up by grief and just indignation the others to do the duties of their place and so both sorts worthily incurre rebuke So he might admonish them all not to be commingled with fornicatours but every one according to his place not the brethren by private familiarity and conversing not the guides by their remissenesse suffering him to abide in the society whom they ought to expell and cast out He might decree and command that when they were assembled together in the name of Christ they should deliver him to Satan some by their authority derived from Christ whereunto the rest must give free and willing consent It perteined unto them all to endeavour his casting forth but to every man in his order to the officers to cast him forth by their authority to the faithfull by admonition sorrow free consent and just indignation if upon rebuke he did not testifie repentance It concerned the people as well as the preists to put away leaven out of their houses and so every man was to put leaven out of his own house and every Christian man and woman is to purge sinne out of their hearts and do their endeavour to reform others But if this be applied to the purging and casting forth of the incestuous man then it must be remembred that similitudes hold not in every thing For otherwise every prticular man and woman in Corinth being a member of that society had authority of himself actually to thrust out the incestuous person which is directly contrary to the Apostles admonition For when they were assembled together in the name of Christ the Apostle willeth them to deliver up to Satan him that had done that wicked deed He designeth none other authour of this sentence but the Lord Jesus Christ in whose name that is by whose authority and commandment received from him he would have it to be administred For nothing can be done prosperously in the church unlesse all things we undertake be ordered according to the prescript of the chief and supreme Lawgiver But God never gave authority to every particular believer two or three to thrust every notorious offender out of the congregation as he charged every master of a family to put away leaven out of his house By the power of Christ is understood the incommunicable power or virtue of Christ whereby he worketh powerfully by his Spirit in the ministery of the word and confirmeth the sentence of the church rightly pronounced according to his promise That virtue or efficacious power by which he is with his church to the end of the world and promiseth to be in the midst of two or three that should be so gathered together in his name And Paul encourageth the Corinthians to minister the discipline of excommunication upon the incestuous man arming them thereunto by the mighty presence of Christ by which it should be made effectuall Or if by the power of Christ we understand both that which is proper to Christ and that which is communicated to his officers for the good and benefit of the church which is lesse probable yet there is no syllable that this power is given immediately to the whole community and from them derived to the officers much lesse that it is given originally and executivè both to a small company of believers without officers For the Apostle speaketh not of the power but of the execution of that power which God hath given and that by a church completely furnished with officers for that purpose The principall cause of that casting forth was the power that is the commandment and authority of Christ who is the authour of ecclesiasticall power the near cause the commandment of the Apostle Let him be delivered to Satan the next cause the authority of the governours to whom Christ hath committed the care of his flock But as the authority of Christ doth not take away the judgement of the Apostle nor the judgement of the Apostle the authority of the governours no more doth the authority of the governours the due regard and respect which must be had of the people in the execution of that dreadfull sentence To this purpose is the distinction of a twofold excommunication or power of the keyes used by Divines The first concionalis per modum doctrinae which is the first part of the power of the keyes and so the pastour alone may excommunicate the impenitent according to the commandment of Christ The second judicialis per modum sententiae which is not in the power of every pastour but of the church sc of the rulers or officers in respect of authority derived but to be exercised with due regard had to the communitie as the flock and sheep of Christ When the Apostle writeth to the Corinthians in behalf of the incestuous person to confirm their love towards him he saith it is sufficient that he had been rebuked of many thereby understanding not the whole society but the chief or governours to whom the care of ecclesiasticall discipline was committed And if the congregation was freely and deliberately to consent to his excommunication the authority of many was sufficient for his rebuke by whom it was performed to whom belonged the authority of binding and loosing ministerially It is true the word many is now and then put for all when the subject matter requireth it be so understood but there is no reason so to take it in this passage and if all had received authority immediately to rebuke by way of censure and ministerially we can give no reason why the Apostle should not rather have said of all then of many The question then is not whether all due regard should be had of the congregation or church in a matter of such weight and importance before the governours proceed to the sentence of excommunication but whether the power of excommunication and exercise thereof be primarily in the people and from them derived to the ministers which is not proved by this nor any other text of scripture Two or three met together in the name of Christ are the church that hath power to excommunicate But
Christians and not peculiar to the Apostolicall function It is further to be enquired in what cases we are to hold the course prescribed If thy brother sin against thee This cannot be meant of secret offenses known unto one onely For wisdome and piety both forbid us to bring into light the private sinnes and offenses of brethren whereof they cannot be convinced for this is to be a revealer rather then a healer of our brothers infirmities If I know an offense committed by another whereof I can make no proof in love I must admonish him privately mourn and pray for him and so leave him to the Lord to whom the judgement of secret things doth belong This is acknowledged by them who interpret this text of sinnes secretly committed against God In those sinnes which are so hid and secret that he who should deny them can be convinced with no witnesses there is none or very little place left to this saying of Christ Some would have it that Christ speaketh of secret offenses against God because the word is most properly used for sinne and another for wrong and injury but this will bear no weight For the word is generall but the phrase To sinne against thee is spoken of wrongs and injuries against men As Let not the King sinne against David his servant that is Do not evil unto him Plot not evil or death against him because he hath not sinned against thee that is He hath hurt thee in nothing He hath offended thee in no matter Did I not say unto you Sinne not against the lad that is Hurt him not or Kill him not for so Reuben spake unto his brethren when they thought of killing Joseph When any one hath sinned against his neighbour that is hath hurt or offended him by any means What have I sinned against thee or against thy servants that is Wherein have I done wrong or injurie to thee And so in this passage If thy brother sin against thee that is If he hurt or wrong thee not If thou be privie to his sin This is plain if it be compared with that of Luke If thy brother sinne against thee seven times a day and the question of Peter If my brother sin against me how oft must I forgive him till seven times and our Saviours answer I say not unto thee Till seven times but Vntill seventy times seven times Neither is our brother to be accused for every light fault or trespasse against us but for that which is scelus or affine sceleri or for that which is an argument unlesse the rest of his life be known and approved of a prophane man a contemner of God and his neighbour There are some faults of men as it were naturall and of no great moment there it is not alwayes necessary that complaints should be doubled Some faults are to be wrapped up in silence and covered with the cloke of charity Not all sinnes are meant but such as are stumbling-blocks to mens consciences and such as are manifest to be sinnes and to be committed in case they should be denied But though sins against God be not expressely intended in this place by analogie they must be understood because the principall end why our brother offending is to be admonished and complained of if he do not repent is the salvation of his soul which hath place in sinnes against God no lesse then in offenses against our selves But herein Christian moderation requireth that many ignorances errors infirmities and weaknesses of quotidian incursion which overtake the godly be covered in love and not made the matter of complaint and censure Some errours and frailties be of that nature that if by admonition of love I cannot cure them I must cover them in love yea though the party out of a false perswasion that he is in the truth when he doth erre should be obstinate It must also be remembred that this duty first by one then by more and lastly by the church upon complaint made is affirmative and bindeth onely when occasion season and opportunity is offered or a Christian in speciall is called thereunto An oath is one branch of Gods worship but he dishonoureth not God who never sweareth if he be never lawfully called thereunto and the like may be said of the duty of admonition by way of censure It is the office of a chirurgian to launch and cut when need requireth but it is no impeachment to his skill or office if he was never enforced to that service If the occasion of admonition be just a Christian must further wait for the season when it may be fit to administer it best and in what manner For admonition must be used as physick which is not like to work kindly unlesse the patient be in right temper to receive it And for complaint to the church if private admonition first by one then by more prevail not a Christian is not ordinarily bound unto it when he cannot perform it or do it with good successe If the Jews had not the distinct ordinance of ecclesiasticall excommunication yet the Lord took order then as well as now that no sinne should be suffered unreformed no obstinate sinner uncut off And therefore if a man committed a sinne whether of ignorance or otherwise for which he was not to die without pardon he was to be told and admonished of his offense and to manifest his repentance But the obstinate and presumptuous were to be cut off So that the godly amongst the Jews were first to admonish the transgressour and if he did not repent then to proceed further according to the Lords ordinance But now suppose the guides temporall or ecclesiasticall to whom the matter must be brought be so corrupt that they would countenance the offender punish the complainant establish the disorder rather then redresse or amend it in this case what should the innocent do must he complain to his undoing or leave his standing in the church as unlawfull because he cannot do the duties which God calleth for at his hands The shepherds of the church of the Jews were many times blind wicked vain persons such as Christ calleth thieves robbers hirelings The scribes and Pharisees what were they but blind guides corrupt teachers who caused the people to erre If the disciples or faithfull had sought to them for reformation of abuses or redresse of offenses what could have been expected If by the church we understand either the guides and governours or the whole society and faithfull we know the guides of the church are many times remisse idle partiall corrupt The Corinthian Pastours built hay and stubble upon the foundation which Paul had laid amongst them were false Apostles deceitfull workers who did transform themselves into the Apostles of Christ In Galatia the Pastours troubled the church with corrupt doctine The Angels of