â—RENâ—CUM A VVEAPON-SALVE FOR THE Churches Wounds OR THE DIVINE RIGHT OF Particular forms of CHURCH-GOVERNMENT Discuss'd and examin'd according to the Principles of the law of Nature the positive Laws of God the practice of the Apostles and the Primitive Church the judgment of reform'd Divines Whereby a Foundation is laid for the Churches peace and the accommodation of our present differences Humbly tendered to Consideration By Edward Stillingfleete Rector of Sutton in Bedfordshire The Second Edition With an APPENDIX concerning the power of Excommunication in a Christian Church Let your Moderation be known unto all men the Lord is at hand Phil. 4. 5. Si ad decidendas hodiernaâ— controversias jus divinum à positivo seu Ecclesiastico candidâ— separaretur non videretur de iis quae sunt absolutè necessaria inter pios aut moderatos viros longa aut aeris contentio futura Isaac Casaub. ep ad Card. Perron Multum referâ— ad reâ—inendam Ecclesiarum pacem inter ea quae jure divino praecepta sunt quae non sunt accuratè distinguere Grot. de Imper. sum Potestat circa sacra cap. 11. London Printed for Henry Mortlock at the Phoenix in St. Pauls Church-yard neer the little North door 1662. THE PREFACE TO THE READER I Write not to increase the Controversies of the times nor to foment the differences that are among us the one are by far too many the other too great already My onely design is to allay the heat and abate the fury of that Ignis sacer or Erysipelas of contention which hath risen in the face of our Church by the overflowing of that bilious humour which yet appears to have too great predominancy in the spirits of men And although with the poor Persian I can onely bring a hand full of water yet that may be my just Apology that it is for the quenching those flames in the Church which have caused the bells of Aaron to jangle so much that it seems to be a work of the greatest difficulty to make them tunable And were this an Age wherein any thing might be wondered at it would be matter of deserved admiration to hear the noise of these Axes and Hammers so much about the Temple and that after these nigh twenty years carving and hewing we are so rude and unpolished still and so far from being cemented together in the unity of the Spirit and the bond of Peace May we not justly fear that voyce Migremus hinc when we see the Vail of the Temple so rent asunder and the Church its self made a Partition wall to divide the members of it And since the wise and gracious God hath been pleased in such an almost miraculous manner so lately to abatâ— the Land-flood of our civil intestine Divisions how strange must it needs seem if our sacred Contentions if Contentions may be call'd sacred like the waters of the Sanctuary should rise from the Ankle to the Knee till at last they may grow unpassable Must onely the fire of our unchristian animosities be like that of the Temple which was never to be extinguished However I am sure it is such a one as was never kindled from Heaven nor blown up with any breathings of the Holy and Divine Spirit And yet that hath been the aggravation of our Divisions that those whose duty it is to lift up their voyces like Trumpets have rather sounded an Allarm to our contentious spirits then a Parley or Retreat which had been far more suitable to our Messengers of Peace In which respect it might be too truly said of our Church what is spoken of the Eagle in the Greek Apologue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Eagle saw her breast was wounded sore She stood and weeped much but grieved more But when she saw the dart was feather'd said Woo's me for my own kind hath me destroy'd It is not so long since that version of the vulgar Latine Psal. 68. 15. inter Domini cleros might have been sadly rendred to lye among the pots and Pierius Valerianus might have met with too many Examples to have increased his Book De Literatorum Infoelicitate and in the next age it might have been true again what Matthew Paris observes of the Clergy in the Conquerours time adeò literaturâ carebant ut caeteris stupori esset qui Grammaticam didicâ—sset But blessed be God who hath freed us from that Daemonium meridianum of Ignorance and Barbarism may we be but as happily delivered from the plague of our divisions and animosities Than which there hath been no greater scandal to the Iews nor opprobrium of our Religion among Heathens and Mahumetans nor more common objection among the Papists nor any thing which hath been more made a pretence even for Atheism and Infidelity For our Controversies about Religion have brought at last even Religion it self into o Controversie among such whose weaker judgements have not been able to discern where the plain and unquestionable way to Heaven hath lain in so great a Mist as our Disputes have raised among us Weaker heads when they once see the battlements shake are apt to suspect that the foundation its self is not firm enough and to conclude if any thing be call'd in question that there is nothing certain And truly it cannot but be looked on as a sad presage of an approaching Famine not of bread but of the Word of the Lord that our lean Kine have devoured the fat and our thin ears the plump and full I mean our Controversies and Disputes have eaten so much out the Life and practice of Christianity Religion hath been so much rarified into aiery Notions and Speculations by the distempered heat of mens spirits that its inward strength and the Vitals of it have been much abated and consumed by it Curiosity that Green-sickness of the Soul whereby it longs for novelties and loaths sound and wholsome Truths hath been the Epidemical distemper of the Age we live in Of which it may be as truly said as ever yet of any that it was saecolum fâ—rtile religionis sterile pietatis I fear this will be the Character whereby our Age will be known to Posterity that it was the Age wherein men talked of Religion most and lived it least Few there are who are content with the Dimensum which God hath set them every one almost is of the Spanish Iesuâ—tes mind Beatus qui praedicat verbum inauditum seeking to find out somewhat whereby he may be reckoned if not among the Wise yet among the Disputers of this World How small is the number of those sober Christians of whom it may be said as Lucian of his Parasites 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were not at leisure to be sick of this pica 1 Tim. â— 4. such as longed more to taste of the Tree of Life then of the Tree of Knowledge and as Zenophon speaks of the Persians
will be with his Disciples to the end of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if we take it for a state of things or the Gospel-dispensation that is as long as the Evangelical Church shall continue For that in Scripture is sometime called The World to come and that Phrase among the Jews of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world to come is set to express the times of the Messias and it may be the Apostle may referr to this when he speaks of Apostales tasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the force and energy of the Gospel preached whence the Kingdom of God is said to be not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not in word but in power which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spoken of by the Apostle elsewhere the powerfull demonstration of the Spirit accompanying the preaching of the Gospel When Christ is called by the Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the everlasting Father the Septuagint renders it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the Vulgar Latin Pater futuri saeculi the Father of the World to Come that is the Gospel State and to this sense Christ is said to be made an High Priest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Law to be a shadow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of good things which should be under the new state of the Gospel And which is more plain to the purpose the Apostle expresseth what was come to passe in the dayes of the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Ages to come where the very word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used to this sense And according to this importance of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some very probably interpret that place of our Saviour concerning the sin against the Holy Ghost that it should not be forgiven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither in the present state of the Iewish Church wherein there is no sacrifice of expiation for contumacious sinners but they that despised Moses Law dyed without mercy so neither shall there be any under the World to come that is the dispensation of Gospel Grace any pardon proclaimed to any such sinners who â—â—ample under foot the blood of the Covenant and offer despight to the Spirit of grace Thus we see how properly the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may agree here to the Gospel-State and so Christs promise of his Presence doth imply the perpetuity of that Office as long as the Evangelical state shall remain which will be to the Worlds end The third thing whereby to know when positive institutions are unalterable is when they are necessary to the being succession and continuance of the Church of God Now this yields a further evidence of the perpetuity of Officers in the Church of God seeing the Church its self cannot be preserved without the Government and there can be no Government without some to Rule the members of the Church of God and to take care for a due administration of Church-priviledges and to inflict censures upon offenders which is the power they are invested in by the same authority which was the ground of their institution at first It is not conceivable how any Society as the Church is can be preserved without the continuance of Church-Officers among them As long as the Body of Christ must be edified there must be some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fitted for the work of the Ministry which is appointed in order to that end For that I suppose is the Apostles meaning in Ephes. 4. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 following the Complutensian copy leaving out the comma between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which makes as though it were a distinct thing from the former whereas the Original carryes the sense on for otherwise it should have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and those who follow the ordinary reading are much at a loss how to explain that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coming in so in the midst without dependance upon the former Therefore the vulg Latin best renders it ad consummationem sanctorum ad opus ministerii for the compleating of the Saints for the work of the ministry in order to the building up of the body of Christ and to this purpose Musculus informs us the German version renders it And so we understand the enumeration in the verse before of Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers not for the persons themselves but for the gifts of those persons the office of Apostles Evangelists Pastors c. which is most suitable to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the eighth verse He gave gifts to men now these gifts saith he Christ gave to men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the fitting the Saints for the work of the Ministry Not as a late Democratical Writer would perswade us as though all the Saints were thereby fitted for this Work of the Ministry for that the Apostle excludes by the former enumeration for are all the Saints fitted for Apostles are all Prophets are all Evangelists are all Pastors and Teachers as the Apostle himself elsewhere argues And in the 8 v. of that chapter he particularly mentions the several gifts qualifying men for several usefull employments in the Church of God the Spirit dividing to every man severally as he will Therefore it cannot be that all the Saints are hereby fitted for this Work but God hath scattered these gifts among the Saints that those who have them might be fitted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because God would not leave his Church without persons qualified for the service of himself in the work of the Ministry in order to the building up of the Body of Christ. And by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here may be meant no other then those he speaks of in the chapter before when he speaks of the Revelation made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to his holy Apostles and Prophets and so God gave these gifts for the fiitting the holy Apostles c. for the work of the Ministry It cannot be meant of all so as to destroy a peculiar function of the Ministry for Gods very giving these gifts to some and not to others is an evidence that the function is peculiar For else had the gifts been common to all every Saint had been an Apostle every believer a Pastor and Teacher and then where had the People been that must have been ruled and governed So that this very place doth strongly assert both the peculiarity of the Function from the peculiarity of gifts in order to fitting men for it and the perpetuity of the Function from the end of it the building up of the Body of Christ. Thus I have now asserted the perpetual divine Right of a Gospel-Ministry not only for teaching the Word but administration of Ordinances and governing the Church as a Society which work belongs to none but such as are appointed for it who are the same
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 3. 24. which a Learned Interpreter â—enders the portion of his Apostolacy or the Province which fell to Iudas his lot in the distribution of them among the Apostles which saith he is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into which Matthias did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 go and from which Judas fell by his sin This Exposition is very often suggested by that learned Author but with all due reverence to his name and memory I cannot see any such evidence either from Scripture or reason to enforce any such Exposition of either phrase yielding us sufficient ground to for sake the received sense of both of them For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is plainly nothing else but that office of the Apostleship which belonged to Iudas without any relation to a Province and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is that proper place which belonged to Iudas as he is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Son of perdition and no other But the very foundation of this mistake is that the several Provinces into which the Apostles were to go for preaching the Gospel were distributed among them before they were filled with the Holy Ghost which is an Hypothesis will not easily be granted by any one that doth but impartially consider these things That if the Provinces were so distributed among them it must be either before the death of Christ or after and it must be before if Iudas had a peculiar Province assigned to him which this Exposition necessarily implyes but how Provinces could be divided among them before they had their Commission given them to preach to all Nations is somewhat hard to understand It must be then immediately after Christ had bid them preach to every creature that they thus distributed the Provinces among them but several things make this very improbable First The grosse mistake of the Apostles concerning the very nature of Christs Kingdom which we read Acts 1. 6 when they jointly ask Christ Lord wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel They dreamâ— still of a temporal Kingdom according to the common opinion of the Jews and Is it probable they should distribute among themselves the several Provinces for Preaching the Gospel who thought that Christs Kingdom would have been established by other means then going up and down the World They looked that Christ himself should do it by his own power Wilt thou at this time c. and did not think it must be done by their means much lesse by their single going into such vast parts of the World as the twelve divisions of the World would be Secondly It appears very improbable any such division of Provinces should be made then when they were commanded to stay at Ierùsalem and not to stir thence till the promise of the Spirit was fulfilled upon them Tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem till ye be endued with power from on high Luke 24. 49. And being assembled together with them be commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the Father Acts 1. 4. Is it likely when the Apostles were thus straightly charged not to leave Ierusalem till they were endued with the power of the Holy Ghost they should contrive the dispersing themselves abroad all over the World especially when Christ told them that it should be after the coming of the Spirit that they should go abroad Acts 1. 8. and that the Spirit should fit them for their work Iohn 15. 26 27. Iohn 16. 13. by teaching them and testifying of Christ. Thirdly If such a distribution of Provinces had been made so early among the Apostles how comes it to passe that after they were endued with the Holy Ghost they did not every one betake himself to his several Province there could have been then no plea nor excuse made for their stay any longer at Ierusalem after the promise of the Spirit was fulfilled upon them And yet after the persecution raised at Ierusalem when most of the Church were dispersed abroad we find the Apostles remaining still at Ierusalem Acts 8. 1 14. Would they have been so long absent from their charge if any such distribution had been made among themselves Fourthly The Apostles occasional going to places as they did argues there was no such set division of Provinces among them The first departure of any of the Apostles from Ierusalem was that of Peter and Iohn who were sent by common order of the Apostles to Samaria after they heard that by Philips preaching they had received the Word of God Not the least mention of any peculiar Province of theirs which they were sent to So Peters going from Ioppa to Casarea was occasioned by Cornelius his sending for him Fifthly That Provinces were not divided appears because of so frequent reading of many of the Apostles being together in one place first the whole twelve at Ierusalem after that Peter and Iohn together at Samaria about four years after Pauls conversion we met with Iames and Peter together at Ierusalem fourteen years after this we find Iames Peter and Iohn there Is it any wayes probable if all these had their distinct Provinces assigned then they should be so often found together at Ierusalem which certainly must belong but to the Province of one of them Sixthly It seems evident that they divided not the World into Provinces among them because it was so long before they thought it to be their duty to preach unto the Gentiles Peter must have a Vision first before he will go to Cornelius and as yet we see they retained that perswasion that it is unlawful for a Iew to keep company or come unto one that is of another Nation Acts 10. 28. Nay more then this Peter is accused for this very action before the Apostles at Ierusalem Acts 11. 2 3. and they laid this aâ— the ground of their quarrel that he went in to men uncircumcised and did eat with them how this is reconcilable with the whole Worlds being divided into Provinces so early among the Apostles is not easie to conceive unlesse some of them thought it unlawful to go to their own Provinces which certainly must be of the Gentiles most of them Seventhly Another evidence that Provinces were not divided so soon is that Peters province so much spoken of viz. That of the circumcision fell not to his share till near twenty years after this time we now speak of upon the agreement between Paul and Peter at Ierusalem If Province had been so soon divided how comes the Apostleship of the Circumcision to be now at last attributed to Peter Was it not known what Peters Province was before this time and if it was how come Paul and he now to agree about dividing their Provinces Nay further Eighthly These Provinces after all this time were not so divided as to exclude one from anothers Province which is requisite for a distribution of them much lesse were they