spirit and truth for through him we are become new creatures unto God the Father created in Christ not to a new worship but to the same worship more pure and perfectly to worship in spirit then heretofore The reason why Christ would institute no other worship nor allow none to be true-true-worshippers but those that worshipped in spirit and truth simply plainly and nakedly is extracted from Gods owne Essentiall nature God is a spirit and therefore will be worship'd in spirit and truth Also God is one simple pure spirituall Essence therefore he will have no invention nor no mixture of any Rites Ceremonies or observations but plainenesse And againe God will with the simple plainenesse of his worship and preaching confound the wisedome and superstitious curiosity of man for the naturall corruption of man not savouring nor discerning the beauty and sweetnesse of spirituall things doth out of a slavish feare and superstitious curiosity seeke a will-worship of his owne invention which God hates But the enlightned soule sees most heavenly and glorious delights in the plaine and simple ministration of Gods word for the minde not sticking in the outward forme and signes of the mysteries shee flies with the wings of Divine speculations into the presence of God and his Angels as Tertullian saith speaking of the soule We have a sister saith hee among us unto whom is given the gift of Revelation in the middest of Divine Service she is east into an extasie she is brought into the company of Angels and sometimes into the presence of the Lord himselfe Againe according to the Scriptures that are read the Psalmes that are sung the Sermons that are made and prayers which are offered new matter of vision is administred and offered unto her Now those that have not this spirituall sence and eye to taste and see how good and gracious the Lord is and to behold how beautifull his Tabernacles are they think it was the ignorance or poverty of the age that suffered the worship of God and his ministration to be clad in such base and meane array and cloathing and comparing her to the worldly pomp of Idolatrous and superstitious worship they were ashamed to show the Church in such plaine roabes before the Gentiles and Iewes therefore every Metropolitane after the Nicene Counsell having got the sole government into their hands devised some sentences out of the Scripture to beautifie the service and the Sacraments and some rites and ceremonies to correspond both with Iew and Gentile in serving God All which things though at the first the Inventers had a good intent and the words and rites carried a glorious show of holinesse yet because they were not the things that God ordained nor thought fit to be done or to have done in his service and ministration therefore they brought forth in the end a malignant effect both in worship and Doctrine Idolatry and Superstition with damnable heresies in the end which the first Inventers never dreamed of For when man adds other words or some other thing to the Sacraments then Christ did use in his institution doth hee not disallow of the wisedome of God and thereby make his owne filthinesse appears under his skirts as the Lord saith Exod. 19. last verse where man is prohibited invention To beware of this Cyprian in his Epistle to Adrian the Emperour adviseth to hold our selves fast to the institution of Christs the Apostles did so as appeares by Paul 1 Cor. 11. 12. It is truth saith Cyprian seeing that neither any Apostles neither Angels from heaven could declare any thing unto us beside that which Christ hath once taught I cannot but mervaile how against all Angelicall and Apostolicall Doctrine men dare to offer in some places water in the Cup Again he saith they should ask counsell of those whom they follow for if in the sacrifice which is Christ we should not follow any other then Christ it must of necessity follow that wee must obey and doe as Christ hath done and commanded us to doe so he saith in his Gospel If you doe the things I command you to doe I will call you no more servants but sonne And the Father doth witnesse that Christ is onely to be heard Aying from heaven this is my beloved Sonne heare him thereupon we are not to regard what those before us have judged meet because we are not to apply our selves to follow the customs of man but the truth and verity of God And the same Author to stop the month of all will-worshippers faith if any of our predecessors either through ignorance or foolish simplicity have held otherwise then the Lord hath taught either by his precept or by his example God will pardon such his simplicity through his rich and abundant mercy But unto us now who are forewarned and taught the contrary by himselfe it cannot be pardoned These enforcing and undeniable reasons cannot be withstood but teach and stirre us up to seek the first purity simple and plaine manner of worship and to shake off all rites ceremonies and superstitions and to rest satisfied with the simplicity of preaching and to cleave to the prescript Institution of Christ in using the Sacrements Thus much for the worship of God Of Divine Iurisdiction the second subsistence in the Church of God AS Divine worship is the first subsistence in the unitie of the visible Church of God in which all the faithfull are congregated as it were in one body into the unitie of the spirit in the bond of peace even so Divine dominion must be the second subsistence dwelling in the Church and filling the Church with life and vigour through all members as the soule in the body also it is like sinewes and arteries knitting and coupling together the body by every joynt for the Furniture thereof according to the effectuall power which is in the measure of every part receiving increase of the body unto the edifying of it selfe in love Now all powers are of God from above from the Father of light as from a fountaine from whence all good gifts and gracious givings doe proceed by his mighty Word through his holy Spirit flowing into the vessels of humanity and running through them with a perpetuall successive duration returning into the Ocean of Gods glory The first receptacle of all divine power and dominion communicated from the Father is Christ the Mediatour God and man to whom all power is given both in heaven and in earth who is the first begotten of every creature And as Daniel saw in his Vision one like the Sonne of Man come in the cloudes of heaven and approach to the Antient of dayes and they brought him before him and he gave him Dominion Honour and a Kingdome that all people Nations and languages should serue him for this cause we are taught to conclude our petitions with this obedient acknowledgement for thine is the kingdome the power or dominion and
grievous to bee borne which the Scribes and Pharisees of Rome who pretended to fit in Moyses seat have laid upon my shoulders the Episeopall waight whereof you my sonnes have heretofore borne with much griefe whilst they advanced themselves to the chiefe seates and most eminent dignities loving to be reputed great and excellent Rabbies even above you the naturall Peeres and Potentates of State And now I conclude and doe offer unto your sacred considerations the holy Sinode of the Apostles set forth for a perfect patterne of all Counsells and Ecclesiasticall causes In the fifteenth of the Acts where you may observe that Synode consisted of the Apostles Elders and Brethren Their consultation was according to the rule of the written Word there conclusion and sentence was thus It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to us to lay no more burden upon you then these things necessarie That is that yee abstaine from things offered to Idols and blood which includes all Ceremoniall inventions and bloudy sacrifices and prohibits from that which is strangled with all crueltie and oppression and from fornication which imports uncleane conversation and lusts which if yee forheare yee shall doe well And though I here claime of you the honour of being your Mother being the body of Christ and Church of God in whom you also have the honour and prerogative to be the sonnes of God yet touching my earthly habitation and abode I am under your Dominion and tuition whom my Lord hath placed over me for my peace and prosperity on earth And that through Soveraigne power and authority which he hath ordained over all men to the end you may give his Gospell a free passage and be nursing and protecting Fathers of mee in your Common-wealth that your Father may give you and your King a blessing of welfare and happy being in my Lord Christ in whom all Nations are blessed and blessed is that Nation whose God is the Lord A Breviate of the ensuing second Treatise THe subsistence of the Church of God composed of a threefold cord 1. Worship 2. Dominion 3. Discipline In the Tractate of worship are declared 1. The nature of Divine worship 2. The nature of acceptable obedience 3. How this worship corresponds with the nature of God 4. The manner of publike worship from Adam till Moyses 5. The Service used by the Patriarkes 6. The same continued in the Nationall Church 7. The service used in the Synagogues 8. The same observed by the Apostles 9. The testimony of the Fathers 10. An amplification and undeniable reasons for the puritie of Gods word and worship In the Tractate of dominion or divine jurisdiction 1. Of the first gradation of this Dominion 2. How Christ ordaines his Vice-royes on earth 3. Difference betwixt Regall and divine power 4. The Glasse of Kings 5. How Divine power is derived unto man from the Father by the Word through the spirit 6. How the Word is the Divine power of God and the authority committed to the Church In the Tractate of Government and Discipline 1. Of the calling of Ministers 2. The manner of their ordination 3. The orders and degrees of Pastours and their 4. Denominations under the Law and Gospell 5. Of Discipline and censures 6. Of Excommunication The subsistence of the Church of God THe subsistence of Gods Church is composed of a threefold thred which cannot easily be broken 1. The first is spirituall and divine worship worship 2. Spirituall and divine Jurisdiction or Jure Divino dominion 3. Spirituall and divine discipline or government discipline I call this threefold cord of grace Divine and Spirituall because the universall Minister of Gods dispensation of all saving grace is the holy Spirit the third person of the Trinitie These are correlative subsistences in the Church of God so depending one upon another that they cannot be separated or untwisled without either some defect or dismembring of the Church in her selfe or utter dissolving of her in essence and nature to be any true Church Also without these distinct subsistences in the Church she cannot exercise the gifts and graces of Gods Spirit nor the functions and offices ordained of God for ministration of the Word For this cause I call them subsistences in the essence of the Church like unto the subsistences of the Trinitie in the essence of God himselfe Of Spirituall and Diuine worship The Worship which God requires must bee such as is agreeable to his owne nature and the good pleasure of his owne will therefore true divine worship is tyed to the prescript commandement of God and not to the devising invention of man therefore to obey is better then sacrifice and to hearken is better then the fat of Rammes The nature of acceptable Obedience It is a supernaturall and filiall worke of God internally and spiritually wrought seated and invested by Gods Spirit into the intellect making man a new creature created in Christ Jesus unto good workes which God hath ordained that he should walke in them being renewed in the spirit of the mind to offer himselfe unto God a living sacrifice in an understanding worshipping of God This worship and sacrifice is described by the Prophet David to be a broken and contrite spirit called a well-pleasing sacrifice to God presenting a sin-offering as Psal. 51 17. also in the 116 it is called the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving How this Worship is correspondent to the nature of God The Lord doth shew it in the fourth of John 23. and 24. saying the true worshippers shall worship God in spirit and truth that is in the Spirit of sanctification dwelling in the mind helping our infirmities with sighes and groanes which cannot be exprest and in the truth of his Word dwelling in us in all wisedome and spirituall understanding such as these the Father requireth should worship him because God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth and not in the ignorance of the mind nor in the invention and will-worship of man For this cause the Psalmist saith in the 51. 6. Thou O Lord lovest truth in the inward affections and in the 50. Psalme he saith Offer to God the sacrifice of praise and pay the vowes of the most high and call upon God for the Lord loveth truth in the inward parts This is the pure and simple worship of God without the glory and beautie of outward Ceremonies agreeing with the simple pure essence and nature of God himselfe Consider wel Pauls Caveat in the Coloss. 2 8. 18. 20 21 22 23. warning all men to beware of humane wisedome and deceitfull inventions and traditions according to the Rudiments of the world and not after Christ the outward shew of holinesse which puffes up mens hearts with selfe-conceit being burthened with traditions which having a glorious shew of holinesse of wisedome and voluntary religion wherein men are out of measure superstitious in zeale not
theoricke is also a part of Discipline in the practicke therefore though I have shewed that election and ordination are necessary relatives in the Church that as proper to the Congregation this other to the Pastours and how they were practised by the Apostles yet it is needfull to reforme the Judgements and opinions of men to shew how it is most proper for Congregations to choose their Pastours and Elders and Deacons and also their consent and counsell in their ordination To satisfie any indifferent judgement it is best to make it a perpetuall rule and patterne to follow the example of the Apostles but it is an enforcing reason that is necessary that the people whose summum bonum doth instrumentally consist in their Pastor should be well acquainted and sufficiently experimented in his life and conversation as also in his doctrine which they ought to taste by their care for the earth tasteth words as the palate doth meat before they make choyce of him though it may bee they cannot nor is it required at their hands to trie his schollarship but their capacities if it be a Congregation that hath lived and been nourished under a wholsome and structifying ministery may well judge and taste the sweetnesse of the divine gift of Preaching by the care and so trie his doctrine as the men of Berea did the doctrine of Paul and it may so happen in some Congregations that are well edified in the Word of God that they may have among themselves some of their Deacons able and sufficient to succeed their deceased Pastor and withall I doe not thinke it fit to exclude the choyce and presentation of the Universities nor to debarre their Letters of commendation nor for one Congregation to supply the want of another for all Congregations are members one of another and every Christian University is a Congregation and they all make but one Church to God But what shall I say of Patrons presentations I know not unlesse I should say they are too frequently the seed of Simony For except the Nobles and Peeres of this Kingdome doe freely bestow their presentations I feare there are not many that doe the like and to speake truly of their first donation it was not done purely For the Donors in reserving a presentation to them and their heires they kept backe a part of the possession they had dedicated to God as did Ananias and Saphira And so if they bee righty considered they are are as unnecessary evills in the Church as Deanes and Prebends which no man can tell to what use they serve in the Church But if Patrons cannot be admitted by our law let them present three or foure at the least that the Church may have her choyce and as much as may be avoyd that horrid crime of Simony And as for ordination though the power thereof rest in the Pastors and * Bishops yet it is great arrogancie and presumption to forsake the Apostolike and Primitive practise and usurpe a singularity and predominancie to themselves as if they would disdaine the humility of the Apostles and condemne the wisedome of the holy Ghost But that which doth foster and nourish men in a good opinion of this errour to attribute such absolute power to the Bishops and Clergie is that mysticall doctrine of Antichrist which in that smoakie darknesse thrust upon the world for an undeniable truth that the Church in her essence is to bee conceived to bee the Bishops and Clergie and that they onely have the unerrable Spirit of God and that thereby they have power to doe all things as much and as absolutely as Christ himselfe when he was on earth as once a Romish Priest averred to me that the Priests or Clergie were the soule of the Church The nourishing and maintaining of this opinion is the cause why the world hath so long and so madly doated after Episcopacie But if we thinke it fit to cast away the pride and ambition of man abhorre this opinion and let the worke bee of God and not of man Of Excommunication Now touching Excommunication which is that supreme Discipline and divine power which purgeth and segregateth the drosse from the pure gold in the temple of God This part of Discipline is of so high and holy a nature and qualitie as that of a Christian it ought to bee had in a most reverend estimation above all the powers of earth for it is thunderbolt and lightning of God that upon whom it falleth and pierceth it doth consume with a terrible flame and grind him to powder with a direfull fall This power is committed unto the Church not to Bishops alone nor to the Pastors or Clergie onely neither have the Elders this power appropriate unto them but the Church As Mat. 18 17. If he will not heare then tell it unto the Church Now the Church is not properly to bee conceived to consist in any one person who is but a member of the whole nor can she be said to be any one proper function in the Church but the whole Church consisting of one head Christ and many members indued with divers and many administrations and gifts of one and the same spirit and in this sence every particular publicke Congregation is an entire Church and a member of the universall Church throughout the world because a Congregation containes in it selfe the whole Church of God as she hath one and the same head Christ one and the same Spirit and one and the same ministration of the same Word and Sacrament and one and the same God and Father of all above all in all and through all and one And thus having the same Word and Doctrine the same functions of Pastors Teachers Deacons and Elders the same Sacraments Administration Discipline and Government so that hereby they are united one into another and one in all and all in all The private exercise of this part of Discipline I have spoken of which by degrees in private admonition if it bring not forth the fruits of repentance and amendment proceeds to the first degree of publicke correction Tell the Church This information is made by the Elders who have used the private discipline of exhortation with much wisedome and patience upon some particular persons who with hardnesse of heart have resisted the power of God through ungodlinesse They declare the offence to the Pastor and the Pastor in the publicke assembly acquainteth the people with the offence and if the delinquent be present hee is caused to stand upbefore the Pastor who reproves him with the sharpe Judgements of God against his sinne by the Word seeking to enlighten his mind and mollifie his heart Which if it prevaile with him hee falleth upon his knees and desireth the Congregation to pray for him which done the Pastor pronounceth unto him the remission of sinnes if the Church judge him penitent if they find him still obstinate and of an unrelenting heart then they pronounce
Congregations is used likewise exhortations reprehensions and the exercise of sacred censures for then matters are judged with great advisement as is wont to be done of such men as assuredly know that the face of God is towards them Behold and see their doings and it is a great foreshew of the judgement to come if any one amongst us have sinned so deeply as to be excluded from the Communion of prayer and the Assembly and of all manner of having any thing to doe with this societie and fellowship whereof the Elders that are best approved and found most faithfull doe sit as presidents in the Assembly advanced and called to that dignity not through any summes of money but by the weight and sway of the good testimonie which they have given I have onely reported the testimony of these two Authors of the Primitive times to shew the pure simplicity of Gods worship in their publike service which was no other but the same in order and forme with the worship used in the Jewes Church onely in this they differed from the Christians that after their services and exhortation they ministred the Sacrament of Baptisme when there was occasion And then the Catechumeni were dismissed with this word Missa then the Elders which were all the best approved of Congregation were admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords body and blood ministred with prayer under the signes of Bread and Wine and singing of Psalmes then the Minister blessed them and then with the same word â—ie Missa the Congregation was dismissed This word did properly signifie depart or be gone or leave to depart but by use it did after signifie the first service and the second service which they called the first Missa and the second Missa and in corruption of time it came to signifie the Masse and Idolatrous sacrifice from hence the Papists lyingly saigne to derive their Masse from the Apostles and the Fathers of the Primitive times Wee may also observe from the Apostles and the primitive Congregations that they had this tradition they ministred the Sacraments every Sabbath and every one did bring something according to their abilitie to the Lords Table of bread meat and wine which was set on a Table in the middest of the house of prayer and this they called an offering the more to encourage the people to this bounty and charity and this was covered till the first service was done and the preaching then the Cloath was taken of and then the Bishop or Pastor or president came to the side of the Table and gave thankes and prayed for all men and after tooke Bread and Wine and consecrated them with prayers Sometimes onely with the Lords prayer rehearsing the words of the Institution of our Lord as in the 1 Cor. 12. 11. And brake the Bread and the Wine was poured out and distributed to the people thereto admitted The rest of the offerings were given to the poore the needy and the widowes by the Deacons And Platina in the life of Telesphorus saith that in the Apostles times all things were done nakedly plainly and simply in the action of this mysterie And in Rome where the mysterie of iniquitie was to take roote and bee seated all things continued and were done after the same order doctrines and traditions as the Apostles taught As Irenaus doth witnesse for twelve Bishops successively from the Apostles unto Eleutherius Nay the simplicitie and puritie of worship continued without addition or diminution untill Constantine the great his time An amplification what undeniable reasons for the puritie of Gods Worship and service It is evident and undeniable that Gods worship and the Divine service hath beene ever from Adam and practised by his posteritie in the first age plaine simple pure and naked prayer praise and thankes without any invention of man or externall Ceremonie nor yet any Sacramentall signes save onely that Adam taught his sonnes to bring unto him as to their high Priest presenting the person of the promised seed before the incarnation their first fruits in thankfulnesse having onely the naked and simple ministration of the word promised to be made man preached by Adam Seth and Enoch and Noah to feed their holy faith God enlightning them with the inspiration of his spirit making them the Prophets of God And the Divine reasons why God used no Sacramentall signes nor figurative Sacrifices was for that Adam and his posterity had not altogether forgot that Divine light of life which hee was endued with in his creation though hee had newly lost the possession thereof yet he was more capable of inspiration then the next generations were who had smothered even the light of nature by multiplying their transgressions And this was a principall cause why they lived in this age above 960. But in the second age God did not onely for their overgrowth of sinfulnesse cut short the dayes of man but hee also did choose himselfe a people from the loynes of Abraham and renewed unto him the promise of his blessed seed and made him a great Nation and Church unto himselfe and to this Church and people God gave Sacramentall signes to distinguish them from all other Nations to be his owne and ordained them Statutes Lawes and ordinances to instruct them as under a Schoolemaster and by signes to lead them unto the spirituall power and efficacie of the Incarnation of Christ and his death unto the remission of sinnes But it is undeniable and manifest that hee required no other manner of worship and service of them then hee did of the first people for God is unchangeable in his nature therefore he cannot nor will not have any other kinde of worship but one simple pure worship of praise prayer and thanksgigiving and feeding of this worship with the plaine ministration of his promised word of life preached unto them But why was this second age burthened with ordinances and figures because this age was drowned with the growth of sinne and incapable of light for sinne by the law became more raging and sinfull and the law was weak and could not prevaile with man because of sinne for mans sinfulness was so great that the spirit of the law which is righteousnesse could not dwell in flesh and blood but it must be consumed for this cause the law became death unto man and man by the law became dead for the law did not onely reprove but condemne But in this third age the righteousnesse of the law became incarnate and was made man that man might be made the righteousnesse of the law Thus that Christ who was promised to the first age is become our righteousnesse so that now the spirit is communicated in a fuller measure and more evident and powerfull then it was unto the Jewes in figurative types and ceremonies And this is the reason why all things are become more spirituall and God will have his worship now to be known to be onely
him debarred from the holy Communion of the Supper of the Lord and continue him upon the stoole of repentance with much exhortation patience and long forbearing till they convince him or otherwise separate him from the Congregation for a time if after hee continue in his foulenesse of sinne then hee is againe called to the Congregation and admonished which if then it take no effect her is excommunicated by laying on of the hands of all the Elders after that hee is accounted as an enemie or as Paul saith Anathema to the Church and wholly and finally given over to Satan according to the words of our Saviour the 18. Matth. 18. Whomsoever yee bind on earth shall bee bound in heaven and whom yee shall loose on earth shall bee loosed in heaven Judge I pray you if all the politicke wits in the world could ever have devised such a pure and subtile discipline as should spie into the inward secrets of the thoughts and intentions of the heart and should purge the conscience and should cut off the consuming cankers and rotten members from the body of the Church What Romish Apothecary could ever have composed such a soule-saving medicine Observe how the holy Spirit hath commanded this discipline to bee alwayes practized in the Church When Achans covetousnesse troubled the Congregation by moving Gods wrath against them a diligent search was commanded to bee made and being found out Achan and his house were cut off Josh. 7. And also if there bee a scorner or contentious person saith Solomon cast out the scorner and so strife will goe out and so contention shall cease Also Rom. 16. 17. 18. Now saith Paul I beseech you brethren marke them diligently which cause division and offences contrary to the doctrine which yee have learned and avoid them And more plainly in the 2 Thess. 36. 10. Wee command you brethren in the Name of Christ that yee withdraw your selves from every brother that walkes inordinately and not after the instructions which yee received of us And in the foureteenth verse he saith If any man obey not your saying note him by a letter and have no company with him that hee may bee ashamed yet account him not as an enemy but admonish him as a brother But if he come to the last degree Excommunion then saith our Lord Christ let him be anathema But if you would see the Apostles practice in this discipline See 1 Cor. 5. chap. 4 and 5. verses Paul having certaine intelligence that there was odious fornication among them hee writ thus unto them When yee are gathered together and my spirit in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that such a one I say by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ bee delivered unto Sathan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may bee saved in the day of the Lord Jesus And out of this text make a profitable observation that Paul will not have Excommunication though but in the second degree executed in any private manner but by the publicke assembly gathered together neither doth hee allow it to be done in any name but in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ Neither doth hee attribute the power either to himselfe or the Church but onely to the Lord Jesus Now and lastly I must conclude with the last part of Discipline that is Synodicall assemblies which are of three degrees The first is particular to every Congregation which consists of the Pastors the Deacons and the Elders of that Church whose customes is the best reformed Churches to meet once a weeke or as need requires to take an account of all things that concerne the duties of the Elders and the Church-revenues the Pastor being their chiefe guide Those things about which they chiefly busie themselves are first to catalogue the Professors of their Congregation their Catechuminists distinguished from those that are thought fit to be admitted to the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ their Baptized their penitents their Excommunicates their number of Elders and Deacons Pastors and Teachers one or two as the place requires In this their assembly they consider the spirituall estate and condition of the flocke examine the revenues of the Church and the necessities of the poore and what things soever they find meet to edification The Pastor exhorting the Elders to diligence care and zeale in the worke of the Lord the Deacons to honesty compasson and a good conscience The second order of Synodes is in the reformed Churches called the assemblies of the Presbyteries held monethly or quarterly under which they comprehend the Pastors and Church Elders for every Pastor brings with him two or three Elders after the quantity of the Congregation and this Synode is a company of Pastors and Elders of a shire or wapontake In these Assemblies they examine the spirituall condition of every parish take view of their order diligence doctrine and manners as well the doctrine and manners of the Pastors and Elders as of the younger people And there they proceed to such further order and censure as by the holy Scriptures they are taught And in these Synodes all errours in opinion heresies and Schismes that are found noysome to the Congregation are reproved and the parties exhorted and admonished In these their Synodes they alwayes from time to time choose one President to guide the affaires and thus they avoyd that preheminence which Episcopacie greedily hunts after The third degree is the superlative assembly of Presbyteries which is either Nationall or Provinciall which in some Churches are held yearely or otherwise as occasions fit over which the prince and Soveraigne is the Principall Elder and the Presbyters and Elders appoint one Pastor for the time President of the assembly who moderates and guides the affaires The matters handled in this Synode are a generall review of both the former Synods and specially to take care of the preservation of the puritie of Doctrine and suppressing of Heretickes and errours and all misdemeanours and Schismes in the Church And whatsoever is done in any of these Synods is certified from one to another and through the Nationall Church of all their most materiall censures which may concerne them in generall wherby the Church is preserved in a sweet and pleasant decorum unitie puritie and peace The unerrable patterne of these Synods is taken from the practise of the Apostles Acts 15. shewing by what rules of temperance and wisedome they ought to judge and give sentence taking the Scripture for their rule the holy Ghost for their guide not laying any burden on the Church by Lawes Decrees or Canons as I have before spoken And this Divine rule and patterne was kept and observed throughout all the Primitive times till the great Councell of Nice as by the Chronography of Socrates scholast. may be observed yet the earthly glory of Babel hath so long dazeled the eyes of most men that they call the truth novelty But if men were of a
free spirit and cleere judgement not inthralled with prejudicate opinions nor darkned with the more then Egyptian mists of Rome they might here behold the virgin puritie of the Church of God both in her Worship Jurisdiction Doctrine Government and Discipline to have beene from the beginning of the world one and the same Thus have I adventured to present unto the eyes of men the true face of the Christian Church shining in her spirituall Iustre and Christ Jesus our Lord raigning and ruling over the soules and consciences of man not intrenching upon the temporall power of Kings and Princes Now the Lord give unto us understanding in all things and with the holy Apostle Paul I will bow the knees of my soule unto the Father of my Lord Jesus Christ of whom is named the whole Family in heaven and in earth that he may grant us according to the riches of his glory that wee may be strengthened by his Spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in our hearts by Faith that wee being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth all knowledge that we may be filled with all fulnesse of God Unto him therefore that is able to doe exceeding abundantly above all that we can aske or thinke according to the power that worketh in us be praise in the Church by Jesus Christ thorough all Generations for ever Amen Eph. 3. 14. Soli Deo Gloria FINIS Prov. 1. 8. Iohn 18. 26. Math. 20. 25. Col. 1. 26. 27. Col 1. 15. 16. 18. 19. 1 Chro. 12. 12. Ephes 4. 7 8. Ephes 4. 11. The subsistence of Gods Church threefold The nature of God is the rule of divine worship 1 Sam 5. 22. Ephes. 3. 10. Rom. 12 1. The law required a bloudy sacrifice the Gospell a contrite heart A Caveat The domesticall Church 1 King Prophet 2. Gen 2. Ioh. 16. Priest Vâ—â—â—… 1. The primitive worship Circumcision The nationall Church Passeover The word first ministred by God himself to Adam in the Garden then by Adam Seth Enoch Noah then by Moses Aaron and by the Prophets The publike worship under the law Acts 1. 13. 14. They avoyded Rites and Ceremonies as burdens not lawfull to be layd on the people of God Iustinus Martyr Apolo 2. about the yeare 130. Tertullian The faigned and false originall of the Masse Platina To tie the Ministers people of God to set uniform prayers is to incarcerate the Spirit of God In the whole time of the primitive Church we find no other uniform prayer save the Lords prayer used in administration of the Sacrament Why God used no sacramentall signes Why God shortned the dayes of mans life The reason why the second age was clogged with Ceremonies Why Christ did institute no new worship but approved and practised the old 1 Cor. 2. Why man studies to invent new worship The first in-let of set prayers compiled into a Service-book Mans invention in the worship of God is of dangerous consequence to the Church Eph. 4. 4. Rom. 12. 1. Iam. 1. 17. Colos. 1. 15. Dan. 7. 13. The kindome of God is threefold Providence Grace Glory * God the anointed man Of God the only proper Saviour Iesus God by his Incarnation hath united himselfe to his creatures and supporteth and preserveth all things by his mighty power The word of God is the patterne and rule of all goodlawes Dominion was by God given first to Adam the first-borne of man Gen. 1. 28. This Dominion lost by the sons of Adam Then to be conferred upon Christ the Son of God and man Restored in Christ to man Dan. 2. 21. A digression Civill government is to cut sin by the middle but supernaturall is to pull it up by the rootes The Church of God is the soule of a good Common-wealth and as a sensitive soule is bestial without the rational so is a body politique without the Church bestiall and tyrannicall 2 Psal. The Trinitie a true patterne to a Christian King Prov. 34. When God withdrawes the love of subjects Ioh. 18. 26. Math. 20. 25 26. As the Scriptures were first given so are they to be interpreted by inspiration A way to know the interpretation to be of the holy Ghost The Papist confesseth Christ in name but denieth his power in the flesh in that they say his death is not sufficient for actuall sins thence are pennance pardons satisfactions Purgatory The Church of God considerable in a twofold aspect Ioh. 16. 15 16. The first ordination of the ministration of the Word Pastors ought before their admission to be well known to the Congregations where they are to reside The Priest Numb. 3. 10. The Levite The Elder Apostles and Evangelists Pastors and Teachers Their Commission The Authority committed The substance of the Commission Blessing them The doctrinall part of it Helpers in government Governours The good effects of this government in the primitive times Elders derived Episcopus unde quid sit The office of a Bishop delineated by Scripture The primitive government twofold The Pastors function Pet. 1. 5. 1 2 3. 2 Tim. 4. 2. Matt. 20. 25 26 27 28. * With those that are drunk with the desire and coveting of power and riches The Deacons office The office of Elders Ambrosius * Thus the Church is incorporated in the Common-wealth the Common-weale in the Church A cleare difference and remarkeable distinction betwixt Elders of the Church and Common-wealth 1 Tim. 5. 17. The necessity of Church Elders Rules of private admonition Another duty of Pastors and Elders Bishop our superintendent Verse 23. The Apostles practise is the best of patterns Ordination * Or superintendour Die Ecclesie non Episcopo non Pastori tantum The private admonition by Elders The Assembly or Synod of Presbyteries within a shire or Wapontake The generall Synode