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
* arinke with the drunken that servants Master will come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an houre that hee is not aware of and will cut him off and give him his portion with hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth The office of Deacons of their ordination I have spoken before upon the sixth of the Acts is that they stand in place of the Levites to attend on the hand of the Pastors aswell to helpe to catechise to teach administer the Sacraments as to care for the poore and to take the charge of the goods and revenues of the Church but for their conversation and qualitie it is set forth by Paul in the first of Timothy the third chapter the 8 9 10 11 12 13. verses A Deacon must be grave not double tongued not given to strong drinke not given to filthy lucre holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience Let him first be proved then let him use the office of a Deacon being found blamelesse Even so must their wives bee grave no slanderers sober faithfull in all things Let a Deacon be the husband of one wife ruling their children and their owne houses well For they that have used the office of a Deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree and great boldnesse in the faith which is in Christ Jesus And if Pastors and teachers would have the like zeale and consideration with themselves which the Apostles had Acts the sixth and the second and would have judged every thing an obstacle whatsoever might withdraw and hinder them in the preaching of Gods word and their care of soules and would make it their delight and labour to give themselves continually to prayer and ministration they would discerne that they can no more be without Deacons one or two in a Congregation then their bodies can be well without hands neither would they nourish that indigne opinion that ignorant Nay often improbous Church-wardens can serve in their place and office as some alledge Now touching the particular dutie and office of Elders which in this our age is taken in a corrupt and improper sence calling them lay Elders which in Scripture from the antient originall are tearmed Elders of Israel or of the Tabernacle as to say Elders of the Church of God or of the people of God to distinguish them from civill Elders and Governours and they are either such as by natures ordination are Fathers of Christian families or such as are publickely chosen by the severall Congregations of the Church and approved by their Pastors and Teachers Their office and duties were such as Ambrose said without whose counsell nothing was done in the Church and that both the Synagogue and the Christian Church had Elders They were to be chosen men such as Jethro advised Moyses Exod. 18. chosen out of the people men of courage such as feare God men of truth hating covetousnesse and place such over the people to rule thousands hundreds fifties and tens But these Elders are here rather to be for civill affaires then Church cares But thus we must conceive that Church Elders might as well be exercised in ministration of Justice for the Common-wealth as in the ministration of Discipline for the Church For this is the proper duty even of Kings Princes and their Magistrates as also of fathers of Families because the Common-weale of Israel is involved in the Church of God and the Church of God in a Christian Common-weale For so ought our Christian Kingdomes to bee composed as Magistrates may be chosen Church Elders in the Church of God For blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord * And in such a Kingdome Christ raigneth as a King in excelsis and his Vice-roy by him and for him and the flourishing propagation of the ministery of the Word is the soule of such a Common-wealth But there is an evident difference betwixt the Elders that governe the Common-wealth and the Elders that governe the Church Distinct they are in their ordination and in their endowments and in the manner of exercise and execution of their office For Magistrates and Elders in a Kingdome are those who are appointed of the King or chiefe Governour as in the first of Peter 2. 13 14. Submit your selves unto all ordinances of man for the Lords sake whether to Kings as superiours or to Governours as sent of them and their office is for punishment of evill doers and for the praise of them that doe well And these are such as Moyses ordained by the counsell of Jethro before exprest But Moyses by Gods expresse appointment did afterward ordaine other Elders chosen out of those Elders whom God indued with the speciall gifts of his Spirit for helping of Moyses in governing of the Congregation of the Tabernacle as it is set downe Numb. 11. 16. 17. 25. 26. Then the Lord sayd unto Moyses Gather unto me seventy men of the Elders of Israel whom thou knowest that they are Elders of the people and Governours over them and bring them unto the Tabernacle and let them stand there with thee And I will come downe and talke there with thee and take of the spirit which is upon thee and put upon them and they shall beare the burthen of the people with thee so thou shalt not beare it alone So these were another sort of Elders Then the Elders that governed over the people as in the 24 25. and 26 verses So Moyses went out and told the people the words of the Lord and gathered seventy men of the Elders of the people and set them round about the Tabernacle There the Lord came downe in a cloud and spake unto him and tooke of the spirit that was upon Moyses and put upon the seventy antient men and when the spirit rested upon them then they prophesied and did not cease Here their ordination is of God their indowment is of the Spirit and their office and duty is to prophecie and not to cease and the end why they were to prophecie is to beare the burden of the people with Moyses for the people murmured and often tempted and provoked the Lord to wrath And though they received daily instruction and publicke ministration of the word of God from Moyses and Aaron yet the seed of truth fell sometimes among stony ground and sometime upon thorny ground sometime in the high way and either took no deepe root or it was choaked or otherwise picked up and carryed away by the sowles of the ayre so that their murmurings grudgings and rebellions were such a burthen to Moyses and an insupportable griefe that Moyses wished rather to die than to live Therefore God ordained these kind of Elders to be an assistance in his publicke ministration that as Moyses among the Jewes and Paul in the Church of God planted the Word in publicke So these might be as Apollo's to water it in private and that by their vigilancie and
of God to whom is committed the Administration of that hidden mysterie of God which was promised since the world began it was hid from all ages but now in these latter dayes made manifest to his Saints To whom God would make knowne what is the riches of his glorious Mystery among the Gentiles Which riches is Christ in you the hope of glory and Christ is the Image of the invisible God the first begotten of every creature that Word by whom all things were created in heaven and in earth and he is before all things and in him all things consist and he is the head of the body of the Church hee is the beginning and the first begotten of the dead that in all things hee might have the preheminence for it pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell And through peace made by the blood of that his Crosse to reconcile to himselfe through him even through Christ all things both which are in heaven and which are in earth This is that Mysterie which is committed to me your mother not that I should adde or diminish but that I should deliver unto you that which I have received of the Lord and for that this mysterie my Lord Christ is my head and Soveraigne of my soule I am called his mysticall body Therefore cast away all carnall and wordly conceits of mee and behold me in that mysterie as I am growing up into 〈◊〉 Ephes. 4. 5. which is my head that is Christ by whom through the unitie of the spirit in the bond of peace I am a mysticall body like a naturall body coupled and knit together by every joynt for the furniture of the body according to the effectuall power which is in every part wherby the body receiveth encrease unto the edifying of it selfe in love And through this unity in my head I and my head make one compleat mysticall body so there is one body one spirit called unto one hope of our vocation one Lord one Baptisme one God and Father of all which is above all and through all and in us all But as a naturall body is one and hath many members and all the members of the body which is one though they bee many yet are but one body even so is Christ for I am his owne body by his spirituall union but marke well and understand this body is not one member as a Pope or Episcopus to take preheminence which would make division betwixt me and my head But in the body there are many members so in me the body 〈◊〉 Church of Christ there are many members and hee is the onely true and absolute supreme head And none but he can give many and divers gifts and administrations as in this 1 Cor. 12 4. 5 6 7. but the same Spirit the same Lord and though there 〈◊〉 diversities of operations yet one God is the same which work 〈◊〉 all in all Now if my head be God and my endeavour the gifts of the spirit who can impose upon mee any other gifts administration or operation but onely my Lord surely no Prince no Pepe no Prelate But consider me my sonnes in this thing that the administration of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall no member nor person is to receive this talent and to hide is for God doth not light these lights to put them under a bushell but to enlighten the whole house the Church As every member of the body is profitable to other so are my members Therefore to some hee gives the word of Wisedome to another the word of Knowledge to another the excellencie of Faith to another the operation of great workes to another prophesie to another diversitie of tongues and to another interpretation of Tongues All these worketh one and the same spirit distributing severally as he listeth for Christ my Lord and head is God And the Father is in him and hee in the Father which is above all and through you all and in us all who gives unto every one grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ for it was prophesied of him that when he ascended who had first descended into the lowest dejection of earthly paines and debasement for the sinnes of man hee should also ascend and fit on the right hand of God and lead captivitie captive and receive of God the Father gifts to give unto man Not humane gifts to governe the terrestriall affaires of this life but divine gifts to guide and lead the soules of men into the way of peace and eternall felicitis Therefore seeing my â—â—â—d is the great mysterie of God and spirituall word of Life to whom I am united through the unitie of the Spirit I am his and he is mine and both one Christ one Church and Mysticall body or spirituall Spouse My Lord give me all spirituall gifts to translate me from darknesse into his glorious light from carnall and earthly things to bee made a spirituall and heavenly Spouse For God which made light to shine out of darknesse is he which hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ But wee have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellencie of that power might be of God and not of man For these causes he gave and ordained some members to have diversitie of gifts and administration as first Apostles secondly Prophets and Evangelists thirdly Pastors and Teachers Then such as doe miracles for miracles follow the Word where there is need of confirmation and gifts of healing helpers as Deacons and Governours as Elders These are the instruments of ministration by divers gifts distinguished into divers administrations and offices which are distinguished by their spirituall operation and ministration of one and the same word and ministerie of God This is that order ordinance and government or spirituall jurisdiction which my Lord God your Father hath instituted for the repairing of the Saints for the worke of the ministery and for the edification of the body of Christ his Church even mee your Mother and this is to continue and not to be altered and restrained untill we all meet together in the unity of faith and that acknowledging of the Sonne of God unto a perfect Man and unto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Thus Right Honourable my Sonnes and Saints of God your Father I have presented my selfe unto the view of your heaven-bred judgements and spirituall wisedomes that you may behold mee all glorious within and not judge by outward appearance nor by politique reasons lest you be mistaken in my nature and condition and suppose me to be a terrestriall Hierarchie to bee governed by positive lawes traditions Decrees and Canons of men which cannot search the reines of the heart nor cure the soule nor lead her into blisse Therefore I request you to take into your consideration the heavie burdens
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
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-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
the glory This kingdome is one entire kingdome of distinct gradations yet individuall like the wheeles in the vision of Exechiel one within another as the kingdome of Providence the Church of Christ militant with the Soules triumphant and the dominions powers and principalities of Angels ministring before him The dominion given unto Christ as he is the Sonne of man * Christ God and Man is the personall power of the Fathers eternall begotten Word by individuall union of Divine nature with the humanity communicated to Gods elect whereby hee is the ingraven forme of the Fathers owne person unto the world holding up all things by his mighty Word This Word by the ministeriall proceeding of the holy Ghost is that Scepter of righteousnesse whereby he guideth and ruleth his kingdomes as David saith thy Throne O God is for ever the Scepter of thy kingdome is a Scepter of righteousnesse This is that Scepter of righteousnesse by the precepts and power whereof Kings raign and Princes decree Justice For this cause Christ is called the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the onely ruler of Princes Of the first gradation For the first gradation of Gods great kingdome God by Divine ordination in nature in the Creation gave a blessing and dominion unto Adam to fill the earth with his seed and to subdue it under his obedience For this cause it is said the heaven of heavens is the Lords the earth he hath given to the Children of men from hence God claimes the first borne to be his substitutes on earth which honour in the beginning was due to them as the dignity of their birth-right by Gods ordination which continued in the Family of Adam till Cain lost it by killing his brother Abell Cham lost it by scoffing his father Noah Esau sold it for a messe of Pottage and Reuben lost it by defiling of his fathers bed Then by the law of that ordinance the dignitie of Birth-right was of divine right conferred upon the Tribe of Judah and reserved in the line of Iudah for the Lyon of Judah who is the image of the invisible God the first begotten of every creature and for that all things were created by him and for him and that he is before all things and in him all things consist And also being the ordained Lambe of God before the foundation of the world he is therefore made the head of the body of the Church King of Israel that in all things bee might have dominion and preheminence both of things in earth and things in heaven For it was the Fathers pleasure that in him all fulnesse should dwell from this fountaine all soveraigntie is derived How Christ doth constitute his Vice-royes on earth Kings Princes and Potentates c. The first ordination of Soveraignty being thus as I have shewed of Divine right conferred upon the naturall Sonne of God sitting upon his highest Throne of glory farre above all powers and principalities he doth by his divine and all foreseeing providence constitute whom it pleaseth him to sit upon his earthly Thrones over any Nation people or language induing them with proper gifts of his owne spirit for rule and government Thus doth God constitute Kings and Princes and Rulers after what manner soever it bee done on earth whether by lineall descent or Nationall choise or by the sword howsoever the hand of Providence doth direct appoint and establish 1 Sam. 2. 4. Psal. 123. Hee raiseth the poore out of the dust and lifteth the beggar out of the dung to set them among Princes and to make them inherit the seat of glory Also hee pulleth downe and setteth up at his pleasure It is profitable for us to observe that Adam by his transgression lost neither the natural faculties of his soule nor the honour and dignity of his birth-right and dominion though at the first by losing that breath of life which was the light and life of his soule and that made him the perfect Image of God they were weakened and blemished in capacitie For if he had lost his naturall faculties hee had lost the forme of his being and if his birth-right and dignity of dominion had beene abolished before it had beene conferred upon another then should nature have been deprived of the ministration of judgement Justice and equity which would have brought forth an utter dissolution of the whole generation of man But after the sonnes of Adam as it were forfeited their dignity and birth-right of dominion by multiplying transgression then God the Father conferred the preheminence thereof upon the Sonne of Man even Christ that he might consecrate and appoint whom it seemed good unto him to sit upon his temporall Throne so that birth-right and preheminence might be his in whom all fulnesse dwelt And that by him Judgement Justice and equity might reigne with men Thus the Regall power of Princes is derived from Christ by the rule of divine ordination in nature for he that is the Author of nature is the observerr and preserver of all the ordinances in nature so that this royall office is restored to man by ordination in Christ But the priestly and propheticall office man hath from God by union and communion with Christ and by inspiration and supernaturall donation through the holy Ghost For this cause a Tyrant may bee a lawfull King by ordination of God yet no Christian member of Christ Difference betwixt Regall ordination and Divine power From hence we may extract an evident difference betwixt the power of royall ordination in nature and the supernaturall power of God which is given to his Church on earth That is a ministeriall power to distribute Judgement Justice and equity amongst men with absolute power of coaction to punish actuall offences with corporall or pecuniary punishment upon body lands and goods This other is a supernaturall power and divine efficacy properly given to the elect of God by inspiration whereby they have union and communion with Christ and one with another for every ones owne particular prerogative of son ship and for the edification one of another and to some men it is given in a peculiar manner and a greater measure of divine power and gifts for the ministration writing teaching and preaching of the Word and Sacraments of God which is that which was revealed by God to the antient Prophets and that which was taught by Christ and after written by the Spirit of God from the pen and mouth of the Apostles And this power is a ministeriall power mighty in operation to bind and loose the conscience to open and shut heaven and hell by declaring the judgement of God against unpentient sinners and his mercy in Christ to the penitent man as he hath taught and revealed for this power doth not follow the judgement and will of man nor succession of profession but is tyed and limited to the power of the Word and will of God Therefore what they bind
on earth by this ministeriall power Christ bindes in heaven by his absolute power By this there is no power of coaction given to the Church over the body nor purse nor life but onely over the soule and conscience and to rule by instruction admonition and correction That makes men civill and sociable and restraineth vice for feare of punishment this other makes men spirituall and divine meeke and lowly and full of loving kindnesse and rooteth out sinne in the heart making men refraine and shun sinne and wickednesse for the love of God and goodnesse it selfe Herein the kingdome of Providence and Grace doe both agree to make man happy and blessed in this life and in the life to come For this cause it was said to Abraham In thy seed all nations shall bee blessed And David saith Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord For no Kingdome nor Common-wealth can be blessed which doth not entertaine the true Church of God in her bosome or in which the Church is not involved For this cause God doth make good Kings a blessing to his people and commands his Saints to pray for Kings Princes and Governours that they may lead a peaceable and happy life under them and that there his Gospell may have a free passage And so Kings and Princes become nursing fathers and nursing mothers And in this combination betwixt Church and Common-wealth righteousnesse and peace doe kisse each other But if they be wicked Princes then they are sent for a punishment and scourge of God to the the people and when God hath whipped his people then he burnes his roddes with judgements Therefore bee wise yee Kings be learned ye Judges of the earth serve the Lord in feare and rejoyce in trembling kisse the Son lest he be angry and ye perish in the way when his wrath shall suddenly burne blessed are all they that trust in him The glasse of Kings The glasse wherein Kings are to see themselves by reflexion and the pattern whereby they are to distribute judgement justice and equity is the Divine nature and holy Trinity of God himselfe For as the nature of God is strong and mighty full of pitty and compassion slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth whose purity of nature expelleth and consumeth every impure and imperfect thing even so doth God require his King should be like unto him on earth as he is in heaven for he hath set none above him on earth Therefore as God is in purity of essence a law unto himselfe and a consuming fire of evill so ought a King in his politique capacity to be a law unto himselfe by conforming himselfe in a spirituall assimilation to the nature of God in purity of justice punishing the evill and cherishing the good Also as the person of the Father in its essence is the fountain of his eternall law which he hath begotten and ordained with himselfe for himselfe to doe all things by so is the King in his politique capacity the fountaine of politique lawes which hee hath as it were begotten in his body politique to rule and governe his people by And as the eternall law of God is the begotten Counsell of the Trinity in the Deity so are the lawes politique the begoten Counsell of a politique Trinity which is the Soveraign the Nobles and Magistrates and the Councell of Commons resembling the Divine Trinity in Unity the indivisible subsistence of a Kingdome So that Kings are by this pattern and rule bound to keepe the lawes of their Kingdomes inviolate and to doe all things by their lawes as God doth all things by his word And this is the greatest prerogative of a King that he keepe his owne lawes freely without compulsion like God himselfe And likewise as the holy Ghost is the universall Minister and Divine Dispensator of all divine powers gifts and graces of God proceeding from the Father and the Sonne even so are the Peeres Princes Judges Magistrates and Ministers of Justice in a Common-wealth proceeding from the King and his lawes The universall Ministers of the Royall powers and lawes of the Kingdome For though they be many as members in diversity of Dispensation of Justice Judgement and equity of the lawes yet are they all but as one spirit of the body politique as the spirit of God being one is by reason of the diversity of Administrations properly called the seaven spirits before the throne of God Revel. 1. And as the individuall unity of this distinct Trinitie is the subsistence of the God-head Even so is the unity of the King with his Lawes and his Princes and Magistrates the subsistence of a body politique or Common-wealth Therefore Solomon saith Judgement and Justice is the establishment of the Throne For this similitudes sake Kings Princes and Magistrates are called Gods I have said saith the Lord yee are Gods but yee shall die like men for they are in all things to bee in their Common-wealth as God himselfe Therefore wee are taught to pray Thy will O God be done on earth as it is in heaven that Kings may rule by thee and Princes decree Justice on earth as thou dost in heaven This is that orbe wherein Kings are to walke as the Sunne in his spheare but if Kings make their owne will and lust their law and rule of Justice Judgement and equitie then they are exorbitant and then God in whose hands are the hearts of Kings causeth their Counsellers to goe as spoyled and makes their Judges as fooles and he looseth the collar of Kings and girdeth their loynes as with a girdle and leadeth away Princes as a prey and overthroweth the mighty or Pwreth contempt upon Princes and maketh the strength of the mighty weake Job 12. 17 18 19 20 21. How divine and supernaturall power is derived unto man from the Father by the Word through the Spirit A civill ministeriall power of Justice is derived of Kings Princes and Magistrates from Christ as he is the Son of God and first begotten of every creature and therefore most worthy to have preheminence above all in whom all things consist for the temporall blisse and happinesse of man on earth So is divine and supernaturall power derived from Christ not onely as he is the first begotten Son of God but also as he is the light and life of man without whom man cannot be a living soule and as he is the eternall Mediatour betwixt God and man that promised seed the Redeemer of the Elect of God the predestinated Lambe slaine from before the foundation of the world for the remission of sinnes their ordained King Priest and Prophet of God the Father in a spirituall and more peculiar manner and measure of mysticall union and communion then either can be or ever was or ever shall be in all the ordinances of God in nature For this cause that all men might know that he was and is the spirituall King of Glory and that
but they are placed about their bodyes as it were for furtherance and assistance in their proper place and not to flye withall from place to place These wings therefore signifie Governours and assistants or helpers by whom the ministers are ayded in their function and doe more swiftly and readily afford succour to every part of the Church These wings are full of eyes within These signifie the inward gifts of knowledge which are not placed in so neere a measure to the Throne as the eyes in the body but they are of the same nature of knowledge in divine things to this end they stand as in a watch tower to behold and discerne every ones manners and conversation and to reprove and exhort privately and to helpe the ministers in Censure and Discipline of the Church therefore Paul saith obey your overseers and leaders and yeeld submission unto them for they watch for your soules as those that shall give account These gifts are limited within and under the wings as to meddle onely with that which is committed unto their power 1 Pet. 5. 2. they are not to be strikers or busie-bodies and they are to watch over Christian people onely for what have wee to doe to judge them that are without ◠1 Cor. 5. 12. 13. They that desire to behold the patterne of Gods Church as she is on earth in Christ consider well this vision and reade it seriously as it is more fully expressed by Master Brightmans Exposition upon the fourth chapter of the Revelation This patterne is the perfection of the Church militant as she is in Christ and in the judgement of God the Father who onely knoweth who are his The beauty and glory thereof is not seene with mortall eyes for she is not composed of mortall but immortall seed even begotten of the immortall seed of the word of God 1 Pet. 1. 23. for it is the ministration of God the holy Ghost communicating the knowledge of the Word unto the hearts of the elect which doth beget them anew or regenerate and unite them unto Christ and those are the supernaturall powers the word of God cōmunicated unto man and gathereth them into one head Christ and by a well compact union makes them one Church all communicating of one spirit one faith and in one Lord and Father of all who is above all and in all and through us all blessed for ever Amen How the Word is the divine power of God and the authority committed to the Church WHen wee speake of the word of God consider that the word in essence and property of being is God with God in eternity eternitie it selfe as it is described in the first of Iohns Gospell and though it cannot bee divided in it selfe yet it is to bee distinguished after the personall order of the Trinitie Therefore we may say the Word in the person of the Father is the unbegotten Word in the person of the Sonne it is the begotten Word and in the person of the holy Ghost it is the proceeding Word So that by the proceeding Word all things flow from the Father and the Sonne By the order of this proceeding power the world was made by the word of God As the Psalmist saith Psal. 33. 6. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the hoast of them by the breath of his mouth By this proceeding power of the Word man was made a living soule as Gen. 2. 7. And God breathed in his face the breath of life and the man was a living soule and Ioh. 1. 4. in it was life and that life was the light of man not naturall reason but supernaturall light which inlightened nature By this proceeding word Adam was restored after his fall by promising to make the Word the seed of the Woman and to breake the Serpents head Gen. 3. 15. for God by the proceeding of the Word saying he will put enmity betwixt Satan whose nature is wicked and evill altogether and the humane generation or seed which Satan had made like himselfe he thereby promiseth that by his proceeding Word he would make his Word the feed of the Woman whereby it should be of a contrary nature to wickednesse of a heavenly pure and holy nature and condition powerfull against Satan Thus by the proceeding Word the word God is made the word of promise and the Promise is made life and thus it comes to passe that the Just shall live by faith By this proceeding word all the Elect of the Father are called are sanctified are washed are inspired and by inspiration are made sonnes of God Kings Priests and Prophets for by inspiration of the proceeding Word God the Word dwelleth in them for in the proceeding Word is both the begotten Word and the unbegotten Word the Father as Christ saith my Father and I are one and the proceeding Spirit is one with the Father and the Sonne so these three are one in themselves and beare record in heaven and they also agree in one by inspiration in the soules of the faithfull or the Church which makes three to beare record on earth as the water of Sanctification and the blood of justification and our spirit enlightned with the Spirit of God it beares witnesse with our spirits that we are the sonnes and servants of God For this cause the faithfull are called the Temple of the living God 2 Cor. 6. 16. as God hath said I will dwell among them and walke there and I will bee their God and they shall bee my people Also know yee not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghost which is in you which yee have from God Ye are not your owne for ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in body and in Spirit for they are Gods As the proceeding Word hath proceeded by inspiration to dwell in man which is his internall ministration so he proceedeth by externall ministration to divulge and write the same proceeding Word by the instrumentall pen and voyce of man for mans instruction at first written by his Prophet Moyses and after by the rest of Prophets and Apostles and Evangelists to feed and preserve their holy faith worship of God among the faithfull As Paul witnesseth 2 Tim. 3. 15. 16. Thou hast knowne the holy Scriptures of a child which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through the faith which is in Christ Jesus For the whole Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to convince to correct to instruct in righteousnesse Thus the proceeding Word doth proportion it selfe to mans capacity first it becomes the word of promise in the seed of the woman then the inspirated word to dwell in the mind and also it is the ministeriall Word declared written taught and preached for mans instruction and all is one Word for this cause the Apostle Peter saith we have a most sure word of the Prophets to which yee doe well that yee take
heed as unto a light that shineth in a darke place untill the day dawne and the day starre arise in your hearts and from hence it is evident that the Scripture is the very word of God which proceedeth out of God by inspiration by instrumentall publishing and writing the same and the written Word being the same proceeding word of God even God declared in writing The Scriptures therefore are the Fountaines of living water and the ground of truth for preaching teaching and instruction exhortation and correction And therefore the Scriptures are to be had in Divine estimation for they containe the divine Word it selfe and the Pastors and teachers thereof being thereunto called of God by a full measure of inspiration are to be esteemed the Messengers and Embassadours of God And this is alwayes to be understood that no man can attaine to the interpretation of the written Word by naturall ingenuitie or humane learning or art or industrie though all be needfull instruments and meanes of knowledge but onely by inspiration of the proceeding Word as ver. 21. 20. 21. so that first ye know this that no prophecie of the Scripturis of any private interpretation For as the prophecie came not in old time by the will of men but holy men of God spake â—â— they were moved by the holy Ghost so must holy then of God speake and interpret the Scriptures as they are moved by the holy Ghost And that we may know the interpretation to be of the holy Ghost being the proceeding Word and hee that indicted the same Word from the Father and the Sonne by inspiration cannot give any other sence or understanding to the written Word then is agreeable to the nature of the Word in the person of the Sonne and of the Father and the Word in the person of the Sonne is the revealed will of God the Father made manifest in the flesh Therefore we may discerne whether the interpretation be of the Spirit of God or no by this Iohn 4. 2. 3. Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God and every spirit that confesseth not that Iesus is come in the flesh is not of God For the confession is not an out ward confession of the lips nor an historicall confession of the mind nor a voluntary supposition and opinion of carnall reason but it is the confession of the Spirit of God which declares and manifests to the heart that the Word that is come in the flesh is the very true God as Christ said to know thee and him whom thou hast sent Christ to be the very true God as Peter confessed thou art that Christ that Sonne of God and Christ told him that flesh and blood did not teach him this but his Father revealed it unto him This word of God not having beene after this order knowne and considered hath beene the cause and occasion of much mistake and errours in the Church of God but understanding the Word in the true nature and property of Gods order and manner of working leadeth us by the hand from one gradation to another and stoppeth the mouth of all men that speake against the Scriptures and the holy Spirit For considering the word of God in these gradations we shall evidently perceive and understand that the power and authoritie giuen and committed to the Church is no other thing but the proceeding word of God ministring the begotten Word from the Father manifested in the flesh which ministration is two fold internall by inspiration through hearing of the Word because man is an intellectuall Spirit and therefore a proper Tabernacle for the divine Word to dwell in Also externall ministration because man dwells in an elementary earthly and naturall tabernacle therefore the holy Ghost applyeth himselfe to mans infirmity and doth use in his externall ministration elementary earthy and naturall instruments by which as a meanes and ordinance the proceeding Word and the power thereof is daily communicated unto man both to ingraft him into the Word and to nourish him in the Word unto everlasting life For this manner of externall ministration is necessary for man so long as hee dwelleth in this body or earthly house The instruments which the holy Ghost doth use in the dispensation of the ministeriall Word are either proper as some members of the Church set apart for the worke of the ministery or lesse proper as the signes of the Sacraments I may call those the externall gifts which God gives to his Church for it is said that unto every one of us is given grace or the gifts of the Spirit according to the measure of the gift in Christ For wee may discerne the Church is a compact body knit to the head Christ and consisteth of many members yet in unity of the spirit they are one body and although there be but one Spirit yet are there diversities of gifts diversities of administrations diversities of operations yet all one and the same spirit and these diversities of gifts make diversities of functions So there are many functions in the Church but God worketh all in all But the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withall but peculiar gifts without the which the Church cannot at any time be and therefore most proper of which it is said that Christ ascended on high and lead captivity captive and received gifts to give unto men as some to bee Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers Here is to bee observed that the divine power by internall dispensation is given in common to all and every member of the Church so that all have common interest in the word of God and peculiar power thereby to admonish comfort and instruct one another and pray for one another and beare one anothers burdens especially they are all Kings Priests and Prophets in their Families For every Father ought to use the office of an Elder in his house Deut 6. 6 7. Deut. 4. 9. But for the externall dispensation of the Word the power and efficacy thereof is committed unto peculiar men wherof Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors teachers are in the first ranke and functions and the power and efficacy which is given them is onely the ministration of the Word they have not that absolute power which Christ hath to know who are his from the beginning and to have compassion on whom he would have compassion and to shew mercy on whom hee would show mercy For Christ had not this absolute power as he was the Son of man but as he was the person of God For as he was Man he came not to do his owne will but the will of his Father So likewise when he sent his Apostles and Disciples to teach all Nations he sent them as he was sent of his Father So send I you saith he which was not to doe their owne will nor to teach their owne doctrine but to do his will
as he did his Fathers will and to teach his doctrine which he taught them as his Father taught him so by the Word they are to do and teach but nothing beside the Word or without the Word More at large of this in the Treatise of Discipline Thus we see the word of life is God in the person of the Father the unbegotten Word in the Sonne the begotten Word and the incarnate Word In the person of the Spirit it is the proceeding Word and the ministeriall Word and this ministeriall Word is the power and the authority committed to the Church So the Ministers cannot doe any thing but by the power of the Word and this Word is Christ who abideth with them and with the whole Church alwayes unto the end of the world So Christ is the chiefe and they are his servants and embassadours Of the third Subsistence of the Church Government and Discipline AS Divine worship cannot bee wiâ—hout the divine power of the ministeriall Word from whence it extracts both the nutriment and efficacie so neither worship nor the Divine Word can be without order government and discipline whereby the whole spirituall body the Church is preserved in spirituall health and blessednesse shining in spirituall decencie and divine beauty As Psal. 45. 13. 14. The Kings daughter is all glorious within And her heavenly glory is most excellently set forth in Canâ—â—â—…es 6. 10. Who is shee that looketh forth as the morning faire as the Moone pure as the Sunne terrible as an army with banners Without externall pompe temporall confusion or humane policy for God hateth nothing more in the government of his Church and in his worship then pompe and policy and loveth nothing more then to have his Church excell in meeknesse holinesse and simplicity like himselfe as hee saith Bee ye holy for I am holy And learne of me for I am meeke and lowly And he exalteth the humble and meeke but the proud he sends empty away When we speake of the Church it is to bee considered in what fence we take the Church for the Church of God is in a twofold aspect to be apprehended one as she is in a mysticall union the body of Christ the Spouse of Christ the Lambe the Bride in this sence shee is spirituall pure and holy without spot without wrinkle his undefiled The other as she dwelleth in her naturall humanitie and abideth here on earth wherein shee is invironed with manifold temptations infirmities and afflictions fighting against the world the flesh and the divell and in this condition she is elementary naturall and visible Therefore God in his wisedome and goodnesse to man hath ordained externall dispensation thereby to communicate the holy and invisible mysteries of his Word to man through visible instruments elementary and naturall proper for mans capacity and nature lest naturall infirmities should become an excuse that God should not speake unto man For this cause God doth minister the mighty power of his Word by the weake and simple voyce of man Teaching man by letters syllables words and sentences divine truth and making evident to the mind and sences of man by elementary signes tropes and allegories and so demonstrating inscrutable mysteries and divine secrets of grace power and glory The first beames of the glorious gospell of Christ which Paul calls the Image of the living God that shines unto man is the publike and visible ministration whose glory compared with the glorious ministration of the law 2 Cor. 3. 7. which none was able to behold and live which made mountaines tremble and the Israelites excuse themselves is farre more exceeding glorious which we all are able to behold with openface shining through the vaile of Christs humanitie wherein as in a glasse or Crystall wee see the glory of God in the love of the Father and are changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord And the thing that is ministred is the glorious gospell of Christ which is the doctrine of Christ or the mystery of the Father and it carrieth alwayes this Character with it to know it to be the true doctrine of God It giveth all glory to God the Father by Christ and it glorifies Christ through the Spirit for Christ saith that which is the Fathers is mine therefore the Spirit shall take of mine and give it you Outward ministration is called the face and countenance of God Therefore the Prophet David saith O. Lord God of hoasts turne us againe and make thy face to shine upon us and wee shall be saved It was Davids delight and his whole hearts desire Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I require that I may dwell in the temple of the Lord all my dayes to behold the beauty of the Lord and to visit his temple The first ordination of this ministration was instituted and practised by God himselfe in Paradise preaching unto Adam in a created voyce in the coole of the day and by that meeke voyce Gods presence was knowne unto man I heard thy voyce and was afraid The voyce or word of God for it is a significant voyce making it selfe to be understood howsoever God useth weake and despised instruments to expresse himselfe to mans capacity yet his voyce is mighty as in the 29. Psal. Reade the whole Psalme For the voyce of the Lord is powerfull the voyce of the Lord is full of Majesty And as Paul describes it it is mighty in operation and sharper then any two edged sword piercing through even to the dividing of the soule and the spirit and of the joynts and the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart For this cause preaching is called the power of God unto salvation But if the glorious beauty and power of Gods ministration seeme weake and foolish unto some men because it is ministred by the voyce of man and the weake signes of the Sacraments being of no strength nor beauty in themselves It is because the glorious Gospell is hid unto them that perish and becomes the savour of death unto death because the God of this world hath blinded the eyes of them that beleeve not lest the light of the glorious Gospell of Jesus Christ should shine unto them These riches are sent unto us of God from the Father of lights by the Sonne of the fulnesse of all rich grace through the Spirit the over-flowing waters of life and blessednesse and we have it in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may appeare to be of God and not of man and those that are sent of God are qualified with the word of God and by having the Word they are knowne to be sene of God For they teach and preach not themselves but Jesus Christ the Lord and approve themselves messengers and servants to the Saints for Jesus sake For the word of God wee are alwayes to conceive to be the
eternall Sonne of God by generation and to proceed from God by spiration in creation and to be communicated unto man since his fall by supernaturall inspiration and united unto man and man unto it by incarnation and ministred unto man by externall dispensation Thus the Word descends unto man by inspiration and dwels in man through the Spirit for the Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is the Word for the Word and the spirit cannot be divided nor separated they are one For this cause God useth the externall ministration of his Word and Spirit that he may inspire and regenerate the mind of man After this manner are the ministers and messengers that are sent of God indued with the Word and Spirit of God Therefore let no man say that hee hath the Spirit if hee want the light of the Word neither can any man have the Word but by the Spirit and the Word and Spirit are both made manifest in this that they reveale the hid things of God even the mysterie of God in Christ 1 Cor. 2. 9. 10. which in Col. 2. 3. is called a full assurance of understanding in the knowledge of the mysterie of God in Christ for he which commanded light to shine out of darknesse shines into the hearts of the Messengers to give the light of the knowledge of God in the face of Christ Of the calling of Ministers As the externall Ministration cannot be without the Word and the Spirit so the Church cannot bee without Ministers and messengers of God and as the ministration is publicke and externall so the visible Church and Congregations have power of divine right to call and appoint such as God hath internally qualified to the externall and publicke exercise thereof For as by internall inspiration they are indued with a more then ordinary measure of the Word and Spirit so they ought to be well knowne and conversant in the Congregation or facietie of that Church wherein they live that by a mutuall consent they may be approved and thought worthy to be called to the publick ministration and dispensation of the VVord This was the practise of the Apostles and primitive Church Acts 1. 21. 22. Wherefore of these men that have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out with us beginning from the Baptisme of John unto the same day that he was taken up from us must one be ordained to be a witnesse with us of his resurrection and they appointed two Also Act. 6. 1. 2. When the nuber of the Disciples was multiplied then the twelve called the multitude of the Disciples together unto them and said unto them it is not meet that we should leave the ministration of the Word and serve tables wherefore brethren looke you out among you seven men of honest report full of the holy Ghost and of wisedome whom we may appoint ouer this businesse And it is to be observed that nothing was to bee done in the Church either by the Apostles or by those that in the ministration succeeded them without the consent of the whole Church which then at first were called Disciples Of the manner of their externall ordination Touching the manner of their Ordination that we find in the first of the Acts they prayed and said Thou Lord which knowest the hearts of all men shew which of these two thou hast chosen and then they gave forth lots and the lot fell upon Matthias And also afterwards in the sixt of the Acts the multitude of the Disciples or brethren those seven and set them before the Apostles and when they had prayed they laid their hands upon them In the first place of Scripture it is said the Disciples appointed two and left the choyce to God and therefore they give forth lots because it was an extraordinary calling to an Apostleship to succeed Judas But in the second place it is said they chose Srephin a man full of faith and the holy Ghost and Philip and Prochorus and others c. And it is remarkable that the Church received instruction from the Apostles as a rule to be observed in choosing Deacons and Elders as in the first of the Acts they were admonished by Peter to choose such as were conversant in the Church from their beginning By which I conceive they ought to bee of knowne conversation and men of good report and that they should be full of faith and the holy Ghost as Steven was or men endued with the holy Ghost and with wisedome These are the respects which ought to bee had in choosing Pastors Deacons and Governours in the Church For all gifts of learning and humane Sciences howsoever they be excellent and worthy much praise and honour yet without these Characters of grace they are nothing and not to be esteemed Of the orders and degrees of Pastors and their denominations both under the Law and the Gospell It is evident that the orders and degrees of Ministers and Governours of the Church of God under the Law were Priests Levites and Elders God also sending among them Prophets of extraordinary inspiration for revelation of the VVord to teach admonish and exhort the people The Priests office was figurative prefiguring Christ untill his comming offering sacrifices to figure the sacrifice of his body instructing the people in the promised seed unto the remission of their sinnes whose manifestation in the flesh should be the accomplishment of all figures and shadowes in the law which thereby were abrogated The Levites were given unto Aaron as an addition to his office as in Numb. 3. 6 7 8 9. to minister unto him to keepe his charge and the charge of the whole Congregation to doe the service and to keepe the instruments of the tabernacle of the Congregation The Elders though every Father of a Family bee called Elder and also the twelve tribes of Iacob yet those are properly Elders who are chosen and appointed to be Governours and Rulers both in Church and Common-wealth For the Governours in Pharaohs house were called Elders and the Rulers in the Church as first in the Tabernacle as Numb. 11. 25 26. and Temple were also called Elders And the Lord stirred up Prophets among them both of the Levites and Priests and others as occasion required never leaving his Church without a Prophet and Rulers till Shilo came And when that faithfull Prophet of God came into the world whose effectuall power and fulnesse of all divine perfection abolished all figures and darke resembling shadowes then in his owne person and humane presence hee spread abroad the glad tydings of his glorious Gospell causing the light of his truth to shine evident without vaile or vizard notwithstanding he neither altered nor abolished the order of ministration nor the manner of government but established the same by his owne example and the practise of his Apostles And therefore he said that Christ when he ascended on high
he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men As Ephes 4 11. he gave some to be Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists and some Pastours and Teachers In this place of Scripture he onely setteth forth the principall functions in the Church whereof the first paire as namely Apostles and Evangelists were of immediate calling and appropriated to the time ordained by Christ onely for the propagation and first progression of the Gospell the gifts of prophecie and working of miracles attending the confirmation of their doctrine As the necessitie of those times required and as Christ had promised Marke 16. 17 18. And these signes shall follow them that beleeve in my Name they shall cast out devils they shall speake with new tongues they shall take up Serpents and if they drink any deadly poyson it shall not hurt them they shall lay their hands on the sicke and they shall recover The second paire are Pastors and Teachers distinguished by their ordination for these were ordained internally by the outward dispensation of hearing the Word preached by the Apostles then externally chosen by the Church as Acts the sixth after consecrated by the Apostles by prayer and laying on of hands of the Apostles and Elders Acts 14. 23. This order of ministers is ordinarie and to continue in the Church unto the comming of our Lord to Judgement Both these paires are but one and the same function and office and have but one and the same Commission which was given by the immediate ordination of Christ to his Apostles For as God the Father sent his beloved Sonne to bee a light unto the Gentiles and the glory of his people Israel in declaring unto them the glad tydings of salvation in his death unto the remission of sinnes So Christ sayd to his Disciples As my Father sent me so send I you John 20. 21 22. The power and authority committed unto them by this commission is the breath of life out of the mouth of Christ proceeding from the Father and the Sonne as it is said Man lives not by bread onely but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Therefore he breathed on them and said Receive ye the holy Ghost For the word which Christ spake or breathed out of his mouth hee affirmed to be spirit and life saying John 6. The flesh profiteth nothing but the word that I speake is spirit and life The substance of this Commission is mandatory Matt. 28. 19. Goe teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost The doctrinall part of their commission is teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and Marke 26. 15. hath it in these words Preach the Gospell to every creature Now the summe of the doctrine which Christ taught is set downe more plainly by St. Luke 24. 44. These are the words that I spake unto you whilst I was yet with you that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law and the Prophets and in the Psalmes concerning mee And he who was spirit life and light opened their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures and said Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and rise from the dead the third day And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations beginning at Ierusalem And after this manner doe the Pastors and Ministers blesse teach and sanctifie the people Thus Christ by preaching and teaching unto them the word of God out of his mouth he opened their understandings in the Scriptures and thereby they received the holy Ghost for this is Christs manner of breathing upon them Iohn 20. when hee said receive yee the holy Ghost But in Luke he saith Behold I send the promise of my Father upon you Which is to say I will send a visible token of the Spirit upon you or the efficacie of the Spirit upon you Therefore he sayd Tarry yee in the Citie of Ierusalem untill you bee endued with power from on high Not but that they had received the holy Ghost before but not the manifestation and evident power thereof as afterwards it did fall upon them in the similitude of fiery cloven tongues Acts 2. The fruites and operative effects of ministration of the Spirit is set forth Iohn 2. 23. Whose soever sinnes ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose soever sinnes ye retaine they are retained For this is the power and efficacie of the ministeriall Word as hath beene formerly showne which floweth from the absolute power of Christ which was given unto him of the Father as he affirmed to his Disciples Matt. 28. 18. All power is given me in heaven and in Earth And this ministration of the Gospell is that key of David committed unto Christ by which he should open and no man shut and should shut and no man should open And in the 16. of Matthew 16 17. 18. ver. it is evident that this power of the keyes is onely the power of the Gospell of Christ or rather as Peter confessed the Lord Jesus to bee that Christ that Sonne of the living God which he received not by the intelligence of flesh and blood but by Revelation from God the Father this power changeth the whole corrupt nature of man and gives him another denomination or qualitie making him a strong and immoveable rock turning Peter to Petra Thus after this manner is the revelation and power of the Word given in generall to every one that receiveth the knowledge of Christ to beleeve that he is that Christ that Sonne of the living God God himselfe against this rocke the gates of hell the powers and principalities of darknesse and worldly Governours cannot prevaile But the particular and publicke ministration thereof is committed to the Pastors and teachers of the Church of God by whose ministration and publicke dispensation of the Word the hearts and consciences of men are opened and shut bound and loosed every day as Lydia and others in the Acts in which the Word becomes the savour of life unto some and the savour of death unto others And this ministeriall power is also given unto them for divine censure and publicke correction to roote out abominable and unsufferable vices in the Church and Congregations as shall be shewed in his proper place Of the nominations under the Law and under the Gospell Under the Law it is undeniable that the Ministers and Governours of the Church were called Priests Levites and Elders Also in the Christian Church leaving out the extraordinary functions of Apostles and Evangelists they are called Pastors Teachers Helpers and Governours As these rankes are expressed in the 1 Cor. 12. 28. Of helpers wee reade they were added to the Christian Church in the sixth of the Acts whose office seemes to be in the place of the Levites as they are called Deacons And
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