an Head of spiritual and vital influence yet are they meet Members of that Body of Christ unto which he is an Head of Rule and Government as also meet to be esteemed Subjects of his Kingdom And none are excluded but such as concerning whom Rules are given either to withdraw from them or to cast them out of Church Society or are expresly excluded by God himself from any share in the Privileges of his Covenant Psal. 50.16 17. Divines of all sorts do dispute from the Scripture and the Testimonies of the Ancients that Hypocrites and persons unregenerate may be true Members of Visible Churches And it is a matter very easie to be proved nor do I know any by whom it is denied But the only Question is That whereas undoubtedly Profession is necessary unto all Church Communion whether if Men do profess themselves Hypocrites in State and Unregenerate in Mind that Profession do sufficiently qualify them for Church Communion And whereas there is a double Profession one by Words the other by Works as the Apostle declares Tit. 1.16 Whether the latter be not as interpretative of the Mind and state of Men as the former other contest we have with none in this matter Belarmine de Eccles. lib. 3. cap. 2. gives an account out of Augustine and that truly from Brevec Collat. Col. 3. of the state of the Church It doth saith he consist of a Soul and Body The Soul is the internal Graces of the Spirit The Body is the Profession of them with the Sacraments All true Believers making Profession belong to the Soul and Body of the Church Some as believing Catechumens belong to the Soul but not to the Body Others are of the Body but not of the Soul namely such as have no internal Grace or true Faith and they are like the Hair or the Nails or evil Humours in the Body And thereunto adds That his Definition of the Church comprizeth this last sort only which is all one as if we should define a Man to be a Thing constituted and made up of Hair Nails and ill Humours and let others take heed that they have not such Churches There is nothing more certain in matter of Fact than that Evangelical Churches at their first constitution were made up and did consist of such Members as we have described and no other Nor is there one Word in the whole Scripture intimating any Concession or Permission of Christ to receive into his Church those who are not so Qualified Others have nothing to plead for themselves but Possession which being malae fidei ill obtained and ill continued will afford them no real advantage when the time of trial shall come Wherefore it is certain that such they ought to be No Man as I suppose is come unto that profligate sense of Spiritual things as to deny That the Members of the Church ought to be visibly Holy. For if so they may affirm that all the promises and privileges made and granted to the Church do belong unto them who visibly live and die in their Sins which is to overthrow the Gospel And if they ought so to be and were so at first when they are not so openly and visibly there is a declension from the Original Constitution of Churches and a Sinful Deviation in them from the Rule of Christ. This Original Constitution of Churches with respect unto their Members was for the substance of it as we observed preferred in the Primitive Times whilst Persecution from without was continued and Discipline preserved within I have in part declared before what great care and circumspection the Church then used in the Admission of any into their Fellowship and Order and what trial they were to undergo before they were received and it is known also with what severe Discipline they watched over the Faith walking conversation and manners of all their Members Indeed such was their care and diligence herein that there is scarce left in some Churches at present the least Resemblance or Appearance of what was their State and manner of Rule Wherefore some think it meet to Ascend no higher in the imitation of the Primitive Churches than the times of the Christian Emperours when all things began to rush into the fatal Apostasie which I shall here speak a little farther unto For Upon the Roman Emperours Embracing Christian Religion whereby not only outward Peace and Tranquility was secured unto the Church but the Profession of Christian Religion was countenanced encouraged honoured and rewarded the Rule Care and Diligence of the Churches about the Admission of Members were in a great measure relinquished and forsaken The Rulers of the Church began to think that the Glory of it consisted in its numbers finding both their own Power Veneration and Revenue encreased thereby In a short time the Inhabitants of whole Cities and Provinces upon a bare outward Profession were admitted into Churches And then began the outward Court that is all that which belongs unto the outward Worship and Order of the Church to be trampled on by the Gentiles not kept any more to the measure of Scripture Rule which thenceforth was applied only to the Temple of God and them that Worshipped therein For this corruption of the Church as to the matter of it was the occasion and means of introducing all that corruption in Doctrine Worship Order and Rule which ensued and ended in the great Apostacy For whatever belonged unto any of these things especially these that consist in practice were accommodated unto the state of the Members of the Churches And such they were as stood in need of superstitious Rites to be mixed with their Worship as not understanding the Power and Glory of that which is Spiritual such as no interest in Church Order could be committed unto seeing they were not qualified to bear any share in it such as stood in need of a Rule over them with Grandeur and Power like unto that among the Gentiles Wherefore the Accommodation of all Church concerns unto the state and condition of such corrupt Members as Churches were filled with and at length made up of proved the Ruine of the Church in all its Order and Beauty But so it fell out that in the Protestant Reformation of the Church very little regard was had thereunto Those great and worthy Persons who were called unto that Work did set themselves principally yea solely for the most part against the false Doctrine and Idolatrous Worship of the Church of Rome as judging that if they were removed and taken away the people by the Efficacy of Truth and Order of Worship would be retrived from the evil of their ways and Primitive Holiness be again reduced among them For they thought it was the Doctrine and Worship of that Church which had filled the people with Darkness and corrupted their Conversations Nor did they absolutely judge amiss therein For although they were themselves at first introduced in compliance with the ignorance and wickedness
season these things are so full an indication of sincerity as that in the judgment of Charity they render Men meet to be Members of the visible Church And if any of this sort of persons through the severity of the Church in their non Admission of them should be cast on a conjunction in Superstitious and Idolatrous Worship or be otherwise exposed unto Temptations and Discouragements prejudicial unto their Souls I know not how such a Church can answer the refusal of them unto the great and universal Pastor of the whole Flock CHAP. II. Of the Formal Cause of a Particular Church THE way or means whereby such persons as are described in the foregoing Chapter may become a Church or enter into a church-Church-State is by mutual confederation or solemn Agreement for the performance of all the Duties which the Lord Christ hath prescribed unto his Disciples in such Churches and in order to the exercise of the power wherewith they are intrusted according unto the Rule of the Word FOR the most part the Churches that are in the World at present know not how they came so to be continuing only in that state which they have received by Tradition from their Fathers Few there are who think that any Act or Duty of their own is required to enstate them in Church Order and Relation And it is acknowledged that there is a difference between the continuation of a Church and its first Erection Yet that that continuation may be regular it is required that its first Congregating for the Church is a Congregation was so as also that the force and efficacy of it be still continued Wherefore the causes of that first gathering must be enquired into THE Churches mentioned in the New Testament planted or gathered by the Apostles were Particular Churches as hath been proved These Churches did consist each of them of many Members who were so Members of one of them as that they were not Members of another The Saints of the Church of Corinth were not Members of the Church at Philippi And the Enquiry is How those Believers in one place and the other became to be a Church and that distinct from all others The Scripture affirms in general that they gave up themselves unto the Lord and unto the Apostles who guided them in these Affairs by the will of God 2 Cor. 8.5 and that other Believers were added unto the Church Act. 2. THAT it is the Will and Command of our Lord Jesus Christ that all his Disciples should be joined in such Societies for the Duties and Ends of them prescribed and limited by himself hath been proved sufficiently before All that are Discipled by the Word are to be taught to do and observe all his Commands Matth. 28.20 THIS could originally be no otherwise done but by their own actual express voluntary consent There are sundry things which concurr as remote causes or prerequisite conditions unto this conjunction of Believers in a Particular Church and without which it cannot be Such are Baptism Profession of the Christian Faith convenient Cohabitation resorting to the Preaching of the Word in the same place But neither any of these distinctly or separately nor all of them in Conjunction are or can be the constitutive Form of a Particular Church For it is evident that they may all be and yet no such Church State ensue They cannot altogether engage unto those Duties nor communicate those Powers which appertain unto this State. WERE there no other Order in Particular Churches no other Discipline to be exercised in them nor Rule over them no other Duties no other Ends assigned unto them but what are generally owned and practised in Parochial Assemblies the Preaching of the Word within such a precinct of Cohabitation determined by Civil Authority might constitute a Church But if a Church be such a Society as is intrusted in it self with sundry Powers and Privileges depending on sundry Duties prescribed unto it if it constitute new Relations between Persons that neither naturally nor morally were before so related as Marriage doth between Husband and Wife if it require new mutual Duties and give new mutual Rights among themselves not required of them either as unto their matter or as unto their manner before it is vain to imagine that this State can arise from or have any other Formal Cause but the joint consent and virtual confederation of those concerned unto these ends For there is none of them can have any other Foundation they are all of them resolved into the Wills of Men bringing themselves under an obligation unto them by their voluntary consent I say unto the Wills of Men as their Formal Cause the supreme efficient cause of them all being the Will Law and Constitution of our Lord Jesus Christ. THUS it is in all Societies in all Relations that are not meerly natural such as between Parents and Children wherein the necessity of Powers and mutual Duties is predetermined by a Superiour Law even that of Nature wherein Powers Privileges and mutual Duties are established as belonging unto that Society Nor after its first institution can any one be incorporated into it but by his own consent and engagement to observe the Laws of it Nor if the Nature and Duties of Churches were acknowledged could there be any contest in this matter for the things ensuing are clear and evident 1. THE Lord Christ by his Authority hath appointed and instituted this Church State as that there should be such Churches as we have proved before 2. THAT by his Word or Law he hath granted Powers and Privileges unto this Church and prescribed Duties unto all belonging unto it wherein they can have no concernment who are not incorporated into such a Church 3. THAT therefore he doth Require and Command all his Disciples to join themselves in such Church Relations as we have proved warranting them so to do by his Word and Command Wherefore 4. THIS joining of themselves whereon depends all their interest in Church Powers and Privileges all their obligation unto Church Duties is a voluntary Act of the obedience of Faith unto the Authority of Christ nor can it be any thing else 5. HEREIN do they give themselves unto the Lord and to one another by their Officers in a peculiar manner according to the Will of God 2 Cor. 8.5 6. TO give our selves unto the Lord that is unto the Lord Jesus Christ is expresly to engage to do and observe all that he hath appointed and commanded in the Church as that Phrase every where signifieth in the Scripture as also joining our selves unto God which is the same 7. THIS Resignation of our selves unto the Will Power and Authority of Christ with an express ingagement made unto him of doing and observing all his Commands hath the nature of a Covenant on our part and it hath so on his by virtue of the promise of his especial presence annexed unto this engagement on our part Matth. 28.18 19 20. 8.
FOR whereas there are three things required unto a Covenant between God and Man. 1. That it be of Gods appointment and institution 2. That upon a prescription of Duties there be a solemn engagement unto their performance on the part of Men. 3. That there be especial promises of God annexed thereunto in which consists the matter of Confederation whereof mutual express Restipulation is the form they all concurr herein 9. THIS Covenant which we intend is not the Covenant of Grace absolutely considered nor are all the Duties belonging unto that Covenant prescribed in it but the principal of them as Faith Repentance and the like are presupposed unto it nor hath annexed unto it all the promises and privileges of the New Covenant absolutely considered but it is that which is prescribed as a Gospel Duty in the Covenant of Grace whereunto do belong all the Duties of Evangelical Worship all the powers and privileges of the Church by virtue of the especial promise of the peculiar presence of Christ in such a Church 10. WHEREAS therefore in the constitution of a Church Believers do give up themselves unto the Lord and are bound solemnly to engage themselves to do and observe all the things which Christ hath commanded to be done and observed in that state whereon he hath promised to be present with them and among them in an especial manner which presence of his doth interest them in all the Rights Powers and Privileges of the Church their so doing hath the nature of a Divine Covenant included in it which is the Formal Cause of their Church Sate and Being 11. BESIDES as we have proved before there are many mutual Duties required of all which join in Church Societies and Powers to be exercised and submitted unto whereunto none can be obliged without their own consent They must give up themselves unto one another by the will of God. That is they must agree consent and engage among themselves to observe all those mutual Duties to use all those Privileges and to exercise all those Powers which the Lord Christ hath prescribed and granted unto his Church See Jerem. 50.4 5. 12. THIS compleats the confederation intended which is the Formal Cause of the Church and without which either expresly or virtually performed there can be no Church State. 13. INDEED herein most Men deceive themselves and think they do not that nor that it ought to be done and dispute against it as unlawful or unnecessary which for the substance of it they do themselves and would condemn themselves in their own Consciences if they did it not For unto what end do they join themselves unto Parochial Churches and Assemblies To what end do they require all Professors of the Protestant Religion so to do declaring it to be their Duty by penalties annexed unto its neglect Is it not that they might yield obedience unto Christ in their so doing Is it not to profess that they will do and observe all whatsoever he commands them Is it not to do it in that Society in those Assemblies whereunto they do belong Is there not therein virtually a mutual Agreement and Engagement among them unto all those ends It must be so with them who do not in all things in Religion fight uncertainly as Men beating the Air. 14. NOW whereas these things are in themselves and for the substance of them known Gospel Duties which all Believers are indispensably obliged unto the more express our engagement is concerning them the more do we glorify Christ in our Profession and the greater sense of our Duty will abide on our Consciences and greater encouragement be given unto the performance of mutual Duties as also the more evident will the warranty be for the exercise of Church Power Yet do I not deny the Being of Churches unto those Societies wherein these things are virtually only observed especially in Churches of some continuance wherein there is at least an implicit consent unto the first Covenant-Constitution 15. THE Lord Christ having instituted and appointed Officers Rulers or Leaders in his Church as we shall see in the next place to look unto the discharge of all Church Duties among the Members of it to administer and dispense all its Privileges and to exercise all its Authority the consent and engagement insisted on is expresly required unto the constitution of this Order and the preservation of it For without this no Believer can be brought into that Relation unto another as his Pastor Guide Over-seer Ruler unto the ends mentioned wherein he must be subject unto him partake of all Ordinances of Divine Worship administred by him with Authority in obedience unto the will of Christ They gave their own selves to us saith the Apostle by the will of God. 16. WHEREFORE the Formal Cause of a Church consisteth in an Obediential Act of Believers in such numbers as may be useful unto the ends of Church Edification jointly giving up themselves unto the Lord Jesus Christ to do and observe all his Commands resting on the promise of his especial presence thereon giving and communicating by his Law all the Rights Powers and Privileges of his Church unto them and in a mutual Agreement among themselves jointly to perform all the Duties required of them in that State with an especial subjection unto the Spiritual Authority of Rules and Rulers appointed by Christ in that State. 17. THERE is nothing herein which any Man who hath a conscientious sense of his Duty in a professed subjection unto the Gospel can question for the substance of it whether it be according to the mind of Christ or no. And whereas the nature and essential properties of a Divine Covenant are contained in them as such it is a Foundation of any Church State. 18. THUS under the Old Testament when God would take the postâ—rity of Abraham into a new peculiar Church State he did it by a Solemn Covenant Herein as he prescribed all the Duties of his Worship to them and made them many blessed promises of his presence with powers and privileges innumerable so the people solemnly Covenanted and engaged with him that they would do and observe all that he had Commanded them whereby they coalesced into that Church State which abode unto the time of Reformation This Covenant is at large declared Exod. 24. For the Covenant which God made there with the people and they with him was not the Covénant of Grace under a legal dispensation for that was established unto the Seed of Abraham Four Hundred years before in the Promise with the Seal of Circumcision nor was it the Covenant of Works under a Gospel dispensation for God never renewed that Covenant under any consideration whatever But it was a peculiar Covenant which God then made with them and had not made it with their Fathers Deut. 5.2 3. whereby they were raised and erected into a Church State wherein they were intrusted with all the Privileges and enjoined all the Duties which God had
Churches being called and gathered by their Ministry they were given unto the Church and placed in the Church for the exercise of all Office with Power unto their Edification according to the Rules and Laws of their constitution Act. 1.14 15. Chap. 6.1 2 3 4. 1 Cor. 3.22 Chap. 12.28 Ephes. 4.11 12 13 14. 2. THIS Power is ceased in the Church It is so not by virtue of any Law or constitution of Christ but by a cessation of those actings whence it did flow and whereon it did depend For unto this Apostolical Office and Power there was required 1. An immediate personal call from Christ himself 2. A Commission equally extensive unto all Nations for their Conversion and unto all Churches equally for their Edification 3. An Authority in all Churches comprehensive of all that power which is in the ordinary constitution of them distributed among many 4. A Collation of extraordinary Gifts as of infallibility in Teaching of working Miracles speaking with Tongues and the like Whereas therefore all these things do cease and the Lord Christ doth not act in the same manner towards any this Office and Power doth absolutely cease For any to pretend themselves to be Successors unto these Apostles as some with a strange confidence and impertinency have done is to plead that they are personally and immediately called by Christ unto their Office that they have Authority with respect unto all Nations and all Churches and are indued with a spirit of Infallibility and a power of working Miracles whereof outward pomp and ostentation are no sufficient evidences And certainly when some of them consider one another and talk of being the Apostles Successors it is but Aruspex Aruspicens 3. LEAST of all in the ordinary state of the Church and the continuation thereof hath the Lord Christ appointed a Vicar or rather as is pretended a Successor with a plenitude of all Church Power to be by him parcelled out unto others This is that which hath overthrown all Church Rule and Order introducing Luciferian Pride and Antichristian Tyranny in their room And whereas the only way of Christs acting his Authority over the Churches and of communicating Authority unto them to be acted by them in his Name is by his Word and Spirit which he hath given to continue in his Church unto that end unto the consummation of all things the Pope of Rome placing himself in his stead for these ends doth thereby sit in the Temple of God and shew himself to be God. But this is sufficiently confuted among all sober Christians and those who embrace it may be left to contend with the Mahometans who affirm that Jesus left John the Baptist to be his Successor as Haly succeeded unto Mahomet 5. ALL these by whom the ordinary Rule of the Church is to be exercised unto its Edification are as unto their Office and Power given unto the Church set or placed in it not as Lords of their Faith but as helpers of their joy 1 Cor. 2.2 Chap. 3.21 22 23. 2 Cor. 1.24 Ephes. 4.11 12 13 14. 1 Pet. 5.1 2. For the Church is the Spouse of Christ the Lambs Wife and by virtue of that Relation the enfeoffment into this power is her Due and Dowry all particular Persons are but her Servants for Christs sake For though some of them be Stewards and set over all their fellow Servants yet he hath not given them the trust of power to rule his Spouse at their own will and to grant what they please unto her 6. BUT as this whole Church Power is committed unto the whole Church by Christ so all that are called unto the peculiar exercise of any part of it by virtue of Office-Authority do receive that Authority from him by the only way of the communication of it namely by his Word and Spirit through the Ministry of the Church whereof we shall treat afterwards V. THESE things being thus premised in general concerning Church Power we must treat yet particularly of the communication of it from Christ and of its distribution as unto its Residence in the Church 1. EVERY Individual Believer hath Power or Right given unto him upon his believing to become the Son of God Joh. 1.12 Hereby as such he hath a Right and Title radically and originally unto with an interest in all Church Privileges to be actually possessed and used according to the Rules by him prescribed For he that is a Son of God hath a right unto all the privileges and advantages of the Family of God as well as he is obliged unto all the Duties of it Herein lies the foundation of all right unto Church Power for both it and all that belongs unto it is a part of the purchased Inheritance whereunto right is granted by Adoption wherefore the first original grant of all Church Power and Privileges is made unto Believers as such Theirs it is with these Two Limitations 1. That as such only they cannot exercise any Church Power but upon their due observation of all Rules and Duties given unto this end such are Joint Confession and Confederation 2. That each individual do actually participate therein according to the especial Rules of the Church which peculiarly respects Women that do believe 2. WHERE-ever there are two or three of these Believers the smallest number Right and Power is granted unto them actually to meet together in the name of Christ for their mutual Edification whereunto he hath promised his presence among them Matth. 18.19 20. To meet and to do any thing in the name of Christ as to exhort instruct and admonish one another or to pray together as v. 19. there is an especial Right or Power required thereunto This is granted by Jesus Christ unto the least number of consenting Believers And this is a second preparation unto the communication of Church Power Unto the former Faith only is required unto this Profession with mutual consent unto and agreement in the Evangelical Duties mentioned are to be added 3. WHERE the number of Believers is encreased so as that they are sufficient as unto their number to observe and perform all Church Duties in the way and manner prescribed for their performance they have Right and Power granted unto them to make a joint solemn Confession of their Faith especially as unto the Person of Christ and his Mediation Matth. 16.16 18. as also to give up themselves unto him and to one another in an holy Agreement or Confederation to do and observe all things whatever that he hath Commanded Hereon by virtue of his Laws in his Institutions and Commands he gives them power to do all things in their Order which he grants unto his Church and enstates them in all the Rights and Privileges thereof These Believers I say thus congregated into a Church State have immediately by virtue thereof power to take care that all things be done among them as by the Lord Christ they are Commanded to be done in and by his
Church THIS therefore is the Church Essential and Homogeneal unto which the Lord Christ hath granted all that Church Power which we enquire after made it the Seat of all Ordinances of his Worship and the Tabernacle wherein he will dwell Nor since the ceasing of extraordinary Officers is there any other way possible for the congregating of any Church than what doth virtually include the things we have mentioned 4. BUT yet this Church State is not compleat nor are the ends of its institution attainable in this State. For the Lord Christ hath appointed such things in and unto it which in this State it cannot observe For he hath given Authority unto his Church to be exercised both in its Rule and in the Administration of his solemn Ordinances of Worship The things before mentioned are all of them acts of Right and Power but not of Authority 5. WHEREFORE the Lord Christ hath ordained Offices and appointed Officers to be established in the Church Ephes. 4.13 14. Unto these is all Church Authority granted For all Authority is an act of office-Office-Power which is that which gives unto what is performed by the Officers of the Church the formal nature of Authority 6. THEREFORE unto the Church in the State before described Right and Power is granted by Christ to call chuse appoint and set apart persons made meet for the work of the Offices appointed by him in the ways and by the means appointed by him Nor is there any other way whereby ordinary Officers may be fixed in the Church as we have proved before and shall farther confirm afterwards THAT which hereon we must enquire into is How or by what means or by what acts of his Sovereign Power the Lord Christ doth communicate Office-Power and therewith the Office it self unto any persons whereon their Authority is directly from him and what are the Acts or Duties of the Church in the collation of this Authority THE Acts of Christ herein may be reduced unto these Heads 1. HE hath instituted and appointed the Offices themselves and made a grant of them unto the Church for its Edification As also he hath determined and limited the Powers and Duties of the Officers It is not in the power of any or of all the Churches in the World to appoint any Office or Officer in the Church that Christ hath not appointed And where there are any such they can have no Church Authority properly so called for that entirely riseth from and is resolved into the institution of the Office by Christ himself And hence in the first place all the Authority of Officers in the Church proceeds from the Authority of Christ in the institution of the Office it self for that which gives being unto any thing gives it also its essential properties 2. BY virtue of his Relation unto the Church as its Head of his Kingly Power over it and care of it whereon the continuation and edification of the Church in this World do depend where ever he hath a Church called he furnisheth some persons with such Gifts Abilities and Endowments as are necessary to the discharge of such Offices in the Powers Works and Duties of them For it is most unquestionably evident both in the nature of the thing it self and in his institution that there are some especial Abilities and Qualifications required to the discharge of every Church Office. Wherefore where the Lord Christ doth not communicate of these Abilities in such a measure as by virtue of them Church Order may be observed Church Power exercised and all Church Ordinances administred according to his mind unto the Edification of the Church it is no more in the power of Men to constitute Officers than to erect or create an Office in the Church Ephes. 4.11 12 13. 1 Cor. 12.4 5 6 7 8 c. Rom. 12.6 THIS collation of spiritual Gifts and Abilities for Office by Jesus Christ unto any doth not immediately constitute all those or any of them Officers in the Church on whom they are collated without the observation of that Method and Order which he hath appointed in the Church for the communication of Office-Power yet is it so prerequisite thereunto that no person not made partaker of them in the measure before mentioned can by virtue of any outward Rites Order or Power be really vested in the Ministry 3. THIS communication of Office-Power on the part of Christ consists in his institution and appointment of the way and means whereby persons gifted and qualified by himself ought to be actually admitted into their Offices so as to administer the Powers and perform the Duties of them For the way of their Call and Ordination whereof we shall speak afterwards is efficacious unto this end of communicating Office-Power meerly from his institution and appointment of it And what is not so can have no causal influence into the communication of this Power For although sundry things belonging hereunto are directed by the light of Nature as it is that where one Man is set over others in Power and Authority which before he had no natural right unto it should be by their own consent and choice And some things are of a moral nature as that especial prayer be used in and about affairs that need especial divine assistance and favour and there may be some circumstances of outward actions herein not to be determined but by the Rule of Reason on the present posture of occasions yet nothing hath any causal influence into the communication of Office-Power but what is of the institution and appointment of Christ. By virtue hereof all that are called unto this Office do derive all their Power and Authority from him alone 4. HE hath hereon given Commands unto the whole Church to submit themselves unto the Authority of these Officers in the discharge of their Office who are so appointed so prepared or qualified so called by himself and to obey them in all things according unto the limitations which himself also hath given unto the Power and Authority of such Officers For they who are called unto Rule and Authority in the Church by virtue of their Office are not thereon admitted unto an unlimited Power to be exercised at their pleasure in a Lordly or Despotical manner but their Power is stated bounded limited and confined as to the objects of it its Acts its manner of Administration its Ends and as unto all things wherein it is concerned The swelling over these Banks by Ambition the breaking up of these bounds by Pride and love of Domination by the introduction of a Power over the persons of Men in their outward concerns exercised in a Legal Coercive Lordly manner are sufficient to make a forfeiture of all Church Power in them who are guilty of them But after that some Men saw it fit to transgress the bounds of Power and Authority prescribed and limited unto them by the Lord Christ which was really exclusive of Lordship Dominion and all Elation above their
〈◊〉 Catechists and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 4.15 Instructors of those that are young in the Rudiments of Religion And such there were in the Primitive Churches some whereof were eminent famous and useful And this was very necessary in those days when the Churches were great and numerous For whereas the whole Rule of the Church and the Administration of all Ordinances in it is originally committed unto the Pastor as belonging entirely unto his Office the discharge of it in all its parts unto the Edification of the Church especially when it is numerous being impossible for any one Man or it may be more in the same Office where all are obliged unto an especial attendance on one part of it namely the Word and Prayer it pleased the Lord Christ to appoint such as in distinct Offices should be associated with them for the discharge of sundry parts of their Duty So were Deacons Ordained to take care of the poor and the outward concerns of the Church without any interest in Rule or Right to Teach So were as we shall prove Elders Ordained to assist and help in Rule without any call to Preach or Administer the Sacraments And so were Teachers appointed to instruct the Church and others in the Truth who have no Right to Rule or the Administration of other Ordinances And thus although the whole Duty of the Edification of the Church be still incumbent on the Pastors yet being supplied with assistance to all the parts of it it may be comfortably discharged by them And if this Order were observed in all Churches not only many inconveniences would be prevented but the Order and Edification of the Church greatly promoted 2. HE who is peculiarly called to be a Teacher with reference unto a distinction from a Pastor may yet at the same time be called to be an Elder also that is to be a Teaching Elder And where there is in any Officer a concurrence of both these a Right unto Rule as an Elder and power to Teach or Preach the Gospel there is the same Office and Office-Power for the substance of it as there is in the Pastor 3. ON the foregoing supposition there yet remains a distinction between the Office of a Pastor and Teacher which as far as light may be taken from their Names and distinct Asscriptions unto them consists materially in the different Gifts which those to be called unto Office have received which the Church in their call ought to have respect unto and formally in the peculiar exercise of those Gifts in the discharge of their Office according unto the Assignation of their especial Work unto them which themselves are to attend unto UPON what hath been before discoursed concerning the Office of Pastors and Teachers it may be enquired Whether there may be many of them in a particular Church or whether there ought only to be one of each sort And I say 1. TAKE Teachers in the Third Sence for those who are only so and have no farther interest in Office-Power and there is no doubt but that there may be as many of them in any Church as are necessary unto its Edification and ought so to be And a due observation of this institution would prevent the inconvenience of Mens Preaching constantly who are in no Office in the Church For although I do grant that those who have once been regularly or solemnly set A part or Ordained unto the Ministry have the Right of constant Preaching inherent in them and the Duty of it incumbent on them though they may be separated from those Churches wherein and unto whom they were peculiarly Ordained yet for Men to give themselves up constantly unto the Work of Teaching by Preaching the Gospel who never were set apart by the Church thereunto I know not that it can be justified 2. If there be but one sort of Elders mentioned in the Scripture it is out of all question that there may be many Pastors in the same Church For there were many Elders in every Church Act. 14.22 Act. 20.28 Phil. 1.1 Tit. 1.5 But if there are sundry sorts of Elders mentioned in the Scripture as Pastors who peculiarly feed the Flock those Teaching Elders of whom we have spoken and those Rulers concerning whom we shall treat in the next place then no determination of this enquiry can be taken from the multiplication of them in any Church 3. It is certain that the Order very early observed in the Church was one Pastor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praeses quickly called Episcopus by way of distinction with many Elders assisting in Rule and Teaching and Deacons Ministring in the things of this Life whereby the Order of the Church was preserved and its Authority represented Yet I will not deny but that in each particular Church there may be many Pastors with an equality of power if the Edification of the Church doth require it 4. IT was the alteration of the state of the Church from its Primitive Constitution and Deviation from its First Order by an occasional coalescency of many Churches into one by a new form of Churches never appointed by Christ which came not in until after the end of the Second Century that gave occasion to corrupt this Order into an Episcopal Preheminence which degenerated more and more into confusion under the Name of Order And the absolute equality of many Pastors in one and the same Church is liable unto many inconveniencies if not diligently watched against 5. WHEREFORE let the state of the Church be preserved and kept unto its Original Constitution which is Congregational and no other and I do judge that the Order of the Officers which was so early in the Primitive Church namely of one Pastor or Bishop in one Church assisted in Rule and all holy Administrations with many Elders Teaching or Ruling only doth not so overthrow Church-Order as to render its Rule or Discipline useless 6. BUT whereas there is no difference in the Scripture as unto Office or Power intimated between Bishops and Presbyters as we have proved where there are many Teaching Elders in any Church an equality in Office and Power is to be preserved But yet this takes not off from the due preference of the Pastoral Office nor from the necessity of precedency for the observation of Order in all Church Assemblies nor from the consideration of the peculiar advantages which Gifts Age Abilities Prudence and Experience which may belong unto some according to Rule may give CHAP. VII Of the Rule of the Church or of Ruling Elders 1. THE Rule and Government of the Church or the execution of the Authority of Christ therein is in the hand of the Elders All Elders in Office have Rule and none have Rule in the Church but Elders As such Rule doth belong unto them The Apostles by virtue of their especial Office were intrusted with all Church-Power but therefore they were Elders also 1 Pet. 5.1 2 Joh. 1. 3 Joh. 1. See Act.
even the Word Command and Direction of Christ himself alone the Acts and Exercise of it in binding and loosing in remitting and retaining Sin in opening and shutting the Kingdom of Heaven are all Spiritual meerly and only Neither can there be an Instance given of any thing belonging unto the Rule of the Church that is of another nature Yea it is sufficient eternally to exclude any Power or Exercise of it any Act of Rule or Government from any Interest in Church-Affairs that it can be proved to be Carnal Political Despotical of external Operaration or not entirely Spiritual 5. THE Change of this Government of the Church fell out and was introduced gradually upon an advantage taken from the unmeetness of the People to be lead under this Spiritual Rule For the greatest part of them that made up Christian Churches being become ignorant and carnal that Rule which consists in a spiritual influence on the Consciences of Men was no way able to retain them within the bounds of outward obedience which was at last only aimed at There was therefore another kind of Rule and Government judged necessary to retain them in any Order or Decorum And it must be acknowledged that where the Members of the Church are not in some degree Spiritual a Rule that is meerly Spiritual will be of no great use unto them But principally this change was introduced by those that were in possession of the Rule it self and that on two grounds 1. Their unskilfulness in the management of this Spiritual Rule or weariness of the Duties which are required thereunto This made them willing to desert it with that perpetual labour and exercise of all sorts of Graces which are required in it and to embrace another more easie and more suited unto their Inclinations 2. A desire of the Secular advantages of Profit Honour and Veneration which tendered themselves unto them in another kind of Rule By these means was the Original Government of the Church which was of Divine Institution utterly lost and a Worldly Domination introduced in the room thereof But the brief delineation given of it before with what shall now be added will demonstrate sufficiently that all these Disputes and Contests which are in the World between the Church of Rome and others about Church-Power and Rule are utterly foreign unto Christian Religion 6. I SHALL therefore briefly enquire into these three things 1. What is the Skill and Polity that is required unto the Exercise or Administration of the Government of the Church 2. What is the sole Law and Rule of it 3. What are the Acts and Duties of it What it is conversant about especially those wherein the Office of Ruling Elders doth take place 1. THE Polity of Church-Government subjectively considered is generally supported to consist 1. In a skill learning or understanding in the Civil and especially the Canon Law with the additional Canons accomodating that Law unto the present state of things of the Nation to be interpreted according unto the general Rules of it 2. Knowledge of and Acquaintance with the Constitution Power Jurisdiction and Practice of some Law Courts which being in their original grant of Power manner of Proceeding Pleas and Censures meerly Secular are yet called Ecclesiastical or Spiritual 3. A good Discretion to understand a-right the extent of their Power with the bounds and limits of it that on the one hand they let none escape whom they can reach by the discipline of their Courts and on the other not entrench so far on the Civil-Power and the Jurisdiction of other Courts according to the Law of the Land as to bring themselves into charge or trouble 4. An acquaintance with the Table of Fees that they may neither lose their own profit nor give advantage unto others to question them for taking more than their due But in these things we are not at present concerned 8. THE skill then of the Officers of the Church for the Government of it is a spiritual Wisdom and Vnderstanding in the Law of Christ for that end with an Ability to make application of it in all requisite Instances unto the Edification of the whole Church and all its Members through a ministerial Exercise of the Authority of Christ himself and a due Representation of his Holiness Love Care Compassion and Tenderness toward his Church 1. THE sole Rule and Measure of the Government of the Church being the Law of Christ that is the Intimation and Declaration of his Mind and Will in his Institutions Commands Prohibitions and Promises an Vnderstanding herein with Wisdom from that Understanding is and must be the whole of the Skill enquired after How this Wisdom is bestowed as a spiritual Gift how it is to be acquired in a way of Duty by Prayer Meditation and study of the Word hath been intimated before and shall fully be declared in our Discourse of spiritual Gifts All Decrees and Decretals Canons and Glosses come properly in this matter under one Title of them namely Extravagant The utmost Knowledge of them and Skill in them will contribute nothing unto this Wisdom Neither are any sort of Men more strangers unto it or unacquainted with it than they are for the most part who are eminently cunning in such Laws and the Jurisdiction of Ecclesiastical Courts But Wisdom in the knowledge of the Will of Christ as revealed in the Scripture is that alone which is of use in the Government of the Church 2. A PART of this Wisdom consisteth in an Ability of Mind to make Application of the Law of Christ in all requisite Instances unto the Edification of the Church in general and all the Members of it respectively This Wisdom is not notional only but practical It consists not in a speculative comprehension of the sence of the Rule or of the Mind of Christ therein only though that be required in the first place but in an Ability of Mind to make Application of it whereunto Diligence Care Watchfulness and spiritual Courage are required Some are to be Admonished some to be Rebuked sharply some to be cut off in which and the like cases a spirit of Government acting it self in Diligence Boldness and Courage is necessary And this is one reason why the Lord Christ hath appointed many Elders in each Church and those of several sorts For it is seldom that any one Man is qualified for the whole work of Rule Some may have a good understanding in the Law of the Churches Government yet through a natural Tenderness and an insuperable kind of Modesty not be so ready and prompt for that part of this Discipline which consists in Reproofs and Severity of Censures Some may not have so great an Ability for the Indagation of the sence of the Law as others have who yet upon the knowledge of it being discovered unto them have readiness and boldness in Christ to apply it as occasion doth require All Elders therefore in their variety of Gifts are to be
these actings of the Church essentially considered there is no exercise of the Power of the Keys as unto Authoritative Rule but what is meerly Doctrinal There is in what it doth a declaration of the Mind of Christ as unto the State of the Persons whom they do receive or reject But unto the Church as Organical as there are Elders or Rulers instated in it according unto the Mind of Christ there is a peculiar Authority committed for those Acts of the Admission and Exclusion of Members Unto this end is the Key of Rule committed unto the Elders of the Church to be applied with the consent of the whole Society as we shall see afterwards 2 dly THE Direction of the Church in all the Members of it unto the observance of the Rule and Law of Christ in all things unto his Glory and their own Edification And all these things may be reduced unto these Four Heads 1. Mutual Intense peculiar Love among themselves to be exercised continually in all the Duties of it 2. Personal Holiness in Gracious Moral Obedience 3. Vsefulness towards the Members of the same Church towards other Churches and all Men absolutely as occasion and opportunity do require 4. The due performance of all those Duties which all the Members of the Church owe mutually unto each other by virtue of that Place and Order which they hold and possess in the Body About these things is Church-Rule to be exercised for they all belong unto the preservation of its Being and the attainment of its Ends. 3 dly HEREUNTO also belongs the disposal of the outward concernments of the Church in its Assemblies and in the management of all that is performed in them that all things may be done Decently and in Order The disposal of Times Seasons Places the way and manner of managing all things in Church-Assemblies the Regulation of Speeches and Actions the appointment of Seasons for extraordinary Duties according unto the General Rules of the Word and the Reason of things from present Circumstances are Acts of Rule whose Right resides in the Elders of the Church THESE things being premised we may consider what is the Work and Duty of that sort of Elders which we have proved to be placed by Christ for Rule in the Church For considering that which hath been spoken before concerning the Pastoral Office or the Duty of Teaching-Elders of the Church and what hath now been added concerning its Rule in general I cannot but admire that any one Man should have such a confidence in his own Abilities as to suppose himself meet and able for the Discharge of the Duties of both sorts in the least Church of Christ that can well be supposed Yea supposing more Teaching-Elders in every Church than one yet if they are all and every one of them equally bound to give themselves unto the Word and Prayer so as not to be diverted from that Work by any inferior Duties if they are obliged to labour in the Word and Doctrine to the utmost of their strength continually it will appear at length to be necessary that there should be some whose peculiar Office and Duty is to attend unto Rule with Diligence And the Work of these Elders consists in the things ensuing 1. THEY are joined unto the Teaching Elders in all Acts and Duties of Church-Power for the Rule and Government of the Church Such are those before declared This is plain in the Text 1 Tim. 5.17 Both sorts of Elders are joined and do concurr in the same Rule and all the Acts of it one sort of them labouring also in the Word and Doctrine Of both sorts is the Presbytery or Eldership composed wherein resides all Church-Authority And in this conjunction those of both sorts are every way equal determining all Acts of Rule by their common suffrage This gives Order with a necessary representation of Authority unto the Church in its Government 2. THEY are in particular to attend unto all things wherein the Rule or Discipline of the Church is concerned with a due care that the Commands of Christ be duly observed by and among all the Members of the Church This is the substance of the Rule which Christ hath appointed whatever be pretended unto the contrary Whatever is set up in the World in opposition unto it or inconsistent with it under the Name of the Government of the Church is foreign unto the Gospel Church-Rule is a due care and provision that the Institutions Laws Commands and Appointments of Jesus Christ be duly observed and nothing else And hereof as unto the Duty of the Elders we may give some instances As 1. TO watch diligently over the ways walking and conversation of all the Members of the Church to see that it be blameless without offence useful exemplary and in all things answering the holiness of the Commands of Christ the honour of the Gospel and profession which in the World they make thereof And upon the observation which they so make in the watch wherein they are placed to instruct admonish charge exhort encourage comfort as they see cause And this are they to attend unto with Courage and Diligence 2. TO watch against all risings or appearances of such differences and divisions on the account of things Ecclesiastical or Civil as unto their Names Rights and Proprieties in the World that are contrary unto that Love which the Lord Christ requireth in a peculiar and eminent manner to be found amongst his Disciples This he calls his own new Command with respect unto his Authority requiring it his Example first illustrating it in the World and the peculiar fruits and effects of it which he revealed and taught Wherefore the due observance of this Law of Love in it self and all its fruits with the Prevention Removal or Condemnation of all that is contrary unto it is that in which the Rule of the Church doth principally consist And considering the Weakness the Passions the Temptations of Men the mutual Provocations and Exasperations that are apt to fall out even among the best the influence that Earthly occasions are apt to have upon their Minds the frowardness sometimes of Mens natural Tempers the attendance unto this one Duty or part of Rule requires the utmost diligence of them that are called unto it And it is meerly either the want of Acquaintance with the nature of that Law and its Fruits which the Lord Christ requires among his Disciples or an undervaluation of the Worth and Glory of it in the Church or inadvertency unto the causes of its decays and of breeches made in it or ignorance of the Care and Duties that are necessary unto its preservation that induce Men to judge that the Work of an especial Office is not required hereunto 3. THEIR Duty is to warn all the Members of the Church of their especial Church-Duties that they be not found negligent or wanting in them There are especial Duties required respectively of all Church-Members according unto the distinct
unto such mistakes where they are not under the guidance of the holy Spirit which is to be obtained by Prayer only 2. In or together with the Administration of it that what is done on Earth may be ratified in Heaven by the approbation of Christ and be made effectual unto its proper End. 3. It must be followed with the Prayer of the Church unto the same purpose all with respect unto the Humiliation Repentance Healing and Recovery of the Offender 2 ly IT is to be accompanied with Lamentation or Mourning So the Apostle reproving the Church of Corinth for the omission of it when it was necessary tells them That they had not mourned that the offender might be taken away from among them 1 Cor. 5.2 It is not to be done without mourning And himself calls the Execution of this Sentence from this Adjunct his bewailing of them I shall bewail many that have sinned already 2 Cor. 12.2 Compassion for the person offending with respect unto that dangerous condition whereinto he hath cast himself the Excision of a Member of the same Body with whom they have had Communion in the most holy Mysteries of Divine Worship and sate down at the Table of the Lord with a due sense of the Dishonour of the Gospel by his fall ought to ingenerate this Mourning or Lamentation in the Minds of them who are concern'd in the Execution of the Sentence Nor is it advisable for any Church to proceed thereunto before they are so affected 3 ly IT is to be accompanied with a due sence of the future Judgment of Christ. For we herein Judge for Christ in the matters of his House and Kingdom And woe to them who dare pronounce this Sentence without a perswasion on good grounds that it is the Sentence of Christ himself And there is a Representation also in it of the future Judgment when Christ will Eternally cut off and separate from himself all Hypocrites and impenitent Sinners This is well expressed by Tertullian Ibidem etiam Exhortationes Castigationes Censura Divina speaking of the Assemblies of the Church nam judicatur magno cum pondere ut apud certos de Dei conspectu summumque futuri judicii praejudicium est si quis ita d liquerit ut a Communicatione Orationis Conventus omnis sancti commercii relegetur Apol. cap. 39. Were this Duty observed it would be a preservative against that inter-mixture of corrupt Affections and corrupt Ends which often impose themselves on the Minds of Men in the exercise of this Power Lastly THE Nature and End of this Judgment or Sentence being Corrective not Vindicative for Healing not Destruction what is the Duty of the Church and those principally concerned in the pursuit of it to render it effectual is plainly evident Of what use a Significavit and Capias may be in this case I know not they belong not unto Christian Religion much less do Fire and Faggot do so Prayer for the person cut off Admonition as occasion is offered Compaâ—sion in his distressed Estate which is so much the more deplorable if he know it not forbearance from common Converse with readiness for the Restauration of Love in all the fruits of it contain the principal Duties of the Church and all the Members of it towards them that are justly Excommunicate WHAT farther belongeth unto this Head of Church-Rule or Order shall be spoken unto in the Resolution of some Cases or Enquiries wherein also some Things only mentioned already shall be more fully explained I HAVE made some enquiry before whether Excommunication be an act of Authority and Jurisdiction in the Officers of the Church or an act of Power in the Fraternity of the Church But for the sake of some by whom it is desired I shall a little more distinctly enquire after the Truth herein though I shall alter nothing of what was before laid down And 1. IT is certain it hath been proved and I now take it for granted That the Lord Christ hath given this Power unto the Church Wherefore in the exercise of this Power both the Officers and Members of the Church are to act according unto their respective Interests For that Exercise of Power in the Church towards any which is not an act of Obedience unto Christ in them that exercise it it is in it self null There is therefore no Distinction or Distribution of Power in the Church but by the interposition of especial Duty 2. THE Institution of Christ with respect unto a Church as it is a peculiar Society for its especial Ends do not deprive it of its natural Right as it is a Society There is in every Community by voluntary Confederation a natural Right and Power to expel those from its Society who will not be ruled by the Laws of its Constitution And if the Church should by the Institution of a Power new as unto the way manner and ends of its Exercise be deprived of its Original radical Power with respect unto the general End of its own Preservation it would not be a gainer by that Institution It may be easily understood that the Lord Christ should in particular appoint the Way and Manner of the Exercise of this Power or Administration of this Sentence committing the care thereof unto the Officers of the Church But it cannot be well understood that thereby he should deprive the Church of its Right and forbid them their Duty in preserving their Society entire and pure Neither can it be so in an especial manner committed unto any as that upon their neglect whereby those who by the Law and Rule of Christ ought to be cast out of the Churches Communion are continued in it unto its Sin and Defilement the Church it self should be free from guilt Wherefore the Apostle expresly chargeth the whole Church of Corinth with Sin and neglect of Duty in that the incestuous person was not put away from among them This could not be if so be the Power of it were so in the Hands of a few of the Officers that the Church had no Right to act in it For none can incurr a Guilt meerly by the defect of others in the Discharge of their Duty 3. THE Church essentially considered is before its ordinary Officers for the Apostle ordained Officers in every Church But the Church in that State hath Power to put away from among them and their Communion an obstinate Offender They have it as they are a Society by voluntary confederation Wherein this comes short of Authoritative Excommunication will immediately appear 4. WHERE a Church is compleat and Organized with its stated Rulers as the Church of Corinth was yet Rules Instructions and Commands are given expresly unto the Fraternity or Community of the Church for their Duty and Acting in the Administration of this Sentence and the cutting off an Offender 1 Cor. 5.2 4 6 7. 2 Cor. 2.7 8. Yea the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or infliction of the Sentence is
Edification of the Church Catholick whereunto it is designed WHEREFORE our Lord Jesus Christ in his infinite Wisdom hath constituted his Churches in such a State and Order as wherein none of them are able of themselves always and in all instances to attain all the ends for which they are appointed with respect unto the Edification of the Church Catholick And he did it for this end that whereas the whole Catholick Church is animated by one spirit which is the bond of Union between all particular Churches as we shall see every one of them may Act the Gifts and Graces of it unto the Preservation and Edification of the whole HEREIN then we acknowledge lieth the great difference which we have with others about the state of the Church of Christ in this World we do believe that the mutual Communion of particular Churches amongst themselves in an equality of Power and Order though not of Gifts and Usefulness is the only way appointed by our Lord Jesus Christ after the Death of the Apostles for the attaining the general end of all particular Churches which is the Edification of the Church Catholick in Faith Love and Peace Other ways and means have been found out in the World for this end which we must speak unto immediately Wherefore it behoveth us to use some Diligence in the consideration of the Causes Nature and Vse of this Communion of Churches BUT it must be moreover premised that whereas this Communion of Churches is Radically and Essentially the same among all Churches in the World yet as unto the ordinary actual exercise of the Duties of it it is confined and limited by Divine Providence unto such Churches as the natural means of the discharge of such Duties may extend unto That is unto those which are planted within such Lines of Communication such precincts or boundaries of Places and Countries as may not render the mutual performance of such Duties insuperably difficult Yet is not the World it self so wide but that all places being made pervious by Navigation this Communion of Churches may be visibly professed and in some instances practised among all Churches from the rising of the Sun even unto the going-down of the same where the Name of Christ is known among the Gentiles wherein the true nature of the Catholick Church and its Union doth consist which is utterly overthrown by the most vehement pretences that are made unto it as those in the Church of Rome WHEREFORE such a Communion of Churches is to be enquired after as from which no true Church of Christ is or can be excluded in whose actual exercise they may and ought all to live and whereby the general end of all Churches in the Edification of the Catholick Church may be attained This is the true and only Catholicism of the Church which whoever departs from or substitutes any thing else in the room of it under that Name destroys its whole nature and disturbs the whole Ecclesiastical Harmony that is of Christs Institution HOWEVER therefore we plead for the Rights of particular Churches yet our real Controversy with most in the World is for the Being Union and Communion of the Church Catholick which are variously perverted by many and separating it into Parties and confining it to Rules Measures and Canons of their own finding out and Establishment For such things as these belong neither to the internal nor external Form of that Catholick Church whose Being in the World we believe and whose Vnion we are obliged to preserve And whoever gives any Description of or Limitation to the Catholick Church besides what consist in the Communion of particular Churches intended doth utterly overthrow it and therein an Article of our Faith. BUT this Communion of Churches cannot be duly apprehended unless we enquire and determine wherein their Vnion doth consist For Communion is an Act of Vnion that receives both its Nature and Power from it or by virtue of it For of what Nature soever the Vnion of things distinct in themselves be of the same is the Communion that they have among themselves IN the Church of Rome the Person of the Pope as he is Pope is the Head and Center of all Church Union Nor is there allowed any Vnion of particular Churches with Christ or among themselves but in and through him An Universal subjection unto him and his Authority is the original spring of all Church Vnion among them And if any one Soul fail herein if as unto things of Faith and Divine Worship he do not depend on the Pope and live in subjection unto him he is reputed a Stranger and Forâ—â—â—ner unto the Catholick Church Yea they affirm that be a Man never so willing for and desirous of an Interest in Christ he cannot have it but by the Pope THE Communion of Churches congenial and suited unto this Union proceeding from it and exercised by virtue of it ariseth from a various contignation of Order or the erection of one story of Church Interest upon another until we come to the Idol placed on the top of this Babel So is this Communion carried on from the obedience and subjection of the lowest rubbish of Ecclesiastical Order unto Diocesans of them to Metropolitans of them to Patriarchs or Cardinals of them to the Pope or an ascent is made from Diocesan Synods by Provincial and National to those that are called Oecumenical whose Head is the Pope YET Two things must be farther observed to clear this Communion of the Roman Catholick Church as 1. That there is no ascent of Church-Order or Power by a vital Act of Communion from the lower Degrees Orders or Consociations and by them to the Pope as though he should receive any thing of Church-Power from them but all the plenitude of it being originally vested in him by these several Orders and Degrees he communicates of it unto all Churches as the Life of their Conjunction and Communion 2. That no Man is so jointed in this Order so compacted in this Body but that he is also personally and immediately subject to the Pope and depends on him as unto his whole profession of Religion AND this is that which constitutes him formally to be what he is that is Antichrist and the Church-State arising from its Union unto him holding him as its Head subsisting in a Communion by virtue of power received through various Orders and Constitutions from him to be Anti-christian For he and it are set up in the room of and in direct opposition unto the Lord Christ as the Head of the Catholick Church and the Church state thereon depending This we have described Ephes. 4.15 16. Speaking the Truth in Love may grow up c. As also Col. 2.19 Where there is a Rejection of them who belong not unto the Church Catholick taken from its Relation unto Christ and the nature of its dependance on him not holding the Head c. WHEN Men shall cease to be wilfully blind or when the powers of
the strong Delusion that begin to abate shall expire they will easily see the direct Opposition that is between these two Heads and two Churches namely Christ and the Pope the Catholick Church and that of Rome I KNOW well enough all the Evasions and Distinctions that are invented to countenance this Anti-christianism As that there is a double Head one of internal influence of Grace which Christ is and the Pope is not the other of Rule and Authority which the Pope is But this also is two-fold Supream and Remote or Immediate and Subordinate the first is Christ the latter is the Pope And there is yet farther a two-fold Head of the Church the one invisible which is Christ the other visible which is the Pope NOT to insist on these gross and horrible Figments of a twofold Head of the Catholick Church in any sence which are foreign to the Scripture foreign to Antiquity whereof never one word was heard in the Church for Six hundred Years after Christ deforming the beautiful Spouse of Christ into a Monster we will allow at present that the Pope is only the immediate visible subordinate Head of all Rule and Authority to their Church which is what they plead for Then I say that the Church whereof he is the Head is his Body that it holds him as its Head that it is compacted together by the Officers and Orders that depend on him and receive all their influence of Church-Power and Order from him which though he communicates not by an internal influence of Grace and Gifts alas poor wretch yet he doth it by Officers Offices Orders and Laws so giving Union and Communion unto the whole Body by the effectual working of every joint and part of the Hierarchy under him for its Union Communion and Edification This I say is the Anti-christ and the Anti-christian Church-State as I shall be at any time ready to maintain LET any Man take a due prospect of this Head and this Body as related and united by the Bond of their own Rules Constitutions and Laws acting in worldly Pomp Splendor and Power with horrid bloody Cruelties against all that oppose it and he will not fail of an open view of all the Scriptural Lineaments of the Apostate Anti-christian State of the Church I SAY again This assigning of the original of all Church Order Union and Communion unto the Pope of Rome investing him therewith as an Article of Faith constituting him thereby the Head of the Church and the Church thereon his Body as it must be if he be its Head so as that from him all power of Order and for all Acts of Communion should be derived returning all in Obedience and Subjection unto him doth set up a visible conspicuous Anti-christian Church State in opposition unto Christ and the Catholick Church But with this sort of Men we deal not at present THERE is a pretence unto an â—nion of Churches not derived from the Papal Headship And this consists in the Canonical subjection of particular Churches unto a Diocesan Bishop and of such Bishops to Metropolitans which though de facto it be at present terminated and stated within the bounds of a Nation yet de jure it ought to be extended unto the whole Catholick Church ACCORDING unto this Principle the Vnion of the Catholick Church consists in that Order whereby particular Churches are distributed into Deanaries Arch-Deaconries Exempt Peculiars under Officials Diocesses Provinces under Metropolitans and so by or without Patriarchs to avoid the Rock of the Papacy issuing in a General-Council as I suppose But 1. TO confine the Vnion and Communion of the Catholick Church hereunto is at present absolutely destructive both of the Church and its Communion For all particular Churches when they are by a coalescency extended unto those which are Provincial or National have both Politically and Ecclesiastically such bounds fixed unto them as they cannot pass to carry on Communion unto and with the Church as Catholick by any Acts and Duties belonging unto their Order And hereby the Union and Communion of the Church is utterly lost For the Union of the Catholick Church as such doth always equally exist and the Communion of it is always equally in exercise and can consist in nothing but what doth so exist and is so exercised Where-ever is the Catholick Church there is the Communion of Saints But nothing of this can be obtained by virtue of this Order 2. WE enquire at present after such an Vnion as gives particular Churches Communion among themselves which this Order doth not but absolutely overthrows it leaving nothing unto them but subjection to Officers set over them who are not of them according to Rules and Laws of their appointment which is foreign to the Scripture and Antiquity 3. THIS Order it self the only bond of the pretended Union having no Divine Institution especially as to its extent unto the whole Catholick Church nor any intimation in the Scripture and being utterly impossible to be put in execution or actual exercise no Man can declare what is the Original or Center of it whence it is deduced and wherein it rests HAVING removed these pretences out of our way we may easily discern wherein the Vnion and consequently the Communion of â—ll particular Churches doth consist and in the due observation whereof all that Church-Order which the Lord Christ hath appointed and doth accept is preserved I SAY then that the true and only Vnion of all particular Churches consists in that which gives Form Life and Being unto the Church Catholick with the Addition of what belongs unto them as they are particular And this is that they have all one and the same God and Father one Lord Jesus Christ one Faith and one Doctrine of Faith one hope of their calling or the promised Inheritance one Regeneration one Baptism one Bread and Wine united unto God and Christ in one Spirit through the bond of Faith and Love. THIS Description with what is suited thereunto and explanatory of it is all the account which is given us in the Scripture of the constituting form of the Catholick Church and of the Vnion of particular Churches among themselves What Church soever fails in the essential parts of this Description or any of them it is separated from the Catholick Church nor hath either Union or Communion with any true Churches of Christ. TWO things concurr unto the compleating of this Vnion of Churches 1. Their Vnion or Relation unto Christ. 2. That which they have among themselves 1. THE Lord Christ himself is the Original and Spring of this Vnion and every particular Church is united unto him as its Head besides which with or under which it hath none This Relation of the Church unto Christ as its Head the Apostle expresly affirms to be the foundation and cause of its Union Ephes. 4.15 16. Col. 2.19 the places before quoted Hereby it is also in God the Father 2 Thes. 1.1 Or hath God as its Father
THE TRUE NATURE OF A Gospel Church AND ITS GOVERNMENT WHEREIN These following particulars are distinctly handled I. The subject Matter of the Church II. The formal Cause of a particular Church III. Of the Polity Rule or Discipline of the Church in general IV. The Officers of the Church V. The Duty of Pastors of Churches VI. The Office of Teachers in the Church VII Of the Rule of the Church or of Ruling Elders VIII The nature of Church Polity or Rule with the Duty of Elders IX Of Deacons X. Of Excommunication XI Of the Communion of Churches The Publishing whereof was mentioned by the Author in his Answer to the Vnreasonableness of Separation By the late Pious and Learned Minister of the Gospel JOHN OWEN D. D. LICENSED June 10. 1688. LONDON Printed for William Marshall at the Bible in Newgate street MDCLXXXIX THE PREFACE TO THE READER THE Church of Christ according as it is represented unto us or described by the holy Spirit of God in the Old and New Testament hath but a twofold Consideration as Catholick and Mystical or as Visible and Organized in particular Congregations The Catholick Church is the whole Mystical Body of Christ consisting of all the Elect which are purchased and redeemed by his Blood whether already called or uncalled Militant or Triumphant and this is the Church that God gave him to be head unto which is his Body and his Fullness and by union with him Christ Mystical Ephes. 1.22 23. and this is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only word most fully expressing the Catholick Church used in Scripture the Church of the First-born whose Names are written in Heaven Heb. 12.23 i. e. in the Lamb's Book of Life and shall all appear one Day gathered together to their Head in the perfection and fullness of the New jerusalem-Jerusalem-state where they will make a glorious Church not having Spot or Wrincle or any such thing but Holy and without Blemish The day of Grace which the Saints have passed in the respective Ages of the Church was but the days of its Espousals wherein the Bride hath made her self ready but then will be her full married state unto Christ then will be the perfection not only of every particular Member of Christ but of the whole Body of Christ called a perfect Man and the measure of the Stature of the Fullness of Christ to which we are called Edifying and building up by the Ministry and Ordinances of Christ whilst we are in Via in our passage unto this Country a City with a more durable fixed Foundation which we seek In order therefore unto the compleating this great and mystical Body Christ hath his particular Visible Churches and Assemblies in this World wherein he hath ordained Ordinances and appointed Officers for the glorious forementioned Ends and Purposes There is no other sort of Visible Church of Christ Organized the subject of the aforesaid Institutions spoken of but a particular Church or Congregation either in the Old or New Testament where all the Members thereof do ordinarily meet together in one place to hold Communion one with another in some one or more great Ordinances of Christ. The first Churches were Oeconomick when the Worship of God was solemnly performed in the large Families of the Antidiluvian and Postdiluvian Patriarchs where no doubt all frequently assembled to the Sacrifices as then offered and other parts of Worship then in use After the descent of a numerous Progeny from Abraham's Loins God takes them to himself in one Visible Body a National but Congregational Church to which he forms them Four hundred and thirty Years after the Promise in the Wilderness and although all Abraham's Natural Posterity according to the External part of the Promise made to him were taken into visible Church-Fellowship so that it became a National Church yet it was such a National Church always in the Wilderness and in the Holy Land as was Congregational for it was but one Congregation during the Tabernacle or temple-Temple-state first or second they were always bound to assemble to the Tabernacle or Temple thrice at least every Year hence the Tabernacle was still called the Tabernacle of the Congregation They were to have but one Altar for Burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices what others were at any time elsewhere called High-Places were condemned by God as Sin. Lastly when Christ had Divorced this People Abolished their Mosaical Constitution by breaking their Staff of Beauty and their Staff of Bonds he erects his Gospel Church calls in Disciples by his Ministry forms them into a Body furnisheth them with Officers and Ordinances and after he had suffered rose again and continued here Forty days in which time he frequently appeared to them and acquainted them with his Will ascends unto his Father sends his Spirit in a plentiful manner at Pentecost whereby most of them were furnished with all necessary miraculous Gifts to the promoting the Glory and Interest of Christ among Jews and Gentiles Hence the whole Evangelical Ministry was first placed in the Church of Jerusalem so far as extraordinary or such a part of it as was to descend to Churches of after Ages neither were they placed as abiding or standing Officers in any other Church as we find In this Church they acted as the Elders thereof and from this Church they were it 's very likely solemnly sent by Fasting and Prayer to the Exercise of their Apostolick Function in Preaching Healing and working Miracles gathering Churches and setling Officers in them even so as Barnabas and Paul were sent forth by the Church of Antioch Their distinguishing Apostolick Office and Charge from which the Evangelist differed but little was to take care of all the Churches not to sit down as standing Pastors to all or any particular Congregation but at the first planting to gather to direct and confirm them in practice of their Doctrine Fellowship breaking Bread and in Prayer Wherefore this Apostolick Care committed to them proves nothing either of the Catholick Authority claimed by an Oecumenick Pastor or that charge of many Congregations claimed by Diocesan Bishops Whence it 's most evident That all Church Officers so far as they had any Pastoral or Episcopal Office was given to a particular Congregation as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We read of no Pastors of many Congregations nor of no Church made up of many Congregations to which Officers were annexed nor of any representative Church as some would have That Apostolick Power did descend to Successors we utterly deny it being not derivable for none after them could say They had been Eye Witnesses of our Lord before or after his Resurrection none since so qualified by an extraordinary measure of the Spirit for Preaching and working Miracles and none but the Pope challenges such an extensive Care for and Power over all Churches That which descends from them to the ordinary Ministry is a Commission to Preach and Baptize and why not to Head it being always in the
Commission that Christ gave a Pastoral Relation or Presbytership which was included in their Apostleship and Exercised toward the Church of Jerusalem Such Presbyter-ship John and Peter both had Hence there remains no other Successors jure to the Apostles but ordinary Pastors and Teachers These are relative Officers and are always in and to some particular Congregations we know of no Catholick visible Church that any Pastors are ordained to 1. The Scripture speaks of no Church as Catholick visible 2. The thing it self is but a Chimaera of some Men's Brains it 's not in rerum naturâ for if a Catholick visible Church be all the Churches that I see at a time I am not capable of seeing much more than what can Assemble in one place And if it be meant of all the Churches actually in being how are they visible to me where can they be seen in one place I may as well call all the Cities and Corporations in the World the Catholick visible City or Corporation which all rational Men would call Nonsence Besides if all Organized Churches could be got together it 's not Catholick in respect of Saints Militant much less of Triumphant for many are no Church Members that are Christs Members and many visible Members are no true Members of Christ Jesus Where is any such Church capable of Communion in all Ordinances in one place and the Scripture speaks of no other Organized visible Church Again to a Catholick visible Church constituted should be a Catholick visible Pastor or Pastors for as the Church is such is the Pastor and Officers to the Mystical Church Christ is the mystical Head and Pastor he is called the chief Bishop and Shepherd of our Souls 1 Pet. 2.25 hence the uncalled are his Sheep as John 10.16 but to all visible Churches Christ hath appointed a visible Pastor or Pastors and where is the Pastor of the Catholick visible Church he is not to be found unless it please us to take him from Rome To say that all individual Pastors are Pastors to the Catholick Church is either to say that they are invested with as much Pastoral Power and Charge in one Church as in another and then they are indefinite Pastors and therefore all Pastors have mutual Power in each others Churches and so John may come into Thomas his Church and exercise all parts of Jurisdiction there and Thomas into John's or a Minister to the Catholick Church hath an universal Catholick Power over the Catholick Church if so the Power and Charge which every ordinary Pastor hath is Apostolick Or lastly he is invested with an Arbitrary Power at least as to the taking up a particular Charge where he pleaseth with a non obstante to the Suffrages of the People for if he hath an Office whereby he is equally and indisputably related to all Churches it 's at his liberty by virtue of this Office to take where he pleaseth But every Church-Officer under Christ is a visible relate and the correlate must be such whence the Church must be visible to which he is an Officer It 's absurd to say a Man is a visible Husband to an invisible Wife the relate and correlate must be ejusdem naturae It 's true Christ is related to the Church as mystical Head but it 's in respect of the Church in its mystical Nature for Christ hath substituted no mystical Officers in his Church There is a great deal of difference between the mystical and external visible Church though the latter is founded upon it and for the sake of it It 's founded upon it as taking its true spiritual Original from it deriving vital Spirits from it by a mystical Vnion to and Communion with Christ and his Members and it 's for the Sake of it all external visible Assemblies Ministers Ordinances are for the sake of the mystical Body of Christ for calling in the Elect and the Edifying of them to that full measure of Stature they are designed unto But the different consideration lies in these Things 1. That the mystical Church doth never fail neither is diminished by any Shocks of Temptation or Suffering that in their visible Profession any of them undergo whereas visible Churches are often broken scattered yea unchurched and many Members fail of the Grace of God by final Apostasy Likewise Christ's mystical Church is many times preserved in that State only or mostly when Christ hath not a visible organized Church according to Institution to be found on the Face of the Earth so it was with his Church often under the Old Testament-Dispensation as in Aegypt in the Days of the Judges when the Ark was carried away by the Philistins in the Days of Manasseh and other wicked Kings and especially in Babylon In such times the Faithful Ones were preserved without the true Sacrifices the teaching Priest and the Law. So hath it been in the days of the New Testament in divers places under the Draconick Heathen Persecutions and afterward in the Wilderness-state of the Church under the Anti-Christian Vsurpations and false Worship Which mystical State is the place prepared of God to hide the Seed of the Woman in from the Dragons Rage for the space of One thousand two hundred and sixty Days Again Vnto this Mystical Church is only essentially necessary a mystical Vnion unto the Lord Jesus Christ by the Gift of the Father Acceptation and Covenant-undertaking of the Son the powerful and efficacious Work of the Spirit of the Father and the Son working true saving Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and sincere Love to him and all his True Members Whereby as they have a firm and unshaken Vnion so they have a spiritual Communion though without those desirable Enjoyments of external Church Privileges and means of Grace which they are providentially often hindred from Visible Churches being but Christ's Tents and Tabernacles which he sometimes setteth up and sometimes takes down and removes at his Pleasure as he sees best for his Glory in the World. But of these he hath a special regard as to their Foundadation Matter Constitution and Order he gives forth an exact pattern from Mount Zion as of that Typical Tabernacle from Mount Sinai of Old. The Foundation part of a visible Church is the credible Profession of Faith and Holiness wherein the Lord Jesus Christ is the Corner Stone Eph. ij 20 Matth. xvi 18 This Profession is the Foundation but not the Church it self It 's not Articles of Faith or Profession of them in particular individual Persons that make an organized visible Church We are the Houshold of Faith built upon the Foundation c. 2. It 's Men and Women not Doctrine that are the Matter of a Church and these professing the Faith and practising Holiness The Members of Churches are always called in the New Testament Saints Faithful Believers They was such that were added to the Churches neither is every Believer so as such but as a professing Believer for a Man must appear
the estate of visible Regeneration doth depend is required of them Herein if they fail they lose all privilege and benefit by their Baptism So speaks the Apostle in the case of Circumcision under the Law Rom. 2.25 For Circumcision verily profiteth if thou keep the Law but if thou be a breaker of the Law thy Circumcision is made uncircumcision It is so in the case of Baptism Verily it profiteth if a Man stand unto the Terms of the Covenant which is tendered therein between God and his Soul for it will give him Right unto all the outward Privileges of a Regenerate State but if he do not as in the sight of God his Baptism is no Baptism as unto the real communication of Grace and acceptance with him so in the sight of the Church it is no Baptism as unto a participation of the external Rights and Privileges of a Regenerate State. 4. God alone is judge concerning this Regeneration as unto its internal real principle and state in the Souls of Men whereon the participation of all the spiritual advantages of the Covenant of Grace doth depend The Church is judge of its evidences and fruits in their external Demonstration as unto a participation of the outward Privileges of a Regenerate State and no farther And we shall hereon briefly declare what belongs unto the forming of a right judgment herein and who are to be esteemed fit Members of any Gospel Church-State or have a Right so to be 1. Such as from whom we are obliged to withdraw or withhold Communion can be no part of the matter constitūent of a Church or are not meet Members for the first constitution of it But such are all Habitual Sinners those who having prevalent habits and inclinations unto Sins of any kind unmortified do walk according unto them Such are profane Swearers Drunkards Fornicators Covetous Oppressors and the like who shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. Phil. 3.18 19. 2 Thess. 3.6 2 Tim. 3.5 as a Man living and dying in any known Sin that is habitually without Repentance cannot be saved so a Man known to live in Sin cannot regularly be received into any Church To compose Churches of Habitual Sinners and that either as unto Sins of Commission or Sins of Omission is not to erect Temples of Christ but Chapels unto the Devil 2. Such as being in the fellowship of the Church are to be admonished of any scandalous Sin which if they repent not of they are to be cast out of the Church are not meet Members for the Original Constitution of a Church This is the state of them who abide Obstinate in any known Sin whereby they have given offence unto others without a professed Repentance thereof although they have not lived in it habitually 3. They are to be such as visibly answer the Description given of Gospel Churches in the Scripture so as the Titles assigned therein unto the Members of such Churches may on good grounds be appropriated unto them To compose Churches of such persons as do not visibly answer the character given of what they were of old and what they were always to be by virtue of the Law of Christ or Gospel-constitution is not Church Edification but Destruction And those who look on the things spoken of all Church Members of old as that they were Saints by calling lively stones in the house of God justified and sanctified separate from the World c. as those which were in them and did indeed belong unto them but even deride the necessity of the same things in present Church Members or the Application of them unto those who are so are themselves no small part of that woful Degeneracy which Christian Religion is fallen under Let it then be considered what is spoken of the Church of the Jews in their Dedication unto God as unto their Typical Holiness with the Application of it unto Christian Churches in real Holiness 1 Pet. 2.5 9. with the Description given of them constantly in the Scripture as Faithful Holy Believing as the House of God as his Temple wherein he dwells by his Spirit as the Body of Christ united and compacted by the communication of the Spirit unto them as also what is said concerning their ways walkings and duties and it will be uncontrolably evident of what sort our Church Members ought to be nor are those of any other sort able to discharge the Duties which are incumbent on all Church Members nor to use the Privileges they are intrusted withal Wherefore I say to suppose Churches regularly to consist of such persons for the greater part of them as no way answer the Description given of Church Members in their Original Institution nor capable to discharge the Duties prescribed unto them but giving evidence of Habits and actions inconsistent therewithal is not only to disturb all Church Order but utterly to overthrow the Ends and Being of Churches Nor is there any thing more scandalous unto Christian Religion than what Bellarmine affirms to be the judgment of the Papists in opposition unto all others namely that no internal Vertue or Grace is required unto the Constitution of a Church in its Members Lib. 3. de Eccles. cap. 2. 4. They must be such as do make an open profession of the subjection of their Souls and Consciences unto the Authority of Christ in the Gospel and their readiness to yield Obedience unto all his Commands This I suppose will not be denied for not only doth the Scripture make this Profession necessary unto the participation of any benefit or privilege of the Gospel but the nature of the things themselves requires indispensably that so it should be For nothing can be more unreasonable than that Men should be taken into the privileges attending Obedience unto the Laws and Commands of Christ without avowing or professing that Obedience Wherefore our Enquiry is only what is required unto such a Profession as may render Men meet to be Members of a Church and give them a Right thereunto For to suppose such a confession of Christian Religion to be compliant with the Gospel which is made by many who openly live in Sin being disobedient and unto every good work reprobate is to renounce the Gospel it self Christ is not the High-Priest of such a Profession I shall therefore declare briefly what is necessary unto this Profession that all may know what it is which is required unto the Entrance of any into our Churches wherein our Practice hath been sufficiently traduced 1. There is required unto it a competent knowledge of the Doctrines and Mystery of the Gospel especially concerning the Person and Offices of Christ. The Confession hereof was the ground whereon he granted the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven or all Church Power unto Believers Matth. 16.17 18 19. The first Instruction which he gave unto his Apostles was That they should teach Men by the Preaching of the Gospel
in the knowledge of the Truth revealed by him The knowledge required in the Members of the Judaical Church that they might be Translated into the Christian was principally if not solely that of his Person and the acknowledgment of him to be the true Messiah the Son of God. For as on their unbelief thereof their Eternal ruine did depend as he told them if you believe not that I am he you shall die in your sins so the confession of him was sufficient on their part unto their Admission into the Gospel Church State. And the Reasons of it are apparent With others an Instruction in all the Mysteries of Religion especially in those that are fundamental is necessary unto the Profession we enquire after So Justin Martyr tells us what pains they took in those Primitive Times to instruct those in the Mysteries of Religion who upon a general Conviction of its Truth were willing to adhere unto the Profession of it And what was their judgment herein is sufficiently known from the keeping a multitude in the state of Catechumens before they would admit them into the Fellowship of the Church They are not therefore to be blamed they do but discharge their Duty who refuse to receive into Church-Communion such as are ignorant of the fundamental Doctrines and Mysteries of the Gospel or if they have learned any thing of them from a form of words yet really understand nothing of them The promiscuous driving of all sorts of persons who have been Baptized in their Infancy unto a participation of all Church privileges is a profanation of the holy Institutions of Christ. This knowledge therefore belonging unto profession is it self to be professed 2. There is required unto it a professed subjection of Soul and Conscience unto the Authority of Christ in the Church This in general is performed by all that are Baptized when they are Adult as being by their own actual consent Baptized in the Name of Christ. And it is required of all them who are Baptized in their Infancy when they are able with Faith and Understanding to profess their consent unto and abiding in that Covenant whereinto they were initiated 3. An Instruction in and consent unto the Doctrine of Self-denial and bearing of the Cross in a particular manner For this is made indispensably necessary by our Saviour himself unto all that will be his Disciples And it hath been a great disadvantage unto the Glory of Christian Religion that Men have not been more and better instructed therein It is commonly thought that who ever will may be a Christian at an easie rate it will cost him nothing But the Gospel gives us another account of these things For it not only warns us that Reproaches Hatred Sufferings of all sorts oft-times to Death it self are the common lot of all its Professors who will live Godly in Christ Jesus but also requires that at our initiation into the Profession of it we consider aright the dread of them all and engage cheerfully to undergo them Hence in the Primitive Times whilst all sorts of miseries were continually presented unto them who Embraced the Christian Religion their willing engagement to undergo them who were Converted was a firm Evidence of the sincerity of their Faith as it ought to be unto us also in times of Difficulty and Persecution Some may suppose that the Faith and Confession of this Doctrine of Self-denial and readiness for the Cross is of use only in time of Persecution and so doth not belong unto them who have continually the countenance and favour of publick Authority I say it is at least as they judge well for them with others it is not so whose outward state makes the publick avowing of this Duty indispensably necessary unto them And I may add it as my own thoughts though they are not my own alone That notwithstanding all the Countenance that is given unto any Church by the publick Magistracy yet whilst we are in this World those who will faithfully discharge their Duty as Ministers of the Gospel especially shall have need to be prepared for sufferings To escape sufferings and enjoy worldly advantages by sinful compliances or bearing with Men in their Sins is no Gospel Direction 4. Conviction and Confession of Sin with the way of deliverance by Jesus Christ is that answer of a good Conscience that is required in the Baptism of them that are Adult 1 Pet. 3. 5. Unto this Profession is required the constant performance of all known Duties of Religion both of Piety in the publick and private Worship of God as also of Charity with respect unto others Shew me thy Faith by thy Works 6. A careful Abstinence from all known Sins giving scandal or offence either unto the World or unto the Church of God. And the Gospel requires that this Confession be made with the Mouth Confession is made unto Salvation against 1. Fear 2. Shame 3. The Course of the World 4. The Opposition of all Enemies whatever Hence it appears that there are none excluded from an Entrance into the Church State but such as are either 1. grosly Ignorant or 2. Persecutors or reproachers of those that are Good or of the ways of God wherein they walk or 3. Idolaters or 4. Men scandalous in their Lives in the Commission of Sins or Omission of Duties through vitious Habits or Inclinations or 5. such as would partake of Gospel-Privileges and Ordinances yet openly avow that they will not submit unto the Law and Commands of Christ in the Gospel concerning whom and the like the Scripture Rule is peremptory From such turn away And herein we are remote from exceeding the example and care of the Primitive Churches Yea there are but few if any that arrive unto it Their endeavour was to Preach unto all they could and rejoiced in the multitudes that came to hear the Word But if any did essay to join themselves unto the Church their diligence in their Examination and Instruction their severe Enquiries into their Conversation their disposing of them for a long time into a state of Expectation for their Trial before their Admittance were remarkable And some of the Ancients complain that their promiscuous Admittance of all sorts of persons that would profess the Christian Religion into Church Membership which took place afterwards ruined all the Beauty Order and Discipline of the Church The things ascribed unto those who are to be esteemed the proper Subject Matter of a Visible Church are such as in the judgment of Charity entitle them unto all the Appellations of Saints Called Sanctified that is Visibly and by Profession which are given unto the Members of all the Churches in the New Testament and which must be answered in those who are admitted into that Privilege if we do not wholly neglect our only Patterns By these things although they should any of them not be real living Members of the Mystical Body of Christ unto whom he is
annexed thereunto This Covenant was the sole Formal Cause of their Church State which they are charged so often to have broken and which they so often solemnly renewed unto God. 19. THIS was that Covenant which was to be abolished whereon the Church State that was built thereon was utterly taken away For hereon the Hebrews ceased to be the peculiar Church of God because the Covenant whereby they were made so was abolished and taken away as the Apostle disputes at large Heb. 7 8 9. The Covenant of Grace in the promise will still continue unto the true Seed of Abraham Act. 2.38 39. But the Church Covenant was utterly taken away 20. UPON the removal therefore of this Covenant and the Church State founded thereon all Duties of Worship and Church Privileges were also taken away the things substituted in their room being totally of another kind But the Covenant of Grace as made with Abraham being continued and transferred unto the Gospel Worshippers the sign or token of it given unto him is changed but another substituted in the room thereof But whereas the Privileges of this Church Covenant were in themselves carnal only and no way spiritual but as they were Typical and the Duties prescribed in it were burdensome yea a yoke intolerable the Apostle declares in the same place that the New Church State whereinto we are called by the Gospel hath no Duties belonging unto it but such as are spiritual and easie but withal hath such holy and eminent Privileges as the Church could no way enjoy by virtue of the first Church Covenant nor could be Believers made partakers of them before that Covenant was abolished Wherefore 21. THE same way for the Erection of a Church State for the participation of the more excellent Privileges of the Gospel and performance of the Duties of it for the substance of it must still be continued For the constitution of such a Society as a Church is entrusted with Powers and Privileges by a Covenant or mutual consent with an ingagement unto the performance of the Duties belonging unto it hath its foundation in the Light of Nature so far as it hath any thing in common with other voluntary Relations and Societies was instituted by God himself as the way and means of erecting the Church State of the Old Testament and consisteth in the performance of such Duties as are expresly required of all Believers CHAP. III. Of the Polity Rule or Discipline of the Church in General 1. THE things last treated of concern the Essence of the Church or the Essential Constituent Parts of it according unto the appointment of Christ. It remains in the next place that we should treat of it as it is Organical or a Body Corporate a spiritually Political Society for the exercise of the Powers wherewith it is intrusted by Christ and the due performance of the Duties which he requires Now whereas it is brought into this estate by the setting fixing or placing Officers in it Method would require that we should first treat of them their Nature Names Power and the ways of coming unto their Offices But whereas all things concerning them are founded in the grant of Power unto the Church it self and the Institution of Polity and Rule therein by Jesus Christ I shall first treat somewhat thereof in general THAT which we intend on various considerations and in divers respects is called the Power or Authority the Polity the Rule the Government and the Discipline of the Church The Formal Nature of it is its Authority or Power It s Polity is skill and wisdom to act that Power unto its proper ends It s Rule is the actual exercise of that Power according unto that skill and wisdom It s Government is the Exercise and Application of that Authority according unto that skill towards those that are its proper Objects And it is called its Discipline principally with respect unto its end Yet is it not material whether these things are thus accurately distinguished the same thing is intended in them all which I shall call the Rule of the Church 2. THE Rule of the Church is in general The exercise of the Power or Authority of Jesus Christ given unto it according unto the Laws and Directions prescribed by himself unto its Edification This Power in Actu Primo or fundamentally is in the Church it self in Actu Secundo or its exercise in them that are especially called thereunto Whether that which is now called the Rule of the Church by some being a plain Secular Dominion have any Affinity hereunto is justly doubted That it is in it self the acting of the Authority of Christ wherein the power of Men is Ministerial only is evident For 1. All this Authority in and over the Church is vested in him alone 2. It is over the Souls and Consciences of Men only which no Authority can reach but his and that as it is his whereof we shall treat more afterwards THE sole end of the Ministerial Exercise of this Power and Rule by virtue thereof unto the Church is the Edification of it self Rom. 15.1 2 3. 2 Cor. 10.8 Chap. 13.10 Ephes. 4.14 15. 3. THIS is the especial nature and especial end of all Power granted by Jesus Christ unto the Church namely a Ministry unto Edification in opposition unto all the ends whereunto it hath been abused For it hath been so unto the Usurpation of a Dominion over the Persons and Consciences of the Disciples of Christ accompanied with Secular Grandeur Wealth and Power The Lord Christ never made a grant of any Authority for any such ends yea they are expresly forbidden by him Luk. 22.25 Matth. 20.26 27 28. Jesus called his Disciples unto him and said Ye know that the Princes of the Gentiles exercise Dominion over them and they that are Great exercise Authority upon them But it shall not be so among you but whosoever will be great among you let him be your Minister and whosoever will be chief among you let him be your Servant even as the Son of Man came not to be ministred unto but to minister ALL the Pleas of the Romanists are utterly insufficient to secure their Papal Domination from this Sword of the Mouth of the Lord Jesus For whereas their utmost pretence and defence consists in this That it is not Dominion and Power absolutely that is forbidden but the Vnlawful Tyrannical Oppressive Exercise of Power such as was in use among the Princes of the Gentiles never was there any Dominion in the World no not among the Gentiles more Cruel Oppressive and Bloody than that of the Pope's hath been But it is evident that our Lord Jesus Christ doth not in the least reflect on the Rule or Government of the Kings and Princes of the Gentiles which was Good and Righteous yea he speaks of them in an especial manner whom their Subjects for their moderate and equal Rule with their usefulness unto their Countries called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
or Benefactors Their Rule as unto thé Kind and Administration of it in the Kingdoms of the World he approves of And such a Power or Preheminence it was namely good and just in it self not Tyrannical and Oppressive that the Two Disciples desired in his Kingdom which gave occasion unto this declaration of the Nature of his Kingdom and the Rule thereof For in this Power or Dominion two things may be considered 1. The Exercise of it over the Persons Goods and Lives of Men by Courts Coercive Jurisdictions Processes of Law and External Force in Punishments 2. The State Grandeur Preheminence Wealth Exaltation above others which are necessary unto the maintenance of their Authority and Power Both these in the least Participation of them in the least Degree whatever are forbidden by our Saviour to be admitted in his Kingdom or to have any place therein on what pretence soever He will have nothing of Lordship Domination Preheminence in Lordly Power in his Church No Courts no Coercive Jurisdictions no Exercise of any Humane Authority doth he allow therein for by these means do the Princes of the Gentiles those that are the Benefactors of their Countries rule among them And this is most evident from what in opposition hereunto he prescribes unto his own Disciples the greatest the best in Office Grace and Gifts namely a Ministery only to be discharged in the way of Service How well this great Command and Direction of our Lord Jesus Christ hath been and is complied withal by those who have taken on them to be Rulers in the Church is sufficiently known WHEREFORE there is no Rule of the Church but what is Ministerial consisting in an Authoritative Declaration and Application of the Commands and Will of Christ unto the Souls of Men wherein those who exercise it are Servants unto the Church for its Edification for Jesus sake 2 Cor. 4.5 IT hence follows that the introduction of Humane Authority into the Rule of the Church of Christ in any kind destroyeth the nature of it and makes his Kingdom to be of this World and some of his Disciples to be in their measure like the Princes of the Gentiles nor is it oft-times from themselves that they are not more like them than they are The Church is the House of Christ his Family his Kingdom To act any power in its Rule which is not his which derives not from him which is not communicated by his legal grant or to act any Power by Ways Processes Rules and Laws not of his appointment is an invasion of his Right and Dominion It can no otherwise be if the Church be his Family his House his Kingdom For what Father would endure that any Power should be exercised in his Family as to the disposal of his Children and Estate but his own What Earthly Prince will bear with such an intrusion into his Rights and Dominion Foreign Papal Power is severely excluded here in England because it entrenches on the Rights of the Crown by the exercise of an Authority and Jurisdiction not derived from the King according unto the Law of the Land. And we should do well to take care that at the same time we do not encroach upon the Dominion of Christ by the exercise of an Authority not derived from him or by Laws and Rules not Enacted by him but more Foreign unto his Kingdom than the Canon Law or the Popes Rule is unto the Laws of this Nation lest we fall under the Statute of Praemunire Matth. 10.26 27 28. The power of Rule in the Church then is nothing but a Right to yield Obedience unto the Commands of Christ in such a way by such Rules and for such ends as wherein and whereby his Authority is to be acted THE persons concerned in this Rule of the Church both those that Rule and those that are to be Ruled as unto all their Civil and Political concerns in this World are subject unto the Civil Government of the Kingdoms and Places wherein they inhabit And there are sundry things which concern the outward state and condition of the Church that are at the disposal of the Governours of this World But whereas the Power to be exercised in the Church is meerly Spiritual as unto its objects which are the Consciences of Men and as unto its ends which are the tendency of their Souls unto God their spiritual obedience in Christ and Eternal Life it is a Phrensy to dream of any other Power or Authority in this Rule but that of Christ alone TO sum up this Discourse If the Rulers of the Church the greatest of them have only a Ministerial Power committed unto them and are precisely limited thereunto if in the exercise thereof they are Servants of the Church unto its Edification if all Lordly Domination in an exaltation above the Church or the Members of it in Dignity and Authority of this World and the exercise of Power by external Coercive Jurisdiction be forbidden unto them if the whole Power and Rule of the Church be Spiritual and not Carnal mighty through God and not through the Laws of Men and be to be exercised by spiritual means for spiritual ends only it is apparent how it hath been lost in or cast out of the World for the introduction of a Lordly Domination a Secular Coercive Jurisdiction with Laws and Powers no way derived from Christ in the room thereof Neither is it possible for any Man alive to reconcile the present Government of some Churches either as unto the Officers who have the Administration of that Rule or the Rules and Laws whereby they act and proceed or Powers which they exercise or the Jurisdiction which they claim or the manner of their proceeding in its Administration unto any tolerable consistency with the Principles Rules and Laws of the Government of the Church given by Christ himself And this alone is a sufficient Reason why those who endeavour to preserve their Loyalty entire unto Jesus Christ should in their own practice seek after the Reduction of the Rule of the Church unto his Commands and Appointments in the publick disposals of Nations we have no concernment 4. WHEREAS therefore there is a Power and Authority for its Rule unto Edification given and committed by the Lord Christ unto his Church I shall proceed to enquire how this Power is Communicated what it is and to whom it is granted which shall be declared in the ensuing Observations 1. THERE was an extraordinary Church Power committed by the Lord Jesus Christ unto his Apostles who in their own persons were the first and only subject of it It was not granted unto the Church by it to be communicated unto them according unto any Rules prescribed thereunto For their office as it was Apostolical was Antecedent unto the existence of any Gospel Church State properly so called neither had any Church the least concurrence or influence into their call or mission Howbeit when there was a Church State the
Brethren leaving them Servants to the Church for Christs sake they began to prescribe bounds unto themselves such as were suited unto their Interest which they called Rules or Canons and never left enlarging them at their pleasure untill they enstated the most absolute Tyranny in and over the Church that ever was in the World. BY these ways and means doth the Lord Christ communicate Office Power unto them that are called thereunto whereon they become not the Officers or Ministers of Men no not of the Church as unto the actings and exercise of their Authority but only as the good and edification of the Church is the end of it but the Officers and Ministers of Christ himself 2. IT is hence evident that in the communication of Church Power in Office unto any persons called thereunto the work and duty of the Church consists formally in Acts of Obedience unto the Commands of Christ. Hence it doth not give unto such Officers a Power or Authority that was formally and actually in the Body of the Community by virtue of any Grant or Law of Christ so as that they should receive and act the Power of the Church by virtue of a Delegation from them but only they design chuse set apart the individual persons who thereon are intrusted with Office-Power by Christ himself according as was before declared This is the Power and Right given unto the Church essentially considered with respect unto their Officers namely to design call chuse and set apart the persons by the ways of Christs appointment unto those Offices whereunto by his Laws he hath annexed Church Power and Authority WE need not therefore trouble our selves with the disputes about the first subject of Church Power or any part of it For it is a certain Rule That in the performance of all Duties which the Lord Christ requires either of the whole Church or of any in the Church especially of the Officers they are the first subject of the Power needful unto such Duties who are immediately called unto them Hereby all things become to be done in the Name and Authority of Christ. For the Power of the Church is nothing but a right to perform Church Duties in obedience unto the Commands of Christ and according unto his mind Wherefore all Church Power is originally given unto the Church essentially considered which hath a double exercise First in the call or choosing of Officers Secondly in their voluntary acting with them and under them in all Duties of Rule 1. All Authority in the Church is committed by Christ unto the Officers or Rulers of it as unto all Acts and Duties whereunto Office-Power is required and 2. Every individual person hath the liberty of his own judgment as unto his own consent or dissent in what he is himself concerned THAT this Power under the name of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven was originally granted unto the whole professing Church of Believers and that it is utterly impossible it should reside in any other who is subject unto Death or if to be renewed upon any occasional intermission is so fully proved by all Protestant Writers against the Papists that it needs not on this occasion be again insisted on VI. THESE things have been spoken concerning the Polity of the Church in General as it is taken objectively for the constitution of its State and the laws of its Rule we are in the next place to consider it subjectively as it is a power or faculty of the minds of Men unto whom the Rule of the Church is committed And in this sence it is the wisdom or understanding of the Officers of the Church to exercise the Government in it appointed by Jesus Christ or to rule it according to his Laws and Constitutions Or THIS Wisdom is a Spiritual Gift 1 Cor. 12.9 whereby the Officers of the Church are enabled to make a due application of all the Rules and Laws of Christ unto the Edification of the Church and all the Members of it UNTO the attaining of this Wisdom are required 1. Fervent Prayer for it Jam. 1.5 2. Diligent study of the Scripture to find out and understand the Rules given by Christ unto this purpose Ezra 7.6 7 9. 1 Tim. 2.14 15. 3. Humble waiting on God for the Revelation of all that it is to be exercised about Ezek. 43.11 4. A conscientious exercise of the skill which they have received Talents traded with duly will encrease 5. A continual sense of the account which is to be given of the discharge of this great trust being called to rule in the House of God Heb. 13.17 HOW much this Wisdom hath been neglected in Church Government yea how much it is despised in the World is evident unto all It is skill in the Canon Law in the proceedings of vexatious Courts with the Learning Subtilty and Arts which are required thereunto that is looked on as the only skill to be exercised in the Government of the Church Without this a Man is esteemed no way meet to be employed in any part of the Church Government And according as any do arrive unto a dexterity in this Polity they are esteemed eminently useful But these things belong not at all unto the Government of the Church appointed by Christ nor can any sober Man think in his Conscience that so they do What is the use of this Art and Trade as unto political ends we enquired Nor is the true wisdom required unto this end with the means of attaining of it more despised more neglected by any sort of Men in the World than by those whose pretences unto Ecclesiastical Rule and Authority would make it most necessary unto them TWO things follow on the supposition laid down 1. THAT the Wisdom intended is not promised unto all the Members of the Church in General nor are they required to seek for it by the ways and means of attaining it before laid down but respect is had herein only unto the Officers of the Church Hereon dependeth the equity of the obedience of the people unto their Rulers For Wisdom for Rule is peculiarly granted unto them and their Duty it is to seek after it in a peculiar manner Wherefore those who on every occasion are ready to advance their own Wisdom and Understanding in the affairs and proceedings of the Church against the Wisdom of the Officers of it are proud and disorderly I speak not this to give any countenance unto the out-cries of some that all sorts of Men will suppose themselves Wiser than their Rulers and to know what belongs unto the Government of the Church better than they whereas the Government which they exercise belongs not at all unto the Rule of the Church determined and limited in the Scripture as the meanest Christian can easily discern nor is it pretended by themselves so to do For they say that the Lord Christ hath prescribed nothing herein but left it unto the Will and Wisdom of the Church to order
Authority is constituted in the Church only the Work and Duty of it is cast into such an Order as the very light of nature doth require BUT there is not any intimation in the Scripture of the least imparity or inequality in Order Degree or Authority among Officers of the same sort whether extraordinary or ordinary The Apostles were all equal so were the Evangelists so were Elders or Bishops and so were Deacons also The Scripture knows no more of an Arch-Bishop such as all Diocesan Bishops are nor an Arch-Deacon than of an Arch-Apostle or of an Arch-Evangelist or an Arch-Prophet Howbeit it is evident that in all their Assemblies they had one who did preside in the manner before described which seems among the Apostles to have been the prerogative of Peter THE Brethren also of the Church may be so multiplied as that the constant meeting of them all in one place may not be absolutely best for their Edification Howbeit that on all the solemn occasions of the Church whereunto their consent is necessary they did of old and ought still to meet in the same place for advise consultation and consent as was proved before This is so fully expressed and exemplified in the two great Churches of Jerusalem and Antioch Act. 15. that it cannot be gain-said When Paul and Barnabas sent by the Brethren or Church at Antioch v. 1 3. were come to Jerusalem they were received by the Church as the Brethren are called in distinction from the Apostles and Elders v. 4. So when the Apostles and Elders assembled to consider of the case proposed unto them the whole multitude of the Church that is the Brethren assembled with them v. 6 12. neither were they mute Persons meer Auditors and Spectators in the Assembly but they concurred both in the debate and determination of the Question insomuch as they are expresly joined with the Apostles and Elders in the advice given ver 22 23. And when Paul and Barnabas returned unto Antioch the multitude unto whom the Letter of the Church at Jerusalem was directed came together about it ver 23.30 Unless this be observed the primitive-church-Primitive-Church-State is overthrown But I shall return from this Digression THE first Officer or Elder of the Church is the Pastor A Pastor is the Elder that Feeds and Rules the Flock 1 Pet. 5.2 that is who is its Teacher and its Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Feed taking the oversight IT is not my present design nor work to give a full account of the Qualifications required in Persons to be called unto this Office nor of their Duty and Work with the Qualities or Vertues to be exercised therein It would require a large Discourse to handle them practically and it hath been done by others It were to be wished that what is of this kind expressed in the Rule and which the nature of the Office doth indispensably require were more exemplified in practice than it is But some things relating unto this Officer and his Office that are needful to be well stated I shall treat concerning THE name of a Pastor or Shepherd is Metaphorical It is a Denomination suited unto his Work denoting the same Office and Person with a Bishop or Elder spoken of absolutely without limitation unto either Teaching or Ruling And it seems to be used or applied unto this Office because it is more comprehensive of and instructive in all the Duties that belong unto it than any other Name whatever nay than all of them put together The Grounds and Reasons of this Metaphor or whence the Church is called a Flock and whence God termeth himself the Shepherd of the Flock whence the Sheep of this Flock are committed unto Christ whereon he becomes the good Shepherd that lays down his Life for the Sheep and the Prince of Shepherds what is the interest of Men in a participation of this Office and what their Duty thereon are things well worth the consideration of them who are called unto it Hirelings yea Wolves and dumb Dogs do in many places take on themselves to be Shepherds of the Flock by whom it is devoured and destroyed WHEREAS therefore this Name or Appellation is taken from and includes in it Love Care Tenderness Watchfulness in all the Duties of going before preserving feeding defending the Flock the Sheep and the Lambs the Strong the Weak and Diseased with accountableness as Servants unto the chief Shepherd it was generally disused in the Church and those of Bishops or Overseers Guides Presidents Elders which seem to include more of Honour and Authority were retained in common use that though one of them at last namely that of Bishops with some elating compositions and adjuncts of power obtained the preheminence Out of the Corruption of these Compositions and Additions in Arch-Bishops Metropolitans Patriarchs and the like brake forth the Cockatrice of the Church that is the Pope BUT this name is by the Holy Ghost appropriated unto the principal Ministers of Christ in his Church Ephes. 4.11 And under that name they were promised unto the Church of old Jerem. 3.15 And the Work of these Pastors is to feed the Flock committed to their charge as it is constantly required of them Act. 20.29 1 Pet. 5.2 OF Pastoral Feeding there are two parts 1. Teaching or Instruction 2. Rule or Discipline Unto these two Heads may all the Acts and Duties of a Shepherd toward his Flock be reduced And both are intended in the term of feeding 1 Chron. 11.2 Chap. 17.6 Jer. 23.2 Mic. 5.4 Chap. 7.14 Zech. 11.7 Act. 20.28 Joh. 21.14 1 Pet. 5.2 c. wherefore he who is the Pastor is the Bishop the Elder the Teacher of the Church THESE Works of Teaching and Ruling may be distinct in several Officers namely of Teachers and Rulers but to divide them in the same Office of Pastors that some Pastors should feed by Teaching only but have no right to Rule by Virtue of their Office and some should attend in exercise unto Rule only not esteeming themselves obliged to labour continually in feeding the Flock is almost to overthrow this Office of Christs Designation and to set up two in the room of it of Mens own projection OF the call of Men unto this Office so many things have been spoken and written by others at large that I shall only insist and that very briefly on some things which are either of the most important consideration or have been omitted by others As 1. UNTO the call of any person unto this Office of a Pastor in the Church there are certain Qualifications previously required in him disposing and making him fit for that Office. The outward call is an act of the Church as we shall shew immediately But therein is required an obediential acting of him also who is called Neither of these can be Regular neither can the Church act according to Rule and Order nor the person called act in such a due Obedience unless there are in him some previous Indications
said that Moses chose the Elders But it is frequent in the Scripture that where any thing is done by many where one is chief that is ascribed indifferently either to the many or to the chief Director So is it said Israel sent Messengers Numbers 21.21 Moses speaking of the same things says I sent Messengers Deut. 2.26 So 1 Chron. 19.19 They made peace with David and served him which is 2 Sam. 10.19 They made peace with Israel and served them See also 2 King. 11.12 with 2 Chron. 23.11 as also 1 Chron. 16.1 with 2 Sam. 6.17 and the same may be observed in other places Wherefore the people chose these Elders under the conduct and guidance of Moses which directs us unto the right interpretation of Act 14.23 whereof we shall speak immediately THE First of these ways was repeated in the foundation of the Evangelical Church Christ himself was called unto his Office by the Father through the unction of the spirit Isa. 60. Heb. 5. And he himself called the Apostles and Evangelists in whom that call ceased The second ordinary way by the privilege of natural Generation of the stock of the Priests was utterly abolished The third way only remained for the ordinary continuation of the Church namely by the Choice and Election of the Church it self with solemn Separation and Dedication by Officers extraordinary or ordinary THE first instance of the Choice of a Church-Officer had a mixture in it of the first and later way in the case of Matthias As he was able to be a Church-Officer he had the choice and consent of the Church as he was to be an Apostle or an extraordinary Officer there was an immediate divine disposition of him into his Office the latter to give him Apostolical Authority the former to make him a president of the future actings of the Church in the call of their Officers I say this being the first example and pattern of the calling of any Person unto Office in the Christian church-Church-State wherein there was an interposition of the ordinary actings of Men is established as a Rule and President not to be changed altered or departed from in any Age of the Church whatever It is so as unto what was of common Right and Equity which belonged unto the whole Church And I cannot but wonder how Men durst ever reject and disanul this divine Example and Rule It will not avail them to say that it is only a matter of Fact and not a precept or institution that is recorded For 1. It is a Fact left on record in the holy Scripture for our Instruction and Direction 2. It is an example of the Apostles and the whole Church proposed unto us which in all things not otherwise determined hath the force of an institution 3. If there was no more in it but this that we have a matter of common Right determined and applied by the Wisdom of the Apostles and the entire Church of Believers at that time in the World it were an impiety to depart from it unless in case of the utmost necessity WHEREAS what is here recorded was in the call of an Apostle it strengthens the Argument which hence we plead For if in the extraordinary call of an Apostle it was the mind of Christ that the Fraternity or Multitude should have the liberty of their suffrage how much more is it certainly his mind that in the ordinary call of their own peculiar Officers in whom under him the concernment is their own only that this Right should be continued unto them THE order of the proceeding of the Church herein is distinctly declared For 1. The number of the Church at that time that is of the Men was about an Hundred and Twenty v. 15. 2. They were assembled all together in one place so as that Peter stood up in the midst of them v. 15. 3. Peter in the name of the rest of the Apostles declares unto them the necessity of choosing one to be substituted in the room of Judas v. 16 17 18 19 20. 4. He limits the choice of him unto the especial Qualification of being a meet witness of the Resurrection of Christ unto those who constantly accompanied him with themselves from the Baptism of John that is his being Baptized by him whereon he began his publick Ministry 5. Among these they were left at their liberty to nominate any two who were to be left unto the lot for a determination whether of them God designed unto the Office. 6. Hereon the whole multitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appointed Two that is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Men and Brethren unto whom Peter spake v. 16. did so 7. The same Persons to promote the work prayed and gave forth their Lots v. 24.26 8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matthias was by the common suffrage of the whole Church reckoned unto the number of the Apostles I say not that these things were done by the Disciples in distinction from Peter and the rest of the Apostles but in conjunction with them Peter did nothing without them nor did they any thing without him THE exception of Bellarmine and others against this Testimony is that it was a grant and a condescention in Peter and not a declaration of the Right of the Church that it was an extraordinary case that the determination of the whole was by Lot are of no validity The pretended concession of Peter is a figment the case was so extraordinary as to include in it all ordinary cases for the substance of them And although the ultimate determination of the Individual Person which was necessary unto his Apostleship was immediately Divine by Lot yet here is all granted unto the people in their choosing and appointing Two in their Praying in their casting Lots in their voluntary opprobatory Suffrage that is desired THIS blessed Example given us by the Wisdom of the Apostles yea of the spirit of God in them being eminently suited unto the nature of the thing it self as we shall see immediately compliant with all other directions and Apostolical examples in the like case is rather to be followed than the practice of some degenerate Churches who to cover the turpitude of acting in deserting this Example and Rule do make use of a mock-shew and pretence of that which really they deny reject and oppose THE Second Example we have of the practice of the Apostles in this case whereby the preceding Rule is confirmed is given us Act. 6. in the Election of the Deacons Had there ensued after the choice of Matthias an instance of a diverse practice by an exclusion of the consent of the people the former might have been evaded as that which was absolutely extraordinary and not obliging unto the Church But this was the very next instance of the call of any Church-Officer and it was the first appointment of any ordinary Officers in the Christian Church For it falling out in the very year of Christs Ascension there is no
from unworthy Pastors of rejecting or deposing them and that granted to them by Divine Authority AND this Power of Election in the people he proves from the Apostolical Practice before insisted on Quod postea secundum Divina Magisteria observatur in Actis Apostolorum quando in Ordinando in locum Judae Episcopo Petrus ad plebem loquitur Surrexit inquit Petrus in medio discentium fuit autem turba in uno Nec hoc in Episcoporum tantum Sacerdotum sed in Diaconorum Ordinationibus observasse Apostolos de quo ipso in Actis eorum Scriptum est Et convocarunt inquit duodecim totam plebem Discipulorum dixerunt eis c. ACCORDING unto the Divine Commands the same course was observed in the Acts of the Apostles whereof he gives instances in the Election of Matthias Act. 1. and of the Deacons Chap. 6. AND afterwards speaking of Ordination De Vniversae Fraternitatis Suffragio by the Suffrage of the whole Brotherhood of the Church he says Diligenter de traditione Divina Apostolica observatione servandum est tenendum apud nos quoque ut fere per universas provincias tenetur According to which Divine Tradition and Apostolical Practice this custom is to be preserved and kept amongst us also as it is almost through all the Provinces THOSE who are not moved with his Authority yet I think have reason to believe him in a matter of Fact of what was done every where or almost every where in his own days and they may take Time to answer his Reasons when they can which comprize the substance of all that we plead in this Case BUT the Testimonies in following Ages given unto this Right and Power of the People in choosing their own Church-Officers Bishops and others recorded in the Decrees of Councils the Writings of the learned Men in them the Rescripts of Popes and Constitutions of Emperours are so fully and faithfully Collected by Blondellus in the Third Part of his Apology for the judgment of Hierom about Episcopacy as that nothing can be added unto his diligence nor is there any need of farther confirmation of the Truth in this behalf THE pretence also of Bellarmine and others who follow him and borrow their conceits from him that this liberty of the people in choosing their own Bishops and Pastors was granted unto them at first by way of Indulgence or Connivence and that being abused by them and turned into disorder was gradually taken from them until it issued in that shameful mocking of God and Man which is in use in the Roman Church when at the Ordination of a Bishop or Priest one Deacon makes a demand Whether the Person to be Ordained be approved by the people and another answers out of a corner That the people approve him have been so confuted by Protestant Writers of all sorts that it is needless to insist any longer on them INDEED the Concessions that are made that this Ancient Practice of the Church in the peoples choosing their own Officers which to deny is all one as to deny that the Sun gives Light at Noon-day is as unto its Right by various degrees transferred unto Popes Patrons and Bishops with a Representation in a meer Pageantry of the peoples liberty to make Objections against them that are to be Ordained are as fair a concession of the gradual Apostacy of Churches from their Original Order and Constitution as need be desired THIS Power and Right which we assign unto the people is not to act it self only in a subsequent consent unto one that is Ordained in the acceptance of him to be their Bishop or Pastor How far that may salve the defect and disorder of the omission of previous Elections and so preserve the Essence of the Ministerial Call I do not now enquire But that which we plead for is the Power and Right of Election to be exercised previously unto the solemn Ordination or setting apart of any unto the Pastoral Office communicative of Office-Power in its own kind unto the person chosen THIS is part of that contest which for sundry Ages filled most Countries of Europe with broils and disorders Neither is there yet an end put unto it But in this present discourse we are not in the least concerned in these things For our Enquiry is what State and Order of Church-Affairs is declared and represented unto us in the Scripture And therein there is not the least intimation of any of those things from whence this Controversy did arise and whereon it doth depend Secular Endowments Jurisdictions Investiture Rights of Presentation and the like with respect unto the Evangelical Pastoral Office or its exercise in any place which are the subject of these Contests are foreign unto all things that are directed in the Scriptures concerning them nor can be reduced unto any thing that belongs unto them Wherefore whether this JVS PATRONATVS be consistent with Gospel-Institutions whether it may be continued with respect unto Lands Tythes and Benefices or how it may be reconciled unto the Right of the People in the Choice of their own Ecclesiastical Officers from the different Acts Objects and Ends required unto the one and the other are things not of our present consideration AND this we affirm to be agreeable unto natural Reason and Equity to the nature of Churches in their institution and ends to all Authority and Office-Power in the Church necessary unto its Edification with the security of the Consciences of the Officers themselves the preservation of due respect and obedience unto them constituted by the Institution of Christ himself in his Apostles and the practice of the Primitive Church Wherefore the utter despoiling of the Church of the Disciples of those gathered in Church Societies by his Authority and Command of this Right and Liberty may be esteemed a Sacrilege of an higher nature than sundry other things which are reproached as criminal under that Name AND if any shall yet farther appear to justifie this deprivation of the Right laid claim unto and the exclusion of the people from their Ancient Possession with sobriety of Argument and Reason the whole cause may be yet farther debated from principles of natural Light and Equity from maxims of Law and Polity from the necessity of the Ends of Church-Order and Power from the moral impossibility of any other way of the conveyance of Ecclesiastical Office-Power as well as from Evangelical Institution and the practice of the first Churches IT will be Objected I know that the Restoration of this Liberty unto the people will overthrow that jus Patronatus or Right of presenting unto Livings and Preferments which is established by Law in this Nation and so under a pretence of restoring unto the people their Right in common destroy other Mens undoubted Rights in their own enclosures BUT this Election of the Church doth not actually and immediately instate the persons chosen in the Office whereunto he is chosen nor give actual
in charge THIS Work and Duty therefore as was said is essential unto the Office of a Pastor A Man is a Pastor unto them whom he feeds by Pastoral Teaching and to no more And he that doth not so feed is no Pastor Nor is it required only that he Preach now and then at his leisure but that he lay aside all other Employments though lawful all other Duties in the Church as unto such a constant attendance on them as would divert him from this work that he give himself unto it that he be in these things labouring to the utmost of his Ability Without this no Man will be able to give a comfortable account of the Pastoral Office at the last day THERE is indeed no more required of any Man than God giveth him Ability for Weakness Sickness Bodily Infirmities may disenable Men from the actual discharge of this Duty in that assiduity and frequency which are required in ordinary cases And some may through Age or other incapacitating Distempers be utterly disabled for it in which case it is their Duty to lay down and take a dismission from their Office or if their disability be but partial provide a suitable supply that the Edification of the Church be not prejudiced But for Men to pretend themselves Pastors of the Church and to be unable for or negligent of this Work and Duty is to live in open defiance of the Commands of Christ. WE have lived to see or hear of reproachful scorn and contempt cast upon laborious Preaching that is labouring in the Word and Doctrine and all manner of discouragements given unto it with endeavours for its suppression in sundry instances Yea some have proceeded so far as to declare that the work of Preaching is unnecessary in the Church so to reduce all Religion to the Reading and Rule of the Liturgy The next attempt so far as I know may be to exclude Christ himself out of their Religion which the denial of a necessity of Preaching the Gospel makes an entrance into yea a good Progress towards SUNDRY things are required unto this Work and Duty of Pastoral Preaching As 1. Spiritual Wisdom and Understanding in the Mysteries of the Gospel that they may declare unto the Church the whole counsel of God and the unsearchable Riches of Christ see Act. 20.27 1 Cor. 2.4 5 6 7. Ephes. 3.8 9 10 11. The generality of the Church especially those who are grown in knowledge and experience have a spiritual insight into these things And the Apostle prays that all Believers may have so Ephes. 1.17 18 19. And if those that instruct them or should so do have not some degree of Eminency herein they cannot be useful to lead them on to perfection And the little care hereof or concernment herein is that which in our days hath rendred the Ministry of many fruitless and useless 2. Experience of the power of the Truth which they Preach in and upon their own Souls Without this they will themselves be lifeless and heartless in their own work and their labour for the most part unprofitable towards others It is to such Men attended unto as a task for their advantage or as that which carries some satisfaction in it from ostentation and supposed Reputation wherewith it is accompanied But a Man Preacheth that Sermon only well unto others which Preacheth it self in his own Soul. And he that doth not feed on and thrive in the Digestion of the Food which he provides for others will scarce make it savoury unto them Yea he knows not but the food he hath provided may be poyson unless he have really tasted of it himself If the Word doth not dwell with power in us it will not pass with power from us And no Man lives in a more wofull condition than those who really believe not themselves what they perswade others to believe continually The want of this Experience of the power of Gospel-Truth on their own Souls is that which gives us so many lifeless sapless Orations queint in Words and dead as to Power instead of Preaching the Gospel in the Demonstration of the Spirit And let any say what they please it is evident that some Mens Preaching as well as others not Preaching hath lost the credit of their Ministry 3. Skill to divide the Word aright 2 Tim. 2.15 And this consists in a practical Wisdom upon a diligent attendance unto the Word of Truth to find out what is real substantial and meet food for the Souls of the Hearers to give unto all sorts of persons in the Church that which is their proper portion And this requires 4. A prudent and diligent consideration of the state of the Flock over which any Man is set as unto their strength or weakness their growth or defect in knowledge the measure of their attainments requiring either Milk or strong Meat their Temptations and Duties their Spiritual Decays or Thrivings and that not only in general but as near as may be with respect unto all the Individual Members of the Church Without a due regard unto these things Men Preach at random uncertainly fighting like those that beat the Air. Preaching Sermons not designed for the advantage of them to whom they are Preached insisting on general Doctrines not levelled to the condition of the Auditory speaking what Men can without consideration of what they ought are things that will make Men weary of Preaching when their minds are not influenced with outward advantages as much as make others weary in hearing of them And 5. All these in the whole discharge of their Duty are to be constantly accompanied with the evidence of zeal for the glory of God and compassion for the Souls of Men. Where these are not in vigorous exercise in the Minds and Souls of them that Preach the Word giving a Demonstration of themselves unto the Consciences of them that hear the quickening Form the Life and Soul of Preaching is lost ALL these things seem common obvious and universally acknowledged But the ruine of the Ministery of the most for the want of them or from notable defects in them is or may be no less evidently known And the very naming of them which is all at present which I design is sufficient to evidence how great a necessity there is incumbent on all Pastors of Churches to give themselves unto the Word and Prayer to labour in the Word and Doctrine to be continually intent on this Work to engage all the faculties of their Souls to stir up all their Graces and Gifts unto constant exercise in the discharge of their Duty For who is sufficient for these things And as the consideration of them is sufficient to stir up all Ministers unto fervent Prayer for supplies of Divine Aids and Assistance for that Work which in their own strength they can no way answer so is it enough to warn them of the avoidance of all things that would give them a Diversion or Avocation from the constant
attendance unto the discharge of it WHEN Men undertake the Pastoral Office and either judge it not their Duty to Preach or are not able so to do or attempt it only at some solemn Seasons or attend unto it as a task required of them without that Wisdom Skill Diligence Care Prudence Zeal and Compassion which are required thereunto the Glory and Use of the Ministry will be utterly destroyed 2. THE Second Duty of a Pastor towards his Flock is continual fervent Prayer for them Give our selves unto the Word and Prayer Without this no Man can or doth Preach to them as he ought nor perform any other Duty of his Pastoral Office. From hence may any Man take the best measure of the discharge of his Duty towards his Flock He that doth constantly diligently fervently Pray for them will have a Testimony in himself of his own sincerity in the discharge of all other Pastoral Duties nor can he voluntarily omit or neglect any of them And as for those who are negligent herein be their Pains Labour and Travel in other Duties never so great they may be influenced from other Reasons and so give no evidence of sincerity in the discharge of their Office. In this constant Prayer for the Church which is so incumbent on all Pastors as that whatever is done without it is of no esteem in the sight of Jesus Christ Respect is to be had 1. Unto the Success of the Word unto all the blessed ends of it among them These are no less than the improvement and strengthening of all their Graces the Direction of all their Duties their Edification in Faith and Love with the entire conduct of their Souls in the life of God unto the enjoyment of him To Preach the Word therefore and not to follow it with constant and fervent Prayer for its success is to dis-believe its use neglect its end and to cast away the Seed of the Gospel at random 2. Unto the Temptations that the Church is generally exposed unto These greatly vary according unto the outward circumstances of things The Temptations in general that accompany a State of outward Peace and Tranquility are of another nature than those that attend a time of Trouble Persecution Distress and Poverty And so it is as unto other Occasions and Circumstances These the Pastors of Churches ought diligently to consider looking on them as the means and ways whereby Churches have been ruined and the Souls of many lost for ever With respect unto them therefore ought their Prayers for the Church to be fervent 3. Unto the especial State and condition of all the Members so far as it is known unto them There may be of them who are spiritually sick and diseased tempted afflicted bemisted wandering out of the way surprized in Sins and Miscarriages disconsolate and troubled in Spirit in a peculiar manner The remembrance of them all ought to abide with them and to be continually called over in their daily Pastoral Supplications 4. Unto the presence of Christ in the Assemblies of the Church with all the blessed Evidences and Testimonies of it This is that alone which gives Life and Power unto all Church Assemblies without which all outward Order and Forms of Divine Worship in them are but a dead Carcass Now this presence of Christ in the Assemblies of his Church is by his Spirit accompanying all Ordinances of Worship with a gracious Divine Efficacy evidencing it self by blessed Operations on the Minds and Hearts of the Congregation This are Pastors of Churches continually to Pray for and they will do so who understand that all the success of their labours and all the acceptance of the Church with God in their Duties do depend hereon 5. To their preservation in Faith Love and Fruitfulness with all the Duties that belong unto them c. IT were much to be desired that all those who take upon them this Pastoral Office did well consider and understand how great and necessary a part of their Work and Duty doth consist in their continual fervent Prayer for their Flocks For besides that it is the only instituted way whereby they may by virtue of their Office bless their Congregations so will they find their Hearts and Minds in and by the discharge of it more and more filled with love and engaged with diligence unto all other Duties of their Office and excited unto the Exercise of all Grace towards the whole Church on all occasions And where any are negligent herein there is no Duty which they perform towards the Church but it is influenced with false considerations and will not hold weight in the balance of the Sanctuary 3. THE Administration of the Seals of the Covenant is committed unto them as the Stewards of the House of Christ. For unto them the Authoritative Dispensation of the Word is committed whereunto the Administration of the Seals is annexed For their principal end is the peculiar Confirmation and Application of the Word Preached And herein there are three things that they are to attend unto 1. The Times and Seasons of their Administration unto the Churches Edification especially that of the Lords Supper whose frequency is enjoined It is the Duty of Pastors to consider all the necessary Circumstances of their Administration as unto Time Place Frequency Order and Decency 2. To keep severely unto the Institution of Christ as unto the way and manner of their Administration The gradual introduction of uninstituted Rites and Ceremonies into the Church-Celebration of the Ordinance of the Lords Supper ended at length in the Idolatry of the Mass. Herein then alone and not in bowing cringing and vestments lies the Glory and Beauty of these Administrations namely that they are compliant with and expressive of the Institution of Christ nor is any thing done in them but in express obedience unto his Authority I have received of the Lord that which I delivered unto you saith the Apostle in this case 1 Cor. 11.23 3. To take care that these holy things be administred only unto those who are meet and worthy according unto the Rule of the Gospel Those who impose on Pastors the promiscuous Administration of these Divine Ordinances or the Application of the Seals unto all without difference do deprive them of one half of their Ministerial Office and Duty BUT here it is enquired by some Whether in case a Church have no Pastor at present or a Teaching Elder with Pastoral Power whether it may not delegate and appoint the Administration of these especial Ordinances unto some Member of the Church at this or that season who is meetly qualified for the outward Administration of them which for the sake of some I shall examine 1. NO Church is compleat in Order without Teaching Officers Ephes. 4.11 12. 1 Cor. 12.27 28. A CHURCH not compleat in Order cannot be compleat in Administrations because the Power of Administrations depends upon the Power of Order proportionably That is the Power of the Church
Office are vain whence it is that the whole Work of it is much neglected 2. TO be ready and willing to attend unto the especial cases that may be brought unto them and not to look on them as unnecessary Diversions whereas a due Application unto them is a principal part of their Office and Duty To discountenance to discourage any from seeking relief in perplexities of this nature to carry it towards them with a seeming moroseness and unconcernedness is to turn that which is Lame out of the way to push the Diseased and not at all to express the care of Christ towards his Flock Isa. 40.11 Yea it is their Duty to hearken after them who may be so exercised to seek them out to give them their Counsel and Directions on all occasions 3. TO bear patiently and tenderly with the weakness ignorance dulness slowness to believe and receive satisfaction yea it may be Impertinencies in them that are so tempted These things will abound amongst them partly from their natural Infirmities many being weak and perhaps froward but especially from the nature of their Temptations which are suited to disorder and disquiet their Minds to fill them with perplexed Thoughts and to make them jealous of every thing wherein they are spiritually concerned And if much patience meekness and condescention be not exercised towards them they are quickly turned out of the way IN the discharge of the whole Pastoral Office there is not any Thing or Duty that is of more importance nor wherein the Lord Jesus Christ is more concerned nor more eminently suited unto the nature of the Office it self than this is But whereas it is a Work or Duty which because of the Reasons mentioned must be accompanied with the exercise of Humility Patience Self-denial and Spiritual Wisdom with Experience with wearisome Diversions from other occasions those who had got of old the conduct of the Souls of Men into their management turned this whole part of their Office and Duty into an Engine they called Articular Confession whereby they wrested the Consciences of Christians to the promotion of their own Ease Wealth Authority and oft-times to worse ends 7. A compassionate suffering with all the Members of the Church in all their trials and troubles whether internal or external belongs unto them in the discharge of their Office. Nor is there any thing that renders them more like unto Jesus Christ whom to represent unto the Church is their principal Duty The view and consideration by Faith of the Glory of Christ in his compassion with his suffering Members is the principal spring of Consolation unto the Church in all its Distresses And the same Spirit the same Mind herein ought according to their measure to be in all that have the Pastoral Office committed unto them So the Apostle expresseth it in himself Who is weak and I am not weak Who is offended and I burn not 2 Cor. 11.29 And unless this compassion and goodness do run through the discharge of their whole Office Men cannot be said to be Evangelical Shepherds nor the Sheep said in any sense to be their own For those who pretend unto the Pastoral Office to live it may be in wealth and pleasure regardless of the Sufferings and Temptations of their Flock or of the poor of it or related unto such Churches as wherein it is impossible that they should so much as be acquainted with the state of the greatest part of them is not answerable unto the institution of their Office nor to the design of Christ therein 8. CARE of the Poor and visitation of the Sick are parts of this Duty commonly known though commonly neglected 9. THE principal care of the Rule of the Church is incumbent on the Pastors of it This is the second general head of the Power and Duty of this Office whereunto many things in particular do belong But because I shall treat afterwards of the Rule of the Church by it self distinctly I shall not here insist upon it 10. THERE is a Communion to be observed among all the Churches of the same Faith and Profession in any Nation Wherein it doth consist and what is required thereunto shall be afterwards declared The principal care hereof unto the Edification of the Churches is incumbent on the Pastors of them Whether it be exercised by Letters of mutual advice of congratulation or consolation or in testimony of Communion with those who are called to Office in them or whether it be by convening in Synods for consultation of their joint concernments which things made up a great part of the Primitive Ecclesiastical Polity their Duty it is to attend unto it and to take care of it 11. THAT wherewith I shall close these few instances of the Pastoral Charge and Duty is that without which all the rest will neither be useful unto Men nor be accepted with the great Shepherd Christ Jesus And that is an humble holy exemplary conversation in all Godliness and Honesty The Rules and Precepts of the Scripture the Examples of Christ and his Apostles with that of the Bishops or Pastors of the Primitive Churches and the nature of the thing it self with the Religion which we do profess do undeniably prove this Duty to be necessary and indispensable in a Gospel Ministry It were an easie thing to fill up a Volume with ancient Examples unto this purpose with Testimonies of the Scripture and first Writers among Christians with Examples of publick and private miscarriages herein with evident demonstration that the ruine of Christian Religion in most Nations where it hath been professed and so of the Nations themselves hath proceeded from the Ambition Pride Luxury Vncleanness Profaneness and otherways vitious Conversations of those who have been called the Clergy And in daily observation it is a thing written with the Beams of the Sun that whatever else be done in Churches if the Pastors of them or those who are so esteemed are not Exemplary in Gospel Obedience and Holiness Religion will not be carried on and improved among the people If Persons light or prophane in their Habits Garbs and Converse corrupt in their Communication Unsavoury and Barren as unto Spiritual Discourse if such as are Covetous Oppressive and Contentious such as are negligent in holy Duties in their own Families and so cannot stir up others unto diligence therein much more if such as are openly sensual vitious and debauched are admitted into this Office we may take our leave of all the Glory and Power of Religion among the people committed unto their charge TO handle this property or adjunct of the Pastoral Office it were necessary distinctly to consider and explain all the Qualifications assigned by the Apostle as necessary unto Bishops and Elders evidenced as previously necessary unto the orderly Call of them unto this Office 1 Tim. 3.2 3 4 5 6 7. Tit. 2.6 7 8 9. which is a Work not consistent with my present design to engage in THESE are
some Instances of the things wherein the Office-Duty of Pastors of the Church doth consist They are but some of them and those only proposed not pursued and pressed with the consideration of all those particular Duties with the manner of their performance way of management motives and enforcements defects and causes of them which would require a large Discourse These may suffice unto our present purpose and we may derive from them the ensuing brief considerations 1. A DUE meditation and view of these things as proposed in the Scripture is enough to make the wisest the best of Men and the most diligent in the discharge of the Pastoral Office to cry out with the Apostle and who is sufficient for these things This will make them look well to their Call and Entrance into this Office as that alone which will bear them out and justify them in the susception of it For no sense of insufficiency can utterly discourage any in the undertaking of a Work which he is assured that the Lord Christ calls him unto For where he calls to a Duty he gives competent strength for the performance of it And when we say Under a deep sense of our own weakness who is sufficient for these things he doth say My Grace is sufficient for you 2. ALTHOUGH all the things mentioned do plainly evidently and undeniably belong unto the discharge of the Pastoral Office yet in point of Fact we find by the Success that they are very little considered by the most that seek after it And the present Ruine of Religion as unto its Power Beauty and Glory in all places ariseth principally from this cause that Multitudes of those who undertake this Office are neither in any measure fit for it nor do either conscientiously attend unto or diligently perform the Duties that belong unto it It ever was and every will be true in general like Priest like People 3. WHEREAS the account which is to be given of this Office and the discharge of it at the last day unto Jesus Christ the consideration whereof had a mighty influence upon the Apostles themselves and all the Primitive Pastors of the Churches is frequently proposed unto us and many warnings given us thereon in the Scripture yet it is apparent they are but few who take it into due consideration In the great day of Christs Visitation he will proceed on such Articles as those here laid down and others expressed in the Scripture and not at all on those which are now enquired upon in our Episcopal Visitations And if they may be minded of their true interest and concern whilst they possess the places they hold in the Church without offence I would advise them to conform their Enquiries in their Visitations unto those which they cannot but know the Lord Christ will make in the great day of his Visitation which doth approach This I think but reasonable In the mean time for those who desire to give up their account with joy and confidence and not with grief and confusion it is their Wisdom and Duty continually to bear in Mind what it is that the Lord Christ requires of them in the discharge of their Office. To take Benefices to perform legal Duties by themselves or others is not fully compliant with what Pastors of Churches are called unto 4. IT is manifest also from hence how inconsistent it is with this Office and the due discharge of it for any one Man to undertake the relation of a Pastor unto more Churches than one especially if far distant from one another An evil this is like that of Mathematical Prognostications at Rome always condemned and always retained But one view of the Duties incumbent on each Pastor and of whose diligent performance he is to give an account at the last day will discard this practice from all approbation in the Minds of them that are sober However it is as good to have Ten Churches at once as having but one never to discharge the Duty of a Pastor towards it 5. ALL Churches may do well to consider the weight and burden that lies upon their Pastors and Teachers in the discharge of their Office that they may be constant in fervent Prayers and Supplications for them as also to provide what lies in them that they may be without trouble and cares about the things of this Life 6. THERE being so many Duties necessary unto the discharge of their Office and those of such various sorts and kinds as to require various Gifts and Abilities unto their due performance it seems very difficult to find a concurrence of them in any own person in any considerable degree so as that it is hard to conceive how the Office it self should be duly discharged I answer 1. The end both of the Office and of the discharge of it is the due Edification of the Church This therefore gives them their measure Where that is attained the Office is duly discharged though the Gifts whereby Men are enabled thereunto be not eminent 2. Where a Man is called unto this Office and applieth himself sincerely unto the due discharge of it if he be evidently defective with respect to any especial Duty or Duties of it that defect is to be supplied by calling any other unto his Assistance in Office who is qualified to make that supply unto the Edification of the Church And the like must be said concerning such Pastors as through Age or Bodily weakness are disabled from attendance unto any part of their Duty for still the Edification of the Church is that which in all these things is in the first place to be provided for 7. IT may be enquired what is the State of those Churches and what Relation with respect unto Communion we ought to have unto them whose Pastors are evidently defective in or neglective of these things so as that they are not in any competent measure attended unto And we may in particular instance in the first and the last of the Pastoral Duties before insisted on Suppose a Man be no way able to Preach the Word unto the Edification of them that are pleaded to be his Flock or having any ability yet doth not will not give himself unto the Word and Prayer or not labour in the Word and Doctrine unto the great prejudice of Edification And suppose the same Person be openly defective as unto an exemplary Conversation and on the contrary layeth the stumbling block of his own Sins and Follies before the eyes of others what shall we judge of his Ministry and of the state of that Church whereof he is a constituent part as its Ruler I Answer 1. I DO not believe it is in the power of any Church really to conferr the Pastoral Office by virtue of any Ordination whatever unto any who are openly and evidently destitute of all those previous Qualifications which the Scripture requireth in them who are to be called unto this Office. There is indeed a Latitude to be allowed
such cases this Remedy by the Pastors laying down his Office is not to be made use of otherwise all things are to be done for Edification 5. IT may be lawful where the Church is wholly negligent in its Duty and persists in that negligence after admonition in providing according to their Abilities for the outward necessity of their Pastor and his Family But this Case cannot be determined without the consideration of many particular Circumstances 6. WHERE all or many of these causes concurr so as that a Man cannot cheerfully and comfortably go on in the discharge of his Office especially if he be pressed in point of Conscience through the Churches non-compliance with their Duty with respect unto any of the Institutions of Christ And if the Edification of the Church which is at present obstructed may be provided for in their own judgment after a due manner there is no such grievous yoke laid by the Lord Christ on the necks of any of his Servants but that such a Person may peaceably lay down his Office in such a Church and either abide in a private station or take the care of another Church wherein he may discharge his Office being yet of Ability unto his own Comfort and their Edification CHAP. VI. Of the Office of Teachers in the Church or an Enquiry into the State Condition and Work of those called Teachers in the Scripture THE Lord Christ hath given unto his Church Pastors and Teachers Ephes. 4.11 He hath set in the Church First Apostles Secondarily Prophets Thirdly Teachers 1 Cor. 12.28 In the Church that was at Antioch there were Prophets and Teachers Act. 13.1 And their Work is both described and assigned unto them as we shall see afterwards BUT the thoughts of learned Men about those who in the Scripture are called Teachers are very various nor is the Determination of their State and Condition easie or obvious as we shall find in our Enquiry IF there were originally a distinct Office of Teachers in the Church it was lost for many Ages But yet there was always a Shadow or Appearance of it retained First in publick Catechists and then in Doctors or Professors of Theology in the Schools belonging unto any Church But this as unto the Title of Doctor or Teacher is but a late Invention For the occasion of it rose about the year of Christ 1135. Lotharius the Emperor having found in Italy a Copy of the Roman Civil Law and being greatly taken with it he Ordained that it should be publickly Taught and Expounded in the Schools This he began by the direction of Imerius his Chancellor at Bononia and to give encouragement unto this Employment they Ordained that those who were the publick Professors of it should be solemnly created Doctors of whom Bulgarus Hugolinus with others were the First Not long after this Rite of creating Doctors was borrowed of the Lawyers by Divines who publickly taught Divinity in their Schools And this imitation first took place in Bononia Paris and Oxford But this Name is since grown a Title of Honour to sundry sorts of Persons whether unto any good use or purpose or no I know not but it is in use and not worth contending about especially if as unto some of them it be fairly reconcileable unto that of our Saviour Matth. 23.8 BUT the custom of having in the Church Teachers that did publickly explain and vindicate the principles of Religion is far more Ancient and of known usage in the Primitive Churches Such was the Practice of the Church of Alexandria in their School wherein the famous Panlaenus Origen and Clemens were Teachers an imitation whereof was continued in all Ages of the Church AND indeed the continuation of such a peculiar Work and Employment to be discharged in manner of an Office is an evidence that Originally there was such a distinct Office in the Church For although in the Roman Church they had instituted sundry Orders of Sacred Officers borrowed from the Jews or Gentiles which have no resemblance unto any thing mentioned in the Scripture yet sundry things abased and corrupted by them in Church-Officers took their occasional rise from what is so mentioned THERE are Four Opinions concerning those who are called by this Name in the New Testament 1. SOME say that no Office at all is denoted by it it being only a general Appellation of those that taught others whether constantly or occasionally Such were the Prophets in the Church of Corinth that spake occasionally and in their turns 1 Cor. 14. Which is that which all might do who had ability for it v. 5.24 25. 2. SOME say it is only another name for the same Office with that of a Pastor and so not to denote any distinct Office of which mind Hierom seems to be Ephes. 4. 3. OTHERS allow that it was a distinct Office whereunto some were called and set apart in the Church but it was only to Teach and that in a peculiar manner the Principles of Religion but had no Interest in the Rule of the Church or the Administration of the Sacred Mysteries so the Pastor in the Church was to Rule and Teach and Administer the Sacred Mysteries The Teacher to Teach or Instruct only but not to Rule nor Dispense the Sacraments and the Ruling Elder to Rule only and neither to Preach nor Administer Sacraments which hath the appearance of Order both useful and beautiful 4. SOME judge that it was a distinct Office but of the same nature and kind with that of the Pastor endowed with all the same Powers but differenced from it with respect unto Gifts and a peculiar kind of Work allotted unto it But this Opinion hath this seeming disadvantage that the difference between them is so small as not to be sufficient to give a distinct denomination of Officers or to constitute a distinct Office. And it may be such a distinction in Gifts will seldom appear as that the Church may be guided thereby in their choice of meet Persons unto distinct Offices But Scripture-Testimony and Rule must take place and I shall briefly examine all these Opinions 1. THE First is That this is not the name of any Officer nor is a Teacher as such any Officer in the Church but it is used only as a general Name for any that Teach on any account the Doctrine of the Gospel I do not indeed know of any who have in particular contended for this Opinion but I observe that very many Expositors take no farther notice of them but as such This seems to me to be most remote from the Truth IT is true that in the First Churches not only some but all who had received Spiritual Light in the Gifts of knowledge and utterance did teach and instruct others as they had opportunity 1 Pet. 5.8 9 10 11. Hence the Heathen Philosophers as Celsus in particular objected to the Christians of old that they suffered Sutlers and Weavers and Coblers to teach among them which they
if he had said Pastors that is Teachers If it be the latter then the name of Teachers must be added as that which was better known than that of Pastors and more expressive of the Office intended It is declared who are meant by Pastors in calling them Teachers or else the addition of the word is meerly superfluous But this is quite otherwise the name of Pastor being more known as unto the Indigitation of Office-Power and Care and more appropriated thereunto than that of Teacher which is both a common name not absolutely appropriated unto Office and respective of one part of the Pastoral Office and Duty only 3. NO instance can be given in any place where there is an enumeration of Church-Officers either by their Names as 1 Cor. 12.25 or by their Work as Rom. 12.5 6 7. or by the Offices themselves as Phil. 1.1 of the same Officer at the same time to be expressed under various names which indeed must needs introduce confusion into such an enumeration It is true the same Officers are in the Scripture called by several Names as Pastors Bishops Presbyters but if it had been said any where that there were in the Church Bishops and Presbyters it must be acknowledged that they were distinct Officers as Bishops and Deacons are Phil. 1.1 4. THE words in their First notion are not Synonymous for all Pastors are Teachers but all Teachers are not Pastors and therefore the latter cannot be exegetical of the former 3 dly AS these Teachers are so called and named in contradistinction unto Pastors in the same place so they have distinct Office-Works and Duties assigned unto them in the same place also Rom. 12.18 He that teacheth on teaching he that exhorteth on exhortation If they have especial Works to attend unto distinctly by virtue of their Offices then are their Offices distinctly also for from one there is an especial obligation unto one sort of Duties and to another sort from the other 4 thly THESE Teachers are set in the Church as in a distinct Office from that of Prophets Secondarily Prophets Thirdly Teachers 1 Cor. 12.28 And so they are mentioned distinctly in the Church of Antioch Act. 13.1 There were in the Church at Antioch Prophets and Teachers But in both places Pastors are comprized under the name of Prophets Exhortation being an especial branch of Prophecy Rom. 12.6 7 8. 5. THERE is a peculiar institution of Maintenance for these Teachers which argues a distinct Office Gal. 6.6 FROM all these considerations it appears that the Teachers mentioned in the Scripture were Officers in the Church distinct from Pastors For they are distinguished from them 1. By their Name declarative of the especial nature of their Office. 2. By their peculiar Work which they are to attend unto in Teaching by virtue of Office. 3. By the distinct placing in the Church as peculiar Officers in it distinct from Prophets or Pastors 4. By the especial constitution of their necessary Maintenance 5. By the necessity of their Work to be distinctly carried on in the Church Which may suffice for the removal of the Second Opinion THE Third is that Teachers are a distinct Office in the Church but such whose Office Work and Power is confined unto Teaching only so as that they have no interest in Rule or the Administration of the Sacraments And 1. I ACKNOWLEDGE that this seems to have been the way and practice of the Churches after the Apostles For they had ordinary Catechists and Teachers in Assemblies like Schools that were not called unto the whole Work of the Ministry 2. THE name of a Teacher neither in its native signification nor in its ordinary application as expressive of the Work of this Office doth extend it self beyond or signifie any thing but the meer Power and Duty of Teaching It is otherwise as unto the names of Pastors Bishops or Overseers Elders which as unto the two former their constant use in Scripture suited unto their signification includes the whole Work of the Ministry and the latter is a name of Dignity and Rule Upon the proposal of Church-Officers under these names the whole of Office-Power and Duty is apprehended as included in them But the name of a Teacher especially as significant of that of Rabbi among the Jews carries along with it a confinement unto an especial Work or Duty 3. I DO judge it lawful for any Church from the nature of the thing it self Scripture general Rules and Directions to choose call and set apart meet Persons unto the Office Work and Duty of Teachers without an interest in the Rule of the Church or the Administration of the Holy Ordinances of Worship The same thing is practised by many for the substance of it though not in due order And it may be the practice hereof duly observed would lead us unto the Original Institution of this Office. But 4. WHEREAS a Teacher meerly as such hath no right unto Rule or the Administration of Ordinances no more than the Doctors among the Jews had right to Offer Sacrifices in the Temple yet he who is called to be a Teacher may also at the same time be called to be an Elder and a Teaching Elder hath the power of all holy Administrations committed to him 5. BUT he that is called to be a Teacher in a peculiar manner although he be an Elder also is to attend peculiarly unto that part of his Work from whence he receiveth his Denomination And so I shall at present dismiss this Third Opinion unto farther consideration if there be any occasion for it THE Fourth Opinion I rather embrace than any of the other namely upon a supposition that a Teacher is a distinct Officer in the Church his Office is of the same kind with that of the Pastor though distinguished from it as unto degrees both materially and formally For 1. THEY are joined with Pastors in the same Order as their Associates in Office Ephes. 4.1 So they are with Prophets and set in the Church as they are 1 Cor. 12.28 Act. 13.1 2. They have a peculiar Work of the same general nature with that of Pastors assigned unto them Rom. 12.7 Being to Teach or Preach the Gospel by virtue of Office they have the same Office for substance with the Pastors 3. They are said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Church Act. 13.1 which comprizeth all Sacred Administrations WHEREFORE upon the consideration of all that is spoken in the Scripture concerning Church-Teachers with the various conjectures of all sorts of Writers about them I shall conclude my own Thoughts in some few observations and then enquire into the state of the Church with reference unto these Pastors and Teachers And I say 1. THERE may be Teachers in a Church called only unto the Work of Teaching without any farther interest in Rule or Right unto the Administration of the Sacraments Such they seem to be who are mentioned Gal. 6.6 They are there called peculiarly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
unto the Ministry of the Word as Pastors and Teachers who are Elders also are devested of the Right of Rule in the Church or discharged from the exercise of it because others not called unto their Office are appointed to be assistant unto them that is Helps in the Government For the Right and Duty of Rule is inseparable from the Office of Elders which all Bishops or Pastors are The Right is still in them and the exercise of it consistent with their more excellent Work is required of them So was it in the First Institution of the Sanhedrim in the Church of Israel Exod. 18.17 18 19 20 21 22 23. Moses had before the sole Rule and Government of the People In the addition that was made of an Eldership for his assistance there was no diminution of his Right or the exercise of it according to his precedent power And the Apostles in the constitution of Elders in every Church derogated nothing from their own Authority nor discharged themselves of their care So when they appointed Deacons to take care of Supplies for the Poor they did not forgo their own Right nor the exercise of their Duty as their other Work would permit them Gal. 2.9 10. And in particular the Apostle Paul manifested his concernment herein in the care he took about Collection for the Poor in all Churches 8. AS we observed at the entrance of this Chapter the whole Work of the Church as unto Authoritative Teaching and Rule is committed unto the Elders For Authoritative Teaching and Ruling is Teaching and Ruling by virtue of Office And this Office whereunto they do belong is that of Elders as it is undeniably attested Act. 20.17 c. All that belongs unto the Care Inspection Oversight Rule and Instruction of the Church is committed unto the Elders of it expresly For Elders is a Name derived from the Jews denoting them that have Authority in the Church The First signification of the Word in all Languages respects Age. Elders are Old Men well stricken in years unto whom respect and reverence is due by the Law of Nature and Scripture Command unless they forfeit their Privilege by levity or wickedness which they often do Now Ancient Men were originally judged if not only yet the most meet for Rule and were before others constantly called thereunto Hence the Name of Elders was appropriated unto them who did Preside and Rule over others in any kind ONLY it may be observed that there is in the Scripture no mention of Rulers that are called Elders but such as are in a subordinate Power and Authority only Those who were in supream absolute power as Kings and Princes are never called Elders But Elders by Office were such only as had a Ministerial Power under others Wherefore the highest Officers in the Christian Church being called Elders even the Apostles themselves and Peter in particular 1 Epist. Chap. 5. v. 1.2 it is evident that they have only a Ministerial Power and so it is declared ver 4. The Pope would now scarce take it well to be esteemed only an Elder of the Church of Rome unless it be in the same sence wherein the Turkish Monarch is called the Grand Signior But those who would be in the Church above Elders have no Office in it whatever usurpation they may make over it 9. TO the compleat constitution of any particular Church or the perfection of its Organical State it is required that there be many Elders in it at least more than one In this proposition lies the next foundation of the Truth which we plead for and therefore it must be distinctly considered I do not determine what their number ought to be nor is it determinable as unto all Churches For the Light of Nature sufficiently directs that it is to be proportioned unto the Work and End designed Where a Church is numerous there is a necessity of encreasing their number proportionable unto their Work. In the days of Cyprian there was in the Church of Carthage Ten or Twelve of them that are mentioned by Name And at the same time there were a great many in the Church of Rome under Cornelius Where the Churches are small the number of Elders may be so also For no Office is appointed in the Church for pomp or show but for labour only And so many are necessary in each Office as are able to discharge the Work which is allotted unto them But that Church be it small or great is not compleat in its state is defective which hath not more Elders than one who have not so many as are sufficient for their Work. 10. THE Government of the Church in the judgment and practice of some is absolutely Democratical or Popular They judge that all Church-Power or Authority is seated and setled in the Community of the Brethren or Body of the People And they look on Elders or Ministers only as Servants of the Church not only materially in the Duties they perform and finally for their Edification serving for the good of the Church in the things of the Church but formally also as acting the Authority of the Church by a meer delegation and not any of their own received directly from Christ by virtue of his Law and Institution Hence they do occasionally appoint Persons among themselves not called unto not vested with any Office to Administer the Supper of the Lord or any other solemn Offices of Worship On this principle and supposition I see no necessity of any Elders at all though usually they do conferr this Office on some with solemnity But as among them there is no direct necessity of any Elders for Rule so we treat not at present concerning them 11. SOME place the Government of many particular Churches in a Diocesan Bishop with those that act under him and by his Authority according unto the Rule of the Canon Law and the civil constitution of the Land. These are so far from judging it necessary that there should be many Elders for Rule in every particular Church as that they allow no Rule in them at all but only assert a Rule over them But a Church where there is no Rule in it self to be exercised in the Name of Christ by its own Rulers Officers Guides immediatly presiding in it is unknown to Scripture and Antiquity Wherefore with these we deal not in this Discourse nor have any apprehension that the power of presenting Men for any pretended Disorder unto the Bishops or Chancellors Court is any part of Church-Power or Rule 12. OTHERS place the Rule of particular Churches especially in cases of greatest moment in an Association Conjunction or Combination of all the Elders of them in one Society which is commonly called a Classis So in all Acts of Rule there will be a conjunct acting of many Elders And no doubt it is the best provision that can be made on a supposition of the continuance of the present Parochial Distribution But those also of this
judgment who have most weighed and considered the nature of these things do assert the necessity of many Elders in every particular Church which is the common judgment and practice of the Reformed Churches in all places 13. AND some there are who begin to maintain That there is no need of any more but One Pastor Bishop or Elder in a particular Church which hath its Rule in its self other Elders for Rule being unnecessary This is a Novel Opinion contradictory to the sence and practice of the Church in all Ages And I shall prove the contrary 1. THE pattern of the First Churches constituted by the Apostles which it is our Duty to imitate and follow as our Rule constantly expresseth and declares That many Elders were appointed by them in every Church Act. 11.30 Chap. 14.23 Chap. 15.2 4 6 22. Chap. 16.4 Chap. 20.17 c. 1 Tim. 5.17 Phil. 1.1 Tit. 1.5 1 Pet. 5.1 There is no mention in the Scripture no mention in Antiquity of any Church wherein there was not more Elders than One nor doth that Church answer the Original Pattern where it is otherwise 2. WHERE there is but one Elder in a Church there cannot be an Eldership or Presbytery as there cannot be a Senate where there is but one Senator which is contrary unto 1 Tim. 4.14 3. THE continuation of every Church in its original State and Constitution is since the ceasing of extraordinary Offices and Powers committed to the Care and Power of the Church it self Hereunto the Calling and Ordaining of ordinary Officers Pastors Rulers Elders Teachers do belong And therein as we have proved both the Election of the People submitting themselves unto them in the Lord and the solemn setting of them apart by Imposition of Hands do concurr But if there be but One Elder only in a Church upon his Death or Removal this Imposition of Hands must either be left unto the People or be supplied by Elders of other Churches or be wholly omitted all which are irregular And that Church-Order is defective which wants the Symbol of Authoritative Ordination 4. IT is difficult if not impossible on a supposition of One Elder only in a Church to preserve the Rule of the Church from being Prelatical or Popular There is nothing more frequently objected unto those who dissent from Diocesan Bishops than that they would every one be Bishops in their own Parishes and unto their own People All such pretences are excluded on our principles of the Liberty of the People of the necessity of many Elders in the same Church in an equality of Power and the Communion of other Churches in Association But practically where there is but One Elder one of the extreams can be hardly avoided If he Rule by himself without the previous Advice in some cases as well as the subsequent consent of the Church it hath an eye of unwarrantable Prelacy in it If every thing be to be Originally Transacted Disposed Ordered by the whole Society the Authority of the Elder will quickly be insignificant and he will be little more in point of Rule than any other Brother of the Society But all these Inconveniencies are prevented by the fixing of many Elders in each Church which may maintain the Authority of the Presbytery and free the Church from the Despotical Rule of any Diotrâ—phes But in case there be but one in any Church unless he have Wisdom to maintain the Authority of the Eldership in his own Person and Actings there is no Rule but Confusion 5. THE nature of the Work whereunto they are called requires that in every Church consisting in any considerable number of Members there should be more Elders than One. When God first appointed Rule in the Church under the Old Testament he assigned unto every Ten Persons or Families a distinct Ruler Deut. 1.15 For the Elders are to take care of the Walk or Conversation of all the Members of the Church that it be according unto the Rule of the Gospel This Rule is eminent as unto the holiness that it requires above all other Rules of moral Conversation whatever And there is in all the Members of the Church great Accuracy and Circumspection required in their walking after it and according unto it The Order also and Decency which is required in all Church-Assemblies stands in need of exact care and inspection That all these things can be attended unto and discharged in a due manner in any Church by One Elder is for them only to suppose who know nothing of them And although there may be an appearance for a season of all these things in such Churches yet there being not therein a due compliance with the Wisdom and Institution of Christ they have no present Beauty nor will be of any long continuance THESE considerations as also those that follow may seem jejune and contemptible unto such as have another frame of Church-Rule and Order drawn in their Minds and Interests A Government vested in some few Persons with Titles of Preheminence and Legal Power exercised in Courts with Coercive Jurisdiction by the Methods and Processes of Canons of their own framing is that which they suppose doth better become the Grandeur of Church-Rulers and the State of the Church than these Creeping Elders with their Congregations But whereas our present enquiry after these things is only in and out of the Scripture wherein there is neither shadow nor appearance of any of these practices I beg their pardon if at present I consider them not 10. WE shall now make Application of these things unto our present purpose I say then 1. Whereas there is a Work of Rule in the Church distinct from that of Pastoral Feeding 2. Whereas this Work is to be attended unto with diligence which includes the whole Duty of him that attends unto it And 3. That the Ministry of the Word and Prayer with all those Duties that accompany it is a full Employment for any Man and so consequently his principal and proper Work which it is unlawful for him to be remiss in by attending on another with Diligence And 4. Whereas there ought to be many Elders in every Church that both the Works of Teaching and Ruling may be constantly attended unto 5. That in the Wisdom of the Holy Ghost distinct Works did require distinct Offices for their discharge all which we have proved already our enquiry hereon is Whether the same Holy Spirit hath not distinguished this Office of Elders into those two sorts namely those who are called unto Teaching and Rule also and those who are called unto Rule only which we Affirm THE Testimonies whereby the Truth of this Assertion is confirmed are generally known and pleaded I shall insist on some of them only beginning with that which is of uncontroulable evidence if it had any thing to conflict withal but prejudices and interest and this is 1 Tim. 5.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Praesum Praesidio to Preside to Rule Praesident
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is such Prophecy as is to be regulated by the Scripture it self which gives the Proportion of Faith. And there is not any thing in any or both of these Prophecy and Ministry but it belongs unto Office in the Church Neither is there any thing belonging unto Office in the Church but may be reduced unto one of these as they are all of them here by the Apostle 2. THE Gifts spoken of are in general referred unto all them who are intended Now these are either the whole Church and all the Members of it or all the Officers of the Church only Hence it is expressed in the Plural number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we having that is all we that are concerned herein This cannot be all of the Church for all the Church have not received the Gifts of Prophecy and Ministry Nor can any distinction be made of who doth receive them and who doth not but with respect unto Office. And therefore 3. IN the Distribution which ensues of Prophecy into Exhorting and Teaching and of Ministry into Shewing Mercy Rule and Giving having stated these Gifts in general in the Officers in general making distinct Application of them unto distinct Officers he speaks in the Singular number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that Teacheth he that Exhorteth he that Ruleth 6. IT is then evident that Offices are intended and it is no less evident that distinct Offices are so which was to be proved in the Second place For 1. The distributive Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the indicative Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prefixed unto each Office in particular do shew them distinct so far as Words can do it As by the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether they are distinguished in their nature whether they be of this or that kind so by the Article prefixed to each of them in exercise they are distinguished in their Subjects 2. The Operations Work and Effects ascribed unto these Gifts require distinct Offices and Functions in their exercise And if the Distribution be made unto all promiscuously without respect unto distinct Offices it were the only way to bring confusion into the Church whereas indeed here is an accurate Order in all Church Administrations represented to us And it is farther evident that distinct Offices are intended 1. From the comparison made unto the Members of the Body ver 4. All the Members have not the same Office the eye hath one the ear hath another 2. Each of the Duties mentioned and given in charge is sufficient for a distinct Officer as is declared Act. 6. 7. IN particular He that Ruleth is a distinct Officer An Officer because Rule is an Act of Office or Office-Power And he is expresly distinguished from all others But say some he that Ruleth is he that doth so be who he will that is the Pastor or Teacher the Teaching Elder But the contrary is evident 1. He that says He that Exhorteth and then adds He that Ruleth having distinguished before between Prophecy whereunto Exhortation doth belong and Ministry whereof Rule is a part and prefixing the Prepositive Indicative Article to each of them doth as plainly put a difference between them as can be done by Words 2. Rule is the principal Work of him that Ruleth For he is to attend unto it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Diligence that is such as is peculiar unto Rule in contradistinction unto what is principally required in other Administrations But Rule is not the principal Work of the Pastor requiring constant and continual attendance For his labour in the Word and Doctrine is ordinarily sufficient for the utmost of his Diligence and Abilities 8. WE have therefore in this Context the beautiful Order of things in and of the Church All the Duties of it with respect unto its Edification derived from distinct differing Spiritual Gifts exercised in and by distinct Officers unto their peculiar ends The distinction that is in the nature of those Gifts their use and end being provided for in distinct Subjects The mind of no One Man at least ordinarily is meet to be the seat and subject of all those differing Gifts in any eminent degree the Person of no Man being sufficient meet or able to exercise them in a way of Office towards the whole Church especially those who labour in the Word and Doctrine being obliged to give themselves wholly thereunto and those that Rule to attend thereto with diligence so many distinct Works Duties and Operations with the Qualifications required in their discharge being inconsistent in the same Subject all things are here distributed into their proper Order and Tendency unto the Edification of the Church Every distinct Gift required to be exercised in a peculiar manner unto the publick Edification of the Church is distributed unto peculiar Officers unto whom an especial Work is assigned to be discharged by virtue of the Gifts received unto the Edification of the whole Body No Man alive is able to fix on any thing which is necessary unto the Edification of the Church that is not contained in these Distributions under some of the Heads of them Nor can any Man find out any thing in these Assignations of distinct Duties unto distinct Offices that is superfluous redundant or not directly necessary unto the Edification of the whole with all the Parts and Members of it nor do I know any wise and sober Man who knows any thing how the Duties enjoined are to be performed with what Care Diligence Circumspection Prayer and Wisdom suited unto the nature ends and objects of them can ever imagine that they can all of them belong unto one and the same Office or be discharged by one and the same Person LET Men advance any other Church Order in the room of that here declared so suited unto the principles of Natural Light Operations and Duties of diverse natures being distributed and assigned to such distinct Gifts acted in distinct Offices as renders those unto whom they are prescribed meet and able for them so correspondent to all Institutions Rules and Examples of Church-Order in other places of Scripture so suited unto the Edification of the Church wherein nothing which is necessary thereunto is omitted nor any thing added above what is necessary and it shall be cheerfully embraced THE Truth is the ground of the different Interpretations and Applications of this Context of the Apostle ariseth meerly from the prejudicate Apprehensions that Men have concerning the State of the Church and its Rule For if the State of it be National or Diocesan if the Rule of it be by Arbitrary Rules and Canons from an Authority exerting it self in Courts Ecclesiastical Legal or Illegal the Order of things here described by the Apostle doth no way belong nor can be accommodated thereunto To suppose that we have a full Description and Account in these Words of all the Offices and Officers of the Church of their Duty and Authority of all they
should appoint in the same Church many more Teaching Elders though it is plain that the Elders intended were many I SHALL add for a close of all that there is no sort of Churches in being but are of this perswasion that there ought to be Rulers in the Church that are not in Sacred Orders as some call them or have no interest in the Pastoral or Ministerial Office as unto the dispensation of the Word and Administration of the Sacraments For as the Government of the Roman Church is in the hands of such Persons in a great measure so in the Church of England much of the Rule of it is managed by Chancellors Officials Commissaries and the like Officers who are absolutely Lay-Men and not at all in their holy Orders Some would place the Rule of the Church in the Civil Magistrate who is the only Ruling Elder as they suppose But the generality of all Protestant Churches throughout the World both Lutherans and Reformed do both in their judgment and practice assert the necessity of the Ruling Elders which we plead for and their Office lies at the foundation of all their Order and Discipline which they cannot forgo without extream confusion yea without the ruine of their Churches And although some among us considering particular Churches only as small Societies may think there is no need of any such Office or Officers for Rule in them yet when such Churches consist of some Thousands without any opportunity of distributing themselves into several Congregations as at Charenton in France it is a weak imagination that the Rule of Christ can be observed in them by Two or Three Ministers alone Hence in the Primitive Times we have instances of Ten Twenty yea Forty Elders in a particular Church wherein they had respect unto the Institution under the Old Testament whereby each Ten Families were to have a peculiar Ruler However it is certain that there is such a Reformation in all sorts of Churches that there ought to be some attending unto Rule that are not called to labour in the Word and Doctrine CHAP. VIII The Nature of Church-Polity or Rule with the Duty of Elders HAVING declared who are the Rulers of the Church something must be added concerning the Rule it self which is to be exercised therein Hereof I have Treated before in general That which I now design is what in particular respects them who are called unto Rule only whereunto some Considerations must be premised 1. THERE is Power Authority and Rule granted unto and residing in some Persons of the Church and not in the Body of the Fraternity or Community of the People How far the Government of the Church may be denominated Democratical from the necessary consent of the people unto the principal Acts of it in its exercise I shall not determine But whereas this consent and the liberty of it is absolutely necessary according to the Law of Obedience unto Christ which is prescribed unto the Church requiring that all they do in compliance therewith be voluntary as unto the manner of its exercise being in dutiful compliance with the guidance of the Rule it changeth not the State of the Government And therefore where any thing is Acted and Disposed in the Church by Suffrage or the plurality of Voices the Vote of the Fraternity is not Determining and Authoritative but only declarative of consent and obedience It is so in all Acts of Rule where the Church is Organical or in compleat Order 2. THAT there is such an Authority and Rule instituted by Christ in his Church is not liable unto dispute Where there are Bishops Pastors Elders Guides Rulers Stewards instituted given granted called ordained and some to be Ruled Sheep Lambs Brethren obliged by command to obey them follow them submit unto them in the Lord regard them as over them There is Rule and Authority in some persons and that committed unto them by Jesus Christ. But all these things are frequently repeated in the Scripture And when in the practical Part or Exercise of Rule due respect is not had unto their Authority there is nothing but Confusion and Disorder When the People judge that the Power of the Keys is committed unto them as such only and in them doth the Right of their Use and Exercise reside that their Elders have no interest in the disposing of Church Affairs or in Acts of Church Power but only their own suffrages or what they can obtain by reasoning and think there is no Duty incumbent on them to acquiesce in their Authority in any thing an Evil apt to grow in Churches it overthrows all that beautiful Order which Jesus Christ hath ordained And if any shall make Advantage of this Complaint That where the People have their due Liberty granted unto them they are apt to assume that Power unto themselves which belongs not unto them an evil attended with troublesome Impertinencies and Disorder tending unto Anarchy let them remember on the other hand how upon the confinement of Power and Authority unto the Guides Bishops or Rulers of the Church they have changed the nature of Church-Power and enlarged their Usurpation until the whole Rule of the Church issued in absolute Tyranny Wherefore no fear of consequents that may ensue and arise from the darkness ignorance weakness lusts corruptions or secular interests of Men ought to entice us unto the least Alteration of the Rule by any prudential Provisions of our own 3. THIS Authority in the Rulers of the Church is neither Autocratical or Sovereign nor Nomothetical or Legislative nor Despotical or Absolute but Organical and Ministerial only The endless Controversies which have sprung out of the mystery of iniquity about an Autocratical and Monarchical Government in the Church about power to make Laws to bind the Consciences of Men yea to kill and destroy them with the whole manner of the execution of this Power we are not concerned in A pretence of any such Power in the Church is destructive of the Kingly Office of Christ contrary to express Commands of Scripture and condemned by the Apostles Isa. 33.22 Jam. 4.12 Mat. 17.5 Chap. 23.8 9 10 11. Luke 22.25 26. 2 Cor. 1.24 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23. 2 Cor. 4.5 1 Pet. 5.1 25. 4. AS the Rule of the Church in those by whom it is exercised is meerly Ministerial with respect unto the Authority of Christ his Law and the Liberty of the Church wherewith he hath made it free so in its nature it is spiritual purely and only So the Apostle Affirms expresly 2 Cor. 10.4 5 6. For its object is spiritual namely the Souls and Consciences of Men whereunto it extends which no other Humane Power doth nor doth it reach those other concerns of Men that are subject unto any political Power Its end is Spiritual namely the Glory of God in the guidance and direction of the Minds and Souls of Men to live unto him and come to the enjoyment of him the Law of it is spiritual
Talents whether in things Spiritual or Temporal which they have received Some are Rich and some are Poor some are Old and some are Young some in Peace some in Trouble some have received more spiritual Gifts than others and have more opportunities for their Exercise It belongs unto the Rule of the Church that all be Admonished Instructed and Exhorted to attend unto their respective Duties not only publickly in the preaching of the Word but personally as occasion doth require according to the observation which those in Rule do make of their Forwardness or Remissness in them In particular and in the way of instance Men are to be warned that they contribute unto the Necessities of the Poor and other occasions of the Church according unto the Ability that God in his Providence hath intrusted them withal and to admonish them that are defective herein in order to their Recovery unto the discharge of this Duty in such a measure as there may be an Equality in the Church 2 Cor. 8.14 And all other Duties of an a-like nature are they to attend unto 4. THEY are to watch against the beginnings of any Church-Disorders such as those that infested the Church of Corinth or any of the like sort with remissness as unto the Assemblies of the Church and the Duties of them which some are subject unto as the Apostle intimates Heb. 10.25 On the Constancy and Diligence of the Elders in this part of their Work and Duty the very Being and Order of the Church do greatly depend The want hereof hath opened a door unto all the Troubles Divisions and Schisms that in all Ages have invaded and perplexed the Churches of Christ from within themselves And from thence also have Decays in Faith Love and Order insensibly prevailed in many to the dishonour of Christ and the danger of their own Souls First one grows remiss in attending unto the Assemblies of the Church and then another first to one degree then to another until the whole Lump be infected A diligent watch over these things as to the beginnings of them in all the members of the Church will either heal and recover them that offend or it will warn others and keep the Church from being either corrupted or defiled Heb. 3. Chap. 12. 5. IT belongs unto them also to visit the Sick especially such as whose inward or outward conditions do expose them unto more than ordinary trials in their Sickness that is the Poor the Afflicted the Tempted in any kind This in general is a moral Duty a Work of Mercy but it is moreover a peculiar Church-Duty by virtue of Institution And one end of the Institution of Churches is that the Disciples of Christ may have all that Spiritual and Temporal Relief which is needful for them and useful to them in their Troubles and Distresses And if this Duty were diligently attended unto by the Officers of the Church it would add much unto the Glory and Beauty of our Order and be an abiding reserve with Relief in the Minds of them whose outward condition exposeth them to straits and sorrows in such a season I ADD hereunto as a Duty of the same nature the visitation of those who suffer unto Restraint and Imprisonment upon the account of their Profession adherence unto Church-Assemblies or the Discharge of any Pastoral or Office-Duties in them This is a case wherewith we are not unacquainted nor are like so to be Some look on this as the Duty of all the Members of the Church who yet enjoy their Liberty and so it is as their Opportunities and Abilities will allow them provided their discharge of it be useful unto those whom they visit and inoffensive unto others But this Duty diligently attended unto by the Elders representing therein the care and love of the whole Church yea of Christ himself unto his Prisoners is a great Spring of Relief and Comfort unto them And by the Elders may the Church be acquainted what yet is required of them in a way of Duty on their account The care of the Primitive Churches herein was most eminent 6. IT belongs unto them and their Office to advise with and give direction unto the Deacons of the Church as unto the making Provision and Distribution of the Charity of the Church for the Relief of the Poor The Office of the Deacons is principally Executive as we shall see afterwards Inquisition into the state of the Poor with all their circumstances with the warning of all the Members of the Church unto Liberality for their Supply belongs unto the Elders 7. WHEN the State of the Church is such through Suffering Persecution and Affliction that the Poor be multiplied among them so as that the Church it self is not able to provide for their Relief in a due manner if any Supply be sent unto them from the love and bounty of other Churches it is to be deposited with these Elders and disposed according to their advice with that of the Teachers of the Church Act. 11.30 8. IT is also their Duty according to the advantage which they have by their peculiar inspection of all the Members of the Church their ways and their walking to acquaint the Pastors or Teaching-Elders of the Church with the State of the Flock which may be of singular use unto them for their Direction in the present Work of the Ministry He who makes it not his business to know the State of the Church which he ministers unto in the Word and Doctrine as to their Knowledge their Judgment and Understanding their Temptations and Occasions and applies not himself in his Ministry to search out what is necessary and useful unto their Edification he fights uncertainly in his whole Work as a Man beating the Air. But whereas their obligation to attend unto the Word and Prayer confines them much unto a retirement for the greatest part of their time they cannot by themselves obtain that Acquaintance with the whole Flock but that others may greatly assist therein from their daily Inspection Converse and Observation 9. AND it is their Duty to meet and consult with the Teaching-Elders about such things of importance as are to be proposed in and unto the Church for its consent and compliance Hence nothing crude or indigested nothing unsuited to the sence and Duty of the Church will at any time be proposed therein so to give occasion unto contests or janglings disputes contrary unto Order or Decency but all things may be preserved in a due regard unto the Gravity and Authority of the Rulers 10. TO take care of the due Liberties of the Church that they be not imposed on by any Diotrephes in Office or without it 11. IT is incumbent on them in times of Difficulties and Persecution to consult together with the other Elders concerning all those things which concern the present Duty of the Church from time to time and their preservation from violence according unto the will of Christ. 12. WHEREAS there
unto a present exercise by such Circumstances as Nature and Providence do suggest The care also of the whole Work is as was said still incumbent on the Pastors and Elders of the Church only the ordinary Execution is committed unto the Deacons NOR was this a Temporary Institution for that season and so the Officers appointed Extraordinary but was to abide in the Church throughout all Generations For 1. The Work it self as a distinct work of Ministry in the Church was never to cease it was to abide for ever The Poor you shall have always with you 2. The Reason of its Institution is perpetual namely that the Pastors of the Churches are not sufficient in themselves to attend unto the whole work of Praying Preaching and this Ministration 3. They are afterwards not only in this Church at Jerusalem but in all the Churches of the Gentiles reckoned among the fixed Officers of the Church Phil. 1.1 And 4. Direction is given for their Continuation in all Churches with a prescription of the Qualifications of the person to be Chosen and called into this Office 1 Tim. 3.8 10 11. 5. The way of their Call is directed and an Office committed unto them Let them be first proved then let them use the Office of a Deacon 6. A Promise of Acceptance is annexed unto the diligent discharge of this Office Vers. 13. HENCE those who afterward utterly perverted all Church Order taking out of the hands and care of the Deacons that work which was committed to them by the Holy Ghost in the Apostles and for which End alone their Office was Instituted in the Church assigning other Work unto them whereunto they are not called nor appointed yet thought meet to continue the Name and the pretence of such an Office because of the evident Institution of it unto a Continuation And whereas when all things were swelling with Pride and Ambition in the Church no sort of its Officers contenting themselves with their Primitive Institution but striving by various degrees to some-what in Name and Thing that was high and a-loft there arose from the Name of this Office the Meteor of an Archdeacon with strange Power and Authority never heard of in the Church for many Ages But this belongs unto the Mystery of Iniquity whereunto neither the Scripture nor the Practice of the Primitive Churches do give the least countenance But some think it not inconvenient even to sport themselves in matter of Church Order and Constitutions THIS Office of Deacons is an Office of service which gives not any Authority or Power in the Rule of the Church But being an Office it gives Authority with respect unto the special Work of it under a general notion of Authority that is a Right to attend unto it in a peculiar manner and to perform the things that belong thereunto But this Right is confined unto the particular Church whereunto they do belong Of the Members of that Church are they to make their Collections and unto the Members of that Church are they to Administer Extraordinary Collections from or for other Churches are to be made and disposed by the Elders Acts 11.30 WHEREAS the Reason of the Institution of this Office was in general to free the Pastors of the Churches who labour in the Word and Doctrine from Avocations by outward things such as wherein the Church is concerned it belongs unto the Deacons not only to take care of and provide for the Poor but to manage all other Affairs of the Church of the same kind such as are providing for the place of the Church-Assemblies of the Elements for the Sacraments of Keeping Collecting and Disposing of the Stock of the Church for the maintenance of its Officers and incidencies especially in the time of Trouble or Persecution Hereon are they obliged to attend the Elders on all occasions to perform the Duty of the Church towards them and receive directions from them This was the constant practice of the Church in the Primitive Times until the Avarice and Ambition of the Superior Clergy enclosed all Alms and Donations unto themselves the Beginning and Progress whereof is excellently described and traced by Paulus Sharpius in his Treatise of matters Beneficiary THAT maintenance of the Poor which they are to distribute is to be collected by the voluntary Contributions of the Church to be made ordinarily every first Day of the Week and as occasion shall require in an extraordinary manner 1 Cor. 16.1 2. And this Contribution of the Church ought to be 1. In a way of Bounty not sparingly 2 Cor. 9.5 6 7. 2. In a way of Equality as unto Mens Abilities 2 Cor. 8.13 14. 3. With respect unto present Successes and Thriving in Affairs whereof a Portion is due to God as God hath prospered him 1 Cor. 16.2 4. With willingness and freedom 2 Cor. 8.12 Chap. 7. Wherefore it belongs unto the Deacons in the Discharge of their Office 1. To acquaint the Church with the present necessity of the Poor 2. To stir up the particular Members of it unto a free Contribution according unto their Ability 3. To admonish those that are negligent herein who give not according to their porportion and to acquaint the Elders of the Church with those who persist in a neglect of their Duty THE consideration of the State of the Poor unto whom the Contributions of the Church are to be ministred belongs unto the discharge of this Office. As 1. That they are Poor indeed and do not pretend themselves so to be for advantage 2. What are the Degrees of their Poverty with respect unto their Relations and Circumstances that they may have suitable Supplies 3. That in other things they walk according unto Rule 4. In particular that they Work and Labour according to their Ability for he that will not labour must not eat at the publick Charge 5. To Comfort Counsel and Exhort them unto Patience Submission Contentment with their Condition and Thankfulness all which might be enlarged and confirmed but that they are obvious THE Qualifications of Persons to be called unto this Office are distinctly laid down by the Apostles 1 Tim. 3.8 9 10 11 12 13. Upon the Trial Knowledge and Approbation of them with respect unto these Qualifications their Call to this Office consists 1. In the choice of the Church 2. In a separation unto it by Prayer and Imposition of Hands Act. 6.3 5 6. And the Adjuncts of their ministration are 1. Mercy to represent the tenderness of Christ towards the Poor of the Flock Rom. 12.8 2. Cheerfulness to relieve the Spirits of them that receive against thoughts of being troublesome and burdensome to others 3. Diligence and Faithfulness by which they purchase to themselves a good Degree and great boldness in the Faith which is in Christ Jesus IT remains only that we enquire into some few things relating unto this Office and those that are called unto it As 1. WHAT is the meaning of the Apostle where he affirms
that the Deacons in the Discharge of their Office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3.13 Do purchase or procure unto themselves a good Degree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Step a Degree a Seat a little Exalted and Metaphorically it is applied to denote Dignity and Authority This good Degree which Deacons may obtain is in the judgment of most the Office of Presbytery This they shall be promoted unto in the Church From Deacons they shall be made Presbyters I cannot comply with this Interpretation of the Words For 1. The Office of Presbytery is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a good Work no where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a good Degree 2. The difference between a Deacon and a Presbyter is not in Degree but in Order A Deacon made a Presbyter is not advanced unto a further Degree in his own Order but leaves it for another 3. The diligent discharge of the Work of a Deacon is not a due preparation for the Office of the Presbytery but an hinderance of it for it lies wholly in the providing and disposal of Earthly things in a serving of the Tables of the Church and those private of the Poor But preparation for the Ministry consists in a Mans giving himself unto Study Prayer and Meditation I SHALL only give my conjecture on the Words the Apostle seems to me to have respect unto Church-Order with Decency therein in both these Expressions shall purchase to themselves a good Degree and great confidence in the Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of the same signification with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a Seat raised in an Assembly to hear or speak So saith the Schol. on Sophoc Oed. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The place where the Assembly or Church met was divided round about with Seats in Degrees some above others where all that met might without trouble hear him that stood in the midst as they sate And countenance is given hereunto by what is observed concerning the custom of sitting in the Jewish Synagogues So Ambrose Traditio est Synagogae ut sedentes disputarent Siniores dignitate in Cathedris subsequentes in subselliis novissimi in pavimento It is the Tradition or Order of the Synogogue that the Elders in Dignity or Office should discourse sitting in Chairs the next Order on Forms or Benches and the last on the Floor So speaks Philo before him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when we meet in sacred places places of Divine Worship the younger sort according to their Quality sit in Orders under the Elders And this James the Apostle hath respect unto in the Primitive Assemblies of the Christian Jews For reproving their partiality in accepting of Mens Persons preferring the Rich immoderately before the Poor he instanceth in their disposing of them unto Seats in their Assemblies They said unto the Rich Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sit thou here in a good place that is in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the best degree and to the Poor stand thou there on the floor or sit at my foot-stool without respect unto those other Qualifications whereby they were to be distinguished Wherefore the Apostle having respect unto Church-Assemblies and the Order to be observed in them the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here intended may signifie no more but a place of some eminency in the Church-Assemblies which is due unto such Deacons where with boldness and confidence they may assist in the management of the Affairs of the Church which belongs unto the Profession of the Faith which is in Christ Jesus IF any shall rather think that both of the Expressions do signify an encrease in Gifts and Grace which is a certain consequence of Mens faithful discharge of their Office in the Church wherein many Deacons of old were eminent unto Martyrdom I shall not contend against it 2. WHEREAS there are Qualifications expresly required in the Wives of Deacons as that they should be grave not slanderers sober faithful in all things 1 Tim. 3.12 which is to be considered before their call to Office supposing that any of them do fall from the Faith as becoming Papists Socinians or Quakers whether their Husbands may be continued in their Office Ans. 1. HE who in his own Person faithfully dischargeth his Office may be continued therein yea though his Wife should be actually Excommunicated out of the Church Every One of us must give an account of himself unto the Lord. He rejects us not for what we cannot remedy The sinning Person shall bear his own judgment 2. Such an one ought to take care by virtue of his Authority as an Husband that as little offence as possible may be given to the Church by his Wife when she loseth the qualification of not being a slanderer which is inseparable from such Apostates 3. MAY a Deacon be dismissed from his Office wholly after he hath been solemnly set apart unto it by Prayer Ans. 1. THE very end of the Office being only the convenience of the Church and its accommodation the continuation of Men in this Office is to be regulated by them And if the Church at any time stand not in need of the Ministry of this or that Person they may upon his desire discharge him of his Office. 2. Things may so fall out with Men as unto their outward circumstances with respect unto either their Persons in Bodily Distempers and Infirmities or their Condition in the World as that they are not able any longer to attend unto the due discharge of this Office in which case they ought to be released 3. A Man may be solemnly set apart unto a Work and Duty by Prayer for a limited Season suppose for a year only wherefore this doth not hinder but that a Man on just Reasons may be dismissed at any time from his Office though he be so set apart unto it 4. A Deacon by unfaithfulness and other offences may forfeit his Office and be justly excluded from it losing all his Right unto it and Interest in it and therefore on just Reasons may be dismissed wholly from it 5. For any one to desert his Office through forwardness covetousness sloth or negligence is an offence and scandal which the Church ought to take notice of 6. He who desires a dismission from his Office ought to give an account of his desires and the Reasons of them unto the Church that the Ministry which he held may be duly supplied and love continued between him and the Church 4. HOW many Deacons may there be in one Congregation Ans. AS many as they stand in need of for the ends of that Ministry and they may be at all times encreased as the State of the Church doth require and it is meet that there should always be so many as that none of the Poor be neglected in the daily Ministration nor the Work be made burdensome unto themselves 5. WHAT is the Duty of the Deacons towards the Elders of the Church Ans. WHEREAS the care of
the whole Church in all its concernments is principally committed unto the Pastors Teachers and Elders it is the Duty of the Deacons in the discharge of their Office 1. To acquaint them from time to time with the state of the Church and especially of the Poor so far as it falls under their Inspection 2. To seek and take their Advice in matters of greater importance relating unto their Office. 3. To be assisting unto them in all the outward concerns of the Church 6. MAY Deacons Preach the Word and Baptize authoritatively by virtue of their Office Ans. 1. THE Deacons whose Office is instituted Act. 6. and whose Qualifications are fixed 1 Tim. 3. have no call unto or Ministerial Power in these things The limitation of their Office Work and Power is so express as will not admit of any debate 2. Persons once called unto this Office might of old in an extraordinary manner may at present in an ordinary way be called unto the preaching of the Word but they were not then they cannot be now authorized thereunto by vrtue of this Office. 3. If a new Office be erected under the name of Deacons it is in the will of them by whom it is erected to Assign what Power unto it they please CHAP. X. Of EXCOMMVNICATION THE Power of the Church towards its Members for it hath nothing to do with them that are without may be referred unto Three Heads 1. The Admission of Members into its Society 2. The Rule and Edification of them that belong unto it 3. The Exclusion out of its Society of such as obstinately refuse to live and walk according unto the Laws and Rules of it And these things belong essentially and inseparably unto every free Society and are comprehensive of all Church-Power whatever THE Second of these hath been treated of in the Discourse concerning Church Offices and Rule And all that belongs unto the first of them is fully declared in the Chapters of the Essential Constituent parts of Gospel Churches namely their Matter and Form. The Third must be now spoken unto which is the Power of Excommunication THERE is nothing in Christian Religion about which the contest of Opinions hath been more fierce than this of Excommunication most of them proceeding evidently from false Presumptions and secular Interests And no greater instance can be given of what the Serpentine wits of Men ingaged by the desire of Domination and Wealth and assisted by opportunities may attain unto For whereas as we shall see immediately there is nothing more plain simple and more exposed unto the common understanding of all Christians yea of all Mankind than is this Institution of Christ both as unto its Nature Form and Manner of Administration nothing more wholesome nor useful unto the Souls of Men nothing more remote from giving the least disturbance or prejudice to Civil Society to Magistrates or Rulers unto the Personal or Political Rights or Concernments of any one individual in the World It hath been Metamorphosed into an hideous Monster an Engine of Priestly Domination and Tyranny for the Deposition or Assassination of Kings and Princes the Wasting of Nations with bloody Wars the Terror of the Souls of Men and the destruction of their Lives with all their Earthly Concerns unto the Erection of a Tyrannical Empire no less pernicious unto the Christian World than those of the Saracens or the Turks He is a stranger unto all that hath passed in the World for near a Thousand Years who knows not the Truth of these things And to this very day the greatest part of them that are called Christians are so supinely Ignorant and Doating or so infatuated and blinded by their Prejudices and Corrupt Interests as to suppose or to say That if the Pope of Rome do Excommunicate Kings or Princes they may be lawfully deposed from their Rule and in some cases killed and that other persons being rightly Excommunicated according unto certain Laws Rules and Processes that some have framed ought to be Fined Punished Imprisoned and so Destroyed And about these things there are many Disputes and Contests when if Men were awakned out of their Lethargy they would be laughed at as the most ridiculous and contemptible Mormo's that ever appeared in the World though they are no laughing matter at present unto them that are concerned in them SUPPOSING then Ecclesiastical Excommunication as I at present suppose and shall immediately prove it to be an appointment of our Lord Jesus Christ these things are plain and evident concerning it not capable of any modest Contradiction 1. That there is no Divine Evangelical Institution that is more suited unto the Light of Nature the Rules of common Equity and Principles of unseared Consciences as unto the Nature Efficacy and Rule of it than this is 2. That the way of the Administration and Exercise of the Power and Acts of it is so determined described and limited in the Scripture and the Light of Nature as that there can be no gross error or mistake about it but what proceeds from Secular Interests Pride Ambition Covetousness or other vitious Habits and Inclinations of the minds of Men. 3. That the whole Authority of it its Sentence Power and Efficacy are meerly Spiritual with respect unto the Souls and Consciences of Men only and that to extend it directly or indirectly immediately or by consequences unto the temporal hurt evil or damage of any in their Lives Liberties Estates Natural or Legal Privileges is opposite unto and destructive of the whole Government of Christ in and over his Church All these things wilfully appear in the account which we shall give of it IT is therefore evident as was intimated that nothing in Christian Practice hath been or is more abused corrupted or perverted than this of Excommunication hath been and is The Residence of the Supream Power of it to be exercised towards and over all Christians Rulers and Subjects in the Pope of Rome or in other single Persons absolutely over less or greater Distributions of them the Administration of it by Citations Processes Pleadings and Contentions in wrangling Law Courts according unto Arbitrary Canons and Constitutions whose Original is either known or unknown the Application of it unto the Hurt Damage Evil or Loss of Men in their Temporal Concerns are utterly and openly foreign unto the Gospel and expresly contrary unto what the Lord Christ hath appointed therein It would require a whole Volume to declare the horrible abuses that both in point of Right and in matter of Fact with the pernicious consequences that have ensued thereon which the corruption of this Divine Institution hath produced But to make a Declaration hereof doth not belong to my present design besides it hath in some good measure been done by others In brief it is so come to pass that it is made a meer Political Engine of an external forcible Government of the Persons of Men unto the ends of the Interests of some who have
all Natural and Humane Right in the World. De facto Men are now compelled whether they will or no to be esteemed to be of this or that Church and to be dealt withal accordingly But if they had not been divested of their natural Liberty they know not how without their own consent and should be taught that by entering into a Church they must come under a new Tenure of their Lives Liberties and Estates at the Will of the Lords of the Society according to the Customs of their Courts there would not be so many Wise Men in Churches as now there are thought to be BUT this is the true State of things in the Church of Rome and among others also Christians are esteemed to be of them and belong unto them whether they will or no. Immediately hereon all the Rights Liberties Privileges Possessions which they enjoy by the Law of God and Nature and by the just Laws and Constitutions of Men in Civil Governments under which they live come to depend upon and be subject unto the especial Laws and Rules of the Society which they are adjudged to belong unto For upon expulsion out of that Society by Excommunication according unto the Laws and Rules which it hath framed unto it self all their Rights and Titles and Liberties and Enjoyments are forfeited and exposed to Ruine Some indeed do earnestly and learnedly contend that the Pope of Rome hath not Power to Excommunicate Sovereign Kings and Princes and that if he do they make no forfeiture of Life or Dignity thereby And there are good Reasons why they do so But in the mean time they deal with other poor Men after the same manner For if a poor Man be Excommunicated immediately he loseth the free Tenure of his Life Liberty and Goods by the Law of the Church and the Land and is Committed to the Gaol without Bail or Mainprize So that by this Artifice all Men hold their Natural and Civil Rights by the Rules of the Church Society whereto they are supposed to belong And as this utterly overthrows the foundation of all that Property according to the Laws of the Land which is so much talked of and valued so indeed it would be destructive of all Order and Liberty but that the Church is wise enough not to employ this Engine unto Great Men and Men in Power who may yet deserve Excommunication as well as some of their poor Neighbours if the Gospel be thought to give the Rule of it But those that are poor helpless and friendless shall in the pursuit of this Excommunication be driven from their Houses cast into Prisons and kept there until they and their Families starve and perish And it is apparent that we are beholding unto the Greatness Authority and Wealth of many whom the Ecclesiastical Courts care not to conflict withal that the whole Nation is not actually brought under this new Tenure of their Lives Liberties and Estates which on this presumption they are obnoxious unto AND all this evil ariseth from the neglect and contempt of this fundamental Rule of all Societies apparent unto all in the Light of Nature it self namely that they have no Power in or over any Thing Right Privilege or Advantage but what Men are made Partakers of by virtue of such Societies their Rule and Laws whereunto they are obliged But of this sort are not the Lives the Liberties the Houses and Possessions of Men with respect unto the Church They receive them not from the Church and a Man would certainly think that the Church could not take them away YEA we live and subsist in Order upon the good Nature and Wisdom of Men who judge it best neither to exert their Power nor act their Principles in this matter For whereas they esteem all the Inhabitants of the Land to belong unto their Church if they should in the first place Excommunicate all that ought to be Excommunicated by the Rule and Law of the Gospel and then all that ought to be so according to their own Laws and Canons both which a Man would think they were obliged in point of Conscience unto and in pursuit of their Sentence send out the Capias for them all I very much question whether any of them would go to Prison or no and then in what a fine case would this Government be and if they should all go to Gaol I am perswaded the King would be in an ill State to defend his Realms against his Enemies 3. EVERY Society hath this Power towards those who are incorporated in it by their own consent and not towards others For whence should they have such a Power or who should commit it unto them Nor can any be cast out from those Privileges which they never had an Interest in nor a Right unto The Apostles Rule holds in this case especially with respect unto Churches What have we to do to judge them that are without And as unto the exercise of this Power they are all to be esteemed to be without who are not rightly incorporated into that particular Church by which they may be ejected out of it A Power of Excommunication at Random towards all that those who exercise it can extend force unto hath no foundation either in the Light of Nature or Authority of the Scripture And it would be ridiculous in any Corporation to disfranchise such as never belonged unto it who were never Members of it 4. THE only Reason or Cause for the expulsion of any Person out of such a Society is a wilful deviation from the Rules and Laws of the Society whose observance he had engaged unto upon his entrance into it Nothing else can be required unto the Preservation of a Mans Interest in any Right or Privilege but what he took upon himself to perform in his Admittance into it And if the great Rule of every Church-Society be That Men observe and do whatsoever the Lord Christ hath commanded none can be justly ejected out of that Society but upon a wilful disobedience unto his Commands And therefore the casting of Men out of Church Communion on light and trivial occasions or for any Reasons or Causes whatever but such as essentially belong unto the Rules and Laws whereon the Church doth originally coalesce into a Society is contrary unto Natural Light and the Reason of the Things themselves THUS far I say is every lawful confederate Society enabled and warranted by the Light of Nature to remove from its Communion and from a participation in its Rights and Privileges any of its number who will not walk according to the Rules and Principles of its Coalescency and Constitution Whereas therefore the Rule of the Constitution of the Church is That Men walk together in holy Obedience unto the Commands of Christ and the observance of all his Institutions without giving Offence unto one another or those that are without by any sinful miscarriage and do abide in the Profession of the Truth if any one
shall wilfully and obstinately transgress in any of these things it is the Right and Duty and in the Power of the Church to remove him from its Society BUT this is not the entire nor the next immediate Ground Reason or Warranty of Ecclesiastical Excommunication For this natural Equity will not extend it self unto cases that are in things Spiritual and Supernatural nor will the actings of the Church thereon reach unto the Consciences of Men for the proper ends of Excommunication Wherefore it was necessary that it should have a peculiar Institution in the Church by the Authority of Jesus Christ. For 1. THE Church is such a Society as no Men have Right or Power either to enter into themselves or to exclude others from but by virtue of the Authority of Christ. No warranty from the Light of nature or from the Laws of Men or their own voluntary confederation can enable any to constitute a Church-Society unless they do all things expresly in obedience unto the Authority of Christ. For his Church is his Kingdom his House which none can constitute or build but himself Wherefore it is necessary that the power of Admission into and Exclusion from the Church do arise from his Grant and Institution Nor is it in the power of any Men in the World to admit into or exclude from this Society but by virtue thereof 2. EXCOMMVNICATION is an act of Authority as we shall see afterwards But no Authority can be exercised in the Church towards any person whatever but by virtue of the Institution of Christ. For the Authority it self however ministerially exercised by others is his alone and he exerts it not but in the ways of his own appointment So in particular the Apostle directs that Excommunication be exerted in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that is in and by his Authority 1 Cor. 5.4 3. THE Privileges from which Men are excluded by Excommunication are not such as they have any Natural or Civil Right unto as hath been proved but meerly such as are granted unto the Church by Jesus Christ and Men cannot by virtue of any Agreement among themselves without a Warranty from him by his Institution Expel others from the Privileges which are meerly of his Grant and Donation He alone therefore hath given and granted this Power unto the Church namely of Excluding any by the Rules and Ways of his Appointment from the Privileges of his Grant which is the peculiar Power of Excommunication inquired after 4. THERE is such an Efficacy assigned unto Excommunication in binding the Consciences of Men in retaining their Sins in the Destruction or Mortification of the Flesh in the Healing and Recovery of Sinners as nothing but the Authority of a Divine Institution can give unto it By virtue of natural Light and mutual Consent Men may free themselves from the Company and Society of those who will not walk with them according to Rules of Communion agreed upon among them but they cannot reach the Minds and Consciences of others with any of these Effects 5. THAT Excommunication is an express Ordinance of our Lord Jesus Christ in his Churches is fully declared in the Scripture For 1. The power of it is contained in the Authority given by Christ unto the Church under the Name of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven For the Power expressed therein is not meerly Doctrinal and Declarative as is the preaching of the Gospel the consequent whereof upon the Faith or Unbelief of them that hear it is the Remitting or Retaining of their Sin in Heaven and Earth but it is Disciplinary also as it is appropriated unto the House whose Keys are committed unto the Stewards of it And seeing the design of Christ was to have his Church Holy Vnblamable and without offence in the World that therein he might make a Representation of his own Holiness and the Holiness of his Rule and whereas those of whom it is constituted are liable and subject unto Sins scandalous and offensive reflecting dishonour on himself and the Church in being the occasion of sinning unto others that design would not have been accomplished had he not given this Authority unto his Church to cast out and separate from it self all that do by their Sins so give offence And the neglect of the exercise of this Authority in a due manner was the principal means whereby the Glory Honour and usefulness of the Churches in the World were at length utterly lost 2. It hath a direct Institution Matth. 18.15 16 17 18 19 20. If thy Brother shall Trespass c. tell it unto the Church but if he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen Man and a Publican Verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven c. After all the Learned and Unlearned Contests that have been about this place the sence of it is plain and obvious unto such as whose Minds are not clouded with prejudices about such Churches and such Excommunications as are utterly foreign unto the Scripture But that by Trespasses in this place Sins against God giving scandal or offence are intended hath been proved before as also that by a Church a particular Christian Congregation is intended This Church hath the cognizance of the scandalous offences of its Members committed unto it when brought before it in the due Order described Hereon it makes a Determination designing in the first place the Recovery of the Person offending from his Sin by his hearing of its Counsel and Advice But in case of Obstinacy it is to remove him from its Communion leaving him in the outward condition of an Heathen and a Publican So is he to be esteemed by them that were offended with his Sin and that because of the Authority of the Church binding him in Heaven and Earth unto the punishment due unto his Sin unless he doth Repent The Rejection of an offending Brother out of the Society of the Church leaving him as unto all the Privileges of the Church in the State of an Heathen declaring him liable unto the Displeasure of Christ and Everlasting Punishment without Repentance is the Excommunication we plead for and the Power of it with its Exercise is plainly here granted by Christ and Ordained in the Church 3. According unto this Institution was the practice of the Apostles whereof we have several Instances I might insist upon the Excommunication of Simon the Magician a baptized professor by Peter who declared him to have neither part or lot in the Church upon the discovery of his wickedness Act. 8.13 20 21 22 23. Yet because it was the single Act of one Apostle and so may be esteemed extraordinary I shall omit it However that fact of the Apostle is sufficiently declarative of what is to be done in the Church in like cases and which if it be not done it cannot be
Man hath by Faith and his conjunction unto a visible Church been translated into the Kingdom of Christ his just rejection out of it is the Redelivery of him into the visible Kingdom of Satan which is all that is here intended And this is an act suited unto the end whereunto it is designed For a Man hereby is not taken out of his own Power and the conduct of his own Mind not acted or agitated by the Devil but is left unto the sedate consideration of his present state and condition And this if there be any spark of ingenuous Grace left in him will be effectually operative by shame grief and fear unto his Humiliation especially understanding that the design of Christ and his Church herein is only his Repentance and Restauration HERE is therefore in his instance an Everlasting Rule given unto the Church in all Ages the ordinary Occurrences of the like cases requiring an ordinary Power for Relief in them without which the Church cannot be preserved That it is the Duty of the Church enjoined unto it by the Lord Jesus Christ and that necessary unto its Glory it s own Honour and Edification to reject scandalous Offenders out of its Communion is evidently declared in this place And to suppose that to be the Duty of the Church which it hath no Power or Authority to discharge seeing without them it cannot be discharged is a wild imagination 4. THE Duty of the Church herein with such other particular Duties as suppose the Institution hereof are in many places directed and enjoined It is so in that insisted on 1 Cor. 5. The foundation of the whole Discourse and practice of the Apostle there Recorded lies in this That Churches ought to cut off from among them scandalous Offenders and that to the End they may preserve themselves pure and that this they ought to do in the Name of Christ and by virtue of his Authority Vers. 2 4 7. And this is the whole of that Excommunication which we plead for The manner of its Administration we shall consider afterwards 2 Cor. Chap. 2.6 7 8. The Apostle commends the Church for what they had done in the Excommunication of the Incestuous person calling it a Punishment inflicted on him by them Vers. 6. He gives also an account of the Effect of this Sentence against him which was his Humiliation and Repentance Vers. 7. And hereon gives direction for his Restauration by an Act of the Church forgiving him and confirming their Love unto him Men may fansie to themselves strange Notions of Excommunication with reference unto its Power the Residence of that Power its Effects Extent and Ends and so either on the one hand erect it into an Engine of Arbitrary Domination over the Church and all the Members of it or deny on the other that there is any such Institution of Christ in force in his Churches But we can be taught nothing more plainly of the Mind of Christ than that he hath given Power unto his Church to cast out of their Communion obstinate scandalous Offenders and to restore them again upon their Repentance enjoining it unto them as their Duty And it is an Evidence of a woful degeneracy in Churches from their Primitive Institution when this sentence is so administred as that it hath an effect by virtue of Humane Laws or the outward concerns of Men but no influence on their Consciences unto Humiliation and Repentance which is the principal End of its appointment The Apostle treats of the same matter Gal. 5.7 8 9 10 11 12. He speaks of those false Teachers who opposed and overthrew what lay in them the Fundamental Doctrine of the Gospel These at that time were in great Power and Reputation in the Churches of the Galatians whom they had corrupted with their false Opinions so as that the Apostle doth not directly enjoin their immediate Excision yet he declares what they did deserve and what was the Duty of the Church towards them when freed from their Delusions Vers. 12. I would they were even cut off that trouble you Men have exercised their Minds in curious conjectures about the sence of these Words altogether in vain and needlesly The curiosity of some of the best of the Ancients applying it unto a forcible Eunuchism is extreamly fond No other Excision is intended but that which was from the Church and to be done by the Church in obedience unto the Truth Neither the Subject Matter treated of the nature of the Crime condemned nor the state of the Church or design of the Apostle will admit of any other Exposition 2 Thessal 3.7 The Apostle gives command unto the Brethren of the Church and that in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ to withdraw from every Brother that walketh disorderly What it is to walk disorderly he declares immediately namely to live in an open disobedience unto any of the commands of Christ not after the Tradition which he received of us that is the Doctrine of the Gospel which he had delivered unto them This withdrawing is as unto Church-Communion which cannot be done but upon some act of the Church depriving them of the Rights of it For if every Member of the Church should be left unto his own judgment and practice herein it would bring all things into confusion And therefore Vers. 14. he requires that a note be set on such a Person by the Church that is a Sentence be denounced against him before the Duty of withdrawing from him by the Brethren be incumbent on them See to the same purpose Tit. 3.10 11. 1 Tim. 5.20 Revel 2.2 14 15 20 21. IT is therefore evident that this Censure Judgment Spiritual punishment is an Institution of Christ for whose Administration he hath given Authority unto his Church as that which is necessary unto its Edification with its preservation in Honour Purity and Order THERE have been many Disputes about it as unto its Order and Kinds Some suppose that there are two sorts of Excommunication the one they call the lesser and the other the greater Some three sorts as it is supposed there were among the Jews There is no mention in the Scripture of any more sorts but one or of any Degrees therein A segregation from all participation in Church-Order Worship and Privileges is the only Excommunication spoken of in the Scripture But whereas an offending Person may cause great disorder in a Church and give great scandal unto the Members of it before he can be regularly cut off or expelled the Society some do judge that there should a Suspension of him from the Lords Table at least precede total or compleat Excommunication in case of Impenitency And it ought in some cases so to be But this Suspension is not properly an especial Institution but only an act of prudence in Church-Rule to avoid offence and scandal And no Men question but that this is lawful unto yea the Duty of the Rulers of the Church to require any
are come unto it is best for Edification that all Persons peaceably dispose themselves into those Societies with whom they most agree in Principles and Opinions especially such as relate or lead unto practice in any Duties of Worship But 4. WITH respect unto such Opinions if Men will as is usual wrangle and contend to the disturbance of the peace of the Church or hinder it in any Duty with respect unto its own Edification and will neither peaceably abide in the Church nor peaceably depart from it they may and ought to be proceeded against with Censures of the Church VIII WHETHER persons Excommunicated out of any Church may be admitted unto the hearing of the Word in the Assemblies of that Church Answ. 1. THEY may be so as also to be present at all Duties of Moral Worship for so many Heathens and Vnbelievers 1 Cor. 14.23 24. 2. WHEN persons are under this Sentence the Church is in a state of expecting of their Recovery and Return and therefore are not to prohibit them any Means thereof such as is preaching of the Word IX HOW far extends the Rule of the Apostle towards persons rejected of the Church 1 Cor. 5.11 With such an one no not to Eat as that also Note that Man and have no company with him that he may be ashamed 2 Thess. 3.14 1. TO Eat comprizeth all ordinary Converse in things of this Life Give us our daily Bread. 2. To Note is either the act of the Church setting the Mark of its Censure and Disapprobation on him or the Duty of the Members of the Church to take notice of him as unto the End of not keeping company with him Wherefore 2. HEREIN all ordinary Converse of Choice not made necessary by previous occasions is forbidden The Rule I say forbids 1. All ordinary Converse of Choice not that which is occasional 2. Converse about Earthly secular Things not that which is Spiritual for such an one may and ought still to be admonished whilst he will hear the word of Admonition 3. It is such Converse as is not made previously necessary by Mens mutual Engagement in Trade and the like For that is founded on such Rules of Right and Equity with such Obligations in point of Truth as Excommunication cannot Dissolve 3. NO suspension of Duties antecedently necessary by virtue of natural or moral Relation is allowed or countenanced by this Rule Such are those of Husband and Wife Parents and Children Magistrates and Subjects Masters and Servants Neighbours Relations in propinquity of Blood. No Duties arising from or belonging unto any of these Relations are released or the Obligation unto them weakned by Excommunication Husbands may not hereon forsake their Wives if they are Excommunicated nor Wives their Husbands Magistrates may not withdraw their Protection from any of their Subjects because they are Excommunicate much less may Subjects withhold their Obedience on any pretence of the Excommunication of their Magistrates as such And the same is true as unto all other natural or moral Relations 4. THE Ends of this prohibition are 1. To testifie our Condemnation of the Sin and disapprobation of the person guilty of it who is Excommunicated 2. The Preservation of our selves from all kinds of participation in his Sin. 3. To make him ashamed of himself that if he be not utterly profligate and given up unto total Apostasie it may occasion in him thoughts of returning X. HOW ought persons Excommunicated to be received into the Church upon their Repentance Answ. 1. AS unto the internal manner with all readiness and chearfulness with 1. Meekness to take from them all Discouragement and disconsolation Gal. 6.1 2. With Compassion and all means of Relief and Consolation 2 Cor. 2.7 3. With Love in all the demonstrations of it Vers. 8. 4. With Joy to represent the Heart of Christ towards Repenting Sinners 2. THE outward manner of the Restauration of such a person consists in 1. His Testification of his Repentance unto the satisfaction of the Church 2. The express Consent of the Church unto his Reception 3. His renewed Ingagement in the Covenant of the Church whereby he is re-instated or jointed again in the Body in his own proper place In all which the Elders by their Authority are to go before the Church ALL sorts of persons do now condemn the Opinions of the Novatians in refusing the Re-admission of lapsed Sinners into the Church upon Repentance But there may be an Evil observed amongst some leading that way or unto what is worse And this is that they seek not after the Recovery of those that are Excommunicated by Prayer Admonition Exhortation in a spirit of Meekness and Tenderness but are well satisfied that they have quitted themselves of their Society It is better never to Excommunicate any than so to carry it towards them when they are Excommunicated But there is a sort of Men unto whom if a Man be once an Offender he shall be so for ever XI OUR last Enquiry shall be Whether Excommunication may be regular and valid where the matter of Right is dubious and disputable As many such cases may fall out especially with respect unto the occasions of Life and mutual Converse or when the matter of Fact is not duly proved by positive Witnesses on the one hand and is denied on the other Answ. 1. THE foundation of the Efficacy of Excommunication next and under its Divine Institution lies in the Light and Conviction of the Consciences of them that are to be Excommunicated If these are not affected with a sense of Guilt as in dubious cases they may not be the sentence will be of no Force nor Efficacy 2. A CASE wherein there is a difference in the judgment of good and wise Men about it is to be esteemed such a dubious Case as is exempted from this Censure Nothing is to be admitted here to take place but what is reprovable by natural Light and the concurrent Judgment of them that fear God. 3. IF the case be about such a Right or Wrong in pretended Fraud Over-reaching or the like as is determinable by Civil-Laws the Church is no judge in such Cases unless it be by way of Arbitration 1 Cor. 6. 4. IF the Question be about Doctrines that are not in Points fundamental so as those who dissent from the Church do carry it peaceably and orderly there can be no proceedure unto Ecclesiastical Censures But if Men will do at on their own Opinions wrangling contending and breaking the Peace of the Church about them there are other Rules given in that case 5. IF the matter of Fact be to be determined and stated by Witness it is absolutely necessary by virtue of Divine Institution that there be Two or Three concurrent Testimonies one Witness is not to be regarded See Deut. 19.15 Numb 35.30 Matth. 18.16 c. Wherefore the ensuing Rules or Directions are to be observed in the matter of Excommunication 1. NO Excommunication is to be allowed in
And unless this Union be dissolved unless a Church be disunited from Christ it cannot be so from the Catholick Church nor any true Church of Christ in particular however it may be dealt withal by others in the World. FROM Christ as the Head and Spring of Union there proceedeth unto all particular Churches a bond of Vnion which is his Holy Spirit acting it self in them by Faith and Love in and by the ways and means and for the ends of his appointment THIS is the Kingly Royal Beautiful Vnion of the Church Christ as the only head of Influence and Rule bringing it into a Relation unto himself as his Body communicating of his Spirit unto it governing it by the Law of his Word enabling it unto all the Duties of Faith Love and Holiness FOR unto the compleating of this Vnion on the part of the Church these things are required 1. Faith in him or holding him as the Head in the sincere belief of all things concerning his Person Office and Doctrine in the Gospel with whatever belongs thereunto 2. Love unto him and all that is his 3. That especial Holiness whose foundation is Repentance and Effectual Vocation 4. The Observance of his Commands as unto all Duties of Divine Worship These things are essentially requisite unto this Union on the part of the Church The Reality and Power of them is the internal form of the Church and the profession of them is its external form 2. THERE concurreth hereunto an Vnion among themselves I mean all particular Churches throughout the World in whom the Church Catholick doth Act its Power and Duty And the Relation that is between these Churches is that which is termed Relatio aequiparentiae wherein neither of the Relata is the first foundation of it but they are equal It doth not arise from the Subordination of one unto another they being all equal as unto what concerns their Essence and Power And the bond hereof is that especial Love which Christ requireth among all his Disciples acting it self unto all the ends of the Edification of the whole Body TAKE in the whole and the Union of Churches consists in their Relation unto God as their Father and unto Christ as their only immediate Head of Influence and Rule with a participation of the same Spirit in the same Faith and Doctrine of Truth the same kind of Holiness the same Duties of Divine Worship especially the same Mysteries of Baptism and the Supper the observance of the same Rules or Commands of Christ in all Church-Order with mutual Love effectual unto all the ends of their Being and Constitution or the Edification of the Church Catholick THERE may be failures in them or some of them as unto sundry of these things there may be differences among them about them arising from the Infirmities Ignorance and Prejudices of them of whom they do consist the best knowing here but in part but whilst the substance of them is preserved the Union of all Churches and so of the Catholick Church is preserved THIS is that blessed oneness which the Lord Christ prayed for so earnestly for his Disciples that they might be one in the Father and the Son one among themselves and made perfect in one Joh. 17.20 21 22 23. without any respect unto that horrid Image of it which was set up in the latter days of the Church which all Men were compelled to bow down unto and Worship with the fire of Nebuchadnezzars Furnance Of any other Union there is not the least mention in the Scripture THIS Union of the Catholick Church in all particular Churches is always the same inviolable unchangeable comprehending all the Churches in the World at all times not confinable unto any State or Party not interruptible by any external form nor to be prevailed against by the Gates of Hell and all such Disputes about a Catholick Church and its Vnion as can be so much as questionable among them that profess to believe the Gospel are in direct opposition unto the Prayers and Promises of Jesus Christ. Whilst Evangelical Faith Holiness Obedience unto the Commands of Christ and Mutual Love abide in any on the Earth there is the Catholick Church and whilst they are professed that Catholick Church is visible other Catholick Church upon the Earth I believe none nor any that needs other things unto its Constitution THESE things being premised I proceed unto that which is our present Enquiry namely Wherein the Communion of particular Churches among themselves doth consist THE Communion of Churches is their joint actings in the same Gospel Duties towards God in Christ with their mutual actings towards each other with respect unto the end of their Institution and Being which is the Glory of Christ in the Edification of the whole Catholick Church AS unto the actings of the first sort the ground of them is Faith and therein is the first Act of the Communion of Churches And this Communion in Faith among all the Churches of Christ is two-fold 1. General in the belief of the same Doctrine of Truth which is according unto Godliness the same Articles of Faith and the publick profession thereof so that every one of them is the Ground and Pillar of the same Truth This the Primitive Church provided for in Creeds and Symbols or Confessions of Faith as is known But as never any one of them was expresly owned by all Churches so in process of time they came to be abused as expressing the sence of the present Church whether true or false Hence we have as many Arian Creeds yet extant as those that are Orthodox But unto the Communion of all particular Churches in the World there is nothing required but a belief of the Scripture to be the Word of God with a professed assent unto all Divine Revelations therein contained provided that no Error be avowed that is contrary to the principal or fundamental Doctrines of it For although any Society of Men should profess the Scripture to be the Word of God and avow an Assent unto the Revelations made therein yet by the conceptions of their Minds and misunderstanding of the sence of the Holy Spirit therein they may embrace and adhere unto such Errors as may cut them off from all Communion with the Catholick Church in Faith. Such are the denial of the holy Trinity the Incarnation of the Son of God His Divine Person or Office the Redemption of the Church by his Blood the necessity of Regeneration by his Spirit and the like And they may also add that of their own unto their professed Belief as shall exclude them from Communion with the Catholick Church Such are the Assertion of Traditions as equal with the written Word of another Head of the Church besides the Lord Christ of another Sacrifice besides what he once offered for all and the like But where any are preserved from such Heresies on the one hand and the other there is no more required unto Communion with
in regular Acts and Duties proceeding from this Love and required by virtue of it THIS account of the Vnion and Communion of Churches may seem strange unto some who are enamoured on that Image which is set up of them in the World in Canons Constitutions of Rites and outward Order in various Subordinations and Ceremonies which are most remote from making any due Representation of them THE Church in its dependance on Christ its Head being by his Institution disposed unto its proper Order for its own Edification or fitly joined together and compacted this Love working effectually in every Office Officer and Member according as unto its disposal in the Body for the receiving and communicating Supplies for Edification gives the whole both its Vnion and Communion all the actings of it being regulated by Divine Rule and Prescription INSTEAD hereof to erect a Machine the Spring and Center of whose motions are unknown any other I mean but external force compacted by the Iron joints and bands of humane Laws edifying it self by the power of Offices and Officers foreign unto the Scripture acting with Weapons that are not Spiritual but Carnal and mighty through him whose Work it is to cast the Members of the Church of Christ into Prison as unto an outward Conformity is to forsake the Scripture and follow our own Imagination THE outward Acts of Communion among Churches proceeding from this love and the obligation that is on them to promote their mutual Edification may be referred unto the Two Heads of Advice and Assistance CHURCHES have Communion unto their mutual Edification by Advice in Synods or Councils which must in this place be considered SYNODS are the Meetings of divers Churches by their Messengers or Delegates to consult and determine of such things as are of common concernment unto them all by virtue of this Communion which is exercised in them 1. THE necessity and warranty of such Synods ariseth 1. From the Light of Nature For all Societies which have the same Original the same Rule the same Interest the same Ends and which are in themselves mutually concerned in the good or evil of each other are obliged by the power and conduct of Reason to advise in common for their own good on all Emergencies that stand in need thereof CHURCHES are such Societies they have all one and the same Authoritative Institution one and the same Rule of Order and Worship the same ends as we have declared and their entire Interest is one and the same When therefore any thing occurs amongst them that is attended with such Difficulties as cannot be removed or taken away by any one of them severally or in whose Determination all of them are equally concerned not to make use herein of common Advice and Counsel is to forsake that natural Light which they are bound to attend unto in all Duties of Obedience unto God. 2. THE Vnion of all Churches before described in one Head by one Spirit through one Faith and Worship unto the same ends doth so compact them into one Body mystical as that none of them is or can be compleat absolutely without a joint acting with other Members of the same Body unto the common good of the whole as occasion doth require And this joint acting with others in any Church can be no otherwise but by common Advice and Counsel which natural Circumstances render impossible by any means but their convention in Synods by their Messengers and Delegates For although there may be some use of Letters missive and was so eminently in the Primitive Churches to ask the Advice of one another in difficult Cases as the first instance we have of the Communion of Churches after the days of the Apostles is in the Letter of the Church of Corinth unto that of Rome desiring their Advice about the composing of a difference among them and the Answer of the Church of Rome thereunto yet many Cases may fall out among them which cannot be Reconciled or Determined but by present Conference such as that was Recorded Act. 15. No Church therefore is so Independent as that it can always and in all Cases observe the Duties it owes unto the Lord Christ and the Church Catholick by all those Powers which it is able to act in it self distinctly without conjunction with others And the Church that confines its Duty unto the Acts of its own Assemblies cuts it self off from the external Communion of the Church Catholick nor will it be safe for any Man to commit the Conduct of his Soul to such a Church Wherefore 3. THIS acting in Synods is an Institution of Jesus Christ not in an express Command but in the nature of the thing it self fortified with Apostolical Example For having erected such a church-Church-State and disposed all his Churches into that Order and mutual Relation unto one another as that none of them can be compleat or discharge their whole Duty without mutual Advice and Counsel he hath thereby ordained this way of their Communion in Synods no other being possible unto that end And hereby such Conventions are interested in the promise of his presence namely that where Two or Three are gathered together in his Name there he will be in the midst of them For these Assemblies being the necessary effect of his own constitution in the nature and use of his Churches are or may be in his Name and so enjoy his presence 4. THE end of all particular Churches is the Edification of the Church Catholick unto the Glory of God in Christ. And it is evident that in many Instances this cannot be attained yea that it must be sinfully neglected unless this way for the preservation and carrying of it on be attended unto Truth Peace and Love may be lost among Churches and so the Vnion of the Catholick Church in them be dissolved unless this means for their Preservation and Reparation be made use of And that particular Church which extends not its Duty beyond its own Assemblies and Members is fallen off from the principal end of its Institution And every Principle Opinion or Perswasion that inclines any Church to confine its Care and Duty unto its own Edification only yea or of those only which agree with it in some peculiar practice making it neglective of all due means of the Edification of the Church Catholick is Schismatical 5. THERE is direction hereunto included in the Order and Method of Church-Proceedings in case of offence prescribed unto it by Christ himself The beginning and rise of it is between two individual Persons thence is it carried unto the cognizance and judgment of two or three others before unconcerned from them it is to be brought unto the Church and there is no doubt but the Church hath Power to determine concerning it as unto its own Communion to continue the Offender in it or reject him from it This must abide as unto outward Order and the Preservation of Peace But no Church is Infallible in
arrived unto those which they called general under the conduct of the Pope whose Senate they were BUT these things have no countenance given them by any Divine Institution Apostolical Example or practice of the First Churches but are a meer product of Secular Interest working it self in a Mystery of Iniquity SINCE the Dissolution of the Roman Empire Nations have been cast into distinct Civil Governments of their own whose Sovereignty is in themselves by the event of War and Counsels thereon emergent Unto each of these it is supposed there is a Church-State accommodated as the Church of England the Church of Scotland the Church of France and the like whose Original and Being depends on the First event of War in that Dissolution Unto these new church-Church-States whose Being Bounds and Limits are given unto them absolutely by those of the Civil Government which they belong unto it is thought meet that Ecclesiastical Synods should be accommodated But in what way this is to be done there is not yet an agreement but it is not my present business to consider the differences that are about it which are known unto this Nation on a dear account Yet this I shall say that whereas it is eminently useful unto the Edification of the Church Catholick that all the Churches professing the same Doctrine of Faith within the Limits of the same Supream Civil Government should hold constant actual Communion among themselves unto the ends of it before mentioned I see not how it can be any abridgment of the Liberty of particular Churches or interfere with any of their Rights which they hold by Divine Institution if through more constant lesser Synods for Advice there be a communication of their mutual concerns unto those that are greater until if occasion require and it be expedient there be a general Assembly of them all to advise about any thing wherein they are all concerned But this is granted only with these Limitations 1. That the Rights of particular Churches be preserved in the free Election of such as are to be Members of all these Synods 2. That they assume no Authority or Jurisdiction over Churches or Persons in things Civil or Ecclesiastical 3. That none are immediately concerned in this proper Synodal Power or Authority which what it is we shall enquire who are not present in them by their own Delegates FOR that kind of Synods which some call a Classis which is a convention of the Elders or Officers of sundry Parochial Churches distinguished for Presential Communion ordinarily in some acts of it by virtue of their Office and for the exercise of Office-Power it is the constitution of a new kind of particular Churches by a combination of them into one whose Original distinction is only in the Civil Limits of their Cohabitation which probably may be done sometimes and in some places unto Edification 4. THE Persons of whom all sorts of Ecclesiastical Synods are to consist must be enquired into And there is nothing of meer humane prudential constitution that hath longer obtained in the Church than that those should be Officers of the Churches only And whereas after the days of the Apostles we have no Record of any Synods of more Churches than one until after the distinction was made between Bishops and Presbyters they were made up of both sorts of them But afterwards those who were peculiarly called Bishops enclosed this Right unto themselves on what grounds God knows there being no one Tittle in the Scripture or the Light of Reason to give them countenance therein IT must therefore be affirmed that no Persons by virtue of any Office meerly have Right to be Members of Ecclesiastical Synods as such Neither is there either Example or Reason to give colour unto any such pretence Farther is no Office-Power to be exerted in such Synods as such neither conjunctly by all the Members of them nor singly by any of them Officers of the Church Bishops Pastors Elders may be present in them ought to be present in them are meetest for the most part so to be but meerly as such it belongs not unto them The Care Oversight and Rule of the Churches whereunto they do belong the Flock among them distinctly is committed unto them and for that they are instructed with Power and Authority by virtue of their Office. But as unto their conjunction in Synods which is a meer act and effect of the Communion of Churches among themselves it is not committed unto them in a way of peculiar Right by virtue of their Office. If it be so without respect unto the power of the Magistrate in calling them or of the Churches in choosing them then it belongs unto them all for that which belongs unto any of them as such by virtue of Office belongs equally unto all and if it belongs unto all then it belongs unto all of one sort only as for instance Bishops or unto all of all sorts as for instance Presbyters also If it be stated in the latter way then every Presbyter as such by virtue of his Office hath Right and Power to be present in all Ecclesiastical Synods equal with that of the Bishops For although it be supposed that his Office is not equal unto theirs yet it is so also that this Right doth equally belong unto his Office. If the former be avowed namely that this Right belongs unto Bishops only such as are pleaded for by virtue of their Office as such then 1. I desire that any tolerable proof of the confinement of this Right unto such an Office be produced either from the Scripture or Reason or the Example of the First Churches which as yet I have never seen 2. I fear not to say that a false presumption hereof was one principal cause and means of introducing Tyranny into the Churches and the utter ruine of their Liberty CONCERNING the composition that is made herein that some should convene in Ecclesiastical Synods by their own personal Right and in virtue of their Office and others by a kind of Delegation from some of their own Order it being a meer political constitution which I shall immediately speak unto it is not here to be taken notice of THERE is nothing therefore in Scripture Example or the Light of Natural Reason with the principles of all Societies in Union or Communion that will lead us any farther than this that such Synods are to be composed and consist of such Persons as are chosen and delegated by those Churches respectively who do act and exert their Communion in such Assemblies So was it in the First Example of them Act. 15. The Church of Antioch chose and sent Messengers of their own number to advise with the Apostles and Elders of the Church at Jerusalem at which Consultation the Members of that Church also were present And this is the whole of the nature and use of Ecclesiastical Synods It is on other accounts that they make up so great a part of the History
of the Church For the first Three Hundred years they were nothing but voluntary conventions of the Officers or Elders Bishops and Presbyters with some others of neighbouring Churches on the occasion of Differences or Heresies among them In and from the Council of Nice there were Assemblies of Bishops and others called together by the Authority of the Roman Emperours to advise about matters of Faith. In after Ages those which were called in the Western parts of the World in Italy Germany France and England were of a mixt nature advising about things Civil and Political as well as Sacred and Religious especially with respect unto mutual contests between Popes and Princes In them the whole nature of Ecclesiastical Synods was lost and buried and all Religion almost destroyed THUS this laudable practice of Churches acting their mutual Communion by meeting in Synods or Assemblies by their Delegates or Messengers to advise about things of their common concernment and joint Edification as occasion should require founded in the Light of Nature and countenanced by Primitive Apostolical Example was turned by the designing Interests and Ambition of Men unto the enstating of all Church-Power in such Synods and the Usurpation of a Power given unto no Churches nor all of them together as might be made evident by instances innumerable AND whereas they have made such a noise in Christian Religion and have filled so many Volumes with their Acts and doings yet some of them who under the Pope would place all Religion in them do grant and contend that they are a meer Humane Invention So Bellarmine affirms Pighius to have done in his Book de Coelest Hierarch Lib. 6. Cap. 1. But for his part he judgeth that it is more probable that they have a Divine Original by virtue of that Word Where Two or Three are gathered together in my Name there I will be in the midst of them Matth. 18. De Concil Lib. 1. Cap. 3. which will not bear the least part of the superstructure pretended to be built upon it OF these Delegates and Messengers of the Church the Elders or Officers of them or some of them at least ought to be the principal For there is a peculiar care of publick Edification incumbent on them which they are to exercise on all just occasions They are presumed justly to know best the state of their own Churches and to be best able to judge of matters under consideration And they do better represent the Churches from whom they are sent than any private Brethren can do and so receive that Respect and Reverence which is due to the Churches themselves As also they are most meet to report and recommend the Synodal Determinations unto their Churches and a contrary practice would quickly introduce confusion BUT yet it is not necessary that they alone should be so sent or Delegated by the Churches but many have others joined with them and had so until Prelatical Vsurpation overturned their Liberties So there were others beside Paul and Barnabas sent from Antioch to Jerusalem and the Brethren of that Church whatever is impudently pretended to the contrary concurred in the Decree and Determination there made 5. THAT which is termed the calling of these Synods is nothing but the voluntary consent of the Churches concerned to meet together by their Delegates and Messengers for the ends before declared I NO way deny but that a Christian Magistrate may convene by his Authority the Bishops Pastors or Ministers with such others as he shall think meet within his own Territories yea and receive into his Convention meet Men out of the Territories of others by their consent to advise among themselves and to give him Advice about such concernments of Religion and of the Church under his Dominion and Regulate himself accordingly It hath been practised with good success and may be with bad also And I do deny that Churches have Power without the consent and Authority of the Magistrate to convene themselves in Synods to exercise any Exterior Jurisdiction that should affect the Persons of his Subjects any otherwise than by the Law of the Land is allowed BUT whereas the Synods whereof we Treat and which are all that belong unto the Church can take no cognizance of any Civil Affairs wherein the Persons of Men are outwardly concerned have no Jurisdiction in any kind can make no determination but only Doctrinal Declarations of Divine Truth of the same nature with the Preaching of the Word there is no more required unto their calling beyond their own consent but only that they may meet in external peace by the permission of the Magistrate which when they cannot obtain they must deport themselves as in case of other Duties required of them by the Law of Christ. 6. IN the last place I shall speak briefly of the Power and Authority of these Synods in what measures extent and numbers soever they are assembled For although this may be easily Collected from what hath been declared concerning their Original Nature Causes Use and Ends yet it may be necessary to be more particularly enquired into because of the many differences that are about it THERE is a three-fold Power ascribed unto Synods The First is declarative consisting in an Authoritative Teaching and declaring the Mind of God in the Scripture The Second is constitutive appointing and ordaining things to be believed or done and observed by and upon its own Authority And Thirdly executive in Acts of Jurisdiction towards Persons and Churches THE Persons whom the Authority pleaded may affect are of Two sorts 1. Such as have their proper Representatives present in such Synods who are directly concerned in its conciliary determinations 2. Such as have no such Representatives in them who can be no otherwise concerned but in the Doctrine materially considered declared in them WHEREFORE the ground of any Churches receiving complying with or obeying the Determinations and Decrees of Synods must be either 1. The evidence of Truth given unto those Determinations by the Synod from the Scripture or 2. The Authority of the Synod it self affecting the Minds and Consciences of those concerned IN the First way wherein the Assent and Obedience of Churches is resolved ultimately into the evidence of Truth from the Scripture upon the judgment which they make thereof not only the discovery of Truth is to be owned but there is an Authoritative Proposal of it by virtue of the promised presence of Christ in them if duly sought and regarded whence great Respect and Reverence is due unto them THE Power of a Synod for the execution of its Decrees respects either 1. The Things or Doctrines declared and is recommendatory of them on its Authority from the presence of Christ or 2. Persons to Censure Excommunicate or punish those who receive them not THESE things being premised the just Power of Synods may be positively and negatively declared in the two following Assertions 1. THE Authority of a Synod declaring the mind of God
from the Scripture in Doctrine or giving Counsel as unto practice Synodically unto them whose proper Representatives are present in it whose Decrees and Determinations are to be received and submitted unto on the evidence of their Truth and Necessity as recommended by the Authority of the Synod from the promised Presence of Christ among them is suitable unto the Mind of Christ and the Example given by the Apostles Act. 15. HENCE it is evident that in and after such Synods it is in the power of Churches concerned humbly to consider and weigh 1. The evidences of the Presence of Christ in them from the manner causes and ends of their Assembling and from their Deportment therein 2. What regard in their Constitutions and Determinations there hath been unto the Word of God and whether in all things it hath had its due preheminence 3. How all their Determinations have been educed from its Truth and are confirmed by its Authority WITHOUT a due exercise of judgment with respect unto these things none can be obliged by any Synodical Determinations seeing without them and on the want of them many Assemblies of Bishops who have had the outward Appearance and Title of Synods or Councils have been Dens of Thieves Robbers Idolaters managing their Synodical Affairs with fury wrath horrible craft according to their Interests unto the Ruine of the Church such were the Second Ephesine the Second at Nice and that at Trent and others not a few HENCE nothing is more to be feared especially in a state of the Church wherein it is declining in Faith Worship and Holiness than Synods according to the usual way of their calling and convention where these things are absent For they have already been the principal means of leading on and justifying all the Apostasy which Churches have fallen into For never was there yet Synod of that nature which did not confirm all the Errors and Superstitions which had in common practice entred into the Church and opened a Door to a progress in them nor was ever the pretence of any of them for outward Reformation of any use or signification 2. THE Authority of a Synod determining Articles of Faith constituting Orders and Decrees for the conscientious observance of things of their own appointment to be submitted unto and obeyed on the Reason of that Authority under the penalty of Excommunication and the trouble by Custom and Tyranny thereto annexed or acted in a way of Jurisdiction over Churches or Persons is a meer Humane Invention for which nothing can be pleaded but prescription from the Fourth Century of the Church when the progress of the fatal Apostasy became visible THE proof of both these Assertions depends on what was before declared of the nature and use of these Synods For if they are such as we have evinced no other Power or Authority can be ascribed unto them but that here allowed Yet the whole may be farther illustrated by some brief considerations of the Assembly at Jerusalem in the nature of a Synod Recorded Act. 15. 1. THE occasion of it was a difference in the Church of Antioch which they could not compose among themselves because those who caused the Difference pretended Authority from the Apostles as is evident v. 1. and 14. 2. THE means of its convention was the desire and voluntary reference of the matters in debate made by the Church at Antioch where the difference was unto that at Jerusalem whence as it was pretended the cause of the difference arose unto the hazzard of their mutual Communion to be consulted of with their own Messengers 3. THE Persons constituting the Synod were the Apostles Elders and Brethren of the Church at Jerusalem and the Messengers of that Antioch with whom Paul and Barnabas were joined in the same Delegation 4. THE matter in difference was debated as unto the mind of God concerning it in the Scripture and out of the Scripture On James's proposal the determination was made 5. THERE was nothing imposed a new on the practice of the Churches only direction is given in one particular instance as unto Duty necessary on many accounts unto the Gentile Converts namely to abstain from Fornication and from the use of their Liberty in such instances of its practice as whereon scandal would ensue which was the Duty of all Christians even before this determination and is so still in many other instances besides those mentioned in the Decree only it was now declared unto them 6. THE Grounds whereon the Synod proposed the Reception of and compliance with its Decrees were Four 1. That what they had determined was the mind of the Holy Ghost It pleased the Holy Ghost This mind they knew either by Inspiration or immediate Revelation made unto themselves or by what was Written or Recorded in the Scripture which on all other occasions they alledged as what was the Word and spoken by the Holy Ghost And it is evident that it was this latter way namely a discovery of the mind of the Holy Ghost in the Scripture that is intended However it is concluded that nothing be proposed or confirmed in Synods but what is well known to be the mind of the Holy Ghost in the Scripture either by immediate Inspiration or by Scripture Revelation 2. The Authority of the Assembly as convened in the Name of Christ and by virtue of his Presence whereof we have spoken before It pleased the Holy Ghost and us 3. That the things which they had determined were necessary that is antecedently so unto that determination namely the abstaining from the use of their Liberty in things indifferent in case of scandal 4. From the Duty with respect unto the Peace and mutual Communion of the Jewish and Gentile Churches Doing thus say they ye shall do well which is all the Sanction of their Decree manifesting that it was Doctrinal not Authoritative in way of Jurisdiction 7. THE Doctrinal Abridgement of the Liberty of the Gentile Christians in case of scandal they call the imposing of no other Burden in opposition unto what they rejected namely the imposing a yoke of Ceremonies upon them v. 10. So as that the meaning of these Words is That they would lay no Burden on them at all but only advise them unto things necessary for the avoidance of scandal For it is impious to imagine that the Apostles would impose any yoke or lay any burden on the Disciples but only the yoke and burden of Christ as being contrary to their Commission Matth. 28.19 20. HENCE it will follow That a Synod convened in the Name of Christ by the voluntary consent of several Churches concerned in mutual Communion may declare and determine of the mind of the Holy Ghost in the Scripture and Decree the observation of things true and necessary because revealed and appointed in the Scripture which are to be received owned and observed on the evidence of the mind of the Holy Ghost in them and the Ministerial Authority of the Synod it self FINIS ERRATA PAge 16. line 31. for to read do p. 23. l. 34. r. state p. 27 l. 2. r. believers be p. 31. l. 11. r. Mat. 20. p. 40. l. 23. r. if so be p. 41. l. 25. r. we enquire not p. 47. l. ult r. these p. 53. l. 6. Ephes. 4.7 p. 71. l. 33. r. Light. p. 72. l. 8. r. mere p. 103 l. 33. r. Auricular p. 112. l. 29. r. Conc. p 117. l. 9. after publickly add Read. p. 119. l. 22 r. their mixed p. 129. l. 5. for 18 r. 28. p. 132. l. 9. for 9. r. 3. p. 141. l. 30. read over you p. 147. l. 25. for 39. r. 38. p. 168. l. 20. for 24. r. 21. p. 186. l. 20. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 192. l. 14. r. will fully p 205. l. 35 r. this p. 228. l. 21 r. do p. 244. l. 9. r. furnace p 256. l. 15. r. probable Psal. 15.1 2 3 4 5. Psal. 24.3 4. Psal. 93 5. 2 Cor. 8.23 Ephes. 5.27 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3 4 5. Ezek. 22.26 Joh. 3.3 Tit. 3.3 4 5. Joh. 3.5 Act. 2.38 1 Pet. 3.21 Phil. 3 18 19. Tit. 1.15 16. Act. 15.8 Revel 2.23 Act. 8.13 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. Phil. 3.18 19. 2 Thes. 3.6 2 Tim. 3.5 Rom. 9.6 7. Tit. 1.16 Mat. 18.16 17 18. 1 Cor. 5.11 Rom. 10.10 2 Cor. 8.5 Chap. 9.13 Matth. 10.32 33. Luke 9.16 2 Tim. 2.12 Rom. 15.9 Joh. 12.42 1 Joh. 4.2 3 15. Matth. 28.18 19 20. 2 Cor. 8.5 Matth. 10.37 38 39. Mar. 8.34 38. Luke 9.23 Phil. 3.18 Act. 4.10 11 20. Act. 24.14 Matth. 28.19 20. 1 Cor. 10.32 Phil. 1.10 ☞ ☞ Matth. 18.1 2 3 4. Chap. 23.7 8 9 10 11. Luke 22.24 25 26 27. 1 Pet. 5.1 2 3 4 5. 2 Joh. 9.10 Act. 20.18 29. 1 Pet. 5.2 3. Cant. 1.7 Jerem. 13.17 Chap. 23.2 Ezek. 34.3 Gen. 49.24 Psal. 23.1 Psal. 80.1 Joh. 10.11 14 16. Heb. 13.20 1 Pet. 2.25 Chap. 5.4 ☜ ☞ Jam 5.16 Joh. 17.20 Exod. 32.11 Deut. 9.18 Levit. 16.24 1 Sam. 12.23 2 Cor. 13.7 9. Ephes. 1.15 16 17. Ch. 3.14 Phil. 1.4 Col. 1.3 2 Thess. 1.11 ☞ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☞
cases Dubious and Disputable wherein Right and Wrong are not easily determinable unto all unprejudiced persons that know the Will of God in such things Nor is it to be admitted when the matter of Fact stands in need of Testimony and is not proved by Two Witnesses at the least 2. ALL Prejudices all Partiality all Provocations all Haste and Precipitation are most carefully to be avoided in this Administration for the Judgment is the Lords Wherefore 3. WE are continually in all things that tend unto this Sentence and eminently in the Sentence it self to charge our Consciences with the Mind of Christ and what he would do himself in the case considering his Love Grace Mercy and Patience with instances of his Condescension which he gave us in this World. 4. THERE is also required of us herein a constant Remembrance that we also are in the Flesh and liable to Temptation which may restrain and keep in awe that forwardness and confidence which some are apt to manifest in such cases In all these things a watchful Eye is to be kept over the methods of Satan who by all means seeks to pervert this Ordinance unto the Destruction of Men which is appointed for their Edification and too often prevails in that Design And if by the Negligence of a Church in the management and pursuit of this Ordinance he gets advantage to pervert it unto the Ruine of any it is the fault of that Church in that they have not been careful of the Honour of Christ therein Wherefore 1. AS Excommunication by a cursed Noise and Clamor with Bell Book and Candle such as we have instances of in some Papal Councils is an horrible Anti-christian Abomination So 2. IT is an undue Representation of Christ and his Authority for persons openly guilty of profaneness in sinning to Excommunicate them who are blameless in all Christian Obedience 3. ALL Excommunication is Evangelically null where there is wanting an Evangelical frame of spirit in those by whom it is Administred and there is present an Anti-evangelical Order in its Administration 4. IT is sufficiently evident that after all the Contests and Disputes about this Excommunication that have been in the World the Noise that it hath made the horrible Abuses that it hath been put unto the wresting of all Church-Order and Rule to give countenance unto a corrupt Administration of it with the needless Oppositions that have been made against its Institution there is nothing in it nothing belongs unto it nothing required unto its Administration wherein Mens outward Interests are at all concerned and which the smallest number of sincere Christians in any Church-Society may not perform and discharge unto the Glory of Christ and their own Edification IT is the Mystery of Iniquity that hath traversed these things into such a state and posture as is unintelligible unto spiritual Wisdom unpracticable in the Obedience of Faith and ruinous unto all Evangelical Order and Discipline CHAP. XI Of the Communion of Churches CHURCHES so appointed and established in Order as hath been declared ought to hold Communion among themselves or with each other as unto all the ends of their Institution and Order For these are the same in all Yea the general end of them is in Order of Nature considered antecedently unto their Institution in particular This end is the Edification of the Body of Christ in general or the Church Catholick The promotion hereof is committed jointly and severally unto all particular Churches Wherefore with respect hereunto they are obliged unto mutual Communion among themselves which is their consent endeavour and conjunction in and for the promotion of the Edification of the Catholick Church and therin their own as they are Parts and Members of it THIS Communion is incumbent on every Church with respect unto all other Churches of Christ in the World equally And the Duties and Acts of it in all of them are of the same kind and nature For there is no such disparity between them or subordination among them as should make a difference between the Acts of their mutual Communion so as that the Acts of some should be Acts of Authority and those of others Acts of obedience or subjection Where ever there is a Church whether it be at Rome or Egubium in a City or a Village the Communion of them all is mutual the Acts of it of the same kind however one Church may have more Advantages to be useful and helpful therein than another And the abuse of those Advantages was that which wrought effectually in the beginning of that disorder which at length destroyed the Catholick Church with all Church-Communion whatever For some Churches especially that of Rome having many Advantages in Gifts Abilities Numbers and Reputation above many above most Churches for usefulness in their mutual Communion the Guides of it insensibly turned and perverted the Addresses made unto them the Advises and Assistances desired of them in way of Communion or their pretences of such Addresses and Desires into an Usurpation first of a primacy of Honour then of Order then of Supremacy and Jurisdiction unto the utter overthrow of all Church-Order and Communion and at length of the whole nature of the Catholick Church as stated and subsisting in particular Churches as we shall see ALL Churches on their first institution quickly found themselves indigent and wanting though not as unto their Being Power and Order yet as unto their well-being with their preservation in Truth and Order upon extraordinary Occurrences as also with respect unto their usefulness and serviceableness unto the general end of furthering the Edification of the Church Catholick The care hereof and the making provision for this defect was committed by our Lord Jesus Christ unto the Apostles during their Lives which Paul calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 11.28 The care of all the Churches For what was only a pressing care and burden unto them was afterward contended for by others as a matter of Dignity and Power the pretence of it in one especially being turned into a cursed Domination under the Stile and Title of Servus Servorum Dei. BUT if a Thousand pretences should be made of supplying Churches defects after the decease of the Apostles by any other Order Way or Means besides this of the equal Communion of Churches among themselves they will be all found destitute of any Countenance from the Scripture Primitive Antiquity the nature use and end of Churches yea of Christian Religion it self Yet the pretence hereof is the sole foundation of all that disposal of Churches into several stories of Subordination with an Authority and Jurisdiction over one another which now prevails in the World. But there is no place for such Imaginations until it be proved either that our Lord Jesus Christ hath not appointed the mutual Communion of Churches among themselves by their own consent or that it is not sufficient for the preservation of the Vnion and furtherance of the
their judgment absolutely in any case and in many their determinations may be so doubtful as not to affect the Conscience of him who is Censured But such a Person is not only a Member of that particular Church but by virtue thereof of the Catholick Church also It is necessary therefore that he should be heard and judged as unto his Interest therein if he do desire it And this can no way be done but by such Synods as we shall immediately describe 6. SYNODS are Consecrated unto the use of the Church in all Ages by the Example of the Apostles in their guidance of the First Churches of Jews and Gentiles which hath the force of a Divine Institution as being given by them under the Infallible conduct of the Holy Ghost Act. 15. which we shall speak farther unto immediately HAVING seen the Original of Church Synods or their Formal Cause we consider also their Material Cause or the subject matter to be treated of or determined in them And this in general is every thing wherein Churches are obliged to hold Communion among themselves when any thing falls out amongst them which otherwise would disturb that Communion And hereof some Instances may be given 1. CHURCHES have mutual Communion in the profession of the same Faith. If any doubts or differences do arise about it any Opinions be advanced contrary unto it either in any particular Church which they cannot determine among themselves or among sundry Churches the last outward means for the preservation of the Rule of Faith among them and of their Communion in the condemnation of Errors and Opinions contrary unto the form of wholesome Words is by these Synods or Councils The care hereof is indeed in the first place committed unto the Churches themselves as was at large before declared But in case through the subtilty prevalency and interest of those by whom damnable Doctrines are broached the Church it self whereunto they do belong is not able to rebuke and suppress them nor to maintain its profession of the Truth or that by suffering such things in one Church others are in danger to be infected or defiled this is the last external Refuge that is left for the preservation of the Communion of Churches in the same Faith. We have multiplied Examples hereof in the Primitive Churches before the degeneracy of these Synods into Superstition and Domination Such was eminently that gathered at Antioch for the condemnation of the Heresies of Paulus Samosatenus the Bishop of that Church 2. IT is so with respect unto that Order Peace and Vnity wherein every particular Church ought to walk in it self and amongst its own Members There were Schisms Divisions Strife and Contentions in some of the Churches that were of Apostolical planting and watering So there was at Antioch and afterwards at Corinth as also of some of the Churches in Galatia The Duty of Remedying and Healing these Divisions and Differences from what cause soever they arise is first incumbent on each particular Member in every such Church Unto them it is given in charge by the Apostle in the first place and if every one of them do perform their Duty in Love an end will be put unto all strife In case of failure therein the whole Church is charged in the exercise of its Power Authority and Wisdom to rebuke and compose such Differences But in case it is not able so to do as it fell out in the Church at Antioch then an Assembly of other Churches walking in actual Communion with that Church wherein the Difference is arisen and thereon concerned in their Prosperity and Edification by their Messengers and Delegates is the last outward means for its Composure 3. WHERE there hath been any Male Administration of Discipline whereby any Members of a Church have been injured as suppose they are unduly cast out of the Church by the Power and Interest of some Diotrephes or that any Members of the Church make a Party and Faction to depose their Elders as it was in the Church of Corinth when the Church at Rome gave them Advice in the case It is necessary from the Communion of Churches and the Interest the Persons injured have in the Catholick Church whose Edification is the end of all Church-Administrations that the proceedings of such a Church be renewed by a Synod and a Remedy provided in the case Nor was it the mind of the Apostle that they should be left without Relief which were unduly cast out of the Church by Diotrephes nor is there any other ordinary way hereof but only by Synods but this case I suppose I shall speak unto afterwards 4. THE same is the case with respect unto Worship as also of Manners and Conversation If it be reported or known by Credible Testimony that any Church hath admitted into the exercise of Divine Worship any thing superstitious or vain or if the Members of it walk like those described by the Apostle Phil. 3.18 19. unto the Dishonour of the Gospel and of the ways of Christ the Church it self not endeavouring its own Reformation and Repentance other Churches walking in Communion therewith by virtue of their common Interest in the Glory of Christ and Honour of the Gospel after more private ways for its Reduction as Opportunity and Duty may suggest unto their Elders ought to Assemble in a Synod for Advice either as to the use of farther means for the Recovery of such a Church or to with-hold Communion from it in case of Obstinacy in its evil ways The want of a due attendance unto this part of the Communion of Churches with respect unto Gospel Worship in its Purity and Gospel Obedience in its Power was a great means of the Decay and Apostacy of them all By reason of this Negligence instead of being helpful one to another for their mutual Recovery and the Revival of the things that were ready to die they gradually infected one another according as they fell into their Decays and countenanced one another by their Examples unto a continuance in such Disorders THE Image which in late Ages was set up hereof in Diocesan and Metropolitical Visitations and those of lesser districts under Officers of Anti-christian Names hath been useful rather unto Destruction than Edification But so it hath fallen out in most things concerning Church-Order Worship and Discipline The Power and Spirituality of Divine Institutions being lost a Machine hath been framed to make an appearance and representation of them to divert the minds of Men from enquiring after the Primitive Institution of Christ with an experience of their Efficacy CONSIDERING what we have learned in these later Ages by woeful experience of what hath fallen out formerly amongst all the Churches in the World as unto their Degeneracy from Gospel Worship and Holiness with the abounding of Temptations in the days wherein we live and the spiritual decays that all Churches are prone unto it were not amiss if those Churches which do walk in express
Communion would frequently meet in Synods to enquire into the spiritual state of them all and to give advice for the correction of what is amiss the due preservation of the purity of Worship the exercise of Discipline but especially of the Power Demonstration and Fruit of Evangelical Obedience 2. HENCE it is evident what are the ends of such Synods among the Churches of Christ. The general end of them all is to promote the Edification of the whole Body or Church Catholick And that 1. To prevent Divisions from differences in iudgment and practice which are contrary thereunto The First Christian Synod was an Assembly of the two First Churches in the World by their Delegates The First Church of the Jews was at Jerusalem and the First Church of the Gentiles was at Antioch to prevent Divisions and to preserve Communion between them was the First Synod Celebrated Act. 15. 2. To avoid or cure offences against mutual love among them 3. To advance the light of the Gospel by a joint Confession and Agreement in the Faith. 4. To give a concurrent Testimony against pernicious Heresies or Errors whereby the Faith of any is overthrown or in danger so to be 5. To relieve such by advice as may be by any Diotrephes unduly cast out of the Church WHAT are the ends whereunto they have been used may be seen in the Volumes written concerning them and the numberless Laws enacted in them whereof very little belongs unto the Discipline of the Gospel or real Communion of Churches 3. THE measure or extent of them ariseth from concernment and convenience All unprejudiced Persons do now acknowledge that the pretence of Oecumenical Councils wherein the whole Church of Christ on the Earth or all particular Churches should be represented and so obliged to acquiesce in their Determinations is a fond Imagination And it were easie to demonstrate in particular how every one of them which hath in vulgar esteem obtained that Title were openly remote from so being Such Councils never were and as it is improbable never will nor can be nor are any way needful unto the Edification of the Church THEIR due measure and bounds as was said before are given them by concernment and convenience wherein respect also may be had unto the Ability of some Churches to promote Edification above others Such Churches as are in the same instances concerned in the causes of them before declared and may be helpful unto the ends mentioned are to convene in such Synods And this concernment may be either from some of those causes in themselves or from that Duty which they owe unto other Churches which are immediately concerned So it was in the Assistance given by the Church at Jerusalem in that case which was peculiar to the Church of Antioch WITH this interest or concernment there must be a concurrence of natural moral and political Conveniences Some Churches are planted at such distances from others that it is naturally impossible that they should ever meet together to advise by their Messengers and some at such as that they cannot assemble but with such difficulties and hazzards as exempt them from the Duty of it And whereas they are placed under different Civil Governments and those oft-times engaged in mutual enmities and always jealous of the actings of their own Subjects in conjunction with them that are not so they cannot so convene and preserve the outward peace of the Churches Hence the largest of the Councils of old that are called Oecumenical never pretended farther than the single Roman Empire when there were innumerable Churches planted under the Civil Jurisdiction of other Sovereigns WHEREFORE in the Assembling of Churches in Synods respect is to be had unto the convenience of their meeting that it may be so far as is possible without trouble or danger And this with respect unto the causes or occasions of them will determine what Churches which or how many may be necessary on such occasions to constitute a Synod And it is useful hereunto that the Churches which are planted within such a circumference as gives facility or convenience for such conventions should by virtue of their mutual Communion be in express readiness to convene on all occasions of common concernment AGAIN in the assistance which in the way of Advice and Counsel any one Church may stand in need of from others respect is to be had in their desire unto such Churches as are reputed and known to have the best ability to give Advice in the case on which account the Church at Antioch addressed themselves in a peculiar manner unto the Church at Jerusalem which was far distant from them BUT in all these cases use is to be made of Spiritual Prudence with respect unto all sorts of Circumstances which although some would deny as the privilege of even matters of Fact and the Application of general Scripture Rules unto Practice because we require Divine Institution unto all parts of Religious Worship yet we must not decline from using the best we have in the service of Christ and his Church rather than comply with any thing which in the whole substance of it is foreign to his Institution IT was the Roman Empire under one Monarch in its Civil Distributions for Rule and Government which gave the first rise and occasion unto a pretended visibly Ruling Catholick Church under one Spiritual Monarch distributed into those that were Patriarchal Diocesan Metropolitical and others of inferior kinds For retaining the people in their Civil Distributions whereinto they were cast according to the Polity and Interest of the Empire there were Ecclesiastical Officers assigned unto each distribution answerable unto the Civil Officers which were ordained in the Polity of the Empire So in answer unto Deputies Exarchs Praefects Governours of Provinces and Cities there were found out and erected Patriarchs Metropolitans Diocesans in various Allotments of Territories and Powers requiring unto their compleat State one visible Monarchical Head as the Empire had which was the Pope And whereas the Emperors had not only a Civil Rule and Power but a Military also exercised under them by Legates Generals Tribunes Centurions and the like so there was raised an Ecclesiastical Militia in various Orders of Monks Friars and Votaries of all sorts who under their immediate Generals and Praefects did depend absolutely on the Sovereign Power of the New Ecclesiastical Monarch So was the visible professing Church moulded and fashioned into an Image of the old Roman Pagan Empire as it was foretold it should be Revel 13 14 15. And although this Image was first framed in compliance with it and for a resemblance of it yet in process of time it substituted it self entirely in the room of the Empire taking all its Power unto it self and doing all its Works FROM this distribution of various sorts of new-framed Churches in the Roman Empire arose a constitution of Synods or Councils in subordination one unto another until by sundry degrees of Ascent they