The Divine Right of Church Government Part 16

Now these officers of Christ, viz. they that labor in the word and doctrine, and the ruling elders, are the subject of this power of jurisdiction as they are united in one body, hence called a Church, Matth. xviii. 18, viz. the governing or ruling church; for no other can there be meant; and presbytery,[104] i.e. a society or a.s.sembly of presbyters together, 1 Tim. iv. 14.

The presbyters, elderships, or a.s.semblies wherein these officers are united and a.s.sociated, are of two sorts, viz: 1. The lesser a.s.semblies, consisting of the ministers and ruling elders in each single congregation; which, for distinction's sake, is styled the congregational eldership. 2. The greater a.s.semblies, consisting of church governors sent from several churches and united into one body, for governing of all these churches within their own bounds, whence their members were sent. These greater a.s.semblies are either presbyterial or synodal. 1. Presbyterial, consisting of the ministers and elders of several adjacent or neighboring single congregations, or parish churches, ruling those several congregations in common; this kind of a.s.sembly is commonly called the presbytery, or, for distinction's sake, the cla.s.sical presbytery, i.e. the presbytery of such a rank of churches. 2. Synodal, consisting of ministers and elders, sent from presbyterial a.s.semblies, to consult and conclude about matters of common and great concernment to the church within their limits. Such was that a.s.sembly mentioned, Acts xv. These synodal a.s.semblies are either, 1. Of ministers and elders from several presbyteries within one province, called provincial. 2. Or of ministers and elders from several provinces within one nation, called therefore national. Or, 3. Of ministers and elders from the several nations within the whole Christian world, therefore called ec.u.menical: for all which a.s.semblies, congregational, presbyterial, and synodal, and the subordination of the lesser to the greater a.s.semblies respectively, there seems to be good ground and divine warrant in the word of G.o.d, as (G.o.d willing) shall be evinced in the xii., xiii., xiv., and xv. chapters following.

CHAPTER XII.

_Of the Divine Right of Congregational Elderships or Kirk Sessions, for the government of the Church._

Touching congregational elderships, consisting of the ministers and ruling elders of the several single congregations, which are called the lesser a.s.semblies, or smaller presbyteries, and which are to manage and order all ecclesiastical matters within themselves, which are of more immediate, private, particular concernment to their own congregations respectively; and consequently, of more easy dispatch, and of more daily use and necessity. Concerning these congregational presbyteries, we shall not now take into consideration either, 1. What are the members const.i.tuting and making up these elderships; whether ruling elders by divine warrant may be superadded to the pastors and teachers, and so be a.s.sociated for the government of the congregation. For the divine right of the ruling elders, distinct from the preaching elder for the government of the church, hath been evidenced at large, Chapter XI., Section 1, foregoing. And if any acts of government in the church belong to the ruling elder at all, sure those acts of common jurisdiction, to be dispatched in these least a.s.semblies, cannot of all other be denied unto him. 2. Nor shall it here be discussed, what the power of congregational elderships is, whether it be universally extensive to all acts of government ecclesiastical whatsoever, without exception or limitation; and that independently, without subordination to the greater a.s.semblies, and without all liberty of appeal thereunto in any cases whatsoever, though of greatest and most common concernment. Which things are well stated and handled by others;[105] and will in some measure be considered afterwards in Chapter XV.

3. But the thing for the present to be insisted upon, against the Erastian and prelatical party, is, the divine right of authority and power for church government, which is in congregational presbyteries or elderships, in reference to their respective congregations. Take it thus:

Elderships of single congregations vested and furnished with ecclesiastical authority and power to exercise and dispense acts of government in and over those respective congregations whereunto they do belong, are by divine right warrantable.

For confirmation hereof the light of nature, the inst.i.tution of Christ, the apostolical practice, and the law of necessity, seem to speak sufficiently unto us.

1. The common light of nature thus far directeth all sorts of smaller societies, whether political or ecclesiastical, to compose all particular and more private differences and offences within themselves; and to decide and determine small, common, easy causes and matters, by smaller courts and judicatories appointed for that end: a vain thing to trouble more and greater a.s.semblies with those matters, that may as well be determined by the lesser. It was wise and grave counsel which Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, gave to Moses, that he should set up over the people certain judges inferior to himself, who themselves might judge all smaller matters, but all _great and hard matters to be brought to Moses_, Exod. xviii. 22, 26. And our Saviour seems to insinuate, that the Jews had their inferior courts for inferior causes, superior judicatories for greater, in that gradation of his, Matt. v. 22.

Likewise they had lesser and greater ecclesiastical a.s.semblies, (as after will appear.) Now, to what use are greater and lesser judicatories, civil or ecclesiastical, but that the lesser and lighter causes may be judged in the inferior, harder and greater in the superior?

2. The inst.i.tution of Christ recorded Matt. xviii. 15-21, seems to hold forth notably both single congregational elderships, and their power.

And this, whether we consider the Jewish form, unto which our Saviour seems to refer; or whether we observe the matter of his discourse.

1. As for the Jewish form of church government (unto which our Saviour here seems to allude) we may observe it was managed by two, if not three sorts of ecclesiastical courts, viz: By the Sanhedrin, presbytery, and synagogue, (much like to the evangelical synod, presbytery, and congregational eldership since Christ.) 1. They had their ecclesiastical,[106] as well as their civil Sanhedrin, for high and difficult affairs of the church; which seems first to be const.i.tuted, Exod. xxiv. 1, and after decay thereof, it was restored by King Jehoshaphat, 2 Chron. xix. 8; and from this court that national church's reformation proceeded, Neh. vi. 13. 2. Again, it is very probable they had between their Sanhedrin and their synagogue a middle ecclesiastical court called _The Presbytery_, Luke xxii. 66, and Acts xxii. 5, _and the whole presbytery_. Let such as are expert in Jewish antiquities and their polity, consider and judge. 3. Finally, they had their lesser judicatories in their synagogues, or congregational meetings: for, their synagogues were not only for prayer, and the ministry of the word, in reading and expounding the Scriptures, but also for public censures, correcting of offences, &c., as that phrase seems to import, "And I punished them oft in every synagogue," Acts xxvi. 11. His facts and proceedings, it is true, were cruel, unjust, impious. But why inflicted _in every synagogue_, rather than in other places, and that by virtue of the _high priest's letters_, Acts ix. 1, 2; but there the Jews had judicatories, that inflicted public punishments upon persons ecclesiastically offending? Besides, we read often in the New Testament of the _rulers of the synagogue_, as Mark v. 35, 36, 38; Luke viii. 41, and xiii. 14; and of Crispus and Sosthenes the chief _rulers of the synagogue_, Acts xviii. 8, 17; whence is intimated to us, that these synagogues had their rule and government in themselves; and that this rule was not in one person, but in divers together; for if there were chief rulers, there were also inferiors subordinate unto them: but this is put out of doubt, in Acts xiii. 15, where after the lecture of the law and the prophets, _the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them_--_synagogue_ in the singular number, and rulers in the plural.

Thus a.n.a.logically there should be ecclesiastical rulers and governors in every single congregation, for the well guiding thereof. But if this satisfy not, add hereunto the material pa.s.sages in our Saviour's speech.

2. Now touching the matter of our Saviour's discourse, it makes this very clear to us; for by a gradation he leadeth us from admonition private and personal, to admonition before two or three witnesses, and from admonition before two or three witnesses, to the representative body of one church, (as the phrase _tell the church_ must here necessarily be interpreted,) if there the difference can be composed, the offence removed, or the cause ended; rather than unnecessarily render the offence, and so our brother's shame, more public and notorious. And that the presbytery or eldership of a particular congregation, vested with power to hear and determine such cases as shall be brought before them, is partly, though not only here intended, seems evident in the words following, which are added for the strengthening and confirming of what went before in ver. 17: "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. Again, I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them," Matt. xviii.

18-20. In which pa.s.sages these things are to be noted: 1. That this church to which the complaint is to be made, is invested with power of _binding_ and _loosing_, and that so authoritatively that what by this church shall be bound or loosed on earth shall also be bound or loosed in heaven, according to Christ's promise. 2. That these acts of _binding_ or _loosing_, may be the acts but of two or three, and therefore consequently of the eldership of a particular congregation; for where such a juridical act was dispatched by a cla.s.sical presbytery, it is said to be done of _many_, 2 Cor. ii. 6, because that in such greater presbyteries there are always more than _two or three_. And though some do pretend, that the faults here spoken of by our Saviour in this place, were injuries, not scandals; and that the church here mentioned was not any ecclesiastical consistory, or court, but the civil Sanhedrin, a court of civil judicature; and yet most absurdly they interpret the binding and loosing here spoken of, to be doctrinal and declarative; not juridical and authoritative; as if the doctrinal binding and loosing were in the power of the civil Sanhedrin:[107] yet all these are but vain, groundless pretences and subterfuges, without substance or solidity, as the learned and diligent reader may easily find demonstrated by consulting these judicious authors mentioned in the foot note,[108] to whom for brevity's sake he is referred for satisfaction in these and divers such like particulars.

3. The consideration of the apostolical practice, and state of the Church of G.o.d in those times, may serve further to clear this matter to us. For, 1. We sometimes read of single congregations; and as the Holy Ghost doth call the whole body of Christ _the Church_, Matt. xvi. 18, 1 Cor. xii. 28, and often elsewhere; and the larger particular members of that body of Christ (partaking the nature of the whole, as a drop of water is as true water as the whole ocean) churches; as, _the church of Jerusalem_, Acts viii. 1; _the church of Antioch_, Acts xiii. 1; _the church of Ephesus_, Rev. ii. 1; _the church of Corinth_, 2 Cor. i. 1; (these being the greater presbyterial churches, as after will appear, Chap. XIII.;) so the same holy Spirit of Christ is pleased to style single congregations, _churches_, "Let women keep silence in the churches," 1 Cor. xiv. 34, i.e. in the single congregations of this one church of Corinth: and often mention is made of the church that is in such or such an _house_, as Rom. xvi. 5; 1 Cor. xvi. 19; Col. iv. 15; Philem. 2; whether this be interpreted of the church made up only of the members of that family, or of the church that ordinarily did meet in such houses, it implies a single congregation. Now shall single congregations have the name and nature of churches, and shall we imagine they had not in them the ordinary standing church officers, viz. pastors and teachers, governments, or elders _ruling well_, and helps or deacons? or is it probable they were furnished with these officers, and yet the officers furnished with no power for the government of these single congregations at all? 2. We find that the apostles being crowned with such success in their ministry, as to be instruments of converting such mult.i.tudes to the faith as were sufficient to make up many several churches from time to time, did diligently take care to ordain them presbyters, or elders _in every church_, Acts xiv. 23; t.i.t. i. 5. Now can it be clearly evidenced by any, that these were not ruling as well as preaching presbyters; especially when it appears by other places that the primitive churches had both? Rom. xii. 8; 1 Cor. xii. 28;

1 Tim. v. 17. Or can we think that the apostles were not as careful to erect elderships in several congregations, as to appoint elders?

otherwise how could the apostles have answered it to their Lord and Master Jesus Christ, in leaving them without that necessary provision of government, which Christ himself had allowed to them, at least, in some cases, as hath been evidenced?

4. Finally, necessity (which is a strong and cogent law) plainly and forcibly pleads for elderships in particular congregations endowed with authority and power from Christ for government within themselves. For, 1. How wearisome a thing would it be to all congregations, should every one of their members be bound to attend upon synods and greater presbyteries, (which in the country are at a great distance from them,) in all ecclesiastical matters of judicature, if they had no relief in their own congregations? How impossible would it be for the greater presbyteries, not only to hear and determine all hard and weighty, but also all small and easy causes that would be brought before them? And what should become of such a congregation as either voluntarily transplants itself, or is accidentally cast among heathens or pagans in far countries, where there are no Christians or churches to join and a.s.sociate withal, if they be denied an authoritative presbytery within themselves, for preventing and healing of scandals, and preserving themselves from destruction and ruin, which anarchy would unavoidably bring upon them?

CHAPTER XIII.

_Of the Divine Right of Presbyteries, (for distinction's sake called Cla.s.sical Presbyteries,) for the government of the Church._

Having spoken of the lesser, viz. congregational elderships, we come now to the greater ruling a.s.semblies, which are either presbyterial or synodal. And first, of the presbyterial a.s.sembly, or cla.s.sical presbytery, viz. an a.s.sembly made up of the presbyters of divers neighboring single congregations, for governing of all those respective congregations in common, whereunto they belong, in all matters of common concernment and greater difficulty in the Church. The divine warrant and right of this presbytery, and of the power thereof for church government, may princ.i.p.ally be evidenced, 1. By the light of nature. 2.

By the light of Scripture, which light of Scripture was followed by the Church in the ages after the apostolical times.

I. The light of nature and right reason may discover to us (though more dimly) the divine warrant of the greater presbyteries, and of their power for the governing of the church. For,

1. There are many ecclesiastical matters which are of common concernment to many single congregations, as trial of church officers, ordination and deposition of ministers, dispensation of censures, judicial determination of controversies, resolution in difficult cases of conscience, ordering of things indifferent, &c.; here the rule holds well, that which concerns many congregations, is not to be considered and determined upon only by one, but those many concerned and interested therein.

2. Single congregational elderships stand in need of all mutual help and a.s.sistance one of another in the Lord, being, 1. Inwardly weak in themselves; too p.r.o.ne to be turned out of the way, Heb. xii. 13, Gal. v.

15, and too feeble for divers great tasks: as examination and ordination of ministers, &c., which weakness is healed by a.s.sociation with others a.s.sisting them. 2. Outwardly opposed by many dangerous and subtle adversaries: men as grievous wolves, &c., Acts xx. 28-30; 2 Pet. ii. 1; Phil. iii. 2; 1 Tim. iv. 1-7; Eph. iv. 14; devils, 1 Pet. v. 8. In such cases two are better than one: "Wo to them that are alone; if they fall, who shall take them up?"

3. Such intricate cases may fall out as cannot be determined and settled by the eldership of a single congregation. As for instance, some member in the congregation may conceive himself so wronged by the eldership thereof, that he cannot submit to their unjust sentence; shall he not in such case have liberty of appeal from them? If not, then he is left without a remedy, (which is the calamity of the Independent government.) If he may, whether shall he appeal regularly but to an a.s.sociated presbytery? therefore there must be such a presbytery to appeal unto.

Again, there may be a controversy betwixt the whole congregation, and their presbytery; yea, the presbytery itself may be equally divided against itself; yea, one single congregation may have a great and weighty contest with another sister congregation, (all single congregations being equal in power and authority, none superior, none inferior to others.) Now, in these and such like cases, suppose both parties be resolute and wilful, and will not yield to any bare moral suasion or advice without some superior authority, what healing is left in such cases, without the a.s.sistance of an authoritative presbytery, wherein the whole hath power to regulate all the parts?

4. Single congregations, joined in vicinity and neighborhood to one another, should avoid divisions, (which are destructive to all societies, as well ecclesiastical as civil,) and maintain peace and unity among themselves, (which is conservative to all societies;) neither of which, without a.s.sociated presbyteries, can be firmly and durably effected. Both which ought with all diligence to be endeavored.

For, 1. Peace and unity in the Church are in themselves amiable, and ought to be promoted, Psal. cx.x.xiii. 1, &c.; Eph. iv. 3, 13; 1 Cor. i.

10. 2. Schisms and divisions are simply evil, and all appearance, cause, and occasion thereof, ought carefully to be avoided, 1 Cor. xii. 25; Rom. xvi. 17; 1 Thes. iv. 22. 3. All congregations are but as so many branches, members, parts of that one church, one body, one family, one commonwealth, one kingdom, whereof Christ is Head, Lord, and King; and therefore they should communicate together, and harmoniously incorporate and a.s.sociate with one another, (so far as may be,) for the common good, peace, unity, and edification of all. See 1 Cor. xii. 12-29; Eph. ii.

12-16, and iv. 12-14, and v. 23-25.

II. The light of Scripture will hold forth the divine warrant of greater presbyteries and their power for church government, far more clearly than the light of nature. Forasmuch as we find in the Scriptures a pattern of these greater presbyteries, and of their presbyterial government over divers single congregations in common in the primitive apostolical churches. For the greater evidence and perspicuity hereof, take this proposition:

Jesus Christ our Mediator hath laid down in his word a pattern of presbyterial government in common over divers single congregations in one Church, for a rule to his Church in all after ages. For confirmation hereof, there are chiefly these three positions to make good, which are comprised in this proposition, viz: 1. That there is in the word a pattern of divers single congregations in one church. 2. That there is in the word a pattern of one presbyterial government in common over divers single congregations in one church. 3. Finally, that the pattern of the said presbyterial government, is for a rule to the churches of Christ in all after ages.

POSITION I.

That there is in the word a pattern of divers single congregations in one church, may be plentifully evinced by four instances of churches, (to mention no more,) viz. the churches of Jerusalem, Antioch, Ephesus, and Corinth. Touching which four these two things are clear in the Scripture, viz: 1. That every of them was one church. 2. That in every one of these churches there were more congregations than one. Both which will fully evince a pattern of divers single congregations in one church held forth in the word.

1. The former of these, viz. That every one of these was one church, may be proved by induction of particulars. 1. All the believers in Jerusalem were one church; hence they are often comprised under the word church, of the singular number:--"Against the church which was at Jerusalem," Acts viii. 1. "Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem," Acts ii. 22. "And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders," Acts xv. 4. 2. All the believers in Antioch were one church. "Now there were in the church that was at Antioch, certain prophets," Acts xiii. 1. "And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pa.s.s, that a whole year they a.s.sembled themselves with the church, and taught much people, and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch," Acts xi. 26. 3. All the believers in Ephesus were one church: "And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church," Acts xx. 17. And after he gives them this charge, "Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of G.o.d," ver. 28; all were but _one flock, one church_. "Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus, write," Rev. ii. 1. 4. All the believers in Corinth were one church, and comprised under that singular word, church: "Unto the church of G.o.d which is at Corinth," 1 Cor. i. 2.

"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of G.o.d, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of G.o.d which is at Corinth," 2 Cor. i. 1. Thus in all these four instances it is clear beyond all contradiction, that they were every of them respectively one church.

The latter of these, viz. that these primitive apostolical churches of Jerusalem, Antioch, Ephesus, and Corinth, were not every of them severally and respectively only one single congregation, (as some imagine,) but consisted every of them of more congregations than one.

This shall be manifested in these four churches severally, as followeth:

The church of Jerusalem in Judea contained in it more congregations than one. This may be convincingly evidenced divers ways, particularly from, 1. The mult.i.tude of believers in that church. 2. The mult.i.tude of church officers there. 3. The variety of languages there. 4. The manner of the Christians' public meetings in those primitive times, both in the church of Jerusalem, and in other churches.

1. From the mult.i.tude of believers in the church of Jerusalem. For it is palpably evident to any impartial reader that will not wilfully shut his eyes, and subject his reason unto the groundless dictates of men, against the clear light of the Scripture, that there were more believers in the church of Jerusalem, than could ordinarily meet in one congregation, to partake of all the ordinances of Christ.

And this may fully appear by these many instances following. 1. Christ after his resurrection, and before his ascension, "was seen of above five hundred brethren at once," 1 Cor. xv. 6. 2. "After that of James, then of all the apostles," ver. 7. 3. At the election of Matthias, and before Christ's ascension, there were disciples together, the "company of their names together was as it were one hundred and twenty," Acts i.

15. 4. At Peter's sermon, "they that gladly received his word, were baptized. And that day were added about three thousand souls," Acts ii.

1, 4. 5. And "The Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved," ver. 27. 6. Afterwards at another of Peter's sermons, "Many of them that heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand," Acts iv. 4. 7. After that, "Believers were the more added to the Lord, mult.i.tudes both of men and women," Acts v. 14. 8.

Furthermore, the disciples multiplying, and the work of the ministry thereupon much increasing, the apostles were necessitated to appoint seven deacons for serving of tables, that they might wholly "give themselves to the ministry of the word and prayer," Acts vi. 1 to 7; whence some have thought, that there were seven congregations in Jerusalem, a deacon for every one. Certainly there were rather more than fewer, (saith the author of the a.s.sertion of the Government of the Church of Scotland,[109]) though we cannot determine how many. However this, the Holy Ghost clearly testifieth that "The word of G.o.d increased, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem multiplied greatly." 9.

"And a great company of the priests became obedient to the faith," Acts vi. 7; and probably the example of the priests drew on mult.i.tudes to the Gospel. All these forementioned were in a short time converted, and became members of this one church of Jerusalem, and that before the dispersion occasioned by the persecution of the Church, Acts viii. 1.

Now should we put all these together, viz. both the number of believers expressed in particular, which is 8,620, and the mult.i.tudes so often expressed in the general, (which, for aught we know, might be many more than the former,) what a vast mult.i.tude of believers was there in Jerusalem! and how impossible was it for them to meet all together in one congregation, to partake of all the ordinances of Jesus Christ! 10.

In like manner, after the dispersion forementioned, the word so prospered, and the disciples brought into the faith by it, so multiplied, that it was still far more impossible for all the believers in the church of Jerusalem to meet in one congregation to partake of all the ordinances of Christ, than before. For it is said, "Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea" (and the church of Jerusalem in Judea was doubtless one of those churches) "and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied." 11. Again, "the word of the Lord increased and multiplied," Acts xii. 24. 12. Furthermore, when Paul, with other disciples, his fellow-travellers, came to Jerusalem, and "declared to James and the elders, what things G.o.d had wrought by his ministry among the Gentiles--They glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many" myriads (or ten thousands) "of believing Jews there are, and they are all zealous of the law"--Acts xxi. 20. Our translation seems herein very defective, rendering it how many thousands; whereas it should be, according to the Greek, how many ten thousands: and these myriads seem to be in the church of Jerusalem, seeing it is said of them, ver. 22, "The mult.i.tude must needs come together, for they will hear that thou art come." Now considering this emphatical expression, not only _thousands_, but _ten thousand_: not _only ten thousand_ in the singular number, but _ten thousands, myriads_, in the plural number: nor only _myriads, ten thousands_, in the plural number, but _how many ten thousands_; we cannot in reason imagine but there were at least three ten thousands, viz: thirty thousand believers, and how all they should meet together in one congregation for all ordinances, let the reader judge. Thus far of the proof, from the mult.i.tude of believers in the church of Jerusalem.

_Except_. But the five thousand mentioned Acts iv. 4, are no new number added to the three thousand, but the three thousand included in the five thousand, as Calvin and Beza think.

_Ans_. 1. Then it is granted that five thousand one hundred and twenty, besides an innumerable addition of converts, were in Jerusalem; which if such a number, and mult.i.tudes besides, could for edification meet in one place, to partake of all the ordinances, let the reader judge.

2. Though Calvin and Beza think the three thousand formerly converted to be included in this number of five thousand, Acts iv. 4, yet divers both ancient and modern interpreters are of another mind, as Augustine. There came unto the body of the Lord in number three thousand faithful men; also by another miracle wrought, there came other five thousand.[110]

These five thousand are altogether diverse from the three thousand converted at the first sermon: so Lorinus, Aretius, and divers others.