The Divine Right of Church Government Part 21

[Footnote 3: Directions of the Lords and Commons, &c. Aug. 19, 1645, p.

10]

[Footnote 4: (1) The ancient discipline of the Bohemian Brethren, published in Latin, in octavo, _Anno_ 1633, pages 99, 100.

(2) The discipline of Geneva, _Anno_ 1576, in _Art._ 1, 22, 57, 86, and 87.

(3) The discipline of the French church at Frankfort, _Edit._ 2, in octavo, _Anno_ 1555, _in cap. de Disciplina et Excom.,_ p. 75, and the Ecclesiast. Discipline of the reformed churches of France, printed at London, _Anno_ 1642, _Art._ 15, 16, and 24, p. 44. (1) The Synodal Const.i.tution of the Dutch churches in England, chap. 4, _Art._ 13, and _t.i.t._ 1, _Art._ 2; and the Dutch churches in Belgia, (see _Harmonia Synodorum Belgicarum_,) _cap._ 14, _Art._ 7, 11, and 15, p. 160. (5) The reformed churches at Na.s.sau, in Germany, as _Zeoper_ testifies, _De Politei Eccles.,_ printed _Herborne, Anno_ 1607, in octavo, _t.i.t. de Censuris Ecclesiast., Part_ 4, _Art._ 64, p. 813. (6) The discipline in the churches const.i.tuted by the labor of _Joannes a Lasco_, ent.i.tled _Forma ac ratio tota Ecclesiastici Miniterii, &c._, _author Joannes a Lasco Poloniae Barone, Anno_ 1555, p. 291. (7) The discipline agreed upon by the English exiles that fled from the _Marian_ persecution to Frankfort, thence to Geneva, allowed by _Calvin_; ent.i.tled _Ratio ac forma publice orandi Deum, &c., Genevae_, 1556, _t.i.t. de Disciplina_, p.

68. (8) The Order of Excommunication and Public Repentance used in the Church of Scotland, _Anno_ 1571, _t.i.t._ The offences that deserve public repentance, &c., pp. 87, 88.]

[Footnote 5: See more in chap. 10, sect. 1.]

[Footnote 6: R. Park, de Polit. Eccl. 1. 2, cap. 42.]

[Footnote 7: Malcolm. Com. in loco.]

[Footnote 8: Calvin in loco.]

[Footnote 9: Chrys. wisheth--"But, O that there had not wanted one that would have delivered diligently unto us the history of the apostles, not only what they wrote, or what they spake, but how they behaved themselves throughout their whole life, both what they did eat, and when they did eat, when they sat, and whither they went, and what they did every day, in what parts they lived, and into what house they entered, and whither they sailed, and that would accurately have expounded all things; so full of manifold utility are all things of theirs."--Chrys., Argum. in Epist. ad Philem. And elsewhere he affirmeth,--"Nor hath the grace of the Holy Ghost without cause left unto us these histories written, but that he may stir us up to the imitation and emulation of such unspeakable men. For when we hear of this man's patience, of that man's soberness, of another man's readiness to entertain strangers, and the manifold virtue of every one, and how every one of them did shine and become ill.u.s.trious, we are stirred up to the like zeal." Chrys. in Gen. x.x.x. 25. Homil. 57, in initio.]

[Footnote 10: "For this cause, therefore, the conversation of these most excellent men is accurately related, that by imitation of them our life may be rightly led on to that which is good."--Greg. Nyssen, lib. de Vita Mosis, tom. i. p. 170, vid. tot. lib.]

[Footnote 11: Perkins on Matth. vi. 16. See him also on Heb. xi. 6, p.

28, in fol. col. 2, B, C, &c., and on Heb. xi. 22, p. 131, col. 2, D, and notably on Heb. xii. 1, p. 200, col. 2, C, D, &c., and on Rev. ii.

19, p. 313, col. 1, B, and his Art of Prophesying, p. 663, col. 1 and 2.

Vide Pet. Martyr in lib. Jud. p. 2, col. 1, and in Rom. iv. 23, 24. And Calvin in Heb. xii. 1; and in Rom. iv. 23, 24, and in 1. Pet. i. 21, &c.]

[Footnote 12: Park. de Pol. Eccl. 1. 2, c. 42.]

[Footnote 13: 2 Cor. x. 8, and xiii. 10.]

[Footnote 14: Matt. xvi. 19, and xviii. 15-18; 1 Cor. v. 4, 5; 2 Cor. x.

8, and xiii. 10.]

[Footnote 15: 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17; 1 Tim. iii. 14, 15, with all places that mention any thing of government.]

[Footnote 16: Eph. iv. 8, 11, 12; 1 Cor. xii. 28; Matt. xxviii. 18-20; John xx. 21-23; Matt. xvi. 19; 2 Cor. x. 8.]

[Footnote 17: Matt. xvi. 19, and xxviii. 19; John xx. 21, 23; 2 Cor. x.

8, and xiii. 10.]

[Footnote 18: Matt, xxviii. 18-20; Acts vi. 4; 2 Tim. iv. 2.]

[Footnote 19: Matt, xxviii. 18-20; 1 Cor. xi. 24.]

[Footnote 20: Matt, xviii. 15-17; t.i.t. iii. 19; 1 Tim. v. 20; 1 Cor. v.

4, 5, 13; 2 Cor. ii. 6: 1 Tim. i. 20; 2 Cor. ii 7, 8, &c.]

[Footnote 21: 1 Cor. iv. 1.]

[Footnote 22: 2 Cor. x. 8, and xiii. 10.]

[Footnote 23: [Greek: Ekklaesia], Acts xix. 32, 39, 40; Eph. v. 23; 1 Cor. xii. 98.]

[Footnote 24: Cameron. Praelect de Eccles. in fol. pp. 296-298.]

[Footnote 25: Who in relating such things can refrain from weeping?]

[Footnote 26: See Mr. Edwards's Antapologia, page 201, printed in anno 1644, proving this out of their own books. Especially see a little book in 12mo. printed in anno 1646, styled a collection of certain matters, which almost in every page pleads for Independency and Independents by name: from which most of the Independent principles seem to be derived.]

[Footnote 27: Let not any man put off this Scripture, saying, This is in the Old Testament, but we find no such thing in the gospel; for we find the same thing, almost the same words used in a prophecy of the times of the gospel, Zech. xiii. 3. In the latter end of the xii. chapter, it is prophesied that those who pierced Christ, should _look upon him and mourn_, &c., having a _spirit of grace and supplication_ poured upon them, chap. xiii. 1. "There shall now be opened a fountain for sin, and for uncleanness," ver. 3. "It shall come to pa.s.s that he that takes upon him to prophesy, that his father and mother that begat him, shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live, for thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord: and his father and his mother that begat him, shall thrust him through, when he prophesieth." You must understand this by that in Deuteronomy. The meaning is not that his father or mother should presently run a knife into him, but that though they begat him, yet they should be the means to bring him to condign punishment, even the taking away his life; these who were the instruments of his life, should now be the instruments of his death.--Mr. Jer. Burroughs in ills Irenic.u.m, chap. v., Pages 19, 20, printed 1646.]

[Footnote 28: But schismatics and heretics are called evil-workers, Phil. iii. 2; and heresy is cla.s.sed among the works of the flesh, Gal.

v. 20.]

[Footnote 29: Mr. Burroughs in his _Irenic.u.m_, c.v. page 25; printed 1646.]

[Footnote 30: See this evidenced upon divers grounds in _Appollon. jus Majest._, pp. 25, 26.]

[Footnote 31: See M.S. to A.S., pages 55-60.]

[Footnote 32: The civil magistrate is no proper church officer, as was intimated, Part 1 c. 1., and will be further evidenced in this chapter.]

[Footnote 33: That the civil magistrate is not the vicar of Christ our Mediator, see abundantly proved by Mr. S. Rutherford, in his Divine Right of Church Government, &c., Ch. 27, Quest. 23, pages 595 to 647.]

[Footnote 34: The formal difference or distinction betwixt these two powers, is fully and clearly a.s.serted by that learned bishop, Usher, in these words: "G.o.d, for the better settling of piety and honesty among men, and the repressing of profaneness and other vices, hath established two distinct powers upon earth: the one of the keys, committed to the Church; the other of the sword, committed to the civil magistrate. That of the keys, is ordained to work upon the inward man; having immediate relation to the remitting or retaining of sins, John xx. 23. That of the sword is appointed to work upon the outward man; yielding protection to the obedient, and inflicting external punishment upon the rebellious and disobedient. By the former, the spiritual officers of the Church of Christ are inclinable to govern well, 1 Tim. v. 17. To _speak_, and _exhort_, and _rebuke_ with all _authority_, t.i.t. ii. 15. To loose such as are penitent, Matt. xvi. 19, and xviii. 18. To commit others to the Lord's prison, until their amendment, or to bind them over to the judgment of the great day, if they shall persist in their wilfulness and obstinacy. By the other, princes have an imperious power a.s.signed by G.o.d unto them, for the defence of such as do well, and executing revenge and wrath, Rom. xiii. 4, upon such as do evil, whether by death, or banishment, or confiscation of goods, or imprisonment, Ezra vii. 26, according to the quality of the offence.

"When St. Peter, that had the keys committed unto him, made bold to draw the sword, he was commanded to put it up, Matt. xxvi. 52, as a weapon that he had no authority to meddle withal. And on the other side, when Uzziah the king would venture upon the execution of the priest's office, it was said unto him, 'It pertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the Lord, but to the priests, the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense,' 2 Chron. xxvi. 18. Let this therefore be our second conclusion: That the power of the sword, and of the keys, are two distinct ordinances of G.o.d; and that the prince hath no more authority to enter upon the execution of any part of the priest's function, than the priest hath to intrude upon any part of the office of the prince." In his speech delivered in the Castle-chamber at Dublin, &c., concerning the oath of supremacy, pages 3, 4, 5. Further differences betwixt these two powers, see in Gillespie's Aaron's Rod, Book 2, Chap. 4.]

[Footnote 35: See this proposition for substance fully and clearly a.s.serted by that acute and pious author, Mr. P. Bains, in his Diocesan's Trial, quest. 3, pages 83, 84, conclus. 3.]

[Footnote 36: See Cotton's Keys, &c., pp. 31-33, and Mr. Thomas Goodwin, and Mr. Philip Nye, in their epistle prefixed thereunto, do own this book as being for substance their own judgment.]

[Footnote 37: See that judicious treatise, Vindiciae Clavium, chap. III.

IV. V., pp. 33-52.]

[Footnote 38: John Cameron, Praelect. in Matt, xviii. 15, p. 149-151, in fol, and Baine's Diocesan's Trial, the third quest, pp. 79, 80, and D.

Parcus in Matt. xviii. 15. This is fully discussed and proved by Mr.

Rutherford in his Peaceable Plea, Chap. viii. p. 85, &c.]

[Footnote 39: A difference arose betwixt two gentlemen in that church about singing of hymns: the second gentleman was complained of to the church by the first, and upon hearing of the whole business, and all the words that pa.s.sed between them, this second gentleman was censured by the church, and Mr. Nye _charged sin upon him_ (that was the phrase) in many particulars, and still at the end of every charge Mr. Nye repeated, "this was your sin." After this censure, so solemnly done, the gentleman censured brings in accusations against Mr. Nye, in several articles, charging him with pride, want of charity, &c., in the manner of the censure; and this being brought before the church, continued in debate about half a year, three or four days in a week, and sometimes more, before all the congregation. Divers of the members having callings to follow, they desired to have leave to be absent. Mr. Goodwin oft professed publicly upon these differences, If this were their church fellowship, he would lay down his eldership; and nothing was more commonly spoke among the members, than that certainly for matter of discipline they were not in the right way, for that there was no way of bringing things to an end. At last, after more than half a year's debate, not being able to bring these differences to an end, and being come into England, they had their last meeting about it, to agree not to publish it abroad when they came into England, &c. Mr. Edwards's Antapolog., pp. 36, 37.]

[Footnote 40: Mr. J. Cotton, in his Way of the Churches of Christ in New England, chap, ii. sect. 7, p. 43.]

[Footnote 41: Were the power in the church, the church should not only call them, but make them out of virtue and power received into herself; then should the church have a true lordlike power in regard of her ministers. Besides, there are many in the community of Christians incapable of this power regularly, as women and children. Mr. P. Bain in his Diocesan's Trial, quest. 3, conclus. 3, page 84, printed 1621.]

[Footnote 42: If spiritual and ecclesiastical power be in the church or community of the faithful, the church doth not only call, but make officers out of virtue and power received into herself, and then should the church have a true lordlike power in regard of her ministers. For, as he that will derive authority to the church, maketh himself lord of the church, so, if the church derive authority to the ministers of Christ, she maketh herself lady or mistress over them, in the exercise of that lordlike authority; for, as all men know, it is the property of the lord and master to impart authority. Did the church give power to the pastors and teachers, she might make the sacrament and preaching which one doth in order, no sacrament, no preaching; for it is the order inst.i.tuted of G.o.d that giveth being and efficacy to these ordinances; and if the power of ruling, feeding, and dispensing the holy things of G.o.d do reside in the faithful, the word and sacrament, in respect of dispensation and efficacy, shall depend upon the order and inst.i.tution of the society. If the power of the keys be derived from the community of the faithful, then are all officers immediately and formally servants to the church, and must do every thing in the name of the church, rule, feed, bind, loose, remit, and retain sins, preach and administer the sacraments; then they must perform their office according to the direction of the church, more or less, seldom or frequent, remiss or diligent; for from whom are they to receive direction how to carry themselves in their offices, but from him or them of whom they receive their office, whose work they are to do, and from whom they must expect reward? If their office and power be of G.o.d immediately, they must do the duties of their place according to his designment, and unto him they must give account; but if their power and function be from the church, the church must give account to G.o.d, and the officers to the church, whom she doth take to be her helpers, &c. Mr. John Ball, in his Trial of the grounds tending to separation, chap. xii. pages 252, 253, &c.]

[Footnote 43: See Vindiciae Clavium, judiciously unmasking these new notions.]