The Divine Right of Church Government Part 23

[Footnote 92: Against the office of deacons, and the divine right thereof, fourteen objections are answered by Mr. S. Rutherford in his Due Right of Presbyteries, chap. 7, pages 159 to 175. To which the reader that shall make any scruple about the deacon's office, is referred for his further satisfaction.]

[Footnote 93: Some of our brethren in New England, observing what confusion necessarily depends upon the government which hath been practised there, have been forced much to search into it within this four years, and incline to acknowledge the presbyters to be the subject of the power without dependence upon the people. "We judge, upon mature deliberation, that the ordinary exercise of government must be so in the presbyters, as not to depend upon the express votes and suffrages of the people. There hath been a convent or meeting of the ministers of these parts, about this question at Cambridge in the Bay, and there we have proposed our arguments, and answered theirs, and they proposed theirs, and answered ours; and so the point is left to consideration." Mr.

Thomas Parker in his letter written from Newbury in New England, December 17, 1643, printed 1644.]

[Footnote 94: Vid. Hen. Steph. Thes. L. Graec. in verb.]

[Footnote 95: Piscator.]

[Footnote 96: Beza.]

[Footnote 97: Zanch. in loco.]

[Footnote 98: Vid. Hen. Steph. Thes. ad verb.]

[Footnote 99: Mr. Jo. Cotton's Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, chap. vii.

in propos. 3, pages 44-46.]

[Footnote 100: See Mr. Cotton's own words in chap. XIV. at the end, in the margin.]

[Footnote 101: See John Calvin, in 1 Cor. v. 4.]

[Footnote 102: Cameron, in Matt. xviii. 15.]

[Footnote 103: Thus Mr. Bayne remarkably expounds this text, Matt.

xviii., saying: Where first mark, that Christ doth presuppose the authority of every particular church taken indistinctly. For it is such a church as any brother offended may presently complain to. Therefore no universal, or provincial, or diocesan church gathered in a council. 2.

It is not any particular church that he doth send all Christians to, for then all Christians in the world should come to one particular church, were it possible. He doth therefore presuppose indistinctly the very particular church where the brother offending and offended are members.

And if they be not both of one church, the plaintiff must make his denunciation to the church where the defendant is. 3. As Christ doth speak it of any ordinary particular church indistinctly, so he doth by the name of church not understand essentially all the congregation. For then Christ should give not some, but all the members of the church to be governors of it. 4. Christ speaketh it of such a church to whom we may ordinarily and orderly complain; now this we cannot to the whole mult.i.tude. 5. This church he speaketh of then doth presuppose it, as the ordinary executioner of all discipline and censure. But the mult.i.tude have not this execution ordinary, as all but Morelius, and such democratical spirits, do affirm. And the reason ratifying the sentence of the church, doth show that often the number of it is but small, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name;" whereas the church or congregations essentially taken for teachers and people, are incomparably great. Neither doth Christ mean by church the chief pastor, who is virtually as the whole church.--Mr. Bayne's Diocesan's Trial.]

[Footnote 104: Timothy received grace by the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. For that persons must be understood here, is apparent by the like place, when it is said, by the laying on of my hands, he noteth a person, and so here a presbytery. 2. To take presbytery to signify the order of priesthood, is against all lexicons, and the nature of the Greek termination. 3. Timothy never received that order of a presbyter, as before we have proved. 4. It cannot signify, as Greek expositors take it, a company of bishops; for neither was that canon of three bishops and the Metropolitan, or all the bishops in a province, in the apostle's time; neither were these who were now called bishops, then called presbyters, as they say, but apostles, men that had received apostolic grace, angels, &c. Finally, it is very absurd to think of companies of other presbyters in churches that Paul planted, but presbyteries of such presbyters as are now distinguished from bishops, which is the grant of our adversaries.--Bayne's Diocesan's Trial, page 82.]

[Footnote 105: See a.s.sertion of the Government of the Church of Scotland, Part I. Chap. 2, p. 122, &c.]

[Footnote 106: Mr. Gillespie's Aaron's Rod Blossoming, book i. chap.

iii. pages 8-38.]

[Footnote 107: Vid. Joannis Seldeni de Anno Civili, and Calendario, &c.

Dissertationem in Praefat., page 8. See also Mr. John Lightfoot's Commentary upon the Acts, c. x. 28, pages 235-239.]

[Footnote 108: John Cameron, Praelect. in Matt. xviii. 15, page 143 ad 162, and Mr. G. Gillespie's Aaron's Rod Blossoming, &c., book i., chap.

3, page 8, &c., and book ii., chap. 9, page 294-297; and book iii., chapters 2-6, handling this elaborately, pages 350-423.]

[Footnote 109: a.s.sertion, &c., part 2, chap. 3, p. 139.]

[Footnote 110: Basilius in Psal. cxv. Oec.u.menius in loc. Jerom.

Chrysostome, hom. 33, in Matt. Irenaeus, lib. 1, chap. 11. Salmeron.]

[Footnote 111: Euseb. Hist. Eccles. 1. 8 c. 1.]

[Footnote 112: If Cenchrea be comprehended under the church of Corinth in this epistle, and the apostle writing to the Corinthians, wrote also to this church, called, Rom. xvi. 1, _the church of Cenchrea_, then have we more congregations than one at Corinth. Now, Cenchrea was a seaport or harbor of the Corinthians. It was a place near to Corinth, on the east of the Egean Sea. Rutherford, in his Due Right of Presbyteries, page 462.]

[Footnote 113: Paget, Gillespie, and the four Leyden professors, unto whose judicious and elaborate treatises, the reader is referred for more full satisfaction against the usual cavils and exceptions that are made against synods, and their power.]

[Footnote 114: This is the judgment of the learned Whitaker upon these words: other lawful councils may in like manner a.s.sert "their decrees to be the decrees of the Holy Ghost, if they shall be like to this council, and shall keep the same rule, which in this council the apostles did keep and follow. For if they shall decree and determine nothing but from Scripture, (which was done in this council.) and if they shall examine all questions by the Scripture, and shall follow the voice of the Scriptures in all their decrees, then they may a.s.sert, that the Holy Ghost so decreed," &c. Whitaker, Cont. page 610.]

[Footnote 115: That there is an authoritative, juridical synod; and that this synod, Acts xv., was such a one; and that this synod is a pattern to us;--all this is most ingenuously acknowledged and a.s.serted by that learned Independent, Mr. John Cotton, in these words, viz:

"IV. Proposition, in case a particular church be disturbed with errors of scandal, and the same maintained by a faction among them. Now a synod of churches, or of their messengers, is the first subject of that power and authority, whereby error is judicially convinced and condemned, the truth searched out and determined; and the way of truth and peace declared and imposed upon the churches.

"The truth of this proposition may appear by two arguments

"_Argum_. 1. From the want of power in such a particular church, to pa.s.s a binding sentence where error or scandal is maintained by a faction; for the promise of binding and loosing which is made to a particular church, Matt, xviii. 18, is not given to the church when it is leavened with error and variance. And the ground----If then the church, or a considerable part of it, fall into error through ignorance, or into faction; by variance, they cannot expect the presence of Christ with them according to his promise, to pa.s.s a blind sentence. And then as they fall under the conviction and admonition of any other sister church, in a way of brotherly love, by virtue of communion of churches; so their errors and variance, and whatsoever scandals else do accompany the same, they are justly subject to the condemnation of a synod of churches.

"2. A second argument to prove that a synod is the first subject of power, to determine and judge errors and variances in particular churches, is taken from the pattern set before us in that case, Acts xv.

1-28: when certain false teachers having taught in the church of Antioch a necessity of circ.u.mcision to salvation, and having gotten a faction to take part with them, (as appeareth by the dissension and disputation of Paul and Barnabas against them,) the church did not determine the case themselves, but referred the whole matter to the _apostles and elders at Jerusalem_, Acts xv. 1, 2. Not to the apostles alone, but to the apostles and elders. The apostles were as the elders and rulers of all churches; and the elders there were not a few, the believers in Jerusalem being many thousands. Neither did the apostles determine the matter (as hath been said) by apostolical authority from immediate revelation: but they a.s.sembled together with the elders, _to consider of the matter_, ver. 6, and a _mult.i.tude of brethren_ together with them, ver. 12, 22, 23; and after searching out the cause by an ordinary means of disputation, ver. 7, Peter cleared it by the witness Of the Spirit to his ministry in Cornelius's family; Paul and Barnabas by the like effect of their ministry among the Gentiles: James confirmed the same by the testimony of the prophets, wherewith the whole synod being satisfied, they determine of a JUDICIAL SENTENCE, and of a way to publish it by letters and messengers; in which they CENSURE the false teachers as troublers of their church, and subverters of their souls; they reject the imposition of circ.u.mcision as a yoke which neither they nor their fathers were able to bear; they IMPOSE upon the Church none but some necessary observations, and them by way of THAT AUTHORITY which the Lord had given them, ver. 28: which PATTERN clearly showeth us to whom the key of authority is committed, when there groweth offence and difference in a church. Look as in the case of the offence of a faithful brother persisted in, the matter is at last judged and determined in a church: so in the offence of the church or congregation, the matter is at last judged in a congregation of churches, a church of churches; for what is a synod else but a church of churches?"--Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, pages 47-49.]

[Footnote 116: Junius, Beza, Calvin, and Piscator.]

APPENDIX.

NO. 1.[117]

_Of the Scriptural Qualifications and Duties of Church Members._

_Quest_. What persons have a right in the sight of G.o.d to be actual members of the Church of Christ?

_Ans_. Only regenerated and converted persons, such as are married to, and have put on Christ; such as are savingly and powerfully enlightened, quickened, and convinced of sin, righteousness, and judgment;[118] such as have chosen Christ for their Lord and Saviour, and resigned and made over themselves to him, and received him upon his own terms;[119] such only as are reconciled unto, and are in favor with G.o.d; as are justified by faith, sanctified by the Spirit, and set apart for holiness, and unto a living to G.o.d, and no more unto themselves:[120] such as are the beloved of G.o.d, called effectually to be saints, and have really and sincerely taken upon them the yoke of Christ Jesus, I say such persons, and only such, doth Jesus Christ account worthy of this privilege and dignity.[121] Although men do not certainly know those that are such, and by reason of their darkness and fallible judgments they may and do admit others into the Church, and unto her privileges, yet in truth these have no right unto them, and ought not to be there; for these spiritual holy things are for, and only for, spiritual and holy persons.

Christ prepares men by his grace, word, and Spirit to make them fit materials, and then he calls them to join together and become a spiritual house, for his delight, service, and glory.[F] And therefore holy persons, and such only, ought to be full members of the Church of Christ.

This will appear by these following particulars:

1. Because G.o.d often declares his detestation and abhorrence of others being there, and manifests his indignation against them. As to the man that came to the marriage supper without the wedding-garment, Matt.

xxii. 11-13; and the five foolish virgins, chap. xxv.; and the dreadful end of the tares, chap. xiii. 38-44, which were the hypocrites, that by the devil's instigation had crept into the Church. It is true that such were, and will be, in the best of churches, although their guides may do all they can to prevent it, because they cannot make an infallible judgment of persons' states; yet it is as certain these are usurpers and ought not to be there. For, although they are in G.o.d's providence permitted to creep in, yet we may be sure they are not there with his approbation:--they are not all Israel that are of Israel; for, saith G.o.d to all uncirc.u.mcised, What have you to do to take my covenant into your mouth, seeing you hate instruction and cast my words behind your back, (as all hypocrites do,) Ps. l. 16, 17. And Christ says, that such as will not have him to reign over him (and to be sure hypocrites will not) shall be destroyed, Luke xix. 27. Now, as hypocrites are most loathsome and abominable persons in the sight of G.o.d, as may be seen at large in Matt, xxiii. 13-35, they have no right unto the spiritual privileges of the Church of Christ, because, in the sight of G.o.d, the gospel Church should consist only of new creatures and real members of Jesus Christ.

II. That all church members ought to be sincere-hearted believers appears by the high t.i.tles which the Lord Jesus gives unto them in Scripture: they are described to be like the king's daughter, all glorious within. They are called saints, holy brethren, and beloved, elect, dear children of G.o.d, the spouse of Christ, a holy temple of G.o.d, lively stones, built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, and the Lord's sealed ones. Now such honorable t.i.tles belong not unto mere formal professors, but only unto the real members of Christ: not unto those that have a name only; but to such as are so indeed and in truth.

III. A third reason is taken from the ends of G.o.d in inst.i.tuting and appointing churches. They are said to be built by the Spirit for G.o.d, i.e. for G.o.d to dwell and walk in them, to repose himself in them, as in his holy garden, house, and temple. They are designed for promoting his glory in the world, to distinguish his people from others; that they should be to the praise of his glorious grace, and be the living witnesses to his name, truths, and ways; that they should be the habitations of beauty and glory, of fame and renown in the world, and be the light thereof; and that with one heart and mouth they should glorify G.o.d. Believers are united into a church capacity for their spiritual profit and advantage, that G.o.d may there give them his love, and communicate his grace, truths, and counsels to them, as to his avowed household and family Christ walks there, and G.o.d the Father dwells there, and the Holy Spirit speaks to them in a special and frequent manner to distribute liberally of their love and fulness. They are formed and set up by Jesus Christ to be the only seats and subjects of his laws, ordinances, power, and authority, that they might receive, obey, and observe his laws, declare before the world their owning of him for their Lord, by their open and public profession of, and subjection unto him, as such; and that, by their regular and distinct following of him in their united church state, they might manifest to all men, that they are his subjects and disciples, that they have chosen him for their Lord and King, and his law for the rule of their faith and obedience; that they are not their own, but his; and that they have reposed themselves in him, as their happiness and eternal blessedness; that they are called out of the world and set apart by his grace for himself, to live unto him; and that they have taken upon themselves his holy yoke, and the observation of all his laws. G.o.d has united believers into churches, that by his Spirit and ministers he may feed and nourish them there as his flock, water them as his garden, support them as his house, and order and govern them as his family and household.

IV. The Church of Christ should consist of new creatures and sincere-hearted believers, because they only can and will answer and prosecute the foresaid, and such like holy ends of G.o.d, in and by his Church. They are fitted and framed, moulded and polished, by the Holy Ghost, for their growing up into a holy temple in the Lord; and so, by the constant and promised guidance and conduct of their living head Jesus Christ, with their spiritual qualifications, they are enabled to answer and perform the great ends of G.o.d, in erecting and building them up in a church state. But unregenerate persons cannot do this, because they are strangers in heart to Jesus Christ, and to the power of G.o.dliness; nor would they if they could, because they have not the saving knowledge of Christ in them, but are full of obstinacy against G.o.d.

V. Because all the laws, ordinances, and works of church members are holy, spiritual, and heavenly. They are such as the natural man understands not, and cannot discern what they are, because they are spiritual and holy; and therefore they that are not taught of G.o.d savingly to form a proper judgment of them, do think and judge of them carnally and vainly. But believers have them written in their hearts beforehand. Yet they have them not without book, I mean they have the same laws of Christ written in the books of their hearts which they find in the Bible, by which they are in some measure enabled to understand, receive, love, and rightly to obey, the laws and ordinances of Christ without. Their laws are holy and spiritual, and their works in a church state are so likewise. They have a holy G.o.d, who is a Spirit, to serve and worship; a spiritual Head to believe in and obey; holy and spiritual work to do; and therefore they need to be holy and spiritual persons, not only externally in profession, but also internally, in truth. Almost all the laws and ordinances of Christ are committed unto them, and G.o.d expects his princ.i.p.al and choicest worship from his Church; and these are all above and beyond the reach of carnal minds.

VI. The Church ought to be composed of believers and regenerated persons, because they are called to continue and stand fast in all storms and tempests; and to hold out unto the end, as being built upon the rock Jesus Christ. For whatever church is built upon the sand, and not upon the Lord Jesus, and by the authority of his word and Spirit, will not stand long, because it wants a foundation to bear up its weight. They must all be built upon the rock and chief corner-stone, the sure foundation that G.o.d hath laid. The Lord Jesus tells us, Matt. xvi.

18, that upon this rock (i.e. himself and the truths that Peter had confessed) will I build my Church, and the gates of h.e.l.l shall not prevail against it. But it is certain that hypocrites are not built upon Christ by faith, but fix their vain hopes on a sandy foundation.

Therefore, if their persons are not built upon Christ, their church state cannot; but upon the sand. Hence then it follows that only true believers are built on Christ, and so they are the only persons that Christ wishes to have built up into holy temples; because the churches that Christ builds shall be built upon himself, that they may stand impregnable against all opposition: and therefore they should only be composed of such as are united to him by faith, and have chosen him for their only rock and foundation, and not of such as do secretly reject him.