A Christian Plea, Treatise 3 · Chapter 3
CHAPTER III. Touching the right and power of particular churches.
VVHether † everie Church hauehave not right and power graunted by the Lord, to chuſe their ovvn Paſtours, & other Miniſters, Elders, Deacons, and Deaconeſſes: making choiſe of meet & fit perſons: as alſo to * uſe the miniſtration of the vvord, Sacraments, Cenſures, and vvhole eccleſiaſtical adminiſtration; being careful ſtil to hauehave al things done, according to the ordinance of God, preſcribed in his word. Mat. 28, 18 — 20. with … Act 6, 3, 5. and 14, 23. compared with Act. 1, 15, 23, 26. and 2, 41, 42, 46. & 11, 22. & 15, 22, 25. 1 Cor. 16, 3. 2 Cor. 8, 19. Gal. 1, 1. 1 Tim. 3, 1 — 15. & 5, 9, 10, 11, 17, …2. & 6, 13, 14. & Ezec. 33, 2. Lev. 8, 2, 3, 4, 5. Num. 8, 9. Deut. 1, 13 & 16, 18. with Joh. 13, 20. 1 Cor. 4, 1. 2 Cor. 5, 19. Heb. 5, 4. Alſo * Act. 1, 2, 3, 14, 15. & 15, 2, 6, 23, 30, and 20, 7, 17, 18. & 21, 18 — 23. Rom. 12, 6, 7, 8. & 16, 1, 2. Mat. 18, 17, 18, 19, 20. and 28, 18, 19, 20. 1 Cor. 4, 17. & 5 ch. & 10, 16. and 11, 23 — 26. and 12 ch. Epiſt. to Timoth. & Tit. Rev. 2, & 3 ch. with 1 Tim. 6, 13, 14.
I. Becauſe the Primitiue churches planted by the Apoſtles, had this right and power at the beginning: as may be ſeen in the Scriptures here before alledged.
II. And the Congregation of Iſrael had of old likewiſe their right in the election of their officers, and other ſuch waightie & publike affaires: Which therefore is not novv to be denied unto Chriſtians. Levit. 8, 2 — 5, Deut. 1.13. and 16, 18. and 17, 2 — 7. compared with the Scriptures aforeſaid: & particularly, with 1 Cor. 4, 17. and 5, 13. and 10, 18. &c. And in the Apoſtles daies, Chriſtians nevvly converted from paganiſme, and therefore as unfit and unexpert as men in theſe times, yet had and uſed this their right and libertie, as is before shevved.
III. Beſides that this manner of calling is of ſpeciall waight for the guiding and keeping of the people in obedience to the truth, and in louelove and reve… of their miniſters and other Officers, vvhen they are ſuch as themſelues, in dutie to God, and for their ovvn inſtruction, guiding & ſervice, hauehave made choiſe off. For vvhichwhich, compare the Scriptures aforeſaid, with 1 Theſ. 5, 12, 13. and 1 Tim. 5, 17.
IIII. And ſeeing a true and lawfull calling is neceſſarie to be had, For othervviſe hovv should men be aſſured that they are called and ſent of God? Jer. 17, 16. Amos 7, 15 Heb. 5, 4. Or why doth the Lord account them for intruders & ſtraungers, and ſeverely punish them, vvhichwhich runne being unſent and uncalled, and take upon them that which the Lord hath not laid upon them? Num. 16 ch. and 18, 7. 2 Chron. 26, 16 — 21. Ezec. 44, 9 — 15. Rev. 2.2, campared with Ier. 23, 21. and Joh. 10, 1 — 5. Or hovv els should the people receiue them as from the Lord, miniſtring and ſpeaking to them in his ſtead? Ioh. 13, 20. 2 Cor. 5, 19, 20.) Therefore if this be not that manner of entrance which Chriſt hath ordeyned, eyther ſome other muſt be shewed out of the vvord of God appointed by him now to be had; or it muſt be proved, that now it is lavvfull to deviſe nevv kinds of election & entrance, or that men may intrude themſelues at their owne or other mens pleaſure, as they think good. Neyther of vvhichwhich can ever be approved.
V. Here alſo may be obſerved, how in other waightie affaires behoofull and belonging to the whole bodie of the church, they vvere uſually done, in Iſraell, and the Primitiue Churches, openly vvith the Churches knovvledge, in a publike aſſemblie, and (as the nature of the caſes, and other circumſtances required) vvith their conſent or approbation having this care, that all should keep their place, and performe their dueties, according to the rules preſcribed in the vvord of God. Thus they had openly and publikely the vvord miniſtred, Neh. 8 ch. Jer. 7, and 26 chap. Act. 13, 14, 15. and 15, 21. and 20, 28. 1 Cor. 14, 23, 24. 1 Tim 1, 3. and 3, 15. and 4.13. the Paſſeover, and the Lords ſupper celebrated, 2 Chron. 30. and 35 ch. …r. 10, 16, 17, 18. and 11, 18, 20. &c. the punishments, and cenſures on ſinners and malefactors inflicted. Deut. 17, 2 — 13. & 21, 18 — 21. Ioh. 16, 2. 1 Cor. 5, 3, 4, 5, 13. 1 Tim. 5, 20. The Elders in Iſraell ſate and judged in the gates, vvhere the people did and might come: Deut. 21, 18 — 21. & 22, 13-21. & 25.5 — 10. with Ruth. 4.1 — 11. And afterward vvhen they lived under the Romanes, or out of their owne countrey, they ſate & judged in their councels, or houſes of judgement; and inflicted punishment in their Synagogues. Mat. 10, 17. and 23, 32. Luk. 6, 22. and 21.12. Joh. 9, 22. and 12, 42. Act. 23, 1 — 7. and 24, 20, 21. The children of Iſraell on this ſide Iorden, heare, and ſend to the children of Reuben, Gad, and Manaſſeh, about the Altar vvhichwhich they ſet up, in the borders of Iordan, Joſh. 22.11 — 33. The people were aſſembled, when reformation of ſtrange mariages, was to be made. Ezra 10 ch. Praiſe is giuen to God, in the congregation of the people, and aſſemblie of the Elders, Pſal. 137.32. The high Prieſt and the Elders of the nation, and the Prieſts and the other people of the Iewes, ſend letters to the Lacedemonians. 1 Mach. 12, 6. Lyſias alſo and king Antiochus ſend letters to the Counſell, and the reſt of the Ievves, 2 Mach. 11, 16, 27. Ionathan calleth the Elders of the people together, and conſulteth with them about building ſtrong holds in Iudea: vvhereupon the people come together to build up the citie, &c. 1 Mach. 12, 35, 36.37. Likevviſe in the primitiue churches, and vvhiles the Apoſtles lived, the church ſendeth forth ſome for the further inſtructiō or building up of others in the faith. Act. 11.22. and 15.22.25.27. Publike controverſies in religion, are publikely heard, diſputed, and determined. Act. 11, 2 — 18. and 15.2 — 22. vvith 16.4. and 17.1.2.3. and 21.18 — 22 — 25. Publike ſinners are openly rebuked before a… and delivered to Sathan, when the church is gathered together. 1 Tim. 5.20. 1 Cor. 5.3.4.5.11.12.13. compared vvith Deut. 17.2 — 7. Generall letters about publike affaires and occaſions, are written by the Apoſtles, Elders, and brethren. Act. 15.23. Gal. 1.1.2. 1 Cor. 16.3. They that are ſent with letters or benevolence or upon other ſuch occaſions from one church to another, are choſen or approved of the churches. Act. 15.2.22.23. 1 Cor. 16.…. and 2 Cor. 8.19. In vvhichwhich ſeverall caſes, and the like (although ſome differences may be obſerved whereupon novv I inſiſt not: as namely that ſome of them are done vvith election according to the ſuffrages & voyces of the people, or other approbation, ſome vvay ſignified; others or them are decreed by the Elders, & publikly denounced or executed, &c. yet notwithſtanding) this point & the manner of dealing aforeſaid is duly and carefully to be regarded: And that the more, inaſmuch as in thoſe times there were beſides the Elders of the people, the Prophets & Prieſts in Iſraell, the Apoſtles and Miniſters in the Primitiue churches, who (if any at al) might hauehave excluded the people in ſuch caſes, or kept from them the knovvledge thereof, if it had ben lavvfull ſo to doe: ſpecially ſeeing they had the Elders of the churches then preſent and conſenting vvith them. Which yet they would not doe, though they vvere the meſſengers of the Lord of hoſtes, the Prophets and Apoſtles of Chriſt, the builders & Maiſter-builders in the framing, guyding, & eſtablishing of the churches in the vvay and order appointed by the Lord. But now vvhat they might or vvould hauehave done, if the people vvere refractarie, or took to much upon them, or were divided into parts and factions, and vvould not conſent nor reſt, or be obedient, as they should: that is another queſtion, vvhichwhich here I treat not off. Numb. 16 ch. 2 Chron. 26.16 — 20. Ier. 26.8 — 24. Act. 20.17.28. 1 Cor. 4.21. and 11.18. &c. 2 Cor. 12.20.21. and 13.1.2.8. 1 Tim. 1.20. and 5.17.19.20.21. and 6.13.14. Tit. 2.15. Rev. 2.14.20. &c.
VI. Moreover, not onelyonly the Catholick, but alſo everie particular Church (in a right and due conſideration) is the church and city of God, the body of Chriſt, the kingdome of God, the ground and pillar of truth, the houſe of the living God, &c. Pſa. 87, 3. Rev. 21, 2. &c. Mat. 5.14.22. & 10, 17. & 13.24. & 18.15 — 20. 1 Cor. 5, 13. with Deu. 17.2.7. & 21.18 — 21. Rom. 12.3 — 8. 1 Cor. 12, 20— 27. vvith 3.21.22.23. and 4.17. and 5 ch. and 11.23 — 26. and 14.33. 1 Tim. 1.3. with 3.15. The Spirit of God hath ſpoken alike to all the ſeuen Churches, and to each of the Angels thereof, and all that hauehave eares to heare, are vvilled to hearken what the Lord ſaith. Rev, 1, 4.11. and 2, & 3 chap. Mat. 13.43.
VII. The Prophets alſo foretold, that under the Goſpel everie place of Mount Sion, and the aſſemblies thereof, should hauehave the like gracious preſence, light, glorie, and protection of God, as Iſrael had when the Lord brought them out of the land of Egypt. Eſa. 4, 2, 4, 5. with Exod. 13, 21.
VIII. Finally; Churches els should not hauehave povver from Chriſt (in time of perſecution, or after the apoſtaſie of Antichriſt) to reteine, reviue, and obſerue the Apoſtolike ordinances, once (for all) delivered to the Church. Which were contrarie to Mat. 28.18.19.20. Act. 5.28.29. Phil. 1.1.28.29.30. Col. 2.5. 1 Theſ. 3, 2.3. 2 Theſ. 2.3 — 15. 1 Tim. 6.13.14. Iude v. 3. Rev. 13. and 2. and 3 ch. and 14.12. and 18.4. and 22.16.-19.