Twenty-Nine Lectures, Lecture 14
The fourteenth Lecture of the Church.
WEe hauehave ſpoken, as you may remember, concerning the Church viſible; firſt, of the Definition of it; ſecondly, of the cauſes of it; thirdly, of the memhers of it; fourthly, of the notes and markes of it. Now wee are to ſpeake in the fifth place, according to the order ſet downe of the gouernment of it. And it followes orderly;The fifth thing conſiderable in a viſible Church, viz gouernment. for when we hauehave ſeene what this Church is, and the cauſes whereby it is, and the members whereof it conſiſts, and the notes and markes whereby it is diſcerned from all other companies; then it followes orderly to know in the next place, what gouernment this Church hath; firſt, whether it hath any at all; and ſecondly if it hauehave any, to know what gouernment this is; that is the point then wee are to ſpeake to, namely,Vid. Pol…. 426, 459. Church gouernment. A point in my iudgement, that in regard of it ſelfe, needs not to be ſo exactly looked into, and preciſely ſtood vponupon now, as heretofore: but yet in regard of many vnhappy differences and inconueniences that hauehave riſen about it, and beene occaſion…d by it in the Church of God; therefore to ſatisfie the Conſciences of ſome that are weake, and to ſtoppe the mouthes of others that are clamorous, humourous, and peruerſe; and to maintaine peace and vnity in the houſe of God, and to iuſtifie the State of all reformed Churches, profeſſing the ſauing faith of Ieſus Chriſt, that howſoeuer they differ from one another in the matter of Church-gouernment, as ſome hauehave many faylings, and ſore blemiſhes in their Gouernment, yet all are true Churches of God. I ſay, in theſe reſpects I know not any one point of Religion, not fundamentall, ſo neceſſary to bee throughly ſought into, and aduiſedly and duely to bee conſidered of: Therefore in this regard, I purpoſe to ſpeake of it as God ſhall enable mee.
And in it fiue things handled.That which I purpoſe to ſpeake concerning this point, I will reduce to theſe heads: Firſt, I will ſpeake of the harmes and euils that hauehave beene raiſed, and that hauehave happened by this queſtion of Church-Gouernment: ſecondly, I will ſhew what is meant by Church-Gouernment: thirdly, I will ſhew how needefull it is in the Church: Fourthly, whether there bee a preciſe Rule left by the Apoſtles for this Gouernement: Fifthly, if there bee not, then what is to bee done in this caſe? Hee that reſolues mee in theſe points, reſolues mee of all that can bee ſpoken concerning Church-Gouernment.
Firſt, the harmes and euils that hauehave been raiſed in the Church of God occaſionally by Church-gouernment.Wee will beginne therefore with the firſt point; The harmes and euils that hauehave been raiſed vp in Gods Church hereby. Infinite are the euils which this matter of Church-Gouernment hath occaſionally bred, and brought forth in the Church of God; I ſay, occaſionally, not of it ſelfe; for the thing in its owne nature is holy and good, and therefore naturally can yeeld no ſuch bad fruits, but occaſionally as being abuſed by the malice of Satan, and the corruption of mans heart, hence it is that it brings forth ſuch bad effects.
The fault is partly in the Gouernours, and partly in the gouerned. Firſt, the Gouernors; ſometimes when they bee proud and hauty, contemning their inferiours, ſtriuing with equals, aſpiring to the higheſt places, as is euident in the Papall gouernment. And ſome tokens of bad Gouernours the Scriptures giuegive vsus, as Couetous, giuen to filthy Lucre; abuſing their places and Authority to their owne priuate gaine; negligent and careleſſe, like Gallio in the Acts, making no conſcience of the faithfull execution of their Office.
Secondly, there are faults in thoſe that are Gouerned; ſome ambitiouſly ſeeking for higher places, than they are fit for; ſome are enuious, maligning and ſpiting their ſuperiours; ſome are ſenſuall, deſpiſing Gouernment; ſome are ill-tongued, ſpeaking euill of thoſe in Authority; ſome are obſtinate and rebellious, reſiſting their orders and proceedings, and will not endure their necke vnderunder any yoke.
Laſtly, ſome are humourous and peeuiſh, denying that power ſet ouer them to bee lawfull, labouring for innouations and changes, and new platformes of gouernment of their owne deuiſing: contrary to that already eſtabliſhed. Theſe and the like Aduantages hath the enemy from time to time wrought vponupon, therby to diſgrace Church-gouernment, and to make it the greateſt trouble-ſtate in the Chriſtian world. What was it that the Diſciples contended about in our Sauiours time? Luk 22.24. Was it not the matter of Church-gouernment? Who ſhould be the chiefeſt amongſt them, and ſo the Ruler and Gouernor of the reſt: By this occaſion the Diuell made ſtrife amongſt the Apoſtles. And what bred thoſe great broyles and contentions in the primitiue Church, betwixt the Eaſterne and the Weſterne Biſhops? Was it not Church-gouernment, which ſhould bee the higheſt See; and who ſhould bee the higheſt and chi…t Biſhop? To goe further; what brought forth Anti-Chriſt into the world, and that aduanced the Pope to that high pitch which hee came to; was it not Church-gouernment? The Pope audaciouſly ingroſſing all Soueraignty in the Church to himſelfe, and many good Biſhops and Churches in their weakneſſe yeelding too much to him in that kinde, by the peruerſeneſſe of the gouerned. In a word; what diſhonour hath hereby beene done to God? What diſgrace to Religion? What hinderance to the proſperous ſucceſſe of the Goſpell, and of the Kingdom of Chriſt? What furtherance and aduantage to the Kingdome of Satan? What heart-burning hath it bred amongſt ſome? How hath it alienated the hearts of others from vsus, and that in many that otherwiſe are inclinable towards vsus? What tumults hath it bred at home? What clamours abroad? What griefe hath it brought to our friends and well affected? What reioycing to our enemies and profane perſons? What diſtractions and doubts hath it bred in weake and tender Conſciences? What diſheartning and diſcouraging hath it beene? How many excellent Talents for Gods miniſtry, hauehave beene hereby buried in the ground without profit? And ſo conſequently many congregations deſtitute of their faithfull Miniſters, and of their heauenly food, and left as a prey to the Rauening Wolues by this meanes, had they not by the prouidence and wiſedome of our Gouernours beene otherwiſe prouided for.
I dare vndertake, that in all likelihood (had not the Diuell caſt this bone amongſt vsus, and throwne this buſineſſe of Church-gouernment, as a football before vsus, for eueryevery one to runne after, and ſo to ſet vsus all together by the eares) this Church of England through Gods bleſſing, had been this day the moſt famous and flouriſhing Church that euer was in the world; whereas now this buſineſſe, this onelyonly buſineſſe of Church-gouernment, hath occaſionally by the peeuiſhneſſe of ſome, hatched, nouriſhed and brought forth much ignorance, prophanneſſe, vncharitableneſſe, contempt of holineſſe, neglect of Gods ord…ces, looſeneſſe, and licentiouſneſſe; I grieue to thinke on theſe things, and I can hauehave no pleaſure to ſpeake of them; and we may be all aſhamed of them before God and the World, and it muſt be eueryevery ones care and endeauour to be inſtant with God by prayer, that in his good time he would be pleaſed to redreſſe theſe foule euils; yet here I hauehave mentioned them, to the end that we may be both whetted on by theſe conſiderations to looke the more carefully into this buſineſſe; and alſo that we might be admoniſhed to carry our ſelues the more temperately and moderately towards it. And ſo much of the firſt point, namely, of the harmes and euils that hauehave happened occaſionally by this matter of the Church-Gouernment, though in it ſelfe holy and good.
Second thing in Church gouernment, what is meant by it.The ſecond point is, what is meant by Church-Government? Yea ſee here two words, Church and Gouernment, and each of theſe may carry three ſenſes. Firſt, for the word Church, wee are not here to vnderſtand it of the Catholike Church, for that being diſperſed ouer all places of the world cannot well be brought within the compaſſe of the ſame Lawes, nor ruled by the ſame earthly Gouernours; it is impoſſible for the reatures to weild ſuch a great charge. The ſole Gouernour of the Church in this ſenſe is Ieſus Chriſt, the onelyonly Head thereof. And the onelyonly Lawes it is to be gouerned by, is the preſence, power and direction of the Spirit: but here we vnderſtand it of a particular viſible Church, whether it be Parochiall, Nationall, or Prouinciall: for theſe being confined, and bounded within their ſeuerall places, may, and muſt hauehave their ſeuerall Lawes and Gouernours, eueryevery one for and within it ſelfe: of this Church it is that we here ſpeake of, whether it be greater or leſſe. Now we come to the next word Gouernment, which word in a generall ſenſe ſignifies to maintaine; ſecondly, in particular to gouerne. Firſt, in generall, in reſpect of the ſtate of nature, as wee are men, ſo the Lord gouernes, that is, maintaines and preſerues his Church, ſeating eueryevery particular Church in the place where it is, making a Fence about it, feeding and clothing them, ſupplying their wants, affording them helpes and meanes for their reliefe, defending them from their enemies, deliuering them from dangers, cauſing them to thriue and proſper in outward things, and couering them with his fauour as with a ſhield. And this kind of Gouernment the Lord extends ouer the whole world, yea, euen to the wicked, as well as to the faithfull; yet with this difference: to the wicked in the common fauour of his prouidence; to the faithfull in the ſpeciall fauour of his Grace in Chriſt: for euen in the very temporall bleſſings that the faithfull hauehave in this life, they are theirs by Grace and promiſe in Chriſt. And therefore, to the wicked they periſh in the inioying of them, they hauehave no further benefit of them but outward and temporall; to the faithfull they are helpefull and ſeruiceable in ſome degree, to the worke of their eternall ſaluation: for ſo God intends them, and ſo the faithfull accept and vſe them. This is for the generall Gouernment of God, in reſpect of the ſtate of nature, as we are men. Secondly, there is a particular Gouernment in reſpect of the eſtate of Grace, as we are men profeſſing the ſauing Faith of Ieſus Chriſt, and ſo the Gouernment is twofold, inward and outward. Firſt, inward; and this is proper to the Spirit of Chriſt, God onelyonly ruling in the hearts of his choſen, as a King by the power of his Word and Spirit, conuerting them from the ſeruice of ſinne to the ſeruice of God, cauſing them to beleeue Gods promiſes in Chriſt, and ſo iuſtifying vsus from our ſinnes, crucifying the old man, and quickning the new, acquainting vsus with his will, and framing vsus to obedience, putting good motions from time to time into our minds, and ſtirring vsus vp, and enabling vsus to entertaine them graciouſly, and to giuegive place vntounto them, and ſo ſanctifying vsus: and further he aſſures vsus of Gods louelove and fauour, and our election in Chriſt, and ſo comforts vsus: further, he increaſeth theſe and other Graces in vsus eueryevery day more and more, ſo long as wee are in this world, till at length they bee fully perfected in vsus, and wee receiued into his Kingdome of glory in heauen, and ſo hee glorifies vsus. This, this is the right Kingdome of God, and of Chriſt, whereby God raignes in vsus, as King here, and makes vsus to raigne as Kings with him for euer hereafter. This is the inward Gouernment. Secondly, the outward Gouernment, that is, the power and direction that God hath put ouer to the ſonnes of men, for the well gouerning of the Church, whereby there muſt bee firſt ſufficient and painefull Miniſters to inſtruct the people in the wayes of ſaluation, teaching them Repentance towards God, and Faith in Ieſus Chriſt; and ſecondly, there muſt bee others that are holy and religious men, choſen for their Aſſiſtants, for the diſpatch of ſuch Eccleſiaſticall buſineſſe, as they may bee helpefull in. And thirdly, there muſt be certaine godly and Chriſtian Lawes and cuſtomes eſtabliſhed amongſt them by the common conſent of the Church, for the maintaining of peace and order in the Church, for the puniſhment of ſin and ſinners, and for the encouragement of well-doers, and for the better execution of all ſuch ordinances, as the Lord in this caſe hath prouided to bee done in his Church. And this is the Gouernment which we here meane, and which wee ſeeke after, that is, the power and direction, and adminiſtration that God hath committed to his Church, ſpecially to the Miniſters and ouerſeers thereof, to ſee that the whole body be well ordered, and that eueryevery member carry themſelues godly and religiouſly, both in priuate, eſpecially in publike both towards God and the World.
In the third place wee are to ſpeake of the neceſſity of Church-gouernment,The third thing conſiderable in Church-gouernment, viz how needfull it is. how needfull and neceſſary it is in the Church for the good thereof. For the better vnderſtanding of this Point wee muſt know, that there is a twofold neceſſitie; one abſolute, the other conditionall. Abſolute, that is, when one thing is ſo neceſſarily required to another, as that it cannot be without it. Secondly, there is a neceſſitie that is not abſolute, but conditionall; that is, when one thing is ſo neceſſary to another, as that it cannot well bee without it: of this latter ſort, the neceſſity of this Gouernment in the Church of God is: for the Church may bee without it in ſome kind of being, but it cannot hauehave her well-being except this concurre. The Point lyes fit to bee handled by way of Obſeruation, and therefore ſo I will deliuer it.
The Obſeruation is this, namely; Doctr. That there is neceſſarily required an outward forme of Gouernment in the Church of God, to bee exerciſed and adminiſtred by men. All the former part of the Obſeruation, as neceſſity, Church, and gouernment hauehave beene before explained; onelyonly the laſt words, adminiſtration by men, needes ſome opening. I ſay, it muſt bee adminiſtred by men: I doe not ſay, It muſt bee deuiſed of men: for it muſt be of Gods owne ordaining; either in particular, or at leaſt in generall; and it muſt bee adminiſtred, that is, men, as Miniſters, and Inſtruments muſt put in execution that which God hath ordained. And what men muſt theſe bee? Surely they muſt bee members of the ſame Congregation. For firſt, theſe men muſt not bee ſuch as are of no Church; for what hauehave wee to doe with them that are without, or they with vsus? Nor ſecondly, it muſt not bee done by them that are members of another Church; for what hath one Church to doe to meddle with anothers Gouernment, except it bee by aduice; or in caſe of neceſſity, or in ſuch cauſes as concerne diuers Churches; but they muſt bee members of the ſame Church. Theſe are the parties that may, and muſt Adminiſter this Gouernment: ſo that wee ſee, the Note ſtands vpright, namely, that of neceſſity there is to bee required an outward forme of Gouernment in Gods Church, to be exerciſed and adminiſtred by men. For the proofe of this point, in Rom. 12.4, 5, &c. The Apoſtle compares the Church to a body, and Profeſſors to parts and members of that body; Now (ſaith hee) eueryevery member hath not the ſame office; no, for that were ſuperfluity, and would breed confuſion: but ſeuerall members are tyed to ſeuerall offices, for the good of the whole body. Now there the Apoſtle ſpeakes of outward gouernment in the Church, as verſe 5, &c. and there muſt bee ſundry Offices and Officers to exerciſe that Gouernment, and who ſhould theſe bee, but the members of the ſame body? In the 1 Cor. 12. from the 12. to the 21. verſe, there the Apoſtle preſſeth the ſame compariſon further, and growes to more particulars, calling one the eye, another the foote, the hand, the head, &c. of purpoſe to ſhew, that as in the body and the parts thereof it is ſo ordered, that ſome are to gouerne, others to be gouerned: ſo it is in the Church, ſome muſt gouerne, others muſt be gouerned; and ſtill vnderſtand, that the Apoſtle ſpeakes of outward Gouernment in the Church: and that they that gouerne, muſt bee members of the ſame Church, for ſo the compariſon holds, they muſt bee members of the ſame body. And this the Apoſtle doth ſet downe generally for a rule, in the firſt Epiſtle of the Corinthians, Chap. 14. verſ. 40. Let all things be done decently and by order: where wee ſee, that the Apoſtle expreſly commandeth order in the Church, that is Gouernment: for it is all one for things to be well ordered, or well gouerned; and it is intended of outward buſineſſes in the Church, as verſe 26. Where the Apoſtle ſpeakes of their comming together; and it is a Charge, Let all things, &c. there is the neceſſity of it, and all is impoſed vponupon men, as we ſee in the 26 verſe; Brethren, when yee come together, &c. yee that are members of the ſame Church. And according to this generall Rule, ſo the Apoſtles carry themſelues; the Apoſtle writing to Timothy, 1 Tim. 3.14, 15. ſaith, Theſe things write I vntounto thee, that thou mayſt know how to behaue thy ſelfe in the houſe of God. Now that which hee wrote to him of was, partly of outward Gouernement, as verſe 1. and forward, where he ſpeakes of the Office of a Biſhop; and the words in the fifteenth verſe ſhew it plainely; hee writes to him that hee may know how to behaue himſelfe in the houſe of God; that is, in the Church of God. But you will ſay, hee was but a particular man, and therefore what doth this concerne the whole Church? I anſwer, Though it were written particularly to him, yet hee being the chiefe ouer-ſeer in that Church, it conſequently concernes the whole Church. And this was ſo neceſſary, that hee would not reſpite it till his comming, though hee were to come ſhortly, but for the more ſuretie hee wrote before-hand, that ſo the Church might not bee deſtitute of ſo materiall an ornament, as outward Gouernment is: And he charges Timothy moſt ſeuerely in Chap. 5. verſ. 21. and in Chap. 6. verſ. 13. and 14. that the ſame be duly obſerued. And ſo in Tit. 1.5. there the Apoſtle writing to Titus, that was Biſhop of the Church of Creta; ſaith; For this cauſe left I thee in Creta, that thou ſhouldeſt continue to redreſſe the things that are amiſſe, and that thou ſhouldeſt ordaine Elders in eueryevery Citie, &c. There by name are two principall parts of outward Gouernment ſet downe, redreſſing things that are amiſſe, and ordaining elders. And theſe are impoſed vponupon Titus being Biſhop of that Church, and that of neceſſity; for he was left there for this very cauſe. And in the ſecond and third Chapters of the Reuelation, there are directions ſent from heauen to the Angels of the ſeuen Churches, and that for many things that did concerne euen the outward, as well as the inward Gouernment of the Churches. If wee looke into the eſtate of the Church from time to time, we ſhall ſee that the practice was anſwerable, that ſtill of neceſſitie there was outward Gouernment in the Church. Our Sauiour while hee was vponupon earth among his Diſciples, how orderly did hee gouerne them? When any thing was amiſſe amongſt them, how quietly did hee order it? How orderly did hee ſend them out to preach? How carefully did he giuegive them Rules for the outward Gouernment of the Church for the time to come? So the Church after Chriſts aſcenſion, how well was it ordered and gouerned? As wee may ſee, Act. 1.13, 14. Where it is ſaid, that the Apoſtles continued with one accord, in prayers and ſupplications with the women, and Mary the mother of Ieſus, and his Brethren. And Act. 2.42. they continued in the Apoſtles Doctrine and fellowſhip, and breaking of bread, and prayer. And Act. 6.2, 3, &c. When that matter of difference aroſe concerning the poore, how wiſely did they order it? and choſe out men from amongſt them fearing God, for the performance of this buſineſſe. So here we ſee how well the Church was ordered and gouerned after our Sauiours Aſcenſion. See it further Act. 15.2. and forward; when there aroſe diſſention in the Church about Circumciſion, what did they doe? They called the Apoſtles and Elders together, and ſo they ordered what ſhould bee done in that buſineſſe: ſo here wee ſee is outward Gouernment ſtill. And ſo Phil. 1.1. the Apoſtle writes to the Biſhops and Deacons of that Church, that is, to the Gouernours of it. So that we ſee, that of neceſſity there is required an outward Gouernment in the Church of God to bee adminiſtred by men. And ſo much for the proofe of the point.
Reaſons, and that of ſome ſorts.The Reaſons are many and of diuers ſorts: ſome are drawne from the nature of God; ſome are drawne by compariſon from other Aſſemblies: the third ſort are drawne from the perſons that are to be Gouerned, and the laſt ſort are drawne from the Offices, that are to be exerciſed, and the buſineſſes that are to be done in the Church.
The firſt ſort of Reaſons drawne from the nature and will of God are theſe: Firſt, God is the Author, not of confuſion,Firſt ſort of Reaſons. but of peace, as wee ſee in all the Churches of the Saints, 1. Cor. 14.33. The Apoſtle giues all the Churches of the Saints for inſtance in this point, that God is the Author of peace in all them; as hee commanding it, and they obeying. Now what peace can there bee, or how can it be maintained, but by Gouernment? therefore whereſoeuer there is a Church of Saints, there muſt of neceſſity bee Gouernment. Againe ſecondly, Holineſſe becomes Gods Houſe for euer, ſaith the Prophet, Pſal. 93.5 but without Gouernment there can be no Holineſſe, at leaſt in the outward man; and therefore of neceſſity outward Gouernement muſt bee in the Church.
The ſecond ſort of Reaſons are drawne by compariſon from other Aſſemblies;Second ſort of Reaſons. what Company is there without Gouernment? In heauen there is order and Gouernment amongſt the Saints and Angels themſelues: ſome amongſt the Angels for order ſake are aboue the reſt, there are Principalities, and Powers, and Thrones, &c. I do not ſay, as the Papiſts doe, that one Angell is aboue another in degree, but in order at leaſt; Chriſt is the Head and gouernour of them all, and that perſonally: ſo there is a Gouernment in heauen. And as it is in heauen, ſo it is in earth; What Company or Corporation either in the City or Kingdome, is, or can conſiſt without Gouernment? And is not the Church the Company of Gods Saints (ſo they are called, Pſ. 89.7.) and can that be without Gouernment? So in an houſe there can be no peace, nor liuing together in it without Gouernment. The Church is the Houſe of God, the City of God, the Kingdome of his owne Sonne; and therefore there muſt be of neceſſity an outward gouernment in it exerciſed by men: yea, Hell it ſelfe, though it bee the place of all diſorder and confuſion, yet they hauehave ſome Gouernment amongſt themſelues, elſe their kingdome cannot ſtand.
Third ſort of Reaſons.The third ſort of Reaſons are taken from the nature of the perſons of whom the Church conſiſts, and they are men, and therefore to be gouerned, and that by men. Some are tractable, and theſe are gently to be led: others are obſtinate, thoſe are to be drawne with ſtrong hand: ſome are Nouices, and they are to be fed with milke; others are of ſtronger growth, and they are to be fed with ſtronger meat: ſome are out of the Church that muſt be called in, theſe are to be admitted; others are within the Church miſdemeaning themſelues, theſe are to be caſt out. Therefore there muſt be Order and Gouernment in the Church for the doing of all this.
Fourth ſort of Reaſons.Laſtly, there muſt be gouernment in the Church, in reſpect of the offices and buſineſſes that are to be done in it; the Word and the Sacraments are outward things, and therefore are outwardly to bee adminiſtred: Officers are to be choſen, Lawes to be made, controuerſies and contentions are to bee pacified, the Sicke are to bee viſited, the Poore are to be releeued, Offences are to be puniſhed, and ſundry other things are to be done, which without outward Gouernment it is not poſſible they ſhould bee well done. Therefore of neceſſity there muſt be this outward Gouernment in the Church.
Vſe 1 The Vſes of this point are theſe: Firſt, this is againſt Anarchy, and for reproofe of ſuch as will hauehave no Gouernment in the Church; their owne necks will endure no yoke, and therfore they bluſh not to ſay, that there ſhould be no yoke at all laid vponupon Chriſtians; and ſome of them hauehave gone ſo farre, that they will not endure ciuill Magiſtracy neither, they hold it vnfit for the eſtate of the Goſpell to be vnderunder Gouernment. Wee are called to liberty, ſay they, Ieſus Chriſt hath ſet vsus free, and therefore we need no Gouernours. It is true, wee are called to liberty, but wee muſt not vſe our liberty as a cloake to our ſinnes. What liberty and freedome is it that wee hauehave? Is it not from ſin and Satan, and the curſe of the Law? It is not a ſtate of liberty, in reſpect of the outward man, but in reſpect of the inward man: for the beſt liberty the outward man can hauehave, is, when it is made conformable to the ordinances of God, and ſuch wholeſome Lawes as by his direction are eſtabliſhed; we are free indeed from ſinne that it ſhould not raigne ouer vsus, and we are free from Satan that he cannot condemne vsus, and we hauehave a freedome from the Law, that wee are not ſubiect to the curſe of it: but yet we are ſtill bound to doe that which the Law commands, and ſo to obey our Gouernours, and to ſubmit our ſelues to outward Gouernment, onelyonly we are free from them in our Conſciences, that they ſhould not be Lords ouer that. Yea, but ſay they, wee are a Law vntounto our ſelues, wee need not any Rulers. A proud allegation from a preſumptuous ſpirit, who is there amongſt vsus that hath made any triall of his heart for obedience to God, but is guilty to himſelfe that he is dull and backward, and needs reproofes, and admonitions, and cenſures, and all too little to keepe him within the compaſſe of obedience; the humble ſoule feeles ſuch a rebelliouſneſſe within it ſelfe, that it cryes out not to God onelyonly, but to man too; O, I am a miſerable ſinner! I pray yee looke to mee, watch ouer me, reprooue me, exhort me, cenſure me, terrifie me with ſhame and puniſhment for my ſinnes: for my rebellious heart muſt be ſo bridled, or elſe it will breake forth outragiouſly into ſinne. Wee know what the Apoſtle ſaid of himſelfe, Rom. 7. That he was ſold vnderunder ſinne. Therefore this comes from a proud ſpirit in them to ſay, they hauehave no need of Gouernment, becauſe they are a law vntounto themſelues. We ſee the inconueniences that it breeds in particular men; what would the inconuenience be to the whole body, if it were ſuffered in generall? ſurely much more: as it was with the Iſraelites when there was no King in Iſrael; ſo would it be in the Church, if there were no outward Gouernment, eueryevery man would doe what he lift.
Secondly, it reproues thoſe that hold Church-gouernment Vſe 2 as an indifferent thing; they thinke it no great matter whether there be any or not; it may bee, or it may not be, ſay they, and yet the Church may doe well enough. But theſe are ſufficiently diſproued by the former inconueniences that follow where no Gouernment is. And had this been the mind of Chriſt and his Apoſtles, they would neuer hauehave taken ſuch preciſe order for it in eueryevery Church. And ſurely, the Churches that maintaine this Doctrine, are not the Churches of the Saints: for in all the Churches of the Saints, God is the Author not of confuſion, but of peace and order, 1 Cor. 14.33. and ſo likewiſe that particular member that maintaines it, is no ſound member of Gods Church.
Vſe 3 The third vſe is for reproofe of thoſe that hold outward Gouernment eſſentially neceſſary to the Church, as if the Church without this, could hauehave no being at all. I for my part deſire, and would gladly go as farre as I ſee Chriſt and his Apoſtles hauehave gone before me; and where they ſtay, there would I ſtay too. I find that the Church can neuer be long nor well without Gouernment, but yet it may be ſometimes without it, and yet bee a true Church. It is true of the inward Gouernment, for where that is not, it is not poſſible that the Church ſhould hauehave any being at all, but it is not ſo of the outward. Therefore we muſt rightly diſtinguiſh betwixt the inward and the outward Gouernment,Fiue differences betwixt the inward and outward gouernment of the Church. otherwiſe we ſhall run into many abſurdities. Firſt, the inward is meerely ſpiritual, the outward is for the moſt part bodily, that is, ſuch as affects the eare, or the eye, or ſome other parts; onelyonly it is thus farre ſpirituall, in regard of the end it aimes at, that is, to make vsus ſpiritually minded. Secondly, the inward is proper to God, and reſerued to him onelyonly; the outward, though it be from God too, yet it is committed to the adminiſtration of men. Thirdly, the inward is peculiar to the faithfull and elect alone, God rules in their hearts and conſciences, iuſtifying and ſanctifying them, and none others; the outward is common to all that profeſſe themſelues to be members, though they be hypocrites. Fourthly, the inward is the higheſt and principall, the outward is but a ſeruiceable diſpenſation fitted to the inward. Fifthly, the inward ſeconds the outward, and makes it effectuall and fruitfull; the outward doth but leade vsus by the hand (as it were) to the inward. I note this difference the rather, becauſe many men doe clamorouſly exclaime, that Chriſt is robbed of the one halfe of his Kingdome, when that outward forme which they pretend is not obſerued.… And this is the Browniſts exception: You (ſay they) deny Chriſt to be your King, becauſe you owne not his Diſcipline which he hath preſcribed. I am … the Apoſtle; Gods Kingdome conſiſts no… of meates … drinkes, and of outward Rites, but of righteouſneſſe and peace, and ioy in the holy Ghoſt▪ the principal part of God Kingdome is, when hee rules by his Spirit in the hearts of his children: and therefore if there were any ſuch Diſcipline preſcribed by the Word as they pretend, yet wee ſhould not loſe the one halfe of Chriſts Kingdome, though it were not obſerued. Happily it is not knowne to them that doe not obſerue it, and then it is no Rebellion; if it be knowne by them, the ſinne is much the greater, if it bee not obſerued. But yet Chriſt may ſtill exerciſe his Kingdome in the hearts of many members of the Church by his Spirit, though this were wanting. The caſe may ſeeme to bee well paraleld by our outward and inward worſhip in prayer: the outward worſhip is but an appurtenance to the inward, for the inward may be true without the outward. And ſo Diſcipline is rather an appurtenance to Gods Kingdome, than the Kingdome it ſelfe; ſo that we ſee that Gods Church may be without Diſcipline, though it cannot be well nor long without it; where outward Gouernment is wanting, the Church may bee defectiue and maimed, yea halfe dead in outward ſhew at leaſt, and yet a true Church ſtill. Ye…, but are not the Word and the Sacraments parts of the outward Gouernment and they are neceſſary to the very being of the Church …herefore ſome part of the outward Gouernment is eſſentiall to the Church. I anſwer; That they are not neceſſary to themſelues, but by accident, becauſe they … to the inward, as that it cannot be without this. And beſides, the Word and the Sacraments are not ſo much of the outward Gouernment of themſelues, but rather the carriage and manner of vſing of them, is of the outward gouernment. Laſtly, I anſwer, they are ſimply neceſſary, as they are the cauſes and gathering of the Church, but not as they are parts of outward gouernment. As Moſes his meſſage and gathering of the Iſraelites to the Lord, was one thing, his gouerning of them another. So that the Word and Sacraments muſt be conſidered in both theſe reſpects, and ſo in reſpect of gathering the Church, they are ſimply neceſſary, not in reſpect of gouerning of it. So that outward Gouernment is not ſimply neceſſary to the being of the Church, but to the well-being onelyonly.
Vſe 4 Fourthly, ſeeing there is an outward Gouernment neceſſary in Gods Church for the well-being of it; then this ſhould teach vsus to reſt content with that which we enioy, and to be careful to liue in obedience to it, and to be thankfull for it, and to bee earneſt with God by prayer for the ſupply of it, where it is wanting: for though it concernes not our life, yet it concernes our health; though it concernes not the being, yet it concernes the well being of the Church; and eueryevery man is to make conſcience of it in his place, both thoſe that gouerne, that they gouerne according to Gods word, and thoſe that obey, that they obey according to Gods Word.
Vſe 5 Laſtly, this reprooues thoſe that take vponupon them, not as men and Miniſters to exerciſe this Gouernment, but they will bee Lords; they will take vponupon them againſt Gods Word to deuiſe a new Gouernment: So the Pope, he will not onelyonly exerciſe the Gouernment as a Miniſter, but as a Lord. The Apoſtles Rule is directly againſt it, 1 Pet. 5.3. where he giues all Miniſters charge that they ſhould rule, not as Lords ouer Gods heritage, &c. yet the Pope hee will be Head and Lord ouer all Churches on earth. Yea, but ſay the Papiſts, though wee ſay, he is Head of the Church, yet we meane a miniſterial Head, as I hauehave ſaid heretofore, the very name of the Head of the Church is harſh and dangerous, yet this word Miniſteriall qualifies it well, if it be ſoberly vnderſtood, it may agree to a particular, but neuer to the generall Church ouer all the World, as the Pope challengeth it. And ſo much for this point.