Justification of Separation from the Church of England, Treatise · Section 68 – Section 70
Your last argument to prove the officers the Church Math. 18.IX. and directly to disprove our supposed popularity is, that it is against the dignity, and office of the Ministers, who represent Christs person vntounto Mr B.the Congregation, 1 Cor. 4. 1. having authority from him to preach, administer the sacraments, vse the censures, which none but such as represent him can give them, (which the body of the people do not by office) nor take from them &c.Answ.
This indeed is the thing: the dignity of Preisthood is it, which goes nearest you: and that you keep last as Iacob did Beniamin, whom of all his sonnes he was loathest to part with, Gen. 42. 4. & 43. 14. But first if your meaning be, that the Ministers by their office represent Christ in his office, it is little lesse then blasphemy; for Christ is the husband, and mediatour of his Church, by his office, and herein not to be represented by any other man, or angel. The ministers in publishing the gospell, and word of reconciliation are in *2 Cor. 4. 2….Christs stead, and therein to be obeyed as himself; but what if they speak the vision of their own hart, and publish heresy, & false doctrine, or lead a scandalous, and prophane life? their office is no dispensation for them, neyther are they now any longer in the stead of Christ, but of the Divel whom they resemble, as children their father, and are so to be reputed.
Besides, there is no force in your argument: bycause the body of the Church represents not Christ by office, as the Ministers do, therefore it is no way equall with the Ministers, nor may medle with them, but the contrary. May not a man as well argue thus? Bycause the wife no way represents her housband in office, (for she is in no office (the same may be sayd of the children) a… the steward, and the bayliffe doe, therefore the wife is no way superiour vntounto them, she may not reprove, or displace them in her husband… absence, what evil soever they doe in their office, or persons, but on the contrary they may rebuke her, and turne her out of doores (and her children with her) if there be cause. For they represent the maister in office she not. Now wee know well “Cant. …. 9 …0. Ephe. … ▪ 29. 30. 32.the Church is the wife, and spouse of Christ, & †1 Cor. 4. 1 2.the Ministers stewards.
Thus having cleared the way of such obiections, as wherewith Mr Bernard would stumble the reader, I come in the next place (as I have formerly ordered my course) to declare that the Church, Math. 18. 17. is not the officers, but the whole body meeting together for the publique worship of God, and that 1 Cor. 5. proves the same by practise, which is in the former place enjoyned by rule.
OnelyOnly I must needs, by the way, make a step into his 2. book amongst his score of reasons there against popularity, and so remove, as it were with my foot, such of them, as are tumbled in by him to make rough the playn wayes of the Lord. And they are as the authour numbers them the 7. 12. 13. 17. 18.
The 7. Reason is, that if a sort of persons professing Christ together, Mr B.without officers hauehave the power of such officers in themselves, they may do all the officers may do▪
Wee say not that the Church hath the power of the officers, butAnswer. the power of Christ, as is expresly affirmed, 1 Cor. 5. 4. 5. and 2. it followes not, that bycause the Church hath the power of Christ for all things, therefore it can injoy all things without officers. The power is one thing, which is inseparable from the body, the vse of the power an other thing, which in many cases it may want. Civil corporations have the Kings power, and charter, as well without as with officers, and yet it may be there are liberties in their charter they cannot enjoy without officers: they have therefore power for officers also, which they may chuse, and so enjoy all their liberties by their help: so in the spirituall corporation the Church, there is alwayes the whole power of Christ residing, which therefore may call officers for the vse of it; to which it is sufficient, that it can without officers vse this power for things simply necessary, as for the receiving in of members by profession of faith, and confession of sinnes, for the aedifying of them by exhortations, & cō forts in the ordinance of prophecying, and so for casting them out by excommunication, which fall from their former profession, or confession.… Bern.
The sum of the 11. and 12. Reas: is, that this power or liberty of the multitude to judge in Church matters, overthrowes the power, & authority of Christian Magistrates in the Church, to whom the people are commaunded to be subiect both in the old and new testament.…sw.
And doth not the ill advised man consider that his own opinion, making the officers of the Church, alone the Church, and giving them power to judge in Church matters without the rest of the body, doth as much overthrow the authority of Christian Magistrates, as ours, in making the officers and body with them the Church, having power to judge together? yea much more: for if the ecclesiasticall officers alone be the Church, Math. 18. and so must judge and censure sinnes (which is the thing he pleads for) then … the civil magistrate simply excluded: where wee reputing the whole body the Church, do necessarily include the Christian Magistrate, as being one of the Church.
Secondly is Mr B. and his brother Bell (whom he quotes in the …gent) to ignorant, as they cannot distinguish betwixt civil authority, and judgements in Church matters, and that authority and those judgements, which are ecclesiasticall? The Christian magistrate, as he is a brother, may be censured ecclesiastically by the Church, whereof he is a member: and yet the same person as a magistrate whether of the Church, or not of the Church, or cast out of the Church, may censure, and punish civilly the whole Church, and every member of it, if there be cause, whether in matters of the Church or common wealth.