Aphorisms of Christian Religion, Chapter 20 – Chapter 22
CHAP. XX. Of the Miniſters of the Church.
I. APHORISME.
ALbeit God alone inlighteneth and ruleth the harts of his elect: yet becauſe it pleaſeth him herein to vſe the a1. Cor. 3.5. 2. Cor. 5.20.Miniſterie of men it is our partes with b1. Cor. 4.1. Gal. 4.15.reuerence to embrace thoſe things, which by his ſeruaunts he teacheth vsus for our good inſtruction and comfort.
II.
The ſeruants of God or Miniſters, are ſome continuing and as ordinarie, ſome but for a time and as extraordinarie.
III.
In the old Teſtament the continuing and ordinarie Miniſters of the Church were Patriarches, Prieſts and Leuites: the temporall & extraordinarie the Prophets.
IIII.
In the new Teſtament, the perpetuall and ordinarie are aEphe. 4.11.Paſtours & bEphe. 4.11.Teachers: the temporall and extraordinary were the cEphe. 4.11.Apoſtles, dEphe. 4.11.Prophets and eEphe. 4.11.Euangeliſtes.
V.
God reuealed himſelfe to the Patriarches, as aGene. 3.Adam, bGe. 6.7.8.9Noah, cGen. 12.13.15.17.18.21.22.Abraham, dGen. 25.11 & 22. &c. 26.2.3.4.5.Iſaac, eGen. 28.31.32.35.Iacob, fGene. 37.Ioſeph, by apparitions, viſions, and dreames, and ſo gouerned their families.
VI.
He preſcribed certain lawes by Moſes, for the Prieſtes and aIn Leuit.Leuites, that ſo they might by them gouerne the Church of Iſraell.
VII.
But as for the Prophets he raiſed them vp aEſ. 6. Ierem. 1. Ezech. 2. &c.extraordinarily, to bEſa. 1. &c.inſtruct and tocEſa. 2. excite the people, and the Prieſtes, if they erred or were negligēt in their duties: theſe did alſo foreſhewe what dEſa. 3.29. &c.puniſhmentes ſhould fall vponupon Gods people for their negligence, and what eEſa. 13. &c.euils ſhould come vponupon their enemies for their deſtruction: but principally they comforted the faithful with Prophecies of Chriſts comming: and therfore they preach often of hisfEſa. 7.14. conception, gEſa. 9.6. Mich. 5.2.natiuitie, hEſa. 53.paſſion, death, reſurrection, and euerlaſting iEſa. 11.59.61. &c.kingdome.
VIII.
And thus farre of the Miniſters of the old Teſtament: now touching the Miniſters of the new Teſtament. The Lord in the beginning of his kingdome raiſed vp aMat. 28.19Apoſtles, bAct. 11.27.Prophets, cAct. 8.5. &cEuangeliſtes, and whē the Churches were founded & planted by them, he ordained that Paſtors and dEphe. 4.11.Teachers ſhould ſucceede and continue for euer.
IX.
The Apoſtles were aMat. 4.18. &c. Ioh. 1.37. &c. Act 9. & 22.immediatly called of Chriſt, and ſent into the whole bMat. 16.15 Act. 9, 15. Rom. 15.15.20.world, that ſo they might ſet vp the kingdome of God in all places.
X.
He raiſed vp alſo at this time Prophets, who had ſpeciall a1. Cor. 14.29. &c.reuelation and gifts for the interpretation of holy Scriptures: and theſe did ſometimes foreſhew by the ſpirite, any matter of waight which ſhould come, either on the bAct. 11.28.Church, or to any cAct. 21.10.one of the faithfull.
XI.
Againe, the Apoſtles had the Euangeliſtes for their aAct. 16.1.companions, whom they tooke with them to ſupplie their abſence in preaching of the Goſpell, and in bTit. 1.5.eſtabliſhing the Churches: and ſuch were c2. Tim. 4.11.Luke, d2. Tim 4.5.Timothie and e2. Cor. 8.23Titus.
XII.
Then folowed Paſtours, and Teachers which the Church can neuer want.
XIII.
And thus farre of Churches offices, which did conſiſt in the Miniſterie of the word: There be two other ordinarie alſo, which ought to remaine euer in this aRom. 12.8Church: Church-gouernement, and the care of the poore.
XIIII.
Church a1. Cor. 12.28.Gouernours are choſen men ſet ouer the people, for b1. Cor. 5.correction of manners, aſſiſtantes with the Biſhops and Paſtours.
XV.
The care of the poore, partly belongeth to the Deacons aAct. 6.3. 1. Tim. 3.8. &c.or Collectors that diſtribute the almes, partly to them which viſite the ſick, & ſuch in Paules time were certaine b1. Tim. 5.9.auncient and honeſt widowes.
XVI.
And thus farre of the duties of Church officers, now as touching their calling theſe foure points are to be obſerued: firſt what kinde of perſons are to be called, ſecondly how, thirdly by whom, laſtly with what rite or ceremonie they muſt be ordained.
XVII.
As concerning the firſt, I ſay that Biſhops and Paſtours, and Teachers, are to be choſen that are of ſound a1. Tim. 3.2. &c.doctrine, and b1. Tim. 3.2. &c.holy life, fit and c1. Tim. 3.2. &c.able to teach. The d1. Tim. 3.8. &c.gouernors alſo muſt be furniſhed with good giftes, wiſedome, and iudgement, to diſcharge their duties.
XVIII.
Secondly, in this election & ordinance of the Miniſters of Chriſt, men muſt proceede in a religious feare, and teſtifie the ſame before, by aAct. 15.23. Act. 13.2.3.faſting and prayer.
XIX.
Thirdly, they muſt be men approued and knowen of the aAct. 1.15. &c. Act. 6.2. &c.gouernors for knowledge and learning, & which hauehave a good name in the Church amōg the faithful for life and conuerſation.
XX.
Fourthly, they were ordained in times paſt by the Apoſtles and their ſucceſſors, with aAct. 13.3. 1. Tim. 4.14. 2. Tim. 1.6. 1. Tim. 5.22.impoſition or laying on of handes: which rite for comelineſſe and order ſake may well be obſerued in theſe dayes, ſo that we put no opinion of neceſſitie or of worſhip therein.
CHAP. XXI. Of Church diſcipline and gouernement.
I. APHORISME.
ECcleſiaſticall cēſure or Church diſcipline is a a2. Tim. 3.16 Mat. 18.15. 2. Cor. 2.6. 2. Theſſ. 3.15brotherly bMat. 18.15 1. Cor. 5.11. 2. Theſſ. 3.15correction according to Gods word, wherby the faithfull are ſtirred vp to do their duties, and ſo they further the ſaluation one of another.
II.
This diſcipline is either common or proper: common, whereunto all ought to be ſubiect: proper, which pertaineth to the Miniſters of the Church onelyonly.
III.
The common diſcipline doth reſpect, aMat. 18.15 16.17.three degrees in priuate or ſecret ſinnes. The firſt is, that he that hath ſinned be admoniſhed, and reproued priuatly of him, to whom alone that ſinne was knowen: the ſecond, that if he deſpiſe his correction, then he muſt be rebuked and admoniſhed before one or two witneſſes: the third that if he contemne their admonition alſo, he muſt be admoniſhed by the Church, that is, the b1. Tim. 4.14 1. Tim. 5.17. 1. Cor. 12.28. Rom. 12.8.gouernours and iudges, which are appointed by the Church.
IIII.
But if ſinnes be open and manifeſt, then there is no need to proceede by thoſe degrees: for the gouernors muſt not a1. Tim. 5.20 1. Cor. 5.delay to proceede in the cenſure and correction of ſuch ſinners.
V.
For the correction of light ſinnes aMat. 18.15 1. Tim. 5 20.reproofe onelyonly may ſuffice, but b1. Cor. 5.5. and 13grieuous ſinnes and great offences and contempt or cMat. 18.17.contumacie againſt the cenſures and admonitions eccleſiaſticall, muſt be puniſhed with excommunication.
VI.
Excommunication is the a1. Cor. 5.4.iudgement or decree of the b2. Cor. 2.6.Church, whereby any c1. Cor. 5.11member of the ſame Church, for offending the Church by ſome dIbid. 1. & 11grieuous ſinne, or great eMat. 18.17.contempt, is giuen ouer to fIbid. 1. Cor. 5.4.Sathan, (according to the charge of gIbid. 5.Chriſt) that is, he is effectually hIbid. 4. Math. 18.18. Iohn. 20.23.declared to be vnderunder the power and dominion of the deuill, and to hauehave no right or intereſt in the kingdome of the Church of Chriſt: and therefore this man is kept alſo from the communion iMat. 18.17 1. Cor. 5.11. and 13.of the Lordes Supper, vntill k2. Cor. 2.6.7.8.he giuegive a probable ſignification & teſtimonie of his repentance.
VII.
But yet theſe religious and wiſe gouernors muſt temper the ſeueritie of excommunication with the ſpirite of aGal. 6.1.meekeneſſe, least b2. Cor. 2.7.this man be ſwallowed vp with ouer much heauineſſe.
VIII.
The ende which the Church in theſe cenſures and excommunications, principally reſpecteth are three. The firſt, that they which liue an vncleane and wicked life, ſhould not be numbred among Chriſtians, to the diſhonour and a1. Cor. 5.1. Rom. 2.24.prophanation of the name of God. The ſecond, leaſt the godly ſhould be b1. Cor. 5.6.corrupted by the continuall conuerſation of the wicked. The third, that the excommunicate being confounded and c2. The. 3.14aſhamed may ſo d1. Cor. 5.5.repent and be ſaued.
IX.
We muſt not conuerſe a2. The. 3.14 2. Cor. 5 9.11with an excō municate perſon but in priuate and domeſticall duties, leaſt we cheariſh and increaſe his cōtempt by any familiaritie: but ſo ſoone as he giueth any probable teſtimonie of his repentance, he muſt be receiued into our ſocietie and communion b2. Cor. 2.6. &c.of the Church againe.
X.
And thus farre of the common diſcipline: The diſcipline proper to the Miniſters of the Church, is contained in certaine Canons, which the auncient Biſhops did preſcribe for themſelues and their order: of which ſorte are theſe. That no Clergie man or Miniſter, be a hunter, dicer, reueller, or pot-companion. Item, that no Miniſter practiſe vſurie, or any marchandiſe: that none be preſent at wanton laſciuious dances, and the like, &c.
CHAP. XXII. Of Vowes.
I. APHORISME.
A Vow is an holy promiſe made to God.
II.
A vow is either generall or ſpeciall.
III.
A generall vow, is that which Chriſtiās make in their Baptiſme, where renouncing Sathā, they giuegive themſelues to God to aMat. 28.19.ſerue him, that they may obey his holy Commaundements, and not fulfill the wicked luſtes of the fleſh.
IIII.
A ſpeciall or particular vowe, is that which any man moued with ſome aGen. 28.20 &c. Iud. 1.30. 1. Sam. 1.11. 2. Sam. 15.8. Act. 18.18. Num. 16.ſpeciall reaſon maketh vntounto God.
V.
In a lawfull ſpeciall vow, foure things are required: of which the firſt is, that we be aRom. 14.23aſſured that our vowe be bAct 23.1…agreeable to Gods word;c2. Cor. 7.7. the ſecond, that it be not aboue the ſtrength which God hath giuen vsus; the third,d1. Cor. 7.4. that it be agreeable to our vocation; the fourth, that we vow with a good purpoſe of hart, and for a lawfull end.
VI.
The right and lawfull endes of vowes be foure, of which the two former are in reſpect of the time paſt: the other two in reſpect of time to come.
VII.
The firſt end of a lawfull vow, is to teſtifie a aGen. 28.20thankefulneſſe to God for benefites receiued.
VIII.
The ſecond end of a lawfull vow, is to chaſtiſe and afflict our ſelues for ſome ſins cōmitted, that we may be the more fit to entreate God to a1. Cor. 11.31.remoue his wrath frō vsus.
IX.
The third end is, to make vsus the more warie and heedfull againſt ſinne, by a1. Cor. 6.12 1. Cor. 9.27.depriuing our ſelues of the vſe for a time of ſome ſpeciall things.
X.
The fourth end is to ſtirre vp our ſelues as it were with a ſpurre to our dutie, binding our ſelues thereunto by a vow.
XI.
That the Monaſticall vowes, are vnlawfull & vngodly, it is manifeſt by foure reaſons. Firſt, becauſe the life Monaſticall is imagined a worſhip aMath. 15.9of God: ſecondly, becauſe they vow a Monaſticall life, without reſpect of Gods calling, and without approbation from him: thirdly, becauſe the Monkes and Nunnes, bind themſelues to many vile and vngodly ſeruices: fourthly, becauſe they promiſe to God perpetuall virginitie, when as yet, either they hauehave not the bMat. 19.11. 1. Cor. 7.7.gift of continencie, or if they hauehave it, be vncertaine how long to hauehave it.
XII.
Vowes are of this ſtrength and nature, that if they be lawfull they aDeut. 23.21bind, but if they be bIud. 11. Act. 23.21.vnlawfull they are voyde and of none effect.