Of National Churches, Chapter 5
Chap. V. Of Paſtors or the Biſhops of National Churches, that they are to be of Three ranks.
§ 1. THat Paſtors are the prime neceſſary part of the Matter of a Kingdom-Church (tho' not the Unifying Form) is plain in Scripture, and in the nature of their Office, and of a Church.
§ 2. The Independent Separatiſts therefore ſhew groſs Ignorance, when they make a meer Community unorganized to be a Church in ſenſu Politico, and then muſt have a Lay-man that was of the Univerſal Church before, to be by the Peoples Votes choſen a Member of that Church while it hath no Paſtor, and then choſen their Paſtor after. Whereas a meer Community is no more a Political Church without a Paſtor, than a Community is a Kingdom that hath no King (individual or collective, exiſtent or virtual.) Or than this can be a School without a Schoolmaſter, or a Family without a Head of it.
§ 3. As Nature firſt formeth by the Soul and Spirits ex materia ſeminis, the heart and prime organical parts, and by them formeth all the reſt, and laſt of all formeth the Stomach and Inteſtines to be the Organs of future nutrition, and then putteth in the nutriment, (which in the Chicken is the Yelk of the Egg, the bodily ſtamina being firſt made of the white) and then cloſeth up the before encloſed ſtomach upon that food; ſo Chriſt did firſt by his Calband Spirit make ſome prime organical General or Indefinite Miniſters, and by them make others, fixed in particular Churches and Offices, and by them edifie and feed, and perfect the Body by their Official Miniſtration, and fit the people to digeſt the received food for their continued nutrition.
And as the King firſt maketh General Officers for his intended Army, and then by them, or immediately commiſſioneth Generals and Captains to raiſe their ſeveral Regiments and Companies, and doth not make the common Souldiers before the Officers, that are to Rule them; ſo was it done by Chriſt at the gathering of his Church. But when a Church is gathered (or an Army raiſed) they are not to be diſſolved (or disbanded) when the Paſtor (the Captains or Generals) die, but continue in the exiſtent ſtate of a Community, and the ſtate of a Virtual Policy till a Paſtor (or Ruler) be choſen, becauſe the Legal Inſtitution de ſpecie, keeps up a virtual or intentional Policy ſtill.
§ 4. Chriſt's firſt Inſtituted Officers were Apoſtles, and after the Inferior Official Diſciples, immediately from himſelf, to convert Souls, and make them fit matter for his Kingdom-Church; and theſe were afterward to gather into diſtinct regular Congregate Churches, ſuch as were ſo converted by their Miniſtry, and to place fixed Elders over them.
§ 5. Theſe Twelve Apoſtles and Seventy Diſciples were firſt inſtituted in and for a National Church ſtate. Chriſt found the Jews under a National Form, and therefore did not at firſt change that Form, but only changed the Laws and Ordinances made for their Infant ſtate of peculiarity, which he had fulfilled for them, they being but a Paedagogy to lead to and till Chriſt.
§ 6. It's plain that the number of Twelve and Seventy were choſen as related to the Twelve Tribes (all then in being and known) and of the Sanedrim or great Council: And therefore a National Form of Church-Officers, and not yet Univerſal nor Congregational.
§ 7. Therefore Chriſt himſelf would not Preach beyond the Tribes of Iſrael, nor give the Childrens bread to Dogs till he was finally rejected by the Children of the Kingdom, and' ſo the Kingdom taken from them, and given to a Nation that would bring forth the fruits of it. And he forbad his Apoſtles to go among the Gentiles, and confined them to the loſt Sheep of the houſe of Iſrael.
§ 8. It is plain that Chriſt would have this juſt number of twelve kept up in relation to the twelve Tribes, till the Kingdom was taken from them, becauſe one, and but one was to be choſen in Judas room, and ſo the due number of the Twelve to be kept up.
This proveth the Inſtitution of a diſparity of Miniſters.
§ 8. The Keys of the Kingdom were given firſt to the Apoſtles, before the empowering of the ſeventy, and that as to diſtinct ſuperior Officers. And the word Keys ſignifieth Government, when Chriſt is ſaid to have the Keys, it is expounded by his opening and no man ſhutteth, and ſhutteth and no man openeth.
The Government was laid on his ſhoulders as King and Counſeller, Iſa. 9. 6, 7, 8.
And as his Father gave the Keys and ſent him, ſo he ſent his Apoſtles and gave power to them.
§. 9. But there is no doubt but this Power called the Keys or Governing Power, extended both to the ordinary and the extraordinary part of the Apoſtles Office, and included even ſuch miraculous power as Peter executed on Ananias and Sapphira, and Paul on Elymas, and which is called giving up to Satan, that the Fleſh may be deſtroyed, and they may learn not to blaſpheme. When there were no Chriſtian Magiſtrates, Chriſt made his Apoſtles the executioners of his juſtice, (as to ſentence, as Satan was in executing their ſentence) not when and how they pleaſed, but as the Spirit determined them.
§. 10. That the office of the Apoſtles was partly for an ordinary ſort of work, to be continued to the end of the World, and partly for the extraordinary work, which ended with them, or is now ceaſed, is paſt diſpute.
1. The extraordinary work was, 1. To be immediately ſent by Chriſts own mouth, and to go upon that Miſſion, and act by that Commiſſion, (in which alſo the ſeventy did concur.)
2. To be the Witneſſes of what they had ſeen Chriſt do, and of what they had heard him ſay.
3. To deliver this to the World by Preaching and Writing as ſuch firſt Witneſſes.
4. To do this under a Promiſe of Chriſt, that he would give them his Spirit to bring all things to remembrance, and to lead them Infallibly into all Truth.
5. To ſpeak the Languages which they had never learnt by art or uſe.
6. To work Miracles to confirm their Teſtimony and Doctrine; and to have the Gifts of Prophecy, Healing, &c. In which tho others did partake with them, yet it was but for a time, and not as a ſtanding Office and Power.
7. To Sentence ſome men (as aforeſaid) to Satans Execution.
8. To be the firſt planters of Congregate Churches, and ordainers of their Paſtors or Elders, and authorized to inſtitute ſuch Orders and Subordinate Officers, (Deacons, Deaconneſſes,) by the Inſpiration of the Holy Ghoſt, as ſhould continue.
9. To be Inſpired Infallible Expounders of the Prophecies and Types of the Old Teſtament. And the Infallible deciders of Controverſies.
10. To be Inſtrumental by Impoſition of Hands in giving the extraordinary miraculous Gifts of the Holy Ghoſt to others.
All theſe are works that God hath made no Promiſe of continuing to the end, and therefore this part of their office ceaſeth.
§. 11. II. Theſe following Works of the Apoſtles ceaſe not, and therefore in theſe they have Succeſſours to the end.
1. To Preach Gods Word, and Publiſh the Goſpel by voice or writing.
2. Indefinitely to Teach and make Diſciples of all Nations, (tho' they could not Univerſally go to all, yet to go as far as they could, and as they were called.)
3. To gather Churches of the Converted, and ſettle Elders over them, and to be chief (tho' not ſole) Agents and Guides in ordaining them.
4. To take care and overſight as General Paſtors of the Churches Gathered and Ordered; as being not confined to be Officers only of this or that ſingle Congregation, (tho' they might alſo divide their Provinces for order ſake, and have their moſt uſual habitation fixed.)
5. To adminiſter the Sacraments of Baptiſm and the Lords Supper where ever they came, as General Miniſters.
6. To cenſure or uſe diſcipline authoritatively in various Churches.
7. To try Cauſes upon Appeals from ſeveral Congregations.
8. To do all this as inſtituted Officers Superior to the Interior particular fixed Elders and Churches. All theſe continue.
§. 12. That all theſe are works to be continued is plain in Scripture. 1. The firſt is common to them with all Chriſts Miniſters in the Office of Elders. And ſo is the fifth.
2. The ſecond muſt be done by all occaſionally and as far as the work of their particular Churches will allow; But that differeth much from doing it as the Work of a General Officer ſpecially Commiſſioned for ſuch general Indefinite work, and tied to no one ſetled Church, ſave for Temporary ſervice. As we uſe to ſay, [that which is every mans work is well done by none, in compariſon of that which ſome are ſpecially appointed to.] Others may do it: Theſe muſt do it. Others will make it their ſecond work, but theſe their firſt.
3. The ſame I ſay of gathering and ſetling particular Churches: Others may do it: Theſe muſt do it.
4. The fourth is proper to general Officers, to take a ſtated official care and overſight of many Churches as confined to no one. Others muſt Secondarily take a Brotherly care; But General Officers take a Fatherly Stated care of them as their province or charge. It would be tedious to cite all the texts that mention Pauls and Barnabas and ſuch others care to preſerve and edifie the ſeveral Churches which they had planted. Paul ſtaid at Epheſus ſome years to carry on this edifying ſetling work: ſo did John and other Apoſtles in their Provinces. This was not to play the Biſhop in other mens Dioceſs, as it would be in a common Paſtor if he ſhould intrude without the particular Paſtors conſent; which yet a General Officer may do.
5. The ſame I ſay of Cenſuring.
6. And of trying Cauſes officially in various Congregations. There is the ſame reaſon for theſe in all Ages as there was in the firſt.
7. And that all this be done as by General Officers ſuperior to the particular fixed Elders, hath the ſame reaſon for it now as it had at the firſt. All theſe are works that may ſtill be done; and therefore muſt have Officers to do them.
§ 13. That Chriſt intended a ſetled Inſtitution of ſuch Diſparity of Miniſters as to the Ordinary part of the Apoſtolick Office, I prove as followeth.
1. Becauſe having found a diſparity before in the Jewiſh Church, he offered not to repeal it, when he offered to gather all that Church to himſelf, as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings. Yea he ſent the Lepers to the Prieſts and bid men hear them in Moſes Chair; and owned the diſparity.
§ 14. Becauſe he formed a diſparity himſelf, as is aforeſaid between the Twelve Apoſtles and the Seventy, and that in ſome Conformity to the Jewiſh Church Policy. And tells his Apoſtles that they ſhall Judge the Twelve Tribes of Iſrael.
§ 15. Becauſe he ſuiteth his Governing Laws and Diſcipline much to what he found among the Jews. This is evident in Mat. 5. where he doth but vindicate the Law from the Phariſees abuſe: And Mat. 18. 15. where he formeth his Diſcipline much to their Method. And many Learned men have proved that the Jews Baptized Proſelites before John and Chriſt Baptized. And they had the Ten Commandments before: And Selden and others ſhew that they had a Prayer before very like the Lords Prayer. And Grotius ſheweth that they had Synagogues in every City, even to ſmall numbers, like our Pariſh Churches or Chappels. And Chriſt ſubmitted to the Rulers of the Synagogues for his own leave to Preach.
§ 16. I once doubted (in my Diſpute of Church Government) whether the Apoſtles Superiority was not only for their peculiar advantages of Knowledge and Gifts, rather than a ſetled Superiority of Office, and whether any Paſtors might not do all their Ordinary continued work. But (beſides the ſingularity of that doubt) I was ſoon convinced of an Official Superiority and Diſparity, not only becauſe a Judas had been one, but becauſe the number of Twelve in Superiority was to be kept up, by the choice of his Succeſſor; even one from among thoſe that had been Witneſſes of Chriſts Words and Works as well as he. And by Pauls being made a thirteenth Apoſtle when the Goſpel was to be carried further than to the Jews: And his claim of Apoſtolical Power and Priviledges.
§ 17. Eſpecially becauſe I find Chriſt, Mat. 28. 19, 20. deſcribing the General Office as well as the Particular, even going into all the World to Diſciple whole Nations, as well as to teach them to obſerve Chriſts Commands, promiſing to be with them to the end of the World.
§ 18. And alſo becauſe it is apparent that Preaching the Goſpel to Heathen and Infidel Nations is a Work ſtill to be done, and for want of men purpoſely appointed to do it, the progreſs of the Goſpel hath been wofully ſtopt; Few doing any thing in it but Mr. Eliots and a few honeſt men in New England, and they ſay ſome of the Dutch, and the Jeſuits and Fryers that do it corruptly. Particular Church Work is below this.
§ 19. And I am fully confirmed when I find that the Apoſtles themſelves ſetled a General ſort of Miniſters in Superiority and General Work to ſucceed them. As Chriſt himſelf by his Spirit made Barnabas an Apoſtle, ſo he gave to his Church alſo Evangeliſts who were General helpers of the Apoſtles, and were put in a ſtate of Diſparity and Superiority. Sil as and Mark, and Luke, and Apollos, and many more are named. The texts that mention the General Office and Superior power of Timothy and Titus are ſo well known and oft cited, that it's needleſs to repeat them. The charge of ſetling and overſeeing many Churches (as in Crete) and of caution in Impoſition of Hands, receiving accuſations, rebuking ſharply, ruling them well, ordaining Biſhops and Deacons: and much more the like.
I never thought Saravia and the Kings Arguments in the Iſle of Wight well anſwered. Mr. Prins and the common anſwer is, that theſe were not Biſhops, but Evangeliſts. I grant it, but that confirmeth me. For the name Biſhop was then ordinarily appropriated to fixed particular Church Elders: But our queſtion is not de nomine but de re, an Apoſtle & Evangeliſt were above ſuch Biſhops. Call them Apoſtles (as Dr. Hammond proveth that the Fathers oft call them) or call them Evangeliſts, or Arch Biſhops or General Biſhops or Dioceſans or Provincial Biſhops, it is not the name that is our Controverſie. It proveth that the Apoſtles did ſettle a ſort of General Overſeers to gather and take care of many inferior Biſhops and Churches, to ſucceed them in the ordinary part of their Office.
§ 20. But another argument fixeth me in this opinion, and that is, that when it is fully proved that Chriſt inſtituted ſuch a Diſparity and Superiority he that will affirm that this doth not now continue and bind us, muſt prove the repeal or revocation, or prove that he did make this eſtabliſhment but for a time, and how long that was. But Scripture plainly aſſerteth that he then appointed the foreſaid Diſparity, and hath any as plainly proved that he repealed it, or confined it to that Age? It is not proved that I have ſeen.
And to aſſert this without proof is, 1. To make Chriſts Inſtitutions to ſignifie but what mans fancy thinks meet, and make us the Maſters of his Laws, before we will be ruled by them.
2. It is a charging Chriſt with temerity or diſhonourable mutability, as Inſtituting one form of Church Miniſtry and Government for one Age, and changing it preſently for another.
3. It ſeemeth a dangerous taking Gods Name in vain, by affirming ſuch a mutability of him, and change of his Laws, without any proof.
4. It defameth the ſtate of his Church when it was under Perſecution, and when Heaven and Earth after rejoiced in its deliverance, as if all that time it had been corrupt by owning the foreſaid Diſparity. And it's dangerous Preſumption to Father on God that which he never did, and never owned.
§ 21. But no doubt but the Circumſtances of this Superior Office or degree of Miniſtry, are undetermined by God (ſave as by General Rules) and may be altered.
As 1. Whether there ſhall be One only or Two ſuch General Miniſters in one and the ſame Dioceſs or Province. Chriſt ſent out his Preachers by two and two. Paul and Barnabas, and Paul, and Silas, and Barnabas and Mark went out by Couples. Peter and Paul were together at Rome.
And Grotius and Dr. Hammond think that for the firſt times, till the Chriſtian Jews and Gentiles became one Communion, the great Cities (Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, &c.) had each two Congregate Churches, and two Biſhops (were it but for language ſake.) And as I think the Jewiſh and Gentile Chriſtian Miniſters, during the time of Miraculous Gifts, (while no Chriſtian Magiſtrates Ruled) were the two Witneſſes mentioned in the Apocalypſe, ſo I conjecture that Peter and Paul were the radical inſtances of them.
And when two join together it may take off envy from each.
Yet this is undetermined in Scripture and left to humane Prudence. If two cannot agree, how will ſuch agree others?
§ 22. The Scots had at firſt a General viſiter, that was really a General Biſhop. But the Viſitors aſpiring and abuſe changed that way. But I am told that in Ulſter in Ireland each Claſſical Synod chuſe two Grave Divines, and ſend them out to Preach in any Congregation in that Claſſis, where they ſee cauſe. As where there are young raw men, or men ſuſpected of Hereſy, or men of ſcandalous fame; and to admoniſh and counſel ſuch; and to tell the People that if they had any thing againſt their Miniſters, they ſhould tell them, and they would try them in the Claſſical Synod: I think this is real and laudable Epiſcopacy, whatever name it have.
§ 23. It is alſo undetermined how large the Dioceſs be of the ſaid General Miniſter (while he excludeth not Inferiors.) As Prudence would teach the Apoſtles to Preach in ſeveral Countreys, and not all in one (when they left Jeruſalem.) So Natural Reaſon teacheth Men ſtill to divide and know their ſeveral Provinces.
§ 24. It is undetermined how long each one ſhall ſtay in one City or place: As Paul did long at Epheſus.
§ 25. And it is left to Prudence how many ſubordinate Paſtors and Churches there, ſhall each overſee, ſo they overthrow not the ſaid ſubordinate Officers and Churches.
§ 26. And it is left to Prudence what ſecular Lands or Riches they ſhall have (called Glebe.) And what ſecular honour they ſhall have. As to be Barons and Lords, or to ſit in Parliaments, though Reaſon ſaith that Laws about Religion and the Church affairs, ſhould not be made without the advice of them who are ſo greatly intruſted with Religion; And yet that their Riches ſhould be ſuch as may not be too ſtrong a Temptation to Senſuality, Worldlineſs, Pride and Tyrannizing over their Brethren.
§ 27. There are three ranks of Biſhops: Two if not all three of Divine Inſtitution; And when any one of the three would ſuppreſs the other two, they are corrupted into a ſinful Tyranny.
I. The ordinary Presbyters are Epiſcopi Gregis, Biſhops over the Flocks: So called and proved not only by Grotius (paſſim) but by moſt Papiſts, and Proteſtants; ſpecially expoſitors on Phil. 1. and 1 Tim. 3. and 1 Pet. 5. &c.
II. The Churches being firſt gathered uſually under ſome one Paſtor, and he taking in the ripeſt of his Converts or Diſciples to become his aſſiſting Presbyters, and to avoid diviſions, that one (or ſome other) was choſen to be Epiſcopus Praeſes, the Preſident Biſhop of that particular Congregate Church: As the incumbents in big Pariſhes are with us. And tho I can prove no Inſtitution of this but by Gods General Commands (of doing all in Order, Unity and to Edification) yet we have reaſon to believe that it was begun in the Apoſtles days, if Jerom ſay true about Mark at Alexandria, who died before John. And I find no party of Chriſtians againſt it of many hundred years, perhaps not of a thouſand, for even Aerius called it not unlawful: And the Novatians, Donatiſts, and other Sects were Zealous for this ſort of Epiſcopacy.
III. And that a Superior ſort of Succeſſors to the Apoſtles and Evangeliſts were of Divine Inſtitution I have proved before.
§ 28. The appropriating the name of BISHOPS to this General rank, here called the Dioceſanes, contrary to Scripture and Truth, hath proved a miſchievous ſnare for Deceit and Tyranny. For hereby firſt our Innovators have denied the Pariſh Incumbents to be true Paſtors; ſecondly, And the Pariſh Churches to be true Political Churches for want of proper Biſhops or Paſtors, but only parts of the Dioceſan Church; As if that were infimae ſpecei. 3. By this they have made the ignorant Laity believe that thoſe ordained by the Proeſtotes, the parochial Preſident Biſhops, are ordained by no Biſhops at all, and ſo muſt be reordained. And 4. they are become the grand Enemies of Epiſcopacy, putting down many hundred Biſhops to ſet up one alone. And yet perfrictâ fronte have called ſuch as are for more, Antiepiſcopal and themſelves the Epiſcopal party. Juſt as if one Schoolmaſter or Phyſition, ſhould put down many hundred that he may be the only Schoolmaſter and Phyſition, or one Judge put down all the Juſtices and Mayors, and then impudently ſay that they are againſt Phyſitions, Schoolmaſters and Juſtices, and he only is for them.
But who can expect Truth or Modeſty from Ungodly, Worldly, Proud, Tyrannical Men.
Tho it is not the Name that is our Controverſie; I allow them the Name of Dioceſanes. Yet abuſe of Names hath been of miſchievous effects.
§ 29. Such Dioceſane or General Biſhops as put down all the Particular fixed Biſhops and Churches, are not only no ſort of Biſhops of Chriſts Inſtitution, but are Pernicious Enemies to Epiſcopacy and the Churches. As nominal Apoſtles would have been had they put down all the Particular Churches and Biſhops which they ſhould overſee; or a General Commander that would put down all the Collonels and Captains.
§ 30. To refuſe to be ordained by ſuch uſurping Enemies, and to diſown them, is not to refuſe true Epiſcopacy.
§ 31. If theſe uſurping Biſhops would ſwear Men to obey them, and refuſe to ordain any that will not Aſſent, Conſent, Subſcribe or Covenant, to ſin againſt God by Omiſſion or Commiſſion, eſpecially many great and hainous ſins, he that refuſeth ſuch ordination may truly ſay, he could not be ſo ordained; the Biſhop was the refuſer and not he: And he hath better ordination that is ordained by Pariſh Biſhops on lawful Terms.
§ 32. Yet if the Chriſtian Prince make a true Dioceſan that putteth not down the Pariſh Churches, to be of the Quorums, and have a Negative voice in Ordinations, of ſuch as he will own and maintain; I think none ſhould ſcruple ſubmiſſion: For while Dioceſans are good Men, it ſeemeth to be a way ſafe and orderly.
§ 33. There are two degrees of depoſing the Pariſh Paſtors:
I. When ſomewhat eſſential to their Office it ſelf is denied de ſpecie. (As Mr. Dodwell would have the Office made and ſpecified by the Will and Intention of the Ordainer.) This only the Innovaters are guilty of.
II. When the Eſſentials of the Office are owned, but the exerciſe ſinfully reſtrained. This the Old Engliſh Canons and Biſhops were guilty of. But it unhappily was by fitting their Canons to the State of the Pariſh Prieſts that came newly out of Popery, and were by ignorance and errour unfit for their Office and Work.
But of all this I treated with unqueſtionable evidence of Truth in my Treatiſe of Epiſcopacy, which is yet unanſwered.
§ 34. Thoſe that only abuſively reſtrain the Pariſh Paſtors in the exerciſe of their Offices, and are but miſgoverning Dioceſans, may yet be owned as true Miniſters de ſpecie tho we muſt not own their ſinful Miſgovernment: But thoſe that deſtroy the very Office of the Pariſh Paſtors in any eſſential part, and their Churches, are no true Miniſters of Chriſt de ſpecie, nor to be owned as ſuch while they will be the ſole Paſtors of many hundred Congregations.
§ 35. How came this General Epiſcopacy that was to gather and fix Churches to be ſo much ceaſed?
A. 1. By the difficulty and coſtlineſs of the work of Apoſtolick Travels and Labours: Miniſters choſe the eaſier ſtate of a fixed particular Miniſtry. 2. The particular Biſhops living among Heathens, found work enough on thoſe within their reach, and ſo by degrees conjoined the two Offices of General and Particular Epiſcopacy into one. 3. And when the Heathen near them were converted, ambition drew them to enlarge their Particular Churches into one Dioceſan Church, inſtead of gathering the new Swarms into a new Hive, under a true particular Biſhop. And thus Satan hath by ſubtilty, reduced the Churches to be too like to the Heathen World, by killing Religion, and turning it into Hypocritical Ceremony and meer Names, while one Biſhop will needs undertake the work of many Score or Hundreds, which he cannot poſſibly perform.
§ 36. Q. How prove you that the Largeneſs of the Dioceſs altereth the Species of Epiſcopacy and Churches?
A. It doth not at all if it put not down the ſubordinate Pariſh Paſtors and Churches; But if it turn them into half-Paſtors and Chappels, by deſtroying their eſſence it is eaſily proved: Becauſe it is two ſorts of Communion that ſpecifie the two ſorts of Churches and Paſtors. The loweſt particular ſort is for preſential perſonal Communion, of ſuch as may perſonally converſe and may know each other, and may at leaſt ſometime aſſemble for ſuch Communion: But National, Provincial or Dioceſane Communion is but by diſtant agreement in the ſame Profeſſion, among perſons perhaps many hundred Miles diſtant that never ſee each other. And the Miniſterial Work doth accordingly differ. Dr. Hammond maintaineth that in Scripture times there were no Biſhops that had any more than a Congregation to whom he Preached and Perſonally Officiated.