Review and Examination of the Doctrine, Part 1 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
That the present Prelacie is grosse Erastianisme. Some Arguments against it, under that notion. It excludes and denies all Church Government in the hands of Church officers, distinct from the civil; contrar to the Churches priviledge, both under the Old and New Testament, which is demonstrat at large. Is in many points ane Incroachment upon the liberties of the Gospel-Church, and upon Christs mediatorie authority over the same.
HAving thus farr impugned the Diocesian Prelat, as a pretended Church officer. Wee shall nixt, offer some Arguments against him in his Erastian Mould, as deriving all his power from the civil Magistrat. Althogh the office of the Diocesian Bishop were acknowledged warrantable, yet this will help nothing the Erastian Prelat, these being very distinct theams and questions. [What is that Species of Church Government, allowed and commanded in Scriptnre]? and [whither there be any inherent Church Government, allowed her, distinct from that of the Civil Magistrat?] and whither Church officers, or the Civil Magistrat, be the proper Subject therof? that the Present Prelacie is gross Erastianisme, is manifest; for after all Church Judicatories were in Anno 16 62. discharged untill they were authorized by the Bishops nominat by his Majestie—the disposal of the Government is declared to be the Crownright, and inherent p…rpetual prerogative: and thereupon the Bishops are restored, not only to their civil dignities, but to their Episcopal function, presidencie in the Church and over all Church discipline, &c. And it is expresly declared, that there is no Church power, jurisdiction or Government, in the Church office bearers or meetings, but what depends upon, and is subordinat unto the Supremacie, and is authorized by the Bishops, who are declared accountable to his Majestie for their administration. In the Act for the National Synod, the constituent members thereof, the maters to be treated of, the authorizing of the constitutions as Church Canons, is soly in the Civil Magistrat, there work being only to give advice to him, without any decisive inherent suffrage. By vertew of which Ecclesiastick Supremacie, his Majesty puts excommunication and Spiritual censures, and consequently the power of the keys, into the hands of persons meerly civil, in the Act for the high commission. Hence it is aparent, that his Majesty as the fountaine of all Church Government, impartes this Authority to such as he pleases, and the Bishops are nothing else but his Majesties Commisioners in the exercise of that Ecclesiastick Power, which is originally in himself. Now, that this Erastian Prelacie, or Church Government, is a stranger to the Scripture, is many wayes evident.
1. This Erastian Prelacie, Denyes all Church Government in the hands of Church officers, distinct from civil Magistrace: which is ane error fully confuted and largely bafled by all who have written against Erastus and his followers, and is contrare many wayes to Scripture. I. To that distinction betwixt the Ecclesiastick and civil Sanbedrin under the Old Testameet, asserted and cleared by many Scripture Arguments by our divines, paraicularly Mr Gillespie in the Aarons rode. I. From the institution of that Court of elders, supposed in Exod. 24. Who were not those elders chosen for the government of the Commonwealth, Numb. 11. For this was done at Sinai shortly after they came out of Egypt But on the 20 day Of the 2d. MonethMonth in the 2d. Year they tooke their journey from Sinai to the …dernes of Paran Numbr. 10. 11, 12. And there pitched, when the Seventie elders were chosen to relieve Moses. They were not the judges chosen by advyce of Iethro, for he came not to Moses till the end of the first year, or the begining of the Second after they came out of Egypt; Nor could they be judges, who judged befor he came; for he observed that the burdine lay upon Moses alone. So they must needs have been Ecclesiastick Rulers under the presidencie of Aarone and Hur. vers. 14. Who were called up as the representatives of the Church of Israel, after the Judicial lawes were given, Chap. 22. 23. In this 24. Chapter there is a transition to the Ceremonial lawes, concerning the worship of God, and the Structur of the Tabernacle. Deutr. 17. 8, 9, 10. All grant there a Supream Court of judges, therfor also the text must be granted to hold forth a Supreme Ecclesiastick Court: For it caryes the authority & sentence of the priests, as hie as the authority & sentence of the judges, & that in adisjunctive way as Two distinct powers, each binding respective in their oun proper Sphere. 3. From these judges & officers 1. Chr. 23. 4, & 26: 29. Supposed, & set to their work when the Levits were divyded to there Charge, who were not tyed to service & attendances in the Temple, but to judge & give sentence concerning the law & its meaning: and this saith the text, over Israel, coming to them from any of the cities of the land. 4. From Jehoshaphats reformation. 2. Chron. 19. 8, 10, 11. Who restoring the government of the Church, did sett in Ierusalem levits, priests, Chieff of the Fathers of Israel for the judgment of the Lord, & for controversies Here is 1. A Court of priests & Levits with power of Suffrage & thus consisting of Ecclesiastick membres. 2. In Ecclesiastick matters, Maters of the Lord, distinct from Maters of the King 3. For ane Ecclesiastick end (viz.) to warne that they trespasse not, not only against one another, but against the Lord. 4. All causes of their Brethren that dwelt in the Cities, were to come to them unto Jerusalem. 5. They have Ane Ecclesiastick Moderator, or president, Amariah the chieff priest, over them in all Maters of the Lord, …istinct (as is said) from Maters of the King. These & many such Arguments are made use of by him & others, To clear this poynt of the Two distinct Sanhedrins, which fully overthrowes this Erastian Confusion of these two powers & governments. 2. This fountaining of all Church power in the civil, and denying of Church government in the hands of Church officers, distinct from the Civil government, is Cross to that distinction of the Gospel Church her government, from that of the Civil power, wich is clearly held out in the new Testament. Wherin it is evident 1. That the visible Church is Christ the Mediator his visible kingdome as Mediator. And so its Officers, Lawes, & Censures falls with in the compasse of his Mediatorie appointment and inspection. Matth. 16. 19.—& 28. 29. Joh. 18. 36. 1. Cor. 12. 28. Eph. 4. 11, 12.—2. That the gospel Church was Compleated in her being & essence, both as to Rulers & Ruled, Members & officers, and in rules & directions for the exercise of her government accordingly, when no Magistrat was so much as a member of her.—3 That in all the precepts anent the exercise of this power, it is enjoyned to the Church, & to these Church officers, as such, with the same freedome & independancy upon the Civil power, as at the first, & without the least restriction & limitation, in case of the Magistrats becoming Christian; All the grounds made use of in pressing the exercise of this power, being moral & perpetual, & respecting the Church her condition as a Church, whither the Magistrat be friend or enemie.
In the 2d. Place, This Erastian prelatick mould of government brings in many grosse encroachments upon the liberties of the gospell Church. As 1. Denying her liberty to exercise her power & Key of Censure without the Magistrat: Contrare to all the New Testament instances of the exercise therof with out him. 2. Introduceing a dominion, & arbitrary power upon all her government; Contrare to her liberty & the very nature of her government, which is a Ministerial Stewardship, not a dominion; for thus the Church is the proper object of the Magistrats dominion that being the Nature of his power Rom. 13. And the present prelatick Church ounes the Supreme Civil governoure as her Chieff Church officerer.—3. Giving to the Magistrat qua talis (for this power in Church matters, is by Prelats and their adherents aknowledged to be a perpetual Croun-right) the proper & Sole decisive suffrage in all causes falling under Ecclesiastick cognisance: for Prelatists onelyonly meet to advise him in there Suprem Court or national Synod, according to the forementioned Act. Now, this Cutts off all Church judicatories ther decisive suffrage as Church judicatories, which (as is cleared above) they did fully at first exercise of themselves, without the Magistrat. 4. This mould will make the Civil Magistrat the proper immediat subject of the Keys, and Impartes all Church government to One, who, as such, is not so much as a Church member, and impowers him to give out this supposed fountaine power to no Church members, or to here enemies at his pleasure, As his Majesty gives to persons Civil the power of excomunication? Yea it gives him a power, by his oun proper clicite acts, to dispense all her [external government] as the law terms it, which (if we look upon it as including all externall ordinances contradistinct from the internal government of the inward man, & the Church invisible) will necessarely import & include the exercise of both the Keys, & all the external dogmaticke, diatactick, & Critick authority & power, intrusted to the Church representative: Which is a meer Civil papacie & the grossest of usurpations which the Church can be exposed unto, as shall be afterward touched. Finally, This will inferr, that Children, Heathens, yea women, may be chieff Church officers and heads of the Church too, since they may possesse the Crown of these Kingdoms, to which this Headship and Supremacy is annexed. But of this also againe.
3. This Erastian government is a gross encroachment upon Christs prerogative over his Church. And that in these wayes. 1. In assumeing a power over the Church which is proper to Christ only, I mean a Magisterial, architectonick power. That this is assumed by this Erastian mould of government, is evident? He who can dispose of government, and governoures of the Church arbitrarly, and dispose of all Church meetings, and Church maters, as he pleases and thinks fitt, Hath certanly this power; but that this Magisterial, architectonick, power and dominion over the Church, is Christs Sole prerogative, is abundantly clear by manifold plaine, positive, Scripture assertions. To Christ is all power given in Heaven and Earth, Matth. 28. 18. And he, as Mediator, is given to be head over all things to the Church, Ephes. 1. 21, 22. To h…m is all judgement (over her) committed, John. 5. 22. Hee it is also who possesses these high tittles, to be the Governoure (over his Church) by way of eminencie, Matth. 2. 6. That great shepherd of the sheep. Hebr. 13. 20. the shepherd and Bishop of Soules. 1. Pet. 2. 25. Hee is that one Master over all Church officers, who are but Brethren, Matth. 23. 8, 10. To us there is but One Lord Iesus. 1. Cor. 8. 6. Hee it is, to whom onelyonly the imperiall acts of power are ascribed: as, the giving of lawes to his Church, the gospel precepts are his law. Gal. 6. 2. Hee it is who gave commandments to his Apostles, Act. 1. 2. there is but one law giver who can save and destroy. Jam. 4. 12. The Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver or Statute maker, the Lord is our King, I say. 33 22. He it is who Constitutes her ordinances, preaching of the word Matth. 10. 7. 1. Cor. 1. 17. administration of the Sacraments, as of baptisme, John. 1. 33. the Lords Supper, 1. Cor. 11. 20. dispensing of Censures, Matth. 16. 29. Hee it is who appointes his Officers, Prophets, Pastores, Teachers, Ephes. 4. 11, 12. 1. Cor. 12, 28. In his name onelyonly all ordinances are dispensed: Not in the name of Magistrats, or of any Mortall. The Apostles spake and taught in the name of Jesus. Act. 4. 17, 18. In his name we are to Ask Joh. 14. 13, 14. In his name onelyonly Ministers are to preach and baptize, Matth. 28. 18, 19. 2. Cor. 5. 20. In his name onelyonly they are to Censure, to deliver to Satan. 1 Cor. 5. 4. In his name only Church assemblies are to be gathered, which seems the Smallest Act. Matth. 18, 20. (See jus divinum Regim: Eccles: Appollon: Revius. &c.—2. This Erastian government incroaches upon Christs prerogatives, In taking and using the Keys against Christs donation and authoritie Christ is the only Lord giver of both the Keys, and all their power. But, in this Usurped power, the Kevs are 1. Divyded, against his prescription, who gave both the Keys of Doctrine and Discipline joyntly to the proper recipients the…of (viz.) Church officers. Matth. 16. 19. This Erastian government …ches away One Key (viz. of government) from such to whom Christ the great Master of the House, hath Intrusted both. Christ in this donation of the Keys, making no mention of the Civil Rulers, but only of Church Officers then appointed, who were distinct from the Magistrat. Hence 2. The Key of disciplin is taken and used against his mynde, by these to whom he hath not Intrusted it, which is a great encroachement upon his authoritie. In the 3d. place, this Erastian government encroaches upon Christs authoritie over his Church, In superadding Ane officer to theseChurch officers institut and appointed by him. For in all the Scripture rolls of Christs Church officers, the Civil Rulers are not found. Eph. 4. 10, 11. 1. Cor. 12. 28. Rom. 6. 7, 8.—4. This encroachment appeares in making Church officers, as such, imediatly subject to the Magistrat in all their Spirituall administration, which is a hie Censure of the Primitive exercise of this power independantly, as we shal shew. 5▪ In exeeming him from all Spiritual subjection unto, and censure by, Church Rulers. For where, …pray, shal we find the Magistrat excepted, and the hi…herCivil powers, if within the Church, from Christs lawes and rules anent subjection to Church censures and to his Spiritual office bearers intrusted therewith?