Review and Examination of the Doctrine, Part 1 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
Erastianism denyes the compleat constitution of the Apostolick Church in point of Government. Removes the Scriptur Land-markes, set to distinguish the Civil and Ecclesiastick Powers, which is cleared in several points. It is lyable to great absurdities.
IN the 4th place: This Erastian Government presumes to impeach the primitive Apostolick Church, her compleat constitution and faithfulness of Administration in relation to Government, and makes here to have had but a defective maimed constitution and authority thereanent, while the exercise of the civil power in her, was wanting. Which charges a gross deficiency upon Christs prescriptions in relation to her Lawes and Officers: Which are found in Scripture, very full, and suited to her state and condition in all times until all the Elect be made up, and here warfare is accomplished; and consequently, it impeaches Christs saithfulness and authority as Mediatour, whose proper work this holy constitution is
5. This Erastian Prelacy takes away all the Scripture Landmarks and Limits, which are fixed therien by God, to distinguish the Civil and Ecclesiastick Powers and Governments, and makes them every way the same, in all things wherein Scripture and Reason do distinguish them, both as to their Nature and Acts, and likewayes as to their Causes.
1. As to their Nature, this Erastian Government doth confound them. 1. In that it makes the Church and Commonwealth, the Political and Ecclesiastical Societies, one and the same, which are formally distinct. It being a visible profession that make a Church member, and outward habitation and subjection to the civil power, that makes a Subject; Which may be where there is no profession, and consequently no Church-membership. For in this mould, the Kings Government Civil, is Church Government, for it is his Government as King, in which capacity this Ecclesiastick Supremacy is his prerogative, and his Ecclesiastick Government is also Civil Government, for it is his Government as the Supream Civil Magistrat: And thus the Church, respected by his government, is the Commonwealth, & vice versa. 2. This confounds the Officers of Church and State, which the Scriptur doth aboundantly distinguish. For, as is said, The Church had all her Officers of Christs appointment, when no Magistrat was a Member thereof; and on the other hand, Commonwealths had all their civil Rulers, before they became Churches; But in this Erastian Prelacy, this order is confounded, The chief Officers of this Church are the Magistrats Commissioners to Church and State; whereas Church Officers are given by Christ as Mediatour to his Church as a Church, 1 Cor. 12: Ver. 28.—3. The actings of civil and Ecclesiastick authority are thus confounded, Spiritual church Rulers Act onelyonly in Spiritual matters by Gods appointment, and civil Rulers there immediat proper Acts are only in matters Civil. But here Church Officers are Parliament Commissioners, and civil Rulers in the high commission do excommunicat.
Againe in the 2. place: This Erastian Prelacy confounds these two powers in their causes, which are wholly diverse. 1. The efficient cause is diverse, God as Creator, is Author of Magistracy, Rom. 13. But Christ as Mediatour appoints Church Government, Matt. 28: 18. But here, the Magistrat qua talis, is a suprem Church Ruler? And thus is supposed to have his power from Christ as Mediator and Head of his Church: Which is ane opinion fully confuted by those who havewritten against Erastus, particularly Mr Gillespie in the Aarons Rod. 2. They differ in the material cause, the matter on which the two powers do act, are diverse: Ecclesiastick power doth act in the exercise of the Keys, the administration of the Word and Sacraments, having this for its proper Object and matter. The civil power consists in the civil and secular Sword; the one reaches the inward, the othere the outward man. But in this Erastian Prelacye, the, Sword and Keys, are made one, promiscuously used, and put into the same hands. 3. The two powers differ in their formal cause: the civil power is put forth in political punishments, the Ecclesiastick in spiritual censures. But here, the same power is the first Radix and Fountaine of Spirituall Censures, and Civil punishments, and gives them their formal essence and being, as such. Finalie. The proper immediat end of Civil power is the Temporal, External, political peace of the commonwealth. Rom. 13. 1, 2. 3. But the proper end ofEcclesiastick power, Is the Churches Spiriual good and edification as such, Matth. 18. 15. 1 Cor. 5. 5. 2. Cor. 10. 8. and 13. 10. But here, the Magistrat quatalis, being the Churches head, these ends are Confounded. These and several such like arguments are made use of by our writers against Erastus, which doe fully evince the unlawfulnes of this Erastian prelacie. Whosoever shal peruse Apollonius His jus Majest: Circ: Sacr: the jus Div: regim: Eccles: the Aarons rod, wallaeus against Vtenbog: and such like, will find this abundantly clear.
To sh…t up all with One word more. Ther are these 3. horride absurdities, in relation to Church government, which the premised mould of this Erastian prelacie will necessarly inferr. 1. That a man may be borne, not only a Church member, but a Chief Church Ruler: Nay, that a Heathen, and a man that never professed the true religion, but lives and dies ane ingraind enemie to it, and so hath neither mater nor forme, of Church membership, may be a Chieff Church officer. For his Majesties present authoritie herine (acknowledged by our prelats, and which is the Fountaine of their power) is the proper Croune dignitie of all that ever shall possesse and wear it: and so here is a monstrous Church officer, who 1. hath no qualifications of any Church officer whom ever Christ appointed. 2. A Church officer who is not Set in the Church (which is the essential marke of all Church officers 1. Cor. 12 28.) for that supposes he must be a Church member A 2d. absurditie is this, That Children and women (who may have a lawfull lineal right to the Croun) may be Church officers, Yea the Fountaine of our prelats authority, and of all their Under…ings, and the chieff governoure of this Church; and thus, they who are forbidden so much as to speak in the Church, shall be Chieff Church Rulers, and likewayes such as have not the use of Reason. 1. Tim. 3 5. 1. Cor. 14. 34, 35.—A 3d. absurditie is, That the Church government upon earth may be Monarchical, and that One man may be her Supream head, legislator, And architectonick Monarch and Ruler, for aquatenus, ad omne, valet consequentia. Upon the same ground that the Suprem Civil Ruler is Chieff head and Ruler over the Church in his dominions, the Church in all other places, being a body of the same nature, Should the Christian Church be contracted within his dominions, he were her Supreme universall head? And it were so, if his Civil dominion should be extended over all the Churches: By this same reason of his headship over One, he may be head over all, and exercise ane arbitrary at least a legislative power over all her ordinances and officers. And if this will not Clearly set the popes Treeple Croun upon his head, and disowne all that ever the protestant Churches have writen and acted against his blasphemous Supremacie, let common discretion judge, Ambrose (Epist: 33. ad valentinianum imperatorem) Saith, noli gravare imperator, ut putes in ea quae divina sunt, aliquod imperiale jus habere, opliticorum tibi munerum jus concessum est, non Sacrorum. Grieve not O Emperour, so as to think that you have any Imperial authority over these things which are divine, the right or authority of politicall offices is committed unto thee, but not of Sacred.