Assertion of the Government of the Church of Scotland, Title page – To the reader
AN ASSERTION OF The Government of the Church OF SCOTLAND, IN The points of Ruling-Elders, and of the Authority of Presbyteries and Synods.
With a Postscript in answer to a Treatise lately published against Presbyteriall Government.
Gesta Purgat. Caecil. & felic.
Adhibete Conclericos & Seniores plebis Ecclesiasticos viros, & inquirant diligenter que sint istae dissensiones.
August. epist. 118.
Quorum (conciliorum) est in Ecclesia saluberima authoritas.
Edinburgh, Printed for Iames Bryson, 1641.
TO THE READER.
IT is high time for those who have been long praying for the peace of Hierusalem, and with bleeding hearts have beheld the sorrowes of Sion, now to bestirre themselves with an extraordinary diligence, and to contribute their most serious and uncessant endeavours, for the setling of these present commotions about Church affairs, in such a manner, that the sacred twins, Truth and Peace, may both cohabit under own roofe▪ and that this great and good work of Reformation may not be blasted in the bird, nor fade in the flourish, but may be brought forward to that full maturity, which shall afford a harvest of joy to us, and to all the Churches of God.
One controversie there is about the government of the Church, and it is of such consequence, that were it well resolved upon, and rightly agreed, it should facilitate a right resolution in other matters which are in question. Now because longum iter per praecepta, breve per exempla, the way is long by precepts, short by platforms; therefore I have carefully observed the policie and government of other reformed Churches. And because the nearnesse of relation swayeth my affection at least half a thought more unto that which is Scotlands (caeteris paribus) then unto that which is more remote from us, therfore I was most solicitous to see a delineation of the government of that famously reformed neighbor Church; wch when I had read, & read over again, I did conclude with my self, that if these two points at which most exception is taken, I mean the office of ruling Elders, and the authoritie of Presbyters and Synodes, which also are things common to the other reformed Churches) could be upon good grounds maintained, there is no other thing of any moment to be objected against it.
And with these thoughts I was so tossed, that I could not rest satisfied with the Quid wi…hout the Quare, but did conceive as great languor and desire for a demonstration of that form of Church government, as before I had for a declaration of the same. Whereupon I have purchased to my self from Scotland this ensuing Treatise which having fully satisfied my owne minde in the asserting of those most controverted points, I have resolved to communicate and publish the same unto others, for the reasons following.
First, for the satisfaction of such as do through ignorance or mistaking stumble at such a form of Ecclesiasticall government: I do not much marvell to see those that a…e of a simple understanding, so far conquered, as to scruple the office of ruling Elders,Bishop Hall his assertion of Episcopacie by Divine right. having heard the big words and lavish expressions of some opposites against the same; yet a poor peece it is which one of them would usher in with a tinckling Epistle, in which Projicit ampullas & sesquipedalia verba. He maketh offer to forfeit his life to justice, and his reputation to shame; if any living man can shew that ever there was a ruling Elder in the Christian world, till F…rell, and Viret first created them. I shall not desire to take him at his word for his life, but if he be not able to give a satisfactory answer unto that which is here sayd both from Scripture, and from antiquity for ruling Elders, then hath he given sentence against his own reputation for ever. And so much the more, that having in that assertion of Episcopacie boldly averred,…ag. 208.209.2…1. that the name of the Elders of the Church, in all antiquity comprehendeth none but Preachers and Divines; and that therfore none but they may be called Seniores Ecclesiae, though some others happily may have the title of Seniores populi, because of their civill authority; notwithstanding the reading of the observations of Iustellus, and of both the Cassaubons, Pag. 146.hath now so farre changed his tone, that in his late answer to …mectymnuus, he acknowledgeth that beside Pastors and Doctors, and beside the Magistrates or Elders of the Cities, there are to be found in antiquity, Seniores Ecclesiastici, Ecclesiasticall Elders also; only he alleadgeth they were but as our Church-wardens, or rather as our Vestry-men: whereas indeed they were Judges in Ecclesiasticall controversies, and (in some sort) instructors of the people, as shall be made to appeare▪ Meane while we do observe what trust is to be given to this bold Speaker, who hath beene forc…d to yeeld, what he had before with high swelling words denied.
Another Instance of the same kinde is to be noted in his Remonstrance, when he speaketh of the prescript forms of prayer, which the Jewish Church had ever from the dayes of Moses, wherewith also Peter, and Iohn when they went up into the Temple at the ninth hour of Prayer did joyn;Pag. 11. to make good his allegiance, he addeth, the forms whereof are yet extant and ready to be produced. Yet this he handsomely eateth up in his defence;Pag. 17.18. where he gives us to understand, that those set forms of prayer are indeed specified by Capellus, a writer of our owne Age; but that the book it selfe which contained these prayers, is perished a thousand years ago. Well, he is now content to say that once those forms were extant; and this (forsooth) he will prove from a certain Samaritan Chronicle in the custodie of his faithfull friend the Primate of A…mach; wherein he hath found a story which transporteth him as much as the invention of the demonstration did Archimedes, when he cried foreign, I have found it, I have found it. Yet—cred…t Iudaeus apella, Non ego—But this lyeth not now in my way. Only (till a full answer be ready, I thought it not amisse to give some taste of the mans vaine arrogant humour, whose best weapons are great words. As for his last record which he fetcheth from Abrahamus Scultetus, against ruling Elders; all that and much more hath been, and here shall be abundantly confuted.
Others there be who call in question the power and authority of Ecclesiasticall Presbyteries, and of Synods, against which also some few Pens have been put to paper and have passed a censure no lesse hard then unseasonable, which (me thinks) might well have been spared, unlesse: there had been stronger and more convincing reasons for it. These I shall beseech, that with minds voyd of prejudice, they take into consideration the second part of this Treatise, written with no heat nor sharpnesse of words, but with plainnesse, and strength of reason: And withall I shall expect that they will not think the worse of the Author, for being ready to answer him that asketh a reason of him, or for writing a justification of the government of the Church of Scotland, to such as did desire to be more throughly resolved concerning the same; but that rather they will make use hereof, as a key by divine Providence put into their hands, to open a doore unto further light.
Secondly, there is so much the more reason for asserting those two points, by how much they have beene mainly opposed by Sathan; for he it was whose cunning conveyance of old, made the office of ruling Elders to come into dessuetude, through the sloth, or rather the pride of the Teachers, as Ambrose complaineth; and yet time hath not so obliterate that ancient order,In 1 Tim. 5. but that the footsteps of the same are yet to be seen in our Officialls, Chancellors, Commissaries, Church-wardens, and High-Commission men, yea at Rome it selfe, in the Cardinalls. The same old Serpent it was whose instigation made Licinius whiles he did intend the totall ruine of the Church, to fall upon this as the most effectuall means for his purpose, that he should straightly inhibit all counsells, meetings, and con…erencies concerning the affairs of the Church. By which meanes the Christians of his time were drawne into one of two snares. Aut enim legem, &c. for saith Eusebius, De vit… Const. … lib. 1. cap. 44.either it behoved us to be obnoxious to punishment by violating the Law, or to overthrow the Rites and Ordinances of the Church, by giving obedience in that which the Law did command: for great and waighty deliberations undertaken about things controverted, cannot proceed in any other manner or way, but by the right managing of Councels. The Arminians in the Netherlands, found out another of Sathans wiles; they were not able to hinder the assembling of a free and lawfull Synod, but for their next best, they required of the Synod of Dort twelve conditions,Vide actae Syno. Dord. Sess. 25. and the ninth was; that there should not be in that Synod any determination or decree concerning the matters in controversie, but only an accommodation or conference, and that still it should be free to the particular Churches, to accept, or to reject the judgement of the Synod: this was a way of endlesse controversie, and justly cried down in the Synod.
Moreover, Satan ever wise in his own principles, finding the Church of Scotland, like an invincible Sampson, by reason of such a constitution and gove…nment, as being preserved in integritie, could neither admit heresie, nor schisme, did make use of the Prelacie as his traiterous Dalilah, to betray that Sampson, into the hands of the now adverse P…ilistines the Papists, by stealing away both their ruling Elders, and the authority of their Presbyteries, and Synods: for he had well observed, that in these two things did their great strength lye, and that without these two, the Ministers of the Word being like so many scopae dissolut…, both sparsed, and by themselves alone might easily be brought under the yoke. When thus the Romish-affected Dalilah had taken away their strength from them, she was bold to u…t…r her insulting voice in the Service-book, and book of Canons, The Philistines be upon thee Sampson, The Papists be upon thee Scotland. In this case they did not (as Sampson then) presume that the Lord was with them as at other times; they knew he was departed from them:Psal. 80 14 15. They cried out, Return we beseech thee O God of Hosts, look down from Heaven, behold and visit this Vine, and the Vineyeard which thine own right hand hath planted. …er. 50.5.They did again ask the way to Sion with their faces thitherward, saying come, and let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant that shall not be forgotten. And now (glory be to the great Name of God, in the Church throughout all generations) they have by his healing hand quickly recovered their strength.Whittak contr. 3. de concil. quaest 1. Strength I may well call it, for sayth a learned Divine, as in things which are done by bodily strength, so in things which are managed by counsells, vis unita fortior, power being put together is the stronger: and in this he doth agree with Bellarm.; that though God by his absolute power can preserve his Church without Synods; yet according to ordinary providence, they are necessary for the right government of the Church. The interweaving and combining of strength, by joyning the ruling Elders of every Congregation, with the Pastor, or Pastors thereof into a particular Eldership, by joyning also Commissioners, Pastors, and E…ders, from many particular Elderships, ordinarily into a classicall Presbytery, and more solemnly provinciall Synod.Cant. 6.4▪ Finally, by joyn…ng Commissioners, Pastors, and Elders▪ from many classicall PPresbyteries, into a Nationall Assembly; this doth indeed make a Church beautifull as Tirza, comely as Ierusalem, terrible as an Armie with Banners.
It is not to be expected, but this forme of Church government, shall still be disliked by some (whose dislike shall notwithstanding the more commend it to all pious minds) I mean by prophane men, who escape not without censure under Presbyteries, and Synods, as they did under the Prelacie; by hereticks, who cannot finde favour with a Nationall Synod of many learned and godly▪ men, as they did with a few Popish Prelats: by Matchavellians also, who do foresee that Presbyteriall Synodicall government, being conformed not to the Lesbian rule of humane authority, but to the inflexible rule of Divine Institution, will not admit of any Innovations in Religion,Psal. 64 3. be they never so conduceable to politicall intentions.
Some there be who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bowes to shoot their arrows, even bitter words. They would wound both the office of ruling Elders, and the authority of Presbyteries and Synods,Math. 22.21. with this hateful imputation, that they are in consistent with the honor and Prerogative of Princes. Sure I am, when our Saviour saith, Render unto C…esar the things which are Caesars, and unto God the things which are Gods; he doth plainly insinuate, that the things which are Gods, need not to hinder the things which are Caesars. And why shall it be forgotten, that the Prelates did assume to themselves all that power of determining controversies; making Canons, ordaining, suspending, deposing, and excommunicating, which now Presbyteries and Synods do claime as theirs by right. To me it appeareth a grand mistery, and worthy of deliberation in the wise Consistory of Rome: That the power of Presbyteries and Synods being meerly Ecclesiasticall, being rightly used, and nothing incroaching upon the civill power, is notwithstanding an intollerable prejudice to Kings and Princes. But the very same power in Prelates, though both abused, and mixed with civill power, is not (for a…l that prejudiciall to Soveraignty.
Yet if the fear of God cannot moli…ie the tongues of th…se men, one would think that they should be brideled with respect to the Kings most excellent Majestie, who hath been gra…iously pleased to approve and ratifie the present government of the Church of Scotland, perceiving (… tru…) that Gods honour, and his honour, Gods Lawes, and his Lawes may well subsist together.
Lastly, as in publishing this assertion I intend to satisfie the scrupulous,Rom. 14 23. and to put to silence the malicious; so also to confirm the consciences of such as are friends and savourers to the right way of Church government. Whatsoever is not of faith i… sin, saith the Apostle, yea though it be in a matter otherwise indifferent: how much more is it necessary that we halt not in our judgement concerning the government of the Church, but walk straight, in the plerophory and full assurance of the same, from the warrants of the word of God; I say againe from the warrants of the word of God, for as it is not my meaning to commend this forme because it is Scotlands, Phil. 1.9.so I hope assuredly that my Country-men will not dispise Gods Ordinance, because it is Scotlands practice, but rather follow them in so far as they follow Christ and the Scripture. This therefore I pray,…. Tim. 2.7. that thy love may abound yet more and more, in knowledge and in all judgement, that thou maiest approve the things that are excellent. Consider what I say, and the Lord give thee understanding in all things, Amen.