The Tabernacle of God with Men, Chapter 5
CHAP. V. The fourth Inſtruction. Chriſt hath committed the power of Diſcipline, not to the Officers alone, but to the Church, that is, to the Officers and the brotherhood.
THere is in the Church of Chriſt a twofold power; of
Order.
Office.
The power of order ariſeth from Church-fellowſhip, and belongs to the brethren ſo joyned together.
The power of office ariſeth from Commiſſion for rule; and belongeth to officers ſet over the brethren.
The power of Order is
To be exerciſed by the brotherhood, whileſt yet without Officers; and it is the power of chuſing their Officers formerly ſpoken to.
To be exerciſed by the brotherhood together with the officers; and it is the power of Diſcipline in
*Or binding by Excommunication, for which Admonition makes way; withdrawing partly makes way for it, partly followes upon it.Binding by
Admonition.
Withdrawing.
Excommunication.
Looſing; or Abſolution.
The power of Order is here taken in a ſenſe very different from that School uſe, where it is diſtinguſhed from juriſdiction, or rather againſt it.
Admonition in caſe a Brother ſinne ſcandalouſly; Withdrawing, in caſe he hear not the Admonition; Excommunication, in caſe of ſtubborne perſiſting in his ſinne againſt the Admonition of the Church.
Excommunication expreſt by
Judging. 1 Cor. 5.
Putting away. 1 Cor. 5.
Taking away. 1 Cor. 5.
Purging out. 1 Cor. 5.
Delivering to Satan. 1 Cor. 5.
Stating among the Heathen. Matth. 18.17.
Looſing or Abſolution in the Churches
Forgiving. Upon Repentance 2 Cor. 2.7, 8.
Comforting. Upon Repentance 2 Cor. 2.7, 8.
Confirming her love. Upon Repentance 2 Cor. 2.7, 8.
This power of Diſcipline, is one of the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven: The Key is twofold, of
Doctrine,
Diſcipline;
Luk. 11.52 and here the opening and ſhutting of the Key is the ſame with binding and looſing formerly. Matth. 16.19. with Matth. 18.15, 16, 17, 18.
The power of diſcipline thus briefly declared, we now come to confirme the inſtruction, that not to the officers alone, but to the Church it is committed, that is the brotherhood with the officers.
1. It belongs to the Church, Matth. 18.17. but the Church never ſignifies the officers alone, throughout the new Teſtament frequently the officers and brethren together: as in the inſcriptions of the Epiſtles to the Church at Corinth, &c. ſometimes the people diſtinct from their officers; when they were poſſeſſed of officers, Acts 15.4. the Church there diſtinct from the Officers whether Apoſtles or Elders, and this Church the brethren, v. 22, 23. ſo Rev. 1.20. the ſtarres are the miniſters, and the candleſticks are the Churches; before they were poſſeſſed of officers, Acts 14.23. there is the Church as the candleſtick, before the candle be put into it. If any man ſhall ſay that in Matth. 18.17. the Church ſignifies the officers alone, in ſtead of proving he begs the queſtion.
2. The Apoſtle enjoyning the exerciſe of this power for
Binding, 1 Cor. 5.
Looſing. 2 Cor. 2.
aſcribes it to the brotherhood together with the officers.
Firſt, for Binding, 1 Cor. 5. he writes to the whole Church. 1. To the ſame here, to whom he inſcribes the Epiſtle, but he inſcribes it to all the Saints in Corinth, with all in every place, as comprehended in his ſalutation, and concerned in the inſtitutions of this Epiſtle, though particularly ſent to the Church at Corinth. 2. The ſame who were puffed up when they ſhould have mourned, v. 2. are to be gathered together in the name, and with the power of Chriſt, Pauls ſpirit joyning with them, though he was abſent in body, v. 4. to deliver ſuch an one to Satan, v. 5.3. The ſame whoſe glorying is rebuked, the whole lump leavened, v. 6. are to purge out that leaven, v. 7. whence the Apoſtle digreſſeth from publick leaven, the ſcandalous ſinner, to perſonall leaven, malice and wickedneſſe, v. 8.4. The ſame to whom he gives direction for avoiding familiar ſociety with a ſcandalous brother, interpreting the meaning of a former Epiſtle, v. 9, 10, 11. they are to judge of thoſe within, v. 12. and put away from among themſelves that wicked perſon, v. 13.
Secondly for looſing, 2 Cor. 2. the ſame whom he had formerly made heavy, v. 1, 2. by rebuking in the former Epiſtle, that from their obedience and repentance, he might have much joy of them, when he ſhould come to them, v. 3, 4. whom in part he clears v. 5. They are the many by whom the inceſtuous Perſon was rebuked v. 6. and they are to forgive and comfort him, v 7.8. The ſame to whom the Apoſtle wrote to make proof of their obedience, v. 9. with whom as he formerly joyned in binding, ſo now in looſing, v. 10 they are ſtil the ſame, whom formerly he had made heavy, and in whom now he rejoyced, cap. 7. v. 8. to the end. He that can now caſt ſuch a miſt, as ſhall darken ſo faire and cleare a context, and make us meet with the officers only in all this, miſſing the People, I ſhall allow him this teſtimony, he hath profited very well in the ſchool of darkneſſe. Some footſtep of the Peoples power here we had in the ruines of diſcipline by the Prelates, in that the abſolved Party was wont to aske the Congregation forgiveneſſe.
3. Every brother hath a power, and his duty it is to admoniſh firſt ſingly, then jointly before a witneſſe or two, the caſe ſo requiring, and there is waight in that admonition for gaining a brother, Mat. 18.15, 16. how comes it to paſſe, that after the offence is brought to the officers, there is no waight in the publick admonition, and conſequently cenſure of the whole brotherhood.
The end of the Cenſure is to ſhame and humble the ſinner, and is there no waight in the ſolemne judgement of any, nor all the brotherhood, but only of the officers for this end?
4. If this judgement belong only to the officers, then Chriſt hath ſo inſtituted this Ordinance, as many times it cannot obtaine its end, without the ſin of the Church; this is cleare thus; in caſe the Church or brotherhood apprehend the ſentence unrighteous, they cannot without ſin withdraw from him; the Party ſentenced, (ſuppoſe by officers proceeding as wickedly, as ſometimes our Prelates and their creatures were wont to do, paſſing ſentence of excommunication for refuſing impious Ceremonies, or the like,) if they ſhal not withdraw, the end is not obtained, the ſentence not obeyed; but to ſay that Chriſt hath ſo inſtituted this or any other Ordinance, is to taxe his wiſedome and holineſſe.
Queſt. Suppoſe ſome few apprehend the ſentence unrighteous, what ſhall they do?
Anſw. Modeſtly declare their diſſent, and for their parts forbeare to act it.
5. That the Church (or brotherhood) hath ſome ſhare in the power of the keyes, appears by her honourable relation to Chriſt; the Elders are ſtewards, but the Church is his wife.
Object. That is the univerſall Church.
Anſ. Every particular Church or company of combined Saints hath the whole nature of the univerſall Church, and the ſame relation to Chriſt, that all the Saints together have, 1 Cor. 12.27.
Object. Then women and children ſhould ſhare in the power of the keyes, for they are of the Church of beleevers.
Anſw. This is a moſt trifling objection, 1. It is granted by many who make this Objection, that the brethren have right to chuſe their officers, who yet deny women and children any ſhare therein. 2, A power may belong to ſuch an Order, yet not to all in that Order; the Lords Supper belongs to the Order of beleevers, not to officers only; the children of beleevers are in Church-account beleevers, yet the ſupper belongs not to them. I will adde, that honour which belongs to ſuch an Order, reflects upon them in that order, who are yet debarred Perſonal application; the honour of circumciſion, ſealing up the Jews into Gods family, had reflection upon their women; they were of the circumciſion in oppoſition to the Gentiles, who were the uncircumciſion, though they could not be circumciſed; it is a priviledge and honour of our Nobility in England, that they make one Houſe of Parliament; and who can deny that the wives and children of Nobles are concerned in this Honour, though it belongs not to them to ſit in the Houſe?
Let us now adde the teſtimonies firſt of the primitive, and then of the reformed Churches in ſome of their choiceſt Divines. 1. For the primitive times, Cyprian, To the Presbyters and Deacons;
As for that which my fellow Presbyters, Donatus and Fortunatus, Novatus and Gordius wrote about, I could write nothing in anſwer, foraſmuch as I have determined from the beginning of my Epiſcopacy, to do nothing of mine owne mind, or by mine own ſentence, without your counſell and the conſent of my people. But when I ſhall come to you, (he was now in exile,) by the grace of God we will then deale about thoſe things in common, which either are done, or are to be done, as mutuall honour requires, Epiſt. 6. at the end. The like to this, in the 18. Epiſtle, about the demand of ſome of the lapſed, (that is thoſe who had fallen in time of Perſecution,) deſiring to be reſtored, having for that end obtained the Confeſſors letters, (the Confeſſors were ſuch as were impriſoned for the truth.) This thing (ſaith he) ſince it belongs to the counſell and ſentence of us all, I would not judge it beforehand, neither dare I challenge to my ſelfe alone a common buſineſſe.
When ſome Presbyters had over-haſtily received ſome of the lapſed to the Lords Supper, He tels them they muſt make account to plead their cauſe before himſelfe, the reſt of the Miniſters, the Confeſſors, and the whole People. Epiſt. 10.
When he yet in exile was conſulted with by letters by his Presbyters about certaine who had fallen, and were now returned, deſirous to be received againe of the Church, he anſwers;
I cannot be judge alone in this caſe; many of the miniſters are abſent; and this caſe requires exact handling, not only with my fellow miniſters, but with the whole People; for the thing is to be weighed with well-poiſed moderation, and ſo to be ſentenced, as may for after times ſettle an example about the miniſters of the Church, Epiſt. 28.
The miniſtery of Rome to Cyprian, (there being at this time no Biſhop at Rome,) In this great buſineſſe it ſeemed good to us, which thou alſo haſt formerly handled, that the Peace of the Church be upheld; furthermore, ſo conference of counſels being had with the Biſhops, Presbyters, Deacons, Confeſſors, and in like manner with the ſtanding People to handle the cauſe of the lapſed, Epiſt. 31.
Cyprian to the People, concerning Feliciſſimus and the five Presbyters of his faction; By the Providence of God they undergo the puniſhment they have deſerved, that not being caſt out by us, they ſhould caſt out themſelves; —According to your divine ſuffrages, conſpirators and wicked men ſhould of their owne accord drive themſelves out of the Church; (he here cals the ſuffrage of the people divine, not becauſe infallible, but becauſe it is according to Scripture that they ſhould have their vote) Againe, They alone beare the puniſhment of their conſpiracy, who formerly according to your ſuffrages, now according to the judgements of God, have deſerved to undergo the ſentence of their conſpiracy and Perverſeneſſe. To the ſame People; about the buſineſſe of the lapſed in generall for receiving or ſtill refuſing them. Cyprian declaring his hope ſhortly to be reſtored together with his fellow miniſters; Whom being preſent, (ſaith he according to your iudgement either way, (arbitrium,) likewiſe, and the Common Counſell of us all, we may order and exactly handle the things that are to be done, as once it ſeemed good, Epiſt. 40. A further Teſtimony we have formerly ſet down at the end of the ninth Argument, for the matter of the Church; ſhewing at once how the People of the Church were qualified, and what power they had for keeping out the unworthy. Epiſt. 55. More Teſtimonies of like nature might be alledged out of the ſame father, but theſe ſhall ſuffice.
I ſhall not need here to obſerve, how he aſcribes to the People in point of cenſure, as their right; counſell, conſent, vote or ſuffrage, judgement either way, or arbitrium, nor how generall his Teſtimonies are, as including the reſt of the miniſtry; the miniſtry of Rome likewiſe giving the like Teſtimony.
We come now to ſome few Teſtimonies out of ſome of the choyceſt Divines of the Reformed Churches. Calvin, Let us obſerve that this temper is to be held in excommunication, that this diſcipline be exerciſed by the Common Councell of the Elders, and with the conſent of the People, and this is the remedy whereby Tyranny is prevented, in 1 Cor. 5.4. That is the warrantable proceeding in excommunication which Paul ſhews, if not only the Elders do it apart, but with the knowledge and approbation of the Church, viz. in that manner that the multitude of the People do not rule the action, but obſerve it as a witneſſe and keeper, that nothing be done by a few at their pleaſure. Inſtitut. lib. 4. cap. 12. ſect. 7.
Bucer. This power (of the keyes,) is in the whole Church, but the authority of the miniſtry is in the Elders and Biſhops, as of old at Rome the Power was in the People, the authority in the Senate, in Mat. 16.18, 19. The ſame Author expounding, Matth. 18.15. &c. If the offending brother heare not the ſecond admonition, let his ſtubbornneſſe be declared to the Church, that he may be the third time admoniſhed by the whole Congregation, of thoſe amongſt whom he is, or whereof he is a part; and if he heare not the Church, being admoniſhed by her, let him be accounted as an heathen and Publicane. Againe: of the Power of binding and looſing, that is of ſhutting out, or receiving into the Church, whether at the beginning or after wickedneſſe committed, I have ſpoken before; Mat. 16. but here it is clearly ſet forth that this power, that is, the keyes of the kingdome of heaven, is in the hands of all thoſe who meet together in the name of Chriſt, that is in faith; becauſe theirs is the ſpirit of the Lord and his word; for ſuch only meet in the name of Chriſt, that is, truſting upon Chriſt, and grow together many members into one body, &c. Then interpreting the 19. v.—when two of you ſhal agre together to ask any thing, &c. he thus ſpeaks of private admonition, and abſolution in the hands of the brethren; the Lord ſpeaks here eſpecially of praying for pardon on their behalfe who had offended. Hence therefore we may learne the fruit of private admonition and abſolution; for if two ſhall agree together, to beg the pardon of a ſin; that ſin muſt be known to them both, and acknowledged as a ſin, here therefore the private admonition, or confeſſion of that ſin muſt have had place. Now foraſmuch as true prayer ſhuts out doubting of obtaining, it muſt needs be that a brother may confirme a brother, that pardon is granted, and by applying it to him, may render him ſecure in the Lord; hence the brethren in private, according to Chriſts inſtitution, exerciſe in part the power of the keyes, and thence their right of publick exerciſe of them, it being of the ſame kind, wil evidently follow, as he there ſpeaks. It is true, ſaith he, the Lord hath uttered this Promiſe concerning a few, that he might teach how he approves and embraceth us, agreeing and conſenting together in himſelfe, though we be never ſo ſmall a number; but we ſhall pleaſe him more, if many amongſt our ſelves ſhall agree together in him, and we ſhall be able to doe things innumerable in his name. The ſame Author. The Apoſtle blames the Corinthians, that the whole Church had not appointed mourning, that is, faſting and publick deprecation of the wrath of God for this wickedneſſe, and that ſhe had not caſt out the inceſtuous Perſon out of her Communion,—He did no loſſe ſolemnely exhort the Corinthians, that after his repentance, they would receive him into the favour of the Lord and his Church, lib. de regno Chriſti c. 9. p. 43. There is much more in the ſame grave Author to the ſame purpoſe up and down in his works; I ſhall adde only one ſhort teſtimony more out of Peter Martyr. We conclude ſaith he without the conſent of the Church, (that is the People of the Congregation,) no man can be excommunicated. loc. com. de excommunicat. ſent. 9. This right belongs to the Church, neither ought it to be taken from her ſent 10.
We ſhall forbeare further quotations, it being generally the doctrine of the Reformers, as is well known to ſuch as are acquainted with their Writings.