The True Form of Church Government, Chapter 1
The true Government of the Church according to Christs first Institution, and the present practices of the Reformed Churches.
CHAP. I. The generall Proposition.
THat the word of God describeth perfectly unto us, tha… forme of Governing the Church which is lawfull, and the Officers that are to execute the same; from the which … Christian Church ought to swerve. Admonition in the Preface. Ecclesiasticall Discip. fol. 5. Tho. Cartwrights first booke, page 26. Discourse of Government, page 1. &c.
The Assertion of the Bishops and their adherents.
THe Word of God describeth not any exact forme of Discipline, neither are the Offices or Officers, namely, and particularly expressed in the Scriptures, but in some points left to the discretion and libertie of the Church. Whitgift in praeface, and page …4. answer to the Abstract, page 33.
The proofe of the former is the disproofe of the latter, which is thus declared.
1. These things write I unto thee, &c. out of which place I reason thus. That end which Paul respected in writing unto Timothy, 1 Tim 3.14 15.doth the holy Ghost direct all ministers unto for ever; for it must be kept, 1. Ti… 6.14▪ But hee wrote to direct him in the establishing …nd building of the Church. Therefore that Word must direct Ministers for ever: and consequently they neither may adde to, nor take from it, but Governe it onelyonly by the rules that be there prescribed.
2. Every house ought to be ruled by the orders of the skilfull, wise, and carefull housholders onelyonly: But the Church is the House of God, and God is such a Housholder: Therfore the Church ought to be ruled by the Orders of God onelyonly, which are no where to be had, but in his Word.
3. That which teacheth every good way, teacheth also how th… Church must be Governed: But the Word of God teacheth every good way,Prover… 2 9 Pro. 2.9. Therefore it teacheth how the Church must be Governed.
4. We cannot glorifie God, but by obedience to his Word; in all that we doe,1 Cor. 10 31. we m…st glorifie God, 1 Cor. 10.31. Therefore in all that we doe, there must bee obedience to the Word; and consequently in governing his Church.
5. If meat and drinke be not sanctified unto us, but by the Word and Prayer, then much lesse is any thing holy which is done in the Government of the Church besides the Word: But the former is true by the testimonie of the Apostle,1 Tim. 4 5. 1 Tim 4.5. Therefore the latter must be true also.
Rom. 14 23.6. All lawfull things are of Faith, Rom. 14.23. All lawfull things that are of Faith, have a warrant from the Word; for the Word is the foundation of Faith: Therefore all things lawfull, have their warrant from the Word▪ and consequently every lawfull action in the Government of the Church.
7. Either hath God left a prescript forme of Government for the Church, under the New Testament, or he is lesse carefull for it now, then he was under the Law▪ for his care is in Guiding it: But he is as carefull now for his Church as he was then: Therefore hath he left a prescript forme to Governe it.
8. He that was as faithf…ll as Moses, left as cleere instruction, both for the building of Faith, and Government of the Church, as Moses did:Heb. 3.2. But Christ was as faithfull in Gods h…use, Heb▪ 3.2. Therefore he left as cleare instruction for them both as Moses: but Moses gave direction even for every particula…, …s appeareth in the building of the Tabernacle, and order of the Priesthood: Therefore hath Christ also given particular direction for the Government of the Church.
9. If the Word of God have described sufficient Ministers and ministeries, for the building of the Church, and keeping it in good order,Rom 12 5, 6, 7. 1 Cor. 12 28 Ephes 4.11, &c. See Coun…rp page 11. then is our assertion true: But it hath set downe sufficient for Doctrine, Exhortation, Overseeing, Distributing, and ordering of every particular Church or generall Synode: Therefore is our Assertion true.
10. That Government which the Apostles taught and planted, is expressed it the Word of God: But the Apostles taught and planted, Pastours and Teachers for Instruction; Elders for Over-sight, and Deacons to distribute, and that uniformly in every Church, as appeareth by their writings and practises: Therefore a certaine forme of Government is expressed in the Word.
11. Every lawfull offi… and action in the building of the Church, is from Heaven, Matth. 21.25, 26.Matth. 21.25, 26. Every thing that is (in the ordinarie building) from Heaven, is revealed in the Word: Therefore every lawfull office and action is revealed in the Word.
12. If God continued (in regard of the substance) the Church administration, as well as the things to bee administred, then as the forme of Discipline described in the Word: But the former is true, as appeareth by the particular…; for Priests, Pastours; for Teaching Levites, or Doctors of the Law, Teachers; for Rulers of the Synagogue, Elders; for Leviticall lookers to the Treasurie, Deacons; for the Sanedrim, the Eldership: Therefore the forme of Government is prescribed in the Word.
13. Every wise King that is carefull for his Subjects, setteth down Lawes for the Government of the same, and will have th…m tyed to no other: But Christ is such a King unto his Ch…rch: Therefore hath he prescribed Lawes unto hi… Church, which none therein can alter or disobey; and cons…quently, the certaine forme of Government of the Church is described in the Word.
14. That which the Ministers must teach the People to observe, is set downe in the Word of God, for they may teach nothing but that which is there, Matth. 28.20. But they are to teach them to observe,Matth. 28.20. and be obedient unto the particular forme of the Church Government: Therefore the particular forme is set downe in the Word.
15. Every Government consisteth in the Governours matter whereabout they are to be imployed, and ma…ner of doing it: But in the Word are described all these particulars▪ as it is sh…wed in the 9. reason: Therefore the Word prescribeth a prescript forme of Government.
16. The Christian Religion shall f…d, that out of this Scripture,Cy…rian in serm… de baptism… Ch…isti. Rules of all Doctrine have sprung, and that from hence doth sp…ing, and hither doth returne, whatsoever the Ecclesiasticall Discipline doth containe.
17. We may not give ourselves the liberty to bring in any thing that other men bring of their will;Cypri…n de presc…p adv…sus …. we have the Apostles for Authours, which themselves brought nothing of their own will, but the Discipline which they received of Christ, they delivered faithfully to the people.
18 It is Adulterous, it is Sacrilegious, whatsoever is ordained by Humane fury,Cyprian lib. 1. Epist. 8. that the Divine disposition should bee violated.
The Conclusion.Therefore if Timothie was written unto, that he might be directed by the Word, in disposing of the Churches; if the Lawes of God onelyonly being the Housholder, must be followed in the Church, his House; if the Word of God teach us in every good way, whereof the Government of the Church is one; if God must be glorified in the ruling of his Church, which cannot be, but by obedience to his Word; if nothing be lawfull, but that wh…ch is of Faith, warranted by the Word; if God have shewed himselfe as carefull for his Church under the Gospell, as under the Law; if Christ was as faithfull to give direction as Moses, if in the Word be described sufficient Ministers and Ministeries, to build up the Church; if that Government, which the Apostles taught and pract…sed, be in the Word; if every lawfull office and action in an ordinary building, be from Heaven, and revealed thence by the Word; if God continued the same forme (in respect of the substance) in the time of the Gospel, that was under the Law; if every wise carefull King, doe set downe Lawes for the direction of his Subjects; If the Apostles have taught us to obey that which Christ commanded; if both the Governours matter of Government, and manner of doing it, be set downe in the Word; if all that pertaineth to Ecclesiasticall Discipline, spring from the Scriptures; if wee may bring nothing into the Discipline of the Church, but that which the Apostles have delivered us; lastly, if that be Adulterous and Sacrilegious, that is not according to the Word: then it must needs follow, that God doth describe perfectly unto us out of his Word, that forme of Government which is Lawfull, and the Officers that are to execute the same: from the which it is not lawfull for any Christian Church to sw…rve. And contrariwise, that is a most untrue assertion to say. That the Officers and offi…es are not particularly expressed, but left to the discretion of the Church. The reasons that they alleadge against this, are in effect …one, and their objections to these reasons, not worthy to be mentioned.