A Model of Church Government, Title page – Dedication
A MODEL OF Church-Government: OR, The GROUNDS of the Spirituall Frame and Government of the Houſe of GOD.
Shewing, What the holy Scriptures have therein delivered; What the beſt Reformed Churches do practiſe; What the Tender Conſciences may reſt in.
For the better Satisfaction of ſuch as ſcruple at the Work of REFORMATION, declared and appointed by ſeverall Ordinances of PARLIAMENT.
BY JOHN DURY, one of the Aſſembly of Divines; Who hath travelled heretofore in the work of Peace among the CHURCHES.
PSAL. 2. 6. I have ſet my King upon my holy hill of Zion.
ISA. 9. 6, 7. The government ſhall be upon his ſhoulder, &c.
LONDON, Printed by T. R. and E. M. for John Bellamy, and are to be ſold at his ſhop at the three golden Lyons neer the Royall Exchange. 1647.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE Sr. John Gayer, Kt. Lord Major of the City of London. And to the Right Worſhipfull, The ALDERMEN and SHERIFFS his Brethren.
Right Honourable:
Theſe Scriptural Aſſertions, at their firſt conception, were not deſigned for the Publique; they were only put to Paper at the deſire of thoſe, who in this City gave me a call to the Cure of their ſoules, and were willing to reform their wayes according to the will of God. And becauſe they did confeſſe their ignorance of the whole Frame and Government of the Houſe of GOD; my aime was to let them ſee it, as briefly as I could, in a Model taken from the patern which I have ſeen in the Mount, which the Scriptures have revealed.
I would not be large, of purpoſe, to the end that I might ſtirre them up the more to Meditation, to the ſearching of the Scriptures, from which I have endeavoured to gather all; and to conference with my ſelf, when they ſhould be at a ſtand. I intended nothing, but according to their deſire to give them private ſatisfaction; yet they would not reſt there, but inſiſted to engage me to publiſh theſe Heads of thoughts (for in effect they are no more:) Nor was it enough to make them publike, but they would have me to owne them, and to preſent you alſo with them. To all which you may perceive that I have condeſcended, although I confeſſe with much reluctancie.
Not that I am aſhamed to owne any thing that is mine, though ſo imperfect as this is, and in a matter of ſo great conſequence, (for I am very well conſcious to mine own weakneſſe, and not unwilling that others ſhould perceive it, (if it may be for their edification) or that I was doubtfull of any Truth here delivered, (for I conceive that all may be made out to the full, if God ſhould give time, and a call to do it) but that I was loth to offer unto all whom I could not know, that which I had deſigned only for a few, whom in caſes of miſtake I would be able to rectifie. I was unwilling to ſeem to intermeddle to ſo little purpoſe, as theſe Tracts are like to be, in matters of ſo high concernment, in a ſeaſon ſo full of diſtraction, and in an Age ſo willing to cenſure, ſo apt to miſtake, and ſo ready to miſconſtrue on all hands every thing that hath no character of partiality upon it, though done never ſo harmleſly: And then alſo I was afraid to be thought to ſtretch my ſelfe beyond my line, in making this addreſſe unto You. But I hope that your favourable acceptance, and the Relation which I have to a particular Congregation in the City, will free me from this laſt apprehenſion; and from the former I have been taken off, partly by the conſideration of greater inconveniences which might follow upon the not yeelding, then upon the yeelding unto a publication; partly by the importunity of the Call which I received to do what here is done. So that I hope none other conſtruction will be made of the publication of theſe Notions than ought in charity to be made; which is to believe, That I being earneſtly deſired to declare my knowledge of the truth of theſe matters, thought my ſelf bound to beare witnes thereunto, and to ſuffer my teſtimony to come to the light, that it might appeare that theſe works are done in God, that they are free from humane reſpects; and that my aim in putting them forth, is to give occaſion to men conſcionably peaceable, to conſider whether yea or no, an agreement in theſe Truths ought not to oblige Brethren to a neerer conjunction of ſpirits, & profeſſion of unity, then we as yet are come unto? and whether yea or no, the things wherein there is a difference of opinion, deſerve ſo much diſtance in affections, as many are fallen into, or ought to be debated in ſuch a way of heat as moſt men follow, whereby they rather diſturbe then edifie one another. It is a ſad thing to ſee men that are called Chriſtians and Brethren, exerciſing their wits to the diſparagement of one another in Religious matters; and to deale with things concerning Conſcience, lightly, paſſionately, and without all ſerious and conſcionable gravity. Theſe things are to be deplored, but cannot be redreſſed, without the acknowledgement of the Truth; nor can the Truth be received without the ſpirit of Love and Peace, which the Word of the Goſpel doth adminiſter only.
The Lord of truth and peace reveal the ſame unto us all more and more; and direct You in your ſtation to walk therein as patterns of Righteouſnes before all others. Which, with the wiſhes of proſperity unto the ſettlement of this whole State; ſhall be towards the LORD who alone is able to ſave, the conſtant Prayer of
Your HONOURS moſt humble and affectionate ſervant in Chriſt, JOHN DURY.