Concerning the Church of Jesus Christ Upon Earth, Section 5
Sect. V. Containing an Anſwer to the firſt Queſtion.
What Government hath our Lord Jeſus Chriſt ordained in, and for his Church?
TO this I Anſwer, That a Government and diſcipline in the Church is to be obſerved by divine right; for God is the God of order and not of confuſion; without this, the Church would rather ſeem a Babel than a Bethel, and therefore we muſt of neceſſity conclude a Church-Government *1 Cor. 12.28by Divine right.
But although the thing it ſelf be granted, yet the manner how, or way, is much diſputed by godly and learned men.
Now as the Scriptures do clearly hold out that there ought to be a Church-Government, ſo they do alſo inſtruct us in the way, and not altogether leave us in the dark in a thing of ſo great concernment as this:
Therefore let us ſearch the Scriptures, they are ſufficient to informe us as to this caſe; or elſe how can the Scriptures be truly ſaid to be *P… Tim. 3.…15perfect, if they fall ſhort and cannot informe in a caſe of ſo high concernment as this? How can they be ſaid to be ſufficient to make a man *2 Tim. 3.17wiſe, if they leave him ignorant in this ſo weighty a matter?
How can they be ſaid to be ſufficient to make the man of God *1 Tim. 5.17perfect & thorowly to furniſh him unto all good works, if they informe him not as to the managing of church government, which is a great, and a good work, and whoſoever manage it well, in St. Pauls eſteeme, are worthy of double honour.
Therefore let us hear the Scriptures ſpeake, as to the way of church-Government.
To a Government be it either Civil or Sacred are neceſſary theſe three things.
1. Ordinances.
Ordinances to be ſubmitted unto.
2. Officers.
Officers to rule, and ſee to ſubmiſſions unto and obſervance of Gods Ordinances.
3. Penalties.
Penalties to be inflicted on offenders.
Theſe are all neceſſary to church-Government:Prayer, Singing of Pſalms, the Sacraments are Church-Ordinances
1. There muſt be church Ordinances to be ſubmitted unto and obſerved; and the Scripture tells us that theſe are,
Firſt, Prayer, ſo 1 Tim. 2.1.
Secondly, Singing of Pſalms, Pſal. 9.11. Mat. 26.30. Acts 16.25.
Thirdly, Miniſtery of the word, Rom. 10.15. Mark. 16.15. Eph. 4.12.
Fourthly, The Sacraments of Baptiſme, Mat. 28.18.
The Lords Supper, Mat. 26.26. Luke 22.19.
Thus for Church-Ordinances the Scripture declares clearly what they are that we ought to ſubmit to and obſerve:
2. There muſt be Church Officers too, or elſe no Government;
Now as to Church Officers, the Scriptures do uſually call ſome by the name of Elders, and do ſeem to make two Sorts of them.
Firſt, Elders that did both teach and rule,
Secondly, Elders that rul'd but taught not:
Teaching Elders or Paſtors and Teachers of the Church, the Scriptures declare that theſe are to be in the Church as Officers, Rulers, Overſeers, for in the 4. of the Ephe. 8, 9, 10, 11. We there read that beſides other extraordinary Officers which were but pro tempore in the Church, So Acts 20.17, 28. 1 Cor: 12.28Paſtors and Teachers are to be in the Church to the end.
And as the Scripture tells us there ought to be Paſtours and Teachers in the Church as Church-Officers, ſo it tells alſo firſt how theſe ſhould be ordained to their Office. Secondly, How they ſhould be qualified for their Office.
Firſt, How ordained to the Office, that is by *Acts 13.3 1 Tim. 4.14Prayer and Impoſition of the hands of the Presbytery.
Secondly, How they ſhould be qualified for the Office.
Firſt, They ſhould be men of gifts and parts, *2 Tim 3 2 1 Tim. 3.1, 2apt to Teach.
Secondly, Men of Holy lives and converſations, *2 Tim 3 2 1 Tim. 3.1, 2not Scandalous.
A Second ſort of Church. Officers, which the Scripture calls Elders alſo, ſeem to be ſuch as were not (as we uſe to ſay) in Eccleſiaſticall Orders; but ſome of the Church, graveſt and wiſeſt of the Church, who were choſen to help and aſſiſt the Teaching Elders, in the Rule and Government of the Church: That there were ſuch Church-Officers as theſe in the Apoſtles times, theſe Texts of Scripture ſeems to hold forth, 1 Tim. 5.17. Let the Elders that rule well— eſpecially who labour in the Word and Doctrine.
This place ſeems to ſpeak of two diſtinct ſorts of Elders, the one Ruling onelyonly, the other both Ruling, and Teaching alſo, and here the Apoſtle bids honour both ſorts, but eſpecially thoſe Elders that Taught the Church as well as Rul'd it.
The word eſpecially ſeems there to make this diſtinction of Elders, for this word foreign eſpecially, is commonly uſed by St. Paul to diſtinguiſh perſons or things, in the ſame place ſpoken of, ſo Gal. 6.10. Do good unto all, eſpecially to thoſe that be of the houſhold of Faith; here the word eſpecially ſignifies that there were ſome of the houſhold of Faith, ſome not, we muſt do good unto all, but eſpecially to thoſe of that houſhold: So, 1 Tim. 5.17. The Elders that Rule well account worthy of double honour, eſpecially thoſe that labour in the Word and Doctrine; here the word eſpecially ſeems to ſignify that ſome of thoſe Elders did labour in the Word & Doctrine, ſome did not, both were to be honoured, if they ruled well, but eſpecially thoſe Elders that both Ruled well, and laboured in the Word and Doctrine alſo: So in Rom. 2.6, 7, 8.— Or Miniſtery, let us wait on our Miniſtering, or he that Teacheth on teaching, or he that Exhorteth on exhortation, he that Ruleth with diligence; here ſeemeth to be an Officer that was not to wait upon teaching, but onelyonly upon ruling: And we ſeem to retain theſe Elders or Officers ſtill in the Church in England, under the name of Church-Wardens, the name ſignifies as much as Church-Guardians, or Church-Rulers.
Another ſort of Church-Officers that we finde mentioned in Scripture are called by the name of Deacons, 1 Tim. 3.8.their office to gather the Churches contribution, and to adminiſter to the poor members; of this Officer the Church will have alwayes need, Mat. 26.11.The poor ye have alwayes with you:
Theſe Officers we have in the Churches in England, under the Name of Overſeeres of the poor,
Thus the Scripture doth informe us what Officers are to be in the Church, for the rule and better ordering of it.
3. There muſt be Church penalties; without a penalty to be inflicted upon obſtinate Offenders, neither Ordinances nor Officers (in any kinde of Government) will be regarded.
Therefore, for the carrying on of diſcipline, and Government in his Church, and that a better reſpect may be had to his Ordinances, and Officers, our Lord Jeſus Chriſt hath Ordained a penalty to be inflicted upon all obſtinate offenders in this caſe; And this penalty is excommunication, or a caſting out of the Church any obſtinate Offiender, as a rotten and dead branch, no more worthy now to be accounted a member of the Church.
This is a delivering up of ſuch an Offender unto Satan for the deſtruction of the fleſh:… Cor. 5.5.
The power of excommunication our Lord Jeſus delivered to the *Mat: 18. Joh. 20.23.Church.
And how the Church ſhould proceed againſt an offender as to the caſe of excommunication, we have a Rule Mat. 18.15, 16, 17. Tit. 3.10. Thus is the Scripture ſufficiently cleare, and informing, as to the way of Church-Government; And that yet there is ſo much of difference and contention about this, it is to be feard that the cauſes are rather carnall than conſciencious, ariſing as the Apoſtle ſaith from our Luſts, and not from any inſufficiency or Darkneſſe in the Scriptures as to this caſe.