A Survey of the Sum of Church Discipline, Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Ecclesiasticall Policy Defined. Ecclesiasticall Policy is a skill of ordering the affairs of Christs house, according to the pattern of his word.
SKill.] When we speak of spirituall things, we desire to speak in the words which the wisedome of the holy Ghost teacheth, and so we shall compare spirituall words and spirituall things together. And therefore it is, though the Government, whereof we are now to intreat, shareth, with other of the like rank, in the generall nature common to them and it, and thence may (as it is) truely be called, an Art or Policy, as civil governments are stiled: and there be a like parity and proportion of reason, in regard of the nature of the work: yet we attend the language of the Apostle, who, when he would instruct Timothy, touching the subject now to be intreated of, and furnish him with directions fitting and sufficient thereunto, he terms it, by knowledge or skill, how to demean himself in the house of God, 1 Tim. 3.15.
Its the knowledge of the duty of some rule that lieth upon him. Thus knowledge how to converse and carry our selves in Church-work, as the effect, leads us by the hand to look to the cause, whence it comes, namely the rule by the staple-precepts whereof, as by the Kings standard, this knowledge hath its being, and is bounded in its operations, the effect thus is expressed, but the cause is implied.
Ordering.] Its the art of ordering the affairs of the Church, For so the Apostle speaks, Colos. 2.5. When I behold your faith and order, as if he would referre the whole work of the Gospel to these two heads, Doctrine and Discipline. So much of Religion, as concernes the nature and work of Faith inwardly in the soul towards God and man, that is contained in the first branch, Faith. Order, which is the second and opposite member, includes the exercise of Discipline and censures of the Church, so far, as by rule they are expressed, and concern the rectifying of the carriage of such, who are in confoederation each with other.
This word taken in its native and narrow signification, implies the right positure of things in their proper places and ranks, when they are marshalled by the rule of Method, according to their especiall precedencies and dependencies they have, each upon other. And here by a Metonimy of the Adjunct, The managing of all Church-Ordinances, according to all the formes thereof, as Ezekiel speaks, the outgoings thereof, and incomings thereof, with that piety and spirituall prudence,Ch. 43.11. as is most sutable to all, that time, place, and persons, and practises, can require, as dispensed by some, received by others, is understood.
So that, when all offices and ordinances are managed in this manner, in a comely demeanour, the Church is then truely visibly Militant, becomes terrible like a well ordered army with banners. But when you loose the ranks, and rout the company, by disorderly administrations, it is the overthrow of the Army, and so of the Church.
House of Christ.] It is the expression of the Apostle in the place formerly quoted, 1 Tim. 3.15. That thou maiest know how to behave thy self in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God. God is the father of all the family in heaven and earth. Christ the Head and Redeemer, the holy Ghost the Comforter.
As the Head, so the Church which is his Body, admits a double consideration.
Christ is a Head,
Mysticall, by Spirituall influence.
Politicall, by his especiall guidance in the means, and dispensation of his Ordinances.
The Church also is a Body,
Mysticall,
Politicall.
The mysticall Body is the Church of true Beleevers, who being effectually called by his word and spirit, by faith yeelding to the call, are spiritually united unto Christ, from whom, as from a head, all spirituall life and motion is communicated on his part, and received on theirs. And this takes up the Invisible Church, because the union, and so the relation, in the truth of it, is inward, and not to be seen by sense. Of this we do not now inquire. It is that we doe beleeve. The Politicall body or Church visible results out of that relation, which is betwixt the professours of the faith, when by voluntary consent they yeeld outward subjection to that government of Christ, which in his word he hath prescribed, and as an externall head exerciseth by his word, spirit, and discipline, by his ordinances and officers over them, who have yeelded themselves subjects to his Headship and supream Authority. For Christ having humbled himself to the death, the cursed death upon the crosse, God the Father hath given him a name,Phil. 1.9. Joh. 13.3. Mat. 28.18 Joh. 5.22. above every thing that is named. Hath given him all things: Hath committed all power into his hand: and hath delegated unto him, the immediate dispensation of this power. For the Father judgeth no man, and by a parity of reason, in a right sense, he calls quickens, rules no man, but hath committed the immediate dispensation of all to the Sonne: which power he exerciseth invisibly in their hearts by the operations of his spirit: but exerciseth it visibly by his ordinances and officers in his Church, as upon his subjects, who professe allegiance and homage to him. So the Apostle, Ephes. 4. When he ascended up on high, and led captivity captive, he gave gifts to men, some to be Pastors, some to be Teachers, all set in his Church, and all for the good of his Church.
And as he hath a golden Scepter for the guidance of his servants, so, as a Judge, he hath an iron rod to break his enemies in pieces like a potters vessell. Bring hither mine enemies, that will not have me to rule over them, and slay them before my face.
Hence observe obiter and by the way, that the root of this power lieth first in Christ, as a Head, and is communicated by vertue of that commission received from the Father. All power in heaven and earth is given to me, therefore Preach and Baptise, Matth. 28.18, 19.
We now see the proper and adequate subject about which ecclesiasticall policy is exercised, to wit,
The affaires of his house,] The things that appertain to the visible Church, his visible Kingdome on earth. And to this place appertain the disputes, touching the difference betwixt Ecclesiasticall and civil Policy, what kinde of influence they have each into other, together with the tyrannicall usurpation of that man of sinne, and the false claim that Antichrist makes to both the swords, with all the pretences he deviseth to serve his own turn, and the false colours he puts upon his proceedings, when he would allay his cruelty, with a farfetcht device, as though he did all in ordine ad spiritualia, and by the colour of that order, he might disorder and overturn the whole frame of all Kingdomes and commonwealths, if they will not stoop to his tyranny and usurpation.
All those controversies take here their proper consideration, as in their proper place. But our intendment being to comprehend things in short, we shall wholly leave such tedious disputes, which would trouble our work, and weary the Reader.
Certain it is, Ecclesiasticall policy confines it self within the affairs of the Church, as within its proper compasse. My Kingdome, saith our Saviour, is not of this world; and so the weapons of his Kingdome are spirituall weapons, as in the inference our Saviour fully concludes. If my Kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews. But his Kingdome is not of this world, therefore his servants will not fight.
Men sustain a double relation.
As members of the commonwealth they have civil weapons, and in a civil way of righteousnesse, they may, and should use them.
But as members of a Church, their weapons are spirituall, and the work is spirituall, the censures of the Church are spirituall, and reach the souls and consciences of men.
According to the pattern of the Word.] This clause points where the laws of this Kingdom are to be found, and whence to be fetched. As Moses saw his pattern in the Mount, according to which he was to mold, all things in the Tabernacle: So we have ours left upon record in the holy Scriptures, unto which we must not adde, and from which we must not take any thing. Christ the King of his Church, and Master of his House, he only in reason, can make laws that are Authenticke for the government thereof.
And here we shall take leave to stay a little, and make this ground good before we passe, because we shall have speciall use of it, as a main pillar to bear up the building, of the following discourse, against the cavils of Papists and Formalists.
We shall first explicate, and then argue.
Church-government then is attended in a double respect, Either in regard of the
Essentialls, or
Circumstantialls, of it.
Essentialls required to the compleating of Church-government are,
Partly in the persons that dispense.
Partly in the ordinances that are dispensed.
In the persons that dispense, the kindes of officers that are appointed to that work: the nature, bounds, and limits of their offices, all these are essentialls.
The ordinances which these are to dispense, as preaching, prayer, seals, Church-censures, &c. all these are to be found in the word, and should be fetched from the word: and now under the Gospel, they are and ought to be the same; in all places, amongst all people, at all times, in all succeeding generations, untill the coming of Christ.
Media cultus sunt immutabilia.
It is not left in the power of persons, Officers, Churches, nor all states in the world, to add, or diminish, or alter any thing in the least measure.Gen. 17.13 Iun. in locum. But as God did appoint all in the Old Testament, and those his institutions, did endure their Ever (as the Scripture speaks) i. untill the coming of Christ, when the same power which appointed them, changed them, So in the New Testament where we are to expect no alteration, Christ the Law-giver he only appoints, none but he can, and he hath made known his will, that he will not change them.
The Circumstantialls of Discipline, as time, place, the carrying on of these dispensations in civill decencies, suitable to the quality of the things, and conditions of the time, as peace and persecution: the generall rules of these are in the word delivered: but the particular application admits varieties, mutabilities and alterations, according as necessities or conveniences shall appear by emergent occasions.
That there is an immutable rule, touching the essentialls of discipline, left in the word, and thence to be fetched, we are now to prove.
1. Argument.
All parts of Gods worship are by God alone appointed, in the word revealed, and thence to be fetched.
This is evident from the nature of worship, which only proceeds from Gods will, and the appointment of it is his peculiar prerogative.1 Kin. 12.3…, 33. For came it from the will of man, it would be will-worship. Deut. 12. and last. Its here true, what God doth not command God doth not accept: It is the charge he laies against all superstitious and false devices of men; They never came into his minde or heart, Jer. 7.31.and therefore never have his approbation. Who required these things? He only knows what will best please himself, and his own will can make best choice.
But all Offices and Ordinances of Discipline are parts of Gods Worship: being duties required in the second command, and thither are to be referred, by the grant of all.
2.
The essentialls stand, either by the necessity of precept, and so immutably required, or else they are left arbitrary to the will of man to appoint.
But they are not left arbitrary.
The first part is evident by the fulnesse of the division.
All things spirituall are either Christian duties, or else are left to Christian liberty.
The second part is thus proved.
If it be not in man to inable an Officer to his work, or offices or Ordinances to attain their end: Then it is not in his power to appoint Officer or Ordinance in the Church. For such appointment should be crosse to wisdome in attempting it, and so frustrate in regard of the end, in not attaining it.
But it is not in man to inable to the work, or to make the Ordinance attain its end: because the work is spirituall, and the end supernaturall: And herein lies especially the difference betwixt civill and Ecclesiasticall power, Dominium and royall Soveraignty may be seated in the one, i. e. in the Commonwealth; because they can communicate power from themselves to others, and inable others to attain civill ends, and to accomplish civill work, and in that respect they are called, foreign. A humane Creation. But in the Church there is only ministerium received from Christ alone, and therefore they cannot delegate from themselves, and by their own institution any Officer, but only attend the institution of Christ.
There is no man can have his Curate or Vicar, his Vicarius, because he is bound, in his own particular, to his place of Ministery: he can appoint none because he can give power to none.
3.
That which is a fundamentall point of Religion, that hath divine Institution, and so becomes immutable, unlesse Christ himself repeal it. For principles of that nature must have divine authority to appoint and to remove.
But Church Discipline is a fundamentall point of Religion. Heb. 6. Laying on of hands, being by a Metonymy of the adjunct put for Ordination, Ordination one particular, put for the whole of Church Discipline.
4.
If God received this as his peculiar to himself under the Law, To appoint Offices Ordinances in his word according to his will, Then it is unlawfull now for any man to arrogate it: because his soveraignty is as much now as then, his word as perfect, there is no reason which can cast the balance another way.
But this he did take as his peculiar in the Old Testament. 2 Chro. 29.25.
Hence by the way we may lay in a caveat against significant Ceremonies instituted by man in Gods worship, as superstitious, such I mean which are appointed to stir up the dull and dead minde of man to the remembrance of his duty towards God, by some speciall signification, whereby he might be edified.
1.
Because these under this Institution are media cultus, and are so more efficacious to carry the minde and heart to God, as the Papists require, and such as all Orthodoxe Divines condemn. Nay if it be by teaching and stirring towards these supernaturall works, as Gods spirituall worship.
Its that which the Lord condemns in Images, which tell lies, Its that which the Lord threatens to punish. Isa, 29.19. That his fear is taught by the precepts of men.
2.
Because such ceremonies are of the same kinde and homogeneall with the significative part of the actions of the Sacrament, and upon the ground may be said to have a reall and true efficacy of teaching, which properly is a part of worship: since that part of the Sacrament, which is placed in signification is so. Doth Baptisme consecrate the child to God? so doth the crosse. Doth Baptisme signify the Covenant betwixt Christ and the childe? so doth the Crosse. For its openly said by the Patrons thereof, to betoken the ingagement betwixt Christ and the child, that he shall be Christs servant, and souldier to follow his colours and fight under his banner unto his dying day. And this Image though it hath no tongue to speak of its own, yet it speaks by this instituted signification put upon it and pressed by the power of the Prelates.
3.
Those Ceremonies which are set in the same rank with Gods own Ceremonies, in regard of their end and use, As those are truly religious because God is the appointer of them: So these must be superstitious, because mans will is the Institutour of them: the parity and proportion of reason holds on both sides.
But significant Ceremonies thus instituted, are of the like nature with some of Gods own rites. Instance the Phylacteries. Numb. 15.39, they were appointed for this end by the Lord, to be remembrancers and admonishers of the Law to those that used them, and the same place these Ceremonies supply, and are ordained for the same purpose,
The Circumstantials of Discipline, as Time, Place, outward Decency and Comelinesse in the managing of Gods Ordinances: these admit of varieties and mutabilities, according to emergent occasions, which alter with the conditions of the Church.
There is a comelines and conveniency of Time and Places of meeting, and manner in their meeting, when the Churches are under persecution, which will be much altered, when the Churches enjoy peace and prosperity, and have Christian Kings and Queens for their nursing Fathers, and nursing Mothers. Yet in the carrying on of these Circumstantials according to the minde of Christ, among many other, these Rules lend a common influence, and are of speciall consequence and consideration.
1.
Though there be not, nor in truth can be particular precepts expressed in the Word, that may meet with all the speciall varieties of occurrences in this kinde; yet there be generall Rules, under the reach whereof, all the particulars will come, and by which they may be regulated, and that without fail. All must be done comelily and in order, without rudenes or confusion, For God is not the God of confusion, as in all the Churches, 1 Cor. 14.33. All must be done to edification, 1 Cor. 14.26. All to Gods glory, 1 Cor. 10.31.
2.
All these Circumstantials of Time, Place and Decency, they are common to things Civil, as well as Sacred, and serve indifferently and equally to further the usefull administration of both, and therefore cannot be conceived to be any part of religious worship, nor can be ranked within the compasse thereof, by any shew of reason, only the ancient maxime here takes place, The later Art useth the work of the former, Ars posterior utitur prioris opere; both civil and sacred administrations use these Circumstantials, as issuing from precedent Arts, and so put forth their own actions to the best advantage, for the attaining of their own ends. As each man may meet with instances many, by easie attendance.
There must be a right understanding of the meaning of the words, and so a Grammaticall Analysis of the phrase, where the promises or commands are expressed, before either our faith can believe the one, or a gracious, humble heart make choice aright of the other, and obey it. Both beleeving and obeying are religious actions, and both suppose the use and work of Grammar, and so of Logick, about the promises and commands, and yet no man, that hath the exercise of reason about him, will say, that either Grammar or Logick Analysis are religious actions, much lesse religious worship.
3.
The will of no man, neither Magistrate in the Common-wealth, nor Officer or Officers in the Churches, is the rule either of commanding or forbidding things indifferent. For if their wils were the rule, they could not erre in commanding or forbidding: for the rule cannot erre. They were not to give an account for those their commands, nor could be punished for any miscarriage in them. Then also, the will of the Inferiour were absolutely bound to yeeld obedience thereunto, and that without either questioning or examining the nature of it. Yea blinde obedience would by this means be not only allowed, but of necessity enjoyned. Nor could the Inferiour sin, in what ever he did in subjecting himself to the directions of the Superiour in such indifferent things. All which are contrary to common sense.
4.
The determination of indifferent things, either absolutely to be attended, or absolutely to be laid aside, when there is no preponderations or necessity to cast the balance either way, is beyond warrant; because it thwarts the nature of the things, and that meerly out of the pleasure of the Imposer, which is not a rule to go by, since God by rule hath left these either to be done, or not done, as occasions are presented.
5.
Appointment and injunctions of things indifferent, which are either unprofitable, and have no good in their use, or be but so far prejudiciall, as that they occasion a stop in a Christian course upon any just ground: Such appointments are to be repealed as unlawfull. 1. For if Gods own Ceremonies were to be removed, because unprofitable, then much more ours, Heb. 7.18. 2. If we must answer for idle words, then for idle Ceremonies. 3. Things indifferent, when they are used, not in subordination to help forward morall duties, their use is unlawfull. For herein lieth their use and good, that they may be in way to lend a lift to a higher end. But when they are unprofitable or prejudiciall in the sense before expressed, then they are not in subordination to help forward the morall. Ergo. 4. That which crosseth the Place and Office of the Governour, that he must not doe or maintain: But to injoyn any thing that is unprofitable, is against his place, for his Office is to rule for their good, Rom. 13.4. But unprofitable things are not such.