A Survey of the Sum of Church Discipline, Chapter 10
Having discovered the constitution of this Presbyteriall Church, we are now to consider of CHAP. X. Such Arguments as M. R. alledgeth for the confirmation of a Presbyteriall Church, Answered.
WHich we shall suddenly dispatch, because we have held the Reader somewhat with the longest in this debate. His first argument is taken from the Church mentioned in Mat. 18. and his reason is this. If Christ alludeth here to the Synedry and consistory of the Jews, with which his hearers were well acquainted: Then a Presbyteriall Church of Elders collected and combined from many Congregations, is here understood.
But our Saviour alludes here, unto the Synedry and Consistory of the Jews.
Therefore A Presbyteriall Church is here understood.
Answ. Both the Propositions may safely be denied: nor is there any evidence that can evict the certainty of them: for as M. Robinson saies well, The manner of our Saviours proceeding is so plain and obvious to an ordinary apprehension, that it may easily and familiarly be perceived.
The alluding to the Jewish Synagogue would add little light to the processe now propounded: Should our Saviour mean a particular Syoagogue, they had not the power of excommunication in their hands: for the Church of the Jews was a nationall Church, and unto Jerusalem the males were bound to repair three times in the year: and if they were not cast out from hence, no excommunication could be compleat. For they had their liberty thither to appeal in weightiest matters, and the delivering a man to the Devil was a matter of greatest consequence, that could befall him, and therefore he would in reason see the through tryall. And to say, that our Saviour alluded to the nationall Church of the Jews, is to confound the goverment of the Gospel, with that of the Law.
2. This were to send a man to a generall counsell, not to a Classis yea to send him thither, where he was not like to finde relief: for the plantiffe might be dead and buried, before the Councell could be gathered.
3. The direction of our Saviour points out apparently some standing Tribunall, and that at hand. Such a Church whereof both the parties were members: That when two witnesses could not set down the offender, The Lord Christ raised an whole Church, as the body of the army, to overbear his obstinacy: I would willingly see how a Church in an Iland, a solitary Church upon a continent, or haply two Congregations sitting down together, or how the first Church at Jerusalem, Act. 1.23. could take any warrant to exercise any act of discipline against an offender from this place; or from any word of the Gospel, ƲPON THIS GROƲND.
Lastly, It doth not follow the allusion had been to a Classis (for there were none but a national Church) but rather to a Consistory suitable to the Synagogue.
The Proposition also admits a just deniall: for an allusion is only a similitude: and the similitude may lie in some particular, beside the quality of the Judge, as thus. As the offender that would not hear the supream Judge was cut off, so look you must at the particular Congregation, as the chief tribunall; and therefore he who will not hear her speak, let him be cast out and accounted as no member of the Church.
And that the resemblance could not lie in the Iudge, this seems to evidence it; because the Judgement in the Sanhedrim, was mixt (as the phrase intimates, Deut. 17.12. 2 Chron. 19.) partly of Ecclesiastick, partly of civill Iudges, who, as the case did require, had their hands and voices in the verdict, which carries no resemblance in our Church-work.
Argument. 2.
The Church of beleevers convened together is still a Church met together, for hearing the word and receiving the Sacraments, But this is a Church assembled not to prophesying or praying, but to rebuking and judiciall censuring.
Answ.
The Church meeting together, though the scope be for praier and prophecying mainly, yet not only: For they may be jointly attended, the administration of all Christs holy things may, nay most properly should then be attended: as when the preaching of the word is ended, the censures also may be administred: nay, unlesse some peculiar casting circumstance require the contrary, they should so be.
Argument. 3.
The Church here spoken of, is such a superiour and judiciall seat, as ought to be obeyed in the Lord, under pain of excommunication. But a multitude of beleevers are not such a judiciall seat.
Answ.
The Minor is the question in hand, and indeed part of the conclusion to be proved, namely, whether a particular Congregation, be the highest tribunall, or a Classicall Church. And M. R. takes one part of the conclusion to prove the other.
If the Congregationall Church be not highest, then the Classicall is.
The Minor should have been proved, and not propounded nakedly.
Argument. 4.
Whatever Church may excommunicate, every member thereof convened with the Church may inflict all inferiour punishments.
But all the members convened cannot inflict lesser punishments, as women and children cannot rebuke openly.
Answ.
The consequence is feeble, as shall appear from the nature of delegated publike power, which is committed by Christ to persons capable thereof, which women and children are not; the women for their Sex, Children for want of exercise of their understanding, being excluded.
Doth any man reason thus, because people have power to choose their Officers, therefore women may put in their voice in election?
If the Body of a corporation may put out a Major upon iust desert, therefore women and children. No, the wise God provides that the votes and judgements of these should be included in the male and chief of them, and in them they should be satisfied, and therefore the Wife is appointed to ask her Husband at home.
Argument. 5.
Those to whom the essence and definition of a ministeriall Church, having power to excommunicate, doth necessarily belong: these and these only, are understood under the name of the Church. But so it is, that the essence and definition of a Ministeriall Church having power to excommunicate, agreeth not necessarily to a great Company of beleevers assembled Churchwaies.
Answ.
Both the propositions with a fair interpretation admits a deniall, as being clearly false.
1. The proposition. Because a Church neither as Totum essentiale alone, or as it ariseth to be Totum integrale, is here only understood. But the second sense and signification is here firstly attended; because both people, and elders have their power, parts, and places in this work in a right order and manner: when there be Elders, they must lead: but when there are none, the Church can exercise many acts without them, or can elect them, and with them exercise all the rest. So that when it is said, a Ministeriall Church is here understood, the word ministeriall admits severall significations; either Ministers without the body exclusivè, and that is false: or the Ministers with the body inclusivè, Now a Ministeriall Church in the fairest sense aims at both. In the first sense the Proposition is false, in the second it doth not conclude. To whom the essence and definition of a Ministeriall Church, i. e. a Church of Ministers without the body having power to excommunicate doth necessarily belong, these and these onelyonly are here understood. This is false, and M. R. himself will refuse it. lib. 1. p. 226.
2. The Minor involves many things in it, and therefore it only troubles. For when its said, The essence of a Ministeriall Church, to whom power of excommunication appertains, agrees not necessarily to a company of beleevers.
Here be three things
1. There is a Ministeriall Church.
2. This hath power to excommunicate,
3. This agrees not to beleevers.
1. It is confessed, and hath been largely proved, that by beleevers of a visible Church, we mean such, who are so visible to the view of charity, though not such in truth. And therefore I wonder that M. R. should again trouble himself to prove that which no man denies.
2. That these beleevers combined are a Church before they have guides, and have power also to excommunicate, that we hold. But they have not a ministeriall power taken in the narrowest and strictest sense, as here; they have not formally the power of Office, potestatem Officij, yet potestatem judicij, the power of judgement they have, as after shall appear.
Argument. 6.
The Sixth Argument refers to former proofs, and we also refer to former Answers.
Argument. 7.
The Seventh Argument taken from Paraeus authority, That there can be no complaint to a multitude, needs no answer, being evidently, experimentally false, how often, how ordinarily are complaints made to Parliaments?
Argument. 8.
If the house of Cloë complained of an open fault to the holy Apostle Paul to crave his directions and help in way of reformation, having authority in all Churches then complaints must be to Elders only, and excommunication acted only by them, and secondly, The Holy Ghost gives direction and rules about receiving complaints to the Eldership. Tit. 1.13.
Answ.
1. The consequence is denied. For Cloë might have made her complaint to ony one of the members of Corinth: but chose rather to do it to the Apostle, because his Apostolicall power would be helpfull in that case.
2. When there be Elders in a Church, all the complaints must be made to them, and the causes prepared and cleared, and then by their means they must be complained of to the Church. Thus Paul adviseth Titus, to hear complaints with the Elders, and by the Elders to complain to the Church. Now to reason, complaints must be made by him, and Elders to the Church, therefore they must be made only to them, and not to the Church, is a very weak consequence.
3. Its granted by Divines there can be no proceeding to excommunication, but with the tacite consent of the people, therefore to them the complaints of the evills must be made by the Elders.
4. I would know, in case many Brethren have just occasion given by the elders in a Church of an Iland, whether may they complain, and to whom, if not to the body of the people, and they must know the complaints, before they can give consent to the censure.
5. Suppose there be grosse and haereticall doctrine preached by Officers, for which the people may justly reject their Pastours, in case they will not recant, and be humbled, as all confesse: whether must the people reject their Pastours for such evills, and never speak to them? or if the evill must be required, and called for to triall, may not a complaint be made to these people, before they come to examine and try?
Nay suppose all the elders but one, in a Congregation should be delinquent, dwelling only by one other Church, should the complaints be carried to the one Elder, and not be carried by him to the whole body, when it is prepared?
Argument. 9.
That Church is here understood to whom the keyes were given, Mat. 16. But they were given only to a Classicall Church there.
Answ.
The Minor is barely affirmed: and therefore it sufficeth for the while to deny it, the proof shall be given in the proper place.
Argument. 10.
The only apparent argument against this interpretation is weak, and therefore this sense must have no strength in it.
Answ.
Both the parts fail, For 1. That is not the only apparent argument that is here remembred, which either is or hath been given by persons of a contrary judgement.
2. If that was weak, yet it doth not follow, that the different sense is clear, and the interpretation strong: because there may be many better reasons rendred happly then there were yet alledged.
But let us attend the evidence, whereby it is proved, that the word Church in the new testament is sometimes taken for Officers only: M. Ball seeing the strength of the reason coming down the Hill upon him, which at least might, and indeed doth cast such a strong suspicion upon the cause here propounded, leaving of it alone, desolate, destitute of the least loving look of the allowance of any text, that might be a second in the field. The good man, according to that sagacity and sharpnesse of dispute, wherein he excelled, bestirs himself, and musters up all his forces seeks far and wide to win some consent, but at last all comes to this, That a man may suppose some such thing here, but cannot get one place to speak professedly for him.
And to say the truth, were the word Ecclesia rarely used, and that the thing it self had been out of ordinary consideration, it had been a fair plea to have said, the Scripture is very silent touching this subject, and the word seldome used: and therefore no marvell there wants consent. But when the thing is so often, so ordinarily handled in all the Evangelists and Epistles: the very word commonly, constantly treating about the same subject, and yet it should never be taken in the new testament in this sense, It gives a shrewd suspicion, and such as cannot be wiped out, nor comfortably borne, that the sense is here fathered and forced upon the place, but is not the naturall and native meaning of it, but some changeling put into the room.
Let us then hear what M. R. adds. Rev. 2. The Angel of the Church of Ephesus, &c. Here Angel stands for the whole Church, and the whole Church is wrote unto under the name of the Angel of such a Church, which may thus be demonstrated: because not only the Ministers, but the people, who have ears to hear, are commanded to hear, what the spirit saith unto the Churches.
2. The thing now questioned, and to be proved, is, whether the word Church is put for Elders. Now I would fain know, whether M. R. or any man can say, that the name Church here is taken for Elders only, all the passages of the text, all the quotations tell us the contrary, therefore here is not a syllable or a shew of any thing to evince it.
When the whole Church is wrote unto, and the Epistle superscribed to the Angel, this intimates something touching the signification of the name Angel, but nothing at all touching the name Church, so that the thing is wholly mistaken.
Beside, that which M. R. would, touching the Angel, will hardly down with any discerning man. True it is, that by Angel many may be intimated, the word being taken collectively, as, The Angel of the Lord pitcheth his tents about the righteous. This sense hath good Authours, and good reason: but that the whole Church should be understood in that word, will hardly stand with the context: for see how strangely and harshly the words will sound, To the Angel of the Church of Ephesus, i. e. To the Church of the Church of Ephesus; I suppose a man will finde little reason in such Rhetotick.
A second place is, Act. 18.22. Paul called in at Jerusalem and saluted the Church. It cannot be thought in reason, that the Elders only were there saluted, nor by that word intended, because it appears by the next verse, that the Apostles scope was to confirm the hearts of the Disciples in all this voyage of his, and therefore had an eye unto the weakest; and those that wanted his sweet refreshing: and in all probability the Church hearing of his arrivall, assembled to give comfortable entertainment, and so to be comforted by him.
The rest of the Answer is not only that which we grant, but the most rigid of the separation prove, that in the old Testament the Hebrew and the Greek word used by the Septuagint is so understood: and therefore it is granted, without any losse to the one, or gain to the other.
Argument 11.
The Church that the plantiffe must tell, that Church is to admonish publikely the offender. But that is the Church of Elders, 1 Thes. 5.12.13. 1 Tim. 5.20. Luk. 10.16. for they only are to receive publike complaints, and to rebuke publikely, as Tit. 1.13. 1 Tim. 5.19. 2 Tim. 4.2.
Answ.
This hath been fully answered in the eighth, whether I refer the Reader: only remember he may, that by the order of Christ, the Elders are to receive the complaints, and to prepare them for the Congregation, and then they are to report them unto the people, and they to hear and receive them, and they are to passe a Judiciall sentence, the Elders leading the action in an orderly manner, and taking their consent thereunto. Therefore the incestuous Corinthian was said to be rebuked of many, and to be judged of them also, and that not only by the judgement of discretion, for so they might judge those that were without, yea they are required legally to forgive him, and therefore they did as legally and Judicially binde him.
Lastly, What will M. R. say of his exspectants, who preach publikely, and therefore do instruct and reprove publikely, as in 1 Thes. 5.12. 2 Tim. 4.2.
Argument 12.
The twelfth argument hath received its answer before, arising out of a mistake which hath been often spoken to, because neither women alone, nor children, will make a Church, nor have any publike power put into their hands for that purpose.
Argument 13.
The Thirteenth Argument is propounded, as though there was no great weight laid upon it, and therefore I thought to passe it by wholly at the first: yet upon second consideration, I conceived it not amisse to intimate a word to remove a stone out of the way, though it be so small, that any man who could stir his foot, need not stumble at it.
The probability here presented is this,
That Christ could not well mean a visible Congregation of people and Elders convened, 1. Because if they did convene to worship God in spirit and in truth, they meet in Christs name, but there is some other thing required that the excommunicating Church meet for the actuall exercise of discipline: for besides meeting in Christs name, there is required that they meet with Pauls spirit and the rod of discipline: so that Pauls spirit, as an Elder, is required, who hath the power of excommunication, as requisite to this meeting.
Answ. 1.
Whenever the Church meets in Christs name, she hath Christs power to execute all acts of discipline as well as doctrine, having her right constitution.
2. Its clear in the text, the Church might and should have cast out the Incestuous Corinthian without Pauls provocation, nay without his knowledge, or consent by sending, and therefore the Church is blamed, in that she did not so.
3. The holy Apostle for their provocation to the work, and incouragement in it, expresseth his consent, that his spirit concurred with them, and did give full approbation to their proceeding.
4. This his spirit doth not dispense the excommunication, nor give them power to do that which they could not do before, but incouraged them to go on in the work which they had formerly neglected, and was so necessary to be performed.