The Divine Right of Church Government and Excommunication, Religious polemic · Introduction · Section 1
SECTION I. Certain Introductory Concluſions, tending to clear the perfection of the Scriptures in all things, as well Ceremoniall, as Non-Ceremoniall.
1. Concluſion.
CHriſt Jeſus hath ſo far forth ſet down, and ſtabliſhed Chriſt hath not inſtituted a mutable Church Government.a perfect Plat-forme of Church-Government in all Morals, not only both for the inward, but alſo for the outward, and externall Government of his Houſe, that he hath left no Liberty or Latitude to Magiſtrates, or Churches whatſoever to chooſe and ſettle ſuch an orderly Forme of Church-Government or Diſcipline, as is moſt ſuitable to their particular Civill-Government, Laws, Manners, and Cuſtomes, ſo this Forme be not repugnant to the Word of God.
I ſhall firſt explaine the Tearmes of the Concluſion: 2. Confirme it: 3. Vindicate it from the objections of Adverſaries.
1. The Church-Government of which I here ſpeak, is a Church-GovernmentSome things Morall, ſome things naturall in Gods worſhip. in its Morals: To exclude thoſe things that are meerly Phyſicall and Humane in this Government, as a Pulpit of this or that matter, Stone or Timber, or of this Timber, or of any other kinde; a Communion-Table of this, or that forme; a Cup of wood, or of metall, as Silver, Tin, &c. It is a Morall thing, either Morally good or evil, that there be an Officer in the Church that Chriſt hath not appointed, or that there be none but ſuch as Chriſt hath appointed: yet is it not Morall that a Paſtor be ſuch or ſuch a Country man, ſo he be apt to teach, and holy; Croſſing, ſignifying the dedication of the Baptized Childe to the ſervice of Chriſt muſt be Morall, but what ſort of River the …ter of Baptiſme be, is meerly Phyſicall, not Morall.
So there be two ſort of things in Gods Worſhip, things eitherCircumſtances either meerly morall, or 2 meerly Phyſicall, or 3. mixt. meerly Morall, or meerly Naturall.
And here alſo we conſider things Circumſtantiall, as Time, Place, &c. And circumſtances are either meerly Phyſicall, or 2. meerly Morall, or 3. mixt, partly Morall, partly Phyſicall; Circumſtances meerly Phyſicall are ſuch adjuncts of divine worſhip, as are common and unſeparable concomitants of both civil, naturall, and Religious or Sacred actions performed by men, and as they are ſuch, contribute no Morall goodneſſe, or badneſſe to the action or Agent in the performance thereof, ſuch as I take to be the ſeven individuall proprieties of every man; Forma, figura, locus, tempus ſtrips, patria, nomen, under Forme and figure: The firſt two, I comprehend, ſuch a proportion of body, a man of a high ſtature, or low; a man beautifull, or not beautifull, to which I crave leave to reduce all externall Formes of habites, as cloathes, the head covered, or not covered, the ſituation of the body, as as they are in themſelves, meer Phyſicall acts; kneeling, ſitting, ſtanding; the eyes caſt down to the earth, or lifted up; the hands lifted up, or not lifted up, the knocking on the breaſt, or not knocking, motions of the ſoul, that are naturall Time, Place, Family, Country, Name, as ſuch a perſon, Thomas, not Iohn: the ſon of ſuch a man, not of ſuch a man; 1. All theſe are common concomitants of Civill, Naturall, and Religious actions, for all actions performed by man of what kinde ſoever, as naturall, to eat, ſleep; or civill, to declaime an oration before the people; or religious, to preach or pray, muſt be done by ſome perſons, Iohn or Thomas, men of ſome Family, in ſome time, in ſome place, for they are not actions eternall, and ſo muſt be done in time and place ſo▪ the Agents muſt, have ſome habite, ſome geſture in the doing of all theſe actions, and they are unſeparable Adjuncts of all theſe actions becauſe neither actions naturall, civill, nor Religious, can be performed, but by ſome perſons, in ſome habite and geſture, in ſome time, in ſome place: and laſtly, they are meere circumſtantials, and contribute no Morall goodneſſe or badneſſe to the actions, as they are but common and unſeparable circumſtances; for becauſe he preacheth in time, or in place ſimply, the preaching is neither Morally good, nor ill, better or worſe, becauſe Thomas prayeth in Gown or Cloak in this place, rather then that place (ſo it be not, Locus ut ſic, of intention, ſuch a Religious place, before the Image of Christ, or the Father, or the Virgin Mary) the praying is neither the more, or the leſſe acceptable to God becauſe of theſe common and unſeparable adjuncts: Hence there can be no ſuch force in theſe circumſtances, as to make the actions indifferent: Such as contend for the lawfulneſſe of Ceremonies, ſay our circumſtances of time, place and the like, is nothing but a meerblinde; for we cannot (ſay they) enumerate all theſe circumſtances, for habite, geſture, perſon, are not meer circumſtances and they muſtcome in under the lap of this general, &c. or the like: To which I anſwer, that to my knowledge all theſe that are meer Phyſical circumſtances, are particularly enumerated, ſuch as are, 1. Time: 2. Place, 3. Perſon, or Agent: 4▪ Name. 5. Family: 6. Condition, as Country, Family, Houſe: 7. Habits or Garments: 8. Geſtures, as ſitting, ſtanding, lifting of the eyes or hands,Our Phyſic … Circumſtances are all eaſily known and numbred. knocking on the breaſt, kneeling, and there is no blinde in this enumeration, for there be no other particulars that can be enumerated, except this time of the day, eight or ten of clock, this place, not any other, this perſon not another, and theſe are only conſidered here as circumſtances, not as ſuch and ſuch circumſtances, but the truth is, the enumeration of Symbolicall Rites, as Croſſe, Surplice, and the like, is really a blinde, and is an enumeration with a wide belly, and includeth ſpecies, and not individuals only, as Symbolicall Ceremonies, ſuch as are Croſſing, Bells, Oyle, Salt, Spettle, Milk, turning to the Eaſt, toward the people, from the people, toward the Altar, with a high voice, with a low voice, and a thouſand the like; yea, all the old Ceremonies of Moſes with a new face, all the toyes of the Maſſe, of the Dedication of Churches, which would fill a Volumne like the Rationale of Durandus: 2. Some Circumſtances are meerely Morall, for as Divines diſtinguiſh Time and Place; in Time as Time, and as ſuch a Religious Time, the Lords Sabbath, Tempus, & tempus ut ſic, and Place as Place, or ſuch a Religious place, Locus, & locus ut ſic▪ Circumſtances, and ſuch and ſuch circumſtancesSo we may diſtinguiſh here, between circumſtances in common or in groſſe, and ſuch and ſuch circumſtances; As time is a common adjunct of Divine Worſhip: But ſuch a time, to wit, the Lordsday, is both the time of Worſhip, and Worſhip it ſelf. So there is place of Worſhip, and there is ſuch a Religious place, The holy of holieſt, the Temple. A habit is a meer accident of Worſhip, the perſon, John or Thomas, is alſo an accident; but if God command ſuch an Ephod as Aaron and the Prieſts were to wear, this is not a meer circumſtance; that the perſon who adminiſtreth the Lords-Supper, be John or Thomas, is a meer circumſtance; but that this perſon be a called Paſtor, not a private man, is more then a circumſtance. And therefore theſe circumſtances, taken in common and their Univerſall nature, are meerly Phyſicall circumſtances; but taken in their particular and determinate reſtrictions, as ſuch circumſtances, they may be meerly Morall circumſtances, ſuch as are the common adjunct of the time of Worſhip, the place, and the Sabbath time and the Temple for Iewiſh Worſhip. The former are circumſtances meerly Phyſicall, the latter meerly Morall; I mean, as they are reſtricted other wayes: The Temple of Jeruſalem ſerved as our meeting places do, to ſence off the injuries of Heaven and Sun; but that is as a place, not as ſuch a place.
3. There be ſome mixt circumſtances, as theſe ſame Phyſicall circumſtances, clothed with their own ſeaſonable conveniences; ſo time for Worſhip, and due and convenient time is required, there may be ſome Scandalous and Superſtitious time for Worſhip. A habit in the Preacher is required, and that a grave one; a place is required for private Worſhip, and a fit place, ſuch as is not the Market-ſtreet for private Praying; the inconveniency of the circumſtance may vitiate the Worſhip.
I did ſay that Chriſt Ieſus hath ſet down in the Word, a perfect Plat-form of Church-Government, in all Morals; I ſay in all Morals, The Scripture teacheth not meer circumſtances, but ſuppoſeth them.becauſe the Word doth not teach us any thing of circumſtances, Phyſicall as Phyſicall. Scriptura talia non ponit, ſed ſupponit: The Scripture ſaith not, That the Worſhip of God muſt have a time, a place, when, and where its to be performed, a perſon, who is to perform it, a habit, or garments on the perſon that Worſhippeth; the Scripture teacheth none of theſe, but ſuppoſeth that they are and muſt be; becauſe nature teacheth, that without time, place, perſon, habit, geſture, its unpoſſible that theſe or any humane actions can be; and therefore Prelaticall Formaliſts, do without all ſenſe or reaſon, require that we ſhould prove by Scripture, the lawfulneſſe of time, place, perſon, habit, geſture in Gods Worſhip; for theſe are preſuppoſed in all actions, Naturall, Civill, Religious, Private, Publike, Lawfull, unlawfull, in acts of Arts, Sciences, of Morall converſing and all; yea, there is as good reaſon, that they demand Scripture to prove he muſt be a living man, who hath a reaſonable ſoul, and ſenſes, and is born of a woman, who Preacheth and Adminiſtrateth Sacraments, which is preſuppoſed by nature.
When the Heretick willeth me to prove from Scripture that Chriſt is very man; it is a vain thing he ſhould demand of me beſide to prove by Scripture, that Christ is ſuch a one alſo as can laugh, weep, admire, ſing, ſigh, &c. for theſe are preſuppoſed to follow mans nature; and if Scripture prove Chriſt to be a true man, it preſuppoſeth by natures light, that he can laugh, he can weep, and that in ſome time, ſome place, in ſome habit, in ſome geſture, ſo he be a man; for that is preſuppoſed by the light of nature, and known by the moſt Barbarous who never heard of Scripture; and therefore there is no greater reaſon to put us to prove all the naturall and unſeparable circumſtances of Worſhip, ſuch as time and place, without which it is impoſſible any action at all can be performed; then that we ſhould preſſe Prelats to prove by Scripture, that Iames Ʋſher is born of Engliſh or Iriſh Parents, for ſenſe and nature can prove all theſe without Scripture: But becauſe their Ceremonies of Croſſing, bowing to Altars, Feſtivall dayes, Oyl, Salt, Spittle, Maſſe▪ clothes, are nothing warrantable by natures light, and muſt have Morall and Symbolicall influence in Worſhip, as poſitive Religious obſervances, having ſome ſpirituall ſignification and uſe, (except they be reaſonleſſe fancies) we have juſt reaſon to demand a warrant and ſpeciall Charter for all Morals, and ſo for their Ceremonies in the Scripture, and to call their &c. humane Ceremonies and the like, a blind: For if Prelats can prove theſe Ceremonies to be from Chriſt, and warranted by his Teſtament, we ſhal yield that their natural circumſtances of time, when you ſhould Bow to Altars, and Croſſe a Baptized Infant, and where, or in what place you ſhould wear Surplice; and that the perſon that uſeth Oyl, Spittle, Salt, in Baptiſme, muſt do it in ſome habit, and with ſome geſture, either ſitting, ſtanding, lying, or kneeling, are all warrantable and lawfull from the light of nature; for if Gods light of Scripture, warrant wearing of a Surplice, as it doth warrant Sacramentall eating and drinking, the light of nature muſt warrant theſe concreated, naturall, and unſeparable circumſtances of time, place, perſon, habit, geſture uſed in both the former and the latter.
But becauſe I ſaid that circumſtances of time and place have aTime and place of Ceremonies need not be proved. threefold conſideration, Phyſicall, Morall, and Mixt: and I have ſpoken onelyonly of theſe circumſtances in a Phyſicall or naturall conſideration; therefore in the other two conſiderations there being involved ſome Morall goodneſſe, and becauſe there is no Morall goodneſſe imaginable, but it muſt have its eſſentiall form and being from a Law or word of God; therefore all the former circumſtances, as they are clothed with either morall conveniency and expediency, or with ſome Religious poſitive goodneſſe, muſt be warranted by the Word of God, or the Rules of ſinleſſe and ſpirituall Prudence, which cannot deviate from the word of God: For circumſtances clothed with Religious Poſitive goodneſſe, ſuch as are the Sabbath day, the holy of Holieſt, the Temple; theſe are not meer circumſtances, but worſhip it ſelf: So a Religious habit, as an Ephod or a Surplice, is not a meer circumſtance, or a meer habit, but a worſhip, or ſuch a part or limb of worſhip as muſt be warranted by the word of truth, elſe it is nothing but a will-device, and a forgery, and ſo to be rejected. And as touching things of Prudence, they are things properly mixt, as at what hour Sermon ſhall begin in ſuch a Church, at eight, or nine, or ten of the clock; how the worſhip ſhall be ordered, whether you ſhould begin the Worſhip with a word of Prayer, or a word of Praiſing, or a word of Exhorting to ſtir up for the duty of the day, is a matter of Prudence; and becauſe God hath not laid the band of a Precept on us, to begin with either of the three; therefore it would ſeem, that though the things themſelves be Morall, and muſt be warranted by a Word of God; yet the order is not Morall, but Prudentiall, and ſo cannot fall under a command of the Church; for to me it is hard, that men and the Church ſhould lay on a tie or bond of a Precept where God hath laid on no ſuch bond; The Church, in theſe mixt things, where the Morality is not clear, at fartheſt, can but go on to directive adviſes, as Paul doth, 1 Cor. 7. 6. 12. Not to impoſing of Laws, nor to injunctions or Commandments under the pain of Church-cenſures; for Chriſt muſt bind and ratifie in Heaven, all Church-cenſures on earth, and ſo the Church cannot command nor cenſure, but as Chriſt himſelf would command or cenſure.
Now becauſe the reſt of the concluſion ſhall be farther cleared; I prove that Chriſt hath ſo far forth ſet down a perfect Plat-form of Church-Government in the Scripture, as he hath not given a liberty to Rulers, Prelats, or to the Church her ſelf, to ſet up a variable Plat-form ſutable to their particular Civill Government, Laws, Manners and Cuſtomes.
1 Arg. What ever maketh the man of God perfect, thorowly furniſhed 1. Argum. to prove that the Platform of Church-Government, is not mutable at mens will.unto all good workes, and is written for this end, that any Timothy or Faithfull Paſtor, might know how he ought to behave himſelf in the Houſe of God. That muſt make the man of God perfect in this good work, of holy walking, as a perfect Governour, or a perfect Church-member, to be governed in all Morall acts of Diſcipline and godly behaviour, according to the ſpirituall policie of the Lords houſe, and ſo muſt hold forth a perfect Plat-form of Diſcipline, which doth not varie, ebbe and flow, and alter according to the Civill Government, Laws, Manners and Cuſtoms of men: But the Scriptures of God doth ſo inſtruct all Members of the viſible Church, both Governours and governed, 2 Tim. 3. 16, 17. 1 Tim. 3. 14, 15. Ergo, the Scripture muſt hold forth a perfect form of Diſcipline which doth not varie, ebbe, flow, and alter according to the Civill Governments, Laws, Manners and Cuſtomes of men. The Propoſition is made good: Becauſe, 1. to walk according to the ſpirituall Policie of the Lords houſe, muſt be a good work, and ſo a Morall and Lawfull work, and a due converſing in the ſpirituall Society of the Church, according to the Rule of the Word. 2. If this Morall walking be according to a Rule that may crook, bow and varie according as Civill Cuſtomes of men and Cities alter and varie at mens pleaſure, It is a Morall walking, no more according to the Rule of Scripture, then the contradic…nt thereof is according to this Rule, but falleth and riſeth, hath its ups and downs at the meer nod and pleaſure of men, who may change Cuſtomes and Manners every year twice, if ſo it pleaſe them. For what Scripture teacheth me a Civill Cuſtome of a City, as not to carry Armour in the night, to take up the Names of all between ſixteen years of age and ſixty? Or what Scripture teacheth me, a Biſhop may be above the Paſtors of the Church, or a Biſhop may not be? Surplice, Croſſing, Bowing and Cringing to wooden Altars, may be or may not be? Deacons may be, or may not be? even as cuſtomes and guiſes of the Civill State, appear as Meteors in the Aire, and in the fourth part of a night, diſappear and vaniſh to nothing; to ſay, that the word teacheth the Church to abſtain from blood, is a part of theAct. 15. perfection of the Scripture, and yet the Scripture teaches that abſtinence from blood, not as an eternall, and unalterable Law, for we are not now tied to abſtain from blood, therefore the Scripture may make the man of God perfect in ſome works that are alterableThe Scriptures way of teaching that indifferent things are alterable, is it ſelf unalterable. and changeable: This (I ſay) is no Anſwer, for ſaying that God ſhould now make abſtinence from blood, and things ſtrangled, indifferent, as he made them in that intervall of time, Acts 15. When the Ceremonies were mortall, but not deadly and unlawfull, as is clear in that Paul, Act. 16. 1, 2, 3. circumciſed Timothy, that Rite being then indifferent; and yet he writeth in another caſe, when the Goſpel is now fully promulgated, that to be circumciſed maketh a man a debtor in conſcience, to keep the whole Law of Moſes, and ſo to abſtaine from eating of blood, and things ſtrangled, muſt be a falling from the Grace of Chriſt, and an Apoſtacy from the Goſpel, Gal. 5▪ 1, 2, 3. 4, 5, 6▪ 7. The like I ſay of obſerving of dayes, which, Rom. 14. 5, 6. were indifferent, and in another caſe, Gal. 4. 9, 10. Col. 2. 16, 17. Deadly, unlawfull, and not neceſſary, ſo the matter, Acts 15. which in the caſe of ſcandilizing the weak, is abſtinence from things indifferent, ſay that they are indifferent, bindeth as a perpetuall Law to the end of the world, and bindeth us this ſame very day, Rom. 14. 20. In the Morality of it, as abſtinence from murthering, One for whom Chriſt died, Rom. 14. 15. 1 Cor. 8. 12, 13. 1 Cor. 10. 26, 27, 28. And upon the ground laid by Prelates, which is moſt falſe and untrue, to wit, that many Poſitive things in Church-Government, ſuch as are Prelats deemed to be warranted by Apoſtolick, though not by Divine right: Ceremonies, and Croſſing, kneeling to bread, Altars, Surplice, Rochet, corner-Cap, yea, and Circumciſion, a Paſſeover-Lambe, and all the Jewiſh Ceremonies, though with another ſpirit and intention, then to ſhadow forth Chriſt to come in the fleſh, imagined to be indifferent, and alterable things, we hold that all theſe are to be abſtained from, as eating of blood, and things ſtrangled of old were, if you ſay they are as indifferent, as blood, and ſome meats were in the caſe, Act. 15. Rom. 14. 1 Cor. 8. 1 Cor. 10. Its a moſt falſe principle as we ſhall hear, and therefore the Scripture, if it make the man of God perfect to every good work, as the Apoſtle ſaith, it muſt teach us to abſtain from all theſe as ſcandalous, and muſt ſet down as perfect and particular directions for Church-Government, as Paul doth, Rom. 14. Set down a particular Platform, how we ſhall eſchew Murther; for ſcandalizing our Brethren in the uſe of things indifferent, is ſpirituall Murther, Rom. 14. 15. 20.
2. Arg. That which is a lamp to the feet, and a light to the path, 2, Argum.Pſal. 119. 105. And cauſeth us underſtand Equity, Iudgement, Righteouſneſſe, and every good way, Prov. 2. 9. And to walk ſafely, ſo that our feet ſtumble not, Prov. 3. 25. Prov. 4, 11, 12. Prov. 6. 23. That muſt be a lamp and light to our feet, and walking in a Platform of Church-Diſcipline, ſo as we ſhall not erre, ſin or ſtumble therein: But if the light be ſo various, doubtfull, alterable, as we may walk this way, or the contrary way, according to the Civill Laws, alterable The Scripture ſhall not teach when we ſin in Church Policie, when not, if the Platform be alterable at mens wi….Cuſtomes and Manners of the people, we ſhall not ſo be guided in our path, as our feet ſhall not ſtumble; the Church might then ſuffer Jezabell to Prophecie, and theſe that hath the Doctrine of Balaam, or not ſuffer them, as the Civill Laws, and alterable Cuſtomes of the people ſhould require: Now the Scriptures doth clearly inſinuate, that the Law and will of God revealed in the Word, is a Rule of walking ſtraightly and of declining ſin, and any ſtumbling in our way, which deſerveth a rebuke and a threatning, ſuch as Chriſt uttereth againſt the Church of Pergamos, Rev. 2. 14, 15, 16. And of Thyatira, v. 17, 18. Now if theſe Churches had no certain Rule or Word of God, from which they ſhould deviate and erre in their path of Diſcipline, but the Cuſtomes and alterable Civill Laws and Manners of men, they were unjuſtly rebuked by Chriſt, which to aver were Blaſphemy.
Prelats ſay, Some things in Church-Policie, are Fundamentals, not to be altered; but there be other things alterable. And of things of Policie of the former notion, we have a certain Platform in Scripture; but of the latter, not any at all is neceſſary; and the not ſuffering of falſe Teachers in the Church, is of the former ſort. But I Anſwer, ſome Scripture or reaſon ought to be given of this diſtinction: If all be Morall and unalterable that are neceſſary to Salvation, its good▪ But to ſuppreſſe Jezabell and falſe teachers, is not neceſſary, Neceſſitate medii; for then the Salvation of that Church were deſperate, and paſt remedy, which ſhould ſuffer falſe teachers; ſurely then Pergamos and Thyatira, were in a certain irremed…l…ſſe way of EternallThere is no reaſon why ſome things Poſitive of Church-Policie are alterable, ſome not. Damnation, as are theſe who are void of all Faith and knowledge of Fundamentall Articles; I conceive Prelats will hold their hand, and not be ſo raſh as to ſay this; If theſe other things of Policie be neceſſary, neceſſitate precepti, in regard that Ieſus Chriſt hath commanded them to be obſerved, why then are ſome things alterable which Chriſt hath commanded to be obſerved ſome things unalterable? Croſſe & Surplice, which Prelats ſay have been in the Church theſe twelve hundred yeers, are in themſelves as poſitive, & have as ſmall affinity with the Civil Laws, Cuſtomes & Manners of Nations (except they mean ſinfull Cuſtomes) as Sacramentall eating and drinking. And the like may be ſaid of all the alterable Ceremonies ſometimes in uſe, in England, and now in force amongſt Papiſts.
3. Arg. That Commandement which Timothy is …o keep without 3. Argum.ſpot unrebukeable, untill the appearing of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt 1 Tim. 6. 13. is no alterable command that falleth and riſeth with the Customes, Civill Laws and Manners of men. But Paul commandeth under that, every Poſitive Law of Church-Diſcipline to be thus kept, of which he ſpeaketh in theſe Epiſtles to Timothy.
Mr. Hooker denyeth the aſſumption; For Paul (ſaith he) reſtraineth 3. Book, Eccleſ. Polic, pag. 117, 118. The place, 1 Tim, 6. 13. diſcuſſed.the words to one ſpeciall Commandment amongſt many; and therefore it is not ſaid, keep the Ordinances, Laws, Conſtitutions, which thou haſt received; but foreign, that great Commandment, which doth principally concern thee and thy calling, that Commandment that Chriſt did ſo often inculcate unto Peter (Feed my ſheep) and that Act. 20. Attend to your ſelves and all the flock, &c. And that, 2 Tim. 4. 1. I charge thee in the ſight of God, &c. Preach the word, and teach the Goſpel without mixture, &c. And theſe words (till the appearance of Chriſt) doth not import the time wherein it ſhould be kept; but rather the time whereunto the finall reward for keeping it was reſerved according to that, henceforth is laid up for me a crown of Righteouſneſſe. It doth not import perpetuall obſervation of the Apoſtles Commandment, for it bindeth not to the Precept of chooſing of Widows, as the Adverſaries grant. We do not deny, but certain things were Commanded to be, though Poſitive, yet perpetuall in the Church. Anſ. 1. If Paul reſtrain this to one ſpeciall Commandment, ſure it is ſo generall and comprehenſive a Commandment of feeding the Flock, as taketh in all the ſpeciall Poſitive Commandments belonging to feeding, by both Word and Diſcipline, which is enough for the perpetuity of all Poſitive precepts of Diſcipline and Policie, even till Chriſts appearance to judge the world; and I wonder that Hooker expoundeth this by 2. Tim. 4. 1. As if Paul did mean the precept of Preaching only, and that ſoundly and without mixture; and yet paſſe by the Parallel place, 1 Tim. 5 21. A…lmoſtin the ſame ſtile of Language, in which place he ſpeaketh of many ſpeciall Poſitive precepts and Rules of Policie, as of poor widows, the Almes to be given to them; the not rebuking of an Elder, the office of Elders Governing, and of Elders labouring in the Word and Doctrine, the not receiving an accuſation againſt an Elder, but under two or three Witneſſes, the publike rebuking of thoſe who offend publikely, the not admitting to the Miniſtry raw and green ſouldiers not tryed, and many other particulars of Policie, of all which he ſaith gravely, v. 21. I charge thee before God and the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, and the Elect Angels, that thou obſerve theſe things &c. Certainly, foreign, theſe things was not one Commandment, but all the precepts of Faith, and of Church-Government ſpoken of in this Epiſtle; and truly … ſhall think that Paul who particular…z…th that Timothy ſhould not drink water, but a little wine becauſe of his infirmity, and of bringing with him the cloak that he left at Troas, and the Pauls cloak of leſſe conſequence, then Poſitives of policie.parchments, 2 Tim. 4 doth far more ſpec…fi… all the poſitives of policie, and writ, how all the Timothies and Paſtors are to behave themſelves in the Church of God: If Ceremonies and all theſe alterable trifles had not been excluded out of the Platforme; for a Religious Maſſe-Surplice, is of far more conſequence then Pauls old cloak, and yet Paul ſpake of the one in Canonick-Scripture, never of the other; and Oyle, Spittle, Salt, Croſſe in Baptiſme being poſitive ſignificant Rites, and having continued in the Church ſo many hundred years, ſhould far rather have been ſpecified in Scripture then Timothies drinking of water: yea, and if all the alterable poſitive things of Policy, as Croſſe, Surplice, be commanded as neceſſary in the generall, though not in this or that particular, as Hooker and other Formaliſts do teach, then ſure the meaning muſt be: I give to thee, O Timothy, charge in the ſight of God who quickeneth all things, and before Chriſt Jeſus, &c. That thou▪ keep this Commandment of Croſſing, Surplice, bowing to Altars, of corner-Cap, or of the equivalent of theſe, without spot irrebukeable to the appearance of Jeſus Chriſt; for the precept of feeding the Flock, muſt include all theſe; and though Ceremonies in particular be alterable, and not commanded in Hythotheſie; yet that in generall there ſhould be ſuch poſitive Ceremonies is neceſſary, and the Apoſtle (ſay they) commandeth them, 1 Cor. 14. 40. Yea, (as Dunam ſaith) humane Holydayes, are commanded in the fourth Commandment, and Burges ſaith, all the Ceremonies are commanded in the third Commandment, and Formaliſts; who denyed the Prelate to be of Divine inſtitution, made a Ceremony of him, and made him a decent and orderly thing; which as the Poet ſaid, to me is like the act of death, that brought Great Alexander, to whom the whole world was not ſufficient, in ſmall bounds, in the Grave under two foot of earth, and this maketh the great Pope, the Catholick Biſhop of the earth a little Ceremony: But this little Ceremony hath theſe many hundred years infeſted the whole earth. 2. If this precept be not a perpetuall binding precept till Chriſts ſecond appearance, but only rewarded with life eternall at Chriſts appearance, yet ſhall it follow that all things included in the precept of feeding the flock, and ſo all the Surplice, Croſſing, Will-worſhip or their equivalent, without which, feeding cannot be in a decent and orderly way (as they ſay from, 1 Cor. 14. 40.) muſt be rewarded with life eternall: let Formaliſts wait at the day of judgement for a reward, of a Garment of glory for wearing a linning Surplice, my faith cannot reach it.
3. For the chooſing of Widovves that are poor to take care of the poor and ſicke in Hoſpitals; we think it juſt as neceſſary now as then, though no wayes, if there be none ſick, and poor in the Church: But that Widows were Church-Officers ordained, as were Deacons, Act. 6. 6. we never thought, and therefore we do not ſee that the wanting of ſuch Widows, is the want of a Poſitive inſtitution of Church-Policy; for other poſitive things of policy that ſhould be of perpetuall uſe, and not all of the ſame kinde, and of equall neceſſity: I ſee no reaſon (which I ſpeak for Apoſtles) which were neceſſary then, and not now; But if from thence Formaliſts infer, that many poſitive things of policy are alterable, I can infer with equall ſtrength of reaſon, that then Paſtors, and Teachers are alterable by the Church, for if the one have a Divine inſtitution to warrant it, Eph. 4. 11, 12, 13. ſo hath the other; and if Prelates may come themſelves into the Church without any warrant but this, that Apoſtles are alterable, and may put out Paſtors and Teachers, becauſe God hath put out Apoſtles; we have a new world of alterable Church-Policy. 5. Reverent Beza referreth the Commandment to the Platforme of Diſcipline: So Ambroſe in Loc. and Chryſoſtome Homil. 18. ſo Diodat. This Commandment which is, ver. 11, 12. Or generally all other Commandments, which are contained in this Epiſtle; Popiſh Writers confeſſe the ſame, though to the diſadvantage of their Cauſe, who maintain unwritten Church-Policy and Ceremonies: So Lyra and Nicol. Gorran. Mandatum quod Deus, & ego mandavimus, the Commandment of the Lord, and of me his Apoſtle, Corne…a lapide: Quicquid tibi, O Epiſcope, hac Epiſtolâ preſcripſi, & demandavi, hoc ſerva: Salmeron, alii per mandatum intelligunt, Quecunque mandavi ſpectantia ad munus boni Epiſcopi.