The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, Tract · Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII. Of the ſubject to whom the key of Church priviledge, power, or Liberty is given.
THis key is given to the Brethren of the Church: for ſo ſaith the Apoſtle, in Gal. 5.13. (in the place quoted and opened before) Brethren, you have been called to liberty.
And indeed, as it is the foreign, & foreign of a Common-wealth, the right and due eſtabliſhment and ballancing of the liberties or priviledges of the people (which is in a true ſenſe, may be called a power) and the authority of the Magiſtrate: ſo it is the ſafety of Church eſtate, the right and due ſettling and ordering of the holy power of the priviledges and liberties of the Brethren, and the miniſteriall authority of the Elders. The Goſpel alloweth no Church authority (or rule properly ſo called) to the Brethren, but reſerveth that wholly to the Elders; and yet preventeth the tyrannie and oligarchy, and exorbitancy of the Elders, by the large and firm eſtabliſhment of the liberties of the Brethren, which ariſeth to a power in them. Bucers axiome is here notable; Poteſtaspenes omnem Eccleſiameſt; Authoritas miniſterii penes Presbyteros & Epiſcopos. In Mat. 16.19. where Poteſtas, or power being contradiſtinguiſhed from Authoritas, Authority is nothing elſe but a liberty or priviledge.
The liberties of the Brethren, or of the Church conſiſting of them, are many and great.
1. The Church of Brethren hath the power, priviledges and liberty to chooſe their officers. In the choyce of an Apoſtle in to the place of Judas, the people went as far as humane vote and ſuffrage could go. Out of 120. perſons, (v. 15.) they choſe out, and preſented two; out of which two (becauſe an Apoſtle was to be deſigned immediately by God) God by lot choſe one; And yet this one ſo choſen of God, foreign, communibus omnium fuffragiis inter duodecim Apoſtolos allectus eſt, v. 26. was counted amongſt the Apoſtles by the common ſuffrages of them all. And this place Cyprian preſſeth amongſt others, to confirm the power, (that is foreign, or priviledge, or liberty) of the people in chooſing or refuſing their Miniſters. Plebs Chriſtiana (ſaith he) vel maxime poteſtatem habet, vel dignos ſacerdotes eligendi, ves indignos recuſandi, Epiſtol. 4. lib. 1.
The like, or greater liberty is generally approved by the beſt of our Divines (ſtudious of Reformation) from Act. 14.23. They ordained them Elders, choſen by lifting up of hands.
The ſame power is cleerly expreſſed in the choyce of Deacons, Act. 6.3.5, 6. The Apoſtles did not chooſe the Deacons, but called the multitude together, and ſaid unto them, Brethren, looke you out ſeven men amongst you whom we may appoint over this buſineſſe: And the ſaying pleaſed the whole multitude, and they choſe Stephen, &c.
2. It is a priviledge, or a liberty the Church hath received, to ſend forth one or more of their Elders, as the publike ſervice of Chriſt and of the Church may require. Thus Epaphroditus was a Meſſenger or Apoſtle of the Church of Philippi unto Paul, Phil. 2.25.
3. The Brethren of the Church have power and liberty of propounding any juſt exception againſt ſuch as offer themſelves to be admitted unto their communion, or unto the ſeales of it: Hence Saul, when hee offered himſelf to the communion of the Church at Jeruſalem was not at firſt admitted thereto, upon an exception taken againſt him by the Diſciples till that exception was removed, Act. 9.26, 27. and Peter did not admit the family of Cornelius to Baptiſme, till he had inquired of the Brethren, if any of them had any exception againſt it, Act. 10.47.
4. As the Brethren have a power of order, and the priviledge to expoſtulate with their Brethren, in caſe of private ſcandals, according to the rule, Mat. 18.15, 16. So in caſe of publike ſcandall, the whole Church of Brethren have power and priviledge to joyn with the Elders, in inquiring, hearing, judging of publike ſcandals; ſo as to binde notorious offenders and impenitents under cenſure, and to forgive the repentant: For when Chriſt commandeth a brother, in caſe that offence cannot be healed privately, then to tell the Church, Mat. 18.17. it neceſſarily implyeth that the Church muſt heare him, and inquire into the offence complained of, and judge of the offence as they find it upon inquiry. When the Brethren that were of the circumciſion expoſtulated with Peter about his communion with Cornelius, and his uncircumciſed family, Peter did not reject them, and their complaint againſt him, as tranſgreſſing the bounds of their juſt power and priviledge, but readily addreſſed himſelf to give ſatisfaction to them all, Act. 1, 1, 2 to 18. The Brethren of the Church of Corinth being gathered together with their Elders, in the name of the Lord Jeſus, and with his power, did deliver the inceſtuous perſon to Satan, 1 Cor. 5.4, 5. And Paul reproveth them all, Brethren as well as Elders, that they had no ſooner put him away from amongſt them, v. 2. and expreſly he alloweth to them all power to judge them that are within, v. 22. Yea, and from thence argueth, in all the Saints, even in the meaneſt of the Saints, and ability to judge between brethren, in the things of this life, as thoſe that have received ſuch a ſpirit of diſcerning from Chriſt, by which they ſhall one day judge the world, even Angels, ſo in the next Chapter, the 6. of that 1 Cor. 1.2, 3, 4, 5. And the ſame Brethren of the ſame Church, as well as the Elders, he intreateth to forgive the ſame inceſtuous Corinthian, upon his repentance, 2 Cor. 2.7, 8.
If it be ſaid, to judge is an act of rule; and to be Rulers of the Church, is not given to all the Brethren, but to the Elders only: Anſw. All judgement is not an act of authority or rule, for there is a judgement of diſcretion, by way of priviledge, as well as of authority by way of ſentence: That of diſcretion is common to all the Brethren, as well as that of authority belongeth to the Presbytery of that Church. In England, the Jury by their verdict, as well as the Judge by his ſentence, do both of them judge the ſame malefactor; yet in the Jury their verdict is but an act of their popular liberty: In the Judge it is an act of his judiciall authority.
If it be demanded, What difference is there between theſe two?
The anſwer is ready, Great is the difference: for though the Jury have given up their judgement and verdict, yet the malefactor is not thereupon legally condemned, much leſſe executed, but upon the ſentence of the Judge: In like ſort here, though the Brethren of the Church do with one accord give up their vote and judgement for the cenſure of an offender, yet he is not thereby cenſured, till upon the ſentence of the Presbytery.
If it be ſaid again; Yea, but it is an act of authority to binde and looſe, and the power to bind and looſe, Chriſt gave to the whole Church, Mat. 18.18.
Anſw. The whole Church may be ſaid to bind and looſe, in that the Brethren conſent, and concurre with the Elders, both before the Cenſure in diſcerning it to be juſt and equall, and in declaring their diſcernment, by lifting up of their hands, or by ſilence: and after the cenſure, in rejecting the offender cenſured from their wonted Communion. And yet their diſcerning or approving of the juſtice of the cenſure before-hand, is not a preventing of the Elders in their work. For the Elders before that have not onelyonly privately examined the offender and his offence, and the proofes thereof, to prepare the matter and ripen it for the Churches cognizance: but doe alſo publickly reviſe the heads of all the materiall paſſages thereof before the Church: and doe withall declare to the Church the counſell and will of God therein, that they may rightly diſcerne and approve what cenſure the Lord requireth to be adminiſtred in ſuch a caſe. So that the peoples diſcerning and approving the juſtice of the cenſure before it be adminiſtred, ariſeth from the Elders former inſtruction and direction of them therein: Whereunto the people give conſent, in obedience to the will and rule of Chriſt. Hence is that ſpeech of the Apoſtle; Wee have in readineſſe to revenge all diſobedience, when your OBEDIENCE IS FƲLFILLED, 2 Cor. 10.6. The Apoſtles revenge of diſobedience by way of reproofe in preaching, doth not follow the peoples obedience, but proceedeth whether the people obey it or no. It was therefore their revenge of diſobedience by way of cenſure in diſcipline, which they had in readineſſe, when the obedience of the Church is fulfilled in diſcerning and approving the Equitie of the Cenſure, which the Apoſtles or Elders have declared to them from the Word.
This power or priviledge of the Church in dealing in this ſort with a ſcandalous offender, may not be limited only to a private brother offending, but may reach alſo to an offenſive Elder. For (as hath been touched already) it is plaine that the Brethren of the Circumciſion, ſuppoſing Peter to have given an offence in eating with men uncircumciſed, they openly expoſtulated with him about his offence: and he ſtood not with them upon termes of his Apoſtleſhip, much leſſe of his Elderſhip, but willingly ſubmitted himſelfe to give ſatisfaction to them all, Act. 11.2. to 18. And Paul writeth to the Church of Coloſſe, to deale with Archippus, warning him to ſee to the fulfilling of his Miniſtery, Col. 4.17. And very pregnant is his direction to the Galatians, for their proceeding to the utmoſt with their corrupt and ſcandalous falſe Teachers. I would (ſaith he) they were even cut off that trouble you; And that upon this very ground of their libertie, Gal. 5.12, 13. as hath been opened above in Chap. 2.
But whether the Church hath power or libertie for proceeding to the utmoſt cenſure of their whole Presbytery, is a Queſtion of more difficultie.
For 1. It cannot well be conceived that the whole Presbytery ſhould be proceeded againſt, but that by reaſon of their ſtrong influence into the hearts of many of the Brethren, a ſtrong partie of the Brethren will be ready to ſide with them: and in caſe of finding diſſenſion and oppoſition, the Church ought not to proceed without conſulting with the Synod. As when there aroſe diſſenſion in the Church at Antioch, and SIDING, (or as the word is foreign) they ſent up to the Apoſtles and Elders at Jeruſalem, who in way of Synod determined the buſineſſe, Act. 15.2. to 23. A precedent and patterne of due Church proceedings in caſe of diſſenſion, when ſome take with one ſide, ſome with another. But of that more here after.
2. Excommunication is one of the higheſt acts of Rule in the Church, and therefore cannot be performed but by ſome Rulers. Now where all the Elders are culpable, there be no Rulers left in that Church to cenſure them. As therefore the Presbytery cannot excommunicate the whole Church, (though Apoſtate) for they muſt tell the Church, and joyne with the Church in that Cenſure: ſo neither can the Church excommunicate the whole Presbytery, becauſe they have not received from Chriſt an office of rule, without their Officers.
If it be ſaid, the twentie-foure Elders (who repreſent the private members of the Church, as the foure living Creatures doe the foure Officers) had all of them Crowns upon their heads, and ſate upon thrones (Rev. 4.4.) which are ſignes of regall authoritie: The anſwer is, The crowns and thrones argue them to be Kings, no more then their white rayments argue them to be Prieſts, ver. 4. but neither Prieſts nor Kings by office, but by libertie to performe like ſpirituall duties by grace, which the other doe by grace and office: As Prieſts they offer up ſpirituall ſacrifices: and as Kings they rule their luſts, paſſions, themſelves, and their families, yea, the world and Church alſo after a ſort: the world, by improving it to ſpirituall advantage: and the Church, by appointing their own Officers, and likewiſe in cenſuring their offenders, not onelyonly by their officers, (which is as much as Kings are wont to doe) but alſo by their own royall aſſent, which Kings are not wont to doe, but onelyonly in the execution of Nobles.
But nevertheleſſe, though the Church want authoritie to excommunicate their Presbytery, yet they want not libertie to withdraw from them: For ſo Paul inſtructeth and beſeecheth the Church of Rome (whom the holy Ghoſt foreſaw would moſt ſtand in need of this counſell) to make uſe of this libertie: I beſeech you (ſaith he) mark ſuch as cauſe diviſions and offences, contrary to the DOCTRINE you have received, foreign, WITHDRAW from them.
So then, by the agitation of this objection, there appeare two liberties of the Church more to be added to the former.
One is this (which is the fifth libertie in members) the Church hath libertie in caſe of diſſenſion amongſt themſelves to reſort to a Synod, Act. 15.1, 2. Where alſo it appeareth the Brethren enjoyed this libertie, to diſpute their doubts till they were ſatisfied, ver. 7.12. to joyne with the Apoſtles and Elders in the definitive ſentence, and in the promulgation of the ſame, ver. 22, 23.
The ſixt Libertie of the Church is, To withdraw from the communion of thoſe, whom they want authoritie to excommunicate. For as they ſet up the Presbytery, by profeſſing their ſubjection to them in the Lord: ſo they avoyd them by profeſſed withdrawing their ſubjection from them according to God.
A ſeventh and laſt libertie of the Church, is, Libertie of communion with other Churches. Communion we ſay: for it is a great Libertie, that no particular Church ſtandeth in ſubjection to another particular Church, no, not to a Cathedrall Church: but that all the Churches enjoy mutuall brotherly communion amongſt themſelves: which communion is mutually exerciſed amongſt them ſeven waies, which for brevitie and memory ſake, we ſumme up in ſeven words. 1. By way of Participation. 2. Of Recommendation. 3. Of Conſultation. 4. Of Congregation into a Synod. 5. Of Contribution. 6. Of Admonition. 7. Of Propagation or Multiplication of Churches.
1. By way of Participation, the members of one Church, occaſionally comming to another Church, where the Lords Supper commeth to be adminiſtred, are willingly admitted to partake with them at the Lords Supper, in caſe that neither themſelves, nor the Churches from whence they came, doe lie under any publique offence. For wee receive the Lords Supper, not onelyonly as a Seale of our communion with the Lord Jeſus, and with his members in our owne Church, but alſo in all the Churches of the Saints.
2. By way of Recommendation; Letters are ſent from one Church to another, recommending to their watchfulneſſe and communion, any of their members, who by occaſion of buſineſſe, are for a time to reſide amongſt them. As Paul ſent Letters of Recommendation to the Church of Rome, in the behalfe of Phoebe, a Deaconeſſe of the Church at Cenchrea, Rom. 16.1, 2. And of theſe kind of Letters he ſpeaketh to the Church of Coriuth alſo, though not as needfull to himſelfe (who was well known to them) yet for others, 2 Cor. 3.1.
But if a member of one Church have juſt occaſion to remove himſelfe, and his family, to take up his ſetled habitation in another Church, then the Letters written by the Church in his behalfe, doe recommend him to their perpetuall watchfulneſſe and communion. And if the other church have no juſt cauſe to refuſe him, they of his own church do by thoſe letters wholly diſmiſſe him from themſelves; whereupon the letters (for diſtinction ſake) are called letters of diſmiſſion; which indeed do not differ from the other, but in the durance of the recommendation, the one recommending him for a time, the other for ever.
3. By way of conſultation, one Church hath liberty of communicating with another to require their judgement and counſell, touching any perſons or cauſe, wherewith they may be better acquainted then themſelves. Thus the Church of Antioch by their meſſengers conſulted with the Church at Jeruſalem, touching the neceſſity of circumciſion, Act. 15.3. although the conſultation brought forth a further effect of communion with Churches; to wit, their Congregation into a Synod. Which is the fourth way of communion of Churches: All of the Churches have the like liberty of ſending their meſſengers to debate and determine in a Synod, ſuch matters as do concern them all; As the Church of Antioch ſent meſſengers to Jeruſalem for reſolution and ſatisfaction in a doubt that troubled them: the like liberty by proportion might any other Church have taken; yea, many Churches together; yea, all the Churches in the world, in any caſe that might concern them all. What authority theſe Synods have received, and may put forth, will come to be conſidered in the ſequele.
A fifth way of communion of Churches is, the liberty of giving and receiving mutuall ſupplies and ſuccours one from another. The Church of Jeruſalem communicated to the Churches of the Gentiles, their ſpirituall treaſures of gifts of Grace; and the Churches of the Gentiles miniſtred back again to them, liberall oblations of outward beneficence, Rom. 15.26, 27. Act. 11.29, 30. When the Church of Antioch aboundeth with more variety of ſpirituall gifted men then the ſtate of their own Church ſtood in need of; they faſted and prayed; as for other ends, ſo for the inlargement of Chriſts Kingdome in the improvement of them. And the Holy Ghoſt opened them a dore for the ſuccour of many countries about them, by the ſending forth of ſome of them, Act. 13.1, 2, 3.
A ſixth way of communion of Churches is by way of mutuall admonition, when a publike offence is found amongſt any of them: For as Paul had liberty to admoniſh Peter before the whole Church at Antioch, when hee ſaw him walke not with a right foot (and yet Paul had no authority over Peter, but onelyonly both of them had equall mutuall intereſt one in another) Gal. 2.11. to 14. So by the ſame proportion, one Church hath liberty to admoniſh another, though they be both of them of equall authority; ſeeing one Church hath as much intereſt in another, as one Apoſtle in another. And if by the royall law of love, one Brother hath liberty to admoniſh his brother in the ſame Church, (Mat. 18.15, 16.) then by the ſame rule of brotherly love and mutuall watchfulneſs one Church hath power to admoniſh another, in faithfulneſſe to the Lord, and unto them. The Church in the Canticles took care not only for her own members, but for her little ſiſter, which ſhe thought had no breaſt; yea, and conſulteth with other churches what to do for her, Cant. 8.8. And would ſhe not then have taken like care, in caſe their little ſiſter having breaſts, her breaſts had been diſtempered, and given corrupt matter in ſtead of milke?
A ſeventh way of communion of churches may be by way of propagation and multiplication of churches: As when a particular Church of Chriſt ſhall grow ſo full of members, as all of them cannot heare the voyce of their Miniſters; then as an Hive full of Bees ſwarmeth forth, ſo is the church occaſioned to ſend forth a ſufficient number of her members, fit to enter into a church-ſtate, and to carrry along church-work amongſt themſelves. And for that end they either ſend forth ſome one or other of their Elders with them, or direct them where to procure ſuch to come unto them. The like courſe is wont to be taken, when ſundry Chriſtians coming over from one countrey to another; ſuch as are come over firſt, and are themſelves full of company, direct thoſe that come after them, and aſſiſt them in like ſort, in the combination of themſelves into Church order, according to the rule of the Goſpel. Though the Apoſtles be dead, whoſe office it was to plant & gather and multiply Churches; yet the work is not dead, but the ſame power of the keyes is left with the Churches in common, and with each particular church for her part, according to their meaſure, to propagate and inlarge the kingdome of Chriſt (as God ſhall give opportunity) throughout all generations.