The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, Tract · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Of the Power and Authoritie given to Synods.
SYnods wee acknowledge, being rightly ordered, as an Ordinance of Chriſt. Of their Aſſembly wee find three juſt cauſes in Scripture. 1. When a Church wanting light or peace at home, deſireth the counſell and helpe of other Churches, few or moe. Thus the Church of Antioch being annoyed with corrupt teachers, who darkned the light of the truth, and bred no ſmall diſſenſion amongſt them in the Church; they ſent Paul and Barnabas and other meſſengers unto the Apoſtles and Elders at Hieruſalem, for the eſtabliſhment of Truth and Peace. In joyning the Elders to the Apoſtles (and that doubtleſſe by the adviſe of Paul and Barnabas) it argueth that they ſent not to the Apoſtles as extraordinary and infallible, and authenticall Oracles of God, (for then what need the adviſe and helpe of Elders?) but as wiſe and holy guides of the Church, who might not onelyonly relieve them by ſome wiſe counſell, and holy order, but alſo ſet a Precedent to ſucceeding ages, how errours and diſſenſions in Churches might be removed and healed. And the courſe which the Apoſtles and Elders tooke for clearing the matter, was not by publiſhing the counſell of God with Apoſtolick authoritie, from immediate revelation, but by ſearching out the truth in an ordinary way of free diſputation, Act. 15. v. 7. which is as fit a courſe for imitation in after ages, as it was ſeaſonable for practice then.
2. Juſt conſequence from Scripture giveth us another ground for the aſſembly of many churches, or of their meſſengers, into a Synod, when any church lyeth under ſcandall, through corruption in doctrine and practice, and will not be healed by more private advertiſements of their own members, or of their neighbour Miniſters, or Brethren. For there is a brotherly communion, as between the members of the ſame church, ſo between the churches. We have a little ſiſter (ſaith one church to another, Cant. 8.8.) therefore churches have a brotherly communion amongſt themſelves. Look then as one brother being offended with another, and not able to heal him by the mouth of two or three brethren privately, it behooveth him to carry it to the whole church; ſo by proportion, if one church ſee matter of offence in another, and be not able to heal it in a more private way, it will hehove them to procure the Aſſembly of many churches, that the offence may be orderly heard, and judged and removed.
3. It may ſo fall out, that the ſtate of all the churches in the countrey may be corrupted; and beginning to diſcern their corruption, may deſire the concurſe and counſell of one another, for a ſpeedy, and ſafe, and generall reformation. And then ſo meeting and conferring together, may renew their covenant with God, and conclude and determine upon a courſe, that may tend to the publike healing, and ſalvation of them all. This was a frequent practice in the old Teſtament, in the time of Aſa, 2 Cron. 15.10. to 15. in the time of Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 29.4. to 19. In the time of Joſiah, 2 Chron. 34.29. to 33. and in the time of Ezra, Ezra 10.1. to 5. Theſe and the like examples were not peculiar to the Iſraelites, as one intire nationall church: For in that reſpect they appealed from every Synagogue and Court in Iſrael, to the nationall high Prieſt, and Court at Jeruſalem, as being all of them ſubordinate thereunto (and therefore that precedent is uſually waved by our beſt Divines, as not appliable to Chriſtian churches:) but theſe examples hold forth no ſuperiority in one church or court over another, but all of them in an equall manner, give advice in common, and take one common courſe for redreſſe of all. And therefore ſuch examples are fit precedents for churches of equall power within themſelves, to aſſemble togegether, and take order with one accord, for the reformation of them all.
Now a Synod being aſſembled; three queſtions ariſe about their power: 1. What is that power they have received? 2. How far the fraternity concurreth with the Presbyterie in it; the brotherhood with the Elderſhip? 3. Whether the power they have recieved reacheth to the injoyning of things, both in their nature, and in their uſe indifferent?
For the firſt; we dare not ſay that their power reacheth no farther then giving counſell: for ſuch as their ends be, for which according to God, they do aſſemble, ſuch is the power given them of God, as may attain thoſe ends. As they meet to miniſter light and peace to ſuch churches, as through want of light and peace lye in error (or doubt at leaſt) and variance; ſo they have power by the grace of Chriſt, not only to give light and counſell in matter of Truth and Practice; but alſo to command and enjoyn the things to be believed and done. The expreſſe words of the Synodall letter imply no leſſe; It ſeemed good to the Holy Ghoſt, and unto us, to lay upon you no other burthen, Act. 15.27. This burthen therefore, to obſerve thoſe neceſſary things which they ſpeak of, they had power to impoſe. It is an act of the binding power of the keys, to bind burthens. And this binding power ariſeth not only materially from the weight of the matters impoſed, (which are neceſſary neceſſitate praecepti from the word) but alſo formally, from the authority of the Synod, which being an Ordinance of Chriſt, bindeth the more for the Synods ſake. As a truth of the Goſpel taught by a Miniſter of the Goſpel, it bindeth to faith an obedience, not only becauſe it is Goſpel, but alſo becauſe it is taught by a Miniſter for his callings ſake, ſeeing Chriſt hath ſaid, Who ſo receiveth you receiveth me. And ſeeing alſo a Synod ſometime meeteth to convince, and admoniſh an offending church or Presbyterie; they have power therefore, (if they cannot heal the offenders) to determine to withdraw communion from them. And further, ſeeing they meet likewiſe ſometimes for generall reformation; they have power to decree and publiſh ſuch Ordinances, as may conduce according to God, unto ſuch reformation: Examples whereof wee read, Neh. 10.32. to 39. 2 Chron. 15.12, 13.
For the ſecond queſtion; How far the Fraternity, or the Brethren of the church, may concurre with the Elders in exerciſing the power of the Synod?
The Anſwer is; The power which they have received, is a power of liberty: As 1. They have liberty to diſpute their doubts modeſtly and Chriſtanly amongſt the Elders: For in that Synod at Jeruſalem, as there was much diſputation, Act. 15.7. ſo the multitude had a part in the Diſputation, v. 12. For after Peters ſpeech, it is ſaid, the whole multitude kept ſilence, and ſilence from what? to wit, from the ſpeech laſt in hand amongſt them, and that was, from Diſputation. 2. The Brethren of the church had liberty to joyn with the Apoſtles and Elders, in approving of the ſentence of James, and determining the ſame as the common ſentence of them all. 3. They had liberty to joyn with the Apoſtles and Elders in chooſing and ſending meſſengers, and in writing Synodall Letters in the names of all, for the publiſhing of the ſentence of the Synod. Both theſe points are expreſſed in the Text, v. 22.23. to 29. Then pleaſed it the Apoſtles and Elders, with the whole Church, to ſend choſen men, and to write Letters by them. See the whole church diſtinguiſhed from the Apoſtles and Elders; and thoſe whom he called the whole Church, v. 22. he calleth the Brethren, v. 23. The Apoſtles, and Elders, and Brethren, &c.
But though it may not be denyed, that the Brethren of the church preſent in the Synod, had all this power of liberty, to joyn with the Apoſtles and Elders in all theſe acts of the Synod; yet the authority of the Decrees lay chiefly (if not only) in the Apoſtles and Elders. And therefore it is ſaid, Act. 16.4. That Paul and Silas delivered to the Churches for to keep the Decrees that were ordained of the Apoſtles and Elders: So then it will be moſt ſafe to preſerve to the Church of Brethren their due liberties, and to reſerve to the Elders their due authority.
If it be ſaid, The Elders aſſembled in a Synod, have no authority to determine or conclude any act that ſhall binde the Churches, but according to the inſtructions which before they have received from the Churches.
Anſw. Wee do not ſo apprehend it; For what need Churches ſend to a Synod for light and direction in ways of truth and peace, if they be reſolved afore-hand how far they will go? It is true, if the Elders of Churches ſhall conclude in a Synod any thing prejujudiciall to the truth and peace of the Goſpel, they may juſtly expoſtulate with them at their return, and refuſe ſuch ſanctions as the Lord hath not ſancited. But if the Elders be gathered in the name of Chriſt in a Synod, and proceed according to the rule (the word) or Chriſt, they may conſider and conclude ſundry points expedient for the eſtate of their Churches, which the Churches were either ignorant or doubtfull of before.
As for the third Queſtion, whether the Synod have power to injoyn ſuch things as are both in their nature and their uſe indifferent? We ſhould anſwer it negatively, and our reaſons be:
1. From the pattern of that precedent of Synods, Act. 15.28. They laid upon the Churches no other burthen, but thoſe neceſſary things: neceſſary, though not all of them in their own nature, yet for preſent uſe, to avoid the offence both of Jew and Gentile: of the Jew, by eating things ſtrangled and blood; of the Gentile and Jew both, by eating things ſacrificed to Idols, as Paul expoundeth that Article of the Synod, 1 Cor. 8.10, 11, 12. and Chap. 10.28. This ea ing with offence was a murther of a weak brothers ſoule, and a ſin againſt Chriſt, 1 Cor. 8.11, 12. and therefore neceſſary to be forborn, neceſſi…ate praecepti, by the neceſſity of Gods Commandement.
2. A ſecond reaſon may be from the latitude of the Apoſtolicall commiſſion, which was given to them, Mat. 28.19, 20. where the Ap…ſtles are commanded to teach the people to obſerve all things which Chriſt had commanded. If then the Apoſtles teach the people to obſerve more then Chriſt hath commanded, they go beyond the bounds of their commiſſion, and a larger commiſſion then that given to the Apoſtles, nor Elders, nor Synods, nor churches can challenge.
If it be ſaid, Chriſt ſpeaketh only of teaching ſuch things which he had commanded, as neceſſary to ſalvation.
Anſw. If the Apoſtles or their ſucceſſors ſhould hereupon uſurpe an authority to teach the people things indifferent, they muſt plead this their authority from ſome other commiſſion given them elſewhere: for in this place there is no foot ſtep for any ſuch power. That much urged and much abuſed place in 1 Cor. 14.40. will not reach it. For though Paul requiring in that place, all the duties of Gods worſhip, whether Prayer or Propheſying, or Pſalmes, or Tongues, &c. that they ſhould be performed decently and orderly, he thereby forbiddeth any performance thereof undecently; as for men with long hayre, and women to ſpeak in open aſſemblies, eſpecially to pray with their hair looſe about them. And though he forbiddeth alſo men ſpeaking two or three at once, which to do, were not order, but confuſion; yet he doth not at all, neither himſelf injoyn, nor allow the Church of Corinth to injoyn ſuch things as decent, whoſe want, or whoſe contrary is not undecent; nor ſuch orders, whoſe want or contrary would be no diſorder. Suppoſe the Church of Corinth, (or any other Church or Synod) ſhould enjoyn their Miniſters to preach in a gown. A gown is a decent garment to preach in: yet ſuch an Injunction is not grounded upon that Text of the Apoſtle. For then a Miniſter in neglecting to preach in a gown ſhould neglect the commandment of the Apoſtle, which yet indeed he doth not. For if he preach in a cloak, he preacheth decently enough, and that is all which the Apoſtles Canon reacheth to. In theſe things Chriſt never provided for uniformitie, but onelyonly for unity.
For a third reaſon of this point, (and to adde no more) it is taken from the nature of the miniſteriall office, whether in a Church or Synod. Their office is ſtewardly, not lordly: they are Embaſſadours from Chriſt, and for Chriſt. Of a Steward it is required he be found faithfull, 1 Cor. 4.1, 2. and therefore he may diſpenſe no more injunctions to Gods houſe, then Chriſt hath appointed him: Neither may an Embaſſadour proceed to do any act of his office, further then what he hath received in his Commiſſion from his Prince. If he go further, he maketh himſelf a Praevaricator, not an Embaſſadour.
But if it be enquired, Whether a Synod hath power of Ordination and Excommunication; we would not take upon us haſtily to cenſure the many notable precedents of ancient and later Synods, who have put forth acts of power in both theſe kinds. OnelyOnly we doubt that from the beginning it was not ſo: and for our own parts, if any occaſion of uſing this power ſhould ariſe amongſt our ſelves (which hitherto through preventing merciemercy it hath not) we (in a Synod) ſhould rather chuſe to determine, and to publiſh and declare our determination. That the ordination of ſuch as we find fit for it, and the excommunication of ſuch as we find do deſerve it, would be an acceptable ſervice both to the Lord, and to his Churches: but the adminiſtration of both theſe acts we ſhould refer to the Presbytery of the ſeverall Churches, whereto the perſon to be ordained is called, and whereof the perſon to be excommunicate is a member: and both acts to be performed in the preſence, and with the conſent of the ſeverall Churches, to whom the matter appertaineth. For in the beginning of the Goſpel in that precedent of Synods, Act. 15. we find the falſe teachers declared to be diſturbers and troublers of the Churches, and ſubverters of their ſouls, Act. 15.24. but no condigne cenſure diſpenſed againſt them by the Synod. An evident argument to us, that they left the cenſure of ſuch offenders (in caſe they repented not) to the particular Churches, to whom they did appertain. And for Synodicall ordination, although Act. 1. be alledged, where Matthias was called to be an Apoſtle, yet it doth not appear that they acted then in a Synodicall way: no more then the Church of Antioch did, when with faſting and prayer they by their Presbyters impoſed hands on Paul and Barnabas, and thereby ſeparated them to the work of the Apoſtleſhip, whereto the holy Ghoſt had called them, Act. 13.1, 2, 3. Whence as the holy Ghoſt then ſaid, foreign: ſo thereupon Paul ſtyleth himſelf foreign. Rom. 1.1. And this was done in a particular Church, not in a Synod.