The Government of the Churches of Christ, Book 2 · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
That it is the Prerogative of Christ's Power and Wisdom, to determine the due limits of Churches, and the boundaries of the Elder's power.
THE Prerogative of Christ, the Institutour, is as much seen in assigning a due extent of power to Elders; and in measuring out the just bounds, wherein their Authority is to be exercised, as in any thing which he hath instituted.
1. Christ useth his great Prerogative in setting out, and in constituting and bounding of the Church, that shall be the Seat of Government, which is his House.
1. In all Civil Government (and if there be a Covernment Spiritual derived from Christ, this Parallel will hold) the Stamp of Royal and Supream Authority (which is the Fountain of Government) is seen and exercised in nothing, more than in the grant of priviledges unto a company of Men, dwelling together to incorporate for Government, as also in setting the Bounds and Limits of such a Jurisdiction; and this is fundamental to all the rest; And answerably speaks the Scriptures. Thus in Heb. 3. 3, 4, 5. the Prerogative of Christ, above Moses, is argued from this, as the Highest Branch of it, that Christ was he that Built the very House it self; and therefore answerably, this is for the Honour of Christ. If a King had an infinite number of Subjects scattered over all the World, which could not be governed in the whole or lump, but by parts, distinguished and formed up into several Bodies knit together, were it not his Prerogative as much, yea, more, to appoint out the several Provinces or Territories, and the bounds thereof, which he would have Governed exactly, as to appoint the kind of Officers, or Acts of Government? Surely 'tis more. Therefore the Founders and Disposers of the Bounds of Commonwealths at first, have been esteemed Great, and more Renowned, than those that gave Laws, or Established the several kinds of Officers. It cannot be denied, but that there must be a Commission from Christ, to empower a company of Saints (that live in a Neighbourhood together as Saints) to become a Church to Christ, not in a Mystical Relation only (for that they are as Saints, though they become not a Seat of publick Worship, and of an orderly Government here on Earth) but further to become a Subject of publick Worship; and also to injoy a Government among them. As the things themselves thus injoyed are such, as nothing more concerns God's Glory in this World; and the good and benefit of the Saints, so their becoming a Church (which is the foundation of this; and unto which, as such the priviledge of these is vouchsafed) is as great a favour and priviledge, as could be bestowed on them; which therefore must needs hold as much upon a free Gift and Charter of Christ, the Head and Lord of his Church, as any other thing can be supposed to do. A Gift and Favour it is, over and above their being Saints and Members of the Church Mystical, Electively bestowed, for such they might have been, and yet never have been ordered so to meet. As to be a Minister to the Church, it is a favour beyond a Man's being a Saint, or having Gifts, and none is to take that Honour to himself; but he that is called of God, and hath a Charter from him, for the kind of Ministry designed, (and therefore Paul makes that great Character of himself, from God's putting him into the Ministry) so for a company of Saints to take on them, the Title and Honour of a Church, and an whole Church (as every particular Seat of Worship and Government doth) which is the Title of the whole Universal Body of Christ, yea, to take on them the Relation of a Body, an whole Body to Christ; this must be by a special Charter and Warrant, what ever company of Men there be that do it. None can give that Title of Church, unless Christ hath given it, as none can take the Title of being a City in a Kingdom, or of being a priviledged place, but by Charter. If none can take on him the Dignity of an Earl, or of a Viscount, or of any Officer of State, so no company of People can of themselves, presume to be a City, but by special Charter; much less to be a Seat of Government, whereby they become not simply a company, but a Body politick. Church, in this Sense, is an Authoritative Word, and such Authority ariseth not from place, or any External Circumstance, no nor from meeting; but from a Charter that adds Authority, and above such considerations, unto such a company.
2. That it should belong to the Prerogative of Christ, to determine the bounds of Elder's Jurisdiction, as much as to appoint the Elders or kinds of Officers themselves, evidently appears by it's Parallel. When any Officers derive their Governing Power, from a Supream State; it concerns the Honour and Prerogative of that State, to define the extent of the Division of their Jurisdiction, as much as the kind of Officers. If therefore it be universally found, to be the Wisdom of all Supream Powers, with one consent to judge and account this bounding as justly to concern their Prerogative; shall we think that Christ hath been less jealous and careful of his Honour herein? Surely either there is no Government at all defined by him, and no sort or kind of Officers set and distinguished by him (but all is alike, left to Humane Prudence, as in Civil Government, all these things alike are) or it must be acknowledged, that the one concerns the Honour and Prerogative of Christ to Determine, as well as the other.
I know it may be said, that though it is necessary; yet it must be safely left to the Law of Nature, and to the Rulers of Prudence, for Men to appoint it; and that yet however the partition or measure of Churche's and Officer's extent is Divine, because God hath appointed that to be the measure; which Men in their Prudence shall think good to appoint. But this is indeed, to make both the extent of Officer's Government, and the measure of the Churches, and the Seat thereof to be both Humane, even as the extent of the Power and Office of Civil Magistrates is; and is called, 1 Pet. 2. 13. And Magistracy is called an Ordinance of Man; because the extent of it is left to Men to appoint, as they shall think meet. And yet, if God had either set the bounds and extent of Officers Jurisdiction, or of Commonwealths, (which are both considerable) then had both been of Divine Institution; but since neither of them are so set, they are Humane, although in the General, God hath commanded that Magistrates shall have that measure of power, which Men and Commonwealths shall give them.
I will add one thing more, to strengthen Christ's Prerogative in this case, that Spiritual Reason suited to the Nature of the thing it self, falls in to prove both the bounding the Elder's power; and the bounds of Churches, as the Seat of Government.
1. I argue from the Rise of the call of Elders. For though it were true, as some say, that all Saints as Saints, or as they are Mystical Members of the Church Universal, have a full and immediate right, (without any further Relation of Order and Union to a particular Church) ipso facto, to enjoy all Ordinances; yet take Elders or Ministers, and Church Governours as such; and they cannot be supposed to have it simply as Members of the Church Catholick, nor have they it from their having Gifts. The Law of Nature they cannot plead, why they should have that power, rather than other Persons in the Church; and Christ's Charter immediately they have, not as naming their Persons. From whence then must it be, that they have their power as Elders, but from an Instituted Relation? This must be then some other instituted Right and Priviledge given them. They are given to the Church, and so their Rise must be from their Relation to a Church; and by the same Reason, the extent of the Jurisdiction of their Office, must depend upon the like; for what else should give them power over these, or these Churches, and not others? As it is asserted by some, that the power is given to Saints, yet not to Saints, but as formed up into Bodies; so those that will say, it is given to Elders, must at least acknowledge it is given to Elders, as knit into Bodies, and set over such formed Bodies. So as their Jurisdiction doth depend upon a Relation to, and a rise of call, either from that Body, or at least into that Body. Which is more evident upon this further Reason, than that forementioned will reach to. Because God makes not Elders, immediately by his providential converting and working on them, for so he makes Saints; and yet he gives not (say our Brethren) the power to them, but as united into an orderly Body by Institution, in which they exercise each to other. And the case of Elder's power, is more depending upon an Order and Institution; because they are called to be Elders by a Designation of Men. Their being Elders, at least, is in order to a relation, and not by a providential immediate working on them, or from God's giving them gifts; or by an immediate call, as the Apostles were chosen, afore God erected his Church, to that end to erect it. There must be formed Bodies, to give a Rise to their call, by designing and accepting them; and there must be a relation to those formed Bodies, which they are set over; which must be set out by Divine Appointment, which alone maketh Elders, and gives them their power; and so the Rise of their call and their jurisdiction, is commensurable.
2. I argue from the necessity of the thing it self. Necessary it was, that the extensive power of Elders, should be determined (as well as the intensive) either by God or Man. If by God, we have what is desired. If by Man, either by the Civil Magistrates (and they were not Christians, for above Three Hundred years after Christ) or by the Elders themselves, and the Churches, as they should agree it. Now see the inconvenience to leave this part of extensive power, to be determined by Men; especially by the Elders themselves, whilst Christ should take on him to determine only the other. Of all sort of power, Church power is that wherein, when Men have any part, or any pretence to it, they are more apt to be ambitious of extending it, than any other: Witness the Ambition of the Prelates, and the Usurpation of the Pope, &c. And they are as apt to usurp an undue power in the extension of Jurisdiction, as well as unlawful intensive Authority, as we have seen in Popes and Bishops: The latter have assumed an undue extensive power, over whole Diocesses, Archbishops over Provinces, and Primates over Nations; and Popes have Usurped such a power over the Universal Church. This too large power they have all challenged, as well as too much intensive power, by which the Bishops appropriate Ordination to themselves, which Presbyteries (say they) may not do; and the Popes lay a claim to Infallibility, &c. Now our Presbyterian Brethren, quarrel at that power in Bishops, and the Bishops oppose that Universal extensive power in the Popes. Now the Pope challengeth this intensive power of Infallibility, but upon this right, that having such Universal Extensive power, as the Apostles had; therefore God hath enabled him (as in that case he did the Apostles) with an Infallibility, suitable to that large extent of power; and therefore he began his Usurpation, with the pretence only at first, to an Universal Power for extent, in his Title of Universal Bishop; and that brought on the other, and crept up with it, and is supported by it, as the Ivy is by the Elm. Thus Alexander the Great, being Lord of all the World in his own Opinion, flattered himself into the conceit of Divinity, and of being a God, as annexed to that Crown Universal. So that Men are as apt to err this way, as the other, and as dangerously in the consequence. It was therefore as necessary, that Christ should set bounds to the Usurpation of Men (who were to be trusted with Church-power) as to any thing else, it was necessary to prevent the claim of any one (as of Bishops) to determine the form of Government in the Church, not to be Monarchical; it was necessary to prevent impertinent intermedling in Officers, to set the proper bounds of each several Officer. It was necessary to prevent a Lording over the Flock, by setting down the Acts of Government, proper to Elders. And so that a stretching themselves beyond their Line, and an intermedling Authoritatively in Churches, not in their Jurisdiction might be prevented, it was needful be set down by certain Limits, the Territory of Church Government, seeing as true a Tyranny and Lording, might equally arise over the Church, by an undue extent of Jurisdiction, as by the exercise of unlawful and new invented Acts of Church Power. And all this was the rather necessary, because that if it had been left to common Rules (as other things of outward order are) and by Humane Prudence to be shared and divided, the Clergy themselves, and Elders of Churches, were like to Arrogate the Determination hereof, (as in all Ages, they have done) and if they themselves were to be the allotters of it; they would be sure to look to their share, and that Wisdom (they would have it left to) would be sure to cast it so, and mould the frame of the power of Jurisdiction, into such an Order, as should advance and set up their power over all the Churches. And herein the whole Multitude of Elders and the Clergy, are as apt (yea, more apt) to be tempted, as a few Prelates that usurp it singly, because the Dominion extends to the totum genus the whole kind of them. Meet therefore it was, that the Lord Jesus himself should fix this, and determine it as much as any thing else that he hath done.
Then 3. As to the bounding the Churches or Bodies of Saints and Elders, that should be the Seat of Church Power, it agrees with all reason, that Christ should keep this to him, as a part of his Prerogative; and that it should depend on his Supream Authority. It cannot be denied, but that (as was said) for a company of Saints to be a distinct fixed Church within themselves, and so to be the Seat of either the Ordinances for Worship or Government, is a superadded priviledge to their being Saints. If Pastors and Teachers be Ordinances, and the gift of Christ, Ephes. 4. then to be Churches, and the Priviledges thereof, in and by means of which, the Saints come to have a propriety in these; and a special relation unto these, is a gift also, and so dependeth electively upon God's Will; and so is the Subject of Institution, as well as any other thing. And these Churches of Saints, are not only the object of Government, and in that respect the Seat of it; but the priviledge of Government, the endowment thereof is in a special manner conferred on the Churches, who are the Seat of it; and thereunto is the grant primarily made, and unto them the benefit redounds. Thus in Civil Bodies, that are the Seat of Government, the Priviledge and Charter of having a Government, respects the whole community it self principally, and not the Officers; and therefore it is called the Corporation's, the Town's, or the Citie's Charter; and not the Mayors and Aldermen. As therefore the main Institution or Charter, falls on the Seat it self; and so upon the Officers, and the power in them for them; and indeed on both, by one and the same Appointment: So answerably the Scripture Stile runs still upon the Church, taking in the whole community of Elders and People (So I ordain in the Churches, &c. says the Apostle) because that is the Seat, the Subject of the Priviledge; and so of that Institution, that bestows and endows it. Yea, and therefore the promise of Christ's Blessing and Presence, is made to the Church, that is the Seat of Government I will be present says Christ, in the midst of you, &c. which if it should be Interpreted of a company of Elders; yet it must be as relating to a Church, that is their Seat; and to which they have a special Relation, and so by vertue of the promise made to the Church it self, Christ walks in the midst of the Candlesticks, which are the Churches. And the efficacy of this Government and Censures therein, depends upon a special blessing; and the promise of a special Blessing, is always the companion of his own Institution. As no Acts of Government, but such as are instituted, have the ordinary promise of Blessing, nor in the Hands of any other than such as Christ hath given the power unto, so all is confined too within that Seat, or extent of Jurisdiction he hath appointed; and upon this ground, he is specially present with those Officers, and those Acts in relation; and in a respect to that Body or Church, whose Elders they are, and to whom the promise is principally made, and upon whom the Priviledge and Institution chiefly falls. In this respect then, it must also as much belong to his Power and Prerogative, to set out some Bounds and Limits of these Churches, as to Institute and Appoint, that there should be Churches that should have such a priviledge. And the reason is, because the Greatness and Worth of the Priviledge, doth more or less depend upon the ordering the extent and bounds of that Church; and will accordingly more or less, redound to the good and benefit of the Saints therein, as these are set and ordered. And therefore it was fit that the Saints should owe this to none but the Wisdom of Christ himself; yea, nothing concerns the substance of the priviledge more; and therefore if the priviledge it self be from Christ, then this also. Take any incorporate Body, if it be a priviledge to any such Body, to have Officers and certain Acts of Government appointed for and over them, then it is as much so too, to have also a circumscription of Jurisdiction among themselves, as they are incorporate. Yea, their priviledge and the benefit of it, depends so much upon it; that according to the ordering thereof, it is rendred greater or lesser, or perhaps made as good as void; so that all depends upon the set Determination of it, and had need therefore to be set out by the Founder, as distinctly as any thing else. The benefit of all priviledges, depends upon bounds of enclosure, which if left common, the priviledge is impaired. The priviledge of such a Body lies, that inclusively they should have such a Government and Officers within themselves; and also exclusively be free in such and such cases, from the Jurisdiction of others, and if there be not something of either of these, there is no benefit or priviledge in having such a Government or Officers; and yet neither of them can be accomplisht, unless the extent of the Seat of Government it self, and Jurisdiction thereof, be set out and determined. And if so much of the priviledge depends hereon, (as apparently it doth) should not he appoint, and set out the Limits of these Bodies, who is the Author, Giver, and Bestower of the Priviledge it self; to whom these Societies should wholly owe it, and not to the Discretion of others; and who also takes on him as his peculiar, to appoint both the Acts of Government, and Affairs for it, and form of Government they should be Ruled by, the one being of as much consequence, as the other. Thus the proportion of the greatness of the priviledge and benefit of Government, so much depending on it, it is meet, yea, necessary that he that is the Author of this Government, should define and fix it.
4. I shall further add another thing, which depends upon the former, that the Efficacy of all Ecclesiastical Power and Censures, and the Efficacy of them depending on so Supernatural a Blessing, to subject the Conscience unto those Censures (against which Men's Consciences are apt to be as obstinate and rebellious, as to any kind of punishment inflicted by Men) if it was as necessary that Christ himself should set out the bounds of Jurisdiction, within the compass of which, Men were to be subject to those whom he betrusted with the Government, as to appoint any of those other things forementioned. For Men were like to quarrel at nothing more, than the right of power in those that executed it; and nothing was more liable to exception, than is this. They still might say, what have you to do to Judge me; unless you can shew from Christ, I am in the way of your Jurisdiction? Yea, how else also should it be known to whom it belonged, and over whom to execute these Censures; and who were in fault, if they were not Executed? The Apostle therefore stirs up the Corinthians to it, as a Duty belonging to them; and convinceth them of their sin (on whom it lay, and on none else) that they neglected to censure that offender, who was within their Jurisdiction, do not ye Judge them that are within? says he, 1 Cor. 5. 12. And so far as the Sword of the Spirit is not managed by that Hand, where Christ hath placed it, it will be naked. And if so much of the Blessing depends upon other things of as small moment, as upon the True Form of Government, that Christ hath appointed, that is, to be Administred by the many (as Paul speaks) and not by one Man, a Bishop, and by Men in Office, and not the People only, though many (as our Brethren will say, in so much as for want of these, some of them do account the Act Null and Void, and to have been weakned, and as a wodden Dagger) Surely of these Censures, it may as well be imagined, they might receive a proportionable strength from the Addition of the like Institution of the extent of Jurisdiction, over those that should be within the reach of them, these being Acts of the power of Jurisdiction, as they have been commonly called in distinction from those other of Doctrine, and the Sacraments. Sure we are that Paul seems to put as much of the promise of the power to accompany it upon this, that the Incestuous Corinthian, was within the Jurisdiction of the Church of Corinth; and so had the promise of Christ's power, to accompany that ordinance to that Man, as upon any thing else. For Christ still blesseth his own ordinance, when in that right hand he hath placed it, and it may well be thought one, if not the main reason, why the edge of this Sword hath been found so blunt and dull (as Laure…tius Andreas observes) that there hath been more power in one Excommunication in the Primitive Times, than in all since, though backt with the Civil Sword, because it hath been in them, that have not had the right of Jurisdiction to execute it; that whereas Tertullian says, it was in their Congregations, Tanquam fulmen, as a Thunderbolt, it hath been, Brutum fulmen, to us a Thunderbolt of no force, Nulla Major nullitas quam defectus juris, nec Major defectus quam Jurisdictionis; There is no greater Nullity, than a Deficiency of Right, nor a greater Defect, than that of Jurisdiction.
In the Conclusion of the whole, I infer, from this Assertion are chiefly these Corollaries.
1. That our Brethren of the Presbyterian way, if they would prove and establish their several Orders and Classical, &c. Assemblies, they must shew us Institution for them.
2. And in this Agitation, let those, that can produce out of the New Testament, the Truest, Genuine, Natural Evidences of the bounds of an Instituted Church, as the Seat of Officers and Government, carry it.
3. That an Instituted Church, according to the true and lawful Bounds thereof, being the Seat of the Priviledge, all power of Elders and Officers is to be drawn down thereto, in the exercise thereof; and in case of Defect, Elders are to be chosen to such a Church, and not that Church taken in to other Elders; and also all Acts of Jurisdiction, are to be exercised therein.
The Government OF THE Churches of Christ.
BOOK III.
Particular Congregations, having a sufficient number of Elders and Officers, are compleatly enabled for all Acts of Government, and Excommunication it self, within themselves, as well as for Worship.