The Government of the Churches of Christ, Book 2 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
That though it were granted, that the power of the Keys in Christ's Institution, Matth. 18. was given to the Elders, or Officers; and not to the People: That yet in a greater probability of Reason, the Officers or Elders of a particular Congregational Church are meant. That in all probability too, the Institution of such Churches, was designed by him; because their Conditions and Order, best suits the ends of the Edification of his Saints.
IF by Church, in Matth. 18. 17. were meant the Officers, yet still the Officers of a particular Church, for there is a Presbytery in every Church. And the mention of two or three, doth rather carry it to that meaning. So that if by Church, should be meant the Elders, yet question will return what Elders, in relation to what Church? To a particular Church say we. Thus when it is said, in Jam. 5. 14. Send for the Elders of the Church, it could not be the Elders of a Presbyterian Church. Our Presbyterian Brethren acknowledge, that particular Congregations are Churches; they are the first of the Name in this Institution, and are first intended, and are therefore called Ecclesiae primae, the first Churches, even by Presbyterians themselves. We are sure also, that particular Churches, have the Name of a whole Church. 1 Cor. 14. 23. If the whole Church meet in one. We are sure too, that the first Churches in all places, were but particular Churches, even in Hierusalem it self. The Apostles did not forbear making a particular in any place, they did not stay till Christian's Church were multiplied, so as to make many Churches in one place. Now such a particular Church before Churches ever multiplied, had a Government within it self, by virtue of Matth. 18. 17. And if so, if here be an Institution, it falleth upon it; and it exercises its Government as a Church, by virtue of its Charter.
1. That a particular Church is meant, in Matth. 18. is evident, because it is such a Church that is spoke of, whereof a Man is a Brother; and now he is a Brother first, and more peculiarly of a particular Congregation; that's the Reason, why you Excommunicate him out of the particular Church, when out of none of all the rest. And when you bring the matter at last to an issue, you tell that Church of it, more than any of the rest; for that Congregation being a Church by the Order of Christ, it is to be brought unto that Church first, which the offending Person hath the relation of a Brother unto. Now see who are in the right, our Presbyterian Brethren, or we; they think themselves bound to tell the Church, because he is a Brother of it, but not at first; whereas Christ saith, Tell this Church first, and if he will not hear what that Church says, let him be an Heathen.
2. The method that Christ here prescribeth, evidently argueth it to be a particular Church; for 1. Saith he, do thy self deal with him. 2. Take two or three Witnesses; 3. Tell the Church; This must needs be that particular Church, that is the next Body, for that particular Church, is a Church, and it is his Church; and it is a Body in ascent next to the two or three Witnesses; and if there be any such thing as a Church Classical, that is a degree beyond it.
3. All that are for Presbyterial Government, do by virtue of this place, in Matth. 18. tell it to the Congregational Elders, the Presbytery. And so then, that the particular Congregation is meant in this, Matth. 18. both their Practices and Principles do import. For they argue from this place, by way of Analogy. They argue from hence, the power of many Churches over any Church; because, look what power the first Church hath over a Brother, that many Churches hath over a Church: And therefore according to their own Concessions, this first Church is first meant as the measure of the other; and therefore what is said here in Matth: 18. must be first true of the particular Congregation. For they make a Combination of Churches; for to deal with offending or disagreeing Churches, upon this ground, that a particular Church is that, which is here appointed to deal with a Brother. If then the Argument doth run by way of Analogy; then the power of their greater Churches, is fetched from the power that this particular Church hath. And they argue, that therefore they have an intire power over many Churches, because that this hath an intire power over its own Members; and that what power is in a particular Church is in the whole Body of Churches joyntly: And therefore by the Presbyterial Concessions and Principles, the Institution must first fall upon this Church Congregational. For if any Man would argue from what power a Corporation hath over its Members, that the like power many Corporations may have over that Corporation, it would imply, that that Corporation hath an intire power over its own Members; and look how much of the intireness of the power, you take away from the particular Corporation, over its Members; so much you weaken the Argument and Analogy, for the power of many.
In a word, all the Arguments of all sides, of Papists, that would have the Pope to be the Church; of the Episcopal party that would have the Bishops to be the Church, all argue from the word Church. And they say, that a Diocesan hath power in a Diocess, because a whole Diocess may be one Church; and so, many Elders may make up a Presbytery, over many Congregations; because many Congregations make one Church. So as all these, and the Presbyterian Government it self, can prove their claim only, as they can make it out, that they are a Church. Now particular Congregations do, and may put first in for it, that they are Churches; therefore as a Church, they must have a power over their own Members, as the other have over Churches, according to their own Principles.
4. The first and primary Institution, must fall upon particular Congregations, as the Seats or Bounds of the first power, whether the Institution be supposed to fall upon them as Churches, or as a Presbytery. If it falls on them as Churches, the greater Churches consisting of many Congregations are but Ortae, or sprung of this: If it falls on them as a Presbytery, they are but Compounds, and Decompounds. The Native and first Genuine Church, is the Congregational, the other are but Representative Churches; when as this is more real.
5. As the Institution of a Congregational Church, in Matth. 18. most suits with Christs Aim and Design, the Communion of Saints; so it most agrees too with that promise of his Presence, ver. 20. what kind of Assembly is most likely to be pitched upon by Christ, to be made his Court on Earth, but that wherein he is Worshipped; and where there is the personal Presence of his Saints, for whose sake he is present with the Officers of a Church; and not as they are Officers abstracted from the Church or Meeting, without it. And indeed it was for the Honour of the Saints, and was becoming of their State under the Gospel; that not Elders alone, but that Saints gathered together with the Elders, should be those fixed Bodies to which the power should be given; for so the Stile runneth, the Churches of the Saints, 1 Cor. 14. 33. And what is the Church, without the presence of Christ? And what is more of a Church, than that to which more of the promise of the presence of Christ is made: Now to the Saints, and also to the Elders, as joyned and united in Bodies with Saints, is the promise made. Those promises, I will walk among you, &c. 1 Cor. 6. 16. Ezek. 37. 26, 37. is made to the Bodies of Saints. So then if we take the State of the Saints under the New Testament, (where every one comparatively, is said more to know the Lord comparatively, unto those of the Old) it is answerably in a way of comparison, more suitable to Reason; that if the Government should be placed upon Bodies formed up, the Institution should fall upon such Bodies, as have both Saints and Elders. And if there were no other reason, yet this might be pleaded for it; that the Officers have, though nor formal, power from the People as Officers, yet a virtual power, concurrence and assistance (through the promise of Christ's presence with them) as such from the presence of the Saints, in respect of the execution of their Office, and the blessing thereof, (which they do not carry about them alone) especially in such Acts, wherein they do things as for the People, and which do concern them, as Acts of Jurisdiction do. Although as Elders Dedicated unto Christ, they might have a Blessing in Preaching unto them, and that as Elders, or in Prayer, or the like; yet in all Ministerial Acts of Jurisdiction, that belong to a Church as a Corporation, they have a virtual assistance from the concurrence of the People with them, doing all this in their presence. Thus the Elders among the Jews, besides the Blessing of their Calling, as being Elders, and united into a Body over that Nation, in a Synedrim or Council, had also a Blessing from the place where they should meet, the place that God should choose, as also their Sacrifices had: And should the same Synedrim have met out of that place, they had not had that Assistance, neither could the Acts have been counted Acts of Jurisdiction. This Principle the Papists themselves seem to acknowledge, who make the Assistance that the Pope hath, when he speaks infallibly as a Pope, to be not alone, but in the Cathedrâ, in the Chair; and so in Council with the Cardinals: And so in a State or Kingdom, though the ultimate concluding and ratifying of Laws, doth lye in the King; yet he doth not do it alone, but having all other Estates of Nobles and Commons present, or else what he doth, is not legal nor binding. Now so under the New Testament, though all Church-power should be supposed to be formally in the Elders; yet not as abstracted from the presence of the Saints, which is in stead of the place that God then chose among the Jews, in which they had an especial Blessing and Assistance. Nay, he hath now chose a better Temple for Elders to exercise their Jurisdiction in, Temples made of living Stones, that is, Churches consisting of Saints, from the concurrence of whose Spirits, Prayers and Applications, the Acts done by the Elders in a Church, do receive their strength. So Jesus Christ is in the midst of the Elders; because his promise is to be in the midst of the Saints, their Spirits joyn and concur in the Act, and so there is an Efficacy runneth along therewith. And this Honour at least, was meet to be given by Christ, to his Saints under the New Testament. For what tho' the Elders be as the Loadstone; yet as the Virtue and Efficacy of the Loadstone, depends upon its being set in Steel, so the virtual Blessing of the Elder's Actions, in matters of Jurisdiction, (which are the highest Acts of Church-Government) depends upon their being in the midst of Saints, that concur with them. And therefore in Matth. 18. 17. it is said, Tell the Church, that is, the Elders joyning with, and in presence of the People. Although the Eye is that Member that doth see for the Body; yet it hath the Virtual Efficacy that inableth it to see, from its being placed in the Body; and as the Eye cannot see out of the Body, nor can one Body, being in another Bodie's Eye to see withal; so cannot this power of the Elders, be carryed out of its Seat, nor a Forraign power be brought in. And therefore when the Apostle says, in 1 Cor. 5. 4. When ye are gathered together with the power of the Lord Jesus, and so in 2 Cor. 6. 16. I will walk among you, and in Mat. 28. 20. when Christ promised I will be with you, to the end of the World, he speaks not only of Ministers, and the Successors of the Apostles; but of those also that believe through their word, for so in John 17. 20. he interprets it; and likewise in John 15. 16. your Fruit shall remain, and so be both with Ministers and Saints, as Successors of the Apostles; this being the Honour of the Apostles, not only to have Ministers to Succeed them, but Churches of Believers also, with whom Christ is. And therefore in the Revelation, where Jesus Christ's presence in the Church of the New Testament, is presented with Allusion to that of the Old, chap. 4. although the vision is of the Church Universal materially considered; yet formally the Representation of it is made, as it is the Seat of publick Worship; and therefore represented under the Idea, of a Congregational Assembly, as appeareth, (as Mr. Brightman and Parker, and others have observed) in that it is set forth in order to Acts of publick Worship, performed therein. Thus there is the Laver to wash in, as in the Temple there was, before they Worshipped; unto which the Apostle makes the Allusion, for meeting in the House of God for Worship, Heb. 10. 21, 22, & 25. verses compared; Let us draw near with a pure Heart, and Bodies washed, which afterward (ver. 25.) he expounds to be Assembling themselves together. And in that, Rev. 4. the four Beasts, who are the Leaders and the Chorus for Worship, when they fa…l down, and cast down their Crowns, the Elders do so too. Now those Assemblies, See his Exposition on the 4th and 5th cha. Revel. in vol. 2. of bis Works.in which Jesus Christ hath thus set his Throne and Temple, they consist of Elders and Beasts, having Eyes, &c. that is, Saints and Officers; for such is the Advancement of the Saints, now in comparison of those under the Old Testament, that they themselves are called the Elders; and the four living wights, are those four sorts of Officers of Congregations. The thing we cite it for, is this; that the Throne and Presence of Christ, is with the Beasts, as joyned with the twenty four Elders, and in Assemblies made up of both. And therefore the Officers are said to be set in the Church, 1 Cor. 12. 28. and so to work still, as set in the Church, but they are no where called the Church it self.
Yea, and though the Apostles were made immediately by Christ, without a relation to any special or particular Church; and in order principally unto gathering and rearing up Churches, yet the choice of one Apostle was made in a Congregational Church, consisting of Angels and People, Acts 1. And Paul and Barnabas, tho' made Apostles immediately by Christ; yet received their Ordination in such a particular Church, whilst the Elders were Ministring unto the Lord, in the Church of Antioch, Acts 13. Yea, and they themselves ordinarily, did not exercise any Acts of Jurisdiction, either of Ordination, or Excommunication, but as still present in a particular Church. They did not set up a Court, unto which Churches were to come; but they rather came themselves, and visited Churches, ordained Elders in every Church with Fasting and Prayer in the Churches; and ordinarily they Excommunicated not, (tho' they might give general Directions) but in a Church. And however, if there might be Cases wherein the Apostles did Excommunicate alone; yet they were very extraordinary, and no way to be imitated, as their Miracles are not. They did not Excommunicate when absent, 2 Cor. 13. 10. Shall I come with a Rod? And when I come, I shall bewail some of you, &c. As therefore the Apostles did not set up a Court out of particular Presbyteries, so Presbyteries are not to set up a Court out of particular Churches. Yea, in that only instance of a Synod, which we have in Acts 15. the Transactions of the Apostles and Elders were in, and with that Church of Hierusalem, where the Brethren also were present. Thus hath God Honoured the Saints of the New Testament, that the promise of the presence of Christ, should be made to them, when gathered together with their Officers; and that he will be with the Officers even as such, for the Peoples sake. You know, (saith the Apostle to the Thessalonians) what manner of Men we were among you, for your sakes, 1 Thess. 1. 5. They have not only a Ministerial power for them as they are in; but they have a Ministerial power through them, as having it for their sakes, and by vertue of their Communion, God's promise being to be in the midst of them, by vertue of their presence. So as although they have not a power derived to them, ab Ecclesiâ, as from the Church; yet they have it derived to them in Ecclesia, in the Church, and also instrumentally, ab Ecclesiâ. And although they Act not the power that is in the Church in their stead, and for their ease, doing such Acts, as otherwise the Church should, (as those of the Separation have held) yet the Assistance of the Exccution of their power, is virtually in the Church, the promise being made to them as a Church. Neither are they the Church Representative, having a power absent, and abstracted from the People, as is the Nature of all Representations, (for nothing is Represented, that is present) but the Church it self is the Sedes, the Virtual Seat, in which this power is exercised, as the Body is of the actions of the principal Members; the Spirit, and Strength, and Vigour of the whole Body, concurring and assisting the Acts of all such Members: And therefore Excommunication, is in the Name of Christ; that is, as some say, in vocato nomine, or of Christ called upon; and so as having the Prayers of the People of God to assist, to put force and efficacy into it. And so Ordination is done with Fasting and Prayer; and the Prayers of the Saints, the least Saints have as much influence unto the virtual assistance of the Officers in their Acts before them, as the Prayers of the Elders themselves; and therefore the Presbyterial acts that are abstracted thus from the People, have not that efficacy in them as when the Body of Saints and Elders are joyn'd together. So as the Institution falleth not only upon Elders, but upon Elders and People as a Body formed up of both, not only because all acts of Worship and Jurisdiction, are for the Edification of the Saints as well as of the Elders: But it is because that Jesus Christ will have the assistance of their Spirits and of their Prayers, &c. which have as much efficacy in them to prevail with him for a Blessing, as those of the Elders had.
And in this respect the keys (as was said before) are given unto Peter both as a Saint and as a Minister, as both respects considered did meet in him, when the keys were given to him, so that the words to their, include both. So that at least the keys are so given to the Ministers, as to be exercised before, and in the presence of the Saints, having an assistance from the concurrence of their Spirits and Desires. The Papists would have the keys given to Peter alone, simply and absolutely, only they say indeed for the Church, but they do not make the Church the subject to which the keys are given. Others do make the Church the first subject to whom the keys are given, and not only for whom, but then they make the Elders the Representative Church, and so that they are given to Elders only to be exercised instead of the Church. But we say they are given so to the Church, as that if they should not be the formal subject of parted power together with the Elders, yet they are the virtual subject in which the Elders should exercise them. And hence it is that the denomination of Church is from the Saints, and not given to the Officers any where in the New Testament. The Officers are said to be set in the Church, but they are not called the Church. For a Church of Christ must needs be a Body to Christ, that still is the periphrasis of a Church. Now as in 1 Cor. 12. 12. A Body is not one Member, but many, (and from thence it is rightly argued, that a Bishop is not the Church for he is but one) so nor is a Presbytery of Elders although many the Body for they bear not the immediate relation of a Body to Christ himself, but are only the representation of his Body. And as Members of all sorts do make a natural body, not only Members that are the Principal and Rule the Body, but also those that are ruled and ordered. So is it here.
And when Christ in Mat. 18. saith, Tell the Church, having first told the party alone himself, then brought a Brother or two; as the sin of the offending party doth by this increase, and grow more hainous, so the number of those by whom he is now to be rebuked that are called the Church, must be supposed to increase also, and therefore not two or three Elders of a Congregation alone. This last is the last and the highest remedy, and therefore the publickness must not lye only in respect that they are publick Persons, Officers, for if it be told privately only in a Consistory, it is as private as if it were told to two or three of the Brethren before, or it may so be, that the same Elders had been taken to be the Brethren that should admonish him. By the word Church therefore, is meant a greater company, and therefore not the Elders alone, but the Elders before the Church, or rather the Elders in the Church, with whom the Church is to joyn in the Admonitions and Rebukes of him.
If it be said that by making the People thus the Church rather than the Elders, it argues that more Authority is given to the People than the Elders in the Church. The answer is, That that follows not; it only follows that there is more efficacy and vertue by reason of the Church, and the presence of the Elders in the Church, although the Authority should lye in the Elders themselves, as the vertue by which the Eye seeth, lyeth in the Body subjectively and virtually more, though the Eye alone is the Instrument of seeing.
We argue also for this Congregational Institution to have been rather appointed than the other, because that the bounds of this are certain, and are natural. God (as Baines saith) did never set a Church but he did set certain bounds of it; As when he made the Jewish Church a Nation, he set the bounds of it to be that of the Nation. Bellarmine argueth that therefore Bishops are not Divino Jure of Divine Right, because God did not make Dioceses, and did not set them out by Lot as he did that of the Tribes. And it was therefore a great contention among Bishops of old in those times of the fourth and fifth Century, to whose jurisdiction such and such Villages or Towns should belong. In a word, the Church is God's House, and God hath not left it unto man to frame his building to what proportion he pleaseth. Christ's Body instituted (which is resembled unto the natural body throughout the Epistles) is to have set limits of it, a maximum quod sic. and if it have all the parts, that can have communion natural in the same common acts of Nature together, though it be never so small, it is a perfect body; so as it hath a prescription, and bounds are set it both for parts, and a Maximum quod sic for degrees of Stature. Now we have natural and set bounds for all instituted Churches. in this way of Congregational Churches.
1. The same Assembly that doth meet for Worship, is to meet for Discipline, so that Discipline and Worship is of equal extent, as touching the Seat of it. Now the publick Worship is upheld by no other Society, in a constant way, nor can be, but by Congregations, as many as can meet to edifie in one place. And therefore by preserving of fixed Congregations God hath always preserved the Essentials of a Ministerial Church, that although it suffered additionals of corruption in Power, and of Tyranny in Popish Bishops and Popes and the like over them, yet still because the Institution of a Church fell upon Congregations, there were true Ministerial Churches, and a true Baptism and the like in all Ages.
2. The Congregational Government, hath its bounds natural from a sufficiency of Elders, for the sorts and kinds of them; There is no sort appointed on purpose or alone for Presbytrial Government, as for Episcopal it was pretended there was, but even all the sorts that are, the seats of them are Congregational, and where all are, there is a sufficiency of Eldership, as we shall after shew. A Congregational Church had Elders of all sorts appointed to it, as for what belongeth to Worship, Pastors and Teachers, and as for what belongeth to Mens Lives; ruling Elders, and there is no more Elders but of these sorts in the greatest Presbyteries over many Congregations. Yea the Presbyteries themselves of many Congregations, must come furnished of all these sorts out, of their having all these sorts in their particular Congregations: And our Presbyteries cannot say, this Church shall have a Pastor, and this Church shall have a Teacher, and this Church shall have a ruling Elder, and so we will make up a Presbytery out of all these; but every Church is the seat de jure, by Divine Right, of all these, and every Church hath need of all these, and Christ hath appointed these to Congregations first.
3. We can derive the Limits of Congregational Churches from the time that is Instituted for Worship, which is the Lord's Day, which God hath fixed, and on which Day no other Churches meet, and so there is no set time for the exercise of a Presbyterial Church. It is Baines his argument against the Bishops that God did appoint for all Church-Meetings under the Law a time. And in Tertullian's time we read that the Censures of Excommunication were executed upon the Lord's Day, and Admonition and the like, though things might be prepared upon the Week Days. And the Apostle's words in 1 Cor. 5. That they shall cast him out when they are met together, (he doth not bid them meet together on purpose) seems to incline to it. We know of no time that God hath appointed for all Ordinances (whereof this is one) in a set way as the fixed season of them, but only this Lord's Day, and upon this Day Presbyterial Churches cannot meet for Government.
4. That the duties which lie upon the relation of Elders to Preach and to Rule, should all be of the same extent (for the subject of them over which they are exercised) all this falleth in naturally with the Institution of Congregations, and Elders over them, and the relation of Elders to them. Men should not govern ordinarily beyond their Preaching. This is evident from what the New Testament holds forth concerning Elders in their relations to their Flocks committed to them, the Exhortations and Charges to them of duties towards those Flocks founded upon that relation: As also the Duties of their Flocks to them: Which is like to be the truest measure, to find out the extent of their power, and bounds of their Flocks; whether for the ordinary way it be limited to one Congregation, or many. For those Exhortations must needs be supposed suited to the boundaries of Churches, and to that Constitution and Extent of Relation, wherein the Elders of these Primitive Times, were placed over them. And like as in the question about Polygamy, what the Scripture hath said, of the Duties of Man and Wife; which were given and suited to the Extent of that Relation, as God from the beginning bounded it, manifestly evinceth, that one Man cannot have many Wives, but one; so it may be argued as to the point in hand.
We have hitherto taken this for an undoubted Maxim, that as a Mutual Relation, is the Fountain of all power, whether Oeconomical, Civil, or Ecclesiastical; so the extent of all power is commensurable, with the extent of that Relation. A Master, as a Master, hath power but over such Servants, of whom he may say, I am your Master; and they of him, we are your Servants; for what hath any Man to do to judge another Man's Servant? As the Apostle speaks, Rom. 14. 4. And so correspondently here, those Elders that assume to be over either one, or many Congregations, must have as the Office of Elders, so the Relation of Elders unto that one, or those many Congregations, that they may be able to say, we are your Elders, and you all our Church; which two are in Scripture expression, the Relate and Correlate, as King and Kingdom, Magistrates and Common-wealth. All which falls in naturally, for the set bounds of a Church, to be those of Congregations. Whereas the bounds, that the Presbyterial way goeth by, in all their Subordinations, are uncertain. You have not a certainty of number of Officers, some particular Congregations, have as many Officers, as some Classes have had. Neither is it essential to that Government, that there should be many Congregations; for they acknowledge that it may so fall out, that there may be but one Congregation, that may have all the Government in it, in cases of necessity. But it is essential to upholding Worship in all the parts of it, that there be a fixed Congregational Church:
And to make the Jurisdiction of Cities, to be the pattern of Ecclesiastical Government, cannot be a certain Rule. For London, or Greater Cities, (as suppose Grand Cairo was converted) would vastly exceed the lesser; and so the Rule would fall in Disproportion, if you come in the Country Towns and Villages. And indeed what Reason can be given, that God should proportion an Ecclesiastical Government to the boundaries of the Civil? What! Because the Cities under the Roman Empire, had a Jurisdiction in them, and they over their Suburbs, must their Churches have so too? Hath God thus conformed his Church, unto the Government of this World? And besides all States, have not the like Government, neither was the Government of all Countries, a City-Government; and so there could be no certain Rule for Church-Government, if it were to be chalked out by these measures.
Neither is the Government of Nations, a certain Rule for that of the Church, for the Jews after that rate, when they were two Nations, should have been but one Church. And indeed, to Form the Institution of a Church, to that boundary, had been to do it from what is accidental; for that they should grow up to a Nation, is accidental. God did find the Jews a Nation entire, entred into a Covenant with them, and so made them a National Church. And if God had designed a National Church under the New Testament, he would have given Laws aforehand, as he did for the Jews, when they should come into Cities; so that although they were now in the Wilderness, and they were not to come into Cities, till they came into Canaan many years after; yet he giveth a Law, for that condition of their being a Nation, and living in Cities.