The Government of the Churches of Christ, Book 2 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
The Instances of the Churches setled by the Apostles in the Lesser Cities, and Villages, prove a Congregational Church to be according to the Apostolical and Primitive Form.
LET us now go over all the Examples of the Churches in the New Testament (which must Interpret Christ's Speech in Mat. 18.) and let us see whether they were Classical or Congregational. For the instance of the Church of Hierusalem and the like, we will speak to them under the consideration of the Churches in greater Cities: But let us now go over all the other.
The first Churches we read of in the beginning of the Gospel, are in Acts 9. 31. Then had the Churches rest thoroughout all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria, and were edified, &c. These are called Churches in that common notion, whereby Churches constituted by the Apostles were distinguished one from the other. And is this their diversification and title of Churches. like to have been in a Classical respect or Congregational, as here he speaks of them generally? Let the words and circumstances of the story be considered.
1. It was in the beginning of the Gospel, that these Churches had been raised, and the special means we read of whereby they were erected, was Peter and John's Ministry, of whom we read, chap 8. 25. that returning to Hierusalem, they preached the Gospel in many Villages of the Samaritans, as also some of the dispersed from Hierusalem had done, ver. 4. They went every where foreign, they went thorough or all about, namely Judea and Samaria, as Philip in Samaria, ver. 5. And as their Preaching had been every where, and in Villages, which is chiefly noted, ver. 25. so accordingly the Churches that were constituted out of those converted, are said to have been in all Judea and Samaria, &c. and therefore in Villages. For that the Holy Ghost should aforehand in the Acts, so remarkably relate their Preaching in many Villages of Samaria, and then make mention of Churches throughout Samaria, argues his intent to have been to shew that these Churches were those in these Villages: And these not as gathered into Cities, but remaining thoroughout Samaria, as the Gospel had been Preached in the Villages. Nor needed they now (for they had rest) for bear to hold up their Church-fellowship in the several places of their abode. And therefore when upon this rest, Peter took the opportunity to visit them (as in the next verse of that 9th chapter, it is said Peter passed thorough all, namely as 'tis translated, all quarters where these Churches were scattered, some here, some there, up and down) all of them whether in Cities or in Villages, are in one uniform respect called Churches, for his Speech wherein he involves them all promiscuously is simular, and so meant of the same kind of Churches. Now is it imaginable that throughout these Regions or Countreys, the Churches whereof he speaks should all be such Classical Churches as are now amongst us, when at the beginning of the Gospel, but a few Saints and Professours of Christianity can be supposed to be scattered every where up and down. It was well if by reason of their being so thin sown up and down in those Regions they could make up Congregational Churches with Elders to them.
2. When it is said that these Churches had rest and were edified, is it likely he should speak this of these Churches as Classical, as such which meet but in their Elders for exercise of Discipline; Or rather of these Churches as enjoying rest in the Ordinances of Worship on the Lord's Day, publick Prayers, the Word, Sacraments, and all other means of edification and comfort? For the preservation of the purity of which, Discipline doth but subserve. They are the Congregational Churches, and the Communion the Saints have therein, that are the great means of Comfort, Edification, and Multiplication of Churches; and the enjoyment of these, in rest, is that which is the greatest outward Mercy and Priviledge. And therefore when he sets out the condition of those times; Then had the Churches Rest, and were Edified, he means, Congregational Churches. And when he says the Churches were multiplied, which if understood, of more and New Churches Erected: Doth he reckon their Multiplication by Presbyterian Churches, that do consist of many Congregations each of them? It is likely a Multitude of many more such Churches were erected? No, rather they were so many fixed Congregations of Believers.
2. Let us come to the next mention of Churches in that Story, Acts 14. 23. (slipping over that Church of Antioch, chap. 13. The Demonstration of which, to have been a Congregational Church, we refer to another place, when we examine the State of Churches in Cities.) And when they had Ordained them Elders in every Church; and had Prayed with Fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. That these were Congregational Churches, will appear in like manner by the like circumstances of the Story. In Acts 13. 14. We Read that Paul and his Company came to Antioch in Pisidia, where the Jews refusing the Gospel, Lo we turn to the Gentiles, said Paul and Barnabas, ver. 46. For so the Lord hath commanded us, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for Salvation, to the ends of the Earth, and many believed; and accordingly, ver. 48. and ver. 49. The word of the Lord was published throughout the Regions. Then chap. 14. Paul and Barnabas fled to Derbe and Lystra, Cities of Lycaonia; and unto the Region that lieth round about, and there they Preached the Gospel. Here again as afore in Pisidia, so now in Lycaonia, not in Cities only, but in the Regions they Preached. And this is noted, to shew the spreading of the Gospel, (for to what end else, should the Preaching of it be Recorded?) And ver. 21. 'tis said, that when at Derbe they had Taught foreign a sufficient competent number in that City; they went again to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, the chief Cities of those Countries, Lycaonia and Pisidia, in the Regions of which they had preached the Gospel, as well as in those Cities. And the Story Relates, that the end and purpose of this second visit of these places, was to confirm the Disciples, ver. 22. and to gather them into Churches, and ordain Elders over them, ver. 23. whom they had afore Preached unto, and made Disciples. Thus they made fit matter for Churches, by making Disciples, ver. 24. and then moulded and formed them up, into a way of order for Worship and Government, by Elders Established, in the several Congregations. For these Churches, they thus Formed and Ordained Elders unto, were surely Congregational. For,
1. If we suppose them to have been only the Disciples in these Cities of Lystra and Derbe, Iconium, and Antioch; yet it is not supposable, that in each the number of Disciples should arise to more than one Congregation in a City; now in this beginning of the Gospel, and in so short a time; and yet they were formed up into Churches, and had Elders in every Church. Or
2. Can we suppose, that the Apostles staid gathering them into those Churches with Elders, till their number would arise to many Congregations in each City, sufficient to make Classical Churches; and that they did not till then, constitute them Churches, nor placed Elders over them? Can it be imagined, they would keep Men out of Ordinances so long? Or that themselves, being Apostles, and to sow the Gospel in the World, would still stay so long, till every where such Members did arise? Yea,
3. The 21. verse intimates, (in the instance of Derbe) their manner to have been, (and as there, so in other places) that when they had Preached the Gospel to that City, and had Taught many, (or as the word is foreign, made a sufficient and competent number of Disciples, and sufficient for what? ver. 23. to make up a Church, and whereof some might be fit Persons for Elders therein;) then they used to leave that City, and went to other places, as there 'tis said they did; and so long to stay there, till there were a sufficiency for a Church and Elders, or if before they could accomplish this, they were driven out, then they either returned to Form them into Churches with Elders, (which was their end of coming this second time to Lystra, and those Cities, to confirm the Disciples, and ordain them Elders, as now to become a Church) or else afterwards sent Evangelists to them.
And 4. As those Disciples were in the Regions about, as well as in the Cities; for (afore it was noted in the Story, that in the Regions about both of Pisidia and Lycaonia, the Gospel was Preached) so it must be supposed, that these Churches were set up in the Countries about, as well as in the Cities. And 'tis hard to think, that all the Christians should leave their Callings and Dwellings they were bred and born in, to come up to the Cities to make Classical Churches, or that they were so many converted in the Villages, as to make Classical Churches there. Paul saith, 1 Cor. 7. 10. that he ordained in all Churches, that Men should abide in the callings wherein God called or converted them in; and to suppose that Husbandmen in the Countries, should leave their callings of Husbandry, &c. and come up to the Cities, where they could not exercise that calling, to leave their Livelihood; and Wives converted to leave their Husbands, Children their Parents, Servants their Masters; and come to dwell in the Cities only, and not rather have Churches made up in the Countries also, is hard to think. But,
5. And Lastly. These could not be Classical Churches here; but Congregational, for it is the first Ordaining of these Elders, to these Churches that is here mentioned, and not an Associating of many Congregations into one Eldership; and therefore here is a gathering Congregational Churches, and ordaining Elders thereunto apart, foreign And as there must be a sufficient company of Christians, ere a Congregational Church is made up, as a number of Congregations with Elders must be supposed, ere a Classical Church can be framed. This being therefore the first framing them into Churches, and ordaining them Elders, (or else you must suppose Churches, long afore they had Elders) it must be in a Congregational way. And further also, there is this Reason; That these Congregations being then fixt for Officers and Elders, if these Elders were ordained to these Churches, their ordination, as Elders, must be to their several Churches Respectively; and not as the common Eldership made up of them. And such were called Churches, endowed with Elders proper unto them; and so much the word (that is added in that, Acts 14. 13.) doth import, they ordained or chose foreign to them Elders in every Church, that is, to every Church they chose their own proper and peculiar Elders, fixed and appointed unto them.
That this was the primitive way of planting the Gospel, may further be confirmed by that Parallel place to this, Tit. 1. 5. where there being many Believers already converted, (as many passages in that Epistle do argue) and yet not in most places, formed up into Churches with Elders; the Apostle left Titus an Evangelist, (whose proper Office it was, as appears by the Epistle; and that to Timothy to settle Believers and Churches in their right frame and order, according to the Apostle's directions given) to ordain Elders in every City or Town, (as shall be shewn by and by) where any number of Believers were to make a Church; and where fit and meet Men for Elders might be found, to set over those Churches. And that which Luke, in the forecited, Acts 14. 23. calleth Ordaining Elders in every Church, Paul here calleth, Ordaining Elders in every City; and the one interprets the other: And the Apostle's, practice there, is here turned into a command or direction, as given to Titus, which therefore as it bound him, binds us to the end of the World; And he adds, as I appointed thee. Now his meaning is, not that Elders should be ordained in every City simply, as it was a City or Body of Men; for Elders and Church, were Relatives, as Shepherd and Flock, and therefore Elders were not ordained, but to a Church; and therefore to say, he ordained Elders in the City, necessarily supposeth, a Church extant in that City, unto which these Elders were ordained; and therefore the ordination was only in such Cities or Towns, where a Church was, and a competent sufficient number of Believers to make a Church. For that must needs be the reason, why Paul himself did not cast and mould these People in Crete, converted by him presently into Churches with Elders, as fast as they were converted; because a Church should have a convenient competent number, and fit Men to be Elders unto them, before they be form'd into such a Body. And therefore, he being called away too soon, he left Titus behind him, to finish that Work.
The Writers for Episcopacy, have made use of this place, to shew, that in the Apostle's times, they planted Churches only in Cities; (and 'tis certain, that they bestowed their pains chiefly therein) So that they make the Apostolical Institution to be, that look how many Believers soever were in a City, and the Villages about it, so many were to make one Church-Diocesan for Government; and therefore to ordain Elders, foreign in every Church, Acts 14. 23. is all one, and to ordain Elders foreign in every City as here, Tit. 1. 5. and this by the Apostle's own Ordination, as I appointed thee. i. e. over these Cities, and so the Churches therein, and the vicinity thereof, he as one Man, was as a Bishop set. And some of those for the Classical Government, do make use of of the same Notion, that all Churches in a City, when multiplied, were by Apostolical Institution, to be but one Church for Government, as well as at first, when they were but one Congregation; and the Elders, at first planted in that first Church, were still to continue, together with all the Elders, that should anew be set over those Churches) as one Eldership, a Presbytery, unto them in that City as one Church. The appearances for this opinion we shall speak to, when Arguments for the Presbyterial Government, come to be discussed. In the mean time as to this place, if we Interpret it by that former, and consider all circumstances, it makes for Congregational Churches and Elderships over them. For,
1. This Direction was given to Titus, now in the first beginning of the Gospel in Crete; For Paul having newly been there with him, and having converted many up and down in the Island, he left Titus behind, to ordain them Elders: So as here was the first Erection of Churches and Elders; and therefore 'twas in the beginning of the Gospel, at which time all the Saints, in each great City converted, were but as many as might make but one Church. And it was the Duty of Saints, that all the Saints, in a place cohabiting, should joyn in one, rather than in divers companies for Worship, and all Ordinances; and not divide, both because of Unity, and more presence of the Spirit, and the Solemnity of the Worship; and for all these ever to continue one Church, till absolute necessity, would cause a division into many: Hence in this beginning of the Gospel, he writes to him to ordain Elders in every City, because his ordination was, that Saints cohabiting, should make one Church, and not divide for all ordinances; and that they should have Elders, more than one, set over them, both for Worship and Government; because de facto, there were but so many in the greatest Cities, as would make but one Church. And,
2. This being Interpreted by the form, foreign by foreign City, here therefore is not meant literally, the extent of a City; but Metonimically it is put for the Church, then extant in any City; and so doth not necessarily import, that the extent of the Church-Government, should be by God's Ordidination, equal to the extent of the City; as if because there were in a City, so many as would make more Churches, he was to ordain them Elders, foreign in every Church in those Cities, as the Apostle had done; for they were not to be Elders to that City, as a City, but to the Churches in that City; and as Congregational Churches are meant, in Acts 14. so also they here intended. But,
III. And chiefly, as Church by Church, in Acts 14. was not in Cities only, but in Villages, or Market Country Towns, so here also, foreign is to be understood: For the word foreign when indefinitely used, (as here) is taken not for great Cities only, but Country Towns. And accordingly in the New Testament, when the Planting and Propagating the Gospel is mentioned, the business here spoken of, and concerned) we find that when the Commission to Preach the Gospel, is given to the Apostles and Disciples, that the word foreign is taken for Villages, as well as great Cities, as being those they were sent to preach unto, as indifferently and promiscuously, as to Cities; and therefore when like directions are given to frame Churches, and set up Elderships over them, (as here) it is answerably to be taken. Thus in the Commission given, Mat. 10. 11. whereas Christ says, Into what City or Town ye enter; the Evangelist Luke says, chap. 10. ver. 8. (uttering the same Commission) Into what City ye enter; that word therefore is put for all and both; and therefore he useth a general indefinite word, foreign Into what ever City ye enter; that is, City of any sort or kind, small or great, as intending Towns, as well as Cities strictly so called. And further, he, in his Speech, useth it as the Contra-distinct Term to House or Family, of which he had said before, into what House ye enter; so now into what City, and therefore intended to take in all sorts of Towns, consisting of more Families than one. And the practice of the Twelve Apostles, who had received Commission, in Matth. 9. interprets it, ver. 6. 'tis said, they went through Towns, Preaching the Gospel, where the word Towns is only used, as including Cities, as in Luke the word Cities only is used, as including Towns; and so the one promiscuously is put for the other: For in the preceding verse, ver. 5. Christ in his Commission given, calls them Cities, when ye go out of a City (says he) where you have Preached, shake off the dust; and then in the execution of this Commission, they are called Towns, they went through the Towns Preaching, ver. 6. And further in Mat. 10. 23. when Christ teaching them if, they were persecuted where they Preached, to fly; if they persecute you in one City, fly into another; that is, if persecuted in one Town, fly into another: What, were they persecuted only in great Cities? Yes in Towns, for they were whipt in Synagogues, and Synagogues were in Villages, Mat. 10. 33. And is the direction given to them, to fly into smaller Towns, if they might be safe there as well as into Cities, or there only were they to have the promise of protection? so Acts 14. 6. Paul and Barnabas, fled to Derbe and Lystra, and the Regions about, as well as to the Cities; and there had safety, and Preached the Gospel. And Christ further adds in that place, you shall not have gone over all the Cities of Israel, &c, that is, the Towns, for in Towns they Preached. And so Christ himself Preached in all Cities and Towns, and so did the Apostles, and it was their Commission so to do.
And it seems there was something special in the state and condition of Crete, why the word foreign should be there used, Crete is but a small Island, and there are at this day, but three Cities in it. In the Apostle's times, there were four Hundred Cities, for so Pliny, (who lived not long after them relates) said to have been in it, which were but small Towns. And therefore Beza hath Translated it, Oppidatim, Town by Town, as also so understanding it.
Now therefore if the word foreign, be indefinitely taken for Country Towns, as well as great Cities, when Commission was given to Preach the Gospel; why should it not be taken also in that Sense, when Direction is given to make up Churches, and Ordain Elders to them, in the same place where it hath been Preached? And therefore to ordain Elders, foreign is not to be confined to Cities only, (where many Congregations, as is supposed, have been) but in Country Towns, or very small Cities, (when in Crete there were so many) where Churches may be supposed to have been; and those to be sure but Congregational, and in both such Cities and Towns only, where Churches and Saints foreign sufficient to make Churches were found. So there foreign and Church, City by City, Tit. 1. 5. and foreign Church by Church, Acts 14. 23. are all one. And if in greater Churches, there were more than one Elder, then their Elders were ordained foreign, Church by Church.
And surely it is a hard Supposition, to suppose that in Crete the Apostle Paul and Titus the Evangelist, had Preacht only in the Cities, when the Commission was to Teach all Nations; and therein Towns as well as Cities, as they had occasion. Was God's Elect in Cities only? And were not Country Souls as pretious? And if they be converted unto God, were not they to be Taught to do what Christ commanded, as well as those in Cities? And to become Churches, and to have the priviledge of all Ordinances? Or were they to come up to the Cities for them, and to the Elders there, as the Tribes did for Judgment to Jerusalem? These are harder Suppositions, than what the Presbyterians put upon us, as an Absurdity, that the fruit of the Apostle's Preaching, should in great Cities arise to the conversion but of so many, as to make but one Congregation.
And besides, if City should here Tit. 1. 5. be taken strictly for greater Cities, then here is no Commission to Titus to ordain Elders to Churches elsewhere. And so then the Institution of the bounds of a Church, and the extent of the Jurisdiction of Elders, should be cast rather to the mould and extent of great Cities; that if one City, then one Church, one Eldership, though there were never so many Congregations in it; and thus Elders in every City, is to be understood of greater Cities, then not of the Churches in Towns and Villages, where there could rationally be but one Church in a Town. But why the pattern of Church Government should fall upon, and be framed rather to the example of a City, and so conformed to the mould of the Civil Government in Cities especially, and not as well upon the way of Country Towns, when foreign will import the one, as well as the other; (and the pattern surely was uniform in both) we see no ground of Reason for difference. Why should we imagine that the Apostle should still so have in his Eye in these Directions to Titus, Classical Presbyteries, (which are but the external Government of the Church) as to take care of the ordaining Elders, as in Relation hereunto, and not much rather for the ordaining Elders in order to the Worship of God in Churches, and for the Establishment of their Relation of Elders to Congregations or Churches.
Let us go on from these forementioned, to all other that are either called Churches, or where the Saints, written to by the Apostles, may by circumstances be supposed to have been gathered into Churches, under Elders and Officers.
In the Epistles of James and Peter, written to the scattered Jews, we find mention of Elders; and therefore there must be supposed Churches, whereof they were Elders and we find indeed mention of Elders of the Church; and let the circumstances be considered, whether those may be more rationally supposed Congregational or Classical. Let us consider their condition.
1. They were Jews scattered, and as some probably conceive, were many of them of those scattered, Acts 8. And as such, both of these Apostles did write to them; and as scattered up and down throughout vast Regions, whole Countries, Asia, Bythinia, Cappadocia, and therefore not thick sown, (being Strangers) nor in Multitudes, living so near, that they can be supposed to have made Associated Churches.
2. Those scattered Persons, therefore must rationally be supposed to have made up Churches of themselves, as those of the Dutch Strangers do in London, and the English in Holland; and not to have promiscuously mingled themselves with those Natives of the Countries, they were scattered into; for they had a differing Language from the Gentiles, though turned Christians. And this we find in Aquila & Priscilla, who being Jews, and having had a Church in their House, (namely of Jews) in Rome, as chap. 16. of that Epistle. And afterward the Jews being Banished from Rome Acts 18. 2. Aquila and Priscilla removed, but kept their Church together still distinct, from the Native Asiatique Christians; therefore in 1 Cor. 16. we read of the Church at their House in Asia, and …s some think at Ephesus, and there joyned or mentioned with the rest of the Churches of Asia, in Paul's Salute unto the Corinthians, and is mentioned apart from them; because it was a Church of Jews, Strangers scattered among them, and kept distinct from them. And yet it was such a kind of Church (though less) that all those Churches in Asia, made mention of together with it, were of (both that particular Church, and all the rest, being alike spoken of promiscuously under the name of Church and Churches, as being all like Churches) and it will easily be granted, that that Church in Aquila and priscilla's House was Congregational, for it is an instance alledged by the Assembly at Westminster of many Congregational Churches in Ephesus, whereof that was one particular. Now look as Aquila and Priscilla, and their fellow Strangers, kept a distinct Church of their Countrymen, (which is the reason that Church is in two Epistles so apart singly mentioned) so in like manner, did these scattered Strangers cast themselves into Churches of themselves, and their own Nation, distinct from the other Gentile Believers in the places where they came. And it was usual then for the Jews to have Synagogues for them of their Nation, in several Cities. And therefore both James and Peter writeth unto them apart as Strangers; and they involve not the mention of any Gentile Christians with them, because they themselves were apart from them. And yet they writ to these thus scattered and kept distinct, as to Churches that had Elders, The Elders that are among you, (says Peter) 1 Pet. 5. ver. 1, 2. foreign. The phrase is of distinction, that as they writ to these Jews apart from the Christian Gentiles, so the Elders that are foreign, Elders of you Jews, peculiar to you, that is, that belong to any of you. And therefore James, James 5. 14. also exhorts them that were sick among them, or of them to send for the Elders of the Church, not as if these had but one Church, for that was impossible, being scattered over so many Countries; therefore he speaks indefinitely, as giving a direction that they should send for the Elders of those Churches where they were; so as they had Churches and Elders. And these Elders must be considered (in that Speech) as Elders of Congregational Churches (as was afore observed) for how can it be imagined, that Men scattered so far off from one another, should be commanded to send (when sick) for the Elders of a Church Classical, and such a Church and Elders, is common to such Churches to be intended? The sick Persons could not send, but for Elders that were ready at hand; and therefore a Congregational Church is meant and intended, and the Elders of it. And therefore farther in the second Chapter, the same Apostle James speaking in the like indefinite manner, if a Man come into your Synagogue, foreign (says he, ver. 2.) that is, into any of your Synagogues where you Worship; a Phrase proper to express their Church meetings by unto Jews, (seeing as was said, they had Synagogues in several places.) And what, in the 5th chapter, he calls the Elders of the Church, here in the second he calls a Synagogue, calling their Assembly, (as 'tis well Translated) such. And these Elders of the Church, (which was a Phrase suited to the Greek Idiom) is in Analogical Phrase of Speech, or by way of Similitude, all one as to say, Rulers of the Synagogues among the Jews, their Churches being Congregational, of as many as could meet to Worship, like as the Jews Synagogues were; and their Elders as their Rulers, and the Government of these Christian Synagogues of Christian Jews, like to the Government of those Jewish Synagogues, that were scattered up and down out of Judea in Gentile Cities (whereof we so often read) which was an entire Government within themselves, for they were therefore called Rulers of their proper Synagogues. And according unto the Analogy of these Assemblies of Churches of theirs, with their Elders over them Synagogue-wise, is that in Peter, (who Writes to the same Persons) to be understood, 1 Pet. 5. 1, 2. Let the Elders among you feed, (by Preaching and Ruling) the Flock, (indefinitely taken as Synagogue in James, and for the several Flocks Respectively) And in that he Writes to them to feed by Preaching as by Ruling; and the same to do the one, that did the other, it falls in with the former Notion, that he means Congregational Elders, who as they are fixed for feeding by Preaching to one Flock, so they must be for Ruling also, or else these are divided in their extent, when yet the Precept both is alike given, and made of like extent. But of this hereafter.