The Government of the Churches of Christ, Book 3 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
The eighth, ninth and tenth Argument, to prove a Congregational Church, to be the due subject of Ecclesiastical Power; because Admonitions are to be given, and Excommunication to be Administred in the presence of such a Church.
Argu. 8. IF further, the presence of the people in the Church, is to be the Seat of all Authoritative Admonitions, that go before the sentence of excommunication made by the Elders, to them that are accused of publick sin and scandal, for their edification, and if the act of excommunication is to be (as was granted) afore them; then the Seat of the power of excommunication is not in classical Elders, by Christ's Ordination, but in Elders that are Elders of a particular Congregation. The Reason of the consequence is clear, because the party is to be sentenced to be excommunicated, upon his being judged obstinate; and he is to be judged obstinate after Admonitions: That therefore, which is the Seat or Place in which these Admonitions are to be given, is also to be the Seat of the Judgment of his obstinacy, and of the sentence thereupon. It were strange, that the Admonitions and other proceedings, that make way, should be publick, and the Judgment and Sentence should be private. It is so in no publick Courts. And if the particular Congregation be the Seat of the Antecedent Acts, the Admonitions, and of the consequent Act, the Act of excommunication it self; it were as strange, that only that immediate Act of the sentence, should be privately done by the classical Elders, and not afore the people. Besides, that the classical Elders are not to sentence, is evident by this; because those that have the power to Admonish, surely they must have the power to Sentence: And therefore if the classical Elders cannot, nor do not come to perform the acts of Admonition before the people; then they cannot be those that, according to the Scriptures, have interest in the sentence as Elders. Neither can they be that Church which our Saviour Christ speaks of Mat. 18. because that the Admonitions of that Church, are expressed, as liable to be neglected, and therefore they must be supposed present at the Admonitions. And as the Apostle too commends it as an ordinance, that the Admonition should be before the people, 1 Tim. 5. 20. So classical Elders cannot be present.
Now to prove, that particular Congregations, are the Seat of publick Admonitions, there is that place in, 1 Tim. 5. 20. which gives evidence, Them that sin (saith he) Rebuke before all, that others also may fear. It is evident here, that he doth give a direction to Timothy, concerning Church proceedings, and keeping of a Spiritual Court; and therefore in the verse before, gives directions about receiving an Accusation, and how that Accusation must be proved, by two or three Witnesses; and he speaks of all such publick Admonitions or Rebukes, as are to follow upon the receit of the Accusation, when it is made evident by Witnesses; and of such admonitions likewise, as are in order to excommunication, and for such sins as will deserve excommunication, if Men be obstinate (for if for any other sins, then certainly for those) and it is of sins, in case of publick scandal, which are the subject of excommunication; therefore he saith, Them that sin, Rebuke afore all, then when a Man's sin is publick, and comes to be taken notice of afore all. Now he speaks to Timothy, that was an Evangelist, and under him to all Church-Officers, to the end of the World, when Evangelists (who were extraordinary Ministers) should be removed: And as other directions, that are given to him, do concern the Eldership of Congregations in after Ages, so also this, to teach them how to behave themselves in the House of God. Now with the same breath that he doth give them power and warrant to Rebuke, when accusations are brought orderly to them, he withal directs (and his directions fall chiefly thereon) where these Rebukes should be, not privately, but afore all, and what all? Not afore all that are their Elders only, for they are to rebuke them afore all, that all may fear, surely therefore it is intended for the benefit, not only of the Elders, but of all the people.
If it be said, that this place is to be understood, but as that of the Old Law, when a Malefactor was to be put to Death, it was, that all might hear and fear; and so these admonitions may be given privately in the Consistory, and yet all may hear of it, and fear: The answer is, that there is this difference between executing of corporal punishment, and giving of spiritual admonitions; that the Terror of spiritual admonition, doth not lie in the hearsay, but it works by the people's personal hearing of it; and it is ordained so to do. The power of that ordinance (as of Preaching) lies in personal hearing, and as Faith cometh by hearing, so this fear must come by hearing also; otherwise it were all one, as to say, such a Man Preached a comfortable Sermon, that all might be comforted; or he Preached the Law, that all might be Terrified; and yet should mean, that all those, that were at the Sermon, should have comfort in it, or be Terrified by it. Therefore as those, that are wrought upon to fear, must be wrought upon by the admonitions, so it must be by being personally present, and hearing of them.
If it be said, that it is, in a classical Assembly, done in a place so publick, and in a Court so open, where all may come if they please: We reply, that the Apostle doth not only say, that it should be done in a place where all do come; but he lays it as a Duty upon Timothy, to do it in a place where all may come; for otherwise, one of the great ends of admonition is lost, he bids him Rebuke them, that fin, afore all. That all may fear. If therefore our Presbyterian Brethren will attain the end of their admonitions (that all may fear) it; must be done where all do use to meet; and if so, then either their classical Elders must come and meet in the particular Congregations, or the particular Congregations must come to them, and so all the company of people of the classical Church must meet, Women, as well as Men; for they are capable of that particular part of edification, of fearing, and why should they be excluded the benefit of it? And whether the proceedings to excommunication according to our way, which is for the party to have his own Elders, before his own people, judicially to examine the fact, and to give publick Admonitions, edged with all sorts of Scripture, to bring him to Repentance; and if he remain obstinate in the view of all, then for him to be excommunicated; or if he Repents, to have that Repentance appear upon the place afore all (which all suit best, and fall in with the Congregational way) whether that this doth not agree more with right Reason, and all the ends than can be supposed of Examination, Admonitions, and Excommunication, either to work upon the party, or to work upon others, or for the fairness and equity of the proceedings, rather than the way of the Classical Presbytery, let any Rational Man Judge.
For what hath been said of examination and admonition, and the ends of them, or any other end that the Scripture holds forth therein (that go before, or accompany excommunication) they are better attained in this Congregational Government, than in the other.
As 1. For the examination of the person, that the evidence of the fact, in a judiciary way, should be before his own People, and by his own Elders, is every way most equal; because that they are to joyn in the casting of him out, and in the execution of the sentence afterwards, and are therefore to be satisfied of the justness of his being cast out: And there is that proper Communion, they have held with him, viz. a fixed Communion, which no Church else on Earth can pretent to. And if the Pcople must be satisfied at any time, if after the Sentence by hearsay, and by relation (as the Presbyterians themselves acknowledge) it will much more satisfie them before, when they hear the Person himself examined, and all that he can say. And if that be true of Cyprian, Quod omnes tangit, ab omnibus tractari debet, that which concerns all, the whole common, it should be handled and transacted by all; and if that were not true, yet surely this, that what concerns all, should be handled afore all.
The like 2. Holds for those publick Admonitions, that are to be given, wherein also the people have an interest, that they may be edified thereby, as well as by Preaching; for what is Discipline or publick Admonitions, but a publick Application of the Truths of the Word of God, to the Conscience of a scandalous sinner, to warn others, and to bring him unto Repentance? So as indeed acts of Discipline, Admonitions, are the most pastoral Sermon; and so are a part of the Worship of God, which therefore the people of his own Church, must have a peculiar interest in, as they have in other Sermons.
3. If it be looked at, that the Man is to be shamed, as a means to bring him to Repentance, as in 2 Thess. 3. 14. To have all these Examinations and Admonitions, and to have all Transacted, that concerns a scandalous sin, before the whole Church, tendeth more to this. Neither can he be thought obstinate, until such time as he hath this means (which we see God hath Sanctified) in a Spiritual way applyed to him. In a word, for the whole, we say, as Bains long since said (and it hath a reason in it, therefore we quote it) That when censure it the most sharp Spiritual Medicine, it were ill with our Church, if he (speaking of their Pastor) who is Resident always amongst them, as the Spiritual Physician should not have the power of Administring it. That which he saith of the Pastor, to whom he gives the chief stroke in it, we say of all the Elders of a Congregation, that are continually a Resident with it.
If it be said, that afore he is put to this publick shame, before the Congregation, he should be Authoritatively Admonished by the Eldership, to see first how that would work: We Reply,
1. That either his sin is notoriously known to the whole Congregation already; Res famosa, as was the case of the Incestuous Corinthian; and then it is fit it should be brought instantly to the Congregation, that he may be shamed. Neither is it to any end, that the Elders should deal in the case privately with him; but as the Scandal is publick, the Admonition should be publick also, even from the first. Or suppose his sin be more private, then, if the private means, which Christ hath appointed, hath not been used by those that bring the Accusation, as telling it first to himself, and exhorting him to Repentance; and if that could not gain him, then taking two or three, or more, who also have dealt with him, and yet could not bring him to Repentance; in this case also the Elders are not to meddle in it, before the Church, till such time as those means have been used, for no man's sin is to be brought to them, till he hath past thorough those ways and means, which Christ hath appointed; which being done, then indeed the Elders may Admonish him, having thus the cognizance of it; but yet therein, they are not to deal as an Eldership, in a judiciary way; but as those two or three Brethren, who are to be called to Admonish him, should proceed. Though even such Admonitions from Elders, would perhaps have more Authority, in respect of their Relation, than those of private Brethren. But in case that a Man hath past through all these means, and still is obstinate and impenitent, and hath stood out Christ's proceedings; now it is the Man's own fault, that his sin should thus be brought to light, and now nothing will cure him, but the shame of it, by publick Admonitions before all.
Answ. 2. If (for the tenderness of his shame) he is first to be dealt withal by the Elders, before he be brought to the Congregation; yet not by the classical Elders, who are strangers to him. Who if they keep an open Court, as they ought to do (as all other Courts are) whither any one may come; then if not, the shame of his sin, yet the Dishonour of it will be greater this way, than the other; whilst it is kept within the compass of his own Church, and of these who are his Brethren, and have known his Converse, and have known also his Graces. And that shame, he shall have thus before Strangers, will be a means to harden him, whereas the shame, that he shall have before his own People, will work more kindly, and be a means to melt him.
Answ. 3. The presence of his own People, in all these proceedings, when he is thus convicted of the Sin, when he is thus Admonished, and upon obstinacy, cometh to be excommunicated, serveth to a further double end, both as it respects themselves (so as no Church else, nor no Elders else whatsoever) and as it respects the Person also, and his good. For it respects the Congregation themselves, both by vertue of that special Relation to, and Communion they have with him, as one Body to Christ; and therefore they are to Sympathize with him, to be humbled together with him, for his sin, to bemoan and bewail him, and themselves; that such a punishment, even as to them, should befall them, by such a sin falling out amongst them. You are puffed up, (saith the Apostle) you have not Mourned, 1 Cor. 5. 2. That Law is to take hold on them, in respect of this proper near relation, which Paul giveth, 1 Cor. 12. 26. If one Member suffer all the Members suffer with it, or if one Member be Honoured, all the Members rejoyce with it; Now ye are the Body of Christ, and Members in particular; that is, the Church of Corinth, being a particular Body, have a more special Relation one unto another, more than to any other Churches. And this mourning and the like, it is to shew themselves clear of that matter, which otherwise would be a sin of that Body; and as, in all other Relations, Members of a Nation, mourn for the sins of a Nation, Members of a Family, for the sins of a Family; so especially in this nearest special Relation of all other, each Member is to mourn, and sorrow for the sins of a Member, as if it were the whole's; because a Dishonour is thereby reflected also upon the whole, and an anger of God expressed against the whole; for even Church sins make God to be angry with particular Persons. As for that sin about the Sacrament, in the Church of Corinth, 1 Cor. 11. particular Persons were visited, for this cause, some are weak and sick, &c. therefore (saith he) Judge your selves, that you be not Judged. It is therefore necessary, when a Man's sin is ripe for publick Admonitions, that his own People should know it; and therefore that all these Admonitions should be afore his own, that the height and aggravation of the sin thus set open before his Conscience, to make him Repent, should be set open also before theirs, for all those ends afore mentioned. And to think that the Elders of a Classical Church, should Representatively mourn for all the rest, or that, whereas the cause of mourning is neerness of Relation, that they should mourn as his own would do, cannot be supposed. And then 2. If it respects working upon the Man, if that be the end of this bewailing, and of this mourning, to break his Heart, to have his own Congregation thus mourning, who have thus known him, and with whom he hath communicated, and to see their Hearts broken for his sin, when they have not sinned, only are of the same Body with him; this must needs be an ordinance much more effectual to work upon him, than if he were brought afore all the National Councils in the World, who are taught with his sin but remotely, as the Body of a National Church must needs be very remote to a provincial Church, and this also remote in its proportion to a Classical.
Now we find that the proceedings thus, to excommunication, are expressed to us by the very Phrase, bewailing, I am afraid, (saith the Apostle) that when I come, I shall bewail some of you; that is, I shall be inforced as to Admonish you, so to proceed further; and so in 1 Cor. 5. 2. You have not Mourned, that, he that hath done this Deed, may be taken from among you. To bring him before National and Classical Assemblies, and the like, may work in a civil way more upon him; but, in a spiritual way, this is a means much more suited.
Lastly, for the act of excommunication it self, that then the People should be present, we need not contend for; because it is granted. And assuredly, if that they are to be present, that they may mourn and wail, when any is thus cast out, their presence is much more required afore, because their wailing and bemoaning of him then, might have been a means to prevent what befalls him.
Argu. 9. But if besides all these interests it be found, that the People of his own Congregation, have a joynt interest to judge; and that by way of Suffrage, and concur in the Sentence with the Elders, in the throwing of him out: Or have such an interest with Judgment, and cutting off a Member, that a Jury have, joyned with the Bench of Justices and Judges, and that they are to judge of the Fact, and of his obstinacy, and the like; why then, it will clearly follow, that the power of excommunication must be in every Congregation of People and Elders: And thus to have the Man judged, both by the one, and the other, is the fairest Law in the World. And we account it even the glory of one Nation, that no Man's life is subjected to the judgment of all the Judges of the Kingdom, but that he must be Tryed by his Peers, per pares. That we shall speak when we come to that Head, that the People are to have a concurring interest with the Elders.
Argu. 10. If no Elders are to set up a consistory for ordinary Government, but in the presence, and before the Church; then the power of all acts of Government must lie within the Body of a Congregational Church. Because there are no other ordinary constant Church meetings of the Body of the People, but only by Congregations; for all such Meetings are to be of as many, as can meet in one place; and all are interested in it for the present, one, as well as another.