The Government of the Churches of Christ, Book 3 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
The eleventh and twelfth Arguments, proving single Congregations inabled to exert all Acts of Church-power. That such Churches there were in the first Ages of Christianity. That the Apostles planted such Churches, that had the intire power within themselves.
Argu. 11. THere were in the first Ages of Christianity, Bishops in Churches and Villages. And in the sense of the Ages, in which this was, it was all one as to have an intire Government in a Church, in a Village; for the intire Government was in the Hands of their Bishops, in those times, such a Government as is now claimed by the Presbytery. Therefore from the practice of the primitive times, it is evident that one single Congregation, with its Elders, is a compleat Seat of Government, as well as Worship.
Argu. 12. The Churches in the first planting of them by the Apostles, were in all places Congregational Churches. Those, in smaller Cities, may well be supposed to have been always such. Those in the great Cities, were at first such: Of Philippi it is said, that in the beginning of the Gospel, it was a Church, and it was so called, Ph. 1. 4, 15. and it was a Church that had Bishops and Deacons, chap. 1. 1. who Communicated to Paul, by way of giving and receiving. In a manner, all sides have acknowledged this, even the Bishops themselves. Hierusalem it self at first, was but one Congregation; and other greater Cities also, were no more; for can we imagine that the Apostles should stay forming up Churches, till such time as they should multiply to so many, as to make many Congregations under classical Churches? So this is not supposable, because that the Apostles were to go over the World, and could not every where stay so long; they therefore staid, till there were a sufficient number to make up a Church, and Elders over them. And to be sure, the first Church of all, had a sufficient Eldership, for they had the eleven Apostles. And for them all to be Officers, to so small a number at the first, is infinitely less disproportionable to them, than for our Great Lord and Master to serve and minister (as himself was pleased at his last Supper, to Term it) the Sacrament of Bread and Wine, unto Eleven Apostles; and then to Preach a long Sermon unto these Eleven, whom he had taken care of. And at the first, when they were so few, as they continued in prayer together, Acts 1. it is to be supposed, they had the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and so were a Church, seeing they had received it with our Lord and Saviour, with commission for him to do the like. And this Congregational Church at first, having these Apostles over them, who (as our Brethren say) acted the part of ordinary Elders, must needs be supposed to be as sufficient for a Presbytery, as afterwards their acts can be supposed to be, when they multiplyed to more Congregations (as our Brethren affirm) And if we could give no instance of any act of Government they did; yet it is certain, that the same power with which they did acts of Government, afterward as such a Presbytery, they had then at first; for they acted but out of that power afterward, which they had afore. And so in all those other Churches, when they were single Congregations, having Elders set over them, the like must be supposed. And when there was thus Congregational Churches, having Elders over them, they had the right, and they had the power to exercise all acts of Government within themselves, or else when the Apostles left them, and commended them to the grace of God, having set Elders over them; they had not been left to a sufficient means, to take away offences, and to purge out scandals, and to keep the Worship pure, and to preserve themselves for Succession.
And if they had this Right and Power, they must have it by vertue of that Institution, Matth. 18. Here then, de facto, Congregational Churches were invested with a compleat power. And so according to that Maxim, primum, in quolibet genere, est Mensura reliquorum, the first in every kind, is the measure of the rest we have to plead, that the first Churches in existence with that power we contend for, were such Congregational Churches which we assert.
We further add, that suppose that these Churches came to be multiplyed, or to have Neighbour Churches near them, what became of that Power and Right, which as Congregations having Elders in them, and as a Church to Christ, they were invested with? How should this power come to be taken away, or they come to loose it, and be Transferred unto an Associated Presbytery, of many Congregations? If upon this Association, there had been a new power, yet the old former power must be supposed to stand still intire, or else they loose it (as the Cities in Germany, before they were united into that Emperial Body, had intire priviledges within themselves; and that, they retain still notwithstanding their Union, only their Association was for Appeals, and cases of common concernment) and as the multiplication was accidental, so a new accidental power might come over them, which they had not afore, if they should miscarry in that they had afore; therefore that power, that was first in them, is never to be taken from them. It is true indeed, before their multiplication this must be said, they were Independent Churches, in that gross sense, which is imposed upon us; that is, they were accountable unto none; why? Because there were none near them, to be accountable unto. But that was not a priviledge Essential, but Accidental, not positive, but because there was no other near existent. And yet not so neither; for if there were any in the World, they should have Appealed unto them. And suppose a Congregational Church, alone by it self, can be supposed to have an accidental Independency private (which in this respect, is a Negative priviledge, rather than a positive) yet still that positive power, which they were intirely invested withal within themselves, for positive acts of Government, that was not invested on them, because there were no other Churches; but because they were a Church of themselves. And this power, if once they had it, is not, by Multiplication of Churches, to be taken away from them; the Multiplication is but accidental, but the Form, they were cast into at first, is the essential Form that constituted them a Church, and a politick Body.
2. When these Churches were multiplied, and (as our Brethren would have it) continued many Congregations, under one Presbytery, of the Elders of each of these Churches thus multiplied: Either that first Church and their Elders (which still remain fixed Elders unto them) have all the power and priviledge they had afore, or not, in this New Government to come upon their multiplication and association: If they have the same power and priviledge, then this proposition standeth good; only the question then will be, what power over them (their own remaining thus intire) in a way of dependency any other Church can have, which we must afterterwards speak to. If upon this association, this particular Congregation have not the power it had afore intire within it self, then the Form of the Government first constituted, is clean altered, and clearly a New Form of Government is set up; and that both in respect of the Right of the People, and the Right of the Elders in that Congregation. If the People had any interest of presence or of suffrage (which we contend for) at the Sentence of Excommunication, and the Examination of things; by vertue of this new Association, that interest is taken from them; and removed up into the Classical meetings of the Elders, and into a Government that is meerly Aristocratical. And look as in a Government consisting both of People and Rulers, and the interest of both, or including in it priviledges that the one hath, as well as the other, (though the one in a lower degree) if the one becomes meerly Aristocratical, we count that Government changed, and it will be a new Form of Government; so it would be here. Nor 2dly, Is it true, that because the Government (as our Brethren affirm) is in the Rulers only; therefore it may be inlarged, and disperst to other Rulers of other Congregations, taken in with them; and the People not wronged of their Right. For first, if the Charter of a People, of a Corporation or Body should be, that they should be Ruled by their own Elders (whom themselves chose, as a Corporation) by their own Mayor, Recorder, and Aldermen, yet it were a new Form of Government, for them to come under two or three Mayors, Recorders, and Aldermen, of other Incorporate Towns, and they would account it so; And 2. The Rulers would think so too; As if there were a Family, the Master whereof had intire Government within it self; and there were Families increast, and they all joyned in a Combination, to Rule all those Families in common, and that in such things, wherein before he Ruled alone; surely this would be counted a new Form of Government; how else doth Oeconomicks differ from Politicks? Would not Colledges think so, though Associated into an University? If the Colledges should have those priviledges of choosing Master-Fellows, Scollars, of Admitting, of Expelling, invested into other Hands, if all the Jurisdiction which they had when alone, or if any great part of it, should be exercised in common for them, when other Colledges are built; because they become an University, they would account this a Dispriviledging of them. So it would be here in this case of Churches.