Vindication of the Government of New England Churches 2, Chapter 10 – Chapter 11
CHAP. X. Of the power of the church, and its preſbytery.
SUPREAM and lordly power over all the churches upon earth doth only belong unto Jeſus Chriſt, who is king of the church, and the head thereof. He hath the government upon his ſhoulders, and hath all power given to him both in heaven and earth. Pſal. 2.6. Eph. 1.21, 22. Iſa. 9.6. Matt. 28.18.
2. A company of profeſſed believers eccleſiaſtically confederate, as they are a church, before they have officees, and without them; ſo even in that eſtate, ſubordinate church power, under Chriſt, delegated to them by him, doth belong to them in ſuch a manner as is before expreſſed, chap. 5. ſect. 2. and as flowing from the very nature and eſſence of a church: It being natural to all bodies, and ſo unto a church body, to be furniſhed with ſufficient power for its own preſervation and ſubſiſtence. Acts 1.23. and 14.23. and 6.3, 4. Mat. 18.17. 1 Cor. 5.4.5.
3. This government of the church is a mixt government, (and ſo hath been acknowledged long before the term of independency was heard of) in reſpect of Chriſt, the head and king of the church, and the ſovereign power reſiding in him, and exerciſed by him, it is a monarchy; in reſpect of the body or brotherhood of the church, and power from Chriſt granted unto them, it reſembles a democracy; in reſpect of the preſbytery, and power committed unto them, it is an ariſtocracy. Rev. 3.7. 1 Cor. 5.12. 1 Tim. 5.27.
4. The ſovereign power which is peculiar unto Chriſt, is exerciſed. 1. In calling the church out of the world unto holy fellowſhip with himſelf. 2. In inſtituting the ordinances of his worſhip, and appointing his miniſters and officers for the diſpenſing of them. 3. In giving laws for …e ordering of all our ways, and the ways of his houſe. … ▪ In giving … and life to all his inſtitutions, and to … 5. In protecting and delivering his … and from all the enemies of their peace. … Rev. 5.8, 9. Mat. 28.20. Eph. 4.8, 11. …. 4.1…. Iſa. 33.22. 1 Tim. 3.15. 2 Cor. 10. … 5. Iſa. 32.2. Luke 17.1.
5. The power granted by Chriſt unto the body of the church and brotherhood, is a prerogative or privilege which the church doth exerciſe. 1. In chuſing their own officers, whether elders or deacons. 2. In admiſſion of their own members, and therefore there is great reaſon they ſhould have power to remove any from their fellowſhip again. Hence in caſe of offence, any brother hath power to convince and admoniſh an offending brother; and in caſe of not hearing him, to take one or two more to ſet on the admonition; and in caſe of not hearing them, to proceed to tell the church; and as his offence may require, the whole church hath power to proceed to the cenſure of him, whether by admonition or excommunication; and upon his repentance, to reſtore him again unto his former communion. Acts 3.5. and 14.23. and 9.26. Mat. 18.15, 16, 17. Tit. 3.10. Col. 4.17. 2 Cor. 2.7, 8.
6. In caſe an elder offend incorrigibly, the matter ſo requiring, as the church had power to call him to office, ſo they have power according to order (the council of other churches, where it may be had, directing thereto) to remove him from his office; and being now but a member, in caſe he add contumacy to his ſin, the church that had power to receive him into their fellowſhip, hath the ſame power to caſt him out, that they have concerning any other member. Col. 4.17. Rom. 16.17. Mat. 18.17.
7. Church government or rule, is placed by Chriſt in the officers of the church, who are therefore called rulers▪ while they rule with God; yet in caſe of male adminiſtration, they are ſubject to the power of the church, as hath been ſaid before. The Holy Ghoſt frequently, yea always, where it mentioneth church rule, and church government, aſcribeth it to elders; whereas the work and duty of the people is expreſſed in the phraſe of obeying their elders, and ſubmitting themſelves unto them in the Lord. So as it is manifeſt, that an organic or com…oat church is a body politic, conſiſting of ſome that are governors, and ſome that are governed in the Lord. 1 Tim. 5.17. Heb. 13.17. 1 Theſſ. 5.12. Rom. 12.8. 1 Tim. 5. 17. 1 Cor. 12.28, 29. Heb. 13.7, 17.
8. The power which Chriſt has committed to the elders, is to feed and rule the church of God, and accordingly to call the church together upon any weighty occaſion; when the members, ſo called, without a juſt cauſe, may not refuſe to come, nor when they are come, depart before they are diſmiſs'd, nor ſpeak in the church before they have leave from the elders; nor continue ſo doing when they require ſilence; nor may they oppoſe nor contradict the judgment or ſentence of the elders, without ſufficient and weighty cauſe, becauſe ſuch practices are manifeſtly contrary unto order and government, and in-lets of diſturbances, and tend to confuſion. Acts 20.28. and 6.2. Num. 16.12. Ezek. 46.10. Acts 13.15. Hoſ. 4.4.
9. It belongs alſo unto the elders to examine any officers or members before they be received of the church; to receive the accuſations brought to the church, and to prepare them for the churches hearing. In handling of offences, and other matters before the church, they have power to declare and publiſh the counſel and will of God, touching the ſame, and to pronounce ſentence with conſent of the church. Laſtly, They have power, when they diſmiſs the people, to bleſs them in the name of the Lord. Rev. 2.2. 1 Tim. 5.19. Acts 21.18, 22, 23. 1 Cor. 5.4, 5. Numb. 6. 23 to 26.
10. This power of government in the elders doth not any wiſe prejudice the power of privilege in the brotherhood; as neither the power of privilege in the brethren doth prejudice the power of government in the elders, but they may ſweetly agree together; as we may ſee in the example of the apoſtles, furniſhed with the greateſt church power, who took in the concurrence and conſent of the brethren in church adminiſtrations. Alſo that ſcripture, 2 Cor. 2.9. and 10.6. do declare, That what the churches are to act and do in theſe matters they were to do in a way of obedience, and that not only to the direction of the apoſtles, but alſo of their ordinary elders. Acts 14.15, 23, and 6.2. 1 Cor. 5.4. 2 Cor. 26.7. Heb. 13.17.
11. From the premiſes, namely, That the ordinary power of government belonging only to the elders, power of privilege remaineth with the brotherhood (as the power of judgment in matters of cenſure, and power of liberty in matters of liberty) it followeth, that in an organic church and right adminiſtration, all church acts proceed after the manner of a mixt adminiſtration, ſo as no church act can be conſummated or perfected without the conſent of both.
CHAP. XI. Of the maintenance of church officers.
THE apoſtle concludes, that neceſſary and ſufficient maintenance is due unto the miniſters of the word, from the law of nature and nations, from the law of Moſes, the equity thereof, as alſo the rule of common reaſon. Moreover, the ſcripture doth not only call elders, labourors and workmen, but alſo ſpeaking of them doth ſay, that the labourer is worthy of his hire; and requires, that he which is taught in the word ſhould communicate to him in all good things; and mentions it as an ordinance of the Lord, that they which preach the goſpel ſhould live of the goſpel; and forbiddeth the muzling the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn, 1 Cor. 9.14, 15. Mat. 9.38. and 10.10. 1 Tim. 5.18. Gal. 6.6. 1 Cor. 9.9, 14.
2. The ſcriptures alledged, requiring this maintenance as a bounden duty, and due debt, and not as a matter of alms and free gift, therefore people are not at liberty to do or not to do, what and when they pleaſe in this matter, no more than in any other commanded duty, and ordinance of the Lord; but ought …duty to miniſter of their carnal things, to them that labour among them in the word and doctrine, as well as as they ought to pay any other workmen their wages, and to diſcharge and ſatisfy their other debts, or to ſubmit themſelves to obſerve any other ordinance of the Lord, Rom. 15.27. 1 Cor. 9.21.
3. The apoſtle (Gal. 6.6.) enjoining, that he which is taught communicateth to them that teacheth in all good things, doth not leave it arbitrary, what or how much a man ſhall give, or in what proportion, but even the latter as well as the former, is preſcribed and appointed by the Lord, 1 Cor. 16.2.
4. Not only members of churches, but all that are taught in the word, are to contribute unto him that teacheth in all good things. In caſe that congregations are defective in their contributions, the deacons are to call upon them to do their duty: if their call ſufficeth not, the church by her power is to require it of their members; and where church power, through the corruption of men, doth not or cannot attain the end, the magiſtrate is to ſee that the miniſtry be duly provided for, as appears from the commended example of Nehemiah. The magiſtrates are nurſing fathers, and nurſing mothers, and ſtand charged with the cuſtody of both tables; becauſe it is better to prevent a ſcandal that it may not come, and eaſier alſo, than to remove it when it is given. Its moſt ſuitable to rule, that by the churches care each man ſhould know his proportion according to rule, what he ſhould do, before he do it, that ſo his judgment and heart may be ſatisfied in what he doth, and juſt offence prevented in what is done, Acts 6.3, 4. Neh. 13.11. Iſa. 49.23. 2 Cor. 8.13.14.