Vindication of the Government of New England Churches 2, Title page 1 – Chapter 2
A VINDICATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF NEW-ENGLAND CHURCHES. Drawn from Antiquity; the Light of Nature; Holy Scripture; it's Noble Nature; and from the Dignity Divine Providence has put upon it.
BY JOHN WISE, A. M. Paſtor to a CHURCH in IPSWICH.
There are none to guide her among all the Sons whom ſhe hath brought forth; neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the Sons that ſhe hath brought up.
ISA. li.18.
Say ye unto your Brethren Ammi, and to your Siſters Ruhamah.
HOS. ii.1.
BOSTON: Printed and Sold by JOHN BOYLES, in Marlboro'-Street. MDCCLXXII.
The conſtitution of New-England CHURCHES, as ſettled by their Platform, may be fairly juſtified, from Antiquity; the Light of Nature; Holy Scripture; and from the Noble and Excellent Nature of the Conſtitution itſelf. And laſtly from the Providence of GOD dignifying of it.
1. The firſt demonſtration contains the voice of Antiquity in the following Chapters.
CHAP. I. To diſtribute the whole Chriſtian Aera into three Parts may ſerve to raiſe a clearer light, and make a brighter aſpect in this Eſſay.
1. THE firſt diviſion contains the firſt three hundred years of chriſtianity, which may be accounted the moſt refined and pureſt time, both as to faith and manners, that the chriſtian church has been honored with; for that within this ſpace, is contained the miniſtry of the apoſtles and holy evangeliſts, and other eminent perſons authorized by them; and ſuch others who ſucceeded in office-truſt through the ſeveral ages, within the ſpace before named. This was the time of an immenſe effuſion of the Spirit of God upon the world, when there was ſuch a flux and inundation of the waters from the ſanctuary, mentioned, Ezek. 47. This was the age of miracles; a time of extraordinary gifts, and when grace and true piety was in the greateſt elevation. Chriſtian religion was now a dangerous buſineſs; every man that took it up, lay down his life, honor and fortune at ſtake; he that owns Chriſt, muſt bid defiance to all the celebrated deities of the Roman empire; and thereby run counter to the religion of the imperial court. So that rationally we may expect to find the churches of Chriſt in the pureſt capacity they were ever in; in all points, both of principles and practice. That whatever their government was if they continue the ſame from the days of the apoſtles, we may fairly conclude it to be authentic, and agreable with their grand and original copy. It is moſt apparent, that the churches in thoſe ages, were under too good an influence internally, and the eye of too direful a guard, externally to prevaricate with God, in the known principles of their order, any more than in their faith, though they were not without errors. Two or three hundred years, is a long time in the world, to keep up our conſtant mode and cuſtom, either in religious or civil affairs amongſt men, who are ſo inclined to err, and apt to change their faſhions; Nam eſt Natura hominum Novitatis Avida, That for the churches through thoſe many ages and in their ſeveral communities, to agree in their diſcipline amongſt themſelves; and not eſſentially to differ from thoſe churches that were truely apoſtolical, invincibly infers, that their original was divine. But this will appear more plainly when we have made and finiſhed our ſurvey.
2. The ſecond grand diviſion of time, contains the ſpace of the next twelve hundred years, downward, more or leſs; within which circuit is included the commencement & progreſs of a direful apoſtacy, both as to worſhip, and government in the churches. Some ſymptoms of theſe things were riſing within the former diviſion of time; but in this they grew a great pace, and to that degree, that the chriſtian world became a moſt notorious apoſtate. For as we have it in the idea of the reformation, the great Lord of time allowed a ſpace, wearing the denomination of time, times, and half a time: or in plainer expreſſions, twelve hundred and ſixty years; in which ſpace, all the effects of a horrible apoſtacy made a very Gehennon of that which was called Chriſtendom. And ſays Dr. Owen, (in his preface, to the inquiry, into the original of the churches) Ambros judged, that it was the pride, or ambition of the doctors of the church, which introduced the alteration in its order. And moreover ſays the doctor, ſomewhat after this manner, viz. 'The ambition of church rulers, in the fourth and fifth centuries openly proclaimed itſelf to the ſcandal of the chriſtian religion; for that their intereſt led them to a deviation from the order and diſcipline of the church according to its firſt inſtitution': For that the directions given about it in ſcripture, make it a matter ſo weighty in itſelf, and attended with ſo many difficulties, it being laid under ſuch ſevere interdictions of lordly power, or ſeeking either of wealth or dignity; that it's no pleaſant thing to fleſh and blood, to engage in the conduct, and overſight of Chriſt's volunteers; to bear with their manners; to exerciſe patience towards them in all their infirmities; and in all their weakneſſes, to continue a high valuation for them, as the flock of God, which he hath purchaſed with his own blood: All this requires abundance of ſelf-denial; and if ſo, then it's no wonder, that many of their prelates were willing gradually to extricate themſelves out of this uneaſy condition; and embrace all opportunities of introducing another order into the churches, that might tend more to the exaltation of their own power and dignity. And this was done accordingly; for the biſhops by their arbitrary rules ſhared the flock of Chriſt amongſt themſelves, and that without the conſent of the people, as though they had conquered them by the ſword. For thus they divide the ſpoil. This biſhop ſay they, ſhall have ſuch a ſhare and number of them under his power; and that other biſhop ſhall have ſo many; and ſo far ſhall the juriſdiction of one extend, …d ſo far another; that they ſoon canton out the whole Roman empire under a few patriarchs and head men. Theſe things were the ſubject of their decrees and laws, which (thoſe of Chriſt's being thrown by) were now become a rule for the churches. But yet neither did the biſhops long keep within thoſe bounds and limits, which their more modeſt ambition had at firſt preſcribed unto them; but went on, and took occaſion from theſe beginnings to contend amongſt themſelves about pre-eminency, dignity, and power: In which conteſt, the biſhop of Rome, at length remained maſter of the field; and ſo Rome obtained the ſecond conqueſt of the world. And then his holineſs the head of it came to ride admiral of all the Sees; and then ſoon became lord of heaven and earth by the ſame rule of proceſs which brought him to his high truſt. Hence, Query. What can't wakeful ambition, learning and fraud do, if jointly agreed, at rifling the greateſt treaſures bequeathed to mankind; eſpecially when the world is generally gotten into a ſleepy fit.
3. Towards the latter end of this ſpace of time began a glorious reformation. Many famous perſons, memorable in eccleſiaſtical hiſtory, being moved by the ſpirit of God, and according to holy writ, led the way in the face of all danger; ſuch has Wickliff, who openly decryed the pope, as the very antichriſt; in the fourteenth century, and others in that age. And in the next century Martin Luther purſued the reformation with great boldneſs, reſolution and conſtancy; this is that famous Luther, ſays my author, of whom they who acknowledge the leaſt, muſt yet make as much as Dr. More makes of him; for ſaith the Dr. I cannot think ſo very highly of Luther as ſome do; and yet I think him to have been a very happy inſtrument in the hand of God, for the good of Chriſtendom againſt the horrid enormities of the papal hyrarchy. And though he might not be allowed to be the Elias, the conductor and chariot of Iſrael, as ſome have ſtiled him; yet I think at leaſt he might be accounted a faithful poſtilion in that chariot, who was well accoutred with his wax boots, oiled coat, and hood; and who turned the horſes noſes into a direct way from Babylon toward the ci…y of God, and held on in a good round trot, through thick and thin, not caring to beſpatter others in this high fogg, as he himſelf was finely beſpattered by others: About which time Zuinglius, Oecolampadius, Melancthon and other chriſtian heroes alſo liſted into the ſame quarrel, and with great bravery and ſelf denial went forward with the reformation. Yet after the endeavours of ſuch men, and others without number, through ſeveral ages downward; the churches, which are called reformed, attained to a very imperfect reformation, as Dr. Increaſe Matther ſays. And the defect has not been ſo much in doctrine, as in worſhip and diſcipline. And notwithſtanding ſays the Dr. in this reſpect alſo, ſome churches have gone beyond others. Now to come to what I aim at; theſe churches in New-England, as to their order and diſcipline have ſurpaſſed all churches of the reformation. And under the head of diſcipline, it ſeems to me, that Chriſt the captain of ſalvation, has given out his word to theſe churches, as to his troops coming up in the reer of time; and his word of command is—as you were; make good the old front; or place your ſelves in that regimental order, which the primitive churches were in whilſt they march't under my banners, and encountred the devil in their heathen perſecutors for the firſt three hundred years. For that the churches in New-England, and the primitive churches are eminently parallel in their government. Thoſe firſt ages of the church it is certain were many times much annoyed with many peſtilent and damnable hereſies; and many uſages in worſhip, too ſuperſtitious crept in amongſt them; yet they continued in the conſtitution of their church order very uniform and apoſtolical; and it is very obvious that theſe churches in this wilderneſs, in the eſſentials of government; are every way parallel to them.
I ſhall repreſent this buſineſs by a collection of parellel notes out of ſeveral authors of unqueſtionable veracity; and ſhall principally follow the guidance of one who has concealed his name; and ſtiles his treatiſe, 'An inquiry into the conſtitution, diſcipline, unity and worſhip of the primitive churches.' This author in his preface gives this fair account of his doings; ſays he, What I have written I have wholly collected out of the genuine, and unqueſtionably authentick writings of thoſe ages; meaning ſuch as writ in, or of the three firſt centuries of chriſtianity. And ſays he, I have been every way honeſt and unbiaſt. And being well aſſured of his fidelity; I ſhall endeavour to imitate his faithfulneſs, in tranſcribing what I find in him ſuiting my preſent purpoſe. And I ſhall be well and ſufficiently furniſhed when I have laid before the reader the notion which the ancients had of the church in its conſtituent parts both of officers and people, with the ſeveral authorities, powers, rights, immunities and prerogatives belonging unto each. And if we find that the primitive churches in their order and diſcipline, did exactly agree in the eſſentials of government; with the churches in New-England; we may rationally then conclude that if they were apoſtolical, ſo are we.
CHAP. II. Of the Church.
TO paſs over all other obſervations, the moſt uſual and common acceptation of the word Church, of which we muſt chiefly treat, is that of a particular church; which conſiſts of a ſociety of chriſtians, meeting together in one place, under their proper paſtors, for the performance of religious worſhip, and the exerciſing of chriſtian diſcipline. This deſcription of a church is agreable with the Idiom both of ſcripture and antiquity. Thus Tertullian, who lived about the end of the ſecond century, gives us an account of the ſtate, order and worſhip of the churches. (Apol. ad Gen. Cap. 39.) The deſcription of a church he firſt lays down in theſe words, viz. Corpus ſumus de Conſcientia Religionis, et Diſciplinae Unitate, et Spei Foedere. We are a body united in the conſcience of religion, or for the conſciencious obſervation of the duties of religion; by an agreement in diſcipline, and in a covenant of hope. For whereas ſuch a body, or religious ſociety could not be united but by a covenant; he calls it a covenant of hope, becauſe the principal reſpect therein was had unto the things hoped for. This religious body, or ſociety thus united by covenant, did meet together in the ſame aſſembly, or congregation. For ſays he, Corpus ſumus, Coimus in Coetum, et Congregationem ut ad Deum, &c. We are a body, and meet in an aſſembly, and congregation, to offer up our prayers unto God, and attend the duties of the chriſtian religion. So Iraeneus alſo in the ſecond century, tells us, That ſome of the brethren, and ſometimes the whole church of ſome certain place,— by faſting and prayer have raiſed the dead. Thus our own platform agrees in ſenſe with the opinion of the ancients. Plat. Ch. 2. Sect. 6. A congregational church, is by the inſtitution of Chriſt, a part of the militant church, conſiſting of a company of ſaints by calling, united into one body by an holy covenant, &c. But as to the independency, or real diſtinction between church and church; this will more clearly appear in what follows. Therefore I ſhall proceed to conſider the conſtituent parts of a church, as divided,
1. Into the people who compoſed the body of the church, called the elect, or the called and ſanctified by the will of God; and ſometimes they are called the brethren, becauſe of their brotherly love, &c.
2. Into thoſe perſons who were ſet apart for office, or for a peculiar and eccleſiaſtical improvement. And each party under this diſtribution, had their particular immunities and employments. And under theſe heads, I ſhall confine the diſcourſe to a parallel in the eſſentials in government or church order, between the churches of Chriſt in the firſt ages of chriſtianity, and the churches of New-England, as ſettled by their platform.