CHAPTER I.

THE

DIVINE RIGHT

OF

CHURCH GOVERNMENT:

WHEREIN IT IS PROVED

THAT THE PRESBYTERIAN GOVERNMENT, BY PREACHING AND RULING ELDERS, IN

SESSIONAL, PRESBYTERIAL, AND SYNODICAL ASSEMBLIES, MAY LAY THE ONLY

LAWFUL CLAIM TO A DIVINE RIGHT, ACCORDING TO THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.

A NEW EDITION, CORRECTED AND AMENDED.

* * * * *

BY SUNDRY MINISTERS OF CHRIST WITHIN THE

CITY OF LONDON.

* * * * *

TO WHICH IS ADDED

AN APPENDIX,

CONTAINING

EXTRACTS FROM SOME OF THE BEST AUTHORS WHO HAVE WRITTEN ON CHURCH

GOVERNMENT,

CONCERNING THE SCRIPTURAL QUALIFICATIONS AND DUTIES OF CHURCH MEMBERS;

THE SOLE RIGHT OF GOSPEL MINISTERS TO PREACH THE GOSPEL; THE PEOPLE'S

DIVINE RIGHT TO CHOOSE THEIR OWN PASTORS;

TOGETHER WITH

AN ABSTRACT OF THE ARGUMENTS OF THE GREAT DR. OWEN (THOUGH A PROFESSED

INDEPENDENT) IN FAVOUR OF THE DIVINE RIGHT OF THE OFFICE OF THE RULING

ELDER.

* * * * *

NEW YORK: R. MARTIN & CO., 26 JOHN-STREET.

* * * * *

M.DCCC.XLIV.

THE EDITOR TO THE READER.

* * * * *

After what the authors of the following Treatise have said in their

preface, the Editor judges it unnecessary for him to detain the reader

long with any observations of his upon the subject. He, however, could

sincerely wish that the friends of Christ would pay that attention to

the government and discipline of his Church which it justly deserves.

Although this subject should not be placed among the things essential to

the being of a Christian; yet if it be found among the things that

Christ has commanded, it is at our peril if we continue wilfully

ignorant of, or despise it. He has expressly declared, that he who

breaks one of the _least_ of his commandments, and teacheth men to do

so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. It is an opinion too

common, that if we believe the _essentials_ of religion, there is no

occasion for so much preciseness about the forms of church government,

which are only _circumstantials_, as there will be no inquiry made about

these at the tribunal of Christ. But whatever relative importance the

things of religion may have, when compared with one another, we ought to

reckon nothing which God hath appointed, nothing which Jesus hath

ratified with his blood, nothing which the Holy Spirit hath indited, so

_circumstantial_, as to be unworthy of our serious regard. It is at

least very rash, if not presumptuous, to say, that nothing about the

circumstantials of religion will be inquired into at the tribunal of

Christ. God has expressly said, that every work, good or evil, every

idle word, and every deed done in the body, shall be brought into

judgment; and false worshippers will, perhaps, find that their form of

worship consisted in something worse than idle words, or sinful words

either, even in sinful deeds, for which they will be accountable at the

judgment. As Christ laid down his life for his people, has instructed

them, and has set a hedge about all that they have, it would be most

ungrateful to requite him with pouring the highest contempt on his

kingly honor and authority; and when his worship is polluted, his truth

perverted, and the walls of his New Testament Zion broken down, to care

for none of those things. Government and discipline are the hedge of his

garden, the Church; and how will what men call the essentials of

religion remain in their glory, when this is broken down, the present

state of affairs can sufficiently attest, when the most damnable errors

are propagated with impunity.

In our times the enemies of the scriptural order of the house of God are

very numerous and very active, exerting all their power to break down

the carved work of God's sanctuary. The present spirit for novelty and

innovation, together with the rage for infidelity so prevalent, strongly

favors the opposition made to every thing which has a tendency to bind

men closely to God, to his truths, to the purity of his worship and

ordinances, or to one another by a holy profession. The design,

therefore, of republishing this Treatise is to assist Presbyterians of

all denominations in the understanding of those passages of Scripture

upon which their wall is built, that they be not led aside by the

cunning speeches of false teachers, whereby they deceive and draw aside

the hearts of the simple.

This work was first published at London, at the time when the

controversy between the Presbyterians and ancient Independents ran very

high, and every intelligent and unprejudiced reader will see, that the

Holy Scriptures have been carefully perused, accurately compared, wisely

collected, and judiciously explained, in order to evince that the

Presbyterian government has the only lawful claim to a divine right, and

is the only form appointed by Christ in his Church. It is, therefore, to

be wished, that all his people would endeavor, in the strength of Divine

grace, to observe the laws of his house, and to walk in all his

ordinances and commandments blameless.

Considerable pains have been taken to make this edition more easily

understood by common readers than the former, and yet several difficult

and hard words have passed unnoticed. The Latin quotations from the

Fathers have been omitted, because they contain nothing materially

different from what is in the body of the work, and modern Independents

pay little regard to any human authorities but their own. It was

proposed to have added a few extracts from Messrs. Rutherford and

Gillespie, but upon looking into their works nothing of consequence was

observed, that tended to cast any new light upon the subject. It is

hoped, however, that the Appendix is filled up with extracts from other

authors upon subjects of considerable importance, and very necessary for

these times, concerning the scriptural qualifications and duties of

church members; the divine right of the gospel ministry; the people's

divine right to choose their own pastors; with an abstract of Dr. Owen's

arguments in favor of the divine right of the ruling elder: and as there

are many serious Christians who have not a capacity to take up and

retain a long chain of reasoning, a summary of the whole Treatise is

given by way of question and answer as a conclusion.

The Editor is not to be understood as approving of, or vindicating every

single sentiment, or mode of expression, used in this Treatise: at the

same time, next to the Holy Scriptures, he recommends it as one of the

best defences of presbytery which he has seen.

That it may be blessed of God for informing the ignorant, settling the

wavering, and establishing the believers of _the present Truth_, is the

earnest desire of,

Christian reader,

Your humble servant in the Gospel,

T.H.

_Paisley, 28th February, 1799._

PREFACE

TO THE PIOUS AND JUDICIOUS READER.

CHRISTIAN READER:

Thou hast in the ensuing treatise, 1st, a brief delineation of the

nature of a divine right, wherein it consists, and how many ways a thing

may be accounted of divine right, according to the Scriptures; as also,

2d, a plain and familiar description of that church government which

seems to have the clearest divine right for it, and (of all other

contended for) to be the most consonant and agreeable to the word of

Christ; which description (comprehending in itself the whole frame and

system of the government) is in the several branches thereof explained

and confirmed by testimonies or arguments from Scripture; more briefly,

in particulars which are easily granted; more largely, in particulars

which are commonly controverted; yet as perspicuously and concisely in

both as the nature of this unusual and comprehensive subject insisted

upon would permit. Things are handled rather by way of positive

assertion, than of polemical dissertation, (which too commonly

degenerates into verbal strifes, 1 Tim. vi. 3, 4; 2 Tim. ii. 23; and

vain-jangling, 1 Tim. i. 6,) and where any dissenting opinions or

objections are refuted, we hope it is with that sobriety, meekness, and

moderation of spirit, that any unprejudiced judgment may perceive, that

we had rather gain than grieve those who dissent from us; that we

endeavor rather to heal up than to tear open the rent; and that we

contend more for truth than for victory.

To the publication hereof we have been inclinable (after much

importunity) principally upon deliberate and serious consideration of,

1st, the necessity of a treatise of this kind; 2d, the advantage likely

to accrue thereupon; and, 3d, the seasonable opportunity of sending it

abroad at such a time as this is.

I. The necessity of a treatise of this nature, is evident and urgent.

For,

1. We hold ourselves obliged, not only by the common duty of our

ministerial calling, but also by the special bond of our solemn

covenant with God, especially in Art. 1, to bend all our best endeavors

to help forward a reformation of religion according to the word of God,

which can never be effected without a due establishment of the

scripture-government and discipline in the Church of God. And to make

known what this government is from the law and testimony, by preaching

or writing, comes properly and peculiarly within the sphere of our place

and vocation.

2. A cloud of darkness and prejudice, in reference to this matter of

church government, too generally rests upon the judgments and

apprehensions of men (yea of God's own people) among us, either, 1st,

through the difficulty or uncommonness of this matter of church

government, (though ancient and familiar in other reformed churches, yet

new and strange to us;) or, 2d, through the strange misrepresentations

that are made hereof, by those that are small friends to the true

presbyterial government, or that are enemies to all church government

whatsoever; or, 3d, through the different opinions about church

government, which are to be found among pious people and ministers: by

all which the weak and unstable minds of many are cast into a maze of

many confused thoughts and irresolutions.

3. Though many learned treatises have been published, some whereof have

positively asserted, others have polemically vindicated divers parts of

church government, and the divine right thereof, yet hitherto no

treatise of this nature is extant, positively laying open the nature of

a divine right, what it is, and a system of that government, which is

so, and proving both by the Scriptures; without which, how shall the

judgments and consciences of men be satisfied, that this is that church

government, according to the word of God, which they have covenanted to

endeavor to promote, and whereto they are obliged to submit? And since

it is our lot to travel in an unbeaten path, we, therefore, promise to

ourselves, from all sober and judicious readers, the greater candor and

ingenuity in their measuring of our steps and progress herein.

II. The advantage which may probably accrue hereupon, we hope shall be

manifold: For, 1. Who can tell but that some of them, that in some

things are misled and contrary-minded, may be convinced and regained?

and it will be no small reward of our labors if but one erring brother

may be brought back. 2. Some satisfaction may redound to such as are of

doubtful, unresolved minds, by removing of their doubts and scruples,

and ripening of their resolutions, to settle more safely in point of

church government. 3. Those that as yet are unseen in the matter of

church government, or that want money to buy, or leisure to read many

books upon this subject, may here have much in a little, and

competently inform themselves of the whole body of the government. 4.

Consequently upon the attaining of the former ends, the work of

reformation will be much facilitated and smoothed, the hearts of the

people being prepared for the Lord and his ordinances. 5. The present

attempt (if it reach not to that completeness and satisfactoriness which

is desired) may yet incite some of our brethren of more acute and

polished judgments to embark themselves in some further discoveries for

the public benefit of the Church. 6. But though it should fall out that

in all the former we should be utterly disappointed, we shall have this

peace and comfort upon our own spirits, that we have not hid our talent

in the earth, nor neglected to bear witness to this part of Christ's

truth, touching the government of his Church, by his kingly power,

wherein Christ was opposed so much in all ages, Psalm ii. 1, 2, 3; Luke

xix. 14, 27; Acts iv., and for which Christ did suffer so much in a

special and immediate manner, as[1] some have observed. For this end

Christ came into the world, (and for this end we came into the

ministerial calling,) to bear witness to the truth.

III. Finally, the present opportunity of publishing a treatise on this

subject doth much incite and encourage us therein. For at this time we

are beginning, in this province of London, (and we hope the whole

kingdom will, with all convenient speed, and due caution, second us,) to

put that covenanted church government into actual execution, which we

have a long time intended in our deliberate resolutions. So that

generally we shall be engaged in the government one way or other, either

as acting in it as the church officers, or as submitting to it as church

members: now, how shall any truly conscientious person, either act in

it, or conform and submit unto it with faith, judgment, and alacrity,

till he be in some competent measure satisfied of the divine right

thereof?

Will mere prudence, without a divine right, be a sufficient basis to

erect the whole frame of church government upon, as some conceive?

Prudentials, according to general rules of Scripture, may be of use in

circumstantials, but will bare prudentials in substantials also satisfy

either our God, our covenant, our consciences, or our end in this great

work of reformation? What conscientious person durst have a hand in

acting as a ruling elder, did he not apprehend the word of God holds

forth a divine right for the ruling elder? Who durst have a hand in the

censures of admonishing the unruly, excommunicating the scandalous and

obstinate, and of restoring the penitent, were there not a divine right

hereof revealed in the Scripture, &c. Now, therefore, that ruling

elders, and the rest of the people, may begin this happy work

conscientiously, judiciously, cheerfully, in some measure perceiving the

divine right of the whole government, wherein they engage themselves,

cleared by Scripture, we hope, by God's blessing, that this small tract

will afford some seasonable assistance, which will be unto us a very

acceptable recompense.

Thus far of the nature of this treatise, and the grounds of our

publishing thereof. In the next place, a few doubts or scruples touching

church government here asserted, being succinctly resolved, we shall

preface no further.

_Doubt_ 1. Many scruple, and much question the divine right of the whole

frame of church government; as, 1. Whether there be any particular

church government of divine right? 2. What that government is? 3. What

church officers or members of elderships are of divine right? 4. Whether

parochial or congregational elderships be of divine right? 5. Whether

classical presbyteries be of divine right? 6. Whether provincial,

national, and ecumenical assemblies be of divine right? 7. Whether

appeals from congregational to classical, provincial, national, and

ecumenical assemblies, and their power to determine upon such appeals,

be of divine right? 8. Whether the power of censures in the

congregational eldership, or any other assembly, be of divine right? 9.

Whether there be any particular rules in the Scripture directing persons

or assemblies in the exercise of their power? 10. Whether the civil

magistrates, or their committees' and commissioners' execution of church

censures be contrary to that way of government which Christ hath

appointed in his Church?

_Resol_. To all or most of these doubts some competent satisfaction may

be had from this treatise ensuing, if seriously considered. For, 1. That

there is a church government of divine right, now under the New

Testament, declared in Scripture, is proved, Part I. 2. What that

government is in particular, is evidenced both by the description of

church government, and the confirmation of the parts thereof by

Scripture, Part. II. chap. 1, and so to the end of the book: whereby it

is cleared that the presbyterial government is that particular

government which is of divine right, according to the word of God. 3.

What ordinary church officers, (members of the several elderships,) are

of divine right, is proved, Part II, chap. 11, sect. 1, viz. pastors and

teachers, with ruling elders. 4. That parochial or congregational

elderships, consisting of preaching and ruling elders, are of divine

right, is manifested, Part II. chap. 12. 5. That classical presbyteries,

or assemblies, and their power in church government, are of divine

right, is demonstrated, Part II. chap. 13. 6. That synodical assemblies,

or councils in general, (consequently provincial, national, or

ecumenical councils in particular,) and their power in church

government, are of divine right, is cleared, Part II. chap. 14. 7. That

appeals from congregational elderships, to classical and synodical

assemblies, from lesser to greater assemblies associated, and power in

those assemblies to determine authoritatively in such, appeals, are of

divine right, is proved, Part II. chap. 15. 8. That the power of church

censures is in Christ's own church officers only as the first subject

and proper receptacle there of divine right, is cleared, Part II. chap.

11, sect. 2, which officers of Christ have and execute the said power

respectively, in all the ruling assemblies, congregational, classical,

or synodical. See section 3, and chap. 12, 13, 14, 15. 9. That the

Scriptures hold forth, touching church government, not only general, but

also many particular rules, sufficiently directing both persons and

assemblies how they should duly put in execution their power of church,

government. This is made good, Part II. chap. 4; and those that desire

to know which are these rules in particular, may consult those

learned[2] centuriators of Magdeburg, who have collected and

methodically digested, in the very words of the Scripture, a system of

canons or rules, touching church government, as in the preface to those

rules they do profess, saying, touching things pertaining to the

government of the Church, the apostles delivered certain canons, which

we will add in order, &c., the very heads of which would be too prolix

to recite. 10. Finally, that neither the supreme civil magistrate, as

such, nor consequently any commissioner or committees whatsoever,

devised and erected by his authority, are the proper subject of the

formal power of church government, nor may lawfully, by any virtue of

the magistratical office, dispense any ecclesiastical censures or

ordinances: but that such undertakings are inconsistent with that way of

government which Christ hath appointed in his Church, is evidenced, Part

II. chap. 9, well compared with chap. 11.

_Doubt_ 2. But this presbyterial government is likely to be an arbitrary

and tyrannical government, forasmuch as the presbyters of the assembly

of divines and others (who, Diotrephes-like, generally affect

domineering) have desired an unlimited power, according to their own

judgments and prudence, in excommunicating men from the ordinances in

cases of scandal.

_Resol_. A heinous charge, could it be proved against the presbyterial

government. Now for wiping off this black aspersion, consider two

things, viz: I. The imputation itself, which is unjust and groundless;

II. The pretended ground hereof, which is false or frivolous.

I. The imputation itself is, that the presbyterial government is likely

to be an arbitrary and tyrannical government. _Ans_. How unjust this

aspersion! I. What likelihood of arbitrary conduct in this government,

that is, that it should be managed and carried on according to men's

mere will and pleasure? For, 1. The presbyterial government (truly so

called) is not in the nature of it any invention of man, but an

ordinance of Christ; nor in the execution of it to be stated by the will

of man, but only by the sure word of prophecy, the sacred Scriptures.

This government allows not of one church officer at all; nor of one

ruling assembly made up of those officers; nor of one censure or act of

power to be done by any officer or assembly; nor of one ordinance to be

managed in the Church of God, but what are grounded upon, and warranted

by the word of God. This government allows no execution of any part

thereof, neither in substantials, nor circumstantials, but according to

the particular, or at least, the general rules of Scripture

respectively. And can that be arbitrary, which is not at all according

to man's will, but only according to Christ's rule, limiting and

ordering man's will? Or is not the Scripture a better and safer

provision against all arbitrary government in the Church, than all the

ordinances, decrees, statutes, or whatsoever municipal laws in the world

of man's devising, can be against all arbitrary government in the

commonwealth? Let not men put out their own eyes, though others would

cast a mist before them. 2. Who can justly challenge the reformed

presbyterial churches for arbitrary proceedings in matters of church

government, practised in some of them for above these fourscore years?

Or where are their accusers? 3. Why should the presbyterial

government, to be erected in England, be prejudged as arbitrary, before

the government be put in execution? When arbitrary conduct appears, let

the adversaries complain. 4. If any arbitrary conduct hath been

discovered in any reformed church, or shall fall out in ours, it is or

shall be more justly reputed the infirmity and fault of the governors,

than of the government itself.

II. What probability or possibility of tyranny in the presbyterial

government? For, 1. Who should tyrannize, what persons, what ruling

assemblies? Not the ministers; for, hitherto they have given no just

cause of any suspicion, since this government was in hand: and they are

counterpoised in all assemblies with a plurality of ruling elders, it

being already studiously[3] provided that there be always two ruling

elders to one minister: if there be still two to one, how should they

tyrannize if they would? Neither ministers nor ruling elders are likely

to tyrannize, if due care be taken by them, whom it doth concern, to

elect, place, and appoint, conscientious, prudent, and gracious

ministers and ruling elders over all congregations. Nor yet the ruling

assemblies, lesser or greater; for in the presbyterial government all

lesser ruling assemblies (though now at first, perhaps, some of them

consisting of more weak and less experienced members) are subordinate to

the greater authoritatively; and persons aggrieved by any

mal-administrations have liberty to appeal from inferior to superior:

and the very national assembly itself, though not properly subordinate,

yet is it to be responsible to the supreme political magistracy in all

their proceedings so far as subjects and members of the commonwealth.

III. How can they tyrannize over any? Or in what respects? Not over

their estates: for they claim no secular power at all over men's

estates, by fines, penalties, forfeitures, or confiscations. Not over

their bodies, for they inflict no corporal punishment, by banishment,

imprisonment, branding, slitting, cropping, striking, whipping,

dismembering, or killing. Not over their souls; for, them they desire by

this government to gain, Matth. xviii. 15; to edify, 2 Cor. x. 8, and

xiii. 10; and to save, 1 Cor. v. 5. Only this government ought to be

impartial and severe against sin, that the flesh may be destroyed, 1

Cor. v. 5. It is only destructive to corruption, which is deadly and

destructive to the soul. Thus the imputation itself of arbitrary conduct

and tyranny to the presbyterial government is unjust and groundless.

II. The pretended ground of this aspersion is false and frivolous. The

presbyters of the Assembly of Divines, and others (_Diotrephes_-like,

affecting pre-eminence) have desired an unlimited power, according to

their own prudence and judgment, in keeping men from the ordinances in

cases of scandal not enumerated. _Ans_. 1. The presbyters of the

Assembly and others, are so far from the domineering humor of

Diotrephes, that they could gladly and heartily have quitted all

intermeddling in church government, if Jesus Christ had not by office

engaged them thereto; only to have dispensed the word and sacraments

would have procured them less hatred, and more case. 2. They desired

liberty to keep from the ordinances, not only persons guilty of the

scandals enumerated, but of all such like scandals, (and to judge which

are those scandals, not according to their minds unlimitedly, but

according to the mind of Christ in his word, more sure than all

ordinances or acts of Parliament in the world.) And was this so hideous

a desire? This liberty was desired, not for themselves, but for

well-constituted elderships. As great power was granted by the very

service-book to every single curate; (see the Rubric before the

communion.) A perfect enumeration and description of scandals can be

made in no book but in the Scriptures; and when all is done, must we not

refer thither? All scandals are punishable, as well as any, and to

inflict penalties on some, and not on others as bad or worse, is

inexcusable partiality. Why should not presbyteries duly constituted,

especially the greater, be accounted, at least, as faithful,

intelligent, prudent, and every way as competent judges of what is

scandal, and what not, according to the Scriptures, and that without

arbitrary conduct and tyranny, as any civil court, committees, or

commissioners whatsoever? Ruling church assemblies are intrusted with

the whole government in the church, consequently with this, and every

part. The best reformed churches allow to their presbyteries power to

keep from the ordinances scandalous persons, not only for scandals

enumerated, but for scandals of like nature not enumerated, with some

general clause or other, as may appear in eight several churches,

according to the allegations here in the foot-note;[4] and, therefore,

no new thing is desired, but what is commonly practised in the reformed

churches, whom we should imitate so far as they lead us on towards

purity and perfection.

_Doubt_ 3. But the independent government seems to be a far more

excellent way, and it is embraced by many godly and precious people and

ministers.

_Ans_. 1. What true excellency is there at all in the whole independent

government, save only in those particulars wherein it agrees with the

presbyterial government; and only so far as it is presbyterial?

Therefore, the presbyterial government is equally, yea, primarily and

principally excellent. Wherein is the excellency of the independent way

of government? 1st. Have they only those officers which Christ himself

hath appointed, pastors and teachers, ruling elders and deacons? So the

Presbyterians. 2d. Have they those spiritual censures, of admonishing,

excommunicating, and receiving again into communion, which Christ

ordained in his Church, for guarding his ordinances, and well guiding of

the flock? So the Presbyterians. 3d. Have they congregational

presbyteries duly elected, and constituted for the exercise of all acts

of government, proper and necessary for their respective congregations?

So the Presbyterians. 4th. Have they liberty of electing their own[5]

officers, pastors, elders, and deacons? So the Presbyterians. 5th. Have

they power to keep the whole lump of the Church from being leavened, and

purely to preserve the ordinances of Christ, from pollution and

profanation, &c.? So the Presbyterians, &c. So that whereinsoever the

independent government is truly excellent, the presbyterial government

stands in a full equipage and equality of excellence.

II. What one true excellence is there in the whole independent

government in any one point, wherein it really differs from the

presbyterial government? Take for instance a few points of difference.

_In the independent government._

No other visible Church of Christ is acknowledged, but only a single

congregational meeting in one place to partake of all ordinances.

The matter of their visible Church must be to their utmost judgment

of discerning such as have true grace, real saints.

Their churches are gathered out of other true visible churches of

Christ, without any leave or consent of pastor or flock; yea,

against their wills, receiving such as tender themselves, yea, too

often by themselves or others, directly or indirectly seducing

disciples after them.

Preaching elders are only elected, not ordained.

Ruling elders also preach.

The subject of church government is the community of the faithful.

The church officers act immediately as the servants of the church,

and deputed thereby.

All censures and acts of government are dispensed in single

congregations ultimately, independently, without all liberty of

appeal from them to any superior church assembly; so the parties

grieved are left without remedy.

There are acknowledged no authoritative classes or synods, in

common, great, difficult cases, and in matters of appeals, but only

suasive and consultative; and in case advice be not followed, they

proceed only to a non-communion.

_In the presbyterial government._

One general visible Church of Christ on earth is acknowledged, and

all particular churches; and single congregations are but as similar

parts of that whole.

The matter of the Church invisible are only true believers, but of

the Church visible persons professing true faith in Christ, and

obedience to him according to the rules of the Gospel.

Parochial churches are received as true visible churches of Christ,

and most convenient for mutual edification. Gathering churches out

of churches, hath no footsteps in Scripture; is contrary to

apostolical practice; is the scattering of churches, the daughter of

schism, the mother of confusion, but the stepmother to edification.

Preaching elders are both elected and ordained.

Ruling elders only rule, preach not, 1 Tim. v. 17.

The subject of church government is only Christ's own church

officers.

The church governors act immediately as the servants of Christ, and

as appointed by him.

All censures and acts of government are dispensed in congregational

presbyteries subordinately, dependently, with liberty of appeal in

all cases to presbyterial or synodal assemblies; where parties

grieved have sufficient remedy.

There are acknowledged, and with happy success used, not only

suasive and consultative; but also authoritative classes and synods,

in cases of great importance, difficulty, common concernment, or

appeals; which have power to dispense all church censures, as need

shall require.

Let these and such like particulars in the independent way, differing

from the presbyterial, be duly pondered, and then let the impartial and

indifferent reader judge, whether they be not the deformities, at least

the infirmities of that way.

III. How many true excellences are there in the way of the presbyterial

government, wherein it utterly surpasses the independent government!

Read but the particulars of the former parallel in the presbyterial

government, and then consider how far this transcends, yea, how the

independent government is indeed no government at all, to the

presbyterial government; wherein is to be found such ample provision,

and that according to the word of God, for comely order against

confusion; for peace and unity of the Church against schism and

division; for truth of the faith against all error and heresy; for piety

and unblamableness against all impiety and scandal of conversation; for

equity and right against all mal-administrations, whether ignorant,

arbitrary, or tyrannical; for the honor and purity of all Christ's

ordinances against all contempt, pollution, and profanation; for

comfort, quickening, and encouragement of the saints in all the ways of

Christ; and consequently for the honor of God and our Lord Jesus Christ

in all the mysterious services of his spiritual sanctuary: all which

rich advantages, how impossible is it they should ever be found in the

independent government so long as it continues independent? And what

though some pious minister and people embrace the independent way! This

dazzles not the eyes of the intelligent, but of the infirm; we are to be

regulated by Scripture warrant, not by human examples. The best of

saints have failed in the ecclesiastical affairs; what a sharp

contention was there between Paul and Barnabas, Acts xv. 39, &c.; what a

dangerous dissimulation was there in Peter, the Jews, and Barnabas! Gal.

ii. 11, 12, 13, &c.; and, therefore, it is not safe, prudent, or

conscientious, to imitate all the examples of the best, and yet how few

are those that have engaged themselves in the independent way, in

comparison to the multitude of precious ministers and people, inferior

to them neither in parts, learning, piety, nor any other spiritual gift,

who are for the presbyterial way of church government! Notwithstanding,

let all the true Israel of God constantly follow, not the doubtful

practices of unglorified saints, but the written pleasure of the most

glorious King of saints; and as many as walk according to this rule,

peace shall be on them, and upon the Israel of God.

THE DIVINE RIGHT OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT.

PART I.

OF THE NATURE OF A DIVINE RIGHT: AND HOW MANY WAYS A THING MAY BE OF

DIVINE RIGHT.

CHAPTER I.

_That there is a Government in the Church of_ DIVINE RIGHT _now under

the New Testament._

Jesus Christ our Mediator hath _the government_ (both of the Church, and

of all things for the Church) laid _upon his shoulder_, Isa. ix. 6, and

to that end hath _all power in heaven and earth given to him_, Matth.

xxviii. 18, John v. 22, Ephes. i. 22. But lapsed man (being full of

pride, Psal. x. 2, 4, and enmity against the law of God, Rom. viii. 7)

is most impatient of all government of God and of Christ, Ps. ii. 1, 2,

3, with Luke xix. 14, 27; whence it comes to pass, that the _governing_

and _kingly power_ of Christ hath been opposed in all ages, and

especially in this of ours, by quarrelsome queries, wrangling disputes,

plausible pretences, subtle policies, strong self-interests, and mere

violent wilfulness of many in England, even after they are brought under

the _oath of God to reform church government according to the word of

God_. Yet it will be easily granted _that there should be a government

in the Church of God_, otherwise the Church would become a mere _Babel_

and _chaos_ of confusion, and be in a far worse condition than all human

societies in the whole world: and _that some one church government is

much to be preferred before another, yea, before all other_; as being

most desirable in itself, and most suitable to this state; otherwise,

why is the _Prelatical_ government rejected, that another and a better

may be erected instead thereof? But the pinch lies in this, _Whether

there be any government in the Church visible of divine right?_ And, if

so, _which of those church governments_ (which lay claim to a divine

right for their foundation) _may be most clearly evinced by the

Scriptures to be of_ divine right _indeed?_ If the former be

convincingly affirmed, the fancy of the _Erastians_ and _semi-Erastians_

of these things will vanish, that deny all government to the Church

distinct from that of the civil magistrate. If the latter be solidly

proved by Scripture, it will appear, whether the _monarchical

government_ of the pope and prelates; or the _mere democratical

government_ of all the people in an equal level of authority, as among

the Brownists; or the _mixed democratical government_ of both elders and

people within their own single congregation only, without all

subordination of Assemblies, and benefit of appeals, as among the

Independents; or rather the _pure representative government_ of the

presbytery or church rulers only, chosen by the people, in subordination

to superior synodical assemblies, and with appeals thereto, as it is

among the Presbyterians, be that peculiar government which Jesus Christ

hath left unto his church, by divine right, and in comparison of which

all others are to be rejected.

To draw things therefore to a clear and speedy issue about the divine

right of church government, let this general proposition be laid down--

_The Scriptures declare, That there is a government of_ DIVINE RIGHT _in

the visible Church of Christ now under the New Testament._

This is evident, 1 Cor. xii. 28, _God hath set some in the Church,

first, Apostles, secondly, Prophets, thirdly, Teachers--Helps,

Governments;_ in which place these things are plain: 1. That here the

Apostle speaks of the visible Church: for he had formerly spoken of

visible gifts and _manifestations of the Spirit given to profit this_

Church _withal_, ver. 7 to 12. He also compares this Church of God to a

visible organical body, consisting of many visible members, ver. 12, 13,

&c. And in this 28th verse he enumerates the visible officers of this

Church. 2. That here the Apostle speaks of one general visible Church;

for he saith not _churches_, but _church_, in the singular number, that

is, of one; besides, he speaks here of the Church in such a latitude as

to comprehend in itself all gifts of the Spirit, all members, and all

officers, both extraordinary and ordinary, which cannot be meant of the

church of Corinth, or any one particular church, but only of that one

general Church on earth. 3. That this general visible Church here meant,

is the Church of Christ now under the New Testament, and not under the

Old Testament; for he mentions here the New Testament officers only,

ver. 28. 4. That in the visible Church now under the New Testament,

there is a government settled; for besides _Apostles, Prophets_, and

_Teachers_, here is mention of another sort of officer distinct from

them all, called, in the abstract, _Governments_, a metaphor from

pilots, mariners, or shipmasters, who by their helm, card, or compass,

cables, and other tacklings, guide, and order, turn and twine the ship

as necessity shall require; so these officers called _Governments_, have

a power of governing and steering the spiritual vessel of the Church;

thus, Beza on this place, says he declares the order of Presbyters, _who

are keepers of discipline and church polity_. For how improperly should

these, or any officers be styled _Governments in the Church_, if they

had not a power of government in the Church settled upon them? Nor can

this be interpreted of the civil magistrate; for, when the Apostle wrote

this, the Church had her government, when yet she had no civil

magistrate to protect her; and when did God ever take this power from

the Church and settle it upon the civil magistrate? Besides, all the

other officers here enumerated are purely ecclesiastical officers; how

groundless then and inconsistent is it under this name of _Governments_

to introduce a foreign power, viz. the political magistrate, into the

list and roll of mere church officers? Finally, the civil magistrate, as

a magistrate, is not so much as a member of the visible Church, (for

then all Pagan magistrates should be members of the Church,) much less a

governor in the Church of Christ. 5. That this government settled in the

Church is of divine right; for, of those _Governments_, as well as of

_Apostles, Prophets_, and _Teachers_, it is said, _God hath set_ them

_in the Church. God hath set_ them, _hath put, set_--Tremellius out of

the Syriac. Hath _constituted, ordained_--Beza out of the Greek. Now, if

they be set in the Church and God hath set them there, here is a plain

divine right for government in the Church.

Add hereto, 2 Cor. x. 8, "Of our authority, which the Lord hath given to

us for the edification, and not for the destruction of you." Here are

mentioned--1. Church power or authority for government in the Church. 2.

The end of this power--positively, for the edification; negatively, not

for the destruction of the Church. 3. The Author or Fountain of this

authority--the Lord Christ hath given it, dispensed it; there is the

divine right. 4. The proper subjects intrusted with this authority, viz:

the church guides, our authority, which he hath given to us. They are

the receptacle of power for the Church, and the government thereof.

Compare also 1 Thes. v. 12, Matth. xvi. 19, 20, with xviii. 11, and John

xx. 21, 22, 23. In which and divers like places the divine right of

church government is apparently vouched by the Scripture, as will

hereafter more fully appear; but this may suffice in general for the

confirmation of this general proposition.

CHAPTER II.

_Of the Nature of a_ DIVINE RIGHT _in general._

Now touching this divine right of church government, two things are yet

more particularly to be opened and proved, for the more satisfactory

clearing thereof unto sober minds, to unprejudiced and unpre-engaged

judgments, viz:--1. What the nature of a divine right is, and how many

ways a thing may be said to be of divine right, and that by warrant of

Scripture. 2. What the nature of the government of the Church under the

New Testament is, which is vouched by the Scripture to be of divine

right.

For the first--viz. What the nature of a divine right is--consider both

what a divine right is in general, and how many ways a thing may be said

by Scripture warrant to be of divine right in particular.

_Right_ is that which is most proper, just, or equal; or that which is

prescribed or commanded by some statute law, and is just to be received

in virtue of said law.

_Divine_ sometimes points out a divine warrant or authority from God,

engraven or enstamped upon any thing, whereby it is exalted above all

human or created authority and power. And thus, all Scripture is styled

divinely breathed or inspired of God. Hence is the divine authority of

Scripture asserted, 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17; and in this sense divine right

is here spoken of, in reference to church government, as it signifies a

divine warrant and authority from God himself, engraven upon that church

government and discipline, (hereafter to be handled,) and revealed to us

in his holy Scriptures, the infallible and perfect oracles. So that

divine right, according to this interpretation of the terms, is that

which is either just, meet, and equal; or commanded and enjoined by any

divine warrant or authority. And generally, a thing may be said to be of

divine right, which is any way divinely just, equal, &c.; or divinely

commanded by any law of God, or by that which is equivalent to a divine

law. And whatsoever matters in church government can be proved by

Scripture to have this stamp of divine warrant and authority set upon

them, they may properly be said to be of divine right, and that by the

will and appointment of Jesus Christ, to whom God hath delegated all

power and authority for the government of his Church, Matth. xxviii. 18,

19, 20, Isa. ix. 6, John v. 22, Eph. i. 22. In this sense, if church

government, or any part of it, be found to be of divine right, then

consequently--1. It is above all mere human power and created authority

in the world whatsoever, and that supereminently. A divine

right is the highest and best tenure whereby the Church can hold of

Christ any doctrine, worship, or government; only God can stamp such a

divine right upon any of these things, whereby conscience shall be

obliged. All human inventions herein, whether devised of our own hearts,

or derived as traditions from others, are incompatible and inconsistent

herewith; vain in themselves, and to all that use them, and condemned of

God. See 1 Kings xii. 32, 33, Isa. xxix. 4, Matth. xv. 6, 7, 8, 9. 2. It

is beyond all just, human, or created power, to abolish or oppose the

same, or the due execution thereof in the Church of Christ; for what is

of divine right, is held of God, and not of man; and to oppose that,

were to fight against God. The supreme magistrates in such cases should

be nurse-fathers, Isa. xlix. 23, not step-fathers to the Church; their

power being cumulative and perfective, not privative and destructive

unto her; for she both had and exercised a power in church government,

long before there was any Christian magistrate in the world; and it

cannot be proved that ever Christ took away that power from his Church,

or translated it to the political magistrate, when he became Christian.

3. It is so obligatory upon all churches in the whole Christian world,

that they ought uniformly to submit themselves unto it; for a divine

right is equally obligatory on one church as well as on another. And it

is so obligatory on all persons, states, and degrees, that none ought to

be exempted from that church government which is of divine right, nor to

be _tolerated_ in another church government, which is but of human

invention; nor ought any Christian to seek after, or content himself

with any such exemption or _toleration_; for in so doing, the inventions

of men should be preferred before the ordinances of God; our own wisdom,

will, and authority, before the wisdom, will, and authority of Christ:

and we should in effect say, _We will not have this man to reign over

us_, Luke xix. 27. _Let us break their bands asunder, and cast their

cords away from us_, Psalm ii. 3.

CHAPTER III.

_Of the Nature of a_ DIVINE RIGHT _in particular. How many ways a thing

may be of_ DIVINE RIGHT. _And first, of a_ DIVINE RIGHT _by the true

light of nature._

Thus we see in general what a divine right is: now in particular let us

come to consider how many ways a thing may be said to be of divine right

by scripture-warrant, keeping still our eye upon this subject of church

government, at which all particulars are to be levelled for the clearing

of it.

A thing may be said to be of divine right, or (which is the same for

substance) of divine institution, divers ways. 1. _By the true light of

nature._ 2. _By obligatory scripture examples._ 3. _By divine

approbation._ 4. _By divine acts._ 5. _By divine precepts or mandates._

All may be reduced to these five heads, ascending by degrees from the

lowest to the highest divine right.

I. _By light of nature._ That which is evident by, and consonant to the

true light of nature, or natural reason, is to be accounted of divine

right in matters of religion. Hence two things are to be made out by

Scripture. 1. What is meant by the true light of nature. 2. How it may

be proved, that what things in religion are evident by, or consonant to

this true light of nature, are of divine right.

1. For the first, What is meant by the true light of nature, or natural

reason? Thus conceive. The light of nature may be considered two ways.

1. As it was in man before the fall, and so it was that image and

similitude of God, in which man was at first created, Gen. i. 26, 27, or

at least part of that image; which image of God, and light of nature,

was con-created with man, and was perfect: viz. so perfect as the sphere

of humanity and state of innocency did require; there was no sinful

darkness, crookedness, or imperfection in it; and whatsoever was evident

by, or consonant to this pure and perfect light of nature, in respect

either of theory or practice, was doubtless of divine right, because

correspondent to that divine law of God's image naturally engraved in

Adam's heart. But man being lapsed, this will not be now our question,

as it is not our case. 2. As it is now in man after the fall. The light

of nature and image of God in man is not totally abolished and utterly

razed by the fall; there remain still some relics and fragments thereof,

some glimmerings, dawnings, and common principles of light, both

touching piety to God, equity to man, and sobriety to a man's self, &c.,

as is evident by comparing these places, Psal. xix. 1, 2, &c., Acts

xiv. 17, and xvii. 27, 28; Rom. i. 18-21, and ii. 12, 14, 15; 2 Cor. v.

1: in which places it is plain, 1. That the book of the creature is able

(without the scriptures, or divine revelations) to make known to man

much of God, his invisible Godhead and attributes, Psalm xix. 1, 2, &c.;

Acts xiv. 17, and xvii. 27, 28; yea, so far as to leave them without

excuse, Rom. i. 18-21. 2. That there remained so much natural light in

the minds even of the heathens, as to render them capable of instruction

by the creature in the invisible things of God; yea, and that they

actually in some measure did know God, and because they walked not up to

this knowledge, were plagued, Rom. i. 18-21, 24, &c. 3. That the work of

the law (though not the right ground, manner, and end of that work,

which is the blessing of the new covenant, Jer. xxxi. 33; Heb. viii. 10)

was materially written in some measure in their hearts. Partly because

they did by nature without the law the things contained in the law, so

being a law to themselves, Rom. ii. 14, 15; partly, because they by

nature forbore some of those sins which were forbidden in the law, and

were practised by some that had the law, as 2 Cor. v. 1; and partly,

because according to the good and bad they did, &c., their conscience

did accuse or excuse, Rom. ii. 15. Now conscience doth not accuse or

excuse but according to some rule, principle, or law of God, (which is

above the conscience,) or at least so supposed to be. And they had no

law but the imperfect characters thereof in their own hearts, which were

not quite obliterated by the fall. Now so far as this light of nature

after the fall, is a true relic of the light of nature before the fall,

that which is according to this light may be counted of divine right in

matters of religion, which is the next thing to be proved.

For the second, how it may be proved that what things in religion are

evident by, or consonant to this true light of nature, are of divine

right. Thus briefly,

1. Because that knowledge which by the light of nature Gentiles have of

the invisible things of God, is a beam of divine light, as the apostle,

speaking of the Gentiles' light of nature, saith, That which may be

known of God is manifest in them--for God hath showed it to them. For

the invisible things, &c., Rom. i. 19, 20. God himself is the Fountain

and Author of the true light of nature; hence some not unfitly call it

the divine light of nature, not only because it hath God for its object,

but also God for its principle; now that which is according to God's

manifestation, must needs be of divine right.

2. Because the Spirit of God and of Christ in the New Testament is

pleased often to argue from the light of nature in condemning of sin, in

commending and urging of duty, as in the case of the incestuous

Corinthian; "It is reported commonly, that there is fornication among

you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the

Gentiles," (who had only the light of nature to guide them,) 1 Cor. v.

1. In case of the habits of men and women in their public church

assemblies, that women's heads should be covered, men's uncovered in

praying or prophesying. "Judge in yourselves, is it comely that a woman

pray unto God uncovered? Doth not even nature itself teach you, that if

a man hath long hair, it is a shame to him? but if a woman have long

hair it is a glory to her," &c., 1 Cor. xi. 13-15. Here the apostle

appeals plainly to the very light of nature for the regulating and

directing of their habits in church assemblies; and thus, in case of

praying or prophesying in the congregation in an unknown tongue, (unless

some do interpret,) he strongly argues against it from the light of

nature, 1 Cor. xiv. 7-11, and afterwards urges that women be silent in

their churches, from the natural uncomeliness of their speaking there,

for it is a shame for women to speak in the church, 1 Cor. xiv. 34, 35.

Now, if the Spirit of God condemn things as vicious, and commend things

as virtuous from the light of nature, is there not divine right in the

light of nature? May we not say, that which is repugnant to the light of

nature in matters of religion, is condemned by divine right; and what is

correspondent to the light of nature, is prescribed by divine right? And

if not, where is the strength or force of this kind of arguing from the

light of nature?

Consequently, in the present case of church government, that which is

agreeable to the true light of nature, must needs be confessed to be of

divine right. Though the light of nature be but dim, yet it will lend

some help in this particular: e.g. the light of nature teaches, 1. That

as every society in the world hath a distinct government of its own

within itself, without which it could not subsist, so must the Church,

which is a society, have its own distinct government within itself,

without which it cannot subsist more than any other society. 2. That in

all matters of difference the lesser number in every society should give

way to, and the matters controverted be determined and concluded by the

major part; else there would never be an end: and why not so in the

Church? 3. That in every ill administration in inferior societies the

parties aggrieved should have liberty to appeal from them to superior

societies, that equity may take place; and why not from inferior to

superior church assemblies?

CHAPTER IV.

II. _Of a Divine Right by obligatory Scripture Examples._

II. By obligatory scripture examples (which God's people are bound to

follow and imitate) matters of religion become of divine right, and by

the will and appointment of Jesus Christ, by whose Spirit those examples

were recorded in Scripture, and propounded for imitation to the saints.

The light of nature in this case helps something; but the light of

obligatory scripture examples helps much more, as being more clear,

distinct, and particular. We say scripture examples; for only these

examples are held forth to us by an infallible, impartial, divine hand,

and those scripture examples obligatory, or binding; for there are many

sorts of scripture examples that oblige not us to imitation of them,

being written for other uses and purposes.

Great use is to be made of such examples in matters of religion, and

particularly in matters of church government, for the clearing of the

divine right thereof; and great opposition is made by some against the

binding force of examples, especially by men of perverse spirits, (as

too many of the Erastian party are;) therefore it will be of great

consequence to unfold and clear this matter of scripture examples, and

the obliging power thereof, that we may see how far examples are to be a

law and rule for us by divine right. In general, this proposition seems

to be unquestionable, that whatsoever matter or act of religion Jesus

Christ makes known to his Church and people, by or under any binding

scripture example, that matter or act of religion so made known, is of

divine right, and by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ: But to

evince this more satisfactorily, these several particulars are to be

distinctly made good and manifested: 1. That some scripture examples are

obligatory and binding on Christians in matters of religion. 2. Which

are those obligatory scripture examples? These things being made out, we

shall see with what strength scripture examples hold forth a divine

right to us in the mysteries of religion, and particularly in church

government.

I. That some scripture examples in matters of religion are obligatory on

Christians, as patterns and rules, which they are bound in conscience to

follow and imitate, is evident,

1. By the divine intention of the Spirit of God, in recording and

propounding of examples in Scripture: for he records and propounds them

for this very end, that they may be imitated. Thus Christ's humility,

in washing the feet of his disciples, was intentionally propounded as an

obligatory example, binding both the disciples, and us after them, to

perform the meanest offices of love in humility to one another. "If I

then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye ought also to wash

one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do

as I have done to you," John xiii. 4, &c., 13-15. Thus Christ's

suffering with innocence and unprovoked patience, not reviling again,

&c., is purposely propounded for all Christians to imitate, and they are

bound in conscience as well as they can to follow it--"Christ suffered

for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps," &c., 1

Pet. ii. 21-23. Hence, the apostle so urges the example of Christ for

the Corinthians to follow in their bounty to the poor saints, yea,

though to their own impoverishing, "For you know the grace of our Lord

Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became

poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich," 2 Cor. viii. 9. Nor

was the example of Christ only written for our imitation; but the

examples of the apostles also in the primitive churches were

intentionally left upon record for this end, that they might be binding

patterns for us to follow in like cases in after ages. And in

particular, this seems to be one singular ground, scope, and intention

of Christ's Spirit in writing the history of the Acts of the Apostles,

that the apostles' acts in the primitive churches might be our rules in

successive churches. For, 1. Though this book contain in it many things

dogmatical, that is, divers doctrines of the apostles, yet it is not

styled the book of the doctrine, but of the Acts of the Apostles, that

we may learn to act as they acted. This being one main difference

between profane and sacred histories; those are for speculation, these

also for admonition and imitation, 1 Cor. x. 11. The history, therefore,

of the Acts propounds examples admonitory and obligatory upon us, that

we should express like acts in like cases. 2. Luke (the penman of the

Acts) makes such a transition from his history of Christ, to this

history of Christ's apostles, as to unite and knit them into one volume,

Acts i. 1; whence we are given to understand, that if the Church wanted

this history of the apostles, she should want that perfect direction

which the Spirit intended for her: as also that this book is useful and

needful to her as well as the other. 3. In the very front of the Acts it

is said, that _Christ after his resurrection_ (and before his ascension)

_gave commandments to the apostles--and spake of the things pertaining

to the kingdom of God_, Acts i. 2, 3; viz. of the polity of the Church,

say some.[6] Of the kingdom of grace, say others.[7] Judicious

Calvin[8] interprets it partly of church government, saying, Luke

admonisheth us, that Christ did not so depart out of the world, as to

cast off all care of us: for by this doctrine he shows that he hath

constituted a perpetual government in his Church. Therefore Luke

signifies, that Christ departed not, before he had provided for his

Church's government. Now those expressions are set in the frontispiece,

to stamp the greater authority and obligatory power upon the acts after

recorded, being done according to Christ's commandments; Christ

intending their acts in the first founding of his kingdom and polity

ecclesiastic to be the rule for after churches. For what Christ spoke of

his kingdom to the apostles is like that, "What I say to you, I say to

all," Matt. xiii. 37, as what was said to the apostles touching

preaching and baptizing, remitting and retaining of sins, was said to

all the apostles' successors, "to the end of the world," John xx. 21,

23, with Matt, xxviii. 18-20.

2. By God's approving and commending such as were followers not only of

the doctrine, but also of the examples of the Lord, his apostles, and

primitive churches; "And ye became followers" (or imitators) "of us and

of the Lord," 1 Thess. i. 6, 7; and again, "Ye, brethren, became

followers" (or imitators) "of the churches of God, which in Judea are in

Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own

countrymen, even as they have of the Jews," 1 Thess. ii. 14. In which

places the Holy Ghost recites the Thessalonians imitating of the Lord,

of the apostles, and of the churches, to the praise of the

Thessalonians, by which they are given to understand that they did well,

and discharged their duty in such imitations: for God's condemning or

commending any thing, is virtually a prohibiting or prescribing thereof.

3. By the Lord's commanding some examples to be imitated. Commands of

this nature are frequent. In general, "Beloved, imitate not that which

is evil, but that which is good," 3 John 11. In particular, 1. Imitating

of God and Christ; "Be ye, therefore, followers of God as dear children:

and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us," Eph. v. 1, 2, with Eph.

iv. 32. "He that saith he abideth in him, ought himself also to walk,

even as he walked," 1 John ii. 6. 2. Imitating the apostles and other

saints of God. "I beseech you, be ye imitators of me: for this cause

have I sent unto you Timothy--who shall bring you into remembrance of my

ways which be in Christ," 1 Cor. iv. 16, 17. "Be ye imitators of me,

even as I also am of Christ," 1 Cor. xi. 1.

"Those things which you have both learned, and received, and heard, and

seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you," Phil. iv. 9.

"Be not slothful, but imitators of them who through faith and patience

inherit the promises," Heb. vi. 12. "Whose faith imitate, considering

the end of their conversation," Heb. xiii. 7. "Take, my brethren, the

prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example" (or

pattern) "of suffering affliction, and of patience," James v. 10. These

and like divine commands infallibly evidence that many scripture

examples are obligatory, and do bind our consciences to the imitation of

them.

4. By consent of orthodox and learned writers, both ancient and modern,

acknowledging an obligatory force in some scripture examples, as being

left upon record for our imitation. As among others Chrysostom,[9] and

Greg. Nyssen[10] well observe.

Among modern writers, Mr. Perkins excellently observes, This is a rule

in divinity, that the ordinary examples of the godly approved in

Scripture, being against no general precept, have the force of a general

rule, and are to be followed. See also Pet. Martyr, Calvin, and

others.[11]

II. Thus, it is clear that some scripture examples are obligatory. Now

(to come closer to the matter) consider which scripture examples are

obligatory. 1. How many sorts of binding examples are propounded to us

in Scripture. 2. What rules we may walk by for finding out the

obligatory force of such examples.

How many sorts of binding examples are propounded unto us in Scripture,

and which are those examples? Ans. There are principally three sorts,

viz: Examples of God, of Christ, of Christians.

I. Of God. The example of God is propounded in Scripture as obligatory

on us in all moral excellencies and actions: e.g. Matt. v. 44, 45, 48;

Eph. v. 1; 1 Pet. i. 14-16; 1 John iv. 10, 11.

II. Of Christ. That the example of Christ is obligatory, and a binding

rule to us for imitation, is evident by these and like testimonies of

Scripture, Matt. xi. 29; 1 Cor. xi. 11; Eph. v. 2, 3, 25, &c.; 1 John

ii. 6; 1 Pet. ii. 21-23. "If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed

your feet, ye ought also to wash one another's feet. For I have given

you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you," John xiii. 14,

15. In this place we must follow the reason of the example, rather than

the individual act, viz: after Christ's example, we must be ready to

perform the lowest and meanest offices of love and service to one

another.

But which of Christ's examples are obligatory on Christians, will better

appear, by distinguishing the several sorts of Christ's actions.

Christ's actions were of several kinds; and to imitate them all is

neither needful, nor possible, nor warrantable. Orthodox writers thus

rank Christ's actions:

1. Some of Christ's actions were of divine power and virtue; as his

miracles, turning water into wine, John ii. 7, &c.; walking on the sea,

Mark vi. 48, 49; dispossessing of devils by his word, Mark i. 27; Luke

iv. 36; curing one born blind with clay and spittle, John ix.; healing

the sick by his word or touch, John iv. 50; Mark vi. 56; raising the

dead to life again, as John xii. 1; Matt. xi. 5; Luke vii. 22.

2. Some were acts of divine prerogative, as sending for the ass and

colt, without first asking the owner's leave, Matt. xxi. 2, &c.

3. Some mediatory, done by him as Mediator, Prophet, Priest, and King of

his Church: e.g. inditing the Scripture, called therefore the word of

Christ, Col. iii. 16; laying down his life _for the sheep_, John x. 15,

&c.; giving of the Spirit, John xx. 22; Acts ii.; appointing of his own

officers, and giving them commissions, Eph. iv. 7, 10, 11; Matt. x. and

xxviii. 18-20; instituting of new, and thereby abrogating of old

ordinances, Matt. xxviii. 18, 19; 1 Cor. xi. 23, &c.

4. Some accidental, occasional, incidental, or circumstantial, as in

the case of his celebrating his supper, that it was at night, not in the

morning; after supper, not before; with none but men, none but

ministers; with unleavened, not with leavened bread, &c.; these

circumstantials were accidentally occasioned by the passover, nature of

his family, &c.

5. Some acts of Christ were moral, as Matt. xi. 29; Eph. v. 2, 3, 25,

&c.; or at least founded upon a moral reason and foundation, as John

xiii. 14,15.

To imitate Christ in his three first sort of acts, is utterly unlawful,

and in part impossible. To imitate him in his circumstantial acts from

necessity, were to make accidentals necessary, and happily to border

upon superstition; for, to urge any thing above what is appointed, as

absolutely necessary, is to urge superstition; and to yield to any thing

above what is appointed, as simply necessary, were to yield to

superstition. But to imitate Christ in his moral acts, or acts grounded

upon a moral reason, is our duty: such acts of Christ ought to be the

Christian's rules.

III. Of prophets, apostles, saints, or primitive churches. That their

examples are obligatory, is evident by these places, 1 Cor. xi. 1; Phil.

iv. 8, 9; 1 Pet. iii. 4, 5, 6; 1 Thess. i. 6, and ii. 14; Heb. xiii. 7;

James v. 10, 11; 3 John 11.

Which of their examples are obligatory, may be thus resolved, by

distinguishing of their actions.

1. Some were sinful; written for our caution and admonition, not for our

imitation: as 1 Cor. x. 5, 6, 10, 12. That neither the just be lifted up

into pride by security, nor the unjust be hardened against the medicine

through despair. See the fourth rule following.

2. Some were heroical; done by singular instinct and instigation of the

Spirit of God; as divers acts may be presumed to be, (though we read not

the instinct clearly recorded:) as, Elias's calling for fire from

heaven, 2 Kings i. 10; which the very apostles might not imitate, not

having his spirit, Luke ix. 54, 55; Phinehas's killing the adulterer and

adulteress, Numb. xxv. 7, 8; Samson's avenging himself upon his enemies

by his own death, Judges xvi. 30, of which, saith Bernard, if it be

defended not to have been his sin, it is undoubtedly to be believed he

had private counsel, viz. from God, for his fact; David's fighting with

Goliath of Gath the giant, hand to hand, 1 Sam. xvii. 32, &c., which is

no warrant for private duels and quarrels. Such heroic acts are not

imitable but by men furnished with like heroic spirit, and instinct

divine.

3. Some were by special calling, and singular extraordinary

dispensation: as Abraham's call to leave his own country for pilgrimage

in Canaan, Gen. xii. 1, 4, which is no warrant for popish pilgrimages

to the holy land, &c.; Abraham's attempts, upon God's special trying

commands, to kill and sacrifice his son, Gen. xxii. 10, no warrant for

parents to kill or sacrifice their children; the Israelites borrowing

of, and robbing the Egyptians, Exod. xii. 35, no warrant for cozenage,

stealing, or for borrowing with intent not to pay again: compare Rom.

xiii. 8; 1 Thess. iv. 6; Psal. xxxvii. 21; the Israelites taking usury

of the Canaanitish strangers, (who were destined to ruin both in their

states and persons, Deut. xx. 15-17,) Deut. xxiii. 20, which justifies

neither their nor our taking usury of our brethren, Lev. xxv. 36, 37;

Deut. xxiii. 19, 20; Neh. v. 7, 10; Psal. xv. 5; Prov. xxviii. 8; Ezek.

xviii. 8, 13, 17, and xxii. 12; John Baptist's living in the desert,

Mat. iii., no protection for popish hermitage, or proof that it is a

state of greater perfection, &c.

4. Some were only accidental or occasional, occasioned by special

necessity of times and seasons, or some present appearance of scandal,

or some such accidental emergency. Thus primitive Christians had all

things common, Acts iv. 32, but that is no ground for anabaptistical

community. Paul wrought at his trade of tent-making, made his hands

_minister to his necessities_, Acts xx. 34; would not take wages for

preaching to the church of Corinth, 2 Cor. xi. 7-9; but this lays no

necessity on ministers to preach the gospel _gratis_, and maintain

themselves by their own manual labors, except when cases and seasons are

alike, Gal. vi. 6-8; 1 Cor. ix. 6-13; 1 Tim. v. 17, 18.

5. Some were of a moral nature, and upon moral grounds, wherein they

followed Christ, and we are to follow them, 1 Cor. xi. 1; Phil. iv. 8,

9, and other places forementioned; for, whatsoever actions were done

then, upon such grounds as are of a moral, perpetual, and common

concernment to one person as well as another, to one church as well as

another, in one age as well as another, those actions are obligatory on

all, and a rule to after generations. Thus the baptizing of women in the

primitive churches, Acts viii. 12, and xvi. 15, though only the males

were circumcised under the Old Testament, is a rule for our baptizing of

women as well as men, they being _all one in Christ,_ Gal. iii. 28. So

the admitting of infants to the first initiating sacrament of the Old

Testament, circumcision, because they with their parents' were accounted

within the covenant of grace by God, Gen. xvii., is a rule for us now to

admit infants to the first initiating sacrament of the New Testament,

baptism, because infants are federally holy, and within the covenant

with their believing parents now, as well as then, Rom. xi. 16; 1 Cor.

vii. 14; Col. ii. 11, 12. Thus the baptizing of divers persons formerly,

though into no particular congregation, nor as members of any

particular congregation, as the eunuch, Acts viii.; Lydia, Acts xvi.;

the jailer, Acts xvi.; because it was sufficient they were baptized into

that one general visible body of Christ, 1 Cor. xii. 12, 13, is a rule

for us what to do in like cases upon the same common ground. Thus the

Church's practice of preaching the word, and breaking bread on the first

day of the week, Acts xx. 7, &c., is our rule for sanctifying the Lord's

day, by celebrating the word, sacraments, and other holy ordinances, at

these times. And in like manner, the primitive practices of ordaining

preaching presbyters, by laying on of hands, 1 Tim. iv. 14; 2 Tim. i. 6;

Acts xiii. 3; of governing all the congregations of a city by one common

presbytery, in which respect they are all called by the name of one

church, as the church of Jerusalem, Acts viii. 1, and xv. 4; the church

of Antioch, Acts xiii. 1, and xi. 25, 26; the church of Corinth, 1 Cor.

i. 2, 2 Cor. i. 1; which had churches in it, 1 Cor. xiv. 34. Of healing

common scandals and errors, troubling divers presbyterial churches by

the authoritative decrees of a synod, made up of members from divers

presbyterial churches, as Acts xv., and such like, are our rules in like

particulars, which the Lord hath left for our direction, the same

grounds of such actions reaching us as well as them.

Now this last kind of examples are those which we are, by divers divine

commands, especially enjoined to follow; and therefore such examples

amount to a divine right or institution; and what we ought to do by

virtue of such binding examples is of divine right, and by the will and

appointment of Jesus Christ.

What discriminatory notes or rules may we walk by, for finding out the

obligatory force of scripture examples; and what manner of examples

those be? For discovery hereof, take these ensuing general rules:

1. Those examples in Scripture, which the Spirit of Christ commands us

to imitate, are undoubtedly obligatory. Such are the moral examples of

God, Christ, apostles, prophets, saints, and churches, recorded in

Scripture, with command to follow them, Eph. iv. 32, and v. 1, 2; 1 John

ii. 6; 1 Cor. xi. 1; Phil. iv. 6; Heb. vi. 12, and xiii. 7; James v. 10;

3 John 11.

2. Those examples in Scripture, which the Spirit of Christ commends and

praises, are obligatory; his commendings are virtual commandings; and we

ought to follow whatsoever is praiseworthy, especially in God's account,

Phil. iv. 8, 9; 2 Cor. x. 18. Now the Spirit of Christ commends many

examples to us: as, _Enoch's walking with God_, Gen. v. 24; _Noah's

uprightness,_ Gen. vi.; _Abraham's faith_, Rom. iv., _and obedience_,

Gen. xxii.; _Lot's zeal against Sodom's sins_, 2 Pet. ii. 9; _Job's

patience_, James v. 10, 11. And in a word, all the examples of the

saints, which the Lord approves and speaks well of; as Heb. xi.; 1 Pet.

iii. 5, 6: together with all such examples, whose imitation by others is

commended in Scripture; as, 1 Thess. i. 6, 7, and ii. 14.

3. Those examples in Scripture are obligatory, whose ground, reason,

scope, or end, are obligatory, and of a moral nature, and as much

concern one Christian as another, one church as another, one time as

another, &c., whether they be the examples under the Old or New

Testament. Thus the example of the church of Corinth, in excommunicating

the incestuous person, because he was a wicked person--and lest he

should _leaven the whole lump;_ and that they might keep the

evangelical passover sincerely, and for that they had power _to judge

them within_; and that his "flesh might be destroyed, and his spirit

saved in the day of the Lord Jesus," 1 Cor. v. 5-8, 11-13: which grounds

and ends being moral, oblige us to use the like remedy against all

wicked and scandalous persons.

4. Those acts which are propounded in Scripture as patterns or examples,

that we should act the like good, or avoid the like ill, are an

obligatory law to us. There is an example of caution, and an example of

imitation.

Thus in reference to well-doing, or suffering for well-doing, the

examples of Christ, his apostles, and other saints, are propounded as

patterns to write after, as John xiii. 14, 15; Heb. xi. tot. with Heb.

xii. 1, _with such a cloud of witnesses_. This verse is as the epilogue

of the former chapter, (saith the learned Calvin,) showing to what end

the catalogue of saints was reckoned up, who under the law excelled in

faith, viz: that every one may fit himself to imitate them. Another

adds,[12] He calls them a cloud, whereby we may be directed; in allusion

to that cloud that went before Israel in the wilderness, to conduct them

to the land of Canaan. See also 1 Pet. ii. 21-23; James v. 10.

Thus also, in reference to ill-doing, that it may be avoided by us, the

bad examples of saints and others are laid before us as warnings and

cautions to us, binding us to eschew like evils, 1 Cor. x. 5, 6, 11.

"Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust

after evil things, as they also lusted. Now all these things happened

unto them for examples," &c., Jude 7.

5. Those acts of saints or Christians, which were done by them as saints

and Christians, are obligatory upon, and to be followed by all

Christians; but those acts which are done by magistrates, prophets,

apostles, ministers, &c., only as such, are only obligatory on such as

have like offices, not on all; according to the maxim, that which agrees

to any thing as such, agrees to every thing that is such. Thus James

urges the example of Elias in praying, James v. 17. Paul presses the

example of Abraham in being justified by believing, Rom. iv. 23,24.

Peter prescribes, as a pattern to wives, the example of Sarah, and other

holy women of old, for "adorning themselves with a meek and quiet

spirit,--being in subjection to their own husbands," 1 Pet. iii. 4-6.

6. Those acts that were commonly and ordinarily done, are ordinarily to

be imitated; as, baptizing _in water only_, and not in any other

element, was the ordinary practice of the New Testament, Matt. iii. 11,

16; Mark i. 6, 10; Luke iii. 16; John i. 26, 31, 33; Acts i. 5, and

viii. 36, 38, and x. 47, and xi. 16; and by that practice we are obliged

to baptize in water only. Joining of many Christians together in

receiving the Lord's supper was an ordinary practice, Matt. xxvi. 20,

26, 27; Acts ii. 42, and xx. 7, &c.; 1 Cor. xi. 20, and by us ordinarily

to be imitated; how else is it a communion? 1 Cor. x. 16, 17.

But such acts as were done only upon special causes or singular reasons,

are only to be imitated in like cases. Thus Christ argues from a like

special cause, that he was not to do miracles at Nazareth without a

call, as he did in other places where he had a call of God; from the

particular example of Elijah and Elisha, who only went to them to whom

God called them, Luke ix. 25-27; so he proves that in like case of

necessity it was lawful for his disciples on the sabbath-day to rub ears

of corn and eat them, &c., from David's example of eating show-bread when

he had need, Matt. xii. 1-5.

7. Those acts that were done from extraordinary calling and gifts, are

to be imitated (in regard of their special way of acting) only by those

that have such extraordinary calling and gifts. Christ therefore blames

his apostles for desiring to imitate Elijah's extraordinary act in

calling for fire from heaven, &c., when they had not his spirit, Luke ix.

54, 55. Papists are blameworthy for imitating the extraordinary forty

days' and nights' fast of Moses, Elijah, and Christ, in their Lent fast.

Prelates argue corruptly for bishops' prelacy over their brethren the

ministers, from the superiority of the apostles over presbyters.

CHAPTER V.

_Of a Divine Right by Divine Approbation._

III. By divine approbation of the Spirit of Jesus Christ in his word.

Whatsoever in matters of religion hath the divine approbation of the

Spirit of Christ in the Scriptures, that is of divine right, and by the

will and appointment of Jesus Christ. God's approving or allowing of any

thing, plainly implies that it is according to his will and pleasure,

and so is equivalent to a divine institution or appointment; for what is

a divine institution or law but the publishing of the divine will of the

legislator, touching things to be acted or omitted? and God cannot

approve any thing that is against his will. Contrariwise, God's

disallowing of any thing, plainly implies that it is against his will,

and so of divine right prohibited, and unlawful. God allows or disallows

things not because they are good or evil; but things are, therefore,

good or evil, because he approves or disallows them.

Now God approves or disallows things divers ways:

1. By commending or discommending. God commended king Josiah for his

zeal and impartiality in completing of the reformation of religion, 1

Kings xiii. 25. This is a rule for all princes and magistrates how they

should reform. The angel of the church of Ephesus is commended, for not

bearing of those that were evil, for trying and detecting the false

apostles, and for hating the works of the Nicolaitans, Rev. ii. 2, 3, 6.

The angel of the church of Pergamus is praised, for holding fast

Christ's name, and not denying his faith in places of danger, and days

of deepest persecution, Rev. ii. 13: a rule for all pastors and

churches, how in all such cases they should carry themselves. God's

commendings are divine commandings. On the contrary, God dispraises

Ephesus, for falling from her first love, Rev. ii. 4. Pergamus, for

holding the doctrine of Balaam, and the doctrine of the Nicolaitans,

Rev. ii. 14, 15. Thyatira, for tolerating the false prophetess Jezebel,

to teach and seduce his servants, &c., Rev. ii. 20. Laodicea, because

she was neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm, Rev. iii. 15. The church of

Corinth, for coming together in public assemblies, not for better but

for worse, by reason of schisms, scandals, and other disorders about the

Lord's supper, 1 Cor. xi. 17, &c. In these and all such divine

discommendings of the churches for their corruptions, all succeeding

churches are strongly forbidden the like corruptions: God's dispraises

are divine prohibitions. Thus good church elders are commended in this

notion, that they are _elders ruling well_, 1 Tim. v. 17; therefore,

that elders in the church should rule, and rule well, is by this

commendation of divine right.

2. By promising and threatening. What promise did God ever make to any

act or performance, which was not a duty? or what threatening against

any act which was not a sin? He promises to them that forsake all for

Christ, a "hundred-fold now in this time, and in the world to come

eternal life," Mark x. 29, 30; therefore it is our duty to forsake all

for Christ. He promised to ratify in heaven his disciples' sentences of

_building or loosing on earth_; and to _be with them_ whensoever _two or

three of them were met together_ for that end, Matt. xvi. 19, and xviii.

18-20, and John xx. 23. Therefore binding and loosing, remitting and

retaining of sins, and meeting together for that end, belong to them by

divine right. He promised to be with them that baptize, preach, remit,

and retain sins in his name, &c., _always, to the end of the world_,

John xx. 23; with Matt, xxviii. 18-20, which promise shows, that these

works and employments belong to all succeeding ministers to the world's

end, as well as to the apostles by divine right. On the contrary, the

Lord threatens Ephesus for decay of first love, Rev. ii. 4, 5; Pergamus,

for holding false doctrine, Rev. ii. 14, 15; Thyatira, for tolerating of

Jezebel and her false teaching, &c., Rev. ii. 21, 21, 23; and Laodicea,

for lukewarmness, Rev. iii. 15, 16. Therefore, all these were their

sins, and we are bound, even by this divine threatening, to avoid the

like by a divine warrant.

3. By remunerating or rewarding; whether he reward with blessings or

with judgments. With blessings God rewarded the Hebrew midwives, because

they preserved the male children of Israel, contrary to Pharaoh's bloody

command; _God made them houses_, Exod. i. 17, 20, 21. He will have the

elders that rule well _counted worthy of double honor_, &c.; i.e.

rewarded with a bountiful, plentiful maintenance, 1 Tim. v. 17.

Therefore, their ruling in the church is of divine right, for which God

appoints such a good reward. Contrariwise, with judgments God rewarded

king Saul, for offering a burnt-offering himself, 1 Sam. xiii. 12-14;

Uzzah, for touching the ark, though it was ready to fall, 2 Sam. vi. 6,

7; and king Uzziah, for going into the temple to burn incense, 2 Chron.

xxvi. 16. None of these being priests, yet presuming to meddle with the

priest's office. A rule for all persons, being not church officers, yea,

though they be princes or supreme magistrates, that they are hereby

warned by the divine law, not to usurp church authority or offices to

themselves. God rewarded the Corinthians with the judgments of

weakness, sickness, and death, for unworthy receiving of the Lord's

supper, 1 Cor. xi. 30. So that this is a divine warning for all after

churches against unworthy communicating.

CHAPTER VI.

IV. _Of a Divine Right by Divine Acts._

IV. By divine acts. Whatsoever matters of religion were erected in, or

conferred upon the Church of God, by God, or any person of the blessed

Trinity, and are left recorded in the Scripture, they are of divine

right, by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ. Shall divine

approbation, yea, shall the saints' binding example hold forth to us a

divine right, and shall not the divine actions of God, Christ, and the

Spirit, do it much more? Take some instances: the Lord's-day sabbath,

under the New Testament, was it not instituted (the seventh day being

changed to the first day of the week) by the acts of Christ, having now

perfected the spiritual creation of the new world? viz: by his

resurrection and apparitions to his disciples on that day, and

miraculous blessing and sanctifying of that day, by pouring forth the

gifts of the Holy Ghost, Acts ii., all which were seconded with the

apostolical practice in the primitive churches, Acts xx. 7, &c.; 1 Cor.

xvi. 1, 2. And do not the churches of Christ generally conclude upon

these grounds, that the Lord's-day sabbath is of divine warrant? Thus

circumcision is abrogated of divine right, by Christ's act, instituting

baptism instead thereof, Col. ii. 11, 12. The passover is abolished of

divine right, by Christ himself, our true passover, _being sacrificed

for us_, 1 Cor. v. 7; and the Lord's supper being instituted a memorial

of Christ's death instead of it, Matt, xxvi., Mark xiv., Luke xxii. And

the whole ceremonial law is antiquated and made void by Christ's death,

accomplishing all those dark types; therefore Christ, immediately before

his yielding up the ghost, cried, _It is finished_, John xix. 30. See

Col. ii. 14; Eph. ii. 14, 15; _abolishing the law of commandments in

ordinances_, Heb. viii. 13, and x. 4, 5, &c. Thus by Christ's act of

giving the keys of the kingdom of heaven to Peter and the apostles,

Matt. xvi. 19, and xviii. 18, 19, the keys belong to the officers of the

church by divine right. By God's act of _setting in the Church some,

first apostles_, &c., 1 Cor. xii. 28, all those officers belong to the

general visible Church by divine right. By Christ's act of bounty upon

his triumphant ascension into heaven, _in giving gifts to men_, Eph.

iv. 7, 11, 12; all those church officers being Christ's gifts, are of

divine right. Finally, by the Holy Ghost's act, in setting elders,

overseers over the flock, Acts xx. 28, elders are such overseers by

divine right.

CHAPTER VII.

V. _Of a Divine Right by Divine Precepts._

V. Finally, and primarily, by divine precepts, whatsoever in matters of

religion is commanded or forbidden by God in his word, that is

accordingly a duty or sin, by divine right: as, the duties of the whole

moral law, the ten words, commanded of God, Exod. xx.; Deut. v.

Believing in Christ, commanded of God, 1 John iii. 23. The plentiful and

honorable maintenance of ministers, commanded of God, 1 Tim. v. 17, 18;

1 Cor. ix. 9-11, 13, 14; Gal. vi. 6. The people's esteeming, loving, and

obeying their pastors and teachers, commanded of God, 1 Thess. v. 12;

Heb. xiii. 7, 17. Ministers' diligence and faithfulness, in feeding and

watching over their flocks, commanded of God, Acts xx. 28; 2 Tim. iv.

1-3; 1 Pet. iv. 1-3; with innumerable commands and precepts of all

sorts: now all things so commanded are evidently of divine right, and

without gainsaying, granted on all hands, even by Erastians themselves.

But the question will be, how far we shall extend this head of _divine

commands_. For clearness' sake, thus distinguish, thus resolve:

God's commands are either immediate or mediate.

1. Immediate divine commands: as those which God propounds and urges; as

the ten commandments, Exod. xx., Deut. v., and all other injunctions of

his in his word positively laid down. Of such commands, the apostle

saith, "I command, yet not I, but the Lord," 1 Cor. vii. 10.

Now these immediate commands of God, in regard of their manner of

publishing and propounding, are either explicit or implicit.

1. Explicit: which are expressly and in plain terms laid down, as the

letter of the commandments of the decalogue, Exod. xx. The commands of

Christ, "Feed my lambs, feed my sheep," John xxi.; "Go, disciple ye all

nations," &c., Matt, xxviii. 19; "Do this in remembrance of me," Matt,

xxvi; 1 Cor. xi. 23, 24, &c. Now whatsoever is expressly commanded of

God in plain, evident terms, that is of divine right, without all color

of controversy. Only take this caution, the divine right of things

enjoined by God's express command, is to be interpreted according to the

nature of the thing commanded, and the end or scope of the Lord in

commanding: e.g. 1. Some things God commands morally, to be of perpetual

use; as to honor father and mother, &c.; these are of divine right

forever. 2. Some things he commands but positively, to be of use for a

certain season; as the ceremonial administrations till Christ should

come, for the Jewish church, and the judicial observances for their

Jewish polity; and all these positive laws were of divine right till

Christ abrogated them. 3. Some things he commands only by way of trial,

not with intention that the things commanded should be done, but that

his people's fear, love, and obedience may be proved, tried, &c. Thus

God commanded Abraham to offer up his son Isaac for a burnt-offering,

Gen. xxii.: such things are of divine right only in such cases of

special infallible command. 4. Some things he commands extraordinarily

in certain select and special cases: as, _Israel to borrow jewels of the

Egyptians to rob them_, without intention ever to restore them, Exod.

xi. 2, &c. The disciples to _go preach_--yet to _provide neither gold

nor silver_, &c. Matt. x. 7-10. The elders of the church (while miracles

were of use in the church) _to anoint the sick with oil in the name of

the Lord_, for their recovery, James v. 14. These and like extraordinary

commands were only of force by divine right, in these extraordinary

select cases, when they were propounded.

1. Implicit, or implied: which are either comprehensively contained in

or under the express terms and letter of the command; or,

consequentially, are deducible from the express command.

Comprehensively, many things are contained in a command, that are not

expressed in the very letter of the command. Thus sound interpreters of

the decalogue generally confess, that all precepts thereof include the

whole parts under the general term, and God wills many things by them

more than the bare words signify: e.g. in negative commands, forbidding

sin, we are to understand the positive precepts prescribing the contrary

duties; and so, on the contrary, under affirmative commands, we are to

understand the negative thereof: thus Christ expounds the sixth

commandment, Matt. v. 21-27, and ver. 43, to the end of the chapter. So

when any evil is forbidden, not only the outward gross acts, but all

inward acts and degrees thereof, with all causes and occasions, all

fruits and effects thereof, are forbidden likewise: as, under killing,

provoking terms, rash anger, Matt. v. 21, 22; under adultery, wanton

looks, lustful thoughts, &c., Matt. v. 27-30. Now all things

comprehended in a command (though not expressed) are of divine right.

Consequentially, many things are clearly deducible from express commands

in Scripture, by clear, unforced, infallible, and undeniable

consequence. Now what things are commanded by necessary consequence,

they are of divine right, as well as things in express terms prescribed:

e.g. in the case of baptism, have the ordinary ministers of the New

Testament any punctual express command to baptize? yet, by consequence,

it is evident infallibly, the apostles are commanded to baptize, and the

promise is made to them by Christ, that he _will be with them always to

the end of the world_, Matt, xxviii. 18-20, which cannot be interpreted

of the apostles' persons only; for they were not to live till the

world's end, but are dead and gone long ago; but of the apostles and

their successors, the ministers of the gospel to the world's end; now to

whom the promise of Christ's presence is here to be applied, to them the

precept of baptizing and teaching is intended by clear consequence and

deduction. So, infants of Christian parents under the New Testament are

commanded to be baptized by consequence; for that the infants of God's

people under the Old Testament were commanded to be circumcised, Gen.

xvii.; for, the privileges of believers under the New Testament are as

large as the privileges of believers under the Old Testament: and the

children of believers under the New Testament are federally holy, and

within the covenant of God, as well as the children of believers under

the Old Testament, Gen. xvii., compared with Rom. xi. 16; 1 Cor. vii.

14: and what objections can be made from infants' incapacity now,

against their baptism, might as well then have been made against their

being circumcised: and why children should once be admitted to the

initiating sacrament, and not still be admitted to the like initiating

sacrament, (the Lord of the covenant and sacrament nowhere forbidding

them,) there can be no just ground. And baptism succeeds in the room of

circumcision, Col. ii. 11, 12. _Thus in case of the Lord's supper_,

apostles were commanded to dispense it, and men commanded to receive it.

"Do ye this in remembrance of me," Matt, xxvi., 1 Cor. xi. 24, 25; yet

by consequence, the ministers of the gospel succeeding the apostles,

being stewards of the mysteries of God, have the same charge laid upon

them; and women as well as men are enjoined to keep that sacrament,

whole families communicating in the passover, the forerunner of the

Lord's supper, Exod. xiv., and male and female being _all one in

Christ_, Gal. iii. 28. _Thus in case of the maintenance of ministers

under the New Testament_: the apostle proves it by consequence to be

commanded, God hath ordained, &c., from God's command of not _muzzling

the ox that treads out the corn_, and of maintaining the priests under

the Old Testament, 1 Cor. ix. 14, &c.; l Tim. v. 17, 18. And thus, in

case of church polity, the Hebrews are commanded to obey and be

subordinate to their rulers in the Lord, Heb. xiii. 17; consequently,

other churches are commanded not only to have rulers, but to obey and

submit to their rule and government. Timothy is commanded to lay hands

_suddenly on none_, &c., in ordaining of preaching elders, 1 Tim. v. 21,

22; consequently, such as succeed Timothy in ordaining of preaching

elders are enjoined therein to do nothing suddenly, hastily, &c., but

upon mature deliberation. The apostle commands, that men must _first be

proved, and found blameless, before they execute the deacon's office_, 1

Tim. iii. 10; by consequence, it is much more necessarily commanded,

that ruling elders should first be proved, and be found blameless,

before they exercise rule; and that ministers be examined, and found

blameless, before they be ordained to or execute the ministerial

function, for these offices are of greater and higher concernment than

the deacon's office.

2. Mediate divine commands, which are mediately from God, but

immediately from men; and these come under a double consideration, being

either,

1. Such commands whose general principles are immediately the Lord's,

yet accommodations and determinations of particulars are from men, by

apparent deductions from those grounds. Of such the apostle saith, "But

to the rest speak I, not the Lord," 1 Cor. vii. 12; not that Paul

delivered any commands merely of his own head, (for he had "obtained

mercy of the Lord to be faithful," ver. 25, and did _think that he had

the Spirit of the Lord_, ver. 40,) but grounded his commands upon the

word of God, whereof the apostle was the interpreter. The case is

concerning divorce when it fell out that believer and unbeliever were

married together: the Lord had given general rules about divorce, but no

particular rule about this case, (it being not incident to the Jews;)

the apostle, therefore, accommodates the general rule to the particular

case; he, not the Lord, determined the particular. This sound

interpreters conceive to be the apostle's meaning: Thus the apostle,

treating of order in public assemblies, saith, "The prophet and the

spiritual man must acknowledge the things which I write, to be the

commandments of the Lord," 1 Cor. xiv. 37. Understand it mediately, as

being agreeable to the Lord's principles revealed: for otherwise how

should the prophet know what the Lord immediately revealed to the

apostle? or why should we think it probable that what Paul here speaks

of order and decency in church assemblies, was immediately and expressly

delivered him by speech or revelation from the Lord, seeing these

particulars have such easy and apparent deduction from general

principles, and revelations are not unnecessarily multiplied? Yet these

particular deductions and determinations are here styled the

commandments of the Lord.

2. Such commands, which are accidental and occasional, whose grounds and

general principles are also the Lord's; yet determination or deduction

of particulars can hardly be made, but in such emergent cases and

occasions accidentally falling out, as necessitate thereunto. As in that

case, Acts xv., when the synod commands abstinence _from blood, and

things strangled_, and that necessarily, (though the Levitical law was

now abrogated,) because the common use thereof by accident grew very

scandalous: therefore, by the law of charity, the use of Christian

liberty is to be suspended, when otherwise the scandal of my brother is

endangered; yet from any ground of equity to have provided such a

particular rule as this, without such a case occurring, would scarce

have been possible. Now the synod saith of this determination, "It

seemed good unto the Holy Ghost, and unto us," Acts xv. And another

synod, walking by the like light and rule of the Scripture as they did,

may say of themselves as the apostles said.

PART II.

OF THE NATURE OF THAT CHURCH GOVERNMENT WHICH IS OF DIVINE RIGHT,

ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE.

CHAPTER I.

_The Description of Church Government._

The nature of that church government which is of divine right according

to Scripture, comes next to be considered; (having so fully seen what

the nature of a divine right is, and how many several ways matters in

religion may be said to be of divine right.) For the fuller and clearer

unfolding whereof, let us first see how church government may be

described; and then how that description may be explained and justified

by the word of God, in the branches of it.

Church government may be thus described:

Church government is a power[13] or authority spiritual,[14] revealed in

the holy Scriptures,[15] derived from Jesus Christ[16] our Mediator,[17]

only to his own officers, and by them exercised in dispensing of the

word,[18] seals,[19] censures,[20] and all other ordinances of

Christ,[21] for the edifying of the Church of Christ.[22]

This description of church government may be thus explained and proved.

Three things are principally considerable herein, viz: 1. The thing

defined, or described, viz. church government. 2. The general nature of

this government which it hath in common with all other governments, viz.

power or authority.

3. The special difference whereby it is distinguished from all other

governments whatsoever. Herein six things are observable. 1. The special

rule, wherein it is revealed, and whereby it is to be measured, viz. the

holy Scriptures. 2. The proper author, or fountain, whence this power is

derived, viz. from Jesus Christ our Mediator, peculiarly. 3. The special

kind of this power or authority, viz. it is a spiritual power, it is a

derived power. 4. The several parts or acts wherein this power sets

forth itself, viz. in dispensing the word, seals, censures, and all

other ordinances of Christ. 5. The special end or scope of this power,

viz. the edifying of the Church of Christ. 6. The proper and distinct

subject or receptacle wherein Christ hath placed and intrusted all this

power, viz. only his own officers. All these things are comprehended in

this description, and unto these several heads the whole nature of

church government may be reduced. So that, these being explained and

confirmed by the Scriptures, it will easily and fully be discovered,

what that church government is which is of divine right, and by the will

and appointment of Jesus Christ, our Mediator.