know not how to restore the old to their Original rectitude as befel the Theocracy of God's own appointment 1 Sam. 8.5 and 7. But were the Argument good from the abuse of a thing against the use of it 't were easy to argue our selves into the grossest Absurdities in Nature Now if we would rightly understand what that Form of Government is that Christ hath chosen for his Churches under the Gospel we must consider what the Subject of the Government is or the matter which is to be inform'd by it 'T is not enough to say the Church which is vox ambigua but we must distinguish Nor is it necessary for me to take notice here of all the Distinctions the Word is capable of or that have been by some others imposed on it As 1. The Church Oecumenical to which the Pope so arrogantly and fasly lays a claim of Supremacy Or 2dly The Church National of which that Eminent Servant of Christ Mr. Baxter hath given so Rational and Scriptural an account and which that I know is not by any one as yet answered Or 3dly The Church Provincial which is the Constitution and Union of the particular Churches within the limits of the Province into one distinct Political Body or Sacred Polity under the general inspection and Authority of one Ecclesiastical Head either single or collective Or 4ly The Presbyterial Classical Collegiate Diocesan c. which I take as Synonimous and includes all the particular Congregations within the bounds of such a Division Or 5ly The Congregational made up of one Pastor with his people and necessary Officers These are the Distinctions given according to the Common Division that hath for Order sake been made of the Church But the only Distinction which I shall now a little animadvert upon is this The Rulers of the Church and the Ruled and shall speak to the Last first The Ruled And herein shall answer these three Questions 1. Who they are they must be ruled 2. By whom they must be ruled 3. By What Laws they must be ruled Q. 1. Who they are that must be ruled S. The Answer in general is what Paul gives loco cit Rom. 13.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every Soul He that is not subject to the good Government of that Political Body civil or sacred whereunto he stands related as a Member and by which he ought to be comprehended is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lawless and Disobedient for whom the Bridle and the Rod of the Law is made and so both Rulers and Ruled are equally subject to the Laws though not the same Laws of Government but according to the different capacities orders and Relation wherein they are placed in the Oeconomy of the Church Though the Rulers and the Ruled cannot be the same sub codem respectu yet in divers respects they may and ought Those that are Rulers of some must be ruled by others So then the Ruled part of which I am first to speak is twofold the Clergy and the Laity or the Ministers and the People according to the duplicity of the Government to which as Church-Members they stand related which is either general and common or special and proper The Rulers and Officers of the Church as those of Armies and Common-wealths or Kingdoms are or ought to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men under Authority and the Laws of a Polity that is proper to them as such as well as the people whom they govern by the Laws that are fitted for them I say under Authority and that not only and immediately unto Christ but also unto men even such as Christ the Supream Legislator and Lord hath Commissioned to rule for and under him in his Church This seems to me to have been one great mistake and the ground of a thousand more That the Ministers of the Gospel have and hold their Authority in the Church only from Christ in capite so as to conclude an equality and co-ordination of Pastors 'T is true the general Patent and Grant of the Office is originally and immediately from Christ but the particular distribution of Commission is not so but from such hands as are entrusted and authorized by him to bestow it on others and unto whom they that receive it ought to be accountable for their well or male-administration of it All those that are duly qualify'd and call'd to the Ministry are equally Ministers of Christ i. e. one is not more a Minister than another nor meerly as such have they greater power one than another as all men in the World are equally men God's Creatures and partakers of Human Nature But from hence to deny a subordination of one to another in point of Government is to pluck up all Government in the World by the roots and turn the whole Creation into Anarchy and worse than its first Tohn vebohu which is one of the maddest Principles that ever was suggested to the Rational Nature by that grand Author of confusion Let it be considered that the Officers of the Church of Christ or the Clergy as for distinction they are commonly call'd are a particular distinct Company and Society of men as the People or Layity are another and so they ever were and were to be accounted by God's own appointment both under the Old and New-Testament And as it is in all regulated Armies and other secular Governments in the world the Officers are a separate Political Body and Community of themselves distinct from the rest and if so then they ought to have their proper Polity and Government as such a Government peculiar and distinct from that of the common people and which is call'd Hierarchy only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that it ever hath been and always must be so is not hard to prove 1. That it hath been ever so since Christ hath had a Church upon the Earth I say a Church organically constituted and politically govern'd Such was the Jews under that of the hands of Moses and Aaron That the Ministers under the Old Testament the Priests and Levites were a distinct Body yea and to avoid confusion a distinct Tribe purposely so chosen of God and that they had their distinct Polity and Government of God's own appointing and that with a great deal of caution and particularity even to very minute circumstances in all the Orders Degrees and Courses of their Consecration and Ministration I would think it needless for me to spend time to demonstrate Those that have any acquaintance with the Sacred History of that Church cannot be ignorant of this And this was both the beauty and the strength and security of that Church the Hedge that God made about his Vineyard And as they were a distinct Body as Clergy separate from all the other Tribes so they had their proper Government and Oeconomy the Priests of the House of Aaron the Rulers and the rest of the Levites the Ruled And that it was so under the Gospel too from the
very honourable to him whose Servant he pretends to be especially considering that they could not but know and foresee how tender all Men naturally are in the matters of Honour and Maintenance and of what mischievous consequence the leaving such a Question as this in the dark and undetermined would be That it would involve the Church in endless strifes and quarrels and confusions But will the Lay-Elder lay his Claim to a Maintenance from that word in the Text viz. double Honour taking it for the Honour of Maintenance Let him then read on the next verse there For the Scripture saith Thou shalt not muzzle the Oxe that treadeth out the Corn And the labourer is worthy of his reward The first of these Scriptures you have Deut. 25.4 which the Apostle makes use of 1 Cor. 9.9 And you may see how he there applies it only to the Ministers of the Gospel Those that sow unto the People spiritual things v. 11. That minister about holy things and wait at the Altar v. 13. The other Scripture you have Matth. 10.10 The work-man is worthy of his meat Which are Christ's own words to the Twelve when he sent them forth to Preach the Gospel Here 's never a word of the Ruling Elder in all this nor any provision made for him And this one thing is enough to clear the sense of the precedent verse that there is no such thing as the Ruling Non Preaching Elder intended in it but the double Honour is for those that tread out the Corn and labour in the LORD's Harvest in Word and Doctrine And these are the only Persons spoken of in that 1 Tim. 5.17 So then The Rulers of the People are their Pastors who are to Rule every one over his own particular Flock or Congregation in the things of God and of their Souls who for the ease of their Government and the advantage of their Ministerial work have warrant from Scripture to ordain and appoint Deacons under them and other necessary servile Officers who derive their power immediately from their Pastor are accountable to him and may and ought to be despos'd by him in case of Male-administration as every Captain in an Army Every Mayor in a Corporation every Master in a Family have the proper power over their own Companies Burroughs and Families and all the inferiour Officers in them to dispose and govern them for their good according to the known and common Laws of that Superiour Government under which they live and unto which they themselves are accountable 2. The Rulers of the Pastors or Officers of the Church I am very apprehensive that this is a tender Point wherein I even tremble to think that I must be either sinfully silent or declare my dissent from so many of my dear Brethren whom I know to be otherwise Orthodox Learned Pious and with whom I dare not compare my self But I have said and O that daisy and doleful Experience did not proclaim it to the World to the grief of some and the shame of others that there is no Company or Society of Men in the World that have more need of the strictest Government than the Men of our Function without which we are of all Mankind in this respect the most miserable and the poor Church of Christ in the forelornest case of any of God's Creatures upon Earth But certainly he that hath so provided for the Government of the Kingdoms of the World hath not left his own mystical Kingdom wherein so much of his special interest lies without such a Government as is every way adequate to all the parts and concerns of it He that hath taken such care to inclose and fence out the wild Commons of the World hath not design'd to leave his own Garden uninclos'd Nor his Vineyard without a Hedge about it and a Wine-press and a Tower in it How weak and insatisfactory is this to say that we are all the Ministers of Jesus Christ and Brethren to one another that we have our Commission as Ministers of the Gospel from him tho' not immediately from him which indeed if it were so would alter the case who is the Supream Legislator That we have our Bibles in our hands and therein the unalterable Rules of our administration both in Doctrine Worship and Discipline the Laws by which we are to Govern both our selves and the Churches that we have the promise of the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth and an Unction from the Holy One and know all things that our Office and Work is Sacred and Divine of God and not of Men alas will all this make us Infallible or Absolute and Independent exempt from all Laws and Bonds of an Ecclesiastical Polity were we made the Ministers of Christ to rule and not to be rul'd O that men would consider the dismal consequents of such an Hypothesis which I delight not now to aggravate But if there must be a Government among Pastors consider'd as a distinct Body from the People then it will be said there cannot be an equality the Notion of Co-ordination of Pastors and Churches is subverted this being inconsistent with Government But let wise Men consider what that is that must needs lye at the bottom of this Levelling Principle And yet Government doth not destroy the Equality and Co-ordination of Pastors or Churches as such or per se but only secundum quid or in respect of Order e. g. All the Captains in an Army as Captains are equal so are all the Collonels and all the other Officers that are of one and the same Order but between a Captain and a Collonel there is an inequality And as it is in a well Regimented Army so it is in the Church of Christ which is as an Army with Banners Cant 6.10 And 't is supposed too that this subordination of Pastors and Churches will conclude a necessity of a Supream Papal Head and Governour This I take to be the great stumbling-block the plain sense whereof is but this That if every Minister be not allowed to be a Pope over his own Congregation then there must be one Pope over all the Congregations and Pastors in the Christian World Both which extreams are equally wide from the Truth and perhaps equally pernicious to the Church But to defend the Truth from both the Horns of this Dilemma we will examine what is the true Scripture notions of a Church We find in Scripture that the Churches which the Apostles planted are reckoned by the great Towns or Cities which they chose to begin to gather their Churches in as appears both by the names that are given them and by comparing Act. 14.23 with Tit. 1.5 where the ordinary Elders in every Church is the same with Ordaining Elders in every City Neither do we find any Organical Church of the Apostles founding any where mention'd in the New Testament but it bears the name of the Town or City in which it was besides those Domestick Churches of
Priscilla and Aquila of Nymphas and Philemon which were equivocally call'd Churches because some Congregations of the Believers did either occasionally or statedly assemble to worship God there or as others think because all of these Families were converted to Christianity and so became Churches or Houses of God which is little to our present Question Besides these Churches thus planted by the Apostles in Towns and Cities did still retain their first names and singularity For one may always observe that where the Scripture speaks of the Churches of a whole Province or Countrey it speaks of them as of different and distinct Churches in the plural number as the Churches of Judea 1 Thes 2.14 the Churches of Asia 1 Cor. 16.19 the Churches of Syria and Cilicia Act. 15.41 the Churches of Galatia 1 Cor. 16.1 and Gal. 1.2 and the Churches of Macedonia 2 Cor. 8. 1. because all these were large Countries in which were many great Towns and Cities in which the Churches were distinctly planted and according to which they had their names and number But when it speaks of the Christians in one Town or City it speaks of them as one Church in the singular as the Church of Jerusalem Act. 8.1 the Church of Antioch Act. 13.1 the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 1.2 So when the Churches of Asia are spoken of together they are the seven Churches according to the number and names of the seven great Cities of Asia in which these Churches were planted but when written to singly it is the Church of Ephesus and the Church of Smyrna and the Church of Sardis c. And it is to be observed 1. That this account never once fails in all the New Testament which proves that it is not spoken indifferently but industriously and for our instruction 2. That Churches were thus reckoned in the times of John when he was in Patmos which was 64 years after Christ in all which time it is incredible that all the Christians in one of these great Cities were no more than would make up one Congregation 3. That there is no mention in the Scripture of any Churches planted in the Countreys adjacent to these Cities and Towns yet it is rational to suppose that there were many Converts and some Congregations too in the Country-Villages as well as in the great Towns and therefore that these made up but one Church with that of the Town or City Hence I conclude that these things being written by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost for our admonition a Church and a Congregation are in the language and account of Scripture two things And that it is very unreasonable and unwarrantable to alter the first Constitution or Denomination of the Churches as they were left us by the Apostles as far as they went and therein a Rule given us to do the like 'T is true the Universal Church was once but one single Congregation at Jerusalem and from which all the other Churches sprang as so many Daughters on which account she is call'd the Mother of us all but when other Churches were form'd that at Jerusalem was no more the Universal Church but only an integral part of it and co-ordinate with other Churches for its Universality was not of the Essence but only a sperable adjunct of it nor did she propagate these Churches which afterward sprang from her as she was Universal but as she was a Church And so all the Churches of the Apostles planting were at first but single Congregations yet it doth not thence follow that every single Congregation is a Church I mean that which in the Scripture is honour'd with the name of a Church that is the Presbyterial Synodal Classical Diocesan or Collegiate Church I would not be thought to deny to the Congregational or as now they are call'd Parochial Churches any thing either of name or of priviledge that is their right but will call them for distinction sake Pastoral Churches and grant that they have a power of governing themselves as such as every Family hath a power and right to govern it self and every Troop and Company in an Army by their own proper Officers within their own Sphears and cannot be legally impos'd on by other Family-Masters or other Captains with whom they are equal But what Families are to Corporations and these to Kingdoms or Common-wealths and what Troops and particular Companies are to Regiments and these to Armies such are Congregations to Churches that is Presbyterial Churches and these to the Universal I am not now concerned to speak of the Church Universal which is in Scripture call'd The Church but of the Presbyterial which alone is that which in Scripture is call'd a Church that is a perfect and adult Church that hath power by its Officers to propagate and constitute other Churches and Congregations and to over-rule all the particular Pastors of the Charges and Congregations that are within its bounds and limits This Presbyterial or Collegiate Ruling Church must consist of a pars Regens and a pars Regenda all cannot be Rulers here nor equally interessed in the Power of Government that were Democracy and but one little remove from Anarchy neither can the Power rest in one single Person that were absolute Monarchy which is the common Parent of Tyranny but it must therefore be a select number or Collegium of such of the Presbyters or Ministers of the Gospel as are best qualify'd with Age Gravity Experience Learning Piety and especially Humility Charity Moderation and Contempt of the World with an Holy Zeal and Diligence which are the Qualifications the Scripture in this case requires And this company of Ruling Presbyters in every such Church must have one Head or President which is the Episcopus Episcoporum or else it were a Monster an heap of confusion and unororganiz'd matter This Head must be One else there can be no union nor consistency of the parts nor attainment of its ends This One Head must be fixt and constant and that in the same Person till there be just cause to change else the Government cannot be steddy but is dissolved and broken and consequently the Church with all its particular Congregations most dangerously expos'd And this is that Government which is call'd Aristocracy and may as properly be call'd a mixt or limited Monarchy which I take to be most agreeable to the Pattern given us in the Mount of the holy Scriptures And is so far from intrenching upon the Right or infringing the Liberty or Government of the Church Congregational that it is the best Defence to it and as a strong Wall about it 'T is true it may be abus'd and what is there in the World that may not but to plead against any Form of Government only from the Abuse of it is Cavil and not Argument From what hath been said I conclude that the Presbyterial and Diocesan Church in the Essentials of their Constitutions are one and the same thing Tho' there be many Words
that are between them And now Sirs you see here 's a Foundation for a much larger Discourse than time or strength will at present bear I shall contract my self into as narrow a Circle as I am able that I may not too far transgress the Bounds assigned me CAP. II. The Doctrinal Proposition Stated and Cleared THIS practical Text appears to be very pregnant of practical Doctrine which might be distributed into several Branches But he that studies brevity must avoid all unnecessary division I shall offer but these three Proposition I. That Believers are Christs own mystical Flock and He their great Shepherd Prop. II. That the Ministers of the Gospel are they to whom the LORD Jesus Christ hath committed the Care and Rule of this his mystical Flock Prop. III. That a Ministers want of Care and Concern for the Flock of Christ is an indication of the want of Love to Christ himself Either of these singly would fill up more time than is allotted me for this Action The second Proposition is that wherein the stream of the Text seems to run and unto which both the other will without forcing come in to its Improvement Wherefore I shall lay down this for the Basis and Bound of my following Discourse That the Ministers of the Gospel are they to whom the LORD Jesus Christ hath committed the Care and Rule of his Mystical Flock In the Prosecution of this Truth I shall briefly answer these four Questions 1. What this Flock is concerning which this charge is given or who they are whom our LORD would have us to understand by His Lambs and His Sheep 2. Why these Names of Lambs and Sheep are given them 3. Who the Ministers of the Gospel are with whom this charge is left 4. What the Duty is that is required of them or what our dear LORD and Master would have us to understand by Feeding them And then shall conclude all with some useful Inferences both to Ministers and People Quest 1. What this Flock is concerning which this Charge is given or whom our LORD would have us to understand by His Lambs and His Sheep Sol. The Question needs not many words The general sense of this common Scriptural Metaphor is obvious But that which makes the question is that distinguishing if it be here a distinguishing Relative My Sheep Mat. 25.32 33. We have there all the World divided into two sorts Sheep and Goats i. e. Believers and Unbelievers Wherefore by Sheep in that Scripture and with whom the Lambs are also included being oppos'd to the Goats we may understand no other than true Believers The sound and sincere part of Professors which is no larger than the Church Invisible These indeed are His Sheep in the most proper and peculiar sense But that the Word in the Text must not be so restrain'd is certain because our Commission would then be unintelligible and lose its ends it being impossible for us to be assur'd who are the Sheep and who the Goats till the Judgment of the Great Day determine and reveal it Who then are My Lambs and My Sheep If I may expound my Text by that of Matth. 28.19 the question will well-nigh be answered Go ye therefore and teach all Nations That Teaching here is the same with Feeding in the Text I suppose will be granted All Nations i. e. those of all and of any Nation that are willing to receive the Gospel and to be taught by you And that all Nations are His both as Creator and Redeemer I hope will not be denied But then how are all Nations call'd His Sheep and His Lambs I have already said that all Nations are those of the Nations that would receive the Gospel of which sort Christ hath had some in all Nations Besides many of those that are not actually his Sheep are Potentially and Electively so The extent of the Commission and Command seems to run thus Feed all those both Young and Old that will be fed by you of what Nation or Countrey or Place soever they be that those that are not yet actually my Sheep may be made so and then cared and provided for as such This is the general Call of the Gospel If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Joh. 7.37 And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Joh. 6.37 All that will may and must be fed But yet not all alike As there are Babes and Strong Men in Gods House so there is Milk and stronger Meat that which will cherish one will choak another All Ordinances may not be indifferently administred unto all In the Old Temple there was the Inner and the Outer Court so there is in the New But this being a matter of Order and Discipline may be recogniz'd in a more proper place This little may now be enough to be said on this first question Quest 2. Why are these names of Lambs and Sheep given them Sol. We find 't is a Metaphor that the Spirit of God in Scripture delights much in Were it expedient 't were easie enough to illustrate the Analogy in many particulars But that it becomes not the present occasion I shall but suggest these two general Reasons 1. To mind us what we are of our selves 2. To teach us what we should be 1. To mind us what we are of our selves The Sheep as one observes is of all Cattel the most silly Franz Histor Animal Sacr. Fearful Weak and Unprovided for self-defence none so subject to Diseases and to be Infected of one another Nor any other Creature more apt to go astray or so unapt to return without the help and care of the Shepherd No other kind of perfect Animal so unable to subsist and to preserve it's Species in the Earth without the care and conduct of Man as is the poor Sheep therefore no other Metaphor more proper to express the Nature and Condition of the Church of Christ in the World by which without the Wisdom Power Providence Faithfulness Love and All-sufficiency of our Heavenly Shepherd the LORD Jesus Christ must inevitably and eternally perish 2. 'T is to teach us what we should be The Sheep you know is that Creature which was of old in a more especial manner dedicated to God and offered to him in Sacrifice and made a Type of Christ our great Propitiatory Sacrifice The first Offering to the LORD that we find honour'd with his Acceptance was that of Abel of the Firstlings of his Flock Gen. 4.4 Besides the Sheep is a Creature not only Ceremonially clean but is naturally cleanly and delights not in the Mire and Dirt as the Sow 'T is a Meek Innocent Patient Creature and us'd as a common Emblem of Patience 'T is one of the most profitable of Cattel of which there is nothing but is one way or other useful to all the purposes of humane Life And which is very remarkable they have a natural Instinct of vehement Love and Regard for
their own Shepherd Pastores suos vehementer amant Fr. ib. as if they were Conscious of their own weakness and need of him The bare mention of these things being enough to direct the Spiritual Mind to their due application I shall wave all manner of further enlargement here Quest 3. The Third Question is this Who the Ministers of the Gospel are with whom this Charge of our dear Saviour is left Sol. One would think the Solution of such a Question as this should not be hard nor is it so in Thesi wherein the clear light both of Scripture and of Nature is so concurring and convincing And yet we find there is hardly any one thing wherein Professors such of them as are too apt to be led by the factious Principles of Ignorance and Prejudice are more uncharitably disagreed in than in this How miserably the poor Church of Christ by the malice and subtilties of the common Enemy and the Carnality Pride and blind Passions of Professors is torn into Rags of Divisions and Subdivisions is too well known for me to inform you And of all these every Party is magnifying their own Teachers as the only Ministers of Christ and ready to condemn all others as Hirelings False Teachers Schismatical Intruders c. This is a Lamentation and let it be for a Lamentation But could we return to a right Understanding of our plain rule in this Affair how easily might the Case be brought to its due Issue I know but these two things that essentially denominate a Man to be a Minister of Jesus Christ Qualification and Commission And neither of which is singly sufficient I am sensible that I am now in a large Field and in a ready way to be lost in Controversy but that I have more practical and necessary work before me Yet I beseech you bear with me while I explain my self a little on these two heads and I will be very short the Truth being commonly best seen in a few plain words 1. There must be Qualifications But what Of special sanctifying saving Grace This indeed is needful and most desireable and morally conducive to the happy and glorious ends of the Ministry both as to our selves and those that hear us absolutely necessary as the sine quâ non unto Salvation but not so to Ministerial Qualification A man may be lawfully a Minister that is not Spiritually a Member of Christ The Sealed of the Tribe of Levi were but a Remnant as of any one of the other Tribes Those that in our Saviour's Time sate in Moses's Chair were for the most part of them far enough from Moses's Spirit and yet our Saviour owns them in their Office Judas was a Disciple and sent forth with a Commission to Preach the Gospel of the Kingdom even by Him who knew him to be inwardly a Devil and a Traitor But this is no new Doctrine nor needs any proof to one that has not a mind to be contentious But the Qualification here required as absolutely necessary is Ministerial That whereby a Person is competently fitted for the discharge of all the work and duties of this sacred Office Orthodoxy in Doctrine ability and aptness in at least the gift of Preaching and Praying skill and moderation in ruling c. And certainly there 's a great difference between Ministerial Gâ—â—s and saving Grace 〈…〉 the particulars of 〈…〉 refer you to Paul's 〈…〉 1 Epist ch 3. and to Titus ch 1. 2. There must be Commission No man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron Heb. 5.4 No man taketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No man undertaketh accepteth or assumeth to himself and of himself that is no man ought or can without Sin any way take or receive this Honour or usurp this Office but he that is called of God that is delegated and commissioned by Gods Authority and in the way of Gods appointment tho' not in that immediate and extraordinary manner as Aaron was unless in like extraordinary cases yet by a Power and Dispensation legally and orderly derived from him through such Hands as he hath appointed and impower'd to this end Qualification without Commission makes not a Minister of Jesus Christ but such a thing as he calls a Thief and a Robber a Sacrilegious Intruder such as were Corah and his Complices and such as are too many in our days And Commission without Qualification makes what the Prophet calls an Idol-shepherd or Dumb-Dog a Blind Guide And who are they that have right authoritatively to examine and judge of Qualification or to conveigh Commission to others for the Conservation of a Succession in this sacred Office but those that are themselves both duely Qualified and Commissionated And that too not singly privately or arbitrarily but according to the Rules given in this matter by and from our supream LORD and Master Jesus Christ in the New Testament Methinks this should not amount to a Question with any that have but read the Holy Scriptures and own their Truth and Authority or that have not abandon'd the conduct of common reason by whose light it is easie to see the equity and expediency of the Scripture directions in this case Quest 4. We are now come to the last Question What the duty is that is required of them Or What our dear LORD and Master would have us to understand by Feeding his Lambs and his Sheep Sol. The Flock you see is divided into two parts the Lambs and the Sheep So is the Ministerial Work that concerns them Feed and Rule both which are equally and inseparably enjoined parts of this work as appears in several very plain Scriptures 1 Tim. 5.17 Let the Elders that rule well be accounted worthy of double honour especially they who labour or they labouring i. e. on the account of their labouring in Word and Doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is a Text that hath been sufficiently vext by men of different Sentiments and Interests I know no reason we have from this Scripture to infer two distinct Orders of Ruling and Teaching Presbyters seeing what is mention'd here both of Ruling and Labouring in Word and Doctrine are but the essential and required Functions of one and the same Sacred Order and Office than which I am not concerned at present to look any further into any Truths that are plainly enough stated in it or any questions that have been vainly enough started on it And with which there are several other Scriptures that agree in the same Hypothesis 1 Thes 5.12 We beseech you Brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the LORD and admonish you Here are the same words applied to the same Persons and Things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that are over you or set and appointed over you in the LORD i. e. according to the LORD and in the things of the LORD to rule in his Church and who they are but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that labour among you and admonish you So Heb. 13.7 Those that Rule are the same with those that Preach the Word and ver 17. They are said to Watch for Souls which as it may imply other work so it must import Preaching the Word in which sense the word is ordinarily used in Scripture And here the Rulers and the Watch-men are the same Many other Texts there are that freely offer to avouch this Truth but these are enough to prove what I aim at That the work of a Minister of Christ is both to Teach and to Govern the People committed to his charge And he that is not fit to Govern is not worthy to Teach them But to obviate any scandalous Reflexions that Ignorance or Envy may make on this Position and Claim of our Governing Power in the House of God which is his Church We heartily declare our Abhorrence of all those Popith Tenets and Pretensions which are any way derogatory to the just Power and Authority of the Civil Government under which we live and unto which we profess our chearful and constant Obedience both as Men and as Christians Our Spiritual Government of Gods Spiritual Kingdom in our respective Charges being no more prejudicial to that of Temporal States and Kingdoms than is the Despotical which is the Natural Right of every Family Yea so far from prejudicial that it is accumulative both of their Honour and Security as the Experience both of the Primitive and of the best Reformed Churches have unquestionably proved and which might in many particular instances were it necessay be demonstrated From what hath been now thus briefly said I conclude this Question That Feed my Lambs and my Sheep implies these two things Teach them and Rule them wherein the whole works of the Ministerial Office is included But to tell you how they must be taught and how they ought to be ruled will need much more time than is here allotted me or is now convenient for me to take Yet this being the Main of my Errand to you something must be spoken to it as time and strength will serve in the Applicatory part to which I now proceed CAP. III. The Doctrine improved by way of Instruction THIS Doctrine would be useful more ways than I shall be able now to apply it Yet give me leave to suggest some of the more necessary things under these three general Heads Instruction Exhortation Encouragement 1. By way of Instruction and that in these eight particulars 1. In the Right and Propriety that Christ hath in his Church They are his own Sheep Joh. 10.3.4 No Shepherd in the World ever had or can have that absolute undefeasible supream independent and natural Propriety in his Flock as Christ hath in his They are His both as God and as Redeemer His by right of Creation Donation Purchase Regeneration and their own voluntary Choice and Self-dedication His Portion His Inheritance His peculiar Treasure Nothing is nearer nothing dearer to him than they His Mark and his Name is upon them his Spirit his Nature his Image his Glory shines in them The Scripture is full of his Claims to them and by which they are distinguish'd and separate from all the rest of the World Joh. 15.19 And this is the ground of that Caution 1 Pet. 5.2 3. Feed the Flock of God which is among you Neither as being Lords over God's Heritage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruling but not Domineering Governing but not Tyrannizing more Regio imperantes as Deputies and Rulers in trust not as Lords and Kings Non Regnum sed Cura Presbyteris commissa est beccause they are not Yours but God's Heritage his Clergy whether Ministers or People for the word in the use as well as derivation of it reaches both Church-Tyranny is an Encroachment upon Christ's peculiar Right To Rule with a Lordly Grandeur with Rigour or Arbitrariness to Monopolize the Power which ought to be more equally distributed is very injurious not only to the Flock but to him who is the LORD of it and whose Servants and Stewards we profess our selves to be And which is a guilt that the proudest He upon Earth will not have the hardiness to own before his Judge another day 2. In the tender Affection and Care he hath for them Nothing is more apt to endear a thing to us than Propriety That which is our own we love though it be not as it should be nor as we wish yet because 't is our own And those that do otherwise are justly reckoned among the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without natural Affection and worse than Infidels But should I begin to tell you what dearness of Affection the LORD Jsus Christ hath for his poor little Flock where should I end Eternity will be little enough with admiration and praise to recount the glorious Soul-ravishing Instances of this Love He loved them so as to leave the Eternal Throne of his Glory and the sweet Repose he had from Everlasting in the Bosom of the Father for them So as to humble and abase himself to the vile Raggs of our Humane Nature to the Miseries and Necessities of an indigent life to the proud Scorns and blasphemous Indignities of a wicked and horridly ungrateful World to the foul Temptations and Buffettings of Satan to the imputation of Sin the only thing so abhorrent to his pure and sinless Nature to the Bondage Obedience and Curse of the Law to the Wrath of God which he never in the least for himself deserved and which to any one else would have been utterly unsupportable to the most ignâ—â—â—inious torturous and accursed Death of the Cross and to the power of Death his own Servant and common Executioner for a time And all this his Love to them overcame and sweetned to him Yea and having loved them he loves them still and will love them to the end yea without end And therefore delights to speak of them always with some Intimations of their dearness to him as his Friends his Brethren his Children his Lambs his Spouse his Members c. for all which I had no need to quote you the Scriptures And as is his Love to them so is his Care of and Provision for them When he saw it expedient for them to depart from them as to his bodily presence and to leave them here in a Militant state exposed to the Rage of his and their Enemies both Temporal and Infernal to be hated and tempted and persecuted to the death for his sake O how did his Soul pity them with what compassion did he embrace them and seal his unchangeable Love to them what a stream of endearing Affection and Care doth there run thro' his parting Discourses with them Joh. 14.15 and 16. How sweetly doth he counsel and comfort them there and is so concerned for them that he seems to take no care for himself though he knew that dreadful Hour was now come wherein that Wrath must be
we are of him 5. It informs us what an honourable work the work of the Gospel is 'T is so both in its self and with relation to its Author its Object and its Ends How contemptible soever it be in the eyes of some and how unworthy and vile soever some of those are that are admitted or thrust themselves into it to the reproach of it 'T is not only a Work but an Office and an Office of the highest dignity on the account of its Author the LORD Jesus Christ who is exalted above all Principalities and Powers and hath a Name above every Name The LORD of Lords the King Eternal Immortal Invisible the only wise God and unto whom every Knee shall bow No man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God 'T is an Honour too great for any but God to bestow an Honour more immediately deriv'd from the Everlasting Fountain of Honour than any other Office in the World On the account of its Object the Mystical Flock and spiritual Kingdom of Christ the Noble Family and Houshold of God Ministers are Christ's Embassadors not Pages nor Porters though that were an honour but his Embassadors and Representatives 2 Cor. 5.20 The Stewards of his House 1 Cor. 4.1 The Angels of the Churches Rev. 1.20 He hath put his own Honour upon them and hath told the Word That what is done to them he takes as done to himself and hath required his Churches to honour them for his and for their Work sake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let them be accounted worthy or let them be dignified with double honour The honour of respect and maintenance is due to all that are faithful but a double or greater degree of honour and authority to those that are best qualify'd for and most laborious in their Work Where by the way you may take notice that Ministers do not live as perhaps some are ready to think and to upbraid them too on the Peoples Alms. Their maintenance is of God's allowance and precept Non Eleemosinae sed Honoraria not Alms but Rewards by Divine Right due to them I say Divine Right in genere though not in specie But of this I would not now have once opened my lips but for your sakes who are the people that no guilt of this kind may rest on any of you and that you may not have any unbecoming thoughts of us on this account Lastly it is honourable too on the account of its ends The conversion edification and salvation of Immortal souls The destroying the Works of the Devil in the World and the pulling down his strong holds the repairing the ruins of mankind by the Fall and the restoring the Image of their Maker upon them the negotiating the grand Affairs of a Peace between God and man and of all the concerns of the Kingdom of the Mediator upon Earth the highest trust that ever was committed to meer Creatures The great Work and Design which the God of Heaven hath espoused to glorify all his Attributes in and which the Son of God was sent into this lower World for What are Earthly Kingdoms and Dominions and Interests to this this is that swallows up all Sirs 'T is not without regret that we should be compell'd as Paul once was To magnify our Office and to become fools in glorying 2 Cor 12.11 'T is an honour that we acknowledge our selves infinitely unworthy of yet it is the honour that our God hath put upon us both for his own and for your sakes 6. It informs us what a Burthensom Work the Ministry is Burthensom not only in respect of the Labour of it wherein if that faithfulness and diligence be used as is necessary and required it is the heaviest of all Employments in the World and that which spends the strength both of Body and Spirit more than any other 'T is true there are too many that live idly and work easily enough in this Laborious Calling whose praise is not great in the Churches and whose comfort is not like to abound in the day of account but those that love their Master and their Work and are duly sensible of their Charge can find little time to be Idle Alas Sirs what you see and hear of our Pulpit Work is or should be the least part of our Labour Besides it is a burthensom Work in respect of the many Temptations Oppositions and Discouragements that attend it both from the World the Flesh and the Devil God knows we are the best of us men and but men subject to like Passions as others are We that teach others must teach our selves We that carry the Light before you have as much need of the Light as you Not as though we had already attained or were already perfect Phil. 3.12 The boldest Officer is in himself no more shot-free than the Common Soldier though his dangers may be greater Pity us then and pray for us when you see a Temptation too strong for us We are more the Butt of the Dragon's Envy and the Mark that his Rage aims at than you which makes our Post by so much the more difficult Again It is a burthensom Work in respect of the unsuccessfulness of it neither is this the least part of our Burthen How very gladly would we spend and be spent in the Service of our dear Flocks We would not think the labour of our Brains or Breasts our Studies or Watchings our Travels or Cares our Reproaches or Sufferings no nor our blood too much for them could we but be comforted by them with the good success of all this But when after all our pains and adventures and Prayers and Tears we see so little of the good Fruit we long for so little Humility so little Charity so little Self-denyal so little Mortification to the World so little regular and discreet Zeal for God this is that breaks our hearts and makes us to walk heavily Lastly It is a burthensom Work in respect of the consequence of it both to our hearers and to our selves To our hearers Their Souls and Eternal Happiness and what have they dearer what have they more is bound up in this burthen To our selves O the tremendous Charge not only of our own but of our Peoples souls and the Account that will shortly be required of us when the time is come that is at hand that we may be no longer Stewards The serious consideration of this is astonishing O that it may now be awakning Well might the Apostle cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who is sufficient for these things 7. It shews us the Sin and danger of intruders into this Office 'T is dangerous both to themselves and to the Flock To themselves in respect of their Usurpation which is highly Sacrilegious in respect of their Ends which are wont to be base vain-glorious and selfish and in respect of the Account they must at last give for the blood of souls which will be dreadful and
our Brains Tho' those that are under their first Convictions and are young in the Faith may improperly be called Lambs yet these are they who in Scripture Language are said to be with Young and are plainly distinguished from the Lambs Isa 40.11 'T is strange that any but the Devil should quarrel at this part of our Work 2. As part of our Charge let us take all proper and rational Methods that lye within our reach and their capacity to teach and instruct them in all the necessary points of the Christian Religion both Doctrinal and Practical This was the Command of God by Moses and the constant practice of the Conscientious in that Church And herein the first and purest the best settled and most thriving Churches of the Gentiles have been exemplarily diligent and eminently successful nor was there ever any Age more plentifully furnished with such helps and plain Catechistical Systems of sound words to this purpose than is the Age we live in which if diligently and duely improv'd may yet save us a Remnant and be as a Nail given us in his Holy Place a happy presage of a work of Reformation if not in this yet in the next Generation But here these five words of caution may be necessary 1. That their memories be so imploy'd as not to be over burden'd a due regard being had to that insuperable difference which Nature hath made in the distribution of this Faculty Tho' sloth or dullness ought not to excuse yet the burden should not be made too heavy We must drive as Jacob did Gen. 33.13 as the weak and tender of the Flock can bear Prudence must be applied here 2. That they do not rest in the bare exercise of Memory as Children are exceeding apt to do but that our best endeavours to be used to conveigh the Notions of Divine Truths as they are capable into their Understandings which will be no little help and advantage to a weak Memory And herein should our skill and condescension appear in plainness and familiarity of expression yet with that seriousness sweetness and gravity as doth become our Persons and Office And in order hereto an account should be taken of them by such other easie questions as are not formally learnt but plainly included in and may readily be answered by what is so learnt for the trial and exercise of their Intellectuals Of which kind also we have made ready to our hands the useful labours of divers who have travell'd in this Province on that excellent Compendium of Theology compos'd by the Reverend Assembly of Divines at WEST MINSTER and which hath deservedly obtain'd the general acceptance of all the Orthodox in the Protestant Churches 3. Because we know that the Devil will be Catechizing the Heart in these Young Ones while we are Cathechizing the Ear and the common Understanding and will be digging his Countermines against us in the hidden parts of the Soul and doubling his Fortifications on the Ground of a depraved Nature we should endeavour with all our Holy Art to make them sensible of their particular and real concern in these things of God and of their Souls so that their Consciences may be awaken'd and rouz'd and the happy Foundations of a serious as well as early Religion be laid in them And perhaps we may find greater success herein than we are aware of or are apt to hope for Conscience is as natural to them as Reason and should be nourish'd up with it and as we find in all other things the younger the more tender and easie to be wrought upon Tho' Fear be said by the Atheistical Philosopher to be that which first made that it in their sense fancied and imagined God in the World yet were it not for this Connatural Principle of Conscience Fear would not make that clear and abiding Impression on the Rational Nature as it doth Unless we manage our work with them so as is proper to effect the grand Design of their Conversion we do nothing to any good purpose but lose our properest and most acceptable time of doing their Souls that good for which they may bless God for us in the upper World 4. We should rest with them in the Doctrinal or Theoretical part but especially insist on the Practicals of Religion and with such plain and suitable applications as are more obvious to their weak Understandings that so they may come to perceive the end and use of their Instruction and Knowledge and a Harmony may be form'd in them betimes abovo between their Principles and their Practices Which is the most hopeful way to obviate that common Cavil of the World against Early Piety grown into a Proverb A young Saint and an old Hypocrite 5. Our Carriage towards them and Care for them should in all respects be such as may engage their Affections which are naturally more early and readily exerted than acts of Judgment and Understanding that they may as soon as possible come to taste the sweetness of the ways of God By such an advantage as this you know it is that our Enemy the Devil is wont to be before-hand with us by inflaming the sensual Appetite and engaging the Affections and corrupting the Will with the carnal pleasures of Sin and the Lusts of the Flesh before the Judgment is enlightned or the Conscience awaken'd to discern and to resist the Temptations wherewith he is too hard for them Herein then it is good policy to prevent him When we have gotten the Hearts of our Little Ones with what pleasure and zeal and innocent emulation will they go on in their work which will make it much the easier both to themselves and to us I could enlargehere but that I know to whom I am speaking Verbum satis sapientibus 2. The other part of our Charge are the Sheep and here as I have said is double work These must both be Fed and Rul'd 1. They must be Fed. 'T is my comfort that I am now speaking to such as God hath made both able and apt so to do and who I hope have no need of my Directions in it or Spurs to it Wherefore I shall only hint at some few more general heads of the things you much better understand than my self 1. They must be fed with wholesome Food The sincere Milk of the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sound pure and inadulterated Doctrine Divine and Scripture Truths the Bread of Life of Heavens preparing and not the visions of our own Hearts Unwholesome Food breeds Diseases and sometimes ends in Death The Shepherd were as good starve his Flock as poison it O how dangerous then is blindness or giddiness or self-will in a Spiritual Guide What need have we with unprejudiced minds to study the Holy Scriptures to take heed of rashness or singularity in the â—otions that we espouse To Watch and Pray for that Spirit of Truth which is promised us of God to guide us into all Truth that we do
say if I say any thing did not the sense of my Duty oblige me to accept of the Burthen that is laid upon me and to discharge it with that sincerity and impartiality according to the measure that is given me of God for his Churches Service as doth become one that desires to be found faithful I confess my heart cannot but shrink at the thoughts of entring into this rough and thorny Province this Seat of War where I see so many Parties engag'd and Swords drawn at one another God knows and my Brethren are my Witnesses that this is not a Work of my own seeking nor am I come as an Advocate of any of the contending parties but with an earnest desire and design of Peace and Truth In the prosecution whereof I shall purposely as far as possible decline any use of the sentiments or suffrages of such as have been at sharps on this Argument and confine my self to those Oracles of the divinely inspired and revealed Truth in the Holy Scriptures the Rule which at last we must be determined by if ever we be well determined The word that God this way putteth in my mouth that shall I speak as he shall please to give me understanding and utterance and let those that are otherwise minded consider before they censure Should I pretend to assume the whole Question of Church-government it would swell into a volume whereas I intend only this one short Chapter for what I shall now say on this Subject and therein as little as I can which yet to some perhaps may seem too much and to others too little I shall not spend any time in writing an Encomium of Government either in general or particular which hath been done by many others of the usefulness and necessity whereof the whole rational world is experimentally sensible But of Government there are divers kinds according to the diversity both of the matter and form of it That which we are now to consider is the Ecclesiastical or the Government of the Church and House of God in the World The Apostle tells us There is no Power but of God the Powers that be are ordained of God Whosoever therefore resisteth resisteth the Ordinance of God Rom. 13.1 2. The Powers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Potestates Governments that are amongst men are God's Ordinance tho all the evil ways of climbing into it and male-administration of it or imprudent circumstances in the constitution of it be not of God but of men But if all the Powers and Governments of the world be of God then hath he not left his Church which is his peculiar Kingdom without Government But the Question is not Whether Ecclesiastical Government in the general be jure divino but whether there be any particular Form of this Government that is so and what that Form is This is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Nodus vindice dignus There are some that deny there is any Form of Church-Government appointed of Christ under the New-Testament but that it is left to be modified by the Rules of Human Prudence and Discretion But then such would do well to let us know when and where and to whom the Lord Jesus Christ hath committed this Power of Legislation and establishing the Forms of Government to his Churches 'T is true there are some Circumstantials of Government that are and must be left to the Discretion of Governors to be adapted pro re natâ to the present state of the Governed But if the Essentials of Government be left to the wisdom and will of men then are the Churches in a very ill case Nor do I know how we shall be able to prove That as Moses was faithful in all the house of God as a servant so Christ much more as a son over his own house Heb. 3. begin But that he was so de facto in the business of Government and Discipline as well as in Doctrine and Worship and satisfaction to God as our Redeemer is well enough to be prov'd from the Scriptures Whence I conclude that the Government of the Church is appointed of Christ in the Holy Scriptures in specie as well as in genere Of those that are thus far agreed there are yet divers Opinions and Parties some are for this Form of Government others for that the Reasons of which disagreement are commonly some such things as these 1st An invincible ignorance of the true sense of the Scriptures in this Point and the very mind of Christ and his Apostles in them Charity obliges me to believe that there are very many of most of the contending Parties that would readily and cheerfully acquiesce in the Sentiments of their Opposers could they but overcome the Reasons which they think they have truly and rightly drawn from the Scriptures to be otherwise minded And yet it is most certain that there is gross and affected ignorance enough among the Contenders of all sides And these are the persons that are wont to be most fierce and confident The mind of Christ is in it self but one and can be no more therefore our disagreement about it necessarily concludes our Ignorance or something worse on the one side or the other 2. The natural fondness that men have for their own Ways and Lusts Though there is no Government in the World of so pure a nature or firm a texture or constitution but that it may be abus'd to the service of base ends and private interest yet there are some Modes and Forms of Government that are in themselves more directly accommodated by the Policy of the Compilers and Founders of them to such purposes And such are they especially that are of mens devising and obtruding on the Spiritual Kingdom of Christ For Usurpers be sure will always frame their Laws and Methods in favour of their own Designs And were there nothing else but private Interest and Design among the Parties concern'd that difference that is amongst men on this account must needs be an occasion of contention But much more must such as are acted by Principies of true Conscience and Integrity think themselves bound to protest against all such politick and carnal Forms of Government 3. The Gross Abuse and Degeneracy of a good and well ordered Government The purest and most durable Metal if not well kept will in length of time grow foul and rusty and look very unlike it self and then it will be question'd and quarrell'd at and deny'd to be what in truth it is And the same fate are the best Governments in the World subject to As was the Kingly Government among the Assyrians in the days of Sardanapalus and among the Romans in the days of Tarquinius Superbus And so it hath been of several other Forms of Government amongst men The best and most sacred Constitutions that ever were in the Earth by their abuse have fallen under the Odium and contempt of the more inconsiderate part that are apt to lust after new things and
beginning is very evident Our blessed LORD when he began with his Ministry to lay the Foundations of the new Jerusalem the Gospel Church what could be more plainly distinguishing than his chusing the select number of Twelve as one Superiour Order of Ministers and of Seventy whom he sent forth to Preach the Gospel as an Order inferiour to the Twelve Tho' their general Office and Commission as Preachers were both the same which made them of one Body and Society as such but of a different Order and Degree and these as plainly and politically distinguished from the Body of the common Disciples as any one political Society or Company of Men in the World is from another And thus they have been ever since with all the reason in the World taken as a particular Company and Body of Men on the account of their Holy Calling separate and distinct from the Common People and as such have a Government of Christs own Institution proper and peculiar to them I do not think that the exact number of Twelve or of Seventy doth at all concern us Gentiles but that which is in it common both to Jews and Gentiles concerns us as well as them What the Priests were to the Levites that the Twelve were to the Seventy Yea and among the Twelve there seems to be a difference both of Order and Degree Tho' Peter was not the Princeps Apostolorum he was the Primus Discipulorum the Seniour of that School or Collegium Presbyterorum and next in Dignity under Christ his LORD and Master for we find that Peter was the Person unto whom Christ did immediately direct all his Speeches that concerned them in common that when the Twelve or any part of them are mention'd if Peter were one he was always named first Yea and Matthew in his Catalogue does not only name him first but gives him the Title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which for ought I know is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Praeses Neither tho' this be granted will it at all strengthen or favour the arrogant claim of the Bishop of Rome to be Peter's Successor For Peter himself was call'd the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not with relation to the Church Universal of which Christ alone is the Head but with relation to that particular Society or Collegium of which he was then a Member For when the frame and Oeconomy of that particular Society was dissolved as it was by the Death of Christ Peter was no more a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Primate or President than any of the other Eleven were 2. That it must be always so And great reason there is for this 1. Because Christ hath instituted it by his own practice and example as appears by what hath been now said and what Christ hath once instituted may not by man be abrogated or altered 2. Because there is perpetual need of it I need not descant upon this Doleful Experience tells us to our shame that there is no Society or Body of men in the World that have more need of the Reins of Government than the Ministry Hath every Company of Physicians Chirurgeons Merchants Apothecaries Taylors Drapers Shoemakers Victuallers Vintners Bakers Brick-layers c. need of a Government peculiar to their respective Companies and Professions in the best governed Towns and Corporations I would I could say that Ministers have not much more whose Errours and Miscarriages are of sadder consequence than any of theirs aforementioned If every Minister as such be immediately under Christ as to Government which cannot be unless they had their Commission immediately from him as the Apostles had then is he accountable to none else but is absolute and independent in his Office What grosser principle of Tyranny can there be than this What wider Gate can there be opened to the most Licentious Arbitrariness And in what a case then are the poor Churches This is to pull down one Tyrant and to set up many thousands and to make every Novice a Lord over Gods Heritage Quest 2. By whom must they be ruled Sol. Not by themselves sure that 's plain Anarchy and utterly inconsistent with any Form of Political Government which the Quakers themselves would soon be weary of as in Pensilvania they say they begin to be were they not in despight of their irrational Principles preserv'd from the mischievous consequences of them by the common benefit of the Government they here live under but they must be rul'd by the Authority which God hath set over them and every one both Pastors and People by their own immediate Officers Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves Heb. 13.17 And who are they whom Christ hath set to Rule and to Govern in his House but those whom he calls his Stewards his Ministers into whose hands he hath committed the Keys of Government Neither hath he shared the Ruling Power or any part of it between them and the People nor could it have been consistent with the honour of his Wisdom or the Interest and Peace of his Churches to have done it I will give unto Thee not one but both the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 16.19 That these are the Keys of Doctrine and Discipline appears by the explication of it in the next words Whatsoever thou shalt bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven which is the exercise of the Authority given him Neither is this Power of Government given to Peter exclusively nor as a private Disciple but as a publick Minister and publick Officer in the Church of Christ and with him to all the rest of his Brethren in the same Office for them and for their Successors Mat. 18.18 Who is it that Christ means by the faithful and wise Steward Lu. 12.42 Is it not the same that the Apostle means 1 Cor. 4.1 The Ministers of Christ and Tit. 1.7 A Bishop must be blameless as the Steward of God And this is the Steward whom his Lord shall make Ruler over his Houshold to give them their portion of meat in due season So that the Government of his Church is established by Christ in the hands of his Ministers on whom he breathed the Holy-Ghost to qualifie them for and carry them thro' all the work both ordinary and extraordinary whereto he sent them Joh. 20.22 By this it appears in the general in whose hands immediately under Christ the governing power doth lye not in the People but in the Ministers of the Gospel who alone are his Stewards and unto whom at his departure he delivered the Keys of his House and of all the Provisions and Treasures in it And who are sometimes in the New Testament call'd his Ambassadors or Messengers sometimes Bishops or Overseers sometimes Presbyters or Elders sometimes Proestotes or Rulers which are but several Names and Titles given to one and the same sort of men I know no point in Scripture more plainly asserted than this viz. That Christ hath join'd
the Teaching and Ruling Authority together and committed it in conjunction to the same hands But what God hath joined together let no man put asunder Quest 3. By what Laws must they be ruled Sol. Not by Laws of mens devising which they are wont to accommodate to the service of their own Inclinations and Ends but by the written Laws of his own prescription The Oeconomy is Spiritual and Divine and so must the Laws be by which it is administred Other Foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 The Foundation of Government and Discipline as well as of Doctrine and Worship is laid by Jesus Christ and whoever lays any other Foundation in either of these entrenches on Christ's Prerogative and shall do it to his own peril Tho' in the necessary Circumstantials of all these humane Prudence and Authority hath a determining power for the Order Peace and Edification of the Church but not to its destruction or disturbance I say the necessary Circumstantials but unnecessarily to multiply Circumstantials under the Notion of Indifferents and on pretence of Decency or Authority is a very unacceptable and offensive piece of Superstition and to impose them as the indispensible terms of Communion on such as are not satisfied about them is not the least Instance of Church-Tyranny Church Officers are but Christ's Deputies and not Lords of Gods Heritage and therefore must rule by Christ's Laws For he is our Judge our Law-giver and our King Isa 33.22 Our Power is but to execute 't is he that must make and give the Laws And what these Laws are and where to be found I need not say the Holy Scriptures are his Statute-Book If they speak not according to this Rule it is because there is no light in them 2. The Rulers If there be some to be ruled there must be others to Rule Relata se simul ponunt tollunt qui novit unum Relatorum novit alterum Yet here it will be enquired who are those that are to Rule I shall not take notice of the Regal Power or how far it being Christian it extends both over Pastors and People not only as Civil Subjects but as Christian Churches and not only in the things of men but in the things of God but shall refer my Reader for this to Mr. Baxter of National Churches and to others that have written of it it being forreign to my present Text. But as Pastors and People are two distinct Political Bodies so there must be two distinct Forms of Government proper to each of them I shall speak 1. Of the People These are to be rul'd and not to rule in the House of God I know this is an hard saying and that there are many that can badly bear it nor would I thus displease them could I help it and yet be faithful Those that are for a Democracy seem to be guided by the same Spirit as they were Numb 16.3 Who gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said unto them ye take too much upon you seeing all the Congregation is holy every one of them Wherefore then lift ye up your selves above the Congregation of the LORD That the Tribe of Reuben should be guilty of such a thing was not so strange but great pity it was that any of the Tribe of Levi should conspire with them There is no Minister of Jesus Christ that can consent to such an Usurpation and be innocent and true to the Trust committed to him Let those that are for the Peoples ruling in the Church of Christ shew us when and where the Keys of Government or any one of them was put into any of their hands Where did our LORD make them partners with us in the Government of his Church Or what part of the Governing Office and Work was it that he assigned to them Herein I am sorry that I must dissent not only from Men of an inferiour Note and more Heterodox Principles but from the Learned Calvin too and almost all that follow him For I could never yet find in Scripture any such Officer as a non-preaching ruling Elder appointed of Christ or of his Apostles in the Church The one and only Officer that Christ himself made was the Minister of his Word the Evangelical Pastor whose work was to feed and to rule the Flock To which the Apostles afterward added the Office of the Deacons as Servants to them and Helps in the meaner part of their work as may be seen Act. 6. begin and as Moses did for the ease of his Government by the advice of Jethro Exod. 18.18 c. Which tho' it be Apostolical yet cannot be said to be Primarily but only Secundarily Jure Divino The Scriptures that are alledged in favour of this Ruling Lay Elder do not as I think prove any such conclusions which I shall now examine and leave all to the consideration of such as can without prejudice weigh what I am now bold to offer One Text we have Rom. 12.6 7 8. To which I have this exception If the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that ruleth be here mention'd as a distinct Officer in the Church then why not all the rest of which we have these seven in this one Scripture viz. he that prophesieth he that ministreth he that teacheth he that exhorteth he that giveth he that ruleth and he that sheweth mercy But if we go to work in this way how will Offices be multiplied in the Church beyond all that was ever intended or imagined And then 1 Cor. 12.28 29 30. where we have no less than nine mention'd among which we find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they would have to signifie the Ruling Lay-Elder and so we would believe too could they prove that all the rest here mentioned were so many Offices in the Church They insist very confidently on these words of sanction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath set and appointed but why this word which hath undeniably an equal relation to all should make or prove one to be an Office and not another I confess is a depth that I am not able to fathom Here as I think the great mistake lies that Gifts and Offices are confounded The Apostle 1 Cor. 12.4 5 6. very plainly distinguishes between Gifts Administ ations and Operations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where by Gifts are meant the Abilities bestowed upon the Offices or Administrations in order to the operations or effects of them to the edifying of the Church Now in the fore-mention'd Scriptures we find a diversity of Gifts and Operations but Gifts and Offices are not the same But there is one Scripture more which hath been already quoted on the Doctrinal part of this Discourse which seems to speak more fully to their purpose and to make a distinction between Preaching and Ruling Elders viz. 1 Tim. 5.17 Let the Elders that Rule well be accounted worthy of double honour especially they who
labour in the Word and Doctrine Much use hath been made of this Text to little purpose I shall not now mention any of all that I have seen and read of it but give you as God hath enabled me the true sense of this Scripture and let the unprejudiced Reader judge And that we may understand the mind of Christ in it we will consider 1. By whom and to whom this Direction was given It was by the Apostle Paul the great planter of the Churches of the Gentiles and who as an Apostle had Power and Authority to order and determine all the affairs that concern'd the Discipline and Government of the Churches of his own planting Both this and the other Epistle was written by him to Timothy whom he left as his Substitute or Surrogate with Apostolical Power under him in the Church of Ephesus to ordain Presbyters as there should be occasion and to dispose of the Dignities and Revenues of the Church to such as were most worthy of them and would best improve them to the Glory of Christ and the Churches benefit And for the same end it was that he left Titus in Crete as his Substitute or Overseer in that Island as appears Tit. 1.5 So that this advice was not sent to the people nor to the Inferior Presbyters who were to be ordered by it but to one in a higher Sphear of Authority and by whom they were to be ordered whether for distinction sake he be called Evangelist or Bishop or President or Moderator the difference is but verbal 2. What doth the Apostle mean by the double honour here There are two things that seem to bid fair for the Sense which will both come to one in the issue 1. The Honour of Maintenance and so we find the word sometimes used in Scripture as ver 3. of this Chap. Matt. 15.6 Acts 28 10. and the following words of the Apostle in this Scripture seem to look this way and then the Sense must be this Let those Officers of the Church that best discharge the Duties of their Office in ruling but especially in Preaching which is the more noble and necessary part of their Work have the greatest encouragement on this kind i e. Let not the Revenues of the Church which were then but small and uncertain be bestowed promiscuously much less partially 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but so as may best subserve the Churches good Government and the grand Design of preaching the Gospel 2. The Honour of Authority and Obedience And this is the prime sense of the Word as it is used in the Fifth Commandment Honour thy Father and thy Mother Exod. 20.12 is the same with Obey your Parents Eph. 6.1 And obey them that have the rule over you Heb. 13.17 and so is the word used Heb. 5.4 No man taketh this Honour unto himself i. e. this Office this Dignity this power and authority And this indeed is much more worthily and properly call'd Honour than a rich worldly Revenue or a fat Benefice or Bishoprick things unborn in those days which men too often abuse both to God's dishonour and their own Now if this be the Double Honour here intended as to me seems most probable at least that it is included as the most eminent part of it then the sense will be this Let those Presbyters or Ministers that appear on experience and tryal to have a Spirit of Government but especially with it an eminency of ability and diligence in preaching the Word be made Rulers and Superintendents over the inferior part of the Clergy let such be taken into the Collegium Presbyterorum regens the Regency of the Church So that it is not the distinction of Office but the qualification of the Officer that the Apostle gives this direction for 3. We must consider the persons on whom this double honour is to be conferr'd or who are thus to be dignified as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies and these are Elders describ'd 1. In genere by their Office 2. In specie by their Qualifications 1. By their general Office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a word always us'd to denote the Ministers of the Word in the Gospel-Church as Act. 11.30 ch 14.23 ch 15.2 6 22 23. ch 16.4 ch 20.17 ch 21.18 Tit. 1.5 Jam. 5.14 1 Pet. 5.1 2 Ep. John 1. and Epist 3.1 2. By their special Qualification which is double 1. They much be such as Rule well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is another Title peculiarly given in the New Testament to the Ministers of the Word whose Office it is to Rule as well as to Preach 2. They must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as labour in the Word and Doctrine So that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not distinguish as I have said between two Offices but between the twofold Qualifications of one and the same Office There were in the Church of Ephesus which was a Collegiate or Presbyterial Church many Presbyters the Talent of whose Gifts lay diversly as we find it doth in all other Churches some were fitter for Government others for Preaching some excelled in one Gift others in another Now the Apostle advises Timothy how to make his choice of Persons for Government in the Presbytery whom to prefer to and entrust with a double honour or higher degree of Dignity and Power in this kind and sphere of Government and tells him they must be such as have behav'd themselves well in the Pastoral Government of their particular Flocks and Congregations and especially such of them as are most eminent and laborious in Preaching the Word whereby they purchase to themselves a good Degree as it is said of the Deacons 1 Tim 3.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a place of higher Honour and Trust from a Deacon to a Presbyter from a Presbyter to a President Preferments ought to be dispensed according to every ones Qualifications and Merits Whence it appears that there are Degrees in the Ministerial Office And this is that the Apostle here gives this Direction about not at all countenancing a Non-Preaching Ruling Lay-Elder but discountenancing a Lordly Lazy Non-Preaching Bishop or Superintendent That the Preaching Elder or Minister of the Gospel is to Rule as well as to Preach the Word is so plainly asserted in Scripture that I think cannot by any be denied But if this Ruling Power were divided by Christ or his Apostles between Them and the People or any part of the People can any one give us a reason why neither Christ nor his Apostles should ever speak a word to direct us how the Division of this Ruling Power must be made What must be their part and what ours How they must be qualified as well as we and the Deacons for which they were careful to give the necessary Rules Yea and how they must be maintain'd too For to lay the burden of an Office on a Man and to make no provision for his Maintenance seems hard and not