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A42933
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Gods government of his church, and the deputation thereof to men both for the civill and ecclesiastical estate : especially for the ecclesiasticall, concerning which many doubts and debates are now moved.
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1641
(1641)
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Wing G958; ESTC R21789
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29,179
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52
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GODS GOVERNMENT OF HIS CHURCH AND THE DEPUTATION THEREOF TO MEN Both for the CIVILL and ECCLESIASTICAL Estate Especially for the Ecclesiasticall concerning which many doubts and debates are now moved PROV 8. VER 15 16. By mee Kings raignâ— and Princes decree Justice By mee Princes and Nobles even all the Judges of the earth rule Printed in the yeare 1641. GODS GOVERNMENT OF HIS CHURCH CHAP. I. SOme Heathen because they were regardlesse of the maine passages of the world and others because they did too curiously measure them by the line of humane reason erred in their opinion conceiving that God tooke not care of this inferiour world But such among them as were more considerate and better sighted made no question but that God had not onely an all-seeing eye of providence to behold and regard but also an eye intent to the ballancing of mens actions and in effect said that God was well pleased and would in mercy sooner or later reward them who continued in well doing and would punish those in this life or another who were given up to doe evill Christians have more undoubted knowledge of these things then others and well understand that God hath a speciall eye on mankind and hath not left men to themselves because they are prone to errour in judgement and mis-carriage in their actions as having of themselves more saile in their affections then ballast in their understanding and will and therefore that God as of right hee may so of his singular goodnesse he doth take care to governe and instruct the sons of men This the Holy Scripture maketh evident unto us when God is stiled The Lord and Father of all and all men said to be at his command and disposing his dutifull sons or rebellious children So when he is called the Master of the houshold and all the world his family The Builder of his Church making choice of fit stones for the rearing up of the same The Shepheard of the flocke and all the world his sheep or goats The Lord of the vineyard and all people his pleasant plants or fruitlesse trees That we might take more speciall notice hereof God is stiled The Ancient of dayes The King of kings The Prince of the Kings of the earth The Bishop of our soules The great Shepheard of the sheep The Rabbi or great teacher of his people The head of the Church and of all Principality and power By these Titles of God and all other the like in Scripture wee can attaine but in part and in some small measure to the knowledge of his Majesty wisedome and excellency For this Well is vast and deep and our pitchers narrow mouth'd and of small capacity yet may wee observe that these things attributed to God doe in most eminent and superlative manner belong unto him So that as God is the great Shepheard of the sheep and King of kings so he is likewise the great both Judge and Bishop of our soules and Ancient of dayes and the Judge of judges and Bishop of the bishops of our soules and the Ancient of all ancients of dayes In the beginning of the world God often shewed himselfe unto and in more familiar manner conversed and spake with the Patriarchs and thereby most clearly manifested his love and care of mankind his authority and wisedome to oversee and order to governe and teach them and to expresse the actions which are correspondent unto the titles above spoken of This was a wonderfull condiscending of his infinite Majestie to humane weakenesse and an extraordinary favour to some speciall instruments of his glory for the good of others his people and not the usuall way in which hee intended to walke as appeareth by the history of after times But greater love and mercy did God shew when the son of God tooke our nature upon him conversed among men thirty and odde yeares when I say Christ Jesus borne King of the Jewes and being the heire of David though refused by the Jews and their Rulers became obedient to death even to the death of the crosse and performed all things requisite and fore-appointed by God for mans salvation and redemption and having delivered all doctrine and instruction by his owne sermons and his Apostles preaching and writings in which were comprised all necessary matters for the working of faith in us that in beleeving wee may have eternall life through Christs name he left the world to make use of the same by the comfort of the Holy Ghost sent down unto them and sits on the right hand of his Father in heaven and as Lord and Christ rules and moderates all things here below as having all soveraigne power and authority in heaven and earth given unto him CHAP. II. Gods Deputation of the Government of the Church to men before Christs time and how it was practised IN regard that man as God himselfe said is but dust and of a fraile nature and as the chiefe Rulers of Israel felt at Gods terrible and dreadfull delivery of the Law humane imbecility is not able to endure Gods glory and majestie nor to heare his immediate voyce and because if God making much lesse appearance of Majesty should goe along with men in their proceedings hee should as he told Moses consume them in the way if they became which they are prone unto a froward rebellious and stiffe-necked people In regard I say that these dangers would befall mankind as also for many other reasons well did the Israelites say to Moses Talke thou with us and wee will heare but let not God talke with us lest we dye And for this cause God hath graciously vouchsafed to make over a Deputation to men and to commit the Government and teaching of the people to men called and gifted extraordinarily by himselfe or to men so qualified by ordinary meanes as he himselfe hath prescribed and so called by men as he hath appointed This God hath done because these his Deputies being men compassed with like infirmities and subject to like passions as others would moderately compassionate others who either through the ignorance of their mindes should fall into errour or through depravation of their wils and affections should trespasse in their actions This Deputation of Governours and Teachers appeareth most plainly in some parts of Scripture where occasion was given to explicate it fully and to have it settled exactly as in Moses time For then Moses first educated in Pharaohs court and afterward flying thence and becomming for forty years a shepheard in Midian that from a low degree he might be capable of exaltation was called by God to be the shepheard captain and King of Israel for leading Gods people out of Egypt Of this Moses God saith that he should be to Aaron as a Exod. 4.16 7.1 God and made him Judge of his people And when Moses could not hear b Exod. 18.13 and end all the controversies among so numerous a people God bids him take seventy cheif
Rabbi is Teacher and usuall Joh. 1.38 Paul a father to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 4.15 Barnabas and Silas leaders Act. 15.22 terms and therefore doth not absolutely deny them but their use in the Pharisaicall humour which was to love them and to be proud of them that their party might overtop the Sadduces so faction here as in many other kinds is chief cause of the mischief 2. They which have these titles must acknowledge their Deputation from God and these terms due properly and indeed to him but lent to them for saith Christ ye have one Rabbi Father Doctor in heaven those in earth are but subordinate to him they must not require to be heard in their owne names but in Christs Thus saith the Lord must be their plea. 3. They must not do as the Kings of the earth the heathen Roman Lords then most in the Jews eye who 1. neither d Pilate said Knowest thou not that I have power c. ruled nor taught according to Gods Law but by humane reason and Laws of their own in many things very corrupt 2. they minded an earthly Empire e They would have no King but Caesar to rule all over the whole world and domineered therein over the Kings of the earth 3. promoted their f Who can war with the beast Apoc. 13 4. Soveraignty by the sword and violent means 4. made all their acquirements serve to the getting of g Who is like unto the beast ibid. same and glory to themselves 5. became gracious h See Luk. 3.1 Lords to their instruments and rewarded them with worldly honours and preferments and minded not at all the doing of their soules good and the obtaining a better life after this which are the maine ayme of Christs Deputies for ruling and teaching So then these obliquities being avoyded the titles of a Patriarch an Archbuilder an Archbishop are in themselves lawfull being moderatly managed for the service and good of Gods people God deales in like manner with kings for though he himself be The King of kings and the Lord of lords yet is Nebuchadnezzar by the Spirit of God stiled A King of kings And if so then a Christian King as Gods Deputy and having more then one Kingdome subject to him may be termed a King of kings and may substitute under him Viceroyes Nobles and Judges as helpers to bear the burden of governement under him as well as Archbuilders and Bishops for sacred matters Yet the practice of the Pope of Rome is not at all warranted or countenanced hereby but rather hence it may be argued that hee sins most highly 1. Because being an ecclesiasticall man he claimeth the secular and civill power also and would have both swords whereas every soule is bidden to be subject to the higher power and if every soule then both Pauls and Peters and much more the Popes 2. The Popes sins that being an ecclesiasticall person he claims superiority over Kings and Princes in all the world this extent of Soveraignty is Christs prerogative only 3. That hee too little esteemeth Gods Law and too highly advanceth his owne Constitutions and Canons and Doctrines many of them needlesse or false or contrary to Gods Lawes But his pride is abundantly manifest therefore I say no more Whereas his Orators plead in his behalf that he is as far above the Emperor or any King in dignity as the Sun before the Moon Heaven before the Earth and spirituall things before temporall and in regard that matters concerning the soul are of more esteem then matters of the body he is above all Kings States in the world I answer In these things they grosly flatter him and deceive themselves for God knowing the condition of humane nature to be frail and the necessities incident to our bodies very many appointed six dayes in speciall for provision for the body and but one in speciall for his service and the instruction of our souls and yet the soul is of far greater dignity and worth then the body And manifest it is that God set Moses David and Solomon in place above Aaron Abiathar and Zadock for though well and happy being is more excellent in it self then meer being yet seeing the care of being is in order progresse before well being and in the way necessary thereunto for man must have a being else he cannot have a well being therefore God hath given the first and chief place to the King that 1. We may live and enjoy a quiet and peaceable life and not one become a prey to another 2. Lead this life in all godlinesse and honesty by the Kings care who provides for both these by subordinate civill and ecclesiasticall persons And for this cause it was and is that though the duties of the Sabbath and service of God are more excellent in themselves then our food and care of our bodies yet God will have mercy rather then sacrifice and dispenseth with sacred duties for the saving of mens lives and necessary cure of diseases But on the other side some object The terme Bishop is attributed to a Presbyter Tit. 1.5 7. and elsewhere So that every Presbyter or Minister may bee truly called a Bishop and if so then why should there be an imparity maintained in this calling I answer The word Bishop in its owne nature signifieth an Overseer or Superintendent in any kinde as Pakid in Hebrew So God is The great Bishop of all Job 20.29 1 Pet. 2.25 * Euseb in vit Constant l. 4. Constantine termes himselfe Episcopon in one kind his ecclesiasticall chief Rulers in another Heathen Authors stile God Episcopon of all good and bad actions and give the title also to civill Magistrates In the like acception the 70. Interpreters use it 2 Kin. 11.15 and elsewhere It is also given to ecclesiasticall Officers as to Eleazar who though he was under Aaron yet was Captain of the Captains over the Levites Numb 4.16 So 't is to the Priests in office under Jehojadah 2 King 11.18 In the new Testament the 11. Apostles had the same Episcopen Bishoprick from which Judas fell and into which Matthias was chosen Act. 1.20 In the Church of Ephesus those which bee called Presbyters or Elders that is Ministers as by custome now wee call them are likewise called Bishops or Overseers over their flocks Now though the same terme be given to all these yet the matter it selfe and the very different degrees of the persons to whom it is given admit not a parity in any wise The like is evident in other termes Christ is Sar a Isa 9.6 Prince of peace and Michael the great Sar b Dan. 12.1 Prince The Kings of Persia and Grecia are each of them called Sar This very word is attributed to the c 1 Sam. 12.9 Captain of an army To the d 2 Chr. 18.25 Ruler of a City To the chief e 1 Chr. 27.22 Rulers of the Tribes To the f