fear of the Lord teaching his Laws and Oracles unto them Deut. 6.7 begetting in them an affection and Reverence to his Will and Word acquainting them with the blessings promised upon the believing and obeying Gods Requirements and the dangers threatned against neglectors and the dreadfull Judgements that fall upon despisers of Gods worship and orders Let the Heads and Governours of this little Church or Kingdome as I may call it exercise the Office in an humble sence of Prophet Priest and King to teach them to offer Sacrifice for them and to govern them Let believing Parents give their children Gospel-breeding and spiritual Education that they may know how to behave themselves in the Houshold of God as becomes the Family of so Princely a Posterity and to learn the carriage of holy manners and precisely to prove all things like the Baereans who by so doing may be reputed truly Noble and well bred Christians I would respectively impose upon superiors to take the place of Tutors and their houses to be as Nurceries of Learning there to be instructed and prepared even to fit them to Degrees of Piety and Religion Prov. 22.6 and for this take the Counsell of Solomon who saith Train up a Child in the way he should go and he will not depart from it when he is old Mark he saith he will not depart Mind what Saint Paul saith Eph. 6.4 Bring up your Children in the Lords nurture and admonition and so to endeavour by good Counsel and good example to incline their hearts and conform their minds to sound Doctrine Gospel-order and a holy conversation and so come to be made capable of spiritual Priviledges and Church-Communion 3. By Correction By discountenancing Correcting Preventing and Restraining of sin to prevent and reform them from vanity and vice by the reproof of a severe countenance and angry face Prov. 23.13 Prov. 13.14 and to stop their growing into folly and the bringing forth evill action by rectifying all disorders in their conversation and this to be done timely and in due season agreeable to the best Rules of discretion have a respect to their disposition some to gain by fear and some by favour Let the Circumstances observed in Correction give evidence for a mans self his end is good in Correcting I have heard at the common place of Execution some complaining of Fathers and others of Masters because they did not restrain them from vain Courses saying if they had it might have been a prevention of their ever coming to that shamefull Execution And indeed God hath set Fathers and Masters as Rulers and to have dominion within the borders of their Family Jurisdiction and doubtlesse of their places they must give an account Therefore they have great reason to discharge their trust to their Inferiours and to make use of their power and advantages which are many they having so much opportunity to discern into their actions and to discover their lives and to know their designs and having so near a relation to them and so great a command over them might be much instrumental by Gods blessing to do much for God and for their souls benefit and eternal good 4. By Protection By Countenancing and Cherishing the budding of grace nourishing every appearance of God in the soul 1 Cor. 11.2 giving timely incouragement and a seasonable assistance to the matters of Faith and Conscience and to be a guarding presence to the small beginning not to quench the smoaking Flax and bruised Reed to mind them of spiritual Traffick and to bring them up in the knowledge of spiritual Husbandry protecting in them the heads of Grace and plants of Piety using much diligence waiting with tendernesse their growth and increase 1 Thes 2.7 For as the School-men say The greatest Matters have the smallest Beginnings The Seeds and Roots of Grace and Piety are like the tender Herbs and Plants that have need to be tenderly preserved to be often watered and weeded and well fenced and secured For a man is a Prince in his own Family to protect Order and Piety and to banish Sin and Iniquity and having cast out the things that offend and well prepared the ground the next thing is to put things into some Method Form and Order And here the Christian professor may learn a Lesson of the Gardener who in his Plantation and Garden having gotten the choisest Hearbs and Plants he devises his form and sets them according to rule and order both for profit and also to delight the owner So Christians when they have prepared Matter they are to place them in the Lords Vineyard and that in a Gospel manner that they may be fruitfull for their Lord and Master and also to invite and delight the beholder to take them with Orders beauty for it was the Order of Solomons Family that astonisht the Queen of Sheba 5. By Supplication For Family and Children always remembering the Lord is the Donor and Bestower of all Gifts and Graces and that we are but poor begging Instruments at the Throne of Grace and Door of Mercy for our selves and Families praying humbly and heartily that the Lord would please to Sanctifie all means and Crown all endeavours with his own benedictions Joh. 15.5 without which all other labours are nothing for without him we can do nothing fervently petitioning the Lord that our Families might be his Family that he would direct and bless us in our Election Direction Correction Protection Exclusion And that our Children might be his Children and our Servants his Servants that the Lord would please to season their hearts with his Grace enlighten their understanding by his Spirit to ingage their affections by his Love and so to prepare them and conform them to his Will and Word That with Joshua We and our Houses may serve the Lord Jos 24.15 That as they grow in years and strength so they may increase in Knowledge and Goodnesse that they might be Plants in his House and placed in his Family and so be fruitfull Instruments of his Glory and humbly to offer Sacrifice for them and to intercede the Lord that they might orderly obey his Doctrine and cheerfully submit to his Discipline and to intreat his favour to guide them by his Counsell here and receive them into his Kingdome hereafter 6. By Exclusion Yet here I do not intend in the least to meddle with Wife and Children no more than to purge sin out of them Deut. 19.16 but in this case I mind only Servants Busie-bodies and Tale-bearers which are oft-times Instruments of Disorder and Disturbance in many Families And as the Wise man saith Prov. 26.20 Where there is no wood the Fire goeth out So where there is no Tale-bearer Strife ceaseth And for Servants that are vain disorderly may in time infect and corrupt the rest in a Family Now 't is better to remove and exclude such persons than that they should defile and
the righteous God hath not only admonished us to do our duty but hath given us a method by his late example to proceed against iniquity 1. He counsells and instructs by many instruments much tenderness and oft entreaties 2. He doth admonish and wait to be gracious and that with long-suffering and much patience 3. He warns alarms by particular presidents of his anger sad accidents and threatens by fearfull sights and apparitions 4. If yet they reform not he sends as we see his rod and sword and cuts off many persons and makes great desolations Thus saith Micah the Prophet The Lord hath shewed thee O man what is good which being done with an eye to the present condition might prove a soveraign means to prevent or remove future tribulation But Christian Reader for my own part and partern I look at the example of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthian-Congregation when he saw their disorder and impiety their affliction and calamity he magnifies his authority and discharges his duty observing the Lords own method after counsell and warning he seems to threaten with his rod and presses the Church to purge themselves by punishing evil doers and reforming their abuses And lest the Church should question their power and priviledge in the execution of judgement and justice he convinces them the Saints shall judge the world and Angels much more then those smaller matters and that they should judge upon life and death much more things that pertain to this present life And that he might put it out of all disputation he saith set them to judge in the Church who are of the least estimation and further he saith 't is a shame for Christians to go out of the Church to try their Causes so that I have both an occasion and a pattern to write thus to Christs Congregation That which is most called for is right discipline and that thing is the most of all wanting by which our Borders and Churches should be cleansed of all defilements and pollutions These things considered 1. May be forceable Arguments to induce Christians to exercise a more searching doctrine and to execute a more severe discipline and that in every place and Congregation 2. My observation of the Gospell-Churches Some are careless in matters of doctrine some faulty in cases of conversation but more generally remiss in the true order of Governing 3. Some looking upon Church-Government to be little less than tyranny and their submission to it little less than slavery 4. Others looking upon it as if it had no name being or place or as if it stood for no purpose and use 5. Because such neglects and generall omissions open a door to let in many disorders and divisions And because I do not remember that any Friend hath writ much upon this Subject before are the motives of my enlarging upon this Work I confess this Subject is too high and too worthy to be handled by one so unworthy and of so mean ability yet I would open a door to let some other in to view this Subject even to lend their help to supply my defects and make it more perfect even one that hath faith in the honesty of my intention and to cover my failings by a charitable construction And so I commit it to the use of Edification and also present it for the benefit of Christs Congregation A TREATISE Setting forth The Gospel's Honour AND The Churches Ornament IN all Nations Provinces and in every Society there are two principal Causes of Peace and common Prosperity where Superiours freely exercise right Government and Inferiours are truly subject and obedient Even when Vertue and well-doers are sutably praised and constantly protected and all Vice and evill-doers truly restrained and duly punished When the People are in reall submission to Authority and the Rulers in humble submission to the Power of those Laws they ought to rule by Even when Government is prosecuted without knowing of Faces and Justice executed without regard to Causes or respects of Persons And as the most High and Mighty God is the Worlds Creator so Government is his Royall Act and Excellent Creature and for it's Eminency 't is as antient as the World for Antiquity For when the Lord had devided the Darkness from the Light He made the Sun to rule by Day and the Moon by Night So when the Most Gracious Lord hath called and devided the Children of Light from the Children of this World and Translated them out of the Kingdome of Darknesse into the Kingdome of his dear Son and so they become his Spiritual Subjects and He their Immortal King Thus am I directed into my way and cast upon my designed Subject which is my reall Purpose and resolved Intent even to treat touching Christ's Princely Authority and Ecclesiastical Government which I call The Gospel's Honour and The Churches Ornament And for my better prosecution of this Matter I will observe this following Method and Order 1. To shew the Antiquity and Dignity of Ecclesiastical Government 2. The Definition The several Parts and particular Acts of it 3. The several Reasons for it and great Necessity of it 4. Declaring the Use and great Benefit that comes by it 5. Some Rules tendred directing how to Effect and Accomplish it 6. The true Order and right Manner of the Execution of it 7. And Lastly Some Directions given how to uphold and support it 1. Of the First Touching the Antiquity and Dignity of Ecclesiastical Government THe Excellency Antiquity and Dignity of all Power and Authority conferred upon the Gospel-Church descends from the Christ of God who is the Original Author and from whom it receives it's prime Honour We may say in this case as 't is said by the Wise Man For what can the man do that cometh after the King Even that which hath been already done who now under the New Testament is the only Law-giver and chief Establisher of Ecclesiastical Government all Power in Heaven and Earth is given him and all Justice and Judgement is committed to him and all subordinate Power is derived from him His Personal Excellencies and Princely Vertues are not to be compared but admired I have not words to expresse his Royall Majesty and to set forth his Excellent Glory He is exalted far above all Principalities and far surpasseth all Names and Dignities for the God-Head dwels in him bodily and he is more than worthy of all Duty and Glory His Love unparalel'd his Wisdome matchless his Power boundlesse his Justice unquestionable his Innocency admirable his Treasures inestimable his Fidelity inexpressable Imanuel God with us and who is Exalted above and triumphs over all his Enemies The most High and Mighty Prince upon whom he fals he grinds to powder and crushes his Adversaries by his Power and breaks them in pieces like Potters vessels who acted so eminently for the Glory of the Creator and so happily for the happinesse of the Creature that Divine Justice might be compleatly
them to instruct them and convince them from the Scriptures and shew them the Laws they have broken that judge them trespassers and condemns them for transgressors 4ly shew them their sin in it's body and deformity the sad accidents and bad consequences that attend sin and to make them sensible of their iniquity from the evidence of Scripture-testimony say to the sinner Come see what you have done look upon your sin in it's aggravation how serpent like it darts and stings every one it reflects upon Gods honour it darts Religion stings the brethren disturbs your Inner-man gives an occasion of stumbling to the weak in profession it daunts the well-wishers and enquires after Religion and gives the enemies truth an occasion of rejoycing Fifthly To learn to know the offenders design for oft-times a design by an act intended may be worse than the action it self committed there may be Circumstances depending to be considered by which the Act may be much mitegated or aggravated as ignorance or wilfulnesse as in pretence of conscience or a design of disturbance as from a principle of Charity or in a course of subtilty the best of these Circumstances will make no justification for any evill action for that will be to countenance sin but the better circumstances are to have their mittegations in damages I mean in punishments and the other their aggravations 6. To observe the disposition capacity and temper of the person not to favour his sin but in order to gain an advantage upon the sinner some to save with compassion some with fear some with gentlenesse others with sharpnessei always tosort fit and direct all admonishions reproofs and corrections as may best suit with the offenders disposition and the demerits of his sin and transgression Seventhly To take the most convenient season as I have said things done in their season and order are like apples of gold in pictures of silver they are not only beautifull to the action but a disadvantage to the enemies design but beware lest while ye are about to heal some breaches you neither prevent nor disturb your selves in some other weighty and publick services and so let in Satan to make his advantages For a man must have some respect in matters of Government to three Estates The honour of God the quiet of Conscience and the peace of the Church Thus I presume to tender my Counsell and offer my Judgement and direction especially to such as have any trust and publick imployment over their brethren for men of wisdome honesty and sufficiency are most sensible of the Office and buthen of the place carefull of the Charge and apprehensive of the accounts they must make like men of discretion let them well observe the nature of their Office and the worthinesse of their places and judge for God according to the rule of his Word with all justnesse and gravity As one observing the Judges sit in the Judgement Seat while they were grave and just he thought they were gods but when they changed into lighenesse and fell into passion he concluded they were but men Let Christs Officers and Ministers act gravely justly and discreetly instructing themselves and others in their several obligations both as they are men and Christians As once a Governour of a Nation observed saith he I am King of Bodyes not of Souls a Commander of men not of Conscience And as our Lord himself hath taught us to distinguish of duties and to render every one their dues and to owe nothing to any man but love To honour our Lord Christ as the head of the Church and to respect civil Magistrates as the politick fathers of our Countries To conclude this point let me say to my brethren as once a Prince said to his son observing him to mind trifles said Come my Son leave trifles and mind the matters of the Kingdome So I say to my brethren and every Christian to leave the trifles of this World and mind the matters of Christs Kingdome Peace and Unity is the great end I have here designed and 't is a design God hath greatly blessed The Scholars in Christs Church ought to be Students for quietnesse and peace in the Churches The Lord hath not only commanded it but he prefers Peace before any other Sacrafice Mat. 5.24 2. He enjoyned his Disciples to seek peruse and prosecute Peace 3. 'T is further told us from the Lord without Peace and Holnesse no man shall see God 4. Such as pray for Peace shall be blessed with Prosperity 5. To the Councellors of Peace there shall be Joy 6. The makers of Peace are honored by being called Gods posterity 7. Peace is a fruit of Gods spirit and a Character of heavenly wisdome To hast God is the God of Peace and Christ is a Prince of Peace and the Kingdome of God is Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Thus are Saints to preserve Peace among them and the Peace of God that passeth all understanding shall keep them Thus are Christians become concerned to endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of Peace that is What the Spirit of God hath united formed and compacted together either in respect of Fundamentals Ephes 4.3 governing and perfecting Principles always to maintain the ancient Form and true Pattern of sound Doctrine and right Discipline That Truth and Peace may go hand in hand together be constant Companions and imbrace each other You may please to learn a Lesson from our experience in the Nation When we are at Peace at home then we see our Enemies are quiet abroad when we disturb and afflict each other by way of persecution it invites and emboldens our enemies of other Nations and in the midst of home-bred contentions we hold open a door to let in forreign adversaries Let Christians make spiritual application who are within the borders of the holy Nation to beware of Strife and Envy which makes way for the souls enemy but to maintain Concord and Unity which are as Bulwarks against the Adversary but let Union be made and Charity increase and have salt in your selves and be at Peace one with another and as a conclusion I would impose this one Obligation as the late Legacy of a dying man that the parties more chiefly concerned may seriously apply it and profitably improve it to Gods glory and their own felicity 'T is an Incumbent among Christians I wish it may never cease to keep the Unity of the spirit and Truth in the bond of Peace Seventhly and Lastly Some Directions given how to uphold and support Church-Government IN order to the preserving and supporting Church-Government the matter will charge every mans concernment both Offices and Members It invites them to their duties and obligeth them as Christians to discharge good consciences in all due concernments as they are under several obligations and become concerned in their respective places And First to my well beloved Brethren in the Lord whom God hath