Part 16 (1/2)

Now these officers of Christ, viz. they that labor in the word and doctrine, and the ruling elders, are the subject of this power of jurisdiction as they are united in one body, hence called a Church, Matth. xviii. 18, viz. the governing or ruling church; for no other can there be meant; and presbytery,[104] i.e. a society or a.s.sembly of presbyters together, 1 Tim. iv. 14.

The presbyters, elders.h.i.+ps, or a.s.semblies wherein these officers are united and a.s.sociated, are of two sorts, viz: 1. The lesser a.s.semblies, consisting of the ministers and ruling elders in each single congregation; which, for distinction's sake, is styled the congregational elders.h.i.+p. 2. The greater a.s.semblies, consisting of church governors sent from several churches and united into one body, for governing of all these churches within their own bounds, whence their members were sent. These greater a.s.semblies are either presbyterial or synodal. 1. Presbyterial, consisting of the ministers and elders of several adjacent or neighboring single congregations, or parish churches, ruling those several congregations in common; this kind of a.s.sembly is commonly called the presbytery, or, for distinction's sake, the cla.s.sical presbytery, i.e. the presbytery of such a rank of churches. 2. Synodal, consisting of ministers and elders, sent from presbyterial a.s.semblies, to consult and conclude about matters of common and great concernment to the church within their limits. Such was that a.s.sembly mentioned, Acts xv. These synodal a.s.semblies are either, 1. Of ministers and elders from several presbyteries within one province, called provincial. 2. Or of ministers and elders from several provinces within one nation, called therefore national. Or, 3. Of ministers and elders from the several nations within the whole Christian world, therefore called ec.u.menical: for all which a.s.semblies, congregational, presbyterial, and synodal, and the subordination of the lesser to the greater a.s.semblies respectively, there seems to be good ground and divine warrant in the word of G.o.d, as (G.o.d willing) shall be evinced in the xii., xiii., xiv., and xv. chapters following.

CHAPTER XII.

_Of the Divine Right of Congregational Elders.h.i.+ps or Kirk Sessions, for the government of the Church._

Touching congregational elders.h.i.+ps, consisting of the ministers and ruling elders of the several single congregations, which are called the lesser a.s.semblies, or smaller presbyteries, and which are to manage and order all ecclesiastical matters within themselves, which are of more immediate, private, particular concernment to their own congregations respectively; and consequently, of more easy dispatch, and of more daily use and necessity. Concerning these congregational presbyteries, we shall not now take into consideration either, 1. What are the members const.i.tuting and making up these elders.h.i.+ps; whether ruling elders by divine warrant may be superadded to the pastors and teachers, and so be a.s.sociated for the government of the congregation. For the divine right of the ruling elders, distinct from the preaching elder for the government of the church, hath been evidenced at large, Chapter XI., Section 1, foregoing. And if any acts of government in the church belong to the ruling elder at all, sure those acts of common jurisdiction, to be dispatched in these least a.s.semblies, cannot of all other be denied unto him. 2. Nor shall it here be discussed, what the power of congregational elders.h.i.+ps is, whether it be universally extensive to all acts of government ecclesiastical whatsoever, without exception or limitation; and that independently, without subordination to the greater a.s.semblies, and without all liberty of appeal thereunto in any cases whatsoever, though of greatest and most common concernment. Which things are well stated and handled by others;[105] and will in some measure be considered afterwards in Chapter XV.

3. But the thing for the present to be insisted upon, against the Erastian and prelatical party, is, the divine right of authority and power for church government, which is in congregational presbyteries or elders.h.i.+ps, in reference to their respective congregations. Take it thus:

Elders.h.i.+ps of single congregations vested and furnished with ecclesiastical authority and power to exercise and dispense acts of government in and over those respective congregations whereunto they do belong, are by divine right warrantable.

For confirmation hereof the light of nature, the inst.i.tution of Christ, the apostolical practice, and the law of necessity, seem to speak sufficiently unto us.

1. The common light of nature thus far directeth all sorts of smaller societies, whether political or ecclesiastical, to compose all particular and more private differences and offences within themselves; and to decide and determine small, common, easy causes and matters, by smaller courts and judicatories appointed for that end: a vain thing to trouble more and greater a.s.semblies with those matters, that may as well be determined by the lesser. It was wise and grave counsel which Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, gave to Moses, that he should set up over the people certain judges inferior to himself, who themselves might judge all smaller matters, but all _great and hard matters to be brought to Moses_, Exod. xviii. 22, 26. And our Saviour seems to insinuate, that the Jews had their inferior courts for inferior causes, superior judicatories for greater, in that gradation of his, Matt. v. 22.

Likewise they had lesser and greater ecclesiastical a.s.semblies, (as after will appear.) Now, to what use are greater and lesser judicatories, civil or ecclesiastical, but that the lesser and lighter causes may be judged in the inferior, harder and greater in the superior?

2. The inst.i.tution of Christ recorded Matt. xviii. 15-21, seems to hold forth notably both single congregational elders.h.i.+ps, and their power.

And this, whether we consider the Jewish form, unto which our Saviour seems to refer; or whether we observe the matter of his discourse.

1. As for the Jewish form of church government (unto which our Saviour here seems to allude) we may observe it was managed by two, if not three sorts of ecclesiastical courts, viz: By the Sanhedrin, presbytery, and synagogue, (much like to the evangelical synod, presbytery, and congregational elders.h.i.+p since Christ.) 1. They had their ecclesiastical,[106] as well as their civil Sanhedrin, for high and difficult affairs of the church; which seems first to be const.i.tuted, Exod. xxiv. 1, and after decay thereof, it was restored by King Jehoshaphat, 2 Chron. xix. 8; and from this court that national church's reformation proceeded, Neh. vi. 13. 2. Again, it is very probable they had between their Sanhedrin and their synagogue a middle ecclesiastical court called _The Presbytery_, Luke xxii. 66, and Acts xxii. 5, _and the whole presbytery_. Let such as are expert in Jewish antiquities and their polity, consider and judge. 3. Finally, they had their lesser judicatories in their synagogues, or congregational meetings: for, their synagogues were not only for prayer, and the ministry of the word, in reading and expounding the Scriptures, but also for public censures, correcting of offences, &c., as that phrase seems to import, ”And I punished them oft in every synagogue,” Acts xxvi. 11. His facts and proceedings, it is true, were cruel, unjust, impious. But why inflicted _in every synagogue_, rather than in other places, and that by virtue of the _high priest's letters_, Acts ix. 1, 2; but there the Jews had judicatories, that inflicted public punishments upon persons ecclesiastically offending? Besides, we read often in the New Testament of the _rulers of the synagogue_, as Mark v. 35, 36, 38; Luke viii. 41, and xiii. 14; and of Crispus and Sosthenes the chief _rulers of the synagogue_, Acts xviii. 8, 17; whence is intimated to us, that these synagogues had their rule and government in themselves; and that this rule was not in one person, but in divers together; for if there were chief rulers, there were also inferiors subordinate unto them: but this is put out of doubt, in Acts xiii. 15, where after the lecture of the law and the prophets, _the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them_--_synagogue_ in the singular number, and rulers in the plural.

Thus a.n.a.logically there should be ecclesiastical rulers and governors in every single congregation, for the well guiding thereof. But if this satisfy not, add hereunto the material pa.s.sages in our Saviour's speech.

2. Now touching the matter of our Saviour's discourse, it makes this very clear to us; for by a gradation he leadeth us from admonition private and personal, to admonition before two or three witnesses, and from admonition before two or three witnesses, to the representative body of one church, (as the phrase _tell the church_ must here necessarily be interpreted,) if there the difference can be composed, the offence removed, or the cause ended; rather than unnecessarily render the offence, and so our brother's shame, more public and notorious. And that the presbytery or elders.h.i.+p of a particular congregation, vested with power to hear and determine such cases as shall be brought before them, is partly, though not only here intended, seems evident in the words following, which are added for the strengthening and confirming of what went before in ver. 17: ”Verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again, I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them,” Matt. xviii.

18-20. In which pa.s.sages these things are to be noted: 1. That this church to which the complaint is to be made, is invested with power of _binding_ and _loosing_, and that so authoritatively that what by this church shall be bound or loosed on earth shall also be bound or loosed in heaven, according to Christ's promise. 2. That these acts of _binding_ or _loosing_, may be the acts but of two or three, and therefore consequently of the elders.h.i.+p of a particular congregation; for where such a juridical act was dispatched by a cla.s.sical presbytery, it is said to be done of _many_, 2 Cor. ii. 6, because that in such greater presbyteries there are always more than _two or three_. And though some do pretend, that the faults here spoken of by our Saviour in this place, were injuries, not scandals; and that the church here mentioned was not any ecclesiastical consistory, or court, but the civil Sanhedrin, a court of civil judicature; and yet most absurdly they interpret the binding and loosing here spoken of, to be doctrinal and declarative; not juridical and authoritative; as if the doctrinal binding and loosing were in the power of the civil Sanhedrin:[107] yet all these are but vain, groundless pretences and subterfuges, without substance or solidity, as the learned and diligent reader may easily find demonstrated by consulting these judicious authors mentioned in the foot note,[108] to whom for brevity's sake he is referred for satisfaction in these and divers such like particulars.

3. The consideration of the apostolical practice, and state of the Church of G.o.d in those times, may serve further to clear this matter to us. For, 1. We sometimes read of single congregations; and as the Holy Ghost doth call the whole body of Christ _the Church_, Matt. xvi. 18, 1 Cor. xii. 28, and often elsewhere; and the larger particular members of that body of Christ (partaking the nature of the whole, as a drop of water is as true water as the whole ocean) churches; as, _the church of Jerusalem_, Acts viii. 1; _the church of Antioch_, Acts xiii. 1; _the church of Ephesus_, Rev. ii. 1; _the church of Corinth_, 2 Cor. i. 1; (these being the greater presbyterial churches, as after will appear, Chap. XIII.;) so the same holy Spirit of Christ is pleased to style single congregations, _churches_, ”Let women keep silence in the churches,” 1 Cor. xiv. 34, i.e. in the single congregations of this one church of Corinth: and often mention is made of the church that is in such or such an _house_, as Rom. xvi. 5; 1 Cor. xvi. 19; Col. iv. 15; Philem. 2; whether this be interpreted of the church made up only of the members of that family, or of the church that ordinarily did meet in such houses, it implies a single congregation. Now shall single congregations have the name and nature of churches, and shall we imagine they had not in them the ordinary standing church officers, viz. pastors and teachers, governments, or elders _ruling well_, and helps or deacons? or is it probable they were furnished with these officers, and yet the officers furnished with no power for the government of these single congregations at all? 2. We find that the apostles being crowned with such success in their ministry, as to be instruments of converting such mult.i.tudes to the faith as were sufficient to make up many several churches from time to time, did diligently take care to ordain them presbyters, or elders _in every church_, Acts xiv. 23; t.i.t. i. 5. Now can it be clearly evidenced by any, that these were not ruling as well as preaching presbyters; especially when it appears by other places that the primitive churches had both? Rom. xii. 8; 1 Cor. xii. 28;

1 Tim. v. 17. Or can we think that the apostles were not as careful to erect elders.h.i.+ps in several congregations, as to appoint elders?

otherwise how could the apostles have answered it to their Lord and Master Jesus Christ, in leaving them without that necessary provision of government, which Christ himself had allowed to them, at least, in some cases, as hath been evidenced?

4. Finally, necessity (which is a strong and cogent law) plainly and forcibly pleads for elders.h.i.+ps in particular congregations endowed with authority and power from Christ for government within themselves. For, 1. How wearisome a thing would it be to all congregations, should every one of their members be bound to attend upon synods and greater presbyteries, (which in the country are at a great distance from them,) in all ecclesiastical matters of judicature, if they had no relief in their own congregations? How impossible would it be for the greater presbyteries, not only to hear and determine all hard and weighty, but also all small and easy causes that would be brought before them? And what should become of such a congregation as either voluntarily transplants itself, or is accidentally cast among heathens or pagans in far countries, where there are no Christians or churches to join and a.s.sociate withal, if they be denied an authoritative presbytery within themselves, for preventing and healing of scandals, and preserving themselves from destruction and ruin, which anarchy would unavoidably bring upon them?

CHAPTER XIII.

_Of the Divine Right of Presbyteries, (for distinction's sake called Cla.s.sical Presbyteries,) for the government of the Church._

Having spoken of the lesser, viz. congregational elders.h.i.+ps, we come now to the greater ruling a.s.semblies, which are either presbyterial or synodal. And first, of the presbyterial a.s.sembly, or cla.s.sical presbytery, viz. an a.s.sembly made up of the presbyters of divers neighboring single congregations, for governing of all those respective congregations in common, whereunto they belong, in all matters of common concernment and greater difficulty in the Church. The divine warrant and right of this presbytery, and of the power thereof for church government, may princ.i.p.ally be evidenced, 1. By the light of nature. 2.

By the light of Scripture, which light of Scripture was followed by the Church in the ages after the apostolical times.

I. The light of nature and right reason may discover to us (though more dimly) the divine warrant of the greater presbyteries, and of their power for the governing of the church. For,

1. There are many ecclesiastical matters which are of common concernment to many single congregations, as trial of church officers, ordination and deposition of ministers, dispensation of censures, judicial determination of controversies, resolution in difficult cases of conscience, ordering of things indifferent, &c.; here the rule holds well, that which concerns many congregations, is not to be considered and determined upon only by one, but those many concerned and interested therein.

2. Single congregational elders.h.i.+ps stand in need of all mutual help and a.s.sistance one of another in the Lord, being, 1. Inwardly weak in themselves; too p.r.o.ne to be turned out of the way, Heb. xii. 13, Gal. v.

15, and too feeble for divers great tasks: as examination and ordination of ministers, &c., which weakness is healed by a.s.sociation with others a.s.sisting them. 2. Outwardly opposed by many dangerous and subtle adversaries: men as grievous wolves, &c., Acts xx. 28-30; 2 Pet. ii. 1; Phil. iii. 2; 1 Tim. iv. 1-7; Eph. iv. 14; devils, 1 Pet. v. 8. In such cases two are better than one: ”Wo to them that are alone; if they fall, who shall take them up?”