A Plea for Chriſtian Magiſtracie.
MAſter Gillespie ſeemeth in his Sermon to be much offended at Mr. Coleman: and telleth the Lords, the ignorant and ſcandalous muſt be kept from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, and with a flood of words, layeth on them as a very great ſin if they doe it not by adding diſcipline to this Doctrine that is already taught in the Directory, That ſcandalous and ignorant ought not to receive the Sacrament, and therefore the Miniſter in the name of Chriſt muſt warne ſuch that they preſume not to come: That the power of diſcipline may be added to the power of Doctrine: For my part I thinke it very derogatory to the word of God, and the commiſſion of Chriſt, to think that any cenſure of man, ſhould bee of more power and efficacy then the word of God: The authority of the Word is divine, the operation of it is mighty, the effect of it is perfection, it worketh upon the conſcience, and if the word be able to make the man of God perfect, then nothing is wanting to him. Perfectum cui nihil deeſt: and it is a wonder how that conſcience ſhould be wrought upon by humane authority, with whom divine cannot prevaile; his arguments are, the ſcandalous perfons have profaned the Lords Table, and the Church of God ſhall be diſabled to keep2 themſelves pure, if diſcipline be not ſet up to keep the ſcandalous from the Lords Table, implying that wicked men by comming to the Sacrament do pollute the Sacrament, and pollute the holy; which he doth not prove, but ſome others doe endeavour to doe out of 1 Sam. 2.17. becauſe the ſinfull carriage of Elies ſonnes cauſed men to abhor the offering of the Lord: but note the reaſon that the offering became abominable, was becauſe they offered not the ſacrifice according to the command of God, they would not have ſodden fleſh, but raw; if the doctrine of the Sacrament be corrupted, if it be celebrated under one kinde, if water be mingled with wine, if tranſubſtantiation be taught, or if adoration of the elements, this is to pollute the Ordinance: and therefore Eph. 5.11. S. Paul doth command not to have felowſhip with the unfruitfull works of darknes, not workers of darkneſſe: I may not goe to Maſſe with the Papiſt, nor run with the ungodly unto the ſame exceſſe of riot, I may not be drunk with the drunkard, nor ſweare with the ſwearer, but if theſe come and heare, or receive Sacraments with the beleevers they pollute not the Sacrament to them, he that beleeveth eateth of this bread of life, Joh. 6.33. and this ſhall be made good to the beleever, though there were but one in the world; and this Beza himſelfe is inforced to confeſſe in his tract againſt Eraſtus, his words are, Bonis manere bona Sacramenta etiamſi qui mali aà eadem accedunt ab ſit ut inficiemur: The Sacraments remain effectuall to the good, though evill men come to them, farre be it from us to deny it. So that the Sacrament remaineth holy to the beleever, and they are pure notwithſtanding the unpreparedneſſe of the wicked: Let a man examin himſelfe, and ſo let him eat, 1 Cor. 11.28. But the Author would fix guilt of ſin upon the Miniſter, if any come and receive that is ſcandalous: a neceſſity is laid upon us, and woe be to us if we doe it: this he proveth not preſently, but after many rethoricall paſſages to the Lords, which deſerve no anſwer: he citeth the Story, and noteth the ſin of Ely, 1 Sam. 3.13. in that he reſtrained not his ſonnes, and thereupon telleth us out of Thomas Aquinas, that we may conſent to other mens ſinnes; firſt directly counſelling or approving. Secondly, indirectly by not hindring when we can; but note; when we can muſt receive this limitation, that is, when of duty we ought and can;3 otherwiſe a man ſhould be compelled to forſake his owne calling, and watch him that he ſuſpected to be a thiefe, or a drunkard, and get company and ſeize on them; and impriſon them to keepe them from offending, but this were to deny a free-man his liberty, and become a tranſgreſſour; all that is ſaid to this point is, That if it were the duty of the Miniſter and Elder to hinder a ſcandalous ſinner from the Sacrament, he were guilty of his ſin if he let him come: when that is proved, it will require ſome further anſwer; in the meane time, what is ſaid is fallacious.
But then a particular application againſt Mr. Coleman: he will neither be active nor paſſive in eſtabliſhing ſin cenſuring government: I dare promiſe for him that if any means be uſed for the ſuppreſſing ſinne, he ſhall endeavour the furtherance thereof; and if the State thinke fit to truſt him, hee will bee as faithfull as he that pleadeth moſt ſtoutly for the Jus Divinum of Presbyteriall government; but here be high words, great offence and ſcandall is given; and the Author is confident every other godly Miniſter will ſay, Let my tongue cleave to the roofe of my mouth before I ſay the like. Mr. Coleman ſcapeth very hardly being called knave, and in a rethoricall imitation of perſons curſed for his paines, let his tongue cleave, and in the beginning of his Tract, every mans hand is againſt Mr. Coleman, and his againſt every man; the world is made beleeve a Monſter is come abroad, if it be for his opinion only that all godly Miniſters will leave him they muſt leave others, whom Mr. Gilleſpie will not deny the eſtimation of godly Miniſters in their times. I ſhall be bold to name them becauſe Mr. Coleman ſhall not ſtand alone to be gazed at in theſe malitious times: they are Bullenger, Gualter, Muſculus, Zuinglius, Aretius, Eraſtus. Bullenger and Gualter, in their letters to Eraſtus teſtifie as much, but becauſe thoſe letters were put forth by ſome favourer of Eraſtus, and therefore may ſeem to be without credit, I ſhall be bold to cite what Beza in his Preface to his Tract againſt Eraſtus, concerning Bullenger, and Gualter doth confeſſe, of whom he ſaith: I doe not at all deny the opinion of thoſe famous men, as alſo of Wolfgangus Muſculus,Minime tamen nego maximes illos viros ut & Dominum Wolfgangum Muſculū exiſtimaſſe excommunicationem penes Preſbyterium fuiſſe & ad excluſionem uſque à Coena Domini Preſbyteros ideo fuiſſe progreſſos. Quod Chriſtianum tunc Magiſtratum non haberet Eccleſiacujus authoritate capitalia judicia exercerenter (quod ſi Corinthi factum fuiſſet nulla fuiſſet opus Pauli de illo, Sathanae tradendo denuntiatione) tum alii,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉levioribus offendiculis peccantes citra excluſionem à coena ſatis coercerentur: quod cum utrumque praſtare Chriſtianus Magiſtratus, nunc poſſit ac debeat carere nunc poſſe Chriſtianas eccleſias hae diſciplinae ſeveritate. to bee thus, excommunication is in the4 power of Presbytery, and that the Presbyters did proceed even to ſuſpenſion from the Lords Supper, becauſe the Church at that time had no Chriſtian Magiſtrate by whoſe authority capitall cenſures might be exerciſed (which if it had been uſed, there had been no need of Pauls delivery of the man to Sathan) and alſo other diſorderly men tranſgreſſing in ſmaller matters, might well enough be reſtrained without ſuſpenſion from the Sacrament: both which, becauſe the Chriſtian Magiſtrate now may and ought to doe, The Chriſtian Churches may wel be without this ſharpe diſcipline; thus much he confeſſeth, Sed it a ut neque Scripturae locos novis & ad hanc ſuam ſententiam accommodatis interpretationibus applicarent. But ſo, as that they did not wreſt Scripture texts with interpretations new, and fitted to their opinion whereby it appeareth that theſe mens opinions were, that the words of S. Paul 1 Cor. 5 were a denunciation of the ſentence of excommunication, but occaſionall and particular; no univerſall precept, nor imitable by us, Niſi rebus omnimodo ſic ſtantibus, but in the like condition, and this is enough to daſh all contentions about the ſentence of excommunication, this makes all further diſpute meerly ſpeculative, we have a Chriſtian Civill Magiſtrate though the preſent differences have taken away much of our comfort we might enjoy in them, and theſe diſputes render them of leſſe uſe to us, and us to them; whatſoever they ſhall ſpeake concerning the ſentence of excommunication upon the ſeverall places of Scripture, if they may ſtand with theſe words here acknowledged by Beza, let theſe men without more contention ſtand on Mr Colemans part, if otherwiſe they muſt be underſtood upon after5 thoughts to be bent about by Eraſtus his arguments, as Beza further confeſſeth, Illos aliquantum in excommunicationis uſu & Preſbyterii authoritate, non quod iſta per ſe damnarent, ſed quod corum abuſum vererentur, ad Eraſti ſententiam de flexiſſe. That they did incline to the opinion of Eraſtus in the uſe of excommunication and authority of the Presbytery, not becauſe they ſimply condemned them, but becauſe they feared their abuſe. You ſee theſe men did fear the abuſe, and though Beza will not acknowledge Eraſtus reaſon to be of any weight, yet with reaſon, or without he confeſſeth (take him in the mildeſt ſenſe) that they bent or leaned a little toward Eraſtus; at leaſt ſo far that in their Churches where they had to do they would not truſt the Geneva diſcipline; Beza himſelfe citeth theſe words out of an Epiſtle which he acknowledgeth to be Bullengers to Eraſtus, Neque putes nos ita eſſe dementes, ut hic omnia ad rigerem Genevenſis Eccleſiae exigere, aut revocare velimus. Neither doe thou thinke us to bee ſo mad that we would reduce all things to, and exact them according to the ſtrict diſcipline of Geneva: and this not in Bullingers owne name, but of the Tigurine Churches. I hope theſe men ſhall have Mr. Colemans favour, every other godly Miniſter will ſay, &c. I ſhall ſay nothing to Mr. Gilleſpies Preamble.
He excepteth againſt Mr. Colemans firſt rule, and ſeemeth to oppoſe a contrary rule, whereas indeed Mr. Colemans as little as may be, and his as much as may be, are both one: Mr. Colemans meaning is, that no more ſhould be eſtabliſhed then what was in the word, and his meaning is as much ſhould be eſtabliſhed as is in the word of God: this being doubtleſſe both your meanings, yee need not fall out about that, greater difference will ariſe.
For my part, I thinke Mr. Gilleſpie underſtandeth Mr. Coleman aright, that he thinketh that no Church cenſures in the hand of Church officers are found in the word of God: but I am nor or his minde, ex ſuppoſito that they are jure divine, and in the word of God, that he, or any Miniſter ought to be ſatisfied with any thing the Parliament can doe, untill they have received it as the word of God, if it be jut divinum, it ought to be aſſerted, not by many, but by all.
As for Mr. Gillespies exception againſt Mr. Colemans word bias, & aſſerting they came biaſed for the truth, that is petitio principii,6 and deſerves no anſwer. The ſecond rule: let precepts, held out as divine inſtitutions, have cleare Scriptures: that is the rule, againſt which Mr. Gilleſpie would not adventure to ſay any thing: a phraſe upon the by; a thing named; are too weake grounds &c. when men may probably conclude different wayes. Mr. Coleman doeth not deny that which by neceſſary conſequence is drawn from Scripture, to be a divine truth, but ambiguous Scriptures, decided by a vote, if truth, (for they may poſſibly be errors) are but humano jure; let it be prooved, that the major part of an Aſſembly have an infallible gift of finding out ambiguous truth, and putting the ſtampe of divine authority upon their determinations. For my part, I wiſh much fearching the Scriptures were put in practice, which cannot be done but in Schooles of Divinity: men truſt more to the opinion of piety, they can purchaſe by their Oratory, their places of truſt, their votes in aſſemblies, then the ſtrength of argument, but of that heereafter. He finds theſe words, let the Scriptures ſpeake expreſly, in Mr. Colemans ſecond rule, not ſo, it was out of his rule; he explaneth his rule ſufficiently, to take into it neceſſary conſequences: and for ought I know, the word expreſly, if extended, after a Rhetoricall liberty, to ſignifie plainly, apparently, may include what is apparently in praemiſſis, though in a moſt criticall ſenſe, that may not be ſayd to be expreſſe, that is not found in terminis: but grant, that the word had beene too ſtrait to put into the rule, he put it not in there; but by way of amplification, if expreſſe in Scripture, all muſt bow, he ſayth not till then, how neceſſarily ſoever it may be collected out of the Scripture, they ſhall not bow.
He reprehendeth Mr. Coleman for ſupercilious paſſing over in a Sermon, 1. Cor. 5. Mat. 18. without anſwering the arguments of the Learned, upon thoſe places: and in a tract of purpoſe, citeth none of thoſe learned arguments: for my part, I ſay with Mr. Coleman, and if ſuch learned arguments, ſuch plenty, it behoved Mr. Gilleſpie to have cited them; Mr. Coleman might have taken more paines, then he ſhould have thankes, in finding out ten or twenty arguments, and yet be told at laſt, that he had concealed the weightieſt, he had confuted the arguments in urging them: you ought to have the urging your owne arguments your ſelves, and you can demand no more, but anſwers for your arguments7 when you bring them. I am of Mr. Colemans minde, that one good argument to prove a Church cenſure, or officer, either from the Scriptures, or elſewhere, would doe me more good, then all I have ever ſeene. If Mr. Gilleſpie will affoord us any that be good, I ſhall returne him thankes for the benefits I receive, or otherwiſe, in a brotherly way, return ſuch anſwers as his arguments ſhall require. In the meane time he confuteth Mr. Colemans ignorance, that he doth not finde any coordinate governments, but he meaneth ſupreame; hee doeth not meane the coordinate government of an Admirall and Generall, both under a ſuperiour: parents and maſters, all governed by ſuperiours, and no way coordinate: the maſters government ſuperiour to the fathers, in his owne houſe: as for the maſter and captaine in a ſhip, the one he ſayth, governeth the mariners, the other the ſoldiers: and ſo the King of France and Spain are coordinate over their ſeverall ſubjects.
He ſayth the Miniſter is puniſhable by the Law of the Land: heere is the difficulty: if the Miniſter and Elder have power given of Chriſt, to cenſure all Chriſtians, and they uſe this power, according as Chriſt hath committed it to them; what is the magiſtrate above theſe officers? and can he make lawes to bound and limit the lawes of Chriſt? or if they have power to binde, may the magiſtrate looſe? if they uſe this power, may the Chriſtian magiſtrate puniſh them? this were to allow Chriſt a very meane kingdome; that his owne ſubjects ſhould controll him: but you will ſay, if he commit any thing worthy confiſcation of goods, or life, or liberty, the magiſtrate may inflict it upon him; but if he attempt to doe it unjuſtly, he is ungodly, and the Miniſter and Elders will excommunicate him, and their coordination maketh them their owne judges. As ſoone as the magiſtrate ſhall but diſtaſt any of their actions, preſently he is ungodly, and ſend him to Satan, and then what party the eloquence of the Clergy may find againſt the magiſtrate, if he ſhould go about to reſtrain them, let wiſe men judge.
It is the thing it ſelf he ſpeaketh againſt it is true: but he commeth to the third rule, and Mr. Coleman ſaith, Lay no more burden of government then Chriſt hath laid upon them, which is none at all: and his reaſon is, becauſe they have other work to do, and8 ſuch as will take up the whole man; to this argument Mr. Gillespie maketh no anſwer at all, though Saint Paul uſeth the very ſelfe ſame argument, to diſcharge the Preachers from overſight of the poore, Act. 6.2. God forbid we ſhould leave the care of the word of God, and ſerve at tables; though the government of the Church, and examination of crimes, both in private congregations, and in the claſſes, muſt either be ſleighted, or it muſt take up ten times as much time, as the care of the poore; and if government doth belong to them, the care of the poore muſt likewiſe belong to them: but he telleth us, neither the Miniſter can keep himſelfe, nor the Ordinances pure without Eccleſiaſticall government, and proveth it not: he excludeth Elders from government, he told you before he found no inſtitution, of the Elder a Church officer: you ſhould have proved the inſtitution, The Elder that ruleth well is worthy of double honour, 1 Tim. 5.17. proveth not inſtitution of an officer in the Church, which appeareth by this reaſon: the word Elder is either prima, or ſecunda notio; if prima notio, then yee muſt be content with his owne naturall ſignification, and in that ſenſe it is apparently taken in the 1 and 2 verſes of the ſame Chapter, where he oppoſeth the elder to the younger, and reckoneth elder women and younger women; ſo that if the elder men be officers, I know not why the elder women ſhould not be officers likewiſe: but if this elder be ſecunda notio, or vox artis or ſcientiae Theologicae, ye muſt finde out his definition in the Scripture, how ſhould man know what genius and ſpecies were in Logick? what perpendiculum, centrum, diameter, were in Mathematicks without their definitions? if therefore an Elder muſt ſignifie an officer, hee muſt have definition in Theologie that muſt be demonſtrative in Scripture: the word Rule is too generall if it be not referred to knowne principles of nature, as a Father, a Maſter, a Civill Magiſtrate; the firſt is a governour by nature, the ſecond by private contract, 3 by publicke conſent of the people: and ſuch ye make the Church officer, for ought I know, ariſing out of the conſent of the people; and ſuch governours were called Elders of the Tribes, and our Parliament men and governours are ſuch Elders ariſing out of the publicke conſent of the people; yea Kings and all Civill governours ariſe out of the ſame principle9 of publique conſent: which power doth ſtill remaine in mankinde, to make choice of their company, and to erect private arbiters at pleaſure, to determine the differences that ariſe amongſt them, with conſent; remaining ſtill ſponſable to publique Laws, if they ſhould call one another to account, as 1 Cor. 6. where Saint Paul blameth them, for going to Law, and willeth them to ſet up a wiſe man to judge their differences, and that in Civill, not in Eccleſiaſticall matters, which is a difference no man underſtandeth: I challenge the Aſſembly; nay, all the World, to bound cauſas Eccleſiaſticas à civilibus: for my part I have gazed on that diſtinction this 30 yeares, and never finde any thing of plaine dealing in it, but non-ſenſe, and fraud, the only difference that I could finde, that the proceeding of the Civill Magiſtrate did pretend to be legall and regular; the Eccleſiaſticall as far as they durſt, to be illegall, irregular and arbitrary, all the government is in the officers that bind, and looſe whom they liſt. I dare not leave this, leſt I ſhould be challenged for not dealing reverently with Scripture; binding and looſing muſt have a ſenſe; I ſay, binding and looſing is meant by preaching of the Goſpell, which none yet durſt deny to be one of the keyes: and the other let him prove that can: though theſe keyes were never given to any of the Apoſtles, but to Peter; and he opened the doore of Gods Church to the Gentiles, which was never ſhut ſince, but ſhall ſtand open day and night continually, Eſay 60.11. Therefore thy gates ſhall be open continually, they ſhall not be ſhut day nor night, that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their Kings may be brought.
And may not theſe exhortations be ſtill ſeaſonable? have familiarity and keepe company with none but good, and ſuch as ye may be•••ered by: and doe not goe to Law one with another, but•••er your differences to ſome honeſt, wiſe men, to determine; and that without ſetting up any new government; an arbitrator is no magiſtrate: but ſuch as by force can put his judgements in execution, he only is a magiſtrate. Mr. Coleman ſayth, Church government diſtinct from civill, maketh an irreconcilable difference betweene the Miniſter and the Magiſtrate, as two governments muſt needs do. Mr. Gillespie ſuppoſeth two governments muſt needs be, and then chideth with the argument,10 and with Mr. Coleman; but letteth it alone without an anſwer.
But Mr. Gilleſpie falleth upon an argument againſt government, committed to Miniſters taken from feare of ambition, and here he ſpendeth many words, about the words which Mr. Coleman alludeth only unto; which I will not trouble my Reader withall: that Mr. Coleman in plaine tearmes aimeth at is; ambition is to be feared in Miniſters, and ſheweth what great conteſtation hath been for this cenſure of the Church, that ſome have preferred it before all acts of piety; and have ambitiouſly endeavoured, that all ſhould paſſe through their fingers; and that this cenſure hath plunged the world in blood this many hundred years. Mr. Gillespies anſwer to the matter of ambition, is only by involving the Civill Magiſtrate in the ſame danger of ambition: Now is this a good argument, government is neceſſary, but he that is imployed therein hath great temptations to ambition, therefore the Miniſters of the word muſt be enſnared in the like temptation? that they may both conteſt one with another, and ſo imbroile the world in bloud, as the Popes have done, or elſe both joyne together to enthrall the people, as the Biſhops in the Courts of Princes? and not rather in regard that government doth naturally lift up the heart of man, and therefore Miniſters have the name of ſervants, and Lordſhip, and Dominion over the ſlocke denied them in Scripture, to keep them from the like temptation, that they may the more freely from God warn them that are in authority, that they take heed of that temptation: I am confident if this Aſſembly had ſtooke cloſe to their commiſſion, which they received from Chriſt, which was to preach the Goſpell, and ſpent themſelves wholly in matters of doctrine, and told the Lords of the duty of their place, to doe juſtice in Parliament without reſpect of perſons, and put the Commons in mind of all their wholeſome Ordinances, that they looke to carefull performance of them, without turning their thoughts after government; the Reformation had gone on much faſter, and more comfortable then it hath.
Mr. Coleman ſaith, That Church government hath diſquieted all the world in the hand of the Pope, and his Clergy, in the hand of the Archbiſhop of Canterbury. Mr. Gilleſpie telleth him, That theſe11 ſtories are not a little beſide the warke: he ſhould have told what hurt is had done in France, in Holland, in Scotland, in Reformed Churches. I anſwer, it was the ſame cenſure that raiſed the Pope ſo high, but it grew not to that height in one age: a young Lion will not bite; and you boaſt that your Churches are according to Primitive times; well what they will come to, after times will ſee: we are beholding to the Presbytery for throwing downe the Biſhops, if they caſt away their ambition with them, and take Mr. Colemans advice, and ſet up Schooles of Divinity, and move the Parliament for due encouragement; you ſhall then appeare to be men ſeeking the things of Chriſt, and not your own: but of this more by and by.
A word or two about that place, 1 Tim. 5.17. the Elder that ruleth well, is worthy double honour: from hence two ſorts of Elders are proved, an Elder that ruleth well, & he that laboureth in word & doctrine: here two Elders are mentioned; but the difference whether officiall or perſonall, is very doubtfull; one office may comprehend both theſe duties, and the compariſon may lye in their perſonall excellencies, one may excell in the governing part of the office, and the other perſon in the doctrinall part; one may heare the cauſes and differences of his brethren well, and yet be but a dull preacher: another may preach excellent well, and yet be an unpatient and peeviſh judge: or not to countenance your Eccleſiaſticall government ſo farre: the Scripture hath theſe effects, it is profitable for doctrine, reproofe, correction, inſtruction; one Miniſters excellencie may lye in labouring in doctrine and inſtruction, and this may be his that laboured in word and doctrine: he that reproveth and correcteth may be ſaid to rule, and then there is no place for your Lay-elders: but if this place doe ſet up your Lay-elder, and the difference is in two diſtinct offices, that here is an Elder that doth governe, and doth not preach; then preaching and governing be the differences, and differences be convertable with their ſubjects: ſo that if one doe governe, and not preach; the other muſt preach and not governe: and this agreeth plainly with the 1 Pet. 5.3. not as governing the flock,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, nique ut dominautes, not as Lords: for my part I know not how Lordſhip and government doth differ one from another, dominus12 and dominari,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉and〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, be denominatives: he that governeth is a Lord, and he that is a Lord governeth: to imagine that ambition and pride, injury and oppreſſion, or any ſuch vice, did neceſſarily belong to a Lord, is very injurious unto the very title and honour of a Lord.
That more reckoning hath been made of this dominion, then acts of piety: to this Mr. Gillespie ſeemeth to adhere, that all the reſt is worth nothing without this: further occaſion will be given to ſpeake of theſe things.
Mr. Coleman doth deſire doctrine, and wiſheth the Civill Magiſtrate to take Government: Doctrine is committed to the Miniſters of the word, by Commiſſion from Chriſt, Mat. 28. and that Commiſſion is to laſt to the end of the world: this Mr. Coleman had reaſon to challenge as due from Chriſt, not the Church: but to the Miniſters of the word, the Church hath no where power to preach the Goſpell, but the Apoſtles and their ſucceſſors unto the end of the world: and therefore, as before he had implied, that the preaching of the Goſpel would take up the whole man, eſpecially in our time: our knowledge of the Scriptures is to be acquired by ordinary means, tongues for the language, exerciſe and art for the argument, that the word might be preached in the demonſtration, and argument of the Scripture, and not in the enticing words of mens wiſdome: well might Mr. Coleman call for Schools of Divinity, that there might be unity found among the Preachers of the Goſpell; nothing more conducing to unity, then the continuall exerciſe in Schooles: the very people complaine, women, and ſuch as are well minded: why do not you Miniſters meet, and diſpute it out among your ſelves, one teacheth one thing, and another another thing, and we are much troubled and diſquieted by it: there is uſe of Schooles, or otherwiſe it would never be ſet up in Univerſities: Paul diſputed daily in the Schoole of one Tyrannus: Mr. Coleman telleth the Parliament that this would advance Religion, more in ſewer years, then ſince the Reformation. Mr. Gilleſpie cannot but confeſſe, that this would bee a means to make a learned Clergie, but it ſeemeth more good will come by diſcipline, than by all that: and to let us know that learning and maintenance may be without purity of Religion, he inſtanceth in the Jeſuits:13 it is true, when men have their judgements foreſt••led by corrupt education, and they employed, as the Popes vaſſals to bee ſerviceable to his, and their owne ambitious ends, they have all their learning and endeavours poyſoned: but yet it may be ſaid for the Jeſuits, that we have our Comments from them, and our books are very mean, and not ſavouring of that induſtry which theirs doe; if we had taken the ſame courſe to maintaine the truth, that they have to maintaine their errors, their mouths had long ere this been ſtopped, and the world had beene as full of good books in defence of truth, as now it is with their poyſoned labours: but they ſhail riſe up in judgement againſt us in the day of the Lord.
Had learning flouriſhed amongſt us as it might have done, ſuch hereſies and diviſions as we now languiſh under, had never appeared amongſt us: our Sermons had not beene ſo full of words and empty of argument as now they are: all men venting their owne private opinions, ſcarce two men found that ſtate any Queſtion in Divinity alike, all becauſe Miniſters are not acquainted with one anothers arguments and opinions, untill they vent them among the people, 1. Cor. 14.29. Let the Prophets ſpeake two or three, and let the other judge: where ye ſee the Prophets muſt vent their opinions, firſt among the Prophets, and not among the people: what they preach among the people, ought to be digeſted among themſelves, by argument from the word, not carried by vote; where major pars ſ•pe vincat meliorem: for Chriſt Jeſus gave his Commiſſion to all the eleven jointly, and their ſucceſſors, unto the end of the world; and therfore though they were guided by an infallible ſpirit, yet Gal. 2.2. Paul came up by the ſpirit to Jeruſalem, with Barnabas and Titus, and communicated the Goſpell that he preached among the Gentiles, leſt he had run in vaine: much more are we bound to uſe all meanes to preſerve the unity of the ſpirit: nay, wee have no authority to preach, without the approbation of all that are in the commiſſion, by authority of Chriſt: if any ſhall object that it is unpoſſible Miniſters at this day are of ſo many mindes, I anſwer, it is a judgement fallen upon us, for that we have not uſed the meanes, nor doe know one anothers minde, and every man taketh upon him to make himſelfe a Prophet, and be judge of his14 owne gifts; or which is worſe, make the people judge, and give them power to make or chooſe their Paſtor: from which principle, the Independents build all their Indepency: yet the Presbyters many, nay for ought I can learne, upon debate in the Aſſembly, the Independents have gained, that the people have right to chooſe their Miniſter: I am ſure Mr. Herle for want of skill, and Theologicall diſputations, hath granted it them: and then no reaſon can deny them Independent Church governement, if any ſuch thing be as Church government: as long as there be no Schooles, nor men, and matters, are not ripened there, the granting of a falſe principle is not very dangerous: few men can finde the fallacy; a Rhetoricall Sermon, and an Aſſembly vote will mend all; but a falſe principle is moſt ready to ſeduce the moſt diſcuſſive and knowing people.
I am confident this one principle hath made all men of parts, and honeſty, Independents, that are ſo; and were I ſatisfied that the people might elect their Miniſter, I ſhould be Independent my ſelfe, though as I now ſtand affected, I thinke it the moſt deſtructive opinion, both to humane ſociety, and ſound religion; moſt contrary to the doctrine of the Goſpell, the mind and authority of Chriſt, as was ever broached ſince the Sun ſhone: as I am confident, if Schooles of Divinity were ſet up over all the Kingdome, in the Claſſes, and nothing but doctrine medled with, or ſuch things as are in Scripture handled in a School way, would be made appeare unto the greateſt defendents of that opinion; they would finde their quaint epithets, and fine figures, their apt ſimilitudes and dainty alluſions, would make no ſyllogiſmes: your plauſible Preachers, that fill the world with theſe ſtirres, cannot endure the Schools; they wil tel you that Schools will ſpoile Preachers, beſt Schoolemen, worſt Preachers: Schooles will fill the world with controverſies and fallacies: they will tell you of Jeſuits and Papiſts, and what not, to keepe off Schooles. But truth is, nothing but ignorance bringeth in diverſities of opinions, and men may be very near and plauſible Preachers, yet very ignorant: and his opnion and applauſe he hath gotten with the people, maketh him bold to vent ſome new opinion, and then defend it who can, for he cannot: he can preach it, and Print ſomething for it, but for a concluding argument, he knoweth not what to make of any ſuch thing.
15As for thoſe arguments againſt Schooles, that many Schoolmen are bad Preachers, it is fallacia accidentis, non cauſa pro cauſa: ſo few men have skill of argument, ſo little uſed in preaching, that the Schooleman will not take paines to preach: I mind ſuch few men as are noted for famous Schoolemen, whereas if all men were both exerciſed in Schooles and Pulpits, Controverſies would be ſilenced, and Pulpits filled, with ſuch ſtrength of argument out of Scripture, that tradeſmen would keepe their ſhops, and coblers their ſtalles, and not adventure to get up into the Pulpit: whereas now they ſee that the uſing of alluſions, and phraſing Scriptures, no otherwiſe then men may doe with naturall wit, and a little diligence will performe, and this hath cauſed them to turne Preachers: and if they ſhould be ſilenſed by force, they would thinke themſelves wronged; but call them to their exerciſe, they will leave of themſelves, and fall to their old imployments.
But Mr. Gilleſpie is very zealous for keeping ordinances pure, though he hath not, nor ever will be able to proove, that any man by his ſinne, can pollute the Sacrament to any other, but himſelfe. But if they might, cannot men of any ordinary education, if honeſt, be competent judges of ſuch offences? but the Miniſter muſt be called from his Study to examine Drunkards, and Whores, and ſuch notorious offences as theſe, as if none were fit to meddle with ſuch matters but he. He adviſeth the Parliament to give Chriſt his due; I hope they will be commanded that, but what that is, he cannot, or will not proove; we muſt content our ſelves with a little ſauce of Rhetoricke; Abraham ſaid Gen. 14.23. That I will not take from a threed to aſh••e latchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, leſt thou ſhouldſt ſay, I have made Abraham rich. But no Logicke to prove government to be eſtabliſhed by Chriſt in the Church different from civill.
The argument of the covenant is too low to be thought on in this Diſcourſe: we are now in an higher region, then the words of the covenant; we are about Gods word, we hope there is nothing in the covenant contrary to Gods word; if there be, that muſt be thought on in another conſideration: we may not leave enquiring into the word of God, for feare of the oath: this were a point equall to the higheſt of Popiſh tyranny.
16The fourth rule, A Chriſtian Magiſtrate is a Governour in the Church. Mr. Gilleſpie denieth not this. I know not if the Chriſtian Magiſtrate governeth in the Church, what uſe there ſhould be of any Governour beſide him. I thought that the Church having no officers in it, but ſuch as Chriſt had ſet up, had elected elders, by the appointment of Jeſus Chriſt: and that by your opinion Chriſt had beene the King of the Church, and had ſet up his kingdome, and ſet officers in his Church, and thoſe had been officers in the Church, which Chriſt had appointed in it, and none other: if the Church be Chriſts Kingdome, ſurely ſuch as governe in it, muſt receive commiſſion from him, under the ſame apprehenſion, as he is King, which is as he is Mediator: their commiſſion to governe in the Church, muſt be in this forme: Chriſt the Mediator, King of his Church, doth appoint Kings, and civill Magiſtrates to governe under him, or otherwiſe they cannot governe in the Church, if the Church be the Kingdome of Chriſt, for it cannot be imagined, that Chriſts Kingdome is capable of any mixture, as humane governments are; if Chriſt be a King, he hath Lawes, not out of the conſent of the people, but he can and doth dare leges, unto which all the world is ſubject, Rom. 2.16. Judge all the world according to my Goſpel. 2. Theſ. 7.8. Jeſus Chriſt ſhall come with his mighty Angels, in flaming fire, rendring vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the Goſpell of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; the Goſpell is the Goſpell of Chriſt, and the law by which Chriſt will judge all the world: if all the world be under the law of Chriſt, then the Kingdome of Chriſt muſt needs reach over all the world.
2. Chriſt at his reſurrection declared mightily to be the Son of God, Rom. 14. Act. 2.36. Let the houſe of Iſrael confeſſe, that God hath made the ſame Jeſus, whom yee have crucified, both Lord and Chriſt.
Mr. Gilleſpie confeſſeth, That this day have I begotten thee, in the 2 Pſalm is to be underſtood of the ſtating him in his Kingdome, which he prooveth out of Act. 13.33. If ſo, ſee, in the 2. Pſal. 8. Aske of me, and I ſhall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermoſt part of the earth for thy poſſeſſion. Where ye ſee, God giveth unto Chriſt, all the earth for his inheritance: and further commandeth Kings to ſerve him: and17 therefore is called under the appellation of the Lambe, tha•can agree to Chriſt but only as a Mediator, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords; and in 1 Tim. 6.15. our Lord Jeſus Chriſt is ſaid to bee the only Potentate, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords; Jeſus Chriſt be names that agree to him only Mediator.
3. The Kingdome of Chriſt is as ample as his Propheſie; but the Propheſie of Chriſt is extended to all Nations, as may appeare by the Commiſſion, Goe teach all Nations: the doctrine which they muſt teach commands: now commands have alwaies power and authority annexed to compell obedience; or otherwiſe they are but vaine commands, verball, and fruſtrate.
4. No calling can admit the appellation of pious, and godly which is not under Chriſt; and this is that enrichment of which St. Paul ſpeaketh of 1 Cor. 1.5. where hee telleth them they were enriched in all things in Chriſt, and v. 30. Chriſt is ſaid to be made unto us wiſdome, righteouſneſſe, ſanctification, and redemption: no holineſſe without Chriſt; all our holineſſe doth conſiſt in our obedience to Chriſt: if therefore Kings may bee called holy, if their offices may be accounted holy offices, or not ſinfull, they muſt be held off, and under Chriſt, without whom they cannot be pleaſing to God, Pſ. 72.11. All Kings ſhall fall downe before him, all Nations ſhall doe him ſervice: upon which Calvin hath theſe words, In eccleſia & grege Chriſti eſſe regibus locum ques hic David non exarmat gladio, nec diademate ſpoliat, ut admittat in eccleſiam: ſed cum ſua dignitate venturos eſſe dicit, ut ſe coram Chriſto proſternant: Kings have place in the Church and flocke of Chriſt, whom David here doth neither diſarme of their ſword, nor ſpoile of their crowne to admit them into the Church: but ſaith that they ſhall come with their dignity, and caſt themſelves downe before Chriſt.
5. That office which Chriſt hath declared to be of God, and bounded and limited in his Goſpell, that office is held under Chriſt as mediator; but the Civill Magiſtrate is ſo, Rom. 13.4. he is the Miniſter of God, a revenger to execute wrath on them that doe evill; thus far Chriſt hath to doe with the Civill Magiſtrate, to declare the minde of God concerning him, and to command every ſoule to be ſubject to him; here is as much, and more from Chriſt, then Mr. Gillespie will ever finde out for his Church18 officers for all the Scripture of the New Teſtament came from the Propheticall office of Chriſt; and he was promiſed at the giving of the Law, Deut. 18.15. and thus Peter Act. 3. and Stephen Acts 7. preached: and John 4.25. the woman of Samaria knew that the Meſſia ſhould teach all things: what Paul preached was in the name of Chriſt, for he was a veſſell to carry the name of Chriſt before the Gentiles, and Kings, Acts 9.15. if Kings are not beholding to Chriſt for their offices, they are for the obedience of their ſubjects, without which the office of a Civill Magiſtrate is little worth.
6. The Civill Magiſtrates office, and Chriſts office, both Kingdoms over the ſame ſubjects: either the office of the Mediators Kingdome is ſuperiors inferior, or coordinate, I leave to any Chriſtian to determine; but it may be it will be anſwered that the Civill Magiſtrate and Chriſt are converſant about divers kindes of objects, though they be the ſame perſons that are under Chriſt, and the King; yet it is in divers conſiderations, to divers ends, and by divers means, for the ends, Chriſts ends and the Kings ends are both one, 1 Tim. 2.2. that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godlineſſe and honeſty, as for divers means that the officers of the Church uſe when that cenſure or Church government which is talked of, is proved out of 1 Cor. 5. Mat. 18. or any place of Scripture, it ſhall be anſwered God willing.
I paſſe by Mr. Gillespies buſineſſe of the little ewe lambe, that he would have kept, I ſay let the ewe lambe alone. It argues nothing, and therefore I anſwer nothing: But Mr. Coleman can finde no other government inſtituted, but Civill, and this is laid to him as a great careleſſeneſſe, that ſought no better into the Scriptures then ſo: Mr. Gilleſpie hath found in many places the inſtitution of the Church officers, he findes that more ſubjection and obedience is commanded as due, not only to civill, but ſpirituall governours, to thoſe that are over us in the Lord, 1 Theſſ. 5.12. Mr. Gillespie ſeeth more then the text yeeldeth, here is no mention made of obedience at all, here is know them, and eſteeme them highly: but there is〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which is tranſlated over you: but Paſſor telleth us that〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, with a genitive caſe ſignifieth pracedo, and then it ſignifieth no more but them that19 goe before you, either by doctrine or example, here is nothing of inſtitution: whatſoever this perſon that is to be beloved, he is ſuppoſed, not inſtituted in this place, the ſubject is ſuppoſed, not handled in any ſcience: love and honour is due to the Preacher of the Word, who is ſaid to goe before them they teach: but what is this to government? Heb. 13.7. Remember them that rule over you, there is〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which is ducum, them that lead you, here is not obedience, nor ſubjection, but remember, and imitate their faith: yea but in the 17 verſe, there is obey and rule over you, but that is (as before) them that lead you, the word is〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which is no more but be perſwaded: I deny not but it is often tranſlated obey, but it commeth from〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which is perſuadeo to perſwade. Paſſor telleth us, it is verbum forenſe, a word whereby the advocates perſwade the Judges; I hope ye will not ſay when an advocate by pleading Law, doth perſwade the Iudges, that the Iudges doe obey the advocate: but let the word ſtand as it is tranſlated (yet when it is ſo rigorouſly wrought upon, it cannot be enforced, interpretation belongeth not to the diſputant) Obey: yet is it not alway correllative to the command of a ſuperiour: obedience is ſometimes founded on the authority of the ſuperior, ſometimes on the good and benefit of him that doth obey, without any colour or claime of ſuperiority or government: ſo the patient obeyeth the Phyſitian, ſo that maſter that imployeth a cunning workman, muſt be ruled by his workman; yet neither the one, nor the other claime government over his patient or workmaſter: and upon this ground the Holy Ghoſt requireth obedience here, not by an argument from the authority of him that leadeth them, but from the benefit that commeth to themſelves, for that is unprofitable for you, Rom. 12.8. The argument that Mr. Gilleſpie draweth hence is not out of the place, but the interpretation of the place, and therefore nothing in confutation of Mr. Coleman; for he did not ſay he found no inſtitution in Gualter and Bullenger, but in Scripture, though Gualter and Bullenger are for Mr. Coleman, as Beza confeſſeth, whatſoever they ſay upon the place, Mr. Gilleſpie ſhould prove inſtitution of Church government out of Scripture, the diſputant may not interpret that is the anſwerers part, as before.
20Mr. Coleman ſaith, Chriſt hath placed Magiſtrates in his Church, for which he citeth 1 Cor. 12.28. Eph. 1.3 laſt verſes, to prove all government given to Chriſt, and Chriſt as Mediator: I have proved this a truth: though I have left out thoſe arguments that Mr. Gilleſpie doth confute in anſwer to Mr. Coleman, becauſe I ſhall have occaſion to ſpeake in his juſt vindication of them.
Having recited Mr. Colemans words, he argueth againſt them ab incommodo, He cannot upon theſe grounds aſſert the authority of either Heathen or Chriſtian Magiſtrate. For the Heathen Magiſtrate, I ſay let Baall plead for himſelfe: but it will be eaſier for Mr. Coleman to prove the Heathen Magiſtrate unlawfull, then for Mr. Gillespie to vindicate him.
Firſt, it is ſin for a man to be an Heathen, and ſuch for which Chriſt will come, rendring vengeance in flaming fire, becauſe they doe not know God, nor obey the Goſpell of Jeſus Chriſt, 2. Theſſ. 1.8. If any man ſhall ſay that Heathen doe know God, let Chriſt confute him: No man knoweth the Father, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveale him, Matt. 11.27.
And for his government, if ſin be lawfull, it is lawfull: for whatſoever is not of faith is ſin, Rom. 14.23. If yee ſpeake of jus humanum, and uſurpation in humane eſtimation: this is out of the queſtion. But I wonder a Chriſtian ſhould doubt, whether it be the duty of all men to be Chriſtians, and that it is ſinne in them that are not, which yet it were not, if it were lawfull for them to enjoy their Heathen condition. Joh. 16.9. The Holy Ghoſt when he is come, will convince the world of ſin, becauſe they beleeve not in me, ſayth our Saviour: Quod malum in ſo non poteſt eſſe modaliter bonum: That which is evill in it ſelfe, cannot be circumſtantially good. If to be a Heathen be ſin, to governe as a Heathen cannot be good.
Next, is a blow given to a Chriſtian Magiſtrate, becauſe the brother muſt proove a Deputyſhip, or Vicegerentſhip by commiſſion from Chriſt; I conceive he hath commiſſion from Chriſt to be Gods inſtrument to puniſh the evill doer, and doe good to him that doth well: againe, hath any Magiſtrate commiſſion to be Chriſtian, or may they be Chriſtians, and not obey Chriſt? I conceive the Prophets are good Expoſitors of the condition of21 Chriſts Kingdome. Pſ. 72.11. All Kings ſhall fall downe before him, all Nations ſhall ſerve him. Eſay 60.12. That Nation and Kingdome that will not ſerve thee ſhall periſh.
But I follow Mr. Gilleſpie, God and Nature hath made Magiſtrates, and given them great authority, but of Chriſt, as mediator, they have it not. There is the affirmation; ſee the proofe.
Church officers, ſayth Mr. Gilleſpie, have their power from Chriſt, as mediator, and they are to manage their offices under, and for Chriſt. And this he proveth, for that they doe the duties of their offices, in the name of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. And the duties of Church officers he citeth, fowre: 1. come together: 2. Preach: 3. baptize: 4. excommunicate: and all theſe are done in the name of Jeſus, but the Magiſtrate is not to performe any part of his duty in the name of Jeſus. And for all theſe he bringeth places of Scripture, to proove the affirmative, which I ſhall endevour to examine according to lawes of diſputation.
The firſt is, in his name we meet together, Matt. 18.20. We, ſayth Mr. Gilleſpie, meet: and urgeth it to proove the inſtitution of Church officers; he maketh ſhort worke of it, but weake, no argument. The Text ſayth, when two or three are gathered together in my name, I am in the midſt: It ſayth not they are Church officers, neither doth it ſay, none ſhall gather together in my name, but Church officers, or I am in the midſt of none but Church officers. Well, I excuſe Mr. Coleman, if he ſee no inſtitution of the Church officers out of that place, and I hope ſo will all men, even Mr. Gilleſpie himſelfe, upon due conſideration.
2. In his name we doe preach; that is out of the queſtion: of other governments, I find no inſtitution, ſayth Mr. Coleman: he ſpeaketh not of the commiſſion to preach, and therefore let that go.
3. In his name we baptize, Act. 2.38. be baptized in the name of Ieſus, Act. 19.5. Theſe places he citeth, to proove we baptize in the name of Ieſus, as mediator, as excluſively to Father, and Holy Ghoſt, (leaving out the words of the commiſſion Matt. 28. baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt) for ſo the ſtate of his queſtion doth require; for he diſtinguiſheth acutely, and accurately, betweene Chriſt as Mediator, and ſecond perſon in Trinity, in all this argument: and ſo abuſeth theſe places to proove, that we muſt baptize in the name of Chriſt, excluſive to22 the other perſons of the Trinity, which is contrary to the words of the commiſſion, and the practiſe of all Churches: but this is quite out of Mr. Gilleſpies buſineſſe, which is to proove other government inſtituted beſides civill.
4. In his name we excommunicate; this is to the purpoſe: proove that Mr. Gilleſpie 1. Cor. 5.5. to deliver ſuch a one to Satan: he maketh great haſte, no more adoe, but we excommunicate: heere is no argument; deliver to Sathan is not to excommunicate, at leaſt they be different termes; which rules of diſputation will not allow. But grant that it were excommunication, and that Paul did excommunicate, as in plaine termes he did deliver to Sathan Hymineus and Alexander, 1 Tim. 1.20. ſo in this place being well viewed it will appeare, that St. Paul ſaith, I have decreed in the name of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, with the power of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, to deliver ſuch a one to Sathan. The decree was Pauls, and not the Corinthians, though it might poſſible have been an act of the Corinthians, yet no way appertaining unto you, I mean under the notion of a Church, and yet officers of the Church is a terme ſomewhat more remote; and yet ſtill fartheſt of all from inſtitution: for grant Paul had in termes ſaid, let the Elders of the Church excommunicate, yet he had not inſtituted, but ſuppoſed an inſtitution, this might have proved an eſſe, not the inſtitution niſi remote. Thus have I examined his argument by rule. Give us Schooles of divinity, that wee may no more be troubled with ſuch arguments.
But let us further examine what theſe mediums (or ſome of them) will yeeld being cloſer put: Mr. Gilleſpie doth appropriate the meeting in the name of Chriſt, to the officers of the Church, and that is his medium to prove their inſtitution from Chriſt, as Mediator: we muſt come for the clearing of this point, to conſider what it is to doe a thing in the name of Chriſt: it is true, much uſe is made of this comming together in the name of Chriſt, in the argument of generall Counſells; but this priviledge of comming together in the name of Chriſt appropriate to Biſhops in a generall Councell, our Learned will not allow. Mr. Whittaker, Quis ferat cos ſic loquentes, dum quae communiae ſunt omnibus Chriſtianis ad paucos reſtringunt, who can endure them to ſpeake ſo while they reſtraine thoſe things to a few, that belong23 to all Chriſtians? where you ſee he will not endure theſe two or three to be underſtood of Church officers, but of any Chriſtians. But let us ſee what he ſaith, it is to be gathered in the name of Chriſt: he ſaith,
To bee gathered in Chriſts name,In Chriſti nomine congregari due ſignificat: Primum eos qui conveniunt eſſe veros & ſinceres Dei cultores, & ſanae Religionis profeſſores, quam non aliunde niſi Scripturae didiſcerunt, nam qui alio modo Deum colunt quam quo ille coli vult, quantumvis maxinsi praeſules fuerint in eccleſia, non tamen in Chriſti nomine congregantur: ſecundum ut eo animo conveniant, ut Chriſti mandato per omnia obediant, ut que eas ſecum affectiones afferant, ea ſtudia eas voluntates, quae pios Chriſti miniſtres deceant ut nihil propter Dei gloriam quaerant, aut ſibi proponant, ut veritatem ex Scripturis inquirant, inventam aliis commendent, non ut ſuum regnum ſtabiliant, &c. ſignifieth two things: 1. That thoſe that come together are true and ſincere worſhippers of God, and profeſſors of the true Religion, which they have not learned elſewhere but from Scripture: For who ſo worſhip God any other way then as he will bee worſhipped, though they bee great Prelates in the Church, yet are not gathered together in Chriſts name. 2. That they come together with that mind, that they may obey the command of Chriſt, that they bring with them thoſe affections, thoſe deſires, thoſe intentions, which become godly Miniſters of Chriſt. That they ſeeke or propound nothing to themſelves beſides Gods glory, that they ſearch for truth in Scripture, and having fonnd it, commend it to others, not for the eſtabliſhing of their owne Kingdome.
Thus far I hope ye will agree that others beſides Church officers, may be qualified to meet in the name of Chriſt: firſt, that they may be the true worſhippers of God, that they may learne to worſhip God according to his will out of the Scriptures, they may have good affections to obey Chriſt, they may ſeeke Gods glory, and not the ſetting up their owne Kingdome: I hope the Parliament is ſo gathered, and Chriſt is amongſt them.
Biſhop Mourton ſaith, to bee duly gathered in the name of Chriſt, is with ſincere hearts to invocate him, and to ſubſcribe to24 his revealed truth; this may bee done by others beſide Church officers; and I hope our Parliament doth ſo.
But ſee cleerely out of the Scripture, that a thing may be ſayd to be done in the name of Chriſt, or of God, when men doe any thing in confidence that God will aſſiſt us: ſo Pſal. 20.5. In the name of our God will we ſet up our banners, in confidence God will aſſiſt us: thus I hope the Parliament, and other Chriſtians may undertake the buſineſſe in the name of Chriſt, in confidence of Chriſts aſſiſtance, as mediator, for whoſe ſake the worke they are employed about, ſhall be acceptable to God.
Secondly, in the name of Chriſt, a thing is ſayd to bee done, that is done in the authority, roome, and place of Chriſt, as if Chriſt ſhould doe it himſelfe: and thus officers of the Church, Mr. Gilleſpie would have act, under Chriſt, and none but they. And this, if granted, will not proove a Church government, ſeeing a man may preach in the name of Chriſt, and yet not governe in the name of Chriſt; for preaching is the worke of Chriſt as well as government.
But as mediator, Chriſt hath given no ſuch power and commiſſion to the Magiſtrate: and this hee prooveth, becauſe Chriſt hath none to give, as Mediator he would not judge, therfore he had no civill power, Luke 12.14. To this ſo farre as the argument: it doth not follow that becauſe Chriſt was not a judge, actu exercito, therefore the originall right of government was not in him: and this objection may be anſwered thus; Chriſt did not ſay, he was not a judge, but who made me a judge? how doeſt thou know that I am a judge? and thus Chriſt in the time of his humiliation did often hide the manifeſtation of his power: and as for Joh. 18.36. My kingdome is not of this world, I know not how it argueth more for Church government then for civill: as if thoſe governments that ſhould be executed by Church officers ſhould favour leſſe of the world then the civill government: but he falleth to an admiration, as if the thing were unpoſſible, that the power which Chriſt hath received of his father, ſhould be derived to the civill Magiſtrate, but no reaſon to ſhew the wonder.
He confeſſeth that Chriſt as he is eternall God, doth with the Father and Holy Ghoſt, reigne over the Kingdomes of the earth: he that25 is the mediator, being God, hath of God all power in heaven and earth, and this power was given, Matt. 28.18. both by eternall generation, and declaration at his reſurrection. Theſe be phraſes that doe aſtoniſh me, that any thing ſhould be given to Chriſt, as God, if given it had beene robbery to have taken without leave; but any thing ſhould be given him that ſhould concerne his Godhead at the time of his reſurrection, is more monſtrous: but let be, if this place bee underſtood of the power that Chriſt hath as ſecond Perſon in Trinity, and not as Mediator, then he had no authority as Mediator to ſend his Apoſtles: for by this authority, hee ſent forth his, Apoſtles to preach the Goſpell; and if that were not the authority that was given him as Mediator, than ye have loſt your commiſſion, which ye ſo much boaſt of, and had not ſo much as the right to preach under Chriſt as Mediator: All authority is given me in heaven and earth, goe yee therefore and preach: from this authority here ſpoken of, i•the authority to preach the Goſpell; now it is moſt cleare that he had authority to preach the Goſpell as Mediator, as I have formerly proved.
Mr. Gillespie ſaith, That hee that is the Mediator being God, hath power to ſubdue his Churches enemies but as Mediator, hee hath no other Kingdome, but his Church, as God and as Mediator, thoſe be termes ſtrangely oppoſed the Mediator cannot be conceived but as God and man; and that Kingdome which belongeth to the ſecond Perſon in Trinity, cannot be ſaid to be given to Chriſts, but is the Kingdome of God, becauſe opera Trinitat•ad extra ſunt indiviſae: but the Kingdome of Chriſt is adminiſtred by him, whilſt he is at the right hand of the Father by the power of his Godhead: Chriſt the Mediator doth many things as God, which could not be performed by man, and many things performed by the humane nature, which were not agreeable to the divine: it became us to have a Mediator perfect God, and perfect man, and accordingly in the ſtate of humiliation Chriſt, did work as God and man, he wrought his miracles, healed diſeaſes, commanded windes and ſea, and did manifeſt his divine power by knowing the hearts of men, and now in the ſtate of glory: ſhall he have one Kingdome as Mediator, and another as God? as Mediator is uſed in an ambiguous ſenſe, let it be ſpoken plaine, as Mediator hee worketh as God and as man ▪ both24〈1 page duplicate〉25〈1 page duplicate〉26which actions are actions of his perſon, per communication•••••matu••, Mediator is not a third nature, either he doth what Mr. Gilleſpie entendeth as God, or as man, the natures are not confounded, hee doth nothing as Mediator, which he doth not as God, or as man, or as man aſſiſted by God in more then an ordinary manner; ſhall the Mediator be ſpoyled of his Godhead to ſet up a ſuppoſed Kingdome in the Church, different from the civill? He that is the Mediator being God, hath power to ſubdue his, and his Churches enemies, and to make his foes his footſtoole; but as Mediator he is only the Churches King, head and governour: why doth Mr. Gilleſpie ſhuffle thus? why doth hee not ſpeake plainly, and make his oppoſitions cleare, ad idem? and ſay, as Mediator he hath no ſuch power, as Mediator he is God, but it ſeemeth God without power to ſubdue his enemies.
But when he had affirmed that Chriſt is King, head and governour of his Church only (where is couched fallacia plurium interrogationum, the word head in a more peculiar ſenſe, may bee aſcribed to the Church, then King, and governour) he proveth that it is ſo, by branding thoſe that deny it with Pho•inianiſme; but if that be erronious, here Deodate upon Ezek. 1.26 ſpeaking of the likeneſſe of a man, ſaith it was the Son of God, head of the Church, and King of the univerſe: and Rom. 10.12. by his death and reſurrection, hath gotten him a title to be Lord over all men. And Calvin upon the Eph. 1.20. Sedere fecit in dextrae; dextra non locum, ſed poteſtatem ſignificat; quam pater Chriſto contulit, ut ejus nomine Coeli, & terrae imperium adminiſtret; he made him ſit on his right hand, right hand doth not ſignifie place but power, which the Father beſtowed on Chriſt, that in his name he might rule heaven and earth: and after, Cum dextrae Dei coelum, & terr••impleat, ſequitur regnum Chriſti ubique diffuſum, for as much as the right hand of God doth fill heaven and earth, it followes that the Kingdome of Chriſt is ſpread all over. If therefore Chriſt as mediator ſitteth at the right hand of God, his Kingdome as mediator is extended over heaven and earth.
Again, all mankind loſt not only dominion, but all right to the uſe of the creatures, and Chriſt as mediator is made heire of all things. Heb. 1.2. where the ſtate of Chriſts mediation, his Propheticall, Prieſtly, and Kingly office, are at large ſet out, his humiliation27 to a lower condition then the condition of Angels by death: and after is exalted: and in the chap. 2.8. thou haſt put all things in ſubjection under his feet, in that hee put all things under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. I hope no man dare ſay, that he was made lower then the Angells as the ſecond perſon in Trinity: now if hee had ſpoken of Chriſt as mediator, that in that reſpect he had been humbled, and exalted in another reſpect, to wit, as the ſecond Perſon in Trinity, all things had been put under him, the antytheſis had not beene ad idem. Againe God is ſaid to put all things under him, whereby it is implied that all things were not under him, before they were put under him, but as the ſecond Perſon in Trinity; ſo nothing could be ſaid to be put under him, becauſe they were in that reſpect alwaies under him: And laſtly, nothing is excepted from this ſubjection, 1 Cor. 15.28. the Son alſo himſelfe ſhall be ſubject to him that put all things under him, ſo Chriſt hath dominion over all things, they are put under his feet in ſuch a condition, in ſuch a conſideration, as he himſelfe is ſubject to God, but in the conſideration that Chriſt is the ſecond perſon of Trinity, ſo he is not inferiour to God the Father, therefore he hath not all things put under his feet as ſecond Perſon in Trinity.
Phil. 2.8.9.10. being found in faſhion as a man, he humbled himſelfe, and became obedient to death, even the death of the croſſe; wherefore God alſo hath highly exalted him, and given him a name, that in the name of Ieſus every knee ſhould bow; you ſee he that was in the forme of a ſervant, was exalted under that deſcription, and ſo high that every knee ſhould bow to him: but as ſecond Perſon in Trinity, hee was not found in the forme of a ſervant, but as mediator, ſo he was God in the forme of a ſervant.
But Mr. Gilleſpie hath a diſtinction between, dignity, power, and kingdome, but proveth only a poſſe, that ſuch a diſtinction is conceiveable, and may be found in earthly Kings, but a poſſe ad eſſe in Chriſt•, non valet conſequentia: but here I further note that Mr. Gilleſpie in the cloſe of his brotherly examination, when hee commeth to apply this his diſtinction to the mediator; he ſaith, as mediator he exerciſeth acts of divine power, and omnipotencie over all creatures in the behalfe, and for the good of his Church, and reſtraineth28 or diverteth, or deſtroyeth all his Churches enemies, notwithſtanding in the 43 page, he denieth any ſuch working to belong to Chriſt as mediator; but as God, whereby yee may ſee how weake theſe grounds are; and how ſmall a matter it is for a Rhetorician to forget himſelfe in the following of an argument.
There remaineth now that ſomething bee ſaid in vindication of Mr. Coleman from the charge of miſ-application of two Scriptures.
The firſt is the 1 Cor. 12.28. hee citeth to prove civill governments in the Church; unto which Mr. Gilleſpie ſaith, firſt if by governments in that plate, Civill Magiſtrates were underſtood, yet that place ſaith not, that Chriſt hath placed them, then à foreiori, you diſclaime by that means any government in this place as officers under Chriſt. I thought Mr. Gilleſpie: would not have let goe the hold he hath under Chriſt, for his Church governments from this place ſo eaſie: Mr. Coleman need not trouble him falſe about proving that they were put in the Church under Chriſt: I hope if in the Church they will be content to be Chriſts Vicars, or elſe if Mr. Coleman will be ruled by me, ſo as Mr. Gilleſpie will not urge this for conſtitution of Church governments, hee ſhall let it goe. God hath placed governments in his Church, and if they be meant civill governments, hee hath gotten thus much, that civill governours are in the Church by Gods appointment; and then I hope Mr. Gilleſpie will not deny the roome that God hath given them in the Church, upon this ground that God hath nothing to doe to place them there, they ſhould have come in by Chriſt.
Hee brings an argument out of Calvin, becauſe the Apoſtle ſpake of ſuch governments as the Church had at that time, but the Church had no civill Chriſtian Magiſtrates at that time; only the major of that argument wanteth proofe, that the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of ſuch officers as were in the Church in his time only: that cannot be proved; I ſhall urge ſome few arguments to the contrary: the word〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉will not enforce is, ſeeing that word will ſignifie propoſuit or decre•••, as well as poſuit, he hath appointed: and that may take in, not onely ſuch officers, the preſent ſtate of the Church did affoord, but alſo hoſe as ſhould hear caſter, by Gods appointment, come to the Church: and this is plain29 that in ſundry places the word doth ſo ſignifie, as Joh. 15.16. I have ordained you, that you ſhall goe and bring forth fruit, Act. 19.21. Paul purpoſed, both made by〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉and〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, yet both are referred to time to come: and then that which you tranſlate placed, may be rendred, he hath appointed to his Church the execution referred to the providence of God, when he ſhalbe pleaſed to affoord his Church the enjoyment of theſe ſeverall endowments and gifts: for it is plaine, there is in that catalogue, ſome ſuch as the Church ſhall not alwayes have; and why not ſome alſo, which at that time the Church had not? This cannot be a catalogue of ſuch officers as are at all times neceſſary to the Church; for then Apoſtles, might not be mentioned; becauſe the Church is, and long time hath beene without them, as workers of miracles.
2. At that time there were workers of miracles, which did ſupply the defect of civill Magiſtrates, which is to workt upon naturalls, to induce men to attend upon the means, Act. 8.6. And the people with one accord gave heed unto thoſe things which Philip ſpake, hearing, and ſeeing the miracles which he did.
Thus much a nationall covenant, and civill Magiſtrate, may require of the people, that they will attend upon the meanes, out of naturall principles, Deum eſſe, &〈◊〉: in the maner of which worſhip, ſo farre as concerneth the externall education: from youth, and tradition, inſtruction of parents, and humane lawes, are the foundations and the bounds of nationall and publique worſhip: and upon this ground the Iſraelites were commanded to reach their children the Law of God; and God entred into covenant with the father, for the child, as with Abraham: and the ſame obligation lieth upon Chriſtian parents to inſtruct their children, Eph. 6.4. And you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the•urture and admonition of the Lord. Which yet they might not, if the doctrine of the Goſpell might not be received of the father, for the ſon, and the father might not require of his ſon the forme of doctrine.
Saint Paul calleth the doctrine of the Goſpell, Rom. 6.7. a forme: God be thanked ye have obeyed the forme of doctrine, that was delivered unto you, 2. Tim. 1.13. Hold faſt the ſo me of ſound words which thou haſt heard of me: this is called fides quō30 cr•dimus, and this may be the obligation of humans ſociety: and God, and Chriſt, and Scripture, may be agreed on by naturall men, even as Idolaters ſet up their worſhip; yet if the Scripture be received for the rule, there is a ſound forme of words, and he that heareth and beleaveth, and obayeth from the heart, ſhall be ſaved, though the Magiſtrate and Miniſter ſhould drive on to politique and ambitious ends, yet the beleever ſhall bee ſaved; and this is the aſſiſtance and helpe the Church can have from a civill Magiſtrate: and how great a mercy is this to Gods people when all incouragement ſhall be given to the preaching of the Goſpel? when the luſt and riot of a people ſhall be reſtrayned by the civil Magiſtrate: men that refuſe to heare the word puniſhed in their perſons and eſtates, and thereby for feare of the Magiſtrate bee brought to the meanes, God muſt judge of the ſucceſſe, as likewiſe give it. Compare this with the contrary motions of authority, by fire and ſword to ſuppreſſe the Goſpel, and then ſee whether this be not indeed helps to the Church, which though thoſe times wanted, yet God appointed that after ages ſhould have; and in the meane time did cauſe men to attend to the meanes by miracles. I have proved that the people were inclined to hearken to doctrine by miracles, which moveth naturall men to flock together to ſee ſtrange things: if a mount chancke come and tell people be both medicines of ſtrange operations, to cure and kill, to wound and heale, how will people flocks together to heare and ſee ſome ſtrange thing? eſt natura heminum novimtis avids: I have likewiſe ſhewed you that people may and ought to receive God, and Chriſt; and Scripture, by publique conſent: and whatſoever it received by publique conſent is an act of humane law, and to be acted by the civill Magiſtrate.
Now God doth not worke miracles, but to ſupply defect of naturall meanes, when they are wanting: Chriſt cured, when Phyſitians could not: maketh wine of water when they had no wine: provided Manna, when they were in the wildernes, and wanted proviſion, which coaſed when they enjoyed the proviſion of the Land. When the Goſpell was firſt, and nations were not converted, then miracles were neceſſary to cauſe attention: but after, when nations were converted, which Chriſt ſent out his Diſciples to doe, with all ſpeed, then there will be no uſe of31 miracles: attention and uſe of meanes may be agreed upon, the effect of them every man is concerned to looke to for his owne ſalvation: and happy are we if we can enjoy the meanes without Inquiſitions, and faggots, and bloud.
And to looke nearer into the Text, to ſee that this was but an appointment, and not a preſent execution: lye have not heere a continued catalogue, but ye have theſe interruptions,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, then〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, then〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, all theſe might be preſent, and liable to view: then ye have〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and to that ye have annexed miracles: they laſted ſomewhat longer then the Apoſtles and Prophets: and laſt ye have〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and theſe may be ordinary gift: healing, if diſtinguiſhed from miracles, is an ordinary gift: ſo are divers tongues; and there remayneth no more but helps, governments, and what theſe helps are, Calvin confeſſeth he cannot tell: hee thinketh they were ſome officers the Church hath loſt: men are mightily troubled for want of officers, but being put both in one caſe without any conjunction copulative, why they may not belong both to one thing, and this〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉may not have ſome influence upon the times and after age; ſeeing this catalogue is ſuperadditum eccleſia, and the gifts mentioned, not limited by their ends, but onely noted as different gifts, to note that all have not the like qualifications: but in Eph. 4.11. there when the Apoſtle ſetteth downe officers, as meanes to the ends which in actions and moralls have a great influence upon the nature of the thing: he leaveth out helps and governments, and reckoneth only fowr: Apoſtles, Prophets, Evangeliſts, and Teachers; all but Teachers imployed about the word it ſelfe, the foundation, penmen of the word, no more left to us but the Teacher, and he alone with the helpe of the labours, of the Apoſtles, Prophets, and Evangeliſts; for without them they can doe nothing: yet there this poore teacher is left alone to perfect the Saints, to performe the worke of the Miniſtry, to edifie the body of Chriſt: heere is neither helpe, nor government, yet all theſe things done without them.
Beſides in that very place where S. Paul by an induction doth demonſtrate that God hath appointed diverſities of gifts, reckoneth all the reſt, and skippeth over helpes, governments, and leaveth them wholly out, which of neceſſity he muſt doe where32 he was in his induction to deale with their experience, if none ſuch were to be found at that time, they might tell him you aske us whether all be helps and governments, we ſee no ſuch thing; we are ſo far from thinking all governments, that we finde none at all, but why otherwiſe they ſhould be left out I know not ſeeing they did cleereſt ſet forth the difference that one member hath from another (eſpecially to naturall men) which was S. Pauls argument, and therefore I thinke there were none then.
He hath two other arguments to ſhew the miſ-application of this text, but are trifles not worth anſwer.
The firſt is the catalogue of Church officers.
The Magiſtrate is behinde the Miniſter.
Next he citeth Eph. 1.21, 22, 23. to prove that all government is given to Chriſt, and to him as mediator, and Chriſt as head of theſe, is given to the Church: Mr. Gilleſpie ſaith this place maketh more againſt him then for him; ſomething for him by your confeſſion, is the Scripture contrary to it ſelfe, in the ſame place pro and con, The Apoſtle ſaith not that Chriſt is given to the Church a head of all principalities and powers: The brother ſaith ſo, and in ſo ſaying, he maketh Chriſt a head to thoſe that are not his body. 1 Is This a very nice exception, the text ſaith plainly that the power of God ſhewed it ſelf in Chriſt; 1 in raiſing him from the dead. 2 In ſetting him at the right hand of God, which Calvin expoundeth to ſignifie the power which the Father beſtowed upon Chriſt: and further ſaith that theſe words of the 21 ver•e far above principality is an exegeſis, explaining the right hand of God, the words are, hee ſet him at his owne right hand far above principalities, &c. but in 22, he gave him to bee head over all things to his Church; he ſaith not head over principalities, but all things; here is great cauſe of exception, here is farre above principalities, but not head; here is head of all things, but not principalities: may not hee that is farre above be called the chiefe or head; or may not he that is head of all things, bee well called head of Principalities: it is true, diſputations doe require men to keep cloſe to termes; but in Col. 2.10. ye have the very words, head of all principalities and powers; the brother is to blame for ſaying ſo: why may not the brother ſpeake, as St. Paul ſpeaketh; but it ſeemeth the Commiſſioner will confute St. Paul33 inſo ſaying, hee ſhall make Chriſt head of them that are not his body. Well the Commiſſioner will not have Chriſt head of any but his body, then I truſt he is not head of your Presbytery, for then he muſt be head of many that are not of his body; for howſoever men may by rules of charity have the eſtimation of members of Chriſt, yet certainly Chriſt is head of none but his elect; no viſible Church can challenge the priviledge of being the members of Chriſt, every faithfull man may, but the viſible Church cannot; I deſire this may be proved, that unbeleevers and hypocrites are members of Chriſt. If in the viſible Church if Chriſt be conſidered as head of the Church, which doth by his mediation convey the graces of juſtification and ſanctification upon the faithfull; ſo the viſible Church is not the body of Chriſt, as having many members that have no life of grace, nor any ſuch growth as is mentioned, Eph. 4.15. in that argument, that government that Chriſt hath over the faithfull, is truly ſpirituall, and not of this world, and of this Kingdome he hath indeed no officers, but his Spirit; all theſe members have immediate union with Chriſt by faith. As for applying that diſtinction of the exaltation of Chriſt in reſpect of honour and dignity; but not his Kingly office to the interpretation of this text, that Chriſt is in more honour then any creature; but he executeth his Kingly office as mediator over the Church only; and the Apoſtle ſaith only he is far above them: he ſaith not he is head or King of them. I hope the Commiſſioner will have the Holy Ghoſt ſpeake ſenſe, and make the compariſon to bee made in all theſe things that he is preferred in, he ſitteth nearer the right hand of God, then any principality: you will allow that Chriſt is here ſpoken of as mediator, as raiſed from the dead, and ſet at the right hand of God the Father: See what the Apoſtle ſaith; he ſaith, he is above principality, in