THE BEAVTY OF CHRISTS Government in a Church reformed.
In a Parish
HEre it must begin, according to the order in holy Writ; the first Churches being Parochiall: speciall care must be had, that parishes have in them the ordinances of Christ.
That there be an able Pastor, set over the people in every Congregation, for teaching and ruling them.
That there be with him assistants in governing, called Elders, with us Church-wardens, which are in their roome.
These must be men of the best quality among them, men of understanding, lovers of Religion, and of a godly, honest, and peaceable conversation.
They are to be chosen with the peoples consent, and admitted solemnly with [Page 4] prayer, in the face of the whole Congregation, and an exhortation faithfully to discharge their duties, which they must promise to performe, God assisting them.
The number to be moe or fewer, as the parish is greater or lesser.
The meeting of these to be weekely, if it may be, at a set time and place; for conveniency, in the Church, after divine service is ended in the afternoone, or in the week-day when there is a sermon.
The end thereof.
To looke to all the parishioners concerning their religion and exercise thereof, publikely and privately, to see to their honest behaviour, and peaceable demeanour one towards another, at home and abroad.
To receive complaints against any delinquents, and to proceed against them to admonition, to suspension from the holy Communion, according to the quality of the offence, and as the offender shal deserve without partiality. To excommunicate any is very rare, and not without the wise advice of the Presbytery.
Lastly, the manner of proceeding, to be after the rule of Gods word, and according to the godly Ecclesiasticall Lawes prescribed [Page 5] them to follow, agreeable to the Word.
To this meeting come the Over-seers of the poore, called Deacons: They are to be chosen as the Elders are, men of honesty, faithfull and godly.
Their office is to take care of the poore, faithfully to distribute the collections, and wisely, according to every ones necessity. To visit the sick, and to be able to examine them in the grounds of Religion, instructing the ignorant, and comforting them that want consolation; as elsewhere they doe.
Motives to imbrace this Parochiall government, which Episcopall government keepes us from.
- From the good which comes thereby.
- 1. Hereby Religion and vertue with much care, put in practice: peace and unity also will be preferred.
- 2 Hereby will religious persons, religious meetings, and pious exercises be had in esteeme, and the vertuous regarded; who will be watchfull one over another, being knit together in an holy communion, much with us wanting.
- 3 Hereby will the vicious, the prophane [Page 6] and scandalous be suppressed; sinne will not be suffered to reigne, nor be so rife as with us it is.
- 4 Hereby, through weekly meeting to suppresse vice, and to maintaine vertue, the Pastors themselves, the Elders and Deacons shall become better acquainted with the wayes of vertue, and grow more in hatred with vice: know also better the rule of ordering of Christs people, wisely and religiously, whereby his glory may more shine among them, and they made happy instruments thereof.
- II. From the great evils which we are freed from: but Episcopacy keepes us under.
- 1 Hereby shall all be freed from the heavie yoake, and authority of their Ecclesiasticall Courts, and their corruptions, which God and men of all sorts cry out against.
- 2 From the great expences of money, in journying sometimes many miles, in lying there at cost, and disbursing the charges imposed, and called for by the Court; besides often appearing, long delayes, and losse of much time.
- 3 From the wicked and inforcing oath ex officio; and from the many thousands of oathes which Church-wardens take; [Page 7] and from the oath of purgation inforced upon many to cleare themselves of a suspected crime: in taking of which oathes, many forsweare themselves, and procure the Lords curse against them, and the whole Land.
To these Motives, adde:
- 1 That such a government in a Parochiall Church of Christ, is approved by our neighbour Kingdome with good successe, to the honour of Christ, and the peoples reformation.
- 2 That in the Apostles dayes were first founded parochiall Churches, and in them the Elders and Deacons ordained, and all Christs ordinances exercised in them; and therefore to be admitted of us.
- 3 That the robbing of parochiall Congregations of these holy ordinances, is the very ground of their spirituall misery; from which, if they seeke not to be freed, they are most unhappy, and can never attaine to that spirituall condition which is so hartily wished for, and desired, for their soules safety.
Objections answered.
Some of the Laitie please to say, that this is to make every Minister a pope in his parish.
[Page 8] Answer. That a Pastor is to bee obeyed of his people, will not be denied, for the word commands it, Heb. 13.7.17. But to Lord it over Gods heritage he may not, 1 Pet. 5.3. Nor doth this make him a Pope in his Parish, for the Elders are joyned with him in governmet, so as without them hee can doe nothing; hee is also subject to the Presbytery, and must bee kept within his limits, prescribed him.
Some of the Clergy object, and say that these Elders doe overtop their Ministers and make them their vassalls.
Answer. I.
- One of these objections must be false, if not both, for they oppose one another.
- 2. Such Minister as thus object may be satisfied by the practise of the Elders, among whom this government is exercised. Doe they ever heare any of the faithfull Ministers make such a complaint against their Elders?
- 3. These Elders are but Assistants to their pastor and only second them, not going before them in the session, the Pastor is moderator in the whole action beginning with prayer and so ends it; when hee [Page 7] speakes to them, they shew him very reverend respect. Yea the greatest Noblemen in the land, in Church-meetings, doe not over-sway the meanest and poorest Minister, for if he doe hee shall bee called to an account before the generall assembly, where if hee appeare in any ill cause, hee will bee made more ashamed, then before any judicature in the kingdome.
- 4. Why should any bee offended at those Elders, and so conceit amisse against them, when wee beare the commanding power of lay Chancellors, lay Commissaries, with their Registers, who rule masterly over us, making us to be unconscionably slavish executioners of their often unjust commands.
- Lastly, consider that from hence just appeales may bee made to the Presbytery.
II. In every division or circuit sutable to our Deanry.
That there be a classicall meeting called elsewhere a Presbytery. This consists of all the Ministers of Parishes within the Deanry, or such a circuit thereof as may conveniently meet, to which are sent by consent out of every Parish one of their Elders. This meeting is to be once a fortnight. [Page 8] In this from among the Pastors must the gravest, the wisest, the best esteemed for life and godlinesse be chosen moderator, for the time of the sitting and meeting. Hee is to beginne with prayer and end so after a Psalme and a Sermon; here Ministers are to shew their gifts, and how they profit, and goe on in the Ministry. And such as intend the Ministery are here to be tryed, and if fit, to be ordained, if a place bee void: these looke into parochial Sessions, within their circuit, that Pastors, Elders, and people behave themselves as they ought: Here the power of jurisdiction is used, the doctrine and lives of Ministers are enquired into, and according as they finde, they encourage the faithfull dispensers against others, they proceed to admonition, suspension, and deprivation, as they shall see just cause so to doe. All other sorts of persons of what quality soever, which shall be disobedient to their owne Pastors and Elders, proceeding in their parochiall meetings lawfully, are with great authority censured.
By this wee see how the parochiall governement is upheld, and yet kept within bounds, Christs Doctrine and worship kept pure, good Ministers honoured, and the rest eitheir reformed, or cast out.
III. In every County or shire.
In this must be a Synod, called elsewhere Provinciall.
It consists of the whole Presbyteries within that Shire, or Province, with one Elder from every Parish, men of ranke and quality, Gentlemen, Knights and Barons, for such in some places are Elders. The meeting to be every halfe yeare, as our Archdeacons visitations be.
Here being assembled, they beginne with praying and preaching, the Sermon being made by the former Moderatour; which ended, a new Moderatour is then chosen, or the same againe confirmed.
These meete not to call for Synodals, or paschall rents, nor to gather procurations, nor to sweare Church-wardens, to make presentments, for these assemblies sit not for to gather monies; but this Synod meeteth to make enquiry by the records of every Presbyterie into the governing of all the Presbyteries, and all the Churches under them, and to rectifie what is amisse therein.
To supply what is wanting, and to censure any for faults, crimes & offences committed.
All matters with great diligence, and speed, are here so to be expedited, as the time may not bee long, nor the staying to become chargeable and burthensome, but that the [Page 10] Pastors and Elders may returne home in good time, before the Lords day.
Can we be so happy as to enjoy such Synods, wee shall be rid of the vaine and very chargeable visitations of Archdeacons, where Ministers and people wastefully lay out yearly some thousands of pounds throughout the whole land.
IV. In one whole nation.
This is the generall assembly of the nation, or nationall meeting.
It consists of Pastors and Elders from every Presbytery, to which have come sometime the Kings Majesty, or a Commissioner for him; as also likewise the religious and learned Nobles of the land.
This meeting is elsewhere once a yeare, but with us it may fitly be every Parliament time, now appointed to be every third year.
The first day of this assembly is a day of solemne humiliation to prepare them to so great and holy a worke, at the end whereof a Minister is chosen by the voices of all to be President and Moderator in that assembly: who prayeth at every sitting downe, and when they rise up for a blessing of God upon them.
The power of this is very great; it upholdeth [Page 11] the authority of the other assemblies, maketh laws Ecclesiasticall agreeing to holy Scripture, for the wel-ordering of all the Churches in spirituall matters, but never intermedleth in matters civill belonging to the Magistrates, either in judging, or inflicting pecuniary, or corporall punishment.
Its now among us a great question, Whether is better, the Presbyterian government in Scotland, or the Prelatian government in England, for the Churches spirituall welfare?
To judge aright herein, these considerations are propounded to the wisedome of the wise and religious, who would lay a side all partiality in this cause of God:
- 1 Whether of them hath the best proofe, either for the whole, or for the part, from holy Scripture: and so Gods approbation?
- 2 Which is agreeing most to all the reformed Churches, with which we agree in Doctrine, and separation from the Church of Rome?
- 3 Whether of these is most like the governement of the Church of Rome, under the Pope, that Antichrist; and aptest to let in, and fittest to keepe out the Ceremonies, the superstition, and the idolatry of that whore of Rome?
- 4 Whether of them doth tend more to godlinesse then greatnesse?
- [Page 12]5 Whether of them is the most profitable to advance the powerfull practice of religion and vertue, and the suppression of vice, that God may receive glory?
For the better evidencing hereof, let them be compared in these few things together.
| The Presbyterian. | The Prelatian. | |
| I. This hath for the teaching Elders, very certaine testimony from Scripture, Tit. 1.5. and strong probability for ruling Elders, 1 Tim. 5.17 Rom. 12.8. 1 Cor. 12.28. And therefore being allowed of God, is fittest to advance the power of godlinesse. | This hath no probabilitie, much lesse any certainty of Scripture for Archbishops, Diocesan Bishops, Deanors, Archdeacons; for their lay Chauncellours, lay Commissaries: and therefore being altogether of man, is not so fit, as we finde by experience, to advance the power of godlinesse. | |
| II. This sets up in every parish a Session, for the religious ordering thereof. | This depriveth wholly parochiall assemblies of such an helpe, for their spirituall good, subjecting them slavishly to their most corrupt courts. | |
| III. The order of this is framed so, as the parts thereof is subordinate one to another; as the Session to the Presbytery; this, to the Provinciall Synod, and this to the Nationall, to further godlinesse. | This is so framed as an overtopping power of some, may sway over all as they list, without any such subordination, to uphold onely their greatnesse; as their practise proclaime before the world. | |
| [Page 13]IV. This alloweth nothing in and about Gods publike worship, but what is warrantable by Scripture. | This bringeth in, and approveth of many devises of men, corrupting Gods worship, without warrant of Scripture. | |
| V. This ordaineth no Ministers for money, nor any but such as be apt to teach; nor doth it permit any, which are not such, and do performe their Ministery faithfully. | This ordaineth for money, and many unapt to teach, yea, and permits thousands of dumbe Ministers, which cannot teach, and lazie Ministers which will not preach, but either seldome or never. | |
| VI. This alloweth no pluralists, nor any Nonresidents, nor foule and scandalous Ministers. | This alloweth many hundreds of Pluralists and Nonresidents, and not a few of evill life; unsufferable in Christs Church. | |
| VII. This upholdeth preaching, countenanceth diligent preachers, and encourageth them. | This taketh not much care for preaching, never calleth any to account for negligent preaching: but some Prelates suppresse it, and are vexatious to many faithfull Ministers. | |
| VIII. This suffers, without jealousie, the people to meet together, to talke and conferre about what they have heard, and to read good books, to sing Psalms, and to pray together. | This is so jealous, as people are restrained from such meetings, being held Conventicles for which they are called to their courts and censured. | |
| [Page 14]IX. This carefully prevents errours, and heresies, Papists, and papistry, and whatsoever may be troublesome to the Church. | This looketh to nothing but conformity to humane inventions, suffering false doctrines to be broached, Arminianisme, Socinianism, Popery, & popishly affected to increase, so they conforme men to their ceremonies. |
If all these considerations (to which more may beadded) be seriously pondered, it may easily be judged whether government is the more pleasing to God, and more profitable to his people for spirituall life and salvation.