Now to your Assumption. First, Every particular qSociety of believers in the Church of England, or singular Pastor of this or that Congregation hath not the power of government, neither doth it of right or by divine gift belong unto the community of the faithful, or one singular Pastor. Secondly, The power of Government as it consisteth in discerning betwixt the precious and the vile, admonishing the inordinate, and excommunicating the obstinate, is considered either in respect of the substance, parts and duties thereof, or in respect of the ordering and administration by such persons, and in such a course. This distinction must be granted or else all the Churches which administer discipline amiss in any circumstance at any time, must be charged to have no discipline at all; and they that commit the administration of discipline to persons in mens opinion not designed by Christ, not to have the discipline of Christ for substance: For example, ⟨p. 39⟩they that commit the execution of discipline to the Presbytery or Classis, have not the discipline of Christ, in the judgement of the Separation, because Christ (as they say) hath committed it to the community or body of the Society. And they that commit the power of government to the rpeople or community jointly with the Elders, in the judgement of reformed Churches, have not the discipline of Christ, because he hath committed it to the Presbytery. And every act of government may be excepted against as a nullity, because in some circumstance or other the order prescribed by Christ is not fully observed. This then considered, the Church of England is not without the sdiscipline of Christ for substance, whether the word be taken largely or strictly, whether we respect right or execution; but the outward form and ordering of the discipline is not in all things according to the Word of God. I• by divine right the power of government belongeth, either to the society of Church-governors, or the community of the faithful, it belongeth also to the Pastors, Teachers, Elders, Assemblies among us. As for the execution of discipline largely taken, all men know the Word is truly preached, and the Sacraments are duly and rightly tadministered: and in what society soever God is truly worshipped, of necessity the discipline of Christ is in some sort observed.
Now to your Assumption. First, Every particular qSocietie of beleevers in the Church of England, or singular Pastour of this or that Congregation hath not the power of government, neither doth it of right or by divine gift belong unto the communitie of the faithfull, or one singular Pastour. Secondly, The power of Government as it consisteth in discerning betwixt the precious and the vile, admonishing the inordinate, and excommunicating the obstinate, is considered either in respect of the substance, parts and duties thereof, or in respect of the ordering and administration by such persons, and in such a course. This distinction must be granted or else all the Churches which administer discipline amisse in any circumstance at any time, must be charged to have no discipline at all; and they that commit the administration of discipline to persons in mens opinion not designed by Christ, not to have the discipline of Christ for substance: For example, ⟨p. 39⟩they that commit the execution of discipline to the Presbytery or Classis, have not the discipline of Christ, in the judgement of the Separation, because Christ (as they say) hath committed it to the communitie or body of the Societie. And they that commit the power of government to the rpeople or communitie joyntly with the Elders, in the judgement of reformed Churches, have not the discipline of Christ, because he hath committed it to the Presbytery. And every act of government may be excepted against as a nullity, because in some circumstance or other the order prescribed by Christ is not fully observed. This then considered, the Church of England is not without the sdiscipline of Christ for substance, whether the word be taken largely or strictly, whether we respect right or execution; but the outward forme and ordering of the discipline is not in all things according to the Word of God. I• by divine right the power of government belongeth, either to the societie of Church-governours, or the communitie of the faithfull, it belongeth also to the Pastours, Teachers, Elders, Assemblies among us. As for the execution of discipline largely taken, all men know the Word is truely preached, and the Sacraments are duely and rightly tadministred: and in what societie soever God is truely worshipped, of necessitie the discipline of Christ is in some sort observed.
- qAugust. contr. e•. Parm. lib. 3. c. 2.
- rChrysost. in Math. Hom. 83. No small vengeance hangeth over your heads, if you suffer any heinous offender to be partaker of this Table.Chrysost. in Math. Hom. 83. No small vengeance hangeth over your heads, if you suffer any hainous offender to be partaker of this Table.
- sIf any Prince would be baptized or approach to the Lords Table, with manifest show of unbelief or irrepentance, the Minister is bound freely to speak, and rather to lay down his life at the Princes feet, then to let the King of Kings be provoked, the mysteries defiled, his own soul and the Princes endangered, for lack of often and earnest admonition.If any Prince would be baptized or approach to the Lords Table, with manifest shew of unbeliefe or irrepentance, the Minister is boūd freely to speak, and rather to lay downe his life at the Princes feet, then to let the King of Kings be provoked, the mysteries defiled, his own soule and the Princes endangered, for lacke of often and earnest admonition.
- tBilson Christian subj. part 2. p. 302. If you mean they may not minister the Sacraments unto Princes, without faith & repentance which God requireth of men that shall be baptized, or have access to his Table, we grant they must rather hazard their lives than baptize Princes which believe not, or distribute the Lords mysteries to them that repent not Bilson Christ. subj. part 3 p. 2. & part. 3. p. 248. If the Prince will not submit himself to the rules and precepts of Christ, but wilfully maintain heresy & open impurity, the Bishops are without flattery to reprove and admonish the Prince of the danger that is imminent from God, and if he persist, they must cease to communicate with him in divine prayer and mysteries. Bills. Ch. sub. part. 3. pag. 63, 64. 74.Bilson Christian subj. part 2. p. 302. If you meane they may not minister the Sacraments unto Princes, without faith & repentance which God requireth of men that shall be baptized, or have accesse to his Table, we grant they must rather hazzard their lives than baptize Princes which beleeve not, or distribute the Lords mysteries to them that repent not Bilson Christ. subj. part 3 p. 2. & part. 3. p. 248. If the Prince will not submit himselfe to the rules and precepts of Christ, but wilfully maintaine heresie & open impurity, the Bishops are without flattery to reprove and admonish the Prince of the danger that is imminent from God, and if he persist, they must cease to communicate with him in divine prayer and mysteries. Bils. Ch. sub. part. 3. pag. 63, 64. 74.
