An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

Then in the second place, there is another extreme error, which is to confound the State and the Church, as if Christ had appointed no distinct Officers or work, but that any man authorized by a commission from the civil power, was hereby enabled to do any Office in the Church, and that Christ had not set Pastors or Teachers in his Church, but civil Governors. Now how blessed and happy hath it been, when these Societies have been friendly complying, and furthering one another. The Commonwealth helping and furthering, defending and protecting the Church: The Church also performing all Church-Ordinances, in such a manner, that God may bless that state, and make it to be as Obed-Edoms house, while he entertained the Ark, Quamdiu respublicae manent hospitia Ecclesiae tamdiu suns duraturae.

Then in the second place, there is another extream errour, which is to confound the State and the Church, as if Christ had appointed no distinct Officers or work, but that any man authorized by a commission from the civil power, was hereby inabled to do any Office in the Church, and that Christ had not set Pastors or Teachers in his Church, but civil Governours. Now how blessed and happy hath it been, when these Societies have been friendly complying, and furthering one another. The Commonwealth helping and furthering, defending and protecting the Church: The Church also performing all Church-Ordinances, in such a manner, that God may bless that state, and make it to be as Obed-Edoms house, while he entertained the Ark, Quamdiu respublicae manent hospitia Ecclesiae tamdiu suns duraturae.

Hence in the third place, The Devil and his instruments have always laboured the ruin of godliness, by making divisions, and using several stratagems to overthrow the harmonious Unity that ought to be in the Church of God, and civil State. In Popery, we see abominable mischief came to Religion by the usurping of the name of the Church; for they excluded the Magistrates and supreme Governors, from any Government therein, and at last pleading exemption from all Obedience and Subjection to the chief powers, though so expressly contrary to Paul, Rom. 13. Thus they make a few only, yea but one, the Pope at last, to be the Church, and then attribute to him a power to dispose of Kingdoms and States, where and to whom he pleaseth, directly and immediately, say some; and those who do most mince it say, indirectè, and in ordine ad spiritualia. On the other side, sometimes the civil State hath been jealous, yea and violently persecuting the Church of God, as if that of Julian were true, A Church and a civil Society could not stand together; as if Christ had commanded such things of his Church, that were inconsistent with, and would utterly overthrow all civil Government. Thus Pilate, he was jealous, because he heard of Christs Kingdom; and although it be known that his Kingdom is not of this world, that Church power is wholly spiritual in order to mens souls, yet how often are the Governors suspicious about it? But these particulars are of large consideration, and handled by learned Authors. I come therefore to show, That a peoples consideration of themselves as a Church, should be preferred above all their civil Glory and Dignity. It ought to be more (as one Emperor said) to be a Member of the Church, then an Emperor of the whole world. The Church of Rome in Pauls time, while pure in the faith, was more admirable, then the City of Rome, which was Queen over the whole world.