The true nature of a Gospel church and its government

8. BUT this distribution mentioned of Church-Power, is unscriptural; nor is there any foot-steps of it in Antiquity. It is so as unto the two latter Branches of it. That any one should have the power of Order to Preach the Word, to Administer the Seals, to bind and loose the Conscience Doctrinally; or Ministerially to bind and loose in the Court of Conscience, and yet by the virtue of that Office which gives them this power, not to have a Right and Power of Rule or Discipline to bind and loose in the Court of the Church, is that, which neither the Scripture, nor any example of the Primitive Church doth give countenance unto. And as by this means, those are abridged and deprived of their power, to whom it is granted by the Institution and Law of Christ, as it is with all Elders duly called unto their Office; so in the Third Branch there is a grant of Church-Power unto such, as by the Law of Christ, are excluded from any Interest therein. The enormity of which constitution, I shall not at present insist upon. But Enquiry must be made what the Scripture directs unto herein: And,

1. THERE is a Work and Duty of Rule in the Church, distinct from the Work and Duty of Pastoral▪ Feeding, by the Preaching of the Word and Administration of the Sacraments. All agree herein, unless it be Erastus and those that follow him, who seem to oppose it. But their Arguments lie not against Rule in general, which were brutish, but only a Rule by external Jurisdiction in the Elders of the Church. So they grant the general Assertion of the necessity of Rule, for who can deny it? only they contend about the subject of power required thereunto. A Spiritual Rule by virtue of mutual voluntary confederation, for the preservation of Peace, Purity ⟨p. 132⟩and Order in the Church, few of that opinion deny; at least it is not that which they do oppose. For to deny all Rule and Discipline in the Church, with all Administration of Censures in the exercise of a Spiritual Power internally inherent in the Church, is to deny the Church to be a Spiritual Political Society, overthrow its Nature, and frustrate its Institution in direct opposition unto the Scripture. That there is such a Rule in the Christian Church, see