THE GOSPEL-PATTERN For the Government of GOSPEL-CHURCHES. Together with QUERIES Made on the ASSEMBLY-PROPOSITIONS Presented to the High Court of PARLIAMENT. By the unworthiest of the Gospel-Ministers, JOHN BRAIN. Rev. 10.10. I took the little book, etc. LONDON, Printed for George Whittington, at the Blue-anchor in Cornhill near the Royal Exchange, 1649. To His Excellency the Lo: FAIRFAX, GENERAL of the English Forces raised for Defence of the PARLIAMENT. THere is nothing more obvious to Your Excellency; then that flattery and deceit are bred in the womb of a deceiving and a deceived heart. Which detains me from saying much, lest the world and You should look on me as such. Yet this I dare assert unto you, for encouragement, that You are the Angel mentioned Rev. 14.16. and none else is meant thereby but You. And that I deceive you not, I give the world and you this sign: That the Angel mentioned ver. 17. shall in a few years' [it may be in a year or two] arise in one of our next neighbour Dominions, who like a Son of Thunder shall so terrify the Popish world, and bring such a desolation on those deceived Nations, as hath not been since Man and Earth began to be. Our misery, I hope, gins to draw to an end; one Woe more, and no more. The beginning of God's return in mercy to us, will be a restoring the true Church-Estate amongst us, which shall be for the healing of the bruised Nations. Which, as a Balm most precious for this purpose, I make bold to present You with this small ensuing Form of Church-Government; praying God to give you understanding and a right judgement, to discern the truth hereof; And that He preserve you to, and bless you for ever in himself, and his magnificent mercies. So prays Your servant in the Gospel, J. B. To the READER. I Have added to the Form of Government following, these Queries that follow on the Assembly-Propositions; which, with the 3 Letters of Gospel-Advice, sent them and printed, serve to take asunder the whole Presbyterian Building. And if thou measure its dimensions, they are not of the Gospel-height, depth, length or breadth: And by comparing of them one with another, thou mayest the better judge of the ones soundness, and the others unsoundness. Which I shall pray God assist thee in, desiring thee to pass by the faults in Printing And to expect the sitting of the Judgement, and raising of those Dead, Rev. 20.4. which immediately is to succeed as concerning the Church; which as a door of hope is opened to the Saints for rest: which I shall desire thou mayst partake of, Resting Thine in the Lord, John Brain. THE Gospel-Pattern for the Government of GOSPEL-CHURCHES. ADAM, and in him his whole posterity falling, God in Christ ordained the rest auration of some few of his miserable offspring: For the accomplishing whereof God institutes a Ministry to preach repentance to men in their lost estate; which as many as are ordained to eternal life believe, Act. 13.48. and so come to be added to the Church, Act 2.47. This Ministry is a preparatory Ministry, Mat. 3.3. preached to the world, Act. 26.18. which is not pertaining to Moses Ministry, Mat. 11.13. nor is it of the Church or Kingdome-Ministery, Mat. 11.11. It was to work on unbelievers only, Luk 3.5. and was exercised among unbelievers in Synagogues, Act. 18.4. & 19.8, 9 and differed from Church-Teaching answering to our Catechising, Act. 8.30 31, 34. And in the matter taught: as appears in the Epistle of James, written to men of the world; and the first Epistle of John, written to the children of God; with the other Epistle, whose Scripture name is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Preacher, 2 Tim. 1.11. Gal. 6 6. Catechist. Rom. 2.18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Ministers to the blind, etc. who is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to preach, ver. 21. God having called his by the preparatory Ministry thus out of the world, did for the effcting of his purpose ordain holy Ordinances in which they should enjoy communion with himself and a holy fellowship among themselves, by which they may be kept holy to God here, and be made fit for eternal life hereafter. which Society the Scriptures call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Church, in which as in another Ark, God saves his Elect from being destroyed with the world, 1 Pet. 3.20, 21. This Church is, A visible society of Saints, 1 Cor. 1.2. Rom. 1.7. Phil. 1.1. consisting of Infants, Youth, and Fathers, 1 John 2.13. Joh. 21.16, 17. who are drawn out of the world by the call of the Gospel, 2 Cor. 6.17. Mat. 13.47, 48. Rev. 18.4. and are joined by spiritual bonds and ties one to another, Col. 2.19. Act 17.4. Eph 4.16. before Baptism by a Profession of Faith, Act. 8.36, 37 38 and Confession of sins, Mat. 3.6. Act. 2.38. And then Sacramentally joined to Christ, by which they were said to be added to the Church, Act. 2.41. Both of these are joined together, 2 Cor. 8.5. 1 john 1.3. And is conceived as a favour to those thus united. God gave the benefit of Church-fellowship to their posterity also, Act 2.39. 1 Cor. 7.14. who are called in the Scripture, Brethren, 1 Cor. 16.20. Ephes. 6.23. Phil. 4 21. Col. 4.15. The Government of this society God committed to his Son Jesus Christ, who for supply of his absence did ordain several Offices to be committed to faithful men, and to be employed therein under Christ for the edification and government thereof until he come, Mat. 25.14. to the 19 verse. These Officers in the Scripture are called either Teaching, or Ruling Elders, 1 Tim. 5.15. Teaching Elders are either such by whom the Scriptures came to be given to the Church, which are Apostles and Prophets only, whose Ministry (as Moses and the Prophets under that administration, Luke 16.29) is extraordinarily exercised in the Church, 1 Cor. 5.4. Ephes. 2.20. & 4.13. Or the ordinary Church-Ministery, who are only to teach the Word for the Church's edification to the end; which are Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers, 1 Cor. 12.28. where all besides Apostles and Prophets are called Teachers, and are of one equal number; which Teachers are nominally set down, Ephes. 4.11. to be Evangelists, etc. The Preacher without, but especially the Teacher and Pastor within the Church, are Co-workers or helpers of the Evangelist in the Ministry, Phil. 4.3. 2 Cor. 8.23. Rom. 16.21. Col. 4 10, 11. whereby they are said to minister one to another, the one preparing men for the others society, 1 Pet. 4.10. which is done in the exercising of several gifts, given them by the Church to minister by, Rom. 12.7, 8 1 Pet. 4.10. 2 Tim. 1.6. 1 Cor. 12.4. They differ in the Ordinances they administer, 1 Cor. 12.5. 1 Cor. 1.17. 1 Cor. 3.8. and in the doctrines they taught, 1 Cor. 12.8. 1 Cor. 14.6. Rom. 12.6, 7, 8. their Ministry differed in operation, 1 Cor. 12.6. Eph. 4.12. Col. 2.7. which are illustrated, 1 Cor. 14.7, 8. in the Harp, Pipe and Trumpet, which are differing instruments, which are to give a distinction in sounds, that it may be known what is piped or harped, one of these was not to do that pertained to the others Ministry, Acts 10.48. 1 Cor. 1.17. These all as a Church-Ordinance, are to be called for of the sick in time of sickness, who are to pray for them James 5.14.15. as to govern and to teach them in health. At the administration of the Lords Supper, the whole Church under this threefold ministry, are to meet in one place and partake thereof together, 1 Cor. 11.20. singing Psalms, reading the word, Col. 2.19. Luk. 4.16. 1 Thess. 5.27. collect for the poor, 1 Cor. 16.1, 2. As these assisted the Evangelists in the work of Ministry, so are they to assist him also in Government. So that Government is the proper work of the whole Church-Ministry, and is not to be exercised but by them all, it being jointly committed of Christ to them to rule, and the People commanded of God to obey them; so only, and nowhere otherwise, Acts 20.28. 1 Cor. 4.1. 1 Tim. 5.17. 1 Thess. 5.12. That Ecclesiastical Government pertains to these only appears, Heb. 13.7. they are to obey those only that have spoken the word to them, ver. 17. because they watch for their souls, and are to give account to God for them, who have as much committed to them to do as can be done hereby, Eph. 4.12, 14. Hence an act of Church-Government, done by any other than these, is not done according to the Gospel; or if done by one without a meeting of all in a Confession is not to be judged Authoritative. The Church may question the Rulers, when they do in Ministry or Government go against the Rule, Acts 11.3, 4. Ecclesiastical Government consists chief in these things. In the orderly doing of things, 1 Cor. 14.33, 40. ordering the Saints lives, 1 Thess. 5.14. 2 Thess. 3.6. In the admitting of members, Acts 2.41. Matth. 13.30. Acts 17.4. as members were fitted, to pass them from society to society, 2 Cor. 3.18. Evangelically predicted, Psal. 84.7. done by trial of gifts, 1. Cor. 14.31. Ordination of Ministers, 1 Tim. 4.14. for preventing scandals Matth. 13.41. Rom. 14.13. among the members, 1 Cor. 12.25. and 8.9. and offending the world, Col. 4.5. 1 Cor. 10.32. to cast out the profane and heretical, Matth. 13.41. 1 Cor. 5.4, 5. 1 Tim. 1.20. Titus 3.10. to restore the humbled, 2 Cor. 2.8. suspension from society 2 Thess. 3.14. for a time who are to be accounted as brethren, but those are excommunicated as Heathens. Ruling Elders had their several charges committed to them for the right ordering of temporal things in the Church under Christ. Deacons had their Election of the People, and Ordination by the Imposition of hands of the Presbytery, Acts 6.36. who are to be in all complete constituted Churches, seven for number, ver. 3. who were to distribute in each society the Saints contributions to their poor brethren, according to the nature of their several necessities, compare ver. 1. and 3. two of which were for each Church-society and one to have respect to those of the Preachers meeting without the Church. The helping Governor spoken of 1 Cor. 12.28. Rom. 12.8. his Ordination is of the Church without Imposition of hands by the Presbytery, 1 Cor. 6.4. that that qualifieth him is his wisdom, v. 5, that for which he is ordained to be a Judge, v. 4. the things he is to judge of, are things of this life, small matters of wrong between brother and brother, and then whence this officer is to be, and that is set down to be from among themselves a member of the same Church, ver. 5. whose authority is confirmed by Conclusions drawn from the greater to the less, ver. 2.3. who are to be honoured in the Church and obeyed, 1 Tim. 5.17. Object. This Church-Magistracie serves to destroy the authority of the Civil Magistrate. Resp. The Church-Magistrate is to be subject to the Civil Magistrate as to the higher Power, Rom. 13.1. is not to rule by the command of the sword at all, but by the Word only, and so cannot prejudice that Authority: and was set up to prevent going to Law, 1 Cor. 6, 7. not before Heathens only, but any other: and is far less than what is granted ordinary Incorporations; when no Society deserves more ample freedoms under Magistracy than the Church, for whose sake God blesseth a people. It was a privilege that the Church enjoyed under the Heathen Emperors, until made waste in the desolations of the Church. Nor can the office be made void by any change of States, it being ordained by Divine institution, and so to be a part of the Churches perpetual Government, so that the Church cannot be rightly governed, whiles this Governor is not set up to govern by according to the mind of Christ in 1 Cor. 6. And were Churches to be collected in this Kingdom, as they shall, and aught to be; there is the same reason for them now that ever there was; and that Church-government that destroyeth this Church-governour, is not of God nor of the Gospel. Nor can there be produced out of all the Gospel any Institution or discovery of the Helping governor's office but in this place; and it cannot be that a Governor belonging to the government of the Gospel, should not have authority from the Gospel to rule by, and Instructions how to do it, and how this authority should be conferred on him; which is of none, nor no where, but of this officer in this place, who hath his authority of God and not of man, and therefore may not be suppressed. The way God had to set up this government, was by the Apostles called and sent of God to preach the Word, by which they made Disciples and gathered the believing jews into a Society according to the way aforesaid; which Church was called the Mother-church, where the Presbytery of that Church did ordain holy and fit men for the Ministry, and did send them forth to gather other Churches in judaea and in the places thereabout, 1 Cor: 14.36. The Apostle Paul and Barnabas with their other helpers, as in all the Epistles, did first set up the gospel-Churches in the chief cities of the Nations, who sent out thence to other cities of the same country in like manner, and to such other places as in those times would admit of the Gospel-government, which did thus continue until Antichrist that abomination of desolation had destroyed the visible frame of the church's government in all the world. Now God having ordained a resurrection of Churches to be under the Ministry of the seventh Angel who receives his trumpet from God, Rev. 8.2. by which he comes to restore rightly the true Ministry into the Church, by whom a true Gospel-Church shall be erected, who shall be mother of many daughter Churches, which shall be called therefore the New jerusalem spoken of Rev. 3.12. & 21.2. by whose Ministry is foretold to be the fall of the Cities of the Nations, Rev. 16.19. that is from Antichrist to Christ. Which Minister, Ministry, and Means we have great cause to pray God to send; we nor the world being like to see a day of true peace before his Ministry, it being reserved for him and his Ministry to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, that is, to let us know how they did worship God, as yet hid from us: and turn the hearts of the children to the fathers, that is, persuade us to worship God as they did, which we are far off from to this very day; Mal. 4.6. before which time, I am verily persuaded there will be be no place for any other Government ever to be erected or set up. Such mercy hath God for these last times, and so near is the Kingdom of God at hand, and as it were ready to be revealed, Rev. 12.10. unto which the Lord stir up the Spirits of his Saints to enter, that the Kingdom of Heaven may suffer violence, and the violent take it by force, that it may be in us and with us for evermore. Amen. SECT. I. The Queries or things to be inquired into of the first Sect. Of the Church, whether 1 Cor. 12.12. be not meant of the invisible Church only. 1 WHither the Churches of the primitive times were not Patterns for the Churches to be constituted by, to the end? 2. Whether our Churches be constituted according to theirs, consisting of visible Saints? 3. Whether any, (if any children be ordinarily to be admitted into the Church-Society,) then those that are the children of visible Saints joined in a Church way be meant. 4. Whether by Rev. 18.4. be not required the same constituting of Churches now among us come out of Babel, as was required, 1 Cor. 6.18. of those who forsook the pagan worship of the devil, or forsook Moses Ministry, Acts 2.38, 41. and whether any such way of constituting Churches hath been taken yet amongst us, to prove our Churches true by. 5. Whether until it be so constituted, the Church lie not in its waste, desolate, eremitical condition, under the abomination of desolation, Dan. 9.27. 6. Whether the Presbyterian way of Government and way of Worship, be the way God ordained to restore her to her primitive State, or do not rather make it desolate as before? SECT. II. 1. Whether the lack of the Evangelist Ministry in the Church, be not one part of the Church's desolation, and cannot but remain so without it? 2. Whether the Propositions fully contain the Gospel-Patterne for the ministry? Or whether the ministry Ephes. 4.11. be not only a Church-ministry, or whether there was not to be a ministry to be exercised to men without the Church, called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who prepared for Church-societ● Matth. 11.11. and 13. compared and distinguished by the Apostle, 2 Tim. 1.11. and practised by the Apostles teaching in Synagogues. 3. Whether the Order of the Gospel-ministry be yet discovered, or whether any thing by our now ministry be done in Gospel-Order, 1 Pet. 4.10. one Minister by the Gospel, being to minister in his Ministry to another Minister, for the building up of the Saints by degrees therein? 1. Whether it be not Antichristian to alter any thing in the Government, exercise of Ministry, or constitution of the Church now from what it was in the first setting up of the Gospel-Governement among the Jews, or what Scripture Authority have we to prove it lawful to alter in any thing the forms thereof? SECT. III. On the Proposition concerning the Pastor. Quer. 1. Whether 1 Pet. 5.2, 3, 4. Acts 6.2, 3, 4. are not applied to the whole Church-ministry, and whether it be not a destroying of the Church-Authority to appropriate it to one of them only against that Mat. 18.18, 19? 2. Whether Acts 20.26, 36. were not only of him spoken as Apostle or Prophet? the least he exercised, was the Evangelists ministry here if anywhere, 1 Cor. 1.17, extraordinarily. Propositions for reading Scripture publicly. 1. Luk. 4.16. Col. 4.16. prove the reading of the Scriptures; but whether the Scriptures are to be read in the Church as under Moses Ministry, I question. 2. Whether the Gospel-Teacher and his Ministry, cease not, and the Church, be not in desolation for the lack of it by this order of catechising as now used; The Catechist also destroyed and his Ministry? Proposition. The Pastor is to dispense other divine mysteries. 1. Whether the Pastor be to dispense the mysteries there spoken of 1 Cor. 4.12. of himself without the other ministry, it being declared in the name of all? 2. Whether we should not take care of Church-robbery, and as the Proverb is, that we rob not Peter to pay Paul? Paul would have those that wrought with him in the fellowship of the Gospel, to be accounted of as stewards as well as himself in their part of stewardship and ministry with him. Proposition. The Pastor is to administer the Sacraments. 1. Whether the Doctor being to teach the beginnings of Christ, and being the initiating Ministry, be not only to baptise; and baptism an Ordinance proper to his society only? 2. Whether Paul 1 Cor. 1.17. and Peter Acts 10.48. did not leave this Ordinance ordinarily to those who wrought with them, to do? 3. Whether the Sacrament of the Lords Supper were administered, but in the meeting of the whole Church. 1 Cor. 11.20. when, whether the Evangelist or Pastor should consecrate it, the Evangelist being present, is not questionable I think; yet in this act I suppose the Pastor with the Doctor did help to administer it to their several Societies. Proposition. That the Pastor is to take care for the Poor. 1. Whether this being the proper office of the Deacon to do, set up of God in the Church for the exempting of the Ministry from worldly affairs, it be not contrary to that, Acts 6.2, 4? 2. Whether Acts 11.30. 1 Cor. 16.1.2.3.4. Gal 2.9.10. are not all concerning relief of the particular Estate of the Church at Jerusalem on an extraordinary ground, Rom. 15.27. for that the Gentiles were debtors to the Jews, 2 Cor. 8.4? he took it not on him, but on much, entreaty, so that it is clear this was not part of his Ministerial charge, for woe be to him then if he had not done it willingly. 3. Acts 4.34.35. proves nothing, because done before the institution of Deacons in the Church. Propos. The Pastor hath a ruling power over the flock as a Pastor, 1 Tim. 5.17. Acts 20.17.28. 1 Thes. 5.12. Heb. 13.7.17. 1. Whether Ruling power be in any of the Church Ministers as divided, or conjunctively; that is, whether an act done in Church-government by one of the Church-Ministery, be a legal act? Or whether it be necessary, to make it lawful there should be the joint consent of Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher; and whether these Scriptures prove not the same? 2. Whether for any single Minister to take the whole authority of the Synedrie, be not Antichristian, and that which is in Scripture called a Lording it over God's inheritance? 3. Whether there be any other Presbytery, Confession or Eldership that is Evangelical and ordained of Christ to rule in the Church, than these only of Evangelist, Pastor & Teacher, ordinarily? SECT. IU. Propos. concerning the Teacher. Q. 1. Whether the Schoole-Doctor hath any thing to do with this in Ephes. 4.11. Whether he be any other then of humane institution, is not to be questioned, I think, and not fit to be set down in this case, unless to exclude the chucrh Teacher as the Evangelist. SECT. V Proposiiton of Church-governors. 1. What these 2 Chro. 19.8, 9, 10. have to do in the gospel-government? 2. Whether the institution of those is expressed, Rom. 12.7, 8. 1 Cor. 12.28. Whether their duty be that the Lay-Elders are designed unto in the Presbytery? 3. Whether any Gospel-Officer be without Gospel-Institution? If not, that being found, clears his office only. 1 Cor. 6. ver. 1. to 6. contains the Institution of a Church-officer which is not now in use in the Church, and there is no institution for any elsewhere. Object. They are ceased. Resp. What warrant is there, that any Officer that is of Divine institution set up of Christ in the church, should cease? 2. It is plainly to be made appear, that in a kind that office is as necessary now, and ever will be, as when it was first instituted. 3. Other helping-governours' then these, I think never were instituted of Christ in the Church, but are only humane. SECT. VI Proposition of DEACONS. Qu. 1. If there ought not to be seven in every complete Church, according to the first institution; that is, two for each Church-●ociety, and one for that without? 2. If it may be lawful in a complete constituted Church to have more or less governor's then were at jerusalem of any kind at our pleasure, without destroying the Gospel-forme? 1. Whether the first separation was not of the believers from unbelievers, Act. 19.9. and then dividing believers from believers, according to the measure of their faith only, and not their multitude? Heb. 5.12. compared with cap. 6.1. 2. Whether any thing in our Congregations where this is not, is or can be done to edification at all? 3. Whether the Ties Col. 2.19. Eph. 4.16. were moral ties in which Saints had communion which is common to the world? or whether God in setting up the gospel government, had respect to the situation of men's houses, from the Scriptures named, Heb. 10.24, 25. James 21.2. Q. What a strange dispensation, and whence is it, that in a particular congregation should be all the Gospel church-duties done, and more also? 2. Whether in joining Catechising with the other Gospel ordinances together, be not a making the world & Church one, the Ministry within one, and that without also? 3. In the single congregation, that is the Presbyterial church, must be one at least to labour in the word (say the Propositions) 1. Whence came this dispensation? Doth the Word allow of any such thing, but that all the Church-Ministry should be in every church? 2. By the same dispensation this one Ministry may do all the church-Ministers work. It is good for us Ministers to take heed of Antichrist and his workings. 4. Whether the Church-officers that wait on their offices, are to meet at set times, or not rather to watch continually for the Churches well-ordering, they being to wait thereon, and to give themselves thereunto with all diligence? Q. If it be not a sad thing to set up a government in the church by Synods & Classes, with an— It is lawful and agreeable; without command or institution to show for it from the Word. If Mat. 18. and Acts 15. be not made a pin to hang that on which God never appointed it for, nor meant nothing less than it is cited for. Q. If the Presbytery 1 Tim. 4.14. Act. 15.2, 4, 6. be meant of any more than the Evangelist, Pastor, Teacher, of a single church ministry, and how it can be proved. 2. If the particular congregations at Jerusalem, Ephesus etc. were other than the members divided in each church under this threefold Ministry, and the Ministry that prepared thereunto, and so had nothing to do with a National church, or church-government in Presbytery; the politic, prudential and carnal ways thereof serve only to overthrow the Kingdom of Christ among us, and not set it up, it being contrary thereunto. Q. Whether the citing the Priests and Levites in the Pastors sec. and the Elders under the Law in the sec. for Lay-Elders, be any way authoritative to prove the gospel-government? seeing Christ says Mar 2, 21. No man putteth an old piece to a new garment. Mark, not a piece; how then many pieces? Let us away with them: the Gospel needs them not at all, they are beggarly rudiments, and not according to Jesus Christ, to whose mind we ought to be conformed in all things, that in all things he may be to us a Saviour. Out of love to the truth, in all humility I provoke the Presbyteries of England, Scotland, etc. to answer the Objections made against their practice laid down in the Propositions, in my Queries and Letters, and to propose the grounds of their dissent from the Form of Government here set forth, & in those books of the Smoke of the Temple, the Resurrection of the fallen Churches, & The going in and coming forth of the Church, Treatises that do appertain thereto; that the truth may be known, and the way of God set up in the Land amongst us. Only I desire it may be done Christianly and in love, not carping at the imperfectness of the Copies. FINIS.