An Exact ENQVIRY AFTER Ancient Truths, Both in Scripture and Fathers.  
Touching The subsistence of the Church of God; Digested into Three Parts: VIZ. 

I. True Worship.  
II. Dominion, or Divine Jurisdiction.  
III. Discipline, reduced from our Father Adam's time, through all Ages, to these present Times.    
Very useful for these Times: By W: Fenwick, utter-barrister of Grays-inn.  
London, Printed for Edw: Husbands and Lawrence Blaiklock: and are to be sold at their shops in the Middle Temple, & Temple-Bar.   

To the Right honourable, Algernon Earl of Northumberland, Lord Percy, Lucy, Poynings, Fitzpain, Brian, and Latimer; Lord high admiral of ENGLAND, Knight of the most Noble order of the Garter, and one of His majesty's most honourable privy-council.  
Right honourable,  
THe unworthy oppressed Author hath not long since groaned under the severe censure of the late high Commission for the ensuing speculations, which now he adventures to present unto your Honour, hoping for a candid acceptance, and interpretation of his poor endeavours for the good of Zion. Had not the rising Sun of an auspicious Parliament dispelled those clouds of oppression and tyranny, that menaced a drowning both to me and them, they had been choked in their embryo, and never enjoyed the happiness they have now attained in your honourable aspect. Pardon (most noble Lord) the enforced presumption of the distressed Author, which implores and hopes for your honourable Patronage, and humbly praying for the daily increase of your honour's health and eternal happiness, remains  
Your honour's most humble, most devoted Servant, William Fenwick.   

The Errata.  
PAge 1. line 27; for more, read most. l. 28. for right, r. light. Pag. 2. l. 29. for. 2, r. of. Line 34. for posterity, r. prosperity. Pag. 4. l. 24. for endeavours, r. endnes. The second Treatise, p. 2. l. 33. for. the, r. thy. for of, r. unto. Pag. 18. l. 3. for he, r. the. Pag. 10, l. 21, for in, r. from. Pag. 11. l. 28. for what, r. with Pag. 15. l. 1. for angelical, r. evangelical. P. 20. l. 9 for. penitent, r. impenitent. Pag. 23. lin 6. for A, r. As. for of. r. to. Pag. 25. l. 9 read, are first. Pag. 54. l. 14. read omitted. Pag. 55. l. 9 read, it is that. l. 29. read, All, And thus.   

Zion's REQVEST To her Honourable, and well-beloved sons now happily assembled in the long and much-desired Parliament of England.  
RIght dear and well-beloved of God your Father in my Lord; by whom you are begotten and borne, and well-beloved of me: not begot of mortal or carnal seed, but of the immortal seed of the Word; neither borne nor brought forth of the mandane womb of Rome: nor sprung from the native bowels of my humanity; but I bore you and brought you forth of my celestial womb: the eternal council of God; and I have nourished and brought you up in the royal City of divine Solomon, my Lord and your God and Saviour.  

Prov. 1. 8.  My sons hear your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching; for they shall be a comely ornament unto your head, and as chalnes to your neck. You have seen with your eyes, and heard with your ears, how the strumpet of Babel hath boasted herself against me, and with her impudent face affirmed herself to be Queen of heaven and earth, deluding the world with outward apparantes, whereby many are mistaken by her outward glory, supposing her to be myself.  
But I desire you, my most honourable and dear children, to conceive of me aright, and be not deceived with vain and glorious shows and worldly pomp; For my glory is internal and heavenly, more splendent than the pure gold of more curious embroiderers, which no eye can see, but that Divine eye of right which is given you of your Father. For I testify unto you, that I am not to be considered by the pomp and glory of the world, nor yet by the wisdom of the wise man, or by the nature of flesh and blood, for those are not heavenly, but earthly sensual and devilish, and do not, cannot, nor will not please God, but conceive you me to be heavenly, spiritual. and divine, such as your Father hath described me to be.  
A mountain, even Mount Zion, a City, the City of the living God, the celestial Jerusalem, filled with the society of innumerable Angels, and the assembly of the first borne, which are written in heaven, and with the presence of God in Trinity sitting upon the Throne, Judge of all, and with the unity and communion of the spirits of just and perfect men, made perfect with that individual union which they have with Jesus the mediator of the New Testament, and with the blood of sprinkling, which speaketh better things then that of Abel, even the remission of sins to the imputation of righteousness for justification of sinners, for he came to save sinners, by drawing sinners, to repentance. And I pray you shake of all carnal apprehensions of me, and conceive me to be really such in nature and condition as my Lord hath revealed me by the mouth of his blessed servant Peter, 1 Pet. 2. affirming me to be a spiritual house or temple, 1 Pet. 2. 5. built and compact of living stones, made a spiritual house a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ, who is my foundation that living stone, on whom I am built, though he be disallowed of men, yet chosen of God and precious.  
Neither suppose me to be a politic body, composed of a temporal head or sovereign Monarchy, or a national and positive laws and customs (which though they be ordained of God, yet in substance they are human inventions and traditions of men) nor consisting of civil and human Magistrates, endued with moral gifts and virtues for the external government, power and posterity of human societies, politicly and wisely providing for the defects of depraved nature, and preventing the damage, danger and ruin, which the malice of Satan and the corrupt nature of man, would draw upon the societies of men in their terrestrial abode. Though I be sometimes called a kingdom in respect of my eternal King, the Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, and of his divine spiritual power and heavenly dominion, which never shall have end: Yet am I never anywhere in Scripture described to be a temporal or earthly kingdom. But on the contrary, my Lord did plainly affirm and teach, that his kingdom was not of this world, 
John 18. 26. Math. 20. 25.  and prohibited the subjects of his kingdom to take dominion and government upon them one over another, nor set up a hierarchy among them, as the Princes and Lords of the world did, whose manner is to thirst after pre-eminence and dominion, but that in his divine kingdom, he that would be the greatest, should be the least, and he that should be found to take most diligent labour and pains in ministration of his divine Word and food of life, should be esteemed a faithful servant to his Lord and Master.  
But consider me as I am the minister and dispensator of God, to whom is committed the Administration of that hidden mystery of God, which was promised since the world began, it was hid from all ages, 
Col. 1. 26. 27.  but now in these latter days made manifest to his Saints, To whom God would make known what is the riches of his glorious Mystery among the Gentiles.  
Which riches is Christ in you the hope of glory, and Christ is the Image of the invisible God, the first begotten of every creature: that Word by whom all things were created in heaven and in earth, and he is before all things, and in him all things consist, and he is the head of the body of the Church, he is the beginning, and the first begotten of the dead, that in all things he might have the pre-eminence, for it pleased the Father, that in him all fullness should dwell, And through peace made by the blood of that his cross to reconcile to himself through him (even through Christ) all things, both which are in heaven, and which are in earth. 
Col 1. 15. 16. 18. 19   
This is that mystery which is committed to me your mother, not that I should add or diminish, but that I should deliver unto you, that which I have received of the Lord; and for that this mystery my Lord Christ is my head and sovereign of my soul I am called his mystical body.  
Therefore cast away all carnal and worldly conceits of me, and behold me in that mystery, as I am growing up into 〈◊〉 Ephes. 4. 5. which is my head that is Christ, by whom through the unity of the spirit, in the bond of peace, I am a mystical body, like a natural body coupled and knit together by every joint, for the furniture of the body, according to the effectual power, which is in every part, whereby the body receiveth increase unto the edifying of itself in love; And through this unity in my head, I and my head make one complete mystical body, so there is one body, one spirit, called unto one hope, of our vocation; 
1 Chro. 12. 12.  one Lord, one baptism, one God and Father of all, which is above all, and through all, and in us all.  
But as a natural body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the body which is one, though they be many, yet are but one body, even so is Christ, for I am his own body by his spiritual union; but mark well and understand, this body is not one member, as a Pope, or Episcopus, to take pre-eminence, which would make division betwixt me and my head.  
But in the body there are many members, so in me the body 〈◊〉 Church of Christ there are many members, and he is the only true and absolute supreme head. And none but he can give many and divers gifts and administrations as in this, 1 Cor. 12 4. 5, 6, 7. but the same Spirit, the same Lord, and though there 〈◊〉 diversities of operations, yet one God is the same, which work 〈◊〉 all in all; Now if my head be God, and my endeavour the gifts of the spirit, who can impose upon me any other gifts administration or operation, but only my Lord, surely no Prince, no Pepe, no Prelate.  
But consider me, my sons in this thing, that the administration of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal, no member, nor person is to receive this talon, and to hide is, for God doth not light these lights to put them under a bushel but to enlighten the whole house the Church; As every member of the body is profitable to other, so are my members; Therefore to some he gives the word of wisdom, to another the word of Knowledge, to another the excellency of Faith, to another the operation of great works, to another prophecy, to another diversity of tongues, and to another interpretation of Tongues; All these worketh one and the same spirit, distributing severally as he listeth, for Christ my Lord and head is God; And the Father is in him, and he in the Father which is above all, and through you all, and in us all; who gives unto every one grace according 
Ephes 4. 7, 8.  to the measure of the gift of Christ; for it was prophesied of him, that when he ascended (who had first descended into the lowest dejection of earthly pains and debasement for the sins of man) he should also ascend, and fit on the right hand of God, and lead captivity captive, and receive of God the Father, gifts to give unto man; Not human gifts to govern the terrestrial affairs of this life, but divine gifts to guide and lead the souls of men into the way of peace and eternal felicitis.  
Therefore seeing my ●●●d is the great mystery of God, and spiritual word of Life, to whom I am united through the unity of the Spirit, I am his and he is mine, and both one Christ, one Church and mystical body or spiritual Spouse, My Lord give me, all spiritual gifts to translate me, from darkness into his glorious light; from carnal and earthly things, to be made a spiritual and heavenly Spouse. For God which made light to shine out of darkness, is he which hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of that power, might be of God, and not of man; For these causes he gave and ordained some members to have diversity of gifts and administration; as first Apostles, secondly Prophets and Evangelists, thirdly Pastors and Teachers; Then such as do miracles (for miracles follow the Word, where there is need of confirmation) and gifts of healing, helpers, as 
Ephes 4. 11.  Deacons and governors as Elders.  
These are the instruments of ministration by divers gifts distinguished into divers administrations and offices which are distinguished by their spiritual operation and ministration of one and the same word and ministry of God.  
This is that order, ordinance and government, or spiritual jurisdiction, which my Lord God your Father hath instituted for the repairing of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edification of the body of Christ his Church even me your Mother, and this is to continue, and not to be altered and restrained until we all meet together in the unity of faith, and that acknowledging of the son of God unto a perfect Man, and unto the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ.  
Thus Right Honourable my sons and Saints of God your Father, I have presented myself unto the view of your heaven-bred judgements and spiritual wisdoms, that you may behold me all glorious within, and not judge by outward appearance, nor by politic reasons, lest you be mistaken in my nature and condition, and suppose me to be a terrestrial. Hierarchy to be governed by positive laws, traditions, Decrees and Canons of men, which cannot search the reins of the heart, nor cure the soul, nor lead her into bliss. Therefore I request you to take into your consideration the heavy burdens grievous to be borne, (which the Scribes and Pharisees of Rome, who pretended to fit in Moses' seat) have laid upon my shoulders: the Episeopall weight whereof you my sons have heretofore borne, with much grief, whilst they advanced themselves to the chief seats and most eminent dignities, loving to be reputed great and excellent rabbis, even above you the natural peers and Potentates of State.  
And now I conclude, and do offer unto your sacred considerations the holy synod of the Apostles, set forth for a perfect pattern of all counsels and ecclesiastical causes. In the fifteenth of the Acts where you may observe that synod consisted of the Apostles, Elders, and Brethren. Their consultation was according to the rule of the written Word, there conclusion and sentence was thus; It seemed good to the holy Ghost, and to us to lay no more burden upon you then these things necessary. That is, that ye abstain from things offered to Idols and blood, which includes all ceremonial inventions and bloody sacrifices, and prohibits from that which is strangled with all cruelty and oppression, and from fornication, which imports unclean conversation and lusts, which if ye forbear ye shall do well.  
And though I here claim of you the honour of being your Mother being the body of Christ and Church of God, in whom you also have the honour and prerogative to be the sons of God; yet touching my earthly habitation and abode I am under your Dominion and tuition, whom my Lord hath placed over me for my peace and prosperity on earth. And that through sovereign power and authority which he hath ordained over all men, to the end you may give his gospel a free passage, and be nursing and protecting Fathers of me in your commonwealth, that your Father may give you and your King a blessing of welfare and happy being in my Lord Christ, in whom all Nations are blessed, and blessed is that Nation whose God is the Lord.   

A Breviate of the ensuing second Treatise.  

THe subsistence of the Church of God composed of a threefold cord, 

1. Worship.  
2. Dominion.  
3. Discipline.    
In the Tractate of worship are declared 

1. The nature of Divine worship.  
2. The nature of acceptable obedience.  
3. How this worship corresponds with the nature of God,  
4. The manner of public worship from Adam till Moses.  
5. The Service used by the patriarchs.  
6. The same continued in the national Church.  
7. The service used in the Synagogues.  
8. The same observed by the Apostles.  
9 The testimony of the Fathers.  
10. An amplification, and undeniable reasons for the purity of God's word and worship.    
In the Tractate of dominion or divine jurisdiction; 

1. Of the first gradation of this Dominion.  
2. How Christ ordains his viceroys on earth.  
3. Difference betwixt regal and divine power.  
4. The glass of Kings.  
5. How Divine power is derived unto man from the Father, by the Word, through the spirit.  
6. How the Word is the Divine power of God, and the authority committed to the Church.    
In the Tractate of Government and Discipline. 

1. Of the calling of Ministers.  
2. The manner of their ordination.  
3. The orders and degrees of pastors, and their  
4. Denominations under the Law and gospel.  
5. Of Discipline and censures.  
6. Of Excommunication.      

The subsistence of the Church of God.  

The subsistence of God's Church threefold.  THe subsistence of God's Church is composed of a threefold thread, which cannot easily be broken.  

1. The first is spiritual and divine worship 

worship.    
2. Spiritual and divine Jurisdiction, or Jure Divino. 

dominion.    
3. Spiritual and divine discipline or government 

discipline.     
I call this threefold cord of grace Divine and spiritual because the universal Minister of God's dispensation of all saving grace; is the holy Spirit, the third person of the trinity.  
These are correlative subsistences in the Church of God so depending one upon another, that they cannot be separated or untwisled without either some defect or dismembering of the Church in herself, or utter dissolving of her, in essence and nature to be any true Church,  
Also, without these distinct subsistences in the Church, she cannot exercise the gifts and graces of God's Spirit, nor the functions and offices ordained of God for ministration of the Word; For this cause I call them subsistences in the essence of the Church like, unto the subsistences of the trinity in the essence of God himself.  

Of spiritual and divine worship.  

The nature of God is the  The Worship which God requires, must be such as is agreeable to his own nature, and the good pleasure of his own will; 
rule of divine worship.  therefore true divine worship is tied to the prescript commandment of God, and not to the devising invention of man, therefore to obey is better than sacrifice, and to harken is better than the fat of rams. 
1 Sam 5. 22.    

The nature of acceptable Obedience.  
It is a supernatural and filial work of God internally and spiritually wrought, seated and invested by God's Spirit into the intellect, making man a new creature created in Christ Jesus unto good works; which God hath ordained 
Ephes. 3. 10.  that he should walk in them, being renewed in the spirit of the mind, to offer himself unto God a living sacrifice in an understanding worshipping of God. 
Rom. 12 1.   
This worship and sacrifice, is described by the Prophet 
The law required a bloody sacrifice, the gospel a contrite heart.  David to be a broken and contrite spirit, called a well-pleasing sacrifice to God, presenting a sin-offering, as Psal. 51, 17. also in the 116, it is called the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.   

How this Worship is correspondent to the nature of God.  
The Lord doth show it in the fourth of John 23. and 24. saying, the true worshippers, shall worship God in spirit and truth, that is in the Spirit of sanctification dwelling in the mind, helping our infirmities with sighs and groans, which cannot be expressed; and in the truth of his Word dwelling in us in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, such as these the Father requireth should worship him, because God is a Spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and truth, and not in the ignorance of the mind, nor in the invention and will-worship of man; For this cause the Psalmist saith in the 51. 6. Thou O Lord lovest truth in the inward affections; and in the 50. Psalm he saith, Offer to God the sacrifice of praise, and pay the vows of the most high, and call upon God; for the Lord loveth truth in the inward parts.  
This is the pure and simple worship of God, without the glory and beauty of outward Ceremonies, agreeing with the simple pure essence and nature of God himself.  
Consider well Paul's Caveat in the Coloss. 2, 8. 18. 20, 21, 22 
A Caveat.  23. warning all men to beware of human wisdom, and deceitful inventions and traditions, according to the Rudiments of the world, and not after Christ; the outward show of holiness which puffes up men's hearts with self-conceit, being burdened with traditions, which having a glorious show of holiness, of wisdom and voluntary religion, wherein men are out of measure superstitious in zeal, not sparing their bodily labour.   

The manner of the public worship of God's Church from Adam till Moses.  

The domestical Church.  In this first age; whilst the Church was domestical in the family of Adam and Noah, and Abram. The firstborn and eldest of every family was ordained of God by creation, to be a King for the common good; A Priest to offer prayer to God for them, and a Prophet to instruct them.  

1 King.  Of this royal dignity we read, that God gave dominion unto Adam over his posterity and all sublunary creatures, Gen. 1. 28. This is the fountain, of sovereignty succeeding in the birthright of the dignity of the firstborn, until Cain lost it by killing his brother Abel, C'm lost it for scoffing his Father Noah; Esan sold it for a mess of portage; and Reuben lost it for desiling his father's bed.  
Then God took it into his own hands, and reserved sovereignty and the dignity of pre-eminence of the firstborn for his own only begotten son, the first begotten of every creature, the lion of Judah, who is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, by whom King's reign, and Princes decree Justice.  

Prophet. 2. Gen 2.  Also man in Creation was the Prophet of God, for God breathed in his face the breath of life, and made him a living soul) even that word, which in the beginning was with God, and was God, was the light and life of man; Adam 
Ioh. 16.  was taught of God before his fall, as in the second Chapter of Genesis: and also after his fall, as in the third Chapter of Genesis: the seed of the woman should break the serpent's head, which doctrine he received of God, and taught his posterity.  

Priest.  His Priesthood was manifest, in that he taught his sons to offer sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving to God; the outward signs thereof, they brought to their Father as their high Priest a figure of Christ, 
V●●●… 1.  Gen. 4. 3. also Hevah gave thanks to God for her issue.   

The services used amongst the patriarchs.  
Their practice and service in this age was plain and simple, praise, prayer, and thanksgiving to God: which consisted in confessing their sinfulness, and acknowledging the mercy of God in his promise, as after the birth of Seth and Enoch, than (it is said) began men to call on the name of God, Genes. 4. 26. And in every family they taught and declared the promise of God to be the word of life; as Lamech confessed at the birth of Noah, Gen. 5. 29. and Noah and Enoch are witnessed to be Preachers of righteousness. This manner of worship was more manifest after the flood, in the life of Abraham by his obedience, his familiar talking with God, as in Chap. 15. 16, 18, 19, 20. and Isaac's conversation, who went out to meditate and pray, in the evening; so Jacob worshipped God leaning on his staff and blessed his son.  

The primitive worship.  Thus the pure and unspotted worship of God, which was used both private and public among his people, was only praise, prayer, and thanksgiving, with teaching and Divine instruction; And to this manner of worship none durst add nor diminish; only God himself did (in the days of Abraham) and unto this worship, the sign of the everlasting covenant, 
Circumcision.  betwixt God and his faithful servant Abraham, and his faithful seed; to make a separation and visible distinction betwixt his people and the people of the world, the seed of nature; under which Covenant was promised the spirit of Regeneration, or spiritual Circumcision, in these words, I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed, the seed of regeneration. Here we may observe, that to the spiritual and Divine worship of God, none can add any thing but God alone, and God will add nothing but Divine Doctrine necessary to salvation: And that, figured under plain and simple signs; lest the natural corruption of man (prone to superstition and external sanctity) should lean and cleave to the signs, and forget the heavenly things signified, and to seek holiness in the action.   

The same worship and service practised in the national Church.  

The national Church.  When Israel of twelve tribes became a multitude, and a great Nation, whom God exercised and humbled under the bondage of Pharaoh, that he might show forth his mighty power, mercy, and loving kindness to his people Israel, he sent them a deliverer, even his servant Moses. Moses added nothing to the service of the first age: but God added also the Sacrament of the Passeover, to declare unto them, that as 
Passeover.  none was to be esteemed the people of God, but those that were under the sign of the Covenant of God; so none should be delivered from the destroying wrath of God: but those that were redeemed, reconciled, and washed, or sprinkled with the blood of the unspotted Lamb of God; the promised seed of the woman, the word of life, made flesh, in whose death and shedding of his blood, they were saved and delivered from spiritual bondage and death; and this was to be observed for a perpetual ordinance among God's people for ever.  

The word first ministered by God himself to Adam in the Garden, then by Adam, Seth, Enoch & Noah, then by Moses, Aaron and by the Prophets.  And after the Israelites and people of God were congregated and gathered together, and brought out of the bondage of Egypt, the Lord by the ministration of Moses and Aaron; writ, divulged, and ministered, the Divine precepts of the law of God: the knowledge and perfection whereof, man had lost and forgot by transgression. Out of which law, Moses by the commandment of God, extracted Ecclesiastical ordinances for Aaron, and the legal Priesthood and Levites, for serving of the Tabernacle, to instruct the people by types and figures in the Divine and heavenly mysteries of God under the law, (as by a schoolmaster) till the mystery of God should be manifested in the flesh, and dwell with men. And of this Doctrine all the Prophets testified and writ declaring and foretelling the coming of that Messiah.  
All the glory of the Tabernacle, and after that the Temple with the typical Sacrifices, was but to set forth that spiritual and Divine glory and power: which was to come, and to be manifested in the flesh: and then the outward and earthly glory should be abolished and done away, that the Divine and invisible power thereof, might only remain, and shine in the hearts and souls of the Elect, as the Prophet Joel 2. 28. And afterward will I pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Ier. 31. 33. After those days (saith the Lord) I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and I say; this is the Covenant which I will make with them, my spirit is upon thee, & my word which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed (saith the Lord) from henceforth and for ever.  

The public worship under the law.  But in all this they held the daily public service pure and undefiled, without rites or any other ceremonies, but only the reading of the word, and ministering the Sacrament, and teaching on the Sabbath days.  
And the Jews for their Divine Services had their Synagogues in every city and town; and Christ did by his own practice and presence observe the same upon the Sabbath day, as it is Luke the 4. 16. 17. as his custom was, he went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read, and there was delivered to him the book of Isaiah; and Acts 13. 14. 15. Paul and Barnabas went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day.   

The form of service used in the Synagogues.  
First, they began their Service with a general verbal confession, which they gathered out of the Prophets, Levit. 26. 20. Numb. 5. 6. 7. Nehem. 9 23. The form of this confession is set forth in the Jews Talmond: We have sinned, O Lord, we have done wickedly, we have dealt deceitfully in thy fight, we thy people and all the house of Israel, we repent ourselves thereof, and are ashamed for the same: and therefore, O Lord, we beseech thee forgive us our sins, our iniquities, and our transgressions, as it is written in the book of Moses thy servant.  
Then followed the reading of the Law and the Prophets, and then after followed the expounding and exhortation, than the Service ended with a general thanks for all things, and as Paul saith for all persons, 1 Tim. 2. 1. 2. And thus their Service was concluded with blessings upon the people from the mouth of the Minister.   

The same Service and Method observed by the Apostles.  
Christ left no other form of Service in God's worship, but only such as was used in the Church of the Jews, naked and 
Acts 1. 13. 14.  simple prayer, praise, and thanks: reading, preaching, and exhortation with the ministration of the Sacraments; commanding his Disciples to go teach all Nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, the son, and the Spirit.  

They avoided Rites and Ceremonies as burdens not lawful to be laid on the people of God.  The Apostles observed their Master's commandment in every circumstance proper for the ministration of those Divine mysteries; To all that Christ ordained they neither added nor diminished any thing.  
Springing from superstition of time, and place, and circumstances, for they knew that Ordination was not tied to a day, an hour, or any solemn time or season, but was instituted for the benefit of the soul of man, therefore they thought fit to minister the Lord's Supper every Lord's day. Neither did they use any other order or gesture, but after the same manner sitting as Christ did institute it, fearing the curse of God to add or diminish; And held that manner of order most worthy and fit to be observed in Divine mysteries, which their Lord had formerly observed, knowing the power & efficacy to be of his spirit, and not to consist in Rites and Ceremonies, or circumstances of time and place.  
After the ascension of the Lord, he Apostles and the whole Church (consisting of 120 persons) assembled at Jerusalem in an upper Chamber, and abode together with the 11 Apostles, and continued with one accord in prayer and supplication: And then, and there, Peter taught and preached, and in the public assembly, and with their whole consent, they chose Mathias to supply Judas his place. Acts 1. 13, 14, 15. also 2. 42. and they continued in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship, and breaking of bread and prayer. In which words is set forth the whole form of their Service and worship used in the Apostolic times, which consisted in preaching the true Doctrine of Christ, their unity of faith and love, ministration of the Sacraments and Prayer.   

The Testimony of the Fathers.  

Justinus Martyr. Apolo. 2. about the year 130.  On the day (saith he) which is called Sunday (that is the Lord's day) there is an assembling and coming together of all manner of people, (dwelling either in the Fields or in the Cities) into one place, and there are read the Acts, or Records of the Apostles, and the Writings of the Prophets; so long as the time would suffer, than when the Reader hath left off reading, (that is to say, he which was President or chief in the assembly,) the Bishop or Pastor delivered an admonition or exhortat: on by way of discourse, tending to the stirring of them up, to follow and practise those good things. Afterwards we rise all at once, and send our prayers unto God. And prayer being ended, the bread and wine is brought, and he that directeth the action, delivereth with all the power and might he hath, prayers and thanksgiving, the people assenting say Amen. Then followeth the distribution to every one present, and the communicating of the things which were blessed by thanksgiving, and they send of the same to those that were absent, by the Deacons; In the end, they which are of ability, and are moved therewithal, give every one according as it pleaseth him, and that which remaineth abideth with him that is precedent, with which he makes provision for the fatherless, widows, sick persons, captives and needy strangers.  
The same Author in another place of the same apology: After (saith he) that we have washed, that is baptised him, that hath received the fajth, and joined himself with us, we bring him into the Assembly and Congregation of the brethren, where they are come together to make their common prayers both for themselves and for him, and for all manner of persons whatsoever; When prayers are thus ended we salute one another with an holy kiss, and then there is brought to the Pastor the Bread and the Cup, and he giveth praise and glory to the Father of all things in the name of the son, and of the holy Ghost, and maketh a great thanksgiving, for that he hath vouchsafed to make them worthy of these things: which being ended the people join and put their blessing thereto, saying, Amen; Afterward the Pastor blessing them: those whom we call Deacons gives to every one who are present, and they carry to those that are absent; And this food is called the Sacrament of thanksgiving, which is not lawful for any one to receive, which hath not before received the truth of our Doctrine of Faith, and hath not been washed with baptism of regeneration for remission of sins.  

Tertullian.  Also, Tertullian in his apology about few years after; Now, saith he; I will declare unto you the practices of the Christian function, to the end that when I have refuted the evil I may show you the good. We come together into one Congregation to have recourse unto God by prayer, forcing him as it were by joining together of all our prayers, and this violent enforcement is very well pleasing to God; we pray for Emperors, for their Officers and Potentates; and for the estate present; for the quieting of matters, we come together for communicating of the holy Scriptures; as the present times do presseus, or to prevent somewhat to come, or to make acknowledgement of the present; And thus we feed our faith with holy speeches, we relieve and succour our hope, we make strong our confidence, and therewithal likewise fortify our Discipline and manner of government by the urgent and uncessant rehearsal, and renowing of the memory of good precepts. In our Congregations is used likewise exhortations, reprehensions, and the exercise of sacred censures, for then matters are judged with great advisement, as is wont to be done, of such men as assuredly know that the face of God is towards them; Behold and see their doings, and it is a great foreshow of the judgement to come: if any one amongst us have sinned so deeply as to be excluded from the Communion of prayer and the Assembly; and of all manner of having any thing to do with this society and fellowship, whereof the Elders that are best approved and found most faithful, do sit as precedents in the Assembly advanced, and called to that dignity, not through any sums of money; but by the weight and sway of the good testimony, which they have given.  
I have only reported the testimony of these two Authors of the Primitive times to show the pure simplicity of God's worship in their public service, which was no other but the same in order and form with the worship used in the Jews Church, only in this they differed from the Christians, that after their services and exhortation they ministered the Sacrament of baptism when there was occasion. And then the Catechumeni were dismissed with this word (Missa:) then the Elders which were all the best approved of Congregation were admitted to the Sacrament of the Lord's body and blood ministered with prayer under the signs of Bread and Wine, and singing of psalms, than the Minister blessed them, and then with the same word (●ie Missa) the Congregation was dismissed.  

The feigned and false original of the mass.  This word did properly signify, depart or be gone or leave to depart, but by use it did after signify the first service and the second service, which they called the first Missa and the second Missa, and in corruption of time it came to signify the mass, and Idolatrous sacrifice, from hence the Papists lyingly saigne to derive their mass; from the Apostles and the Fathers of the Primitive times.  
We may also observe from the Apostles and the primitive Congregations, that they had this tradition, they ministered the Sacraments every Sabbath, and every one did bring something according to their ability to the Lord's Table of bread, meat, and wine, which was set on a Table in the midst of the house of prayer, and this they called an offering, the more to encourage the people to this bounty and charity, and this was covered till the first service was done, and the preaching, than the cloth was taken of, and then the Bishop, or Pastor, or precedent came to the side of the Table, and gave thanks and prayed for all men, and after took Bread and Wine, and consecrated them with prayers; Sometimes only with the Lord's prayer rehearsing the words of the Institution of our Lord, as in the 1 Cor. 12. 11. And broke the Bread, and the Wine was poured out, and distributed to the people thereto admitted;  
The rest of the offerings were given to the poor, the needy and the widows by the Deacons.  

Platina. To tie the Ministers & people of God to set uniform: prayers is to incarcerate the Spirit of God. In the whole time of the primitive Church we find no other uniform prayer, save the Lord's prayer used in administration of the Sacrament.  And Platina in the life of Telesphorus saith, that in the Apostles times all things were done nakedly, plainly and simply in the action of this mystery; And in Rome where the mystery of iniquity was to take root, and be seated, all things continued, and were done after the same order, doctrines and traditions, as the Apostles taught; As Irenaus doth witness for twelve Bishops successively from the Apostles unto Eleutherius; Nay; the simplicity and purity of worship continued without addition or diminution until Constantine the great his time.   

An amplification what undeniable reasons for the purity of God's Worship and service.  
It is evident and undeniable that God's worship, and the Divine service hath been ever from Adam, and practised by his posterity in the first age plain, simple, pure, and naked prayer, praise and thanks, without any invention of man, or external ceremony, nor yet any sacramental signs, save only that Adam taught his sons to bring unto him, as to their high Priest presenting the person of the promised seed, before the incarnation, their first fruits in thankfulness, having only the naked and simple, ministration of the word promised to be made man, preached by Adam, Seth, and Enoch, and Noah, to feed their holy faith, God enlightening them with the inspiration of his spirit, making them the Prophets of God.  

Why God used no sacramental signs.  And the Divine reasons why God used no sacramental signs, nor figurative Sacrifices was, for that Adam and his posterity had not altogether forgot that Divine light of life, which he was endued with in his creation, though he had newly lost the possession thereof, yet he was more capable of inspiration, than the next generations were, who had smothered even the light of nature by multiplying their transgressions: And this was a principal cause why they lived in this age above 960.  

Why God shortened the days of man's life.  But in the second age God did not only for their overgrowth of sinfulness cut short the days of man, but he also did choose himself a people from the loins of Abraham, and renewed unto him the promise of his blessed seed, and made him a great Nation and Church unto himself, and to this Church and people God gave sacramental signs to distinguish them from all other Nations to be his own, and ordained them Statutes, laws, and ordinances to instruct them as under a schoolmaster, and by signs to lead them unto the spiritual power, and efficacy of the Incarnation of Christ and his death unto the remission of sins.  
But it is undeniable and manifest, that he required no other manner of worship and service of them, than he did of the first people, for God is unchangeable in his nature; therefore he cannot nor will not have any other kind of worship: but one simple pure worship of praise, prayer, and thanksgigiving, and feeding of this worship with the plain ministration of his promised word of life preached unto them.  

The reason why the second age was clogged with Ceremonies.  But why was this second age burdened with ordinances and figures? because this age was drowned with the growth of sin, and incapable of light, for sin by the law became more raging and sinful; and the law was weak, and could not prevail with man because of sin, for man's sinfulness: was so great, that the spirit of the law which is righteousness, could not dwell in flesh and blood but it must be consumed: for this cause the law became death unto man, and man, by the law became dead: for the law did not only reprove, but condemn. But in this third age the righteousness of the law became incarnate, and was made man, that man might be made the righteousness of the law: Thus that Christ, who was promised to the first age, is become our righteousness: so that now the spirit is communicated in a fuller measure, and more evident and powerful than it was unto the Jews in figurative types and ceremonies.  
And this is the reason why all things are become more spiritual, and God will have his worship now to be known to be only spirit and truth; for through him we are become new creatures unto God the Father, created in Christ, not to a new worship, but to the same worship more pure and perfectly to worship in spirit then heretofore.  
The reason (why Christ would institute no other worship, nor allow none to be true-worshippers; 
Why Christ did institute no new worship, but approved and practised the old.  but those that worshipped in spirit and truth, simply, plainly, and nakedly, is extracted from God's own essential nature, God is a spirit, and therefore will be worshipped in spirit and truth. Also God is one simple pure spiritual Essence, therefore he will have no invention, nor no mixture of any Rites, Ceremonies, or observations but plainness. And again, God will with the simple plainness of his worship and preaching confound the wisdom and superstitious curiosity of man, 
1 Cor. 2.  for the natural corruption of man not savouring nor discerning the beauty and sweetness of spiritual things, 
Why man studies to invent new worship.  doth out of a slavish fear and superstitious curiosity, seek a will-worship of his own invention which God hates; But the enlightened soul sees most heavenly and glorious delights in the plain and simple ministration of God's word; for the mind not sticking in the outward form and signs of the mysteries: she flies with the wings of Divine speculations into the presence of God and his Angels, as Tertullian saith speaking of the soul. We have a sister (saith he) among us, unto whom is given the gift of Revelation, in the midst of Divine Service, she is east into an ecstasy, she is brought into the company of Angels, and sometimes into the presence of the Lord himself. Again, according to the Scriptures that are read, the psalms that are sung, the Sermons that are made, and prayers which are offered: new matter of vision is administered and offered unto her.  
Now those that have not this spiritual sense, and eye to taste and see how good and gracious the Lord is, and to behold how beautiful his Tabernacles are, 
The first inlet of set prayers compiled into a Service-book  they think it was the ignorance or poverty of the age that suffered the worship of God, and his ministration to be clad in such base and mean array and clothing, and comparing her to the worldly pomp of Idolatrous and superstitious worship, they were ashamed to show the Church in such plain robes before the Gentiles and Jews; therefore every metropolitan after the Nicene counsel having got the sole government into their hands, devised some sentences out of the Scripture to beautify the service and the Sacraments, and some rites and ceremonies to correspond both with Jew and Gentile in serving God; All which things though at the first the inventors had a good intent, and the words and rites carried a glorious show of holiness; yet because they were not the things that God ordained, nor thought fit to be done or to have done in his service and ministration: 
man's invention in the worship of God is of dangerous consequence to the Church.  therefore they brought forth in the end a malignant effect both in worship and Doctrine, Idolatry and Superstition with damnable heresies in the end; which the first inventors never dreamed of.  
For when man adds other words; or some other thing to the Sacraments, than Christ did use in his institution, doth he not disallow of the wisdom of God, and thereby make his own filthiness appears under his skirts? as the Lord saith, Exod. 19 last verse, where man is prohibited invention. To beware of this, Cyprian in his Epistle to Adrian the Emperor, adviseth to hold ourselves fast to the institution of Christ's the Apostles did so as appears by Paul, 1 Cor. 11. 12. It is truth (saith Cyprian) seeing that neither any Apostles neither Angels from heaven could declare any thing unto us; beside that which Christ hath once taught, I cannot but marvel how against all angelical and apostolical Doctrine men dare to offer in some places water in the Cup. Again he saith, they should ask counsel of those whom they follow; for if in the sacrifice which is Christ we should not follow any other than Christ, it must of necessity follow that we must obey and do as Christ hath done and commanded us to do: so he saith in his Gospel; If you do the things I command you to do, I will call you no more servants but son; And the Father doth witness, that Christ is only to be heard, Aying from heaven this is my beloved son, hear him; thereupon we are not to regard what those before us have judged meet; because we are not to apply ourselves to follow the customs of man, but the truth and verity of God. And the same Author to stop the month of all will-worshippers faith; if any of our predecessors either through ignorance or foolish simplicity have held otherwise then the Lord hath taught, either by his precept or by his example; God will pardon such his simplicity through his rich and abundant mercy; But unto us now, who are forewarned and taught the contrary by himself, it cannot be pardoned.  
These enforcing and undeniable reasons cannot be withstood, but teach and stir us up to seek the first purity, simple and plain manner of worship, and to shake off all rites, ceremonies, and superstitions, and to rest satisfied with the simplicity of preaching, and to cleave to the prescript Institution of Christ in using the sacraments.  
Thus much for the worship of God.    

Of Divine jurisdiction, the second subsistence in the Church of God.  
AS Divine worship is the first subsistence, in the unity of the visible Church of God, in which all the faithful are congregated (as it were in one body) 
Eph. 4. 4.  into the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, even so Divine dominion must be the second subsistence dwelling in the Church, and filling the Church with life and vigour through all members, as the soul in the body, also it is like sinews and arteries knitting and coupling together the body by every joint for the Furniture thereof (according to the effectual power which is in the measure of every, part) receiving increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.  

Rom. 12. 1.  Now all powers are of God from above from the Father of light, as from a fountain from whence all good gifts and gracious givings do proceed by his mighty Word 
Iam. 1. 17.  through his holy Spirit flowing into the vessels of humanity and running through them with a perpetual successive duration, returning into the Ocean of God's glory.  

Colos. 1. 15.  The first receptacle of all divine power and dominion communicated from the Father is Christ the mediator God and man to whom all power is given, both in heaven and in earth, who is the first begotten of every creature; 
Dan. 7. 13.  And as Daniel saw in his Vision one like the son of Man come in the clouds of heaven, and approach to the ancient of days, and they brought him before him, and he gave him Dominion, Honour, and a kingdom, that all people, Nations and languages should serve him, for this cause we are taught to conclude our petitions with this obedient acknowledgement, for thine is the kingdom, the power, or dominion, and the glory. 
The kingdom of God is threefold.   
This kingdom is one entire kingdom of distinct gradations, yet individual, like the wheels in the vision of Exechiel, one within another, as the kingdom of Providence, 
Providence. Grace. Glory.  the Church of Christ militant, with the souls triumphant, and the dominions, powers, and principalities of Angels ministering before him.  
The dominion given unto Christ as he is the son of man (
* God, the anointed man. Of God, the only proper Saviour, Jesus. God by his Incarnation, hath united himself to his creatures, and supporteth and preserveth all things by his mighty power.  Christ God and Man) is the personal power of the father's eternal begotten Word, by individual union of Divine nature, with the humanity communicated to God's elect. whereby he is the engraven form of the Fathers own person unto the world, holding up all things by his mighty Word.  
This Word by the ministerial proceeding of the holy Ghost is that sceptre of righteousness, whereby he guideth and ruleth his kingdoms, as David saith, thy Throne, O God is for ever, the sceptre of thy kingdom is a sceptre of righteousness.  

The word of God, is the pattern and rule of all goodlawes.  This is that sceptre of righteousness by the precepts and power whereof Kings reign, and Princes decree Justice; For this cause Christ is called the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, the only ruler of Princes.  

Of the first gradation.  

Dominion was by God given first to Adam the firstborn of man. Gen. 1. 28.  For the first gradation of God's great kingdom, God by Divine ordination in nature in the Creation gave a blessing and dominion unto Adam, to fill the earth with his seed, and to subdue it under his obedience. For this cause it is said, the heaven of heavens is the Lords, the earth he hath given to the Children of men; from hence God claims the first borne to be his substitutes on earth, which honour in the beginning was due to them, as the dignity of their birthright by God's ordination, which continued in the Family of Adam, 
This Dominion lost by the sons of Adam. Then to be conferred upon Christ the Son of God and man.  till Cain lost it by killing his brother Abel; Cham lost it by scoffing his father Noah; Esau sold it for a mess of Pottage, and Reuben lost it by defiling of his father's bed. Then by the law of that ordinance the dignity of birthright was of divine right conferred upon the Tribe of Judah, and reserved in the line of Judah for the lion of Judah, who is the image of the invisible God, the first begotten of every creature, and for that all things were created by him and for him, 
Restored in Christ to man.  and that he is before all things, and in him all things consist; And also being the ordained lamb of God before the foundation of the world, he is therefore made the head of the body of the Church, King of Israel, that in all things be might have dominion and pre-eminence both of things in earth, and things in heaven; For it was the father's pleasure that in him all fullness should dwell, from this fountain all sovereignty is derived.   

How Christ doth constitute his viceroys on earth, Kings, Princes, and Potentates, &c.  
The first ordination of sovereignty being thus (as I have showed) of Divine right conferred upon the natural son of God sitting upon his highest Throne of glory, far above all powers and principalities, he doth by his divine and all foreseeing providence constitute whom it pleaseth him to sit upon his earthly Thrones, over any Nation, people, or language, induing them with proper gifts of his own spirit for rule and government; Thus doth God constitute Kings and Princes, and Rulers, after what manner soever it be done on earth, whether by lineal descent or national choice, or by the sword, howsoever the hand of Providence doth direct, appoint and establish, 1 Sam. 2. 4. Psal. 123. He raiseth the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the beggar out of the dung, to set them among Princes, and to make them inherit the seat of glory; Also, he pulleth down and setteth up at his pleasure. 
Dan. 2. 21.   

A digression.  It is profitable for us to observe that Adam by his transgression, lost neither the natural faculties of his soul, nor the honour and dignity of his birthright and dominion though at the first, (by losing that breath of life which was the light and life of his soul, and that made him the perfect Image of God) they were weakened and blemished in capacity. For if he had lost his natural faculties, he had lost the form of his being, and if his birthright and dignity of dominion had been abolished before it had been conferred upon another, then should nature have been deprived of the ministration of judgement, Justice, and equity, which would have brought forth an utter dissolution of the whole generation of man; But after the sons of Adam, as it were forfeited their dignity and birthright of dominion by multiplying transgression, than God the Father conferred the pre-eminence thereof upon the son of Man (even Christ) that he might consecrate and appoint, whom it seemed good unto him to sit upon his temporal Throne, so that birthright and pre-eminence might be his in whom all fullness dwelled. And that by him Judgement, Justice and equity might reign with men.  
Thus the regal power of Princes is derived from Christ by the rule of divine ordination in nature, (for he that is the Author of nature, is the observerr and preserver of all the ordinances in nature) so that this royal office is restored to man by ordination in Christ; But the priestly and prophetical office man hath from God by union and communion with Christ, and by inspiration and supernatural donation through the holy Ghost; For this cause a Tyrant may be a lawful King by ordination of God, yet no Christian member of Christ.   

Difference betwixt regal ordination and Divine power.  
From hence we may extract an evident difference betwixt the power of royal ordination in nature, and the supernatural power of God which is given to his Church on earth; That is a ministerial power to distribute Judgement, Justice, and equity amongst men, with absolute power of coaction to punish actual offences, with corporal or pecuniary punishment upon body, lands, and goods. This other is a supernatural power and divine efficacy properly given to the elect of God by inspiration, whereby they have union and communion with Christ, and one with another for every one's own particular prerogative of son ship, and for the edification one of another, and to some men it is given in a peculiar manner, and a greater measure of divine power and gifts, for the ministration, writing, teaching, and preaching of the Word and Sacraments of God, which is that which was revealed by God to the ancient Prophets, and that which was taught by Christ, and after written by the Spirit of God, from the pen and mouth of the Apostles; And this power is a ministerial power, mighty in operation to bind and lose the conscience, to open and shut heaven and hell, by declaring the judgement of God against unpentient sinners, and his mercy in Christ to the penitent man, as he hath taught and revealed; for this power doth not follow the judgement and will of man, nor succession of profession, but is tied and limited to the power of the Word and will of God; Therefore what they bind on earth by this ministerial power, Christ binds in heaven by his absolute power. By this there is no power of coaction given to the Church over the body, nor purse, nor life, but only over the soul and conscience, and to rule by instruction, admonition, and correction. 
civil government is to cut sin by the middle, but supernatural is to pull it up by the roots.  That makes men civil and sociable, and restraineth vice for fear of punishment: this other makes men spiritual and divine, meek and lowly, and full of loving kindness, and rooteth out sin in the heart, making men refrain and shun sin and wickedness, for the love of God and goodness itself. Herein the kingdom of Providence and Grace do both agree to make man happy and blessed in this life, and in the life to come; For this cause it was said to Abraham; In thy seed all nations shall be blessed; And David saith, Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord. 
The Church of God, is the soul of a good commonwealth, and as a sensitive soul is bestial, without the rational, so is a body politic without the Church, bestial and tyrannical.  For no kingdom nor commonwealth can be blessed, which doth not entertain the true Church of God in her bosom, or in which the Church is not involved; For this cause God doth make good Kings a blessing to his people, and commands his Saints to pray for Kings, Princes, and governors, that they may lead a peaceable and happy life under them, and that there his gospel may have a free passage; And so Kings and Princes become nursing fathers, and nursing mothers; And in this combination betwixt Church and commonwealth, righteousness and peace do kiss each other. But if they be wicked Princes, than they are sent for a punishment and scourge of God to the the people, and when God hath whipped his people, than he burns his rods with judgements. Therefore be wise ye Kings, be learned ye Judges of the earth, serve the Lord in fear, and rejoice in trembling, kiss the Son lest he be angry, 
2 Psal.  and ye perish in the way, when his wrath shall suddenly burn, blessed are all they that trust in him.   

The glass of Kings.  
The glass wherein Kings are to see themselves by reflection, and the pattern whereby they are to distribute judgement, 
The trinity a true pattern to a Christian King. Prov. 34.  justice, and equity, is the Divine nature and holy Trinity of God himself.  
For as the nature of God is strong and mighty full of pity and compassion, slow to anger, and abundant in goodness and truth, whose purity of nature expelleth and consumeth every impure and imperfect thing, even so doth God require his King should be like unto him on earth, as he is in heaven, for he hath set none above him on earth. Therefore as God is in purity of essence a law unto himself, and a consuming fire of evil, so ought a King in his politic capacity to be a law unto himself by conforming himself in a spiritual assimilation to the nature of God in purity of justice, punishing the evil and cherishing the good.  
Also as the person of the Father in its essence is the fountain of his eternal law which he hath begotten and ordained with himself for himself to do all things by; so is the King in his politic capacity, the fountain of politic laws which he hath as it were begotten in his body politic to rule and govern his people by.  
And as the eternal law of God is the begotten counsel of the Trinity in the Deity, so are the laws politic the begotten counsel of a politic Trinity which is the sovereign, the Nobles and Magistrates, and the council of Commons, resembling the Divine Trinity in Unity, the indivisible subsistence of a kingdom; So that Kings are by this pattern and rule bound to keep the laws of their kingdoms inviolate, and to do all things by their laws, as God doth all things by his word: And this is the greatest prerogative of a King, that he keep his own laws freely without compulsion like God himself.  
And likewise as the holy Ghost is the universal Minister and Divine Dispensator of all divine powers, gifts, and graces of God, proceeding from the Father and the son; even so are the peers, Princes, Judges, Magistrates, and Ministers of Justice in a commonwealth, proceeding from the King and his laws: The universal Ministers of the royal powers and laws of the kingdom. For though they be many as members in diversity of Dispensation of Justice, Judgement, and equity of the laws, yet are they all but as one spirit of the body politic, as the spirit of God being one, is by reason of the diversity of Administrations properly called the seven spirits before the throne of God, Revel. 1. And as the individual unity of this distinct trinity is the subsistence of the godhead; Even so is the unity of the King with his laws, and his Princes and Magistrates, the subsistence of a body politic or commonwealth; Therefore Solomon saith, Judgement and Justice is the establishment of the Throne. For this similitudes sake, Kings, Princes, and Magistrates are called Gods: I have said, saith the Lord, ye are God's, but ye shall die like men, for they are in all things to be in their commonwealth as God himself; Therefore we are taught to pray, Thy will, O God be done on earth as it is in heaven, that Kings may rule by thee, and Princes decree Justice on earth as thou dost in heaven.  
This is that orb wherein Kings are to walk as the sun in his sphere; but if Kings make their own will and lust, their law and rule of Justice, Judgement and equity, than they are exorbitant, and then God in whose hands are the hearts of Kings, causeth their counsellors to go as spoiled, and makes their Judges as fools, and he loseth the collar of Kings, and girdeth their loins as with a girdle, and leadeth away Princes as a prey, and overthroweth the mighty, or Pwreth contempt upon Princes, and maketh the strength of the mighty weak, Job 12. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. 
When God withdraws the love of subjects.    

How divine and supernatural power is derived unto man from the Father by the Word through the Spirit.  
A civil ministerial power of Justice is derived of Kings, Princes and Magistrates from Christ, as he is the Son of God, and first begotten of every creature, and therefore most worthy to have pre-eminence above all, in whom all things consist, for the temporal bliss and happiness of man on earth. So is divine and supernatural power derived from Christ, not only as he is the first begotten Son of God, but also as he is the light and life of man, without whom man cannot be a living soul, and as he is the eternal mediator betwixt God and man, that promised seed, the Redeemer of the Elect of God, the predestinated lamb, slain from before the foundation of the world, for the remission of sins, their ordained King, Priest, and Prophet, of God the Father in a spiritual and more peculiar manner, and measure of mystical union and communion, than either can be, or ever was, or ever shall be in all the ordinances of God in nature, For this cause that all men might know that he was, and is, the spiritual King of Glory, and that he came not into the world to deprive Kings and Princes of their subordinate power and prerogative: therefore he told them plainly, that his kingdom was not of this world, 
Ioh. 18. 26.  and he told his Apostles that among them there should be no such government or dominion in his Church, as the Princes have on earth among men, 
Math. 20. 25, 26.  but the chiefest among them should be he that took the most pains to serve the rest with food of life.  
The Church is called a kingdom, because as in earthly kingdoms Kings and Princes have power by their politic laws over the bodies, goods, and lives of men: for their wealefull being on earth to the glory of God: so in this kingdom Christ only and absolutely from the Father through the Spirit hath power by the divine. Word and law of God over the souls of men for their eternal happiness and salvation of his elect, and to the just judgement and condemnation of the reprobate, to show forth the abundant riches of his grace in that, and in this to show forth his wrath and power, suffering with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and in both the exceeding excellency of his glory doth appear and is effected.  
Also, it is called the kingdom of God, because God the Father is the immediate fountain from whence it floweth; the person of the son the head, to which the whole body and every member really, and in a mystical manner is united and incorporated into him their head, because God the Spirit is the immediate minister and dispensator of all divine gifts, and spiritual blessings in heavenly things; For this cause the Church in Scriptures is sometimes compared to a house or building compact together and built of living stones, Christ being the corner stone or foundation: and thus it is a spiritual house of Saints. It is resembled to a natural body composed of a head (Christ) and many members knit unto it, and one unto another; and sometimes it is described by the similitude of a throne set in heaven, and he that sits thereon is assimilated to be one in deity, but three in distinct subsistences, like to three precious Jewels; The first appearing like a Jasper of a pleasant never fading flourishing green, the mother of all pearls; The second a Sardine which is of a reddish flesh colour; The third is in aspect as a rainbow that is of the Emerald colour, as the eye can behold nothing more sweet or delightsome.  
These colours represent the nature of the trinity of the godhead, and round about the Throne were twenty four Seats, and upon the seats twenty four Elders sitting clothed in white raiment, and on their heads crowns of gold; This name of Elders is here given to all the members and congregation of Christ in his kingdom; and their white raiment is to express the righteousness of Christ, which is imputed and freely put upon them, and making them Kings, Priests, and Prophets to God the Father; Their crowns are to declare their royal dignity which they have by Christ, for it is to be noted, that whatsoever Christ is in himself, either personally, naturally, or officially, all his members are partakers of the same, in some measure according to the gift of Christ, by union, communion, inspiration, and through external and instrumental ministration of his Word.  
This is the Church of God; now those things which are individually belonging to the Church, at first the protecting power of God, which is always ready to defend and revenge the cause of his Saints, for God takes their cause into his own hand, saying, Vengeance is mine, and I will repay it. And God hath said touch not mine anointed, and do my Prophets no harm; For this cause (in this sign of the Church) there is said to proceed out of the Throne lightnings and thunders, and voices, because God doth punish the wicked horribly for the church's sake: none can escape his hands, that oppress his Saints, for the Lord will roar out of Zion, and will put forth his voice out of Jerusalem.  
A second sort of gifts are inward graces of Sanctification expressed in this vision by seven lamps of fire burning before the Throne, which are the seven Spirits of God, which is the internal sanctification of God's Spirit filling every soul with gifts like oil of grace, and fire of zeal to burn with praises before the Throne; Like to the lamps in the Temple, Exod. 27, 20. by seven, signifying by a definite number, manifold gifts indefinite.  
Next are outward gifts, which are allegorically called a sea of glass before the Throne like crystal, which expresseth the spiritual pure and unspotted worship of God, and the ministration of his Word as transparent to the eye of the enlightened mind, as crystal glass is to the eye of the body, through which the Saints may see the glory and majesty of God in the face of Christ Jesus. As this worship is pure without any spot of man's invention, and consists (as in the first tract is said) of prayer, praise and thanks, arising and always nourished by the doctrine of the word of God, which the sea doth signify, because it is an Ocean of living waters pure like crystal; This Sea therefore declares the whole worship of God. And in respect that the Saints enlightened by the holy Ghost are called burning lamps, it is to them like a sea of oil to enrich and increase their lights.  
Another outward gift is described to be four Beasts; And in the midst of the Throne, and round about the Throne were four beasts, the first like a lion, the second a calf, the third a face like a man, the fourth like a flying Eagle, and their bodies are full of eyes before and behind; These are the ministers and servants of God, who attend the ministration of the Word and Doctrine, and are placed betwixt the Throne and the Elders, as ambassadors and messengers of God to his people, their place is in a nearer station to the Throne than the Elders. They are compared to beasts to express their qualities, which is required for the conditions of the times and seasons, as the strength and courage of a lion, the patience of an ox, the prudence and wisdom of a man, the eaglelike contempt of earthly things, and sharper sight in spiritual and heavenly things.  
The number is four, to double the number of the tribe of Levi under the law, to answer the number of Elders, which is double to the twelve patriarchs.  
Their bodies are full of eyes behind and before, which describes that sharpness of riches and understanding in divine things, wherewith they are induced by the gift of the Spirit to discern things past, things present, and things to come.  
These beasts each one of them hath six wings placed round about them, and full of eyes within the wings; these wings are not for that use that the wings are to the beasts in E●●●●●…el, two to hide the face, and two to fly, and two to hide their feet: but they are placed about their bodies as it were for furtherance and assistance in their proper place, and not to fly withal from place to place.  
These wings therefore signify governors, and assistants or helpers, by whom the ministers are aided in their function, and do more swiftly and readily afford succour to every part of the Church.  
These wings are full of eyes within. These signify the inward gifts of knowledge which are not placed in so near a measure to the Throne, as the eyes in the body, but they are of the same nature of knowledge in divine things, to this end they stand as in a watch tower, to behold and discern every one's manners and conversation, and to reprove and exhort privately, and to help the ministers in Censure and Discipline of the Church; therefore Paul saith, obey your overseers and leaders, and yield submission unto them, for they watch for your souls, as those that shall give account. These gifts are limited within and under the wings, as to meddle only with that which is committed unto their power, 1 Pet. 5. 2. they are not to be strikers or busybodies, and they are to watch over Christian people only, for what have we to do to judge them that are without ● 1 Cor. 5. 12. 13.  
They that desire to behold the pattern of God's Church, as she is on earth in Christ, consider well this vision, and read it seriously, as it is more fully expressed by Master Brightman's Exposition upon the fourth chapter of the Revelation.  
This pattern is the perfection of the Church militant, as she is in Christ, and in the judgement of God the Father, who only knoweth who are his. The beauty and glory thereof is not seen with mortal eyes: for she is not composed of mortal, but immortal seed, even begotten of the immortal seed of the word of God, 1 Pet. 1. 23. for it is the ministration of God the holy Ghost, communicating the knowledge of the Word unto the hearts of the elect, which doth beget them anew or regenerate, and unite them unto Christ, and those are the supernatural powers, the word of God composed unto man, and gathereth them into one head Christ, and by a well compact union makes them one Church all communicating of one spirit, one faith, and in one Lord and Father of all, who is above all, and in all, and through us all, blessed for ever,   
Amen.   

How the Word is the divine power of God, and the authority committed to the Church.  
WHen we speak of the word of God, consider that the word in essence, and property of being is God with God in eternity, eternity itself, as it is described in the first of John's gospel, and though it cannot be divided in itself, yet it is to be distinguished after the personal order of the trinity.  
Therefore we may say the Word in the person of the Father is the unbegotten Word in the person of the son, it is the begotten Word, and in the person of the holy Ghost, it is the proceeding Word. So that by the proceeding Word all things flow from the Father and the son.  
By the order of this proceeding power the world was made by the word of God. As the Psalmist saith, Psal. 33. 6. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. By this proceeding power of the Word man was made a living soul, as Gen. 2. 7. And God breathed in his face the breath of life, and the man was a living soul; and Ioh. 1. 4. in it was life, and that life was the light of man, not natural reason, but supernatural light which enlightened nature.  
By this proceeding word Adam was restored after his fall, by promising to make the Word the seed of the Woman, and to break the serpent's head. Gen. 3. 15. for God by the proceeding of the Word, saying he will put enmity betwixt Satan (whose nature is wicked and evil altogether) and the human generation or seed which Satan had made like himself, he thereby promiseth that by his proceeding Word, he would make his Word the seed of the Woman, whereby it should be of a contrary nature to wickedness, of a heavenly pure and holy nature and condition powerful against Satan.  
Thus by the proceeding Word, the word (God) is made the word of promise, and the Promise is made life, and thus it comes to pass that the Just shall live by faith.  
By this proceeding word all the Elect of the Father are called, are sanctified, are washed, are inspired, and by inspiration are made sons of God, Kings, Priests, and Prophets, for by inspiration of the proceeding Word, God the Word dwelleth in them, for in the proceeding Word, is both the begotten Word, and the unbegotten Word the Father, as Christ saith, my Father and I are one, and the proceeding Spirit is one with the Father and the son, so these three are one in themselves, and bear record in heaven, and they also agree in one by inspiration in the souls of the faithful, or the Church which makes three to bear record on earth, as the water of Sanctification, and the blood of justification, and our spirit enlightened with the Spirit of God; it bears witness with our spirits, that we are the sons and servants of God. For this cause the faithful are called the Temple of the living God, 2 Cor. 6. 16. as God hath said, I will dwell among them and walk there, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Also, know ye not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have from God? Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in body and in Spirit for they are God's.  
As the proceeding Word hath proceeded by inspiration to dwell in man, which is his internal ministration: so he proceedeth by external ministration to divulge and write the same proceeding Word by the instrumental pen and voice of man for man's instruction, at first written by his Prophet Moses, and after by the rest of Prophets and Apostles, and Evangelists to feed and preserve their holy faith & worship of God among the faithful; As Paul witnesseth, 2 Tim. 3. 15. 16. Thou hast known the holy Scriptures of a child, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through the faith which is in Christ Jesus. For the whole Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach, to convince, to correct, to instruct in righteousness.  
Thus the proceeding Word doth proportion itself to man's capacity, first it becomes the word of promise in the seed of the woman, than the inspirated word to dwell in the mind, and also it is the ministerial Word, declared, written, taught, and preached for man's instruction, and all is one Word: for this cause the Apostle Peter saith, we have a most sure word of the Prophets, to which ye do well, that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts, and from hence it is evident, that the Scripture is the very word of God, which proceedeth out of God by inspiration, by instrumental publishing, and writing the same, and the written Word being the same proceeding word of God, (even God declared in writing.) The Scriptures therefore are the fountains of living water, and the ground of truth, for preaching, teaching, and instruction, exhortation and correction.  
And therefore the Scriptures are to be had in Divine estimation, for they contain the divine Word itself, and the Pastors and teachers thereof (being thereunto called of God by a full measure of inspiration) are to be esteemed the Messengers and ambassadors of God.  

As the Scriptures were first given: so are they to be interpreted by inspiration.  And this is always to be understood, that no man can attain to the interpretation of the written Word by natural ingenuity or human learning, or art or industry, though all be needful instruments and means of knowledge, but only by inspiration of the proceeding Word, as ver. 21. 20. 21. so that first ye know this that no prophecy of the scriptures of any private interpretation. For as the prophecy came not in old time by the will of men, but holy men of God spoke ●● they were moved by the holy Ghost; so must holy then of God speak and interpret the Scriptures, as they are moved by the holy Ghost.  

A way to know the interpretation to be of the holy Ghost.  And that we may know the interpretation to be of the holy Ghost (being the proceeding Word, and he that indicted the same Word from the Father and the son by inspiration) cannot give any other sense or understanding to the written Word, than is agreeable to the nature of the Word in the person of the son and of the Father, and the Word in the person of the son, is the revealed will of God the Father made manifest in the flesh. Therefore we may discern whether the interpretation be of the Spirit of God or no (by this) John 4. 2. 3. 
The Papist confesseth Christ in name, but denieth his power in the flesh, in that they say his death is not sufficient for actual sins, thence are penance, pardons, satisfactions, Purgatory.  Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God, and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus is come in the flesh is not of God; For the confession is not an out ward confession of the lips, nor an historical confession of the mind, nor a voluntary supposition and opinion of carnal reason, but it is the confession of the Spirit of God, which declares and manifests to the heart, that the Word that is come in the flesh is the very true God (as Christ said) to know thee and him whom thou hast sent, Christ, to be the very true God (as Peter confessed) thou art that Christ, that son of God, and Christ told him that flesh and blood did not teach him this, but his Father revealed it unto him.  
This word of God not having been after this order known and considered, hath been the cause and occasion of much mistake and errors in the Church of God, but understanding the Word in the true nature and property of God's order and manner of working, leadeth us by the hand from one gradation to another, and stoppeth the mouth of all men that speak against the Scriptures and the holy Spirit.  
For considering the word of God in these gradations we shall evidently perceive and understand, that the power and authority given and committed to the Church, is no other thing, but the proceeding word of God, ministering the begotten Word from the Father manifested in the flesh, which ministration is two fold, internal by inspiration through hearing of the Word, because man is an intellectual Spirit, and therefore a proper Tabernacle for the divine Word to dwell in; Also external ministration, because man dwells in an elementary, earthly, and natural tabernacle, therefore the holy Ghost applieth himself to man's infirmity, and doth use in his external ministration, elementary, earthy, and natural instruments by which as a means and ordinance the proceeding Word, and the power thereof is daily communicated unto man both to engraft him into the Word, and to nourish him in the Word unto everlasting life; For this manner of external ministration is necessary for man so long as he dwelleth in this body or earthly house.  
The instruments which the holy Ghost doth use in the dispensation of the ministerial Word, are either proper, as some members of the Church set apart for the work of the ministry, or less proper as the signs of the Sacraments. I may call those the external gifts which God gives to his Church, for it is said that unto every one of us is given grace or the gifts of the Spirit, according to the measure of the gift in Christ. For we may discern the Church is a compact body knit to the head Christ, and consisteth of many members, yet in unity of the spirit they are one body, and although there be but one Spirit, yet are there diversities of gifts, diversities of administrations, diversities of operations, yet all one and the same spirit, and these diversities of gifts, make diversities of functions; So there are many functions in the Church, but God worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withal, but peculiar gifts without the which the Church cannot at any time be, and therefore most proper, of which it is said that Christ ascended on high, and lead captivity captive, and received gifts to give unto men, as some to be Apostles, some Prophets, some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers. Here is to be observed, that the divine power by internal dispensation is given in common to all, and every member of the Church, so that all have common interest in the word of God, and peculiar power thereby to admonish, comfort and instruct one another, and pray for one another, and bear one another's burdens, especially they are all Kings, Priests, and Prophets in their Families. For every Father ought to use the office of an Elder in his house, Deut 6. 6, 7. Deut. 4. 9  
But for the external dispensation of the Word, the power and efficacy thereof is committed unto peculiar men, whereof Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, & teachers, are in the first rank and functions, and the power and efficacy which is given them, is only the ministration of the Word, they have not that absolute power which Christ hath, to know who are his from the beginning, and to have compassion, on whom he would have compassion, and to show mercy, on whom he would show mercy. For Christ had not this absolute power as he was the Son of man, but as he was the person of God; For as he was Man, he came not to do his own will, but the will of his Father; So likewise when he sent his Apostles and Disciples to teach all Nations, he sent them, as he was sent of his Father. So send I you, saith he, which was not to do their own will, nor to teach their own doctrine, but to do his will as he did his father's will, and to teach his doctrine which he taught them, as his Father taught him: so by the Word they are to do and teach, but nothing beside the Word, or without the Word. More at large of this in the Treatise of Discipline.  
Thus we see the word of life is God in the person of the Father, the unbegotten Word, in the son the begotten Word, and the incarnate Word, In the person of the Spirit it is the proceeding Word, and the ministerial Word, and this ministerial Word is the power, and the authority committed to the Church; So the Ministers cannot do any thing but by the power of the Word, and this Word is Christ who abideth with them, and with the whole Church always unto the end of the world; So Christ is the chief, and they are his servants and ambassadors.   

Of the third Subsistence of the Church Government and Discipline.  
AS Divine worship cannot be wi●hout the divine power of the ministerial Word, from whence it extracts both the nutriment and efficacy, so neither worship, nor the Divine Word can be without order, government and discipline, whereby the whole spiritual body (the Church) is preserved in spiritual health and blessedness, shining in spiritual decency and divine beauty. As Psal. 45. 13. 14. The King's daughter is all glorious within. And her heavenly glory is most excellently set forth in Can●●●…es 6. 10. Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, pure as the sun, terrible as an army with banners? Without external pomp, temporal confusion, or human policy; for God hateth nothing more in the government of his Church, and in his worship, than pomp and policy, and loveth nothing more than to have his Church excel in meekness, holiness, and simplicity, like himself, as he saith, be ye holy, for I am holy. And learn of me, for I am meek and lowly. And he exalteth the humble and meek, but the proud he sends empty away.  

The Church of God considerable in a twofold aspect.  When we speak of the Church, it is to be considered in what fence we take the Church, for the Church of God is in a twofold aspect to be apprehended, one as she is in a mystical union the body of Christ, the Spouse of Christ, the lamb, the Bride, in this sense she is spiritual, pure and holy without spot, without wrinkle, his undefiled. The other as she dwelleth in her natural humanity, and abideth here on earth, wherein she is environed with manifold temptations, infirmities and afflictions, fighting against the world, the flesh and the devil, and in this condition she is elementary, natural and visible; Therefore God in his wisdom and goodness to man hath ordained external dispensation, thereby to communicate the holy and invisible mysteries of his Word to man through visible instruments, elementary and natural, proper for man's capacity and nature, lest natural infirmities should become an excuse that God should not speak unto man; For this cause God doth minister the mighty power of his Word, by the weak and simple voice of man; Teaching man by letters, syllables, words and sentences, divine truth, and making evident to the mind and senses of man, by elementary signs, tropes and allegories, and so demonstrating inscrutable mysteries, and divine secrets of grace, power and glory.  
The first beams of the glorious gospel of Christ (which Paul calls the Image of the living God) that shines unto man, is the public and visible ministration, whose glory compared with the glorious ministration of the law. 2 Cor. 3. 7. (which none was able to behold and live, which made mountains tremble, and the Israelites excuse themselves) is far more exceeding glorious, which we all are able to behold with openface shining through the veil of Christ's humanity, wherein as in a glass or crystal we see the glory of God in the love of the Father, and are changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.  
And the thing that is ministered, is the glorious gospel of Christ, which is the doctrine of Christ, or the mystery of the Father; and it carrieth always this Character with it to know it to be the true doctrine of God. 
Ioh. 16. 15, 16.  It giveth all glory to God the Father by Christ, and it glorifies Christ through the Spirit, for Christ saith, that which is the Fathers, is mine, therefore the Spirit shall take of mine, and give it you.  
Outward ministration is called the face and countenance of God; Therefore the Prophet David saith, O. Lord God of hosts turn us again, and make thy face to shine upon us, and we shall be saved. It was David's delight, and his whole hearts desire. Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I require: that I may dwell in the temple of the Lord all my days, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to visit his temple.  

The first ordination of the ministration of the Word.  The first ordination of this ministration was instituted and practised by God himself in Paradise, preaching unto Adam in a created voice in the cool of the day, and by that meek voice God's presence was known unto man; I heard thy voice and was afraid. The voice or word of God (for it is a significant voice, making itself to be understood) howsoever God useth weak and despised instruments to express himself to man's capacity, yet his voice is mighty, as in the 29. Psal. read the whole psalm. For the voice of the Lord is powerful, the voice of the Lord is full of Majesty. And as Paul describes it, it is mighty in operation, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing through, even to the dividing of the soul and the spirit, and of the joints and the marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart; For this cause preaching is called the power of God unto salvation. But if the glorious beauty and power of God's ministration seem weak and foolish unto some men, because it is ministered by the voice of man, and the weak signs of the Sacraments being of no strength nor beauty in themselves, It is because the glorious gospel is hid unto them that perish, and becomes the savour of death unto death, because the God of this world hath blinded the eyes of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ should shine unto them.  
These riches are sent unto us of God (from the Father of lights by the son, of the fullness of all rich grace, through the Spirit the overflowing waters of life and blessedness) and we have it in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may appear to be of God, and not of man, and those that are sent of God, are qualified with the word of God, and by having the Word, they are known to be seen of God; For they teach and preach not themselves, but Jesus Christ the Lord, and approve themselves messengers and servants to the Saints for Jesus sake. For the word of God we are always to conceive to be the eternal son of God by generation, and to proceed from God by spiration in creation, and to be communicated unto man since his fall by supernatural inspiration, and united unto man, and man unto it by incarnation, and ministered unto man by external dispensation. Thus the Word descends unto man by inspiration, and dwells in man through the Spirit, for the Lord is that Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is the Word, for the Word and the spirit cannot be divided nor separated, they are one. For this cause God useth the external ministration of his Word and Spirit, that he may inspire and regenerate the mind of man. After this manner are the ministers and messengers that are sent of God endued with the Word and Spirit of God. Therefore let no man say that he hath the Spirit, if he want the light of the Word, neither can any man have the Word but by the Spirit, and the Word and Spirit are both made manifest in this, that they reveal the hid things of God, even the mystery of God in Christ. 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. which in Col. 2. 3. is called a full assurance of understanding in the knowledge of the mystery of God in Christ, for he which commanded light to shine out of darkness, shines into the hearts of the Messengers, to give the light of the knowledge of God in the face of Christ.  

Of the calling of Ministers.  
As the external Ministration cannot be without the Word and the Spirit, so the Church cannot be without Ministers and messengers of God, and as the ministration is public and external, 
pastor's ought before their admission to be well known to the Congregations where they are to reside.  so the visible Church and Congregations have power of divine right to call and appoint, such as God hath internally qualified, to the external and public exercise thereof; For as by internal inspiration they are endued with a more than ordinary measure of the Word and Spirit, so they ought to be well known, and conversant in the Congregation or faciety of that Church wherein they live, that by a mutual consent they may be approved and thought worthy to be called to the public ministration and dispensation of the word. This was the practice of the Apostles and primitive Church, Acts 1. 21. 22. Wherefore of these men that have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus, went in and out with us, beginning from the baptism of John, unto the same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection, and they appointed two. Also, Act. 6. 1. 2. When the nuber of the Disciples was multiplied, than the twelve called the multitude of the Disciples together unto them, and said unto them, it is not meet that we should leave the ministration of the Word and serve tables, wherefore brethren look you out among you seven men of honest report full of the holy Ghost, and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.  
And it is to be observed, that nothing was to be done in the Church, either by the Apostles, or by those that in the ministration succeeded them, without the consent of the whole Church, which then at first were called Disciples.   

Of the manner of their external ordination.  
Touching the manner of their Ordination that we find in the first of the Acts, they prayed and said; Thou Lord which knowest the hearts of all men, show which of these two thou hast chosen, and then they gave forth lots, and the lot fell upon Mathias. And also afterwards in the sixt of the Acts, the multitude of the Disciples or brethren those seven and set them before the Apostles, and when they had prayed, they laid their hands upon them.  
In the first place of Scripture it is said, the Disciples appointed two, and left the choice to God, and therefore they give forth lots, because it was an extraordinary calling to an Apostleship to succeed Judas; But in the second place it is said, they chose Srephin a man full of faith and the holy Ghost, and Philip and Prochorus, and others, &c. And it is remarkable that the Church received instruction from the Apostles as a rule to be observed in choosing Deacons and Elders, as in the first of the Acts they were admonished by Peter to choose such as were conversant in the Church from their beginning. By which I conceive, they ought to be of known conversation, and men of good report, and that they should be full of faith and the holy Ghost, as Steven was, or men endued with the holy Ghost and with wisdom. These are the respects which ought to be had in choosing Pastors, Deacons, and governors in the Church; For all gifts of learning and human Sciences, howsoever they be excellent and worthy much praise and honour, yet without these Characters of grace they are nothing, and not to be esteemed.   

Of the orders and degrees of Pastors, and their denominations both under the Law and the gospel.  
It is evident that the orders and degrees of Ministers and governors of the Church of God under the Law were Priests, Levites and Elders, God also sending among them Prophets of extraordinary inspiration, for revelation of the word to teach, admonish and exhort the people.  

The Priest. Numb. 3. 10.  The priest's office was figurative, prefiguring Christ until his coming, offering sacrifices to figure the sacrifice of his body, instructing the people in the promised seed unto the remission of their sins, whose manifestation in the flesh should be the accomplishment of all figures and shadows in the law, which thereby were abrogated.  

The Levite.  The Levites were given unto Aaron, as an addition to his office, as in Numb. 3. 6, 7, 8, 9 to minister unto him, to keep his charge, and the charge of the whole Congregation to do the service, and to keep the instruments of the tabernacle of the Congregation.  

The Elder.  The Elders, (though every Father of a Family be called Elder, and also the twelve tribes of Jacob) yet those are properly Elders who are chosen and appointed to be governors and Rulers both in Church and commonwealth. For the governors in Pharaoh's house were called Elders, and the Rulers in the Church, as first in the Tabernacle, as Numb. 11. 25, 26. and Temple were also called Elders. And the Lord stirred up Prophets among them both of the Levites and Priests, and others, as occasion required, never leaving his Church without a Prophet and Rulers till Shilo came.  
And when that faithful Prophet of God came into the world, whose effectual power, and fullness of all divine perfection abolished all figures and dark resembling shadows, than in his own person and human presence, he spread abroad the glad tidings of his glorious gospel, causing the light of his truth to shine evident without veil or vizard, notwithstanding he neither altered nor abolished the order of ministration, nor the manner of government, but established the same by his own example, and the practice of his Apostles. And therefore he said that Christ when he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men, As Ephes 4 11. he gave some to be Apostles, some Prophets, some Evangelists, and some pastors and Teachers.  

Apostles and Evangelists.  In this place of Scripture he only setteth forth the principal functions in the Church, whereof the first pair, as namely Apostles and Evangelists were of immediate calling, and appropriated to the time, ordained by Christ, only for the propagation and first progression of the gospel, the gifts of prophecy and working of miracles, attending the confirmation of their doctrine; As the necessity of those times required, and as Christ had promised, Mark 16. 17, 18. And these signs shall follow them that believe in my Name: they shall cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues, they shall take up Serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it shall not hurt them, they shall lay their hands on the sick, and they shall recover.  

Pastors and Teachers.  The second pair, are Pastors and Teachers distinguished by their ordination, for these were ordained internally by the outward dispensation of hearing the Word preached by the Apostles, then externally chosen by the Church, as Acts the sixth, after consecrated by the Apostles, by prayer, and laying on of hands of the Apostles and Elders, Acts 14. 23. This order of ministers is ordinary, and to continue in the Church unto the coming of our Lord to Judgement.  

Their Commission.  Both these pairs are but one and the same function and office, and have but one and the same Commission, which was given by the immediate ordination of Christ to his Apostles. For as God the Father sent his beloved son to be a light unto the Gentiles, and the glory of his people Israel, in declaring unto them the glad tidings of salvation in his death unto the remission of sins. So Christ said to his Disciples; As my Father sent me, so send I you. John 20. 21, 22.  

The Authority committed.  The power and authority committed unto them by this commission is the breath of life, out of the mouth of Christ proceeding from the Father and the son, as it is said; Man lives not by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God; Therefore he breathed on them and said, Receive ye the holy Ghost. For the word which Christ spoke or breathed out of his mouth, he affirmed to be spirit and life, saying, John 6. The flesh profiteth nothing, but the word that I speak is spirit and life.  

The substance of the Commission. Blessing them. The doctrinal part of it.  The substance of this Commission is mandatory, Matt. 28. 19 go teach all Nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, of the son, and of the holy Ghost.  
The doctrinal part of their commission, is teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and Mark 26. 15. hath it in these words; Preach the gospel to every creature. Now the sum of the doctrine, which Christ taught, is set down more plainly by St. Luke. 24. 44. These are the words that I spoke unto you, whilst I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law, and the Prophets, and in the psalms concerning me. And he (who was spirit, life and light) opened their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures; and said, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer and rise from the dead the third day; And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And after this manner do the Pastors and Ministers bless, teach, and sanctify the people.  
Thus Christ by preaching and teaching unto them the word of God, out of his mouth, he opened their understandings in the Scriptures, and thereby they received the holy Ghost, for this is Christ's manner of breathing upon them, John 20. when he said, receive ye the holy Ghost. But in Luke he saith, Behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; Which is to say, I will send a visible token of the Spirit upon you, or the efficacy of the Spirit upon you. Therefore he said, Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until you be endued with power from on high. Not but that they had received the holy Ghost before, but not the manifestation and evident power thereof, as afterwards it did fall upon them in the similitude of fiery cloven tongues, Acts 2.  
The fruits and operative effects of ministration of the Spirit is set forth, John 2. 23. Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. For this is the power and efficacy of the ministerial Word (as hath been formerly shown) which floweth from the absolute power of Christ, which was given unto him of the Father, as he affirmed to his Disciples, Matt. 28. 18. All power is given me in heaven and in Earth.  
And this ministration of the gospel is that key of David committed unto Christ, by which he should open and no man shut, and should shut, and no man should open. And in the 16. of Matthew 16 17. & 18. ver. it is evident, that this power of the keys, is only the power of the gospel of Christ, or rather as Peter confessed the Lord Jesus to be that Christ, that son of the living God, which he received not by the intelligence of flesh and blood, but by Revelation from God the Father, this power changeth the whole corrupt nature of man, and gives him another denomination or quality, making him a strong and immovable rock, turning Peter to Petra. Thus after this manner is the revelation and power of the Word, given in general to every one that receiveth the knowledge of Christ, to believe that he is that Christ, that son of the living God, (God himself) against this rock the gates of hell, the powers and principalities of darkness, and worldly governors cannot prevail. But the particular and public ministration thereof, is committed to the Pastors and teachers of the Church of God, by whose ministration and public dispensation of the Word, the hearts and consciences of men are opened and shut, bound and loosed every day, as Lydia and others in the Acts, in which the Word becomes the savour of life unto some, and the savour of death unto others; And this ministerial power is also given unto them for divine censure and public correction, to root out abominable and unsufferable vices in the Church and Congregations, as shall be showed in his proper place.   

Of the nominations under the Law, and under the gospel.  
Under the Law it is undeniable, that the Ministers and governors of the Church, were called Priests, Levites, and Elders. Also, in the Christian Church (leaving out the extraordinary functions of Apostles and Evangelists) they are called Pastors, Teachers, Helpers and governors; As these ranks are expressed in the 1 Cor. 12. 28.  
Of helpers, we read they were added to the Christian Church in the sixth of the Acts, 
Helpers in government.  whose office seems to be in the place of the Levites, as they are called Deacons. 
governors.  And governors in the Church, as neither the Synagogue nor the Christian Church could be well governed without, called Elders in both Churches; As Ambrose speaking in his Homilies upon the fifth of Timothy, and the first verse, saith to this effect, Both the Synagogue and afterward the Church had Elders, without whose counsel nothing was done in the Church (though in his times they were almost lost, as he saith in the same place) which (saith he) by what negligence it is grown out of use I know not, unless peradventure by their negligence, or rather the pride of the teachers, whilst they alone would be all, and do all. It these governors were so decayed in his time, how much more are they now worn out of memory in these our days?  

The good effects of this government in the primitive times.  But who list to peruse the history of the primitive times, may observe that so long as this government stood in equal dependency with their Pastors, there could no heresy ever get footing in the Church of God; But after it was lost and neglected, the Arian heresy crept into the Church, and filled the universal Church, and all kingdoms with ambition, contention, heresies and war, as in the Revelation.  

Elders derived.  The name of Elders is now become an uncouth and abhorred name, though it hath been always used from the beginning both in Church and commonwealth to signify both politic and ecclesiastical governors.  
For if we consider the derivation of the word (Priest) it is no other but Elder, as in the Greek it is called ({non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}) which in Latin is (Senex) {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} being rendered presbyter, and in English, Elder, being the comparative of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. And in this sense the Apostles called themselves Elders, as John in his second Epistle, 1. verse. The denominations of Pastors, Teachers, Bishops and Elders in the Church were promiscuously used, becaunse though they were distinguished by particular duties and administrations, yet all was of one and the same spirit and power, As Paul, 2 Tin. 1. 11. accounted himself a Preacher, and teacher of the Gentiles as well as an Apostle.  

Episcopus, unde & quid sit?  But there is no name that belongs to the functions of the Church of God, that doth so much trouble the Church, and the whole world, as the name Episcopus; Which though I find it but once or twice named in the New Testament, (as though the holy Ghost thought it not convenient often to use that name) foreknowing, and foreseeing how much mischief it would bring forth to the Christian Church, yet I find it a name much and frequontly used by the ancient Fathers, and Historians, insomuch as for the reverend and high esteem it got among them, it is advanced to signify pre-eminence, and a spiritual office and dignity, and honour above temporal Monarchs; or rather at least in some of their own conceits and expressions higher than a Monarch, a Pope of universal supremacy above all, that is called God. Notwithstanding, that the name derived from the Greek {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} signifieth no more but to survey, to consider of the deportment of the flock, by God committed unto his charge, as of which he is to render an account: so that the etymology of the word will not imply that lording power, which they do arrogate unto themselves.  
But {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, which signifies busy-bodies, or meddlers in other men's matters, derived of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, in Latin (alvis) and the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, which is in the language of this age usually rendered Bishop, seems to me a very opposite word to decipher the lording Bishops of our times, which like the Angels that left their primitive station, omitting the proper work of their ministerial functions do move in an improper orb of secular affairs, and so may well be called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, busybodies, or busy Bishops.  

The office of a Bishop delineated by Scripture.  If any desire to know the office and duty of a Bishop, as the holy Scripture setteth it forth, let them read the third Chapter of Paul to Timothy, and also the first of Peter, the fifth Chapter, the second and third verses, where the office of a Bishop is described under the name of an Elder.   

Of ancient and primitive government of the Church of God.  

The primitive government twofold.  The ancient Apostolic and Primitive Government was under Pastors, Deacons and Elders in every Congregation.  
The manner of their government was twofold, the first part whereof was particular to every man in his function; The second part was jointly and publicly together, and none without another.  

The pastor's function.  The Pastor, Teacher, or Bishop, his particular function or office was as a precedent, overseer, and director, not only as a Teacher, but also as an Elder, watching over the health of their souls, and outward manners and conversation, caring for the spiritual good, and salvation of every one, whose office is set forth in the first of Timothy, the 3. chap. 2. 3. 4. & 6. verses. He must be a man blameless, continent, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach, not given to wine, no striker, nor greedy of filthy lucre, no brawler, not covetous, one that ruleth well his own house, having his Children in subjection with all gravity, he must not be a novice, lest through pride he fall into condemnation, and he ought to be of good report among the adversaries, that the word of God be not evil spoken of. Also Peter exhorts Bishops under the name of Elders, 
Pet. 1. 5. 1, 2, 3.  (acknowledging himself also to be an Elder) saying, Feed the flock of God, which dependeth upon you, caring for it, not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind, not as though ye were Lords over God's heritage, but that ye may be ensamples to the flock. And as Paul advised Timothy to preach the word of God, be instant in season, and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long suffering and doctrine. 
2 Tim. 4. 2.  And after the same manner, and in the same sense Christ excited Peter, that the more he loved him, the more he should labour, to feed his lambs, his sheep, his flock.  
But Lordly pre-eminence Christ did not only forbid, saying, The Lords of the Gentiles have power over them, but it shall not be so among you, but also saith, he that would be the greatest among you, let him do most service to the rest. 
Matt. 20. 25, 26, 27, 28.  But that fearful admonition of Christ, me thinks should shake the hearts of our Bishops with fear, that use predominance over their fellows and Church of God. Mat, 24. Who is a faithful and wise servant, whom God hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant whom the Lord shall find doing so, he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servant, shall say in his heart, My Master doth defer his coming, and begin to smite his fellows, and to eat and 
* With those that are drunk with the desire and coveting of power and riches. The Deacons office.  arinke with the drunken: that servant's Master will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of: and will cut him off, and give him his portion with hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  
The office of Deacons, (of their ordination, I have spoken before upon the sixth of the Acts) is that they stand in place of the Levites, to attend on the hand of the Pastors, as well to help to catechise, to teach, administer the Sacraments, as to care for the poor, and to take the charge of the goods and revenues of the Church; but for their conversation and quality, it is set forth by Paul, in the first of Timothy, the third chapter, the 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. verses. A Deacon must be grave, not double tongued, not given to strong drink, not given to filthy lucre, holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience. Let him first be proved, then let him use the office of a Deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, no slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let a Deacon be the husband of one wife, ruling their children, and their own houses well. For they that have used the office of a Deacon well, purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.  
And if Pastors and teachers would have the like zeal and consideration with themselves, which the Apostles had, Acts the sixth and the second, and would have judged every thing an obstacle, whatsoever might withdraw and hinder them in the preaching of God's word, and their care of souls, and would make it their delight and labour, to give themselves continually to prayer and ministration, they would discern, that they can no more be without Deacons one or two in a Congregation, than their bodies can be well without hands, neither would they nourish that indign opinion, that ignorant; Nay, often improbous churchwardens can serve in their place and office as some allege.  

The office of Elders.  Now touching the particular duty and office of Elders, which in this our age is taken in a corrupt and improper sense calling them lay Elders, which in Scripture from the ancient original, are termed Elders of Israel, or of the Tabernacle, as to say, Elders of the Church of God, or of the people of God, to distinguish them from civil Elders and governors: and they are either such as by nature's ordination are Fathers of Christian families, or such as are publicly chosen by the several Congregations of the Church, and approved by their Pastors and Teachers.  

Ambrose.  Their office and duties were such, as Ambrose said, without whose counsel nothing was done in the Church; and that both the Synagogue, and the Christian Church had Elders; They were to be chosen men, such as Jethro advised Moses, Exod. 18. chosen out of the people, men of courage, such as fear God, men of truth hating covetousness, and place such over the people to rule thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. But these Elders are here rather to be for civil affairs than Church cares; But thus we must conceive that Church Elders might as well be exercised in ministration of Justice for the commonwealth, as in the ministration of Discipline for the Church. For this is the proper duty even of Kings, Princes, and their Magistrates; as also of fathers of Families, because the commonweal of Israel is involved in the Church of God, and the Church of God in a Christian commonweal; For so ought our Christian kingdoms to be composed, as Magistrates may be chosen Church Elders in the Church of God. For blessed is the Nation, whose God is the Lord, 
* Thus the Church is incorporated in the commonwealth, & the commonweal in the Church.  And in such a kingdom Christ reigneth as a King in excelsis, and his viceroy by him, and for him, and the flourishing propagation of the ministry of the Word is the soul of such a commonwealth.  

A clear difference and remarkable distinction betwixt Elders of the Church and commonwealth.  But there is an evident difference betwixt the Elders that govern the commonwealth, and the Elders that govern the Church; Distinct they are in their ordination, and in their endowments, and in the manner of exercise, and execution of their office; For Magistrates and Elders in a kingdom are those who are appointed of the King or chief governor, as in the first of Peter 2. 13, 14. Submit yourselves unto all ordinances of man for the Lord's sake, whether to Kings as superiors, or to governors as sent of them, and their office is for punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well. And these are such as Moses ordained by the counsel of Jethro before expressed. But Moses by God's express appointment did afterward ordain other Elders chosen out of those Elders, whom God endued with the special gifts of his Spirit, for helping of Moses in governing of the Congregation of the Tabernacle, as it is set down Numb. 11. 16. 17. 25. 26. Then the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the Elders of Israel, whom thou knowest that they are Elders of the people, and governors over them: and bring them unto the Tabernacle, and let them stand there with thee. And I will come down, and talk there with thee, and take of the spirit which is upon thee, and put upon them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, so thou shalt not bear it alone. So these were another sort of Elders. Then the Elders that governed over the people, as in the 24, 25. and 26, verses. So Moses went out, and told the people the words of the Lord; and gathered seventy men of the Elders of the people, and set them round about the Tabernacle. There the Lord came down in a cloud, and spoke unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon Moses, and put upon the seventy ancient men: and when the spirit rested upon them, than they prophesied and did not cease.  
Here their ordination is of God, their endowment is of the Spirit, and their office and duty is to prophesy, and not to cease; and the end why they were to prophesy, is to bear the burden of the people with Moses, for the people murmured, and often tempted and provoked the Lord to wrath. And though they received daily instruction, and public ministration of the word of God from Moses and Aaron, yet the seed of truth fell sometimes among stony ground, and sometime upon thorny ground, & sometime in the high way, and either took no deep root, or it was choked, or otherwise picked up and carried away by the souls of the air, so that their murmurings, grudgings, and rebellions were such a burden to Moses, and an insupportable grief that Moses wished rather to die than to live. Therefore God ordained these kind of Elders to be an assistance in his public ministration, that as Moses among the Jews, and Paul in the Church of God planted the Word in public. So these might be as Apollo's to water it in private, and that by their vigilancy and diligence in every place of the Congregation, they might be ready to suppress by divine instruction, exhortation, and admonition out of the word of God. Murmurings, grudgings, contentions, strife, cursings, railings, and all sorts of inordinate walkings. 
1 Tim. 5. 17.  This was the private and particular duty of these sorts of Elders by the power of the Word to kill the Cockatrice in the egg, and to pull up the weeds of sin by the roots. For this cause they are described in the fourth of the Revelation to be the wings of the four beasts placed round about their bodies, full of eyes within; for they are knit unto the Ministers in a peculiar and inseparable nearness, and their discerning operation is not to extend beyond the bounds of the Professors of the Church, for as Paul saith, what have we to do with those that are without?  

The necessity of Church Elders.  These sorts of Elders are so necessarily annexed to the public ministration of the Word, as that the Church cannot be without them, but that by the want thereof she doth expose herself to all kind of dangers external and internal, like a bird without wings. Therefore Christ took not away this kind of Elders, but rather established them in their function and office, both in private and public, as in the 18. of Matth. 15. 16. 17. If thy brother trespass, got and tell him his fault, between thee and him alone: if he hear thee, thou hast won thy brother. If he hear thee not, take yet with thee one or two that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be ●●●firmed. And if he will not vouchsafe to hear them, then tell the Church. Which is to make the offence and the offender known to the Congregation; the Elders acquainting the Pastor, the Pastor acquainting the Congregation, they all join in public censure and discipline.  

Rules of private admonition.  Paul hath some rules which pertain to private admonition, for it ought to be done in all gravity, prudence, and in much love. Galat. 6. 1. If a man be fallen by occasion into any sin, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one with the spirit of meekness, considering thyself lest thou also be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. The Elders ought to excel in brotherly love and wisdom, and to use their exhortations with much temperance, as Paul hath set before them in another place. 1 Tim. 5. 1. Rebuke not an Elder, but exhort him as a fathers and the younger men as brethren. The elder women as mothers, and the younger as sisters with all pureness.  

Another duty of Pastors and Elders.  And there is another particular duty which pertains to these Elders, as also to the Pastors and Ministers, which is to visit the sick, and those that are burdened or troubled in conscience, as James saith, If any be sick, let him call for the Elders of the Church, and let them pray for him, and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. For oil is an emblem of the holy Ghost, which by comfortable exhortations out of the word of God with prayer is like oil unto the bones, or as wine that glads the heart. Such refreshment are the Elders to the sick, for the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he have committed sin it shall be forgiven him. And for this cause there is a mutual confession among Christians, when any thing doth vehemently oppress the conscience, therefore saith James confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed, for the prayer of a righteous man availeth much; if it be fervent.   

Of Discipline and censure.  
Now I come to the second part of government, which consisteth also in these three functions. The first sort is called promiscuously, Pastors, Teachers, Bishops, for they have received the gift of one and the same spirit, according to the measure of Christ, as Ephes. 4. For the gathering together of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edification of the body of Christ, until we all meet together in the unity of faith, and knowledge of the son of God unto a perfect Man, and unto the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ. The second sort is Deacons. The third is called by a general name in common to them and the Pastors, Teachers and Bishops, which is the name of Elders, for that in their public execution of Discipline, they are jointly united, so that though the Pastor have the leading voice and precedency, 
Bishop our superintendent.  yet he is not to execute, nor pronounce sentence in the church ●●thout the Elders, nor yet to ordain either Deacons, Elders, or Pastors, without their counsel, and the general consent of the Church, so that the Pastors, Teachers and Bishops, are not to bear the burden alone, it would be too heavy for them, as it was for Moses, if they bore the like conscience to God as Moses did; and if it were too heavy a burden for one man in those days, when the Church was but one Nation, and but one Congregation, and had but one Tabernacle; How must it not now needs be a far greater weight, when the Church is many Nations, far and wide dispersed, and many distinct Congregations.  
But notwithstanding the Elders be joined in one power with the Pastors and Bishops, so that nothing ought to be done without them, the Pastors have this pre-eminence, that the work both of Discipline, censure, and ordination of Elders, Pastors and Deacons, is attributed unto them as most proper to their function; For this cause Paul tells Titus, in his Epistle, cap. 1. that he left him in Crete: that he should continue to redress things that remained, and ordain Elders in every city, as (saith he) I appointed thee. And Acts the 1423. 
Verse 23.  And when they ordained them Elders by election in every Church, and prayed and fasted; they commended them to the Lord, in whom they believed. For neither divine censure, nor ordination could be done without them, neither would the Apostles nor Pastors of the primitive times, for the space of two hundred and fifty years, either censure or ordain any Elders, Pastors, or Deacons, without the Election, and counsel of the Church and Elders. But a little after these times, when pride began to creep into the hearts of the Pastors, Teachers, and Bishops, and that the zeal and care of the Elders grew cold and negligent, as Cyprian Bishop of Carthage, lib. 4. speaking of the cause of the then present persecutions, among other things (saith) What plagues, what stripes, do we not deserve, when no not the confessors and Elders do keep Discipline? And from this degree of lukewarmness it came to be omitted, and after the Nicene council quite extinct, and wiped out of memory; So that no marvel if our age call it the new-brought-in discipline and government of Pastors, Elders and People.  
In this discourse of Discipline, I must have relation to that which is gone before, for that which is part of government in the theoric is also a part of Discipline in the practic, therefore though I have showed that election and ordination are necessary relatives in the Church, that as proper to the Congregation, this other to the pastors, and how they were practised by the Apostles, yet it is needful to reform the Judgements and opinions of men, to show how it is most proper for Congregations to choose their pastors and Elders, and Deacons, and also their consent and counsel in their ordination.  

The Apostles practice is the best of patterns.  To satisfy any indifferent judgement, it is best to make it a perpetual rule and pattern, to follow the example of the Apostles, but it is an enforcing reason, that is necessary that the people, whose summum bonum, doth instrumentally consist in their Pastor should be well acquainted, and sufficiently experimented in his life and conversation, as also in his doctrine which they ought to taste by their care, (for the earth tasteth words as the palate doth meat) before they make choice of him, though it may be they cannot, nor is it required at their hands to try his scholarship, but their capacities (if it be a Congregation that hath lived, and been nourished under a wholesome and structifying ministry) may well judge and taste the sweetness of the divine gift of Preaching by the care, and so try his doctrine, as the men of Berea did the doctrine of Paul; and it may so happen in some Congregations, that are well edified in the Word of God, that they may have among themselves some of their Deacons able and sufficient to succeed their deceased Pastor, and withal I do not think it fit to exclude the choice and presentation of the Universities, nor to debar their Letters of commendation; nor for one Congregation to supply the want of another, for all Congregations are members one of another, and every Christian University is a Congregation, and they all make but one Church to God.  
But what shall I say of patron's presentations? I know not, unless I should say they are too frequently the seed of Simony; For except the Nobles and peers of this kingdom do freely bestow their presentations. I fear there are not many that do the like, and to speak truly of their first donation, it was not done purely. For the Donors in reserving a presentation to them, and their heirs, they kept back a part of the possession they had dedicated to God, as did Ananias and Saphira; And so if they be righty considered, they are are as unnecessary evils in the Church, as Deans and Prebends, which no man can tell to what use they serve in the Church. But if Patrons cannot be admitted by our law, let them present three or four at the least, that the Church may have her choice, and as much as may be avoid that horrid crime of Simony.  

Ordination.  And as for ordination, though the power thereof rest in the Pastors and 
* Or superintendour.  Bishops, yet it is great arrogancy and presumption to forsake the Apostolic and Primitive practice, and usurp a singularity and predominancy to themselves, as if they would disdain the humility of the Apostles, and condemn the wisdom of the holy Ghost.  
But that which doth foster and nourish men in a good opinion of this error to attribute such absolute power to the Bishops and clergy, is that mystical doctrine of Antichrist, which in that smoky darkness thrust upon the world for an undeniable truth, that the Church in her essence is to be conceived to be the Bishops and clergy, and that they only have the unerrable Spirit of God, and that thereby they have power to do all things, as much, and as absolutely as Christ himself when he was on earth, as once a Romish Priest averred to me, that the Priests or clergy were the soul of the Church.  
The nourishing and maintaining of this opinion is the cause why the world hath so long, and so madly doted after episcopacy; But if we think it fit to cast away the pride and ambition of man, abhor this opinion, and let the work be of God, and not of man.   

Of Excommunication.  
Now touching Excommunication, which is that supreme Discipline and divine power which purgeth and segregateth the dross from the pure gold in the temple of God. This part of Discipline is of so high and holy a nature and quality, as that of a Christian, it ought to be had in a most reverend estimation above all the powers of earth: for it is thunderbolt and lightning of God, that upon whom it falleth and pierceth, it doth consume with a terrible flame, and grind him to powder with a direful fall.  

Die Ecclesie, non Episcopo, non Pastori tantum.  This power is committed unto the Church, not to Bishops alone, nor to the Pastors or clergy only, neither have the Elders this power appropriate unto them, but the Church. As Mat. 18 17. If he will not hear, then tell it unto the Church. Now the Church is not properly to be conceived to consist in any one person, who is but a member of the whole, nor can she be said to be any one proper function in the Church, but the whole Church consisting of one head Christ, and many members endued with divers and many administrations and gifts of one and the same spirit, and in this sense every particular public Congregation is an entire Church, and a member of the universal Church throughout the world, because a Congregation contains in itself the whole Church of God, as she hath one and the same head (Christ) one and the same Spirit, and one and the same ministration of the same Word and Sacrament, and one and the same God and Father of all, above all, in all, and through all, and one. And thus having the same Word and Doctrine, the same functions of Pastors, Teachers, Deacons and Elders, the same Sacraments, Administration, Discipline and Government, so that hereby they are united one into another, and one in all, and all in all.  

The private admonition by Elders.  The private exercise of this part of Discipline I have spoken of, which by degrees in private admonition, if it bring not forth the fruits of repentance and amendment, proceeds to the first degree of public correction, (Tell the Church.)  
This information is made by the Elders, who have used the private discipline of exhortation, with much wisdom and patience upon some particular persons, who with hardness of heart have resisted the power of God through ungodliness.  
They declare the offence to the Pastor, and the Pastor in the public assembly acquainteth the people with the offence, and if the delinquent be present, he is caused to stand upbefore the Pastor, who reproves him with the sharp Judgements of God against his sin, by the Word seeking to enlighten his mind, and mollify his heart; Which if it prevail with him, he falleth upon his knees, and desireth the Congregation to pray for him, which done, the Pastor pronounceth unto him the remission of sins, if the Church judge him penitent, if they find him still obstinate and of an unrelenting heart. than they pronounce him debarred from the holy Communion of the Supper of the Lord and continue him upon the stool of repentance with much exhortation, patience, and long forbearing, till they convince him, or otherwise separate him from the Congregation, for a time; if after he continue in his foulness of sin, than he is again called to the Congregation and admonished, which if then it take no effect, her is excommunicated by laying on of the hands of all the Elders, after that he is accounted as an enemy, or as Paul saith, Anathema to the Church, and wholly and finally given over to Satan, according to the words of our Saviour, the 18. Matth. 18. Whomsoever ye bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven, and whom ye shall lose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven.  
Judge, I pray you, if all the politic wits in the world could ever have devised such a pure and subtle discipline, as should spy into the inward secrets of the thoughts, and intentions of the heart, and should purge the conscience, and should cut off the consuming cankers, and rotten members from the body of the Church. What Romish Apothecary could ever have composed such a soul-saving medicine?  
Observe how the holy Spirit hath commanded this discipline to be always practised in the Church. When achan's covetousness troubled the Congregation, by moving God's wrath against them, a diligent search was commanded to be made, and being found out, Achan and his house were cut off. Josh. 7. And also, if there be a scorner or contentious person (saith Solomon) cast out the scorner, and so strife will go out, and so contention shall cease. Also, Rom. 16. 17. 18. Now saith Paul, I beseech you brethren, mark them diligently which cause division and offences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them. And more plainly in the 2 Thess. 36. 10. We command you brethren, in the Name of Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walks inordinately, and not after the instructions which ye received of us. And in the fourteenth verse he saith; If any man obey not your saying, note him by a letter, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed, yet account him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. But if he come to the last degree Excommunion, than saith our Lord Christ, let him be anathema.  
But if you would see the Apostles practice in this discipline, See 1 Cor. 5. chap. 4 and 5. verses, Paul having certain intelligence that there was odious fornication among them, he writ thus unto them; When ye are gathered together, and my spirit, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that such a one, I say, by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ be delivered unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.  
And out of this text make a profitable observation, that Paul will not have Excommunication, (though but in the second degree) executed in any private manner, but by the public assembly gathered together, neither doth he allow it to be done in any name, but in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ; Neither doth he attribute the power, either to himself or the Church, but only to the Lord Jesus.  
Now, and lastly, I must conclude with the last part of Discipline, that is synodical assemblies, which are of three degrees. The first is particular to every Congregation, which consists of the Pastors the Deacons, and the Elders of that Church, whose customs is the best reformed Churches to meet once a week, or as need requires, to take an account of all things that concern the duties of the Elders and the Church-revenues, the Pastor being their chief guide; Those things about which they chiefly busy themselves, are first to catalogue the Professors of their Congregation, their Catechuminists distinguished from those that are thought fit to be admitted to the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, their baptised, their penitents, their Excommunicates, their number of Elders and Deacons, Pastors and Teachers, one or two, as the place requires.  
In this their assembly they consider the spiritual estate, and condition of the flock, examine the revenues of the Church, and the necessities of the poor, and what things soever they find meet to edification. The Pastor exhorting the Elders to diligence, care, and zeal in the work of the Lord, the Deacons to honesty, compasson, and a good conscience.  

The Assembly or Synod of Presbyteries within a shire or Wapontake.  The second order of synods is in the reformed Churches, called the assemblies of the Presbyteries, held monthly, or quarterly, under which they comprehend the Pastors and Church Elders, for every Pastor brings with him two or three Elders, after the quantity of the Congregation, and this synod is a company of Pastors and Elders of a shire or wapontake.  
In these Assemblies they examine the spiritual condition of every parish, take view of their order, diligence, doctrine, and manners, as well the doctrine and manners of the Pastors and Elders, as of the younger people And there they proceed to such further order and censure, as by the holy Scriptures they are taught. And in these synods all errors in opinion, heresies and schisms, that are found noisome to the Congregation are reproved, and the parties exhorted and admonished. In these their synods they always from time to time choose one precedent to guide the affairs, and thus they avoid that pre-eminence, which episcopacy greedily hunts after.  

The general synod.  The third degree is the superlative assembly of Presbyteries, which is either national or provincial, which in some Churches are held yearly, or otherwise as occasions fit; over which the prince and sovereign is the principal Elder, and the Presbyters and Elders appoint one Pastor for the time President of the assembly, who moderates and guides the affairs.  
The matters handled in this synod are a general review of both the former Synods, and specially to take care of the preservation of the purity of Doctrine, and suppressing of heretics, and errors, and all misdemeanours, and schisms in the Church.  
And whatsoever is done in any of these Synods is certified from one to another, and through the national Church of all their most material censures which may concern them in general, whereby the Church is preserved in a sweet and pleasant decorum, unity, purity and peace.  
The unerrable pattern of these Synods is taken from the practice of the Apostles, Acts 15. showing by what rules of temperance and wisdom they ought to judge and give sentence, taking the Scripture for their rule, the holy Ghost for their guide, not laying any burden on the Church by laws, Decrees, or Canons, as I have before spoken.  
And this Divine rule and pattern was kept and observed throughout all the Primitive times, till the great council of Nice, as by the Chronography of Socrates. Scholast. may be observed, yet the earthly glory of Babel hath so long dazzled the eyes of most men, that they call the truth novelty.  
But if men were of a free spirit and clear judgement, not enthralled with prejudicate opinions, nor darkened with the more than Egyptian mists of Rome, they might here behold the virgin purity of the Church of God, both in her Worship, Jurisdiction, Doctrine, Government and Discipline, to have been from the beginning of the world one and the same.  
Thus have I adventured to present unto the eyes of men, the true face of the Christian Church shining in her spiritual lustre, and Christ Jesus our Lord reigning and ruling over the souls and consciences of man, not entrenching upon the temporal power of Kings and Princes.  
Now the Lord give unto us understanding in all things, and with the holy Apostle Paul I will bow the knees of my soul, unto the Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, of whom is named the whole Family in heaven and in earth, that he may grant us according to the riches of his glory, that we may be strengthened by his Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in our hearts by Faith, that we being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth all knowledge, that we may be filled with all fullness of God. Unto him therefore that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, be praise in the Church by Jesus Christ through all Generations for ever, Amen. Eph. 3. 14.  
Soli Deo Gloria.   
FINIS.