CHAP. CXXXV.
Truth. These arguments to prove the magistrate subject, even for sin committed in judicial proceeding, I judge, like Mount Zion, immoveable, and every true Christian that is a magistrate will judge so with me: yet a query or two will not be unseasonable.
Christ’s administrations are charged firstly upon the ministers thereof.
First, where they name the church in this whole passage, whether they mean the church without the ministry or governors of it, or with the elders and governors jointly? and if the latter, why name they not the governors at all, since that in all administrations of the church the duty lies not upon the body of the church, but firstly and properly upon the elders?
The ministers or governors of Christ’s church to be acknowledged in their dispensations.
It is true in case of the elder’s obstinacy in apparent sin, the church hath power over him, having as much power to take down as to set up, Col. iv. [17,] Say to Archippus, &c.; yet in the ordinary dispensations and administrations of the ordinances, the ministers or elders thereof are first charged with duty, &c.
Hence first for the apostles, who converted, gathered, and espoused the churches to Christ, I question whether their power to edification was not a power over the churches, as many scriptures seem to imply.
A paradox; magistrates made the judges of the churches, and governors of them, yet censurable by them.
Secondly, for the ordinary officers ordained for the ordinary and constant guiding, feeding, and governing the church, they were rulers, shepherds, bishops, or overseers, and to them was every letter and charge, commendation or reproof, directed, Rev. ii. 3, Acts xx. And that place by them quoted for the submission of the magistrates to the church, it mentions only submission to the rulers thereof, Heb. xiii. 17. Those excellent men concealed not this out of ignorance, and therefore most certainly in a silent way confess, that their doctrine concerning the magistrates’ power in church causes would seem too gross, if they should not have named the whole church, and but silently implied the governors of it. And is it not wonderful in any sober eye, how the same persons, magistrates, can be exalted over the ministers and members, as being bound to establish, reform, suppress by the civil sword in punishing the body or goods, and yet for the same actions, if the church and governors thereof so conceive, be liable to a punishment ten thousand times more transcendent, to wit, excommunication, a punishment reaching to their souls, and consciences, and eternal estate; and this not only for common sins, but for those actions which immediately concern the execution of their civil office, in judicial proceeding?
Queen Elizabeth’s bishops truer to their principles, than many of a better spirit and profession.