religion-第13部分

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opinions。
　　　　XXI。　It　followes　what　hath　beene　already　said　by　necessary
connexion；　that　a　City　of　Christian　men；　and　a　Church；　is
altogether　the　same　thing；　of　the　same　men；　term'd　by　two　names；
for　two　causes：　For　the　matter　of　a　City　&　a　Church　is　one；　to
wit　the　same　Christian　men。　And　the　forme　which　consists　in　a
Lawfull　power　of　assembling　them　is　the　same　too；　for　'tis
manifest　that　every　Subject　is　oblig'd　to　come　thither；　whither
he　is　summon'd　by　his　City。　Now　that　which　is　call'd　a　City；　as
it　is　made　up　of　men；　the　same；　as　it　consists　of　Christians；　is
styled　a　Church。
　　　　XXII。　This　too　is　very　cohaerent　with　the　same　points；　If
there　be　many　Christian　Cities；　they　are　not　altogether
personally　one　church。　They　may　indeed　by　mutuall　consent　become
one　Church；　but　no　otherwise；　then　as　they　must　also　become　one
City；　For　they　cannot　assemble　but　at　some　certaine　time；　and　to
some　place　appointed。　But　Persons；　places；　and　times；　belong　to
civill　Right；　neither　can　any　Subject　or　stranger　lawfully　set
his　foot　on　any　place；　but　by　the　permission　of　the　City；　which
is　Lord　of　the　place。　But　the　things　which　cannot　lawfully　be
done　but　by　the　permission　of　the　City；　those；　if　they　be
lawfully　done；　are　done　by　the　Cities　authority。　The　Universall
church　is　indeed　one　mysticall　body；　whereof　CHRIST　is　the　head；
but　in　the　same　manner；　that　all　men　together　acknowledging　God
for　the　Ruler　of　the　world；　are　one　Kingdome；　and　one　City；　which
notwithstanding　is　neither　one　Person；　nor　hath　it　one　common
action；　or　determination。　Farthermore　where　it　is　said　that
CHRIST　is　the　head　of　his　body　the　Church；　it　manifestly
appeares；　that　that　was　spoken　by　the　Apostle　of　the　Elect；　who
as　long　as　they　are　in　this　world；　are　a　Church　onely　in
potentia；　but　shall　not　actually　be　so　before　they　be　separated
from　the　reprobate；　and　gather'd　together　among　themselves；　in
the　day　of　Judgement。　The　Church　of　Rome　of　old　was　very　great；
but　she　went　not　beyond　the　bounds　of　her　Empire；　and　therefore
neither　was　she　Universall；　unlesse　it　were　in　that　sense；
wherein　it　was　also　said　of　the　City　of　Rome；　Orbem　jam　totum
victor　Romanus　habebat；　when　as　yet　he　had　not　the　twentieth　part
of　it。　But　after　that　the　civill　Empire　was　divided　into　parts；
the　single　Cities　thence　arising　were　so　many　Churches；　and　that
power　which　the　Church　of　Rome　had　over　them；　might　perhaps　wholy
depend　on　the　authority　of　those　Churches；　who　having　cast　off
the　Emperours　were　yet　content　to　admit　the　Doctours　of　Rome。
　　　　XXIII。　They　may　be　called　Church…men　who　exercise　a　publique
office　in　the　Church。　But　of　offices　there　was　one　a　Ministery；
another　a　Maistery；　The　office　of　the　Ministers　was　to　serve
Tables；　to　take　care　of　the　temporall　goods　of　the　Church；　and　to
distribute　（at　that　time　when　all　propriety　of　riches　being
abolisht；　they　were　fed　in　common）　to　each　man　his　portion；　The
Maisters　according　to　their　order；　were　called　some　Apostles；
some　Bishops；　some　Presbyters；　that　is　to　say　Elders；　yet　not　so；
as　that　by　the　name　of　Presbyter；　the　age；　but　the　office　might
be　distinguisht；　For　Timothy　was　a　Presbyter　although　a　young
man；　but　because　for　the　most　part　the　Elders　were　receiv'd　into
the　Maistership；　the　word；　denoting　age；　was　us'd　to　signifie　the
office。　The　same　Maisters；　according　to　the　diversity　of　their
employments　were　called　some　of　them　Apostles；　some　Prophets；
some　Evangelists；　some　Pastors　or　Teachers。　And　the　Apostolicall
worke　indeed　was　universall；　the　Propheticall　to　declare　their
owne　revelations　in　the　Church；　the　Evangelicall　to　preach；　or　to
be　publishers　of　the　Gospell　among　the　infidels；　that　of　the
Pastors　to　teach；　confirme；　and　rule　the　minds　of　those　who
already　beleev'd。
　　　　XXIV。　In　the　Election　of　Church…men　two　things　are　to　be
considered；　the　Election　of　the　Persons；　and　their　consecration；
or　institution；　which　also　is　called　ordination。　The　first　twelve
Apostles　CHRIST　himselfe　both　elected；　and　ordain'd。　After
CHRISTS　ascension　Matthias　was　elected　in　the　roome　of　Judas　the
Traitour；　the　Church　（which　at　that　time　consisted　of　a
Congregation　of　about　one　hundred　and　twenty　men）　choosing　two
men：　And　they　appointed　two；　Joseph　and　Matthias；　but　God
himselfe　by　lot　approving　of　Mathias。　And　Saint　Paul　calls　these
twelve　the　first；　and　great　Apostles；　also　the　Apostles　of　the
Circumcision。　Afterward　were　added　two　other　Apostles；　Paul；　and
Barnabas；　ordain'd　indeed　by　the　Doctours；　and　Prophets　of　the
Church　of　Antioch；　（which　was　a　particular　Church）　by　the
imposition　of　hands；　but　elected　by　the　command　of　the　Holy
Ghost。　That　they　were　both　Apostles　is　manifest　in　the　13。　of　the
Acts　v。　2；　3。　That　they　receiv'd　their　Apostleship　from　hence；
namely　because　they　were　separated　by　command　of　the　spirit　for
the　work　of　God；　from　the　rest　of　the　Prophets；　and　Doctours　of
the　Church　of　Antioch；　Saint　Paul　himselfe　shewes；　who　calls
himselfe　for　distinctions　sake　an　Apostle　separated　unto　the
Gospell　of　God；　Rom。　1。　ver。　1。　But　if　it　be　demanded　further；　by
what　authority　it　came　to　passe　that　that　was　receiv'd　for　the
command　of　the　Holy　Ghost；　which　those　Prophets　and　Doctours　did
say　proceeded　from　him；　it　must　necessarily　be　answer'd；　by　the
Authority　of　the　church　of　Antioch。　For　the　Prophets　&　Doctours
must　be　examined　by　the　Church　before　they　be　admitted；　For　Saint
John　saith；　Beleeve　not　every　Spirit；　but　try　the　Spirits；
whether　they　are　of　God；　because　many　false　Prophets　are　gone　out
into　the　world；　but　by　what　Church；　but　that　to　which　that
Epistle　was　written？　In　like　manner　Saint　Paul　reprooves　the
Churches　of　Galatia；　because　they　Judaized；　Gal。　2。　v。　14。
although　they　seemed　to　doe　so　by　the　Authority　of　Peter；　for
when　he　had　told　them　that　he　had；　reprehended　Peter　himselfe
with　these　words；　If　thou　being　a　Iew；　livest　after　the　manner　of
Gentiles；　and　not　as　doe　the　Iewes；　why　compellest　thou　the
Gentiles　to　live　as　doe　the　Iewes？　Not　long　after　he　questions
them；　saying；　This　onely　would　I　learne　of　you：　Received　ye　the
Spirit　by　the　works　of　the　Law；　or　by　the　hearing　of　faith？　Gal。
3。　ver。　2。　Where　it　is　evident；　that　it　was　Judaisme　which　he
reprehended　the　Galathians　for；　notwithstanding　that　the　Apostle
Peter　compelled　them　to　Judaize。　Seeing　therefore　it　belonged　to
the　Church；　and　not　to　Peter；　and　therefore　also　not　to　any　man；
to　determine　what　Doctors　they　should　follow；　it　also　pertained
to　the　authority　of　the　Church　of　Antioch　to　elect　their　Prophets
and　Doctors。　Now　because　the　Holy　Ghost　separated　to　himself　the
Apostles　Paul　&　Barnabas；　by　the　imposition　of　hands　from　Doctors
thus　elected；　its　manifest；　that　imposition　of　hands；　&
consecration；　of　the　prime　Doctors　in　each　Church；　belongs　to　the
Doctors　of　the　same　Church。　But　Bishops；　who　were　also　called
Presbyters；　although　all　Presbyters　were　not　Bishops；　were
ordain'd　somtimes　by　Apostles　（for　Paul　&　Barnabas　when　they　had
taught　in　Derbe；　Lystra；　and　Iconium；　ordained　Elders　in　every
Church；　Acts　14。　v。　23。）　sometimes　by　other　Bishops；　for　Titus
was　by　Paul　left　in　Crete；　that　he　should　ordain　Elders　in　every
City；　Tit。　1。　v。　5。　And　Timothy　was　advised　not　to　neglect　the
gift　that　was　in　him；　which　was　given　him　by　Prophesy　with　the
laying　on　of　the　hands　of　the　Presbytery；　1。　Tim。　4。　v。　14。　And
he　had　rules　given　him　concerning　the　Election　of　Presbyters。　But
that　cannot　be　understood　otherwise；　then　of　the　ordination　of
those　who　were　elected　by　the　Church；　for　no　man　could　constitute
a　Doctor　in　the　Church；　but　by　the　Churches　permission。　For　the
duty　of　the　Apostles　themselves　was　not　to　command；　but　to　teach；
and　although　they　who　were　recommended　by　the　Apostles；　or
Presbyters；　were　not　rejected；　for　the　esteem　that　was　had　of　the
recommenders；　yet　seeing　they　could　not　be　elected　without　the
will　of　the　Church；　they　were　also　suppos'd　elected　by　the
authority　of　the　Church。　In　like　manner　Ministers；　who　are　called
Deacons；　were　ordained　by　the　Apostles；　yet　elected　by　the
Church。　For　when　the　seven　Deacons　were　to　bee　elected；　and
ordained；　the　Apostles　elected　them　not；　but　look　yee　out；　（say
they）　among　you　Brethren　seven　men　of　honest　report；　&c。　And　they
chose　Stephen；　&c。　And　they　set　them　before　the　Apostles；　Acts　6。
vers。　3。　6。　It　is　apparent　therefore　by　the　custome　of　the
Primitive　Church　under　the　Apostles；　that　the　ordination；　or
consecration　of　all　Church…men；　which　is　done　by　Prayer；　and
imposition　of　hands；　belonged　to　the　Apostles；　and　Doctors；　but
the　Election　of　those　who　were　to　be　consecrated；　to　the　Church。
　　　　XXV。　Concerning　the　power　of　binding；　and　loosing；　that　is　to
say　of　remitting；　and　retaining　of　sinnes；　there　is　no　doubt；　but
it　was　given　by　Christ　to　the　Pastors　then　yet　for　to　come；　in
the　same　manner　as　it　was　to　the　present　Apostles。　Now　the
Apostles　had　all　the　power　of　remitting　of　sins　given　them；　which
Christ　himselfe　had；　As　the　Father　hath　sent　me　（sayes　Christ）　so
send　I　you；　John　20。　vers。　21。　and　he　addes；　Whose　soever　sins
yee　remit；　they　are　remitted；　and　whose　soever　sins　ye　retain；
they　are　retained。　vers。　23。　But　what　binding　and　loosing；　or
remitting　and　retaining　of　sinnes；　is；　admits　of　some　scruple。
For　first；　to　retain　his　sinnes　who　being　baptized　into　remission
of　sins；　is　truly　penitent；　seems　to　be　against　the　very　Covenant
it　selfe　of　the　new　Testament；　and　therefore　could　not　be　done　by
Christ　himselfe；　much　lesse　by　his　Pastors。　And　to　remit　the
impenitent；　seems　to　be　against　the　will　of　God　the　Father；　from
whom　Christ　was　sent　to　convert　the　world；　and　to　reduce　men　unto
obedience。　Furthermore；　if　each　Pastor　had　an　authority　granted
him　to　remit　and　retain　sinnes　in　this　manner；　all　awe　of
Princes；　and　civill　Magistrates；　together　with　all　kind　of　civill
Government　would　be　utterly　destroyed。　For　Christ　hath　said　it；
nay　even　nature　it　selfe　dictates；　that　we　should　not　feare　them
who　slay　the　body；　but　cannot　kill　the　soule；　but　rather　feare
him　who　can　cast　both　soule　and　body　into　hell；　Mat。　10。　vers。
28。　Neither　is　any　man　so　mad　as　not　to　choose　to　yeeld　obedience
rather　to　them　who　can　remit；　and