GRINDAL The second book of discipline drawn by the Scotch Presbyterians. Heads and Conclusions of the Church: and, first, of the Policy thereof in General, wherein it differs from the Civil. "1. The Church of God is sometimes largely taken for all 1. Agreed. them that profess the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and thus it is a society not only of the godly, but also hypocrites, who make an outward profession of the true religion. 2. Agreed. 3. Agreed that the Church is sometimes taken for them that exercise the "2. Sometimes the Church is taken in a stricter sense, and comprehends only the elect; and sometimes the notion is still more confined, and reaches no farther than those who exercise spiritual functions. "3. The Church in this last sense has a power of jurisdiction and government, granted by God for the benefit of the whole society. "4. This ecclesiastical power is an authority granted by God the Father, through the mediation of Jesus Christ; it is granted to his Church by the word of God, and is to be executed by those to whom the spiritual government of the 4. Continued Church is committed by lawful calling. spiritual function in particular congregations. to farther reasoning; is said, 66 5. This polity and power of the Church is an order or and when it form of spiritual government, exercised by those entrusted with it by the word of God. The grant of it is therefore immedier floweth ately made to the office-bearer, by whom it is managed for the his Church," advantage of the whole body. from God to whether this the whole should be un- "6. This power is differently used; for sometimes it is exderstood of ecuted mostly by the teachers; sometimes it is managed conjointly by the mutual consent of those that bear office and bearers, and charge after the form of judgment. The former is called potestas ordinis,' the other, 'potestas jurisdictionis.' Church, or of the office whether it floweth mediately or immediately. "7. These two kinds of power have both one ground, and 5. Referred one final cause, but are different in the form and manner of exto farther ecution, as appears by what our Saviour has delivered in the xvith and xviiith of St. Matthew. reasoning. 6. The last words of the article are thought unnecessary, and therefore to be deleted. 7. Agreed. 8. Agreed. 9. Say, in "8. This ecclesiastical polity and jurisdiction is of a different and distinct nature from that called the civil power; though both the one and the other are derived from God, and tend to the same end. "9. For this power ecclesiastical flows immediately from God, and the Mediator Jesus Christ, and is spiritual; not BETH. having any temporal head in the earth, but only Christ, the ELIZAspiritual King, and Governor of the Church. 66 For this "10. It is a title falsely usurped by Antichrist to call him- stead thereof, self the head of the Church, and ought not to be given to any power is spiangel or mortal whatever. ritual, not having, deleting the "They should not "11. This power and polity of the Church, therefore, should other words. be clearly grounded upon the word of God, and taken from the 10. Agreed. 11. Agreed. pure fountains of the Scripture. "12. It belongs to kings, princes, and magistrates, to be 12. Agreed, called lords and dominators over their subjects; but in the these words, changing spiritual government of the Church, the style of Lord and Master ought to be given to none but Christ. As for those that be called bear office in the Church, they ought not to usurp dominion, their flock." 13. Change nor be called lords, but ministers, disciples, and servants. the last "13. Notwithstanding, as the ministers and others of the words, ecclesiastical state are subject to the magistrate civilly, so cal ought the person of the magistrate be subject to the Church ment for spiritually, and in ecclesiastical government. lords over "ecclesiasti govern "ecclesiastical disci pline." "14. The exercise of both these jurisdictions cannot ordi- 14. Referred narily be united in one person. "15. The civil power is called the power of the sword; other the power of the keys. to farther reasoning the when the order of bishops shall be discussed. to the attri "16. The civil power should command the spiritual to per- 15. Referred form their office according to the word of God; the spiritual till they come rulers are to require the Christian magistrate to administer bution of the justice, to maintain the liberty of the Church, and the public 16. Agreed. repose. power. this to be "17. The magistrate commands in things external for pro- 17. Defer moting the public tranquillity; but the minister manages ex- resolved ternal things only with reference to conscience. with the next. "The 18th is no more than an explication of the 17th, and 15. Analostands referred in the margin. gous. "19. The civil magistrate gets obedience by the sword, and 19. Here is other external means: but the minister by the spiritual sword, nothing. and spiritual means. that neither "20. The magistrate ought neither to preach, administer 20. Agreed, the sacraments, nor execute the censures of the Church, nor ought the yet prescribe any rule how it should be done, but command the magistrate preach nor minister to observe the rule prescribed in the word, and punish execute the transgressors by civil means. The minister on the other side censures of VOL. VI. Q q the Church, GRINDAL exercises not the civil jurisdiction, but teaches the magistrate how it should be exercised according to the word. Abp. Cant. which is to be under stood of ex "21. The magistrate ought to assist, maintain, and fortify the jurisdiction of the Church; the ministers should assist their princes in all things agreeable to the word, provided second part they neglect not their charge by involving themselves in civil of this article affairs. communication, and referreth the to further reasoning. It is likewise the magis "22. Finally, as ministers are subject to the judgment and agreed, that punishment of magistrates in external things, if they offend ; so ought the magistrates to submit themselves to the discipline of the Church, if they transgress in matters of conscience and sacraments, religion. trule ought not to administer the 21. Referred. 22. Referred. 1. The name of the Church in "CHAPTER II. Of the Parts or Polity of the Church, and Persons or Office-bearers to whom the Administration is committed. "1. In the polity of the Church some are appointed to be rulers, and the rest to obey, according to God's word, and the this article is inspiration of his Spirit, always under one Head and Chief Governor, Jesus Christ. taken for the Church in the first signification, to 2. The whole polity of the Church consists chiefly in these rit, for the three things, doctrine, discipline, and distribution; under doctrine, the administration of the holy sacraments is comprehended. whole Church. Agreed with the rest of the articles. 2. Referred. "3. In consequence of this division, there are three kinds 3. Referred. of officers in the Church; that is to say, ministers or preachers, elders or governors, and deacons or distributors; and all these may be ranged under the general denomination of ministers of the Church. 564. 4. Referred. 5. Referred. 6. Referred. 4. Notwithstanding Jesus Christ is the only King, Highpriest, and Head of the Church, yet he makes use of the ministry of men as necessary officers in his government. "The 5th article proves the 4th by instances from the Scripture, both before the law, under the law, and under the Gospel. These men are said to be endowed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and raised up for the government of the Church. "6. And to prevent all pretences for tyranny, it is God Almighty's pleasure that these officers should govern with mutual consent of brethren, with parity of power, and every ELIZAone within the compass of their respective functions. BETH. "7. In the New Testament under the Gospel he hath used 7. Referred. the ministry of the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and doctors, in the administration of the word; the eldership for good order and administration of discipline, the deaconship to have the care of ecclesiastical goods. "8. Some of these ecclesiastical functions are ordinary, 8. Referred. some extraordinary, or temporary. Under this latter head the apostles, prophets, and evangelists are to be reckoned: these are not perpetual, but have now ceased in the Church: notwithstanding it may please God to revive them again for some time upon extraordinary occasions. “9. There are four ordinary offices or functions in the 9. Referred, Church of God; the pastor, minister or bishop, the doctor, the presbyter or elder, and the deacon. "10. As these offices are perpetual, so no other ought to 10.Referred. be admitted in the Church of God. From whence it follows, 11. That all ambitious titles invented in the kingdom of 11. Referred. Antichrist, and his usurped hierarchy, and which are none of these four sorts of offices, ought to be rejected. "CHAPTER III.-How the Persons that bear Ecclesiastical Functions are to be admitted to their offices. "In the first place they make a calling to this function necessary this calling they define a lawful way for the promoting qualified persons to any special office in the Church of God. There are two sorts of callings: one by immediate and extraordinary mission; and thus the apostles and prophets were called by God Almighty; but where a Church is fully formed and settled, this immediate designation is not to be expected. The ordinary calling requires an approbation from men, according to God's Word, and the order established in the Church. However, none ought to presume upon any ecclesiastical office unless his conscience declares for his integrity, and prompts him to it. This ordinary calling consists of election and ordination: election is the appointing a person to a vacancy. The choice is to be made by the suffrages of the eldership, together with the consent of the congregation where the person is to officiate." GRINDAL This last article is referred; but all the rest of the chapter, Abp. Cant. both precedent and subsequent, is agreed by the state-com mittee. "The general qualifications required in those promoted to the pastoral office are orthodoxy and a regularity of manners. "Ordination is the separation and sanctifying of the person appointed by God and his Church. The ceremonies of ordination are fasting, prayer, and imposition of hands by the eldership. The persons ordained are to remember that the extent of their function is limited by God's word. From whence, as they proceed, it follows, they are to assume no titles but what the Scripture gives them; and distinguish not themselves by any marks of dignity or secular honour. And lastly, that all these office-bearers should be tied to their particular flocks, and reside with them. "CHAPTER IV. Of the Office-bearers, and first of the Pastors and Ministers. "Pastors, bishops, or ministers are those who are appointed to particular congregations, which they are to govern by the word of God. Thus, for this reason, they are sometimes called pastors, because they feed their congregation, sometimes bishops, because they oversee and guard their flock; sometimes ministers, upon the score of their service and office; and sometimes presbyters or seniors in regard of the gravity and solemnity of behaviour, for which they ought to be remarkable. No person ought to be chosen into the ministry without the assignment of a particular congregation: no man ought to usurp this office without lawful calling. Those who are duly elected, and have undertaken the ministerial office, are not allowed the liberty to return to a secular life; and therefore, in case they desert their function, they are to be excommunicated. No pastor is to have the liberty of quitting his congreReferred. gation without the permission of the provincial assembly. Preaching and administration of the sacraments is the pastor's business. He is likewise to pray for the people, and pronounce the blessing. He is to inspect the behaviour of his flock, that he may be the better directed in his exhortations and reproof. And after lawful proceedings of the eldership, it is the minis |