be parallel unto the cutting off in the law : "that soul shall be cut off from among his people" (which I have before proved to be meant of excommunication), as likewise to that, 1 Cor. v. 14, "put away that wicked person from among you." 4. Other interpretations do not so well agree to the text. This cutting off could not be expected, nor any hopes had of it by the hand of justice, or of the magistrate, for the magistrates of that time were themselves troublers of the Christians, so far they were from cutting off those that troubled them. Those that understand the words of an imprecation of eternal cutting off from God, and being accursed from Christ, draw themselves into thorny questions, wherein they can hardly satisfy themselves or others. To understand it of cutting off by death, doth not well answer that allusion to circumcision, generally observed (as hath been said) by interpreters; which allusion doth intimate that it is not a cutting off out of the world, but a cutting off from the body of the church. I would that they themselves were cut off, as the præputium, from the church, that is, cut off à consortio ecclesiæ, saith Gualther. If it be said, Why doth he not prescribe or command to excommunicate them? Why then doth the Apostle only wish it? To this we may either answer as Beza: The apostle Paul's authority at that time was extremely blasted and weakened in the churches of Galatia; or thus, the Apostle knew that as the churches of Galatia then stood affected (being betwitched with the Judaising zealots, and, in a manner, moved away to another gospel), both churches and ministry were unwilling to excommunicate those that he means of; for which cause he would not peremptorily command their excommunication, renitente ecclesia, but forbeareth for that season, wishing for better times. Some think that the Apostle speaketh positively of excommunication, ver. 10: "He shall bear his judgment;" but others are of opinion the Apostle there speaks of the judgment of God,-which he certainly and positively denounces,-and that, ver. 12, he addeth this as a distinct purpose,that he could wish them also cut off from the church by excommunication.

It will be an argument of more weight against Erastus's interpretation of that text, if we object against him thus: This cutting off which the Apostle wisheth to those that trouble the Galatians, cannot be meant of a

divine or miraculous judgment upon them such as he thinks to be meant, 1 Cor. v. (which place he parallels with Gal. v. 12, as to the punishment intended); for if so, why doth not the Apostle adjudge them positively to be cut off or destroyed, as he did constitute and decree, by his apostolical power of miracles (so thinks Erastus), the incestuous Corinthian to be delivered to Satan? To this Erastus replieth, lib. 3, cap. 9, Because the apostles had not power to work miracles quoties vellent, as often as they would, nor to afflict or slay any, but when it seemed good in God's eyes, sed quando Deo visum fuit utile, necessarium, et salutare. But I ask, Was it right and agreeable to the will of God that the Apostle should wish their cutting off? Was it not profitable and necessary for the church's good that they should be cut off? Where shall we find that the working of a miracle was profitable and necessary for the church's good, and that an apostle did desire and thirst after the working of that miracle, and yet had not power from God to work it? How had the false apostles insulted at this? Is this the great Apostle of the Gentiles, who hath not power from God to work a miracle, when himself professeth he would gladly have it wrought?

Fourteenthly, That passage, 2 Cor. x. 6, is, by some, brought (not without very considerable reasons) for the spiritual or ecclesiastical censures. "And have in readiness," saith the Apostle (or as the Syriac, we are ready), "to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled." Novarinus in 2 Cor. x. 6, plerique de excommunicandi potestate hæc verba interpretantur. In this sense was the text understood a thousand years ago by Gregory, Epist., lib. 2, cap. 37. The Dutch Annotations upon the place, say that the Apostle's meaning is: "Of declaring the vengeance of God against the obstinate, and of exercising the ecclesiastical bann or discipline against those who, professing themselves members of the congregation, do yet teach or lead unchristian lives or doctrine." Others also (among whom is Mr David Dickson) understand church censures to be here meant. Apostle is, in that chapter, confuting the calumny of such as said of him, His epistles were weighty and powerful, and did speak of great things, but when he himself is bodily present, he doth but little, he assumes no great authority, he is weak and almost

The

contemptible.

In answer hereunto he tells them, "The weapons of our warfare" (speaking not only in his own name, but in the name of all the ministers of Christ), though they be not carnal, yet "they are mighty through God" to conquer and captivate souls to the obedience of Christ. And as for the stubborn and unruly, we are armed with a power of corrective government, which shall be more fully executed in due time. There is but one of two interpretations which can, with any probability, seem to agree to this text, namely, that it is meant either of the extraordinary apostolical power by which they did miraculously punish some offenders (as Peter did Ananias and Sapphira, and as Paul did Elymas), or of a corrective church government and excommunication. The reasons which induce me to believe that the Apostle meaneth here of church censures, especially excommunication, and not of that extraordinary miraculous power, are these: 1. The reason added, "When your obedience is fulfilled," cannot suit to the power of working miracles (for it had been the more seasonable to work such miracles while the obedience of the Corinthians was not yet fulfilled. Miracles are not for them that believe, but for them that believe not, saith the same apostle), but it suits very well to the power of church censures; for as Esthius and Novarinus explain the Apostle's reason, it is in vain to excommunicate all such as are worthy of excommunication, when there is a general renitency and unwillingness in the church, or to cut off a member when the same evil hath infected either the whole or the greatest part of the body, which Augustine also tells us in divers places. And this (by the way) confirms the reason which I gave, why the Apostle only wisheth those that troubled the Galatians to be cut off, but doth not command it, in regard of the present unwillingness and disaffection of those churches. 2. We may have a great deal of light to this place, by comparing it with chap. xi. 20, 21 and xiii. 2. Many among the Corinthians had sinned foul and scandalous sins, whereof they had not repented, and for which they were not censured or cast out of the church. The Apostle certifieth them, that if he come, he will not spare. What? Was it his meaning to work a miracle upon every fornicator, and each other scandalous person in the church of Corinth? No,

sure.

Mark his words, "Now, I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to

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all other, that if I come again, I will not spare." Who can imagine his meaning to be that he would work a miracle upon them and all other? So here, when it is said, having in readiness to revenge all disobedience," let it be remembered that the apostolical power of miracles was never appointed to be executed against all disobedience. Thirdly, That which the Apostle saith of the spiritual weapons, the spiritual weapons, "Mighty, through God, to the pulling down of strongholds," &c., was not proper or peculiar to the apostles, but is rightly applied to all the ministers of the gospel; the more hardly can it be supposed, that what is immediately added, and, as it were with one breath, uttered, "And having in readiness to revenge all disobedience," is meant of the extraordinary apostolical power. Fourthly, Such as the weapons are for conquering and subduing souls to the obedience of Christ, such is the corrective or punitive part there spoken of. But the weapons for conquering are merely spiritual, not corporal; therefore the corrective or punitive part there spoken of is also spiritual, and so doth not concern the the inflicting of corporal punishment, such as Erastians understand by delivering to Satan.

Fifteenthly, An ecclesiastical ruling power may be proved from 2 Cor. ii. 8, "I beseech you that you would confirm your love towards him." Here is a juridical power of loosing, and consequently of binding; for it belongeth to the same power to bind and loose, to excommunicate and to absolve. An authoritative juridical loosing I prove from the word kupoα, which properly signifieth the making a thing sure or firm by a decisive suffrage, authoritative judgment, tificatory and obligatory sentence passed upon it. Hen. Stephanus, in Thes. Lingua Gr., in the word kupów, saith that this text, 2 Cor. ii. 8, is more rightly read, Ut ratam faciatis in illum charitatem, than as the vulgar Latin hath it, Ut confirmetis. The verb Kupów, he expoundeth thus: Auctoritatem do, auctoritate mea comprobo; vel ratum habeo, ratum facio. Pasor renders the same verb sancio, ratum facio, and citeth for that sense 2 Cor. ii. 6. So Erasmus likewise upon the place; so Cartwright upon the same place against the Rhemists; so Chemnitius, Exam. Conc. Trident., part 4; de Indulg. p. 53. The force of this word, Kupwσat, was urged against the opinion of Erastus in a public dispute at Heidelberg, the narration whereof is left by Ursinus in

his Catechetical Explications. That the word signifieth an authoritative act, and supposeth a ruling power, may be thus further confirmed: First, who did Kupoa but κvpía ékkλŋoia? No doubt the Apostle borroweth the word from the language and customs of the heathen Greeks. Now κυρία ἐκκλησία was a fixed or set lawful assembly, which met with a judicial ruling power, and ratified a thing by decisive suffrages, ἐκύρουν τὰ ψηφίσματα. See Suidas in the word ekkλncia; Stephanus and Scapula in the word kúpios; Erasmus in 2 Cor. ii. 8. Arias Montanus, in the word kupia, tells us, that to the Grecians Kupia was the same thing which comitia was to the Latins; therefore such assemblies had a judicial power, and their suffrages were kúpiai dugai, firm and ratified sentences. Secondly, Kuρόω cometh from κῦρος, whence also cometh κύριος, Lord, κυριότες, dominion, κυριεύω, το rule, or to have a dominion. It was long ago observed by Dionysius Areopagita, de Divinis Nominibus, cap. 12, where, after he hath put into the description of Kupιórηs, dominion, that it is ȧŋs kaì åμeráπTOS Bebauórns, true and unshaken firmness, he adds this reason, διὸ καὶ κυριότης παρὰ τὸ κῦρος, καὶ τὸ κύριον, καὶ τό κυριεῦον, which Balthasar Corderius rendereth thus: Quapropter dominatio Græce a kupos derivato nomine, idem est quod firmatio, firmamentum et firmum, ac firmans seu ratificans. Pachimeres in his Paraphrase addeth, that κυριότης, as it signifieth ἐξουσία, hath its name from Kupos. So, then, it is not every confirming, certifying, or making sure a thing, but when a thing is made sure or firm, with fulness of authority and power. The word kupos is therefore rightly rendered by Stephanus, Scapula, and Pasor, not only firmamentum rata fides, but auctoritas plena, full authority. Thirdly, The same Apostle calls a ratified testament (which ratification is by a legal and judicial authority) Sialkη keкvρwμévn, Gal. iii. 15. Fourthly, The opposite verb akupów signifieth auctoritate privo, omni imperio spolio irritum reddo. As ȧkupów noteth a privation of authority, so kupów a giving of authority or ratification.

The sixteenth argument to prove a distinct church government is this: The visible, political, ministerial church is the kingdom of Jesus Christ, and he is the Head, King, Judge, and Lawgiver thereof, Isa. ix. 6; Isa. xxii. 21-22; Psal. ii. 6; Luke i. 33;

1 Cor. xv. 24; Eph. i. 21–23. Dare any say that the Lord Jesus shall not govern the Church of England, and reign over the same? Luke xix. 14, 27. Must he not be received both as Lord and as Christ? Acts ii. 36. Now in the administration and government of a kingdom these three things are necessarily required, 1. Laws. 2. Officers, ministers, judges, courts. 3. Censures and punishments of offences. Which three being universally necessary in every kingdom, can least of all be wanting in the church and kingdom of Jesus Christ, who hath been more faithful in the execution of his kingly office, and hath provided better for the government of his church, than ever any king or state in this world did for a civil government. I add, The laws, judicatories, and censures, in the kingdom of Christ, must be spiritual and ecclesiastical, because his kingdom is not of this world, and his servants cannot take the sword, John xviii. 36. Neither are the weapons of our warfare carnal, but yet mighty through God, and in readiness to revenge all disobedience, 2 Cor. x. 4-6. I do not see what can be answered to this argument, except any do so far deny the kingly office of Jesus Christ, as to say that the church political or ministerial is not his kingdom, but only the church mystical; that is, as he ruleth over our souls by his word and Spirit. To which purpose Mr Hussey, in his Plea, p. 33, denieth that the visible church can be called the body of Christ, or he their Head; and tells us that the government which Christ hath over the faithful is truly spiritual, " And of this kingdom (saith he) he hath indeed no officers but his Spirit." I reply, 1. The Scripture is plain that a visible, ministerial church is the body of Christ, Rom. xii. 4, 5; 1 Cor. x. 16, 17; 1 Cor. xii. 12-28. If we admit of a visible church and visible saints, we must also admit of a visible body, and a visible kingdom of Christ. 2. The political, ministerial church, were a body without a head. The analogy of a political head as well as of a natural head, agreeth to Christ; the rolereia as well as érépyeta: and he hath an influence upon the church potestative as well as effective. 3. He executeth his prophetical office not only in teaching us inwardly by his Spirit, but in teaching the church outwardly by his servants, the ministers of his word. Now, if he be a Prophet to the visible ministerial church, he is also a King to the same; for his offices cannot be divided; his scholars are his subjects, and whosoever re

ceive him as a prophet, must also receive him as a king. Yea, let us hear Mr Hussey himself, p. 17: "The kingdom of Christ is as ample as his prophecy, &c., the doctrine which they must teach commands, now commands have always power and authority annexed;" so that either he must say that Christ gives no commands to the visible church, or confess that the visible church is the visible kingdom of Christ. 4. That the kingdom of Christ comprehendeth the government and discipline of the church, I prove from Matt. xvi. 28, "There be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." Where, first of all, note, Christ hath not only an invisible, but a visible kingdom. Next, this visible kingdom is not meant of his coming again in glory to judge the quick and the dead; for all that were then hearing Christ have tasted of death, and yet Christ is not come to judgment. Nor is it meant of Christ's transfiguration, Matt. xvii. for that was six days after, Matt. xvii. 1; and if he meant that, he would not have said so emphatically, "There be some here that shall not taste of death," &c., intimating what was to come to pass, not after some days, but after some years; as if he had said, This age or generation shall not pass away till these things be fulfilled. Neither is that transfiguration anywhere called the kingdom of God, nor can it be properly so called. Nor, lastly, is the kingdom of God in that place meant only of the preaching of the gospel, for so they had seen Christ coming in his kingdom, Luke x. 9,11. Nor is it meant of Christ's working of miracles, for so likewise they had seen his kingdom, Matt. xii. 28. Melius ergo Beda et Gregorius, quorum sententiam nostri sequuntur, per illud regnum Christi intelligunt constitutionem ecclesiarum, post Christi ascensum, saith Tossanus upon the place. Some of these to whom he spoke at that time lived to see Christ reign in the gathering and governing of churches. Gregor. Hom. 32, in Evang.: Et quia nonnulli ex discipulis usque adeo in corpore victuri erant ut ecclesiam Dei constructam conspicerent, et contra mundi hujus gloriam erectam, consolatoria promissione nunc dicitur: sunt quidam de hinc stantibus qui non gustabunt mortem, donec videant regnum Dei. The very same words hath Beda on Mark ix. 1, following (it seems) Gregory. Grotius, on Matt. xvi. 23, doth likewise understand the promulga

tion of the gospel, and the sceptre of Christ; that is, his law going out of Zion, to be here meant. I conclude: as the church is not only a mystical but a political body, so Christ is not only a mystical but a political head. But peradventure some men will be bold to give another answer, that the Lord Jesus indeed reigneth over the church, even in a political respect, but that the administration and influence of this his kingly office, is in, by, and through the magistrate, who is supreme judge, governor, and head of the church, under Christ. To this I answer, Hence it would follow, 1. That Christ's kingdom is "of this world, and cometh with observation," as the kingdoms of this world do, which himself denieth, Luke xvii. 20; John xviii. 36. Next, it would follow, that Christ doth not reign nor exercise his kingly office in the government of his church under pagan, Turkish, or persecuting princes, but only under the Christian magistrate, which no man dare say.

3. The civil magistrate is God's vicegerent, but not Christ's; that is, the magistrate's power hath its rise, origination, institution, and deputation, not from that special dominion which Christ exerciseth over the church as Mediator and Head thereof, but from that universal lordship and sovereignty which God exerciseth over all men by right of creation; in so much that there had been (for order's sake) magistrates or superior powers though man had not fallen, but continued in his innocency: and now by the law of nature and nations, there are magistrates among those who know nothing of Christ, and among whom Christ reigneth not as Mediator, though God reigneth over them by the kingdom of power.

4. If the magistrate be supreme head and governor of the church under Christ, then the ministers of the church are the magistrate's ministers as well as Christ's, and must act in the magistrate's name, and as subordinate to him; and the magistrate shall be Christ's minister, and act in Christ's name.

The seventeenth argument I draw from the institution of excommunication by Christ, Matt. xviii. 17, "Tell it unto the church : but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publi

to destroy his own soul. 3. The scope is not civil, but spiritual-to gain or save his soul. 4. The proceedings are not without witnesses. 5. There is a public complaint made to the church. 6. And that because he appears impenitent, after admonitions given privately, and before two or three. 7. The church speaks and gives a judgment concerning him, which he is bound to obey. 8. If he obey not, then he is to be esteemed and held as a heathen man and a publican. 9. And that for his not hearing the church, which is a public scandal concerning the whole church. 10. Being as an heathen and publican, he is kept back from some ordinances. 11. He is bound on earth by church officers, "Whatsoever ye bind," &c. 12. He is also bound in heaven. More of this place elsewhere. These hints will now serve. The Erastians deny that either the case, or the court, or the censure there mentioned, is ecclesiastical or spiritual. But I prove all the three.

1. Christ speaketh of the case of scandals, not of personal or civil injuries, whereof he would be no judge, Luke xii. 14, and for which he would not permit Christians to go to law before the Roman emperor or his deputies, 1 Cor. vi. 1, 6, 7. But if their interpretation stand, they must grant that Christ giveth laws concerning civil injuries, and that he permitteth one of his disciples to accuse another for a civil injury before an unbelieving judge. Beside, Christ saith not, If he shall hear thee, thou hast from him a voluntary reparation of the wrong, or satisfaction for it (which is the end why we deal with one who hath done us a civil injury); but he saith, "If he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother;" intimating that the offending brother is told and admonished of his fault, only for a spiritual end, for the good of his soul, and for gaining him to repentance. All which proveth that our Saviour meaneth not there of private or civil injuries, as the Erastians suppose, but of scandals, of which also he hath spoken much before, as appeareth by the preceding part of that chapter. A civil injury done by one brother to another is a scandal, but every scandal is not a civil injury. The Jews (to whose custom Christ doth here allude) did excommunicate for divers scandals which were not civil injuries. And Paul saith of a scandal which was not a civil injury, "When ye sin so against the brethren," &c.

1 Cor. viii. 12.

2. The court is ecclesiastical, not civil; for

when it is said, "Tell it unto the church," must we not expound scripture by scripture, and not understand the word church to be meant of a civil court? for though the word ekkλnoia is used, Acts xix. recitative, of a heathenish civil assembly, called by that name among those heathens, yet the penmen of the Holy Ghost have not made choice of it in any place of the New Testament, to express a civil court either of Jews or Christians. So that we cannot suppose that the Holy Ghost, speaking so as men may understand him, would have put the word ékkλŋoía in this place to signify such a thing as no where else in the New Testament it is found to signify. Nay, this very place expoundeth itself, for Christ directeth his speech to the apostles, and in them to their successors in the government of the church: "Whatsoever ye shall bind," &c., and "if two of you shall agree," &c. So that the church which here bindeth or judgeth, is an assembly of the apostles, ministers, or elders of the church.

3. The censure is spiritual, as appeareth by these words, "Let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican;" which relate to the excommunication from the church of the Jews, and comprehendeth not only an exclusion from private fellowship and company (which was the condition of the publicans, with whom the Jews would not eat), but also an exclusion from the temple, sacrifices, and communion in the holy things, which was the condition of heathens, yea, of profane publicans too; of which elsewhere. And further it appeareth by these words, "Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth," &c. The apostles had no power to inflict any civil punishment, but they had power to bind the soul, and to retain the sin, John xx. 23. And this power of binding is not in all the Scripture ascribed to the civil magistrate.

The eighteenth argument shall be drawn from the example of excommunication, 1 Cor. v. 4, 5. The Apostle writeth to the church of Corinth to deliver to Satan (for the delivery to Satan was an act of the church of Corinth, as the Syriac explaineth it) the incestuous man, which is called a censure "inflicted by many," 2 Cor. ii. 6; that is, by the whole presbytery of the church of Corinth. And whereas some understand by delivering to Satan, the putting forth of the extraordinary apostolical power to the working of a miracle upon the offender, by giving him over into the hands of Sa