Part 16
And if you cast men into several nations, there is the law of nations, commonto all nations as they are nations, which binds them to duties one toward another.
But there is another communion that mankind hath as they are formed up, and when they are formed up, into several commonwealths, which, though it be a mutual communion of those
| commonwealths one with another, yet it ariseth not to government and . authority over one another, but is but suitable and answerable to that com- \ munion which men have one with another as men.
Thus, in the matter of communion of saints as sainte, there is a communion which is carried through all saints, as it were by the law of nature, and that is carried between these
"saints as formed up into several bodies or churches.
The same kind of communion holdeth between church and chureh, elders and elders, that : would hold between mankind as formed into several commonwealths; and there are duties which they are obliged unto mutually, for mutual help, for mutual strength, &e.
There are associations and leagues made to several purposes; and there are defiances and renunciations, when the laws of nations and nature common to kingdoms are broken.
Amongst the saints, there is & commonion betwixt the saints cast into the same family, and there are duties answerable and suitable; and then there is a communion which the saints have, consisting of many families united into one church, and there are duties agreeable.
And there is a communion and duties which are to pass between these saints, as they are members of a nation, and as they are churches in the same nation, and upon many such respects, yea, and also as they are parts of the church universal.
Only in'this, here lies the difference between us and our brethren, that they would make the communion which is between all the saints and all the churches in the world to be as truly political, the lesser being subject to the greater, in the church universal, or in a nation, as it is in @ particular congregation, as we would; or Cuar. VIII.) THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST. as it isin @ church classical, according to their opinion, or as it is in a particular congregation, as we assert it.
Now that there is such a differing kind of communion, the one by way of anthority and jurisdiction, and the other according to the common law of nature (as we may so express it), is evident by the principles of either side.
For the presbyterian divines, who hold national churches, in a political consideration (when churches come up to that number as to make a nation, and so several nations, several national churches), yet hold that there is a communion to be held between these, and an obligation to a multitude of duties ;* yea, and an uniformity that is to be between these, when yet they will not say, that the one hath authority or power of jurisdiction over the other.
As for instance, if you take the national chureh of Scotland and the national church of England, or if you suppose that there were but two charches in the world, there would be a great deal of communion held between the one and the other, and ought to be, when yet the one could not assume
& power over the other, but each retains a power ofjurisdiction entire within themselves.
This different kind of communion appears likewise by this, that there are duties which one saint oweth to another upon mere moral grounds, as that a man should pray with, and pray for a saint, and build him up in his holy faith, and admonish him, and not let sin lie upon him, or withdraw from him, if he do not repent, &.
So that if there were but two saints in the world, which could not make a politic church, they would owe all these duties one to another
; but not upon a ground of institution, as a duty of the second commandment, but as of a duty ofthe second table, which bindeth us to love our neighbour as ourselves.
And so if there were no congregations or churches in the world, the saints would upon such @ consideration owe to one another abundance of duties.
Yea, indeed, there is almost no duty that is practised in a congregation, by way of institution, buta duty of a like kind upon another ground is required occasionally of saints one to another.
Mon that have preaching gifts, might exercise them occasionally to the edification of others in a natural way, where there was not a church nor officers of a charch ; and yet God hath took up preaching into an office, made a calling on purpose for it by way of institution,
So, to avoid any man that walk inordinately, to instruct him, to reprove him, ~ are duties which one saint oweth to another, and one saint to many saints, andmany eaints to any saint;which kind of discipline the saints did practise one toward another, in the bishops' times, and had a warrant so to do in the word of God; but all this did run, as it were, by the law of naturein a moral way, by virtue of the second table and the duties of it.
But as Jesus Christ hath by institution formed up his saints into several churches (so that such bodies are by institution), he hath stamped all such duties as are amongst Christians by this general law of nature, with an institution over and above that former mere natural or moral eonsideration.
He hath here appointed one brother to admonish another, in orderto bring him up to that church he belongs unto, to a censure; and he hath ordained public persons that should be by way of office admonishers in public, and that should admonish with authority, and with such an authority put upon that admonition, as thus performed, as is not to be found in all the saints in the world, if they should admonish a man.
There is not only a withdrawing (which one saint may do from another, though there was no way of church-fellowship), bat there is superadded an institution of casting out ; and not only so, but a delivering unto Satan, which all these saints in the world cannot do; for what power had they, unleas it be from a promise annexed to an institution,
* See the Scotch Reasons for Uniformity.
THE GOVERNMENT OF [Boox V. to deliver a man to the devil, for him to seize upon a man's conscience when he is thrown out.
Hence, therefore, the saints formed up into congregations, with their elders, being to us the only ecclesiastical body by institution, an instituted authority and power ofjurisdiction is found only answerably in them, and all other relations of saints and churches one to another fall only under a mystical consideration, and therefore their communion and their power is answerable.
The one ranneth in a way of special institution ; the other modo mystico, in a way of mystical communion.
To the one, the ordinance of excommunication is therefore only proper and peculiar; to the other, a withdrawing or a non-communion appertains.
1. Hence, therefore, in the first place, we do grant and acknowledge, that many of the same duties and actions, which performed in a particular church do rise up to jurisdiction, are and may be performed by a greater number of churches to another church ; but only modo mystéco, in a way of mystical communion, because the relation is such, and yet the duties may be the same, and the actions the same. A greater number ofchurches may admonish another church, they may cast out another church from their communion and association, but all this will not arise to a juridical power of excommunication.
They may declare men to be perverters of the faith, to be heretics, so as to fulfil the apostie's rule, not to eat with them, or bid them God speed, 2 John 10, 11, and yet in all this it doth not arise to assuming jurisdiction.
2. We acknowledge, in the second place, that in such actions of many churches toward one church, there is an impress of authority, taking it in 8 larger sense, for that which hath a persuasiveness and an inducement in it ; but it will not arise to an authority juridical, such as Jesus Christ hath placed in them, as they are a political body.
But for that power which is placed by Christ, by virtue of an institution, there is a superadded authority of Jesus Christ beyond the force of moral or rational inducements, and the conscience is to be subject to the power and authority therein, as unto the power of Christ, for his will and institution's sake,
Ifwe take the elders of one congregation, besides all the considerations that are common to them . with all other elders and saints in the world, there is an authority stamped | by Christ upon them, by virtue of their relation and office, so ag the members
' of that congregation are to be subject to them, not only upon moral grounds, but on account of that authority with which Christ hath invested them; and in the acts that they do (edmonitions, casting men out, excommunication, and the like) there is an efficacy to be expected, which is in no other order of men in the world, if they would undertake the like.
The difference of these two powers may appear by abstracting all rational or moral inducements.
1. This authority of the elders is more than authority by way of reason, or by one's alleging an express rule out of the word, which a man's conscience may apprehend by faith from the mouth of him that doth direct him, or lay it before him.
Another man's wife or servant may subject herself to the guidance of a reason, or of a scripture, that is brought by another man, who yet hath not authority added to it, such as her husband hath when he addeth a command thereunto besides.
A child is said to lead one new converted, Isa. xi. 6 ; but in this case it is merely the authority of the word or reason alleged that the conscience subjects itself to, without any
| farther respect to anything in tho propounder.
2. The authority of jurisdiction, which is in a particular church, is more than the authority of reverende or respect to the grace or judgment of another, founded upon whatever
| considerations, besides the institutions ofChrist. There are many considera- | Cuar. VIII.] THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST. tions that may breed reverence to another, as their grace and their holiness, and the power of their gifts ; as Herod reverenced John Baptist, and feared him, because he was an holy man.
Thus a man's wife may be induced to obey the command of one that is a minister, thongh not her minister, she knowing him to be a judicious man, and a man of much holiness ; but yet still this doth not arise to a power given from Christ juridically, by way of institution, over and above such respects.
It is not such a power as her own minister hath over her, and for which she is to respect and regard him ; neither is it such as her own husband hath over her.
The judgment ofmany ministers assembled hath an authority of reverence in it, because they are wise ; yea, and because they are the ministers of Christ, by whose judgments
Jesus Christ leadeth men into truth; and as they-are ministers of Christ, they have a special blessing accompanying of them, and all such respects the consciences of men are to take in to move them to yield to what they declare and determine.
Yet still this doth not arise to the consideration of juridical suthority which they have from Christ, over those whom they would guide ; but such a man's own elders have.
8. There are many considerations which may make a man to subject himself to what another saith, which yet doth not rige to juridical authority.
A man, in the cases of scandal, and offending of a church or « brother, may forbear to do that which is in his liberty to do, but the brother offended hath not authority juridical over the other; for it is but an accidental consideration.
8. In the third place, we acknowledge that, by virtue of this mystical commanion, the churches hold one with another in their mutual transactions one with another ; they are to look on them as churches, and on the elders as institated by Christ, and not only as holy; but yet still they are not to regard them as having an instituted authority given them by Christ over this or any other churches.
Thus when Paul would put a weight upon his commendation of Titus, he put it upon this, that he was one whose praise was in all the churches, and that he was chosen by the churches to carry the alms.
And therefore, of old, the letters that were wrote from one church to another were superscribed as from the churches (as in Clement's epistle, the style rung thus, ' The church of Rome to the church of Corinth'), and they do deal with them as one church of Christ dealeth with another, and as : having the anthority and spirit of a church with them, in their admonitions, in their reproofs, in their directions, or the like
; but still it riseth not to jurisdiction.
As if one kingdom or state doth deal with another state, they look on it as such, and accordingly respect it; and their mediations, or whatever other interpositions of theirs are directed to them, not only as a company of men, but as they are a state; and yet still it riseth not up to any jurisdiction that one state hath over another.
And so also in the transactions of elders of other churches, unto any member of a church, or to the church itself, over which they are not elders, they yet are to be looked upon as elders, and accordingly respected in their admonitions and in their judgments ; but still it riseth not tojurisdiction.
If a nobleman comes from one kingdom to another, as the nobles of Scotland as commissioners into England, they are to be respected and regarded as nobles, according to their place and quality, by the law of nations, and the law of nature, and communion of one state with another; but still they are no way to be regarded as having juriadiction, or exercising the office of nobles where they come, as the nobles of England do.
4. In the fourth place, we do grant that other churches may deal with ; any church (as occasion is) as in the name of Christ, and admonish them, reprove them, and the like; but they deal in Christ's name, in this sense,
THE GOVERNMENT OF [Boox V. that they entreat them by virtue of that name of Christ, which is called upon by them, and which, in a common way, all do profess, and which would be thus and thus dishonoured.
But they deal not with them in the name of Christ in this sense, as if they had a juridical power from Christ to deliver them up to Satan, such as the church at Corinth had, when met together, over the incestuous person, 1 Cor. v.
5. In the fifth place, it may arise to an authority of commanding, and that in the name of Christ; and answerably it ariseth to be the duty of that church to be subjeet, and to obey them.
In t Cor. xvi. 16, says the apostle, 'I beseech you, submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth.'
He speaks of ministers, those that labour in the gospel.
It is the same word with that which is used of subjection to a man's own elders in Heb. xiii. 17; and yet it is not subjectio legalis, a subjection by law of authority (as Estius distinguishoth it), such as » man hath to his own bishop (saith he), but moralis, qualem reverentes prastamus virtute excellentibus, but a moral subjection, such as we yield in reverenee to those who excel in virtue.
80 as all elders are to have in all churches the reverence of elders, and yet but such as a church, considered as such, hath and is to have from all other churches.
It is reveranced as a church indeed, and as 8 sister church, but not as having that authority over another church which . it hath over its own members ; and such an authority all the churches in the world hath not over one church, as all the imperial cities of Germany have it not over one city.
So as the question is now, whether there be not an obligation arising from the admonitions and judgments of many churches, and the elders of them, and also a duty commanded from Christ, upon all such considerations as have been mentioned ?
Yet still so far, and no farther, than such grounds will carry it, is this duty to be laid upon a charch, and a subjection called for, as Jesus Christ himeelf lays it uponthem.
They are to be subject, not only because these churches do present to them, in the name of Christ, what is their sin, or what is their duty, but further, they are to take into their consideration their being churches, and churches instituted by Christ, with whom the blessing of Christ is to lead them into truth, and to regard the elders of churches as persons with: whom he is in a more peculiar manner present.
But yet still they are not bound in such a subjection to them as to their own elders, who are by institution set over them, and to whom they have a special relation, Acts xx. 28.
If a pastor | of another congregation should come, and is admitted to preach for his brother elder in any congregation, they are to hear him as an elder, but yet not to hear him with that special peculiar subjection, which, by virtue of Christ's institution, a congregation owes to their own pastor.
The several dutses of communion which one church owes to another enumerated.
—That this communion doth not include in it, that one church may emercise any act ofjurisdiction over another.
Hence then all sort of duties that the law of leve and brotherly union can any way exact or extend to, and that are founded thereupon in the word of God, of saints to saints, and ehurch to church, we approve of, and judge
| ought to be held by any church, to all churches in the world, whieh we take to be the troe meaning of that scripture in Eph. iv. 16, that the whole body of the church being joined together, every part is to edify every part, and the i '
Cua, IX.] THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST. whole, upon all occasions and in all ways possible; but it is in ways of brotherly love, it is not with a spiritual rod of coercive censure and jurisdiction.
The bonds and ties of law aro acknowlegded, not rods and whips of coercive censure and jurisdiction, sub pena traditionis Satane, under the penalty of delivering to Satan.
1. Thus, first, they are to afford part of their spiritual good things, as occasion is, to all or any church; so by virtue of that communion, the church of Philippi was bound to cause to be read, as much as in them lay, that epistle which was writ to them, in the chureh of Laodicea also, which was one of the Asian churches ; yet that their causing that epistle to be received by the Laodiceans was not by any jurisdiction, but by communion of good
2. There may be communion in whatever is matter of mere privilege in any church, but not in jurisdiction.
Yea, there may be associations and leagues of friendship, as between two states, when yet not subjection; thus between kingdoms a mutual intercourse of trade.
As he that was free of Rome was free all the world over, and he might come and trade in any other kingdom, so any that are members of sueh churches as profess, both for receiving in of members and casting out of members, to go acccording to the rule of the word, may occasionally receive the sacrament in any church truly constituted, and bring their children to be baptized, and may partake of all the ordinances ; for this is only to partake of the common privileges
; bat they are not to exercise any act of power or punishment, when they come to those other churches: as if a minister were to be chosen, or a member to be thrown out or suspended from the sacrament, they are not to take upon them to have a voice in it.
Between two families there may be communion of good things, without exercising of acts of power and authority, whenas one family doth not take upon them to exercise authority in the other family, as not to chastise the children, to dispose of parties in marriage, nor is there any communion in conjugal acts.
So in commonwealths there is a communion of things communicable, as to afford men, money, and assistance, to give subsistence to any one that will live in a stranger kingdom ; but they are not admitted to choice of magistrates, to judge of causes, to be of a jury, in any nation but their own.
8. Also, thirdly, there is that brotherly communion between churches, that whom one ehurch denies communion with, having cast him out by a just censure, all the rest of the churehes do reject him also; which was an usual practice in the primitive times, as often Cyprian writes to other ehurches, saying, abstinuimus, we have abstained from such or such a man, that they might have warning not to admit communion with him.
And this seems to be one great end of synods, as appears from the fifth eanom in the Nicene Council before cited.* And the reason is fetched from that principle which both Mr Cartwright and Didoclavius} assert, that we have communion with the universal church by means of being joined to a particular church ; for communion with the universal church we cannot have immediately
; and yet by virtue of a particular church, we enjoy the same kind of ordinances as if the whole universal church should meet together.
Hence, therefore, as we have communion with the whele universal ehurch by having communion with a particular church, so we are cast out of all churches by virtue of being cast out of one, the trust being committed by Christ to particular churches; and the law of ecclesiastical society and brotherly communion between churches requires it, thet if they be cast out by one they are rejected by all, for there is that sympathy and eoncordance between all the members of this
* Book iii. chap. viii. of this discourse.
+ Altar. Damaseen., cap. x. p. 858.
THE GOVERNMENT OF [Boox V. body, as one body, and so between particular churches, as members of this whole, that as when one member suffers all suffers, when one member rejoiceth all rejoiceth, so whom one church casteth out all churches casteth out, and whom one receives all reesives by virtue of this communion. Orif, when it is bound by a particular church, it is bound in heaven, then all the earth over too, all churches being to reverence the act and judgment of s particular church, with whom Christ hath betrusted the keys.
So as all the churches do not reject such an one by an act of jurisdiction, or of interest in the jurisdiction, but by the law of communion; and by the like law that there is among kingdoms, where thero is leagues offensive and defensive, to be enemies to those that are enemies to any of them, and not to harbour those whom they have thrown ont, and to be friends to those that they are friends to, and that are their allies.
4. There may be a communication, by sending out of elders from churches to churches that want, yet without jurisdiction, or the choosing of elders for them, or putting elders upon them.
$o anciently the bishops in cities did instract and educate young men, to fit them for the ministry, whom afterward they sent out to the villages that wanted (as young men in colleges now under a master), but yet (as our divines against bishops have argued) that did not prove a jurisdiction, as in colleges it doth not.
So the church in the Canticles, chap. viii. 8, 9, speaking of a sister church she had, which wanted breasts, by way of communication of good things, she afforded help, bat yet without jurisdiction, for she was her sister.
For still those elders which in that case they should send out and afford, and part withal from themselves, or any other church, are to be received and chosen by that church as elders to them, and no way by virtue of any jurisdiction in the church that lends them.
5. So also in matter of advice, there is communion between the churches.
There is a double direction (as Bains* distinguisheth), one potestativa, autoritativa, the other socia, or social, as one servant, that hath more experience than another, may give advice to another upon occasion.
An advice wo acknowledge in churches, by virtue of this communion, but then let it be but advice, and where there is need.
And so now in difficult cases, wo acknowledge they are bound to advise with other churches, and in case of miscarriages, they are to be advised and admonished by other churches.
But when they do adviee that such a man should be excommunicated for such an act done, they do not add authority to that church.
Jesus Christ hath furnished the church with sufficient authority in itself; only they add counsel, and direction, and countenance; moral strength orcountenancethey add, but not political power or authority.
There is as much power in the church itself, to deal with its own members alone of itself, as in all the churches of the world put together; but this advice is given but as alms is
| given to a neighbour church.
And again, that advice, as to the object of it, 18 properly but only to give their judgment of the rule; it is not a joint putting forth the act of administration of an ordinance, in a way of application of the censure to the persons. Neither is a congregation bound ap by the institution of Christ to advise, so as, if they do not advise with a neighbour presbytery, the act is null and made void which they do, as, if by Christ's institution it were so that they ought to advise, such their case would be.
In Babylon they had such elders as came to inquire, but not to judge, Ezek. xiv. 1, and xx. 1.
But all this obligation to advise in such cases, and the help that the charches do give, ariseth (as our brethren themselves say, in their answers to our reasonst), Ex charitate, ex debito mutuce soctetatts co- * Diocesan Trial, p. 72.
Cuar. IX.] THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST. lende, from charity, and the duty of maintaining matual fellowship as is between friends and equals; nun ex debito inferioris conditionis ad prestandum obsequium, not from any duty, obliging the inferior to obedience.
And all that they there say afterward, page 60, unto line 16, we acknowledge.
And since they say it is ex debito soctetatis colende@ only, and ez charitate, or a8 others have expressed it, jurefraternitatis, by the right of brotherhood, and that the communion between churches, according to their own expressions, isfounded but upon that ground, hence therefore it can never grow up to jus jurisdictionis, a right of jurisdiction, for if the communion of these . eburehes be in a way of fraternity, then the acts it ariseth to will be but acts of communion in a brotherly way; but for the communion of friendship to arise to acts of jurisdiction, exceedeth the sphere of it, as the acts of grace exceed the acts of nature.
Andif it be said that all acts in a church are acts of brotherly communion, it is answered, they are acts of brotherly communion in distinction to magisterial power, or such power as a master hath over hig servants.
It is not lordly power, but the power of spiritual jurisdiction is a middle thing, between that of mere brotherhood, which is between saint and saint, or church and church, and that which is lordly, for it is a power ministerial, erected by Jesus Christ, and by institution, having also a spiritual punishment put into their hands to execute it, with a promise to accompany it.
6. One chureh is bound tocommunicate to another their temporal things, to send alms, &e., and one man may be chosen by several churches, to carry in their several alms to several churehes; as, 2 Cor. vii. 19, it is said of Titus, that he was chosen of the churches for that service, the contribution being to be carried from many charches.
But it is not to be said that all those churches met. when he was chosen ; but his office, being the office of an evangelist, to travel up and down from church to church, he was bya tacit consent chosen, first by one, then of another, and so of a third; otherwise the apostle would have said, he was chosen of the church of such a province, if allthe churches had been united into a synod, when it was done; but in that he saith churches, it implies, that they were apart when he was chosen.
But if it had been such a common meeting, yet it was not an act of jurisdiction, it was by a commonconsent,to carry alms; and such acts in synods wo acknowledge.
7. We acknowledge that there are res communes, things in common, that concern many churches alike in a brotherly way.
There were between the apostles themselves some things that were res communes, as that they should confer to see how far they should agree in the same doctrine, and how far
God had revealed the same things to them, as Paul went up to that end to confer with the apostles at Jerusalem, Gal. ii.; and yet there was not an authority that the greater number of the apostles had in matter of doctrine over another apostle.
We acknowledge that the setting up ministers over particular churches is res communis, because the transactions of all businesses between neighbour churches is ordinarily done by the elders thereof; and therefore the bringing in anew of ministers to such associations should be with their privacy and knowledge.
But that will not arise to this, that the neighbour-ministers have the power of ordination, the power of deposition, or that they have a negative vote, by way ofjurisdiction, to which the church must, by virtue of an institution, submit; they may give the right hand of fellowship; and it may be a due, ex debito fraterne charitatis, from the duty of brotherly love, that a church, when it chooseth its elders, should ask the right hand of fellowship from other churches ; but it must be remembered that it is but giving the right hand of fellowship, it is not giving the THE GOVERNMENT OF [Boox V. right hand of authority to choose them their elders, or to lay hands on them.
Because that marriages are of a public concernment to a commonwealth, and to families in 2 commonwealth, therefore states are to be acquainted with marriages; but the power and authority to guide them whom they should marry liesin the parents, and in the persons that are to marry; and they may marry whom they will, only in the Lord.
And such a respect to other churches, it is no more an act of subjection to them, as having jurisdiction, | than, according to our brethren's principles, it is a subjection in the elders not to excommunicate, if the people (who they say have no interest of authority, or of a negative voice at all) should be against the excommunicating of & person.
As there are these ways of communion differing from government, so there are certain ties and bands,* some more general, some more special among all churches, by which this communion is to be exercised, as appeareth by Eph. iv.
"There is, 1, that general tie and obligation of the church catholic, which we acknowledge to be the chief fundamental relation or obligation (transcendent above all others) of communion of churches; the other particular, being but several respects and relations that do knit more fastly by virtue of it.
2. We do acknowledge that every particular church is to be considered as a member of the church catholic, as, 1 Cor. xii. 27, the apostle speaks of the universal body in the words afore, and in the words after.
But although it be a part of the church universal, yet not of the church universal, considered as a ministerial body that hath jurisdiction in it, but as being a mystical body, and it is therefore obliged to perform to other churches, by virtue of this catholic obligation, only all such duties of Christian communion, as proceedeth in a mystical way, as hath been shewn ; eo as we profess ourselves wronged, to have this put upon us, that in gathering of churches, we make separate churches from all the world, bat do acknowledge as many and as great duties in a way of communion, to lie between us and all other churches, as according to their assertion there are duties of exercising jurisdiction and subjection respectively among themselves.
8. They are to look also to the other churches' elders, as elders, and accordingly to reverence them; but yet not as elders they carry jurisdiction over all churches about with them.
It will be hard to shew wherein ministers have power ofjurisdiction over persons that belong not to their own churches.
If it be acknowledged that they are elders, and so to be looked upon by other churches, yet still but by virtue, and in the way of a mystical oommaunion, as all things in the world are the saints' : 1 Cor. iii. 21, 22, ' Therefore let no man glory in men, for all things are yours: whether Paal, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours.'
| Again, there are two things to be considered in every elder. There is first his separation unto the work of the ministry, and unto Christ, that he is dedicated and set apart to him ; and then, in the second place, there is his relation of an elder to this or that particular church.
Now, his particular relation of an elder to this or that church may cease by the church's ceasing, by the death of the members, or by his removal or absence, when yet his separation to Christ, and the relation that is between Christ and him, continueth.
It is here as in the case of widows, as they were dedicated to Christ as widows, and should have waxed wanton against Christ if they had married ; so he, if he should (anless upon an absolute necessity) divert to another calling, he would offend against Christ.
And if * Vide Zanch. in Eph. iv., in tom. vi. oper.
Cup. IX.] THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST. his relation to a church should thus ecoase, yet the blessing of Christ, in respect of his dedication to him, might follow him in his preaching unto those who yet perhaps would not acknowledge him to be their elder, in respect of relation to them.
And the power of jurisdiction that he hath together with other elders, is (for the exercise of it) in respect of his fixed relation to that particular church to whom he is an elder; and therefore, although in many ministerial acts he may have the blessing of an elder secretly accompanying of him from Christ, yet he cannot claim the power of an elder in respect ofjurisdiction.
The apostles themselves had the blessing of apostles and the ministers of Christ, in their preaching to them that were without: and yet they had net a jurisdiction ecclesiastical over them that were without:
' What have I to do to judge them that are without?' saith Paul, 1 Cor. y. 12.
Again, our divines have distinguished that there is potestas ordinds, and potestas jurtsdictionis, in ministers and elders, power of order and power of jurisdiction ; and that there are acts which are acts of mere power of order of his office as an elder, whieh he may perform alone, as to preach, and the like, and that power he may carry along with him wherever he goes, because he performs it personally in respect of his dedication te God and Christ; but the power ofjurisdiction is a farther thing, which therefore he exerciseth with other elders, and with other elders not materially considered, but as formed up into the relation of presbytery, to a charch which is to be the seat of it.
Power ofjurisdiction is an external power, and therefore dependeth upon an erternal relation to men ; but.the blessing and power that accompanieth his ministerial acts, to preach, and the like, that depends principally upon his
: being dedicated unto God, and is internal, and hath a more special relation to God, according to which relation men, wherever he cometh, reverence him and receive him, and the blessing of God may accompany him; and therefore this power of jurisdiction with others is not to be extended beyond the seat, the church, to which he hath relation.
As is the cage also of magistrates, if you could suppose, that besides the relation of a king to his people, in respectofwhich he hath a jurisdiction as a king over them, that there were such a dedication and separation of him to this office, that whereverhe came, he were a king in respect of some acts, had a kingly spirit, kingly wisdom, to give counsel in any diet or assembly of kings and princes in the world ; he might be received in all such, to perform such acts, when yet he conld not perform an act ofjurisdiction, because that is founded upon that special relation he hath to his own people.
And it is in respect ofthe communion of churches, and other elders, as it is in respect of churches, and the brethren of other churches. If the brethren of other churches, few or more, oceasionally come to a particular church in acity, where a mart of men coming from many cities is kept, if they receive them to all the mere previleges of that church, by virtue of their church communion, yet they would not receive them so as to sit and vote with them in the choice of officers, or the like, beeause that is an act that properly concerns that particular church whereof he is to be an officer.
So answerably, a particular church may receive the elders of other churches, and reeeive them as elders in respect of some acts, as preaching and the like, but not in respect of acts of jurisdiction,.which we believe our brethren themselves would deny to the elders of other churches,
As, for example, if upon an occasion the elders of other churches, belonging to other presbyteries, should be present at some one classical presbytery, although they would receive them as elders, and reverence them as such, yet they would not have them to sit with them, and vote, so as that the vote of those
THE GOVERNMENT OF [Boor V. strange elders, which yet they acknowledge elders, should over-rale, or cast the acts of their presbytery.
They would perhaps hear their advice, and their judgment as elders, but not admit them to acts of jurisdiction and ecclesiastical authority; because that that dependeth upon relation to such
'a seat or corporation of several churches, according to their principles, but to the seat of a particular congregational church, according to ours.
That though it were granted that the elders of one church might exercise acts of authority and jurisdiction in another occasionally, and when called to do
80 by that church, yet from this cannot be concluded that authority over particular congregations which our presbyterian brethren challenge.
But if the elders of other churches were capable to exercise the acts of jurisdiction occasionally in some cases over churches which they have not a constant relation of eldership unto, by virtue of the catholic communion of churches, yet the seat in which, and the bounds of extent over which this jurisdiction should be exercised, must still be a particular congregation.
And the call by which this jurisdiction is to be exercised, should be occasionally from that congregation, in case of want or need; which therefore should, in such cases, stand instead of a fixed and a constant relation that elders do bear to that church, the call being occasional and from themselves, in case of need, as the jurisdiction they exercise is but merely occasional, and for that time.
And so by this means, still as the right bounds, that Christ hath instituted for the seat of jurisdiction, is kept unto and not exceeded, so the power of the congregation itself is hereby also preserved.
But it is another thing, which by virtue of the catholic communion of churches, and the elders thereof, that the presbyterian divines do challenge, and would erect according to their principles.
They do challenge an association to be an institution of Christ, by virtue of which the greater company of elders of other
| churches may assume and challenge a power over any congregation in that | association, and so erect a constant and an ordinary consistory, whereby not | only the bounds and limits set by Christ for the seat ofjurisdiction are trans- | gressed and exceeded, but an unlawful power is erected and set over the | churches, not only in respect of the constancy of it, but in respect also of | the want of that relation of being elders to them, which is the foundation of | the constant exercise of jurisdiction.
| So as the question will not be, whether by virtue of this catholic communion a particular congregation may make use of the elders of another
| congregation to ordain, to assist them in excommunication, éc., and so they may come to have power in a particular church, by their special and peculiar call, for such an act at such a time (though this will not be acknowledged by us); but the question is, whether by Christ's institution they may erect a judicatory and challenge a subjection from all the churches.
In the other way, the congregations do not subjeet themselves nor their liberty, but make use of that ministry of an elder which Christ hath put upon them; even as in arbitrations, or in references unto other churches, they do not subject themselves to other churches, it being done occasionally and by their consent whom they would single out to be the arbitrators.
So as it is one thing, that there may occasionally be an exercising of an elder's power in another's congregation, and it is another thing that it should be assumed and challenged (which is the thing that remains further to be proved by the '
| Cuap.XJ THE CHURCHESOF CHRIST. presbyterial divines), as it is one thing for a child under age, though he should not govern himself, to have liberty to choose a guardian for the time ; bat it is another thing that a company of men should assume to be his
\ guardians for ever.
It would be one thing for a corporation to send to another corporation for their recorder, a man skilfal in the law, to perform the office of a recorder, with a jary at their sessions, they now wanting one, or there falling out a case of difficulty wherein their own doth need assistance; but it would be another thing for the recorders of several corporations in 8 country, to go and challenge, by virtue of association, and the common law of communion in the kingdom, a constant power ofjurisdiction to be exercised over them.
And in this case, the communion of churches in respect of members qua members, and of elders qua elders, auswer one another according to our principles.
For as the members of another church, if they come to a particular church, and are received by their consent by them (and so for that time become as one body with them, by virtue whereof they receive the sacrament amongst them, as being for this act incorporated, and as one bread with them occasionally), in this they do not receive merely and simply as members of another church, distinctly and apart considered, although by virtue of their being members of another church, but they are thereby for that time occasionally roceived into that church, ad tantum, 80 far, as toenjoy such and sucha privilege.
So as the sacrament in this is not said to be given to the members of two churches apart considered, but to one charch, as thus making one, though upon different respect.
And so it is also in their receiving elders (if we may make that supposition) to perform acts of eldership occasionally, they do it not in this single and apart consideration, that they are simply elders of other churches, as if, considered only as such, they may make a consistory met out of this charch to be over this church, and so excommunicate; but they come to and are present in and with that church, being called by them and received as elders for that act, and for that time as one with them ; so as the acts which they do perform are acts as of that church or of elders in that church, and are not to be considered as acts of other elders that have power over that church.
Though ministers thus should be supposed to have, in respect of their dedication to God and to Christ, a passive capacity to be used for any ministerial act in any church, by virtue of the communion of churches, yet it would be electively and upon the call of that church ; but that they should have an active power, so as to come unto congregations, and say, We ought to have this power amongst you, by virtue of Christ's institution, and you ought to associate with us, for all acts of government are common; and thus to challenge, as elders, a power upon occasion in any or all churches in the world, this is that which was properly the prerogative gf an apostle. The greatest thing in the apostles for their extent of power lay in this, not only that when they came to a church they were capable of being called to join with a sister presbytery and eldership, when they wanted ministers and elders; but it lay in this, that whenever they came to any church they eould challenge this, as having an universal call as apostles from Jesus
Christ, and so they had authority active which they might assume.
And if it were granted by us, that ordinary ministers succeed the apostles, so far as to have a passive capacity and power to be called to exercise their ministry in all or any church, yet to assume the other were to step into the apostles' throne.
The power of authority of jurisdiction is an active thing, not a passive ; it is not as a dead instrument, that may be used; it is not simply VoL. XI.
THE GOVERNMENT OF [Boor V. to have the gift and ability to judge, but it is to have the power and authority to judge, which, if the church should not call them unto they might call
. upon the church, regarding it to be their duty to exercise it for them; a8 the power of government or jurisdiction of a king is not a mere passive capacity, but it is a power to command them that are under him, which he is to perform and exercise among them; it is the authority that gives the calling.
And in this respect, the arguments that our brethren use to bring, that elders may exercise some acts of elders in others' churches, as that they may preach, &., and are to be received as elders in other churches, by virtue of the catholic communion of churches, are no way sufficient to prove and establish that jurisdiction in their way.
For, 1. It doth not follow, because they may do one act of ministry, as of preaching or administering the sacrament, that therefore they may do all; no more than it would follow, that because a man may preach alone, baptize alone of himself, that therefore of himself alone he may exercise jurisdiction.
Unto acts of jurisdiction there is a,formality, and the formality doth lie in their relation to such or such a seat or subject over whom the jurisdiction is exercised, and so and so bounded, and that by special institution.
2. It will not follow, that if they may exercise as elders one act of ministry, therefore all of jurisdiction, because there may be some acts of ministry. which are properly belonging to the church universal, as universal, and such acts we judge preaching and baptizing to be; and therefore we read that baptism was done both out of a church relation, and without the presence of a church, as the baptizing of the eunuch by Philip.
But so ordination is not, so the Lord's supper is not; baptism we rather take to be an ordinance of the church universal:
' One faith, ono Lord, one baptism,' Eph. iv. 5.
Bat the Lord's supper is an ordinance of a particular church, making 'one body and one bread, and consisteth in a communion.
One apostle and one man could not receive the supper of the Lord together, because they could not make one charch, for this is made essential to it, 1 Cor. x.,
' We being many, are one bread ;' therefore it is called, 'the communion of the body of Christ.'
But one apostle may baptize one man when alone, and so we think one minister may do it at this day, if he had converted him.
8. If the elders of other churches should have power to judge and deterj mine things in a doctrinal way, to give the rale upon occasion ; it will not follow, that they have the power ofjuridical application of excommunication according to that rule.
The apostles might deliver the doctrine of faith, as apostles to them that were without, when yet they could notjuridically judge them that were without.
The pharisees, by their doctrine, did bind burdens upon men's consciences, and that in their sermons, when they sat in Moses his chair, when yet they did not bind by way of censure; yea, every minister may doctrinally deliver the rule, when yet alone, and that as a minister, he
: cannot exercise an act of jurisdiction.
We see this in civil power in kingi doms: the judges of the kingdom altogether met cannot condemn a man without a jury, though they may deliver what is law, and say what is the rale; yea, though the house of commons in parliament, in an extraordinary way, by way of bill, may adjudge a man to death, yet in an ordinary course they are not witnesses to the fact;and although they have power of making all the laws of the kingdom, they do not give an oath as the house of peers doth.
The assembly that now sitteth,* they are betrusted with power in a doctrinal way, to give their judgments what shall reform the kingdom; and * The assembly of divines at Westminster.
| | Cuaar. X.] THE OHUROHES OF OHRIST. f their judgment herein is to be looked upon as the judgment of so many elders of several churches ; but they have not power to administer a censure.
4. Because they may come to have as elders authority in any church, in the way fore-mentioned, occasionally, electively (the power of the church being seen, in calling them upon such an occasion together to assist them, and to be present with them, they exercising that power but in that church, and jointly with that church, and as an entire act of that church, whereto for the present they perform the office of elders), it will not follow, that therefore they may in all churches usurp a power over them, and call upon them, and challenge it from them.
This will not follow from the other, because, as was said, the privilege of government is given unto the church as the seat of it, and is therefore to be drawn down to it, exercised in it, and not to be claimed out of it.
The one therefore ranning thus in a natural moral way, the other by a special institution, forming up a body on purpose, and arming it with a power, over and above what the natural law of communion and non-communion reacheth to, which is to deliver unto Satan, and to perform all: acts of admonition and censure in order thereunto; hence, therefore,
1. This communion with other churches is not in a fixed set way, but oecasional.
The Sanhedrim was a set and a fixed court, and therefore by institution; but this communion is but as the communion of saints one with another in a general way.
Hence, 2. It being in a moral way to other churches, and the elders thereof, therefore the obligation for matters of ending of controversies is answerable and suitable.
They are not bound to go to the next neighbour church, but to any other whom they do most reverence, orwho are most fit and proper to end the controversy; therefore Antioch sent to Jerusalem.
If it were by institution, it would take in the neighbour churches, as in the case of murder the next city was to make an atonement.
When James doth bid us confess our sins one to another, in case a man be so troubled with lust, so that he is called to confess it to another, the obligation doth not require him necessarily to confess it to his minister, or to the next saint or brother he meeteth; for it is not laid upon him in a way of institution, but upon a moral ground ; and answerably he is morally to consider who is the fittest man to confess this sin unto, and will be faithful and secret, and is able to ease him; so that it runs not in a way of institution of set persons.
8. Hence, therefore, that neighbour churches should have a ground and a warrant to call a neighbour church in question, or to an account, is not by way of power and authority, as, if it ran in a way of institution, it should be; but it is by way of offence, and therefore they are to do it, when they are offended with their proceedings and with their miscarriages.
80 then, az the subjection of a man or a brother in the case of offence, to forbear such a practice which is otherwise indifferent to him, is not by virtue of any authority his brother hath over him, but it is in a moral way; so it is in this case.
4. Whereas the analogy of Mat. xviii. is urged to be as well between a ~ ehareh offending and other churches, as between a brother and a congregation; that when they are offended, they are to tell it to a greater number of churches ; we shall not be against this analogy for the like way of proceeding, only we are against tho like authority of proceeding.
If other churches will deal with a sister church in the way of moral communion specified, let them observe the same analogy, and we shall submit to it; but if they will erect from that analogy the like authority and power of jurisdiction, unto that we deny the analogy to reach, because that in the church universal, and the communion thereof as such, Christ hath placed no such jurisdiction.
THE GOVERNMENT OF [Boox V.
That churches in the same nation are obliged to matntatn a nearer communion, one with another, than what all churches, though separated by distinct king- | doms, are bound to by virtue of their catholic obligation.
As there is the general bond of which I have discoursed, that knits all churches together, which, like to that which the apostle speaks of charity, is above all, and runs through all, and gives strength to all other, so there are more special relations and bonds which knit some churches to a more near communion than others; even as in @ congregational church, although there is a common bond and tie which knits all the members together, yet there are special bonds and ties besides, by which that fellowship is improved more between some of the members than others, as the relation of man and wife, servant and master, friend and friend, all which are occasions of mere converse, and g0 of edifying one another more.
And herein we give and acknowledge much to those national relations of being under one common civil government, if considered as a bond or tie, which makes the-eommunion more near, and oceasioneth more obligation of duty.
As also there is a closer communion between churches that are more near, neighbouring in the same-city and the same vicinity, because they have a more special occasion of converse and of knowimg each other's affairs.
But yet still all those bonds-and ties, by which churehes are thus knit together, doth not give neighbour churches, or a national church, power of jurisdiction ; for it runs in a way of that mystical communion of the church universal, only there is a ground and oceasion of exercising that communion more nearly.
Thus, in the churches of a nation, many advantages do arise (we acknowledge) unto churehes thereby, as that they have the benefit of the common laws to protect them under the Christian magistrate, who is to be a nursing father and a nursing mother to them, and go to unite them to- : gether, and make thet mystical communion more entire.
But the power of the magistrate cannot set up or form them into any other ecclesiastical power and government than Jesus Christ hath instituted.
What communion Christ would have'to be amongst churches, the magistrate may exact of them and keep them to it, but he cannot raise up a new kind of communion, though their having one language, their having one government, makes a greater nearness of it.
'The apostles write therefore unto the churches of Asia, as in one nation, or in one province.
Thus Paul, writing to the church of Corinth, writes to the saints of Achaia; and many churches in Achaia may be called Achaia, for so it is in the apostle's style: ' Achaia was ready a year ago,' saith he, 2 Cor. ix.-2,-meaning many churches in Achaia.
80 we may say England for the churches of England, and the name may be given from the nation ; but the name, with the word church, is never put together as being a national church, cast into one bedy, in respect of ecclesiastical government and jurisdiction, as the kingdom is for civil government.
The apostle, therefore, when he writes tochurches of a nation, calling them churches, and not church, doth argue that the common relation -between them was by way of communion, each reserving their jurisdiction as several churches, but not as cast under one jurisdiction, as being one church.
Yea, + perhaps the name church may be given unto a nation in a mystical respect; that which is given to the whole being given to any part or number of saints.
The strangers that were scattered all over lesser Asia, 1 Peter i. 1, are called 'a flock,'
And ao our Saviour Christ saith he had Cuap. XI.] THE CHUROHES OF CHRIST. sheep that were not of that fold; i.¢. that were not of that nation, but that were Gentiles, and yet they are both called one church in the general; for he would make them (both Jew and Gentile) one fold; but they are so called in respect of their mystical relation, as under him their shepherd, not in respect of government.' Peter calls the Jews that were scattered a flock in the general, distinct from the Gentiles, because they could not perhaps understand the tongues of the Gentiles, and therefore kept together, as Jews distinct.
So then we shall grant very far to national communion of churches kept in a mystical way.
As, 1. We grant that God under the gospel hath made a covenant with, and 8 promise unto, nations (in respeet of the gospel) as well as unto families.*
Paul, when some in Achaia had received the gospel, calls them the first fraits of Achaia, Rom. xvi. 5.
He calls them the first fruits, as a sign that more would come of the same nation; but he would not baptize men of the same nation upon it, or upon a bare outward profession, as the apostles did not therefore baptize all the nation of the Jéws because some received the gospel as the first fruits.
Abraham's covenant, indeed, goes to nations as well as to families: Isa. lii. 15, 'He shall sprinkle many nations.'
And God removes the light of the gospel from nations as well as from particular churches.
The gospel itself becomes a national blessing; and we see that one nation hath more light in one age than another; as the Grecians and those in Asia once had, and now we Europeans in the northern parts have.
That part of Britain which is now called Wales had it more than the rest of the nation when Austin the monk came into this island, those that opposed him being only found there, whereas now the whole kingdom hath had it since, and the gospel beeometh a national blessing; and when the practices and privileges of it are established by the law, it eometh to be a national right.
And when the civil magistrate by law doth eountenance religion, God doth bless the nation, and bless the magistrate for it, as he did the house of Obed-edom for the ark's resting there, 2 Sam. vi. 11, 12.
2. There are national duties, whieh the churehes in a nation, as' they are a nation, owe unto God in a joint way, as to keep solemn fasts, and days of thanksgiving for national blessings, or for threatened judgments, as Nineveh did.
8. Infcase that the churches of a nation are corrupted, they may have assemblies and conferences, where mutually it may be seen what light these churches can hold forth ; so to make a reformation, and to become a new lump, they may have such assemblies to direct them to do it.
In Babylon, the Jews had elders to come one to another, Ezek. xiv. 1, xx. 1; but they had not the power of a Sanhedrim, which was instituted by God; that was only proper to them while they were in the land, and the promise was to it, as being in the place that God should choose.
They came to inquire, but not to judge; and the prophet was with them, who yet had not the power of jurisdiction as a prophet.
Or otherwise, at other times, we acknowledge that national assemblies may be chosen out by parliament for nationul respects to advise them.
4. And by virtue of oneness of language, and of affinity, churches in one nation are able (by virtue of this bond as a band and tie to knit together) to edify one another more than other churches, as by writing books in the same language, speaking the same tongue, &.
Yea, and as they are churches in * Yet we understand this in the same sense as Rev. v. 9 interprets it of the redeemed out of,all nations, so that all the people in nations will never grow up to be members of churches, especially not till the call of the Jews.
THE GOVERNMENT OF [Boox V. a nation, as they walk more exactly, God will give such a nation more light than he doth another nation.
These, and many more such advantages as these are, in ways of communion, we do acknowledge belong to them as a nation; and the same also by reason of neighbourhood to neighbour churches.
But to cast all these churches into such a national government ecclesiastical, and such subordinations as presbyterian government casts them into (such as, being a nation in respect of civil government, they are cast into), and that they should be obliged, in respect of a national bond, to an uniformity, or obliged, for uniformity's sake, to the same pitch and model, that one particular church should not practise further than another, or hold forth more light in matters of doctrine than another; but that there must be one standard for all, and that they should be obliged to this by virtue of a national constitution ; such an uniformity as this, we think, is prejudicial to the churches, the apostle's rule holding in this, that so far as we have attained, we should walk by the same rule.
So the churches in a nation may meet to see how far they have attained, and to convince one another, and so establish by common consent a common rule amongst them so far ; but so as that, if any be otherwise minded, they should wait in this till God reveal it in his time ; for otherwise, the purer churches, which will still be the fewer, must be kept and conformed to the light of the impurer, which would soon corrupt them.
And the greater compass is taken to make the uniformity, still it will be the worse, because the greater part is still more corrupt.
'Ard therefore for mere uniformity's sake, to make a general rule that should bind weak and strong alike, when that general rule also is made in favour of the weak only (as to prescribe forms of prayer, because many, or the most of ministers, cannot pray conceived prayer, or to make one and the same form of government for all churches, because many or most churches have not ministers or a people fit to govern; or to give prudential rules for worship which should bind all, because some elders of churches, as now constituted, have not wisdom to direct themselves, and yet are suffered still to be elders), thus to bind up both weak and strong under the same rule, and to restrain the one for the sake of the other, we think is contrary to the apostolical rule.
As men in a personal walking are to be left to a more or less purity, so churches too ; and there is no reason that those that have a farther light should be retarded by those that have not.
And that which we say of the churches of a nation may, in their several respects (so faras the bond of tie will hold), be said of the churches ina city, orin any neighbourhood.
Yet so as we conceive,that always neighbourhoodis not so near a bond to induce churches to associate as correspondency of principles and practices.
As in Germany, where there are churches that are > Lutheran churches, others that are of the Calvinists, the neighbourhood is not so near a tie or bond as agreement in principles to associate themselves.
Though this principle is to be held sacred by virtue of the universal catholic communion, that so far forth as churches have anything that is good in them, so far forth (whether in respect of doctrine or worship, or the like) there is to be a communion held with them (when in practice there cannot, yet in judgment there ought to be) to acknowledge them the churches of Christ and the ministers of Christ, and approve whatever is good in them ; and if in one practice we cannot join, yet in others we may.
This we do acknowledge to be the universal law of communion between church and church throughout the world.
| And we do acknowledge that it is possible that a congregational governCuar. XII.) THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST. ment may be adequate with the nation; for if it were a nation of all visible saints according to the rules of the word (as the nation of the Jews when called perhaps shall be, Rom. xi. 28), then the nation and the church would be adequate.
But a few in nations come to be saints, and then the government must be suited to them; and if you would make a rule for a whole nation where there is bat a few saints, though the whole profess Christian religion, then the rules whereby Jesus Christ would have his churches governed, as by the people's choosing the officers, and the people's having an interest in censures, would not universally be applicable, and such a government would not suit to a whole nation in a congregational way; but the fault is not in the government, bat it lies in the persons.
Castellus Bononiensis would say that the old government of churches would not be available, nisi ecclesia quoque statum antiquum obtineant.
The rales whereby Jesus Christ would have his church governed will not suit churches unless they have that state and constitution for members which in the apostles' times they had, which in the common profession of Christianity in a nation and parishes, as now more generally they are constituted in respect of members, cannot be.
That though no church or churches have the power to excommunicate any other churches, yet they have authority of declaring non-communton with them upon occasion ofjust offence.
The upshot of the difference between us and our brethren lies in this principle, that all church government consisting in a spiritual instituted punishment, or being in order to it, which is properly called a censure and an izria, & punishment, by the apostle, 2 Cor. ii. 6 (for that is properly government which hath a power of inflicting punishment as such), since excommunication is properly a spiritual punishment in a strict sense so taken ; hence therefore, where that only is placed, there is a government placed in a strict sense; and that which makes excommunication, as it differs from non-communion, to be a punishment, lies in this :
1. That it is a delivering up to Satan, which because it superaddeth to the severing of a person or persons from external communion, which is common to it with that which we call non-communion, therefore it must be a special institution, and cannot be founded upon a natural ground ; for who hath power to give up a person to Satan, when any church hath thrown him out, but only Christ?