The Divine Right of Church Government: Wherein it is proved that the Presbyterian government, by preaching and ruling elders, in sessional, Presbyterial and synodical assemblies, may lay the only lawful claim to a divine right, according to the Holy Scriptures
Religion
The Divine Right of Church Government: Wherein it is proved that the Presbyterian government, by preaching and ruling elders, in sessional, Presbyterial and synodical assemblies, may lay the only lawful claim to a divine right, according to the Holy Scriptures
Presbyterian Church -- Government
[Footnote 34: The formal difference or distinction betwixt these two
powers, is fully and clearly asserted by that learned bishop, Usher, in
these words: "God, for the better settling of piety and honesty among
men, and the repressing of profaneness and other vices, hath established
two distinct powers upon earth: the one of the keys, committed to the
Church; the other of the sword, committed to the civil magistrate. That
of the keys, is ordained to work upon the inward man; having immediate
relation to the remitting or retaining of sins, John xx. 23. That of the
sword is appointed to work upon the outward man; yielding protection to
the obedient, and inflicting external punishment upon the rebellious and
disobedient. By the former, the spiritual officers of the Church of
Christ are inclinable to govern well, 1 Tim. v. 17. To _speak_, and
_exhort_, and _rebuke_ with all _authority_, Tit. ii. 15. To loose such
as are penitent, Matt. xvi. 19, and xviii. 18. To commit others to the
Lord's prison, until their amendment, or to bind them over to the
judgment of the great day, if they shall persist in their wilfulness and
obstinacy. By the other, princes have an imperious power assigned by God
unto them, for the defence of such as do well, and executing revenge and
wrath, Rom. xiii. 4, upon such as do evil, whether by death, or
banishment, or confiscation of goods, or imprisonment, Ezra vii. 26,
according to the quality of the offence.
"When St. Peter, that had the keys committed unto him, made bold to draw
the sword, he was commanded to put it up, Matt. xxvi. 52, as a weapon
that he had no authority to meddle withal. And on the other side, when
Uzziah the king would venture upon the execution of the priest's office,
it was said unto him, 'It pertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn
incense unto the Lord, but to the priests, the sons of Aaron, that are
consecrated to burn incense,' 2 Chron. xxvi. 18. Let this therefore be
our second conclusion: That the power of the sword, and of the keys, are
two distinct ordinances of God; and that the prince hath no more
authority to enter upon the execution of any part of the priest's
function, than the priest hath to intrude upon any part of the office of
the prince." In his speech delivered in the Castle-chamber at Dublin,
&c., concerning the oath of supremacy, pages 3, 4, 5. Further
differences betwixt these two powers, see in Gillespie's Aaron's Rod,
Book 2, Chap. 4.]
[Footnote 35: See this proposition for substance fully and clearly
asserted by that acute and pious author, Mr. P. Bains, in his Diocesan's
Trial, quest. 3, pages 83, 84, conclus. 3.]
[Footnote 36: See Cotton's Keys, &c., pp. 31-33, and Mr. Thomas Goodwin,
and Mr. Philip Nye, in their epistle prefixed thereunto, do own this
book as being for substance their own judgment.]
[Footnote 37: See that judicious treatise, Vindiciae Clavium, chap. III.
IV. V., pp. 33-52.]
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