the gospel, on the contrary, all that pertains to the worship of God and the salvation of believers, all, in short, that is necessary to constitute a church, may be duly and orderly transacted in a particular church, within the walls of a private house, and where the numbers assembled are inconsiderable. Nay, such a church, when in compliance with the interested views of its pastor it allows of an increase of numbers beyond what is convenient, deprives itself in a great measure of the advantages to be derived from meeting in common.

It was indeed necessary for Jews and proselytes to meet together at Jerusalem from all quarters of the world for religious purposes, Acts ii. 5, &c. viii. 27. because at that time there was only one national or universal Jewish church, and no particular churches; whereas at present there is no national church, but a number of particular churches, each complete and perfect in itself, and all co-equal in divine right and power; which like similar and homogeneous parts of the same body, connected by a bond of mutual equality, form in conjunction one catholic church: nor need any one church have recourse to another for a grace or privilege which it does not possess in its independent capacity.

Particular churches, however, may communicate with each other in a spirit of brotherhood and agreement, and co-operate for purposes connected with the general welfare. 2 Cor. viii. 19," who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us." i. 24. "not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy." 1 Pet. v. 3. "neither as being lords over God's heritage.'

Of councils, properly so called, I find no trace in Scripture;'

5 But to proceed further in the truth yet more freely, seeing the Christian church is not national, but consisting of many particular congregations-.' Likeliest means to Remove Hirelings, &c. Prose Works, III. 29.

6 Suis in se numeris omnes absolutæ: a Ciceronian expression which he has imitated elsewhere; speaking of the Deity:

... Through all numbers absolute, though one.

....

Paradise Lost, VIII. 421. 'Per se ipse parlamentum omnibus numeris absolutum et legitimum... constituebat.' Pro Populo Anglicano Defensio, Symmons' ed. V. 177. · Hypocritam numeris omnibus absolutum.' Authoris pro se Defensio, Ibid. 307.

7 It is probably owing to Milton's dislike of councils, that he describes in his epic poems the consultations of the fallen angels in terms borrowed from ecclesiastical assemblies. The devils are said to sit in secret conclave,

for the decision recorded Acts xv. 2, &c. is rather to be considered as an oracular declaration obtained from the inspired apostles, to whom recourse was had in a doubtful matter, as to the supreme authority on controverted points, while there was as yet no written word. This was very different from a modern council composed of bishops or elders, who have no gift of inspiration more than other men; whose authority is not, like that of the apostles, co-ordinate with the Scriptures; who are equally liable to error with their brethren, insomuch that they cannot pronounce with certainty, like the apostles, Acts xv. 28. "it hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us;" who nevertheless assume the right of imposing laws on the churches, and require the rest of mankind to obey their mandates; forgetting that at the assembly in Jerusalem' the whole multitude of believers were present, and gave their voices: Acts xv. 12, 22, 23. Where however they content themselves with the fraternal office of admonition, their counsel is not to be despised.

The enemies of the church are partly heretics, and partly profane opponents.

The hostility of heretics originates either in their own evil dispositions, Philipp. i. 16. "the one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely;" or in the imposition of some unnecessary yoke on the church, Matt. ix. 16. "that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is Paradise Lost, I. 795; and their council is styled a gloomy consistory, Paradise Regained, I. 442. He also says in a letter to a friend, written in the year 1659, I pray that the Protestant synod, which you say is soon to meet at Leyden, may have a happy termination, which has never yet happened to any synod that has ever met before.' Prose Works, III. 520.

7 That way which the apostles used, was to call a council; from which, by anything that can be learned from the fifteenth of the Acts, no faithful Christian was debarred, to whom knowledge and piety might give entrance.' Reason of Church Government urged against Prelaty. Prose Works, II. 464. 'These debates, in his judgement, would have been ended better by the best divines in Christendom in a full and free synod. A most improbable way, and such as never yet was used, at least with good success, by any Protestant kingdom or state since the reformation.' Eiconoclastes I. 421. See also Ibid. 450. Among the subjects for tragedies, given by Birch and Todd from Milton's MSS. is 'AHAB; beginning at the synod of false prophets.' Of councils, however, composed as he supposes them to have been in the early times of Christianity, he speaks otherwise in The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce, III. 178, 179.

VOL. IV.

rade worse." Yet even these are not without their use. i Cor xi. 19. "there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you."

The enemies of the church are various, but the destruction of all is portended. Psal. cxxxvii. 7-9. "remember, O Jehovah, the children of Edom . . . . O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed, happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.' Jer. xxx. 16. "all they that devour thee shall be devoured." 1. 29, 30. "call together the archers against Babylon, all ye that bend the bow-." v. 34. "their Redeemer is strong." li. 11. "the vengeance of Jehovah, the vengeance of his temple." v. 24. "I will render unto Babylon-." v. 34. "Nebuchadrezzar hath devoured me, he hath crushed me." v. 49. "as Babylon hath caused the slain of Israel to fall, so at Babylon shall fall the slain of all the earth." Ezek. xxv. 3, &c. "because thou saidst, Aha, against my sanctuary-." xxviii. 24. "there shall be no more a pricking brier unto the house of Israel." xxxv. 5, &c. "because thou hast had a perpetual hatred―." Joel iii. 2, &c. "I will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat-." Amos. i. 3, &c. 66 'for three transgressions of Damascus— Obad. 10, &c. "for thy violence against thy brother Jacob." Micah iv. 13. "arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion-." Zech. xii. 3, &c. "I will make Jerusalem a burthensome stone for all people-." Rev. xix. 2. "he hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand."

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1 John

The great enemy of the church is called Antichrist, who according to prediction is to arise from the church itself. 2 Thess. ii. 3, &c. "that man of sin, the son of perdition, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." ii. 18, &c. 66 even now are there many antichrists.... they went out from us." iv. 3. "every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God; and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come." 2 John 7. " many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh this is a deceiver and an antichrist." See also nearly the whole of the latter part of Revelations, from chap. xiii. to the end of the book.

The frauds and persecutions practised by the enemies of

the church are of various kinds. Numb. xxxi. 16. "behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against Jehovah-," compared with Rev. ii. 14. Neh. vi. 6, &c. "he pronounced this prophecy against me; for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him." Ezra iv. 12. the rebellious and the bad city." See also Neh. ii. 19. Esther iii. 8. "there is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people, neither keep they the king's laws." Jer. xxvi. 8. "the priests took him." xxix. 26. "Jehovah hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest.... that thou shouldest put him in prison and in the stocks." Amos vii. 10, 13. “then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent-." Matt. v. 10, 11. "blessed are they which are persecuted-." x. 25. "if they have called the master Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?" Gal. iv. 29. "but as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now." Heb. xi. 36, &c. "others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings-.'

Hence we are enjoined to flee from persecution, and the precept is confirmed by the example of Elijah, 1 Kings xix. 3. of Joseph, Matt. ii. 13. and x. 16, 17. "behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves.... but beware of men, for they will deliver you up to the councils." v. 23. “when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another;" of Christ, Matt. xii. 15. Luke iv. 30. John viii. 59. xi. 54. of the disciples, Acts viii. 4. of Paul and Barnabas, xiv. 6. 2 Cor. xi. 32, 33. Rev. xii. 6. "the woman fled into the wilderness. v. 14. "to the woman were given two wings-." Except where flight would not be conducive to the glory of God. Hence St. Paul declares Acts xxi. 13. "I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die."

,,

There are appropriate consolations for the persecuted. Matt. x. 32. "whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess also.' Luke xii. 4, 5, &c. "be not afraid of them that kill the body." xxi. 18, 19. "there shall not an hair of your head perish." John xv. 18-20. "if the world hate you, you know that it hated me before it hated you." Acts v. 41. " rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name." Rom. viii. 35, &c. "who shall

separate us.... shall persecution?" 2 Cor. iv. 8, 9. are persecuted, but not forsaken." Philipp. ii. 17. "if I be offered upon the sacrifice of your faith, I joy." 2 Tim. iii. 12. "all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." 1 Pet. iv. 14. "if ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye." v. 16. "if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed."

A compensation is also promised. Mark. x. 30. "he shall receive an hundred-fold." Luke vi. 23. "behold, your reward is great in heaven." Rom. viii. 18. "I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." 2 Thess. i. 6, 7. "tribulation to them that trouble you; and to you who are troubled rest with us." Heb. x. 34. " knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance." v. 36. "that ye might receive the promise.' xi. 26. "he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.”

CHAP. XXXII.-OF CHURCH DISCIPLINE.®

THE bond by which a particular church is held together, is its DISCIPLINE.9

CHURCH DISCIPLINE consists in a mutual agreement among the members of the church to fashion their lives according to Christian doctrine, and to regulate every thing in their public meetings decently and with order. Rom. xii. 4. to the end of the chapter. Eph. iv. 1-3. "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Col. iii. 16. "let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto the Lord." 1 Thess. iv. 18." comfort one another with these words." Heb. iii. 13. " exhort one another daily, while

On the subject of this chapter, see Hooker, and Potter On Church Government.

Let whoso will interpret or determine, so it be according to true church discipline, which is exercised on them only who have willingly joined themselves in that covenant of "nion.' Treatise of Civil Power in Ecclemastical Causes. Prose Works, II. 526.