Authority is a Spiritual Power derived immediately from Chrift, and confequently cannot be vacated by any Civil Powe. And therefore though the Civil Magiftrate fhould renounce his due Obedience to his Rightful, Spiritual Father, and fet up another in his ftead, and command the People to do so too, threat, ning them with Civil Penalties if they do not; yet this will not justify fuch a Revolt and make it no Sin: Such Depofition of the Rightful Paftor, and joyning in Communion with the Intruder, will be neverthelefs a Schifm and a Breach of the Band of Charity, and according to the Apostle's Doctrine, written by the infallible Direction of the Holy Ghost, will render all their Doings as nothing worth. S XXXII. Neither did S. Paul's Absence or NonRelidence amongst them defeat his Title to their Obedience; for though he was fo long abfent that fome fuppofed (g) he would not visit them any more, yet he, even during that Abfence, challeng'd their Obedience: (h) He was indeed abfent from them. in Body, but he was prefent in Spirit; that is, in his Spiritual Power and Authority deligated to the Refident Presbyters that acted under him, or to some Bishop, fuch as (i) Timothy, or (k) Titus whom he fent to visit them in his own ftead. And it was during his Abfence that this Faction in the Church of Corinth was fet up against him, for which he fo much blames them from one end of his Epistle to the other: Neither was he prefent with them when he challeng'd their Obedience to him. A clear Evidence that he was as much the Bishop or chief Paftor of the Corinthians when he was at Philippi in Macedonia (from whence the Poftfcript fays his two Epiftles to that (g) 1 Cor. iv. 18. (i) 1 Cor. iv. 17. (h) I Cor. v. 3. Church Church were written) as when he was in any Part of Achaia, or even at Corinth itfelf. His neceffary Abfence from that Part of his Charge did not take away the Relation he bore to that Flock. Whosoever acted there as a Spiritual Guide independent on him broke the Unity of that Church and the Band of Charity, and became a Schifmatick, and fo were also all thofe that communicated with fuch an Intruder. S XXXIII. Neither did the Interpofition of the Civil Magiftrate, who for bad him to execute his Office in that or any other Place, make any Alteration in this Matter, or authorize thofe that were S. Paul's Spiritual Subjects to withdraw their Obedience from him and confer it on another. The Magistrates (1) frequently imprison'd him, and thereby rendred him uncapable of discharging his Funation either at Corinth or elsewhere; yet this, by no means difcharged the People committed to his Charge from their Duty to him: He was their Apoftle, their Bishop, their Spiritual Father as well when he was in Prifon, and not only forbidden, but actually restrained by the Civil Magiftrate from the Execution of his Office, as when at Liberty. Thus was he depofed or barred the Exercife of his Function by an Irrefiftible Party, for they who could imprifon, fcourge and ftone him, and in fhort handle him juft as they pleased, were certainly irrefiftible. And by fuch a Party S. Paul was often depofed as far as it lay in their Power to depofe him, whilft those that were puffed up against him had Liberty to preach and exercise their Functions in his District or Diocefe. Yet this, as he has plainly taught us, did not deprive him of his Right over the Corinthians, or any other Part of his Charge, or justify those that joined with the In (1) 2 Cor. xi. 23. truders truders against him. The Intruders and all thofe that adhered to them were nevertheless Schifmaticks, although the Civil Magistrate, with an irresistible Force, hindred S. Paul from officiating to his Flock, and permitted them to do it, S. Paul did not allow that they should be rightful Pastors of the Church of Corinth, because they had got Poffeffion there, and he by Reason of his Abfence might feem to be out of Poffeffion; nay, feemed not likely to come amongst them any more, being fo often imprisoned for executing his Paftoral Office, (m) and in perpetual Danger of being put to Death, as he more than once tells them. And yet thefe Men who had got Poffeffion of S. Paul's Chair at Corinth were otherwife Orthodox; for he charges them with no falfe Doctrine otherwise than as they made a Schifm, and intruded themselves into bis Diftri&, in Opposition to him. However, he lets the Corinthians know, that by joining with fuch Men, and yielding Obedience to them as their Spiritual Fathers, they brake the Band of Charity; and therefore though they spoke with the Tongues of Men and of Angels, it would not profit them. S XXXIV. Thefe Intruders had the Civil Power on their fide, and though it does not appear that the Magiftrates directly authorized them to exercise the Office of Spiritual Guides at Corinth; yet it is manifeft that they connived at them, and tolerated them, which they would not do by S. Paul or any of the Apostles. So that the Corinthians could not adhere to S. Paul, but they must suffer Perfecution for it: But to those Guides that were fet up in Opposition to S. Paul, they might adhere without any fuch Danger. This that Apoftle obferves, faying, (n) Now ye are (m) 1 Cor. xv. 31. 2 Cor..xi. 23. (n) 1 Cor. iv. 8. full 1 full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as Kings without us. As if he had faid, Now ye have caft me off and got new Guides to direct you, you live happily and at eafe; you are not disturbed either by the Jews or by the Heathen, but enjoy all the Liberty and Freedom you can defire. And I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you. I heartily with that you had obtained or preferved this Freedom by juftifiable Means, and that it was not granted you on Account of your Oppofition to me, and because ye have rejected my Authority, that I might enjoy it with you. For I think that God hath fet forth us the Apoftles laft, as it were Men appointed unto Death: For we are made a Spectacle to the World, and to Angels, and to Men. We Apostles feem to be the only Men now ftruck at, others may preach with fafety and without Danger. But we are expofed to Dangers, Contempt and Scorn. We are Fools for Chrift's Jake, but ye are wife in Chrift; we are Weak, but ye are Strong; je are honourable, but we are defpifed. We are vile and defpifed for doing our Duty, and continuing to exercife our Apoftolical Office notwithstanding all the Dangers and Hazards we incurr by fo doing, but ye are wife Chriftians that leaving our Communion and joining yourselves to thofe that know how to make an Intereft with the Magiftrates can fecure yourfelves and avoid Perfecution. Hereby you live honourably and creditably in the World, whilft we are contemptible. Even unto this prefent Hour we both Hunger and Thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain Dwelling-Place. And labour, working with our own Hands; being reviled we blefs; being perfecuted we fuffer it; being defamed we intreat, and pray to God for them that Calumniate or falfely accufe us; we are made as the Filth of the World, and the Off fcouring of all things unto this Day. I write not these Things to fhame you, but as my beloved Sons I warn you. Though I have been thus ufed fince thefe Schifms have come in amongst you, yet I do not now mention it in order to reproach you for the ill Ufage I have received at your Hands, in that you have forfaken me, because I have been perfecuted by the Civil Powers, and thereby hindred from coming to you, and have fet up others to communicate with as Guides in Oppofition to me. For though you have ten thoufand Inftructers in Chrift, yet have ye not many Fathers; for in Chrift Jefus I have begotten you through the Gofpel. Wherefore, I beseech you be ye Followers of me. Though you have had never fo many Preachers amongst you, yet have you not many Spiritual Fathers, Apostles or Bishops; for I am your proper Apostle or Bishop, having a Right to your Spiritual Obedience, by planting the Gospel among you, and therefore no other can challenge that Authority over it, 'till I deliver it to a Succeffor, either by Death or Refignation; or at least by fome juft Forfeiture: And for this Reafon I muft ftill intreat you to adhere to me as your proper Bishop. For this Caufe have I fent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved Son and faithful in the Lord, who fhall bring you into remembrance of my Ways, which be in Chrift, as I teach every where in every Church. Now fome are puffed up, as though I would not come to you. I will fend Timothy to fupply my Place for the prefent, and forafmuch as fome by reafon of my Abfence take occafion to defpife me, I will come to you fhortly, if the Lord will, SXXXV. From hence we may justly conclude, that neither S. Paul's Abfence, nor the Civil Magiftrate's forbidding him to execute his Office whilft he permitted others, Orthodox enough in all other refpects, (for ought that appears to the contrary) to fupply his Place, and take the Care of his Church in Oppofition to him, could really take away his Right to the Spiritual Charge of that District which was his peculiar Care, to Authorize the People to join with those |