〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greek Scholia which he useth to cite hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fourthly Peter addeth not as being Lords or over-ruling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we might understand he condemneth the ruling power of the Lord Bishop not of the Lords Bishop of Episcopus Dominus not of Episcopus Domini Just as Ezek 34. 4. the shepheards of Israel are reproved for lording it over the flock with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them It was their duty to rule them but it was their sin to rule them with force and with cruelty The twentieth Argument I take from 1 Cor. 4. 1. Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the mysteries of God Moreover it is required in Stewards that a man be found faithfull And Tit. 1. 7. a Bishop is the Steward of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This name doth exclude Lordship and dominion but withall it noteth a ministeriall rule or government as in the proper so in the metaphorical signification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a name diverse times given by Aristotle in his Politicks to the civil Magistrate The Septuagints have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as fynonymous with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esthâ—…r 8. 9. To the Lieutenants and the Deputies The 70. thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The holy Ghost by the same word expresseth Government Gal. 4. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is under Tutors and Governors Rom. 16. 23. Erastus is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophylact thinks he was Governour of the City Erasmus that he was praefectus aerario Town-Treasurer The English Translators call him the Chamberlain of the City Yea setting aside the metaphorical signification of this name often used for a name of rule the very literall and native signification of the word will serve to strengthen this Argument in hand Ministers are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is house-stewards or over the house but what house Aristotle at the beginning of the second book of his Oeconomicks distinguisheth a fourfold oeconomy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kingly noble civil private The Ministers of Christ are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the first sort They are stewards in the house of the great King He that is steward in a Kings house must needs have a ruling power in the house 1 Kings 4. 6. Ahishar was over Solomons houshold 1 Kings 18. 3. And Ahab called Obadiah which was the Governour of his house 2 Kings 18. 18. Eliakim which was over the houshold In all which places the 70. have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I hold therefore with Peter Martyr upon 1 Cor. 4. 1. that Ministers being by their calling and office stewards in the house of God ought to cast out prophane impure persons out of the house and receive them again upon their repentance And why are they called Stewards of the mysteries of God surely the Sacraments are part and a chief part of those mysteries and Christ hath made his Ministers not the civil Magistrates stewards of these mysteries to receive unto or to exclude from the Sacraments and as they may not keep back any of the children of the house so they may not suffer dogs to eat at the childrens Table The one and twentieth Argument which shall claudere agmen shall be drawn from Act. 15. where we find an Ecclesiastical Assembly or Synod of the Apostles Elders and other choice brethren snch as Iudas and Sylas These did so assemble themselves and proceed with authority in a businesse highly concerning the truth of the Gospel Christian liberty the healing of scandal and the preserving of peace in the Church as that it is manifest they had and executed a power of government distinct from Magistracy Mr. Selden de Jure natur Gent. lib. 7. cap. 12. hath sufficiently expressed that which is the ground of my present Argument and I rather choose to speak it in his words then in my owne Now a dispute being had of this thing at Antioch Paul and Barnabas who having used many Arguments against that Pharisaical opinion yet could not end the controversie are sent to Hierusalem that there the thing might be determined by the Apostles and Elders It is agitated in a Synod In it it is determined by the Apostles and Elders that the Gentiles who had given their names to Christ are not indeed bound by the Law of Moses or of the Hebrewes as it is Mosaicall and prescribed to the Church or Common-wealth of the Iewes but that they ought to enjoy their Christian liberty And so much for that which the Synod loosed them from But what dorh the Synod bind upon them The Synod doth also impose certain things namely abstinence from fornication and from things offered to Idols and from blood and things strangled VT QUAE NECESSARIO OBSERVANDA EX AUTHORITATE SYNODI saith Mr. Selden BEING SUCH AS WERE NECESSARILY TO BE OBSERVED IN REGARD OF THE AUTHORITY OF THE SYNOD by those who giving their names to the Christian Religion should live with the Jewes they also giving their names to the Christian Religion and so enter into religious fellowship with them I shall adde two other Testimonies of Mr. Prynns The first I shall take out of his twelve considerable serious Questions concerning Church-Government pag. 5. where arguing against the Independency of particular Congregations he askes whether the Synodâ—…l Assembly of the Apostles Elders and Brethren at Hierusalem Act. 15. who MADE AND SENT BINDING DECREES to the Churches of the Gentiles in Antioch Syria and Cilicia and other Churches be 〈◊〉 an apparent subversion of Independency So that by Mr. Prynns confession the Scripture holds forth other Governours or Rulers in the Church beside Magistrates and the authority of these other Governours to be such as to make and send to the Churches BINDING DECREES in things and causes Ecclesiastical Another Testimony I take from his Independency examined pag. 10 11. where he argueth against the Independents and proveth from Act. 15. the authority of ordinary Ecclesiastical Synods bringing also six Arguments to prove that the Apostles did not there act in their extraordinary Apostolical capacity or as acted by a spirit of infallibility but in their ordinary capacity Thereafter he concludeth thus Therefore their assembling in this Councel not in their extraordinary capacity as Apostles onely buâ—… as Elders Ministers and the Elders Brethrens sitting together in Councell with them upon this Controversie and occasion is an undeniable Scripture authority for the lawfulnesse use of Parliaments Councels Synods under the Gospel upon all like necâ—…ssary occasions and FOR THEIR POWER TO DETERMINE CONTROVERSIES OF RELIGION TO MAKE CANONS IN THINGS NECESSARY FOR THE CHURCHES PEACE AND GOVERNMENT Loe here Mr. Prynn gives us an undeniable Scripture authority for a diataktick governing power in the Church distinct from Magistracy How he will draw from Act. 15. the use of Parliaments or their authority I do not imagine It is enough
Gisb. Vâ—etius Gul. Vorstius Hen. Vorstius Gerâ—ardus Uossius Dionysius Vossius Ursinus Z ZAncâ—ius Zepperus Zonâ—ras Zâ—inglius Aarons Rod blossoming OR The Divine Ordinance of Church-government VINDICATED The first Booke Of the Jewish Church-government CHAP. I. That if the Erastians could prove what they alledge concerning the Iewish Church Government yet in that particular the Iewish Church could not be a president to the Christian. OBserving that very much of Erastus his strength and much of his followers their confidence lieâ—h in the old Testament and Jewish Church which as they averre knew no such distinction as Civill Government and Church Government Civill Justice and Church Discipline I have thought good first of all to remove that great stumbling-block that our way may afterward lie fair and plain before us I doe heartily acknowledge that what we finde to have been an Ordinance or an approved practice in the Jewish Church ought to be a rule and patterne to us such things onely excepted which were typicall or temporall that is for which there were speciall reasons proper to that infancy of the Church and not common to us Now if our opposites could prove that the Jewish Church was nothing but the Jewish State and that the Jewish Church-government was nothing but the Jewish State-government and that the Jewes had never any supreame Sanhedrin but one onely and that civil and such as had the temporall coercive power of Magistracy which they will never be able to prove yet there are divers conâ—iderable reasons for which that could be no president to us First Casaubon exerc 13. anno 31. num 10. proves out of Maimonides that the Sanhedrin was to be made up if possible wholly of Priests and Levites and that if so many Priests and Levites could not be found as were fit to be of the Sanhedrin in that case some were assumed out of other Tribes Howbeit I hold not this to be agreeable to the first institution of the Sanhedrin But thus much is certaine that Priests and Levites were members of the Jewish Sanhedrin and had an authoritative decisive suffrage in making decrees and inflicting punishments as well as other members of the Sanhedrin Philo the Jew de vita Mosis pag. 530. saith that he who was found gathering sticks upon the Sabbath was brought ad principem sacerdotum consistorium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to the Prince or chiefe Ruler meaning Moses together with whom the Priests did sit and judge in the Sanhedrin Jehosaphat did set of the Levites of the Priests and of the chiefe of the Fathers of Israel for the judgement of the Lord c. 2 Chro. 19. 8. Secondly the people of Israel had Gods own Judiciall Law given by Moses for their civill Law and the Priests and Levites in stead of civill Lawyers Thirdly the Sanhedrin did punish no man unlesse admonition had been first given to him for his amendment Maimon de fundam legis cap. 5. sect 6. yea saith Gul. Vorstius upon the place though a man had killed his parents the Sanhedrin did not punish him unlesse he were first admonished and when witnesses were examined seven questions were propounded to them one of which was whether they had admonished the offender as the Talmud it self tels us ad tit Sanhedrin cap. 5. sect 1. Fourthly the Sanhedrin respondebat de Jure did interpret the Law of God and determine controversies concerning the sence and intent thereof Deut. 17. 8 9 10 11. and it was on this manner as the Ierusalem Talmud in Sanhedrin cap. 10. sect 2. records There were there in Ierusalem three assemblies of Iudges one sitting at the entry to the mountaine of the Sanctuary another sitting at the doore of the Court the third sitting in the Conelave made of cut stone First addresse was made to that which sate at the ascent of the mountaine of the Sanctuary then the Elder who came to represent the cause which was too hard for the Courts of the Cities said on â—…his manner I have drawne this sence from the holy Scripture my fellows have drawn that sence I have taught thus my fâ—…llows so and so If they had learned what is to be determined in that cause they did communicate it unto them If not they went forward together to the Iudges sitting at the doore of the Court by whom they were instructed if they after the laying forth of the difficulty knew what resolution to give Otherwise all of them jointly had recourse to the great Sanhedrin For from it doth the Law go forth unto all Israel It is added in Exc. Gemar Sanhed cap. 10. sect 1. that the Sanhedrin did sit in that roome of cut stone which was in the Temple from the morning to the evening daily sacrifice The Sanhedrin did judge cases of Idolatry apostasie false Prophets c. Talm. Hieros in Sanhed cap. 1. sect 5. Now all this being unquestionably true of the Jewish Sanhedrin if we should suppose that they had no supreme Sanhedrin but that which had the power of civill Magistracy then I aske where is that Christian State which was or is or ought to be moulded according to this patterne Must Ministers have vote in Parliament Must they be civill Lawyers must all criminall and capitall Judgements be according to the Judiciall Law of Moses and none otherwise Must there be no civill punishment without previous admonition of the offender Must Parliaments sit as it were in the Temple of God and interpret Scripture which sence is true and which false and determine controversies of faith and cases of conscience and judge of all false doctrines yet all this must be if there be a paralell made with the Jewish Sanhedrin I know some divines hold that the Judiciall Law of Moses so far as concerneth the punishments of sins against the morall â—aw Idolatry blasphemy Sabbath-breaking adultery theft c. ought to be a rule to the Christian Magistrate and for my part I wish more respect were had to it and that it were more consulted with This by the way I am here only shewing what must follow if the Jewish Government be taken for a prâ—sident without making a disâ—inction of Civil Church government Surely the consequences will be such as I am sure our opposites will never admit of and some of which namely concerning the civill places or power of Ministers and concerning the Magistrates authority to interpret Scripture ought not to be admitted Certainly if it should be granted that the Jewes had but one Sanhedrin yet there was such an intermixture â—of Civill and Ecclesiasticall both persons and proceedings that there must be a partition made of that power which the Jewish Sanhedrin did exercise which taken whole and entire together can neither sute to our Civill nor to our Ecclesiasticall Courts Nay while the Erastians appeale to the Jewish Sanhedrin suppose it now to be but one they doe thereby ingage themselves to grant unto Church officers a share at
allowed not onely to worship God apart by themselves but also to come into the Church and Congregation of Israel and to be called by the name of Jewes neverthelesse they were resâ—rained and secluded from Dignities Magistracies and preferments in the Jewish Republique and from divers marriages which were free to the Israelites Even as strangers initiated and associated into the Church of Rome have not therefore the priviledge of Roman Citizens Thus M. Selden who hath thereby made it manifest that there was a disâ—iuction of the Jewish Church and Jewish State because those Proselytes being imbodied into the Jewish Church as Church members and having a right to communicate in the holy Ordinances among the rest of the people of God yet were not properly members of the Jewish State nor admitted to Civill priviledges Whence it is also that the names of Jewes and Proselytes were used distinctly Acts 2. 10. CHAP. III. That the Iewes had an Ecclesiasticall Sanhedrin and Government distinct from the Civill I Come to the second point that there was an Ecclesiasticall government and an Ecclesiasticall Sanhedrin among the Jews This distinction of the two Sanhedrins the Civill and the Ecclesiasticall is maintained by Zepperus de polit eccles l. 3. cap. 7. Iunius in Deut. 17. Piscator ibid. Wolphius in 2. Reg. 23. Gerhard Harm de pass cap. 8. Gâ—…dwin Moses and Aaron lib. 5. cap. 1. Bucerus de gubern eccl pag. 61 62. Walaeus Tom. 2. pag. 9. Pelargus in Deut. 17. Sopingius ad bonam fidem Sibrandi pag. 261. et seq The Dutch Annotations on Deut. 17. 2 Chron. 19. Bertramus de polit Jud. cap. 11. Apâ—…llonii jus Majest part 1. p. 374. Strigelius in 2. Paralip cap. 19. The professours of Groning Vide Judicium facult Theol. academiae Groninganae apud Cabeljav def potest Eccl. pag. 54. I remember Raynolds in the Conference with Hart is of the same opinion Also M. Paget in his defence of Church government pag. 41. Besides divers others I shall onely adde the Testimony of Constantinus L'Empereur a man singularly well acquainted with the Jewish antiquities who hath expressed himselfe concerning this point both in his Annotations upon Bertram pag. 389. and Annot. in Cod. Middoth pag. 187 188. The latter of these two passages you have here in the Margin expressing not only his opinion but the ground of it And it is no obscure footstep of the Ecclefiasticall Sanhedrin which is cited out of Elias by D. Buxtorf in his Lexicon Chald. Talmud Rabbin p. 1514. The first institution of an Ecclesiasticall Sanhedrin appeareth to me to be held forth Exod. 24. 1. where God saith to Moses Come up unto the Lord thou and Aaron Nadâ—… and Abihu and seventy of the Elders of Israel It is a controversie among Interpreters who those seventy Elders were Tostatus maketh it cleare that they were not the seventy Elders chosen for the government of the Common-wealth Num 11. Nor yet the Judges chosen by the advice of Iethro Exod. 18. Nor yet any other Judges which had before time Judged the people These three negatives Willet upon the place holdeth with Tostatus Not the first for this was done at Mount Sinai shortly after their comming out of Egypt But on the twenty day of the second moneth in the second yeere they tooke their journey from Sinai to the Wildernesse of Paran Num. 10. 11 12. and there pitched at Hibroth-hattaavath Num. 33. 16. where the seventy Elders were chosen to relieve Moses of the burthen of Government So that this election of seventy Exod. 24. was before that election of seventy Num 11. Not the second for this election of seventy Exod. 24. was before that election of Judges by Iethros advice Exod. 18. Iethro himselfe not having come to Moses till the end of the first yeere or the beginning of the second yeere after the comming out of Egypt and not before the giving of the Law which Tostatus proves by this argunent The Law was given the third day after they came to Sinai but it was impossible that Iethro should in the space of three daies heare that Moses and the people of Israel were in the wildernesse of Sinai and come there unto them that Moses should goe forth and meet him and receive him and entertaine him that Iethro should observe the manner of Moses his government in litigious judgement from morning till evening and give counsell to rectifie it that Moses should take course to helpe it how could all this be done in those three daies which were also appointed for sanctifying the people against the receiving of the Law Therefore he concludeth that the story of Iethro Exod. 18. is an anticipation Lastly he saith the seventy Elders mentioned Exod. 24. could not be Judges who did judge the people before Iethro came because Iethro did observe the whole burthen of government did lie upon Moses alone and there were no other Judges Now it is to be observed that the seventy Elders chosen and called Exod. 24. were also invested with authority in judging controversies wherein Aaron or Hur were to preside vers 14. They are joyned with Aaron Nadad and Abihu and are called up as a Representative of the whole Church when God was making a Covenant with his people T is after the Judiciall lawes Exod. 21. 22. 23. and that 24 Chapter is a transition to the ceremoniall lawes concerning the worship of God and structure of the Tabernacle which are to follow Neither had the seventy Elders of which now I speake any share of the Supreme civill Government to judge hard Civill causes and to receive appeals concerning those things from the inferiour Judges for all this did still lie upon Moses alone Num. 11. 14. Furthermore they saw the glory of the Lord and were admitted to a sacred banquet and to eat of the Sacrifices in his presence Exod. 24. 5 10 11. and were thereby confirmed in their calling All which laid together may seem to amount to no lesse then a solemne interesting and investing of them into an Ecclesiasticall authority The next proofe for the Ecclesiasticall Sanhedâ—in shall be taken from Deut. 17. 8 9 10 11 12. where observe 1. T is agreed upon both by Jewish and Christian Expositors that this place holds forth a supreme civill Court of Judges and the authority of the civill Sanhedrin is mainly grounded on this very Text. Now if this Text hold forth a superior civill Jurisdiction as is universally acknowledged it holds forth also a superior Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction distinct from the Civill For the Text carrieth the authority and sentence of the Priests as high as the authority and sentence of the Judges and that in a disjunctive way as two powers not one and each of them binding respectively and in its proper sphere 2. The Hebrew Doctors tell us of three kinds of causes which being found difficult were transmitted from the inferiour Courts to those at Ierusalem 1.
punishment except what was civill He granteth also that Niddui was included in the other two so that in all three there was a shutting out from the holy things I must not forget the Testimony of my Countreyman Master Weemse in his Christian Synagogue lib. 1. cap. 6. sect 3. paragr 7. They had three sorts of Excommunication first the lesser then the middle sort then the greatest The lesser was called Niddui and in the New Testament they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put out of the Synagogue and they hold that Cain was excommunicated this way The second was called Cherem or Anathema with this sort of Excommunication was the Incestuous person censured 2 Cor. 2. The third Shammatha they hold that Enoch instituted it Jude v. 14. And after these who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put out of the Synagogue were not simply secluded from the Temple but suffered to stand in the Gate c. These who were Excommunicated by the second sort of Excommunication were not permitted to come neer the Temple These who were Excommunicated after the third sort were secluded out of the society of the people of God altogether And thus I have produced fifteen witnesses for the Ecclesiasticall Excommunication of the Jewes I might produce many more but I have made choice of these because all of them have taken more than ordinary paines in searching the Jewish antiquities and divers of them are of greatest note for their skill therein In the next place let us observe the causes degrees manner and rites how the authority by which the ends and effects of excommunication among the Jewes and see whether all these doe not helpe to make their Excommunication a patterne for ours For the causes there were 24 causes for which a man was Excommunicated among the Jewes You may read them in Buxtorfs Lexicon Chald Talmud Rabbin p. 1304 1305. M. Selden de jure nat Gentium lib. 4. cap. 8. Jo. Coch Annot. in Excerp Gem. Sanhedrin cap. 2. pag. 147. divers of these causes did not at all concerne personall or civill injuries for such injuries were not accounted causes of Excommunication but were to be punished otherwise as shall be proved afterward but matters of scandall by which God was dishonoured and the stumbling-blocke of an evill example laid before others One cause was the despising of any of the preceps of the Law of Moses or Statutes of the Scribes Another was the selling of Land to a Gentile Another was a Priest not separating the gifts of the oblation Another he that in captivity doth not iterate or observe the second time a holy day Another he that doth any servile worke upon Easter eve Another he that mentioneth the name of God rashly or by a vaine oath Another he that enduceth or giveth occasion to others to prophane the name of God Another he that makes others to â—ate holy things without the holy Temple Another he that maketh computation of yeeres and moneths without the Land of Israel that is as D r Buxtorf writeth Calendars or as M. Selden computeth yeeres and moneths otherwise than their fathers had done Another he that retardeth or hindreth others from doing the Law and Commandement Another he that maketh the offering prophane as D r Buxtorf or offereth a sickly beast as I. Coch. Another a Sacrificer that doth not shew his Sacrificing Knife before a Wise man or a Rabbi that it may be knowne to be a lawfull Knife and not faulty Another he that cannot be made to know or to learne Another he that having put away his wife doth thereafter converse familiarly with her Another a Wise man that is a Rabbi or Doctor infamous for an evill life The other causes had also matter of scandall in them namely the despising of a Wise man or Rabbi though it were after his death The despising of an Officer or messenger of the house of judgement He that casteth up to his neighbour a servile condition or cals his neighbour servant He that contumaciously refuseth to appeare at the day appointed by the Judge He that doth not submit himselfe to the Judiciall sentence He that hath in his house any hurtfull thing as a mad dogge or a weake leather He that before Heathen Judges beareth witnesse against an Israelite He that maketh the blind to fall He that hath Excommunicate another without cause when he ought not to have been Excommunicate Thus you have the 24 causes of the Jewish Excommunication of which some were meere scandals others of a mixed nature that is partly injuries partly scandals but they were reckoned among the causes of Excommunication qua scandals not qua 〈◊〉 Io. Coch. Annot. in Exc. Gem. Sanhedrin pag. 146 explaining how the wronging of a Doctor of the Law by contumelies was a cause of Excommunication sheweth that the Excommunication was because of the scandall Licet tamen condonare nisi res in praputulo gesta sit Publicum Doctoris ludibrium in legis contemptum redundat 〈◊〉 ob causam Doctor legis honorem 〈◊〉 remittere non potest Ubi res clam sine scandalo gesta est magni animi sapientis est injuriam contemptu vindicare If there was no scandall the injury might be remitted by the party injured so as the offendor was not to be Excommunicate But if the contumely was known abrond and was scandalous though the party wronged were willing and desirous to bury it yet because of the scandall the Law provided that the offender should be excommunicate For they taught the people that he who did contend against a Rabbi did contend against the holy Ghost for which see Gul. Vorstius annot in Maimon de fundam legis pag. 77 78. and hence did they aggravate an Ecclesiasticall or Divine not a Civill injury Whence it appeareth that the causes of Excommunication were formally lookt upon as scandals Adde that if qua injuries then a quatenus ad omne all personall or civill injuries had been causes of Excommunication But all civill injuries doe not fall within these 24. causes If it be objected that neither doe all scandalls fall within these 24. causes I answer they doe for some of the causes are generall and comprehensive namely these two the 5 th He that despiseth the Statutes of the Law of Moses or of the Scribes and the 18 th He that retardeth or hindereth others from doing the Law When I make mention of any particular heads either of the Jewish Discipline or of the ancient Christian discipline let no man understand me as if I intended the like Strictnesse of Discipline in these dayes My meaning is onely to prove Ecclesiasticall censures and an Ecclesiasticall Government And let this be remembred upon all like occasions though it be not everywhere expressed And so much for the causes The degrees of the Jewish excommunication were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Niddui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cherem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schammata Elias in Tisbite saith plainly
of baptizing thus I baptize thee in the name of Iesus Christ. But I spake of the action not of the expression even as in the other instance I gave our assembling together is in the name of Christ though we do not say in terminis We are now assembled in the name of Christ. In baptisme Christ doth not command us to say either these words I baptize thee in the Name of Christ or these words I baptize thee in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost but we are commanded to do the thing both in the name of Christ as Mediator and in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost But in different respects A minister of Christ doth both preach and baptize in the name of Christ as Mediator that is vice Christi in Christs stead and having authority for that effect from Christ as Mediator for Christ as Mediator gave us our commission to preach and baptize by Mr. Husseys confession So that to preach and baptize 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we find both of preaching Luk. 24 47. and of baptizing Act. 2. 38. comprehendeth a formall commission power and authority given and derived from Christ I say not that it comprehendeth no more but this it doth comprehend But when Christ biddeth us baptise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto or into or in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost Mat. 28. 19. this doth relate to the end and effect of baptisme or the good of the baptized if we understand the words properly not the authority of the baptizer as if a formall commission were there given him from the Father Son and holy Ghost So that to baptize one in or unto the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost is properly meant both of sealing the parties right and title to the enjoyment of God himself as their God by covenant and their interest in the love of God the grace of Christ and the communion of the holy Ghost and of dedicating the party to the knowledge profession saith love and obedience of God the Father Son and holy Ghost I return The next branch of my Argument was that we excommunicate in the name of Christ 1 Cor. 5 5. Mr. Hussey pag. 22. saith I make great hast here deliver to Sathan saith he is not to excommunicate c. But grant that it were excommunication c. the decree was Pauls and not the Corinthians What is meant by delivering to Sathan belongs to another debate Call it an Apostolicall act or call it an Ecclesiasticall act or both yet it was done in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ the like whereof we find not in Scripture of any act of the civil Magistrate Why doth he not attend to the drift of the Argument And as to his exceptions they are no other then Prelats Papists and Socinians have made before him and which are answered long agoe That the Apostle commandeth to excommunicate the incestuous man is acknowledged by Mr. Prynne That he who is excommunicated may be truly said to be delivered to Sathan is undeniable for he that is cast out of the Church whose sins are retained on whom the Kingdom of heaven is shut and locked whom neither Christ nor his Church doth owne is delivered to Sathan who reignes without the Church That this censure or punishment of excommunication was a Church act and not an Apostolicall act onely may thus appear 1. The Apostle blameth the Corinthians that it was not sooner done he would not have blamed them that a miracle was not wrought 2. He writeth to them to do it when they were gathered together not to declare or witnesse what the Apostle had done but to joyne with him in the authoritative doing of it vers 4. 5. again he saith to them vers 7. Purge out therfore the old leaven vers 12. Doe not ye judge them that are within vers 13. Put away from among your selves that wicked person 3. It was a censure inflicted by many 2. Cor. 2. 6 not by the Apostle alone but by many 4. The Apostle doth not absolve the man but writeth to them to forgive him 2 Cor. 2. 7. Lastly the Syriack maketh for us which runneth thus vers 4. That in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ you all may be gathered together and I with you in the Spirit with the power of our Lord Iesus Christ vers 5. That you may deliver him to Sathan c. But now at last Mr. Hussey comes home and gives this answer to my third Argument A thing may be said to be done in the name of Christ or of God when men do any thing in confidence that God will assist us so Psal. 20 5. In the name of our God will we set up our banners in confidence God will assist us Thus I hope the Parliament and other Christians may undertake the businesse in the name of Christ c. Secondly In the name of Christ a thing is said to be done that is done in the authority room and place of Christ c. So he pag. 24. seeking a knot in the rush In the first part of his distinction he saith nothing to my Argument neither saith he any more of the Parliament then agreeth to all Christians the poorest and meanest for every Christian servant every Christian Artificer is bound to do whatsoever he doth in the name of Christ Colos. 3. 17. But what is that to the Argument Come to the other member of his distinction The Ministers of Christ do act in the name of Christ that is in the authority room and place of Christ We are Ambassadors for Christ and we preach in Christs stead 2 Cor. 5. 20. This he doth not nor cannot denie which makes good my Argument Why did he not shew us the like concerning Magistracy I suppose he would if he could this is the very point which he had to speak to but hath not done it My fourth Argument against the Magistrates holding of his office of and under and for Christ that is in Christs room and stead as Mediator shall be that which was drawn from Luk. 12. 14. The Jewes were of the same opinion which Mr. Coleman and Mr. Hussey have followed namely that civil government should be put in the hands of Christ which they collected from Ier. 23. 5. He shall execute justice and judgement in the earth and such other Prophecies by them mis-understood And hence it was that one said to Christ Master Speak to my brother that he divide the inheritance with me Our Lords answer was Man who made me a Judge or a divider over you Whatsoever act of authority is done by a Deputy or Vicegerent as representing his Master and Soveraigne may be done by the King himself when personally present If therefore the Magistrate judge civil causes and divide inheritances as the Vicegerent of Christ and of Christ as Mediator then Christ himself when present in the dayes of his flesh had power as Mediator to
in genus but the civil and Ecclesiasticall Courts stand not in one line neither are they of one kind and nature they are disparata non subordinata 3. They who receive appeals have also power to 〈◊〉 the sentence else the appeal is in vain But the Magistrate hath no power to execute the Church ceâ—sure nor to shut out of the Church our opposites themselves being Judges It was not therefore without just cause that Augustine did vâ—ry â—uch â—lame the Donatists for their appealing from the Ecclesiâ—stical Assemblies to the Emperors and civil Câ—urts Epist. 48. and Epist. 162. There are two examples alledged from Scripture for appeals from Ecclesiastical to Civil Courts One is the example of Ieremiah Iâ—…r 26. The other is the example of Paul Act. 25. But neither of the two prove the point For 1. Ieremiah was not censured by the Priests with any Spirituall or Ecclesiastical censure of which alone our controversie is but the Priests took him and said to him Thou shalt surely die Jer. 26. 8. 2. Would God that every Christian Magistrate may protect the servants of God from such unjust sentences and persecuting decrees When Ecclesiasticall Courts are made up of bloody persecuters that is an extraordinary evil which must have an extraordinary remedy 3. Neither yet is there any syllable of Ieremiahs appealing from the Priests to the Princes but the Text saith When the Princes of Judah heard these things then they came up c. verse 10. that is The Princes so soon as they understood that the Priests had taken Ieremiah and had said to him Thou shalt surely die verse 8. And being also informed that all the people were gathered together tumultuously and disorderly against the Prophet verse 9. They thought it their duty to rescue the Prophet from the Priests and people that he might be examined and judged by the civil Court he being challenged and accused as one worthy to die As for Pauls Appellation to Caesar. First It is supposed by our opposites that he appealed from the Ecclesiastical Sanhedrin of the Jews which is a great mistake For he appealed from the Judgement-seat of Festus to Caesar that is from an inâ—eriour civil Court to a superiour civil Court which he had just cause to do for though Festus had not yet given forth any sentence against Paul yet he appeals à gravamine and it was a great grievance indeed while as Festus shew'd himself to be a most corrupt Judge who though the Jews could prove none of those things whereof they accused Paul Act. 25. 7. which should have made Festus to acquit and dismisse him yet being willing to do the Jews a pleasure he would have Paul to go to Ierusalem there to be judged before himself verse 9. Now this was all the favour that the Jews had desired of Festus that he would send Paul to Ierusalem they laying wait in the way to kill him vers 3. No appellation here from the Sanhedrin at Ierusalem where he had not as yet compeered to be examined far lesse could he appeal from any sentence of the Sanhedrin The most which can be with any colour alleadged from the Text is that Paul declined to be judged by the Sanhedrin at Ierusalem they not being his competent and proper Judges in that cause I stand at Caesars Iudgement-seat saith he where I ought to be judged meaning that he was accused as worthy of death for sedition and offending against Caesar whereof he ought to be judged onely at Caesars Tribunall not by the Jews who were no Judges of such matters A declinator of a Judge is one thing and Appellation from his Judgement or sentence is another thing But put the case that Paul had indeed appealâ—d from the Sanhedrin at Ierusalem either it was the civil Sanhedrin or the Ecclesiasticall If the civil it is no President for appeals from Ecclesiastical Courts If the Ecclesiastical yet that serveth not for appeals from Ecclesiasticall Courts in Ecclesiasticall causes for it was a capital crime whereof Paul was accused Nay put the case that Paul had at that time appealed from the Ecclesiastical Sanhedrin in an Ecclesiastical cause yet neither could that help our opposites for the government of the Christian Church and the government of the Jewish Church were at that time separate and distinct so that the Ecclesiastical Court which should have judged of any scandall given by Paul if at all he ought to have been censured had been a Christian Synod not a Jewish Sanhedrin And so much of Appeals Of which Question Triglandius Revius and Cabeljavius have peculiarly and fully written Three famous Academies also of Leyden Groening and Utrecht did give their publike testimonies against appeals from Ecclesiastical to civil Courts And the three Professors of Utrecht in their testimony do obtest all Christians that love truth and peace to be cautious and wary of the Arminian poyson lurking in the contrary Tenent See Cabeljav defensio potestatis Ecclesiasticae pag. 60. It is further objected That thus fixing a spirituall jurisdiction in Church-officers we erect two collateral Powers in the Kingdom the Civil and the Ecclesiastical unlesse all Ecclesiastical Courts be subordinate to Magistracy as to a certain head-ship Answ. There is a subordination of Persons here but a co-ordination of powers A subordination of Persons because as the Ministers of the Church are subject to the civil Magistrate they being members of the Common-wealth or Kingdom So the Magistrate is subject to the Ministers of the Church he being a Church-member The former we assert against Papists who say that the Clergy is not subject to the Magistrate The latter we hold against those who make the Magistrate to be the head of the Church Again a co-ordination of powers because as the subjection of the person of the Christian Magistrate to the Pastors and Elders of the Church in things pertaining to God doth not inferre the subordination of the power and office of the Magistrate to the Church-officers So the subjection of Pastors and Elders to the Magistrate in all civil things as other members of the Common-wealth are subject may well consist with the co-ordination of the Ecclesiastical power with the civil And as it is an error in Papists to make the secular power dependant upon and derived from the Ecclesiasticall power So it is an error in others to make the Ecclesiastical power derived from and dependant upon the civil power for the Ecclesiastical power is derived from Christ Ephes. 4. 11. And now while I am expressing my thoughts I am the more confirmed in the same by falling upon the concession of one who is of a different Judgement For he who wrote Ius Regum in opposition to all spiritual authority exercised under any forme of Ecclesiastical Government doth not withstanding acknowledge pag. 16. Both of them the Magistrate and the Minister have their Commission immediatly from God and each of them are subject to the other without any subordination of offices
divinum naturale that is the moral Law or Decalogue as it bindeth all Nations whether Christians or Infidels being the Law of the Creator and King of Nations The Magistrate by his authority may and in duty ought to keep his Subjects within the bounds of external obedience to that Law and punish the external man with external punishments for external trespasses against that Law From this obligation of the Law and subjection to the corrective power of the Magistrate Christian Subjects are no more exempted then Heathen Subjects but father more straitly obliged So that if any such trespasse is committed by Church-Officers or Members the Magistrate hath power and authority to summon examine judge and after just conviction and proof to punish these as well as other men We do therefore abominate the disloyal Papal Tenent that Clergy men are not to be examined and judged by civil but by Ecclesiastical Courts onely even in causes civil and criminal Whereof see Duarenus de Sacr. Eccl. Minist lib. 1. cap. 2. Spelman Concil Britann Tom. 1. pag. 413. I further explane my self by that common distinction that there are two sorts of things that belong to the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things inward and things outward For Church Officers and Church-members do consist as other men of a soul and of a body All things properly belonging to the soul or internal man which here we call things inward are the object of Ecclesiastical power given to Church-officers Pastors and other ruling officers But what belongs to the outward man to the bodies of Church-officers and members which things are outward the judging and managing thereof is in the hand of the Magistrate who ruleth not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that are without whom the Church judgeth not but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things outward of the Church Salmasius calls the power of the Magistrate in things Ecclesiastical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the inward Episcopacy or overseeing Which well agreeth with that which Constantine said to the Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You are made Bishops of the inward things of the Church I of the things outward So that he doth not assume their government but distinguisheth his from theirs This external inspection and administration of the Magistrate in reference to Religion is twofold 1. Corrective by externall punishments 2. Auxiliary by externall benefits and adminicles The Magistrate may and ought to be both Custos vindex utriusque Tabulae he ought to preserve both the first and second Table of the holy and good Law of God from being despised and violated and punish by corporal or other temporal punishments such whether Church Officers or Church-members as openly dishonour God by grosse offences either against the first or against the second Table and this he doth as Gods Deputy and Vicegerent subordinate and subservient to that universall dominion which God almighty exerciseth over the children of men But in doing hereof he is also helpfull and usefull to the Kingdom of Christ as Mediator Magistracy being in the respects aforesaid serviceable and profitable as to order the Common-wealth aright so also to purge the Church of scandals to promote the course of the Gospel and the edification of one another But how not perfectly but pro tanto not every way but more suo not intrinsecally but extrinsecally not primarily but secundarily not directly but ex consequenti not sub formalitate scandali sed sub formalitate criminis not under the notion of scandall but of crime The Magistrate in punishing all crimes committed by any in the Church which are contrary to the Law of God in suppressing tumults disorders in protâ—cting the Church from danger harme or molâ—station in putting a hook in the nostrils and a bridle in the mouthes of unruly obstinate and contumacious sinners who vexe the Church and create trouble to the people of God in so doing he doth by consequence and removendo prohibens purge the Church and advance the Kingdom of Christ and the course of the Gospel In the mean while not depriving the Church of her owne intâ—insecall power and Jurisdiction but making it rather more 〈◊〉 by the aid of the secular power And so much of the corrective part of the Magistrates administration The other part of his administration in reference to Religion is auxiliary or assistant to the Church For the Magistrate watcheth over the outward businesse of the Church not onely by troubling those persons and punishing those sins that trouble the Israel of God but by administring such things as are necessary for the well being and comfortable subsistence of the Church and for that end doth convocate Synods pro re nata beside the ordinary and set meetings and presideth therein if he please in externall order though not in the Synodicall debates and resolutions He addeth his civil sanction to the Synodical results if he find nothing therein which may hurt Peace or Justice in the Common-wealth The Magistrate ought also to take care of the maintenance of the Ministery Schooles poor and of good works for necessary uses that Religion and Learning may not want their necessary adminicles Finally He ought to take care that all Churches be provided with an able orthodox and Godly Ministery and Schools with learned and well qualified Teachers such as shall be best approved by those to whom it belongeth to examine and Judge of their qualifications and parts And all these wayes the Magistrate ought to be and the well affected Magistrate hath been and is a nursing Father to the Church of Christ. 2. My second distinction shall be this The Magistrate may and ought not onely to conserve Justice peace and order in the Common-wealth and in the Church as it is in the Common-wealth but also to take speciall care of the conservation of the true Reformed Religion and of the Reformation of it when and wherein it needeth to be reformed imperativè not elicitivè The Magistrate saith Dr. Rivet on the decalogue pag. 262. is neither to administer Word nor Sacraments nor Church discipline c. but he is to take care that all these things be done by those whom God hath called thereunto What ever is properly spiritual belonging to the soul and inward man such as Church-censures and the other particulars before mentioned cannot be actus elicitus of the Magistrate The Magistrate can neither immediatione suppositi nor immediatione virtutis determine controversies of faith ordain Ministers suspend from the Sacraments or excommunicate He can neither doe these things himself nor are they done in the name and authority of the Magistrate or by any Ministeriall power receeived from him but in the name and authority of Jesus Christ and by the power given from Jesus Christ. Yet all these and generally the administration of the keyes of the Kingdom of heaven are actus imperati of the Christian Magistrate and that both antecedenter and consequenter Antecedently
the Magistrate may command Church-officers to suspend or excommunicate all obstinate and scandalous persons he may command the Classis to ordain able and godly ministers and no other he may command a Synod to meet to debate and determine such or such a controversie Consequently also when the thing is examined judged resolved or done by the Ecclesiasticall power the Magistrate hath power and authority to adde his civil sanction confirmation ot ratification to make the Ecclesiasticall sentence to be obeyed and submitted unto by all whom it concerneth In all which the Christian Magistrate doth exceeding much for the conservation and purgation of Religion not eliciâ—…ndo actus doing or exercising by himself or by his owne authority acts of Church Government or discipline but taking care that such and such things be done by those to whom they do belong 3. Distinguish the directive part and the coercive part The directive part in the conservation or purgation of Religion doth belong to the Ministers and ruling Officers of the Church assembled together In administring therefore that which concerneth Religion and peoples spirituall good the Magistrate not onely juvatur but dirigitur is not onely helped but directed by the Ecclesiastical directive power Fest. Hon. Disp. 30. Thes. 6. Magistracy may say to Ministery as Moses said to Hobab Thou mayest be to us in stead of eyes Ad sacrae Religionis informationem fidâ—…lis Magistratus verbi divini administris veluti oculis uti debet and for that end he is to make use of consistoriall and Synodicall Assemblies say the Professors of Lâ—…yden Synopspur 〈◊〉 Disp. 50. Thes. 44. But the coercive part in compelling the obstinate and unruly to submit to the Presbyteriall or Synodicall sentence belongs to the Magistrate Not as if the Magistrate had nothing to do but to be an executioner of the pleasure of Church-officers or as if he were by a blind and implicite faith to constrain all men to stand to their determination God forbid The Magistrate must have his full liberty to judge of that which he is to compell men to do to judge of it not onely judicio apprehâ—…nsivo by understanding and apprehending â—right what it is but judicio discretivo by the judgement of Christian prudence and discretion examining by the Word of God the grounds reasons and warrants of the thing that he may in Faith and not doubtingly adde his authority thereto In which judging he doth Iudicare but not Iudicem agere that is he is Iudex suarum actionum he judgeth whether he ought to adde his civil authority to this or that which seemeth good to Church-officers and doth not concur therewith except he be satisfied in his Conscience that he may do so yet this makes him not supreme Judge or Governour in all Ecclesiastical causes which is the Prerogative of Jesus Christ revealing his will in his word nor yet doth it invest the Magistrate with the subordinate ministeriall forensicall directive judgement in Ecclesiastical things or causes which belongeth to Ecclesiasticall not to civil Courts 4. Distinguish between a Cumulative and a Privativâ—… authority The Magâ—strate hath indeed an authoritative influence into matters of Religion and Church-Government but it is cumulative that is the Magistrate takes care that Church-officers as well as other Subjects may do those things which ex officio they are bound to do and when they do so he aideth assisteth strengtheneth ratifieth and in his way maketh effectuall what they do But that which belongs to the Magistrate is not privative in reference to the Ecclesiastical Government It is understood salvo jure Ecclesiastico for the Magistrate is a nursing Father not a step Father to the Church and the Magistrate as well as other men is under that tye 2 Cor. 13. 8. We can do nothing against the Truth but for the Truth This Proviso therefore is justly made that whatever power the Magistrate hath in matters of Religion it is not to hinder the free exercise of Church discipline and censures against scandalous and obstinate sinners As the Casuists in other cases distinguish Lucrum cessans and damnum emergens so must we distinguish between the Magistrate his doing no good to the Church and his doing evil to the Church between his not assisting and his opposing between his not allowing or authorizing and his forbidding or restraining It doth properly and of right belong to the Magistrate to adde a civil sanction and strength of a law for strengthning and aiding the exercise of Church discipline or not to add it And himself is Judge whether to add any such cumulative act of favour or not But the Magistrate hath no power nor authority to lay bands and restraints upon Church-officers to hinder any of Christs ordinances or to forbid them to do what Christ hath given them a commission to do And if any such restraints of prohibitions or lawes should be laid on us we ought to obey God rather than men 5. Distingue tempora Whatever belongs to the Magistrate in matters of Religion more then falls under the former distinctions is extraordinary and doth not belong to ordinary Government In extraordinary reformations the Magistrate may do much by his owne immediate authority when Synods have made defection either from the truth of doctrine or from holinesse and godlinesse yet in such a case he ought to consult with such orthodox godly Divines as can be had either in his owne or from other Dominions Fest. Hon. Disp. 30. Thes. 5. And so much be spoken of the Magistrate his power and duty in things and causes Ecclesiasticall As we do not deny to the Magistrate any thing which the Word of God doth allow him so we dare not approve his going beyond the bounds and limits which God hath set him And I pray God that this be not found to be the bottome of the controversie Whether Magistracy shall be an arbitrary Government if not in civil yet in Ecclesiastical things Whether the Magistrate may do or appoint to be done in the matter of Church-Government admission to or exclusion from the Ordinances of Christ what ever shall seem good in his eyes And whether in purging of the Church he is obliged to follow the rules of Scripture and to consult with learned and godly Ministers although Erastus himself as is before observed and Sutlivius a great follower of him de Presbyt cap. 8. are ashamed of and do disclaim such assertions CHAP. IX That by the Word of God there ought to be another Government beside Magistracy â—r Civil Goveramâ—nt â—amely an Ecclesiastical Government properly so callâ—d in the hands of Church-officâ—rs THis Question hath arisen from Mr. Colemans third and fourth rule which he offered to the Parliament excluding all Government of Church-officers Ministers and Elders that is as he expounds himself all corrective government leaving them no power except what is meerly doctrinal and appropriating all government properly so called to the Magistrate onely Mr. Hussey following him
his place against the holy Ghost the said holy Spirit bearing the contrary record to his Conscience Testimonies taken out of the Harmony of the Confessions of the Faith of the 〈◊〉 Churches Râ—printed at London 1643. Pag. 238. Out of the confession of Helvetia FUrthermore there is another power of duty or ministerial power limited out by him who hath full and absolute power and authority And this is more like a Ministry then Dominion For we see that some master doth give unto the steward of his house authority and power over his House and for that cause delivereth him his keyes that he may admit or exclude such as his master will have admitted or excluded According to this power doth the Minister by his office that which the Lord hath commanded him to do and the Lord doth ratifie and confirm that which he doth and will have the deeds of his ministers to be acknowledged and esteemed as his own deeds unto which end are those speeches in the Gospel I will give unto thee the keyes of the Kingdom of heaven and whatsoever thou bindest or loosest in earth shall be bound and loosed in heaven Again whose sins soever ye remit they shall be remitted and whose sins soever ye retain they shall be retained But if the minister deal not in all things as his Lord hath commanded him but passe the limits and bounds of Faith then the Lord doth make void that which he doth Wherefore the Ecclesiastical power of the Ministers of the Church is that function whereby they do indeed govern the Church of God but yet so as they do all things in the Church as he hath prescribed in his Word which thing being so done the faithful do esteem them as done of the Lord himself Pag. 250. Out of the confession of Bohemia THe 14th Chapter of Ecclesiastical doctrine is of the Lords keyes of which he saith to Peter I will give thee the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven and these keyes are the peculiar function or Ministery and administration of Christ his power and his holy Spirit which power is committed to the Church of Christ and to the Ministers thereof unto the end of the world that they should not onely by preaching publish the holy Gospel although they should do this especially that is should shew forth that Word of true comfort and the joyful message of peace and new tydings of that favour which God offereth but also that to the beleeving and unbeleeving they should publikely or privately denounce and make known to wit to them his favour to these his wrath and that to all in general or to every one in particular that they may wisely receive some into the house of God to the communion of Saints and drive some out from thence and may so through the performance of their Ministery hold in their hand the Scepter of Christ his Kingdom and use the same to the government of Christ his Sheep And after Moreover a manifest example of using the power of the keyes is laid out in that sinner of Corinth and others whom St. Paul together with the Church in that place by the power and authority of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his Spirit threw out from thence and delivered to Sathan and contrariwise after that God had given him grace to repent he absolved him from his sins he took him again into the Church to the communion of Saints and Sacraments and so opened to him the Kingdom of Heaven again By this we may understand that these keyes or this divine function of the Lords is committed and granted to those that have charge of souls and to each several Ecclesiastical Societies whether they be smal or great Of which thing the Lord sayeth to the Churches Verily I say unto you whatsoever ye bind on earth shall be bound in heaven And straight after For where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the middest of them Pag. 253. Out of the French Confession VVE beleeve that this true Church ought to be governed by that regiment or discâ—pline which our Lord Jesus Christ hath established to wit so that there be Pastors Elders and Deacons that the purity of doctrine may be retained vices repressed c. Pag. 257. Out of the Confession of Belgia VVE beleeve that this Church ought to be ruled and governed by that spiritual Regiment which God himself hath delivered in his word so that there be placed in it Pastors and Ministers purely to preach and rightly to administer the holy Sacraments that there be also in it Seniors and Deacons of whom the Senate of the Church might consist that by these means true Religion might be preserved and sincere doctrine in every place retained and spread abroad that vicious and wicked men might after a spiritual manner be rebuked amended and as it were by the bridle of discipline kept within their compasse Pag. 260. Out of the Confession of Auspurge AGain by the Gospel or as they term it by Gods Law Bishops as they be Bishops that is such as have the administration of the Word and Sacraments committed to them have no jurisdiction at all but onely to forgive sin Also to know what is true doctrine and to reject such Doctrine as will not stand with the Gospel and to debarre from the communion of the Church such as are notoriously wicked not by humane force and violence but by the word of God And herein of necessity the Churches ought by the law of God to perform obedience unto them according to the saying of Christ He that heareth you heareth me Upon which place the Observation saith thus To debar the wicked c. To wit by the judgement and verdict of the Presbyterie lawfully gathered together c. A Testimony out of the Ecclesiastical Discipline of the Reformed Churches in France Cap. 5. Art 9. THe knowledge of scandals and the censure or judgement thereof belongeth to the Company of Pastors and Elders Art 15. If it befalleth that besides the admonitions usually made by the Consistories to such as have done amisse there be some other punishment or more rigorous censure to be used It shall then be done either by suspension or privation of the holy communion for a time or by excommunication or cutting off from the Church In which cases the Consistories are to be advised to use all prudence and to make distinction betwixt the one and the other As likewise to ponder and carefully to examine the faults and scandals that are brought before them with all their circumstances to judge warily of the censure which may be required Harmonia Synodorum Belgicarum Cap. 14. Art 7. 8. 9. PEccata sua natura publica aut per admonitionis privatae contemtum publicata ex Consistorii totius arbitrio modo formâ ad aedificationem maximè accomodatis sunt Corrigenda Qui pertinaciter Consistorii admonitiones rejecerit à S. Coenae communione
Ordinance Which if it be he cannot choose but allow to give the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to excommunicated persons and to the unbaptized whether Heathens or Jews being of age and desiring to receive it Secondly If all the whole Antecedent part of his Argument were granted the consequence is naught for this must be the consequence If examination of mens hearts the searching out of all their sins confession contrition prayers vowes meditations exhortations which do accompany the Sacrament be most effectual to convert and to beget grace then the Sacrament is a converting Ordinance Which consequence he will never prove Put the case that self-examination confession prayers vowes meditations exhortations at the calling of a Parliament at the going out of an Army at the choosing of Magistrates or Ministers at the death of Parents friends c. prove effectual to conversion Shall we therefore say that the calling of a Parliament the going out of the Army the choosing of Ministers or Magistrates the death of Parents or friends are converting Ordinances His fourth Argument alone is syllogistical I wish all his Arguments throughout his whole book had been such that the strength or weaknesse thereof might the sooner appear That Ordinance whereâ—…n we most immedietly converse with God and Christ and have more intimate visible sensible communion with them then in any other is certainly the most powerful and effectual Ordinance of all others to humble regenerate convert and beget true grace within us c. But the Sacrament of the Lords Supper by our Antagonists own confession is such Ergo. Answ. 1. I retort his Argument against himself That Ordinance wherein we most immediatly converse with God and Christ and have more intimate communion with them then in any other is a sealing confirming but not a converting Ordinance For they who are converting have not such intimate communion and immediat conversing with God and Christ as they who are already converted and do walk with God as Enoch did and are filled with all joy and peace in beleeving Rom. 15. 13. even with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. The daughters of Ierusalem being sick of love for Christ yet are far from that communion with him which his Spouse longer acquainted with him did enjoy therefore they ask at her whither her beloved was gone that they might seek him with her Cant. 6 1. Hath the child fed with milk more communion and conversing with his father then the son come to years who eateth and drinketh at his fathers Table Do we not see often a servent convert like Apollos whom an Aquila and Priscilla must take and expound unto him the way of God more perfectly Act. 18. 25 26. 2. I deny his Proposition as he frames it for the plain English of it is this If it be a sealing comforting confirming Ordinance then it is a converting Ordinance which I clear thus He takes his Medium from his Antagonists concession for they accord saith he that we have more immediate communion with God in this Ordinance then in any other for as much as in this Sacrament Christ is more particularly applied and the remission of our sins more sensibly sealed to us then in any other Ordinance from whence I thus infallibly conclude against these opposites Then follows his Argument which is no other then a putting of the converted in the condition of the unconverted or the unconverted in the capacity of the converted or to prove it converts because it seals 3. If this Sacrament be the most powerful and effectual Ordinance of all others to humble regenerate convert and beget true grace it will follow that we ought at least may give the Sacrament not onely to the most ignorant and scandalous within the Church but to Turks Pagans Jews and to excommunicated persons as I said before 4. He challengeth his Antagonists for crying up and magnifying this Sacrament above the Word preached and by way of opposition tells them that he hath in some former Tractates proved Gods presence and Spirit to be as much as really present in other Ordinances as in this Vindic. pag. 37 yet now I see no man who doth so much as himself magnifie the Sacrament above the Word 5. Whereas he brings this proof for his Major Proposition because the manifestation revelation and proximity of God and Christ to the soul is that which doth most of all humble and convert it If this hold true in the generality as he propounds it then the Spirits of just men made perfect and glorified are converted by the revelation and proximity of God and of Christ whereof they have unconceaveably more then the Saints on earth But neither in this world doth the manifestation and revelation of God and of Christ prove conversion and regeneration to be in fieri at that instant when God so manifesteth and revealeth himself which is the thing he had to prove I give instance in divers of those Scriptures cited by himself Gods revealing of himself to Iob chap. 38. and 42. to Isaiah chap. 6. Christs manifesting of his power to Peter Luke 5. was after not at their conversion so that Psal. 148. 14. But heteregeneous impertinent quotations of Scripture are usual with him I am sorry I have cause to say it Some other Scriptures which here he citeth may be expounded of Gods proximity to us and ours to God in Conversion Isa. 55. 6. Zeph. 3. 2. Eph. 2. 17. Iam. 4. 7. But that this kind of proximity which doth convert is in the Sacrament he hath supposed but not proved His fifth Argument is taken from the converting power of the Word that which makes conversion by the Word is the particular application of Christ and the promises Now the Sacrament doth most particularly and effectually apply Christ and the promises unto every Communicants eyes ears heart and soul far livelier then the Word preached Answ. 1. This is a meer fallacy à dicto secundum quid ad dictum simpliciter and easily discovered The Sacrament applyeth Christ but to whom not to the unconverted and unbeleevers for that were to give a seal without a charter but to those that are supposed to be converted and beleevers He had this to prove That the Sacrament doth apply Christs death passion and merits to unconverted persons and to unbeleevers yea to their heart and soul. 2. That the Sacrament doth apply the death passion and merits of Christ to the Communicants ears and that far livelier than the word preached is to me a riddle which I think will trouble Mr. Prynn himself to expound 3. A great controversie there hath been about the orall or corporal manducation of the body of Christ in the Sacrament But Mr. Prynn out-runneth here all Ubiquitaries in the World for he hath said no lesse then that every Communicant eateth spiritually and by faith the body of Christ even unconverted persons for he saith that this Sacrament doth most particularly fully lively and sensibly