this if it stand good As many as may love one another and may edifie exhort and comfort one another may expresse their love by publick prophecying for edification in love but all Christians even such as are not in Church-state nor officers are to love one another to edifie exhort and comfort one another Ergo. The proposition is most false women are obliged to love one another and to exhort and edifie one another Prov. 31. 26. Til. 2. 3. yet can they not prophesie in the Church 1 Cor. 14. 34 35. yea excommunicated persons are not loosed from the duties of love and mutuall rebuking in private if they may bee exhorted as brethren 1 Thess. 3. 15. They may exhort and rebuke others Levit. 19. 17. which the law of nature requireth yea Peter as a Pastor out of love to Christ is to preach Ioh. 21. 15. 16 17. But therefore private Christians are not obliged to Pastorall preaching and administration of the Seales which are expressions of the love of Christ yet to administer Sacraments is an act of edification is therefore every act of edification and love common to all because to love and in some private way to edifie all is incumbent as a dutie to all nay a King out of love of Christ should governe Gods people a Captaine fight Gods battells a Sea man saile a Professor teach in the Schooles will it follow because to love one another is common that all private men may bee Kings may kill men in battell and that the Plowman should saile and invade the Mariners calling this were Anabaptisticall confusion of places and callings and should evert states places charges and callings and overturne Church and State and make the Church an old Chaos the God of order hath not so ordered callings and places But saith the man if the end which is edification and comfort continueth therefore the gift of prophecying continueth Answ. 1. Prophecying continueth who taketh it out of the world It continueth in such as God hath set in the Church for that end and use 1 Cor. 12. 29. but not in all and every Plowman who in his place is obliged to edifie 2. The Argument is also weake that continueth the end whereof continueth forso circumcision passeover sacrificing the end of all which was edifying should continue in the Church Mr. Yates answered to him extraordinary gifts as strange tongues miracles are for edification yet they continue not Mr. Robinson answereth to him strange tongues and the office of the Ministery doe not properly edifie but the use of strange tongues I answer there doth much weaknesse here appeare love in Mr. Robinsons breast doth not edifie nor his habit of prophecying but the acts of expressions of love and the use of prophecying edifieth and for that cause wee may well say that the office doth edifie There being saith Robinson no other meanes to edifie exhort and comfort left in the Church but propbecying Paul argueth from the common grace of love as well upon brethren as officers to ordinary as to extraordinary and at all times prophecying that all out of office may prophesie to the worlds end if they have gifts Answ. Is there no meanes to edifie exhort and comfort but prophecying and that prophecying publick in the Church and pastorall that is denyed what say you of private and domestick exhorting praying praysing reading and Christian conference Coloss. 3. 16. Mal. 3. 16. Zach. 8. 21. are not they singular meanes of edifying hath Christ left no meanes of edifying exhorting and comforting but the publick prophecying of Clothiers Mariners Fashioners 2. Faith commeth by hearing of a sent minister Rom. 10. 14. It pleased God by preaching of sent Pastors 1 Cor. 1. 17. 21. to save those who beleeve Robinson 2 Argu. v. 31. You may all prophesie that all may learne that all may be comforted be speakes of prophecying of all as largely as of learning of all according to the received rule of exponing the notes of universalitie Answ. Women ungifted brethren infidels in the Church by his owne grant may learne but they may not prophesie in the Church Ergo many more are to learne then may prophesie and the one All is narrower then the other for all are not Prophets 1 Cor 12. 29. therefore all may not prophesie in one and the same verse 1 Cor. 11. v. 32. and Isa. 53. v. 6. the notes of universalitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee all are taken divers wayes yea one and the same word applyed to divers subjects is taken divers wayes as 1 Sam. 12. 18. And the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel and my sonne saith the Wise man seare the Lord and the King Prov. 24. 21. Mr. Yates said well all ought to have the gift of hearing but not of prophecying Robinson answereth every particular person is not bound to have the gift of prophecying but if he speake to purpose he must say that no ordinary brethren out of office ought to have the gift of praphesie which if it be true then ought none to strive for fitnesse to become officers neither were that reproofe just Heb. 5. 11. Answ. He speaketh to purpose to destroy your Argument which you destroy your selfe while as you grant many may learne who may not prophecie 2. Hee may say truely no ordinary brethren out of office but purposed to remaine artificers are to strive for fitnesse to the office of ministery but many out of office may have the gift of prophecying who are not Prophets and you grant I thinke many are gifted to be Kings who neither are Kings nor may lawfully exercise acts of royall majestie without treason both to God and their King For the place Heb. 5. 11. the Apostle rebukes the Hebrewes both officers and people as dull of hearing whereas they ought to bee teachers of others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as you expone it Prophets out of office who ought to prophesie publickly to the edifying of the Church But take home this Argument thus Those whom the Apostle rebuketh as dull of hearing who ought to bee teachers and unofficed Prophets are obliged to be indeed such Prophets for a rebuke is for the omission of a morall dutie which wee are oblieged to doe or for the committing the contrary but he rebuketh teachers in office women children and ungifted brethren as dull as hearing for that they ought to be Prophets were not Ergo all even teachers in office women children and ungifted brethren ought to be Prophets not in office Now the conclusion is absurd and against your selfe for you say Pag. 58. every particular person in the Church is not bound to have the gift of prophecying women are not bound I am sure yet are women rebuked for being dull of hearing and for that they ought to be teachers of others and were not 2. Hence it is cleare that you corrupt the word of God and to be teachers in that
The state of the question to be explained 3. The truth to be confirmed In the answers to the questions sent to New England they require of all persons come to age before they be received members of the Church 1. A publiquâ— vocall declaration of the manner and soundnesse of their conversion and that either in continued speech saith the Apologie or in answer to questions propounded by the Elders 2. They require a publick profâ—ssion of their faith concerning the articles of their religion the foresaid way also 3. An expresse vocall covenanting by oath to walke in that faith and to submit saith the Authour themselves to God and one to another in his feare and to walke in a professed subjection to all his holy Ordinances cleaving one to another as fellow members of the same body in brotherly love and holy watchfulnesse unto mutuall edification in Christ Iesus 4. And a covenanting not to depart from the said Church without the consent thereof This Church-covenant saith the Apologie is the essentiall or formall cause of a visible Church as a flocke of Saints is the materiall cause and so necessarily of the being of a Church that without it none can claim Church-communion and therefore it is that whereby a Church is constituted in its integrity that whereby a fallen Church is againe restored and that which being taken away the Church is dissolved and ceaseth to be a Church and it is that whereby Ministers have power over the people and people interest in their Ministers and one member hath interest and powerover another fellow-member The manner of entring in Church-state is this 1. A number of Christians with a gifted or experienced Elder meet often together saith this Authour about the things of God and performe some duties of prayer and spirituall conference together till a sufficient company of them be well satisfied in the spirituall good estate one of another and so have approved themselves to one anothers consciences in the sight of God as living stones fit to be said on the Lords spirituall Temple 2. They having acquainted the Christian Magistrate and neerest adjoyning Churches of their purpose of entring into Church-fellowship convene in a day kept with fasting and praying and preaching one bâ—ing chosen with common consent of the whole in name of the rest standeth up and propoundeth the covenant in the foresaid four Articles above named 3. All the rest declare their joynt consent in this covenant either by silence or word of mouth or writing 4. The brethren of other Churches some specials in name of the rest reach out to them the right hand of fellowship exhorting them to stand stedfast in the Lord. Which done prayers made to God for pardon and acceptance of the people a Psalm is sung But when a Church is to be gathered together of Infidels they must be first converted believers and so fit materials for Church fellowship before any of those things can be done by them 5. Baptisme maketh none members of the visible Church 6. A Church fallen cannot be accepted of God to Church fellowship till they renew their Church covenant Thus shortly for their mind about the gathering of a visible Church Let these distinctions be considered for the right stating of the question 1. Distinct. There is a covenant of free grace betwixt God and sinners founded upon the surety Christ Iesus laid hold on by us when we believe in Christ but a Church Covenant differenced from this is in question sub judice lis est 2. Distinct. There is a covenant of baptisme made by all and a covenant vertuall and implicite renewed when we are to receive the Lords Supper but an explicite positive professed Church covenant by oaâ—h in-churching a person or a society to a State-church is now questioned 3. Distinct. An explicite vocall Covenant whereby we bind our selves to the first three Articles in a tacite way by entring in a new relation to such a Pastor and to such a Flocke we deny not as if the thing were unlawfull for we may sweare to performe Gods commandements observing all things requisite in a lawfull oath 2. But that such a covenant is required by divine institution as the essentiall forme of a Church and Church-membership as though without this none were entered members of the visible Churches of the Apostles nor can now be entered in Church-state nor can have right unto the seales of the covenant we utterly deny 4. Distinct. We grant a covenant in Baptisme which is the seale of our entry unto the visible Church 2. That it is requisit that such Heretickes Papists Infidels as be received as members of our visible Church from which Papists have fallen having received baptisme from us doe openly professe subjection to God and his Church in all the Ordinances of God And that Infidels give a confession of their faith before they be baptized 3. Nor deny we that at the election of a Pastor the Pastor and people tie themselves by reciprocation of oathes to each other the one to fulfill faithfully the ministery that he hath received of the Lord the other to submit to his ministery in the Lord but these reciprocall oathes make neither of them members of a visible Church for they were that before these oathes were taken 5. Distinct. Any professor removing from one congregation to another and so comming under a new relation to such a Church or such a Ministery is in a tacite and vertuall covenant to discharge himselfe in all the duties of a member of that Congregation but this is nothing for a Church-covenant for when six are converted in the congregation whereof I am a member or an excommunicated person heartily and unfainely repenteth there ariseth a new relation betwixt those converts and the Church of God and a tie and obligation of duties to those persons greater then was before as being now members of one mysticall and invisible body Yet cur brethren cannot say there is requisite that the Church renew their Church-covenant towards such seeing the use of the Covenant renewed is to restore a fallen Church or to make a non-Church to be a Church and if those six be converted by my knowledge there resulteth thence an obligation of a vertuall and tacite covenant betwixt them and me but there is no need of an explicite and vocall covenant to tie us to duties that we are now obliged to in a stricter manner then we were before for when one is taken to be a steward in a great family there may be a sort of Covenant betwixt that servant and the Lord of the house and there resulteth from his office and charge a tie and obligation not onely to the head of the family but also to the children and fellow-servants of the house but there is no need of an expresse vocall and professed covenant betwixt the new steward and the children and servants yea and strangers also to whom he owes some acts of steward-duties
the blood that sealeth the covenant shed for one single congregation nor are the promises of the covenant Yea and Amen is Christ for one single flocke onely and primò principaliter but for the whole Catholike Church and therefore they shall name themselves Christians The Author addeth Every Church is Christs married Spouse united to Christ by covenant the violation of marriage is the violation of a covenant yea and there is a marriage betwixt the Church members Isa. 62. 5. as a young man marrieth a Virgin so shall thy sonnes marry thee Answ. A marriage betwixt Christ and his Church we grant and betwixt Christ and every particular soule beleeving in him in respect of the love 2. mutuall interest and claime one to another Cant. 2. 16. and what holdeth betwixt Christ and a Church catholick or particular holdeth also betwixt Christ and every soule and to extort a Church covenant betwixt Christ and a particular soule who may be and often is a beleever yet out of Church-state from the borrowed phrase of marriage is â—oo violent blooding of comparisons and therefore from marriage belonging to the catholike Church principally how can a marriage visible be concluded 2. the sonneâ— are the whole Church of the Gentiles too large a Pâ—rish incolaeterrae saith Musculus and excellently Calvin Christ so is the husband of his Church that he marrieth upon his Church all people and Nations which are gathered to her because while the Church wanteth children she is as it were a widow now this is nothing for a Church-covenant Thirdly there is a relative obligation of mutuall duties of love betwixt fellow members of a visible Church and betwixt sonnes and the mother congregation but this is first done in Baptisme expresly secondly in our comming to be members of such a congregation but the person is before a member of the visible Church The Author addeth If dissolving a covenant be that which dissolveth a Church as Zach. 11. 9. 10. then the making of a covenant is that which constituteth a Church if dissipating of stones unbuild the house then compacting of them together doth build the house but the breaking of the covenant under the name of breaking of the two staves beauty and bands Zâ—ch 11. is the inchurching of the Iewes Ergo Answ. The dissolving and breaking of the covenant of grace and the removing of the Candlestick and the Word of God Revel 2. 5. Amâ—s 8. 11 12. taketh away the being of a Church both as a true Church and as a true visible Church and of such a breaking of the covenant doth the Lord speake Zach. 11. v. 9. and I said I will not feed you that which dieth let it die and that which perisheth let it perish c. and it taketh away the union of brotherhead amongst the members verse 14. so the thing in question is not hence concluded for the question is if a Church-covenant make a Church as visible and the breach of that Church-covenant unmake and dissolve a Church as visible and this place proveth what maketh and unmaketh a Church simply as a Church not as visible and under that reduplication Quest. 3. Whether by testimonies from the new Testament and good reasons a Church-covenant can be evinced Our Author alleageth 2 Cor. 11. 2. I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ so also the Apologie this was nothing else but the planting of the Church at Corinth if you say this Paul did while he converted them to the grace of Christ by his ministery if this were true saith he then should Christ have many thousands hundreds and scores at least of spouses in one Church which we thinke inconvenient Secondly it is plaine he speaketh of the whole Church as of one spouse and as it were one chaste Uirgin which argueth he perswaded them all as the friend of the bridegroome to give up themselves with one accord as one man into one body to the fellowship and worship of the Lord Jesus Answ. it is a weake cause that hangeth upon the untwisted thred of a misapplied metaphor For 1. espoufing into Christ in the Text is opposed to being deceived and corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ as Evah was deceived by the serpent and opposed to the receiving of another spirit and another Gospell so then to be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ and to receive another Gospell must have this meaning as Evah was deceived by the Serpent so I feare that your simple minds be un-Churched and loosed from the visible Church of Corinth and that you forget your covenant wherein ye sweare to take Christ for your husband and me for the friend of the Bridegroome and that you be remisse in the duties of externall discipline and Church-fellowship and in excommunicating scandalous persons c. Aâ— brethren let not our Lords word be thus tortured and wrested 2. He expoundeth this espoufing the presenting of them to Christ in the day of God as a washed redeemed and saved wife of Christ and not of their Church continuing in visible society Yea all interpreters ancient and moderne as Augustine Theophylact Chrysostome Oecumenius Cyrillus Ambrose Our latter Calvin Bullinger Beza Pomâ—ran Pellicanus Sarcerius Marlorat Paraphrastes Erasmus and Papists Aquinas Haymo give this sense Paul as the friend to the Bridegroome finding the Corinthians despising him and in love with false teachers grew jealous of them for his Lords cause that though he had betrothed them to Christ as a virgin hand fastned by promise to a husband left they should be drawne away to other lovers by the cunning of false teachers as Evah was led from her Lord by subtill Satan 3. Though he speake of them as of one body spouse virgin how doth it follow that he speaketh of them as of a ministeriall and a parochiall body for the marriage the betrothing to Christ and the acts contrary the receiving of another spirit the corrupting of their simple minds are acts altogether spirituall internall invisible and acts of a Church as a true Church the contrary are acts of a false Church as false and not acts of a Church as visible in a visible meeting in a visible external act of marrying nor is their any insinuation that Paul feared the dissolving of the Church oath and visible order of government 4. It is not inconvenient that there be many Spouses as in every true beleever there be many single acts of marriage love and of beleeving and so of taking Christ for their husband and Lord. A visible Church is the House of God 1 Tim. 3. 15. the Temple of God Rev. 3. 12. and yet every beleever is a Temple 1 Cor. 3. 17. and every one His House seeing he dwelleth in them by saith Ephes. 3. 17. also if this be a good reason he speaketh of them all as of one chaste virgin Ergo he speaketh of
Arminians Pelagians and old Anabaptists expound it of the visible Church that they may make Judas whom they alledge was chosen out of the world no lesse then Peter an example of their universall election and of the small apostasie of the truly elected and regenerated And you have to side with you in this the Apostate Peter Bertius the Arminians at Hage Arminius himselfe the Socinians as Socinus Theoph. 〈◊〉 and you may see your selves refuted by Amesius refuting the Arminians in the conference at Hage and this you expressely say with Arminians and Socinians 1. Because as you say Judas was one of them whom the Father had given to Christ out of the world whom alone of all them so given to him he hath losed Ergo Christ speaketh of a visible donation Answ. The Antecedent is false Joh. 6. 37. All that the Father had given me commeth unto me and him that commeth unto me I will in no wayes cast out v. 39. And this is the Fathers will which â—â—th sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day But Judas was cast out and losed and is not raised up at the last day as one which commeth that is beleeveth in Christ. 2. This is the very exception of the Arminians and Amesius answereth quae Scriptura manifesto est judicio Iudam non it a Christo datum commendatum fuisse a Patre ut â—aeteros Christ saith Robinson speaketh of such persons as the world hated because they were not of the world Job 15. 14. But the wicked world 〈◊〉 not hate men as they are elected before God and invisibly or inwardly separated â—ut as they are outwardly separated whether they bee inwardly so or not Answ. 1. Invisible election and the contrary spirit that the children of God are led by which is most unlike to the spirit that leadeth the world is the true ground and cause why the world doth hate them and this choosing out of the world is seene and made visible by the fruits of the spirit to the wicked world but the consequence is nothing he speaketh of election that is visible or made visible yet not as visible for often Paul tâ—â—rmeth the visible Churches Saints Temples of the holy Spirit the sonnes and daughters of the living God and when he tearmeth them such he speaketh to and of a visible Church yet not as visible because to be the temple of the holy Spirit and a sonne and daughter of the living God is a thing formally and properly invisible for faith and the spirit of adoptien are not things visible or obvious to the senses but Separatisâ—s are often deceived with this hee speaketh to the visible Saints Ergo he speaketh to them as visible Saints this is the vaine collection of ignorant Anabaptists Paul writeth to the visible Church but every priviledge that hee doth ascribe to them doth not agree to them as they are visible He saith to the visible Church of Colossians ch 3. v. 3. your life is hid with Christ in God an unvisible life cannot agree to the Colossians as they are a visible Church so separation from the world made manifest and visible is the cause why the world hateth the children of God yet that separation is formally invisible and not seene to the eye of men for it is an action of God to choose men out of the world and no eye mortall can see his actions as they be such And therefore except Robinson prove that this choosing out of the world is common to elect and reprobate and to be seene in Peter and Iudas he bringeth nothing against us to prove his point but hee plainly contradicteth his owne tenents for in his first reason he will have the true Church separated from the world as Iudas the traytor was separated from the world which we grant that is separation in show and in profession and so maketh his visible Church to be made up of traytors and hypocrites who cannot bee the Spouse of Christ nor a part of Christ his mysticall body and his redeemed flocke Now hee still harpeth on this that the visible Church rightly constitute is the Spouse of Christ the redeemed of God the mysticall body of Christ and so hee contradicteth himselfe and saith with us that there bee no visible separation from the world essentiall to such a Church as they dreame of to wit of called Saints Temples of the holy Spirit c. and therefore never one of that side understood to this day the nature of a true visible Church though they talke and write much of it for the truth is the essence and definition of a Church agreeeth not equally to a true Church and a visible Church yea a visible Church as it is visible is not formally a true Church but the redeemed Church onely is the true Church Lastly He speaketh saith he of such a choosing out of the world as he doth of sending unto the world v. 18. Which sending as it was visible and externall so was the selection and separation spoken of Answ. The choosing out of the world is not opposed to sending unto the world for sending unto the world is an Apostolick sending common to Judas with the rest whereby they were sent to preach the Gospell to the world of chosen and unchosen of elect and reprobate but to bee chosen out of the world and given to Christ is proper to the elect onely who are chosen out of the loosed and reprobate world 2. It is also false that the sending of the Apostles is altogether visible for the gifting of them with the holy Spirit is a great part of sending the Apostles as our brethren say a gifted man is a sent Prophet but the Lord his gifting of the Apostle is not visible You cannot saith Robinson be partaker of the Lords Table and of devills Ergo we must separate from the ungodly Answ. The Table of Idols is that Table of devils and of false worship kindly in respect of the object that wee must separate from but a scandalous person at the Lords Supper partaketh of the Table of devils by accident in respect the person being out of Christ eateth damnation to himselfe but it is not per se and kindly the Table of devils to others and therefore I must not separate from it The Supper was to Judas the devils Table because Satan entered in him with a sup to cause him to betray the Lord and Christ told before one of them twelve had a devill and so to one of the twelve the Supper was the devils Table yet could not the Disciples separate therefrom Further he objecteth Paul condemned the Church of Corinth as knâ—â—ed lumpe and as contrary to the right constitution finding so many aberrations and defections from that state wherein they were gathered unto a Church who dare open so prophane a mouth as to affirme that this faithfull labourer
plant soules who were non-converts and branches of the wild olive in Christ Jesus and to make new visible Churches but it is certaine that the Apostles as Apostles and as Pastors by vertue of their office converted obstinate sinners to the faith of Christ and planted them in a visible Church consisting of professors of the faith partly converted partly not converted but the pastors by your doctrine have no power as Pastors or by any Pastorall authoritie to plant the Gospell where it hath never beene that pastorall spirit is dead with the Apostles and in this contrary to all reason and sense and contrary to the Scriptures you make private Christians the successors of the Apostles to plant Churches and to convert soules and to make them fit materialls for the visible Church of regenerate persons for Pastors as Pastors and visible Churches as visible Churches doe nothing at all to the multiplying of Churches seeing Pastors and visible Churches as they are such by your doctrine are but nurses to give suck to those who are already converted but not fathers to convert them for private Christians or pastors as Christians gifted to prophesie not as Pastors doe multiply Churches and convert men to Christ as you teach now wee all know that nurses as nurses doe not propagate or by generation multiply people in the Common-wealth that fathers and mothers onely can doe your Churches have no ministeriall breasts but to give suck to babes who are already borne but wee see by your doctrine no ministeriall power of Pastors or Churches to send forth members to enter in a Church covenant or to enter in a new Church relation of a daughter or a sister visible Church if they send a number to bee a new Church your Pastors or visible Church did not multiply them it is presumed they were converts before they were members of the visible Church which now sendeth them out and if they bee multiplied in the bosome of your visible Church and converted they were not truely members of that visible Church before their conversion and also that they were not converted by any publike ministery but by private Christians gifted to prophesie who are the onely successors of the Apostles to plant visible Churches but what pastorall authoritie have you to send them forth to bee a new visible Church none at all they have as beleevers power to remove from you and because of multiplication to make themselves a new Church and this ministeriall power of making themselves a new Church they have not from you but from their fathers who converted them so that you make a visible Church within a visible Church but not a Church begotten or borne of a visible Church as a child of the mother and wee desire a word of God either precept promise or practise of such a Church multiplication mans word is not enough 2. Wee hold that the sending of the Apostles to all the world was not in it selfe that which essentially distinguisheth the Apostle from the now ordinary Pastor who is fixed to a single Congregation but the gift of tongues to preach to all the world upon the Lords intention to send the Gospel to all nations that as many as were chosen to life might beleeve was that which essentially differenceth the Apostle from the ordinary pastor together with a speciall revelation of God to goe to such and such people to Macedonia and not yet to Bythinia And now seeing these two are taken away the ordinary Pastors which now are have as Pastors a sufficient calling to preach the Gospel to all nations to whom by Gods providence they shall come and can understand their language whether of their owne Congregation or not Neither is a Pastor tied as a Pastor by Gods Word to one onely Congregation for then it should bee unlawfull for a Pastor as a Pastor to plant a new Church but shall it bee lawfull for private Christians to plant new Churches who are not the Apostles successors and yet it shall bee unlawfull for Pastors who are the undoubted successors of the Apostles to plant new Churches I would think that admirable doctrine for so you give to private Christians that which you make essentiall to the Apostles and you deny it to the undoubted successors of the Apostles to wit to Pastors But we hold a lawfull Pastor is a Pastor in relation to all the world with this distinction hee is by Christs appointment and the Churches a Pastor to all congregations to plant and water and preach but by speciall designation of Gods providence and the Churches appointment designed and set apart for such a determinate flock just as the Apostles in generall were made Pastors to all the world Matth. 28 19. Go teach all nations but by speciall revelation and Apostolick appointment Peter was appointed the Apostle of the Jewes Paul of the Gentiles Gal. 2. 9. yet Paul was a Pastor in relation to the Jewes and Peter also in relation to the Gentiles so by speciall revelation Act. 16. they are forbidden to preach the word in Bythinia and commanded to preach it elsewhere and for this cause pious antiquity as Morton observeth called some learned fathers Pastors of the World Athanasius is saluted Pontifex maximus as Russinus saith and Origen magister ecclesiâ—rum master of the Churches so Hieronymus and Cyprian totius orbis praeses Cypâ—ian the Bishop of all the world yea and Pope so Nazianz. Hilarius is called by Augustine insignis ecclesiae doctor a renowned teacher of the Church and Nazianzenus calleth Basilius the light of the word and Damascenus the light of the whole world and Theodoret saith Chrysostome is called totius orbis terrarum doctor the Doctor and teacher of the whole world all which titles saith evidently that antiquitie beleeved never a Pastor or Bishop not to bee a Pastor onely in relation to the one single Congregation whereof hee is Pastor but a Pastor in relation to the whole visible Church though by designation of the Church his ministery bee appropriated to one particular Church Thus it is cleare that our brethren deny all communion of Churches while they confine a visible Church to one onely single and independent Congregation subjected in its visible government to Christ Jesus immediatly and to no universall visible Church or Synod on earth Quest. II. Whether the Magistrate hath power to compell persons to a Church profession Anent Magistrates sundry things are questioned to make presbyteriall government odious And first our brethren complaine that our Churches are constitute by the authoritie of the Magistrate Robinson saith it was a presumptuous enterprise that people were haled against their will into covenant with God to sweare obedience to the protestant Faith being a profane multitude living before in grosse idolatry and that by the authority of the supreme magistrate for the commandement of the magistrate say they can make no members of the visible Church or of