The Church before Christs coming was built upon the same foundation with this difference They professed the Messiah to come The seed of the woman to break the serpents head was the foundation of their faith from the beginning till Abrahams time After that this was laid as the foundation In thy seed shall all the nations be blessed c. But the Christian or Evangelical Church is built upon this Gospel-foundation or Truth Truth That this particular person Jesus Christ is the Sonne of God and that Messiah which was to come So the woman of Samaria Joh. 4.29 Is not this the Christ and vers 42. We know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the world In like manner the Eunuch Act. 8.37 If thou beleevest thou mayst And he answered and said I beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Son of God And upon this rock or Jesus Christ so confessed was every particular * Women also as well as men member converted built and consequently the Church What Church a particular Congregation yes secondarily as a part of the whole visible Church but primarily the whole Church of the New Testament and that I take to be especially the sense of the word Church in this Text though as I said not excluding the Invisible Church And herein your self seem to agree with me when you say Indeed true it is that Peter and other Preachers of the Gospel have received such a power of the Keys to open to beleevers a door into the invisible Church c But then the invisible Church cannot be excluded from one part of the meaning of the kingdom of heaven whereof Peter received the Keys and consequently the Church to which the Lord Jesus committed the Keys of the Kingdom of heaven Mat. 16.19 is not only caetus fidelium commonly called a particular Church if at all which was your assertion And once more it may be said that the visible Catholike Church cannot be excluded from one part of the meaning of the Kingdom of heaven in that Text for the reason which you give also Because there is a power of the Keys to open a door to profest beleevers into the Catholike visible Church as well as into a particular visible Church But be it meant of the invisible or visible Catholike Church or of a particular visible Church it 's manifest that in this Text the Keys are not given to the Church but the Keys of the Church are given to Peter contra-distinguished as an Officer from the Church But you object Certain it is that when by the power of the Keys a beleever is received into the invisible Church he can never be shut again out of that Church but the Keys here given to Peter have power to shut out of the Kingdom of heaven even the same persons And therefore the the Kingdom of heaven is not meant only of the invisible Church I pray Sir should not your conclusion be from those premises Therefore the Kingdom of heaven is not meant at all of the invisible Church which yet you have asserted to be part of the meaning And did you not from the beginning say that by was meant the Kingdom of grace and glory And doth not the Text say that Peter hath keys given him as well to shut out the Kingdom of heavens as open the door thereof Whatsoever thou shalt binde on earth shall be bound in heaven If so then your proposition is not true That a beleever received into the Invisible Church can never be sent again out of that Church Your self say a little below pag. 8. of this second part It may truly be said whosoever is bound or loosed in any one particular Church is also bound in the Kingdom of glory and is not that as much as to be shut out of the Invisible Church You cannot but know that the judgment of Divines is that if a true beleever be excommunicated for some crime he is for a time suspended from the Kingdom of Heaven See M. Hookers Survey part 1. p. 204. Sâ—ct Visible Saints and so in a sense put out of the Invisible Church and if it were possible for him to die unrepenting he might perish and the text it self seems to justifie it when it sayes whatsoever is bound on earth shall be bound in heaven And now shall consider what you say to the reasons for my Obj. 1 Assertion The first was because that Church there meant was built upon the rock c. To which you answer It is not true that the Invisible Church onely built upon a rock For particular Churches are built upon a rock also built they are upon Divine Institution and Christ is laid for the foundation of them c. Before I answer I must distinguish of those words built upon a rock which not observed cause confusion in this present businesse Two things are here enquirable 1. What is meant by the Rock It may be taken 1. For Christ himself the tried and sure foundation as he is elswhere called and so it may be understood Matth. 7.24 built his house upon a rock opposed there to the sand 2. For Christ confessed to be the Sonne of God and the Messiah as he was by Peter professed to be upon my self so confessed will I build my Church as Mr. Hooker expoundeth it above 2. What it is to be built upon the rock Vide D. Ames Medul lib. 1. c. 5. â— s 11. It is either by internall union with Christ as the rock and foundation or by externall profession as your self insinuate to me the distinction pag. 7. when you say if they degenerate they were never founded upon Christ but in an outward form And now I shall ingeniously acknowledge my self not distinct enough when I said It is the Invisible Church which is built upon the rock c. and do confesse my self beholden to Mr. Ruth and Mr. Hooker for this light and now see that the visible Church also is built upon the rock Onely I differ from Mr. Hooker in this that be by visible Church means only a particular Church but I the Catholike visible Church as was discoursed above But now upon the former distinctions I answer That if you take the Rock for Christ himself and the building on him See part 2. pa 24. your own words It is readily c. for Internall union with him then the Invisible Church onely is built upon the rock and against that the gates of hell shall never prevail But if you understand the Rock to be that confession of Peter or rather Christ so confessed as he was by Peter and the building on that foundation for an external profession or in your words in an outward form Then I say the visible Church is so founded upon the rock But then I adde that it must not be restrained to a particular Church against which the gates of hell have prevailed which contradicts our Saviours promise but declared to the Catholike visible Church existing in
distinction of heaven and earth respects the whole Church rather then any particular Church 2. And this your second Answer implies You did not mean it in any one single Congregation on earth but generally and indefinitely in every particular Church on earth for every Apostle had transcendent power in every particular Church on earth But 1. why may you not say as well generally in the whole Catholike Church on earth seeing Peter received power to binde and loose in the whole Church primarily being an Apostle and secondarily in particular Congregations 2. If Peter as an Apostle received such power in the whole Church what is that to Elders and Beleevers to challenge power of the Keys from this Text in all particular Congregations Sure they have not transcendent power indefinitely much lesse generally in every particular Church on earth 3. How did Peter receive the Keys in every particular Church indefinitely As an Apostle or as an Elder or as a beleever Not as an Apostle or Elder that you denied in the way Not as a Beleever for if they have any power in the Keys it is in the particular Congregation Whence I conclude by Kingdom of heaven there is not meant a particular but the Catholike visible Church as contra-distinguished to the Kingdome of glory Obj. 3 That Church is meant said I whereof Peter was one but Peter was not a member of a particular Congregation for there was none such then extant You are pleased to jeer me with your Logick and tell me there is a fallacy in such arguing to be left to Sophisters or used when I will refresh my wit with young scholars But I pray Sir where lies the fallacy The major is your own the minor cannot be denied Peter was not a member of a particular Congregation The proof of this last Proposition is because there was none extant at that time This is also true and partly confessed by your self where then lies the fallacy The Copula doth connotate Time which it ought not to do c. You instance in a Sophism fit indeed for young scholars But nothing parallel to my arguing And your other Argument from resurrection is far wide you say The Proposition is true because the subject and praedicate have true connexion in the nature of the thing though not in the present order of time But so it is not in my arguing For Peter was not at any time a member of a particular Congregation neither then nor afterwards There was then no fallacy or sophism in my arguing The weaknesse was in the proof For whereas I said Peter was not a member of a particular Congregation because there was none extant at that time I should have said Peter being an Apostle was never a member of a particular Congregation Therefore the Church there mean could not be a particular Congregation Obj. 4 I said Fourthly That Church whereof Peter received the Keys was such whereto an offended brother might tell an offence and have it censured but that was never done in a Church of Saints without Officers c. This say you is another passage of Sophistry Here are quatuor termini in this Syllogism might tell an offence and did tell an offence make two different Mediums Make you the Syllogism right as you would have it you make the minor thus But the Church of Saints without Officers was not such to whom an offended brother might tell an offence and have it censured And this you deny But I shall prove it thus 1. From the judgement of your brethren here who say The brethren cannot proceed to any publike censures without Officers Therefore it is to no purpose to tell an offence to a Church of beleevers without Officers 2. From your self who expresly say Excommunication is one of the highest Acts of Rule and therefore cannot be performed but by some Rulers The Keys pag. 16. though I confesse you flatly contradict your self in the way pag. 101. And now my Syllogism may easily be defended and cleared from a Sophism by adding the minor more explicitly thus But a Church of Saints without Officers is not such a Church This is proved by what I say That was never done in a Church of Saints without Officers that is no example can be brought from Scripture or History of such a practice where a Church of Saints without Officers did censure an offence Therefore the Church of Corinth which you instance in was not such a Church for it had Officers who as I said might authoritatively censure offenders What of that say you if a Church of Saints without Officers have power from Christ to elect Officers then also to admit members And if to admit without Officers then to exclude them without Officers Surely whatever mine was this is a fallacy and a Sophism called petitio principij For you know we deny that a Church of Saints without Officers have power to elect that is ordain and make Officers and you ought not to beg it And what mean you by power to admit members Admission of members is either at their first conversion which is done by baptism and so your self say None but Officers can admit for none but Officers can baptize or it is at the removall of a member from one Church to another to admit into the communion of another Church but this either is no part of the power of the Keys or if it be it belongs to a Church with Officers Nay your argument will recoil upon your self It is the same power to open and shut to admit and exclude But a Church of Saints without Officers cannot exclude or shut out therefore nor can they admit or open The minor is your own a little above and your brethrens also Excommunication being an Act of Rule cannot be performed but by some Rulers And here I desire you to take notice That a great gâ—ound of your mistakes lies in the misapplication or attribution of the power of the Keys to the brethren to elect that is to make and ordain their own Officers making election the principall and ordination but a circumstance or solemnity not necessary by the Institution of Christ to belong to the Officers Indeed it seems to follow rationally They that may ordain their own Officers may de-ordain them or cast them out for it is the same power instituere destituere as you say And then if the brethren may ordain and de-ordain their Officers much more may they admit or exclude members But me thinks the Antecedent is to be denied and we prove it thus They that may ordain Officers to such employments may in case of necessity at least formally themselves perform them But you constantly deny The Way pag. 44. and then par 2. p. 3. Par. 2. pag. 33. that any but Officers can administer Sacraments The major is also your own Assertion in this last book of yours thus you speak I confesse I do not well understand how a man in case of necessity
VINDICIAE VINDICIARVM OR A further manifestation of M. J. C. his contradictions instanced in Vindiciae Clavium BEING A Rejoinder to his Reply to some few of those many Contradictions in his last Book called The Way of Congregationall Churches Cleared Part. 2. By D. C. JAMES 1.8 A double minded man is unstable in all his waies Veritas simplex error multiplex LONDON Printed by A. M. for Christopher Meredith at the Sign of the Crane in Pauls-Church-yard 1651. VINDICIAE VINDICIARVM CHAPTER I. SECTION I. Of the Church to which Christ committed the power of the Keys THe Question between us in this first Section was concerning the meaning of those words The Kingdom of heaven in Mat. 16.19 and consequently What Church it was to which the Keys were by Christ committed For the finding out whereof I proceeded by a distinction It the Kingdom of heaven did there signifie the Church it must either be taken 1. Of the Invisible Church of true believers opposed to Reprobates 2. The Catholike visible Church opposed to Heathens or as you in answering the first question pag. 2. of Keys to the World 3. Or a particular Congregation Give me leave I pray to be now little more exact in stating the question by enquiring what is the sense of those words and the terms of the question 1. What is meant by the Kingdom of Heaven 1. Of glory 2. Of grace 3. Of both 1. What is meant by the Kingdom of heaven whereof the Keys are here given to Peter The Kingdom of heaven in Scripture usage signifies either 1. The Kingdom of glory as frequently or 2. The Kingdom of grace as in some places grace being the beginning of or first step into that Kingdom of glory Or 3. It signifies both the Kingdom of grace and glory And we are both agreed that in this text it signifies both My first words in Vind. Clav. grant it and you affirm it By the Kingdom of heaven here is meant both the Kingdom of grace which is the Church and the Kingdom of glory which is in the highest heavens And you give a very good reason for it For say you Christ giving to Peter the Keys of the Kingdom of heaven conveyeth therewith not only this power to binde on earth that is in the Church on earth for he gave him no power at all to binde in the world the Kingdom of Christ is not of this world but he gives him also this priviledge That what he bound on earth should be bound in heaven And heaven being distinguished from the Church on earth must needs be meant of the kingdom of glory Let this be remembred against anon 2. What that Church is to whom the Keys are committed 2. The Kingdom of heaven signifying the Church and that both in heaven and earth both triumphant and militant for what he cals in the 19. verse The Kingdom of heaven he cals in the 18 verse his Church We must enquire what Church or what part of his Church it is to which the Keys are given This Question I confesse is needlesse in respect to the Text it self For it sayes nothing at all of giving the Keys to the Church but of giving to Peter the Keys of the Church called by the name of the Kingdom of heaven which is worth your observation For it is your importunity rather that hath caused this question who have arrogated the Keys out of the hands of Peter to whom Christ in this text gave them and given them to the Church that is incongruously to the Kingdom of heaven but of his more anon We shall therefore follow you rather then the Text and consider what is meant here by the Church Church is taken Ecclesiastically for 1. The whole Church either 1. The invisible Catholike Church It is taken in the Ecclesiasticall use for I passe by the civill in many senses briefly thus 1. For the whole Church called commonly by the name of the Catholike Church and that in a double notion 1. The Invisible Catholike Church the whole number of the Elect in heaven and earth in all places and times so it is commonly understood Eph. 5.23 25 26 27 32. Col. 1.18 c. 2. 2. The visible Catholike Church The Catholike visible Church containing the whole multitude of professors of Religion elect or hypocrites in this world as opposed to the Church of the Jews or to the men of the world So it is taken Act. 5.11 and 8.3 at least as contra-distinguished to a particular Congregation 2. 2. For some parts of the Church in combination 1. A particular Congregation and that a Church 1. Politicall For some parts of the Church to whom is attributed the name of the whole from their Assembling together in different combinations And then it is taken 1. For a particular Congregation or particular Saints assembled together and this again is by some distinguished into 1. Politicall or Organicall consisting of Officers and Members as the Integrall parts thereof and those Congregations being members of the Catholike visible Church as Integrall parts thereof The texts are obvious where it is so taken 2. Entitive 2. Entitive as they call it or Essentiall consisting only of a company of Saints combined by consent without any Officers So the Reverend M. Hooker and others use to speak But that I may note it by the way to me This Entitive Church so called seems rather to be a notion never existing but in mens fancy in the Resolution or Analysis of a Church into its materials or else it is very improperly called a Church To my observation and understanding hitherto there is not in Scripture such an Entitive Church to be found gathered and existing without any Officers That place Act. 15.4.22 produced by the learned and judicious M. Hudson in his vind pag. 3. where he saies Church is taken for the members as distinct from Officers doth not hold out a Church Entitive without any Officers for that had Officers but only distinguisheth the Integrall parts of that Church into Officers and members The sense is no more but this either it means The Apostles and Elders with the rest of the Church members or if the Church was then distinguished into divers Congregations it takes in all the Congregations as the whole Church for so the words are expressed vers 22. the whole Church And your self call that which we call the Catholike visible Church by the name of the whole Church when you say here pag. 5. The whole Church or which is all one the Catholike Church may be visible in her singular members However it appears not that then there was any Entitive Church existing without Officers That other Text Act. 14.23 seems rather to imply it And when they had ordained them Elders in every Church as if there had been Churches gathered and existing without any Officers But the sense of the place may be this when they had gathered and setled Churches of Elders and
the particulars as M. Hooker said against which the gates of hell what ever they be shall never prevail And now I consider what you say It is not true c. for particular Churches are built upon a rock also But then Sir I pray how will you without a distinction answer the Text which sayes the gates of hell shall never prevail against that Church which is built on the rock You say Built they are upon divine institution c. But I suppose you do but elude and not answer here Is it all one to be built upon the rock and upon divine institution Then particular Churches should not fail for those that are built upon a rock shall never fail Particular Churches are built upon a rock also True so far as they are true beleevers Others of them are expresly said to be built upon the sand yet are they built upon Christs institution Suppose a particular Church consisting of all hypocrites it 's possible to be so having all externall Ordinances will you say those are built upon the rock Christ or will you say they are no Churches of Christ because they are not built upon Christ as a rock or foundation Neither of these can you say not the latter for they are built upon the Institution of Christ not the former for hypocrites have not Christ for their foundation but are built upon the sand Hear your own words pag. 40. If the profession of the doctrine of faith be true though the grace of faith in the professour be uncertain and may be hypocriticall and so false yet we dare not deny the nature and power of a Church to such But say I again such are not founded upon the rock Christ though they be upon his Institution Therefore Institution and rock are not both one But you confute your self when you say Christ is not the head of that Church whereof he is not the foundation and where he is the foundation he is also the rock Now say I Christ is not the head of hypocrites therefore not the foundation nor the rock for as you adde Christ is not a sandy foundation yet are they built upon the Institution of Christ and may and do fail which they could not if they were built upon Christ a rock But say you What then so may the true disciples of Christ fail in respect of bodily subsistence and yet the gates of hell never prevail against them Did Christ mean in regard of bodily subsistence that the gates of hell should not prevail against the Church Do not some particular Churches fail in regard of the truth it self and the gates of hell prevail against the souls of all their members yet Christ sayes they shall not prevail against the Church built upon the rock Or rather did he not mean it of the Catholike visible Church in this sense that he will ever have a Church in one place or other yes say you God may remove the Candlestick that is his particular Church yet he will have ever some or other particular Churches visible in one place or other That is say I God will have ever a Catholike visible Church existing in the particulars and so sayes M. Hooker visible Church doth nor fail Yet you go on to say Those Churches that were founded upon Christ and built upon that rock neither failed nor fell away But I assume those Churches that were founded upon his Institution fell away and failed therefore they were not built upon the rock You adde again If the posterity of a holy Church do degenerate they were never founded upon Christ but in an outward form True say I yet they as well as their predecessors were built upon Christs Institution Therefore to be built upon divine Institution meerly is not the same as to be built on a rock And so you have eluded not answered the argument I have but one thing more to say to your Testimonies from Mr. Whit. Junius and D. Ames You say They dispute Catholike visible Church but maintain the Catholike Church to be invisible But 1. The Church Catholike of I which those Divines speak against Papists is not the same with ours in this Dispute They intend it of the Church of the Elect of all ages and times which is the Catholike Church mentioned in the Creed as the object of our faith not of our sense but we take it in the second sense delivered in the beginning for the whole multitude of beleevers or professours of the Gospel in all places of the world at once And the parts of this Church whether particular members or particular Congregations being visible the whole or which is all one the Catholike Church must needs be visible D. Ames Med. lib. 1. cap. 31. sect 7. cap. 32. sect 1. And D. Ames by name having defined this Church to be Caetus hominum vocatorum fidelium vel caetus eorum qui sunt in Christo c Of this same Church which cannot be only the particular Church he saies it is visibilis in suis partibus and in the former chapter Sect. last Ecclesia nunquam planè desinit esse visibilis The Church Catholike of that he spake never wholly ceaseth to be visible 2. The Catholike Church which they dispute against is in the Romish sense a Catholike Romane Church animated by the Pope as an head and by Catholike Officers actually in a subordination as a Politicall body But this we deny as well as they We take it only for the whole multitude of beleevers distinguished into severall Congregations which all make up one body whereof Christ alone is the Head Survey part 1. pag. 15 16. O◠which Christ is an Head by political government We shall take it in M. Hookers words The Church is the visible kingdom of Christ in which he reigns by the Scepter of his Word and Ordinances and execution of discipline which visible kingdom of Christ is the whole Church or which is all one the Catholike Church visible in her members And now I come to my second Reason or as you call it Obj. 2 Objection The kingdom of glory one part of the meaning of the Kingdom of heaven Mat. 16.19 is not contra-distinguished to a particular Congregation but to the generall visible Church on earth You answer 1. There is not any particular Church on earth but may be upon just occasion contra-ditinguished from the kingdom of glory It may be so but very improperly and with respect to the whole Church on earth But what 's this to the Text or Objection The question is not what may be elsewhere but what is the meaning in this Text It saies not whatever thou shalt binde in a particular Congregation but in earth that is the visible Church on earth as contra-distinguished to the world here See the Keys pag. 2. s 1. and the kingdom of glory above And besides he that is bound in any particular Church is bound in all the Churches on earth and so the
have received all the power of the Keys formally and may administer them without any Officers which is worse then Brownism But I have distinguâ—shed above when the Church is said to receive the Keys subjectivè it may be meant either immediately her self without Officers or mediatly by and in her Officers and I illustrated it by the body naturall As sight is immediatly trusted with the eye as the next subject of it but mediatly with the body In the first sense you cannot say the Church is the immediate subject of the Keysâ— for then she might immediatly administer them all without Officers as I said In the latter sense it is nothing to your purpose for then as fight is entrusted with the eye first for the good of the body so the Keys are entrusted with the Officers for the good of the Church Par 2. pag. 22. The body is not first entrusted with sight to convey it to the eye nor are the Keys committed first to the Church to convey them to the Officers You say afterwards If Christ have given them Pastors c. to the Church the Church is the Recipient subject of them As if the eye be given to the body the body is the recipient subject of it All this is true in a sense The Officers are given to the Church as the immediate recipient subject of them But is our Question of the Officers or of the Keys We say the Keys are given to the Church both objectivè for its good with reference to the brethren and subjectivè with reference to the Officers yea subjectivè to the Church as the subject of the Officers that is mediatly but not subjectivè as the immediate subject of the Keys Your comparison was ill laid you should have instanced in the sight that resembles the Keys not in the Eye it self The body is the immediate subject of the eye but the eye of the sight So the Church is the immediate subject of the Pastors c. but the Pastors are the immediate subject of the Keys And this as I have often said is evident in the Text in hand For Christ doth not say I give to the Church the power of the Keys or the Keys of the Kingdom of heaven that is of it self but I give to thee Peter the Keys of the kingdom of heaven that is of the Church not the least colour here of giving the Keys to the Church Ibid. pag. 23. Materials of a Church c. pag. 27. See pag. â—0 When the proposition c. But I desire you will consider your inconstancy and the inconsistency of your assertions You say presently after the last words cited Pastors c. are given to the Church as integrall parts of the Church as the Church is Totum Integrale Then say I they are not given to the Church as meer adjuncts nor doth the Church receive them as the subject of them And that upon your own reason For integrall parts are intrinsecall and essentiall to a Totum Integrale and not extrinsecall as the object is to a thing Integrall parts are not subjects and adjuncts one to another But you say When I wrote that proposition in the first words of the Way it was not then in my minde to understand any other but a Congregation of beleevers with Officers For I spake of such a Church whereof Peter was one and he was an Officer 1. Whatever was in your minde I know not but the words hold out rather a Congregation of believers without Officers and so that acute and judicious M. Ruth understood you The Way p. 1. as well as I For you say there The Church to which Christ hath committed the Keys of the Kingdom the power of binding and loosing the Tables and Seals of his Covenant and mark that the Officers and Censures of the Church is a communion of Saints c. But can the Officers be committed to the Church with Officers And do not you commonly distinguish Saints or beleevers from Officers When you said Pastors are given to the Church and the Church is the recipient subject of them must not the Church be taken then for a company of Saints without Officers 2. In your present defence you understand it all along of a Church without Officers or I understand you not 3. When you adde That you spake of such a Church whereof Peter was one and he was an Officer You vary the sense and words of the proposition For there you say The Church to which Christ committed the power c. was a company of such as whereof Peter was one beleevers professing that faith c. Mark that one beleever not one Officer And elsewhere you say the were Keys committed to Peter not as an Apostle or Elder that is not as an Officer but as a beleever How these things agree I see not Yet you will defend it granting that sense They have received some part of the Keys formally c. Of which we have spoken before and refer you thither Only I shall observe your similitude for illustration of your assertion The stock of the vine growing from the root hath not immediate power to bring forth grapes yet hath power to produce branches which do bring forth grapes So the body of the Church of beleevers though they have not immediate power of rule authoritatively to dispense the Word or to administer Sacraments at all yet they have a power to produce such Officers as may perform the same But I fear your similitudes do deceive you Do the Brethren immediatly give that power to the Officers which they have not formally in themselves Epist to Keys pag. 3. Did not the Officers receive their power immediatly from Christ or his Apostles who had that power formally in themselves Have not your Praefacers to the Keys told us that your self lay this fundamentall Maxime That look whatever power or right any of the possessours and subjects thereof may have they have it each alike immediatly in respect of a mediation of delegation or dependance on each other from Christ and so are each the first subjects of that power which is allotted to them But now you make the Officers to depend immediatly upon the Church of beleevers and to derive their power from them by mediation or delegation as the branches derive their being and vertue to produce grapes from the stock of the Vine Which if it be not to jump with the Brownists who place all power radically and originally in the Church of beleevers and make the Officers derive it as their servants immediatfy from them I must professe I understand nothing in this controversie Survey part 1. p. 195. prop. 4. Doth not M. Hooker make the Church of beleevers the first subject of all Church power and do not the Brownists just so whereas you sometimes at least in the judgement of your brethren here as afore make two first subjects of the power of the Keyes and each to have
of others And I can sincerely professe I consulted with none or very few books of this controversie but comparing your books one with another my own reason and judgement suggested to me those contradictions in them that left me altogether unsatisfied in your way and at this day I am left so still if not more confirmed that the Independent way is not the way of God that is so inconsistent with the Scriptures and with it self That others have more elaborately disputed this cause I shall easily yeeld but I think I may truly say without vanity none have more distinctly discovered the weaknesses of your proofs and your contradictions to your selves in holding out your Way then I have done Nor am I at all troubled that you chuse rather to consider what hath been written by Learned and Reverend M. Rutherford and M. Baily though you sere M. Baily as you doe me never name him more in all your following discourse had you but made good your promises to consider also what I had said to vindicate your self from your contradictions and to clear the truth in question But seeing you are pleased so to neglect me I hope you will not be troubled if I conceive it losse of time and labour to follow you any further and consider what Learned and Reverend M. Hooker hath elaborately written in this controversie Only give me leave to present you with a Scheme of your remaining contradictions or contrarieties at least noted in Vind. Clav. out of your own books and then leave you to your choise whether you will reconcile them or confesse them A Scheme of Contradictions and Contrarieties in the Independent way 1. THe Keys were given to Peter as an Apostle as an Elder and as a beleever So the sense most fill The Keys pag. 4. It appears that Christ gave the Keys to the fraternity with the Presbytery Ib. See also the Way cleared par 2. pag. 22. 1. The power of the Keys is given to Peter not as an Apostle nor as as Elder but as a profest believer The way pag. 27. 1. Peter received no◠the Keys meerly as a beleever but as a beleeve publikely professing hi◠faith c. The Way cleared par 2. f. 39. Not beleevers as beleevers but as beleevers covenanting and fitly capable according to Christ appointment M. Hooker Surv. par 1. p. 203. 2. The Keys are given to the Church of beleevers The Way p. 1. that is a combination of faithful men as M. Hooker 2. The Key of knowledge belongeth to all the faithfull whether joyned to any particular Church or no. The Keys pag. 11. 2. The Key of Knowledge is given not only to the Church but to some before they ente◠into the Church Th◠Keyes p. 11. 3. The Key of order is common to all the members of the Church Keys p. 8. Then say we to women and children 3. It is not every place or order in the Church that giveth power to receive Ordinances much lesse to dispense them as children and women Way cleared par 2. pag. 19.  4. Ordination is a work of Rule The way p. 49. Ordination and jurisdiction both acts of Rule pertain indifferently to all the Presbysers Ib. 49. 4. As for election and Ordination of Officers c. these things they the brethren may doe if need be without Officers The way p. 45. 101. 4. Ordination is not an Act of supream jurisdidiction but of order rather in H. Survey part 2.75 5. The Key of authority or Rule is committed to the Elders of the Church and so the Act of Rule is the proper Act of their Office The Keys p. 20. The people discerning and approving the justice of the censure give consent and obedience to the Will and Rule of Christ The Keys pag. 15. 37. 41. The brethren stand in an order even an orderly subjection according to the order of the Gospel p. 11. 5. In case the Officers do erre and commit offence they shall be governed by the whole body of the brethren The Way pag. 100. The Church exerciseth severall acts of authority over the Elders The way p. 101. The people have some stock of power and Authority in government of the Church the Keys pag. 36. They rule the Church by appointing their own Officers Ib. p. 16.  6. Excommunication is one of the highest Acts of Rule and therefore cannot be performed but by some Rulers the Keys p. 16. The Church cannot excommunicate the whole presbytery because they have not received from Christ an office of Rule without their Officers Ibid. No act of the peoples power doth properly binde unlesse the authority of the Presbytery joyn with it Ibid. 36. 6. If all their Officers were sound culpable either in hereticall doctrine or scandalous crime the Church hath lawful Authority to proceed to censure of them all The Way p. 45. In case of offence given by an Elder or whole Eldership together the Church hath authority to require satisfaction and if they give it not to proceed to censure Ibid. p. 101. 6. Excommunication is not an act of power of office but of judgement nor an act of highest rule but of supream judgement seated in the fraternity Survey par 3. p. 45. As a Church of brethren cannot proceed to any publike censures without Elders so nor the Elders without concurrence of the people c. Pref. to the Keys pag. 4. 7. It was a sacrilegious breach of order that Commissaries and Chancellors wanting the key of Order no Ministers have been invested with jurisdiction yea and more then ministerial authority above those Elders who labour in the word and doctrine The Keys p 6. 7. There is a Key of power given to the Church with the Elders as to open a door of entrance to the Ministers calling so to shut the door of entrance against them in some cases c. The Keys pag. 9. yea to censure all their Elders without Elders the way p. 45. c. as afore  8. We are far from allowing that sacrilegious usurpation of the Ministers office practised in some places that private Christians ordinarily take upon them to preach the Gospel publikely The Keys pag. 6. 8. This is ordinarily practised in old England and allowed by the Independent brethren Yea they being but in the notion of gifted brethren no Ministers to other Congregations do it ordinarily themselves  9. A particular Church of Saints professing the faith that is members without Officers is the first subject of all the Church Offices with all their spirituall gifts and power The Keys p. 31. 9. As the Keys of the Kingdom of heaven be divers so are the subjects to whom they are committed divers The Keys p. 11. The Apostle were the first subject of Apostolical power Ib. p. 32. A Synod is the first subject of that power whereby error is convinced and condemned c. ib. p. 47. 9. The power of the Keys belongs firstly to a Congregation of Covenanting beleevers Surv.