believe all baptiz'd Infants are regenerate But the truth is the inward state of none can be said either a falshood or reality to the Church following the Rule of the Word in dispensing of Ordinances for in the like neither regeneration nor non regeneration can be the object of the Churches discerning Also this is to be observed that Christ hath made the sounder part of the visible Church the Church in the actual exercise of Ordinances For 1. Christ never gave a power to erre or to sin to his Church visible or to any part thereof as Nature gave not a power to the locomotive faculty to halt but to move therefore he cannot have given a power to a Synod as many but as proceeding right and to Members as choosing discerningly not as erroneously 2. Those must be the Church to whom the Promise is made they fulfilling the condition to wit he must promise his presence to those that are convined in his Name But if the larger part be the Church visible because larger and more numerous to whom the Promise is made then when the major part errâ—s and meets not in his Name Christ should be obliged to fulfil the promise to them that fulfil not the condition and ought not to fulfil the promise to those who meet in his Name and fulful the condition of the promise which is abominable for very often the larger part erres and meets not in Christs Name and the lesser part meets in his Name and shall those who fulfil the condition be defrauded of the blessing promised because they are fewer Obj. But so no questions shall be determined in Church meetings for two may say they onely meet in Christs Name Ans. These are but words for if they not onely say so but it be a real truth and if all the rest erre in that act these two are onely the visible Church though men judge them turbulent Schismaticks Hence by the way a word of that necessary and judicious question moved by Calvin Matth. 18. 18. What ye binde on earth c. Since the Church tolerateth many hypocrites and absolveth and looseth many who do but counterfeit and fancy Repentance shall we say that such are loosed and pardoned in heaven Some say by heaven here is meant the visible Church and they distinguish between Sin and Scandal and therefore that by binding and loosing here is meant not forgiveness or justification or absolution from the guilt of sin in heaven or in the Court of God or condemnation for that sin but onely deliverance from scandal and the removing of scandal and admitting of the man into the visible Church as a Member suppose his repentance be but hypocritical yet when the Church proceedeth impartially according to the Rule of Christ the sentence is ratifiâ—d by God and the man is loosed from the scandal though not from the sin the sin is yet bound before God because he hath not really repented otherwise the Church who knows not heart-actings and who really repent who not though proceeding right according to the Rule of Christ should not have the promise of ratifying in heaven what they do on earth fulfilled to them which cannot be said But taking it for a good observation that Calvin hath here that Matth. 16. Christ speaketh of binding and loosing concional by the Word preached but here Matth. 18. he speaketh especially of binding and loosing juridical in the Court of the Church by Excommunication or Absolution from that Sentence In the former consideration the question is easie No Pastor in preaching Gospel-promises or threatnings can binde but conditionally If the party do not believe and repent the mans sin is bound in heaven if he do believe and repent his sin is loosed in heaven As to the other we finde in the Word no such signification of binding and loosing in regard of scandal but they are ever spoken of in regard of sin and the guilt thereof And therefore 1. Calvin saith well That the speech of Christ is directed to no other than to those who duly and sincerely do reconcile themselves with the Church and the Lord being willing to comfort trembling consciences is not setting down a Rule for comfoâ—…g of â—ypocrites But by the contrary because hypocrites Soldly provoke to the Tribunal of God when for gross scandals they are justly cast out our Saviour saith The sentence of Excommunication is ratified in heaven The Scripture-rule is for such as obey and for those who fulfil the condition non de obliquis As to the doubt That the Church often absolves such who really repent not how then can the hypocrite be loosed in heaven when the Lord knows he does but fancy Repentance Ans. Two things hère are to be distinguished 1. The Churches proceeding in the external Court as relating to them if they impartially according to the Rule of Christ proceed and be not sudden in re-admitting but see the incestuous man near swallowed up though one mans measure of visible repentance be not the Rule to all before they confirm their love to him and forgive him 2 Cor. 2. Suppose his repentance be but counterfeit or not saving and real as was that of Ahab yet are they to receive him and admit him to the Ordinances and the Lord ratifies what they do in heaven As 1. The Lord ratifies Philips baptizing of Magus and the Lord approves the Servants inviting to the marriage-supper the man that wanted the wedding-garment for what the Lord commands that he must approve and ratifie in heaven 2. What in charitable judgements is praise-worthy that God also must ratifie in heaven yea it is praise-worthy in the Disciples when they heard Christ say One of you twelve hath a Devil one of you shall betray the Son of Man every one suspected and feared himself none of the eleven suspected Iudas but gave him charity 3. Without this God should not approve the gathering of Churches nor the casting of the draw-net in the Sea nor the sowing of seed upon all sort of grounds the way side the thorny the rocky the good ground that the chosen who are yet in the state of nature may be brought in and effectually called But in receiving in Excommunicates the Church would not be sudden In the ancient Church Sacrificers to Idols were six years before they were received they that defiled themselves with Beasts were debarred from the Sacrament thirty years Adulterers seven women who made away their Births ten years such as uncompelled denied the faith twelve years What other years Burchardus and Gratianus have may be seen Something for edification sure there was here 2. There is another thing here which concerneth the conscience of him who is to be received and when the Church-Court applies the sentence to the conscience for his personal pardon sure whatever satisfaction the people have for removing of the scandal the sentence of Absolution so relating to him is concional not properly juridical
and conditional not absolute and therefore is to be pronounced by the mouth of the Church the Pastor thus Be it unto thee according to thy Faith and Repentance and except the man really repent his sin is not loosed in heaven So then the Churches loosing from the scandal is conditional upon a seen condition of outward repentance morally sincere to the Churches apprehension but they simply and absolutely make him a Citizen of the Church and admit him to Ordinances according to the command of Christ both in private and publick Church offences If thy brother who offended repent forgive him but his loosing from the sin or guilt in heaven is ever conditional and never absolutely to be pronounced by the Pastor the mouth of the Church who cannot certainly know the condition Hence 1. the scandal is loosed in earth and heaven the Church impartially following the rule of Christ sometime when the sin remains and is bound in heaven 2. The Church may say the man is absolutely freed from the scandal so as the Church sins not in receiving him in if they follow the rule but he sins and the scandal is bound in coming in if he repent not and also as to the guilt he is freed from the sin only conditionally for the condition of removal of the scandal is seen and visible but the condition of the loosing from sin is invisible 3. Sometime the man is both loosed from the scandal and from the sin and every way loosed in heaven and earth when he both really and visibly repents 4. The Church should go as near in readmitting a fallen sinner and loosing him on earth as they can discern the Lords loosing in heaven the Corinthians seem to exceed in this 2 Cor. 2. 7. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him 5. There is more of real Saintship required to receive in again one who hath been once a member and hath fallen and was cast out then to admit a member newly come from Paganisme 1. The larger the means of salvation have been the greater guiltiness as the scandal of a Christian is greater then the sin and scandal of a Sodomite Mat. 10. 15. Mat. 11. 22. Mat. 12 41 42. And therefore the repentance of the one must be more signal and larger then the repentance of the other 2. There is not such a measure of marriage-love required of a Virgin before she be married as after she hath been married and born children to the husband nor can any say there is so much knowledge required in a new Intrant that knows not the first elements of Philosophy as in one who hath studied seven years Hence 6. it is utterly false that as visible Saintship and real Repentance as far as can be is required of one excommunicate before he can be received in again so real visible Saintship as far as can be seen must be required in members before they be first admitted But I desire our Brethren if they judge the first receiving into the Church a loosing from sin and scandal as re-admission is they will teach it me Mr. H. If Baptism be the Seal saith Mr. R. of our entry in the Church then is not this covenant the formal cause of Church-membership Ans. If Baptism seal our membership then it is after membership and so not the formal cause of it Ans. There is in my argument no word that baptism is the formal cause of our membership Baptism is a seal of our solemn installing in the Church it 's a seal quoadnos as state and feising in houses or lands is Mr. H. Though children do not covenant personally yet they are included virtually in their parents Deut. 29. Ans. If Mr. H. mean Children not born as the place Deut. 29. doth evince what is that to the purpose we have no question with any whether unborn children have right to membership or to baptism non entis nulla sunt accidentia if he mean born infants are but virtual or potential covenanters as the seed is a tree in potentia and no tree actu so must Infants be no actual covenanters but in potentia only Anabaptists shall thank Mr. H. for this for then they are not actually holy Rom. 11. 16. nor actually to be baptized nor is God actually the God of Infants but some act is required of them to lay hold on the covenant 2. The Kingdom of Heaven then is not due to them nay not a halfe salvation but in potentia But our Saviour pronounced them actually blessed and said of such is the kingdom of God Mat. 18. 14 Mat. 19. 14. Mark 10. 14 15. Yea as Christ cannot bless unborn Infants not can he say of such is the kingdom of God if they be covenanters onely in potentia and be such only Mr. H. This covenant is either the covenant of grace or different from it Ans. The new covenant is either considered according to the benefit of saving grace given in it and so this is not the covenant Or 2. according to the means of grace offered and so the Church-covenant is contained within the covenant of grace and so the consequence is null A man may be in the covenant of grace who is not a Church-member and a man may be a Church-member who is not within the covenant of grace as Magus Ans. It is a doubt to me if Mr. H. understand his own distinction of Gods decreeing and commanding will for with Arminians he saith these are contrary wills 2. My argument is this The Church covenant is tither one and the same or a branch of the covenant of grace as it offers grace externally to all to Peter and Magus or then it is a different covenant That it is different Mr. H. denies for then it should not be warranted in the Gospel if it be a part of the Gospel-covenant how can they debar men of approved godliness and visibly within the covenant of grace from ordinances for such are implicitly in this covenant 3. Some are saith M. H. in the covenant of Grace that are not Church-members and contrary true but not if they be externally and professedly as Israel was for so to be Gods visible people in covenant is to be Gods visible Church Acts 2. 39. Gen. 17. 7. Rev. 11. 15. Isa. 19. 25. now we dispute whether the Church-covenant be not a branch of the covenant of the Gospel externally proposed Mr. H. yeelds it is only he saith the Church-covenant is not the covenant of grace according to the benefits of saving grace given in it true nor is the covenant of grace externally preached according to which Magus and Iudas and all such Church-members are in the covenant of grace the covenant of grace according to the benefit of saving grace given it to wiâ— a new heart and remission c. Then this cannot hinder but when one vowes to duties in baptism he also vowes he shall acquit himself in all duties of warning
to be false with the same Argument Because many better Reasons may haply be given which is bad Logick for other Reasons may be given and Separatists Morellius Anabaptists and Prelatical men have besieged but never taken in this Text but if this be the onely seeming and apparent reason given for popular jurisdiction yea or that can be given the consequence is not proved by Mr. H. his Adverb haply which implies No as well as I. And when Mr. R. saith the Reasons against our sense are Sophisms it s not an answer to say I. but stronger arguments haply may be rendred by others such as never were alledged before What if one should say stronger Reasons and clearer Scriptures yet than ever have been alledged may haply be rendred for unwritten Traditions Image worship Praying to the Dead Papists should be little stronger than they are 2. The Argument is but this If the word Church in all the Scriptures so often mentioned be never taken for the Elders onely it a strong suspicion it is not so taken in this place Matth. 18. But the word Church is such 1. The major is denied All the judiciouâ— Interpreters finde a word onely in this sense in this place and that it cannot bear sense according to the analogie of faith but in this sense onely as scope matter and circumstances of the place inforce and yet the same word must be otherwise taken in many other places And when all is done the conclusion of the apparent reason amounts but to a suspicion and Mr. H. of his own addes the qualification of strong suspicion and Mr. R hath leave upon better grounds to adde that his own suspicion is weak Mr. H. wrongs that eminently learned and godly man Mr. Ball who proves the Elders here must be meant and no other Church and Mr. H. touches not with one finger his reasons 2. I retort the Argument If the word Church of the Redeemed meet to partake of all Ordinances Word Seals Censures c. often mentioned in Scripture be never taken for Brethren onely excluding believing women sons come to age of 15 or 16 years which are the far larger number of the Redeemed confederate visible Church called sanctified as 1 Cor. 1. 1. 2 Cor. 1. 1. Eph. 1. 1. Col. 1. 2. 1 Thess. 1. 1. 2 Thess 1. 1 c. then can it not be so taken Mat. 18. and the Assumption must be as strong That the word Church in this sense is destitute of the least loving look of the allowance of any Text that might be a second in the field as is the Rhetorication in place of Disputation of Mr. H. therefore we desire a parallel place for the acception oâ— the word Church or onely male-Church of Redeemed meeting for all Ordinances Mr. H. answers not when he tells us that Women for their sex and children for want of the exercise of understanding are excluded from governing Ans. That is another question whether they be excluded from governing from this what is the notation of the word Church Mat. 18. and whether women children come to age and servants be not essential parts and the far larger part of the Church of believors fed redeemed of the Church which Chrâ—st hath instituted in the Gospel that is saith the Discipline of N. E. of a combination of faithful godly persons meeting for that end to partake of all the Ordinances of God in one place-built on the Rock Mat. 16. If such a signification of the word Church be not in all the Scripture is not this to have in the bag a stone a stone when we say Tell the Church and if he hear not the Church Mat. 18. is the Church-meeting in one place for hearing the Word receiving the seals professing the faith of Peter built upon the Rock which essentially includes women aged children servants but yet Tell the Church is not Tell the women aged children and servants for they are excluded from governing say they true but they are not excluded from being members of the Church Mat. 18. which in its proper signification as our Brethren say signifieth only this redeemed visible Church built on the rock meeting in one place c. 3. The word Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must in Scripture be restricted to the subject matter and the end wherefore the convention is instituted and seldom is it taken but it excludes some such as Act. 19. it cannot signifie the Church of Christ but a civil tumultuary meeting The town Clerk dismissed the Church 2. Eph. 5. 26. Christ loved his Church and gave himself for her The Church there is such a Catholick body visible or invisible as he shall present without spot or wrinkle and excludeth rotten members professors as Magus who are no more but visible members but includeth all real Saints Men Women Infants Jews Gentiles c. 3. It notes these who convene in the same place to be fed with Word Seals Censures Act. 11. 26. a whole year they assemble with the Church 1 Cor. 14 4. he that prophecieth edifieth the Church It must exclude Infants who though members of the visible Church yet cannot be edified by prophecying but cannot but include Women more aged children and servants and say there were but one place in all the World where the Church came together for the hearing of the Word receiving of the Lords Supper that one place were sufficient to teach what the word Church notes in that place And so here Mat. 18. is the like case 4. Tell the Church must be tell the Church that hath power to bind and loose on earth and which if the offender hear not he must be declared a heathen but this is neither women children nor servants by our Brethren 2. The binding and loosing here is to be expounded of the specifick acts of office never given to any by other Scriptures but only to officers 2 Thes. 5. 12 14. Luke 10. 16. Heb. 13. 17. 1 Tim. 4. 14. 1 Tim. 5. 17 20. Act 20. 28. Rom. 12. 7 8. Mat. 16. 17. 1 Pet. 5. 1 2. Tit. 2. 5. Ioh 21. 15. Ephes. 4. 11 12. Is. 6. 5. Ier. 3. 15. 5. Tell the Church if he hear not the Church shall be by us gladly expounded of both Rulers and Professors in their own kind 1. Let him be to thee as a Heathen that is to the whole Church women and servants by withdrawing from his company Puâ—ge out all ye who have been puffed up and mourned not and such were women and so men also to whom he writeth 1 Cor. 1. 1. And women were a part of the lump in danger to be infected and upon that hazard were not to eat drink with an excommunicated man 1 Cor. 5. 6 12. and were not to be mixed but to eschew scandalous persons 2 This. 3. 14 Rom. 16. 17. nor receive such a man unto their house nor bid him God speed 2 Ioh 10. 11. Tit. 3. 10. which the women were to
over these of the Congregation where he sojourns but not in in all cases expedient that he multiply twenty engagements and it may be twenty oathes or solemn promises in twenty sundry congregations so may he engage for a Family Camp Colledge Ship And it is false to say 1. You onely are my Church brethren Matth. 18. 2. It is false to say I have Church-power to the Seals here onely 3. I am made by this engagement a Member of Christ visible whereas I was not so before 4. It is false that when I remove to another Church from this that I losâ— all Church-right to seals all Church-power to gain brethren to Christ there And 5. it is false that when I leave this Church I am unchurched no fellow-citizen with the Saints no Church-member and yet I was never excommunicate 3. The Assumption is most false That by Matth. 18. a brother is to gain onely a brother of that congregation whereof he is a Member Mr. H. aims not to prove that If thy brother trespass c. that our Saviour means onely of that independent congregation whereof the brother is a Member engaged to that onely congregation where the gaining and offended brother is a Member I have alledged ten Reasons on the contrary Mr. H. his Reason is against himself and the Text as well as against us You saith he rebuke one of another congregation he will not hear you tell the other Church he departs the place What then his Church he leaves should proceed to censure him by Matth. 18. And may not a brother of the same Church refuse to hear also and depart the place and the place of Matth. 18. say we proveth that both are to be censured by their own respective Churches as obstinate offenders 4. Mr. R. saith indeed That one Congregation hath no power of Iurisdiction over another but each may complain of another to a Presbytery or to a Church above both else the remedy of Christ to remove scandals between Church and Church is too narrow and very nothing and sister-Churches offending each against others are not to rebuke and labour by Mr. H. his way to gain one another to Christ and nothing can be more contrary to love and edification thâ—n this and more contrary to our Saviours intent Mat. 18. 5. What is the formal binding and loosing which one Congregation hath over another or one Member hath over another of the same or of divers Congregations the Scripture is silent The Churches of divers Congregations lay on burthens and binde other Churches under them Act. 15. 28. and command and enjoyn the things to be believed and done So Mr. Cotton But that one Church-member may binde and loose is unknown to the Scripture for you may say so one Subject may binde and loose forgive debts and bloodshed because he may complain or forbear to complain to the Magistrate and so one Church may binde or loose another Church and one Member may binde or loose a whole Church and many Churches by complaining or not complaining to sound Neighbour-Churches whose it is to unchurch by non-communion or to forbear 6. Mr. H. proves not that Members have not power over each other by this engagement because before the engagement they are free and none can compel them to be Church-members or to be baptized Luk. 7. True but if they reside and refuse to joyn to the true Church and so deny Christ before men and being professors if they refuse to joyn to the true Church of Christ they are to be esteemed as Heathens or Publicans as the Lawyers who refused to be baptized despised the counsel of God Luke 7. 30. and the Gospel-threatnings for refusing to come to Wisdomes banquet Prov. 1. 20 24. 9. 3 4. Luk. 14. 18. are no less bindings and constrainings in their kinde than Church-rebukes of one to another and Excommunication Of this before It is probable and more That a godly Christian conquerour may hinder conquered Heathen to blaspheme Christ and adore Idols and compel them to hear the Gospel 7. It a wonder that Mr. H. should cite Whitaker or any of our Divines who are all for the power of Presbyteries Synods yea of an Oecumenick Councel from Mat. 18. which he himself disclaims as an invention of men Mr. H. Arg. 3. Voluntary combination makes a man a Member of a Presbyterian Church as Mr. R. Lib. 2. pag. 320. thâ—n must voluntary combining make one a Member of a Congregation Answ. Still the point in question is never touched Will this prove that voluntary engagement is the formal cause of a visible Church so Mr. H. tells us ch 4. pag. 45. Of the formal cause of a visible Church Nor doth voluntary combining make any so a Member of this Presbyterial Church as he is not also a Member of the whole visible Church or as he hath no Church right by divine institution to Ordinances and Seals in another Presbyterial and Congregational Church as this way of Mr. H. teacheth for as I say in that place Presbyterial Churches Congregational in their being are of divine institution but in their local bounds and determitate number of Members they are things of conveniency of order and providential necessity not of divine institution and the consequence is poor and nothing for that is a huge mistake of Mr. H. An implicite Covenant is when professors in practise do that whereby they make themselves to walk in such a society without any verbal profession for then a sojourning believer partaking in fourty Churches of the Seals in some few years occasionally doth enter fourty implicite covenants doth fourty times unchurch himself and lose and take up of new his Burges-ticket and Church-right and lose it again For Mr. Cotton and the Way of the Churches of N. E. teach That such a man an hundred times partakes of the Seals in some few years and may lawfully do it as a son coming occasionally to ten sundry Tables in ten cities or ten families which do equally belong to his rich and potent father as he providentially cometh along yet is he not ten times for that made a son and member of his fathers great family for his one and the same numerical sonship gives him right to all the ten tables So one and the same visibly professed sonship gives to a sojourning believer the same Church-right to be fed at all the Tables to all Church ordinances in ten hundred visible Churches all the earth over Letters of recommendation do declare but not create his Church-right to Christ and ten hundred Lords Suppers and it is a dream that the practising and partaking of the Lords Supper gives ten hundred new combinations and fancied formalities of Membership to all the Churches whether Congregational or Presbyterial Say one be necessitated to dwell in his fathers heritage and must be a Member of that Church What Scripture doth loose him from the same occasional duties
c. and they are also common members of the whole organical body Therefore by Mr. H. his Logick the thumb must be the little finger and when the thumb is cut off the thumb remains Let Mr. H. or any for him answer Mr. H. his Sophism 2. Mr. H. makes an Assumption but could not infer any conclusion nor frame a Syllogism This connexion is never proved There are the same members common remote of every particular Congregation or of all the Congregations on earth therefore every Congregation is the same and Ephesus must be Smyrna Put Mr. H. or any man for him to prove the connexion and they must be silenced These Congregations must be the same and the one must be affirmed of the other which have the same individual persons to be common members to both Nothing more false and so Mr. H. his received Rules vanish For say that all Citizens of York were Citizens of London and Citizens of London were also Citizens of York and they had the same common Laws City-priviledges the same Rules it follows onely they differ not in nature but in number and accidents but no Logick can infer Ergâ— York is London and London is York or that the one is affirmed of the other as Ephesus is said to be Smyrna So nothing follows but onely Ephesus and Smyrna are not Churches different in essence and nature but onely in number which is that which we teach Mr. H. Mr. R. yieldeth that one Church hath not power over another but if one who is a member of one Congregation be a member of all then the members of this Province may send messengers to the Synod of another Province Answ. Mr. H. would do well to prove his deductions for common members as common members send not Commissioners nay nor one Church to another but as God is the God of order so such a Church in an association do send to a larger Church Mr. H. It is folly to seek differences saith Mr. R. between Congregations from a Chuâ—ch covenant which is common to all Congregations It is true saith Mr. H particular Congregations and Church covenants differ not in essence and nature but there is a real difference from this Church in another Church in their specificating and individual formality The rule of old was Genus cum forma constituit speciem Answ. It is great folly to seek differences essential when all Congregations agree in the last specifick difference This Congregation and that Church differ only in accidents except Mr. H. shew us essential and specificating differences between one Christ the head one faith one Baptism one hope of Glory one Lords Supper one Bread in all Churches Eph. 4. 1 2 3 4. 1 Cor. 10. 17. 1 Cor. 12. 13. one power of binding on earth one and the same body Matth. 18. 15 16 17 18. Ioh. 20. 21 22. 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. from the same Christ the same Faith the same Baptism c. in another Congregation and when the Church of the Jews and the Church of the Gentiles differ only as two Sisters Cant. 8. 8. and in regard of age which is a meer accident as Mother and Daughter Isa. 54. 1 2. Isa. 49. 20 21. Cant. 3. 4. It is folly for Mr. H. to trouble us with new Logick such as the specificating formality in Peter for that is no new degree of essence in Peter which was not in man but the same contracted to the individual differences of time place figure c. Let Mr. H. shew a specifick difference between Christ and the seal in this and in that Congregation 2. That Genus cum forma constituit speciem is neither old nor new rule the true rules are Genus differentia constituunt speciem compositum Metaphysicum and materia forma constituunt compositum seâ— corpus Physicum 3. Whereas Mr. H. saith that this and this Congregation and this Church-covenant differ really ut res res and if they differ in accidents these must be either common or proper it 's answered 1. Mr. Cotton and Mr. Hooker are not two new kinds and species of Pastors because officers of divers Congregations and Iohn and Peter members of the same Congregation differ ut res res and so in the Church of Ierusalem there shall be five thousand species and kinds of members five thousand kinds of Church-covenants of Baptisms of Lords Suppers of new species of rights to the Seals in one single Congregation For they differ really ut res res when as they differ only in number and it were good that Mr. H. had expressed to us what be these proper accidents by which Congregations differ among themselves It is true the particular combination gives distinct being to the Classis but it gives not a being distinct in nature and essence but only in individual properties from the being of other Classis Mr. H. How comes it this Church hath power over this person which another Church hath not but from some speciall engagement Ans. It is from no marriage engagement but from providential conveniency the wise Lord seeing it Physically impossible that the whole Catholike Church so numerous can be fed in the same field by the same men therefore he divided them in sundry little flocks over which the shepherds combined have power not as married husbands but as meer servants Mr. H. The peculiar and individual formalities of engagements difference all voluntary covenants should a man say I am a Master of servants therefore thou art my servant servant-covenant is common to all there is only a difference in number and some accidents a people might say to a Pastor of another Congregation The covenant between Pastor and People is common to all and makes no difference but in number and accidents therefore thou art our Pastor that a man should be a general husband to all women and a woman a general wife to all men because marriage-covenant is common seems folly we are content to bear the charge of folly Answ. 1. I am far from charging folly on these godly men but weakness should appear in the Argument If Mr. H had framed an Argument thus if all Covenants of Master and servant of husband and wife agree in essence and nature and differ in number and accidents only then may a Master claim all men on earth to be his servants and then may a husband claim all women on earth to be his married wâ—ves This is most false and not proved by Mr. H. for the just contradiction is true If covenants between Master and Servant between Husband and Wife differ in number then must a Master make a covenant in number different with servants one with this servant and another covenant different in number from that with another or then he can claim neither the one nor the other for his servant because covenants between master and servant are all of the same common nature nor because Abraham
26 27. Rom. 10. 9. 2. If this be a Gospel ordinance give us Scripture for it 3. Dissolved members are never loosed from Church-warning comforting rebuking otherwise they were not to gaine their brethren 4. Christ by no hint or shadow layes the duty of gaining a brother upon our membership with single Congregations a thing of order and providential necessity but upon brotherhood Mat. 11. If thy brother trespass against thee c. Now he is as near my brother who is of another Congregation or a dissolved member as he who is my Congregational Brother 5. The inclosed gainable trespassing bretheren within the pinfold of a single Congregation seem to make onely the Congregation the visible Kingdom of Christ the Scripture teaching Nations the Kindreds and Kingdoms of the world to be his Rev 11. 15. Rev. 2. 1 2 3. Ps. 22. 27 28. Ps. 72. 3 4 5 6. Ps. 2 8 9. Isa. 60. 1 2 3 c. It is true Christ exerciseth his Ministerial power as King in Congregations yea and in Synods also saith Mr. Cotton 2. The oneness of his visible body is larger then a Congregation 1 Cor. 10. 17. 1 Cor 12. 12 13 c. Mr. H. That a Minister swear an oath of fidelity saith Mr. R. to the flock a Father a Master to discharge duties to Children and Servants is lawful but to tye the essence of a Minister Father Master to this oath so that he is no Minister before he thus swear is to lay bâ—nds where Christ hath laid none and will-worship Ans. The instance of a Father because it results upon a rule of nature without any free consent required is not to the purpose the other two cuts the throat of Mr. Râ— cause can any charge another to be his servant without mutual engagement that which makes a man a Pastor to this people is the free choice of the people we do not make the swearing to do our duty to be our covenant a witness ties himself by oath to tell the truth in a Court here is no covenant between man and man at all Those are to be distinguished 1. An agreement of persons to combine and associate 2. The doing of these duties 3. The swearing they will do them the first is the form of the Corproation the other two may be done after they be combined Ans. 1. The instance brought by me is as well of a moral father as a natural father and his either agreeing by promise or oath to the people makes him not a Pastor a Pastor to them is another thing nor doth the election of the people make a Pastor the ordination of the Elders by prayer makes him a Pastor Act. 6. 6. 1 Tim. 5. 22. 2 Tim. 2. 2. 2. The being a Pastor to the people doth not make a Pastor for it is but actus secundus the exercise of his calling not the essence of the Minister 3. The man doth tender the Lords Supper which is a specifick and proper act of a Pastor and that warrantably to these who are of another Congregation and never chused him for their Pastor 2. The other two hurt not the truth I desire not to plead mine own cause a man is made a servant to a master by mutual agreement true Ergo a Minister is made an Embassador Pastor and Servant of Christ by the election of the people it follows not for were he a servant in relation to the people onely this were something but the peoples chusing of him hath not any influence at all in the essence of a Pastor 3. My Argument proves that swearing as it includes a free agreement to the duties of a Father Moral or Officer or Master or Pastor doth not make the man a Father a Master a Pastor especially when the man is Father servant of Christ and Pastor habitu and actu primo to all the Churches on earth before he agree to be Father and Pastor to this Congregation as I thus illustrate a free City appoint four men fearing God to be Rulers or Bailiffes to them the City divides it self into four quarters the first quarter agreeth with such a man to rule them The next quarter agreeth with the second to rule and so do the rest Now no man can say this first quarter made the man a Magistrate for the whole City made all the four of private men to be publick Magistrates and quarters by agreement did only appropriate their labours to them So Titio covenants with a Mason with a Gardener to build him a House and plant him a Vineyard yet this agreement makes neither the one a Mason nor the other a Gardener for they were such before nor doth the sick mans chusing of such a Physician to cure him make the man a Physician Any man knows that the people call and chuse Epaphroditus not that they may make him a gracious and an able Minister but because they discerned him to be such therefore they chused him 4. A Witness who swears to tell the truth engageth covenant-wise to tell the truth though the engagement be put upon him by the command of the Judge Mr. H. Neither the incestuous Corinthian 2 Cor. 2. 73 74. saith Mr. R. nor these 3000. Act. 2. nor Samaria nor any planted Churches of Ephesus Acts 19. of Corinth Acts 18. Berea Philippi Thessalonica Rome give any hint of a Church-covenant Ans. The Churches forgiving and confirming of their love to the incestuous Corinthian was a receiving of him of new to covenant had his profession at large made him a member he had been a member whether the Church received him or not or had baptism made him a member that remaining he should have been a member a disfranchised man is so received by Covenant anew to City-priviledges Ans. 1. Nothing is answered to these celebrious Samplar-Churches planted without this new covenant 2. One excommunicate for a particular scandal as the incestuous Corinthian was retaining some profession retaineth some membership and is onely deprived of Church-honour and of some Ordinances 3. But of Baptism before 4. The forgiving of that man may say somewhat to the restoring of him to the priviledges of the Covenant of Grace but nothing of a Church-covenant 5. The civil Corporations way of re-admitting disfranchised members is no binding Rule to the Church of God Mr. H. There is no word of Church-covenant in these places Acts 2. it follows not Ergo it is not in the word Ans. The consequence is not valid from particular Negatives but if there be no Covenant in any place where mention is made of planting of Churches it holds well Heb. 7. 14. Moses who in his writings speaks of all sorts of Priests spake nothing concerning Priesthood in the Tribe of Iudah Ergo there is no Priest of that Tribe And there is no hint in Scripture where the sacrifice of Christ is spoken of that there is any ungodly sacrifice Ergo say our Divines the sacrifice of the Mass
saith he but can there be no allusion to a Iudicature except the one to which allusion is made and that of which the present speech is have the like power Then cannot the Scripture allude to earthly Princes who place their greatest Courtier upon the right hand because earthly Princes have not the like power with the Father of Jesus Christ. This destroys all allusions which abound in the Scripture as Paul Rom. 10. 18. alludes to the Sun Malachi compareth Gospel-worship to the burning of Incense chap. 1. shall it then follow that the one is of the nature of the other That allusions bring little light is said without ground for they being grounded upon Metaphors often which bring light must bring much light 3. That Synagogues had no power to excommunicate seems to bring darkness and not light The contrary is Iob. 9. and 16. Though they abused that Ordinance Mr. H. It s in vain to send the plaintiff to a general Councel he might be dead before he be relieved and the Councel be gathered Ans. We send no man by a loup to a General Councel but the grieved man may appeal to the nearest Judicature and Mr. H. will have him to loup to a General Councel at the first being accused of a scandal which declares that he would elude all the Government of Christ between him and that Judicature 2. We do not maintain any Appeals whatsoever but onely righteous Appeals Illud tantum pâ—ssumus quod jure possumus 3. So may the plaintiff be buried before a Synod by way of consultation may be had the wayes of Discipline aâ— all Christs ordinary wayes in the Gospel may possibly never take effect in those to whom the word is a savour of death unto death but that doth not nullifie an Ordinance of God Mr. H. Our Saviour Mat. 18. points at a standing Tribunal of such a Church as is at hand whereof both parties were members Ans. It s a perverting of the words of Christ Mat. 18. that no man trespassing whom I must endevour to gain can be my brother but he who is a member of the same congregation of which I am a member This is to renounce and quit all brotherly communion with all Churches on earth but onely that single congregation of which I am a member when not one brother but twenty or many Churches of brethren without the congregation as false brethren of Iudea trespass against Antioch by perverse doctrine Act. 15. there is not a Judicature aâ— hand hath Christ provided to tell no Church and left no remedy to remove the greatest of scandals Mr. H. How could a Church in an Island or the first Church at Jerusalem Act. 1. 23. exercise discipline upon an offender upon this ground Ans. Why not since the purpose of Christ is That every Church even the less of one hundred and twenty Acts 1. and the greater of ten thousands Act. 2. 4. 6. should respectively purge themselves and when association of many Churches about shall be they should also purge those without the congregation Scandals fall out where many meetings are and one onely Presbytery over them as Mr. H. granteth to which of the meetings shall the plaintiffs complain The offenders are of divers Meetings or Churches that are not at hand Mr. H. The Sanhedrim is a mixt Iudicature partly of Ecclesiastical partly of Civil Iudges Deut. 17. 12. 2 Chron. 19. Ergo allusion cannot be made thereunto Ans. The Consequence is naught 2. Mr. H. with the Prelates confound the Judicatures but they are clearly distinguished while one is appointed for the matters of the King another for the matters of the Lord 2 Chron. 19. 11. So are they distinguished The Priest or the Judge not the Priest and the Judge Diut 17. 12. Men might sinsully confound them but sin is no institution of the Lord. Mr. H. Arg. 2. The Church of believers is that which meets for prophecying and for praying but this Mat. 18. especially for binding and loosing and censures Mr. H. The Church of believers is assembled mainly for prophecying and praying yet not onely but for censures also the Word being ended Ans. That is indeed in question That men women and children meet ordinarily every Lords-day for to act in all Ordinances and after Sermon to leed witness binde and loose and that under the notion of believers for neither here nor in Scripture is there warrant for this Mr. H. Arg. 3. The Church Mat. 18. is such a superiour and judicial Seat as is to be obeyed in the Lord under the pain of excommunication But a multitude of believers are not such a seat So Mr. R. Mr H. The Major is the question and the Conclusion is to be proved whether a particular congregation be the highest Tribunal or the classical Church and Mr. R. takes one part of the Conclusion to prâ—ve the other If the congregation be not highest then the classical must be The Minor should have been proved not nakedly propounded Ans. I propound a Syllogism and for answer to the minor Mr. H. transforms my Argument which I dreamed not of and sayes I take one part of the conclusion to prove the other If the congregation be not highest then the classis is But Sir that is not one part of the conclusion to prove another but since you bring it it s a lawful Syllogism Either the congregation or the classis is the highest Tribunal But not the congregation Yet this is Mr. H. Arg. not mine The Church Mat. 18. is such a superiour seat as is to be obeyed as being over us in the Lord c. But no Scripture no Divine in the world saith That the multitude of believers I use not there the term Congregational Church at all is such a superiour Seat that is over the Guides and whom the Guides do obey in the Lord or disobey under the pain of Excommunication This minor of mine is not nakedly propounded The Scripture saith the officers are over the multitude of believers in the Lord 1 Thess. 5. 12 14. 1 Tim. 5. 17. Heb. 13. 17. But the contrary is never said they do not awake that say this is to take one part of a conclusion to prove the other for its a conclusion proved by a medium that is no part neither subject nor attribute of the conclusion Mr. H. Arg. 4. of Mr. R. Whatever the Church may excommunicate every member thereof convened with the Church may inflict all inferiour censures But all the members cannot inflict lesser punishment for neither women nor aged children nor the unofficed brethren can rebuks exhort or by the Word openly convince the officers Ans. The consequence is feeble as appears from the nature of delegated power which is committed by Christ to persons capable thereof which women for their sex children for the want of the exercise of understanding cannot do People have power to choose officers therefore women have power to put in
may excommunicate all officers and whereas he so much contends for the signification of the word Church Let him answer what is meant there 1 Cor. 11. 16. If any man seem to be contentious we have no such custom neither the Churches of Christ. If the meaning be that the congregations meeting in the same place contend not among themselves what if they so should do who should right them by our Brethrens way and if that be the Church that meets in one place onely when shall the Church Catholick which Christ loved and gave himself for meet not until the day of Judgement and did the Brethren testifie of the charity of Gaius 2 Ioh. 16 before the Church was that in the convened together congregation or was it not before the men of the Church And 1 Cor. 11. When ye 〈◊〉 together to the Church Was not this to the meeting of men and women except women be debarred from the Lords Supper And when Saul made havock of the Church he must persecute only the binding and loosing Church but the Scripture saith he persecuted both men and women Act. 8. 3. 9. 2. Mr. H. Arg 11. The Church which the Plaintiff must tell is to admonish publickly the offender But this is the Church of Elders 1. Thes 5. 12. 13. 1 Tim. 5. 20. Luk. 10. 16. for they onely are to receive publick complaints Tit. 1. 13. 1 Tim. 5. 19. 2 Tim. 4. 2. Ans. Complaints are to be given to the Elders that they may prepare them for the congregation and lend the action Tâ—â—â—efore the incestuous Corinthian 〈◊〉 said to be râ—… of many and so judged of many not by the judgement only of discration for so they might judge these that were without but legally Ans. Mr. H. answers not one word of Scripture for telling the complaints to the Elders Christ saith Tell the Church that is tell all the visible Saints say our Brethren 2. That the incestuous Corinthian was rebuked legally of many that is of the Elders and Brethren or Male-Church only that is said not proved If we speak of judging by the judgement of discretion he was rebuked of Elders Brethren Women aged Children Servants for it concerned them in conscience to have knowledge of it and to yield to withdraw from him and to forgive him upon his repentance to joyn with him else their obedience must be blind 2. The minor is false 1. For though they judge Heathen with the judgement of discretion it follows not that therefore Brethren Women aged Children and Servants should not also judge an excommunicate person by the same judgement 2. The probation is faulty for I appeal to the conscience of our Brethren whether there be not sundry kinds of judgement of discretion and whether Church-members have not one kind of judgement of discretion toward the excommunicate man who is now under a medicinal Church-cure and another judgement of discretion toward them that are without and were never members Mr. H. to Mr. R. his twelfth Argument It hath received an 〈◊〉 out of a mistake because neither women alone nor children will make a Church nor have any publick power put into their hands for that purpose Ans. I never said in any Argument that women and children there alone maâ—e a Church nor spake I of womens ruling there But yet I say women children of years of discretion servaâ—â—s being the Lords freemen and professing the faith Arg. 1. The essential parts and largest part of the Congregationâ—… Church of Believers professing the faith of Peter builded upon the rock Mat. 18. â—â—â—ting every Lords day to partake of all the Ordinances and therefore if the Church Mat. 16. signifie such a Church 〈◊〉 â—hat which you say women and such children and servants must especially be understood as parts thereof under the name of the Church tell the Church and if so the Church to which we complain doth not bind and loose by your own grant 2. What ground is there in the Word that the Brethren alone because men should only be mooned by the name of the instituted Church in the Gospel or the 〈◊〉 Church of Believers partakers of all the ordinances excluding women and such children and servants since there 〈◊〉 neither made nor female bound nor free to be regarded in the condtion of believing visible Saints Gal. 3. 28. 〈◊〉 9. 14. 1 Cor. 7. 21 22. So is not this very like to the respect of persons condemned by the Apostle Iâ—… ch 2 3 4 5. when brethren because of their sex and heads of families must be the only Church of believers built upon the rock the Body of Christ the Kingdom of Christ the Redeemed of God partakers of all the precious ordinances and the only visible Church above all the officers women children servants 3. Nor hath such a Church of only few any such power put in their hand and so to say because it is said Tell the Church except Mr. H. prove them to be the governing Church above the Officers is to beg the question for Mr. Cotton and Mr. Burroughs say without officers the brethren can exercise nâ— jurisdiction no excommunication one of the highest acts of rude in the Church they have nothing without the officers saith Mr. Burroughs but brotherly admonition no jurisdiction And Mr. H. is to give a parallel place in old and new Testament if he hear not the Church id est the male-male-Church of Brethren let him be cast out Mr. H. Arg. 13. Not only the Church must convene to worship God in Spirit and Truth but that they bind and loose by the Pastoral Spirit of Paul and officers in their convention Ans. The Church met hath power to execute all acts of discipline as well as doctrine 2. The Church of Corinth is blamed because without the knowledge of Paul or his authority as they ought to have done they did not excommunicate the incestuous person only for their encouragement he expresseth his consent and the concurrence of his spirit Ans. That the Church of Believers without the pastoral spirit and authority of Paul or any other officer and excluding the tacit consent of women children of age and believing servants could exercise all acts of Discipline and Doctrine that is of pastoral preaching destroyes Mr. H. his principles for who can preach but sent Pastors Rom. 10. 14. not unofficed brethren And as to the point of Jurisdiction Mr. Cotton and Mr. Burroughs with me deny it and Mr. H. nakedly saith it That the Church of Corinth was rebuked for not excommunicating the man is true But 1. what means he by the Church rebuked 1. All that were rebuked must be the Church can Mr. H. deny but women children of years servants were rebuked as those who were puffed up and mourned not ver 1 2. 2. And as those who were a part and the largest part of the lump that is of the body of the people in danger to be leavened with that
organick body but it hath power to edâ—fie it selfe as totum essentiale Ans. Christian edifying one of another in divers congregations 1 Thes. 5. 12. Col. 3. 16. Heb. 3. 13. by women and children of age we deny not but a Church edifying without Pastors or a perfecting of the body without officers Eph. 4. 11 12. 1 Cor. 12. 12 13 28. 1 Cor. 14. 4 12. we find not 2 Your male-Church edifying without Pastors must also edifie as an organical body In it women and children be silent and some unofficed brother teach pray and preside in the creating of officers and do the like when the Officers turn grievous Wolves and are to be cast out for then some unofficed brother must be Mouth and Organ to the rest and that is the very charge that Peter sustained in pastoral preaching at the creating of an officer and the Apostle Matthias Act. 1. 15. Mr. H. Let Mr. R. tell how God set teachers in the Church if teachers be before the Church Ans. Let Mr. H. tell how God giveth breath to them that walk on the Earth Isa. 42. 5. Was there breath before there was a living man walking on the earth or was there a living man walking on the earth before there was breathing Teachers are before Converts as Fathers are before Children Iohn Baptist and the Apostles were before such as they converted to the faith and baptized Noah before the Vineyard which he dressed God planted Apostles and Teachers even in the organical politick Church before it was a politick organical Church for by setting Organs in the body he made it an organical body but it is a senseless inference Ergo these Organs who are both Organs and Fathers and causes procreant of the Church had no being before the politick Church had being for natural organs in a physical body are only organs but not causes of the natural body but politick organs may be both and in this case are both Mr. H. To these are the Keys promised who are Stewards of the mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4. 1. servants of his house 2 Cor. 4. 5. Ans. The Servants are Pastors and Teachers in these places then the ruling Elder shall bear no Key Ans. Yet the conclusion is strong against the unofficed bearers Mr. Cotton the New England Discipline and Paul are herein as much crossed as I am for to them the ruling Elders are Stewards applying in censures in the external Court of Christ the Word as the Teachers apply it concionally Mr. Cotton makes the ruling Elders to be included with the Teachers of Ephesus Act. 20. And by the Argument Mr. H. may deny office-power of overseeing the house to all but to such as labour in the Word and Doctrine Mr. H. The places Isa. 9. 6. Revel 3. 7. speak of Monarchical power in Christ onely and prove not the point of delegated power Ans. Nor did I bring them for any other end but to prove that the Keys whoever bear them Head or Servants do signifie a power of office steward Oeconomus Commander of the Castle and so are never given to unofficed brethren for which cause I brought Fathers Doctors Divines Protestants Learned Papists saying the same And Mr. H. passes them all without an answer So the Learned Pagâ—in Mercerus Shimlâ—rus Buxtorf Ark of Noah Mr. Leigh and all Dictionaries expound the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when given to House Prison Gaol Kingdom and Stephanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Mr. H. dictates against the authority of all the Learned Interpreters and Linguists and tells us besâ—de an office power it noteth Matth. 16. a judicial power of the spouse and wife to admit unto or reject out in the family as cause requires But 1. one word of Scripture he gives not 2. Nor saith Christ Matth. 16. any such thing as he gives the Keyes to the Church upon the Rock as the formal subject though it may be gathered he gives them for that Church as the object and final cause Mr. H. To these Mat. 16. doth Christ give the Keyes to whom be giveth warrant and official authority for actual exercising of opening and shutting but this he giveth to Peter as representing Teachâ—rs and Elders to thee will I give c. whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth c. So Mr. R. Ans. All may be granted and the official authority may be formally in the officers and originally and virtually in the Church 2. The proposition is fallâ— to wit to them the power of the Keyes is given firstly to whom warrant and official authoritie is given for the exercise of the same Keyes for the power of the Keyes is larger then office-power Ans. 1. My Argument is yet wronged to the same person to whom he promiseth the power or keyes or the power in its essence actu primo to the same person he promiseth shall exercise the specifick acts of the power and the second acts that must be the first formal subject to which God proâ—iseth a â—…sonable soul and the second and specifick acts of discoâ—rsing and that must be essentially a man Now unofficed brethren are not Embassadors but they are onely these to whom the Embassadors and officers are sent 2. By Mr. H. the â—eyes must in their official power begiven to Peter as representing the Guides â—nd also the power of the Keyes in the power of ruling must be given to Peter as to the first subject representing believers If the Text speak this it is a new conceit that never an Interpreter dreamed of and it must be made out that Peter iâ— spoken of in the Text in that â—â—ofold relation but that Peters binding and loosing on earth are acts of office or at least include â—cts of office and acts both of concional and also juridical remitting and retaining of sin and who despiseth Peter and the officers in either despiseth Christ and him that sent him is clear and that remitting and retaining sins is a binding and loosing cannot be denied and that remitting and retaining of sin flows from Christ calling the Disciples to an office is as clear Iohn 20. 21. As my Father Apostled me so send I you receive the Holy Ghost whose sins ye pardon they are pardoned c. And that this is a clear commission to Peter and all officers in him to exercise an official power of binding and loosing is apparent by this Text if by any in the New Testament But Mr. H. against this clear Text saith here Pastors have good warrant for their office power because the Church hath received power to admit chuse and refuse officers c. But because Mr. R said they have clear commission for the Keys both in power v. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the acts and exercises 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven But though the place be clear and all Interpreters teach it yet will not Mr H. grant
congregation no Eldership Many suffered under Nero many under Maximinus So Euseb. l. 6. c. 28. under Valerian an 259. who killed Pastors and Professors as Eusebius l. 7. c. 10 11 12. especially godly Cyprian Now sure the Lord had as sweet and comfortable a providence suiting with the glorifying of his Name and advancing his Gospel by the death of so many Witnesses as if he had suffered them to meet in congregations to meet peaceably none desiring to take away their life or land as in Israels day for their meeting to serve God in congregations And it s an overturning of the Ordinances of God in the New Testament in which there is not given a land flowing with milk and honey and a promise of a temporal typical providence that they shall be free of persecution in following Church-duties and publick Worship congregational which is not existent in all ages Nor saith Mr. Ruthurfurd that Ministers are given to Ministers primarily but as they are members of the Body visible and chosen of God Ephes. 4. CHAP. V. Whether the Congregation as the Congregation doth excommunicate a delinquent or is it the Catholick visible Church which excommunicates MR. R. his meaning is that the congregation excommunicateth not as a congregation by a power which by order of nature is first in it self but by a power which by nature is first in the whole Eldership but yet not by an act coming from the privity knowledge and conscience of all the whole Catholick Body of Officers all the world over And so I grant that the Catholick visible Church doth not anteced ntly excommunicate leading witnesses and summoning and accusing and sentencing the person before the congregation as when Norwich puts a Traitor to death the State of England by the Law common to all England in and by Norwich putteth the man to death Nor doth Norwich as a single Corporation though neither simply as a Representative but acting as a part of the Body of England And the whole State doth this antecedently 1. Because the City doth this by the same power of Law common to all England quae sunt communiâ—ra sunt priora 2. Norwich puts this Traitor to death not as an enemy to that single Corporation onely but as a common enemy to the whole Kingdom 3. The City doth this by an innate power as an integral part of England for the peace and safety of the whole Kingdom yet doth not the whole Kingdom knowingly exercise an act of deliberate judicial authority in this for the man is put to death without the privity and knowledge of the whole Kingdom I used the comparison to cousen the inconsiderate Reader saith Mr. H. I hate cousening The left hand cuts off the finger of the right hand lest it infect with a Gangrene the whole body acted by the natural instinct and innate desire of self safety which is in the whole man But saith Mr. H. the chief officers are not at the mind and will and the other Churches as the whole man but the rest of the brethren are as the whole man who have an intrinsical power for the safety of the whole congregation to cut off an an infectious member Ans. Nor is the comparison to be strained I shall onely desire it to be taken as Mr. H. saith It s true the left hand doth not cut off the contagious finger but the whole man deliberate will and reason consenting thereunto and the finger is cut off not by the power of the left hand onely but the intrinsecal power of the body And it is so exactly in a particular congregation the chief officers as the mind and will and the rest of the Brethren as the whole have an intrinsecal power from Christ to remove an infectious member Ans. They have a power to remove him saith Mr. R. in his comparison not from that congregation onely but from the whole Catholick Body As the left hand cuts off the contagious finger not from the right hand onely but from the whole body It wrongeth Christ to say he hath given so selfie and narrow a power to liberate onely a body of 10 or 20 Independent members from the contagion of scandal but not to free five thousand and the associate bodies round about Let them perish Christ hath given no Organick or Church-care to the congregation toward them all saith Mr. H. 2. The comparison is not exact When the fraternity excommunicates all their officers where is the mind and will then for they excommunicate their own minde and will 3. Mr. R. never meant the comparison should hold in this That the Catholick Church as mind and will should put forth acts of deliberate reason antecedently to cite accuse sentence every delinquent in an Oecumenick Councel or some Catholick Judicature and to excommunicate all Delinquents before ever the congregation cite them With divers arguments he refutes an antecedent excommunication as if I held any such thing So Mr. H. loves to prove strongly what Mr. R. never denied But Mr. H. speaks nothing to my Argument if the mâ—n be cast out and bound on earth he must be bound only on that tract of earth where twenty Independents are But 1. Church binding in heaven and the guiltiness of the scandal is alike in all places and often more infectious to others if it be a taking heresie then to their own congregation 2. Who shall perswade that our Saviours sense is so hampered Let him be to thee as an heathen Mat. 18. 17. as thee only who art a member of the congregation whereof he is a member yea as touching Church binding neither is he a known guiltless visible Saint to all Churches on earth It is nothing but a naked evasion to say he is consequently cut off from right to ordinances in all other congregations for because one species of corporations hath condemned a man saith Mr. H. page 236. it follows not that therefore all have condemned him to imprisonment perpetual or the like Ans. Yea what one City doth in punishing a Malefactor by Law power common to all England that same all England doth in law for twenty Sons have by the same Law and Authority of the Fathers right of twenty Tables of twenty Families of the Father One is for sedition against his Father cast out of one Family whereof he is a fixed member the other nineteen though they know nothing of the fact and doe never actually cite him yet do legally and by the Law and the same very wil of the Father that ruleth them all cast him antecedently out or concomitanter or then another Law must appoint the other nineteen Families to cast him out So the same right idem numero that Peter hath to Christ and Ordinances in one Church he hath it in all and that same act of the Keyes administred according to the rule of the Word in one Church removing that right removes it from him all the World over 3. Visible Saints by this
and Gentile baptized unto one body 1 Cor. 12. 12 13 14 15 16 21 22. to tender the Supper upon occasion to them and their members as Scripture 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. and our Brethren teach and stand in need of the Church-praying Church-praising Church confirmation by pastoral teaching of eminent Teachers and of Church suffering c. by Martyrdome and otherwise Then must that congregation be a visible member with all visible congregaâ—ions on earth and by good Logick all the congregations on earth are one integral catholick visible Church 11. If the Apostle here condemn a Schism and Rent not from one single congregation onely but from the body of Jews and Gentiles baptized into one Spirit ver 12 13. 25. from the Churches of Galatia Gal. 5 20. from all Churches Iude v. 19. and commend union with all Churches because of one Faith one Lord one Baptism Eph. 4. 1 2 3 4. then he supposes they are one Body Cyprian B. of Carthage Cornelius B. of Rome justly excommunicated Novatus denying mercy to them that fell Ergo those great Churches made one visible body and the Novatians were not Schismaticks because they separated from one single congregation but saith Socrates they hindred the Churches from union Augustine and Optatus Melivit and the Fathers make the Donatists Schismaticks in separating from the catholick Church and denying there was any Church but their own in one part of Africa See Pet. Martyr learnedly disputing about Schism and Calvin See Aug. and Opt. Melivitan 12. It s true saith Mr. H. of all congregations that the members do and should care one for another Ans. And this 12 I bring for one Argument if this gloss of Mr. H. remove all member-care and all organical-care of suffering and joy such as is betwixt the members of the same body from congregations toward all other congregations as toward their fellow-members and limit member care and member fellow-feeling to only members of the same congregation then this gloss must contradict the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12. 26. And whether one member suffer all the members suffer with it or one member be honoured all the members rejoyce with it for this gloss saith I the Church of Boston complete and independent within my self care not with member care for all the congregations on earth though they utterly perish nor do I rejoyce with the fellow-feeling joy of fellow-members at the honour and spiritual good of all the congregations on earth Sure this doctrine cannot be of God which is so contrary to Scripture for that was not typical in the Old Testament that the members of the Jewish Church should sorrow and rejoyce with members of that covenanted Nation as with those mâ—mbers of the same body as David Psal. 19. 2. 122. 1 2 6 7 8 119. 63. Moses Exod. 2. 11. Heb. 11. 24 25. Mordecai and Esther Esth. 2. 1 2. ver 15 16 17. cap. 21 22. and the captive people Psal. 137. 1 2 3 4 5. and Ieremiah cap. 9. 1 2 3. Ezekiel cap. 9. 8. 11. 13. Daniel cap. 9 16 17 18 c. but we are not to mourn with those that mourn nor to rejoyce with those that rejoyce as Rom. 12. 15 with a fellow-feeling affection as with members of the same visible body though their weal and woe be most visible to us as their Church and Saintship is except with those onely who are members of the same Independent congregation for they are not of the body of which we are members as the body of Socrates feels no member pain when the finger of Iohn is cut off 7. There is a body to be gathered into the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God a body to be glorified Eph. 4. 13. Now this is the Catholick Body of Christ and the Lords end why he gave Apostles Prophets and Doctors till we be all glorified and this Church is visible because gathered and edified by a Ministry they are the visible Church which is fed by Ministers The Church built upon the Rock against which the gates of hell cannot prevail can be no single congregation for the gates of hell prevail against the single congregation therefore it must be the Catholick Church which only continues to the end And this Church is visible for to the Ministers thereof are the Keyes given to open and shut the Kingdom of Heaven by the word preached seals and censures Matth. 16. Ergo there is a Catholick integral militant Church visible If Christ reign by the preached word seals and censures over the Kingdoms of the World Rev. 11. 15. over the Nations Isa. 2. 1 2. Psal. 2 8 9. Psal. 22. 27 28. Psal. 96. 10 11 12. Psal. 97. 1 2 3 4 c. Psal. 98. 7 8 9. Psal. 99. 1 2 3. and have a visible government in the house of David Isa. 9. 7. over the earth Isa. 11. 4 10 11. from sea to sea Psal. 72. 8 c. then is there a Catholick integral visible Church but the former is true Obj. All our Divines say it is a Popish tenet that the Catholick Church is visible our Divines acknowledge no Church visible but only a particular Church Ans. Mr. Hudson a learned and godly man reaps so cleanly that I shall not cast any sickle into his field noâ— is there need 1. The Papists contend for a catholick visible Church to set their man of sin over it this Church includeth some of them say Purgatory and Heaven and Hell of both which he bears the Keys Salmeron Cornel à Lapide they may be loosed that are under the earth by Keys as members of the body He gives saith Cornelius à Lapide pardons to the dead invisible members indeed not by way of juridical absolution for the dead are no longer subjects on earth but by way of suffrage Bâ—llarmin proves from Pet. Cluniacens that the dead in Purgatory are members of the catholick Church And the Pope saith Bellarmin as the chief dispenser of the treasures of the Church may bestow upon those in Purgatory bona opera poenalia quae in Thesauro sunt the good works of the godly done by way of suffering In this the Catholick Church cannot be visible 2. The Papists contend for a catholick Church visible such as we believe to be the catholick Church in the Apostles Creed So Bellarmin makes the name of Catholicks and the name of Christians all one and the catholick Church a tree from which through divers times and ages branches have been cut And so must be as Rodericus de Arriaga Catholick extending it self all the world over in divers ages and times Ad. Tannerus The Church is called Catholick for the Universality of the Doctrine and the Universality of Time from the beginning of the World to the end enduring â—or ever and for the Universality of the Place Now they make the Pope the head and chief Pastor of this
worthy Mr. Gillespie What means Mr. H. to object that as a paradox which Mr. R. saith A. B. is made a Pastor indefinitly and the Pastor of such a people only and here is a new contradiction also for A B. is made a Physician indefinitely habitu actu primo to all and by choice and compact he is made a Physician fixedly only to such a corporation so is the Pastor A. B. Here is as poor a shift the man expoundeth Scripture in his own congregation as a Pastor but in another or in his own house as a gifted man Let him answer his own words ever whom a Pastor hath no power â—ver such he can do no pastoral act for that is an act of principal power But to administer the Supper of the Lord to these of another congregation is a pastoral act and that a pastor may do to these of another congregation So Mr. H. so Mr. Cotton so their own Discipline save this contradiction It s too neaâ— popery to preach in the chair the Pope cannot erre as a private Dostor he may erre So when a man preacheth as a pastor to the congregation the members can no more oppose him then they can oppose the word of God and when they hear the same man expound the same Scripture in his family they are no more to submit to his Doctrine though the same which he spake in the chair then he is to submit to their Doctrine for he preacheth as no Pastor in his own house but as a gifted man saith Mr. H. Mr. H. Ordination and Election saith Mr. R. are all one by the brethrens way Mr. H. Ans. We never said they were all one 's Ans. True you never said it but you say that election gives all the essentials to an officer and destroy ordination and make election to be all and so you make election all one with that which to us is ordination and that is Mr. R. his meaning Mr. H Election rightly ordered by the rule of Christ gives the essentials to an officer Arg. 1. Pastor and people shepherd and flock are relatives but relatives are mutual causes one of another a pastor before a people chuse him is a husband without a wife See Amesius Ans. 1. Pastor and flock i. e. a single congregat on for this only Mr. H. means are not adequate Relatives for a Pastor is referred to all members of other congregations to whom he is a Pastor and to whom he may tender as a Pastor the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 10. 17. and is granted Ergo a pastor is a pastor to multitudes of members of other congregations who never chose him so that a man that hath but sipped on Logick aâ— Mr. H. must thus argue a pastor chused and made a pastor is relatum and referred to his own single flock all and only chusing and making him a pastor in which there is no sip of truth He is not a pastor to them only as is said for he acts as a pastor 2. Dogmatickly sure and what he sayes in the Synod binds not onely because it is Gospel but saith Mr. Cotton also because it is taught by a Minister for his calling sake as Christ who so receiveth you receiveth me the associate Churches who never made him a pastor 3. Nor are all his flock whom yet he feeds with Word Censures and Seals to wit women members of the flock and children and servants the far larger part of the flock three for one the chusing correlate poor souls they are as passive in acts of jurisdiction to make and unmake Pastors as brute sheep nor can the argument be from feeder and fed simply sheep as sheep made not their shepherd but from feeder and the fed chusing creating and marrying their feeder and husband and should not Mr. H. say as true Solomon is a married husband to three hundred women and yet two hundred fifty of them had no causative influence gave never consent nor oath to accept him as their husband So neither can the Pastor be referred to two hundred and fifty women aged children and servants as a part of his flock creating him a husband and feeder for the fifty males did make him a Pastor and they only 2. Amesius sayes the man made a pastor without a flock is a husband without a wife And the Prelates did wickedly in so doing for they were but hirelings going up and down to preach for hire whereas the work requires a fixed labourer to every corner of the Vineyard but it s non causâ pro causâ and no sip of Logick Ergo every Pastor is so referred to his own flock as husband and wife so mutual consent made him a husband to them only and a Pastor to no other and them a spouse and wife to him only But should the Church loose some men from their fixed charges and send them to visit and water many planted Churches with the word and seals these men should be lawful and edifying Pastors not husband without wives See Amesius who proves Classis and Synods to be lawful from 1. The law of Nature 2. From common Equity But to return to what I had almost passed If the laying on of hands be no specificating act of an office because it is used in other performances as in the sending of Paul and Barnabas to preach to the Gentiles Act. 13. Then shall water not be essential to Baptism nor drinking to the Lords Supper nor blessing Sacramental in that Supper because in Levitical Washings in the feasts Sacred in the Passeover in praying for a blessing to the Word preached all these were used It s loose Logick A genere ad speciem the question is not of laying on of hands in general but of a certain kind and species of laying on of hands by way of prayer and designation Mr. R. knows there be divers kinds of laying on of hands 2. Nor do I say that the Rite is essential to Ordination but of the necessity of before 3. Suarez and Stapleton so argue with Mr. H. from an extraordinary command 1. The spirit speaks from Heaven Act. 13. Separate me Saul c. 2. The Lord names two men 3. He designs their work There is here no election of the people saith Calvin So Mr. H. Paul was called to be an Apostle before Act. 9. and this is for me Though they were Apostles before the Lord will not have us to think imposition of hands a needless toy but the wise Lord will have their calling by this solemn subscription of the Church to be sealed saith Calvin as by a solemn Symbole of consecration so saith Gualther and Mr. H. is mistaken we use imposition of hands as both the Bohemian and Wittenberg confession teach and it s not to be found in the Text that grace was given to Paul and Barnabas thereby but that it was used as an ordinary Râ—te with praying as the Presbytery doth verse 3. And when
They speak not feebly but rationally who say that rationall discoursing as fixed in a man is an essentiall mark of a man M. H. par 1. c. 2. pag. 19. M. Rutherfurd said the argument is nothing against us such adulterers Psal. 50. as are not to take the Law in their mouth are to be cast out but the question is whether if they be not cast out the Church for that be no true Church M. H. Answer the first part yieldeth the cause again for if they should be cast out there is no reason they should be received or taken in nor have they any right thereunto nor be they fit matter Answ. M. Rutherfurd is not such a yielder of truth as so for M. Hookers argument yieldeth more thus these who are worthy to be casten out had never right to be received in as Church members so M. H. But adulterers who take the law in their mouth known adulterers so M. Rutherfurd yieldeth and no otherwayes are worthy to be casten out ergo adulterers who take the law in their mouth had never right to be received in as Church-members 1. M. Hookers proposition is most false for thousands as Magus and others worthy to be casten out had right Church right of that onely we speak such as pastors can give them to be admitted members so the Scripture so M. H. part 1. chap. 2. conclus 3. pag. 27 When then both the proposition and assumption are taught in Scripture granted by M H see now who yieldeth the cause 2. to say if they should be casten out ergo they had never right to come in is as if he wouâ—d say such a woman hath committed harlotry with many men beside her husband ergo she had never right to be a married wife and was never lawfully marryed and so hath neither committed adultery nor deserveth a bill of divorce 3 No more can follow from this that adulterers once admitted to membership falling into scandals ought to be casten out ergo if they had been under the same scandall visibly they ought not to have been taken in but this supposeth a begging of the question that there is in Scripture a gathering of Churches of visible converts out of Churches of men and women born and baptized in their infancy within the visible Church which yet I say was never dreamed of by the Apostles and though it were so whether we speak of such a gathering or of gathering of Churches out of Pagans persons not capable of Gospel-scandals before their admission which may hold them out as they are guilty of Gospel-scandals after they profess the Gospel For then an unmarried woman might be capable of adultery with her own husband before she be married upon him 2. as to that which M. Rutherfurd said that supposed they were not cast out the question is whether the Church for that be no Church M. H. saith that wholly misseth the mark again for the question is twitching the constitution of the Church of what matter it should be made it is not twitching separation from the Church To which I answer because I dispute against both these of the congregation and the Separatists our brethren having no arguments but such as Separatists and Anabaptists have and with more vigour prosecuted then they because I conclude against separation as well as against them having to do with two adversaries and giving one answer to the one which yet is not taken off and another answer to the other it is not equal dealing to say the answer to the Separatists wholly misseth the mark because it is not the same with the answer to the congregational way 2. M. H. declineth an answer to that which I said against the separation that if any were not casten out it followeth not that the Church leaveth off to be a Church and must be separated from But our brethrens practise in New England is if any Church do not cast out such as deserved to be cast out to non-communion them and declare them to be no Churches of Christ and so they must be separated from which can be upon no ground but because they maintain a Church to be no true Church consisting of false matter and visibly unregenerate and would M. H. have Church-Communion kept with such yea his arguments first and second which are both but one though he find out four where there are scarce three prove them to be no visible Church for he must stand by this as his own These to whom Christ is head and king by the influence of politick guidance and motion of the head as leige subjects are the onely fit matter of the visible Church and the onely true visible Church But such as deserve to be casten out and are not casten out yea are owned still as Church-members are not such to whom Christ is head and king Ergo such leave off to be members and are not a visible Church the proposition and assumption both are M. Hookers I confesse when an answer cannot be taken away it is a compendious way to say not one word to it but simply the answer doth wholly misse the marke M. H. must say a Church of false matter is no Church or then with us a society professing the pure doctrine of Christ though the members be wicked is a true Church CHAP. VII M. Hookers reason why he passeth in silence the arguments of his own book of discipline of the Churches of New England for the constitution of a visible Church and defendeth them not a scanning of these arguments MAster Hooker part 1. ch 2. pag. 19. passeth in silence the arguments of the way of the Churches of New England except a gentle hint he hath at the first but he omitteth the nerves thereof onely he bringeth four arguments of his own in my apprehension inferior not a little to the arguments of learned M. Cotton it was wisdome so to do onely in the place pag. 15. he giveth us a short list of his visible Saints we are saith he from rationall charity to say and hope and so are bound to conceive they are Saints converts and internally justified so Iudas Magus Ananias c. though hidden hypocrites were such and therefore our Saviour proceedeth with such not as God who knoweth the heart but in a Church way as these who Iudge the tree by the fruit the Church cannot judge of bid things nor censure them Answ. 1. Then the Saints faithfull brethren temples of the holy Ghost at Rome Ephesus must be proven to be visible Saints from the Scripture from such a visible Saintship as our Saviour and the Apostles saw in these goodly ungodly Saints Iudas Magus c. for if these titles conclude that they were internally converted and chosen to grace and glory c. as Ephs. 1. 3. 1 Thess. 5. 10. 2 Thess. 13. 14. 1 Cor. 3. 16. as they do then must all and every visible member of these Churches be visible elects
the judgement of charity for the place is evidently of reall converts know ye not that ye are the temple of God and that the spirir of God dwelleth in you is this I pray you the knowledge of charity which is fallible and may mistake nay this and the like places 2 Cor. 13. 5. and the 1 Iohn 2. 3. 1 Iohn 3. 14. know ye not that Christ dwelleth in you c. by this we know that we know him c. are brought by our Divines to prove against Papists that we may be infallibly perswaded that we are in the state of grace and know our selves to be temples of the Holy Ghost not by the fallible and erring judgement of charity which we never extend but to other then our selves but by an infallible certainty though not of faith yet of supernaturall sence and divine perswasion by which we know infallibly our selves to be in Christ 2. as to that argument such should our Churches be in their members constituent as the Church of Rome Corinth Ephesus were when Paul writ to them and after they were now constituted and grown it is most false It is just as if Aristotle would say and write to some of his disciples that had studied some years under him you are excellently skilled in the knowledge of the first matter of motion and time and another should inferre ergo there be no Academies on earth rightly constituted where the Scholars are not excellently skilled in the knowledge of the first matter of motion of tâ—me before they be admitted members of the Academieâ— now the argument should be thus Such as were the Churches of Rome Corinth Ephesus c. as to their members constituent before they were admitted to Church membership such should our visible Churches be according to their members constituent before the members be admitted to Church membership true but the Churches of Rome Corinth Ephesus c. as to their members constituent were before they were admitted to Church membership visible converts in the judgement of charity to the Apostles and planters it is most false and can never be proven And to argue from grown and planted Churches after Paul had begotten the Corinthians as a father 1 Cor. 4. 15. to prove that our Churches should be such in their constitution is to say such is a tall-tree now ergo also before it was sowen it was not a seed but a tall-tree so the adversaries would not be content we should argue thus such as was the Church of Sardis in its constitution after it is now falling such should ours be in its members constituent before they be admitted members of the visible Church but the Church of Sardis for the most part consisted of such members as had a name they lived and were dead and had visibly defiled their garments a few onely remaining visible converts as verse 1. compared with verse 4. ergo our Churches should be such as to the members constituent Such arguing is as good as that of New Englands and yet Christ had a golden candlestick in Sardis and walked among them and held them as stars in his right hand Rev. 1. 20. Now the conclusion should be against them and the chief basis of all is that the keyes are given to such Mat. 16. 16. to 19. as are blessed and enlightned as believing Peter was who was not blessed for the profession that Christ was the Son of the living God for Iudas was that way blessed who held out but a verball profession CHAP. VIII Mr. Hookers first inference that Church-fellowship doth presuppose men to be visible Saints but doth not make them such discussed THat men are first converted visibly before they be Church-members is a grosse mistake it leaneth on this That the Church which Christ hath in his Gospel instituted to which he hath committed the keyes of his Kingdome the power of binding and loosing the tables and seals is a company of Saints a combination of godly faithfull men So the Church of N. England From this it must follow that there is an instituted visible Church void of Pastors which converteth souls before there be pastors and so there must be Sons and daughters before there be Fathers and Pastors to beget them to God as Ministeriall Fathers and they must be fed before they have Pastors to feed them and if they be converted before they be in Church-fellowship and Pastors must be nurse-Fathers to feed and confirm these who were born before their father had being The contrary whereof Paul of the formed Church of the Galathians that he did travel in birth till Christ be formed in them Gal. 4. 15. and when he wrote the Epistle to the Corinthians they were framed a visible Church and many not yet reconciled to God and yet in that case he saith 1 Cor. 4. 15. Though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ yâ—â— have ye not many fathers for in Christ Iesus have I begotten you through the Gospel Now that he begat them all and every one and made them visible converts before he was their Church-Father or they in Church-fellowship where is it sayed or dreamed by any colour of truth yea 2 Cor. 5. 20 now then we are ambassadours for Christ at though God did beseech you by us we pray you be reconciled to God ergo this supposeth some state of non-reconciliation in many Church members Rom. 12. 2. be not conforme to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind Ephes. 4. 22. that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts and be renewed in the spirit of your mind Coloss. 3. 8. now lay you aside all these 16. putting on the new man all which and the like places directed to visible converts must all be exponed without exception of second conversion and of reiterating of conversion and reconciliation of these that are already converted and reconciled which no Scripture can perswade and by the like order the children must be born and vsibly converted before they were in the wombe of their visible mother who conceived and bare them contrary to 1 Cor. 3. 15. nor can the mother be any thing but a nurse nor any other in regard of bringing forth but a barren mother which bringeth not forth twinnes contrary to Cant. 4. 2. Isai. 54. 1 2 3. 2. The Scripture holdeth forth their pastors as pastors are sent to open the eyes of the blind to turn them from darknesse to light and from the power of Sathan unto God that they may receive forgivenesse of sinnes Act. 26. 18. yea and the Scripture teacheth that we receive the spirit by the hearing of faith from pastors as sent and in office such as were the officed prophets whose feet were pleasant upon the mountaines as is clear Rom 10. 14 15. compared with Isai. 52. 7. Nah. 1. 15. 3. If many be brought in to the visible Church and
way interest of existence to grow in the Hand and another way interest of existence to grow in the body and in all the parts of it it is a member or part of the hand and also of the whole body but the Thumb hath no possible interest of existence to grow in the head in the leg And so is Iohn a near and fixed member of the congregation of Boston and a common and remoter member of the whole integral Catholick Churches of Hartford of Cambridge of Norwich and of all the congregations on earth but it follows not Ergo Iohn hath an interest of exâ—stence to be fed and to exist at one time in all the congregations on earth as the common nature of man of substantia corpus vivâ—ns animal homo exists in all the individuals at once It is wilde Logick to put no difference between a whole integral and the parts and whole essential and the parts subjective or species and individuals so as one integral member may exist at the same place where all the members exist Mr. H. That which equally belongs to all that can make no particular appropriation to any out rather than to another if a woman love all Christian men with Christian affection she is not therefore a wife to this or that man but this profession is equal and indifferent as well to one and to all as to another Ans. All is granted for we teach not that profession as profession makes a man a fixed and a married member of this Independent Congregation rather than this so that it shall be spiritual Adultery to partake of Church ordinances elswhere we detest such a comparison destructive to Church-communion for profession as profession declares the man to the Rulers to be a Church-member in all congregations on earth It declares I say as before but does not as a formal cause make a Church-member and it declares he hath right as a citizen of the visible Church that Rulers without sin may admit him to Ordinances but profession makes him not a member visible of onely this one congregation yea that one be a fixed member of this congregation is 1. An Affirmative command not binding ad semper Nor 2. does it tie but as being a member of the Catholick Church which is a confession of Christ before men And 3. it is of providential conveniency for the more careful feeding but not of divine institution or marriage tye CHAP. XXIII Whether Mr. Hooker doth concludently refute this which Mr. R. holdeth That he who is a Member of one Congregation is also a Member of all Congregations on earth 1. LEt it be remembred in what sense I make profession and Baptism to have influence in Membership 2. That I make not Peter a member of this congregation onely and of the whole integral Catholick Church or of all congregations on earth one and the same way for though the right to Christ the Head to Ordinances and Seals be one yet Peter is a fixed member of this congregation a transient member to all other congregâ—tions 2. He is a proper member and nearer of this congregation and a more common and remote member to all as the thumb is a nearer and proper part of the hand and a more common and remote part of the whole organical body and Richard a near member of Norwich and a more remote and common member of the Kingdome of England 3. I am constrained to take in some Arguments transposed by Mr. H. that were in the former Chapter Mr. H. To be a member of the Catholâ—ck Church firstly to a whole which a man neither did nor can see nor do any homage to nor receive any influence or direction from for Government is a sublimated imagination Ans. This makes the Doctrine of Oecumenick Councels holden by Calvin Melancthon Luther Whitaker and all the learned Divines in the Christian world to be a sublimated imagination and Mr. Cotton his associate to be sick of the same imagination and the decrees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Apostles and Elders Acts 16. 4. by which the Churches were established ver 5. to have no influence of Government upon the Churches 2. It must be a sublimated imagination That the whole Churches of Jews and Gentiles who could not see the faces of all the Apostles nor do any homage to them nor receive any direction except in their Writings which yet may be from them should be governed by the Apostles and it must be an imagination That the Apostles were members of the Catholick integral Churches and never fixed and married members of the single congregation and could every one of the ten thousands of the congregational Church of Ierusalem as our Brethren will have it be be governed by the whole Church except they had seen the faces of all the thousands that governed them Mr. H. If a man that is a Member of one Congregation â—e also a Member of all Congregations on earth then he can perform the duties of a Member to all but that is impossible Ans. The duties we owe to members of the integral Catholick Church are 1. Common and personal as Church-praying Church-praising Church-fasting for the evils of sin or judgement Isa. 62. 6. Psal. 122. 6. Eph. 6. 18. 3. 14. Rom. 12. 18. 1 Cor. 12 26. they being members of the same body with us Eph. 4. 1 2 3 4 5. and their good or hard condition being known to us which say also they are one visible body with us these duties are possible and necessary if the meaning be of occasional duties of love not in word but in deed as giving of alms to brethren I judge of all congregations beside our own Iam. 〈◊〉 If a brother or a sister be naked c. of what ever congregation on earth where providence cast your lot to be 1 Ioh. 3. 17. If I say he mean such duties of members to forreign Church-members as Church-members be impossible I much differ from Mr. H. it is contrary to 2 Cor. 9. 1 2 3. Gal. 6. 10. And the like I say of duties of occasional comforting rebuking warning one another even in order to Church-members and Church-duties They are this way impossible that physically I cannot be in all places to discharge these duties But to fetch an Argument as watery I might say A man in Muscâ—via cannot be to a Scottish-man a neighbour whom he is to love as himself A man in Morpeth cannot be a fellow-member both with another mâ—n in Morpeth and with another English Subject who dwelleth four hundred miles from him whom he never saw not can see Why its impossible he can discharge the duty of neighbour-love to the one that he never saw nor possibly can see or that of a fellow-subject of England as toward the other Yea by this its impossible one can discharge the duties of personal watching over five thousand members of the congregation as they say of Ierusalem
he called it a Church and this Church page 94. but we ask the question whether the word Church Mat. 18. 17. Tell the Church 1 Cor. 1. 2. Unto the Church of God which is at Corinth And 2 Cor. 1. 1. 1 Thes. 1. 1. 2 Tim. 2. 15. be this congregational Church without the separable adjuncts of officers and the truth is the place Matth. 18. The principal copy of the Independent Church can mean no Church according to our brethrens way for no reason can say that the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 16 19. and the power of binding and loosing Matth. 18. 17 18. are given to the separable adjuncts of the Church but such are the officers saith Mr. H. page 92. and to such as are no essential parts of the instituted Church and of the only visible Church of the New Testament But M. H. makes it clear as he sayes that the Congregational Church is before the Officers and may be and is without them therefore officers can be no essential parts of the Church of the New Testament And so this Church void of Officers must be to our brethren the first and principal subject of all Government Rule Keyes Officers and what not Mr. H. being to evert Presbyterial Government he begins at the Pillars The Presbyterian Church consists of three Pillars 1. There must be several congregations made entire of such members to make up an integral body of Rulers and Ruled Ans. There is a crack in this Pillar it is not essential to a Presbyterian Church that all the congregation be entire and formed Churches having their own Officers distinct from the offices of others we cannot determine that Matthias had a determinate flock to which onely he was a fixed Pastor and Peter another and Iohn a third we rather judge the whole twelve fed in common sometimes in one congregation in this house dayly and sometimes in another but all the huge thousands could not feed in one house otherwise many congregations framed and fixed or not framed and fixed are all under one Presbytery as the Learned and Reverend Assembly at Westminster teacheth If the Pillars be dreams the house that M. H. storms is also a dream To the second Pillar we shall speak hereafter if the Lord will 3. These Churches send Rulers by way of delegation to whom they submit Ans. This also is a faulty Pillar 1. They so send as they may be present to hear dispute dissent to what is amiss nor are the Pastors delegates 2. They submit to them not simply But first reserving judgement of discretion Secondly and with liberty to appeal 3. The whole Elders of six congregations in a City may all meet in one common Presbytery without any delegation and that is a Presbyterial Church as is the meeting of a Congregational Eldership Mr. H. To their power of Iurisdiction the Churches must submit but it ariseth from a power of order or office to preach Ans. Well said then cannot they exercise the highest acts of jurisdiction to excommunicate all the Elders as Mr. H. saith page 92. they do for the people hath no power of order or official power to preach the Gospel and administer the Seals page 92. and yet Mr. H. saith they may communicate all their officers Mr. H. There is a Iurisdiction official that issues onely from the office this the officers have Answ. This Lenitive is a Corrosive Here is the matter the people have jurisdiction and do excommunicate but not by an official jurisdiction but by another power So a Midwife baptizeth in the Roman Church but not by a power of Order as a Priest but its valid An Usurper judgeth but not by a power derived from the Royall Power of the Soveraigne Ruler 2. By what Scripture can any power of the Keyes given by Christ onely to the Church of believers be given to separable adjuncts of the Church Mr. H. None is a steward unless appointed over the Family by Christ 1 Cor. 12. 27 28. Hence Papists and Prelats erre officers and offices are coronation-mercies and proceed from Christs ascension Eph. 4. 11 12. 2. They are means of worship instituted by him 3. He onely can blesse them Answ. 1. None are stewards to put in and put out stewards and excommunicate them but such as are appointed of God But believers without officers are no stewards at all 2. Censuring and excommunicating is an authoritative way of edifying 2 Cor. 10. 8. 1 Cor. 5. 4 5. 1 Thess. 3. 14. shew in all the Word where believers and private Christians are to edifie and build up in the faith their Pastors and that in an authoritative way The people so must 2. Be coronation-mercies and gifts given of Christ ascending to heaven for the perfecting of the Pastors and the work of the Ministery to gather in Apostles Evangelists Pastors to Christ. Whereas the Text saith the contrary That Pastors were given to gather in the people and the people or unofficed Brethren were not given to gather in Apostles 3. If Excommunication be a Worship administred by the Brethren upon Pastors then must a promise be made to unofficed Brethren who excommunicate Behold I send you as Matth. 10. 16. This we reade not Mr. H. He that is called and appointed an officer according to God and the Rules of the Gospel as he needs no other power but that of his office to authorize him to execute it So there is no power by rule or right that can hinder him in the due execution thereof Ans. This is a ground against both Episcopacy and Presbytery Presbyters may preach in other congregations than their own if they be officers over it as Bishops may in many congregations 2. The Pastor if called of God may do his office without horrowing a power from the Pastor of pastors to do it but he must preach hic nunc in an orderly way upon a day and time of the day appointed by the Church 3. He hath an office to preach and administer the seales any where yet must he have the call by desire consent or some other way before he can do it in another congregation 4. Nor can he rule or administer censures as his alone extra collegium without the authoritative concurrence of the Elders and tacit consent of the people though he be an appointed officer of Christ. So this ground is weak Other weak grounds we shall consider after CHAP. III. The Arguments of Mr. H. against the Presbyterian Churches are removed as weak MR. H. Arg. 1. If the Churches combined have no more power than they had before they were combined they can exercise no more Iurisdiction than before and therefore have no Presbyterian power are no Presbyterian Churches But they have no more power after their combination than before Ergo. The Assumption where the doubt onely lies is made out thus They who have no more office and officers than they had before they have no more
jurisdiction as in the first ground power of jurisdiction flows from power of office But they have no more officers for each send their own therefore they have no more power Ans. Mr. H. says The doubt is onely in the assumption and takes the proposition for undeniable The major is false for by this argument two single congregations each a hundred in number lying so near as they may most conveniently meet cannot lawfully unite in one Church for the better attaining the end of Christ which is edification for say they be the same number of offices and officers then they can exercise no more power of jurisdiction after the combination over two hundred than each of them did over one hundred But the Conclusion is absurd Yea this Argument destroys the Synod Acts 15. for suppose the number of offices and officers to be equal in the Synod after the Synodical combination and in the Church of either Antioch onely or Ierusalem onely before the combination which is a facile and ordinary supposition then they can exercise no more Synodical power it matters not what be the kinde whether of power of jurisdiction or not after the combination of these Churches than before and so the judgement of a Synod should be no more than the judgement of a Congregation But the consequence is absurd Let Mr. H. see to it and deal with Mr. Cotton to answer him 2. To the Proposition If the Churches combined have no more power extensively feeding a larger number after the combination than before then they can exercise no more jurisdiction no more by way of extension it is false for their united power is extended to a larger number now then the divided power was before to each single flock If the Churches combined have more power intensively of the same species and nature after the combination than before then they can exercise no more jurisdiction intensively than before It s true it is the same power of Christ the same valid Excommunication the same binding and loosing as to the specifick nature of binding and loosing that is exercised by five Churches in a City and exercised by ten Churches about We multiply not species to make all congregations to differ in nature and specie as Mr. H. doth against Logick whereas they have the same essentials Christ the Head the same Ordinances Seals the same Faith but then it shall never follow Therefore they have no Presbyterian power over many Churches and therefore they are not distinct Presbyterian Churches in local distinction magis minus non variant specious Nor are Presbyterian and Provincial and National Churches different in nature but onely in extent of Jurisdiction 3. It s a wide mistake That a Presbyterian Church hath its formal essence from a voluntary actual combination in such bounds or such a circuit more or less that is not a Pillar of Presbyterian Churches for their near association by dwelling where they may edifie or scandalize one another gives them right to be an associated Church not simply habitation but the habitation of such and such professors in covenant with God baptized and giving themselves up in profession to Christ as disciples before there be a formal consent they are obliged to associate yea nor doth that voluntary combination make a Presbyterial Church Mr. H. Arg. 2. If the Presbyterian Ministers have Iurisdiction then over all the Churches of the combination or onely â—ver some not over some onely for that is against the definition of a Presbyterian Church Therefore they must have Iurisdiction over all the Churches ten or sixteen If they have Iurisdiction over all these then they are Officers Pastors Teachers Ruling-Elders in office to them all for there must be an office and so officer before Iurisdiction and there is no Iurisdiction exercised but by an officer To say they are Pastors of them all is to make a road and ready way for Pluralities Non-Residencies Ans. Mr. H. gives us as also the Dissenting Brethren in the Assembly at Westminster did in stead of Scripâ—ure a number of supposed incongruities which with equal weight fall upon their own way as upon ours For suppose that the twelve Apostles Act. 2. 4. 6. for divers years were Pastors to the many thousands that made up divers eight or ten congregations who daily convened from house to house Act. 4. 46. 5. 42. in Ierusalem and that all the twelve feed all the ten congregations in common Matthias not being a fixed Pastor to this congregation more than to this nor Peter a fixed Pastor to this flock rather than to this which is a thing most ordinary in great Cities where there be 12 Flocks and 24 Pastors and variety of gifts by interchange proves more edifying All the Pastors have jurisdiction yea and Pastoral charge over every one of the twelve Then 2. must they be Pastors and Teachers to every one of the twelve and because all the 24 cannot every one of them be residents and dwellers in all and every congregation of the ten or twelve Churches in Ierusalem that is physically impossible here shall be Pluralities and Non-residents and that which our Brethren call Diocesan Prelates here 2. That the Presbyterial preachers be pastors and teachers habitu and actu primo and in common to all the Churches of the combination in acts of common concernment though they be not actu secundo actual labourers proper and fixed pastors residents and dwellers in every congregation for that was physically impossible to the Elders of Ierusalem to all and every congregation is not absurd but necessary and the charge of Pluralities and Prelatical Non-residents follows by no Logick except you call the twelve Apostles who preached fixedly at Ierusalem some years Non-residents because that they could not every one of them dwell in every family of so many thousands at once In which sense multitudes of Independent Ministers shall be Non-residents and suppose there shall be a common Treasury to pay the labourers their wages and that collected out of the goods of all the thousands so combined the Independent Ministers upon the same account must be Pluralists and receive wages from many to whom they neither are nor can be fixed and proper and peculiarly feeding Pastors 3. Wisdome may forbid the Brethren to use this Argument There is no jurisdiction exercised but by an officer for the whole people men and women the onely Church instituted in the New Testament or their unofficed Male Church the Fraternity exercise the highest Jurisdiction and excommunicate all their officers and yet they are not officers by their own principles Mr. H. Mr. R. denies the Assumption That they bear the relation of proper Pastors to every one of these Congregations Mr. H. Proper Pastors they must be to all If the relation of Eldership to a Classical Church be founded upon the same office that a Pastor hath to his particular congregation then the Elders bear that same
same flock Ans. Take classical Elders as they are congregational Elders and that is all one as to say no classical Elders and then they are no teaching Elders and all that is gained is this a classical Elder as he is no classical Elder is a teaching Elder And so there is no distinction Ans. Such quirks become not grave M. H. What is a Synodical Elder Mr. H. saith a counselling Elder I reply that is no Elder but a counselling Brother or Sister But Mr. Cotton and our Brethren say better A synodical Elder is an Elder synodically teaching the Churches with pastoral and dogmatick authority without all power of jurisdiction that is a Synodical Elder as no Congregational Elder but as he judgeth in Synod is a teaching and a ruling Elder Then I infer that al Synodical Elder must be both an Elder and no Elder So animal as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is non hâ—mo but he is vivâ—â—s It were easie to weary the Reader with many wild unsolid notions such like Ergo animal is homo non homâ— Mr. H. So a Pastor may be a teaching Pastor to one Church and a ruling Pastor to two or three or thirty This is a Bâ—shop Obj. The Bâ—shop arrogates thiâ— to himself alone Ans. Shew a rule of Christ why the Elders may not join many Elders to join with him for you have no rule of Christ to join many to him to rule many Churches nor hath he a rule to assume many to him Ans. Not any of the separation ever refuted with that strength of Scripture Reason Antiquity the domineeringg prelacy as the godly presbyterians in Britain and the reformed Churches But so many thousand Independent Monarchies and two Congregational or three Elders for a Deacon is for Tables Act. 6. subordinate in point of jurisdiction to none on earth is a more lively image of a domineering Prelacy then all the Presbyteries on earth 2. There is no rule to join other prelates or elders to a prelate an unlawful officer having power of jurisdiction the only proper pastor and all others are but pastors under him and his delegates But Mr. H. cannot say that the pastor of a congregation is an unlawful pastor to whom so many bastard pastors are added if he do this shall reflex upon his own way for the Synodical Elder is a pastorally teaching Elder to many Churches Antioch Ierusalem and also a teaching and ruling Elder to one congregation by our brethrens way Is the Synodical Elder therefore a pastor of pastors and a Bishop And Mr. H. cannot say but that there might have been divers congregations in Ierusalem and yet unformed Churches and that the twelve Apostles did feed and rule them all in common and so shall Peter teach one Congregation at once and rule many whom he cannot teach for physically it is impossible he can feed many at once and yet there was but one Presbytery and this we shall hear Mr. H. confess hereafter Ergo the twelve Apostles and Church-Elders feeding many Congregations not formed with fixed Pastors shall bring in such sort of Bishops as Mr. H. charges upon me Mr. H. If they do not both rule and teach they cannot fulfâ—l their Ministry Ans. How is it proved that Pastors cannot fulfil their Ministry except they both rule all the Churches with acts Synodical and their own Congregations also 2. How is it proved that there is a blank in the Ministry except Pastors both teach and rule these same persons some of the Congregation are so experiencedly taught of God that rebukes and censures of excommunication are never drawn out nor need to be drawn out against them never Interpreter so expounded Col. 4. Mr. H. If Pastors be Pastors and in office when they are out of Court then have they Church-jurisdiction out of the Court but the first is true Also censures shâ—uld be dispenced in the Congregation and there they must preach also Ans. Priests when not actuâ—lly sitting in the Sanhedrim Members of Parliament are Members sitting in the House and Pastors are Elders actu primo when not sitting in the Congregational Judicature Ergo they can exercise acts of jurisdiction out of Court in their Houses and may the Eldership preach out of the Court it is a shame to hear such Logick 2. Belike Mr. H. thinks it unpossible to dispence censures but the Elders must preach Ergo when the people excommunicate their whole Officers because heretical they must also preach pastorally for it is pastoral ruling and teaching which makes a fulfilling of the Ministry but the conclusion is absurd let Mr. H. see to it CHAP. V. The Argument from the onerousness of Presbyterial Ruling of many Churches and of Congregationally feeding of others against the Presbyterial Church are discussed MR. H. The classical course layeth a burden upon teaching Elders which Gods word never laid and which they are not able to discharge the Apostles appointed Elders in every Church to feed the flâ—ck not the flocks Mr. R. the way of watching over Sister Churches is as dreadful for onerous careful laborious watchfulness in the way of conscience as to be bound thereto by way of duty for this bond of lovely and brotherly consociation which is the foundation of Presbyterial governing ties us to doe no more in governing and helping other Sister Churches then if We had no further warrant to promote their ed fication then the alone relation of brotherly consociation The sentence is saith Mr. H. unperfect and therefore that it may reach his purpose I think is must be thus expressed the bond of brotherly consociation tiâ—th us to do no more in governing Sister Churches then brotherly consociation simply can do is true but impertinent to Mr. R. his scope which is to compare the bond and burthen between brotherly association and office-imposition as if there were a parity between them Ans. 1. The classical course layeth no other burthen upon teaching Elders by way of united jurisdictions in governing neighbour Churches that are the same body and have the same seals common as Mr. Cotton and his own Discipline agrees as I often cite then the way of Churches both associated by brotherly association and by Synodical and authoritative governing as the same Mr. Cotton teacheth and Mr. H. saith it is true but not pertinent and if it be true why contend we 2. That it is not pertinent to my purpose is denied Why Because saith he Mr. R. his scope is to make a parity and equality between the burthen of Brotherly consociation and of Office-imposition But that is a change of my words and therefore must lie upon Mr. H. as his not my words except they be wrested Nor is it my scope to make an equality in quantity as if there were as Mr. H. most mistakingly saith the like care onerousness and labour required in duties of Christian watchfulness in a brotherly way as in duties of office relation But in equality of
onerousness of answering to God for duties the like conscience the like sincerity the like faith of giving an account to God is required in the one as in the other And he leaves upon this account out the word in way of conscience or in fore Dei and saith my words are imperfect but wherein they are imperfect he sheweth not which maketh his own words imperfect and therefore he turneth my Negative That we are to do no more in governing sister-Churches than in counselling and brotherly advising into an Affirmative never dreamed of by me That brotherly association tieth us to do as much as if we had no further warrant and tâ—… we are to do by his way as much in brotherly duties to all Christians in other Provinces or Nations in France Germany Holland with whom we can by no physical possibility be present and whose faces we never saw as we are to do by fixed office to the single congregations to which we have a providential call by the election and choise of the people for whom we are to search the Scriptures and study pleasant words and for whose souls we are to give an account But 1. It s a fruitless dispute to prove in sundry pages what Mr. R. grants 2. If he proved from my words from his own he may that these are necessary consequences he had done as became a Refuter 3. He cannot from what I say deny but granteth That brotherly consociation tieth teaching Elders to do no more in governing neighbouring Churches than brotherly advising teaching admonishing tieth us unto in point of onerousness and laborious care and so it well follows That there is no more laid upon Presbyterial Elders in governing neighbouring Churches than is laid upon their counselling and brotherly advising Elders in point of daily occurring scandals as is clear in the Rise of Familists Anabaptists Antinomians c. and many scandalous persons arising in sundry Churches lying together 4. The care and onerousness in brotherly watching essentially formally in rendring an account to God as being keepers to our Brethren all the world over with whom we converse in other congregations haply at our door and occasionally is as binding before God as the care of teaching Elders in exercising power of Jurisdiction in Collegio and in things common to divers Churches but it follows not that Christian love tieth me to all the positive means of warning my brother to go to Germany to America to try and admonish all the scandals that are committed there 5. This same Argument is thus retorted upon Mr. H. if the Apostles as Church-members as Believers be obliged all the world over to eat the Lords Supper as Paul did at Troas Acts 20. 11. aâ— Corinth 1 Cor. 10. 17 and in all the Churches on earth to eat and receive the Loâ—… Supper not as an Apostle with an Apostolick but with a faith common to all Christians then must he be obliged as a Christian with the like care and onerousness to leave his calling of an Apostle to go to all places on earth to remember the Lords death and as a Christian to lay down preaching planting of Churches working of miracles and to teach rebuke as a Christian in all places It s not enough to say That the Apostles 1. Were priviledged persons and so might eat the Lords Supper all the world over for they eat not the Lords Supper as Apostles but as believers who were to try and examine themselves and so dâ—â—ncerningly to remember the Lords death until he come again as other believers were 2. Is it enough to say They were occasionally onely to discharge these Christian duties as they should be locally present for so are teaching Elders to perform official duties to these neighbour Churches with whom they occasionally converse in the occasional emergency of scandals and if Pastors were in Africa or America they might without any new ordination or official call preach and govern as Physicians of souls But by Mr. H. his way the Lord in the day of Judgment might say Thou wast a member of that body with which thou hadst a right to â—at the Lords Supper in all Churches on earth therefore I require at thy hand the blood of them that are lost in America because thou watched not over all the Christians on earth which is physically impossible And I require at Paul preaching in the the Wâ—st thâ— blood of such as perished when he was 300 miles absent from them for Paul had an officiall call to all the believers on earth As Mr. H. saith our Presbyterial Elders must give an account for souls that are lost in all the Presbyterial Provincial and National Churches on earth and go all the world over to cure scandals leaving their own calling of Merchandize But by this saith Mr. H pag. 115. a pastoral care is fâ—r more enerous and laborious than Christian and brotherly care in some sense I grant all and there is nothing proved against me who say that this ties teaching Elders to no more in governing Sister Churches in point of binding the conscience to answer for them as far as they have power in matter of common concernment for the wel being of all the near hand associated Churches then brotherly consociation can do And Mr. H. page 112. saith this is true and yet in some sense pastoral care is far more onerous and laborious to wit in using more means in watching fixedly over a Congregation by constant preaching in season and out of season in standying pleasant words administring the Sacraments c. Nor did I ever say any thing to the contrary Mr. H. An eminently gifted man in an Island where no Pastors are is no less saith Mr. R. tyed in conscience in the extraordinary imployment of his calling then if he were formally ordained and chosen their Pastor In some extraordinary cases a gift and Christian love ties even as much to onerousness in using means to save at the office it self See what I add in that place Mr H. saith then this gifted man in an Island in using his generall calling as a Christian destroyes his particular as a Merchant and turn Minister 2. This is to confound the general and particular calling Ans. Not at all for in this case the extraordinary necessity of gaining souls when other Pastors cannot be had and ordination and election by that means are invincibly wanting hic nunc turns his Christian calling in place and room of the particular calling of a Pastor and so Mr. R. said well that in some extraordinary case like this The naked Râ—lation of Iurisdiction addeth nothing to care and onerousness in point of labour by preaching the Gospel Mr. H. If we have a divine command saith Mr. R. to be our brethrens kâ—epers then our Christian watch in that regard requires as much onerousness and care as office watch It follows not saith Mr. H. am I bound by office to watch no more over the
people left to my pastoral care then as a Christian over these of another Province whom I am occasionally only to gain and whose faces I never saw Ans. Mr. H. leaves out the words in point of conscience to answer for them to God Which I have Otherwise in regard of using of more means he is obliged to more constant feeding by word seals dayly watching over the single flock then over all Christians on the other side of the Sea and some thousand miles distant from him But if the foundation of governing classical Churches be the love and union of the members of one body of Christ then there is much care onerousness and labour which is required in brotherly consociation to help as the care onerousness which is required in officership Mr. H. Ans. The proposition hath no truth because I love all consociated in one Synod whom I never saw and with whom I could never meet to do good or receive good But if I should be bound to put forth the like onerous and laborious care for their spiritual good as for these to whom by way of office I am bound in the same Congregation Then officers must either do too little or be bound to do too much Ans. This is neither my Argument nor my words my words are Par. 1 pag. 332. Now if we distinguish ONEROUSNESS CARE and LABOUR by way of jurisdiction the former is as GREAT IN FORO DEI in the Court of conscience as the latter These words are left out by Mr. H. qua fide let the Reader judge for the toil care onerousness and labour in point of conscience in the kind and sphere I urge in both by necessity of a divine command but the like care onerousness and labour in quantity in the use of more means in constant preaching personal comforting to all the Christians on earth as to the single congregation I utterly deny But can Mr. H. deny but the Apostles and Brethren Act. 15. did ow as much care onerousness and labour in a binding conscientious way in laying on synodical burdens which bind not onely saith Mr. Cotton materially for the weight of the matter imposed by divine precept but also formally from the authority of the Synod upon the Churches of Ierusalem Antioch Syria Cilicia as any pastor ows to his single flock and that because these Churches are all one consociated body and yet Elders of the Synod were never to see the faces of all these members of the Churches And I put this quere to the Brethren what warrant of Christ is there that a member of an Independent Church ow Church-care to watch teach admonish rebuke comfort as Col. 3. 16. Heb. 3. 13. 1 Thes. 5 14. to a fellow member of the same congregation only and ow no Church-care to another brother dwelling in the same house with him having with him the same faith the same baptism the same Lord the same covenant of Grace the same Saviour only because he is a member of another Independent Church Mr. H. Arg. 5. If they be Pastors over all the Congregations of the circuit then they were new chosen by the Congregations or not c. Ans. This is a repeated blast of an old horn there is this required that Churches about by their silence approve him as Pastor to one single Congregation but that all Congregations make a special election of him to be their fixed Pastor is no more required then that the Churches of Antioch and Ierusalem chose the Apostles and Elders who yet Act. 15. exercise pastoral and official acts over them by the grant of Mr. Cotton and our Brethren They are Elders of Ephesus i. e. of enery Congregation of the combination as all the Kings if they were met in one royal Court to govern the Nations in things of common concernment to all yet are called the Kings of the Nations These are words saith Mr. H. to darken the Elders met here have a new power distinct from the power over their several Congregations a Commission i. e. a new Creature The Kings if so convened have a joynt power of confederate Princes to act in things of common concernment and if that power were distinct from the particular power that they have over their own territories the comparison were parallel Ans. We may suppose such a convention of Kings the Commissioners or Mâ—ssengers of the Churches have no new office but only are met to determin of such a thing as disturbs the Churches Act. 15 5. they differ as Elders and such Elders sent and nominate by the Church and act as Elders by the same official power common to Elders that are not sent and are called by the Church Apostles and Elders Act. 15. 23. 16. 4. 21. 18 25. then sending and commissionating is a condition of order appointed by the God of order no devise of men and the Churches submit to them as to no new office But 1. as to the messengers of the Church and gracious and sound Elders 2. If they speak according to the Law and the testimony not otherwise and the answer is as much against Act. 15. and against Mr. Cotton and all that are for Synods either juridical or consultative as against Mr. R. for they go to Synods who so go by a new power of order not by a new office Mr. H. This course nullifies the power of Elders and proplâ—â—f a Congregation and their proceeding in a righteous way for the Classis may judge a member to be excommunicated whom the Congregation judgeth and that truely not worthy of that censure here the power of Elders and people which act in a way of Christ is wholly hindered Ans. This weak Argument is fully answered by me before That Government which of its own nature hinders and nullifies the righteous proceeding of the Congregation is not a power from Christ. True but now the assumption is false for the presbyterial power added to the just power of a Congregation does strengthen and not nullifie the power of the Congregation That Government which by accidâ—nt and abuse of their power in over voting two Elders who proceed according to the rule of Christ hinders and nullifies right proceeding in onâ— single act is not from Christ is most false For because an abused power and abused government is not from Christ it follows not that the power and government it self is not from God I added an answer to this in my Book which Mr. H. passeth over in silence Suppose the Congregation and Synod agree in the truth as they do Act. 15. Will you say that Peter Paul and Iames their power is nullified and their three votes are swallowed up in that greater convention because to their power is added in this dogmatical determination the power and voices of the rest of the Apostles and Elders yea and some say of the whole Church Act. 15. 2 6 25. 16. 4. 21. 18 25. So say
one differ in nature from the acts in the other it no more follows then this Peter laughs to day ergo it shall be rain to morrow That Elders must constantly and fixedly teach and feed the Churches whom they govern synodically is denied by Mr. Cotton and that they must put forth all the acts of the essence of the office and that constantly and fixedly to all the Churches congregational presbyterial synodical to which they are referred as pastors in their several relations respectively is most false Mr. H. If it be one and the same office of a Pastor to the Classis and to a Congregation as Mr. R. saith l. 2. 329. then the office relates one and the same way to both the classical and congregational Church then if the congregational Church be their proper flock so must the classical Church be quae sunt idem inter se sunt idem uni tertio Ans. the first consequence is naught If it be the same office then the office relates the same way to both the classical and congregational Church A Pastor hath the same office to the whole Congregation and to one single man to whom he preaches for he is not two Pastors one to the whole and another to the part An Elder is the same officer to Antioch and to the Synod at Ierusalem Act. 15. for he is not two officers in reference to these two But it follows not that the office relates the same way to one man and to all the Congregation nor is he referred to the Synod as the fixed and constant feeder of the Synod but he is referred to a Congregation of Antioch as their fixed and constant Pastor it is wild Logick that one and the same office must relate one and the same way to one and to ten hundâ—â—d to the adequate and to the inadequate correlate and these that are one in one Faith one Baptism one Lord one and the same Seals it will not follow that they are one every way but in illo uno tertio For the whole Congregations on earth are one in all the essentials of a Church one Faith one Lord but it follows not that all the Congregations on earth are but one single Congregation The thumb is referred to the hand as a member and also to the whole body as a member yet it is referred to the hand as a nearest and proper member but to the whole body in a more common relation as the toe is referred to the body yet is not the toe a part of the hand as the thumb is but both are parts of the body Mr. H. The combination of Churches gives no office and so no power to the Elders of many Churches for they were Elders before the combination Ans. That they were Elders before the combination and made and ordained by the laying on of the hands of the people which is your homogeneous Church is an unwritten Tradition 2. The tacit consent of Sister-Churches even before the formal combination is enough on their part who neighbour with them to make them Elders M. H. Would you see a Pastor that hath the formal essence of a Pastor and yet never did nor is bound to preach it is the classical Elder 2. The Pastor may preach in his own Congregation and Minister the Sacraments but 〈◊〉 Presbytery keeps the key of jurisdiction 3. The classical Elder is not bound to preach to them over whom he hath jurisdiction And this is the Bishop Ans. A bishop is rather a Pastor to Pastors then to the Churches Envy cannot say this of the Elders of the Presbytery 2. The formal essence of a Pastor is not in being fixed to one Congregation as a Husband to a Wife so that it is adultery to act as a Pastor either in a Synod or in another Congregation as Mr. H. teacheth for so Elders in a Synod Apostles and Evangelists should not have the formal essence of Pastors 3. It is false that he is not bound to preach and minister the seals to another Congregation or members thereof if he be called thereunto But the Bishop is a Byshop ex officio is bound to preach to none but a Sermon to the Clergy once a year and not that he may be a Bishop and never preach 3. The Pastor of a Congregation as a Pastor hath power of jurisdiction in Collegio and hath no majority of jurisdiction and ordination at all as the Bishop hath 4. The Pastor of a Congregation yea all the officers thereof poor men have no jurisdiction without the people yea the people without them have majority of jurisdiction to make and unmake all the officers which is the formal essence of a prelate by Mr. H. his way the prelate is the virtual Church tell the Church i. e. tell one single man the Prelate who need neither do by vote or consent of other Elders or people as the prelatical way teacheth Our Elders are neither over the saith of the people nor can they dispence censures contrary to the mind of the Godly So Mr. H. hath not found the prelate with us but the Male Church which is above all their officers and all others is the prelatical Church But what if the Elders meet and confer this powâ—r of sole Iurisdiction upon one man and make him more then a Moderator Ans. What if the firmament fall if they make a Bishop they make a Bishop I cannot stand but see more of the prelates their majority pride dignity priviledges in the Authors cited in nature and essence distinct from our Elders or from Synodical Elders against whom the argument fights with the like strength as against us What famous Independents have refuted prelacy I or a few can read Mr. H. What rule of Christ condemneth the Churches of error for giving the power of jurisdiction to one man but will condemn the iâ—vesting many Elders with jurisdiction over many Churches let Mr. R. give me one place of Scripture or one sound Reason for it that one may be a Pastor to a people by whom he was never chosen c. Ans. The places of Scripture that tell us the Elders of Ierusalem were over so many as their constant officers who could not meet in one Congregation declare they had jurisdiction over that Church otherwise Elders of that Church they could not be but they could not all of them be chosen their Elders constantly teaching in all the Congregations for that was unpossible And our grounds for a Presbyterian Church and for Presbyterian Elders are these 1. To appoint Elders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every City Tit. 1. 5. Is to appoint a Colledge or Church-officers in every Church the Town or City of Samaria receiving the Gospel 1. As many even from the greatest to the least as were bewitched by Magus Act. 8. 6. 9. 2. Both men and women were baptized v. 12. and so were made a Church 3. The number being above the strength of Philip and so more then
teach any of them or all of them is not sinful But sure the Apostles might govern send their decrees and Epistles to many Churches the members whereof they never saw in the face Nor could all the many thousands who had power of judging with the Elders as our Brethren say meet in one place comely and comfortably to act and therefore Christ so must never have appointed such a judicature to rule all these congregations who are entitatively one so must they say what we say and more For all the congregations on earth are entitatively and in nature one and yet our Brethren will be far from saying that they are all under one government as they say that these meetings at Ierusalem were M. H. The rest of the examples of Antioch Ephesus Rome though it were granted upon their greater growth and increase and so want of Elders they might meet in divers places for the while these might still be under one presbytery their officers in a distinct manner attending upon them And therefore Gerson Bucerus in his answer sayes here Quis adeo ineptire sustinuerit c. Who can say that because they meet in divers places they were under divers Presbyteries or Elders Ans. 1. This is a short way of answering with a leaving out of the Church of Samaria a great City wherein all both men and women were baptized the Church of Corinth of Thessalonica c. 2. And yet there is no lesse cause to say all the Saints at Rome Antioch Ephesus Samaria could not meete in one place then that these of Ierusalem could not 2. If they might meet in divers places for the while and yet be under one Presbytery Here is a Presbyteriall Church of many Congregations for a while Here is a Prelaticall and Antichristian Government for a while at least ordained by Christ. And Mr. H. writes a Book with a huge noise of absurdities with which he burdens his Brethren the Presbyterians yet he will suffer their Church to stand for a while 3. Who told Mr. H that a Presbyterial Church may stand for a while during the time of the growth of the the Church of Ierusalem Antioch Ephesus but no longer for when the swarmed out Churches are once setled the Presbyterian Church must downe againe since the Scripture speakes nothing of this Who gave Mr. H. leave to set up an Antichristian Tabernacle for so is the Presbytery to him for an houre and pull it downe again 4. It is a wonder that Mr. H. should cite Gerson Bucer cuttedly as a Witnesse so much for a Presbyteriall Church not in the swarming out of Churches onely of which Bucer hath not one word but in the setled state of the Church for Bucer contradicts Mr. H. and all his as foolishly erring when they say such Churches meet in divers places for the Word and Seales Ergo they are independent in their government and cannot be under one common government Bucer saith if they lie near together it is folly to say they are under divers Presbyteries and so say we Mr. H. 2. It doth not appear out of any Text nor any evincing Argument gathered therefrom that setting aside the Church of Jerusalem they should needs meet in several places Ans. Then the Church of Ierusalem met in sundry places by Mr. H. his argument but this shall offend the dissenting Brethren that maintain against the Synod at Westminster that they meet all in one place 2. Mr. H. should have given a reason why the Church of Ierusalem met in sundry places and not the other Churches of Antioch Ephesus but because he saw our Arguments run as strong for other Churches as for Ierusalem He was pleased to dictate what he could not demonstrate and so leave the Reader in the dark 3. Before I leave this let Mr. H. or his teach what is meant by this that there were about three thousand added to the Church Act. 2. 21. whether by the Church be meant the one hundred and twenty of which ch 1. and whether there the one hundred and twenty were there to receive the three thousand as members at that time in a judicial way And if they were not there how the three thousand were not added primarily to the Catholike Christian Church that then was and secondarily to this or to that Church as we say For when there were said to be added to the Church they were not added to themselves Mr. H. 3. Let it be considered whether by Church may not be meant many Churches Saul made havock of the Church i. e. of the faithful of many Churches Ans. It is weak as water Saul persecuteth the Church i. e. members of the independent Church Ergo there is no Presbyterial Church Ergo there is not such a thing as a Synod for he persecuted Iames Peter and the Elders and Brethren members of the Synod where he might find them now the Apostles were not fixed member of congregations and let Mr. H. consider whether Luke gives not a better interpretat on then he Act. 83. Saul made havock of the Church entring into every house and haling mâ—n and women and committed them to pâ—ison So that Saul destroyed the scattered members that were nâ—t inchurched and where he found any of this way Act. 9. 2. whether members of a congregation or not even members of divers meetings under one Presbytery as he grants he persecuted them And by this the Church at Ierusalem Act. 11. 22. must be Churches congregational at Ierusalem And Act. 2. The Lord added to the Church such as should be saved that is the Lord added to divers Independent Congregations such as should be saved good but this Church and these common Elders meet for acts of Government Act. 2. 18. and the day following Paul went in with us to Jâ—… and all the Elders verse 25. were present Sâ—re the place shewes they meet for acts of Government Yea Act. 11. 30. 21. 18. They sent alms to the Elders of Iudea to be distributed to the distressed in Iudea As also the Elders of Iudea were members of the Synod Act. 1â— And how could there be administrating of the seals without any jurisdiction at all to debar the unworthy CHAP. IX The Arguments of Mr. R. for a Ministerial Church from Matth. 18. are vindicated from the Exceptions of Mr. Hooker MR. H. If Christ allude to the Synedry then must Mat. 18. be expounded of a Presbyterial Church Mr. H. both Proposition and Assumption is denied Ans. Mr. H. leaps from one Book to another I no where frame an Argument from a meer allusion but so if Christ so allude to an authoritative company that hath power of binding and loosing as the Jewish Sanhedrim in this Mat. 18. then he judgeth the Church Mat. 18. to be a Juridical Church 2. It s a poor Argument he alludes not to the Jewish Synagogue because that Synagogue had no power of Excommunication as this Church Mat. 18. hath
their voices The Body of a Corporation may put out a Major upon desert therefore women and children may do it No the wise God hath included the votes of women in the male Ans. Nay but Mr. H. shall not so elude the Argument Whatsoever the judging binding and loosing Church of believers may do that every member of the joynt community may do in collegio if the Keyes be given to them as Mr H. and Mr. Cotton say as actual believers giving Peters confession Mat. 16. and therefore Mr. H. too suddenly sayes The consiquence he would have said the major for its a lawful Syllogism is feeble for women children sons come to agâ— servants which he left out are formal and essential parts of the believing Church to whom the Keyes are given as to the first subject If the Keyes be not given to them as confessing and professing believers because not to women sons servants then not to all confessing and professing believers as such then not to all blessed as taught by a teacher above flesh and blood as Peter was Mat. 16. This shall cross the Principles of our Brethren the Truth and Scripture cannot but cross them nor can it be denied but women sons come to age servaÌ„ts are no less members of that Church than the multitude of male-believers for they confess Christ as Peter are blessed and built on the Rock as well as Peter and are no less conceived in charity to have some spiâ—…l good in them as Mr. H. dictates cap. 2. par 1 15 16. and these must be visible Saints to whom Mr. H. his definition of visible Saints agrees and therefore our brethren must either quit the principles they follow or then a multitude of believers of visible Saints must be larger than the actual binding and loosing Church Mat. 18. and against their will this Tell the Church must be understood of Tell some believers onely if they will The Officers but Tell not women nor sons nor servants for they are no part of the binding and loosing Church and If he hear not the Church that is as the Hebraism there If he obey not the Church if he obey not some believers Men and Heads of Families not women servants â—ons Let him be to thee as a publican c. 2. So woman are either not capable of believing and visible Saintship which none can say or they are not capable of a power of binding and loosing and so a power capable of binding and loosing is not given to the multitude of believers as the Church Mat. 18. 3. Nor are women sons servants debarred from voicing in Election because it is a Church-power for it is no power of jurisdiction For 1. Their tacit voices and consents are not excluded because they must try the spirits not upon trust fide implicitâ believe every teacher more than men or believe as the Church believes more than their husbands nor must they take Doctrines as truth upon their husbands word not are women so excluded from speaking in the Church as they may upon no occasion confess their faith 2. Profess vocally repentance 3. Depose as Witnesses 4. Accuse the guilty before the binding Church 4. Nor may a Corporation cast out a Major by an authoritative power such as binding and loosing is Mat. 18. 5. We seek a warrant why the votes of women in choosing their Pastors must more be included in the votes of the male than their being essential parts of the redeemed Church is included in the males or their confessing publickly that Jesus is the Christ as many women Martyrs and sons and servants have gloriously done and yet their confession of Christ to the death must be personal and not included in the confession of husband or parents as Mat. 10. 32. Mr. H. Arg. 5. of Mr. R. Those to whom the essence and definition of a Ministerial Church having power to excommunicate doth belong those and those onely are understood under the Name of the Church Mat. 18. But the essence and definition of a Ministerial Church having power to excommunicate doth not necessarily belong to a great company of believers assembled Church-wise Ans. Both propositions may be denied Neither a Church without officers nor as having them is here onely understood but the second sense is here firstly attended For both people and Elders have their power parts and places in a right order and manner when it s said a Ministerial Church is here understood Ministerial notes either Ministers without the body exclusively and that is false or Ministers with the body inclusively Now a Ministerial Church in the fairest sense aims at both In the first sense the proposition is false in the second it doth not conclude to whom the essence and definition of a Ministerial i. e. of a Church of Ministers without the body having power to excommunicate doth necessarily belong These and these onely are here understood This Mr. R. l. 1. p. 226. refuâ—eth Ans. Well then Mr. H. denies the conclusion then both a Ministerial Church and a Church of Redeemed meeting to partake of Ordinances have their part here Ergo women have their part here 2. If a Church in both sâ—nses be here understood when all the Officers turn grievous Wolves Socinians Papists Familists such as say they are Apostles and do liâ— then 1. Must the people that are stumbled complain to themselves This is not just to make the complaining party saith M. H. judge What if they unjustly complain and say their officers are Presbyterial and Prelatical and are Legal Preachers and preach neither Christ nor Free-grace then hath Christ ordained them whose lips preserve not knowledge to be the onely judging and first Church which hath power to excommunicate to be the first and onely Judges-of sound Doctrine and Heresie in officers And suppose the Church of people and officers be here firstly understood we cannot complain of the Familist people of which there were too many in Nâ—E to the Elders for the same reason 2. Nor is it true that people and Elders the people must in judging be first by Mr. H. have their power parts and place in this work for all Elders and people have equally a decisive voice except women and children and seâ—vants and by what reason they want votes a reason 〈◊〉 yet is not heard of 3. There is no reason that binding and loosing may be transacted by onely a power of judgement in people for then a power of office is accidental to binding and loosing how then can a society with both power of judgement and of office be understood here firstly as Mr. H. saith Therefore I ask a reason why officers who are meer adjuncts such aâ— come in at the by and as latter in nature power and operation to the visible Church should have any hand in binding and loosing since all officers are made and unmade ordained and cast out by the male-male-Church by this way 4. Nor can the
do one way and the Elders another way So 2 Cor. 2. 7. Ye ought rather to forgive him and comfort him Sure women children of age and servants to whom he writes were to forgive in their way for to them he determined to come 2 Cor. 1. 15. They were a part of his rejoycing v. 14. they were anointed established sealed by the Spirit v. 21 22. as well as the men and Elders And say the word of confirming their love were an authoritative word as it is Yet it is so as applied to the Elders not as applied to women As the same word of Worshipping relating to Iehovah is a religious adoring relating to David is civil reverence 1 Chr. â—9 21. The people bowed their heads worshipped the Lord and the King 1 Sam. 12. 18 All the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel Though they were two really distinct actions And this cannot be denied by Mr. H. who gives to the Elders an official power of jurisdiction to the Brethren a judicial power of judgment Ergo they excommunicate not one and the same way 6. Yes and Paul writes to Timothy not as to a Christian simply but as to a Pastor representing the company of Elders as Christ speaks to Peter Mat. 16. as to a Pastor to take heed to Doctrine and reading 1 Tim. 4. 14 16. What Widows 1 Tim 5. 9. What Watchmen 1 Tim. 3. 1 2. 2 Tim. 2. 2. 1 Tim. 5. 17 22. What Deacons 1 Tim. 3. 10 11. there should be in the Church How he should rebuke preach Now this way the people should be warned how to preach how to rebuke not to lay on hands suddenly to save themselves and others by preaching if they have a joint power of ruling with officers It is true he writes to Timothy as to a Christian to flee the lusts of you hâ— but in order to the Ministry that he may be an example to the flock 2 Tim. 2. otherwise women children come to age servants are to flee lusts and to follow righteousness faith love peace c. yet they are to exercise no jurisdiction 7. Tell the Church cannot bear this as Mr. H. would say tell first the Church of Officers and people when the officers are too ordinarily grievous wolves seducers blind guides Idol-shepherds Act. 20. 29. Mat. 7. 15. 2 Pet. 2. 1 2. 1 Iohn 4. 1. Rev. 2. 14 20. T it 3. 10. Ier. 23. 9 15. Ier. 14. 14 15. Isa. 56. 10 11. Mich. 3. 5 6. Zach 11. 8 15 16. Then must the keys and power of binding and loosing be firstly in the people not in the officers who are separable adjuncts as our brethren say the garments of the Church not parts of the Church as garments are not parts of a man Lastly Mr. H. cannot build his new house but by raising the foundation stones of all our worthy Protestant Divines and Fathers who prove that the Pope should hear the general Council from Matth. 18. So Chrysost. hom 85. in Ioan. Orig. hom 7. in Ezek. August Ssrm. 49. de ver domini Cyprian Iewel Apolo c. 8. div 2. page 55. Tho. Mort. Appel Protest l. 4. c. 2. sect 8. page 451. 452. Aene. Sylv. in Gest. Conc. Basil. fol. 5. 51. Rom. Pont. non audist Eccles. Christum non audiet And Riv. Catho Ortho. To 1. Tract 1. q. 8. Papists that are sounder as Gerson Almain Occum Cusanus Contarenâ—â—s Caâ—etanus Ferus Toletus Menochius Maldonatus c. say the Pope is a Brother and ought to hear the Church Mr. H. The Angel of the Church of Ephesus stands for the whole Church saith Mr. R. Ans. See how strangely shall that sound To the Angel of the Church of Ephesus i. e. To the Church of the Church of Ephesus Ans. This is a poor consequence it is known there are often two Tropes in one word The word Angel being put for many Angels as Didoclavius and other learned Authors from Psal. 34 7. prove And then these many overseers are put for the Church and rebuked in the people and the people in them When an Embassador speaks to the Parliament he speaks to England and when he speaks to the Speaker he speaks to the Parliament Will it follow the Embassador speaks to England of England A headless conceit and such quirks make a cause to be suspected so when one offended tells the Church he but tells the brethren of the Church and this is the Church of the Church And if women sons servants be excluded as Mr. H. excludes them then he tells the Church of the Church Mr. Parker though not far from our Brethrens way hath said the very same for which Mr. H. refuteth Mr. R. And if Mr. Parker shews my mind in that when Mr. H. refutes therein M. Parker I yield but he contradicts Mr. Parker Mr. H. It is said Acts 18. 22. Paul saluted the Church at Jerusalem it cannot be thought in reason that the Elders only were saluted because the scope of Paul was to confirm the hearts of the Disciples and therefore had an eye to the weakest and those that wanted his sweet refreshing who heard of his arrival and assembled to give comfortable entertainment to him and to be comforted by him Ans. The Argument must then be thus if any Paul saluted and kissed for so is the original word as many as he confirmed and encouraged in the way of grace at Ierusalem But he confirmed in that way all and every one man woman servants rich poor Ergo he kissed them all and saluted them all Let Mr. H. see to the conclusion it is all his own 2. The Argument is not brought to prove that the word Church there noteth precisely only the Elders Nor does Mr. R. alledge it upon that account precisely but that the word Church may note some eminent professors and note a Church of all men women children yea the thousands who meet in sundry places by the grant of Mr. H. came not out to meet Paul and were saluted of him for to be saluted was but a matter of courtesie though Christian but to be comforted and confirmed in the faith is another thing Mr. H. The word Church in the Hebrew and Greek used by the Septuagint notes the Rulers of the Church not always the body and it is granted without any hurt to our cause Ans. Since the signification of words and of the word Church as Moses and the Prophets use them is frequently followed in the New Testament by the Evangelists and Apostles it is clear our Saviour Mat. 18. departed not from the received signification of the words in the Old Testament used by the Septuagint And so the word Tell the Church hath a better warrant to be expounded Tell the Rulers then tell all the faithful men women children and servants therefore the suspicion is so strong as Mr. H. said that there is no parallel Text for this signification of a male-Church excluding women and officers who
to thee I will give the keys not to the 〈◊〉 Ergo Peter represents the people Believers only 〈◊〉 est the male-Church of the redeemed I would not buy such Logick for a Not for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a collective and represents many for the Keys of the Kingdom noteth the Keys of jurisdiction of preaching the word c. Now see he gives the keys of knowledge principally and firstly to the people and secondarily to the Elders who labour not in the word and doctrine in so far as they concur to make the word effectual Nor can the Lord have given the Key of only ruling to the preaching Elders and therefore he speaks to Peter as representing two subjects 3. It is neither dagger nor weapon of blood that the Catholick visible Church of the first-born including rulers and ruled be the first subject of free redemption of all power of the Keyes in their saving fruit of all styles the Spouse Body Love c. the saving priviledges of special note that one promised in the covenant of grace the new heart remission of sins perseverance ruling in the visible kingdom by binding and loosing and that your particular congregation and society share of all these at the second hand And Mr. H. must be content that we look upon it as weak Divinity that Christ gave himselfe for the Catholick Church and bestows all upon her firstly and that this be the first natural recipient subject of all these as the element of fire not this or that fraction or fragment of that Element is the first adequate natural recipient subject of heat as is above explained Mr. H. Prop. 4. The power of the keys take it in the complete nature thereof is in the Church of Believers as in the first subject but in the manner and order of ruling that Christ appointed in the parts Ans. Mr. H. speaks not distinctly and should have told us what the power of the keys is in its complete nature and what in its incomplete and half nature it is 2. When he sayes the Church-congregational and the male-Church of Believers so consederate is the first subject of the Keys he saith an untruth like to this this particular fragment of the Element of fire is the first subject of heat And Sir what say you of the rest of the quarters of the Element of fire must they I pray you be the subjâ—ct of heat secondary and by way of participation So you may say London is the first subject of the power of government in England yea or Norwich now the first subject by you is omne and solum and so doth Mr. Cotton go before you it is like England would take it evil and judge that Norwich did not logically distinguish Our Brethren must be content no Congregation is any other but an integral part as D. Ames grants of the Catholick visible Church And Christs design of Love was that the whole by order of nature as the first subject should partake of all the speciall priviledges 1. Grace 2. Redemption 3. Covenant blessings c. power of binding loosing seals in their blessed fruit for the whole Nor can I say Amen to that of Mr. Cotton A particular Church or Congregation professing the faith taken indefinitly for any Church one as well as another is the first subject of all the Church Officers with all their spiritual gifts and power whether it be Paul or Apollo or Cephas all are yours speaking of the Church of Corinth 1 Cor 3. 22. Ans. 1. Mr. Cotton must prove that Paul there speaks of a particular Church that comes all together into one place as he speaks citing 1 Cor. 14. 23. and that formally as a single congregation meeting in one It were a most comfortless Doctrine to limit that soul delighting priviledge 1 Cor. 3. 21. all things are yours then Christ and Grace and Glory are yours And vers 23. ye are Christs onely to Saints as they are a Church-meeting in one place What is this but by the scope of that place you have right to Christ and Salvation and Covenant-promises as the first subject only under the reduplication of a congregation meeting in one place as an organized Church Ah! and shall not Christ and all things be theirs who are in no Church-state like that of Corinth but wander in deserts and in mountains and in dens and caveâ— of the Earth Heb. 11. 38 and have no certain dwelling house nor fixed Church congregational 1 Cor. 4. 11 2. What agrees to Believers as Christians and Believers to believing women aged children servants and to the scattered Saints Now in no such Church state as Mr. Cotton imagines the Corinthians to be in and to Iohn in the Isle of Pathmes and to the Apostles as believing Apostles that cannot agree to a congregation as the first subject which reciprocally and only receiveth this power But such is this Revel 21. 7. He that overcomes shall inherit all things all are yours death in the sweet fruit of it belongs to women and to Christians as Christians though in no congregational state Ergo women and the whole Catholick Church whether in such a Church-state or not must be the first subject of the Keyes And it is wretched Logick Paul saith all things are yours and ye are Christs to a congregation that meets in one place Ergo such a promise is made to a congregation as to the first subject and as to a congregation then may I infer the promise to eat of the Tree of Life to receive the hidden Manna and the â—…ning Star and to sit in a Throne with Christ is made to such as overcome in the congregation as our Brethren say of Ephesus of Pergamos of Thyatira c. Rev. 2. 3. therefore these promises are made to the Church of a congregation as to the first subject upon the same ground all the congregational Church must be the first subject and so the only subject of all priviledges of the congregational Church of Corinth of being justified sanctified Temples of the Holy Ghost redeemed and bought with a price c. And if so these priviledges must agree to the congregation firstly and to all other for the congregation as that agrees first to the fire and then to iron to water for the fire 3. Paul saying all are yours whether Paul c. he cannot mean Paul as an Apostle is proper to you as a congregation in all his Apostolick travels for that is false nor can the meaning be Paul as a fixed Pastor is yours for he was no fixed Pastor to them tyed to that congregation only Then the meaning must be Paul and by a Synechdoche all the Apostles and Pastors and the World and Life and Death in their labours must be for you and the Catholick Church and all the Saints all the earth over whom they must gather in and perfect as Christs body and parts of his body Ephes. 4. 11 12 13. and
CHAP. IV. Mr. Ruthurfurd's Arguments that prove that the People are not the first subject of the Keyes are vindicated from the unsatisfying Answers of Mr. Hooker MR. H. That is not to be held that is neither in Scripture directly nor by consequence But that belivers lay hands on men for the Ministery or receive witness or have in them any such power of Government is such So Mr. R. c. Ans. The first three Arguments touch not the question for office-power is formally in some select persons who have a Ministerial spirit and gifts Mr. Robinson saith The Government before and under the Law and in the Apostles time and still now is not in the multitude but in some chief men But it follows not because office-power which is a little part of the power of the Keyes is in officers therefore the power of the Keyes is firstly in the officers but firstly in them who gave both the power and the office and therefore had a power before they gave it and therefore can take it away Ans. Mr. H. hath quickly expeded my Arguments with Veni vidi vici It is a scorn to say without all proof that the office-power is a little part of the power of the Keys For the includent by no Logick is a part of the thing included the City is not a part of the House which is a part of the City but the contrary now the office-power in Rulers includes preaching administrating of the seals as Mr. H. grants and also it includes a power of binding and loosing and of ordaining since the holy Ghost gives rules of right ordaining of Elders to Timothy and to Teachers 1 Tim. 3. 1 2 3 10. 1 Tim. 5. 17 18 22. 2 Tim. 2. 2. Tit. 1. 5 6 7 c. as to Pastors not as to Believers and by this to rebuke censure shall be no ruling at all if Mr. H. deny ruling power to agree to Pastors as Pastors or to be a part of office-power because ruling power in officers is common to both officers and brethren 1. He begs what is in question for the brethren are ruled and to obey and not Rulers 2. If it be said ruling power is not office-power it s replied that Mr. H. saith that the Elders are superiour to the Brethren or male-Church in regard of office rule act and exercise Now if ruling be common to both officers and the Brethren or such a male-Church of the redeemed then are not the officers as officers superiour to this Church in rule yea this Church giveth power and taketh away the power of governing by way of censure from the officers and so the brethren in ruling must be above the Officers as for the superiority official in preciding and managing the actual dispensing of censures as Mr. H violently alledges Heb. 13. 17. to this purpose it is a ruling over the ruling of the Brethren the like whereof was never heard the mouth of a Judicature ordereth but judgeth not the ruling and judging of the Judges Again if officers be both officers in teaching administrating the seals watching over the manners of the people and also in dispensing censures with the Elders then must office-power take up and include both official acts and also judicial acts and power in governing Ergo the power of office is not a part of the power of the Keys but the whole power of the Keys 2. It is not to the purpose to say that Government is not in the multitude as in the first subject for then the multitude and Church of Redeemed that meets in the same place for all the ordinances is not the instituted Church to which the offended must complain by Mat. 18. nor is it the first subject of the keys Expound to us then Matth. Tâ—ll the Church i. e. tell some select persons the Church of some males only excluding women aged children servants alas that is not the Church Mat. 18. nor the New England instituted Church which is defined to us in the first words of their Book of Discipline for that is not a Church of selected persons but includes men women servants children of age as I demonstrate from their words 1. The Church which Christ in his Gospel hath instituted to which he hath committed the Keys of his Kingdom the power of binding and loosing the tables and seals of the covenant the officers and censures of his Church the administration of all his publique worship and ordinances Is costus fidelium a company of believers These are their words But I assume some select Brethren only is no Church 1. To whom Word and Sacraments onely are due 2. Such only are not such a Church as the Church of Corinth justified sanctified 3. Such only is not the company that meets in the same place to partake of all ordinances as they teach for women aged children servants were justified sanctified partakers of ordinances as well as select Brethren Ergo the visible Church instituted by Christ is not the first subject of the power of the Keys except you mean the virtual subject then it is not the first formal subject as fire is of heat nor is the complete virtual subject But Mr. H. saith cap. 11. sect 2. page 192. The power of the Keyes is committed to the Church of confederate believers as the first and the proper subject thereof Pro. 1. page 193. That the power of the Keyes is seated in the Church as the proper subject is no novel opinion â—b We will suffer years to speak a little in this place The place of those that Peter sustained in Mat. 16. to them the keys were given But Peter speaks in the name and sustained the place of the Church as the Antients Origen Hillary Augustine frequently troops of our Divines say Ans. I pray our Brethren do the Fathers mean the Church of visible Saints the multitude of Believers or go our Divines in troops along with them in the formal first and proper subject of the Keys as fire is the first formal subject of heat As Mr. H. page 193. Now I judge Mr. H. means his own only instituted visible Church in the new Testament that meets together in one place for the ordinances if I should say the whole element of fire is the first proper and formal subject of heat and yet exclude four quarters or parts of this body as utterly uncapable of heat were I worthy to be called a Philosopher But the same way Mr. H. maketh the Church confessing as Peter Mat. 16. such a formal subject and saith the fourth part of this subject women children of age c. are not capable of the Keys if it be said the organical body is the proper subject of seeing of hearing c. yet neither legs nor hands are capable of either seeing or hearing I answer Then 1. the organical body is not the first and formal subject of seeing but Arms and Legs are capable of touching but women
that by Mat. 16. 〈◊〉 Peter and other Church-officers Christ gives both the power of the Keys or the Keyes and the exercise of the power v. 10. I will give to thee the Keyes and whomsoever thou shalt bind c. And if Mr. H. say not this he shall be forced to say that these to wit the power of the Keys and actual exercise of the Keys which are clearly holden forth v. 19. are given to Peter so confessing Christ that is as he represents all believers so confessing Christ. And so all such must have both the Keyes and the formal exercise of pastoral binding for that pastoral binding is given to Peter v. 19. and brethren and women so confessing must pastorally bind v. 19. Then how can an official power be given to Peter as he represents this male-male-Church upon a meer allegiance As to the place Matth. 28. 19. it abundantly warrants the Disciples to an office-power But the question yet remains whether this place Matth. 16. especially doth not warrant more clearly Pastors as Pastors to both the power and exercise of the power of the Keys And by this To thee will I give the Keys must yet have this sense I will give the Keyes to thee Peter as representing both the Pastors and Believers of the male Professors only Yet Peter gave not that blessed confession as an Apostle but as a Believer enlightned by the spirit of the Father aboâ—e flesh and blood nor was Peter as an Apostle builded upon the Rock and above the prevailing temptations of Satan and Hell except we hold from this place the Popes infallibility but it is good that it is granted that by this place the Keyes must be given to Peter as representing the officers also for here saith Mr. H. Pastors may have good warrant for their office power Then is the thing we contend for granted if M. H. would prove the other that here the male Church excluding women hath good warrant as the first and proper subject to challenge the power and exercise of the Keys here spoken of Matth. 16. he had indeed performed a great point But this remains that the Reader is left in the mist what to make of our Brethrens way by these words upon this Rock will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Nor is it fair arguing to flee to the old Testament saith judicious Mr. Firmin because the Children of Israel Numb 8. 10. layed hands upon the Levites for what if one say Moses the Magistrate layed on hands 2. If it be a good warrant where officers are as in the place were Aarons sons yet the people only and not the Presbytery though there be a sufficient one must lay on hands 3. Aanon as Mr. Firmin noteth verse 14. completed the ordination for he did wave those Levites before the Lord. 2. How is it proved that Moses gathered the whole people Numb 8. 10. Thou shalt gather the whole assembly the whole Church and they shall offer them in sacrifice saith Vatablus and by that saith Menochius who collects from R. Stephanus Vatablus and others they did not author it atively ordain the Levites but gave over to the Lord and his service the Levites Deut. 31. 20. Gather to me all the Elders v. 30. and Moses spake into the ears of the Congregation Rehal Iunius Diâ—dati English Divines they consented to the call of the Levites Cyrillus Alexandrinus and Cyprian Tertullian as Leo Magnus also say the people chused or the Levites were called they being then present So Beda Lyranus Iunius Piscator Ainsworth say a part of the people laid on hands on the Levites Cajetan and Lorinus the Princes of the Tribes in place of the people layed on hands and consented quia offerens saith Lyra debâ—bat ponere manum super oblationem suam So Diodati they imitate such as offered by laying on the hand on the oblation Now Mr. H. his binding loosing comprehend eth all acts of Church-power not only by publick preaching for so the ruling Elder should have no key but also by excommunication and admission admonitions which issue from judging power as we proved Ans. That is said gratis admonition and consent to receive in and cast out members by cansent necessarily agree to women it so much concerning their dayly practices and conscience and they have no judicial power 2. By no Scripture can Mr. H. prove that admonition of Brethren is Church-binding and loosing and that it is limitted to one congregation Nor can a single flock bind a member of the Catholick Church or a sojourning visible Saint to Church judging in one single congregation nor is there one jot in Scripture to tye the Brother Mat. 18. 15. If thy Brother trâ—spss c. To a Brother member of that onely congregation of which the Plaintiff is a member 3. I said that binding and loosing are words of official authority undue to unofficed brethren at the Scripture saith See the Margin Ier. 40. 4 c. above Mr. H. The promise is made to Peter because of his consession in name of the Believers Ans. The Text saith no such thing but because of his consession 1. He and all men and women who so sincerely confess are blessed because really regenerate flesh and blood hath not revealed that c. v. 16. 2. Because of this confession a promise of perseverance is made to the whole Catholick Church invisible then the way how to fulfil this promise is set down I will make this invisible Church visible and I will give the Keys of Word and Censures to thee Peter and to all the called Pastors c. for the Churches salvation of men and women that they may be kept invincible upon the Rock Mr. H. grants that the Keyes are given to believers who may be hypocrites Ans. Adde and to them as the first formal subject This is before refuted But it is asked Why Brethren believing and as so incorporated should be made the first subject of the Keys by this Text and not also the first subject of the love of Election and Redemption by which they are built on the Rock and made impregnable against the gates of Hell for the one is said of the Church here and not one word that he will give the Keys to the Church As also Mr. H. granteth that Christ speaks not to Peter as representing all believers but onely the disciples and male-believers But whom say ye that I am ye disciples Ans. It s true he propounds the question to the disciples onely but saith he that hence onely men and unofficed Brethren of a single congregation who give such a sincere confession are blessed and built on the Rock So he saith Matth. 13. 10 11. to the disciples onely To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God to them it is not given Are there then none the Elect of God men or
women to whom the grace of saving faith is given but onely the disciples So Luke 22. 28. Ye are they that have continued with me in my temptations v. 29. And I appoint unto you a kingdom Then to the disciples and men not to women who suffer with Christ there is a kingdom appointed Upon this account all the Promises and Consolations of sending the Comforter of the many mansions in his Fathers house which he was to prepare for them do belong to the disciples as brethren and as a male-Church of a single flock without officers not chosen women aged children that believe and therefore these words of Mr. H. that Christ spâ—…s not to all believers in the person of Peter Blessed are ye for flesh and blood c. most injuriously bereave all women all men that are not members by Covenant of this male-congregation of all the Promises of the Gospel and comforts which Christ uttered to his disciples onely Not to say what before I said that 1. This is contrary to the scope of the Text. And 2. contrary to the Peace 2. Comfort 3. Joy 4. Blessedness in the state of Regeneration 5. Faith of their Perseveranâ—â— and 6. Victory over temptations from the gates of Hell of all who contrary to Sects and Heresies and sundamental Errours touching Christ his Nature Offices and Dignity sincerely believe and confess that he is the Messiah the Son of God be they women aged children servants sincere visible Saints of another congregation or sojourning Saints Mr. H. If believers saith Mr. R. 〈◊〉 giving Peters confession and built upon the Rock Christ be made a ministerial Church then the official power of binding and loosing should be made as fiâ—m and sure from defection as the Church of believers built on the Rock Ans. The Assumption is denied for the Church to whom the Keys are firstly given though they have a virtual power to call men to office yet they have not formally official power nor is official power which in great Apostasies may fail of like stability with the visible Church which can never totally fail Ans. My Argument is not faithfully repeated of which I often complain if the Ministerial formal power of ruling and creating and unmaking of officers a virtual power of which he of new speaks I know not for who hath the formal power of calling officers then be given to believers though destitute of Pastors because believers are in a congregational frame built upon the Rock nothing hindreth but ministerial power that is the power of the Keys given to believers which is but a gift given to hypocrites often should be as firm as though believers were built on a rock Mr. H denieth the Assumption onely and seems to yield the Proposition I appeal to the Reader if these words I will build my Church in the frame of a Congregation Independent upon the Rock Christ of the confession of Peter have any such sense for in all Scripture the building upon the rock hath no such sense but noteth Christs building of real believers on himself in the most holy faith which building cannot sail And whereas Mr. H. saith The visible Church cannot totally fail as our Divines say they mean the Catholick visible Church and not your Independent congregations of which they knew nothing who teach this Doctrine So this Argument of mine stands Promises of never falling are made in Scripture to things not to persons as to the Kingdome to the Gospel to the Dominion of Christ Psal. 72. 8. Isa. 9. 7. Luke 1. 33. Isa. 55. 11. Psal. 110. 2. Mat. 24. 14 c. but ever in order to persons especially to that excellentest of persons But of temptations to offices and institutions and promises to such as here we reade not Mr. H. Those to whom saith Mr. R. Christ giveth the Keyes do represent the person of Christ and who despiseth them despiseth Christ and who honour them honour Christ Mat. 10. 40. Now Scripture never saith so of believers They that hear and obey believers hear and obey me Ans. The Proposition is false to represent Christ as stewards belongs onely to them who have office power but the Spouse had power in the family before the stewards and officers were Ans. 1. Yet that must be meant of believers men and women He that despiseth the preaching male Church despiseth me 1. The forgiving or loosing from excommunication as well as preaching the Gospel 2 Cor. 2. 10. and excommunication it self which is given to unofficed brethren by Mr. H. is done 1 Cor. 5. 4. in the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore they who despise the unofficed Brethren excommunicating despise Christ and excommunicating of heretick Pastors or judicial rejecting there cannot be except unofficed brethren publickly rebuke 1 Tim. 5. 20. and in the Name of Christ judicially declare the man an Heretick and the doctrine Heresie Tit. 3. 10. 2. The comparison that makes every male Church a Spouse of Christ and so multiplies Spouses and Bodies of Christ whereas the Scripture makes but one visible Spouse on earth Cant 4 1 2. 6. 8. 9. 7. 1 2. Eph. 5. 26 27. one Body 1 Cor. 12 12 13. Eph. 1. 23. Col. 1. 18. will not furnish an Argument For 1. A Spouse without stewards may feed may therefore unofficed brethren preach and tender the Seals as Socinians say they may baptize one another 2. A Spouse may create servants of her own devising so may not unofficed brethren do 3. The Scripture makes the Catholick Church Christs Spouse by faith what Word of God warrants every male-society to be a Spouse of Christ by a new devised Oath or Covenant and our brethren cannot give us a Scripture where the male congregation excluding women is called the Spouse Body of Christ built upon the Rock c. Mr. H. Those to whom the Keys are given saith Mr. R. do authoritatively forgive and retain sins The fraternity saith Mr. H. forgives judicially 2 Cor. 2. the officers authoritatively Ans. Brethren and sisters forgive by way of charity the officers authoritatively A judicial forgiving distinct from both in a male-Church is the question begged by Mr. H. not proved 2. He supposeth Paul writeth to this male-Church void of Pastors whereas there were many Pastors there 1 Cor. 14. 29 30 31. 4. 15. 1. 12. nor could they without officers celebrate the Lords Supper as they did 1 Cor. 1 〈◊〉 frequently 3. He supposes they onely were judicially to forgive the incestuous man whereas all in their own way men and women were to forgive him and to converse with him as a brother 2 Cor. 2 7 8. as is said before CHAP. VI. What Church it is that is built on the Rock Mat. 16. whether the visible or invisible Church the Catholick or the single Independent Church BEfore I examine Mr. H. his Reasons take notice of what Mr. H. saith which may conduce to this The Keys and power
saith Mr. H. must be given to a single society i. e. to a sort and condition of men under some special relation To thee will I give c. as to a single society not to them Ans. That the Keys must be given to a single that is according to Mr. H. his sense to a single Independent congregation onely that they may exercise Jurisdiction onely within themselves and that all others though as free Churches as it are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without is never proved by Mr. H. nor gives he â—s a pattern of such a Church Independent in Jurisdiction 2. His Argument Because it is said To thee as a single society not to them is naught Did not the Lord give in Peter the Keys to the twelve Apostles and to six or ten sundry societies in Ierusalem but they were one Church so the combined Elders in a Presbytery is but one single society yea but saith he they are many Churches Ans. They are and may be but four societies meeting in four sundry places and scarce all eight hundred and therefore a more single society than eight thousand and above which Mr. H. saith made but one congregational Church of Ierusalem And is not the society of a Synod Provincial or National one single society also by this account 2. Let the Reader judge how our brethren use the word Church as Kid leather stretching it in and out at their pleasure as it serves best for their turn for here the single society capable of the Keys is a new male Church of redeemed ones Also consider but the first proposition 1. These words The instituted Church of Christ in the Gospel to which Christ hath commâ—tted the Keys the power of binding and loosing the seals officers are most ambiguously set down and can hardly bear truth either in a passive or an active sense for its false that the Keys passively are not committed to women for they must be bound and loosed and have the Seals and Tables of the Covenant as well as men 2. In an active sense its false that to women understanding children the dispensing of Censures Seals and Tables are committed 3. The power of the Keys are not committed to the Church instituted as to the proper subject but onely by those pious Authors to a limb or wing of it the male redeemed are never called The instituted Church of the New Testament 4. And how the seals are given to the male Church as to the subject when they want Pastors I see not The Tables and Seals are given to men and women redeemed as the end and object for their salvation and edification 5. So they are given to Pastors Doctors Elders Deacons to all visible Saints but in the intention of God to all Rulers and ruled men and women not as meer visible professors for God intends no such thing to a meer Magus to whom agrees the complete essence of a visible member but as invisible and chosen ones 6. Nor is it either didactick or suitable to a Systeme of Church-policy That the administration of all Christs publick Worship and Ordinances is committed to a company of believers for the active administration of Baptism and the Lords Supper and of the preached Word is not committed to unofficed brethren or to women who are members of this instituted Church of the Gospel otherwise in a passive sense all are to partake of the Worship and Ordinances according as their capacity is but how the male-Church void of pastors can receive them I know not 7. I say not much that it s not Grammar to say that this Church is a communion of Saints A community it is which word is in our language a Concrete 8. That its a combination of Saints meeting for that end to partake of the Ordinances by common and joynt consent into one congregation is ut erly unsound for as this is a delineation of a New Testament Church-Assembly to paâ—take of the Ordinances so it makes it contrary to the institution of a Church under the Gospel to members of another congregation to meet to partake of pastoral preaching or seals in a Church whereto they never gave common and joynt consent as never being inchurched members thereof yea and all of another congregation by this reason hear the Word in that forreign congregation not as visible Saints but as Pagans and such as are without And it s as strongly concludent against hearing in another congregation than their own as against Church-rebukes and as our Brethren teach Church judging and admonishing between brother and brother for as there is indeed a providential necessity of partaking of pastoral preaching and seals in another congregation than the members own so is there the same soul-necessity of the like rebuking and gaining of a brother Mat. 18. 15. If the trespass be committed in another congregation and be private as yet as if it were done in the offenders own congregation except it can be proved that from Mat. 18. Christs minde is if a brother of another congregation fall in a pit to the hazard of his salvation I should let him perish there I am not his keeper as touching any Church-remedy for gaining according to Mat. 18. which sure we cannot do to our enemies ox if he fall in a pit yea and there is as great if not a greater necessity to use the remedy of rebuking Mat. 18. to gain him when he falls in a spiritual ditch in another congregation as to preach pastorally and to tender the Lords Supper to him in another congregation and as the Bread in the Lords Supper say our brethren with Mr Cot. is one Bread and a seal of our communion with the Lord Iesus but also of our communion with his members not only of our own Church but of all the Churches of the saints so we are to gain our brethren by admonition teaching rebuking by Matth. 18 not only as they are members of the single independent body congregational but of the whole Catholick body 1 Cor. 12. 16. for whether one member suffâ—r all the members suffer with it or one member be honoured all the members rejoâ—câ— with it And Rom 12. 4 5. compared with verse 15. for there is one Body visible one Spirit one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all Eph. 4. 4 5. and one body Catholick into which all are baptized Jewes and Gentiles 1 Cor 12. 12 13. 8. It is false that there is no Church which Christ in his Gospel hath instituted but a particular visible Church that meets in one place all of them for Christ hath sanctified and clensed with the washing of water by the word a Catholick Church which he shall present as a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle Eph. 5. 25 26 27. and perfected body visible when we all meet in the unity of faith Eph 4. 11 12 13. 9. That this instituted Church is to meet together all of
follow them in as far as they follow Christ. Nor is delegation the formalis ratio of determining synodically it is only a necessary condition of determining and of synodical judging Obj. But Mr. R. saith Amen to this distinction of Mr. Parker Ans. True these two fitness and gifts together with a commission make a man a commissioner and messenger of the Church but delegation makes him not a formal Definer and a Judge nor do the Churches send them as officers but as such eminently able and faithful men who have hazarded their lives for the cause as Act. 15. 25. and they determine as such eminently holy and able officers their delegation is a thing of meer order because all cannot be sent nor doth it create them of new officers nor yet such eminent officers for they were both these before only their delegation puts them in an actual orderly capacity to determine formally Ut approximatio ligni aridi ad ignem non est formalis ratio comburendi Mr. H. Mr. R. l. 1. p. 305. to 309. runs all upon this the power of the keyer by order of nature is only in the Catholick representative body but the power of the Keyes was before there was any Representative some 300. years when there was no Oecumenick Councel and since the Churches give their power and officers to the Assembly they had that power before the Assembly Ans. Read from c. 10. sect 10. p. 289. to p. 346 347. where I speak of the Catholick Church I say only that such a synodical power of the Keyes as is dogmatick especially for light and peace as Mr. Cotton speaketh is first by order of nature in the Oecumenick Councel the doubting and contending Churches cannot bind Ecclesia dubitans non docet Ecclesia errans non judicat Ecclesia contendens non ligaâ—n on solvit for the doubting the erring the contending of Churches are no ordinances of God and erring and contending Churches cannot heal themselves and therefore the healing power is seated by Christs appointment in the synodical Church which is more diffused and stronger as is clear when the Churches of Antioch and Iudea are broken renâ—and sick the wisdom of God Act 15. hath appointed that these should meet in a Synod of the select and choicest parts Apostles and godly Elders Ergo the healing power of the Keys must be first in them 2. Mr. R. runs not but assâ—rts lently that power of the keys in binding and loosing and in opening and shutting heaven in the latitude of preaching and censures Mat. 16. was not before Christ gave it to the Apostles the then Representative of all the faithful guides to be in the Church christian to the worlds end and this grant was made to Peter and the Apostles not as to such private men Simon such â—ishers but by evidence of Scripture truth 2. The testimony of all sound Antiquity 3. The judgement of Protestant Divines 4. Canons of Councells 5. The Doctrine of sounder ancient School-men and Popish Doctors Occam Alenâ—is Almain Gerson Bonâ—venture c. not only not 300. years after but before Christs death and confirmed before his Ascension to heaven That ever Mr. R. said that the power of the Keys in their latitude of binding and loosing was in an Oecumenick Councel a Representative of formally sending Churches and a body of formally sent Commissioners is utterly denied and no where to be seen in any book that ever he wrote Such as cite him at random would remember 3 that I teach that the power of the Keys 1. In its latitude is first given to the Apostles Mat. 28. 19 20. Mat. 16. 18 19. Iohn 20. 21 22. Mark 16. 15. Act. 18. as the only then Catholick representative body sustaining the person of all officers to the end of the world and so the first formal subject of the power of the Keys in its latitude is not either the congregation or congregational Eldership nor the Presbytery or Synod all these are but parts and to make a quarter or a part of the body of the Sun the first and adequate subject of light and a quarter or a part of the body of the Element of water the first and adequate subject of the cold and moistness since these qualities are kindly in the rest of the quarters and parts of the body of the Sun and the body of the Element were bad Philosophy So the adequate first complete formal subject of this power must be the integral Catholick body of the guides as existing in their several Churches for this power is as kindly and natively in the guides of this Church as in the guides of that Church and equally in all 2. The power of the Keys as this power synodicall is considered either in the breadth of synodical power and so to condemn Catholick errors and heresies is in an Oecumenick Councel and where the local distance of visible Churches is greater and wider the external visible communion in being edified or scandalized is less and less use there is of censures A General Councel being onely necessary for the optimum esse the most Catholick union and peace of the Catholick Church that such a Councel is an ordinance of God Mr. Cot. proves from Act. 15. 3. As the power is narrower it becomes narrower then Oecumenical and descends to National to Provincial to Presbyterial to Congregational and all these are parts only 4. Though the Churches send Officers to the Synod and have some power of the Keyes in their kind before the Synods have being yet Mr. H. can hence conclude nothing of his purpose against me for it follows not Ergo the male-congregations have the complete power of the Keys in its latitude before the Synods have being nor does it follow that congregational Churches or Presbyterial have that complete power before Synods have being nor do they confer if we speak accurately a synodical power of the Keys they only send messengers who are materials of the Synod but the synodical power is in its parts scattered in the Churches of the Province and Nation as Immes of Gold in divers parts of the Earth and the synodical power comes from the institution of Christ who promises the holy Ghost and fulfils his promise as Mat. 28. 20. compared with Act. 15. 28. Nor can the scattered Churches bring forth of themselves any synodical power of the Keyes when they are met in a Synod the promise made to such as are gathered together in his name does the business and therefore that is soon blown away It is unpossible that a proper quality can be either in nature or time before its subject thâ— gives it beâ—ng but the power of the Keyes was 300. years before there was any General Councel in the world For this proves only that some certain power to wit formally synodical cannot be until the Synod be 2. Grave Divines judge the Synod Act. 15. to be a General Councel but though it were
Pagans O Scriptureless cruelty to make God to break the covenant first the parents continuing in covenant-obedience and suffering for Christ Mr. H. Men of approved piety in covenant with God visibly are to be admitted to the seals saith Mr. R. but saith Mr. H. gracious men be pertinacious Ans. Pertinacy in a scandal marrs approved piety but because they approve not your way are they therefore pertinacious Mr. H. To be a member of the visible Church in general and have no particular existence of membership in any particular congregation is a fansie as to say there is a part of manhood not existing in John Thomas or any Individuals Ans. Mr. H. fansies there is a promise of continuing on the Rock made to the congregation in general and yet this or that congregation falls off the Rock 2. Mr. R. his Church-general is no abstract generick nature but an individual integral Catholick body existing in all the earth and one is baptized a member to all congregations jure and exists and dwells in one only as a man may have right to all City-priviledges and yet may reside and actually enjoy only the City priviledge of London Mr. H. imagines that our Catholick integral Church is genus and the Congregation species and if so the Church of Boston should be the whole integral Catholick Church and the little finger the whole body of Iohn CHAP. IX A new device of Mr. H. his two sentences the official and dogmatical sentence of officers yet not concional nor juridical and another juridical of the male-Church is examined MR. H. It is the office of Rulers dogmatically to discover the mind of God and the mind of Christ in convincing by witnesses the offenders and preparing the cause And the brethren have no more power to oppose the sentence of the Censure thus prepared and propounded by the Elders then they have to oppose their Doctrine for the Elders may preach it as the word of God by vertue of their office Ans. 1. Scripture tells us nothing of two sentences 2. Two Judicatures which lead witnesses 3. Two sorts of binding Judges This then is will-worship 2. No Scripture tells us of leading of witnesses to convince Delinquents concionally by way of preaching Old or New Testament not Mr. H. must here speak Rev. 2. 2 14 20. Acts 15. Matth. 18. 1. 1 Cor. 5 1 2. 1 Tim. 5. 22. and elsewhere we read of but one juridical censure by the whole Court and of one sentence If he hâ—aâ— not the Church c. they are not Apostles but lyers Rev. 2. 2. Iezabel should not be suffered to teach Who can dream that these wâ—… first concluded dogmatically or ought to have been so câ—…ded by the officers in one Court and then were concluded juridically by the male Church 3. These words Tâ—â—l the Church whether must they be then tâ—…ll the Officers that they may dogmatically determine or tell the male-Church that they may juridically determine and yet one of these bear the name of the Church by our Brethrens way Or 3. Tell the Church of Redeemed ones which is their only Church The first is our Church of Rulers which they cannot endure the other two cannot subsist 4. Who gave ruling Elders a joynt power to preach juridical sentences which must binde the unofficed brethren as the preached Word of God for they have no calling to labour in the word and doctrine 1 Tim. 5. 17 and how can they preach except they be sent Rom. 10. 14 15 5. How can rude and unlettered men who labour not in the word and doctrine by vertue of their office dogmatically resolve deep points of Heresie more than unofficed brethren and predetermine their conscience should the ruling Elders lips that way preserve knowledge and should they as the Messengers of the Lord of Hosts with the pastors carry the Word of God so binding others What they do in Synods is a far other thing for there they act juridically rather than dogmatically and joyntly with Pastors and Doctors 6. This sentence must lay bands upon the consciences of the male Church so that there is nothing left to them but to obey and can obeying and submitting to the Word leave any room to judging in an authoritative way sure by this they must either hear and believe after a popular judging or then reject and so must women and children of age and what place then is left to juridical sentencing by the Elders or Brethren yea so the Churches freedom of judging is none at all when the Church may no more oppose that dogmatick sentence than they may oppose the Word of God in the mouth of their officers and what greater power can be given to any then what is given to this Independent Eldership 7. When there is a contradiction between the two sentences which of the Judicatures must be supreme If the dogmatick be supreme they may dogmatickly determine that the fraternity ought to be excommunicated for opposing the Word of God in their sentence and who can excommunicate an Independent Church And again when the Elders themselves turn Wolves who then can give out an official and dogmatick sentence against them that must be wanting and hath not the like of this brought forth among Brownists reciprocal excommunications CHAP. X. Of Synods and their Power MR. H. Synods are necessary for union in the Churches In the multitude of Counsellors there is safety Acts 15. Prov. 16. Ans. Union in truth and peace among Churches say these Churches must make one visible Body then ruptures rentings scandals must say there is in this body visible a necessity of Government and Jurisdiction must be incident to that visible body which they deny for this union must be a professed union to speak and think the same thing Phil. 2 2. c. 4. and this is visible union and so they must meet not in their members that is unpossible and here is a visible Church meeting for Civil it is not debating advising about matters of government of the House of God So strong is truth Mr. H. There are associations of divers sorts Classis Synods Provincial National Oecumenick Ans. 1. A general Councel is before mocked as a nothing and the Brethren bring arguments against the being and nature of Synods Commissioners Representees The contrary is here asserted Mr. H. The acts must t is saith Mr. R. 〈◊〉 Ecclesiastick Decrees Ans. Ambignity darkness to binde as a part of Scripture is 1. That which is contained and clearly deduced from Scripture Or 2. that this act of decreeing issuing from the immediate revelation and assistance of the Spirit maketh that which is decreed to be Scripture in the former sense acts tie as good advice and counsel onely in the latter they tie not as Scripture Ans. No man I do not say its done consultò more darkens I brought three members to clear the matter Mr. H. leaves out the third and darkens all for acts of Synods
lay on bands neither as formal Scripture for they come not from the immediately inspiring Spirit nor yet onely as clear and infallible deductions from Scripture for so the counsel of a woman Abigail infallibly deduced from the sixth Command laid a burthen upon the conscience of David And this is all the tie that Mr. H. gives to Synods they tie as godly counsels of women and servants But Mr. R. and so Mr. Cotton gives a third member they lay burthens on the consciences of the Churches not for the matter onely as the godly advice of women but formally as from the Ministerial Authority of the Commissioners And this power Mr. Tho. Goodwyn and Mr. Ph. Nye give to all Ministers over their congregations So as these three shall be Judges of Mr. H. his great mistake in this distinction Hence two contradictions are here Mr. H. gives no power to Synods but power of advising such as women over men Mr. Cotton offends at that and sayes that Synods have a Ministerial power over the Churches In the former Mr. H. leaves his Brethren and sides with Socinians and Arminians And Mr. H. shall confess the weakness of this distinction if applied to doctrines delivered by Pastors to the flock for they neither binde as womens godly counsels deduced from Scripture onely not do they binde as immediately inspired formal Scripture 2. The first and formal subject of the power of the Keys is the male-male-Church of the congregation saith Mr. H. yea not that onely saith Mr. Cotton a part of the power of the Keys is in a Synod The Dissenting Brethren gave in a Paper to the Committee of Accommodation at Westminster concerning Synods c. 1. At these meetings let them pray and expound Scripture resolve difficult Cases of Conscience 2. They may dogmatickly declare what is the will of Christ in these cases and this judgement ought to be received with reverence and obligation 〈◊〉 from an Ordinance of Christ. 3. If the doctrine or practise of any Congregation be erroneous hurtful or destructive to holiness and peace of that or of other congregations they are bound to give an account thereof to the Classis or Synod So we owe a reason of our hope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to every one women and Magistrates that are scandalized 1 Pet. 3. 15. Rom. 14. 15. 1 Cor. 10. 31 32. 4. The Classis and Synod may examine admonish and in case of obstinacy declare against that congregation 1. This is but toward an offending Church 2. A brother or womâ—n may declare against or withdraw from obstinate offenders though not as from a Church 5. The Classis or Synod may judge of any who deserve excommunication 6. If the particular Eldership refuse to do their duty the Classis ought not onely to withdraw communion from them but also to exercise the sentence of excommunication themselves This was refused by some but it s a great testimony from Adversaries for Presbyterial Government onely it wants Scripture 7. In the case of an appeal from an unjust sentence the Classis may repeal they say not by the power of Jurisdiction for a Christian woman a Martyr repealed the Acts of Trent the unjust sentence if the congregation be obstinate 8. The Classis or Synod may ordain Ministers for congregations that have not a sufficient Ministery In all this except the sixth much is yielded and nothing is yielded For 1. Every godly counsellor man or woman as a counsellor by the fifth Command is above such as are counsell'd being honoured to carry the minde of God as a private messenger of God beside that the counsel for the matter bindes the conscience So David saith to a woman 1 Sam. 25. 32. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which sent thee this day to meet me 2. They insinuate a distinction of erroneous doctrine hurtful to holiness and some erroneous doctrine not hurtful to holiness whereas he who commands us to be holy as he is holy 1 Pet. 1. 16. commands all sound opinions in fundamentals or all revealed truths nor can it but be hurtful to holiness to have erroneous opinions of God and Christ such as Socinians Antinomians and Familists and others have 3. They do not with Christian candor set down their minde concerning Synods and Classis as they call them nor confirm what they say by Scripture Mr. H. If a heathen turn a member of the Iewish Church he is by Mr. R his way by the Law of Nature to submit to Iewish ceremonies because every-member of the corporation must be under the Laws of the whole This shall make every Law positive to be the Law of Nature Ans. Not so It s the Law of Nature in general that the whole rule the part but it follows not Ergo every member is to submit to every positive Law of the whole though most unjust the member is tâ—… submit to every Law of Nature commanded by the whole The little finger infected with a Gangrene is to submit to the whole man that it be cut off for the safety of the whole body but it s against particular nature that it be cut off but most suitable to universal nature So in the general its natural for the creature rational to obey the Creator but it follows not but it s a meer positive Law that Peter give his life for the Gospel when God by a positive command calls him to it and the Law positive if Divine iâ— not contrary to the Law of universal Nature Mr. H. frequently in such purposes slips Mr. H. The division of a Nation into Provinces of a Christian Province into Territories or Presbyteries is either a device of man or a Divine Institution Ans. If a device of man be taken for an act of Christian prudence it is then neither simply the one nor the other but mixt of both for a device of man is taken in an evil part for an unlawful forgery as 1 King 12. 33. Hos. 13. 2. Psa. 106. 39. and so whatever is an act of Christian choice is not a device of man Mr. H. That which is acted by one and may be altered by another Prince is a device of man But such is the division of a Nation into provinces Ans. That which is in question is not concluded the division of a Christian Nation into Presbyteries and Provinces according to local bounds and Mathematical inches is alterable and so a congregation Independent of 350 rather of 349 or 360 is alterable shall it not upon reason be an alterable device The quantity of water in Baptism of wine that every one drinks at the Lords Supper how long the pastor shall preach two hours or three are alterable as to the quantity by men but for that the Ordinances of a congregation of water in Baptism are not devices or forgeries of men that there should be such associations of Provinces of Territories for convenient feeding governing and Mr. H. granted for
counselling Mr. Cotton for command and use of the Keys yields also so the question shall not be of the subject but of the power and of the bounds where acts of free choice of rectified reason for civil ends also have place But the Conclusion is naught So That which is not in the Word saith he is a device of man I assume the frame of the meeting-house for congregational Worship the number names trades callings of members the quantity of water in Baptism the quantity of Bread that every one eats aâ— the Lords Supper are no more in Scripture than the Territories or bounds of Presbyteries yet are they not for that humane devices Mr. H. It is doubtful that all our singular actions as Mr. R. saith are mixed for eating and drinking must be for Gods glory and Omnis actio in individuo est moraliter bona vel mala Ans. If Mr. H. doubt of this Ames Didoclavius can speak to it There is such a thing as an action indifferent as Augustine saith or rather Ierome that is neither good nor evil but it is not a humane action properly as to spit or purge the nose But see all the Schoolmen Scotus Thomas Lombard and all that writ upon them and you shall never reade this new Axiome Omnis actio in individuo est moraliter bona vâ—l mala Durandus indeed and the Schoolmen say that every act individual which followeth deliberate reason is necessarily either morally good or evil See Greg. de Valentia 2. For the mixture of our actions its cleare there is something physical in eating at the Lords Supper as the word hath not set a rule concerning the physical quantity of Bread and Wins so there be not too much for it is not to feed the body nor too little for it must work upon the senses And there is in praying preaching the tone the accent of the organs of the voice and their motion so that we eat and drink for God and soberly and seasonably is moral and squared by the word but a man sins not in eating quickly or lently in the house or in the garden or sometime in his bed sometime at midnight upon necessity Mr. Hooker errs not a little in calling the acts of the Synod Act. 15. Councels such as godly men and women who are not Apostles and Elders may give to others for counsels are not burdens laid upon the people and Churches by the wisedom and authority of the Holy Ghost 2. By Apostles and Elders who sharply rebuke the pressers of circumcision as subverters of the soules of people 3. Neither are they indifferent advices â—hich they might reject but these they could not reject without despising God and the Holy Ghost the very thing that the Lord saith he that dispiseth you dispiseth me which cannot be said of a counsel of the Heathen man to a Christian. It is saith Mr. Cotton an act of the binding power of the Keys to bind burthens as Acts 15. 27. 4. The Decrees of no properly so called Church on earth are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Decrees of Apostles and Elders Mr. H. calls them only Advices and Counsels is it not safer to believe Luke Act. 16. 4. then Mr. H But a Synod is never called a Church say they this is but to contend for names for the word Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is three times Act. 19. 32 39 40. given to a civil meeting and Mr. H. will not have it given to bodies meeting for the affairs of the Church of Christ. Mr. H. Where there is no delegation of messengers by mutual consent there is no right of jurisdiction decrees onely bind the Churches who send them Ans. Antioch Act. 15. 2. and Ierusalem sent messengers therefore two Churches at least were sent and were bound as for delegation we shall speak hereafter of it 2. If they ought to send and stand in need of light and peace and send not they are the same way tyed that some hundreds absent when Iezabel is sentenced and excommunicate are obliged to withdraw from communion from her though they were not present to consent to the sentence Mr. H. It s no prejudice to the care and wisedom of our Saviour that the punishing of the congregational Throne be reserved to God only Ans. When scandals between congregation and congregation and members of divers Churches are greater in number and offence and necessity of edifying and scandalizing greater his wisedom must provide for the more rather then the less Mr. H. If when a Church offends I must tell a higher then must I at length tell an Oecumenick or General Councel Ans. General Councels being more abstracted from infecting scandals of conversation are rather doctrinal Remedies nor are censures the ordinary possible adequate way of removing of Scandal The Word and Censures exercised in the Catholick integral visible Church in parts integral is the adequate cause Mr. H. If every man be allowed his appeal to an higher then also to a General Councel then for many hundred years while the appeal be discussed pendente appellatione the appealer cannot be censured Ans. We allow only just appeals in case of oppression to relieve the oppressed 2. In difficult cases Deut. 17. which rarely are such as call for a general Councel in case of general defection in point of Doctrine such may be and the inferiour Churches that truth suffer not are to declare for the truth 2. We allow only what men jure may do 3. The argument supposeth that we approve a towering up of appeals even to a General Councel as a liberty of every member whatever unjust prejudice be in it and that every such appeal may stop the actings of Christs visible Kingdom and called Pastors Christ hath given no power to sin Mr. H. It s a wonder that because Churches may rebuke yea Christians may rebuke Heathens though not in a Church way that therefore the Synod hath a power of jurisdiction Paul rebuked the Athenians Acts 17. A 〈◊〉 these acts of Church communion Ans. My argument is not à genere ad speciem sed specie ad genus These convened in the name of Christ by the Holy Ghost who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one consent by way of suffrage and judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 15. 9. 21. 25. rebuke perverters of souls Act. 24. 28. and lay on burdens and commands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to observe Act. 21. 25. and keep such things and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to abstain from such things Act. 15. 29. and give Decrees by which the Churches were established in peace and truth Act. 16. 4 5. these have power to excommunicate the refusers of such acts according to Matth. 18. for Paul and Barnabas were scandalized and complained to the Church of Antioch Act. 1. who sent them to complain to a Synod at Ierusalem Act. 15. 2 3 6. and these who in a Church-way determine
15. which they in circumcision undertook before to do which duty ought in foro Dei to be willing Mr. H. An oath to keep Gods commandments saith Mr. R. is a part of the third command Psal. 119 106. we are to contend for the faith Jude 〈◊〉 3. and profess God before men that which bindes a man morally binds a Nation Ans. Davids â—aking an oath was upon lawful grounds to a lawful thing but National Churches and National Covenanting are now abrogate Ans. Then a desire to preserve Religion which is called in question in the Land and to transmit it safe to posterity be a lawful ground as it is and to continue Religion be a lawful thing and to remain the Lords people we have these two which by Mr. H. made Davids taking of an oath lawful Ergo so must our National Oath by Mr. H. be lawful 2. That a National Church meeting all in one place at once to worship God is abrogate we say the Church of the Jews was no such Church nor contend we for any such national Church But if a National Church swearing a covenant to worship the Lord in sincerity in parts in several congregations be abrogate then suppose all England were visible Saints and all moulded in single Independent congregations it were unlawful for all the members to swear their Church-covenant why all National Churches are abrogate saith Mr. H. but is not here a National covenant such as we desire granted by Mr. H. 2. We contend not for a whole Nation meeting in one place to swear But sure all the land of Iudea and they of Ierusalem were all baptized of John Mark 1. 5. and all Divines grant there is a religious vow and covenant in baptism Here is such a National covenant of all the Land of Iudea as we contend for as lawful under the New Testament 3. Suppose the Turk came with a huge army against Britain with fire and sword to kill old and young except we will deny Christs Gospel and our Baptism Mr. H. by his way thinks it Judaisme for the Prince and Parliaments to command all between sixty and sixteen to rise in arms and to swear an oath to King and State that we shall confess Christ before men and stand by the Gospel and fight to the death and die a Nation of Martyrs before we yield to that Turkish Tyranny Why a National oath is Iudaisme for as a man is to confess Christ before men Mat. 10. 32. so far more a Nation when called thereunto 2. To take a covenant should be a free Ecclesiastical act no Prince can compel to National Oaths It s my prayer to God that our Brethren in New England be not compelled to quit Christian Religion as we in Scotland were thralled to embrace Popery by the dominâ—ering power of Prelates And shall it be Judaisme for Protestant Nations to swear the like if the man of sin should blow the trumpet and raise all the Catholick Romans iâ— Christendom against the Lamb and his followers 4. If it be lawful for one professor to avow Christ before men Mat. 10. 32. Mark 8. 38. Luke 5. 26. 12. 8. Rev. 2. 10 13 15. shall not Egypt Asyria be obliged to set up as it were Altars to the Lord and speak the language of Canaan Now that is a professed engaging to avow the Lord now I might put Mr. H. to it and it s but an Anabaptist ground to seek a warant for a National covenant under the New Testament for I again desire him to give me a warrant for a National profession 2. A National promise to be the Lords people 3. A National confession of sins and of leaving of the truth 4. A National petitioning for grace to avow the truth to the end and to transmit it pure to posterity 5. A National confession of faith except we argue thus a single man does this a David warrantably did swear Ps. 119. 106. Ergo a Nation may do the like 5. The examples of the Jews Church are moral not typical Tâ—e oath was not tied to Temple Sacrifice or the like 6. It s prophesied there shall be swearing and subscribing to the Lord and that the Jews shall renew their covenant to God Iâ—r 50. 4 5. see 1 Tim. 5. 12. 7. An oath is a law-band against back sliding under the New Testament as under the Old enjoined in the third Commandment And there be warrants for oaths in the New Testament Rom. 9. 1 Phil. 1. 8. 1 Thes. 2. 10. 2 Cor. 1 23. 11. 31. Rom. 1. 9. Matth. 5. 8. It is moral Deut. 6. 13. 10. 20. Isa. 19. 18 21. 45. 23. See Par. Zanchius c. Mr. H. Were the oath lawful yet not in a private man as in a Nation yet it must suit with our strength that which is helpful to one because strong and able to perform is hurtful to another Ans. To swear single life is unpossible for there is no command binding me to it 2. Will Mr. H. say aâ—l baptized by Iohn Mark 1. 5. and all their Church members that swear the Church covenant have a like strength and all engaged to be buried with Christ in Baptism Rom. 6. 3. 1 Cor. 12. 13. Gal. 3. 27. Col. 2. 11 12. all Asa and Iehoiadah their covenants had alike strength Mr. H. The ground is worse to wit that which ties one man ties a Nation a man is not morally tied to keep Gods Commandments he may live all his life and never take a private oath and not sin if he swear this is a moral command to keep his oath his manner of swearing seems to be private it s but a free-will offering Ans. To lay bands of promises and oaths upon a back-sliding heart is commanded in the third Command and is not Judaical Gen. 14. 22. Gen. 28. 20. Psal. 132. 2. Psal. 76. 11. It s prophesied as a moral duty of Egypt converted under the New Testament Isa. 19. 21. They shall vow a vow to the Lord all the Gospel purposes and resolutions spoken to the Lord in praying in suiting grace to do duties confessing sins are so many Gospel vows laid upon the heart to do such duties nor is there a formal swearing required in vows made to God And this is sinful omission of a morally obliging duty and morally obliging one man so it obligeth a Nation as affiirmative precepts do and this smels of Anabaptism to cry down all Gospel-vows 2. The manner of swearing to continue in the professing of faith when temptations from the Prince and Edicts to receive the Mass Book are no more private and arbitrary vows then the oath of your Church covenant 3. It s poor Divinity to say that the free-will offerings to the Tabernacle and Temple were free that is arbitrary so that a man might have lived all his life and never been guilty though all his life he never offer a free-will offering to Tabernacle Temple or to the Lord
all Gospel-vows to be unnecessary and will worship under the New Testament Whereas Papists tell us in the Mass they make a general vow of obedience to God See Durantus and Gab. Biel. Mr. H. For if the Magistrate were bound to follow the judgement of the Churches and Ministry if they should judge a toleration of all Religions lawful or judge the false to be true he then were bound to nurse the false Religion and false Churches Ans. 1. No shadow of consequence is here for neither Magistrate nor people can be bound to follow the judgement of the Churches or Ministry farther then they follow the Rule of the Word they follow their judgement conditionally not absolutely and simply and it is a great calumny of Mr. Burton and our Brethren that we lay bands on the consciences of Prince and people to follow the acts and determinations of the Church be they true or false and that there is no place left to appeal to the next or a better informed Synod and to the consciences of the collective Church of the godly judicious professors and to protest and deny obedience to erring Assemblies If it be said but where is there a Iudge to determine whether this or another well informed Synod or the conscience of the collective body of the godly be right This argument falls with equal weight upon all Judicatures all Judges Parliament Prince and Councellors with him upon all Assemblies for what they determine be it toleration of all blasphemies or a strictest uniformity in Worship and Religion it hath no power to bind the conscientious and moral practices of Prince or people more then to bind their conscience by this for the Fraternity and whole Church is tyed to follow the dogmatick determination of officers in preaching or in sentencing delinquents without gain-saying what the officers decree saith Mr. H. it is to all as the word of God But Mr. H. must answer us Churches and Ministry are bound either absolutely or conditionally to follow the Judgement of the King who judgeth popery is the only true Religion to which he can tender protection If the former what Tyranny are we under who must submit to the Religion of the Prince or be denuded of all protection and exposed to fire and sword If the latter be said to wit that Churches and Ministry are only conditionally to follow the judgment of the King so they find it agreeable to the Word otherwise not then it must be false which Mr. H. said that the Prince is the only supreme Judge of all true and false Religions to say they must either obey or suffer saith that Christ exposed all to Martyrdom Mr. H. If it be in the Magistrates power lawfully to forbid and hinder then it is not in the power of the Churches to do lawfullye for then the same thing should be in the same regard both lawful and unlawfulâ—… and the rules of providence shall be opposite one to another but the supreme Magistrate may hinder any of another Nation to come into his Kingdom or his own subjects to go out otherwise he should want power to oppose them who come to lay waste the State and should not have power to require homage of his own people Ans. 1. The probation of the proposition is most false for the power of the Magistrate is not to forbid or command what he pleaseth but according to the rule of the Word and the Churches power is the same if both the powers be lawful their objects cannot be contradictory for God hath not given to two lawful powers any lawful liberty that the one may command what is lawful and the other what is unlawful for then he should give a power to command unlawful things and the command of a created power should make it lawful which is blasphemous this argument falls with weight upon the Independent way There is a Iezabel in the Independent Church of Thyatira and another Iezabel in the Church of Pergamus each Church say our Brethren hath an immediate Independent Church-power to excommunicate Thyatira useth their power and excommunicates Iezabel which is under them Pergamus absolves and defends their Iezabel Both powers are highest and immediate and countable to no juridical power on earth both are lawful powers Then must it follow if it be in the power of the one Church to wiâ— of Pergamus lawfully to forbid and hinder the excommunication of their equally guilty Iezabel and the câ—…ning of her blasphemous Doctrine for Pergamus absolves their â—…l and commends and defends her Doctrine as soâ—…d and â—…g then it shall not be in the power of Tâ—… lawfully to excommunicate their Iezabel and condemn heâ— plasphemous Doctrine for it shall follow that the same Doctrine must be in the same regard both lawful and sound and edifying saith the lawful power of Pergamus and 〈◊〉 unlawful and unsound and destructive to souls saith the lawful power of Thyatira 2. The probation is feeble and wacery the King hath sufficient power to oppose wasters of his Kingdom and to require homage of his subjects Suppose he have not an unlimited power to forbid these of other Nations and Churches and his own to go to a Synod within or without his Nation for the setling of the Churches in necessary peace and truth if the Churches must seek liberty and counsel for their soules good and edification nor hath he any lawful power from God to hinder his own subjects to send Commissioners to sound and godly Synods for counsel and synodical light more then Ieroboam could lawfully forbid the people to go and worship at Ierusalem upon pretence that they might be perswaded to cleave to Rehoboam their lawful Prince and waste his new Kingdom nor hath the Prince an unlimited and absolute power to exact such absolute homage of his people nor such a power over their moving from place for so the Church Independent of Ierusalem confisting of ten thousand if not more should have no intrinsecal power to meet for the publick worship of God but the Prince must have a lawful power to hinder their meeting or then the Church cannot have a lawful power to meet for the convening of ten thousands if abused is as dangerous for wasting of a Kingdom in its own way as the convening of a national Synod is or may be destructive to peace Mr. H. To appoint such solemn publick Assemblies is an act meerly civil Ergo the Prince may do it A civil act belongs not to an Ecclesiastick power A right opinion rectus de Deo sensus cultus of God and a right worship of God is a meerly civil act Ans. There is nothing here sound but evil and worse Christ â—…h given an Ecclesiastick intrinsecal power to his Church to meet it being a part of his free Kingdom and he himself a free King Suppose the Princes of the earth oppose Ps. 2. 1 2 3 4 5 6. Ps. 110. 1 2 3.
Mediolâ—… as Secrates hath it l. 4. c. 30 c. saith the same See Magdiburg vol. 3. cant 11. c. 6. p. 140. See vol. 3. cent 13. c. 6. p. 260 261. The Magdeburgenses say the reason of multiplying of Officers Bishops Presbyters Deacons Lectors Canons Exorcists c. was in the end of the third Age Ecclesiastick congregations began to be multiplied 2. Metropolitans Archbishops Bishops Deacons Archdeacons in Rome in Constantinople as Sozomen l. 4. c. 2. in Alexandria as Sozomen l. 7. c. 19. and Optat. Milâ—vitanus l. 1. contr Parmen and the 14 Canon of the Councel of Neocaesarea ordains that in amplu civitatibus in large cities there should not be above seven Deacons Now sense and reason would say there could be no ground of appointing such a number of officers if Rome Constantinople Antioch Alexandria had been all one single congregation meeting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 within the same walls and not a large Presbyterial Church 3. They must be great strangers to Rome who know not that there were at Rome many Churches and Meeting-places consecrated to the Saints and that the Synod of Nice as Ruffinâ—s and Athanasius say ordained the Bishop of Rome to care for the Churches of the Suburbs as the Magdeburgenses say yet all was called the Church of Rome See the Magd. burgenses vol. 2. cent 5. c. 6. p. 357 358. Of the Churches mixture of wheat and chaff see Aâ—gustins and Prosper who say Evil men if they infect not must be tolerated and the good not separated from because of the evil known to be such Otherwise Donatus and his never taught men to separate from latent hypocrites which are seeming and visible Saints as also they must be tolerated that they may be converted Augustine asserts a catholick integral visible Church in Ps. 56. Corpus autem ejus non est ista aâ—â— illa Ecclâ—sâ—a sed tâ—tâ— orbe diffusa for the whole Church saith he is made up of all the faithful having Christ for their Head For the ordination of pastors by the laying on of hands of the Ministers and consent of the people seâ— the Magdeburgenses So was Chrysostoâ—â—â— ordained consâ—nsu cleri populi Constantinopolitani as Socrates l. 6. c. 2. and Sozomen l. 8. c. 2. witness So saith Augustine that not the Church of Carthage onely and of Numidia sed propinquiores Episcopi the neareâ—â— Bishops and Pastors laid on hands See the Magdeburg For association of Churches see the Magdeb. vol. 2. cont 5. c. 7. p. 417 418. 422 493. The Magdeburgenses tell us of famous and celebrious Churches in the sixth Age in Asiâ—â— Africa and Europe in renowned câ—â—ies which had eminent Bishops in them and new Churches builâ— espeâ—ially Iustiman the Emperour built in Constantinople in Thraâ—iâ— the noble Church of Sophia incomparable for magnificence to any in-the world saith Eâ—agrâ—us and Nicephorus And where there be many places of meeting for Worship in great cities Constantinopie Autiâ—ch the Church of that city must be Presbytâ—rial not congregational to sounder Antiquity That the Church of Rome could not meet congregationally the multitude of Churches dedicated to Saints do evince Magdeb. cent 6. c. 6 p. 181. Quod saepe in publicis locis Romae Christiani ad sacra peragenda convenerint â—estantur innuâ—era â—lla delubra 〈◊〉 Sabellico expressa ut Templum Cosinae Damiani Saturnii Vaticanum Batjonae Sopâ—iae Euphemiae Marcelli Pancratii mentionâ—â—â— facit Gregorius Papa Templorum Petri Pâ—â—li Romae Agathae Caesaâ—ii Martyris Julâ—i Mariae Agnetis Foelicitatis Stephani Andreae c. It s true many of these Churches say the Magdeburgâ—â—ses were built not so much for the Worship of God as for Superâ—… yet no sober man can say the Christianâ— in Roâ—â— could mâ—â—â— in one congregation but that many Churches were needful See for association of Churches the Magdeburgâ—â—s That the visible Church is made up of good and evil see the Magdeburg who â—iâ—e Hayme and others though in this and former ages gross corruptions daily grew So the Magdeburgâ—â—ses vol. 3. cent 10. cite Thophylact for the same and Vol. 3. câ—nt 12. c. 7. p. 457 458. and cent 13. c. 4. p. 185. The Magdeburgenses ascribe the power of the Keys Matth. 16. to Peter representing Pastors and for this they cite Theophylactus and Radulphus Ausbertus Ausâ—…s gives so the power of binding and loosing to the Priests Eâ—â—â— in Evang. as excommunication shouâ—◠〈◊〉 by the mouth of the Church the Priest for when the Priest excommunicates the whole body of the Church acts in him See the Magdeb. cent 11. Ausel in Mat. 18. Quâ—râ—â— reâ—â—seritis nec 〈◊〉 Apostolis sed â—â—nibus Episcopis Prâ—… haec potest as concesâ—â— est See the Magdeburgâ—nses citing the Schoolmen Thomas Aquâ—â—â—â— Bâ—…tura Albertus to this purpose also For the notes of the true Church in the dark midnight of Popery Petr. Waldensis in France ann 1160. taught the same with us and yet Mr. Hooker refusing these marks tells us Truth is the Daughter of Time and excellently doth the twelfeth Age agree with the first Age. Of Pet. Waldensis were the Waldenses the sincere part of the Church giving â—estimony against the daily growing corruptions of Rome The Magdeburgenses in their Preface to the third volume of their History Cent. 10. Sunt autem not◠〈◊〉 soâ— propâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 gaâ—manae Ecclisiae Christi verbi Dei praedicatâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacramentoruâ— usus iustitutâ—â— Ã Christo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 studio conjunctus These men knew true Antiquity well Hâ—… Wâ—lif Ierome of Prague and the renowned Martyrs of Christ sealed with their blood the same truth as Antiquity witnesses of them Mr. 〈◊〉 calleth the preaching of the Gospel a common adjunct of the Church But we appeal to Antiquity though the Scripture be above all for a warrant of their Church Tertullian offendâ— at such who say the Apostles were ignorant of any thing to whom the Lord gave the Keyes to open and 〈◊〉 Heaven which secreâ—s the people know not and the Apostles dâ— that in opening and sâ—utting heaven which only God can 〈◊〉 Christ gaâ—â— the Kâ—… per â—um Ecclesiae to Peter and by him to the Châ—rch Epiphâ—niâ—â— assâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 Universal Integral Church though the tongues be divers and God keeps carefully his Church spread through all the World as dwelling in one and the same house 〈◊〉 it s not in Pâ—rygia Cilicia and Paâ—phylia onely but all the World over And he cites that of Christ this cannot be a congregation Lactantius is for our notes of the Church not for Mr. H. the Phâ—yges Novatiani Valentiniani Marcionitae Authae piani aut Aâ—riani leave off to be Christians that then is the only catholick Church which retains the true worship of God Eusebius Pamphil. The Church is diffused all the world over East and West South and North. He expounds Matth. 16. the Church upon the Rock to be
of Christ by faith make one body and that he excludes not but includes the visible body he proves from 1 Cor. 12. ye are the body of Christ and Eph. 4. the body gathered by the Ministry of Apostles Evangelists Pastors c. which shall be brought to the unity of faith So Christ is the rock of life and the rock of faith to the Church builded upon the rock which admits not Magns who is not builded upon the rock as Ioh. Hush refused a wicked Pope to be head or member of the Church so built Hieronymus clearly expounds the ports of Hell to be Viâ—ia atque peccata reâ—r vâ—l certè 〈◊〉 Doctrinas sins or herefies which is strong for the invisibâ—e Church of true believers not for the visible congregation of which Iudas and Magus are members to Mr. Hooker and were never built on the rock And the Keyes are given to Bishops and Presbyters who may not under that pretence condemn the innocent And Hieron Com. Mat. 18. 18. Si Ecclesiam non audierit quaecunque alligaveritis potestatem tribuit Apostolis ut sciant qui à 〈◊〉 condeâ—nantur humanam sententiam divinâ roborari quodcunque ligatum fuerit in terra ligari pariter in coelâ— See Hieronym Com. ad Eph. 4. 11. who expounds the body of Christ of the Church until we all meet all the company of believers And Hâ—eron Let the Bishops hear who have power of ordaining Elders in every City Nor need our Brethren suspect Hieronymus to be prelatical his judgment is known to be contrary thereunto See Hieron in Tit. 1. 5. See him for the present purpose in Opuscul in Prover c. 7 p. 217. See Ruffinus for the marks of the true Church saying with us That pure doctrine declares a pure Church and so the Churches which Marcion Valentinus Ebion and Manicheus and other hereticks gather are not true Churches Chrysostom If the ports of hell prevail not against the Church far less shall they prevail against me therefore thou shouldst not be troubled Peter when thou hearest that I shall be crucified Then by the mind of Chrysostom Christ speaks here for the comfort of Peter as a sound believer and not as an external visible member of a congregation as saith Mr. H. And see here a fisher-man is made Pastor and Head of the whole Church Then it could not have been the mind of Chrysostom that such a headship whatever it was or whether peculiar to Peter or no is another question was given to the people Chrysostom expounds tell the Church tell the Rulers Chrysostom As a King sending Iudges gives them power to cast guilty men in prison and to deliver them so sends Christ his Disciples and arms them with authority Will any dream that Chrysostom judgeth that Christ gave this power to the people Chrysostom saith the Apostles take to themselves to determine the number of the Deacons and to ordain them but they give the election of the men to the people lest the Apostles should seem partial and to favour men Mr. H. saith the contrary Valiant Athanasius makes the Church builded upon a Rock to be a strong an unshaken promise and that the Church is an inseparable thing although hell it self were moved and these that are in hell and the Princes of darkness should rage Sure this great Witness never meant any such invincible promise to an external visible congregation and its members Iudas and Simon Magus Peter himself who received the heavenly Keyes sinned saith Athanasius Hilarius commends the Rock which breaks the ports of Hell and sayes that men are loosed or bound in Heaven by condition of the Apostles sentence then doth he not think it the sentence of the people Let the learned judge of the ancient writings of Clemens that Epistle of his to the Corinthians read sometimes in the ancient Church will have Mr. Hookers visible converts only Church-matter though he writ to them as the true Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet he writes of a sad change of their profession such as was in Israel when they made defection to Idolatry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It were hard to say such a company are all visible converts 2. Clemens seems to deny to the people power of commanding and to say that the preachers ordained Bishops and Deacons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyrillus Alexandrinus upon these words I will give thee the Keyes he gifted universally all the Apostles with power over unclean spirits then neither the one power nor the other gave he to the people Cyril Alexan. in Isa. l. 5. pag. 393. Cyrillus tom 2 dialog de Trinitat l. 4. pag. 278. Peter is so called from his most firm and unshaken faith in qua Ecclesia Christi ita fundata ac firmatt essâ—t ut non laberetur esser expugnabilis inferorum portis aeterâ—…um manens on which the Church is built that it cannot fail but remains for ever cannot be overcome by the ports of hell Cyrillus well knew single congregations are not invincible and he speaks of such a saving faith as Magus cannot have it came from the Father teaching ex ineffabili eruditione superna c. See what Apostolick dignity he gave to them which he gave not to the people Cyrill in Ioan. l. 12. c. 56. page 699 700. Cyrill on Isa. 5. c. 60 page 383. August tom 10. Dom. 11 post Epiphan sect 2 page 235. Tertius modus est quomodo totus Christus secundum Ecclesiam id est caput corpus praediceturâ— etenim caput corpus unus Christus non quia sine corpore non est integer sed quia nobiscum integer esse dignatus est membra Christi corpus sumus omnes simul non qui hoc loco sumus tantum fed per universam terram nee qui tantum hoc tempore sed qui dicam ex Abelâ—…sto usque in finem seculi quandiu generant generantur hominis It were needless to prove a visible integral catholick Church all the world over not in Asia onely from Augustine 2. Or to prove a mixture of tares and wheat of good and bad in the visible Church and that they are not visible converts that are members of the visible Church 3. How far in the communion of the Church and of Sacraments mali maculent contaminent bonos see August-cont Epist. Parmen Mr. H. deviseth a way for this It s referred to a mans free choice without any compulsion of any to what congregation he shall joyn himself or not and though the doctrine and ordinances be most pure yet he may keep within himself the causes of his not joyning thinking such are profane and so there is little or nothing of Christs presence in this Church But the formal cause of joyning to a Church in which one should reside is not the holiness of members but the soundness and purity of
the Ordinances and if the Gospel be there he is obliged to profess it as he is to confess and not deny Christ before men 2. If any of Israel goodwell in another city or town where another Priest shall teach is it in his choice to be taught by that Priest or not or was there no freedome under the Old Testament but there is freedome now Prove this difference from the Word 4. The Donâ—… in that contr Pâ—… l. 11. c. 14. A wicked Minister can no more convert quam vivificare quenquam mortuus potest than a dead man can give life So our Brethren they are not fit to be edifying matter who shall destroy the Church 5. August lib. Retract 2. c. 18. Ubicunqus autem in 〈◊〉 libris commemoravi Ecclesiam non habentem maculam aâ—… rugam non sic accipiendum quasi jam sâ—â— sed quâ— praeparatur ut sis Augustine owns no Church that in the esteem of Saints is without spot or wrinkle 6. Augustine condâ—… the Donatistâ— Aug. contr liter Petil. Episc. Donatistâ— l. 1. 〈◊〉 1. they were broken off from the catholick Church ab or bis 〈◊〉 sancta communiono that was sure no congregation for they set up congregations of their own but they said With themselves onely was the true Church 7. Petilianus said What hath righteousness to do with unrighteousness Augustine saith It s not righteousness taking part with unrighteousness Si Judas Petruâ— paritor sacramenta communiâ—… 8. Petilianus applied the Scriptures that are spoken of real Saints as Psal. 1. Blessed is the man and Psal. 23. The Lord is my shepherd he leadeth me c. to their onely members of separated Churches So do our Brethreu Mr. Cotton Mr. Hooker So Mr. Robinson Augustine answers These words belong not to baptized Simon Magus They are not the words of the tares of the chaff but of the wheat 9. Petilian said the Catholicks admitted all to be just and members of the Church qui verba legis noverunt that knew words of Scripture and Satan knew Scripture The same Mr. H. objects to us See Aug. 10. The question between us and the Donatists is Where is this Body visible for it were madness to think the question was touching the invisible Church where it is Where the Church is What then shall we do shall we seek it in our words or in the words of her Head the Lord Iesus See August It s known Augustine acknowledgeth in all these Writings a Catholick Church from Sea to Sea to which men should joyn themselves as to the visible society of Christ. 11. Our Brethren will have none to be baptized except they be baptized into a particular congregation And Aug. condemns the Donatists who will have it no baptism which is administred without the Church 12. Our Brethren will have so many conditions of the visible Church 1. That the matter be fit visible Saints 2. That the form be a Church covenant 3. That they meet in one place c. Augustine following the Word saith All of Jews and Gentiles in covenant are the visible Church 13. This or that congregation or believer may fall off the Rock defecit ex omnibus Gentibus Christiana Religio excepta parte Donati except some following Donatus and some in America aut alibi See Aug. 14. They who saith Augustine teach That the Church which was to take its beginning at Jerusalem is not that visible City but by a figure is the whole Church that is in heaven and earth may say that also is spoken by a figure It behoved Christ to die and to rise the third day Then Augustine thinks the Church of Jews and Gentiles all the world over to be one visible City against the Donatists and our Brethren Catholicks as August teacheth said that it was the minde of Cyprian that the tares were in the Church not lurking but seen to which the Donatists durst answer nothing they were so moved with the authority of Cyprian Cyprian clearly saith the Lord gave first to Peter upon whom he built his Church nor did he then build the Church upon the confessing Church power to binde and loose as also he saith after the Resurrection to the Apostles As my Father sent me so send I you To Cyprian then one place in Ioh. 20. expounds Matth 16. Now Cyprian never thought that Christ sent the people as the Father sent him And Cyprian soli Petro dixit Quaecunque ligaverâ—s Quando in solos Apostolos insuâ—â—â—vit Christus dicens accipite Spiritum Sanctum si eujus remiseritis pâ—ocata Cyprian proves that the Church is one and Baptism one What talk they then of multiplied visible congregations and multiplied Baptisms And see Cyprian Et quamvis Apostolis omnibus post resurrectionem dicat Sicut â—ifit me pater c. tamen ut unitatem manifestaret unam Cathedram Petri constituit c. Cyprian expounding Matth. 16. 18. And I say to thee Thou â—â—t Peter c. the Church is founded upon the Bishops and every act of the Church by these overseers is guided and therefore the lapsi should not have peace but by satisfying Church-discipline FINIS Isa. 15. 6 7. The adequate subject of Church discipline is not the visible Church as M. H. take 〈◊〉 it A Church without officers may not do what a civil corporation without rulers may do Pag. 13 14. What influence habitation hath to make Church-members Survey p. 1. c. 2. pag. 14 15. M. H. his visible Saints are not the onely fit matter of the visible Church nor is it proved but by conjectures Pag. 15. M. H. 1. Arg. Christ is two wayes a head by M. H. his way Or where Christ is in Scripture called the head of Magus M. R. desires to know Men are the confederate people of God visibly without any mans passing his judgment thereupon M. H. his Second Arg. part 1. pag. 16 17. M. H. 2. Arg. That reall Saints onely are members and subjects of the visible Church and of Christs visible kingdome the place Isai. 33. 22. doth not prove that M. H. his visible Saints are the onely matter of the visible Church Marlorat comment in Isai. c. 3â— 20. tentorium firmum adeo ut ne portae inferorum adversus eam praevaleant Matth. 16. 18. Ioan. Piscator v. 20. adhuc alloquitur pios Iudaeos Calvin in Locum quin dominus in medio ejus ideo non commovetur Muscul. 16. oves meas nemo rapiet è manu mea Calv. in vers 22. notandum hic quae vera sit ecclesia Dei scil Deum logislatorem regem agnoscit Bullinger in locum ita instruct à gratiâ Dei ut malis nec cedat nec frangatur sed semper permaneat firma Calvin vers 24. notatâ— dignum est quod soli ecclesiae cives hoc privilegio remissionis ornantur Gualter in loc ad solam ergo ecclesiam â—ujus cives illa
ejus tempore plerosque Châ—nanaeoâ—um ad Ecclesiam Catholicam pertiâ—uisse existimat Pineda in Iob cap. 1. ver 1. Nu. 75. c. 4. Ecce docuisti multos fuisse regem publicum doctorem populi sibi subjecti When Iob lived even before the Law and before Moses See Theodoret Epitom Divinorum decretorum l. 5. de creatione Origen Homil. 4. super Ezek. Euseb. l. 1. Demonst. Evang. cap. 3. Moses videtur septimus ab Abrahamo Iob quintus The visible Church as visible is not the first and principal subject of the seals according to their substance of the new heart perseverance c. The olive tree Rom. 16. 15. not the visible Congregation as visible but as it includeth the Elect and the fatness is not the outward signs only of which Magus partaketh Pag. 45. Ch 2. p. 27. Non-regeneration excludes not men from Church-right to the seals as M. H. imagineth Mr. R. places not the formal reason of offices officers seals in the visible Church as Mr. H. saith Survey par 1. c. 4. p 45 46. See Mr. Robinson his error in this Justific of Separat pa. 297. These of sundry Congregations have as visible a communion and so make up as visible a body as thâ—se of the same Congregation that meet within the same wals Marrying of Members to one Congregation onely is a Scriptureless conceit Mr. Robinson Justificat of Separ p. 317. It is not free to professors to refuse to be membersof the Congregation in which they were borne of believing Parents baptized and must reside in a convenient nearness to the Assembly of Saints Church-duties of warning teaching comforting rebuking are by no word of Christ restricted to one single congregation Pag. 47. Experimental knowledge of the spirituall fitness one of another before the erecting of a Congregation is warranted by no word of God whatever Mr. H. say on the contrary Pag 47 48. Mr. Cawdreys Review c. 3. p. 104. Pag 48 49 50 No Covenant in the N. Testament ties any to Christian duties in one onely CoÌ„gregation otherwise than as providential coÌ„versing with them affords which is in sister-Churches also How D. Bilson abuseth the place Mat. 18. See Bilson the perfect government of Christs Church c. 4 p. 18 19 c. he mistaketh both our conclusion our arguments It is against our Saviours purpose to limiâ—… the gaining of a trespassing brother Mat. 28. to the onely one Congregation of which the offended brother is a member fixedly The unâ—diâ—ying and cruel inconvenience that come to the soules of beleeving merchants sojourners who are visible Saints by the Church engagement to one onely single Congregation Part 1. C. 4. Pag. 50. The reason for this Church-Covenant from the Priviledges of a City is nought and much against this Will worship Cawdery review c. 104. Pag. 106 107. Rutherfurd due right of Pres. par 2. pag 328 329. Mr. John Cotton his judicious tractate of the keys ch 3. pag. 17. The way of the Churches of N. E. ch 6. sect 1. pag 103 and sect 2. 16. Mr. Hooker Survey par 3. c. 2. p. 10. Ch. 6. Sect. 1. Pag. 103. The texts that cal the Church a City are nothing for the Congregational engagement The Apostle noteth Eph. 4. the Catholike Elect Church as also Heb. 12. The way of the Churches of N. E. C. III. sect 1. pag. 53. Ibid. ch 4. sect 6. pag. 82. Mr. H. Survey par 1. c. 2. pag. 15. Theodoret. electos Occumenius fideles quorum nomina scripta sunt in libro vitae Calvin Marlorat Câ—â—lestem ergo Ierusalem intelligit quae per totum mundum extruenda erat quemadmodum Angelus fâ—niculum ejus ab Oriente usque in Occidentem exteâ—dit Piscat Qui electi sunt ad vitam aeternam Luk. 10. English Annotations Diodati The Universal Church Pareus Com. Est igitur Ecclesia invisibilis electorum quam sanctam CatholicaÌ„ credimus in symbole Sed an omnes Hebraei erant primogeniti electi hoc non dicit sed ad eos accessisse Cajetan Ecclesiaâ— Apostolorum Discipulorum immediatorum Christi qui conscripti sunt in libro divinae praedestinationis Estius Filios Dei per adoptionem qui sunt Electi Beza in locum Ecclesiâ—m corpori comparat cujus anima est Christus Calv. Particula universalis omnes non sic ut omnes homines in Christum credant hoc eniâ—â— Synecdochicè de praedestinatis duntaxat à Paulo dicitur â—i namque soli in unitatem fidei perueviunt qui ab aeterno electi sunt Rom. 8. 30. Zanch. in loc Constat oorpus hoc ex Eâ—ectis tanquam membris coagmentatis Christo per fidem Nostras Ro. Bodiâ—â— Ã Trocheregia vir nobili genere naâ—us Com. Praelection in Eph. 4. v. 12 13. pag. 511. 512. Haec pâ—rro Sanctorum compactio sive coagmentatio bifariam promovetur Primo cum nova subinde membra ad corporis hujus compagem adsciscuntur fide donantur Christo capiti per fidem inseruntur Deinde quando jam vocati Christo insâ—â—i in fide charitate magis magisque proficiunt Siquidem utroque hoc modo corpus hoc mysticum ad suam perfectionem tendit pag. 513. Donec omnia membra ergo Catholicam Eccleâ—â—â—â— militanteÌ„ intelligit non modò ad corporis hujus mystici compagam communionem vocata suâ—â—int verâ—m etiam debitum spiritualis illius staturae complementum acceperint Pareus Com. in Loc. Minus videtur fieri posse ut tam diversâ— sortis nationis conditionis homines in unâ— corpus coeant The visible Church because visible is never in scripture called the body of Christ. The body 1 Cor. 12. is the Catholick Church and how Mr. Cotton Keys c. 3. 17. Way of the Churches ch 6. sect 1. pag. 103. Martyr in Loc. Cum Christiani dicantur â—num corpus efficere 〈◊〉 tantum politicum Christi corpus intelligitur sed spirituale arâ—anum Christi corpus quod ad vitam aeternamtendit habetque communia hac omnia Dium Christum Spiritum Sanctum 〈◊〉 Dei gratiam sacramenta ex quibus liquet 〈◊〉 posse in corpore Christi membra arida mortua esse Part 1. pag. 51 52 53. As Mr. H. seldom proves what is denied so not any of his arguments conclude that we are of no members made visible members of the Church onely by this Church Covenant The Church-covenant destroyes all Church-communion Vid. Chamier l. 6. c. 6. loc com p. 280. What power one member or one Church hath over another Mr. Cotton the keys of the kingdom ch 6. p. 25. For one member or one Church to complain of another is no binding or loosing such as is Mat. 18. as Mr. H. saith Par. 1. pag. 53 54. Presbyterial congregational churches in general are of divine institution yet according to their locality number of meÌ„bers c. are onely things of order c. Par. 1. p. 47. The implicite Church-covenant is but an imagination The way of
visible before they were admitted members To be ingraffed in the body is not to be ingraffed into a single congregation Page 76 77. The Texts Acts 2. and 5. concerning adding to the Lord to the Church are vindicated fâ—oÌ„ the gloss of M. H. and have no shadow of a Church covenant Calv. Gualth Erant medii homines Occumenius Virtus verè Evangelica idonea erat quae plurimum collaâ—daretur Chrysost Nec convertentes se ad risumâ— non ad â—inas sed valde humani erant pâ—ae aliis soliciti M. H. strengthens Anabaptists by his so reasoning froÌ„ the place Acts 5. Ans. to 32 qu. 4. p. 12. Of the binding loosing on earth in heaven Mar. 18. Calv. Resp. Non ad alios dirigi sermonem quam qui rectè ac sincerè Ecclesiae se reconciliant Mat. 18. is nota rule for comforting hypocrites as if their sins were loosed in heaven The Lord ratifies in heaven what the Church doth on earth though the hypocrite be not pardoned Can. Poenir Concil Ancyâ—an Can. Nic. Concil See Chemnit exam de Indul. Pag 727 728. Pâ—…r in Mat. 18. dâ—cu 11. v. 18 19. Cum 〈◊〉 exâ—… onâ—â— lâ—giâ—â—mè peractae rata sit apud Deum eâ—veant exâ—ommunicati ne illam contemnant recepti firmam fiduciam gratiae concipiant Calvin Ergo quisquis admisso delicto suppliciter culpam agnoscit ab Ecclesia veniam impetret is absolvitur non tantum ab hominibus sâ—d ab ipso Deo si ludibrio habet neque illi cum hominibus jam erit negotium sed Deus erit vindex Pareus Sit tibi judicium gitur Ecclesiae adversus contumacâ—s divinam habebit authoritatem Quaecunque ligaveritis Hilarius ad terrorem metus maximi Quaecunque ligaveritis Hieronymus quia poterit Contemptoris fratris haec esse responsio vel tacita cogitatio si me despicis ego â—ed spicio potestatem tribuit Apostolis ut sciant qui ab ipsis condemnantur hominum sententiam divinâ sententiâ roborari Ita Cyprian de Un t. Eccles. c. 3. Ita Chrysostomus Ita Augustinus in loc What ye shall bind Diodati proceeding in knowledge uprightness and wisedom English Divines An. in loc 18. Whatsoever ye shall bind Ioh. 20 23. 1 Cor. 5. 4. by convincing men of sin against God or of wrong done to you The sentence of Absolution to the penitent is concional and so conditional to the Church right proceeding is absolute and juridical There is not the like measure of visible Saintship required of one at his first admission and at his readmission after excommunication Par. 1. p. 77. Mr. R. 3. Arg. Mr. H. makes Infants to be no actual covenanters M. R. Arg. 4. Par. 1. p. 78 79 The covenant of grace solemnly entred in baptism ties us to all Church-duties in all Congregations without any special covenant-engagement making me a special Church-brother to these of this Congregation only and that by divine command of a new covenant different from the Gospel-covenant It is vain doctrine that none can be my Church-brother whom I am to gain but one under the same only Congregational covenant with me Way of the Churches c. 6. sect 6. pag. 103 sect 7. Cotton of the Keys c. 4. pag. 17. Mr. Hooker Survey A Pastor is not as a husband to his own Congregation only for he may perform pastoral duties to other members and Congregations See Mr. Robinson Iustific of Separat 317 318. in the the same mistake with Mr. H. but disputing more nervously then Mr. Hooker Epaphras though at Rome is a Minister at Coloss. Answ. A fixed Ministâ—r labouring among them in that part of the Vineyard true but he was actu primo habitu all the world over a Minister wheresoever he opened his mouth and tendered the seals Page 80. Page 81. One must be a member of the visible Church though no member of a Congregation before he can be a Pastor of a Congregation A Pastor is made a Pastor by only ordination but it follows not Ergo he is now lawfully made a Pastor by ordination separated for any designed and certain flock consenting and chusing him to be their Pastor When Augustine confesseth that the Donatists who separated themselves from the true Catholick Church did beget sons to the Church and had the true Sacraments he shews that they were members of the Catholick Church though members of a separated Church De Baptismo contra Donatist lib. 1. c. 10. Certe quidem nati erant nec tamen ad ipsam Ecclesiam de quâ nati erant per pacis uaitatis vinculum pertinerent ergo ipsa generat per uterum suâ—â— per uteros ancillarum ex eisdem Sacramentis tanquam ex viri sui semine The woful absurdities which follow from the membership of Pastors and Saints confined to one only Congregation Churches and members of associate Churches are visible professors and members no less than single congregations A sort of covenant is not denied but the question is mis-stated Par. 1. p. 82. Survey par 4. cap. 1. concl 1. pag. 1 2. Mr. H. Survey ibid. The blasphem us comparison making the Pastor the Husband and the congregation his married wife until death is refuted Due Right of Presbyt l. 1. p. 127. Enarist Ep. 2. Concil Carthag 3. cap. 38. Concil Sard. Cen. 1. Concil Antioch c. 21. Enarist de Epist. ejectis Sicut vir non debet adulterare suam uxorem ita neque Episcopus Ecclesiam fuam ut eam dimittat Innocen III. Omnipotens Deus conjugium quod est inter Episcopum Ecclesiam suo tantum judicio reservavit dissolvendum Calv. Com. in Isa. 54. v. 5. Ecclesia agnoscat qualem maritum habere ac revereri debeat 〈◊〉 Deum Luther Com. in loc Habetis maritum non Mosem non Petrum non Paulum Bullinger Musculus Gualther Com. in Isa. 14. v. 5. Nor do our Divines acknowledge that Concil Gener. par 1. Epistola Papae Calixti secunda pag. 136. allegata est uxor legi quamdiu vir ejus vivit Rom. 7 c. similiter sponsa Episcopi quia sponsa uxorque ejus dicitur Ecclesia Mr. Cotton Keys c. 6. p. 25. Mr. H. Survey par 4. c. 1. concl 4 5. The Brethren make the pastor a married husband and head of the congregational Church as Papists make the Pope the Head of the catholick Church Christum caput Ecclesiae universae libentissime confitemuratqui sub Christo summâ— capite vicarius ejus iâ— terris caput ut sic dicam Ministerialò non principale rectò nominetur nâ—gari nullo modo potest ita Bellarm. de Sum. Pontif. to 1. c. 24. col 1. l. D. de pontif Rom. l. 1. c. 9. So the Jesuites of Rhemes on Eph. 〈◊〉 v. 5. Though Christ in a more divine ample absolute excellent and transcendent sort be severaign Head in regard of motion life spirit grace â—â—suing from him to the members yet the Pope may be Ministerial Head Way
the power intrinsecal of a congregation to rule the associated Churches if they were Page 126. The adding of associated Churches to a Wilderness-church doth strengthen perfect and not nullifie the intrinsecal power of the Wilderness-church Pag. 117. When scandals fall out far off or near hand how association of Churches removeth them The limiting of Church-edifying and Church-comforting to one onely congretien whereof the man onely is a sworne member is an unwarrantable and comfortless way The Way of Churches of N. E. c. 1. sec. 1. p. 1. c. 4. sec. 3. sec. 4. p 70 71. Mr. H. Survey pa. 3. c. 2. p. 10. M. Cotton keys of the kingd c. 7. p. 39 40 4â— Mr. H. par 1. c. 9. p. 127 128. sec. 4. 3 ground One and the same nature agrees to the congregational presbyterial Church c. Pag. 127. 128. The congregational Presbyterial National Oecumenick Churches are species specialissimae How a congregation is an intire church Tertul. in Apolog Though the Churches of believers men and women be before the Apostles Evangelists Pastors Presbyteries Synods yet it follows not therefore must Apostles Pastors Synods have their calling and authority from those Churches Sect. 4. p. 128. Mr. Hooker acknowledges that divers meetings and Church conventions may may be all under one Presbyterial government only he will not call them Churches Way of the Church c. 1. sect par 1. Survey par 1. c. 9. p. 110 111 c. Mr. H. must be forced by his own principles to grant there is one visible Church which cannot meet conveniently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same place and yet under the same Eldership Mr. H. yeilds to us a Presbyterian Church at Ierusalem Page 51. Fixedness or no fixedness of the Elders of Ierusalem to their own proper congregations is altogether accidental to the Church presbyterial The Apostles fixed feeding at Rome at Corinth is not opposite unto but of that same nature with his feeding pastorall all the world over All the incongruities that are the onely arguments of Mr. H. against a Presbyterial church are militant against the presbyterial Church which Mr. H. grants was at Ierusalem Mr. H. well near also yieldeth that there was a Presbyterian Church at Antioch Ephesus Rome There are the like reasons that the multitudes of Believers at Rome Antioch Ephesus Corinth Samaria Thessalonica could not meet in one place and so there must be in these huge Cities many Congregations under one Presbyterial Government as for the multitudes at Ierusalem What is meant by Church Act. 2. were added to the Church Mr. H. inclines to expâ—… the word Câ—…h of the â—â—â—thful Saul made havock of the Câ—… Eâ—… there is 〈◊〉 Presbyteriâ— a church How watery is this Lâ—gick Par. 1. c. 10. p. 130. Mr. R. argument Mat. 18. from allusion unto the Jewish Sanhedrim abused not answered M R. is not for all appeals whatsoever justor unjust but for such as are edifying and necessary and relieves from tyrannicall oppression the plaintiff Pag. 131. The removing of scandals Mat. 18. cannot be of onely scandals between brother and brother of the same congregation except I must not owne as brethren to be gained those of another Church beside me Christ willeth every little congregation to exercise discipline upon an offender Ergo there is no discipline to be exercised in a greater Church So Mr. H. But the contrary rather strongly followeth The Sanhedrim was not mixed by institution Pauls Presbyt c 8. p. 88. The Church Mat. 18. is to be obeyed in the Lord by the people but the Church of the people is not to be obeyed in the Lord by the people Women are as essential parts of the believing Church as men and womâ—n must no more blindly believe what the Church believes than men nor must their faith in discerning the voice of Christ in this pastor not in this be blindly included in the males discerning and so women must be a part of the binding and loosing Church Mat. 18. Survey par 1. c. 10. p. 133. The Church principally meant Mat. 18. must be the binding and loosing brethren which are the Church fiâ—stâ—y the officers are onely separable adjuncts thereof saith M. H. Par. 1. c. 11. p. 198. When all the officeâ—s turne wolves the people must complain to the people when the people turn Familists Socinians c. to whom sâ—aâ—l the officers complain accoâ—ding to M. H. minde The officers cannot binde potestate officii since the Keys were given to the male-Male-church before the officers had being as M H saith We cannot tell the church of Jerusalem or Galatia by M. H. Women have no less a tacit consent a faith of practise in eschewing the society of the excommunicated in admitting of him again and of all members in election of officers than men and in other duties recommended to Church-members Let M. H. shew how women are all excluded from Church duties in their way more than men So Cypr. Juban Epist. 73. pag. 22. Nam Petro primum Dominus super quem adificavit Ecclesiam Mat. 16. Istaem potestatem clavium dedit post resurrectionem sicut me misit pater c. Firmilian ad Cypr. Epist. 75. Cypr. pag. 239. n. 14. Hinc intelligi potest quod soli Petro Christus dixerit quemcunque ligaveritis Matth. 16 c. Quando in solos Apostolos insufflavit Christus dicens accipite Spiritum Sanctum c. The word Church can signifie no other but the ruling Church Mat. 18. and the notation of the word Church in our brethrenssense is neither Mat. 18. nor elsewhere See how Bilson Perpetual G ve n. c. 4. mistakes in this Though women children of age and servants be excluded from governing yet the question now is a farre other thing Whether the word Church Mat. 18. if it be the Church of Redeemed ones meeting to and for publick ordinances in the same place include not women c. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Church is ever taken in Scripture according to the subject matter and scope of the place and so must the binding and loosing or excommunicating Church Matth. 18. be taken and cannot note a company of redeemed ones Men Women Servants Children of riper age come together in one to partake of Word Seals Censures the onely acception of the Word Church that our brethren can give us from Scripture The Church Matth. 18. 1 Cor. 5. includes all who meet for the publick worship Elders Men Women Servants aged Children every one according to their place according as Paul rebukes comforts teaching in his Epistle 1 Cor. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The women in their daily practice are concerned in conscience to censent unto or dissent from the sentence of excommunication or forgiving and re-admiting again and that upon rules of the Gospel as well as men Caelv Inst. l. 3. c. 4. sec. 12. Instit l. 4. c. 1. sec. 2. Instit. l. 4. c. 12.
married Sarah and all marriage-covenants are of the same essence and nature can Abraham claim Hagar and another third woman and a fourth for his wives and except he have a marriage covenant with Hagar different in number from the marriage-covenant with Sarah and a third marriage-covenant with the third different in number he cannot claim any of them for his wives for Hagar may say though all marriage-covenants be of the same essence and nature yet because Abraham never made a marriage-covenant with me by name which is essentially required in all covenants of that kind he is not my husband nor am I his wife So a people cannot say to a Pastor of another Congregation thou art our fixed proper Pastor obliged to reside with us and to imploy thy labours ordinarily upon us only except they had particularly chosen him by name but this will not hinder but all elections and covenants with Pastors as fixed and ordinary labourers with them are of the same essence and nature and differ only in number and accidents nor can this hinder but a Pastor of another Congregation is a Pastor habitu and actu primò to all Congregations on earth and no married husband to that Congregation though it be physically impossible and contrary to reason to say he can be a fixed proper chosen Pastor to all the Congregations of the earth for fixedness and election of the people is not of the essence of a Pastor CHAP. XXIV The Arguments of Mr. R. against the Church-Covenant are vindicated MR. H. Relation as such is not a foundation of a Covenant when Twins are born or Brethren and Sisters near to other in time The duties issuing there from have their rise and power from the Impression of the Rule of nature such relations may be multiplied without a covenant Answ. This destroys your Church-covenant for many in sister-Churches men and women are born over again and made visible members of the body of Christ and made fellow Citizens to them that are far off and near to the whole houshold of God Jewes and Gentiles Eph. 2. 19 20 21. Eph. 4. 1 2 3 4. 1 Cor. 10. 17. 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. Heb. 12. 22 23. And the duties issuing hence rise from no covenant soddering the members together in one single flock for they belong to many flocks but only from the rule of renewed nature Therefore Mr. H. is obliged to prove if there be a necessity of a voluntary covenant that visible Saints of two Congregations now agreeing to be fellow-members of a third Congregation are now more brethren by Mat. â—8 then before and have more one Faith one Baptism one visible head Christ one Hope do more eat one Bread 1 Cor. 10. then before are more yea now and never till now by a positive institution and command obliged to Church covenanting to Church watching one over another whereas by this way they were never visible members nor visible fellow-Citizens before And 2. so Paul hath been less accurate then our brethren in the visible oneness of brethren 3. There must be no visible brotherhood nor Church oneness but by ordinary meeting within the walls of the same house And 4. this covenanting either implicit or explicit must be of as great necessity as a visible Church on earth Mr. H. The covenant once made by mutual agreement of parents may be communicated to the seed without their consent Deut. 29. 10. A Minister is a Minister to children born of parents who have elected him to be their Minister and they are within the covenant by vertue of that covenant which their parents made Answ. 1. Nothing then makes children within the covenant of grace visibly but your Congregational covenant But sure Israels seed by Deut. 29. 10 11 12 c. and Gen. 17. 7. Act. 2. 39. were born in visible covenant with God and they knew not any such Congregational watching over one another 2. The seed of dissolved members visible Saints are then without any sin in parents and children to speak comparatively born Pagans but the Scripture teacheth us of no losing of covenant-right but by sin either of the parties themselves or of their parents 3. How are then children of covenanting parents born Church members yet when come to age if they cannot evidence their regeneration holden all their life for no Church-members are debarred from the Lords Supper living and dying Pagans are Ministers because of their covenant Ministers to Pagans 4. The Scripture teacheth that parents oblige the children to the Gospel-covenant Deut. 29. Gen. 17. but no Scripture teacheth that parents lay bands of oath and vow of God to be visible members of only for example the Congregation of Boston of only Hartford for look what covenant obligation lies upon the parents which is to that Congregation by name only the like must lie upon the children Mr. H. Among such who by no impression of nature no providence or appointment of God or reason have power each one over another there is a necessity of a free engagement by consent as between Prince and people husband and wife master and servant and the covenant being once made there needs no new covenant to the exercise of the duties belonging to that relation Ans. The vow in Baptism and the Gospel-covenant professed by me without any new engagement obligeth me in all Churches I am in to be my brothers keeper and watch for his soul otherwise I may make this count Lord I was not obliged to any Church-watching over my brother but my Congregational brother by Mat. 18. But 1. was he not thy brother before thou wast inchurched into one Congregation with him shall the Lord say 2. Wast thou not to eat the same bread with him before as then by 1 Cor. 10. 17. Secondly there is no need of engagement to watch Congregationally over all with whom thou eatest the Lords Supper except thou being so journer enter in oath to every Congregation and break it in the morrow Thirdly The covenant of Prince and people husband and wife hath nothing to do with this except the nearer visible oneness brotherhood c. of which I spoke be cleared from Scripture and M. H. prove that Peter is tied by oath to that only Pastor and Flock as subjects to one only soveraign Mr. H. The covenant of grace may be taken in the narrowest acception believe and live so it is inward and invisible between the soul and God But if you take it in the breadth as it includes whatever is warranted by the Gospel so it is visible and includeth the Church-covenant and its ordinance of the Gospel but not properly the covenant of the Gospel if the Churches be dissolved through persecution they are not obliged to the duties of confederacy Ans. Believe and live is not the narrowest nor the invisible covenant but the summe of all duties given to all the visible Church Ioh. 3. 16 18. Ioh. 5. 24 40. Ioh. 11.
in this 3. Where there are and must be six sundry meetings coitiones six numero distinctae 2. Six companies hearing at the same time six several Sermons 3. Partaking of six Tables of the Lord numerically distinct here sure must be fix congregations as our Brethren define us a Church a company of Believers meeting in one place c. And if so here is a prelacy 3. A number of non-residents for all are Elders ruling but it is physically impossible that all can be Elders teaching So Mr. H. then it is noâ— essential to a Church that they meet all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in one place as the brethren often tell us M. H. But when the Congregations are fixed and they established in peace and setled with support about them not more then may comely and comfortably meet together to partake of all ordinances should be one Church Ans. If the six swarms which issue out of the numerous Church of Ierusalem disturb the peace and make war and division in the Church it is strange The Eldership or Presbytery over these six swarms so separated by many miles in divers Colonies may either meet and exercise discipline and dispence censures to these six swarms not yet setled and provided with Officers or they may not meet To say they may not meet for that end is to deny that they are under one Presbytery of the same chosen Elders contrary to what Mr. H. said If they may meet to dispence censures here shal be ruling Elders no physical possibility of teaching the swarms so separated as fourty miles they may haply hear of written Decrees as Act. 16. 4. but cannot be edified by preaching 2. So this Church congregational which cannot comely and comfortably meet to partake of all the ordinances is no ordinance of Christ and so no congregational Church But such are these swarms that are fourty miles distant 3. This Church is either visible or not neither can be said by Mr. H. his principles as elsewhere is proved Mr. H. Hence an answer may be easily accommodated to the examples which Mr. R. brings for a Presbyterian Church 1. That of the Apostles will no wise suit his end for to make up a Presbyterial Church there must be many congregations many Elders appropriated to these congregations which have power over their own only and not over others and these must combine and upon the combination the Elders must assemble and dâ—spence their censures and set down their decisions But there were no Elders at Jerusalem appropriate to their several charges and Churches which had power only over them and such Elders the Apostles could not be because though they had all power in them yet they had no power limited for that should contradict their Apostolick commission Ans. I smile to read this worthy man yeild in terminis a Presbyterial Church and yet be saith the examples serve not Mr. R. his end Why saith he 1. To make up a Presbyterial Church there must be many congregations good so say we 2. There must be many Elders appropriated to these Congregations which have power over their own only saith he and not over others That we deny I should say any other save this worthy man whom I much loved and ever honoured who would write a Book against Presbyterial government and yet did not understand the constituent elements of a presbyterial Church deserves to be censured for Mr. H. yieldeth all the presbyterial Church that Mr. R. pleads for or that the famous Synod at Westminster desire where there were eminently learned men who well understood Presbyterial government and all adversaries thereof An eminent man Mr. Ier. Burroughs one of the dissenting Brethren did not oppose nor enter his dissent against the proposition concerning a Presbyterial Church as Mr. H. does nor look upon it as a principal of Presbyterial government only the Dissenters did hold there was but one single congregation at Ierusalem in which they are redacted to miserable absurdities and in these two Mr. H. contradicts them let them compose their domestick contradictions See the answer of the Assembly of Divines to the seven dissenting Brethren An. 1644. Suppose in Jerusalem saith the Synod there were ten congregations and twenty officers feeding and ruling them in common not one of them fixed to any one congregation This kind of Presbytery would pass for a lawful government and none of these incongruities or absurdities are charged on them by this argument and it shall not follow that ruling and teaching are not commensurable as the Holy Ghost makes them commensurable 2. Mr. H. cannot nor any man for him clear from that text Act. 2â— whether they were fixed or not fixed they are the Elders of the Church of Ierusalem that is as Mr. H. saith contradicting the dissenting Brethren Elders of divers congregations under one Presbyterial government which is all we crave 2. Fixedness or not fixedness of Elders is an accident of the visible governing Church to our Brethren who hold that it is the same numerical Church homogeneous which being void of Elders may chuse their officers and thereafter being fixed and formed may excommunicate all their Elders if they turn heretical so that the people is the Church without their officers and the officers to Mr. H. are separable adjuncts and the coming or going of the separable adjuncts of the Church cannot alter the nature of the Church It is most weak that Mr. H. saith that the Apostles could not be fixed Pastors to them for then they should be limited Pastors to them and so not Apostles for there can be no contradiction between Apostles and Pastors for their fixed preaching and fixed administring of the seals For example Pauls pastoral officiating a year and six months at Corinth Act. 18. 11. and so many years at Sphesus so many years at Rome differs not in nature and essence from the pastoral preaching and administring of the seals in constantly fixed Pastors chosen to the congregation for all their life and yet he remained habitu and actu primo an Apostle Yes the adding of an extraordinary seal of a miracle contradicts not the charter or the preaching of the Gospel more then Samuels judging at Gilgal is opposite to his judging all Israel at Ramah Extension of preaching to many is a meer accident and a members receiving of the Supper in his own Church is not opposite to his receiving thereof in four other Churches See the Answer of the Assembly page 115 116. As also if the twelve Apostles govern as they do Act. 6. All the twelve meetings and yet neither do nor can preach all of them to every one of the twelve except all the twelve be in twelve several meetings at once then which is a monstrous impossibility 1. Ruling is divided from preaching 2. Then all the twelve cannot fulfil their Ministry Yes 3. Then Episcopal ruling of many Churches and neither being bound nor able to
officers binde and loose as officers nor hath Christ given this power to the officers as officers by this way of our Brethren For they say 1. That the Keyes were given to Peter Mat. 16. as to a believer not as to an officer 2. Officers to them are but adjuncts of the visible Church and the Keyes are given to the visible Church before they have officers and the people may make and excommunicate them 3. Here is strange work the Keyes were not given to Peter as an officer but as a believer and yet he useth the Keyes as an officer 4. The Church is not made Ministerial by us without the body exclusively wholly for Christs Government is voluntary nor ought any new thing to be concluded in our Assemblies while the people hear of it for if the Romans used rogare suadere legem and obtain the consent of the people thereunto far more are they not to be acknowledged as Church-laws that are to be obtruded upon the godly against their will and knowledge and much more if they be against the Word of God and former godly acts with consent agreed unto by the Church that is whether the people consent or not but yet without the body whether they exercise acts of jurisdiction or not for no act of jurisdiction is due to them and to exclude the consent of women no less interessed in practise of conscience than men is to be Lords of their faith Mr. H. The sixth argument refers to former proofs c. Ans. And Mr. R. refers to former Replies Mr. H. It s evidently false that there can be no complaint to a multitude for complaints may be made to a Parliament Ans. How can complaints be made to ten thousand of the Church of Ierusalem for that Church as Mr. H. grants pag. 128 129. met in sundry places not in one No Parliament or Judicature consisteth of such a number We cannot complain to the many Churches of Galatia of their wicked tenet of Justification by Works for they are scattered in divers societies and its unlawful say our Brethren to meet in their officers to exercise jurisdiction Mr. H. Arg. 8. The house of Cloe complained to Paul 2. Paul gives rules about the Elders receiving of complaints Ans. That house complained to Paul because his Apostolick Authority might have been helpful but they might have complained to any of the Church of Corinth Paul advises Titus to hear complaints to prepare them for the Church 3. If the people must consent tacitly to the censures before they be dispensed they must hear the complaints Ans. Paul gives rules and directions to Timothy 1 Tim. 5. 19. v. 1. and Titus cap. 2. as to pastors not as to believers concerning the manner of receiving complaints nor is there in Scripture Precept Promise or practise of believers to receive complaints we are surer than our Brethren and its safer to expound thi Tell the Church that is Tell Timothy and the Elders then Tell the Church that is Tell any member of the Church at Coâ—inth i. e. Tell any woman or servant for they are as essentially members as Timothy or any of the Elders 2. and must joyn their consent to censures because members must hear the scandals because they must tacitly consent before censures be dispensed it follows not that members must be told for the tacit consent of women is requisite for they may be scandalized or edified by the good or evil dispensing of censures as well as men 2. They may not converse with excommunicate persons more than men 3. Their consciences must not be Lorded over more than the consciences of men in the dispensing of censures 4. They must have a vote tacit or formal in choosing of a Pastor and must not take him blindly and complaints to women sons servants yea and the precepts of withdrawing Rom. 16. 17. 1 Cor. 5. 6 10. 2 Thâ—ss 3 14. 2 Tim. 3. 5. Tit. 3. 10. Ioh. 10. 11. oblige the consciences of women sons and servants then women may receive witness against Elders as well as Timothy 1 Tim. 5. 19 20. but with such qualifications and limitations For Mr H. maintains this connexion Complaints may be made unto the Church Tell the Church Mat. 18. to all without whose tacit consent there can be no proceeding to excommunication But without womens consent there is no Excommunication no Admission no Election Responde it a vol non Mr. H. The people may censure heretical Elders in an Island Ans. So they may in justa tutela aeterna salutis but not by the power of the Keyes 2. And so may the Elders remaining godly and sound remove with the Tabernable and Candlestick from a people in an Island if they dance to the golden Calf and be incorrigible Yea if the Elders and men in an Island turn Familists and the women sons servants remain sound Let Mr. H. shew what the sounder part of the Church may do And though women be forbidden authoritatively to teach in the Church 1 Tim. 2. 7. 1 Cor. 14. and publickly yet they may teach the younger women T it 2. 2 3. give a seasonable rebuke and counsel to men 2 Sam. 20. 16 17. 1 Sam 25. 23 24 32 33. and a woman a sister is to labour to gain a sister by Matth. 18. and that in a Church-way and women as other Church-members are to teach exhort warn according to their place as well as men Col. 3. 16. Rom. 15. 14. 1 Thess. 5. 14. Heb. 3. 13 20. 25. Let M. H. teach us how their faith is included in the men in these duties in consenting that a savoury man not an Heretick be their pastor Mr. H. Arg. 9. That Church is here understood to whom the Keyes are given Mat. 16. but they are given onely to a Classical Church Ans. The minor is barely affirmed Ans. My Argument is divided The minor is not barely affirmed The Keyes are given to Peter as representing Elders and Apostles to whom Christ saith Iohn 20. Whose sins ye forgive they are forgiven to whom he said As my Father sent me so I send you but this official sending is most undue to the people and its equivalent to that Mat. 28. Go teach and baptize But Christ said not to unofficed Brethren Receive the holy Ghost Whose sins ye forgive c. Go teach and baptize So Cyprian Mr. H. Arg. 10. of Mr. R. The onely apparent argument against this interpretation is weak and therefore this sense hath ne strength Ans. Both parts fail 1. There may be other Reasons given 2. It doth not follow that the different sense is clear because many better Reasons haply may be rendred than were alledged Mr. Ball according to his sagacity and sharpness of dispute seeketh far and wide where to finde where the word Church noteth onely the Elders but all cometh to this One may suppose such a sense Ans. 1. Mr. H. denies the Antecedent and the Consequence and proves both