carry matters justly and according to the Rules of the Word The power of the Keyes Matth. 16. 19. among other things noteth Ministeriall or delegated power of Government and this power is committed by Christ unto the Church as may appeare if wee consider first to whom Christ directed his Speech in that place of Scripture not to Peter alone but to all the Disciples also for to them all the Question was propounded by Christ vers 15. And â—eter answered in all their names Secondly that he and they were not then looked upon as Apostles or generall officers of all Churches for that Commission was not yet given them but as Disciples and Beleevers believing with the heart and confessing with the mouth Jesus Christ the rocke upon whom the Church is built wherein as they did represent all Believers so in Peter and the rest the Keyes are committed to all Believers that shall joine together in the same confession according to the order and ordinance of Christ And therefore afterward this power of Government is expresly given to the Church Matth. 18. 17. according hereunto in that description of the visible Church as it is instituted by Christ in the new Testament Rev. 4. The members of the Church are seene by John in a vision sitting on thrones cloathed with white rayment having on their heads Crownes of Gold vers 14. Now Thrones and Crownes are ensignes of authority and power to note unto us that authority and governing power which is committed by Christ unto the Church Doctor Fulke hath this saying The Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven whatsoever they are be committed to the whole Church and not to one person onely as Cyprian Augustine Chrysostome Jerome and all the ancient Doctors agreeably to the Scriptures doe confesse against the Popes pardons chap. 3. P. 381. And elsewhere he saith The authority of Excommunication pertaineth to the whole Church although the judgement and execution thereof is to be referred to the Governours of the Church which exercise that authority as in the name of Christ so in the name of the whoâ—e Church whereof they are appointed Governours to avoid confusion against the Rhemists on 1 Cor. 5. Sect. 3. And Doctor Whitaker hath these words Hoc est quod nos dicimus Petrum gessisse personam omnium Apostolorum quare hanc promissionem non uni Petro sed toti Ecclesiae factam esse totam Ecclesiam in illo claves accepisse De pontif Roman Q. 2. c. 4. Sect. 17. And in that Booke hee is pregnant and plaine in this that by the Keyes is meant all Ecclesiasticall power and Jurisdiction and that these Keyes are given in Peter to the whole Church The same is also taught by Master Parker Polit. Eccles l. 3. c. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5 6. where he proves by many Arguments that every visible Church which hee acknowledgeth to be no other but a particular congregation hath the power of all Ecclesiasticall Government and Jurisdiction commited to it by Christ Jesus and answereth many Objections to the contrary And page 2 of that third Book making mention of foure Opinions concerning those words of the Keyes and power of binding and loosing Matth. 16. 19. the first of them that understand the Pope onely to be meant thereby as Peters successour the second of them that understand it of the Diocesan Bishop The third of them that understand those words as meant of the Ministers but the Ministers alone The fourth of them that understand Peter to represent the Church in that place and therefore that that promise is made unto the Church Of these he refuseth the three first as unsound and maintaines the fourth as onely agreeing to the truth And Master Baine saith Every Church by Christs institution hath power of Government Dioces Tryall Quest 1. p. 8. And hee tells us page 11. what hee meant by Church The word Church saith he wee understand here not figuratively tataken Metonymically for the place Synâ—cdochecally for Ministers administring ordinances but properly for a body politicke standing of People to be taught and governed and of Teachers and Governours So that in his judgement every Church properly so called hath power of Government within it selfe and by these words of his it may also be concluded that all power of Government is not in the Elders alone for the power of Government by Church institution is in every Church properly so called But Ministers are not a Church in propriety of speech but onely figuratively by a synecdoche And therefore all power of Government is not in the Ministers alone but a Church properly so called is the Body politique consisting of people and Ministers But of this more may bee said in the next Question Fourthly for the matters of Independency whereof this Question also makes mention We doe confesse the Church is not so independent but that it ought to depâ—nd on Christ both for direction from the rules of his holy Word Ioh. 10. 27. Act. 3. 23. and for the assistance of his holy Spirit to discerne those rules and to walke according to them when they shall be discerned Ioh. â—5 5. and 16. 13. but for dependency upon men or other Churches or other subordination unto them in regard of Church Government or power Wee know not of any such appointed by Christ in his Word Our Saviours words are plaine If a man heare not the Chuâ—ch let him beto thee as an Heathen or Publican And his promise unto his Church is plaine also that whatsoever they shall binde on earth shall be bound in Heaven c. Mat. 18. 17. c. And the Apostle bids the Church deliver the impenitent sinner unto Satan 1 Cor. 5. 4. 5 6. Now when the man upon the Churches censure comes to be in case as an Heathen or Publican yea becomes bound in Heaven as well as bound in earth and also delivered unto Satan this seems to us to be such a firme ratification of the Churches censure as leaves no roome for any other Ecclesiasticall power on earth to reverse or disanull the same and so takes away that kinde of dependency and subordination of Churches Nos plane dicimus â—cclesias initiò regi solitas esse à suis pastoribus sic quidem ut nullis essent externis aut Ecclesiâ—s aut Episcopis subditae non Colossensis Ephaesiâ—ae non Philippensis Thessaloniensi non hâ— Romanae non Romanae cuiquam seâ— paris omnes inter se juris essent id est sui omnes juris et mancipij Whitak de Pontif. Roman Question 1. Chapter 1. Section 3. That is in summe The Churches were not dependent and subordinate to others but all of them absolutely free and independent Wee affirme saith Master Baine that all Churches were singular Congregations equall in dependent each of other in regard of subjection Diocesse tryall Q 1. pag. 13. The twentieth Chapter of Mr. Parker his third Booke of Eccles Politie hath this Title De summitate Ecclesiae particularis And
the Title of the 21. is De paritate Ecclesiarum where he openeth and explaineth and by many Arguments and Testimonies confirmeth what we hold of the independency and paritie of Churches to which learned discourse of his we referre you for further satisfaction in this point Wee doe believe that Christ hath ordained that there should be a Presbytery or Eldership 1 Tim. 4. 14. And that in every Church â—it 1 5. Acts 14. 23. 1 Cor. 12. 28. whose worke is to teach and rule the Church by the Word and lawes of Christ 1 Tim. 5. â—7 and unto whom so teaching and ruling all the people ought to be obedient and submit themselves Heb. 13. 17. And therefore a Government meerly Popular or Democraticall which Divines and Orthodox Writers doe so much condemne in Morillius and such like is farre from the practice of these Churches and we believe farre from the minde of Christ Secondly neverthelesse a Government meerely Aristocratical wherein the Church government is so in the hands of some Elders as that the rest of the body are wholly excluded from entermedling by way of power therein such a government we conceive also to be without Warrant of the Word and likewise to be injurious to the people as infringing that liberty which Christ hath given to them in choosing their owne Officers in admitting of Members and censuring of offendors even Ministers themselves when they be such as the Church of Colosse must admonish Archippus of his duety Col. 4. 17. Master Parker you know hath 22. Arguments to prove the superiority of the Churches over and above her officers Polit. Eccles lib. 3. cap. 12. And Master Baine saith If the Church have power by election to choose a Minister and so power of instituting him then of destituting also Instituere destituere ejusdem est potestatis Dioces Triall P. 88. And againe no reason evinceth the Pope though a generall Pastors subject to the censure of a Church oecumenicall but the same proveth a Diocesan Bishop and wee may adde and a Congregationall Minister subject to the censure of the particular Church pag. 89. And whereas it might be objected then may Sheep censure the Shepherd Children their fathers which were absurd To this he answereth that similitudes hold not in all things naturall Parents are no waies Children nor in state of subjection to their Children but spirituall fathers are so fathers that in some respects they are children to the whole Church So Shepherds are no waies Sheep but Ministers are in regard of the whole Church 2. Parents and Shepherds are absolutely Parents and Shepherds bee they good or evill but spirituall Parents and Pastors are no longer so then they do accordingly behave themselves p. 89. To the same purpose and more aâ— large is this Objection answered by Master Parker Polit. Eccles l. 3. c. 12. p. 78. 79. And againe if their owne Churches have no power over them it will be hard to shew wherein others have such power of Jurisdiction over persons who belong not to their owne Churches p. 89. So that all power is not in the Officers alone seeing the Officers themselves if they offend are under the power of the Church Even Paul himselfe though an extraordinary Officer yet would not take upon him to excommunicate the incestuous person without the Church but sends to them exhorting them to doe it and blames them because they had not done it sooner 1 Cor. 5. which shewes that the exercise of all Church power of government is not in the Officers alone And therefore the Lord Iesus reproving Pergamus and Thyatira for suffering Balaamites Nicholaitans and the woman Iezebel among them and calling on them for reformation herein Rev. 2. sends his Epistle not onely to the Angels of those Churches but also to the Churches or whole Congregations as appeareth Rev. 1. 11. And also in the conclusion of those Epistle where the words are let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit saith not onely to the Angels but unto the Churches whereby it appeares that the suffering of these corrupt persons and practises was the sinne of the whole Church and the reforming of them a duty required of them all Now the reforming of abuses in the Church argues some exercise of Church government as the suffering of them argues some remissenesse therein and therefore it followes that some exercise of Church government was required of the whole Church and not all of the Angels alone Sure it is the whole Congregation of Israel thought it their duty to see to the reforming of abuses when they appeared to spring up amongst them as appeareth by their behaviour practise when the two Tribes and an halfe had set up the Altar upon the bankes of Jordan Ios 22. for it is said that the whole Congregation of the Children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shilo to go up to warre against them v. 12. And when Phineas and ten Princes with him were sent to expostulate with them about the matter it was the whole Congregation that sent them v. 13 14. And when they delivered their Message they spake in the name of the whole Congregation saying Thus saith the whole congregation of the Lord what trespasse is this c. v. 16. which plainely declares that the whole congregation and not the Elders or Rulers alone thought it their duty to see abuses reformed and redressed which could not be without some exercise of government And when Achan the Sonne of Caâ—mi had committed a trespasse in the accursed thing â—is 7. it is counted the sinne of the whole congregation and such a sinne as brought a Plague upon them all for it is said the children of Israel committed a trespasse in the accursed thing v. 1. And God saith to Ioshua not the Elâ—ers have sinned but Israel hath sinned and they have transgressed my Covenant and they have stolne of the accursed thing and put it among their owne stuffe v. 11. And for this wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel and that man perished not alone in his iniquity Iosh 22. 20. Now why should not he have perished alone but wrath must fall upon them all and why should his sinne be the sinne of all the congregation if the care of preventing it and timely suppressing the same which could not be without some exercise of Church government had not bin a duty lying upon all the whole congregation but upon the Elders and Officers alone doubtlesse the just Lord who saith every man shall beare his owne burden Gal. 6. 5. would not have brought wrath upon all the congregation for Achans sinne if such government as might have prevented or timely reformed the same had not belonged to the whole congregation but to the Elders alone And before this time all the children of Israel and not the Elders alone are commanded to put Lepers and uncleane persons out of the Campe Numb 5. 1 2. By all which it appeareth that all exercise
Ecclesiae consensu excommunicari nemo debet And then comparing the Government of the Church to the Roman Common-wealth which had the Dictators the Senate and the Quirites and shewing that the Church government in respect of Christ is a Monarchy in respect of the Presbyters an Aristocratie and in respect of the people a Democratie he concludes thus In rebus igitur gravissimis quae ad totum corpus pertinent uti est Excommunicatio sine consensu et authoritate totius Ecclesiae nihil fieri debet de Redempt in prae c. 4. pag. 983. c. Calvins words are these Cyprianus cum meminit per quos suo tempore exerceretur viz. potestas jurisdictionis adjungere solet totum Clerum Episcopo sed libi quoque demonstrat sic praefuisse clerum ipsum ut plebs interâ—m à cognitione non excluderetur sic enim scribit Ab initio Episcopatus mei statui sine Cleri consilio plebis consensu nihil agere Instit. 1. 4. c. 11. Sect. 6. And againe Hoc addo illam esse legitimam in excommunicando homine progressionem quam demonstrat Paulus si non soli Seniores seorsim id faciant sed conscia approbante Ecclesia in eum scilicet modum ut plebis multitudo non regat actionem sed observet ut testis custos ne quid per libidinem à paucis geratur Instit l. 4. c. 12. Sect. 7. Those Ministers that penned the Christian and modest offer of disputation doe say That the Pastor and Elders that exercise Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction ought not to performe any maine and materiall Ecclesiasticall act without the free consent of the congregation in Propos 8. The Refuter of Doctor Downams Sermon for the superiority of Diocesan Bishops is plaine and full also in this point in Part 2. of his reply p. 104 105 106. where answering Doctor Downam that counted it schismaticall novelty that the forme of the Church Government should be holden in part to be Democrattcall and that his Refuter for so holding was a Brownist or Anabaptist he not onely proves the power of the people from the Scripture and delivers his owne judgement that the Ecclesiasticall Government is of a mixt forme compounded of all three Estates but for the same tenent and that the Church government is in part Democraticall or popular he alledgeth the testimonies of the Centuries of Illyricus of Doctor Fulke Doctor Willet Cyprian Augustine P. Martyr Dr Whitaker and others Master Baines his judgement we heard before in the former Question Vrsinus speaking of that Question Quibus commissa est potestas clavium hath these words Quibus denunciatio verbi divini delegata est iisdem potestas illa clavium quae verò denunciatio fit in Ecclesiastica disciplina est totius Ecclesie ad totam enim Ecclesiam pertinet disciplina jurisdictio spiritualis sed alio modo fit illa denunciatio in verbi divini ministerio quam in Ecclesiae judicio And then telling how this denunciation is done in the Ministery and by the Ministers of the Word he comes to declare how it is done in Church censures In Ecclesiastico judicio saith he gratiae irae Dei non fit denunciati ab uno aliquo privatim sed à tota Ecclesia aut nomine totius Ecclesiae ' ab its qui ad hoc delecti sunt communi omnium consensu And a little after answering objections brought against the use of Excommunication he hath these words Potest concedi quod Christus non intelligat Presbyterium viz. in that place Matth. 18. Tell the Church sed propriè sumat vocabulum Ecclesiae ante Christum Jdaicaeâ— post Christum Christianae Sed in Ecclesiae jurisdictione oportet aliquem esse ordinem aliquos oportet esse constitutos ab Ecclesia alioquin esset 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And speaking of that Question Quis ordo servari debeat in exercenda clavium potestate he saith principalis pars in excommunicatione est denunciatio qua c. atque haec denunciatio qua quis excommunicatur non est penes Ministrum Ecclesiae sed penes ipsam Ecclesiam ejus nomine fit quia mandatum hoc à Christo datum est Ecclesiae nam ipse ait expressè Dic Ecclesiae And finally speaking of abuses to be avoided and cautions to be observed in Excommunication he hath such words in the fourth Proposition or Rule there annext as doe declare it to be his judgement that if Excommunication should be passed by a few without the consent of the whole Church such proceedings would be both Oligarchy and Tyranny Attentem expendatum saith he à toto Presbyterio probetur ab Ecclesia non suscipiatur privat â authoritate ne ministerium Ecclesiae convertatur in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tyrannidem in his Comment upon the Catechisme in the place De clavibus regni coelorum Pareus delivering certaine porismata or conclusions concerning Excommunication hath this for the fifth of them Quòd excommunicandi potestas non fit penes unum Episcopum vel paucos pastores sed penes Ecclesiam proindelicet pastores presbyteri ordinis cau â primas habeant partes circa censuras Ecclesiasticas per eos hâ— administrentur quod tamen citra consensum Ecclesiae pastores ad exclusionem procedâ—re non debeant alibi demonstravimus in 1 Cor. 5. And a little after answering Stapletons objections that would have the power of Excommunication to be in the Bishop alone he brings in the case of Cyprian who could not absolve the Lapsi without the people Cyprianus saith hee ad Cornelium Romanum Episcopum scribit sâ— multum apua plebem laborasse ut pax daretur lapsis quam si per se dare potuisset non erat cur adeo in persuadenda plebe se fatigasset So that in the judgement of Pareus and Cyprian all power of Church government was not in the Presbyters but some power was in the people Musculus although he thinke there be little use of Excommunication and Church discipline where there is a Christian Magistrate yet when it is to be used he would not have the people excluded from having any hand therein as may appeare by those words of his where he speakes De disciplina Ecclesiastica Hisce de rebus non constituet Minister suo proprio arbitratu sed erit ad institutionem earum director adhibebit suffragia consensum sue plebis ne quicquam invitae Ecclesie imponatur Denique curabit ut plebs ipsa viros graves timentes Dei ac boni testimonii deligat quorum curâ vigilantiâ disciplina Ecclesiastica administratur si quid gravioris momenti accidat ad ipsam Ecclesiam referatur Loc. com de Ministris verbi Dei in tit de potestate Ministrorum p. 377. And afterward in the latter end of that place comming to speake of the deposing of unworthy Ministers he hath these words Quaeritur hic per quos disciplina ista administrari debeat Respondeo
the proper fruit and effect of the word Preached by a Minister alone and that by vertue of his Office alone or that it is alike common to ministers and Lay persons so they be gifted to preach 30. Whether all and every of your Churches including Plimouth c. do precisely observe the same course both in Constitution and Government of themselves 31. VVhether would you permit any Companie of Ministers and People being otherwise in some measure approvable to sit downe by you and set up and practise another forme of Discipline enioying like libertie with your selves in the Common-wealth and accepted as a sister Church by the rest of your Churches 32. VVhether hold you it lawfull to use any set forms of Prayer in publique or private as the Lords prayer and others either made by himselfe that useth the same or else by some other man THE ANSWERS TO THE Aforegoing QUESTIONS The first Question Answered ALL the English and others also are freely admitted to be present in our Congregations at the reading of the Scriptures and exposition thereof which is wont alwayes to goe along therewith at the preaching of the word singing of Psalmes Prayers Admitting of Members and dispencing of Censures And many also are admitted to Church Communion and so to partake in Church Ordinances and priviledges as Sacraments power of Election Censures c. though many also there are who are not yet admitted to this Church Communion But whether is the greater number those that are admitted hereunto or those that are not we cannot certainly tell But in the Churches in the Bay where most of us are best acquainted we may truely say that for the heads of Families those that are admitted are farre more in number then the other besides whom there are likewise sundry children and Servants that are Admitted also And for the Reasonâ— why many are not yet received to Church Communion they are sundry 1. Many are not admitted because they are not yet knowne Every yeare hitherto God hath replenished the Country with many new commers and these at the first are not suddainly taken in as Members of Churches till by time there have been some triall of them and better occasion to know them what they are Sometimes once a yeare there are in the Land many hundreds and some thousands of this sort 2. When by time they come to be knowne many do appeare to be carnall and give no Testimony of being Members of Christ and therefore if they should offer themselves to be Members of Churches the Churches would not see Warrant to receive them because the Church is the body of Christ 3. Some that are Godly do of their own accord for a time forbeare to offer themselves till they be better acquainted with the Church and Ministry where they intend to joyne and with the wayes in which the Churches walke in this Country and and till they be better informed what are the duties of Church Members 4. Those that are knowne to be Godly are all admitted in some Church or other presently upon their own desire when they offer themselves thereto except any have given offence by walking in any particular in their Conversation otherwise then becomes the Gospell and then such are to give satisfaction to them to whom they have given offence by acknowledgeing their offence and shewing repentance for it and then they are Admitted It is one thing what Churches ought to be by the appointment of Jesus Christ another what weaknesse and swervingâ— from his appointment he may beare withall for a time before he renounce and cast off a People from being his Church In respect of the former our Answer is That when a Visible Church is to be eâ—rected planted or constituted by the Appointment of Christ it is necessary that the matter of it in regard of quality should be Saints by calling Visible Christians and Believers 1 Cor. 1. 2. Eph. 1. 1. And in respect of Quantity no more in number in the dayes of the New Testament but so many as may meet in one Congregation 1 Cor. 11. 20 14. 23. Acts 14. 27. 15. 22 30. And the forme a gathering together of these visible Christians a combining and uniting of them into one body by the bond of an holy Covenant for which we refer you to the Apolgie of the Churches in N. E. sent the last yeare in way of Answer to Mr. Bernard For the latter we deny not but visible Churches rightly constituted at the first may degenerate and great corruptions may grow therein both in respect of matter and forme and likewise in respect of their walking and Administrations and yet the Lord in his patience may beare long with them before he give them a Bill of Divorce and make them Lo-ammi not a People as the example of the Church of Israel in the old Testament Of the Church of Corinth the Churches of Galatia the 7 Churches of Asia and others in the New Testament doe abundantly manifest But what degrees of corruption may be before the soule as it were and life and being of a Church be destroyed is hard for us precisely and punctually to determine or to say thus farre a Church may erre and yet remaine a Church but if it proceed any further then it ceaseth to be a Church any more onely in the generall this we observe the Lord doth not presently cast off a Church or give them a Bill of Divorce no not for fundamentall errors in Doctrine or Idolatry in Worship or Tyranny in Government till after obstinate and rebellious rejection of Reformation and the meanes thereof for all these were found in the Church of Israel when they crucified Christ yet the Apostles rejected them not till after the light of Grace offered and blasphemously rejected Acts 13. 45 46. But if your selves have so Studied this point as to have ripened and formed thoughts therein we should gladly receive light from you We do not know any visible Church of the N. T. properly so called but onely a particular Congregation and therefore when this Question in the first and last clause of it speakes of Believers within the visible Church as Members thereof although they be not Members of that particular Congregation where for the present they reside nor of any other this speech seemes to us according to our apprehension to imply a contradiction They that are within the visible Church as Members thereof must needs be Members of some particular Congregation because all visible Churches are Congregationall as Mr. Baine sheweth at large from the Church of Antioch Act. 14. 27. the Church at Corinth 1 Cor. 11. 14. and other examples and Reasons with Answers to the objections to the contrary in his Dioces Triall Quest 1. Whereto we referre you in this Point neither is he alone in this Tenent for Mr. Parker and many other teach the same Those silenced and deprived Ministers that wrote the Booke called The Christian and
of themselves And Master Parker in the same place afore alledged in the page immediately precedent clearly sheweth against Doctor Downham Doctor Sutcliffe and others that those particular Congregations which have Presbyters of their owne with power within themselves are the most perfect and are precisely formed juxta formam illam quae in verbo patefacta est according to that forme which is revealed in the Word whereas others which have not the like are more defective and imperfect And if this be so then to binde Churches to do no weighty matters without the counsell and consent of Classes were to blinde them to bee imperfect And for Synods if they have such power that their determination shall binde the Churches to obedience as you speake it is more then we yet understand Indeed Bellarmine makes Bishops in a Councell or Synod to be Judges and that standum sit corum sententiae quia ipsi sic statuerunt quomodo statur sententia Praetoris in causis politicis that is either to obey or suffer de Concil Eccles l. 1. c. 18. But the Orthodoxe Writers do not consent to him therein for in their judgement the sentence of a Councell or Synod is onely inquisitio quaedam dictio sententiae ministratoâ—ia limitata ita ut tantum valeat decretum Concilii quantum valeat ejus ratio as Doctor Ames hath it in his Bellarminus enervatus upon that place of Bellarmine that is The sentence of a Synod is onely a certaine enquiring and giving of sentence by way of Ministery and with limitation so that the decree of the Councell hath so much force as there is force in the reason of it And Junius expresseth it thus Sententia Concilii per se ipsam suasionis non coactionis est judicium ministeriale non authoritatem per se necessitatemque adferens Animadvers upon Bellarmine in that place that is The sentence of a Councell is of it selfe onely of advice not of compulsion or constraint and brings with it a judgement ministeriall not authority of it selfe nor necessity whereunto we doe wholly consent As for that clause in this Question That the determination of a Synod should binde if not to obedience yet to peaceable suffering we know not what sufferings those should be for punishments in Purse or Person in respect of the body or outward man are not to be inflicted by Synods but by civill Magistrates and Church-censures of Excommunication or the like belong to the particular Church of which an offendor is a member out of the communion whereof a man cannot be cast but onely by his owne Church Onely Christ hath Authority to make Lawes for the government of each particular Church and the Members thereof and hâ—s lawes doe oblige all the Members and may not be omitted without sinne Jam. 4. 12. Jsa 33. 22. â— Mat. 23. 8 9 10. â—ct 3. 23. But for particular Churches they have no power to make Lawes for themselves or their Members but to observe and see all their Members observe those Laws which Christ hath given and commanded Mat. 28. 20. Deuâ— 33. 3. Iohn 10. 27. If any Church shall presume further they goe beyond their Commission and in such case their Ecclesiasticall Lawes may be omitted without sinne nay it would be sinne to be subject to them Col. 2. 20. To walke after them Hos 5. 11. to be such servants of men as not to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free 1. or 7. 23. Gal. 5. 1. The outward calling of a Minister consisteth properly and essentially in election by the people as Doctor â—mes sheweth Cas Cons l. 4. c. 25. Q. 6. And this election is so essentiall that without it the Ministers calling if you speak of an ordinary Church officer is a nullity And therefore Mornay that learned noble man of France approveth that saying of Chrysostome election by the people is so necessary as that without it there is neither Altar nor Church nor Priest-hood where omitting other things it appeares to be their judgement that without election by the people the Ministery is void And Mornay addeth of his owne concerning the Bishops amongst the Papists that they were nullá plane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nulla proinde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the one presupposed the other no Imposition seeing without election in his booke of the Church c. 11. p. 375. Yet sometimes the peoples acceptance and approbation afterward may supply the want of election at the first as Iacobs after consent and acceptance of Lea made her to be his wife though hee chose her not at the first And by this we hold the calling of many Ministers in England may be excused who at first came into their places without the consent of the people If ordination by imposition of hands were of the essence of a Ministers calling then in those Churches where such ordination is not used their Ministers should want a lawfull calling which were an hard sentence against many Ministers in Scotland where as is reported this ordination is not thought necessary and therefore used or omitted indifferently Wee looke at Ordination by Imposition of hands as a solemne investing of men into their places whereto they have right and calling by election like to the inauguration of a Magistrate in the Common-wealth yet necessary by divine Institution 1 Tim. 4. 14. But not so necessary as if the Ministers calling were a nullity without it Essentia ipsa vocationis in electione legitima consistit Ordinatio pendet ab electione sicut Coronatio Principiâ— aut Magistratus inauguratio ab electione successione aut aequivalente aliqua constitutione Ames Bellarm. enervat Lib. 3. de clericis c. 2. Sect. 3. That is the essence of a Ministers calling consists in lawfull election Ordination depends upon Election as the Coronation of a Prince or the Inauguration of a Magistrate depends upon Election Succession or some other Constitution aequivalent And againe Ritus impositionis manuum non est absolute necessarius ad esse Pastoris non magis quam Coronatio ad esse Regis aut celebratio nuptiarum ad earum esse sect 10. That is the right of Imposition of hands is not absolutely necessary to the essence of a Pastor no more then the Coronation to the essence of a King or the Celebration of Marriage to the essence thereof Ordination of Ministers is not a private action but publique and ought to be done publiquely in the Assembly of the Church and therefore the persons that performe it whether they be ordinary Church Officers or no cannot in any congruity of speech be called meere private persons in that Action 2. The Church that hath no Officers may elect Officers or Ministers unto themselves therefore it may also ordaine them which Argument Dr. Whitaker useth as wee shall see anon If it have Commission and power from Christ for the one and that the greater it hath it also for the other which is
the lesser Now ordination is lesse then election and depends upon it as a necessary Antecedent by divine Institution by vertue of which it is justly administred being indeed nothing else but the admission of a person lawfully elected into his Office or a putting of him into possession thereof whereunto he had right before by election as was said before in answer to the precedent Question 3. If a Church have Ministers or Elders before then this ordination is to be performed by the Elders of the Church and in their Assemblie 1 Tim. 4. 14. as also many other acts are to be performed by them 4. This Ordination thus performed by the Elders for the Church may fitly be called the Act of the whole Church as it is the whole man that seeth that heareth that speaketh when these acts are instrumentally performed by the eye the eare and the tongue in which sense Master Parker saith Ecclesia per alios docet baptisaâ—que Polit. Eccles l. 3. c. 7. p. 26. 5. But when a Church hath no Officers but the first Officers themselves are to be ordained then this Ordination by the Rite of imposing of hands may be performed for the Church by the most prime grave and able men from among themselves as the Church shall depute hereunto as the children of Israel did lay their hands upon the Levites Numb 8. 10. Now all the Congregation could not impose all their hands upon them together all their hands could not possibly reach them together and therefore it must needs be that some of the Congregation in the name of the whole body performed this Rite And as this Scripture sheweth that the people may in some cases lay their hands upon Church Officers for the Levites were such upon whom the children of Israel did lay their hands so let it be considered whether these reasons doe not further make it manifest 1. Men that are in no Office may elect therefore they may ordaine because ordination is nothing else but the execution of Election 2. If it were not so then one of these would follow either that the Officers must minister without any Ordination at all or else by vertue of some former Ordination received in some other Church or else they must be ordained by some other Minister or Ministers of some other Church that were ordained afore them and so the Ministery to be by succession But the first of these is against the Scripture 1 Tim. 4. 14. Heb. 6. 2. And the second were to establish the Popish opinion of the indeleble Character imprinted as they imagine in their Sacrament of holy Orders Whereas for ought we can discerne If when they are called to Office in any Church they have need of a new Election notwithstanding their former election into another Church then they have by the same ground need of a new Ordination for Ordination depends upon Election If their former Election be ceased their former Ordination is ceased also and they can no more minister by vertue of a former Ordination unto another Church then by vertue of a former Election And for the third we doe not understand what authority ordinary Officers can have to ordaine Ministers to such a Church of which themselves are not so much as Members Besides at some times namely at the first Reformation after the times of Popery there were no others to be had but from the Pope and his Bishops and Priests Now it were a pittifull case if the Sheep must have no Shepherd but such as are appointed to them by the wolves That is if Gods people might not have Ministers but onely from the popish Bishops This were to say either that the Ministers of Antichrist must or may ordaine Ministers to the Church of Christ or else that the popish Bishops are true Ministers of Christ And if Protestants thinke it necessary that their first Ministers should be ordained by the popish Bishops it is no marvell if the Papists do thereupon believe that their Church is the true Church and their Bishops true Ministers Such a scandall is it unto them to maintaine this personall succession of the Ministery But God doth so much abhorre Antichrist that hee would not have his people to seek to him nor his Priests to ordaine Christs Ministers as he would not take of Babilon a stone for a Corner nor a stone for a foundation Ier. 51. 26. 3. It is thus in civill Corporations and Cities the Major Bayliffe or other chiefe Officer elect is at his entrance and inauguration to receive at the hands of his Predecessors the Sword or Keyes of the City or to have some other solemne Ceremonie by him performed unto him yet if either there be no former as at the first or that the former be dead or upon necessity absent when his Successor entreth then is this Ceremony and worke performed by some other the fittest Instrument neither need that City borrow any Officer of another City neither could he entermeddle there without usurpation though both the Corporations have the same Charter under the same King And so it is in this spirituall Corporation or City the Church of God 4. That this point may seeme the lesse strange to you we pray you consider with us a little further the nature of this Ordination and then wee will adde the Testimonies of some eminent Protestant Writers in this case that you may see this is not any singular opinion of ours For the former some indeed have so highly advanced this Ordination that they have preferred it farre above preaching the Word ministring the Sacraments and Prayer making it and the power of Excommunication the two incommunicable Prerogatives of a Bishop above an ordinary Minister yet the Scripture teacheth no such thing but rather the contrary for when the Apostles were sent out by Christ there was no mention of Ordination in that Commission of theirs but only of teaching preaching baptising Mat. 28. 19 20. Mark 16. 15 16. If Ordination of Ministers had bin such a speciall worke there would belike have bin some mention of it in their Commission And certaine it is the Apostles counted preaching the Word their principall worke and after it Prayer and the ministring of the Sacraments Act. 6. 4. 1 Cor. 1. 17. If ordaining of Ministers had bin in their account so prime a worke it may seem Paul would rather have tarried in Creete to have ordained Elders there then have gone himselfe about preaching seaving Titus for the other Tit. 1 5. By all which it appeares that ordaining of Ministers is not such an eminent work as that it is to be preferred above preaching the Word and ministring the Sacraments and therefore to be performed by them that are superiours unto ordinary Ministers preaching and ministring the Sacraments being left as inferiour workes unto Ministers of an inferiour ranke as they would have it that stand for the superiority of Docesan Bishops neither is it equall unto those other workes afore
mentioned that onely he that doth those may performe this other also as some others thinke but being nothing else in the true nature and use of it but the execution and accomplishment and confirmation of election it may bee performed by the people of God that yet have no Officers even as Election may upon which it doth depend 5. Lastly let these sayings of some Protestant Writers of singular note either for holinesse or learning or both be well considered of Master Perkins saith Succession of Doctrine alone is sufficient for this Rule must bee remembred that the power of the Keyes that is of order and jurisdiction is tyed by God and annexed in the New Testament to Doctrine If in Turkey or America or elsewhere the Gospel should be received by the counsell and perswasion of private persons they need not send into Europe for consecrated Ministers but they have power to choose their owne Ministers from within themselves because where God gives the Word he gives the power also upon Gal. 1. 11. Doctor Willet saith Whereas Bellarmine objecteth that as in the old Law the Priesthood went by carnall generation and lineall descent from Aaron so in the New it must bee derived by succession from the Apostles we answere first that our Saviour Christ and his Apostles could shew no lineall descent from Aaron neither had their ordination from his Successors and yet were the true Pastors of the Church And a little after This we say further that both before Christ there were true Pastors and Prophets which were not ordained by the Priests of Aaron and since Christ that received not their ordination successively from the Apostles First in the old Law when the ordinary Priesthood was corrupted God raised up Prophets from other Tribes that received not from the Priests their ordination and allowance such an one was Amos who was among Heardsmen and was made a Prophet as he was gathering wilde black-berries After the same manner in the corrupt times of the Gospel the Lord hath raised up faithfull Ministers to his Church that could shew no succession from the degenerate Clergy And a little after If Paul were made an Apostle without the ordination of the lawfull Apostles much more may the Lord raise up new Pastors to his Church without ordination from the usurpers of the Apostles Synops Papism contr 2. Q. 3. of Succession Error 20. p. 81. Morâ—â—y his words are full and plaine to the same purpose viz Although some of our men in such a corrupt state of the Church as we have seene in our time without waiting for calling or allowance of them who under the title of Pastors oppressed the Lords Flock did at first preach without this formall calling and afterward were chosen and called to the holy Ministey by the Churches which they had taught yet this ought to seeme no more strange then if in a free common-wealth the people without waiting either for the consent or for the voices of those that tyrannize over them should according to the Lawes make choice of good and wise Magistrates such happily as God would serve his turne of for their deliverance and for the publike restitution And hereof wee have examples first in the Acts where wee read that Philip who was but a Deacon preacheth in Samaria without the calling of the Apostles yea without their privity who for all that gave their allowance to his worke In Frumentius carried upon another occasion into the Indies a meere Lay-man who yet there preacheth the Gospel and a good while after is there made Bishop In those of whom Origen speaketh that shall come by chance into a City where never any Christian was borne shall there begin to teach and labour to instruct the people in the Faith whom the People shall afterward make their Pastors and Bishops and besides in all the Scriptures there is not one place that bindeth the Ministery of the Gospel to a certaine succession but contrariwise the Scripture sheweth that God would send two speciall witnesses to prophesie against Antichrist Of the Church chap. 11. p. 371. Doctor Whitaker answering Bellarmine that would prove Protestants to have no Church because their Ministers had no Ordination by Bishops saith That as sometimes Bishops were chosen by the Clergy and sometimes by the People so the same may be said of Ordination viz. that it was sometimes by the Clergy and sometimes by the People and then addeth Quod si vocationem corum Episcoporum legitimam fuisse concedat Bellarminus De ordinatione minus laboramus Qui enim habent authoritatem vocandi iidem etiam authoritatem ordinandi habent si legitima ordinatio non possit impetrari nam ordinatio sequitur vocationem qui vocatur iâ— quasi in sui muneris possessionem mittitur de Eccles Q. 5. cap. 6 p. 510. Finally Doctor Ames doth also witnesse the same in many places of his workes for a taste take these few sayings of his in this case viz. Ad totam Ecclesiam semper pertinet ordinatio quoad jus vim virtutem illam quam habet in Ministro Ecclesiae constituendo sicut celebratio matrimonii vim aut virtutem omnem acceptam refert legitimo consensui conjugum Ecclesie statu ministerio ordine deficiente collapso vel corrupto à plebe etiam actus iste ordinationis quatenus necessarius est ad Ministri constitutionem in tali casu potest legitimè exerceri Bellarm enervat lib. 3. de clericis cap. 2 de ordinatione And againe a little after Episcopos veros à veris Episcopis ordinariè dicimus ordinandâ—s esse sed nomine Ecclesiae cui ordinantur And againe a little after Potestas ordinandi est aliquâ— modo originaliter in tota Ecclesia sicut potestas videndi originaliter est in toto animali quamvis formaliter subjectivè sit in oculo tantùm tum etiam ordinationis exercitium pendet à tota Ecclesia sicut actus videndi hoc vel illud determinatè pendet non ab oculo sed à toto And againe Quamvis in Ecclesia benè constituta non debeat aliis quam presbyteris ordinandi manus mandari in defectu tamen idoneorum presbyterorum potest non presbyteris mandari And yet againe in the next place Si concedatur hoc quòd ex ordine nemo possit esse legitimus pastor nisi sit à legitimo Pastore Episcopo ordinatus In ordinis tamen defectu cùm jam primò instaurari debet ordo non potestâ—tam accuratè observari atque adeo extraordinarium aliquid tum potest intervenire sine ullo vitio These words you see are punctuall and plaine that the power of ordaining Ministers is originally in the Church and that though when a Church hath Presbyters the act of ordaining is to be done by those Presbyters yet in defect of such it may be performed by them that are no Presbyters lawfully and without fault which is the case of our Churches that are in their beginnings and may
be the case of any Church when they come to be without Officers as by warre pestilence c. it may come to passe There are some things common to Pastors with Teachers as that they are both Officers of the Church appointed by Christ both Elders or Bishops to rule and feed the Church by labouring in the Word and Doctrine Act. 20 28 1 Tim. 3. 1. Tit. 1. 5 7. and therefore the name of Pastour in a generall sense may be given to them both Ier. 3. 15. as also the name of Teacher Isa 30. 20. as those names may also be given to Apostles in as much as they also are Elders Pastors Teachers to rule to feed to teach the Church of God 1 Pet. 5. 1. Ioh. 21. 15. 16. 1 Tim. 2. 7. 2. 1. 11. And if Pastors and Teachers be both of them Church officers to feed and rule the Church by labouring in the Word and Doctrine they must not do this without application of it to the consciences and states of the hearers as God shall helpe them for this application is one part of his worke that is by his office to preach the Word without which the Word is not handled in such a manner as it ought to be 2 Tim. 2. 15. 1 Cor. 14. 25. Luk. 12. 42. and many hearers need this the Word delivered in generall without application of it being to them as bread set before children in the whole loafe And if both of them must labour in the Word and Doctrine and not onely in a generall way but with application we see not but they may both of them administer the Seales or Sacraments wherein there is a speciall application of the promises of the Gospel and the grace of Christ therein unto the faithfull and believing receivers 2. And yet for all this community between them they are not in propriety of speech the same Officers but distinct and so the Scripture speaketh of them Ephes 4. 11. For if a man would say their Offices are confounded because the same generall worke of preaching the Word and applying the same belongs unto them both By the same reason a man might say the offices of Apostles and Evangelists were confounded for both of them were to preach the Word with application of the same by doctrine and Seales and also that the ordinary Pastors were the same office with them both because hee also is to doe the same worke of preaching and applying But an Apostle is to feed and rule and teach by way of Doctrine and Application as an Apostle an Evangelist as an Evangelist and an ordinary Pastor as an ordinary Pastor and therein lyes the difference and wee may adde a Teacher as a Teacher and therein is he distinguished both from the Pastor and from all other Church Officers even as by the same they all are distinguished one from another the same generall worke of Doctrine and Application being common to them all 3. And for the Teacher and Pastor the difference between them lyes in this that the one is principally to attend upon points of Knowledge and Doctrine though not without Application and the other to points of Practice though not without Doctrine and therefore the one of them is called He that teacheth and his worke is thus expressed let him attend on teaching and the other He that exhorteth and his worke to attend on exhortation Rom. 12. 7 8. and the gift of the one is called a word of knowledge and the gift of the other a word of wisedome 1 Cor. 12. 8. as experience also sheweth that one mans gift is more doctrinall and for points of knowledge and anothers more exhortatory and for points of practise It is not the manner of Elders among us whether Ruling onely or Ruling and Teaching also to strive for authority or preheminence one above another as remembring what lesson our Saviour taught his Disciples when they were at strife among them which of them should be the greatest Luk. 22. 24 25. c. If Diotrephes strive for preheminence 3 Ioh. 9 10. verily we abhorre such striving and by the grace of God respect one another as Brethren As for the peoples duty toward their Elders it is taught them plainly in that place 1 Thes 5. 12 13. as also in that of 1 Tim. 5. 17 Let the Elders that rule well bee counted worthy of double honour specially they that labour in the Word and Doctrine and this Word specially shewes them that as they are to account all their Elders worthy of double honour so in speciall manner their Teaching or Preaching Elders These are answered in that which was sent the last yeare We doe believe that every Minister of the Gospel ought to be maintained with sufficient and honourable maintenance according to his need and occasions in regard of his person calling charge of children and hospitality so as he that preacheth the Gospel may in all these respects live of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9. 14. Gal 6. 6. 1 Tim. 5. 17. And this maintenance is not to be allowed as almes and courtesie but as debt and duty to bee paid according to the rule of Justice the Labourer is worthy of his wages Luk. 10. 17. which the Apostle sheweth to be according to all Lawes of nature nations Moses and Christ 1 Cor. 9. But for setled and stinted maintenance there is nothing done that way amongst us except from yeare to yeare because the conditions of Ministers may vary and of the Church to which they doe belong Neither doe we know any such thing to be appointed by Christ our Lord for the maintenance of the Ministery in these dayes but this we know that the great mountaine burning with fire cast into the sea upon the sounding of the second Trumpet Rev. 8. 8 9. is applyed by some good Writers to those times when Constantine brought setled endowments into the Church with ampla praedia as they are called are counted by some to bee no better then poyson to the Church as the Stories say that upon the fact of the good Emperour a voice was heard which said Hodie seminatum est virus in Ecclesiam And if those Writers be not deceived which so expound that Scripture as for our parts wee know not but they expound it truely then in as much as upon the casting of that mountaine into the sea a third part of it became blood and a third part of living creatures dyed and a third part of ships were destroyed it may be truely gathered thence that the bringing in of setled endowments and eminent preferments into the Church hath been the corruption and to some the destruction of such as lived by them both Church-officers and Church-members We doe not permit and call upon such whom you call meere Lay men and private persons neither being in the Ministery nor intended to it ordinarily to preach or prophecy publiquely in or before the Congregation if by ordinarily you meane frequently
Separation For Doctor Ames his judgement of Church-Covenant may be seene in his Medulla Theol. lib. 1. cap. 32. § 14 15 17. Fideles non constitunt Ecclesiam particularem quamvis simul forsan plures in eodem loco conveniant aut vivant nisi speciali vinculo intersese conjunguntur c. That is beleevers doe not make a particular Church though perhaps there be many of them that meete together and live in the same place unlesse they be joyned together by some speciall bond amongst themselves for so one Church would many times be dissolved into many and many Churches confounded into one Now this bond is a Covenant either expressed or implicite whereby beleevers do binde themselves particularly to performe all such duties both towards God and mutually to one another as pertaine to the nature of a Church and their edification And thereupon no man is rightly admitted into the Church but by confession of his Faith and stipulation or promise of obedience These words doe plainely and fully shew his judgement of Church-Covenant to be the very same that is held and practised in New-England at this day And that he was not for that severitie and regiditie of separation may be cleared from sundry of his workes wherein he plainly and fully beares witnesse against the same and namely in his Fresh suite against Ceremonies pag. 207. and in his second Manuduction wherein he purposely and at large deales in this Argument of Separation Sure it is Master Canne in his Booke wherein he goes about to prove the necessitie of separation from the Non-Conformists principles doth professedly and expressely oppose himselfe against Doctor Ames in the point of Separation which shewes how farre the good Doctor was from favouring that way when they most zealously therein doe count him to be a speciall opposite of theirs as indeed he was And for Master Parker his judgement of Church-Covenant was heard before in part where he so much approveth the practise of the Reformed Churches in this point And much more may be seene of his judgement herein in the sixteenth Chap. of the third booke of his Polit. Ecclesiastica And yet in the same place and likewise lib 1. cap. 13. 14. of the same Treatise he plentifully and plainly shewes his dislike of the wayes of Separation as is also acknowledged in an Admonition to the Reader prefixed before that Booke by I. R. suo suorumque nomine So that this Assertion appeares to be untrue wherein it is said that none but Brownists and Separatists doe approve of Church-Covenant As for the Inference from this ground that therefore Church-Covenant should not be received because it is pleaded for and practised by the Separatists We Answer that this will not follow unlesse it could be proved that the Separatists hold no truth or if they hold a truth wee must not hold it that so it may appeare wee differ from them Either of which it were unreasonable to affirme If the Papists hold sundry Articles of Faith as that there is a unitie of the Divine Essence and Trinitie of Persons that Jesus Christ is God and man and that true Messiah that was promised and the onely Saviour of the world and many such like must wee deny these things because they are holden by the Papists This were as unreasonable as to condemne the doctrine of the Resurrection because it was maintained by the Pharisees Act. 23. 8. And so we say of Church-Covenant holden and practised by them of the Separation as also many other truths are maintained by them No reason that truth should be refused because the Separatists maintaine it When Doctor Bancroft in a Sermon at Pauls-Crosse had avouched that the Superioritie of Bishops above other Ministers is by Gods owne Ordinance and to make the contrary opinion odious affirmed that Aerius persisting in it was condemned for an Heretique by the generall consent of the whole Church and that Martin and his Companions doe maintaine the same opinion of Aerius What saith learned Doctor Reinolds hereunto in a Letter to Sir Francis Knolls who required him to shew his judgement herein Touching Martin saith he if any man behave himselfe otherwise then in discretion and charitie he ought let the blame be laid where the fault is and defend him not but if by the way he utter a truth mingled with whatsoever else it is not reason that that which is of GOD should be condemned for that which is of man no more then the doctrine of the Resurrection should be reproved because it was maintained and held by the Pharisees Wherefore removing the odious name of Martin from that which is sinceritie and love is to be dealt with c. And the very same doe wee say to them that would make Church-Covenant to be odious because it is held by those of the Seperation who are commonly called Brownists If men behave themselves otherwise then they ought we defend them not therein but if they hold any truth mingled with whatsoever else wee would not have that which is of God to be condemned for that which is of man truth should not be refused because of other corruptions that may be found in them that hold it If you with them hold Church-Covenant you iustifie them in all their wayes of seperation and erronious opinions Not so for many of them hold that there are no visible Christians that stand members of the Parishes in England and that it is not lawfull to hold any private Religious communion with such persons and that the parishionall Assemblies are none of them true Churches and that it is not lawfull to hear any of those Ministers to preach the Word none of which are justified at all by holding Church-Covenant though they do hold the same There is no such necessarie and inseparable connexion betweene these opinions and that of Church-Covenant that he that holds this must needs hold the other also But the time hath been when your selves did not hold Church-Covenant as now you do when you were in England you were not of this mind and therefore no marvell if your change since your coming to New England be suspected and offensive If you change your judgement and practise in this manner God knows whether you may come at last and therefore men may well be afraid of holding with you in this point which your selves did not hold when you lived in your native Countrey Some of us when we were in England through the mercie of God did see the necessitie of Church-Covenant and did also preach it to the people amongst whom we ministred though neither so soone nor so fully as were meete for which we have cause to be humbled and to judge our selves before the Lord. But suppose we had never knowne nor practised the same before our coming into this countrey yet if it be a truth of God there is no reason why we should shut our eyes against the light when God holds it forth unto