in those very termes covenanted against that the liberty that is granted to some be not extended to Popery and Prelacy And therefore if any Diocesan Bishop should exercise his jurisdiction and excommunicate any person within this Land wherein by Authority as you may see afterward there is also an appointment of another Government we leave it to those that are learned in the Law to determine whether such Diocesan Bishops would not run themselves into a praemunire But if you do not restrain lawfull Pastors to these onely our doubt yet is Whether you mean not onely such Ministers as were ordained by Diocesan Bishops excluding those out of the number that since their being taken away have been ordained by Presbyters onely If this be your sense we shall onely at present minde you of what is published to be the Judgement of Dr Vsher late Primate of Ireland in a Book lately put forth by Dr Bernard Preacher to the Honourable Society of Grayes-Inne and whom though a stranger to us and one of a different judgement from us in the point of Episcopacy yet we reverence for his moderation and profession of his desires for peace wishing that such as do consent in substantials for matter of Doctrine would consider of some conjunction in point of Discipline That private interests and circumstantials might not keep them thus far asunder * See pag. 14◠of his last Book In which wish as we do cordially joyn our selves so we heartily desire that all godly and moderate spirited men throughout the Land would also close But the book which the said Doctor hath lately published is intituled The Judgement of the late Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland c. In this Book this Doctor tells us that the late Primate in Answer to a letter of his sent to him as it should seem for that purpose declares his Judgement touching the ordination of the Ministry in the Reformed Churches in France and Holland There he saith that Episcopus Presbyter gradu tantum differunt non ordine And consequently that in places where Bishops cannot be had the ordination by Presbyters standeth valid And in the close of his Answer about this point he saith That for the testifiying of his Communion with the Churches of the Low-Countryes of whom he had spoken immediately before and which he there professeth He doth love and honour as true members of the Universall Church notwithstanding the difference that was betwixt him and them about the point of Episcopacy he doth profess That with like affection he should receive the blessed Sacrament at the hands of the Dutch Ministers if he were in Holland as he should do at the hands of the French Ministers if he were in Charenton See pag. 125. and 126. Hence you may perceive that the Judgement of Dr Usher was That the Ordination of Presbyters where Bishops cannot be had standeth valid And consequently if you be of his opinion and you must have stronger reasons then ever yet we have seen to bear you out therein if you judge otherwise they ought to be esteemed lawfull Pastors to whom you grant the power of Excommunication Bishops being now taken away and may not therefore ordain according to the present Laws of the Land The said Dr Bernard hath some animadvertisements upon that Letter in which Dr Usher doth deliver his judgement as above said and there shews that he was not in this Judgement of his singular He alledgeth Dr Davenant that pious and learned Bishop of Sarisbury as consenting with him in it in his determinations quaest 42. and produceth the principall of the Schooleman Gulielmus Parisiensis Gerson Durand c. and declares it to be the Generall opinion of the Schoolemen Episcopatum ut distinguitur à simplici sacerdotio non esse alium ordinem c. see pag. 130. of the aforenamed Book as also pag. 131.132 Where the concurrence of Dr Davenant with Dr Vsher in his judgement about this matter is declared more fully He addes also others as in speciall Dr Richard Field in his learned Book of the Church lib. 3. cap. 39. and lib. 5. cap. 27. And also that Book intituled A defence of the Ordination of the Ministers of the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas maintained by Archdeacon Mason against the Romanists And further he saith He hath been assured it was not onely the Judgement of Bishop Overall but that he had a principall hand in it He tell us that the fore-mentioned Author produceth many testimonies The Mr of the Sentences and most of the Schoolemen Bonaventure Thomas Aquinas Durand Dominicus Soto Richardus Armachanus Tostatus Alphonsus a Castro Gerson Petrus Canisius to have affirmed the same and at last quoteth Medina a principall Bishop of the Councill of Trent who affirmed That Jerome Ambrose Augustine Sedulius Primasius Chrysostome Theodoret Theophylact were of the same judgment also But you may see these things your selves in Dr Bernard pag. 132 133 134. Wee have been onely at the pains to transcribe them Wee could alledg many more Testimonies to prove this But wee count these sufficient and do alledg these the rather because brought by one that is of the same Judgment with you as wee suppose But having declared how farr you accord with us in Judgment touching the way of informing the ignorant and reforming the wicked persons and schismatical c. you tell us That you are not therein so wavering and unsettled in your apprehensions of the Case as to submit either it or them either wholly or in part to the contrary Judgment and determination of a general Council of the Eastern and Western Churches much lesse to a new termed Provincial Assembly at Preston wherein you professe no little to differ from us That which wee submitted wholly to the Judgment of the Provincial Assembly was not whether Catechizing was a way appointed by God in his Word for the information of the ignorant but in what way of Catechizing as is expressed in our Paper the ignorant in our Congregations who never offered themselves unto the Sacrament were most like to be brought to some measure of knowledg and which is not a matter of Doctrine but of Order onely Neither was it by us submitted to that Assembly whether the censures of the Church were the means appointed by Christ for the reforming of the scandalous But whether it might not be meet pro hic nunc and as the present case stood to apply the Censures and so put in practice at this time that which in the General wee were sufficiently assured from the word of Truth was the way for their reformation and with which wee were both by God and Man intrusted to dispense unto those that were openly scandalous in our Congregations However they contented themselves to live in the want of the Lords Supper nor ever presented themselves to the Eldership to be admitted to it And this because meerely circumstantiall as to the dispencing of the Censures at
this time and to such Persons we think herein we owed the Provinciall Assembly unto whose Authority we profess our selves to be subject so much respect and duty as to submit our apprehensions in a Case of this nature which they had propounded unto us to be seriously weighed as they had done to the rest of the Classes within this Province unto their Judgement and to take their concurrent approvall along with us before we proceeded to practise in a matter of this weight And yet we have declared before That however we are not so wavering and unsettled in matters of faith as to resolve our belief into the determination of Synods or Councils believing no more nor no otherwise then as they determine Yet that it is not out of the compass of the authority of a Synod to examine try and authoritatively to censure Doctrines as well as matters of Discipline And we think how confident soever you may be of the soundness and orthodoxness of what in your Paper you propound in way of exception against any thing in ours you have not such clear and inquestionable grounds from Scripture for the same that you were to be accused of wavering or unsettledness if you had submitted the same to have been examined and tried by a Provincial Assembly and much less if you could have had the opportunity of submitting it to the Censure of a General Council But whereas mentioning our Provincial Assembly at Preston you call it a new termed Provincial Assembly If your meaning be that the terming it a Provincial Assembly in stead of a Provincial Synod is a new term then this is but onely a Logomachia and not much to be insisted on Although we frequently call it a Provincial Synod as well as a Provincial Assembly But if your meaning be That it is a new termed Provincial Assembly at Preston Because Provinciall Synods or Assemblies have been held but lately at Preston we see not if Provincial Assemblies be warrantable and have been of ancient use in the Church that having been long in dis-use they begin of late to be held at Preston that can justly incurre your censure But if the Antiquity of such Assemblies be that you question Then we referre you to what Dr Bernard in the Book of his above quoted shews was the Judgement of Dr Vsher who is acknowledged by all that knew him or are acquainted with his works to have been a great Antiquary however we alleadge him not that you should build your faith upon his Testimony and which we think may be sufficient to vindicate Provincial Assemblies in your thoughts from all suspition of novelty In that Book you have in the close of it proposals touching the Reduction of Episcopacy unto the form of Synodical Government received in the ancient Church And it thus begins By the Order of the Church of England all Presbyters are charged to administer the Doctrine and Sacraments and the Discipline of Christ as the Lord hath commanded and as this Realm hath received And that they might the better understand what the Lord hath commanded herein The exhortation of Paul to the Elders of Ephesus Acts 20.28 is appointed to be read unto them at the time of their Ordination A little after it is acknowledged That Ignatius by Presbytery mentioned by Paul 1 Tim. 4.14 did understand the Community of the rest of the Presbyters or Elders who then had a hand not onely in the delivery of the Doctrine and Sacraments but also in the administration of the Discipline of Christ And for further proof Tertullian is alleadged in his Generall Apologie for Christians Where he saith that in the Church are used exhortations chastisements and divine censure For Judgement is given with great advice as among those who are certain they are in the sight of God And it is the chiefest foreshewing of the Judgement to come if any man have so offended that he be banished from the Communion of Prayer and of the Assembly and of all holy Fellowship The Presidents that bear rule therein are certain approved Elders who have obtained this honour not by reward but by good report There also is further shewed That in matters of Ecclesiastical judicature Cornelius Bishop of Rome used the received form of gathering together the Presbytery And that Cyprian sufficiently declares of what Persons that consisted When he wisheth him to read his Letter to the flourishing Clergy which there did preside or rule with him And further That in the 4th Council of Carthage it was concluded That the Bishop might hear no mans cause without the presence of the Clergy And that otherwise the Bishops sentence should be void unless it were confirmed by the Clergy And yet further That this is found inserted into the Canons of Egbert who was Archbishop of York in the Saxon times and afterwards into the body of the Canon law it self It is here also acknowledged That in our Church this kind of Presbyterian Government hath been much disused Yet that it did profess that every Pastor hath a right to rule the Church from whence also the name of Rector was at first given unto him and administer the Discipline of Christ as well as to dispence the Doctrine and Sacraments c. By all which it is acknowledged and also proved That the form of Government by the united suffrages of the Clergy is ancient and which is there in express termes asserted as it might be demonstrated by many more Testimonies but that we conceive these already mentioned are sufficient and being alleadged by the aforementioned Author As also evidencing what his own Judgement was in this point may be more likely to sway with you if in that there should be a dissent betwixt you and us then any thing that we could our selves produce But in this reduction of Episcopacy to the form of Synodical Government received in the ancient Church there are proposals of Assemblies of Pastors within certain limited bounds Which saving that they are some of them somewhat larger then ours which is but a circumstantial difference do hold proportion with the Classical Provincial and National Assemblies mentioned in the form of our Church Government As also the times propounded there for their meeting the power of these Assemblies and what they were to have Cognizance of and the subordination of the lesser to the greater with liberty of Appeal if need should require and are the same in substance as with us And all these were propounded as the way of Government in the ancient Church and in the year 1641. after the troubles that had risen in Scotland about Episcopacy and the Ceremonies and before the setting up of the Presbyterian Government in this Land had so much as fallen under debate in the Parliament so far as ever we heard of as an expedient to prevent the troubles that did after arise in this Land about the matter of Church Government being for the moderating of Episcopacy That at that time was
as is consonant to the will of God and universall practice of primitive Churches c. In that you do here joyn the will of God and the universal practise of primitive Churches together as you joyned the Word of God and the constant practise of the Catholique Church before you seem to us to make up the rule whereby we must judge what Government it is that you pray might be established of these two viz. the will of God and the universal practise of primitive Churches Or that it is the universal practise of primitive Churches That must be our sure guide and comment upon the Word of God to tell us what is his will revealed these touching Church Government and discipline If this be your sense as we apprehend it is we must needs profess that herein we greatly differ from you as not conceiving it to be sound and orthodoxe It being the Word of God alone and the approved practise of the Church recorded there whether it was the universall and constant practise of the Church or no that is to be the onely rule to judge by in this or any other controversies in matters of Religion But yet admitting for the present the rule you seem to make we should desire to know from you what that Church Government is which is so consonant to the will of God and universall practise of primitive Churches For our own parts we think it will be very hard for you or any others to demonstrate out of any Records of Antiquity what was the universall practise of primitive Churches for the whole space of the first 300. years after Christ or the greatest part thereof excepting so much as is left upon record in the Scriptures of the new Testament the Monuments of Antiquity that concerne those times for the greatest part of them being both imperfect and far from shewing us what was the universall practise of the Church then though the practises of some Churches may be mentioned and likewise very questionable At least it will not be easie to assure us that some of those that go under the names of the most approved Authors of those times are neither spurious nor corrupted And hereupon it will unavoidably follow that we shall be left very doubtfull what Government it is that is most consonant to the universall and constant practise of primitive Churches for that time But as touching the rule it self which you seem here to lay down we cannot close with it We do much honour and reverence the primitive Churches But yet we believe we owe more reverence to the Scriptures then to judge them either imperfect or not to have light enough in themselves for the resolving all doubts touching matters of faith or practise except it be first resolved what was either the concurrent interpretation of the Fathers or the universall and constant practise of the Churches of those times Besides that admitting this for a rule that the universall and constant practise of the primitive Churches must be that which must assure us what is the will of God revealed in Scripture concerning the Government which he hath appointed in the Church our faith is hereupon resolved into a most uncertain ground and so made fallible and turned into opinion For what monuments of Antiquity besides the Scripture can assure us touching the matters of fact therein contained that they were such indeed as they are there reported to be the Authors of them themselves being men that were not infallibly guided by the Spirit But yet supposing we could be infallibly assured which yet never can be what was the universall and constant practise of the primitive Churches how shall that be a rule to assure us what is most consonant to the will of God When as we see not especially in such matters as are not absolutely necessary to salvation Even as a Generall Councill it self is subject to errrour but that the universall practise of the Churches might in some things be dissonant to the will of God revealed in Scriptures And so the universall practise of primitive Churches can be no certain rule to judge by what Church Government is most consonant to the will of God revealed in his Word We know there are corruptions in the best of men There was such hot contention betwixt Paul and Barnabas Gal. 2. as caused them to part asunder Peter so failed in his practise as that though before some came from James he did eat with the Gentils yet when they were come he withdrew himself fearing them of the Circumcision And hereupon not only other Jews dissembled with him but Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation Whence it 's clear that the examples of the best men even in those things wherein they went contrary to the rule of Gods Word are of a spreading nature and the better the Persons that give the bad example are the greater the danger of the more universall leavening Nay we finde that not only some few Apostolicall men had their failings but even Apostolicall primitive Churches did in the very face of the Apostles they being yet alive make great defection both in regard of opinions and practises As from the examples of the Churches of Corinth Galatia and the Churches of Asia is manifest The Apostle also tels us that even in his time the mystery of iniquity began to work And in after times we know how the Doctrine was corrupted what gross superstition crept into the Church what domination was striven for amongst the Pastors and Bishops of the Churches Till at length Antichrist was got up into his seat unto which height yet he came not all at once but by steps and degrees Besides it is of fresh remembrance that notwithstanding the reformation happily brought about in our own Church in regard of Doctrine and worship after those dismall Marian times yet the corruption in regard of Government continued such during the time of the late Prelacy which yet was taken away in other reformed Churches that the Pastors were deprived of that power of rule that our Church acknowledgeth did belong to them of right and which did anciently belong to them however the exercise thereof did after grow into a long disuse as hath been shewed before And therefore when we consider on the one hand that the superiority which the Bishop obtained at the first above the Presbyter in the ancient Church and which was rather obtained consuetudine Ecclesiae then by Divine right did at the length grow to that height that the Pastors were spoiled of all power of rule so we cannot much wonder on the other hand that the ruling Elder was quite turned out of doors For the proof of the being and exercise of whose office in the purer times there are notwithstanding produced testimonies of the ancients by Divines both at home and abroad that have written about that subject and to which we do therein refer you As there do remain some footsteps and shadow of
Excommunicatio Excommunicata OR A CENSURE OF THE Presbyterian Censures And proceedings in the Classis at MANCHESTER Wherein is modestly examined what Ecclesiastical or civil Function they pretend for their new and usurped Power In a Discourse betwixt the Ministers of that Classis and some dissenting Christians LONDON Printed for Humphrey Moseley at the Sign of the Prince's Arms in St. Pauls Church-yard 1658. THE PREFACE IN such an age as this when the heat of vain and unprofitable controversies has bred more scriblers Plautus than a hot summer in the Comedians simile does flies it might seem more rational according to Solomons rule for prudent men to keep silence then to vex themselves and disquiet others with such empty discourses as rather enlarge then compose the differences of Gods people It was a sad age that of Domitian of which the Historian affirmeth Tacitus that then Inertia pro sapientiâ erat Ignorance was the best knowledge laziness and servility was the best diligence and we could wish this age did not too much resemble that But when we see every Marsyas with an old Pipe of Minerva's dares contend with Apollo that men of low and cheap abilities are too loud and too hard for men of the choicest and best design certainly Inertia pro sapientia erit He 's the best Orator that dwells in silence and he 's the wisest man that keeps the privacy and recluseness of his own ville Appion Hannibal once told Scipio that it had been better both for Rome and Carthage if both of them had been contented within their own bounds and possibly it had been more honourable both for our brethren of the Presbytery and our selves had we made our lists more private and plaid our prizes onely behind the Curtains for so we had confined and determined our ignorance to our own sphear and our defects had been visible to no eyes but our own Plutarch But as Antalcidas objected to Agesilans The Spartans have made the Thebanes fight whether they would or no the exasperations and bitterness of our brethren Plinie have lent cowards courage and provok'd us to combate whether we would or no Miserum est pati nec licere quert 'T is a hard case to be hurt and to have our mouthes stopt to suffer and to be obliged not to complain Qui unam patitur iujuriam invitat aliam Seneca 'T is a certain rule with the men of this perswasion If you take a blow from them on one cheek you cannot be Christians in their Calender unless you turn the other also We had well hoped that what Tully notes to be the eloquence of Atticus Respondere sciat me sibi dum taceo our silence and our patience might have been good Orators for us to have answered the pretensions of their power the disguises of their popular discourses and the harsh proceedings towards us but the more we suffered they triumphed the more and because it was our judgement and choice to dwell in silence they thought we either could not or durst not speak But nemo nobis amicis uti potest Adulatoribus They shall find we are their friends but not their Parasites we will speak that truth which we understand beseech the good spirit to lead them and us into all truth and in this mean and inconsiderable service we appeal to the 1000 witnesses within us that we speak nothing out of pride or envy or with unchristian reflections upon our sufferings but with a hearty desire of peace that they or we may be convinc'd and at last meet by a unity of the spirit in the bond of peace We shall not present the Rooms and model of the whole house in the Porch yet we shall preface a recitall of those grievances which made us open our mouthes in this discourse Ne extorqueretur nobis causa Lucii Cottae patrocinio lest we might seem to fear the Giant of Presbytery and to think it were onely that Palladium that would preserve the City of God About 7 months since the Classis of Manchester publisht their Breviats or censures against all that came not in to them for trial and examination wherein they go to the high waies and compel all to come in and give submission to their Government by subjecting themselves to examination by the Ministers and Elders not onely such as may be suspected to be ignorant or scandalous but all of all elevations of all judgements must come under the Inquisition not so much we fear to fit them for the Sacrament as to teach them obedience that they may know themselves Tacitus as Tiberius said of the Senate that they are homines ad servitutem nati to owe an obedience to their new Masters which they must pay under the grand penalties of suspension and excommunication I answer to these Bruta fulmina we with all meeknesse and humility sent them one single sheet of paper desiring satisfaction in some things wherein our reason and religion obliged us to be of a different judgement from them This one sheet they return'd in seven an answer long enough if it be sound enough To satisfie us in our scruples and in their proceedings they pretend for what they do both an Ecclesiastical and civil function a Commission from Christ and the State also But that maxime of the ancient will here be found true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our own Lawes built upon passion and interest are commonly lawlesse It is apparent to us that their new Lights have no light from Antiquity or primitive forms that their new Rules have no establishment either by the Lawes of the Christan Church or the Lawes of this Land St. Jerom said of Origen That ingenii sui acumina putat ecclesia esse Sacramenta an imagination sure of our Presbyters that the placita of their own wills must pass for civil and divine constitutions We wonder that men pretending to Learning and Religion should not onely call in the Lord of truth to abett the phansies of men but should also pretend to encouragement and Commissions from the State to second their prevarications It hath pleased his Highness in his wisdome and clemency to secure all godly and peaceable men professing Jesus Christ from those Ordinances which the rigour of Presbytery had mounted against them but where he gives the least incouragement for this power usurped by them we find not and therefore we think 't is friendly advice that they take heed least their unguided zeal or interest precipitate them into a premunire since under colour of Authority they have made Lawes and Canons and published them openly in the Church for all to obey upon pain of excommunication not onely against all the ancient known Lawes of elder date but also contrary to the present establishment and the Magistracie under which we now live 'T is a trouble to us to hear them cry out against Prelacy and Episcopacy as onely an artificial and political device to
catechized publickly in the Congregation But as for those that are conscious to themselves that they are very ignorant if these should be called forth to publique Catechizing it were more likely to drive them from the publique Assembly and so from the use of all means for their information then be availeable to this end As touching what was propounded by us in our paper as the way for their information though it was not intended for any such a purpose as to exclude publique Catechizing it was done in way of condescension to the weakest and to shew our willingness to apply our selves to any course so we might be instrumentall to bring poor dark and blinde Souls to the knowledge of Christ and which in our Judgement is more likely to be attained in many as the case stands with them in a more private way of Catechizing in any of the wayes propounded by us then if we should Catechize all the severall Families publiquely before the whole congregation 2 Touching those that erre so grossely whether in Doctrinals or points of discipline thereby renting from a true constituted Church you say we speak nothing either of their sin or punishment yet you hope we with you do hold that the Churches lawfull Pastors have the power of the keyes committed to them to excommunicate such offenders We have given you the reason already why we made not such express mention of these offenders as of the former although as you will hereafter perceive we are not wholly silent touching eirher the sin or punishment of these Onely at present because you profess to allow of that previous course of admonition prescribed by Christ in reference to the scandalous Mat. 18. before they be excommunicated but here say nothing of any such course to be taken with the hereticall or schismaticall though we hope also of you that you disallow it not we shall briefly declare what course is to be held by the rules of the Presbyterian Government before the sentence of excommunication pass against these offenders and whereof our paper was not silent This Government however it gives no toleration to any such errours as subvert the faith or any other errours which overthrow the power of godliness if the party who holds them spreads them seeking to draw others after him or to any such practises as in their own nature manifestly subvert that order Vnity and Peace which Christ hath established in his Church These being offences censured by this Government and of which further afterward yet this Government prescribes the exercise of patience and long suffering even toward those that do grossely erre in Doctrine as well as toward those that are scandalous in life in the use of all means for the convincing them of their errours by reasoning with them out of the Scriptures as we see was practised in the Synod that was held at Jerusalem and as we see the Fathers of the Nicene Council did not disdain to reason and dispute with Arrius though he denyed the Deity of Christ before they condemned him And as also other Fathers did with other Hereticks in the Synods although oftentimes in vain That so none might have any just cause to complain that they were condemned before they were fully heard And as touching such as run into such practices as in their own nature tend manifestly to the subverting of that order and unity which Christ hath established in the Church it labours with these also in the use of all gentle means to reclaim them and bring them back again to the Church they have rent themselves from before it proceed to censure As it doth also put a difference between the seducers and ring-leaders of a Sect and those that are misled Having respect not only to the nature of the offence but also to the quality of the offender and exerciseth patience and forbearance towards all so long as there is any hope of reducing them by milde correction Being ever more desireous to heal then cut off any member And thus having declared our selves in this we go an with you 3 For you say For such as are scandalous and wicked in their lives admonition private and publique is to be observed according to Christs rule Mat. 18. But if they still continue and will not reform the Churches lawfull Pastors have power to excommunicate such In this you fully come up to what we hold as to the means that is to be used for the reformation of these and we are glad there is an agreement in judgement betwixt you and us thus far Neither can we see how upon this concession you can in reason finde fault with our proceedings if there should be occasion for our censuring any such persons as for their notorious offences and their obstinacy therein might justly merit the highest censure For however perhaps you may say you stumble chiefely at this that our ruling Elders that in your judgement may be but meer Lay-men do joyn in the Government with us yet we see not how this can be any just ground of scruple to any of you who if we mistake not were all of you satisfied in your consciences touching the lawfulness of the late Government of Episcopacy as it was then exercised at least as to submission to it and wherein High-Commissioners Chancelors and Commissaries that were as much Lay-men then as ruling Elders can be in your judgement now had so great a share as to suspend Ministers from the exercise of their Ministry upon such complaints as according to the orders that were appointed in those dayes they might take cognizance of and so far as to decree the sentence of excommunication against them and others as there was occasion for it But here we must yet further profess we do not know whom you mean by lawfull Pastors to whom you here grant the power of excommunication Dr Hammond Some we know there are that would make the Diocesan Bishops the onely Pastors of the Church and that other Ministers do but officiate by deputation from them and under them We hope you are not of the minde of these For then as the dissent in judgement betwixt you and us would be far greater then as yet we apprehend it is so hence it will follow that till Prelacy should be restored there must not if you would provide for the safety of the persons and estates of them that should mannage the Government be the dispencing of any Church censures at all For you may easily know that not only by Acts and Ordinances of Parliament before made for the abolishing of Archbishops and Bishops c. and which are confirmed by the late humble Advice assented unto by his Highness sect 12. the office and jurisdiction of Diocesan Bishops is taken away But there is yet a further Barre put in against Prelacy in the 11. sect of the aforesaid humble Advice where it is expresly cautioned and we judge it was out of a conscientious mindfulness of what had been
Authority for regulating the outward worship of God and Government of his Church The sentence of excommunication for these causes shall not be denounced against them These things this Classis taking into Consideration together with the power they were betrusted with by God and Man for the dispencing the censures of the Church in the cases censurable by the rules here laid down and elsewhere in the form of Church Government And there having been in the Provinciall Assembly severall debates touching such Persons as in the several Congregations were ignorant and scandalous who offered not themselves to the Sacrament not to the Eldership in order to their admission to it and they commending it to the several Classical Presbyteries to be considered of whether some further course was not to be held for the information of the one and the reformation of the other then yet had been taken notwithstanding their neglect and what they judged fittest to be done for the attaining those ends and to represent their thoughts therein to the next Assembly This Classis upon the whole concluded to represent their apprehensions in the Case as is expressed in the Paper that was published which was approved of before by the Provincial Assembly and which they judge is sufficiently awarranted in regard of any thing therein contained by the rules expressed in the above mentioned form of Church Government We having thus far shewed what we have been and are awarranted to practice by the several Ordinances above mentioned we shall now proceed further to declare That however we are no Lawyers and therefore leave the determination of the Case to the learned in the Law to judge of to whom it belongs yet if it may be lawfull for us to judge of a matter of this nature from the principles of reason It seems to us that the above mentioned Ordinances about Church Government as well as other Ordinances of Parliament are confirmed in the humble Advice assented unto by his Highness in the 16. section thereof Where we finde these Words And that nothing contained in this Petition and Advice nor your Highness consent thereunto shall be construed to extend to the repealing or making void of any Act or Ordinance which is not contrary hereunto or to the matters herein contained But that the said Acts and Ordinances not contrary hereunto shall continue and remain in force in such manner as if this present Petition and Advice had not at all been had or made or your Highness consent thereunto given Whence we gather that if in the several Ordinances for Church Government there be nothing contrary to the humble Advice or to the matters therein contained they are not thereby any more then any other Acts or Ordinances of Parliament repealed but left to remain in force At least there seems to us to be a plain intimation that they have a force in them which is not by this humble Advice repealed and made void For it doth not appear to us That there is any thing in the Form of Church Government or any other Ordinances of Parliament about that matter that is contrary to the humble Advice or matters therein contained And whereas in the 11th section there is mention made of some that differ in worship and discipline from the publique profession of these Nations held forth to whom some indulgence is granted It seems to us there is an acknowledgement and owning of what the late Parliament held forth in regard of these the Directory for worship and form of Church Government which they passed as the publique profession of these Nations in regard of worship and discipline And in which apprehensions we are the more confirmed because here in this section mention is made of a confession of faith to be agreed on by his Highness and the Parliament there having nothing in that kind passed the late Parliament that established the Directory for worship and form of Church Government However there had been a Confession of faith drawn up by the late Assembly of Divines Whence it seems to us clear that they own the Directory for worship and the form of Church Government to be that which they hold forth as the publique profession of the Nation for worship and Government To the same purpose we find in the Government of the Commonwealth of England Scotland and Ireland c. As it was publiquely declared at Westminster Decemb. 16. 1653. pag. 43. Sect. 37. Where also they express a worship and Discipline publiquely held forth which must needs referre to the Directory and form of Church Government by us recited There being no other worship or discipline that then had or now hath the civill Sanction in this Nation We have been large in what we have here represented in the generall before we come to speak more particularly to the rest that now follows in your Paper But our pains being greater to make this full representation unto you then it will be for you to read it we must intreat you to excuse us considering it tends as well to rectifie your mistakes as to vindicate our selves being also desirous not to be mistaken any more as also because it layes a foundation for our briefer and more particular Answer unto what follows and to which these things being thus premised we now come In the things wherein you profess your selves to dissent till further explicated and unfolded by us 1 The first thing we meet with here is That by the many Persons of all sorts that are members of Congregations and mentioned in our Paper in your sense thereof we seem to hint that thereby we mean onely such who have admitted themselves members of some Congregation within our association and yet live inordinately c. And that therefore you who never were any members or associates of ours are not within the verge and compass of our Presbyterian discipline c. Unto which we say That we have constantly professed against those of the separation That the several Assemblies of Congregations within this Land that make a profession of the true Christian and Apostolique Faith are true Churches of Jesus Christ That the several members of these Congregations are by their birth members as those that were born in the Jewish Church are said to be by the Apostle Jews by nature Gal. 2. That this their membership was sealed to them in their Baptism that did solemnly admit them as into the universal Church so into the particular wherein they were born We have also constantly maintained against the afore mentioned Persons That the Ministers of these Churches are true Ministers notwithstanding that exception of theirs against them that they were ordained by Bishops who also themselves were true Ministers in our Judgement though we cannot acknowledge that by divine right they were superiour to their fellow brethren either in regard of order or jurisdiction And that therefore the Word and Sacraments the most essential marks of a true visible Church according to the professed