part 1. pag. 219. The power of the Keys is in the Church of beleevers as in the first subject Ib. p. 195. That conâ—â—â—â— is wide to make one first subject of this power and yet others to share in this power not by means of that for this is to speak daggers and contradictions Ibid. 10. Pastor and flock are Relates and so he is a Pastor to none but his own Congregation This is the common Tenet 10. The members of any Church we admit to the Lords Table if they bring Letters Testimoniall and their children to Baptism The Way p. 68. The Keys 17. 10. Administration of Sacraments is a Ministeriall act and what authority hath a Pastor to doe it or they to receive it from him to whom he is no Pastor M. H. Survey part 2.64 65. Pastors and Teachers might pray and preach in other Churches beside their own but not administer Seals and censures Bartlets modell p. 63. 11. We receive the Sacrament of the Lords supper say the same of Baptism as a Seal of communion not only with the Lord Jesus in our own Churches but in all Churches of the Saints The Keys p. 17. See Def. of 9. pos p. 133 134. 11. Baptism and so the other Sacrament seals up the externall communion with a particular Church c. M. H. Survey par 3. pag. 27. and he disputes against it is to the Catholike Church  12. It is an act of the Elders power and authority to examine whether Officers or members before they be received of the Church The Keys pag. 21. 12. As for admission election ordination of officers admission and shutting out of members these things the brethren may do without Officers The Way 45. 101.  13. Ordination is then compleat when the people have chosen him and the Presbytery hath laid their hands on him The Keys p. 37. 13. But if the Church want a Presbytery for want of Elders they want a warrant to repair to the Presbytery of another Church to impose hands upon their elect Elders The Way pag. 50.  14. Paul and Barnabas were ordained to that office of Apostleship by the Imposition of hands of some Officers or members of the Church The Way p. 45. 14. In Act. 13.2 3. There is no Ordination to office at all for the Apostles had their office before M. H. Survey part 2. p. 83. This was not to put a new office upon them but to confirm their sending to the Gentiles Ib. p. 60. 14. This was done in a particular Church The Keys p. 29. The Officers of one Church did what as done in an ordinary way Surv. par 2. 83. Then it follows by M. C. his doctrine that the Apostles who were Officers of all Churches were ordained in a particular Church or that Officers of one Church may be ordained in another Church which he said was unwarrantable The Way p. 50. 15. What if the whole Presbytery offend The readiest course is to bring the matter to a Synod The Keys p. 43. 15. There is a readier and nearer way The brethren may censure them all The Way p. 45. If the Congregation be found faithfull and willing to remove an offence by due censure why should the offence be called up to more publike judicature c. Keys p. 42.  16. It belongs to the civill Magistrate to establish pure Religion in doctrine worship and government partly by civil punishments upon the wilful opposers and disturbers of the same The Keys p. 50. 16. Yet the Brethren here call for or tolerate toleration of all opinions and deny the Magistrate power to punish any pretending conscience Bartlets Modell 128. 16. See M. Bartl Modell p. 25. contra 17. Visible Saints though they be hypocrites inwardly are the matter of a visible Church M. H. Sur. par 1. p. 14 15. 17. You say Saints in outward profession is the matter of a Congregational Church We judge that reall Saints uttering in discourse the breathings of the holy Spirit and experiences of conversion witnessed in a stricter conversation to be the matter D. Holmes Ep. to Way cleared p. 4 17. M. Bartlet speaks something this language Can there ba ability for spirituall and holy services where the spirit is not yet given Can there be communion between light and darknesse can they edifie one another in the faith that have not yet the work of faith wrought in them Mod. p. 57. See more p. 103. 18. The forme of the visible Church is the Covenant either explicit or implicit and the latter is sometimes fully sufficient M. H. Sur. par 1. pag. 47 48. and others 18. You say an implicit uniting viz. a walking and communicating with you is a sufficient evidencing of the Form we say their solemn confession of their faith and expresse open covenanting with the Lord to walk with such a body of Saints in all the waies of Christ c. to be the manifest form D. Holm Ib. 18. It is not generall profession will serve the turn but there must be a peculiar engagement and appropriation to this or that particular body M. H. Sur. p. 63. yet he said an implicit covenant was sufficient 19. We crave leave of the Reverend Author of the Keys to declare that we assent not to all expressions or all and every assertion in it As in these particulars 1. About prophecying by gifted brethren 2. That the Assembly Act. 15. was a formal Synod 3. That the Apostles acted in it as ordinary Elders Praef. to the Keys p. 6. 19. We do in this Epistle certifie our assent unto the way of the Churches in New-England saving that we do not yet fully close with some expressions in the book before some of which ten at least belike there are more we minded to note a star in the Margent This we could not but say and do pace tanti Authoris or we could not assent Ep. to the Way p. 2. f. 19. Yet they are angry we call for a fuller Declaration of themselves Ep. to the Way p. 1. and Ep. to Way cleared p. 2. 20. It is generally asserted by them that one Church hath not power to censure another 20. A Synod hath power to determine to withdraw communion from them if they cannot heal them The Keys p. 25. 20. A sentence of Non-communion denounced against whole Churches Apol. Nar. p. 18 19. If a sentence denounced it is a censure 21. We say Instituted priviledges and ordinances doe not immediatly flow from spiritual union and relation to Christ and his members c. Def. or 9. portions p. 76. He must come at them in a right order i. e. the party must be a member pf a particular Congregation Surv. par 2. p. 65. 21. Then it follows that Hearing the Word preached Singing of Psalms and Baptism belong not to any but to such as are members of a particular Congregation And yet they say ordinary hearing is no sign of a Church-member Sur. par 1. p. 18. 21. A person hath his first right to a Sacrament and so to other Ordinances because he hath an interest in the Covenant of the Gospel Survey par 2. 65.
VINDICIAE VINDICIARVM OR A further manifestation of M. J. C. his contradictions instanced in Vindiciae Clavium BEING A Rejoinder to his Reply to some few of those many Contradictions in his last Book called The Way of Congregationall Churches Cleared Part. 2. By D. C. JAMES 1.8 A double minded man is unstable in all his waies Veritas simplex error multiplex LONDON Printed by A. M. for Christopher Meredith at the Sign of the Crane in Pauls-Church-yard 1651. VINDICIAE VINDICIARVM CHAPTER I. SECTION I. Of the Church to which Christ committed the power of the Keys THe Question between us in this first Section was concerning the meaning of those words The Kingdom of heaven in Mat. 16.19 and consequently What Church it was to which the Keys were by Christ committed For the finding out whereof I proceeded by a distinction It the Kingdom of heaven did there signifie the Church it must either be taken 1. Of the Invisible Church of true believers opposed to Reprobates 2. The Catholike visible Church opposed to Heathens or as you in answering the first question pag. 2. of Keys to the World 3. Or a particular Congregation Give me leave I pray to be now little more exact in stating the question by enquiring what is the sense of those words and the terms of the question 1. What is meant by the Kingdom of Heaven 1. Of glory 2. Of grace 3. Of both 1. What is meant by the Kingdom of heaven whereof the Keys are here given to Peter The Kingdom of heaven in Scripture usage signifies either 1. The Kingdom of glory as frequently or 2. The Kingdom of grace as in some places grace being the beginning of or first step into that Kingdom of glory Or 3. It signifies both the Kingdom of grace and glory And we are both agreed that in this text it signifies both My first words in Vind. Clav. grant it and you affirm it By the Kingdom of heaven here is meant both the Kingdom of grace which is the Church and the Kingdom of glory which is in the highest heavens And you give a very good reason for it For say you Christ giving to Peter the Keys of the Kingdom of heaven conveyeth therewith not only this power to binde on earth that is in the Church on earth for he gave him no power at all to binde in the world the Kingdom of Christ is not of this world but he gives him also this priviledge That what he bound on earth should be bound in heaven And heaven being distinguished from the Church on earth must needs be meant of the kingdom of glory Let this be remembred against anon 2. What that Church is to whom the Keys are committed 2. The Kingdom of heaven signifying the Church and that both in heaven and earth both triumphant and militant for what he cals in the 19. verse The Kingdom of heaven he cals in the 18 verse his Church We must enquire what Church or what part of his Church it is to which the Keys are given This Question I confesse is needlesse in respect to the Text it self For it sayes nothing at all of giving the Keys to the Church but of giving to Peter the Keys of the Church called by the name of the Kingdom of heaven which is worth your observation For it is your importunity rather that hath caused this question who have arrogated the Keys out of the hands of Peter to whom Christ in this text gave them and given them to the Church that is incongruously to the Kingdom of heaven but of his more anon We shall therefore follow you rather then the Text and consider what is meant here by the Church Church is taken Ecclesiastically for 1. The whole Church either 1. The invisible Catholike Church It is taken in the Ecclesiasticall use for I passe by the civill in many senses briefly thus 1. For the whole Church called commonly by the name of the Catholike Church and that in a double notion 1. The Invisible Catholike Church the whole number of the Elect in heaven and earth in all places and times so it is commonly understood Eph. 5.23 25 26 27 32. Col. 1.18 c. 2. 2. The visible Catholike Church The Catholike visible Church containing the whole multitude of professors of Religion elect or hypocrites in this world as opposed to the Church of the Jews or to the men of the world So it is taken Act. 5.11 and 8.3 at least as contra-distinguished to a particular Congregation 2. 2. For some parts of the Church in combination 1. A particular Congregation and that a Church 1. Politicall For some parts of the Church to whom is attributed the name of the whole from their Assembling together in different combinations And then it is taken 1. For a particular Congregation or particular Saints assembled together and this again is by some distinguished into 1. Politicall or Organicall consisting of Officers and Members as the Integrall parts thereof and those Congregations being members of the Catholike visible Church as Integrall parts thereof The texts are obvious where it is so taken 2. Entitive 2. Entitive as they call it or Essentiall consisting only of a company of Saints combined by consent without any Officers So the Reverend M. Hooker and others use to speak But that I may note it by the way to me This Entitive Church so called seems rather to be a notion never existing but in mens fancy in the Resolution or Analysis of a Church into its materials or else it is very improperly called a Church To my observation and understanding hitherto there is not in Scripture such an Entitive Church to be found gathered and existing without any Officers That place Act. 15.4.22 produced by the learned and judicious M. Hudson in his vind pag. 3. where he saies Church is taken for the members as distinct from Officers doth not hold out a Church Entitive without any Officers for that had Officers but only distinguisheth the Integrall parts of that Church into Officers and members The sense is no more but this either it means The Apostles and Elders with the rest of the Church members or if the Church was then distinguished into divers Congregations it takes in all the Congregations as the whole Church for so the words are expressed vers 22. the whole Church And your self call that which we call the Catholike visible Church by the name of the whole Church when you say here pag. 5. The whole Church or which is all one the Catholike Church may be visible in her singular members However it appears not that then there was any Entitive Church existing without Officers That other Text Act. 14.23 seems rather to imply it And when they had ordained them Elders in every Church as if there had been Churches gathered and existing without any Officers But the sense of the place may be this when they had gathered and setled Churches of Elders and
members both at once So soon as there were members enough to make a Church they ordained them Elders and made them a politicall Church If not so yet the Apostles Paul and Barnabas were Officers to them before Catholick Officers to them as yet members only of the Catholick Church and now they being to depart ordained them Elders in their stead and made them particular politicall Churches If those members were not confederate by consent whereof the Scripture saies nothing they themselves say they were not a Church but only Materials of a Church and so members of the Catholike Church only or of none I shall say something more to this in another place I prescribe not to any mans judgement but submit it to consideration and proceed 2. The Officers of the Church 2. As a Congregation is called a Church as afore so sometimes the Officers not only distinguished but as separated into a Court are called the Church Our Saviour alluding to that custome amongst the Jews and not relating to a Congregationall Church not yet known nor yet in being And now the question returns upon us To what Church of all these the keys were committed Some say one thing some another you say to the particular Congregation which we shall consider when we have added that 3. How the Keys are given to the Church whether 3. It is to be considered in this question when the Keys are said to be given to the Church which is never said expresly in Scripture how they are understood to be given to the Church Whether 1. Objectivè 1. Objectivè that the Church is the object of the exercise of the Keys that is they are given for the good and benefit of the Church Or 2. Subjectivè 2. Subjectivè that the Church is the Subject Recipient to imploy and exercise the Keys and this either immediatly by her self in whole or in part without Officers or mediatly by her Officers that is whether the Church be the next and first subject of the Keys to convey them or any part of them to her Officers Or that she is said to be the remote subject as including the Officers to whom primarily and immediatly Christ hath committed the Keys for the good of the Church as sight is immediatly intrusted with the eyes for the good and benefit of the whole body And if it should happen that any power of the Keys should appear to be given to the Church as distinct from her Officers whether it belong first to the Catholike visible Church or to a particular Congregation The Question then is clearly this Whether the Keys of the Kingdom of heaven be given subjectivè to the Church-Catholike in her Officers on the particular Congregation without or with her Officers And now we shall consider what you resolve upon this question Thus you assert The Church to which the Lord Jesus committed the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 16.29 is caetus Fidelium commonly called a particular visible Church c. To which I answered not as an Avenger there is not the least colour of that but as an Assertor giving also my reasons Of all the rest this is the most improbable sense of our Saviours words if by the Kingdom of Heaven on earth he meaneth that Church of which he spake in vers 18. But that was either the Catholike visible Church or rather the Invisible mysticall Church c. That one or both of these for by my word rather I do not exclude the other is meant and that primarily is to me still most probable upon these reasons 1. This being the first time that the Church my Church the evangelical Church is named it is not probable that our Saviour would intend it onely of a particular Congregation but of the Catholike Church for that is primarily Christs Church and that is properly built upon the rock and against that the gates of hell shall never prevail whereas as I say afterwards particular Churches may fail and have failed There is farre more colour for a particular Church to be meant Matth. 18.17 Tell the Church because excommunication is executed in a particular Church first and consequently in the Catholike Church but there is not any shadow for it in the text in hand Did Christ mean I will build my Church that is a particular Church onely upon this rock and not rather the Catholike Church and the particular secondarily as a member thereof It may be a question between the Invisible and Visible Catholike Church which is meant there as after but none till of late so much as made the question betwixt the Catholike and particular Church 2. Peter was an Apostle and had given to him the Keyes of the Catholike Church not of any particular Church for he and so his fellow-Apostles were never Pastors of any particular Church therefore it seems more reasonable that the Catholike Church is there meant They had habitually the Keyes of particular Churches in the Catholike as Pastors have habitually the Keyes of the Catholike Church in a particular They were actually Elders of the whole Church as Pastors are actually Elders of a particular Church 3. The Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven that is the Church are given to Peter as distinguished from the Church therefore they are not there given to the Church As if a Lord should say to him whom he constitutes his Steward I give to thee the Keyes of the Family to open and shut the doors of the House could the servants or children or any for them conclude from this grant the Keyes were given to the Family was Peter the Church to whom the Keyes of the Church were given And therefore as distrusting this sense of this Scripture you say as you had said of the other Apostles and Elders The Church or Congregation of professed believers received that portion also of Church-power The Keys pag. 5. which belonged unto them if not there that is in this text in hand yet elsewhere Not here for certain whether elsewhere or no shall be tried hereafter It is not a reasonable construction of this text to say I give to thee the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven that is of the Church and to mean I give to the Church the Keyes of the Church I said therefore and I think truly that of all the rest this is the most improbable sense of our Saviours words that it is a particular Church to which the Keyes were given Matth. 26.19 It must then be taken of the Catholike Church either Invisible or Visible or none But you are pleased to take away the subject of this question denying any Catholike visible Church For say you I do not read that the Scripture any where acknowledges a Catholike visible Church at all It is supposed by very Judicious Divines that you may read of it often in Scripture and in this place for one It cannot be denied but the Church is often put for the
whole multitude of beleevers whether in truth or in shew only Acts 8.3 Saul made havock of the Church and Acts 12.1 c. It was not any particular Church but any of any Churches any of that way Acts 9.2 which must needs signifie the Church indefinetely as opposed to the world not any particular Church Nor was it the Catholike Invisible Church that they persecuted as such for they could not know them to be such Therefore it must be the Catholike Visible Church Besides your self unawares confesse it in the following words Though the whole Church or which is all one the Catholike Church may be visible in her singular members c. Is not this to confesse a Catholike visible Church But say you So they are not a Church or though it may be visible in the severall particular Congregations yet none of them is Catholike I hope you do not imagine that any is so simple to think that the whole Church can be seen at once D. A. said well Ecclesia non est tota simul visibilis The Church he means the Catholike Church is not all visible at once or at one view then it were more then visibilis even visa not visible so much as seen I know you observe the difference But if the whole Church be visible in her members whether in the particular persons or particular Congregations is not the whole visible though not visa seen at once No more is the whole world visible but in its parts yet the world is visible No more is a Congregation of many persons visible that is seen at once yet you will not say but the whole is visible True but then none of those particular Congregations are Catholike The Catholike Church is not visible as a Church and the Church that is visible is not Catholike But 1. If there be a Catholike Church which you suppose here in these words 2. If that Church be visible in its parts the singular members which you also grant 3. If the particular Congregations as parts be also visible as Churches 4. If the whole Church be made up of chose particular Churches which are visible must not the whole or which is all one the Catholike Church be visible and then the whole Church that is visible in its parts is also Catholike and the Catholike Church is visible in its parts And is it not then true that there is a Catholike visible Church It might be added that a particular Church is not visible as a Church but as a company of men assembled for the form of the Church which you say is the Covenant is not visible And once more you seem to yeeld the Catholike visible Church when you say Though all of them the particular Congregations may be called a Catholike Church or generall Assembly if they were met together Only you adde Yet I would be loth to say that Christ giveth the power of the Keys all Ecclesiasticall power into their hands I should indeed be loth to say so for I do not yet believe that our Saviour in that Text did give the power of the Keys to the Church at all whether particular or Catholike but to Peter to the Officers for the Church To thee Peter I give the Keys of the Church c. Yet the question upon that Text is not resolved whether by Church is meant the Catholike visible or invisible Church seeing it is not to be taken for a particular Church And to this you say That I distrusting the meaning to be of the Catholike visible Church expound it rather to be meant of the Invisible mysticall Church But 1. By my word rather I did not exclude the Catholike visible Church though I was swayed by the reason annexed to incline to that sense Because that Church only is built on the rock and against that the gates of hell shall never prevail whereas particular Churches may fail And I am not alone in this Exposition 2. Visible and invisible do not specifically difference Churches but are as your self say somewhere but adjuncts of the same Church whereupon it may be true of both that by the Kingdom of heaven that is the Church ver 18. may be meant both these as included in the same Church the invisible in the visible But of which our Saviour understood it is worth enquiry Upon second thoughts not excluding the invisible I encline now to think he meant is of the Catholike visible Church The Reverend M. Hooker confesses himself inclined that way by some passages of M. Rutherford to take it of the visible Church though he deny a Catholike visible Church as well as you by the force and conviction of this Argument That Church is here meant which is built upon the Rock Christ by the visible confession of Peter But the invisible Church is not built by a visible profession such as Peters was The proposition is made good by the meaning of the words Thou hast made a confession of my self a rock and upon my self so confessed will I build my Church I must ingeniously confesse I am not convinced by this argument For the Invisible Church is also built upon that rock by a visible profession such as Peters was The invisible Church is the same Church or the same members with the visible and are all built upon the same rock by the same profession of faith True beleevers and false make the same profession of faith and the Elect are visible members of the Church though as they are elect they are invisible visible and invisible are in themselves opposite but not in several respects they may predicated of the same subject That which I observe from him is this he acknowledgeth and argues that the visible Church is here meant the question is whether the Catholike or particular visible Church is there intended For the Catholike visible much hath been said already and now I adde from his confession Upon my self so confessed will I build my Church what only a particular Church and not rather the whole Church yea rather the latter for the reason objected against the particular Church because against the visible Church particular the gates of hell have prevailed he answers The visible Church is attended in a double respect Ibid p. 2. 7. either as this or that particular Congregation or else as a Church universall existing in the particulars and in this latter sense it is taken in this place and then it is a sure and confessed truth That the visible Church doth not fail If now it be taken in the latter sense in this place for the Church universall existing in the particulars then it is meant of the Catholike visible Church not of a particular visible Church See more in M. Hookers Survey p. 217. If I may now declare my judgement take it thus Upon this rock that is my self thus confessed or this confession of my self To be the Christ the Son of the living God will I build my Evangellicall Church
have received all the power of the Keys formally and may administer them without any Officers which is worse then Brownism But I have distinguâ—shed above when the Church is said to receive the Keys subjectivè it may be meant either immediately her self without Officers or mediatly by and in her Officers and I illustrated it by the body naturall As sight is immediatly trusted with the eye as the next subject of it but mediatly with the body In the first sense you cannot say the Church is the immediate subject of the Keysâ— for then she might immediatly administer them all without Officers as I said In the latter sense it is nothing to your purpose for then as fight is entrusted with the eye first for the good of the body so the Keys are entrusted with the Officers for the good of the Church Par 2. pag. 22. The body is not first entrusted with sight to convey it to the eye nor are the Keys committed first to the Church to convey them to the Officers You say afterwards If Christ have given them Pastors c. to the Church the Church is the Recipient subject of them As if the eye be given to the body the body is the recipient subject of it All this is true in a sense The Officers are given to the Church as the immediate recipient subject of them But is our Question of the Officers or of the Keys We say the Keys are given to the Church both objectivè for its good with reference to the brethren and subjectivè with reference to the Officers yea subjectivè to the Church as the subject of the Officers that is mediatly but not subjectivè as the immediate subject of the Keys Your comparison was ill laid you should have instanced in the sight that resembles the Keys not in the Eye it self The body is the immediate subject of the eye but the eye of the sight So the Church is the immediate subject of the Pastors c. but the Pastors are the immediate subject of the Keys And this as I have often said is evident in the Text in hand For Christ doth not say I give to the Church the power of the Keys or the Keys of the Kingdom of heaven that is of it self but I give to thee Peter the Keys of the kingdom of heaven that is of the Church not the least colour here of giving the Keys to the Church Ibid. pag. 23. Materials of a Church c. pag. 27. See pag. â—0 When the proposition c. But I desire you will consider your inconstancy and the inconsistency of your assertions You say presently after the last words cited Pastors c. are given to the Church as integrall parts of the Church as the Church is Totum Integrale Then say I they are not given to the Church as meer adjuncts nor doth the Church receive them as the subject of them And that upon your own reason For integrall parts are intrinsecall and essentiall to a Totum Integrale and not extrinsecall as the object is to a thing Integrall parts are not subjects and adjuncts one to another But you say When I wrote that proposition in the first words of the Way it was not then in my minde to understand any other but a Congregation of beleevers with Officers For I spake of such a Church whereof Peter was one and he was an Officer 1. Whatever was in your minde I know not but the words hold out rather a Congregation of believers without Officers and so that acute and judicious M. Ruth understood you The Way p. 1. as well as I For you say there The Church to which Christ hath committed the Keys of the Kingdom the power of binding and loosing the Tables and Seals of his Covenant and mark that the Officers and Censures of the Church is a communion of Saints c. But can the Officers be committed to the Church with Officers And do not you commonly distinguish Saints or beleevers from Officers When you said Pastors are given to the Church and the Church is the recipient subject of them must not the Church be taken then for a company of Saints without Officers 2. In your present defence you understand it all along of a Church without Officers or I understand you not 3. When you adde That you spake of such a Church whereof Peter was one and he was an Officer You vary the sense and words of the proposition For there you say The Church to which Christ committed the power c. was a company of such as whereof Peter was one beleevers professing that faith c. Mark that one beleever not one Officer And elsewhere you say the were Keys committed to Peter not as an Apostle or Elder that is not as an Officer but as a beleever How these things agree I see not Yet you will defend it granting that sense They have received some part of the Keys formally c. Of which we have spoken before and refer you thither Only I shall observe your similitude for illustration of your assertion The stock of the vine growing from the root hath not immediate power to bring forth grapes yet hath power to produce branches which do bring forth grapes So the body of the Church of beleevers though they have not immediate power of rule authoritatively to dispense the Word or to administer Sacraments at all yet they have a power to produce such Officers as may perform the same But I fear your similitudes do deceive you Do the Brethren immediatly give that power to the Officers which they have not formally in themselves Epist to Keys pag. 3. Did not the Officers receive their power immediatly from Christ or his Apostles who had that power formally in themselves Have not your Praefacers to the Keys told us that your self lay this fundamentall Maxime That look whatever power or right any of the possessours and subjects thereof may have they have it each alike immediatly in respect of a mediation of delegation or dependance on each other from Christ and so are each the first subjects of that power which is allotted to them But now you make the Officers to depend immediatly upon the Church of beleevers and to derive their power from them by mediation or delegation as the branches derive their being and vertue to produce grapes from the stock of the Vine Which if it be not to jump with the Brownists who place all power radically and originally in the Church of beleevers and make the Officers derive it as their servants immediatfy from them I must professe I understand nothing in this controversie Survey part 1. p. 195. prop. 4. Doth not M. Hooker make the Church of beleevers the first subject of all Church power and do not the Brownists just so whereas you sometimes at least in the judgement of your brethren here as afore make two first subjects of the power of the Keyes and each to have
of others And I can sincerely professe I consulted with none or very few books of this controversie but comparing your books one with another my own reason and judgement suggested to me those contradictions in them that left me altogether unsatisfied in your way and at this day I am left so still if not more confirmed that the Independent way is not the way of God that is so inconsistent with the Scriptures and with it self That others have more elaborately disputed this cause I shall easily yeeld but I think I may truly say without vanity none have more distinctly discovered the weaknesses of your proofs and your contradictions to your selves in holding out your Way then I have done Nor am I at all troubled that you chuse rather to consider what hath been written by Learned and Reverend M. Rutherford and M. Baily though you sere M. Baily as you doe me never name him more in all your following discourse had you but made good your promises to consider also what I had said to vindicate your self from your contradictions and to clear the truth in question But seeing you are pleased so to neglect me I hope you will not be troubled if I conceive it losse of time and labour to follow you any further and consider what Learned and Reverend M. Hooker hath elaborately written in this controversie Only give me leave to present you with a Scheme of your remaining contradictions or contrarieties at least noted in Vind. Clav. out of your own books and then leave you to your choise whether you will reconcile them or confesse them A Scheme of Contradictions and Contrarieties in the Independent way 1. THe Keys were given to Peter as an Apostle as an Elder and as a beleever So the sense most fill The Keys pag. 4. It appears that Christ gave the Keys to the fraternity with the Presbytery Ib. See also the Way cleared par 2. pag. 22. 1. The power of the Keys is given to Peter not as an Apostle nor as as Elder but as a profest believer The way pag. 27. 1. Peter received no◠the Keys meerly as a beleever but as a beleeve publikely professing hi◠faith c. The Way cleared par 2. f. 39. Not beleevers as beleevers but as beleevers covenanting and fitly capable according to Christ appointment M. Hooker Surv. par 1. p. 203. 2. The Keys are given to the Church of beleevers The Way p. 1. that is a combination of faithful men as M. Hooker 2. The Key of knowledge belongeth to all the faithfull whether joyned to any particular Church or no. The Keys pag. 11. 2. The Key of Knowledge is given not only to the Church but to some before they ente◠into the Church Th◠Keyes p. 11. 3. The Key of order is common to all the members of the Church Keys p. 8. Then say we to women and children 3. It is not every place or order in the Church that giveth power to receive Ordinances much lesse to dispense them as children and women Way cleared par 2. pag. 19.  4. Ordination is a work of Rule The way p. 49. Ordination and jurisdiction both acts of Rule pertain indifferently to all the Presbysers Ib. 49. 4. As for election and Ordination of Officers c. these things they the brethren may doe if need be without Officers The way p. 45. 101. 4. Ordination is not an Act of supream jurisdidiction but of order rather in H. Survey part 2.75 5. The Key of authority or Rule is committed to the Elders of the Church and so the Act of Rule is the proper Act of their Office The Keys p. 20. The people discerning and approving the justice of the censure give consent and obedience to the Will and Rule of Christ The Keys pag. 15. 37. 41. The brethren stand in an order even an orderly subjection according to the order of the Gospel p. 11. 5. In case the Officers do erre and commit offence they shall be governed by the whole body of the brethren The Way pag. 100. The Church exerciseth severall acts of authority over the Elders The way p. 101. The people have some stock of power and Authority in government of the Church the Keys pag. 36. They rule the Church by appointing their own Officers Ib. p. 16.  6. Excommunication is one of the highest Acts of Rule and therefore cannot be performed but by some Rulers the Keys p. 16. The Church cannot excommunicate the whole presbytery because they have not received from Christ an office of Rule without their Officers Ibid. No act of the peoples power doth properly binde unlesse the authority of the Presbytery joyn with it Ibid. 36. 6. If all their Officers were sound culpable either in hereticall doctrine or scandalous crime the Church hath lawful Authority to proceed to censure of them all The Way p. 45. In case of offence given by an Elder or whole Eldership together the Church hath authority to require satisfaction and if they give it not to proceed to censure Ibid. p. 101. 6. Excommunication is not an act of power of office but of judgement nor an act of highest rule but of supream judgement seated in the fraternity Survey par 3. p. 45. As a Church of brethren cannot proceed to any publike censures without Elders so nor the Elders without concurrence of the people c. Pref. to the Keys pag. 4. 7. It was a sacrilegious breach of order that Commissaries and Chancellors wanting the key of Order no Ministers have been invested with jurisdiction yea and more then ministerial authority above those Elders who labour in the word and doctrine The Keys p 6. 7. There is a Key of power given to the Church with the Elders as to open a door of entrance to the Ministers calling so to shut the door of entrance against them in some cases c. The Keys pag. 9. yea to censure all their Elders without Elders the way p. 45. c. as afore  8. We are far from allowing that sacrilegious usurpation of the Ministers office practised in some places that private Christians ordinarily take upon them to preach the Gospel publikely The Keys pag. 6. 8. This is ordinarily practised in old England and allowed by the Independent brethren Yea they being but in the notion of gifted brethren no Ministers to other Congregations do it ordinarily themselves  9. A particular Church of Saints professing the faith that is members without Officers is the first subject of all the Church Offices with all their spirituall gifts and power The Keys p. 31. 9. As the Keys of the Kingdom of heaven be divers so are the subjects to whom they are committed divers The Keys p. 11. The Apostle were the first subject of Apostolical power Ib. p. 32. A Synod is the first subject of that power whereby error is convinced and condemned c. ib. p. 47. 9. The power of the Keys belongs firstly to a Congregation of Covenanting beleevers Surv.