and Pauls Epistles to Collosse Ephâ—sus Galatia laid an Ecclesiasticall tye upon these Churches that consented not to the writing of these Epistles not onely because the matter is the Canonicke word of God but also the tye was Ecclesiasticall in so farre as the flocke is obliged to heare the Pastor according to that He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me Any absent through sicknesse or other distractions from the election of Matthias Acts 1. the seven Deacons Acts 6. and the Elders chosen in every City Acts 14. 23. were tyed to stand to the election of Matthias the seven Deacons and the Elders in every City else no act of the Church were valid where one or two dis-assenteth or where two or three are absent by sicknesse and other distractions insuperable And so here our brethren I beleeve cannot in reason deny but there is a representative Church whose deed tyeth the absents And the reason is cleare that to make a Church-constitution oblige in conscience and ecclesiastically there is not required as an essentiall ingredient of obligation that all and every one who are tyed and obliged be personally present to voyce and consent to the constitution for constitutions tye Ecclesiastically as made by the Church but not as made by all and every one of the Church And the lawfulnesse of Commissioners to represent the case of the Church is cleare in Gods Word as Antioch sent Commissioners to Jerusalem Acts 15. Jerusalem sent Barnabas their Messenger to Antioch 11. 22. But Titus Timotheus Epaphroditus and others were sent by the Churches and to the Churches as Commissioners and Embassadours of the Church of Christ. CHAP. VIII Quest. 8. If our Saviour doth warrant a Church of Elders and Overseers in these words Mat. 18. Tell the Church WE have an argument of weight for a Presbyteriall Church in our Saviours words Mat. 18. 17. If thy brother offending neglect to heare them the Christian witnesses before whom he is convinced of his â—ault tell the Church but if he neglect to heare the Church Let him be to thee as a heathen and a Publicane v. 18. Verily I say to you whatsoever ye bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye lose on earth shall be loosed in heaven The Septuagint agreeth with Matthew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Arias Montanus Tremell Beza Pareus Muscâ—lus Lyra Hug. Cardinalis Caietaâ— Aquinas It is not much matter that Castalio turneth Tell the Assembly of the Commons Augustine Cyprian Hyeronim and all are against him The scope of these words is not as many beleeve that our Saviour setteth downe a way how to remove private offences done betwixt brother and brother onely 1. Because the words then should not prove the lawfulnesse of excommunicating for publike and scandalous sinnes 2. The scope is as large as binding and loosing on earth and proportionally in heaven But our Saviours ayme is to establish a Church consistory for removing all scandals and offences out of the Church private and publike betwixt brother and brother and betwixt Church and Church Neither is there ground for the foresaid scope because he saith If thy brother offend in the singular number for what if three sixe tenne brethren offend is not this course of our Saviours to be taken if sixe offend sixe Hence it followeth that the Church here signifieth not onely the Eldership of a particular Congregation but it signifieth respectively all Presbyteries and Synods Provinciall Nationall and Oecomenicke for seeing Excommunication and Ecclesiasticall binding and loosing is Christs remedy against all scandals private or publike in Christs kingdome then by a brother by a Synechdoche is meant all that offendeth then if a sister-Church offend a sister-Church or a Provinciall or Nationall Church offend a neighbour sister-Church Christs remedies being Catholike and universall as farre as our diseases goe the course must be to Tell the Church I purpose then first to shew this interpretation to be agreeable to the mind of all Doctors acknowledging one Church of Elders here and next to prove our interpretation Chrysostome Tell the Overseers Augustine Tell the Watchmen Hieron We must tell many So Cyprian so the Councell of Ancyra So Ambrose Ball saith The Aethiopicke Interpreter saith Tell the house of Christians Boderian Tell the house of Judgements All our Divines say this Calvin Beza Pureus Chemnitius Aretius Erasmus Polunus Hemmigius Hyperius Musculus Iunius Piscator Bucanus Rivetus Cartwright Marlorat Dan. Tossun Buâ—er The harmony of confess Helvet French English Vrsine Whittaker So Papists Emanuel Sâ— Victor Parisian Doctors Fathers of Basill and Constance Joan Gerson Iac. Almain Simon Vigorius Aquinas Occam What Bilson Downam Sutluvius saith against this is answered by Parker Ant. Waleus and other worthy divines That the Church of Elders is here understood I prove Christ here alludeth to the Synedry and Consistory of the Jewes with which his hearers were well acquainted for he was now speaking to the Jewes who knew his language well and knew these termes Brother witnesses Sunedry Assembly Congregation Heathen Publicane and knew what Church had power to cast out and repute men for Publicanes and sinners For as Beza observeth who would understand Christ here to speake of a Christian Presbytery that has power to excommunicate except we consider that Christ has a respect in this forme of speech to the Iewes Church-policy And Christ in like manner Mat. 5. 22. accomodateth his speech to the forme of the Jewes judicatories For many learned note out of the Talmud that the Jewes had three judicatories noted there 1. The Triumviri judged small matters 2. Their Synedry consisting of twenty three judges more weighty matters and inflicted more weighty punishments and 3. the great Councell of 71. Judges did handle questions about false prophets the High-priest and of other weightiest causes and therefore he sheweth the punishment of an offending brother amongst the Iewes too darkly but these judicatories were well knowne to them And here excommunication is expressed in Jewish tearmes in use at that time Let him be to thee as a heathen that is a stranger from the common wealth of Israel not one of the true Chuâ—ch but such a one as they called Goijm So Drusius and Beza on this place Now Tell the Church Kahal to those that know the Iewes forme of speech must be Tell the Elders of the Congregation amongst them the multitude no more judged causes then we would thinke him excommunicated who is esteemed one not 〈◊〉 borne of Abraham and so all the whole Church of the Gentiles should be excommunicated So Franc. Iohnson 2. The Church of beleevers convened together is still a Church met together for hearing the Word receiving the Sacraments 1 Cor. 11. 18 19. 1 Cor. 14 19 20 21. In which none are to speake but Pastors and as the Separatists say Prophets and not all private persons but this
actibus elicitis in acts performed by an intrinsecall power in the agent he hath no power for the King as King cannot preach himselfe nor baptize c. as the will may command the eye to see the feet to walke but the will doth not see nor walk Here two errours are to be rebuked 1. Whitgift saith the King is not the head of the Church as it is a society of elect and believers for so the government is spirituall but he is the head of the Church as it is a visible society in externall government comprehending good and evill For 1. The government visible and externall is meerly ecclesiasticall by Christs spirituall lawes and censures of rebuking binding loosing and excommunicating but the King is not an ecclesiasticall person and so not the head who hath any intrinsecall influence as King in these acts 2. He is the head of the persons who make the Church and so is a politick head but he is not the head of the Church visible as it is such The head visible and memberâ— are of one nature the King as King is a politicke and civill head the visible Church is not a politick and civill but an ecclesiastick body so Camero erreth who will have all Church-men synodically constituting and decreeing Canons and in all acts of externall government subordinate to the King as King as the instruments and servants are subordinate to the principall cause and first commander 1. Because then the King should be the principall ecclesiastick matter and prime Canon maker the King the first excommunicater when the Church excommunicateth but the members of a Church-Synod are immediately subordinate to Christ whose servants and instruments they are and not the servants of the King Nathan as a man was Davids servant but as a Prophet he was Gods servant and not Davids servant Hence a third errour of court sycophantes must be rejected that the King hath a negative voice in discipline and in Church-Assemblies which is most false 1. Because Christ hath promised to lead his Church in all truth to be with her to the end to be in the midst of his owne assemâ—led in his name and this promise Christ maketh and keepeth under Heathen Kings who have no voice at all in Church-Assemblies 1 Cor. 4 5. Math. 18. 23. Act. 15. 28. 2. If the acts of Church-Assemblies have no ecclesiasticall power without the consent of a Christian â—rince by that same reason the acts of publick preaching baptizing and administring the Lords Supper should lay no ecclesiasticall bond upon mens consciences except the King should consent unto these acts but the latter is against the Word of God Jer. 1. 10. Jer. 1. 18 19. 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. and most absurd Ergo so is the former I prove the connexion because that same power of Christ which is given to the Church conveened for acts of discipline is given for preaching and the conferring of the seales of the covenant for the Church hath the keyes to bind and loose from Christ equally independent upon any mortall man in discipline as in doctrine so in discipline the Kings power cannot be to impede all acts of discipline or to make them null except he consent to them 3. Because these words are absolutely made good without the interveening of any other authority Whatsoever ye binde on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever ye loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven els Christ would have said whatsoever the King or civill Magistrate shall binde on earth shall be bound in Heaven otherwise nothing is ratified on earth or Heaven either which the Church bindeth or looseth because the King saith not Amen to it 4. If a contumacious brother shall refuse to heare the Church hee is not for that to bee excommunicated and to be reputed an Heathen and a Publican because the civill Magistrate doth not repute him such an one 5. Of that free grace wherby God heareth the prayers of two or three agreeing to pray for one thing on earth the Lord bindeth and looseth in heaven that which his Church bindeth and looseth on Earth Mat. 18. 19. but the Lord heareth the prayers of two or three agreeing to pray for one thing on Earth though the civill Magistrate doe not give his consent that these prayers be heard and granted of God because the Magistrate is no intercessour without whose consent God heareth not prayers The proposition is cleare from Matthew 18. ver 18 19. 6. If the Magistrate have such a joynt power of binding and loosing and of forgiving and reteining sins with the Church then also with the Apostles and their successours but Christ gave this power to his Apostles without any such condition Matth. 28. 18 19. John â—0 22 23. and they practised this power without consent of the Magistrate and preached and excommunicated against his will 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. 1 Cor. 5. 4. yea as the Father sent Christ so should the Father have sent the civill Magistrate for so are they sent who have power to forgive and retaine sinnes John 20. 21 22 23. 7. That power which upon just reasons we deny to the Pope that we cannot give to the King but upon just reasons we deny to the Pope a negative voyce in Councels to anull lawfull Councels conveened in the name of Christ except he who is the virtuall Church say Amen thereunto neither is the King the virtuall Church 8. If a woe be due to a Pastor if he preach not suppose the Magistrate should forbid him to preach then also is a woe due to the Church which useth not the keyes though the Magistrate forbid then hath the Magistrate no such voyce and if the Church of Pergamos be rebuked for not using the power of the keyes against these who held the Doctrine of Balaam and the Nicolaitanes even when the Magistrate was a killer of the witnesses of Jesus then the Magistratâ— hath no such negative voyce for it should not be possible to censure the followers of such Doctrine seeing hee was against both Doctrine and Discipline but the Lord reproveth Pâ—rgamos in this case Revelation 2. ver 13 14 15. 9. There is no Word of God to prove that the Lord hath given the power of thâ— keyes to the King as the King and therfore we are not to believe that he hath any such power Also if the fore-said power of the keyes be given to the Church without any such power of the King the Church by all the former arguments may conveene to exercise that power in preaching binding loosing excommunicating suppose the civill Magistrate should discharge and inhibit these meetings for if the power of the keyes be given immediately by Christ to the Church then the power of meeting for the exercise of that power must also be given though the Magistrate say not Amen as is cleare Mat. 18. 18 19 20 21. 1 Cor. 5. 4 5. 1 Cor. 11.
have two contrary fathers God and Sathan but that is not denyed But hence it followeth not but that hypocrites and unbeleevers may be all their life in externall society with the wicked and make up one true visible Church 6. If the godly have a due right to the promises and seales of Gods covenant and his presence and blessings appertaine to them Mat. 28. 18 19. 2 Cor. 6. 17. Levit. 26. 11 12. Isa. 56. 20. Then no prophane persons can be received or retained in the visible Church with the godly for this is 1. To prophane the holy things of God which no beleever should suffer 2. This is contrary to the nature of the covenant that offereth remission of sinnes only to the chosen and faithfull 3. The godly shall become one body with the wicked by having communion with them 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. and so shall be defiled Haggai 2. 12. 1 Corin. 5. 6. Answ. 1. This argument is injurious to Gods providence who hath left no infallible meanes to keepe his owne Name and ordinances from prophanation and his owne Church from being leavened and defiled with the uncleane For Simon Magus Annanias and Saphira Demas to whom the precious promises of the covenant were preached and the seales conferred could not be discerned to be hypocrites by any word of God while the event of their out-breaking wickednesse declared them to be such and so this should prove that God is not tender enough of the honour of his owne Name and ordinances who should permit hypocrites to lurke in the visible Church and heare the promises and receive the seales of the covenant and defile and pollute them and Christs body the Church for the godly by that Text are made one body 1 Cor. 10. if it be rightly expounded with the latent hypocrites that come to the communion with them 2. The promises and seales were not defiled to Christ and his Disciples because Iudas did heare the word and receive the seales of the word with them The Word and Sacraments were not polluted to Paul because Demas did communicate with him 3. If some one private Christian know another to be an adulterer he is to rebuke him privately and not to tell the Church but in case of obstinacie and suppose the Church would not cast out the adulterer yet is he not to private persons an adulterer while he be juridice by two or three witnesses convicted before the Church and all this while it is lawfull to communicate with him for a a testimonie should not be received against any but under two witnesses We are not made one body by eating that same supper with an unbeleever except it be one visible body communicating in one visible bread Christ and the Apostles were not made one body misticall with Iudas by eating the Passeover together but only one visible externall society which is not inconvenient 7. They reason thus The leaper by the Law was not to remaine in the campe but behooved for so many dayes to be removed and not re-admitted to come amongst the people of God while he was cleansed the uncircumcised must not be admitted to eat the Passeover the uncleane and uncircumcised the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Heathen the Moabites and Ammorites were not suffered to enter into the Temple And all these signified that no profane person should be mixed with the congregation of beleevers I answer The uncircumcised and the Heathen did sore-signifie the excommunicated who are to be reputed as Heathen and Publicanes Mat. 18. 17. and these are to be cast out of the Church being once sentenced and judged by the Church according to Christs order and Pauls if the sinne be publicke Math. 18. and 1 Tim 5. 20. yet are they not to be debarred wholly from the society of the congregation but they must not be counted as enemies but admonished as Brethren 2 Thes 3. 15. the uncircumcised were not counted as brethren yea excommunication is a meane to save the spirit in the day of the Lord 1 Cor 5. 5. and so he is under the Churches cure as a sick son and must heare the Word and is to be as a Heathen and yet not a Heathen indeed but warned as a brother and in some Church-communion with us 8. They reason thus If the prophane be admitted as members of the true visible Church the true Church should not be distinguished from false Churches contrary to the word of God Psal. 84. 10. Cant 1. 6 7. Hos. 2 â—9 20. 2 Cor 6. 15. Rev. 1. 11 12 20. compared with 17. 1 5. but God hath differenced his true Church from all Synagogues of Satan and humane societies as a separated and sanctified people Answ. Gods courts Psal. 84. 10. are differenced from the tents of wickednesse The flocks of the companions Cant 1. 7. expounded to be the false Church are differenced from the true Church in that in the true Church are the Kidds fed beside the Shepheards tents that is the Word of God is purely preached in the true Church and the members therof professe this Word which is not done in the tents of wickednesse and yet a Judas is often one of the Shepheards and a Demas a follower of Paul and the Gospell a member of this true Church visible 2. Hos. 2. Israel is called not Gods wife and God not her husband not because Israel left off to be a true Church de facto and formally as if upon Gods part he had given her a bill of divorcement the contrary wherof is said v. 6 7. he will give her grace to returne to her first husband and 19. he will marry her and Jer 13. 14. hee was married to backesliding Israel that had plaid the harlot with many lovers Jer. 3. 14. v. 1. but Isreal is called no wife de jure by her evill deservings as a husband saith to his wife that hath plaid the harlot you are not my wife to wit by law and right of deserving for you have broken your Marriage-oath Yet upon his part who hath not rent and cancelled the contract of marriage nor put her out at doores with a written bill of divorcement she is de facto and formally still a wife and so was God still in covenant with Israel and sent his Prophets to them and they had circumcision amongst them and God had there seven thousand that had not bowed their knee to Baal and had not cast off his people whom he fore-knew Rom. 11. 1 2 3 4. 3. God is present and Christ also in the midst of the seven candle-sticks and walketh in his Church and goeth not away because these that digge downe his Altars and slay his Prophets and so extinguish the candles are in the visible Church as is cleare he walked in Ephesus beside his candle-stick howbeit they had fallen from their first-love and in Pergamus howbeit the doctrine of Balâ—am was there and in Thyatira howbeit Jezabel the false Prophetesse was there
they are not one Church with us but there is a reall and essentiall separation betwixt us and them as betwixt a true Church and an Antichristian Church a spouse of Christ and no spouse for faith relatively taken faith of many united in one society doth essentially constitute a Church and the formall object of their faith is the word of the Church and of men or Gods word as expounded by men and our faiths object formall is the word of God as the word of God and so doe formally differ 7. Howbeit I say Rome is a Church teaching and professing and hath something of the life and being of a true Church yet I hold not that Rome is Christs body nor his wife Neither meane I with our late novators Prelates and their faction sometimes in this Land and now in England that Rome is a true Church as they taught that is so a true Church as 1. We erred in separating from that leaper whore 2. That her errours are not fundamentall and that we and this mother can be reconciled and bedde together But what I say is holden by our Divines Calvin Junius Whittaker that famous Divine Rivetus that most learned Professor Gilbertus Voetius and our Divines Voetius maketh nine rankes of these that were not dyed and engrained Papists in the popish Church 1. Some deceived 2. Some compelled 3. Some ignorant 4. Some carelesse who tookâ— not heed to that faith 5. Some doubting 6. Some loathing it 7. Some sighing 8. Some opposing and contradicting it 9. Some separating from it Now seeing our Church hath nothing to doe with Rome and our ministry lawfull Separatists may hence be satisfied Neither yet doe I thinke with Spalato de repub Eccles. in ostensione error Suarezij cap. 1. pag. 887 888. That the Roimane Church is erronious onely in excesse seeing â—n substantiall points there is such defect also as averteth aith 4. Conclusion There be three sorts that have communion rightly with our Church 1. Infants baptised for baptisme is a seale of their fellowship with Christ and therefore of communion with the Church because Separatists will have none members of the Church while they can give proofes thereof by signes of regeneration infants must be without the Church as Infidels and Turks for none are the Church to them but the royall generation partakers of the holy faith taught of God called and separated from the world the rest are without hence baptisme shall either seale no entring of infants in the Church contrary to Gods word or the baptizing of infants is not lawfull as Anabaptists teach 2. The hearers of the word have a communion with the Church as is cleare seeing these that eate of one bread are one body these that professe in the hearing of the word that same faith are also that same body in profession yet excommunicate persons are admitted as hearers of the word Hence only the extreame and great excommunication 1 Cor. 16. 22. cutteth of men from being simply no members of the Church that excommunication that maketh the party as a heathen and Publican supposeth him still to be a brother and hearer of the word 2 Thes. 3. 14 15. And all these are members of the Church and yet not necessarily converted 3. The regenerate and beleevers that communicate of one bread and one cup at the Lords Table are most neerely and properly members of one visible body and none of these are to separate from Christs body 5. Conclusion It is not lawfull to separate from any worship of the Church for the sinnes of the fellow-worshippers whether they be officers or private Christians 1. Because Scribes and Pharisees and the Church in Christs dayes was a most perverse Church the rulers perverted the Law Mat. 5. 21. denyed that hatred and rash anger was a sinne ver 22. or heart adultery a sin Made the commandement of God of no effect by their traditions Mat. 15. 6. polluted the worship with superstition and will-worship ver 7. 8. Mark 7. 6 7 8. said it was nothing to sweare by the Temple devoured widdows houses made their proselites children of damnation Mat. 13. 14 15 16. were blind guides filled the measure of their fathers wrath slew the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2. 8 9. killed and crucisied the Prophets were blind guides and the blind people followed them and slew the Lord of glory also The Priest-hood was keeped by Moyen Caiphas was High-priest that yeare But Christ by practice and precept forbad to separate from this Church Ergo c The assumption is cleare Mat. 23. They sit in Moses his chaire heare them Mat. 10. 6 7. Goe to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel and preach And Christ and his Disciples observed their feasts preached in the Temple and Synagogues Joh. 1. 7 37. Joh 8. 2. Luk. 4. 16. Luk. 1. 9. Christ reasoned with them about religion Ioh. 10. 24 25 26. Ainsworth replyeth to this Christ and his Disciples separated from the corruptions of the Iewish Church and from false Churches as from the Samaritanes Answ. We acknowledge separation from corruption but not from the worship of corrupters when they keepe the foundation the Samaratine-Church had not the foundation but worshipped they knew not what neither was there salvation in their Church Iohn 4. 2. but there was the true God worshipped among the Iewes and salvation amongst them 2. Ainsworth replyeth The Iewish Church consisted still as Moses had ordained Levit. 20. 24. of a people separated from the heathen and were the children of the Prophets and covenant Joh. 4. 9. Acts 3. 25. but your Church consisteth of an unseparated people Answ. The Priest-hood was changed Ioh. 11. 51. Caiphas was High-priest that yeare against the Law as Tollet observeth for the High-priest Exod. 28. 29. by the Law was High-priest till his dying day But all was corrupted saith Calvin and all bought and sold saith Iosephus this was as Anti-Mosaicall as our reformers Ministry is Antichristian if they had their calling only from Rome 2. The Jewish Church consisted of men separated from heathen who said stand back I am holier then thou Isaiah 65. but they were corrupters of the Lâ—w murtherers of the Prophets and the heire Christ Math. 21. hypocrites will-worshippers blind guides blind people c. Our second Argument If Gods Prophets and people were never commanded to separate from the publike worship but commanded to come up to Ierusalem and worship pray sacrifice with Gods people Deut. 12 11 12 13. Deut. 15. 19 20. Deut. 16. 7 8. v. 16 17. And yet that people was a crooked and perverse generation Deut. 32. 5. not his children provokers of God to jealousie with strange gods sacrificers to Divells ver 16 17. their workes for bitternesse like the clusters and grapes of Sodome ver 32. a people that had neither eyes nor eares nor heart to understand God Deut. 29 3 4. stiffe necked foolish proud
they by Gods providence may be cast into a country where they are not and cannot be without due examination members of a setled Church as one may heare the word and joyn in publick prayer with any true Church he cometh unto and so having Christian-communion with a true Church he hath by that same also Church communion For baptisme is not like Burgessâ— freedome in a city a man may be a free Citizen in one Towne or City and not be a free citizen to have right to the priviledges of all other Cities but he who is Christs free-man in one Church hath Christian freedome and right to communion therby in all Churches and may have Church-communion in all true Churches but hee that is a free Burgesse in one City is not free in all Thirdly they object If Baptisme be given to all promiscuously the Church shall not be the house of God to receive only Gods family but a common Inne to receive all cleane and uncleane So Best citing Cartwright Baptisme is to be administred say the Separatists onely to the seed of the faithfull because such only are accounted to the Lord for a generation which he begetteth and receiveth in his Church to declare his righteousnesse in Christ Psalm 22. 30 31. Rom. 4. 11. and Rom. 11. 16. Math. 10. 13 16. Answ. Cartwright in that place is only against the baptizing of infants of excommunicate parents who are cast out of the Church but as the Church is a house so there are in the house of baptized ones both cleane and uncleane Neither are they all barnes of the house who are within the house the profession of cleannesse and holinesse and of the faith of Christ maketh it a house different from the society of Pagans and Inâ—idels 2. Wheras M. Best urgeth that none should be baptized but members of the visible Church he maketh all baptized members of the Church how then must they be all visible Saints clean persons and holy For baptisme maketh not the thousand part that are baptized to be visible Saints 3. This Generation begotten of the Lord and received into the Church to declare his righteousnesse Psal. 22. is not such only as are to be baptized for that generation v. 30. is a seed that serveth the Lord and v. 31. declareth his righteousnesse All infants whether of faithfull or unfaithfull parents doe alike service to God and alike declare his righteousnesse that is to say infants of what ever kinde can doe no service to God If their meaning bee the infants of faithfull parents circumcised shall serve God and declare his Righteousnesse when they come to age First this Text saith not they are the seed of the faithfull onely that shall serve God For the seed of the faithfull such as Ammon Absolom and Davids seed often refuse to serve God and declare his righteousnesse and the seed and children of wicked Parents as Hezekiah the sonne of wicked Ahaz and Josiah the sonne of wicked Amon doe often serve God and declare his righteousnesse So they cite Scriptures that by no force of reason doe speake for them as Rom. 4. 11. and Rom. 11. 16. say nothing but if the root be holy with the holinesse federall and of the externall profession So are the branches but the place speaketh nothing of true inherent holinesse for then all holy Parents should have holy and visible Saints comming out of their loines which is against Scripture and experience Fourthly they object By this our Divines lose their best Argument against Anabaptists namely that children of Christians by that same warrant are to be baptized that Infants under the Law were circumcised but none was circumcised but a member of the visible Church under the Law Now this ye gain-say who would have all cleane and uncleane baptized and so you leave your patterne Answ. We leave our patterne in no sort For all were circumcised that were borne of circumcised Parents within the Church of the Jewes so all are to be baptized that are borne of Christians and baptized Parents professing the faith But say they Drunkards Murtherers Scoâ—â—ers Swearers and ignorant Atheists both Fathers and Mothers whose children you baptize doe not professe the â—aith for in works they deny and belye their profession Answ. Then you will have the children of none to be baptized but those whose parents are sound and sincere professors in the judgement of charity but so Joshuah failed who circumcised the children of all professing themselves to be Abrahams sonnes carnally howbeit Joshuah knew and was an eye-witnesse that their Fathers did deny and belye their profession And John baptized the â—eed of all Mat. 3. that professed the faith of the Messiah although he knew them to be a generation of vipers 2. They often require that one of the Parents be a beleever or else the childe cannot be cleane nor lawfully baptized and they repose on that place 1 Cor. 7. 14. For the unbeleeving husband is sanctified by the wife and the unbeleeving wife is sanctified by the husband Else that is if both were unbeleevers were your children uncleane that is not within the covenant but now are they holy And they alleadge Beza and Pareus for this Answ. But they mistake the word unbeleeving for by unbeleeving in that place as the Professors of Leyden doe well observe is meant Infidell Gentiles that are without the Church and professe not Christ as is cleare from the Text For where the husband that beleeved was married on a Pagan-wife or a Jew hee thought being converted to the Christian faith he behooved to sunder with his Pagan-wife and the wife converted to the Christian faith married to a heathen and Pagan-husband thought she behoved to divorce and that the marriage could not be sanctified The Apostle answereth this case of conscience Suppose the Father be a Pagan if the Mother be a beleever that is a professour of Christianity for a Beleever is here opposed to a Pagan yet the children are holy by the Mothers or Fathers profession of Christianity Hence the Argument is strong for us Profession of Christianity opposed to Paganisme maketh the children cleane and holy before God by the holinesse of the Covenant therefore Infants borne of parents professing Christian Religion are to be baptized For that this troubled many converted that they were married to heathen and bondmen to them and in such and such callings as they thought inconsistible with Christian Religion is cleare from verse 14 15 16 20 21 22 23 24. And Beza on that place saith it was never heard in the ancient Church that every Infidell child was to be baptized And Pareus saith the children of Christian parents are holy before Baptisme by a Covenant and externall holinesse iure by Gods right being borne of Christian parents And after Baptisme they are holy de facto formally and actually So say Melancthon and Keckerman But I feare that these who will have none baptized
single believers who cannot lawfully preach Therefore single believers are not the subject of the keyes 4. Argument Such power of the keyes without the which the Church of Christ is perfect and complete for government is superfluous and so not of Divine but of humane Ordination But the Church is complete and perfect in its government in that there are in it believers Pastours Doctors Elders and Deacons suppose no power of the keyes be in the communitie of believers The proposition is Parkers so reason the Fathers Cyrill Chrysostome Basil Augustine Beda so William Best M. Iacob M Robinson I prove the Assumption The Eldership have no oversight in the Lord and there is no necessitie or exercise of the keyes as Elders if all believers have a ministeriall power to bind and loose as M. Smith and others teach and if all edifie by the keyes as Parker saith and judicially censure excommunicate and ordaine or depose their rulers as the English Puritanisme and authors of the presbytery examined doe prove from 1 Cor. 5. and Guide to Zion For ten believers being nothing but believers by Divine right or al 's well the governing Church without the Eldership as having them suppose all the Elders were believers Where also there be twentie times three believers they have all in their owne families the power of the keyes and so there are twenty Churches complete and independent within themselves joyned in twentie neighbour families all under one covenant with God and flying all knowne sins Now when Christ saith If thy brother offend thee and obstinately refuse to heare tell the Church Which of the twenty three shall the Brother wronged have recourse unto tell the Church as reason would say must bee some visible Church Senat or judicatorie but all these twenty threes met within their houses are independent Churches if they be believers as we suppose and all visible Churches Shall wee thinke that Christ hath left a grieved brother to a blind Tell the Church and yet who can know this Church for all have alike interest in Christ which of the twenty threes bee the Church that Christ meaned in these words Tell the Church by this doctrine none can dreame 5 Argument The multitude of believers hath either this power of the keyes from Christ and from heaven or from the earth and from men for I thinke our brethren will not dreame of any ecclesiastick positive law not warranted in Gods word for a third for this Papists teach This is Christs argument for John Baptists ministerie If from Christ and Heaven it is either from the law of nature or from some divine positive law from nature it is not For 1. the power is not naturall but supernaturall reaching a supernaturall end the gathering of the Saints Eph 4. 11 12. neither is this power such as can have nature for its Author as Almain saith seeing it is above natures reach And so also saith And Duvallius If happily they say it is from good consequence naturall for because of the claime and interest that the faithfull have in Christ Christs keyes are given to them as God giving Christ he giveth all other things with Christ. I Answer This maketh no man but a believer yea no gifted pastour capable of the keyes except hee have faith in Christ which we shall hereafter refute as contrary to Scripture Neither can it bee from any positive law or grant or promise in the new Testament that all the members of the Church shall be Princes Rulers Commanders that Christ hath left none to be over other in the Lord. If this be from men it is a humane ordinance and cannot stand See what Bellarmine saith to this purpose 6. Argument The power of the Keyes is either given to the believers as believers or as they are such whome God gifteth for government selected from amongst others if the later be said we have our intent and the keyes must be given immediately to some selected guides If the keyes be given to believers as they are such and under this reduplication Then 1. All believing women and children have authoritie in the Lord over the congregation which as Duvallius saith is not to be admitted for quod convenit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 convenit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea 2. saith Paul Baynes If the power of the keyes and teaching had beene given to all believers all should have beene made Pastours and Doctours though not to continue so in exercising the power And so all must have the power of seeing as the Church eyes and Watchmen and all the power of hearing as the Church eares and certainely the second act must proceed from the essence and first act as moving must proceed from a living soule to laugh from a reasonable soule so to excommunicate judicially to judge correct cast out bind and loose all which Parker and others prove to agree to believers from Matthew 18. and 1 Corinth 5. must flow from a ministeriall principle and so all must bee eyes and eares which is against the varietie of the gifts of the spirit If the whole body were an eye where were the hearing if the whole were hearing where were the smelling v. 14. for the whole body is not one member but many yea a collection of many members Hence 7. Argument That is not to be admitted which overturneth the order established by Christ of commanding and obeying and which everteth the integrall members and parts of a visible politike ministeriall body of Christ but to give the power of the keyes to all and every one overturneth this order of Christs Ergo This doctrine is not to be admitted The Major is undenyable I prove the Minor The ministeriall Church is divided as Junius saith in Sheepeheards and flock some are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Overseers and Watchmen others such as are to submit and obey some are Watchmen then they have some that they watch over Some Shepheards ergo they must have Sheep Some Ambassadors in Christs stead Ergo They have some to whom they carry the Embassage Heralds Witnesses Stewards Fathers Saviours Sowers Reapers builders then they must have a People House Sonnes Ground c. upon whom they exercise their native operations But if all have power of the keyes and power to edifie by binding and loosing all should be Overseers Watchmen Sheepheards Ambassadors and if all were Fathers where were the Sons What a worke would this be that all Christians must leave their trading husbandry arts sayling and oversee the Church and judge and determine Church matters betwixt brother and brother So Francis Iohnson reasoneth Master Smith answereth two things to this 1. The Elders saith he shall obey the voice of the Church in things commanded by God and all the Saints are to obey
16. in Peters person who representeth all believers giving in their names this confession Thou are Jesus the son of the living God Answer 1. The proposition is not sure but a begging of the question for sometime Peter speaketh as a believer in name of the rest Iohn 6. 68. Mat. 19. 27. sometimes as a weake and sinfull man Matth. 26. 35. and as a Satan and adversarie to Christ Mat. 16. 23. Iohn 13. 8. sometime a command is given to him as an Apostle Iohn 21. 16 17. 2 I deny the Assumption He answereth in the name only of these to whom Christ propounded the question but Christ propounded the question as Chrysostome Augustine Theophylact Calvin Beza and Marlorat say only to the believing Disciples and Apostles then present and not to all the believers Parker his second and third reason is The promise of the Keyes agreeth with the confession but the confession is of all the faithfull 2. The nearer occasion wherefore the Keyes were promised to Peter was his second answer but the question was not concerning any thing proper to Churchmen but of that faith That Christ is the Sonne of God which is proper to all the faithfull So Hilarie Ambrose Augustine Theophylact so Whitaker Answer We may oppose Fathers to Fathers Origen Hieronymus Ambrose Cyprian teach that the keyes were given to Peter as the first in gifts and age and in his person Omnibus Apostolis successoribus Petri to all the Apostles and successors of Peter and so Augustine also Cyprian Optatus and Hierome for unities sake Peter only receiveth the Keyes but in him all the rest See more of this in Almaine and Petrus de Alliaco and Ioan. Major 2. I acknowledge the Fathers teach that Peter received the Keyes as Basil saith propter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the excellency of his faith that he received the keyes for and to all the faithfull as to the proper subject of the keyes God did promise an established kingdome to Ieroboam if he should walke in Gods statutes it followeth not therefore in the person of Ieroboam that an established kingdome is promised to all that walke in Gods statutes God might have rewarded the faith of Peter as he did the faith of Mary Magdalen and not have made him an Apostle for his confession God is free in his rewards and therefore I deny that the confession of Peter and his Apostolike dignitie is of alike length and bredth for to Peter here is promised not only the power but the exercise of the keyes by preaching the Gospell as is cleare vers 19. But I hope to all that believeth that Jesus is the sonne of God as to many private Christians women and children that believe the exercise of the keyes by preaching the Gospell is not given Are all Apostles are all Teachers 3. Suppose the Keyes were given to Peter because he believed and therefore as a believer which is a sickly consequence it followeth not Therefore the keyes are given to Peter and in him to all believers as to the subject but only that the keyes are given to all believers as the object and for their behoofe To say nothing that by this tenet all must bee believers to whom the keyes are given else the keyes are not given to them which is most absurd Parker 3. Reasoneth thus To be a Peter that is a constant rock and stable believer agreeth to all believers Ergo So doth the keyes to all believers Answer This reason if it hath the strength of a rock against the truth should prove that one constant believer and that a woman should have the power of the keyes but one believer is not the Church as Answorth granteth 2. I deny the consequence for so Iudas should have had no power of the Keyes because he was never a stable believer nor yet builded upon the Rock Parker yet fourthly reasoneth The keyes are promised to that Church which is builded upon a Rock and against which the gates of hell shall not prevaile but this is not the Church of Ministers but the Church of believers in Christ that is builded upon the rock Ergo Answer I deny that it hence followeth that therefore the keyes are given to the Church of believers as to the first subject so as the Church hath in her selfe this ministeriall power Only it followeth Therefore the keyes are promised to the Church builded upon Christ as to the object and end for which Christ intendeth the keyes for what is promised for the good and behoofe of the Church is promised to be given to the Church as God promiseth to his Church in the Prophets David that is Christ Davids sonne as their king that is a King for their salvation but it is not a good consequence Ergo Christs Kingly power is first promised to the Church as to the subject that she may derive that kingly power from her to Christ as our brethren say The Church of believers doth communicate a Ministeriall power and authoritie from her selfe to all her Officers See for this also Vasquez in 3. Tho. to 3. Disp. 144. cap. 5. Non quaecunque c. Whatever is given to Kings and Rulers as heads of the people are not given to the people Sixthly Parker thus reasoneth To whom the meanes of building on the Rock to wit the opening of heaven belongeth to these the keyes doe belong But the meanes of edifying one another which is only by the word in mutuall exhorting and rebuking and comforting belongetth to all the faithfull So Barrow So M. Smith If admonition saith he appertaine to every brother why not excommunication for there is power to binde and loose in two or three witnesses toward a brother and why not in the body of the whole Church Answer 1. The Major is false for the opening of heaven actively by preaching of the Word publikely in a constitute Church is only by the pastours as the edifying by the sealâ—s is onely by them but the opening of heaven passively that is opened heaven agreeth onely to believers Now the meanes actively that is a pastorall opening of heaven agreeth onely to officers not to all 2. Every edifying by the word is not an act of the keyes for there are two acts of the keyes one preparatorie Gradus ad rem vel mitium materiale this is one rebuking one and is not the action of the Church seeing one is not a Church this is onely a preparation to the Churches use of the Keyes as is cleare Matthew 18. 15 If he heare thee thou hast gained thy Brother the man is edifyed here and the matter is not dilated to the Churchs as it is verse 17. 18. The keyes are not yet used There is an other edifying by publike rebuking this is Gradus in re initium formale a formall act
profession else we are not to labour to gain by this text unbelieving brethren and to complaine to the Church of their obstinacie or to forgive them private offences done against us to seventie times seven times which is against the course of the Text. 3. By this glosse little Bairnes which are not to be offended are brethren which have power to binde and loose and preach and baptize which is absurd 4. It is cleare by the Church here is meant a Societie different from the faithfull and brethren that hee speaketh of for he will have the offended brother to rebuke before two or three brethren in private and if the offender heare not tell the Church Now three believers to whom the matter is already told is a Church to Master Smith for so he saith in that same place Then Christ biddeth tell the matter to the Church before the Church heare of it 5. Neither doth the hearing of prayers prove a ministeriall Church seeing God heareth the prayers of one believer in the Prison or the Whales belly but it is the doctrine of these with whom we now reason that six professing Christ being visible Saints who may be unseene Divels in heart and so neither Brethren Disciples nor little ones are an independent visible Church having power to binde and loose and therefore suppose Christ spake here to his Disciples and believers of the Churches power in excommunication it is a weake collection that therefore all Disciples have power to binde and loose And these words verse 18. Whatsoever ye bind on earth c. must be meant only of the Apostles and of the Church verse 18. yea and it must exclude Peter and his offending brother suppose they were both believers because parties by the Law of nature and Nations cannot be Judges But some say that these words What ye shall binde on earth shall be bound in heaven have reference to a private forgiving anâ— gaining of a convinced brother before witnesses vers 15. And a brother in private should forgive another to seventie times seven times 21. 22. Therefore private brethren may binde and loose Answer No private brother can binde on earth for then one brother might excommunicate for these words Whatsoever ye bind on earth c is a ratifying in heaven of the sentence of excommunication verse 17. 2. Binding in private must be a not forgiving of private wrongs which is a sinfull binding and forbidden verse 22. and Matthew 6. 14 And rather cannot be ratified in heaven as Ecclesiastick binding and loosing is verse 18. expresly made good and valid in heaven 11. Smith reasoneth thus The Covenant is made with the Church and so the promises of the covenant but cursing them that curse the Church and blessing them that blesse the Church Gen. 12. 3. and remission of sinnes which is a part of the blessing are given to believers as a part of the covenant Rom. 4. 7. 8. Therefore a power of binding and loosing from sin must be given to the Church as the covenant is given to her Answer The covenant is given to one believing woman ergo by this reason also power to baptize for Smith saith page 51. By one and the same power doth the Church preach pray baptize excommunicate absolve But this is absurd 2. Cursing and blessing Genes 12. and remission of sins Rom. 4. is not the private believers cursing and remission but Gods or the ministers publikely and authoritatively as sent of God And so it is a vaine collection 12. Smith reasoneth To whom Christ is given directly and immediately as King Priest and Prophet Vnto them all other things with Christ are given Rom. 8. 32. And so the Saints are made Kings Priests and Prophets to God to forgive bind and loose But Christ is given to all believers and so the power of binding and loosing to all believers Answer To whom Christ is given subjectively and formally as their gifted Redeemer to dwell into them by faith To them all things are given either subjectively as the personall blessings of the covenant a new heart remission of sinnes perseverance in grace or objectively and finaliter for their good other wayes if one manner of giving be understood in both it should follow that all the believers were temporall Kings and Princes which is most false for temporall princedomes are given for their good but not personally to themselves So the power of the keyes is given for their salvation but not to all believers personally It is in vaine to reason from the priviledges of believers as believers to inferre that all Ecclesiastick priviledges are personally given also to believers for then should all be Apostles all Teachers all the whole body should be an eye and where then should bee the hearing And this man taketh away all necessitie of a calling by the Church to the ministerie as doe the Arminians and Socinians Neither can hee maintaine that there is a twofold power of the keyes one remote belonging to men as Christians another nearer that is ecclesiasticall and given orderly by the Church for he and his followers will have all believers because they are believers in a visible Church actually to censure bind loose absolve excommunicate 13. Thus reasoneth Smith and so Parker The Spouse hath power immediately from the husband the body from the head without any intermediating power Ergo The believers have power of binding without the mediation of Elders Answer All comparisons halt either in one legge or other Every like halteth and the argument presupposeth a falshood that the power of binding and loosing is in the Church of believers mediately or immediately which we deny it is only in the ministeriall Church and conveyed from Christ to the Spouse as to the object and end in the fruits and effects 14 They lastly alledge Fathers Chrysostome saith The power of baptizing is given to the Church So Hierome The whole Church hath judiciarie power over the guides So Gratian Hugo a Sancto Victo Aquinas Gerson Councell of Constance Almaine for this coteth Augustine Answer Wee are not subject to Almaine or Gerson in this question they be otherwise expounded What is given for the Church is said to be given to the Church in the stile of Fathers So doe Ambrose Origen Beda Chrysostome say What was given to Peter was given to all faithfull Pastors And wee know that Chrysostome denyeth the power of baptizing to any but to Pastours 15. They also adde this He that may promise eternall life to a private believer and denounce wrath on an unbeliever hath power to open and shut heaven But a private believer who should exhort his brother Heb. 3. 13. teach and admonish Col. 3 16. Comfort him 1 Thes. 5. 11. may promise life to a believer denounce wrath to an unbeliever Ergo He may open and shut heaven for the word is the Key Answer One private Christian may use the
Numbers 16. 9. 1. â—hro 19. 11. Ezec. 44. 11. John 3. 29. before the multitude of believers then he acknowledged their authority above his But Peter did the former Acts 2. Answ. This argument concludeth not the power of the Keyes to bee in the multitude There is Authority of grace in a multitude professing the Truth but not power of the Keyes and certainely we denie not simply but beleevers are farre above all overseers But the question now is of superioritie and honour of jurisdiction 11. If nothing must be done in a Church without the common consent of believers then beleevers have jurisdiction above their over-seers but the former is true Act 15. Act. 1. I may adde what these of the Separation say The faithfull had knowledge and consent in elections Act. 1. 15 23 26. Act. 6. 2 3 5. and 14 23. and 15. 23 25. For hearing and deciding Ecclesiasticall controversies Act. 11. 2 18. and 15. 2 22. and 21. 18. 22. for writing generall letters Act. 15. 25. for sending some to build other Churches Act. 11. 22. for sending the benevolence of Brethren to other Churches 1 Cor. 16. 3. and 2 Cor. 8. 19. for excommunication 1 Cor. 5. Mat. 18. Ans. If this be a good Argument All publike Church businesse is to be done by knowledge and consent of beleevers and cannot be done by their over-seers done Therfore the faithfull have jurisdiction over the over-seers Answ. We will borrow the Argument and give it back againe for us no publike businesse is to be done without the knowledge and consent of Eldership Ergo The Eldership hath the jurisdiction 2. That all be done by their consent I grant but with these distinctions 1. Their quiet and tacite consent for there is not required an expresse consent by word of mouth of all the multitude as of women speaking in the Church for they should give reasons of their consent if an expresse consent be required 2 Consent of manyest not all els the Churches deed should bind none absent 3. A consent popular not judiciall els they are all made Judges 4. Their privity is thought a consent how could six thousand that our Bretheren make an independent Church in the Apostles time all speake 2. All judge in Excommunication 3 All reason dispute propone answer as Judges must doe heere grave Beza our Divines Calvine Bucer Bullinger Melancton Beza Bucan Pareus Rivetus Sibrandus Junius Treleatius the fathers Cyprian Jerome Augustine Nazianzen Chrysostome Ambrose Theodoret Theophylact require all to be done consentiente plebe But my Bretheren what if there be a discord and beleevers deny consent In a matter of Excommunication Zepperus Zanchius Beza Bucanus Pareus thinke the Eldership should not excommunicate 2. But what if the contagion of the not excommunicated leaven the whole lump I see not how believers have a negative consent 3. If the matter be a point of necessary truth to be determined and the Pastours and Elders in the Lord and from his Word command it as a necessary truth to be obeyed but the Beleevers consent not I aske whither or not that which Watchmen command from Gods Word and authoritatively and judicially in his name ought not to stand as an obliging Mandat and Canon even when the Beleevers gain-say Our Bretheren say the Mandat tyeth and obligeth materially and in it selfe but not ecclesiastically because beleevers doe not consent it hath not the force of a Canon seeing they have the keyes Ans. But this Canon Arrianisme is Heresie we suppose is all one both materially and Ecclesiastically according to that Hee that heareth you heareth me and so it tyeth being determined by Pastours with others Synodically conveened Shall it oblige the one way Ecclesiastically being preached and not the other way being Synodically determined because the people consenteth not Certainly if power of preaching be a power of the keyes all that are silent to that which is preached give a consent to what is preached for silence at the hearing of a vow when it is lawfull to speake is a consent Numb 30. ver 14. Now it is lawfull to any member of the Congregation to speake against what is unfound in Doctrine publickly delivered so it be spoken timously Hence it must follow that what tyeth and obligeth as an act of the keyes in preaching tyeth also when determined by the Eldership suppose all the Congregation doe not judge and determine judicially I may say that by our Bretherens grounds preaching is a publick Ecclesiastick act of the keyes and of the whole Church for the Church preacheth by her Pastour as by her mouth and servant receiving authority and the keyes to preach from the Church Therfore all must give their consent to what is preached els it is not the Word of God or to be judged and reputed to tye us to faith and obedience no lesse then publick acts of the Church and this were strange to say the word preaching is not the word obliging ecclesiastically except all believers women and children confirme it by their consent and suffrages judicial 12. Parker reasoneth thus If Peter render an account to the particular Church of believers at Jerusalem of his eating with the uncircumcised and of what may be judged scandalous then the judiciall power of censuring Church-guides is in the hands of the people But this Peter the Apostle did Act. 11. not as Gratian saith ut doctor mansuetudinis but as â—erus saith ex officio And as Gerson saith non ex humili condescensione sed ex debito obligatione not of Humility but of duty So reasoneth Best also So Almain saith Pope Nicolas said to Lotharins except he would abstaine from the coâ—pany of his excommunicated whore he would complaine to the Church he said not he would take order with him himselfe as being above a Councell When Symmachus the Pope contended with some he gathered a Councell and they iudged the matter If two Popes contend for a Popedome saith Almaine a generall Councell is to determine Answ. The Major is not true Peter is to purge himselfe before any one brother offended of a scandall and farre more before the Church Yea the necessity of his salvation and so the law of nature forbidding to offend the weake willeth him to purge himselfe if he were a Pope saith Occam now one offended brother is not a church and so the Superiority of jurisdiction in believers is not hence concluded 2. He purged himselfe before the Apostles and Bretheren ver 1 and not before the Brethren onely 3. If he had done wrong he was obliged to confesse his scandall before one offended believer and also before all the Church but that prooveth not jurisdiction in the believers 13. Paul rebuketh Peter before the Church of Antioch ergo That Church of Antioch might iudge Peter Ans. The same answer sufficeth 2. It is not proved that in the presence of Believers only Paul did
from the Parisians holdeth not Sight is in the eye as the instrument but it is principally and originally from the whole man for the whole man seeth by the eye The authority of the Church is as the soule in the whole body as Bridgesius saith and in every member of the body Howbeit it doth not exercise the power in every member but it seeth by the eye and heareth by the eare so the power of the keyes is in all and every one of the faithfull but it exerciseth some Acts ministeriall as preaching baptizing in the guides and other are Acts in other members of the body but the power is in all But I answer That this comparison halteth many wayes 1. The body is a physicall organicall matter capable of the soule and a kindly or naturall house or shop for the soule to worke in and every member may exercise some vitall operation by the soules inacting of it as hearing smelling seeing moving growing c. But the Church consisting of beleevers and Ministers that are often opposed by way of contradiction as beleevers and non beleevers and a beleever that is no more but a beleever is not capable of the power of the keyes it being gratia gratis data a freely given gift of God except the Lord be pleased freely to give it by some Law or promise And so these that are only beleevers are as the woodden leg or the eye of glasse in the body wanting all authoritative power of the ministery where God hath not gifted and called them now every member of the body is inacted by the soule 2. If this comparison hold well as every member of the body liveth and is denominated a living thing howbeit every member be not an eye or an eare by the information of the soule so every toe and finger liveth by the inacting of the soule actu primo and moveth and groweth actu secundo so must every beleever in the body of Christ Man and woman be actu primo and essentially a ministeriall part and office-bearer having authority from Christ and also actu secundo exercise some ministeriall acts for such as is the nature of the act such is the nature of the power and such as is the power such is the act If the power be ministeriall so is the act If the act be not ministeriall as it cannot be in these onely that are beleevers especially women and children so neither is the power 3. The whole man seeth by the eye heareth by the eare but the beleevers see by their owne eyes as they must live by their owne faith and not with the Pastors eyes neither doe they grow by that soule of grace by which the Pastor groweth 3. The Beleevers must either be the virtuall or the formall subject of the keyes They are not the virtuall subject or cause as flint is a cause of fire for our brethren say that the beleevers formally performe acts of the keyes and that they rebuke they excommunicate they chuse their officers which is an authoritative act of the keyes as they teach Now a virtuall cause is not formally the cause of the effect as fire is the cause of fire and doth not formally performe acts of the formall cause food doth not formally make motion in the body but onely virtually But they are forced to acknowledge that beleevers are the formall subject of the keyes It is absurd that one should essentially and actu primo have the power of the keyes and yet he may not preach nor baptize that is as if one had a reasonable soule and yet could neither discourse nor move nor walke 4. The power of the keyes is either in the officers as officers or onely as beleevers if as officers then they cannot borrow the keyes from beleevers seeing they have them as officers suppose they be not beleevers and that is against the meaning of this distinction if they have the power of the keyes onely as beleevers then all Ministers that are non-beleevers want the keyes 5. Office-bearers have either a nearer and more ministeriall power of the keyes then beleevers or onely that same ministeriall power if the former be said the ministery is but a naked act that some exercise at the Churches direction sometimes and no habituall power whereby Paul is made a Minister Col. 1. 25. and Epaphroditus is denominated a faithfull messenger Phil. 2. 25. for so one shall not be a Minister of Christ but when he is in the act of his ministery against Scripture and reason If office-bearers have onely that same ministeriall power that beleevers have Then Ministers cannot ordaine others to be Ministers except they be beleevers and a Minister shall not preach from an inward principle proper to a Minister but from a principle common to him with other beleevers which maketh no diâ—ference betwixt a beleever and a Minister but in the naked acts And this is all one as to say a man doth walke naked and yet he is void of life he preacheth and hath no other inward power ministeriall then any beleeving woman or childe hath 6. If the power of the keyes be originally in the Church of Beleevers and the exercise only in officers then Pastors in rigor of speech are the Churches servants and so not over them in the Lord. 2. Pastors are sent by the Church from the inherent and innate power of the Church as if the Church had a dominion and authority over the Pastors hence will it follow that Pastors have their authority from Beleevers which is most absurd For then if Beleevers should receive the keyes immediately from Christ to be communicated to others and applyed to men fit and able therefore this application is not a making of a Minister or a reason why Archippus is a Minister as the reason why a fire burneth a dry tree is not the application of the tree to the fire but the nature of the fire and drinesse of the timber If one should bring out from amongst ten glasses one and hold it out to the Sunnes light and beames this refulgent beauty and glancing is not from the man that bringeth the glasse before the Sunne except occasionally the glancing splendor is from the nature of the glasse and the Suns light And the man applyeth not the light of the Sunne to the glasse but bringeth out the glasse to the light of the Sunne So doe Beleevers but apply the fit person in their wise election to Gods office and they apply not the office to the man for it is presupposed they are tyed to the rules 1 Tim. 3. requiring such a man as is of good report apt to teach c. and the application is not in the free-will of people or Pastors neither hath God left it to Beleevers in generall what men they place in offices So Spalato 7. It cannot stand with Christs wisedome that he hath conferred an excellent supernaturall power of the keyes that reacheth
in an orderly way as may be collected from Act. 15. 12 13. letters are sent in the Churches name charity sent to the distressed Saints in their name officers chosen by their consent but all this maketh no popular government if we speak properly seeing the multitude doth not judge define judicially nor sentence nor command and give out Canons and Constitutions But these of whom we now speake doe constitute a popular government in the Church which I proove 1. Parker the fore-said Authours Best M. Jacob Smith and these that are for independency of Congregations ascribe to the whole multitude and from 1 Cor. 5. 4 5 12. a judiciall exercise of the rod and a judging of these that are within Mat. 2. 18. The Church to be heard and obeyed that doth judicially excommunicate is not the Church of over-seers say they but the Church of all believers 3. Binding and loosing and the keyes of the Kingdome and that is both power and exercise is given to the Church builded on the rocke against which the gates of Hell shall not prevaile Mat. 16. 18 19. so they teach also 4. All the power and jurisdiction that Presbyteries and Synods have saith Parker is from the Church of believers 5. The Congregation of believers hath power of jurisdiction over the officers and rulers of the Church to make and unmake ordaine censure depose and excommunicate their over-seers say they Now all who have written Politiks as Aristotle Bodin Tholosanus and our Divines disputing against the Popes Monarchy Junius Daneus Keckerman Chamier Musculus Sadeel say these are properly Judges who cognosce and authoritatively try sentence decree and punish delinquents and all this the whole faithfull doe by the power of the keyes as is prooved ergo there is a democraticall or popular government brought into Christs house this way and all necessity of overseers and officers taken close away Smith saith it is Antichristian to place Rulers and Elders over the whole body of the Church Yea he seeth not why all believers may not preach and administer the Sacraments And if the Keyes be given to them and actuall government to over-see and rule their over-seers I see not how this will not follow from the fore-said grounds See what Arnisaeus and Spalato saith both acknowledge that is popular government when the people ruleth themselves Neither is it enough to say the Elders rule because they propone and order all things and reproove convince and exhort for no man will have the Apostle James whom many of our Divines think President and Moderator of the Councell of Hierusalem Act. 15. The Ruler and one that is over the Councell in the Lord and such an one as the Councell must obey and submit unto for his place of Moderation For the Duke of Venetia because he moderateth their Senate and proponeth and ordereth suffrages is not thought by Bodine Tolosanus Arnisaeus Keckerman or any Politician to be the King and Prince of the Venetians and Lord Judge over the Senate The Lacedemonian government was popular howbeit the people did order their matters by their Ephori that were a sort of Rulers to the people The Moderatour of our Assembly is not Judge or over the Assembly in the Lord Nay he hath not a suffâ—age and decisme voice in our Assembly because he is Moderator but because he is a chosen Commissioner and member of the Assembly So Field saith well If the Pope be only a President in the Councell he is not a Prince Turrâ—cremata distinguisheth betwixt a President of Honour and a President of Authority The Canon of the Councell of Paris maketh the Pope above this or this Church or Bishop but when he is in a generall Councell he is there as a President of Honour only not as a Prince but as the first member by order of the Councell and subject to the Councell Now the Scripture giveth to the over-seers an authority a presidency of authority We must obey them and submit to them and heare them as we would heare Christ. 2. Seeing this is ordinary to our Brethren to reason thus All the faithfull are the Spouse and Body of Christ Kings and Priests unto God and have a like title and interest in him therfore the Keyes are immediately communicated to them without the mediation of Rulers interveening Hence I inferre if all have alike right to the keys for their alike title by Faith and right of free redemption in Christ ergo all are alike Rulers over all in the Lord then because believers as believers have a title and interest in Christ as their redeemer and office-bearers because office bearers have no title in Christ as Redeemer for no office giveth a man a claime to Christ as a redeemer but only some generall title to him as Lord of the house Hence it shall follow that the believers are Over-seers and Rulers and Pastors and that they should order and moderate all publick actions So I see no authority or preheminency given to the Church-guides but that which is due and more due to the believers then to them As for reprooving convincing exhorting these are common to all the faithfull as our Brethren say and so due to them by virtue of the keys and more due then to office-bearers who do but borrow the keyes at the second hand as they teach and receive them not immediately from Christ. Now we all know that Anabaptists take away all Magistracy under the New Testament all dominion conquered by warre all relation of captain and souldier master and servant upon this ground that we are all Christs free-men all Christians equally redeemed in Christ And if the sonne make you free then are you free indeed And the New Testament maketh us all Christs ransomed ones and so there should be no servant And we are called in Christ to liberty be not servants of men See what our Divines Calvin Pareus Bucan Tilenus Professours of Leyden answer Anabaptists Libertines Socinians Arminians thus abusing Gods Word And certainly if the keyes and government of the Church be given to all believers because they are all made Kings Priests and Prophets and we are made free and redeemed in Christ and all things are made ours Therfore I may well inferre upon the same grounds the keys of civill power to be Kings temporall and freemen civilly are made ours if all things be ours and so no Magistrate no Captain no souldier peace and liberty are ours no master or servant I am far from thinking that our worthy Brethren do allow of this conclusion but the principles are too sibb and near of blood What Fathers say for the Church government by Elders and not by the people may be seen in Ignatius who will have us to have recourse to the Apostles as to the Colledge of Presbyters And
Basilius saith The governours of the Church are set down 1 Cor. 12. 28. And Ambrose on that place saith the Church policy is set downe 1 Cor. 12. So Chrysostome Cyprian Tertullian so Origen Ireneus August Theophylact Theodoret Hyerom which for time I cannot cite at length CHAP. VII Q. 7. If there be no true visible Church in the New Testament but onely a congregation meeting in one place and no Presbyteriall or representative Church as they call it at all OVr Brethren hold that the only true publick visible Church in the New Testament is a Congregation of Believers joyned together by a voluntary profession of Faith and meeting in one place to worship God They deny 1. That the word Church doth ever signifie a Presbytery or Eldership 2. They deny that there is any representative Church properly so called or that it hath the title of a Church in the New Testament 3. They deny that there is any Provinciall or Nationall Church that can be called a visible politique body of Christ. 4. They deny any Church to have power of jurisdiction over a particular Congregation For the decision of the present questions these distinctions are to be observed 1. There be odds betwixt a Church visible and a Church ministeriall 2. There be odds betwixt a Cathedrall or mother Church and this we deny and a Church Nationall and provinciall which cannot meet to the worship of God in all the particular members therof 3. The Church is termed representative three wayes as we shall heare 1. properly 2. commonly 3. most properly 4. Suppose the name of Presbyteriall Church be not in the New Testament yet if the thing it selfe be in it it is sufficient The word Church is not taken here 1. For the Temple or House where God is worshipped 2. Neither for foure or five that worship God ordinarily within the walls of a Family Rom. 16. 5. Salute the Church at their House 1 Cor. 16. 19. Philem. v. 2. It is termed Kahal that is in the old Testament rendred Synagogue and Kahal rendred Ecclesia And Kahal Deut. 5. 22. or Hehillah Deut. 33. 4. signifieth a Congregation of people and Gnedah a Congregation Exod. 16. 1. Psal. 111. 1. is turned Ecclesia Mat. 16. 18. Act. 7. 38. Kahal is either a multitude of Nations or People Gen. 35. 11. so Jer. 50. 9. An Assembly of Nations not a Church of Nations came against Babylon Somtimes the Tribes and Governours are called Kahal the Church or Assembly 1 Chron. 13. 2 3. 1 Chron. 29. 6. 2 Chron. 1. 2 3. See Piscator Junius Guide to Zion The word Gnedah that signifieth the Assembly of the Judges Psalm 82. 1. is turned in the New Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 5. 27. and Act. 6. 12. M. Ball hath observed that the Arabick Interpreter useth four words Gamhon Act. 19. 31 39. 2. Gamahaton Acts 7. 38. both signifieth an Assembly or an Assembly of Princes 3. Kainsaton Rom. 16. 1. Acts 11. 26. 4. Bihaton Matth. 16. 18. and 18. 17. the Church that hath power to determine controversies 1. Conclusion A number of believers professing the truth is not presently a visible politick Church 1 Because then every Christian Family should be a visible politick Church 2 Peter offended Mat. 18. and rebuking his offending brother before three witnesses and gaining his brother to repentance v. 16. is a number of believers in that same act professing the truth and convincing an offender and so professing Gods worship and yet they are not the judging governing Church because if the offender will not heare Peter then he is to tell the Church Hence visibility of Profession agreeth both to a number of believers if for example ten out of ten particular Congregations confesse Christ before a persecuting Judge and also to a constitute Church of Believers and Elders Then true Faith and the visible professing of true Faith is not enough to constitute a Church that ordinarily hath power and exercise of the keyes neither find we any warrant in Gods Word that the swearing of an oath or making a covenant by four or five or 10. or 40. believers to worship God together as he hath commanded in his word doth essentially constitute a visible ministeriall Church 1. Because a ministeriall Church is a body of Pastor and People of eyes eares hands feet wherof Christ is head Rom. 12. 4. 1 Cor. 12. v. 14 15 c. but a number of sole and only believers are not such a body 2. More is there required an oath and covenant but this is and may be where there is no ministery 2. Conclusion We deny that Christ hath given power of jurisdiction to one particular Church over another particular Church or to one Church to be a mother Church to give laws and orders to little daughter-churches under it for that jurisdiction is not to be found in the Word of God and so is not lawfull See Paul Baynes and Parker and Cartwright 3. Conclusion A Church may be a visible incorporation of guides and people meeting for the worship of God and exercise of discipline and yet not necessarily a Church of believers for if there be twenty or thirty visible Saints who are Saints in profession they may meet for the worship of God and consequently by our Brethrers grounds independently and without any subordination to Synods or classes exercise discipline I proove that they are not necessarily believers 1. Because to make one or two formall members of a visible Church is not required that they be indeed believers it sufficeth that they professe Faith and be apparantly Saints and our Brethren teach they may be Hypocrites and often are as Iudas was amongst the Apostles now by that same reason all the thretty may be heart-hypocrites and face-professors for who seeth the heart And our Brethren say the preaching of the word and the administration of the Sacraments are not essentiall notes and markes of the Church because the word is often preached to reprobates and unbeleevers and by that same reason the power of the keyes and discipline is exercised by hypocrites and unbeleevers 2. Amesius saith it is probable he saith not it is necessary where the Word and Sacraments are that there are some beleevers And I say it is probable but that at all times there should be beleevers especially when it is first founded it is not necessary I say when it is first founded because we cannot say it is possible that there should be never any beleevers there at all for the Lord sendeth not a ministery to these where there are none chosen at all it doth crosse the wisedome of God who doth nothing in vaine that he should light a candle where he had no lossed money and the Shepheard should be sent through the fields where there were no lossed sheep at all Hence I inferre these consectaries 1. that the claime and title that a people
of Christ as is cleare 1 Tim. 6. 14. and so he saith himself 1 Tim. 3. 15. These things I write that thou mayest know how to behave thy selfe in the Church Gerson Bucer These were written for ages to come so the Refutator of Tilen and our own Rollock and so the Fathers Oecumenus say he setteth downe the summe of Ecclesiasticke Discipline So Chrysostome Augustine Enthim Cyrillus 10. Suppose we should grant a Presbyteriall Church be not expresly in the Word as we thinke it is Mat. 18. as we shall prove yet the thing it self cannot be denied hence take away a Presbytery whose it is to ordaine and censure Pastours of necessity the government and power of the keyes must be in the hands of the people against the arguments in the former Chapter that cannot be answered for the multitude of believers cannot ordaine a Pastor suppose we grant they are to chuse and elect their owne Pastor yet it is not warranted by the Word that ruling Elders with one pastor should ordain pastors seeing ordinations is given still to preaching Elders Act 14. 3. Tit 1. 5. 1 Tim 5. 22. 2 Tim. 2. 2. Rev 2. 2. Act 20. 29 30. and to moe pastours then to one only But by the way let us heare what is said against this 1. The word Church signifieth alwaies a gathered together Church or such as may gather together Act 11. 26. a whole yeare they assembled with the Church Act 20. 7. The Disciples came together to breake bread so Act 1. 10. Act 2. 44 46. Act 5. 12. Act 15. 25. An. Our brother M. Gillespi saith many Interpreters expound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were together that is of one accord in love and amity and also Churches not being builded and they meeting in private houses as in Maries house Act 12. schoole of Tyrrannus Act 19. 9. in an upper chamber Act 20. 8. Pauls lodging at Rome Act 28. 13. What private houses could ordinarily contain so many thousands 2. The Scripture speaketh so to give us an example of the publick meeting for publick worship where it is not needefull that all met in one place collectively it is enough they meet all distributively 3. Neither doth the word Church alwayes signifie a meeting of one single Congregation as Act 12. Prayers was made by the Church that is by all professours Herod vexed the Church Act 8. Saul made havocke of the Church I persecuted the Church There is no necessity to expound these of people meeting ordinarily to worship God for Herod and Saul persecuted all whither Apostles or professours in houses not respecting their meeting in one place also it shall follow that prayers were not made in private but only in the Church that is in the conveened Congregation for Peter which is absurd And that they were a visible Church is cleare els Herod and Saul could not persecute them Parker answereth The whole Nation of the Iewes did meet at one meeting and are called by Luke the Church and there came innumerable multitudes to heare Christ. Answ. That is for us the Church of the Iews contained six hundreth thousand fighting men beside women children and aged persons and the Levites that attended the Tabernacle and Arke it were a wonder to make out of this an independent Congregation all judging and governing both themselves and their governours Therfore there may be a visible Church under one government that cannot ordinarily meet to heare the Word of God and howbeit there met innumerable multitudes Luke 12 to heare Christ and that with great confusion that is forbidden in Church meetings 1 Cor 14. So that they trod on one another that multitude could not be a Church 1. Ordinarily meeting 2. To heare one pastor 3. To judge all the people and over-see their manners 4. And to communicate ordinarily at one Table in the Lords Supper this is against the nature and true use of a Congregation met in one place for the publick worship Thirdly they reason the Church visible in the New Testament are called the Churches in the plurall number the Churches of Judea Galatia Asia Macedonia Hence it followeth there is no visible Church larger then a Church meeting in one house Answ We reade of the Church of Hierusalem Act 15. where certainly there were moe particular Churches 2 It followeth not for moe Churches were visible and audible Act 15. at that famous councell and are called so united the whole Church and yet separated they were sundry churches they are so named in opposition only to the Nationall and typicall Church of Iudea not in opposition to provinciall and Nationall Churches and Synods 5 Conclusion A Church may be called representative three waies 1 Properly as if the Rulers stood in the persons of believers judging for them as if the believers were there themselves as a deputy representeth the King So Israel did sweare a covenant Deut 9. 14 15. for their posterity not borne this way the Eldership doe not judge for the Congregations as if the Congregations did judge by them as by their instruments as Robinson saith because the multitude of believers should not judge at all therfore Elders doe not in governing represent their persons So Bannes said the Pope this way hath no Legate for he cannot give an Apostolike spirit to his Embassadour for then he miâ—ht leave saith he an apostolike spirit in legacy to some successour We acknowledge no representative church in this sence as the authour of presbyteriall government examined unjustly imputeth to us 2 A representative Church may be thought a number sent by a community and elected to give laws absolutely tying as if believers should say We resigne our faith and conscience to you to held good whatever you determine without repeale or tryall that is blinde faith that we disclaime all our Rulers acts in our Assemblies do bind 1 conditionally if they be lawfull and convenient 2 matters to be enacted are first to be referred to the congregations and Elderships of particular congregations before they be enacted 3 A representative Church is a number having election and designation from the Church of believers but ordination from the Eldership to voice determine and command as those who are over them in the Lord to make constitutions and decrees according to Gods word and this way we hold a representative Church Mat 18. and 1 Cor 5. which made acts according to Gods word tying the whole congregation even the absents for the presents representeth the absent If the incestuous person had bin judicially excommunicated the Apostle Paul and all the absents that neither had bin actours nor witnesses had bin tied to abstain from bortherly conversing with him and this way the decrees of the Councell of Jerusalem tyed the absent Churches Act 16. 4. and Chrâ—sts power of the keyes Iohn 20. were given to Thomas howbeit absent
and every one of them commanded to heare 2 The promise of eating the tree of life v. 7. of giving the hidden Manna and the white stone and the new name and they shall be cloathed in white and their names not blotted out of the booke of life who overcommeth agreeth not to Ministers onely 3. The command of being faithfull to the death of holding fast what they have that none take away their crowne of strengthening what remaineth of being zealous and of repenting are not given to Ministers only 4. The rebukes of falling from the first Love of not watching of lukewarmnesse are not laid upon Ministers onely therfore to the Angell of the Church of Ephesus of the Church of Smyrna must need force have this meaning Vnto the Church of Ephesus of Smyrna and what is said to the Angels is said to the Churches as is cleare comparing chap. 1. v. 20. and chap. 2. v. 1. with v. 9. 11 17. So Acts 18 v 21 22. Paul is said to salute the Church that must be the chiefe men and Elders of the Church for the Church being so numerous at Jerusalem as is proved he could not salute the Church of beleevers 1. his manner in writing his Epistles is to salute the prime persons onely and the rest in generall and this being a reall salutation or by all appearance verball he could not salute them all man by man seeing he saw them in the bye and the Kirke of Jerusalem for he landed at Cesarea was more numerous then that he could salute them all man by man And also the Church is named from the Pastors Isa. 40. 9. Sion that bringeth good tydings and it is the Preachers that ordinarily preach the good tydings and the woman that has many sonnes Isa. 54. 1 2. Gal. 4. 26 27. Isa. 49. 21. the woman that bringeth forth the manchilde Rev. 12. the bride who is made the keeper of the vineyard Cant. 1. 6. Now it is the Pastors properly that travell in birth to beget children to God Gal. 4. 19. to the policye of which Church respect is had in this forme of speaking the word Kahal Gnedah Ecclesia a Church an Assembly doth onely signifie the Princes and Rulers when the spirit is speaking of matters of government discipline commanding complaints or controversie as he speaketh here Psal. 62. 1. God standeth in the Church Gnedah or Congregation of the mighty Num. 35. 24. And the Congregation Gnedah shall Judge betwixt the slayer and the avenger of bloud but it is expounded Jos. 20. 4. and the slayer shall declare his cause before the Elders of that City So Deut. 11 12 16 17. thâ—se that are called the men of Israel Josh. 9. 6. are called the Princes of the Church or Congregation v. 15. So compare 2 Sam. 7. 7. spake I one word with one of the tribes of Israel with 1 Chron. 17. 6. spake I one word to any of the Judges of Israel So compare Exodus â—0 18 19. All the people saw the thunder v. 19. And they said to Moses speake thou to us with Deutronom 5. 23. And it came to passe when yee heard the voyce out of the middes of darknesse that ye came neare to me even all the heads of your Tribes and Elders and said compare Exod 4. 29. with 30. 31. also compare 1 Chr. 28. And David assembled all the Princes of Israel the Princes of the Tribes and the captaines of the companies that ministred to the King with chap. 29. 1. Furthermore David the King said to all the congregation Ainsworth acknowledgeth that the word Congregation is thus taken for the Elders only so the Separatists in their confession cite this Psal 122. 3. Lev 20. 4 5 c. with Mat 18. 17. Adde to these that 1. Judges and Priests in Israel might give sentence of death and judge of Leprosie without the peoples consent Deut 1. 16. 2 Chron 26. 16. Deut 17. 8. and yet Israel as well as we were Kings and Priests to God Exod 19. 5 6. Psal 149. 1 2. And why may not we say Tell the Church of Elders as Judges and in telling them ye tell the believers in respect that Elders are not to pronounce sentence of Excommunication while they make declaration to the Church of believers 11 Argument That Church which the plaintiffe must tell that is publickly to admonish the offender but that is the Church of Elders 1 Thes 5. 12 13 14. 1 Tim 5. 20. Luk 10. 16. for they only are to receive publick delations and to rebuke publickly as is Titus 1. 13. 1 Timothy 5. 1. and ver 19. 2 Timothy 4. 2. 12 It shall follow if Christ understand heere by the Church the Church of believers that in the case of an Elderships scandalous life or if otherwise all the officers be taken away by death that then a company of believing women and children being the Spouse of Christ and so having claime and title to Christ his covenant and all his ordinances may censure deprive and excommunicate the â—lders and ordain Elders and pastors with publick fasting and praying and laying on of hands But this latter is unwritten in the Word of God For 1. Private believers farre lesse believing women and children cannot judge the watchmen and those who were over them in the Lord. 2. In the Old Testament the heads of Families only excommunicated Gen 21. 10 11 12 13. and the Priests judged the Leper Levit 13. 3 4 5. Deut 24. 8 9. Numb 5. 1. not the people and in the New Testament the Apostles and Elders only ordained pastors and officers with praying and laying on of hands Act 6. 6. Act 13. 3. Act 14. 23. 1 Tim 4. 14. 2 Tim 1. 6. 1 Tim 5. 22. Tit 1. 5. and never the people also if three be believers happen to be an independent Church and then the plantiff rebuking the offender according to Christs rule Mat 16. 16. before the Brethren who are witnesses he shall tell the Church before he tell the Church because three are an independent Church by the Doctrine of our Brethren and moreover if these three being a Church shall excommunicate the offending brother before the Church of which Christ speaketh when he saith tell the Church shall heare of the matter Then shall 1. Christs order be violated 2. The offending brother shall be excommunicated by a true ministeriall Church â—lave non errante and that duly because he is contumacious to them and yet he is not excommunicated because Christs order is violated and the matter is never come before the Church who hath power to binde and loose on Earth 3. And certainly they must say three or foure believers doe not make a Church and they must give some other thing to make up essentially one true visible Church then a company of believers visibly professing one Covenant with God 13. And we have here for us the testimony of learned Parker who is otherwise against us in this plea
who confesseth our Thesis that in these words tell the Church Christ doth understand the Presbytery or Eldership Hence the word Church in the New Testament doth not alwayes signifie the Church of Believers Disciples Brethren who pray in Christs name and are heard in Heaven and are builded on the Rocke and are the body and spouse of Christ for a number may be and often is an Eldership judicially excommunicating and a Presbytery yea and also including some externally professing Christ who are not a company of redeemed ones built by saving faith upon the Rocke Jesus Christ. Also it is insolent that the word Church here should signifie both precisely the Eldership and also in that same vers the whole Congregation of believers because the same Church to the which the offended brother should put in his bill of complaint is that very Church which must be heard and obeyed under the pain of excommunication 2. It is hard that the offender should be excommunicated for not hearing and obeying the Congregation of believers who are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over him in the Lord. 3. By grant of M. Parker the Church of believers hath not power from this place Mat 18. to ordaine pastors to themselves when they want pastors or to excommunicate their own Eldership in case of scandalous sins which is against his grounds and our Brethrens principles who ascribe this authority to the Congregation of believers because a number of believers is not an Aristocraticall part and a select Presbytery and Eldership as he saith is meaned in this word tell the Church 14. The Church here cannot well mean a visible Congregation of believers and Elders conveened to heare the Word preached so as he who contemneth two private admonitions should be accused and censured in the face of the Congregation conveened to hear Gods Word Because the Church meeteth in Christs name for Gods worship if they meet in faith and humble sense of sinne with purpose of heart to worship God in spirit and truth but there is some other thing required that the excommunicating Church meet for the actuall exercise of discipline for beside meeting in Christs name there is required that the Church meet with Pauls spirit and the rod of discipline 1 Cor 5. 4. That yee meet in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ and my spirit with power of our Lord Iesus Christ. Then Pauls spirit as an Elder who hath power of the rod a spirit and power of excommunication is required to this meeting But I doubt not but the Church of believers did meet at Corinth 1 Cor 11. for hearing the Word and receiving the Lords Supper and for ordinary worâ—hip and praying and praysing when it was not needfull that Paul should write That yee meet together in the name of our Lord Iesus and my spirit to heare the Word and to receive the Lords Supper There was no need of Pauls spirit for that therfore I conclude that this meeting of the excommunicating Church requireth another spirit and authoritative power to deliver to Satan such as was in Paul then is required in ten believers meeting in faith without Pauls authoritative power to heare Gods Word For Paul saith of his authoritative meeting I verily absent in body but present in spirit have judged c. but Paul knew that they might meet as a number of believers to heare the Word whither Paul be absent or present in spirit and this I observe for their mistake who teach that two or three agreeing together upon Earth and praying for one thing are heard of God as it is said Mat 18. 19 20. is an independent Church having the power of the Keyes for first Christ then hath not provided a sure way for removing scandals And when he saith tell the Church this tell the Church must be a definite visible conspicuously known Church now in one congregation one province one nation there be three hundreth six or ten hundreth threes or fours of professed believers if every three and every foure be an independent Church to which of all these many threes and fours shall the plantiffe addresse himselfe for they be all equally independent Churches the plantiffe is left in the midst and knoweth not his ordinary judge there be so many tribunals in one Congregation yea in one Family 2. How many key-bearing Churches shall be within one independent Congregation who may all meet in publike in one house for the joynt worshiping of God together 3. Christ in these words where he is said to heare two who shall agree together upon earth as touching one thing hath no purpose to erect visible Churches with the full power of the keyes consisting only of three or foure believers but he doth argue here from the lesse to the more as Bucer saith and as Musculus God will not only ratifie excommunication but he will heare the prayers of his children universally and this promise ver 20. of Christs presence amongst two or three is more large and generall then his promise to ratifie the sentence of excommunication even that Christ will be with his owne howbeit they be not Church-waies conveened or rather as Paraeus saith it is a generall promise of the presence of Christs grace in his Church sive magnâ sive parvâ either great or small and I grant it will prove the power of our Church sessions in Scotland very well where there is often but one Pastor and some few ruling Elders but Christ cannot promise a Church-presence of his Spirit and grace or such a presence wherby he ratifieth the censures of the Church but where there is a Church consisting of Elders and people but if the words be pressed according to the letter and definite number then it shall follow that every two believers yea suppose two women agreeing on earth to pray for one thing shall be a Ministeriall Church having the power of the keys which is most absurd For a number of believers make not a Church having the power of the keys for 1. They want the power of binding and loosing by preaching 2. They are not a golden candlestick in the which Christ walketh as a visible Church is Rev. 1. Christs meaning theâ— must be I promise my presence to the smallest Church suppose it were possible that a Ministeriall Church could consist of the least number that is even of two only but Christs purpose is not to make every two believers a visible Ministeriall Church and every believing Family a congregation having the power of the keys Vasquez the Jesuite hath arguments and ancients to speak from the Text this which we say which can hardly be answered See that Enchiridion of the Province of Cullen under Charles the V. See also Jansenius Maldonat and others on this Text. CHAP. IX Q. 9. What members are necessarily required for the right and lawfull constitution of a true politicke visible Church to the which we
wit that haereticks adulterers forcerers blasphemers be no parts of Christs visible Church as it is a Church Yea we say that as the tree leg and the eye of glasse and the teeth of silver by art put in the body are no members of the living body so neither are these members of the true Church and so much doe all our Divines as Calvin Beza Junius Whittaker Tilen Piscator Pareus Vrsine Trâ—lâ—atius Sibrandus Amesius prove against Papists 2. Preaching of the Gospell is called a note of the Church and profession of faith a note of the Church both the former is a noâ—e of the teaching Church or minsteriall Church called Ecclesia docens The latter is a note of the professing Church who professeth the faith which we may call Ecclesia utens or Ecclesia practicè consideram 3. Profession of the faith is thought to be true either Subjectively 2. Objectively Or 3. Both Subjectively and Objectively Profession subjectively is true when the professor doeth indeed professe and avow the truth and doth not only seem to avow professe the truth and this is no note of a true Church because it may be in hypocrites who really goe to Church really heare the word and partake of the Sacraments but not sincerely Profession true objectively is when the professor doth professe that faith which is indeed sound and orthodox And this is a marke of the true teaching or ministeriall Church and may be in a visible company of professors who for the time are not sincere beleevers But a profession of the faith both objectively true and subjectively is when the object is orthodox and sound truth and the professor sincerely and gratiously and with an honest heart beleeveth and professeth the truth and this way profession of the truth is a true and essentiall note of a visible Church as it is a true Church and body of Christ and so are our Divines to be expounded in this doctrine about the notes of the visible Church But withall the visible Church is to be considered in abstracto under the notion of visibility and as visible and as performing all the externall acts of professing governing hearing preaching praising administrating the seales of the covenant binding and loosing in the externall and visible court of Christ and under this reduplication as obvious to mens eyes and therefore in this notion all externall professors who are not manifestly and openly scandalous are to be reputed members of the true visible Church and therefore this tearme would be considered a true visible Church For the adjective true may either be referred to the subject Church and so signifieth the true misticall body of Christ visibly and with all sincerely professing the sound faith Or it may be referred to the other adjective visible and so it is no other but a company of professors visible to our senses and so truely visible whose members may be unsound and false professours Then the question is whither visible Saints 1. forsaking all knowne sinnes 2. Doing all the knowne will of God 3. Growing in grace as saith Smith and the discov of N. Light be the only true matter of a right and lawfully consistent visible Church and congregation so as we are to joyne with no company of worshippers of God but such visible Saints as these and to acknowledge no other society a true Church whereto we are obliged to adjoyne our selves as members save only such a sâ—ciety Or is this sufficient for the nature and right constitution of a true visible Church that the company that we are to joyne our selves unto as visible members have in it these true markes of a visible Church The pure word of God purely preached and the Sacraments duely administred with discipline according to Gods word and withall a people externally professing the fore-said faith suppose they cannot give to us manifest tokens and evidences that they are effectually called and partakers of the divine nature and translated from death to life and are elected called and justified This latter we hold as the truth of God these of the Separation hold the former Now we must carefully distinguish here what are to be distinguished for there are many questions infolded here of divers natures For 1. The question is if the society have the word seales and right discipline and they professe the truth suppose their lives be wicked whether they should not be answerable to that which they professe I Answer No doubt they ought to be answerable to their light and obey the holy calling 2. What if many of them leade a life contrary to that which they professe and yet the governours use not the rod of discipline to censure them then whether should the members separate from that Church They ought to separate say the Separatists They ought not to separate from the Church and worship say we they are to stay with their Mother but to plead with her and modestly and seasonably say that Archippus and others doe not fulfill their Ministry which they have received of the Lord. 3. What if there be purity of doctrine but extreame wickednesse contrary to their doctrine whether is that company a true Church or not I answer it is a true visible and a teaching or right ministeriall Church but for as farre as can be seene not a holy not a sanctified Church and therefore must not be deserted and left 4. What if the guides receive in as members of the Church those who are knowne to be most scandalous and wicked and not such Saints as Paul writeth unto at Rome Corinth Ephesus Colosse Answ. The faults of the guides are not your faults who are private members you are to keepe publike communion in the publike ordinances of Christ but not to take part with their unfruitfull workes but rather to reprove them 5. What if the members of the Church can give no reall proofes that they are inwardly called sanctified and justified and yet you see no scandalous out-breakings in them to testifie the contrary I answer for as much as grace may be under many ashes as a peece of gold amongst mountaines of earth If they professe the sound faith they are a true visible Church and we are to acknowledge them as such and to joyne our selves as members to such a society or being already members we are to remaine in that society and not to separate from it in any sort The Separation doth complaine that in our Church are as Ainsworth saith swarmes of Atheists Idolaters Papists erronious and hereticall sectaries witches charmers sorcerers theeves adulterers lyars c. The Gentiles enter unto the temple of God the holy things of God the Sacraments indifferently communicated with cleane and uncleane circumcised and uncircumcised And amongst you are thousands who cannot tell how they shall be saved So say others as M. Barrow and Smith Hence inferre they our Church is a false Church not right constitute no Spouse of Christ no royall generation not
said There shall be no ravenous beast in the Mountaine of the Lord the Mountaine of the Lord is not taken litterally for Mount Sion as if in every little Mountaine of a visible congregation made up of so many Saints there were not a Iudas amongst them But by the Mountaine of the Lord is meaned the Catholike Church alluding to the visible Mount Sion a type of the Church of Christ through all the earth 2. They dispute thus God in all ages hath appointed and made a separation of his people from the world before the Law under the Law and now in the time of the Gospell Gen. 4. 6. Exod. 6. 3. Levit. 20. 24. Ezech. 6. 11. Psal. 84. 10. Answ. God hath made a separation of the Church from the wicked but not such a separation as there remaineth no mixture of hypocrites and unbeleevers in the Church The Church was separated from Caines seede yet was there Idolatry defection and wickednesse in the Church till God charged Abraham to leave his country and his fathers house God separated his Israel from Egypt but so that there was much Idolatry and wickednesse in Israel thus separated God may and doth separate his owne from Egypt 〈◊〉 in Marriage and mixture with the Canaanites 〈…〉 that are born in the visible Church and professe 〈…〉 us should not be received in the Church 〈…〉 be all taught of God all precious stones all plants of righteousnesse it followeth no way but the contrary therefore because they are unbeleevers under the power and chaines of Sathan and ignorance they are to be received in a communion with the Church to be hearers of the word that they may be all taught of God and all made righteous plants 3. They reason thus The wicked have not Christ for their head So the guide to Zion A true visible Church say the Separatists is the Temple of the Lord the body of Christ a kingdome of Priests a Church of Saints the houshold and Kingdome of God Yea saith Barrow a people chosen redeemed Saints by calling partakers of the most precious faith and glorious hope the humble obedient loving Sheepe of Christ a sheepe-fold watched by discipline a garden well inclosed here entreth no Cananite every vessell is holy Answ. 1. The body of Christ a Kingdome of Priests and Saints and these that are partakers of the holy faith are the chosen of God ordained for glory in his decree of election and effectually called and justified but the adversaries say that the visible Church is a company of Saints by calling where saith Ainsworth there be many called but few chosen hence this argument will prove that none no hypocrites can be in the visible Church as a Church is indeed Christs body Now the Church visible as a Church is indeed Christs body a reyall Priest-hood a chosen generation but as visible it is sufficient that the Church be a royall Priest-hood only in profession and so possibly for a while no royall Priesthood no chosen generation as I have observed before But say they hypocrites are not indeed and really members of the true visible Church but only in reputation as an eye of glasse is not indeed a true part of the body I answer then our adversaries give us no right description of the true naturall and lively members of the true visible Church he that would give such a definition of a man as agreeth both to a living man and to a pictured or painted man were but a painted Logician For they acknowledge the true parts of a visible Church to be a chosen people a royall generation partakers of the holy faith either they are really and in Gods esteem a chosen people c. And so we are at a point there be none members of a visible Church none ought to heare the word as members of the Church none ought to preach baptize bind and loose with the rest of the Congregation but these that are really chosen and effectually called which cannot be said Ainsworth then and M. Canne and Smith doe but mocke us when they say The true matter of a true visible Church are Saints in profession and in the judgement of charity for that is not enough they must be according to the Texts of Scripture alledged by Barrow not onely in the judgement of charity but in Gods estimation and in the judgement of verity a chosen people a royall generation If the true matter of the true visible Church be a chosen generation and a royall Priest-hood only in profession the places cited will not help them for Peter 1 Pet. 2. writeth not to an independent Congregation who are in profession only a chosen people But he writeth to the Catholick Church even to all the dispersed and sanctified and regenerated in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bythinia who were not only a chosen generation in profession but also really and in Gods decree of election Neither Peter nor Isaiah are of purpose to teach that in the independent Congregation of the New Testament there are none but all righteous men no stones to speake with Isaiah but Saphires and Carbuncles no thornes and briers but only the firre and the myrtle trees no iron and brasse but all gold and silver no Cananite no Lyon no uncleane vessell this they shall not find in the independent Congregations of Separatists nor can it be in the visible Church on earth except they seeke the Anabaptists Church a man in the Moone 4. They reason thus The wicked are expresly forbidden in the word of God for medling with his Covenant and ordinances Psal. 50. So the guide to Zion Answ. The wicked are forbidden to speake of Gods Law and his Covenant in some case so long as they hate to be reformed but they are not simply forbidden but hence it followeth not that they should not be ordinary hearers of the word but rather they are to be hearers and so members of the visible Church seing faith commeth by hearing 2. From this argument is nothing concluded against us for such adulterers theeves and slanderers as are forbidden to take Gods Law in their mouth Psal. 50. are to be cast out of the Church and the question is if they be not cast out if the Church for that be no true Church that we should remaine in they say it leaveth off to be a true visible Church we deny 5. There is saith Ainsworth proclaimed by God himselfe enmity and warre betwixt the seede of the woman and the seede of the Serpent and there is no communion nor fellowship betwixt Christ and Beliall light and darknesse Therefore the prophane and the godly cannot be mixed together in one visible society as two contraries are not capeable of one and the same forme Answ. This will prove that which is not denyed that the godly and ungodly cannot agree well together suppose the ungodly be latent hypocrites for they have two contrary natures as fire and water and
seducing his people CHAP. X. Quest. 10. Whither or no it be lawfull to seperate from a true Church visible for the corruption of teachers and the wickednesse of Pastours and professours where Faith is begotten by the preaching of professed truth THat we may the more orderly proceed these distinctions are to be considered as making way to cleare the question 1. There is a separation in the visible Church and a Separation out of and from the visible Church 2. There is a Separation totall and whole from any visible communion with the Church or partiall and in part from a point of Doctrine or practise of the Church in a particular only 3. There is a Separation negative when we deny the practise of an errour with silence or refuse publike communion with the Church but doe not erect a new Church within the Church There is a separation positive when we doe not only refuse practise of errours and protest and pleade against them but also erect a new visible Church 4. As there is a three-fold communion 1. in Baptisme 2. in hearing of the Word 3. in communicating with the Church at the Lords Supper so there is a three-fold separation answerable therunto 5. The influence of a worship corrupt may either be thought to come from the persons with whom we worship or 2. from the matter of the worship if corrupt and that either 1. by practise or 2. by not practising somthing that an affirmative commandement of God impaseth on us 6. A communion in worship either implyeth a consent and approbation of the worship or no consent at all 7. A communion of worship when the worship in the matter is lawfull yet for the profession may be most unlawfull as to heare a Jesuite preach sound Doctrine 8. There is a separation from a friendly familiarity and from a communion in worship 1. Conclusion We are to separate in the true visible Church from all communion wherin need-force we cannot choose but sinne suppose we separate not from the Church Eph. 5. 11. Have no fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darkenesse but rather reproove them Col. 2. â—1 Touch not taste not handle not 2 Epist. John Bid him not God speed that bringeth another doctrine 2. Conclusion from the first conclusion it will follow that a separation in part I meane in some acts of publike worship when we cannot chuse but fall in sin from a true Church is lawfull as we must separate from an idolatrous communion where the bread is adored for then the Lords Table is made an Idols Table and yet we are not totally and wholly to separate from the Church and hearing of the word and praiers and praises of that Church as we shall heare 3. Conclusion Anent separation from Rome and spirituall Babel We have two parties to satisfie if they would in reason be informed 1. Papists 2. Separatists opposers of government Presbyteriall who thinke we have all as good reason to separate from our selves and Presbyteriall Churches as from Babel But I shall speake a little of the first in some few Theses considerable for our purpose 1. Consideration It is most false that Bellarmine saith Churches all withered as branches separated from trees when they separated from Rome Joseph grew as a fruitfull Branch and blessings was on the top of his head when he was separated from his Brethren Deut. 33. 16. For 1. The contrary is seene in the reformed Churches who never flourished as since our separation from Rome 2. The Churches in Asia and Africa and especially the Greeke Church flourished ever since and they separated from Rome and had famous learned men in them after the separation as Theophylact Damascen Occumenius Zonaras Cedrenus Elias Cretensis Basil Nilus and many others and especially the Aethiopian and Armenian Churches had both their Bishops and Assemblies howbeit generall they could not have seeing they were apart not the whole Church 2. Consideration The faithfull before Luther the Albigenses Waldenses and others yea the Romane Doctors themselves holding the fundamentall points with some hay and stubble builded upon the foundation made a negative Separation from Babylon and did neither hold nor professe their grosse Idolatries and other fundamentall errours howbeit they did not hold them positively by erecting a new Church because the separation was then in the blade and not ripe for the Harvest 3. Consideration We hold that Rome made the Separation from the Reformed Churches and not we from them as the rotten wall maketh the schisme in the house when the house standeth still and the rotten wall falleth 1. Because we left not Christianity in Rome but the leprosie of Popery growing upon Christianity seeing we kept the Apostolike faith and did positively separate from the pookes blybes and ulcers of Christian Rome 2. We did not separate from the Westerne Churches either collective or representatively gathered in a generall Councell 3. We departed not from a Nationall Provinciall or Parishonall Church or Pastors that we had before nor from the materiall Temples and Churches except that some not very considerable hyrelings and idoll-pastours would not goe before us 4. And because the succession of fundamentall truths from generations to generations is as necessary as the perpetuall existence of the true Catholick Church while the covenant with night and day and the ordinances of Heaven shall continue Jer 31. 37. therfore there were a succession of professours and members of the Catholick Church that did ever hold these fundamentals which we to this day hold against Rome suppose Histories cannot cleare the particular persons by name 5. We have not separated from Romes baptisme and ordination of Pastors according to the substance of the act nor from the letter of the twelve Articles of the Creed and contents of the old and new Testament as they stand with relation to the mind and intent of the Holy Ghost howbeit we have left the false interpretations of the Lords of poore peoples Faith and Consciences 4. Consideration We separate not from acts of love to have the reliques of Babel saved howbeit we have separated from communion in faith and worship 5. Consideration The essentiall ingredients and reasons of a lawfull divorce are here 1. we could not lye in one bed with that sometime sister Church of Rome but our skin behoved to rub upon her botch-boyle and therfore we did separate from nothing but corruption 2. There was there persecutions and in that we are patients and ejected rather then departers on foot and horse 3. A professed dominion over our consciences 4. Necessity of receiving the marke of the beast and so the plagues of the beast to worship Images and the worke of mens hands a necessity of professing fundamentall errours that subvert the foundation of faith did all necessitate our seperation 6. Consideration The Church of believers might lawfully use justâ tutelâ aetâ—rnae salutis a necessary defence for salvation and forsake her corrupt guides and choose others
murmurers idolaters c. Then the sinfulnesse of the worshippers defileth not the worship and we are not to separate from the worship for the wickednesse of the worshippers But the former is Scripture Ergo separate we cannot upon this pretence The proposition is sure for God cannot both command his people to come and worship publikely with his people and then also forbid them because for the wickednesse of the worshippers they were to abstaine Also 2. It will follow that the people should not have gone to Shiloh when God commanded them to sacrifice with Elies sonnes because they committed silthinesse with the women at the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation because Elies soones wickednesse made men to abhorre the Lords sacrifice Also 3. Because to prophecy to a people and for the people to heare the word of prophecy are both acts of worshipping God it will follow if we must abstaine from the worship for the knowne sinnes of fellow-worshippers then Isaiah sinned in prophecying to a people laden with iniquity corrupt children the seede of evill doers hypocrites rebells Sodome and Gomorrah murtherers oppressors c. Isa. 1. for Isaiah and that wicked people worshipping together the worship was defiled to Isaiah by these wicked hearers and he should have abstained from prophecying and separated from that polluted and unlawfull worship Hence Ieremiah sinned in prophecying to Israel and Iudah Hosea sinned Amos sinned in prophecying to wicked people Ionah sinned in prophecying to Niniveh Paul sinned in preaching Christ to the obstinate Iewes to the scoffing Athenians And seeing they were commanded to prophecy obedience to Gods commandements shall it be sin and disobedience for certainely the preacher and the hearers of the preaching joyne in one and the same worship Also 4. Baruch should not have gone to the house of the Lord at the commandement of Ieremiah and so at Gods commandement Ier. 36 6 7. to reade the booke of the Prophecie of Jeremiah in the eares of the Princes and people at the entry of the new-gate of the Lords house ver 10. because the Princes Priests Prophets and people followed Baalim slew their children to Molech forsooke the Lord their God said to a stock thou art my father came to Gods house and cryed the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord and yet did steale murther commit adultery sweare falsly burne incense to Baal and walke after other gods Jer. 9. 2 3 13 14. Chap. 5. 31. Chap. 7. 8 9 10. Chap. 2. 13 14. ver 27. Chap. 14. 15 16. Chap. 23. 1 2 3 9 10 11 12. Chap. 7. 30 31 32. Chap. 15. 1. No people could be more desperately wicked yet Ieremiah worshipped God with them commanded Baruch to worship God and commanded the King his servants and the people publikely to worship and heare and beleeve the word Chap. 22. 2 3. v. 5. Chap. 19. 3 4. Chap. 26. 2. And besides he should have commanded the faithfull to separate from such an Idolatrous Church and not commanded them to heare in the Lords house and beleeve and obey So Ezechiel commandeth a most wicked and idolatrous people to joyn in the publick worship Ezek. 6 2 3. Chap. 20. 3 4 5. Chap. 21. 3 4. so all the rest of the Prophets 1. This idolatrous people in the judgement of charity could not be judged visible Saints seeing they were visible Idolaters lyars murtherers adulterers and an Assembly of treacherous persons 2. It cannot be said that to prophecy to them in publick is not to keep a religious communion with them For to heare on Messiah preached these same promises threatnings covenant and that ordinarily is an evident signe of a Church-fellowship and joynt worshipping of God together There only reason that they give to this is The common-wealth of Israel was a policy established by God by covenant without exception and so long as the Covenant stood unbroken on Gods part though broken on their part it was not lawfull to separate from that Church So Robinson Others say Christ behooved to be borne of the true Church therefore they never left off to be the true Church till Christ came Answ. First we have Robinson contrary to Ainsworth the Israelites then sacrifiâ—ed to Divels not to God Deut. 32. 17. â— Chron. 11. 15. and will you say the Prophets separated noâ— from them saith Ainsworth We say in the act of sacrificing to Divels the Prophets that were holy separated from them but not from their Church and lawful worship Robinson saith They were to hold communion with that Church of Israel without exception 2. We have a faire confession that contrary to the 31. Article The faithfull may become and stand members and have a spirituall communion with a people as an orderly gathered and constituted Church of Christ that are Idolaters thieves murtherers worshippers of Baal so being they worship the true God publickly as he commandeth and be in externall covenant with him 3. Suppose the Church of Israel should have had a typicall priviledge in this beyond all the Churches of the new Testament which Ainsworth will not grant neither can we see it yet all the Separatists goodly arguments hence fall to the ground if the faithfull might lawfully keep Church fellowship with the Church of Israel so corrupted Then in the old Testament Christ and Belial light and darkenesse might be in one Church worship Then in the old Testament the seed of the woman and the Serpents seed could agree together then it was lawfull to remain in Babel lawfull to become members of an Harlot Church and be defiled with their unlawfull worship and to consent therunto Then it was not required in the old Testament that the Church of God and his people in Covenant should be a Royall Priest-hood an holy people In the old Testament the Church might be a whoore Worship Baal Sacrifice to Divelâ— and yet remain the Spouse and wife of Jehovah All their passages cited in the old Testament for separation from a Church fall The Church of Israel had not Christ for their King Priest and Prophet and therfore was not separated from all false Churches as they prove from Hos. 2. 2. Cant. 1. 7 8. Psal. 84. 10. in the old Testament The wicked might have taken the covenant of God in their mouth contrary to Psal. 50. 16 17. which place the authour of the Guide to Zion alleadgeth to prove that idolaters and wicked persons are not members of the true visible Church Then it is false that Separatists said The Lord in all ages appointed and made a separation of his people from the world before the Law under the Law and now in the time of the Gospell For M. Robinson teacheth us in the old Testament none were to separate from the Church of Israel though never so abhominable in wickednesse Lastly The Church of Israel had no such priviledge as that persons who were idolaters thieves worshippers of Baal and forsakers of
the true God and going a whoring after strange gods should remaine members of Christs true body and a redeemed Church for then they should have had a priviledge to goe to Heaven holding the broad way to Hell for Christs true body shall be glorified Also 5. Elijah should have grievously sinned against God in gathering together all Israel on Mount Carmell amongst the which there were seven thousand that bowed not their knee to Baal and was the Lords elected and sanctified people and also with them the idolatrous people that halted betwixt God and Baal 1 Kin. 18. for so he brought light and darkenesse Christ and Belial to one and the same publick worship for there was praying and preaching and a miraculous sacrifice and ver 39. All the people fell on their faces and worshipped and Elijah knew them to be an idolatrous people and that the faithfull in that worship behoved to have bin defiled and consenters to the unlawfull worship of these halters betwixt God and Baal Master Canne poore soule doubtsome what to say saith These that preach to people have not spirituall communion with all which are present and heare the same for the Divell is often a hearer But this is a poore shift for neither Saviour Word of God covenant promise or seale belongeth to Satan He is a hearer to carry away the seed that falleth by the way side Mat. 13. And so because the word is not Satans in offer and he commeth uncalled he hath no Church communion with the Church but the Word preached to men and especially in an ordinary way is a professed communion with all professours for so the word of God saith Eze. 33. 3. They come unto thee as the people commeth and they sit before thee as my people and they heare thy words And Esa. 58. 2. They aske of me the ordinances of Justice they take delight in approaching to God And Esa. 2. 2. The peoples communion with one another in going to the Lords Mountaine to be taught his Word is set downe as a marke of the called Church of the Gentiles 2. To heare or professe hearing of the word is a worshipping of God therefore joynt-hearers are joynt-worshippers and have communion together 3. To eate at one Table of the Lord is a profession that the eaters are one body 1 Cor. 10. 17. with that same Lord and promises are offered in the word that are sealed in the Sacrament 4. All our Divines proove the Church of the Iewes and the Church under the New Testament to be one Church because that same word of the covenant and that same faith in substance that was preached and sealed to us was preached to them 1 Cor. 10. 1 2 3 4. Heb 11. Heb 13. 8. Heb 3. 7 8 12 13. none deny this but Arminians Socinians Papists and some other perverters of the Scriptures 5. If a joynt hearing of the Word be denied to be a Church-communion in externall worship upon this ground because all that heare doe not believe but many scoffe at the Word many hate it many reject it in their hearts as Separatists reason this is most weake and prooveth that all have not an internall communion by faith and love but it is nothing against a Church-communion in the matter of Separation Also hence it might be concluded none have a Church-communion that eateth at one Table and eateth one bread and drinketh one cup except only believers and so all Hypocrites in the visible Church hearing together praying and praysing and receiving the seales of the covenant together in one politick and visible body with believers should be Separatists from believers having no Church communion with believers the contrary whereof reason and sâ—nse teacheth and Scripture Psalm 42. 4. Psalm 55. 13 14. 1 Cor 10. 17. Math 13. 47. Mat 12. 13. confirmeth Master Canne seeing this saith We affirme not that there can be no religious communion but with members of a visible Church our profession and practise is daily otherwaies yet so that they be such persons howbeit not in Church-state yet to bee judged in the Faith by their gracious and holy walking and are persons in the judgement of Men gracious and holy in their walking but members of a visible Church are visible Saints and so if there be no religious communion to be kept but with persons judged gracious then is there no religious communion to bee kept but with members of the visible Church who are gracious and holy which is a plain contradiction Moreover 6. The zeale of Josiah commended so highly by God should have bin sinfull and wicked zeale in commanding all the people to keepte the most solemne Passeover that ever had beene since the daies of the Judges 2 King 23. 21 22. and yet Iudah was universally corrupted with high places idolatry and false Priest-hood images groves c. It is true Iosiah reformed all these it is as true he sought no more of the people for their externall right worship but profession and could get no more yet he commanded not separation from the Church of Iudah for these corruptions howbeit much heart wickednesse was amongst them as is cleare v. 26. Notwithstanding God turned not from the fiercenesse of his great anger against Judah Moreover 7. Asa his zeale should have bin as sinfull in commanding all Judah and Benjamin and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh to conveene in an Assembly which was farre from separation to a solemne service of swearing a Covenant to seâ—k the Lord under the paine of death to both men and woemen and presently after such abominable Idols as â—ad bin in Iudah and Beniamin 2 Chron. 15. 8. were they all turned visible Saints a holy people a chosen generation all taught of God all partakers of the faith and promises so suddenly at one Proclamation Also 8. Ioshua 24. conveened all the Tribes and exhorted them to serve the Lord he charged them all to conveene and they did enter in a covenant with the Lord and he set up a stone under an oake that was by the Sanctuary ver 26. Now this conveening of them all even these who v. 14. and 23. had strange gods amongst them beside the Lord as Ioshuah knew well and gave warning therof must have bin a sinfull fact in Ioshua in commanding a mixture of Gods people and these that had strange gods to assemble in the Sanctuary and enter in covenant with God and heare the servant of God exhort them so heavenly in that Sermon Chap. 23. and Chap. 24. of Ioshuah this was light and darknesse Christ and Belial to come to one Sanctuary to defile the worship of God pollute the people with leaven take the name of God in vaine if Separatists teach true Doctrine And 9. Moses sinned grievously Deut. 29. in assembling all the men of Israel their little ones wives strangers hewers of wood drawers of water to enter in an oath and covenant to serve
God which was a solemne publick worship for there was amongst that company who ought to have bin separated v. 4. those to whom the Lord had not given a heart to perceive nor eyes to see nor ears to heare to this day So Moses in that prophaned the name of God polluted the word of the covenant Many other instances might bee given for this purpose 3. Argument If Paul doe not only not command separation in the Church of Corinth but also command and approove their meeting together in Church-communion 1 Cor. 5. 4. 1 Cor. 11. 18 20 21 22. 1 Cor. 14. 23. 1 Cor. 16. 2. where there was schismes and contentious 1 Cor. 1. 12 13. envying and strife 1 Cor. 3. 3. incest and incest tolerated such as is not named amongst the Gentiles 1 Cor. 5. 1. going to law with their brethren for gain before Infidels 1 Cor. 6. Harlotry v. 15 16. Eating at the Idols-Table 1 Cor. 8. Keeping fellowship with Divels 1 Cor. 10. 20 2 22. comming to the Lords Table drunken 1 Cor. 11. 21. eating and drinking damnation v. 29 30. A denying of a fundamentall point of faith the resurrection of the dead and that with scoffing at it 1 Cor. 15. 35. Murthering of weak soules whom Christ had dyed for 1 Cor. 8. 12 13. Pauls name despitefully traduced 2 Cor. 10. 8 9. c. Then it is unlawfull to separate from the pure worship of God because a Church is not constitute of visible Saints and a people all taught of God To this Master Barrow answereth 1. These were faults of frailty and ignorance Answ. Such sinnes of the flesh against the law of nature as envy strife extortion drunkennesse at the Lords Table are not sinnes of frailty malitious hating and reproaching the knowne and approoved servant of God 1 Corinth 10. 11 12. 1 Corinth 4. 18 19 20. are not frailties but must contaminate the worship no lesse then sins to the which obstinacy is added howbeit possibly not in alike measure and degree 2. We then are to thinke them members of a visible Church and not to separate from them howbeit in the judgement of charity we cannot say they are a royall Priest-hood the holy seed the sheepe of Christ the Spouse and body of Christ and all taught of God as you say for so the constitution of the visible Church is marred and a company that is not such is not the matter of a visible Church as you teach Barrow secondly saith We should not separate till their sinnes be reprooved and censured and they declared incorrigible and such as will not heare admonition such were not the Corinthians Answ. Then we are to esteeme denyers of the resurrection schismatickes extortioners drunkards incestuous persons fornicatours knowne so to us to bee a Royall Priest-hood the Sheepe bodie and Spouse of Christ regenerate plants of righteousnesse precious stones of Zion all taught of God aye and while the Church and Professours rebuke them and censure them 2. If these were not dispisers of Pauls admonitions why should Paul say 1 Cor. 4. 21. shall I come to you with the rodde how were some of them puffed up as though Paul would not come ver 18. and why doth Paul never once command that they separate from the Church if the Church will not use the rodde against them if the servant of God must waite on gainsayers and obstinate persons if at any time God shall give them repentance 2 Tim. 2. 14 15 16. Should not one wait on a whole Church or many in a Church and keep communion with them till God give them repentance It 's true Separatists say there should be no separation from a Church till all meanes be used of rebuking but why did not then Elijah Moses Joshuah Isaiah Ieremiah command separation and why did they command Church-fellowship after all meanes are used and Israel declared stiffe-necked Deut. 9. 6. Sodome Gomorrah Isa. 1. 10. impudent and hard-hearted Ezech. 3. 7. stiffe hearted chap. 2. 4. refusing to hearken pulling away the shoulder stopping their eare making their heart as an Adamant Zach. 7. 11 12. after all which Church communion with them in the word covenant and oath of God Sacraments Passeover circumcision prayer hearing of the word is commanded 4. Argument If the Apostle tearme the Gallatians the Church of Christ brethren Gal. 1. 2. receivers of the Spirit by the hearing of faith chap. 3. 2. the children of God by faith in Christ ver 26. spirituall chap. 6. 1. and so esteemeth them a right constitute Church not to be separated from howbeit they were in part removed from Christ to another Gospell Gal. 1. 8. bewitched foolish joyning circumcision and the workes of the Law with faith and so fallen from Christ Christ profiting them nothing fallen from grace running in vaine under the Law againe and not under Christ Gal. 5. 4 5 6 18. beginning in the Spirit ending in the flesh Gal. 3 3. if so I say then is it not lawfull to separate from a Church for the sinnes of the worshippers But the former is true Ergo so is the latter The proposition is clear because Pauls stiles which he giveth them make them the body and spouse of Christ and so it is not lawfull to separate from them Also Paul writeth to them as to the Church of Christ which is an acknowledged Church-communion 5. Argument If the Church of Ephesus be a true Church holding the candlesticke of Christ and Christs presence walking in it that suâ—fered for Christs name and fainted not Rev. 2. and yet had fallen from her first-love If Pergamus held the doctrine of Balaam and the Nicolaitans and murthered the Saints had Sathans throne amongst them ver 13. 14. If Thyatira suffered the woman Jezabel to seduce the servants of Christ. If Sardis had a name to live and was dead and her workes were not perfect before God If Laodicea turned cold indifferent and lukewarme in the matters of God and was ready to be spewed out at Christs mouth Then may a church remaine a true Church with a lawfull visible Ministry having power of the word seales and Church discipline as all these had and cannot be separated from except we would leave the candlesticke and Christ walking in the midst of the golden candlesticks 6. Argument If we are to beare long in patience and brotherly kindnesse with the most refractarie and stiffe-necked gainsayers and to preach to them and so keepe externall communion with them as Paul saith the servant of God must doe 2 Tim. 2. 24 25. much more owe we this to a whole Church which doth contumaciously suffer or defend a sinne and a sinner But the former is true Ergo so is the latter The proposition is proved If we owe patience and longanimity to one then farre more to a hundred five hundred ten hundred so Iohn Epist 3. ver 10 11. did beare with the Church wherein wickednesse was tollerated This argument is
confirmed That which the Prophets of God at Gods command did preaching and waiting on upon an obstinate Church all the day long that same onwaiting patience owe we to the Church whereof we are members But the Prophets at Gods command kept Church-fellowship of prophecying to a people disobedient and obstinate aye till God cast them off as Isaiah doth chap. 65. 2 3. all the day long The Prophets went and preached to Ierusalem after they had stoned and killed the former Prophets Mat. 23. 37. and after they had killed the heire Christ Iesus they preached to them also Acts 2. 22. Acts 3. 13 14. Acts 4. 1 2 3. 5. 4 c. so Jer. 3 12. Ieremiah after he had beene put in the stockes and the word of the Lord became a reproach yet still prophecyed Ier 20. 9. Ier. 26. 12. Now a preacher in a constitute Church is a member and part of that Church where he preacheth and is to beleeve and be saved by that same word which he commandeth others to heare as a meane of their salvation 1 Tim 4. 16. 7. Argument If the wickednesse of a Church have such influence as to pollute the publike worship and to defile these that communicate in the worship so as they must separate therefrom and if the unconverted preacher be not to be heard as a lawfull Pastor Then also we can communicate in no Church where there are lurking hypocrites But both these are against the word of God Ergo separation from the Church in that kind must be against the word of God also The proposition is cleare If the sinnes of these that heare and communicate with me defile the worship to me they defile it whether I know their sinnes or no. If a pest man eating with me defile my meate the meate is infected to me whether I know it or no and if I be obliged to know it and know it not my ignorance is sinnefull and doth not excuse me Now certainely no beleever is obliged to know the latent hypocrite it was no sinne in the eleven Apostles that they knew not Iudas to be the traitor while God discovered him The assumption I prove an unconverted man may be a called Pastor whom we may lawfully heare as Iudas was a chosen Apostle so Mat. 7. 22 23. Phil. 1. 16 17 18. Also it were lawfull to be a member of no visible Church if the sinnes of unknown hypocrites should defile the worship because in the net and barne-floore there are alwayes bad fish and châ—ffe Judge then if M. Barrow teach judiciously If the open sinnes saith he of Ministers or people defile not word and Sacraments administrated by them why hath God said the sacrifice of the wicked is abhomination to the Lord Prov. 15. and that the wicked may as well kill a man as a bullock and what the defiled â—riest toucheth is defiled their prayers and sacraments are not the Ordinances of God Answ. Except by Anabaptists I never read the Scripture so perverted the praying preaching sacraments of a defiled Priest and an unconverted man to himselfe but not to others are abhominable and sinne before God whether they be censured by the Church or no whether they be known to be defiled and polluted sinners in the state of nature or not knowne because their persons are not reconciled in Christ to God as all our Divines prove as Augustine and Prosper proveth against Pelagians and our Divines against Arminians see for this what Arminius Corvinus and the Jesuite Bellarmine Suarez and â—asques saith on the contrary The notoriety of Ministers and professors sinnes or their secrecy is all one the sinne defileth the man and the mans worship preaching and prayers to himselfe but their sinnes doe not anâ—ll and make of no effect the ordinances of God that are publike the prayer of the unconverted Minister is the prayer of the Church and heard for Christs sake howbeit the man himselfe be a taker of Gods name in vaine else infants baptised by an unconverted Pastour were infidels and yet unbaptised if his sacraments administred by him in the state of sinne be no ordinances of Christ but abhominations that defile others as well as himselfe Thus the preaching of Scribes and Pharisees the abhominable slaves of hell as concerning their conversation were not to be heard even while they sate on Moses chayre the contrary whereof Christ commandeth Mat. 23. 2 3 4. 8. Argument If the Church-worship must be forsaken for the wickednesse of the fellow-worshippers then the publike ordinances of word and sacraments should have their worth and dignity from the persons worshipping as preaching should be more the word of God the holier the preacher be and lesse the word of God the lesse holy that he be and not the word of God at all if the preacher be an unwashen and an unhallowed Priest whereof there are too many alas in our age But this were absurd the word hath all the essentiall dignity and holinesse from God and preaching and baptizing are true pastorall acts and meanes of salvation so the men be called by God and the Church having their power from Christ Jesus whose ordinances they are what ever be the mens morall carriage I grant it is more unsavoury and worketh the lesse if the man be an ungracious slave of sinne but that is by accident and from our corruption who cannot looke to Gods word and receive it as his word but we must looke who he is a good or a bad man who carrieth the letters and what vessell it be that beareth Gods-treasure if of gold or of earth This argument Augustine presseth against the Donatists 9. Argument If Church-worship where wicked people worship with us be defiled to us beleevers then Peters preaching was defiled to the converts Acts 2. because Ananias and Saphira Simon Magus did worship with them Moses Elijah Joshua could not but be defiled by the prefence of stiffe-necked people whose hearts were going after Baalim and they sinned in taking part and consenting to a polluted covenant Passeover feast of the Lord Sermon or the like It is not enough to say if they knew the worshippers to bâ— such they were not to communicate with them I answer then the worship publike where wicked persons doe communicate doth not of it selfe contaminate and pollute the worship to others who are true believers but only upon condition that believers know the wickednesse for 1. We desire a warrant of this from the Word of God or the nature of the worship 2. And if so be baptisme administred by a private person whom we take to be a faithfull Pastor should be lawfull I never thought our knowledge had power to change worship from a pure and cleane case to make it impure and uncleane by this meanes light and darkenesse Christ and Beliall the womans seede and the Serpents seede may remaine together we may stay with the infectious botch of uncleane
lay hands on their officers and the right of election as they would prove from Levit 8. 2 3. a place notwithstanding abused for the congregation there is the Princes of the congregation as it is a hundred times taken in the old Testament els how could six hundreth thousand persons beside aged men women and children lay hands on the officers They did also excommunicate no lesse then our Church of believers as they say therfore their Church in the essence of a visible Church was every way as ours except in some accidentall ceremonies Lastly suppose the Iewes were the only visible Church that none could separate from yet Christ and Belial light and darknesse should never dwell together 5. They object A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump and so a scandalous sinner not censured maketh the whole Church an infected lump therfore we are to separate from that Church if they goe on except wee would be leavened So Robinson Ainsworth Smith Canne object Answ 1. There is a double infection one physicall as leaven that by touching leaveneth and pest-cloaths that by touching defile the ayre or mens bodies the comparison holdeth not in this I am sure There is a morall infection by evill example and so the incestuous Corinthian not excommunicated did infect if any should use his company as a brother and member of the Church of this latter sort the place 1 Cor 5. is to be understood The incestuous man would infect if the guides and the Apostles spirit should â—â—t cast him out Hence it is true that Church guydes in not excommunicating did what was in them morally to infect and leaven the Church but 1. It followeth not that the Church was actu secundo and actually infected howbeit no thanks to the guides 2. It followeth not that they should separate from a Church that might infect because that is not Gods meane of eschewing infection to lowpe out of one true Church to another for one fault 2. The eschewing and separating from the error of the Church and the mans company is enough to them to eschew the infection They urge But it is atempting of God to stay in an infected lump suppose you be not actually infected your selfe for no thankes to you as it is a tempting of God to keepe company with a wicked man suppose by Gods grace yee learne not his wicked fashions a man is guilty of selfe-murther who rydeth a swelling and dangerous river and sinneth in so doing suppose God graciously pardon his rashnesse and carry him through the river safe I Answ. 1. To stay in every place where sinners are and to haunt the wicked mans company as his companion is a sinfull tempting of God suppose ye be not actually insnared but to stay in the company or Church carefully flying every spot and soule ayre that may blow sin upon you is no tempting of God But secondly they thus urge to stay a member of a leavened Church and keepe Church-communion with that infected Church is to tempt God therfore God calleth you to separate from that Church I answer 1. To stay a member of that Church wholly leavened and where the matter of the worship is leaven and fundamentall points corrupted and obtruded upon the conscience is to tempt God for then I keepe communion with a leavened Church as leavened such as is Babell but the assumption now is false and the case not so here but to keep my self and remain a member of a Church leavened in part with one sin and to take no part with the sinne and yeeld no consent therunto is no tempting of God Paul joyned as a member with the Church of Corinth and acknowledged them as a Church and commanded to keepe Church fellowship with them 1 Cor 5. 4. even when this leavened lump was souring amongst them But thirdly they urge the incestuous mans sinne not censured infected the Church the infected Church infecteth the worship Answ. I deny that the sinne of the worshippers infecteth the worship to others that are not guilty it infecteth the worship to themselves but not to others a worship corrupt by accident only through the fault of the worshipper may and doth make the Lords Supper damnation to the eater and therefore the eater is forbidden so to eat a worship in the matter and intrinsecall principle unjust and sinfull is defiled both to the man himselfe and to all that taketh part with him as the teacher of false Doctrine and all that heareth and believeth are defiled but if the sin of an unworthy communicant even knowne to be so be damnation to himselfe and defile the worship to others then Paul would have said he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation and the damnation of the whole Church and Paul should have forbidden all others to eat and drinke withall who communicateth unworthily if he allowed separation but he saith he eateth and drinketh damnation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to himselfe not to all others But fourthly they urge thus We must not onely strive to rebuke and censure one another but we must not stay a member of that Church in the which we are not permitted to doe the duty that Christ hath commanded us for the station and place is unwarrantable where we are necessitated to sinne that is to omit a duty of the Keyes that God hath given to all the faithfull Ergo we must separate from that Church where all the faithfull may not use the Keyes Answ. 1. Also if the power of the Keys be in the hands of the people as some teach so as they are under a commandement of God to rebuke authoritatively and judicially to censure and excommunicate their universall omission of that duty seemeth to be sinfull and howbeit I be loath to teach Separation I see not how the authours who give the power of the keyes to all private Christians are not to separate from all Churches where Presbyteriall government is no lesse then the strictest Separatists doâ— 2. Affirmative precepts tye not in all differences of time To rebuke your brother is alwayes lawfull so it be done observing due circumstances but that every beâ—eever rebuke Church-wayes and judicially by the power of the keyes doth not tye at all because Christ never gave that power to all 2. Some duties tye absolutely as to pray these we cannot forbeare Suppose a Church should make a Law like Darius to borrow a dumbe Devill for thirty dayes and to pray none that Church should not be heard and not acknowledged in that Other dutyes tye conditionally as not to pray in publicke with a man notoriously serving Satan and deserving to be excommunicate yet if the Church excommunicate not wee are not to separate from the prayer of the Church because that person is suffered there so these duties that tye upon a condition that dependeth upon others and not upon my selfe tye not alwayes I am obliged to beleeve what point the Pastor teacheth but
bought with a price all things are theirs and therfore all power which consequence is no stronger the one way then the other 9. It layeth a blot upon Christs wisdome who hath appointed congregations to be edified by no power of the keyes in case of aberration aâ—d incorrigible obstinacy 10. It maketh the Word of God imperfect which setteth downe no Canons how the believers of an independent Church should governe and Paul teacheth how Timothy and Titus and all Church-men should governe 11. It excludeth not women from usurping authority over men by judging excommunicating ordaining pastors seeing they are the body and Spouse of Christ as believing men are 12. It maketh the Sacraments no Sacraments the baptized non-baptized and in the place of Turkes if possibly the pastour and the ten professours of the independent Church be unbelievers which is too ordinary 13. By this an assembly of Pastors and Elders from divers congregations have no more the power of the keyes then one single man who may counsell and advise his brother 14. Extreme confusion and inevitable schismes hence arise whilst such a sister-Church saith I am Pauls and her sister-Church saith I am Apollo's and there is no remedy against this fire 15. The patterne of a Church governing and ministeriall consisting of only believers is neither in all the Scriptures antiquity nor in the writings of Divines But of these I shall speake more fully hereafter God willing 4. Argument That Doctrine is not to be holden which tendeth to the removing of a publick Ministry but the doctrine of independent Churches is such Ergo the doctrine of independent Churches is not to be holden The proposition is out of doubt seeing Christ hath ordained a publick Ministry for the gathering of his Church Ephes 3. 11. 1 Cor 11. 1 Cor 14 1 Tim 3. 1 2 3. Heb 13. 17. 1 Thess 5. 12 13. 1 Cor 5. 4. Math 16. 19. Math 28. 18. Joh 20. 21 22 23. I prove the assumption By the doctrine of independency two or three or ten or twelve private Christians in a private Family joyning themselves covenant-waies to worship God is a true visible Church So the English Puritanisme So a Treatise called Light for the ignorant So the Guide to Zion So the Separatists holding Independent Congregations define a visible Church Every company Congregation or Assembly of true believers joyning together according to the order of the Gospell in the true worship is a true visible Church This being the true definition of an independent congregation from the writings of the Patrons thereof I prove that it taketh away the necessity of publick ministery 1. because every twelve in a private Family is this way joyned together and is an independent Church 2 this congregation being independent it hath within it selfe the power of the keyes and is not subject saith the English Puritanisme to any other Superiour ecclesiasticall jurisdiction then to that which is within it self But 1 Katherin against M. Edwards saith p. 7 8. Private Christians have the Spirit Ergo they may pray Answ God forbid we deny but they both may and ought to pray continually but hence it followeth not affirmativè à genere ad speciem therfore they may authoritatively not being called of God as was Aaron and invade the pastors chaire and pray and fast and lay on hands by ministeriall authority as the pastors doe Act 6. 6. Act 13. 3. 2. The Church saith the Feminin Authour p. 8. is not blinde so that none have power of seeing but only the officers Answ. All believers see and discerne true and false teachers 1 Iohn 4. 1. Heb 5. 14. 2 Cor 3. 18. Psal 119. 18. Ephes 1. 17. but it followeth not affirmativè à genere aâ— speciem theâ—fore they doe all see as the eye of the body with an authoritative and pastorall light and eye for then all the body should be an eye where were then the hearing 2 Cor. 12. 17. 3 Within it self there is no jurisdiction ministeriall for in the definition of a Church ministeriall there is deepe silence of Ministers or office-bearers and good reason by their grounds who hold it For it is a society of believers joyned together covenant wayes in the true worship of God which society hath power to ordain and elect their owne pastors and Elders here is the power of the keyes to bind and loose on earth as Christ bindeth and looseth in Heaven Math 18. 18. chap 16. 19 and a ministeriall act of these keyes to wit the ordaining of Pastours Doctors Elders and Deacons before there be any Pastor Doctor or Elder or Deacon A ministery then must only be necessary ad benè esse non ad esse simpliciter to the better or wel-being of the independent Church and not to the simple being of the Church for the thing must have a perfect constituted being and essence before it can have any operation and working proceeding from that being as one must be a living creature indued with a sensitive soule before it can heare or see or touch now this independent Church must have the perfect essence and being of a ministeriall Church seeing it doth by the power of the keyes within it selfe constitute and ordaine her owne Ministers and Pastors and if they were joyned in the worship of God before they had Ministers they did in a visible way being a visible Church in the compleate being of a visible Church worship God before they had Ministers for before they ordaine their Ministers they must keepe the Apostolick order fast and pray and lay on their hands for so did the Apostles Act 1. 24. Acts 6. v. 6. Acts 13. 3. Act 14. 23. 1 Tim 4. 14. 2 Tim 1. 5. So here are publick fasting publick praying publick ordination of a visible and independent Church and as yet they have no Ministers So in case the Eldership of a congregation shall all turne scandalous and hereticall this same independent congregation may excommunicate them Ergo before excommunication they must publickly and by the power of the keyes convince them of Heresie rebuke them pray for them and finally by the spirit of Paul a Pastor 1 Cor 5. 4. judicially cast them out Now let all be Judges if this be farre from pastorall preaching and if here be not ministeriall acts and the highest judiciall and authoritative censure exercised by no Ministers at all and what hindreth by this reason but the independent Church that doth publickly and authoritatively pray fast rebuke convince gainsayers make and unmake by the power of the keyes pastours and Ministers may also without Ministers preach and administer the Sacraments against which the Separatists themselves doe speake and give reasons from Scripture that none may administer the Sacraments untill the pastors and teachers be chosen and ordained in their office But hence we clearly see an independent Church constituted in its compleat essence and exercising ministeriall acts and using the keyes without any ministry
For that which in Scotland wee call following Gods word 1 Tim 4. 14. the presbytery But before we proceed one question would be cleared What ground is there to tye a congregation by an ecclesiasticall tye of obedience to a presbytery and a presbytery to a provinciall Assembly and a provinciall Assembly to a Nationall Assembly for seeing these are not in Gods Word they would seeme devices of men and of noe divine institution one may say whether have they warrant in a positive Law of God or in the law of nature I answer they have warrant of both for it is Gods positive law that the Elders and Over-seers be over the Church in the Lord Heb 13. 17. 1 Thess. 5. 12 13. Math 18. 17 18. I call this Gods positive Law because if it had bin the will of the Law-giver he might have appointed an high-Priest or some arch-Pastor or prime officer in his name to command the whole Church like to the Judge and the high-Priest in the old Testament So Aristocraticall government is not naturall our presbyteries are founded upon the free-will of Christ who appointed this government rather then another Now the question how subordination of congregations to presbyteries and of presbyteries to greater Synods is of natures law is harder but a thing is naturall two wayes 1. simply and in it selfe 2. and by consequent an example of the former is by the law of nature the hand moveth the feet walketh at the direction of the will which is a commanding faculty that ruleth all the motions of moving from place to place This way it is not directly naturall that Archippuâ— be governed by the Eldership and Presbytery at Colosse because he may be removed to another Presbytery he possibly might have beeâ—e a member of the presbytery at Corinth and never beene subjâ—ct to the presbytery at Colosse Example of the latter it is simply supernaturall for Peter to be borne over againe â—ath 16. 17. Iohn 1. 12 13. but upon supposition that God hath given him a new nature it is naturall or as we say connaturall and kindly to this new nature in Peter to love Christ and to love Christs sheep and his lambes because every like loveth a like So the subordination is not naturall for it is not naturall for John and Thomas to be subject to such an Eldership of this congregation for Gods providence might have disposed that John and Thomas should have dwelt in another congregation as members therof and so subject to another Eldership But secondarily and by consequent upon supposition that they are members and inhabitants of this ecclesiasticall incorporation it is kindly and connaturall now that they be subjected ecclesiastically to the Eldership of Christs appointing in this congregation and so the ground of the bond is the part must be in subiection to those who command the whole Iohn and Thomas are parts of this congregation such an Eldership commandeth the whole therefore Iohn and Thomas are in subjection to such an Eldership So all the beleevers of this congregation and all the beleevers of the sister-congregations are parts of this presbytery wheras Gods providence might have disposed that all the beleevers here might have beene parts and members of another presbytery And so by proportion sundry presbyteries are parts of a provinciall Church and sundry beleevers of many provinces are parts and members of a Nationall Church Now the division of a Nation into Provinces and of Provinces into so many territories called presbyteries and the division of presbyteries into so many congregations cannot be called a devise of mans because it is not in the Word of God for by that same reason that Iohn and Thomas and so many threes and foures of beleevers should be members of an independent congregation seeing it is not in the Word it shall be also a devise of man For all our singular acts are mixed there is something morall in them and that must be squared and ruled by the word and something is in them not morall but positive and this is not to be squared by the word but sometimes by natures light which I grant is a part implicite of Gods word sometimes it is enough that the positive part be negatively conforme to the word that is not contrary to it Howbeit I hold that the morality required in every action must be positively conforme to the word for example the Law saith Every male-childe must be circumcised the eighth day Gen. 17. 7. Now the action of Christs circumcision and Christs presenting in the Temple and offering of two turtle Doves and two young pigeons is said to be according to the Law of Moses Luke 2. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is written yet the bâ—be Iesus by name his mother Mary who brought him into the Temple the Priest by name that offered the Doves for him are not written in the Scripture of Moses his law but the morality of that action was positively conform to Moses his law so that every part be subject to the law of the whole is Gods word but that parts and whole be thus divided it was not required to be defined in the word But what our brethren deny is that as Peter and Iohn are Ecclesiasticall parts of a single Congregation under the jurisdiction of that single Congregation is cleare in the word of God but that three or foure Congregations are parts â—cclesiasticall of a Presbytery and Ecclesiastically subjected to the government of the Presbytery as Iohn and Thomas are parts subjected to the government of a Congregation is utterly denyed But we may reply Iohn and Thomas are to obey their Pastor preaching in the Lord and by that same reason they are to obey their Pastors gathered together with the Elders in a Synod So by that same reason as Iohn and Thomas are to obey their Eldership convented in their owne Congregation to governe them by that same reason Iohn and Thomas of foure Congregations are to heare and obey their owne Elderships convented by that same authority of Christ in another Congregation when a Colledge of other Elderships are joyned with them But I come to the Scriptures of God If when the Churches of Syria Sylicia Antioch and Jerusalem were troubled with a question whether they should keep the Law of Moses and be circumcised and could not determine it amongst themselves in their particular Churches they had their recourse to an assembly of Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem who gave out a Decree and Canon anent that question which the Churches were obliged to keep then when particular Congregations are troubled with the like questions in doctrine and government they are by their example to have recouâ—se to an Assembly of Pastors and Elders that are over many Churches and to receive Decrees also which they are obliged to keep But the former is the practise of the Apostolike Church Ergo to have recourse to a Synod of Pastors and Elders to receive Decrees from them that
tye many particular Churches is lawfull to us I prove the assumption A question troubled these Churches some false teachers said Cyrinthus as Epiphanius thinketh You must be circumcised after the manner of Moses Acts 15. ver 1. and there was no small dissention and disputation about this ver 2. and this question troubled the Church of Jerusalem as ver 4. and 5. doe declare And it troubled the Churches of Antioch Syria and Cylicia ver 23. 2. That the question could not well be determined in their particular Churches is cleare from ver 34 from three circumstances 1. The maintainers of the question troubled them 2. They almost subverted their soules with words 3. They alleadge a necessity of keeping Moses Law and that it was the commandement and doctrine of the Apostles and Elders 3. That in this question that troubled them so much they have their recourse to a Synod is cleare ver 6. And the Apostles and Elders came to consider of this matter and ver 2. They determined that Paul and Barnabas and certaine others of them should goe up to Jerusalem unto the Apostles and Elders about this question And that the Apostles who were led by an infallible spirit and could not erre might have determined the question is cleare by their speeches in the counsell if the Apostles had not had a mind to set down a Samplar and a Copy of an Assembly in such cases 4. That there are here the members of a Synod is cleare Apostles Elders Brethren ver 23. and Commissioners from Antioch ver 2. certaine others and the Elders of the Church at Jerusalem James Paul and the Elders of Jerusalem chap. 21. v. 17 18 compared with ver 25. So here are Elders from sundry Congregations 5. That these Decrees did tye and Ecclesiastically oblige the Churches howbeit all the members were not present to consent is cleare chap. 16. ver 4. And as they went through the Cities they delivered them the Decrees for to keep Acts 21. ver 25. We have written and concluded that they observe no such things but that they keep themselves c. So chap. 15. 28. It seemed good to lay on you no greater burden then these necessary things c. Now let us heare the exceptions which our brethren propound on the contraâ—y to prove that this was no generall Assembly They object 1. This cannot be proved to be an oâ—cumenicke Councell that is an Assembly of the whole Churches of the world Answ. Howbeit Augustine Chrysostome Cyrillus Theophylact Theodoret Cyprian Ambrose and most of the learned Fathers agree that it was an oâ—cumenicke Assembly yet we will not contend many Churches of Jewes and Gentiles were here by their Commâ—ssioners which is sufficient for our point 2. The Apostles who were universall Pastors of the whole world were here 2. They object There is no word of a Synod or Assembly in the Text. Answ. The thing it selfe is here if not the name saith that learned Voetius 2. Neither is the name of an independent Church in Scripture nor the word Trinity or Sacrament what then the the things are in Scripture 3. verse 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they assembled and ver 25. they were together is plainly a Synod They object 3. Though there were a generall assembly here yet it proveth nothing for the power of the keyes to be in such an assembly but onely it saith something for a power of deciding of controversies in matter of â—aith which implyeth no act of iurisdiction Answ. 1. The deciding of controversies in matters of doctrine tying the Churches and laying a burthen on them as it is ver 28. and tying them to keep the Decrees chap. 21. 25. chap. 16. 4. is an aâ—t of jurisdiction and an opening and shutting heaven by the power of the keyes when it is done Synodically as this is here 2. This presupposeth that the power of the keyes is onely in censuring matters of fact and not in a ministeriall jâ—dging and condemning of false doctrine which is against Scripture For Ephesus is commended for using the keyes in condemning the doctrine of those who called themselves Apostles and were not and Pergamus rebuked for suffering the doctrine of Balaam and Thyatira is rebuked for suffering Jezabel to teach the lawfulnesse of fornication and of eating things sacrificed unto Idols Rev. 2. v. 2. v. 14. v. 20. They object fourthly The true cause why Paul and Barnabas were sent to Jerusalem was not to get authoritative resolution of the question in hand but to know whether these teachers had warrant from the Apostles to teach the necessity of circumcision as they pretended they had as may be gathered from ver 24. To whom we gave no such command Answ. The contrary is seen in the Text For if the Apostles had commanded any such thing it was a dispute of fact in this Synod and they might soone have answered that but the thing questioned was questis iuris a question if circumcision must be v. 5. and that they must be circumcised ver 24. Also Paul and Barnabas were sent to Jerusalem ver 2. about this question Now the question was not whether the Apostles had taught the lawfulnesse of circumcision or not But the question is ver 1. Certaine men taught except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses you cannot be saved 2. It were a vaine thing to say that v. 6. the Apostles and Elders met about this matter to see what the Apostles had taught and what not 3. The Apostles bring reasons from the Scriptures and from the calling of the Gentiles which were vaine reasons if nothing were in question but whether the Apostles had taught this point or not taught it 4. That Paul and Barnabas were sent to be resolved of more then whether the Apostles had taught this or not is cleare by their answer in the Decree It seemed good c. to lay no greater burden on you and that you abstaine from meats offered to Idols c. They object fifthly There was no combination of many Pastors of divers Churches but onely a few messengers sene from Antioch to the Congregation at Jerusalem Hence many say it was an assembly of a particular Church and it bindeth only as a particular and speciall meeting So M. Best Answ 1. We stand not upon an exact meeting of all Churches when as the nature and essence of a Synodicall and Assembly-meeting is saved Here were Apostles and Elders whose charge was the wide world And the Elders of Ierusalem and Commissioners sent from Antioch and they send Canons and Decrees to other Churches 2. A decree of one particular independent Congregation cannot bind another as our brethren teach But the Decrees made here did tye the Churches of Syria Cylicia Antioch and Ierusalem v. 22 23. chap. 16. v. 4. Yea and all the Churches of the Gentiles Acts 21. 25. remember that enemies to our Synods as Bridgesius
5. 4. 5. and since he tooke this care for a Nationall Church Numb 5. 2 3 4 5. Who can doubt but he hath care of edifying and saving in the day of the Lord Churches of Nations and Provinces under the New Testament yea and a greater care then for saving one single man seeing the influence of his love is bounded first upon the body bride and spouse by order of nature before it be bounded upon one finger or toe or any particular member of the body I meane one single person They answer God hath provided other meanes for whole Churches then to excommunicate them for it wanteth precept promise and practice to excommunicate a whole Church thâ—y are to be rebuked and we must pleade with obstinate Churches Hos. 2. 2. and if they remaine obstinate we are to with-draw our fellowship anâ— communion from them and not to acknowledge them as sister-Churches that is we are to separate from them but there is no warrant to excommunicate them Answ. 1. I say this is a begging of the question for we desire a warrant of Gods Word why sister-Churches may use some power of the keyes against sister-Churches such as is to rebuke them plead with them Hos. 2. 2. and yet we may not use all power of the keyes even excommunication now to rebuke and pleade against a Church to Parker and our brethren is a power of jurisdiction and a sort of closing and shutting of Heaven 2. The Iewes did justly excommunicate the Church of the Samaritans and Christ alloweth therof Iohn 4. 22. ye worship ye know not what salvation is of the Jewes in which words Christ pronounceth the Iewes to be the true Church and the Samaritans not to be the true Church 3. I desire to know what excommunication is if it be not to deny all Church-communion with those who were once in our Church now if this be done by one Sister-church to another sister-church it is no excommunication at all seeing Christ hath not given the power of the keyes to one Sister-church over another for one particular Church is not set over another in the Lord but when the Eldership of many consociated Sister-churches denieth Church communion to one of these consociated Churches having turned obstinate in scandalous sins I see not what this is els but excommunication and authoritative unchurching and ejection of such a Church Also our brethren pleade for the peoples power in excommunicating because all and â—very one of the beleevers are to eschew the company of the person excommunicated therfore all and every one should have hand in excommunicating him as all Israel and not the Judges onely were actors in putting away the leaven so reasoneth Parker M. Best so also the Separatistes yea if it bee right taken so also saith Beza P. Martyr Calvin Marlorat So Chrysostome Augustine for all are to consent to the excommunication of one who is a member of that visible Church with themselves but so it is that all consociated Churches are to eschew the company of an excommunicated by a single congregation supposed by our brethren to be independent Because 1. if they admit him to the Lords Supper with them they prophane the holy things of God 2. They annull excommunication supposed by our brethren duely clave non errante inflicted and so they loose on earth kim whom God hath bound in Heaven they hold him for a member of Christ and a brother whom Christ hath delivered to Satan and will have to be reputed as a Heathen and a Publican Ergo by this reason all should have hand in excommunicating such a person but many Sister-churches consociated together in neighbourly and sisterly Church-fellowship as we heard before cannot excommunicate in their owne persons being possibly twenty severall congregations Therefore they must excommunicate in their Elderships synodically conveened which is our purpose we intend It is but a womanly evasion of the Femall authour who differenceth betwixt rejection of an offending Church and excommunication We may reject saith she an offending Church but not excommunicate Saul rejected God did he therefore excommunicate God â—or this is but a suting of the question it is not simple rejection of an obstinate Church that we plead for but an authoritative unchurching and not acknowledging of an obstinate Church to be any more a Church with whom we can communicate in the holy things of God and this is more then simple rejection or refusing to obey as Saul is said to reject God I grant we seldome find the practice of excommunicating Churches in the New Testament because so long as a number of beleevers are in a Church God leaveth them not all to be involved in one scandalous grosse sinne therfore the presbytery is to censure particular persons and not the whole Church therfore when we separated from Rome which was an authoritative declaration that Rome is now no longer a Spouse of Christ but a strumpet we did not separate from the faithfull lurking amongst them 10. Argument That government is not from Christ that is deficient in the meanes of propagation of the Gospell to Nations and congregations that want the Gospell But the government by independent congregations is such The proposition is cleare 1. Because Christs keyes are perfect and opens all lockes 2. Our Divines hence prove Christ a perfect Mediatour King Priest and Prophet because he perfectly cureth our threefold misery I prove the assumption by the doctrine of independency Pastors and Doctours may not preach the Gospell without the bounds of their owne congregation neither can they exercise any pastorall acts else where saith the English Puritanisme and M. Best and so Pastors and Doctors have now since Apostles are out of the world and the Churches are planted no authority pastorall to preach the Gospell to those who sit in the region and shaddow of death and if they preach the Gospell to those who are not of their congregation 1. They doe it as private men not as Pastours 2. They have no pastourall authority or calling from Jesus Christ and his Church so to doe But certainely Papists as Bellarmine Suarez Becanus Vasquez Gregor de Valentia seeme to say better who will have the authoritative power of sending Pastors to Nations who want the Gospell to be in the Pope whom they conceive to be an universall Pastor to care for the whole Churches so Christ hath left no pastorall authority on Earth in Pastors and Doctors to make those the Churches of Christ and to translate them to the kingdom of grace who are yet carried away with dumbe Idols and howbeit the Apostles and their universall commission ordinary to preach the Gospell to all their immediate calling their extraordinary gifts be now out of the world yet it is unbeseeming the care of Christ that pastorall authority should be so confined at home and imprisoned within the lists of every particular
Church consisting possibly of six or ten beleevers only that the care for many Churches 2 Cor. 11. 28. The pastorall care to gaine Jew and Gentile those that are within and without to be made all things to all men to save some should be now in no pastors on earth but dead with the Apostles as if these places 1 Cor. 10. 32. 1 Cor. 9. 19 20 21 22 23. Rom. 1. 14 15. Rom. 9. 2 3. did not presse to all Ministers of Christ the extending of their pastorall vigilancy to the feeding and governing of all the Churches in their bounds that maketh up one visible politick body communicating one with another in the acts of Church-communion Hence it must follow 1. When the Grecian Church shall be wronged by the Hebrew Church that the pastors may not synodically meet and by joynt authority remove the offences betwixt Church and Church as the Apostles did Act. 6. 2. It followeth that all the meetings and convention of the Apostles and Pastours to take care authoritatively for the Churches as Act. 1. Act. 4 35. Act. 6. 2 3 4. Act. 11. 1. Act. 8. 14. Act. 14. 1 2 3 Act. 15. 6. Act. 21. 18 19 20 c. Act. 20. 18. Act. 14 23. 1 Tim. 4. 14. were all meetings of Apostles extraordinary temporary and Synods of Apostles as Apostles and not meetings of pastors as pastors to joyn their authority in one for the governing of many Churches 3. It followeth that Pastors and Elders and Doctors may now no more lawfully meet and joyne their authority in one for the feeding of the flock then they may take on them to worke miracles speake with tongues and as Apostles goe up and down the earth and preach to all the world the Gospell O that our Lord would be pleased to reveale his minde to our deare Brethren in this point of truth For what be extraordinary and temporary in the conjoyned authority and pastorall care of the Apostles for all the Churches of the world I see not neither is it in reason imaginable which doth not in conscience oblige Pastors Doctors and Elders in the Church of Scotland to conjoyne their authority in one Synodicall power for all the Churches of Scotland O saith our Brethren there should be too many masters commanders and Lords over the free and independent visible Churches of Christ. I answer seeing all these Pastors and Elders in a nationall Synod are no other way over all the Churches of Scotland then the particular Eldership in a particular congregation is over the believers there be no more too many Lords and Masters over the whole Churches collectively united in a general Synod then there be too many Lords over the particular congregations For 1. in both meetings the beleevers choose their owne guides and commanders that are over them 2. Nothing is done in either a Nationall or in a congregationall Synod without the tacite consent of believers 3. In both it is free for beleevers to refuse and not receive what is decreed contrary to Gods Word See Zipperus and so there is no dominion here but what you finde Heb. 13. 17. 1 â—hess 5. 14 15. Math. 18. 17 18. Nay our brethren will have pastors so farre strangers to all congregations save only to their owne that M. Davenport and Mr. Best saith to the Pastours and Churches other Churches are without and Pastors have nothing to doe to judge them and they alleadge for this 1 Cor. 5. 12. but by these that are without Paul meaneth not these who were not of the congregation of Corinth but he meaneth Infidels and Heathen as in other Scriptures for Paul judged and excommunicated Hymenaeus and Alexander 1 Tim. 1. 20. who were without the Church of Corinth and if this exposition stand Pastors can extend no Church censure towards these who are of other congregations neither can they rebuke nor admonish them as Christians for these are Acts of Church-censures as our brethren teach Our eleventh Argument is from the light of sanctified reason for sanctisied reason teacheth that the stronger authority of the greater politicke body of Christ should help the parts of the body that are weaker as 1 Cor. 12. The whole body suffereth when one member suffereth and so the whole body helpeth the weaker and lesse honourable member 1 Cor. 12. v. 23 26. So universall nature contendeth for the safety of particular nature and helpeth it therefore the greater body and Nationall Church is to communicate its authority for the good of a particular Congregation which is a part thereof But the doctrine of independency maketh every Congregation an independent and compleat body within it selfe needing no authority to governe it higher then its owne authority as if it were an independent whole Church and no part of a greater visible Church But suppose the greatest part of Corinth deny the resurrection as often the worst are manyest then I aske whom to doth the Lord speake Take us the little foxes that spoile the vines He speaketh either to greater Synods which we say that the greater body may help a part and save a little daughter of Sion Or to the soundest part of the Congregation but they are weakest and fewest and shall the greater body looke and see a member perish and not help Let them help say our brethren with advise and counsell but not with command and authority I answer Take us the little foxes is an act of authoritative and disciplinary taking enjoyned to the Church 2. Our Argument is drawne from the greater authority in the politicke body to the lesser brotherly advise is not authority Hence authority as authority by this meanes shall not help the weaker parts of the body contrary to that which we have at length commanded 1 Cor. 12. Neither doe some reply well that he speaks 1 Cor. 12. of Christs invisible body because it is said v. 13. For by one spirit we are all baptized into one body whether we be Jewes or Gentiles Jewes and Gentiles saith he make not a visible Church but an invisible Catholike Church I answer 1. What can hinder under the New Testament Paul a Jew to make a visible Church with the Ephesians who are Gentiles 2. That he speaketh of a visible politicke body is cleare while he alleadgeth The eye exerciseth Pastorall acts of seeing for the foot and that the eare heareth for the whole body and when one member suffereth all suffer which is principally true of a politicke visible body For we are not baptized in one body visible with those preachers who are long agoe dead who never preached for the good of us who now beleeve in Christ because we never heard them preach and so they are not eyes seeing for us Our twelfth Argument is from the practises of the Jewish Church in a morall duty If Christ hath left the Churches of a whole Nation in no worse case then the Nationall Church of the Jewes were in for their publike giving of
the people to heare the word is taken from a civill forme of both Romanes and Grecians convening to heare declamations and Panygerickes yet a Parishionall Church is not for that a humane and unlawfull Church 2. We say not that a Synod is a properly so called mysticall Church yet it s a proper ministeriall and teaching Church such as is Acts 15. 8. They object The Popish superiority of one Church over another should be lawfull if a Church be in bondage under a Church better be under a great Lord Pope and a little Lord Prelate as under many Nationall Lords in a Nationall Church-Assembly Answ. 1. We make no other subjection here then our brethren make for they make ten to be subject to â—â—ve hundred in an independent Congregation As the part is in subjection to the Lawes of the whole so make we many Churches in Cities Townes and Provinces subject in the Lord to all their owne Pastors and Elders convened in a Nationall Assembly Papists make their Synods to lay bonds upon the consciences of men 2. Their Synods cannot erre 3. The Lord Prelate over ruleth them 4. They make things indifferent necessary 5. People may not examine Decrees of their Synods according to Gods Word 6. People may not reason or speake in their Synods We acknowledge no such Synods 2. Papists as Bellarmine Costerus Pierius doe not thinke Synods very necessary they call the Popes determination an easier way for ending controversies then Councels and therefore Pierius saith here frustra sit per plura c. 9. They object If a representative Church consisting onely of Pastors Doctors and Elders be a Church of Christs institution it should have a Pastor over it as all Churches have and if it be a generall Councell the Pastor thereof can be no other then the Pope and there behâ—ved to be also an universall Consistory of Cardinals Answ I deny both these consequences a feeding governing and ministeriall Church doth not necessarily require a Pastor over it Timothy is a Pastor to himselfe and by preaching both saveth himselfe and others 1 Tim. 4. 16. 2. Cardinals are degrees above Pastors and Prelates our Synods are made up as Acts 15 of Pastors Elders and Brethren whereof we acknowledge no Pastor of Pastors but Christ Jesus no Doctor of Doctors no Elder of Elders and so I see not what this consequence meaneth 10. They object That which concerneth all should be handled by all Quod omnes tangit ab omnibus tractari debet but matters of disciâ—line concerne the conscience and practise of all Ergo all and every beleever should handle matters of discipline and not some few of a whole Nation who representeth the rest Answ. That which concerneth all one and the same way and the manner should be handled by all That which concerneth all divers and sundry manner of wayes should be handled by all divers manner of wayes If ten men be owners of a ship nine of them cannot sell the ship without the consent of the tenth owner If all both Elders or Ministers and the whole company of beleevers had one and the same power of the keyes we see not but all Ministers and people should have a like hand in voicing and coucluding nor doe I well see that if the keyes be given to all beleevers upon our brethrens former ground because they are the body and Spouse of Christ how women and beleeving children can be excluded from joynt-governing and use of the keyes except in the act of publike teaching 1 Cor. 14. 34. 35. 1 Tim. 2. 12. with Pastors Doctors and Elders seeing they are the body and Spouse of Christ no lesse then men God accepteth no persons nor sexes male or female in these spirituall priviledges Gal. 3. â—8 2 Cor. 6. 18. 1 Pet. 3. 4 5 6. But seeing discipline concerneth all divers wayes according as God hath seated and placed persons in his Church some in higher and some in lower places of Christs body therefore Ministers are to handle points of doctrine and discipline in Synods authoritatively People also by electing Commissioners to Synods by consenting reasoning proposing and advising and according to their place â—ot authoritatively 11. They object It is a Popish abusing of the people of God to exclude them from all government of Gods house and all meanes of edifying one another and leade on the people in an implicit faith and â—ind obedience Answ. This objection toucheth the question anent the power of private Christians in edifying one another where I must stay a little to cleare doubts for divers run in extremities here Hence our 1. Conclusion We utterly condemne the doctrine of Separatists who teach that private Christians gifted with knowledge suppose they be out of office are to preach the Gospell and to prophesie publikely for the edefying of the Church 1. Because by consent of all sound Divines all antiquity and confession of party and Pauls testimony Eph. 4. 11. there are none given of Christ when he ascended on high for the publike edefying of the Church and gathering of the Saints to Christs second comming save only Pastors and Doctors and Elders But the private gifted men are to edefie by publike prophecying and they be none of Christs officers and they are unlawfull teachers 2. To preach publikely as ordinary messengers I say ordinary because of our expectants of the ministery who preach by the call of the Church for a time as the Sonnes of the Prophets while they be ordained Pastors To preach I say publikely is a formall act of Pastors who are sent Rom. 10. but these Prophets are not sent Ergo they ought not to preach They answer but as Anabaptists and Socinians doe who say to be gifted of God is to be sent but I answer Paul Rom 10. 14 15. thinketh not so because he understandeth such a sending as is required in ordinary Pastors who begetteth faith in their hearers v. 14. and whose feet are beautifull upon the monntaines by bringing glad tidings of peace v. 15. Now these were such as both were gifted and had authority to preach 2. Christ Mat. 10. clearly differenceth gifting of Pastors v. 1. from authoritative sending v. 5. v. 16. And also John 20 21 22 23. 3. Because God challengeth such as run and the Lord sendeth them not Jer. 23. 21. 4. Because no man taketh that honour on him except he be called of God as was Aaron Heb. 5. Suppose he be gifted as our Saviour was 6. Publike Preachers have power authoritative to binde and loose and accordingly God bindeth and looseth in heaven but private beleevers have not this power but only Pastors Mat. 18. 18. Mat. 16. 19. John 20. 23. 7. Such Preachers they dreame to be in the old Testament but the â—ld Testament speaketh of none but men in office as Priests Levites Prophets c. M. Robinson saith 1 Cor. 14. There were gifted ordinary Prophets not in office who preached
preached to them 11. Whether or no we are to keep some Church-communion with an excommunicate person who is to be rebuked as a brother 2 Thes. 3. 15. and so is to be a hearer of the word and for whose good we use the medicine of excommunication that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord 1 Cor. 5. 4. We aske if the doctrine of Independencie standing we are not also totally to separate from an excommunicate person in the very externall Church-communion of hearing the word seeing ten excommunicated persons joyned in Covenant for hearing of the word are no Church no Body no Spouse of Christ. We see not how we are not by the former grounds totally to separate from them 12. If we may rebuke a particular Church and if she remaine obstinate and will not heare why may we not proceed acording to Christs order Mat. 18 tell the Church Answ. By the former grounds we are to stand at single rebuking and proceed no farther 13. Suppose the independent Congregation consist of ten Elders and an hundred beleevers If the ten Elders abide sound in the faith and the hundred beleevers erre in fundamentall points of faith In that case we aske 1. If Christ have appointed no pastorall or ministeriall act of discipline to reclaime these hundred who erre from the faith I answer none at all which may authoritatively reclaime them for they are the supreame independent Church 2. Because it cannot be denyed but Pastors and Doctors of the sâ—id Eldership may preach against their errours and shoot Heaven upon the pertinacious defendors of these pâ—rnicioâ—s errors and that by the power of the keyes Mat. 16. 19. Joâ— 20. 23. yet have they no power of discipline to shut Heaven upon them who thus erre from the faith nor to bind their sins on earth because the Eldership is not the Church neither hath power of jâ—â—isdiction over the hundred erring beleevers How can a power of binding and loosing by way of preaching and that both in Gods Court and the Churches be in these who have no power of discipline to bind and loose 14. Seeing the Sister-Churches of Colosse and Laodicâ—a Col. 4. 16. and of Corinth Macedonia Achaia Galathia 2 Cor. 8. 1 2 3 18 19 23 24. chap. 9. 1 2 3 4 5. are consociated together in a visible body in externall acts of Gods worship as to heare one and the same word of God Col. 4. 16. and to doc Church-businesse and works of mercy toward the poore by their delegates and commissioners We aske if consociated Churches tyed together in a visible Church-communion of acts of divine worship be not with as good reason a visible politick body of Christ as many beleevers consociated in a Church-communion if acts of divine worship doth make a particular Congre-gation 2. If the former Church hath not the power of the keyes upon the grounds of a visible Church-communion among themselves as a Congregation hath the power of the keyes upon these same grounds 3. If these consociated Churches be not a visible Body Spouse and covenanted people with God in Christ as well as a little Congregation of sixe or ten beleevers 4. If such a greater body may not meet in their overseers and exercise discipline and governe the particular Congregations as a Congregation doth meet in their principall members and governe themselves and all the members of the particular Congregation 5. We aske a reason why in a Congregation of three hundred beleevers partaking one Word and Sacrament a hundred of the three separated from the other two hundred cannot meet and exercise the power of the keyes by themselves alone because one worship and one government doth equally concerne them all and by that same reason it should not be affirmed of ten Congregations all partaking one Word and Sacraments upon occasions which neighbourly consociation doth furnish that one cannot meet to exercise discipline in matters which in reason equally concerneth all the ten Congregations without subordination to the joynt authority of all the ten For if a hundred of three hundred cannot exercise discipline there alone without the other two reason would inforce one or two congregations of ten consociated congregations cannot meet without subordination to the whole ten wherof one or two congregations are part if ten be owners of one ship six cannot meet and dispose or sell the ship or repaire her cordadge or any decayed part without the power of the other foure whom it concerneth so if ten congregations be visible owners and copartners of one Gospell one worship one externall profession and one communion with a brother or separation from a scandalous person we aske a reason how one congregation can meet and dispose of that common worship government and haunting familiarly with or separating from a member of the Church without subordination to all the ten congregations whom it doth concerne 15. If the Eldership of one congregation make one visible representative Church ruling and governing the absents we aske why the Eldership of six congregations may not judicially meet and rule six congregations also 16. If the power of the keyes be given to beleevers as beleevers because Christ is their King Priest and Prophet and all things are theirs Paul Apollo Cephas the world 1. It is asked if none have the power of the keyes but beleevers and if all acts pastorall of preaching binding and loosing excommunicating performed by unbeleeving Ministers and Professours be not hence made null as performed à non habâ—ntibus potestatem as if Turkes and Pagans had performed these We thinke they must be null 2. We thinke children baptized by unbeleeving Ministers not baptized 3. An unbeleeving pastor not essentially a pastor 4. If because Christ is given to the elect and all things are theirs and so all ministeriall power of the keyes it is questioned if amongst these all things given to the beleevers we may not include the Magistrates sword the Kings power the masters power over the servant the Captains power over the souldier so that by that same reason there be no Kings no Judges no Masters no Captains save only beleevers we see not how this followes not as well as that the power of the keyes and all things are given to beleevers because Christ is given to them 5. We aske if the power of the keyes in binding and retaining sinnes be not given to unbeleevers or rather for them as Gods intended end to declare the glory of his Justice in the vessels of wrath as Rom. 9. 17. Esa. 8. 14. 2 Cor. 2. 16. 2 Cor. 10. 6 7 8. 17. Quere If the distinction of a true Church 2. A false Church and 3. no Church can stand And if the distinction of true baptisme 2. false baptisme but valid and such as is not to be repeated 3. and no baptisme can stand I answer the doctrine of independency standing we see not how a Church wanting the right matter and consisting of members who
supernaturall ends and effects and then forbidden multitudes who have this power as men women and children to touch the Arke or to preach or meddle with the holy things of God So Francis White Andrea Duvall Soto Victoria Baynes 8. Christ would have set down rules how all Beleevers should use this power as he setteth downe Canons how all Church-men should use their power in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus If any such power as is pretended were originally and fundamentally in all Beleevers But we reade of no rules or no Canons in Gods word obliging all Beleevers to bring in act to actuate or exercise this power thus and thus and not according to their owne liking Therefore there is in them originally no such power CHAP. VI. Q. 6. Whether Christ hath left the actuall government of his Church to the multitude of Beleevers PLato said well of Government by the hands of the people That amongst lawfull governments it is worst amongst uniust governments the best Aristotle saith of of its nature it is corrupt and faulty Plutarch calleth it the Serpents taile leading the head Xenophon speaketh not well of it Our Divines as Calvin Beza Chemnitius Mâ—lancthon Luther Junius Pareus make the government of the Church to partake of all the three governments In respect of Christ the only supreame King it is an absolute Monarchy but this is the invisible government for the most part in respect of the rulers as Pastors and Elders it is an Aristocracie the visible government being in the hands of the Elders and in respect of some things that concerneth the whole members of the visible Church it is a Democracie or hath some popular government in it We are now to enquire if the government of the visible Church be in the collective body of the Congregation as indeed by consequent they teach with whom we now dispute or in the Eldership in Classes and Synods provinciall and nationall as it is now in Scotland We hold that the government popular as it is properly taken when the collective body judgeth and governeth to be expresly against the word of God Eph. 4. 11. He gave some not all to be Apostles c. 1 Cor. 12. 28. And God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly teachers after that miracles c. 1 Thess. 5. 12. Now we beseech you brethren to know them that labour amongst you and are over you in the Lord Heb. 13. 17. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves c. 1 Tim. 5. 17. Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour Hence it is cleare as the noone-sunne if there be some over the people of God some that are Elders that rule well some to whom the people should submit and give obedience then the whole people are not rulers all have not the rod nor a definitive voice in that highest censure of excommunication All are not overseers guides governours fathers stewards shepheards but some are governed subject sons the flocke ruled and fed then doth not the people governe 2. The keyes were only given to the Elders as is proved 3. God set downe in his word rules canons and directions for all lawfull governours how Timothy and Titus should behave themselves in Gods house in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus but no where doth God give directions how all beleevers should rule command and governe neither hath he promised that Spirit to all in that charge 4. Guides are eyes eares fathers gifted-teachers Eph. 4. 11. But the whole body is not an eye for then where were the hearing 1 Cor. 12. 17. All are not fathers nor all governours gifted therfore 1 Cor. 12. 28 29. actuall government is not in the hands of all the community of believers 5. The faults of evill government is laid upon some not upon all 1 Tim. 3. 4 5 6. Mat. 24. 28. Tit. 1. 7. 1 Pet. 5. 3. Revel 2. 14 20. 3. Ep. John v. 10. And the praise of good government is given to some not to all 1 Thes. 5. 12. Heb. 12. 17. 1 Tim. 5. 17. Rev. 2. 2. 2 Tim. 4. 4 5. 1 Pet. 5. 4 5. 6. It is against the dignity of such as are Embassadours in Christs roome 2 Cor. 5. 20. representing his person who are to be heard as himselfe Mat. 10. 41 42. His Angels Revel 2. 1. intrusted with his secrets 2 Cor. 5. 18. His stewards and builders 1 Cor. 4. 1 2 3. Cor. 3. 10. the friends of the Bridegroom Joh. 3. 29. Therefore they must have some honour of government that is not given to all and every one of the people 7. That government which necessarily includeth a confusion is not to be thought to come from the God of order popular government is such for in some Apostolike Congregations that were independent there were six thousand and above Act. 4. 9. Two answers are given here 1. Smith saith one may speake for all the Church or two Answ. These two are then a representative Church and doe speak in the name of the rest which he denyeth 2. M. Best saith none should be a congregation but so many as may orderly meet without confusion Answ. Then the Apostles government was confused els there was an Eldership that represented the rest and the Church of believers was no independent Church A third answer is Let heads of Families and fathers onely speake Answ. Yet you fall upon a selected and representative Church which otherwaies you deny 2. If sonnes and servants have a like interest in Christ and a like power of the keyes who dare for eschewing confusion take from them what Christ hath given them We may not do evill or rob any that good may come of it Ainsworth against Bernard The Authours deny they maintain popular government Therfore say they the state is popular the government on Christs part is a Monarchy and in the hands of Elders an Aristocracy The people is freely to voice in Elections and judgment of the Churches let the Elders publickly propone and order all things let them reproove convince exhort c. So they say they hold no Democracy or popular government Ans. I acknowledge that the Doctors of Paris doe make distinction betwixt the state and government who yet doe acknowledge a visible Monarchy in the Church and so did the Fathers of the Councell of Constance For the state of the Church is indeed popular in respect nothing that concerneth the state and body of the Church so concerneth theÌ„ should be done without the privity or consent of the people of God no excommunication untill the man and his scandalous sinnes be delated to them 1 Cor. 5. Nothing should be concluded in a Synod untill the people heare and know yea they have all place to speake object reason and dispute
is a Church not assembled to prophecying and praying but to rebuking to judiciall censuring by binding and loosing where all private persons as their witnesses the offended brother be they publike or be they private persons yea suppose a woman otherwise forbidden to speake in the Church met for worship 1 Cor. 14. may speake in this Church for a woman may offend and be excommunicate or be offended for scandals betwixt woman and woman is to be removed 3. The Church spoken of here is such a superiour and judiciall seat as ought to be obeyed in the Lord under the paine of excommunication and to whose voice and sentence coactive the contumacious is said to be disobedient as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to disobey in the holy tongues doth signifie But a multitude of beleevers are no such superiour and judiciall seat as may be obeyed or disobeyed by inferiours under the paine of excommunication for it is without the warrant of Gods Word that all Christians Pastors Elders and Doctors are under the judiciall and coactive sentence of beleevers 4. What ever Church may excommunicate every member thereof convened with the Church may inflict all inferiour censures also for whosoever may inflict judicially the greater punishment may inflict the lesse but all the members of the Church of beleevers may not in this assembled Church inflict lesser punishments For example a woman a sonne a servant who are all equally the true members of the true Church of beleevers being beleeving professors may not in an assembled Congregation rebuke publikely her husband and Pastor his Father and Master For publike rebuking being a degree of teaching and especially in the assembled Church the Apostle will not have the woman to teach publikely and usurpe authority over the man nor any to exhort and rebuke in the Church but Pastors 5. These to whom the essence and definition of a Ministeriall Church having power to excommunicate as this Church hath that power Mat. 18. 17. doth necessarily and essentially belong these and these only are here understood under the name of the Church But so it is that the essence and definition of a Ministeriall Church having power to excommunicate agreeth not necessarily and essentially to a company of true beleevers assembled Church-wayes ergo by the name of a Church here is no wayes understood the Church of true beleevers assembled Church-wayes The proposition is undenyable for out of the words may be gathered a definition of a Ministeriall Church to wit an Assembly that has power of preaching and binding and loosing and so of all Church-censures I prove the assumption To have power to preach convene before them and judicially cognosce and sentence and excommunicate a contumacious member doth agree to these that by no necessity are beleevers because to have power to preach and excommunicate essentially require no more but that persons be 1. professors of the truth 2. that they be gifted to preach and governe 3. that they be duely called thereunto by the Church as Judas and others are but all these three are and may be in a company in whom is no saving faith as the word and experience cleare For howbeit to be a called Pastor the like I say of Elders Doctors Deacons and visible professors require faith in Christ as a gracious element and necessary ingredient to make him a saved man Yet it is not required to the essence of a Pastor Yea Parker Answorth and authors of Presbyter govern ex acknowledge professors to be members of a visible Church and so to have power of the keyes who are but rotten hypocrites and what wonder seeing God onely seeth the heart and men cannot see farre in a milstone 6. All the arguments proving that the power of the keyes is not given to all beleevers but onely to the overseers of the Church and proving that the government of Christs house is not popular but in the hands of the Elders proveth the same for this is a ruling and authoritative and judging Church 7. Pareus saith The Church here meaned is the Church to be complained unto but none can complaine to a multitude 8. The practise of the Apostolike Church 1 Cor. 1. The house of Eloe being grieved with the schisme of Corinth telleth not the whole beleevers but telleth it to Paul and in him to the Pastors who had the rod of discipline in their hands and the Spirit of God giveth rules about receiving complaints to the Eldership Tit. 1. 13. and never to all beleevers therefore the rebuking and excommunicating Church spoken of here must be the Church of Elders 9. The Church here is those to whom the keyes are given Mat. 16. 19. I will give to thee the keyes whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven but here the keyes are given to Peter and in him to the Apostles and those to whom he said Joh. 20. Whose sinnes ye forgive they are forgiven and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained for that is to binde and loose in heaven as they should bind and loose on earth and to whom he said As my Father sent me so send I you but this Christ said to the Church of the Apostles and Elders for he hath not sent every beleever as his Father sent him for that is a Pastorall sending as is cleare from Mat. â—8 18. All power is given to me in heaven and in earth Hence he draweth a conclusion v. 19. Goe therefore and teach c. Which clearly includeth the keyes and power of preaching baptizing and governing which agreeth not to all beleevers in any tollerable sense As Theophilact Chrysostome Cyrill August Hieron Cyprian teach and that this place Ioh. 20. As my Father sent me so send I you cannot be common to all beleevers the Fathers teach Theophilact in loc He saith to them Enter ye in my ministeriall charge Cyrill in loc Chrysost. ibid. Creati sunt totius orbis Doctores Aug. in Psa. 44. Hieron Epist. and Evagrin Cyprian Epist. 41. in locum Pauli omnes successisse 10. The onely apparent Argument against this interpretation is weake and so our interpretation must stand For they say that the word Church is never taken but for a company of beleevers and the redeemed Eph. 2. 20. builded on the rocke Christ. I deny not but the word Church is very sparingly taken for the overseers onely yet it is taken in that sense and there is reason why it cannot bee otherwise taken in this place for Revelation 2. The Angell of the Church of Ephesus Smyrna c. standeth for the whole Church and the whole Church is written unto under the name of the Angell of such a Church Which may be demonstrated thus 1. because not only the Ministers but the people that have eares to heare are all