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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	hear_v	heathen_a	publican_n	4,379	5	11.4435	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78612	A pretended voice from heaven, proved to bee the voice of man, and not of God. Or, An answer to a treatise, called A voice from heaven, written by Mr. Gualter Postlethwait, an unordained preacher, taking upon him to exercise the pastoral charge, in a congregation at Lewis in Sussex. Wherein, his weakness, in undertaking to prove all protestant churches to bee antichristian, and to bee separated from, as no true churches of Christ, is discovered; and the sinfulness of such a separation evinced. Together with, a brief answer inserted, to the arguments for popular ordination, brought by the answerers of Jus Divinum Ministerii Evangelici, in their book called The preacher sent. By Ezekiel Charke, M.A. and rector of Waldron in Sussex. Imprimatur, Edmond Calamy.	Charke, Ezekiel.	1658 (1658)	Wing C2069; Thomason E959_5; ESTC R207673	108,343	141

with in a private way If this prevail not one or two witnesses are to bee taken the next time admonition is given If this work not on him then the Church is to bee told of it that is the Elders of the Church before whom among the Jews Ecclesiastical causes were brought first the Elders of that particular congregation then if need bee the associated Elders of combined Congregations for so among the Jews the Rulers of the Synagogue were first compl●ined to and then the great Ecclesiastical Court which was the Church representative and if the offendor will not hear them hee must bee excommunicated and accounted as a Heathen and a Publican And hee that is thus bound on earth if the thing bee duly done is bound in heaven Hence it appears that the Communities sharing in the power and act of binding cannot any way bee hence gathered without offering a manifest violence to the Text which Mr. P. doth to purpose and withall to all rules both of divine and humane Polity when hee makes not onely the community judges and Governours but even the offending brother a judge in his own cause Let us now draw an Argument from this Text to relieve Classes against his fierce assault If in this place our Saviour layes down a rule for the healing of all the grievances of his Church then by the Church here to bee complained to wee must understand not onely the Church governing of one Congregation but also the Church governing of many Congregations But in this place Christ laies down a rule for the healing of all the grievances of his Church therefore wee must by the Church here understand the Church governing even of many Congregations or the united Elders of several Congregations and Churches The minor is clear because this is the onely express Text wherein Christ did lay down a rule to his disciples for the healing of offences in his Church and I suppose none will say that Christs remedy is too short to reach the malady The consequence of the major is made out thus Not onely one Brother may offend another but the Elders one another one part of the Congregation the other the Congregation the Elders the Elders the Congregation and one or more Churches one or many Sister Churches Our sad experience proves this to bee a truth and it is also proved by Scripture-examples Now how shall such evils bee healed but by an appeal and application to a representative Church a Church governing so comprehensive as the case will require If a Church so comprehensive be not here meant then Christian Churches are in such cases left without remedy but that being not to bee granted it will follow that the Church governing here spoken of takes into its meaning an assembly or Church of Officers of many Congregations Leaving Mr. P. to consider this Argument I return to the point the holding of which hee chargeth upon us as a crime that the power of the Keyes belongs onely to the Eldership For which I shall cite the suffrages of Congregational Brethren themselves The Key of authority and rule saith Mr. Cotton is committed to the Elders of the Church Keyes p. 20. and so the act of rule is made the proper act of their office Common members saith Mr. Noyes are not to govern by suffrage with their Elders Temple measured p. 30 31 34 35 36 their consent is not absolutely necessary and is not authoritative The Ministerial Keyes were given to Peter as an Apostle Peter is made Matth. 16.18 19. oeconomus Ecclesiae and is evidently distinguished from the Church which Mr. P. denies and in saying that Christ in this speech looked on him no otherwise than as a lively confessor of him hee puts into every beleevers hands the power of the Keys for if I give unto thee respect Peter onely as a lively confessor of Christ it extends to every lively confessor of Christ and so every true Beleever is vested with power to preach administer the Sacraments and binde and loose authoritatively than which what is more absurd Again the Elders are Rulers Governours have power to command as superiours in authority judicial The Church is charged to obey them not to command to bee subject not to govern The Angels are rebuked for the corruptions of the Churches of Asia as if it had been in their power to prevent and redress things amiss Governours and to govern with coactive power are conjugates Are they not proper Governours which shall govern the people over which they are Governours onely when themselves list Keyes p. 47. In case saith Mr. Cotton a Church be troubled with errour or scandal and the same maintained by a faction among them now a Synod of Churches or their messengers is the first subject of that power and authority whereby errour is judicially convinced and condemned the truth searched out and determined and the way of truth and peace declared and imposed on all Churches Quid plura Do not our Brethren grant what wee say though in some places they make exceptions from their own grants in favour of the Community But one Objection is to bee removed Object Neither Matthew 18. nor any other place is to bee understood of a governing Church or a Presbytery because such a company is never called a Church in Scripture Mr. Noyes answereth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for any assembly in the New Testament Act. 19.39 and therefore is applicable to an assembly of Elders and the Presbytery is called the Congregation or Church in the Old Testament Numb 35.24 25. with Deut. 19.12 and our Saviour may well be supposed to conform his speech to the Old Testament Wee have shewed that 1 Cor. 14.23 calls clearly the Teachers the Church neither can Church bee otherwise understood in Matth. 18. but of a Presbytery or governing Church since the power of binding and loosing is ascribed to it which is no where granted to the Community as hath been said Let us now heed Mr. P's second assault or charge Secondly They exclude the single Congregations considered severally each one by it self from having an Eldership having power to exercise Ecclesiastick Discipline P. 32 33 34. But is it likely that go tell the Church should mean go tell the Elders of the combination It hath been proved that the Church of Jerusalem and Corinth were single Congregations and that of Corinth exercised ecclesiastick discipline But they stay not here but translate the power of Government to their Elderships subordinate one to another till they come to an oecumenical assembly Now if wee grant that single Congregations with their Elderships be excluded from the power of Government yet will it not appear from Scripture that there are any higher Elderships or larger combinations of Churches than those of the first form and first step from the single Congregations The Churches of Asia grant them collective Churches do severally receive of Christ the praise of their good and blame

of Asia spoken of Rev. 2. 3. chap. were Presbyterial Churches consisting of divers Congregations which appears because 1 The Cities in the which they were planted were great Cities Ephesus was the head of Ionia the greatest market of all Asia famous among the Heathen for the Temple of Diana and there the Apostle Paul spent his labours for three years together Act. 20.31 Laodicea was one of the greatest Cities in all Phrygia famous for traffick The rest were also famous Cities and of great command Therefore 't is not probable that there was but one single Congregation of Christians in each 2 There was a great number of Teachers in each of these Churches To the Angel of the Church write so begins every Epistle Now 't is apparent from several places in these Epistles that there was more than one Minister in each Church and therefore this Angel must mean either a Colledge of Pastors in each Church or a President over that ruling society as the leading man in all acts of publike concernment and Church-government The former seems most probable and is proved by Smectymunus from Rev. 2.24 But unto you I say and to the rest in Thyatira 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. where the Angel is bespoken in the Plural number as distinct from the members In Ephesus alone in Pauls time the Elders appear to have been so many as were more than needed for one single congregation Act. 20.25 36 37. Yee all shall see my face no more Hee prayed with them all They all wept sore these three all 's imply that they were very many And the Church is called all the flock vers 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which argues that there were several charges for them to attend upon So in Pergamos there were divers Pastors for there were divers erroneous teachers three some teaching the doctrine of Balaam Rev. 2.14 Some that of the Nicholaitans vers 15. and what more likely than that they did it in several Congregations and others holding fast Christs name who were so many that they are required to purge out those erroneous ones Therefore 't is not probable that they were all over one single congregation onely The like may bee said of the rest of those Churches that are exhorted to deal in a disciplinary way with false teachers There were very many Pastors in them and consequently several Congregations on which they attended 3 The Holy Ghost hints clearly that these Churches were Presbyterial consisting of divers Congregations when hee calleth each of them first a Church and then Churches Rev. 2.1 7. 8.11 12.17 18.29 So Rev. 3. Each of these bodies is called Churches as it was made up of divers congregations under their proper Pastors and yet but one Church as these congregations were combined and subjected together to the government of all the Elders in common These two Chapters well weighed would put an end to divers controversies among us about the Discipline of the Church For 1 Hence Christians might bee convinced that Church-power was never committed to the people but to Church-officers only The Angels only are censured for neglect and ill administration of Government in the Churches and praised for and exhorted to the due exercise of Discipline 2 Hence a combination of the Officers of divers congregations united to govern them in common may bee evinced The Elders in Pergamos sound in the faith must in a disciplinary way hinder the Balaamites and Nicholaitans from teaching their errors in the assemblies of Christians there 3 Hence appears that the spirit of the Prophets is not subject to the people but to the Prophets onely The Angel of each Church the Church-officers must try the Prophets and those that say they are Apostles Rev. 2.2 Let us now consider how Mr. P. proceeds p. 29 30 31 32 Classical Churches are put in the room of Episcopal Churches by the effectual working of the mystery of iniquity These are combinations of congregations united by subjection to one and the same Court of Elders chosen out of the whole to govern them These are pressed so far as to take away power of government and exercise of Ecclesiastical Discipline from the Congregations For they appropriate power of Government to the Eldership This agrees not with the institution Matth. 18.18 When Christ saies whatsoever yee binde on earth c. doth hee not include the offending brother Christ promised the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven unto Peter as unto a lively confessour of him and did not therein look on him otherwise I have already given in reasons to manifest Gospel Churches in Primitive times to have been Classical and more shall bee said to it upon your next paragraph The first branch of your charge against those that are for them I shall now consider which is that they appropriate the power of Government and exercise of Ecclesiastical discipline to the Eldership A sad crime beleeve it and as much to bee condemned as the appropriating of power of government in the Commonwealth to the Magistrate which by some passages in Mr. P's Book seems to bee in his judgement a crime too If the people can lay claim from Christs appointment to the power of the Keyes as to the Preaching of the Word administration of the Sacraments authoritative binding and loosing for the Keyes go together and were given to Peter together if these things belong to the Community in the Church wee shall confess our selves guilty in appropriating the power of government to the Eldership But though wee have looked much after it wee cannot discern any such grant and appointment of our Lord Christ the King of the Church And when I read such places as these Matth. 18.18 28.19 20. John 20.22 23. 21.16 Eph. 4.11 12. I cannot without offering violence to my reason imagine that they speak to and of the Community considering withall what express charges the Community have upon them from God to bee subject to those that are over them in the Lord as to their Governours Teachers Pastors Rulers c. But I will particularly consider the first of these Texts which is that Mr. P. urgeth for his cause and shew how little it makes for it That Mat. 18.17 18. speaks of the Church-Officers onely doth appear because it is spoken by Christ with reference firstly to the Jewish Church-governours than which there was then no other governing Church in being And this is the joint judgement of the Antients Ambrose Cyril Theodoret Gregory c. and of multitudes of later lights in the Church Melanchton Aretius Musculus Bucan Cartwright Parker c. and Mr. Fenner gives a reason of it from the words our Saviour useth viz. Publican Heathen and that otherwise the Apostles could not have understood Christ knowing then no other Church governing So that the Lord Christ manifestly alludes to the Jewish and gives from it a pattern to the Christian Church First the offending brother must bee dealt

might bee there in the name of the whole Church whose consent was on that account the consent of the whole Church The presence and explicit consent of every individual member of the Church appeareth not to have been required necessary or probable Nothing therefore can hence bee concluded to prove the Church of Jerusalem one single congregation or to disprove its consisting of many particular congregations which hath been before evinced Object 6 And whereas the Apostle speakes of many myriads of Jews that beleeved Act. 21.20 p. 27. It is not to be restrained to Jews dwelling at Jerusalem seeing it was the time of Pentecost when Jews and Proselytes came to Jerusalem out of all Nations and wee have expresse mention of the Jews that were of Asia ver 27. Ans Those myriads appear to bee the very same multitude spoken of vers 22. that must needs come together the reading of the context evinceth it Now page 28. you say It doth not seem congruous that this should bee said of any other but the Church of Jerusalem what other multitude should the Apostles expect to come together So that if I prove my assertion your own words will confute you But that those myriads spoken of were all members of the Christian Church of Jerusalem appears For 1 Paul being come to Jerusalem giveth an account to James and the Elders of the successe of his Ministery among the Gentiles vers 18 19. And they on the other side give Paul an account of the hand of God with their Ministery at Jerusalem vers 20. Therefore to thrust in the Jews of Asia and other parts is quite besides the purpose 2 The Jews are such as it seems Paul had no account of till now though hee were the Apostle of the Gentiles and had laboured among them many years and so had cause to know of them better than any other Apostle Therefore they were Jews of Jerusalem 3 These Jews had the charge against Paul onely by information from others vers 21. which Argues that they did not live among the Gentiles for then they would have had personal knowledge of his carriage 4. These Jews are supposed by the Apostles to bee satisfiable by Pauls present conformity vers 22 23 24. But Jews disperst among the Gentiles that had heard Paul and seen and known neerly his practice would not have been thus satisfied 5 The Jews of Asia could bee none of the number of these myriads of Jews for by the matter of their declaiming against the Apostle they manifest that they had not imbraced the Gospel But the Myriads of Jews spoken of are said to be beleeving Therefore I conclude these Myriads of Jews did belong to the Church of Jerusalem and did dwell in or about Jerusalem and therefore the Church of Jerusalem must needs consist of many Congregations this objection notwithstanding p. 27. But you help out the matter as well as you can saying Neither is it impossible for Myriads in the Language of Luke at least to come together and to hear at once the same Preacher to shew which Mr. Norton urgeth Luk. 21.1 I Answer 1 Mr. Norton speaks not of Myriads in Lukes language which is your weak conceit as if Myriads in Lukes language were less than in the common acceptation neither doth hee urge but meerly alledge that Text. 2 Though by that place it appear that Myriads flocked after Christ yet it proveth not that they all did or could actually hear him at the same time Wee know commonly that in a great concourse of people in an open place there are many that can neither see nor hear what they came to observe And Christ is said there to speak to his Disciples and not to the whole multitude 3 A Myriad never consisting of more or less than ten thousand Many Myriads could not possibly meet in the same place at the same time to hear the word much less orderly to partake of all Ordinances and carry on according to your sense especially Church-work There being then many ten thousands in the Church of Jerusalem it must needs consist of divers Congregations this Argumenticle notwithstanding And so much for the Church of Jerusalem P. 28. You proceed to say Wee may add to this instance that of the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 14.23 and Antioch Act. 15.30 But I finde no contrary instances Either you mean if the meaning of your words may bee found that Jerusalem onely is pressed by us as an example of a Church consisting of many Congregations Or that the Churches of Jerusalem Corinth and Antioch are the onely Churches that we plead consisted of divers Congregations Both which assertions are void of truth For not onely Jerusalem Corinth and Antioch but also Rome Thessalonica Philippi and the seven Churches of Asia are all asserted by us to have been Presbyterial Churches consisting of divers Congregations and that upon strong and to us perswading grounds A reverend Brother addes Hudson It seemeth difficult to finde in the New Testament an expresse instance or example of a Congregational Church standing and continuing so by it self The Church of Cenchrea Rom. 16.1 is the likeliest yet it is not certain for it was a Port-Town of the Corinthians Dr. Owen of Schism p. 36 37. but eight miles distant from Corinth And a learned Congregational man supposeth the Church of Cenchrea to bee included in that of Corinth Come wee therefore now to speak particularly to some more instances The Church of Corinth was a Presbyterial Church 2 Of the Church of Corinth made up of divers Congregations For proof whereof consider 1 The eminency of the place Corinth was the famous Metropolis of Achaia Lumen Graeciae saith Tully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Thucidides in Eustathius It mastered one half of Greece Now that in this famous City the number of Christians should bee no greater Vide Pisc in 1 Cor. 14.23 than what might ordinarily meet in some one private house for they had in primitive times no large Temples to meet in seems no way credible 2 God tells Paul in a vision Act. 18.10 that hee had much people in this City to wit to bee added to those already converted and brought into Church-order vers 8. And they were much people 1 In reference to the number of the Jews there that rejected Christ and had a Synagogue verse 4 6. for this is brought in as a stay to Pauls spirit in that case to assure him that hee should have an abundant seal of his Ministery though many opposed it 2 In reference to the City it self a great number of those in it Therefore they must bee more than could meet in one house else they had been but a very small handful to the City 3 Paul stayeth at Corinth a year and six months Act. 18.11 Now it being the work of an Apostle to plant Churches and leave them to others to water this makes it probable that there were there divers

of their evil carriage c. Here in some things you apprehend not our mind rightly and in others you overthrow your cause 1 Wee hold that the power of Government residing in the Eldership a particular Congregation may and ought to have an appropriate Eldership belonging to it 2 That a single Congregation having an appropriate Eldership is a true Church 3 That such single Congregations have equal power severally considered 4 That though a single Congregation bee a Church yet it is or ought to bee also when it may a part or member of a Presbyterial Church and hath not so much power as a Classical Church hath 5 That the Presbytery of a single Congregation have power to end differences among themselves in cases that are ordinary 6 That in cases weighty and extraordinary as excommunication The Presbytery or Eldership of consociated Congregations are concerned as well as the Presbytery of that single Congregation of which the offending Brother is Paul writeth not to the Eldership of that particular Congregation of which the incestuous person was more peculiarly a member but to the Presbytery of all the Congregations belonging to the Church of Corinth to cast him out 7 That there is no example in all the New Testament of excommunication by the particular Eldership of one single Congregation 8 That therefore a single Congregation ordinarily is not a compleat entire Church furnished with full power for all acts of Church-discipline 9 That wee finde in the New Testament Church-Discipline commonly executed in a Presbyterial Church consisting of divers Congregations Such was the Church of Ephesus and the Eldership of this Church as such did commonly exercise Church-Discipline tryed false Prophets and those that called themselves Apostles and convicted them as lyars Rev. 2. The like wee might say of other Churches 10 That in extraordinary cases wee have an example of appeal from one Presbyterial Church to an association of such Churches to guide us The Church of Antioch and probably also those of Syria and Silicia Act. 15.23 appeals to an assembly of the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem and the Elders of that Church united probably also of the Elders of the Churches of Syria and Cilicia and the controversie which could not bee ended otherwise is ended in and by that Synod And thus larger Synods and Councils may bee necessary even an Oecumenical to heal publick and spreading evils If the Church saith Mr. Cotton where the offence lyeth Way p. 108 persisteth in the neglect of their duty and the counsel of their Brethren the matter would be referred to a Congregation of many or all the Churches together That is sure to the Elders of all the Churches for to them hee saies the power of rule or Government doth properly belong Hence you may rectifie your mistakes wee exclude not the Eldership of a single Congregation from power of Government but say it hath not ordinarily power for all acts of Church-Discipline And in that wee arise from a Congregational to a Classical Synodal and Oecumenical Eldership wee have respect to the need of the Church so requiring it and to the precedents given us of the two first in Scripture which are also a sufficient ground for the latter What you say of Jerusalem and Corinth helps you not for it hath been evinced that they were not single Congregations What you adde against higher Elderships or larger combinations of Churches than those of the first step from single Congregations from the consideration of the Churches of Asia doth you no service but è contra For 1 By granting the Churches of Asia to have been collective Churches you pull down what you had said for the congregationalness of Churches Grant them collective Churches and the greatest part of your book is una litura 2 By saying that it appears not from Scripture that there are any larger combinations of Churches than those of this first form You look beside the Scripture and the state of the Question The state of the question because wee stand not for stated and fixed combinations of Churches beyond that first form but onely occasional ones and the Scripture because as hath been and shall bee shewed there was a higher Eldership and larger combination of Churches in the Synod at Jerusalem than those of the first step from single congregations the Elders of the Presbyterial Churches of Antioch and Jerusalem being there combined and in all probability those also of Syria and Cilicia as hath been said 3 If you will stand to what you say that the Churches of Asia do severally receive praise or dispraise each for her self without reflection on the rest I will compel you to grant positively and not onely suppositively that they were collective Churches For the Epistle to every one hath this close Hee that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches If what Christ saies to one Church hee says to the Churches and yet the several Churches do each for her self restrainedly receive praise or dispraise It follows unavoidably that every one of the seven Churches was a collective Church and so you dispute against and confute your self 4 'T is not strange as you say it is that Christ should not speak of a combination of these seven Churches as an Ordinance of his for their remedie and blame them for the neglect of it For they were first to use and Christ directs them accordingly to the use of the first means the help of the Presbytery of each Church If this would do there was no need of carrying the cause higher if upon tryal it would not do they knew what course was next to bee used and had an example of it in the practice of the Church of Antioch To your question Whether it bee likely that go tell the Church should mean go tell the Elders of the combination I answer it is likely and it hath been proved to mean so yet not firstly as you seem to insinuate that wee hold but secondarily when the Eldership of the particular Church where the offence is given prevail not to remove it Here was no Synod Act. 15. that is an assembly of Officers resulting out of many inferiour Presbyteries P. 35. 10 p. 45 1 Because we read not of any such combination of the Churches there mentioned to become subject to the rule of one Superior Eldership 2 Because wee read of no forreigners that came to this Synod but those of Antioch who concurred not in the Decrees of it and are excluded from the decision of the controversy Act. 16.4 3 Here was no appeal from the censure of the Church at Antioch there passed no censure but onely had been a dissention and disputation and so the errand of the Messengers was to get satisfaction that the same doctrin was taught at Jerusalem as at Antioch 4 Here was no rule exercised over the Churches for it would argue a diminution of Pauls Apostolical Authority that the Decrees of the

I Answer no nor over their own Church neither But it is but supposed by him that the Brethren out of office concurred in making the Decrees They consented to the making of them or to them made and might use their power of Liberty as Mr. Cotton speaks but concurred not in the act of making them for if so they had been their Decrees but they are not so called but expresly otherwise Act. 16.4 Much lesse can wee conceive with Mr. P. that the Brethren concurred with the Elders in a way of the same nature assigning the difference to bee onely in the order of their concurrence For hence it follows that all in the Church are Rulers and guides and have the Key of Authority and binding power which is another absurd attainment wherein hee goes beyond many of his brethren and the vanity of which hath been already observed The whole Church here cannot hee saith mean the Synodical Church onely because the reason given for it the impossibility of the meeting of the Church of Jerusalem together in one place hath been refuted by him The Reader may look back and see what cause hee hath to boast and if his triumph bee but imaginary then hee hath brought in an argument against himself But you must not think that if he do shut out the Brethren from a concurrence of the same nature with the Elders hee hath not strength enough left him to prove that in this Assembly there was no Rule exercised and for that hee will but cast an interrogation at us Will they say that the Elders of a Classical Presbytery at Jerusalem did exercise Rule over all these Churches so far distant and not of their combination This being the Tail of his arguing a sting might bee feared in it but 't is quite unarmed Wee will not say so and yet hee gets not any thing by it for though wee say not that the Elders of the Church of Jerusalem singly considered did exercise Rule over the Churches concerned yet wee will say by his leave that these Elders and the Elders of the Churches concerned united in Synod and acting joyntly did exercise Rule over those Churches which appears both by the tenour and by the use of the Decrees Act. 16.4 So that Mr. P. is more bountiful than maketh for the profit of his cause in granting his adversaries to make the most of Act. 15.6 and Act. 16.4 For besides that in these wee finde not the Elders of the Churches concerned excluded but included and as one in the latter wee finde the Decrees imposed on some of the Churches concerned as ordained of the Apostles and the Elders which were at Jerusalem at the time of the making of them none excepted and therefore their joint-act of authority and rule Hee hath now but an answer to an Objection left him and therein hee comes off worst of all For to that which is said for the exercise of authority by this meeting over the Churches and accounted an unanswerable argument by most and which if hee remove not all his talk against that Synod is to no purpose that the 28th vers calleth the Apostles and Elders Decrees the laying a burden of necessary things upon the Churches Hee onely saies Let it bee considered whether there be not as much said of the assertion of the Pharisees vers 5. and 10. Which Gersom Bucer's answer in another case will suit well Quis adeo ineptire sustinuerit Who can chuse but wonder at his weakness to put forth such a reasoning as an argument and at his confidence to undertake a debate of that moment as is that which hee is upon whilst hee appears so much a stranger to the Laws of a true Syllogism and reasoning If some of the Sect of the Pharisees contending for the necessity of circumcision and keeping the Ceremonial Law are said thereby tempting God to put a yoak of Jewish bondage upon the neck of beleevers and this their imposition was not authoritatively binding Then when the Apostles and Elders say that they lay by their Decrees a burden of necessary things upon the Churches their Decrees are not to be accounted authoritatively binding But some of the Pharisees c. Ergo. This is his sad arguing of the deplorableness of which I need not any farther inform any intelligent Reader But there is nothing like a good courage and therefore hee concludes bee it how it may Thus you see how hard it will be to grant any more with Scripture warrant if we should grant Classical Elderships and combinations Which difficulty I suppose those that have considered what hath been said do not see at all But lest men should take his Supposition of Classical Elderships for a grant hee now returns to renounce them and tells us 1 That hee hath proved the most numerous Churches to have been congregational To which I answer I have disproved it 2 That they are called severally by the name of Church in the singular that is alwaies or else hee saies nothing Witness say I the seven Churches of Asia concerning each of which his words have been made to grant that it is said without reference to or reflection upon the rest hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches 3 That the numerous Church of Corinth in particular was congregational To which I say witness 1 Cor. 14.34 Let your Women keep silence in the Churches What hee subjoyns that the body of that Church did exercise the power of the Keyes and that the Apostle 1 Cor. 5. wraps up Elders and People together with a concurrence of the like nature is gratis dictum as hath been shewed I shall adde Though the Apostle there mention no express limitation of the power of the Keyes to the Eldership it follows not that it is not to be understood for to whom should acts of rule be appropriated but to the Rulers A concurrence with them may be granted to the community in the use of their power of liberty as they speak but a concurrence with them in the thing of the like nature with the power and acts of the Elders hee will never prove till hee hath proved that all are Rulers in the Church and have a power of Office which hee will do ad Graecas calendas And if the Apostles silence there concerning the appropriation of the power of exercising Discipline to the Eldership bee an argument for the communities like power then the sole mention of the Angels of the Churches Rev. chap. 2. and 3. who are commended for blamed upon the neglect of and exhorted to exercise Church-Discipline is an argument against the communities like power therein and a far stronger argument against it than the other is for it in regard that here the Holy Ghost appropriateth the power and there hee doth not and so by this place the other is to bee expounded Neither hath any known Writer of note in the Church for these sixteen hundred years past until some of the late risen