in Apoc. 90. 108 But they say they whipt the high Priest for his faults â—s much as any other man As for example if the high Priest do marry a widdow and lie with her he was beaten twice once for transgressing this Law He shall not take a widdow and once for this He shall not profane Ains Levit. 21. 15. Yea the Talmud in Sanhedrin sheweth that the high Priest was judged in all sorts as any other man Therefore the high Priest was not by the vertue of his high Priests Office the chief Elder of the National Church But the Judges of the high Sanhedrin whereof the King was the head were the chief Elders of the National Church They had the charge and the burden laid upon them to deal in all Levitical controversies as well as in matters of civil justice for as it was the Angel Acts 7. that gave Moses lively Oracles that said unto Moses the King as well as unto Aaron the Priest as they were chief persons in the high Sanhedrin that he should instruct the people in the observation of all Levitical Ordinances Levit. 11. 2. and so on as it follows in the next Chapter as I have noted above 2. It was Moses the King as well as Aaron the Priest that charged all Israel to observe holy convocations every Sabbath in all their dwellings Levit. 23. 3. Christ commanded them to charge the people to observe the Sabbath 3. It was the Angel that had the Name of God in him that first ordained the Elders of the high Sanhedrin as the general Elders of the Church in all matters of Religion as well as in matters of civil Justice they must regain people from Apostacie Therefore Iehovah the Mediator to whom the Father hath committed all authority and power said to the Judges of the Sanhedrin Hear I pray you O ye heads of Jacob and ye Princes of the house of Israel should not ye know judgement Mica 3. 1. As if Christ should say none ought to be Iudges of the Sanhedrin but wise and godly men such as are able to judge and trie causes exactly according to all the Ordinances of Moses We may take Iehosophats example for a Lanthorn to our feet in this case He charged the Iudges to try all matters of Religion as well as civil affairs 2 Chron. 19. But how could they be competent Iudges except they were learned in the Levitical Laws as well as in the Iudicials This shews what care ought to be taken in all those whom it concerns to seek out for the ablest men that can be found for Elders and Iudges for variety of great and difficult matters appertained to their judgement Vide Ans in Levit. 5. 15. and Deut. 25. 2. 4. It is evident that the Iudges of the Sanhedrin were the general Elders of the whole Church because the Sin-offering of the whole Church was presented to the Lord by their hands For if the whole Church did sinne ignorantly in their practise against any branch of the Law of God through the erroneous teaching of the Elders of the Sanhedrin then as soon as this sinfull practise was found out by any man of Israel the Church must bring a bullock for a sin-offering and yet the whole Church of people were not bound to come to Ierusalem to offer this general Church sinne-offering But the whole Church did it being absent by their Elders onely namely by the Elders of the high Sanhedrin Yet still the question will be who among them was the Churches chief Elder in this action The answer is Not the high Priest although he were one of their Elders chosen to be of the Sanhedrin But the Elders of the Sanhedrin Court in general or any three of them did bring this bullock as they were the Churches Elders they laid their hand upon the head of the said Bullock in the name of the whole Church whose sin-offering it was verse 14. 21. Therefore the Elders of the high Sanhedrin might be called the Church for they were the whole Church representatively But after the Churches Elders had thus presented the said Bullock for the sinne-offering of the whole Church it belonged to the high Priect as he was the chief anointed Priest to kill the said Bullock before Iehovah Ains Levit 4. 13 14 15. Hence it follows that the Judges of the high Sanhedrin Court were the General Elders of the whole Church and this thing is put out of doubt because they are plainly called the Elders of the whole Congregation in v. 15. This is so plain that nothing can be plainer spoken and so in like sort the Elders of all the other Sanhedrins being many thousands in all were to be accounted as the Elders of the Church also in all the parts of Canaan in their respective Tribes they must bear the burden with the high Sanhedrin as their Delegates And when the Churches sin-offering was to be offered Aaron the high Priest as he was an Elder of the Sanhedrin must speak to the sons of Israel to bring it namely he must speak to the chief sons of Israel which were the Elders of the high Sanhedrin Court to bring it vide Ains Levit. 9. 3. For these Elders were the highest Officers that the Church had And therefore the term Elder is a superior Title to the term Bishop For the term Bishop is given to those inserior Officers that attended upon the Elders of the Sanhedrin Court Numb 3â— 14. vide also Ains in Deut. 16. 18. Yet an Apostate Priest might be a Bishop after his repentance but he might not be an Elder of the Sanhedrin neither might he be restored to be a full Priest any more but he might serve as a Bishop in a place of inferiority in the Temple Ains Levit. 21. 20. ult And I grant that the term Bishop is sometimes given to the highest degree of men For it is sometimes given to the Emperors of Asia as a Title of Honour to their Office And Eleazar the Prince of Princes over the Levites did exercise the Bishops Office over them Ains in Numb 3. 32. That is he did oversee them And in that sense every inferiour Officer that takes the charge to oversee others is a Bishop and so the term Bishop may properly be given to all Officer both high and lâ—w that take upon them the charge to oversee others as well in civil as in religious matters But the term Elder is never given to inferior Officers as the term Bishop is this distinction I bring in for the honour of the term Elder by way of parenthesis onely Scholar Was the power of Excommunication given to the first Elders of the Sanhedrin when they were first ordained in the wilderness or not Teacher I make no question but Iehovah the Mediator from Iehovah gave them all power that was sutable to the well ordering of his Church from the very first time that he ordained them to be the general Elders of his Church in the
phrase every one must not be taken vulgarly for every one of the common multitude of the Church The Apostle himself doth contradict that Exposition for he doth teach us to oppose the learned to the unlearned in ver 23. 24. therefore he doth exempt the unlearned as not fit to be accounted into the number of every one that hath a Psalm c. therefore these two phrases all and every one means all and every one of those only whom God had gifted with extraordinary gifts for the plantation of his Church these only the Apostle calls the whole Church by the figure Synecdoche because they were the chiefe guides and directions of the multitude 19. The word Church is of a large capacity it signifies an Assembly of any kind of men and therefore it may as well be applyed to an assembly of Magistrates in a Court of Justice as to any other Assembly First The whole Army of Sauls souldiers that lay incamped in the field against the Philistims are called Kahal a Church and in the Septuagint Ecclesia 1 Sam. 17. 47. Secondly Nebuchadnezzars Army against Israel is called Kahal a Church and in the seventy Ecclesia Ezek. 16. 40. Thirdly Nebuchadnezzars several companies of souldiers collected into several bands out of several Nations are called Churches in the plural number Ezek. 26. 7. and in the seventy Synagogues Fourthly The Persian Army is also called a Church Ier. 50. 9. and in the septuagint a Synagogue Fifthly Pharaohs army is also called Kahal a Church Ezek. 17. 17. Sixthly The Army of Gog is four times over called Kahal a Church and in the seventy a Synagogue Ezek 38. 4. 7. 13. 15. Seventhly all the multitude of Israel that came out of Aegypt are called Kahal a Church before ever they entred into that Church Covenant which God made with them in Horeb. Exod. 16. 3. Therefore it is no absurdity to call a Court of Elders a Church 20. A confused multitude of people may be called a Church therefore much more an orderly Assembly of Elders in a Court of Justice In Acts 19. 32. It is said that the Church was confused that rose up against Paul and Alexander and in verse 41. The Town-Clark dismissed the Church that is to say the disorderly multitude and Syracides puts the word Church for a disorderly multitude of evil doers Ecclus 26. 5. 21. A company of wicked and corrupt Elders may be called a Church as in Psal 26. 5. I hated the Church of evil doers that is to say the Church or Synedrion of Sauls flattering Counsellors And Iacob also in his last will speaking of the bloudy action of Simeon and Levi saith O my soul come not thou into their secret and unto their Church mine honour be not thou united Gen. 49. 6. Hence it follows that the conclave of Cardinals in Rome may be truly and properly called a Church and the general Councels of Cardinals Bishops and other Popish Doctors may truly and properly be called a Church though also they ought to be called a malignant Church or a Synagogue of Satan Therefore I wonder why any man of learning and wisdom should account it such a strange matter to interpret the word Church in Matth. 18. 17. to mean the Elders of the Synedrion-Court especially considering they were the Churches chosen Elders appointed to sit in Moses Chair to expound Moses laws and to punish all the Transgressors thereof with sutable punishments and though they were grown now more degenerate then in former times yet they had some godly Elders among them as Gamaliel and Nichodemus and Ioseph of Arimathea with many others doubtles here and there dispersed among their several Sanhedrins I will conclude these one and twenty Collections with this Summe First Their opinion that Tell the Church requireth a new Court would breed new speech in the New Testament But our Lord spake it as is evident of the Church of Elders of the Politie known and practised of old in Israel Bro. in Manuscript Secondly In the Iews Reipublike the same Ecclesia that judged Dammages or Death judged of excommunication and still the chief Rulers being of Faith should have their stroke They will and should study to excel in Divinity to be true Bishops and Elders to eat up the book of the Gospel and to see all miscarriages sagely restrained The Apostle did excommunicate the Corinthian as an Elder or Bishop Bro. in Manus and Apoc. 155. Thirdly The Reformed Churches as Zurick take the wisest order that destroy all the Popes marks The Consul is present at all Scholars dealings and most straitly look to Scholars carriage twice in the Yeer and all punishments are referred to the Consul and Synedrion such was the Apostles Doctrine and Synagogues of old Bro. Apoc. 230. and on the Lords Prayer pag. 10. 11. alibi Scholar Truly I must needs confess that I cannot justly except against your exposition of the word Church in Matth. 18. 17. and yet I desire a little further satisfaction Whether it be lawful to call all the visible professors of the Faith dispersed over the world A Church of Christ or no Teacher I have already shewed you that the word Church is of such a large capacity that it may well comprehend them all and therefore I do fully accord with those Divines that describe the Church of Christ to be outwardly visible farre and wide over the face of the earth Scholar Very learned men do think that there can be no such universal visible Church of Christ 1. Because all those visible Professors cannot meet together in any one place to perform that publick worship which Christ hath ordained And secondly they cannot have any general Officers over them because they cannot meet together to chuse them Teacher I do desire that no man will be offended suddenly at the term Church attributed to all visible Professors of the Faith For though they cannot now personally meet together in any one place as perhaps they did in the dayes of Adam and Noah yet they do dayly meet together in the unitie of the Faith and they do all make the same publick Profession of salvation by All the outward Professors of the Faith through the world do make an universal visible Church of Christ Christ alone But for the better performance of the same publick Faith and Worship they are fitly divided and distributed into particular visible Churches And my reasons for calling all visible Professors an universal visible Church of Christ are these 1. What other Temple of God can that be wherein Antichrist doth sit as God but the universal visible Church of Christ dispersed over the world Antichrist cannot be said to sit as a God in any one particular Congregational Church but he sits in the Temple of God even as Christ sat formerly in the Temple between the Cherubims whither the twelve Tribes resorted three times a year And these twelve Tribes are called a Church of Nations Genesis 28. 3. Because they
Typified all the outward Professors of the Faith in all Nations as well as the inward Professors of the Faith all the world over In this outward Temple or Church Antichrist did set up the throne of his Dominion to rule them and govern them after his own will by his own Laws and Decrees Secondly What other Church was it which Paul did persecute but the universall visible Church of Christ He saith that in times past he did persecute the Church of God and wasted it he is not said to persecute any one particular Church but he persecuted the Church of God in general not in Iudea onely but in other strange Conntries and Cities also that is to say he persecuted divers Godly persons that believed in Christ and which as yet continued in several Synagogues in several Countries Acts 22. 19. 26. 11. All these visible Professors of the Faith in several Synagogues and in several Countries the Apostle calls them all together The Church of God in the singular number Gal. 1. 13. Phil. 3. 6. Though they were not personally united into one particular visible Church yet they were united together by the same Faith into one universal visible Church The Jerusalem from Heaven 3. What other Church was it whereof Paul was made a Minister that he might preach unto the Heathen the unsearchable riches and mysteries of Christ that the Church might know the manifold wisdom of God Eph. 3. 8. 10. verse 21. He desires that praise may be given for it in the Church through all Generations for ever But Paul was not made a Minister to any one particular Church but to the Church of Christ in General 4. Paul tells the Corinthians that God had ordained in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets c. For what particular Church did God ordain these Officers surely not for any particular Church therefore they were ordained for the good of the general visible Church dispersed over all the world where ever a doore of entrance was opened to them and when Christ gave them a new Commission to preach the Gospel at his Ascention he did not send them to any particular Church but appointed them to preach the Gospel to all Nations in the world 5. Christ made a promise unto Iacob That he should grow into a Church of Nations Gen. 28. 3. Gen. 35. 15. 48. 4. This Church of Nations must be understood of an universal visible Church dispersed into all nations as well as of the invisible Church as I noted in the first mark of an universall visible Church The universal visible Church doth include the Elect among others that hope to go to Heaven as well as they by their outward Profession Therefore all outward Professors of the Faith may be well called the Children of Iacob because they profess the Faith of Iacob and because they are begotten to this Faith by the children of Iacob For the twelve Apostles and the seventy Disciples were of Iacobs loyns They begate other Preachers who begate many children unto the Faith of Iacob Therefore all these professors of the Faith may well be called the children of Iacob Galathians 6. 16. And thus Iacob did grow into a Church of Nations The Hebrew Doctors say That God did not onely ordain the twelve Tribes to make one National Church but they say also That every Tribe was a Church by it self as I have formerly noted It is written in 2 Chron. 20. 5. that Iehosaphat in the Church of Iudah Here the Tribe of Iudah is called a Church And so it is again in verse 24. and in 2 Chron. 30. 25. Therefore say the Hebrew Doctors When the Church brought a Bullock for a sinne-offering as it was commanded in Leviticus 4. 14. The Elders of the Sanhedrin brought twelve Bullocks for twelve Churches because every Tribe made a Church by it self Vide Ainsworth in Leviticus 4. 14. and Numbers 15. 34. And it seems to me that every Tribe made such a kind of Church by it self as a Christian Nation is For I apprehend that a Christian Nation may be called a Church as well as a Tribe by it self may Scholar How can such visible National Professors be called a Church or be called the Kingdom of Heaven seeing most outward Professors are but Hypocrites Teacher It is true most outward Professors are but Hypocrites yet these together with some Godly among them may well be called The Church of Christ and by the noblest part they may well be called The Kingdom of Heaven because their profession is of an Heavenly calling And so that place must be understood in Matthew 13. 19. 41. 42. 44. 47. and Matthew 8. 12. Apoc. 8. 10. and 10. 1. and 12. 14. And for the outward Covenant sake he doth outwardly own them rule them govern them as his Church and People and if any do wrong them he doth revenge their cause Therefore all visible Churches have great priviledges Scholar Very learned men do think that none ought to be admitted into a particular visible Church as a Member thereof until the same Church shall judge them to have true grace in their souls by trying and examining the marks of their effectual conversion for they do not hold it lawfull to receive any one that is an Hypocrite into a particular visible Church Teacher If none ought to be admitted into a particular visible Who are to be accounted as fit persons to be admitted as members of a particular visible Church Church until they manifest the Truth of Grace in their souls then doubtless Christ hath given infallible rules whereby the Church may discern aright of the Truth of their Grace and distinguish it from close hypocrisie But I must confess that I am to seek where to find those rules For though the Scriptures have perfect rules in general yet when these rules come to be applied to particular persons then am I to seek for certainty of judgement I conceive it is one of the royal Prerogatives of the Lord Jesus to know what particular persons have the truth of Grace in their Souls Questionless all such are the most fit persons that are to be joyned as Members of particular Churches But yet if there be any other that do call upon the Name of the Lord and depart from iniquity our Lord Jesus Christ would have us to esteem them also as fit matter for a particular visible Church until by their scandalous walking they deserve to be excommunicated I will no more speak of this because divers godly learned have dealt in the Argument to very good purpose Yet this I would say let Churches both Teachers and Members be careful that they be not too censorious and pragmatical lest they turn men upon the stumbling blocks of Anabaptistry c. CHAP. III. That Schools of Learning were at the first erected by Jesus Christ for the breeding of a Succession of able Men for Pastors Teachers Elders Iudges c. to the end of the world
not wholy converted to Christianity as this synagogue of Antioch was some godly converts there were in these synagogues by the ministry of John Baptist and of Christ who had some rest from persecution at the time of Paul's conversion but no separated Christian Church was established as yet except the Church at Jerusalem Acts 1. 15. and except this synagogue of Antioch 5. When Paul was sent with letters from the high Priest to persecute Christians that as yet continued in synagogues he was converted as he was going to persecute the Christians that were in the synagogue of Damascus whereupon he preached Christ in the synagogue of Damascus and then he preached Christ also in the synagogues of Arabia for three yeers together before he consulted with any of the Apostles Acts 9. 1. 20. Gal. 1 2. Then had the Churches rest throughout all Iudea Galilee and Samaria Acts 9. 31. These Churches can be no other but the synagogues of those places where divers of them were converted to Christianity by the preaching of Iohn Baptist and by Christ and his Apostles where they yet continued For I find no particular Christian Church established as yet but the Church at Jerusalem and at Antioch as I noted above In one place Paul saith that He persecuted the Church of God extremely and wasted it Gal. 1. 13. but in Acts 22. 19. he saith He prisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed in Christ Therefore the Jews synagogues may well be called particular Churches of Jesus Christ Scholar Some learned men do affirm that the Iews Synagogues were no true Particular Churches of Iesus Christ because they wanted one of the essential marks of a true Particular Church For according to the opinion of sundry learned Divines a true Church must have three marks that are essential to the completing of a true Church First The preaching of Gods word by a chosen Officer Secondly The right administration of the Sacraments Thirdly the power of Discipline Now it is evident that the Synagogues wanted the use and practise of the two Sacraments which were in ordinary use before the coming of Christ Therefore they were no true Churches of Iesus Christ Teacher This is a hard saying to condemn the Jews synagogues as no true Churches of Jesus Christ because they did not Administer those Sacraments that were in ordinary use among the Jewes If there can be no true Church of Jesus Christ without the Administration of the ordinary Sacraments then those Christian-Assemblies were no true Churches of Jesus Christ which were often Congregated at Amersham and in other parts in England in the dayes of Henry the eight to hear the Word of God read and expounded by the ablest Christians they would chuse out among themselves for I conceive they did many years meet together to hear the Word of God without the use of the Sacraments and without the use of any settled Discipline excepting the use of such private reproofs as they in godly wisedome did give to one another for the reformation of sinful misdemeanours though I grant that such Assemblies had the use of the Sacraments and of Discipline also in the dayes of Queen Mary but not in the dayes of King Henry the eight that I can find recorded in any story and yet I conceive there were many true particular Churches of Jesus Christ in those dayes Therefore I conceive that in time of persecution where ever a company of godly Christians did use to assemble upon the Lords-Day to hear the Word of God preached by one of the most ablest chosen men among themselves they were to be esteemed as a true particular Church of Jesus Christ or else I fear we shall hardly find any true Church of Christ in the world for many years together in the height of Popery Therefore notwithstanding this Objection I conclude that the Jewes synagogues were true Churches of Jesus Christ as long as they had the use and exercise of the Word preached among them though they wanted the use of the ordinary Sacraments in their synagogues and yet I suppose they circumcised in their synagogues for they came to the Administration of that seal of the Covenant in a publick manner as Learned Divines think Luk. 1. 59. Scholar I confesse that the Iewes Synagogues have been of excellent use from ancient times but I have formerly thought that these Synagogues had been erected at the first by the voluntary care of their godly Governours and not by Divine Institution of Iesus Christ Teacher I have sufficiently proved from Levit. 23. 3. that synagogue-worship was not first erected by the voluntary care of godly Governours but by the special appointment of Jesus Christ and it is most like that synagogue-worship was ordained by Christ from the beginning of the world for they did sanctifie the Sabbath by particular Church-Assemblies whilest they lived in Egypt long before they came into the Wilderness for the Angel of Gods presence said thus unto those that went out to gather Manna upon the Sabbath before they came to Mount Synai and therefore before the Law given at Mount Synai How long will ye refuse to keep my Commandments and my Lawes Exod. 16. 28. From this text it is evident that Jesus Christ had given them a commandment and a law for the publike sanctifying of the holy Sabbath before he gave the ten commandments at mount Sinai and therefore he had instructed them in the observation of their festival sabbaths for he did not require them to observe their festival sabbaths while they were in their travels in the Wildernes but he adjourned the observation of their festival sabbaths until they were setled in rest in Canaan Numb 15. 2. and therefore after Christ had commanded the Tabernacle to be twice erected in the Wildernes for the place of their National Church-Assemblies and after that he had declared the Ordinances thereof which was done in the second yeer after their coming from Aegypt then immediately after the Tabernacle was folded up again 38. yeers together as M. Ainsworth observed Numb 2. In all which space they did not observe any of their festival sabbaths except the Pass-over once onely in the second yeer after they came out of Aegypt Num. 9. And yet in all this 38. yeers space the Angel of Gods presence did not leave them to their own liberty whether they would observe the sabbath by an holy convocation or no but he did straitly charge them to observe that day with an holy convocation in all their dwellings they might not omit this holy convocation every seventh day in all their dwellings though they must omit the observation of all their festival sabbaths for 38. yeers togethers If they had neglected their Particular Church-Assemblies as they did omit their National Church-Assemblies for 38. yeers together doubtless Religion would have perished from among them Yea after they did enjoy their National Church-Assemblies Their National Church-worship was not sufficient of it self to
Tyrants When Zachariah the son of Iehoiadah was stoned between the Temple and the Altar he said The Lord look upon it and require it This Anathema maranatha took effect For when Nabuzaradan came into the Temple he saw some bloud upon the pavement not washed off thereupon he asked what bloud that was It was answered That it was the bloud of a Prophet that foretold all these things that now are come upon us and we rose up and killed him Yea said Nebuzaradan and I will pay you for it The reupon he caused his Souldiers to fall upon the young Priests and they killed eight thousand of them This the Iews record in Tugueh fol-69 Col. 1. Scholar I cannot tell what to think of the use and practice of this great Excommunication whether it be any Church priviledge or no But I will leave it for the present and desire rather to search out the lesser Excommunication which is granted on all hands to be a special priviledge belonging to all Christian Churches And very learned Divines do affirm that Iesus Christ did first ordain it in Matth. 1. 18. 17. as a special Ordinance for the use of all Christian Churches to the worlds end Teacher I cannot believe yet that Iesus Christ did first ordain excommunication in Matth. 18. 17. as a new Ordinance Christ did not first ordain Excommunication in Mat. 18. 17. for the use of Christian Churches I have already shewed that Iesus Christ did institute many particular Churches or synagogues among the Jews and that they had the use of Excommunication among them of old time therefore I cannot as yet believe that Christ did now first ordain excommunication as a new Ordinance for the use of Christian Churches in Matth. 18. 17. Secondly It is evident that Christ did not now first ordain excommunication as a new Ordinance for the use of all Christian Churches in Matth. 18. 17. because Luke relates a part of this exhortation touching private brotherly dealing and makes no mention of proceeding on to excommunication which doubtles he would not have omitted if Christ had now first ordained it for the use of Christian Churches Scholar Very learned Divines do think that the circumstances of the Text Matth. 18. 17. do plainly demonstrate that Christ did now first ordain excommunication as a new Ordinance for the use of all Christian Churches to the Worlds end and that Christ exhorted his Apostles to put this new Ordinance in practise assoon as they should plant any new particular Christian Churches Teacher I desire that the circumstance of this Text may be alledged and weighed whether any of them do prove the ordination of excommunication at this time or no. Scholar The first considerable circumstance is this If he will not hear the Church let him be to thee as an Heathen and Publican Hence I gather That none could account his Brother of the same profession as an Heathen or Publican until the Church had excommunicated him Teacher Your collection is not sound for first If this sentence had implyed his excommunication by the Church then Christ would have said thus Let him be to it that is to say to the Church Or let him be to them that is to say to all the members of the Church as an Heathen and a Publican But Christ doth not say so but let him be to thee that is to say let him be to thee that art the wronged Brother as an heathen and a Publican if he refused to hear the Church though he never were excommunicate by them For it is a point of good Justice and of Christian Wisdom to account an obstinate sinner that will not hear the Church no better then an Heathen or Publican And thus godly David did when his brethren Israelites sought to betray his life into the hands of Saul he both esteemed them and called them Heathens for it his words run thus Lo they lay wait for my soul yet not for my trespass nor for my sin for I have done them no wrong at all Therefore thou O Jehovah God of hosts God of Israel awake to visit all the Heathens Psal 59. 4 5. and in verse 9. he saith thus Thou Jehovah wilt laugh at them thou wilt mock at the Heathens Thus David esteemed his brethren the Jews no better then heathens for their trecherous endeavours and yet I believe he knew they were not excommunicated by the Church In like sort he calls the Ziphims of the Tribe of Iudah Strangers that is to say Heathens for their trecherous endevours against his life Psal 54. 5. In like sort Ieremiah ranks the profane Jews with the uncircumcised Heathens Ier. 9. 26. and Iohn calls the persecuting Papists Gentiles Apoc. 11. 2. 18. and Heathens also in chap. 19. 15. and Isaiah calls the Kings and People of Judah Kings of Sodom and People of Gomorrha Es 1. 10. and yet I believe none of these were so esteemed and called because they were first excommunicated by the Church Therefore you cannot conclude that Matthew doth mean that the impenitent brother was first excommunicate by the Church because Christ bade the innocent party to esteem him as an Heathen and Publican Scholar There is another circumstance in verse 18. which doth imply Excommunication as all Interpreters say The words of the Text thus speak Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven c. Hence Interpreters conclude that the Church by the power of Excommunication do bind sinners in their sins on earth and when they repent then they loose them from their sins on earth by discharging them from the sentence of Excommunication and that Christ doth ratifie all their doings in heaven Teacher I do not look upon this 18. verse in the same sense that you take it I do not apprehend it to have any necessary dependance on the three former verses but I take this 18. verse to speak of another matter distinct from the former For it is evident that Christ doth use many miscellaneous exhortations in this Chapter which have no dependence on each other Secondly I say that this sentence in verse 18. doth not agree to the terms of the Churches Excommunication For then Christ would have said thus Whatsoever they bind on earth that is to say Whatsoever they the whole Church both Officers and Members do bind on earth c. But Christ doth not say so But whatsoever ye shall bind on earth namely ye that are my Apostles and Disciples Or else Christ would have said thus Whatsoever thou bindest on earth in relation to the phrase afore-going in verse 17. Let him be to thee This phrase Whatsoever ye bind on earth c. is a Talmudd phrase which phrase of speaking Christ had formerly used to his Apostles when he gave them authority to preach the Gospel in Matth. 16. 19. and now again he doth put them in remembrance of their calling and power to preach the Gospel by repeating the said Talmud phrase and he
unrepentant trespassing brother or else how could his Disciples practice his Doctrine seeing he doth nor explain himself to speak of Christian Churches Thirdly It is evident that Christ spake of such a Church as was in present being among the Jews because he applies his speeches to the present Jews capacity Let him be to thee as an Heathen and Publican This phrase is not sutable to a particular Christian Church for Christians might company with Heathens and Publicans But the Jews might not hold communion with any unclean and uncircumcised Heathens as Peters refusing to go to Cornelius doth testifie Acts 10. Neither did Christians hate Publicans but the Jews in general did because they raised them up in the point of Tribute to Cesar But converted Christians were allowed to eat and drink with Heathens in civil feastings except it were in the Idols Temple and they might also eat and drink with Publicans as our Saviour and his Disciples often did though the Jews in general through their own unjust tradition took offence at Christ for it Scholar Can you make it manifest by Scripture with good reason that a Court of Magistrates are a Church Learned men affirm the contrary They affirm that a Court of Magistrates is no where called a Church in Scripture Teacher I will answer you fully and plainly I affirm that a Court of Magistrates is often called a Church in Scripture First It is evident that the Hebrew word Kahal the Church A Court of Elders is a Church in Scripture phrase is in Deut. 31. 30. must be understood of the Elders and Officers of the Church onely which also were the Magistrates of the Common-weal they did now assemble unto Moses out of all the Tribes as it appears by comparing verse 30. with verse 28. Therefore the said Elders with their Officers attending on them were called the Church They were the whole Church representatively and it may be further observed that Kahal in this place is translated by the seventy Ecclesia the Church Secondly If the whole Church did sin ignorantly in their practise against some branch or other of the Law of God then the Church must bring a sin-offering and it is called the Churches sin-offering in Levit. 4. 13 14. 21. and yet the Common people of the twelve Tribes did not assemble to Jerusalem to present this Church sin-offering but the Elders or Magistrates of the Sanhedrin did it without the presence of the people Levit. 4. 15. Therefore the Elders of the Court Sanhedrin are a true Church representatively Thirdly Kahal the Church 1 Chron. 13. 2. 4. compared with verse 1. is nothing else but the Captains of thousands and hundreds with the Governours or Elders of the Court Sanhedrin and the 70. translate this Kahal by Ecclesia Fourthly Kahal the Church in 1 Chron. 29. 1. 10. 20. Is nothing else but the Elders of the Court Sanhedrin together with other chief Princes and Captains of thousands and Captains of hundreds c. As it is evident by comparing this place with 1 Chron. 28. 1. 8. This Kahal also is translated by the seventie Ecclesia 5. Kahal the Church in 2 Chron. 1. 3. 5. is nothing else but the Captains of thousands and hundreds with the Judges and every Governour in all Israel all these did accompany Salomon to seek the Lord at Gibeon all this assembly of Governors and chiefe Fathers are called a great Church This Kahal is also translated by the 70. Ecclesia Sixthly Kahal the Church 2 Chron. 23. 28. 31. 32. in 2 Chron. 3. 2. 4. is explained in 2 Chron. 29. 20. to be nothing else but the Rulers of the City assembled together in a Sanhedrin Court that is to say there was the 70. Elders of the high Sanhedrin and the Elders of the two other Sanhedrins who had their residence in Jerusalem as I noted above in opening the kinds of Sanhedrins and this matter is also further explained in verse 28. 31. 32. and in 2 Chron. Chap. 30. 2. 4. This Assembly of Elders is termed a Church in all the said verses both in the Hebrew and in the seventy The generaltie of the people did not come to the first Passe-over in the first moneth Therefore Hezekiah took counsel of this Church of Elders and they counselled him to gather together all the people on the fourteenth day of the second moneth So then Hezekiah and the Elders made a Church by themselves in the point of Counsel in the first moneth But in the second moneth both the Elders and the people together made a very great Church and these degrees of Church meetings were ordained by Moses If one Trumpet alone sounded then the Elders came alone to the Church-meeting but if both Trumpets sounded together then both Elders and People did meet together in one Church-Assembly vide Numb 10. 7. Kahal the Church translated by the seventy Ecclesia in 1 Chron. 28. 14. is nothing else but the Elders of Samaria assembled together For by the counsel of the Prophet Oded certain of the Heads of the children of Ephraim stood up against the Souldiers that were returned from warring against Iudah And they said unto the Souldiers ye shall not bring the captaives into this City and the armed men obeyed their voice and left all the captives before the Princes and before all the Church This Church therefore is nothing else but the Magistrates of Samaria which were assembled to this place by the counsel of Oded the Prophet to prevent the further occasion of Gods wrath 8. The word Church in Deut. 23. 1 2 3. 8. is Kahal in all the four places and in the Seventy Ecclesia in one of these four places it is said that a Moabite and an Ammonite may not enter into the Church of Iehovah for ever This place doth not exclude a converted Ammonite or a Moabite from the Church of the Jewes but yet it did exclude them from bearing any Office in their Church or Publique Courts and so both the Hebrew Doctors and some learned Christians do understand the word Church in this text to be spoken of the Church of Elders assembled in the Sanhedrin Court a Moabite or an Ammonite though converted to the Faith yet they might not bear any Office in the Church-Court So Mr Broughton expounds the word Church in this place and so doth Mr Ainsworth in effect In another of these four places it is said The Priest which was hurt in his privy members might not enter into the Church of Iehovah Deut. 23. 1. He might not enter in to wait upon his Office as a Priest compleat neither might he enter into the Sanhedrin Court to bear any Office there as long as that part was defective but he was not excluded from coming into the Temple he might come thither to do some inferiour works As for example He might cleave wood in the Wood-chamber and in that respect he must have his portion in the holy things therefore he was not