* Catechism Quaest 85. speaking of the difference betweene the two kees that of preaching and the other of discipline placeth it in this that the former which is the preaching of the Gospell is committed to the Ministers the other because it appertaineth to the Discipline of excommunication is permitted to the whole Church To him wee will adde Ursinus * Catech. p. 799.800 print at Oxford An. 1587. who teacheth thus Christ in these words Mat. 18.17 If hee refuse to heare the Church c. expresly commaundeth all whosoever being after this sort admonished by the Church will not repent to be by the common consent of the Church excommunicated untill they repent And whosoever are excommunicated they againe professing and shewing in their actions amendment are altogether in like sort received into the Church as they were exiled from it Namely by the judgement of the Elders by the consent of the Church and the authoritie of Christ and the Scripture And that denuntiation whereby one is excommunicated is not in the power of the Minister of the Church but in the power of the Church and is done in the name of the Church because this commaundement was given by Christ unto the Church For hee saith expreslie Tell the Church And of this judgement is Piscator a In 1. Cor. 5. Obs 1. Calvin b Inst 4.1.15 Paraeus c In 1. Cor. 5.5 Keckerman d System Theol. l. 3. Hermingius e In 1. Cor. 5 Tossanus f Comm. in 1. Cor. 5. Polanus g Synt. Theo. l. 7. c. 18. Hyperius h Comm. in 1. Cor. 5. Praedirius i In 1. Cor. 5. Munster k In Mat. 18.17 Danaeus l In Mat. 18. Oecolampadius m In Mat. 18. Beza n Annot. in 2. Thess 3.14 and others And now Mr. Paget what thinke you of these men were they not learned and Godly Ministers Reverend and judicious Divines Are they not authenticke witnesses If you confesse it then marke what followes viz. your position that particular Congregations must stand under other Ecclesiasticall authoritie out of themselves is hence condemned by a jurie of more then 24 men of your owne chusing for an errour and untruth The reason is because these affirme I say all of them that every particular Eldership with the Churches consent may lawfully proceed among themselves to the excommunicating of offenders whensoever there is necessary and just cause Neither doe they say a word that it is a Divine institution that the Ministers of one Congregation must first aske the leave and consent of other Ministers before they can lawfully administer this ordinance of God And therefore I make some question whither you haue not wronged this multitude of learned and Godly Ministers in reporting things of them to the world which they hold not And I haue the more reason thus to thinke considering what Mr. Bucer a In Mat. 16.19 and P. Martyr b In 1. Cor. 16.3.15 write two great lightes that shined sometime in England to wit that Ecclesiasticall power and government is in the whole Church but the authority onely of administration thereof is the Presbyterie and Bishops So as in old time at Rome the power was in the people direction in the Senate But of this sort of testimonies enought is spoken wee come therefore now to the next Touching the English Conformists the formablest of them are for us in this point B. Whitgift a In his defenc ag T.C. p. 180 182. confesseth that in the Apostles time the state of the Church was popular And two pages after I call it popular saith hee because the Church had interest almost in every thing VVith him D. Bilson b Perpet Gouvernm c. 15 p. 361 agrees and writeth thus In the primitive Church the people did propose name elect and decree as well as the Clergie and though the Presbyterers had more skill to judge Yet the people had as much right to chuse their Pastour and if they most of them did agree they did cary it away from the other Againe * chap. 7. pag. 90. Marke well sayth hee the ordaining of the first Deacons they were chosen by the people Mr. Paget in pag. 22. doth acknowledge that Christ hath appointed but one order for the choose both of Pastour and Deacon As hee speakes there the truth so by it hee quite overthrowes his owne cause for if Pastours must be chosen the same way that Deacons are and they if the Apostles precept be kept chosen by the free consent of the Congregation wherein they are to administer then how comes it to passe that Classes and Synods should haue more authority then the people and may if they will disanull whatsoever the others doe herein I know what the Papists and Hierarchy say to justify their taking away from particular Congregations their due power and setting up a superiour one in the roome thereof The first gives this for a reason * Sculting Hierarch Anacr l. 11 pag. 134. The unrulines of the people deserved afterwards to have their liberty taken away The others say thus Why doe ye call us back to the primitive Church As if wee are to be tyed to the first beginnings of things as if ye would bind little infants in their blankets with swalding bondes And as if it were not lawfull for us to change those primitive rudiments which were not then so proffitable in their first originall as they seeme to be pernicious at this day Againe * Apolog. for Church Gouvernm pag. 81. There was some thing ordained by the Apostles that is no lesse hurtfull for our Churches then it was behoofull for those to whom it was appointed Which of these two arguments hee will make use off I yet know not One of them I suppose hee will and must For to say that this superiour power of Classes and Synods is Iure Divino I thinke hee will not any more doe it There being in the Scriptures no proofe yea I may boldly say nor shew of any proofe for it But because I know not what his answer shall be I will therefore say no more for this time onely I thinke it good to put him in mind of what Gerson * De Vit. spirit writeth the authoritie of the primitive Church is above all Churches and therefore it is not in the power of Pope Councill or Church to change the Doctrines and Traditions delivered by the Apostles And so I proceed To these wee will adde 4 more conformable Doctors of England viz. Whitaker Bell Willer and Taylor The first affirmeth * De Conc. qu. 5. p. 178 that Ecclesiasticall authoritie principallie primarilie and essencially belongeth to the whole Church unto Bishops onely accidentally and secondarily So againe ‡ De Rom. Pont. cont 4 qu. 4. c. 3. pag. 562. The chiefe judgement in all criminall cases is the Churches Bell sayth * Regiment of the Church ch
other then a meere begging of the question hee bringeth in the Classes and Synods for his proofe whereas hee should first have prooved that the power which they assume over many Churches is lawfull Before I come to lay downe my particular answers to it I shall entreat him in his next Booke to resolve me these few Questions 1. VVhither the Assembly mentioned in Act. 15. were a Synod or Classis 2. How it can be manifested from that place that both are divine institutions as here is affirmed 3. How hee can naturally from thence rayse this doctrine viz. excommunications and elections of Ministers are actions belonging unto Classes and Synods 4. VVhither it be Iure Divino that Ecclesiasticall Officers of many Churches are necessarily bound to determine by joint authority the cases of many particular Congregations or whither it be a thing arbitrary and left unto every mans liberty 5. Whither all such cases and controversies as are decided by many Ministers combined into Classes and Synods must so stand as that particular Congregations may not if they thinke fit reject the same and practise otherwise then hath bene there determined by joint authority I haue the more hope that Mr. Paget will give a direct answer to these questions Pag. 39. Seeing a good conscience hee sayth suffers not a man to be neutrall nor to suspend his judgement when it is desireously desired but forceth him to beare witnesse unto the truth c. To the point now I doe deny that this place Act. 15. prooveth any such thing for which it is alledged For 1. here was no combination of many Ministers of divers Churches but onely a few messengers sent from Antiochia unto the Congregation at Ierusalem about a controversy there specifyed Hence it is affirmed by many learned men * D. Bridg. pag. 1224. that as this was an assembly of one onely particular Church so it binds * D. Whita De conc Q 2 p. 6. and p. 67. onely but in a speciall or particular meeting 2. As Mr. Cartwright ‡ Refut Rhemist on the place saith Paul and Barnabas went not up to Ierusalem to submit their judgement to the judgement of the Apostles for that had diminished the authoritie of their doctrine then which there was no greater in the Word they being both infallablie directed by the Holy Ghost Onely they went up to conferre with them and for countenance of the truth in respect of men and for the stopping of the mouthes of such deceivers as pretended they were sent * Vers 24. by the Apostles In a word that no suspition might remaine in the minds of the people as if Paul in doctrine differed from the rest 3. If Ierusalem lay north-ward 200 miles from Antioch as I read * Itiner Novi Testo fol. 96. it did Surely then hee hath small reason to bring this Scripture as the ground and foundation of the Classicall Assembly yea and to tell us ‡ Pag. 88. that it is a remarkable place of Scripture to warrant the exercise of that power which wee deny And a little after This one allegation is sufficient to evince the falshood of their assertion But before you make such hasty conclusions haue a little patience to heare us to speake for our selves I pray how can you proove that the officers of these two Churches being two hundred miles asunder were combined and mett ordinarily together as the Classes doe to determine the cases of many Churches Or how doe you proove that there was any Officer at all of Antioch in Ierusalem at this time Briefly or how doe you proove that the Brethren sent from Antioch exercised authority in the Church at Ierusalem yet all this you must make good otherwise you are guilty of abusing and perverting the Scripture in affirming that the power which the Classis exerciseth was practised at Antioch and Ierusalem and by Apostolicall direction This you have spoken but it is untrue Notwithstanding had you rested in Stev Ofw. testimony your fault had bene small in comparison what it is now through your great presumtion to take God for your witnes Ier. 23.31 in a thing which hee never spake Behold saith the Lord I am against the Prophets that use their tongues and say Hee saith it 4. It is certaine Vers 12.22 De Conc. Q 8. c. 3. Qu. 3. c. 3. p. 96.97 that at Ierusalem not onely the Apostles and Elders mett together but as Luke expresseth it the Church also being interested in the thing And therefore gave sentence with the rest to the decree then made Observe what D. Whitaker replyes unto Bellarmine denying the multitude to be called It was alwayes sayth hee the practise of the Apostles in common cases to call the whole Church together and no doubt but they did so here Now there was no need to have it mentioned seeing it had bene their constant custome formerlie so to doe Mr. Parker ‡ Polit. Eccl. l. 3. c. 12. pag. 108.126.334 affirmes the same So the Authours of the Cent. * Cent. 1. l. 2 c. 9. p. 547.548 And it seemes in Cyprians ‡ Lib. 4. Epist. 16. time the Church was not deprived of her right herein howsoever the Papists * Bellarm. de Conc Ecc. l. 1. c. 16. pag. 39. in those dayes teach otherwise and Mr. Paget and others doe otherwise practise 5. Howsoever the Church at Antioch sent some Brethren with Paul and Barnabas unto the Church at Ierusalem notwithstanding and let it be well observed they did not this as being a dependent body and standing under another Ecclesiasticall authoritie out of themselves For as Mr. Parker * Polit. Eccl. l. 3. c. 20. p. 301. 314. excellently prooves it the Church at Antioch at this time had absolute power in for her self to haue ended the controversy and might haue done it I say in respect of authority without acquainting therewith any other Congregation at all To the same purpose another sayth * D. Whita Conc. Qu. 1. c. 1. The Church of Antioch sent not to Ierusalem as being bound in duety thereto But in regard it was the chief place of Religion therefore they made choose freelie of that Congregation as knowing them to be best able to resolve the controversie True it is the Hierarchie * D. Whit. g. T. C. 3. deny this of whose opinion Mr. Paget must either be or els the Classes as they now rule must fall to the ground for any relief that this Scripture Act. 15. will yeeld unto them 6. When the Hierarchie alledge Act. 15. to proove their Diocesan and Provinciall Synods lawfull marke how they are answered by the Reformists The particular acts of the Apostles in cases alike Park Polit. Eccl. l. 3. c. 20. p. 315. 316. must alike be observed If this reason be effectuall as indeed it is against them then it is no lesse effectuall against the Classes Now I haue in part
of the body notwithstanding it will not hence follow that men and women not joyned to any Congregation neither intending so to doe Moreover knowne to be idolaters adulterers and most prophaine persons may be reputed in the covenant by saying Amen or nodding with the head unto a few questions read out of a booke unto them and so lawfully procure the admission of their infants unto the seale of Baptisme Notwithstanding either this hee must proove or otherwise hee is guilty of abusing and mis-applying all these Scriptures ‡ Mat. 5.37 9.28 13.51 Ioh. 21.15 Rev. 22.20 Ps 106.48 1 Co. 14.16 Eccl. 19.8 24.3.4 Deut. 27.14.15 29.1.10.15 Rom. 1.45 c. Ioh. 13.24 Luk. 1.22.62 5.7 Act. 18.20 2. Cor. 8. 4.31 1. Chro. 29.20 2. Chron. 20.28 here heaped together And that the Reader may be better perceive the loosenes of his reasoning I doe intreat him to observe what wee say and what hee sayth unto it Whereas it is the custome of the Dutch Church to baptise many infans whose Parents are not members of any Church when they answer Yea at the Leiturgy of Baptisme publickely or by nodding the head This practise sayth Mr. Davenport and wee too is unlawfull Mr. Paget to justify it stepts in and tels us that in Moyses time in Christs time and after in the Apostles dayes many godly people members of the Church haue in some cases signifyed their meaning and their wills by short speaches and externall gestures And this is all the answer that hee makes to it So that hee maketh a shew of remooving the objection but in truth leaveth it altogether untouched But by his leave seeing hee slides away from the point I must intreat him to come back againe to it and plainely to proove unto us these 3 things which hee very cunningly takes for granted 1. By what authority hee publickely propoundeth certaine questions unto people that are not members of any particular Congregation and will have them to answer with Yea or nodding the head or the like 2. How it can appeare that such are to be counted Christians in the sence of the Scriptures which are visibly wicked men manifest no fruit of faith and repentance but when some questions are mooved to them and then all that they doe is to say Amen or to nod with the head at the afore-sayd questions 3. Seeing it is the judgement of the Learned * D. Cha. ser on Rom. 12 p. 53. Chrisost in Mat. Hom. 38 in Act. Hom. 19. Whitak ag Du. l. 1. de Scri. Defen godly Minist ag Br. p. 98. that the Canonicall Scripture ought onely to be read in the Congregation and no writing besides it Yea and divers Councills * Conc. Hippon cap. 38. Laod. c. 59. haue so concluded I would know then what warrant men have to read a Leiturgie of Baptisme publickely I suppose Mr. Paget is not ignorant that untill hee have cleared these things all that hee hath yet sayd is frivolous and impertinent Lastly let it be againe observed that the Papists * Bellarm. de Ecc. Mil. c. 2 See Sutclif Chal. c. 10. pag. 40. Perk. 3. Vol. pag. 536. and hee joyne here togither and both against the truth for they teach as hee doth Let a man be whatsoever hee will if hee professe the faith it is sufficient to make him a member of the Catholike Church Againe ‡ Stevarâ—â—us Comment in 1 Thess 3 8. p. 115. It is enought to baptisme if a man have the knowledge of the Creed the ten commaundements and Sacraments Would not one thinke that he had bene an apprintise to them in setting up the same trade or craft that they doe Now to the places of Scriptures The first is Act. 11. 21-26 A great number beleeved and turned unto the Lord c. and the Disciples were called Christians To this hee saith It cannot be specified by what words or signes more or lesse they professed their conversion unto God Answ 1. This allegation was not brought to shew by what words or signes the faith full professed their conversion unto God but to proove that men must first beleeve and be joyned to some visible Church before they can be counted Christians in that sence as to procure to use his words the admission of their infants to haue the seale of Baptisme But to this hee saith nothing but takes up a matter which hee needed not and passeth by what hee should haue spoken 2. Be it granted that it cannot be specified by what words c. yet it can be manifested that they shewed such faith and repentance as the grace of God appeared in them vers 23. Now suppose Mr. Paget were to make a Sermon on the doctrine of faith or repentance I doe thinke when hee should come to set downe the evidences of these graces hee would not affirme that Atheists Hereticks theeves murderers c. haue them notwithstanding the Parents of those children for whose Baptisme hee here pleadeth are I say many of them such vile wretches as hee well knowes 3. It is to be inquired whither his meaning be to compare those Disciples and Christians Act. 11.21.26 with the Churchles people in question If so Then I must be bold to tell him that as hee dishonoureth the primitive Saints so himself much more On the otherside if hee say hee intendeth no such thing then hee might haue spared much labour saved charge and spent his time more profitably then to write many words and all just nothing 4. I marvaile what was in his mind when hee wrote this answer Hee asketh How it can be prooved from hence that such as consented unto the doctrine of the Gospel propounded unto them by answering Yea or bowing their heads might not thereupon he admitted unto Baptisme they and their Infants Answ 1. I doe not yet understand how hee rayseth this observation viz. that the beleevers in Act. 11. consented to the doctrine of the Gospel by answering Yea to it or bowing their bodies in testimony of their liking thereof I perceive it is an easy thing to conquest if begging may procure one that But I mind not to give the case so away Therefore I doe deny that ever these embraced the truth in so absurd a sort And seeing this is an assertion of his owne head it lies him now upon to justify it Tertullian * In his booke of prescript ag Heret sayth It is not lawfull for men to flatter themselves with any thing of their owne opinion and judgement nor chuse that which comes in their owne braine Wee have the Apostles for example who taught nothing after their owne pleasure but faithfully the doctrines which they received of Christ. 2. If by pronouncing the doctrine of the Gospell hee meane a reading or saying over of a Lituâ—gie as is the matter in controversy then I doe againe deny that there was in the Apostles dayes any such thing practised 3. If it should be
that no infant under the Law was to be circumcised except hee were a member of that visible Church seeing therefore they leave this patterne it must follow as I sayd that they make the argument voyd and of no effect and so refute their owne writings and destroy againe the things which they haue builded 3. Seeing by comparing their practise with their profession they are not so true to their owne grounds as they ought this custome becomes the greater blot and dishonour unto them That they are not true to their grounds I have manifested before To which this further may be added In a Synod held at Dort Anno 1578. it was there agreed that all Parents before they brought their children to be baptized should got unto the Ministers or Elders that so they might give notice unto the Church whose child it was that should be baptized Now for what end should the Parents be enjoyned to acquaint the Church Officers with this thing unlesse their meaning was that none but members children should be baptised If they had intended that things should be as they are now baptise all brought to the Congregation then truely with reverence be it spoken they made a very unnecessary article for what need is there of telling the Church whose children they are if all brought there must be baptised Lastly let it be considered whither the unsound doctrine of the Papists get not countenance by this custome who teach * Aegid Topiar in Epist. Euang. p. 293. that Gods commaundements must sometime give place unto mens traditions Object 2. Compassion towards infants mooveth many Ministers to baptise them Answ Wee may not doe any thing against the expresse will of God under a pretence to shew mercy unto others ‡ 1. King 20.42 that pitty which the godly are to manifest must be rightly-bowelled * 1. Pet. 3.8 that is commaunded of God both for the matter and manner of it It is well knowne that Origen ‡ August de Civit. Dei lib. 21. c. 17 through to much compassion of the wicked thought that the Divels themselves should be saved at lenght unlesse men therefore are carefull to set bounds unto their affections their affections will lead them bejond their bounds To conclude this point my hearts desire is that every godly Minister would be pleased duely to regard these things It was no dishonour unto Iob that hee tooke the councill of his hand-maid Neither did it darken Apollos reputation that hee learned some thing of Aquila and Priscilla A wise Generall of a feild dispiseth not the advise of the meanest souldier in matters of greatest waight Wee are told of a Papist * Picus Mirand an Papa sit supra Concil that wee ought to beleeve a simple plaine Husband man c. if hee speake the truth For my part I should not presume to commend what I haue said to their judicious consideration unlesse I had by diligent inquiry first seene the same to be a truth and so setled my conscience in the certainty of it SECTION VII TO let his scoffes alone which hee merrily puts forth in pag. 71. 72. I will here give him a direct answer unto the thing which hee there demaundeth that is What that due power is by which wee would have the Church to be gouverned and unto which wee would willingly be subjected It is that Polity-Ecclesiasticall which the Lord Iesus the King of his Church hath ordained in the New Testament and given unto all the Churches of his Saints whereby they are to chuse and call into office such as are fit and exercise all other spirituall ordinances in among themselves immediately from him This gouvernment wee hold to be the perfection of all as comprehending in it whatsoever is excellent in all other bodies politicall As man being the perfection of all creatures comprehends in his nature what is excellent in them all Having being with the elements life with the plants sence with beasts and with the Angells reason Those which haue written about the Politike gouvernment of common-wealths as Aristotle a L. 5. Pol. c. 1. l. 3. c. 11. Herbertus b L. 1. Hist Pol. Tolosanus c Lib. 4. c. 5. Bodin d L. 2. c. 7. l. 6. c. 74. Iunius e Par. 1. Qu. Pol. Qu. 4. Danaeus f L. 4. Pol. c. 5. Richterus g Dict. axim 63. Althusius h C. 32. Pol. Contarinus i Hist. Venet. others doe mention three kindes as lawfull and good Monarchicall Aristocraticall and Democraticall Now all these three formes as the Learned ‡ D. Whita cont 4. Q. 1 pag. 14. Refut D. Down Serm. l. 2. par 2. pag. 106. Pet. Mart. loc com Clas 4. c. 5. pag. 783. Keckerm System S.S. Theol. lib. 3. p. 400. judiciously observe haue their places in the Church of Christ In respect of him the head it is a Monarchy in respect of the Eldership an Aristocracy in respect of the body a popular state Further I doe affirme that this Ecclesiasticall gouvernment is unchangeable ordinary best and perpetuall common to all true Churches and unto which all estates must be subject as brethren so every officer likewise And good reason too for it is a matter of faith a point of the Gospell yea of the substance of it and necessary to salvation so farre I meane as other of Gods ordinances But not to speake any more of the necessity and excellency of this Church Gouvernment there being in print many learned Treatises of it I will here lay downe my reasons to proove the former Assertion viz. that every particular visible Church hath from Christ absolute intyre power to exercise in and of herself everie ordinance of God and so is an independent body not standing under any other Ecclesiasticall authoritie out of it self And this I will doe if God permit ARGVMENT I. If those Churches planted by the Apostolique institution had power fullie in themselves immediately from Christ to practise all his ordinances Then have all Churches the like power now But the first is true Therefore the second The proposition is cleare and certaine by these Scriptures 1. Cor. 5.2.3 Act. 14.23 2. Cor. 16.2 Col. 2.5 2. Thess 3.14 The assumption is acknowledged by sundry of our best Divines That first gouvernment of the Church sayth Mr. Brightman * On Revel chap. 2 p. 65 edit 3. is common to all times and places and that it is not to be permitted to be at the arbitrement of men to follow what way they list but that alwayes in reforming a Church wee must have recourse unto the first beginnings to the which as our onely rule wee must call back whatsoever strayeth from it and that they are not to be turned tuned according to the crookednes and jarring sound of the succeeding Churches Mr. Parker * Polit. Eccl. l. 1. c. 23. pag. 59. l. 3. p. 95. 300. hath in
controversy leaneth upon it I will speake further of it in the next Section There are yet other reasons to proove our Assertion the which I will here lay downe more briefly 1. If every Eldership haue alike and equall power as Hierome a Ep. ad Ena Cyprian b L. de unitâ— Eccles Bucer c De Bâ—gâ— Chr. l. 1. c. 15. and others affirme then may not the Officers of one Congregation seeke by authority to suppresse the acts and decrees concluded in another 2. It is against sence that a Minister should undertake the care of more Churches then one onely who reads in Scriptute of a steward over many families a sheepheard over divers Flockes c. Nature hath ordained sayth Aristotle * Lib. 1. c. 2 one unto one 3. Is it alike thing that the Classicall power should be of Gods approoving and yet hee never mention it in his word This argument the Hierarchy ‡ Iew. Defe Apol. 2. par c. 3. divis 5. use against Popish Offices and the Reformists * D. Laten Syons Plea p. 9. against theirs Now let the discreet Reader judge if it proove not the point in hands as well Here I may not omit Zwinglius * Zwingl Art 8. expl speach speaking of Synods Wee willingly beleeve sayth hee that you are a representative Church for a true Church you are not But I pray you shew us whence you fetch this name Who hath given you this name who hath given you power to make Canons impose things on mens shouldiers grieve their consciences c. And a little after hee sayth Of this representative Church I find nothing in the Holy Scriptures out of mens devises any may faigne what they list wee rest in the Holy Scripture against which thou mayst not attempt any thing if thou be a Christian. 4. Whosoever shall deny our afore-said assertion must of necessity hold two distinct formes of Church gouvernment to be lawfull one where particular Congregations doe in and of themselves exercise all Gods ordinances the other where they stand under another Ecclesiasticall authority out of themselves Now to hold this is directly all one as to hold two wayes to heaven distinct and opposite in themselves which is very scandalous in Religion and that which cannot stand with truth 5. Let it be observed that for this reason among others the Learned ‡ D. Whita cont 4. qu. 4 Chamier l. 6. conject 2. say the Pope is Antichrist viz. because hee will haue men to appeale from their owne Churches unto him and to stand unto his sentence and decree And doe not the Classicall Assemblyes and Synods take upon them an authority much like to it in subjecting many Congregations to them requiring appeales to be made to them and that the Iudicatory as Mr. Pagets * In his Letter given into the Consistory phrase is belongeth to them as if their power were above all Churches 6. VVhat more meet and reasonable then that every mans case be there heard and determined where the fault was committed so sayth Cyprian * Cypr. lib. 1 Epist 3. It is not fit that they over whom the Holy Ghost hath made us overseers should goe too and fro Hee speaketh of carying matters away from their owne Church unto others * See pag. 35.36 7. Note the effect if it should be otherwise which is that every particular Congregation must hence necessarily loose her owne proper right in gouvernment and so of a Mistres become a servant in stead of being superiour wilfully vassall and enslave her self which thing is contrary to Gods will revealed in his word * Gal. 5.1 1. Co. 7.23 2. Ti. 1.13 Heb. 4.14 Revel 2.25 8. Seeing the Apostles wheresoever they constituted any Church with doctrine immediately established in it Ecclesiasticall gouvernment ‡ Park Pol. Eccl l. 1 20 for without this as D. Ames * De consc l. 4. c. 24. pag. 214. sayth there could have beene no conbling of the parts and members together It must needs follow that the Primitive Churches were independent bodies and stood not under any other Ecclesiasticall authority out of themselves Now how Mr. Paget will be able to proove a change of this gouvernment I doe not yet see especially considering that the Learned as I shewed before * Pag. 72. doe hold that there is but one certaine necessary and perpetuall forme and manner of ordering Churches And this also is the judgement of Calvin a Calv. ad Sad. P. Martyr b In Rom. 3.21 D. Bilson c Perp. Gov. 338. c. yea the Confession of the Churches of France d Harm conf art 29 of the Low Countries e Harm art 30. and Scotland f Treat of the Discipl of that Church in a word to this the Papists g Sander visib Mon. l. 1. c. 6. ascent 9. By the titles given to all particular Congregations it appeares evidently that Ecclesiasticall authority is or at least ought to be in every one of them distinctly wholie intyrely viz. a Kingdome h Mat. 3.2 Family i Eph. 2.19 a Body k 1. Cor. 12.20 a Queene l Psal 45. c. For what more senceles then to say a Kingdome or family standing under another Politicall or Oeconomicall gouvernment out of themselves a body having all parts and members and yet may neither receive in nor put out without anothers leave and consent many such absurdities * See Park Pol. Eccl. 3. p. 23. 321.322 Iun. Eccl. l. 1. c. 4. D. Whitak cont 4. Qu. 1. p. 38. followeth Mr. Pagets lately-devised Tenets 10. The acts of the Apostolique Churches proove directly our assertion For it is without all contradiction that they elected their owne Ministers excommunicated offenders sent messengers and performed all other Church matters among themselves Lastly let it be observed that Mr. Paget in this accordeth with the Papists * Bellar. de Eccl. l. 5. c. 5 and Hierarchy * D. Downa D. Bridges others for they say as hee doth that particular Churches are not independent bodies but stand under another Ecclesiasticall authority out of themselves The which thing our writers deny and proove the contrary By this time I suppose the indifferent Reader perceiveth that the Scriptures are every way for us and against Mr. Paget in this controversy betwixt us Now hee should doe well seeing wee dispute about a matter of faith appertaining to life and salvation to rest in them as the onely touching for triall of all truth Notwithstanding considering hee makes so much a doe about the multitude of learned and Godly Ministers being of the same judgement and practise with him Pag. 73. according as Festus knowing Paul to haue appealed unto Caesar did reasonably resolve saying Vnto Caesar shalt thou goe so I am well contented to heare what reverend and judicious Authors doe say herein And if Mr. Paget will stand unto their
granted which hee cannot proove that those Christians at Antioch consenied to the doctrine of the Gospell by answering Yea to it or bowing their heads in testimony of their approbation of it Yet this helpes not his case at all unlesse hee can proove 1. That they were not members of any visible Church 2. That their conversation was irreligious 3. That they presented their infants to the Minister in the Congregation and after saying Yea or nodding the head to some questions propounded had them baptised Thus are his answers very wind and no more savour in them then in the white of an egg eaten without salt The next allegation is Gen. 17.10 This is my Covenant which yee shall keepe betweene me and you and thy seed after thee Everie man child among you shall be circumcised Mr. Paget to this answereth It can not hence be shewed that more questions were propounded to the Parents which brought their children to be circumcised then are now in the administration of Baptisme c. Or that such had circumcision denied unto their children which shewed a willingnes to embrace the Covenant by such brief answers and gestures wee speake off Answ Here are words but in truth not a word concerning the matter for which hee bringeth them This Scripture Gen. 17.10 was alledged to shew that such are to be counted Christians children and so consequently to have right unto Baptisme whose Parents at least one of them in externall profession are within the Covenant Thus writeth Mr. Davenport Now if a man read the others reply hee must needs confesse unlesse hee will confesse himself to be a Simplician and ignorant in Logicke and Religion that it is as indisgested a thing as ever was broched by a man of learning much better therefore it had bene if hee had left this loose kind of reasoning and either disprooved some part of the others proofe according to the rules of reason or yeelded to the conclusion which followeth by force of argument But to make a short answer to his speach although it looke not unto the thing for which hee devised it 1. How doth he know that there was a Leiturgie of Circumcision in the Church of God under the Law and that it was propounded to those Parents which brought their children to be circumcised This I lay up on him as another invention of his owne for it is most certaine never was there such a thing practised by the Fathers in old time neither haue the Iewes in these dayes any humane forme among them Besides if their writings * Syntag. In. c. 2. p. 80. Drus praet 〈◊〉 7. Purchas Pil. l. 2. c. 14. sect 4. p. 204.205 be searched which treat of the manner of circumcision there will be found no such thing in them whereof hee speaketh Among many other good properties which hee himselfe saith hee hath one is that * Pag. 104. hee is no inventer of new conceits and opinions But surely if the rest there be not truer then this hee will be found an untrue speaker in them all Further I would know of him what hee intendeth by embracing the Covenant for I perceive hee seeketh advantage by double construction of words Is it his meaning that those which were no Iewes nor members of the Iewish Church yer brought notwithstanding their infants unto the Preists and when they had answered to some questions either by saying Yea or nodding with the head they had them immediately circumcised although themselves remained still out of the communion and fellowship of the Church If this be his meaning as it must needs be unlesse his meaning were to write just nothing then I doe affirme that in this hee hath spoken irreligiously injuriously and untruely 1. Irreligiously to have the seale of the righteousnes of faith to be made an unholy thing 2. Injuriously to accuse Gods chosen of finne causelesly 3. Vntruely and thus I proove it None might eat of the Passeover unlesse they were members of the Iewish Church Exod. 12.6.45 But all circumcised among them might eat of the Passeover vers 44. Therefore all the circumcised among them were members of the Church If the Reader desire to know further about this thing let him him peruse Mr. Ainsworths Annotations on Genes 17. and Exod. 12. and there hee shall see what the Iewes write of it viz. that none are to communicate with the Church in the ordinances of circumcision and the Passeover but such as are members thereof The next Scripture is Rom. 4.11 And hee received the signe of circumcision a seale of the righteousnes of saith which hee had yet being uncircumcised Mr. Pagets answer to this allegation may be cast into 3 heads or branches 1. Abraham is called the father of all that beleeve whither members of a particular Church or not 2. There might be some beleevers in Abrahams time not members of his familie nor under the gouvernment of any particular Church 3. If a sonne or bond servant of Ephron the Hittite were then brought to the knowledge of the true God c. why might not the infant of such a one have bene circumcised though not living in a visible Church Answ I will not say that Mr. Paget hath read Antonies precept in Tully * De Orat. l. 2. who wisheth men if they be troubred about a hard question to say nothing to it But this I can say of him by experience hee fol owes that rule closely For as before so here againe hee useth many words but answereth not at all to the point in hand This Scripture as may be seene in the place ‡ Iust Comp. pag. 5. was brought to proove that as Abraham received circumcision when hee was a member of a visible Church so consequently baptisme which comes in the roome thereof belongeth peculiarly to such as are joyned to some particular Congregation Mr. Paget perceiving as it is probable the strenght of the argument cunningly withdrawes himself from it and that the Reader might not see it hee sets downe 2 or 3 conceited fancies of his owne unto which briefly thus I answer 1. Imagen I should deny that there were in Abrahams time any beleevers out of his family or contrarywise say I grant there were what would hee hence inferre for my part I know not nor yet hee himfelf I am perswaded 2. Concerning his why not I aske of him for his why so Is it the manner of Disputers to propound a case and then aske of the standers by Sirs why may it not be thus If there be any Divine patterne for such a practise it now concerneth you Mr. Paget to shew it If you cannot as I am sure you cannot then I wish you in such cases hereafter to shurt your lips * Pr. 17.28 and so you shall be esteemed a man of the better understand But to deliver you if it may be from your vaine conjectures and doubts As for circumcision it was not commaunded to the Gentles at all