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doctrine_n	catholic_a	church_n	communion_n	2,111	5	9.0012	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75492	A consideration of certaine controversies at this time agitated in the kingdome of England, concerning the government of the church of God. / Written at the command and appointment of the Walachrian classis, by Guilielmus Apollonii, minister of the Word of God at Middleburgh. And sent from the Walachrian churches, to declare the sense and consent of their churches, to the Synod at London. Octob. 16. 1644. Stilo novo. Translated out of Latine accorning to the printed copy.	Apollonius, Willem, 1602 or 3-1657.	1645 (1645)	Wing A3535; Thomason E1155_2; ESTC R208676	76,829	175

often testifies that for the glory of his Name and his Covenant made with Abraham he hath constantly kept and continued the grace of his Covenant and the priviledges promised for many ages to those children whose nearest Ancestors rebelling against God and unworthy of all the grace of the Covenant had revolted from God See Psal 106. 35 36 44 45. Isai 63. 10 11. and 51. 1 2 3. Ezek. 20. 8. c. Again Baptisme was also instituted by God to be a signe of our ingrafting into the Communion not only of a Parochiall or Particular Church but of the Church Universall and Catholike 1 Cor. 12. 13. And therefore those who are within the visible Catholike Church though through neglect or want of opportunity or the like they have not joyned themselves to a particular Parochiall Church by a confession of the faith the knowledge and worship of the Covenant are to be admitted to Baptisme as also their children But that any be constituted in the visible Catholike Church it is requisite that he imbrace the tables of Gods Covenant that is that he imbrace the Word of God and the meanes of Salvation and professe the faith of the Christian Church Catholike and the Doctrine and Worship of the Covenant and live in that holy and visible communion with the Church of Christ which distinguisheth them from those that are strangers to the Covenant and insidels We hence affirm therfore that in the Church of Christ Baptisme lawfully may and ought to be administred not only to those infants whose next parents have joyned themselves in a Church-Covenant to some particular Church and in that church-Church-communion do lead their lives piously but even to Infants of those who have joined thēselves to no Parochial Church and by their wicked wayes have rendered themselves unworthy of the grace of the Covenant if so be they be borne of a Christian stock and baptized parents who professe the faith of the Christian Church the doctrine and worship of the Covenant and by those parents or those that are neere to them under whose power they are be according to the accustomed order of our Churches offered to Baptisme The Reasons on which we ground it are these 1. Because under the Old Testament the Children of the Israelites were admitted to circumcision although their next parents had made defection from God and wallowing in sinnes to their lives end had made the benefit of the Covenant as to themselves voyd As appeareth Josh 5. 2 3 4 5 6 7. where the Children of such Israelites of whom many had dyed in their wickednesse as well as of the godly are commanded to be circumcised 2. Because the childrē even of ungodly parēts who in the visible Church professe the Christian faith and the Doctrine and Worship of Gods Covenant are under the Covenant of God and indued with federall holinesse for their infidelity doth not make the faith of God and his constancy in dispensing the grace of the Covenant without effect Rom. 3. 3. Hence God cals the children of the ungodly Israelites His children although they offered them to Moloch Ezek 16. 20. 23. 37. For the ungodlinesse of their next parents doth not make void the efficacy of the Covenant towards the following posterity which live in the visible Church See Ezek. 20. 18 19 23 36 37 42 43. And therefore those priviledges and promises of federall holinesse belong to them and so the Church ought to conferre on them the Sacraments as seales of that holinesse 3. Because in the New Testament those of yeares were all Baptized by Iohn Baptist and the Apostles Publicans Souldiers and whoever out of Judea and the Regions round about came to his Baptisme without any longer examination if so be they professed the faith and confessed their sins though there were amongst them hypocrites generations of vipers and debauched men And therfore the Infants of such are likewise to be admitted to Baptisme This question Walaeus disputes at large in defence of the practise of the Reformed Churches in his common Places Pag. 494 495. of his Workes in folio We reject therfore the contrary Assertions 1. Of those who deny Baptisme to the children of such as live wickedly and by their ungodly life make the efficacy of their Baptisme to themselves of none effect To these we oppose the judgement of the Professors of Leyden in their Synopsis Theologiae where they thus discourse disput 44. thes 50. Neither yet do we therfore exclude say they from the Communion of this Sacrament those Infants who are borne of a Christian stock and baptised parents though their parents by their ungodly life and corrupt faith have made the efficacy of the Covenant sealed in Baptisme to themselves of none effect if by those parents or those that are neare to them under whose power they are they be according to the order accustomed in our Churches presented to Baptisme because under the new Covenant the sonne doth not beare the iniquity of the father and God notwithstanding remaines the God of such children as himselfe witnesseth Ezek. 16. 23 where he cals the children of the wicked Israelites his children whom they had begotten for God though they offered them to Moloch and out of them also doth God ordinarily gather his Church by the ordinary preaching of the word Wherfore also he commandeth the children of such Israelites many of whom had dyed in their wickednesse as well as of the godly to be circumcised Josh 5. 4 6. and that this ought to be done both the Jewish and the primitive Christian Church have alwayes held without controversy Thus the professors of Leyden 2. Of those who deny Baptisme to the Children of such as have not joyned themselves to any particular Church by a Church-Covenant though they acknowledge them otherwise godly But for that Baptisme doth unite men not to a particular Church only but also to the Universall Church visible we hold that it is to be denyed to none who belong to the universall Church See what we have said above concerning a Church-Covenant CHAP. VI. Of Classes and Synods and their authority Question 1. VVHether Classes and Synods have an authoritative power whereby they may authoritatively judge causes Ecclesiasticall with Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction so as that particular Churches ought to submit themselves to their decrees under the penalty of Ecclesiasticall censure Answer VVEe judge that there is an Ecclesiasticall and sacred communion betweene particular Churches not only as they are joyned in a brotherly communion and professe one common faith and piety but also as they are Churches and bodyes of a spirituall polity and have and exercise a government and Ecclesiasticall discipline in common So Ames himselfe confesseth Medul Theolog. lib. 1 cap. 39. thes 27. That particular Churches as their communion requireth the light of nature and the equity of Scripture rules and examples teach may and very often even ought to enter into mutuall consociation or confederation amongst themselves in Classes

its externall manner of existence in which are included both godly and reprobates II. We reject the opinion of those who think that in the Church none are to be admitted as members into the externall fellowship of the Church but such as have been by a strict examination first tried by other beleevers or the Elders of the Church in the exercises of Piety the duties of Prayer holy conferences and spirituall Communion and have manifested to them evident signes of Regeneration and have afterwards before the whole body of the Church publikely professed a sincere confession of faith and have either by a continued speech or by questions and answers made manifest by evident signes the saving grace of God in them whereby they are translated from the kingdome of darknesse to the Kingdome of God and such a spirit that in a Church Covenant sincerely faithfully and godlily in the presence of God and the whole Church they both can and will walk in the wayes of God For we reade not that in the Apostolicall Church this manner of admitting Church members was in use Those three thousand Act. 2. were not in this manner added to the Church of Christ but men were upon such a confession joyned to the Church of Christ as whereby hypocrites and persons not converted might have entrance into the Church and that under the inspection of the Apostles who were indued with extraordinary gifts of the Spirit Whence also in our Reformed Churches of the Netherlands members of Churches are admitted by a confession of the true Faith and Religion a solemne Protestation to submit themselves to the Discipline of the Church a testimony of an unblameable and inoffensive life As also Ames himselfe affirmeth that men are duly admitted into the Church by a confession of Faith and promise of obedience Medull lib. 1. cap. 32. thes 17. And in some more numerous Churches in the Netherlands it is the custome and practise for the Churches greater prudence in admitting members that those who desire admission into Church-communion before their solemne profession of faith are for some weekes severall times privately exercised and instructed if they be not sufficiently exercised and this instruction is by the Ministers in the Visitation of their severall precincts and is also publikely offered to all when notice is given of celebrating the Lords Supper The Ministers inquire likewise of the integrity of life and conversation of those who expect communion with us Afterwards they use to undergoe an examination before the consistory in their consistoriall meeting or before the delegates of the Consistorie which is performed by the Minister through all the points of Catechisme And last of all having been thus tryed they do in publike before the body of the Church by a bare affirmation give answer to these generall Positions Whether or no they acknowledge the Doctrine of our Churches to be the Orthodox faith and the way of Salvation Whether or no they promise by the grace of God to persist till death in the Profession of this Doctrine Whether or no they promise to live holily and as becommeth this Doctrine Whether or no they submit themselves to the Discipline of the Church In this manner are those who desire admission admitted to our Church Communion This custome though laudable is not indeed contrary but yet is beside the order of our Churches and is not in use in all our Churches which therefore we do not urge as absolutely necessary but make use of it for the greater Ecclesiasticall prudence in so grave and serious a matter In the meane time we esteeme that order established in our Ecclesiasticall constitutions to be sufficient for the due admitting of members into Church Communion according to the word of God CHAP. II. Of a Church-Covenant Question VVHether a Church-Covenant solemnly made between the Members and the Governours of a Church publikely before the whole Church whereby the members of a particular Church are by a publike and expresse agreement and promise associated and united amongst themselves to exercise the feare and sacred worship of God unity of faith brotherly love mutuall edification and all duties of piety in a holy communion with God and amongst themselves be absolutely necessary and essentiall to the constitution of a true Church so that without this Covenant there is no true or pure Church nor true Church member Answer THe Reformed Churches judge it necessary to the constitution of a particular visible Church that there be sacred union in the exercise of Ecclesiasticall communion expressed by certaine externall acts appointed by God and to be exercised in a visible Church society under one ministry and spirituall discipline But this union they affirme the members of a true Church enter into amongst themselves when they are united in one externall profession of the truth and holynesse and in the same baptisme and will frequent the same divine worship be subject to the same Church Governors be governed by the same law and jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall and do submit themselves to the same discipline and partake of the same Supper of the Lord. And in this union there is they affirme a kind of tacit and virtuall Covenant which uniteth the faithfull into a particular Church although such a solemne Covenant betweene them in expresse termes be not publikely entered into before the whole Church as the question requireth We grant in this controversy 1. That there is a Covenant of saving grace between God and repenting Sinners founded in Christ the Mediator whereby all the faithfull are obliged to the performance of all duties of piety which he hath commanded in his word as well in Church communion and fellowship as out of it by which Covenant all those who are truly partakers of it obtain right to all those saving benefits which are contained in the promises of this Covenant 2. That there is a tacit or virtuall Covenant between the members of one and the same externall particular Church whereby they are obliged to the performance of those mutuall duties which are required of the members of a visible Church in reference to their particular Church communion as that they will be subject to the care and Discipline of their own Pastors frequent the same publike worship of God and be ruled by the same law and jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall by which Covenant they also obtain to themselves right to those things which are peculiar to this particular Church and the members thereof and do not belong to other particular Churches 3. We grant that there may be an expresse and solemne Covenant in the presence of God and the Church upon extraordinary occasions entered into by all the members of the visible Church of one nation or kingdome when the Church in that kingdome or nation hath made defection from God and his worship or some other necessity call for it for the preserving or propagating or restoring of the decayed worship of God By which Covenant notwithstanding there doth not accrew

and Synods that they may so farre as conveniently can be make use of common consent and mutuall assistance especially in those things that are of greater moment But yet how much greater and further space and remotenesse of distance there is between particular Churches so much the lesse also is the visible communion of those Churches because the danger of scandall and infection and the opportunity of mutual edification is lesse or more according as the distinct distance of places is greater or lesse Wherfore there is a more strict visible Ecclesiasticall communion between the Churches of one Province or Nation then between the particular congregations of the Church Universall and consequently the jurisdiction and Ecclesiasticall government is also lesse visible between these then between the Churches of one Nation This communion of Churches in government and Church discipline is not only for the informing of Churches what is commanded by the word of God but also for the governing of them by laws and spirituall jurisdiction for there is an authority and power of rule belonging by the word of God to Churches joyned in Classes and Synods which to particular Churches singly and severally belongeth not to wit a power of making Canons and laws Ecclesiasticall which may bind all the particular Churches of one Province or Kingdome to obey them We grant in this controversy 1. That the power of Classes and Synods doth not take away or hurt the power or liberty Ecclesiasticall of a particular Church for it serveth to direct preserve and promote the power of Synods is not privative but cumulative and granted for this end that the power given to particular Churches may be more efficacious orderly regular able and apt for edifying 2. That there is a power belonging to a particular Church immediatly granted from God not derived from Classes or Synods as likewise there is belonging to Classes and Synods a power of their own immediatly granted by God and not derived from the particular Churches For though in regard of the Originall or the rise and constitution of a Synod particular Churches intire in themselves collaterall one to another and equall in Church power do in common contribute associate and exercise their Church power and so make up a collective and combined body of a Synod yet the Synodicall authority of it selfe is not granted to any other first subject from whence it should be derived to the Synod then to the Synod it selfe to which alone by the word of God and Apostolicall institution that power belongeth for no particular Churches singly and severally considered may exercise a Synodicall power over other Churches But we affirme 1. That this union and communion of particular Churches in a government and discipline Ecclesiasticall in common which is exercised in Synods and Classes is grounded upon the word of God and in the examples of the Apostolicall Church is proposed to us to imitate 2. That these Synods and Classes have a power and authority Synodall and Classicall whereby they do by spirituall jurisdiction authoritatively decerne matters Ecclesiasticall and impose those decrees under paine of Ecclesiasticall censure on particular Churches Our opinion is proved by these following arguments 1. In Act. 15. we have in the Apostles practise an expresse example of a Synod held at Jerusalem about a question concerning the observation of the Law of Moses In which Synod that businesse which had wrought a disturbance in the particular Churches ver 2 4 5 23. is by the deputies of severall Churches ver 2 6 23. Act. 21. 17 18 25. determined with power authoritative to bind particular Churches to obedience ver 22 28. chap. 16. 4. 21 25. And the false doctrine of those who subverted the soules of their hearers is by an Ecclesiasticall judgement condemned with spirituall power ver 28 29. which thing is an act of Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction as appeareth Revel 2. 2 14 20. and the determination of this Ecclesiasticall law was not by an extraordinary Apostolike authority but by an ordinary authority Ecclesiasticall for it was done not by the Apostles alone extraordinarily acted by the Spirit of God but by the Elders and brethren of the Church joyned with the Apostles acting not by their Apostololicall but by their ordinary Pastorall authority with great discussion and disputation and the assent of the Churches which argue that the decrees of this Synod were not made by an extraordinary Apostolicall authority but by an ordinary Ecclesiasticall power 2. Our assertion is proved from Christs institution Mat. 18. 17 18. where he doth institute such Ecclesiasticall Assemblies as may by Ecclesiasticall authority make provision and prepare efficacious remedies against all scandals and offences If the members of a particular Church do give scandall to one another he bids that it be shewed to a superior Ecclesiasticall Judge to wit the Church representative which by Ecclesiasticall authority doth condemne and punish and remove from Ecclesiasticall and brotherly communion the person offending and therefore doth likewise command that if particular Churches give offence to one another it should be carried to a superior Ecclesiasticall Judge which may by spirituall authority condemne punish and put from Ecclesiasticall communion the particular Church offending for where the law makes no distinction or restriction there must not we distinguish or restrain And certainly the remedy instituted in this place is ordained by Christ for the removing out of the visible Church all scandals not only caused by particular members but also by whole Churches and therfore there must be acknowledged a superior Ecclesiasticall Assembly which may by authoritative Ecclesiasticall power judge of the scandall of particular Churches as well as a superiour Ecclesiasticall judge in a particular Church is to be acknowledged from this institution for judging the scandalls of particular members For since that according to the holy Scriptures we must grant that there is an Ecclesiasticall communion between the visible Churches of one Province Nation yea and of the whole World as is proved before which communion is not only fraternall but Ecclesiasticall whereby Churches as Churches or bodies Ecclesiasticall are joyned and united in doctrine government worship discipline and Ecclesiasticall polity and seeing that in this holy communion scandals are committed which are unbeseeming those Churches and to be cast forth from that Ecclesiasticall communion therfore both by the law of nature and this divine law here instituted by Christ we must acknowledge a superiour Ecclesiasticall Senat furnished with spirituall and Ecclesiasticall authority which may remove those scandals Hence Parker himselfe de politia Ecclesiast lib. 3. cap. 24. groundeth the authority of Synods on this place And the Professors of Leyden disput 49. thes 10. discourse thus The institution of Ecclesiasticall Assemblies and so also of a Synod is not of humane but of divine right being founded on the words of Christ Tell the Church if he heare not the Church c. Whomsoever ye bind on earth c. Where

in one Ecclesiasticall body and society Againe that whole communion or society is by excommunication deprived of its members and so the particular Church exerciseth excommunication in a businesse not proper to it selfe but in a mattter common which concerneth all the Churches of that Ecclesiasticall body it ought therfore to be judged and handled by them all The end of excommunication that the evill and the leaven of infection be taken away from amongst them the Ecclesiasticall society purged from offences concerneth not only the particular Church but all the Churches of the Classicall or Synodicall society and therfore the excommunication is to be decerned by the judgement of all that it may attaine the proper end for which it is to be exercised in the Church See 1 Cor. 5. 6 7. The censure of Reprehension and Condemnation against those brethren that troubled the Churches and subverted the soules of the godly in the Church of Antioch and Ierusalem was by the decree of the Synod performed and put in execution Act. 15. 1 6 24. That degree or step towards excommunication shews that there is in the Synods power the judgement of the excommunication for to that assembly to which belongs an Ecclesiasticall Reproofe and censure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there belongs also in case of disobedience and obstinacy the authority and judgement of Excommunication Matth. 18. 17 18. compared with 1 Cor. 5 4 5. and 2 Cor. 2. 6. For it is a part of Ecclesiasticall Binding as the Reformed Divines doe every where teach Furthermore Binding saith Bucer Dissert de gubernatione Ecclesiae pag. 374. consisteth partly in taking knowledge of the sins which are committed with the offence of many partly in correction answerable to the quality and greatnesse of the sinnes whereby we provide both for the Salvation of the sinners and the edification of the Church The kinds or degrees of correction are Reprehension Abstention from the Lords Table and Excommunication Accordingly in the Churches of the Netherlands no particular Church is permitted to deliver any one to Satan by Excommunication but by the judgement and Approbation of the Classis See the Synod at Middleburgh Anno 1581. art 62. at the Hagh Anno 1586. art 69. at Middleburgh Anno 1591. art 69. at Dort Anno 1619. art 76. 4. Classes and Synods have power to exercise Church Discipline and censure on the Pastors and Elders of a particular Church or in those acts of Excommunication which are appointed for keeping of Ecclesiasticall persons only to their duty Which acts consist in Prohibition and Execution Prohibition is whereby the Church forbiddeth to Pastors and whole Presbyteries under penalties to be inflicted on the disobedient what ever things are accounted scandalous to the sacred Ministery or do hinder publike edification as to involve themselves in secular imployments to take mony for admitting to Baptisme to retaine an adulterous wife to take up armes in sedition to keep Hawkes and Hounds for hunting to use gaming to be present at dancings and stage-playes which have been forbidden in Councels with judiciall and definitive authority as may be gathered from the Acts of the Councels By Execution is understood Ecclesiasticall punishment which was according to the Lawes to be inflicted on offenders which were various according to the quality and greatnesse of the offences The principall are Suspension and Deposition Suspension when they prohibited any from the whole Exercise of his Office till such time as he had given the Church satisfaction Deposition I call that whereby they did wholly put the offender from his function the Greekes called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which there are also some degrees For some when deprived from their Office are only hindered from meddling with holy things but do not wholly abstaine from the Communion of the Lords Supper other are debarred from this also yea and shut out from all sacred Communion and Ecclesiasticall Fellowship Of these censures the Canons and Histories of the ancient Church doe frequently make mention And that in inflicting of these Synods did improve their authority and endeavour is konwn to all that are not strangers in the Acts of the Councels But let us consult the Scriptures themselves When the Apostle commands the Elders of the Ephesine Classis to watch against such as should speake perverse things to draw Disciples after them he intimates clearly that they had an authority to drive away wolves Act. 20. 30 31. The Church of Ephesus was not a particular Church of one Congregation but a Presbyteriall Church or an united Society of many particular Churches as we have proved before The Synod at Jerusalem passed a Prohibition and condemnation in order to Church censure on those Pastors who taught perverse things and troubled particular Churches with much disputation as hath been said from Acts 15. And thus Censure Suspension and Deposition of Pastors and Elders from their Ecclesiasticall function in many cases is attributed to the Classicall Assembly and Provinciall Synods in our Ecclesiasticall Canons in the Netherlands See the Synod at Dort Anno 1578. art 9 99 100. at the Hagh Anno 1586. art 39 40 72 at Middleburgh Anno 1591. art 58 59 60. at Dort Anno 1619. art 79. 5. There belongs Authority to Classes and Synods to passe an Ecclesiasticall censure against the whole Consistory of a particular Church in case they disturbe the Church with damnable errour or pollute it with the leaven of vices And if they obstinately adhere to their perverse doctrines and corrupt manners then according to the quality and greatnesse of the sinnes by the dreadfull sentence of Excommunication to cast them out of the spirituall Communion of the Churches and deliver them to Satan This assertion is proved Because a Synod of Pastours by the Concionall Key may authoritatively in the Name of God denounce an Anathema against a particular Church erring perversly For this one single Pastor of a Church may doe by authority of the Office committed to him how much more then a Synod of Pastors Now to an unity or Ecclesiasticall College instituted by God to whom by authority of their Office there belongs the Concionall or Doctrinall Key there belongs also the Key of Ecclesiasticall Discipline and the Exercise thereof for in an Ecclesiasticall Colledge or Society God hath conjoyned the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven and given them together Matth. 18. 17 18. And in a Particular Church this appeares evidently to the Consistory whereof God hath given not only a Concionall and Comminatory Power to denounce an Anathema but also a Power of Excommunication joyned with it And consequently to greater and superiour Church Assemblies also hath God given both these powers joyntly The Apostle attributes to the united Association of the particular Churches of Galatia a power of cutting off all those Troublers who corrupted the sound Doctrine and the peace of the Churches Gal. 5. 9 10 11 12. what hinders therefore but that they might exercise this power against a