is a Church not assembled to prophecying and praying but to rebuking to judiciall censuring by binding and loosing where all private persons as their witnesses the offended brother be they publike or be they private persons yea suppose a woman otherwise forbidden to speake in the Church met for worship 1 Cor. 14. may speake in this Church for a woman may offend and be excommunicate or be offended for scandals betwixt woman and woman is to be removed 3. The Church spoken of here is such a superiour and judiciall seat as ought to be obeyed in the Lord under the paine of excommunication and to whose voice and sentence coactive the contumacious is said to be disobedient as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to disobey in the holy tongues doth signifie But a multitude of beleevers are no such superiour and judiciall seat as may be obeyed or disobeyed by inferiours under the paine of excommunication for it is without the warrant of Gods Word that all Christians Pastors Elders and Doctors are under the judiciall and coactive sentence of beleevers 4. What ever Church may excommunicate every member thereof convened with the Church may inflict all inferiour censures also for whosoever may inflict judicially the greater punishment may inflict the lesse but all the members of the Church of beleevers may not in this assembled Church inflict lesser punishments For example a woman a sonne a servant who are all equally the true members of the true Church of beleevers being beleeving professors may not in an assembled Congregation rebuke publikely her husband and Pastor his Father and Master For publike rebuking being a degree of teaching and especially in the assembled Church the Apostle will not have the woman to teach publikely and usurpe authority over the man nor any to exhort and rebuke in the Church but Pastors 5. These to whom the essence and definition of a Ministeriall Church having power to excommunicate as this Church hath that power Mat. 18. 17. doth necessarily and essentially belong these and these only are here understood under the name of the Church But so it is that the essence and definition of a Ministeriall Church having power to excommunicate agreeth not necessarily and essentially to a company of true beleevers assembled Church-wayes ergo by the name of a Church here is no wayes understood the Church of true beleevers assembled Church-wayes The proposition is undenyable for out of the words may be gathered a definition of a Ministeriall Church to wit an Assembly that has power of preaching and binding and loosing and so of all Church-censures I prove the assumption To have power to preach convene before them and judicially cognosce and sentence and excommunicate a contumacious member doth agree to these that by no necessity are beleevers because to have power to preach and excommunicate essentially require no more but that persons be 1. professors of the truth 2. that they be gifted to preach and governe 3. that they be duely called thereunto by the Church as Judas and others are but all these three are and may be in a company in whom is no saving faith as the word and experience cleare For howbeit to be a called Pastor the like I say of Elders Doctors Deacons and visible professors require faith in Christ as a gracious element and necessary ingredient to make him a saved man Yet it is not required to the essence of a Pastor Yea Parker Answorth and authors of Presbyter govern ex acknowledge professors to be members of a visible Church and so to have power of the keyes who are but rotten hypocrites and what wonder seeing God onely seeth the heart and men cannot see farre in a milstone 6. All the arguments proving that the power of the keyes is not given to all beleevers but onely to the overseers of the Church and proving that the government of Christs house is not popular but in the hands of the Elders proveth the same for this is a ruling and authoritative and judging Church 7. Pareus saith The Church here meaned is the Church to be complained unto but none can complaine to a multitude 8. The practise of the Apostolike Church 1 Cor. 1. The house of Eloe being grieved with the schisme of Corinth telleth not the whole beleevers but telleth it to Paul and in him to the Pastors who had the rod of discipline in their hands and the Spirit of God giveth rules about receiving complaints to the Eldership Tit. 1. 13. and never to all beleevers therefore the rebuking and excommunicating Church spoken of here must be the Church of Elders 9. The Church here is those to whom the keyes are given Mat. 16. 19. I will give to thee the keyes whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven but here the keyes are given to Peter and in him to the Apostles and those to whom he said Joh. 20. Whose sinnes ye forgive they are forgiven and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained for that is to binde and loose in heaven as they should bind and loose on earth and to whom he said As my Father sent me so send I you but this Christ said to the Church of the Apostles and Elders for he hath not sent every beleever as his Father sent him for that is a Pastorall sending as is cleare from Mat. â—8 18. All power is given to me in heaven and in earth Hence he draweth a conclusion v. 19. Goe therefore and teach c. Which clearly includeth the keyes and power of preaching baptizing and governing which agreeth not to all beleevers in any tollerable sense As Theophilact Chrysostome Cyrill August Hieron Cyprian teach and that this place Ioh. 20. As my Father sent me so send I you cannot be common to all beleevers the Fathers teach Theophilact in loc He saith to them Enter ye in my ministeriall charge Cyrill in loc Chrysost. ibid. Creati sunt totius orbis Doctores Aug. in Psa. 44. Hieron Epist. and Evagrin Cyprian Epist. 41. in locum Pauli omnes successisse 10. The onely apparent Argument against this interpretation is weake and so our interpretation must stand For they say that the word Church is never taken but for a company of beleevers and the redeemed Eph. 2. 20. builded on the rocke Christ. I deny not but the word Church is very sparingly taken for the overseers onely yet it is taken in that sense and there is reason why it cannot bee otherwise taken in this place for Revelation 2. The Angell of the Church of Ephesus Smyrna c. standeth for the whole Church and the whole Church is written unto under the name of the Angell of such a Church Which may be demonstrated thus 1. because not only the Ministers but the people that have eares to heare are all
bought with a price all things are theirs and therfore all power which consequence is no stronger the one way then the other 9. It layeth a blot upon Christs wisdome who hath appointed congregations to be edified by no power of the keyes in case of aberration aâ—d incorrigible obstinacy 10. It maketh the Word of God imperfect which setteth downe no Canons how the believers of an independent Church should governe and Paul teacheth how Timothy and Titus and all Church-men should governe 11. It excludeth not women from usurping authority over men by judging excommunicating ordaining pastors seeing they are the body and Spouse of Christ as believing men are 12. It maketh the Sacraments no Sacraments the baptized non-baptized and in the place of Turkes if possibly the pastour and the ten professours of the independent Church be unbelievers which is too ordinary 13. By this an assembly of Pastors and Elders from divers congregations have no more the power of the keyes then one single man who may counsell and advise his brother 14. Extreme confusion and inevitable schismes hence arise whilst such a sister-Church saith I am Pauls and her sister-Church saith I am Apollo's and there is no remedy against this fire 15. The patterne of a Church governing and ministeriall consisting of only believers is neither in all the Scriptures antiquity nor in the writings of Divines But of these I shall speake more fully hereafter God willing 4. Argument That Doctrine is not to be holden which tendeth to the removing of a publick Ministry but the doctrine of independent Churches is such Ergo the doctrine of independent Churches is not to be holden The proposition is out of doubt seeing Christ hath ordained a publick Ministry for the gathering of his Church Ephes 3. 11. 1 Cor 11. 1 Cor 14 1 Tim 3. 1 2 3. Heb 13. 17. 1 Thess 5. 12 13. 1 Cor 5. 4. Math 16. 19. Math 28. 18. Joh 20. 21 22 23. I prove the assumption By the doctrine of independency two or three or ten or twelve private Christians in a private Family joyning themselves covenant-waies to worship God is a true visible Church So the English Puritanisme So a Treatise called Light for the ignorant So the Guide to Zion So the Separatists holding Independent Congregations define a visible Church Every company Congregation or Assembly of true believers joyning together according to the order of the Gospell in the true worship is a true visible Church This being the true definition of an independent congregation from the writings of the Patrons thereof I prove that it taketh away the necessity of publick ministery 1. because every twelve in a private Family is this way joyned together and is an independent Church 2 this congregation being independent it hath within it selfe the power of the keyes and is not subject saith the English Puritanisme to any other Superiour ecclesiasticall jurisdiction then to that which is within it self But 1 Katherin against M. Edwards saith p. 7 8. Private Christians have the Spirit Ergo they may pray Answ God forbid we deny but they both may and ought to pray continually but hence it followeth not affirmativè à genere ad speciem therfore they may authoritatively not being called of God as was Aaron and invade the pastors chaire and pray and fast and lay on hands by ministeriall authority as the pastors doe Act 6. 6. Act 13. 3. 2. The Church saith the Feminin Authour p. 8. is not blinde so that none have power of seeing but only the officers Answ. All believers see and discerne true and false teachers 1 Iohn 4. 1. Heb 5. 14. 2 Cor 3. 18. Psal 119. 18. Ephes 1. 17. but it followeth not affirmativè à genere aâ— speciem theâ—fore they doe all see as the eye of the body with an authoritative and pastorall light and eye for then all the body should be an eye where were then the hearing 2 Cor. 12. 17. 3 Within it self there is no jurisdiction ministeriall for in the definition of a Church ministeriall there is deepe silence of Ministers or office-bearers and good reason by their grounds who hold it For it is a society of believers joyned together covenant wayes in the true worship of God which society hath power to ordain and elect their owne pastors and Elders here is the power of the keyes to bind and loose on earth as Christ bindeth and looseth in Heaven Math 18. 18. chap 16. 19 and a ministeriall act of these keyes to wit the ordaining of Pastours Doctors Elders and Deacons before there be any Pastor Doctor or Elder or Deacon A ministery then must only be necessary ad benè esse non ad esse simpliciter to the better or wel-being of the independent Church and not to the simple being of the Church for the thing must have a perfect constituted being and essence before it can have any operation and working proceeding from that being as one must be a living creature indued with a sensitive soule before it can heare or see or touch now this independent Church must have the perfect essence and being of a ministeriall Church seeing it doth by the power of the keyes within it selfe constitute and ordaine her owne Ministers and Pastors and if they were joyned in the worship of God before they had Ministers they did in a visible way being a visible Church in the compleate being of a visible Church worship God before they had Ministers for before they ordaine their Ministers they must keepe the Apostolick order fast and pray and lay on their hands for so did the Apostles Act 1. 24. Acts 6. v. 6. Acts 13. 3. Act 14. 23. 1 Tim 4. 14. 2 Tim 1. 5. So here are publick fasting publick praying publick ordination of a visible and independent Church and as yet they have no Ministers So in case the Eldership of a congregation shall all turne scandalous and hereticall this same independent congregation may excommunicate them Ergo before excommunication they must publickly and by the power of the keyes convince them of Heresie rebuke them pray for them and finally by the spirit of Paul a Pastor 1 Cor 5. 4. judicially cast them out Now let all be Judges if this be farre from pastorall preaching and if here be not ministeriall acts and the highest judiciall and authoritative censure exercised by no Ministers at all and what hindreth by this reason but the independent Church that doth publickly and authoritatively pray fast rebuke convince gainsayers make and unmake by the power of the keyes pastours and Ministers may also without Ministers preach and administer the Sacraments against which the Separatists themselves doe speake and give reasons from Scripture that none may administer the Sacraments untill the pastors and teachers be chosen and ordained in their office But hence we clearly see an independent Church constituted in its compleat essence and exercising ministeriall acts and using the keyes without any ministry
preached to them 11. Whether or no we are to keep some Church-communion with an excommunicate person who is to be rebuked as a brother 2 Thes. 3. 15. and so is to be a hearer of the word and for whose good we use the medicine of excommunication that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord 1 Cor. 5. 4. We aske if the doctrine of Independencie standing we are not also totally to separate from an excommunicate person in the very externall Church-communion of hearing the word seeing ten excommunicated persons joyned in Covenant for hearing of the word are no Church no Body no Spouse of Christ. We see not how we are not by the former grounds totally to separate from them 12. If we may rebuke a particular Church and if she remaine obstinate and will not heare why may we not proceed acording to Christs order Mat. 18 tell the Church Answ. By the former grounds we are to stand at single rebuking and proceed no farther 13. Suppose the independent Congregation consist of ten Elders and an hundred beleevers If the ten Elders abide sound in the faith and the hundred beleevers erre in fundamentall points of faith In that case we aske 1. If Christ have appointed no pastorall or ministeriall act of discipline to reclaime these hundred who erre from the faith I answer none at all which may authoritatively reclaime them for they are the supreame independent Church 2. Because it cannot be denyed but Pastors and Doctors of the sâ—id Eldership may preach against their errours and shoot Heaven upon the pertinacious defendors of these pâ—rnicioâ—s errors and that by the power of the keyes Mat. 16. 19. Joâ— 20. 23. yet have they no power of discipline to shut Heaven upon them who thus erre from the faith nor to bind their sins on earth because the Eldership is not the Church neither hath power of jâ—â—isdiction over the hundred erring beleevers How can a power of binding and loosing by way of preaching and that both in Gods Court and the Churches be in these who have no power of discipline to bind and loose 14. Seeing the Sister-Churches of Colosse and Laodicâ—a Col. 4. 16. and of Corinth Macedonia Achaia Galathia 2 Cor. 8. 1 2 3 18 19 23 24. chap. 9. 1 2 3 4 5. are consociated together in a visible body in externall acts of Gods worship as to heare one and the same word of God Col. 4. 16. and to doc Church-businesse and works of mercy toward the poore by their delegates and commissioners We aske if consociated Churches tyed together in a visible Church-communion of acts of divine worship be not with as good reason a visible politick body of Christ as many beleevers consociated in a Church-communion if acts of divine worship doth make a particular Congre-gation 2. If the former Church hath not the power of the keyes upon the grounds of a visible Church-communion among themselves as a Congregation hath the power of the keyes upon these same grounds 3. If these consociated Churches be not a visible Body Spouse and covenanted people with God in Christ as well as a little Congregation of sixe or ten beleevers 4. If such a greater body may not meet in their overseers and exercise discipline and governe the particular Congregations as a Congregation doth meet in their principall members and governe themselves and all the members of the particular Congregation 5. We aske a reason why in a Congregation of three hundred beleevers partaking one Word and Sacrament a hundred of the three separated from the other two hundred cannot meet and exercise the power of the keyes by themselves alone because one worship and one government doth equally concerne them all and by that same reason it should not be affirmed of ten Congregations all partaking one Word and Sacraments upon occasions which neighbourly consociation doth furnish that one cannot meet to exercise discipline in matters which in reason equally concerneth all the ten Congregations without subordination to the joynt authority of all the ten For if a hundred of three hundred cannot exercise discipline there alone without the other two reason would inforce one or two congregations of ten consociated congregations cannot meet without subordination to the whole ten wherof one or two congregations are part if ten be owners of one ship six cannot meet and dispose or sell the ship or repaire her cordadge or any decayed part without the power of the other foure whom it concerneth so if ten congregations be visible owners and copartners of one Gospell one worship one externall profession and one communion with a brother or separation from a scandalous person we aske a reason how one congregation can meet and dispose of that common worship government and haunting familiarly with or separating from a member of the Church without subordination to all the ten congregations whom it doth concerne 15. If the Eldership of one congregation make one visible representative Church ruling and governing the absents we aske why the Eldership of six congregations may not judicially meet and rule six congregations also 16. If the power of the keyes be given to beleevers as beleevers because Christ is their King Priest and Prophet and all things are theirs Paul Apollo Cephas the world 1. It is asked if none have the power of the keyes but beleevers and if all acts pastorall of preaching binding and loosing excommunicating performed by unbeleeving Ministers and Professours be not hence made null as performed à non habâ—ntibus potestatem as if Turkes and Pagans had performed these We thinke they must be null 2. We thinke children baptized by unbeleeving Ministers not baptized 3. An unbeleeving pastor not essentially a pastor 4. If because Christ is given to the elect and all things are theirs and so all ministeriall power of the keyes it is questioned if amongst these all things given to the beleevers we may not include the Magistrates sword the Kings power the masters power over the servant the Captains power over the souldier so that by that same reason there be no Kings no Judges no Masters no Captains save only beleevers we see not how this followes not as well as that the power of the keyes and all things are given to beleevers because Christ is given to them 5. We aske if the power of the keyes in binding and retaining sinnes be not given to unbeleevers or rather for them as Gods intended end to declare the glory of his Justice in the vessels of wrath as Rom. 9. 17. Esa. 8. 14. 2 Cor. 2. 16. 2 Cor. 10. 6 7 8. 17. Quere If the distinction of a true Church 2. A false Church and 3. no Church can stand And if the distinction of true baptisme 2. false baptisme but valid and such as is not to be repeated 3. and no baptisme can stand I answer the doctrine of independency standing we see not how a Church wanting the right matter and consisting of members who
profession else we are not to labour to gain by this text unbelieving brethren and to complaine to the Church of their obstinacie or to forgive them private offences done against us to seventie times seven times which is against the course of the Text. 3. By this glosse little Bairnes which are not to be offended are brethren which have power to binde and loose and preach and baptize which is absurd 4. It is cleare by the Church here is meant a Societie different from the faithfull and brethren that hee speaketh of for he will have the offended brother to rebuke before two or three brethren in private and if the offender heare not tell the Church Now three believers to whom the matter is already told is a Church to Master Smith for so he saith in that same place Then Christ biddeth tell the matter to the Church before the Church heare of it 5. Neither doth the hearing of prayers prove a ministeriall Church seeing God heareth the prayers of one believer in the Prison or the Whales belly but it is the doctrine of these with whom we now reason that six professing Christ being visible Saints who may be unseene Divels in heart and so neither Brethren Disciples nor little ones are an independent visible Church having power to binde and loose and therefore suppose Christ spake here to his Disciples and believers of the Churches power in excommunication it is a weake collection that therefore all Disciples have power to binde and loose And these words verse 18. Whatsoever ye bind on earth c. must be meant only of the Apostles and of the Church verse 18. yea and it must exclude Peter and his offending brother suppose they were both believers because parties by the Law of nature and Nations cannot be Judges But some say that these words What ye shall binde on earth shall be bound in heaven have reference to a private forgiving anâ— gaining of a convinced brother before witnesses vers 15. And a brother in private should forgive another to seventie times seven times 21. 22. Therefore private brethren may binde and loose Answer No private brother can binde on earth for then one brother might excommunicate for these words Whatsoever ye bind on earth c is a ratifying in heaven of the sentence of excommunication verse 17. 2. Binding in private must be a not forgiving of private wrongs which is a sinfull binding and forbidden verse 22. and Matthew 6. 14 And rather cannot be ratified in heaven as Ecclesiastick binding and loosing is verse 18. expresly made good and valid in heaven 11. Smith reasoneth thus The Covenant is made with the Church and so the promises of the covenant but cursing them that curse the Church and blessing them that blesse the Church Gen. 12. 3. and remission of sinnes which is a part of the blessing are given to believers as a part of the covenant Rom. 4. 7. 8. Therefore a power of binding and loosing from sin must be given to the Church as the covenant is given to her Answer The covenant is given to one believing woman ergo by this reason also power to baptize for Smith saith page 51. By one and the same power doth the Church preach pray baptize excommunicate absolve But this is absurd 2. Cursing and blessing Genes 12. and remission of sins Rom. 4. is not the private believers cursing and remission but Gods or the ministers publikely and authoritatively as sent of God And so it is a vaine collection 12. Smith reasoneth To whom Christ is given directly and immediately as King Priest and Prophet Vnto them all other things with Christ are given Rom. 8. 32. And so the Saints are made Kings Priests and Prophets to God to forgive bind and loose But Christ is given to all believers and so the power of binding and loosing to all believers Answer To whom Christ is given subjectively and formally as their gifted Redeemer to dwell into them by faith To them all things are given either subjectively as the personall blessings of the covenant a new heart remission of sinnes perseverance in grace or objectively and finaliter for their good other wayes if one manner of giving be understood in both it should follow that all the believers were temporall Kings and Princes which is most false for temporall princedomes are given for their good but not personally to themselves So the power of the keyes is given for their salvation but not to all believers personally It is in vaine to reason from the priviledges of believers as believers to inferre that all Ecclesiastick priviledges are personally given also to believers for then should all be Apostles all Teachers all the whole body should be an eye and where then should bee the hearing And this man taketh away all necessitie of a calling by the Church to the ministerie as doe the Arminians and Socinians Neither can hee maintaine that there is a twofold power of the keyes one remote belonging to men as Christians another nearer that is ecclesiasticall and given orderly by the Church for he and his followers will have all believers because they are believers in a visible Church actually to censure bind loose absolve excommunicate 13. Thus reasoneth Smith and so Parker The Spouse hath power immediately from the husband the body from the head without any intermediating power Ergo The believers have power of binding without the mediation of Elders Answer All comparisons halt either in one legge or other Every like halteth and the argument presupposeth a falshood that the power of binding and loosing is in the Church of believers mediately or immediately which we deny it is only in the ministeriall Church and conveyed from Christ to the Spouse as to the object and end in the fruits and effects 14 They lastly alledge Fathers Chrysostome saith The power of baptizing is given to the Church So Hierome The whole Church hath judiciarie power over the guides So Gratian Hugo a Sancto Victo Aquinas Gerson Councell of Constance Almaine for this coteth Augustine Answer Wee are not subject to Almaine or Gerson in this question they be otherwise expounded What is given for the Church is said to be given to the Church in the stile of Fathers So doe Ambrose Origen Beda Chrysostome say What was given to Peter was given to all faithfull Pastors And wee know that Chrysostome denyeth the power of baptizing to any but to Pastours 15. They also adde this He that may promise eternall life to a private believer and denounce wrath on an unbeliever hath power to open and shut heaven But a private believer who should exhort his brother Heb. 3. 13. teach and admonish Col. 3 16. Comfort him 1 Thes. 5. 11. may promise life to a believer denounce wrath to an unbeliever Ergo He may open and shut heaven for the word is the Key Answer One private Christian may use the
and Pauls Epistles to Collosse Ephâ—sus Galatia laid an Ecclesiasticall tye upon these Churches that consented not to the writing of these Epistles not onely because the matter is the Canonicke word of God but also the tye was Ecclesiasticall in so farre as the flocke is obliged to heare the Pastor according to that He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me Any absent through sicknesse or other distractions from the election of Matthias Acts 1. the seven Deacons Acts 6. and the Elders chosen in every City Acts 14. 23. were tyed to stand to the election of Matthias the seven Deacons and the Elders in every City else no act of the Church were valid where one or two dis-assenteth or where two or three are absent by sicknesse and other distractions insuperable And so here our brethren I beleeve cannot in reason deny but there is a representative Church whose deed tyeth the absents And the reason is cleare that to make a Church-constitution oblige in conscience and ecclesiastically there is not required as an essentiall ingredient of obligation that all and every one who are tyed and obliged be personally present to voyce and consent to the constitution for constitutions tye Ecclesiastically as made by the Church but not as made by all and every one of the Church And the lawfulnesse of Commissioners to represent the case of the Church is cleare in Gods Word as Antioch sent Commissioners to Jerusalem Acts 15. Jerusalem sent Barnabas their Messenger to Antioch 11. 22. But Titus Timotheus Epaphroditus and others were sent by the Churches and to the Churches as Commissioners and Embassadours of the Church of Christ. CHAP. VIII Quest. 8. If our Saviour doth warrant a Church of Elders and Overseers in these words Mat. 18. Tell the Church WE have an argument of weight for a Presbyteriall Church in our Saviours words Mat. 18. 17. If thy brother offending neglect to heare them the Christian witnesses before whom he is convinced of his â—ault tell the Church but if he neglect to heare the Church Let him be to thee as a heathen and a Publicane v. 18. Verily I say to you whatsoever ye bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye lose on earth shall be loosed in heaven The Septuagint agreeth with Matthew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Arias Montanus Tremell Beza Pareus Muscâ—lus Lyra Hug. Cardinalis Caietaâ— Aquinas It is not much matter that Castalio turneth Tell the Assembly of the Commons Augustine Cyprian Hyeronim and all are against him The scope of these words is not as many beleeve that our Saviour setteth downe a way how to remove private offences done betwixt brother and brother onely 1. Because the words then should not prove the lawfulnesse of excommunicating for publike and scandalous sinnes 2. The scope is as large as binding and loosing on earth and proportionally in heaven But our Saviours ayme is to establish a Church consistory for removing all scandals and offences out of the Church private and publike betwixt brother and brother and betwixt Church and Church Neither is there ground for the foresaid scope because he saith If thy brother offend in the singular number for what if three sixe tenne brethren offend is not this course of our Saviours to be taken if sixe offend sixe Hence it followeth that the Church here signifieth not onely the Eldership of a particular Congregation but it signifieth respectively all Presbyteries and Synods Provinciall Nationall and Oecomenicke for seeing Excommunication and Ecclesiasticall binding and loosing is Christs remedy against all scandals private or publike in Christs kingdome then by a brother by a Synechdoche is meant all that offendeth then if a sister-Church offend a sister-Church or a Provinciall or Nationall Church offend a neighbour sister-Church Christs remedies being Catholike and universall as farre as our diseases goe the course must be to Tell the Church I purpose then first to shew this interpretation to be agreeable to the mind of all Doctors acknowledging one Church of Elders here and next to prove our interpretation Chrysostome Tell the Overseers Augustine Tell the Watchmen Hieron We must tell many So Cyprian so the Councell of Ancyra So Ambrose Ball saith The Aethiopicke Interpreter saith Tell the house of Christians Boderian Tell the house of Judgements All our Divines say this Calvin Beza Pureus Chemnitius Aretius Erasmus Polunus Hemmigius Hyperius Musculus Iunius Piscator Bucanus Rivetus Cartwright Marlorat Dan. Tossun Buâ—er The harmony of confess Helvet French English Vrsine Whittaker So Papists Emanuel Sâ— Victor Parisian Doctors Fathers of Basill and Constance Joan Gerson Iac. Almain Simon Vigorius Aquinas Occam What Bilson Downam Sutluvius saith against this is answered by Parker Ant. Waleus and other worthy divines That the Church of Elders is here understood I prove Christ here alludeth to the Synedry and Consistory of the Jewes with which his hearers were well acquainted for he was now speaking to the Jewes who knew his language well and knew these termes Brother witnesses Sunedry Assembly Congregation Heathen Publicane and knew what Church had power to cast out and repute men for Publicanes and sinners For as Beza observeth who would understand Christ here to speake of a Christian Presbytery that has power to excommunicate except we consider that Christ has a respect in this forme of speech to the Iewes Church-policy And Christ in like manner Mat. 5. 22. accomodateth his speech to the forme of the Jewes judicatories For many learned note out of the Talmud that the Jewes had three judicatories noted there 1. The Triumviri judged small matters 2. Their Synedry consisting of twenty three judges more weighty matters and inflicted more weighty punishments and 3. the great Councell of 71. Judges did handle questions about false prophets the High-priest and of other weightiest causes and therefore he sheweth the punishment of an offending brother amongst the Iewes too darkly but these judicatories were well knowne to them And here excommunication is expressed in Jewish tearmes in use at that time Let him be to thee as a heathen that is a stranger from the common wealth of Israel not one of the true Chuâ—ch but such a one as they called Goijm So Drusius and Beza on this place Now Tell the Church Kahal to those that know the Iewes forme of speech must be Tell the Elders of the Congregation amongst them the multitude no more judged causes then we would thinke him excommunicated who is esteemed one not 〈◊〉 borne of Abraham and so all the whole Church of the Gentiles should be excommunicated So Franc. Iohnson 2. The Church of beleevers convened together is still a Church met together for hearing the Word receiving the Sacraments 1 Cor. 11. 18 19. 1 Cor. 14 19 20 21. In which none are to speake but Pastors and as the Separatists say Prophets and not all private persons but this
actibus elicitis in acts performed by an intrinsecall power in the agent he hath no power for the King as King cannot preach himselfe nor baptize c. as the will may command the eye to see the feet to walke but the will doth not see nor walk Here two errours are to be rebuked 1. Whitgift saith the King is not the head of the Church as it is a society of elect and believers for so the government is spirituall but he is the head of the Church as it is a visible society in externall government comprehending good and evill For 1. The government visible and externall is meerly ecclesiasticall by Christs spirituall lawes and censures of rebuking binding loosing and excommunicating but the King is not an ecclesiasticall person and so not the head who hath any intrinsecall influence as King in these acts 2. He is the head of the persons who make the Church and so is a politick head but he is not the head of the Church visible as it is such The head visible and memberâ— are of one nature the King as King is a politicke and civill head the visible Church is not a politick and civill but an ecclesiastick body so Camero erreth who will have all Church-men synodically constituting and decreeing Canons and in all acts of externall government subordinate to the King as King as the instruments and servants are subordinate to the principall cause and first commander 1. Because then the King should be the principall ecclesiastick matter and prime Canon maker the King the first excommunicater when the Church excommunicateth but the members of a Church-Synod are immediately subordinate to Christ whose servants and instruments they are and not the servants of the King Nathan as a man was Davids servant but as a Prophet he was Gods servant and not Davids servant Hence a third errour of court sycophantes must be rejected that the King hath a negative voice in discipline and in Church-Assemblies which is most false 1. Because Christ hath promised to lead his Church in all truth to be with her to the end to be in the midst of his owne assemâ—led in his name and this promise Christ maketh and keepeth under Heathen Kings who have no voice at all in Church-Assemblies 1 Cor. 4 5. Math. 18. 23. Act. 15. 28. 2. If the acts of Church-Assemblies have no ecclesiasticall power without the consent of a Christian â—rince by that same reason the acts of publick preaching baptizing and administring the Lords Supper should lay no ecclesiasticall bond upon mens consciences except the King should consent unto these acts but the latter is against the Word of God Jer. 1. 10. Jer. 1. 18 19. 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. and most absurd Ergo so is the former I prove the connexion because that same power of Christ which is given to the Church conveened for acts of discipline is given for preaching and the conferring of the seales of the covenant for the Church hath the keyes to bind and loose from Christ equally independent upon any mortall man in discipline as in doctrine so in discipline the Kings power cannot be to impede all acts of discipline or to make them null except he consent to them 3. Because these words are absolutely made good without the interveening of any other authority Whatsoever ye binde on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever ye loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven els Christ would have said whatsoever the King or civill Magistrate shall binde on earth shall be bound in Heaven otherwise nothing is ratified on earth or Heaven either which the Church bindeth or looseth because the King saith not Amen to it 4. If a contumacious brother shall refuse to heare the Church hee is not for that to bee excommunicated and to be reputed an Heathen and a Publican because the civill Magistrate doth not repute him such an one 5. Of that free grace wherby God heareth the prayers of two or three agreeing to pray for one thing on earth the Lord bindeth and looseth in heaven that which his Church bindeth and looseth on Earth Mat. 18. 19. but the Lord heareth the prayers of two or three agreeing to pray for one thing on Earth though the civill Magistrate doe not give his consent that these prayers be heard and granted of God because the Magistrate is no intercessour without whose consent God heareth not prayers The proposition is cleare from Matthew 18. ver 18 19. 6. If the Magistrate have such a joynt power of binding and loosing and of forgiving and reteining sins with the Church then also with the Apostles and their successours but Christ gave this power to his Apostles without any such condition Matth. 28. 18 19. John â—0 22 23. and they practised this power without consent of the Magistrate and preached and excommunicated against his will 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. 1 Cor. 5. 4. yea as the Father sent Christ so should the Father have sent the civill Magistrate for so are they sent who have power to forgive and retaine sinnes John 20. 21 22 23. 7. That power which upon just reasons we deny to the Pope that we cannot give to the King but upon just reasons we deny to the Pope a negative voyce in Councels to anull lawfull Councels conveened in the name of Christ except he who is the virtuall Church say Amen thereunto neither is the King the virtuall Church 8. If a woe be due to a Pastor if he preach not suppose the Magistrate should forbid him to preach then also is a woe due to the Church which useth not the keyes though the Magistrate forbid then hath the Magistrate no such voyce and if the Church of Pergamos be rebuked for not using the power of the keyes against these who held the Doctrine of Balaam and the Nicolaitanes even when the Magistrate was a killer of the witnesses of Jesus then the Magistratâ— hath no such negative voyce for it should not be possible to censure the followers of such Doctrine seeing hee was against both Doctrine and Discipline but the Lord reproveth Pâ—rgamos in this case Revelation 2. ver 13 14 15. 9. There is no Word of God to prove that the Lord hath given the power of thâ— keyes to the King as the King and therfore we are not to believe that he hath any such power Also if the fore-said power of the keyes be given to the Church without any such power of the King the Church by all the former arguments may conveene to exercise that power in preaching binding loosing excommunicating suppose the civill Magistrate should discharge and inhibit these meetings for if the power of the keyes be given immediately by Christ to the Church then the power of meeting for the exercise of that power must also be given though the Magistrate say not Amen as is cleare Mat. 18. 18 19 20 21. 1 Cor. 5. 4 5. 1 Cor. 11.
19 20. where the Church had her owne Synods without the consent of a civill Magistrate but we are to repute it a speciall favour of God when the King as a nursing-â—ather will countenance Synods with his royall presence God blesse our King 5. Conclusion The Kings royall power in adding his sanction to the ecclesiasticall constitutions and in punishing such as are decreed to be hereticks by the Church is regall and not ministeriall and servile See for this the Con c. Chalced. Aâ—t 16. the Imperiall lawes Cod. l. 1 tit 8. leg 2. Heretic Vocab decret p. 2. caus 23. q. 8. c. 30. crossing Bellar. de pont l. 1. c. 7. So do their owne men goe against Bellarmine in this as Sanderus de clavib David l 2. c. 13. Carerius de potest sum pont l. 2. c. 23 Leo epist. 38. to Martian and Pulcheria and Leo epist. 7. to Theodosius Becanus erreth here with Bellarmine making the King as a servant obliged to adde his sanction civill to ecclesiasticall Canons Becan in opusc exam conc Anglic c. 7. 1. Because the use of the sword at Gods commandement is a kingly act commanded by God and is service done to God not to the Church 2. Neither is the King so to execute the Churches will as he should judge only of the fact and of the assumption yea he is to judge of the law and of the major proposition I or we see not in the Word of God where a Judge is a Judge to punish a fault and is not to know judicially that it is a fault a Judge as a Judge should know such a thing to be heresie and not takâ— it upon the word of an Assembly of Church-men Deu. 17. 18 19. he is expresly to reade and know the law and to know and remember the Decree Prov. 31. 5. And the cause which he knoweth not he is to search out Job 29. 16. all which is meant of a knowledge not of private discretion which is required in all private Christians but as I take these places of a knowledge judiciall and authoritative which agreeth to a Judge as a Judge 3. If a Synod erre and decree that man to be an heretick who is sound in the faith the King is not obliged to erre with the Synod and to punish the innocent he is to decree righteous judgement and so the King is to judge of heresie but after a regall and civill way and with a coactive powâ—r as the Synod or Church-Assembly is to judge of heresie after an ecclesiastick way and with a spirituall power 2. The King punisheth heresie as it troubleth the Common-wâ—alth and the Synod as it is scandalous and infectious in the Church Yea and the Christian King ruleth over men as men and also as Christian-mâ—n he ruleth over them as men with a dominion over their bodies lives and goods by his civill lawes he hath also dominion as King over men as Christians and members of Christs kingdome and Church not over their conscâ—ences for that is proper only to the father of spirits but he hath a coactive power over all men even Pastors as to cause them do their Christian duties he hath power to compell Church-men in Assemblies to determine truth and to use the keyes right and to preach and use the Sacraments according as Christ hath commanded in his Word and to punish them when they do otherwise What then if the King discerne that to be truth and absolve the man whom the Church-Assembly doth condemne as an heretick who shall judge betwixt them I answer the infallible rule of judging for both is the Word of God which speaketh home unpartially to both if they will heare but certainly the Kings civill kingly coactive power to compell men to doe their duty remaineth the highest and most supream power on Earth in genere potestatis politicae in the kind of politick power and pastors and all men may by this power be compelled to do right as for the abuse of the power it is no part of the power and in this kind the King hath a negative politick and kingly suffrage and voyce in all Church Assemblies no ecclesiasticall constitution hath the force of a law without the politick suffrage of the civill Judge And againe the ecclesiastick power that Christ hath given to his Church remaineth also the most supreme power under Christ in genere potestatis ecclesiasticae and the King is subject to this power The King is not excepted in this He that despiseth you despiseth me and in this whatsoever ye shall binde on earth shall be bound in Heaven and in this whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained and this ecclesiasticall power being the highest on Earth Pastors may command Kings in the Lord Jer. 1. 10 18 17. to doe their duty by an ecclesiastick power Arminians and Formalists both aske which of the two powers are highest and nearest unto the head Christ whither the kingly power or the ecclesiastick power for two paralell highest powers on earth cannot be I answer by asking which of the two shoulders in a mans body are highest and nearest to the mans head Certainly one of them in a well proportioned body is not higher then another and both are alike neare the head as none of two pole-starrs are nearer to their Zenith and Nadir none of two wheels in a right Chariot are higher then another The Church power saith the Prelate Davenant is highest in teaching and directing the kingly power in commanding and compelling Barclai compareth them to two shoulders under one head Meisner saith one of them is not above another There is no absurdity saith Spalato that in two bodies formally different there should be two heads yea it is necessary The Roman Glosse saith Patricius is the Popes father in things temporall and the Pope is his father in things spirituall as Cusan saith Papists saith Spalat have deleted that out of the Glosse So Berengarius Gelasius Papa Nicolaius the I agree to these words Sciendum quod nec Catholicae fidei nec Christianae contrarium est legi si ad honorem regni sacerdotij Rex pontifici pontifix obediat regi Spalato seemeth against Bellarmine to make up the losses made by Papists in Kings honour while he holdeth that the King his person and as he is a Christian man is subject to Church-power but as King he is subject to none but to Christ from whom immediately he hath his kingly dignity even as saith he when an Emperours servant being a Physitian the Emperour as Emperour is not subject to the Physitian but only the Emperour as he is a wounded man is subject to the art of his owne servant who cureth him and that of the Emperour free-will not by coaction so the Image-maker or he who maketh pourtracts in his art is not subject to the King neither is the King as King
the light of saving faith and a grace that they call gratia gratum faciens grace whereby wee are accepted to God as Aquinas speaketh for it is that Heavenly instinct of Believers whereby they try all thing and keepe that which is good and whereby they try the spirits even of Officebearers whether they be of God or not and know the voice of the Shepheard from the voice of a stranger and have their senses exercised to discerne good and evill I denie not but there is a twofold power of election of guides one proper to believers which is as I have described it their choosing of Officers De jure and should flow from this descerning instinct of saving grave in believers there is an other power of election De facto that floweth from a common grace of discerning in visible professors both is sufficient for Ecclesiasticall choosing of guides yet both is but popular not authoritative but power of authoritative jurisdiction is gratia gratis data a common grace given to many that are never converted nor saved yea the office of a publike guide to save others is given to a man that is never saved himselfe and requireth some indowments of governing that are not required in all the faithfull as is cleared by Paul 1 Timothy 3. Therefore Gerson will have us to difference betwixt these two a Pastour ad utilitatem and a Pastour ad veritatem and a called Pastour and a called Christian Pastour And Almaine proveth well that the calling to a Church-office is not founded upon saving faith and charitie This power of choosing is a power about the keyes but not a power of the keyes 2. It is common to all believers who are not to take Pastours as the market goeth upon a blinde hearesay but officiall authoritie is given to Demas and Iudas and such men often 3. It is given to women to try the spirits yet women have not authoritie neither are to usurpe authoritie over men in the Church I desire in the feare of God that this may be considered by William Best Henry Jacob and the Author of Presbyteriall Government examined for our Divines as Daneus give the calling of â—hurch guides to the Presbyterie and the approbation to the people Vrsine differenceth betwixt the judgement of Elders and the consent of people and Bucer judiciously distinguisheth power from authoritie And Martyr Calvin Beza Zuinglius Viretus Luther so the Fathers Tertullian Cyprian Ambrose Chrysostome In this meaning said Augustine the keyes were given in Peter to the whole Church so our Divines are to be expounded when they say the power is in the Church and the exercise of the power in the guides for that power which is in the Church of believers is popular not authoritative III. Conclusion The physicall power of the keyes is in all professors as our first Conclusion saith 2. The supreme morall power in Christ Iesus formally and independently To mee is given all power in Heaven and Earth Matthew 28. 18. this includeth the power of working miracles by the hands of his Apostles all as well as the power of the keyes and is communicated to the Church not formally but in the effect 3. Power morall about the keyes as is said in 2. Conclusion is given to all the faithfull 4. The exercise of the keyes to preach and administer the seales of Grace to open and shut Heaven by the keyes is given to the Rulers in some things as they are scattered and single men as to preach and administer the Sacraments without consent in speciall to every singular act in some things as to exercise power of Jurisdiction the exercise and the power is given to a communitie not to one Vnitati non uni as Gerson observeth from Augustine and Augustine from the word Matthew the sixteenth for the Church not one single man hath power of Discipline if one Pastour himselfe alone should Excommunicate the Excommunication were null both in the court of CHRIST and his Church if a Pastour should baptize against the Churches minde the Baptisme were valid howbeit there were an errour in the fact for power of jurisdiction is given to the members of the Church scattered tanquam subjecto cuidam materiali potentiali in remote power and not formally but as they are met in a Synod in Christs name 5. The power of the keyes is given to the Church of believers two wayes 1. As to the end or the small object of the keyes and this we acknowledge as truth for Christ gave officers for the Church as his intended end Hee gave some to bee Apostles c. for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Ministerie for the edifying of the Body of Christ. But 2. The power of the Keyes is not given to believers as to the formall subject that they may authoritatively make and ordaine officers Hence the IV. Conclusion is this When the Church standeth of believers only as contradistinguished from her guides it is then totum homogeneum a body consisting of alike parts where the denomination of the whole is given to the parts as every part of water is water so every three believers of five hundred believers is a Church of believers Now if a Church should be in a remote Island not consociate with other Churches and yet wanting guides our brethren say in this case the power of the Keyes should bee seene to bee in believers and they might choose and ordaine their owne officers I grant they have great Schoolemen to say with them as Almaine and Ocâ—am and the Schoole of Paris who say if all the Cardinals were dead the faithfull might and should choose the Pope Sylvester in summa verbo excommunicatio 9. nu 2. saith The Romane clergie should have the power of choosing the Pope in that case But Câ—jetan Tom. 1. Epist Tractat. 1. Vasquez in 3. part Thomas Tom. 3. Disput. 244. cap. 3. 30. 31. doe better say in that case the power of choosing should be in the hands of a Generall Councell and that by divine right Then by their minde supreme power or the keyes by divine right is in the hands of Church guides But great Schoolemen say that the keyes by a miracle and extraordinary might remain in the body of the faithfull But I say in this case Necessity is an unbooked and naughty Lawyer and God extraordinarily should supply the want of ordination as he can doe the defect of second causes so that if God send some pastours to a congregation that were unwilling to choose their owne Eldership Pastours might ordaine themselves Pastors in that case to these people and God should supply their want of popular election and this is all 's good to prove election to be in the hands of Church guides which both our brethren and wee deny as the other case
the Elders in things commanded by God and these may well stand together I answer If we speake of divers kindes of obedience it is true people is to obey the Pastours and Elders using the keyes here the sheepe obey the Shepheards and this is the obedience that Christ hath established in his house and the Elders as Archippus are to heare the flock admonishing no commanding as Watchmen Fathers Pastours by the power of the keyes that they would take heed to the ministerie which they have received of the Lord and this is but private admonition that one man one woman may give to their Pastours Now one man is not the Church bearing the keyes but this opinion maketh Archippus and all the faithfull at Colosse to beare the keyes and command by power of the keyes so that all are Fathers Pastours Pastours by one and the same power of the keyes His second answer is All are not rulers An incorporation may make a Major or Sheriffs and yet the incorporation is not a Major and Sheriffe So the Church may make Ministers and yet the Church it selfe is not properly an Elder or a Deacon Answer It is not alike An incorporation hath a priviledge but not any princely or magisteriall authoritie to create a Major but the Saints have the regall power of the keyes from Christ not only to make Elders but also to judge authoritatively with coequall power with the Elders by your doctrine if the whole inhabitants of a citie may make a Major and set themselves down in the Bench as collaterall Judges with the Major then all the inhabitants indeed were Majors as all the Saints in Corinth did judicially excommunicate why are they not then all Elders and Pastours Shew us any authoritie that Pastours have in governing which the meanest of the congregation hath not And this maketh all Ministers and all to be Watchmen Fathers Overseers This I take to have beene the errour of Tertullian who will have Christ to have left all Christians with alike power 8. Argument If there be a peculiar authoritie in Pastors over the flock that is not in the flock Then the keyes are not both in the Pastours and the people but the first is said in Scripture ergo The later must also be said I prove the Minor What will ye that I come to you with a rod or in love or in the Spirit of meeknesse also Therefore I write these things being absent lest being present I should use sharpnesse according to the power that the Lord hath given me to edification and not to destruction Hence it is that the Angels of the seven Churches in Asia are rebuked for not exercâ—sing discipline against Iezabel and the holders of the Doctrine of Balâ—m which proveth the Angels had the keyes els all alike had beene rebuked Now that every one of Corinth hath the power of Pauls Rod and his power given for edification is most ridiculous So Becanus the Jesuite Can every believer say to a Church Shall I come to you with the Rod Yet if all have the keyes as the subject all have the Rod also 9. Arg. That which Christ will have to be a ministeriall power in the members of his Church to the exercise therof Christ giveth competent and answerable gifts to the foresaid effect But God neither giveth nor hath promised nor requireth answerable gifts for using the keyes in all believers Therefore Christ willeth no ministeriall power of the keyes to be in all the members of the Church The proposition I prove 1. God promiseth gifts to the priesthood of the new Testament As 1. Diligence Esay 61. That strangers shall stand and feed their flocks 2. Zeale Esay 62. That they shall never give the Lord rest 3. That they shall be cloathed with salvation 2. When God sendeth Moses Isaiah Ieremiah he giveth them gifts and abilities for the calling So as the Treatist of Discipline observeth it is oft said The Spirit of the Lord came upon him and he judged Israel So also other places for this 3. They are condemned who take on them a calling and say Thus saith the Lord and yet the Lord sent them not neither spake he to them as in Isaiah Jeremiah and Ezekiel 4. Where the Lord giveth a calling or power such as the keyes of his Kingdome the not improving and putting the Lords Talent to the bank is a sinfull digging of the Lords Talent in the earth Hence I desire to know from Gods word these foure things 1. If the power of the keyes be given by Christ to all the faithfull this power is a ministeriall calling Where is there a promise for light prudence for government to goe out and in before the Lords people made to every one of the Lords people 2. Where is the tongue promised to them all in judgement that none shall resist and the consolations promised to them in the discharge of this power of the keyes 3. Where is the Spirit of the Lord comming upon them all and every one that they may judge the people 4. Where are the believers condemned for usurping the keyes and because being ignorant they cannot discharge that calling Where is the carelesse governing of all and every one of the faithfull rebuked in the word of God as a digging of the Lords talent in the earth I adde two things to confirme this 1. Our Divines disputing against the great Pope the Bishop of Rome and against the little Pope the Prelate his god-son and first born come out of the Popes loynes as Calvin Beza Iunius Zanchius Sadeel Pareus Vrsine Whitaker Reynold and Amesius Baines Parker Didoclavius c. They prove if such power of the keyes and plenitude of order and jurisdiction were in these two creatures the Pope and the Prelate the wisedome of Christ in his Word should have set downe the canons for the regulating of the power besides the canons that concerneth all other Bishops or Pastours for the heads or Monarchs dutie in the common wealth is carefully set downe in the word as what a man the King should be but the word hath no canons for the power of the keyes and the regulating of that power in all and every believer man and woman 2. If God set downe a Canon and requires abilities in the Church guides as Elders labouâ—ing in the word and doctrine and governing and in Deacons that he requireth not in all believers then the power of the keyes is not in the Church guides and in all believers also but the former is said 1 Tim. 3. for it is required in a Minister that his power of the keyes may be said to be of God that he should rule his owne house well else how should he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take care to governe the Church of God One may be a believer and yet this is not required of
when overseers will not by their authority remove a wolfe and a false teacher extremis morbis extrema remedia Hard diseases and desperate have need of desperate cures But it is an oâ—her case when in a constitute Church there is a government of Christ established for there are two things to bee considered here 1. A popular but withall a private substraction and separation from the Ministery of a knowne Wolfe and seducer and this the Law of nature will warrand than licet tutelâ inculpatâ uti as Parker saith from Saravia So the son may save himselfe by a just defence in â—leeing from his madde father or his distracted friend comming to kill him Now this defence is not an authoritative act nor act judiciall of authoritie but an act naturall that is common to any private person yea to all without the true Church as well as within to take that care in extreme necessity for the safety of their soules that they would doe for the safetie of their bodies 2. The question is whether the community of beleevers may doe this that is whether they by the power of the keyes given them by Jesus Christ may deprive and excommunicate the Pastor because the Law of Nature in some cases may warrant a private separation from a corrupt ministery 3. The case is not a like here as in a free Common-wealth for a free Common-Wealth containeth Ordines regni the estates that have nomotheticke power and they not only by the Law of Nature may use justa tutela a necessary defence of their life 's from a Tyrants fury but also by the Law of Nations may authoritatively represse and limite him as is proved by Iunius Brutus Bucherius Althusius Hâ—nonius Therefore Henning Amisaeus do well distinguish betweene plebem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 populum for indeed the multitude excluding the States or the base of the people can hardly have an other Law against a Tyrant then the Law of Nature but the Common-wealth including the estates of a free kingdome hath an authoritative So Isiodor Origen Aristotle Plato Tit. Livius Plutarch and that of the Councell of Basil Plus valet regnum quam rex the Kingdome is more worth than the King as Silvius citeth is approved by all but the multitude of sole beleevers have not the keyes at all and therefore they can doe no other thing but use a necessary defence of their soules And what Keckerman and Hottoman saith is not against us Also Gerson in name of the Parisians going to the Councell of Pisan saith a Councell may be gathered without the Pope without the guides of the Church two wayes Charitative when Charity reigneth 2. Authoritative when the case of the Churches ruine requireth that a Councell should bee and if the Pope and Pastors refuse to convene and the necessary defence of soules is the like here 7. No power is given to Pastors absolutely but to edification and so upon condition and therefore if the condition cease the power ceaseth But say yee It ceaseth What then it followeth not they should be deprived by the Church but by the Synod yea but you will say it followeth for the power is not given for the edification of the Synod and not for their destruction but for the edification of the Church and this destroyeth the Church Also Synods cannot alwayes bee had Answ. If the power bee abused wholly it ceaseth and the Pastor before God in foro interno hath losed his power If it bee abused in one or two acts it is not losed else a King doing against judgment and justice and a Pastor doing against pietie should leave off to be a King and Pastor which is hard to affirm 2. The power authoritative is given by the Presbytery for the edification of the Church principally and for the edifying of Synods and Elderships Secondarily but hence it followeth not that this power should bee taken away by the Church of sole beleevers Object Synods saith hee cannot bee had ordinarily Answ. So neither publike preaching at some times It followeth not therefore that publike preaching is not a meane of edifying because through accident and iniquitie of time the publike preaching cannot be had 8 Parker reasoneth from the stability of the Church Where there is more stabilitie there is more authority as our Divines reason proving the Pope to be inferiour to the Councell 1. A Church cannot be gathered in the name of Christ but there is the power of Christ 1 Cor. 5. 4. Matth. 18. But a Church may be and was constitute at first saith Saravia without Elâ—ers and Pastors 2. The Church hath ecclesiasticke auâ—hority when the overseers are absent as in the reformed Churches or when by heresie they lose their authority the authority of the overseers dependeth on the Church but the authority of the Church dependeth not on the overseers 3. When the Pastor is dead the Church keepeth still her authoritie when the Pope is saith Bellarmine the keyes remaine in the Christs hands and he giveth them to the next Pope Behold fleeing keyes saith Morton Ans. A ministeriall Church is never gathered in Christs name while there be a ministerie unlesse you would say Peter is a man before he be a reasonable creature which is a contradiction some few beleevers may meete together but they cannot preach baptize censure while Christs power of the keyes bee given them except by an extraordinary power from I. C. 2. What if a Church of beleevers bee by order of nature before there be overseers Yet have they not the keyes while CHRIST call some of their number out to give them the Keyes for there was no power of the Keyes of the New Testament while Christ gave it to Iohn Baptist and called the twelve Disciples else their calling to bee Apostles should not bee a conferring on them the Keyes which is false for when Matth. 10. 1 5. they are sent out with power to preach he gave them the Keyes â—nd yet they were a Church of Disciples before and first called to faith and then to the Keyes and to the Apostleship 2. The Church of beleevers have no authority Ecclesiasticall nor power of the Keyes if all the Pastors on earth were removed from the Church by Death and in that case the Keyes should indeed bee only in Christs-hand and the case being extraordinary Christ behoved extraordinarily to supply the want of ordination which Timothy Titus and other Elders doth ordinarily give for the Church of beleevers could not give that which they have not and yet Bellarmines Keyes are â—leeing Keyes for he hath no cause to say when the Pope dieth The Keyes flee to Heaven for there are living many thousand Pastors and Elders who have the Keyes suppone the Pope died and never lived again 10. Parker reasoneth thus If Peter stand up Acts 2. in signe of reverence as standing is in Scripture
and every one of them commanded to heare 2 The promise of eating the tree of life v. 7. of giving the hidden Manna and the white stone and the new name and they shall be cloathed in white and their names not blotted out of the booke of life who overcommeth agreeth not to Ministers onely 3. The command of being faithfull to the death of holding fast what they have that none take away their crowne of strengthening what remaineth of being zealous and of repenting are not given to Ministers only 4. The rebukes of falling from the first Love of not watching of lukewarmnesse are not laid upon Ministers onely therfore to the Angell of the Church of Ephesus of the Church of Smyrna must need force have this meaning Vnto the Church of Ephesus of Smyrna and what is said to the Angels is said to the Churches as is cleare comparing chap. 1. v. 20. and chap. 2. v. 1. with v. 9. 11 17. So Acts 18 v 21 22. Paul is said to salute the Church that must be the chiefe men and Elders of the Church for the Church being so numerous at Jerusalem as is proved he could not salute the Church of beleevers 1. his manner in writing his Epistles is to salute the prime persons onely and the rest in generall and this being a reall salutation or by all appearance verball he could not salute them all man by man seeing he saw them in the bye and the Kirke of Jerusalem for he landed at Cesarea was more numerous then that he could salute them all man by man And also the Church is named from the Pastors Isa. 40. 9. Sion that bringeth good tydings and it is the Preachers that ordinarily preach the good tydings and the woman that has many sonnes Isa. 54. 1 2. Gal. 4. 26 27. Isa. 49. 21. the woman that bringeth forth the manchilde Rev. 12. the bride who is made the keeper of the vineyard Cant. 1. 6. Now it is the Pastors properly that travell in birth to beget children to God Gal. 4. 19. to the policye of which Church respect is had in this forme of speaking the word Kahal Gnedah Ecclesia a Church an Assembly doth onely signifie the Princes and Rulers when the spirit is speaking of matters of government discipline commanding complaints or controversie as he speaketh here Psal. 62. 1. God standeth in the Church Gnedah or Congregation of the mighty Num. 35. 24. And the Congregation Gnedah shall Judge betwixt the slayer and the avenger of bloud but it is expounded Jos. 20. 4. and the slayer shall declare his cause before the Elders of that City So Deut. 11 12 16 17. thâ—se that are called the men of Israel Josh. 9. 6. are called the Princes of the Church or Congregation v. 15. So compare 2 Sam. 7. 7. spake I one word with one of the tribes of Israel with 1 Chron. 17. 6. spake I one word to any of the Judges of Israel So compare Exodus â—0 18 19. All the people saw the thunder v. 19. And they said to Moses speake thou to us with Deutronom 5. 23. And it came to passe when yee heard the voyce out of the middes of darknesse that ye came neare to me even all the heads of your Tribes and Elders and said compare Exod 4. 29. with 30. 31. also compare 1 Chr. 28. And David assembled all the Princes of Israel the Princes of the Tribes and the captaines of the companies that ministred to the King with chap. 29. 1. Furthermore David the King said to all the congregation Ainsworth acknowledgeth that the word Congregation is thus taken for the Elders only so the Separatists in their confession cite this Psal 122. 3. Lev 20. 4 5 c. with Mat 18. 17. Adde to these that 1. Judges and Priests in Israel might give sentence of death and judge of Leprosie without the peoples consent Deut 1. 16. 2 Chron 26. 16. Deut 17. 8. and yet Israel as well as we were Kings and Priests to God Exod 19. 5 6. Psal 149. 1 2. And why may not we say Tell the Church of Elders as Judges and in telling them ye tell the believers in respect that Elders are not to pronounce sentence of Excommunication while they make declaration to the Church of believers 11 Argument That Church which the plaintiffe must tell that is publickly to admonish the offender but that is the Church of Elders 1 Thes 5. 12 13 14. 1 Tim 5. 20. Luk 10. 16. for they only are to receive publick delations and to rebuke publickly as is Titus 1. 13. 1 Timothy 5. 1. and ver 19. 2 Timothy 4. 2. 12 It shall follow if Christ understand heere by the Church the Church of believers that in the case of an Elderships scandalous life or if otherwise all the officers be taken away by death that then a company of believing women and children being the Spouse of Christ and so having claime and title to Christ his covenant and all his ordinances may censure deprive and excommunicate the â—lders and ordain Elders and pastors with publick fasting and praying and laying on of hands But this latter is unwritten in the Word of God For 1. Private believers farre lesse believing women and children cannot judge the watchmen and those who were over them in the Lord. 2. In the Old Testament the heads of Families only excommunicated Gen 21. 10 11 12 13. and the Priests judged the Leper Levit 13. 3 4 5. Deut 24. 8 9. Numb 5. 1. not the people and in the New Testament the Apostles and Elders only ordained pastors and officers with praying and laying on of hands Act 6. 6. Act 13. 3. Act 14. 23. 1 Tim 4. 14. 2 Tim 1. 6. 1 Tim 5. 22. Tit 1. 5. and never the people also if three be believers happen to be an independent Church and then the plantiff rebuking the offender according to Christs rule Mat 16. 16. before the Brethren who are witnesses he shall tell the Church before he tell the Church because three are an independent Church by the Doctrine of our Brethren and moreover if these three being a Church shall excommunicate the offending brother before the Church of which Christ speaketh when he saith tell the Church shall heare of the matter Then shall 1. Christs order be violated 2. The offending brother shall be excommunicated by a true ministeriall Church â—lave non errante and that duly because he is contumacious to them and yet he is not excommunicated because Christs order is violated and the matter is never come before the Church who hath power to binde and loose on Earth 3. And certainly they must say three or foure believers doe not make a Church and they must give some other thing to make up essentially one true visible Church then a company of believers visibly professing one Covenant with God 13. And we have here for us the testimony of learned Parker who is otherwise against us in this plea
who confesseth our Thesis that in these words tell the Church Christ doth understand the Presbytery or Eldership Hence the word Church in the New Testament doth not alwayes signifie the Church of Believers Disciples Brethren who pray in Christs name and are heard in Heaven and are builded on the Rocke and are the body and spouse of Christ for a number may be and often is an Eldership judicially excommunicating and a Presbytery yea and also including some externally professing Christ who are not a company of redeemed ones built by saving faith upon the Rocke Jesus Christ. Also it is insolent that the word Church here should signifie both precisely the Eldership and also in that same vers the whole Congregation of believers because the same Church to the which the offended brother should put in his bill of complaint is that very Church which must be heard and obeyed under the pain of excommunication 2. It is hard that the offender should be excommunicated for not hearing and obeying the Congregation of believers who are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over him in the Lord. 3. By grant of M. Parker the Church of believers hath not power from this place Mat 18. to ordaine pastors to themselves when they want pastors or to excommunicate their own Eldership in case of scandalous sins which is against his grounds and our Brethrens principles who ascribe this authority to the Congregation of believers because a number of believers is not an Aristocraticall part and a select Presbytery and Eldership as he saith is meaned in this word tell the Church 14. The Church here cannot well mean a visible Congregation of believers and Elders conveened to heare the Word preached so as he who contemneth two private admonitions should be accused and censured in the face of the Congregation conveened to hear Gods Word Because the Church meeteth in Christs name for Gods worship if they meet in faith and humble sense of sinne with purpose of heart to worship God in spirit and truth but there is some other thing required that the excommunicating Church meet for the actuall exercise of discipline for beside meeting in Christs name there is required that the Church meet with Pauls spirit and the rod of discipline 1 Cor 5. 4. That yee meet in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ and my spirit with power of our Lord Iesus Christ. Then Pauls spirit as an Elder who hath power of the rod a spirit and power of excommunication is required to this meeting But I doubt not but the Church of believers did meet at Corinth 1 Cor 11. for hearing the Word and receiving the Lords Supper and for ordinary worâ—hip and praying and praysing when it was not needfull that Paul should write That yee meet together in the name of our Lord Iesus and my spirit to heare the Word and to receive the Lords Supper There was no need of Pauls spirit for that therfore I conclude that this meeting of the excommunicating Church requireth another spirit and authoritative power to deliver to Satan such as was in Paul then is required in ten believers meeting in faith without Pauls authoritative power to heare Gods Word For Paul saith of his authoritative meeting I verily absent in body but present in spirit have judged c. but Paul knew that they might meet as a number of believers to heare the Word whither Paul be absent or present in spirit and this I observe for their mistake who teach that two or three agreeing together upon Earth and praying for one thing are heard of God as it is said Mat 18. 19 20. is an independent Church having the power of the Keyes for first Christ then hath not provided a sure way for removing scandals And when he saith tell the Church this tell the Church must be a definite visible conspicuously known Church now in one congregation one province one nation there be three hundreth six or ten hundreth threes or fours of professed believers if every three and every foure be an independent Church to which of all these many threes and fours shall the plantiffe addresse himselfe for they be all equally independent Churches the plantiffe is left in the midst and knoweth not his ordinary judge there be so many tribunals in one Congregation yea in one Family 2. How many key-bearing Churches shall be within one independent Congregation who may all meet in publike in one house for the joynt worshiping of God together 3. Christ in these words where he is said to heare two who shall agree together upon earth as touching one thing hath no purpose to erect visible Churches with the full power of the keyes consisting only of three or foure believers but he doth argue here from the lesse to the more as Bucer saith and as Musculus God will not only ratifie excommunication but he will heare the prayers of his children universally and this promise ver 20. of Christs presence amongst two or three is more large and generall then his promise to ratifie the sentence of excommunication even that Christ will be with his owne howbeit they be not Church-waies conveened or rather as Paraeus saith it is a generall promise of the presence of Christs grace in his Church sive magnâ sive parvâ either great or small and I grant it will prove the power of our Church sessions in Scotland very well where there is often but one Pastor and some few ruling Elders but Christ cannot promise a Church-presence of his Spirit and grace or such a presence wherby he ratifieth the censures of the Church but where there is a Church consisting of Elders and people but if the words be pressed according to the letter and definite number then it shall follow that every two believers yea suppose two women agreeing on earth to pray for one thing shall be a Ministeriall Church having the power of the keys which is most absurd For a number of believers make not a Church having the power of the keys for 1. They want the power of binding and loosing by preaching 2. They are not a golden candlestick in the which Christ walketh as a visible Church is Rev. 1. Christs meaning theâ— must be I promise my presence to the smallest Church suppose it were possible that a Ministeriall Church could consist of the least number that is even of two only but Christs purpose is not to make every two believers a visible Ministeriall Church and every believing Family a congregation having the power of the keys Vasquez the Jesuite hath arguments and ancients to speak from the Text this which we say which can hardly be answered See that Enchiridion of the Province of Cullen under Charles the V. See also Jansenius Maldonat and others on this Text. CHAP. IX Q. 9. What members are necessarily required for the right and lawfull constitution of a true politicke visible Church to the which we