now to use water in the Administration of it and who can justly except against it Where doth the Scripture say expresly that there shall be particular Congregations to one of which every one that receiveth the Word should have reference yet the distinguishing of Congregations gathered from the practise of the Church in the Apostles times and appropriating officers to them cannot be rejected as unwarrantable but is held necessary by all According to your Divinity herein I desire to know of you why the government of the Church should belong to the civill Magistrate as you plead seeing I finde no where any precept or institution laid forth in cleare Scriptures for it That which is warranted in the Scripture to have bin the common practise of the Church in the Apostles times no doubt came from the Apostles The Apostles ordained Deacons Act. 6. so did they Elders in every Church Act. 14. 23. in whose ordinations they used imposition of hands but where doe we read of any expresse precept in clear Scriptures comcommanding any of these yet who shall be so bold as to question the Apostles practise in all these or the Churches continuing of them at this day by vertue of the Apostolicall practise that went before and gave light unto the Church therein Did not the Apostles in all things deliver that to the Church which they received from the Lord 1 Cor. 11. 23. and did they not by Christs command teach men to keep what Christ commanded them Mat. 28. 20. upon which ground Tertullian said well The Apostles did not choose of their own Apostoli nihil ex suo arbitrio elegcrunt quod indâ—terent sed acceptam à Christo disciplinam fidelite nationibus assignaverunt Tert. de praescr adv harcses free-will what they should bring in but they faithfully appointed to the Nations the Discipline which they received of Christ And I see no reason why we should not beleeve that the holy Apostles were guided by the Divine instinct of the Spirit as well in the practise imposed by them on the Churches as in the delivering of the Gospell unto them which gave occasion to the Apostle to say If any man thinke himselfe to be a Prophet or spirituall let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the Commandements of the Lord 1 Cor. 14. 37. You adde further that an occasionall practise or a phrase upon the by or the naming of a thing are too weake grounds to uphold such a building I say examples of the Churchâ— practise in the Apostles times and hints from their writingâ— doth sufficiently warrant us for the institution of such things for the practise of the Apostolicall Church sets out plainly before us that there was an institution of such things as are read in their practise albeit in terminis terminantibus we read not of it Ergo We read of Elders at Ierusalem Act. 11. which argues that they were ordained though we read not how and where they were ordained because the Apostles writing after they had called them speaks of them occasionally they that stand precisely upon institutions must confesse what Socinus saith the Apostles practise is not our rule such must hold what they did was onely for those times and they grant what they did then is lawfull now to be done but not necessary conclusions of this nature must necessarily follow upon your premises and what will follow upon them I wisâ— you would in time consider Then you tell us that you could never see two co-ordinate governments exempt from Superiority and Inferiority this you looke upon as a Monster which cannot be in one State neither is it as you thinke exemplified in Scripture Sir for ought I know here you fight against your owne shadow who saith that two governments which are exempt from superiority and inferiority are in one State Indeed two governments are asserted one for the Common-wealth the other for Church affaires the Ecclesiasticall governours have ever judged themselves inferiour to the civill Magistraâ—â— to whom they have yeelded all due subjection and obedience in things proper to his authority to command nay to contradict the civill Magistrates commands they have Athaâ—as Ep. ad Imp. Constantium judged it madnesse yet in the sphere of their owne government they moved acoording to the patterne they received from the Lord the civill Magistrate did not breake in opâ—n them nor did they ambiâ—iously seeke to exceed the bounds appointed to them by the Lord. Againe you say that in Scripture you finde no such thing I beseech you what were the governments appointed in Israel whereof some were appointed for ordering the Kingâ— affaires or the chiefe affaires of the Common wealth the other were appointed for matters of the Lord were not there two distinct governments each of them handling what was proper to them and whether there were two distinct Courts of judicature in which each of them took cognizance of the matters proper to them but one as without any ground from that Text some conceive yeâ— sure it is here were two severall officers delegated to take notice of the severall questions that should come before them so they were distinct governments whilst each of them judged or handled what was proper to his place and might you not observe so much and is it not to be found in that instance recorded 2 Chron. 19. I say no more to you herein onely I desire you you may remember what was the vote of the Assembly in this point Was it not That Iesus Christ hath instituted a government and governors Ecclesiastical in the Church This Vote past in the Assembly Nemine contradicente it seems then Mr. Coleman had not a tongue to speake against it You goe on and fall upon two places on which Censures of the Church ever hath been grounded as for one of them it takes no hold on your conscience and you wonder that the other should of any I have heard but how true I know not that some Souldiers have their bodies shot-free but that any should have his Conscience Scripture proofe to me it seems very strange especially knowing what is said Heb. 4. 12. Why may it not then be mighty in operation to you as well as unto another But Sir though you câ—st off both these places as not countenancing Excommunication in the least yet you cannot be ignorant that the Assembly hath resolved Excommunication and upon a full debate from Mat. 11. they have proved it as for the other place they did take that for granted that it mentioned Excommunication some debate there was from that place how farre the peoples presence was required in the execution of it if you assented not to that debate why did you not according to the Ordinance by which you sit in the Assembly enter your dissent As for the places themselves which you say take no hold of your conscience I am sure that which you say against the common received construction of them
sicke in the world and did recover being asked if he beleeved that Iewish tradition answered he neither beleeved nor questioned it I beleeve that you in your exposition of this Scripture do the like you do noâ— deliver that which you think is the true sence of the place onely it pleased you and you inconsiderately vented it For who sees not that it is an inconsequenceâ— Christ hath appointed Governments therefore these Governments must be understood of the Civill Magistrate that consequence cannot be inferred on these premises the Text duly considered will free it selfe of that construction of Governments which you bring That we may cleerly see it set us consider the scope of the pâ—â—ce 1â— Cor. 12. 28. amongst other disorders which had crept 〈◊〉 the Church of Corinth all which the Apostle labours to reforme this was one in their publick meetings the abuse of their gifts with which the Church did much abound 1 Cor. 1. 5. this â—e labours to remove by setting before them the author of these gifts even the holy Spirit of God by whom they were disposed to the severall Members of the Church to edifie the Church withall And lastly he sets forth of all these gifts which is the most excellent and usefull to the Church all this he l doth because as some excelled in these gifts so others were grieved that came short of their fellow Members in the same upon this occasion he informeâ— them about these gifts which he cals spirituall 1 Cor. 12. 1. Because they were wrought by the spirit and first he mentions the severall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gifts where with the holy Spirit had blessed that Church then he mentions the Officers upon whom these gifts are bestowed ver 28. for the edification of the Church Severall sorts of these Officers are reckoned up and here amongst them Governments are mentioned which cannot be understood of Civill Magistrates because the Apostle is speaking there of such Officers is were indued with spirituall gifts for the edification of the Church in their publick Assemblies the abuse of which gifts he is labouring to reforme and can you upon any warrantable ground affirme that the Civill Magistrate was to exercise his Office in their publike Assemblies its true the Church exercised the corrective Tert. ap cap. 39 part of their Government in their publick meetings but what is that to the Civill Magistrate Amongst the severall Officers of the Church in three severall places as we have touched before mention is made of some that were interessed in Government and are distinguished from Teachers Rom. 12. 8. 1. Cor. 1â— 28. 1 Tim. 5. 17. in the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Ruler in the next 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Governments in the last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that rule well who are distinguished from such as labour in the word and Doctrine Shall I tell you what have been thought of these One saith Gubernationes sunt carnis castigationes Greg. Naz. Orat. 7. they are the chastisemerts of the flâ—sh And what is that I beseech you but the wholesome Government we speak of and for which we plead whilest that prudent men observing the lives of the severall Members of the Church and finding any to give way to the unruly desires of their flesh by admonition did chastise them or bring them under further Ecclesiasticall censure that they may â—ame the flesh This construction is answerable to that of Origen Lib. 3 contra Celsum who tells us there were some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appointed to enquire after the lives of such as came under their Government to keep off such as did not that which did beseem them that professed Religion especially such as walked in uncleannesse Did not such labour to chastise the flesh whilest they endeavoured the just restraint of the unfruitfull work thereof Theodoret he calls these Governments Rulers of the Church which he distinguisheth from Teachers these Greek Fathers never dreamed of the Civill Magistrate in that place Ambrose on the place saith Governments are such as teach men by spirituall Gubernationes sunt qui spiritalibus retinaculis hominibus documento sunt restraints All which lets see that in their construction Governments were such as by the rod of Discipline chastised such as waxed wanton or were unruly in their lives which gave occasion to â—rimasius to say Gubernationes qui sciuni singulas gubeâ—â—are these were prudent and grave men chosen to assist the Pastor in Primas in loc watching over the lives of the flock so was that place construed of old to which late in â—â—preters also agree therefore I say no more but this I finde that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used by the Grecians for one that is wise in Councell so it is four times used by the Septuagint in the Proverbs as Prov. 1. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of understanding shall attain wisdom Prov. 11. 14. Prov. 1. 5. 11. 14. 20. 18. 24. 6. Where no Counsell is the people fall where many Counsells are there is health that which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the former part of the proverb in the latter end is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many counsells â—â— Prov. 20. 18. 24. 6. In all which places the word signifies a prudent or wise way of Governing Now then comparing the use of the word in the Language of the Grecians with that of the Apostle may we not from thence conclude that there was in Gods Church a wise or prudent way of Governing distinct from the Civill Government of which Officers somewhat heretofore hath been spoken in your second Rule As for the Magistracy mentioned Rom. 13. 1. we agree with you therein what you would infer from the three last verses of Eph. â— which you desire all to consider that may make for your purpose I know not and therefore will stay no longer upon it and so much for your Rules or Essayes for agreement Now I come to speak of that which seemed to you to be the onely hinderance of union in the Assembly which you mentioned in the latter part of your first Rule where you speak of two parties who came byased into the Assembly the one with a Congregational â—gagement the other with a Nationall determination Here you only take notice of two parties in the Assembly and were all the rest Cyphars In what rank or number do you place your self Well as for the one party upon whom you hang the byas of a Congregationall Ingagement you speak much to their Pag. 27. commendation yet it seems to me that you have dasht in this â—â—â—sure all that praise you gave unto them Can men worthy of â—oâ—e for their graces of honour for their abilities be men whom their bare singular opinion will byas from the truth Surely if you believe that they would be so easily carried aside notwithstanding their ingagement by Solemn Protestation
bare authority of your word denied that which is maintained by so many learned men amongst you here and in famous Churches abroad with strength of Argument and authority of the word herein you cannot but see you are wanting to the cause which you would defend Why should you be so shy of holding out of Divine right aâ—â— we not to endeavour a Reformation of Religion in Discipline and Government as well as in Doctrine and Worship according to the word of God Why should we then be afraid of the Jus divinum in the one more then in the other when I seriously consider with my self what may be the reason why you bogle at Ius Divinum in Government and would not have it held out I cannot but wonder this was not the practise of Gods Ministers in former Ages when the holy Prophets came either to quicken the people in the wayes of God or to reduce them from idolatry the first thing they did was to hold forth unto them the Divine Authority with which they were strengthened to speak therefore usually they begun Thus saith the Lord and is not this the judgâ—ment of all Reformed Churches that in all matters of controversie the Church hath no determining power either without besides or against the Scripture whereby its apparent they conceive as much must be held forth in all controversies Willet 3. controv 4. quest in the Church to be by Divine right established as may be Secondly in this Rule you require That the practise but not the ground of the practise be held out Why both these two should not be held out when they may clearly be gathered up I see not for will not the knowledge of the ground alwayes make way for the right setling and ordering of the practise Some may look upon this position of yours as upon a Proposition which comes neer to the verge of Popish Fideâ— implicita because it seems to drive at this that men should more depend upon the States or Churches authority then on Gods word which ought to be the ground of that Authority for in your sense if they have the practise imposed on them they must rest therein and never seek for any warrantable ground of the same which will yield but small comfort to any in that practise Sir you know that kinde of Demonstration hath ever been held in the Schooles to be most Scientificall in which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men proceed from the Causes to the Effects and from the essence of the thing to demonstrate the passions of the same And why should not that rule hold here For when men see the ground upon which the practise is imposed and from which it doth arise then will they ever more willingly yield unto the practise and better be established in the same So have the Church formerly thought and therefore were ever careful to hold forth to the world the ground of their practise when the Orthodox had to do with the Arians in Constantius his time and could come to no accord with them they sent from the Councell to the Emperour twenty of their Opinion to represent what they held unto him but withall they charged them to confirm the Opinion of the Councell by the light of Soz. 4. 17. Conc. Arimin the Scripture Here both the practise and the grounds upon which they proceeded were held forth together And why we should not do the like in this Age I know not The Reasons by which you seem to strengthen your self herein are two First because Knowledge of that practise alone will gather more Nay Secondly Men differently principled may meet in one practise You know who said of old if men live exactly accordingly to the principles of their own Religion though they agree not in the same truthâ— they might be saved Me thinks in this phrase of yours you come neer him I would not have that Haereticall spirit long since layd in the dust and exploded by the Church raked up again by you Secondly You say it may be will be of larger extent then it must be Suppose that upon prudentiall considerations the Rule is carried no higher then iâ— may be yet why should not the ground of this it may be be held out as well as the practise Can there be more Lordly and Domineering power exercised over the Consciences of men then to prescribe unto them in maters of the greatest concernment the practise of that of which there is no ground oâ— the ground thereof is not fit to be held out unto the people In your third Rule you will call that a Domineering Power which hath no boundary do you not in this then make way for such an Arbitrary power A practise without a ground hath no bounds but in the wills of men In the closure of this Rule you lay forth the Reason which to you seemed to be the cause that hindred Vnion in the Assembly This shall be God willing taken into consideration when I have viewed all your Rules in the last place distinctly by it self And so I come to your second Rule In which you mention many things which because they have no necessary dependence one upon another I le take them up as they fell from your pen. In generall I say of this Rule that you do not hold out any thing distinct from the former I take it onely for an Explanation of what you meant by jus Divinum viz. That which onely is contained in expresse and clear Scriptures But more particularly to the Rule in which the first thing you fall upon is That Institutions should have clear Scriptures Wherein you drive at this that no practise without an institution expressed in clear Scriptures must be a Rule to guide the Church by How this Rule can be usefull for Government in the Church I see not But if it should be granted to be good Divinity it would not more strongly conclude against the Presbyteriall Government then it doth for the Anti-Sabbatarians Anabaptists and other Sectaries c. who call for institutions expressed in clear Scriptures for many things which cannot be brought forth yet the practise of them is very lawful agreeable to the Word and necessary in the Church But Sir Are there not many things of Divine right of whose formall institution we read not where have you any formall institution or precept expressed in clear Scriptures for Womens receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper of Administring the Sacrament of Baptisme in water And yet if the institution of both these may be gathered out of practise recorded in Scripture why may it not be admitted though we read not of the institution totidem verbis 'T is true we reade of an injunction given by Christ to his Church to Baptize but whether in Water or any other Liquor it is not particularly let down yet because the Administration of all Baptismes recorded in the Scriptures was by water it is warrant enough for the Church