Synagogue of the infallibility of their Popes as Peter's successors and of the indeficiency of their Church as built upon Peter when as neither had Peter himself any such priviledge as to be infallible The next story in this 16th of Matthew evinceth the contrary v. 23. Nor by the Rock whereupon Christ builds his Church is meant the person of Peter or Peter's confession personally as it had relation to him but as it is considered really in it self and is common to all the Disciples and to all visible Believers which may be thus confirmed 1. Because Peters confession must have relation to the matter which he confessed But Peter confessed not himself but Christ saying Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God Therefore his confession had relation to Christ not to himself 2. Because Peter confessed no more than that which he knew the other Disciples believed before he speake For Christ's question being general What say ye Peter answered as the mouth of the rest but the Apostles before he speak believed Christ confessed and not Peter confessing 3. Because this Rock is that confession whereupon Christ saith he will build his Church But whosoever shall truly believe that which Peter confessed viz. Christ the Son of the living God and confess or profess it in due order is accordingly built on this Rock though he had never heard of Peter's name Therefore the confession rightly understood had relation unto Christ and not to the person of Peter 4. Because the Rock signifieth that which is immoveable and impregnable such as is Christ and his truth But Peter's confession was movable and shaken at one time thrice denying this confession of his Lord. Therefore this confession which Christ calls the Rock had not relation to Peter but only to Christ Coroll 2 Then they that would have a particular Church to be impregnable stable and firm against the prevailing of the gates of Hell must see that it be built upon this Rock and not upon humane formes 1. That Christ himself be the builder of it according to his own institutions not the policies or customs of men 2. * Ex quo patet quòd Ecclesia non consistit in hominibus ratione potestatis vel dignitatis Ecclesiasticae vel saecularis c. sed in illis personis in quibus est notitia vera confessio fidei veritatis Lyra in loc That the materials of which it consists be such as believe and profess their Faith in Christ publickly before the Lord and his People 3. That they be firmly joyned together in one Congregation by an holy Covenant of subjection and submission to the Lord Jesus Christ and to one another in him and accordingly walk together in obedience to Christ and his Rules resisting Satan in all his Temptations and Machinations through Christ strengthning them without whom they can do nothing Joh. 15.5 and that they improve carefully and faithfully the power which Christ hath given them viz. the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven in opening and shutting binding and loosing according to Christ his appointment for the preserving of his Church safe in the purity of their Faith and Order against the gates of Hell which is the next thing to be handled The Second Part. CHAP. VI. Concerning the power given of Christ unto such a Church as the first and proper subject of it THe second branch or part of the Charter is concerning the Power given by Christ unto such Churches to have and use all the means appointed by him for their establishment against the the gates of Hell Mat. 16.19 And I will give unto thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven These words contain 1. A grant of Power 2. A ratification of that Grant We shall speak to them distinctly 1. To Christ his grant of Power and therein 1. Explicate the terms by shewing what is meant 1 by the Kingdom of Heaven 2. by the Keys of it 3 What this appropriation or application of them imports To thee I will give 1. By the Kingdom of Heaven is meant both the Kingdom of Grace Glory and that the Kingdom of Glory is also meant the following words shew when he saith What you bind on Earth is bound in Heaven c. 2. By the Keys which are a sign of Power and are put by a Metonimy for the Subject the Power it self is meant Church-power which is either Supreme and Soveraign in Christ only as Lord and Head of his Church who alone hath the Key of David which openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth in Rev. 3.7 or subordinate and delegate such as is in Christ's Stewards This is noted by Keys in the Plural number in this place which signifie all power delegated from Christ to dispense and administer all the holy things of his House according to Christ's will and in the order prescribed by him to that end For all power wherewith the Lord Jesus betrusteth his Church aims at this which is here expressed to open and shut to bind and loose 3. To thee I will give The Application of this Grant is to Peter in the name of the Church which Christ promised to build upon himself believed on and publickly professed as Peter did before him and his fellow-Disciples in Christs School at this time And the promise is more fitly given to Peter in the name of the Church than to the Church by name because it was not the Church that made this confession but Peter in the name of the Church But here we must make a little stand to examine the sundry claims which have been made to this Right upon several pretences from this Text. 1. Some looking at Peter as representing the Catholick visible-Church conceive that a general Council which they say is the Catholick Church representatively is the Church here meant to which Christ gives the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven But that cannot be For particular visible Churches in the Apostles dayes had and exercised the Keyes compleatly within themselves yet was there no general Council till the time of Constantine which was three hundred years after Christ 2. Others look at this Grant as peculiar to Peter considered as the Prince and chief of the Apostles and to the Popes of Rome as his successors But this Papal usurpation the Councils of Constance and Basil strongly and justly opposed shewing that the Keys which are here given to Peter are in Joh. 20.21 22 23. given to all the Apostles and that Peter himself is enjoyned in Mat. 18. to tell the Church 3. Others think that the Catholick Church considered not representatively but in it self is the first subject of the Keys Yet these differ among themselves For some affirm it of the invisible others of the visible Catholick Church As for the terms we know that visible invisible
Church The Church may by communion of Churches upon orderly recommendation receive the members of other Churches unto fellowship of such Ordinances as are for the comfort and strengthning of the Saints as the Seals are and the Officers may administer them to such being accepted by the body for we have a warrant for so much from the Rule Rom. 16.1 3 Joh. 9. but not to act in judgement For the Church hath this priviledge proper to be judged by and to judg only those that are within 1 Cor. 5.12 whereas I alledged this Text against Mr. Paget to prove that Church-Ordinances belong only to the Members of some particular Church Mr. Rutterf meeting with that expression saith Mr. D. will have Pastors so far strangers to all Congregations save their own that he saith other Churches are without and have nothing to do to judge them and alledgeth for this 1 Cor. 5.12 But by those that are without Paul meaneth not those that were not of the Congregation but he meaneth Infidels and Heathen as in other Scriptures For Paul judged and excommunicated Hymeneus and Alexander 1 Tim. 1.20 who were without the Church at Corinth Had Mr. Rutt been pleased to cast his eye upon my own defence of that passage In my Apolog Reply pag. 312 313. printed sundry years before he put pen to paper in these disputes about Church affairs he might have found that written by me touching the sense and my application of that Text which might have prevented his exagitating that matter Nor doth he with any congruity argue from Pauls Excommunicating Hymeneus and Alexander who he saith were without the Church at Corinth to prove that Pastors have any thing to do to judge judicially or excommunicate the members of other Congregations For Paul was an Apostle an extraordinary Officer had an illimited commission and a fulness of delegated power both in every Church and to administer Church-Ordinances without the fellowship of a particular Church when it could not be had and to execute all Offices in any Church where Officers were wanting But Pastors are ordinary Officers have a limited commission to do only the acts of the Pastoral Office and those only to that particular Church by which they are called unto Office Act. 20.28 1 Pet. 5.2 Therefore though Paul might excommunicate one that was not of that particular Church at Corinth yet the Pastor to the Church at Corinth might not Yet Paul could not excommunicate one that was no member of any Church but without as Infidels and Heathen are For that implies a contradiction To conclude The Apostle doth so appropriate Church-judgment to those that are within that particular Church 1 Cor. 5.12 Ye judge them that are within that he exempts from it in a due proportion all that are not members of that Congregation though there are degrees of being without some being totally without all Church-communion as Infidels and Heathen others though in Church-communion else-where yet not in communion of membership of that Church to whom he wrote to put away from them not one that was a member of another Church but him that was a member of that Church And in this sense Mr. Rutt saith Hymeneus and Alexander were without the Church at Corinth though members of some other Church for which cause the Church at Corinth could not excommunicate them yet Paul might and did by his Apostolical Power Thus by his own confession some are without a particular Church who yet are not Heathen or Infidels To conclude one may be said to be without this or that particular Church two ways 1. Simply and absolutely so Infidels and Heathen that are of no Church 2. Comparatively so the Members of other Churches compared with those that are of this Body 4. Corollary Then Churches gathered and Officers ordained in these days without Apostles are true Churches and true Church-Officers according to Christ and Churches thus Organized according to the Rules of the Word are true and intire Churches and the first subject of all Church-power as well as those Primitive Churches planted by the Apostles For the concurrence of the Apostles is not put into this Charter whereof we speak as a conditional Clause which might not have been omitted if Christ had intended that it should be always necessary He doth not say upon this Rock my Apostles shall build my Church and to my Church built by them I will give the Keys of the Kingdom but upon this Rock I will build my Church viz. by such Instruments as Christ will raise and use and bless in that work in every Age and to this Church thus built he gives the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven Object But Christ gave the Commission of gathering Churches to his Apostles in Matth. 28.18 19. And when he ascended up on high he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry and for the edifying of the Body of Christ Ephes 4.8 11 12. Answ Those and the like Texts of Scripture do indeed shew that God used Apostles principally in this work but not only For as to Teach and Baptize is common to other Teaching-Officers as well as Apostles so the gathering of Churches by making men Disciples of Christ was done by others besides Apostles even in the Apostles days Act. 11.20 21. The dispersed Disciples planted the Church at Antioch the Members whereof were first called Christians a Church whose planting Barnabas approved ver 23. 2. They shew that God would use Apostles herein for a time but not alwayes which I prove 1. From the proper work committed to them which was to make the first Models and Patterns of planting and gathering Churches which ordinary Instrumentts are bound to attend in the gathering and constituting of Churches 1 Cor. 3.6 10. and in that sense their work continues to the end of the World though their manner of working viz. from an immediate Call Inspiration and Infallible assistance proper to Apostles in making those Patterns was extraordinary and ended with their Office in the first Age since when there never have been Apostles in the World For though Matthias succeeded in the place of Judas by Gods Election Act. 1.26 yet after James was beheaded no Apostle was chosen to succeed him though the Apostles lived long after 2. The Apostle John who lived longest of the Apostles describeth by Revelation from Christ all the Officers that should be by Gods Ordinance in Christian Churches after that Age under four sorts of living Creatures which note the four sorts of ordinary Officers to continue in the Church after that Age viz. Pastors Teachers Ruling-Elders and Deacons Revel 4.1 6 7. Vers 19. And whatsoever thou shalt bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven Whatsoever thou shalt loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven THese words hold forth the Ratification of Christ's grant of the Keys unto a congregational-Congregational-Church with the chiefty
performed Coroll 3 Then it is not arbitrary but a duty for every Christian to endeavour to joyn himself in Membership with a Congregational instituted Church of Christ whosoever have opportunity and neglect so to do they greatly sin against God and break the second Commandment in not worshiping him according to his institution and also against their own souls in depriving themselves of the blessing which he hath annexed unto his Institution Exod. 20.24 Mat. 28.20 and if they persist in that neglect they can hardly be accounted Believers truly seeking the Kingdom of God what profession of Religion soever they make otherwise Mat. 6.33 and they sin against their posterity also to whom God promiseth mercy upon their parents worshipping him according to his Institutions If the Lord doth good to the posterity of such it is meerly from his own good pleasure but not from their Parents Covenant Ezek. 16.61 CHAP. V. Concerning the Churches impregnable stability TO the Church built by Christ upon this Rock he hath promised and given this great priviledge that the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scripture signifieth not Hell but the state of the dead or the Grave 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are enemies vanquished by Christ for his Church 1 Cor. 15.26 55. and shal be cast into the lake of fire Rev. 20.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the gates of Death in Job 38.17 Psal 107.18 and the gates of the Grave Isa 38.10 i. e. the power of Death and the Grave which seizeth on them as a Serjeant Psal 116.3 The sum is Let the Church be brought to the lowest that it seems to be dead as those two Witnesses Rev. 11.8 9. and buried as Christ's natural body was for a time yet neither Death nor the Grave shall prevail agaist it Yet we must not limit the sense of these words only to the power of Death and the Grave but it must be extended to all Satans plots and assaults against the Church against which if Christ did not help them Death and the Grave would prevail against them to their eternal destruction We conclude therefore that in this Text by the gates of Hell are meant all the machinations of Satan and temptations whatsoever whereby he laboureth to hinder the building of Christs Church to draw those from Christ who are built upon him The prevailing of them signifies their effectual working unto the attainment of those ends The sum is a promise that the Devil with all his policies and powers shall neither hinder the building of Christs Church nor cause the Church thus built to apostatize from Christ And that this is the true sense and meaning of the words whatsoever Socinians or Arminians say to the contrary may thus be evinced 1. Because the thing promised is the disabling of what ever opposeth the building of the Church upon this Rock or its constant adhering to Christ from prevailing to those ends but so do Satan's temptations Therefore they are meant by the gates of Hell 2. Because whatsoever goeth forth out of the gates of Hell or hath its beginning from thence is meant in this phrase but the Temptations and Machinations of Satan by himself and his instruments Hereticks and Tyrants go forth thence Therefore they are meant in this phraise 3. Because Peter to whom Christ spake these words describes unbelievers the adversaries of this building as belonging to the gates of Hell 1 Pet. 2.7 8. 4. Because the proportion which Christ implyes in these words requireth that they be so understood The proportion is between two Cities that of Heaven which hath its gates and keyes in v. 19. and the other of Hell which hath its gates whence it endeavors the ruine and overthrow of that but shall not prevail Seeing therefore City is opposed to City and Gates to Gates and one viz. the Church is considered in the state of present building it is most sutable that the other be also looked at as it opposeth that in the present whilst it is militant upon earth But from hence that Christ promiseth that the gates of Hell shall not prevail against his Church thus built some infer that Christ meaneth only the invisible Catholick Church For that only say they is bulilt on this Rock and only that shall not fail Answ 1. It is true that the Catholick invisible Church is built upon Christ by effectual and unfeigned Faith and that shall not fail For that is the general Assembly and Church of the fist-born which are enrolled in Heaven Heb. 12.23 And all the gates of Hell cannot prevail against those that are written in Heaven 2. But it is not true that these only are built on this Rock The Apostle Paul tells us that a particular visible Church rightly constituted as that at Corinth is built upon this Rock or Rocky-foundation 1 Cor. 3.10 11. and being so built is under the special protection of God in Christ in respect whereof the Lord promiseth any such Church as well among the Gentiles as the Jews Whosoever shall gather himself against thee shall fall Isa 54.15 and all the weapons that are made against thee shall not prosper vers 17. And it is clear that Christ in this place speaks of such a Church as is built upon the confession of Faith such as Peter made visibly and publickly whereupon not the invisible Catholick Church but visible particular Churches are built Therefore these only are meant here Concl. 5 The Church of Christ built by himself upon this Rock in using the means which he hath appointed for their safety is impregnable The Church of Christ is here indefinitely taken for a particular Congregational-Church instituted by Christ according to the sense of the former conclusions not for this or that definitely Therefore if any object that the gates of Hell have prevailed against the Greek-Churches those golden Candlesticks in Asia and against Rome whose Faith was spoken of throughout the whole World and against sundry other particular Churches Answ I Answer 1. Though it be true that the gates of Hell have prevailed against this or that particular Church yet not against a particular Church indefinitly considered or which is the same against the Church in general existing in its particulars In this sense the visible Church doth not fail For 1. Christ ever had and will have some or other visible Church on Earth wherein the general nature of a visible Church is preserved as the Genus is in its Species and the nature of man in this or that individual as when the Lord preserved Noah and his Family in the Ark mankind was preserved in them though multitudes of men were destroyed in the Deluge 2. Christ will shew that he makes a difference between Churches wherein are some true Believers mixed with many Hypocrites and other Societies Therefore he will not suffer such visible Churches to be totally destroyed as he doth his open enemies Hos 11.8 9. Isa 1.8 9.
Office-Power but all Power which serves to shut and open the House or City of God not power of the Steward only but the power of the Spouse and Wife of this great King to whom the Lord Christ as her Husband being gone into a far Country even to Heaven hath given power to admit into the Family and reject as occasion shall require and for those ends to judge also because such acts require judgment and to call the Steward to his place and to put him into it and to put a Key of Office by Election into his hand and therfore though all power be not formally in her yet it cometh originally from her Reas 2. Because Christ here giveth the Keys only to those to whom he giveth Official Warrant and Authority for the actual exercise thereof in opening and shutting binding and loosing i. e. only to Teachers and Elders Answ 1. Though it is true that Official Warrant and Authority is given only to Teachers Elders only Teaching and Ruling Elders have that formally Yet 2. The power of the Keys is far larger than Office-power viz. to admit reject c. 3. They have their Office from the Church and their Office-power by the Church originally Therefore there was power in the Church before Office-power which did communicate and conveigh Office-power to its Officers 3. Reas To bind and loose are acts of the Office-power of Pastors Rulers Feeders by publick and pastoral preaching which doth not belong to Believers Answ Binding and loosing taken in the largest sense as in this Text comprehend the exercise of all the acts of the Keys or Church-power and these acts are not only by publick and pastoral preaching for then the Ruling-Elder should have no Key to bind or loose but also by Admonitions Excommunications Admissions which issue from a power of judging not proper to the Pastors only but common to the People with them 2. Though the Keys be given to the Church yet she may not exercise any act proper to Office-Power without Officers whom she doth and must call to that end and submit to them in the due exercise thereof 4. Reas If this place give not warrant and authority to Officers what warrant have they for their Office-Power Answ 1. This place gives warrant for the People to choose their Officers according to Christ's appointment and the Church doth accordingly call them to that place and invest them with Office with voluntary professed subjection to them in the right exercise of that power of Office which belongs unto them in the Lord. 2. The several acts of Office-power to be exercised by them are abundantly warranted in other places of Scripture 5. Reas They to whom the Keys are here given doe authoritatively forgive and retain sins and their Acts are valid in Heaven but the Church of Believers wanting Officers cannot by any warrant of Scripture authoritatively forgive and retain sins Answ The word Authority sometimes is taken more generally for Power sometimes more strictly and properly for Ruling and Office-Power In the first sense the Church hath power to foregive judicially in 2 Cor. 2.10 in reference to their former censure The Officers forgive authoritatively in the second sense We proceed to the last interpretation 6. Others look at the Keys as given to Peter here in the name of a particular visible Church indefinitely taken not of this or that particular definite Church that all other Churches should receive the Keys from them or be subject to the power of the Keyes in their hands For that will not stand with the parity of Churches among themselves for par in parem non habet imperium Therefore the Church here intended must be taken generally and indefinitely as comprehending in it any particular visible Church one as well as another or the general Church as existing its particulars If it be objected against this that Peter was not a Member of such a Christian Congregation when Christ spake these words unto him I answer It is true for no such Church was then constituted No more was there a Presbytery then constituted when Christ directed Peter and the rest in case of private offence obstinatly persisted in after proceeding in the first and second step to tell the Church in Mat. 18. which yet they hold but not truly to be the Presbytery as we shall evince hereafter with the assistance of Christ But in the mean time all grant that that Rule serveth to order Members how to proceed in such cases when particular Churches should be constituted And the same reason is of force in this Text also Some have thought that Christ giveth the Keys in this Text not to the Church of Believers of which he spake in the former verse but to the Elders because he altereth the form of his speech for having spoken in the former verse of the Church in the third person saying Vpon this Rock I will build my Church and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it he saith not in this verse and I will give unto it the Keys but varying the person he turneth his speech to Peter saying and unto thee I will give the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven but this is a mistake Here is no changing of person nor turning of speech in Christ's giving the promise of the Keys but as Christ began so he continueth his speech to Peter upon occasion of his confession In v. 17. Christ pronounceth Peter blessed from the cause of his confession In v. 18. he giveth a promise of reward to Peters confession that upon this as upon a Rock he will build his Church and establish it as impregnable against the gates of Hell In v. 19. he giveth unto Peter upon occasion of his publick confession in the name of the Church a promise of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven Therefore this promise is given to the Church in Peter in such sort as though the use of the Keys be various according to the variety of callings in the Church yet the power it self of the Keys is here originally and primarily cōmitted to the * Toti Ecclesiae dedit Christus claves sed ita ut in Ecclesiâ certi essent qui clavibus utantur ad salutem Ecclesiae honoremque Dei Zanc. in praec 4. quaest 3. Vid. Park de Polit. Eccles l. 3 c. 3. Church in general existing in particular Churches I might produce sundry Writers both ancient and modern of other Countries and our own if need required to confirm this Exposition yea of the Authors quoted by Mr. P. not a few consenting herein but I shall only mention Cyprian and Augustine who in sundry places speak the same with us And these two I the rather name because I find in approved Histories that sundry Martyrs being confirmed in this Truth by their Testimonies have sealed it with their blood Hieronimus Savanarola a Godly learned Preacher in Florence a man endued with a Prophetical Spirit Illyr Catal Test verit cont
may by the eyes which are given to it for that end 2. The Confirmation or proof that such a Church is the first and proper subject of this power shall be double 1. By Scripture 2. By Reasons 1. By Scripture it may be proved from sundry Texts 1. This in hand clearly confirmeth it if that good ancient rule of expounding Scripture be received Dictorum intelligentia ex causis dictorum sumenda est For Christ's question to the Disciples which was the cause of Peter's confession here was only concerning the Faith common to the Church Whom say ye that I am Hereupon Peter in the name of the Disciples made this confession of Faith Quia Christus Petra Petrus populus Christianus August in Matth. de verbis Domini Ser. 13. Christ testified his approbation of it by calling him Peter not so much in respect of his Office as of his Faith thus publickly professed whence also visible Believers are called lively stones 1 Pet. 2.4 5. and Christ added to this praise of Peter a twofold promise 1. Of edifying and stablishing the Church upon this Rock 2. Of affording it sufficient means for the attainment of those ends viz. the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven c. Where the Kingdom of Heaven or visible Church of Christ on earth is compared to a City or House the Door or Gate whereof is Christ the Keys are all instituted means whereby an entrance into Christ and his Kingdom visibly is opened and shut the subordinate power whereof is here given to the Church immediately The second Text is in Mat. 18.17 18. Tell the Church if he hear not the Church let him be as an Heathen and a Publican For what you shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven c. This cannot be meant of Elders assembling together and acting apart from the Brethren For no such assembly is called the Church in the New Testament much less is this power given to them for in case of scandal given by them they are under the power of the whole Church as well as other Members to be censured by them though when they keep the Rule they are as Elders Rulers in the Church It must therefore be meant of a Congregational-Church The third Text is in 1 Cor. 5. where Paul exhorted the Church at Corinth to exercise this their power which he calls the power of the Lord Jesus v. 4. whereby they were to deliver unto Satan that incestuous person v. 5. and were to purge out the old leaven v. 7. and were to judge those that are within v. 12. and to put away that wicked person from among them v. 13. and this Paul calls a punishment inflicted by many 2 Cor. 2.6 Thus he establisheth their power to bind and teacheth them how to use it and in like manner he exhorteth them upon the mans repentance to turn the Key and to open the Door of Christian liberties to him and to loose him from the former censure by forgiving him in a legal or judicial sense 2 Cor. 2.7 10. And that this Church at Corinth was a meer Congregational-Church it may be evinced from hence that the whole Church was no larger then was wont to meet together in one place 1 Cor. 14.23 for the ordinary worship of God 2. By Reasons 1. Because in such a Congregational-Church are all the causes of this power 1. Efficient the Institution and Ordinance of Christ who delegateth this subordinate power to whom it pleaseth him by his own appointment 2. The material cause visible Believers 3. The formal cause Covenanting together to walk in all the Ordinances of Christ and to submit mutually one to another in the Lord to be reclaimed if they err from the rules or to be censured by the power of the whole if they be found obstinate 2. Because there is no former subject of this power from whence a Congregational-Church might derive it but it is communicated by means of the Church to all that partake of it and it remaineth in the Church when others are removed They choose their own Elders therefore they had this power virtually in them before they had Elders and so could not derive it from them 2. All particular Churches are of equal power within themselves not one of them subordinate to another Therefore they derive it not from other particular Churches 3. Synods both lesser and larger are made up of the Elders and Messengers sent from particular Churches and have their being from them nor do they send them to them to borrow any Church-power but only light from them as the Church at Antioch did from the Church at Jerusalem Acts 15. Therefore they derive no Church-power from them Again when the Elders of particular Churches are dead or censured or rejected by the power of the whole for obstinacy in scandalous evils the Church still retaineth its power to choose others as a Corporation hath its full power still though the Magistrates be dead or cast out The same holds in Churches in Islands by their own confession when they cannot have the help of Synods Thus we prove Fire to be the first subject of heat because if it be in other things as in Water or Wood it is there by the means of Fire and when they are removed yet still it remains in Fire The like reason holds in this as you see to prove such a Church as this of which we speak to be the first subject of Church-Power or of the Keys 3. Because all the acts done immediatly by the Church in opening and shutting in binding and loosing flow from this power of the Keys given them by Christ and hold it forth 1. Their admitting Members is an act of this Power and holds it forth for till the Brethren be satisfied and approve ones fitness he cannot be received into their fellowship Act. 9.26 and 10.47 2. Their choosing Officers is an act of this Power which the Apostles would not violate in adding Deacons Act. 6.3 5. and Ruling-Elders to the Church Act. 14.23 and the same holds much more concerning Pastors and Teachers This power Cyprian acknowledged to be in the * Plebs obsequens praeceptis Dominicis Deum metuens ipsa maximè habet potestatem vel eligendi dignos sacerdotes vel indignos recusandi Quod ipsum videmus de Divinâ authoritate descendere Cypr. l. 1. ep 4. People principally to accept or refuse Ministers as they judged them worthy or unworthy 3. Their Ordination of Officers by deputing some chosen out of their own Body thereunto in the want of Officers is an act of this Power of the Keys residing in them For though the Offices of Elders in general and the Authority of their Office as they are Rulers is from Christ immediately yet the investing of this or that elect person with this Office Authority in relation to this or that Church by application of it to him in particular rather than to another this is by the
That therefore it may be effectual for their eternal good it is their duty when the sentence proceeds either according to the eighteenth of Matthew upon their not hearing the Church in less hainous offences or according to 1 Cor. 5. and Rev. 22.15 upon the hainous nature of scandals given by them against common light to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt them in due time 1 Pet. 5.6 and to cry mightily to him to add efficacy to his Ordinance by his Spirit that their spirits may be duly and truly humbled their corruptions powerfully mortified and their souls eternally saved Be sure that you take not part with your sin against the Ordinance but take part with the Ordinance against your sin and account it your honour to honour God and exalt his Rules and let others learn hereby to fear not joyning with the Church but persisting obstinately in sin 2. Corollary Then a Congregational Church such as hath been described is the highest Ecclesiastical Tribunal under Christ in its own matters This was revealed to John as that frame of Church-Government which should continue from the Apostles time unto the end of the World when he saw a Throne set in Heaven the Trinity sitting upon it and the four living Creatures between it and the four and twenty Elders who sate round about the Throne Rev. 4.1 -9. Thither appeals must be made according to Christ his Ordinance by an offended Brother after the first and second step or by any Member that finds himself over-rigorously dealâ— with by his Brethren in these steps Matth. 18.17 18. that there the Cause may be scanned and Sentence proceed according to Christ If the Church want sufficient light or consent for the sentence they are to seek help from others by their Light and Counsel but still preserving the power of Censure intirely in the Church where Christ hath placed it The wisdom of Christ the good of the Church and of every Member and the nature of the thing require that there be some chief Tribunal in the exerciâ—â— of Church-Government unto which Appeals must be last made Juridically and from which no Appeal may be granted and expected 2. That this chief Tribunal must have no Ecclesiastical Power above it and 3. That it may not be judially censured by any Power of the same kind All the question is which is the chief Tribunal That say some must be the Classes under which such Churches stand and the Synods under which the Classes are subordinate and they give this Reason Because the end for which the Keys are given to the Church is that all offences may be removed Mat. 18.15 16 c. Which they say cannot be done if you put the chief Power of Judgment into a Congregational Church For what if an Elder what if the whole Edership yea what if the whole Church offend The Church cannot censure their Elders for that were to rule their Rulers and to judge their Judges nor will they censure themselves But a Classis or Synod of many Elders may and will reform all by judicially censuring all Answ 1. This Argument is built upon a mistake or error in the foundation of it For the Rule prescribed in Matth. 18. is â—â—t for removal of all offences but of such private and less hainous offences as grow publick and notorious only by the obstinacy of the Delinquent For if offences be publick and heinous in themselves the Apostle doth not direct Churches to proceed by those steps 1 Cor. 5.11 Rev. 22.15 2. Nor doth it make the People Rulers of their Rulers or Judges of their Judges when we say that the Church hath a power over them in case of Delinquency For Excommunication is not an act of the highest Rule or Authority but of the highest Judgment and therefore the Power of it may well be in the whole Church as their Priviledge without any intrenchment upon the Rule and Authority of Elders wherein as Officers they are above the Brethren whilst they act according to Rule But if they become Delinquents then as Members they are under the Power of the whole The Church must submit to them as Rulers whil'st they rightly exercise the Authority of their Office in Preaching Administring the Seals holding forth light from Scripture to guide them in censure ordering Speech and Silence according to Rules of Order and Edification and in other Official Acts But they must submit to the Church questioning or proceeding to censure them with good advice of Neighbour-Churches and Elders who as they concurred in giving them the right hand of fellowship in their Ordination so they should concur in approving this Censure as justly inflicted by the Church from parity of reason The Mayor in a free City or Corporation is in the right Administration of his Office above the Court none but he can perform the Acts peculiar to his place yet if he corrupt the People pervert Justice or be any way grosly and scandalously delinquent the Court can censure and despose him For the whole hath Power over any Member to preserve its purity and peace and safety against any in the Body that would corrupt disturb or destroy the same And the Covenant binds every Member to be subject to the Power of the whole either to be reformed or removed from communion of it thereby 3. Their Plaister is not suitable to heal the Sores of the Church but it is either too broad when offences of Brethren may be healed by Church-censure within themselves or it is too narrow For 1. Those Assemblies are too seldom and cannot sit together long enough to remove the many offences that fall out frequently in Churches 2. Non can they Excommunicate a Church nor any Officer or Member of a particular Chuch by warrant from Christ 3. Classes and Synods and general Councils may be under just offences as well as Churches and who shall censure them 4. This Plaister hinders the healing of the Sores of Churches For Appellatio est jus per quod prima sententia tantisper extinguitur donec de causae cognitione ad superiorem devolutâ fuerit pronunciatum if a Delinquent disliking the Churches proceeding appeals from the sentence of the Church to the Classis and for the same reason from the sentence of the Classis to a Provincial Synod then to a National Synod then to an Oecumenical Council which may not assemble in an Age while the Appeal depends he shall stand as uncensured For this is the Law of Appeals Now how can that heal which is cross to the prescription of our Lord Jesus Christ the only wise Physician He saith Tell the Church and if he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen Publican But he who appeals from the Church doth not hear the Church Therefore he that so doth deserves to be cut off by the sentence of Christ which this Tradition of Appeals from Churches in re propriâ