the Church Mat. 18.15 16 17. that is the Eldership for saith the Lord to Moses speak unto all the congregation then he called the Elders and spake unto them Exodus 12.21 which are called the assembly of Elders distinct from the congregation Psa 107.32 or the estate of the Elders Acts 22.5 neither could any two or three Saints be this Church for then the offendor and the offended brethren were this Church but that they were not nor one or two more for it was the third gradation neither was it the whole Congregation here ment for then if any two or three doe but agree about binding loosing it should be ratified in heaven although all the rest were against it But lastly it is ment her Officers who have the keyes of binding and loosing committed unto them although but two Elders and a Pastor in that Eldership yet if but two of them agree being the major part of that Eldership it shall be ratified in Heaven Mat. 18.17.18.19 being the highest appeale in a particular Church In the next place I wil shew by Scripture the Appeals of Churches the lesser to the greater for publique offences not one Congregation to another nor one Classes to another nor one Provinciall Synod to another for so they are of equall authority but a Congregation to a Classes made up of many represented or a Classes to a Provinciall Synod being greater than that and from thence to the Nationall Synod being the greatest power in the Nationall Church I begin with the first and that is proved by all those particular Churches in Syria and Cilicia appealing to the Church at Antioch being a Presbyteriall Church having Apostles and extraordinary Prophets and many Ministers in it who came as being all concern'd in the busines when seducers would have broched errors amongst them Acts 15.12 and there they had great disputation with those seducers even the Apostles themselves who might have determined the businesse there but that it was to be a president for all Christian Churches therefore that Classicall Assembly at last determined to send to the Synod at Ierusalem about that question ver 2. and being brought on their way by the Church that is by some representing the Church ver 3. and they were received of the Church not as if all those many thousands of Beleevers came forth to receive them but some of the Synod representing them all were sent to receive them ver 4. and the Apostles and Elders came together not casu ally but on purpose to consider of that matter ver 6. those Churches having referr'd themselves to their finall determination they did authoratively passe sentence and made decrees to be kept for all those Churches who did thus appeal first to that Church at Antioch and from thence to Ierusalem and they being fully satisfied for having read the Epistle they rejoyced for the consolation ver 30.31 and so all these Churches of Syria and Cilicia were established in the faith ver 41. Chap. 16.4.5 But you give Classes and Synods absolute power to impose there conclusions and determinations on particular Churches without any refusing Ans It is true that all particular Churches ought to refer themselves and that none should be permitted to refuse yet we do not give Classes and Synods absolute power over them so as to impose on them what they please nor at all to make laws for the Church as the Parlament for the State but only to gather out of Scripture a model of that discipline which Christ hath already made and cause that and no other to be put in execution But Classes and Synods hinder obedience to that command of Christ which is to try all things 1 Thes 5.21 and make the Saints liberty lesse than it was in the Apostles dayes for then they might trie their Doctrines Acts 17 11. yea they would be Lords over Gods heritage which they ought not 1 Pet. 5.3 and which no Counsell or Synod since the Apostles dayes ever had nor claimed neither did Christ ever give it to them Ans Classes and Synods do but shew the absolute power of Christ and impose that only as necessary without refusing they doe but gather up the severall Lawes of Christ already made into a moddell to be observed which is not to be Lords over Gods heritage nor challenge to themselves a power which Christ never gave them but rather to dispence the mind of Christ to the People But Classes and Synods makes a Pastor to undertake more Churches than his own and makes them lame that they cannot do their Office themselves and hinders matters from being tryed where they were committed which doth occasion Tyranny and hinder Church-liberty and put men into many intollerable temotations as to wrest the Scripture to a contrary sence and to stop the way of knowledg by stinting mens gifts and abilities and making men to build their observation and practice of divine Laws upon humane principles and policies that will gender to bondage therefore Christ will root it up as the Prelacy Ans Classes and Synods do not undertake more Churches than their own unlesse in case of appeal for their help when as their own Eldership cannot do it neither doth lending a hand make their own Officers lame but rather support them when they were ready to sink under their burden but if they can bear it themselves Classes and Synods will not hinder them but rather encourage them to doe it still which will free them of a great deale of trouble neither are matters to be tryed where the offence was committed but in places of Iudicatory both in Church and State And to speak of Tyranny all Sects are more guilty than Presbyterians for their parties are their Iudges without suffering any appeales from them neither do Classes and Synods force men to wrest Scripture but rather take care to put out such mechanick fellowes who cannot avoid it for want of Learning And it is rather a temptation to error and blasphemy when suffered than if such were punished for it Neither doth Classes and Synods hinder mens gifts and abilities but only rectifies them where to be imployed for more profit and that is in their own families by them neglected while they presume without warrant from the word of God to meddle with other mens businesse Also they further a learned Ministry which may teach the people knowledg and only labour to prevent the blind from leading the blind into the ditch neither is the discipline of Christ to be called humane principles and policies nor is it bondage to be kept from error and blasphemy but rather perfect freedome neither will the Lord root out Presbytery as the Prelacy because some beleeve it but rather their faith shall fail being built on the Churches ruine against which the gates of Hell shall not prevail Mat. 16.18 But may not Ministers alone sometimes meet together to advise each other for the Churches good without Classes and Synods Ans Yes but
Text 1. Tim. 4.14 There Paul saith neglect not the gift that is given thee by laying on of my hands that is by miraculous qualifying and fitting him for the Ministery and also by laying on of the hands of the Presbytery by ordination approving of that sitnes this last is still in use at this day in the Church for the Apostles left others to ordain Elders in every City or Church at their decease Titus 1.5 But is your office of Ministry peculiar to Ministers Ans yes Aaron and his sonnes shall wait on the Priests office Ex. 28.4 and saith Paul the Lord put me into the Ministery 2 Thes 1.12 I magnifie mine office Rom 11.13 every Member hath not this office neither may any say I have no need of thee nor one Member act in anothers office if al were as one Member where were the body 1 Cor. 12. Secondly Ministers are Ambassadors but if all were such to whom are they sent and they are Shepherds but if all be such where is the Flock and they are Stewards but if all be Stewards where is the family and houshold of faith But may not men of other callings preach the word and take the Pastorall charge of a congregation without this ordination David preached and prophesied Psal 40.9 and Solomm is called the Preacher Eccle. 1.1 Ans It is true so did women prophesie 2. Chron. 34.22 Acts 21.9 yea women reveal'd Christ Iohn 4.29 aud declared his Resurrection Luke 24.10.11.12 and yet they were not in the Ministery for VVomen may not speak in the Church 1 Cor. 14.34 yea Angels declared the glad tidings of Christ and also his Resurrection and call themselves brethren to the Prophets Luke 2.10.24.25 Revel 22.9 yet they were not in the ministry And for David and Solomon they preach as Penmen of Scripture to the great Congregation the universall Church but not as a Pastor to his people Secondly Trades-men are placed by God and charged there to abide with God 1 Cor. 7.25 3ly they are forbidden to be busie bodies in other mens matters charged to do their own businesse 1 Pet. 4.15 1 Thes 4.11 Fourthly God hath severely punished those men of other callings when they presumed to meddle with the office of Ministry 1 Sam. 6.19 2 Sam. 6.7 Nom. 16.35 21 Sam 26.16.19 5ly No man can discharge the Pastors office and another calling for who is sufficient for it alone 1 Cor. 1.16 Sixthly the Apostles left their other callings and gave themselves only to the Ministry Acts 6.4 and so did Christ himself the calling of a Carpenter Mark 8.3 and refused the office of a King and the office of a Iudg Iohn 6.15 Luke 12.17 being anointed to preach the Gospell Luke 4.10 and knowing that Ministers are forbidden to intangle themselves with the affaires of this life 2. Tim. 2.4 Seventhly every calling is to be done in faith and love but Trades-men cannot preach in Faith having no warrant from the word of God nor in love to profit the people because not sent nor blest of God who only teacheth to profit 〈◊〉 48.19 Jer. 14.14 But suppose a man be not placed in any other calling may not hee take upon him the calling of the Ministery without humane learning Ans No for the messenger of the Lord must be an interpreter Job 33.25 Secondly he must not glory in another mans line in things made ready to his hand 2 Cor. 10.16 Thirdly unlearned men wrest the Scripture to their own destruction 2 Pet. 3.16 Fourthly Paul prayeth that they may speake with tongues and giveth thanks for that gift in himself 1. Cor. 5.13.15 Fifthly Ministers must be watchmen to give warning of dangers approaching Eze. 3. but unlearned men cannot give warning of errours written in Greek or Latin by which the Gentry may be much corrupted and the watchman see it not for want of learning Sixthly the gift of tongues is placed in the Church then chiefly in the ministery Seventhly if a Bishop be a novice he will fall into the condemnation of the Devill 1 Tim. 3.8 Eighthly both Christ and his Apostles and all Ministers in all ages had this gift of tongues either immediately infused or mediately taught in Schools Mar. 6.2 John 7.15 Acts 2.4 Ninthly Ministers ought to eat the book and then prophesie Eze 33. Rev. 10.9.10.11 but they cannot read the book without some humane learning Isa 29.12 Tenthly saving grace alone is not sufficient to make a Minister for then women or children may be Ministers when as the one may not speak in the Church and the other cannot speak at all for both may have saving grace yea a heathen without the pale of the Church may have saving grace yet unfit for the office of the ministry But the Apostles preached before they had this gift of tongues Ans It is true they preached to the Cityes in Israel who spake the language in which the Old Testament was written but they were charged not to goe among the Gentiles Mat. 10.5.6.7 but we are Gentiles and speak not the Language wherein any part of the Scripture was first written and also when the Apostles were to preach unto the Gentiles they were charged to tarry at Ierusalem till they had the gift of tongues Luke 24.49 yea the gift of tongues was a signe that the Gentile Preachers were truly called to the ministry 1 Cor. 14.22 Marke 16.17 But those Scriptures that speak of Bishops qualification say nothing of the gift of tongues 1 Tim. 3. Titus 1.6 to 9. Ans Although the gift of tongues be not there set down yet it is in other Scriptures as hath been shewed Secondly if Ministers should make those two texts their only pattern and labour for those qualifications only and for no other see what absurdities will follow First then they need not be able to read English because reading is not there mentioned but then these things they must have First a house of their own Secondly a wise Thirdly children Fourthly they must be faithfull Fifthly not accused of ryot Sixthly they must have a good report of those without and he that wants any of these is unfit for the Ministry But who must chuse the Minister Ans All have a right to chuse him in case he be already ordain'd and so in the Ministry unlesse they be dis-abled by a journey or sicknesse or infancy or excommunication or women that may not speak in the Church or servants who contribute not to his maintenance But what maintenance is the Minisser to have of the Congregation Ans A sufficient certain maintenance either by Tythes or some other way For Tythes were not altogether judiciall First because Abraham payed tythes before the Iudiciall Law was given Ger. 14 20. and so did Iacob also Gen. 28.22 Secondly Tythes were not only to the Priesthood of Aaron but also to the Priesthood of Melchisedec which is an everlasting Priesthood Heb. 73. 4.8.13 yea Levy himself paid tythes to this Priesthood vers 9. although he received tythes of the Iewes Thirdly whereas the Scribes and Pharisees paid tythe of Mint Annis and Cummin and omitted the weightier matters of the Law as judgment mercy and faith now sairth Christ unto them these ought you to have done and not to leave the other undone Mat. 23.23 Luke 11.42 therefore by the testimony of Christ tythes are still to be payed but however Ministers ought to have a sufficient maintenance First because the Iewish Priests had a sufficiency allowed them and saith Paul even so hath the Lord ordain'd for Ministers of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.14 Secondly Ministers must give themselves wholly to the work of the Ministry Acts 6.4 and may not intangle themselves with the affairs of this life 2 Tim. 2.4 therefore they had need to have a sufficient maintenance Thirdly as it was the sinne of Ieroboam to make the lowest of the people Ministers so it is their sinne to make those in the Ministery to become the lowest for lack of sufficient maintenance Fourthly it is very prejudiciall to the Peoples soules for their Minister to be forced to seek his own naturall food when he should be preparing food for their soules Fifthly Ministers are at great charges for learning to fit themselves for the Ministry and when they are fitted for it yet many times it is long before they are placed in any benefice and when they are placed in it then it is but for their life in case they enjoy it so long and then all is gone from their wives and Children for ever and sometimes through the envy of evill men they are quickly cast out of all and it may be never attain to another all their days these things considered Ministers ought to have a sufficient maintenance And also their maintenance ought to be certain and not depend on the peoples courtesie First because all men have a certain rate for their work and shall Ministers only depend on peoples courtesies Secondly the Iewish Priests had a certaine maintenance and saith Paul even so hath the Lord ordained for the Ministers of the Gospell 1 Cor. 9.13.14 Thirdly Ministers are hired Labourers Luke 10.7 1. Tim. 5.18 therefore they ought to know their wages and also be certain of it 4ly Paul saith it is the peoples duty to minister unto them in carnall things Rom. 15.27 now if it be a duty it is not upon courtesie unlesse they will hold themselves bound in duty to give little or much any thing or nothing as they please themselves But it is a sinne to teach for hire and to divine for money Micah 3.11 Answ First it is true if they onely sought their own gain and not at all the salvation of the people 2. If they should more seek their own gaine than the peoples salvation But to seek maintenance that they may subsist in seeking Gods glorie in their salvation is most pleasing to God 2 Corinth 12 14 15. By Thomas Bakewell Jmprimatur Iohn Downame FINIS
not follow for he must be first baptised and so admitted into the universall visible Church which includes all particular congregations and gives him a right to partake in all publick Ordinances in case his knowledge and life be approved of by the Eldership without any rebaptising or any other covenant engaging whatsover but this Priviledge no Turk can have by living in one of our Parishes let him have never so much knowledge or holinesse till he he seal'd his professed obedience to to the Covenant of grace by Baptisme Obj. But you stand so much upon Baptisme so that if a man be but baptised though never so prophane you hold him still to be a member of your Church Ans It is true for so he is untill for his misdemeanour he be judicially cut off yea he is still a member while he is under the spirituall Physicians hands although by suspension he is disabled for the present to act as a member as as man sick in his body or in prison cannot use his freedome of the City yet he ia a freeman still for all that therefore the Church officers ought to take care of their patient and comfort him lest Satan get advantage and the man be swallrwed up of overmuch sorrow 2 Cor. 2.7.11 2 Thes 3.15 Ob. But more is required to make members of a Church than Baptisme to seal their professed obedience to the covenant of grace and the approbation of the Eldership to partake of the Lords Table for they must engage themselves to each other to walk in all the wayes of God Ans The covenant of grace being sealed by Baptisme is sufficient to bind them to walk in all the wayes of God 2. This professed obedience to that covenant is the onely form of all Christian Churches 3s That bond lies on all that have seal'd that covenant for ever 4. To make any other engagement than what Christ hath made for admission into the Church is the direct mark of the beast Revel 13.16 17. Ob. But King Asa and the people entred into a Covenant to seek the Lord 2 Chron. 15.1 and the Priests and Levites sealed such a Covenant Nehemiah 3.38 and it s foretold that in the times of the Gospel men shall bind themselves in a perpetuall Covenant Ier. 50.5 and Paul was not suffered to join himself with the Disciples till his engagement Acts 9.26.27.30 Ans 1. Concerning Paul the Disciples imposed no engagement on him at all onely Barnabas declared his conversion and how he preached boldly at Damascus in the name of the Lord Iesus and how he was with them at Ierusalem and how he had disputed against the Grecians who went about to kill him now when they knew this by Barnabas they brought him down to Cesarea and fent him on their businesse to Tarsus onely upon that report of Barnabas without any of his engagement to them and for those other Covenants they were not for admission of those without the Church to bring them in but of those already in it to walk more closely with God according to the Covenant of grace which they had sealed before at their Circumsion and often renewed at the Passeover and for that Prophecy to bind themselves in a perpetuall Covenant is either meant of those without that shall come in and seal the Covenant of grace or else it is no more but that Christians should do as the Iewes did before them that is to bind themselves to walk more closely with with God which was done both at our Protestation and at our solemne League and Covenant yet these men reproach our Church and Ministry in which and by whom they say they will be converted But is your Presbyteriall Government of Divine institution Ans Yes for God hath set in his Church Governments 1 Cor. 12.28 yea all the three persons in Trinity had a hand in it the father sends forth labourers into the Harvest Mat. 9.38 and the Son gave some to be Apostles some Pastours and teachers Ephes 4.11 and the holy Ghost made them overseeers Acts 20.28 and the Elders of Ephesus were those overseers ver 17. for the Apostles ordained Elders in every Church Acts 14.23 and after their decease they left others to ordain in every City or Church Titus 15. now these Elders were of two sorts first such as were both rulers and teachers for saith Paul obey them that have the rule over you who also speak unto you the word of God Heb. 13.7 17. those Bishops or overseers must be apt also to teach 1 Tim. 3.2 and there is also another sort of Elders which onely are rulers but do not labour in the word and Doctrine and if they rule well are worthy of double honour but more especially they that also both rule well and labour in the word and Doctrine 1 Tim 5.17 now both these have rule over the Saints Heb. 13.24 and worthy of this honour if they rule well Rom 12.8 But shall the Eldership judge and determine of all matters in the congregation Ans Yes they are to judge of all matters unlesse in case of appeals to Classes and Synods first because the Elders are charged to watch and keep the flock from the danger of wolves Acts 20.28 29 30. 1. Pet. 5.13 2. The stock for the poore is to be put into the hands of the Eldership Acts 11 29 30. 3. The Keyes of the Church are to be committed to them for binding and loosing Mat. 16.19 Iohn 20.23 4. All controversies in the Church are to be decided by them for if brethren cannot do it then saith Christ tell the Church Mat. 16.17 18. But shall the Eldership judge and determine who are fit to partake at the Lords Table and keep them back who are not fit to partake of that Ordinance Ans Yes for if they are to judge of all matters then of this also 2. Some were charged to keep the doore in the time of Administration 1 Chron. 26.12 to 19. and some had the charge of the holy place 2 Chron. 23.32.3 Some were blam'd for not putting a difference between the holy and prophane Ezekiel 22.26.4 The younger sort have in all ages and Churches been examined and catechised before admittance to the Lords table that they may offer unto the Lord a pure offering Mal. 1.11 But after admittance to the Lords table shall any be deferr'd from that Ordinance before any crime is laid to his charge or proved against him Ans No for it were unjust to punish a man before he be proved to be guilty of some offence deserving that punishment Secondly it would rend the Church in pieces to suspend any communicants before they be charged with any offence deserving i. t If the Eldership shall suspend both the godly and ungodly before they be charged with any offence and proceed to make a new admittance of those allready admitted the succeeding Eldership might do the like to those that they have admitted and so do and undo for ever Fourthly