body or in his estate c. * Châ—mier tom 1. l. 15 c. 10 §. 35. which censures are among the Papists not with us The second is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divinely when a man is judged to eternall torments which judgement belongs alone to Christ Joh. 5.22 Church-judgement is medicinall for salvation not for destruction 3. The third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ecclesiastically Dog nata impâ—a ab haereticiâ— prâ— ecta arguâ—re aâ—â—â—hematizare opâ—râ—et â—ominibâ—s autem parcendum â—ro salute ipâ—orum orandum Serm. de anatheÌ„ toÌ„ 5. p â—90 Rutherf Due râ—ght of Presb. p. 36â— 370. which is no more but to determine and judge such a dâ—ctrine to be an errour and such persons who doe maintain such doctrine to be erroneous persons I like well of that speech of Chrysostome It is the duty let me say of the Church to censure and Anathematize wicked doctrines proceeding from heretikes but the Church is to spare their persons and pray for their souls 4. They have power to send to the Churches whereof they are members to excommunicate and cast them out So that though it should be granted that a Synod hath not corrective power the power of censures formally yet vertually it doth reside in them having power to send to other Churches to doe it to which I should most fully agree It is a passage of the learned Professour of Scotland We doe not say that power of jurisdiction is in a Provinciall or Nationall Synod as in the Churches who have power to excommunicate and he gives two reasons 1. Because this power of jurisdiction in Synods is cumulative not privative The second is yet fuller 2. Because it is in a Synod rather according to commanded Quâ—aâ— actus imperatos potiuâ— quâ—m actuâ—â—licitoâ— then elicite acts For saith he the Synod by an ecclesiasticall power added to that intrinsecall power of jurisdiction in Churches doth command the Churches to use the power of jurisdiction rather then to use it actually her self And in another place Rutâ—â—rf Due riâ—ht of Pâ—esb p. 41â— the same reverend and learned Authour hath this passage I could easily yeeld that there is no necessity of the elicite acts of many parts of government such as Excommunication Ordination c. in Synods Provinciall or Nationall but that Synods in the case of neglect of Presbyteriall Churches command these particular Churches whom it concerneth to doe their duty And in this sense the Synod in Act. 15. is to remit the censure of Excommunication to the Presbyterie of Antioch and Jerusalem in the case of the obstinacy of these obtruders of circumcision But you will say though he doe not allow it to be the act of a Synod yet he affirmes it to be the act of a Classis but with submission to better judgements I conceive upon the same ground it is denied to a Synod upon the same ground it may be denied to a Classis nor doe I know the difference between them The consociation of Churches makes a Synod and what is a Classis but such a consociation If it be said that one is a consociation of more Churches then the other I see not with reverence to them of the contrary thoughts how this should put the difference unlesse upon this hand that if these acts of jurisdiction or at least some of them be denied to a Synod which is the consociation of many Churches they cannot be allowed to a Classis which is a combination of a few And let me adde thus much more if the convention at Jerusalem Act. 15. evidently no greater probably not so great as an ordinary Classis especially if it were as our Brethren affirme only a consociation of two single Churches viz. Jerusalem and Antioch I say if this Convention was yet called a Synod And that this Synod as the learned Professour grants was to remit the censure of Excommunication to the respective Presbyteries whereof the offender was a member I see not but a Classis also may have the same name yea and is to doe the same thing viz. having judged of the fact to remit the censure of the offenders to those Congregations whereof the parties offending are members And thus much shall suffice to have spoken of the second branch of the power of Synods viz. as relating unto erroneous persons Possibly I have not gone so farre as others and I must say neither could I unlesse J went upon other mens leggs not my own thus farre J could walk though J did walk more alone The third branch of power in a Synod We now come to the third and last branch of power in a Synod as relating to erring Churches And J conceive that a Synod may put forth these acts of power towards erring Churches 1. They may declare their opinions to be erroneous And this is plain from Act. 15.24 where you see there was a Dogmaticall or doctrinall declaration of the falshood and errour of their opinions who sought to obtrude Circumcision and the observation of the Mosaicall Law upon the Churches this was judged by the Apostles and Elders in this Convention an heterodox opinion a dangerous errour not only troubling but tending to the subverting of their souls And in this we shall finde a good agreement the key of knowledge and a power doctrinally to determine and declare the errour of opinions being granted on those hands who otherwise deny the power of jurisdiction to Synods all grant a Synod to be a teaching though all will not allow it to be a governing Church and that it hath the power of doctrine though not the power of jurisdiction 2. A Synod hath power to counsell an erring Church that they lay down their errours that they persist no further in those erroneous opinions And in this we shall also agree they who deny the determinations and acts of Synods to binde as authoritative Commandments doe yet acknowledge them to oblige not only as friendly advices but as authoritative counsels and this upon two grounds 1. Because they are a company of Elders to whom See Cotton Keyes as to the Priests of the Lord Whose lips are to preserve knowledge the keys of knowledge and consequently a Synodicall authority is gâ—ven 2. Because as a private mans power is inferiour to a Pastor so is the power of a Synodicall convention of Elders above a single Congregation And a Synod in dogmatical power ariseth so higher then these as a divine institution doth fall upon it Every brother indeed hath a power to counsell and advise a brother and this warranted 1. By the Law of Nature 2. By the Law of God Levit. 19.18 Lev 19.18 3. By the Law of brotherly charity Colos 3.15 1 Thess 5.14 Heb. 3.13 Heb. 10.24 Col. 3.15 1 Thess 5.14 Heb. 3.13 Heb. 10 24. But this is only as a gifted and enlightned brother every Pastour hath power also to counsell and it is his duty to doe it
but he doth this by the key of knowledge the power of order not the power of jurisdiction And though our Brethren doe not allow the power of jurisdiction in a Synod yet some of them grant an authoritative power not only differing from the former gradually as a greater power to advise differs from a lesser but specifically and in nature different from the other indeed their brethren grant not so much in this kinde they say the power of a Synod differs from the power of Congregations only gradually and extensively not essentially and specifically And could that specificall difference of power be fully made out certainly it would be a good medium to our reconciliation in this point of difference 3. A Synod hath power not only to declare and counsel but to admonish and rebuke an erring Church if one brother may admonish another and if he will not hear him he may tell it to two or three and if he will not hear two or three he may tell it to the Church then by the same proportion if one sister Church will not hear another admonishing her from her errour or scandall she may tell it to more if yet they will not hear they may go and complain of it to a Synod or Church of Churches That Scripture which bids me to admonish and rebuke an erring brother doth warrant by way of proportion one Church much more a Church of Churches to admonish and rebuke one erring Church And in this also wee agree 4. A Synod hath power to promulge and publish their errours to other Churches I say a Synod having first examined and debated any opinion or doctrine by the Word and found it to be erroneous they may promulge and publish those doctrines as they have found them thus you see they did in that great convention in Act. 15. having examined and debated that opinion of theirs Act. 15 â—4 and upon debate had concluded it to be eroneous they sent their letters to the Churches of Antioch Syria Cilicia wherein they published the errour and danger of those doctrines to them as you see vers 24. charging them to be destructive and subversive to their souls where by the way let me tell you though the resolution of this Question was the end of this Convention For Paul and Barnabas was sent from the Church of Antioch unto Jerusalem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning this Question vers 2. ver 2. And the Apostles and Elders came together to consider 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 6. ver 6. of this matter yet I conceive it was not the adequate end if it had been the totall and adequate end of this meeting in a meer doctrinall way to resolve the Question then had Peter vers 10 11. made a clear issue of the Question when he said we are saved by the grace of God both Jews and Gentiles And it was to tempt God to lay the yoke of the Law of Moses upon the brethren here was a full determination of the Question And if the resolving of this Question had been the adequate end of this Synod why is there more done why doe they censure and brand the false teachers for subverters and liars Why doe they publish and promulge this to other Churches send binding decrees to be observed by all the Churches of the Gentiles All this shews that though the resolving of the Question was the end of their meeting yet was it not the full and adequate end of it nor did the Church of Antioch send to them meerly for the help of their Councel in the dogmaticall determining of the Question in doubt but for the assistance of their authority in strengthning those determinations and healing those present ruptures and divisions among them The determinations of Paul for the dogmaticall part might have been as valid as the sentence of them all he was an Apostle as well as they or if his Apostleship were more questionable among the Gentiles by reason he had not gone in and out with Christ in his life as the other did yet the sentence of the other Apostles at Jerusalem might have been valid enough to have setled the controversie for the doctrinall part and if no more had been required why are Elders joyned with them in the determination they could contribute nothing to strengthen the doctrinall part the sentence of the Apostles was strong enough without them and therefore there was some further end of this Convention then meerly Counsel the setling and determination of the Question which might be the joynt authority of a Synod not only to make decrees but to binde those decrees upon the Churches And so not only to discover doctrinally to declare those opinions obtruded to be errours but also to publish and promulge them as errours to the Churches that they might avoid them And thus it was the practice of the Primitive times in their Conventions after they had censured and condemned errours they writ letters to the Churches which were called literae communicatoriae or Communicatory letters wherein they let them know that such opinions were censured and condemned for false and erroneous opinions and that 's another branch of the power of a Synod toward erring Churches 5. A Synod hath power to send to other Churches to beware of such a society I say upon the publishing and declaring of the danger of their erroneous opinions to other Churches they may caution other Churches to take heed and beware of them if the Pastour of one particular Church may Caution his people to beware of such and such errours as doe arise among them much more may many Pastours and Elders in consociation doe the same to many Congregations And this was another ground of these Communicatory Letters in the Primitive times after they had published their errours to other Churches they did also by these Letters caution them and warn them to take heed of them Thus Alexandâ—r Bishop of Alexandria Theod. l. 1. c 3. Chamier l 14 c â— sect 8 9. after Arius his heresie had been sentenced in a Synod he sent to all the Churches of Christ to beware of that dangerous hâ—resie 6. They may declare such Churches unworthy communion with the Churches of Christ I say they may in an authoritative judiciall way in the name and authority of Christ declare these erring Churches are not worthy communion nor to be received into fellowship with any of the Churches of Christ nor to have communion one with another in the Ordinances of Christ nay and yet more they may send to other Churches and charge them as they are the Churches of Christ to withdraw all fellowship and communion from them which certainly if it be not all yet it seems to be proportionable to what is contended for Par in parem non habet potestatem It is a censure and this shews there is authority in Synods for no equall can censure or give out the sentence of non-communion against another
equall Nor would Christ have one Church to forego communion with another Church but upon presupposed censure some foregoing act of authority if he would not have a brother to renounce communion with a brother but upon some fore-going Church-authority Mat. 18.15 16. much lesse would he have a Church And as it is a censure and so declares authority in Synods so it is to me a censure proportionate to excommunication and so certainly the brethren would have the Churches to receive it otherwise I conceive they were not to withdraw communion from them Ames saith Ames cas consc l. 4 c 29 q. 11. th 26. Rutherf though whole Churches and members of another Church cannot properly be excommunicated by a Synod yet for manifest heresie a Synod may 1. Condemn 2. Forsake 3. Reject such a Church which saith he is proportionable to Excommunication And is Excommunication in the essence and substance of the act as the other brethren say Of which I shall speak more by and by Now in the close of all this Discourse of the power of Synods we have two main Objections which we shall endeavour to answer and so conclude this Discourse Ob. 1. But it will be said Are the Churches to obey such a sentence meerly because the Synod commands it If indeed a Synod were guidâ—d by such an extraordinary and infallible spirit as that in Act. 15. and could say with them It seemeth good to the holy Ghost and us then were the Churches bound to obey but our Synods now are not assisted with any such infâ—llible spirit nor have they that extraordinary concurrence of the spirit therefore we are not bound to obey Answ For the first part of this Objection viz. Whether the Churches are to obey because a Synod commands and enjoyns such things I answer No and demand what Protestant Authour ever said so Certainly the power of a Synod is not absolute but limited not magisteriall but ministeriall a power only in the Lord nor are we to be meer instruments moved by the will of those in authority as the Papists say but are morall Agents and ought no lâ—sse to obey in faith then they command in faith and are to give câ—re and diligence we be not accessary to unjust sentences lest we also partake in other mens sinnes But though we are not to obey meerly because they command yet are we to obey because we are commanded in the Lord A Synod is to be looked upon as a solemn ordinance of Christ And the Elders are to be looked upon as the Officers of Christ and they decreeing and commanding in the Lord Manuscr quoted by Rutherf Due right of Preâ—b p. 365. we are to obey Our brethren say thus much Though every particular Church of Christ hath right and power to exercise its own Ordinances Christ hath left them yet in difficult cases we are bound to seek advice of other Churches and to give so much authority to the concurrence of judgements in a Synod as shall and ought to be an obligation to us not to depart from any such resolutions as they shall make upon any consideration what ever but where our conscience and our peace with God is apparently concerned 2. For the second branch of the Objection which is taken from the different concurrence with and the assistance of the Spirit to our Synods and to that in Act. 15. they were guided by an extraordinary and infallible Spirit and could say It seems good to the holy Ghost and us our Synods have only at the best the ordinary assistance of the Spirit nay and may erre and therefore there is a vast difference An. I answer to this 1. This Argument strikes against all jurisdiction in a particular Congregation as wel as against all power in a Synod for a particular Congregation is not infallible neither they may erre in their administrations and therefore shall they not administer censures at all who will say this Nay 2. This strikes against all authoritative delivering of doctrine in single Pastours â—s well as the Dogmaticall and doctrinall power of delivering doctrine in Synods ordinary Pastours they have not that extraordinary concurrence of the spirit they are not infallible they may erre therefore are they not to preach 3. A man and so a Synod may be guided by an infallible spirit although his or their spirit be not infalliblâ— And the results of a Synod may be infallible and founded upon a certain word though a Synod it self be not infallible 4. I conceive these two are not convertible an infallible and an extraordinary spirit A man may be guided by an infallible yet not by an extraordinary spirit the ordinary presence and guidance of the spirit of truth in the word may be infallible yet but ordinary It is not an extraordinary assistance and guidance 5. But fifthly you suppose that here which cannot be made evident and clear that the Apostles were guided in this Synod by an extraordinary spirit or by the extraordinary assistance of the spirit The Papists indeed do affirm it and hence take a ground to inferre the infallibility of their Councels and Synods Non sequitâ—â— spiritus sanctus huic Concilio adsuit ergo aâ—iis adest VVhitak And many famous Protestant Authours in their Tracts against the Papists affirm the same and make use of this as a medium to prove the fallibility of Councels that Councels may erre because they are but men and subject to errour and not guided with such an extraordinary assistance of the spirit as the Apostles were in thâ—s great Councell a Chamier Tom. 3. l 15. c. 10. sect 3. Illis aderat extraordinem spiritus sanctus adeo ut quae illi propoâ—erent adâ—â— simplicitèr manarent at reliquis pastoribus adsistentia spiritus nulla extra ordinem One speaking of this Convention saith The holy Spirit was extraordinarily present with them in so much that whatever they propounded was simply Gods communications but God affords no such extraordinary assistance to ordinary Pastours The like Whitaker also b VVhitak de authoritate Sac. Scrip. l. 1. p. 78 etiam controv 3. q. 6 c. 2. p 610. Certum est hoc fuisse singulare concilium singularibus privilegiis donatum c. It is certain this Councel was a singular Councel and was endued with singular priviledges in regard of the presence of the Apostles Shall we compare saith he the Councel of Trent yea that famous Councel of Nice to this in which there were so many Worthies endued with the extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost farre be it from us to make such a comparison And a little after he saith c Omnes definâ—tiones ecrâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scripturis pares fuere Ibid p. 115. All their determinations were inspirations of God and equall to the Scriptures And in this opinion runs the stream of our famous Writers against the Papists With reverence to the vast abilities of these famous
main of all which is 3. Judiciall and authoritative if fraternall if pastorall means are too short and insufficient to reduce an erring brother to blast restrain suppresse the spreading of errour God hath yet warranted and ordained a third means to back and strengthen all this And that I call judiciall and further authoritative Which is two-fold 1. Congregationall 2. Synodicall 1. I say Congregationall or that which is administred within the bounds of a particular Congregation For I doe not conceive that God hath left a Church or Congregation of Saints without remedies within it self to help and relieve it self under it's burthens and scandals But that a particular Church furnished with it's officers hath right and power not only to dispence Ordinances but to administer censures allowing liberty of appeals upon such who are offensive and scandalous among themselves Mat. 18.17 a Mat. 18.17 And this I conceive would not be very difficult to evidence both from Scriptures and the practice of b Cent l. 2. c. 4. p. 391. Euseb l. 3. c. 22 l. 5. c. 16. l. 3 c. 19. Zip l 3 c. 7. Whitak cont 4. q. 1. c. 1. p 519. Perk. expos in Rev. â— 20 3.7 Primitive times if it were to our purpose to travel so farre in this controversie It may seem strange to us that Christ should blame the Church of Pergamus for suffering Balaam and the Nicolaitans Revel 2.14.15 Yea and so deeply charge and reprove the Church of Thyatira for suffering Jezebel if these Churches which I take to be particular Congregations had not power to cast out their own offenders And if you say it did not belong to these Churches respectively to censure their offenders but it was immediately the work of other Churches in consociation with them I would demand why then are not other Churches blamed for their neglect as well as they And so why is not Pergamus reproved for tolerating Jezebel And Thyatira for tolerating Balaam And Smyrna for tolerating either Certainly if it had been their duty to cast them out it was their sin to tolerate them but the one is not charged upon them as their sin therefore cannot the other be evidenced to be their duty I thinke it would be a great help to reconciliation and for my part I could willingly grant that a particular Church or Congregation of Saints hath right to determine and conclude it 's own proper businesse and affairs and that it is under no obligation of Christ to goe farther then it self if there be sufficient power and skill for the concluding and determining of them Nor should they be disturbed by any in their Church-administrations P râ— pol â— eccl l. 3. c. 20 p. 301 30â— c. unlesse upon evident at least presumed grounds of false administrations If indeed the businesse be of common concernment and that more Churches are interessed and concerned in it or if a particular Church want power or skill to determine and conclude it 's own differences or if there have been false administrations as it may fall out or if they may be presumed to be false in such cases a community of Churches is requisite and businesses of this nature are to be transacted not by one but by a Community or Synod of Churches Of which more afterward We are now to deal only with that power which Christ hath lâ—ft unto a particular Congregation of Saints for the suppressing of errours and reducing of erroneous persons among themselves And I shall speak of it onely under these two branches 1. Admonition 2. Excommunication 1. They have power to admonish an erring or offending brother And that is implied in Mat. 18.17 Mâ—t. 18.17 If he will not hear the Church let him be to thee c. He is not to be cast out till he discover his obstinacy till he will not hear if he must hear then the Church must speak It is then the office of the Church to exhort to reprove to admonish an erring brother that he doe not persist on such errours nor spread such opinions And this admonition differs from that which is fraternall nay from that which is pastorall though authoritative yet it is but concionall and doctrinall this is judiciall and in order to censure if a brother will not be reclaimed and that is the first 2. A second means in case the former be insufficient if it appear that yet after exhortation reproof admonition a man continues obstinate in his opinion and will not be reclaimed from it then may the Church proceed to censure and excommunication according to that in Mat. 18 17. If he will not hear the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen and a Publican And that is the second means viz. excommunication But now against this we have two Objections Obj. 1. Some say that this is meant of civil and personall injuries and not of spirituall scandals and offences Answ 1. If it were meant of civil and personall injuries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propriè significat injustiaÌ„ injuriâ affiâ—ere aliquem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propriè errare aberrare peccare raro aut nunquam pro injuria afficere why should it not rather be expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so rendred in sensu civili juridico if thy brother injure thee if he wrong thee rather then in sensu theologico if thy brother trespasse or sin against thee 2. It cannot be meant of civil and personall injuries for Christ would be no Judge of such things he professedly disclaims it when the man came to him about the dividing of his inheritance Luk. 12.14 Who made me a Judge or a divider over you As if he had said this is not my businesse it is extraneous to my place and calling I stand not in any such relation to man And if Christ would not be the Judge of such mattâ—rs neither would he set up any such judicatures in his kingdome besides if you look upon the coherence that which ushers in this speech of Christ it is a discourse of scandals as you see in the 6 and 7. verses and therefore if this have any consistence with the former it cannot be taken for civil injuries but spirituall scandalls besides the end here proposed is not civil but spirituall the brother is to tell him his fault for the gaining of his soul not for the gaining of reparations for wrongs If he hear thee thou hast gained thy brother not gained thy goods or good name but thy brother thou hast reclaimed him from sin and wone his soul And if you look upon the words they will tell you that the persons here judging are not considered as standing in any civil but in an ecclesiasticall capacity that will appear by that phrase Go tell the Church a name no where given in the New Testament to any civil
I will hint them to you and so proceed 1. Because the Apostles should then have overthrown their own decrees it was the end of these dâ—crees to free their consciences from the burthen of the law and not to binde their consciences to the Ceremonies of the law and that their end was to free them it appears 1. By the state of the Question propoundâ—d in the Councell Act. 15.1 5. 2. By the debates and suffrages themselves both which shews their intent was to free their consciences not to binde them It will not suffice what Bellarmine saith Non tollitur servetus quamvis â—uâ—etur Dominis Cham. That they went about to free them from the laws of Moses but yet to binde them under the commands of a Councell for this is not to set them free but to change their servitude 2. Because these precepts did expire when the reason of them was expired when the scandall was removed the precepts were expired which shews the cause of these decrees not to be any necessity in the things themselves but the avoidance of scandall 3. Because Paul who was at this Councell and understood these laws doth so expound them 1 Cor. 8.7 8. 1 Cor. 8.7.8 10.25 28 29. c. 1 Cor. 10.25 The Apostle there bids you What ever is set before you to eat and ask no question for conscience sake Yet saith he If any say that this which is set before you is offered in sacrifice to Idols eat not for conscience sake conscience I say not thine own but of others c. By which the Apostle shews it was not absolutely and in it self unlawfull to eat but unlawfull in a case because for the present it was offensive and scandalous to the conscience of the weak brethren And this shall suffice for the fifth agreement I will name but one more 6. We agree in this That a Synod hath no power to deprive a particular Church of its rights power priviledges but to direct maintain and strengthen them in them So that what ever is the proper and inherent right of a particular Congregation no Synod or Classes can weaken them in it much lesse invade them and deprive them of it it being their work to cherish and strengthen them in the execution of them The power of a Synod as I told you is not privative but cumulative It is not for lessening and weakening but for the strengthening and confirming the proper rights of particular Congregations It doth not take away due power but hinders or remedies the undue exercise of that power and directs and strengthens them in cases of difficulty in the right exercise of it And thus you see we doe agree in the negative What their power is not We will now come to the second What their power is What is the power wherewith God hath inabled a Synod as serviceable to this end the suppressing of errour and râ—ducing of erroneous persons You see here I am not to deal with the power of Synods in the severall branches laid down by holy and learned men viz. Dogmaticall Diatacticall And Criticall The first hath relation to Doctrine the second to Order the third to Censure which three-fold power they hold forth from Act. 15. In which seems to be discovered three great evils which were the occasion of that meeting of the Apostles and Elders 1. There was heresie taught some that had preached the necessity of observing the Ceremoniall law yea and telling them Except they kept the law of Moses they could not be saved v. 1. 2. There was the scandall and offence of the weak Jews with the alienation of their mindes from the Gentiles who did neglect to practise those Ceremonies 3. There was the schisme and stasis raised by those who troubled the Disciples vers 2. And according to this three-fold evil is discovered the footsteps of a three-fold power exercised and put forth in this meeting 1. The dogmaticall power confuting the heresie and vindicating of the truth vers 7 8 9 c. 2. The Diatactick power making a practicall Canon for avoiding the scandall and abstaining from such things as gave the occasion of it vers 20 29. 3. The Critick power vers 24. branding those teachers with the black mark of lyars subverters of souls troublers of the Church ver 24. A three-fold remedy answerable to the thrâ—e fold evil I am not here to enquire or deal with the power of Synods in this latitude laid down being onely to consider of their power as relating to this Question which is a power proper to the suppressing of errour and reducing of erroneous persons Nor shall I be able to enumerate all the particulars of their power as relating to this Question but I shall speak unto the chiefest under these three generall heads 1. They have a power relating to erroneous doctrines and opinions 2. They have a power relating to erroneous persons 3. They have a power in reference to erring Churches And of these in their order 1. They are indued and inabled with a power in relation to erroneous doctrines and opinions And we will lay it down in these three branches 1. A Synod hath power to examine enquire debate of any erroneous opinion or doctrine that is on foot and this I think is granted on all hands And Act. 15. is plain for this there was errour taught and the Apostles and Elders are said to meet together about this matter vers 6. they met to examine to consult and debate about it There is a two-fold examination the one private and personall the other ministeriall and authoritative every man hath power and is bound to exercise personall and conscientious examination but every one is not to exercise a ministeriall and authoritative only such as are chosen and called to it we speak here of ministeriall examination in which we shall finde few dissenters And say a Synod hath power to examine enquire debate of erroneous doctrins and opinions 2. A Synod hath power to determine and * Patres in concilio 〈◊〉 solâ—mmodâ— inquisiteres sed judâ—ces Deus judical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Synodus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uâ—usquisque 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Daâ— de jud norm fid judge of errours A Synod hath not only power to examine but it hath power to judge There is a three-fold judgement 1. Absolute and supreme 2. Ministeriall and Synodicall 3. Private and personall the first is onely proper to God the last belongs to all the second to them only who are chosen and called to this work Though nothing is to be allowed contrary to the Word yet Synods have ministeriall judgement according to that Word They have power saith Junius to make inquisition and consult determine both of controversies of faith and manners And this also you see Act. 15. The Apostles and Elders in that consociation did not only enquire and
consult but they also judged and determined those opinions which had been taught to be disturbing destructive and subverting errours v. 24. 3. They have not only power to enquire and judge but they have power to censure and condemn errours All which is but yet a dâ—gmatiâ—all or doctâ—inall power of declaring and determining of truth or of errour which I conceive will be granted on all hands even by those who are most shie and tender in weighing forth â—ny power unto them And indeed Act. 15. doth make all this evident there they examined they judged they censured the errour which was broached among them And after ages they followed the same patern The first great Councel of Nice as I shewed you did censure and condemn the heresie of Arius The Councel of Ephesus did condemn the heresie of Nestorius the Councel of Constantinople did censure and condemn the heresie of Macedonius Euseb eccl hist l. 6. c. 42. The errour of Montanus was judged and condemned by many Synods in Asia So that this is cleer a Synod hath power to examine to judge to censure and condemn errours Obj. But it will be said Councels may erre That famous Councel of Nice it self had yet it's errours one of which was That heretikes should be rebaptized c. And if Councâ—ls may erre Concilium Nic enum primuâ—â— quod suit omnium nobilissi â—um â—eleber â—â—mum tamen erravit Whit. â—oâ—t 2 c 2. q 6 p 6 8 620. then may they censure and condemn truth as well as errour and that is fearfull Answ This is one of the Scepticall Objections of this age we have too many who themsâ—lves being sure in nothing seek to weaken all determinations what ever as if they because they are subject to errour might not be certain in truth but for answer 1. It 's granted Councels may erre and the best of Councels may erre That famous Councâ—l of Nice had it's errours which Whitaker in respect it was so famous is tender of uncovering But though they may erre doth it follow that they do alwaies erre This is a non sequitur 2. Again though they may erre doth this take away their right of judgement of errour and truth weaknesse and subjection to errour in judgement doth not take away right of judgement God hath allowed this way of judgement to determine of doubtfull doctrines and decide controversies and he hath said Let the spirit of the Prophets be subject to the Prophets 1 Cor. 14.32 A place which Junius applies to this and the errour of some must not nullifie the ordinance of God 3. Though they may erre yet they are not so likely to erre as others an Assembly of godly and learned men met together in Gods way they are under a promise to be led into the way of all truth 4. Though they may erre in some particulars of lesser moment yet points of greater moment are clear and evident 5. In what they erre we are not to follow them Ministeriall judgement is theirs private and practicall judgement is yours and you are not to receive and embrace their determinations further then they shall appear to you to be consonant and agreeable to the Word of truth you are not to obey because they say it but because they say it authoritatively from Gods word Officiall authority they have as a Church of Christ but objective authority they have not so that what they say because they say it is therefore to be closed with Thus the Papists say not we We say that Synods have no peremptoâ—y absolute illimited authority to determine as they please but their power is Ministeriall and limited to the Word of God and we may say for our own practice Tantum valet â—ecretum Conâ—tlâ—j quantum vaâ—et ejus ratio Amâ—s The decrees of Councels are no farther binding then the reasons of them are evident to be of God And so much shall serve for the first generall branch of the power of Synods We come to the second 2. As they have power relating to erroneous doctrines so they hâ—ve power as relating to erroneous persons And this we will lay forth in these branches 1. They have power to conveâ—n them and call them before them if by their writings or otherwise their persons are known Indeed in Act. 15. we doe not reade of any summons of those false teachers nor was there any need for they may be conceived to be personally present and rebuked in the face of the Synod as subverters of souls And if they were not present to whom doth Peter speak vers 10. Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples Certainly it was not to the Apostles and Elders they were not guilty of that fact but those who sought to obtrude the observation of the Mosaick Law upon the Brethren Again who were they that made much disputing in the Synod ver 7. sure it was not the Apostles nor any others besides themselves but had they not been there I thinke there is no question among rationall men but the Apostles and Elders conveened had a power to call them and that it was their duty to come Certainly if we be bound to be ever ready to give to any that asketh us a reason of the hope which is in us much more to such an Assembly as this authorized of God for such ends as these were So that I take the first for granted they have power to call erroneous persons 2. They have power to admonish and rebuke them this is evident also from Act. 15. those disturbers were rebuked in the face of the whole Assembly There is a three-fold rebuke Fraternall Concionall Judiciall the one is done by a brother the second may be done by one single Pastour as is commanded 1 Tim. 4.2 3 4 5. Preach the Word reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering the last is done by a consociation of Pastours and Elders If one single Pastour hath power to rebuke authoritatively an erring brother how much more a consociation a Synod of Pastours and Elders 3. They have power doctrinally to censure such persons and to condemn them Thus you see in Act. 15. They censured those for lyars troublers subverters of souls And thus may a Synod censure and condemn an erroneous person Thus did the Councel of Nice censure and condemn Arius not only his errour but the person also * Tom. 1. epiâ—t ad ubâ—â—j orthodoxos Act. 1. ult Athanasius desired and vehemently supplicated his fellow-pastours of other Churches to meet together in a Synod to vindicate and redeem the Church from errour and that they would 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by thâ—ir suffrages condemn and reject the authours of such mischiefs There are usually laid down three wayes of censuring and condemning erroneous persons 1. The first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 politically when an erroneous person is censured by civil censures viz. to be imprisoned or to suffer in his
have gone on in a totall abstinence of all Ceremonies which might have been scandalous to some Gentiles and the Gentiles should have gone on in eating blood meats offered to Idols and things strangled which had been highly scandalous to the Jews which certainly had Paul or Peter acted here as Apostles by vertue of the immediate inspired spirit they could not have overseen nor had they let it passâ— By all which to me it seems clear that the Apostles and Elders in this Convention did not act by vertue of an immediate inspired spirit nor had they any further extraordinary assistance of the spirit Possunt alia legitima concilia similiter asserere decreta sua esse decreâ—a spiritus fancti si huic concilio similia fuerint si eandem regulam servaverint quam in hoc concilio servaverint secuti sunt Apostoti Whâ—t cont 3. q. â— c. 2. p. 610. a but as ordinary Pastours and Elders in this act That this Synod or Convention was led by the holy Ghost is evident by vers 25 28. where it is said It seemeth good to the holy Ghost and us But that this was the holy Ghost immediately inspiring the Apostles and Elders upon these grounds alledged I deny But that it was the ordinary concurrence of the spirit such as ordinary Pastours and Elders may have in the truth And thus Whitaker himself notwithstanding all those former passages affirmes saying That other lawfull Councels may in like manner assert their decrees to be the decrees of the holy Ghost if they were like to this Councel and if they did observe the same rule which the Apostles did observe and follow in this Councel meaning the word of truth And indeed if otherwise then either we have no patern for Synods or else all Synods doe act with the same spirit I say either we must with the Papists say That all Synods are infallble or we must say with the Socinians and Arminians we have no patern for Synods at all And thus I have shew'd you that the Apostles and Elders in this Synodicall Convention were not immediately inspired nor had they an extraordinary concurrence of the spirit nor did they act by their Apostolicall spirit but as ordinary Pastours And in this we have the concurrence of some of the Brethren who have written on this subject The Apostles did not in this great Convention determine the matter by Apostolicall authority Cotton Keyes p. 48 49. from immediate revelation but they assembled together with the Elders to consider of the matter ver 6. and a multitude of brethren together with them vers 12 22 23. And after searching out the cause by an ordinary means of disputation vers 7. Peter cleared it by the witnesse of the spirit to his Ministery in Cornelius family Paul and Barnabas by the like effect of their Ministery among the Gentiles James confirmed the same by the testimony of the Prophets wherewith the whole Synod being satisfied they determine of a judiciall sentence in which they censure the false teachers as troublers of the Church subverters of souls They reject the imposition of Circumcision as an insupportable yoke They impose on the Churches none but some necessary observations and them by way of that authority which the Lord had given them vers 28. By all which you see it is fully granted by some of the Brethren themselves That the Apostles in this Convention did not act as Apostles or as men immediately inspired And so much for the first great Objection we come to the second Object 2. But it will be said Though it be granted that a Synod hath power to counsell admonish rebuke an erring Church nay and to publish their errours to other Churches to caution other Churches to beware of them yea and to declare those erring Churches unworthy communion and to charge other Churches to withdraw from them yet notwithstanding all this suppose that an erring Church will yet persist in it's errour and will not be healed and reclaimed hath a Synod no further power to put forth to the gaining of them May not a Synod proceed to further censure viz. the Excommunication of such an erring obstinate Church Answ And here indeed is the great knot of the controversie this is the great dividing point between some of the Brethren on both parts at this time In the perusall of Discourses I finde men various in their thoughts concerning this I will lay down five severall opinions about this Question 1. Some say that no Church or member of any Church is under the jurisdiction of any Church or Church of Churches whatever but that every single Congregation is a Church of Christ and hath full and entire power within it self to administer ordinances dispence censures and independent upon any other or others either for the enjoyment or imployment of this power and when they seek to other Churches it is for assistance and direction not for precepts and injunctions It is not to adde to their authority but to strengthen their ability in the managing of it Park polit eccl l. 3. p. 335. 2. Others say That not only person 's but Churches also are subordinate unto the power and jurisdiction of a Synod or Church of Churches and that a Synod hath not only power to excommunicate erroneous persons but erring Churches also if they will not be reclaimed And this they establish by way of proportion upon Matth. 18. Goe tell the Church of which before and say there is the same reason for the Excommunication of whole Churches as of some persons in them viz. the taking away the scandall the conversion of the sinners and the preserving of other Churches from seduction As two or three persons may scandall and give offence to one Church so may two or three Churches give offence and scandall to many Sister Churches The Apostle implies so much 1 Cor. 10.32 1 Cor. 10.32 where he saith Give no offence neither to the Jew nor to the Gentile nor to the Church of God And if Churches may be offended certainly Churches may offend And therefore without doubt Christ who hath provided remedies for the scandall and offences that may arise among a few in a particular Congregation hath not lâ—ft many Churches and Congregations without some remedy against the scandals and offences of a few Certainly remedies there are And some thinke th s viz. Excommunication and say a Church fals under a two-fold consideration 1. As having communion with it self Pagets power of Classes Synods p. 109. in answâ—â— to D. Ames 2. As having communion with other Churches Though a Church cannot be cast out of communion with it self Yet it may be cast out of communion with other Churches of Christ So Paget in answer to D. Ames 3. Some again thinke that a whole Church is not to be excommunicated and yet not upon D. Ames grounds because a Church cannot be cast out of communion with it self c. Ames Cas
consc l. 4. c. 29. Nor yet upon this ground because the other remedies alleadged are sufficient remedies But for this reason because probably the whole Church is not corrupted and it were better to spare many offenders then to censure one innocent And therefore it is judged safer that this censure of Excommunication should be dispenced distributively rather then collectively by singling out the chief offenders in a Congregation rather then by the cutting off the whole body and society And this is one thing objected against the sentence of Non-communion that it doth without any distinction or difference cut off a whole Church from communion and fellowship with other Churches of Christ when it may be the whole Church is not corrupted and guilty 4. Some thinke the way to deal with an hereticall Church if I may so call it is not by Excommunication but by dissolution of the society But this not being a Church-censure I have nothing to doe with it here 5. And lastly Some thinke That though a Synod cannot excommunicate an erring Church yet may they doe that which is proportionable to it they may censure them condemn them forsake them reject them and render them odious to other Churches for their errours And if this be not Excommunication yet certainly it is analogicall and proportionable to Excommunication Ames cas consc l 4. c. 29 q 11. thes 26. So Ames And is held by some to be it self Excommunication The learned Authour of the book entituled Observations and annotations upon the Apolog. Narration p. 43. hath this expression to those Brethren It is a mistake in you to thinke that in declaring of your non-communion with other Churches you doe not excommunicate them for what is Excommunication but a privation of Cimmunion c. And indeed Excommunication being an ecclesiasticall word and not found in Scripture and the substance of that we finde in Scripture being done why do we lengthen out the contention Object 3. But it will perhaps be said by some That all this is not Excommunication this is but the half of it the negative part of it and not the positive part of it which indeed is that wherein the proper nature of Excommunication doth lie viz. a dâ—livering up to Satan Answ And here we are now come up to the highest step of the controversie This is the the very point of the difference 1. For the first part of the Objection That this is not Excommunication because it wants the positive part To me it seems evident that which is granted by Ames in the fifth opinion and which our Brethren grant in the sentence of non-communion hath something positive as well as negative in it Yea but you will say here is not the delivering up to Satan and in that consists the formality of this sentence of Excommunication Indeed this is a great Question and requires more pains and time then I can spend about it 1. Some there are indeed that thinke in this to lie the formality of the censure viz. The delivering up to Satan 2. Some again thinke it a higher and more dreadfull degree of the sentence The authour of the Observations on the Apâ—l Nar p. 43. 3. Others thinke this Delivering up to Satan to be a fruit and consequent of the sentence and not of the formality of it 4. And there are some that thinke that this delivering up to Satan is neither of the formality of the sentence nor yet a fruit and consequent of it but an act of Apostolicall power put forth by the Apostles towards eminent and great offenders And such an act as ordinary Pastours and Elders neither in the Apostles daies nor ever since could put forth beiâ—g a power proper to the Apostles onely Pet. Molin vat c. 11. p. 10â— De potestate Apostolorum in corpora whereby they delivered up the bodies of great offenders to be tormented by Satan That the soul might be saved in the day of Christ. And this they call that virga Apostolica which you read of 1 Cor. 4.21 Shall I come to you with a rod Such a rod as Peter came withall to Ananias and Sapphira such an one as Paul put forth to Elymas the Sorcerer and such an one as he put forth to Hymeneus and Alexander 1 Tim. 1.20 and towards the incestuous person 1 Cor. 5.3 5. I have decreed that this man shall be delivered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh That is say they for I will give you their thoughts for the punishing and tormenting of the body by weaknesse sicknesse griefs c. for so by flesh they understand the body * Cum spiritâ—â— manifestè hic significat animam necesse eâ—t per â—aâ—nem spiritui oâ—positam corpuâ— intellâ—gâ— Mol. p. 10â— And say the opposition here between flesh and spirit doth make much for it for if by spirit be meant the soul as in this place it must then by flâ—sh to hold the opposition must needs be meant the body and the sense will then be he hath delivered such an one to Satan for the d struction of the flesh that is for the punishing and tormenting of the body which they exemplifie in Job that the spirit that is the soul may thereby be brought to repentance and saved in the day of the Lord and this extraordinary and miraculous power of inflicting torments on the bodies of eminent malefactours in the Apostles daies is conceived by some to be afforded to the Apostles for to supply and make up the defect of the Magistrates power which they wanted in those daies But yet they deny not but that Paul would have the incestuous person to be cast out of Communion with the Church but this he would have done by the Church of Corinth and by the authority of the ordinary Elders as appears vers 7. Purge out therefore the old leaven that ye may be a new lump so in vers 13. Put away therefore from among your selves that wicked person But when the Apostle speaketh about delivering to Satan he doth not expect the consent of the Church of Corinth but decrees this by his apostolicall power and authority to which decree of his he requires the Churches consent to be joyn'd as he saith I as absent in body but present in spirit have decreed that he that hath done this thing should be delivered up to Satan And that which he adds When ye are gathered together and my spirit it is not to be understood say they as if the decree of the Apostle did depend upon the consent of the Church but having decreed he requires their assent to it And this they prove in the example of Hymenaeus and Alexander whom he delivered up to Satan without the consent of any Church what ever So that you see there is a great deal of difference in mens thoughts concerning this delivering up to Satan 1. Some you see would have it an act of apostelicall power and a punishment inflicted upon the body
and not Excommunication they finde it not in the first institution of this ordinance Matth. 18.17 nor doe they think Satan a fiâ— instrument to bring about those holy ends for which this ordinance was instituted And how ever Satan may doe much good to the souls of Gods people against his will occasionally and accidentally by his buffetings and temptations yet it sounds harsh to them that God should set up so solemn and holy an ordinance as this is to continue in the Church while Christ hath a Church on earth wherein Satan is so farre honoured as to be serviceable and instrumentall in the saving of soules c. 2. Some will have this delivering up to Satan of the formality of the sentence urging the Apostles phrase of speech in the 1 Cor. 5. to import so much to us 3. Some again assert it to be a further and more dreadfull degree of this censure 4. And others say it is not of the formality of the censure but a fruit and consequent of it Now if it be the first of these viz. an act of apostolicall power as many conceive who yet hold up this ordinance of Excommunication yea and from that place also 1 Cor. 5.2 7 13. then did it die with the Apostles and we have nothing to doe with it It is utterly inimitable and impracticable by ordinary Elders and officers And if it be the second viz. That this delivering up to Satan be the formality of Excommunication then it will follow when there is not such a delivering up to Satan there is no Excommunication which I thinke few will say And the condition of persons not only censured but censuring doth prevail much with me not to thinke and if it be the third viz. a further degree of the censure then either a degree prudentially to be annexed according to the atrocity and heinousnesse of the fact of which I see not any warrant or it is a degree necessarily to be added and if so then is it inseparable from the censure nor can the censure be dispenced without it and so it is of the formality of it which to me is not so evident But if this delivering up to Satan be the consequent and fruit of the censure as the fourth opinion saith and many upon good grounds doe chuse rather to affirm then the controversie will be at an end in this particular For those brethren of the Congregationall way do affirm That when a Synod met together in the Name of Christ Burrough Heart division p. 44. have in the authority of Christ solemnly judged condemned and censured such an erring Church to be such an one as hath no right to any Church-ordinance nor is to have any communion with the Churches of Christ if this judgement be right then such a Congregation is thereby put out of the kingdome of Christ and consequently is put under the power and kingdom of Satan And thus I have done with the answer to the Objections and with that have at length finished this discourse of Church power as relating to this Question The suppressing of errour and reducing of erroneous persons Yet give me leave before I shut up this work in regard it is a better work to unite then to divide to compound differences then to heighten and increase them to lay down the grants of our brethren of the Congregationall-way unto this Question In which we shall tell you what materials they will afford us to the making up of this Fabrick And first though they expressely say that every particular Congregation is a Church of Christ and hath right to decide it's own controversies and to conclude it 's own differences instancing in the Church of Antioch whose endeavours among themselves to end their difference and conclude the controversie which arose â— Hâ—â—rt divisions p. 43. before ever they purposed to goe to Jerusalem doth clearly demonstrate that they had right though they wanted power yet they affirm that such a Church is to render an account to other Churches of Christ of their actions And this is not arbitrary that they may or may not doe it but they are bound in conscience to it as a duty they ow to God and to their sister-Churches Ibid. 2. They grant that a consociation of Churches in Synods consisting of Ministers and Elders is a precious ordinance of Jesus Christ for the preserving of the Churches against errours schisms and scandals 3. They grant that in case a particular Church or Congregation either want light or unity among themselves that they are not able to determine and conclude their own controversies Cotton Keys p. 48 either they are too difficult by reason of want of light or too hard for want of love or by reason of division among themselves that then it is their duty to repair unto a Synod or consociation of Churches for their help and assistance to the determining of their doubts and controversies And this they conclude upon these two grounds or reasons 1. The want of power in such a Church to passe a binding sentence Where errour or scandall is maintained by a faâ—tion the promise of binding and loosing made to the Church Ecclesia errans vel liâ—igans noÌ„ ligat is not given to the Church when it is leavened with errour and variance It is a maxime The censure of an erring or disagreeing Church doth not binde it is required a Church should agree and agree in Christs name that is in the truth Matth. 18.19 20. otherwise their censure is of no power 3. They conclude this from the patern in Act. 15. which patern clearly shews to whom the power and authority is committed when there groweth offence and difference in a Church even to a consociation of Churches c. 4. They grant these Synods thus conveened have power further then to counsell an erring Church they have a power from Christ to admonish men or Churches in his name Cotton K ys p. 53. when they see a Church to walk in any way of errour and their admonitions are more then brotherly perswasions for they carry with them the authority of Jesus Christ and that a Church fallen into errour and offence is subject both to the admonitions of other Churches and to the determinations and judiciall sentence of a Synod for direction in a way of truth and peace And this say they ariseth from that was spokâ—n before The sentence of an erring nor of a disagreeing Church doth binde and therefore in case a Church fail in either viz. truth or peace a Synod is the first subject of power and such a Chuâ—ch doth fall under the censure of a Synod 5. They grant that if there be cause given either of errour or of scandall A Synod hath power in the name of Christ to declare such Churches to be subverters of the faith Hâ—art divisions p. 43. or scandalous and offensive to shame them to all Sister and neighbour Churches 6. They grant that
259. 2 ExcommunicatioÌ„ 2 Synodicall Some Objections upon Matth. 28.17 answered 261. to 265 The Synodicall means 265 This branched into four particulars 1 What a Synod is where many cases are resolved 266. to 273 2 That God hath set up such an Ordinance as this is and in what cases needfull 273 3 That this means hath been blessed and succesfull 276 4 What power God hath endued and enabled a Synod withall 279 Divers opinions laid down 280 Our agreements in the negative laid down in six particulars 281 284 The power of a Synod as relating to the Question laid down in these three particulars 285 1 The power they have as relating to erroneous Doctrines laid forth in three particulars and an Objection answered 285-287 2 Their power as relating to erroneous persons laid forth in 4. branches 287-190 3 Their power as relating to erring Churches laid down in six branches 290-295 Object concerning the difference betwixt our Synods and that in Act. 15. answered 295-302 The Quest is concluded in a discourse upon the divers opinions concerning Excommunication of a whole Church and of delivering up to Satan 302-30â— The grants of the Brethren laid out in six particulars concerning the nature and power of Synods 308-311 2 The civil and Magisteriall means 311 This summed up in five particulars q. 1. What power the Magistrate is said not to have this is said forth under four particulars 312-319 q. 2. What the power of the Magistrate is asserted to be as relating to this Quest Severall opinions concerning this whereof two of them extremes one middle 31â—-321 q 3. Whether there be any such power warranted and ordained of God as is asserted ibid. The Query resolved and Objections answered 321-325 q. 4. Whether such a power be needfull to the Church This is answered in four Conclusions 326-329 q. 5. How this power is to be dispenced where six necessary Rules or cautionary advices are laid down in answer to this Question Rule 1. This power is to be dispenced rightly 329 Rule 2. This power is to be dispenced knowingly 331 Rule 3. This power is to be dispenced wisely and prudentially 334 Set down in three things viz. It must be dispenced with distinction of Errours Persons Penalties 1 It is to be dispenced with distinction of errours VVhere are four kindes of errours laid down unsufferable 334-336 2 This power is to be dispenced with distinction of persons 336 VVhere seven rules are laid down serving to discover a man truly conscientious in an errour from one pretending conscience for his errour 337 342 3. This power is to be dispenced with distinction of penalties 342 Some errours are to be healed with patience 343 Rule 4. This power is to be dispenced orderly 344 It is not the only means the first means nor the means to be used alone 346 Ru. 5. This power is to be dispenced piously and religiously upon religious grounds in a religious manner for religious ends 347 Ru. 6. This power is to be dispenced mercifully and châ—ritably 348 The Discourse concluded with some desires motives and waies of Accommodation 349 First It is shewed that this accommodation is possible in respect of God in respect of our differences and in respect of the persons differing 349 2 It is exceeding desirable 1 To Christ 2 In it self 3 To us 4 To all the Churches of Christ Unto these motives some waies are laid down subservient to this Accommodation 355 1 That all would get their hearts in love with peace and union 355 2 Silent all characterizing names ibid. 3 Bury up and forget all bitter and distastefull passages 356 4 Retract unjust charges inconsequentiall and strained deductions fastened upon either 357 5 That there be a truce and cestation from all matters of strife and contention agreed on 358 6 Set up a brotherly and amicable conference where four things are suggested requisite to the well managing thereof ibid. Three main things to be endeavoured by the undertakers of this conference 360 1 All unnecessary controversies are to be avoided ibid. 2 To conclude and establish our agreements 36â— 3 To accommodate our differences 362 And with the earnest desires of a happy Accommodation the work is concluded THE ARRAIGNMENT OF ERROVRS MATTH 24.4 5. And Iesus answered and said unto them Take heede that no man deceive you For many shall come in my Name saying I am Christ and shall deceive many THe multitude of opinions which are in our dayes every one of them stamped with the name of Christ and claiming his authority and the great danger of them hath been the only inducement to me to make choice of this text at this time which God willing shall be the examination of many opinions now on foote Indeed there have many glorious truths been discovered to us which before were hid in the darke but when God is communicating truth then is the time for the Devill to bring forth his ware and vent his errours also And therefore great care there ought to be what we entertaine and how we entertaine opinions Take heed that no man deceive you For many shall come in my name saying I am Christ and shall deceive many The text which I have read to you it is the beginning of Christs propheticall Sermon to his Disciples Where take notice of these two things 1. The Occasion of it 2. The Sermon it selfe 1. The occasion is 1. More remote and that was the Disciples admiration of the building of the Temple vers 1. 2. More neare and that was the Disciples questions which they put forth ver 2. The Questions were three 1. When these things should happen which Christ had spoke off in the 2d verse 2. What should be the signe of his comming 3. When should be the end of the world as you see verse 3d. 2. We have the Sermon it selfe which was upon a double subject 1. Of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple 2. Of his coming to judgement and the end of the world Both which are so interwoven that it is hard to separate them Christ doth not here answer them directly determining the time and yeare when these things should be But he tells them of some foregoing signes of these things 1. There shall be false prophets impostors seducers who shall come and deceive many 2. There shall be warres famines earthquakes pestilences c. And he doth admonish them to beware of the one and not to be troubled at the other My text is a branch of the first of these Take heed that no man deceive you In the former words you shall observe a curious inquisition here in the text we have 1. A necessary admonition Take heed that no man deceive you 2. The ground and reason of it which is three-fold 1. Multi erunt seductores there shall be many seducers 2. Multos seducent they shall deceive many Here was ground to take heed but yet there is a further ground 3. Seductionis periculum the danger
what ever comes from them On the contrary if they see mens practices are irregular they presently conclude their judgement is irregular too and that is a false light which carries a man into by-paths certainly say they true light would direct and steer men into paths of holinesse This is still concluded on That men of a bad life are certainly men of as ill a belief and sin in practice is a sure note of errour in judgement And there is great reason for such thoughts because if the things received were truth they would have a great influence into mens lives they would have a great command over mens practices and waies And if the light within them were not directive certainly it would be afflictive if it did not guide them it would scourge them and they could not be able to live in sinfull practices against such eminent convictions of light to the contrary and therefore they conclude such as is the practice such is the principle and that sinfull life is accompanied with as bad doctrine where men doe walk in darknesse and doe works of darknesse surely they are in darknesse there is no light in them It was the Fathers argument of Nero who was a wicked man a monster of men Certainly that is the truth which Nero persecutes And so doe we conclude certainly that is errour which these men countenance and truth which they oppose those are errours in judgement which are accompanied with such sins in life and that judgement cannot but be erroneous where the life is so enormious Thus it is with most men they take up the judgement of things by mans practices not by Gods precepts by mens walking not by Gods rules and indeed the lives and practices of men are great obstacles and stumbling blocks to the entertainment of truth if bad and as great advantages to errour if unblameable And to speak truth these are probable grounds of truth and errour but they are not infallible evidences I say they are probable grounds The end of all truth is to reform our lives to transform our hearts And the power of truth doth enable men to live holily It doth not only teach us to doe so Tit. 2.11 12. The grace of God hath appeared teaching us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts But it doth inable us to doe so it is called a sanctifying truth Joh. 17.17 Sanctifie them with thy truth So that certainly it is a probable signe where men are sinfull in their lives they are erroneous in their judgements too But yet it is not an infallible evidence It 's possible to be erroneous in judgement and yet unblameable in conversation The Pharisees they were unblameable in their conversation who could charge them you may reade how he vaunts himself over the poor Publican Luk. 18.11 But yet you know he was erroneous in his judgement The like I may say of Arius of Arminius they were said to be men unblameable in their lives but yet fearfull erroneous in their judgements one denying the deity of Christ and the other denying the grace of Christ under the pretence of extending it to all they overthrow the nature of it and give it to none And are not many of the Papists also strict and unblameable in their lives as who more strict then they who look for justification and salvation by what they doe you shall have more charitable works from those who look to purchase heaven by them or those who thinke by them to perswade with God and to procure Gods favour to them I speak it not without sorrow then from those who yet have the affection of charity and only look for and are assured of their salvation by Christ alone Men doe not work so freely from ingagement as to ingage not from sense of mercy and thankefulnesse for it as to procure mercy and ingage God to them but this by the way Now to return I say some of the most devout of the Papists are strict and unblameable in their lives yet are they erroneous in their judgements so that you see it is possible to be erroneous in judgement and yet unblameable in life and conversation with men And again I say it is possible to be right in judgement and yet naught in life all convinced men are not converted men all that are sound in judgement in the main things are not holy of life their passions and corrupt and sinfull affections blinde their judgements in this or that particular act or may over-power their judgements and sway and carry them in those waies which their own light and conscience condemns them in And these are those which we call sinners against conscience against light of which sort are most of they who live in the Church of God They are men self-condemned their consciences and light within them tels them they doe wickedly and sinfully but yet their passions and corrupt affections carry them on violently in those waies of sin But now such men are right in judgement only by the power of argument the evidence of reason not by the demonstration of the spirit that light they have of truth it is but a common not a saving not a sanctifying light it is but a generall not a spirituall powerfull transforming and changing light The Toad though the whole body be poyson yet they say it hath a pearl in its head it serves thus farre for our turn it is one of the best pearls ever was found in it though men may have poysonous hearts and are of corrupt lives yet may they be for a time right in judgement in main things I say 1. For a time And 2. In main things with those two restrictions it may hold 1. For a time for it will not be long either the light will overcome sin in life or the sinfull life will darken and obscure the light God saith so 2 Thess 2.10 11. They who receive the truth and not with love of it they shall be given up to strong delusions to believe lies c. And because we know not when God may leave such men and give them up to blindenesse of minde to strong delusions and to their hearts lusts therefore is it not safe to receive knowledge or rather doctrine from their lips 2. The second restriction is in main things for a time they may be right in their judgements in main things that is in generall and common things which are of universall reception and have universall consent of which things either by education or by industry and art and diligence they have gotten and acquired the light and knowledge of God reveals no secrets to them those he reserves to impart to his friends he tels us The secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him Psal 25.14 And Christ tels his Disciples Henceforth I call you not servants but friends And upon this ground Because what ever I have heard of the Father I have made known to you Joh. 15.15 Joh. 15.15 Others have
have yet another which is of great moment also and I have then done with this discourse The sixth and last Quaery is this viz. Quest 6. What waies God hath left us in his Word for the suppressing of errour and reducing of erroneous persons A Question certainly of great concernment among all the contentions of the times I know none of greater concernment then this viz. What are the boundaries of opinions It were a sad thing as our case stands if there were no bounds for errours and as fearfull a thing to goe beyond Gods bounds for the suppressing of them Certainly there are some means warranted and anointed of God for such ends but what those means are and where they are to be bounded there is all the controversie I finde learned and godly men differing each from other in this point and * Augustinus retractavit pristinam sententiam fuam quâ existimavit contra haereticos nâ—hil vi agenâ—um esse Aug. retract l 2. cap. 2.5 Epist 48 50. some also differing from themselves afterwards retracting what formerly they have held forth for truth in this point witnesse Augustines retractations Indeed it is a tender point it concerns the conscience a tender part against which who that hath any thing of God in him but trembles to sinne and who doth not fear to injure and offend It is a point of great subtilty which most cannot discern there are many labyrinths many winding subtilties in it and it is of no lesse intricacy having many other subtile and intricate disputes complicated and folded up in it Two of the main subtilties are founded upon those two places of Scripture one the 2 Cor. 13.12 We know but in part the other Rom. 14.23 What ever is not of faith is sin From both which it is argued We know but in part There will be difference in opinions these opinions have power on the conscience for what ever a man hath received he is bound to walk in it and who ever recedes from what he hath received for truth either for fear or for favour he sinnes against his conscience For what ever is not of faith is sinne Again we know but in part therefore no Councels on earth are infallible if not then may they err if they may err it is certainly our duty to try prove their determinations before we do approve them if our duty to try them then it is our duty to assent or dissent to them as those determinations shall appear to us to be consonant or dissonant to the Word of God and if it be our duty to assent or dissent as those results and determinations shall be evidenced to us to be or not to be of God then how can it be the duty of any to compell us to the contrary or to punish us for the doing of that which is our duty It is a controversie full of subtilties and intricacies and it is diversly asserted and as differently maintained according to the different apprehensions principles interests and ingagements of men Some cry up liberty for all opinions Others and most decry that Some would have a toleration or an allowance for lesser differences only Others doe rather desire an accommodation then a toleration and that differences may rather be healed and composed then allowed and tolerated among us Men are divers in their thoughts their thoughts being for the most part diversified according to the proportions and latitudes of their differences in opinions from generall received truths Men of lesser difference in opinion pleading only for a mercifull allowance of some Those of wider difference contending for a liberty of all opinions To both which we shall speak something in the following discourse For the present let us return to our Question propounded viz. What waies God hath lâ—ft us in his Word for the suppressing of errour and reducing of erroneous persons For the answer to which we shall in brief comprize those waies under two generall heads 1. Ecclesiasticall 2. Civil Both which we shall clear to be warranted and allowed of God to these ends viz. The suppressing of errour and the reducing of erroneous persons We shall begin with the first 1. First then there are some means ecclesiasticall which God hath warranted for these ends And herein we shall finde few to differ from us most concurring in this that God hath warranted some means in his Church for this end though indeed there is some dispute what those means are but there needs nor any among us for we freely concurre with any that those means which God hath appointed in his Church are of a spirituall nature and influence we utterly cast out and abominate all corporall or crumenall mulcts and say the Church hath no power to punish the body or to lay fines upon the estate or to deal with men at all as they stand in any civil or worldly respects The Church of Christ owns no such weapons in her warfare * Gregor de Vâ—lent in m â—ae disp 1. q. 11. punct 3. Azor. instit moral Tom. 1. l. 8. c. 14. It is for the man of sin to propagate his way and suppresse his adversaries with such fleshie weapons The Church of Christ knows not how to use any externall violence or outward force either to advance truth or suppresse errour though the Church be in readinesse to revenge all disobedience as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 10.6 2 Cor. 10.6 yet not by such carnall weapons in such fleshie waies as these are Christ tells us that his Kingdome is not of this world And the Apostle tells us 2 Cor. 10.3 4 5. 2 Cor. 10.3 4 5. The weapons of our warfare they are not carnall but spirituall and mighty through God for the pulling down of strong-holds and bringing every thought in obedience to Christ So that spirituall means and remedies are onely to be used in the kingdom of Christ the Church of God For all other 1. They are improper not only in respect of the persons that are to uâ—e them but improper in their own nature And that because 1. They are externall means and those are too short for internall maladies 2. Besides they are heterogeneall they are diversi generis of a divers and different kinde the one carnall the other spiritual the object of one the body the estate of the other the soul and conscience 2. And secondly these were never ordained never appointed of God for such ends in his Church We cannot expâ—ct Gods blessing upon any thing further then it hath Gods ordination Now these were never ordained and anointed of Christ as means to be used in his Church and Kingdome for such an end and therefore there can be no blessing expected on them 3. Besides these means are unsutable to the ends to which they are intended fleshie means are unsutable to bring about spirituall ends the end of all Church Ordinances are not ruine but amendment not destruction but edification as the Apostle
saith 2 Cor. 13.10 and Chap. 10.8 2 Cor. 13.10 God hath given us this power for edification not for destruction the end of Church-Ordinances and administrations are not so much to punish sin as to reform the sinner not to punish mens evil as to make them good Zanch. de discip Eccles as Zanchy sets it down excellently in his Tractate de discip Eccles where he would shew the difference between the end of civil and ecclesiasticall or Church censure the end of this last is not the punishment of sin but the salvation of the sinner the edification of the Church the glory of God But the scope of the other is to punish sin it self neither doth it look to the salvation or damnation of the offender nay though the sinner repent yet the Magistrate is not to spare but to punish him for his offence committed But now the Church doth not punish though the person have sin'd unlesse he be obstinate and impenitent nor is her punishment for death but life and salvation and upon repentance the sinner is again received into the bosome of the Church So that you see here is a vast difference between the one and the other 4. Let me further adde to this that as these outward means are unsutable so they are unserviceable and insufficient to these ends for which they are pretended to be used insteed of humbling men and reforming men they provoke men harden men and make them more averse to reformation thus God blasts those means which are not of his own ordination the spirit will only work with his own tools he will only concurre with his own means and Ordinances and seeing these are not so it can never be expected that such means which are of a different kinde from the spirituall kingdome of Christ should ever produce and bring forth such effects as are proper only to that heavenly kingdome carnall flâ—shly means cannot produce and bring about divine and spirituall ends it is beyond their sphear out of their power they were never anointed of God to those ends nor can they ever be serviceable to produce them So that we shall willingly and cheerfully agree with any in this Discplina ecâ—lesiastica nihil statuit in hominum bona jura dignitates fortunas sed poena quae clavium potestate infligitur spiritualiâ— est que hominem internum sp rituale ejus statuÌ„ concernit Apol. Ius magist circa sacra c Exam. 4. pag. 109. Mat. 18 1â— that the Church hath no power over the bodies the estates the rights priviledges honours and dignities of men Nor upon any offence what ever doth their power extend to the punishing limiting or depriving them in any of these But now though these are not the wayes and weapons of the Church yet she hath waies she hath weapons and these warranted nay ordained of God for these ends viz. to suppresse errour and reduce erroneous persons And these Church means we will comprize under these three generall heads Some are Fraternall Pastorall Judiciall We will begin with the first viz. 1. The fraternall or brotherly means and that is set down in Mat. 18.15 Moreover if thy brother trespasse against thee go and tel him his fault between thee him alone where by trespassing is not meant personall and civil injuries as some have thought and I shall shew anon but spiritual scandals and offences and those not only such as are scandals in life but such also as are scandals in opinion unlesse you will say a mans life is a scandall but his doctrine be it what it will is not scandalous to us So that this is the first way to deal with an erroneous person we are to go to him if we take offence at his doctrine tell him of his errour convince him of it exhort him from it if this will not doe rebuke him and reprove him for it this we are commanded to doe to exhort one another and admonish one another c. and if we neglect this duty we are said to hate our brother as God interprets it Levit. 19.17 Lev 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke him and not suffer sin upon him which holds true in errour in opinion as well as sinne in conversation And this is one way which God hath ordained to deal with erroneous persons which hath been very successefull to turn many an one from the errour of this way as might be evidenced in many examples both of Primitive and later times if it were needfull But we wâ—ll come to the second 2. A second kinde of means which God hath set up in the Church for the suppressing of errour and reducing of erroneous persons is Pastorall God hath set up warranted and inabled a Ministery for this end to publish the doctrine of truth and to detect discover discountenance and decry erroneous doctrine and opinions they are to watch over your souls and if they see any root of bitternesse to arise any corrupt doctrine to break forth to set themselves against it to discâ—ver it to you warn you of it and if any of their people are in danger to be drawn away to labour to settle them and establish them in the truth if any are carried away to labour to reduce them by discovering their errour convincing them of it admonishing exhorting rebuking charging them in a Pastorall way and to wait with all patience if God will please to reclaim them And this you see was the Apostles injunction and their practice as you may gather 1 Tim. 1.2 3. 1 Tim. 1.2 3. 1 Tim. 4.11 1 Tim. 4.11 and especially 2 Tim. 4.2 3 4 5. 2 Tim. 4.2 3 4 5. Preach the Word be instant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine So 2 Tim. 2.24 25. 2 Tim. 2.24 25. The servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men apt to teach patient in meeknesse instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive at his will I will only adde another Tit. 1.9 10 11. Holding fast the faithfull word 1 Tim. 4.1 2 6 11. 1 Thess 5.14 as he hath been taught that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and convince the gain-sayers for there are many unruly vain talkers whose mouths must be stopped Jud. 13. â—it 1.9 10 11. who subvert whole houses teaching things which they ought not for filthy lucres sake So that you see another way which also hath been found to be very succesfull and efficacious to suppresse errour to reduce the erroneous to stablish the weak to confirm the strong in the truth of Christ There is a third and that is the
corporation or bench of Judges Indeed we sometimes read in the Old Testament the same word used for Chruch Psal 82.1 and an Assembly of Judges But in the New we never read that the name Church is attributed to any civil Officers And yet if it should be granted that by this word Church were here meant the Sanedrim yet it could not be concluded that this Sanedrim was a civil Court Some write of an Ecclesiasticall Sanedrim distinct from the civil which might be more probable to be understood by this Text at this time because it is not likely that the Jews now in subjection to the Romans and having by them Viceroys set over them to rule them but they would over-turn their civil government and rule them by laws of their own Besides the manner and order of their proceedings here with prayer vers 19. and in the Name of Christ vers 20. shews it to be no civil but an ecclesiasticall convention about Church censures Besides the phrases here used of binding and loosing ver 18. which are meant of judiciall opening and shutting forgiving and retaining sins they are such forms of speech as are never applied to any civil powâ—r or person in a civil capacity And lastly adde to this the sentence or punishment inflicted which you see is not any civil but a Church censure Let him be to thee as are Heathen or a Publican by which is meant Church-Excommunication not licence to go sue my brother at Caesars barr Nor will that impede and hinder it from being a Church-censure because it is only expressed Let him be no thee for this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to thee doth not hinder the generality of the sense but that it may be referred neverthelesse to the whole Church for this is an Hebraisme or Hebrew Pleonasme or superfluity of the dative case this abounding manner of speech is usuall among the Hebrews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 6.14 Gen. 12.1 Exod. 34.27 And yet the sense runs plain as if there were no dative case And so here in effect the phrase is no more then this Lâ—t him be a Heathen or a Publican 2. Again It is said let him be to thee because he cannot be as an Heathen or Publican to me till he be so to the Church or till Church censures have passed on him there is no brother is to esteem another as a Heathen and Publican to himself before he be so judged and censured by the Church So that you see this doth not hinder this from being a Church censure because it is expressed under this phrase Let him be to thee for he cannot be so to me till he be declared so to the Church Obj. 2. But this is meant of scandal in life and conversation not scandal in opinion and judgement Answ It is meant of all sorts of scandall as well those in doctrine as those in life as well those in opinion as they in conversation Christ speaks there of all scandals and offences in generall and unlesse you will say that errour in judgement dangerous opinions such as disturb the peace of the Church and subvert mens souls are not offences and scandals to you you cannot deny but this place is meant of those kinde of scandals as well as the other against which these spirituall censures of the Church have been directed So the Apostle when he speaks of Excommunication saith 2 Cor. 10 6. That he hath in readinesse to revenge all disobedience And I hope this will be judged a part of disobedience So that you see the thing is clear that this Mat. 18.17 is taken for Church-censures Qui â—orrigâ—nolâ—nt tanquam putres corporis partes ferro excommunicationis sunt abscindi Prosper and to be exercised not only against scandâ—ls in life but errours in doctrine further I will yet confirm this to you by some Scriptures 1 Tim. 1.20 Holding faith and a good conscience which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwrack of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander whom I have delivered up to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme Here is Excommunication and that for Heresie So Tit. 3.10 A man that is an Heretike after the fiâ—st and second admonition reject knowing that such an one is subverted So Gal. 5.12 I would they were cut off that trouble you He speaks here of Excommunication and of those that were false Prophets who troubled them with circumcision pressing it as necessarie to salvation and by that perplexing the consciences of the weak brethren To establish and confirm this further you may read Rev. 2.2 where the Angel of the Church of Ephesus is commended for his zeal That he would not bear with those who called themselves Apostles and were not and in the 14. and 15. verses of that Chapter you reade the Angel of the Church of Pergamus was blamed for this reason Because thou hast there them that teach the doctrine of Balaam so hast thou also them who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which things I hate Why should this Angel be blamed if it had not been his duty to cast them out God chargeth it upon him as his fault that they were not cast out And the like charge is laid upon the Church of Thyatira Debuit itaque non modo judi câ—od rectioâ—is populuÌ„ sibi commissuâ—n in orthodoxa doctrina cruâ—ire seâ— judicio coercionâ—s haereticos comerimere Daven Revel 2.20 I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that wicked woman Jezebel who calleth her self a Prophetesse to teach and seduce my servants Mark you here God blames him that he suffered Why what should he have done He should say some have admonished reproved her but what if that would not do What if that were insufficient still he was noâ— to suffer her God blames him for suffering her So that at the least she was to be cast out to be rejected By all which it is evident that a particular Church is to cut off and cast out those who trouble them nay even those who miscarry with so much opinion of conscience as to thinke themselves Apostles and Prophets yet may be censured and cast out of the Church which is the case in Rev. 2.2 And indeed this Chapter is so cleer and full to the point that those who contend most for liberty of conscience and have written for liberty of all Sects yet they have in their writings acknowledged that Christ hath endued the Ministers of the Gospel and Governours of the Church with power to suppresse heresie and errour and the spreaders of it be they who they will though they pretend themselves to be Apostles and never so infallible yet they may be suppressed William B. Ten. c. 57. Another who writes on the same argument confesseth that the Church of Thyatira was justly taxed not only for not controlling and reproving Jezebel but also in that they permitted her to seduce weak Christians without cutting her off by
conceive might be meant Pastours and Elders of Antioch who were delegated and chosen by the Church for that service And it may be so conceived because it is said certain others of them which seems to relate to some other in office or to some other of the same spirit now officiated or sent as Messengers from the Church But that shall suffice for the second Here were officers and delegates sent Obj. But you will say here was more then officers and delegates sent here was the whole Church vers 23. and not only present but had their liberty in decision Ames Bel. enerv de concil l. c. 2. and the letters and decrees to the Churches were sent in their name also Answ 1. It was not possible that the whole Church consisting of so many thousands were able to meet in such a place as this is rendered to be being but a private house and therefore not of that large reception to receive the whole Church 2. It was not fit and convenient they should the presence of great multitudes is not proper for the decision of causes and d terminations of Questions But yet 3. Admit there were many present which I am not unwilling to doe the 12th verse tells us The whole multitude kept silence Beza which although some doe interpret not to be meant of the number of believers but of the company of Officers and Commissioners sent from the Churches yet I am willing to allow that many of the Church were present here at this time and in this Assembly but certainly not as Commissioners but rather spectatours and hearers though they were present yet it doth not follow that they had the power of voting and determining that was peculiar to the Apostles and Elders neither was their presence necessary but only occasionall in respect of their vicinity and neighbourhood of place where the businesse was debated if their presence had been necessary then had it been alike necessary for the Church of Antioch and the other Churches to be there being more neerly interessed in the decision then they were And 4. For the other part of the Objection That the letters were written and the decrees sent in their name as vers 23. The Apostles Elders and Brethren send greeting 1. It will be said There is a difficulty what these Brethren are Judas sirnamed Barsabas and Silas were two of them and they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chief or leading men among the Brethren vers 22. If you look into the 23. verse you shall see what these were they were Prophets and Teachers men in office 2. But admit they were such Brethren as were members not in office yet it will not follow that they joyned in the imposition of these decrees upon the Churches but only were drawn forth being choice Disciples to expresse their liking and assent unto those determinations to advantage the reception of them among the Churches nor can we conceive of it in the former sense For as ordinary members they had no power to send decrees to binde their fellow-members nay if it had been the whole Church together they had no power to lay burthens upon other Churches no more then other Churches to impose burthens on them Sister and equall Churches have no power or authority one over another But so much for the second I will be brief in the rest 3. Here was in this Synod the form of the Convention they met in the Name of Christ they were two or three not persons but Churches met in Christs Name They met in the cause in the faith in the love for the glory of Christ to consult about such things as made for his glory and the peace edification and stability of the Churches 4. You have here the proximate end of this meeting or convention which was as is granted on all hands dogmatically to determine In which you have also two things observable 1. The object 2. The rule of these determinations 1. The object of them which was not meerly a Question of faith but also how the Churches were to be regulated what they were to observe for the avoiding of scandall and peace of the Churches 2. The rule by which they determined that was Apostoli haec decreta ex Scripturis sanxerunt Whitak Do â—ec abso scandalo penitiâ—â— omitti queant Chamier Tom. 3. l. 15. c. 10. § 4. Ex lege haec omnia dicunt Chrys See Whit. contr 3 q 6 c. 2 p. 610. a. by the written Word of God So you see vers 15 16 17. And those decrees imposed were no new law established but an old one repeated till without scandall it might be left wholly off and buried All the determinations of this Councell were according to the Word And if other Councels doe determine and define nothing but what is in the Scriptures as this Councell did not if they follow the voice of Scripture in all their determinations they may then say with the Apostles here It seems good to the holy Ghost and us 5. Lastly We have here the ultimate end of a Synod which is 1. Supreme the glory of God 2. Subordinate viz. 1. The Comfort 2. The Peace 3. The Order of the Churches And so much shall serve for the first Query what a Synod is we will now come to the second * Possunt alia legitima concilia similiter asserere decreta sua esse decreta spiritus sancti si huic coâ—cilio simâ—â—â—a suerunt si eandem regulam servaveriâ—t quam in hoc concilio servarunt secuti sunt Apostoli Whitak ibid. Si nihil nisi ex Scripturis statuerunt c. 2. That God hath set up this Ordinance as a means for the suppressing of errour and reducing of erroneous persons That God hath set up this means for this end you read in Mat. 18.15 17. If thy brother trespasse against thee go and tell him his fault where I told you by trespassing was not meant civil injury but spirituall scandals it is not expressed by such a word as signifies injustice but sin not is it meant of scandals only in life and conversation but of scandals also in Doctrine and opinion And the remedy for them as well as the other when more private and brotherly means will not doe then they are to gâ—e and tell the Church Ob. But you will say this Church here spoken of is a particular Congregation where do you read you are to tell it to a Synod Answ There is the same reason in one as in the other mark the proportion Christ commands that from the admonition of one being despised you proceed to the admonition of two or three if that be contemned to the censure of the Church and therefore by proportion if the Church be despised why ought we not to complain to a Synod of Churches a Church of Churches as some of the brethren call it there is the same proportion if indeed thy brother wil hear thee thou ought not
to go tell more of it or if he will hear more thou ought not to tell the Church But in case that more private means will not doe we are to make use of that which is more authoritative and publike So here in case one Sister Church cannot prevail with another then may we by the like proportion make use of a consociation of Churches And to this argument of proportion we may give you the instance of a patern by which might be evidenced that this means of a Synod is warranted for such an end the patern you may read in Act. 15. where you see ver 1. There was false Doctrine broached errour and heresie taught Certain came down from Judea and taught the brethren that except they were circumcised after the manner of Moses they could not be saved Now when all means within themselves were found to be insufficient to suppresse this dangerous errour and reduce these erroneous persons they determined to make use of some further means of Gods appointment and thereupon ordered that Paul and Barrabas and others of their Elders should goe up to Jerusalem and there in a Synod or consociation of Churches to determine and conclude this Question so you see it was a meanes ordain'd and a meanes practised yea Fulk deâ—er or ecâ—l go p. 11â— 116 117 118 c. and not onely by the Apostles but continued by their successours 300. years after as Fulk saith before ever there were any Christian Emperours and long time after even as long at any purity continued in Religion untill both Emperours and Synods were both thrust out of all lawfull authority which they ought to have in the Church by the tyranny of Antichrist So that you see this ordinance is appointed of God for this end but yet let me adde It is not an ordinary but an extraordinary means a means to be used in want of skill or want of power in particular Churches I conceive it is not to be used as diet but at physick God hath set up other ordinary means which hath been effectuall but this is a means when ordinary means proves too weak and insufficient * Ruâ—herf due Right p. 306 307 Synodicall Churches are not ordinary but occasionall A Synod is not the prime proximate means which God hath appointed but a secondary remote and ultimate means to be used and in case the other is insufficient You see here in Act. 15.2 that the Church of Antioch did not presently run to a Synod with this controversie but first they laboured to their utmost to take up conclude and determine this controversie among themselves it is said Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them about it And for other means besides disputation viz. censure it is probable they wanted either sufficient light or power in the Church in respect of the adverse party to proceed to censure when therefore they had used what means they could and had found that means used insufficient to settle the brethren and to stop the mouths of the false teachers then they determined to send Paul and Barnabas and others to Jerusalem about this matter So that you see It was not the prime proximate and immediate means but a secondary remote and ultimate means which they used upon the deficiency of other And that caution I shall only annex to it it is a means and a means ordain'd of God but to be used when other means are unavailable M. Cotton p. 23. Some of our brethren lay down three grounds of Synods 1. In case a particular Church wanteth light or peace at home 2. In case any Church lie under scandall through corruption in doctrine and practice and will not be healed by more private means as one brother being offended with another and not able to heal him by the mouth of two or three brethren privately it behoveth him to carry it to the whole Church so by proportion if one Church see matter of offence in another and be not able to heal it in a more private way it will behove them to procure the Assembly of many Churches that the offence may be heard judged removed in a more publike way 3. It may fall out the state of all the Churches in a countrey may be corrupted and beginning to discern their corruption may desire the concourse and counsell of one another for a speedy and safe and generall Reformation Thus farre that learned authour By all which it is granted The use and necessity of Synods as an ordinance of God to suppresse errour and reduce erroneous persons Now we are to shew you Thirdly That this means hath been blessed of God with power and efficacy for these ends And you see the truth of this in that first great Apostolike Synod and Councell Act. 15. There was an errour broached the Question and cause referred and by common consent and decree Reynolds conf with Hart. c 6. d 2 p. 206. saith Reynolds the controversie was ended the truth of doctrine established errour condemned the false teachers branded and the souls of the believers established and peace maintained in the Churches as is evident Act. 16.4.5 And as they went thorow the Cities they delivered them the decrees of the Apostles and Elders and so were the Churches established in the faith and increased in number daily After which example the Churches which succeeded made the like Assemblies upon the like occasions and by this chiefly of judgement as he calls it healed breaches suppressed errours removed scandals and extirpated heresies out of the Churches The Primitive times of the Church were blessed with such conventions and found Gods blessing in them Whit. cont 3 q. 5 p. â—1â— The Arian heresie that strook agianst the Deity of Christ was convinced and condemned by the first great Councell of Nice The heresie of Nestorius that made two persons in Christ was overthrown by the Ephesine Councell The heresie of Macedonius that denied the Divinity of the holy Ghost was suppressed by the Councel of Constantinople The heresie of Eutiches which affirmed but one nature in Christ the Councel of Chalcedon was famous for the extirpation of that And besides these many other might be named Euseb eccl Hâ—st l. 6. c. 42 l. 5. c. â—4 l. 7. c. 26 281 Mâ—g Cent. 3. l. 7. Col. 161. Cent 3. c. 9. de Syn Col. 192 193. Park 3.9 330. Nullum n c melius nec certius remedium Calâ— Eusebius records how the errour of Montanus was judged and condemned by many Synods in Asia l. 6. c. 42. Besides which there are the examples of many others as will be seen if any doe please to peruse the places cited in the margin And indeed it was the ordinary way when any difficulty or any heresies did arise presently the Churches would runne into a Synod as finding there the best strength and remedy to oppose them judging themselves best able in consociation to oppose those rising opinions and heresies
which threatned the ruine of the Churches New-England when those dangerous opinions grew up among them had spread farre gotten power poysoned many some of their Worthies were in danger to be drawn away from their stedfastnesse It pleased God to stir up their hearts to meet in a Synod where they found Gods assistance and since Gods blessing and I thinke can say by experience that there is no better no surer remedy against errour no better way to finde out truth then a Synod There is no age wherein the use of Synods hath not been found needfull and the right use blessed and successefull Zepperus alleadging Act. 15. for a patern of Synods declares That after the Apostles the Primitive Churches under the new Testament Concilia non sunt simplicitâ—â— absolate necessaria tamen multum conserunt valde utilia sunt Waâ—tak de Concil q. 1 p. 22. Eâ—seb l. 1. c. 4â— being most studious of this consociation or combination of Synods did not only communicate by letters but meeting together in Nationall and generall Councels did hear causes try doctrine and convinced condemned heresies c. and sent their decrees unto all Churches with the names of the persons and heresies which were condemned And indeed there is no age of the Church where Synods have been rightly used but they have been successefull The Papists Arminians Socinians decry them as unnecessary and unprofitable they dare not bring their opinions to the test Indeed they are not simply not absolutely necessary to the being but they are necessary to the well-being of a Church Eusebius doth exceeding celebrate the piety of Constantine for assembling the Nicene Councel wherein Arius was condemned and he doth as much charge Licinius for seeking to ruine the Churches by depriving them of Synods Nazianzen hath indeed a sad complaint I am minded saith he to shun all assemblies of Bishops because I never saw any good event in any Councel Ego si vera scribere oportet ita animo affectus sum ut omnia opâ—scoporuÌ„ concilia â—ugiam quoniam nulli us Concilij finem loetuÌ„ fouâ—tumque vidi Epist 42. ad pro cap Bâ—z tract Theoâ— voâ— 2. p. 211 212. every one rather increasing then diminishing our evils Calvin calls it dura quaerimonia a harsh complaint Beza opposeth against this complaint the Apostolicall example the history of things done Indeed saith he the Nicene Synod did not quite allay the furies of Arius no nor some that followed after but who will therefore judge that there hath been no fruit of that Synod which even at this very time we doe abundantly reapâ— yea the Apostolicall Synod hath not altogether restrained Cerinthus and those obstinate maintainers of circumcision but who would therefore say it was not necessary for the Church And a little after he saith The sentence of Nazianzen doth not concern Synods rightly ordered unlesse we thinke that he would detract from the Synod of Nice which indeed is very absurd seeing it is well known how great a Defender he hath been thereof if neverthelesse Arians ceased not to rage thorow the world how much the more may we thinke that they would have done it if the authority of that holy Synod agreeing with the Word of God so often objected against them had not repressed their renewed endeavours The same we avouch saith he concerning the Macedonians Nestorians Eutycheans and their issue whom as many Oecumenicall Synods if not with one wound yet with reiterated blows have by the Word of God stricken down Conciliâ—râ—i in ecclesia saluberrima authoritas Aug. epist 118. Whitak de Concil 〈◊〉 1. c 3. p. 13 14 15. in so much that they doe afford us arms against the like errors springing up again in this our age Thus farre he Besides him learned Whitaker also opposeth to this complaint of Nazianzen the speech of Austin The authority of Synods in the Church of God is most wholsome The same Authour saith It may seem strange that Nazianzen denies that ever he had seen any good issue of Synods for in those two Synods viz Nice and Constantinople truth got the victory and heresie was put down And though it be certain saith he that Arianisme was increased and grew stronger then before yet this is not to be imputed to the Synod but to the perversnesse and ambition of men Again saith he Nazianzen was to be pardon'd because he lived in the worst and most turbulent times of the Church when by means of Valens the Emperour who degenerated from the Catholike faith heresies more prevail'd Again he objects to Nazianzen Christ himself Mat. 18.20 When two or three are gathered in my Name I will be in the midst of them Vrsine also answereth this complaint of Nazianzen after the same manner and tells us Ursin admon de lib. concord c. 12. op tom 2. col 686. That he spake of the Synods of his time whereof some were Arian others confusedly undertaken and governed But admit that he never saw that successe of Synods that was desired suppose that errours did grow the more for being sentenced and condemn'd in Synods yet shall men be discouraged from doing their duty There have been good effects of Synods After that in Act. 15. the Churches were established Act. 16.4 5. Admit we see no present fruit yet it is our duty to wait as well as work if it doe not appeare in our age yet something may be laid in for future generations Such consociations upon earth are like the conjunctions in the heavens the fruit whereof comes not in perhaps in many years Nay admit in steed of good we see evil in steed of abatement of errours we see the increase of them yet should not this discourage us accidentall evils not springing out of the nature of an ordinance are no arguments to prove the unlawfulnesse of an ordinance especially when as the ordinance it self and in it's own nature serves for the preventing or removing of such evils as are complained to be the fruit of them Men are usually worse at their first taking physick yet is this a means to remove the distemper So errours may like bad humours stirred rise the higher grow and conflict the more under this physick yet is this a means for the helping and removing of them But of this sufficient we will come to the fourth particular which indeed is the main viz. Quest 4. What power God hath endued and enabled a Synod withall as serviceable to this end viz. The suppressing of errour and the reducing of erroneous persons About which I finde three severall opinions whereof the first doth certainly give too much the second is questioned to attribute too little the third is thought to set down the just bounds of power 1. The first which certainly gives too much is that of the Papists in which they attribute to Synods and Councels an absolute infallible binding power against which none are to dispute to which all men are bound to yeeld
a Synod may by a solemn act and in the name of Jesus Christ renounce any further communion with such Churches till they be reformed Ibid. and may in the same name declare and publish those erring Churches are not to be received into fellowship with any of the Churches of Christ Cotton Keys p. 25 nor to have communion one with another in the ordinances of Christ Here is now a great deal And one of the brethren hints something more in that expression of his We dare not say that the power of a Synod reacheth no further then to give counsell For saith he such as their ends be for which according to God they doe assemble such is the power given them of God to attain those ends as they meet to minister light and peace to such Churches as lie in errour or variance so they have power by the grace of Christ not only to give light and counsell in matter of truth and practice but also to command and enjoyn things to be believed and done the expresse words of the Synodicall letter imply so much Act. 15.27 It seemeth good to the holy Ghost and us to lay upon you no other burthen This burthen therefore to observe those necessary things which they speak of they had power to impose it is an act of the binding power of the keys to binde burthens and this binding power ariseth not only materially from the weight of the matters imposed but also formally from the authority of the Synod which being an ordinance of Christ bindeth the more for the Synods sake So that here you see is a great agreement all the difference is in point of Excommunication they conceive a Synod hath not power to excommunicate either Churches or persons 1. And for Churches in that many of the brethren agree with them and say as I told you a whole Church is not to be excommunicated and for those that dissent and say whole Churches may be excommunicated to them they grant not only the half of it but the substance of the thing for what is condemning forsaking rejecting of a Church c. but Excommunication in the substance of it and so some of the Brethren take it the least that can be made of it is Analogicall and proportionable to Excommunication 2. And for the second viz. the Excommunication of persons by a Synod to me they grant the thing though not the name and the Brethren of the other minde say they thinke that Excommunication doth not belong to a Synod Secundum actus elicitos sed imperatos It is rather the work of a Synod to enjoyn it to be done then to doe it themselves yet if delivering up to Satan be not of the formality of the sentence of Excommunication as many of our brethren thinke but the consequent and fruit of the censure Bur. Heart divisions p. 4. then I see not that there is any difference as I shewed you before And thus I have shewed you what materials our brethren will afford us to this building which I could for my own part rather be content to sit down withall then by raising it higher but heighten our confusion run the mischief of division among our selves then which no penall evil can be sadder and more uncomfortable I wish we might all remember the Apostles rule Phil. 3.15 16. Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in any thing you be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you Neverthelesse whereto we have already attain'd let us walk by the same rule minde the same things And thus we have done with the first great means for the suppressing of errour and reducing of erroneous persons viz. Ecclesiasticall We come now to the second means propounded which we call civil and magisteriall * NoÌ„ tantuÌ„ sermo meus quantum mandatum tuum Naz. And this is a point of no lesse concernment then it is of controversie at this time The secoÌ„d means to sâ—ppresse errour It were a sad thing if there were no bounds for errour and as sad it were to goe beyond Gods bounds for the suppressing of them I told you in the entrance upon this last Question it was a tender point an intricate subtle controversie diversly asserted and as differently maintained I shall not here deal with this controversie in the latitude of it only as relating to the Question here propounded And that I may not lengthen out this discourse too farre by multiplying needlesse Questions and entring upon collaterall disputes I will summe up all that I shall speak to this Quâ—stion under these five generall heads 1. We will shew you what power the Magistrate may be said not to have 2. We will shew what the power of the Magistrate is asserted to be as relating to this Question 3. We will examine whether such a power be ordained and warranted of God 4. Whether such a power be needfull in the Church 5. And lastly how this power is to be dispenced 1. We will begin with the first viz. What power the Magistrate may be said not to have In the entrance upon which let me tell you by power I mean not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not the power of might but the power of right not a power taken but a power given and that not by men but by God an authoritative power wherewith he is invested of God for Id possumus quod jure possumus And in that sense I speak of the Magistrates power thorow this discourse And first then 1. The Magistrate hath not an absolute power to doe what he pleaseth in the things of God The object of religion is a supernaturall good and for that we are not to depend upon the will of man but the will of God that which he hath commanded we must doe Ezek. 20. When Magistrates goe beyond the bounds of the Word they take upon them a greater power then God hath given them they are Gods Ministers Rom. 13. and therefore their wils are to be subordinate to the will of their Master and upon all their injunctions should be engraven what the Apostle saith to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 14 38. The things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. It is the Prerogative royall of God and Christ to command things because they will and cannot be usurped by any mortall man without high injury to Jesus Christ Tertullian hath a passage to this purpose IniquaÌ„ exeractu do miâ—ationeÌ„ si ideo râ—gâ—vis licere qu a vultis non quia â—â—buit non licere Tertul. A pol aâ—vers Gent. You exercise an unjust dominion over others if you therefore deny a thing may be d ne because you will not because it ought not to be done It was a hâ—gh presumption of Constantius who when he would compell the Orthodox Christians to imbrace Arianisme uttered these words Quod ego volo pro canone sit That which I
will shall stand for a law In this also Jeroboam and Nebuchadnezzar offended when they would command things upon their own will not only without but contrary to the will of God This proved a dangerous rock to them and will be to any who shall follow their steps God is a jealous God and cannot brook with any rivall in matter of his worship As they cannot command so we cannot thus obey without sinne and dishonour to God Christ bids us in this sense Call no man Rabbi And the Apostle enjoyns us not to be the servants of men which then we are in a high measure when the warrant of our actions is only taken from the will and pleasure of men Vid. Pareâ—Ì„ in Rom. 13 praecog 3. propos 6. Justinianus imâ—erator agnovit Catholicam fidem nullam innovationem posse recipere ex authoritate principuâ—s sed solunmodò confirmatioreÌ„ virdicationem Po estates suo loco humanas suscipinâ—us donec contid Deum suas erigaÌ„t voluntates Synac when we shall subjugate and vassall our understandings and consciences to the meer commands and dictates of men And so much for the first 2. The Magistrate hath no power against God God never set up a power against himself he is the minister of God and all his power is subordinate to the will and glory of God All which being granted I need not to say any more of it 3. The Magistrate hath no power to enforce the conscience of any Conscience rightly understood fals under no power but the power of God alone I have read it was the speech of Stephen King of Poland I am King of men and not of consciences a Commander of bodies and not of souls All power is usually expressed in Scripture by this Metaphor of Keyes and though God hath committed many Keyes much power to man yet there are three Keys which God doth reserve and keep in his own hands only 1. The Key of the womb he shuts it Gen. 20.18 and he opens it at his pleasure Gen. 30.22 2. The Key of the grave 1 Sam. 2 6. The Lord killeth and maketh alive he bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up he and he alone doth this 3. The Key of the conscience Act. 16.14 He opened the heart of Lydia and he opens so as none can shut and shuts so as none can open This power over the heart and conâ—cience God hath reserved in his own hands It was the speech of one God hath reserved three things to himself 1. To make some thing of nothing 2. To know things future 3. To rule over consciences A dominion that is proper to God alone men may tyrannize but they can never rule over the consciences of men Conscience fals under no subjection but Gods alone The Turks and Persians themselves though they have upheld and propagated their way by the sword yet they acknowledge that the conscience neither can nor ought to be compelled Conscience is like a Virgin which cannot be forced Lex nostra non se vindicat ultore gladio Tertul. Men may perswade but they can never compell conscience according to that old maxime Religio suaderi potest cogi non potest Men may be perswaded into a religion but they can never be compelled unto it Nihil est tam voâ—un tarium quaÌ„ religio in qua sâ— animuâ— sacrificanâ—es eversus jam sublata jaÌ„ nulla est Lactant. Instit l. 5. c. 19. Procop in â—eca histo It lies as a blot upon Justinian that he compelled the Samaritans to embrace the Christian faith And it is more condemnable in the Papists among the Indies of which they finde no more fruit then with the Moors of Granado who were forced to Masse in the morning and freely practised Mahome tanisme in the afternoon Like those we read of 2 King 17.33 who because of the Lions feared the Lord but served their own gods Those acts of conscience which are internall are free and uncogible they fall not under mans cognizance nor if they did doe they fall under mans power No power on earth can either judge or punish the internall acts of the minde The Question is not here about the elicite acts of conscience but the imperate commanded and externall acts It is easily granted That no power on earth is able to compell the former the internall acts of the minde and conscience but the dispute will be about the later the externall acts either in the restraint or constraint of them Of which more anon 4. The Magistrate hath no power properly called Church-power though he have a power about the businesse of the Church and the affairs of worship yet he hath not any power properly called Church-power He is helpfull to the government of the Church but in this sense no Church-governour The Church hath the exercise of her power from him but not the power it self the Magistrate gives ability but doth not give the authority The Church say Divines hath protection and encouragement from him but hath her authority and power from Christ I finde divers opinions among men about this 1. Some say that the Magistrate hath all power 2. Some say he hath no power in matters of Religion 1. Some say he hath all power and that the government of the Church is by God devolved upon the civil Magistrate whereby the Magistrate is the head of the Church and hath a Nomothetick and legislative power in things ecclesiasticall which power say they is not only ecclesiastick in respect of the object being exercised about Church matters but in respect of the subject or person exercising whom they make to be a mixed person and hath a mixed power Salcobridgensis p. 121. and by vertue of his office can act and exercise it I shall not speak much to it it is a discourse by the by only I shall tell you that Pareus who gives more to the Magistrate in this particular then others of his brethren yet saith That the civil Magistrate is not to assume to himself any proper parts of Ecclesiasticall ministery as to preach to administer censures Sacraments c. and he gives these two reasons of it 1. Because he is not called to this office Vedel de Episcop Constant q. 2. Christ did not say to him Go and preach the Gospel and baptize and therefore being not called to it he ought not to assume it No man saith the Apostle taketh this Ministery upon himself but he that is called of God Heb. 5.4 Pareus in Rom. 13. prop. 3. nor is he saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to intermeddle in other matters not proper to his station 1 Pet. 4.15 but every one is to abide in the same calling wherein he is called And he gives a second reason lest they incurre the sin and punishment of Jeroboam and Vzziah one of whom had his arm dried up the other was strucken with leprosie 1 Kin. 13. 2 Chron. 26. And the same Authour a little
after answering this Question Par. in Ro. 13. dub 5. in append adsol arg resp 1. Whether ecclesiasticall power doth reside in the Prince He saith ecclesiasticall power is two-fold 1. Proper and internall 2. Improper and externall This distinction he foundeth upon that speech of Constantine to the Bishops Vot quidem intra c. The first of these he affirms to be exercised by ecclesiasticall persons ecclesiastically The other vix Externall and improperly called Church-power he saith may be exercised by the Magistrate Calvin speaks more home Calvin in Amos c. 7. v. 13. They are saith he inconsiderate men who make Magistrates too spirituall â— this evil saith he prevails in Germany and in the countreys round about us we finde what fruit grows from this root namely that those who are in power thinke themselves so spirituall that there is no other ecclesiasticall government this sacriledge comes in violently among us because they cannot measure their office within it's due bounds Thus he Indeed it hath usually been distinguished between Church-power civil power between officers in the Church officers of State and that the one is Gods officer or Christs as God The other is Christs officer as Mediatour the one belongs unto his generall kingdome and rule over all the other belongs to his Mediatory kingdome or government over his Church Christ is a head of supereminence to all but a head of influence to his Church only As he is God so he is head of all principalities and all powers govern by him but as he is Mediatour so he is head only of his body and all officers therein Eph. 1.21 have their authority from him and are said to manage their office under and for Christ In the name of Christ they doe assemble Matth. 18.20 In his Name they preach Luk. 24.27 Act. 4.17 18. In his Name they baptize Act. 2.38 Ast. 4.12 16. Act. 19.2 In his Name do they administer censures 1 Cor. 5.5 And if the Magistrate be invested with such a power then either as a Magistrate or as a Christian Magistrate Not the first for then every Magistrate hath it without exception even Pagans and Heathens and such as know not God and Christ not were ever yet baptized not any member of the Church if you say as he is a Christian Magistrate it will be said that his Christianity doth adde no further authority to him but further ability to execute his authority this is but potestas executiva the gracious ability to exercise that power which he had before and sinned in that was a talent buried up and not imployed for Christ And for that place which is usually alledged 1 Cor. 12.28 God hath placed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Governments in his Church I say first that the Apostle doth there speak of ecclesiasticall and spirituall officers and therefore it is strange that civil government should come in the enumeration of Church-officers 2. I say the Apostle spake there of such government as the Church had at that time he saith God hath placed in his Church and thence Calvin takes up an argument to prove that the Apostle in that place spake of ecclesiastical and not of civil government because at that time the Church enjoyed not such a priviledge But of this sufficient We come to the second which certainely is an extreme on the other hand viz. 2. That the Magistrate hath no power in matters of religion It was the speech of Donatus What hath the Emperour to doe with the Church Quid est imperatori cum ecclesia Imperator in divâ—nis nulluÌ„ jâ—â— habet Optat. l. 3 cont Pâ—rmen par 1367. The Magistrate hath no right to meddle about things that are divine We shall speak fuller to this by and by only here I shall clear some expressions which we usually read among learned men from some mistakes that may be fastened on them and give too much strongâ—h to such a position as this viz. That the Magistrates power doth not reach to matters of Religion We often read in the writings of learned men of a difference made between Church-power and civil power chiefly in their objects and in their ends 1. That the object of the Magistrates power is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 earthly things or the things of this life the object of Church-power is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirituall things and matters concern a better life 2. They say The end of Magistracy is the preservation of peace and the externall tranquillity of the Common-wealth but the end of Church-power is the good and edifying of the body of Christ We had need to speak something of this it hath been too farre extended And therefore 1. To the first of these I say 1. That though the things of this life be the object of the Magistrates power yet are they not the sole and adequate object of it Spirituall and heavenly things doe fall in under the object of his power also as well as temporall He is called a nursing father to the Church he is Custos vindex utriusque inbulae Sed ita distinguuntur ut in modo procuraâ—â—i rex politicè sua partes oget sacerdos ecclesiasticè suas Ame. de consc l. c. 25 thes S. Ames Medul Theol. l 2. c. 17. thes 48 49. the keeper and revenger of both tables of the Law Deu. 17.18 Josh 1.8 Rom. 134. The affairs of Jehovah and the matters of the King are not so different saith Ames as that the care and knowledge of the things of God belongeth not to the King But they are thus distinguished that in the execution of them the King performs his part in a politicall way the officers of the Church in an ecclesiasticall way 2. I say yet further That though the power of the Magistrate and the power of the Church doe not differ in their materiall objects yet they differ in their formal objects The Magistrate as a Magistrate and the Church as the Church in the name of Christ may command and forbid one and the same thing viz. They may command the sanctification of the Lords day or they may forbid blasphemy idolatry Here their objects are materially the same But now they differ formally the Magistrate he commands or forbids upon penalty of bodily punishment but the Church upon pain of ecclesiastical censures Leg Ames Med. Theol. l 2. c. 17. thes 48. the Magistrate upon civil mulcts the Church upon spirituall penalties And this may be thought one reason why many holy and reverend Divines have asserted the object of the power of the Magistrate qua talis to be the externall man and the things of this life because that he doth bring about higher ends by more external and not such spiritual waies as the Church doth 2. And what I say hereof the object of the power of the Magistrate I may say also of his end The end of the Magistrate is not so different from the Church but they
may meet together and as they agree in their objects so these powers may also agree in their ends Though the preservation of peace and the quiet of the Common-wealth be the end of Magistracy yet I conceive it is not the only not the adequate end externall peace to me seems too narrow for to be the end of Magistracy who is a nursing father to the Church and whose power reacheth as well to the setling and advancing the true worship of God as to the externall peace and safety of his kingdoms and to the helping of men as Christians as well as helping them as men though he doe endeavour to compasse and bring about these ends in a different way to the Church the one by carnal the other by spiritual weapons the one more externally the other more internally and divinely And this I conceive is plain from Rom. 13.4 He is the minister of God to thee for good but if thou do that which is evil he afraid for he beareth not the sword in vain where by good and evil which the Magistrate as a Magistrate doth procure I conceive is not only meant the naturall happinesse and quiet life of civil society but also the good and evil which concerns us as Christians And therefore his end is higher then meer civil peace and tranquillity being he is a Magistrate not only of our good and evil as men but our good and evil as Christians but yet the way he procures this is different from the Church the one as I told you being in a more spiritual and heavenly way the other in a civil and external way And thus much shall serve for the answer to the second opinion and also to the fourth particular branch laid down What the Magistrates power was not Besides these there may be other branches laid down but I shall desire to wave them and shall fall upon the second Question Qu. 2. What the power of the Magistrate is asserted to be as relating to this Question And here I finde three severall opinions two of them are extreams the third is the middle between both and conceived nearest to the truth 1. The first extreme is that of the Papists who say That the Magistrate is by fire and sword to extirpate all errour and heresie that is all religions which doe not agree with Rome See Suarez de triplici virture Tract 1. disput 23. Sect. â— for they call all those Heretikes that are not of the faith of Rome that so having put us into a bears skin they may with some colour woorty us 2. The second extreme is That the Magistrate hath no power to deal with any opinion whatsoever by civil coercive means Others more warily infâ—rt If it be not evidently and manifestly destructive and disturbing to the peace of the Common-wealth But the meaning is this that there ought to be a liberty for all opinions and the Magistrate is only to be an indifferent spectatour and not to take care what religion men are on whether Papists Jews Pagans Socinians Macedonians or what ever If they be not inconsistent with the government of the Common-wealth they are to look no farther they are not to matter how or whether they worship God at all or what their opinions and practices are And so in effect the Magistrate must say with Tiberius Tacit in Tiberio Deorum injurius Dijs curae Let the Gods make care for wrongs done against themselves Or with the Emperour Alexander Iuris jurandi contempta religio satis Deum ultorem habet It is sufficient that the breach of an oath hath God to be the avenger with Gâ—llio they must care for none of these things They may revenge injuries done against them but may not meddle with those done against God they may suppresse their enemies but must not meddle with Gods enemies They may punish those who seek to draw away a people from the obedience of the Magistrate but not those who labour to draw away a people from the truth of the Gospel and obedience to God An opinion certainly as wide as the former Without doubt the object of the Magistrates power is not simply a peaceable life and the external peace of humane societies as I shewed before he is a nursing father to the Church he is the minister of God for good and religion is the chief good and therefore the object of his power is not simply external peace but godlinesse and honesty 1 Tim. 2.2 which he may endeavour to advance by his secular power and in civil and politick waies It was the speech of Augustine Will any one that is in his right wits say unto Kings It doth not concern you in your kingdome who wil be religious or who will be sacrilegious Intimating it was a madnesse for any to thinke the King had nothing to doe in matter of religion * Quis mente sobrius dicat regibus non ad vos pertinet quis in regno vestro velit esse relâ—giosus vel sacrilegutâ— Au. de correct donat c. 13. Certainly though it should be granted that the Magistrate were Gods officer not Christs as Mediatour yet it will not weaken this truth which we assert for it cannot be but that God who hath made it his design to preserve and advance the kingdome of Christ should especially aim at it in the constituting and setting up a government in the world Julian saw this well enough and therefore it was the counter design of that Apostate to tolerate and grant liberty to Pagaâ—s and all sorts of heresies that by suffering all these weeds to grow up he might choke up the vitals of Christianity and weaken the kingdom of Christ and overthrow the truth of the Gospâ—l which was the object of his envy and malice This was also the practice and sinne of other Emperours Valens the Arian did the like and indeed such a course is the speediest way to destroy all godlinesse to suppresse the truth and to bring in all mischief to Church and State It is the speech of one Liberty for all opinions is the speediest way of embroyling States of ruining Churches of erecting a Pantheon in every City That of omnium Deorum among the Romans of omnium sanctorum among the Papists offends lesse then this of omnium sectarum here in England Sure I am one God one faith one Mediatour was Catholike doctrine in Pauls time every variation from a unity is a step to a nullity if ever England come from one â—eligion to all she will quickly go from all to none Certainly the toleration of all Religions as it is against nature against Scripture against reason so it cannot choose but be destructive to peace and truth But of this more afterwards These are the two extremes which certainly are wide of the truth We come to the third opinion which lies between these two and is conceived to be most agreeable to truth It is this 3. That the Magistrate
or exception And we use to say Non distinguendum ubi Scriptura non distinguit we are not to distinguish when the Scripture doth not distinguish and therefore the Scripture not distinguishing of evil doers such persons may well fall under the Category of evil doers And should we restrain this unto evil doers only in a civil sense then the state of the Church in regard of the civil Magâ—strate should be worse under the new Testament then under the old for if then he was to maintain it by his civil power and now he neither doe nor can then it must needs follow the condition of the Church in respâ—ct of the civil Magistrate is worse now under the new Testament then under the old Besides it would be strange that it is the duty of the Magistrate to punish injuries done to the state but not injuries done to God that he is to punish those who destroy mens bodâ—es buâ— not those who destroy mens soules that who ever draws away the people from the obedience of the Magistrate and the laws of the Land must be punished but they who will draw away a people from the truth of the Gospel and from the waies of God as Hymenaeus and Philetus who ovâ—rthew the faith of some 2 Tim. 2.17 18. they must not be censured And therefore seeing the new Testament declares the power of the Magistrate and makes the object of this power evil doing in generall and requires submission in such generall tearms therefore may we conclude that the Lord did leave his people for their subjection to the Magistrate to the light of nature and to the equity of those generall rules in Scripture in former times Other places might be alleadged as 1 Pet. 2.13 14. Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as to the supremâ— or unto Governours which are sent for the punishment of evil doers and the praise of them that do well So in the 2 Tim. 2.1 2. where the Apostle exhorts us to pray for Kings and them in authority and he gives this reason That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty By which is evident that the object of his power is not only things concerning externall peace but such things as concern godlinesse also he is to be the promoter of the one as well as the preserver of the other And this was prophesied of Magistrates under the Gospel Isa 49.23 Kings shall be thy nursing fathers and Queens thy nursing mothers And the preservation of the civil peace is not enough to afford such a denomination nor adequate to the appellation or title of nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the Church under the Gospel And it is said Revel 21.24 of the future times of the Gospel That the Kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour to the Church There will be such a time which declares that they are to be more then meer protectours of their external civil peace Nor will this which is usually alleadged weaken this assertion that if this power do belong to the civil Magistrate as civil then to every civil Magistrate then to Pagan as well as to Christian Magistrates For we say though this power doe belong to Magistracy in generall and to all Magistrates yet all are not fit and ablâ— to exercise it the authority belongs to the Pagan as well as the Christian Magistrate say Divines but in a different sense one hath this power in actu signato the other in actu exercito one hath the right but he wants the ability to exercise it because being ignorant of Christ and the principles of Christian religion and thereby wanting the directive power he cannot use the commanding and executive power And thus much shall serve for answer to the third Quâ—stion I have purposely waved Objections that I might not unnecessarily lengthen out this Discourse knowing this maxime to be true Rectum est index sui obloqui We come to the Quest 4. Whether such a power be needfull to the Church To which I shall give an answer in these few Conclusions Conclus 1. This civil coercive power iâ— not only unnecessary but unlawfull to be exercised in the planting of the Church and bringing men to the faith of Christ Churches are not to be planted by weapons Lactant instit l. 5. c. 10. but by doctrines not by the power of the sword but by the efficacy of the Word not by carnall weapons but by spirituall means The Commission that Christ gave his Apostles for the spreading and planting of the Gospel was only this Goe and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Mat. 28.19 20. the like in Mark 16.15 And Christ tells us his Kingdome is not of this world for then his servants would fight for him Joh. 18.36 but that was not the way to plant or advance his kingdom Christ hath no need of such carnall weapons for the planting of his Church or the setling him in his kingdome the Apostles had a warfare to fight but the weapons of their warfare were not carnall but spirituall and yet strong to pull down the strongest helds of sin and Satan and to bring every thought in obedience to Christ 2 Cor. 10.3 4. They had a sword to weild but that sword was no other but the Word of God the sword of the Spirit Ephes 6.17 Revel 19.15 here were Armies to subdue even Nations to Christ but these were armies of teachers not of souldiers as the Psalmist alludeth Psal 68.11 Externall force is not the way of Christ for the spreading his Gospel and planting of his kingdome It is true here Religio suaderi potest cogi non potest Men may be perswaded into a religion but they can never be compelled All externall acts of power are not able to beget internall acts of faith That is the first Conclus 2. This civil coercive power is not absolutely simply and indispencibly necessary to the being of the Church of Christ upon earth The Church of Christ had being and was perfect in it's being and operations when they wanted the priviledge and comfort of a civil Magistrate The Church of Corinth when the Magistrate was Pagan 1 Cor. 6.1 2 3. was yet a Church sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints 1 Cor. 1.2 4 5 7. had power of Excommunication 1 Cor. 5. 7 13. was a perfect body of Christ 1 Cor. 12. was able to edifie the whole body 1 Cor 14 12 25 26 27. and had power of the seals of the Covenant 1 Cor. 11.20 21. All which shews this power was not absolutely necessary to the being of the Church of Christ Conclus 3. This civil coercive power is not absolutely ne-necessary to the propagating and increasing of the Church and kingdome of Christ And this we see clear 1. Vsque ad Constantini tempora
Imperatorum judiciaria authoritas religionem ethnicam mandavit haec tamen conculcata indâ—es suit nostra autem fides caput exeruit Grae. am Philosophâ—aâ— si quivis Magistratus prohibuerit ea statim perit doctrinam ChristianaÌ„ oppugnant reges tamen crescit Clera Alex. Strom. By instance and experience of the Primitive Churches The kingdome of Christ was not only planted but it was propagated and encreased by the industry and labours of a few fisher-men when the Kings of the earth Non modo minime faventes sed frementes were so farre from yeelding their concurrence and assistance that they set all their power and malice against it to suppresse it And till Constantines time which was not till the fourth century some 300 years and upwards after Christ the Gospel never found any assistance from the secular power those former Emperours putting forth all their power to condemn and suppresse Christian religion and to command and advance Heathenish superstition and idolatry yet notwithstanding that it might be evident our faith is not of man but of God the Church increased the Gospel was propagated and Paganisme and superstition notwithstanding all these outward supports and props was dead stroâ—k and died daily All which shews the mighty power of God and of his Goâ—pel â—f any Magistrate saith one had prohibited the Greek Philosophy it had quickly perished but the Kings of the earth oppose Christian Doctrine and yet it increaseth All which as it shews the power of God and of his Gospel So it tels us that there is not an absolute necessity of any secular power for the planting or propagating of Christs Gospel and kingdome 2. This is also demonstrated by the efficacy if not sufficiency of spirituall means wherewith Christ hath furnished his Church for the advancement of these ends though the Kings of the earth should not lend their assistance 1. Christ hath ordained and set up a ministry which is to continue to the end of the world Mat. 20 19 20. and this being strengthned by the Spirit of Christ is of might to carry on his own ends to advance his own kingdom To throw down all strong holds of contrary reasonings and to bring in subjection every thought to the obedience of Christ as the Apostle doth declare 2 Cor. 10.3 4. 2. Besides this Christ hath ordained and appointed censures in his Church which being faithfully and duely administred may be effiâ—acious means to preserve the truth suppresse errour and remove out of his kingdome what ever doth offend And the Primitive Churches in the want of any other assistance though they were indeed infested with many heresies and dangerous errours yet had plentifull experience of the efficacy and blessing of these means whereby the Churches did in a great measure preserve and free themselves from those poysonous errours that did arise among them All which shews that the civil coercive power is not of absolute necessity either to the planting or propagating of Christs Church and kingdome But yet Conclus 4. Although this civil power be not absolutely necessary to the being yet it is very conducefull and apprimely requisite to the well-being and flourishing condition of the Churches of Christ in peace and godlinesse This the Apostle intimates in 1 Tim. 2.2 where he exhorts us To pray for Kings and them in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty And this the Primitive Churches in the first Centuries found by experience though in the want and opposition of it they were kept in being for God will have his Church on earth though all the powers of the earth should set themselves against it yet they were miserably infested not only with disturbing but with d structive errours which threatned the very unbeing of the Churches of Christ All which tells us how conducefull and requisite this power is for the preserving of the Churches of Christ in their well-bâ—ing Nay and I say yet further though this power be not absolutely necessary yet is it necessary by Gods ordination God hath ordain'd Magistracy to be the fence of his Churches the protection of his people he hath promised they shall be nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the Churches of Christ under the Gospel Isa 49.23 A great honour as well as duty And it is our speciall duty to pray for such in the want of them and in the enjoyment of such to rejoyce under them and blesse God for them as the highest outward priviledge the Churches of Christ can enjoy on earth And thus much shall serve for the fourth Question We come now to the fift and last propounded viz. Qu. 5. How this power is to be dispenced In answer to which I shall lay down six necessary rules or cautionary advices to which I shall only annex my desires and some wayes for a happy accommodation between the brethren and so conclude this Discourse We shall begin with the Rules necessary to be observed in the dispencing of this power And 1. This power is to be dispenced rightly Magistrates have not an absolute power to establish what they please in point of religion but a power subordinate unto and to be regulated by the will of God He is Gods minister and therefore is not to set his will above or against his Master Reget cuâ— in errore sunt pro ipâ—o leges contra veritatem faciunt cum in veritate sunt coÌ„tra errorem pro ipsa verita e decernunt Aug. cent Cresc l. 3. c. 51. Cum catholici sum reges benè utuntur hac potestaÌ„te cum haeretici abutuntur câdem It were better the Sword should rust in the scabbard then it should be drawn forth against God and truth better to bear the Sword in vain here then to mannage the Sword to the disservice of God It will be farre more easie to render an account of not using then for ill using of this talent of power Certainly this power may be lawfully used and it may as sadly and as dangerously be abused It is lawfull to suppresse some errours but it is fearfull to lend the sword to the suppression or extirpation of any truth It is better not to doe then to doe wickedly How miserably Kings and Emperours have failed nay abused their power in this is known to all When Kings have been in an errour they have established laws for that against the truth when in the truth they have made decrees for the truth against errour which may be a trembling consideration to those who write of this power and an awfull caution to them who are to use it Volumes might be written how miserably the Kings and Potentates of the earth have been abused in lending their Sword to suppresse those for errours which have been the precious truths of God and to advance those things for truths which have been pernicious and destroying errours Sâ— e ictum imperatoâ—is sit ut propter verae fide professâ—o
forbid that any should lift up a hand against such an one I will say of such as Augustine saith to Procutianus the Donatist Such persons erring from the truth must be drawn home by milde instruction and not by cruel enforcement Spirituall weapons are most proper for such a conscience Carnall weapons will never accomplish their end this is sure A conscience that cannot be bribed cannot be frighted he that is above the favours he is above the tenours of the world too When the Emperour offered Basil great preferment to tempt him from the faith he rejects them with scorn saying Offer these things to children after he threatned him most grievously Basil contemns all and saith Threaten your purple Gallants who give themselves to their pleasures In vain are promises or threatnings to them to whom the whole world is despise d. A man truly conscientious though in an errour he is too bigg for the world to conquer morall weapons are the only way to deal with him his sufferings they doe confirm and establish yea and comfort him in stead of shaking and unsetling him in his way What ever is taken up upon conscientious grounds will not be left upon worldly discouragements if it be certainly there was no conscience in it or if any conscience it will quickly check him for it Men meerly forced from an errour certainly had either no conscience in it or if they had they injure conscience if meerly upon such grounds they doe recede from it It is therefore my earnest and vehement desire that men of conscience and such as are truly conscientious would separate themselves from those who falsly pretend conscience All march under your banner all shelter themselves under you and pretend conscience with you who are men of no conscience You that are truly godly and conscientious Come out from among them and be ye separate be not numbered up among Atheists Papists Socinians Arminians c. rid your selves of that generation who hold such destructive and soul-murthering errours and yet pretend conscience with you and we have done we will follow you no longer And thus I have done with two of the Rules to be observed in the prudentiall dispencing of this power viz. that it be dispenced with distinction of errours and with distinction of persons We come now to the third which is 3. This power is to be dispenced with distinction of penalties There are degrees of errour all errours are not alike culpable some errours are more sinfull more dangerous and destructive then others are and as all are not alike culpable so should not all be alike punishable Besides there is difference also in the persons who are in the wayes of errour some are seducers others seduced some are the promoters others but the followers some again are of proud arrogant turbulent spirits others are of meek humble conscientious and peaceable spirits all which layes down an unquestionable ground of distinction and difference to be made in the dispencing of this power Calvin layes down a three-fold distinction of errours 1. There are some saith he which ought to be tollerated and born withall by a spirit of meeknesse and are not by any means to divide and separate between brethren 2. There are others which though they deserve chastisement yet saith he Modicum castigationem sufficere gentle correction is sufficient 3. And there is a third sort of errours saith he which plucks up religion by the roots overthrows the foundations are full of blasphemies against God and carries poor souls into destruction c. And these saith he are to be cut off with the severest punishments And with this consents Bullâ—nger Beza against Bellius and Monfortius c. By which is evident from them that as they held a difference of errours Calv refu error M ch Servet p. 694. inter opusc so did they also affirm distinction of penalties All errours are not alike sinfull nor are all errours alike punishable Certainly there will be differences in opinions We know but in part and every one hath need of his grains of allowance otherwise the best may be found too light Frateâ—nam inter ecclesias evang licas coÌ„muâ—â—oâ—e n non esse rescindendaÌ„ ob diversas de questiooniâ—us controversis opiniones c. DaveÌ„ ad frater communionem inter eccl evan â—estaur adbort Zâ—nâ—h in quart praecept Fox Acts and Mon. And it is as certain that there are some errours which are better healed by patience then by punishment And I could wish that those which may be cured by patience may never taste of any outward punishment Pity it were that things of small moment should ever divide or alienate the affections of those whom one God one Lord one faith one spirit one calling bands of so great force have linked together Certainly much in this case is to be borne withall The bonds of the brotherly communion between Churches evangelical ought not saith Davenant to be dissolved upon every difference in opinion but only for the denying and opposing fundamentals And as their communion is not to be dissolved so is not the Magistrates power to be provoked against such differences It is a passâ—ge of Zanchy That those who would stir up Princes to have all pâ—ople Kingdoms Commonwealths which not overthrowing the fundamentals of Religion differ from them in any thing to be condemned of heresie excluded from favour driven out of their coasts those certainly are no friends either to their Princes or to the Church of Christ There is a Story in M. Fox in his Acts and Monuments taken out of Guil. de sanct Amor. whom he commends for a valiant Champion of Christ and opposer of Antichrist among other marks of false Apostles he sets down this True Apostles did not procure the indignation of those Princes with whom they were esteemed and regarded against such persons as would not receive and hear them according as we read in the life of Simon and Jude the Apostles the chief Ruler being very angry commanded a great fire to be made that the Bishops might be cast into the same and all other who went about to defame the doctrine of Christ and the Apostles but the Apostles fell down before the Emperour saying We beseech you Sir let not us be the Authours or causes of this destruction or calamity nor let us who are sent to be the preservers of men and to revive those dead through sin be killers of those that be alive Upon which the learned authour after this manner inferreth They then who have the favour of Princes and use it as an Engine against them who are contrary minded to them are no true Apostles I relate not this to give the least countenance to that licentious liberty which men take in differences in these daies Certainly this was farre from the intention of the authour nor would I have it extended beyond the bounds laid down but to caution men that they doe not devide their affections
with our own fire and transported with our own revenge That action cannot be good in the end which is bad in the principle And it doth lose the glory of it's acceptance when it is corrupt in the manner 3. It is to be dispenced for religious and pious ends To have corrupt designs is sinfull and to have meer politick ends is too low for the exercise of this power Great ends befit great persons It is too low meerly to aim to make themselves great and not God and to advance their own kingdoms not Christs 1. That God may be glorified 2. That sin may be suppressed 3. That the Kingdome of Christ may be advanced 4. That the Church may be purged 5. That Gods people may be preserved are ends sutable to such a spirit and wel-worthy such a power And so much for the fift Rule Rule 6. This power is to be dispeeced mercifully and charitably 1. Mercifully and that hath respect to the measure of the censure They that are to deal in businesse of conscience had need to be conscientious men of tender and compassionate spirits God would rather hâ—ve mercy above justice then justice above mercy Luther though he was a man whose spirit was thorowly heated yet in his Epistle to the Divines of Norimberg upon occasion of the dissensions risen among them he shewed more mildnesse of spirit then ordinarily he expressed he hath this passage Servire â—e bet judiciuÌ„ non dominari charitati c. Luth. ep ad Theol. Norimber Judgement must serve not rule over charity otherwise it is one of those four things which Solomon saith troubles the earth Certainly this power is to be dispenced mercifully It were a sad thing to make them suffer more then Christ would have them this were conscience-oppression it is much safer to do too little then to do too much when yet it is evident it is our duty to do 2. It is to be dispenced charitably and that hath respect to the end of the censure Punishment as it is not the meer end of the making any law So neither is it to be the sole end in the execution of it This seems too harsh to me If the Magistrates power be ordained of God to be helpfull in these cases I see no reason why it should be so restrained but in the exercise of it he may aim at amendment rather then punishment and to reform rather then to ruine But it is high time to conclude this Discourse I have you see at last done with the Rules how this power is to be dispenced And in them have shut up the last great Question I should now conclude were I not ingaged by promise to say something by way of accommodation of our present differences especially those which are between the brethren yet not excluding other who are peaceable and godly at this time I know what I shall speak concerning this subject is in more respects then one born out of due time which were enough were not ingagements upon me to silence me in my entrance And indeed though it doe not prevail with me to desist in my purpose yet doth it perswade me to move in a narrower compasse then at first I intended I had thought to have proceeded in this method 1. To have laid down the motives perswading to it 2. The obstacles impeding or hindering of it 3. The means subservient to the procuring of it But because much hath been said for and so little hath been done alate in the compounding and healing of our differences and not knowing how to add to the one or to recall the other I shall be the briefer in what I shall say Give me then leave to say 1. That this accommodation is not impossible if indeed it were God doth not binde us to the seeking after it he doth not bid us attempt impossibilities The Apostle tells us Rom. 12.18 If it be possible have peace with all men he engageth us no further neither in a civil nor an ecclesiasticall respect And therefore we will lay down this for a foundation possible it is And I will name in these respects 1. It is possible in respect of God wiâ—h whom nothing is impossible nothing difficult things wonderfull to us are easie with him marvellous to us are familiar with him as he tells us Zech. 8.6 Because it is marvellous in your eyes is it therefore marvellous in my eyes saith the Lord of hosts He that reconciled man to God is able to reconcile man to man It is possiblâ— Nay and we are not only under a possibility in respect of his power but we are under or rather in the possibility of a promise He hath said Jer. 32.39 He will give us one heart and one way Have we the one we are under the possibility of the other he that hath done the one can effect the other also 2. It is possible in respect of our differences If we look upon the nature of the things wherein they dâ—ffâ—r they are not of such moment as to divide between brethren their differences are not about fundamentals but superstructures there is no opinion expressely maintained by either side which is directly contrary to the substance of faith or destructive to salvationâ— nay what ever are such they are condemned by both Nor â— the difference in those matters wherein they differ so wide but they may be composed and brought together if men will act humility and self-denyal It was said of the differences between Luther and the Helvetians That there was not any impossibility in respect of the things themselves if their spirits could be reconciled Bucer in epist ad Luther their causes might easily be reconciled Bucer said of the reformed Churches they agreed in the thing and differed meerly in words and manner of expression I would not lay such a charge upon the brethren it were a sad and heavy charge there are some things wherein they differ but this I say in many things the difference to me seems rather to be in words then in substance and where the difference is substantiall I doe not see but if humility and self-deniall might take place if interests might be waved if preingagements might be sleighted even in those things there might be an agreement Certainly God doth not make the difference so great as we our selves do make it 3. It is possible there should be an accord in respect of the persons differing It was the speech of one concerning the reconciliation of the Germane Churches It is possible for the most hot and rigorous spirits to be reconciled but it is easie for peaceable and moderate men to be agreed The differences are not between enemies but between brethren and neither of them proud imperious and contentious but both of them humble holy and peaceable Insomuch that when any doth look upon their agreements in tempers in natures in grace in doctrine in Covenant and in their ends too they cannot choose but wonder at their
the sword of the Spirit the power of Excommunication John Bapt. 63 p. Another also who writes for the same We grant it evident that the power of redressing emerging enormities in a Church in every kinde is committed by Christ to every particular Church respectively within it self and so they ought to be cut off by that particular Church that is troubled by them if there be no remedy otherwise By all which you see it is evident upon the confession of all That God hath not left his Church without some means for the suppressing of errour and the reducing of erroneous persons That if a man be obstinate in his opinion and will not be reclaimed he may he ought to be cast out of the Church whereof he is a member And thus we have finished the first judiciall means for the suppressing of errour 2. Means to suppres errour viz. Synodicall we are now come to the second judiciall or authoritative means for the suppressing of errour and the reducing of erroneous persons which I told you was Synodicall if fraternall if pastorall if Congregationall means have been used and those found insufficient and too short there is yet another means which God hath ordain'd and set up in his Churches more powerfull and effectuall then the former and that we call a Synod or combination of Churches which was appointed by Christ practised by the Apostles continued by their successours for 300. years before ever there was any Christian Emperour or any other means and assistances to the Church for thâ—â—e ends And indeed the light of Nature the equity of rules and examples in Scripture do teach That particular Churches may Amos Medul l. 1. c. 39. ib. 17. and ought often to enter into a mutuall confederation and consociation among themselves in Classes and Synods that they may use common consent and mutuall help in those things especially which are of greater moment and beyond the power of particular Congregations to determine and conclude In the Discourse upon which that I may the more avoid all Collaterall and impertinent controversies and disputes and speak to it mainly as it relates to the Question propounded I shall restrain my Discourse to these four particulars 1. I shall shew you what a Synod is 2. That God hath ordain'd and set up this as a means for the suppressing of errour and reducing of erroneous persons 3. That this means hath been blessed of God with power and efficacy for such ends 4. What is the power wherewith God hath endued and enabled it to be subservient to these ends The great burthen of the Discourse will lie upon the last And therefore I shall be briefer upon the rest Quest 1. What a Synod is It is a consociation or combination of Churches in their officers and delegates conveened in the Name and authority of Christ to determine according unto Scripture all controversies of doctrine government manners for the comfort peace and order of the Churches 1. In which description you have 1. What it is It is a consociation or union of Churches One Church cannot make a Synod a Synod is a Collection a combination of Churches There is a two-fold Church 1. Ecclesia prima 2. Ecclesia orta A prime Church and a Church arising out of the prime Churches 1. * Collectio singulorum fidelium in unum congregationeÌ„ gâ—neralâ— nomine eâ—clesia dicitur The prime Church is a collection of divers faithfull persons into one Congregation and in a generall name is called a Church 2. The Church arising from the prime * Ecclesia oâ—ta est â—ollâ—ctio coâ—binatio EcclesiaruÌ„ primaâ—um plurium in unum coetuÌ„ appellatur Synodus It is a collection or combination of more Churches into one Assembly and it is called a Synod So there is the nature of a Synod It is a consociation of Churches 2. You have in the definition the persons whereof a Synod is constituted or made and that is not of all the members of every Church but of officers and delegates or persons chosen out and sent by the Churches Indeed no faithfull persons who desire are excluded a liberty or presence of reasoning or speaking provided they doe it orderly and wisely but they are not there as partes constituentes as constituting parts or members of such an Assembly they are there rather by permission then by commission as consenters not determiners and rather spectatours auditours witnesses then as officers Yet it will be easily granted and Act. 15. seems to hold forth some footsteps of it 1. That the brethren by a solemn Church-act should designe and choose their officers and commissioners they send thither So you see they did at Antioch Act. 15.2 they send the whole Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 determined they made a Church-ordinance to send Paul and Barnabas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And certain others of them to the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem 2. That the severall Churches should have liberty to convey with them whom they have chosen their burthens doubts scandals and desires and so you see in Act. 15.2 they sent their doubts with the persons they determined they should go up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about this Question not that this was the only end of their going to have the Question resolved or that this was the only subject of the Apostles disputes and determinations In the 6. verse It is said the Apostles and Elders came together for to consider 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this matter not only of the Question but of the scandall the rent and division among them and how to heal that as well as remove the scandall And their determinations make it plain ver 22 23 24. 3. The brethren especially such as are most eminent among the brethren and others so farre as the conveniency of the place and other circumstances will admit have a liberty of presence to hear the debates and take notice how things are transacted in the Synod This is seen in the 12. vers of that Chapter 4. These brethren may have liberty of speech in case they dâ—sire it or if interessed and concerned more especially in the determinations of the Synod There is something of this in the 7. and 12. verses of that Chapter 5. Their approbations and concurrence may be desired to the results and determinations of the Synod and that they might joyn in consent and handing them to the Churches for the more receptive entertainment of them Relique ecclesiae hanc non secus ac matrem colebant Calv in Act. 15.2 Thus you see it was in that Synod vers 22 23. Though indeed there be not so great reason for other Churches concurrence as there was here for Jerusalem because this was the most eminent Church and of great esteem and account among the Churches of Christ consisting of many eminent members able to be teachers to others and therefore there was some more reason why their concurrence might be desired But