in one place yet hath the Presbyteriall Church the essentiall note of a visible Church Because there is a difference betwixt carrying the colours in an Army tali modo as all the Army at once may see the colours and the carrying of the colours Yet the colours are a note visible of such an Army so there is a difference betwixt preaching the Word simpliciter and preaching the Word tali modo in such a way in one materiall house onely And therefore it is necessary that government which concerneth many Churches consociated be in its exercise hic nunc larger then preaching of the Word in its exercise hic nunc which cannot be done but to a multitude which conveneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the same materiall place And we see an act of government Acts 15. by confession of our Brethren belonging to divers consociated Churches and performed by them and yet these cannot ordinarily meete to one and the same place in all their members for hearing of the Word Thirdly an extraordinary and remote power of Jurisdiction which is but rarely and in extraordinary cases to be put forth in acts is given to the Catholick visible Presbytery of the whole Catholick visible Church Because the Oommunion externall and visible is lesse where the locall distance of visible Churches is more and therefore because oecumenicall councells being necessary for the Catholick visible Church neque ad esse simpliciter neque ad bâ—â—è esse sed ad melius seu optimum esse neither in respect of the Churches being nor in respect of the Churches well-being â—uâ— onely in respect of her best and most spirituall well-being these councells are seldome to be had in an ordinary providence For the Cresse of Iesus Christ is rather a marke of the catholick visible Church then Bellarmine his prospeâ—ous condition that he will have to be one of his fifteene notes of the Church and since the Church cannot have her wishes the want of generall councells is the Catholick Churches Crosse not her sin we doe not say that God is deficient in meanes necessary to his Church or to some of his owne Children because the Woman hath wings given her of God to stie to the Wildernesse to hide her selfe from the Dragon Rev. 12. 14. and so cannot enjoy Gods ordinary presence in his Sanctuary Nor doe wee say that God hath denied a power to his Church in the Wildernesse to enjoy them in a visible Sanctuary I meane a morall power and jus a right and interest in that presence because he interrupteth the Churches physicall power for a while in the injoying of these comforts of a visible Church-Communion in the Sanctuary Fourthly hence it doth not follow that because the catholick representative visible Church is the first subject of the power of the Keys that the power of Excommunication is derived from the visible Church to a Presbyteriall Church or that a Presbyteriall Church cannot excommunicate without consulting with or fetching authority from the Catholick visible Church Because the Catholick visible Church is a great integrall body of Iesus Christ and he is the head of this body because though the power of seeing by order of nature be first in the whole man and then in the Eye yet the power of seeing in the Eye is not derived from the rest of the body from Hands Leggs Shoulders Armes to the Eye The light is first in the whole Body of the Sun as the first and prime subject of light yet supposing now the received opinion of Astronomers that the body of the Sun doth exceede the quantity of the Earth an hundred sixty and seven times it doth not follow that this or that part of the Sun hath no light intrinsecall in it but that which is derived from the whole body of the Sun for then this or this part of the Sun should have borrowed light derived to it from another so the Soule doth at one and the same instant animate and quicken the whole organized Body as its first matter and subject but it doth not follow that the Hand hath life derived to it from the whole body so because the power of the Keyes is also intrinsecall in the Presbytery as in an Oâ—cumenicall councell it doth not follow that the power that is intrinsecall in the presbytery is by derivation or borrowed and at the second hand from the Catholick presbytery of the whole World farre lesse that the Presbytery cannot Excommunicate except it consult with the catholick visible Church The power of the Keys by order of nature is onely in the catholick representative Church as in the first subject but in order of time this power is communicated from the head Christ to all the integrall parts of this great Body according to the capacity of every part so as it is intrinsecall in the particular Eldership of a single Congregation in these poynts of Discipline that concerne a Congregation as a Congregation and it is intrinsecall in the classicall Presbytery as it is such and it is intrinsecall in the provinciall and Nationall Synod in poynts belonging to them as such 3. They object if a single Congregation have not power of Excommunication and of entire and compleat government within it selfe because it is but a part of a Presbyteriall Church and so an incompleat Church by that same reason a Presbyteriall Church shall be a compleate Church and not have entire and compleat power of Government within it selfe because a presbyteriall Church is a part of a provinciall Church and a provinciall Church shall be in the same case because it is a part of a Nationall Church and a Nationall Church in that same case because it is a part of the catholick visible Church and there shall bee no perfit visible Church on Earth which hath full and entire power of jurisdiction save onely the caholicke visible Church which by no possibility can convene before her Oecunenick and highest catholick Court a Nationall Church or the Church of great Brittaine and upon the testimony of three witnesses deliver her to Satan and upon supposall of Repentance receive her againe to the catholick power of that same Court into fellowship of Church-union with the great catholick body For so because this catholick Church for many centuries yea possibly for a million of yeeres cannot convene to exercise her authority in a Court and out of her Court shee hath none the repenting Nationall Church shall remaine in Satans bands for ever by a physicall and invincible necessity Answ. A single Congregation is a Church but so as it is a part also and a member of a Presbyteriall Church and because of neernesse of communion with consociated Churches under one Presbytery it can neither have compleat power of casting out one of its owne members because that member hath so strict a visible Union of membership also with consociated Churches nor can it exercise that intrinsecall power that it hath as a remote part of Christs
matter concerne them but we aske if the whole people of Israel were obliged by vertue of Divine Institution to be present in the gates of the City when the Judges did sit there and judge as our brethren therein say by a Divine Institution the people are to be present and to consent yea and have an honour above consenting say they so as if the people be not there to have their share of excommunication in their way then is Christs order violated because the Church cannot be said to excommunicate and bind and loose on Earth whereas the Elders onely without the people do only bind and loose and excommunicate and the Elders say they without the people are not the Church nor can be called the Church and so the acts of the Elders judging and separated from the people are null because not acts of the Church seeing the alone Elders are not the Church by this reason the Judges could not judge in Israel except all Israel had been present to consent for all Israel are bidden to execute judgement in the morning both the Rulers and people 2. All the thousands in Ierusalem which made up many Congregations were not nor could they and the whole Congreations of Aâ—tioch Syria and Silicia who were all concerned in conscience no lesse then Ierusalem be present and that by obligation of a Divine Institution and therefore that Church and that whole Church Act. 15. 22. can be no other then the whole representative Church And so we say both here and Act. 15. the Church representative exerciseth jurisdiction without the people if people were present it was by vertue of no Divine Institution so as if they had not beene present the decrees could not have been called the decrees of the Church and certainely the comparison of the eye which seeth not but as united to the body if it be strictly urged may well prove that the Elders if the people be not present even all and every one whom it concerneth câ—â— no more exercise jurisdiction or decerne that a scandalous person can be excommunicated then an eye can see when it is plucked out of the head Object 15. Divines bring an argument from Math. 18. by â—â—â—logy and proportion from particular congregations to prove Naâ—iâ—nall and generall Synods of the whole Christian world Ergo they suppose that a particular Church is the measure and patterne and first Church which hath power of excommunication Answ. Parker and some few enclining to our brethrens mind doe so but Divines understand by a Church a Presbyteriall Church which they make the measure and patterne of Assemblies Object 16 Here is a particular Church because here is an offended brother who is a member thereof This particular Church hath Elders this particular Church is a whole Church 1 Cor. 14. if the whole Church come together Jam. 5. Send for the Elders of the Church It cannot be that the sickâ— person is to send for the Elders of a Presbyteriall Church that are so farre removed from the sicke man Answ. An hand with five fingers is a whole hand but not a whole body a Congregation is a whole Church in its owne kind whole for those things that concerne it selfe but not whole and compleat for all jurisdiction If Iames should bid send for all the Elders this consequence should have some colour Object 17. A Presbyteriall Church can be an offending Church but this Math. 18. is for an offending brother if thy brother sinne against thee c. Answ. Christ giveth an instance onely in an offending brother but the doctrine is for the curing of an offending Church also for all persons to be gained Thou hast gained thy brother We are to gaine Churches even as we are not to offend Churches 1 Cor. 10. 32. Object 18 There are no Church-censures meant here Christs scope is to resolve a case of conscience how farre we are to goe on with an offending brother before we behave our selves to him as to an heather â— It is said if thy brother sinne against thee Ergo it is a private offence not a publique Church-scandall that deserveth excommunication Answ. Christs purpose is to shew how we may gaine to repentance an offending brother Thou hast gained thy brother And he will have us use both publique and private meanes to gaine him 2. It is such a sinne as must be told to the Church when obstinacy to the Church is added and therefore at length it is a publique scandall and so deserveth excommunication Ob. 2. Reprove him that is convince him but is it not reproving to be brought before the Church must I reprove every one who offendeth me even the King it is a mans glory to passe by an offence and Salomon for biddeth us to over-heare our servant cursing us Answ. God hath made every man his brothers keeper and we are not to suffer sin in our brother but in any case to rebuke him Lev. 19 17. the King is not every mans brother whom he is to use familiarly as the brother meant of here though Kings should be rebuked by their Nobles and by Pastors 2. We are to passe over offences that is to forgive those that sin against us and not to be too curious to know who reproacheth us as Salomons meaning is to be taken and to be willing to forgive and yet to labour to gaine our brother by rebukes one act of love fighteth not with another Ob. 3. Tell the Church is not meant of a Christian Church but he speaketh of a thing present but there was no Christian Church as yet Answ. It followeth not it is a rule especially for time to come though Christ speake after this manner as if it were a thing present Ob. 4. It is not much that the word Church signifieth onely in this place a company of godly men witnesses of the mans offence for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth onely once Joh. 3. the wind 2. Christ spake in the Syriak and Gnedah Psal. 22. Gnedah a company or many Buls have compâ—ssâ—d mâ— 1 San. 19. a company of Prophets Gnedah The meaning is if he be not convinced by the testimony of two rebuke him before many Answ. It is not like that seeing in the Chapter preceding he sâ—ake of the Church as of a company to whom the Keys of the Kingdome of Heaven were given and that here he speaking of a Church which hath authoritative power to bind and loose that Christ hath any such â—nsolent meaning of the word Church as onely to note many Christians 2. The Syriak is not the Originall but the Greeke Ob. 5. The witnesses spâ—ken of here are not witnesses of the offences but of the reproofe and therefore there is nothing here of a judiciall procâ—s Answ. Yea but these witnesses are witnesses both of the reproote and of that obstinacy for the which the mans sinnes are bound in Heaven Ob. 6. Let him be to thee as an Heathen He saith not let him be to
from any who walketh inordinately 2. Thes. 3. 14. 15. 3 It is not well said that Christ giveth no Lawes for sinnes that seldome fall out What say you of Anathema Maranatha 1 Cor. 16. 22. to bee used against an Apostate from the faith and against such as fall into the sinne against the holy Ghost I thinke visible professors capable both of the â—nne and the censure yet I thinke it falleth seldome out it fell seldome but that an Apostle was to bee rebuked haâ— Paul then no law to rebuke Peter Gal. 2. Object 2. A Synod or presbytery may prâ—nounce the dâ—â—dfull sentence of non-communion against persons and Churches 〈…〉 Answ. But I aske where is the power and institution from Christ that one private man as hee may counsell his brother so hee may by our brethrens grounds pronounce this sentence Object 3. One private man may not doe it to a whole Church â—â— a classicall Presbytery and a Synod hath more authoritie over him then hee hath over them Answ. One private man may rebuke another yea bee may plead with his mother the whole Church that hee liveth in for her whoredomes Hos. 2. 2. But if hee justly plead and his mother will not heare may hee not separate Our brethren of New England I thinke shall bee his warrant to separate for their sixth Synodicall proposition saith the fraternitie and people are to separate from the Eldership after they refuse wholesome counsell Now what Scripture warranteth twenty to withdraw and separate shall also warrant ten and five and one for no reason that if twentie bee carelesse of their salvation in the dutie of separation and shall not separate that one man shall not separate because a multitude doth evill I am not to doe evill with them Object 4. But a Synod or a classicall presbytery hath more 〈◊〉 and authoritie then one private man or one single Congregation 1. Because they are a company of Elders to whom as to the Priests of the Lord whose lips should preserve knowledge the â—â—yes of knowledge and consequently a power and Synodicall authoritie is given though they have no power of jurisdiction 2. Because as a private mans power is inferiour to a Pastors so is the power of classicall and Synodioall meeting of Elders above a man or a single congregation and a Synod in dogmaticall power ariseth so higher then these â—â— divine institution doth fall upon it Answ. The power of order and the key of knowledge doth elevate a Pastor whose lippes doth preserve knowledge above a private Christian yea as I conceive above a multitude of beleevers but I would know if a Synods dogmaticall power bee above the power of single congregations I thinke it is not by our brethrens â—enents for they say expresly that every particular 〈…〉 jus to decide dogmaticall points and this â—ight the Church of Antioch had Act. 15. and laboured to end that 〈…〉 in her selfe which sheweth that they had right and â— we but they had not habilitie and therefore in that case they 〈…〉 light and advise from other Churches and they say The câ—niociation of Churches into classes and Synods wee 〈◊〉 to bee lawfull and in some cases necessary as namely in things 〈…〉 not peculiar to one Church but common to all And likewise when a Church is not able to end any matter that concernes onely themselves theâ— they are to seek advise counsell from neighbour Churches hence the power of Synods is only by way of counsel and advise a Pastors advise is but an advise he giveth not his advise virtute 〈◊〉 as he is a Pastor for then his advise should bee pastorall and authâ—â—itative and proceeding from the power of order though not from the power of jurisdiction hee onely giveth his advise as a gifted and inlightned man and so to my poore knowledge two hundreth five hundreth holy and learned Pastors determining in a Synod any dogmaticall point they sit all there not as in a court not as Pastors for then their Decrees should have pastorall authoritie and some power formally ministeriall to determine yea and to sway in a ministeriall way by power of the keyes of knowledge all the inferiour Churches whom the decree concerneth even as the Eldership of Pergâ—mus which to our brethren is a congregationall Church doth decree by the dogmaticall power of the keyes of knowledge that the doctrine of Balaam is a false doctrine therefore they sit there as gifted Christians and so have no Church-power more then a private brother or sister of the Congregation hath toward or over another for though a multitude of counselling and advising friends be safer and more effectuall to give light then a counselling friend yet are they but a multitude of counselling friends and the result of all counselling and advising men doth never rise higher then a counsell and advise and can never amount to the nature of a command as twenty schâ—â—â—-fellowes suppose as â—udent and wise as the twentie masters of an Universitie if these twentie schoole-fellowes give their advise and counsell 〈◊〉 a weightie businesse that concerneth the practise and obedience of all the students the result of their counsell and advise can never bee more then an advise and cannot amount to the same determination of the twentie masters of the Universitie the result of whose determination is a soveraigne commandement and an authoritative and judiciall decree and statute to all the whole Universitie 2. Whereas these Godly brethren say the power of Synods in things which belong to particular Churches is but a counsell and advise they should have told their mind whether or no the Synod hath more then advise and counsell in things that are not peculiar to one Church but common to all the Churches in that bounds for it would seeme that a Synod is a colledge of commanders in dogmaticall points that doe equally concerne all Churches this should have beenespoken to though in those things which are peculiar to each particular Church they bee but a colledge of friendly advisers and counsellers 2. If a Synod bee but a societie of counsellers they have no more any authoritative power to pronounce the sentence of non-communion against any single Congregation or private man then a private man or a single Congregation hath authoritative power to pronounce that sentence against them but 3. You make the Synodicall power so above the power of private Christians in counselling as that this Synodicall power is of divine institution as you say but let me aske what to doe to counsell and advise onely then that power of counselling in Abigail to David in one brother or sister to another brother and sister is of divine institution warranted by the Law of nature Levit. 19. 18. by the Law of charitie by the communion of Saints Col. 3. 15. 1 Thes. 5. 14. Heb. 3. 13. Heb. 10. 24. Mal. 3. 16. Zach. 8. 21 22 23. for there is a divine institution for one brother to counsell
colledge of Apostles and Elders conveened and yet materially it is the same prohibition Object 4. The Acts of this Synod are finaliter acts of government because they are rules conducing for the governing of the Church but formaliter they are acts of dogmaticall power and not formally acts of jurisdiction for there is no rebuking of subverters of soules inordine to excommunication no penall power is exercised here sub poona under the paine of excommunication and therefore there an here no formall acts of government Answ. 1. The acts of Church-government finaliter that is government because to prescribe rules and directive Lawes for they are not properly Lawes which the Church prescribeth Christ is the onely Law-giver are formall acts of governing and one power doth not make Lawes for governing the Church and another power different in nature punish the contraveners And what power disposeth and ordereth the meanes doe also dispose and order the end Canons of the Church tending to the edification of the Church are meanes tending to the government of the Church and I appeale to the judgement of our reverend brethren if wee suppose that one single Congregation should doe all that this Synod doth if they would not call it a formall governing of that particular Congregation for example in the Church of Pergamus one ariseth and teacheth the doctrine of the Nicolaitans suppose that fornication is indifferent is the eating of blood and is no sinne the Angels of the Church of Pergamus preach against this doctrine in private they deale by force of arguments from Scripture that it is a wicked doctrine and destructive to holinesse as Paul and Barnab as disputeth Act. 15. 1. 2. with the obtruders of a necessitie of Circumcision yet they prevaile not now suppose this independent Church following the Apostle Pauls way thinke good to convene a Synod or a parishionall assembly to determine Synodically that this is a wicked doctrine and shall in their decree call the holders of this doctrine subverters of soules and forbid fornication in their Synod now supposing Pergamus to be a single Church in a remote Iland consociated with no neighbouring Churches who could in reason deny that this Synodicall power so inacting were a power formally governing the Church of Pergamus it is true some of our brethren say that it is even to us a received tenent that the power that disposeth of the meanes of governing doth not for that governe in respect that we teach that the classicall presbytery doth decree and in act and the Congregation doth execute these Decreed but I pray you doth this prove that the power ordering the meanes of governing is no formall act of governing yea the contrary is true because the Congregation executing the acts of the classicall presbytery as subordinat in that act to the classicall presbytery by their authority therfore while they give out these acts or Canons doe formally governe that Congregation executing their acts in this particular Mr. Mather and Mr. Thomson against Mr. Herle c. 1. p. 9. teach that there is a power of clearing truth dogmatically and that 〈◊〉 ‑ 〈◊〉 ultimately where the controversie is ended but they will have this ultimate power not in a Synod onely but also in a Congregation But 1. they seeme to make this dogmaticall power a church-Church-power and the exercise thereof formally an act of Church-government and so it must bee church-Church-power and Church-government in the Synod as well as in the Congregation 2. The last period and conclusion of the controversie cannot bee both in the Congregation de jure by right onely and in the Synod by right onely for two last powers cannot bee properly in two subordinate judicatures for if Antioch appeale to a Synod as they doc Act. 15. 2. then Antioch is not the sole last and ultimate and finall judge and 3. If the controversie concerne many Churches as this doth Act. 15. 2. 23. 24. I see not how a Congregation except they transgresse their line can finally determine it And here while as our brethren doe all edge that a Synod hath a power to decree and make lawes but hath no power at all to execute these Lawes or to punish the contraveners but power of punishing is all in the single Congregation â— They tie all governing power to a punishing power as if there were no other wayes to governe but upon supposall of scandalls whereas all Scripture and polliticians make a power of giving Lawes formally a governing power 2. When one societie and Synod maketh the Lawes and another must execute them and punish the contraveners the single Congregation that punisheth is more subjected by a truely prelaticall bondage then if the Law-makers had onely the power of punishing the contraveners at they onely have the power of making the Lawes I take not here Lawes for Lawes properly so called but for ministeriall directories having ecclesiasticall authoritie and here in effect our brethren lay truely a prelaticall bondage on the Churches of Christ for they teach that a Synod may make a Law by a pastorall power and that this Synod is an ordinance of Christ by Act. 15. and that as Prelates did they send those Synodicâ—ll decrees to bee obeyed and put in execution by the Churches and ordaine the contraveners to bee punished by the Churches and here is a power above a power and mandates for government sent by the Synod to the Churches to bee obeyed and a Synod governing by Churches this they call prelaticall in us But 3. there is no penall power here say they and nothing decerved to bee obeyed sub paena under the paine of excommunication therefore no power of jurisdiction But this consequence is justly denyed for no politician no reason in the world can say that all power of jurisdiction is included in the power of excommunication What hath the Church a church-Church-power to threaten and no Church-power to pardon the penltent I think if the Church as the Church Matth. 18. receive a power from Christ to bind in heaven and earth doth not Christ in that same patent give to her also a power to loose in earth and heaven and when hee saith if bee refuse to beare the Church let him be to thee â— aubeâ—hen and publican doth hee not give to the Church a power to command if hee command to heare and obey the Church hee must give a power of jurisdiction to the Church to command and a power to command not penall onely but promissorie also to loose and absolve upon condition of prosessed repentance Now suppose the Church make a Law that theresurrection of the dead is a truth of God to bee beleeved and professed upon occasion that in the Congregation Hymeneus Alexander den yeth that Article in that very Commandement doctrinall the Church doth governe the whole Congregation and exerciseth a power of formall governing though in their act they say nothing of the censure of excommunication to those who shall deny that Article
nor being a witnesse of the life death and resurrection of Christ then the authoritie of James and Peter who werâ— eye-witnesses of Christs life doctrine and sufferings and saw him visibly ascend to heaven and the believers doubted if hee was an Apostle and the Synod was convened to have theresolution of the Apostles and so it was meerely Apostolicall Ans. Though I grant there beesome truth in this that Pauls Apostolick calling was now more question 〈◊〉 then the rest of the Apostles and I easily yeeld that these who disputed with him could not rest upon his authority yet I deny that hence wee can inferre no Synod for if the Apostles had convened in Synod to satisfie those who doubted of Pauls authoritie as an Apostle then they would have reterred the matter to James and Peter who to these beleevers were undoubtedly the Apostles of the Lord but if the Apostles had had no intent but to end the controversie in a mere Apostolick way and not intended a Synodicall and an â—clesiasticall and perpetuall remedy in such cases of controversies in particular Churches I shall not beleeve that the Apostles when they were to determine by a superior an Apostolick and infallible light they would have joyned with them the Elders as Act. 15. 16. to consider of the question and that the Church of Auâ—ioch doubting if Paul was an Apostle would have decreed to seeke a resolution from Elders and that in an Apostolick way for they sent to the Elders at Jerusalem for a resolution as well as to the Apostles Act. 15. 2. and judge yee if the Apostles being to determine infallibly as Apostles would joyne the falliblo and inferiour light of Elders v. 6. and Brethren v. 22. if tlloy had not had a mind to determine the question in a Synodicall way Object 9. But it is not cleare that in this act they either censure persons or doe any thing in order to Church-censure but onely exercise a naked doctrinall power Answ. A doctrinall power was in a higher measure in the Apostles then in all the Elders of the world who were all but fallible men and James and Peter to these beleevers who moved the question were undenyably Apostles and what doctrinall power could they seeke in the Elders to whose determination by intention both of Antioch ch 15. 2. and by the Apostles intention v. 6. the question is referred as well as to the Apostles if the matter was not to bee ended by a formall Synod 2. Nor can they deny a power of jurisdiction though there were no persons rebuked and censured in this Synod for the object of a juridicall power is not onely persons but things of order decencie circumstances questions of doctrine as is cleare Reâ—el 1. 14. 15. officers to be ordained Act. 6. 3 4 5 6. 1 Tim. 5. 22. 2 Tim. 2. 2 3. 3. Our brethren cannot deny but the sentence of non-Communion is a censure and a great one yea and of kindred and blood most neare to excommunication and that if any Churches should have refâ—â—sed those Canons by this Canon the Churches might have pronounced the sentence of non-communion against them and to pronounce this sentence is an act of government as properly so called as to pronounce the sentence of excommunication for it is the formall halfe of the sentence of excommunication Object 10. It seemeth that Apostles here determine as Apostles for they condenme the obtruders of circumcision because they taught these things without any Apostolick Commandement v. 24. They teach that you must bee circumcised and keepe the Law to whom wee the Apostles gave no such commandement Answ. This is no more a good argument to prove that the obtruders of circumcision did teach false doctrine and were not condemned by the Apostles and Elders Synodically then if one should say this is not a Synodicall decree of the Church because it is proven and made good by the Word of God for Synodicall decrees exclude not Gods word though they bee not formally Scripture for in some part of the Epistle the Apostles may well speak of themselves as distinguished from Elders and as Apostles and yet the assembly is an ordinary Synod and not an Apostolick meeting for if wee should argue thus the whole Church men and women v. 22. sent messengers to Antioch as the Church and not as Apostles our brethren would thinke it a weake consequence to inferre Ergo this was nothing but a Congregational not an Apostolical meeting Yet our brethren contend that the whole Church and single Congregation of Ierusalem did concurre in this meeting as consenters and having power also though not of jurisdiction but I wonder why our brethren should so contend that there was no power of censuring put forth in this Assembly seeing one of their speciall answers whereby they would prove that this it not a patterne of an ordinary Synod and such a Synod as wee contend for having power of jurisdiction is that this was an ordinary meeting of the Elders and Church of Ierusalem giving counsell and advise with the Apostles to the Church of Antioch but I am sure the businesse of not scandalizing did as much concerne the Church of Ierusalem and therefore in the Synod they ought to put forth power of jurisdiction if any of their members hearing that the Apostles contended that the ceremoniall Law did not lay a tie on the conscience of either Jew or Gentile in foro dei before Gods court as the places cited by Iames prove v. 15 16 17. Peter saith expresly that God now putteth no difference betwixt Iewes and Gentiles v. 9. but 〈◊〉 are saved through the grace of our Lord Iesus v. 11. should ab â—aine from blood to the offence of the weaker should not this Congregation all Church condemne such in ordine ad censuram in order to excommunication yea the Eldership and Congregation of Jerusalem here convened as our brethren say should have failed in this first Synod and also the Apostles with them if they neglected to exercise juridicall power over their owne Congregation in the case of scandall and a scandall as possible to them to fall in as the Gentiles and therefore either this assembly consisting of Apostles and of the particular Church of Ierusalem erred which wee cannot say or then they did exercise power in order to excommunication towards their owne Church and so there is some juridicall power put forth in this meeting Object 11. Though the Apostles in this Synod proceed by way of disputing and borrow light one from another it followeth not thâ—â— they goe not on here as Apostles yea though Peter and Paul dâ—e not say all the truth nor fall upon that which is the conclusion of the Assembly as I ames doth it doth not hinder but they are led in all these Synodicull debaâ—eâ— by the infallible and Apostolick spirit because some things are revealed to one Evangelist and to one Prophet which is not revealed to another Iohn the
is essentially an act of preaching the Word Object 14. This Synod declares only in a doctrinall way what is necessary what is scandalous the same way that Paul doth Rom. 14. 14 15. i Cor. 8. 1 Cor. 10. Answ. This Synod and Paul declare one and the same thing Ergo with one and the same authoritie it followeth not Paul writeth 1 Cor. 5. that the incestuous man should bee excommunicated and this hee wrote as canonicall Scripture by the immediat inspiration of the holy Spirit if then the Church of Corinth should have excommunicated him shall it follow that they gave out the sentence of excomunication by the immediate inspiration of the holy Spirit I thinke not their Churches sentence had been given out by a meere ecclesiasticall authoritie according to the wch Churches of Christ to the worlds end doth excommunicate following the Church of Corinth as a patterne Obj. 15. Though these obtruders of ceremonies did pervent soâ—ks v. 24. yet the Synod doth not summond them before them nor excommuncite them but remit them to the particular Churches to whom it properly belonged to censure and not to any Synod or superiour Judicature Answ. There was no need to summon them for these subverters of soules were personally present at the Synod and rebuked in the face of the Synod as perverters of soules v. 24. for if they were not present 1. to whom doth Peter speake v. 10. Now therefore why tempt yee God to put a yoake on the necke of the disciples c. the Apostles and Elders did not impose the yoake of Moses Law upon the beleeving disciples nor any other save onely the obtruders of circumcision 2. Who were they in the Synod who made much disputing v. 7. note the Apostles not any save these obtruders Ergo they were personally present at the Synod nor needed they to excommunicate them for I judge that they acquiesced to the determination of James which was the sentence of the Synod and the great dispute spoken of v. 7. ceased v. 13. and the conclusion is agreed upon 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then it seemed good to the Apostles Elders and whole Church and there was reason why these obtruders should acquiesce so that there was no need of further censure for there was satisfactiou in part given to both siddes The question was whether or no are beleevers now to keepe the Law and the ceremonies of Moses his Law It was answered by the Synod by a distinction which favoured in part both sides 1. There is no necessitie that the beleeving Gentiles who are saved by grace as well as the Jewes bee troubled to keepe all the ceremonies and this satisfied the Apostles who taught that the Gentiles were now made one people with the Jewes and both are freed in conscience from Moses his yoake the other part of the distinction it was this yet there bee some ceremoniall commandements as not to eate things offered to Idols blood and things strangled for fornication is of another nature and abstinence therefrom is of perpetuall necessitie 1 Cor. 6. 13 14 15 16. 1 Thess. 4. 3. Col. 3. 5. these must bee avoided for scandals sake by all the Jewes but especially by the Gentiles lest the weake Jewes who take these to be divine commandements yet in force take offence and this was satisfactorie to the obtruders and wee heare no more of their disputing and there is an end of the controversie by the blessed labours of a lawfull Synod 3. I could easily yeeld that there is no necessitie of the elicit acts of many parts of government such as excommunication ordination admitting of heathens professing the faith to Church-membership in Synods provinciall nationall or oecumenicall but that Synods in the case of neglect of presbyteriall-Churches command these particular Churches whom it concerneth to doe their dutie and in this sense the Synod Act. 15. is to remit the censure of excommunication to the presbytery of Antioch and Jerusalem in the case of the obstinacie of these obtruders of circumcision but so some power of government is due to the Synod as prescribing of Lawes and Canons for presbyteries and Congregations Object 16. Therefore was the Synagogue of the Jewes no compleat Church because all the ordinances of God cannot bee performed in the Synagogue and therefore were the Jewes commanded onely at Jerus salem and in no other place to keepe the passeover and to offer offerings and sacrifices which were òrdinary worship Deut. 12. but there is not any worship or sacred ordinance saith that worthy Divine Dr. Ames of preaching praying Sacraments c. prescribed which is not to bee observed in every Congregation of the New Testament Nor is there any ordinary minister appointed who is not given to some one Assembly of this kind So also Mr. Mather and Mr. Thomson teachers in New England Others say because there was a representative worship of sacrificing of all the 12. Tribes at Jerusalem therefore all the Synagogues were dependent Churches and Jerusalem was the supreme and bighest Church but there is no representative worship in the New Testament and therefore no need of Synods as higher Churches Answ. Surely the aforesaid reverend Brethren of New England have these words But it seemeth to us that the power of a Synod is not proporly a power and exercise of government and jurisdiction but a power of doctrine and so a Synod is rather a â—aching then a governing Church from which I inferre 1. That out Brethren cannot deny a power of governing to a Synod but it is not so proper governing as excommunication and ordination performed in their Congregations but say I it is more properly governing as to make Lawes and rules of governing is a more noble eminent and higher act of governing as is evident in the King and his Parliament then the execution of these Lawes and rules 2. Our brethren incline to make a Synod a teaching Church but I inferre that Synodicall teaching by giving out decrees tying many Churches as our Brethren of New England and the forenamed authors teach is an ordinance of Christ that can bee performed in no single Congregation on earth for a doctrinall Canon of one Congregation can lay no ecclesiasticall tie upon many Churches Ergo by this reason our Congregations shall bee dependent as were the Jewish Synagogues 3. With favour of these learned men it is a begging of the question to make Jerusalem the supreme Church and the Synagogues dependent Churches because it was lawfull onely at Jerusalem to sacrifice for I hold that Jerusalem was a dependent Church no lesse then the smallest Synagogue in all the tribes for in a Catholick meeting of all Judah for renewing a Covenant with God Ierusalem was but a sister Church with all of Iudah Benjamin Ephraim Manasseh who 2 Chron. 15. 9. 10. 11 12. made up one great Church which did sweare that Covenant Ordinances doe not formally make Churches visible nor divers ordinances divers
Churches profession of the truth formally constituteth a visible Church and Church union in ordinances and government and this was alike in the Synagogues and in Ierusalem It was a thing meerely typicall that at Ierusalem onely and in the Temple onely should there bee offerings and sacrifices because in Christ God-man all our worship and service and prayers are accepted of the Father but I pray you did this instampe Ierusalem with any note of Church-supremacy above the meanest Synagogue in all Israel and Iudah I see it not all the Synagogues and all the land were members of the nationall Church and every one a member of his owne Synagogue the persons processing the truth and dwelling at Ierusalem had no supremacie over the Synagogues because they did inhabit that typicall place but the Priests and Levites were indeed servants to all the land in offering sacrifices and in governing in the Synedry either the greater or the lesse but these professors who did constitute the visible Church at Ierusalem had no Church supremacie at all for their relation to the Temple their cohabitation or bodily contiguitie was no Church-relation then or now and that these of the Synagogues behooved to worship in some solemne acts onely at Ierusalem did no more give supremacie to the inhabitants of Ierusalem to bee a Church over them then the Synagogues could claime supremacie over the inhabitants of Ierusalem for the inhabitants of Ierusalem were tied to worship there and in no other place and to stand to the determinntion of the great Synodrie without appeale because there was not a Catholick visible Church in the world but the Church of the Iewes and this argument with as great force of reason might conclude that all the cities and incorporations of England are in government dependent and subordinate to London and the suburbs because they are subordinate to the honorable Houses of Parliament if wee should suppone that Westminster by a standing Law of the Kingdome were the unalâ—erable seat where the Parliament can fit and in no other place which yet could prove nothing seeing London and the suburbs are in their government no lesse subordinate to the Parliament then the meanest village and towne in England and therefore I see no ground because some representative worship was tied to Jerusalem to give Jerusalem a Church-supremacie 2. because one Congregation doth pray for another that is under pestilence and diseases and praises God for the deliverance from these evills which also is a sort of representative worship every Church and person partaking of a Christian priesthood to offer up prayers and praises one for another it will not as I conceive prove that one Congregation hath Church-supremacie and power of jurisdiction over another Because 1. all Israel was alike circumcised 2. all alike the called people of God in covenant with God 3. all had claime to the Altar Sacrifices Temple Arke c. 4. All alike professed their subjection to God to Priests and Prophets in these same ordinances whether typicall or judiciall or morall therefore every Synagogue alike at Ierusalem at Dan or Bersheba were alike Congregationall Churches without dependance one upon another and all depended upon the whole nationall Church and on the Synodries supreme subordinate and the Synagogue-government according to their subordinations respectively and I see no nationall Church in Israel peculiar to them or typicall more then there is a nationall Church in Scotland or England though God put some distinguishing typicall notes upon their government yet it never made either the invisible or visible Church of the Iewes to differ in nature and essence from the Christian Churches Object 17. From the power of jurisdiction in a Synod you may inferre a power of jurisdiction in a nationall Church and a power of jurisdiction in the whole Christian world and wee know not any Politicall Church Catholick and visible in Scripture and if then were any such Church Catholick then might they conveene and sweart a Catholick-covenant for uniformitie of doctrine worship and government of the Church as wee have done in Britaine and this Catholick Church might impose it upon a nationall Church even by that same Law of proportion by which the nationall Church may impose it on particular Churches which are parts of the Nationall Church Answ. I see not how the consequence holdeth every way good that as wee inferre from a juridicall power in a presbytery the same power juridicall in a Synod and the same in a nationall Assembly that therefore wee may inferre the same juridicall power in an Oecumenick councell and the reasons of the disparitie I take to bee these 1. The farther remote in locall distance of place that Churches bee as it falleth out in the Catholick visible Church the danger of scandalizing one another by visible communion and so the opportunitie of edifying one another is the lesse and so the communion visible is the lesse and consequently the power of jurisdiction is the lesse 2. An universall and oecumenick councell of all the visible Churches on earth is an act of the visible Church which supposeth all the visible Churches on earth to bee in that morall perfection of soundnesse of faith of concord and unitie that some one Congregation or classicall presbytery of Elders according to Gods heart may bee in which morall perfection perhaps is not de facto attainable though it bee not physically impossible in this life except wee suppose the heavenly dayes of Christs visible reigne on earth a thousand yeares when yet there shall bee no Temple nor externall ministery of which state I cannot now dispute and therefore I conceive these sixteene hundred yeares there never was an integrall and perfect oecumenick councell of all the Churches on earth and therefore if wee should dispute of the juridicall power of such a Catholick assembly whether it may impose an oecumenick and Catholick oath on a nationall Church against their will and excommunicate a nationall Church is but a needlesse and a Châ—mericall dispute and it includeth two contradictory suppositions 1. That all the Churches on earth are of one sound faith worship doctrine and Church-government and yet one nationall Church is supposed to bee heterodox scandalous and obstinate so that that whole nationall Church must bee constrained to take a lawfull oath and must bee excommunicated such an hypothesis is not possible where the Gospell is preached for even the whole Romish Church in all its members deserveth not excommunication in respect wee are sure God hath thousands in the bosome of that Church who beleeve in Christ and doe not defend popery with obstinacie and such an hypothesis is contradicent to the supposition of the soundnesse of faith and unitie of all Christian Churches on earth and therefore I plainely deny that Christ hath given the like power of jurisdiction to the Catholick visible Church that hee hath given to a nationall Church over a provinciall Church or Synod and to a Synod over a classical
the Author by which wee leepe the communion of Saints in divers Churches 1. By way of participation 2. Of recommendation 3. Of consultation 4. Of Congregation 5. Of contribution 6. Of admonition 7. Of propagation or multiplication of Churches It is allowed by the consent of our Churches that when the members of any other Churches are occasioned to rest with us on the Lords day when the Supper commeth to be administred and neither the persons themselves nor the Church they came from under any publick offence they bee by us admitted to the participation of the Lords Supper for wee looke at the Lords Supper not onely as a seale of our communion with the Lord Jesus but also of our communion with his members and that not onely with the members of our owne Churches but of all the Churches of the Saints and this is the first way of communion with other Churches to wit by participation Answ. 1. We heartily embrace the doctrine of the communion of Saints but many things are here which are incompatible with your doctrine as first communion of Churches which you call a branch of the communion of Saints cannot consist with your doctrine for a Church by you is relative onely to the Eldership of a Church as sonnes are relative to Fathers but a Sonne is not relative to a brother so neither is a Parishionall Church properly a Church in relation to a neighbour Church for a Church hath no Church-state no Church-priviledges no Church-worship in relation to a sister-Church therefore you should say the Communion of Christians of sister-Churches not the Communion of Churches for no Church by your doctrine hath any Church-state or Church-worship in relation to any but to its owne members 2. This enumeration is defective you make a Communion of Churches in the members of sister Churches in the Lords Supper though the members of neighbour Churches bee not inchurched in Church-state by oath as a member of that Church where hee partaketh the Lords Supper and why should not the Child of beleeving parents in the death or absence of the Pastors of neighbour Churches have communion with you in baptisme also for this communion in baptizing you deny to any but those who are members of that Church wherein they receive baptisme 3. if you admit communion of Churches in some things to wit in the Lords Supper how can you deny communion of Churches in other holy things of God for you admit no communion of Churches in the power of the keyes as in mutuall counselling warning rebuking binding and loosing for Christ hath left no common power of the keyes in many visible Churches who are united together in an Iland or Nation or Continent by which these acts of communion should bee regulated and in case of neglect and abuse censured according to Gods Word as you say for you deny all authoritative power in Synods let me bee resolved deere brethren in this how Christ hath put whole Churches and their soules in worse case then members of your independent Congregations are for the keyes of the kingdome of heaven in binding and loosing in excommunicating that the spirit may bee saved in 〈◊〉 day of the Lord the removing of scandalls out of sister parishionall kingdomes of Christ the gaining of sister Churches from heresies and scandalls as brethren are to bee gained Matth. 18. 15. 1 Cor. 5. 5. 1 Tim. 1. 30. by censures the keeping of the holy things of God from profanation authoritative rebuking warning that others may feare and that the rebuked may bee ashamed and all these meanes of salvation are denied to your particular Congregations as if they were Angels and Popes who cannot be lacking in duties and yet all these are granted to members of any one particular Church how hath the care wisedome of Christ denied these meanes to many united Churches and yet you acknowledge that sister Churches have communion amongst themselves and that seven wayes in visible acts of externall communion I beleeve this one argument though there were no more doth strongly conclude the lawfulnesse of Synods and by consequent the Law of nature would say if Christs wisdome provide wayes to regulate the publike actions of the members of a particular Church that they may be edified and builded up in the most holy faith farre more hath he taken care for many Churches united in a visible communion seven wayes that Lord that careth for the part must farre rather care for the whole body 4. You say members of other Churches are admitted to the Lords Supper amongst you by consent of your Churches but what consent doe you meane is the consent authoritative by power of the keyes 1. This consent authoritative is either concluded in a Synod of many Churches and so you acknowledge the authoritative power of Synods if it be done and agreed upon in every particular Church by them alone then I aske seeing to administer the Lords Supper to any and so to make in your Church meeting that it shall be administred to any is as you teach an act of ministeriall power over those to whom you administer the Seale chap. 4. Sect. 5. Now how doe you exercise acts of ministeriall power or conclude ecclesiastically to exercise these acts in your parishional meeting toward those over whom you have no ministeriall power for members of neighbour Churches are under no ministeriall power in your particular Church as you teach in the same place as you can exercise no power of the keyes when some are absent that is tyranny upon the conscience saith Answorth who will have none censured or excommunicated except the whole congregation be present also he who of another Church communicateth with you 1. Hath no faith of the lawfull calling and choosing your Ministers for he neither could nor ought to be present thereat 2. He knoweth not but he may be leavened by a scandalous lumpe which leaveneth the whole Church and is enough as you say chap. 4. Sect. to hold any from communicating in the Seales with any Church Now these and many other things he must take in trust from you which Answorth thinketh tyranny of conscience neither can a letter of recommendation make one of another congregation capable of Seales with you for to dispone is to alienate and give away the ministeriall power of the Seales to another Church Now this power say you chap. 5. Sect. 4. is a part of the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free and so you cannot dispone it to another Church except you bring your selfe in bondage contrary to Gal. 5. 1. 5. Mr. Best and your selfe bold that a Pastor can exercise no pastorall act but over his owne flocke and you say that the Scripture saith so Act. 20. 28. 1 Pet. 5. 2. Ergo either to administer the Lords Supper is no pastorall Act and may be done by non-Pastors as Arminians and Socinians destroying the necessity of a ministery doe averre or then a
bee sometimes physice impossible because of the corruption of mans nature there being bloody warres in Christendome yet it is morally lawfull for many things may bee inconvenient through mans wickednesse and so hic nunc not expedient which are morally lawfull 2. Conclusion Every particular Pastor hath a power though unproper of dominion and authoritie even out of a Synod about the Acts of preaching and determining truth according to the word of God as Jer. 1. 10. See I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdomes c. 1 Tim. 6. 17. Charge them that are rich that they bee not high minded c. 2 Tim. 4. 1. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead c. So any Pastor hath power of dominion and authoritie over a Synod and Paul as a Pastor might preach even before the councell at Jerusalem passed their Synodicall determination Act. 15. that circumcision was not necessary and that to obstaine from things strangled from blood and fornication was necessary and lawfull yea and in preaching truth the Pastor is subject to no Synod But the Pastor hath not full power of jurisdiction about his acts of preaching necessary truth 1. Because the Church may for just causes deprive him from preaching 2. Because hee cannot use the censure of excommunication against those who refuse to receive his true and necessary doctrine without the Church joyne her power of jurisdiction with him 3. He his alone cannot in a Synod determine ecclesiastically and in an authoritative Church power that same truth which as a Pastor hee determined and with the power of pastorall dominion hee pressed upon the consciences of the Church yea of the whole Synod because one man is not the Church or Synod and James his alone Act. 15. v. 15. could but say Wherefore my sentence is that yee trouble not them which from among the Gentiles are turned unto God though this was the very word of God which James as a Pastor even as an ordinary Pastor might have preached in the name of God yet is it not the decree of the Church which the Churches is to keep Act. 16. 4. while it bee determined by the Church An example wee may have possible not unlike to this A man hath a power of dominion over his owne proper lands and goods to use them in God for his owne use but the supreme magistrate and Parliament hath a dominion of jurisdiction in a judiciall sentence over those same lands to forfeit them for crimes committed against King and State or this may cleare it Samuel hath a power immediately from God to annoint David King and in this hee is not subject to the suffrages of the tribes of Israel hee hath a power of dominion here but suppose wee that Samuel live till Gods time when all Israel shall crowne David King at Hebron Samuel as a part of the Assembly of Israel his alone without the suffrages of Israel could not make him King at Hebron Hence wee may see how weake the assertion of our brethren is who say That Synods should have power to bind the Churches say they wee see not Bellarmine indeed holdeth so But orthodox writers hold that the sentence of councels is but a certaine inquisition of the truth and a ministeriall and limited sentence so that the decree of a councell is of as great force as the reason thereof so saith Amesius and Junius But certainly this is a meer mistake of our brethren as if they were not orthodox writers but conspirers against the truth with Bellarmine who hold the authoritie of Synods The essentiall end to speak so of Synods is unitie and the eschewing of schisme and wee doubt not but Peter Paul James had in their Sermons and doctrine determined that same veritie to wit that the Law of Moses and ceremonies was a yoak not to bee laid upon the Christian Churches yet it was not a decree for unities sake and fuller authoritie binding the Churches to observe these as Act. 16. 4. while it was determined in a Synod Act. 5. 24. 25. But truely wee hold nothing in this common with Jesuites and Papists for wee condemne not that in Bellarmine that hee holdeth that lawfull Synods for of such wee dispute with him do bind the Churches to obedience in God to their decrees not because they say it but because they say it authoritatively from Gods Word authoritie of Synods no orthodox writers deny authoritie officiall as the representative Church of Christ they have He that heareth you heareth mee hee that despiseth you despiseth me Where two or three are gathered together in a Synod say our Divines I will bee amongst them But authoritie objective they have not so as what they say because they say it therefore the very matter object and thing said by them is no lesse the Word of God then if the Prophets and Apostles by divine inspiration had said it at least it is not infallibly true because they say it for that wee disclaime and it is that authoritie of Synods which Bellarmine and Papists hold Councells saith Bellarmine and Scripture are both infallible and the Jesuits of Rhemes and Lorinus the Jesuite said councells are infallible the holy Spirit is there present Gratian said all the decretall Epistles of Popes and the Canons of the Councells are of equall authoritie with the Scriptures and their Gregorius said hee received with the same reverence and authoritie the foure generall Councells the foure Evangelistâ— it is certaine saith Suarez that a Councell is an infallible rule of faith and Turrecremata saith the same It is certaine saith Bailius Councells are â—â— the Oracles of God to us in difficulties so saith Cajetanus Canus and Gregorius de Valentia wee hold the authoritie of Councels but ascribe to them as much power over the conscience as there is reason in them from Gods Word and no more But 2. This is a weake reason councels have no power to command obedience because their Canons and Decrees are of no more force then they have reason from Gods Word For 1. Friends brethren equals by that have no warrant to rebuke because their rebukes have but as much force as they have reason from the word of God for the reason is alike in both lawfull Pastors cannot command obedience in the Lord your independent Congregations cannot command that which bindeth the Church to obedience because the word or a commandement of a Pastor or your independent Church is onely a commandement ministeriall and limited and hath as much force as there is reason in it from the Word of God yea the Church of Corinâ—h hath not then the power of the Lord Jesus to excommunicate the incestuous person nor the Church of Thyatira to cast out and condemne Jezabell the false prophetesse nor do these commandements of the Synod
Nazianzen which is not against their authoritie and true fulnesse and he speaketh of the councells of his time and it is not to bee denyed but Panormitan saith well dictum unius privati est praeferendum dicto papae si ille moveretur melioribus rationibus veteris novi Testamenti and Augustine saith latter councells may correct older councells and Petrus de Monte under Eugenius complained that there was no godly and learned Bishops in his time to determine truth in a Synod when Doctors Professors Bishops and all have sworne obedience to the Pope to their Occumenick councells and to the wicked decrees of the councell of Trent as the Bull of Pius the fourth requireth But before I say any thing of the second question anent the magistrates power I shall close the other wayes of communion of sister Churches CHAP. 6. SECT 5. Three other wayes of communion of sister Churches A Fift way of communion saith the author is by helping and contributing to sister Churches Prophets and Teachers when they are in scarstie as Act. 11. 29. Rom. 15. 25. 26. Ans. This way of communion we acknowledg but we see not how this communion can stand wiâ—hout the authoritie of Synods if Churches bee not united in one visible body they cannot authoritatively send helpe of teachers one to another and this is a direct acknowledgement of a visible union of more Churches in one visible body for the Church of Jerusalem authoritatively sent Pastors Paul and Barnabas as Pastors to the Gentiles you will have them sent as gifted men and that they are not Pastors while they bee ordained and chosen by these Churches to which they goe A sixt way of communion saith hee is by admonition if a sister Church or any member thereof bee scandalous wee are then to send Elders to warn them to call Archippus or any other Elder to take beed to do their dutie if the Elders or Church bee remisse in consuring wee are to take the helpe of two or three Churches moe if yet that Church â—eare not wee are to tell a Congregation of Churches together or if the offence bee weightie wee are to withdraw the right hand of fellowship from such a Church and to forbeare all such sort of exercise of mutuall brotherly communion with them which all the Churches of Christ are to walke in one towards another Answ. You acknowledge that same order which Christ commandeth Matth. 18. to gaine a brother is to bee kept in the gaining of scandalous Churches But 1. What warrant have you of the two first steps of Christs order against scandalous Churches and to omit the third judiciall and authoritative way when sister Churches turne obstinate Christs order for gaining the scandalous is as necessary in the third as in the former two 2. Why doe you allow the third in a sort for if the sister Church will not bee admonished you will have her rebuked before moe sister Churches that are conveened that is before a Synod is it because you thinke there is more authority in a Synod then in one sister Church then you thinke there is authoritie in a Synod for by good Logick wee may inferre the positive degree from the comparative and there is no other reason why the matter should come before a Synod for all in a Synod wanteth authority and power to censure as you thinke yet to complaine to a Synod is an acknowledgement of the authoritie of a Synod as Christs order saith Matth. 18. 17. If hee neglect to heare them tell it to the Church 3. What is the withdrawing of brotherly communion from obstinate sister Churches but as Amesius saith well excommunication by proportion and analogie Ergo say I in this a Synod hath a Synodicall authoritie over the Churches within the bounds of the Synod by proportion for who can inflict a punishment of a Church censure by proportion answerable to excommunication but a Church or a Synodicall meeting which hath the power of the Church by proportion Amesius would prove that a particular Church cannot bee excommunicated because a Church cannot bee cast out of communion with it selfe for then she should bee cast out of herselfe But this argument with reverence of so learned and godly a man proveth onely that a particular Church cannot excommunicate herselfe which I grant but it concludeth not but a particular obstinate Church may bee excommunicated out of the societie of all sister Churches who meeting in a Synod in the name of Jesus Christ have power to save the spirits of sister Churches in the day of the Lord and are to edifie them by counsell and rebuking as the Author granteth and why not by an authoritative declaring that they will have no communion with such an obstinate sister or rather daughter Church Wee have never saith the Author been put to the utmost extent of this dutie the Lord hitherto preventing by his grace yet it is our dutie The Church Cant. 8. tooke care not onely for her owne members but also for her little sister that had no brests and would have taken care if having breasts they had been distempered with corrupt milke if the Apostles had a care of all the Churches 1 Cor. 8. 11. is that spirit of grace and love dead with them ought not all the Churches to care for sister Churches if not virtute officii by vertue of an office yet intuitu charitatis for charities sake Answ. That you have never beene put to these duties to the utmost will never prove that the government is of God for Corinth Ephesus Pergamus Thyatira which were glorious Churches by your owne confession were put to a necessitie of the utmost extent of these duties yea it proveth your government to bee rather so much the worse because Christs government is opposed by secret enemies in the Church 2. You make the spirit of love in a pastorall care over other Churches to bee dead because none have any pastorall care over any other Churches but the particular Congregation over which they are Pastors and pastorall love to unconverted ones as pastorall you utterly deny The last way of communion saith the Author is by propagation or multiplication which is as the Apostles had immediat calling from God to travell through the world and to plant Churches so have particular Churches given to them immediatly from Christ the fulnesse of measure of grace which the inlargement and establishment of Christs kingdome doth require that is when the Bee-hive a parishionall congregation is surcharged they have power to send forth their members to enter by Covenant in Church-state amongst themselves and may commend to them such able gifted Ministers as they thinke may bee Ministers in that young Church Answ. 1. This way of inlarging Christs kingdome is defective 1. It sheweth the way of inlarging the number of invisible Churches and multitudes of converts into new incorporations but doth shew no way how to
plant soules who were non-converts and branches of the wild olive in Christ Jesus and to make new visible Churches but it is certaine that the Apostles as Apostles and as Pastors by vertue of their office converted obstinate sinners to the faith of Christ and planted them in a visible Church consisting of professors of the faith partly converted partly not converted but the pastors by your doctrine have no power as Pastors or by any Pastorall authoritie to plant the Gospell where it hath never beene that pastorall spirit is dead with the Apostles and in this contrary to all reason and sense and contrary to the Scriptures you make private Christians the successors of the Apostles to plant Churches and to convert soules and to make them fit materialls for the visible Church of regenerate persons for Pastors as Pastors and visible Churches as visible Churches doe nothing at all to the multiplying of Churches seeing Pastors and visible Churches as they are such by your doctrine are but nurses to give suck to those who are already converted but not fathers to convert them for private Christians or pastors as Christians gifted to prophesie not as Pastors doe multiply Churches and convert men to Christ as you teach now wee all know that nurses as nurses doe not propagate or by generation multiply people in the Common-wealth that fathers and mothers onely can doe your Churches have no ministeriall breasts but to give suck to babes who are already borne but wee see by your doctrine no ministeriall power of Pastors or Churches to send forth members to enter in a Church covenant or to enter in a new Church relation of a daughter or a sister visible Church if they send a number to bee a new Church your Pastors or visible Church did not multiply them it is presumed they were converts before they were members of the visible Church which now sendeth them out and if they bee multiplied in the bosome of your visible Church and converted they were not truely members of that visible Church before their conversion and also that they were not converted by any publike ministery but by private Christians gifted to prophesie who are the onely successors of the Apostles to plant visible Churches but what pastorall authoritie have you to send them forth to bee a new visible Church none at all they have as beleevers power to remove from you and because of multiplication to make themselves a new Church and this ministeriall power of making themselves a new Church they have not from you but from their fathers who converted them so that you make a visible Church within a visible Church but not a Church begotten or borne of a visible Church as a child of the mother and wee desire a word of God either precept promise or practise of such a Church multiplication mans word is not enough 2. Wee hold that the sending of the Apostles to all the world was not in it selfe that which essentially distinguisheth the Apostle from the now ordinary Pastor who is fixed to a single Congregation but the gift of tongues to preach to all the world upon the Lords intention to send the Gospel to all nations that as many as were chosen to life might beleeve was that which essentially differenceth the Apostle from the ordinary pastor together with a speciall revelation of God to goe to such and such people to Macedonia and not yet to Bythinia And now seeing these two are taken away the ordinary Pastors which now are have as Pastors a sufficient calling to preach the Gospel to all nations to whom by Gods providence they shall come and can understand their language whether of their owne Congregation or not Neither is a Pastor tied as a Pastor by Gods Word to one onely Congregation for then it should bee unlawfull for a Pastor as a Pastor to plant a new Church but shall it bee lawfull for private Christians to plant new Churches who are not the Apostles successors and yet it shall bee unlawfull for Pastors who are the undoubted successors of the Apostles to plant new Churches I would think that admirable doctrine for so you give to private Christians that which you make essentiall to the Apostles and you deny it to the undoubted successors of the Apostles to wit to Pastors But we hold a lawfull Pastor is a Pastor in relation to all the world with this distinction hee is by Christs appointment and the Churches a Pastor to all congregations to plant and water and preach but by speciall designation of Gods providence and the Churches appointment designed and set apart for such a determinate flock just as the Apostles in generall were made Pastors to all the world Matth. 28 19. Go teach all nations but by speciall revelation and Apostolick appointment Peter was appointed the Apostle of the Jewes Paul of the Gentiles Gal. 2. 9. yet Paul was a Pastor in relation to the Jewes and Peter also in relation to the Gentiles so by speciall revelation Act. 16. they are forbidden to preach the word in Bythinia and commanded to preach it elsewhere and for this cause pious antiquity as Morton observeth called some learned fathers Pastors of the World Athanasius is saluted Pontifex maximus as Russinus saith and Origen magister ecclesiâ—rum master of the Churches so Hieronymus and Cyprian totius orbis praeses Cypâ—ian the Bishop of all the world yea and Pope so Nazianz. Hilarius is called by Augustine insignis ecclesiae doctor a renowned teacher of the Church and Nazianzenus calleth Basilius the light of the word and Damascenus the light of the whole world and Theodoret saith Chrysostome is called totius orbis terrarum doctor the Doctor and teacher of the whole world all which titles saith evidently that antiquitie beleeved never a Pastor or Bishop not to bee a Pastor onely in relation to the one single Congregation whereof hee is Pastor but a Pastor in relation to the whole visible Church though by designation of the Church his ministery bee appropriated to one particular Church Thus it is cleare that our brethren deny all communion of Churches while they confine a visible Church to one onely single and independent Congregation subjected in its visible government to Christ Jesus immediatly and to no universall visible Church or Synod on earth Quest. II. Whether the Magistrate hath power to compell persons to a Church profession Anent Magistrates sundry things are questioned to make presbyteriall government odious And first our brethren complaine that our Churches are constitute by the authoritie of the Magistrate Robinson saith it was a presumptuous enterprise that people were haled against their will into covenant with God to sweare obedience to the protestant Faith being a profane multitude living before in grosse idolatry and that by the authority of the supreme magistrate for the commandement of the magistrate say they can make no members of the visible Church or of
shall decree good or bad without examination also as Suarez the Councell of Paris their Law saith and Innocentius the first and Gregory the seventh doe teach Making Kings in their judgement slaves to the Pope and ' his determinations and to have no light but from their vertuall Church as the Moone hath all her light from the Sunne Our third distinction is that the Magistrate as Magistrate and a preserver of publicke peace may doe some thing when a Schisme and dissention is among the Church-men in a Synod 1. In this case he may punish perturbers of peace as Augustine answereth Gaudentius the Donatist and the separaters from the Church in which case the Magistrate indirectly condemneth one of the parties which the Church hath condemned but there be many other cases of dissention in this case therefore when the Magistrate findeth the Synod divided in two parties equally or three iâ— the corrupt part prevaile or foure in the case of the Churches aberration in one particular fact or five if there be an universall apostasie of the whole representative Church or sixe an universall defection of both the representative and essentiall Church all these being too casuall and of too frequent occurrence one and the same answer cannot be given and here be sundry subalterne distinctions considerable Hence our fifth Conclusion when there is an equall rupture in the body nothing extraordinary would be attempted if ordinary wayes can be had if Saul the ordinary Magistrate had at Gods Commandement killed Hagag Samuel the Prophet should not have drawne his Sword and therefore in this case the Magistrate would first seeke helpe from other Churches as that learned Apollonius saith But if that cannot be conveniently had as in a nationall Church it may fall out then the Magistrate as a preserver of peace and truth may command the sincerer part to conveene in a Synod and doe their duty as the good Kings of the people of God did 2 Chron. 15. Asa gathered together a people who entered in Covenant to seeke the Lord God with all their heart and layed an obligation of punishment to death on the rest v. 12 13. and Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 23. 4. he layed charge on Hilkiah the High Priest and the Priests of the second order whom he knew to be better affected to the worke to bring out the Vessels made for Baal which proveth that the King should put the sincerest to doe that which in common belongeth to the whole in which case of the erring of the most part of the Church the Prince indirectly condemneth the erring part of the Synod because it is his place to forbid and to punish with the sword the transgressors of Gods Law But because his power is accumulative not privative under that pretence hee hath not power to hinder the sincerer part to meet and determine according to the Word of God 6. Conclusion In the case of the prevailing of the corrupt part of the Church or in the fourth case of the aberration of the Church in one particular the King hath a regall power to punish the Canonists if they shall decree in their Synod Popery and hereticall doctrine and so give to the Bride of Christ noysome and deadly milke the Prince as nursefather may punish the Canonists 1. Because hee is a keeper of both Tables of the Law and hath a royall power to inflict bodily punishment upon all sinnes even committed in foro exteriore ecclesiae as the King may punish false teachers 2. Because the Magistrates power is auxiliary accumulative as a tutor and nurâ—efather who hath law to helpe the Pupill and to adde to the inheriritance but hath no Law nor power to take away any part of the inheritance from the Pupill Ergo as a nursefather hee is to helpe the Church of Christ against the wicked Canons of the representative Church If any object then the King as King hath power to rescind and annull the ecclesiasticall Canons the contrary whereof that learned author of Altare Damascenum doth prove I answer that learned and worthy author proveth that the Prince cannot annull the Church-Canons and that the councell of Trent thought shame that the Pope should absolve any condemned by the Church-Canons and certainely the same power that maketh Canons should dissolve them but the Kings power cannot make Church-Canons for it is a part of the ministeriall calling to make Canons and therefore hee cannot annull and dissolve Canons but some greater Kingly power is due to the King in the case of the Churches aberring then in the case of the Churches right administration and as our Divines doe justly give to the Prince an extraordinary Kingly power in the case of universall apostasie of the Church as Jehoshaphat Hezekiah Josiah and other worthy reformers in the Church of the â—ewes did warrantably use their Kingly power when the Church-men were corrupted and negligent in their dutie so in a particular case of a particular error of the Synod the King as King may use his Kingly power in this fact that is secundum quid extraordinarie for the King is oblieged as King to adde his accumulative power of a civill sanction to all just and nâ—cessary Church constitutions and it the Canon or Church constitution bee wicked and popish he is oblieged to deny his civill sanction and not that onely for hee that is not with Christ is against him but hee is to imploy his kingly power against such Canons and so is to deliver the Church of God in that and in denying his accumulative power to unjust Canons hee addeth his kingly power accumulative to the true Church in saving them from these unjust Canons 2. Also it may bee objected If the King by a regall and coactive power may annull and rescind unjust Canons hee may by this coactive power make Canons for it is that same power to make and unmake Canons I answer if hee may annull unjust Canons that is liberate his subjects from civill punishment to bee inflicted for refusing obedience to such Canons and for bid the practise of wicked Church constitutions under the paine of the sword It will not follow that therefore hee may make Canons but onely that hee may adde his civill sanction to just Canons 2. Neither can the King properly annull the Canon but onely deny to adde his civill authoritie for the execution of such Canons But thirdly it is objected that the King bath a judgement that such Canons are wicked and superstition the Church-mens judgement at the assembly of Glascow Edenbrough an 1638 1639. is that such Canons are lawfull edificative and necessary then is the King obliged as King to deny his royall sanction and who shall bee Judge in the matter If you say the Word of God it satisfyeth not because both the King and the Synod alledgeth the Word of God as norm â— judicandi a rule of judging but the rule of judging is not formally the Judge
but wee uske who shall bee the visible ministeriall and vocall Judge under Christ speaking in his owne Testament for the King is a Politick and civill Judge and the Church an Ecclesiasticall Judge I answer this same is the question betwixt us and Papists anent the Judge of controversies whether the Judge bee a Synod or the Scriptures and wee answer by a distinction the Scripture is norm i judicandi 2. Christ the peremptory and infallible Judge speaking in his owne Word 3. A Synod lawfully conveened is a limited ministeriall and bounded visible Judge and to bee beleeved in so farre as they follow Christ the peremptory and supreme Judge speaking in his owne Word But wee deny that there is on earth any peremptory and in fallible visible Judge But to come yet nearer if the King have sworne to that same religion which the Church doth professe and so acknowledge and professe the reformed religion of that Church hee must then acknowledge the lawfull officers of that Church to bee his ordinary teachers and the lawfull ministers of the Church and that they are both in a Synod and out of the Synod to preach and to bee ministeriall definers of things contraverted and that they shall first determine in an ecclesiasticall way according to Gods Word and hee as King is to command them to determine according to Gods Word under the paine of civill punishment and the Kings civill and coactive way of judging is posterior and ratificatorâ—e of the right and oxthodox ecclesiasticall determination and Junius saith that the Magistrates judging politick presupposeth the Church judging ecclesiasticall going before and Calvin and Amesius are cleare that in this case the Church is to cognosce of hee owne ecclesiasticall affaires Ambrose writeth to the Emperor Valentinian that none should judge of this cause which is ecclesiasticall as one said but a Church-man qui nec munere sit impar neâ—jure dissimilis Gelasius the Pope inveigheth against Anastasius the Emperour because hee confounded these two civill and ecclesiasticall causes But if the Emperour or King professe not the religion of the land and repute it false and if the religion bee indeed hereticall then the Church is not constitute and the case extraordinary but the truth is neither the Kings judgement as a certaine rule to the representative Church nor the representative Churches judgement a rule to the King but the Word of God the infallible rule to both Judgement may crooke truth cannot bow it standeth still unmoveable like God the father of truth but in this case if both erre ex cellently saith Junius the Magistrate erring the Church may do something extraordinarily and tâ—e Church erring the Magistrate may do something also in an extraordinary way as coÌ„mon equitie and mutuall law requireth that friends with mutuall tongues bicke the wounds of friends Also fourthly some say they who make the King the head of the Church acknowledge that the King doth not judge except the matter be first defined in the Scriptures and in the generall councells yet they give a primacie spirituall in matters ecclesiasticall to the King and therefore if the King as King may forbid the inacting of wicked Canons hee determineth them to bee wicked before the Synod have passed their judgement of them I answer that learned Calderwood saith indeed the pretended Lords of high Commission have an act for them under Queene Elizabeth for this effect but it is made for the fashion for all errors and heresies are condemned in Scripture but not onely should there bee a virtuall and tacit determination of matters ecclesiastick which is undeniably in Scripture and may bee in generall councells also but also a formall Synodicall determination in particular must goe before the Princes determination in a constitute Church The Prince may before the Synods determination exhort to the determination of what hee conceiveth is Gods will in his Word but hee cannot judicially and by a Kingly power determine in an orderly way what is to bee defined in a Synod except hee infringe the Churches liberties and judicially prelimit under the paine of civill punishments the free voyces of the members of the Synod which is indeed an abuse of the authoritie of a nurs-father But fiftly it may bee objected that hee may in a thing that is manifestly evident by the Word of God to bee necessary truth command by the power of the sword that the Synod decree that or this particular so cleare in the Word the contrary whereof being Synodically determined hee may punish by the sword and so hee may judicially predetermine some things before the Sâ—nod passe their Synodicall act thereon and if hee may predetermine judicially one thing hee may predetermine all things I answer what the King may judicially determine and punâ—â—h with the sword that hee cannot judicially predetermine and command in any order that hee pleaseth but in a constitute Church whereof hee is a member and to bee taught hee is to determine judicially in an orderly way as a nurs-father But sixtly it may bee objected that if the King have a judiciall power by the sword to annull unjust acts then hath hee a power to 〈◊〉 them though hee abuse that power in making them as unjust and then hath hee a power to interpret Church acts and to defend them 〈…〉 Law saith it is not same power to make Lawes and to dâ—â—â—nd them and interpret them see Paraeus I answer the proposition is not universally necessary except onely in civill matters in the which as the Prince who is absolute hath supreme authority to defend and interpret civill lawes so hath hee power to make them for if the Magistrate hath a supreme judiciall power to interpret Church-Lawes hee is a minister of the Gospell in that case and may by that same reason administer the Sacraments so the argument is a just begging of the question 2. Though the King have power in case of the Church aberration which is somewhat extraordinary it followeth not therefore in ordinary hee hath a nomothetick power to make Church-Lawes Also seventhly it may bee objected if the King in case of the Churches aberration may by the sword rescind Church-Lawes then may hee make a Law to rescind them but those who aâ—firme that the King hath a sort of primacie and headship over the Church say not that the King hath any power formally ecclesiasticall to make Lawes as Ministers in a Synod do but onely that hee hath a power to command any forme of externall worship under the paine of bodily punishment they say not that the King may preach administrate the Sacraments or excommunicate or inflict any Church-censures I answer the transcendent power of Princesand their commissioners is not well knowne for the authors saith Calderwood agree not among themselves but it is true in words the author est Tortura torti the Bishop of Eli denyeth in words if you have strong faith to beleeve
THE Due right of Presbyteries OR A PEACEABLE PLEA FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE Church of Scotland Wherein is examined 1. The way of the Church of Christ in New England in Brotherly equality and independency or coordination without subjection of one Church to another 2. Their apology for the said Government their Answers to thirty and two Questions are considered 3. A Treatise for a Church Covenant is discussed 4. The arguments of Mr. Robinson in his justification of separation are discovered 5. His Treatise called The peoples Plea for the exercise of prophecy is tryed 6. Diverse late arguments against presbyteriall government and the power of synods are discussed the power of the Prince in matters ecclesiastical modestly considered divers incident controversies resolved By SAMUEL RUTHERFURD Professor of Divinity at Saint Andrewes CANT 6. 10. Who is she that looketh forth as the morning faire as the Moone cleare as the Sun and terrible as an Army with Banners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LONDON Printed by E. Griffin for Richard Whittaker and Andrew Crook and are to be sold at their Shops in Pauls Church-Yard 1644. TO The most Noble and Potent Lord Archbald Marquesse of Argile one of His MAJESTIES honourable Privy Councell wisheth Grace Mercy and Peace WHo knoweth most Noble and potent Lord how glorious it is and how praise-worthy when the mighty and these who are called The shields of the Earth and the Cedars of Lebanon cast their shadow over the City of God Airie wits and broken spirits chase fame but fame and glory shall chase him who is as the spirit of God speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sonne of courage and one who hath done many acts for the Lord. The followers of Christ are the sonnes of Nobles All blood is of one colour holinesse maketh the difference Fortuna vitrea est tum cum splendet frangitur Things we rest on here be made of cristall glasse while they glister they are broken Plures tegit fortuna quam tutor facit The world may cover men it cannot make them secure But the Lord is a Sun and a shield What hath Jesus Christ on Earth which he loveth as he doth his Church What a created peece is the true Church A woman clothed with the Sunne and the Moone under her feet and upon her head a Crowne of twelve Starres Her very servants are the glory of Christ. Yet is this poore woman in Brittaine crying travelling in birth pained while shee be delivered because of the Idolatry of the Land and our defection and apostacy practised countenanced tolerated in both Kingdomes Many graves many Widowes and the Land turned into a field of blood are the just fruits of many Altars of Masse-idolls of Bread worship of many inventions of men let then have a name and flourish in the House of the Lord and let them be written with the living in Jerusalem who contribute help for the desired birth of the manchild Prelacy and Popery wither as in a Land of drought except they be planted beside Rivers of blood but the Lord shall build his own Jerusalem Your honour may justly challenge this little expression of my obliged respects to your Lordship I acknowledge it is little though it may have some use Etiam capillus unus habet umbram suam one haire casteth its owne shadow Jmpotency to pay debt layeth not upon any the note of unthankfulnesse except it be impotency of good will If I be not a debter for will I am nothing And this I owe and this Church and Nation may divide the sum with me for which wishing to your Lordship all riches of Grace I stand obliged Your Lordships servant at all dutifull observance in Christ Jesus Samuel Rutherfurd To the Reader THere be two happy things worthy Reader as one sayth The one is not to erre the other is to escape from the power of error Times wombe bringeth forth many truths though truth be not a debter to Time because Time putteth new robes on old Truth But truth is Gods debter and oweth her being to him only It is a great evil under the Sun and the sicknesse of mans vanity that the name of holy men should be a web to make garments of for new opinions but the errors of holy men have no whitenesse nor holinesse from men And it is a wrong that mens praise should be truths prejudice and mens gaine truths losse Yet I shall heartily desire that men herein observe the art of deep providence for the Creator commandeth darknes to bring forth her birth of light and God doth so over-aw with a wise super-dominion mens errors that contrary to natures way from collision of opinions resulteth truth and disputes as stricken flint cast fire for light God raising out of the dust and ashes of errors a new living truth What mistakes errors or heresies have been anent Church government that vigilant and never slumbering wisdome of Providence hath thence made to appeare the sound doctrine of Gods Kingdome So here Satan shapeth and God seweth and maketh the garment Error is but dregs by the artifice of all compassing Providence from whence are distilled strong and cordiall waters And what Antichrist hath conceived for a Hierarchy and humane ceremonies hath put Christ in his two witnesses in Brittaine to advocate for the truth and native simplicity of his own Kingdom But I heartily desire not to appeare as an adversary to the holy reverend and learned Brethren who are sufferers for the truth for there be wide marches betwixt striving and disputing Why should we strive for we be Brethren the Sonnes of one father the borne Citizens of one mother Ierusalem To dispute is not to contend We strive as we are carnall we dispute as we are men we war from our lusts we dispute from diversity of star-light and day-light Weaknesse is not wickednesse a roving of wit must not be deemed a Rebellion of will a broken inginne may part with a dead child and yet be a Mother of many healthy children And while our reverend and deare Brethren fleeing the coast of Egypt and Babylons wicked borders aym to shore upon truth wind may deceive good Sailors naturall land-motions as when heavy bodies move downward toward their own clay Countrey are upon a straight line But Sea-motions of sailing are not by right lines but rather by Sea-circles We often argue and dispute as we saile Where grace and weight of Scripture make motion we walke in a right line toward God But where opinion a messenger only sent to spie the Land of lies and truth usurpeth to conduct us what marvell then we goe about truth rather then lodge with Truth And Christ his Kingdome Scepter Glory Babylons fall be the materiall object of opinions on both sides And yet the word of God hath a right lith that cannot suffer division In Gods matters there be not as in Grammar the positive and comparative degrees there are not
Ministery and the Minestery before the Church p. 175 176 177. The Keys and power of ordaining Officers not committed to the Church of believers destitute of Elders p. 180. 181. 182. Robinsons reasons on the contrary siding with Arminians and Socinians who evert the necessity of a Ministery are dissolved p. 182. 183. No Ordination of Elders by a Church of onely Believers but by Elders in a constituted Church p. 184. 185. seq Ordination and Election differ ibidm Corrupt rites of the Romish Church added to ordination destroy not the nature of Ordination though such an Ordination be unlawfull yet is not invalid and null p 186. 187 188. The various opinions of Romanists anent Ordination ibid. Election may stand for Ordination in case of necessity p. 187. Of the succession of Pastors to Pastors p. 185. 186. Calling of Pastors seems by our Brethrens way not necessary p. 200 Arguments for Ordination of Elders by a Church of onely Believers dissolved p. 189. 190 191 seq Believers because not the successors of the Apostles have not power of Ordination p. 192. 193 194. seq The Keys by no warrant of Gods word are given to Pastors as Pastors according to the Doctrine of our Brethren p. 197. seq They side with Sociaians who ascribe Ordination to sole Believers p. 200. Election belongeth to the people p. 201. 202. seq In the ancient Church this was constantly taught till Papists did violate Gods Ordinance p. 203. Election of a Pastor not essentiall to his calliâ—g p. 205. The calling of Luther how ordinary and how extraordinary p. 205 206 207. seq The essence of a valid calling p. 208. 209. How it may be proved by humane testimonies that the now visible Church hath been a visible Church since the dayes of the Apostles p. 229. 230. seq Since the long continuance of the Waldenses p. 235 236. seq A calling frow the Papists Church as valid as Baptisme from the same Church p. 237 238. seq Robinsons arguments are removed p. 239. 240. Of addition of members to the Church p. 241. What sort of Professors whether true or seeming believers doe essentially constitute a visible Church divers considerable distinctions anent a visible Church p. ib. 242. 243 seq The invisible not the visible Church the prime subject of the Covenant of grace and of all the priviledges due to the Church and of all title claime and interest in Jesus Christ and how by the contrary doctrine our brethren imprudently fall into a grosse poynt of Arminianisme p. 244. 245 246 247 248. seq The invisible Church hath properly right to the seales of the Covenant our brethren in this poynt joyne with Papists whom otherwise they sincerely hate p. 242 205 251. seq What sort of profession doth constitute a visible Church p. 356. That Christ hath provided no Pastors as Pastors for converting of soules and planting visible Churches is holden by our Brethren p. 256. The arguments of our brethren for a pretended Church of visible Saints not only in profession but also in some measure of truth and sincerity as the author saith are disolved p. 256. 257 258. Robinsons arguments at length are discussed p. 268. 269 seq The Lords adding to the Church invisible no rule for our adding p. 256. The places Mat 22. Mat. 13 of the man without his wedding garment comming to the feast and of the tâ—res in the Lords Field discussed p. 261 262. 263. The typical Temple no ground for this pretended visible Church p. 263 264. Nor the place 2 Tim. 3. 5. p. 261. Nor Rev. 22. 15. without are Dogs p. 267. 268. And of diverse other places and persons at length in seq Ordinary and prosessed hearing is Church-Communion p. 268 269 270 seq Excommunicated persons not wholy cut off from the visible Church p. 272 273 274 seq Sundry distinctions thereanent collected out of the Fathers and Schoolemen p. 277 278 279 282. Some Separatists deny that the regenerated can be excommunicated as Robinson some say onely the Regenerated are capable of excommunication as Peter Coachman p 279 280 281. Of the diverse sorts of excommunication and the power thereof p. 282 283 295. The reason why Papists debar not the excommunicated from hearing the word p. 275 276. How the Seals are due to the visible Church only in foro Ecclesiastico properly p. 281. In what diverse considerations the word preached is a note of the visible Church p. 283 284. seq The difference betwixt nota and signum p. 301. And nota actu primo notificativa and nota actu secundo and notificans p. 285. Arguments of Robinson and others answered p. 286. 287. Whether discipline be a note of the true church diverse distinctions thereanent p. 287 288. The order of Gods publick worship p. 228. Of the Communion of the visible Catholik Church p. 289 290. The Ministery and Ordinances are given principally to the guides of the Catholick Church and to and for the Catholick Church p. 289 290 291. And not to a Congregation only ibid 292. Congregations are parts of a Presbyteriall Church p. 293 294. Christ principally the head of the Catholick Church and secondarily a Spouse Head Lord King of a praticular Congregation p. 295. The excommunicated is east out of the Catholick visible Church p. 295 296. A sister Congregation doth not excommunicate consequenter only but antecedenter also p. 297. How Presbyteriall Churches excommunicate not by power derived from the Catholick visible Church p. 299 300. Of the power of the Catholick visible Church p. 300 301. A Congregation in a remote I le hath power of Jurisdiction p. 302. A Presbyteriall Church is the first and principall subject of the Ordinary power of Jurisdiction p. 302 303. What power generall councells have and how necessary p. 304. Power of excommunication not in a single Congregation consociated with other Churches p. 205 206. Synods or councels occasionall rather then ordinary p. 307. A Congregational Church how it is by divine right p. 307. 308 Tell the Church Mat. 18. not restrained to a single Congregation only p. 310 311. The place Mat. 18. 17. Tell the Church considered p. 310 311 312 313 seq An appeale from a Church that hath lawful power p. 315. A representative Church p. 316. The power of a single Congregation p 320 321 322. Matthew 18. Tell the Church establisheth a Church Court p. 322 323 324. What relation of Eldership do the members of the classicall Presbytery beare to the whole Presbyteriall Church and to all the congregations thereof p. 325 326 327 328 329 seq They have power of governing all Congregations in those bounds and not power of Pastorall teaching in every one of them ibidem Oncrousnesse of ruling many Churches whereof the Elders of the classicall Presbytery are not Pastors no more then the onerousnesse of advising that is incumbent to sister Churches p. 331 332 333. The power of Presbyteries Auxiliary not destructive to the power of Congregations p 334. 335.
A Church-congregationall within a Church Presbyteriall p. 336 337 338. Entire power of government in one Congregationall Church against nature and the order of grace p. 340 341. A Nationall Church no Iudaisme but Christian p. 342 343. How Pastors are Pastors in relation to these Congregations p. 344 345. And Churches whereof they are not proper Pastors p. 344 345 346. The place 1 Cor. 5. considered if it can prove that all the multitude have an interest of presence in all acts of Iurisdiction p. 348 349 350. The place Acts 15. for a lawfull Synod considered at length Acts 15. p. 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362. seq All the requisites of a juridicall Synod here p. 355 366 357. The Apostles did not act in this Synod as Apostles p. 358 359 360. 361 362 seq 368. 369 370. The power of this Synod not doctrinall onely but also juridicall p. 365 366 367. The Church Acts 15. 22. seemeth to be a Synodicall Church p. 346 347. If the Apostles as infallible did reason in this Synod p. 371 372. How the Holy Ghost is in all lawfull Synods p. 373 374. And what Holy Ghost is meant ibidem This Synod not a company of counsellors p. 382 383 384. Church power intrinsecally in every part of the Church and not derived either by ascending or descending p. 383 384. Which is the first Church and five necessary distinctions thereanent p. 384 385 386. Presbyteriall government warranted by the light of nature p. 386 387. Power of censures in this Synod p. 388 389 seq Acts of this Synod could not have been performed by any one man p. 387 390 391. 393. Reasons proving that the Apostles acted in this Synod as Apostles are removed p. 391 392 323. A power to act Church-acts cannot want a power of censuring the contraveners p. 396. How the decrees Acts 15. bind all the Churches p. 398 399. What was in question Acts 15. p 403 404. The Apostles proceeding by way of disputing not by apostolick infallibility in this Synod p. 406 407. seq The question Acts 15. a Church question p. 410 411. The synagogue of the Iewes a compleat Church though all the Ordinances of God were not there p. 414 415. The power of an Oecumenick Synod above a nationall Church what it is p. 416 417 418. There is a visible Catholick Church 1 Cor. 12. p. 418 419 420. The Church of Herusalem was a Presbyteriall Church p. 425 427 428. The Church of Jerusalem an ordinary Christian Church p. 429 430 431 432. A presbyteriall Church after the dispersion p 438 439. The Apostles exercised acts of a classicall presbytery as ordinary Elders Acts 6. p. 440. 444. seq The seales not to be denied to approved professors though they be not members of a parishionall Church p. 185 186 seq Whether the invisible or visible Church hath right to the Seales p. 188. The visible Church of the Jewes and the visible Church of the Gentiles of one and the same nature and essentiall constitution p. 190 191 162. Whether for every sinne of ignorance there was need of a sacrifice p. 191. Arguments to prove that only members of a parishionall Church are capable of the seales dissolved p. 192. No strong hand of providence such as necessary absence from the congregation as traffiquing but only morallimpediments maketh men uncapable of the Seales p. 197 198. The place 1 Cor. 5 12. concerning these who ore without again discussed p. 200 201. Pastors doe warrantably performe pastorall acts in other congregations then their own p. 204 205. seq The place Acts 20. 28. discussed p. 206 207. The congregation make and unmake Pastors by our Brethrens Doctrine ex opere operato 207 seq Arguments of our Brethren hereanent dissolved p. 208. That persons are received into the visible Church by Baptisme diverse distinctions hereanent p. 210 211 212 213. The efficacy of the Sacraments handled p. 202. A fourefold consideration of Sacraments p. 212 213. The error of Papists making Sacraments physicall instruments the error of Arminians Socinians and of our Brethren making them naked signes p. 212. 213. Of Sacramentall grace p. 214. Arguments of our Brethren removed p. 605. 606 607. The mind of Socinians the difference of a Sacrament and a civill seale most considerable p. 215 216 217 218 219 220. In what case separation is lawfull p. 221. Fundamentalls p. 221. Of fundamentals superstructures circa fundamentalia things about the foundation p. 221 222. Matters of Faith and poynts fundamentall different p. 222. Ignorance of Gods matters have a threefold consideration p. 222 223. Ignorance of fundamentals ibidem Knowledge of fundamentals how necessary p. 223. What are fundamentall poynts p. 223. How Iewes nnd Papists have all fundamentals and how not p. 230 231. The error of Papists hereanent that the Churches determination maketh fundamentals p. 224. Nine considerable distinctions anent fundamental poynts containing diverse things anent fundamentals p. 224 225. seq Our Brethren ignorant of the nature of a visible Church p. 231 232. Neither believing nor unbelieving essentiall to the visible Church ibidem Robinsons arguments for separation found light and empty p. 232. 233. seq The place 2 Cor. 6. 14. fully vindicated p. 233 234. seq By evidence of the place fathers and protestant divines ibid. The place Iohn 17 6 7 8. fully vindicated Robinson his interpretation borrowed from Arminius and other places and reasons discussed at length p. 246 247 248. seq Eight distinctions anent separation p. 253 254 seq Infants of visible professors are to be baptized p. 255 256 seq Arguments on the contrary dissolved ibid. What right to baptisme the child hath from parents p. 257 seq Conversion of soules an Ordinary fruit of a sent Ministery p. 266 267 268. seq Rom. 10. 14. how shall they preach except they be sent diseussed diverse sending acknowledged by our brethren p. 269. seq No warrant for the preaching of gifted personsnot called by the Church in a constituted Church Six distinctions thereanent p. 272 273. seq Socinians deny the necessity of a sent Minister p. 271. Robinson expoundeth the place Rom. 10 14. as Socinians do ibid. 275 276 277 278. Robinsons arguments for preaching of unofficed Prophets answered as from Eldad and Medad p. 281 282. And 2 Chro. 17. 7. from the Hebrew Text and R. Jarchi Salomon his exposition cleared p. 282 283. And Jehoshaphat his Sermon how Kings may exhort p. 284 285. That Christs disciples before his Resurrection and the seventy disciples were not unofficed preachers p. 286 287. And other places p. 290. As Joh. 4. 28. Luk. 8. 39. Act. 8. 1 2. 3. p. 291. 292 293. seq And 1 Pet. 4 10. 11. Rev. 11. 3. Rev. 14. 6. fully vindicated p. 294 295 296 297. That there be no ground for unofficed Prophets 1 Cor. 14 p. 297 298 299. seq The place Heb. 5. 11. vindicated all objections from 1 Cor. 14. of Robinson particularly discussed and found empty and most
together a visible act of government in sending messengers to 〈◊〉 Acts 15. 22. Then pleased it the Apostles and Elders and the whole Church our Brethren say the whole collective Church Men Women and Children at Ierusalem to send men of their own company to Antioch 23. And wrote Letters and some Decrees and Commandements to be observed Now the many thousands of the Church of Ierusalem by no possibility could meete aâ— one Parish in one materiall house to administrate the Lords Supper farre lesse could they be as is said Acts 2. 42. all continuing stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and followship our Brethren say in Pâ—rishionall or Congregationall fellowship and in breaking of bread and prayer nor could they dayly continue in the Temple and breake bread from house to house being all one Church or a fixed parishionall meeting in one materiall house Now it is cleare they were 〈◊〉 even after they exceeded many thousands in number in one Parishionall and Congregationall government as our Brethren would prove from Acts 15 22 23 24 25. And Acts 2. 42 43. Else how could they have all their goods common if there be not one visible government amongst them but this government could not be of one single Congregation for all who sold their goods and had all things common could not meete to give voyces in Discipline a judicatory of so many thousand Judges were impossible and ridiculous 2. Paul writeth to the Galatians where there were many Parish Churches Gal. 1. 2. as our Brethren teach yet doth he write to them as he doth to the Corinthians where our Brethren will have one Parish Church and writeth to them of uniformity of visible government that they meete not together to keepe dayes Sabbaths and yeers Gal. 4. 10. as the Iewes did that they keep not Iewish and ceremoniall meetings and conventions Gal. 4. 9. these Churches are called one lumpe in danger to be leavened as Corinth is a Parishionall lumpe in hazard to be leavened as our Brethren teach Now how could Paul will them that the whole lump of all the Churches and Congregations in Galatia be not leavened except he lay down a ground that they were with united authority to joyne in one visible government against the false Teachers suppose there were twenty sundry Kings in Brittaine and twenty Kingdoms could our friends over Sea write to us as to one Nationall lump to beware of the Spanish faction except they laid down this ground that all the twenty little Kingdomes had some visible union in Government and might with joynt authority of all the twenty Kingdomes concurre to resist the common Enemie Here that godly and learned Divine Mr. Baynes sayth Communion in government is not enough to make them one Church this sayth he maketh them rather one in tertio quodam separabili in a third thing which may be separated then one Church Government being a thing that commeth to a Church now constituted and may be absent the Church remaning a Church I answer this is a good reason against the Prelates Dioceseâ—n Church which as Baynes sayth well is such a frame in which many Churches are united with one head Church under one Lord prelate common Pastor to all the Pastors and particular Congregations of the Diocese as part aking of holy things or at least in that power of government which is in the chiefe Church for all the others within such a circuit Now the prelâ—tes frame of a properly so called Church under one Pastor being a Creature with a hundred heads having Church and pastorall care of a hundred little Congregations and Churches is a dreame for we know no such Church fed by a Prelate nor no such prelaticall Argos to oversee so many flocks nor doe we contend that the many Congregations united in a presbyteriall government doe make a mysticall visible Church meeting for all the Ordinances of God But union of many Congregations in a visible government is enough to make all these united Churches one visible ministeriall and governing Church who may meete not in one collective body for the worship of God yet in one representative body for government though worship may be in such a convened Church also as we shall heare The name of the Church I thinke is given to such a meeting Mat. 18. 17. Acts 15. 22. though more usually in Scripture the Church is a fixed Congregation convened for Gods worship now government is an accident separable and may goe and come to a mysticall Church but I thinke it is not so to a Ministeriall governing Church So the Church of Ephesus is called a Church in the singular number Rev. 2. 1. and all the Churches of Asia Rev. 1. 20. but seven Churches and Christ directeth seven Epistles to these seven and writeth to Ephesus as to a Church having one government v. 2. Thou hast tryed them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them lyers This was Ecclesiasticall tryall by Church-Discipline yet Ephesus contained more particular Congregations then one 1. Because Christ speaking to Ephesus only sayth v. 7. He that hath an Earâ— to heare let him heare what the spirit sayth unto the Churches in the plurall number 2. Because there were a good number of preaching Elders in Ephesus Acts 20. 28. 36. 37. and it is incongruous to Gods dispensation to send a multiude of pastors to over see ordinarily one single and independent Congregation 3. This I have proved from the huge multitudes converted to the Faith in Ephesus so huge and populous a City where many Iewes and Greeks dwâ—lâ— and where the Word of God grew so mighâ—â—ly Acts 19. 17 18 19 20. and Christ writeth to every one of the seven Churches as to one and yet exhorteth seven times in every Epistle that Churches in the plurall number heare what the spirit sayth Now as our Brethren prove that the Churches of Galatia so called in the plurall number were many particular Churches so doe we borrow this argument to prove that every one of the seven Churches who are seven times called Churche in the plurall number contained many Congregations under them yet doth Christ write to every one of the seven as having one visible Government 2. Concl. A nationall typicall Churchâ— was the Church of the Iewes we deny But a Church nationall or provinciall of Cities Provinces and Kingdomes having one common government we thinke cannot be denyed so Paul Baynes citeth for this 1 Pet. 1. 1. 1 Pet. 5. 2. Though we take not the Word Church for a my sticall body but for a ministeriall company But Acts 1. Matthias was elected an Apostle by the Church as our Brethren confesse but not by a particular Congregation who met every Lords-Day and in ordinary to partake of all the holy things of God the Word and Sacraments 1. Here were the Apostles whose Parish Church was the whole World Mat. 28. 19. Goe teach all Nations 2. In this Church were the brethren of Christ
from Galilee Acts 1. 14. and some from Jerusalem v. 15. 3. No particular Church had power Ecclesiasticall as this Church had power to choose an Apostle who was to be a Pastor over the Churches of the whole World as our brethren teach so Mr. Paget sayth well These Disciples who waited upon Christ such as Barsabas and Matthias were no members of the Church of Jerusalem and so what powâ—r had a particular Church to dispose of them who were no members of their Church 3. That which concerneth all must be done by all and that which concerneth the feeding and governing of the Church of the whole World must be done by these who represent the Church of the whole World but that Matthias should be chosen and ordained an Apostle to teach to the whole World concerned all the Churches and not one particular Church 〈◊〉 Therefore there was here either no Church which no man dare say for â—here is here a company of believers where there is preaching and Church government v. 15. 16. 26. or then there was here a Congregation which is against sense and Scripture or there is a Church Provinciall Naturall or Oecumenick call it as you please it is a visible Church instituted in the New Testament after the ascension of Christ and not a Parishionall Church Some answer this was extraordinary and meerely Apostolick that an Apostle should be ordained and is no warrant for a nationall Church now when the Churches of Christ are constituted But I answer this distinction of ordinary and extraordinary is wearied and worne to death with two much employment 2. Beza Calvin Piscator Tilenus Whittaker Chamier Pareus Bucanus professors of Leyden Walaeus VVillet P. Martyr Ursinus c. and all our Divines yea Lorinus the Jâ—suite Cajetan alledge this place with good reason to prove that the ordination and election of Pastors belongeth to the whole Church and not to one man Peter or any Pope Yea Robinson and all our Brethren use this place to prove that the Church to the second comming of Christ hath power to ordaine and exanthorate and censure her officers 2. We desire a ground for this that the Ecclesiasticall power of the Church which is ordinary and perpetuall to Christs second comming should joyne as a collâ—terall cause in ordination and election of an Apostle which ordination is extraordinary temporary apostolick see for this Pet. Martyr VVhittaker Bilson Chamier Pareus Beza Calvin Harmonie of the confessions Iunius Cartwright Fulk Ursinus Zwinglius Munsterus and Theodoret would have us to rest upon Apostolick demonstrations like this And Irenaeus speaketh against rectifiers of the Apostles in this Cyprian sayth the like 2 Acts 6. A Church of Hebrewes and Graecians together with the twelve Apostles is not a particular Ordinary Congregation and a governing Church choosing Deacons therefore they are a nationall Church though the first ordination of Deacons be meerely Apostolick and immediately from Iesus Christ yet the ordination of these seven persons was a worke of the Churches power of the keys Now let our Brethren speake if this was a Congregationall Church that meeteth ordinarily to the word and Sacraments such as they say the Church of Corinth was 1 Cor. â—1 18. So say I of the Church Acts 15. 22. called Apostles Elders and Brethren and the whole Church this could not be a particular Church for no particular Congregation hath Ecclesiasticall power to prescribe Decrees and Canons to all the Churches of the Gentiles and that this was done by an ordinary Ecclesiastick power that remaineth perpetually in a Church such as this was is cleare because our Brethren prove that the whole multitude spake in this Church from vers 12. Then all the multitude kept silence and therefore the multitude say our Brethren spake from v. 21. all the Church voyced in these Decrees and Canons say they 3. Sister Churchers keepe a visible Church-communion together 1. They heare the word and partake of the Seales of the Covenant occasionally one with another 2. They eschew the same excommunicated heretick as a common Church-enemy to all 3. They exhort rebuke comfort and edifie one another as members of one body visible 4. If one sister Church fall away they are to labour to gaine her and if she will not be gained as your Author sayth they tell it to many sister Churches if shee refilse to heare them they forsake Communion with her 1. Here is a visible body of Christ and his Spouse having right to the keyes word and seales of grace 2. Here is a visible body exercising visible acts of Church-fellowship one toward another Hence here a visible Provinciall and Nationall Church exercising the specifick acts of a Church Ergo Here is a Provinciall and Nationall Church For to whom that agreeth which essentially constituteth a Church visible that must be a visible Church You will say they are not a visible Church because they cannot and doe not ordinarily all meete in one materiall house to heare one and the same word of God and to partake of the same Seales of the Covenant joyntly but I answer 1. This is a begging of the question 2. They performe other specifick acts of a visible Church then to meete ordinarily to partake joyntly and at once of the same ordinances 3. If this be a good reason that they cannot be a Nationall Church because they meete not all ordinarily to heare the some word and to partake of the same Ordinances then a locall and visible and ordinary union joyntly in the same worship is the specifick essence of a visible Church but then there was no visible Nationall Churches in Iudea for it was impossible that they could all meete in one materiall house to partake of the same worship 4. These who for sicknes and necessary avocations of their calling as Navigation Traffiquing and the like cannot ordinarly meet with the congregation to partake joyntly with them of these same Ordinances loose all membership of the visible Church which is absurd for they are cast out for no fault 5. This is not essentiall to a nationall Church that they should ordinarily all joyntly meet for the same worship but that they be united in one ministeriall government and meet in their chiefe members and therefore our Brethren use an argument à specie ad genâ—s negativè a provinciall or nationall company of believers cannot performe the acts of a particular visible Church Ergo such a company is not a visible Church just as if I would reason thus A Horse cannot laugh Ergo he is not a living Creature or it is an argument à negatione unius speciei ad negationem alterius such a company is not such a congregationall Church Ergo it is no visible Church at all an Ape is not a reasonable Creature Ergo it is not an Ape 3. Conclu There ought to be a fellowship of
Parish-assemblies in Old England and if it be lawfull to continue in them Which question must be expounded by the foregoing Quest. 10. If you hold that any of our Parishionall assemblies are true visible Churches c. Hence the 11. Question goeth thus in its genuine sense are we not then to separate from them as from false Churches Now neither the Spouse Cant. 1. 7. c. 3. 1. 2 3. nor David Psal. 63. Psal. 42. Psal. 84 nor Ezra 8. 15 16. nor Christ in these cases when they sought Christ in all his Ordinances in the fullest measure were members of false Churches nor did they seeke to Separate from the Church of Israel nor is it Christs command Mat. 28. 10. to separate from these Churches and to renounce all communion with them because these who sate in Moses Chaire did neglect many Ordinances of Christ for when they gave the false meaning of the Law they stole away the Law and so a principall ordinance of God and yet Christ I believe forbad separation when he commanded that they should heare them Mat. 23. 3. Nor doe I judge that because there was but one visible Church in Israel and therefore it was not lawfull to separate therefrom and because under the New Testament there be many visible Churches and many Mount Sions therefore this abundance doth make separation from a true Church lawfull to us which was unlawfull to the people of the Jewes For separation lawfull is to not partake of other mens sins not to converse bretherly with knowen flagitious Men not to touch any uncleane thing not to have communion with Infidels Idols Belial c. Now this is a morall duty obliging Iewes and Gentiles and of perpetuall equity and to adhere to and worship God aright in a true Church is also a morall branch of the second commande and a seeking of Christ and his presence and face in his owne Ordinances and what was simply morall and perpetually lawfull the contrary thereof cannot be made lawfull by reason of the multitude of Congregations 4. The most that these arguments of our Brethren doe prove is but that it is lawfull to goe and dwell in a Congregation where Christ is worshiped in all his Ordinances rather then to remaine in that Congregation where he is not worshipped in all his Ordinances and where the Church censures are neglected which to us is no separation from the visible Church but a removall from one part of the visible Church to another as he separateth not out of the house who removeth from the Gallery to remaine and lie and eate in the Chamber of the same House because the Gallery is cold and smoaky and the Chamber not so for he hath not made a vow never to set his foote in the Gallery But to our Brethren to separate or remove from a Congregation is to be dismembred from the only visible Church on Earth for to them there is not any visible Church on Earth except a congregation And our Brethrens mind in al these arguments is to prove that not only it is unlawfull to stand in the Parish assemblies of Old England because of Popish ceremonies and we teach separation from these ceremonies to be lawfull but not from the Churches but also that it is necessary to adjoyne to independent Congregations as to the onely true visible Churches on Earth and to none others except we would sinne against the second Commandement which I conceive is proved by not one of these arguments And to them all I answer by a deniall of the connex proposition As this These who must doe all which Christ commandeth and seek Christ in all his necessary Ordinances though superiors will not doe their duties these must separate from true visible Churches where all Christs Ordinances are not and joyne to independent Congregations as to the only true visible Churches on Earth This proposition I deny 5. If our Brethrens argument hold sure that we are to separate from a Church in which we want some Ordinances of Christ through the Officers negligence because say they The Spouse of Christ will not rest seeking Her beloved untill she finde him in the fullest manner Cant. 1. v. 7. 3. 1 2. then the Spouse Cant. 1. 7. 3. 1 2. is separating from one Church to another which the Text will not beare 2. I would have our reverend Brethren to see and consider if this argument doth not prove if it be nervose and concludent that one is to separate from a Congregation where are all the Ordinances of Christ as in New England now they are so being hee goe from a lesse powerfull and lesse spirituall Ministery to another Congregation where incomparably there is a more powerfull and more spirituall Ministery for in so doing the separater should onely not rest as the Spouse doth Cant. 1. 3. seeking his beloved untill he find Him in the fullest manner For he is to be found in a fuller manner under a more powerfull Ministery and in a lesse full manner under a lesse powerfull Ministery But this separation I thinke our Brethren would not allow being contrary to our Brethrens Church-Oath which tieth the professor to that congregation whereof he is a sworne member to remaine there 6. The designe and scope of our reverent Brethrens argument is that professors ought to separat from Churches where presbyteriall government is because in these Churches Professors as they conceive doe not injoy all the Ordinances of God Because they injoy not the society of a Church consisting of onely visible Saints and they injoy not the free use of the censure of excommunication in such a manner as in their owne Churches and because in them the Seales are often administred by those Pastors who are Pastors of another Congregation then their owne and for other causes also which we thinke is not sound doctrine But we thinke it no small prejudice say our Brethren to the liberty given to a congregation in these words Mat. 18. Tell the Church if he heare not the Church c. That the power of excommunication should be taken from them and given to a Presbyterian or nationall Church and so your Churches wante some ordinances of Christ. Answ. Farre be it from us to take from the Churches of Christ any power which Christ hath given to them for we teach that Christ hath given to a single congregation Mat. 18. a power of excommunication but how 1. He hath given to a congregation that 's alone in an Iland separated from all other visible Churches a power which they may exercise there alone and. 2. He hath given that power to a congregation consociated with other sister congregations which they may use but not independently to the prejudice of the power that Christ hath given to other Churches for seeing all sister Churches are in danger to be infected with the leaven of a contuâ—acious member no lesse then that single congreation wherof the contumacious resideth as a
Church v. 22. let me terme it so had not more power extensively to determine that same controversie in behalfe of both Antioch and of all the particular Churches subordinate powers are not contrary powers CHAP. 5. SECT 5. PROP. 3. QUEST 6. Manuscript ALL who would be saved must be added to the Church as Acts 2. 47. If God offer opportunity Gen. 17. 7. Because every Christian standeth in need of all the Ordinances of Christ for his Spirituall edification in holy fellowship with Christ Jesus Answer for clearing of this we are to discusse this question Whether all and every true believer must joyne himselfe to a particular visible congregation which hath independently power of the keys within it selfe God offering opportunity if he would be saved 1 Dist. There is a necessity of joyning our selves to a visible Church but it is not necessitas medii but necessitas praecepti it is not such a necessity as all are damned who are not within some visible Church for Augustine is approved in this there be many Wolves within the Church and many sheepe without but if God offer opportunity all are oblâ—ged by God his Commandâ—ment of confessing Christ before men to joyne themselves to the true visible Church 2. Dist. There is a fâ—llowship with the visible Church internall of hidden believers in the Romish Babel this is sufficient for salvation necessitate medii but though they want opportunity to joyne themselves to the Reformed visible Churches yet doe they sin in the want of a profession of the truth and in not witnessing against the Antichrist which is answerable to an adjoyning of themselves to a visible Church And so those who doe not professe the Faith of the true visible Church God offering opportunity deny Christ before men and this externall fellowship is necessary to all necessitate praecepti though our Lord graciously pardon this as an infirmity in his own who for feare of cruell persecution often dare 〈◊〉 confesse Christ. 3. Dist. The question is not whether all ought to joyne themselves 〈…〉 â—isible Church God offering occasion but if all ought by Christs command to joyne themselves to the Churches independent of their visible Congregations if they would be saved our Brethren 〈…〉 it we deny it 1. Concl. An adjoyning to a visible Church either formally to be a member thereof or materially confessing the Faith of the true visible Church God offering occasion is necessary to all 1. Because we are to be ready to give a confession of the â—â—pe that is in us to every one who asketh 1 Pet. 3. 15. 2 Because he who denieth Christ before men him also will Christ deny before 〈◊〉 Father and before the holy Angells Mat. 10. 33. 3 Yet if some die without the Church having Faith in Christ and want opportunity to confesse him before men as repenting in the hâ—uâ—e of death their salvation is sure and they are within the invisible Church so is that to be taken extra Ecclesiam nulla salus none can be saved who are every way without the Church both visible and invisible as all perished who were not in Ncahs Arke 2. Concl. When God offereth opportunity all are obliged to joyne themselves to a true visible Church 1. Because God hath promised his presence to the Churches as his Sonne walketh in the midst of the golden candlesticks Rev. 2. 2. 2 Because Faith commeth by hearing a sent Preacher Rom. 10. 4. 3 Separation from the true visible Church is condemned Heb. 10. 24. Iud. v. 19. 1 Iohn 2. 19. 4. Good men esteeme it a rich favour of God to lay hold on the skirt of a Jew Zech. 8. 23. and to have any communion even as a doore keeper in Gods House and have desired it exceedingly and complained of the want thereof Psal. 84. 10. v. 1 2. Psal. 27. 4 Psal. 42. 1 2 3 4. Psal. 63. v. 1 2. 3. Concl. Our brethren with reverence of their godlinesse and learning erre who hold all to be obliged as they would be saved to joyne to such a visible congregation of independent jurisdiction as they conceive to be the only true Church visible instituted by Christ. That this is their mind is cleare by the first proposition of this Manuscript and by their answer to the 12 Question where they say that all not within their visible congregation as fixed sworne members thereof are without the true Church in the Apostles meaning 1 Cor. 5. 12. what have I to doe to judge them also that are without doe not yee judge them that are within which is a most violent torturing of the word For 1. without are dogs Rev. 22. so our brethren expound the one place by the other then all not fixed members of the congregationall Church as they conceive it of Corinth are dogs what was there not a Church of Saints on earth at this time but in one independent congregation of Corinth and were all the rest Dogs and Sorcerers 2. If judgeing here especially is the censure of Excommunication used according unto Christs institution that the spirit may be saved in the Day of the Lord and so to be used only toward regenerated persons then Paul was to intend the salvation of none by Excommunication but these who are members of one single congregation who are within this visible house of Christ then all the rest are without the house and so in the state of damnation 3. These who are without here are in a worse case then if they were judged by the Church that their spirit may be saved So they are left v. 13. to a severe judgement even to the immediate judgement of God as Cajetan doth well observe for sayth Erasmus Sarcerius Deus publica occulta sceler a non sinet impunita and Bullinger maketh as it is cleare an answer to an objection shall these who are without even the wicked Gentiles commit all wickednesse without punishment The Apostle answereth that saith he God shall judge them Non impune in vitiorum lacunis se provolvent prophani sed destinato tempore commeritas dabunt Deo ultori paenas And Paraeus num impune ibunt eorum scelera â—mo Judicem Deum invenient 4. These who are within here are these who are of Christs family sayth P. Martyr and opposite to Gentiles and infidels saith Paraeus for all men are divided into two ranks some domesticks and within the Church and to be judged by the Church and some strangers without the covenant not in Christ neither in profession nor truth as Gentiles who are left to the severity of Gods judgement but our Brethrens Text shall beare that Paul divideth mankind into three ranke 1. Some within as true members of the Church 2. Some without as infidels and some without as not members of a fixed congregation now Believers without and not members of a fixed congregation are not left to the severity of the immediate judgment of God as these who
discipline doe leaven a Church yet it doth not as Robinson saith evert the nature thereof and turne it into Babylon and a den of Dragons Robinson will have prophanenesse and impiety by absolute necessity rooted out by discipline but he is too hasty Nay not by publique preaching of a sent Pastor through absolute but onely through ordinary and conditionall necessity You bind the Almighty too hard The other question is if conversion of sinners be an ordinary effect of a publique and sent ministery Our brethren in their answer to the 32 Questions sent to them deny this but no marvell seeing all conversion to them is done without the publique ministery by onely private Christians and in this we see no necessity of a called ministery to convert men to Christ which is the doctrine of Socinians and Anabaptists So Chemnitius so Gastius teacheth The Socinian Theo. Nicolaides Luther erred saith he when he asked from Muncerus his calling to preach Muncerus was an Anabaptist So Ostorodius in his institutions and Raddetius who objected the same that our brethren doe that the whole beleevers be a royall Priesthood But though we deny not but some may be converted by the teaching and private conference of private Christians yet the ordinary publique way is by the Word preached by a seâ—â— Pastor as is cleare Rom. 10. 14. 1 Cor. 3. 5. Acts 9. 10. Acts 10. 5 6 c. CHAP. 10. SECT 10. Concerning our order and form in administration of Gods publique worship THe Authour here contendeth for the worship of God in its native simplicity without all ceremonies to which I can oppose nothing but shall prove the unlawfulnesse of humane ceremonies in another Treatise God-willing Of the communion of the visible Catholique Church IEsus Christ hath now under the N. Testament a Catholique visible Church on earth for of that part of the Catholique Church now triumphing in glory or of that part which onely is a Church of elected Saints and are not yet formally a professing Church but onely such in the predestinatiun of God I spake not now and to this Church universall visible hath the Lord given a ministery and all his Ordinances of Word and Sacrament principally and primarily and to the ministery and guides of this Catholique visible Church hath the Lord committed the Keyes as to the first subject and for the visible Church Catholique including also the invisible Church as for the object and end hath he given his ordinances and the power of the keyes And the Ministery and ordinances are not given to this or this Congregation which meeteth ordinarily in one place principally 1. The Lord Iesus gave this Ministeriall power to the universall guides of the catholick Church the Apostles as they did represent the Presbytery of the whole Catholick visible Church Ioh. 20. 21. As my Father sent me so send I you 22. And when he had thus sayd he breathed on them and said receive the Holy Ghost 23 whosoever sinnes you remit they are remitted and whosoever sinnes you retaine they are retained The Apostles here receive the keys in name of the whole Catholick Ministeriall guides For in this the Apostles must stand in the person and roome of a single society of believers united by a Church covenant in one parishonall Church if our brethrens grounds stand good so as a Parishionall Church must be the onely successors of the Apostles but this no Word of God can warrant Nor is the Eldership of a single Congregation that which the Apostles here represented except you say to this Eldership as to the first subject is this message of sending as the Father sent Christ committed and to this Eldership within one Congregation is the power Ministeriall of pardoning and retaining sinnes given For I aske from whence or from whose hands do the Eldership of a Congregation receive the keys from Jesus Christ say they but this is no answer the Ministery according to its institution is no doubt onely from the head of the body the Church from Iesus Christ. But I aske now of an ordinary Church-calling and I demand from whose hands under Jesus Christ have this particular Eldership received Ministeriall power they cannot say from themselves for they doe not make themselves Ministers they will not say from a Colledge of Presbyters of many congregations for they are flatly against all such presbyteries and that which they say indeed the Eldership of a congregation hath their Ministeriall power from the people Well then the Apostles when they received the keys they did represent the people but what people not the people of a classicall presbytery of a Province of a Nation of the whole redeemed Church but of one single congregation how shall this be made out of the Text or out of one Word of God I see not 2. Christ ascending on high and giving some to be Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers 12. For the perfecting of the Saints not of Ephesus far lesse of one single Congregation onely for the worke of the Ministery in generall for the edifying of the Body of Christ not a congregationall body onely 12. Till we all meet in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God unto a perfit man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ. Consider I pray you that Christs intention in giving a Ministery is not for a congregation of forty or sixty or a hundred as if hee intended to impawn all power in that Congregationall body but hee intended the edifying of his body Catholick and the comming of all to the unity of the Faith A Congregation of sixty cannot be all Saints and this power is clearely given to that body which the Lord is to make a perfit man according to the measure of the fulnesse of the stature of Christ this is a mysticall man and the Catholick body of Iesus Christ. Call it a Congregation and you wrest the Scripture and vilifie the noble and large end for the which Christ hath given a ministery as aske to what end and to what first and principall subject hath the Lord given reason and a faculty of discoursing is it to Peter to Iohn c. as to the first subject and for them as for their good no no it is for and to the race of mankind The case is is just so here 1 Cor. 12. 28. God hath placed some in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers c. Is the meaning thus God hath placed in the body of a single Congregation Apostles Where do you read that I believe Apostles have the Catholick visible Church for their Parish and is it a Congregationall body wherein God placed such variety of members as Apostles Prophets Teachers Workes of miracles gifts of Healing Helps Governments c So Rom. 12. 5. So we being many are one body in Christ and every one members of another Hence hee
transact within their owne Congregations but doe ex aequo belong to them all As 1. That they doe not give offence one to another that one Church doe not hold the Doctrine of Balaam to the effence and scandall of other Churches 2. That one Congregation make not Acts and Canons against the Word of God and against the Acts of another Congregation agreeable to the Word of God 3. That one Church admonish rebuke comfort provoke another to love and to good works in such and such poynts now though a Congregation make acts and constitutions for governing this or that member of the community yet they doe not nor cannot make acts that oblige the community and the Church as the Church the Church as the Church being a part is to be regulated by the whole and if there be things that ex aequo concerne all and doe not concerne one particular Church more then another one particular Congregation cannot governe in these And by the like reason particular Churches and classicall Presbyteries and Provinciall and Nationall Churches are parts of the whole Catholick visible Church 6. Because Christ hath not given the power of Ministery and Ordinances and Jurisdiction to the single Congregation as to the first subject upon the ground that our Brethren speake to wit because the single Congregation is that Spouse to which Christ is referred as an Husband and that body to which hee carrieth the relation of an head communicating life to all the members Eph. 1. 22. Col. 1. 18. nor is it that adequat number of ransomed persons of sheepe of lost ones of fellow-citizens of spirituall stones c. To the which Christ doth carry that adequat and compleat relation of a Saviour of a good Shepheard of a Seeker of lost ones of a King and Governour of the chiefe câ—â—ner-stone Therefore that visible Church for whose salvation Christ hath given the Ministeriall power must be the larger visible Church just as the God of Nature hath given to the whole race of sheep a power to seeke their own food and because of their simplicity a power to be ordered and led by the shepheard and secondarily this power is given to this or this flock feeding on Mount Caermel or elsewhere so hath the God of Grace given a power to the whole visible Catholick flock to submit themselves in the Lord to other guides and he hath given to the whole company of Shepheards as to the first subject the power of the Keys and secondarily the power is given to this or this visible Church and company of Pastors 7. When any scandalous person is delivered to Satan he is cast out of the whole Catholick Church Ergo he was before his ejection a member of the whole catholick Church for hecannot be cast out who was never within And when he is excommunicated his sins bound as in Heaven so on Earth that is not only in that Tract of ground where a handfull of a little Congregation independent as they say of 10 or 20 or an 100 doth ordinarily feed but in all the visible World where God hath a Church and all both within the little Congregation where hee is and without are to repute him as an Heathen and a Publican It is true some of our Brethren say he is excommunicated onely out of that Congregation whereof hee is a member antecedentèr because Christ hath given the power of excommunication onely 1 Cor. 5. 4. To the congregated Church when they are met together to deliver to Satan and they must do it in collegio in consessu coram tota Ecclesia before and in presence of the Church congregationall which is to give their consent and hath a certaine power of interest in the busines but he is cast out and excommunicated to all other Churches onely consequentèr by consequent and by vertue of the communion of Churches I answer the plaine contrary hee is antecedentèr and formally delivered to Satan by the power of the catholick visible Church which is put forth in exercises and in act before that Church whereof he is a neerest member Even as the left hand doth cut off a finger of the right hand which otherwayes should infect the whole body Now it is not the left hand onely that cutteth off the contagious and infectious finger but the whole man deliberate reason and the will consenteth it should be done for the preservation of the whole man the left hand is a meere instrument and the losse of the finger is the losse of the whole body and the finger is cut off the right hand not antedentèr and onely off the right hand by that power intrinsecall onely in the right hand but intrinsecall in the whole body it is true the contagion should creepe through and infect the right hand and right arme first and therefore incision is made upon the right hand So if the Eldership of a Congregation deliver to Satan it is not done by that power that is intrinseally onely in that Congregation but by the power intrinsecall in the whole universall Church who shall keepe communion with him that Eldership cuts him off as the instrument or hand of the Church catholick and the incision as it were is performed there in that meeting I will not say of the whole Congregation that is to be proved because the contagion shall come first upon these with whom the delinquent is to keepe the nearest fellowship and that Excommunication be performed in a meeting I grant and the place 1 Cor. 5. 4. saith so much and a meeting of the Church But that that is a meeting of the congregation with favour of the learned cannot be proved cogently though I thinke excommunication when it is actually performed it should be done before the Congregation but that is for the edification and nearest and most immediate practice of that Congregation for the contagion is nearest to them but the reason why the presence of the Congregation whereof the Delinquent is a member is requisit is not because this Congregation hath the sole intrinsecall power in her selfe and because shee onely doth formally and antecedentèr Excommunicate and the rest of the Churches consequenter and by vertue of a communion for the sister Churches are to debarre this excomunicate person from their communion with Christ in the Seales of the Covenant and that by an intrinsecall authoritative and Church power where as if he were not excommunicated they should have received him to a Communion with them in the Seales and that by an intrinsecall authoritative and Church power for one man cannot receive another to the Seales of the Covenant with him because no one man hath a Church authority If therefore the Church as the Church is consociated by an intrinsecall church-Church-power should have admitted him if he had not been excommunicated it is evident that hee was a member not onely of the Congregation out of which he is excommunicated but also of the whole consociated congregations 2 The man
sins are bound on Earth antecedentèr to all the consociated Churches He is now equally uncapable of Church-fellowship in all the consociated Churches as in that Congregation whereof he is a member All without and within that Congregation are to hold him for no visible Saint not to eate or drinke with him he is now to all the visible Churches in regard of visible communion no member of that body whereof Jesus Christ is head no part of that City of that building whereof Christ is the Lord and chief corner-stone And he is to the sister Churches in their authoritative Church-estimation to speake so and in relation to their power of Jurisdiction in the very same case a member of Satan that hee is in relation to the authoritative power of Jurisdiction of that Congregation whereof he was a neerest member just as the finger cut off is alike separated from the body yea the whole body as from the hand and it is a wonder to me that Christ giveth an intrinsecall power to a Congregation of twenty believers to cut off a member for the preservation of that little company of the Lords Flock and that he hath denied that intrinserall power to the whole which is no lesse in danger to be infected seeing Christ principally intendeth in the giving of a Ministery to the whole Church especially the gathering of the whole body To the full and perfit stature of the age of Christ in the unity of Faith Eph. 4. 11. yet he intendeth the salvation preservation of the whole from infection more then the salvation of a part of this whole Body That is as it you would say the God of Nature hath given an intrinsecall power to five hundred in a City to set guides over themselves and to rule themselves by wholesome Lawes but hee hath denied that power to the whole City consisting of ten thousand and he hath given to the right hand an intrinsecall power to consent that a finger in the right hand infected with a Gangrene be cut off but he hath denied this intrinsecall power to the whole man I beseech you doth the God of Nature in conferring this power to the right Arme intend the preservation of the right Arme onely and its wellbeing and not rather the preservation of the whole body so doth not Christ intend that the whole consociated Churches shall be preserved from infection and not that particular Congregation onely Then if Christs meanes be congruously fitted for his owne end he must have given an intrinsecall power to many consociated Churches to cast out a contagious lumpe other wayes the consociated Churches are to exercise the punishment of avoyding the Excommunicated person as an Heathen which floweth from a power which is no wayes in them what conscience is here 2. What if the Congregation cast the man out clave errante and undeservedly shall they consequentèr as sister Churches in a brutish fraternity execute a sentence of a power intrinserall in another Church and not any of them or their guides have any power to discerne whether the censure be justly or unjustly infflicted This our Brethren condemne in their owne Congregation for because the reputing the ejected man an Heathen is a matter of practise that concerneth the conscience of every one of the Congregation therefore must all the Congregation give their powers and consent yea do more then consent say some even exercise jurisdiction or a power not different from it Some things are objected against this way Ob. 1. The power of the Keys cannot be given to the catholick representative Church or catholick Presbytery as to the first subject to be an ordinary and constant meane of edification The exercise whereof in an ordinary and constant way is unpossible But the exercise of this Ministeriall power given to the catholick visible Presbytery as to the first subject in an ordinary and constant way is unpossible Ergo such a power is not given to the Catholick representative Church as to the first subject to be an ordinary and constant meane of edification The proposition is cleare it is uncongruous to the Wisdome of Jesus Christ that hee should give that to bee a meane which possibly cannot attaine the end The Assumption is as evident for the Catholick visible Presbytery cannot meete in an ordinary and constant way Answ. 1. By distinguishing the Major proposition That power of the Keyes remote cannot be given to the catholick presbytery as to the first subject the exercise whereof in an ordinary and constant way is impossile physically and ex natura rei True but now the Assumption is false That neerer power cannot be given as a meane of edification the exercise whereof is morally and through the corruption of mens nature physically impossible That is false and denyed and in either sense the conclusion cannot be true 2. I grant the whole and yet nothing is concluded against us For the power of the Keyes is not given to the catholick Presbytery as to the first subject to be a meane of edification in an ordinary and constant way but onely in an extraordinay and occasionall way in those things which concerne the power of jurisdiction belonging to the whole Catholick Church By extraordinary here I meane not that which is against a particular Law of God and cannot bee done without a Divine dispensation of providence but by extraordinary I meane that which is rarò contingens and doth not oft fall out as almost it never falleth out that the universall Church hath neede to excommunicate a nationall Church for all and every one of a nationall Church doe never fall away from the Faith Yet a remote power for Excommunication is in the Catholique visible Church 2. It is objected if the visible catholick Church be the first and principall subject of all church-Church-power then a Presbyteriall Church cannot Excommunicate but by a power derived from the catholick visible presbytery and so the presbytery should â—â— excommunicate but by consulting with the Catholique visible Church but this latter were impossible and absurd Ergo so must the antecedent be The counexion is proved thus for as â—â— things have beate in so farre as they partake of the Fire because heate is originally in the Fire as in the first subject so all Churches exercising Excommunication must partake of the power of censures that is first and principally in the originall subject to wit in the catholick visible Church And it would seeme that none can use or put forthin acts the power of the catholique Church visible without the conscience of the catholique Church visible Answ. This occasioneth me to speake somwhat of the power of the presbyteriall and catholick Church Hence I say 1. With submission to the learned First It is an hard way of arguing to reason from the power to the severall exercises and diverse acts of the power Our Brethren hold that all power of the Keys and all power Ministeriall of preaching administrating the Seales is
originally in caetu sidelium in a Church of Believers but they cannot say that therefore the acts of Preaching administrating of the Sacraments and all acts of jurisdiction can be exercised by the Believers because they are the first subject Secondly the farther that the members or Churches either Congregationall Presbyteriall or Nationall are removed in locall distance one from another the lesse is the visible and externall communion of rebuking comforting and admonishing one another yet the power and obligation of these duties are not removed So though the Nationall Churches be locally distant one from another yet their power of exercising duties and so their power of Jurisdiction in an Oâ—cumenicke Councell is not from thence concluded to be null Yea Nationall duties upon occasion are still obligatoryâ— and communion of men of sundry Nations is cleare to mee Esai 2. 3. many Nations shall flow unto the Mountaine of the Lords House Zach. 8. 23. Ten men shall take hold out of all Languages of the Nations they even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew saying we will goe with you for wee have heard that God is with you I do not say these Nations doe meete all in one Synod but the places doe well prove the power lawfull of performing duties whereas the exercise of them in one place is not hic nunc in ordinary providence possible And so this consequence must be weake the whole catholick visible Churches in their principall guides cannot ordinarily and constantly meet hic nunc for the exercise of their power Ergo they have no such power For if the power be exercised in parts which through occurrences of Providence and the corruption of mens nature cannot be exercised in whole at once yet it s not hence evinced to be a power not given of Christ for eâ—ification for by our Brethrens grant three thousand are added to the Congregationall Church of Jerusalem Acts 2. and to this Church of three thousand and a hundred and twenty Christ hath given the ordinary power of the Keyes as to the first subject though through occurences of providence and the corruption of mans nature some of these suppose a thousand through sicknesse pest danger of persecution and sinfull separating from the assembly of Saints could not hic nunc meet in one house to exercise joyntly all the acts of that power which our Brethren say is given to them by Christ they cannot say therefore Christ never gave to this whole Church consisting of three thousand and a hundred and twenty any such power Thirdly there is a great difference betwixt the power given ad esse simplictèr to the being of a Church and the power given ad benè esse tantùm onely to the well-being 2. Great difference also there is betwixt ordinary power to be exercised constantly and ordinarily because of neerer consociation of the Churches in those things that concerne that Church in particular suppose a presbyteriall or Congregationall Church and a power to be exercised but more rarely not ordinarily because of the lesse communion visible and great locall distance of Churches as it falleth out in the whole visible Church Now from this First The ordinary power of Jurisdiction because of neerest vicinity and contiguity of members is given by Jesus Christ to one Congregation in an Isle 1. Because that Church is a Church properly so called though it be not a perfit and complete Church I say it is a Church properly so called Because 1. It is a little City and a little Kingdome of Jesus Christ having within it selfe power of the Word and Sacraments and that is a Church and hath the essence of a Church to which agree the essentiall notes of a visible Church Now preaching of the Word and Administration of the Sacraments are essentiall notes of a visible Church But I say it is not a compleate and perfit Church in the latitude of visibility for Churches are lesse or more visible according as they have lesse or more visible communion for visible communion constituteth a visible Church Now a Congregation in a remote Island hath a lesse communion visible with other visible Churches then conscciated visible Churches have 2. It is not compleate and perfit in its operations because in case of doubts of conscience touching government and practice and dogmaticall poynts it wants the joynt authority and power of Jurisdiction needfull for the well-being of a Church which it should have if it were consociated with many other Congregations so as wee say an hand with five fingers is a compleate hand but it is not a compleat organicall body but a part of the organicall body of a man so is a Congregation a Church wanting nothing of the being and essence of a Church yet is it incompleate because it is a part or member of a Presbyteriall Church and not being consociated wanteth that which belongeth to the well being of a compleat visible Church For visibility of a Church must have a latitude because it is an accident or adjunct of an organicall politick body which is totum integrale Secondly the ordinary power of ordinary Jurisdiction in a more perfit way because of ordinary and perfiter consociation is given to the Presbyteriall Church as to the proper subject in the constant and ordinary exercise of Discipline because contignity being the foundation of visible externall government the Presbyteriell Church of Ierusalem Ephesus Corinth Antioch and Rome is a perfit compleat consociaâ—d body To which the power of ordination exauthoration or deprivation of Pastors of excommunication in a constant and ordinary way doth belong For this is a principle of Church-policy Every politick body of Christ hath power of Church government within it selfe But a Presbyteriall church is such 2. This is a received maxime also Quod tangit omnes ab omnibus suo more tractari debet VVhat concerneth all should be agitated by all according to their degrees of concernment but excom nunication of a person in a consociated Church concerneth all the consociated Churches in a Presbytery all are scandalized all may be and are in danger to be leavened with the infectious lumpe And here it is to be observed that as preaching of the Word is an essentiall note of the visible Church and agreeing to the visible Church as necessary ad esse simpliciter to the very being of a visible Church For if the word as Preached and some way promulgated be not in such a society we cannot call it a visible Church so Discipline is a note of the visible Church and necessary ad bene esse and it cannot be a Ministeriall Church in a good condition exercising acts of edification if the wall of Discipline be broken downe and meeting in one place for Word and Sacraments is but accidentall for a Ministeriall Church If the Word be preached and the Sacraments administrated in sundry Congregations though not in a Presbyteriall Church all convened in all its members
Catholick body but the case for ordinary and constant power of ordinary and constant Jurisdiction is not so in a Presbyteriall in a provinciall in a Nationall in the Catholick visible Body And therefore it followeth not that they are not compleat Bodies and entire Churches for all ordinarie and constant Jurisdiction and the reason is cleare because Synods or Synodicall Churches above a Presbytery to me are not ordinary not constant Courts but extraordinary and prore nata occasionall having their rise from some occurrence of providence as is most cleare by Scripture The Church of Ephesus being a Presbyteriall Church did constantly exercise Discipline and try false Prophets and those which called themselves Iewes but were lievs Revel 2. 2. Whereas that famous Councell at Ierusalem was not an ordinary and constant Court but extraordinary that is occasionall for so I take the Word for expressions cause and had its rise Acts 15. 1. from a meere occasion because some came from Iudea and taught the Brethren except yee be circumcised after the manner of Moses you cannot be saved And the subject of this Court was not the constant and ordinary affaires of Discipline that belonged to the presbytery of Ierusalem and Antioch No v. 6. the subject was only an incident controversy raised by false teachers subverters of soules v. 24. and therefore it is said v. 6. The Apostles and Elders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to consider of this matter therefore the presbyteriall Church hath both Word and Sacraments dispensed in it distributively through all the Churches and for the power of Jurisdiction ordinary intensivè and quoad essentiam Ecclesiae ministerialis according to the entire essence of a ministeriall Church it is as perfit and compleat in one single Congregation as in a provinciall as in a Nationall yea as in the Catholick visible Body whereof Christ is the Head onely a provinciall nationall and the Catholick Church visible extensivè according to the power of extension is a larger and a superior Church and though the presbyteriall Church be a part of the Catholick it is so a part as it is a perfit whole Church as a man is a part of this great all the World yet so as he is a perfit reasonable Creature and so a whole man and a part of the World but a Congregation is so a part of the Presbytery that it hath not a whole entire compleat intensive power over its owne members to excommunicate them because its members are for contiguity and necessity of neere visible communion parts that cannot avoyd dayly edifying or scandalizing of consociated Churches and therefore the consociated churches trust have a power over the members of a Congregation But our Brethren will say Contiguity of locall cohabitation doth not in be a visible Church but only the voluntary agreement of Professors who doe ex pacto and by covenant tacit or expresse make up a conseciation for a Papist and a Protestant may cohabit in one house Answ. That is true but contiguity is such a necessary foundation of externall visible Church fellowship in one presbytery as without that contiguity I see not how jure Divino there can be either a Congregationall Church or any other Church for sure I am Christ hath not ordained me to be a member of a Congregation in America or of a presbyteriall Church in Geneva And that such persons and no more be members of a Congregation is not juris Divini yet without a contiguity lesse or more they cannot be members of a Congregation nor is this single Congregation a limbe of this presbyteriall Church jure Divinâ— onely this in abstracto is jus Divinum that there be a Congregation of a convenient number and a presbytery of such as may meete conveniently in their guides But to returne the Brethren do deny that God gave a power of Jurisdiction to the Catholick visible Court of the Oâ—cumenick Church And why because a generall councell cannot excommunicate nor relax from Excommunication a nationall Church But I answer 1. It is by accident and not through want of innate and intrinsecall power that the Court of a Catholick councell cannot in an ordinary and constant way exercise the power that Christ hath given to her as the presbyteriall church doth and the exigence of providence maketh it so because it falleth out by the blessing of God that Zion must say as it is Esai 49. 20. The place is too streight for me give place to me that I may dwell And because she inlargeth the place of her Tent and stretcheth forth the curtains of her habitation and lengthneth her cords and breaketh forth on the right hand and on the left and her seed inheriteth the Gentiles Esai 54. 2 3. and because from the rising of the Sun to the going dâ—â—ne thereof his Name is great amongst the Gentiles and in every place incense is offered to him Mal. 1. 11. yet have generall councells condemned Hereticks as Nestorians Macedonians Eutyches and others and I see nothing to prove that a generall councell hath no power to excommunicate a Nationall Church If the Lord should be pleased to give the Christian Churches a generall councell this day they might lawfully in a juridicall way declare the faction of Romish pretended catholicks to be mysticall Babylon a cage of uncleane Birds which is excommunication in the essence and substance of the Act nor is there need of a legall and juridicall citation of nationall Churches or a citation of witnesses to prove Romish Heresies and perfidious and detestable obstinacy for their writings and deeds are so notorious that the senses of men may as infallibly prove the fact as we know there is such a City in the world as Rome and Câ—nâ—tantinople as for the instance that a catholick councell cannot ordinarily be had to relax a repenting nationall Church I answer the same inconvenience will follow if we suppose an ordinary case the Church congregationall as our Brethren suppose of Ierusalem Acts. 2. consisting of three thousand and a hundred and twenty having excommunicated Ananias Saphira and others who yet by the grace of God should truely repent in the meane time the Sword of the Roman Emperor intervening scattereth this Church that they cannot convene in a spirituall Court to relax them and out of Court they have no authority of Jurisdiction here were an invincible necessity of their remaining in Satansbonds in foro externo ecclesiae But what then This is to limit God as Papists do in binding and tying salvation of Infants to the outward signe of externall baptisme as if God in soro caeli in his own Court could not absolve penitent sinners because the Church will not which is more ordinary through mens corruption or cannot absolve through the necessity of exigence of divine providence and the more catholick that crosses be as warâ— the universall and catholick cruelty and treachery of the church of Mâ—lignants against the true catholick Church of Christ the more easily are
classicall under one externall and visible government even as the Elders of an independent Church are not Elders of their single Congregation being separated from their Court and extra collâ—gium Presbyteriale in the notion of the relation of a Church-Jurisdiction for they are Elders by reason of Church Jurisdiction only in their Court 3. Classicall Elders in the Court have power of Jurisdiction in relation to this presbyteriall or classiciall Church but they have not properly an ordinary power of order to preach to them all and every one and to administrate the Sacraments to them The Elders of a particular Congregation have power of order and power of Jurisdiction without the Court but they have not power of Church jurisdiction but in the Court for there is a difference betwixt a power of jurisdiction which Elders have as Watchmen and a power of Church-Jurisdiction which Elders have not but in foro Ecclesiae in the Court of Church-Jurisdiction So the great Sanedrim beare rule over all the Tribes of Israel But this Judge of the Tribe of Dan a member of the Sanedrim is not a Judge of the Tribe of Benjamin or a Judge to a thousand of that Tribe as the Captaine of that thousand 2. I distinguish the proposition if the Elders of the Presbytery be Elders of the Presbyteriall Church then are they Elders in relation to the many Congregations in that Church if they bee Elders in these common affaires which concerne government in generall then are they Elders in feeding by the word of knowledge and in governing in all the particulars which concerne the government of each Congregation That I deny for their oversight in governing in things belonging to all the consociated Churches doth not make them Elders of all those particular Congregations 3. Deacons in some cases are also Deacons in relation to all the particular Churches in some reserved cases if all the Deacons of Macedonia Corinth and other Churches should meete in one and take course for supplying the distressed Saines at Jerusalem what inconvenient were in this Ob. 2. If Presbyteriall Elders be Elders to mary Congregations in a generall Relation what sort of Elders are they are they Elders ruling or are they Elders teaching it is unpossible that they can be Elders teaching to so many Congregations for teaching is a personall and incommunicable act that mâ—n cannot commit to any others they must performe it in their owne persons aâ—â— cannot commit it to others if they be Ruling Elders onely and not teaching Elders this is against the Scripture for the exten of teaching and the extent of ruling are commexsurable in the Word and of alike extersion Acts 20. 28. These same whoe are to feede the flâ—ck at Ephâ—sue are to governe and rulâ— and they are to feede the whole flâ—ckâ— not a part of it so the Text sayth Take heede to the whole flâ—cke then they are not to governe all in a presbytery and to feede with teaching the Word one particular Congregation onely so 1 Peâ— 5. 2. feed the flock of God which is amongst you not with knowledge onely but be addeth their duty of governing Taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly c. So Hâ—b 13. 7. Remember them that have the rule over you who have spoken unto you the Word of God Ergo these same who have the rule over the flock and governe du also speake the Word of the Lord and teach v. 17. obey them that have the rule over you and submit to them for they watch for your soules as these who must give accompt Ergo these same who governe doe also as Pastors watch for the flock as those that are to give an accompt but the governing classicall Presbytery doe rule but it is unpossible that they can give an accompt for all the Congregations of a classicall Presbytery for they cannot watch over them all except every one of these must have many Eyes Nor can they be both ruling and teaching Officers for then they should have two Offices if one man be both a Physitian and a Chyrurgion to two severall companies he must have two Offices in relation to two charges which he hath to those two companies if he practise physick to the one company and chyrurgery to the other this is against the order that Paul Col. 2. rejoyced to behold Therefore the classicall Elders cannot be Rulers having the oversight of the whole câ—â—ssicall Church and yet every one of them must be a 〈◊〉 and teaching pastor only to the single Congregation over which 〈◊〉 Answ. As grand-Fathers and fathers doe beare a relation to these same Children divers wayes both are fathers and may tutor and provide for the children but both are not begetting â—athers so also doe the classicall Elders and the Elders of particular Congregations beare divers relations to the flocks the question then is what sort of Elders are the Presbyteriall Elders to the Presbyteriall Church I distinguish Church I distinguish Elders They are Elders classicall only to the classicall Church collectively taken and they have an authoritative care over this Church But they are proper Elders to the classicall Church taken distributively that is this man is an Elder to this part or member of the Presbytery to wit to this Congregation And another man to this Congregation as the Elders in the Court and Aslembly at Jerusalem Acts 15. they are Elders in relation to the whole Churches of Antioch Syria and Silicia and the Gentiles collectively taken in those dogmaticall poynts with the confession of our Brethren and these same Elders were in speciall manner Elders to the Congregations of Antioch Syria and Silicia and other Churches taken distributively so also the Elders of many consociated and Neighbouring Churches are speciall watchmen over their own flâ—cks by teaching and ruling according to our Brethrens grounds and also they have a Brotherly care over all the consociated Church to Councell â—dmonrth Comfort seeing every man is his Brothers keeper by a Divine Law and the care is like as is it were authoritative onely by our Brethrens way it wanteth the relation of authority vet doth it not follow that Elders this way have two Offices but onely that they performe two acts of one and the same Office also a Pastor of an independent flocke who writcth â— Bâ—â—ke for the instruction of Sister-Churches as hee preacheâ—â— those same Sermons that are in the printed Bâ—oke to his owne people and flocke hath two Relations one to his owne flocke whom hee preacheth unto as a Pastor another as an instructer of other Churches by his writings yet for that hee hath not two Offices as one who is a ' Physitian and a Chyrurgion to two sundry companies if any say hee writteth not Bookes as a Pastor by vertue of his Office but as a gifted man by power of fraternity let mee deny the truth of the distinction for this is to begge what is in question For to teach the Churches by writing should
either the power of good counseling in these two Churches or their good counsels but do much confirme and strengthen them Object 7. It is absurd that there should be a Church in a Church and two distinct kind of Churches or a power above a power a Jurisdiction above a Jurisdiction a State above a State as Master and Servant and Father and Sonne so there is here a governing and a commanding Classicall Presbytery and a governed and commanded Classicall Church and in a politicall consideration formally different now where there bee two different States there be two different names Titles and Adiuncts as 1 Cor. 12. 28. GOD hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets So it is said Genesis 1. GOD made two distinct Lights a greater Light to serve the Day and a lesser Light to rule the Night But the Scripture maketh no mention of greater or lesser Presbyteries wee have the name of Presbytery but twice in the New Testament and in matter they differ not for these same Elders are the matter of both in form they differ not for the same combination and union is in all they differ not in operations for the superior hath no operations but such as the inferior can exercise for because a Pastor exhortâ—th a Pastor comsorteth we doe not make two kindes of Pastors if wee cannot finde a distinction betwixt presbyter and Presbyter how can wâ—e 〈◊〉 a distinction betwixt Presbytery and Presbytery Hath the Wisdome of Christ left these Thrones in such a confusion as by Scripture they cannot be knowen by Name Title Nature Operations And if there be a power above a power wee have to aâ—end to a Nation and so to subdite a whole Nation and their consciences to this Government and we are to put a Kingdome within a Kingdom Answ. A Church-Congregationall within a Church-Classicall is no more inconventent then a part in the whole an Hand in the Body and that is a lesser body in a greater and our Brethren call the people a Church and the Elders the Elders of the Church and what is this but a Church in a Church 2. A power above a power is not absurd exâ—ept it be a Church-power so above a Church-power as the Superior power be privative and destructive to the inferior as the Popes power distroyeth the power of the Chuâ—ch Universall and the prelates power destroyeth the power of the 〈◊〉 where of he is pretended Pastor But the power of the presbytery is Aâ—xiliarte and cumulative to helpe the Congregation not privative and destructive to destroy the power of congregations Secondly a power above a power in the Church cannot be denied by our Brethren for 1. In the Eldership of a â—â—â—gle Congregation the Eldership in the Court hath a power of Jurisdiction above a power of order which one single Minister hath to preach the Word and administrate the Sacraments for they may regulate the Pastor and censure him if he preach hereticall Doctrine is not this a power above a power yea two Elders in the Court have a power of Jurisdiction to governe with the whole prebsytery but the power of the whole presbytery is above the power of a part But to comâ— neerer The Apostles and Elders at Ierusalem met in a Synod have a power in dogmaticall poynts over the Church at Antioch and others and our Brethren say that the Church at Antioch might have in their inferiour Synod determined these same poynts which the Synod determined at Ierusalem her 's power above power Thirdly we doe not see how they be two or divers indicatures formally and specisically different in nature and operations for they differ onely in more or lesse extension of power as the reasons doe prove as the power of government in one City or Borough doth not differ formally from the power of the whole Cities and Boroughs incorporated and combined in one common Judicature and the power of two or three or foure Colledges doth not differ from the power of the whole combination of Colledges combined in the comm on Judicature of the Universities so here the powers of the inferior Judicatures do differ from the Superior onely in degree and in number of members of the Judicatures the policy divine is one and the same though the Superior can exercise acts of Jurisdiction different from the Acts of the inferior in an ordinary way such as are ordination of Pastors and excommunication where many Churches are consociated though where this consociation is not Ordination and Excommunication may be done by one single Congregation also to argue from the not distinction of Names Titles and Adjuncts of the Iudicatures is but a weake Argument because Congregationall and presbyterian provinciall and a nationall Church-Body make all one body and the inferior is but a part and member of the Superior and thefore it was not needfull that as Apostles and Prophets and the Sun the greater light by name and Office is distinguished from the Moone Gen. 1. the lesser light that Congregation and Presbyter should be distinguished by Names and Office and Titles in the Scripture for a Prophet is not formally a part of an Apostle but an Officer formally different from him and the Moone is not a part of the Sun as a Congregation is a part of the Classicall Church so Mat. 18. the Scripture distinguisheth not the people and Elders in the word Ecclesia Church as our Brethren will have then both meant in that place Mat. 18. Teil the Church Now we say as they doe to us in the like we are not to distinguish where the Law doth not distinguish But the Scripture sayth Mat. 18. The Church that the offended hath recourse unto is that Church which must be obeyed as a Judicature and spirituall Court but the people is neither a Judicature nor any part thereof And 2. Of that Church Christ doth speake that doth actually bind on Earth and loose on Earth and that by the power of the Keyes but the people neither as a part of the Court doth actually bind and loose on Earth by power of the Keyes 3. Christ speaketh of that Court and of that Church which doth exercise church-Church-power on Earth under the title of binding and loosing but we find not a Church in the face and presence of the people binding and loosing under the name of the Church in the Word of God Shall we use such an insolent signification of the word Church as the Word of God doth not use and Lastly I say of these of Corinth gathered together convened together in the Name of the Lord Jesus with the Ministeriall spirit of Paul and with the power of the Lord Iesus these cannot be the Church excommunicating before the people The Text destinguisheth not the Court of Elders who hath the power of Jurisdiction from the people and all these to whom he writeth and who were puffed up and mourned not for the scandall have no such power of Jurisdiction nor can the
is a Member of that common Court which doth concerne them all therefore all these consequences are null Object 9. But when the Presbytery doth excommunicate in a particular Congregation by a delegate they may with as good reason preach by a delegate as exercise Jurisdiction by a delegate the one is as personall and incommunicable as the â—â—â—r Answ. It is certaine there bee great oddes for the acts of jurisdiction performed by speaking in the Name of Iesus Christ doe come from a Colledge and Court and because it were great confusion that a whole Court should speake therefore of necessity such acts must be done by a delegate Indeed the Juridicall acts of the whole juridicall proceeding of decerning the man to be excommunicated cannot bee done by one man onely it would bee most conveniently done by the whole Senate or at least by a select number against which the accused party hath no exception and is willing to bee judged by but the acts of order as Preaching flowing from the power of order can be performed only by the Pastor in his owne person and not by a deputy Except that a Synodicall teaching which commeth from the power of Jurisdiction may bee sent in writ by Messengers and Deputies to the Churches Acts 15. 25. Acts 16. 4. Object 10. A Pastor is not a Pastor but in relation to his owne Church or Congregation Therefore hee cannot doe Pastorall Acts of either Order or Jurisdiction in a Presbyterie Answ. How a Pastor is a Pastor in relation to all the World deserveth discussing First Some have neither power of Order nor Jurisdiction in any place as private persons Secondly some have both power of Order and Jurisdiction through all the World as the Apostles who might teach and administrate the Sacraments and Excommunicate as Apostles in every Church Thirdly some have power of Order and Jurisdiction in a certaine determinate place as Pastors in their owne particular Congregations Fourthly some have power of Order in relation to all the VVorld as Pastors of a Congregation who are Pastors validly Preaching and Administrating the Sacraments but orderly and lawfully Preaching where they have a calling of those who can call to the occasionall exercise of their calling hic nunc In this meaning a Pastor of one flock is a Pastor in regard of power of Order to all the World Because though his pastorall teaching be restrained by the Church in ordinary onely to this Congregation yet hath hee a pastorall power to preach to all the World in in an occasionall way both by Word and Writ yet doth not this power being but the halfe of his Ministeriall power denominate him a Pastor to all the World as the Apostles were and the same way hath hee power to administrate the Sacraments and this way may our Brethren see that power of order to be a Minister or Pastor is given by the Presbytery so as if the man were deprived clave non errante hee now hath lost his pastorall relation to both the Catholick Church and that Congregation whereof hee is a Pastor So as hee is now a private man in relation not onely to that Congregation whereof hee was a Pastor but also in relation to the whole visible Church now no particular Congregation hath power to denude him of this relation that he had to the whole catholick Church But a Pastor of a flock is a Pastor in respect of power of Jurisdiction not over all the World to excommunicate in every Presbytery with the Presbytery hee is onely capable by vertue of his power of order to exercise power of Jurisdiction where hee shall come upon suposall of a call if hee be chosen a Pastor there or be called to be a Commissioner in the higher or highest Courts of the Church catholick but other wayes he hath no power of Jurisdiction but in that Court whereof he is a member that is in the Eldership of a Congregation and in the Classicall Presbytery for hee is so a member of a Congregation as he is also a member of the Classical Presbytery and therefore though he be not a Pastor one way in this Classicall Court I meane in respect of power of order yet is hee a Pastor 〈◊〉 in watching over that Church in respect of power of Jurisdiction Our Brethrens ground then is weake when they say A Pastor cannot give the Seales to those of another Congregation because he hath no Ministeriall power over those of another Congregation if they meane power of Jurisdiction it is true he hath no Jurisdiction over those of another Congregation but if they meane hee hath no power of order over them that is for what ever be the Churches part in this it is certaine the Pastor doth administrate the Seales by power of order and not by power of Iurisdiction and the Church as the Church hath not any power of order for shee is not called to any pastorall dignity though wee should grant that which yet can never bee proved that shee is invested with a Ministeriall power Object 11. If the Church which you suppse to be presbyteriall to wit the Church of Corinth did excommunicate or was commanded to excommunicate the incestuâ—us person before the Congregation convened and met in one then must your classicall Church exercise all other acts of Iurisdiction before all the Congregationall Churches of the Classicall Presbytery meete in one But this latter is as unpossible as absurd For how shall thirty or forty Congregations meet all in one place for all the severall acts of Jurisdiction Also you confesse that many Congregations cannot meete in one place that the proposition may be made good We suppose these grounds of the Presbyteriall frame of Churches 1. That the presbyteriall Church of Corinth not the Congregation had the onely power of excommunication 2. That this man was to be excommunicated in presence and so with the consent of the whole multitude for so the Text sayth 1 Cor. 5. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When you are gathered together 3. Excommunication is the highest act of Iurisdiction in the Church being the binding of the sinner in Heaven and Earth if therefore this highest act of Iurisdiction must bee performed before all the Church congregated in one then must all acts of Iurisdiction be performed also in presence of the congregated Church for it concerneth their edification and is a matter of conscience to then all 4. The reason why wee thinke sit hee should be excommunicated before or in presence of that Congregation whereof hee is a member is because it concerneth them and hee is a member of this Congregation But by your grounds the whole Presbyteriall or classicall Church should be present which were unpossible for hee is to you a Member of the whole Classicall Church and the power of excommunication is in the whole classicall Church and they ought to bee present by the same reason that the Congregation whereof hee is a neerest member is present Answ. 1.
neerely because as I sayd before the more universall the Church visible is the externall visible Communion is lâ—sse even as when the number of a Family is cut off by the Sword of the Magistrate the matter first and more intimately and more neerely concerneth the Family whereof hee is a Member yet it doth also concerne the Common-Wealth of which also hee is a Member A Finger of the right Hand is infected with a contagious Gangren it is to bee cut off yet the cutting-off concerneth more neerely the right Hand then it doth the left Hand and the whole Body For the contagion should first over-spread the right Hand and Arme and Shoulder before it infect the left Hand and the whole Body though it doe not a little concerne the whole Body also So though actuall Excommunication concerne all the Churches of the Presbyterie yet it doth more neerely concerne the Congregation whereof hee is a Member 2. The pronouncing of the sentence being edificative it is a fit meane to worke upon others but calling and trying of witnesses and Juridicall decerning of a Man to bee Excommunicated requiring secrecies yea and some scandals and circumstances of Adultery Incest Pestiality requiring a modest covering of them from Virgins young Men Children and the multitude wee have no warrant of GOD that they should bee tryed before the whole multitude nor are acts of Jurisdiction for their excellency to bee brought forth before the people but for their neerenesse of concernment and use of edification Object 12. The people are to consent yea they must have a power and some thing more than a consent in Excommunication Ergo they are all to bee present The antecedent is proved 1. Because they were not puffed up they did not keepe the Feast they did not dostaine from eating with the incestuous person onely by consent 2. Others not of that Church did excommunicate by consent 3. It is said v. 12 doe yee not judge them that are within Answ. If you will have them to excommunicate the same way that they doe other duties you may say they excommunicate the same way that Pastors and Elders doe and if they Judge vers 12. as the Elders doe either all the people are Judges and where are then all the governed if all bee governours or then hee speaketh in this Chapter to the Churches-Iudges onely 2. There bee degrees of consent these of other Churches have a tacite and remote consent the people of the Congregation are to heare and know the cause and deale in private with the offender and to mourne and pray for him Object 13. The highest and double honour is due to him who laboureth in the word 1 Tim. 5. 17. but if the Presbyteriall Church be the highest Church it shall not have the double honour for it is onely the governing Church Answ. Highest honour is due in suo genere to both And this is as if you should compare obedience and honour that I owe to my Father with that which I owe to my grand-Father 2. Paul 1 Tim. 5. 17. compareth Elders of diverse sorts together as the Ruling and Teaching Elder here you compare Pastors to bee honoured in respect of one act with themselves to bee honoured in respect of another act and this might prove I am to give more honour to my Pastor for preaching in the Pulpit then for ruling in the Church-Senate Object 14. The Congregation is the highest Church for it hath all the Ordinances Word Sacraments Jurisdiction Ergo there is not any Presbyteriall Church higher which hath only disciplinary power Answ. There is a double highnesse one of Christian Dignity 2. Another of Church-prehemenency or of Ecclesiasticall authority indeed the Congregation the former way is highest the company of Believers is the Spouse and ransomed Bride of Christ. But the Eldership hath the Ecclesiasticall eminency as the Kings heire and Sonne is above his Master and Teacher one way yet the Teacher as the Teacher by the fift Commandement is above the Kings Sonne as the Teacher is above him who is taught And so is the Case here Object 15. The Arguments for a Classicall or Presbyteriall Church do much side with Prelacy for you make many Lords ruling and not teaching Answ. Let all judge whether the independent power of three Elders accountable to none in a Church-way but to Iesus Christ onely as you make your little Kingdomes on Earth be neerer to the Popes Monarchy and especially when there is but one Pastor in the Congregation then the subordinate Government of fourescore or an hundred Eldersâ— sure I am three Neighbours are neerer to one Monarch then three hundred 2. One Monarchicall Society is as tyrannicall Antichristianism as one Monarchicall Pastor 3. If wee made many ruling and dominering Lords you should say something but wee make many servants endued onely with Ministeriall power onely to teach and rule and to bee accomptable to the Church your Eldership in this agreeth with the Pope that though they deliver many Soules to Satan yet no Man on Earth can in a Church-way say What doe you ACT. XV. A Patterne of a juridicall Synod THat the Apostles in that famous Synod Act. 15. did not goe on by the assistance of an immediately inspired spirit and by Apostolick authority but onely as Elders and the Doctors and Teachers assisted with an ordinary spirit to me is evident from the course of the context 1. Because Act. 15. when a controversie arise in the Church â—â— Antiochia Epiphanius saith as also Hieronymus by Câ—â—mbus and others touching the keeping of Moses his Law especially the Ceremonies except they would bee losers in the buâ—nesse of their salvation Paul could not goe as sent by Amiâ—h to submit that Doctrine which hee received not from flesh and blood but by the revelation of Jesus Christ Gal. 1. 12. to the determination of a Synod of Apostles and Elders for who would think that the immediatly inspiring spirit iâ— Pâ—ul would submit himselfe and his Doctrine to the immediately inspiring spirit in Paul Peter Apostles and Elders therefore Paul and Birnabas come as sent to Jerusalem not â—â— Apostles or as immediately inspired but as ordinary teachâ—â— Therefore saith Diodatus Not because these two A◠〈…〉 were every wayequall to the rest in the light and conduct 〈◊〉 Spirit and in Apostolicall authority Gal. 2. 6. 8. had any 〈◊〉 instruction or of confirmation but only to give the weake 〈◊〉 who had more confidence in Peter and James and in the Church at Jerusalem and to stop false doctors mouths and to estaâ—â—â—â— by common votes a generall order in the Church Hence when a controversie ariseth in the Apostolicke Church and the Controversie is betwixt an Apostle as Paul was and others and both sides alledge Scripture as here both did out of all controversie there is no reason that the Apostle Paul who was now a party should judge it and when a single Congregation in the like case is on two
Elders as well as the Apostles convened to consider about this matter and Act. 21. 18. 25. All the Elders of Jerusalem with James take on them these acts as well as the Apostles and they are the decrees of the Elders no lesse then of the Apostles Act. 16. â— 4. a derivation of the immediate impiâ—ing Spirit to â—â—â— Elders and by them as fellow-members of the Synod to the Apostles and a derivation of this immediat Apostolick spirit by the Apostles to the Elders to make them also infallible is unknowne to Scripture for one Prophet did not immediatly inspire another and one Apostle did not immediatly inspire another wee read not in the Word of any such thing and therefore it is said Act. 15. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And when there had beene much disputing Peter sâ—â—d up All who interpret this place say even Papists not exâ—pted as Salmero com in 〈◊〉 Salmeron Lâ—â—mus â— Lorinus Cornelius a lapt Cornelius a lapide and others on the place that when there is not consultation and disputing on both sides to find out the truth but an absolute authoritie used by commanding the proceeding of the counceil is rash saith Salmeron now the Prophets were immediatly inspired without any consultation with men in delivering Gods will and they saw the visions of God as it is said And the Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah to Ezechiel to Hosea c. and bee said c. yea when a propheticall spirit came upon Baâ—â—m Num. 24. bee seeing the visions of God hee prophecied directly contrary to his owne carnall mind and to his consultation with Balâ—â—k now it is cleare that the Apostles what they spake by the breathings and inspirations of that immediatly inspiring Spirit is no lesse cannonick Scripture then the prophecies of the immediatly inspired Prophets who saw the visions of God and therefore 2 Pet. 1. 16 17 18 the voyce that the Apostles heard from heaven This is my beloved Sonnâ— in whom I am well pleased is made equall with the word of prophâ—cie and propheticall Scripture which the holy men of God spale â— they were moved by the holy Ghost v. 19 20 21. and 2 Pet. 3. 16. Pauls Epistles are put in the classe with other Scriptures v. 15 16. now all Scripture 2 Tim. 3. 16. is given by divine inspiration and 2 Peter 3. 2. puteth the words of the Prophets and Apostles in the same place of divine authority 2 Pet. 3. 2. That yee bee mindfull of the words which were spoken before by the holy Prophets and of the commandements of us the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour whence to mee this synodicall consultation is not Apostolicall but such as is obligatory of the Churches to the end of the world and a patterne of a generall Synod 6. This assembly is led by the holy Spirit as is cleare v. 25. 28. but this is not the holy Spirit immediatly inspiring the Apostles as Apostles but that ordinary Synodicall spirit to borrow that expression that is promised to all the faithfull pastors and rulers of the Church to the end of the world because the immediatly inspiring spirit comming on Prophets and Apostles in an immediate inspiration did necessitate the Prophets and Apostles to acquiesce and prophesie and to doe and speake whatsoever this spirit inspired them to doe and to speake but this spirit spoken of v. 28. doth not so but leaveth the assembly to a greater libertie because the assembly doth not acquiesce to that which Peter saith from Gods Word v. 7 8 9 10 11. nor doth the Assembly acquiesce to what Barnabas and Paul saith v. 12. but onely to that which James saith v. 13 14 15 16 17 18. but especially to his conclusion which hee draweth from the Law of nature not to give scandall and from the Scriptures cited by himselfe and by Peter v. 19 20. Wherefore my sentence is saith James c. and this clearely is the sentence of James as a member of the Synod v. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is an expression clearly insinuating that the judgement of James though it was not contrary to that which Peter Paul and Barnabas had spoken yet that is was somewhat diverse from them and more particular and the very mind of the holy Ghost which the whole Synod followed and therefore though Peter and Paul spake truth yet did they not speake that truth which did compose the controversie and this is to mee an argument that they all spake as members of the Synod and not as Apostles 7. The immediatly inspired Apostolick Spirit though it may discourse and inferre a conclusion from such and such premisses as Paul doth Rom. 3. 28. and hee proveth from the Scripture Rom. 4. 4. 5. 6. that wee are justified by saith without workes and 1 Tim. 5. 17. 18. and Act. 9. 22. Act. 24. 14. 17. and so doth Christ reason and argument from Scripture Matth. 22. 31. Luk. 24. 25 26 27. and so have both the Prophets and Apostles argued yet the immediatly inspired Spirit of God in arguing doth not take helpe by disputing one with another and yet doth not obtaine the conclusion in hand but here Peâ—â—â— and Paul argue from Scripture and they prove indeed a true conclusion that the Gentiles should not keepe Moses his Law as they would bee saved yet they did not remove the question nor satisfic the consciences of the Churches in their present practise for if James had not said more then the Churches had not beene sufficiently directed in their practise by the Synod and for all that Peter and Paul said the Churches might have eaâ—â—n meates offered to Idols and blood and things strangled which at that time had been a sin against the Law of nature and a great stumbling block and a scandalizing of the Jewes Except therefore wee say that the Apostles intending as Apostles to determine a controversie in the Church they did not determine it which is an injury to that immediatly inspiring spirit that led the Apostles in penning Scripture wee must say that Peter Paul and James here spake as members of an eccleâ—iasticall Synod for the Churches after-imitation 8. If the Apostles here as Apostles give out this decree then it would seeme that as Apostles by virtue of the immediatly inspiring spirit they sent messengers to the Churches for one spirit directeth all and by this Text wee should have no warrant from the Apostles practise to send messengers to satisfie the consciences of the Churches when they should bee troubled with such questions now all our Divines and reason doth evince that a Synod may by this Text send messengers to resolve doubting Churches in points dogmaticall for what the Apostles doe as Apostles by that power by which they writ canonick Scripture in that wee have no warrant to imitate them 9. I propounded another argument before which prevaileth much with mee The Elders of an ordinary Presbytery and Churches such as conveened at this Synod cannot be
clearely insinuate that their commandement as Apostles de jure should have ended the controversie but now for the edification and after-example of the Churches they tooke a Synodicall way 13. The way of the Apostles speaking seemeth to mee Synodicall and not given out with that divine and Apostolicall authoritie that the Apostles may use in commanding it is true they use lovely and swasory exhortations in their writing but this is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a decree not an exhortation now James saith 1◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is set downe as his private opinion with reverence to what Peter and Paul saith and v. 7. Peter when many had disputed and spoken before him standeth up and speaketh and v. 12. Barnabas and Paul after the multitude is â—â—nt doth speake which to mee is a Synodicall order and the whole Synod v. 28. say It seemed good to us They answer 1. Consociated Churches have some power in determining of dogmaticall points but this is no power of jurisdictim The seventh Proposition to which almost all the Elders of New England agreed saith The Synod bath no church-Church-power but the cause enimeth with the Church Corpus cum causa the Church-body and the cause which concerneth the Church-body doe remaine together â—nd therefore quaestio defertur ad Synodum causa manet penes eccleiam the question is brought to the Synod the cause remaineth with the Church Another Manuscript of Godly and learned Divines I saw which saith That the ministeriall power of applying of the rules of the word and Canons to persons and things from time to time as the occasions of the Church shall require pertaineth to and may be exercised by each particular Church without any necessary dependance on other Churches yet in difficill cases wee ought say they to consult with and seeke advise from presbyteries and ministers of 〈◊〉 Churches and give so much authoritie to a concurrence of judgements as shall and ought to be an obligation to us not to depart from any such resolutions as they shall make upon any consideration but where in conscience and hence our peace with God is apparently concerned Answ. I perceive 1. That our brethren cannot indure that a Synod should bee called a Church but 1. I verily thinke that when Paul and Barnabas Act. 15. 1 2. had much dissention with those who taught you must bee circumcised after the manner of Moses that the Church of Antioch resolved to tell the Church that is the Synod while as they fall upon this remedy v. 2. They determined that Paul and Barnabas and certaine other of them 〈◊〉 goe up to Jerusalem unto the Apostles and Elders about this question that is that the Church of Antioch when the subverâ—ers of soules would not heare their brethren of Antioch did tell the Synod convened at Jerusalem that is according to our â—viours order Maâ—â—â— 18. 17. they did tell the Church and my reason is if the Church at Antioch could not satisfie the conâ—câ—enâ—es of some who said you must bee circumcised else you cannâ—x in saved they could not nor had they power in that cast not to goe on but were obliged to tell the Synod that is the Church whom it concerned as well as Antioch for if they had sent the matter to the Synod as a question not as a cause proper to the Synod or Church then when the Synod had resolved the question the cause should have returned to the Church of Antioch and been determined at Antioch as in the proper court if that hold true the question is deserred to the Synod the cauâ—e remaineth with the body the Church but the cause returned never to the Church of Antioch but both question and cause was determined by the Synodicall-Church Act. 15 v. 22. 23 24. and the determination of both question and cause ended in the Synod as in a proper court and is imposed as a commandement and a Synodicall Canon to bee observed both by Antioch v. 25 26 27 28 29. and other Churches Act. 16. 4 5. Ergo either the Church of Antioch lost their right and yet kept Christs order Matth. 18. 15 16 17. or the question and cause in this case belongeth to a Synod 2. It is said expresly â— 22. It pleased tâ— Apostles Elders and the whole Church to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch c. What Church was this the whole Church of â—â—leevers or the fiaternitie at Jerusalem say our brethren but with leave of their godlinesse and learning no say â— 1. What reason that the Church of all beleevers men and women of Jerusalem should de jure have beene present to give either consent or surfrage there because it concerned then practise and conscience but I say it concerned as much if not more the conscience and practise of the Church of Antioch if not more for the cause was theirs say our brethen and cause ad corpus say they quaestio ad synodum and it concerned as much the practise and conscience of all the Churches who were to observe these decrees Act 16. 4. 5 Act. 21. 25. yet they were not present If the multitude of â—â—leevers of Jerusalem was present because they were 〈…〉 to the Synod whereas Antioch other 〈…〉 were nor off were not present but in their commissioners then I say the Church â—â— the multitude of Jerusalem whose commidicâ—â—â—s were here 〈◊〉 I say the multitude was present â—uely de 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 nor was there more law for their presence then â—or all other Churches who also in conscience were obliged to obey the councells determinations but I deare a warrant that the fact of the Synod such as was sending of the decrees and Commissioners with the decrees to Antioch should bee â—â—â—â—ibed to the multitude of beleevers at Jerusalem who by no Law of God were present at the Synod and by no Law of God 〈◊〉 more consent then the Church of Antioch and were present 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by accident because they dwelt in the 〈◊〉 where the Synod did sit therefore say I the 〈◊〉 Church in the whole Synod 2. By what Law can Jerusalem a sister Church have influence or consent de jure in sending binding Acts as these were as is cleare v. 28. Ch. 16. 4 5. Ch. 21. 25. to the Church of Antioch for this is an authoritative sending of messengers and the Canons to the Church of Antioch as is evident v. 2 2. 3. It is utterly denied that the Church of Jerusalem I meane the multitude of beleevers could meet all at one Synod 4. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 12. which is said to hold their peace is referred to the Apostles and Elders met Synodically v. 6. and is not the multitude of beleevers 5. Where are these who are called Elders not Apostles they are ever distinguished from the Apostles as Act. 15. 2. v. 6. v. 22. Act. 16. 4. Act. 21. 18. 25. â—are is no reason that they were all
Elders of Jerusalem for 〈◊〉 can Elders of one sister Church impose Lawes burdens â—28 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 decrees Ch. 16. 4. upon sister Churches or hâ—w can they pen canonicall Scripture joyntly with the Apostles Some of our brethren say so much of those degrees that they obliged formally the Churches as Scriptures doe oblige