and determine such Matters as shou'd come before them This same is clear from Deut. 19.16 17 18. These Assemblies were Revived by good King Jehoshaphat according the LORD's Appointment 2 Chron. 19.8 9 10 11. Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set of the Levites and the Priests and of the Chief of the Fathers of Israel for the Judgment of the LORD and for Controversies when they returned to Jerusalem and charged them Thus shall ye do in the fear of the LORD and with a perfect Heart In Ezra's Time the Elders were appointed to meet at certain times to determine the matter about Unlawful Marriages Ezra 10.14 From all which is evident 1. That as the Israelites were the Church of GOD so they had Rulers Assembled for their Government 2. That these were Church-Officers Priests and Levites 3. That the Matters they were concern'd in were properly Ecclesiastical as Matters of the LORD distinct from the Matters of the King 2 Chron. 19. 4. The Laws by which they were to Judge were Divine Deut. 17.11 5. The End of such Assemblies was the Preservation of GOD's Ordinances in their Purity the Maintaining and Promoting of Peace and Holiess 2. But it is further to be considered That this Law by vertue whereof they Assembled was not a meet Positive or Temporary Law peculiar to that Church only but a Law which Natures Light directs and obliges us to observe so it was neither Ceremonial nor Judicial unless in some Circumstances For the Light of Nature being nothing else but the Dictate of Right Reason discovering the Good or Evil of Mens Actions according to their Agreement or Repugnancy to it whatever is founded on or harmoniously agrees with Right Reason must be according to the Light and Law of Nature which plainly teaches us 1. That no Humane Society Civil or Ecclesiastick can subsist without Order and Government Ordo est Anima rerum saith the Philosopher Order is the Soul of things And when there was no King in Israel then every Man did what was right in his own Eyes Then did the Danites set up Idolatry Judg. 18. Then did the Benjamites practise and patronize barbarous and inhumane Uncleanness Judg. 19. for which Divine Vengeance pursued all 2. The same Light of Nature teaches us That no Society can be preserved without Laws Made and Executed by those on whom the Government lies Thus all Humane Societies are Regulated by Laws proper and convenient for them and if any thing be from the Light and Law of Nature Laws Law-Givers and Law-Executors are 3. Right Reason dictates agreeable to the Revealed Word of GOD Prov. 11.14 That where there is no Counsel the People fall but in the multitude of Counsellors there is Safety so hath GOD planted in the Natural Body Ears and Eyes to Inform and Direct for the Preservation of the Whole and these He hath joyn'd together conveniently And so the Seers hath He set in His Church joyntly to employ their Skill and Gifts for Prevention of those Evils which might hurt the Flocks over whom they are Overseers 4. Natural Light informs us That as Equals can have no Empire over one another so Societies consisting of Equals the Lesser Number in all matters of Controversie and Difference ought to yield to and be determined by the Greater or major part according to that Maxime Pars Major Jus habet Universitatis The Greatest Part hath the Power of the Whole And Civilians accordingly teach That refertur ad singulos quod publice fit per majorum partem It relates to All what is done Publickly by the Greater Part for otherwise Debates and Controversies would be endless and it is Irrational that a Lesser Number of Equals should over-rule or determine the Greater 5. The same Light dictates That in a Society consisting of many Particular Societies a Subordination of Power is Necessary by which an Injured Party hath the Right of Appeal from the Lower to the Superiour which Appeal is an Application from an Inferiour or Incompetent Judge to a Superiour or Competent Judge containing a Complaint of Injury done for considering the Corruption of humane Nature Men are apt both to Do and Judge Wrong and therefore the Learned Whitaker hath declared That Appeals are of Divine and Natural Right and that most necessary in every Society because of the Ignorance or Iniquity of many Judges for if Innocent Persons might not Appeal under an Unjust Sentence Honesty and Innocency might be ruined Yet such Appeals must not be Infinite but must Sist somewhere and have their Ne plus ultrà which is the Supream Authority of that Society Seeing GOD then hath so well provided Civil Societies with all that is Necessary for their Safety and Prosperity shall we think Him less concern'd for the Church which He hath purchased with His own Blood and to leave it a confused Chaos or Babel daily liable to many Diseases but provided with no Remedies 3. As GOD hath Commanded the Light and Law of Nature directed and Obliged Church-Rulers to Assemble for the afore-said Ends so this Law of Nature neither is nor can be Repealed under the New Testament and therefore in obedience to it Ministers stand bound to Assemble for Preservation of CHRIST's Vineyard Those who will Assert that this Law is Repealed must tell by whom when and how it was so But so far is it from being Repealed that it is evident it cannot be for a Law of Nature being in it self Necessary Just and Equitable what would overturn such a Constitution must be Contrary and so Needless Unjust and Unequal Yea all that ever made such Assembling Needful is so still and where the Reason of a Law which is Anima Legis continues that Law abides in its full force 4. But so far hath our LORD and Law-Giver been from Abrogating this Law that he hath under the New Testament Established it and that by prescribing Church-Assemblies as a Remedy against Offences given Matth. 18.17 enjoyning the Injured to tell the Church and in case of not hearing the Church that such be counted as Heathens or Publicans I am not ignorant of the great Division of Thoughts and Tongues about this Text all that I desire from it is what cannot reasonably be deny'd 1. That it is not a single Person or Church-Virtual as some Papists are pleased to speak for so the word never was nor possibly can be taken which ever imports an Assembly of Men. 2. This Church is such as hath power to take Cognizance of a Complaint made to them and to determine it and to censure the Contemners and Neglecters of them which our LORD would not have Commanded had he not cloath'd them with Power to hear and judge 3. This cannot be the whole Community of Believers but a select Society and that 1. Because it is a Church to whom He hath given the Power of Binding and Loosing Vers 28. and whose Sentence he will ratifie in Heaven which Power is apparently given to Church-Officers
Explain Matters of Faith and Rules of Worship according to GOD's Word to discover and declare the contrary Errors or Corruptions Thus they detected and declared and so by the Word of GOD prevented and removed the Corruption both of Doctrine and Worship which those Pharisaical Men were bringing in with a burden of Ceremonies hereby they pacify and strengthen the Church by securing to it that Liberty wherewith CHRIST had made it free 2. They Exercis'd that Power called Diatactick which relates to the External Order of the Church in Matters Prudential and Circumstantial which are to be determined by the Light of Nature and those General Rules prescribed in Scripture such as 1. That our great and chief End be GOD's Glory according to that 1 Cor. 10.31 2. That no Offence be given to Jew or Gentile or the Church of GOD according to Vers 32. 3. That all be done for Edification 1 Cor. 14.26 4. And in Decency and Order according to Vers 20. By these Rules are Church-Assemblies bound to walk which if they do Peace shall be on them as on the Israel of GOD. Thus this Synod decreed to frame their Decision in a Letter and to send it by fit Commissioners 3. They Exercised that Power called Critick or Disciplinary in Censuring those False Teachers as Subverters of Souls Men running unsent and Teaching what they had no Command for vers 24. And so may Assemblies Use and Exercise Censures provided it be done with Humility Moderation and Compassion and so shall the Church be preserved from Heresie and Schism This being our best Pattern I come to make some Application to our selves Use 1. Seeing GOD hath Commanded Nature's Light hath Directed CHRIST's Precept and His Apostles Precedent hath Authorized Assemblies of Church-Officers for its Safety and Edification we may meet in Faith having the Authority of GOD for our Motive and Warrant so to do and therefore may depend upon His Promised Presence with us and the hearing of our Prayers seeing what we do is not from a Principle of carnal Policy but in Obedience to our Great Master and for the Service of His Church under our care 2. We are hence informed That the want of a Call or Commission to Assemble from Secular Power we being permitted to meet doth not make our Meeting Unlawful before GOD as some may fancy nor doth the want of a Civil Sanction to our Acts make them void For this Assembly had neither yet was blessed of the LORD The Civil Magistrate we confess may and ought to call Ministers to their Work and protect them in it yet this is necessary only to the well-being but not to the being of such Meetings The Primitive Church for the first Three hundred years Enjoyed no such Priviledge more than we yet wanted not their Assemblies nor dare we condemn them as Unlawful and as we have reason to bless GOD that we are Permitted to meet in Peace tho' not Commanded so to do let us as we have hitherto endeavoured so behave our selves as to give no just ground of Offence for sure we can do nothing prejudicial to the Civil Interest if we keep within our own Sphere and pursue the just Ends of our Meeting which are the Preservation of Truth and Peace and promoting Holiness among our selves and those over whom the LORD hath set us for certainly such will be found the best Subjects who conscientiously mind these Duties 3. Seeing GOD hath Commanded Ministers to Assemble when it is necessary then such ought to make Conscience of Meeting when called and not to forsake the Assembling of themselves together as the manner of some is It 's true such as GOD hath Disabled to come are hereby Excused For the LORD Himself hath done it and who may say What doth He But those who are able to go about their own particular Affairs and yet excuse themselves from attending these our Assemblies seem to mind more their own things than the things of CHRIST Some indeed despise these Assemblies as being in their Opinion a Yoke but we have cause to bless GOD for this Yoke which ties us together binds us to our Work and strengthens us in the Performance thereof for by our Meetings GOD hath been pleased to preserve us in as great Unanimity of Judgment Unity of Affection Uniformity in all our Ministerial Actings as any such Number of such Men we know in the like Circumstances with our selves By these we have been helpt to mind the same thing and walk by the same Rule and by our united Care and Counsels in our darkest Times and greatest Dangers have been inabled both to avoid giving just ground of Offence and have thereby defended our selves our own and the Publick Peace have been considerably secured by these means when it hath fared otherwise in other places And Experience daily tells us that the Church shall never be Comely as Jerusalem Terrible as an Army with Banners while every small Company with their several Captains have sole Jurisdiction and no Common Councils kept for War or Peace no Subordination or Authority for Exercise of Discipline Redress of Grievances or Establishing of Order Had some of our Brethren what we Enjoy by these they would soon be more Terrible to their Enemies more Comfortable to their Friends more Peace should be in their Palaces and Prosperity within their private Walls 4. This also may convince us that CHRIST never Appointed His Church to be Governed by Sole Jurisdiction of single Persons for even in case of a private Offence He commands to tell the Church not any single Person howsoever dignified the Promise of His Presence is made at least to Two or Three gathered in His Name Matth. 18.20 As the Apostles with the Knowledge and Consent of the Church chose and ordained an Apostle Acts 1. so they would not exercise sole Jurisdiction even in the Ordination of Deacons Acts 6.3 6. The Apostles joyntly sent Peter and John to Samaria Acts 8.14 The Apostles and Brethren in Judea call'd Peter to Account in respect of his Carriage to the Gentiles Acts 11.1 2 18. It was the Church and not any one Church-man that sent Barnabas so far as Antioch Acts 11.22 Yea the very matters of Charity were managed by Common Consent for the Disciples in Antioch sent to Barnabas and Paul and the Elders at Jerusalem so that there was not so much as sole Jurisdiction in the Distribution of the Churches Charity Acts 11.29 30. Paul and Barnabas are sent by the Ministers of the Church of Antioch assembled Chap. 13. And here it is more evident than to be deny'd so that I would gladly know any Constituted Church within all the New Testament or Old when Church-Jurisdiction was exercised by any single Person And seeing our Laws and Law-Givers have thought it unreasonable and unsafe to trust the Legislative Power in the hands of any single Person or the Lives Liberties Limbs or Estates to any less than a Jury of Twelve Men then
is it reason to consider of the Safety and Reasonableness of trusting Church-Power in the hand of single Persons who tho' they thrust themselves into Civil Assemblies are seldom known to assemble as the Apostles and Elders did at Jerusalem 5. It is the Duty of Christian People under the Care of such Assemblies Reverently to Esteem and Dutifully to Regard their Lawful Constitutions So the Churches to which this Decree came rejoyced for the Consolation they had thereby Acts 15.31 As it 's a People's Mercy to have Government so none but Presumptuous and Self-will'd Persons will despise it and profane Men whose Immoralities make them justly obnoxious to their Censures 6. Having such an Excellent Example as this let us imitate them in ours and particularly in these things First In their Unanimity They were Assembled with one Accord they acted with one Accord let us do so also Their Unanimity appeared 1. In that they were Acted by the same holy Spirit on which they depended vers 28. 2. They walked by the same Rule Phillip 4.16 Let us do so also They had divers Apprehensions and Expressions about the Rule much Disputing and Debating not to confound but to find out Truth to convince Gain-sayers And therefore none should be offended at our Debates when managed with Moderation in order to Confirm Truth or Refute Error or find out proper Expedients for our Work The Matter about which Persons with whom and our own Infirmities occasion these Debates We have no Intuitive Knowledge but only Discussive and therefore must dig for Wisdom as for hidden Treasure 3. Let us with them mind the same thing Philip. 3.16 The Churches Preservation and Edification Truth Peace and Pure Gospel-Ordinances was all they Contended for and Aimed at not as sometimes they had Contended who should be Greatest Mark 9.34 By this Unanimity we shall Beautify and Fortifie our Assembly gain Respect to our Persons and Acts. Secondly Let us imitate them in the Ground and Reason of their Conclusions They determined nothing but what seemed Good to the Holy Ghost as well as them and this is best known by the Word of GOD. Let the things be necessary Vers 28. No burdensome Ceremony this they delivered the Church from as a Yoke which neither they nor their Forefathers were able to bear for rigid imposing of Things Unnecessary makes Church-Constitutions Contemptible and the Contrivers and Imposers of such needless Burdens as Imperious and Tyrannical 4. Let us with them what we have on due Deliberation Enacted Execute with all prudent Expedition A Flame was begun in the Church they presently sent to quench it Delays in this kind may prove dangerous 5. Let every Member of the Assembly as they did maintain the Credit and Authority of the Assembly by a chearful Submission and Obedience to its Appointments Paul Barnabas Judas and Silas tho' chief Men did not decline but Reverence the Authority of this Assembly by undertaking a Toilsome and hazardous Work Nature's Light teacheth us that the several Parts of a Politick Body as well as the Natural are to be subject and serviceable to the Whole and why not also in Church-Assemblies 6. Let us imitate their Spiritual Prudence in the chusing and sending Men to the Work that are fit for it They sent chosen Men c. As GOD hath intrusted us we cannot be Faithful to Him or those with whom He hath trusted us unless we employ fit Persons And therefore 1. Let us be careful to lay hands suddenly upon no Man that we be neither Partakers with them of their Sins nor Authors of Plagues to others but such as are faithful able and apt to teach let such be chosen at first 2 Tim. 2.2 We injure the present and betray the after-Generation if we do otherwise 2. Seeing there be diversity of Gifts we ought to make proper and suitable Application of those to Places and Work so is done here They sent Chosen Men. Nature hath taught every Mechanick not to use his Tools promiscuously GOD hath instructed the Plowman to Discretion not to thresh Fitches with a Threshing Instrument neither is a Cart-Wheel turned about upon the Cummin but the Fitches are beaten out with a Staff and the Cummin with a Rod Isa 28.27 28. This cometh from the LORD who is Wonderful in Counsel and Excellent in Working Neither a Mans own Desires or Inclinations nor partial Respect to Persons should guide us in this but Experience of a just Proportion betwixt their Gifts and the Work should direct us For mis-application of Persons to Places hath been of very ill consequence to the Church 7. The choicest Persons in our Assemblies are not to think themselves too good to serve the Church of CHRIST but when call'd are to go on her Errands chearfully as these Chosen Men here do Men ought not to seek only Ease Honour and Advantage but are call'd to Labour in the Vineyard and the Great Shepherd will provide them their Reward 8. Such Persons may be safely Trusted with the Important Interest of the Church who have given proof of their hazarding their Lives for the Name of CHRIST Men Deny'd to Themselves their Ease and Advantage Men of Courage who dare Engage in Difficulties such Men will have a Native Care for it Having therefore the SPIRIT promised to be our Guide the Word of GOD given to be our Rule and so Excellent a Pattern as this Assembly Let us follow our Guide according to the Rule after so Holy an Example FINIS