light breaks out to the clearing of the Truth These are Reasons why Hereticks must be Vse The use is seeing the Spirit of Error began so early to trouble the Church in the Apostles time that were guided with an infallible Spirit then ye are not to wonder that Error should trouble the Church now when there are not such infallible lights as these The Spirit of Error is a bold darring Spirit it will dare to contradict God Himself and find out some shift to cast at that which God Himself sayeth As may be seen Gen 3. The Lord said The day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die And Sathan contradicts it thou shalt not surely die And so no wonder there be such impudence seen in the Spirit of Error now as to cast at any thing which Gods Servants say seeing Satan still Acts the Instruments of Error Vse 2 But secondly from this Doctrine learn not to quarrell with Gods most Holy and wise Providence in that he suffers so many Errors to be We are ready to think that if God had that care of his Church Covenant and Cause as men would think he had he would not suffer such Effronted Spirits and such Blasphemous Hereticks to prevail and to outdare his Truth But that is to quarrel the Lords providence and without a ground He whose furnace is in Zion can make all the tryals of the time that arise from Error to contribute much for the clearing of Truth by this means he will rouse up his People to study Truth to understand it better to search out grounds for it and that is one advantage only ye would know also that these times will be discovering times they will discover many a corrupt heart many unstable hearts and light heads many proud Spirits and many that have Lusts lurking within them So that many will choose that Religion that will gratify their Lusts most For there is not an Error that Sathan hatches but there is one Lust or other within People that speaks for it and there is nothing more ready to make People take in Error than their harbouring of unmortified Lusts. So in 2 Timoth Cap 3. The Apostle speaking of those who should be caried away with false Teachers says in the 6. v. For of this sort are they which creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins led away with diverse Lusts Unmortified Lusts are as fuel to make the fire of Zeal for Error to burn very hot in Peoples bosom and so Error will try People this way Doct V. Next observe he sayes Believe not every Spirit that is believe not every Doctrine that hath the name of the Spirit and fair pretences put upon it as if they were the Doctrines of the Spirit of God believe them not From this we learn That the foulest Errors go out oftentimes under fairest names and are backed with most specious pretences what Fouler Errors than these spoken of here The denying of the Son of God And yet what fairer Names than the Spirit What fairer pretences than that they are Doctrines taught by the Spirit of God We will find this of all Errors spoken of in Scripture for the most part Coraâ— Dathan and Abiram's Error whereby they rose up against the Magistracy of Moses and Preist-hood of Aaron hath a fair pretence for it Ye take too much upon you Moses and Aaron are not all the Lords People Holy And Jeroboams Error his Idolatry in setting up the Calf at Dan and Bethel hath a fair pretence 1 Kings 12. It is too fair for you c. The Peoples ease and the publick good is the thing he pretends though his design was far otherwise And so these that urged Justification by works and opposed the way of free Grace and being justified by Faith they had their fair pretences O! say they to cast off Workes from Justification will make People secure wee may sin that Grace may abound very taking pretences all of them and as taking as any that Error is now covered over with The Reason of the Doctrine is from the cause for which the Tempter presents Error under fair colours and specious pretences which is this That he may make the Error the more taking For these are the baits he puts on the hook that he may deceive and catch the simple Therefore for use of this Doctrine ye would not be deceived with fair pretences or ravishinglike expressions that Error may be fairded over with See what the Apostle Paul sayes to this purpose 2 Thess cap. 2 v. 2. Where speaking against an Error he beseeches them by the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ That they be not soon shaken in mind or troubled neither by Spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us as that the day of Christ is at hand It supposes that the spreaders of that Error had all these three pretences Firstâ— they pretended the Spirit that it was a Doctrine taught them by the Spirit of God accompanied by his presence in their Spirits with more than ordinary flashes and raptures and In-bearings of the Spirit of Light And Secondly that they had the word or Scripture to alledge for it And Thirdly they picked somewhat out of Pauls Letters for them so would they say In speaking against us he contradicts himself These are fair pretences and yet sayes Paul be not shaken in mind with them So say I ye would guard your self against the fair pretences which Error may have and look not only to the out side but to the inside of them and then ye will find most bitter Serpents Lurking under fairest flowers As for example The Mother of all Error Tolleration hath a fair pretence for it viz. that good men may Err and so in suppressing Error ye may suppress Piety A fair pretence but it hath afoul end For by this meanes Blasphemers Denyers of God and Jesus Christ must have Liberty to vent their damnable Errors if so be that they can but pretend Conscience and so stable roome must be given in Christs Church to every unclean beast that ever was hatched in Hell The Antinomian Errors again have a fair pretence O say they Christ hath become sin for us and therefore it is taken off from us so we are not bound to repent for it for to say that we are to repent were to take the burthen off from Christs Back and to put it on our own These are specious words without solidity but they contradict Scripture Truths where they are narrowly looked to Peter was a justified Person and yet when Christ looked on him He weeped bitterly Davids sin was pardoned and Christ had taken the burthen of it and yet David was to Repent of it and to be corrected for it and so the Lord tells him that the sword should not depart from his house because he had made the Enemies of the Lord to Blasphem and yet sin was not laid upon David to satisfy divine Justice for it Only he must get
labour to bear down him that speaks it So Hereticks are called Murmurers Complainers Jude verse 16. So a Minister in reproving Error would guard against this danger lest he do more hurt than profit and all the Issue of his pains be to work a prejudice against himself And Secondly This Argument will be the more strong considering the evil that comes by prejudice There is nothing that makes people run faster headlong into Error than prejudice against Faithful Pastors Therefore this hath been the Devil's Method First To bear down the Ministry by making the people first cast at one then at another and so at all that their Ears being once stoped with prejudice at what Ministers say their Ear may be boared to let in any Error that the Devil or his Instruments pleaseth to vent Therefore a Minister would make it his Study so to behave himself that there be no ground of prejudice given by him but that all his Carriage may savour of a Resolution to entertain Love Now because our fear is that Error may spread and that if the Lord give us leave we intend from this Verse to speak to the most infecting Errors We shall solve this Question What a Minister is to do for entertaining Love For clearing of this we shall first shew what he is not to do He is not to be silent at Error for fear of Irritating and losing Affection That were not Love considering what is said of the nature of Error It is all one as if we would not reprove a loose Liver for fear of angring him Secondly Neither is he to speak against them in a Cold-rife manner as if it were a thing indifferent whether they return to a right Judgement or not No He must as he would be faithful to God aggravate the evil of Error to the utmost declare its hazard denounce what Scripture pronounceth against it whether it anger them or not Better anger and loose them than anger God What then must he do Answer As in other sins he must first reprove them Levit. 19. ver 17. And secondly so reprove as it may argue Love to the person reproved Jude ver 23. Only there would be this difference betwixt reproving of Error and other sins Other sins may be inveighed against without pains to convince the person reproved that such are sins Nature is born with a cry against such But Error hath an erring Conscience to stand up in its behalf therefore the most of a Ministers work would be in convincing from the Word that the thing he holdeth is Error Otherwise to inveigh against what he holdeth without this will harden him more he will look on it as the Man's passion and that he hath nothing to say from Scripture or Reason against what he holdeth 2. In dealing with erring persons there would be a difference put betwixt Seducers and those who are seduced Those who are rooted in Error and those who are only Doubters so Jude verse 23. For Use Ye may see from this what a great Task Ministers have and how great need of help there is from people to Ministers in Erring times In some respect it is harder to deal with one Man tainted with Error than with twice so many Prophane Livers A prophane Mans Conscience must readily say the same that we say and so keep us at Reverence But an erring Mans Conscience speaks against us takes us to Err and so readily cannot endure us and yet we must speak venturing in Gods strength But there is need so to speak least in speaking we loose more then we gain The next thing that followes is the Exhortation Believe not every Spirit That is do not credit every Doctrine that hath a fair pretence Or every Preacher that pretends the Name of the Spirit From this we learn That the Spirit of Error began very early to trouble the Church in the primitive times when the Apostles were yet living there were even then some who contradicted them to their very face so the averrers of Circumcision Justification by workes denyers of the resurrection c. Reas 1. The Reason is first because the Spirit of Error is shameless it will affront the most convincing evidences for it is natures Brood and credit is so engaged in it that it trampleth upon all that would bear it under if an Apostle were speaking a Sectarian Spirit would out-dare him It is an affronted and malapert Spirit Secondly The Lord saw it fitting that in the latter ages of the Church his People should be tryed by erring Spirits and therefore he would have the primitive times troubled with them also that we might be the less troubled seeing that even the Apostles themselves were not fre'd from such like perplexity as to have to doe with Spirits of Error But there is an other Reason why the Lord suffers his Church both in former times and in latter times to be troubled with the Spirit of Error set down in the 1 Corinth 11. verse 19. For there must be also Heresies amongst you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you There must be Heresies there is a must be put upon it Now this is not an absolute necessity but a necessity or a must be upon the supposition of Gods most wise decree to permit wise decree to permit and suffer those things for most wise ends and the end for which he permitts them to be is First for the tryal of Persons and secondly for the tryal of Truth First for the tryal of Persons this End is set down in the verse cited Heresies and Hereticks must be that they which are aproved may be made manifest among you The Spirit of Heresie let loose hath a discovering efficacy with it it discovers who are of a humble frame of Spirit and who are Proud Lofty Conceity and of a Selfish spirit It discovers who are light weak and easily carried away with any thing unstable minds as the Apostle speaks and who are more solid and Ballanced with the Spirit of Sobriety and solid Wisdom that is from above It discovers these who have put a price on Truth that they will buy it but will on no termes sell it and also discovers those who have put no price upon it or that will suffer little for it That is the first end why Hereticks must be to discover Persons and try them And secondly Hereticks in the Lords wise Providence tend to the tryal of Truths and the making of them brighter and clearer they scoure Truths so to speak so that the disputs of Hereticks and venting of Error make Truth the brighter The more debating there is betwixt these two Error grows the blacker and Truth the clearer When the Lord hath a mind to have a Truth cleared and rooted in his Peoples Spirits He does in his Infinite Wisdom take this way a strange way indeed and yet making much for the purpose He will let some Error arise to oppose the Truth through occasion whereof more
like to be taken in the snare than that they think themselves so stout and stedfast that no Error will gain upon them and I would think it an evidence very good when people are afraid of themselves and do humble themselves in the sense of their own weakness and are employing Christ daily to bear them through For Blessed is he that feareth alwayes Only remember that this fear would be of the right Stamp And for clearing this we shall point at three or four things wherein this holy fear does consist specially with Reference to Error First where â—his fear is There will be a labouring to root Truth in the heart Ye know when People are affraid of losing any thing that they will labour by all meanes to be sure of it A man that hath this Holy fear over himself lest he be ensnared with Error will study to gett Truth rooted in the heart Prov 2. 16. The Spirit of God speaketh of hiding of understanding putting it in the secret place of the heart A second thing accompanying this fear is a forecasting what Truth may cost you there would be a fore-casting of this and a taking an Essay of the Cross before hand and this for fear lest that to eschew suffering ye quite the Truth if the tryall come on you unexpectedly Paul while he is exhorting the Disciples to stedfastness informs them That through much tribulation we must enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Acts 14. 22. Then there is a third thing accompanying this Holy fear and that is a fear to venture on Temptations to Error except there be a Providence putting to it of necessity and this fear rises from the Sense of our own weakness to engage with or stand the shock against Temptations this is implyed in that direction which the Apostle Paul gives 2 Timoth 3 5. At the end of the verse From such turn away v 6. For of this sort are they which creep into houses When a man is sensible of his own weakness the fear of his being ensnared will keep him from walking among snares A fourth thing accompanying this Holy fear is that tho ye find these Truths ye have had once sealed to your Spirits begin to be questioned and that ye are not able to answer what is brought against them and so perchance your Judgment may incline to think that what ye thought once to be Truth is now Error Yet where this Holy fear is ye will rather suspect your own want of knowledge to discern than any way suspect the Truth to be untruth and it will make you at least abstain from venturing even on that which your light points out for the time Now by these ye may know what is the Fearlessness that makes People to be in danger and it is this when it makes thee so inconcerned that thou never Labours to get Truth brought lower than thy head when thou never casts an account what Truth may stand thee when thou art so confident of thy own wit and knowledge that thou will venture uncalled to dispute with Sectarian Spirits or when any thing is born in as Truth contrary to what thou hast maintained as a Truth before and contrary to thy Covenant engagment thou grippes presently to it without once suspecting that thy own shallow understanding may be deceived This I sayâ— speaks a fearlesness that borders neigh unto Error Doct VII The Doctrine that followeth next from these words Believe not every Spirit is that Ministers the Servants of God are not to clap Peoples heads or indulge them in this inclination of theirs to Error they are not to humor them in it but on all hazards they are to testify against it Therefore sayes John Believe not every Spirit So also the Apostle Paul does very sharply inveigh against People when they are beginning to tamper with Error And lest People should say Paul and John were Apostles and knew what was Error and what was Truth being guided by an infallible Spirit and that therefore they might stoutly testify against Error but for other ordinary Ministers they may err as well as other People and so it is ill reasoned from what the Apostles did to what Ministers may now do Therefore to clear this we shall give a place where Paul bindes it as Duty on every ordinary Minister to to testify against Error In the Acts ch 20. v. 28. Therefore take heed unto your selves and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers c. And in the 29. Verse he gives an instance wherein they were to take heed to the flock For I know this that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing the Flock verse 30. Also of your own selves shall men arise c. So it is a duty lying on all ordinary Preachers to watch over their People lest they be seduced with Error and that because First of that which we spoke of before that Error in the point of Truth should be as much eschewed by People as other particular sins and therefore Ministers are bound to guard People against it And secondly Truth is a precious Jewel and therefore in a special manner they ought to contend for it And Thirdly the Souls of People ought to be pretious to Ministers and therefore Ministers ought to watch over them they ought to guard them against Error because as other sins so Error is a damnable Soul-destroying sin And therefore as Ministers love Truth and Souls committed to them so they must watch over the People and guard them against Error Vse I. This show's the great task lying upon Ministers at every time but chiefly in an Erring time we spoke somewhat of this before how difficult it is for a man to meddle with reproving of Error more difficile than to reprove Prophanity because a prophane Man's Conscience is convinced of the evil of his way and therefore however he may be displeased with free Preaching against his sin yet his Conscience clears the Minister and thus he keeps him at least at some reverence But it is not so in a Soul taken with Error the misinformed Conscience speaks for it and therâ—fore whatever is spoken against him he casts at it as Error and untruth and readily the man that speaketh it may lose respect for his pains and yet we see the Word of God binds it on Ministers to speak against it Vse 2. But Secondly If it be so that Ministers be bound to reprove Error and testify against it then the People are bound to take the word of reproof from them we mean not that they should be so bound as what Ministers say should be the Bible but this much we say That People should presume as much on them as another to ask Councel from them as much as from another and to respect them as much as any other And that for these Reasons First because the publick Minister hath a promise which private men have not at
trust Act 17. 11. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures dayly whither those things were so They would not take the Apostles Doctrine on trust and this is a command given by Paul writing to the Thess 1 Epistle ch 5. v. 21. Prove all things after he had said despise not Prophecyings So that Doctrines should be brought to a Tryal whatever be their fair pretences Reas The Reasons are first because foulest Errors may be coloured over with fairest pretences And Secondly the Scripture sayes all men are Lyars that is to say all men may Err and therefore words cannot be the Ground of Divine Faith for Faith must have an infallible ground as Ephes 2. 20. And are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets c. i. e. the word Preached by them and dictated by the Spirit of God Vse This Doctrine reproves first the Papists that will have nothing Tryed that comes from the Church but all taken upon trust hence is it that many swallow such Monsters of Absurdities as the Errors of Transubstantiation Purgatory Merite Mals and such like for which they have no other ground but because their Church sayes so But this Doctrine holdeth out another duty that who ever heareth any Doctrine proponed by one or other they are bound to pass their Judgment on it Try the Spirits Now that we may walk betwixt extreams the Papists on the one hand who set up Tyranny and these Sectaries on the other hand who set up Confusion we would know there is a twofold Judgement to be passed on Doctrine Publick Judgement and Private Judgement Publick Judgement again is either peremptorily absolute or limited A publick peremptory Judgement is That which binds the Conscience to obey simply that which is spoken and none have this Judgement but God himself Secondly There is a publick Judgement which is limited and this is a publick declaring and holding out that which is found to be God's mind in his word which does not bind absolutely but in so far as it agrees with the Word and this Judgement belongs to publick Church Judicatories met together in Christs Name They are like the Lyon-Herauld set forth to proclaim the Royal Acts if he proclaim that which is contained in the principal Acts it binds but if he add any thing of his own it binds not Next there is a private Judgement of Discretion and this belongs to every Christian every man in relation to his own practice is bound to pass Sentence on what is held out to him by others that if it be right he may embrace it but if wrong he may reject it but his private Judgement is not binding to others Now this private Judgement or this Judgement of Discretion is necessary because all men may Err Councils may Err Synods c. And Secondly Their Error will not excuse private Christians to follow them in their Error sayes Christ When the Blind leads the Blind both falls into the Ditch And therefore there must be a Judgement of Discretion in private persons to try what they hear And this much for guarding against the Popish Tyranny but least this Doctrine be abused to cast at all publick Church Judicatories we shall next speak somewhat to guard against Sectarian Confusion First Although publick Church Judicatories have not Power to bind Consciences yet when men are in a doubt concerning a point of Truth their Judgement ought to have more weight than the Judgement of private Men And that not only because there are more Gifts exercised together but mainly because there is a promise annexed to the Commission given by Christ to publick Church Judicatories Matth. 18. 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them And Secondly From this it followes that there would be a kind of loathness to differ from publick Church Judicatories a man's grounds would be well examined lâ—st if differing from these Judicatories they also differ from Truth And Thirdly when they differ they are to bear them at Reverence although in such a point they should Err yet for their Authority they are to be Reverenced This much is granted by us to Church Judicatories but no further They are not to be made the Rule of our Faith Vse 2. It reproves those who are Lazie and cannot endure the trouble of trying what they hear but take things on trust and have no more but such a mans Authority he is of that Way and Opinion and therefore they are Fire and Flint Tooth and Nail for it as much as if they had the Word of God for it We have seen much of this in the unhappy Differences that have fallen out in our time which I have no pleasure to speak much of and therefore we proceed to another Doctrine Doct. X. The next thing then that we observe is from what he sayes Try c. whether they be of God that is the Tryal The Doctrine is this That the right tryal of Doctrine is To try whether they be of God or not and this point puts us to give Marks whereby it shall be known what Doctrine is of God and what Doctrine is not of God and here we shall speak to two things First We shall show what are the marks that necessarly infer a Doctrine to be of God And secondly we shall speak of other things that do not infer necessarly a Doctrine to be of God but for the most part follow upon such a Doctrine For the First That which makes Doctrine necessarily to be of God is if it be according to the rule of the Word So when the Bereans are commended Acts 17. The rule they went by in the tryal of Paul's Doctrine is the Scripture And this is Isaâ—a's rule chap. 8. ver 20. To the Law and to the Testimony c. He would have all Doctrines tryed by the Word of God So the Word is the rule and that Doctrine which has the Word for it is of God and whatever Doctrine has not the Word for it is not of God All Spirits even the Spirit of God himself must be tryed that way And that because the Word is a perfect rule I give only two places of Scripture to clear the perfection of this rule First The heavy Plagues pronounced against those who add to this rule The Word is so perfect that if an Angel should come and pretend a purer Rule Let him be sayes Paul Anathema Gal. 1. 8. There is another place which proves the perfection of this rule according to this point in hand 2 Timoth. 3. 16 17. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for reproof for correction for Instruction in righteousness That the Man of God may be perfect c. So there is as much in the word of God as may make the man of God perfect And this in relation
nothing of publick Scandals Not as if Jesus Christ did mean that publick Scandals should be passed over but that the same Rule may serve for these keeping the just proportion Even so is it here If the nature of Synods be held out in the Word that is enough though it speak nothing of the bounds to which they should extend whether of One Province or of All the Provinces of a Nation no more than it is particularly set down in Scripture what should be the number and bounds of a particular Congregation There is a Third thing for clearing of this Question The Independents and we agree in this That the word gives ground for meeting of Synods only we differ about their Power They grant that in case of Division or Scandal Synods may meet and give their Advice in Matters doubtful only they say that Synods have no Power of Jurisdiction to command others in the Lord to embrace their determinations We on the other hand maintain that they have this Power and that the Scripture holdeth out such a Power belonging to them II. We might instance this in Act 1 In the choice of Matthias which was done by no particular Church For here were the Apostles whose Paroch-Church was the whole world Here were the Brethren of Christ from Galilie v 14. Some from Jerusalem v. 15. This meeting did a Church business of common concernment to the whole Christian World and so behooved to be done by those who did represent them And therefore this behooved to be a General Council But to clear the point more fully we shall take Act 15. Where this Synod we plead for is held forth clearly The History is plain A difference ariseth in Antioch about Circumcision This cannot be composed in Antioch it self so they send up Commissioners to Jerusalem to determine this matter where there is a Synod of Apostles and Elders and they determine the Question Now that it may appear the Synod we plead for is here consider first That there was a Church meeting or Judicatory here None may doubt of this as is clear v 6. Secondly Consider That this Judicatory is made up of Commissioners from the several Presbyteries we see that Commissioners from the Presbytry of Jerusalem was there v 6. And Commissioners from the Presbytry of Antioch Act 15. 2 Paul and Barnabas and others Now that these were Commissioners and had voice appears from Act 16. 4. where the decree that was then made was ascrived to all the Elders who were present It is very likely that there were other Commissioners there also from Syria and Cilicia For they are joyned with Antioch in the Letter v. 23. For what other Reason cannot be imagined except that as they were alike troubled with the Heresy as Antioch was so they had their Commissioners there as Antioch had And therefore these Acts are binding to them in a special manner However it is clear that there were Commissioners from the Presbytry of Jerusalem and of Antioch so the meeting was made up of two Presbytries And by the same rule it may be made up of moe Thirdly We would consider that this meeting made up of Commissioners from several Presbytries makes binding Acts unto other absent Churches who were present only in their Commissioners And there are several things to clear this First They determine the Question in v 19. 20 Secondly They impose Their determination on the Churches to be keeped by them So in the Letters They wrote to the Church of Syria and Cilicia v 28. The word that is turned there a Burthen signifies a Law or a Decree and so we find it in Act 16. 4. There their Conclusions are called Decrees which were ordained of the Apostles and Elâ—ers at Jerusalem And which were to be keeped From all which it is clear They did make Acts binding other Congregations Thirdly We find they put forth an Act of Censure on the false Prophets v 24. They called them Lyars A brand of Infamy It 's true They Censured them not with Excommunication For it was time enough to doe That when they knew they were become incorrigibly obstinate according to the common Rule An Heretick after the first and second Admonition reject By this I hope ye perceive clearly a pattern for greater Synods a Judicatory made up of Commissioners from several Presbytries and these making binding Laws to other Churches who were absent in their Persons and only present in their Commissioners III. Their main Objection against this is That the Apostles were here who were guided with an infallible Spirit to determine and so this can be no Rule for our Synods made up of men wanting that assistance To this we Answer that this if it prove any thing will make against our Opposits themselves as well as against us For they hold that here is a pattern of a Synod for advice so if their Argument hold against Us in the One It must hold also against Them in the Other Secondly We shew before that the Apostles were also Elders and sometimes Acted as Elders Now if it can be proven that they Acted as Elders here it breaks the strength of their Objection But this is clear First Paul and Barnabas are sent by the Church of Antioch They willingly submit Act 15. 4 Now in their Apostolick Office they were not directed by meâ— And so surely here they acted not as Apostles Secondly The Apostles all along go not on that way as when guided by an infallible Apostolick Spirit For they state the Question and debate it in v 7. Now when they write Scripture they do not use advice nor do they debate what they shall conclude but speake all as immediatly inspired But here they debate And â—aving found Truth By force of Reason they conclude as any other Assembly upon like assurance of Scripture warrand may do It seemeth good unto Vs being Assembled with one accord c. In v 25. Thirdly When the Apostles did determine any thing as Apostles and were guided by the immediatly inspiring Spirit of God then they did determine the Question fully that nothing needed to be added But so it was not here For Peter v 6th gives his Judgment That Believers were freed from the Ceremonial Law What he saith is true indeed Yet it speaketh not fully to the point untill James addeth somewhat to wit That however the Gentils were freed from the Ceremonial Law yet to eschew the Scandal of the weak Jews They were to abstain from things strangled c v 20. And therefore They Acted not as Apostles except we would say that Peter as an Apostle intending to determine a Controversie yet did not speak fully to the point which were an injury to that immediately inspiring Spirit by which they were acted in penning Scripture Fourthly Because the decrees of the Synod are put forth in the name and by the Authority not only of the Apostles but Elders also Act 15. 22. 23. Act. 16. 4. Act. 21. 25. Now
There is an Union in Judgement when there is no considerable Difference among the Members of the Church in the matter of Opinion When all Think the same thing And this is here pressed Be prefectly joined in one Judgement 2. There is an Union in Heart and Affections spoken of Act. 4. 32. The multitude of them that believed were of one Heart and of one Soul And this Union is also here pressed Be perfectly join'd together in the same Mind or in Love and Affection as we shew'd in the opening up of the Words 3. There is an Union in Practice and that is when whatever Difference there is in Judgement yet it 's not openly proclaim'd Publick Contradictions and Eristick Debates are eschewed and an unanimous joint practice in these things wherein there is Agreement is followed And this Union is also pressed in the Text I beseech you that ye all speak the same thing So it 's clear the Text means all these three sorts of Union the Doctrine intends them All and as might be made evident other Scriptures press them All. Only this we would know the Order wherein they are pressed to wit So as every Breach in the Former is not to make a Breach in the Latter Every Difference in Judgement is not to make a Rent in Heart or Affection Nor tho a Rent be in both doth it infer necessarly a Divided Practice at least in these things wherein there is Agreement And for that the Scripture is clear especially Philipp 3. 15 16 where v. 15 the Apostle supposeth difference of Judgement among the Philippians as to the point he is there speaking of and subjoineth for matter of Practice v. 16. Nevertheless whereunto we have already attained let us walk by the same Rule That is to say Tho we cannot agree in all things yet let us eschew the prolaiming of Our Differences by Our contrary Practices This much for the first thing to wit What Union the Doctrine presseth It is an Union necessary to the Well-being of the Visible Church particularly an Union in Judgement an Union in Affection an Union in Practice An Union all these wayes is to be sought for and laboured after yet so as if we cannot attain to Union in the Former we are yet still to endeavour it in the Latter For Confirmation of this Truth we might cite several Scriptures 1. These wherein this Union is promised to the Church and that as a rich Covenant Blessing such as Jer. 32. 39. I will give them one Heart and one way that they may fear Me for ever The like is in Ezek. 37. 22. 2. These Scriptures wherein this Vnion is highly commended Especially Ps. 133. 1. Behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in Vnity and so through the whole 3. These Scriptures which hold out the Mediator's Prayer to the Father for this Union Joh. 17. 21. That they all may be one as Thou Father art in Me and I in Thee that they also may be one in Vs and so v. 23. 4. Those Scriptures where this Union is expresly enjoyned and pressed whereof there are many Such as Philipp 2. 1 2 3. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of Love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any Bowels and Mercies Fulfil ye My Joy that ye be like minded having the same Love being of one accord of one mind And 2 Cor. 13. 11. Finally Brethren farewel be of one mind live in peace And lastly these Scriptures where Division contrary to Unity is condemned as Rom. 16. 17. I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause Divisions and Offences and avoid them But for further Confirmation of this Truth we shall in the next place bring foreward some Reasons concluding the equity and necessity of seeking after and entertaining of Unity in the Church which shall also serve as motives to the Duty Reason 1. Union furthers Edification So Eph. 4. 3. Union is pressed And One Fruit among many to be reaped hereby is v. 12. the edifying of the Body of Christ. And as Unity furthers Edification so Division marreth it Divisions in a Church tho about small things yet if stiffly mantain'd prove a great stumbling Block to the Weak they are put to doubt all Truths because Men gracious and learned doubt of some So Division not only marreth progress in the building but striketh at the very foundation of what is already built Reas. 2. Divisions in a Church make the Ministers contemptible Of all Men Ministers suffer most this way because usually they are most active in beginning and upholding the Division and usually even these who have Truth for them suffer much if not most this way Paul tho an Apostle and a Man for Truth yet he lost much of the former esteem he had amongst the Corinthians though once they would have pluck'd out their Eyes for him yet through the Division their Distemper grew to such an hight that he was look'd on as Contemptible rude in speech yea A Fool and what not as appears from 2 Cor 10. 10. Ch. 11. 6 16. Reas. 3. The Essential Unity of the Church and the many things wherein a Church agreeth that way should enforce this Union The Apostle Paul Eph. 4. draweth a strong Argument for Unity and Peace in the Church from this Ground The Duty is propounded v. 3. Endeavouring to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace And v. 4 5 6. it is pressed by this Argument There is on Body and one Spirit One Lord one Faith one Baptism One God and Father of all Here are many Ones together in two or three lines as if he had said What a shame is it for you who are so many wayes One to rent in pieces for a thing of so small moment Reas. 4. Divisions in a Church turn away every Man's Eye from his main Task I mean from the joint opposing of Satan's main Design to be wrangling one with another It 's Satans Policy when he intends to bear down Truth in a Church to set those who should oppose him most by the Ears about smaller things that so he may carry his point with less difficulty herein making use of Matchiavils or rather his own Principle divide impera Divide and Carry It 's often seen that the nearer those who differ come to one another they drive on their point against others with the greater Animosity and Eagerness the Jews and Samaritans were at greater variance than Jews and Heathens And the Reason is this The less the Difference is they have the more hopes to bring others to their mind hence their mutual On-setts are more furious and their Disappointments the more bitter the higher they were in their hopes and in the mean time while they mind nothing so much as to bear down one another Satan cometh good speed in bearing down of Truth and Them and All. Reas. 5. Union when once lost in a Church is hardly ever
preventing their stumbling and making Shipwrack upon the present Divisions The First Consideration is this The Church in all Ages hath been afflicted with Divisions from the Apostles time even till now yea in the very time when the Apostles were alive themselves We read Act. 15. 39. That two great Apostles Paul and Barnabas were so divided that they parted one from another The Word made use of in the Original to express their Contention signifieth The high fit of a Fever a Paroxism It is the very word The Spirit of the Lord thereby insinuating That their Contention cast them as it were in the rage of a Fever and yet the matter whereabout the contest fell out was not very great Much like That which was the Fountain of our woful Rent to wit whether Mark who had before deserted the Work should be again employed in it The one would have him the other would not hence they part Company And what Divisions fell out amongst the primitive Churches almost presently after they were planted by the Apostles The Epistles of Paul to the Romans Corinthians Galatians c. make it very clear And for the times following the History of the Church doth abundantly testify That from the Apostles Death to this very Age the Church hath still been shaken with Rents and Schisms in some one place or other and these sometimes even amongst the most Gracious Men of those times as Augustine Hierom Zuinglius Luther and Calvin Together with several others whose Names if it were pertinent I might recite So that ye are not to stumble at the present Divisions There is no new or strange thing befallen Us The Church of Christ in all Ages hath been tryed with the like A Second Consideration to prevent stumbling at our present Divisions is That God hath foretold Church Divisions should be 1 Cor. 11. 19. There must be also Heresies among you And he hath not only foretold that simply they must be but so aâ— he should have an holy hand in them Matth. 10. 35. I am come to set a man at variance against his Father and the Daughter against her Mother So that he hath an Holy hand in Church Divisions he permits them to be and for wise Reasons whereof I shall reckon Three 1. He permits Divisions to be That Men's Spirits may be thereby tryed So 1 Cor. 11. 19. There must be Heresies among you And wherefore That they which are approved may be made manifest There is a great deal of evil lurking in Peoples Spirits Unsound Principles in some Seeds of loose practices in others Pride Conceit and other unmortified Distempers in a third sort and Divisions in a Church decipher those 2. Divisions are sent for the clearing of Truths This as we shewed before has been Gods method from the beginning when he had a point of Truth to clear he hath suffered men to contradict it and the more it hath been contradicted it hath still grown the brighter 3. He permits Divisions to be that in his Holy Justice they may be a stumbling block to the wicked If thou think there are so many Opinions and so many Religions that thou 'l care for no Religion until wiser People than thou agree among themselves Then Church Divisions and difference of Opinions in Gods just judgment are thy Destruction A third Consideration to prevent stumbling at our present Divisions is That some good use may be made of them in the mean time I shall first speak to some Bad Uses of them which ye are to eschew And then to speak to some Good Uses of them which ye are to seek after 1. The First bad Use of the present Divisions is From them to take occasion of Rejoycing that Ministers are set together by the Ears A woeful Use Thou rejoycest in that which is the Gospels shame the Godly's weight and God's dishonour and God shall rejoyce in thy shame and ruin another day for it 2. Another bad Use is Because of them to wish That the work of Reformation had never been begun as having such ills following upon it An use which the carnal Israelites did often make of their present strait Would God say they we had never come out of Egypt An Use which speaks That for all thy professed adherence to the work of God and Covenant yet thou hast never thought upon it as His work else a blast of Affliction could not have put thee so soon out of love with it 3. The giving over of your selves to a Spirit of Loosness it being a lawless time Some Ministers may possibly make this Use of the present Division but it is a woeful Use and such as will deceive God may of purpose have sent such a time that thou may without fear fill up thy Cup and so be taken course with afterwards for all together 4. It is a bad Use of them to observe only which of the wayes do afford most advantage where the Sun of Prosperity is most like to shine that ye may strike in there but with a resolution if the Wind change ye will change also A bad Use and unworthy of a Man much more of a Christian Man whose Profession is to be ruled by Conscience Scripture and Reason and not by self-interest and advantage 5. The last bad Use of the present Division is To blow at the Coal making it your work what ye can search out and scrape together from the carriage of these who differ that ye may vent it and make them odious by it A base uncharitable and unchristian Use. A thing so woeful that David complains of it in his very Enemies Ps. 56. 5 6. Every day they wrest my words all their thoughts are against me for evil They gather themselves together they hide themselves they mark my steps when they wait for my Soul This is a thing I may say which hath had it's own hand in the hightning and continuance of our Differences if that which Solomon saith Prov. 26. 20. be true as it is most true Where there is no tale-bearer the strife ceaseth These now are bad Uses which ye are to eschew but out of the Eater cometh meat there is some good Use may be made of our present Divisions and that ye should seek after The first good Use is That from these separating stirs ye would labour to be convinced of abused Vnion Our Division speaketh that Union hath not been improven aright neither amongst Ministers nor Professors there hath been much of carnal Joy triffling over of time but little and too too little of God in our Fellowship And therefore in His just Judgement He hath given us some other thing to set our Teeth on edge with ye should be convinced of this and be humbled for it A Second good use of our present Division is Ye should press so much the more after Peace with God If strife with men be so wasting and wearisome what will Gods feud be If peace with men be so hard to
Hungry To choose Affliction rather than to sin Not to recompense evil with evil but evil with good To cleave unto Christ and Truth when the wind of Tryal and Persecution blow hard in their face These and such like Duties are not much stood on by the Man that walks by this Rule of Carnal Reason As also the Duty of Mortifying your Predominant Cutting off of the Right Hand plucking out of the Right Eye and that painful Duty of Heart-searching and Self-judging as at all times so chiefly when ye are coming to a Communion Carnal Wit will suggest to you that such precise strictness is not needful Now this Rule is flatly contrary to that which is here prescribed The Rule of Gods Approbation For the Carnal Mind is Enmity to God and Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven 4. Those walk not by this Rule whose great endeavour is to conform themselves not so much to what God Desires as to what they themselves find Peace in and who if they get not troublesome challenges from Conscience for their way do take it for granted that their way is good enough and do never set themselves to enquire further about it Now this is an unsure Rule For 1. Many may have Peace in that which is just opposite to what God Requires and Desires Ye'l see Deut. 29. 19. How the Prophane Ruffian cryeth Peace he shall have Peace though he add Drunkenness to Thirst As it were in despite of God But 2. Tho' thy Conscience be not thus fear'd yet it may be sleeping because thou takes no pains to get it awakened And if thou wouldst but rouze it up and make it pass impartial Sentence upon thy Way There are many things thy Conscience would give thee little rest in for which now thou finds no check or challenge 3. It would be considered whether Conscience now and then do not give you some gentle Checks for many things tho it wound not sore because ye do quickly command it to silence so that it doth not speak to purpose being overaw'd so that it dare not speak In either of which Cases Peace of Mind is not a safe Rule to walk by For ye may have Peace in that which God approveth not I come now to the second thing here expressed for clearing what That is that makes our Performances accepted of by God It is somewhat in the Inward Parts not so much that which is External and obvious to the Eyes of Man as Internal and only known to God even the hidden man of the Heart It 's true the man who would walk acceptably must also look to that which is External to wit that which God hath Commanded according to Philip. 4. 8. Finally Brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report If there be any vertue and if there be any praise think on these things So he is not to over look all things External or look on them as things indifferent if they be Honest Pure of a good Report and any vertue in them he must set about them Only the great Work of such a man should ly most about his Heart and Inward Parts how to get it brought up to Duty and keeped at Duty For John 4. 24. God is a Spirit and they that Worship him must Worship him in Spirit and in Truth The Heart is the thing which God doth mainly seek My Son saith Solomon Prov 23. 26. Give me thy Heart And He doth so seek it that if he get it not he cares not for all the rest Isai. 29. 13. This People draw near me with their Mouth and with their Lips do Honour Me but have removed their Heart far from me c. I might here run out in a sad complaint That the Religion of the times is almost all Out-side-work at least in very many who the longer they live make the less ado about the Heart And is it not so If when ye neglect the external part of Duty ye get a Challenge but if that be discharged ye have Peace though there be no more care about the Heart than if ye had none But as to your accquitting your selves in this particular of making your great work ly about the Heart and Inward parts Try your selves but by these Three things 1. What is your care to restrain and mortify Heart Sins which the Apostle calls the Filthiness of the Spirit As High conceit of your selves and your envying of the good of others because it overshadows you The Sin of Fretting and repining under cross dispensations of not reverencing God in and being contented with your Lott Try I say what your Cares and Endeavours are to mortify these and such like Heart sins 2. Try what Conscience ye make to Discharge Inward and spiritual Duties which require only the Inward man to be acted in them As the Duty of meditating on God keeping intercourse and fellowship betwixt your Hearts and Him The Duty of self judging and calling your self to an account every night of the days work the Duty of stooping to God under Cross Dispensations and constructing aright of every thing that God does Try I say what Conscience ye make to discharge those and such like spiritual Duties 3. Try in what way your greatest Care doth run in these Duties which require both the Outward and Inward man Is your great Care to act from right motives and for right ends or rather do ye not on the contrair take but litle care what be the frame of your Heart within if ye but get the outward work done and a fair out-side which none can challenge Is your desire not only to exercise your Tongue in Praying Your voice and art in Singing Praises but also and mainly to exercise your spiritual Graces your Faith your Humility your Love your Repentence for Sin and your joy in God I fear if ye try by these marks many of us shall find that though the Inward parts be that which God Desireth most yet it is that whereof we do give him least which makes a great part of our Duties to be but shadows of Duty They have the external draughts and lineaments shape and proportion of Duty but no more they are painted Duties like a painted man without life a painted fire without heat Let the tryal of your self in these and judging of your selves for them be a part of your Preparation And take this for a further part of it from the same Ground if ye would have what ye do about your Preparation accepted of by God let your great work ly about your Heart how to get it brought to Duty and wrought up to some good Frame for the Lord desireth mainly the Inward parts and where your backward dead and lumpish Hearts will not move or drive for you beseech the Lord to draw them and make them willing in the day of his Power
care about the Heart than if ye had none But as to your accquitting your selves in this particular of making your great work ly about the Heart and Inward parts Try your selves but by these Three things 1. What is your care to restrain and mortify Heart Sins which the Apostle calls the Filthiness of the Spirit As High conceit of your selves and your envying of the good of others because it overshadows you The Sin of Fretting and repining under cross dispensations of not reverencing God in and being contented with your Lott Try I say what your Cares and Endeavours are to mortify these and such like Heart sins 2. Try what Conscience ye make to Discharge Inward and spiritual Duties which require only the Inward man to be acted in them As the Duty of meditating on God keeping intercourse and fellowship betwixt your Hearts and Him The Duty of self judging and calling your self to an account every night of the days work the Duty of stooping to God under Cross Dispensations and constructing aright of every thing that God does Try I say what Conscience ye make to discharge those and such like spiritual Duties 3. Try in what way your greatest Care doth run in these Duties which require both the Outward and Inward man Is your great Care to act from right motives and for right ends or rather do ye not on the contrair take but litle care what be the frame of your Heart within if ye but get the outward work done and a fair out-side which none can challenge Is your desire not only to exercise your Tongue in Praying Your voice and art in Singing Praises but also and mainly to exercise your spiritual Graces your Faith your Humility your Love your Repentance for Sin and your joy in God I fear if ye try by these marks many of us shall find that though the Inward parts bâ— that which God Desireth most yet it is that whereof we do give him least which makes a great part of our Duties to be but shadows of Duty They have the external draughts and lineaments shape and proportion of Duty but no more they are painted Duties like a painted man without life a painted fire without heat Let the tryal of your self in these and judging of your selves for them be a part of your Preparation And take this for a further part of it from the same Ground if ye would have what ye do about your Preparation accepted of by God let your great work ly about your Heart how to get it brought to Duty and wrought up to some good Frame for the Lord desireth mainly the Inward parts and where your backward dead and lumpish Hearts will not move or drive for you beseech the Lord to draw them and make them willing in the day of his Power But now lastly I come to the particular here condescended on as a necessary Ingredient for making our performances Acceptable and savoury viz. The Grace of Truth and sincerity Behold thou desirest Truth in the Inward parts And it gives us this Doctrine That the Grace of sincerity and the exercise of it Is absolutely necessary for making our Duties acceptable to God It 's so necessary that the Lord will accept even very little where it is when heâ—l reject much where it is wanting we 'l see both these if we look to the Scripture verdict of two Kings of Judah The first is Asa He was guilty in many things there were very visible defects in him trary to that which the Law of God required as particularly he caused imprison the Prophet who reproved him 2 Chron 16 10. He did not remove the superstitious High places and yet see what the Spirit of God saith of him 1 King 15 14. The High places were not removed nevertheless Asa his Heart was perfect with the Lord all his days Implying that because he was a sincere upright hearted man the Lord overlooked his many other failings So much is also implyed in Hezekiah's Prayer and the Answer it gets from God 2 Chron. 30. 18. 19. The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his Heart to seek God the Lord God of his Fathers though he be not cleansed according to the Purification of the Sanctuary And the Lord hearkned to Hezekiah and healed the People The other is King Amaziah 2 Chron 25 2. He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect Heart Implying that though he did many things which in themselves were Right and Good yet because his Heart was not single sincere and straight in what he did the Lord doth not regard it which cleareth the thing I said before That the Grace of Sincerity and exercise of it is so necessary that the Lord will accept even very little where it is and will reject much where it is wanting Now for opening up this Grace of Truth and sincerity a litle in order to the application of the Point Know 1 Sincerity is a Grace which looketh mainly to the Inside therefore it is here called Truth in the Inward parts If thou be a Sincere man an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile Though a fair outside may please Onlookers because they see no further yet it will not please thee because thou knows it will not please God He desireth Truth in the Inward parts But of this already 2. Sincerity and Truth of Heart makes a man's Tongue and Heart to go together in all his deportment whether to God or man The sincere hearted Man is not a double Man he labours to be that in effect which he gives himself out to be Thus 1. John 3. 18 Truth is opposed to â—air words which are no more but Words My litle Children saith he let us not love in Word neither in Tongue but in Deed and in Truth Implying where Word and Deed go not together there is no singleness sincerity or Truth there 3. Sincerity aims at the right end and works from right approven and spiritual motives The Apostle Paul Philip 1. 15 16. Puts this difference betwixt the sincere and unsincere man The Sincere Man works out of love and good will to Christ and Truth the Unsincere man again works the same Work and as much of it but he works out of envy and strife For some base and by ends This Grace of Sincerity and Truth makes a man look not only to the Substance of his Actions that they be Right and Commanded but also to the Manner of them and chiefly that they be from spiritual motives and for a right end that is for God's Glory Thy own Salvation Thy neighbours good and Edification Now for Vse Ye would try if there be not much want and inlake of this Truth and Sincerity among Us It 's true every inlake and failing in the exercise of Sincerity will not prove a Man to be Unsincere As every act of Hypocrisie will not make a Man an Hypocrite if so he do not countenance himself
not have saluted every one man by man and therefore certainly it must be the prime men of the Church But Secondly The name of the Church is very usualy given to Rulers and Judges whether Ecclesiastick or Civil without the People in the Old Testament So Psalm 82 1. God standeth in the congation of the mighty The same word rendred there Congregation is rendred the Church elsewhere And by the Congregation there is meaned the Judges and not the People so we find it taken for the Rulers by comparing Exod 20. 18. 19. with Deut 5. 23. 2 Chron 1. 3. Where Solomon takes up the whole Congregation with him And yet that Congregation is exponed v. 2. to have been Chief-men and Rulers so that usualy in the Old Testament the word Church is taken from Rulers And Thirdly it must be so taken in this place also for in the verse following he telleth what a Church he meaned by v 18 Verily I say unto you whatsoever yee shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven c. Speaking to the Apostles So it must be the Church of Rulers who are so called because they represent the Church doing her business wherein she is concerned Objection Fifth This were say they to establish a yoke of Tyranny over Church Members if power be put in the hands of Officers to make Acts binding to them and they to have no hand in making these Acts themselves We Answer it is no yoke of Tyranny to instruct Officers with power to be over the People in the Lord To Rule them according to his will to make use of their power not for destruction but for edification And this is all we do teach It s true Church Officers may abuse their power but there is no power were it never so good but coming in mans hand may be wrongly used But secondly There is as great danger of Tyranny in the Independent way and more also than in this For if the major part of the Congregation should enact what is wrong and press it on the fewer and better part would not that be Tyranny And surely there is as great liklyhood of this as of what they say that the Eldership may press unjust Acts upon the Congregation And as it is as likly so it is more remeedless for though a Congregation or any in it be wronged by the Elerdership they have a Superior Judicatory to complean to according to our Doctrine But if the lesser part of the Congregation be wronged and Tyrannized over by the greater according to their Doctrine there is no power under Heaven to right the wrong to call the oppressing party to an account So of all Governments under Heaven Independency is the most Tyrannical Obj. VI. The Sixth Objection they bring against the Truth is from Matth 16. 19. Where Christ sayes I will give unto thee the keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven and whatsoever shall be bound on earth c. It is agreed on by both sides that by the Keys there is meaned the power of Governing the Church Now from this place they would infer that the Keys are given to the Body of the People we shall propone and Answer Three of their Objections whereby they labour to prove this consequence The first is this The Keys are given to the Church built on the Rock whereof Christ spake in the preceeding 18 v. But sure it is all that are believers are built on this Rock Therefore the power of the Keys are given unto them We Answer What they say that the power of the Keyes are given to the Church built on the Rock Is said without a ground For he doth not say Vnto this Church built on a rock do I give the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven But I give it to thee Peter Sure none needs to learn our Lord to speak and this change of Person is not without a Reason in the preceeding verse he says upon this rock I will build my Church Now if Christ had meaned to have established the Government in the hands of the body of the Church he might have as easily said unto this Church will I give the keys c. But he says not so but changes the person unto thee to wit Peter will I give the keyes Besides this also every believing woman is a part of this Church built on the rock And yet according to their own grant the power of the Keys is not given unto them The Second Argument they bring from this place is this The power of the Keys is given to those whom Peter did represent But Peter did represent all believers the body of the Church therefore the power of the Keys is given unto them For answer to this we deny what is affirmed that Peter in this place doth represent all believers he doth but represent the rest of the Apostles and those who were to succeed to the Apostes in Preaching the word and Administrating the Sacraments And this we shall make good from other places of Scripture wherein the grant of this power is renewed and confirmed The first place is John 20. 21. Then said Iesus to them again Peace be unto you as my father hath sent me even so send I you and v 23 Whosoevers sins ye remit they are remitted unto them c. Where it is clear the above mentioned grant is renewed and renewed to the Apostles Secondly He did not only represent the Apostles but all Ministers who succeed to the Apostles in Preaching the word and Administrating the Sacraments As in plain also from Matth 28. 19 20. Where ye will find these things clear 1. That there is a grant of power by Jesus Christ unto the Apostles 2 That this grant is made there not only to the Apostles but to these who should succeed to them in Preaching and Baptizing to the end of the World For it is said lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the World And so from this we retort the Argument on themselves That the power of the Keys is given to these whom Peter did represent But so it is Peter did represent the Apostles and Ministers who were to succeed to them in Preaching the word c. And therefore the power of the Keys is given unto them They argue Thirdly from this place that the grant of the Keys is of as large extent as Peters confession v. 16 Thou art Christ the son of the living God Now this Confession belongs to all believers and so also must the power of the Keys We Answer 1. That the grant of the power of the Keys doth belong to all who hold out Peters Confession hath no ground but their own Assertion And 2. We say it is false For this Confession belongs to all faithful Women and Children as well as men who yet by our Opposits own concession have not the Power of the Keys Their last Objection is taken from 1 Cor 5. 5. Where the Apostle commands the Church of Corinth to
Excommunicate the Incestous Person To deliver such a one unto Sathan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus Now say they this command is given unto all the Church because there is no exception and therefore not to Elders only As also the command is as large as the reproof in v. 2. And ye are puffed up and have not rather mourned c. Now sure it is there were moe reproved than the Church Officers And therefore the command belongs to others than these In Answering this Argument we shall first retort it on themselves For if so be the Argument hold good it would follow that Women and Children had power of Excommunication for if the command be to all without exception then they are not excepted and if the command be given to all to whom the reproof is given then it is to them for doubtless Women and Children mourned no more than the men And so they should have power to Excommunicate also Now this were absurd and against themselves And so the two main pillars whereon they build their Argument fall to the ground to wit That the command is given to all without exception And that it is of a like latitude with the reproof But Secondly We Answer to the point That all who are acquaint with Scripture know that God useth to give commands indefinitly to the whole Church which he will not have applyed to every one in the Church but only to those persons to whom according to their respective callings interest or relations the command doth belong We shall make this clear from 1 Cor 14. 31. Where Paul speaketh generally to the Saints at Corinth ye may all Prophecy one by one c. The command is given indefinitly to all and yet sure it is not the Apostles mind that all to whom he writs should do this but only they who had abilities and a Call to it and therefore he sayes in the preceeding 12 chap. 29. Are all Apostles are all Prophets are all Teachers c. So in 1 Thess 5. 13. And to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake c. Now if this be a duty lying on all to whom the Epistle is directed then the Ministers had been to esteem highly to themselves for their own works sake For the Epistle is written to them among the rest now this were absurd and so it must be intended for the People So is it here the command is given indefinitly to all yet the matter is not to be done by all but only by some to wit the Church officers and this appeareth evidently from 2 Cor. 2. 6. He was speaking to them concerning the same case in hand to wit the relaxing of the incestous man from Excommunication and sayes he Sufficient to such a man is this punishment which was inflicted of many Now he doth not say Inflicted of all as they would make the words bear but inflicted of many Yea as the learned observe the word many signifieth The chief ones It is the same word that is Matth 12. 41 a greater than Jonas So Paul explaines himself That it was not all but the chief Ones to wit the Rulers by whom the Censure was to be inflicted And this now for Answering their Objections IV. In the nixt place we shall come and apply the whole purpose to a threefold Use. And the first is Seeing this Error as we have now made evident it is not of God I would have you suspecting fair pretences that a Doctrine may be coloured over with There is no Error that hath a fairer pretence than This hath it is the liberty of the Saints say they should not they judge others A fair pretence And yet it is but the same that Korah Dathan and Abiram had and so we need to stumble the less at it Ye take too much upon you said they seing all the Congregation are Holy every one of them c. Numb-16 3. The Second Vse is to private Christians that ye would do your duty And Secondly Content your selves with your duty And first do your duty whereof many come short Doubtless many at the hearing of this Doctrine will cast off all care seeing the care of the Church is laid on the Officers thereof Ministers and Elders Nay but as we shew in the clearing of the State of the Question although power of Governing the Church be not in the hands of all believers yet there is a duty lying on them to admonish and exhort even their Ministers say to Archippus take heed to thy Ministry Yea it is a duty lying on private Christians that when your private Admonition doth not the business ye are bound to delate it to the Church We see this Matth 16. Where Christs institutes this order v 16. 1. To tell thy Brother privatly and if that will not do bring two or three moe Witnesses with thee then if that do it not tell it to the Church so it is a duty lying on every Church member to admonish and rebuke even their Ministers and Elders to stir them up when slack and when that will not do to tell it to others And we would charge you to make more conscience of this duty than usually ye do A second part of your duty we told you was to try the spirits in reference to your practice ye are not bound to take a Doctrine on trust from Ministers tho Apostles Nay not from Angels Though we or an Angel from Heaven Preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have Preached unto you let him be accursed Galat. 1. 8. And private Christians come short of this part of their duty also many seeking no other Reason of their Faith than what Ministers Preach it is a loose ground For ye are commanded to Try the Spirits But Secondly As ye would make Conscience of your duty so ye would content your selves with your duty ye would look on Church Officers and reverence them ye are not to say what is more in them than in our selves may we not be as fit as they they may erre as well as we Grant it be so yet they are Gods Ordinance appointed by the God of order and he who reproacheth them reproacheth his ordinance and breaketh down the hedge appointed by God The Third Vse is directed to Church Officers Those whom the Lord hath instructed with this power Ye would make use of it for Edification and not for destruction ye should so carry your selves in your places as not to tempt the People of God to despise your Office When the Lords People hear of an Elder to be a Tipler or a Swearer it is a temptation to them to despise both that Elder and his Office Many surely in this are stumbling blocks to People As Eli's Sons made the People abhorr the offering of the Lord. The Truth is it is no great wonder that the Government of the Church be losing weight