THE ANARCHY OF THE RANTERS And other LIBERTINES The Hierarchy of the Romanists and other Pretended Churches equally Refused and Refuted in a Two-fold Apology for the Church and People of God called in Derision QUAKERS Wherein they are Vindicated from those that accuse them of Disorder and Confusion on the one hand and from such as Calumniate them with Tyranny and Imposition on the other shewing that as the true and pure Principles of the Gospel are restored by their Testimony so is also the ancient apostolick ORDER of the Church of Christ re-established among them and setled upon its Right Basis and Foundation By Robert Barclay Phil. 2. 3. Let nothing be done through Strife or Vain-glory but in Lowliness of Mind let each esteem another better then themselves Hebr. 13. 7. Remember them that have the Rule over you who spoke unto you the Word of God whose Faith follow Printed in the Year 1676. THE PREFACE TO THE READER SUCH is the Malignity of man's Nature in his fallen State and so averse is he from walking in the Straight and even Path of TRUTH that at every turn he is inclinable to lean either to the Right Hand or the Left yea such as by the Work of God's Grace in their Hearts and powerful Operation of his Spirit have obtained an Entrance in this Way are daily molested and set upon on all hands some striving to draw them the one way some the other and if through the Power of God they be kept faithful and stable then are they calumniated on bothsides each likening or comparing them to the worst of their Enemies Those that are acquainted with the holy Scriptures may observe this to have been the Lot of the Saints in all Ages but especially those whose place it hath been to Reform and Restore the Ruins of the House of God when decayed or any considerable time have been lyable to such Censures hence those that set about Repairing of the Walls of Jerusalem were necessitated to Work with the one hand and Defend with the other Christ is accused of the Jews as a Samaritan and by the Samaritans quarrelled for being a Jew The Apostle Paul is whipped imprisoned by the Gentiles and upbraided with being a Jew and teaching their Customs the same Paul is haled and ready to be killed by the Jews for breaking the Law and defiling the Temple with the Gentiles The like hath also befaln these faithful Witnesses and Messengers whom God has raised up in this day to witness for his Truth which hath long been in a great Measure hid but now is again revealed and many brought to be Witnesses of it who thereby are come to walk in the Light of the Lord. This People thus gathered have not wanted those Tryals that usually accompany the Church of Christ both on the right hand on the left each characterizing them in such Terms as they haâ—e judged would prove most to their Disadvantage from whence as the Testimony of the false Witnesses against their Lord did not agree neither do these against us some will have us to be foolish mad Creatures others to be deep subtil Polititions some to be illiterate ignorant Fellows others to be learned cunning Jesuites under a meer Vizard divers Professors will have us to be only Pensioners of the Pope undoubtedly Papists but the Papists abhor us as Hereticks Sometimes we are a disorderly confused Rabble leaving every one to do as they list against all Good Order and Government at other times we are so much for Order as we admit not men to exercise the Liberty of their own Judgments Thus are our Reputations tossed by the Envy of our Adversaries which yet cannot but have this Effect upon sober-minded people as to see what Malice works against us and how these men by their Contradictory Assertions concerning us save us the Pains while they Refute one another True it is we have laboured to walk amidst these Extremities upon our appearing for the Truth we have found things good in themselves abused upon both hands for such hath alwayes been the Work of an Apostacy to keep up the Shadow of certain Truths that there-through they might shelter other Evils Thus the Jews made use of the Law and the Prophets to vindicate their Abuses yea and to Crucifie Christ And how much many Christians abuse the Scriptures and the Traditions of the Apostles to uphold Things quite Contrary to it will in the general be readily acknowledged by most But to descend more particularly There be Two Things especially both of which in their primitive Use were appointed and did very much contribute towards the Edification of the Church The one is The Power and Authority which the Apostles had given them of Christ for the Gathering Building up and Governing of his Church by Vertue of which Power and Authority they also wrote the holy Scriptures The other is That Priviledge given to every Christian under the Gospel to be led and guided by the Spirit of Christ and to be taught thereof in all things Now both these in the primitive Church wrought effectually towards the same End of Edification and did as in their Nature they may and in their Use they ought to do in a good Harmony very well consist together but by the Workings of Satan and Perversness of Men they are made to fight against and destroy one another For on the one hand the Authority Power that resided in the Apostles while it is annexed entailed to an Outward Ordination and Succession of Teachers is made use of to cloak and cover all manner of Abuses even the height of Idolatry and Superstition for by Vertue of this Succession these men claiming the like Infallibility that was in the Apostles though they be Strangers to any inward Work or Manifestation of the Spirit in their Hearts will needs obliege all others to acquiesce and agree to their Conclusions however different from or contrary to the Truths of the Gospel and yet for any to call such Conclusions in Question or examine them is no less then a Hainous Heresie deserving Death c. Or while the Revelation of God's Mind is wholely bound up to these things already delivered in the Scriptures as if God had spoke his last words there to his People we are put with our own natural Understandings to Debate about the Meanings of it and forced to interpret them not as they plainly speak but according to the Analogy of a certain Faith made by Men not so much contrived to answer the Scriptures as the Scriptures are strained to vindicate it which to doubt of is also counted Heresie deserving no less then Ejection out of our native Country and to be robbed of the common Aid our Nativity entitles us to and on this hand we may boldly say both Papists and Protestants have greatly gone aside On the other hand some are so great Pretenders to inward Motions and Revelations of the Spirit that
were alarmed and many were brought in from the Hedges and the High Ways and the Truth was received by Thousands with great Cheerfulness and a Readiness of Mind and the Feet of those were beheld to be beautiful upon the Mountains that brought the Gladâ—tidings of these good things great Lowliness and Simplicity of Heart was upon such that were newly conviâ—ced of the Truth and Deep Humiliation of Spirit and â—ubjection to the Power both in themselves and in those who were over them in the Lord and had gathered them into the Truth But as it was in the Gatherings of old so it also fell out in this Day all kept not their first Love as among those Thousands which Moses led out of Egypt and carried through the Red Sea who had sung praises to God upon the Banks of Salvation many Carcases fell in the Wilderness some who murmured and longed to return again to the Flesh-pots of Egypt and some for opposing and contradicting the Servant and Servants of the Lord whom the Lord had made Use of to lead them out of Bondage in saying Ye take too much upon you hath the Lord indeed only spoken by Moses hath he not spoken also by us And as among these Multitudes which were gathered by the Apostles there were many who continued not faithful to the End some returned back again with the Sow to the Puddle after they were washed some embraced the present World some again separated themselves being sensual and without the Spirit despising Dominion and speaking Evil of Dignities their Mouths speaking great swelling Words being puffed up not abiding in these things which they were taught of the Apostles So it is to be lamented that among these many thousands whom the Apostles and Evangelists whom God raised up in this Day for the gathering of his Seed and People out of spiritual Egypt and Babylon into his pure Light and Life there are that have faln upon the right Hand and the left some are turned back again into Egypt running into the same Excess of Lust and Riot from whence they were once purified and Redeemed some could not bear the Reproach of the Cross of Christ and were by and anon offended in him some could not bear the Tribulations Sufferings and Persecutions which came for the Truth 's Sake and the Seed in them was soon scorched with the Heat of the Day and some not abiding in Subjection to the Truth in themselves were not contented with that Place and Station in the Body which God had placed them in but became vainly puft up in their Fleshly Minds intruding into those things which they have not seen and would needs be Innovators given to change and introducing new Doctrines and Practices not only differing but contrary to what was already delivered in the Beginning making Parties causing Divisions and Rents stumbling the weak and denying despising and reviling the Apostles and Messengers of Christ the Elders of the Church who loved not their Lives unto Death but through much Care and Travail and Watchings and Whippings and Bonds and Beatings in daily Jeopardy gathered us by the mighty Power of God in the most precious Truth Yet in all this there hath nothing befaln us but what hath been the Ancient Lot of the Church of Christ in the primitive times Now he that was careful for his Church and People in old times hath not been wanting to us in our Day but as he has again restored the Truth unto its primitive Integrity and Simplicity and as he has delivered our Understandings from these false Doctrines Principles which prevailed in the Apostacy So he hath not gathered us to be as Sheep scattered without a Shepherd that every one may run his own Way and every one follow his own Will and so to be as a confused Mass or Chaos without any Order but he even the Lord hath also gathered and is gathering us into the Good Order Discipline and Government of his own Son the Lord Jesus Christ therefore he hath laid Care upon some beyond others who watch for the Souls of their Brethren as they that must give account There are then Fathers that have begotten us unto Christ Jeâ—us through the Gospel of whom We ought to be Follâ—wers and to remember their Ways which be in Christ. There are then Fathers and Children Instructers and Instructed Elders Young Men yea and Babes there are that cannot cease but must exhort instruct reprove condemn judge or else for what End gave Christ the Gifts mentioned Ephes. 4. 11 12 And how are the Saints perfected and the Body of Christ edified of those who come under the Cognizance and as it were the Test of this Order and Government I may chiefly sum them up in three sorts though there be divers others little subdivided Species of them The First is Those that turn openly back to the World again through finding the Way of Truth too narrow these have not been capable to do us any considerable Hurt for being as Salt that has lost its Savour they mostly prove a Stink among those to whom they go And I never knew any of them that proved any wayes steadable to those to whom they go I find other Professors make but small Boast of any Proselytes they got out from among us I hear little of their proving Chamâ—pions for the Principles of others against us And indeed for the most part they lose all Religion with the Truth for I have heard some of them say That if ever they took on them to be Religious they would come back again to the Quakers c. Secondly Those who through Unwatchfulness the secret Corruption of their own Hearts and the mysterious or hidden Temptations of the Enemy have fallen into his Snares and so have come under the Power of some Temptation or other either of Fleshly Lusts or of Spiritual Wickedness who being seasonably warned by those that keep their Habitation and faithful Overseers in the Church have been again restored by unfeigned Repentance not kicking against the Pricks but have rejoyced that others watched over them for their good and are become Monuments of God's Mercy unto this Day Thirdly Such who being departed from their first Love Ancient Zeal for the Truth become cold and lukewarm yet are ashamed to make open Apostacy and to turn back again so as to deny all the Principles of Truth they having had already such Evidence of Clearness upon their Understanding yet not keeping low in their own Habitations but being puffed up giving Way to the restless Imaginations of their exalted and wandering Minds fall out with their Brethren cause Divisions begin to find Fault with every thing and to look at others more than at themselves with swelling Words to talk of and preach up a higher Dispensation while they are far from living up to the Life and Perfection of this present like unto such who said we will not have this Man to rule over us
cry out of Formality and Apostacy because they are not followed in all Things and if they be reproved for their Unruliness according to the good Order of the Church of Christ then they cry out Breach of â—iberty Oppression Persecution we will have none of your Order and Government we were taught to follow the Light in our Consciences and not the Orders of Men well of this hereafter but this gave the Rise of this Controversie which leads me to that which I proposed in the second place SECTION Third Whether there be now to be any Order or Government in the Church of CHRIST IN Answer to this Proposition I meddle not at this Time with those that deny any such Thing as a Church of Christ I have reserved their Plea to another Place neither need I to be at much Pains to prove the Affirmative to wit That there ought to be Government and Order in the Church of Christ unto the Generallity of our Opposers both Papists and Protestants who readily confess and acknowledge it and have heretofore blamed us for want of it though now some of them and that of the highest Pretenders are become so unreasonable as to accuse us for the Use of it improving it so far as they can to our Disadvantage for such is the Blindness of partial Envy that whereas the supposed Want of it was once reckoned Heretical now the present Performance of it is counted Criminal These then to whom I come to prove this Thing are such who having cast off the Yoke of the Cross of Christ in themselves refuse all Subjection or Government denying that any such Thing ought to be as disagreeing with the Testimony of Truth or those who not being so wilful and obstinate in their Minds yet are fearful or scrupulous in the Matter in respect of the dangerous Consequences they may apprehend such a Thing may draw after it For the clearing then as well the Mistakes of the one as answering the Cavils of the other I judge the Truth of these following Assertions will sufficiently prove the Matter which I shall make no great Difficulty to evidence First That Jesus Christ the King and Head of the Church did appoint and ordain that there should be Order and Government in it Secondly That the Apostles and Primitive Christians when they were filled with the Holy Ghost and immediately led by the Spirit of God did practise and commend it Thirdly That the same Occasion and Necessity now occurring which gave them Opportunity to exercise that Authority the Church of Christ hath the same Power now as ever and are led by the same Spirit into the same Practices As to the first I know there are some that the very Name of a Church and the very Words Order and Government they are affraid of Now this I suppose hath proceeded because of the great Hypocrisie Deceit and Oppression that hath been cloaked with the Pretence of these Things but why should the Truth be neglected because Hypocrites have pretended to it The right Institution of these Things which have been appointed and ordained by God must not nor ought not to be despised because corrupt Men have abused and perverted them I know not any thing that hath been more abused and pervented in the whole World then the Name of a Christian shall we then renounce that Honourable Title because so many Thousands of wicked Men yea Antichrists have falsly assumed it to themselves The Man of Sin hath taken upon him to sit in the Temple of God as God yet we must not therefore deny that God is in his Temple if the Synagogue of Satan hath assumed the Name of the Church of Christ and hath termed her Oppression and Violence the Power and Authority thereof therefore must not the Church of Christ its Authority be exercised where it truly is according to his Mind This I prefix to warn all to beware of stumbling at things which are innocent in themselves and that we may labour to hold the steady even Path of Truth without running in either of the extreams for that Jesus Christ did appoint Order Government to be in the Church is very clear from his plain Words Mat. 18. 15 16 17 18. Ver. 15. Moreover if thy Brother shall trespass against thee go tell him his Fault between thee and him alone of he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy Brother Ver 16. But if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more that in the Mouth of two or three Witnesses every Work may be established Ver. 17. And if he shall neglect to hear them tell it unto the Church but if he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen man and a Publican Ver. 18. Verily I say unto you whatsoever yee shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever yee shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven From which Scripture it doth manifestly and evidently follow First that Jesus Christ intended there should be a certain Order and Method in his Church in the Procedure towards such as transgress Secondly That he that refuseth to hear two is become more guilty as hardned then in refusing to hear him that first reproved alone Thirdly That refusing to hear the Judgment of the Church or whole Assembly he doth thereby exclude himself and shut out himself from being a Member and is justly judged by his Brethren as a Heathen and a Publican And lastly That the Church Gatherng or Assembly of God's People has Power to examin and call to an Account such as appearing to be among them or owning the same Faith with them do transgress and in Case of their refusing to hear or repent to exclude them from their Fellowship and that God hath a special Regard to the Judgment and Sense of his People thus orderly proceeding so as to hold such bound in Heaven whom they bind on Earth and such loosed in Heaven whom they loose on Earth I am partly confident that no rational Man will deny but that these natâ—rally follow from the above mentioned Scripture and if there should be any found so unreasonable as to deny it I could prove it by necessary and unevitable Consequences which at present as taking it for granted I forbear to do If it be reckoned so great a Crime to offend one of the little ones that it were better for him that so did that a Milstone were hanged about his Neck and he were drowned in the Depth of the Sea without Question to offend and gainsay the whole Flock must be more criminal and must draw after it a far deeper Judgment Now if there were no Order nor Government in the Church what should become of those that transgress How should they be again restored would not this make all Reproving all Instructing all Caring for and Watching over one another void and null Why should Christ have desired them to proceed after this Method Why doth
the Apostate Corinthians let such as are of the same kind among us examin seriously and measure their Spirits truly hereby Yea he goes yet further in the following Chapter ver 3 4. 3. As absent in Body but present in Spirit have judged already as though I were present concerning him that hath so done this Deed. 4. In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ when ye are gathered together and my spirit with the Power of our Lord Jesus Christ c. Would not one think this to have been a very presumptuous Word and yet who dare offer to condemn it from all which I shall shortly observe that it seems it was judged no Inconsistency nor Contradiction to be Followers of the Grace in themselves to be perswaded in their own Hearts and also to be Followers of the Apostle Paul and of his Wayes because his Wayes and Example was no other then the Spirit of God in themselves would have led them to if they had been obedient therefore he found it needful to charge them positively to follow him without dding this Reason Next the great Argument the Apostle uses to perswade them hereunto upon which he mainly insists because he had begotten them into the Truth Ye have not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel wherefore I beseech you be ye Followers of me So he makes that as the Cause which the same Apostle also in his Expostulation with the Galatians putting them in mind how he preached the Gospel to them at first and Chap. 14. Ver. 15. Where is then the Blessedness ye spoke of for I bear you Record if possible you would have plucked out your own Eyes and given them unto me We see then that the Lord hath doth give such whom he hath furnished and sent forth to gather a People unto himself Care and Oversight over that People yea and a certain Authority in the Power over them to bring them back to their Duty when they stray at any Time and to appoint yea and command such Things as are needful for Peace and Order and Unity Sake and that there lies an Obligation upon such as are so gathered to reverence honour yea and obey such as are set over them in the Lord for saith the same Apostle 2 Cor. 2. 9. For to this End also did I write that I might know the Proof of you whether you be obedient in all Things And Chap. 7. Ver. 13 15. Yea and exceedingly the more joyed we for the Joy of Titus because his Spirit was refreshed by you all 15. And his inward Affection is more abundant toward you whilest he remembreth the Obedience of you all how with Fear and Trembling you received him Now this will not at all infer as if they had been implicitly led of old or that such as having the same Authority exercise it now sought Dominion over their Brethrens Faith or to force them to do any Thing beyond far less contrary to what the Lord leads us to by his Spirit but we know as they did of old that the Enemy lies near to betray under such Pretences and that seeing in case of Difference the Lord hath and doth and will reveal his Will to his People and hath and doth raise up Members of his Body to whom he gives a Discerning and Power and Authority to instruct reprove yea and command in some Cases and that those that are faithful and low in their Minds keeping their own Places and minding the Lord and the Interest and Good of his Truth in the general over all they shut out the Murmurer and the Spirit of God leads them to have Unity and concur with their Brethren but such as are heady and high-minded are inwardly vexed that any should lead or rule but themselves and so it is the high Thing in themselves that makes them quarrel others for taking so much upon them pretending a Liberty not sinking down in the Seed to be willing to be of no Reputation for its Sake such rather then give up their own Wills will study to make Rents and Divisions not sparing the Flock but prostrating the Reputation and Honour of the Truth even to the World ministring to them an Occasion of Scorn and Laughter to the harding them in their Wickedness and Atheism Besides these Scriptures mentioned I shall set down a few of many more that might be instanced to the same Purpose Ephes. 5. 21. Submitting your selves one to another in the Fear of God Phil. 2. 3. Let nothing be done through Strife or Vain-glory but in Lowliness of Mind let each esteem other better then themselves 29. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all Gladness and hold such in Reputation And 3. 17. Brethren be Followers together of me and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an Ensample And 4. 9. Those Things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do and the God of Peace shall be with you Col. 2. 5. For though I be absent in the Flesh yet am I with you in the Spirit joying and beholding your Order and the Stedfastness of your Faith in Christ. 1 Thes. 5. 12. And we beseech you Brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you 13. And to esteem them very highly in Love for their Work Sake and be at Peace among your selves 14. Now we exhort you Brethren warn them that are unruly comfort the feeble-minded support the weak be patient toward all Men. 2 Thes. 2. 15. Therefore Brethren stand fast and hold the Traditions which ye have been taught whether by Word or our Epistle 2 Cor. 10. 8. For though I should boast somewhat more of our Authority which the Lord hath given us for Edification and not for your Destruction I should not be ashamed Now though the Papists greatly abuse this Place as if hereby they could justifie that Mass of Superstition which they have heaped together yet except we will deny the plain Scripture we must needs believe there lay an Obligation upon the Thessaloniâ—ns to observe and hold these Appointments and no Doubt needful Institutions which by the Apostles were recommended unto them and yet who will say that they ought or were hereby commanded to do any Thing contrary to that which the Grace of God in their Hearts moved them to 2 Thes. 3 4. And we have Confidence in the Lord touching you that ye both do and will do the Things which we command you 6. Now we command you Brethren in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw your selves from every Brother that walketh disorderly and not after the Tradition which he received of us What more positive then this and yet the Apostle was not here any Imposer And yet further ver 14. And if any man obey not our Word by this Epistle note that man and have no company with him that he may be ashamed Thus Heb.
and have been all made to drink into one Spirit 14 For the Body is not one Member but many 15 If the Foot shall say because I am not the Hand I am not of the Body is it therefore not of the Body 16 And if the Ear shall say because I am not the Eye I am not of the Body is it not therefore of the Body 17 If the whole Body were an Eye where were the Hearing If the whole were Hearing where were the Smelling 18 But now hath God set the Members every one of them in the Body as it hath pleased him 19 And if they were all one Member where were the Body 20 But now are they many Members yet but one Body 21 And the Eye cannot say unto the Hand I have no need of thee nor again the Head to the Feet I have no need of you 22 Nay much more those Members of the Body which seem to be more feeble are necessary 23 And those Members of the Body which we think to be less honourable upon these we bestow more abundant Honour and our uncomely Parts have more abundant Comliness 24 For our comely Parts have no Need but God hath tempered the Body together having given more abundant Honour to that Part which lacked 25 That there should be no Schism in the Body but that the Members should have the same Care one of another 26 And whether one Member suffer all the Members suffer with iâ— or one Member be honoured all the Members rejoyce with it 27 Now ye are the Body of Christ and Members in particular 28 And God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers after that Miracles then Gifts of Healing Helps Governments Diversities for Tongues 29 Are all Apostles Are all Prophets Are all Teachers Are all Workers of Miracles 30 Have all the Gifts of Healing Do all speak with Tongues Do all interpret Which I would not have set down at large but that there be some of careless especially in Matters they like not that they will scarce be at the pains seriously to read over a Citation only named and that also this being presented before the Reader in the Current of the Discourse will fix the Nature of my Application the more in his Understanding for the Apostle shews here the Variety of the Operations of the divers Members of the Body of Christ working to one and the same End as the divers Members of a Man's Body towards the Maintaining and upholding of the whole Now these are not placed in contrary Workings for so they would destroy one another and so the Apostle in the ordering of them in three several kinds proves this First Diversities of Gifts Secondly Differences of Administrations Thirdly Diversities of Operations and that which is the Bond that keeps the Oneness here he also mentions to wit The same Spirit the sam Lord the same God the Apostle names nothing of Contrariety or Opposition but lest any should be so critical as to bring in here the School Distinction of contrarium oppositum and contradictorium I shall not deny but Contrariety or Opposition in the Sense it is sometimes taken may be found in the Body without Schism as the comely Parts may be said to be opposite or contrary to the uncomely or the left Hand contrary to the right or the Foot opposite to the Head as the uppermost Part to the undermost or the Doing a Thing is contrary to the Forbearing of it but as for that which is acknowledged to be Propositiones or Termini contradictorij that is contradictory Propositions which are in themselves irreconciliable whereof one must be still wrong and that still destroy one another and work contrary Effects they are not at all admitted nor supposed to be in the Body of Christ as I shall give in one Instance ver 8. To one is given by the Spirit the Word of Wisdom to another the Word of Knowledge by the same Spirit First here are two different Gifts but not contrary Secondly There may something like Contrariety in the Sense afore-mentioned be here supposed as some may want this Gift of Wisdom and Knowledge and so to have is contrary to want though as to these two none may be absolutely said to want them yet all have them not in the same Degree as a special Gift though as to some Gifts there may be an absolute want as that of Miracles and Interpretation of Tongues but should I suppose such a Contâ—â—â—â—â—y or more properly a Contradiction as to Wisdom to oppose Folly and to Knowledge Vtter Ignorance this were an Opposition not to be admitted of in the Body because it were false to suppose that to proceed from the same Spirit and such Contrarieties or Diversities as cannot justly be supposed to proceed from the same Spirit of God which is the Bond that links together cannot be mutually entertained in the Body So the Differences and Diversities which the Apostle admits of while he speaks largely in this Matter is that none ought to be offended at his Brother that he hath not the same Work and Office in the Body that he hath but that every one keep in his own Place as God hath appointed them that neither them that are set in a higher Place despise them that are set in a lower nor them that are set in a lower grudge and repine at such as are set higher but all work in their proper Place towards the Edification of the whole and that the Apostle intends this is manifest where he draws to a Conclusion ver 27. Now ye are the Body of Christ and Members in particular and God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets c. and then he subsumes Are all Apostles c. which the same Paul again confirms Ephes. 4. 8 11. to the 17th which was the second Place I intended and shall only mention for Brevity sake leaving the Reader to consider of it at his Leisure This is also held forth by the Beloved Disciple John in his Threefold Distinction 1 John 2. 12 13. Of Fathers Young Men and little Children and by Peter 1 Pet. 5. 1 5. in that of Elders and Younger The true Liberty then in the Church of Christ is exercised whenas one judgeth not another in these different Places but live in Love together all minding the Unity and general good of the Body and to work their own Work in their own Place also the Forbearance of the Saints is exercised whenas they judge not one another for being found in the different appearance either of Doing or Forbearing which may be peculiar to their several Places and Stations in the Body for that there is may be Diversities of Works there is excellently well expressed by the Apostle Rom. 12. 3. For I say through the Grace given unto me to every man that is among you not to think of himself more highly then he ought to think but to think soberly
turned away from because in so far as I observed before as Sanctification to wit those that are sanctified in Christ Jesus make the Church and give the right Definition to it where that is wholely wanting the Church of Christ ceaseth to be and there remains nothing but a Shadow without Substance such Assemblies then are like the dead Body when the Soul is departed which is no more fit to be conversed with because it corrupts and proves noisom to the living but by the Church of Christ I understand all those that truly and really have received and hold the Truth as it is in Jesus and are in measure sanctified or sanctifying in and by the Power and Virtue thereof working in their inward Parts and this may be made up of divers distinct Gatherings or Churches in several Countries or Nations I say so long as these or any of them do retain that which justly entitles them the Church or Churches of Christ which they may be truly called though there may fall out some Differences Divisions or Schisms among them as we may see there was no small Dissension in the Church of Antioch and yet it ceased not to be a Church Acts 15 2. and 1 Cor. 1. 11. For it hath been declared unto me of you my Brethren that there are Contentions among you and yet verâ—◠〈◊〉 he entitles them the Church of God them that are sanctifiâ—d in Christ Jesus So long I say as they truly retain this Title of the Church of Christ as being really such there will never be wanting the certain Judgment of Truth for which besides the positive Promise of Christ before-mentioned which is not without Blasphemy to be called in question or doubted of I shall add these Reasons That seeing the Church of Christ is his Body of which he is the Head it were to make Christ negligent of his Body who stiles himself the good Shepherd and hath said He will never leave nor forsake his own or else which is worse it would infer a possibility of Error or Mistake in Christ in whom as the Head is the Eyes of the Body by which it is to be ruled in all things Next we never find in all the Scripture since the Gospel that ever this was wanting but that God still gave infallible Judgment by his Spirit in some of the Respects above mentioned if the Transactions and Controversies of the after Centuries be alledged I will boldly affirm and prove that there was never a true Judgment wanting so long as the Nature and Essence of the true Church was retained if any will needs affirm otherwise let them shew me where and I shall answer it though I deny not that after the Mystery of Iniquity did begin to work or had so wrought first by intermixing and afterward by altogether forsaking the Nature of Truth retaining only the bare Name of the Church but that there might be some scattered ones here and there one in a Nation and now and then one in an Age who by the Power and Virtue of the Spirit of Life working in them might be truly sanctified yet these were but as Witnesses in Sack cloth no wayes sufficient to give these Assemblies in which they were engrossed the Appellation of the Church of Christ coming no more under Observation by the Generallity nor having as to them any more Influence then some Tittle or scarcely discernable Sparks of Fire in many great Heaps and Mountains of Ashes and thus much to prove that where there is any Gathering or Assembly which truly and properly may be called the Church of Christ the infallible Judgment will never be wanting in Matters of Controversie Secondly That ordinarily God hath in the communicating of his Will under his Gospel imployed such whom he had made use of in gathering of his Church and in feeding and watching over them though not excluding others for as in a natural Body to which the Church of Christ is compared the more substantial and powerful Members do work most effectually and their Help is most necessary to supply any Defect or Trouble in the Body so also if there be Diversities of Gifts in the Church as is above proved and some have a greater Measure and some a lesser these that have the greater are more capable to do good and to help the Body in its need then others that are weaker and less powerful since there are strong and weak Babes and Young Men who have overcome the Evil One and in whom the Word of God abideth such are more able when the Enemy besets to resist having already overcome then others who are but yet wrestling and not Conquerers Now every Controversie and Dissension in the Church comes from the Besetments of the Enemy yet if any of these Strong or Young Men or Powerful Members go from their Station it is not denied but that they are as Weak as any and it is presupposing their Faithfulness in their Place that I thus affirm and no otherwise nor yet do limit the Lord to this Method for in him are all the Treasures both of our Wisdom and Strength and the weakest in his Hand are as strong as the strongest who may now as well as heretofore kill a Goliah by the Hand of little David yet we see the Lord doth ordinarily make use of the strong to support the weak and indeed when such as may be termed weak are so made use of it alters the Nature of their Place and constitutes them in a higher and more eminent Degree for though it was little David it was also he that was to be King of Israel though the Apostles were mean Men among the Jews yet they were such as were to be the Apostles of the Lord of Glory Instruments to gather the lost Sheep of the House of Israel and to proclaim the acceptable Day of the Lord and though Paul was once accounted the Least of all the Saints a Child born out of due Time yet was he him who was to be the greatest Apostle of the Gentiles Now then let us consider whom the Lord makes use of in the Affairs of the primitive Church and through whom he gave forth his infallible Judgment did he not begin first by Peter he was the first that spoke in the first Meeting they had Acts 1. and who first stood up after the pouring forth of the Spirit and who first appeared before the Council of the Jews and spoke in behalf of the Gospel of Christ though I am far from calling him as some do the Prince of the Apostles yet I may safely say he was one of the most ancient and eminent and to whom Christ in a Manner somewhat more then ordinary had recommended the Feeding of his Flock we see also he was first made use of in preaching to the Gentiles and what Weight his and James's Words had in the Contest about Circumcision towards the bringing the Matter to a Conclusion Acts 15. yet that we may see
all have need one of another yet is no Member to assume another Place in the Body then God has given it nor yet to grudge or repine its Fellow-member's Place but to be content with its own for the Uncomely Parts are no less needful then the Comely and the less Honourable then the more Honourable which the Apostle Paul holds forth in 1 Cor. 12. from Vers. 13 to 30. Now the Ground of all Schism Divisions or Rents in the Body is whenas any Member assumes another Place then is allotted it or being gone from the Life and Unity of the Body and loosing the Sense of it le ts in the Murmurer the Eye that watches for Evil and not in holy Care over its Fellow-members and then instead of coming down to Judgement in it self will stand up and judge its Fellow-members yea the whole Body or those whom God has set in a more honourable and eminent Place in the Body then it self such suffer not the Word of Exhortation and term the Reproofs of Instruction which is the Way of Life Imposition and Oppression and are not aware how far they are in the things they condemn others for while they spare not to reprove and revile all their Fellow-members yet if they be but admonished themselves they cry out as if their great Charter of Gospel-Liberty were broken Now though such and the Spirit by which they are acted be sufficiently seen and felt by Thousands whose Hearts God has so established as they are out of Danger of being intangled in that Snare and who have Power and Strength in themselves to judge that Spirit even in its most subtil Appearances yet there are who cannot so well withstand the Subtilty and seeming Sincerity some such pretend to though in measure they have a sight of them and others that cannot so rightly distinguish betwixt the Precious and the Vile and some there are that through Weakness and want of true Discerning may be deceived and the Simplicity in them betrayed for a season as it is written With Fair Speeches and Smooth Words they deceive the Hearts of the Simple Therefore having according to my measure received an Opening in my Understanding as to these things from the Light of the Lord and having been for some time under the weighty Sense of them I find at this instant a Freedom to commit them to writing for the more Universal Benefit and Edification of the Church of CHRIST Now for the more plain and clear opening and understanding of these things it is fit to sum up this Treatise in these following general Heads to be considered of First From whence the Ground and Cause of this Controversie is the Rice and Root of it Secondly Whether there be now any Order and Government in the Church of Christ Thirdly What is the Order and Government which we plead for in what Cases and how far it may extend in whom the Power decisive is and how it differeth and is wholely another then the Oppressing and Persecuting Principality of the Church of Rome and other Antichristian Assemblies SECTION Second Concerning the Ground and Cause of this CONTROVERSIE VVHenas the Lord God by his mighty Power began to visit the Nations with the Dawning of his Heavenly Day for thus I write unto those that have received and believed the Truth and that he sent forth his Instruments whom he had fitted and prepared for his Work having fashioned them not according to the Wisdom and Will of Man but to his own heavenly Wisdom and Counsel they went sorth and preached the Gospel in the Evidence and Demonstration of the Spirit not in the Enticing Words of man's Wisdom but in Appearance as Fools and mad to those that judged according to Man but their Words and Testimony pierced through into the Inner Man in the Heart and reached to that of God in the Conscience whereby as many as were simple-hearted and waited for the Redemption of their Souls received them as the Messengers of the most high God and their Words were unto them not as the Words of Men but as the Words of God for in the receiving and imbracing the Testimony of Truth through them they felt their Souls eased and the acceptable Day began to dawn in and upon them Now what Evidence brought these Men to make their Testimony to be received did they entice did they flatter did they daub up did they preach Liberty to the Flesh or Will of man Nay verily they used no such Method their Words were as Thunder-Bolts knocking down all that stood in their Way and pouring down the Judgement of God upon the Head of the Transgressor every where Did they spare the Zealous Professor more then the open prophane Nay verily they condemned equally the Hypocrisie of the one as well as the Prophanity of the other yet wanted they not regard to the tender Seed and Plant of God in either Did they give way Did they yield to the Wisdom of man to the Deceitfulness of the Serpent that would reason Truth from themselves saying I must stay until I be convinced of this and thaâ— and the other thing I see not yet this to be wrong or the other thâ—â—g to be my Duty How did they knock down this manner of Reasoning by the Spirit of God which wrought mightily in them shewing and holding forth that this is the Day of the Lord that is dawned that all are invited to come that none ought to tarry behind that that which so pleadeth is the same Spirit which of old time said in those that were invited I cannot come yet I must first marry a Wife I must go prove my Yoak of Oxen I must go visit my Possessions let me first bury my dead Father Did not the Lord through them testifie and declare against these things and is there not a Cloud of Witnesses who felt the Enemy thus reasoning to keep us in the Forms Fellowships false Worships and Foolish Fashions of this World but we felt as we were obedient all these things to be for Condemnation and that as we obeyed the pure manifestation of the Light of Jesus in our Hearts there was no Haesitation We might and should have parted with all those things at the first and what occasioned such Scruples was but that which drew back through being unwilling to give pure Obedience to the Cross of Christ for as many as gave Obedience and believed in the Light found no Occasion of stumbling but such as believed not were condemned already because they believed not in him that appeared Now the Boldness and Courage and Efficacy of these Messengers Testimony wrought such Astonishmenâ— Fear and Amazement in the Hearts of such as were Ingenuous that many began to be inwardly pricked as in the Days of old and the Foundations of many began to be shaken and some that were asleep were awakened and many that were dead and buried in the Graves of Sin and Formality and Superstition and Idolatry of all Sorts
he place so much Weight upon the Judgment of the Church as to make the refusing of hearing it to draw so deep a Censure after it which he will not have to follow the refusing to hear one or two apart though the Matter be one and the same and so as to the Substantial and Intrinsick Truth of the Thing there lies the same Obligation upon the Transgressor to hear that one as well as all for that one adviseth him to that whiâ—h is right and good as well as the whole and they do but homologate or confirm that which that one hath already asserted yet Jesus Christ who is the Author of Order and not of Confusion will not have a Brother cut off or reputed a publican for refusing to hear one or two but for refusing to hear the Chucrch And if it be objected that the Church of Rome and all other false Churches makes use of this Scripture and cover their Persecutiton and Cruelty and Oppression by it and thou sayes no more then they say I answer I suppose no man will be so unreasonable as to affirm that the Church of Rome abusing this Scripture will make it false in it self but how we differ in ours Application of this Scripture shall be spoken of hereafter I am not now claiming Right to this Power as due to us that is reserved for another Place but this I say is that which I now aver to be manifest from the Scripture Testimony and to be in it self an unquestionable Truth That Jesus Christ intended there should be Order and Government in his Church which is the Thing at present in hand to be proved which if it be so really true as it cannot be denyed then I hope it will also necessarily follow that such who really and truely are the Church of Christ have Right to exercise this Order and Government Secondly That the Apostles and primitive Christians did practise Order and Government we need but to read the History of the Acts of which I shall mention a few pregnant and undeniable Testimonies as we may observe in the very first Chapter of the Acts from Verse 13 to the End where at the very first Meeting the Apostles and Bâ—ethren held together after the Ascension of Christ they began orderly to appoint one to fulfil the Place of Judas it may be thought this was a needless Ceremony yet we see how the Lord countenanced it hope none will say that the Apostles appointing of these two Men or of him upon whom the Lot did not fall contradicted their inward Freedom or imposed upon it but both agreed very well together the one in the Will and Movings of God in appointing and the other in the same in submitting to their Appointment Moreover after they had received the holy Ghost you may read Acts 6. so soon as there was an Opport unity how they wisely gave Order concerning the Distribution of the Poor and appointed some men for that Purpose So here was Order and Government according to the present Necessity of the Case and the Lord God was well pleased with it and the Word of God encreased and the Number of the Disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly Might they not have said then as some say now we will give our Charity to whom we see Cause and we will take no Notice of your Appointments and Orders Whether would God have approved of such yea or nay Thirdly When that the Business of Circumcision fell in whether it was fit or not to circumcise the Gentiles we see the Apostles saw not meet to suffer every one to follow their own Minds and Wills They did not judge as one confusedly supposeth that this Difference in an â—â—tward Exercise would commend the Vnity of the true Faith nay they took another Method It is said expresly Acts 15. 6. And the Apostles and Elders came together to consider of this Matter and after there had been much disputing about it no doubt then there was here Diversities of Opinions and Judgments the Apostles and Elders told their Judgments and came also to a positive Conclusion sure some behoved to submit else they should never have agreed So those that were the Elders gave a positive Judgment and they were bold to say That it pleased not only them but the Holy Ghost by all which it doth undeniably appear that the Apostles and primitive Saints practised a Holy Order and Government among themselves and I hope none will be so bold as to say they did these Things without the Leadings of the Spirit of God and his Power and Authority concurring and going along with them And that these Things were not only singular Practices but that they held it doctrinally that is to say it was a Doctrine which they preached that there ought to be Order and Government in the Church is manifest from these following Testimonies 1 Cor. 4. 15 16 17. 15 For though you have ten Thousand Instructers in Christ yet have ye not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel 16. Wherefore I beseech you be ye Followers of me 17 For this Cause have I sent unto you Timotheus who is my beloved Son and faithful in the Lord who shall bring you into Remembrance of my Wayes which be in Christ as I teach every where in every Church Here the Apostle Paul is very absolute First In that he desires them to be Followers of him Secondly In that he sends a Teacher yea a Minister and Eminent Bishop or Overseer of the Church for to put them in mind of his Wayes which be in Christ as he taught in every Church No doubt there were Apostates and Dissenting Spirits in the Church of Corinth that gave Paul Occasion thus to write as he testifies in the Beginning of the Chapter How he was judged by some of them he shews how they were grown high ver 8. Now ye are full now ye are rich ye have reigned as Kings without us c. Might not these Dissenters of the Church of Corinth have reasoned thus against Paul Did not this Paul teach us at first to mind the Measure of Grace in our selves and follow that for no doubt that was Paul's Doctrine but now he begins to Lord over us and tells us we must be Followers of him might not they have judged the Beloved Timothy to be far out of his Place might they not have said it seems it is not God that moved thee and sent thee here by his Spirit but Lordly Paul that seeks Dominion over our Faith it seems thou comes not here to preach Christ and with us to be Followers of him and of his Grace in our Hearts but to mind us to follow Paul's Wayes and take Notice how he teaches in every Church we are not concerned with him nor with his Mâ—ssenger nor with none of your Orders and so sorth Doth not this run very plausible I question not but there was such a Reasoning among
13. 7. Remember them which have the Rule over you who have spoken unto you the Word of God whose Faith follow considering the End of their Conversation 17. Obey them that have the Rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls as they that must give Account that they may do it with Joy and not with Grief for that is unprofitable for you Jude 8. Likewise also these filthy Dreamers defile the Flesh despise Dominion and speak Evil of Dignities I might at length enlarge if needful upon these Passages any of which is sufficient to prove the Matter in Hand but that what is said may satisfie such as are not wilfully blind and obstinate for there can be nothing more plain from these Testimonies then that the Ancient Apostles Primitive Christians practised Order and Government in the Church that some did appoint and ordain certain Things condemn and approve certain Practices as well as Doctrines by the Spirit of God that there lay an Obligation in Point of Duty upon others to obey and submit that this was no Encroachment nor-Imposition upon their Christian-Liberty nor any Wayes contradictory to their being inwardly and immediately led by the Spirit of God in their Hearts and lastly that such as are in the true Feeling and Sense will find it their Places to obey and be one with the Church of Christ in such like Cases and that it 's such as have lost their Sense and Feeling of the Life of the Body that dissent and are disobedient under the false Prentence of Liberty so that thus is sufficiently proven what I undertook in this Place Thirdly I judge there will need no great Arguments to prove the People of God may do well to exercise the like Government upon the very like Occasion for even Reason may teach us that what proved good wholsom Cures to the Distemper of the Church in former Ages will not now the very like Distempers falling in prove hurtful and poysonable especially if we have the Testimony of the same Spirit in our Hearts not only allowing us but commanding us so to do It is manifest though we are sorry for it that the same Occasions now fall in we find that there are that have eaten and drunken with us at the Table of the Lord and have been Sharers of the same spiritual Joy and Consolation that afterwards fall away we find to our great Grief that some walk disorderly and some are puffed up and strive to sow Division labouring to stumble the weak and to cause Offences in the Church of Christ What then is more suitable and more christian then to follow the Foot-steps of the Flock and to labour and travail for the good of the Church and for the removing all that is hurtful even as the holy Apostles who walked with Jesus did before us If there be such as walk disorderly now must not they be admonished rebuked and withdrawn from as well as of old or is such to be the Condition of the Church in these latter Times that all Iniquity must go unreproved Must it be Heresie or Oppression to watch over one another in Love to take Care for the Poor to see that there be no corrupt no defiled Members of the Body and carefully and christianly deal with them for restoring them if possible and for withdrawing from them if incureable I am perswaded that there are none that look upon the Commands of Christ and his Apostles the Practice and Experience of the primitive Church and Saints as a sufficient President to authorize a Practice now that will deny the Lawfulness or Usefulness hereof but must needs acknowledge the Necessity of it But if it be objected as some have done Do not you deny that the Scripture is the adequate Rule of Faith and Manners and that the Commands or Practices of the Scripture are not a sufficient Warrant for you now to do any thing without you be again authorized and led unto it by the same Spirit and upon that Score do you not forbear some things both practised and commanded by the primitive Church and Saints Well I hope I have not any thing weakned this Objection but presented it in its full Vigour and Strength to which I shall clearly and distinctly answer thus First Seasons and Times do not alter the Nature and Substance of Things in themselves though it may cause Things to alter as to the Usefulness or not Usefulness of them Secondly Things commanded and practised at certain times and seasons fall of themselves whenas the Cause and Ground for which they were commanded is removed as there is no need now for the Decision about Circumcision seeing there are none contend for it neither as to the Orders concerning Things offered to Idols seeing there is now no such Occasion yet who will say that the Command enjoyn'd in the same Place Acts 15. 20. To abstain from Fornication is now made void seeing there is daily need for its standing in Force because it yet remains as a Temptation man is incident to We confess indeed we are against such as from the bare Letter of the Scripture though if it were seasonable now to debate it we find but few to deal with whose Practises are so exactly squared seek to uphold Customs Forms or Shaddows when the Use for which they were appointed is removed or the Substance it self known and witnessed as we have sufficiently elsewhere answered our Opposers in the Case of Water-Baptism and Bread and Wine c. so that the Objection as to that doth not hold and the Difference is very wide in respect of such Things the very Nature and Substance of which can never be dispensed with by the People of God so long as they are in this World yea without which they could not be his People for the Doctrines and fundamental Principles of the Christian Faith we own and believe originally and principally because they are the Truths of God whereunto the Spirit of God in our Hearts hath constrained our Understandings to obey and submit In the second Place we are greatly confirmed strengthned and comforted in the joint Testimony of our Brethren the Apostles and Disciples of Christ who by the Revelation of the same Spirit in the Dayes of old believed and have left upon record the same Truths so we having the same Spirit of Faith according as it is written I believed and therefore have I spoken we also believe and therefore we speak and we deny not but some that from the Letter have had the Notion of these Things have thereby in the Mercy of God received Occasion to have them revealed in the Life for we freely acknowledge though often calumniated to the contrary that whatsoever Things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures may have Hope So then I hope if the Spirit of God lead me now unto that which is good profitable yea and
absolutely needful in order to the keeping my Conscience clear and void of Offence towards God and Man none will be so unreasonable as to say I ought not to do it because it is according to the Scriptures nor do I think it will savour ill among any serious solid Christians for me to be the more confirmed and perswaded that I am led to this Thing by the Spirit that I find it in it self good and useful and that upon the like Occasions Christ commanded it the Apostles and Primitive Christians practised and recommended it Now seeing it is so that we can boldly say with a good Conscience in the Sight of God that the same Spirit which leads us to believe the Doctrines and Principles of the Truth and to hold them and maintain them again after the Apostacy in their primitive and ancient Purity as they were delivered by the Apostles of Christ in the holy Scriptures I say that the same Spirit doth now lead us into the like holy Order and Government to be exercised among us as it was among them being now the like Occasion and Opportunity ministred to us therefore what can any Christianly or Rationally object against it for that there is a Real Cause for it the thing it self speaketh and that it was the Practice of the Saints and Church of old is undeniable what kind of Ground then can any such Opposers have for to such as scrupling at this do notwithstanding acknowledge our Principle that this were done by Imposition or Imitation more then the Belief of the Doctrines and Principles seeing as it is needful to use all Diligence to convince and perswade People of the Truth and bring them to the Belief of it which yet we cannot do but as Truth moves and draws in their Hearts it is also no less needful when a People is gathered to keep and preserve them in Unity and Love as becomes the Church of Christ and to be careful as saith the Apostle That all Things be done decently and in Order and that all that is wrong be removed according to the Method of the Gospel and the good cherished and encouraged so that we conclude and that upon very good Grounds that there ought now as well as heretofore to be Order Government in the Church of Christ that which now cometh to be examined in the third Place is First What is the Order and Government we plead for Secondly In what Cases and how far it may extend and in whom the Power decisive is Thirdly How it differeth and is wholely an other then the oppressive and persecuting Principallity of the Church of Rome and other Antichristian Assemblies SECTION Fourth Of the Order and Government which we plead for IT will be needful then before I proceed to describe the Order Government of the Church to consider what is or may be properly understood by the Church for some as I touched before seem to be offended or at least afraid of the very Word because The Power of the Church the Order of the Church the Judgment of the Church and such like Pretences have been the great Weapons wherewith Antichrist and the Apostate Christians have been these many Generations persecuting the Woman and warring against the Man-child and indeed great Disputes have been among the Learned Rabbies in the Apostacy concerning this Church what it is or what may be so accounted which I find not my Place at present to dive much in but shall only give the true Sense of it according to Truth and the Scriptures plain Testimony The Word Church in it self and as used in the Scriptures is no other but a Gathering Company or Assembly of certain People called or gathered together for so the Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies which is that the Translators render Church which Word is derived from the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. evoco I call out of from the Root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 voco I call Now though the English Word Church be only taken in such a Sense as People are gathered together upon a Religious Account yet the Greek Word that is so rendered is taken in general for every Gathering or Meeting together of People and therefore where it is said The Town-Clark of the Ephesians dismissed the Tumult that was gathered there together the same Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used Acts 19. 41. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he dismissed the Assembly or the Church A Church then in the Scripture Phrase is no other then a Meeting or Gathering of certain People which if it be taken in a religious Sense as most commonly it is are gathered together in the Belief of the same Principles Doctrines and Points of Faith whereby as a Body they become distinguished from others and have a certain Relation among themselves and a conjunct Interest to the maintaining and propagating these Principles they judge to be right and therefore have a certain Care and Oversight over on another to prevent and remove all Occasions that may tend to break this their conjunct Interest hinder the Propagation of it or bring Infamy Contempt or Contumely upon it or give such as on the other Hand are or may be banded together to undo them just Occasion against them to decry and defame them Now the Way to distinguish that Church Gathering or Assembly of People whereof Christ truly is the Head from snch as falsly pretend thereto is by considering the Principles Grounds upon which they are gathered together the Nature of that Hierarchy Order they have among themselves the Way and Method they take to uphold it and the Bottom upon which it standeth which will greatly contribute to clear all Mistakes Forasmuch as Sanctification and Holiness is the great and chief End among true Christians which moves them to gather together therefore the Apostle Paul defines the Church in his Salutation to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 1. 2. Vnto the Church of God which is at Corinth them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints so the Church is such as are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints The Power and Authority Order and Government we speak of is such as a Church Meeting Gathering or Assembly claims towards those that have or do declare themselves Members who own believe and profess the same Doctrines and Principles of Faith with us and go under the same Distinction and Denomination whose Escapes Faults and Errors may by our Adversaries justly be imputed to us if not seasonably and christianly reproved reclaimed or condemned for we are not so foolish as to concern our selves with those who are not of us far less who stand in Opposition to us so as to reprove instruct or reclaim them as Fellow Members or Brethren yet with a Respect to remove the general Reproach from the Christian Name with a tender Regard to the good of their immortal Souls for the Zeal we owe to God's Glory and
for the Exaltation and Propagation of his Everlasting Truth and Gospel in the Earth we have not been wanting with the Hazard of our Lives to seek the scattered ones holding forth the Living and Sure Foundation and inviting and perswading all to obey the Gospel of Christ and to take Notice of his Reproofs as he makes himself manifest in and by his Light in their Hearts so our Care and Travail is and hath been towards those that are without that we may bring them into the Fellowship of the Saints in Light and towards those that are brought in that they may not be led out again or drawn aside either to the left Hand or the right by the Workings and Temptations of the Enemy These Things being thus cleared and opened we do positively affirm that we being a People gathered together by the Power of God which most if not all of those that arising among our selves do oppose us herein have acknowledged into the Belief of certain Principles and Doctrines and also certain Practices Performances by which we are come to be separated and distinguished from others so as to meet apart and also to suffer deeply for our Joint-Testimony there are and must of Necessity be as in the gathering of us so in the preserving of us while gathered Diversities of Gifts and Operations for the edifying of the whole Body Hence saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 5. 17. Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double Honour especially they who labour in the Word and Doctrine this we suppose neither to be Popish nor Antichristian let our Opposers say it as oft as they can without reckoning the Apostles such Secondly Forasmuch as all are not called in the same Station some rich some poor some Servants some Masters some married some unmarried some Widdows and some Orphans and so forth it is not only convenient but absolutely needfull that there be certain Meetings at certain Places and Times as may best sute the Conveniencies of such who may be most particularly concerned in them where both those that are to take Care may assemble and those who may need this Care may come and make known their Necessities and receive help whether by Counsel or Supply according to their respective Needs This doth not at all contradict the Principle of being led inwardly and immediately by the Spirit else how came the Apostle in that Day of the Powerful pouring forth of the Spirit of God to set apart Men for this Purpose sure this was not to lead them from their inward Guide yea of the contrary it is expresly said Look ye out among you Seven men of honest Report full of the Holy Ghost and Wisdom whom we may appoint over this Business Sure they were not to undertake a Business being full of the Holy Ghost which might import a contradiction to their being led by it So we see it is both fit and suitable to the Apostles Doctrine to have Meetings about Business Now if any should be so whimsical or conceited as to scruple their being at set Places and Times though these be nothing relative to the Essential parts but only Circumstances relating to the Conveniency of our Persons which we must have Regard to so long as we are cloathed with Flesh and Blood and such Notionists as are against this Godly Care work far more in their vain Imaginations than they reduce to Practice being like unto such of whom the Apostle James testified who content themselves with saying to the Naked be clothed and to the hungry be fed while they offer not in the least to minister to them those Things which are needful for clothing and Feeding of them yet shall we not scruple to make it appear that it is not without very good Ground that we both appoint Places and Times and First as to the Place I say as before it is with our Bodies we must meet as well as with our Spirits and so of Necessity we must convey our Bodies unto one Place that we may speak and act in those Things we meet for and that must be in some certain Place where all must know where to find it having herein a regard to the Conveniencies and Occasions of such as meet Were it fit that those of the Church of Corinth should go do their Business at Antioch or the Church of Jerusalem at Rome Nay surely God hath not given us our Reasons to no Purpose but that we should make use for his Glory and the good of our Brethren yet alwayes in Subjection to his Power and Spirit and therefore we have respect to these Things in the appointing of our Meetings and do it not without a Regard to the Lord but in a Sense of his Fear And so the like as to Times which is no contradicting of the inward Leading of the Spirit else how came the Apostle to appoint a Time to the Corinthians in their Contributions desiring them 1 Cor. 16. 2. To lay by them in store upon the first Day of the Week yea saith he not that he gave the same Order to the Church of Galatia I know not how any in Reason can quarrel Set-Times for outward Business it being done in a Subjection to God's Will as all Things ought to be or else how can such as so do but quarrel the Apostle for this Imposition at that Rate upon the Churches of Corinth and Galatia We appoint no set Times for the Performance of the Worship of God so as to appoint men to preach and pray at such and such Set-times though we appoint times to meet together in the Name of the Lord that we may feel his Presence and he may move in and through whom he pleaseth without Limitation which Practice of meeting together we are greatly encouraged to by the Promise of Christ and our own blessed Experience and also we are severely prohibited to lay it aside by the holy Apostle and also on the other Hand by the sad Experience of such as by Negligence or Prejudice forsake the Assemblies of God's People upon many of which is already fulfilled and upon others daily fulfilling the Judgments threatned upon such Transgressors read Heb. 10. from ver 23. to the End where that Duty is so seriously exhorted to and the Contempt of it reckoned a wilfull Sin almost if not altogether unpardonable yea a Treading under Foot the Son of God and a Doing Despite to the Spirit of Grace which is fulfilled in our Day and proves the lamentable Fruits of such as have so backsliden among us and therefore having so much good and real Ground for what we do herein together with the Approbation and Encouragment of Christ and his Apostles both by Command and Practice we can as that which both the Alpha and Omega the Foundation and Cap-stone faithfully affirm in good Conscience That God hath led us by his Spirit both to appoint Places and Times where we may see the Faces one of another and
to take Care one for another provoking one another to Love and good Works and our Faith and Cofidence herein cannot be staggered by a meer Denial in our Opposers which no man of Conscience and Reason will say it ought seeing the Thing it self hath such a solid and real Cause and Foundation so good and suitable a Patern and Example and that it is constantly confirmed to us both by the Testimony of God's Spirit in our Hearts and by the good Fruits and Effects which we daily reap thereby as a Seal and Confirmation that God is well pleased therewith and approveth us in it Having thus far proceeded to shew that there ought to be Order and Government among the People of God and that that which we plead for is that there may be certain Meetings set apart for that End it is next to be considered in what Cases and how far it may extend SECTION Fifth In what Cases and how far this Government extends and first as to Outwards and Temporals I shall begin with that which gave the first Rise for this Order among the Apostles and I do verily believe might have been among the first Occasions that gave the like among us and that is The Care of the Poor of Widdows and Orphans Love and Compassion are the great yea and the chiefest Marks of Christianity Hereby shall it be known saith Christ that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another And James the Apostle places Religion herein in the first place Pure Religion saith he and Vndefiled before God and the Father is to visit the Fatherless and Widdows in their Afflictions c. For this then as one main End do we meet together that Inquiry may be made if there be any poor of the Houshould of Faith that need that they may be supplied that the Widdows may be taken Care of that the Orphans and Fatherless may be bred up and educated Who will be so unchristian as to reprove this good Order and Government and to say it is needless but if any will thus object May not the Spirit lead every one of you to give to them that need What needs meeting about it and such Formalities I answer The Spirit of God leads us so to do what can they say to the contrary nor is this a Practice any ways inconsistent with being inwardly and immediately led by the Spirit for the Spirit of God doth now as well as in the Dayes of old lead his People into those Things which are orderly and of a good Report for he is the God of Order and not of Confusion therefore the Holy Apostles judged it no Inconsistency with their being led by the Spirit to appoint Men full of the Holy Ghost and of Wisdom over the Business of the poor Now if to be full of the Holy Ghost be a Qualification needfull for this Imployment surely the Nature of their Imployment was not to render this so needful a Qualification useless and ineffectual as if they were not to be led by it Moreover we see though they were at that Time all filled with the Spirit yet there was something wanting before this good Order was established There was a Murmuring that some Widdows were neglected in the daily Ministration and we must not suppose the Apostles went about to remedy this Evil that was creeping into the Church without the Counsel of God by his Spirit or that this Remedy they were led to was stepping into the Apostacy neither can it be so said of us we proceeding upon the like Occasion If then it be thus needful and suitable to the Gospel to relieve the Necessities of the poor that as there was no Begger to be among Israel of old so far less now must there not be Meetings to appoint Contribution in Order to the performing these Things which is no other but the giving of a general Intimation what the needs are that every one as God moves sheir Hearts and hath prospered them without Imposition Force or Limitation may give towards these needful Uses in which Case these Murmurers at our good order in such matters may well think strange at the Apostle How pressingly how earnestly doth he reiterate his Desires and Provocations so to speak in this Respect to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 16. 1 2 and the 8th and 9th Chapters of the 2d Epistle throughout Now though he testifies to them elsewhere that they are the Temples of the Holy Ghost and that the Spirit of God dwells in them yet ceaseth he not to intreat and exhort yea and to give them certain Orders in this Matter Besides all these Reasons which are sufficient to convince any unprejudicate man the Secret Approbation of God's Spirit accompanying us in this Thing together with the Fruits and Effects of it which hundreds can witness to whose Needs have been supplied and themselves helped through divers Difficulties and the Testimonies of some already of many more Orphans and Fatherless Children who have found no want neither of Father nor Mother or other Relations through the tender Love and Care of God's People in putting them in Trades and Imployments and giving them all needfull Education which will make it appear ere this Age pass away to those that have an Eye to see that these are not the meer Doings and Orders of Men but the Work of him who is appearing in ten Thousands of his Saints to establish not only Truth but Mercy and Righteousness in the Earth And for that End therefore in the second Place this Order reacheth the taking up and composing of Differences as to outward Things which may fall out betwixt Friend and Friend for such Things may fall out through the Intricacies of diverse Affairs where neither hath any positive Intention to injure and defraud his Neighbour as in many Cases might be instanced or if through the Workings and Temptations of him whose Work is to beset the Faithful and People of the Lord and to engender so far as he can Strise and Division among them any should step aside as to offer to wrong or prejudge his Neighbour we do boldly aver as a People gathered together by the Lord unto the same Faith and distinguished from all others by our Joint Testimony and Sufferings that we have Power and Authority to decide and remove these things among our selves without going to others to seek Redress and this in it self hath so much Reason that I cannot tell if any that are not wholely prejudicate or obstinate can blame it for if we be of one Mind concerning Faith and Religion and that it be our Joint-Interest to bring all others unto the same Truth with us as supposing them to be wrong what Confidence can we have to think of reclaiming them if the Truth we profess have not Efficacy as to reconcile us among our selves in the Matters of this World if we be forced to go out to others for Equity and Justice because we cannot find it among our selves
as the Church and Assembly of God's People may and hath Power to decide by the Spirit of God in Matters fundamental and weighty without which no Decision nor Decree in whatever Matters is available so the same Church and Assembly also in other Matters of less Moment as to themselves yet being needful and expedient with a Respect to the Circumstance of Time Place and other things that may fall in may and hath Power by the same Spirit and no otherwayes being acted moved and assisted and led by it thereto to pronounce a positive Judgment which no doubt will be found obligatory upon all such who have a Sense and Feeling of the Mind of the Spirit though rejected by such as are not watchful and so are out of the Feeling and Unity of the Life and this is that which none that own immediate Revelation or a being inwardly led by the Spirit to be now a thing expected or dispensed to the Saints can without contradicting their own Principle deny far less such with whom I have to do in this Matter who claiming this Priviledge to Particulars saying That they being moved to do such and such things though contrary to the Mind and Sense of their Brethren are not to be judged for it adding Why may it not be so that God hath moved them to it Now if this be a sufficient Reason for them to suppose as to one or two I may without absurdity suppose it as well to the whole Body and therefore as to the first to wit The Nature of the things themselves If it be such a thing the doing or not doing whereof that is either any Act or the Forbearance of any may bring a real Reproach or Ground of Accusation against the Truth professed and owned and in through which there may a visible Schism and Dissension arise in the Church by which Truth 's Enemies may be gratified and it self brought into disesteem then it is fit for such whose Care is to keep all right to take Inspection in the Matter to meet together in the Fear of God to wait for his Counsel and to speak forth his Mind according as he shall manifest himself in and among them and this was the Practice of the primitive Church in the Matter of Circumcision for here lay the Debate some thought it not needful to circumcise the Gentiles others thought it a thing not to be dispensed with and no doubt of these for we must remember they were not the Rebellious Jews but such as had already believed in CHRIST there were that did it out of Conscience as judging Circumcision to be still obligatory for they said thus Except ye be Circumcised after the manner of Moses ye cannot be saved Now what Course took the Church of Antioch in these Cases Acts 15. 2. They determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain other of them should go unto Jerusalem unto the Apostles and Elders about this Question We must not suppose they wanted the Spirit of God at Antioch to have decided the Matter neither that these Apostles neglected or went from their inward Guide in undertaking this Journey yet we see they judged it meet in this Matter to have the Advice and Concurrence of the Apostles and Elders that were at Jerusalem that they might be all of one mind in the matter for there is no greater Property of the Church of Christ then pure Unity in the Spirit that is a consenting and oneness in Judgment and Practices in Matters of Faith and Worship which yet admits of different Measures Growths and Motions but never contrary and contradictory Ones and in these Diversities of Operations yet still by the same Spirit the true Liberty is exercised as shall be declared hereafter Therefore prayeth Christ That they all may be one as he and the Father is one to which Purpose also let these following Scriptures be examined Rom. 12. 16. Be of the same Mind one towards another 1 Cor. 1. 10. Now I beseech you Brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no Divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same Mind and in the same Judgment Ephes. 5. 21. Submitting your selves one to another in the Fear of God Phil. 2. 2. Fulfil ye my Joy that ye be like-minded having the same Love being of one accord of one Mind And yet more remarkable is that of the Apostle Paul to the Philippians Chap. 3. Vers. 15. Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in any thing ye be otherwayesâ—minded God shall reveal even this unto you Nevertheless whereto we have already attained let us walk by the same Rule let us mind the same thing Brethren be Followers together of me and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an Example So here though the Apostle grants Forbearance in things wherein they have not yet attained yet he concludes they must walk so as they have him for an Example and so consequently not contrary or otherwayes and therefore we conclude that whereas any in the Church of God pretending Conscience or Revelation shall arise to teach and practise however insignificant or small in themselves whether Principles or Practices yet if they be contrary to such as are already received as true and confirmed by God's Spirit in the Hearts of the Saints and that the introducing of these things tend to bring Reproach upon the Truth as such as are not edifying in themselves and so stumble the Weak those who have a true and right Discerning may in and by the Power of God authorizing them and no otherwayes condemn and judge such things and they so doing it it will be obligatory upon all the Members that have a true Sense because they will feel it to be so and therefore submit to it And thus far as to the Nature of the things themselves Secondly As to the Spirit and Ground they proceed from Whatsoever Innovation Difference or diverse Appearance whether in Doctrine or Practice proceedeth not from the pure Moving of the Spirit of God or is not done out pure Tenderness of Conscience but either from that which being puft up affecteth singularity and there through would be observed commended and exalted or from that which is the Malignity of some Humours and natural Tempers which will be contradicting without Cause and secretly begetting of Divisions Animosities and Emulations by which the Unity and unfeigned Love of the Brethren is lessened or rent I say all things proceeding from this Root and Spirit however little they may be supposed to be of themselves are to be guarded against withstood and denyed as hurtful to the true Church's Peace and a Hindrance to the Prosperity of Truth If it be said How know ye that these things proceed from that Ground For Answer I make not here any Application as to particular Persons or Things but if it be granted as it
cannot be denied that there may arise Persons in the true Church that may do such Things from such a Spirit though pretending Conscience and Tenderness then it must also be acknowledged that such to whom God hath given a true Discerning by his Spirit may and ought to judge such Practices and the Spirit they come from and have no Unity with them which if it be owned in the General proves the Case to wit that some pretending Conscience in Things seeming indifferent but yet it proceeding in them from a Spirit of Singularity Emulation or Strife those that have received a Discerning thereof from the Lord may and ought to judge the Transgressors without being accounted Imposers Oppressors of Conscience or Inforcers of Uniformity contrary to the Mind of Christ against which the Apostle also guardeth the Churches of old Phil. 2. 3 4. Let nothing be done through Strife or Vain-Glory but in Lowliness of Mind let each esteem other BETTER THEN THEMSELVES Look not every Man on his own Things but every Man also on the Things of others Now if it be an Evil to do any Thing out of Strife thus such Things that are seen so to be done are they not to be avoided forsaken So that we are confident our Judgment herein cannot be denied or reputed Erroneous except it be said that none will or can arise in the Church of Christ pretending such things from such a Spirit which I know not any that will it being contrary to the express Prophecies of the Scripture the Experience of the Church in all Ages as may appear from Mat. 24. 24. Acts 15. 24. 1 Tim. 4. 5. 2 Tim. 3. 8. Mark 13. 21 22 2 Pet. 2. 19. Or on the other Hand that those that abide faithful and have a Discerning of those Evils ought to be silent and never ought to reprove and gainst and them nor yet warn and guard others against them and that it is a part of the commendable Unity of the Church of Christ to suffer all such Things without taking Notice of them I know none will say so but if there be any so foolish as to affirm it let them consider these Scriptures Gal. 2. 4. 1 Tim. 1. 20. 2 Tim. 2. 24 25. Tit. 1. 9 10 11. Now if none of these hold true but on the contrary such Evils have been and may be found to creep in among the People of God and that such as see them may and ought to reprove them then necessarily the doing so is neither Imposition Force nor Oppression As to the third concerning the Consequence and Tendency of them it is mostly included in the two former for whatsoever tendeth not to Edification but on the contrary to Destruction and to beget Discord among Brethren is to be avoided according to that of the Apostle Rom. 16. 17. Now I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause Divisions and Offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them And since there is no greater Mark of the People of God then to be at Peace among themselves whatsoever tendeth to break that Bond of Love and Peace must be testified against let it be observed I peak always of the Church of Christ indeed and deal with such as are of another Mind not as reckoning only false Churches not to have this Power but denying it even to the true Church of Christ as judging it not fit for her so to act as in relation to her Members for though Christ be the prince of Peace and doth most of all commend Love and Unity to his Disciples yet I also know he came not to send Peace but a Sword that is in dividing Man from the Lusts and Sins he hath been united to and also it is the Work of his Disciples and Messengers to break the Bonds and Unity of the Wicked wherein they are banded against God his Truth the Confederacy of such as stand in Unrighteousness by inviting and bringing as many as will obey unto Righteousness whereby they become disunited and separated from their Companions with whom they were centered at Peace in the contrary and cursed Nature and indeed blessed are they that are sent forth of the Lord to scatter here that they may gather into the Unity of the Life and they are blessed that in this Respect even for Righteousness Sake are scattered and separated from their Brethren that they may come to know the Brotherhood and Fellowship which is in the Light from which none ought to scatter nor to be scattered but be more and more gathered thereunto this leads me to what I proposed in the third Place under this Head of the true Church's Power in Matters Spiritual or purely Conscientious which may be thus objected If thou plead so much for an Oneness in the smallest Matters wherein consisteth the Freedom and Liberty of the Conscience which may be exercised by the Members of the true Church diversly without judging one another In answer to this Proposition I affirm first in general That whatsoever Things may be supposed to proceed from the same Spirit though divers in its Appearance tending to the same End of Edification and which in the Tendency of it layeth not a real Ground for Division or Dissension of Spirit Fellow Members ought not only to bear one another but strengthen one another in them Now the Respects wherein this may be I can describe no better then the Apostle Paul doth principally in two Places which therefore will be fit to consider at length for the opening of this Matter this being one of the weightiest Points pertaining to this Subject because as on the one Hand due Forbearance ought to be exercised in its right Place so on the other the many Devices and false Pretences of the Enemy creeping in here ought to be guarded against The first is 1 Cor. 12. from 4. to 31. thus 4 Now there are Diversities of Gifts but the same Spirit 5 And there are Difference of Administrations but the same Lord. 6 And there are Diversities of Operations but it is the same God which worketh all in all 7 But the Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the Word of Wisdom to another the Word of Knowledge by the same Spirit 9 To another Faith by the same Spirit to another the Gifts of Healing by the same Spirit 10 To another the Working of Miracles to another Prophecy to another Dâ—scerning of Spirits to another divers kinds of Tongues to another the Interpretation of Tongues 11 But all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit dividing to every Man severally as he will 12 For at the Body is one and hath many Members and all the Members of that one Body being many are one Body so also is Christ 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be bond or free
Infallibility was not inseparably annexed to him he was found blameable in a certain Matter Gal. 2. 11. notwithstanding his Sentence was positively received in many particulars So also the Apostle Paul argues from his gathering of the Churches of Corinth and Galatia that they ought to be Followers of him and positively concludes in divers Things and upon this Supposition exhort the Churches both he and Peter in many Passages heretofore mentioned which I will not to avoid Repetition again rehearse To obey the Elders that watch for them to hold such in Reputation and to submit themselves to them that have addicted themselves to the Miâ—istry of the Saints 1 Cor. 16. 15 16. Also we see how the Lord makes use of John his beloved Disciple to inform and reprove the seven Churches of Asia and no doubt John the rest by the usual Computation being at that Time all removed was then the most noted and famous Elder alive and indeed I mind not where under the Gospel Christ hath used any other Method but that he alwayes in revealing his Will hath made use of such as he himself had before appointed Elders and Officers in his Church though it be far from us to limit the Lord so as to exclude any from this Priviledge nor yet on the other Hand will the Possibility hereof be a sufficient Warrant to allow every obscure Member to stand up and offer to rule judge and condemn the whole Body nor yet is it without Cause that such an one's Message is jealoused and called in Question unless it have very great Evidence and be bottomed upon some very weighty and solid Cause and Foundation And God doth so furnish those whom he raises up in a singular Manner of which as I said I mind no Instance in the New Testament and in the old we see though it was strange that little David should oppose himself to the great Goliah yet he had before that killed both the Lyon and the Bear which was no less improbable and which of all is most observable was before that Time by the Appointment of God and the Hand of the Prophet anointed King of Israel compare the 16th and 17th chap. of the 1st of Samuel Now as to the Third That any particular Persons de Facto or effectually giving out a positive Judgment is no Incroaching nor Imposing upon their Brethren's Conscience is necessarily included in what is said before upon which for further Probation there will only need this short Reflection that for any Member or Members in Obedience to the Lord to give forth a positive Judgment in the Church of Christ is their proper Place and Office they being called to it and so for them to exercise that Place in the Body which the Head moves them to is not to usurp Authority over their Fellow Members as on the other Hand to submit and obey it being the Place of some so to do is not a renouncing a being led by the Spirit seeing the Spirit leads them so to do and not to obey in Case the Judgment be according to Truth and the Spirit lead to it is no doubt both offensive and sinful and that all this may be supposed in the Church of Christ without Absurdity and so establish the above mentioned Propositions will appear by a short review of the former Passages If that Peter and James their giving a positive Judgment in the Case of Difference in divers particulâ—rs did not infer them to be Imposers so neither will any so doing now being led to it by the same Authority every one may easily make the Application and on the contrary if for any to have stood up and resisted their Judgment pretending an unclearness or so and thereby held up the Difference after their Sentence breaking the Peace and Unity of the Church Things being concluded with an It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us I say if such would have given just Cause of Offence and have been cut off as Despisers of Dignities of old will not the like Case now occurring the same Conclusion holds Now whether those Propositions do not hold upon the Principles before laid down and proved I leave to every Judicious and Impartiall Reader to judge Moreover we see how positive the Apostle Paul is in many particulars throughout all his Epistles insomuch as he saith 2 Thes. ult 14. If any Man obey not our Word by this Epistle note that Man and have no Company with him that he may be ashamed And in many more Places before mentioned where he commands them both to obey him and several others who were appointed no doubt by the Spirit of God to be Rulers among them and yet who will say that either the Apostle did more then he ought in commanding or they less then they were obliged to in submitting and yet neither were to do any thing contrary or more then the Spirit of God in themselves led them to or allowed them in and if the Church of God bear any Parity or Proportion now in these Dayes with what it did of old as I know no Reason why it should not the same things may now be supposed to take Effect that did then and also be lawfully done upon the like Occasion proceeding from the same Spirit and established upon the same Basis and Foundation and thus much as to that Part to shew in whom the Power of Decision is which being seriously and impartialy considered is sufficient to clear us from the Tyranny either of Popery or any other of that Nature with those that are not either wilfully blind or very ignorant of Popish Principles may observe but seeing to manifest that Difference was one of those things proposed to be considered of I shall now come to say something of it in its proper Place SECTION Eighth How this Government altogether differeth from the Oppressing and Persecuting Principallity of the Church of Rome and oâ—her Antichristian Assemblies WHatever Way we understand the Popish Principles in this Matter whether of those that are most devoted to the Sea of Rome as the King of Spain's Dominions the Princes of Italy the Jesuites and Generallity of all those called Religious Orders who hold that Papa in Cathedra non potest errare licet absque Concilio that is that the Pope in his Chair cannot err though without a Council or of those that are less devoted who plead this Infallibility in the Pope and Council lawfully convened who yet by the more zealous are reckoned petty Schismaticks I say whatever Way we take them all those that do profess themselves Members of the Romish Church and are so far such as to understand their own Principles do unquestionably acknowledge First That no General Council can be lawfully called without the Bishop of Rome as Christ's Vicar and Peter's Successor call it Secondly That either he himself or some from him as his Legates must be there present and alwayes preceed Thirdly That the Members having Vote are
made up of Bishops or Presbyters or Commissâ—oners from the several Orders being of the Clergy Fourthly That what is concluded on by Plurallity of Votes and agreed to by the Pope and his Legates must necessarily be supposed to be the Judgment of the Infallible Spirit Fifthly That all the Members of the Church are bound implicitly to receive and believe it because it proceeds from a Council to be accounted lawful in the Respects above mentioned without Regard to the Intrinsick or Real Truths of the Things prescribed or bringing them in any Respect to the Test or Examination of the Spirit of God in themselves or the Scriptures Testimony or their Agreement or Disagreement with Truths formerly believed and receiv'd for so much as to prove or try them by Way of Doubt they reckon a Breach of the first Command as on the other Hand a matter of Merit implicitly to receive and believe them however inconsistent with the Testimony of the Spirit in ones own Heart Scripture Truth and Reason Sixthly That no Man as a member of the Church of Christ in that simple Capacity unless a Clergy-man or the Embassadour of some King c. can be admitted to sit vote or give his Judgment Seventhly that it is in no Respect to be supposed that any Members especially Laicks whether in a particular City Country or Nation may meet concerning any Things relating to the Faith and Worship of the Church and give by the Spirit of God any Judgment but that all such Meetings are to be accounted Schismatical and Unlawful And Lastly That the Promise of Infallibility and the Gates of Hell not prevailing is necessarily annexed to the Pope and Council called and authorized in the Manner above expressed Now if to deny every one of these Propositions wherein all Understanding Men know the errors abuses of the Romish Church consist be to be Popish then indeed may we be supposed to be one with the Papists in this Matter but no otherwise so that the very mentioning of these things is sufficient to shew the Difference betwixt us and them but if any will needs plead our Agreement with them thus The Papists affirm an Infallibility of Judgment in the Church of Christ and so do you therefore you are one with Papists I answer That proves no more our Oneness in this Matter then if it should be said the Papists plead that God ought to be worshipped and so do you therefore ye agree notwithstanding of the vast Differences as to that which is known not only betwixt us and them but betwixt them and all Protestants who agree more with them in the matter of Worship then we do Next again Infallibility in the Church according as we hold it I have above defined it no man upon our Supposition or Hypothesis can deny it for since we first assert as a Principle that no Gathering no Church nor Assembly of People however true their Principles be or however exact their Form are to be accounted the Church of Christ except the infallible Spirit lead and guide what can be the Hazard to say that in such a Church there is still an infallible Judgment indeed this is so far from Popery that it resolves in a Proposition quite contradictory to them The Romanists say That the infallible Spirit alwayes accompanies the Outward Visible Professors and is annexed to the external Suceession of Bishops and Pastors though ever so vitious as to their Lives yea though perfect Atheists and Infidels in their private Judgments yet if outwardly professing the Catholick Faith and Subjection to the Church we say on the quite contrary that where there is either Vitiousness of Persons or Unsoundness of Judgment in the particular Members these cannot by Virtue of any outward Call or Succession they have or any Profession they make or Authority they may pretend to so much or claim an Interest in any part of the Church of Christ So then if we admit none to be Members of the Church but such as are led and guided by the Spirit it will be no Popery in the Second Place to affirm that where there is a Company of People so gathered who are not any longer to retain justly the Name of the Church of Christ then they are led and guided by his Spirit or a Church so qualified and designed there is still an infallible Judgment so that this Infallibility is not annexed to the Persons to the Succession to the bare visible Profession though true which the Church of Rome is denied to be or to any Society because of its Profession but singly and alone to the true real and effectual Work of Sanctification and Regeneration the New Creature brought forth in the Heart and this is the Spiritual-Man which the Apostle faith judgeth all Things 1 Cor. 2. 15. To affirm there is an Infallibility here cannot well be condemned by any or whoso doth must needs say the Spirit of God is fallible for we place the Infallibility in the Spirit and in the Power not in the Persons and so these are the Degrees we ascend by because such and such Men are led by the Spirit of God and are obedient to the Grace in their Hearts therefore are they Members Officers in the Church of Christ and because they are Members of the Church of Christ in the Respect before declared therefore there is an Infallible Judgment among them We do not say because such men profess the Christian Faith and have received an outward Ordination and so are by a lawful Succession formally established Officers in the Church when they meet together according to certain Rules above declared there is an Infallibility annexed to their Conclusions and they cannot but decide what is right or rather what they decide must needs be supposed to be right who seeth not here a vast Disproportion Now we differ herein fundamentally that is as to the very Basis and Foundation upon which we build and that not only from the Church of Rome but also from the Generallity of Protestants in this matter All Protestants do acknowledge a General Council to be useful yea necessary in the Case of Division or Debate let us consider the Basis upon which they proceed and the Stress they lay upon it First All jointly both the Prelatical and Presbyterial will have this Synod or Council to consist of a Convocation of the Clergy chosen and sent from the particular Congregations with some few laick Elders called together by the Civil Magistrate in case he be one in Judgment with them They decide by Plurallity of votes and though they assume not an absolute Infallibility in that they reckon it possible for them to err yet do they reckon their Decisions obligatory upon their supposed Consonancy to the Scripture and however do affirm that the Civil Magistrate hath Power to constrain all to submit and obey or else to punish them either by Death Banishment Imprisonment Confiscation of Goods or some other