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
how can we expect to invite them to come among us when such Virtues as which still accompany the Truth are necessarily supposed to be wanting should we affirm otherwise it were to destroy the Truth and Faith we have been and are in the Lord's Hand building up and indeed the Spirit and Practice of such as oppose us herein hath no less Tendency Moreover besides the Enforcing and Intrinsick Reason of this Thing we have the Concurrence Approbation and Comfort of the Apostles Testimony 1 Cor. 6. Dare any of you having a matter against another go to Law before the Vnjust and not before the Saints If it be objected Do you reckon all Vnjust that are not of you Think ye all other People void of Justice I answer Though the Apostle useth this Expression I am perswaded he did not reckon all others Unjust that had not received then the Christian Faith there was no doubt Morall and Just Men among the Heathen and therefore the same Paul commends the Nobility of Festus he reckons them there Unjust in Respect of the Saints or comparatively with them as such as are not come to the just principle of God in themselves to obey it and follow it and therefore though he accounts them who are least esteemed in the Church capable to decide such Matters yet he supposeth it safer to submit to their Judgment in such Cases though it were by taking wrong or suffering wrong then to go before others to the greater Reproach of the Truth We hope though many Occasions of this kind have fallen in among us since we have been a People none have had just occasion to decline our Judgment and though some should suppose themselves to be wronged yet if they should go bring their matter before others we might say as the Apostle saith in the forementioned Chapter ver 7. This were thereby a Fault in them and would evidence a greater Care of some outward Concern then of the Honour and Interest of Truth and therefore such as have a tender Regard that Way would rather suffer what to their Apprehensions may seem wrong for in matters wherein two Parties are opposite in the Case of Meum and Tuum it is somewhat hard to please both except where the Power of Truth and the Righteous Judgment thereof reaching to that of God in the Conscience hath brought to a true Acknowledgment him that hath been mistaken or in the wrong which hath frequently fallen out among us to the often refreshing and confirming our Souls in the certain Belief that Christ was fulfilling his Promises among us In restoring Judges as at the first and Counsellors as in the Beginning Now suppose any should be so pettish or humorous as not to agree in such Matters to the Judgment of his Brethren and to go before the Unbelievers for though I reckon them not such Unbelievers as the Heathen of old because they profess a Faith in God and Christ yet I may safely say they are Unbelievers as to these Principles and Doctrines which we know are the Truth of God and in that Sense must be Unbelievers as to him that so appealeth to them from his Brethren I say such as so do first commit a certain Hurt and Evil in staining the Honour and Reputation of the Truth they profess which ought to be dearer to us then our Lives and even in that outward Matter for which they thus do they run a Hazard not knowing whether things shall carry as they expect if they loose they have a double prejudice if they gain it is a too dear Rate even with the Hurt of Truth 's Reputation which their outward Advantage cannot make up If then it be unlawfull to do evil that good may come of it even a Spiritual Good far less is it lawful to do a positive Evil of so deep a Dye as to bring an Evil Report upon the good Land and give the Uncircumcised an Occasion to rejoyce out of the Uncertain Hope of an outward Gain it is far better to suffer Loss as the Apostle very well argues in the Place above mentioned Indeed if there be any such have been or appear to be of us as suppose there is not a wise Man among us all nor an honest Man that is able to judge betwixt his Brethren We shall not covet to meddle in their Matter being perswaded that either they or their Cause is naught thought Praises to Go d among all those that have gone from us either upon one Account or other I never heard that any were so minded towards us but the most part of them having let in the Offence of somethings or persons have had this Unanimous Testimony concerning us that generally we are an honest and upright-hearted People but whatever Sense our Enemies or Apostates have of us who look asquaint on the Face of Truth and can see nothing aright in those they love not or are prejudicate against This we can say in the last Place besides the Reasons and Scripture above declared that the good Fruits and Effects which daily abound to the Houshold of Faith in this as well as the other Parts of the Government the Lord is establishing among us doth more more commend it unto us and confirmeth our Hearts in the certain Belief of that which we can confidently testifie in good Conscience that God hath led us hereunto by his Spirit and we see the Hand of the Lord herein which in due Time will yet more appear that as through our faithful Testimony in the Hand of the Lord that Antichristian and Apostatized Generation the National Ministry hath received a deadly Blow by our discovering and witnessing against their Forced Maintenance and Tythes against which we have testified by many cruel Sufferings of all kinds as our Chronicles shall make known to Generations to come so that their Kingdom in the Hearts of Thousands begins to totter and loose its Strength and shall assuredly fall to the Ground through Truth 's prevailing in the Earth so on the other Hand do we by coming to Righteousness and Innocency weaken the Strength of their Kingdom who judge for Rewards as well as such as preach for Hire and by not ministring Occasion to those who have heaped up Riches and lived in Excess Lust and Riot by feeding and preying upon the Iniquities and Contentions of the People for as Truth and Righteousness prevails in the Earth by our faithful witnessing and keeping to it the Nations shall come to be eased and disburdned of that deceitful Tribe of Lawyers as well as Priests who by their many Tricks and Endless Intricacies have rendered Justice in their Method burdensom to honest Men and seek not so much to put an End as to foment Controversies and Contentions that they themselves may be still fed and upheld and their Trade kept up Whereas by Truth 's Propagation as many of these Controversies will dye by Mens coming to be less contentious so when any Difference ariseth the
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.
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
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
there are no Extravagancies so wild which they will not cloak with it and so much are they for every ones following their own Mind as can admit of no Christian-Fellowship and Community nor of that good Order and Discipline which the Church of Christ never was nor can be without this gives an open Door to all Libertinism and brings great Reproach to the Christian-Faith and on this hand have foully faln The German Anabaptists so call'd viz. John of Leiden Knipperdoling c. in case these monstrous things committed by them be such as they are related and some more moderate of that kind have been found among the People in England called Ranters as it is true the People called Quakers hath bin branded with both of these extreams it is as true it hath been and is their Work to avoid them and to be found in that even and good Path of the primitive Church where all were no doubt led and acted by the holy Spirit and might all have prophesied one by one and yet there was a Subjection of the Prophets to the Spirits of the Prophets There was an Authority some had in the Church yet it was for Edification and not for Destruction there was an Obedience in the Lord to such as were set over and a being taught by such and yet a knowing of the Inward Anointing by which each Individual was to be led into all Truth The Work and Testimony the Lord hath given us is to restore this again and to set both these in their right place without causing them to destroy one another to manifest how this is accomplished and accomplishing among us is the Business of this Treatise which I hope will give some Satisfaction to men of sober Judgments and impartial and unprejudicate Spirits and may be made useful in the good Hand of the Lord to Confirm and Establish Friends against their present Opposers which is mainly intended and earnestly prayed for The 17th of the 8th Moneth 1674. By Robert Barclay THE CONTENTS Section First THe Introduction and Method of this Treatise page 9. Section Second Concerning the Ground and Cause of this Controversie p. 12. Section Third Whether there be any Order or Government in the Church of Christ p. 18. Section Fourth Of the Order and Government we plead for p. 31. Section Fifth In what Cases and how far this Government extends p. 37. Section Sixth How far this Government extends in Matters spiritual and purely conscientious p. 47. Section Seventh Concerning the Power of Decision p. 66. Section Eighth How this Government altogether differeth from the Oppressing and Persecuting Principality of the Church of Rome and other Antichristian Assemblies p. 75. The Conclusion p. 84. Page 20. line 18. for Gatherng read Gathering p. 21. l. 17. f. Chucrch r. Church l. 19. f. Persecutiton r. Persecution p. 24. l. 22. f. dding r. adding p. 42. l. 2. f. Go d r. God SECTION First The Introduction and Method of this Treatise AFter that the Lord God in his own appointed time had seen meet to put an End to the Dispensation of the Law which was delivered to the Children of Israel by the Ministry of Moses through and by whom he did communicate unto them in the Wilderness from Mount Sinai divers Commandments Ordinances Appointments and Observations according as they are testified in the Writings of the Law it pleased him to send his own Son the Lord Jesus Christ in the Fulness of Time who having perfectly fulfilled the Law and the Rigâ—teousness thereof gave witness to the Dispensation of the Gospel and having approved himself and the Excellency of his Doctrine by many Great and Wonderful Signs and Miracles he sealed it with his Blood and triumphing over Death of which it was impossible for him to be held he cherished and encouraged his despised Witnesses who had believed in him in that he appeared to them after he was raised from the dead comforting them with the Hope and Assurance of the pouring forth of his Spirit by which they were to be led and ordered in all things in and by which he was to be with them to the End of the World not suffering the Gates of Hell to prevail against them by which Spirit come upon them they being filled were emboldned to preach the Gospel without Fear and in a short time Thousands were added to the Church and the Multitude of them that believed were of One Heart and of One Soul and great Love and Zeal prevailed and there was nothing lacking for a season But all that was caught in the Net did not prove Good and Wholsom Fish some were again to be cast in that Ocean from whence they were drawn of those many that were called all proved not chosen Vessels fit for the Master's Use and of all that were brought into the great Supper and Marriage of the King's Son there were that were found without the Wedding Garment some made a Shew for a Season and afterwards fell away there were that drew back there were that made Shipwrack of Faith and of a Good Conscience there were not only such as did backslide themselves but sought to draw others into the same Perdition with themselves seeking to overturn their Faith also yea there were that brought in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and also of those Members that became not wholely corrupt for some were never again restored by repentance there were that were weak and sickly and young some were to be fed with Milk and not with strong Meat some were to be purged when the old Leaven received any place and some to be cut off for a season to be shut out as it were of the Camp for a time until their Leprosie were healed and then to be received in again Moreover as to Outwards there was the Care of the Poor of the Widdow of the Fatherless of the Strangers c. therefore the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Head of the body the Church for the Church is the Body of Christ and the Saints are the several Members of that Body knowing in his infinite Wisdom what was needful for the good ordering and disposing all things in their proper Place and for preserving and keeping all things in their right Station did in the Dispensation and Communication of his holy Spirit minister unto every Member a Measure of the same Spirit yet diverse according to operation for the Edification of the Body some Apostles some Teachers some Pastors some Elders there are Old Men there are Young Men there are Babes for all are not Apostles neither are all Elders neither are all Babes yet are all Members and as such all have a Sense and Feeling of the Life of the Body which from the Head flows unto all the Body is the Oyntment of Aaron ' s Beard unto the Skirts of his Garment and every Member has its place and Station in the Body so long as it keeps in the Life of the Body and
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
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
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
not hold Suppose a People really gathered unto the Belief of the true and certain Principles of the Gospel if any of these people shall arise and contradict any of those fnndamental Truths whether has not such as stand good right to cast such a one out from among them to pronounce positively this is contrary to the Truth we profess and own and therefore ought to be rejected and not received nor yet he that asserts it as one of us And is not this obligatory upon all the Members seeing all are concerned in the like Care as to themselves to hold the right and shut out the wrong I cannot tell if any man of Reason can well deny this however I shall prove it next from the Testimony of the Scripture Gal. 1. 8. But though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed As we said before so say I now again If any man preach any other Gospel unto you then that ye have received let him be accursed 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. Holding Faith and a Good Conscience which some having put away concerning Faith have made shipwrack Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander whom I have delivered unto Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme 2 John 10. If there come any unto you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your House neither bid him Rejoyce for so the Greek hath it These Scriptures are so plain and clear in themselves as to this Purpose that they need no great Exposition to the Unbyassed and Unprejudicate Reader fore-seeing it is so that in the true Church there may men arise and speak perverse things contrary to the Doctrine and Gospel already received what is to be the place of those that hold the pure and ancient Truth Must they look upon these perverse men still as their Brethren Must they cherish them as Fellow-Members or must they judge condemn and deny them We must not think the Apostle wanted Charity who will have them Accursed and that gave Hymenaeus and Alexander over to Satan after that they had departed from the true Faith that they might learn not to Blaspheme In short If we must as our Opposers herein acknowledge preserve and keep those that are come to own the Truth by the same means they were gathered and brought into it we must not cease to be plain with them and tell them when they are wrong and by sound Doctrine both exhort and convince Gainsayers If the Apostles of Christ of old and the Preachers of the Everlasting Gospel in this day had told all people however wrong they found them in their Faith and Principles our Charity and Love is such We dare not judg you nor separate from you but let us all live in Love together every one injoy his own Opinion all will be well how should the Nations have been or what way now can they be brought to Truth and Righteousness Would not the Devil love this Doctrine well by which Darkness and Ignorance Error and Confusion might still continue in the Earth unreproved and uncondemned If it was needful then for the Apostles of Christ in the dayes of old to reprove without sparing to tell the High Priests and great Professors among the Jews That they were stubborn and stiff-necked and alwayes resisted the Holy Ghost without being guilty of Imposition and Oppression or want of true Love and Charity And also for those Messengers the Lord raised up in this day to reprove and cry out against the Hireling Priests and to tell the World openly both Professors and Prophane that they were in Darkness and Ignorance out of the Truth Strangers and Aliens from the Common wealth of Israel if God has gathered a People by this means into the Belief of one and the same Truth must not they that turn and depart from it be admonished reproved and condemned yea rather then those that are not yet come to the Truth because they crucifie afresh unto themselves the Lord of Glory and put him to open Shame It seems the Apostle judged it very needful they should be so dealt with Tit. 1. 10. when he sayes There are many unruly and vain Talkers and Deceivers especially they of the Circumcision WHOSE MOUTHS MUST BE STOPPED c. Were such a Principle to be received or believed That in the Church of Christ no man should be separated from no man condemned or excluded the Fellowship and Communion of the Body for his Judgment or Opinion in Matter of Faith then what Blasphemies so horried what Heresies so damnable what Doctrines of Devils but might harbour it self in the Church of Christ What need then of sound Doctrine if no Doctrine make unsound what need of convincing and Exhorting Gainsayers If to Gainsay be no Crime where should the Vnity of the Faiâ—h be Were not this an Inlet to all manner of Abominations and make void the whole tendency of Christ and his Apostles Doctrine and render the Gospel of none effect and give a Liberty to the unconstant and giddy Will of Man to innovate alter and overturn it at his Pleasure So that from all that is above-mentioned we do safely conclude that where a People are gathered together into the Belief of the Principles and Doctrines of the Gospel of Christ if any of that People shall go from their Principles and assert things false and contrary to what they have already received such as stand and abide firm in the Faith have Power by the Spirit of God after they have used Christian Endeavours to convince and reclaim them upon their obstinacy to separate from such and to exclude them from their spiritual Fellowship and Communion for otherwayes if this be denyed farewel to all Christianity or to the maintaining of any sound Doctrine in the Church of Christ. But secondly Taking it for granted that the Church of Christ or Assembly of Believers may in some Cases that are Matter of Conscience pronounce a positive Sentence and Judgment without hazard of Imposition upon the Members it comes to be inquired In what Cases and how far this Power reached I answer First As that which is most clear and undenyable in the fundamental Principles and Doctrines of Faith in Case any should offer to teach otherwayes as is above declared and proved but some may perhaps acknowledge that indeed if any should contradict the known and owned Principles of Truth and teach otherwayes it were fit to cast out and exclude such But what judgest thou as to lesser matters as in Principles of less Consequence or in outward Ceremonies or Gestures whether it be fit to press Vniformity in these things For Answer to this it is fit to consider First The Nature of things themselves Secondly The Spirit and Ground they proceed from And Thirdly The Consequence and Tendency of them But before I proceed upon these I affirm and that according to Truth That
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
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