and peace to such churches as through want of light and peace lye in error or doubt at least and variance so they have power by the grace of Christ not only to give light and counsell in matter of Truth and Practice but also to command and enjoyn the things to be believed and done The expresse words of the Synodall letter imply no lesse It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and unto us to lay upon you no other burthen Act. 15.27 This burthen therefore to observe those necessary things which they speak of they had power to impose It is an act of the binding power of the keys to bind burthens And this binding power ariseth not only materially from the weight of the matters imposed which are necessary necessitate praecepti from the word but also formally from the authority of the Synod which being an Ordinance of Christ bindeth the more for the Synods sake As a truth of the Gospel taught by a Minister of the Gospel it bindeth to faith an obedience not only because it is Gospel but also because it is taught by a Minister for his callings sake seeing Christ hath said Who so receiveth you receiveth me And seeing also a Synod sometime meeteth to convince and admonish an offending church or Presbyterie they have power therefore if they cannot heal the offenders to determine to withdraw communion from them And further seeing they meet likewise sometimes for generall reformation they have power to decree and publish such Ordinances as may conduce according to God unto such reformation Examples whereof wee read Neh. 10.32 to 39. 2 Chron. 15.12 13. For the second question How far the Fraternity or the Brethren of the church may concurre with the Elders in exercising the power of the Synod The Answer is The power which they have received is a power of liberty As 1. They have liberty to dispute their doubts modestly and Christanly amongst the Elders For in that Synod at Jerusalem as there was much disputation Act. 15.7 so the multitude had a part in the Disputation v. 12. For after Peters speech it is said the whole multitude kept silence and silence from what to wit from the speech last in hand amongst them and that was from Disputation 2. The Brethren of the church had liberty to joyn with the Apostles and Elders in approving of the sentence of James and determining the same as the common sentence of them all 3. They had liberty to joyn with the Apostles and Elders in choosing and sending messengers and in writing Synodall Letters in the names of all for the publishing of the sentence of the Synod Both these points are expressed in the Text v. 22.23 to 29. Then pleased it the Apostles and Elders with the whole Church to send chosen men and to write Letters by them See the whole church distinguished from the Apostles and Elders and those whom he called the whole Church v. 22. he calleth the Brethren v. 23. The Apostles and Elders and Brethren c. But though it may not be denyed that the Brethren of the church present in the Synod had all this power of liberty to joyn with the Apostles and Elders in all these acts of the Synod yet the authority of the Decrees lay chiefly if not only in the Apostles and Elders And therefore it is said Act. 16.4 That Paul and Silas delivered to the Churches for to keep the Decrees that were ordained of the Apostles and Elders So then it will be most safe to preserve to the Church of Brethren their due liberties and to reserve to the Elders their due authority If it be said The Elders assembled in a Synod have no authority to determine or conclude any act that shall binde the Churches but according to the instructions which before they have received from the Churches Answ Wee do not so apprehend it For what need Churches send to a Synod for light and direction in ways of truth and peace if they be resolved afore-hand how far they will go It is true if the Elders of Churches shall conclude in a Synod any thing prejujudiciall to the truth and peace of the Gospel they may justly expostulate with them at their return and refuse such sanctions as the Lord hath not sancited But if the Elders be gathered in the name of Christ in a Synod and proceed according to the rule the word or Christ they may consider and conclude sundry points expedient for the estate of their Churches which the Churches were either ignorant or doubtfull of before As for the third Question whether the Synod have power to injoyn such things as are both in their nature and their use indifferent We should answer it negatively and our reasons be 1. From the pattern of that precedent of Synods Act. 15.28 They laid upon the Churches no other burthen but those necessary things necessary though not all of them in their own nature yet for present use to avoid the offence both of Jew and Gentile of the Jew by eating things strangled and blood of the Gentile and Jew both by eating things sacrificed to Idols as Paul expoundeth that Article of the Synod 1 Cor. 8.10 11 12. and Chap. 10.28 This ea ing with offence was a murther of a weak brothers soule and a sin against Christ 1 Cor. 8.11 12. and therefore necessary to be forborn necessiâ—ate praecepti by the necessity of Gods Commandement 2. A second reason may be from the latitude of the Apostolicall commission which was given to them Mat. 28.19 20. where the Apâ—stles are commanded to teach the people to observe all things which Christ had commanded If then the Apostles teach the people to observe more then Christ hath commanded they go beyond the bounds of their commission and a larger commission then that given to the Apostles nor Elders nor Synods nor churches can challenge If it be said Christ speaketh only of teaching such things which he had commanded as necessary to salvation Answ If the Apostles or their successors should hereupon usurpe an authority to teach the people things indifferent they must plead this their authority from some other commission given them elsewhere for in this place there is no foot step for any such power That much urged and much abused place in 1 Cor. 14.40 will not reach it For though Paul requiring in that place all the duties of Gods worship whether Prayer or Prophesying or Psalmes or Tongues c. that they should be performed decently and orderly he thereby forbiddeth any performance thereof undecently as for men with long hayre and women to speak in open assemblies especially to pray with their hair loose about them And though he forbiddeth also men speaking two or three at once which to do were not order but confusion yet he doth not at all neither himself injoyn nor allow the Church of Corinth to injoyn such things as decent whose want or whose contrary is not undecent nor such orders whose want or
church-power needfull to be exercised within themselves whether in the election and ordination of officers or in the censure of offenders in their own body Of this Proposition there be three Branches 1. That the Brethren of a particular church of a Congregation are the first subjects of church-liberty 2. That the Elders of a particular church are the first subjects of church-authority 3. That both the Elders and Brethren walking and joyning together in truth and peace are the first subjects of all church-power needfull to be exercised in their own body Now that the key of church-priviledge or liberty is given to the Brethren of the church and the key of rule and authority to the Elders of the church hath been declared above in Chapt. 3. But that these are the first subjects of these keys and first the church the first subject of liberty may appeare thus From the removall of any former subject of this power or liberty from whence they might derive it If the Brethren of the congregation were not the first subject of their church-liberty then they derived it either from their own Elders or from other churches But they derived it not from their own Elders for they had power and liberty to choose their own Elders as hath been shewed above and therefore they had this liberty before they had Elders and so could not derive it from them Nor did they derive it from other particular churches For all particular churches are of equall liberty and power within themselves not one of them subordinate to another Wee reade not in Scripture that the Church of Corinth was subject to that of Ephesus nor that of Ephesus to Corinth no nor that of Cenchrea to Corinth though it was a church situate in their vicinity Nor did they derive their liberty from a Synod of churches For we found no foot-step in the pattern of Synods Act. 15. that the Church of Antioch borrowed any of their liberties from the Synod at Jerusalem They borrowed indeed light from them and decrees tending to the establishment of truth and peace For upon the publishing of the decrees of that Synod the Churches were established in the faith or truth Act 16.4 5. and also in consolation and peace Act. 15.31 32. but they did not borrow from them any church-liberty at all 2. Now the second branch of the Proposition was That the Elders of the church of a particular Congregation are the first subject of rule or authority in that church or congregation over which the Holy Ghost hath made them over-seers 1. From the charge of rule over the Church committed to them immediatly from Christ For though the Elders be chosen to their office by the church of Brethren yet the office it self is ordained immediatly by Christ and the rule annexed to the office is limited by Christ only If the Brethren of the church should elect a presbyterie to be called by them in the Lord this will not excuse the Presbyters in their neglect of rule either before the Lord or to their own consciences For thus runneth the Apostles charge to the Elders of Ephesus Act. 20.28 Take heed to your selves and to the whole flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you over-seers 2. The same appeareth from the gift of rule required especially in an Elder without which they are not capable of election to that office in the church 1 Tim. 3 4 5. He must be one that is able to rule well his own house or else how shall he order the church of God The like gift of rule is not necessary to the admission of a member into the church as to the election of an Elder If a private brother be not so well able through weaknesse in prudence or courage to rule his own house it will not justly debarre him from entrance into the church but the like defect will justly debar a man from election to the office of an Elder Neither hath God given a spirit of rule and government ordinarily to the greater part of the body of the brethren and therefore neither hath he given them the first Receit of the key of Authoritie to whom he hath not given the gift to employ it If it be objected How can the brethren of the Church invest an Elder with rule over them if they had not power of rule in themselves to communicate to him Ans They invest him with rule partly by chusing him to the office which God hath invested with rule partly by professing their own subjection to him in the Lord we by the rule of Relatives doth necessarily inferre and preferre the authoritie of the Elders over them For in yeelding subjection they either set up or acknowledge Authoritie in him to whom they yeeld subjection Ob. 2. The body of the Church is the Spouse of Christ the Lambs wife and ought not the wife to rule the servants and stewards in the house rather then they her Is it not meet that the keyes of Authoritie should hang at her girdle rather then at theirs Answ There is a difference to be put between Queens Princesses Ladies of great Honor such as the Church is to Christ Psal 45.9 and Countrey huswives poore mens wives Queens and great persons have severall offices and officers for every businesse and service about the house as Chamberlains Stewards Treasurers Comptrollers Vshers Bayliffs Groomes and Porters who have all the authoritie of ordering the affairs of their Lords house in their hands There is not a key left in the Queens hand of any office but onely of power and libertie to call for what she wanteth according to the Kings royall allowance which if she exceed the officers have power to restrain her by order from the King But countrey huswives and poore mens wives whose husbands have no Officers Bayliffs or Stewards to oversee and order their estates they may carry the keyes of any office at their own girdles which the husband keepeth not in his own hand Not because poore huswives have greater authoritie in the house then Queens but because of their poverty and mean estate they are fain to be in stead of many servants to their husbands Obj. 3. The whole body naturall is the first subject of all the naturall power of any member in the body as the facultie of sight is first in the body before in the eye Answ It is not in the mysticall body the Church in all respects alike as in the naturall body In the naturall body there be all the faculties of each part actually inexistent though not exerting or putting forth themselves till each member be articulated and formed But in the body of the Church of Brethren it is not so All the severall functions of Church power are not actually inexistent in the body of Brethren unlesse some of them have the gifts of all the officers which often they have not having neither Presbyters nor men fit to be Presbyters Now if the power of the Presbytery were
another And yet Paul went up to Ierusalem to confer with Peter Iames and Iohn lest he should run in vain in the course of his ministery Galat. 2.2 And though in conference the chief Apostles added nothing to Paul ver 6. yet when they perceived the Gospel of the uncircumcision was committed to Paul and Barnabas as that of the circumcision to Peter Iames and Iohn they gave unto one another the right hand of fellowship ver 9. Now then it will follow by just proportion that if the Apostles who are each of them independent one of another had need to consult and confer together about the work of their ministery to procure the freer passage to their calling and to their doctrine then surely Churches and Elders of Churches though independent one of another had need to communicate their courses and proceedings in such cases one with another to procure the freer passage to the same And if the Apostles giving right hand of fellowship one to another did mutually strengthen their hands in the work of the ministery then the Elders of Churches giving right hand of fellowship to one another in their ordination or upon any fit occasion cannot but much encourage and strengthen the hearts and hands of one another in the Lords work Again something might be added if not for confirmation yet for illustration of this point by comparing the dimensions of the new Ierusalem which is a perfect platform of a pure Church as it shall be constituted in the Iewish Church state at their last conversion The dimensions of this Church as they are described by Ezekiel Chap. 48.30 are according to Iunius twelve furlongs which after the measure of the Sanctuarie which is double to the common is about three miles in length and as much in breadth But the dimensions of the same Church of the Iews in Revel 21.16 is said to be twelve thousand furlongs Now how can these two dimensions of the same Church stand together which are so farre discrepant one from another For there be a thousand times twelve furlongs in twelve thousand furlongs The fittest and fairest reconciliation seemeth plainly to be this that Ezekiel speaketh of the dimensions of any ordinarie Iewish Church of one particular congregation But Iohn speaketh of the dimensions of many particular Iewish Churches combining together in some cases even to the communion of a thousand Churches Not that the Church of the Iews will be constituted in a Nationall and Diocesan frame with Nationall officers and Diocesan Bishops or the like but that sometimes a thousand of them will be gathered into a Synod and all of them will have such mutuall care and yeeld such mutuall brotherly help and communion one to another as if they were all but one body If any man say Theologia symbolica or parabolica non est argumentativa that arguments from such parables and mysticall resemblances in Scripture are not valid let him enjoy his owne apprehension and if he can yeeld a better interpretation of the place let him wave this collection Neverthelesse if there were no argumentative power in parables why did the Lord Iesus so much delight in that kind of teaching and why did Iohn and Daniel and Ezekiel deliver a great part of their prophesies in parables if we must take them for riddles and not for documents nor arguments Surely if they serve not for argument they serve not for document But furthermore touching this great work of communion and consociation of Churches give us leave to adde this caution A Caution To see that this consociation of Churches be not perverted either to the oppression or diminution of the just libertie and authoritie of each particular Church within it self who being well supplied with a faithfull and expert Presbyterie of their own do walk in their integritie according to the truth and peace of the Gospel Let Synods have their just authoritie in all Churches how pure soever in determining such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as are requisite for the edification of all Christs Churches according to God But in the election and ordination of Officers and censure of offenders let it suffice the Churches consociate to assist one another with their counsell and right hand of fellowship when they see a particular Church to use their libertie and power aright But let them not put forth the power of their communitie either to take such Church acts out of their hands or to hinder them in their lawfull course unlesse they see them through ignorance or weaknesse to abuse their libertie and authoritie in the Gospel All the liberties of Churches were purchased to them by the precious blood of the Lord Iesus and therefore neither may the Churches give them away nor many Churches take them out of the hands of one They may indeed prevent the abuse of their liberties and direct in the lawfull use of them but not take them away though themselves should be willing The Lord Iesus having given equall power to all the Apostles it was not lawfull for eleven of them to forbid the twelfth to do any act of his office without their intervention Neither was it lawfull for the nine who were of inferiour gifts to commit the guidance and command of all their Apostolick administrations unto Peter Iames and Iohn who seemed to be pillars And that not onely because they were all one as well as another immediately guided by the holy Ghost but because they were all equall in office and everie one to give account for himself unto God It is the like case in some measure of particular churches yea there is moreover a three-fold further inconvenience which seemeth to us to attend the translation of the power of particular churches in these ordinary admninistraons into the hands of a Synod of Presbyters commonly called a Classis 1. The promise of Binding and Loosing in way of Discipline which Christ gave to every particular church as hath been shewed is by this means not received nor injoyned nor practised by themselves immediately but by their Deputies or Over-seers 2. The same promise which was not given to Synods in acts of that nature as hath been shewed in the Chapter of Synods but in acts of another kinde is hereby received and injoyned and practised by them and by them onely which ought not to be And which is a third inconvenience The practice of this power of the keys only by a Synod of Presbyters still keepeth the Church as under nonage as if they were not grown up to the full fruition of the just liberty of their riper yeers in the dayes of the Gospel For a mother to bear her young daughter in her arms and not to suffer it to go on its own feet whilest it is in the infancie is kindly and comely but when the Damosell is grown up to riper yeers for the mother still to bear her in her arms for fear of stumbling it were an uncecessary burthen to the mother and a reproach to the Virgin Such is the case here The community of churches according to the Hebrew phrase is as the Mother each particular church is as the Daughter In the old Testament while the Church was in her nonage it was not unseasonable to leave the whole guidance and bearing thereof in the hands of their Tutors and Governours the Priests and Levites and in the community of the nationall courts But now in the dayes of the new Testament when the churches are grown up or should be grown at least to more maturity it were meet more to give the Church liberty to stand alone and to walk upon her own legs and yet in any such part of her way as may be more hard to hit right upon as in her Elections and Ordinances and Censures of eminent persons in office it is a safe and holy and faithfull office of the vigilancy of the community of churches to be present with them and helpfull to them in the Lord. And at all times when a particular church shall wander out of the way whether out of the way of truth or of peace the community of churches may by no meanes be excused from reforming them again into their right way according to the authority which the Lord hath given them for the publike edification of all the severall churches within their Covenant Soli Christo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is licensed and entred according to Order FINIS
we confesse we were filled with wonderment at that Divine hand that had thus led the judgements without the least mutuall interchange or intimation of thoughts or notions in these particulars of our Brethren there and our selves unworthy to be mentioned with them here Onely we crave leave of the reverend Author and those Brethren that had the view of it to declare that we assent not to all expressions scattered up and down or all every Assertion interwoven in it yea nor to all the grounds or allegations of Scriptures nor should wee in all things perhaps have used the same terms to expresse the same materials by For instance wee humbly conceive Prophecying as the Scripture tearmes it or speaking to the edification of the whole Church may sometimes be performed by Brethren gifted though not in Office as Elders of the Church onely 1 Occasionally not in an ordinary course 2. By men of such abilities as are fit for Office And 3. not assuming this of themselves but judged such by those that have the power and so allowed and designed to it And 4. so as their Doctrine be subjected for the judging of it in an especiall manner to the Teaching Elders of that Church And when it is thus cautioned wee see no more incongruity for such to speake to a point of Divinity in a Congregation then for men of like abilities to speake to and debate of matters of religion in an Assembly of Divines which this reverend Author allows and here with us is practised Againe in all humility we yet see not that Assembly of Apostles Elders and Brethren Acts 15. to have beene a formall Synod of Messengers sent out of a set and combined association from neighbour Churches but an Assembly of the Church of Jerusalem and of the Messengers from the Church of Antioch alone that were farre remote each from other and electively now met Nor are we for the present convinced that the Apostles to the end to make this a Precedent of such a formal Synod did act therein as Ordinary Elders and not out of Apostolicall guidance assistance But we rather conceive if we would simply consider the mutual aspects which these two Churches and their Elders stood in this conjunction abstracting from them that influence and impression which that superior Sphere the Apostles who were then present had in this transaction this to have been a Consultation as the learned Author doth also acknowledge it to have beene in its first originall onely rising up to be a Generall Councell by the Apostles presence they being Elders of all the Churches or if you will a reference by way of Arbitration for deciding of that great controversie risen amongst them at Antioch which they found to bee too difficult for themselves and so to be a warrant indeede for all such waies of communion between all or any especially neighbour Churches and upon like occasions to bee Ordinances furnished with ministeriall power for such ends and purposes Our reasons for this wee are now many waies bound up from giving the accompt of in this way and at this season But however if it should have beene so intended as the learned Author judgeth and the Apostles to have acted therein as ordinary Elders yet the lines of that proportion of power that could bee drawne from that patterne would extend no further then a Ministeriall Doctrinall power c. in such Assemblies which we willingly grant And it may bee observed with what a wary eye and exact ayme hee takes the latitude and elevation of that power there held forth not daring to attribute the least either for kind or degree then what that example warrants which was at utmost but a Doctrinall decernement both of the truth of that controversie they were consulted in as also the matter of fact in those that had taught the contrary as belyers of them and subverters of the faith without so much as brandishing the sword and power of Excommunication against those high and grosse delinquents or others that should not obey them by that Epistle Onely in the last place for the further clearing the difference of the peoples intrest which the reverend Author usually calleth Liberty sometimes Power the Elders rule and authority which makes that first distribution of Church power in particular Congregations as likewise for the illustration of that other allotment of Ministerial doctrinal power in an association or communion of Churches as severed from the power of Excommunication which is the second We take the boldnes to cast a weake beame of our dimne light upon either of these to present how these have layne stated in our thoughts to this end that wee may haply prevent some readers mistake especially about the former For the first we conceive the Elders and Brethren in each Congregation as they are usually in the New Testament thus mentioned distinctly apart and this when their meeting together is spoken of so they make in each congregation two distinct intrests though meeting in one Assembly as the intrest of the Common-Councell or body of the people in some Corporations is distinct from that of the company of Aldermen so as without the consent and concurrence of both nothing is esteemed as a Church act But so as in this company of Elders this power is properly Authority but in the people is a priviledge or power An apparent difference betweene these two is evident to us by this That two or three or more select persons should be put into an Office and betrusted with an intire intrest of power for a multitude to which that multitude ought by a command from Christ to bee subject and obedient as to an ordinance to guide them in their consent and in whose sentence the ultimate formall Ministeriall act of binding or loosing should consist this power must needs bee esteemed and a knowledged in these few to have the proper notion and character of Authority in comparison of that power which must yet concurre with theirs that is in a whole body or multitude of men who have a greater and neerer interest and concernement in those affaires over which these few are set as Rulers This difference of power doth easily appeare in comparing the severall interest of Father and child in his disposement of her in marriage and her concurrence with him therein although we intend not the paralell between the things themselves A virgin daughter hath a power truly and properly so called yea and a power ultimately to dissent upon an unsatisfied dislike yea and it must be an act of her consent that maketh the marriage valid But yet for her Parents to have a power to guide her in her choyce which she ought in duty to obey and a power which must also concurre to bestowe her or the marriage is invalid this comparing her intrest wherein she is more neerly and intimately concerned with theirs doth arise to the notion of an extrinsecall authority whereas that power is in