Judgments and to hearken unto his Voice and the Lord avouched them to be his peculiar People c. v. 16 17 18. And the like if not greater care was had of the profession and conversation of the Sons of strangers the Children of such Proselytes as were admitted into the Church of Israel Isa 56.6 7. John Baptist also required of all whom he admitted unto his Baptisme a repenting-confession of their sins and that they should believe on him which should come after him that is on Christ Jesus Act. 19.4 warning them not to rest in this that Abraham was their Father Mat. 3.9 Answerably the Primitive Churches required of all grown persons 1. Visible Repentance in case of open scandals Act. 19.18 2. to joyn therewith a publick profession of their Faith in Christ Act. 2.39 3. A profession of their subjection to the Gospel of Christ 2 Cor. 9.13 And after the Apostles dayes the ancient Churches they had their Poenitentes such as held forth their Repentance publickly and their Catechumeni who were of two sorts 1. Such as had been Pagans and were instructed by being catechized in the Christian Faith that they might crave Baptisme when they should be found fit and then were called Competentes In the interim they were called Audientes or Auditores * Tertull. l. de poenit c. 6. praescr advers Haeret c. 4. Cypr. l. 3. ep 17. 2. Such as having been Baptized in their Infancy when they did nonnihil adolescere were Catechized and being found to be Believers were confirmed by imposition of Hands and admitted unto the Lords Table and unto the full fruition of all Church-priviledges These Clemens calleth Incipientes Novitios and so do others from 1 Tim. 3.6 As the Mystery of Iniquity wrought higher and more effectually to advaâ—ce Papal usurpation by the spoils of Churches this custom in the right use of it ceased and Popery retained only the name of Confirmation but corrupted the thing and turned it into a Sacrament limiting the Administration of it to Diocesan Praelats This corrupt custom was continued in England after they renounced the Pope But as Luther in Germany sought to introduce the right use of it into the Churches there So did Cranmer under that Godly King Edward the 6th endeavour in England and committed the perusal and censure of the Common-Prayer-Book to that godly learned and moderate Theologue Bucer who examining the Book found among sundry other things That those which were to be confirmed Censura M. Buceri super lib. Ordinat Eccles cap. 17. must say the Apostles Creed the Lord's Prayer and the ten Commandments and answer the Questions of the short Catechism Bucer's censure upon it is thus This requires diligent ponderation If they think it sufficient that the words of this Confession be recited God abhorreth such as confess him in words and their heart is far from him Nor is Catechizing instituted to this end that they should answer in words only That they believe in God and will keep his Commandments The Lord saith Teach them to observe and do and not only to speak and he requireth such Worshippers as worship him in spirit and in truth But if a true Confession of Faith and profession of Obedience such as should be required of adulti grown persons unto Baptism be meant such a Confession of Faith must be required as may be judged not to be born in the mouth or gotten only by humane teaching but also it must have those signes in the life and manners that it ought to be received of the Churches as coming from an heart truly believing the Gospel and the Doctrine of the holy Spirit For though the Church cannot look into the hearts of men yet they ought to judge of trees by their fruits which fruits afterwards he declares at large But I hasten to the next point having been the larger in this because it is a subject of no less importance than dispute in reference to the question under so much agitation CHAP. III. Concerning the formal Cause THe formall cause or that which gives essential being to this Church is here held forth in a Metaphor taken from houses For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies to build an house of materials fitly joyned and compacted together but Christ doth not here speak of the structure of a material house but of the constituting of that holy Society which he calleth his Church under the metaphor of building an house which every way suits the matter he speaks of For as a material house suppose of stones is built by orderly placing and strongly cementing them together which before were either scattered stones or a confused and loose heape but not an house till they were thus framed and compacted together so this holy Society the Church of Christ ariseth from the coadunition or knitting together of many Saints into one by an holy Covenant whereby they as lively Stones are built up a spiritual House 1 Pet. 2.4 5. And as the natural body of a man is built by an orderly joyning and firmly knitting the parts together So is the Church of Christ built by the mutual Covenanting of the Saints the Members of the Church which is called the Body of Christ where the Members of it are thus orderly and firmly knit to the Head and one to another Eph. 4.15 16. The same holds in Cities and Families which are thus built also and therefore the Apostle speaketh of this matter under the same matephor in Ephes 2.19 20 21. The conclusion from hence is that Concl. 3 It is the will and appointment of Jesus Christ our Lord that his Churches under the New Testament be constituted in respect of their essential form by the publick mutual covenanting of the Saints with the Lord and one with another Though all men seem to grant that every Church of Christ hath its being from a Covenant for which cause they that want an explicite Covenant do yet plead their implicite Covenant to maintain the truth of their Church-state yet such disputes are raised against the Church Covenant that I am compelled to handle this point also the more largely that the truth concerning it may be the better cleared and setled I shall therefore with the help of Christ shew 1. To what end it serveth 2. what it imports 3. prove it to be the Ordinance of Christ 4. draw some consectaries from the Conclusion 1. The next end of their confederating is to engage themselves to submit one to another in the Lord to cleave to Christ and his Rules and to one another in him mutually and to walk together accordingly in the use of all means sanctified and appointed by him for attaining the ends of Church-communion 2. The Covenant it self imports two things 1. On the Lords part it implyeth 1. the Lords giving them his Covenant for themselves and their seed Gen. 17.7 2. His giving them hearts to take hold of his Covenant accordingly Isa 56.4 5
Alexandrum Omnia probate quod bonum est tenete estote probati nummularij ut si quis nummus adulter est figuram Caesaris non habet nec signatus est moneta publica reprobetur qui autem Christi faciem claro praefert Iumine in cordis nostri marsupium recondatur The Churches Charter Containing Two Parts 1. The Constitution of particular visible Churches 2. The Priviledges and Power given to such Churches BEfore I proceed to examine Mr. Pagets arguing for the Ecclesistical Juridical Power of Classes I shall positively declare what power is given by Christ to particular Churches after I have described their constitution according to Christ his appointment In every of which particulars I shall principally insist in the metaphor of a Corporation or body politick such as that of the chiefest and most perfect Cities is because I find that it pleaseth the Holy Ghost in Scripture frequently to express this matter under this similitude * Ps 48 1â— 2. 87.3 Isa 26.1 60.14 Ezek. 40.2 4â— 35 Rev. 3. â—â— â—0 â— 21. 〈…〉 22. 〈…〉 Luc. 1â—â—â— But I shall not venture to apply it any further than the light of Truth in Scripture will direct and warrant There we finde the grand Charter it self and the ancient Presidents of the first Christian Churches planted by the Apostles According to these Records I shall endeavour to declare the mind of Christ whom God the Father commands us to hear * Mat. 3.17 17.5 in all things whatsoever he saith unto us and that under a dreadful penalty †Acts 3.22 23. Cypr. ad Coecil lib. 2. ep 3. Si solus Christus audiendus est non debemus attendere quid aliquis ante nos faciendum putaverit sed quid qui ante omnis est Christus prior fecerit faciendum statuerit Neque enim hominis consuetudinem sequi oportet sed Dei veritatem cùm per Isaiam Prophetam Deus loquatur dicat c. Whence Cyprian doth wel infer If only Christ is to be heard we ought not to attend what any before us thought should be done but what Christ who is before all hath done and appointed to be done For we ought not to follow the custom of men but the truth of God seeing the Lord saith by the Prophet Isaiah In vain they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandements of men The Charter according to which particular Churches are to be constituted and their power in re propriâ is to be stated we find in Mat. 16.18 19. In the opening and explaining whereof I purpose with Christ's assistance to proceed in this method 1st handling the constitution of a particular visible Church 2ly clearing the power of it The words in Mat. 16.18 hold forth a perfect Rule for the constituting of a visible Church of its causes of which we shall speak severally and distinctly and the more largely that the strength of such objections as occurr in each particular may be duly weighed and in handling them I shall observe this order 1. I shall propound what I conceive to be the truth in certain doctrinal Conclusions 2. Explicate and confirm them 3. Deduce thence such Consectaries or Inferences as freely flow from them CHAP. I. 1. THe principal efficient cause is noted in this clause I will build my Church I who is that even he whom Peter had confessed in these words Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God That is Jesus our Mediator 1. He speaks in the first Person not in the second For though he useth men as his instruments yet himself by his Spirit buildeth his Church Zach. 4.6 Therefore it is called his Building 1 Cor. 3.9 2. He speaks not in the preter or present tense but in the future I will build For though Christ was yesterday is to day and shall be ever the builder of his Church yet he thus speaketh in a particular respect to the Christian Churches under the New-Testament which should be built after his Ascension of Jews and Gentiles joyned into one body upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ being the Corner-Stone c. Ephes 2.20 21 22. The Conclusion hence is Concl. 1 That Jesus Christ our Mediatour is the only immediate Authour and Institutor of particular visible Churches That he speaketh here of a particular visible Church and not of the Catholick Church appeareth by his giving to it the Keyes Which we shall prove hereafter are given only to particular Churches 2. That Christ himself is the only immediate Institutor of such Churches may be evinced 1. Generally from Heb. 3.3 4 5. 2. Particularly by Induction thus 1. He is the Door by whom they that are orderly admitted must enter Joh. 10.9 2. He sets the Members every one of them in that place and rank which they have in the Body 1 Cor. 12.18 and gifteth them accordingly Ephes 4.7 3. He compacteth the whole Body Ephes 4.16 and firmly knits the materials together in this Spiritual building 1 Pet. 2.5 4. He gives the several Offices and Officers Pastors Teachers Ruling-Elders and Deacons 1 Cor. 12.28 Ephes 4.8 11. 5. He appointeth the visible Seals Baptism Col. 2.10 11 12. and the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11 23 c. 6. He is the Law-giver to his Church Jam. 4.12 7. He is the Lord of all Church Admininistrations 1 Cor. 12.3 8. The Censures have their power and efficacy from him Rev. 3.7 1 Cor. 5.4 5. 9. The blessing of all the Ordinances is from his Institution of them and effectual presence with his Church and Ministers dispensing them Matth. 28.19 20. Reas Thus he is by a three-fold right 1. From the Decree and Donation of the Father Psal 2.7 8. John 3.35 and 5.22 23. 2. From the Redemption of his Church Act. 20.28 Phil. 2.9 10 11. Matth. 28.18 19 20. 3. From his conquest over the powers of darkness from whence he hath delivered them and translated them into his Kingdom Col. 1.13 In all these respects and many more Jesus Christ our Mediatour hath right to institute particular Christian Churches and to cast them into what mould he pleaseth From this Conclusion thus proved I infer as followeth 1. Consect Then Jesus Christ is the only Lord and Head of such Churches as himself hath instituted Thus from Christ's building his House followeth his being over the House Hebrews 3.3 6. And he is over it as the Lord of it Acts 2.36 And as the only Political Head of it in three respects 1. Of Preheminence as having the Spirit in a greater measure than all his Members Col. 1.18 John 3.34 2. In respect of Government Ephes 5.22 23 24. 3. In respect of Influence Joh. 15.5 and that not only in respect of common Gifts whereof Hypocrites partake which if they be joyned to Christ's visible Body the Church are but dead Members whom as dead Branches in the Vine God will take away and cast forth Joh. 15.2 6. but also
The Power of Congregational Churches Assertâ—d and Vindicated In Answer to a TREATISE OF Mr. J. PAGET INTITULED The Defence of Church-Government exercised in Classes and Synods By JOHN DAVENPORT B. of D. and Pastor to the Church in Newhaven in New-England Isa 1.26 I will restore thy Judges as at the first and thy Counsellors as at the beginning afterwards thou shalt be called The City of Righteousness the faithful City LONDON Printed for Rich. Chiswell and to be sold by John Vsher of Boston in New-England 1672. TO THE READER TEe disposals of GOD in his Providence with reference to the travels of Truth and bringing forth of Light are much to be observed and have much to be read in them There 〈◊〉 â—t been a great and over-ruling hand â—ted and that very conspicuously about 〈◊〉 present Treatise The Reverend and â—earned and eminently accomplish'd Author â—â—rst finished a Tractate with this Title and 〈◊〉 his Subject near thirty years ago But â—od's time was not yet come for its publishâ—ng it perished therefore in the rude Waves of the vast Ocean with some other excelâ—ent Manuscripts and precious Christians Nevertheless some seven years aftâ—â— God seâ— him about it again and then he finished what is now after twenty years more thus made publick Thus comes this short anâ— nervous Treatise to have had a double and so a more thorow digestion in the heart oâ— so judicious and holy a Servant of Christâ— Nor are the principles and grounds herâ— proceeded on such as our Author suddenly or lately took up He was of too serious 〈◊〉 weighty and advised a spirit â—lightly to take up or suddenly to vent any singular apprehensions in the things of God It would be too long to relate though I could from his own hand how he was first staggered in his conformity and afterwards fully taken off by set Conferences and Debates with himself and sundry other Ministers obtained with Mr. John Cotton then driven from Boston on account of Nonconformity Nor am I willinâ— tâ— revive the Memory of what Afflictions 〈◊〉 Author afterwards underwent because 〈◊〉 could not be satisfied in Conscience in thoâ— two Points viz. a particular Churches being subjected to a Classis Baptizing in that latitude which was then practised and iâ— still in that Church to which he had an earnest Call and with which the Lord gave him a very general and great acceptance But certain it is the Principles held forth in this Treatise cost the Reverend Author not only many sufferings but also many very many sad searchings and much reading and study on set purpose accompanied with manifold prayers and cryes to the Father of Lights for light therein After all which he was more and more confirmed in them and attained to such comfortable clearness therein as hore him up with much inward peace and satisfaction under all his afflictions on the account of his perswasion in these Points And so perswaded lived and so died this grave and serious spirited man The Reader will find in it which is a rare conjunction much succinctness with much Scripture clearness Light contracted like the Sun-beams in a Burning-glass is the stronger and would be the more grateful too if it could possibly meet with an Eye able to receive it There are that think and as they conceive from Scripture grounds too that the glory of the Saints in Heaven receives additions and increases daily as their holy walk and faithful service when here on Earth doth after they are gone bring forth Fruit to the praise of God amongst those that are left behind them If so they that ever had any value and affection for this Eminent Servant of Christ and there were yea yet are many in whose hearts a precious remembrance of him lives and will live for ever are engaged to read and improve this Excellent Work of his for their instruction and establishment in the Truths of Christ It was for several Moneths since sent over from New England with desire that it might be Printed The wise and all-disposing Providence of God allotted this as the season for it and in his season all things have a peculiar beauty and it may be presumed that the hearts of God's pâ—ople are more generally prepared for a ready entertainment of light held out to them and that the Lord will please to fulfil that good word of Promise upon all his faithful and humbled people Ezek. 43.11 And if they be ashamed of all they have done c. There are two things run through this whole discourse and are ligible even in every line of it 1. That the power of Churches is confined to their Res Propria their own proper matters 2. That there is not any Spiritual Church-power to which they are by any Institution of Christ subjected Two grand and Pillar-Principles of the Congregational-way both of them abundantly cleared from mistakes and established upon Scripture-foundations Now the blessing of Heaven go with it to lead the Reader into the truth of Christ in these Points and to take off from the minds of such of our Rulers into whose hands this Book may fall all those prejudices against the Congregational-way which it may have been unjustly mis represented under For as in all the main matters of Faith and Doctrine we differ not from the established publick Profession of the Kingdom yea are much more tenacious thereof than many of our zealous adversaries so in those things which seem to be our most singular Opinions and wherein we differ most from the publick Profession and for which we have suffered and are ready by the grace of Christ still to suffer even worser matters if the will of God be so concerning us this Book after many others which speak the same Language may render it plain and evident to impartial and understanding Readers the Principles and practices of the Congregational-way are not in truth so incompatible with the power of the Supream Magistrate in matters of Religion as some would represent nor such as may render them suspected to Civil powers and that therefore we may not for these our Principles be accounted unworthy to enjoy a peaceable dwelling in our native Land the weal whereof is more dear to us than our lives or all our private earthly enjoyments in it M. N. May 28. 1672. Tertull de praescr adv Haeret. Cap. 21. COnstat omnem Doctrinam quae cum Ecclesiis Apostolicis matricibus originalibus fidei conspiret veritati deputandam id sine dubio tenentem quod Ecclesia ab Apostolis Apostoli à Christo Christus à Deo suscepit reliquam veró omnem Doctâ—inam de mendacio praejudicandam quae sapiat contra veritatem Ecclesiarum Apostolorum Christi Dei. Aug. de venit Eccl. Cap. 3. Tom. 7. Sunt certè libri Dominici quorum Authoritati utrique consentimus utrique credimus utrique servimus ibi quaeramus Ecclesiam ibi discutiamus causam nostram Hieron Epist ad Minerium
Office-Power but all Power which serves to shut and open the House or City of God not power of the Steward only but the power of the Spouse and Wife of this great King to whom the Lord Christ as her Husband being gone into a far Country even to Heaven hath given power to admit into the Family and reject as occasion shall require and for those ends to judge also because such acts require judgment and to call the Steward to his place and to put him into it and to put a Key of Office by Election into his hand and therfore though all power be not formally in her yet it cometh originally from her Reas 2. Because Christ here giveth the Keys only to those to whom he giveth Official Warrant and Authority for the actual exercise thereof in opening and shutting binding and loosing i. e. only to Teachers and Elders Answ 1. Though it is true that Official Warrant and Authority is given only to Teachers Elders only Teaching and Ruling Elders have that formally Yet 2. The power of the Keys is far larger than Office-power viz. to admit reject c. 3. They have their Office from the Church and their Office-power by the Church originally Therefore there was power in the Church before Office-power which did communicate and conveigh Office-power to its Officers 3. Reas To bind and loose are acts of the Office-power of Pastors Rulers Feeders by publick and pastoral preaching which doth not belong to Believers Answ Binding and loosing taken in the largest sense as in this Text comprehend the exercise of all the acts of the Keys or Church-power and these acts are not only by publick and pastoral preaching for then the Ruling-Elder should have no Key to bind or loose but also by Admonitions Excommunications Admissions which issue from a power of judging not proper to the Pastors only but common to the People with them 2. Though the Keys be given to the Church yet she may not exercise any act proper to Office-Power without Officers whom she doth and must call to that end and submit to them in the due exercise thereof 4. Reas If this place give not warrant and authority to Officers what warrant have they for their Office-Power Answ 1. This place gives warrant for the People to choose their Officers according to Christ's appointment and the Church doth accordingly call them to that place and invest them with Office with voluntary professed subjection to them in the right exercise of that power of Office which belongs unto them in the Lord. 2. The several acts of Office-power to be exercised by them are abundantly warranted in other places of Scripture 5. Reas They to whom the Keys are here given doe authoritatively forgive and retain sins and their Acts are valid in Heaven but the Church of Believers wanting Officers cannot by any warrant of Scripture authoritatively forgive and retain sins Answ The word Authority sometimes is taken more generally for Power sometimes more strictly and properly for Ruling and Office-Power In the first sense the Church hath power to foregive judicially in 2 Cor. 2.10 in reference to their former censure The Officers forgive authoritatively in the second sense We proceed to the last interpretation 6. Others look at the Keys as given to Peter here in the name of a particular visible Church indefinitely taken not of this or that particular definite Church that all other Churches should receive the Keys from them or be subject to the power of the Keyes in their hands For that will not stand with the parity of Churches among themselves for par in parem non habet imperium Therefore the Church here intended must be taken generally and indefinitely as comprehending in it any particular visible Church one as well as another or the general Church as existing its particulars If it be objected against this that Peter was not a Member of such a Christian Congregation when Christ spake these words unto him I answer It is true for no such Church was then constituted No more was there a Presbytery then constituted when Christ directed Peter and the rest in case of private offence obstinatly persisted in after proceeding in the first and second step to tell the Church in Mat. 18. which yet they hold but not truly to be the Presbytery as we shall evince hereafter with the assistance of Christ But in the mean time all grant that that Rule serveth to order Members how to proceed in such cases when particular Churches should be constituted And the same reason is of force in this Text also Some have thought that Christ giveth the Keys in this Text not to the Church of Believers of which he spake in the former verse but to the Elders because he altereth the form of his speech for having spoken in the former verse of the Church in the third person saying Vpon this Rock I will build my Church and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it he saith not in this verse and I will give unto it the Keys but varying the person he turneth his speech to Peter saying and unto thee I will give the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven but this is a mistake Here is no changing of person nor turning of speech in Christ's giving the promise of the Keys but as Christ began so he continueth his speech to Peter upon occasion of his confession In v. 17. Christ pronounceth Peter blessed from the cause of his confession In v. 18. he giveth a promise of reward to Peters confession that upon this as upon a Rock he will build his Church and establish it as impregnable against the gates of Hell In v. 19. he giveth unto Peter upon occasion of his publick confession in the name of the Church a promise of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven Therefore this promise is given to the Church in Peter in such sort as though the use of the Keys be various according to the variety of callings in the Church yet the power it self of the Keys is here originally and primarily cōmitted to the * Toti Ecclesiae dedit Christus claves sed ita ut in Ecclesiâ certi essent qui clavibus utantur ad salutem Ecclesiae honoremque Dei Zanc. in praec 4. quaest 3. Vid. Park de Polit. Eccles l. 3 c. 3. Church in general existing in particular Churches I might produce sundry Writers both ancient and modern of other Countries and our own if need required to confirm this Exposition yea of the Authors quoted by Mr. P. not a few consenting herein but I shall only mention Cyprian and Augustine who in sundry places speak the same with us And these two I the rather name because I find in approved Histories that sundry Martyrs being confirmed in this Truth by their Testimonies have sealed it with their blood Hieronimus Savanarola a Godly learned Preacher in Florence a man endued with a Prophetical Spirit Illyr Catal Test verit cont