or heraulds not of lawgivers but of cryers or publishers of proclamations not to command as princes doe in the common wealth but onely to signifye and declare the command and will of God And therefore that they may not define or determine matters by the opinions or customs of men but by the truth of God in the Scriptures which they must shew for their warrant Because the Church it selfe from whence their power is derived hath no other power committed to it And none can give that to others which themselves have not And therefore to require and injoyne men to rest in their determinations and judgments without sufficient proofe of their agreement with the Scripture is to give them an undue power 2. Dist This derived power and authority which is given to Classes in these things is not a praerogative of jurisdiction but of aestimation and reverence rather Because Gods ordinance hath limited the former to particular Churches as his delegates in their owne matters it is not in their power to alienate it froÌ„ themselves But the latter is due to Classis consisting of grave learned prudent and faythfull men for their excelent personall gifts in which respect their judgment is to be much valued and received with due regard And for these causes the Affrican Doctors saught helpe of Damasus Ierom Jnnocentius c. in the great question de lapsis that the truth being confirmed by their testimony and consent who were orthodox and sound in judgment might have the more authority with men generally whose eyes are upon men that are famous for wisdom soundnes in the fayth Confer Chap. 8. d. 6. as Dr. Reynolds told Hart yet in the same place he affirmeth that all Churches which the Apostles planted were aequall in power And therefore to ascribe unto them a power of jurisdiction over particular Churches and that in things proper to themselves is to subject particular Churches under an undue power 3. Dist Whatsoever power or authority is given to Classes in reference to particular Churches it is given to them cumulativè not privativè i. e. for the helpe strengthening of them in the excercise of that power which Christ hath given them not for the depriving them of it or streightening them in the due right use of it For whatsoever Ecclesiasticall power or authority is given to any it is for aedification not for destruction in this sense also 2. Cor. 10 8. And therefore all that power whether assumed by them or by others ascribed to them whereby particular Churches are abridged of their liberty and power in any particular is an usurped and undue power These things being thus premised our conclusion is that All that power which Classes have duely received by the free gift of particular Churches as a praerogative of aestimation and reverence or any wayes for the helpe and strengthening of those Churches in the well manadging of their owne matters is a due power But whatsoever power of jurisdiction they assume to themselves for the depriving of particular Churches of that power which Christ hath given them it is an undue power From this conclusion we will deduce two Consectaryes 1. Consect That there is a lawfull expedient and in some cases a necessary use of the communion and combination of Churches being rightly ordered for the helpe of particular Churches in they re proper affayres As First In the choyse of Ministers 1 for provocation to quicken the particular Churches by their exhortations and admonitions to seeke out some fit man if they be slack therein 2 for direction to counsayle and advise them from the Scripture about the fitnes of the men whom they would choose and to admonish them of any notable unfitnes in them to prevent the danger of infecting themselves or other Churches by any dangerous errours maintained by them against the rule of fayth or otherwise of common and important consequence 3 for countenance and protection against any that would deprive them of meete helpers either by false suggestions to the Magistrates or by raysing contention and opposition among themselves Secondly In the excommunication of members which is a matter of great moment if the particular Churches seeke the helpe of neighbour Churches to prevent any errour among themselves in a difficult case or any misreport which may arise concerning theyr proceedings amongst others or to add the more strength for the convincing of those whom they are to censure by the concurrence and consent of grave and learned and prudent men of neighbour Churches they shall doe piously and prudently therein Thirdly In other cases of difference wherewith particular Churches are excercised and whereby they are so divided that the matter can not be ended and the differences composed among themselves by reason of the aequall number of the opposites on boath sides in matters that should be determined by voyces or the difficulty of the case in question In all these and such like cases much benefit and helpe may and should be affoarded to particular Churches by their coÌ„sociation with others in manner aforesaid and they aught to seeke and use they re helpe therein 2. Consect That if Classes under pretence of these ends and benefits assume unto themselves such a primacy of power or such an authority of jurisdiction over particular Churches as 1 that they shall not choose their owne Ministers excommunicate their members c. Without a power derived from them or 2 that the Church is hindred from injoying Ministers of sound judgment and unblameable behaviour at their pleasure or 3. that they may impose conformity to unwarrantable customs or conclusions of their owne as a condition without which Ministers may not lawfully be received by such a Church into the pastorall office or 4 that their saying a man is not fit for such a place whom themselves acknowledge to be fit for any other place and that without shewing the aequity of that their judgement from the Scriptures or aequally and judiciously weighing the lawfull desires of the Chuâ—ch and their right in this particular through a partial adhaering to one party should or may deprive the Church of such men or 5. that the Church may not injoy a man against whom there is no just and sufficient exception as an assistant for a time or to preach amongst them a sermon or two as a passant without their leave or 6. that matters proper to the Church and which may be ended in their owne Consistory commodiously yet being brought to them though but by some one man out of opposition to the rest that he may sway matters according to his owne mind by they re helpe may be taken from the Church and concluded by them in favour of one against the mind of the Church and the Church must be bound to rest in their determination though they shew no warrant from the Scripture to satisfye their consciences about the aequity of their so determining and doing In a word whatsoever
be governed The truth is In all this passage appeareth much sarcasticall bitternes unworthy of the learning gravity and holy function of the Answerer Yet I suppose the Complainants would be ready if they were called to answer soberly that they desire no other Church government unto which they would willingly be subject then that which Christ hath appoynted the Church to be under What that is if they know not he aught to teach them If they know it and desire it he aught to lead them out and to goe before them as a faythfull shepheard that the sheep may follow him as he followeth Christ not to praejudice them against any good way by a scoffing proposall of mens differences in judgment about some particular tract or turning in the way to the great scandall and offence of many and the dishonour of the Gospel and the hindrance of Reformation by his joyning with the enimyes thereof in an old cavill which hath turned many out of the way and caused some to returne back to a mere neutrality in religion till the professours of it agree among themselves about the path wherein they will walke Whereas he taketh occasion againe without provocation to mention Mr. Iacob as an enimy to Classes and Synods that I might speake a word in the cause of the dumbe and of the dead I have examined what he hath written concerning this point more upon this occasion then formerly I had done and it may be Treat of Ch. Government Chap. 1. pag. 13. Chap. 7. 88. 89. 90 Confess Art 5. more then else I should have done and doe find that he professeth his agrement that I may use his owne words even to an hayre with Calvin and Beza touching the substance of this matter and that he acknowledgeth with them both the parishionall and Diocesan presbyteryes yea the provinciall and larger too if occasion serve How he explaineth himselfe herein the diligent Reader will easily observe in other passages of the same booke And else where he acknowledgeth that there may be and on occasion there ought to be on earth a consociation of Congregations and Churches and namely by way of Synods but not a subordination or surely not a subjection of the Congregations under any higher spirituall authority absolute save only Christs and the holy Scriptures Whereby it appeareth that the single uncompounded policy which Mr I required is not contrary to the government of these reformed Churches by Classes and Synods rightly ordered Ch. Government Chap. 7. p. 89. nay rather he so farr approveth of it that he sayth it is Apostolicall for many ordinary Congregations consociating together in their spirituall government to have a Diocesan or larger Synod or presbytery over them for their better direction and he addeth such the reformed Churches at this day doe injoy But if he thinck by mentioning the name of Mr. Iacob to leave the Complainants under the suspicion of adhaering to some sect or of depending upon the authority of man not upon the word of Christ for their rule about Church matters he will be found to be injurious not to them alone but to Christ also Mat. 18.17 1. Cor 5. Coll. 2.5 and 4.17 Acts 20.17.28 Rev. 2 3 1. Tim. 3.15 Cha. 5.21 Chap. 6.13 to 17. and to the truth First To Christ seing they acknowledge all that power to be due and thereunto they are willing to submit which by the word is warranted to be that whereby Churches should be governed according to the mind of Christ which agreeth with the patterne which Christ left to his disciples and which the Apostles exactly followed in planting those primitive Churches of Corinth Colosse Ephesus the 7 golden Candlesticks in Asia among whom Christ walked c. and which Paul so streightly charged Timothy to observe in all Church affayres which is no other then the power committed by Christ to particuler Churches as his delegates for the right ordering of themselves in their Church government and in all holy administrations and ordinances according to his command and direction in the Scripture without dependance upon any Classes or Synods or whatsoever humane spirituall power for license or authority to be received from them for their so doing And as they thus acknowledge all that power under which the Church is subjected by warrant of the word to be due so they professe all that power under which the Church is subjected to be undue which the word doeth not warrant and which taketh away from particular Churches that power which by Christ his ordinance is due to them which what is it but to remove the ancient bounds Prov. 22.28 Gal. 5.1.3 Ioh. 9. to thrust the Churches from the libertyes wherein they are commanded to stand fast and to affect an undue praeheminence in the Church Secondly To the truth whilest it is presented to the view of all men under the shew of some singular opinion or errour rather of a particular man or as a forelorne thing deserted of all her witnesses excepting Mr. Iacob whereas so much as the Complainants seeme to require as appeareth in their referring themselves to the warrant of the word hath bene acknowledged by the faythfull witnesses in all ages Heb. 12.1 with which cloud of witnesses we are compassed about as the Israelites were with that pillar of a cloud wherein the Lord went before them by day Exod. 13.21 to lead them in the way Such were the Apostles in their time and those worthyes as Cyprian and those of whom Eusebius taketh notice Cypr. lib. 3 Epist 14. Euseb li. 3 et 4. et 5. in many places and in some succeeding instances before the mistery wraught to its full hight The same thing may appeare to those who are conversant in the wrightings of the Centuriators To these I may add those who have handled the controversyes concerning the necessity and authority of Councills amongst whom I will instance in Dr. Whittaker who Whitt de Concil quest 5. Arg. speaking of the fullnes of that delegated power which Christ hath given to the Church not to the Pope which he applyeth to the Keyes in binding and loosing shutting and opening retayning and remitting sinnes sayth that this power belongeth primarily principally and essentially to the Church but to the severall Bishops onely accidentally secundarily and lâ—sse principally and explaineth himselfe by a rule in philosophy which is that when any power is in two in one necessarily essentially in another contingently and accidentally it is more principally in him in whom it is necessarily and essentially then in him whose it is onely contingently and accidentally As the heate is more principally in the fire then in the water because it is in the water by reason of the fire So sayth he seing this jurisdiction and fullnes of power is given to the Church necessarily and primarily but to the Pope onely secundarily and by the Church it is manifest that it is more
in the Church then in the Pope What that learned wrighter sayth of the Churches power in comparison with the Pope holds in all other paralell instances To these I may add those who have written concerning the right ordering of Churches according to the Scripture I will not stand to give a Catalogue of their names though I might be plentifull therein but will content my selfe with the three wrighters of this kind whom the Answerer pretended in conference with me to make for him and I shall shew them to be strongly against him Mr Cartwright and Mr. Fenner and Mr. Parker men of our owne nation Sect. 4. p. 53. 1. For Mr. Cartwright The very place in his booke whereunto the Answerer referred me I have examined before and have shewen how litle helpe he will have from him De Sacra Theol. lib. 7. p. 279. 2. For M. Fenner He speaking of the Ecclesiasticall presbytery distinguisheth betweene the Eldership of one particular Church which he sayth is properly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Eldership of many Churches P. 277. 278. The Eldership of the first sort he sayth is a compound office wherein all the Elders doe in the name of the wholl Church administer all the buisenesses of the Church that is of the Lord by common authority and counsaile And for this purpose he alleadgeth many texts out of the old and new testaments These buisenesses he sayth are either judiciary or extrajudiciary Iudiciary buisenesses are such things as are to be defined by the judgment of the Church which are either matters doubtfull which must be defined by the Scriptures or censures to be administred Extrajudiciary buisenesses are Elections ordinations cheife care of disposing the holy treasures keeping of order in the assembly and all things which are to be done Yet in matters of greatest moment and which concerne the good or ruine of the wholl Church he sayth the Elders after consultation had among themselves must tell their opinions to the Church that if they have any thing to counsail or to object it may be brought in and afterwards the opinions and assent of all being declared matters are to be concluded unlesse it be necessary to referr the buisenes to a greater assembly of Elders for the avoyding or composing of differences which is then to be done when the difference is betweene the greater part of the Church And these matters of the greatest moment are the censures excommunication and absolution from it which is to be done in the assembly by the AUTHORITY OF THE WHOLE CHURCH orders also of the greatest moment to be made controversyes of fayth to be composed the elections and just deposing of Ministers other things aequall to these or greater then they all which must be thus transacted as he plentifully declareth from Scripture Thus I have faythfully translated the words of this eminent light in his time Mr. Dudley Fenner who was joyned with Mr. Cartwright in the publick ministry to the English Company in Antwerpe to whom and to that worke of his Mr. Cartwright in an epistle to him praefixed to that booke giveth a singular testimony comparing him to Moses who from Mount Nebo viewed the wholl land of Canaan as it were with one cast of his eye to whom the Answerer him selfe referred me wherein I admire his confidence as to one that made for him The Reader may see how he leaveth the wholl power of jurisdiction in the particular Church and bindeth them no further to make use of other Ecclesiasticall Senats out of themselves then necessity requireth and he doeth not acknowledge that it is a case of that necessity but when the avoyding of troubles and dissentions in the Church makes it necessary And when is that Not when one alone contentiously differeth from all the rest But when the difference is among the greater part And that in such a case the judgment of the wholl Church is first to be tryed and the opinions and assent of all being declared matters are to be concluded Idem ibid p. 280. Else where he sayth that the presbytery of many Churches is to compose and end such things onely as cannot be ended in particular Churches Act. 15.1 to 8. 2. Chron. 20.33 Act. 16.4 And these are cases either proper to those Churches which are brought to them or things common to many Churches and so taken up by them I demand of the Answerer whether he be of this worthy wrighters judgment or not If not why did he referr me to him for satisfaction If yea why is his practise so different from it For in this buisenes though of so great consequence that it indangered the breaking of the Church if I had not sat downe quietly and suffered wrong for peace sake the Answerer alone opposing the desire of the Elders and of the greater part of the Church and the buisenes being proper to the Church and which might have bene ended among themselves yet against the liberty and right of the Church if Mr. Fenners judgement be right he would carry it to the Classis that he might effect his purpose De polit Eccles lib. 3. Chap. 1. 3. For Mr. Parker He largely and strongly proveth this position potestas Ecclesiastica essentialiter primario in ipsâ Fcclâ—siâ tanquam in subjecto proprio residet The power ecclesiasticall doeth essentially primarily reside in the Church it selfe as in its proper subject The sense wherein he thus spake to prevent all suspicion of his pleading for popular confusion he declareth out of Zanchy who sayth Zanch in praecept 4. quest 3. toti Ecclesiae dedisse Christum claves sed ita ut in Ecclesiâ certi essent qui clavibus utantur ad salutem Ecclesiae honoremque Dei That Christ gave the keyes to the wholl Church but so that there should be certaine men that should use the keyes to the good of the Church and glory of God For the proofe of the former that the right of power is in every particular Church he useth five Arguments in the 6 7. chapters then in the 8. chapter he cometh to speak of the excercise and ordinary execution of this power which is he sayth in the Church-officers or rulers yet with this moderation that this dispensation of the Churches power in the officers be according to a well tempered forme partly Aristocraticall partly Democraticall the Church committing those things to the presbytery which it can not commodiously performe by it selfe and retaining that excercise of power which belongs to the dignity authority and liberty which it hath received from Christ Thus he wholy destroyeth that democraty or popular Anarchy which Beza justly condemneth in Morellius and is by some unjustly imputed to those that plead for a due reformation of Churches according to the rules of the word and the primitive patternes Of the first sort of things which the Church committeth to the Rulers because it cannot commodiously performe them by