power of the Keyes is fallacia non causae pro causa But if what hath been spoken will not convince Mr. Nichols that the people or Fraternity having no true power to Ordain he is no true and lawfull Minister Let him answer these Arguments from Reason Scripture and the best Divines that have written upon this pâ—int 1. Argument Whosoever are the first subject or immediate Receptacle of the power of the Keyes from Christ they have Divine Warrant actually to exercise and put in execution the said power as if a man be the first and immediate subject and Receptacle of Risibility or power of laughing he hath a faculty in him to exercise and put in execution his Risibility and so actually to laugh But the Multitude or Community of the Faithfull have no Divine Warrant actually to exercise and put in execution the power of the Keyes Ergo The Community of the faithfull are not the first subject or immediate Receptacle of the power of the Keyes from Iesus Christ. The Major Proposition must of necessity be yielded because first power of the Keyes contains both Authority and exercise power being given to that end that it may be exercised for the benefit of the Church It is called the power given us for edification 2 Cor. 10. vers 8. Where there is no exercise of power there can be no edification by power Sâ—condly because both the Authority and compleat exercise â—f all that Authority were at once and together communicated from Christ to the Receptacle of the power I give unto thee the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt binde on earth c. There goes together the giving of power and binding and loosing the exercise of that power Math. 16. vers 19. As my Father sent me so send I you Whose soever sins ye remit they are remitted John 20. vers 21 23. You see here both power and exercise joyned together in the same Commission Yea so individual and so inseparable are power and exercise that under exercise power and Authority is set forth Go Disciple you all Nations bapâ—izing thâ—m Math. 28. vers 18 19. Thirdly because it would be vain idle and impertinent to fancie and dream of such a power as should never be drawn into act by them that have it frustra est potenâ—ia quae non reducitur ad actum Thus the Major being cleared Let us now examine well the Minor by induction of particulars from whence we shall see itâ—is evident that the Community cannot exercise the power of the Keyes by any Divine Warrant First They may not preach for how shall they preach except they be sent Rom. 10. vâ—rs 15. But the Community cannot be sent many of them being uncapable of the Office either by occasion of their Sex 1 Cor. 14 vers 34 35. 1 Tim. 2. vers 11 12. or by reason of their age as Children and all or most of them by reason of their deficiency in gifts and in Scripture qualifications Titus 1. vers 9. and 1 Tim. 3. vers 10. For not one Member of a thousand are so compleatly furnished as to be apt to teach able to convince Gain sayers and to divide the word of truth aright Besides They may not send themselves were they capable for no man takes thâ—s honour to himself yea Jesus Christ himself did not glorifie himself to be made an High Priest Hebr. 5. vers 4 5. Now onely Officers are sent to preach Math. 16 19. and 28 19 20 vers 2. Secondly The Community may not administer the Seals the Sâ—craments under the new Testament for who gave the people any such Authority Hath not Christ conjoyned preaching and dispensing of the Sacraments in the same Commission that the same Persons onely that do the one may do the other Math. 28. vers 18 19. 3. Thirdly They may not ordain Officers in the Church and Authoritatively send them abroad for ordinarily the Community have not sufficient qualifications and abilities for proving and examining of mens gifts for the Ministery They are no where commanded or allowed so to do in the whole new Testament but other persons distinct from them 1 Tim. 5. vers 22. 2 Tim. 2. vers 2. and Titus 1. vers 5. 4. The Community without Officers may not exercise any Office of Jurisdiction Authoritatively and properly they may not excommunicate or absolve for we have no precept that they should do it we have no example in all the New Testament that they ever did do it We have both precept and example that select Officers both did and ought to do it Whatsoever you binde oâ— earth saith Christ to his Officers shall be bound in Heaven Math. 18. vers 18. Whosoever ye remit c. Iohn 20. vers 21 23. I have decreed to deliver such an one to Satan saith Paul an Officer 1 Cor. 5. vers 4. The rebuke inflicted by many not by all 2 Cor. 2. vers 6. whom I have delivered to Satan 1 Tim. 1. vlt. vers 5. And lastly Because the Scriptures no where set the Community over themselves to be their own Church guides and Governours but appoint over them in the Lord Rulers and Officers distinct from the Community Compare these places 1 Tim. 5. vers 12. Act. 20. vers 28.29 Hebr. 13. vers 7 17 22. Salute all them that have the rule over you and all the Saints From all these premises I conclude Ergo The Community of the faithfull are not the first subject or immediate Receptacle of the power of the Keyes from Iesus Christ. And against the Communities power for Church Government I frame my second Argument thus 2. Argument whomsoever Christ makes the first subject of the power of Church Government to them he promiseth and giveâ—h a spirit of Ministry and gifts necessary for that Government But Christ neither promiseth nor giveth a spirit of Ministery nor necessary gifts for Church Government to the Community of the faithfull Ergo Christ makes not the Community of the faithfull the first subject of the power of Church Government The Major is clearly proved For first As there are diversity of Ecclesiastical Administrations which is the foundation of diversity of Officers and diversity of miraculous operations and both for the profit of the Church So there are conveyed from the Spirit of Christ diversiâ—y of gifts free endowments enabling and qualifying for the actual discharge of those Administrations and operations as you may see 1 Cor. 12. vers 4 5 6. seq Secondly what instance can be given in the whole New Testament of any persons whom Christ made the Receptacle of Church Government but withall he gifted them and made his promises to them to inable them to such Government As the Apostles and their successours As my Father sent me even so send I you And when he had said this he breathed on them and saiâ—h unto them Receive ye the Holy Ghost Whos 's soever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose soever sins
for the satisfaction he had of him that he was a fit man to take care of their state and in the mean time he sends unto them Epaphroditus vers 25. and exhorteth them to receive him in the Lord with all gladness and hold such in reputation vers 29. and this without the peoples Election judging their after-approbation to be sufficient Even so for our peoples Election of a Minister if it be not before the Minister comes to a place and he be sent by a Patron yet sometimes the peoples acceptance and approbation afterwards may supply the want of Election at the first as Iacobs after-consent and acceptance of Leah made her to be his wife though he chose her not at the first Now fourthly For the final cause requisite for the compleating a true Minister of Christ it appeareth in many of us by our profit in converting many Souls Yea those that have separated from us must confess that they also were at the first awakened by us We have then Gods ordinary and dayly assistance in our Ministery for the perfecting of the Saints for the edifying of the body of Christ Ephes. 4. vers 12. which is the end of the Ministery and not Babylonish or Antichristian This is clearly seen and proved for Gods assistance appeareth in his effectual working mens conversion by the work of the Ministery for conversion is by the word 1 Cor. 4. vers 15. Rom. 1. vers 16. through the Spirit and not by the word delivered without the Spirit and it is not in man to move the heart to grace 1 Cor. 3. vers 5.6 2 Cor. 3. vers 5. But God doth take the power of conversion to himself Deut. 30. vers 6. Act. 16. vers 14. The means indeed is the word Iames 1. vers 18. Examples hereof we have throughout the Acts of the Apostles Therefore iâ— men be here converted God doth aid the Ministers and is with them by the power of his Spirit in that work 2 Cor. 3. vers 3. by which the Apostle proveth to have the power of the Spirit in his Ministery by the conversion of his hearers All which considered and finding the four causes requisite to make up and compleat true Ministers to be with us I conclude that the Parish Officiating Ministers in England for the most part are men sufficiently qualified by God orderly called to the Ministery and to do that work which Christ appointed his Ministers to do and consequently that they are not Babylonish but true and lawfull Ministers of Iesus Christ. 4. Argument They that have the true properties of true Shepheards are Christs true Ministers But the Parish Officiating Ministers in England have the true properties of true Shepheards Ergo The Parish Officiating Ministers in England are Christs true Ministers and consequently are not Babylonish or Antichristian The Minor I prove thus from the 10. of Iohn for first these go in by the door vers 2. that is by Iesus Christ v. 7. by his call and the Churches as I have proved before Secondly the Porter openeth unto them vers 3. who invisibly letting men into the Church by Christ the door is Gods spirit who doth qualifie true Ministers with gifts and graces and is forcible by them to win people And visibly the Porter is the Authority committed by the Church unto some for admitting men into the house the Church of God Thirdly they lead them forth vers 3. that is from pasture to pasture from milk the grounds of Religion to strong meat Catechizing and otherwise interpreting the holy Scriptures unto them Which true properties of a Shepheard being found in the Parish Officiating Ministers here in England it appeareth that they are true Shepheards and so true Ministers of Iesus Christ and therefore neither Babylonish nor Antichristian or Popish Thus having with Arguments proved unto you that our Ministers are true Gospel Ministers for the further clearing this truth it remains that we answer to what they object against us who do separate from us which is chiefly this Object The Ordination of the Ministers who aâ— this time are Parish Officiating Ministers came from the Romish Synagogue they also were ordained by Bishops Ergo They are not true Ministers or thus Those Ministers which stand by a Romish Institution are no true Ministers But the Ministers of England stand by a Romish Institution Ergo They are no true Ministers but Babylonish and Antichristian 1. Answ. The Minor of this Syllogisme must be denied for we stand by no Romish Institution for Ordination is none of Romes inventions but instituted by the Lord Iesus Christ. So that the Ministers of England stand by an Institution of Christ descending to them from the Apostles through the Church of Rome must be the meaning of this Argument To which we answer that the passing through Rome nulls not the Institution of Christ. As we cast not away the Scriptures Sacraments and what ever Ordinances we have now though they have descended to us from the Apostles through Rome Which Argument runs as strong against Baptisme which though mingled with Romish inventions is not therefore nulled The vessels that were once dedicated to God by his own Institution though they were put into the house of Nebuchadnezars Gods and those that were fit very likely used to drink Wine in when he praised the Gods they were not so much as new cast again but carried to Ierusalem Ezra 1. vers 11. Yea Mr. Iohnson a great man of the separation seeing one that was a Minister in the Church of England afterwards to be chosen a Teacher to a separate Congregation without any new imposing of hands undertakes to justifie the Action thus in five Propositions 1. Imposition of hands is of God and not an invention of man It was not a Post or a Threshold first brought by Antichrist into the Temple of God but had therein before ever Antichrist sate there 2. Baptisme and Imposition of hands are joyned together among the Principles of the foundation spoken of Hebr. 6. vers 2. Therefore they ought to be regarded 3. Imposition of hands is in the Church of Rome still given to the Ofâ—â—ce of the Ministery and in the name of the Lord as they do also still administer Baptisme 4. We finde not either precept example or ground in the Scriptuâ—e binding to the repetition of it 5. The Priests and Levites in Israel becoming unclean when afterward they were cleansed retained still their places of being Priests and Levites and the Children of the Priests and Levites â—ucceeding after them did administer without a new anointing or new Imposition of hands Thus Mr. Iohnson and with him also Mr. Ainsworth though in their judgement both for the Separation opposed rebaptization because baptisme is an Ordinance of God which was had in the Church of Rome before the sell into Apostasie and hath been there continued ever since the Apostles times however commingled with many inventions of their own So likewise Mr. Iohnson defended
I took upon me to encounter with Mr. Nichols in a publick Dispute The poyson of Asps was presently perceived under the lips of some whose mouths were full of cursing and bitterness Others since the Dispute have spoken high and threatned much in case I should commit to the Press and to the view of the World what on the day of the Dispute was by Arguments strongly controverted and weakly answered And these later wait still to catch me in some false relation either of Arguments or Answers Of both these I may say truely with the Poet. Et si non aliqua noouisses mortuus esses Iannes and Iambres are so full of the spirit of contradiction that they cannot contain themselves Ambitious Diotrephes that looks for the preheminence will be prating and darting out malicious words against those Disciples that Preach Teach and stand up for the Truth That Nick-name which the Philosophers gave to Paul at Athens must be his Livery that teacheth defendeth and upholdeth any thing dissonant from these mens fancies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what will this Babler say And among many such Bablers as they count us I doubt not but they will place me and even slight what here I propound to thy view Courteous Reader from the Scriptures themselves and from such Syllogistical Demonstrations as in the School of Logick I have been taught to frame All which their slightings and unjust Censures I weigh them not nor any more than I deserve them Male de me loquutus es quiabene loqui nescis Some speak evil of their Neighbours because they know not how to speak well of any man Hoc facis non quod mercar sed quod soleas This they do not because their Neighbour deserves it at their hands but because it is their custom so to do I have much observed in my far travails abroad and of late at home that commonly Authors of new devices are self-pleasing and like onely their own inventions I perceive it is in vain to perswade such Easier it is to draw a prophane person from Hell-gates than to remove an Opinion from a wilfull minde Schisme as a Learned man very well observed is the ship whereon go aboard Malecontents the windes that set it foreward are violent passions Will is the Rudder Obstinacie the Anchor Schismaticks are head-strong they will not see evident conviction Self-love makes them judge the best of themselves but their want of Charity very badly of others They beguile themselves with a shew of piety heat of affection and with a strong apprehension of things greatly amiss in others These can they see with both eyes themselves with neither No Church can pass them wherein they cannot see a Rock of offence and a stone to stumble at The common Road of the best Reformed Churches is too foul for their sincerity Our Arguments against them are paper shot as they hold but their weakest Reasons against us if themselves may judge are shot of Canon They despise every mans indeavour against them and are in admiration with their own works Let any man confer with them and they shall hear it I my self have sufficient experience of it By this might I be moved to cease this labour but I am not hopeless to hold some men back and to gain some also though I cannot recover what is wholy already lost If I might speed in both I would be glad if but in one I am content in both to loose my labour I cannot doubt But from my Adversaries mouths I have been warned by some other friends to take heed of printing and that they doubt not but that with the help of one or two of their Scribes who nimbly penned my Arguments and the Answers to them upon the day of Dispute before many hundred more they shall have occasion to accuse me of false-hood in relating my Arguments and the Answers to them a meer policy as I conceive to stop my proceedings to the Press which in truth must witness what Authority of Scripture hath been produced hitherto to little purpose for Conviction of a self-conceited people and what slight Answers have been returned to keep self conceitedness yet still on foot But this threat and policie hath no whit daunted me from appearing in publick True it is I must confess I have observed that it hath alwayes been the usual trade and inveterate guile of Schismaticks in former times to corrupt falsifie and deprave not onely the books and writings but the words sayings and other conferences which they have held with the Professours of the true Reformed Churches Origen of old complained how his books were thus abused by the enemies of God and sowers of Cockle even in his own dayes Augustine writeth that the Donatists being convicted of falshood in a conference he had with them and did after maliciously calumniate traduce the sentence given against them as falsly pronounced The Arrians and Pelagians were attainted of the like Crime Of this fraud and deceit were guilty also those Popish Confederates who being vanquished in the meeting at Ratisbone divulged notwithstanding many false reports of their Triumph and Victory against Hunnius Hailbronner and the rest of their Reformed Society Thus of late was Mr. Hart guilty who after his Conference with Doctour Reynolds having acknowledged and confessed to be true what the said Dr. Reynolds was committing to the Press concerning the said Conference yet when it came to the light M. Hart falsly and maliciously forged divers things to the credit of his own and disadvantage of Dr. Reynolds Cause of which he never so much as dreamed In which kinde most notable and most fresh in memory is the pride and arrogancy of Mr. Fisher and M. Sweet who impudently boasted of their supposed conquest in a meeting which they had with Dr. Featly and Dr. White from which nevertheless they cowardly fled wholy discomfited and blotted with the ignominy of a desperate retreat No less shamefull is the vanity of Mr. Smith alias Norrice in bragging of the conference between him and Mr. Walker which himself caused to be printed Anno Domini 1624. beyond the Seas and as he saith permissu Superiorum which he stuffeth with such a heap of false and guilefull Relations as he may seem according to the Prophet to have made lying to be protected and his Superiours to yield unto it Of these and such like Gregorie truely averreth that by their labours and disquisitions they indeavour not so much to attain the truth as to seem victorious they more eagerly thirst after the applause of men than the glory of God they seek such things as appertain to themselves not such as belong to Jesus Christ. Such boastings and beggings of a victory against me having already been spread abroad by a wilfull and self-conceited people and threats divulged of accusing me of falshood in my Relation of my Conference with Mr. Nichols I have Gentle Reader thought fit to give thee notice of the Subject of our Dispute
people of God But in the 1 and 6 verses they are observed to be a people not separated from the wickedness of the World but at that time were in the height of corruption in â—he act of Idolatry In the 1 Sam. Chap. 12. vers 22. Samuel calls the people Gods people and so a Church But at the same time they were under corrupâ—ions and had grievously rebelled against the Lord their God Ergo. A people under corruption may yet be called truely a people and Church of God I doubt not beloved but you well remember and have taken notice of this Argument and I hope you have also lâ—id up in your memories the slight and fâ—ivolous answer noâ— any way â—atiâ—factory to a troubled and doubting Conscience in so weighâ—y a controvâ—rsie quâ—stioning Gods true people and Church Mr. Nichols forsooth as if he had to deal with Babes or silly women to be led captivâ— thought to stop our mouths here with any anâ—â—er â—hâ—ugh but an invention of his own brain and not considering that he stâ—oâ— in the presence of a grave and learned Assembly Yet as I peâ—câ—â—ved troubled with the Authority of Scripture answered acknowledging that at those times there was much and gross corruption in the people but yet God having then but one people was loath to cast them off A pretty evasion as if God were bound to a people never so corrupt as if love to one people must make him wink at their corruptions and notwithstanding their gross corruptions to own them and call them his people And why may not we plead as much love to us since Christ exhibited Why must we be cast off from being a people and Church of Christ because some corruptions and corrupt Members are amongst us Is God an accepter of persons or of one people more than of another Are these the priviledges of the Gospel Are fire and sword cutting and casting off for some mens corruptions and altogether unchurching a people the happy times of the Gospel of Christ But before I could go f orward to second my Argument begun in the Iews with an instance of the Church of Corinth of the Churches of Asia and all the Chuâ—ches to whom Paul directed his Epistles my learned Moderatour taking notice of Mr. Nichols his answer and speaking a word to the purpose of my Argument upholding with me that a people under corruptions of some might yet be called Gods Church and people Mr. Nichols his spirit began to rise against my Moderatour telling him he wondred that he would seem so prophane as to maintain such an errour which my Moderatour taking for a kinde of challenge you may remember he answered Mr. Nichols that what he had said he would maintain either with his pen or in publick dispute Whereupon Mr. Nichols thought fit to breath a little after my hot pursuing him and turning his coat of a Defendant into an Opponent though against the practise of all School Disputants propounded a few Arguments of little worth to my Moderator all to that purpose of Paul 2 Cor. 6. vers 15 16. What concord hath Christ with Belial Or what part hath he that believeth with an Infidel and what agreement hath the temple of God with Idols To which my Moderator answered both learnedly and convincingly insisting upon the same Epistle of Paul unto the Church at Corinth and to the Saints at Corinth and yet as he shewed there were amongst them many wicked and corrupt persons as I shall hereafter shew from some particulars I confess besides much froth and shadows of truth the most that I could observe in Mr. Nichols his Arguments to my Moderator was a kinde of wondering exclamations against wickedness and against corruptions in a Church as if he knew not any difference between a visible and an invisible Church nor would take any notice of the corruptions shewed unto him in the visible Church of Corinth to the very last end of his Argunents wondring at our prophaneness in affirming corruptions and wickedness possible in a Church and people of God Whose wandrings and ungrounded exclamations call to my Remembrance a strong controversie in the Church of Rome between the Iesuites and the Dominican Friars concerning the Conception of Mary the mother of Christ whom the Dominicanâ— affirm to have been conceived in Original sin as all that have descended from the loines of Adam and prove it both by reason and Scripture To which the Iesuites not being able to give any Satisfactory answer yet draw most of the common people to side with them yea to make vows to die rather than to forsake that pious and Godly opinion so they term it that Marie was conceived without any spot of Original sin though common to all others that even descended from Adam And though they can produce no Scripture to prove it nor any solid reason yet they work upon the people and answer the Scriptures alleadged by the Dominicans with wonders and exclamations saying What the Mother of Christ a sinner what A spot of sin in her who bare the Lambe without spot in her womb what Defilement of sin in the Temple of Christ and in her whose womb was as a Temple to harbour God and man Such like exclamations were Mr. Nichols his Arguments yea and answers to apparent Scriptures to draw silly people to his seemingly pious opinion What prophaneness wickedness drunkenness corruptions in the house in the Church and among the people of God what concord hath Christ with Belial But no answer to the Church of Corinth all this while At last he replied to my Moderatour Shew me where ever the Apostles received wicked and corrupt persons into their Churches as into your Churches they are received To which demand he answered that neither the Apostles nor we receive wicked and prophane persons into our Churches and Church Communions qua prophane and wicked as prophane but qua as Prosessours and Converts Thus my Worthy and Learned Moderatour and Reverend Pastour of the Church at Word having repulsed Mr. Nichols his darts and blunted the edge of all his Weapons without any â—oyl but rather with great credit as was after confessed by some well-affected to Mr. Nichols himself ended his single Combat and Mr. Nichols made use of that liberty granted him to oppose against me also falling once more upon the word Parishes saying he would prove them not to be Churches which he would indeavour to prove from Queen Maries dayes But I desiring him to look back further to the beginning and fountain of Parishes and Parochial Churches long before Queen Maries dayes he would not frame his Argument from that time of the height of Popery in England as I desired him aiming as I conceived at the abominable corruptions brought into Rome by the Councel of Trent convocated in the year 1547. when our Reformation began as Sleiden observes de Stat. Relig pag. 909. lin 1. Remembring also what before I had shewed him of some dissenting parties to
he in his private discourse brought no such Scripture to prove somewhat though nothing denied by me while I asseâ—t single Parishes to be true Churches and herein I hope I dissent not from the Reverend Presbyters whose Zeal in these troublous dayes I admire whose Godliness and profund Learning I cordially acknowledge and with reverence respect But secondly what from the word Angel I observe is that not many Angels are written unto in so many single Congregations but one onely Angel is named to one onely Angel the writing was directed though in several Churches of that Citie according to the number of them there were several Pastours also from whence I gather that the Discipline in that Citie was so Presbyterial that over all the single Congregations there was some one overâ—seeing power whether by the name of Bishop or Superintendent as to this day in Swedland and Denmark or some chief Provincial Classis wherein was some chief Moderatour governing with Presbyters Officers Teaching and Ruling Elders to whom in particular Iohn is commanded to write concerning all the other Churches making up as integral parts that one Church of Ephesus But thirdly the holy Spirit of Christ is pleased to stile also single Congregations Churches which my Caviller seems to deny as you may observe in these places Let your Women keep silence in the Churches 1 Cor. 14. vers 34. where note that several single meetings Societies and Congregations making up one Church of Corinth are called Churches and oftentimes mention is made of the Church that is in such or such a House as Rom. 16. vers 5. 1 Cor. 16. vers 19. Coloss. 4. vers 15. Philem. vers 2. whether this be interpreted of the Church made up onely of the Members of that Family or of the Church that ordinarily did meet in such houses with a particular Teacher in that place it implies however a single Congregation and to my purpose such a single Congregation is called Church which it seems is the main point that my Caviller stumbles at who further told me that I could not maintain Parishes to be Churches nor any single Congregations to be Churches but in an Independent way the contrary whereof I shall prove thus briefly in a Presbyterial way The Presbytery grants that many single Congregations as parts make up one Classis or one Provincial Church Ergo Those many single Congregations are true Churches which thus I prove If any thing oppose their true being of Churches it must be according to my Caviller because they are but parts of a Church or body made up by them But their being parts of a Church or body made up by them doth not oppose their true being of Churches Ergo single Congregations are true Churches The Minor proposition I prove thus They are such parts of the whole Church or body made up by them as do partake the nature of the whole But the whole body made up by them is a true Church Ergo The parts and single Congregations making up that whole body are also true Churches The Major or first Proposition I prove thus They are not Heterogeneal parts but Homogeneal parts making up the whole partake the nature of the whole Ergo They are such parts of the whole as do partake the nature of the whole And then But the whole is a true Church Ergo Parishes and single Congregations as Homogeneal parts partaking of the nature of the whole which is a true Church are also true Churches Which beloved that you may the better understand I shall clear it with an instance of Heterogeneal and Homogeneal parts First In mans body the parts making up a compleat body of man are the Head the Shoulders the Arms Hands Leggs and the like Of these parts we cannot say The head is truely the body the Arm is the body the Legg is the body because they are Heterogeneal parts of several natures not partaking the nature of the whole nor of the body But secondly in the Sea or Ocean the parts making up the whole Sea or Ocean are many drops of water which are called Homogeneal parts parting the nature of the whole whose nature is water and every drop of water is as true water as the whole Ocean and of every part or drop it may be said It is water as of the whole it may be said It is water For Homogeneal parts are parts of the same kinde and nature But such parts are single Congregations or single Churches and Parishes making up a Classis or Provincial Church for it cannot be said of many of them that the one is a part as the Head the other as the Arm the other as the Hand or Legg making up that body as Heterogeneal parts of several and distinct natures Ergo They are Homogeneal parts and as the nature of the whole is to be a Church so likewise the true being and nature of these is to be Churches But further This whole Church or Provincial body made up of many single Congregations is Predicable of many inferiours it being as Generical or Specifical in respect of many particulars But such Generical or Specifical Predicates are predicable of inferiours of their own kinde Ergo The inferiour and subordinate Congregations to to this Provincial body are of the same kinde and nature of the whole and of the superiour which being a true Church the inferiours are also true Churches As Man Specificable is Predicable of this Individual of that Individual Man and the other Individual all which Individuals and particular Inferiours agree with the Superiour and common Species in the kinde nature and self-same being of Man Thus having answered this scruple and having fully laid down my judgement against Mr. Nichols his first erroneous Assertion That Parochial Churches are Babylonish and having proved that they are neither Babylonish in their Constitution as Parishes nor in the end of their Constitution or division into Parishes nor in their mixture of good and bad nor to be denied to be true Churches as subordinate to higher Classes I shall hereafter commit to the Press and publick vieu of the World this my judgement delivered here unto you as not ashamed of the Gospel of Iesus Christ nor of any truth belonging unto it And I shall desire Mr Nichols if in case he shall reply that he will answer positively first to my grounds and Arguments in form as I have here laid them down by Syllogismes granting denying distinguishing taking notice of the Authority of the Scriptures expounding them if he can better than my self have done and then to make use of his fair Speeches and Orations by adding what he can to disprove my judgement and to clear his own better than upon the day of our Dispute he did otherwise to expect no second reply from me In the mean while I shall pass on to his second Assertion in the which he affirms that his Congregation is the house of God First I shall lay down and repeat unto
you my Arguments as upon the day of Dispute they were Objected against him with his answers to them and then I shall further inlarge my discourse to prove his Congregation to be no true Church nor house of God but to practise things Babylonish Antichristian and against the word of God You may beloved call to minde that after his first Proposition had been awhile canvassed and as I complained which to many seemed Passion in me little satisfaction given by his answers why he should term our Parochial Churches Babylonish I told him it was time to come to his house he having been so long in ours and I desired him to hear me an Argument or two against his pretended Church which at first he was unwilling to grant unless he might first argue against this Parish of Deal in particular which neither my Moderatour nor my self would yield unto First because it was not a Proposition stated nor agreed upon to be disputed Secondly to avoid tumults and quarrels that might have been caused in case before your faces and upon your own ground his Arguments should tend to the affronting of any of you in particular particularizing any particular misdemeanour miscarriage or sin of any or making use of Nick-name or aspersion unjustly laid upon you as he seemed to intimate he would do saying he would speak of you but as you were characterized abroad But being stopt from casting any affront in particular upon you with much unwillingness he yielded at last tâ—at I should Object somewhat against his second Proposition And having against his first Assertion begun my Argument from the description or definition of a Babylonish Romish Parochial Church I thought it would prove my best way of objecting against his second Proposition also to begin with a true definition or description of the true house of God which I performed thus 1. Argument The house of God is the Church of the living God the pillar and ground of the truth 1 Tim. 3. vers 15. But your Congregation is not the Church of the living God nor the pillar and ground of the truâ—h Ergo your Congregation is not the house of God The Major being granted and the Minor denied I proved it thus Where many things are practized against the truth there is not the Church of the living God nor the pillar and ground of the truth But in your Congregation many things are practized against the truth Ergo your Congregation is not the Church of the living God nor the pillar and ground of the truth The Major was granted and the Minor denied which I proved thus The truth of the Word ordereth to a true Church a true Pastour But in your Church and Congregation there is no true Pastour Ergo In your Congregation things are practized against the truth The Minor or second Proposition being denied I proceeded thus In your Church and Congregation there is no known Pastour but your self But you are no true Pastour Ergo In your Church and Congregation there is no true Pastour The Minor still I proved A true Pastour comes in â—o his flock by the true door of Christ and his word But you came not in to your flock by the true door of Christ and his word Eâ—go you are no true Pastour The Minor I cleared thus The true door of Christ and his word for a Pastour to come in to his flock is by true Ordination But you came not in to your flock by true Ordination Ergo you came nâ—t in to your flock by the true door of Christ and his word The Minor appeared thus True Ordination according to Christs word is by imposition of hands by the Presbytery But your Ordination is not by imposition of hands by the Presbytery Ergo you came not in to your flock by true Ordination Here Mr. Nichols denying the Major that true Ordination according to Christs word is by Imposition of hands by the Presbytery said that he came in to his flock by the Election of the people which he said was true Ordination according to Christs word Against which answer I framed thus my second Argument 2. Argument That which is most warrantable for Ordination from tâ—e word of God is truest Ordination But Ordination by Imposition of hands by the Presbytery is more warrantable for true Ordination than the Election of the people Ergo Imposition of hands by the Presbytery is truer Ordination than the Election of the people The Major he could not deny but the Minor he denied which I thus proved Ordination by Imposition of hands by the Presbytery is clear and warrantable from the word of God in these eight places of Scripture at the least Act. 6. vers 6. Act. 13. vers 3. Hebr. 6. vers 2. 1 â—im 4. vers 14. 1 Tim. 5. vers 22. Titus 1. vers 5. Rom. 10. vers 15. Hebr. 5. vers 4. compared with verse 1 But you can shew me no such places of Scripture nor so many to warrant Ordination by Election of the people Ergo Ordination by Imposition of hands by the Presbytery is more warrantable for true Ordination from the word of God than the Election of the people Here the light of Scripture dazled Mr. Nichols his eyes the Authority of so many places wrapped up in one Proposition startled him so that fain he would have ridded himself of so much Scripture against him And he began to cavil and to question me how I knew that he was not ordained by Imposition of hands by the Presbytery having through some trouble of minde forgot that he had granted it before unto me and confessed his Ordination by the Election of the people as I told him I knew his Ordination by his own confession Then fain would he ouâ— of order form and Syllogisme know how and where I was ordained A thing beloved not very pertinent to the force of my Argument against him neither needed I to have given him in publick such an account of my self till some Argument from him against me had questioned my Ordination as mine did his yet to ease his minde I told him by whom I had been lawfully Ordained and forcing him on again to my Argument he began â—o say somewhat First that indeed he acknowledged that Imposition of hands by the Presbytery was used in the Apostles time as a Ceremony which now might be left off and so was now by many Godly men omitted To which slight answer I replied thus 3. Argument That which is a Principle of the Doctrine of Iesus Christ ought never by any Churches to the end of the World be omitted or laid aside But Imposition of hands by the Presbytery is a Principle of the Doctrine of Iesus Christ. Ergo Imposition of hands by the Presbytery in Ordination ought never by any Churches to the end of the World be omitted or laid aside Here Mr. Nichols shewed himself yet more troubled and quite to have forgotten the Scriptures or else he would not have granted my Major