offended be a society or some publick person equivalent 2 In case the party in such acts of judgement be freed from error which was the present condition of the Apostles guided in their administrations by an infallible spirit Object 5. This Synod Acts 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vid. Schindl Lexi so speaketh as having power to lay the truth of God cleared and declared by it as a burthen upon the Churches v. 28. which our ordinary Synods seem not to have power to doe Resp The notion or tearm burthen may be taken politically i. e. for a truth imposed by virtue of Church power and Authority this though the Apostles as Apostles might doe yet if they did so in this place which we rather conceive not it was extraordinary and Consequently not Exemplary Or the word Burthen may be taken for the charging of the Church to receive and yield Obedience in the Lord unto the truth discussed cleared and orderly commanded to them In which sense if we take it here according as it 's taken in divers places elswhere Pro. 30.1 21.1 Rev. 2.24 then the stile or manner of speaking is exemplary OF THE POWER OF Synods The Third Question Quest 3. WHat is the Power of a Synod Resp The Power of a Synod Is Decisive Directive Declarative of the truth by clearing and evidencing the same out of the word of God non coactive yet more than discretive For the better understanding hereof consider that Ecclesiasticall Power is 1 Decisive in determining by way of discussion and disputation what is truth and so consequently resolving the Question in weighty matters of Religion Acts 15.16,28 16.4 This belongs to the Synod 2 Discretive in discerning of the truth or falshood that is determined this belongs to every Believer 3 Coactive or judicial for we omit to speak in this place of Official judgement in judging of the truth determined Authoritatively so as to impose it with Authority and to censure the disobedient with Ecclesiastical censure 1 Cor. 5.12 Mat. 18.17 This belongeth to every particular Church The judgement of a Synod is in some respect superiour in some respect inferiour to the judgement of a particular Church it is superiour in respect of direction inferiour in respect of jurisdiction which it hath none Quere How and how far doth the sentence of a Synod bind Answ We must distinguish between the Synods declaration of the truth and the politicall imposition of the truth declared by the Synod The Synods declaration of the truth binds not politically but formally onely i. e. in foro interiori i. e. it binds the conscience and that by way of the highest institution that is meerly doctrinall The politicall Imposition of the truth declared by the Synod is Ecclesiasticall or Civil Ecclesiasticall by particular Churches and this binds not onely formally but politically in foro exteriori i. e. it binds the outward man so as the disobedient in matters of offence is subject unto Church censure affirmatively towards their own Members negatively by non communion as concerning others whether Church or Members Supremi Magistratu◠approbatio est supremū ut soquuntar arrestum Fr. Hom. disp 18. Th. 4. disp 17. Thes 3. Civil by the Magistrate strengthening the truth thus declared by the Synod and approved by the Churches either by his meer Authoritative suffrage assent and testimony if the matter need no more or by his authoritative Sanction of it by Civill punishment the nature of the offence so requiring In this orderly proceeding of the Churches and Civil Magistrate together in their respective politicall imposition of the truth cleared and declared by the Synod we are to be understood to speak of such a place wherein the Christian Magistrates walk together orderly referving Ecclesiasticall binding power to the particular Churches where either there is no Magistrate or the Magistrate is wanting in his duty as also civil power to the Christian Magistrate where the Churches are wanting to their duty The Fourth Question Quest 4. To whom belongeth the power of calling a Synod Answ For satisfaction to this Question we shall propound one distinction and answer three Queries Distin The power of calling Synods is either Single Authoritative belonging to the Magistrates Ministeriall belonging to the particular Churches Mixt When both proceed orderly and joyntly in the use of their severall powers Arguments proving the Authoritative Power of Calling SYNODS to belong to the Magistrate 1 Because the Magistrate is Custos utriusque Tabulae i. e. Charged with the custody of both Tables That he is keeper of the second Table is granted that he is keeper of the former is sufficiently proved in the first Question 2 From the recorded and approved examples of godly Kings in the Scriptures David 1 Chron. 23.2 Hezekiah 2 Chron. 29.4 Josiah 2 Kin. 23.1,2 3 From the nature of such great Assemblies Though Synodicall Assembling be spirituall yet meer assembling of a multitude together which a Synodicall Assembly presupposeth is a Civil act and therefore cannot in good policy be suffered without the consent of the Magistrate 4 From the necessary though not essentiall requisites to the being of a Synod as place time manner of meeting peace all which need the consent of the Magistrate in case of violent disturbance the Churches as such having no civill power to defend them cannot but want the assistance of the Magistrate that they may meet and transact the matters of the Synod in safety and quietnesse 5 From the proportion that the Magistrates Con-coactive or calling power of a Synod holds with his confirmation of the conclusions of the Synod the same reason that warrants his confirming power for the better strengthening the observation of the conclusions of the Synod warrants his calling power for the better being of the Synod Arguments proving the Ministeriall Power of Calling Synods which may be fitly called a power of liberty because Churches therein have no Authority one over another to belong unto the particular Churches 1 From that famous example Acts 15. where the Synod meets and site without the call of Civil Authority there being then no Christian Magistrate 2 Because the power of the constitution of Synods as properly such firstly resideth with ariseth from and lastly returneth to particular Churches 3 Because the power of the Magistrate tends not to the being but to the better being of Synods and added thereunto is accumulative not privative i. e. it adds strength to it but takes not any power from it Hence a Synod may in ease be without any consent of the Magistrate but cannot be without some consent explicite or implicite of the Churches 4 Because the Lord Jesus hath invested the Churches with sufficient Ecclesiasticall power in the best Ecclesiasticall manner to attaine their Ecclesiasticall end which yet were not if they had not power of themselves by joynt consent to call a Synod Queries Querie 1 In what case may the Magistrate proceed to call a Synod without the consent of the Churches Answ The Magistrate in case the Churches be defective and not to be prevailed with for the performance of their duty just cause so requiring may call a Synod and the Churches ought to yield obedience thereunto But notwithstanding the refusall he may proceed to call an Assembly and that for the same end that a Synod meetes for namely to consider of and clear the truth from the Scriptures in weighty matters of Religion But such an Assembly called and gathered without the consent of the Churches is not properly that which is usually understood by a Synod for though it be in the power of the Magistrate to Call yet it is not in his power to Constitute a Synod without at least the implicite consent of the Churches Because Church-Messengers who necessarily presuppose an explicite which order calls for or implicite consent of the Churches are essentiall to a Synod Querie 2 In what case may the Churches call a Synod without the consent of the Magistrate Answ In case the Magistrate be defective and not to be prevailed with for the performance of his duty just cause providence and prudence concurring The Churches may both Call and Constitute a Synod The Reason why the Churches can Constitute a Synod without the consent of the Magistrate although the Magistrate cannot constitute a Synod without the consent of the Churches is because the essentialls of a Synod together with such other cause as is required to the being though not so much to the better being of a Synod ariseth out of particular Churches as appears from the following Enumeration of the Causes thereof The Essentiall Cause Remote The Authoritative Call of the Magistrate Next The Ministeriall Call of the Churches The Materiall Cause The Members of the Synod i. e. qualified Church-Messengers The Formall Cause The meeting together of such Church-Messengers in the name of Christ The Finall Cause To confider of and clear the truth in question from the word of God Querie 3 In case the Magistrate and Churches are both willing to proceed orderly in the joynt exercise of their severall Powers whether it is lawfull for either of them to call a Synod without the Consent of the other Answ No they are to proceed now by way of a mixt Call i. e. orderly and joyntly in the use of their severall Powers That which learned Parker speakes of the Power of particular Churches concerning Calling of SYNODS holds also in this case concerning the Power of the Magistrate Their Powers are divers yet in respect of exercise they ought not to be divers nor divided the one from the other as before The Churches desire the Magistrate Commands Churches act in a way of liberty the Magistrate in a way of Authority Moses and Aaron should goe together and kiss one another in the Mount of GOD. FINIS Courteous Reader BY reason of the Death of the Reverend Author and the far distance of his loving Friend the Publisher of this Booke some faults may have escaped the Presse for the which the Printer desireth excuse Vale.
infringed when as he de jure commands nothing but that which if men have any tendernesse of conscience they are bound in conscience to submit thereto and in faithfull submitting to which is truest liberty of conscience conscience being never in a â—…er or better estate of liberty here on earth than when most ingaged to walke according to Gods Commandements 4. That thereby Christians become servants of men when the Magistrate only is to enjoyne what his Master and theirs hath commanded or to forbid the contrary and consequently in submitting thereto are but servants to Christ in man 5. That thereby men are made hypocrites and time-servers as if to command men to walke according to the Word and to forbid the contrary were to make men so contrary to the Word as are time-servers and hypocrites 6. That thereby a sluce is opened to let in all manner of false religions and corrupt opinions into the Church supposing the Magistrate be of any false religion or corrupt in his judgement yea that were the way to set up a Pope in a Christian Common-wealth for Religion must turne as he turns When as the question is touching the Magistrates power of commanding or forbidding not what he in a Popelike way shall please or what his own spirit shall like best but what God hath commanded or forbidden in the Word and the position subjecteth him to the Word as to the supream Law and doth not set him up Popelike above the Scriptures or allow him to make his sense of scripture to be Scripture or to make humane traditionall Cannons to be as much of force as Scripture to bind mens consciences c. but the position rather condemneth any such power as gular usurped not approved of God which swerveth from that rule of the exercise of his power in matters of religion namely the Scriptures and the contrary to that objected would rather follow that if there must be no King or civill power among Gods professed Israel coercively to restraine forbidden evills in Religion then every man would hold and doe as he list as if every one were a Pope and then Micah's Idolatry and any other abominations may be set up 7. That thereby the civill Magistrate is put upon many intricate perplexities hazards of conscience how to judge in and of matters of Religion But this doth not hinder the Magistrate from that use of his coercive power in matters commanded or forbidden in the first Table no more then it doth hinder him from the like power in matters of the second Table none being ignorant what perplexing intricacies there are in these as well as in the former as conscientious Magistrates finde by dayly experience yet such as object this will not deny this power in the latter and why then in the former the objection proveth the difficulty of his knowing of Gods minde in his place and if it had been objected against Church-Officers power in Churches or the power of Parents and Masters in their families it would have proved the same but it followes not its difficult for a man in authority to know the utmost of his duty in his place therefore it s not necessary for him to doe his duty in his place They which inaugurated Joash to be King 2 Chron. 23.11 they put upon him the testimony as the Hebrew words used to be expounded to shew that it was his duty as a King not onely to know the testimonie or booke of Gods Law but authoritatively to establish what was written in it 8. That thereby persons are put upon acting with doubting consciences the Magistrates Injunctions being oft-times not cleare to such as are to obey them and so they are thereby compelled to sin When the position affirmeth this power in matters cleared in the Word which if not cleared to this or that subject in a Christian Common-wealth that is his owne fault by his owne ignorance of matters which he is bound to know to bring any such snare upon his conscience and in such a case he may desire the Magistrate to use the best meanes to cleare up the matters enjoyned or forbidden to be commanded or forbidden in the Word but neither of these hinder but that the Magistrate is to command or forbid that which God hath commanded or forbidden even that which Christ hath commanded or forbidden should not then be urged upon mens consciences by Church-Officers or Church-censures be executed against obstinate gaine-sayers because through error in judgement and corruption in conscience men will say thâ—…nd after all meanes used for convictâ—… they may still affirme that they thinke otherwise or at best that they still doubt of the matters in question yea albeit the matters be fundamentall 9. That hereby Christians are discouraged from seeking more light or hindred from embracing or following such new light as the Saints expect in these latter dayes When as its evident that the commanding and forbidding things cleared in the Word to be good or evill doth neither expresse what light men have from the Word nor discourage from more light in from the same as not in matters of the second Table so neither of the first 10. That thereby conscientious men especially will come to suffer because Magistrates may think things commanded or forbidden of God and accordingly ratifie them by their authority which God did never command or forbid when as the question is not concerning Magistrates enjoyning what they thinke but what is the minde of God nor can the pressing of the minde of God commanding what he requieth and forbidding the contrary be any just or proper cause of suffering to men truly conscientious The Magistrate may indeed through mistake command or forbid things respecting not onely the first but the second Table But this doth not deprive civill Magistracy therefore of coercive power as not in matters of the second so neither of the first Table but in this case Christians must be content to suffer in either albeit withall the Magistrate doe breake his rule 11. That thereby we shall incourage and harden Papists and Turks in their cruell persecutions of the Saints whereas for the Magistrate to command or forbid according to God as it is not persecution so neither doth it of it selfe tend to persecution Power to presse the Word of God and his truth doth not give warrant to suppresse or oppresse the same the times are evill indeed when the pressing of obedience to the rule shall be counted persecution 12. That thence are caused all the warres in Christendome at this day when it is evident that the pressing men to obey the will and word of God in matters either of the second or fiâ—st Table is not of it selfe any cause of warre but the lusts rather of such as abuse their power contrary to the Word By this already spoken we have seen the ruine of twelve of our opposites Castles in the ayre imaginarily framed to withstand the civil Magistrates coercive power in
errors and divisions or providing for preserving of or restoring of truth and peace in matters of Religion Reason 2 From the End of Synods Where there is use of the Ends of Synods namely to clear and declare the truth from scripture in times of weighty controversie there the use of Synods is warrantable But under the Gospel there is use of the end of Synods namely to clear and declare the truth from Scripture in times of weighty controversie ergo Under the Gospel the use of Synods is warrantable Preheminency of knowledge concerning Church matters is in the Synod hence the question is aris'd to the Synod Church Authority is onely placed in the Churches hence the cause remaines with the particular Churches Reason 3 From the Communion of Churches That which is the greatest externall means of the Union of Churches in one judgement and consequently an especiall help to preserve communion of particular Churches is of warrantable use But a Synod is the greatest externall means to Unite Churches in one judgement by conferring apprehensions for the concurring in the same Sentence ergo a Synod is of warrantable use Reason 4 From the Efficacy of Church-Administrations That without which particular Churches in divers of their Administrations are in danger to run in vaine is of warrantable use But without the approbation of other Churches for the end whereof Synods are an especiall means particular Churches are in divers of their Administrations in danger to run in vaine from the example of the Apostles Gal. 2.2 Ergo Synods are of warrantable use Reason 5 From the Nature of Church-matters If the weighty Transactions of each particular Church are such and so concerning particular Neighbouring Churches as that it is meet that all Neighbouring Churches should be acquainted and consulted with thereabout and Synods be the fittest means for that end then Synods be of warrantable use But the weighty Transactions of all particular Churches are such and so concerning all particular Neighbouring Churches as that it is meet that all neighbouring Churches be acquainted and consulted with thereabout and Synods be the fittest means to that end ergo Synods are of warrantable use Quod tangit omnes spectat ad omnes The Cognizance of that belongs to all whose practice concerns all Objections against the urging of that Synod Acts 15. as an example warranting our ordinary SYNODS Object 1. Paul and Barnabas and the other Brethren sent by the Church of Antioch were sent unto the Elders and Apostles vers 2. but we doe not read that the Churches were sent unto which in ordinary Synods order calls for Resp 1. Though it be not in so many words expressed that the Churches were sent unto yet it cannot be denyed but they might be sent unto implicitely though not explicitely 2 'T is not to be doubted but that the Church of Antioch and the Church of Jerusalem walked by the same rule As therefore Paul and Barnabas went not to this Assembly without the cognizance of the Church of Antioch so we may well think the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem came not to this Assembly without the cognizance of the Church of Jerusalem 3 Considering the extraordinary power of the Apostles It is a sufficient acknowledgment of the liberty of Churches that they had orderly and seasonable notice of the Assembly were present at it and were joyned together with the Apostles in the conclusions of it all which are manifest from the Text either in expresse words or just Consequence from thence vers 4.22,23 Object 2. Our Synods consisting onely of such Members as are Messengers of Churches seem not to be exemplified by that Acts 15. because that Assembly was constituted not of Messengers of the Church of Antioch and the whole Fraternity of the Church of Jerusalem Resp 1. It 's not to be doubted but the Apostles and Elders were present according to the desire of the Church of Jerusalem and so were as Messengers 2 'T is all one upon this point whether a Church be present by the Fraternity it selfe or by their Messengers If conveniency of the place and transaction of affaires will permit 't is at the choyce of the Fraternity to be present immediately or to send their Messengers 3 What the Fraternity of Jerusalem did here the like may the Fraternity of any Church in like cases doe with us as the Church of Cambridge for instance now if they please 4 Where the Fraternity is present formally there the Messengers are present virtually 5 In such cases where the presence of the Fraternity immediately or sending of Messengers are occasionall circumstances of which before 't is in the liberty of the Fraternity to doe as they judge most for their Edification Object 3. The judgement of the question in our Synods or Assemblies ordinarily proceeds joyntly from the Messengers of all Churches at least the major part of them But the judgement concerning matters agitated in that Synod Acts 15. seems to proceed from one part thereof onely namely the Church of Jerusalem as appears by the Letters sent from thence not mentioning any part of that judgement as proceeding from the Church Messengers of Antioch Resp 1. We may distinguish between the Synods passing for acts of judgement upon the Question discussed and the sending of that judgement passed by the Synod That the Messengers of the Church of Antioch did judge joyntly with the Church of Jerusalem concerning the matters agitated in that Synod appears thus In every regular discharge of the duty of the Church-messengers in a Synod where there is a concurrence of ability right and duty to passe an actuall judgement as declarative to the truth there was an actuall judgement But such was the case in this Synod ergo The Reason why the judgement of the Church of Jerusalem and not of the Messengers of the Church of Antioch is onely made mention of in the letter might be because the judgement of the Church-Messengers of Antioch was already known to the Church nor had they any doubt of their Messengers concurrence with the Church of Jerusalem in the present Conclusions if there were any doubt in that respect they were personally present to satisfie it 2 Because the contrary minded had already signified their non acquiescence or not resting either in the judgement of the Church of Antioch or their Messengers in the delivery of the Decrees of the Synod unto Churches there appears not any cause out of the Text to doubt the delivery of the same as the joynt judgement of them all but the contrary Object 4. A party may not be a Judge Paul and Barnabas were parties in this businesse Acts 15. ergo Resp 1. Paul and Barnabas here are not properly parties in that they act not their owne case but the case of the truth that as sent from the Church 2 Though they be supposed to be parties yet it 's not universally true that a party may not be a Judge As 1 In case the party
THE Covenant OF GRACE Discovering The Great Work of a Sinners Reconciliation to GOD. By JOHN COTTON Minister at Boston in New England Whereunto are added Certain Queries tending to Accommodadation between the Presbyterian and Congregationall Churches Also A Discussion of the Civill Magistrates Power in matters of Religion By the same Author LONDON Printed by M. S. for Francis Eglesfield and Iohn Allen at the Marigold and Rising Sun in Pauls Church-yard 1655. TO THE Truly Vertuous and Religious my ever honoured and much esteemed Friend M ris Catharine Hodson The Sure mercies of David IF either Religion or Civility have any virtue to oblige certainly I am much your debtor it would be but a Complement which usually derives its Pedigree from the vainest assentations to promise any adequate satisfaction for those many favours you were pleased to make me the subject of The designe of these few lines is to testifie to your selfe and the world that I am really thankefull or heartily desire to be so The following Treatise which concernes the Covenant of Grace I commend rather to your Practice then protection It 's true it is an Orphane entertaine it for the Fathers sake and I shall undertake you shall gaine no mean satisfaction for your paines The two smaller Tracts at the end are of good use to those for whom they are intended In the first the Reverend Author undertakes a good Office which is to become Vmpire betwixt dissenting Brethren Next to their not falling out the best thing is to agree I have often thought that if men did more attend to the interests of grace and were lesse particular in their ends the quarrells about the way would not be so endlesse As to that latter Tract about the Magistrates power in matters touching the first Table Of late dayes it hath fallen much under Question wise and good men who have attended to the Scripture with a single eye have looked upon the Magistrate as The Minister of God a revenger to Execute wrath upon him that doth EVILL Rom. 13.4 under the name of Evill comprehending 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot Eth. 5. 13. whatsoever is committed about holy things Children are commanded obedience to their Parents in all things Col. 3.20 Felius inquit Augustinus Reges si suam potestatem ad Dei cultuuÌ„ maximè dilatandum majestati ejus famulam faciant De civit Dei 5. c. 14. All things comprehend holy things and the command of a father is lesse then that of the Supreme Magistrate That which relates in this little Book to the Covenant of Grace I commend to your speciall meditations every truth hath its value but not of equall concernment unto all Amongst all the parcells of sacred Word none more justly challengeth our serious study and affectionate inquisition then this mystery that hath been hid from ages and Generations Colos 1.26 comprehended in the Covenant or Grace which is a Constellation of great and precious Promises communicating the most beneficiall influences of rich everlasting and undeserved mercies by Jesus Christ the Mediator of the Covenant to the needs of lost heavy loaden sinners This is the City of Refuge and surest Sanctuary to which distressed soules have alwayes fled and found security when the â—…owes and the waves of temptation have beat upon them here they have successfully cast the Anchor of their hopes for The Mountaines shall depart and the hills be removed but my kindnesse shall not depart from thee neither shall the COVENANT of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Oh thou afflicted and tossed with tempests and not comforted I will c. Isai 54.10,11,12 They onely know how much sweeter then the honey and the Honey comb the Gen. 33.9,11 Esau lookes upon his substance and saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have much or abundance Jacob looks upon his portion in Jehovah saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have all things Thus it should be Translated large contents of the Covenant of Grace are who have tasted the grace of that Covenant The spirituall sense which you have of these things hath been so rightly exercised that your experience exceeds all the Arguments of knowledge that I am able to administer But this Covenant being our Grand Charter and the great reason of our hopes for another life I refer you to the perusall of the following Treatise and shall in the mean time bespeak a blessing from Heaven upon your meditations in it I Question not but still you pursue that thriving course in Religion which many are wanting to themselves in and that is to keep off from unedifying disputes and Questions which have added nothing to Christianity but discord scruple and a losse of the vitalls of Godlinesse besides the expence of precious houres which you have improved to more considerable advantages You run well let nothing hinder you Hold fast that which you have wrought that you may receive a full reward Live as much as you can to the interests of another world For the Land of IMMANUEL is an excellent soyle the purest aire is above where the Spirit breaths freely and the soule injoyes a condition proportionable to it selfe in as much as nothing can fit it but that which bears some similitude to its being Your warfare is not yet accomplished as you must wrastle with God by prayers so you must wrastle with principalities and powers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de supercoelestibus Eph 6.12 vide Mat. 10.32 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mei causââ—… illius causa vide Mat. 26.21 All ye shall be offended because of me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aâ—OVI or because of heavenly things The nature of Satan is to tempt and we have that in our natures fitted to comply with any temptation Let him be conquerour or conquered he is restlesse He may goe away for a season till God is pleased to let out his chaine and then he comes againe Be we faithfull to the death and there is a Crowne of life provided for us Now the God of all grace 1 Pet. 5.10 who hath called us into his eternall glory by Christ Jesus after you have suffered a while make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you So prayes Your very much obliged Friend in the bonds of the Gospel W. RETCHFORDâ— TO THE READER IF either Author or Matter may tend to commend any Treatise I might take occasion from both these respects to speak to the high commendation of all these three ensuing Treatises the Authors of them being such as whose commendations are in the gates of all the daughters of Zion and therefore need not Epistles of Commendation from any others The Name of Mr. John Cotton the Author of the two former being like a precious Ointment powred forth and although his blessed soul be now amidst the spirits of just men made perfect in the heavenly Jerusalem that is above yet his holy works and labours left
behind him doe and I trust ever will speak to the Saints to the Churches here below both in the present and also future Generations yet unborn Neither doth the other viz. the third that concerning the Power of Magistrates in matters of the first Table seem to claim any lower descent being indeed a Result of a meeting of divers reverend and godly Elders of severall Churches in the Masaâ—…usets Plantation in New-England An. 1646. where both the head and heart of the forenamed reverend and precious man was also present amongst those approved workmen who need not to be ashamed And as for the Matter which they do treat of 't is the establishment of Peace both Spirituall viz. of a beleeving soul with the Lord in the Covenant of Grace as in the first Treatise and Ecclesiasticall viz. between the Brethren and Churches of the Presbyterian and Congregationall way as in the second and also Politicall viz. between Magistrates and people in point of power and Jurisdiction about matters belonging to the first Table as in the third Treatise How well these things are here spoken unto I shall willingly leave to the godly and learned Readers to judge I shall only desire to give a brief account of the publishing of them to the world that the Reader may undoubtedly assure himself that these are neither spurious Copies nor surreptitiously put forth The Treatise of the New Covenant having been taken from the Authors mouth in Preaching was afterward presented unto him with desire of his perusal and emendation of it which being done and indeed the interlinings of his owne hand doe plainly testifie his correcting of it he delivered back not long before his death into the hands of a Gentleman one of the Church in Boston there who coming over hither and being about to return left it with me to take order for the Printing of it That of the Queries I had from the Reverend Author himself my most Honoured friend in a letter from him with liberty if it might be thought meet of publishing of it At my coming over from that Country which was about a year before his death he delivered unto me the same for substance but in another Form viz. in 12 Propositions and therefore did then expresse his unwillingness to yield to the impression of them being moved thereunto by a Reverend Elder then present with us by reason as he said they were set down by way of Propositions but afterward the Lord having directed him to mould them in to another model turning the twelve Propositions into eleven Queries he was pleased to send them over unto me as here they are presented He was a man of peace of a very sweet spirit and had a speciall faculty of composing differences in the judgements of Brethren and thus much I shall crave liberty to testifie of him that besides the multiplicity of occasions which was constantly upon him he was not without care about the Peace and welfare of the Churches abroad and notwithstanding his so vast a distance in body from the Churches and Saints in his Native Countrey yet he had great thoughts of heart for the Division of his Brethren here being seriously studious how to compose and heale their breaches He hath sometimes said unto me being privately together Brother I perceive there is a great gravamen which the one party is much offended at with the other I pray let us study how we may ease and remove it From that solicitous care it was that he drew up these 11 Queries unto which may it be without offence I shall be bold to add one more to make up the number even and round the which I doe presume that our Reverend and honoured friend would not have been averse unto had he been on earth to have been consulted withall The third and last Treatise being The Result of a Synod at Cambridge as 't is stiled by the Copy come to my hands was lately sent over unto me from a Reverend Friend one that was present at that Assembly desiring mee earnestly intimating also that 't was not his owne desire only to procure the Printing of it as conceiving it might prove very usefull for the present season Now these three little Treatises being in mine hand through providence together and each of them somewhat too small to put forth severally I was the more willing especially apprehending them not to be altogether heterogeniall to joyne in one small Volume and as they came from one and the same place so to send them forth as Companions together and oh that the presence and blessing of the Spirit of Christ may go along with them making them usefull and profitable unto the Readers or Hearers of them THO ALLEN BOOKS Sould by John Allen at the Rising Sun in Pauls Church-yard NOva Testament Beza fol. Doctor Holdsworths Works compleat 4o. Mr. Caryl's fifth Vollume on Job 4o. Mr. Greenhil's second Voll on Ezekiel 4o. Gospel-Liberty by Mr. Cradock 4o. Mr. Lockiers Works 4o. Andrew's Catechisticall Doctrine 8o. Simpson of Justification 8o. Ainsworth's Communion 8o. Ainsworth's Arrow against Idols 8o. Welch Testament 8o. The Saints Desire by Samuel Richardson 8o. Gaule of Witches 8o. The Contents of the Treatise concerning the Covenant Doct. THat God in the Covenant gave himselfe to be a God unto Abraham and his seed and received Abraham and his Seed to be his people and took Christ to be the Mediatour and Surety of this Covenant between both Page 4. In which are these 3 things 1 That God gave himselfe to Abraham to be a God to him and his Seed 5. 7. Here is considered 1 What 't is for God to give himselfe to Abraham 7. Viz. 1 The whole nature of God in his Persons and Attributes 8. 2 All the Ordinances Creatures and works of God 10. 2 The Order of Gods giving in the Covenant 14. Viz. 1 God doth first give and not the Creature ibid. 2 God also is the first thing that is given ibid. 3 The Manner of giving viz. freely and for ever 15. Obj. But the Lord required that he should give himselfe back again Answered 16. Obj. The Lord required him to circumcise his Seed answered 17. 2 How the Lord doth take Abraham and his Seed to be his people 5. 19. By preparing them by a spirit of Bondage 20. Burning 21. By taking possession of them by his spirit 24. Which spirit doth Convince the soule of unbeliefe 25. Work Faith and unites to Christ by some Promise of grace 26. Qu. Whether may not true Faith be built on a Conditionall Promise answered 29. see 56. From Union followeth Communion with Christ in all spirituall Blessings 31. Viz. Relative as Adoption ibid. Iustification ibid. Positive wrought in us as Sanctification 34. Glorification 35. 3 How the Lord did constitute Jesus Christ to be the Mediatour of the Coven 7. 36. By receiving him the Son of the Virgin Mary to be one person with the second in the Trinity ibid. By
this Promise made to this Qualification Thus ariseth the Question if God give Jesus Christ first before any other blessing as we read before to Abraham and to his seed were the Promises made he meaneth unto Christ and all the Promises are in him Yea and in him Amen No having of Promises then before Christ To what purpose are they given if not to bring me unto Christ It is a point needfull to be knowne because we read Promises in Scripture daily and certainly great use is to be made of them and if we shall make no other use of them but to bring us unto Christ and God hath not sanctified them to that end then we shall take them all in vaine and the Name of God that is called upon them Answ There is a three-fold use of Promises in Scripture 1 Before our Vnion with Christ 2 In Vnion with him 3 After Vnion with him 1 Before our union with Christ there is a three-fold use of Promises 1 They are of use for Doctrine to teach all the people of God what great and glorious things are laid up in Christ Jesus even the unsearchable riches of Christ Eph. 3.8 and this all the Promises of God doe hold forth If the Lord Promise to be your Father your Husband your Shepheard your Head your Root if he Promise to be any other blessing in the world to you what ever Promise you read or heare the Lord sheweth you the unsearchable riches of Christ and that is no vaine use of Promises for a man to know by them the great good things that are treasured up in Jesus Christ by the Father therefore they are called great and pretious Promises 2 Pet. 1.4 why so because they declare the great and pretious priviledges and blessings in Jesus Christ therefore it is that the Lord will have all his people to looke at him in his word and Promises and to know what great good he hath in store for all them that trust in him and seek after him in Jesus Christ Thus all the Promises of Grace declare his excellency as Cant. 5.10 So doe all the Promises declare him to be a plentifull Saviour and a mighty Redeemer of all his people 2 As they are of use for Doctrine so for Instruction It is good to know them but Instruction is a further thing and distinct from Doctrine 2 Tim. 3.16 By Instruction men are taught not only what to know but what to doe to know and see whither they should resort for the enjoyment of all those pretious blessings that God hath laid up in Jesus Christ and this is a pretious use of the Promises that by them the soule should be thus instructed whither to goe for life and salvation Isa 45.22 Look unto me and be you saved all the ends of the earth Here is a direction to me before I know whither to look I doe not onely see great things and so vanish away but I am directed to look and be saved thus are we taught of God likewise by his blessed Apostle Acts 2.38,39 Repent and be baptized c. for the Promise is unto you c. Thus we are taught by the Promises whither to look for life and salvation 3 The Promises serve also for Exhortation as the Scripture last alleadged holdeth forth For so many blessings as you see propounded in the Promises so many invitations are there to provoke mens soules to come unto Christ as old Jacob sometimes provoked his Sons Gen. 42.1,2 so saith the Lord to the Sons of men in his Promises Why stand ye gazing in the want of this and that blessing Is there not pardon of sin and all manner of blessings in Jesus Christ Thus is the soul exhorted not onely to look for mercy but not to rest till he may enjoy it Though it be not the Promises that can by their owne power carry men an end yet this is the end to which God giveth them to stir up the Sons of men not to rest in beholding the good things in the Promises but to exhort them to provoke themselves and one another to look after the Lord thus did the Apostle Peter exhort the Jewes and testified to them of the free grace of God in his Promises Acts 2.40 and indeed the Promises are strong grounds of Exhortation to stir up the spirits of all Gods people to look to Jesus Christ and to come unto him in whom such abundance of rich grace is laid up Thus doe the Promises of God furnish both Ministers and people with Doctrine with Instruction with Exhortation in their kinds Now there is a three-fold effect that they have in some of all sorts good and bad that live in the bosome of the Church 1 They have a power of illumination they will enlighten the minds even of Hypocrites and men indued with no more than common gifts as well as the people of God of such the Apostle speaketh Heb. 6.4 who were once enlighted c. and had tasted of the good word of God An Hypocrite may have such a tast of Christ in the Promises and be 2 So affected with it that he despiseth all other things in comparison of it so as that he cometh to resolve for his part never to forgoe him and hath so much confidence in God that he saith with Haman Whom will the King delight to honour more than my selfe and this illumination he taketh to be a strong and effectuall Conversion unto the Lord. 3 The Promises have a worke of conviction if any man refuse or despise them they leave him unexcusable Pro. 1.24,25,26 c. Thus is their blood justly upon their owne head that refuse and despise the Promises and they aggravate their condemnation another day and to this end the Apostle maketh use of a pretious Promise of God Acts 13.38,39,40,41 A strange application of such a gratious Promise a signe there is a power in the Promises even unto this end Thus we see there is a marvelous gratious use of Promises before Union with Christ as to help Ministers and people with matter of Doctrine and Instruction and Exhortation as also to awaken men unto Illumination and Affection and Conviction and to seal them up unto everlasting destruction if they turn their backs upon them 2 As the Promises are of use before our Union with Christ so In our union with him they are of great use for when the Lord giveth himselfe to the soule he doth it in a Promise he cometh unto the soule riding as it were upon the Chariot of a Promise and begetteth Faith back again in the soul by the Promise whereby we receive Jesus Christ though before him we can have no Promise yet in a Promise we doe receive him This is the very first stroke of closing with Christ he giveth himselfe and we take him as he offereth himselfe even in an absolute Promise such a like dispensation of himselfe we read of Acts 3.25,26 where Christ is offered in an Absolute Promise
of God John 15.5 And the Apostle Paul cannot onely not doe any great matter by his owne strength and grace but nothing at all without Jesus Christ and therefore he giveth us to understand that it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do Phil. 2.13 If therefore we have any new work to doe look to the Lord Jesus Christ afresh by Faith that he may carry an end all our works in us and for us otherwise it is not any strength or grace in us that can produce any good work word or thought and therefore mind you the Apostle maketh it a principle of Christian Religion that the just man liveth by faith and he often mentioneth it Gal. 2.20 The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Sonne of God where he putteth it into his owne experience Why did not he live by love and patience and zeale c. Yes truly they were lively in him if ever in any man besides our blessed Saviour and yet notwithstanding he never attributeth life to any of these gifts of his but if he speak of life he maketh this his universall life I live by the faith of the Son of God and I am able to doe all things through Christ which strengtheneth me Phi. 4.13 This is the true savour of a Christian spirit that when gifts are at the highest the heart is then at the lowest 1 Cor. 15.9,10 the Apostle Paul there acknowledgeth himselfe to be as one born out of due time for saith he I am lesse than the least of the Apostles not meet to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God yea but by the grace of God I am what I am and his grace which was bestowed on me was not in vaine but I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God in me This is truly spirituall sanctification that when the soule is full of the Holy Ghost and gifts of the Holy Ghost yet he is like a man in great penury as having nothing of himselfe this is a marvelous spirituall poverty and you shall ever find and I desire the Lord would open the hearts of his people to know what I speak that if Christians have fallen their greatest falls have been in their most eminent and exemplary gifts If you shall mark the sins of all the servants of God they have been chiefly found in the very exercise of their best gifts let us take a little tast of them that we may learn to use our gifts in the strength of Jesus Christ Abraham a man full of Faith none went beyond him in the old nor new Testament yet if you read of any failing in him it is in regard of the acting of Faith what made him afraid not once but the 2d time that his wife would be taken from him by Pharaoh Gen. 12. by Abimelech Chap. 20. had not the Lord promised to blesse him wheresoever he came Gen. 12.2 He had so much of the knowledge and grace of God shining in him that Sarah needed not to have dissembled and Abimelech a poor Heathen could say as much Chap. 20.16 Behold thy Husband is to thee a covering of the eyes to all that are with thee and with all other thus she was reproved As if he should say thou needest no shifts and lyes for thy protection and to be a vayle unto thee This a poor Heathen can discern that a man that hath God with him needeth no other shifts nor covering to defend and shelter him Thus we see that these great failings of Abraham were proper acts of unbeliefe Moses a meek man none like him for meeknesse on the face of the earth there is but one sin storied of him after he came to the Government of that state and this was his failing Heare now you Rebells must we fetch you water out of this rock so he lift up his hand with his rod he smote the rock twice Numb 20.10,11 They provoked Moses as meek as he was sometimes when Aaron and Miriam dealt as peremptorily with him he was not moved from the meeknesse of his spirit But now he falleth into passion and this was the very sin for which the Lord excluded him out of Canaan Numb 27.12,13,14 it was the breach of this royall grace Chap. 20.12 Because ye believed me not to sanctifie me in the eyes of the Children of Israel therefore you shall not bring this Congregation into the Land which I have given them Which words shew us the reason of his failing in the grace wherein he so much abounded Because yee believed me not The Lord will have him know that he must live by his Faith in his meeknesse if any man think himselfe to be a meek man and nothing shall over-wrastle him there if you believe not in God but in your meeknesse your confidence will soon faile you Peter a man full of courage and you read of two of his principall failings and both in point of courage he failed in the high Priests hall at the voyce of a damsell and in the porch at the speech of another maid and the third time at the voyce of one that stood by Math. 26.69 c. Whereas afterwards when he lived by faith he became undaunted before the whole Councell Act. 4.13 Another failing of his in point of courage we read of Gal. 2.12 He feared those of the Circumcision whereas before he did eat with the Gentiles c. Thus the Apostle Peters eminent gifts did not bring forth their fruits Know therefore that the best of all your gifts faith courage meeknes wisdome love to your brethren will faile if you trust in them and you will be most apt to faile there wherein you do most excell If a man be wise he shall faile in that point and it may be in nothing so much as in that even in those things wherein he thinketh he walketh most wisely and such an one will find most tryalls in point of his wisedome and the like will be found in all other graces and all to this end to teach the Israel of God to know that no man liveth by his wisdome nor by any thing in himselfe but by Faith in Jesus Christ whom God hath given unto his people and who is onely able to give new supplyes of his spirit unto his servants to act every gift which he hath given them I might have mentioned the example of Sarah a meek and a quiet godly spirited woman subject and obedient to her Husband and called him Lord whose daughters you are while you doe well 1 Pet. 3.6 and yet you know one of her greatest failings was in point of reverence to her Husband Gen. 16.5 When she saw that she was despised she said to her Husband Thou dost me wrong c. Where is the reverence of Sarah now Will you have the daughters of Sarah to imitate her herein What had her Husband done There was no
his owne works and taught him to resolve in his judgment to believe on Jesus Christ 4 There is a fourth sort also that fall far short of Christ too and yet goe beyond all these they goe beyond works and beyond this Faith also which we have spoken of which was not a lively Faith in Christ whereby we are justified but men justifie themselves by it God doth not justifie them Now this fourth sort come plainly to see that their Faith is shaken and they dare not look God in the face to justifie the truth of their Faith before him it is true many an heavenly spirited man cannot tell what will become of him nor can he tell whether his Faith be sound but many an Hypocrite also is so far convinced that he cannot tell what will become of him nor can he say that his Faith is right nor that he is able to believe What saith the soule now in such a case as this He will say I see it is not my Reformation nor my Faith that will serve the turn what is it then I see that now I must waite upon Christ that I may believe and unto him I must seek for helpe Is not this soule in a state of everlasting fellowship with Christ Truly this is that which the Lord many times bringeth the souls of his Servants unto but he leaveth them not there if he mean to doe them good for I would examine again how camest thou to waite upon Jesus Christ thou hast been driven out of conceit of thy former Faith and so hast been forced and hast seen a necessity to wait upon Christ for Faith or else thou canst not believe force of Argument hath constrained thee thus far if thou hast taken up a course of waiting onely upon this ground here is a spark of old Adam still kept alive in thee Thou art able to seek and wait upon Christ and yet I cannot promise thee that thou hast any part or portion in him But a soule will say Hath not the Lord made gratious Promises to all those that seeke for him Hath he not said that all they are blessed that waite for him Isa 30.18 And am not I wrapped up hereby in a bundle of grace and peace Mind you there is no promise of life made to those that wait seek in their own strength who being driven to it have taken it up by their own resolutions though I grant it is true that every one that waiteth for and seeketh the Lord aright is driven unto it by the Lord yet if ever the Lord mean to save you he will rend as it were the caule from the heart I mean he will pluck away all the confidence you have built upon a as man would rend the intralls of a Beast from him so the Lord will bring you to a flat deniall of your selves and that you have neither good will nor deed as of your selves And you will find you know not what God will doe with you but this you know that whatsoever he doth he is most righteous When the Spirit of God cometh as a Comforter he will in this manner convince the soul of a man that he hath heretofore hung upon his reformations for hope comfort but now he is brought plainly to see and flatly to deny that he hath so much as one drop of the fatnes of the true Olive tree in him when he most trusted unto his own excellencies Now a man being thus far brought on doth not only deny himselfe in his judgement but in his will and is ready to say as David sometimes did If the Lord say he hath no pleasure in me here I am let him doe unto me as seemeth him good The Lord is righteous in all that cometh upon me this onely the soul hath for his support in such a case the Lord is able to doe all for me that I stand in need of If he shew me no mercy he is just if he be gratious I shall live to praise him Now when a mans will is thus subdued that he hath no will of his owne to be guided by but onely the will of God this is true brokennesse of heart when not onely the judgement but the heart and will is broken The soule being thus convinced that neither his working nor believing nor waiting nor seeking as of himselfe will doe him any good there is no mercy that he can chalenge for any goodnesse sake of his owne then cometh the Holy Ghost in some declaration of Gods free love and taketh possession of the heart and then the soule beginneth to pant after Jesus Christ and nothing in Heaven but him nor in the Earth besides him The soule being thus wrought upon beginneth to put forth it selfe towards the Lord Jesus but the Holy Ghost having taken possession before helpeth our infirmities Rom. 8.26,27 He alone must help us and no other FINIS CERTAIN QUERIES Tending to Accommodation and Communion of Presbyterian Congregationall Churches BY Mr JOHN COTTON late Teacher of the Church at Boston in New-England Published by a Friend to whom the Author himselfe sent them over not long before his Death LONDON Printed by M. S. for John Allen and Francis Eglesfield in Pauls Church-yard 1654. Certain Queries tending to the mutuall Accommodation Communion of Presbyterian and Congregationall Churches delivered in 11 Propositions humbly presented both to the Consideration and Examination of them according to God BY Mr JOHN COTTON The 1. Querie Whether may it not be safely acknowledged that the Congregations of Christians subject to Presbyteriall Government preaching and professing the Truth of the Gospel and not over-growne with ignorant and scandalous Persons are true and holy Churches of Christ BEcause such Churches for the Matter of them consist of visible Saints at least a principall part of them especially when they present themselves to sit downe before the Lord at his Table And for the Forme they doe agree together in choosing their owne Minister in attending duely to the Ministry of the Word and Sacraments and in submitting to the Doctrine of the Gospel which implyeth a reall and visible though implicite profession of the Covenant of grace requisite to Church-estate Object The Parish-Churches in England were Antichristian if not in their first Institution yet at least for these many hundred yeares and were never since unchurched nor new moulded out of their Anchristian Apostacy Answ 1. The Gospel of Christ was preached and received in England ten yeares before it was in Rome as may appeare by Gildas and may be inferred from Baronius also Annal. Anno Christi 35.5 45.1 and that by the Ministry of Apostles and Apostolick men who doubtlesse did at first institute Churches not after the Pattern of Rome which then was not a Church but according to the Patterne of the Apostles 2. Neither were they unchurched by the Antichristian Apostacy which afterwards grew upon them as a Leprosie but were onely corrupted and polluted even
in many fundamentalls both in Doctrine Worship Government which made them like unto the Israelites under the Apostacy of Jezabel the generallity being carryed away by the Corruption of the times but a Remnant reserved through grace which bowed not the knee to Baal 3. Since the Beginning of the Reformation many of the Church-members by the power of the Gospel reformed to a new estate of visible Saints and the fundamentall corruptions in Doctrine and worship were purged away and both of them so renued as that the presence and power of Christ was discerned in the face of the Ordinances And for the Government though it give not being but wel-being to Churches yet it hath also been growing more and more into better order unto this day In so much that Protestant Churches have renounced fellowship with Antichrist and his Churches and have separated from them in Doctrine Worship and Government which if it reach not to a new-churching yet it is a renuall of their Church estate and a new moulding of them into a more holy way of Administration of Church-Ordinances so that now they stand as Churches gathered out of the world both of Antichristians and of Pagans The Israelites after their Returne from under the Apostacy of Jezabel did neither solemnely unchurch themselves of their former corrupt estate nor Inchurch themselves into a better new estate but being called to Repentance by the Kings Proclamation and their hearts being bored of God to submit themselves thereto though they fell short of a full Purification yet they were received to the Lords Supper the Passeover together with their Brethren of the purer Church of Judah 2 Chro. 30.18,19,20 The 2d. Querie Presupposing then the Prerbyterian Congregations to be true Churches Whether hence It will not cleerely follow that the Ministers called by them being otherwise men of Ministeriall gifts are true Ministers and the Sacraments administred by them are true Seales of the Covenant of Grace The 3d. Querie Neverthelesse Whether may it not be justly doubted that the estate of both Churches is sinfully defective The Presbyterian partly in their Materialls in case the Members diverse of them be not professed Saints but either ignorant or scandalous and apparently carnall and worldly partly in their Government by the Presbyters of other Churches which way of Government though it had place in sundry Cases in the Nationall Church of the old Testament yea and in the New Testament might be practised for a time by the Apostles themselves who were Oecumeniall Governours of all Christian Churches yet the same was never delegated nor commended to the Pastors and Teachers of particular Congregations The Congregationall likewise how can they be excused in case there be any such as doe admit all manner of Sects into their Covenant and Communion and will not allow the Civill Magistrates to proceed to the Censure of seducing Hereticks and prophane Blasphemers The 4. Querie For the Healing of which defects were it not much to be wished that the Members of Presbyterian Churches did once publickly professe their Faith and Repentance before their partaking of the Lords Table as John Baptists Disciples did before their Baptisme and as Members of Congregationall Churches doe before their Admission that so None such as were ignorant or scandalous might be admitted to the Lords Table till they were duely approved to be Men of knowledge sound in the Faith and blamelesse in conversation And further also whether would it not much conduce to a more full and cleere acceptance of their Administrations If their Elders in the Classis did put forth no Authoritative Act touching the Members of other Churches but consultative onely nor touching their owne but upon hearing the advice of Fellow Elders in difficult cases to proceede each one with the Cognizance and Consent of his owne Church at home respectively The 5. Querie For want or Neglect hereof Though the Members of Presbyterian Churches should discerne some Defects in the Order and Government of their Churches yet whether may they suddenly breake off Communion with them till they have convinced them of their Defects and duely and patiently waited for their Reformation It may seeme No For if we must take a more delatory course for the healing of a private Brother in a way of brotherly love with much meekness and patience how much more ought we so to walke towards an whole Church The 6. Querie Such a Brother though as yet remaining a Member of a Presbyterian Church yet sensible of the Defects of his owne Church and being otherwise knowne to be fit why may he not lawfully and without scruple be received to partake at the Lords Table as occasion serveth in a Congregationall Church For such an one is both a Member of a true Church and cleansed from the defects of his owne Church The 7. Querie Yea suppose a godly Christian doe continue Presbyterian in his Judgement and yet doe approve also of a Congregationall way and is desirous to joyne in Covenant with a Congregationall Church whether may he not in due order be lawfully admitted and continued a Member of a Congregationall Church Yea further Notwithstanding the different state and way of Presbyterian and Congregationall Churches and the Defects which the one or the other may observe or surmize either in other yet even whilest they so stand and walke whether may not the Members of either without just offence mutually Communicate one with another as occasion shall be offered at the Lords Table The Affirmative seemeth probable For as Error in Judgement about Discipline is not an Heresie against the Foundation of Christian Religion And the Apostle instructeth Christian Churches to receive the Christian Jewes into their Church-fellowship who yeâ— dissented from them about the observation of Leviticall Rites which were as much discrepant from the Truth of the Gospel in the Order of worship as these other be in Order of Government Besides God accepteth cleanness of heart in his faithfull servants in their approaches to his Table though there be defects in full cleansing according to the Order of the Sanctuary 2 Chron. 30.18,19,20 The 8. Querie If a godly Minister called to Office by a People professing Godliness whether under Episcopacy or Presbytery and afterward repenting of any knowne sinne in his way shall be desirous of a more pure Reformation whether may not his godly people acknowledge his Ministeriall Calling without sinne Why not For he had the Essence of a lawfull Calling before in the free choice of his godly People and in his owne free acceptance of them and of their Call Nevertheless if any of his godly People should stumble at his former Calling whether may not a more select Company and body of the People renue their Call of him and there to accept the Concurrence and Consent of the rest of the Congregation And whether may not he also doe well instead of stiff standing upon the validiy of his former Calling to condescend to renue his
matters of Religion Let us now in the next place consider at the object of this coercive power of the Magistrate which in the state of the question we call the outward man the things wh ch the civill Magistrate as such doth command or forbid he commandeth or forbiddeth with immediate respect to the outward man The Magistrate as a Magistrate looketh immediately at the externall acts of the body and not at the internall acts of the soule it s his property as a civill Ruler to attend onely the duties and sinnes which appeare in the walke of the outward man Thus Calvin Beza Chemnitius Gerard and other Protestant Divines generally Quest Hereby also other objections receive answer as first Must Magistrates punish any man for being of a corrupt judgement or barely for an errour in his judgement or for having a corrupt heare and sundry lusts in it Answ We say no because whilst he keepeth his opinion to himselfe and whilest his lusts are confined within his breast he is to be left to the sword of the Spirit and to the Word of God thereby onely to be convinced the Magistrates power onely extending to the outward man but if either his mentall errours or hearts lust breake out into open expression and view and become scandalous and spreading then they become breaches of rules by the outward man yea tend to infringe that outward godly peace of which he is to be a preserver and so in both respects he is to deale with the same Object 2. Must a Magistrate command men to believe with all their heart to repent and mortifie their sins and lusts Answ We say no because these appertaine to the inward man and soule of man to attend so farre as they are inward but if we speake of any outward profession of these so farre he may command as to professe the faith by comming to heare the Word and to repent by publick fasting and prayer And if Princes have no power in such externall things then have they no power instrumentally to remove the wrath of God from their Kingdomes by generall humiliations Briefly now of the manner and means of the exercise of this power included in that phrase civilly we say not ecclesiastically as if he might put forth his power in a Church way by Church-weapons or censures but civilly or in a civill way or by civill censures or punishments Whence also other objections are answered as that the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but spirituall and that Paul sheweth a way of redressing all offences 1 Cor. 5.5 2 Tim. 2.25 and Faith comes by hearing and not by whipping when these places rather intend and shew a Church way of healing Church offences and doe no more exclude a Politicall way of healing offences in a Christian Common-wealth than an Economicall way of redressing disorders in the Family so the other place sheweth a spirituall means of drawing men to the Faith so that neither are pertinent to the case of the Civill power acting civilly nor doth this Assertion That the Magistrate is to be a terrour to all evill works applying the same to evill works forbidden in the first Table any more exclude the use of Church-discipline therein then it doth in matters of the second Table if applyed thereunto for the Church may proceed in her way to censure Ecclesiastically one and the same thing whether it be against the first or second Table which the Magistrate doth punish civilly The last thing to be explained in the state of the Question is touching the coercive power of the Magistrate namely Godly peace Now by Godly peace to which the Magistrate immediately looketh we mean a peaceable living as in all honesty so in godlines as the Apostle hath it 1 Tim. 2.1,2 So far as any matters of Religion coming under the Magistrates cognizance as a publick Officer in the Common-wealth doe either further or hinder such a peace of a Christian Common-wealth so far is he to put forth his coercive power accordingly Hereby also with reference to things before explained other Objections may receive answer as 1 Will you have Magistrates put forth their coercive power to the full in Lawes with Sanctions of punishments as that men shall pray in their Families so long or so oft or else suffer That a Minister in preaching if he exceed a just houre he must suffer and the like we say if either the matters be meerly circumstantiall or if they be matters of lesse moment and such as doe not of themselves any way infringe publick peace or that they are not pertinatiously tumultuously maintained to the disturbance of publick peace in all such like cases wherein the Civill Magistrate's end is not intrenched upon he may not exercise the coercive power of his Authority with sanction or execution of punishments 2 Will not this Thesis arme and stir up the Civill power in Old England against godly Orthodox ones of the Congregationall way or exasperate Civill power in New England against godly moderate and Orthodox Presbyterians if any such should desire their liberty here we conceive no except the civill disturbance of the more rigidly unpeaceably and corruptly minded be very great yet betwixt men godly and moderately minded on both sides the difference upon true and due search is found so small by judicious Orthodox godly and moderate Divines as that they may both stand together in peace and love if liberty should be desired by either sort here or there so exercising their liberty as the publick peace be not infringed The state of the Question in the explication thereof will rather quench then kindle any such coales against either If indeed persons professing either the Congregationall or Presbyteriall way will shelter or close either with other Blasphemous Hereticall or Schismaticall Tenents which tend to break the peace of the Congregationall way there where a Presbyteriall way is authorized to be the generall way of the Churches or the Presbyteriall way here where the Congregationall way is authorized to be the generall way of the Churches there they may be strained by the power of the Civil Magistrate as disturbers and breakers of godly peace the conservation whereof is the Civil Magistrates end and work unto which he is to attend Having thus cleared the state of the Question we shall now come to some Arguments from Scripture which confirme the Affirmative part of the question so stated and the Arguments are taken some from the old some from the New Testament Of the former sort there are three From the Old Testament Argum 1 1 In that it is evident that Rulers of old and those Rulers in the Common-wealth of Israel they are commended in Scripture for the exercise of such power in the matters of the first Table and therefore it is according to the mind of God that now civil Rulers do the like Abraham who was not an ordinary master of a family but a Prince among them Gen. 23.6 He
is commended for laying the force of his command upon those under his power in matters of Religion Gen. 18 19. And if he had been considered as a Master yet less would not be granted that way to a Ruler of a Common-wealth than of a Family but rather more Job as a civil Ruler as a King in an Army of persons under his command did not leave each of them to chose out their own way of Religion or justice but he chose it he determinatively set it down for them I sate as King in an Army I chose out their way c. Job 29.25 The King of Ninivey with his Princes did not barely commend that duty of fasting and prayer to his people as very convenient to be attended yet leaving them to their liberty to omit the same but he positively commands the same that the wrath of God might be prevented 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jonah 3.7 The word is used for a coercive command or decree Ezra 4.21 6.11 Dan. 3.10,11 29. 6.7,8,9 13. and the act of the civil Authority of Ninivey having so much influence into the people act Jonah 3.5,6 7. verses compared is implicitely commended by Christ in his commendation of the repentance of the men of Ninevey and so of the King and Princes of Ninevey whose hearts were so thorowly touched as to improve their authority to further that civil work of Ninevy's repentance The examples of Moses Joshua David Solomon Asa Jehosaphat Hezekiah Josiah Nehemiah c. are obvious to every ordinary eye which looks into the Scripture Object They of old were Types therefore their examples are not now of force for our imitation Answ We suppose the Objection intends not by Type and exemplar for imitation as Type in a generall sense is used 1 Cor. 10.6 compared with 11. for this were to overthrow the scope of the Objectors but rather it meaneth a Type strictly taken namely that they in that exercise of their power did but shaddow out Christs Kingly power but of this the opposites give onely a barren assertion without proof and that will not carry it But we shall answer it more particularly 1 Then such may as well say those Rulers did shaddow out Christ in the exercise of their power in matters of the second Table and therefore are not therein imitable which none will affirme Solomon typed out Christ in subduing of enemies relieving the opressed procuring the peace of the state Psal 72. Must not Princes therefore doe the like 2 Those that make that Objection they use to put it thus The Kings of Israel were such Types but such an one was not Abraham nor Job nor Nehemiah who by a Coercive Law injoined the sanctifying of the Sabbath Neh. 13. nor the King of Ninevey nor was that wicked King of Israel Ahab a type of Christ which should have put that blaspheming Benhadad to death whence that sharpe reproof of him for not doing it 1 Kings 20. To say nothing of Darius Nebuchadnezzars Decrees this way which are recorded in way of commendation thereof Ezra 6. and Dan. 3.29 3 Solomon himselfe who if any were types of Christ therein he was setteth it downe by direction of the Spirit as a morall duty of each King indefinitely that howsoever de facto many doe otherwise yet de jure he scattereth away all evill with his eye Prov. 20.8 meaning all publick evil which cometh within his ken as a King or publick person whether the evill be against the first or second Table unlesse any make exception and say that either there are no sins against the first Table coming under the Magistrates view or though they doe yet they are not evil 4 It was a stated doctrine in the time of Job who by the most judicious is thought to live before Moses and it is attested and approved by the Holy Ghost that sins against the first Table as Idolatry was iniquity to be punished by the Judges Job 31.26,27,28 as well as sins against the second Table as Adultery ibid. vers 9. and 11. Object Those Rulers of old did thus as Members of the Nationall Church of the Jewes the same persons being Members of Church and Common-wealth but it is not alwayes so now Answ 1 Then at least where Magistrates are Members of Churches they may in these dayes exercise such power 2 Though they were Members both of Church and State yet they were to put forth their Coercive power civilly not as Members of the Church but of the State else it had been to confound Church and State yea to make God which directed to it to be the author of that confusion 3 They were to punish such to whom they stood in no Church relation at all but meerly Civil for sins against the first Table Hence Ahab was blamed for not punishing Benhadad blaspheming God as if a God of the Hils but not of the valleys Hence Nehemiah's resolution to punish even any of those strangers which should prophane the Sabbath chap. 13. 4 Job and those Judges mentioned in his time as bound to punish Idolatry were no Members of the Jewish Church Object If you make the example of the Princes of Israel acting Coercively in matters of Religion for Magistrates imitation why doe not you make the Levites a pattern also to Ministers now to act as they did civilly in civil censures Answ 1 It 's not clear that the Levites d d act any further than by counsel or at most by some generall consent to that which the Princes were formally to Act. 2 If the Levites did act in matters of the State by a peculiar liberty it doth not follow that this can invalidate the Rulers power then acting in matters of Religion as if by a peculiar liberty also unlesse the Objection could be bottomed on the proportion betwixt the Levites then and the Rulers then Thus that as the Levites which by speciall liberty proper to those times and so not imitable now did intermeddle in matters peculiar to Magistrates so the Magistrates then did intermeddle in matters peculiar to the Priests by a liberty proper to those times and this would be crosse to expresse Text 2 Chron. 26.16 where Vzzias medling with Priestly matters of offering Incense is made a transgression against the Lord for which he was afterward ruined 3 We make the Levites intermedling juditially in Civil matters therefore not imitable because what they are supposed to doe that way was by a liberty peculiar to that time but we make the example of the civil Rulers acting their Coercive power in matters of Religion imitable because not peculiar to the Jewish Church as appears in that what power they that way exercised the same in substance did Job and other Judges in his time by Divine direction and approbation put forth yea the judiciall act of Nebuchadnezzar in punishing Ahab and Zedekiah with death not for their Adultery onely a sin against the second Table but for their false
doctrine a matter of Religion was of Gods appointment Jer. 29.21 with 23. and hence by Gods appointment was this execution of Gods vengeance on them made a proverbial Curse vers 22. Argum 2 A second Argument is in that it 's recorded as a most desperate and accursed estate of old that they had no King or chief Ruler in Israel to restrain as Adultery and Murther sins against the second Table Judges 19.1 with chap. 20. so Idolatry a sin against the first Table chap. 17.1 18.1 compared but every man had his liberty to doe what was right in his owne eyes Argum 3 The third Argument is in that it is recorded as a matter of speciall guidance and direction of God and acknowledged by Ezra inspired by the Spirit as a special mercy of God to his people that Artaxerxes an Heathen King had an heart to put forth his coercive power injoyning things commanded of God and forbidding with sanction of sutable punishments the evils whether against the Lawes of the King or against the Lawes of God whether concerning Religion or righteousnesse whence we argue that this use of the civil power was of God of old and therefore the same is as well of God now Artaxerxes was indeed an instrument in the hand of Christ but not therefore a Type of Christ Nor was this of the nature of a meer Jewish judiciall Law because injoining punishments moral offences being punishable and yet not therefore of a meer judicial nature or meerly against a judicial Law besides this act of Artaxerxes respected civil matters and matters of the second Table which none will challenge as not imitable as well as matters of Religion And that which some object that he did this for fear of wrath rather confirmeth the morality of the use of such power then otherwise For what ground of fear in not putting forth such coercive power if the omission of it were not sinfull Yea if the use of such a coercive power in matters of Religion were not according to Gods mind as our opposites say he might rather more groundedly have feared Gods wrath for such an high offence as usurpation of a power which the Lord disliked and forbade Thus much of the first head of Arguments from the Old Testament those from the New follow and they are foure From the New Testament Argum 1 The first is taken from Rom. 13. If God will have every soul in and of the Churches and that of Rome as well as others to be subject to civill Magistrates as being powers ordained of God v. 1. an Ordinance of God v. 2. a terrour not to good works but to evill v. 3. the ministry of God for their good v. 4. and that for conscience sake v. 5. Then Magistrates are to put forth coercive power in such matters of Religion respecting the outward man But the former is true ergo the latter Object All this may be true and yet verified onely in matters of the second Table and is extended to matters of the first yet onely to such things as are against the Law of Nations or the light of Nature and so no proof of that for which it is urged He is a terrour to evil works but it is not said he is so to all evill works Answ 1 If all this be restrained according to the intent of the Objection then is none to have praise approbation incouragement from Civil Authority by reason of matters of Faith or of Religion but for matters of righteousnesse onely or if for any matters of Religion yet onely for such as stand with the light of nature and Law of Nations as the third Verse must be Expounded For if it be supposed that it is an act of Justice whereof the Magistrate is Minister to distribute rewards in any matters of Religion that appeares in the walk of the outward man and respect godly peace in way of encouragement it must needs be an act of like justice to distribute punishments to the contrary The Magistrate being according to the Apostles distribution a Minister of God as well when he encourageth good as when he represseth and punisheth evil 2 The Objection would make onely offences against the rules of the second Table or at most those that are against the Law of nature and Nations which come under the view of the Magistrate as a publick Minister of God to be evill works and not other sins of like publick cognizance concernment respecting other matters of Religion For if both sorts of offences are evil he being a terrour to evil works indefinitely which come to his publick cognizance he is a terrour ex officio to both and it is vaine to say he saith evill works not all evil works for so he saith he is not a terrour to good works but saith not to all good works and therefore if that indefinite good works be not equivalent to that general all good works he may then it seems be a terrour to some good works which come under his publick cognizance 3 We are yet to speak of that limitation where the New Testament alloweth the civil Magistrate power as in matters of righteousnesse so in matters of Religion so far namely as the light of nature and Law of Nations extendeth in matters of the outward man which come to his publick view but restraineth him from medling further in any matters of Religion of like publick cognizance and concernment That Scripture ground of this distinction and restriction would be produced Object I when Paul wrote this Epistle to the Romans their Rulers were Pagans and what coercive power was it likely they would put forth in any matters of Religion unlesse against the true Religion as undermining their Paganisme Crying downe the same as worship of Devils and teaching them to cast off their Heathen Gods as no Gods They did not look at Jesus Christ as their Supream Lord but as a new upstart God in comparison of their Roman Gods and to make penall Laws against false doctrine or Religion had been to make Lawes against themselves as well as others and to make Lawes against the present light of their owne consciences Answ This no way weakneth but strengthneth what we have said For if even those Pagan Rulers in Pauls time were by their Office Ministers of God then bound to improve their Authority for the ratifying and establishing of his Lawes and for those of the first as well as second Table and then bound by their Office as Ministers of God to rule for him and the exacting of his rule in and over their subjects And that they did not know and doe thus it was their sin Many of them thought plurality of wives fornication rash divorces incestuous marriages usury c. no sin and it may be said if they had made Lawes against these they had made Lawes against themselves and the light of their owne consciences as thinking in their seduced blinded consciences that these were lawfull yet
all will say they were all Ministers of God and bound to know and doe otherwise Nero is branded for a beastly person a Lyon in that he abused that Authority of his which of right should have beene improved for encouragement of Paul in his Ministry and doctrine to be a means to endeavoure to destroy and devoure him 2 Tim. 4.17 2 A second Argument is taken from 1 Tim. 2.1,2 We are to pray that we may have such Magistrates as may act Authoritatively in matters of Religion and piety as well as of righteousnesse and honesty therefore it is the mind of God that civil Magistrates should put forth their power in the one as well as in the other Object Yea but some have said If you now allow civil Rulers power in matters of Religion they will persecute us Answ The Apostle doth not answer pray therefore in these persecuting times of Romish Emperours that they may not meddle at all coercively in matters of Religion as being to usurpe power not belonging to them but rather pray that they may use this power which they have aright or as we may peaceably exercise acts of Religion as well as honesty nor doth he say pray that they may deale in matters of Religion negatively that is so as authoritatively to hinder any from disturbing any Christian in that which he taketh up for truth or piety or in any opinion which he may hold and yet be a godly man no more then he saith pray that they may deale so in matters of honesty as to hinder any from disturbance in any supposed course of honesty yea in any acts of dishonesty which may be incident to one that yet in the main is godly for that were to pray to be let alone in all ungodlinesse or dishonesty Nor doth he say pray that every one may live according to his Conscience or hold out any opinion Tenent or practice suiting with his conscience so it race not the foundation of godlinesse but pray for them that we may live in all godlines peaceably or that we may with quietnesse and encouragement so carry it as will stand with godlinesse it selfe yea with godlinesse in the highest degree of it or any part of it in all godlinesse A third Argument is taken from Isa 49.23 which though a Scripture of the Old yet respecting the dayes of the New Testament and the substance of the Argument stands thus It is the mind of God that civil Rulers in the dayes of the New Testament should Authoritatively act in spirituall things which are to the Church as milke therefore it 's his mind that in these dayes they should act Authoritatively in matters of Religion we say to act Authoritatively because to act as Fathers and Mothers and therefore not to act meerly alluringly as some say or in a generall way of countenance but coercively Fathers act fatherly in commanding in forbidding and in punishing as well as in kissing and giving good words in taking the rod as giving an Apple nor doth he say they should be Nurses as if they were to take upon them to act officially in Preaching or in administration whether of Church seales or of Church censures The nature of the similitude forbids it Nurse-fathers cannot give milk to the Child but Nurse-fathers and Nurse-mothers to take Authoritative care what milk either Church-Officers or any others yield forth to the Church to see that it be good and accordingly to reward and encourage it to look that it be not bad but coercively to restrain it at least from being milked forth to the Churches hurt Albeit if kept within the breast that bred it it is out of their cognizance nor is this spoken of Heathen Rulers as Pagans not Christians but of such which though as civil Rulers they command in matters of Religion or righteousnesse yea as Members of the Church they obey the Church stooping to its doctrine and discipline so they lick up the dust of the Churches feet 4 A fourth Argument is taken from Zech. 13.2,3,4,5,6 it is Prophecyed of as an approved act of the zealous Members of the purest Churches to be in the dayes of the Gospel to make use of the coercive power of the civil Magistrate in matters of doctrine a matter of Religion therefore it 's the mind of God that in these dayes such coercive power in matters of Religion should be exercised nor may any here restrain these words to Church-censures it being not the use of the Holy Ghost to expresse Church-censures greater and lesser by taking away the life wounds and works in the hands but rather proveth that power of civil Authority to inflict death in some cases of false doctrine and some other reproachfull corporal punishments in some cases of errors which are not of moment as the other Thus much for the Arguments proving the Position we shall briefly now take off two or three generall Objections and then come to a close of this Question The weapons of our warfare are not carnall but spirituall Therefore no such use now to the people of God of such carnall weapons as the penall Lawes or censures of Civil Magistrates in matters of Religion It 's the unhappinesse of the most of the Arguments in the late Pamphlets and Pleas for Liberty used against this Coercive power of the Magistrate in some cases which we plead for that if they be forcible they conclude universally even against that coercive power which our opposites allow to him in matters of the second Table and so far also of the first as in things against the light of nature and Law of Nations And of this we have a tast in this Argument for besides the mistake of applying this as if meant of other persons then of Church Officers contrary to the very scope of the Text the Argument concludeth against the use of Civil Magistrates power by Civil Rulers in matters of the second Table as well as of the first because spirituall weapons are as weighty to pull down strong holds against the second Table as well as against the first Of like nature is that Objection Christs Kingdome is not of this world this if of any force excluding wholly takes away the Magistrates power in both Tables Object 2. The Church hath sufficient power to reach her ends in curbing or curing offences in any matters of Religion therefore what need is there of such coercive power therein of the Civil Magistrate Answ 1. Suppose it were granted that therefore the Church as a Church stood not in need thereof yet the Church considered as a Civil Society stood in need thereof and so far the state of the question were yielded Or what if the Church had no need yet in respect of other subjects enjoying the light of the Gospel though not actually of the Church as persons not yet joyned to any Church or such as are actually cast out of the Church that power might be most needfull else they might vent things as well
against the light of nature as Law of Nations or deny things obstinately which are fundamentall albeit not against the light of nature or Law of Nations as for example that Jesus Christ is the Redeemer and onely Mediatour that the Scriptures are the word of God c. should yet not be restrained yea that were to suppose some under the shining of the Gospel left of the Lord in a lawlesse condition in respect of any Authority to restrain them in matters of Religion the Civil power may not meddle with them and Ecclesiasticall cannot as not being actually of the Church 2 The Church hath sufficient power to reach her ends in curbing and curing offences of the second Table yet none will thence conclude that therefore no need to the Church therein of the Coercive power of the Magistrate 3 The Church aimeth at restraint from infection of others as well as amending the parties themselves now supposing the Church casting out a person for obstinate holding of Hereticall Tenents yet the Church cannot now restraine him any further in any Ecclesiastical way but that he may now doe more mischiefe in spreading his Tenent then ever unlesse the Magistrate also exercise his Coercive power 4 The Church may in case by clamorous noise made in the Assembly or otherwise by faction be hindred from the exercise of its power to cencure and so although it have power enough to act yet it will need the Magistrates help to exercise that power unlesse we durst plead as some it seems doe that in this case the Elders may act by corporall force to redresse it as Phineas the Priest did in killing Zimri and Cozbi disturbing the Congregation on then humbling themselves before God but we say that was extraordinary as was the act of Samuel in cutting Agag in pieces of Elijah in putting Baals Priests to death and Peters act against the life of Ananias and Saphira nor would we plead the Priests example 2 Chron. 26. in thrusting out Vzziah out of the Temple or such like Arguments supposing that the Priests of old and the Levites might by a dispensation peculiar to those times be allowed more liberty of acting in matters of a Civil nature both in the great Synedrian and other where then any of us dare say is imitable by or allowable to Churches or Church Officers now Object Thirdly and lastly the tares are commanded to be let alone Mat. 13.29,30 Therefore what Authority hath the Magistrate to restraine or punish men now under the Gospel but rather to leave Christians to the liberty of their owne Consciences Answ This is a Parable and therefore to be taken in the scope and substance and not according to the circumstances thereof as Peter Martyr noteth in this case Now the scope of part of the Parable is not to be a direction unto us what we shall doe in point of exercise of any power with us but conteins simply a doctrine of providence what God will order to be the condition of his visible Church in this world and therefore to shew that Christ intended not any rule of precept of our duty in this sentence of the Parable vers 29 30. Nay let both grow together he doth not in his after exposition of the severall branches of the Parable insist at all on the branch mentioned to give any explication thereof and if it were any direction it must either look to Civil or Church power if to Civil power then since the tares are expresly interpreted to be the Children of the Devil and such as offend and doe iniquity and are as reprobates to be burned or damned vers 38. Then the worst wretches that live Murderers Buggerers Traytours c. must be all let alone in their sins and onely left to Christs Judgement at the last day And our opposites have least reason to stretch this Parable as respecting any restraint of the use of the Civil power when the very scope of it is not to tell us touching the state of the Civil Kingdome in this world but rather of the state of the Kingdome of God or the Ecclesiasticall part of the world the visible Church and if it look at any restraint of the use of power it striketh rather at the use of Church power but if it look at Church power then the Churches are not to censure Hereticks no not though obstinate contrary to Titus 3. No incestuous adulterous covetous Church-members contrary to 1 Cor. 5. And that the Parable never intended any abridgement of either powers in the just exercise thereof is evident in that it speaketh 1 Of such an extirpation of Offendours as is onely possible to Angels armed with Christs power and 2 Of an universal extirpation of all and every reprobate from among the company of the Elect neither of which hinders but that 1 To such particular offendours as may be rooted up by Civil and Church power without danger and hurt to godly ones as are obstinate seducers Hereticks and they may and ought so to be 2 Such particular Offendours which by their continuance amongst Gods people doe over-run and over-top them in such sort as they are hurt and endangered by them and they cannot grow and thrive spiritually by reason of them they may ought to be rooted out by both powers for if there be any force in the Parable in this way it is to shew that the tares are to be suffered in reference not to the hurt but to the good of the wheat so that which tends to the corrupting blasting and destruction of the wheat is therefore to be removed because hurtfull and pernicious to the wheat so that our opposites would gain nothing to their cause by pressing this Parable as directory that way to us but wee rather upon the reasons before going conceive it to be set down not as a direction or any Command of Christ enjoyning us thus or thus to doe but as a doctrinall instruction that God may and will in his providence suffer for a time mixtures of good and bad together elect and reprobate in his visible Church nor are we to fret or be discontented at his providence in it or to think that by any course wee can take it will be otherwise whilst and where ever we are in this world like to that speech of Paul 1 Cor. 5 10. Now in the close of all let it be considered whose doctrine doth most infringe true liberty of conscience those which would have every Christian left to the liberty of his owne conscience in matters of Religion which at least are not against the light of nature Law of Nations or those that maintaine the fore-named power of the Magistrate for suppose the Magistrate be a Christian he must be left to the liberty of his Conscience too as well as others Now if left to the Lesbian warping rule what if he in his own Conscience through temptation and errour be in most things a Papist which may stand with the Law
of Nature and Nations or suppose he in Conscience deny Jesus Christ to be the Mediatour or such and such Books in the Old and New Testament to be the word of God yea or that there is any use of the Scriptures but we must onely depend on Revelations and herein the Law of nature and Nations leaves him Now he in Conscience thinks he is bound to establish this as a Rule to all others which to him is the truth and in conscience to oppose all contrary doctrine what then will become of subjects liberty The word is not made the rule to regulate this Rulers Conscience according as we say it should for if that were so his Rule there were a remedy and way to bring him to the Rule but his conscience judgement and phantasie touching the Rule that is by this Tenent made his Rule according to which he must be left freely to act without restraint The mischiefs necessarily following this if once cryed up we leave to such of our opposites sadly and seriously to consider of The Nature Power OF SYNODS The Second Question Quest 2. WHat be the grounds from Scripture to warrant Synods Answ In answer to this Question we shall propound to consideration three Arguments from Scripture and five Reasons Arguments Argum 1 Taken from Acts 15. An orderly Assembly of qualified Church-messengers Elders and other Brethren in times of controversie and danger concerning weighty matters of Religion for the considering disputing finding out and clearing of the truth from the Scripture and establishing of Peace amongst the Churches is founded upon Acts 15. But a Synod is an orderly Assembly of qualified Church-messengers Elders and other Brethren in times of controversie and danger concerning weighty matters of Religion for the considering disputing finding out and clearing of the truth from the Scriptures and establishing of peace amongst the Churches Ergo A Synod is founded upon Acts 15. Distin 1 For the confirming of this Argument three distinctions are to be premised and some Objections to be satisfied The first distinction is for the clearing of the question the other with the satisfaction to the Objection for the clearing of the Text. The necessity of Synods is either 1 Absolute 2 Respective Synods are not necessary Absolutely i. e. unto the being but respectively i. e. unto the wel-being of Churches Distin 2 In this Synod some things are first Extraordinary and not Exemplary some whereof were certainly so and the rest may seem to be so unto divers As 1 The Quality of some of the Members sc Apostles v. 6.23 2 The Stile v. 28. 3 The manner of the Imposition of their Sentence as immediately and politically binding at least as some Expound the place 4 The Object upon whom they imposed the keeping of their Decrees viz. absent Churches vers 23. chap. 16.4 some of which were neither called nor had ordinary Members or Messengers there Others were Ordinary ergo Exemplary as 1 The publick meeting of Church-messengers Elders and other Brethren 2 The propounding of matters to be considered 3 The disputing of them v. 7. 4 The joynt resolutions of the questions out of and according to the Scriptures v. 15 16. 5 The declaration and delivery thereof unto the Churches to be accepted of and kept by them Acts 16. v. 4. 6 Order in all The Apostles were Elders and Members of every Church ergo here were assembled Elders and Messengers of all Churches ergo in some respect it may be called an universall Counsel Distin 3 Hence look upon what was extraordinary so it may warrant the greatest Counsel look upon what was ordinary therein and so it warrants the smallest Counsel In this Synod are to be considered the Substantials Matter and Forme Circumstantials Constantly such as necessarily accompany every Synod Occasionally which accompany the Synod pro hic nunc i e. according to the circumstances of this time and this place That which is commanded as continually binding Acts 15. is the circumstantials of a Synod the constant circumstantials and such occasionally as are to edification pro hic nunc These two last distinctions rightly applied may satisfie many lighter Objections which we shall not therefore trouble the Reader with Argum 2 Taken by proportion from Gal. 2.2 If in times of Controversie about weighty matters of Religion the Assembling together of Apostles who knew the truth before they came on to the Synod and one of them was greater than all particular Churches was needfull for the testifying to the carrying on of the truth which is lesse than the finding out testifying to carrying on of the truth if warranted out of the Scripture then the Assembling together of Churches by themselves or by Church-messengers either of which is a Synod to the finding our testifying to and better carrying on of the truth is warrantable out of the Scriptures But in such times of controversie the Assembling together of Apostles one of whom was greater than all particular Churches for the testifying to and better carrying on of the truth is warranted out of the Scripture Gal. 2.2 Ergo In such times of controversie the Assembling together of Churches by themselves or by the Church-messengers either of which is a Synod for the finding out testifying to and better carrying on of the truth is warranted out of the Scripture The Argument proceeds from the greater to the lesser thus If the truth in times of weighty controversies had need of the help of the Assembling together of Apostles then in like times it hath much more need of the Assembling together of Churches If Apostles at such times had need of the help of other Apostles then Churches in like times had need of the help of other Churches Such Assemblies the examples whereof are recorded and approved in the Scripture are warranted out of the Scriptures Argum 3 But the orderly Assembly of the qualified people of God for the considering of matters of Religion in times of weighty controversies are such Assemblies the examples whereof are recorded commended in the Scriptures erg The orderly Assembly of qualified persons for the considering of matters of Religion in times of weighty controversies is warranted out of the Script Minor proved Ezra 7.14 Ezra inquires of the Lord id est consults of the worship of God 1 Chron. 13.2 David consults with the Congregation concerning the carrying of the Ark to its place 2 Chr. 30.2 Hezekiah had taken Counsel of all his Princes and all the Congregation on in Jerusalem to keep the Passeover in the second moneth The approved examples of the godly of imitable and usefull nature in practicall cases is a rule unto us Reason 1 From the Causes When the cause of a Synod remains there opportunity being had the warrantable use of Synods remaines But under the Gospel the causes of Synods remaine ergo Under the Gospel the use of Synods is warrantable The Causes of Synods are either preventing removing of or recovering from