militant redeemed body and mystical well neer of an equal breadth and latitude Not but that there may be and are many beleevers members of the mystical body who have little or no visible profession But it is enough to assert as truth that one and the same body is both invisible mystical and the saved body and also visible and clothed with a real sincere profession and that both these agree to the Catholick integral militant Church Though I deny not but that there be many hypocrites in this great body whose ministerial acts are valid But the Catholick visible Church in that latitude is not then both subject object and intended end of all Ordinances And I speak now of it Mr. H. I cannot think that Mr. R. takes the Catholick Church for the whole integral body Ans. It is mistaking charity of me Mr. H. that Church is meant 1 Cor. 12. in which God sets teachers helps ordinary officers firstly v. 28. But God sets not such in the integral body for they are set by the election of the people in particular congregations Acts 14. 23. 6. 5. Tit. 1. 5. Ans. This is my own argument but not rightly formed that Church is here meant in which the Lord hath respectively placed first Apostles and Teachers both Extraordinary and Ordinary Officers But God hath not set Apostles fixedly and firstly over congregations they being organs of the Catholick integral body and are sent to preach to Heathen who after were Churches As it is said Iacob served for a Wife to be married not married as yet who could not choose the Apostles as their pastors 2. Workers of miracles were not chosen by a single congregation noâ— such as had the gift of Tongues 1 Cor. 14. 22. Tongues are for a sign to them that believe not to them that believe not See the Divines on the place Miracles and Tongues were to perswade unbelievers and were not firstly set to congregations nor could have any imaginable election and call from them 3. The places as elsewhere is said prove not any thing to the point Mr. H. Arg. 2. In what Church Pastors are firstly set over them they have firstly and primarily pastoral power in dispencing acts of ruling and preaching But ordinary Teachers have not this over the Catholick visible Church Congregations may justly refuse to hear other Teachers then their own but their own may preach to them though they refuse to hear Ans. Every word is censurable 1. Apostles were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 firstly both in regard of dignity of Office and of Apostolick Universality sent to all Nations to preach not to a single congregation to exercise pastoral acts firstly over it as fixed Pastors 2. By a catholick Church Mr H. means sed suis musis solus canit a congregation Now if the Apostles be firstly set in the congregation in general they must be secondarily set in this individual congregation then must the ordinary Teacher be set before the Apostle who was often his sender in the individual congregation 3. The Proposition is false A pastor may tender the Lords Supper to hundreds of a sister-congregation but Mr. H. I hope will not say that a pastor is set over and firstly over hundreds of another congregation The Antecedent and consequence are both Mr. Hookers 4. It s false that ordinary Teachers have not power to exercise pastoral acts to those of other congregations Nor is it proved they cannot exercise pastoral acts over them because they cannot censure them It s an illogical consequence ordinary to Mr. H. The Apostles both as Apostles by miracles and the gift of Tongues plant Churches among the Heathen and as pastors they exercise ordinary pastoral acts to the Heathen in planting and preaching the Gospel to them but they could not draw out Church-censures against the Heathen yet remaining Heathen because of the incapacity of the object they could not cast them out who were not yet within 1 Cor. 5. 12 13. but this they could not do not through want of pastoral power over them 5. It s false that other Churches may justly refuse to hear other Teachers than their own For if their own be sick and dead or if other Teachers have an earnest suit and desire from their own officers and some one of the congregation they most unjustly refuse to hear and come under the guilt of despising Christ in despising his Messengers as Mat. 10. 40. Luke 10. 16. Ioh. 13 20. except the sense be He that receiveth not his own congregational pastor receiveth not me otherwise not A strange and new sense 6. If the flock refuse all their own pastors to hear them as being ravening Wolves they unpastor them and recall the official being which our Brethren say they gave them in election and so unjustly refuse to hear them and they cannot justly preach to them who so refuse to hear for they justly refuse aâ— Mr. H. teacheth Mr. H. God must either saith Mr. H have plâ—â—ed in all the Church Catholick Apostles Teachers which we say or then in some part of it onely And what is that part which is excepted Surely he intends not salvation to that part of the Church in the which he sets no Teachers Ans. At the common nature of a Corporation exists in all corporations so the congregation-nature exists in this or this congregation So if the nature of a Corporation be common to all and the King hath set Major and Common-councel in all and every Town Therefore the Major of one Town may rule in another So all States set Generals Colonels Captains in the Army The King sets Constables in all towns Sheriffs in all counties Because Constables are common to all towns therefore a Constable may exercise his office in another town Ans. 1. The Argument must run thus As the King hath set in England the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal the Lord Chief Justice the Sheriff the Constable in every County and Town so hath God set in his Church that is in the congregation first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers after that miracles then gifts of healings c. But the King hath set in England the Lord Keeper the Lord Chief Justice the Constable in every County in every Town how many Great Seals how many Lords of Chief Justice should then be in England And do not our â—ound Divines condemn in Papists the Argument from civil Government and honour due to persons in the point of the government of Gods House and of adoring of God in Images He is a stranger to Bellarmine Valentia Suarez Vasquez Tanerus c. and to our Divines Reynold Chamier Calvin Bucanus Tilenus Daneus Chemnitius Luther c. who knows not this 2. Neither major Proposition nor Assumption have any truth for hath God set the Apostles the planters and framers of Churches out of heathen societies in no Chair but fixed them to a congregational Pulpit onely The Apostles have care of all things
2 Cor. 11. 28. command Schismatick Churches 2 Cor. 10. 8. plant and lay the foundation of Churches as wise Master-builders Acts 16. 12. 13 14 15 16. 18. 7 8 9 10 1 Cor. 3. 6. 11. appoint new offices in the Church Acts 6. 6. Now if God have seated the Apostles in such a way in every congregation as ordinary Teachers are then the Apostles proper place must be onely to water and confirm visible converts and members of a fixed and framed congregation where then are the Apostles Letters Patents to build to plant to lay the foundation 3. When it s said as it must be or it comes not home the King hath placed in England the whole integral body of the Kingdom of England the Lord Keeper the Lord chief Justice the Constable as he hath placed in the Church Apostles and Teachers in the whole integral Church These extraordinary and ordinary officers it cannot be meant the King hath placed a Lord Keeper and a Lord chief Justice in every Town and City of England so neither hath the Lord placed an Apostle in every congregation upon the same account and he who is an Apostle in one congregation can no more be an Apostle in another than a Major of one City can be a Major in another and it must run so The State hath placed a General Colonels Captains in their Armies i. e. in every particular society of the Armies and so every company must have a General therefore hath the State set Generals Colonels Captains in their Armies in the plural number Now the State hath set but one General over all the Army as the Church is but one 4. If the Argument run thus As the Major of Norwich may not rule as Major of York so neither may a pastor in one congregation teach rule as a pastor in another congregation This is utterly false and it s an Argument like this As God hath confined Rulers to one society onely in the civil State so hath he confined the officers of his Sons House one word of Scripture to prove this should silence Mr. R. It s not lawful to devise parallels between the Civil State and Christs Kingdome Suppose all the Majors Rulers Citizens of all the Cities and Towns in England had the same divine right to command in all the Cities and Towns in England and that these Majors were Rulers equally and in common to all those Towns and that it were a matter of providential Order not of Divine Jurisdiction that A. B. should be fixed Major of Norwich and C. D. fixed Major of York and so forth then if C. D. by providence should be at Norwich he might rule as a Major at Norwich or any Town or City of England as well as at York and so is here the matter a called pastor is a pastor and may act pastorally and dispense the Seal of the Lords Supper to those of another congregation say our Brethren and so to another whole congregation for there is the same reason in both So all visible professors have the same divine Church-right to the same Christ the Head 2. To the same Gospel and Covenant of grace for dâ—stinct Church-covenants are mens lawless inventions as used by our Brethren 3. To the same Lords Supper 1 Cor. 10. 17. 4. To the same eternal life So Mr. H. shall gain nothing by this but lose for there is no such right civil common to civil Rulers and civil Citizens One Town hath City priviledges that no other Town in the Kingdom hath Mr. H. Right of Iurisdiction flowing from office-call a Pastor hath not save in his own congregation Ans. There must be one call or other for a Pastor to exercise his office but a new office or new right of jurisdiction other then pastoral which he received in ordination is not requisite for a pastor to act as a pastor Yea he sins against his office-charge and talent if in all congregations he do not preach the word be instant in season and out of season not at Ephesus only for an Evangelist such as Timothy was not an ordinary fixed Teacher if he do not reprove rebuke and exhort with all long-suffering 2 Tim. 4. 1 2. The danger of perishing of souls or the absence or removal of the Pastors by death is a fit call of God though the greater part of Sardis love not to be rebuked Mr. H. God hath set in his Church i. e. in the congregation existing in its particulars Apostles c. and therefore all congregations are here intended Ans. 1. By this God hath set Apostles Miracles in the single congregation whether as Apostles or as Pastors if the former speaking with Tongues working of Miracles which are for unbeleevers and heathen 1 Cor. 14. 22. shall be officers or gifts ordained for visible Saints converted By what Scripture 2. Though the Church exclude not the congregations but in some respects include them yet it is a body called Christ mystical v. 12. to which Christ is head by influence of his spirit and brings no small consolation to us as Beza Calvin Pet. Martyr who make this the Catholick Church 3. Whereas Mr. H. his single congregation of Magus and Iudas can hardly stand under the weight of that denomination Nor 4 can it well be said that great Apostles Prophets workers of Miracles such as speak with Tongues are eyes and ears fixed in single congregations for this is such an organical body v. 12 13 14 15 16 17. Never Interpreter neither Occumenius nor Augustine nor Beza Calvin Martyr Pareus nor judicious Papists Victorinus Carthusian Estius Cajetanus expound it as Mr. H. of a single congregation but of the Catholick Church saith Martyr of men of all nations saith Pareus though they dwell in divers places of the earth saith Pareus this is the mystical body saith Estius membra autem omnes fideles the members are all the faithful He proves saith Cajetanus omnes Christianos esse unum corpus Christi all Christians behold the Catholick Church to be the one body of Christ because they are all begotten into one Spirit by Baptism 4. The Church here is the Church all baptized into one body whether Iews or Gentiles whether Bond or Free which all drink the same drink in the Lords Supper Mr. H. In all these congregations are comprehended both Iewes and Gentiles for the whole nature of the General is comprehended in the Particulars Well and the Spirit that is in all the body must be one Genere and the drink in the Lords Supper must be one Genere and so must the Christ of which we partake be one Genere Hence there being many species and kinds of congregations different in nature there must be many Christs different in nature many Spirits many Bodies many Lords Suppers different in species and nature of which we partake Who ever heard in the Church of Christ many Christs many Baptismes Yet Mr. H. makes many congregations so
conversion or not conversion of members not because men may in no sort judge of the conversion of or non conversion of others for in these cases we may judge of the conversion of others 1. in order to speak to their spirituall state as converts or not Act. 17. 22. 1 Cor. 3. 1. 2 in the cases of duties of love suppose we erre upon the matter as Math. 10. 42. 1 Joh. 3. 14. 3 these that try intrants to the Ministery are to judge authoritatively whether they be converts to them or not 1 Tim. 3. 10. 2 Tim. 2. 2. but to judge so before their admission wants warrant of Scripture Pastors as pastors converted none yea according to the command of Christ are to intend to convert none at all by M. H. his way 4. Where M. R. teacheth that to be invisible members giveth onely right to the seales I know not 5. I teach indeed that the Church may of purpose receive in to the visible Church who are known members of the Catholick visible Church and manifestly gracious upon a purpose that they may in a particular congregation be confirmed not converted But that is nothing to our point but M. Hooker holdeth that pastors as pastors are called of God to convert no Church-members for they presuppose they were before converted hence I say 1. Pastors doe either as pastors called of God preach to Church-members to convert them 2. Or then as pastors called of God they doe not preach to Church-members to convert them This contradiction is inevitable If the former be said I gaine the point and M. Hooker must yeild the cause If the latter be said Then must pastors as pastors called of God preach to Church-members as some other officers either as ruling Elders which confoundeth the preaching Elder and the not preaching Elder contrary to the 1 Cor. 12. 28. 1 Tim. 5. 17. or 2 as Doctors which again confoundeth the teaching and the exhorting Elder contrary to Rom. 12. 7 8. Ephes. 4. 11. or 3 as Deacons which is popish for deacons serve tables but attend not to word and prayer Act. 6. 2 3 4. or they preach to them as private Christians and unofficed persons upon an intention to convert Church-members for if only they preach as pastors to confirme them not to convert them they doe not fulfill their Ministery which they have received of the Lord in all poiâ—ts as they should Colos. 4 17. then they use not the word as pastors for all uses for reproofe for correction for instruction for righteousnesse 2 Tim. 3. 16. nor doe they as pastors preach in season and out of season by reproving rebuking exhorting 2 Then must all pastorall feeding formally be in confirming only not in feeding nor begetting to Christ nor in restoring the lost nor in bringing againe the driven away nor in all these five points Ezek. 35. 4. which are ascribed to Christ who feedeth in his sent pastors ver 15. 16. Micah 5. ver 4. nor in delivering the sheep from the Lion and the wild beasts Now this distinctions should be proved from the word of truth 2. Then Pastors as watchmen give not warning of the sword and of dying in sin as Ezech. 3. 16 17 18 19 20. Ezech. 33. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 c. but as unofficed men and private Christians But that way all the citizens of the city shall be made watchmen which the Prophet Ezechiel and Ieremiah condemn Ierem. 23. Ezech. 33. But it may be said if Pastors as Pastors must instruct gain-sayers of the truth as 2 Tim. 2. 25. then may gain-sayers of the truth be Church-members but the latter is absurd Answ. It followeth not this onely followeth Pastors may instruct gain-sayers and unconverted men and intend their conversion in a Church-way by preaching and otherwayes viz. as pastors but if these gain-sayers were Pagans and visible opposing Jews they are not Church-members nor can they be admitted while they remain such CHAP. IX Mr Hookers second Inference MIstakes in judgment and practice do not hinder men from being visible saints Answ. It is too loosely spoken without further explanation All heresies that are works of the flesh as Socinianisms c. are called mistakes in judgment and this may infer toleration of all Religions and that men corrupt in their judgment may be truly godly wheras soundness in the faith is a special part of godliness nor can a good conscience and a sound faith be separated see Mr Gillespie Miscellanie quest chap. 12. pag. 142 143. and consider whether then most of the Sectaries of our time may not be members of visible Churches at least such a weighty point in one word should not have been determined nor can it be a sound inference Third Inference The holding of the visible Churches in England to be true Churches suppose it were an errour as it is not doth not hinder men from being fit matter for a visible Church Answ. If it be no errour to say that the Churches of England are true Churches then is it true and why is it then unlawful to enter in Church-fellowship with them the contrary of which Mr H. proveth par 1. ch 12. pag. 32 33. 2. Why doth Mr H. teach that the seals ought not to be gven to Church-members of old England of approved piety except they be inchurched their way this saith that Mr H. holdeth that all that are not inchurched their way are no Church-members Whether Mr Rutherfurd doth unjustly â—mpute to Separatists that they hold that onely such as are effectually called justified and sanctified to be the onely matter of a rightly constituted Church Mr Hooker par 1. ch 2. pag. 20 21 22 c. complaineth of Mr Rutherfurd that he dealeth not fairly and candidly with the brethren of the separation and others and saith that they teach that onely internally justified ones are the matter of the true visible Church and he alledgeth passages out of Mr Ainsworth and Mr Robinson who though they speak in too narrow expressions yet mind no such thing for then they should be all chosen and elected that are members of the visible Church which in words they openly deny Answ. I am conscious to my self of nothing but a fair and Christian dealing with these godly men against whom I writ and all that Mr H. bringeth citations from Mr Ainsworth and Mr Robinson I acknowledge in words saith the contrary of what I alledge and I know it to be so but is it any thing against pious moderation that I prove that their arguments contradict their conclusion and that one place of M. Robinson contradicteth another is it against pious moderation that Chamier Pareus Iunius Amesius object to Bellarmine and to Papists though I judge there be some difference in the matter contradictions that they writ things contrary to their own grounds and to things which they in open words perempâ—orily deny as Mr Hooker speaketh pag. 21 I confess if I make these
the complete object of Christs intent 2. The complete and adequate matter of his work and soul-travel on his incarnation dying rising ascending interceding giving of the holy Spirit Luke 19. 10. 2. 10. 1 Ioh. 2. 2. 1 Tim. 1. 15. Rev. 1. 5 6. Heb. 7. 25. Ioh. 16. 7. Isa. 53. 11. 3. The onely complete recipient and principal subject of all the gracious and saving actings of Christ of Church-callings of the Promises Covenant preached 5. By this the congregational body may say I have no need of thee Obj. Yea I have materially need of thee for counsel rebuke Ans. But is Body-need Organ-need and Church-need that Paul speaks of 1 Cor. 12. 26. Peters body hath no Organ-need of Pauls feet to walk for he hath two feet of his own but he may have physical need of another kinde So the Congregation hath need of Heathens to rebuke them but this is no Church-need 6. Paul 1 Cor. 12. would have no schism in the body but would have the Churches to have the same Church-care one of another and not to be divided in one Faith one Baptism one Church-head one Church-Gospel c. which must be if I be not a member of all congregations 7. We are to suffer one with another rejoyce one with another but no Church-feeling is required of me if I and those of another congregation be not of the same visible body by vertue of the fellow-feeling between the members the Apostle cannot speak of a natural compassion for humanity will teach Christians to mourn at the destruction of Heathens but they are not for that of the same body of Christ with us But as all these prove that there is a visible body of mâ—â—y congregations and so that there is a Catholick integral visible body So we thus argue If the Church-actings and sufferings and rejoycing condition of those of associated Churches be visible and audible to us no less than the Church-actings and sufferings and rejoycing condition of the single congregation whereof I am a member then must the one be a visible Body and Church as well as the other But the latter is true The Proposition is clear for if the properties and accidents be visible the subject is visible because this is the formal reason why a congregation is visible for we see not the spirits and faith in the hearts of the single congregation but we see their profession in single persons and their meetings in one place for hearing praying praising and partaking of the seals Now all these we see in three or four or six meetings or conventions of the Churches associated which shall but make one numerous congregation of ten thousand as the dissenting Brethren said of the Church of Ierusalem and we see them severally meet as we see the Church of our own single congregation As for their poverty sickness imprisonment and the sufferings of these of the same congregation of which we are members we see not these in Church meetings but in single members and these must be visible in many congregations as the famine in Iudea for which Paul made a collection as well as in one From all this its clear that it is false which Mr. H. saith That all particular Churches are all the members that the Church visible hath For Apostles godly sojourners dissolved members are not members of congregations not are they congregations themselves and yet they are members of the visible integral Catholick Church CHAP. XXVI Other Arguments against the Church-Covenant are vindicated Mr. H. Mr. R. plainly affirms That when one enters a member of such a Congregation under the Ministery of A. B. he cometh under a new relative state by an implicitâ— or virtual covenant pag. 95. which is cross to that which was affirmed pag. 92. Ans. Mr. H. cites not my words to the full I deny not but he that enters a fixt member of a congregation comes under a new relative state of a virtual covenant and so does he that enters a member of a Christian Army of a Family of a Society in a Ship But the state of the question is not touched for the state of the question is not Whether this new Covenant make the adjoyner a member of the visible Church where as he was no visible member before that is whether a born Englishman by being made a citizen of London was made an Englishman and a born Subject of England whereas he was not a born Subject before 2. Whether doth this New-covenant give him right and claim to Church-ordinances and seals of the Covenant of grace so as without it the man hath no right at all to Ordinances Sure it s a great sin to lay more weight on either the Temple or the Ark than God hath laid on them But this Covenant so used is a fancy Mr. H. A Church newly erected becomes a sister-Church with others yet she needs not a new Covenant saith Mr. R. to accomplish it Ans. No certain our Covenant once entred all the relations that depend thereupon are included in the first Covenant A woman once being married all duties to the husbands kindred results from the Marriage-covenant there is no need of a new Covenant Ans. Yea but a Church newly erected becomes as really a part of a Synodical body that is really obliged to engage for association saith Mr. H. and it s both lawful and useful as a person becomes a member of the single congregation And officers are no less married to Synodical duties by the light of nature and right reason saith the same Mr. H. than single persons are married to congregational duties therefore a covenant is as necessary in the one as in the other magis minus non variant speciem if there be a marriage here officers are more married to the associated Churches in general as to the complete correlate than to the single and inadequate correlate the bit of a single congregation 2. A man born in the Covenant of grace and baptized is engaged in all duties Mr. H. The Apologie said It s not the Rule of the Word touching Man and Wife Magistrate and Subject that makes people in such a state but the Covenant thus stands unanswered by Mr. R. Ans. This is for me but he being born in the Gospel-covenant and baptized to all Churches he is a son a married member to all congregations 2. Mr. R. constantly denied the naked comparison as blasphemous and Popish the Church is Spouse to no sinful man Pope or any other Enaristus The Councel of Carthage of Sardis of Antioch so judge That the Bishop is the Husband the Church his Wife Innocentius the III. As Almighty God hath left the Marriage-covenant to be dissolved by his own judgement onely so let not the Bishop leave his Church But Calvin and Luther say The Lord is the Husband of the Church So Bullinger Musculus Gualther 2. It makes communion between the Pastor and those of
have as primarily intrinsecally immediately in their sphere and orb the Keys due to them according to the proportion of the associated body as the whole integral-Catholick Presbytery and Church hath whether in an Oecumenick Councel or out of it It is then a wide mistake in Mr. H. to tell us If an Oecumenical Councel be the first subject of the Keys as it is not that there can be no act of power in ordaining of Ministers in excommunicating of delinquents but by vertue of an Oecumenical Councel giving their influence first to that work For if the meaning be as it must be that a General Councel must prove an act and put forth some actual Mandate commanding such a man to be ordained an officer such a delinquent to be excommunicate else the Churches cannot proceed for to take Mr H. his own comparison Richard or Ioshua cannot be a man or apt to laugh except the abstract nature of man give in his influence to the work And since Mr. H. and his Brethren make the male-congregation abstracted from this or that congregation the first formal subject of the whole power of the Keys what influence I ask doth the so abstract congregation give to the work of Ordination and Excommunication in a particular congregation Abstracted natures do not send abroad mandates to all the congregations all the world over before they can ordain censure or excommunicate If it be said this agrees to the nature of a congregation in general to ordain and excommunicate but there needs no other actual influence of a command to come from the congregation in general to this individual congregation for their using of the Keys True there needs not by the like that any mandate pass from the Oecumenick Councel in general to this or that individual Oecumenick Councel in the exercise of its Synodical acts But saith Mr. H. if the Oecumenick Councel be the first formal subject of the power of the Keys then inferiour Courts cannot ordain nor excommunicate without a warrant and actual command from them Ans. This is feeble for beside that the Oecumenick Councel is not at all any such formal first subject as is said it s a naughty consequence for though power of life and death be in King and Parliament as in the first subject it follows not that an inferiour Judge or free City cannot put to death notorious Traitors and Murtherers all England over without the influence of some actual Mandate from King and Parliament to the putting to death of every Traitor So when Christ gave power of Word Seals and Censures to the Apostles as representing all officers say we or as representing all believers saith Mr. H. it follows that officers and the male-Church cannot administer Word Seals Censures without the influence of a new actual command from the Apostles who did represent all such to whom Jesus Christ gave the Keyes by this arguing of Mr. H. Nor does Mr. H. his first deduction follow that if a General Councel be such a subject as it is not that therefore the existing of such a Councel is as necessary as the well-being of the Church For a Parliamentary power is necessary for England yet suppose by war and other invincible impediments a Parliament could not meet for divers years yet neither power nor exercise of Justice do cease So here Synodical power may be and by the care of the Lord of his House is continued in lesser Assemblies though such Councels exist not But 2. the Antecedent being true the Consequence is null Nor is the power of the Keyes in its latitude as is said either firstly or onely and so not perfectly in this Councel but firstly and intrinsecally in the whole integral Presbytery all the earth over Nor is it necessary that this General Councel though it were the first subject of the Keys always attain all its end in the use of the Keyes For the male-Church void of Pastors cannot attain all its end to wit the pastoral preaching the dogmatick and official sentencing of delinquents the right tendring of the seals yet is the male-Church the onely formal subject of this power to Mr. H. Mr. R. said well that a General Councel can hardly excommunicate a whole National Church for it could hardly be known to them but many are not obstinate in the National Heresie and Scandal who through weakness and fear of persecution dare not confess And it s enough that a National Church may be declared to be no Church as Moses removed the Tabernacle and pitched it without the camp Exod. 33. 7. and Paul turned away from the blaspheming Jews Acts. 13. 45 46. and yet neither the one nor the other is the excommunicating of a National Church for the word of the Covenant remained in the Nation of the Jews after Paul and Barnabas turned from them and preached to the Gentiles Iam. 1. 1. Heb. 1. 1. 3. 6. 10. 25. 1 Pet. 1 1. 1 Ioh. 1. 1. 2. 1 2. Nor is our Brethrens new censure of non communion of Churches so warrantable For 1. The removing of the Candlestick seems to be a judgment inflicted onely by Jesus Christ and they who declare such a society to be no Church must have the warrant of Christ going before and really removing the Gospel For if the Word the contract of marriage and seals remain there in their substance they can only the profession thereof not ceasing declare them an impure and corrupt Church but not to be no Church 2. The doctrine or practise of a Church may be erroneous hurtful and destructive to holiness as that of Pergamus and Thyatira and they defend it and yet remaining sound in other points they cease not to be a people in covenant with God and they cannot be declared no Church and the Ministerial acts of baptizing invalid and to be reiterate as is clear in the Church of the Jews though Idolatrous and in the Scribes and Pharisees corrupt the same way in practise and doctrine whom Christ commandeth to hear Mat. 23. 1 2. far more for a sinful act of Jurisdiction leave they not off to be a Church 3. How can it be clear to a sister-Church that there are not there the Church being above a thousand or many Churches for many Churches may be unchurched as well as one a few names that out of weakness onely are silent at the sinful doctrine and practise of the Church 4. It s hard to say the Church of Rome in which there are the matrimonial Tables the Old and New Testament valid Baptism and Salvation to a covenanted people by the fundamentals preached is no Church though communion with such a Whore be unlawful Mr. H. If the Churches refuse the sentence of Excommunication inflicted by the Court Oâ—cumenical it can never prevail to attain its end Ans. Ergo its unlawful It follows not the Churches the person excommunicate refuse to abstain from the society of one