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heaven_n	bind_v	earth_n	power_n	8,826	5	5.9330	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78612	A pretended voice from heaven, proved to bee the voice of man, and not of God. Or, An answer to a treatise, called A voice from heaven, written by Mr. Gualter Postlethwait, an unordained preacher, taking upon him to exercise the pastoral charge, in a congregation at Lewis in Sussex. Wherein, his weakness, in undertaking to prove all protestant churches to bee antichristian, and to bee separated from, as no true churches of Christ, is discovered; and the sinfulness of such a separation evinced. Together with, a brief answer inserted, to the arguments for popular ordination, brought by the answerers of Jus Divinum Ministerii Evangelici, in their book called The preacher sent. By Ezekiel Charke, M.A. and rector of Waldron in Sussex. Imprimatur, Edmond Calamy.	Charke, Ezekiel.	1658 (1658)	Wing C2069; Thomason E959_5; ESTC R207673	108,343	141

of Asia spoken of Rev. 2. 3. chap. were Presbyterial Churches consisting of divers Congregations which appears because 1 The Cities in the which they were planted were great Cities Ephesus was the head of Ionia the greatest market of all Asia famous among the Heathen for the Temple of Diana and there the Apostle Paul spent his labours for three years together Act. 20.31 Laodicea was one of the greatest Cities in all Phrygia famous for traffick The rest were also famous Cities and of great command Therefore 't is not probable that there was but one single Congregation of Christians in each 2 There was a great number of Teachers in each of these Churches To the Angel of the Church write so begins every Epistle Now 't is apparent from several places in these Epistles that there was more than one Minister in each Church and therefore this Angel must mean either a Colledge of Pastors in each Church or a President over that ruling society as the leading man in all acts of publike concernment and Church-government The former seems most probable and is proved by Smectymunus from Rev. 2.24 But unto you I say and to the rest in Thyatira 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. where the Angel is bespoken in the Plural number as distinct from the members In Ephesus alone in Pauls time the Elders appear to have been so many as were more than needed for one single congregation Act. 20.25 36 37. Yee all shall see my face no more Hee prayed with them all They all wept sore these three all 's imply that they were very many And the Church is called all the flock vers 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which argues that there were several charges for them to attend upon So in Pergamos there were divers Pastors for there were divers erroneous teachers three some teaching the doctrine of Balaam Rev. 2.14 Some that of the Nicholaitans vers 15. and what more likely than that they did it in several Congregations and others holding fast Christs name who were so many that they are required to purge out those erroneous ones Therefore 't is not probable that they were all over one single congregation onely The like may bee said of the rest of those Churches that are exhorted to deal in a disciplinary way with false teachers There were very many Pastors in them and consequently several Congregations on which they attended 3 The Holy Ghost hints clearly that these Churches were Presbyterial consisting of divers Congregations when hee calleth each of them first a Church and then Churches Rev. 2.1 7. 8.11 12.17 18.29 So Rev. 3. Each of these bodies is called Churches as it was made up of divers congregations under their proper Pastors and yet but one Church as these congregations were combined and subjected together to the government of all the Elders in common These two Chapters well weighed would put an end to divers controversies among us about the Discipline of the Church For 1 Hence Christians might bee convinced that Church-power was never committed to the people but to Church-officers only The Angels only are censured for neglect and ill administration of Government in the Churches and praised for and exhorted to the due exercise of Discipline 2 Hence a combination of the Officers of divers congregations united to govern them in common may bee evinced The Elders in Pergamos sound in the faith must in a disciplinary way hinder the Balaamites and Nicholaitans from teaching their errors in the assemblies of Christians there 3 Hence appears that the spirit of the Prophets is not subject to the people but to the Prophets onely The Angel of each Church the Church-officers must try the Prophets and those that say they are Apostles Rev. 2.2 Let us now consider how Mr. P. proceeds p. 29 30 31 32 Classical Churches are put in the room of Episcopal Churches by the effectual working of the mystery of iniquity These are combinations of congregations united by subjection to one and the same Court of Elders chosen out of the whole to govern them These are pressed so far as to take away power of government and exercise of Ecclesiastical Discipline from the Congregations For they appropriate power of Government to the Eldership This agrees not with the institution Matth. 18.18 When Christ saies whatsoever yee binde on earth c. doth hee not include the offending brother Christ promised the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven unto Peter as unto a lively confessour of him and did not therein look on him otherwise I have already given in reasons to manifest Gospel Churches in Primitive times to have been Classical and more shall bee said to it upon your next paragraph The first branch of your charge against those that are for them I shall now consider which is that they appropriate the power of Government and exercise of Ecclesiastical discipline to the Eldership A sad crime beleeve it and as much to bee condemned as the appropriating of power of government in the Commonwealth to the Magistrate which by some passages in Mr. P's Book seems to bee in his judgement a crime too If the people can lay claim from Christs appointment to the power of the Keyes as to the Preaching of the Word administration of the Sacraments authoritative binding and loosing for the Keyes go together and were given to Peter together if these things belong to the Community in the Church wee shall confess our selves guilty in appropriating the power of government to the Eldership But though wee have looked much after it wee cannot discern any such grant and appointment of our Lord Christ the King of the Church And when I read such places as these Matth. 18.18 28.19 20. John 20.22 23. 21.16 Eph. 4.11 12. I cannot without offering violence to my reason imagine that they speak to and of the Community considering withall what express charges the Community have upon them from God to bee subject to those that are over them in the Lord as to their Governours Teachers Pastors Rulers c. But I will particularly consider the first of these Texts which is that Mr. P. urgeth for his cause and shew how little it makes for it That Mat. 18.17 18. speaks of the Church-Officers onely doth appear because it is spoken by Christ with reference firstly to the Jewish Church-governours than which there was then no other governing Church in being And this is the joint judgement of the Antients Ambrose Cyril Theodoret Gregory c. and of multitudes of later lights in the Church Melanchton Aretius Musculus Bucan Cartwright Parker c. and Mr. Fenner gives a reason of it from the words our Saviour useth viz. Publican Heathen and that otherwise the Apostles could not have understood Christ knowing then no other Church governing So that the Lord Christ manifestly alludes to the Jewish and gives from it a pattern to the Christian Church First the offending brother must bee dealt

with in a private way If this prevail not one or two witnesses are to bee taken the next time admonition is given If this work not on him then the Church is to bee told of it that is the Elders of the Church before whom among the Jews Ecclesiastical causes were brought first the Elders of that particular congregation then if need bee the associated Elders of combined Congregations for so among the Jews the Rulers of the Synagogue were first compl●ined to and then the great Ecclesiastical Court which was the Church representative and if the offendor will not hear them hee must bee excommunicated and accounted as a Heathen and a Publican And hee that is thus bound on earth if the thing bee duly done is bound in heaven Hence it appears that the Communities sharing in the power and act of binding cannot any way bee hence gathered without offering a manifest violence to the Text which Mr. P. doth to purpose and withall to all rules both of divine and humane Polity when hee makes not onely the community judges and Governours but even the offending brother a judge in his own cause Let us now draw an Argument from this Text to relieve Classes against his fierce assault If in this place our Saviour layes down a rule for the healing of all the grievances of his Church then by the Church here to bee complained to wee must understand not onely the Church governing of one Congregation but also the Church governing of many Congregations But in this place Christ laies down a rule for the healing of all the grievances of his Church therefore wee must by the Church here understand the Church governing even of many Congregations or the united Elders of several Congregations and Churches The minor is clear because this is the onely express Text wherein Christ did lay down a rule to his disciples for the healing of offences in his Church and I suppose none will say that Christs remedy is too short to reach the malady The consequence of the major is made out thus Not onely one Brother may offend another but the Elders one another one part of the Congregation the other the Congregation the Elders the Elders the Congregation and one or more Churches one or many Sister Churches Our sad experience proves this to bee a truth and it is also proved by Scripture-examples Now how shall such evils bee healed but by an appeal and application to a representative Church a Church governing so comprehensive as the case will require If a Church so comprehensive be not here meant then Christian Churches are in such cases left without remedy but that being not to bee granted it will follow that the Church governing here spoken of takes into its meaning an assembly or Church of Officers of many Congregations Leaving Mr. P. to consider this Argument I return to the point the holding of which hee chargeth upon us as a crime that the power of the Keyes belongs onely to the Eldership For which I shall cite the suffrages of Congregational Brethren themselves The Key of authority and rule saith Mr. Cotton is committed to the Elders of the Church Keyes p. 20. and so the act of rule is made the proper act of their office Common members saith Mr. Noyes are not to govern by suffrage with their Elders Temple measured p. 30 31 34 35 36 their consent is not absolutely necessary and is not authoritative The Ministerial Keyes were given to Peter as an Apostle Peter is made Matth. 16.18 19. oeconomus Ecclesiae and is evidently distinguished from the Church which Mr. P. denies and in saying that Christ in this speech looked on him no otherwise than as a lively confessor of him hee puts into every beleevers hands the power of the Keys for if I give unto thee respect Peter onely as a lively confessor of Christ it extends to every lively confessor of Christ and so every true Beleever is vested with power to preach administer the Sacraments and binde and loose authoritatively than which what is more absurd Again the Elders are Rulers Governours have power to command as superiours in authority judicial The Church is charged to obey them not to command to bee subject not to govern The Angels are rebuked for the corruptions of the Churches of Asia as if it had been in their power to prevent and redress things amiss Governours and to govern with coactive power are conjugates Are they not proper Governours which shall govern the people over which they are Governours onely when themselves list Keyes p. 47. In case saith Mr. Cotton a Church be troubled with errour or scandal and the same maintained by a faction among them now a Synod of Churches or their messengers is the first subject of that power and authority whereby errour is judicially convinced and condemned the truth searched out and determined and the way of truth and peace declared and imposed on all Churches Quid plura Do not our Brethren grant what wee say though in some places they make exceptions from their own grants in favour of the Community But one Objection is to bee removed Object Neither Matthew 18. nor any other place is to bee understood of a governing Church or a Presbytery because such a company is never called a Church in Scripture Mr. Noyes answereth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for any assembly in the New Testament Act. 19.39 and therefore is applicable to an assembly of Elders and the Presbytery is called the Congregation or Church in the Old Testament Numb 35.24 25. with Deut. 19.12 and our Saviour may well be supposed to conform his speech to the Old Testament Wee have shewed that 1 Cor. 14.23 calls clearly the Teachers the Church neither can Church bee otherwise understood in Matth. 18. but of a Presbytery or governing Church since the power of binding and loosing is ascribed to it which is no where granted to the Community as hath been said Let us now heed Mr. P's second assault or charge Secondly They exclude the single Congregations considered severally each one by it self from having an Eldership having power to exercise Ecclesiastick Discipline P. 32 33 34. But is it likely that go tell the Church should mean go tell the Elders of the combination It hath been proved that the Church of Jerusalem and Corinth were single Congregations and that of Corinth exercised ecclesiastick discipline But they stay not here but translate the power of Government to their Elderships subordinate one to another till they come to an oecumenical assembly Now if wee grant that single Congregations with their Elderships be excluded from the power of Government yet will it not appear from Scripture that there are any higher Elderships or larger combinations of Churches than those of the first form and first step from the single Congregations The Churches of Asia grant them collective Churches do severally receive of Christ the praise of their good and blame

5 Concerning the quantity of a Church that it may consist of divers Assemblies Mr. Hooker grants Survey part ● p. 129. that the Church of Jerusalem was so numerous that they must needs meet in divers Congregations Several dissenting Brethren have yielded that Corinth had more than one Congregation 6 Concerning the gathering of Members into Congregations Respect is to bee had to vicinity of habitation Mr. Borroughs Heart Div. p. 163. 169. according to the rule of Christ All beleevers who live in a place together ought so far as they can to joyn in one Church though they bee of different judgements and tempers The way of Christ all along in Scripture is that those in a place that are not more than can joyn in one should joyn together and make but one Church 7 Concerning the return of Church-Members from gathered Churches to their proper Pastors in the places of their Habitations Mr. Borroughs Heart div p. 165. Do you pray for and endeavour the putting on reformation to the uttermost and then see what they will do They have not yet declared themselves so joyned by any Covenant that they may not joyn with you 8 Against Separation from our Churches as no true Churches Mr. Cotton Way p. 111 112. Wee cannot but conceive the Churches of England were rightly gathered and planted according to the rule of the Gospel at first So that all the work is now not to make them Churches which were none before but to reduce and restore them to their primitive institution Congr Way cleared p. 14 Mr. Robinsons denial of the Parishional Congregations in England to bee true Churches was never received into any heart from thence to inferre a nullity of their Church-state Neither was our departure from them even in those evil times a separation from them as no true Churches Mr. Burroughs Heart div p. 163. Men must not separ●●● from a Church though there be corruption in it to gather into a new Church which may bee more pure and in some respects more comfortable Because wee never finde the Saints in Scripture separating or raising Churches in such a case and there would bee no continuance in Church-fellowship if this were admitted 9 Of Election and Ordination of Church-Officers Mr. Bains Dioces trial p. 84. If any fail in any Office the Church hath not power of supplying that but a Ministry of calling one whom Christ hath described that from Christ he may have power of Office given him in the place vacant Mr. Cotton Keys p. 21. Way p. 40 Ordination of Officers whether Elders or Deacons belongs to the Elders of the Church and is to be performed by prayer fasting and imposition of hands Mr. Hooker Surveys part 2. p. 76. Mr. Noyes p. 69. When Churches are rightly constituted and compleated the right of Ordination belongs to the Elders The act appertaines to the Presbyters when an Officer is invested in his place for of these it is expresly spoken 1 Tim. 4.14 It hath been proved that common Members may not ordain by themselves without Officers 10 Concerning the Ordination of the Ministers of the Church of England Congregational Brethren generally acknowledge the Ordination of our Ministers to bee valid and that they need not any new ordination nor those that have been ordained by them 11 Concerning the power of Synods Wee dare not say Mr. Cotton Keies p. 25. that their power reacheth no farther than giving of Counsell They have power by the grace of Christ also to command and injoyn the things to be beleeved and done Act. 15.28 In case a particular Church p. 47. bee disturbed with error or scandal maintained by a faction now a Synod of Churches or their Messengers is the first subject of that power and authority whereby error is judicially convinced and condemned and the way of truth and peace declared and imposed on the Churches See also Mr. Noyes Temple measured p. 56 57 58. Thus far and in several other particulars wee and the congregational Brethren are or at least were sometimes agreed And did they own what may bee from these principles inferred and practice what they lead to I doubt not but that wee should soon bee fully agreed But a generation of men are now Risen up who yet would be accounted one with these terming themselves Congregational also who call most if not all these principles into question and instead of tending to an accommodation raise and heighten our divisions proclaiming our Churches Ministry Government to bee Antichristian c. Among whom I have found my Antagonist laying about him to this end with all his might I confess I have dealt plainly with him but beleeve that my sharpest expressions fall short of his merit Reader consider and judge and the Lord lead thee with me and all his people into all truth So prays From my study in Waldron this 12th of August 1658. Thy Servant for Jesus sake EZECHIEL CHARKE The Table Sections 1 ANimadversions upon some passages in the Epistle concerning the Magistrates Power in matters of Religion Pages 1 Sections 2 Of Mr. P's Text and the interpretation thereof and inferences from it particularly of the coming out of Babylon and an Antichristian Church-state Pages 6 Sections 3 Of National Churches Pages 11 Sections 4 Of Parish-Churches Ministers maintenance the Churches of England the Witnesses and Separation Pages 13 Sections 5 Of Congregational Presbyterial Classical Churches and of the Church Catholick and Synods Pages 28 Sections 6 An Examination of Mr. P's Answers to the Objections hee mentions as made against his Doctrine of Separation and of his Reasons for Separation Pages 61 Sections 7 Of Mr. P's injunctions to the Magistrate and first concerning Parishes Parish-Temples and Patrons Pages 80 Sections 8 Of Tithes Pages 89 Sections 9 Concerning the Commissioners for approbation of publike Preachers Pages 101 Sections 10 Of Mr. P's Counsels and Directions for Reformation Pages 104 Sections 11 Of the Call of our Ministers Pages 106 Sections 12 A Question discussed Whether any unordained persons among us are lawful and compleat Ministers of the Gospel with an Answer to the six Arguments for Popular Ordination brought by the Answerers of Jus Div. Min. Evangelici in their Book called the Preacher sent Pages 110 Sections 13 Containing the Authors humble supplication to those in Authority for Reformation Pages 123 Sections 14 Of Mr. P's Conclusion abusing that of the Lord Du Plessis his book Pages 125 AN Answer to Mr. Postelthwaite's Book Entituled A voice from Heaven SECT I. Animadversions upon some Passages in the Epistle Concerning the Magistrates Power in matters of RELIGION CAn God indure to bee prescribed by Creatures shall man coine Laws for Rules of acceptable walking with God in spirituall Civil or Ecclesiastical things c. You are not ignorant that in Ecclesiastical things both for Doctrine and Discipline wee own no other Rule but the written Word of God by which both Magistrates and