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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90523	A defence of church-government, exercised in presbyteriall, classicall, & synodall assemblies; according to the practise of the reformed churches: touching I. The power of a particular eldership, against those that plead for a meere popular government, specially Mr Ainsvvorth in his Animadversion to Mr Clyft. &c. II. The authority of classes and synods, against the patrons of independencie: answering in this poynt Mr Davenport his Apologeticall reply, &c. and Mr Canne his Churches plea, &c, sent forth first by W. Best, and afterwards for this part of it, under the title of Syons prerogative royall. By Iohn Paget, late able and faithfull pastour of the Reformed English Church in Amsterdam. Hereunto is prefixed an advertisement to the Parliament, wherein are inserted some animadversions on the Cheshire Remonstrance against Presbytery: by T.P.	Paget, John, d. 1640.; Paget, Thomas, d. 1660.	1641 (1641)	Wing P166; Thomason E117_1; ESTC R16734	348,418	298

Christ from having a keye of power in the judgement of Ecclesiasticall causes Had he proved that the title of the Church belongs onely to a particular Congregation in the full assembly thereof and not at all unto a Synod then had it bene something to the purpose in the meane time nothing And that the minde of Augustine was otherwise it appeares by the great approbation which he (v) Epist ad Ianuar. Ep. 118. De Bapt. cont Don. l. 2. c. 3. gives unto the use and authority of Synods as being most wholesome in the Churches of God D. Whitaker (x) DePont Rom. q. 4. p. 484. 497 alledgeth often the presence of Augustine at divers Synods And it is recorded in the Acts of the third Councell of Carthage where Augustine was both present and subscribed with the rest unto the decrees which were then agreed upon (y) Magdeb. Cent. 4. c. 9. co 866 867. that there should be kept a yearely Synod unto which they were to repaire out of divers Provinces that those which having controversies with others being called unto the yearely Synod did refuse to come should be held guilty and be excluded from the communion or excommunicated And it is (z) Ib. Col. 870 c. noted further that the like decrees were made at another Synod held at Hippo the place where Augustine lived and that the same decrees were againe confirmed by another Synod at Carthage Hence it appeares that Augustine as well as others in his time did hold that the causes of particular Congregations were to be judged decided by another Ecclesiasticall authority out of themselves After Augustine he alledgeth Chrysostome whose name is also abused for confirmation of this opinion For I. Chrysostome in the place alledged viz. De Sacerd l. 3. c. 4. speakes of no such matter as he pretends In that whole third book I finde no one word against the authority of Synods And for the fourth chapter which Mr C. alledgeth there is in the best editions of Chrysostome no such chapter they are not at all distinguished into any Chapters and where there is a division of Chapters found yet there is no such matter to be found in that fourth Chapter Mr Canne it seemes never read the Authours he alledgeth for would he then have so falsely cited them II. Chrysostome is plaine for the authority of Synods For speaking of the honour due unto the Deputies or messengers of the Churches in Synods he saith the Apostle (a) In 2. Cor. 8.24 maketh his speech more terrible saying in the sight of the Churches He saith it for the glory of the Churches for their honour For if ye honour them ye shall honour the Churches which sent them c. And then he concludeth This shall be no small matter for great is the power of a Synod that is of the Churches III. When as a wrongfull sentence had bene given against Chrysostome being unjustly procured by Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria he then (b) Tom. 5. Epist ad Innocent appealed unto a Synod of many Bishops both before and after the sentence was pronounced The summe of his defence afterward was this that he was willing to be judged by a Synod And he complaines that his adversaries dealt with him contrary to the Ecclesiasticall Canons In those Canons it had bene oft decreed that there should be liberty of appeale unto Synods IV. When Bellarmine pleading for the Popes authority alledged the request of Chrysostome unto Innocentius Bishop of Rome desiring him to write for him that those things which were unjustly done against him might not prevayle c. Chamierus expounding the words of Chrysostome (c) Panstra Cath. Tom. 2. l. 13. c. 23 distinguisheth betwixt admonition and giving of sentence and shewes that Chrysostome desired an admonition should be given by Innocentius but that he exspected sentence from a Synod Chamier sayth this is confirmed to be his meaning because he appealed to the Synod c. And hereby he expressly and distinctly confesseth that Synods have jurisdiction to give sentence and not onely a liberty of admonishing V. When after this Chrysostome (d) Socr. Hist Eccl. l. 6. c. 14. having bene both deposed from his place and banished out of the city was yet called back by the Emperour from his banishment and was by the people desired to enter upon his ministery againe he professed he might not doe it untill his cause was further examined he proved innocent by greater judges or in a greater judicatory (e) Edit gr R. Steph. l. 6. c. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein he acknowledged a power of Synods not onely above a particular Congregation but also of one Synod above another as of a Generall Synod above a Nationall or Provinciall c. VI. The minde of Chrysostome touching Church-government may further be knowne to us by this that he (f) In Matt. 18. will have those words Tell the Church to be understood of the Presidents or Governours of the Church And againe speaking of Priests or Bishops the Ministers of the Gospell he thus describeth their speciall power (g) De Sacerd l. 3. Col. 508. Edit Basil It is granted unto them to dispense the things that are in heaven power is given unto them which God would not have to be given either unto Angels or Arch-angels For it was not sayd unto them Whatsoever ye binde on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Earthly Princes have also the power of binding but of the bodies onely But that binding by the Priests whereof I speake remaineth unto the soule commeth up to the heavens so that whatsoever the Priests doe below that God ratifyeth above the Lord confirmeth the sentence of his servants What els can you say this to be but that all power of heavenly things is granted unto them of God For the sayth Whose sinnes ye retaine they are retayned What power I pray you can be greater then this one The next perverted witnesse is Basil touching whom observe I. Their threefold false allegation in citing three severall bookes of his viz. Constit Monach. l. 4. 14. 6.2 7. c. 35. whereas Basil wrote onely one booke with such a title and as for the 4th 6 t 7th here mentioned by Mr C. there be none such What grosse dealing is this II. Suppose it was the Printers fault that these bookes were thus misalledged and that it was but Mr Cannes oversight to let them passe without correction yet even for that one book of Monasticall constitutions which Basil did write therein also is nothing to be found against the authority of Synods nor any such matter as Mr C. pretends It is a great forgery and abuse of the ancient Fathers thus to pretend the vaile of their authority for covering of errour when as the places pretended have not a word sounding to such purpose III. That Basil allowed

saying If thy brother sinne against thee c. so had Moses done before Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart c. As Christ requires not onely a simple telling of the fault but a * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 convincing of the offendour so had Moses taught Israel before * hocheach tochiach thoroughly to reprove or convince and not to suffer sinne upon a brother Mat. 18.15 with Lev. 19.17 As Christ in the same place to encourage unto this duety propounds the winning of a brother so the Lord in the old Testament shewes how the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life and how the wise doe winne soules Prov. 11.30 Thus farre it was no new rule The second degree of admonition was with witnesses If he heare thee not take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established Mat. 18.16 This is expressely taken from grounded upon the Policie of Moses who prescribed the same order for Israel Deut. 19.15 Hitherto therefore it is the same rule The third degree of admonition was by the Church being complained unto and told of the offence Mat. 18.17 This admonition was also observed in Israel whē as the Church or those Ecclesiasticall Governours which represented the Church either in Synagogues or as occasion required in superiour Judicatories did teach informe and admonish offenders before they gave sentence of their obstinacy and presumption Deut. 17.9 10 11. 2. Chron. 19.10 Herein likewise the same rule was prescribed And the word thus duely spoken in his place or * gnal ophnan on the wheeles of order in divers degrees of admonition that it might runne and prevayle was like apples of gold in pictures of silver Prov. 25.11 The censure which followed upon the contempt of these admonitions was Excommunication or rejection of the obstinate offender Mat. 18.17 This was no new kinde of censure seeing Excommunication was also an ancient ordinance a part of that Ecclesiasticall Policie under the old Testament yea described by the same phrase of ●●tting off Exod. 12.19 Num. 15.30 31. which is also used in the Gospell of Christ Gal. 5.12 As in Israel they had a censure of separating from the Congregation Ezra 10.8 so in the new Testament in an equivalent phrase the like judgement was signifyed by denouncing some to be accursed anathema or separate from the Church of God Gal. 1.9 And even in this text Mat. 18.17 the censure of excommunication being described by declaring men to be as Heathens Publicanes there is not onely a manifest allusion and respect unto the estate of the Jewes but a cōmandement of the same order for avoyding the obstinate by denying civill communion of eating drinking with excommunicates as they did unto the Publicanes Mat. 9.11 Luk. 15.2 and both religious civill communion both in publick private as they did unto the Heathen Act. 11.2 3. 21.28 29. neither could this rule be well understood without knowledge of the present practise of the Jewes in this behalf The confirmation of this censure is described in the rule of Christ by a threefold testimony and promise 1. That this judgement of the Church given on earth should be ratifyed in heaven either for binding or loosing Mat. 18.18 And so Moses setting life and death blessing and cursing the judgements of God before Israel calles heaven earth to record for confirmation to binde them to reverence those ordinances of God Deut. 30.19 4.26 2. As Solomon under the Law at the building of the Temple did by his prayer confirme Israel in hope of having their prayers to ascend from earth to heaven 1. King 8.30 31 32. so Christ here promiseth that the prayers of those which agreed touching any thing on earth should be granted in heaven vers 19. 3. As Iosaphat for the establishment of the Iudaicall Policie encouraged the Iudges with the promise of Gods presence assistance that the Lord would be with them in the matter of judgement that the Lord would be with the good 2. Chron. 19.6 11. so here Christ to encourage his servants in the observation of this order promiseth his presence to be in the midst of two or three gathered together in his name vers 20. Thus it appeareth from the enumeration of all the severall parts of this rule compared with the ordinance of God in the old Testament that this is no new rule Though there were many other Ceremoniall and temporary ordinances in the Law for the purging of sinne and uncleannes yet so farre as concernes this Rule Mat. 18. there is no new order prescribed herein here is nothing specifyed which was not taught before EVen those witnesses before alledged by Mr Canne and before him by Mr Ainsw doe testify the same they and others the most excellent servants of God the starres of the Churches subscribing unto this trueth and bearing witnesse with us unto this interpretation of Scripture and arguing divers wayes for the authority of Classes Synods from this place Mat. 18. and specially in this respect that it was no new rule Calvine speaking of this rule and of the Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction prescribed therein sayth plainly (e) Instit l. 4. c. 11. § 2. 4. Christus nihil hîc novum instituit c. Christ here instituted no new thing but followed the custome alwayes observed in the ancient Church of his owne nation whereby he signifyed that the Church could not want the spirituall jurisdiction vvhich had bene from the beginning c. And this he also applyes unto the jurisdiction exercised in Synods when he writes (f) Ibid. c. 9. § 2. If it be demanded what the authority of Synods is from the Scriptures there is no clearer promise extant then in this sentence of Christ Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Mat. 18.20 Againe in his exposition of those words Tell the Church he saith (g) Harm Evang. in Mat. 18.17 The quaestion is what he meanes by the name of the Church for Paul commands that the incestuous Corinthian should be excommunicated not by any choyse number but by the whole company of the godly 1. Cor. 5.5 6. and therefore it might seeme probable that the judgement is here referred unto all the people But because there was then no Church which had given the name unto Christ nor such a manner appointed but that the Lord speakes as of an usuall and received custome there is no doubt but that he alludes unto the order of the old Church even as in other places also he applyes his speech unto the knowne custome c. So therefore he now had respect unto the forme of discipline which was received among the Jewes because it would have bene absurd to propound the judgment of a Church which yet was not Moreover seing the power of excommunication among the Jewes was now in the

no new rule in the new Testament when the like order was established for going first unto the Eldership and seeking redresse of evill by them Mr Ainsw acknowledgeth that (v) Ibid. p. 451. the keyes of the kingdome of heaven are in more speciall manner given unto them and therefore in speciall manner ought they to be told and spoken unto for the reformation of evils seeing they were to guide and goe before the people as in other affaires so in administring the censures of the Church therefore ordinarily matters were to be brought unto them before they were brought unto the whole Congregatiō 11. As it is the ordinance of God in the new Testament 1. Cor. 5. accordingly the practise of the Reformed Churches in these countries that the more weighty affaires censures of the Church should not be administred without knowledge and consent of the body of the Church so that none is either received for a member of the Church or cast out by excommunication but they doe first tell the Church even the whole Congregatiō is solemnely publickly acquainted therewith liberty granted unto them to shew their assent or dissent therein so Mr Ainsw himself acknowledgeth that there was a like order in the old Testament The Scriptures which he alledgeth and his manner of arguing from them doth import so much Of Israel he saith (x) Cōmun of S. c. 18. § 8. Vnto all every of the Israelites was commended the care observation of all Gods statutes that neither all nor any of them man nor woman nor familie nor tribe should forsake the Lord nor suffer among them any root to bring forth gall and wormwood c. Deut. 29.18 So of the multitude of beleevers and people in the new Testament he writes in like manner that (y) Ibid. § 9. they were willed to exhort and admonish each other even the Officers of the Churches c. and to look that no root of bitternes sprung up and troubled them c. Heb. 12.15 c. Againe he saith (z) Ibid. c. 18. § 8. Even the leprous unclean though the tryall of them apperteyned to the Priests Lev. 13. yet all the children of Israel were to look that such were removed out of the host yea the care of the Priests purity in their administration apperteyned to all the people Levit. 21.1 8 24. And long after both in counsels in the redressing of publick evils and trespasses all Israel indifferently had their hand and presence as the Scripture sheweth 2. Chron. 30.21 23. Ezra 10.1 9 12 c. Then presently he parallels the course of the Churches in the New Testament with this supposed practise in the Old saving The Churches in the Apostles dayes had also the like right and liberty for the multitudes of beleevers were both beholders and actors in the common affaires c. Afterwards againe speaking of the rules of admonition of the censures of the Church he saith (a) Ibid. c. 22. § 12 p. 449. The keeping of which rules belongeth to all the Saints as the commandement directed of old to the children of Israel Num. 5.2 Levit. 19.17 and in the new Testament to all the brethren Church doth shew Matt. 18.15 1. Cor. 5. And thus by his owne confession yea even according to his owne opinion in respect of the Churches power and the peoples right there was no new rule given by Christ in Mat. 18. Whereas it is objected that the Jewish Synedrion (b) H. Barr. Resut of Giff. p. 76. by the institution of God was merely Civill c. that (c) D. Bilsō perpet gov ch 4. p. 21. Moses appointed neither Iudges nor Elders in Citie or Synedrion but they were Magistrates to execute the judgements of the law had the sword to chastise the body and punish with death c. The errour of this assertion hath bene shewed (d) Pag. 34 35.41 before from the Scriptures Deut. 17. 2. Chron. 19. From these places is the distinction of Civill and Ecclesiasticall judgements maintained by many learned Writers as (e) Conf. with Hart c. 6. div 2. p. 203 204. D. Rainolds (f) First reply to D. Whitg p. 192. Secōd reply latter part p. 152.153 Mr Cartwright (g) Counterp in part of Regist p. 490.491 Mr Fenner and the (h) Ibid. p. 522. Defender of him and most largely by (i) Diss de Gub. Eccl. p. 59. c. G. Bucerus As for H. Barrow he sufficiently resutes himself when he acknowledgeth that the Priests did beare the charge and had the deciding of all Ecclesiasticall causes Numb 18. Deut. 17. This they could not doe without judging of them therefore it appeareth hence that they had a double Synedrion one Ecclesiasticall the other Civill CHAP. VI. The third Argument taken from the practise of the primitive Churches in the Apostles times OUr third Argument is taken from the practise of the primitive Christian Churches after the Ascension of Christ from which we reason on this manner That government of the Church which is commended unto us approved by the example of the Apostles and Apostolick Churches is worthily to be embraced of us But the government of the Church by Synods which besides their counsell and admonition doe also with authority judge and determine the weightiest causes and affaires of particular Churches is commended unto us as is above sayd Therefore c. The Assumption of this Argument is proved I. By that holy assembly or Synod which is recorded Act. 1 15-26 wherein there was not onely counsell given but also an exercise of Ecclesiasticall power authoritie and that in such a busines as was of great and rare importance in the choyse of a new Apostle This Assembly was not an ordinary Congregation or particular Church but it was a Synodicall assembly and performed such a work as did not belong unto any one particular Church This appeares divers wayes I. In respect of the persons of whom this Assembly did consist and these againe of two sorts First of Apostles who being such persons as were not tyed unto any particular Church but had an universall charge Matt. 28.19 Rom. 10.15 18. This commission was unto them as much as if they had had a speciall delegation from many or all Churches so that their presence and concurrence was sufficient to make this Assembly in some measure as a generall or universall Synod These eleven Apostles having also a peculiar charge to be at this time at Ierusalem the place of this Assembly and to tarry there for a while Luk. 24.49 Act. 1.4 were by divine direction brought unto this Synod Secondly for other persons the Disciples that were present at this Assembly it appeares they were from divers places some of them from Galilee as the brethren of Christ there mentioned Act. 1.14 with Mat. 13.55 56. how many of them were inhabitants of Ierusalem or Iudaea it is not specifyed