an offence before God to despise the church Yea saith our Saviour with a grave asseveration Verily I say unto you they that despise the sentence of you the Ministers of the Gospel being according to truth given out they and their sinnes shall be bound in Heaven Erastus saith he is said to bind who doth retaine the sinne when he maketh the obstinate brother unexcusable and he looseth who remitteth or pardoneth the injury and gaineth to repentance his brother by a brotherly admonition for except he speake of a brotherly composing of private injuries to what end should Christ subjoyne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Again I say to you if two agree c. Answ 1. Christ doth argue from the lesse to the more he proveth what the Church bindeth on earth shall be bound in Heaven because if the prayers of two or three gathered together in the name of God and agreeing together on earth are not rejected in Heaven farre more shall that be ratified in heaven which the whole church of Christ decreeth on earth in the name of the head of the Church Iesus Christ 2. When in the chapter going before Christ had ascribed to the Apostles and Pastors which are the eyes of the Church a power of the keyes and here he ascribeth to them the power of binding and loosing there was no cause to dreame that he speaketh here of a private forgiving of private finnes betweene Brother and brother for then he might have said at the first step Thou hast gained thy brother that gaining or convincing of thy brother shall be bound or loosed in heaven no lesse then the Churches judiciall binding and loosing in heaven which yet is set downe as an higher degree of power But I may here say with Beza in the whole Scripture the word of binding and loosing is never spoken of any other but of these who are in publike places and by a borrowed speech here it is spoken in regard of Spirituall power To bind and to loose is by a judiciall power in subordination to Christ the King to remit and retaine sinnes So Iosephus saith the Pharisees ruled all so that they would banish or recall from banishment loose and binde whom they pleased and upon the Authority according to the which Christ sent his Disciples as the Father sent him so he instructed his Ministers with power to remit and retaine sinnes Ioh. 20. 23. and Mat. 16. 19. What thou bindest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on earth shall be bound in heaven what thou loosest on earth shall be loosed in heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So doth Lucian bring in that prisoner speaking to Iupiter Loose me O Iupiter for I have suffered grievous things Mat. 22. 13. Then the King said to his servants take him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 binde him hand and foot binding here you see is done by the command of the great King Acts 21. 11. So shall the Iewes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 binde Paul they bound Paul with Law and authority such as it was Iohn 18. 12. The Captaine and Officers tooke Iesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and bound him they bound him not by private authority Mat. 27. 2. and Act. 24. 27. Felix left Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bound if Lictors binde any Malefactors they doe it by authoritie and Law So do the Hebrews speake Psal 105. 20. The Ruler of the people loosed him Psal 102. 20. The Lord looketh downe from heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to open or loose the children of death Psal 146. 7. The Lord looseth the Prisoners Iob 12. 18. 3. It cannot be denyed but when one private brother pardons another repenting Brother God ratifieth that in heaven But it is cleare the pardon here holden forth by our Saviour is such a loosing as hath witnesses going before 2. Such an one as cometh higher to the knowledge of the Chuuch Nor doth the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again signifie any thing but pretereà moreover 4. And who can say that binding and loosing here is some other thing then binding and loosing in the Chap. 16. ver 9. Where the same very phrase in the Greeke is one and the same except that the Lord speaketh Mat. 16. 19. in the singular number to Peter as representing the teachers and Governours of the Church and here Mat. 18. He speaketh in the Plurall number relating to the Church Now Mat. i6 i8 19. binding on earth and loosing which is ratified in heaven is evidently the exercise of the power of the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven I will give to thee the keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven What be these keyes he expoundeth in the same very verse and whatsoever thou shalt binde on earth shall be bound in heaven whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven then binding and loosing on earth must be in these to whom Christ hath committed the power of the keyes but 1. Christ hath not committed the keyes to all but to Church-rulers that are the Stewards of the House and the dispensers of heavenly Mysteries Hence the keyes in Scripture signifie authority and officiall dignity that is in Rulers not in private men as Esa 22. 22. And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder So Christ is said to have the key of David to open and no man shutteth to shut and no man openeth By which out of doubt saith Camero is pointed forth the kingly authority and power of Christ so saith Vatablus And our owne Calvin Musculus Gualther Piscator Beza Pareus agree that the keyes are insigne potestatis an Ensigne of power given to the Steward or Master of a Noblemans house who is a person in office The giving of the keyes saiâ—h worthy Mr. Cotton is a giving power for the preaching of the word the administring of the seales and censures by which these invested with power doe open and shut the gates Now we desire any Word of God by which it can be made good that the keyes and power to binde and loose is given to all that are in the house even private Christians But we can shew the Keyes and binding and loosing and opening and shutting to be given to the Officers and Rulers of the house Hence I argue that interpretation that confoundeth the key-bearers and the Children with the Servants of the House and the Governours that are over the people in the Lord with the governed and putteth the Characters proper to the Officers and Stewards conâ—usedly upon all that are in the house is not to be holden but this interpretation is such Ergo c. also to binde and to loose is expounded by Christ Ioh. 20. 21. to be a power to retain and remit sins on earth which are accordingly retained and remitted in Heaven and that by vertue of a calling and Ministeriall mission according to which the Father sent Christ Jesus and Iesus Christ
1 Cor. 5. 12. Ergo their being Members of the Church is not enough to admit them to the Lords Supper except they be to the Church otherwise qualified and fitted for it And this doth clearly evidence That the word of the Kingdom may ought to be Preached to many within the Church that they may be converted to whom the Supper is not to be dispensed that they may be cōverted which is enough for our point to exclude promiscuous admission of all to the Supper and to prove some other qualification must be requisite in those that come to the Supper before the Ministers without violation of the holy things of God and being guilty of not distributing aright can administer the Supper to them and this is another visible qualification then is requisite in those that hear the word For Erastus and Mr. Prynne require That all that come to the Supper be rightly instructed 2. That they promise amendment of life But they cannot say none are to be admitted to hear the word while they be qualified thus you exclude the ignorant from the Sacrament do you exclude the ignorant from hearing the word Farther I desire to be resolved why Erastus and his require any qualification at all in the one more then in the other according to their way For suppose persons Baptized be only negatively blamelesse and not visibly scandalous yet Erastus and Mr. Prynne cannot deny the Supper to such Suppose they know not whether they be as ignorant of God as Indians and suppose they promise no amendment and do positively professe no repentance at all 1. Ministers can deny no converting Ordinances to persons because ignorant for if the Supper of the Lord be a converting Ordinance it shall convert men from their ignorance and an Indian ignorant of Christ ought to be Baptized to the end that Baptisme may convert him from his ignorance Now I think our Brethren cannot say this and therefore they must yield that Ministers dare not admit all within the Church to the Seals except they would be guilty of their sin in eating to themselves damnation and yet they dare not debar the ignorant within the Church from hearing the word and so are no way compartners with them in the sin of unprofitable hearing 2. Mr. Prynne may here see some ignorants debarred from the Lords Supper yet I hope he would not be so rigid as to Excommunicate all ignorants because ignorant the most rigid Novatians would condemne that and here is sole suspension without Excommunication which Mr. Prynne saith is not to be found in all the word of God I wondred much when I read those words of the learned and reverend Master Prynne That God who bestoweth no Ordinances on men in vaine must intend in instituting the Supper that visible morall unregenerate Christians may be converted thereby as well as reall Saints be confirmed to which I reply 1. Neither word nor Sacraments nor any thing on the part of the Almighty can be intended in vaine though the end of the Ordinance be not obtained I should have expected some such divinity from the pen of Arminians and Socinians who make God to intend the salvation of all and every one in both the promises of the Gospel precepts and Sacraments and yet he falleth from this end so you may read in Arminius Anti-Perkins pag. 60. that God is disappointed in his end in both Law and Gospel and God shooting beside his mark misseth the salvation of many say the Remonstrants at the Synod of Dort pag. 216. and in their confession c. 7. sect 3. and because Socinus thought it hard thus to take from God wise intentions he did no lesse then blasphemously deprive him of his omniscience So Socians contra puccium c. 10. and in prelectionib Theolog. c. 11. made all things that are contingently to come uncertaine to God But if you speak of intentio operis non operantis that the Supper in its nature is ordained this may rather be your meaning that morall men like Cicero and Seneca and Iudas and the like for all are alike in regard of the nature of the ordinances and of that which is the genuine intention not of God but of this Sacrament then you speak not of the supper as divided from the word but as the word going before the Sacrament hath converted the man and the Sacrament following doth adde to and confirme in grace So Sir you depart from the question for we grant that the Sermon going before in the same day of the celebration of the Supper may and doth convert and thus if an Indian heare a Sermon to which the celebration of the Supper is annexed if he be converted by that Sermon as you teach the heart in those is only knowne to God the Church is not to judge he may forthwith ere he be baptised come at the same time to the Lords supper which were much precipitation little speed and so the word formally converteth not the Sacrament But if you mean that the Sacrament formally as the Sacrament is of its nature a mean of converting a morall Seneca you mistake the nature of the seal very farre God never intended that food as food should give life to the dead the Supper as the Supper is spirituall food and presupposeth the eater hath life and how gate he life but by the word of God 2. Doth the Sacrament as the Sacrament humble or speak one word of the Law doth the Sacrament say any thing here but Christ died for thee O Seneca and there is a pledge of his love in dying for thee and the like it speaketh to Iudas as Master Prinne thinketh and can this convert a morall man never yet humbled for sinne But I have gone thus out of the way in this purpose I returne and desire pardon for this digression not I hope fruitlesse at this time If the Magistrate be the chiefe Church-officer how is it that the Church was without Christian Magistrates in the Apostles time then is there no exact paterne of a Christian Church what it should be de jure hath Christ in the New Testament not moulded the Church the second temple in all the dimensions of it as Moses David Solomon did by immediate inspiration shew us the measure of the first Tabernacle Sanctuary and Temple finally should Cesar suppose he had been a Christian have received imposition of hands from the Elders a◠his deputies the Ministers do and be over the Church in the Lord as King and receive accusations against Elders ordaine Elders in every Church put out and cast out the unworthy only for the iniquity of the time Ministers were forced to do these Erastus and his have not one word of Scripture for this or were the keys of the Kingdome of heaven given to Cesar and because Cesar was without the Church therefore Peter received them Matth. 16. while Cesar should be converted what Scripture have we for this for to rule the Church
and humane Laws saith Suarez is from Nature and the Law saith de jure gentium est omnis principatus That excellent and learned Lawyer Ferd. Vasquius saith That all Princedome hath its rise from the secondary Law of Nature to wit à jure gentium from the Law of Nations Hence Kings Princes Parliaments Iudges Lord justices Majors Sheriffes Constables c. in their root are naturall but in particulars Rulers are from the prudence of humane societies there is a higher institution for Church officers Eph. 4. 11. they have not their rise from Nature and therefore that Celebrious and renowned Antiquarie D. Salmasius in that learned work of his De primatu papae condemneth the dignity and jurisdiction of Patriarchs above Metropolitans as flowing from the writs of Princes and Synodical constitutions of Fathers not from any Divine Institution the highest was as Theodoret saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now God as creator and Nature doth not sure Nature cannot appoint a Vicar of the Mediator Christ for if the Magistrate be an Ecclesiasticall administration then it must be an office intrinsecally supernaturall and intrinsecally and directly tending to a supernaturall end now the Papists for shame doe build their head of the Church upon a divine institution and on Christs words Thou art Peter and on this rock I will build my Church and I will give to thee the keyes of the Kingdom of heaven Christ never said any such thing to a Magistrate and if the Magistrate be an Ecclesiasticall administration and the head of the Church and the Vicar of Christ as Mediator he must have more then this and the keyes of the Kingdom of God must be given to him above Peter and all the Apostles for all Church-officers act their part as such à sub Magistratu from and under the Magistrate as his Vicars so as the Magistrate in America who lived and died never hearing of the Gospel nor of his Lord Mediator is yet by office the Vicar of the Mediator and obliged as a Magistrate though a meer heathen to beleeve in him of whom he never heard if the adversary say right which is unpossible Rom. 10. 14. But saith Mr. Coleman If Christ be rightfull King of the whole earth where did Christ grant a liberty to a great part of the world to remain Infidels and enemies to him and his Government Arg. 4. In Answer to which I draw a fourth Argument All the Heathen Magistrates who never heard of the Mediator Christ and the Gospel cannot by office be the Deputies and Vicars of the mediatory Kingdom for they are not the professed subjects of Christ as Mediator nor given to him as his possession and inheritance neither actually nor in Gods decree for thousands of them lived and died without Christ or any obligation to beleeve in or serve the Lord Iesus as Mediator for if Christ be not their rightfull King as Mediator nor their King at all as Mediator they cannot be his subjects as Mediator far lesse can they be his Deputies and Vicars by office of his Kingdome but Christ is not King as Mediator in any sort or title of such as are Heathen Magistrates for as Mediator he is neither King titulo jure acquisitionis nor efficaci applicatione neither merito nor efficacia he neither gave a price as Mediator to buy them because the adversaries then must say that Christ is so King of the whole earth as he hath died for all and every one of mankind nor are they his subjects so much as in the profession of the word of his Kingdom for they never heard it if the Adversaries can say that Christ died for all and every one of mankinde and so for these Heathen Kings I can refute this Article of Arminianisme and though Christ had died for them yet are they not subjects in so much as in profession and so in no capacity nor obligation to serve with their sword Christ as Mediator for they are not in that state obliged to beleeve in him nor to know him as Mediator how then are they obliged by office to serve him as Mediator except he had revealed himself to them in the Gospel Hence I need not prove that Christ is their King by efficacious applying of the merits of his death to them nor can any say this Argument may prove that Pastors by office are the Ambassadors of Christ because they are not all the subjects of Christ given to him as Mediator either in the decree of Election nor actually redeemed for many Pastors who are by office the Ambassadors of Christ as Mediator are Reprobates as was Iudas and others for the Argument is not drawn from any saving claime that heathen Princes who never heard of Christ hath to Christ but it is drawn from no claim at all no not so much as in profession now this claim in profession all Pastors have else they cannot be Pastors It is doubtsome that Master Coloman saith and not to a purpose That Christ granteth not a liberty to the greatest part of the world to remain infidels and enemies to him and his Government For thus he giveth them a liberty negative so as they are not obliged to believe a Gospel that they never heard nor is their negative infidelity a sin for which they are condemned they are condemned Because they glorifie not the Creator as God Rom. 1. 21. And do not the things of the Law that are written in their hearts Rom. 2. 12. 14. Mat. 25. 42 43 44. And in this sense God giveth to them liberty to remain infidels but he giveth them not liberty positively to remain infidels and enemies to Christ that is he willeth not voluntate signi that they should live in a sinfull course of unrenewed nature but they are not positively enemies to Christ and to his Government who never by the least rumour heard of Christ or his Kingdom or Government Hence all our Divines say that privative unbeliefe of those that hear the Gospel doth condemn but not the negative unbeliefe of those who never heard the Gospel Thus the adversaries must say except they with Arminians and especically with Moses Amyrald teach That there be two wayes of preaching Christ and two sorts of faiths in Christ one of those that hear the Gospel and another of those who are to believe in Christ though they never hear of or know any letter of the Gospel who yet by the book of creation and providence are obliged to believe in Christ which were an irrationall obligation Rom. 10. 14. Arg. 5. All power mediatory in Heaven and in earth that is given to Iesus Christ as Mediator is all spirituall all Ecclesiasticall power and therefore Christ upon this receipt of all power Mat. 28. 18. draweth a conclusion v. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Goâ—ye therefore and teach all Nations c. but a Kingly power of this world by carnall weapons and by sword to fight is not given to
alterable and may put out Pastors and Teachers because God hath put out Apostles we have a new world of alterable Church-Policy 5. Reverent Beza referreth the Commandment to the Platforme of Discipline So Ambrose in Loc. and Chrysostome Homil. 18. so Diodat This Commandment which is ver 11 12. Or generally all other Commandments which are contained in this Epistle Popish Writers confesse the same though to the disadvantage of their Cause who maintain unwritten Church-Policy and Ceremonies So Lyra and Nicol. Gorran Mandatum quod Deus ego mandavimus the Commandment of the Lord and of me his Apostle Corneâ—a lapide Quicquid tibi O Episcope hac Epistolâ prescripsi demandavi hoc serva Salmeron alii per mandatum intelligunt Quecunque mandavi spectantia ad munus boni Episcopi SECT II. THE Adversaries amongst these things of Church-Policy do reckon such things as concerne the outward man and externals only and therefore Bilson Hooker and the rest as Cameron and others will have Christs kingdom altogether Spirituall Mysticall and invisible and Christ to them is not a King to binde the externall man nor doth he as King take care of the externall government of his own house that belongeth say they as other externall things to the Civill Magistrate who with advise and counsell of the Church Bishops and their unhallowed Members may make Lawes in all externals for the Government of the Church and all these externals though Positive are alterable yea and added to the word though not as additions corrupting but as perfecting and adorning the word of God and his worship In opposition to this our fourth Argument shall be he who is the only Head Lord and King of his Church must governe the politick externall body his Church perfectly by Laws of his own spirituall policy and that more perfectly then any earthly Monarch or State doth their subjects or any Commanders or any Lord or Master of Family doth their Army Souldiers and members of their Family But Christ is the head and only head of the Church for by what title Christ is before all things he in whom all things consist and is the beginning the first borne fram the dead and hath the preheminence in all things and he is onely soâ—ely and absolutely all these by the same title he is the Head and so the onely Head of the Body the Church Col. 1. 17 18. And he is the head of his Politick body and so a head in all externals as well as of mysticall and invâ—sible body for if his Church be an externall Politicall body and ruled by Organs Eyes Watchmen Rulers Feeders and such as externally guideth the flock as it is Eph. 4 11 12 13 14 15 16. 1 Cor. 12. 28. Matth. 16 17 18. A society to which Christ hath given the keys of his House and so externall power in a visible Politick Court on earth to binde and loose to take in and put out to open and shut the doors of his visible Politick house then this Politick body must have a head in externall policy and this head in externals must as a head governe by Laws all the members in their externall society for a body without a head is a monster and a Politick body without a head Politick and one that ruleth Politically is a Monster And Christ is the King yea the only King of his own Kingdom either as this Kingdom is mysticall and invisible or as it is Politick externall and visible on earth as these Scriptures proveth 1. Mat. 28. 18. Iesus â—aith unto me is all power given in Heaven and in earth I hope this power is only given to Christ not to Pope or earthly Prince It is the name above all names Phil. 2. 9. King of Kings Rev. 17. 14. And upon this Kingly power Christ doth an exâ—ernall Act of Royall power and giveth not only an inward but also a Politicall externall power to his disciples ver â—9 Go Teach and Baptize all Nations Is this only inward and heart-â—eaching and inward Baptizing by the spirit I think not God hath reserved that to himself only Isa 54. 13. Ioh. 6 44. 45. Joh. 1. 33. and Ioh. 20 21. 22. Upon this that the Father sent Christ and so set him his King upon his holy hill of Zion Psa 2. 6. Christ performeth an externall Politick mission and sendeth his disciples with power in a Politick externall way to remit and retain sins in an externall way for there is clearly two remittings and retainings of sins in the Text None can say of the Church it s my Church but he who is King of the Church and Christ saith Matth 16. 18. that it is his Church and upon this it is his Kingdom and the keyes are his keys and they are keys of a Kingdom visible and Politick on earth as is evident ver 19. I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt binde on earth in an externall Politicall court of Church Rulers as it is differenced from an internal and mysticall binding in Heaven shall be bound in Heaven c. For it is clear that there is an internall binding in Heaven and a Politicall and externall binding on earth and both are done by the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven But Christ can have or give no Politicall or exâ—ernall keys of an externall and Politicall King but as he is a King Yea and Excommunication doth not only binde the inward man in Heaven but also the externall man on earth excluding him from the Society of the Church as a Heathen and a Publican and purging him out from the externall communion of the Church as if he were now no brother Matth. 18. â—7 18. 1 Cor. 5. 7. 10 11 12. Now this externall separating and judging of an offender by the Church is done by the keys of the Kingdom Ergo by Christ as a King ruling the externall man Politically and so by the key of the house of David which is laid upon Christs shoulder Isa 22. 22. And by a Royall Act of him upon whose shoulder is the Government Is 9 6. Who sitteth upon the throne of David to order the kingdom to establish it with judgement justice For the Church doth bind and loose in the externall Court either by a Commission from him who as head of the Church and who as King gave to her the Keys of the Kingdom or by a generall Arbitrary power given to the Magistrate and Church to do in these things as they please so they do nothing contrary to the Word though not according to the Word as they are to do in Doctrinals if the former be said then must the externall Government be upon the shoulder of Christ as King which is that which we teach If the latter be said then might the Magistrate Church appoint such an Ordinance as excommunication and so they may by their Artitrary power make a Gospel Promise of
ratifying an Ordinance in heaven and of pardoning sins in heaven for he that can make the ordinance can make also the Gospel-Promise and he that can by an Arbitrary power make one Promise or part of the Gospel may make all And if either Magistrate or Church can appoint such an Ordinance as hath a Promise of bâ—nding loosing made good in heaven they may also take away such Ordinances and Gospel Promises for it is the same power to make and adde to unmake and destroy Ordinances Hence also I argue for the Immutabiliâ—y of a Scripturall Platform that the Church cannot alter at her will thus That must be of Divine institution which is an essentiall part of the Gospel but the Platform of Church-Government in the word is such and so must be no lesse Immutable then the Gospel I make good the major Proposition thus That which essentially includeth a Promise of the New Testament that must be a part of the Gospel which consisteth especially of Promises Heb. 8. 6. 2 Cor. 7. 1. Gal. 3. 17. Gal. 4. 23 24. But there 's a Promise of forgiving sins in Heaven made to the Church using the Keys aright and of Christs presence in the excercise of the Keys as walking amongst the golden Candlesticks Matth. 18. 18 19. 20. Math. 16. 18 19. Iob. 20. 23. Rev. 2. 1. Now if any shall object this Argument proveth only that which is not denyed to wit that some part of Discipline only is of Divine institution which is not denyed for a power of binding and loosing of remitting and retaining sins is of Divine institution But hence it is not concluded that the whole Platform and all the limbs joynts bones and toes are of Divine institution they being matters of smaller concernment I Answer As from a part of the Doctrine of the Law and Gospel that is of Divine institution for Example that I keep observe and do the Law that I believe and repent which are things of Divine institution I infer that the whole Platform of Law and Gospel is of Divine institution and the particulars of Obedience and Faith are not Arbitrary to the Church just so in Discipline I say the like there is no more reason for one part written by God then for another Farther if the Church be a visible Politick Kingdom as it is Mat. 13. v. 45 46 47 48. Matth. 16. 19. Matth. 8. 12. And if the Word be the Word Scepter and Law of the Kingdom as it is Matth. 6. 10. Matth. 13. 11. Luk. 4. 43. Matth. 4. 23. Mark 13. 8. Luk. 21. 10. 14. Luk. 8. 10. Yea the Sword and Royall power of the King Rev. 1. 16. Rev. 19. 15. By which he Ruleth and Raigneth in his Church Isa 11. v. 4. Psal 110. 2. Heb. 1. 8 9. Psal 45. 3 4. 5 6 7. Isa 61. 1 2. 2 Cor. 10. 4 5 6. 1 Pet. 2. 4 5 6 7. And if by this Word the King Raigneth bindeth looseth and conquereth souls and subdueth his Enemies Matth. 18. 18 19 20. Matth. 16. 19. Rev. 6. 2. Then certainly Christ must Raign Politically and externally in his Church and walk in the midst of the golden Candlesticks Rev. 2. 1. And if Christ Ascending to Heaven as a Victorious King Leading Captivity Captive gave gifts to men and appointed an externall policie for the gathering of his Saints by the Ministery of certain officers of his Kingdom as it is Psal 68. 18. Even that the Lord God might dwell amongst them Eph. 4. 11 12 13 14 15 16. Then he must Raign in the externall Policie of Pastors Teachers Elders by Word Sacraments and Discipline Now the King himself the Lord who Raigneth in this externall Policie must be the only Law-giver Iam. 4. 12. Isa 33. v. 22. There can be no Rabbies or Doctors on earth who as little Kings can make Laws under him Mat. 23. v. 8 9 10. Yea not Apostles who can teach how the Worship should externally be ordered but what they receive of the King of the Church 1 Cor. 11. 23. Act. 15. v. 13 14 15 16 17 18. How the house should be Governed Heb. 3. 1 2. 4 5. Yea nothing more reasonable then that Whatsoever is commanded by the God of Heaven should be done in and for the house of the God of Heaven under the pain of his Wrath Ezr. 7. 23. 1. That there should be Officers in a Kingdom and Laws to Govern the Subjects beside the will of the Prince or Judges of the Land or that the Members of a Family or Souldiers in an Army should be Governed by any Rule Custome or Law beside or without the will of the Master of the House and of the Generall Commanders is all one as if Subjects Families and Souldiers should be Ruled and Governed by their own will and wisdome and not by their King Iudges Masters and Commanders for the question is upon this undeniable supposition that Christ is the only Head and King of his Church and so the Head and King of Prelats if they be of the body and of the Rulers Guides and Pastors of the Church which are to be Governed and Ruled by certain Laws no lesse then the people whither or no this Representative Church of Rulers being Subjects and Members of the Head and King of the Church are to be Ruled by the wisdome Laws and Commandments of this King the Lord Jesus or if they have granted to them a vast Arbitrary power to Govern both themselves and the people by adding Positive Mandats of Arbitrary Commanders such as Prelats are in the minde of those who think they have no patent of any Divine right and of Surplice Crossing kneeling for reverence to wood to bread and wine The matter cannot be helped by saying that Christ is the Mysticall Invisible King some doubt if he be the only King of the Church which is too grosse to be resuted of the Church in things spirituall and in regard of the inward operation of the Spirit but he is not a Politicall and visible Head in regard of externall Policie this distinction must hold also in regard of the people who as Christians and believers are rather under Christ as a Mysticall and invisible Head then the Rulers who are not as Rulers but only in so far as they are believers Mysticall Members of the Head Christ for Christ exerciseth no Mysticall and Internall operations of saving Grace upon Rulers as Rulers but upon Rulers as believers then he cannot be the Mysticall and invisible King of Rulers as Rulers to give them as a King an Arbitrary power to be little Kings under him to Govern as they please and the truth is Christ is a Politicall Head and King of his Church not properly a visible Head 2 Cor. 5. 16. Except that he is a visible Head in this sense in that he Raigneth and Ruleth even in the externall visible Policie of his Church through all the Catholick visible Church in his Officers Lawfull Synods
that Christ should direct the Jews who were to be dispersed through all the earth to go up to Jerusalem for judgement seeing Ierusalem was to be laid equall with the ground and the Iews their state Church policy and the Scepter now removed from Iudah let wise men judge 11. The complaining to an Heathen Magistrate or the punishing of an offender by the sword by no Scripture is such a binding on earth by the power of the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven as this is expounded Matth. 16. 19. And such a binding as is ratified in Heaven and that by the joynt Prayers of two or three on earth as is here spoken ver 18 19 20. A Heathen Magistrates Sentence though never so just should not be valued except it were confirmed by the Prayers of the Church as the Sentence of Excommunication must be 12. The Iewish Saenedrim was now to take an end and expire with all the Iewish policy it is not to be imagined that Iesus Christ would appoint a perishing remedy for a perâ—etuall and ever-enduring disease now offences and scandals between brother and brother were to be in the world to the end ver 15. If thy brother offend c. And Christ saith Offences must be and the remedy here is morall and perpetuall as 1. That Christ shall have a Church visible on earth against which the gates of Hell shall not prevail 2. That we first deal to gain our brother in private ere to his greater shame he be brought in publick before the Church 3. The Lords ratifying in Heaven what his servants shall binde and loose on earth 4. The agreeing of two to pray together the convâ—ening of two or three in the name of Christ with a promise of the presence of Christ all these are Morall and perpetuall The Lord never did the like of this before or after 13. In all the New-Testament we do not read that Christ who was the end of the Law and the body now come in the flesh to abolish all Ceremonials and temporary Laws of the Iewish Church and policy as Iewish did institute any old-Testament Law such as the Sanedrim was for offending brethren if it be said that this was but the right expounding of an old divine Law now almost buried through the corruption of men then must Erastus shew that this was an old Law of divine institution that the Iews were to keep this threefold order in gaining an offending brother and that this is now abolished and that the power of the Magistrate in Church-businesse by this place is not established to the end of the world both which are contrary to the Principles of Erastus not to say that there is not in this whole Chapter or Luk. 17. where the same purpose is handled any shadow of reason to assert that Christ is restoring any Ceremoniall or Iudiciall Law to its genuine and sound meaning and sense but by the contrary Christ speaketh of the Morall and perpetuall Doctrine of scandall and how we are to deal with an offending brother to gain him to repentance either by our selves or the Church and to forgive private injuries even to seventy seven times Lastly since Publicans and Romans converted to the Christian saith from Paganisme even at this time were Brethren who might both give and take scandals it shall follow that Christ commandeth Gentiles to submit to the Jewish Magistrates this was against Christian liberty and to take from Cesar those things that are Cesars which is unjust But saith Erastus Publicans were not in Iuda excluded from sacrifices Luâ— 18. A Pharisee and a Publican went up to the Temple to pray Christ himself did eat with Publicans and sinners therefore this phrase Let him be unto thee as an Heathen and a Publican cannot expresse this Let him be excommunicated except you say that all heathen and Publicans were so served by Christ and the Iews as if they had been excommunicated Ans 1. Publicans that were by Nation Heathens were excluded from sacrifices and the Temple jure by Gods Law but not de facto because the Iews being under bondage to the Romane Emperour and spoiled of their Liberties and Laws might not put their Laws in execution against Heathen and Publicans it is sufficient to us saith Beza that Publicans were execrable and hatefull to the Iews and say I that Heathen and Publicans remaining such are without the Church and not to be reputed as brethren but enemies to the true Church of God and this is that which to us is Excommunication I do not doubt but Publicans went to the Temple to pray but that is but to Argue A facto ad jus not the right way A jure ad factum Publicans ought not to have done so 2. Christ the Supream Lawgiver who is above the Law did often dispense with sacrifice and positive Laws for a work of mercy and if he touched the dead and touched the skin of the Leaper and suffered his disciples to pluck the ears of Corne on the Sabbath day what marvell then he did eat with Publicans and sinners contrary to the Letter of a positive Law Knowing his own whom the Father had given to him from eternity were to be brought in to himself by his familiar conversing with them why should not the Physitian converse with the sick the shepheard with the lost sheep the Redeemer with his ransomed ones But this is no warrant that therefore the cleansed Leaper should not shevv himself to the Priest or that an obstinate offender should not be reputed as a Heathen and not admitted into the Sanctuary 3. That simple Publicans or Heathen remaining such should sacrifice I never read sacrifices were offered for Iobs friends who were not within the visible Church But 1. by Gods own speciall and immediate command as we read Iob 42. 7 8. A positive Law for it which yet was requisite for ordinary worship of that kinde we read not 2. I think Iobs friends cannot in knowledge Religion Profession be esteemed meer Heathens and therefore as God tied not himself to a positive and standing Law here so neither was Christ being the same God equall with the Father so restrained from not familiar conversing with Heathen and Publicans but he might leap over a Ceremony to save a lost soul Object 6. But the adversaries say Christ here useth words proper to the Iewish Synedry and the Old-Testament as witnesses Ecclesia or congregation Heathen Publican and these are not New Testament words nor was there such a thing as a New Testament Church on earth at this time and Christ having not yet ascended to Heaven nor sent down the holy spirit cannot be thought to hold forth the power and jurisdiction of a thing yet destitute of all being such as was the Christian Church nor can he here speak of Christs spirituall Kingdom Ans 1. Christ did well to use these words Witnesses Church Congregation Heathen Publican as well known to his hearers and these
a sinner in heaven he will have the Elders to cast him out of the Church Visible in earth so they know him to be such yet this is not sure Ans It is most sure so all the Church know him Elders only Iudicially Excommunicate the people also by consent and by Execution of the Sentence and avoiding the offender and if it be Iudicially proved the Church is to Excommunicate But 1. he must not be without the Church 1 Cor. 5. 12. Though the Church know Turks and Pagans and those who live without Christ to be damned in heaven yet they Excommunicate them not for they are without the Church 1 Cor. 5. 12. and yet damned Act. 4. 12. 2. They may know many unregenerated Ioh. 15. 18. Yet they cannot Excommunicate them for non-regeneration or non election to glory which they cannot know judicially except they be externally scandalous Matth. 18. 17. 1 Cor. 5. 1. 2. Erastus By Preaching Drunkards are excluded out of Heaven and God declareth by the Preaching of the word that they are not of the faithfull on earth but you cannot prove these four from Scripture 1. That God hath Commanded to cast them out of the Church whom he hath judged unworthy of life Eternall 2. That they should not be admitted to the Sacrament who have polluted themselves with some sin though they say they repent except it please the Elders 3. That it is Gods will that they â—e debarred from the Sacrament by the voyces of a Court of Elders 4. That God hath Commanded such a Court of Elders under a Christian Magistrate who should have a power of jurisdiction different from the power of the Magistrate Ans 1. Declaring by Preaching that a Drunkard is not of the number of the faithfull in the Visible Church is materially Excommunication This Erastus saith We want only a Court of Elders But how proveth he that one Pastor should cast out of the Church by Preaching all those that God judgeth unworthy of life eternall Erastus saith A Presbytery cannot do this 1. Because the heart is known to God only pag. 83. And doth one single Pastor know the heart and a Senate of Pastors knoweth it not 2. Must Pastors know the heart which God only knoweth 2 Chron. 29 30. Ier. 17. 10. Otherwise they cannot judicially Excommunicate and one Pastor may by way of Preaching Excommunicate and yet he knoweth not the heart 3. For the first of his four we need not prove it we assert it not 4. Though a Turk or an Apostate should say that he repents yet he lyes and Erastus saith l. 3. cap. 3. pag. 207. Hunc ego minime admittendum censeo I think such a one is not to be admitted to the Sacrament 5. What Christ saith Matth. 18. we take to be Gods will 6. If there were no Christian Magistrate belike a Church-Court might excommunicate and shall the Magistrate because Christian spoil the Church of the power she had while she wanted a Magistrate 7. The power of Excommunicating and binding and loosing in earth and heaven must then be principally in the Magistrate And who gave the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to the Magistrate Erastus If Excommunication be a cutting off from Salvation then all who are Excommunicated must perish But many Excommunicated persons are saved many relaxed are Condemned Ans We define not so Excommunication Nor did Beza put mens Salvation in hazard because they are Excommunicated so they repent if their sins be retained in Heaven and they never repent Let Erastus see how they shall be saved 2. Those against whom one Pastor denounceth the just deserved wrath of God are Conscionally cut off from Salvation But many of those are saved Let Erastus Answer this himself Erastus He only can cast out of the Church who seeth the heart But men or the Church seeth not the heart Ergo men can do no more but debar from the Sacraments It is not enough to say that whom they cast out as the Ambassadors of God in the name of Christ declaring those to be bound on earth whom Christ hath bound in heaven are excommunicated for the Argument is not whether Pastors may proâ—ounce on earth that which God hath ratified in Heavâ—n but whether they may so cast out of the Church as they may cut men off from Salvation and whether one Pastor may not do this no lesse then a Presbytery Anâ— So I may Argue a Prophet cannot warn a wicked man that he shall dye eternally because a Prophet in ordinary knoweth not the heart more then a Senate of prophets yet are all prophets to exclude from Salvation wicked and impenitent men but conditionally so they repent not in which God goeth before them Ezech. 3. 18 19 20. Cap. 33. 6 7. Act. 20. 20. Nor are we to doubt but all Prophets to the end of the world must do the same 2. If men debar from the Sacraments as having warrant from Christ they do also exclude men from Christ and Salvation offered in the Word and is there not need that Pastors see the heart if they exclude men from Christ and Salvation in the Word and Seals as from Salvation simply And how can men know binding in Heaven more then the hearts of men on earth The one is as far from our intuitive knowledge as the other except that we know both by fruits and effects otherwise this is but a Popish Argument if the Church do binde on earth as God bindeth in Heaven say Stapleton Becanus Suarez and other Papists then must the Church be infallible in judgement But we deny the Consequence in the one as in the other 2. It is that which offendeth Erastus 1. That a Senate not one man doth this 2. That the Christian Magistrate doth it not But I pray you doth one Pastor or the Christian Magistrate know the heart but a Presbytery cannot do it because a Presbytery knoweth not the heart Is not this too partiall Logick Erastus Many Excommunicated persons have repented in the end of their life and dyed devoutly then he who is cast out of the Visible Society of the Church is not cast out of the internall and spirituall Society of Christ Ans This is as much against Christs words as against us may not many whose sins are bound in heaven and against whom the Pastors denounce exclusion out of heaven repent in the end of their life and die devoutly Ergo The very threatnings of the Gospel must be wind and by these none are excluded from Heaven 2. Excommunication is but a conditionall excluding out of Heaven if men repent the condition not being placed Nihil ponitur in esse they are saved though it may fall out that they want the externall relaxation of the Church not through their own fault but by some externall providence insuperable to them But it is to beg the Question to say Those that are justly Excommuniated and seek not to be reconciled to the Church do
Church But it is presumed the power is given when Christ saith v. 19. I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdome of Heaven 2. We read not that God giveth a power a gift a talent or an office but he judgeth it a sinne in those to whom he giveth it not to put forth in acts and in exercise that gift talent and office either by themselves or his deputies which latter I speak for the King who in his own person and in the person of inferiour judges sent by him do put forth in acts of justice the Royall power that God has given him The assumption is Scripture Erastus has no answer to this but the keys were given to Peter as representing all the faithfull not the Elders and that all private Christians do bind and loose Ans Besides this is answered fully above and is a meer anarchicall Democracy it 2. concludeth well that Christ gave not to the Magistrate as the Magistrate the keys but to the Magistrate as he is a Christian making that same Christian confession of faith with Peter Mat. 16. and as he is an offended brother who may bind and loose in earth and heaven so Erastus Thes 54. p. 42. and so by this the Magistrate hath no more power to debarre from the seals then all other Christians have 3. If Christ give the key of knowledge to the Elders then he cannot give the power of studying Sermons and preaching the word to another so if Christ give the power of breaking the bread of life to the children of the house then he cannot give the power of judging who are the children of the house who not to another Ob. But the Magistrate is only to examine the fact to punish adultery incest and the like that deserve to be punished by the sword but not whether it be a scandall that deserve exclusion from the Sacrament or not Ministers are to take the probation of the scandalous fact by witnes from the Magistrate so to exclude from the Lords supper and to deal with the mans conscience to bring him to repentance so do some argue Ans If the Church be to try the penitency or impenitency of the fact and not to cognosce and try whether he hath done the fact upon the same ground the Magistrate is to try and punish the disturbance of the peace of the Common-wealth that adhereth to the fact and not to try the fact 2. It is not possible that the Church can know whether the man be penitent or no except by witnesses they know the fact for they shall run a preposterous way to work the man to a godly sorrow for that sinne which possibly he never committed now that of which the Church is to convince the man and from which they are to gain his soul that they are to find out 2. This is against the way of Erastus who will have the Magistrate to exclude from the Sacraments and none other 3. The word knowes no such thing as that Ministers should be led in the acts of their Ministeriall duties to whom they should dispense the mysteries of the Gospel and to whom they should deny them by the Magistrate by a good warrant the Magistrate is to lay a tye on the consciences of Elders what they should dispence as to whom they should dispense sure if the Magistrate as the Magistrate must prescribe to Ministers to what sort of persons they must dispence word and Sacraments he must upon the same ground as a Magistrate prescribe what Doctrine they should preach to this man not to this whether Law or Gospel and so the Magistrate as the Magistrate must be a Pastor to cut the word aright 2 Tim. 2. 15. Eze. 3. 18 19 20. Eze. 13. 19. to command to preach life to this man death to this man 4. If the Church must cast him out and judge him who has done this wickednesse 1 Cor. 5. 2 12. and 4. 5 6. 7. then must they judge of his scandall that according to the quality of the scandall they may proportion the measure of the punishment Ergo a pari they must judge whom they debarre from the seals 5. The debarring any from the seals must be proportioned to the end of all spirituall censures that the man be gained and his sinne loosed in heaven Mat. 18. 15. 18. that his soul may be saved in the day of the Lord 1 Cor. 5. 4. That he may be ashamed and so humbled 2 Thes 3. 14 15. 2 Cor. 2. 6 7. that he may learn not to blaspheme 1 Tim. 1. 20. But the Magistrates excluding of any from the Sacraments is no mean congruous to such an end for he can command nothing but the disobedience of which he can and ought to punish with the sword now a carnall weapon cannot be congruous and proportionable to a spirituall end 6. If the Magistrate as a Magistrate must so farre have the keys of Discipline then as a Magistrate he must catechise examine and try the knowledge of the Communicants and so watch for their souls as those that must give an accompt to God 7. The Magistrate must have a Negative voyce in all the acts of the Church and the man must be bound in heaven but not except the Magistrate will and loosed in heaven but not except the Magistrate will for all must depend upon the consent of him to whom Iesus Christ has committed the supream and highest and only power of governing the Church now this is the Magistrate as the Magistrate to Erastus 8. The Magistrate as the Magistrate must forgive sinners and relaxe them from excommunication 2 Cor. 2. 7. and restore those that are overtaken in offences with the spirit of meeknesse Gal. 6. 1. and rebuke publikely those that sin publikely 1 Tim. 5. 20. and so be a spirituall man and a Pastor Neither doth it follow that the Pastors as Pastors only should debarre from the Communion though virtute potestatis ordinis as Pastors they are to keep themselves pure and not to give pearls to swine nor to communicate with other mens sins yet because the Sacraments are Church ordinances they are to be dispensed by the Church that is by the Elders with consent of the people it is one thing to dispense ordinances to those that receive them and another thing to dispense them ceâ—â—o ordine after a Church way the former is from power of order the latter from power of jurisdiction and from the Church only CHAP. XV. Quest 11. Whether Erastus do validly confute a Presbytery Erastus What consequence is this Lev. 10. God commandeth Aaron and his sonnes to put a difference between the holy and prophane the cleane and the unclean this difference they were to teach the people out of the Law Ergo God hath ordained a Colledge of Ecclesiasticall Senators to exercise the power of the Civill Magistrate it is like this God commanded the Pastors to teach the people and dispense the Sacraments Ergo
appealed to Cesar if he had been a Christian in the controversie touching circumcision he should have determined who were perverters of souls who not and should have said by his office as Emperour It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to me 3. We have not any practise or precept or promise in the Old or New Testament for any such appeal except they say all hard questions belonging to the Priests office were to come before Moses as a civill Magistrate and not as the great Prophet to whom God revealed his minde 4. If so then all Church controversies in doctrine and discipline should be ultimately resolved into the will of the Magistrate speaking according to the word and faith in most points should come by hearing a Magistrate determining against Arrius that Christ is God consubstantiall with the Father and all binding and loosing in Earth as in heaven should be from the Magistrate as the Magistrate he should forgive and retaine sins and Christ should have given the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven to the Magistrate as the Magistrate certainly we should have the doctrine of the Church of Christ and the building and edifying thereof most obscure in the New Testament in which there is not one word of such a supream and chiefe officer as the Magistrate 5. The Parliament colledge of civill judges as they are civill Magistrates should be the Church assemblies and determine all doctrines debarre the ignorant and Hereticks and Apostates from the Sacraments and totally cast them out of the Church and excommunicate them I see not but then the Parliament as the Parliament is the Church and the two Kingdomes Ioh. 18. 36. must be confounded and no difference at all made between the civill state and the Church because the Magistrate as the Magistrate is made by the adversaries the chiefe officer over the Church the Ecclesiasticall head the mixt Governour halfe civill whole Ecclesiasticall in whose power all Pastors Elders preach dispense Sacraments make Church-canons as his Ministers and Servants Christ when any brother trespasseth against a Christian brother saith Tell the Church never Tell the christian Magistrate But truly it is a great mistake in the learned Mr. Pryn to call them Anti-Monarchicall Anti-Parliamentary and Novators who deny that the Parliament hath any Nomothetick power in Church-canons Nor hath hee in any measure answered the Arguments of those Learned and godly Divines Mr. Iohn Goodwin and Mr. Hen Burton he is pleased to cite the practise of many Parliaments of England who laudably impatient of the Popes yoke have made Church-canons when the man of sin sate upon the neck of the Christian church but these numerous citations of Parliaments and Councels in time of Popery conclude nothing against us who grant when the Church is not her selfe the christian Magistrate may extraordinarily reform and take from the man of sin his usurped power but in a constituted Church the case must be otherwise and 1. Whereas he proveth Emperors and Kings to have a power to convocate Councels It hath not strength against us all our Divines teach so But how 1. an accumulative civill power so Iewel Alley Bilson Whitaker Willet White Roger he might have cited more but no privative no Ecclesiasticall power so as Synods may not lawfully conveen without the command of the civill Magistrate our Divines say many Synods and Church meetings were in the Apostolique Church without the consent and against the will of the civill Magistrate our Divines oppose the Pope who claimeth the only accumulative civill privative and Ecclesiastick power to convocate Synods and that no Synods are lawfull without the consent and mandate of the holinesse of such a Beast 2. Master Prinne saith The Magistrate hath power to direct for time and place and to limit for matter and manner the proceedings liberty and freedome of all Church Assemblies But 1. he asserteth this in the most from corrupt practises 2. He proveth Laymen should have hand as well in Synods as Clergymen the one having interest in the faith as well as the other Ans Then must all the people be members of Synods for all have alike interest of Faith but this proveth not interest of defining which is the question in dispensing Word and Sacraments they have interest of trying all things as well as Pastors but it followeth not Ergo they may dispense Word and Sacraments no lesse yea more principally then Pastors as Erastus saith the Magistrate more principally determineth Synodicall constitutions Hence this is easily answered we may appeal in Church businesse to him as to the supream judge who may punish the erring Church and Pastors but the Magistrate may in Church businesse do this For answer 1. I retort it the Magistrate in making civill Lawes that must in their moralitie be determined by the Word of God may appeal to Pastors whose lips by office should preserve knowledge Ergo the Magistrate in making civill Lawes may appeal to the Pastor which is absurd 2. If men in Church-constitutions may appeal to the Magistrate as to one who may in his person determine Synodically in Assemblies above all the Pastors 1. Because Magistrates may punish the Pastors erring and oppressing in Synods 2. Because the Magistrate and all laymen have interest in the faith as well as Pastors then may people in hearing the Word and receiving the Sacraments and in all Pastorall rebukings and threatnings in believing of all Gospel promises and threatnings and fundamentall truths appeal from Pastors to Magistrates as Magistrates and Magistrates as such may determine all fundamentall truths all conscionall promises and rebukes and that is formally they may preach for he that can distinguish these hath a good engine Because Magistrates may punish hereticall preaching and superstitions and idolatrous abusing of the Sacraments by preachers and Magistrates and all Laymen have interest of Faith in Word Doctrine and Sacraments as in Discipline yea the Magistrate may punish the Priest that offered strange fire to the Lord offered bastard incense and the people had their interest of saith in sacrifices offered for their own sins but can it follow therefore the Magistrate might sacrifice and burne incense in his own person as Mr. Pryn will have him to make Church-laws in his own person Other Arguments of Mr. Pryns are light as that there were brethren and Lay-men that had hand in the Councell at Hierusalem Acts 15. Ans This is nothing for Magistrates as Magistrates but all Christians as Christians so must have hand in Synods which I grant in so far as concerneth their faith and practise that they try all things and try the Spirits whether they be of God or not but will it follow Ergo Magistrates as Magistrates are those only who govern the Church and make all Ecclesiasticall constitutions as having in them all power of Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction and deriving it to Bishops and Pastors at the second hand as Mr. Pryn saith in the same booke Obj.
THE DIVINE RIGHT OF Church-Government AND Excommunication OR A peaceable DISPUTE for the perfection of the holy Scripture in point of Ceremonies and Church-Government IN WHICH The removal of the Service-book is justifi'd The six Books of Tho Erastus against Excommunication are briefly examin'd with a Vindication of that eminent Divine Theod Beza against the Aspersions of Erastus The Arguments of Mr. William Pryn Rich Hooker Dr. Morton Dr. Jackson Dr. John Forbes and The Doctors of Aberdeen Touching Will-worship Ceremonies Imagery Idolatry Things Indifferent An Ambulatory Government The due and just Power of the Magistrate in matters of Religion and The Arguments of Mr. Pryn in so far as they side with Erastus are modestly discussed To which is added A brief Tractate of SCANDAL with an Answer to the new Doctrine of the Doctors of Aberdeen touching Scandal By SAMUEL RUTHERFURD Professor of Divinity in the University of St. Andrews in Scotland Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of hosts Zach. 4. 6. Veritas claudi ligari potest vinci non potest Hieronymus comment ad Ierem. in Prefati ad Eusebium Occultari ad tempus potest veritas vinci non potest florere potest ad tempus iniquitas per manere non potest Augustinus ad Psal 61. Published by AUTHORITY London Printed by JOHN FIELD for Christopher Meredith at the Crane in Pauls Church yard MDCXLVI TO The Right Honorable and Noble Lord The EARL of LOVDEN Chancellor of Scotland AND Chancellor of the University of St. Andrews Grace Mercy and Peace RIGHT HONORABLE AS Jesus Christ the wonderful the Counsellor the mighty God driveth on his great State-design in the whole Earth and now in these Kingdoms to to save an afflicted people to dye his Garments in the blood of his Enemies and to build the Tabernacle of God amongst men and cause the wildernes blossome as a Rose that the glory of Lebanon and the excellency of Carmel and Sharon may in a spiritual manner be given to Zion So he still acteth in his own sphere of Righteousnes and all inferior wheels in their revolutions move toward his most eminent end for the Courtiers and Royal Attendants of his Throne are Righteousnes and Judgement And he desireth that the motions and wayes of his people may be concentrick to his own heart and move in the same Orb with himself we must either walk or be drawn to the end of Jesus Christ his end cannot come down and comply with our policy When men go with one head and two faces and two hearts Providence can beguil them we are then safe and do sail at the Haven of the Sea when we walk with God and our way draweth a straight line to the heart of Jesus Christ These two Kingdoms have before them an end the Covenant to be a people to God this we did Swear with our Hands lifted up to the most High the stones of the field shall witnes against us and the Sword of the Lord avenge the quarrel of his Covenant if we dally with the Lord as if the Vow of God that the Lord may be one and his Name one in both Kingdoms had been on us when we were low only and our Oath had a date only till the Year 1645. and then our Vow must exspire as did the Law of shaddows when the Body Jesus Christ came As successe is a poor and waxy Kalender for Religion so the low condition of our Kingdom I hope shall not move us to forsake the Lords cause or to blame God because good causes have sometimes sad events for beside that Heathens said that God cannot erre because Marius ex culpâ gloriam reportavit Marius was made glorious by ill-doing and one hath a Crosse another a Kings Crown for a reward of wickednesse we know that God however it be is good to Israel If that which was intended for Vnion shall by mens wickednesse turn to a sad Division between the Kingdoms I shall believe that the truly Godly of either Kingdoms can scarce be capable of such bloody intentions as shall leave a Legacy of perpetuated blood to the Posterity and sure though for the present guiltinesse strength prevail yet habent Deum ultorem men on Earth cannot long be strong against Vengeance from Heaven As successe doth inebriate so extremity of a low condition is a wicked Counsellor and evil Iealousie as Hell thinketh alwayes evil All whose bowels are moved for the Desolation Graves multiplied Widows and Orphans of both Kingdoms will not dare Judgement from the Almighty being a terrour to them to adde affliction to the people of God already afflicted Blessed shall they be of the Lord who mediate for preventing of National ruptures and for the continuance of the Brotherly Covenant Christ Jesus is a uniting Saviour one God one Faith one Lord Jesus one Religion should be and I beseech the God of Peace they may be Chains of Gold to tie these tipo Nations and Churches together in uno tertio that they may be concentered and united in one Lord Jesus O that that precious Dew of Hermon that showers of Love and Peace may lie all the night upon the Branches of the two Olive Trees that the warmnesse heat and influence of one Sun of Righteousnesse with healing in his wings may make the Lilly amongst the Thorns the Rose of Sharon that is planted by the Lord the Spouse of Jesus Christ in both Kingdoms to spred its Root and cast its Smell as green and flourishing to all the Nations round about The Kingdom of God is Peace The Lord is about a great work in Britain why should Divisions that proceed from the lusts of men and the enemies of the Lord retard the wheels of the Chariot of Christ Let us not water the Lilly with blood again The Sons of Babel have shed our blood in great abundance for the which doth the Church of God in the three Kingdoms stand and Pray and Prophecy in sackcloth The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon shall the Inhabitants of Zion say And my blood upon the Woman arrayed in Purple and Scarlet the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth shall Ierusalem say Happy we if we could for the second Temple builded and the Lord repairing the old waste places and the Gentiles beholding the Righteousnesse of the Elder Sister the Church of the Jews and both as a Crown of Glory in the hand of the Lord and as a Royal Diadem in the hand of our God I shall not need I hope either of an Apology for Intituling this Piece such as it is others can and I hope will adde riper Animadversions to Erastus to Your Honours Name or of a word of incitement that Your Lordship co-operate with Your serious Endeavours for a right understanding between both Kingdoms and for the carrying on the work of the right arm of the Lord the Lords creating of
intention signifieth divine adoration p. 147 148 Objections of Swarez contending that intention of adoration is essential to adoration removed p. 148 149 Of the Idolatrous worship of the Iews and Papists p. 150 The relative expressioÌ„ of God in the creature is no ground of adoring the creature p. 151 The Iews beleeved not the Golden ca lt to be really God p. 151 152 The adoring of Images not forbidden by the Ceremonial law but by the Moral law p 154 The evasions of Bellarmine and Swarez answered p. 155 Papists did of old adore before or at the presence of the Image as a memorative signe and yet were Idolators p. 158 Two sort of signes ibid. Divers evasions of Papists touching the adoring of Images p. 161 162 scq Swarez is not content at the hungry expressions of Durandus Mirandula Hulcot in the worshipping of Images p. 165 166 The place worship at his footstool discussed Psal 99 ibid. Prayer may as lawfully be given to the creature as Adoration p. 169 170 Divers Fables touching Images p. 179 180 The original of Images p. 181 Images not in the ancient Church neither worshippeâ— therein p. 182 â—83 184 c. Vasquez will have all things to be adored p. 190 Joan. dâ— Lugo proveth the same by four Reasons p. 191 Whether sitting or kneeling be the most convenient and lawful gesture in the act of receiving the Sacrament of Christs Body and Blood p. 192 Sitting the onely convenient and lawful gesture p. 193 What is occasional in the first Supper ibid. Christ sate at the first Supper p. 194 195 Sitting a sign of our coheirship p. 197 198 199 A signe of our coheirship may well consist with our inferiority in worshipping Christ p. 198 Ceremonies fail against the Authority of Rulers p. 201 Whether humane Laws binde the conscience or not p. 201 202 seq How civil positive Laws binde not the conscience p. 202 203 A twofold goodnesse p. 207 The will of created Authority cannot create goodnesse in things p. 204 205 Humane Laws obliâ—ge onely in so far as they agree with the Law of God p. 206 A twofold consideration of Humane Laws p. 208 How Rulers are subordinate to God in commanding p. 209 Humane authority is not the nearest nor the instrumental cause of Laws p. 208 209 A double obedience due to Rulers objective and subjective p. 210 Objective obedience no more due to Rulers then to equals p 210 211 False Rules of obedience to Rulers proposed by D. Jackson refuted p. 212. The goodnesse of supposed obedience to Rulers cannot countervalue the evil in the sinful manner of doing with a doubting conscience p. 214 Other arguments for the obligation of humane Laws answered p. 216 What it is to resist to Ruler p. 217 Why men cannot make Laws that layeth a tie on the conscience p. 219 That Christ hath a spiritual Kingdom not onely in the power of Preaching but also in the power of the Keys by censures p. 220 That there is such a divine Ordinance as Excommunication p. 223 Objections against Excommunication removed p. 224 How we are to rebuke our Brother p. 225 The Church Matth. 18. is not the civil Sanedrim p. 226 227 229 How Heathen and Publicans were excluded from the Church p. 230 Binding and loosing acts judicial p. 235 236 Excommunication is a divine Ordinance proved by 1 Cor. 5. p. 238 239 seq fuse To deliver to Satan is not miraculous killing p. 238 239 The essentials of Excommunication 1 Cor. 5. p. 238 239 c. Whether the Word doth warrant censures and exclusion from the Seals ibid. Cutting off not alwayes killing p. 241 Moral scandals excluded men from holy things amongst the Iews p. 243 The prophecy Ezek 44. 11 12 c. to be fulfilled under the New Testament p. 244 245 Ceremonial exclusion from holy things under the old did typiâ—ie exclusion for moral uncleannesse under the N. Test p. 247 248 The Churches exclusion from the Seals declarative non coactive by violence ibid. Censures applyed to some by name ibid. Eschuing the society of scandalous Church-members must be a Church-censure p. 249 The hindering of Jezabel by preaching not sufficient p. 251 Debarring of the scandalous from the Seals proved p. 252. seq It belongeth not to the Magistrate to debar from the Seals p. 253 Erastus against exclusion from the Sacraments refuted p. 253 seq fuse By Erastus his way we cannot deny the Seals to a Turk p. 258 259 To exclude from the Kingdom of Heaven not one with Excommunication p. 260 Excommunication is no real separation of one from Christs invisible body p. 261 262 264 Though Excommunication be onely declarative yet it s not empty p. 266 Putting out 1 Cor. 5. p. 269 Whether Erastus doth prove that none were excluded amongst the Iews for moral uncleannesse from the holy things of God p. 271 A twofold forgivenesse p. 273 All are invited to come to the Sacraments but not that they come any way p. 274 The question whether all should be admitted to the Lords Supper perverted by Erastus p. 275 Two sort of signes amongst the Iews some purely holy some partly holy partly necessary for the bodily life the latter clean and unclean might eat but not the former p. 277 All are commanded to hear but not to â—ome to the Supper p. 280 Whether Erastus doth justly deny Excommucation to be typified of Old p. 281 Ceremonial uncleannesse typified exclusion out of the visible Church for scandals not out of the Kingdom of Heaven p 287 288 Legal uncleannesse was sin p. 289 The scope and sense of Matth. 18. perverted by Erastus p. 290 Our Saviour speaketh of all not of private or lesser scandals onely p. 291 By the word Brother is not meaned a Iew onely ib. Christs speaking in the second person argueth not the privacy of the scandal p. 294 A twofold forgiving p. 295 Christ speaketh not of such sins as private men may forgive as Erastus dreameth p. 297 Christs scope spiritual Erastus his way carnal p. 298 A Publican most odious to the Iews p. 305 It s not private forgivenesse which is holden forth Matth. 18. 17. p. 308 Binding and loosing proper to Stewarts p. 309 To excommunicate is not formally to debar from the Seals p. 311 Christ might well give directions touching a Church not yet erected p. 314 c. The place 1 Cor. 5. vindicated from Erastus his glosse p. 316 317 c. The prayers of the Church intervene not for this particular miracle p. 318 319 Faith of miracles not in all the faithful at Corinth p. 320 Delivering to Satan not miraculous p. 321 The Church not Paul alone had hand in delivering the man to Satan p. 326 What delivering to Satan is p. 327 The destruction of the flesh what it is p. 328 Hymeneus and Alexander not killed by Satan p. 332 Delivering to Satan not miraclous p 336 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to put away not alwayes to kill p. 337 To eschew the
not a first converting ordinance yet a confirming one ibid. The Lords Supper presupposeth Faith and Conversion in the vvorthy Receiver in a Church-profession p. 523 c. The Magistrate subject to the Church p. 528 The Church a perfit society without the Magistrate p. 529 530 God efficacious by Preachers not by Magistrates p. 532 Differences between the Preachers and the Magistrate p. 532 c. The Magistrate cannot limit the Pastors in the exercise of their calling p 535 That Magistrates are more hot against the Churches punishing of sin then against sinful omissions argueth that they are unpatient of Christs yoke rather then that they desire to vindicate the liberty of the Subject p. 536 c. Of the Reciprocation of the Subordinations of Magistrates and Church-Officers to each other ibid. Not any power or office subject to any but to God immediately subjection is properly of persons p. 538 A Magistrate and a Christian Magistrate different p. 539 Two things in a Christian Magistrate jus authority aptitudo hability p. 539 c. Christianity maketh no new power of Magistracy p. 542 A fourfold consideration of the exercise of Ministerial power most necessary upon which and the former distinction followeth ten very considerable assertions page 542 c. The Magistrate as the Magistrate commandeth the exercise of the Ministerial power but not the spiritual and sincere manner of the exercise p. 544 Magistrates as godly men not as Magistrates command sincerity and zeal in the manner of the exercise of Ministerial power p. 545 c. A twofold goodnesse in a Christian Magistrate essential accidential p. 548 The Magistrate as such commandeth onely in order to temporary rewards and punishments nor holdeth he forth commands to the conscience p. 549 c. Magistrates as Magistrates forbid not sin as sin under the pain of eternal wrath p. 550 Two sorts of Subordinations Civil Ecclesiastick p 553 Subordination of Magistrate and Church to each others p. 554 c. Church Offices as such not subordinate to the Magistrate ibid. What power Erastians give to Magistrates in Church matters p. 557 The minde of Arminians touching the power of the Magistrate in Church matters ibid. A threefold consideration of the Magistrate in relation to the Church p. 558 Reciprocation of subordinations between Church and Magistrate p. 560 The Ministers as Ministers neither Magistrates nor Subjects p. 564 c. The Magistrate as such neither manageth his office under Christ as mediator nor under Satan but under God as Creator ibid. The Prince as a gifted Christian may Preach and spred the Gospel to a Land where the Gospel hath not been heard before page 570 c. The King and the Priest kept the Law but in a far different way p. 572 c. The Pastors and the Iudges do reciprocally judge and censure one another p. 574 c. God hath not given power to the Magistrate and Church to Iudge contrary wayes justly and unjustly in one and the same cause p. 577 Whether Appeals may ly from Church-assembles to the Civil Magistrate p. 578 Of Pauls appeal to Caesar ibid. Divers opinions of the Magistrates power in Causes Ecclesiastical p. 579 c. It is one thing to complain another thing to appeal p. 580 What an appeal is ibid. Refuge to the Magistrate is not an Appeal p. 581 A twofold appeal p. 582 The Magistrates power of punishing or his interest of faith proveth him not to be a Iudge in Synods p. 585 c. Pauls appeal proveth nothing against appeals for appeals from the Church to the Christian Magistrate p. 587 Paul appealed from an inferiour Civil Iudge to a superior Civil Heathen Iudge in a matter of his head and life not in a controversie of Religion p. 588 What power a conqueror hath to set up a Religion in a conquered Nation p 590 There were no appeals made to the godly Emperours of old p. 594 To lay bands on the conscience of the Magistrate to ty him to blinde obedience the Papists not our Doctrine p 595 Subjection of Magistrates to the Church no Papal tyranny p. 600 c. The Magistrate as a Magistrate cannot forbid sin as sin ibid. The Magistrate pomoteth Christs mediatory Kingdom ibid. The Magistrate as such not the Vicar of the mediator Christ p. 601 The Adversaries in the Doctrine of the Magistrate Popish not we at all ibid. Pastors are made inferiour Magistrates in their whole Ministery by the Adversaries p. 603 c. Christian Magistracy no Ecclesiastical Administration p. 604 The Magistrate as such not the Vicar of the mediatory Kingdom ibid. Heathen Magistrates as such are not oblieged to promote Christs mediatory Kingdom p. 606 Magistracy from the Law of Nations p. 608 The Adversaries must teach universal Redemption p 610 Magistrates as such not members of the Church p. 613 Christ mediator not a temporary King p 614 The Magistrat not the servant of the Church p. 616 The adequate and complete cause why the Magistrate is subject to the Church p. 617 That the Magistrate is subject to the Rebukes and censures of the Church is proved from the Word p. 618 c. The supreme and principal power of Church-affairs not in either Magistrate or Church p 620 Though the Magistrate punish Ecclesiastical scandals yet his power to Iudge and punish is not Ecclesiastical and spiritual as the Church censureth breaches of the second Table and yet the Churches power is not Civil for that p. 622 People as people may give power to a Magistrate to adde his auxiliary power to defend the Church to judge and punish offenders therein p. 625 A Governour of or over the Church a Governour in the Church a Governour for the Church different p. 628 The distinction of a Doctrinal or Declarative and of a Punitive part of Church-Government of which the former is given to Pastors the latter to the Magistrate a heedlessâ— and senselesse notion p. 629 c. That the Magistrates punishing with the sword scandalous persons should be a part of Church-government a reasonlesse conceit p. 631 There is neither coaction nor punishment properly so called in the Church p. 632 Bullinger not of the minde of Erastus p. 634 The Iudgement of Wolfâ—ag Musculus Aretius and Gualther p. 634 c. The Errour of Gualther to please the usurping Magistrate p. 638 Their minde different from Erastus p. 639 The Christian Magistrates sword cannot supply the place of Excommunication in the Church p. 640 The confessions of the Protestant Church for this way p. 642 c. The testimony of Salmasius p. 644 Of Simlerus p. 645 Lavater Ioan. Wolphius ibid. Of Râ—b Burhillus 646 The Contents of the Tractate or Dispute touching Scandal WHether things indifferent can be commanded Introduction p. 1 Indifferent things as such not the Matter of a Church-constitution Introd Actions are not indifferent because their circumstances are indifferent Introd Marrying not indifferent Introd Indifferency Metaphysical and Theological Introd Necessity of obeying the Church
Ordinances giving them Laws in all Positive externals which place the Beast the King of the Bottomlesse Pit the Pope usurpeth But I would gladly be informed of Formalists how the King is the Head and Vicegerent of Christ over the Church if Christs Kingdom be only spirituall Mysticall Internall not Politicall not externall for sure the King as King exerciseth no internall and Mysticall operations upon the consciences of men under Jesus Christ his power is only Politicall and Civilly Politicall about or without the Church not properly within the Church Surely if Rulers be Subjects and Members under Christ the Head and King I shall believe that Christ must in all Positive things of externall Policie give to them Particular Laws in the Scripture and Rule them and that they being Members not the Head must as particularly be Ruled in all externals Positive by the will and Law of the Head Christ and that they are not Kings Heads and Law givers and Rulers to themselves And especially upon these considerations This King and Head must be particular in an immutable perpetuall and unalterable Platform of Church-Government 1. Salomon for wisdome in the order degrees number attire of his servants and Policie of his house to the admiration of the Queen of Sheba in this we conceive was a type of a greater then Salomon 2. The Positives of the policie of Christs house must be congruous to a supernaturall end the edification of souls and that Symbolicall Rites of mens devising speak supernaturall duties that Christ hath already spoken in the Scripture as that Crossing spell out Dedication to Christs Service Surplice pastorall holinesse which both are Gospel truths 1. Pet. 1. 18. 1 Pet. 2. 24. Isa 52. 11. Is as supernaturall a mean for edification as that bread and wine signifie Christs body and blood therefore the one more then the other ought not to be left to humane reason but must be expresly set down in Scripture 3. All these must lay a tie upon the conscience but if they have their rise from the vain will of Prelats and men they can never bind my conscience for how can they bind my conscience as the Scripture bindeth them on me and yet Rulers as Rulers in the name of Christ the King cannot presse them upon me Formalists give divers Replies to this As 1. Hooker You are constrained to say that of many things of Church-Policie some are of great weight some of lesse that what hath been urged of immutability of Laws it extendeth in truth no farther then only to Laws wherein things of greater moment are prescribed as Pastors Lay-Elders Deacons Synods Widows else come to particulars and shew if all yours be perpetuall and our particulars unlawfull Ans 1. Things of greater and lesse weight we acknowledge in Church-Policie and in Doctrinals too but in this sense only 1. That they be things Positive 2. They be both things that are unchangeable by any except by God himself and oblige us Necessitate precepti by the necessity of a Divine Commandment as Matth. 23. 23. To pay tythe of Mint Annise and Cummin is a lesse matter then the weightier duties of the Law Iudgement Mercy and Faith But there is nothing so small in either Doctrinals or Policie so as men may alter omit and leave off these smallest Positive things that God hath commanded for Christ saith Paying of tythe of Mint ought not to be omitted though the Church of Pharisees should neglect it and command some other petty small things in place thereof If therefore Prelats should obliterate the Office of Ruling Elders which Christ the Lord instituted in his Church and put themselves in as Governours in their Room they may put out Pastors and Sacraments and take in for them Turkish Priests and Circumcision with a signification that Christ is already come in the flesh We urge the immutability of Christs Laws as well in the smallest as greatest things though the Commandments of Christ be greater or lesse in regard of the intrinsecall matter as to use water in Baptisme or to Baptise is lesse then to Preach Christ and believe in him 1 Cor. 1. 17. Yet they are both alike great in regard of the Authority of Christ the Commander Matth. 28. 18 19. And it s too great boldnesse to alter any Commandment of Christ for the smallnesse of the matter for it lieth upon our conscience not because it is a greater or a lesser thing and hath degrees of obligatory necessity lying in it for the matter but it tyeth us for the Authority of the Law-giver Now Gods Authority is the same when he saith You shall not Worship false Gods but me the only true God And when he saith You shall not adde of your own one ring or pin to the Ark Tabernacle Temple yea either to break or teach others to break one of the least of the Commandments of God maketh men the least in the Kingdom of God Matth. 5. 18. And to offend in one is to offend in all Iam. 2. 10. 2. That our things of Church-Policie are perpetuall we prove and that what we hold of this kinde we make good to be contained in the Scripture either expresly or by due consequence and so the Church and their Rulers act nothing in our way but as Subordinate to Christ as King and Head of the Church and Surplice humane Prelats Crossing we hold unlawfull in the house of God because they are not warranted by the King and Head Christs word and because the devisers and practisers of these do neither devise nor act in these as Subordinate to Jesus Christ as King Priest or Prophet by the grant of our Adversaries Hooker l. 3. Eccles Pol. pag. 124. The matters wherein Church-Policy are conversant are the publick Religious duties of the Church as administration of the Word Sacraments Prayers spirituall censures of the Church and the like to these the Church stand alwayes bound and where Policy is it cannot but appoint some to be leaders of others and some to be led If the blinde lead the blinde they both perish and where the Clergy is any great multitude order requireth that they be distinguished by degrees as Apostles and Pastors were in the Apostolick Church And number of specialities there are which make for the more convenient being of these principall parts of Policy Ans 1. If Christ as King have appointed word and Sacraments in generall and Censures he hath appointed the Word Sacraments and Censure in speciall to wit such a word such Sacraments Baptisme the Lords-Supper such Censures Excommunication admonition or then he hath left the Specialities of written and unwritten Word to the arbitriment of men and that there be Excommunication or no Excommunication and this Doctrinall and the like he hath left to mens devising to wit Crossing is a Dedication of the childe to Christ now Jerome Advers Helvid saith Vt hec que scripta sunt non negamus ita ea quae non sunt
was not to follow his own spirit but was to follow the patterne that God shewed him in the Mount then far lesse hath Christ the Apostle and high Priest of our Profession giving us a Platforme of the Church and Government of the New-Testament variable shaped according to the alterable laws customes manners of divers nations for as Moses though a Prophet was not to make one pin of the Tabernacle but according to the samplar patern that God did shew him so Christ manifested to his Disciples all that he had heard and seen of the Father Ioh. 15. But it is not to be supposed that the Father shew to Christ an alterable tabernacle in the new Testament that men might alter chop and change at their pleasure as the customes of Nations are changed If God thought Religion should run a hazard if the greatest of Prophets except Christ might have leave to mold and shape all the Leviticall Service and Ceremonies for as the judicious and Learned Interpreter Mr. David Dickson saith all the Leviticall Service is comprehended under the name of the Tabernacle Exod. 25. 40. according as he pleased far more should all be corrupted if erring men far inferior to Moses Prelats and Pastors should have leave to draw the Lineaments of the New Testament Tabernacle Church Service Officers Censures and all the Positives of Policie according to no patern shown by Christ but only the Fashions alterable Laws Customes forms of nations Now all the pins of the Tabernacle were but shadows and Types of Morall and Heavenly things Heb. 8. 5. Heb. 10. 1. Heb. 9. 9. And they were to be changed and done away by Christ Col. 2. 17. Heb. 7. 12. 2 Cor. 3. 11. Yet could neither be devised by Moses nor altered by any mortall man Church or Priests how can we imagine that men may now devise and set up an alterable and changeable New Testament-frame of Prelats Altars Religious dayes Surplice Crossing or any the like toyes And though David was a Prophet and a man according to Gods heart yet in the externals of the Temple nothing was left to his spirit he might neither in the least jot adde or omit 1 Chron. 28. 11. Then David gave to Solomon his Son the patern of the Porch and of the houses thereof and of the Treasuries thereof and of the upper Chambers thereof and of the inner Parlors thereof of the place of the Mercy-Seat Here be many particulars But whence had David all these From the patern according to which Crosse Surplice Altars and humane Prelats are shapen Alas no therefore it is added v. 12. And he shewed the patern of all that he had by the spirit of the courts of the house of the Lord and of all the chambers round about v. 19. All this said David the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me even all the works of this patern I see no reason to deny that the form of the Temple was written by the hand of God as the Ten Commandments were written in two Tables of stone by him the Text seemeth to say no lesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pagni and Ar. Mont. render it Omnia in Scriptura de manu domini super me intellegere fecit So Jerome Omnia venerunt Scripta manu domini ad me Vatablus in notis Omnia ista dominus Scripsit manu suâ— et digito â—uâ— ut me familiarius doâ—eret We shall not contend with Tostatus who saith It might have been written by Angels though we go not from the letter of the Text we have from this Papist Tostatus all we desire for he saith We must say that it was not by Davids own thought that he builded all for David durst not build a Temple to the Lord of his own heart because he knew not if that would please God but by Divine Revelation And therefore the old Translation is corrupt in this as in many things which rendreth v. 12. Thus Dedit David Salamoni descriptionem pâ—rtiâ—us c. Nec non et omnium que cogitaverat As if Davids thought had been his guide for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the spirit by Tostatus Corneli a Lapide Lyra is meant not Davids spirit but the spirit of Revelation from the Lord and Lyra saith on v. 12. Per hoc designatur quod deus pater dedit homini Christo notitiam omnium agendorum in ecclesiâ And Pet. Martyr our own Doctor saith on 1 King 8. It cannot be told how unpleasant the institution of new worship is to God And there should be nothing in Baptisme but the Word and the Elements any thing added as Crossing Oyl Salt came from the Prelats Lavater in 1. Par. c. 28. ver 14. condemneth all additions even though Solomon should have added them Ezech. 43. 11. Thou Son of man shew the house to the house of Israel 12. And if they be ashamed of all that they have done shew them the form of the house and the fashion thereof and goings out thereof and the comings in thereof and all the forms thereof and all the Ordinances thereof and all the forms thereof all the Laws thereof And write it in their sight that they may keep the whole form thereof all the Ordinances thereof and do them Now it is most considerable that the Form Fabrick and Structure of the Temple Ezech. c. 40. In the visions of God is shewn to the Prophet by a man by Christ the great Angel of the Covenant who with a measuring reed of six cubits measured the Temple and in these chapters c. 40 41 42. Christ sheweth to Ezekiel all the patern and form which evidently typifieth the Church of the New Testament the Bride the Lambs Wife in the Kingdom of Grace and glorified in Heaven revealed by the Angel to John Rev. 21. 9 10 11. It may be thought that the Porches Chambers length and bredth of them East West South and North the Laws about the Priests their linnen garments Sacrifices washing and the like are of lesse concernment then the Doctrine of Christs nature person offices of Faith Repentance Iudgement Heaven c. And therefore being not so necessary nor so weighty there was no necessity that all the like Positive externals of Church-Policie written to a rude and carnall people should be written to us who are now more spirituall and upon whom the day-spring from above doth shine the shadows now being past and who have greater liberty then they had who were as children under Tutors Ans 1. I do not deny but all Ceremonials are of lesse weight then the Morals but the question is if they be of lesse Divine authority so as we may devise of our own Spirit such Ceremonials and may alter omit or remove these or any new Ceremonials in the Sacraments under the New Testament for New Testament Ceremonials as to take Bread Eat and drink are not so necessary nor so weighty to us under the New-Testament
receive both the unwritten Traditions of the one and the unwritten Positive inventions of Crosse and Surplice devised by the other as 1. Make us sure as God himself immediatly spake to the Patriarchs and to Moses nothing but what after was committed to writing by Moses and the Prophets at Gods speciall Commandment as Papists say their unwritten Traditions are agreeable to the word and though beside Scripture yet not against it And the very will of God no lesse then the written word and let Formalists assure us that their positive additaments of Surplice and Crosse are the same which God commandeth in the Scriptures by the Prophets and Apostles and though beside yet not contrary to the vvord But I pray you what better is the distinction of beside the vvord not contrary to the vvord of God out of the mouth of Papists to maintain unvvritten Traditions which to them is the expresse word of God then out of the mouth of Formalists for their unwritten Positives which are worse then Popish Traditions in that they are not the expresse word of God by their own grant 2. Let the Formalist assure us that after this some Moses and Elias shall arise and write Scripture touching the Surplice and Crosse that they are the very minde of God as the Lord could assure the Church between Adam and Moses that all Divine truths which he had delivered by Tradition should in Gods due time be written in Scripture by Moses the Prophets and Apostles I think they shall here fail in their undertakings Hence the Argument standeth strong the Jevvs might devise nothing in doctrine Worship or Government nay neither the Patriarchs nor Moses nor the Prophets of their own head without Gods immediate Tradition or the written Scripture which are all one Ergo Neither can the Church except she would be wiser then God in the Scriptures 2. Hookers Various and Harmonious Dissimilicude of Gods gâ—iding his Châ—rch is his fancy This variety we admire as it is expressed Heâ— 1. 1. But Hooker would say for he hath reference to that place God at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets and now to us by hiâ— Son But test of all he hath revealed his Will by the Pope of Rome and his cursed Clergy that we should Worship Images pray to Saints and for the dead beleeve Purgatory c. and now by humane Prelates he hath shown his will to us touching Crossing Surplice Now Papists as Horantius Sanderus Malderus Bellarmine and others say Most of the points that are in Question between them and Protestants and particularly Church-Ceremonies are unwritten Traditions delivered by the Church beside the warrant of Scripture 3. We grant that there was no Uniform Church-Government in the Apostles time Deacons were not at the first Elders were not ordained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every Church But this is nothing against a Platform of Vniform Government which cannot be altered in Gods Word For by this reason the Learned and Reverend Mr. Prynne because points of Government did grow by succession of time cannot infer therefore that Government which the immediately inspired Apostles did ordain in Scripture is alterable by men then because 1. Fundamentals of Faith and Salvation were not all delivered at first by God there is no Uniform no unalterable Platform of Doctrinals and Fundamentals set down in Scripture For first the Article of Christs death and incarnation was obscurely delivered to the Church in Paradise Sure the Article of Christs making his Grave with the wicked of his being put to death for out Transgressions though he himself was innocent his justifying of many by Faith were after delivered by Isaiah Chap. 53. And by succession â—f time many other Fundamentals as the Doctrine of the written Moral Law in the Moral Positives thereof were delivered to the Church But I hope from this successive Addition of Fundamentals no man can infer 1. There is no Uniform Platform of the doctrine of Faith set down in the Old Testament 2. None can hence infer because all points Fundamental were not delivered to the Church at first the refore the Church without any expresse warrant from God may alter the Platform of Fundamentals of Faith as they take on them to adde Surplice Crossing c. and many other Positives to the Government of Christ without any expresse warrant of the Word 3. Our Argument is close mistaken we argue not from the Patern of Government which was in the Apostles times at the laying of the first stone in that Church then the Apostolike Church had indeed no Officers but the Apostles and the seventy Disciples we reason not from one peece but from the whole frame as perfected by the Ministery of the Lords Apostles 2. We argue not from the Apostolike Church as it is such a Church for Apostles were necessary then as was community of goods miracles speaking with tongues c. but we draw an argument from the Apostolike Church as the first Christian Church and since the Law was to come from Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem Isai 2. 3. And the Lord was to reign in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem before his Ancients gloriously Isai 24. 23. And the Lord was to reign over his people in Mount Zion from henceforth and for ever Micah 4. 2 7. And Christ for that gave a special command to his Disciples not to depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the Father which they had heard from Christ therefore this Church of Jerusalem was to be a rule a patern and copy for the Government of the Visible Kingdom and Church of Christ in which Christ was to reign by his own Word and Law Miâ— 4. 2 7. And so the Spirit descended upon the Apostles in the framing and Governing of the first Church in so far as it was a Christian Church and they were to act all not of their own heads but as the Holy Ghost led them in all Truth in these things that are of perpetual necessity and in such as these the first Church is propounded as imitable Now we do not say in Apostles which had infallibility of writing Canonick Scripture in Miracles speaking with Tongues and such like that agreed to the Apostolike Church not as a Church but as such a determinate Church in relation to these times when the Gospel and Mystery of God now manifested in the flesh was new taught and never heard of before did require Miracles gift of Tongues that the Gospel might openly be preached to the Gentiles we do not I say urge the Apostâ—like Church and all the particulars for Government in it for a rule and patern to be imitated And if Master Prynne deny that there is an Uniform Government in the Apostles times because God himself added to them Deacons Elders which at first they had not removed Apostles miracles gifts of healing and tongues then say I
Magistrate in matters Ecclesiasticall QUEST 1. That Christ hath a spirituall Kingdom not only in the power of preaching the word but also in the power of the keys by discipline COncerning the Christian Magistrate we are to consider two heads the one negative what he cannot do in the matters of Christs Kingdom 2. Positive What he ought to do for the opening of the former We are to cleare whether or no all externall scandalls Ecclesiasticall as well as civill are to be punished by the Civill Magistrate and that as in Civill scandals that disturbeth the peace of the Common-wealth the Magistrate hath a twofold power one to command what is good and just another to reward and punish so the Lord Jesus in his Kingdom hath not onely a directive power to teach and forbid but also a power by way of Discipline upon the external man ecclesiastically to reward and punish to binde and loose in an externall Court on earth It is granted by the Adversaries that Christ as King hath a power of binding and loosing but meerly internall purely spirituall in regard of the Conscience by the Preaching of the Word but for any externall power to take in and cast out of the Visible Kingdom of Iesus Christ his Visible Church This they deny and so refuse all externall Ecclesiasticall censures of receiving into the bosome of the Church and casting out by rebukes or Excommunication and therefore that there is no externall Court in the Church to punish Ecclesiasticall scandals all scandals and externall offences of the Church are to be punished by the Christian Magistrate onely In opposition to which error I say 1. Conclusion There is not only a rebuking of an offender in the Church by private admonition as between Brother and Brother common to all Christians Col. 3. 16. Levit. 19. 17. And of the Pastor only he applying the Word by way of Preaching to such and such offenders and closing the Gates of the Kingdom of Heaven upon impenitent sinners which is acknowledged by the Adversaries But there is also a Church-rebuking by way of censure which must presuppose an Ecclesiasticall Court and a rebuking of a Publique sin put forth by many whereas one only not a Church or multitude may Preach the Word and so rebuke by way of Preaching which I make out from the Word of God 2 Cor. 2. 6. Sufficient to such a man is this punishment which was inflicted of many The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a rebuke or punishment in the old Translation it is Objurgatio in the Newer Increpatio Piscator Muleta is a chastisement whether this punishment was actuall excommunication as many Learned Interpreters do not improbably gather out of the Text or if it was a Rebuke of the Church in order thereunto Certain it included a rebuking not of one man but a Church-rebuking inflicted by many 2 Cor. 2. 6. And by the Representative Church of Corinth gathered together with Pauls spirit and the power of the the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 5. 4 5. And so presupposeth a Court or Convention of many inflicting this punishment 2. The Adversaries who deny that there is such a thing as Excommunication say it was onely a rebuke but if it was Excommunication it must include a rebuke coming from the many who do excommunicate 3. It is such a rebuke as must be taken off and pardoned by many as ver 7. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him and comfort him ver 10. To whom ye forgive any thing I also forgive So here is a rebuking put upon an offender by many convened in a Court who did rebuke by way of judiciall Authority and the power of the Lord Iesus Ergo it was some higher censure which was inflicted by many and taken off by many then that which was inflicted by one by way of Preaching where there is no necessity that many either rebuke or comfort the rebuked for one Pastor is to give out the sentence of Death or Life rebuking and comforting toward any one offender or a person Repenting whether many be convened to consent and joyn or not Yea I may being a Pastor of Iesus Christ dispense rebukes and comforts by way of Preaching against the will and minde of the whole flock But a rebuke and a forgiving by many cannot be dispensed except these many convene together in the Name of the Lord Iesus in a Church way and consent 2. If the convened Church must be heard and obeyed when she rebuketh a Brother for a fault done between Brother and Brother and that upon the Testimony of two or three witnesses then is the Church a Court that is to rebuke an offender and so to convene him before her and that is some other censure then by way of Preaching but the former is true Matth. 18. 16 17. 3. If the Churches of Ierusalem and Antioch convened in a Synod do give forth an Ecclesiasticall rebuke on false Teachers as those that troubled the Churches and perverted their Souls with false Doctrine then is there rebuking of offenders by a Church or Churches beside a Pastorall rebuking by one single Brother or Pastor But the former is true Act. 15. ver 24 25. The Proposition is clear in that a select company of Apostles Elders and Brethren doth not only Doctrinally conclude against their errour who did hold the necessity of Circumcision but also against the Persons and their Schismaticall way of troubling the Church by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in making a side and Faction in the Church ver 2. 24. And this not any one single man could do in an ordinary way except we say that it was an idle and unnecessary remedy which the Apostles used to quench the sire as if any one man might have done all this or as if they had rebuked these men publikely not having heard and convinced them by the Word of God or as if an offence touching conversation and against the second Table had risen betweene Church and Church no lesse then in the present case of an offence in matter of doctrine that the Apostles would not have taken the same course all which are not to be imagined And in very deed this was not a point of meer doctrine but also of peace and charity violated by a Faction ver 2. And a scandall in eating things strangled was raised in the Churches Acts 15. 24. 1 Cor. 10. 28 29. Rom. 14. 14 15 16 17. 4. If Timothy be to rebuke publikely those that sin publikely and that judicially upon the Testimony of Witnesses Then is there a publike Church-rebuking by way of censure beside the pastorall rebuking But the former is expresly said 1 Tim. 5. 19 20. This must be a rebuking in a Church-court except we say Timothy his alone was the Church and a Monarch of the Church who hath power to lead witnesses against Elders 2. Conclusion There is such a censure as excommunication in the hands of the Church by
same words in use amongst the Iews are used in the New Testament as 1 Cor. 16. 22. 1 Tim. 5. 19. Act. 15. 7 17. Revel 11. 2 8. 1 Pet. 4. 3. 2 Pet. 1 19. 20 21. Anathema Maeranatha Witnesses Gentiles sinners of the Gentiles imposition of hands c. Indeed in ordinary the Pastor under the New Testament is not called Priest nor high Priest nor the Communion Table an Altar But the words here used are obvious and very significant and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Church is a most obvious word in both the Old and New Testament and doth signifie any Assembly Religious civill or prophane according as the nature person and use or end of the meeting or Assembly was Religious and Prophane as is evident by many places of the Old and New Testament where the seventy Interpreters use the word for a Church-Assembly for which see the due right of Presbyters page 349 350. and page 473 474. And since the word Church here is cleerely a company convened to gaine an offending brothers soule by rebukes and censures and which hath power to binde and loose on earth so as their fact is ratified in heaven it cannot be any other then a New Testament Church-meeting seeing we find the Church of Corinth commanded to conveene and exercise such a power 1 Cor. 5. 1 2 3 4. And therfore it cannot be expounded of the â—ivill judge not to adde that Erastus who objecteth this saith the Synâ—dre had both civill and spirituall or Ecclâ—siasticall power and therefore he hath no ground to expound the place of the Civill Magistrate 2. Because he was not yet ascended to heaven and had not sent downe the Holy Spirit it is no consequence to say he speaketh nothing of the Christian Church of the Nevv Testament for before his Ascension he appointed the Ministery the Sacraments the power of Censures and the keyes given to the Church of the New Testament Math. 28. 19 20. Joh. 20. v. 2â— 22. Math. 26. 20 21 22 23 c. Now it is as inconvenient that precepts such as Do this in remembrance of me take yee eate yee and he that heareth you heareth me should be given to the christian Church which yet had no being as for Christ to hold forth the power of jurisdiction of a Christian church destitute of all being Yea this recurreth upon Erastus who will have Christ here to hold forth the power of the Christian Magistrate as yet remoter from being all Magistrates being professed Enemies to Iesus Christ whereas there was at this time a seed a bottome of a christian visible Church There being eleven Apostles seventy Disciples and many others who professed faith in Christ already come Yea though there be no formed instituted visible Church of the New Testament yet it became our great Prophet who taught that Gospell yea all that he heard of the Father Ioh. 15. 15. to his Disciples which was to be a rule of the Faith of the Christian visible Church not yet instituted and who erected a Ministery to teach them before his ascension also to furnish that Ministery with the powerof the keyes censures as he expresly doth before his death Mat. 16. 17 18 19. Not to adde what Camero saith that he spake these words when he was now to offer himselfe on the Crosse and Math. 2. 16. He mentioneth the edifying of the Church of the New Testament and the Disciples aske vvho is to be greatest in the Kingdome of God ver 1. Object 7. Let him be unto thee as an Heathen and Publican can not meane as much as Let him bee excommunicated but onely let him plead vvith his obstinate brother vvho contemneth the Christian Magistrate before the heathen Magistrate and in preserving the offendor vvho is novv obstinate let him deale vvith him as with a Heathen and a Publican onely in this matter of pursuit but otherwise the Publican was not excommunicate 1. Because the Publicans place and office was good and lawfull and from God then to repute him as a Publican is not to repute him as a prophane man 2. When Iohn Baptist is demanded by the Publicans what they shall doe he doth not bid them lay downe the office of a Publican but onely not abuse it to rapine and extortion nor is Zacheus compelled by Christ to lay downe his office but onely to make restitution Answ 1. There is no necessity to condemne the office of the Publican or the birth and condition of the Heathen as unlawfull But a Publican went for a prophane man and for a man who is a stranger to the true church of God as Mat. 5. 46. If you love them that love you what reward have you Doe not even the Publicans the same Ergo It is Christs mind to exclude the Publicans from any spirituall or eternall reward promised to these within the visible Church and when Christ was slandered by the Jewes because he went in to be a Guest with a Publican Luke 19. 7. And because hee did eate vvith Publicans Mat. 9. 12 13. Christ taketh it as granted that Publicans were prophane men and sinners But he saith they were sicke sinners and lost that is such as were sensible of their by-past prophanity and desired the Physitian Christ to cure them and Gentiles or Heathen is taken for these who are without the Church and are void of Religion 1 Cor. 5. 1. Such fornication as is not so much as named amongst the Gentiles 1 Pet. 4. 3. Let it suffice you that ye have vvrought the vvill of the Gentiles Eph. 2. 11. Ye vvere in times past Gentiles what is that but Ver. 2. Ye vvalked according to the course of the World according to the Prince of the povver of the aire So a Samaritan is taken for one that hath a Devill yet to be a Samaritan by birth and nation is not unlawfull it is then a distinctive terme spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be an Heathen or counted an Heathen and a Publican that is counted a prophane wicked person not a brother not a member of the church Theophylact expoundeth this with us If he heare not the Church let him be an out-cast least he rub any of his vvickednes upon others vvithin the Church And these words Let him be to thee is a word of command as Mat. 5. 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let your speech be yea yea Mat. 20. he that vvould be greatest let him be your servant and let him be to thee is not to exclude the Church but it is set downe in a Law-manner in the second person for farre more must the obstinate offender be as an Heathen and a Publican to the Church Ver. 18. Verily I say unto you What yee bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and what yee loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven These words contain a reason why he who contemneth the Church is to be holden as a Heathen and a Publican Why is it such
House when others went astray I take to be a prophecie of these Pastors under the New Testament to wit the Apostles of Iesus Christ and Pastors and teachers that Christ left in his Church for the edifying of his body Ephes 4. 11. 12. When these Scribes and Pharises did sit in Moses his chaire for a while Mat. 23. but onely as porters and inferiour Officers in Gods house yet they were to be heard while God should cut them off as he prophecied Zach. 11. 8. We cannot say as some doe that persons were deprived amongst the Iewes of Church communion in the holy things of God because of Ceremoniall not of Morall uncleannes but now under the new Testament only Morall uncleannes can exclude persons from the holy things of God and therefore to argue from ceremoniall uncleannes in the old to morall uncleannesse in the new is no good consequence I answer the Ceremoniall uncleannesse in the Old which did exclude from the holy things of God doth strongly conclude that morall uncleannesse under the New Testament doth exclude from the holy things of God if that exclusion of the Leaper out of the campe seven dayes and the touching of the dead though imprudently did typifie some other exclusion from the holy things of God as no question it did then the consequence must be strong 2. It is also false that morall uncleannesse did not exclude from the holy things of God under the Old Testament For 1. what was more ordinary then that sacrifices should be offered for sins of ignorance for trespasâ—es and while this was done the person was not admitted to partake of the holy things of God 2. Whence was the Lords frequent complaints of wearying his soule with sacrifices solemne assemblies feast dayes and new Moones when they were morally uncleane and their hands were full of blood and they had not put away the evill of their doings did not love judgement and justice Isaiah 10. 11 12 13 16 17 18 19. And when God complaineth so of them Ier. 7. 8. Will ye steale murther and commit adultery and sweare falsely and burne incense unto Baal and walke after other Gods whom ye know not 10. And come and stand before me in this house which is called by my Name Ergo Murtherers and adulterers were debarred from entring into the Congregation of the Lord and partaking of the holy things of God while they repented Let none say by prophecying or the keyes of knowledge in preaching the Word they were declared unworthy to enter into the Temple but that will not conclude that it was the Priests office by power of discipline to exclude them from coming unto the Sanctuary of God Ans But if the Porters were set at doores of the Lords house to hold out the uncleane and if the Lord charge the Priests with this crime that they Ezek. 44. 8. set keepers of the charge of the Lords house for themselves that is for their owne carnall ends and not for the honour of the Lord And that ver 7. They brought into the Sanctuary of the Lords house uncircumcised in heart that is such as were morally uncleane then had the Priests a power to debarre from the Sanctuary such as were morally uncleane and if the Priests are said to beare rule by their meanes Ier. 5. 31. Then the Priests did beare rule and governe though they abused their Power and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to have dominion over any Psal 72. 8. Psal 110. 2. 1 Kin. 4. 24. Levit. 26. 17. And the Scripture gives a power of judging and governing to the Priests And 2 Chron. 30. 6 7. The Posts that Hezekiah and the Congregation of Israel sent through the Land commandeth a morall preparation to those that were to keepe the Lords Passeover to wit that they should turne againe unto the Lord God of Abraham and should not be like their Fathers nor like their Brethren that trespassed against the Lord God of their Fathers And ver 11. divers of Ashur and Manasseh and Zebulun humblid themselvs and came to Ierusalem to keepe the feast of the Passeover This proveth clearly that people under the Old Testament were no lesse to try and examine themselves by the King and Priests commandment carried to them by Postes before they should eate the Passeover then they are to try themselves before they eate and drinke at the Lords Supper onely the adversaries say the Priests by preaching were to debarre from the Passeover those who were morally unclean but not to debarre those who were morally uncleane so they were not typically and ceremonially unclean by any power of Discipline or by Porters set at the gates to keepe them out of the Sanctuary But I answer 1. How are the Priests Ezek. 22. 26. reproved for violating the Law of God and prophaning his holy things in that they put no difference between the holy and prophane the clean and the unclean Surely the Priests prophaned in the highest way the holy things of God in admitting into the Sanctuary those who were not onely ceremonially but morally uncleane as murtherers adulterers Who cryed the temple of the Lord Ier. 7. And they put no difference betweene the Holy and Prophane when they admitted to the holy things of God and into the Sanctuary the uncircumcised in heart for they doe more pollute the holy things of God who partake of them being morally uncleane and uncircumcised in heart then those who are onely uncircumcised in flesh Object But the Church under the New Testament can no other way but morally and by preaching as it would seeme onely debarre scandalous persons from the Seales and Prayers of the Church for should a scandalous person or an excommunicate person obtrude himselfe on the Lords Supper against the will and sentence of the Church the Church cannot use any bodily violence to hinder such prophane intrusion upon the holy things of God because the Churches weapons are not carnall but spirituall bodily violence can be no spirituall weapon that the Church as the Church can use so do the Remonstrant Arminians argue and some other for the congregationall way Ans This Argument is against all Church-censures but though the Church as the Church cannot hinder scandalous intruders upon the holy things of God by bodily violence it doth not follow Ergo The Church can keep the holy things pure no way but morally that is by preaching only for we can give a third way The rebukes admonitions and Excommunication or delivering to Satan are all transacted without any bodily and externnll violence Christs Kingdom resigneth all such carnall weapons to the Magistrate who is the only Governour of the Church of Christ as the Opponents say All Church Censures are by way of Declaration applied to such men by name and there co-action though penall is not by bodily violence but by acting upon the conscience of men and putting them to shame Hence 2. We argue if beside
the preaching of the word in which Commandments Promises and threatnings are proposed to all in generall there be rebukes of the Church the sentencing of such and such persons by name as Hymeneus and Philetus and other Blasphemers the Authoritative Declaration that such a brother is to be esteemed as a Heathen and a Publican and brotherly fellowship of eating and drinking with such an one denied that he may be ashamed if these be then are some debarred from the holy things of God by Church-Censures beside the preaching of the word of God But the former is true Ergo so is the latter The Proposition is proved because all wicked persons and heart-hypocrites are excluded from the holy things of God by the Preaching of the Word But only these that are notoriously and by testimony of witnesses convinced to be scandalous or contumacious in atrocious sins after they are by name rebuked and are declared to be esteemed as Heathen and Publicans and from whom we are to withdraw brotherly fellowship are excluded from the holy things of God by Discipline and Church Censures The Assumption I prove Because the word is preached to all by one in office and that a Steward and dispenser of the mysteries of God and he excludeth all unworthy ones known to be such or invisible only from the kingdom of God But the Censure 1. Is inflicted by many 2 Cor. 26. by the Church Matth. 18. 17. conveened together 1 Cor. 54. 2. It is applied to such persons by name 1 Cor. 5. 5. He that hath done such a deed ver 2. Hymeneus Alexander 1 Tim. 1. 20. Jezabel Rev. 2. 20. 3 The whole congregation is not to eat or Table with such an one 1 Cor. 5. 11. We are to note and observe him and to have no company with him that he may b ashamed 2 Thes 3. 14. to esteeme him as an Heathen and a Publican and exclude him from the Seals of the Covenant so long as he remaineth in that state 3. Arg. If a person may for not hearing the Church be judged as an Heathen and a Publican and his sinnes bound in heaven by the Church then by discipline he is excluded from the holy things of God in a peculiar way in the which contumacious persons uncircumcised in heart are excluded in foro interno Dei in Gods secret Court But the former is true Matt. 18. 15. 16 17 18. Ergo c. Now if there be two Courts one before God Rom. 2. 16. Rom. 14. 4. 1 Cor. 14. 25. 1 Ioh. 3. 21. Another of the Church Mat. 18. 15. 16 c. 1 Cor. 5. 4 5 6 11 12. and two sorts of bindings two sorts of Witnesses two sorts of Sentences then can it not be dedenyed but the Church hath a spirituall Court for censures as well as for preaching the Word 4. Arg. Exclusion of an offender from the societie of the Saints and not to eate or drinke with him is some other reall visible censure accompanied with shame then any censure by the preaching of the Word but there is such a censure inflicted by the Church Ergo The Proposition is cleare from Rom. 16. 17. Now I beseech you brethren marke them that cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which yee learned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and avoid them Here is a reall visible and personall note of shame put on Schismaticks a bodily declining and avoiding of their company which could not possibly be done by preaching of the Word But some may say this was not done by the Church court but every one as private christians were to eschew the society of Schismaticks and by this you cannot conclude any Church censure Answ Not to say that it were unjustice to decline any and renounce society with him before he were convinced to be factious according to Christs order Mat. 18. which to Erastus is a way of common and naturall equity And so in order to some publique censure before the Church Paul wâ—iâ—eth to a constitute Church at Rome in which he prescribeth Rom. 12. the Officers duty as what Pastor Doctor Elder Deacon ought to doe in a Church body We cannot imagine he could command every private Christian to inflict the censure and punishment for a punishment it is in order to a publike sin of avoiding any in Church communion professing they serve the Lord Iesus Christ as these doe verse 18. upon their owne private opinion Iesus Christ and his Apostles must have left men loose in all order and discipline by this way howbeit the adversary would deny a church punishment here is a punishment inflicted by many 2 Cor. 2. 6. And it is not inflicted by way of preaching so 2 Thes 3. 14. If any man obey not our word by this Epistle note that man have no company with him that he may be ashamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the learned is to put a publike church note on him that he may be confounded make him a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a publike wonder that he may be ashamed as Piscator and P. Baynes observe on the place expounding it of excommunication and the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is here is used toward the incestuous man who was to be excommunicated 1 Cor. 5. 9. I wrote unto you in an Epistle not to keepe company with fornicators the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 1. is ascribed to the incestuous man and here they are not to be mixed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with fornicators vers 11. But now I have written unto you not to keepe company if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator or covetous or an idolater or a railer or an extortioner with such a one no not to eate And that we may know that this is a church censure he addeth ver 12. For what have I to doe to judge them also that are without Ergo this no keeping company with such is a Church judging 5. Arg. The Church of Pergamus is rebuked for having amongst them such as hold the doctrine of Balaam and Revel 2. 14. and Thyatira that they suffered Iezabel to preach and seduce the servants of God ver 20. as the Church of Ephesus is praised v. 2. that they cannot beare with them that are evill but had tryed such that said they were Apostles and were not and had found them liars Rev. 2. 3. Here is it clearely supposed that these churches were to censure false teachers if any shall say they were to censure them no other waies but by preaching against their errors 1. This would establish a Prelate above the Church contrary to that of Mat. 18. Tell the Church and 1 Cor. 5. Where the Church gathered together was to excommunicate 2. The Angel of the Church is taken collectively for all the Rulers and the whole Church to whom Christ writeth as is cleare in that he saith so often He that hath an eare let him heare what the Spirit saith to
his late Critica Sacra on the Old Testament saith it signifieth to stay to cut off by death by banishment or any other way whereby a thing in use before afterward ceaseth Joel 1. 8. Amos 1. 5. Yea to cut off by divorce as I noted before and Exod. 12. 15. To cut off from Israel is expounded ver 19. to cut off from the Church of Israel Yea the Law forbiddeth that not only in the time of the Passeover they should not eat leaven but it should not be in their houses Now must they be killed if it was found in their houses beside their knowledge see Deut. 16. 3. Exod. 13. 7. What Erastus saith to the end of the Chapter is but repeated reasons before answered CHAP. X. Quest 6. Arguments for Excommunication from 1 Corinthians 5. vindicated REverend Beza said The world is the Kingdom of Satan and he that is delivered to Satan is cast out of Christs Kingdom to Satans Kingdom Erastus saith Is it not easier to heal them by remaining in the Church having the Magistrate to compell them to their duty then to cast them out of the Church The world is a kingdom of wickednesse and impiety may you not more easily reforme a wanton and lascivious virgin within the house then by casting her out of the house into a Bordel Will not slaves of Satan be more easily healed amongst the children of God then amongst wicked men Ans Whether to be delivered to Satan be to be put formally in his power that he may vex the spirit that the man may be humbled for sin or if it be to be given to Satan only consequenter and cast out of the Church that is Christs office-house of Grace to live as the world of which Satan is God and Prince 2 Cor. 4. 4. Joh. 12. 31. Ioh. 14. 30. It is not much to be disputed But this reason is against the wisdom of God who hath appointed that the shame grief and sorrow of being put out of Christs family should exceedingly humble the spirit of any in whom there is any thing of God And Erastus might as well say to Paul why dost thou command the Saints not to eat and drink with those that are called brethren and yet are fornicators covetous extortioners 1 Cor. 4. 11. and such as cause divisions and walk inordinately as Rom. 16. 17. 2 Thes 3. 14 15. and to withdraw from their company they must then converse only with the slaves of Satan and the wicked of the world when they are deprived of the society of the godly and that is the way to loose them were it not better to command the just contrary that the godly should eat drink and converse with inordinate walkers for they may turn them from their evil way for will an unchaste virgin be made chaste by being cast out of her fathers house into a Bordel-house Will not slaves of Satan rather be healed amongst the children of God then amongst the wicked But Erastus seeth not that Gods aime in this separation is not only that the cast out man may be ashamed 2 Thes 3. 14 15. and so humbled and brought to repentance when he findeth he is deprived of the blessings of the Saints of their society Ordinances But also God hath a higher aime to the end the whole lump of Christs body be not leavened and infected with the contagion of one man 1 Cor. 4. 6 7. Gal. 5. 9. 10. Erastus The similitude of a rotten Member proveth nothing for 1. There be no such sinners desperately uncurable of whom there is no hope so long as they live except pertinacious Hereticks erring in the foundation of salvation and such as sin against the holy Ghost 2. It is not necessary that men using reason and free will be defiled and corrupted by other sinners as the whole Member is by the rotten Member for as a Tree cannot but be burnt by the fire that seaseth on it so neither can the Members continuated by touching escape corruption 3. None can be cast out of the Church into the world as it is the kingdom of Satan for if they keep the faith though they were amongst Turks they are not in the world that is in the Kingdom of Satan nor in the world 4. Paul would not have him cast out into the world that his soul may be saved for this were to make the weak dispair and make them hypocrites Ans This similitude is the holy Ghosts in the very sense we use it 2 Tim. 2. 17. Their word shall eat as a canker a Metaphor as Calvin Piscator Marlorate observe from a rotten member that corrupteth the whole body and to say because a man hath reason and so free-will that he will not be corrupted whereas the whole member by necessity of nature cannot but be corrupted by a rotten member is to speak not like a Divine but as Pelagius speaketh for except we use the remedy appointed of God to eschew the contagion of the wicked and eschew their company as we are commanded and as the godly have done and the wicked have not done and therefore have been infected with the way of other evil men Prov. 22. 24. Prov. 5 8 9. Psa 26. 4 5. Esa 2. 6 7. Psa 119. 63. Psa 139. 21 22. Rev. 18. 4. 2 Chro. 19. 2. though we should not actually be corrupted yet we sin and tempt the Lord in that we seek a temptation to our selves yea as all the reasons of Erastus are naturall and against the wisdom of God in his Ordinances so expresly this God forbiddeth his people to marry with the Canaanites or to make Covenants with them Exod. 34. 12 c. Because saith the Lord they will insnare thee and draw away thy heart after their Gods May not Erastus say But men have reason and free-will not to consent to the inticing counsels of the Canaanites though they be joyned in Covenant and marriage with them Preterea non est necesse sic alios a malis contaminari 3. It is good that Erastus granteth that pertinacious Hereticks because uncurable may infect others for so the word expresly saith what shall be done with them Erastus granteth they be rotten members Ergo either they must by Excommunication be separated from the body as we teach or the body must seperate from them if this latter be said all that Erastus inferreth against us shall fall against himself 1. We shall not need to be infected with the Heresie of such Vtimur ratione We have the Armour of reason and freewill against this rotten and rotting member saith Erastus 2. We shall expose Hereticks to the Kingdom of Satan and the world by which they shall be hardned in their pernicious Heresies Beside 3. We make them Hypocrites 4. I see no warrant Erastus hath to say That Hereticks erring in fundamentals are more contagious and rotten members then slaves of Satan failing against the second Table 5. He that is cast out of
the Church though amongst the Turkes is in the world but not of the world If he keep the faith and if he do so he shall repent and come home to Christs visible Kingdom but because he keepeth the faith yet he is not a member of a visible Church except he professe it and repent for even the sound in faith if obstinate in Scandals may deserve Excommunication 6. There is nothing said against Excommunication in the two last Reasons but what striketh against Timothy his publike rebuking and threatning wrath against those that sin openly for they may through their owne corruption so farre abuse publike threatnings as they may be led on despaire and hypocrisie Now Erastus as we shall hear granteth those are to be rebuked openly who sin openly 7. We say not to deliver to Satan any man is to deliver him to the World but to cast him out of the Church that consequenter he may be left to the World but that he should sinne and be led away with the World is neither the intrinsecall end of Excommunication or of the Church but an event or end by accident the intrinsecall end is the Salvation of the man Beza saith that Paul speaketh of a spirituall punishment and not of a corporall Erastus saith When Peter killed Ananias corporally was not this corporall punishment When Paul gave some to Satan for the destruction of the flesh and God punisheth our sinnes with temporall death how shall you prove that God and the Apostles punisheth not sinnes with corporall or politicke punishment Ans The instance of Peters killing Ananias is in vain brought in It s but a begging os the question for it is not said Peter delivered Ananias to Satan that his Spirit might be saved Who revealed this secret to Erastus that Peter used the Ministery of Satan in killing Ananias We have as good reason to say Peter delivered Ananias to a good Angell to be killed as Erastus hath for his dreame 2. We deny not but God and the Apostles did punish sinne with corporall punishment but let him show without the bounds of the place in controversie for we must expound Scripture by Scripture where ever the Church conveened together in the Name of the Lord Jesus did judge and miraculously kill any member of the Church that the Spirit may be saved in the day of God Beza said This killing by the people would be ground of a great Calumnie to make many say Christians did usurpe the Sword of the Magistrate and that they were not subject to the Magistrate Erastus We give this power of miraculous killing onely to the Apostles Ans Yea But the calumny standeth so long as Erastus giveth to all the people the faith of Miracles to conveene and pray that Paul might miraculously kill those that offended the Church and its probable when the enemies objected to Christians all they could falsely they would not have omitted this that the very people by their prayers meet in one Church-jury to kill Cesars Subjects Beza said The Christian Magistrate should by this kill all the drunkards fornicators and the like with the Sword Erastus answereth 1. All faults deserve not killing but some other punishment of a lower degree 2. The Lord himselfe appointed that the Magistrate should compell men to doe their duty why then should Beza speake against God and call this a compelling of men to be Hipocrites Ans If other sins as drunkennesse fornication extortion doe infect the Church and be scandalous to the very Gentiles as the Apostle saith of incest 1 Cor. 5. 1. 6 7. Upon the same reason Paul should have rebuked them because they did not from the faith of Miracles pray that Paul might inflict some miraculous judgement by the Ministery of Satan though lesse then death for other sinnes But I pray you Paul had either a warrant from God to kill this man or he had none at all If he had a warrant why did he not that which is the part of a miraculous Magistrate without the prayers of the Corinthians Did Paul chide them because they prayed not to God that he might doe his duty if he had no warrant at all Why should he chide the Corinthians for that they prayed not that he might doe a duty which was not his duty For that is not Pauls duty for the doing whereof he hath no warrant from God if it was his duty onely conditionally 1. What warrant is there in Scripture to say Paul should have miraculously killed the incestuous person upon condition that the Corinthians had by the faith of Miracles prayed that he might worke that miraculous slaughter which because they did not Paul was either exonered of that as no duty or then Paul chided them because they prayed not to prevene Pauls sinfull neglect 2. How was this revealed to the Corinthians that they should pray that God by Paul as by his Magistrate might revenge this incest and not revenge their fronication coveteousnes extortion Idolatry especially seeing he saith that v. 9. He had written to them in another Epistle not to keâ—p company with such Whence I thinke it evident that Paul in another Epistle had ordained separation of Fornicators Coveteous persons and the like from amongst them and so censures for all scandalous persons And how shal we believe he would not teach them to cast out incestuous persons that are far more scandalous And if so he must have written in another Epistle of this miracle that they were to pray he might work Is it not evident by this that Erastus his way is full of Conjectures and groundlesse uncertainties 2. We deny not that the Magistrate may compell men to do their duty nor doth Beza deny that But that the Church hath or had any influence in the blood of an incestuous person and in working of miracles for the bodily destruction of any is most false and cannot be proved by this Text Nor do we think that the Church the weapons of whose warfare are carnall can compell any man by corporall punishment to duties by the Sword for so their Spirituall way which is terminated on the Conscience should lead men to Hypocrisie in profession of the truth for so reasoneth Erastus the Magistrate with the Sword rather punisheth sins committed in Gods Service then forceth to duties The fifth Argument of Beza is vindicated already Erastus We say not that Paul was to deliver the man to Satan that he may be saved but that Paul was to punish this high transgression with the Sword to the terror of others but only he set bounds to Satan that he should only kill his body but not meddle with his soul but because the man repented Paul hoped well of his soul that his soul should be saved in the day of Christ Ans 1. Here Erastus doth more fully reveal the vilenesse of his opinion for he granteth the intrinsecall end of this miraculous killing is not the Salvation of the mans
I am with you even unto the end of the world Amen Not to say that if it be peculiar to Apostles to preach and baptise neither Pastors farre lesse Magistrates can do it or then Pastors and Magistrates are Apostles sent to preach to all the world and can work miracles which is absurd 4. Christ ascending to heaven left Apostles Evangelists Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints and work of the Ministery not Kings and Magistrates 5. How shall they preach except they be sent Magistrates as Magistrates bear the sword and have carnall weapons and are not sent the weapons of Ministers are not carnall 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. For Erastus his Argument God has not forbidden Magistrates to preach Ergo it is lawfull for them to preach it followeth not for such positive ordinances as preaching Ministers must be appointed by a positive command for where hath God forbidden women to baptise Ergo they may baptise is not the Lords commanding the Apostles to go teach and baptise all Nations and his not giving any such commandement to others as good as a forbidding of them But I hope this is examined already suffiâ—ientlâ— 2. For Samuel his being both Iudge and Prophet I grant it but as an extraordinary dispensation of God which Christ would not take on him to do Luk. 12. nor is it left to us as a rule 3. That Aarons sons had no tribunall of their owne different from the tribunall of Moses is proved to be false from 2 Chr. 19 8. 4. That the Priests were Magistrates having the power of the sword cannot be proved by any word of God the plâ—â—e Ezâ— 44. is every way for us all the power given in that Cha is Ecclesiasticall none Civill as to kâ—ep the charge of the Lords holy things to exclude the uncircumcised in heart and flesh out of the sanctuary to come near to the table of the Lord and Minister v. 16 to enter into the gates of the inner courts clothed in linnen c. and many the like did no more agree to a Magistrate then to burn incense which to do Erastus granteth was unlawfull in King Vzziah yet he would prove that it is lawfull under the New Testament to exercise both so the Magistrate were able to do both because Samuel exercised both But might not King Vzziah exercise both without impeachment of his businesse and where was he forbidden but in this God made choise of the tribe of Levi and of no others which also he has done under the New Testament as is proved Erastus Nor is that true that whose part it is to preach and dispense the Sacraments it is his part to judge of those that prophaneth the word and seals so as he has power to punish any that desires the Sacraments with the want of the Sacraments and though it were true it should prove that Pastors not a Presbytery of Pastors and Ruling Elders have any power to debarre from the seals Ans 1. Well then Erastus granteth that the Ministers are to preach the Word and dispense the Sacraments But not to judge of those that prophane the holy things of God nor to debarre from the Sacraments any who desire them if Erastus did mean a bodily debarring by the power of the sword if any openly prophane shall violently intrude himself we should yeeld that to the Magistrate as the keeper of both Tables But Erastus is of that minde that as the Magistrate may preach and dispense the Sacraments he may by that power also Ecclesiastically cognosce and judge of the scandals for which the openly prophane are to be debarred and accordingly debarre Now Erastus saith he may preach as a Christian because that all Christians now under the New Testament may preach and prophecy all are Priests and Prophets so saith he page 175. So the Magistrate by this as a Christian and so all Christians women and children may try and examine all that are openly prophane and unworthy of the Seals this can be nothing but popular Anarchy yet that the Magistrate as a Magistrate and not as a Christian is to examine and try who are unworthy communicants I conceive is the minde of Erastus as I have proved before Which though it be a plaine contradiction yet it is the pillar of all the Erastian doctrine that the Magistrate as the Magistrate hath the supream power of all Church governement Therefore saith he page 171. they doe wickedly who take from the Magistrate that part of the visible jurisdiction in governement of the Church which God hath given to him and subject the Magistrate to some other jurisdiction Magistrates are Gods Ans If to preach dispense the Sacraments and to judge who are unworthy of the Seals and debarre them be taken from the Magistrate as he is a Christian this power of visible jurisdiction over the Church is no more taken by us from the Magistrate then it is taken from all Christians as Christians and in regard of any such power Magistrates are no more Gods and Nursefathers in the Church then all Christians are Gods and Nursefathers of the Church for by the reason of Erastus p. 175. that all Christians now are Priests and Prophets and so may examine who are worthy of the seals who not then the Civill Magistrate can be by us spoyled of nothing that God has given him as a Magistrate except Erastus say that he doth all these as a Magistrate virtute officij which when he or any of his Disciples shall assert beside that it is contradictorious to his way we are ready to demonstrate that it is blasphemous contrary to the word of God But that Erastus does take from the Elders of the Church and give to the Magistrate a power to judge in an Ecclesiasticall way who are to be debarred from the seals I argue on the contrary thus those who are to cut the word and distribute it aright are also to distribute the seals a right to the worthy not to dogs and swine not to heathens and publicans for it is evident that the right stewarding and distributing of ordinances doth essentially include the stewarding of them with judgement and discerning to those that are worthy not to those that are unworthy But Elders not Civill Magistrates are to do the former Ergo the latter also 2. Those to whom Christ committed the power of the keys to open and shut to bind and loose to those he hath given the use and exercise of the keys But Christ gave the power of the keys to the Apostle Peter as representing the Rulers of the Church Mat. 16. 19. to the Church Mat. 18. 18. and not to the Magistrate as to the Magistrate Ergo The proposiâ—ion I prove from the Texts Mat. 18. 18. What ye shâ—ll bind on earth shall be bound in heaven c. and Cha. 16. 19. the same is repeated now actuall binding is the use and exercise of the keys given to Peter and the
excommunicated without the consent of the Magistrate Where did Christ divide the externall Government of the Church in Civill Government and Ecclesiasticall as you distinguish them Ans 1. That it is expedient that the Christian Magistrate should be acquainted with the Excommunication of any under his jurisdiction that he may satisfie his own Conscience in punishing him civilly it is like some of our Divines do teach But that the Magistrate have a negative voice in Excommunication none of ours teach 2. We make no such division as that of the Civill and the Ecclesiasticall Government of the Church Erastus may dream of such a distinction We know all Government of the Church as the Church to us is Ecclesiasticall There is a Government of men of the Church that is Civill but we dreamed never of a Civill Government of the Church All the Government of the Church as the Church though externall is Spirituall Heavenly and subordinate to Jesus Christ as Lord and King of his own house as the Government of a house a Kingdom an Army a City is subordinate to the Lord of the house to the King Generall Commander and Lord Mayor and it is no more a Civill Government subordinate to the Magistrate and his Sword then Christs Kingdom visible and externall or invisible and internall is of this world When therefore Erastus denyeth that there is any Church-Government he meaneth there is no Spirituall Church Government in the hands of Presbyters but because we know no Government of the Church as the Church but it is Spirituall and the Government of the Church by the Christian Magistrate is a Civill Government of men as men and that by the power of the Sword and so it is no Church-Government at all and therefore we justly say that Erastus denyeth all Church-Government Erastus When Paul saith Act. 23. Thou sittest to judge me according to the Law Doth he not acknowledge the High Priest to be his Judge Paul denieth that he had done any thing contrary to the Law And Tertullus saith We would have judged him according to our Law if Lysias had not without Law violently taken him from us Ans Ananias was to judge him only in an Ecclesiasticall way and when Paul saw that they went beyond their line to take his life he appealed from their inferior judicature to Caesar who only had power of his life 2. Lysias had Law to vindicate an innocent man accused on his life before a most uncompetent judicature Tertullus knew the Iews had favour and connivence in many Lawlesse Facts CHAP. XVIII Quest 14. Whether Erastus do strongly confute the Presbytery of the New Testament BEza saith there vvas need of same select men in the Apostles time to lay hands on Ministers to appoint Deacons for there vvas no Jevvish Synedrie no Magistrate to do it and vvhen Paul forbiddeth Christians for things of this life to implead other before the heathen Magistrate would he send them in spirituall businesse to such or must that Tell the Church have no use for a hundreth years after Christ So Beza yea if the Lord ascending to heaven left Officers for the building and Governing his Church Eph. 4. 11. and some to be over the people in the Lord 1 Thes 5. 12. 13. some to watch for their souls whom they were to obey some to feed the flock and to drive away the wolves Act. 20. 28 29 30. some to Govern the house of God no lesse then their owne house 1 Tim. 3. 4. a Presbytery in generall Erastus cannot deny only he denieth such a Presbytery and saith that it is like this such a one is a living creature Ergo such an one is a dog But if I can demonstrate there is a Presbytery and they were not all Bishops as is clear Rom. 12. 89. 1 Cor. 12. 28 29. 1 Tim. 5. 17. and if Tell the Church by no Grammer can be Tell the Bishop except you make the Queen the Bride and the servant or friend of the Bridegroome all one It must follow there is both a Presbytery and such a Presbytery in the Church nor do we argue from a generall to specials Erastus The Church may not kill men but she may pray that God would destroy them or convert her enemies Ans To pray that God would destroy him whom we are to admonish as a brother is a strange discipline Erastus will never make good from Scripture that God hath appointed praying for the destruction of men to be a saving ordinance appointed of Christ for gaining of souls such as we take rebuking admonishing excommunication eschewing the company of scandalous brethren which have for their intrinsecall end the repentance of a brother under these censures and therefore this of Erastus his killing of men is a new forged censure Erastus Whereever the Scripture speaketh in the New Testament of a Presbytery there is no other understood but that of preachers therefore it is false that the Apostles have commanded any other Elders beside those that labour in the word Ans The antecedent is false 1 Tim. 5. 17. as I have demonstrate in another place I repeat it not here let any disciple of Erastus answer if he can 2. The consequence is vaine for if in every place of the New Testament where mention is made of an Elder the Holy Ghost mean only a Preaching Elder it followeth only that any other officers as Deacons and those that labour not in the Word yet Govern well are not called with the name of Presbyters And so the Argument is against the name not against the office and thing What if the Presbytery be named from the most principall part as is ordinary in Scripture doth it follow that there be none members of the Presbytery but only Preachers of the Word In no sort Paul saith of the visible Church of Corinth Ye are bought with a price ye are justified ye are sanctified Ergo none were members of the visible Church but those that are redeemed justified and sanctified it is like the consequence of Erastus 3. I retort this vaine argument thus none in Scripture have the name of Apostles But the Eleven and Mathias none are called the witnesses of the Lord but they 1 Ioh. 1. 1 2. Ergo there be no preaching Ministers neither Timothy Titus Epaphroditus that are to be called witnesses of the Lord but the twelve Apostles so where doth Erastus finde that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a deaconrie or office of labour in the Ministery is given to any but to those that labour in the word Rom. 11. 13. Ergo must there be no deaconry but labouring in the word the plaine contrary is Act. 6. Erastus Beside Levites and Priests there belonged to the Synedry of the Iews other heads of families Ergo beside Ministers there must be Prophets and Doctors in the Presbytery it followeth not Ans Erastus fancies a conclusion of an Argument that Beza saith not for he
the sinnes of wicked Magistrates in heaven is this good Thoma no Ecclesiasticall coaction no jurisdiction and this is to receive the distinction whether you will or not 2. The rejecting of this distinction is a tenet of Royalists for certainly we use no defensive armes against the King as King but as he is a misled man and I think the King will say he useth not offensive armes against the Parliament as the Parliament but under another very undeserved notion as Rebels 3. It is lesse that we may not rail on rulers which is a sinne for to rail upon any cursing-wise is unlawfull then that we cannot punish the ruler which is more To punish the ruler as a sinfull and wicked man is a work of justice and so lesse unlawfull then sin Erastus taketh for confessed as his custome is that which we deny that to punish rulers with an Ecclesiastick censure is a sin as to rail on them and curse them is a greater sin But to binde the rulers sinnes in heaven is a punishment and this the Elders may lawfully do and to eschew the company of a ruler if he be a fornicator an extortioner and idolater is either to punish him or put shame upon him 2 Thes 3. 14. But one private Christian farre more a Church may do that Rom. 16. 17. 1 Cor. 5. 9 10. 2 Thes 3. 14. except Erastus except the Magistrate from being under a Divine and Apostolick command this he must say and so we have the Apostles meaning withdraw from those that cause divisions and walk unordinately and are fornicators coveteous extortioners least they infect you and that they may be ashamed and repent except they be Magistrates though in the lowest rank if they be Magistrates they are gods and you their subjects and you may in no sort shame them I should think God both accepted persons and would not have us to indeavour the repentance and gaining of the souls of Magistrates because they are above Gospel-rules by this way of Erastus and because the Presbytery may not rail on Magistrates for that is sinne it followeth not the Presbytery may inflict no Ecclesiasticall censure on them Yea let me retort this The Magistrate may not rail on or curse and revile the Priests So Paul expoundeth it Act. 23. 5. against reviling of Priests nor may the Magistrate revile or curse any subject for I conceive reviling to be sinne Mat. 5. 11. and 27. 39. Joh. 9. 28. 1 Cor. 4. 12. 1 Pet. 2. 23. 1 Cor. 6. 10. Isai 51. 7. Zepha 2. 8. 1 Pet. 3. 9. Jude 9. and the Magistrate is under the Moral Law Hence I inferre by Erastus his reasoning that the Magistrate may not punish Priests Prophets Pastors or any subject though they most hainously trespasse against all Lawes which is absurd 3. That the Magistrate is made a servant not a Magistrate if the Elders may use the rod of Christ against him is a vaine consequence Paul preached himself a servant in a spirituall Ministery to all the Christians in Corinth 2 Cor. 4. 5. and all Elders are thus servants to Magistrates and flock Yet Erastus knoweth that Paul had a rod of miraculous killing the disobedient as Erastus expoundeth 1 Cor. 5. 1 Cor. 4. 21. What will ye shall I come unto you with a rod or in love Suppose there had been a Christian Magistrate at Corinth that should fall in incest as one did 1 Cor. 5. 1. Paul could not come to him with the rod or suppose the Roman Emperour had been a Christian and within the Church and should have his Fathers wife Paul could use no rod against him and should he not have in readinesse revenge against all disobedience 2 Cor. 10 6. and authority 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 given him by the Lord for edification v. 8. against all offenders within the Christian Church in regard that Christ is head and King of the Church but he should have neither rod nor revenge in readinesse against the disobedience of the Emperour why is not the rod of Paul the rod of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 8. yea certainly is not then the Christian Emperour the subject of Christs Kingdome and subject to the King Christ and his rod No but saith Erastus Paul Is the Emperour subject to thee and if Paul should have a rod to punish the Emperour then the Apostle could not be the Emperours subject nor obey him as a God on earth for saith Erastus no subject may punish the Magistrate This is downe right to make God an accepter of persons nor can Erastus deny but sharp rebuking was a punishment Tit. 1. Rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the â—aith And this the Apostle urgeth all Ministers and watchmen to do not being afraid of the faces of Kings Iere. 1. 17 18. Joh. 2. 1 2 3 4. 2 Tim. 4. 1 2 3. Erastus teacheth Magistrates to break Christs bounds and to say we will not have this man to reigne over us he needed not employ a wicked pen for this they need no teacher vitia discuntur sine Magistro Erastus Some of yours say there is need of the Magistrates consent to Excommunication but certainly he will never consent to be Excommunicated himself Theodosius was not willing nor will good Magistrates consent when they see the danger on themselves you would not bring in again the Church-penances of the ancients Ans 1. We all think the Cumulative consent of the godly Magistrate is necessary to Excommunication Because he is obliged to joyne his sanction and authority to all Christs Ordinances but we think not the privative or negative consent is required so as no mans sinnes should be bound in heaven except the Magistrate say Amen 2. Put Erastus his Arguments in forme and you shall see their weaknesse as thus He whose consent is required to Excommunication cannot be punished with Excommunication himselfe because no man will consent not Theodosius nor the godliest man that he be punished himselfe But the Magistrates consent say the Presbyterians is to be had to Excommunication Ergo the Magistrate cannot be punished with Excommunication himselfe Ans I retort it he whose consent is required for threatning wrath â—o and rebuking of offenders and scandalous men he is not to be threatned with wrath and rebuked for his own offences and scandals because no man no Theodosius no godly Magistrate when he seeth the present danger will consent that he be threatned with the wrath of God and rebuked himselfe We know Nathan was afraid to rebuke a Magistrate according to Gods heart but in the third Person But Erastians teach that the Magistrate when he scandalously offends should be threatned and rebuked Ergo the Magistrates consent is not requisite to threatnings and rebukings of Pastors But the conclusion is against Erastus for the Pastors preach and rebuke and threaten as the deputies and servants of the Magistrate and as sent by him and the Magistrate preacheth rebuketh threatneth all offenders and
Law of God so the seventy translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hieronym intrabunt in Ecclesiam Domini Vatablus in Not. erint de consortio populi Sancti The English Annotators cite for this Nehe. 13. 1 2. the Law is that the Moabite and the Ammonite should not enter into the Congregation of the Lord for ever It is said v. 3. They separated from Israel all the mixed multitude so that cleare it is to enter into the Congregation is to become a Member of the Church then to be separated from the Congregation must be to be cast out of the Church and deprived of the holy things of God as heathens and strangers were according to that Levit. 22. 10. There shall no stranger eate of the holy thing What is this but Excommunication call it with another name we care not it is really to be separated from the Church 7. It is admirable to me to heare Erastus say It cannot be that God who is no accepter of of persons will not receive into his Kingdome a Bastard an Ammonite a Moabite Is not this to reason against the Law of God and the wisedome of God Deut. 23. 1. 2 3. who saith that he will not receive such into his Church which is his Kingdome and a company of Kings and Priests unto God which he hath freely loved Exod. 19. 5 6. Psal 149. 1. Deut. 7. 7. Deut. 26. 16 17 18. as â—oâ— the rejecting of men from his heavenly Kingdome according to Gods decree of eternall Reprobation I deny Excommunication to be any such rejection of men it being onely a casting them out from the visible Church and the speciall Church priviledges that their Spirits may be saved in the day of the Lord and what can be more contrary to the Word then that Erastus should say God declared not that it was his will that Moabites Ammonites should not be circumcised anâ— admitted to the Sacraments Why then did hee not chuse Moabites and Ammonites for his people and make a covenant with them and give Circumcision a Seale of the Covenant as he dealt with the Iewes if he mean God will not exclude Moabites and Ammonites from the Sacraments so they repent and turne to him but now Erastus fights with his owneshaddow Who denieth but Iewes and Gentiles so they call on him are welcome to all the holy things of God and not to be cast out of either Church or Synagogue 8. To say to cast out of the Synagogue is a meeker word then to Excommunicate is but to beg the question Yea but saith Erastus it is lesse and a milder thing then to destroy and pro deplorato habere to esteeme a person lost we say Excommunication is not to destroy or to give for lost but though it be the most violent yet it is a saving remedy that the man may be ashamed humbled and his Spirit saved 9. We reason not from the fact of Pharisees if they cast any out of the Synagogue for a just cause they ought also by Gods Law to debarre them from Temple and Sacraments and therefore if they did not debarre it was their sinne not our Rule CHAP. XXI Quest 17. Divers other Arguments vindicated as from Communion with the Church subjection of Magistrates and Ministers The Ceremonially unclean from Matth. 18. Tell the Church Erastus Christ hath given a power to his Church to loose Ergo also to binde The Church admitteth Believers into Communion Ergo they cast out the impenitent Erastus Answereth Such a power as they have to Ioose and to admit such and no other have they to binde and to cast out but it follovveth not Ergo it is a povver to debar from the Sacraments and to Excommunicate it is à Genere and Speciem affirmativè Ans Erastus is mistaken and formeth the Argument as he pleaseth The Church pardoneth as a Church and receiveth into her body believers to participate of Church-priviledges and Sacraments in a Church Communion Ergo the Church hath power to binde and cast out from this same Church-Communion those that leaveneth the whole lump as a City may admit a stranger to all the City priviledges Ergo the same City may for offences against the City cast out and deprive of City priviledges offenders is this a Genere ad speciem affirmativè If the Church have a power to cast out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from amongst them a Member we shall not contend for the name of Excommunication Erastus The Ministers have none by whom in their office they can be corrected But saith Erastus If every soul be subject to the higher powers how are Ministers excepted if Ministers correct Ministers they play to others hands spare thou the nails and I shall spare the teeth Ans The Author doth not except Ministers from civill subjection to Magistrates But only he saith In Ecclesiasticall censures the Magistrate is not to judge the Ministers because a Ministery being an Ecclesiasticall office as such it is not liable to the civill power only the Ministers as they erre and sin in their persons are liable to civill punishment but not to Ecclesiasticall to be inflicted by the Magistrate 2. Through the corruption of mens nature every one may wink at anothers faults It is true But consider if this slow from the nature of Gods Ordinance to wit that the Citizen obey the Laws of the City whereof he is a member This is an Argument against any Senate Parliament Counsell of State or War or Aristocracy on earth if of an hundreth Lords of the States Generall one or ten play the Traytor to the State who shall take order with them Their Collegues and fellow-Senators Partiall judging falls out here through mens corruption spare thou the nails and I le spare the teeth and from Erastus his way if you Argue from mens corruption the same will follow May not the Magistrate say to the Minister Honour me before the people and Preach not against the sins of King and Court and I will oversee and wink at thy Pluralities non-residencies soul-murthers And may not the Minister say to the Magistrate Let me be above all Civill Laws and be Lord Prelat and sit on the necks of my Brethren and defraud oppresse and I shall be silent and preach nothing against the idolatry oppressions Sodomy uncleannesse of Magistrate and court Erastus The Ceremonially unclean were excluded from the Sacraments Ergo far more the Morally unclean But how saith he doth this follow You Excommunicate none but the obstinate for those that were Ceremonially unclean against their will were excluded from the holy things Ergo far more he that is Morally unclean is to be debarred though he be not obstinate How could Paul Excommunicate the incestuous man 1 Cor. 5. he was never admonished or Peter Excommunicate Annanias as you say Ans All Types or comparisons hold only in that for which the spirit of God doth bring them Now the Ceremonially unclean were debarred from
contrary to what they judge in conscience ought to be done So Tell the Church to Erastus is Tell the one individuall single Magistrate who by office may judge without and contrary to the advice of all the Church Pastors Doctors Elders yea people and all Now though we grant that what the Emperour doth as Emperour and the Magistrate as Magistrate hath done that the Empire City and Incorporation doth which yet is never true in the Church which hath no King as a Church save onely the head and King Iesus Christ yet Erastus hath not proved what the Emperour doth without and contrary to the advice of all the Empire that the Empire hath done that Erastus Christ either understandeth by the Church the whole multitude of Ierusalem or then the Magistrates But he understandeth not the multitude 1. Because Christ would not change the Government of heathens farre lesse of that which his Father had appointed in Iudea in which the people did never Governe Yea the Apostles to their death did nothing against Moses his Law and how they take Christ to speak of a Church to be founded of new after his resurrection who beleeved not he should die and rise againe and after his resurrection knew not what a kingdome whether worldly or spirituall he was to â—ave cannot be conceived Ans 1. Many will deny the Major for he understood the rulers of the Christian Church not excluding the consent of the Christian Church of beleevers in the matter of Excommunication 2. I deny that Christ doth here re-establish a Synedry and bid them Tell the Scribes and Pharisees and those that were to crucifie himselfe and to persecute the Apostles to the death Christ knew those to be miserable healers of scandals betweene brother and brother 2. He knew this Sanedrim to be the Disciples of Christs capitall enemies he warned the Disciples to beware of the leaven of their corrupt Doctrine he prophecied this Sanedrim should be destroyed as a degenerated plant that his heavenly father had not planted and was it like Christ would direct them a perishing and degenerate remedie against scandals that he would have removed by his Church even till the end of the world 2. It is most false that the Apostles did keep to death the institutions and ordinances of Moses Act. 15. They abrogated all the ceremoniall Law except that of blood and things strangled and Paul said he that would amongst the Galathians be circumcised was falâ—e from Christ see Col. 2. Gal. 4. Heb. 13. and elsewhere the contrary The Government was now to expire with Christs death and ascension in so farre as it was pedagogicall 3. Christ spake often of his Kingdome to them and they understood nothing but an earthly and temporall Kingdome and that they understood perfectly All this time the Church of Pastors Teachers Elders Deacons beleevers in Christ is denied Let Erastus answer when Christ said Mat. 16. He would build his Church on a rock unpregnable and insuperable to hell If the Apostles understood a Church to be founded after the resurrection and when Christ said Loe I am with you to the end of the world if Christ meant not he would give his presence to the Christian Church not then founded for even after his resurrection they dreamed of an earthly Kingdome Act. 1. and that our divines do rightly expound that place I am with you All the faithfull Pastors Doctors Church-officers and beleevers to the Lords second appearance is clear Erastus Christ bade Tell that Church which hath power to conveene the offender before it examine Witnesses judicially cognosce and give sentence but in Christs time the multitude could not doe this Ans Ergo the Church hath a spirituall judicature This is for uâ— 2. Nor had the Sanedrim the power in all offences as Erastus would make the world beleeve for it was but a shadow at this time void of power and used what power they had against Christ and the Gospel Nor needeth Erastus to prove that by the Church the multitude cannot be understood though he cannot exclude them from their owne part in Church Government both in consenting and in withdrawing from the Excommunicated Erastus But Tell the Church is all one vvith this Appoint some who in the name of the Church may mannage the businesse but how prove they this Then Christ bade Tell the Elders that then were else he did not accommodate himselfe to their understanding to whom he spake when he was to teach hovv our sacrifices pleaseth God be biddeth us first be reconciled to our brother and then sacrifice yet he knevv that sacrifices vvere to be abolished but by Analogie he vvould teach us vvhat he requireth vvhen he saith he vvill have mercy and not sacrifice Ergo by your ovvn confession to tell the Church is to tell the Sanedrim for there vvas then no Church but the multitude Ans 1. Tell the Church cannot in any sense have such a meaning as Appoint Elders and tell them for then Tell the Sanedrim must have this meaning set up a sound Sanedrim according as Moses appointed and tell the Sanedrim The Sanedrim in its right constitution and due power as the Law of Moses required it was not to be had at this time Herod had killed the Sanedrim the Romans made High Priests from yeere to yeere against the institution the power of life and death in the civill Sanedrim was now none at all The Scepter was departed from Iudah those that sate in Moses Chaire corrupted all so the right Sanedrim was no more now to be had then a Christian Church not yet erected Again Tell the Church presupposeth a constituted Church and therefore cannot include a command to erect a new mould 2. Tell the Elders of the Christian Church may as well be meant in these words Tell the Church as the Iewish Church can be understood 3. The word Church and to conveene offenders hear Witnesses give out sentence were all plaine Language to the disciples though they knew not the frame of the Gospell Church as yet Christ being now teaching an ordinance of a Church and the censure of Excommunication that was not to fall under practise while Christ should ascend to heaven and therefore though this Church was not yet it followeth not that the Lord Iesus speaketh of the Sanedrim 4. Say that he meane the Sanedrim Ergo say we he speaketh nothing of the Christian Magistrate 1. Because there was no Magistrate now but Iewish Magistrates as Erastus cannot deny 2. Because this Sanedrim that gained soules of offending brethren was Ecclesiasticall not civill 3. By proportion and Analogie Christ must understand the Church of Christians though the Sanedrim was to be removed shortly Erastus It is a great controversie vvho are to be chosen out of the bodie of the Church to excommunicate judicially Ans The controversie was moved partly by Erastus partly by Morellius not in the reformed Churches Erastus Some say the Magistrate
and God inviteth them to repentance and the staying in the Church And the Sacraments are to Erastus means of repentance and this casting out must be to save them for no power is given of God to the Magistrate or Church for destruction but for edification Now to put them out of the Church that they may be saved is as Erastus conceiteth to cast a lascivious Virgin out of the company of chaste Matrâ—ns to the end she may preserve her chastity I speak here all in the language of Erastus who useth all those against casting any out of the Church by Presbyters but they stand with equall strength against his casting out of idolaters and apostates out of the Church and so do the rest of his Arguments Therefore this conclusion of Erastus is a granting us the whole cause after in six books he hath pleaded none should be Excommunicated he falleth on Bellarmines Tutissimum igitur c. when he had written six books against justification by faith Lastly why should idolaters apostates and obstinately wicked men be excluded from the dispute of Excommunication and suspension from the Sacraments for he knoweth that Beza and Protestant Divines do make these the speciall though not the whole subject of the dispute Now Erastus concluding his six books doth hereby professe he hath never faithfully stated the question when he excludes those from the subjectum questionis who especially heareth not the Church and ought to be Excommunicated Thus have I given an account as I could of the wit of Erastus against the freedome of the Kingdome of the Lord Iesus CHAP. XXIII Of the power of the Christian Magistrate in Ecclesiasticall Discipline QUEST XIX Whether or no the Christian Magistrate be so above the Church in matters of Religion Doctrine and Discipline that the Church and her Guides Pastors and Teachers do all they do in these as subordinate to the Magistrate as his servants and by his Authority Or is the spirituall power of the Church immediately subject to Iesus Christ only VVEE know that Erastus who is Refuted by Beza Vtenbogard whom Ant Walens Learnedly Refuteth Maccovius opposed by the Universities and Divines of Holland Vedelius Answered by Gu. Apolonius and others and the Belgick Arminians in their Petition to the States and Hu. Grotins against Sibrandus Lubert Divers Episcopall Writers in England do hold That the Guides of the Church do all in their Ministery by the Authority of the Christian Magistrate I believe the contrary And 1. We exclude not the Magistrate who is a keeper of both Tables of the Law from a care of matters of Religion 2. We deny not to him a power to examine Heresies and false Doctrine 1. In order to bodily punishment with the sword 2. With a judgement not Antecedent but Subsequent to the judgement of the Church where the Church is constituted 3. With such a judgement as concerneth his practise lest he should in a blinde way and upon trust execute his office in punishing Hereticks whether they be sentenced by the Church according unto or contrary to the word of God as Papists dream 3. We deny not but the Prince may command the Pastor to Preach and the Synod and Presbytery to use the keys of Christs Kingdom according to the Rules of the Word But this is but a Civill subjection though the object be spirituall But the Question is not 1. Whether the Christian Magistrate have a care of both Tables of the Law 2. Whether he as a blinde servant is to execute the will of the Church in punishing such as they discern to be Hereticks we pray the Lord to give him eyes and wisdom in his Administration 3. Nor thirdly Whether he may use his coercive power against false Teachers that belongs to the controversie concerning Liberty of Conscience 4. The Question is not Whether the Magistrate have any power of jurisdiction in the Court of Conscience they grant that belongeth to the Preaching of the Word But the Question is touching the power in the externall Court of Censures 5. The Question is not Whether the power of exercising Discipline be from the Magistrate I mean in a free and peacable manner with freedome from violence of men we grant that power and by proportion also that exercise of Discipline is from him But whether the intrinsecall power be not immediately from Christ given to the Church this we teach as the power of saying peacably from danger of Pirats and Robbers is from the King but the Art of Navigation is not from the King But the Question is whether the Magistrate by vertue of his office as a Magistrate hath Supream power to Govern the Church and immediatly as a little Monarch under Christ above Pastors Teachers and the Church of God to Iudge and determine what is true Doctrine what Heresie to censure and remove from Church-Communion the Seals and Church-offices all scandalous persons and that if Pastors or Doctors or the Church Teach or dispense censures they do it not with any immediate subjection to Christ but in the Name and Authority of the Magistrate having power from the Magistrate as his servants and delegates To this we answer negatively denying any such power to the Magistrate and doe hold that the Church and Christs courts and Assemblies of Pastors Doctors and Elders hath this power onely and immediately from Iesus Christ without subordination in their office to King Parliament or any Magistrate on earth by these Arguments 1. Because in the Old Testament the Lord distinguished two courts Deut. 17. 8. If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgement 10. Thou shalt come unto the Priests the Levites and unto the Iudge that shall be in those dayes and inquire and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgement And thou shalt doe according to the sentence which they of that place which the Lord shall chuse shall shew thee c. There be here two Courts clearly one court of Priests and Levites that were Iudges another of the Iudge Now the King by vertue of his Kingly office might not usurpe the Priests office 1. Vzziah was smitten with Leprosie for so doing 2. It is evident in Moses his writing that Aaron and his sonnes the Priests and Levites were separated for the service of the Tabernacle to teach the people to carry the Arke to sacrifice to judge the Leper and to judge between the clean and the unclean to put out of the campe out of the congregation the unclean and to admit the clean Lev. 1. 7 9 12 c. and 5. 8. and 7. 7. and 13. 3 4 c. 23. Numb 5. 8. c. and 18. 4 5. 2 Chron. 29. 11. You hath the Lord chosen to stand before him 1 Sam. 21. 1 2. Lev. 21. 1. Iosh 3. 8. 1 Kin. 8. 3. 1 Chron. 8. 9. 2 Chron. 5. 7. and 7. 6. and 8. 14. Zeph. 3. 4. Hag. 2. 11 12. Mal. 2. 7 Deut. 10 9. and 21. 5. Num. 1.
till we all meet in the Vnity of the Spirit and the knowledge of the son of God unto a perfect man Eph. 4. Now neither in that place nor in any other place did Christ give a Magistrate for the edifying his Body the Church but only those that are but his Delegates Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors Teachers iâ— the Magistrate be the only Governour of the Church and he who sendeth into the Vineyard those who edifie the Body the King should have been first in this Role as the only supream gatherer edifier and builder of the Church It cannot be said The Ruling Elder then because he is omitted here should not be the gift of Christ given to Edifiâ— the Church and by this it must be denied that the King the Nurse father of the Church who is to take care that the Children be fed with the sincere milk of the Word is given of God to edfâ—ie the Church because he is not nameâ— here Ans Our Divines as Calvin Beza Marlorate do strongly gather from this place that because the Pope pretended to be the Catholick edifier of the Church is not here in this Text nor in any other scripture that therefore he is not the head of the Church and the King being pretended to be the only eminent gatherer of the Church and Supream Governour in all Causes Civill and Ecclesiasticall he should especially have been set down here he being a mixed person and more then half a Church-officer in the minde of the Adversary And there was no colour of reason why the supream and only Head and principall Governour of the Church should be omitted at least the Magistrate should be in some other Scripture as the only Church Governor seeing the Adversaries make Pastors Doctors Elders and Deacons only the Delegates and Servants of the Magistrate 1. As God calleth the King to governe the people by the free election of the people so if the Magistrate be called of God to teach and govern the Church this calling of his should be in the Scripture as his calling to the Throne or Bench is Deut. 17. 14. 15 c. 1. 15 16. Rom. 13. Tit. 3. 1 2. But in neither the Old nor the New Testament finde we any Prince or Ruler separated for the holy things of God to be ` Priest Apostle Pastor Prophet Teacher by vertue of his office as if he were a mixed person as the Adversarie say No David is called to Sacrifice no Constantine to preach and Administrate the Sacraments by vertue of the Magistrates place 2. If any Reply that the Christian Magistrate is a means ordained for that spirituall end the gathering and edifying the Church in regard the keepeth not only the second Table of the Law and so promoteth not only the Temporall good of the State in promoting mercy and Justice only but also in procuring spirituall good to the people in preserving the first Table of the Law I Answer That the Christian Magistrate doth both but 1. Not directly by being the intrinsecall means in actibus elicitis in elicite and intrinsecall acts promoting edification in both Tables of the Law of which the Scripture speaketh Eph. 4 11. but a far other way 1. In imperated and commanded acts extrinsecally as he doth command with the sword for Peaces cause in all callingâ— in sailing trading painting c. promoting it by carnall means by the sword which belongeth not to the officers of Christs Kingdom 2. Not necessarily as the Pastors and Elders without which Christ hath no externall visible Kingdom on earth whereas he hath had often hath a compleat flourishing externall visible Kingdom without Magistrates yea where Magistrates have been open enemies to the Gospel 3. Not directly the Magistrate doth this but in so far as he admitteth as Triglandius saith the Church of Christ within his State which he may and often doth refuse to do and yet be a compleat Magistrate and therefore the Magistrate may two wayes procure the spirituall good of the Church 1. By procuring that the Nurses give good and wholesome milk to the Church 2. Permodum removent is prohibens which is also a cause for he may save the flock from great temptations when by his sword he driveth away the Wolves from the flock But not any of these bringeth the Magistrate within the lisâ— of the number of these intrinsecall 2. Necessary 3. Spirituall gifts which Christ ascending on high gave for the Edifying of his Body the Church Two powers so different as spirituall and temporall 2. As powers carnall of this world and spirituall not of this world And 3. Both immediatly subject the one to God the creator the other to Christ the Redeemer and Head of the Church and so co-ordinate and supream both of them in their own kinde cannot be so subordinate as the temporall should be the supream in the same kinde the spirituall the inferiour and subordinate But these two powers are so different as spirituall and temporall carnall of this world spirituall not of this world the one subject as supream immediatly to God creator the other supream immediately subject to God the redeemer Ergo Those powers of Governing are not so subordinate as the Temporall should be supream the spirituall subordinate to it The Major is undeniable for it involveth a contradiction that two supreame co-ordinate powers should be two not Supreame but subornidate powers The same way I prove the Assumption 1. The Magistrates power is supreame from God Rom. 13. 1. The Powers that are be of God Prov. 8. By me Kings reigne for no Ecclesiasticall power nor any power on earth interveenes between God the Creator and the power of the civill Magistrates But God who giveth being to a society of men hoc ipso because they are a society of reasonable men hath given to them a power immediately from himselfe to designe such and such to be their Rulers Shew us any higher power above the Magistrates but God the creator making the civill power Never man dreamt that the Spirituall power of the Church doth interveen as an instrumentall cause of the politick power 2. By order of nature a politick power is first men are first men in naturall and politick society ere they be in a supernaturall pollicy or a Church and Christ did not make a spirituall power by the intervention of a civill power 2. The power of the two Kingdoms are distinguished by Christ Iohn 18. 36. Iesus answered my Kingdome is not of this World then the power thereof is not of this World if my Kingdome were of this World then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Iewes The one power is coactive by the Sword the other free voluntary by the Word Erastus had no reason to infer thence that Christs Kingdome is onely internall and invisible not externall and visible because Christ opposeth his Kingdom to a fighting Kingdom using the sword to defend him from
the Iewes that he should not be taken and crucified as is clear in the words but he opposeth not his Kingdome to an externall visible Kingdom for his Church visible consisting of visible Officers is his Kingdom Eph. 4. 11 12. 1 Cor. 12. 13 c. The Word of the Kingdom is audible and it is visibly professed and Ministers are visibly and externally called to the holy Ministery by the laying on of the hands of the Elders and voices of the People but he opposeth his Kingdome to a Kingdome fighting with the Sword and using the coactive power of the sword to save him from being apprehended and crucified by the Iewes Now this is the Magistrates Kingdome for he beareth not the sword in vain Rom. 13. 4. and so Christ evidently proveth in these words that the power that beareth the sword which is the very essence of the Magistrates office as a Magistrate is not a part of his Kingdome for his Kingdome is of another World and Spirituall but the Magistrates power is of this World and useth worldly weapons as the sword Then it is evident that the Magistrate as the Magistrate 1. Is not subordinate to Christ as Mediator and head of the Church 2. That when it was said All power in heaven and earth is given to the Mediator Christ The sense cannot be the power of the sword was given to him as Mediator to be a judge and a Ruler on earth which he refused Luke 12. 13 14. though as God he hath the power of the sword 3. That the supream Magistrate as Magistrate is not the onely Deputie Delegate and Vicar of Christ as Mediator for if Christ as Mediator have a substitute and Deputie such as the Magistrate as the Magistrate who beareth his bloodie sword to cut off the enemies of the Church and to fight for Christ then 1. Christs Kingdome surely should be of this World 2. By the same reason since as Mediator he is Priest and a High Priest to offer a sacrifice to God as all Priests must doe that are proper Priests Heb. 8. 3. c. 9. 7. c. 10. 14. c. 10. 1 2 3. c. there must be Priests under Christ properly so called to offer some bloodie sacrifice satisfactorie for sinne which is blasphemie to say I meane proper Priests for otherwise in a figurative and borrowed sense all beleeevers are Priests to offer themselves to God Rom. 12. 1. Revel 1. 5. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 9. but not the Deputies of the High Priest Iesus Christ and by the same reason he must have Prophets under him that are Vicars and Deputies which is unpossible for Christ as Prophet and great Prophet is essentially Lawgiver and the Author of Cannonick Scripture and he who really by a supernaturall power teacheth the heart but so he hath no Deputies nor any Ministers or Prophets nor any under Law-givers or under Prophets which by an action or any active power communicated to them can as under Lawgivers devise any part of Law or Gospell or any other part of Cannonick Scripture or have any active influence supernaturall to make a new heart Hence all our Divines say Christ as Mediator and King of the Church hath no Deputies neither King nor High Priest nor Pope nor Saint 4. It must follow that the Magistrate who as Magistrate beareth the Sword is not the head officer of the Church under the Mediator for as Magistrate he must act with the sword upon the Church as the Church and the Ministers of the Gospell as they are such whereas when the Magistrate doth act as Magistrate on the Ministers with the sword he doth it on them as men erring and sinning But onely so he procureth as a Magistrate the spirituall good of the Church as the Church indirectly and by the sword in driving away Hereticks and wolves from the flock That Church which is the pattern and rule to all the Churches unto the end of the world in those things that belongeth to a Church as a Christian Church must be our rule and paterne in Government But in the Apostolick Church of Jerusalem Antioch Ephesus Thessalonica Corinth Galatia Philippi Colosse the seven Churches of Asia planted and framed up as perfect Christian Churches by the Apostles the Magistrate was not the only supream Governour of Churches nor did the Apostles Elders and Teachers in those Churches nor the Church act preach dispence the Sacraments rule governe as servants under and through and from the Authority of the Magistrate or King as his Vicars deputies and servants But by immediate Authority from Iesus Christ placed in them without the interveening mediation of Magistrates Ergo that Church should be the patern of our Church though the adversaries deny the proposition to wit that the Apostolick Churches as Apostolick should be our patern in all things in regard that the Magistrates were then heathens enemies to the Church and Gospel and so de facto actually and by accident could not be the supream officers and Governours of the Church yet now when we have Christian Magistrates that are nursefathers to the Church and beleevers professing the Gospel such as David Solomon Iosiah Iehoshaphat and Ezekiah and other godly Princes of Israel and Iudah were and therefore that the Church as it is a Generall both to the Iewish and Christian Church should be our paterne in Government yet we have though I say they deny this Major a great advantage of the adversaries in these 1. We have the first Christian Church to be our paterne and the New Ierusalem that came downe from Heaven from God Revel 21. 10. The mother of us all Gal. 4. 26. Which is builded upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himselfe being the chief corner stone Ephe. 2. 20. to be our rule and paterne and all that was prophecied though not compleatly in all the degrees of the Church of the Apostles was then fulfilled as touching the essence of a Church 2. Yet here the Magistrate was no chief officer 3. The adversaries must prove Moses David Solomon and those godly Kings as Kings and Magistrates and virtute officij were supream rulers and Church-officers and so that Constantine and all the godly Princes and Emperours were by vertue of their office as Magistrates all such Prophets as were Moses David Solomon for certainly they as Prophets wrote Scripture had the form and structure of the Temple revealed to them of God received Laws from God for the Priests if our Kings as Magistrates now can do the like we shall then say something to their Headship over the Church 4. And if they reformed Religion in the time of the defection of the Priests when they were holy and zealous and walked with God and did right in the sight of the Lord like unto David such as Jehoshaphaet Josiah when the Priests were corrupt we shall grant the like to Parliaments made up of Josiahs and Ezechiahs when the Assembly of Divines are
as the Magistrate doth is an act of the Magistrate performed by power of the sword Whether the Magistrate do rule in his owne person or by his deputies and servants Ergo the Apostles governing the Church medled with the sword which Christ forbade Luk. 22. 25 26. Rom. 13. 4. Luk. 12. 13 14. and all the Pastors and teachers now in the exercise of discipline do usurpe the sword Yea if they be the deputies of the Magistrate in dispensing word and Sacraments they must use the Magistrates sword as Ministers of the Gospel for what servants do in the name of the supream swordbearer that the swordbearer must principally do by the servants so Ministers by this use both swords 5. That the Magistrate cannot be the chief officer of the Church is thus proved he who is subject himself to heare the Church and to submit to those that watcheth for his soul and to be put out from amongst the midst of the Church if he be scandalous is not the principall Governour and head of the Church to command all But all Christians and so the Christian Magistrate is such for if God accept not the persons of men those places Matth. 18. If he hear not the Church c. Heb. 13. 17. and 1 Cor. 5. 1 2 4 12 13. must tye the Christian Magistrate except God have excepted him but God hath no where excepted the Magistrate But as David had Gad Nathan and other Seeâ—s so the Magistrates now have some to watch for their souls The proposition is proved because if the Magistrate be supream to command Elders as Elders both in Doctrine and discipline and in all Ecclesiasticall censures then the Magistrate as the Magistrate cannot be under the Elders and Ministers as such for that involveth a contradiction that Pastors as Pastors should watch over the souls of Magistrates that they erre not and oppresse not in judgement and that the Magistrate as Magistrate should be over the souls of Pastors to watch for them in the same kind if any object that the Pastors as Pastors have souls and therefore they must have some to watch for their souls and therefore can neither be supream nor excepted in those places Mat. 18. Heb. 13. 1 Cor. 5. It is answered by granting all of this or this single Pastor but not of the whole company for when they erre we know not a whole communitie over them but those of the Catholick visible Church and if they erre the Kings of the earth here may command them to do their duty under paine of bodily censure and punish them But none are above them to watch for their souls that we know but they by office watch both for their owne souls and for the souls of others even as the King governeth himselfe and the people both politically 6. Whatever power in matters of Christs Kingdome or the Government thereof the Magistrate hath that must be given of Christ who only can appoint Elders and officers over his owne house but no where in Scripture find we any such power given to the Magistrate Ergo we are to beleeve he hath not any such power The proposition is true because Christ being a perfect Lawgiver and King doth give Lawes for his owne house as particularly as Moses did for every severall pinne in the Lords Tabernacle and David and Solomon for the Temple the assumption I prove because the Government of Christs house is spirituall as the weapons of their warfare are not carnall 2 Cor. 8. 5. and it is in binding and loosing forgiving and retaining sinnes by the power of the keys of the Kingdome of God given to the Church and to such as are sent as the Father sent his Son Christ Matth. 18. 18. 16. 19. Ioh. 20. 21 22 c. But Magistrates as Magistrates do punish sinnes with the sword Rom. 13. 4. but not forgive sins nor binde and loose in earth or heaven nor exercise any spirituall power nor deal with the consciences of men no more then they cure the diseases of the body though indirectly and externally they take care that there be Physicians who can cure diseases The power of governing the Church is the supream power under Christ which can say to the Magistrates power We must obey God rather then men But no such supream power agreeth to the Magistrate as Magistrate For Ministers as Ambassadors of Christ can and may preach binde and loose Rebuke Excommunicate against the will of the Magistrate though he command the contrary as Prophets have rebuked Kings Jer. 1. 18. 22. 1 2. 2 Sam. 12. 7 8 9. 1 King 21. 18 19. Mark 6. 17 18. The Magistrate as the Magistrate can do none of these nor hath he power to command the Ministers of Christ by way of privation but only by way of accumulation he may command them to do their dury and to preach the Gospel soundly and forbid and punish the preaching of false Doctrine the same way Whatever power Christ hath given to his Church that the Christian Magistrate when he becomes Christian cannot take from the Church But Christ gave to the Churches of Jerusalem Antioch Ephesus Corinth to the seven Churches of Asia c. a full power to dispense the word and Sacraments to govern the Churches to censure Wolves and false Teachers who draw Disciples after them in Synods to condemne perverters of Soules and refute their Doctrine to put out incestuous persons to Excommunicate such as will not hear the Church and a power to reject a Heretick after twice admonition and to rule well the Church as they should rule their own house and to rule well and to labour in the Word and Doctrine c. when they had no Magistrates at all to rule and govern them as a Church Now if the Church be a perfect visible body society house city and Kingdom of Jesus Christ in esse operari in being and all Church-operations then the Magistrate when he cometh to be Christian to help and nourish the Church as a father he cannot take away and pull the keys out of the hands of the stewards and throw the rod authority power to rule govern binde loose convene in Christs courts and Assemblies from the Church and inthrall the Church This evidenceth how falsely some say That the Church as the Church is without a Magistrate as an Army without a Commander or Leader a Ship without a Pilot a body without a head When the Church in the Apostles times wanting a Magistrate was a perfect spirituall body gathered edified attaining to the unity of faith Eph. 4. 11 12 c. 1 Cor. 12. 28. Rom. 12. 4 5 c. Builded upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Eph. 2. 20. Feed by their own Pastors Act. 20. 28. Sufficiently secured by Jesus Christ from Wolves 29. 30. Golden Candlesticks perfect and intire Christ walking in the midst of them and praised and commended of Christ Rev. 1. 20. 2.
1 2 3. ver 8 9 10. cap. 3. 8 9 10. Coming behinde in no gift 1 Cor. 1. 7. In Covenant with God casting out the incestuous 1 Cor. 5. Separated from Idols 2 Cor. 6. 16 17 18. Espoused to one husband Christ 2 Cor. 11. 2. Established in the faith and increasing in number daily Act. 16. 5. Yea the Churches had rest throughout all Judea and Galile and Samaria and were edified walking in the â—ear of the Lord and in the comforts of the holy Ghost and were multiplied Act. 9. 31. Now if the Christian Magistrate be their only Head and chief Feeder and all Elders but his servants Edifying à sub Magistratu from and under the Magistrate How were they edified and the compleat house of God the house wanting a head and the Church of the living God without the chief feeder and shepheard the Magistrate when all this time the Lord set spirituall Pastors and watchmen over them It is true it might be some defect that they wanted a Christian Magistrate who was their Nurse-father and keeper and avenger of both Tables of the Law But this defect was 1. A defect of the Church as men who may be injured and do violence one to another as men if they want one who beareth the sword to be avenged on evil doers But it is no defect of the Church as the Church 2. There might be some defect in the Church as a Church in this regard that without the Magistrate his accumulative power the edification of the Church extrinsecally might be slower Church Laws lesse vigorous extrinsecally without the sword and evil doers might infest the Church more but there should be no privation or intrinsecall defect or want in the Church either of an officer or integrall part of the Church because they wanted the Magistrate 3. When the first three hundreth year the Churches wanted Christian Magistrates afterward Constantinus convocated the Councell of Nice against Arrius yet professing that he was Episcopus without After him the Empire being divided into three Constantinus Constantius and Constans the second adhered to Arrius oppressed the godly Constans and Constantinus lived not long Though Jovianus Theodosius elder yonger Gratianus Martianus were favourers of the Church yet most of the Northern Kings were persecuters In the sixth hundreth year they began to be obstinate favourers of Heresie In the West Antichristianisme in the East Mahumetisme rose for the most part the Church wanted godly Magistrates and alway hath wanted Whatever power or means of life Christ hath given to his Church or pastors for the edifying of their soules either in Doctrine or Discipline by these is the holy Ghost efficacious on the hearts and conscience of the people of God as immediatly given by Iesus Christ without the mediation or intervention of any other means But Christ hath given power and means of life to preach the word to admonish rebuke Excommunicate to the Church and Pastors by which the holy Ghost worketh efficaciously on the hearts of the people of God which God hath given immediatly to the Church and Pastors especially in the Apostolick Church when there were no Magistrates and the holy Ghost is no wayes efficacious in the hearts of the children of God by the Laws Statutes and sword of the Magistrate Ergo God hath given to his Church and Pastors not to the Magistrate power and means of life in which the holy Ghost is effectuall and that immediatly and not to the Magistrate Or thus Whoever is the supream officer and head of the Church having under him all Church-officers as his servants by such God is effectuall in the consciences of men But Pastors Teachers Elders are such and no wayes the Magistrate Ergo The Proposition is thus made good by the word of reconciliation and the rod of the Lords power in the hands of men The holy Ghost worketh efficaciously in men Now the question will only be to whom this word of reconciliation is committed and the rod of God the Scripture saith to the Ministers never to the Magistrate 2 Cor. 5. 18. And hath committed to us the word of Reconciliation ver 20. Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ 2 Cor. 10. 8. Though I should boast somewhat more of our Authority which the Lord hath given us for edification 2 Cor. 2. 13. If I come again I will not spare 1 Cor. 4. 21. What will ye Shall I come unto you with a rod or in love 1 Tim. 5. 17. Act. 20. 28. 29. 30. 1 Cor. 5. 12. Do not you judge them that are within Matth. 16. 19 18. 18. Ioh. 20. 21 22. This word is no where committed to the Magistaate nor is the holy Ghost efficacious by the Laws and sword of the Magistrate to convert souls we know not Magistrates to be Ministers by whom we believe but Ministers only 1 Cor. 3. ver 5. Nor is the sword a kindely and intrinsecall mean of conversion This Argument may be further confirmed by all the notable differences that the Scripture holdeth forth to be between the Magistrate and the Ministers and Church As 1. The Church judgeth only those that are within the Church 1 Cor. 5. 11 12. The heathen Magistrate may â—udge both those that are within and without the Church and every soul is under his power Rom. 13. 1 2 3. Tit. 3. 1 2. 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3. 1 Pet. 2. 13 14 15. Matth. 22. 21. And by these same Scriptures the Christian Magistrate being a lawfull Magistrate having under him both believers and heathen may and ought to judge both Ergo the Magistrate as the Magistrate cannot judge those that are within by the word as the Church doth but only in some common coactive way by the sword to compell them to do their duty 3. The Magistrates Kingdom is of this world and he may fight with his sword to defend his own subjects and his subjects may fight for him But the Church and Kingdom of Christ are not of this world nor can the Church as the Church and the Ministers thereof fight or use the sword as is clear Joh. 18. 36. Rom. 13. 4. The Magistrate beareth not the Sword in vain but he beareth the sword in vain over the consciences of men or to judge those that are within for the Church judgeth those that are within with no such weapon as the bloody Sword There is neither sword nor dagger nor any weapon of War required in the Church of Ephesus their censuring of grievous Wolves or false Teachers Act. 20. 28 c. Nor in the Apostles and Elders determining truth against perverters of souls Act. 15. 21 22 c. and 16. 4. Nor in the Church of Thyatira their not suffering Jezabell to teach Rev. 2. 20. Nor in Pergamus their not suffering those that held the Doctrine of Balaam Rev. 2. 14. Erastus l. 4. c. 6. p. 285. saith The Church can kill no man with the Sword There was no sword ever
Ministers of the Gospel in this Government such as it is more then in dispensing the word and Sacraments Surely except the Magistrate put his hand to the Arke without warrant in the one he cannot in the other They answer the Magistrate may limit the Pastors in preaching no lâ—sse then governing because he may command the Pastor to preach this and this and if he preach not sound Doctrine he may punish him but I answer this is no limitting of Pastors in preaching Because this the Pastors may in the name and authority of God exhort the Magistrate to execute righteous judgement Ier. 22. and if he crush the poor and needy and turne a tyrant an heretick and an apostate the Pastors may not only denounce wrath from the Lord against them but also judge them dogs and swine and not dispense to them the pearls of the Gospel yet this is not the Pastor limiting the Magistrate as the Magistrate doth limit the Pastor as his Ambassadour and Deputie though the Magistrate take care that Physitians Painters Shoomakers Professors in Academies and Vniversities doe their dutie in their calling and punish them if they therein doe amisse yet he limiteth not the painter to draw this way not this way nor hath he a negative voyce in acts of Art as he pretendeth a negative voyce in Church-discipline 2. Nor can the Pastor so command the Magistrate in the name of God to execute justice as if he become a tyrant an heretick an apostate he will not only remove him from the Throne and the Bench but he will set himselfe downe in the place of the erring Magistrate and judge righteous judgement for him or in his place for Erastus saith that the Magistrate may dispence word and Sacraments if he had time and leasure as lawfully as the Pastor and I have in another place observed that many so make the King head of the Church and the like must be said of the little heads of inferior Magistrates as of the great head as he is a mixed person partly Civill partly Ecclesiasticall and sacred that is by office Ruler and Pope 3. The Magistrate doth limit the Pastors only in positives and in punishing and inflicting Church censures as they command to censure scandalous persons in such and such scandals but in no other scandals more hainous yet in all the challenges moved by Magistrates against Pastors The Magistrate never made any challenge against Pastors or Synod for their sinfull omissions and want of zeal in not censuring drunkards adulterers hereticks court parasites who injoy many benefices and leave the flock and I give instance in the disputes of the Divines of England making the King the head of the Church court-divines accused never the Pastors that they exceeded their limits in not censuring corrupt Prelates non-residents pluralists idle and unpreaching Pastors or idol-shepherds 4. In the contests of Holland when the Synod of Frizland gave in a declinature to the Senate justifying the deposition of Poppiâ— an unsound and scandalous Minister in all contests with Arminians there the controversie was ever for positives that the Church condemned and censured hereticks never that the Church had been slack in the matter of discipline 5. In Scotland in Master Blackes declinature and when the Ministers condemned to death and then banished such as the godly and zealous servants of Christ Master Iohn Welch Master Iohn Forbes and others appealed to the assemblies of the Church for their standing for the liberties of the Church and Kingdome of Christ King Iames did never quarrell with them Thus you have not done in your Ministery and Assemblies you have not excommunicated the Marquesse of Huntly a bloody man but it was for positives Thus and thus you have done against the mind and Majestie of the King and Authority Now corrupt Pastors need as much to be limited in wicked omissions as is clear You are dumbe dogs and barke not Isai 56. 10. And the diseased ye have not strengthened neither have ye healed that which was sick c. Ezech. 34. 4. as in exorbitances in their positive zeal And this saith that Magistrates intend to intrude upon Christs liberties in this plea rather then indeed to procure that the house of God may be builded and edified or the liberty of the subject vindicated And therefore the godly ought the rather to stand for the freedom of the Kingdome of the Lord Iesus which owe not this tribute to earthly Princes since Christ only is King and raigneth in his owne Church CHAP. XXIV Quest 20. Of the reprocation of the subordination of the Civill and Ecclesiasticall powers to each and their supremacie and independencie each from other FOr the clearing of the question I humbly offer these considerations to the Reader 1. There is subordination of the power and a subordination of the person indued with the power here to be considered 2. So is there a supremacy of power and a supremacy of the person 3. There is a foure fold judgement here considerable 1. The first is apprehensive apprehensivum and common to both Magistrate Christian Pastor and all which must be given to all to whom we can ascribe conscience 2. Discretivum the knowledge of discretion the connaturall guide and principle of every mans beliefe and obedience 3. Definitiâ—um of those that are in Authority and do command in the Lord. 4. Peremptorium et infallibile the supream judgement of the King of the Church who cannot erre The first is common to all Rom. 15. The second proper to Christians and is a judgement of faith 1 Thess 5. 2. 1 Ioh. 4. 1. and it must be builded on the first The third is the Authoritative judgement of the Church Act. 15. 28. Mat. 18. 17. and of judges and it must be swayed by the second both in the commander and the commanded The fourth is Iesus Christs only Rom. 14. 4. 1 Cor. 4. 5. 4. It is one thing that the power of the Ministers be subject to the Magistrate as the Magistrate and another thing that the persons of the Ministers should be subject Not any office at all in their power seems to me to be subordinate to either Magistrate or Minister because all Lawfull power and Lawfull and profitable offices and Arts in abstracto are from God some of them immediately As the the gift of prophesying healing speaking with tongues working of miracles and the offices of Apostle Evangelist Pastor and Teacher Ephe. 4. 11. those be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gifâ—s and graces above Nature that God without the interveening of human reason hath devised for a supernaturall end the edifying of his body the Church mens will and reason may interveen in the designation of persons to some of those offices as that Iohn Thomas qualified as 1 Tim. 3. be Pastors or teachers But if we speak of the power of the Ministery in abstracto without connotation of the persons in concerto then the power or the office it selfe is
to himselfe the Ministery in its exercise 1. Because this promise is accumulative and of a temporall reward for the Magistrate as the Magistrate cannot promise that which Peter promiseth that 1. 1 Pet. 5. 4. When the chiefe shepheard shall appeare they shall receive a crowne of glory that fadeth not away he may as a Christian promise that but for a temporall reward for men no man for being faithfull in the house of God hath that unseparably annexed to his labours by a literall promise in Scripture and therefore it is onely accumulative 2. Right and sound preaching and governing in Gods house cannot from this be said to bee subjected to the Magistrate as a Magistrate in regard that this is an accidentall hire and an externall and accessorie good which the Church as the Church and the most faithfull Prophets Apostles and Pastors have wanted and yet have attained the end of a Church as a Church visible nor is this a promise made to the Church as the Church or the Ministers thereof as such for the Apostolick church that was most poor had neither thing nor name nor promise but by the contrary the Kings and Rulers did conspire against the Kingdome of the son of God VI. Assertion Though the Magistrate may both threaten to inflict and actually inflict the ill of temporall punishment on Ministers if they be either idle or unsound in their administration yet thence can onely be concluded that the male administration of the ministerie is subjected to the Magistrate as such but not the Ministery it selfe or the exercise thereof 1. The male administration of any office is accidentall to the office 2. This subjecteth the erring person not the teaching Minister to the civill Magistrate Nor doth this make the Ministers in the exercise of their office properly subordinate to the Ministers but onely so farre as the spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets VII Assertion There is a twofold subordination of the exercise of Male administration of Ministers one civill another Ecclesiasticall These two differ so as the former must be subordinate to the Magistrate who is to inflict bodily punishment but the latter is onely subject to the Church The Judiciall determination according to the Word of God for the informing of the conscience and gaining to the truth the erring Ministers is proper to the Colledge of Ministers and in this if the colledge of Ministers erre they are also punishable and the Magistrate is to command them to judge and determine de novo over again The Magistrate in a constitute church is to determine civilly and sentence and civilly punish the Ministers that either are dumbe dogs and will not barke or that perverts the souls of people with false doctrine and where the Church is constituted it is presumed that the Priests whose lips should preserve knowledge have determined in an Ecclesiasticall way the very same which the Iudge civilly is to determine not because the Church hath so determined but because he judgeth in his conscience it to be according to the Word of God VIII Assertion The Ministers are in no sort the Ambassadors or servants of the Magistrate but of Iesus Christ and immediately in their ministeriall acts subordinate to the King of Kings 1. They declare the truth in the Name of Christ their master and Lord not in the name of the Magistrate as the Arminians make the steps of the subordination 1. The Word of God 2. The Magistrate carrying Gods sword 3. The Preachers of the Gospell for then the Preachers should hear the word of the Magistrate first and have the minde of Christ spoken and revealed to them immediately from the magistrate but mediately onely by the mediation of the Magistrate the minde of Christ 2. There should be in every Christian Kingdome where there is a King a civill Pope having directly both the Swords not with the distinction of Iesuites of dixectly and directly and as they say the Pope hath the temporall sword indirectly and in ordine ad spiritualia in order to spirituall things and and how many inferiour Magistrates so many civill Popes onely they shall not be infallible Arminians say that this collection is from envie Because we say they deny a headship and supremacy of power of Governement to your Pastors and Elders in all your Parishes which maketh the Church a Monster with many heads therefore you put this for envy upon the Magistrate who yet hath the word of God above him which the Pope hath not who setteth himself above the Word of God Ans 1. If we give a supremacy royall and princely to the Ministers which they call Archiâ—ectonica as the adversaries doe to the Magistrate multitudes of Popes behoved to be in the Church but we make them meer Heralds Trumpeters and Messengers to relate the will of God void of all royall power and having neither earthly majesty power nor Sword 2. It is not our Argument that in which they conceive we repose to wit that we thinke the adversaries resolve all ultimatè and last which concerneth the government of the Church in the will of the Magistrate as on an infallible rule we grant they teach that the Word of God is to rule the Magistrate in the matters of the first Table and justice and equity in the things of the second Table but they say this in words onely but the Magistrate as Magistrate may mould out of his high dominion what Church government he will and this by consequent resolveth all in the Magistrates will and that they teach that when the Magistrate doth command against the Word of God then it is better to obey God then men And 2. This we infer as an absurdity that they cannot shun that there is such a new officer a new Church head a creature most like a Pope in every Christian Kingdome brought in the Church who is above Bishops Pastors Doctors who by office must carry the minde of God to Pastor and people who hath the keyes of the House to make and unmake call and send recall and exantorate ministers as his Servants and Heralds 3. Looke what power the Magistrate as a Magistrate hath in civill affaires the same hath he in dispensing Word Sacraments admitting to or rejecting from the Sacraments calling of ministers excommunicating by this way and so by office he is no lesse essentially a Pastor to watch for the soule then he is a civill Judge 4. How doth this confound the two Kingdomes the Kingdome that is of this world and fighteth with the Sword and the Kingdome that is not of this world and fighteth not with the Sword if the magistrate as the magistrate and armed with the sword be the supream Head over both and as he beareth the Sword have a carnall dominion over the Church as the Church 5. If God have made the subordination of ministers as ministers and servants of the magistrate as a magistrate then the visible Church hath no
Devil God save the Magistrate datur tertium he is for Christ as a Christian and as a Christian but as a Magistrate he is not for Christ as mediator that is as having his office of Christ as mediator and being from Christ a Magistrate that is as M. Coleman expoundeth it an officer having power of both the Swords for Mr. Coleman saith p. 20. Christian Magistracy is an Ecclesiasticall administration Ergo he hath the power of the Spirituall Sword and Paul Rom. 13. saith he hath from God the power of the other Sword Yea we cannot say that a Magistrate as a Magistrate or a Minister as a Minister are either redeemed and saved in Christ nor no redeemed or no saved in Christ but in another reduplication The Magistrate as a Magistrate is not redeemed but as an elected man nor is he damned or not redeemed as a Magistrate but as a reprobate and an unbeleeving man and the like I say of a Minister he that is not with Christ as his immediate and supream swordbearer is not against Christ for so all the world except the Prince should be against him Obj. 5. The Magistrate as he defendeth the body and goods so also the the fame of men hence what is a matter of good or ill report is judged by the Magistrate who may put ill doers to shame Iudg. c. 187. But Church scandals blasphemy heresie apostacy are matters of ill report and of shame Ergo they are to be judged by the Magistrate Ans Non concluditur negatum We deny not but the Magistrate may judge and put to shame offenders but it is civill shame by which the Magistrate judgeth any offender to be an evill Citizen and hurtfull member of the common-wealth Iudg. 18. 17. The Church hath no power thus to judge or thus to put to shame But there is an Ecclesiasticall shame in which the Church judgeth whether such a man be a sound and faithfull subject of the Kingdome of Christ or a hurtfull Member of the Church and of this shame speaketh Paul 2 Thess 3. 14. keep no company with him that he may be ashamed and the same way we are to distinguish a good name for it is an honour that it be said of any man as Psal 87. This man was borne in Zion Obj. 6. What the Magistrate as a Magistrate punisheth that as a Magistrate he judgeth but as a Magistrate he punisheth Idolatry and heresie Ergo as a magistrate he judgeth it Ans What the Magistrate punisheth that he judgeth distinguo What he punisheth that he judgeth the way that he punisheth for as he punisheth civilly and with the sword so he judgeth in a civill way not as a Church scandal but as a civill disturbance 2. In a constitute Church by a subsequent judging after those whose lips should preserve knowledge have judged it to be Idolatry and heresie he is to judge it and in order to corporall punishment its true and thus the Major is granted But the assumption is false for the Magistrate judgeth nothing as scandalous no Idolatry or heresie with an antecedent judgement and with order to Ecclesiasticall punishment to gain the soul Obj. But there is no other judging or punishing required but such as the magistrate inflicteth Ans This is a false principle and everteth all Church Government Obj. 7. But so you make two supream magistrates the King and the Church two collaterall supremacies yet so as the magistrates conscience lyeth under the feet of the Church Ans The Church hath a Ministery no dominion of Magistracy 2. There is a collaterality without equality The Magistrate is highest and worthiest the other hath no dignity no supereminency but to be authoritative declarers of the mind of Christ 3. The Magistrate is no more tyed to the judgement of a Synod or Church then any private man is tyed in his practice the tye in Discipline and in all Synodicall acts and determinations is here as it is in preaching the Word the tye is secondary conditionall with limitation in so farre as it agreeth with the Word not absolutely obliging not Papal qua or because commanded or because determined by the Church and such as Magistrates and all Christians may reject when contrary to or not warranted by the Word of God Obj. 8. But Pastors have authority equally immediate and independent under God as the magistrate hath and what more can they have except the Crowne and Scepter is not this an emulous and odious equality beside a collaterality hence they cry the liberty the liberty of the Kingdome of Christ the right the power of the Church is taken away so often as the magistrate punisheth scandals Ans Non-subordination can never inferre equality who denieth that the Magistrate may command the Husband and Wife to do a duty to each other the father not to provoke the son the sonne not to disobey the Father the Pastor and People the Master and Servant the Captaine and Souldier to do a duty each one to another And there is a proper right and liberty and power immediately given by God without the King or Magistrates interposing of their authority to all these the Kings authority maketh not the man a Father nor the Sonne subject to the Father nor the Servant to the Master nor the Souldier to the Commander God immediately made those powers and God in the Law of nature hath given a power to the Father over the sonne without the Magistrate yea though there had never been a Magistrate in the world so the Pastors and Elders by divine institution have a power and liberty to feed and governe the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made them overseers and set them over as those who must give an account to the great Shepherd Acts 20. 28 29. 1 Thes 5. 12 13. Heb. 13. 17. 1 Tim. 5. 17. now it no more followeth that all Fathers are equall to the Magistrate all Masters all Captains to the King then that the Church or Pastors are equall to the King for Fathers Masters Captaines Husbands have immediately from God in the Law of Nature a supream a high and independent Authority as the Church hath without any intervention of the will or authority of King or any earthly Magistrate and without any subordination as they are such to the Prince 2. The emulation between the Magistrate and Pastors is no more in point of government then in point of preaching exhorting rebuking even of Kings and all that are in Authority now we have both demonstrated from the Word and have the grant of Adversaries that in point of preaching and rebuking the Pastors have an immediate supremacy and independency under Iesus Christ and all emulation here is from men who will noâ— submit to the yoke of Christ 3. If the Magistrate should usurpe over Husbands and Masters and Fathers their jus maritale herile Paterum and spoil them of Husband-power and masterly and fatherly power as our Adversaries counsell the Magistrate to take
the spirituall right and power of the keyes of the Kingdome of God from the Church and Pastors the former should complaine as do the latter Object 8. But if the Kingdome be heathenish and the heart of the King be first supernaturally affected then Religion beginneth at him as a Magistrate and he may appoint gifted men after they are converted to preach the Gospell Ergo The first rise of Religion is from the Magistrate as the Magistrate Ans If the King be converted first as a Christian not as a Magistrate he may spread the Gospell to others and preach himselfe but not as a Magistrate as Iehoshaphat commanded the Levites to do their dutie so might he command those of the house of Aaron who had deserted the Priests office to take the office on them to which God had called them so here gifts and faithfulnes appearing to the new converted Prince he is to command those so gifted for their gifts and faithfulnes is as evident a call as to be borne the sonnes of Aaron to take on them the calling of preaching and of dispensing the Seals But 1. he ordaineth them not Pastors as a Prince but commandeth them to follow the calling which now the Church not constitute cannot give 2. He can preach himselfe as a gifted beleever in an extraordinary exigence but he cannot doe this as a Magistrate yea Moses did never prophecy as a Magistrate nor David as a King 2. All the rise that Religion hath from the Prince as the Prince in this case is civill that men gifted may be commanded by civill Authority to dispence Word and Sacraments but nothing Ecclesiasticall is here done by the Prince as the Prince 3. The highest power in the Church as the Church and the highest amongst men as men are much different The Magistrates power in commanding that this Religion that is true and consonant to the Word of God be set up and others that are false be not set up in his Kingdome is a civill power and due to him as a Magistrate but a highest Church power to dispense Word and Sacraments agreeth to no Magistrate as a Magistrate but it followeth not that when the true Religion is erected by his power as a Magistrate that he may as a Magistrate dispence Word Sacraments and Synodicall acts and censures except God have called him to preach the Word and to use the sword of the other Kingdome as a Member of the Church joyned with the Church Object 9. But the Magistrate is unproperly subject to the Pastor who is but a meer Herald servant and Minister who hath all his authority from the word of another and so it is but imperium alienum a borrowed power he is subject properly to Christ speaking in his Word Titius is subject to the King properly but unproperly to the Kings Herald Ans 1. Let the subjection be unproper there can no conclusion from thence be drawn against us If 1. The Pastors as Pastors have their commissions from Christ and be his immediate Servants and have no Commission Pastorall from the Magistrate as the power of the Herald floweth immediately from the royall power of the King and he is the Kings immediate servant then to obey him in those acts which he performeth in the Kings name is to obey the King and in those acts subjects doe properly obey the Herald and so here Heb. 13. Obey those that are over you in the Lord according to that He that heareth you heareth me he that despiseth you despiseth me 2. It is enough for our purpose that Magistrates are so to obey Pastors in the Lord and Pastors are so supreame under Christ as the Magistrate is not above them and they have their Ambassage calling and commission immediately from Iesus Christ without the intervention of the Magistrates Authority Obj. But the obedience of the Magistrate to the Pastors is not absolute but conditionall if they command in the Lord Ergo It is no kindly obedience and subjection Ans It followeth not for so we should give no kindly obedience to Kings to Parents to Masters for we obey them onely conditionally in the Lord as they warrant their Commandement from the Word Yet Vedelius will not say it is unproper subjection we owe to the King nor can he say that the Royall power is imperium alienum a begged power all obedience to men this way is begged and if we come to Logick if I should say the nature and definition of obedience agreeth not univocally to obedience to God and to obedience to the creature Vedelius should hardly refute me It is enough Ministers of the Gospell discharge an Ambassage in the roome and place of God 2 Cor. 5. 20. God commandeth in his Ministers a limited obedience is kindly obedience Obj. 10. The keeping of the booke of the Law is given to the King Deut. 17. and 2 Kin. 11. v. 12. Iehoiada the Priest gave the booke of the Testimony to King Iehoash when they made him King the Priests indeed kept the booke of the Law in the side of the Arke but as servants of the King and custodes Templi Ans You may see solid answers to this in Walens Cabel Iavius and Iac. Triglandius 1. The booke of the Law was given to the King for his practise that he might feare the Lord his God and his heart not be lifted up above his brethren Deut. 17. 18 19 20. and this was common to him with the Priests and all the people of God but to the King in an exemplary and speciall manner that 1. The people might follow his Example and therefore these same words which concerne the practice of the King Deut. 17. 19. are also given to the people Deut. 6. 2. and 10. 13. and 111 2 13 22. and 12. 1 2 28. and 13. 4. and 27. 1. and 28. 1. with a little change sure no change that by any consequent will make the book of the Law to be delivered to the King to this end that his lips by his Royall office should preserve knowledge and that the people should require the Law at the Kings mouth which was the speciall office of the Priest Mal. 2. 7. as proper and peculiar to the Priest as the Covenant of Levi ver 8. and that they should not be partiall in the Law but should teach the people the difference between the cleane and the unclean the precious and the vile in Iudgement not accepting the persons of father and mother Ezek. 44. 23 24. and 22 26. Lev. 10. 10 11 Ieremiah 15. 19. Deut. 33. 9. Yea it was no lesse peculiar to the Priests then to offer Sacrifice to the Lord Leviticuâ— 10. 10 11 12 13. Mal. 2. 7 8. compared with v. 2. and with c. 1. v. 6 7 8. Now the King as King was not a confederate in the Covenant of Levi to burne incense and teach the people but in a farre other Covenant â— Kin. 11. 17 18. 2. In which the
But the King is head of the Church Ergo he maketh lawes to regulate the Family Ans The Antecedent is false if not blasphemous it is proper to Iesus Christ only Col. 1. 18. Eph. 1. 22. The King is the head of men who are the Church materialiter he is not formally as King Head of the Church as the Church and therefore we see not how this Statute agreeth with the Word of God Henric. 8. Stat. 37. c. 17. The Archbishops Bishops Arch-deacons and other Ecclesiasticall persons have no manner of Iurisdiction Ecclesiasticall but by under and from the Kings Royall Majesty the onely and undoubted supream head of the Church of England and Ireland to whom by holy Scripture is given all authority and power to hear and determine all manner of causes Ecclesiasticall and to correct all vice and sin whatsoever for neither is the subject the Archbishops Bishops c. lawfull nor is the limitation of the subject lawful for Ecclesiasticall officers are the Ambassadors of Christ not of the King Obj. All Christians are to try the Spirits Ergo Much more Magistrates Ans This proveth that Christians as Christians and Magistrates as Christians may judge determine of all things that concerneth their practise and that they are not with blinde obedience to receive things Mr. Pryn cannot say that 1 Iohn 4. 1. is meant of a Royall Parliamentary or Magistraticall tryall Iohn speaketh to Christians as such But this is nothing to prove the power of the Magistrate as the Magistrate for thought the man were neither King nor Magistrate he ought to try the Spirits 1 Iohn 4. 1. The speciall objection moved for Appeals is that which Paul did in a matter of Religion that we may do in the like case but Paul Acts 25. did appeal from a Church Iudge to a civill and a heathen Iudge in a matter of Religion when he said before Festus Acts 25. I appeal to Cesar Ergo so may the Ministers of Christ far more appeal to the Christian Magistrate and that Paul did this jure by Law not by Priviledge but by the impulsion of the Holy Ghost is clear in that he saith He ought to be judged by Cesar so Maccovius so Videlius so Vtenbogardus so Erastus Ans 1. This Argument if it have nerves shall make the great Turk when he subdueth people and Churches of the Protestant Religion to be the head of the Church and as Erastus saith by his place and office as he is a Magistrate he may preach and dispense the Sacraments and a Heathen Nero may make Church constitutions and say It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to me and by this Nero by office is to excommunicate make or unmake Pastors and Teachers judge what is Orthodoxe Doctrine what not debarre hereticks Apostates and mockers from the Table and admit the worthie and Paul the Apostle must have been the Ambassador and Deputie of Nero in preaching the Gospel and governing the Church and Nero is the mixt person and invested by Iesus Christ with spirituall jurisdiction and the keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven This Argument to the Adversaries cannot quit its cost â—or by this way Paul appealed from the Church in a controversie of Religion to a Nero a Heathen unbaptized Head of the Church and referred his faith over to the will judgement and determination of a professed Enemy of the Christian Church and Paul must both jure by the Law of God and the impulsion of the Holy Ghost appeale from the Church to a Heathen without the Church in a matter of Religion and Conscience then Nebuchadnezzar was head of the Church of Iudah and supreame judge and governour in all causes and controversies of Religion how can we beleeve the adversarie who doe not beleeve themselves and shall we make Domitian Dioclesian Trajan and such heads of the Church of Christ 2. It is not said that Paul appealed from the Church or any Ecclesiasticall judicature to the civill judge for Paul appealed from Festus who was neither Church nor Church officer and so Paul appealeth from an inferiour civill judge to a superiour or civill judge as is clear Acts 28. 6. And when Festus had tarried amongst them more then ten dayes he went downe to Cesarea and the next day sitting in the judgement seat commanded Paul to be brought vers 10. And Paul said I stand at Cesars judgement seat where I ought to be judged he refused v. 9 10. to be judged by Festus at Ierusalem but saith v. 11. I appeal to Cesar Now he had reason to appeal from Festus to Cesar for the Iews laid many grievous complaints against Paul which they could not prove vers 7. And it is said vers 8. That Festus was willing to doe the Iewes a pleasure and so was manifestly a partiall Iudge and though the Sanedrim at Ierusalem could have judged in point of Law that Paul was a blasphemer and so by their Law he ought to die for so Caiphas and the Priests and Pharisees dealt with Iesus Christ yet his appeal from the Sanedrim 1. corrupted and having manifestly declared their bloodie intentions against Paul 2. From a Sanedrim in its constitution false and degenered far from what it ought to be by Gods institution Deut. 17. 8 9 10. it now usurping civill businesse which belonged not to them Paul might also lawfully appeal from a bloodie and degenerating Church judicature acting according to the bloodie lusts of men against an innocent man to a more unpartiall judge and yet be no contemner of the Church this is nothing against our Thesis which is that it is not lawfull to appeal in a constituted Church from a lawfull unmixt Church Judicature to the civill Magistrate in a matter of life and death 3. Paul appealed from the Sanedrim armed with the unjust and tyrannicall power of Festus a man willing to please the bloodie accusers of Paul as is clear v. 9. And Festus willing to doe the Iewes a pleasure answered Paul and said Wilt thou go up to Ierusalem and there be judged of these things before me 3. The cause was not properly a Church businesse but a crime of bodily death and sedition I deny not but in Pauls accusation prophaning of the Temple teaching against the Law of Moses was objected to him Materialiter the enemies made the cause of Paul a Church businesse but formally it was sedition 1. It was a businesse for which the Sanedrim sought Pauls life and blood for which they had neither authority nor Law by divine Institution therefore they sought the helpe of Felix Festus and the Roman Deputies so Lysias vvrote to Felix Act. 23. 29. I perceived Paul to be accused of questions of their law but to have nothing layd to his charge worthy of death or of bonds Now it is clear the Roman Deputies thought not any accusation for the Iewish Religion a matter of death and bonds and therefore Gallio the Deputie of Achaia Acts 18. 14. saith
when he contributes his power to those things that materially conduce to a supernaturall end though he doe not contribute any thing that formally conduceth to such an end 2. So you may say a Christian Husband as a Husband a godly Physitian as a Physitian a Printer who printeth the Bible do nothing serviceable to Christ as Christ and in promoting Christs Mediatory Kingdom when the one begetteth children that being borne in the visible Church are made heires of the Kingdome of Christ and the other when by his Art and skill he preserveth the life of a godly and zealous Preacher The third when by his Art he publisheth in print the Testament of Christ the Physitian doth somewhat as a Physitian that is serviceable to Christ as Mediator yet I hope it is no Ecclesiasticall businesse to restore to health a godly Minister nor to beget a child who is made an heir of Grace nor to print the Bible so a Philosopher as a Philosopher doth convince one that worshippeth bread that the man leaveth his error and this is materially service to Christ and a promoting of Christs Mediatory Kingdom but neither Husband Physitian Printer or Philosopher are in these acts the Vicars and Deputies of Iesus Christ as the Magistrate is holden to be by the Adversary Nor 2. do they as Ecclesiasticall persons formally advance the kingdom of Christ as do the preachers of the Gospel far lesse more principally do they advance Christs Kingdom as the Magistrate is supposed to do Nor 3. hath their thus promoting of Christs Kingdom any influence upon the conscience as the Magistrate must have if he forbid sin as sin now the Magistrate as such doth nothing to promote formally the mediatory Kingdome of Christ for he may doe and doth all hee doth as a Magistrate yea suppose he were a Turk set over Christians as their Magistrate granting that Christ was a true Prophet yet may he as a Magistrate punish those who shall teach that Christ was a false Prophet and an impostor and though his Magistraticall acts be serviceable to Christ materially yet not formally 1. Because this Magistrate denieth Christ to be the Saviour of the world and yet as a Magistrate he justly punisheth the man that blasphemoâ—sly calleth Christ a deceiver and an impostor 2. Because as a Magistrate he believeth him not to be God and so ex intentione operantis he punisheth him not for a wrong done to Christ as Christ and as the Saviour of mankind but as a wrong done to the common wealth and as a disturber of the peace thereof Hence these Propositions touching the Magistrates relation to the Mediator Christ and his Church Propos 1. The Magistrate as a Magistrate is not the Vicar nor Deputie of Iesus Christ as Mediator 1. Because this is the heart and soul of Popery that the Papists teach that Christ as Mediator hath left a temporall an earthly and visible Monarch as his Vicar on earth Now that learned and singular ornament of the Protestant Churches Andreas Rivetus hath well said Christ hath instituted neither Kings nor Princes in the Church as his successors nor any Vicars with a domination but onely Ministers and Servants who are to discharge their Embassage in the Name of the onely Prince Christ for an Embassage cannot institute other Ambassadors either Kings or Princes but onely Ministers who do serve not reigne in the Kingdom of Christ he himselfe onely reignes the Servants of this great King promote the Kingdom of their Prince nor do they ever usurpe the royall power Yea all the arguments of Protestants that are brought to prove that the Pope a Bishop and a Church man because he is a Bishop and a Steward in the Church and in Christs spirituall Kingdom that is not of this world cannot be an earthly Prince and Monarch having power either directly or indirectly in ordine ad spiritualia to dispose of Kingdomes and crownes and enthrone and dethrone Kings doe also prove that the King cannot be head of the Church nor the Magistrate an Officer of the Church Doe not Protestant Divines condemn that blasphemous speech of Cardinall Bertrandus that Christ who was a temporall Lord on earth should not seem a discreet and wise Prince if he had not left a Temporall Vicar behinde him in the Church and that of Armacanus to be false that Christ by birth was the true King of Iudea and so a Temporary Prince hence say they there should be a temporary Prince and an earthly Monarch the successor of Christ as King and Mediator This Becanus the Iesuite maketh a speciall ground of the Popes Headship of the Church and for this Suarez disputeth yea the Iesuite Aegid Conninck saith It is the common and received opiâ—â—â—n of all the Romish Doctors that Christ as man hath a true Kingly power and a direct dominion over all the Kingdomes of the world to give them lawes and to exercise all Kingly power over them though de facto he abstained from it and is not upon this pillar builded the Popes Supremacy and that which Augustinus de Ancona saith Idem esse dominium dei Papâ— it is the same dominion which God and the Pope hath because it is the same jurisdiction of the Ambassador and of the Lord who sent him I deny not but many Papists give to Christ an indirect Kingly power and to the Pope they give the same indirect power in ordine ad spiritualia as Vasquez and Pet. Waldingus and others but this we say if Iesus Christ forbid a preacher of the Gospell remaining a preacher to be a civill Magistrate or temporall Lord as he doth both by precept and and practise Luke 22. 24 25 26. and 12. 13 14. Ioh. 18 36. and 6 15. then upon the same ground he must forbid the civill Magistrate to be a Church Governour as if God should forbid a Physitian to be a Painter because the two callings cannot lawfully consist in the person of one man he should also forbid a Painter to be a Physitian then the Arguments against a Monarchy and Magistraticall power in the Bishop of Rome must fight against any Ecclesiasticall power in a Magistrate if then the Pastors doe as Pastors rebuke exhort excommunicate and censure as directly subordinate to the Magistrate then Pastors as Pastors discharge their office as inferiour and under Magistrates and so they partake in so farre of a temporall dominion being direct instruments under Temporall Lords and if the Magistrate as the Magistrate doe command them to dispense Word and Sacraments and discipline and make and unmake Pastors and regulate and limit them and make Lawes to them then the Magistrate as the Magistrate doth partake of an Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction and both are forbidden by Christ in the places cited 2. If the Magistrate be the onely supream Church Governour under Christ the government of the Church must be a visible Monarchy and the Magistrate must have both the Swords Temporall and
Spirituall and Christs Kingdom must be of this world and the weapons thereof carnall to fight for Christ and the supream Church-officer as such must bear the Sword be a valiant man of warre by office and Christs Kingdome must be not of this world and the weapons thereof not carnall but spirituall Joh. 18. 36. 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. and the supream Church-officer must be no striker no fighter no man of war no sword-bearer by office which are contradictory 3. We prove the Pope to be no Vicar of Christ because we read not in the Word of any such Vicar nor do we read any thing of a supream Church-officer who is the Vicar of Christ 4. No spirituall Ambassador as such can substitute other Ambassadors with Majority of power that he hath in his Name to dispense Word Sacraments and Discipline nor can one great Ministeriall Church-head create lesser Ministeriall Church-heads such as Justices Majors Sheriffes Bailiffes Constables no more then the High Priest could substitute in his place other little High Priests if he were sick and absent to goe into the Holy of Holiest with blood once a yeere no more then the Apostle Paul immediately called of God can substitute other lesser Apostles immediately called of God to act as lesser Apostles but limited by the higher in the exercise of power nor can these lesser Apostles create other Apostles yet lesser and these in a subalternation yet lesser while you come as low as a Constable as the King doth send lesser Kings indued in part with his Royalty or Iudges under him and those Iudges may appoint other Iudges under them and because the whole visible Catholick Church hath an externall visible policy if Oecumenick councels have any warrant in the word then ought Christ to have instituted one civil Emperour over all the Churches on earth to conveen Oecumenick Synods to preside in them to limit and regulate them to make Lawes to all the world and that this is not it falleth out through mans corruption but it ought to be according to divine institution no lesse then every single Magistrate is by institution the head of every particular Church indued as our adversary say with that supream power under Christ the mediator that they call Potestas Architectonica the headship of the Church Proposi 2. The Magistrate as such is not a Vicar of Christs mediatory Kingdom 1. Because then as the Magistrates are called Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Scripture Exod. 21. 6. Psal 82. 1 Ioh. 10. 34 35. so the Magistrates should be called little Mediators or submediators between God and man little Kings of the Church little Priests little Prophets of the Church for God giveth his name to Magistrates because he communicateth also to them some of his Majesty and power now what mediatory what Princely Priestly o◠Propheticall power hath Christ communicated to Magistrates as Magistrates Erastus saith they may dispense word and Sacraments if they had leasure But if they be by office little mediators and Pastors under Christ they should take leasure for every Magistrate ought to say woe be unto me if I preach not And Master Coleman saith that Christian Magistracy is an Ecclesiasticall administration he must speak of Christian Magistracy formally as Christian Magistracy otherwayes a Christian Tentmaker a believing fisher was an Apostle if he mean that Christian Magistracy is a Church officer formally he might say it is a Mediatory office and a Princely and Kingly office under Christ to give repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sins instrumentally would Master Coleman teach us how the Magistrates sword openeth the eyes of the blind converteth men from the power of Sathan to God begetteth men through the Gospel to Christ as Pastors do and that formally as Magistrates we should thank him 2. Christian Magistracy if it be a Church or Ecclesiasticall administration then is it formally so either as Magistracy or as Christian not as Magistracy for then all Heathen Magistrates must formally ho◠ipso that they be Magistrates be Ecclesiasticall persons so Nero when Rome makes him Emperour they make him formally a Church-officer and invest him with power to dispence Word and Sacraments and Discipline if he might find leasure for killing of men and such businesse so to do for quod convenit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 convenit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where doth the Old or New Testament hold forth such an office given by Christ as a fruit of his ascension to heaven Where do the Apostles who shew us the duty of Magistrates Fathers Masters Pastors Teachers Rulers Deacons Husbands insinuate any such office If as Christian Christian Magistracy be an Ecclesiasticall office and administration Christianity 1. Is common to the Magistrate with all other professors Painters Merchants Seamen Lawyers Musitians and no more can Christianity make a heathen formally a Church-officer then it can make a Painter formally a Church-officer can faith in Christ and professing thereof make any to be formally Church-officers then must all be Church-officers that are Members of the Church for posita causa formali ponitur effectus formali◠Now Master Coleman saith The heathen Magistrate as a Magistrate is an Ecclesiasticall administration because saith he he should and ought to manage his power for Christ as the heathen and uttermost parts of the earth are given for Christs possession and inheritance and Christ hath given no liberty to a great part of the world to remaine infidels and enemies to him and his Government I suppose Christ hath all Nations given to him and all Nations ought to receive Christ though as yet actually they do not God and Nature hath made Magistrates and these Magistrates thus made God hath given to Christ But 1. The title of Christian added to Magistracy by this is superfluous and put in only ad faciendum populum for Christianity maketh no man formally a Magistrate by M. Colemans way yet saith he pag. 17. a Christian Magistrate as a Christian Magistrate is a Governour in the Church he should say by his way a Magistrate Christian as a Magistrate is a Governour not only in the Church but a Governour of the Church Arg. 2. If the Magistrate as the Magistrate be the Vicar and deputy of Christs mediatory kingdom then all and every Magistrate as Magistrate by his office is obliged under the pain of Gods wrath to command that the Gospel be preached and that men believe and obey Christ as mediator in all his dominions that so he may manage his office for Christ But the latter is utterly false and contrary to the Gospel Ergo so is the former The Major is undeniable all service that Magistrates by office do they sin before God if they do it not and so must be obliged under the pain of sin and Gods wrath to do it And therefore are obliged to command that the Gospel be preached and that men believe and obey Christ if by office they be
the Vicars and deputies of the mediatory Kingdom I prove the assumption These Magistrates amongst the Americans and other Heathen who never by any rumour heard of Iesus Christ are essentially and formally Magistrates But neither are they obliged to command that the Gospel be preached nor their people they are over obliged to believe and obey Christ as mediatour because only those to whom Christ and the Gospel commeth can be guilty of not receiving Christ the mediator and of not promoting the mediatory Kingdome Such Magistrates are obliged only with their sword to glorifie God the creator and to punish sins against the Law of Nature nor are they guilty for not punishing the not receiving of the Gospel or for sins against the mediator of whom they never heard for this is invincible and insuperable ignorance and can make no man guilty who never heard nor could hear of the Gospel according to that Ioh. 15. 22. If I had not come and spoken to them they should not have had sin but now they have no cloak for their sin Rom. 2. 12. For as many as have sinned without Law shall also perish without Law and as many as have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law Ergo they that never heard of the Gospel or the mediator cannot perish nor be judged for refusing the Gospel and it were strange if Magistrates were invincibly ignorant of their office which is to set up the mediator Christ and his Church and visible Kingdom if yet they never heard nor ever could hear of the Word of the Kingdom for then to do and performe the duties of their office should not only morally but invincibly and physically be impossible and so they should not be obliged to do the duties of their office Obj. 1. When the Heathen Magistrate is converted to the faith and becometh a Christian Magistrate he is obliged by his office as a Magistrate to command his people to honour and receive the Lord Jesus and the Ministery of reconciliation and to punish such as blasphemeth the mediator Iesus Christ such as Arrians Antitrinitarians and others Ergo that officiall obligation lay on him before as a Magistrate for you say that the heathen Magistrate turning Christian acquireth no new Magistraticall power by turning Christian which he had not before while he was a heathen Magistrate onely Christianity maketh him use the officiall power of a Magistrate which he had before while he was a heathen ignorant of Christ now for the honour of the mediator Christ and the promoting of his mediatory Kingdome Ans 1. The Antecedent is denied for when the heathen Magistrate is converted to the Christian faith he is not obliged by his office as a Magistrate to command his people whom we suppose now to be hearers of the Gospel and possibly converted also to believe and prosesse Christ nor is he obliged as a Magistrate to promote the mediatory Kingdome of Christ as his mediatory and spirituall Kingdom he or his sword have nothing to do with spirits or consciences as they are such nor with the subjects of a spirituall Kingdom nor can he punish blasphemers of Christ as such nay nor can he punish such as sin against God the creator as they sin against God the Creator by vertue of his office of a Magistrate for so formally he commandeth obedience to Christ mediator or to God creator and punisheth sins and blasphemies against the mediator or against God the creator only as such obedience and such blasphemies may promote the externall safety prosperity and peace of the civill society whereof he is head or may dissolve the sinnues and nerves of that society What he doth to uphold that society which is a part of Christs redeemed Kingdome â—e doth it as a Magistrate in a far other Notion then the Pastors and reachers who by office as spirituall watchmen are to promote Christs mediatory Kingdom as such a spirituall incorporation professing union with Christ the head of the body the Church Obj. 2. But yet it will follow that the heathen Magistrate remaining heathen is invincibly ignorant of his office for in so far as he remaineth a heathen he cannot promote the mediatory Kingdom of Christ in any Notion nay not so much as it is a mean conducing to the externall safety and peace of that civill society whereof he iâ— head Ergo he must while he remaineth an heathen and never by rumor heareth of the Gospel be by office a promoter of Christs Kingdom and by office a punisher with the sword of all such as blasphem the mediator Christ though through his owne sinfull ignorance he cannot put forth in acts or exercise the very officiall and Magistraticall power which he hath by office and actu primo while he remaineth an heathen Magistrate Ans 1. It followeth not that the heathen Magistrate being ignorant while he remaineth in that state of some acts which would conduce to the peace and externall safety of the State if the state were Christian that he is invincibly ignorant of his office to be unable to exercise some acts of an office not consistent with an heathenish state can never argue invincible ignorance of the office 2. The consequence is nought that because he is ignorant of some acts and cannot exercise them that therefore the heathen Magistrate remaining heathen is by office and actu primo an officer and vicegerent of Christs mediatory Kingdom for at no time and in no state hath the Magistrates sword any influence in the mediatory Kingdome at all but in so far as the sword may procure externall peace to the society of that Kingdome as they are a civill body which peace he might by office procure by other means then by commanding the Gospel to be preached or by punishing such as blaspheme Christ for though the materiall object of the Magistrates sword be the spirituall Kingdom of Christ yet the formall object is the naturall and civill peace of this Kingdome as a civill society for to promote spirituall means and to punish spirituall sins such as heresie and blaspheming of Christ do often conduce very much for civill peace 3. It is false that the heathen Magistrate is unable to exercise his magistraticall power for the mediator Christ through his owne sinfull ignorance his not knowing Christ of whom he never heard is not any sin at all nor is he obliged to know or believe in him of whom he never heard Rom. 10. 14. Arg. 3. Every Magistrate is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an humane Ordinance 1 Pet. 2. 13. and is appointed by God the creator and by a rationall Nature yea saith Mr. Coleman God and Nature made Magistrates he must mean God the Creator and Nature but I hope God as creator and Nature made not the Magistrate the head of the Church the Vicar of the Mediator Christ this must have its rise from a higher fountain then Nature Ecclesiasticall Offices tend to a supernaturall end Magistracy
Christ mediator for he denieth expresly Ioh. 18. 36. that he hath such a Kingdom as Mediator or that he was instructed with the sword as Mediator Luk. 12. 13. Now as God and Creator of the world Christ could not deny but he had a Kingdom worldly and that he hath a regnum potentiae an universall Kingdom of power as Lord of Hoasts to dispose of all the Kingdoms of the world and to rule amongst the children of men and to rule over the children of men and to give them to whomsoever he will Dan. 4. 25. 8. 18. â—er 27. v. 6 7 8 9. Psal 24. 1. Psal 50. v. 12. Nor is this Kingdom and Power given to Christ nor is he made Prince and a King as God but as Mediator to give repentance to the House of Israel and forgivenesse of sins Act. 5. 31. I grant it is said Phil. 2. 9. God hath highly exalted Christ and given him a name above every name that at the name of Iesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and of things in earth and things under the earth What doth not this say the adversaries comprehend a royall power given to Christ and hath not Christ from this power to substitute Magistrates in his place as his vicars under him and as little mediators I answer it doth in no sort follow for that is a spirituall power as is clear Rom. 14. v. 9. For to this end Christ both died and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of dead and living v. 11. For it is written as I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confesse God So it is clearly expounded of Christs exalting at the right hand of God Act. 5. 31. for spirituall and supernaturall ends I grant as Mediator and King he breaketh his enemies Devils and men Psal 2. 9. With a rod of yron and dasheth them in pieces like a potters vessel and maketh his enemies his footstool Psal 110. 1. But that is no carnall power such as earthly Kings useth it is a spirituall power for the reason is given ver 2. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Sion By which v. 5. as a great Anti-royalist He strikes through Kings in the day of his wrath Now Christ as Mediator sendeth not out Kings and Princes to conquer souls to him with their sword Renowned Salmasius saith When Christ sent his Apostles first to preach the Gospel and to lay the foundation of the Christian Church did he send out with them lictors pursevants men of war with a bundell of rods and with axes to compell men to come in to his Kingdome Commanded he to smite them with swords and axes who would not receive the Gospel No yea he would not have them to take with them a staffe a scrip or shoes But though Christ subdue all his enemies Devils and wicked men it shall never follow that Christ is for that King and head of Devils and wicked men For Christ is as Mediator King and Head or mediatory King and Head of those that are the subjects and redeemed conquest of this King and of those who are members of the body of which he is Head now this body is his Church only Col. 1. 18. He is the Head of the Body the Church Eph. 1. 22 23. And gave him to be Head over all things to the Church Which is his Body the fulnesse of him that filleth all The Body of Christ to be edified Ephesi 4 12. Till we all all that body of the Saints to be perfected v. 11. come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ v. 16. from whom the whole Body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplieth according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the Body unto the edifying of it selfe in love Now never Divine can say that Devils and wicked men who shall bow to Iesus are the subjects of this Kingdom of Christ who have right to the fruits of the Kingdom Righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. far lesse that they are of the Body that is Christs Body Christs fulnesse Christs Body to be perfected edified to Come in the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God into a perfect man c. Arg. 6. These Megistrates that are the mediatory vicars deputies and heads of the Head Iesus Christ and his Kingdom these are of his Body and subjects under the King and Mediator Christ the chiefe Head and King For it is not to be presumed that Christ will appoint these to be heads and vicars of his Body and little Kings over his Kingdom as he is Mediator who are not members of his Church nor subjects of his mediatory Kingdom But Magistrates as Magistrates are not members of his Church nor subjects of his mediatory Kingdom no more then Husbands as Husbands Fathers as Fathers are members and their should have been Husbands and Fathers though the Lord Iesus never had been Mediator advocate and Priest of a redeemed Church Obj. But are Pastors and teachers and Elders as such members of the Christian Church Ans If eyes and ears be members of the body and watchmen members of the city then are they ex officio by their office members of the Church But if the Magistrate as a Magistrate be a member of the Church then all Magistrates Heathen and Turkish are members of the Christian Church ex officio by vertue of their office Arg. 7. That opinion is not to be holden which layeth ground that Christ Mediator is a temporary King hath under him Magistrates even heathenish who have nothing to do with a Mediator to bear a temporall sword for a supernaturall and spirituall end as Christâ— under heires he himselfe being the first heir of all such and so maketh heathens within the verge of the mediatory Kingdom as if Christ were as Mediator a King to Heathen and all and every one of mankind who must have Magistrates and so maketh the Kingdome of men as men and the Kingdom of Grace commensurable and of alike latitude and extension and maketh nature and grace of equall comprehension But such is the former opinion the proposition cannot be denied except by Arminians Socinians Papists who do maintain an universall redemption a grace universall a Catholick Kingdom of Grace comprehensive of all and every man of Pharoah Evil merodach Belshazer all the Kings of Romans Persians Assyrians Chaldeans and of Turk India and such as worship the Sunne and Moon the Devil and the work of mens hands The assumption is granted by Master Coleman who saith Christ is the rightfull King of the whole earth he meaneth Christ as Mediator to whom the Father hath given a Kingdom Obj. Doth not Christ as King make all
and people which is the highest Papall Tyranny on earth Obj. 3. If the Magistrate be therefore subject to the Church not as a Magistrate but as he scandalously transgresseth the Law of God so that the Church may not rebuke and censure him as either a Magistrate or as a Magistrate doing his duty but onely as a Transgressor Then neither 1. one particular Pastor as a Pastor is subject to the Church yea no man in a lawfull calling or relation as such is subject to the Church for the Church cannot rebuke or censure a Husband as a Husband a father as a father a Painter as a Painter no more then the Church can censure a Magistrate as a Magistrate for then should the Church censure and condemn all these relations and callings as husband father painter Magistrate as intrinsecally unlawfull Nor can the Church censure and rebuke husband father painter musitian c. when they do right and doe but fulfill their relations and callings in doing the duties of husband father painter no more then the Church can censure and rebuke the Magistrate when he doth his dutie Ans 1. This is not the totall compleat and adequate cause why the Magistrate in spirituall things is subject to the Church but the halfe of the cause onely you must take in the other consideration he is in spiritualibus subject to the Church not only as he doth sin but 1. As he may sin scandalously 2. As he may be directed informed and swayed with precepts promises counsels threatnings toward a supernaturall end to eternall life take in all these three and we grant all The Magistrate and all in other relations and professions and callings are equally in spirituall things subject to the Church as the Ministers of Christ and in all other relations and callings as fathers husbands painters musitians are in civill things equally subject to the Magistrate according to the three former cases in a civill consideration Obj. 4. But then you must prove solidly from the word that the Magistrate is subject to the Church in spirituall things Ans It is enough if I prove that the Magistrate is subject to the Church to Pastors and Doctors in things belonging to his soule and as a man and a Christian in civill things are subject to him which to me is clear in the Word of God as 1. Because Timothy and all watchmen in their person are commanded to rebuke them that sin before all and that in the sight of God and the Lord Iesus and the elect Angels without preferring one before another or doing any thing by partialitie 1 Tim. 5. 20 21. 2 Tim. 4. 2. And if Levi must not know his father or his mother in the Lords cause Deut. 33. 9. and Ieremiah in rebuking not be dismayed of Kings Princes and Prophets Ier. 1. 17. neither must Ministers accept the persons of judges Christ rebuked his mother to whom otherwise he was subject Ioh. 2. 4. Luke 2. 51. 2. There is the practise of the Prophets Christ and the Apostles that they have rebuked Kings Rulers Magistrates Priests Prophets every page almost of the Old and New Testament saith this 3. God hath no whit exempted the Rulers from rebukes as they be men they can and do sin 4. Princes are the sheep of Christ and redeemed as a part of the flock for the which Christ gave the blood of God Ergo they are to be fed and watched over lest they also as grievous wolves prey upon the flock Acts 20. 28 29 30. then there must be some over them and those who should speake the word of the Lord to them and so the word of rebuke and who should watch for the souls of Magistrates as those who must give an account whom the Magistrates must obey as others in the same condition who have souls Heb. 13. 7 17. 1 Pet. 5. 1 2 3. 1 Thes 5. 12 13 14. 5. All the censures of the Church are for the good of soules that the Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord 2 Thes 3. 14 15. 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. 1 Cor. 5. 5 6. and for edification 2 Cor. 10. 8. Iude v. 23. Ergo the souls of Magistrates should not be defrauded of this mean of edification 6. Pastors as Ministers Stewards Ambassadors Watchmen are intrusted with the word of reconciliation 1 Cor. 4. 1 2. and 1 Cor. 3. 5. and 4. 15. 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. 1 Tim. 3. 1. 2 Cor. 4 7. Ergo they must divide the Word aright to all within the family 2 Tim. 2. 15. and rebukes and censures are a part of the word of reconciliation no lesse then promises and they are to prophecy death and life as God in his word commandeth Ezek. 3. 17 18 19 20. and 13. 19. and 33. 7 8 9. 10. 7. The power of the Lord Jesus in censuring is extended to men as â—ll doers not as Magistrates or not Magistrates 1 Cor. 5. 2. Gal. 5. 10. the power of binding and loosing is extended to a trespassing brother who will not hear the Church Mat. 18. 15 16. and 16. 19 20. The Magistrate is a brother Deut. 17. 15. one of the Israel of God as Saul was of of the Tribe of Benjamin David of Iudah 8. The Church may judge such as are within the Church 1 Cor. 5. 12. but such is the Christian Magistrate 9. Correction is a priviledge of sons and Members of the family Heb. 12. 6 7. Rev. 3. 19. Ergo the Magistrate should not be deprived of that wherein all Christians share Gal. 2. 28. 10. Discipline is a part of Christs Kingly government if the government be on Christs shoulders as King as it is Mat. 28. 19 20. Ephes 4. 11 12. Esa 22. 22. and if the Gospel be the Word and Scepter of his Kingdome Mark 1. 14 15. and 4. 11. Matth. 21 43. Luke 4. 43. and 8. 1. Acts 1. 3. and 8. 12. and 20. 25. and 28. 31. Psal 45. 3. Rev. 1. 16. Then if Magistrates be the subjects of Christ as King of the Church they must be subject to those who preach the Kingdome carry the Scepter and rule under Christ as King 11. Upon the same ground if they decree grievous decrees Isa 10. 1. Micah 3. 1. and be wolves ravening the prey Ezek. 22. 27. let them have either Royall or Parliamentary power they are to be rebuked debarred from the holy things of God excommunicated and their sins bound in earth as in heaven Mat. 18 18. Mat. 16. 19. Nor should Courts or Parliaments or Thrones be cities of refuge to unjust and scandalous men 12. Upon the same ground Magistrates are not to be deprived of the good of private rebukes and admonitions except we hate the Magistrate in our heart and strive not to gain his soul Levit. 19. 17. Mat. 18. 15 16. Luk. 17. 3 4. Psal 141. 5. 13. Erastus himself granteth that Magistrates may be rebuked and when he granteth that Apostates and Idolaters are not
of men those belong to the Magistrate and to his civill power Yet he cannot deny but the Churches power in judging and punishing here is formally spirituall and objectively and unproperly civill so say I the Mgaistrates power in spirituall causes is formally civill and objectivelâ— only spirituall and he neither hath nor needeth any spirituall power formally to attain his temporall end nor needeth the Church any power formally civill to attain her spirituall end The reason is because powers have their specification and nature from their formall object not from the materiall because the Magistrate punisheth hereâ—ies and false Doctrine as they disturbe the Peace of the civill State therefore his power is civill and because the Church censureth unjustice incest 1 Cor. 5 1 2. and sins against the second Table because they are scandalous in the Church and maketh the name of God to be ill spoken of though materially those sins be punishable by the Magistrate yet is the Churches power spirituall because it judgeth those as scandalous and offensive to God and therefore the power is spirituall because the object to wit as scandalous to the Church and as offensive to God is spirituall even as destructive to civill Peace is formally a civill object 2. The Magistrate without any spirituall power judges what is the true Church and true ordinances setteth them up by his sword he doth set them up only for a civill end because they conduce most for the peace and flourishing condition of the civill state whereof he is head not that the members of his state may attain life eternall for the Magistrate intendeth life eternall to his subjects in setting up a true Church and true Ordinances not as a Magistrate but as a godly man As the woman of Samaria brought out the Samaritanes that they might receive Christ in their heart by saith as she had done But as a Magistrate he intendeth not life eternall to his subjects so a Master as a Master hireth a man to serve who is a believer and as a Master he judgeth such a one will be most faithfull and active in his service now the Master judgeth him not to be a Saint that he may be a fit member of the Church The Church only as the Church is to judge so of this servant nor doth he judge him a believer that he may obtain life eternall nor doth he love and chuse him as his servant that he may obtain life eternall Christians as Christians judge and love one another that way So the Husband as a Husband doth chuse a believing woman for his Wife judging she will perform the duties of a Wife better then an unbelieving Wife he judgeth her to be a believer as a Husband and loveth her with a Husband-love as a Husband but if he love her because the image of God is in her and as an heir of life eternall then he loveth her as a Christian man not as a Husband and it is a Christian love he hath to her such as he hath to other godly women that are also co heirs with himself of life eternall and this is a lawfull and a Christian love But if this Husband should bear a Husband-love such as he doth to his own Wife to all other godly Wives it should be an adulterous and unlawfull love So the Magistrate as a Magistrate judges loves chuses and setteth up true Ordinances a true Church as means of a flourishing Kingdom and of externall Peace and pulleth down the contrary as means destructive to the peace and safety of his subjects But he judgeth not in a spirituall manner and with any spirituall power of the sword of those as fitting and conducing to life eternall and inward peace of conscience with God but as a justified and believing Saint he judgeth chuseth and loveth Ordinances and the true Church in this consideration and no wise as a Magistrate If those Relations of Magistrate and Christian had been considered by the Author he had not compared the Magistrate punishing idolatry to the Dragon and the godly Pastors who exhort the Magistrate to punish false teachers to the Beast and the false Prophet who maketh war with the Lambe For the godly magistrate who advanceth the throne of the Lambe is praise worthy he doth cut off all wicked doers from the city of the Lord Psal 101. 8. and doth this as a Magistrate that his Kingdome might have peace and well grounded prosperity but as a man according to Gods heart he doth it formally set on high the throne of the Lambe nor would he have compared those worthy and dear brethren of New England the Saints of the most high especially reverend Master Cotton to the frogs that proceeded out of the mouth of the false Prophet Rev. 17. 3. Nor do the Papists use this argument at all but another argument and for a contrary conclusion for the Pope as the Pope is an earthly Monarch and as Pope hath power to translate Crowns and Kingdoms and as Pope the Holy Ghost in him commandeth the Kings of the Earth to make war with the Lambe and his followers as Papists teach do we ascribe any such power be the Church or Churchmen are Malignants Prelates and Papists the followers of the Lambe Obj. 7. If the people may erect what government they will and seems most fit for their civill condition then governments by them so erected have no more power nor for no longer time then the civill power or people consenting and agreeing shall betrust them with for people are not deprived of their naturall freedom by the power of tyrants And if so that Magistrates receive their power of governing the Church from the people Then a people as a people naturally considered of what Nature or Nation soever in Europe Asia Africa America have fundamentally and originally as men a power to govern the Church to see her do her duty to correct her to redresse to reform to establish c. And this is to subject God Christ heaven the spirit to naturall sinfull and unconstant men Indian and American governments are as true and lawfull governments as in the world and therefore their governours are keepers of the Church and of both Tables if any Church should arise or be amongst them and therefore if Christ have betrusted the civill power with his Church they must judge according to their Indian and American consciences for others they have not Ans 1. No doubt the power that makes Magistrates because of vertue and dexterity to govern may unmake them when they turn tyrants and abuse their power and upon the same ground as men create Magistrates so Christian men as Christian men act to chuse Christian and gracious Magistrates as if a Husband as a man chuse a Wife as grace perfumeth and spiritualizeth all the common actions of men so Christian men are to chuse Christian Wives Christian Masters Christian servants so is a Church to chuse a Christian not an American Magistrate
Honour the King 18. Servanâ—s be subject to your Masters with all feare not only to the good and gentle but also to the froward 19. For this is thanke-worthy this subjection if a man for conscience reward God enaure griefe suffering wrongfully 5. What Dionysius said of the ill of schisme is for us for schisme is against love to our brethren and a renting Christs body 1 Cor. 1. 13. and a greater evill then non-obedience to Prelates when they command indifferent Ceremonies occasioning the râ—â—ne of him for whom Christ died To say nothing that the Doctors of Aberdeen are the Schismaticks who have now separated from the Church of Scotland and our Nationall covenant with God Duplyers pag. 37. n. 51. Thirdly these offices or duties which we owe to others by way of Justice are more strictly obligatorie then these which we owe to them only by way of charitie But we owe the dutie of obedience to our Superiours by way of justice and therefore it is more obligatorie then the duty of eschewing scandall causlesly taken which is a duty only of charity 1. The major is a maxime not only of Scholasticks and of Popish casuists but also of our Divines So Amesius The major is cleare for the duty of obedience which wee owe to the publicke Lawes of the Church and Kingdome is Justitia legalis a generall legall Justice and as it is in subjects it is a vertue inclining them to the obedience of all lawes made for the benefit of the Common-wealth as Aristotle saith 2. It is debitum obedientiae the debt of obedience which we owe to our Superiours grounded upon the proper right which our Superiours have to exact this right of us so that they may accuse us of injurie and censure us if we performe it not Debitum justitiae fundatur in proprio jure alterius and also it is debitum morale a debt of dutie unto which we are tyed by morall honestie in Gods commandement There is a great difference betwixt these two debts As for example a man oweth moneys to the poore by a morall debt but to his creditours he oweth them by a legall debt or debt of justice and therefore he is more strictly obleiged to pay his creditour then to give almes Such like by morall honestie and Gods precept also a man oweth to his neighbour a pious carefulnesse to imped sinne in him by admonition instruction good example and by omission even of things lawfull when he seeth that his neighbour in respect of his weaknesse will be scandalized by them But his neighbour hath not such a right to exact these duties of him neither can he have action against him for not performing of them as our lawfull Superiours have for our due obedience Ans 1. Here be the white shifts of Mr. Sanderson Paybodie Downham who place Loyaltie above Charitie We owe to our brother love but to the Ruler say they love and justice 1. Why doe they not extend Loyaltie to its utmost even loyaltie to the King of kings whose royall law saith Thou shale not scandalize Thou shalt not murther they draw in loyaltie to Rulers who shall die as men and to their commandement of things indifferent which God hath not commanded 2. It is true these duties which we owe to others by way of justice are more obligatorie then these which we owe only by way of charitie caeteris paribus When duties of the law of Nature and morall Law are compared together then indeed the duties which we owe both by the tye of Justice and Charitie are more obligatorie then the duties that we owe only by the tye of Charitie As for example My father is in danger before my eyes to be drowned in one deepe water and before my eyes also my neighbour and friend is in danger of the like kind the two tyes and bands of Justice and Charitie both by the fifth and sixth Commandements are more obligatorie hic nunc and doe more strictly obliege that I run to succour and preserve the life of my father then the life of my neighbour for the obligation to my neighbour is only charitie by the obligation of the sixth Commandement which obligation ceaseth hic nunc at this time when my fathers life is in hazard and thus farre the Doctors argument goeth for strong as Schoolemen Casuists and Divines teach But it is not to a purpose for the Doctors For all offices and duties generally and universally of what ever kind which we owe by way of Justice are not more obligatorie then duties which we owe only by way of Charitie as when duties of a positive commandement of God enjoyned by our Superiours and duties which we owe by charitie only are compared together then the Doctors major Proposition is not cleare of it selfe as they dreame nor doe Casuists or Amesius or Divines say with them but truth and all our Divines say against them Let us suppose that the King and Convocation and Assembly of Priests and Prophets of Israel make a Canon according to Gods Word That no manner of man presume to eat shew-bread save the Priests only All men owe obedience to this both because it is Gods expresse Law and by the band of Justice the Elders and Assembly of the Ancients have forbidden it But if our Doctors argument stand strong David at the point and hazard of famishing for hunger sinned in eating shew-bread yet Christ acquiteth him of all sinne and saith Math. 12. 5. he and his followers are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blamelesse Now Davia was under a dutie by mercy and love to his owne life and he lives of his followers to eat shew-bread and he was under the band of Justice by the law of the Ancients of Israel and Gods law not to eat Therefore in some cases when our Superiours commandements are only positive Lawes they are not more obligatorie then duties of Charitie only commanded in the law of nature I cleare it further thus I see my neighbour in danger before my eyes of drowning and my father commandeth me to goe and labour or sowe his farme in that time while I am to preserve the life of my neighbour in present danger to lose his life in a great water By the Doctors maxime I am under the higher obligatorie tye of Justice to obey my father who commandeth a thing both lawfull and necessarie by vertue of the higher Commandement to wit the first of the second Table then I am obliged by the sixth Commandement and of charitie only to give present succour and help to my dying neighbour so I must let my neighbour die in the waters to give a dutie of justice to my father of farre lesse necessitie I would not commit my conscience to such Casuists as are the Doctors of Aberdeen But if the Doctors would see with some new light of reason it is cleare that not only the tye of Justice maketh the precept more obligatorie but also the weightinesse of
that beare no fruit were to be cut down as not so necessarie for mans life Now this reason is morall and perpetuall and so are houses to sence off the injuries of the clouds a Manslife except they bee forbidden by a positive law of God and so necessarie as without the â—se of houses no worshipping of God can be ordinarily And therefore in the second place as we use Gold Silver Tamples and materiall houses though abused to Idolatrie because the Lord hath created them for our use his law of Creation warranting us to use them so can we not refraine from the use of them though abused by Papists except wee have a speciall positive law to warrant us to refraine from the use of these necessarie creatures of God so usefull for the life of man For according to the grounds of these against whom we now dispute the Garments of silke or cloth of Gold that hath covered Popish Images the Gold and Silver of the Popish Images though melted and dissolved into innocent mettall the Materiall Temples builded to the honour of Saints are to be cast away and utterly abolished as unlawfull to be used in any sort for the Jewes according to the Law Deut. 7. 19. 20. might make no use of the gold or silver of the Heathen-Image and Achan brought a curse on himselfe for the simple taking for his use the wedge of Gold and the Babilonâ—sh Garment Now we have no law in the New Testament to abandon the use of the creatures for as Cornelius was not to count that meat uncleane which God â—ad clâ—nsed Act. 10. 15. So neither are we to count Silver and Gold and houses uselesse which God in the Creation made Good and usefull for our life and therefore no morall contagion can adhere so to these creatures as we are utterly to disuse them as creatures cursed because they were abused except it can be proved that the abuse of them hath deprived us of the necessarie use that they have by the law of Creation for certaine it is as the killing of the sucking infants of the Amalakites was typicall and tyeth not us to kill the young children of Papists so was the disusing or not using of Gold Silver and Houses abused to Idolatrie typicall And before I come to the second Conclusion An house for the worship of God is amongst the things that are necessarie by way of dis-junction in speciè not in individuo that is a house is necessarie in its Physicall use to fence off our bodies the injuries of Sunne Aire and heaven but not this house for another house may serve the turne as conveniently But some object Then this or this house Dedicated superstitiously to the religious honour of a Saint ought to be removed out of the worship of God 1 because by your owne confession Thâ—â— individual house so abused is not necessarie God may will be worshipped without this house though it never had been in rerum naturâ 2. From the worshipping of God in so Superstitious a place many truly godly are so scandalized that for worshipping God in such Superstitious and Idolatrous places they have Separated from your Church conceiving that in so doing you heale the wounds of the Beast It is true it may be their weaknesse yea but be it so that it were their wickedness that they are scandalized yet by your doctrine in things not necessarie you are not to doe any thing by which either the weake or the wicked may be scandalized as is cleare in the eating of meats Rom. 14. Ans This argument may 1. be retorted against these who hold with us the same doctrine of Scandal for without eating of Swines flesh my life may be preserved and a malitious Iew may be and necessarily is highly scandalized that I who possibly am a Iew converted to the Christian faith doe eat Swines flesh before him for he conceiveth me to be an Apostate from Moses his law therefore I should abstaine from eating Swines flesh before a Iew who out of Malice is scandalized by my doing a thing not necessarie hic nunc But the conclusion is absurd nor doe I think that many truly godly of the Strictest Separation doe stumble at our Churches out of wickednesse Many truly Godly and Sincere refuse to come to our Churches whereas many scandalous well lustered hypocrites who knoweth nothing of the power of godlinesse but are sitten downe in the Scorners Chaire are admitted to the Lords Supper and as the former cannot be excused so I pray God that the latter draw not downe the wrath of God upon both Kingdomes 2. Things not necessarie which actively produce scandall must not be only indifferent Physically in their naturall use as This or this house but they must be indifferent both Physically and Morally for the Meats spoken of Rom. 14. at that time were both wayes indifferent 1. They were not necessary but indifferent Physically in an ordinarie providence both then and now for ordinarily my life may be preserved and suffer little losse by not eating Swines flesh or such meats in case of extreame necessitie of sterving if any could have no other meat they might eat then as the case was Rom. 14. because Mercie is better then Sacriâ—â—â— at alltimes 2. These things Rom. 14. were indifferent Theologically or Morally in their owne nature 1. v. 3. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth for God hath received him 2. Because v. 17. The kingdome of God is not meat and drink Sure in Moses his time to abstaine from such meats and eat such as the Lambe of the Passeover the Manna to drinke of the water of the Rock was worship and so some part of the kingdome of heaven but it is not so now saith Paul 3 Paul clearly maketh them Morally indifferent 1 Cor. 8. 8 But meat commendeth us not to God for neither if we eat are wee better morally and before God neither if we eat not a e we Morally theworse Now this Temple or House Physically is indifferent and not necessarie for the worship of God for men may be defended from the injuries of Sunne and aire Though this house had never been in rerum naturâ But this Temple or house though dedicated to a Saint is not Morally indifferent but Morally necessarie so as if you remove it from the worship because abused to Idolatrie and give it in no use in the defending of our bodies from the injuries of the Wind Raine and Sunne you Iudaize and doe actively scandalize the Iewes and harden them in their Apostasie and so this house though abused to Idolatrie is not indifferent Morally as the meats Rom. 14. But the using of it is necessarie and an asserting of our Christian libertie as to eat blood and things strangled and Swines flesh even before a Iew so to use all houses for a physicall end to defend our bodies from heat
Church to a supernaturall happinesse nor can the Church be governed by the light of nature or by the rules of morall Philosophie or civill prudence or humane lawes as Cities Common-wealths and Kingdomes are 4. It is a rule in Circumstantials of worship because some time some thing as the Lord day is both worship and a Circumstantiall of worship but not properly a Circumstance in all these the Church as the Church must â—â—ir by the Word of God 3. What ever is in Rome in physicall or natural circumstances is not by us judged Popisâ—â— But what ever religious observance Symbolicall signe new worship such as â—renging to Bread Altars humane Festivals Surplice and the like that are neither things of nature nor 2. things of prudence and civill policie nor 3. Miraculous things nor 4. Things of art and science nor 5. meere Circumstances and yet are added to the worship of God not necessarie in themselves not warranted by Precept practice or promise in the word of God we take to be devised by the wil of men and if by Papists so much the more unlawfull and may well be tearmed Popish as Popish is contradistinguished from that which is â—ound and warranted by the Word and that which is not thus agreeable to the Word is repugnant thereunto and either Popish or worse or heathenish Hooker The question is whether wee may follow Rome in orders Rites and Ceremonies wherein we doe not thinke them blamable or else ought to devise others and to have no conformitie with Rome no not so much as in these Ans We never dreamed of such a Question it is as if one should have formed such a question to debate with Moses Whither may we follow Egypt and Canaan in rounding the corners of our head and cutting our flesh for the deaâ— in sowing oâ—r land with mingled seeds c. or ought we to devise others the like and have no Conformitie with them no not so much as in these Now Moses gave never leave to Israel to devise either these or any other the like The Question supposeth two things for granted which are plainly false 1. That if we may refuse Popish Ceremonies as scandalous because Papists devised them that therefore the worship of God hath need of other Symbolical and religious signes of the like nature which we ought to devise But the worship of God neither needeth these nor any Phylactaries of that kind 2. It supposeth we doe not thinke the Rites of Rome blamable this is a begging of the question for both we blame them as positive religious Rites beside and so contrary to the Word and because Romish and so in a high degree scandalous Hooker When Reason evicteth that all such Ceremonies are not to be abolished they answer they doe only condemne Ceremonies unprofitable or Ceremonies in stead whereof as good or better may be devised so they cannot get out of the Bryars Ans 1. Who answereth so Hooker should have knowne that if the Testament of Christ warrant not Ceremonies they and all their kind are unprofitable and to be abolished whither they lay in the wombe of the mother of â—ornications or be bastards of any other Mother 2. Yea we condemne all such Ceremonies because unnecessarie as devised by the will or lust of men for all necessatie and usefulnesse of positive religious and teaching observances is from the will of God And when he saith we condemne only all unprofitable Ceremonies wee are not in the briars for he saith his owne Ceremonies are unprofitable briars for we condemne them as unprofitable Chartwright that godly and learned witnesse of Jesus Christ from whom Hooker would bring this answer saith Popish Ceremonies are not to be used to adorne the worship when as good or better may be established But he meaned never that as good positive Symbolicall rites without the word of God can be lawfully devised at all this should have been proven from Cartwrights words But saith he we retaine these because we judge them profitable yea so good that if we had either simply taken them cleane away or else removed them so as to place others in their stead wee had done worse But who authorized them to sit judges the burden of proving them inconvenient lyeth on them Ans 1. It is a proud Reply Wee retaine popish Ceremonies because we judge them profitable where as the question is not what the Prelates who must bee called the Church judge them to be but what they are for it is a farre other question who should sit Judges though we can prove Christ never made Prelates at all and so he never made them judges and whether the Ceremonies be profitable or not When Prelates say we retaine Popish Ceremonies because we judge them profitable it is to say We judge Popish Ceremonies to be profitable because we judge them profitable For we say to retaine them is to passe a law and a judgement that they are profitable But our argument is against their judgeing them to be profitable and against their retaining them Might not Pharisees say as much Wee retaine the precepts and traditions of men used by our fathers because we judge them profitable and who authorized Christ and his Disciples to judge the Church the burden of proving them inconvenient lyeth on the Disciples Christ said their Ceremonies were the doctrines of men and so unlawfull and the like argument bring wee against the Ceremonies and so they must be unprofitable 2. If the Church make or retaine lawes beside and without the Word they are under the burden of proving them to be profitable for they affirme and affirmanti incumbit probatio for they ought to give another reason of their lawes then we judge We affirme it is Gods prerogative to say that 3. If Prelates should doe worse to have cleane removed these or brought others in their place Then must the Prelaticall Church be better then the Apostolike Church for they neither had these nor any in their stead except they make us see that Peter and Paul dispensed the Word and Sacraments clothed either with lineing Rochets and crossing the aire with the Thumbe or then they adorned Word and Sacraments with other the like mysticall Rochets or some merry toyes like crossing the aire with the Thumbe and if not they did worse then our Prelats who raise bloody warrâ—s in three Kingdomes for such fooleries and for an office which of old for shame had no kinred nor house but mans law jus humanum by their owne grant But that saith Hooker wherein the Israelitâ—â— might not be like to the Egyptians and Canaanites was such as peradventure as had beene no whitlesse unlawfull although those Nations had never been I would know what one thing was in these nations and is here forbidden being indifferent in it selfe yet forbidden only because they used it Ans This is not our argument I am not to say the only reason why the Lord forbade
Bellar. de Pont if Rom l. 4. cap. 16. Quiounque potest precipere polest etiam actum indifferentem suo precepto facere necessarium per se bonum p Silvest in voce abrogat q Tartar in moral cap. 5. 7. r River catho orth tom 1. q. 9. tract 2. q. 2 Å¿ Field l. 4. cap. 33. t Pareus u Soto l. 1. de just q. 6. art 3. x Sylvest Verbâ— in obedientia in â—iâ—c y Jo Eselius in ezpos Decall praecept 4. cap. 36. z Cap. 2. De constit Rem quae culpa caret in damnum vocari non convenit Other Arguments for the obligation of humane Laws Answered a Ambros b Anselm c Theodoretus in loc Rom 13. d Chrysos in Rom. 13. hom 23. e Navar. in sum cap. 23. numb 54. f Felinus cap. 1. de sponsalib n. 18. g Taraqu Prefat de utroque retractu n. 74. What it is to resist the Ruler h Lodovi Merat par 1. tract de leg disp 1. Sect. 13. i Merat ib. Sect. 2. Why men cannot make laws that layeth a tye on the Conscience That Christ hath a spirituall kingdom not only in the power of preaching the word but also in the power of the keys by discipline That there is such a divine ordinance as Excommunication Objections against excommunication removed Praelee in Math. 18. ver 15. page 144. We mayrebuke our brother in a prudent way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Erastus Mat. 18. Object 4. The church Mat. 18. is not the Civill Sanedrim How Publicans were excluded from the Temple a Dâ—uâ— 23. 1 2 3 4 5. I'sa 79. 1. Lam. 1. 10. b Lev. 25 44. Lev. 26. 45 2 Kin. 16. 3. 2 Kin. 17. 8. 11. â— Chro. 16. 35. 2 Chro. 33. 2 9. Neh. 5. 8 9 Psa 9. 19. Psal 10. 16. Psal 33. 10. Psal 44. 2. Psa 80. 9. Ier. 10. 2. Ezech. 23. 30. Eze. 25. 7. Ioel 2. 7. Obad. v. 15 Miâ— 5. 15. Hag. 2. 22. Zach. 1. 15. Theophylact in Math. 18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Object 8. Beza de de Presbyterio excom p. 60. Joseph de bello Iudaiâ— l. 1. c. 4. Pharisaei omnia pro arbitrio administrabant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lucian dialo 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So doth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Num. 11. 28. signifie Binding and loosing acts judiciall a Camero prelect in Mat. 16. b Vatablus on Esay 22. c Calvin prelect in Esay 22 d Muscu com ibid e Gualther Homil. in loc f Piscator shol in Esa g Beza on Mat. 16. h Pareus comment in Mat. 16. i Cotton Keyes of the Kingdome p. 2. Beza de Pres byter pag. 63 64. That Excommunication is a divine Ordinance is proved by 1 Cor. 5. To deliver to Satan is not miraculous killing The essentials of excommunication 1 Cor 5. Cutting off not alwaies killing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ab interiâ—re populâ—rum sacrum Morall guiltinesse excluded men from holy things amongst the Iews The place Ezekiel 44. v. 11. 12. 13. 14. to be fulfilled under the New Testament Object Ceremoniall exclusion from holy things under the old did tipifie exclusion for morall uncleannesse under the New Testament Levit. 5. 2â— The Churches exclusion from the Seales declarative not coactive by violence Remonstrant in Apollo Censures applied to some by name Arg. 2. Eschewing the society of scandalous church members must be a church censure The hindering of Jezabel by preaching onely not sufficient Debarring of the scandalous from the seals proâ—ed It belongeth not to the Magistrate to â— debar from the seals Thomas Erastus lib. 3. confirmat Thesium lib. 3. â— 3. pag. 207. Nam et sacramenta sub sub 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nomine comprehendi concedo Erastus Confi thes l. 3. c. 3. pag. 207. Qui membra externae volunt ecclesiae videri illi non calcabunt Sacramenta nec offereâ—tem laniare tentabunt fiquis talis reperiatur hune ego minime admittendum censeâ— Confirmatiâ— Thosium Erast Consâ—â— thes l. 1. c. 1. p. 72. Erast will have no man excluded from the Sacraments pag. 86. Si per subductionem pabuli intelligis verbi aut sacramentorum negationem de tuâ— hoc dicis non lâ—queris cum scripturis quae nusquam jubent pabula haec subducere According to Erastus his way we cannot deny the seals to a Turk P. 75 76. Toexclude men from the Kingdom of Heaven not one with Excommunication Pag. 78. Excommunication is no reall separation of one from Christs invisible body Pag. 79. P. 81 82. Pag. 83. Pag. 86. Pag. 88. 8â— Though Excommunication be onely declarative yet it is not empty Cap. 2. l. 1. p. 93. Putting out 1 Cor. 5. Excommunicating Lib. â— c. 2. pag. 103. Whether Erastus doth prove that none were excluded amongst the Iewes from the Sacraments for Morall uncleannesse A twofold forgivenesse Pag. 117. All are invited to the SacrameÌ„ts but not that they come any way they please The question whether all should be admitted to the Lords Supper perverted by Erastus Cap. 3. l. 1. p. 117. Lib. 3. c. 3. pag. 207. Et si quis talis qui caleabit sacramenta reperiatur hunc ego numinè admittendum censeo Pag. 118. Two sorts of signes some purely holy some partly holy partly necessary for the bodily life Pag. 120. P. 120 121. All are commanded to hear the Word but not to come to the Supper Arg. 16. Page 124. Page 124. Confirm Thes l. 2. c. 1. p. 130. 131. 133. 134. 136. 137. Ceremoniall uncleannes typified Exclusion out of the visible Church for Scandals not out of the Kingdome of Heaven Page 140. Page 142 143 144 145. Page 146. Page 140. At nemo propter ingenitam naturae corruptionem pâ—nitur Page 147. Legall uncleannesse was sin Page 150. Lib. â— c. 2. p. 154. 155. The scope and sense of Mat. 18. perverted by Erastus Our Saviour speaks of all not of private and lesser scandals onely Page 26. in Thes 41. By the word brother is not meant a Iew onely Erast conf Thes l. 2. â— 1. p. 133. Sive facinorosos facinoris paeniteret sive non paeniteret paena non minuebatur L. 2. cap. 2. page 155. Thes 41. p. 46. Pag. 156. Christs speaking in the second person argueth not the privacy of the scandall Page 158. Page 156. 157. A twofold forgiving Thes 42. page 27. Page 16. Christ speaketh not of such sins as private men may forgive as Erastus dreameth Christs scope spiritual Erast his way is carnall Thes 42. pag. 28. Lib. 3. c. p. 181. Pag. 186. 187. Pag. 188. A Publican most odious to the Iews Lib. 3. c. 3. p. 190 191. Page 191. P. 192. 193. Pag. 195. 196. A publican most odious to the Iewes No private forgivenesse Mat. 18. pag. 198 â—ed si docendo priâ—atus aliquem ad duxcrit ut peccata sua agnoscat et ex certa side â—â— Dei be â—â—gnitate propter meritum Christi acquiescat an non solutus erit Si frustraÌ„