some consideration or because the Apostles were in it and acted as Extraordinary Ministers of Christ invested with an Universal power over all Churches or because they were received afterwards in every particular Church or because the matter was determined in Scripture and out of it declared to be the mind of God which seems to be implied in these words It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and us ver 28. For all Canons should be so made as to be clearly grounded upon some special or general precepts of Scripture which were revealed by the Holy Ghost for they should bind more in respect of the matter and the reason upon which they are grounded than in respect of the multitude of Votes For one good reason from the Scriptures is more binding than the consent of all general Councils in the World. Another Query there is why this Controversie should be determined at Jerusalem and not at Antioch or any where else whether it was because that was the Mother-Church or because the Apostles were there at that time resident or because other Churches were not so fully constituted or because there might be there representatives from all other Churches or because they who sprang the Controversie at Antioch came from Jerusalem and pretended the Authority of the Apostles and of that Church and because it was agreed at Antioch to refer the cause to the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem Besides all these there is another doubt concerning the Members which did constitute this Synod whether the Apostles only or the Apostles with the Elders or besides these the Brethren as distinct from them or whether if all these were of the Synod the Elders and Brethren had any decisive voice or no But to leave these doubts It s certain out of the Text. 1. That upon a controversie raised at Antioch by some who came from Jerusalem it could not be after much disputation there ended 2. That it was agreed that Paul and Barnabas with others of them should go unto Jerusalem to the Apostles and Elders about this Question 3. When these Delegates came to Jerusalem they were received of the Church the Apostles and Elders 4. Upon this and them acquainted with the controversie the Apostles and Elders came together to consider of this matter 5. In this Assembly after much disputation both Peter and James gave strong reasons why Circumcision and the Ceremonies of the Law should not be imposed upon the believing Gentiles 6. Upon these convincing reasons it pleased the Apostles and Elders and the whole Church to send special Messengers and Letters concerning the definitive sentence of the Councel unto Antioch 7. The Synodical Letters were written in the name of the Apostles Elders and Brethren in this stile It pleased us and seemed good unto us Divers particulars are here observable as 1. That we do not read that Paul acted any thing as a Judge in this controversie joyntly with the rest of the Synod and perhaps the reason might be because he was considered as a party for no man not an Apostle should be judge and party in the same cause 2. That the Apostles did not act as immediately inspired in this particular and according to any extraordinary but an ordinary Ecclesiastical power for there was much disputation 3. They did not suddenly and instantly proceed to vote the matter but they met to consider of it and debated and disputed much before they determined 4. The determination was not grounded upon the multitude of Votes but upon Divine Revelation and Scripture though not expresly yet by way of consequence as appears both from the words of Peter and of James 5. That which is the principal thing for which this Text is alledged is this that the controversie is not refered to one Apostle as to Paul alone or Peter alone or James alone but to the Apostles joyntly and not to them alone but to the Elders nor to them and the Elders alone but to them with the Bretheren and the whole Church 6. That all these gave their consent for it pleased the Apostles and Elders and the whole Church If Peter alone had been made Judge then the Pope if only the Apostles then the Bishops if the Elders alone then the Presbytery if the Bretheren alone then the People would have challenged every one severally the Legislative power in Synods to themselves alone Lastly by this we learn upon what occasion such great Assemblies are requisite if not necessary we might add that they convened by the permission not commission of the Civil Power section 11 By this you understand how and by whom the Legislative Power was exercised Of the exercise of the second branch of power in making Officers we read Acts 1.15 For 1. Upon the death of Judas one of the sacred Colledge of the Apostles a place was void This was the occasion 2. Peter conceives that another must be surrogated and succeed him in that place 3. In an Assembly of an hundred and twenty as a Chair-man he proposeth the matter 4. Acquaints them with the occasion of a new Election and lets them understand the necessity of it saying There must one be Ordained as a Witness with us of Christ's Resurrection The reason he concludes from these words of Psal. 119.8 His Office Charge or Bishoprick let another take By which words God signifies and commands that upon the death of Judas another must take the Charge with the rest of the Apostles 5. Upon this the Assembly proceeds without any Conge-disler or Lience from any other to the Election and propose two Justus and Matthias both well qualified and in that equality that they knew not whether to prefer 6. Because they could not determine whether was the fitter nor upon a Determination give a Commission to make an Apostle therefore by prayer and lot they refer and commit the cause to God who chuseth Matthias In this Election divers things are considerable 1. That if Matthias and Justus were of the number of the seventy Disciples as it 's very probable if not certain there was an imparity between the twelve Apostles and seventy Disciples in respect of their place yet what this imparity was and whether it should continue in the ordinary Officers of the Church succeeding them is not here expressed 2. That the Election of the highest Officer in the Church even of an Apostle was committed to this Assembly as fit to judge of his Qualifications 3. That none should take upon them to elect a Minister or Officer of the Church who is not able to judge of his fitness for the place 4. That God gives none any power to elect or ordain and constitute any a Minister Officer or Representative of the Church who is not duly qualified for to do the work of the place for which he was elected Justus and Matthias must be able with the Apostles to bear witness of the Resurrection of Christ. 5. The principal thing for the point in hand to be observed
any say its in the whole Church primarily in the Officers and Representatives secondarily for Exercise that 's the undoubted Truth and must needs be granted In all the former examples of the exercise of this power it s very remarkable and specially to be noted that where there was a Church with which the Apostles who were far and very far above all others who did succeed them might act they would not act alone but joyntly with the Elders Multitude Brethren and the reasons hereof are obvious 1. Because they would follow and observe Christs Institution 2. Give example for future times 3. They know that as they when their Faith was weak did strive amongst themselves for priority and superiority so there would many come after them who would contend what person or persons or party should be greatest Yet notwithstanding all this its certain that where the Government of a Church is not regular or a form of Discipline is not setled God in his infinite mercy supplies these defects by an Orthodox Pious Faithful Painful Ministry which is the Fundamental Office of Christ and the means of Conversion and Salvation of Mens Souls And though we have certain clear Rules for the generals and necessaries of Discipline yet as in extraordinary cases the Apostles did not observe them so neither in the like cases are we strictly bound to do otherwise If any desire the Testimony of former times and the practice of Ancient days Fathers Councils Histories might be alledged as they have been by many Learned Men of Latter times but of any one Person Blondel hath done most Dr. Andrews is punctual and peremptory in this right disposal of this power in the proper subject For after that he had spoken first of the Institution then of the Exercise he thus concludes and that most pithily Res ipsa rei ipsius promissio ratihabitio usus denique Ecclesiae datur ab Ecclesia habetur confertur in sive unum sive plures qui ejus post vel exercenda vel denunciandae facultatem habeant For this also he alledgeth the Council of Constance Cameracensis Cusanus Gersom and the School of Sorbone Tortura Torti pag. 42. The Congregational party must needs acknowledge this in general For this is it which Mr. Parker which Mr. Hooker of New-England go about to prove but their way is certainly too Democratical though Mr. Parker grants that their Government in respect of the Exercise is Aristocratical yet that expression is no ways good For if in proper sence any State Ecclesiastical or Civil be Aristocratical then the Optimates or such as answer unto them must needs be the primary Subject and the rest even Officers are Subjects and derive their power from the Aristocratical party But perhaps he means that the whole Church which he considers as Democratical singles out the best and fittest to be Governors and trusts them with the exercise of the power and from them the Government is denominated Aristocratical But in this sence all States should be Aristocratical section 14 For the more full and perfect understanding of this Government and Discipline Ecclesiastical we must know and remember it 1. That there are certain general Rules of Government which God himself observes in his Government both temporal and spiritual of the World and especially in the ordering of Men and Angels 2. These general Rules are observed by all well ordered States in the World and in the Constitution and Administration of them we may easily find them and without them we cannot well or fully understand their Model 3. All those are found in many places of the Scriptures neither without them can the Scriptures be well understood 4. Besides the fundamental and essential Rules of Government there are many Accidentals according to which all particular Polities may differ one from another 5. Church-Government as here handled is nothing else but the application of these general and essential Rules to a particular Community and Society of Christians whereby they may be continued in Unity Piety and Peace and mutually further one another in the Way to Heaven 6. These ends may be attained by a fathful godly diligent Ministry without any form of outward Discipline 7. Yet a form of Discipline established will much further help and strengthen the Ministery in this Work and effectually conduce to the attaining of these ends keep Christian Societies closer together and make them far more permanent firm and powerful 8. Every Christian in any Society Ecclesiastical is bound by his very Baptism without any further Federation to submit unto these general and essential Rules once applied 9. That in erecting a Church-discipline there must be a special care taken of two things chiefly 1. Of the Constitution that it be agreeable especially in essentials to Christ's Institution otherwise men may refuse and that justly to submit unto it 2. Of the Administration that it be committed to the wisest and the best who are most fit to manage it 10. Because many of the Ministers are not qualified for this business and there are many no Ministers of eminent piety learning and wisdom I see no reason why onely the Clergy or Ministery and every one of that Profession should alone be trusted with the power of Administration and these eminent persons excluded Where do we find the Spirit promised only unto Ministers and Bishops Do we not know and by experience that excellent Gifts and amongst others the Spirit of Wisdom and Government are given to others as well as to some of them Nay how many unworthy and unfit persons do we find entred into the Ministery And with us besides others the causes thereof are because Presentations and Admissions are granted for carnal relations favour gifts good turns and also because that Parishes are not fitly united and divided and the maintenance in many places of great charge is very poor Otherwise I know no reason why the Congregational Party should so much exclaim against Parishes For the work of Ministers is not only to edifie Believers but also to endeavour the conversion of Heathens and Publicans especially in their particular Assignations For if these division parochal were duly made Parishes might be very fit Assignations for the work and maintenance of the several Ministers and the same agreeable to the general Rule of Decency and Order 11. In the Constitution and Administration of particular Churches neither the practise of Christ nor his Apostles much less of the Primitives times can be any binding Rule For 1. Christ and the Apostles did many extraordinary things which we neither may nor can do 2. Divine Precepts either general or special are the only Rule which we are bound to follow 3. They did many things as the present times and the condition of persons and places required which may not be done by us or any other except we have the same power and in the like case 12. In the Constitution of a Church or in the Reformation
the people of the living God for the true Church is a Community of such as worship the true and living God according to certain rules of Truth revealed from Heaven and now contained in the holy Scriptures And these direct us to worship God not only as Creator but as Redeemer by Christ Such a kind of Society there hath been ever since the Fall of Adam and the first promise of Christ and all these Societies of all places and all times might be called Christians because all the members thereof professed Faith in Christ either as to come or already come yet because these Believers and Worshippers of God the Redeemer began to be called Christians after Christ's Exaltation at the right hand of God in the Apostles times I intend principally to speak of this Community Christian in the times of the New Testament therefore to pass by the Churches before the Floud and after till the time of Christ's exaltation I will confine my self unto the Communities Christian in the latter and stricter sense section 2 These things premised a Community Ecclesiastical is a Society of Christians in an immediate capacity to receive a form of spiritual external Government The principal parts of this Chapter shall be 1. The explication of the Definition 2. A Declaration of the manner how we become members of this Society 3. The Determination of the several and distinct degrees of these members The first thing in the Definition is the matter and that as Christians and especially in the stricter sense I do not say it 's a Society of Families as formerly was expressed in the Definition of a Civil Community For though the Churches of Jerusalem Antioch Rome Corinth Ephesus and other places might in their several divisions and precincts contain some whole Families and perhaps Vicinities Christian or because their habitation was in the same City or place they might be called Vicinities in which sence all particular Churches should be Vicinities yet our Saviour tells us that upon the preaching of the Gospel there should follow such a division in Religion even in the same Family That there should be five in one house divided three against two and two against three Luke 12.52 So that there might be several Religions professed and exercised in one Family and the persons of several Societies Thus it is with us since our unhappy divisions for the Husband sometimes is of one Church the Wise of a second the Children of a third or fourth Yet sometimes a whole Family might come in together as the Nobleman or Ruler of Capernaum believed and his whole house John 4.53 Lydia and her whole Houshold were baptized at one time The Jaylor and his whole House believed and was baptized the same night Acts 16.33 34. As in Families so much more in Vicinities not only several but also contrary Religions have been practised So that the first thing to be considered in the Definition is persons as Christians And here I might take occasion to enquire Whether a Parish may be a Congregation Christian and a multitude of Parishes in the same Vicinity may be a Community Spiritual Mr. Hooker gives occasion of this enquiry A Parish may be considered under a Civil or Ecclesiastical Notion Under a Civil as first made by a Power Civil and also a civil Society as a part of an allotment for civil ends and under civil Officers In an Ecclesiastical action it 's a Society and Body Politick Spiritual appointed for Worship and Discipline In which respect it consists as a Vicinity of such persons as within the precincts thereof profess the same Religion and joyn in the same worship have one and the same Pastour or Pastours and usually frequent the same religious Assemblies In this respect if either Jews or Heathens or Mahometans or Hereticks or Pagans died within the same Precinct they are not of the same Society yet are bound to pay their Tythes for the maintenance of God's worship in that place And these Tythes as determined by the civil Magistrate to be payed in that place and to be recovered by civil Laws may be called a Lay-fee but as they are due to Christ for to maintain the Gospel and divine Worship they come under another notion Further though the Pastour of such a Parish may as opportunity is offered and occasion requires do Christ service in other places yet he is in a special manner bound to that place and not only to edifie the converted but to convert the unconverted in that place section 3 Because any kind of persons are not fit to be of this Society therefore these persons must be Christians and such as profess their Faith in Christ and in Christ already exhibited and reigning in Heaven If they be adult they must not believe but profess in their own persons And this profession must be such as a rational Christian may judge to be serious as being unable clearly to prove the contrary The inward Faith should be sincere and the outward profession should agree with it yet it proves often otherwise Therefore we find a Judas in the Colledge of Apostles a Simon Magus a Demas amongst Christians for there hath been and will be tares amongst the wheat and chaff on Christ's floor which none can separate but he that hath his Fan in his Hand And let no man doubt but that such as Christ and his Apostles admitted and retained in the visible Church till they were openly discovered that man might judge of them such we must admit and retain and may do it section 4 1. As they must be Christians they must be a Society of Christians not single persons by themselves This implies there must be a multitude 2. An union of this multitude 3. A communion Yet as the multitude must be Christian so the union and communion must be even in holy and spiritual things 1. They they must be a multitude yet not a little number or a few as will appear afterwards The power and right of a Colledge may be preserved in one and exercised in three and a small number may make a Family-society yet here in this particular it is not so As there must be a multitude so 2. They must be united in a sacred bond of Christian Religion For as in a natural so in a spiritual political body there must be not only many members but they must be all united in one to make up the body This union as the civil is not meerly from Vicinity of place but from voluntary and free consent directed not only by reason but the rules of God's Word for that must be united not meerly as men but as Christians This consent may be tacit or express and must make them one not only when they make and assemble in one place but when they are parted asunder For by reason of this bound a Fraternity spiritual continues amongst them And the more solemn serious regular deliberate and agreeable to the Gospel it shall be the more
really contradicted by violent storms so it falls out here I hoped to have landed in a Region of perpetual peace but I was found in a Terra del Fuego a land of fire and smoak like unto Palma one of the seven Canary Islands where in September 1646 or thereabouts a fire first raged fearfully in the bowels of the earth and at length brake out and ran in five several fiery sulphurious streams into the main In like manner this power of the Keys runs in five several Channels but very turbulently and impetuously For the Pope the Prince the Prelate the Presbyter the Plebean rank do every one of them severally challenge it and nothing under a Jus divinum will serve the turn Therefore I will 1. Examine their several Titles 2. Deliver mine own judgement 3. Add something of the extent of a particular Church section 2 And this shall be my Method and the several Heads of my ensuing Treatise before I enter upon the second part of the Constitution of a Common-wealth which is Pars subdita The first title is that of the great Roman Pontiffe who perhaps will storm and that with indignation against any who shall presume to examine it This Bishop is the greatest Prelate and Clergy-man in the world And as old Rome from a poor beginning and a few people became the Imperial City of the world so this Prelate from a poor pesecuted Minister of the Gospel attained to this pitch of glory and contrary to the example of Christ and his Apostles lives in so great splendour pomp and State terrene that the Princes of the world cannot parallel him and for the power which he doth exercise and challange he his far above them His Court is very magnificent and cannot be maintained without a vast Revenue Some say that he is that second beast which came out of the earth and had two horns of a Lamb but spake as a Dragon and exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him c. Rev. 13.11 12. His name is Satanos his number 25. He assumed the title of Universal Bishop about the year of our Lord 666. So that his number in the name in the radical sum and in the time of his appearance is 666. And for orders sake I might 1. Observe the power 2. Relate the several reasons whereby the title to this power is confirmed 3. Examine whether they be sufficient or no 1. The power which is challenged is transcendent and very great and that not only extensively but intensively too it 's such as men never had and therefore could never give And therefore though he came out of the earth yet he derives it from Heaven To be the first Patriarch of the Imperial See will not serve the turn neither will he be content to be a man and fallible he must be infallible Neither will this satisfie him he must be the visible Head of the Universal Church universal Bishop and Monarch over all persons all Churches in all Causes Ecclesiastical Nay this Power is so extensive that he must have something to do in Heaven and much to do in Hell. He must be above all General Councils They cannot Assemble Conclude Dissolve without his power He must be President all Canons and Judgments which they pass without him are of no force and only what he approves is valid His very Letters must be Laws and if he please of Universal Obligation His Reservations and Dispensations are very high his judgments irreversible he receives last appeals from all Churches in the World he Judgeth all is Judged of none His power to execute is strange and his policy wonderful He hath plenitude of power Ecclesiastical Yet this will not suffice him he hath acquired temporal Dominions and is a secular Prince And because his Territories are not large he hath found out a way to possess himself of the Sword and all temporal power in ordine ad spiritualia must be his section 3 But what are the reasons whereupon this vast power is grounded Surely they do build upon a rock and not upon the sand Their reasons are taken from Politicks from the ancient Writers and from Scriptures too 1. From Politicks they take this for granted that amongst humane Governments Monarchy is the best 2. That amongst Monarchies Despotical excels this they dare not expresly affirm yet the papal power which is challenged is such 3. That if Monarchy be the best then surely the Government of the Church is Monarchical for that being instituted from Heaven must needs be the most perfect 4. That the first Monarch visible of the Church was Peter 5. That Peter was made such by Christ and received a power to transmit it to others and appoint his Successours 6. That he fixed his See at Rome and made the Bishop of that City his Heir so that he is haeres ex asse 7. That so soon as any person is legally elected Bishop of that See he is ipso facto the Universal Monarch and the proper subject of plenitude of all Ecclesiastical power 2. The Epithetes the Elogies the Encomiums of the Bishop and the See of Rome are collected out of ancient Writers and marshalled in order and they make a goodly show and who dare say any thing against them 3. Yet because these are not of divine Authority therefore they search the holy Scriptures and find it written that Peter was the only person and Apostle to whom Christ gave the Keys of Heaven's Kingdom and he must bind and loose on earth and what he shall so do on earth shall be made good in Heaven If this will not serve the turn Christ saith to Peter and to no other Apostles If thou love me feed my Flock my Lambs my Sheep and to feed is to govern and the Flock Lambs and Sheep are the Church section 4 Yet notwithstanding all these reasons many rational men think and they have reason for it that this power is so great that it 's intolerable presumption for any person to challenge it impossible for any man duly to manage it but only Jesus Christ who knew no sin and was not only man but the Son of the living God. Besides wise men do certainly know that the power was usurped and possessed by degrees first and afterwards the greatest Wits were set on work to invent a title the usual way of all unjust Usurpers 1. As for their Politicks they help them little for in that reason from Government they presuppose all and prove nothing from first to last neither can any wit of man prove any of their supposals yet all must be proved and that demonstratively and every one of them made evident otherwise the vast mighty Fabrick falls to the ground Many of themselves know in their Conscience the invalidity and weakness of every one of them 2. As for these passages of ancient Writers which seem so much to honour and advance that Church above others many of them are Hyperbolical and Rhetorical
Pope or Prince if they be the primary subject they must be such either severally every one in his several Diocess or joyntly in a Synod If severally then every one is a Monarch in his Diocess and so the government of the Church is Monarchical and every several Bishop supream and independent And if so where are our Arch-Bishops Metropolitans and Patriarchs And why do we dispute against the Monarchical Government and not grant to Bellarmine and others that it is Monarchical in general though we deny the Pope to be the sole Monarch If joyntly in a Synod or Council provincial or national of one Nation and several Provinces or several Nations or general then they are not such as Bishops but either as members of the Synod or as delegates If as members of the Synod and none can be members but Bishops as Bishops then the government of the Church is purely Aristocratical and then it s worse then a pure Monarchy where there can be but one Tyrant whereas in a pure Aristocracy there are usually many Tyrants or at least it proves an Oligarchy And in this respect neither can a provincial Council be subject to a antional nor a national to a general If as Delegates they have this power as in general Councils they are then they cannot be the primary subject And all these if they will make their cause good they must prove which they can never do that none but Bishops have right of suffrage in Councils 3. If their title be good it must be grounded either upon Scripture or universal and perpetual custom but from neither of these can it be proved as shall appear hereafter For by Scripture its evident that the Church was made by Christs institution the immediate and primary subject and so confessed by Bishops by many great Schollars and by general Councils too The first Church which was made such a subject included the Apostles who in their ordinary capacity were but parts and members though eminent members of the same 4. If any shall say that Bishops as Officers of the Church are the primary subject of this power that implies a contradiction because if the power of all Officers as Officers is derivative and as the Apostles being Officers of Christ derived their Apostolical Power from Christ so if Bishops be Officers of the Church they derive their Power from the Church which is the primitive subject section 10 Though both the Definition and the Institution of a Bishop be uncertain and there is no Universal consent in respect of either yet I think a constant Superintendent trusted with an Inspection not only over the People but the Presbyters within a reasonable Precinct if he be duly qualified and rightly chosen may be lawful and the place agreeable to Scripture yet I do not conceive that this kind of Episcopacy is grounded upon any divine special Precept of Universal Obligation making it necessary for the being of a Church or Essential Constitution of Presbyters Neither is there any Scripture which determines the Form how such a Bishop or any other may be made Yet it may be grounded upon general Precepts of Scripture concerning Decency Unity Order and Edification but so that Order and Decency may be observed by another way and Unity and Edification obtained by other means But there are many in these our days which make Episcopacy invested with power of Ordination at least of that necessity that if Ministers be not ordained by them they are no Ministers They make the being of the Ministry and the power of the Sacraments to depend on them and they further add that without a succession of these Bishops we cannot maintain our Ministry against the Church of Rome But 1. Where do they find in Scripture any special Precept of universal and perpetual Obligation which doth determine that imposition of Hands of the Presbytery doth essentially constitute a Presbyter and that the imposition of Hands if it did so was invalid without an Hierarchical Bishop or a certain constant superintendent with them And if they will have their Doctrine to stand good such a Precept they must produce which they have not done which I am confident they cannot do 2. As for Succession of such Bishops after so long a time so many Persecutions and so great Alterations in the Churches of all Nations its impossible to make it clear Eusebius himself doth so preface unto his Catalogue of Bishops that no rational man can so much as yield a probable assent unto him in that particular But suppose it had been far clearer yet it could not merit the force of a divine Testimony it would have been only humane and could not have been believed but with a probable Faith. Nay Irenaeus Tertullian Eusebius and others do not agree in the first and immediate Successors of the Apostles no not of the Roman Church For Irenaeus makes Clemens the third whom Tertullian determines to be the first from the Apostles Yet they all agree in this that the Succession of Persons without Succession of the same Doctrine was nothing Tertullian confesseth that there were many Churches which could not shew the Succession of Persons but of Doctrine from the Apostles and that was sufficient And the Succession of Persons is so uncertain that whosoever shall make either the being of a Church or the Ministry or the power of the Sacraments depend upon it shall so offend Christ's little ones and be guilty of such a scandal as it were better for him that a Mill-stone were hanged about his neck and he cast into the Sea. The power of saving mens Souls depends not upon Succession of Persons according to humane Institutions but upon the Apostolical Doctrine accompanied by the divine Spirit If upon the exercise of their Ministerial Power men are converted find Comfort in their Doctrine and the Sacraments and at their end deliver up their Souls unto God their Redeemer and that with unspeakable Joy this is a divine confirmation of their Ministry and the same more real and manifest than any Personal Succession To maintain the Ministry of England from their Ordination by Bishops and the Bishops by their Consecration according to the Canons of the Council of Carthage was a good Argument ad hominem yet it should be made good as it may be by far better Arguments and such as will serve the Interest of other Protestant and reformed Churches who have sufficiently proved their Ministry legal and by Experience through God's Blessing upon their Labours have found it effectual But suppose the Succession of our English Episcopacy could be made good since the Reformation it 's to little purpose except you can justifie the Popish Succession up to the time of the Apostles which few will undertake none I fear will perform Divers reasons perswade me to believe they cannot do any thing in this particular to purpose but amongst the rest this doth much sway with me that there can be no Succession without some
of the same much and dangerously corrupted many things may be lawfully done which under a well-setled Government will prove very unlawful For though where there is no outward form of ordinary Vocation and Ordination established that which Volkelius maintains against Swinglius for one that is vitae inculpatae idoneus ad docendum to take upon him the charge of a Minister and do Christ what service he is able may be lawful Yet to do so where there is an Eutaxie in a setled Church must be unjust because amongst other things such an one shall trangress the Rule of Decency and Order 14. Though Christ and his Apostles did deliver unto us all the essential and fundamental Rules of Church-Government and we find them in the Scripture yet many accidentals were left to sanctied reason to be directed to the general Rules And in this respect we must make use of our Christian prudence both in modelling and reforming of Christian Churches But if we stand upon these Rules of prudence in accidentals and circumstantials as of Divine Institution and Obligation we cannot be excused 15. Though there may be several orderly ways and means to attain the chief end of Church-discipline yet those are the best which most observe the essentials of Government and the general Rules and are most effectually conducing to that end 16. Seeing therefore there may be several and different means in respect of accidentals and they severally may attain and reach the end it 's the duty of us all 1. To unite our selves in the bond of Charity 2. Observe the fundamental and essential Rules of Government which are clearly known 3. With a meek humble and pure heart seek out such particulars as are not yet made clear unto us and wherein we may differ for the present till at length we may satisfie one another CHAP. XIV Of the extent of a Particular Church section 1 AFter the examination of the several Titles of such as challenge the supream Power of the Keys and the declaration of mine own Judgment the third thing proposed was the Extent of a particular Church That there is a supream power of the Keys that there is a primary subject of this power that this power is in the Church that it 's disposed in this Church in a certain order and manner in one or more purely or mixtly few if any will deny But that it is disposed in the whole Church after the manner of a free State so that every particular Christian Community is the primary subject of it is not so easily granted though I conceive it as many other worthy and excellent men do to be truth delivered unto us by Christ and his Apostles Yet let this be agreed upon yet there is another difference concerning the bounds and extent of this Church This is not the proper place I confess to handle this particular For extent presupposeth a Church constituted and in being and it 's an accident of the same therefore pars subdita which is the second integral part as of a State so of a Church should first have been spoken of In this point I find a threefold difference for some extend this Church which is the primary subject of the power of the Keys very far and make it to be the universal Church of all Nations Others confine it to be a single Congregation A third party will admit of a Diocess or a Province or a Nation and be contented to stay there This Question if we understand it presupposeth Union and Communion There is an Union and also a Communion in Profession and Worship an Union Mystical an Union in Government external which we call Discipline An Union in Profession and Worship there is and ought to be of all Orthodox Christians in the World. For they all profess the same Faith and worship the same God in Christ hear the same Word celebrate the same Sacraments It 's true they do not neither can they so meet in one place as to partake of the same individual Ordinances for there is no necessity of any such thing Yet whosoever shall refuse to joyn in the same individual Worship of the same God in Christ according to the Gospel when it may be done as when one converseth with Christians in some remote parts he cannot be free from Schism For all refusal of Communion with Christ's Saints and Servants without just and sufficient cause is a Schism So if any party or persons shal not admit of other Christians only upon this account because they agree not with them in some accidentals which are neither necessary nor in themselves considered conducing to Salvation they must needs be Schismaticks For any Separation which hath not sufficient and evident warrant from some Divine Precept is unlawful There is a mystical Union of all true Believers for there is one body one spirit one hope of calling one Lord one faith one baptism one God and Father of all who is above all through all in all Ephes. 4.4 5 6. There is an Union for Government external of this the question is to be understood And this Union is so necessary in every Common-wealth whether Civil or Ecclesiastical that it 's no Common-wealth if it be not one and so one that every particular person especially in a Church be subject to one and the same supream independent Judicatory Concerning the universal Extent there are as you heard before two Opinions They first make one Church the Church of Rome to have power over all other Churches and invests the Bishop of that Church with an universal power of Legislation and Jurisdiction this is a Popish Errour indeed The second Opinion subjects all particular Churches to the universal whereof they are but parts this is no Popery nor do the present Popes and Church of Rome like it This universal Church cannot act but by a general Representative and such a general Representative there yet never was since the Church was enlarged from Sea to Sea and from the River unto the World's end Such a general Council and Court either standing or occasional few I think do expect As for the Councils of Nice Chalcedon Ephesus Constantinople they were no such Councils nor general in proper sence they were confined within the Roman Empire and if well examined they left out several parts of that too The meaning therefore of some who submit particular Churches to the universal is this That so many several parts and particular Churches as can combine in one Synod may in some extraordinary cases and difficulties especially if they be of general concernment submit unto such a Synod as being of greater authority and ability if rightly constituted Yet if these particular Churches have their proper independent Judicatories this submission is but a voluntary act and rather like a Reference or Transaction than any Appeal When and in what cases such References are fit to be made I will not here enquire Besides these Universalists if we