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A31449 Vindiciae vindiciarum, or, A further manifestation of M.J.C., his contradictions instanced in Vindiciae clavium being a rejoinder to his reply (to some few of those many contradictions) in his last book called, The way of Congregationall churches cleared, part 2 / by D.C. Cawdrey, Daniel, 1588-1664. 1651 (1651) Wing C1641; ESTC R23919 36,878 62

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VINDICIAE VINDICIARVM OR A further manifestation of M. J. C. his contradictions instanced in Vindiciae Clavium BEING A Rejoinder to his Reply to some few of those many Contradictions in his last Book called The Way of Congregationall Churches Cleared Part. 2. By D. C. JAMES 1.8 A double minded man is unstable in all his waies Veritas simplex error multiplex LONDON Printed by A. M. for Christopher Meredith at the Sign of the Crane in Pauls-Church-yard 1651. VINDICIAE VINDICIARVM CHAPTER I. SECTION I. Of the Church to which Christ committed the power of the Keys THe Question between us in this first Section was concerning the meaning of those words The Kingdom of heaven in Mat. 16.19 and consequently What Church it was to which the Keys were by Christ committed For the finding out whereof I proceeded by a distinction It the Kingdom of heaven did there signifie the Church it must either be taken 1. Of the Invisible Church of true believers opposed to Reprobates 2. The Catholike visible Church opposed to Heathens or as you in answering the first question pag. 2. of Keys to the World 3. Or a particular Congregation Give me leave I pray to be now little more exact in stating the question by enquiring what is the sense of those words and the terms of the question 1. What is meant by the Kingdom of Heaven 1. Of glory 2. Of grace 3. Of both 1. What is meant by the Kingdom of heaven whereof the Keys are here given to Peter The Kingdom of heaven in Scripture usage signifies either 1. The Kingdom of glory as frequently or 2. The Kingdom of grace as in some places grace being the beginning of or first step into that Kingdom of glory Or 3. It signifies both the Kingdom of grace and glory And we are both agreed that in this text it signifies both My first words in Vind. Clav. grant it and you affirm it By the Kingdom of heaven here is meant both the Kingdom of grace which is the Church and the Kingdom of glory which is in the highest heavens And you give a very good reason for it For say you Christ giving to Peter the Keys of the Kingdom of heaven conveyeth therewith not only this power to binde on earth that is in the Church on earth for he gave him no power at all to binde in the world the Kingdom of Christ is not of this world but he gives him also this priviledge That what he bound on earth should be bound in heaven And heaven being distinguished from the Church on earth must needs be meant of the kingdom of glory Let this be remembred against anon 2. What that Church is to whom the Keys are committed 2. The Kingdom of heaven signifying the Church and that both in heaven and earth both triumphant and militant for what he cals in the 19. verse The Kingdom of heaven he cals in the 18 verse his Church We must enquire what Church or what part of his Church it is to which the Keys are given This Question I confesse is needlesse in respect to the Text it self For it sayes nothing at all of giving the Keys to the Church but of giving to Peter the Keys of the Church called by the name of the Kingdom of heaven which is worth your observation For it is your importunity rather that hath caused this question who have arrogated the Keys out of the hands of Peter to whom Christ in this text gave them and given them to the Church that is incongruously to the Kingdom of heaven but of his more anon We shall therefore follow you rather then the Text and consider what is meant here by the Church Church is taken Ecclesiastically for 1. The whole Church either 1. The invisible Catholike Church It is taken in the Ecclesiasticall use for I passe by the civill in many senses briefly thus 1. For the whole Church called commonly by the name of the Catholike Church and that in a double notion 1. The Invisible Catholike Church the whole number of the Elect in heaven and earth in all places and times so it is commonly understood Eph. 5.23 25 26 27 32. Col. 1.18 c. 2. 2. The visible Catholike Church The Catholike visible Church containing the whole multitude of professors of Religion elect or hypocrites in this world as opposed to the Church of the Jews or to the men of the world So it is taken Act. 5.11 and 8.3 at least as contra-distinguished to a particular Congregation 2. 2. For some parts of the Church in combination 1. A particular Congregation and that a Church 1. Politicall For some parts of the Church to whom is attributed the name of the whole from their Assembling together in different combinations And then it is taken 1. For a particular Congregation or particular Saints assembled together and this again is by some distinguished into 1. Politicall or Organicall consisting of Officers and Members as the Integrall parts thereof and those Congregations being members of the Catholike visible Church as Integrall parts thereof The texts are obvious where it is so taken 2. Entitive 2. Entitive as they call it or Essentiall consisting only of a company of Saints combined by consent without any Officers So the Reverend M. Hooker and others use to speak But that I may note it by the way to me This Entitive Church so called seems rather to be a notion never existing but in mens fancy in the Resolution or Analysis of a Church into its materials or else it is very improperly called a Church To my observation and understanding hitherto there is not in Scripture such an Entitive Church to be found gathered and existing without any Officers That place Act. 15.4.22 produced by the learned and judicious M. Hudson in his vind pag. 3. where he saies Church is taken for the members as distinct from Officers doth not hold out a Church Entitive without any Officers for that had Officers but only distinguisheth the Integrall parts of that Church into Officers and members The sense is no more but this either it means The Apostles and Elders with the rest of the Church members or if the Church was then distinguished into divers Congregations it takes in all the Congregations as the whole Church for so the words are expressed vers 22. the whole Church And your self call that which we call the Catholike visible Church by the name of the whole Church when you say here pag. 5. The whole Church or which is all one the Catholike Church may be visible in her singular members However it appears not that then there was any Entitive Church existing without Officers That other Text Act. 14.23 seems rather to imply it And when they had ordained them Elders in every Church as if there had been Churches gathered and existing without any Officers But the sense of the place may be this when they had gathered and setled Churches of Elders and
part 1. pag. 219. The power of the Keys is in the Church of beleevers as in the first subject Ib. p. 195. That con●●●● is wide to make one first subject of this power and yet others to share in this power not by means of that for this is to speak daggers and contradictions Ibid. 10. Pastor and flock are Relates and so he is a Pastor to none but his own Congregation This is the common Tenet 10. The members of any Church we admit to the Lords Table if they bring Letters Testimoniall and their children to Baptism The Way p. 68. The Keys 17. 10. Administration of Sacraments is a Ministeriall act and what authority hath a Pastor to doe it or they to receive it from him to whom he is no Pastor M. H. Survey part 2.64 65. Pastors and Teachers might pray and preach in other Churches beside their own but not administer Seals and censures Bartlets modell p. 63. 11. We receive the Sacrament of the Lords supper say the same of Baptism as a Seal of communion not only with the Lord Jesus in our own Churches but in all Churches of the Saints The Keys p. 17. See Def. of 9. pos p. 133 134. 11. Baptism and so the other Sacrament seals up the externall communion with a particular Church c. M. H. Survey par 3. pag. 27. and he disputes against it is to the Catholike Church   12. It is an act of the Elders power and authority to examine whether Officers or members before they be received of the Church The Keys pag. 21. 12. As for admission election ordination of officers admission and shutting out of members these things the brethren may do without Officers The Way 45. 101.   13. Ordination is then compleat when the people have chosen him and the Presbytery hath laid their hands on him The Keys p. 37. 13. But if the Church want a Presbytery for want of Elders they want a warrant to repair to the Presbytery of another Church to impose hands upon their elect Elders The Way pag. 50.   14. Paul and Barnabas were ordained to that office of Apostleship by the Imposition of hands of some Officers or members of the Church The Way p. 45. 14. In Act. 13.2 3. There is no Ordination to office at all for the Apostles had their office before M. H. Survey part 2. p. 83. This was not to put a new office upon them but to confirm their sending to the Gentiles Ib. p. 60. 14. This was done in a particular Church The Keys p. 29. The Officers of one Church did what as done in an ordinary way Surv. par 2. 83. Then it follows by M. C. his doctrine that the Apostles who were Officers of all Churches were ordained in a particular Church or that Officers of one Church may be ordained in another Church which he said was unwarrantable The Way p. 50. 15. What if the whole Presbytery offend The readiest course is to bring the matter to a Synod The Keys p. 43. 15. There is a readier and nearer way The brethren may censure them all The Way p. 45. If the Congregation be found faithfull and willing to remove an offence by due censure why should the offence be called up to more publike judicature c. Keys p. 42.   16. It belongs to the civill Magistrate to establish pure Religion in doctrine worship and government partly by civil punishments upon the wilful opposers and disturbers of the same The Keys p. 50. 16. Yet the Brethren here call for or tolerate toleration of all opinions and deny the Magistrate power to punish any pretending conscience Bartlets Modell 128. 16. See M. Bartl Modell p. 25. contra 17. Visible Saints though they be hypocrites inwardly are the matter of a visible Church M. H. Sur. par 1. p. 14 15. 17. You say Saints in outward profession is the matter of a Congregational Church We judge that reall Saints uttering in discourse the breathings of the holy Spirit and experiences of conversion witnessed in a stricter conversation to be the matter D. Holmes Ep. to Way cleared p. 4 17. M. Bartlet speaks something this language Can there ba ability for spirituall and holy services where the spirit is not yet given Can there be communion between light and darknesse can they edifie one another in the faith that have not yet the work of faith wrought in them Mod. p. 57. See more p. 103. 18. The forme of the visible Church is the Covenant either explicit or implicit and the latter is sometimes fully sufficient M. H. Sur. par 1. pag. 47 48. and others 18. You say an implicit uniting viz. a walking and communicating with you is a sufficient evidencing of the Form we say their solemn confession of their faith and expresse open covenanting with the Lord to walk with such a body of Saints in all the waies of Christ c. to be the manifest form D. Holm Ib. 18. It is not generall profession will serve the turn but there must be a peculiar engagement and appropriation to this or that particular body M. H. Sur. p. 63. yet he said an implicit covenant was sufficient 19. We crave leave of the Reverend Author of the Keys to declare that we assent not to all expressions or all and every assertion in it As in these particulars 1. About prophecying by gifted brethren 2. That the Assembly Act. 15. was a formal Synod 3. That the Apostles acted in it as ordinary Elders Praef. to the Keys p. 6. 19. We do in this Epistle certifie our assent unto the way of the Churches in New-England saving that we do not yet fully close with some expressions in the book before some of which ten at least belike there are more we minded to note a star in the Margent This we could not but say and do pace tanti Authoris or we could not assent Ep. to the Way p. 2. f. 19. Yet they are angry we call for a fuller Declaration of themselves Ep. to the Way p. 1. and Ep. to Way cleared p. 2. 20. It is generally asserted by them that one Church hath not power to censure another 20. A Synod hath power to determine to withdraw communion from them if they cannot heal them The Keys p. 25. 20. A sentence of Non-communion denounced against whole Churches Apol. Nar. p. 18 19. If a sentence denounced it is a censure 21. We say Instituted priviledges and ordinances doe not immediatly flow from spiritual union and relation to Christ and his members c. Def. or 9. portions p. 76. He must come at them in a right order i. e. the party must be a member pf a particular Congregation Surv. par 2. p. 65. 21. Then it follows that Hearing the Word preached Singing of Psalms and Baptism belong not to any but to such as are members of a particular Congregation And yet they say ordinary hearing is no sign of a Church-member Sur. par 1. p. 18. 21. A person hath his first right to a Sacrament and so to other Ordinances because he hath an interest in the Covenant of the Gospel Survey par 2. 65.