Church-Catholike consist only of the elect redeemed ones called out of the world into a supernatural estate and yet the particular Churches which are similar and constituent parts of it consist of members that are 〈◊〉 of them only Saints in appearance and not in truth yea some whole Churches erring schismatical 〈…〉 maâ—tâ—â— as the particular visible Churches which are the members of the Catholike consist of such must the Church Catholike consist of which is the similar integral And though such as are only Saints in appearance and not in truth are said by M. Norton in his answer to Apollonius p. 87. to be equivocal members of particular Churches yet are they as truly members of the whole as they are of the parts and they are so for true as that their external communion and administrations if any such be Officers are true and valid both in respect of the particular Churches and the Catholike quond 〈◊〉 â—â—â—station And it is his own rule Resp p. 88. Quicquid inest parti inest toti that which is in the part is in the whole And again he saith Ecclesiae Catholica Ecclesiae particulares communicant essentiâ nomine Ecclesiae particulares pro varijs earum rationibus habent se ut partes ut adjuncta Ecclesiae Catholicae Ex naturâ ex ratione sunt ut res 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. similares ut mare appellatur aqua ita qualibet gutta maris appellatur aqua Resp pag. 87. therefore they must needs consist of the same kinde of matter as they are both visible A TABLE Of the chief things contained in this Tractate CHAPTER 1. The explication of the terms of the Question Page 1. Section 1. WHat is meant by Ecclesia or Church It is taken in a civil and theological sense In a theological sense 1 Primarily and properly for the whole company of the elect which is called the Invisible Church 2 2 For the company of visible beleevers 3 For the members as distinct from the Officers of the Church 4 For the Elders or governours of the Church as distinct from the body 3 5 For the faithful in some one family 4 Section 2. What is meant by visible The distinction of the visible and invisible Church opened The difference between visible visum The Churches mentioned in the N. T. were visible Churches 6 An Objection of the absurdity of wicked mens being members of the body of Christ answered by a distinction of Christs body The distinction of the Church into visible and invisible is not exact 8 The invisible members of the Church are also visible What a Church visible is 9 The description vindicated from some objections against it 10 Section 3. What is meant by Catholike universal or oecumenical 11 Four acceptations of the word Catholike and which of them suit the question What the universal visible Church is 12 Diverse descriptions of it and quotations out of Divines both ancient and modern about it 13 What a National Church is 15 Diverse proofs from Scripture for a National Church under the Gospel The description of a particular visible Church given by Gersom Bucerus scanned 17 Mr Cottons description of a visible 18 Four Quaeries about it propounded 1. Whether the matter of it consisteth only of Saints called out of the world 2. Whether every particular visible Church be a mystical body of Christ or but only a part of it seeing Christ hath but one mystical body in the same sense 3. Whether the form of a particular visible Church be a particular Covenant 19 4. Whether all the Ordinances of God can be enjoyed in a particular visible Church 20 Which for some of them seemeth very inconvenient And for others impossible M. Nortons description of a particular Church 22 A Congregational Church standing alone hardly found in the New Testament Section 4. What is meant by prima vel secundaria orta 23 The primity of the Church-Catholike in a threefold respect 24 The difference between this question and M. Parkers Chapter 2. Proofs by Scripture for a Church-Catholike visible 25 Section 1. Our Divines in answer to the Papists mean by Church-Catholike the invisible Church only 26 Yet is there also an external visible Kingdom of Christ as well as an internal and invisible M. Hookers acknowledgement of a political body or Kingdom of Christ on earth 27 D. Ames testimony of a Church-Catholike visible 28 Section 2. Diverse proofs out of the Old Testament for a Church-Catholike visible 29 Section 3. Diverse proofs out of the New Testament for a Church-Catholike visible 31 Act. 8.3 and Gal. 1.13 vindicated Act. 2.47 vindicated 33 1 Cor. 10.32 vindicated 35 Gal. 4.26 opened 37 Eph. 3.10 vindicated 38 Section 4. 1 Cor. 12.28 vindicated 39 Two answers of M. Hookers concerning this text considered 40 Diverse answers to this text by M. Ellis refuted 41 An Objection of M. Hookers about Deacons set in the same Church where Apostles were set answered 51 Section 5. 1 Tim. 3.15 vindicated 53 Diverse texts vindicated where the Church-Catholike is called the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of heaven 55 Mr Hookers answer to those texts considered 1 Cor. 15.24 vindicated 56 Heb. 12.28 vindicated 57 Section 6. 1 Cor. 5.12 vindicated 58 Eph. 4.4 5. vindicated 59 Mat. 16.18 vindicated 60 M. Hookers acknowledgement that this text is meant of the visible Church 61 3. Ep. of John ver 10. vindicated 62 Chapter 3. Proofs by arguments and reason that there is a Church-Catholike visible 64 Section 1. 1 From Gods donation unto Christ of an universal Kingdom 2 From Gods intention in sending Christ and the tenour of Gods exhibition of Christ in his word to the whole world 65 3 From the general preaching and receiving of the Gospel 66 4 From the general Charter whereby the Church is constituted Section 2. 5 From the generality of the Officers of the Church and general donation of the Ministry 67 6 From the general vocation wherewith and general Covenant whereinto all Christians are called 68 7 From the generality of the initial seal admittance and enrowlment 69 8 From the external catholike union between all visible Christians 70 Section 3. 9 From the individual system or body of laws proceeding frrm the same authority whereby the whole is governed 10 From the general external communion intercourse and communication between all Christians 71 11 From the general extension of excommunication 73 12 If there be parts of the Church-Catholike there is a whole Section 4. Many metaphors in Scripture setting forth the whole Church under an unity 74 Chapter 4. That the Church-Catholike visible is one Integral or Totum integrale Section 1. First Negatively that it is not a Genus 77 1 Because a Genus is drawn by mental abstraction of species but the Catholike visible is made up by conjunction or apposition of the several members 2 A Genus hath no existence of its own which the Church-Catholike visible
Church-Catholike be one in the external accidental form it must needs be integrally and visibly one But I come to Scripture proofs which are the most sure Sect. 2. because they are a divine testimony And first I shall shew you that an Occumenical universal Church was frequently foretold in Scripture Psa 22.27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship be fore him Which comprehends all places all the ends of the earth and all persons that should be converted all the kindreds of the Nations and by worshipping is meant embracing the true religion and performance of religious duties So Psa 72.8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea and from the river unto the ends of the earth It is a prophecy concerning Christ in the times of the Gospel where he is set forth by his Kingly office and the extent of his Kingdom is set out to be to the ends of the earth This is his external political Kingdom because it is set out by the external prayers and prayses and gifts that should be tendred unto him by his Subjects and by the judgement peace and flourishing estate that he shall bestow upon them So Psa 86.9 All Nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee O Lord and shall glorifie thy name This is a prophecy like the former So Isa 2.2 3 4. It shall come to passe in the last daies that the mountain of the Lords house shall be established on the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hils and all Nations shall flow unto it and many people shall go and say Come ye let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us his waies and we will walk in his paths For out of Zion shall go forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem and he shall judge among the Nations and rebuke many people c. Where is set down Christs call of all the Nations and the time of this call in the last daies i. e. the times under the Gospel as the Apostle Act. 2.17 expounds the like phrase in Joel 2.28 And here is the means of the call by the Law out of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem and the answer to this call All Nations shall flow unto it and there is Christs executing his prophetical office by publike teaching them in his house by his Ambassadours and his Kingly office in judging and rebuking So Isa 25.6 So Daniel 7.14 There was given unto him Christ Dominion and glory and a Kingdom that all people nations and languages should serve him And in the New Testament Matt. 28.9 Go teach all Nations baptizing them c. Rom. 15.11 12. Rev. 14.6 But because these places will be turned off with this answer that some of all Nations should embrace the Gospel and be turned unto the Lord not the whole Nations I answer that experience hath proved it true of multitudes of great Nations that wholly did embrace the Gospel and submitted unto it Neither can any of these places be avoided as some plead by the general Kingdom of Christ which is given him over all Nations whereby he is head over all things to the Church Eph. 1.2 For it is clear they are meant of that Kingdom wherein are prayers praises gifts worship service and attendance upon Gods Ordinances flowing unto Christ worshipping before him and glorifying his name as the several texts expresse and these things are proper to the visible Church So also Zech. 14.9 And the Lord shall be King over all the earth in that day shall there be one Lord and his name one which is clearly meant of one religion and way of worship of God in Christ But secondly Sect. 3. I will give you places of Scripture where the word Church is applied both indefinitely and generally which cannot be understood of any particular Churches See first Act. 8.3 Saul made havock of the Church To which may be added that of Gal. 1.13 I persecuted the Church of God and wasted it I shewed before that this must needs be a visible Church for they could not else have been persecuted persecution is a visible opposition of a visible Church And certainly Saul could not discern who were of the invisible company but persecuted promiscuously all that were that way Neither was it a particular Church for this persecution was in Jerusalem and in every Synagogue and it reached to Damascus and even to strange cities Act. 26.11 So that by Church here is meant an indefinite number of visible Churches or Congregations which were in no other community but profession of the same faith and an indefinite is equivalent to a general which axiome although it should not be stretched according to the old rule Omne indefinitum potest esse infinitum it being without limits yet it is true in suo genere it is as large as a general But this we may safely say that by the same reason that the word Church would reach all those Churches it would reach all the Churches in the world Reverend M. Hooker excepteth against these two places and affirms that the word Church is taken here by a Synechdoche for the particular Church of Ierusalem and not all that neither but only such Christians as forsook Moses ceremonial Law and not the Christian Jewish Church Surv. c. 15. p. 269. Because saith he his Commission was to pursue such as he found of that way The answer to this exception will lie in the meaning of these words all that he found of that way whether by that way be meant the forsaking the ceremonial Law or confessing Christ to be the Messiah If the former then Paul would have found but little work in Ierusalem for the Jewish Christians did generally cleave to the ceremonial Law As the Elders told Paul Act. 21.20 Thou seest how many myriads of the Jews do believe and they are all zealous of the Law and therefore he needed not persecute them for neglect thereof for they were zealous therein yea the Apostles themselves observed that in Ierusalem a long time But the persecution was such as that they were all scattered abroad except the Apostles and therefore it was for Christianism that he persecuted them It was to cause them to blaspheme as Paul himself expounds it now though reducing of them to the ceremonial Law had been an errour yet it was not a blasphemy for then the Apostles themselves should have lived in blasphemy Surely it was to cause them to blaspheme the Lord Iesus Christ and deny him to be the Messiah It is most likely that Sauls Commission was according the former decree of the chief Priests Ioh. 9.22 That if any did confesse that he was Christ he should be put out of the Synagogue And this appears by what Ananias saith to Christ concerning Paul Act. 9.14
their writings It may more truly be affirmed to be the opinion of some of our brethren of the Congregational way who put government into the body of the Congregation whether M. Ellis be of that opinion or no I cannot say and so they are a particular governing body and if all the Churches in the world were of that way as certainly they desire and these Churches might in any sense be called one Church as is confest by all that they may then they must needs be one governing body But as they are now they not only govern their own body but passe the censure of Non-communion against all persons nay whole Churches if they judge there be cause But the Presbyterians hold that governments belong to the Organs i. e. the Officers of the Church not to the body It is for good of the body but belongs not to the body to exercise The Church-Catholike is the subject in quo exercetur or cui datur non ad utendum sed ad fruendum Neither are the Officers of the Church-Catholike one constant collective governing body actually but habitually for constantly and actually they are distributed into several Congregations for the exercise of government there But if the necessity of the whole when it could be or of any great part of the body call the Officers of many particular Churches together which may be by themselves or their Commissioners then can they exercise their office collectively conjunctim yet only according to the word of God And this M. Ellis granteth in effect p. 7.8 only he saith their power being met is only consultatory and suasory not obligatory it is the acting of officers but not as Officers but I suppose he cannot think that consultatory and suasory power is sufficient to cure the Church of the malady of obstinate hereticks whose mouths saith the Apostle must be stopped And though the universal constant actual power of government was given to the Apostles only yet we see they did joyn with the particular Elders in the government of their Churches when they were among them and did also joyn them with themselves in making decrees to binde the Churches Act. 15.6 and Act. 16.4 But fearing lest he had granted something too much in his former answer he plucks away part of it in his sixt and saith that the Apostles were not one joint Ministery For besides that each had intire power some had one part committed to them and some another Thomas sortitus est Parthiam Andreas Scythiam Johannes Asiam c. Answ The Apostles did first act in Jerusalem as one joint combined ministery and did afterward disperse themselves into several parts of the world according to their commission yet retained their power of uniting and acting together jointly without any delegation or commission from any Churches and this power of their 's no ordinary Ministers lay claim to And though the planting and watering of Churches required this dispersion and several lots voluntarily yet were they fixed in no Congregation as Elders are Seventhly He denyeth the consequence of a Church-Catholike visible from that place and that he proves by a parallel supposing such like words had been said of the whole world for civil government his words are these If it follow not when we say God hath set in the world some Emperors some Kings some Princes some inferiour Officers and Magistrates therefore the world is but one governing Kingdom and all particular Kingdoms do but govern in the right of the Kingdom of the world in common the Officers whereof are the Kings of the several Kingdoms c. Neither doth it follow that because the Scripture saith God hath set some in the Church Apostles c. therefore the Church throughout the world is but one Congregation to whose Officers first as the general Officers of the whole Church not by way of distribution but as a notionally at least collected body of Officers the power of government is committed c. Answ He hath not paralleled the question rightly but it should run thus Suppose there were one Emperour over all the Kingdoms of the earth and he should set down one form of government and enrowlment for freedom in the whole world for such as will be his subjects and should first set 12 Presidents over the whole world to abide so for their life time as extaordinary Officers and for ordinary standing Officers should set in the several Provinces or Kingdoms several Officers that should rule under him or them in their several places and yet appoint that as every free member of the whole though his fixed habitation be in one place yet is free of the whole habitually and upon occasion can make use of it to trade freely in any place so the several governours though ordinarily fixedly and actually they constantly govern their own Provinces yet upon occasion of difference danger or for the good of the whole or any great part of the same they shall have power to convene either all if it may be or some of them by way of delegation to act for the good of the whole or so many Provinces as the matter concerns and their delegation is for Whether would not this prove the world one intire Empire and body politick habitually And so is the case of the Church-Catholike But take earthly monarchies as they have been on earth and we finde that the several kingdoms of the Empires did enjoy their several liberties with respect had to the whole that nothing should be prejudicial to the Empire that the Emperour should have no damage Dan. 6.2 And yet in reference to the Emperour and some certain common laws they were one monarchy Because the Emperour could send messengers and Officers of any countrey and commands to them all and all were to take care in their places for the whole though haply there was no general convention of all Officers and to keep as much as lay in them neighbour Kingdoms from rebelling even where they had no ordinary jurisdiction and to subdue them to the Emperour if they did rebel and yet not retain ordinary power over them Now these things agree to this spiritual monarchy the Church yea and much more For they are all one in the head one in all the laws and in one form of government and ought all to do what they do in reference to the whole as to admit every where into the whole by baptism to eject out of the whole by excommunication to keep any neighbour Church from defection and to reduce them if fallen off though they have no ordinary jurisdiction over them Christ can send a Minister out of any Kingdom into any not only occasionally pro tempore as a messenger but settle him there as an Officer and call back or remove him any whither else And therefore the Church-Catholike is one Kingdom in general and yet particular rights and liberties of particular Churches be preserved so far as may stand with the good of the
acknowledgeth Primarily therefore these canons concern the whole Church The manner also of the Apostles speech is to be attended he doth not say the Churches houses pillars grounds to be ordered pari rattoni but in the singular number house church pillar ground 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if there were but one Church one house whereof Ephesus was but one room and that already furnished one seat one large pillar that hath the same truth written on every side of it which holdeth it forth unto others both Jews and Gentiles within the Church and without more forensi And as Timothy being an Evangelist conversed with many Churches so it is like did the members of the Church of Ephesus The English Annotations on this place are these As the Catholike Church is as it were the whole house of God so every particular Church as this of Ephesus was in which Timothy resided was a part thereof and by a Synecdoche totius may be called the house of God c. The words also of the following verse will lend us some light Great is the mystery of goâ—linesse God manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles beleeved on in the world received up into glory This is the truth supported by this seat and holden forth by this pillar Doth this concern Ephesus solely or particularly or primarily Is there not a larger subject expressed viz. Gentiles and the believing world All these are the family and houshold of God Eph. 2.19 and 3.15 Again it is the Catholike visible Church that is so often in Scripture called the Kingdom of God Mat. 4.26 30. And the Kingdom of heaven Mat. 13.24 31 33 47. Christ cals them not Kingdoms but the Kingdom And compares this Kingdom to a field of wheat mingled with tares This must be the Church visible in this world because it is where the sower ordinarily soweth his seed visibly and audibly vers 8. which is the preaching of the word And because here are good and bad wheat and tares and the tares visibly discerned after the wheat And it is the Catholike Church for Christ himself expounds it so the field is the world not of the Jews only but of the Gentiles also Joh. 3.16 and 17.11 15. And this must be the Christian world for the other is a field of tares only where there could be no danger of plucking up of wheat because none grew there They shall fever the wicked from among the just And in this field particular Churches are but as particular ridges enjoying the same tillage seed fencing watering It is a barn floor with wheat and chaffe It is a draw net gathering together good and bad It is a marriage where wise and foolish virgins some had oil and some only lamps of profession It is a feast where some had wedding garments some had none Now these things cannot be spoken solely or primarily of any particular Congregation but they agree to the Church-Catholike visible this Kingdom is here spoken of as one and to particular Churches as parts thereof and this is also an organical body therefore called a Kingdom Here are servants sowing and viewing this field proffering to weed it And this weeding must be by Ecclesiastical censures not the civil sword they were not so void of reason as to go ask whether they should kill all the world besides the godly with a civil sword then these tares must be members of the Church else they were not capable to be cast out if never in Here were fishermen officers that cast this net and servants that invited these guests every where in high waies and hedges Luk. 14.23 indefinitely without respect of Countrey or Town That which is objected against this by M. Hooker is that the Kingdom of heaven beside other significations as the Kingdom of glory c. it doth by a metonymy imply the word of the Kingdom and the dispensation and administration of the Gospel in the Churches and the special things appertaining thereunto And citeth these parables for that sense Answ I deny not the several significations of those words the Kingdom of heaven in â—everal places But they cannot signifie so in the fore-ceited places For it is said the Angels shall gather out of his Christs Kingdom all things that offend and them which do iniquity and shall cast them c. can this be meant of the word or Gospel Is there any thing that offends therein or doth iniquity that shall be cast c. Is there any tares any chaff any rubbish there Or can it be meant of the dispensation thereof Should sinful or erroneous dispensations of Gods Ordinances be suffered to the end of the world for fear of plucking up good dispensations Why do we then endeavour a reformation Doth not Paul say false teachers mouths must be stopped and wisheth such cut off It is clear the texts speak of a Kingdom consisting of persons the tares chaffe rubbish foolish virgins and evil guests are the children of the wicked one man that offend and doe iniquity that shall be gathered out of Christs Kingdom therefore they were in it And the wheat good fish wise virgins and good guests are the children of the Kingdom without respect to any particularities of Town or Countrey much lesse of any Congregation And when we say Thy Kingdom come we pray not only for the conversion of the elect nor only for the coming of the Kingdom of glory but also for the Church-Catholike visible that it might be enlarged and have freedom and purity of Ordinances which are things that concern it as a visible organical Kingdom because the dispensations thereof are by Officers Again in 1 Cor. 15.24 it is said Then shall Christ deliver up the Kingdom to God his Father This is not the natural or essential Kingdom which he hath with the Father and holy Ghost as God for that he shall never deliver up Neither is it the Kingdom of grace which he by his Spirit exerciseth in the hearts of the Elect for that shall continue for ever and be more perfect in heaven For the Kingdom of grace here and of glory afterward differ only gradis communionis as Ames tels us here the degree is imperfect then it shall be perfect both in graces and joyes But it is the Kingdom exercised in the visible Church-Catholike in the Ordinances of worship and discipline wherein our communion is mediate with God which shall then cease For as the Evangelical external service and manner of communion with God thrust out the legal and ceremonial so shall the heavenly immediate thrust out the Evangelical But this Kingdom saith M. Hooker cannot be the Catholike visible Church because that consisting of sound-hearted Christians and false-hearted hypocrites these are not delivered up into the hand of the Father that he might be all in all to them Surv. p. 276. Answ I do not conceive by Kingdom to be meant the children of the Kingdom but the
any Congregations were set up or setled Therefore I conceive the primary right to communion is gained by being of the visible body not by being of this or that Congregation By being within the general Covenant not by any particular Covenant And I conceive that Baptism and Excommunication run parallel herein for as by Baptism a man is admitted externally into the whole visible body and then may have fellowship with any part of the body so by Excommunication a man is cast out from communion with the whole and therefore may communicate with no part This is Apollonius his assertion Sicut per Excommunicationem legitimam excommunicatus non tantum ex hac vel illa particulari Ecclesia ejicitur sed ubicunque terrarum ligatur ex communione fraeternâ universalis Ecclesiae exeluditur Mat. 18.17 18. Ita per Sacramentum Baptismi sacrae Eucharistiae homini communio Ecclesiastica Chap. 3. non tantùm in particulari sed universali Ecclesiâ obsignatur Confid quarund contro c. 2. Art 3. And though the power of Excommunication lyeth in the particular Congregation where a person enjoies his membership under the Kingdom of Jesus Christ as M. Hooker saith yet the Officers of that particular Church dispense that censure in reference to the whole body whereof he that is so censured was a member as well as of that Congregation for being cast out of that let him be or go where he will he is under the Kingdom of Satan and all Churches should look at him as a Traitour against Christ and so deal with him as one uncapable of Church-communion Surv. c. 15. So on the contrary though Baptism be administred in a particular Congregation yet a man so admitted in any Congregation ought to be counted a subject to Christ and not to be denied fellowship in any other Congregation being a member of the visible body except he some way forfeit his right So that both admission into and ejection out of the Church though performed by Officers in a particular Congregation yet relate first to the whole body CHAP. III. Proofs by Arguments and Reason that there is a Church-Catholike visible Sect. 1. THe first Argument is from Gods donation unto Christ and it stands thus If the donation of a Kingdom by God the Father unto Jesus Christ be universal and Oecumenical then his Kingdom which is his Church is also universal and Oecumenical But the donation was of an universal Oecumenical Kingdom Therefore there is such an universal Oecumenical Kingdom or Church The major proposition is clear for whatsoever God the Father gave or promised unto Jesus Christ that he performed The minor or assumption is proved out of divers places of Scripture As Psa 2.8 Ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession Which is spoken of the donative Kingdome of Christ given to him at his asking and not the essential or natural Kingdom as God Psal 72.8 He shall have dominion from sea to sea and from the river unto the ends of the earth Where is mentioned the external worship and offerings given unto him The like promise we finde Isa 49.6 It is a light thing that thou shouldest raise up the Tribes of Iacob I will give thee for a light unto the Gentiles that thou maist be my salvation to the ends of the earth Also Dan. 7 14. And there was given unto him Christ dominion and glory and a kingdom that all people nations and languages should serve him his dominion is an everlasting dominion and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed Which is meant of the donative Kingdom given to Christ incarnate at his ascention answering to Eph. 4.8 where the officers of his Kingdom are set down And to Phil. 2 9. This is not only the internal Kingdom in the heart for that he exercised from the beginning but also an external Kingdom or Church politie over all nations after the ruine of the four Monarchies which should be exercised over those Kingdoms which formerly were subject to those Monarchies which Kingdom is that little stone cut out of the mountain without hands which became a great mountain and filled the whole earth which the God of heaven should set up visibly in the stead of those Monarchies Dan. 2.44 not in a civil power of this world but in spiritual and divine Ordinances which all Kingdoms that should be converted to the Christian faith should submit themselves unto And this one mountain filling the whole earth must needs be one Church-Catholike visible submitting visibly to Christ 2. If Gods intention in sending Christ and the tenour of Gods donation and exhibition of Christ and redemption by Christ in his revealed will be general to the whole world then the visible Church is to be Catholike But the former is true and therefore so is the latter I mean by general Generibus singulorum non singulis generum The donation of Christ and redemption by him was not to the Jews only as the Jews conceived but to the whole world Ioh. 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world not the Jews only that he gave his only begotten sonne that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life i. e. that whosoever in any part of the world of what nation soever should beleeve should have everlasting life That the world through him might be saved vers 17. The Antithesis is not between the elect and reprobate that whosoever of the elect beleeve as the Arminians make our sense of the words to runne ridiculously though I confesse the elect only do truly beleeve but it is between the Iew and the rest of the world So Ioh. 4.42 Ioh. 6.33.51 2 Cor. 5.19 1 Ioh. 2.2 a propitiation for the sins of the whole world 1 Ioh. 4.14 The Saviour of the world Now though many of the benefits purchased by Christ for his elect be spiritual and invisible and obtained only by the invisible company yet Christ himself and his death were visible his righteousnesse visibly performed his active and passive obedience were visible and multitude of benefits that the external Catholike Church receive thereby are visible 3. If the Gospel of the Kingdom the seed and means of converting and bringing in not only of the invisible company but the visible Church be Catholike and universally preached and received then the Church so converted and visibly brought in is Catholike also But the Gospel is a general gift and is scattered like seed indefinitely in all the world and worketh a visible conversion of the whole world in Scripture phrase Therefore the Church is Catholike also The major is clear of it self The minor is proved Mat. 24.14 This Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witnesse unto all Nations Mar. 14.9 Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached
but most properly relateth to the union of an integrum Also it is called a Kingdom as I shewed before The Kingdom of his dear sonne Col. 1.13 The Gospel is called the Gospel of the Kingdom Mat. 4.23 And the word of the Kingdom Mat. 13.19 And such as are only visible members are called the children of the Kingdom Mat. 8.12 And this Kingdom hath a King and Laws and Officers in it now a Kingdom or society is no Genus but an Integral It is also called a Tabernacle Revel 21.3 which was a thing coupled together with tenons sockets loops and taches and so an integral no Genus nor could signifie any It is called also an house or building 1 Tim. 3.15 The Church which is the house of God 1 Cor. 3.9 Ye are Gods building Eph. 2.21 In whom all the building fitly framed together c. which is the Catholike Church visible consisting of Jews and Gentiles built on the visible foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ being the chief corner-stone And a houshold Gal. 6.10 Also it is called a Temple in the fore-cited Eph. 2.21 1 Cor. 3.17 2 Cor. 6.16 Now the Temple was an Integral Also it is called a city and the members thereof Jews and Gentiles are called fellow-citizens Eph. 2.29 Also an army terrible with banners Cant. 6.10 Also it is called a sheepfold a wheat-field a barn-floor a dragge-net a loaf of bread made up of divers grains 1 Cor. 10.17 Now all these and many more appellations have no analogy to a Genus but to an Integrum Therefore the Church-Catholike visible is an Integrum 9. It appears to be an Integral from the words which the Scripture useth to expresse the Church and union of the members of the Church-Catholike together As Act. 2.41 There were added about 3000. souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They were put unto them as an encrease now a Genus is not capable of addition by numbers but an Integral only Also Eph. 4.12 The Officers general as well as particular are given to the whole external political body of Christ to use M. Hookers own words for the perfecting of the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad coagmentationem sanctorum It signifyeth properly to make a thing perfect by filling of it up omnibus numeru absolutum reddere or as some render it to set in joint again All the significations agree only to an Integral And for the edifying of the body of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the building up of the body relating to the whole Church This is proper only to an Integral A word also much like this and more significant for the purpose in hand we have Eph. 2.22 In whom also ye are builded together for an habitation of God c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifyeth a knitting together in a building Also vers 21. In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy Temple Here are three words note Integrality First the whole building 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. fitly framed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. groweth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Eph. 4.16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplyeth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh encrease of the body unto the edfying of it self in love Here are divers words which properly notifie an Integral 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole body 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fitly joyned congruente proportione constructum vel connexum 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compactum compacted 4. by that which every joynt suupplyeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per omnem commissuram suppeditationis vel juncturum subministrationis 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in mensura uninscujusque membri 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 augmentum corporis facit 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in aedificationem sui The like we finde Col. 2.19 From whom all the body by joints and hands having nourishment ministred and knit together encreaseth with the encrease of God The words are most of them the same with the former in the Original There is 1. a whole body 2. joints 3. bands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and nourishment ministred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. knit together 5. encreaseth with encrease 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And though much spoken in these places seem to be applicable to the invisible company yet to them as visible receiving edification from their Officers and having visible communion one with another and the Apostle speaks indefinitely of the Church under their Officers without making any difference of kindes of believers Also Act. 17.34 certain men clave unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were glued unto him i e. Paul And in the Old Testament Isa 14 1. The strangers shall be joyned with them Israel and they shall cleave unto the house of Jacob. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 copulabit se 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adhaerebunt All which and many more words in Scripture about the Church shew it to be an integral 10. If the invisible Church be one body of Christ as in the primary sense they are then by the same reason the visible also as visible are one body for the only difference between them as to this purpose is in regard of the manner of communion the one invisibly and inwardly the other visibly in outward Ordinances The invisible are called Christs body in allusion to a natural body more properly the visible in allusion to a political body The invisible Church are only in reference to Christ their head and fellow-invisible members but have no Officers under Christ quà invisible the visible are one in reference to Christ their professed King and his written laws and fellow-visible members and indefinite Officers under Christ The invisible body might with better reason be called a Genus because their unity is only in the head and in one kinde of nature and in spiritual relation to invisible brethren and therefore if they be called one body then much more the visible Church whole union is in King laws the same qualifications and external relation to visible brethren under indefinite Officers M. Hooker takes much pains in Surv. c. 15. to prove that the Church-Catholike visible cannot be an Integral To which I shall answer under the several heads as they come in the Thesis His main Argument is because that an Integrum resulting out of the members is Symbolum effecti and so is in consideration after the members whereof it is constituted and out of which it doth result and so that crosseth the second part or predicate of the Question This I shall refer to the second part of the Question Secondly That it will then require one visible head over it This I shall refer to that Objection in Chap. 5. Sect. 6. Sect. 4. Thirdly That which he objects against the visibility of the Church-Catholike I shall refer to the next Chapter Cha. 5. An Objection may be raised here
it self as being a member of the whole and yet it is not notably vain to say The gift of them by God and his intention in giving them was to the whole though they never meet nor can meet together in this world So is the case of the Ministers also the Ministry is primarily given to the whole body of them and if they could meet together they might exercise the keys together conjunctim a representation or an epitome whereof is in a general councel but because they cannot meet but in parcels where they are seated and have a particular call to give especial attendance therefore they exercise them divisim yet as parts of the whole body of Organs of the Church and there they serve the whole Church and their dispensations have influence into the whole The third danger viz. the trouble and charge of appeals and the tryal of causes by them that can have no personal knowledge of the cause or persons to be tried but by information hath been answered before c. 7. s 9. Sect. 7. His third prejudice is that this opinion is Papal and Anti-Protestant And to prove this he bringeth in Bellarmines description of the Church-Catholike viz. That it is one visible Church or Congregation of men bound together by the profession of the same faith and participation of the same Sacraments under the government of lawful Pastors and especially of that only Vicar of Christ on earth the Pontiffe or Bishop of Rome This latter clause indeed is papal properly and therefore justly rejected by the Protestants But the former part if it be understood of one habitual body or Congregation is not to be accounted Papal because set down by a Papist for then all the Articles of the Creed which they hold as well as we though not on the same ground should be accounted Papal also Where they differ from the Scripture therein they erre and therein only we dissent from them Neither is it Anti-protestant unlesse as he hath stated it Calvins judgement whom he citeth here again I have shewed before and it is opposite to M. Ellis in point of the power of the ministerial office beyond one Congregation which is the very hinge of the question and in the power and use of Synods Chamier indeed makes the Church to be one general or universal yet he makes it to be aggregated of many particular Churches which strongly argues an integrality for no Genus is made by aggregation and he saith it is compounded of infinite particular Churches but no genus is made by composition Omne aggregatum compositum est integrale He makes it also to consist of many parts yea to have partes extra partes which is the Logicians definition of an integral But how all the Kingdoms in the world as he saith to make a parallel with the universal Church may be called one Kingdom in the general except by logical abstraction I understand not Certainly it cannot be by aggregation and composition and by apposition of them as parts of that general Kingdome he speaks of which yet he yieldeth in the Church-Catholike They have not all the same systeme of written Laws authorized by the same authority neither have they indefinite habitual Officers as the Church hath And for Bishop Iewel in his answer to Harding he disputes against the headship of the Pope but denyeth not Christ to be head of the visible Church And though indeed he rightly cals it a new fancy to prove the Pope to be head of the Church from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if there were therefore but one King to rule over the whole world yet he denieth not that Christ rules over the whole Church but cals the Church One Kingdom One body One sheepfold And he citeth for the unity of the Church many sentences out of Cyprian viz. Vna est Ecclesia a Christo per totum mundum in plura membra divisa Item Episcopatus unus Episcoporum concords numerositate diffusus Cyp. l. 4. Ep. 2. Also Ecclesia una est connexa cohaerentium sibi invicem Sacerdotum glutine copulaeta Ep. 9. Quandoâ—oramus non pro uno oramus sed pro toâ—o populo quia totus populus unum sumus Cyp. in Orat. Dominic Again Hanc unitatem firmiter tenere vendicare debemus maximè Episcopi qui in Ecclesia praesidemus ut Episcopatum quoque ipsum unum indivisum probemus Cyp. l. 3. Ep. 13. Et si pastores multi sumus unum tamen gregem pascimus c. Copiosum est Corpus Sacerdotum concordiae mutua glutine atque unitatis vinculo copulatum ut si quis ex collegio nostro haeresim facere gregem Christi lacerare ac vastare tentaverit subveniant caeteri Ibid. So that Jewel was far from restraining the Ministers office or power to one Congregation or from denying the authority of Synods and Councels And for M. Rutherford in his Due right of Presbytery I marvel M. Ellis should cite him who is professedly point black against him and hath handled both parts of my question and concludes them affirmatively Due Right of Presbyteries p. 55. c. and 418. Now whose fault is it to cite authors for him that are known to be against him Sect. 8. I come now to view his greater Artillery as he cals it and his first argument is because saith he the Scriptures Christ and his Apostles are silent and speak nothing of one Catholike visible Church yea I may adde and all men else as he hath stated it But for Scripture-proofs I referre the Reader to what I said formerly and now have added Chap. 2. But my proofs from Scripture he was pleased to runne over in vind pag. 42. in 7. lines without any answer to the particulars His second argument is from the institution of Christ because saith he the keys of government were given first and fully entirely and immediatly to the particular Congregation and this he proves from the Church of the Jews to which all Church-power was given first and fully but this was saith he a particular Church not the universal unlesse by accident because there was no other Church-state in the world at that time And though he grants it to be a Type of the Church of the New Testament yet not as Catholike but as Congregational as it self was or else as mystical Vind. pag. 21. Answ It cannot be denied but there were some things peculiar to the Church of the Jews as typical Ordinances and a typical high Priest and that it was bounded within certain limits and they were bound to meet in their males three times yearly which pertain not to the Evangelical Church But in that one Church there were particular Assemblies for ordinary worship and extraordinary also and for acts of government and they had particular Officers and Ecclesiastical rulers over them and there were appeaâ—s reserved to the great Councel at Jerusalem and so it could not be a type of a
suasive that is no more then a few private men may do yea one man or woman may counsel advise and perswade By M. Ellis's opinion Councels and Synods being void of all authority are but as a company of private Christians met together to advise one with another how to act in their own Congregations where only saith he they are in office it may be an act of those that are in office but not as Officers so that in that act they are to be considered as private members who by such consultation take or give private advice how to act as officers where they are Officers Which is no otherwise then if in these times of trouble and danger a company of peti-constables should meet occasionally or by appointment together at a market-town and there consult together how to act most commodiously and uniformly in their several Parishes in the pressing of Souldiers or gathering Assessements or a company of Mayors of several Corparations should meet by appointment at London and there advise together how to order their several Corporations So that a Synod whether Provincial National or Oecumenical can have no power to summon any heretick or scandalous person and if any such should voluntarily come before them or be brought before them by the civil Magistrate that should before their faces blaspheme the whole Trinity or be convicted of Sodomy yea though any of their own members should curse God himself or be convicted of a present act of whoredom or of sorcery they have no power to censure him Ecclesiastically but fraternally admonish him and send him back to his own Congregation to be censured and they themselves only go thither as witnesses against him because they are there by this opinion out of office and all censures belong to the particular Elderships as particular But suppose now this heretick or scandalous person being departed haply from the Congregation where formerly he lived or that Congregation being dissolved be a fixed member of no Congregation as ten thousands of visible Christians i. e. that have received the doctrine of Christ and are under the seal of Baptism may be if particular Churches consist only of such as can give evidence of the work of true grace in themselves shall he remain an entitive member of Christs visible kingdom a gangreened limb a rebel and traitour under the name and notion of a subject and infect the rest of the body and there be no remedy Sect. 4. But as the subject matters that Synods have to deal with are of three sorts so their power and the acts of it which they put forth are of three 〈◊〉 likewise First they are to act in reference to matters of faith i. e. doctrines to be beleeved and embraced and of divine worship i. e. duties of worship to be performed unto God not to coin or frame or adde any new articles of faith or new acts of worship or alter any that God hath instituted but to explain prove and apply those Articles of faith and rules of worship laid down in the word and to confute and declare against the contrary errours heresies and corruptions and the power they exert herein is called dogmatical Secondly they are to act in reference to external order and polity in matters prudential and circumstantial which are determinable by the true light of nature right reason and general rules in the Scripture ◠to set things in order that all things may be done uniformly decently and in order and the power they exert herein is called diatactical Thirdly they are to act in reference to errour heresie schism obstinacy contempt and scandal and to represse them and to censure such persons as are guilty of any of them and are referred over to them and the power they exert herein is called critical This is none other power then the particular Elderships in their several Congregations or Classes may exert in their sphear and precincts with submission to the superiour assemblies and all must be according to the word of God As in the natural body God hath set several senses to act upon the several sensible objects visible audible tactile c. and several faculties in reference to truth and falshood good and evil to discern and embrace the one and avoid the other so in the body Ecclesiastical hath he set several powers in the organs thereof to act diversly according to the occurrent objects and incidents in the Church both in the particular Congregations for the good of them and in greater parts of the body for the good of them and in the whole if convenible for the good of that but because remote parts cannot meet personally and generally in all their Officers therefore that trouble and confusion is avoided by delegation of particular elected choice officers and is but occasionally and pro tempore A ground and pattern of a Synod is laid down Act. 15. and 16. which is acknowledged to be a Synod and warrant for a Synod by reverend M. Cotton in his keys of the kingdom of heaven cha 6. And is called an Oecumenical Councel by Chamier in Panstrat Tom. 2. lib. 10. cap. 8. sect 2. and Whitak cont qu. 6. And generally by our Protestant Divines And is abundantly proved and explained by the London Ministers in their Jus Divinum par 2. chap 14. and 15. to which I referre the reader for satisfaction The occasion of that Synod was an errour broached at Antioch and neighbour-Churches to enforce the observation of the ceremonial Law by all Christians and this was promoted by lying as if they were sent by the Apostles and Elders at Ierusalem to preach this doctrine Hereby the Churches were much troubled and in danger to be subverted in their souls This could not be suppressed by the disputes of Barnabas and Paul hereupon the Elders of Antioch decreed and ordained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Paul and Barnabas and some others should go up to the Apostles and Elders at Ierusalem about this question and they submitted to this order there was an authoritative mission and probably members were also sent from Syria and Cilicia for they were involved in the same danger by the same persons Act. 15.23 24 41. But if there were delegates but from two Churches it will justifie delegates from ten or twenty And as the Church of Antioch did not send Paul and Barnabas as extraordinary and infallible and authentical Oracles of God as M. Cotton noteth for then what need the advice and help of Elders that were below them being but ordinary and particular Officers of Ierusalem But as wise and holy guides of the Church who might not only relieve them by some wise counsel and holy order but also set a precedent to succeeding ages how errours and dissentions in Churches might be removed and healed And with Paul and Barnabas they joyned others messengers in the same commission So when this Synod was met the Apostles acted not by their Apostolical infallible transcendent
extraordinary Officers yet with habitual power of office And although Bishop Pastor Elder and Minister doe carry a reference to some particular place wherein by the polity of the Church such Officers are set yet have they a more general relation extending to the whole Church-Catholike as hath been shewed before Paul an Apostle cals himself a Teacher and Preacher 2 Tim. 1.11 Peter also and John the Apostles call themselves Presbyters 1 Pet. 5.1 2 Ep. Joh. 1. and 3 Ep. Joh. 1. We finde also Ministers are in Scripture spoken of under a general notion They are called Ministers of the word Luk. 1.2 and Ministers of God 2 Cor. 6.4 and Ministers of Christ 1 Cor. 4.1 and Ministers of the New Testament 2 Cor. 3.6 and Ministers of the Gospel 1 Thes 3.2 and Ministers of the Lord Ephes 6.21 Where the Ministerial Office is set down by the reference thereof to the Authour that employeth them and the subject about which they are employed and not the object persons unto whom they ministred They are not called Ministers of the people as if they carried their keys and were their stewards but their Teachers Rulers Pastours Overseers Fathers or Ministers for them Col. 1.7 Indeed the Apostle saith they are your servants for Christs sake 2 Cor. 4.5 As the Gentlemen that serve a Noble man serve the meanest that are invited to his table but therein they do service to their Lord. And the Angels themselves by whose names Ministers are called in 2. and 3. of Revelation they are ministring spirits sent out for the good of the Elect but it is in subjection and obedience to God and not to them And if a Minister of this or that Congregation be not a Minister of the Church-Catholike visible then he is no Minister out of his own Congregation and therefore cannot preach or administer any Sacrament as a Minister out of his own Congregation yea if any members of another Congregation should come and hear a Minister preach in his own Congregation he could not preach to them nor they hear him as a Minister but only as a gifted brother And though he may pray and beseech his own flock as an Ambassadour of Christ to be reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5.20 yet he cannot say so to any other except he be an Ambassadour in office unto others also And if he be a Minister to one member besides his own Congregation then is he so indefinitely to all by the same reason But if he deliver the word as a Minister to his own Congregation only then the same word which is delivered at the same time by the same man is delivered by vertue of the Ministerial office to some and to others ex officio charitatis generali only as a gifted brother And if this be granted which is absurd yet a greater absurdity will follow viz. that if he administer the Lords Supper to any members of another Congregation he must do that also as a gifted brother and as a private person whereas a private person out of office hath nothing to doe to administer the seals of the Covenant as is confessed by all except a few Anabaptists of late on purpose as I conceive to avoid this argument And yet this communion of members of other Congregations is frequent among our brethren for Congregational Churches Neither can this be answered that it is done by vertue of commnion of Churches except there be a communion of offices and Officers and so every Minister be an indefinite habitual Officer and a Minister of the Church-Catholike And if a Minister hath an indefinite office and can administer the seals of the Covenant to strangers in his own Congregation in his own meeting-house then any where else in any other meeting-house for no man will say his Ministerial office is circumscribed by or tyed unto the fabrick of his own meeting-house or any especial influence or authority afforded him in the execution of his Ministerial function by the presence of his own Congregation He whose office is limited within and stands wholly in relation to a particular place is out of office when he is out of that place as a Mayor of a Corporation and a Constable of a Parish but so is not a Minister he is no private man as soon as he is out of his meeting-house or the limits of his Congregation And though indeed he be more peculiarly their Pastour or Bishop one that hath the oversight of them in the Lord in a more immediate especial manner actually yet this extends to all places whereever he or they shall come by occasion though never so far from their dwellings but so is not a Mayor or Constable And besides this particular relation he hath an indefinite office he is a Minister in general to all others and may exert his power of office to them as God giveth occasion and they give him a call without taking a new especial relation to them but so cannot a Mayor or Constable though they were entreated to use their office out of their limits because they are onely particular Officers See this more fully in Chap. 6. Sect. 4. and 5. Suppose a Ministers flock by mortality or the sword should be dissolved extinct and cease indeed he ceaseth to be their Pastor because the correlative faileth but he ceaseth not to be a Minister of the Gospel A King or Mayor haply cease to be so any longer if his Kingdom or Corporation should sink or be swallowed up because there is no Catholike Kingdom or Corporation whereof they were Officers but the office of the Minister ceaseth not because he was an Officer of the Church-Catholike which correlative sinketh not but still his power in actu primo to dispense all the Ordinances of Christ which a single Officer can perform remaineth only his call ad actum secundum sive exercitum pro hic nunc which is appointed by the polity of the Church for order ceaseth because they are cut off that gave him a call thereto An Objection against this I finde made by those two Reverend Ministers M. A. and M. S. in their Defence p. 208. It is to this purpose If Ordination of a Minister be an indeleble character like Baptism and ceaseth not when his particular relation to a Congregation ceaseth why then should not a ruling-Elder or Deacon remain an Elder or Deacon in the Church though their particular relations cease Answ 1. If you please to cast your eye back to the answer of an Objection of M. Hookers that is like to this Ch. 2. Sect. 4. it may afford some light to the answering of this Objection to which I referre you being loth to repeat the same again 2. I premise also that for ought I can finde both ruling-Elders and Deacons should continue in their offices as long as they lived if the Congregations or Presbyterial Churches which chose them be not dissolved or if they be not ejected by censure 3. I deny not but that
It is that the Apostle presseth Eph. 4.3 4. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace for there is one body and one spirit c. This spiritual unity is that which Christ so earnestly and often prayed for in that short praier Joh. 17.21 23. That they may be one as we are one that they all may be one that they also may be one in us that they may be made perfect in one And this was Pauls prayer Rom 15.5 6. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus that ye may with one minde and one mouth glorifie God c. And this was Pauls earnest request 1 Cor. 1.10 Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you but that you be perfectly joyned together in the same minde and the same judgement And again 2 Cor. 13.11 It is one of the last things he concludes his Epistle with Finally brethren farewel be perfect be of good comfort be of one minde live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you And Phil. 1.27 He presseth it as the only thing he desired of them Only let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ that whether I come and see you or else be absent I may hear of your affairs that ye stand fast in one spirit with one minde striving together for the faith of the Gospel Certainly unity of judgement is of more importance then we are aware of else the Apostle would not presse it with such solemn adjurations and entreaties so often as he doth Yea when there were but two men that differed in opinion as it is conceived the Apostle thought it beseeming Apostolical gravity and the holy Ghost judged it meet for a piece of canonical Scripture to take notice of it and compose it Phil. 4.2 I beseech Evodias and beseech Syntiche that they be of the same minde in the Lord Though it might seem but womens brabbles yet we know how great a matter a little fire kindleth a little strife and errour will encrease to more ungodlinesse Consider we that there is but one truth and that is of God and God is truth and error is of the devil Consider that the understanding is the highest and foremost faculty of the soul it is as the forehorse in the teem the leading faculty and as that is enformed so the will and conscience and affections must needs work and follow that and if that be led into errour it must necessarily misleade the whole man Consider that a chief part of the image of God in man consisteth in knowledge and so is upon the understanding which by errour is defaced Remember the solemn caveats given by the Apostle Rom. 16.17 I beseech you brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them For they that are such serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and blessed or fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple And Eph. 4.14 That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every winde of doctrine by the slieght of men and cunning craftinesse or after the methods of errour whereby they lie in wait to deceive Christ himself tels us that false Prophets shall come that shall deceive if it were possible the very elect Behold I have told you before Mat. 20.30 31. And Paul tels us Of your selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw disciples after them Therefore watch Act. 20.30 31. Therefore hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me saith Paul 2 Tim. 1.13 They that coin new words and new strange expressions to amaze the people it is a sign as Calvin tels us that they have some new opinion upon the Anvil O let us labour to be of one heart seeing we are all but one body and have but one head and one spirit and because we are all brethren children of the same heavenly Father This is that which God hath promised his people Ezek. 11.19 I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirit within you And we finde Christ inculcating this exhortation Joh. 13.34 A new Commandement I give unto you that ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also love another By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye love one another Joh. 13.34 35. Again This is my commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you Joh. 15.12 and vers 17. These things I command you that you love one another And this I finde practised Act. 4.31 And the multitude of them that beleeved were of one heart and one soul And this Paul exhorteth to Rom. 12.10 Be kindely affectioned one to another with brotherly love in honour preferring one another And we finde the unity both of judgement and heart exhorted unto 1 Pet. 3.8 Finally be ye all of one minde having compassion one of another love as brethren be pitiful be courteous Division is the devils musick but that which makes the devil laugh should make us cry O what a solemn obsecration is that of Paul Phil. 2.1 2. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfil ye my joy that ye may be like minded having the same love bring of one accord of one minde O that we might labour to be of one way also This is that which God promised his people Jer. 32.39 I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever for the good of them and of their children after them And Zep. 3.9 Then will I turn to the people a pure language that they may all call upon the name of the Lord with one consent or one shoulder And this was the blessing that God gave Hezekiah in his people 2 Chron. 30.12 Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to doe the commandment of the King and of the Princes by the word of the Lord. Certainly there is but one rule for doctrine worship discipline And as many as walk according to this rule peace be on them and on all the Israel of God Gal. 6.16 And this is the Apostles exhortation Roman 15.6 That ye may with one minde and one mouth glorifie God Yea though we be not of the same judgement in every thing yet as it is Philip. 3.16 Whereto we have already attained let us walk by the same rule let us minde the same things And this unity in way is that which we have sworn unto and covenanted in our late National League and Covenant in the first branch of it That we shall endeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland to the nearest conjunction and uniformity in Religion Confession of Faith Form of Church-government Directory for Worship and Catechizing That we and our posterity after us may as brethren live together in faith and love and that the Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us And we shall all be forsworn if we endeavour it not All the members of the same body natural agree to goe the same way Yea the strength health and beauty of the body natural consisteth in the fast knitting of all the members together to each other and to the head and the luxation thereof is dangerous so and much more it is in a body politick or Ecclesiastical And though the divisions in our civil estate be very sad and might deserve tears of bloud to bewail them yet I look upon the divisions in the Church as a matter of more sad and doleful consequence and I fear but wish I might be mistaken that when the breaches of the Common-wealth shall be closed the breaches in the Church may grow wider and the differences rise higher and such errours are sown among us as will not be plucked up again in our age which having seized upon the understandings and consciences of men cannot be composed by commands nor clubbed down by force Only here is my comfort that though our condition is such that we know not what to ask yet God is wise and knows what to bestow And this is my hope herein that he which found a way to reconcile God and man when they were at enmity can finde way to reconcile man and man though they be at difference Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ that great shepheard of the sheep through the bloud of the everlasting Covenant make us perfect in every good work to doe his will working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen * ⎠* FINIS
power or by immediate inspiration as in the penning of the Scripture but the matters were carried on in an ordinary Synodal way by disputes and discourses they deliberated about the true state of the question and the remedy thereof and after deliberation and disputes they decisively conclude and determine the matter and put forth all the three fore-named power First they exert their dogmatick power in confuting of the heresie and in vindication of the truth of justification by faith without the works of the law and their critical power in branding the false teachers with the infamous brand of troublers of the Church and subverters of souls and of belyâ—rs of the Apostles and Elders of Ierusalem and their diamctick power in ordering and framing practical rules or constitutions for the healing of the scandal They passed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 16.4 they imposed them for they are said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 15.28 29. yet were not all the things they imposed necessary in themselves as abstaining from things strangled and from bloud they are called necessary not intrinsecally for then they are so to us but for that time because those things were so odious to the Jews who could not be so suddenly brought from all ceremonies It is true our Divines in their writings against the Papists do cry down the infallibility of Councels and the over-high esteem they had of them and the injurious and sinful decrees of their Popish Councels but they honour the general Councels and account Synods an Ordinance of God Calv. Inst lib. 4. cap. 9. sect 13. saith Nos certè libenter concedimus siqua de dogmate incidat disceptatio nullum esse nec melius nec certius remedium quà m si verorum Episcoporum Synodus conveniat ubi controversum dogma excutiatur Multò enim plus ponderis habebit ejusmodi definitio in quam communiter Ecclesiarum pastores invocato Christi Spiritu consenserint quà m c. Whitak de consilijs cap. 2. not only alloweth but commendeth Synods and Councels from the necessity and utility of them and marvelleth that Nazianzâ—n should say he never saw a good end of a Synod alledging the good end and profit of the Councel of Nice And citeth Augustine in Ep. 118. Conciliorum in Ecclesia Dei saluberrimam authoritatem esse And addeth further Etsi Concilia non sunt simpliciter absolutè necessaria tamen multùm conferunâ— valdè utilia sunt idque propter multas causas And then reckons up the causes And divideth Synods in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And bringeth Act. 15. for an example and warrant of them And Chamier in his Panstrat tom 2. lib. 10. cap. 8. De omnium toto orbe Ecclesiarum politia sheweth the lawfulnesse and use of Synods And lib. 5. saith Ad Synodos convocatos fuisse atque admissos omnes Episcopos nemo dubitat sedisseque judices suo jure prout fieri solet in Aristocratia And M. Parker in Polit. Eccl. l. 3. p. 355. saith Fundatur haec progressio a Presbyerio ad Classem a Classi ad Synodum in instituto Christi Mat. 18.17 ex proportione And p. 123. he foundeth them upon the same Scripture Per gradationem ratiocinandi a little after he saith they follow from that place per sequelam ratiocinandi per consequentiam Innumerable might be the citations of Protestant Divines in this kinde It is confest Sect. 5. that particular Churches are endued with the power of discipline within themselves if the matter doth particularly and peculiarly concern themselves and none others or if there be no others that can joyn with them they may do much alone but that case is extraordinary It is confest also that every single Congregation is equal in power to any other single Congregation considered as a Church only one may be greater and purer then another and furnished with more and more able officers And therefore how one sister Church by its single power can non-communion another that is of equal power with it I know not for it is a censure and no lesse then a vertuâ—â— excommunication and the other Church hath as much power to non-communion them and so there is a principle laid of perpetual and frequent division and splitting asunder of Christâ— political body and kingdom Such a principle in a Common-wealth between Town and Town in civil affairs would be very dangerous and bring deadly feuds and civil wars and at last ruine to the whole And though there be a subordination of particular Churches to greater Assemblies yet it is not absolute and arbitrary but in the Lord also it is a coordination because the Officers of the particular Congregations are there and help to constitute the â—lasses or if it be a Synod they are vertually there by their delegates or Commissioners as the Counties and Corporations are in a Parliament The subordination of particular Congregations to greater Assemblies consisting so of members taken out of the particular Congregations and the authoritative power and Ecclesiastical jurisdiction of those greater Assemblies over them appears because we see the Church of Antioch was subordinate to the Synod at Jerusalem Act. 15. Also Christs direction to deal with an offending brother Mat. 18. ascends by degrees from private adâ—onition to admonition before two or three and from them if he amend not to the Church but what if the greater number of a Church or suppose a whole Church offend by the same rule of proportion they are to be brought before a higher Assembly else no remedy can be had for offending Congregations as well as offending persons But neighbour-Congregations or particular persons may be offended by a neighbour Church and there is no reason that that Church should be partee and judge also in their own case and therefore it is requisite that there should be a greater combined Assembly to complain unto And as the unity of the whole visible Church and political Kingdom of Christ requires this as the London-Ministers have well noted wherein all things are to be managed as between members and fellow-subjects and the greater part in coordination to rule the lesse in the Lord and the whole the parts so also there is the same necessity of Synods as of Classical combinations and otherwise there will be irremediable difficulties Also we may observe the like subordination and appeals in the Jewish Church the several Synagogues were subordinate to the great Assembly at Ierusalem and had their appeals thither in greater causes Deut. 17.8 12. 2. Chron. 19.8 11. Exo. 18.22 26. And this could not be a ceremonial Law for it did typifie nothing The appeals were not to the high Priest typifying Christ but to their highest Court and though it were judicial to them yet the equity of it remains and so far as it was grounded on common right it is moral Now the like difficulties and dangers that occasioned that Law then remain still as great among