The Power of Congregational Churches Asserted and Vindicated, In Answer to a TREATISE OF Mr. J. PAGET, ENTITLED The Defence of Church-Government exercised in Classes and Synods.  
By JOHN DAVENPORT; B. of D. and Pastor to the Church in Newhaven in New-England.  Isa. 1.26. 
I will restore thy Judges, as at the first, and thy Counsellors, as at the beginning: afterwards thou shalt be called, The City of Righteousness, the faithful City.  
LONDON, Printed for Rich. Chiswell, and to be sold by John Usher of Boston in New-England, 1672.   

TO THE READER.  
THe disposals of GOD in his Providence with reference to the travels of Truth, and bringing forth of Light, are much to be observed, and have much to be read in them. There 〈◊〉 ●t been a great and overruling hand ●ted, and that very conspicuously, about 〈◊〉 present Treatise. The Reverend and ●earned and eminently accomplished Author ●●rst finished a Tractate with this Title, and 〈◊〉 his Subject, near thirty years ago: But ●od's time was not yet come for its publishing: it perished therefore in the rude Waves of the vast Ocean, with some other excellent Manuscripts and precious Christians. Nevertheless, some seven years' aft●●, God se● him about it again, and then he finished what is now (after twenty years more) thus made public. Thus comes this short an● nervous Treatise to have had a double, and so a more thorough digestion in the heart o● so judicious and holy a Servant of Christ● Nor are the principles and grounds her● proceeded on such as our Author suddenly or lately took up. He was of too serious 〈◊〉 weighty, and advised a spirit, slightly to take up, or suddenly to vent any singular apprehensions in the things of God. It would be too long to relate, (though I could from his own hand) how he was first staggered in his conformity, and afterwards fully taken off by set Conferences and Debates, with himself and sundry other Ministers obtained with Mr. John Cotton then driven from Boston on account of Nonconformity. Nor am I willing t● revive the Memory of what Afflictions 〈◊〉 Author afterwards underwent, because 〈◊〉 could not be satisfied in Conscience in tho● two Points; viz. a particular Churches being subjected to a Classis, & Baptising in that latitude which was then practised, and i● still in that Church, to which he had an earnest Call, and with which the Lord gave him a very general and great acceptance. But certain it is, the Principles held forth in this Treatise, cost the Reverend Author, not only many sufferings, but also many, very many sad search, and much reading, and study on set purpose, accompanied with manifold prayers and cries to the Father of Lights for light therein. After all which he was more and more confirmed in them, and attained to such comfortable clearness therein, as hore him up with much inward peace and satisfaction under all his afflictions on the account of his persuasion in these Points. And so persuaded, lived, and so died this grave and serious spirited man. The Reader will find in it (which is a rare conjunction) much succinctness, with much Scripture clearness. Light contracted, like the Sunbeams in a Burning-glass, is the stronger, and would be the more grateful too, if it could possibly meet with an Eye able to receive it. There are that think, and as they conceive from Scripture grounds too, that the glory of the Saints in Heaven receives additions, and increases daily, as their holy walk, and faithful service when here on Earth, doth after they are gone, bring forth Fruit to the praise of God amongst those that are left behind them. If so, they that ever had any value and affection for this Eminent Servant of Christ, (and there were, yea yet are many in whose hearts a precious remembrance of him lives, and will live for ever) are engaged to read and improve this Excellent Work of his for their instruction, and establishment in the Truths of Christ. It was for several Months since sent over from New- England, with desire that it might be Printed. The wise and all-disposing Providence of God allotted this as the season for it, and in his season all things have a peculiar beauty; and it may be presumed that the hearts of God's people are more generally prepared for a ready entertainment of light held out to them, and that the Lord will please to fulfil that good word of Promise upon all his faithful and humbled people, Ezek. 43.11. [And if they be ashamed of all they have done, etc.]  
There are two things run through this whole discourse, and are ligible even in every line of it.  
1. That the power of Churches is confined to their Res Propria, their own proper matters.  
2. That there is not any Spiritual Church-power, to which they are by any Institution of Christ subjected. Two grand and Pillar-Principles of the Congregational-way, both of them abundantly cleared from mistakes, and established upon Scripture-foundations.  
Now the blessing of Heaven go with it, to lead the Reader into the truth of Christ in these Points, and to take off from the minds of such of our Rulers, into whose hands this Book may fall, all those prejudices against the Congregational-way, which it may have been unjustly miss represented under. For as in all the main matters of Faith and Doctrine we differ not from the established public Profession of the Kingdom, yea are much more tenacious thereof than many of our zealous adversaries, so in those things, which seem to be our most singular Opinions (and wherein we differ most from the public Profession, and for which we have suffered, and are ready by the grace of Christ still to suffer even worse matters, if the will of God be so concerning us) this Book, after many others, which speak the same Language, may render it plain and evident to impartial and understanding Readers, the Principles and practices of the Congregational-way, are not in truth so incompatible with the power of the Supreme Magistrate in matters of Religion, as some would represent, nor such as may render them suspected to Civil powers, and that therefore we may not for these our Principles be accounted unworthy to enjoy a peaceable dwelling in our native Land, the weal whereof is more dear to us than our lives, or all our private earthly enjoyments in it.  
M. N. May 28. 1672.   


Tertull de praescr. adv. Haeret. Cap. 21.  
COnstat omnem Doctrinam, quae cum Ecclesiis Apostolicis matricibus & originalibus fidei conspiret, veritati deputandam, id sine dubio tenentem quod Ecclesia ab Apostolis, Apostoli à Christo, Christus à Deo suscepit: reliquam veró omnem Doct●inam de mendacio praejudicandam, quae sapiat contra veritatem Ecclesiarum, & Apostolorum, & Christi, & Dei.   

Aug. de venit. Eccl. Cap. 3. Tom. 7.  
Sunt certè libri Dominici, quorum Authoritati utrique consentimus, utrique credimus, utrique servimus: ibi quaeramus Ecclesiam, ibi discutiamus causam nostram.   

Hieron. Epist. ad Minerium & Alexandrum.  
Omnia probate, quod bonum est tenete— estote probati nummularij, ut si quis nummus adulter est, & figuram Caesaris non habet, nec signatus est moneta publica, reprobetur, qui autem Christi faciem claro praefert jumine, in cordis nostri marsupium recondatur.    

The Church's Charter. Containing Two Parts, 

1. The Constitution of particular visible Churches.  
2. The Privileges and Power given to such Churches.    
BEfore I proceed to examine Mr. Pagets arguing for the Ecclesistical Juridical Power of Classes, I shall positively declare what power is given by Christ to particular Churches, after I have described their constitution according to Christ his appointment. In every of which particulars I shall principally insist in the metaphor of a Corporation or body politic, such as that of the chiefest and most perfect Cities is: because I find, that it pleaseth the Holy Ghost in Scripture, frequently to express this matter under this similitude. 
* Ps. 48. 1● 2. & 87.3. Isa. 26.1. & 60.14. Ezek. 40.2. & 4●. 35 Rev. 3. ●● & ●0. ● 21. 〈…〉 22. 〈…〉 Luc. 1●●●.  But I shall not venture to apply it any further than the light of Truth in Scripture will direct and warrant: There we find the grand Charter itself, and the ancient Precedents of the first Christian Church's planted by the Apostles. According to these Records I shall endeavour to declare the mind of Christ, whom God the Father commands us to hear, 
* Mat. 3.17 & 17.5.  in all things whatsoever he saith unto us, and that under a dreadful penalty, 
† Acts 3.22, 23. Cypr. ad Coecil. lib. 2. ep. 3. Si solus Christus audiendus est, non debemus attendere quid aliquis ante nos faciendum putaverit, sed quid, qui ante omnis est, Christus prior fecerit, & faciendum statuerit. Neque enim hominis consuetudinem sequi oportet, sed Dei veritatem, cùm per Isaiam Prophetam Deus loquatur & dicat, etc.  Whence Cyprian doth well infer, If only Christ is to be heard, we ought not to attend what any before us thought should be done, but what Christ, who is before all, hath done, and appointed to be done. For we ought not to follow the custom of men, but the truth of God, seeing the Lord saith by the Prophet Isaiah, In vain they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. The Charter, according to which particular Churches are to be constituted, and their power, in re propriâ, is to be stated; we find in Mat. 16.18, 19 In the opening and explaining whereof, I purpose, with Christ's assistance, to proceed in this method; 1st, handling the constitution of a particular visible Church; 2ly, clearing the power of it.  
The words in Mat. 16.18, hold forth a perfect Rule for the constituting of a visible Church, of its causes, of which we shall speak severally, and distinctly; and the more largely, that the strength of such objections as occur, in each particular, may be duly weighed; and in handling them, I shall observe this order.  
1. I shall propound, what I conceive to be the truth, in certain doctrinal Conclusions. 2. Explicate and confirm them. 3. Deduce thence such Consectaries or Inferences as freely flow from them.  

CHAP. I.  
1. THe principal efficient cause is noted in this clause, I will build my Church.] I? who is that? even he, whom Peter had confessed in these words, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. That is, Jesus our Mediator. 1. He speaks in the first Person, not in the second: For though he useth men as his instruments, yet himself, by his Spirit, buildeth his Church, Zach. 4.6. Therefore it is called, his Building, 1 Cor. 3.9. 2. He speaks not in the preter, or present tense, but in the future [I will build.] For though Christ was yesterday, is to day, and shall be ever, the builder of his Church; yet he thus speaketh in a particular respect to the Christian Churches under the New-Testament, which should be built (after his Ascension) of Jews and Gentiles joined into one body, upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, Jesus Christ being the Cornerstone, etc. Ephes. 2.20, 21, 22. The Conclusion hence is,  
Concl. 1 That Jesus Christ our Mediator is the only immediate Author and Institutor of particular visible Churches.] That he speaketh here of a particular visible Church, and not of the Catholic Church, appeareth, by his giving to it the Keys; Which, we shall prove hereafter, are given only to particular Churches. 2. That Christ himself is the only immediate Institutor of such Churches, may be evinced; 1. Generally, from Heb. 3.3, 4, 5. 2. Particularly, by Induction, thus; 1. He is the Door, by whom they that are orderly admitted, must enter, Joh. 10.9. 2. He sets the Members, every one of them, in that place and rank which they have in the Body, 1 Cor. 12.18. and gifteth them accordingly, Ephes. 4.7. 3. He compacteth the whole Body, Ephes. 4.16. and firmly knits the materials together in this Spiritual building, 1 Pet. 2.5. 4. He gives the several Offices and Officers, Pastors, Teachers, Ruling-Elders, and Deacons, 1 Cor. 12.28. Ephes. 4.8, 11. 5. He appointeth the visible Seals, Baptism, Col. 2.10, 11, 12. and the Lords Supper, 1 Cor. 11, 23, etc. 6. He is the Lawgiver to his Church, Jam. 4.12. 7. He is the Lord of all Church- Admininistrations, 1 Cor. 12.3. 8. The Censures have their power and efficacy from him, Rev. 3.7. 1 Cor. 5.4, 5. 9 The blessing of all the Ordinances is from his Institution of them, and effectual presence with his Church and Ministers dispensing them, Matth. 28.19, 20.  
Reas. Thus he is by a threefold right. 1. From the Decree and Donation of the Father, Psal. 2.7, 8. John 3.35. and 5.22, 23. 2. From the Redemption of his Church, Act. 20.28. Phil. 2.9, 10, 11. Matth. 28.18, 19, 20. 3. From his conquest over the powers of darkness, from whence he hath delivered them, and translated them into his Kingdom, Col. 1.13.  
In all these respects, and many more, Jesus Christ, our Mediator, hath right to institute particular Christian Churches, and to cast them into what mould he pleaseth.  
From this Conclusion, thus proved, I infer, as followeth.  
1. Consect. Then Jesus Christ is the only Lord, and Head of such Churches as himself hath instituted. Thus from Christ's building his House, followeth his being over the House, Hebrews 3.3, 6. And he is over it, as the Lord of it, Acts 2.36. And as the only Political Head of it, in three respects, 1. Of Pre-eminence, as having the Spirit in a greater measure than all his Members, Col. 1.18. John 3.34. 2. In respect of Government, Ephes. 5.22, 23, 24. 3. In respect of Influence, Joh. 15.5. and that, not only in respect of common Gifts, whereof Hypocrites partake, which, if they be joined to Christ's visible Body, the Church, are but dead Members, whom, as dead Branches in the Vine, God will take away, and cast forth, Joh. 15.2, 6. but also in resect of quickening Grace, whence they are called, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 1. Pet. 2.5. Hence they grow up in all things into him which is the Head, Christ; and are edifying and edified Members in the Body, Eph. 4.15, 16.  
Nor is Christ the Head only of the Catholic Church, but also of every particular Church instituted by him, which is therefore frequently by Christ himself called, the Kingdom of God, and of Heaven, the King whereof is Christ; his Subjects are visible Believers, professing their Faith in him, and their subjection to his Laws, and Ordinances, 2 Cor. 9.13. This Sovereign power is so properly Christ's, that it is not communicable to any Creature; nor can any man be his Substitute or Vicar herein. For neither doth Christ, or his Church need such a Vicar, or visible Head of the Church, seeing the Church is complete in Christ alone, Col. 2.10. Nor is any Creature capable of discharging the Office of an Head unto the Church, Ephes. 1.20, 21, 22, 23.  
2. Consect. Then it is not in the power of Earthly Kings or States, or Civil Courts, to make Ecclesiastical Laws, or to invent and impose any Rites or Forms of Worship upon Churches, according to Principles of State-Policy, or Humane Prudence. Though Moses was, as well a great Prophet, as a great Prince, yet God left no part of the building of the Tabernacle to his prudence, but limited him in all things to the pattern in the Mount, Exod. 25.40. Nor might Solomon, though the wisest of mere men, act by his own wisdom in building the Temple, 
● Chon. 28.11, 12, 13.  but he was guided therein by the perfect pattern, which David gave him from the Spirit. So concerning Christian Churches, Christ hath given his People a perfect pattern, which he requireth the Ministers to hold forth distinctly in every point of it, to his people; according to that Prophecy in Ezek. 43.10, 11. That they may keep the whole Form thereof, and all the Ordinances thereof, and do them; which also Christ expressly requireth in Matth. 28.19, 20.  
3. Consect. Then every particular visible Church must exalt Christ and his Institutions alone, in their whole Church-Order, and in all their Admistrations. This is their visible receiving Christ Jesus the Lord, and walking in him, Col. 2.5, 6. The Church is Christ's House; and it's equal, according to Natural light, and civil prudence, that every man should bear Rule in his own House, Esth. 1.22. Much more Christ, who is God and Man. Artaxerxes shall rise up in judgement with all such as encroach upon Christ's Right, in ordering Churches by their policies, and condemn them; for he, fearing the jealousy and wrath of God, if men should take such liberty to themselves, provided against it, by a strict Decree, saying, Whatsoever is commanded by the God of Heaven, let it be diligently done for the House of the God of Heaven; for why should there be wrath against the Realm? etc. Esth. 7.23.  
Nor is the wrath of Christ less formidable to us, or his jealousy less incensed against those, that, either add to, or take from, or alter his Institutions now, than in times past; but rather more, Hebr. 12.25. to the end.  
So much shall serve touching the Efficient Cause and Institutor of particular visible Churches.   

CHAP. II. Concerning the Material Cause.  
THe Materials whereof this Spiritual Building must consist, are employed, when Christ saith, Upon this Rock will I build, etc. together with Peter's confession, in ver. 16. and Christ's approbation of it, ver. 17. which gave occasion to this Speech of Christ, Upon this Rock, etc. For the Rock is Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 3.11. But how considered? not simply, and in an abstract sense; but, 1. As Preached by the Ministry of the Gospel, Ephes. 2.20. 2. As believed on with a Faith made visible by public confession, according to Rom. 10.9, 10. Christ believed on, is the Foundation, or Rock, of the Catholic invisible Church: But Christ believed on and confessed, is the Rock whereupon a particular visible Church is built. In this Exposition, sundry of the Ancient Writers, 
(a) Basil. Tract. de poenit. Gre. Naz. de Comp. disserendi ratione. Theod. in Psal. 47. Ambr. in Eph. 2.20. Aug. in lib. 1. Retract. c. 21.  and the Orthodox Modern, generally consent.  
The Doctrinal conclusion, which these words of the Charter afford us, concerning the materials of particular visible Churches, is, that,  
2. Conclusion. It is the will and appointment of Christ, that all and only such grown persons be admitted Members of particular Churches, who make such a public profession of their Faith, as the Church may, in charitable discretion, conceive, hath blessedness annexed to it, and is such as flesh and blood hath not revealed to a man, but our Heavenly Father.] 1. That Christ here meant a particular visible Church, and not only the Catholic Church, we have partly evinced already, and shall more fully hereafter. 2. That persons meant by Christ here, are adulti, grown persons, appeareth by his questions to the Apostles, Whom do men say? and, whom do ye say, that I am? and, by Peter's answer. As for Infants, they are indeed Members of the Church, and, as such, Baptised; yet it is so, only as they are included in their Parents, by virtue of the Covenant, wherein they are wrapped with their Parents, Gen. 17.7. Acts 2.38, 39 1 Cor. 7.14. 3. That such adulti, or grown persons, must make a public confession of Faith before the Lord and his people.] So Christ required Peter to do here, and, when he had so done, said Christ, Upon this Rock I will build my Church, viz. in after times. For no particular Christian Church was actually constituted, at this time, nor till after the Ascension of Christ, in Act. 1. q. d. Then take this course, and ever after, all the World over, if you will have a particular Church to be acknowledged by me to be my building. 4. That their Confession of Faith must be so made, as that the Church may, in charitable discretion conceive it to have blessedness annexed, etc. For seeing it pleaseth Christ to use Men as his Instruments in building his Church, Zach. 6.15. Ephes. 4.11, 12. He is content that they improve the judgement which they have. Christ's judgement concerning Peter was infallible; for he knew what was in man, John 2.25. But the Officers and Members of the Church are but men, who judge by the outward appearance, 1 Sam. 16.7. Therefore their judgement is fallible, and hath been deceived; as we see in the judgement of the Apostles and the Church at Jerusalem concerning Ananias and Sapphira; and in that of Philip, and the Church in Samaria concerning Simon Magus, etc. Their duty is to proceed as far as men may, by Rule, with due moderation and gentleness, to try them, who offer themselves to fellowship, whether they be Believers, or not; refusing known Hypocrites; though when they have done all they can, close Hypocrites will creep in. 5. That all they who hold forth such a profession of Faith, as the Church may, in charitable discretion, conceive to be true, are to be received.] Though some of them have been formerly scandalous, yet now holding forth repentance, they are to be received, 1 Cor. 6.11. and though some are at present, weak in Faith, yet, if we may conceive that the Lord hath received them, the Church must receive them, Rom. 14.1, 3. For Christ approved this confession of Peter, though he was at present but weak in Faith, as the following Story in this Chapter, v. 22, 23. clearly showeth. 6. That none but such be admitted into Church-fellowship. For this Chapter limits the Church, to accept only such. Upon this Rock will I build my Church. i e. Christ believed on, and publicly confessed. A mere verbal confession is not that Rock. For the Devils made such a confession of Christ, yet were not built on him, Luke 4.34. But this confession of Peter was such as held forth his Faith in him; as appears by Christ's threefold Elegy, or praise of it. 1. From its effect. Blessed art thou, &c, as, Joh. 17.3. 2. From the procreant cause of it: Not flesh and blood, but my Father hath revealed it, as Mat. 11.25, 26. 3. From the title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or Peter, before promised, John 1.42. and now confirmed to him, signifying a Stone; whereby Christ, not only acknowledgeth his faith, and that he was thereby a living Stone, and fit to have a principal place in this Spiritual Building, (in which sense, Peter applieth a like title to other Believers, 1 Pet. 2.4, 5. who yet were inferior in degree to himself) but also giveth him this Prerogative and Honour, that he should be the first Planter of the Christian Church, both amongst the Jews, Act. 2. and the Gentiles, Act. 15.7.  
The Conclusion may be confirmed by two Arguments in the Text.  
1. From the name whereby he calleth this holy Society, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) a Church; i. e. a company called out. Whence? see Joh. 15.19. To what? See 1 Cor. 1.2. How? Not only by active vocation, by man's ministry, exhorting them to repent and believe: So sundry are called, who are not, in the least, wrought upon to answer that call, but put it off (as they who were invited to the great Supper, Luk. 14.18.) with excuse. Such are called, but no Church. Therefore more is required to qualify for membership of a visible Church, viz. passive vocation, whereby they are wrought upon to answer Gods call, by submission thereunto, at least, in outward profession, though some do it but feignedly, Ps. 18.44. Saints, by internal and invisible calling, are such, as answer Gods call inwardly and spiritually. Saints, by external and visible calling, are subdued to yield obedience to the Word in visible profession. Thus, all that were called into the Vineyard, had so much efficacy of the Spirit in them, that they all came into the Vineyard, and laboured in it, though not with like sincerity. Mat. 20. According to this clause of the Chapter, the Churches planted by the Apostles, were constituted, for the materials of them; else the Apostles could not have given both the 
† 1 Cor. 1.2. Eph. 1.2.  members and 
* 1 Thes. 1.1 1 Cor. 12.27 2 Cor. 11.2 & 6.16. 1 Tim. 3.15  Churches such high titles, as they did. Nor did they by these titles describe the invisible Church only, but visible Churches. For to such, Paul wrote his Epistles: and the like expressions are applied, in other texts, manifestly to visible Churches. Nor do these titles describe particular Churches only according to the better sort of members, but such they did, in the judgement of christian charity, conceive all their members to be, as Paul told the Philippians, Phil. 1.6, 7. which he could not have said if he had not known the care of the Church, in admitting persons into membership with them, to be according to the conclusion noted by us.  
Reas. 2 From Christ's appropriating such a particular Church to himself, owning it for his [my Church] q. d. I own any Church thus built by myself to be my Church; according to that in Act. 2.47. The Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved. The Lord added them. How? Not only by giving them saving faith, and so adding them to the invisible Church, but also by his inclining their hearts to offer themselves unto the fellowship of the visible Church, and to profess their faith before them: and by bowing the hearts of the Apostles 〈◊〉 Brethren to receive them into visible ●munion of visible Ordinances; as appeareth, v. 41, 42. Thus he added them, daily to the Church; which clears it to be an act of the Lords ordinary dispensation, and therefore presidential to the Churches in their ordinary practice. They, who were thus added, are said to be such as should be saved. That is; they were such, either in the judgement of the Lord, which is infallible; or in the judgement of the Church, which is fallible. The Church looked at them, according to their fruits, viz. their profession of faith, and their Christian conversation, observing so much in both, that they saw reason, in charity guided by rule, to conceive them to be in a state of Salvation. Such were the three thousand spoken of in v. 41. as appeared by their affectionate and submissive enquiring of the Apostles, whom they mocked before, what they should do to be saved, being pricked in their hearts. v. 37. and afterwards, by their gladly receiving the Word; both of promise, for themselves and their Children, with faith; and of precept, to repent and be baptised, and to save themselves from that froward generation, with obedience. True it is, that they could not in one day make so large accounts of God's work upon them, as are commonly held forth in our Churches: nor do we effect too large narrations, but wish such passages, as are superfluous, left out: And at that time, less was needful to be expressed, than necessity calls for among us, ordinarily. For the Apostles had a more quick Spiritual discerning, than ordinary Officers and Churches have. And concerning the three thousand, Act. 2. the manner of their offering themselves to Church-fellowship, visibly at such a time, when such visible confession of Christ was with manifest hazard to their lives, gave good ground to the Apostles and the Brethren, of conceiving charitably, that they were all of them in a state of Salvation, and such as the Lord himself added to the Church. In these places and times, where Church-fellowship is an honour, and draws after it sundry outward and worldly advantages, it will be necessary, that the Church be satisfied, as by sufficient testimony concerning their good conversation, so by their holding forth their confession of faith, both quae creditur, and quâ creditur, of the Doctrine of Faith, and of the Gift of Faith, how it was wrought, and how it works in them. As Mr. Rogers, in his Treatise of Faith, saith it may be known of men by those trials. And this care suits the nature of Church-power, which is delegate and stewardly. For, as the faithfulness of a Steward bindeth him to receive none into his Lord's family, but according to his Lord's mind and appointment; so the faithfulness of the Church unto Christ obligeth them to receive such into this holy fellowship, as they may, in charitable discretion, conceive, the Lord receiveth and addeth thereunto.  
Against what hath been said, two objections are made,  
Object. 1 Obj. Christ received Judas, whom he knew to be a hypocrite, into fellowship of the twelve.  
Answ. 1 Answ. 1. Not into a particular visible Church; for no such was then gathered. 2. Christ had a peculiar reason for it, which doth not concern Churches, Joh. 13.18.  
Object. 2 Obj. 2. Christ himself compareth visible Churches, to a Field, wherein are Tares; to a Draw-net, which gathers good and bad Fishes; to ten Virgins, of which five were foolish; and the Churches planted by the Apostles had in them sundry Hypocrites, and scandalous persons.  
Answ. Answ. Such places show, 1. That in visible Churches sometimes Hypocrites are mixed, either by the sleepiness, and fault of those that should ●●●vent it: Thence the Tares: or by the wyliness of Hypocrites, who creep in unawares, Judas 4. as the bad Fish came into the net under water: or they pretend saving gifts, as the five foolish Virgins; so, false Brethren, Gal. 2.4. 2. The purest Churches may be blemished with scandals, till they can orderly proceed against them; but then they must be cast out. Therefore they knew not that they were such before.  
From this 2d conclusion, thus explained and confirmed, we may infer as followeth.  
Consect. 1 If this be so; then more is required, as the essential property of Church-members, as visible, than that they profess before men the Faith, crave fellowship with the visible Church, and desire the visible seals of the Covenant. For men may have all these three properties, who are notoriously scandalous in their lives, Drunkards, Adulterers, profane Swearers and Cursers; in a word, such as are described, 2 Tim. 3.2, 3, 4. Who have a form of Godliness, denying the power of it, concerning whom the Apostle's charge is, from such turn away, v. 5. If in ordinary converse, the People of God must not exercise needless familiarity with such: much less may they receive them into spiritual fellowship and fraternity. If such, being Members, must be cast out, certainly, being out of Church-fellowship, they may not be received in, whilst they continue such.  
Consect. 2 If Christ will build his Church upon this Rock; than it is the bounden duty of Churches to see, so far as they can according to rule, that all whom they receive into Church-fellowship, be visible Believers, such as have been described in the Conclusion above propounded, explained, and proved; lest otherwise they build without a foundation. Particularly; 1. They are to see, so far as in charity they may discern, that they are Beleivers in Christ; Else, they cannot answer the titles given them in Scripture, 1 Pet. 2.4, 5. nor the praises given unto Peter so confessing Christ, that Christ said, Upon this Rock I will build my Church. 2. They are to see, that they profess their Faith and Holiness in a good conversation, Phil. 1.27. Jam. 3.12, 13. For they that profess they know God, but in their works deny him, are abominable, Tit. 1.16. 3. And in a public confession of their faith before the Church, as Peter did here before Christ and the Apostles, etc. Only, because the Church cannot see the heart immediately, as Christ did Peter's, the confession of faith made to men must hold forth the gift of faith, as well as the doctrine of faith. So Calvin understood those words, Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you. 1 Pet. 3.15. Calvin's note upon it, is this; 
‖ Ejus, quae in vobis est, spei.] Spes hîc, per synechdochen, pro fide capitur. Expendi debet seduló quod dicit. Significat n. eam dem● confession● probari Deo, quae ex corde emanat; quia, nisi intus resideat fides, fr●●●●à gar●●●●●gua. Ergo radices in nobis agate, ut deinde proferat Conf●ssionis fructum. Calv. in 1 Pet. 3.15.  Hope, here, is, by a Synecdoche, put for faith. What he saith, aught to be diligently weighed. For it signifieth, that God approveth only that confession, which proceeds out of the heart: because unless faith reside within, the tongue will babble in vain. Therefore faith must be rooted in us, that afterward it may bring forth the fruit of confession. And, when all this is done, the Brethren are to consent in receiving them, and herein to show forth the gentleness of Christ (who will not break a bruised reed, nor quench smoking flax) in giving due encouragement to the weak in faith, if they see cause to conceive, by rightly ordered charity, that the root of the matter is in them. But, if they see just cause to doubt of that, they have warrant to suspend their acceptance, till better satisfaction be given, from the primitive pattern, in Act. 9.26. However, the Officers must propound it to the Brethren, to declare, whether they are so far satisfied with what they have heard, that they do consent that such shall be received into their fellowship; as Peter put a like question to the Brethren that went with him from Joppa, concerning the Baptising of Cornelius and those with him, upon whom the Holy Ghost fell visibly, Act. 10.44, 45, 46. etc.  
Consect. 3 3. Cons. If upon this Rock [Christ believed on, and publicly confessed, by grown persons] the Church of Christ is to be built; then the Children of the Church, who were Baptised in their infancy, when they come to be of ripe age, must hold forth publicly their personal confession of Faith, that they may be admitted to the Lords Table, and fellowship in Voting and in Elections and Censures, in their own personal right. But, if they be found grossly ignorant, or profane, or professing a false faith, or denying the true Faith, or contemners of Church-fellowship, and the Ordinances of Christ, or do not, according to this clause of the Charter, publicly profess their faith, and crave Church-fellowship, they may not be owned for Members, by their admission unto the Lord's Table, and unto other privileges of Church-communion, in their own right, but are to be declared non-members. In jacob's posterity, when the Lord brought them to Canaan, that standing Ordinance of presenting unto the Lord, before the Priest, their first fruits, every year, with such a solemn confession made by all grown Israelites, as is appointed in Deut. 26.2 to 16. was a visible profession of their Faith and Obedience, suited to the condition of that Church and time, in performance whereof, they avouched the Lord to be their God, and to walk in his ways, and keep his Statutes, and his Commandments, and his Judgements, and to hearken unto his Voice: and the Lord avouched them to be his peculiar People, etc. v. 16, 17, 18. And the like, if not greater, care was had of the profession and conversation of the Sons of strangers, the Children of such Proselytes, as were admitted into the Church of Israel, Isa. 56.6, 7. John Baptist also required of all, whom he admitted unto his Baptism, a repenting-confession of their sins, and that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus, Act. 19.4. warning them, not to rest in this, that Abraham was their Father, Mat. 3.9. Answerably, the Primitive Churches required of all grown persons, 1. Visible Repentance, in case of open scandals, Act. 19.18. 2. to join therewith a public profession of their Faith in Christ, Act. 2.39. 3. A profession of their subjection to the Gospel of Christ, 2 Cor. 9.13. And after the Apostles days, the ancient Churches, they had their Poenitentes, such as held forth their Repentance publicly; and their Catechumeni, who were of two sorts, 1. Such as had been Pagans, and were instructed by being catechised in the Christian Faith, that they might crave Baptism when they should be found fit, and then were called Competentes: In the interim, they were called Audientes, or, Auditores. 
* Tertull. l. de poenit. c. 6. & praescr. advers. Haeret. c. 4. Cypr. l. 3. ep. 17.  2. Such as having been Baptised in their Infancy, when they did nonnihil adolescere, were Catechised, and being found to be Believers, were confirmed by imposition of Hands, and admitted unto the Lord's Table, and unto the full fruition of all Church-priviledges. These, Clemens calleth Incipientes & Novitios, and so do others, from 1 Tim. 3.6. As the Mystery of Iniquity wrought higher and more effectually to advance Papal usurpation, by the spoils of Churches, this custom, in the right use of it, ceased; and Popery retained only the name of Confirmation, but corrupted the thing, and turned it into a Sacrament, limiting the Administration of it to Diocesan Praelats. This corrupt custom was continued in England, after they renounced the Pope. But, as Luther in Germany, sought to introduce the right use of it into the Churches there; So did Cranmer, under that Godly King Edward the 6th, endeavour in England, and committed the perusal and censure of the Common-Prayer-Book, to that godly, learned and moderate Theologue, Bucer; who examining the Book, found, among sundry other things, That those which were to be confirmed, 
Censura M. Buceri super lib. Ordinat. Eccles. cap. 17.  must say the Apostles Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the ten Commandments, and answer the Questions of the short Catechism. Bucer's censure upon it is thus: This requires diligent ponderation. If they think it sufficient, that the words of this Confession be recited, God abhorreth such as confess him in words, and their heart is far from him. Nor is Catechising instituted to this end, that they should answer in words only, That they believe in God, and will keep his Commandments. The Lord saith, Teach them to observe and do, and not only to speak; and he requireth such Worshippers, as worship him in spirit and in truth. But, if a true Confession of Faith, and profession of Obedience, such as should be required of adulti, grown persons, unto Baptism, be meant; such a Confession of Faith must be required, as may be judged, not to be born in the mouth, or gotten only by humane teaching, but also it must have those signs in the life and manners, that it ought to be received of the Churches, as coming from an heart truly believing the Gospel, and the Doctrine of the holy Spirit. For though the Church cannot look into the hearts of men, yet they ought to judge of trees by their fruits: which fruits, afterwards, he declares at large. But I hasten to the next point, having been the larger in this, because it is a subject of no less importance than dispute, in reference to the question under so much agitation.   

CHAP. III. Concerning the formal Cause.  
THe formal cause, or that which gives essential being to this Church, is here held forth in a Metaphor, taken from houses. For, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, properly signifies, to build an house of materials, fitly joined and compacted together: but Christ doth not here speak of the structure of a material house, but of the constituting of that holy Society, which he calleth his Church, under the metaphor of building an house, which every way suits the matter he speaks of. For, as a material house (suppose, of stones) is built by orderly placing and strongly cementing them together, which before were either scattered stones, or a confused and lose heap, but not an house, till they were thus framed and compacted together: so this holy Society, the Church of Christ, ariseth from the coadunition, or knitting together of many Saints into one, by an holy Covenant, whereby they, as lively Stones, are built up a spiritual House, 1 Pet. 2.4, 5. And as the natural body of a man is built, by an orderly joining and firmly knitting the parts together: So is the Church of Christ built by the mutual Covenanting of the Saints, the Members of the Church, which is called the Body of Christ, where the Members of it are thus orderly and firmly knit to the Head, and one to another. Eph. 4.15, 16. The same holds in Cities and Families, which are thus built also; and therefore the Apostle speaketh of this matter, under the same matephor, in Ephes. 2.19, 20, 21. The conclusion from hence is, that  
Concl. 3 It is the will and appointment of Jesus Christ, our Lord, that his Churches, under the New Testament, be constituted, in respect of their essential form, by the public mutual covenanting of the Saints, with the Lord, and one with another.  
Though all men seem to grant, that every Church of Christ hath its being from a Covenant (for which cause, they that want an explicit Covenant, do yet plead their implicit Covenant to maintain the truth of their Church-state) yet such disputes are raised against the Church Covenant, that I am compelled to handle this point also the more largely, that the truth concerning it, may be the better cleared and settled. I shall therefore, with the help of Christ, show, 1. To what end it serveth; 2. what it imports; 3. prove it to be the Ordinance of Christ; 4. draw some consectaries from the Conclusion.  
1. The next end of their confederating is, to engage themselves to submit one to another in the Lord, & to cleave to Christ and his Rules, and to one another in him, mutually, and to walk together, accordingly, in the use of all means sanctified and appointed by him for attaining the ends of Church-communion.  
2. The Covenant itself imports two things, 1. On the Lord's part, it implieth, (1.) the Lords giving them his Covenant for themselves and their seed, Gen. 17.7. (2.) His giving them hearts to take hold of his Covenant, accordingly, Isa. 56.4, 5, 6, 7. where you see, the Eunuches and the son of the stranger's taking hold of the Covenant, is foretell, as that which should be previous to the Lord's giving them a place in his house, and bringing them into his holy Mountain (that is, joining them to his visible Churches under the New Testament) when the Church shall be called, an house of prayer to all Nations, v. 7. 2. On the Saint's part; their covenanting for themselves, and for their seed, to be the Lord's People, and to walk in his ways, Deut. 29.10, 11, 12. and to cleave firmly one to another, viz. to their Officers and Brethren, Deut. 12.19. Neh. 10.29. with mutual watchfulness one over another, Leu. 19.17. Deut. 29.18. with Heb. 12.15, 16. and with mutual submission to Christ, and to one another, in him. 2 Cor. 9.13.  
3. Such Covenanting is Christ's Ordinance unto the Churches under the New Testament; this is proved,  
Reas. 1 From the parity of reason between the Churches before the coming of Christ and since, in all essentials of a Church. For in the essential state and form of a Church, there is par ratio omnium Ecclesiarum. Before the coming of Christ, the People of God were joined together into Church-fellowship by confederation; Psal. 50.5. Gather my Saints together unto me; those that have made a Covenant with me by sacrifice. So did Adam, and all the holy Patriarches, unto Abraham: and so did the posterity of Jacob, at Mount Sinai, Exod. 19.5, 6. and 24.8. and from thence were called, the Church in the Wilderness, with which Moses was joined. Act. 7.38. And so, the Lord there tells them, it should be in point of the Covenant, though not of Sacrifices, with the Church under the New Testament, v. 14, 15, 16. In Abraham's family, God built his Church by a Covenant, without sacrifice; but first, the Lord changed his name, and called him Abraham, to show, that he now treated with him, not as a single person, but as a Father of many nations, and as a multitude virtually, Gen. 17.5. Then he gave him his Covenant, to be a God to him, and his seed, Gen. 17.7. and, to show that it was a Church-Covenant, he gave him Circumcision for the visible sign and seal of it. Gen. 17. 10-15. Thus far went the Covenant on God's part. 2. On Abraham's part; he first accepted both the Covenant and the confirmation of it, with Faith and holy reverence, declared by his rejoicing, John. 8.56. and humble prostration of himself before the Lord, v. 17. and by real performance of it, after, both in his own person, being circumcised when he was ninty nine years old, v. 24. and, as a Prophet and Ruler, instructing his family, concerning the Covenant and Circumcision, and their duty to accept the one, and submit to the other, which they did accordingly, v. 23, 27. and thereby professed their subjection to the Lord and to his Ordinances. Hence the posterity of Abraham, by Isaac and Jacob, became the Lord's People, Exod. 3.7. yea his first born, Exod. 4.22, 23. and had Circumcision as a seal of this Covenant, whereby they were distinguished from all other People, Deut. 7.6, 7, 8. But they, like men, transgressed and broke the Covenant, both in Egpyt, and in the Wilderness: yet the Lord, being faithful in his Covenant unto their forefathers, did not cast them off, but called them to repentance, and renewed his Covenant, in a more Evangelical manner, in the plains of Moab, that he might establish them to be his People, and their little ones, and the strangers, Deut. 29. 10-14. which Covenant they took hold of, for themselves and their seed, and for them that were not there with them, that day, v. 15. that they would admit none unto Church-fellowship with them, but such as should separate themselves from the pollutions of the Heathen, and enter into the common engagement with them, to cleave to the Lord, and to one another, with memberlike love, watchfulness and submission mutually. Hence it was, that the sin of one Achan became the sin and punishment of all Israel, Josh. 7.11, 12.  
Reas. 2 From the Apostles manner of planting Christian Churches, after the Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ. Their custom it was, when they had converted many to Christ, to join them together into one Congregation, by covenanting with the Lord and his People, for themselves and their Children.  
Object. Against this assertion, some object, that in the planting of the Church at Samaria, in Cornelius his house, at Phillippi, Corinth, Ephesus, Thessalonica, etc. they find no mention of such a Covenant as the Doctrine intendeth, only that they believed, professed, and were Baptised, but no mention of an express vocal Covenant.  
Answ. 1 1. Though it be not mentioned in those Texts, yet it may be in others. 2. We need not be solicitous about the words, if the thing be found there. 3. And that the thing is to be found there, it may be evinced three ways: 1. From their being baptised. 2. From the phrases. 3. From the similitudes, which import their covenanting together. 1. From their being baptised, which presupposeth, that they were first made Disciples, because their Commission required that, Mat. 28.19. where, to make Disciples, is as much as to gather and plant Churches, by visible bringing men into Christ's school, with engagement, by those of years, for themselves and their seed, to submit unto Christ's teaching and government therein. This school of Christ is the Church of God, whence the members of Christian Churches are called, Disciples, in Act. 15.10. So then, they were in Church-fellowship, before they were baptised.  
2. From the Phrases, which imply covenanting to be that, whereby they became visible members of the Church. I shall instance in two. The first is used in Act. 2.41. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, were added; and v. 47. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Lord added: and chap. 5.14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, were the more added. The word imports such an adding as did visibly and firmly knit them together. 
Calvin in Act 2.41. adjuncti Christi discipulis, vel in idem corpus insiti.  Calvin saith, they were joined to Christ's Disciples, or engrafted into the same body. That which thus visibly engrafted them, was not God's working Faith in their hearts, or their visible profession of it: for it is said, Believers, were added. v. 14. which is of the same import with, those that gladly received the Word, in Act. 2.41. Therefore this adding was by something else; and what could that be, but their visible taking hold of the Covenant with that particular Christian Congregation, whereunto they now joined themselves notwithstanding their former state in the National Church of the Jews? And that they were thus added to the Church, Luke confirmeth two ways. 1. by the effect of this engagement, in Act. 2.42. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, they were strongly and constantly knit together (viz. by virtue of their former mutual engagement) in the Apostles Doctrine, Hearing, Believing, Professing, Obeying it constantly; and in fellowship, i. e. in Church Communion, into which they were combined and compacted before, having solemnly given up themselves, first to the Lord, and then to the Apostles and Church, by the will of God, as Paul expoundeth it, in 2 Cor. 8.5. 2. Luke confirmeth the same sense of their being added to the Church, by expressing the manner of it to be so, as of the rest durst no man join himself to them, in Act. 5.13. yet they did magnify them, i. e. they approved their doctrine and way, and confessed the truth and goodness of it. All which was not sufficient to add them so to the Church, as believers were added, viz. by public voluntary engagement with the Church, mutually. And this to be the meaning, Luke confirmeth, by using another word, synonomous with this, which more plainly expresseth the manner of their being added to the Church, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to be glued: which word, though it sometimes signifieth joining, in a more common and lax sense, yet not in matters of this nature. Therefore, according to Tertullian's rule, Deligendus est sensus è materiâ dicti: and then we know, that all joining unto a Corporation, must be done by Covenant, as it is in Marriage, and voluntary services, to both which relations the same Verb is applied; to Marriage, in Mat. 19.5. to voluntary service, in Luk. 15.15. both which are by voluntary covenant. This is the strong knitting glue whereby persons are joined together in all such voluntary relations. So much may serve for explication of the phrase.  
3. The third proof is from the similitudes used in the New Testament, to express their covenanting together. The Church is compared to a House, to the Body-natural, to a Body-corporate, to a Wife.  
1. To an House, 1 Tim. 3.15. the whole society is called, the household of Faith, Gal. 6.10. every member of it is said to be, of the Household of God, Eph. 2.19. Whether you speak of an House, in an Architectonical sense, the materials must be cemented together; now, in the Church, that cement is the Covenant; or, in an oeconomical sense, the Members that are voluntarily added, as voluntary Servants to the Family, are joined with the rest by Covenant; so it must be in the Church, Eph. 2.21.  
2. To the Natural-body, in man; the Head of it is Jesus Christ, the Members are Beleivers, the whole is made up essentially, when they are harmonically joined, and strongly compacted together by mutual engagement to submit one to another in the Lord, whereby they fall, as it were into joints; as the Thigh falleth into the Knee, and the Shoulder into the Shoulderblade, by shooting itself into the hollow of it, and is firmly knit to it, Ephes. 4.15, 16.  
3. To a Body-Corporate. Hence the Church is called the holy City, Rev. 11.2. and Church-members, Citizens with the Saints, Ephes. 2.19. That whereby the Church is as a City compacted together, is the Covenant. For as all Citizens are admitted into jus Civitatis, and become free Denizens, by voluntary entering into the common engagement and covenant, whereby they become a Political-body; so it is in the Church.  
4. To a Wife, whether espoused or married. All espousals and marriages, are by a voluntary mutual Covenant, Prov. 2.17. Mal. 2.14. So it is in the Church of God, Isa. 62.5. Hence Paul styleth the particular Church at Corinth, a Virgin espoused, 2 Cor. 11.2. To show that all the members were joined, as one Virgin, into one body, and that Virgin-Church, into a Covenant of espousals with Jesus Christ, as their Head and Husband, in all his Offices, and one with another, in him, mutually. Thus, we see, the phrases and similitudes, in the New Testament, do strongly confirm this truth, That the first Christian Church's planted by the Apostles, were constituted, in respect of their essential form, in one body among themselves severally and respectively, by an holy Covenant. If any demand, why the Apostles did not expressly mention the word, Covenant. Two reasons are given for that; 1. That it was not necessary; seeing it had been so clearly and fully expressed in the old Testament, as that which gives essential being to the Church. And it is usual in Scripture, that duties, which are grounded upon a natural, or moral, and common reason and equity, and have been largely expressed in the old Testament, are but briefly and implicitly pointed at in the New: as the Baptising of Infants, the Christian Sabbath, and the manner of sanctifying it; so this of the Church-Covenant. Yet concerning all these, sufficient light is held forth in the New Testament, for manifesting the mind of God unto his People.  
2. That it was not seasonable and safe for the Churches, then living under Heathen Princes and Rulers, enemies to Christ, unto whose jealousies the name of Covenant, and Covenanters might render them obnoxious, and might seem dangerous to the civil peace. Therefore Christ and his Apostles chose rather to forbear mentioning the name, yet established the thing under such similitudes and parables, as might hid it from others, and yet reveal it to the Saints.  
Reas. 3 From the voluntary relation, which is between the Members of the Church, together with their mutual interest one in another, and their mutual power one over another; all which do necessarily imply their mutual covenanting one with another. 1. Their relation is voluntary: and all voluntary relations are by covenant; as, between a Society or Corporation, and the Members of it; between Husbands and Wives; between Masters and voluntary Servants: So, between a Church and the Members of it; both parties, before, were free, the one, to offer himself into fellowship, or not; the other, to admit him, or not. If such join together it is by their free consent, and must be by mutual engagement. Hence ariseth their special and particular relation to this Church, and among themselves mutually, as a body distinct from other Churches. 2. Their interest one in another, and power one over another mutually, ariseth from their mutual engagement by covenant. No Church can judge any inhabitant among them, unless he first give up himself to the Lord and them, in a professed subjection to the Gospel of Christ. Nor can any inhabitant expect memberlike watchfulness and helpfulness from the Church, unless, upon his offering himself to enter into the common engagement, they receive him, and take upon them that care over him. 3. Their constant fellowship in Church-priviledges, ariseth from this mutual engagement by Covenant. For none can be admitted unto them, without consent of the body: nor can the body admit them thereunto, without their taking hold of the Covenant: for, till then, they are not under the power of the whole; as it hath been proved.  
Object. There seems to be no need of Church-Covenants, seeing the Covenant of Grace conveigheth to Beleivers all Spiritual blessings, and bindeth them to all Christian duties.  
Answ. 1 The Spiritual blessings communicated by Christ unto Believers, through the Covenant of Grace, are of two sorts. 1. Internal, viz. Adoption, Justification, Sanctification, etc. together with the blessed right unto all the outward good things of this life, 1 Tim. 4.8. and a remote or mediate right unto Church-priviledges. These, all Believers have from Christ by the Covenant of Grace, as they are Believers in sincerity and truth, in the sight of God. 2. External, viz. Church-fellowship, and power of the Keys, etc. These, visible Believers have from Christ, through the Covenant of Grace, as they are confederates, and joined with the Church by taking hold of the Covenant. This difference is between them; The former are limited to the persons of true Believers in the sight of God, Hab. 2.4. The latter are given to a society of true Believers, in the account of the Church, and are extended to their seed also, Exod. 20.6.  
2. Though the Covenant of Grace received by us, binds us to all Christian duties required in the Gospel, yet it binds us also to do them in the due order: for God is the God of ●rder, and not of confusion. Therefore such duties as issue from voluntary relations, must be done only by those who stand in such relations. Will any Man or Woman infer from his or her being in the Covenant of Grace, that therefore there is no need or use of a conjugal Covenant, but that he hath right to all Women, and she to all Men, to perform conjugal duties with them, where ever they come, though they are not joined to any of them by a conjugal Covenant? The like reason is of all other duties which are founded in other voluntary relations; as between Masters and Servants, Pastor and People, Corporations and the Members of them, particular Churches and their Members. Therefore the Covenant of Grace binds all Believers to such mutual covenanting together, as is necessary for the orderly discharge of the several duties that are to be performed by virtue of such a state and relation. Thus the conclusion is proved.  
Corallary. 1 Hence it will follow, that it is not sufficient to make one a visible member of this or that Church, that he is joined to it in hearty affection, or in neighbourhood of habitation, or in ordinary hearing the Word preached among them. For, 1. the members of several Churches may be so joined; yea, 2. they that are members of no particular Church, may so join with Church assemblies. All these might be affirmed of those who durst not join as members, to the Church at Jerusalem, Act. 5.13. And of that Heathen Corinthian, 1 Cor. 14.24, 25. 3. All these may be found in an excommunicate.  
corollary. 2 Then Baptism and profession of the doctrine of Faith, with freedom from public scandal, do not formally constitute a Church, nor make one a visible member of the Church. 1. Not Baptism; 1. because the form must be before the formatum, not after it: but the Congregational-Church is before Baptism. For, 1. Baptism cannot ordinarily be orderly administered, but by a Minister called unto Office by the Church. 2. Because Baptism sealeth the Covenant, and incorporation of a Believer and his seed into the visible Church. 1 Cor. 12, 13. Therefore Baptism is not before, but after the Church: Because where the form is, there the formatum must be also. But visible Church-membership may cease by excommunication or desertion, or by the dissolution of a Church; yet Baptism remaineth.  
2. Not profession of the Doctrine of Faith, though accompanied with freedom from scandalous sins. For general profession cannot appropriate a man particularly to any one Church, without particular engagement to that particular body. 2. Nor doth it bring any one under the power of this or that Church, which it hath over its own Members, and other Churches have not. 3. If that were sufficient; a man should become a member of any particular Church whether it will or no.  
corollary. 3 Then a Member of one particular Congregation, is not, thereby, a Member of all visible Congregations on earth. For, though a Church-covenant be common to all Churches, in its general nature; yet there is a special combination, which gives a peculiar being to one Congregational-Church and its members, distinct from all others. Else, how could one Church have that power over its own Members, which another hath not? And in all voluntary covenants, the only difference between them is, the peculiar interest which one hath in another, by a particular engagement that passeth between party and party. Covenants of Corporations, of Marriages, of Service, and the like, are, in general, common to all that are in those and the like relations; Yet, in particular appropriation, bind them only to this or that individual. No man can claim a memberlike right in all Corporations, because he is in covenant with one, upon this plea, that Corporation-covenants are common to all Societies: nor can an Husband plead, that he hath a conjugal right in all Wives, because conjugal-covenant is common to all married persons. The same holds in Churches, which are distinguished one from another by their respective Covenants. Other absurdities that proceed from this Tenet, I shall pretermit.  
corollary. 4 Then the Children of the Church, notwithstanding their membership, which they had, during their menority, by their Parent's covenant; yet they must, when they are grown up, join themselves to the Church by their voluntary taking hold of the Covenant publicly with the Church, in their own personal right, before they may be admitted to exercise all acts of Church-communion, and to partake of all Church-priviledges for themselves, and before their Children may be Baptised. 1. I say, before they may be admitted to exercise all acts of Church-communion, and to partake of all Church-priviledges, for themselves.] For, in their minority, they were Members in their Parents, and were Baptised, to seal the Covenant made with them in their Parents, or, with the Parents, for themselves and their children. But when they come to years, they must take hold of the Covenant with the Church, for themselves, because now they are capable of Church-priviledges, in that way which they were not before. If any oppose against this, that Church-membership non recipit magis et minus; that argueth only, that one of the confederates is no more engaged to the other, than the other to him: But otherwise, in Confederacies, some are allowed greater liberties than others be, according to the diversity of the subjects, and their capacities. So it is in Civil Societies and Corporations; the Child of the freeman of London, hath all the benefit of a freeman's Child, under age; he may trade for himself with and under his Father, in his Father's right: But being of years, he may not set up shop, nor trade in his own right, till he first take up his freedom, and, by oath, voluntarily submit himself to all the orders of that Society, and duty of a Citizen. Some think, that the Children of Confederates are so complete members, that they should be excommunicated, in case of demerit. I cannot easily assent thereunto: for that would imply, that they have an immediate right in all Church-priviledges, which I do not grant, nor believe; but that, as the Church looks upon them tanquam in lumbis parentum; so also, if the grown Members of the Church observe vicious qualities and practices in them, they do not deal with them immediately in those steps of proceeding, required in Mat. 18. to bring matters to the Church, but they deal with their Parents to discharge their duty, in educating their Children according to the rule, in Ephes. 6.4. To this sense Dr. Ames applieth that text, in 1 Cor. 7.14. 
Ames. medulla Theolog. lib. 1. cap. 32. art. 12, 13.  Infants tamen non adeò perfecta sunt membra Ecclesiae, ut possint actus Communionis exercere, aut admitti ad omnia ejus privilegia participanda, nisi priùs incrementum fidei appareat: ab iis vero, quae pertinent ad initium fidei, et ingressum in Ecclesiam, non sunt excludendi. 2. Nor may their Children be baptised, till themselves have taken hold of the Covenant with the Church, in their own right. For, the Children of Church-members, when they come to age, for not taking hold of the Covenant with the Church, do become non-members, and are to be so looked at by the Church, if they desert Church-fellowship (either departing from them in place, as Esau into mount Seir, or withdrawing from their communion;) or if the Church withdraw from them. In such cases, they are not so much as implicitly members. Therefore their Children may not be baptised. For the right that Infants have unto Baptism, is in their next and immediate Parents. 1. Because the Apostle, in 1 Cor. 7.14. doth so limit it. 2. Because the Apostasy of the next Parents takes off the federal holiness of their Seed; as we see in the posterity of Ishmael and Esau. 3. Because if Infants should have this right in their Grandfathers, where shall we stop? shall it be extended to a thousand Generations, as some misapply that promise in Exod. 20.6. That cannot be true: for then the Children of the Jews; and Turks, and Heathen, all the world over, have a right to Bapism, in some of their Ancestors within that time, contrary to Rom. 11.17.  
corollary. 5 Then Church-covenant is no formidable matter, but desirable. Is it a yoke? 1. It is Christ's yoke, which is easy, Mat. 11.29, 30. he will make it easy. Depend upon his faithfulness, as Surety of the Covenant of Grace, for ability to be faithful in your discharge of your Covenant with the Church. 2. It is not a yoke of bondage, but of precious liberties; whereby you have right in all the outward privileges of the Gospel. 3. Nor is Church-fellowship a prison, but, if God call, they must consent to your remove from them, and follow you with their prayers. It is, indeed, a strong but sweet engagement of all upright-hearted Christians to please Christ, and to be to his honour, in that state. So doth the Marriage-covenant oblige those that are in that state, 1 Cor. 7.34. & 11.7. From whence, the Apostle argueth for the like care in particular Churches, and the Members of them, Ephes. 5.24. 2 Cor. 8.23. which also was a special end and use of the Covenant, wherein Abraham and the Church of the Jews stood bound unto God, Gen. 17.1, 2. and 2 Chron. 34.31, 32. and the contrary discovered the insincerity and hypocrisy of others, Psal. 78.37. In like manner it bindeth the Members of the Church to all the duties of their Church-relation mutually, both Officers and People, and quickeneth them thereunto, through the influence and assistance of Christ the head of the Church, by his Spirit in them all; Ephes. 4.15, 16. 1 Cor. 12. to 28. And therefore I cannot but wonder, that some, who do approve and plead for all other Covenants, viz. National, Conjugal, Social Covenants, should yet dislike, and oppose Church-Covenants.  
corollary. 6 From the premises we may see when the Church-Covenant is broken, and how great their sin is, who do scandalously and contumaciously persist therein.   

CHAP. IU. Concerning the quantity and compass of a Christian Church.  
THE Church, which Christ calls his Church, he telleth Peter, that he will build it; Upon this Rock (Mat. 16.18.) I will build my Church. Where, the verb is in the first person, and in the future tense. 1. He speaketh in the first Person, not in the second, to show, that though he will use men, as his instruments, in this work, yet it is his presence and blessing that causeth the work to prosper in their hands, Mat. 28.19, 20. 1 Cor. 3.9. It is by the Spirit of the Lord that Church-work is carried on successfully, Zech. 4.6. 2. 
See Mr. Bradf. Answ. to the Arch. B. of York in Mr. Fox his Act & Mon. in a Conference between them and the Bishop of Chichester in the Compter in Breadstreet.  He speaketh in the future tense, not in the praeter, or present; for, though Christ was in all ages the builder of the Church, yet he thus speaketh of the Church under the New Testament, because it was to be constituted after his Death, Resurrection and Ascension, when the Gospel should shine forth so clearly, that it should obscure the light of former ages, as the Sun rising in its strength, doth the light of the Stars: and it should appear, 
Tit. 2.11.  bringing Salvation to all men, even to the Gentiles, and they should be gathered and joined unto Christ, that one Head, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Eph. 1.10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Ephes. 3.6. & 2.13, 14  and become Members of his Body, together with the believing Jews, in Church-communion visibly, the partition Wall being broken down. And, because all Nations could not be joined together in one visible Church (as the Nation of the Jews might be, and was) to have their solemn set meetings together, to worship God thrice a year, or once in an age; the Lord Jesus instituted a Congregational-Church among Christians, and invested every such Church with sufficient Church-power within itself, for attainment of all the ends of Church-communion. This is the Church, which Christ saith, he will build, and appropriates it to himself, My Church, 1. Because it is his Institution. 2. Because his Name is called and put upon it. The Members of it are, not Moses his disciples, but Christ's, and therefore were, of old, called Christians, Act. 11.26.  
This title of Church, though it be given some times to a civil Assembly, Act. 19.41. yet so it is not taken in this place. For Christ no where calleth a civil Assembly, his Church. Therefore it must signify an holy Society. And in that sense, the Scripture applieth this title sundry ways. 1. To Godly Families, Rom. 16.5. Col. 4.15. Phil. 2. where the Church, in such an house, is distinguished from the Congregational Church. For Paul writeth to the Congregational Assembly to salute Aquila and Priscilla, and the Church in their house. Their house, it seemeth, consisted (all) of Godly persons, in Paul's judgement; else, he would have said, Salute them of such an house, who are in the Lord: and it was an exemplary Family, and a seminary of the Church, yet not such a Church as was capable of all Church Officers, and power, as this, meant in the text, hath by the gift of Christ. 2. Sometimes it signifieth the Catholic visible Church, Heb, 12.23. but that hath been from the beginning, and doth not, nor can meet in one place, on earth to worship God. Therefore it is not meant here. 3. Most commonly, it signifieth a Congregational Church, or, an holy Society joined together by an holy Covenant, in one Congregation, to walk together according to all the Ordinances and Laws given by Christ to his Church. And so sometimes it signifieth a definite particular Congregation, meeting together in one place, for the public worship of God, and their mutual edification: as that at Corinth, 1 Cor. 11.18, 20. and 14.23. And in that acceptation, it notes, sometimes the Brethren, as distinguished from the Elders; Act. 15.22. Sometimes the Elders and Brethren assembled together, as in 1 Cor. 11.20. but never, the Elders meeting apart from the Brethren. But, in this place it doth not signify a particular definite Church. For there is no particular Christian Church built by Christ more, or rather, than other. It remaineth, that Christ speaks of a particular Congregational Church here, in an indefinite sense. And so, the word Church is applied in the New Testament, when Paul saith, he persecuted the Church, Phil. 3.6. Not, that at Jerusalem only, or Damascus, but all the Churches in Judea, Gal.. 1.22, 23. In this sense, Christ calls every Christian Congregational Church, thus built, his Church.  
From the words thus opened, this doctrinal conclusion is to be collected viz. That it is the will and appointment of Jesus Christ, that the Christian Church, under the New Testament, be, in respect of its quantity and compass, Congregational.  
Concl. 4 This we shall endeavour to prove, both by Scripture and Reason. 1. The Scripture, in the writings of the Apostles, clearly showeth, that they so understood this branch of the Church-Charter, and therefore they speak of Christian-Churches, as several and distinct from one another, 1 Cor. 11.16. and 14.33. Yea, in one and the same Country, as Galatia, Gal, 1.2. Judea, v. 22. Macedonia. 2 Cor. 8.1. Yea in Corinth, where God had much people, Act. 18.10. yet the Church there was but one Congregation, 1 Cor. 14. and, though Cenchrea was a Port near unto Corinth, yet it had a Church distinct from Corinth; Rom. 16.1. The Church also in Jerusalem, though a greater number of Believers was declared to be there, than we read of in other Cities, yet it was but one Congregation; Act. 2.41, 44, 47. and 6.2, 15. The same holdeth concerning other great Cities; the Church, in every one of them, was Congregational: and, if the number of Believers grew too great for one Congregation, doubtless more Churches were gathered in such a place and case: & if several parts of the Church met in times of Persecution, now and then, here and there, as they might; yet they continued one Congregation, having the same Officers, in common, for any thing appears in Scripture to the contrary. Now let us see, why the Christian Church must be Congregational.  
Reas. 1 The first Reason is from the end of Church-fellowship, which is mutual edification, in the use of the means instituted by Christ thereunto. Let all things be done unto edification, 1. Cor. 14.26. but how can this be attained, unless they so meet together, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. v. 13? Hence all the Members of the Church are exhorted, not to forsake their assembling together, Heb. 10.25. which was the praise of the primitive Church in Jerusalem, Act. 2.42, 44. Therefore a particular visible Church is compared to a flock, which are fed together, Act. 20.28; and to an House or Family, the members whereof enjoy the same Family-priviledges in common, under the same family-order; 1 Tim. 3.15.  
Reas. 2 The second Reason is, from their duty to take up offences among Brethren, which cannot be ended privately, Mat. 18.17, 18. which implieth two things. 1. That the Church must consist of more than two or three: for though two or three may watch over one another, admonish one another; and, in case of obstinancy, withdraw from a convicted delinquent: and, though two or three praying together, may expect the presence and blessing of Christ, as v. 19, 20. upon their admonition; yet two or three cannot issue the matter completely, in way of Church-censure, but must tell the Church: Therefore the Church must necessarily consist of a greater number. Again, how can two or three choose the four sorts of Officers amongst themselves, which are described by four living creatures, in Rev. 4.6, 7. viz. Pastor, Teacher, Ruling Elder, and Deacon? 2. That they must not exceed the quantity and compass of one Congregation. For the Church must meet ordinarily together with their Officers, for these purposes. Therefore the Scripture showeth that the whole Church did meet together to choose and ordain Officers, as Deacons, Act. 6.2, 3, 5. Elders; Act. 14.23. to receive and admit Members, Act. 9.26. for Prophesying, 1 Cor. 14.23. for the Seals, 1 Cor. 11.20. and for Censures, 1 Cor. 5.4. and to release from censures. 2 Cor. 2.6, 7. So much for proof of the point. The Con●●ctaries are these.  
Coral. 1 Then the Congregational frame of a Christian Church is no humane invention, or constitution. True it is, that the Parish frame, as it was wont to join all the inhabitants within such a praecinct, into one Church, enjoining them all to communicate at the Lords Table, at least at Easter, is merely humane, not being measured by the Golden Reed, which is the Church-measure, but by the Court-measure, Rev. 11.1, 2. But that Members so qualified as Christ requireth, and so confederating, should ordinarily meet together in one Congregation, for the solemn worship of God, and their mutual edification, is the Ordinance of Christ, and according to the measure of the golden Reed, whereby the City and Gates, and the dimensions of the New-Jerusalem are measured, Rev. 21.15. that they shall not be so few, as to cut off Church-jurisdiction within themselves; nor so many, but that all may hear and be edified, and be governed by the Power, which Christ hath given to the Church to preserve the purity of his Worship, and of their fellowship within themselves.  
Coral. 2 Then, when a People grow to be so numerous in any Church, that they cannot ordinarily meet together, to Church-ends; it is the mind of Christ, that they should be distributed into sundry Congregational Churches. For, though many thousands of Israel met together in the court of the Temple at Jerusalem to offer Sacrifice; because they might stand in so large a place together and see the Sacrifices burnt; yet that will not prove, that such multitudes should be Members of a Christian Church, where more communion is required, then in seeing some one Ordinance performed.  
Coral. 3 Then, it is not arbitrary, but a duty for every Christian, to endeavour to join himself in Membership with a Congregational instituted Church of Christ: whosoever have opportunity, and neglect so to do, they greatly sin against God, and break the second Commandment, in not worshipping him according to his institution: and also against their own souls, in depriving themselves of the blessing, which he hath annexed unto his Institution; Exod. 20.24. Mat. 28.20. and if they persist in that neglect, they can hardly be accounted Believers truly seeking the Kingdom of God, what profession of Religion soever they make otherwise, Mat. 6.33. and they sin against their posterity also, to whom God promiseth mercy, upon their parents worshipping him according to his Institutions: If the Lord doth good to the posterity of such, it is merely from his own good pleasure, but not from their Parent's Covenant, Ezek. 16.61.   

CHAP. V Concerning the Churches impregnable stability.  
TO the Church built by Christ upon this Rock, he hath promised and given this great privilege, that the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in the Scripture, signifieth, not Hell, but the state of the dead, or the Grave, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are enemies vanquished by Christ for his Church, 1 Cor. 15.26, 55. and shallbe cast into the lake of fire, Rev. 20.14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the gates of Death, in Job. 38.17. Psal. 107.18. and the gates of the Grave, Isa. 38.10. i e. the power of Death and the Grave, which seizeth on them, as a Sergeant, Psal. 116.3. The sum is; Let the Church be brought to the lowest, that it seems to be dead, as those two Witnesses, Rev. 11.8, 9 and buried, as Christ's natural body was, for a time; yet neither Death, nor the Grave shall prevail agaist it. Yet we must not limit the sense of these words, only to the power of Death and the Grave, but it must be extended to all Satan's plots and assaults against the Church, against which if Christ did not help them, Death and the Grave would prevail against them, to their eternal destruction. We conclude therefore, that, in this Text, by the gates of Hell, are meant, all the machinations of Satan, and temptations whatsoever, whereby he laboureth to hinder the building of Christ's Church, to draw those from Christ, who are built upon him. The prevailing of them signifies their effectual working unto the attainment of those ends. The sum is, a promise that the Devil, with all his policies and powers, shall neither hinder the building of Christ's Church, nor cause the Church thus built to apostatise from Christ. And that this is the true sense and meaning of the words, whatsoever Socinians, or Arminians say to the contrary, may thus be evinced: 1. Because the thing promised, is the disabling of what ever opposeth the building of the Church upon this Rock, or its constant adhering to Christ, from prevailing to those ends: but so do Satan's temptations; Therefore they are meant by the gates of Hell. 2. Because whatsoever goeth forth out of the gates of Hell, or hath its beginning from thence, is meant in this phrase: but the Temptations and Machinations of Satan, by himself and his instruments, Heretics and Tyrants, go forth thence; Therefore they are meant in this phrase. 3. Because Peter, to whom Christ spoke these words, describes unbelievers, the adversaries of this building, as belonging to the gates of Hell; 1 Pet. 2.7, 8. 4. Because the proportion, which Christ implies, in these words, requireth that they be so understood. The proportion is between two Cities, that of Heaven, which hath its gates, and keys, in v. 19 and the other of Hell, which hath its gates; whence it endeavours the ruin and overthrow of that, but shall not prevail. Seeing therefore City is opposed to City, and Gates to Gates, and one (viz. the Church) is considered in the state of present building; it is most suitable that the other be also looked at, as it opposeth that, in the present, whilst it is militant upon earth. But from hence, that Christ promiseth that the gates of Hell shall not prevail against his Church thus built, some infer, that Christ meaneth only the invisible Catholic Church: For that only, say they, is bulilt on this Rock, and only that shall not fail. Answ. 1. It is true, that the Catholic invisible Church is built upon Christ, by effectual and unfeigned Faith, and that shall not fail: For that is the general Assembly, and Church of the fist-born, which are enroled in Heaven, Heb. 12.23. And all the gates of Hell cannot prevail against those that are written in Heaven. 2. But it is not true, that these only are built on this Rock. The Apostle Paul tells us, that a particular visible Church, rightly constituted, as that at Corinth, is built upon this Rock, or Rocky-foundation, 1 Cor. 3.10, 11. and being so built, is under the special protection of God in Christ; in respect whereof the Lord promiseth any such Church, as well among the Gentiles, as the Jews, Whosoever shall gather himself against thee, shall fall, Isa. 54.15. and all the weapons that are made against thee shall not prosper, vers. 17. And it is clear, that Christ, in this place, speaks of such a Church as is built upon the confession of Faith, such as Peter made, visibly and publicly; whereupon, not the invisible Catholic Church, but visible particular Churches are built: Therefore these only are meant here.  
Concl. 5 The Church of Christ, built by himself upon this Rock, in using the means which he hath appointed for their safety, is impregnable. The Church of Christ is here indefinitely taken, for a particular Congregational-Church instituted by Christ, according to the sense of the former conclusions, not, for this or that, definitely.  
Therefore if any object, that the gates of Hell have prevailed against the Greek-Churches, those golden Candlesticks in Asia, and against Rome, whose Faith was spoken of throughout the whole World, and against sundry other particular Churches?  
Answ. I Answer, 1. Though it be true, that the gates of Hell have prevailed against this or that particular Church; yet not against a particular Church, indefinitely considered, or (which is the same) against the Church, in general, existing in its particulars. In this sense, the visible Church doth not fail. For, (1.) Christ ever had, and will have some or other visible Church on Earth, wherein the general nature of a visible Church is preserved, as the Genus is in its Species, and the nature of man in this or that individual; as when the Lord preserved Noah and his Family, in the Ark, mankind was preserved in them, though multitudes of men were destroyed in the Deluge. (2.) Christ will show, that he makes a difference between Churches, wherein are some true Believers mixed with many Hypocrites, and other Societies. Therefore he will not suffer such visible Churches to be totally destroyed, as he doth his open enemies, Hos. 11.8, 9 Isa. 1.8, 9 & 6.13. 2. Though it be true, that the Churches of Asia and Rome have been prevailed against by the gates of Hell, yet not, as they were built by Christ, or planted by the Apolstes, but their degenerate Posterity and Successors, who were not built on this Rock, but on an outward Form, and neglected the means appointed by Christ for their safety. The Apostle Paul forewarned the Romans to beware of Apostasy, by the example of the Jews, Rom. 11.12. They, nevertheless, in succeeding generations, did degenerate from the Faith and Profession of their Predecessors, and so fell into the gulf of Antichristian Apostasy. But, as when God took his visible Kingdom from the Jews, for their obstinacy in unbelief, he did not destroy his visible Kingdom totally from the face of the Earth, but gave it to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof, Mat. 21.43. So, though, in his righteous judgement against Apostates, he may destroy this, or that particular Congregational Church; yet the gates of Hell shall not prevail wholly against the Church-state, but it shall be preserved. He doth but translate the Candlestick, not break it all to pieces; he doth but remove it out of one place into another, Rev. 2.5. and still preserveth it, in some particular Congregation, or other. 3. Though the gates of Hell have sometime, and in some degree, prevailed against this or that particular visible Church, holding fast the profession of their Faith without wavering; yet they have not prevailed according to the meaning of these words. They have prevailed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, only in some respect; as, 1. in Temporals, to impoverish them, Heb. 10.34. to bring them under bondage, as Pharaoh did the Israelites; to establish a decree for their destruction, as Haman did against the Jews; to put multitudes of them to death, as the ten persecuting Emperors did the Christians, and as the high Priest and the Jews dealt with Christ. 2. In Spirituals, 1. to scatter the Members of the Church; so far the gates of Hell prevailed against them, upon occasion of Stephen, Act. 8.1. and to cause the Woman to fly into the Wilderness, Rev. 12. 2. To assault them with temptations; as Christ told Peter, that Satan had desired to winnow him like Wheat.  
But they could not prevail against the Church, absolutely and totally. 1. Not against all of them in Smyrna, by outward calamities, Rev. 2.10. Nor against all in Sardis, by temptation, Rev. 3.4. 2. Nor totally against the whole Church. For God did raise up unexpected helps; for the Woman fled into the Wilderness, Rev. 12.6, 14, 16. to that part of them, which remains on earth; and, for the other part of them, God will receive his people, when outward subsistence fails, into everlasting habitations, Luke 16.9. And, when the gates of Hell prevail, to the dispersion of a particular Church built on this Rock, yet that is not to their destruction, but tendeth to the multiplication, and enlargement of particular Churches. The dispersion of the Church at Jerusalem, was like the dispersion of Seed into the Field, which bringeth forth a more plentiful Harvest; so, their dispersion prevailed against the gates of Hell, to the propagating of sundry Churches, Act. 11.19, 21. Thus the Lord turned the Policies of the gates of Hell against themselves, according to that promise, Zach. 12.3. Thus we see the impregnable stability of Christ his Church built upon this Rock.  
We shall now prove by Reason, that it must be so.  
Reas. 1 From Christ, who is the Head of the visible Church, as well as of the invisible, 1 Cor. 12.27. And he will not suffer the sound Members of his Body to be plucked and torn from it by the gates of Hell. He is the builder of his Church, Heb. 3.3, 4. and therefore will establish it. When the Ark was built by Noah, as God's Instrument, according to God's appointment, it stood against all the power of the Deluge. He is the Foundation, as he is belived, and publicly confessed, whereupon he buildeth his Church. Against an House so built, the Winds and Waves cannot prevail, Matth. 7.24, 25.  
Reas. 2 From the Promises given to such a Church, which are of two sorts. 1. For protection, Isa. 4.5, 6. where be prophesieth concerning the Church of Christ under the New Testament, and describes God's protection over them, by a twofold allusion; 1. By the Pillar of Cloud and Fire that protected the people of Israel, at the Red Sea, from Pharaoh and his Host. 2. By the covering of the Tabernacle, and the holy things in it from all injuries of weather, Exod. 26.14. Rev. 7.16. And his power is engaged to perform his promise, Joh. 10.28, 29. And his Providence will order all issues and events thereunto, Isa. 54.16, 17. Mat. 28.18, 20. 2ly. For victory, Rom. 16.20. If the Lord will tread Satan under their feet, he will see to it that Satan shall not tread them under his feet.  
Reas. 3 From the titles given to particular visible Churches. They are frequently, in the New Testament, called the Kingdom of Heaven; and Hell cannot prevail against Heaven. They are called the Kingdom of Christ, and God the Father hath established his Kingdom by an oath, Psal. 89.35, 36. To confirm our Faith herein, he calls the Sun and Moon to be witnesses, vers. 37. The Sun may be clouded sometimes, and Moon is sometimes in the Full, sometimes in the Wane, but still it is in the Heaven: So it is with the Church on Earth. 
Dr. Whitt. ad Rat. Camp. Resp. p. 56.  Semper & fuisse in terris, & futuram deinceps Ecclesiam, non dubitamus: quanquam ejus aspectum aliquando illustrem ut conspici ab omnibus possit, aliquando tantâ caligine, ut vix agnoscas, obscuratam esse fateamur.  
And it belongs to Christ, to break the Serpent's Head; who can proceed no further than to bruise his h●el, Gen. 3.15. He is that little stone that broke the Image to pieces, which represented the Monarchies and Powers, whereby the gates of Hell sought to prevail against Christ and his Church, Dan. 2.45. Christ's Church is called an House of prayer to all Nations, Isa. 56.7. The Israel of God, Gal. 6.16. in allusion to the change of jacob's name, who by prayer obtained victory and protection against Esau, Gen. 32.28. Hos. 12.2, 3. So shall the Church of Christ, by prayer, obtain deliverance from the gates of Hell, that they shall not prevail against them.  
Reas. 4 From the state of the Devils themselves, and all their instruments. 1. They are cursed. Gen. 12.3. I will curse them that curse thee, therefore they shall not prosper in their interprizes against the Church of Christ. 2. They were conquered, and captivated, and triumphed over by Christ, before he did build his Church, Ephes. 4.8, 12. Therefore shall not hinder the building of it, nor destroy it being built. 3. They are enemies unto Christ's Kingdom: Therefore shall not prevail. Ps. 2.2, 3, 4. and, 110.1, 2. Let us briefly note some Corollaries hence.  
Then in vain boasteth that Roman Synagogue, of the infallibility of their Popes, as Peter's successors, and of the indeficiency of their Church, as built upon Peter; when as, neither had Peter himself any such privilege, as to be infallible. The next story in this 16th of Matthew evinceth the contrary, v. 23. Nor, by the Rock, whereupon Christ builds his Church, is meant the person of Peter, or Peter's confession personally, as it had relation to him, but as it is considered really in itself, and is common to all the Disciples, and to all visible Believers, which may be thus confirmed: 1. Because Peter's confession must have relation to the matter which he confessed. But Peter confessed not himself, but Christ, saying, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God; Therefore his confession had relation to Christ, not to himself. 2. Because Peter confessed no more than that which he knew the other Disciples believed before he speak: For Christ's question being general, What say ye? Peter answered, as the mouth of the rest: but the Apostles, before he speak, believed Christ confessed, and not Peter confessing. 3. Because, this Rock, is that confession whereupon Christ saith he will build his Church: But whosoever shall truly believe that which Peter confessed, viz. Christ the Son of the living God, and confess or profess it, in due order, is accordingly built on this Rock, though he had never heard of Peter's name. Therefore the confession, rightly understood, had relation unto Christ, and not to the person of Peter. 4. Because the Rock signifieth that which is  and impregnable, such as is Christ and his truth: But Peter's confession was movable and shaken, at one time, thrice denying this confession of his Lord. Therefore this confession, which Christ calls the Rock, had not relation to Peter, but only to Christ.  
Coral. 2 Then they that would have a particular Church to be impregnable, stable, and firm against the prevailing of the gates of Hell, must see that it be built upon this Rock, and not upon humane forms. 1. That Christ himself be the builder of it, according to his own institutions, not the policies or customs of men. 2. 
* Ex quo patet, quòd Ecclesia, non consistit in hominibus, ratione potestatis vel dignitatis Ecclesiasticae, vel saecularis etc. sed in illis personis, in quibus est notitia vera, & confessio fidei & veritatis. Lyra in loc.  That the materials, of which it consists, be such, as believe and profess their Faith in Christ publicly before the Lord, and his People. 3. That they be firmly joined together, in one Congregation, by an holy Covenant of subjection and submission to the Lord Jesus Christ, and to one another in him, and accordingly walk together in obedience to Christ, and his Rules, resisting Satan in all his Temptations and Machinations, through Christ strengthening them, without whom they can do nothing, Joh. 15.5. and that they improve carefully and faithfully the power, which Christ hath given them, viz. the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, in opening and shutting, binding and losing, according to Christ his appointment, for the preserving of his Church safe in the purity of their Faith and Order, against the gates of Hell, which is the next thing to be handled.    

The Second Part.  

CHAP. VI Concerning the power given of Christ unto such a Church, as the first and proper subject of it.  
THe second branch or part of the Charter, is, concerning the Power given by Christ unto such Churches, to have and use all the means appointed by him for their establishment against the the gates of Hell, Mat. 16.19. And I will give unto thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on Earth, shall be bound in Heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt lose on Earth, shall be loosed in Heaven. These words contain, 1. A grant of Power. 2. A ratification of that Grant. We shall speak to them distinctly. 1. To Christ his grant of Power; and therein, 1. Explicate the terms, by showing, what is meant, 1 by the Kingdom of Heaven; 2. by the Keys of it. 3 What this appropriation, or application of them imports, To thee I will give.  
1. By the Kingdom of Heaven] is meant, both the Kingdom of Grace & Glory; and that the Kingdom of Glory is also meant, the following words show, when he saith, What you bind on Earth, is bound in Heaven, etc. 2. By the Keys (which are a sign of Power, and are put, by a Metonimy, for the Subject, the Power itself) is meant, Church-power; which is either Supreme, and Sovereign, in Christ only, as Lord and Head of his Church, who alone hath the Key of David, which openeth, and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth; in Rev. 3.7. or subordinate and delegate, such as is in Christ's Stewards. This is noted, by Keys, in the Plural number, in this place, which signify all power delegated from Christ, to dispense and administer all the holy things of his House, according to Christ's will, and in the order prescribed by him to that end. For all power, wherewith the Lord Jesus betrusteth his Church, aims at this which is here expressed, to open, and shut, to bind, and lose. 3. To thee I will give] The Application of this Grant is to Peter, in the name of the Church, which Christ promised to build upon himself, believed on, and publicly professed, as Peter did before him, and his fellow-Disciples in Christ's School, at this time. And the promise is more fitly given to Peter, in the name of the Church, than to the Church by name, because it was not the Church that made this confession, but Peter in the name of the Church. But here we must make a little stand, to examine the sundry claims which have been made to this Right, upon several pretences from this Text. 1. Some, looking at Peter, as representing the Catholic visible-Church, conceive that a general Council (which, they say, is the Catholic Church, representatively) is the Church here meant, to which Christ gives the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. But that cannot be. For particular visible Churches, in the Apostles days, had, and exercised, the Keys completely within themselves; yet was there no general Council, till the time of Constantine, which was three hundred years after Christ. 2. Others look at this Grant, as peculiar to Peter, considered, as the Prince and chief of the Apostles, and to the Popes of Rome, as his successors. But this Papal usurpation, the Councils of Constance and Basil strongly and justly opposed, showing, that the Keys, which are here given to Peter, are, in Joh. 20.21, 22, 23. given to all the Apostles, and that Peter himself is enjoined in Mat. 18. to tell the Church. 3. Others think, that the Catholic Church, considered, not representatively, but in itself, is the first subject of the Keys: Yet these differ among themselves. For some affirm it of the invisible, others of the visible Catholic Church. As for the terms; we know, that visible & invisible, do not note distinct species or kinds of Churches, but are only several adjuncts of the same Church, which is called invisible, in respect of the inward and invisible union, which Members have with Christ the Head, by the Spirit and Faith; and visible, in respect of their outward Profession of their Faith, which is visible to men. But in neither of these senses, is the Catholic Church the first subject of the Keys. 1. Not as invisible; for that is not built by a visible profession, such as Peter's was; nor are the Ordinances dispensed or administered visibly in it, to, or by men in visible fellowship. Add hereunto, that the Keys here given to Peter, can shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven, even the same persons, to whom they have opened the door before; which cannot befall Believers in the visible Church.  
2. Not as visible. For the Scripture doth not acknowledge a Catholic visible Church. The Catholic Church is not visible, as a Church, and the Church that is visible is not Catholic. Though the Catholic Church may be visible in its singular Members; yet so, they are not a Church: or, though it may be visible in particular Congregations; 
See Mr. Cott. Defence of the way of Congreg. Churches, par. 2. p. 56  yet none of them is Catholic: or, though all of them, if they could meet together, may be called a Catholic Church, or general Assembly; yet so, it cannot be the first subject of the Keys, i. e. of all Ecclesiastical power: for such Assemblies, 
See Mr. Hooker ‛ ● Survey, part 1. ch. 14 & 15.  if possible, are extraordinary: and extraordinary Assemblies are not fit Judicatories, to hear and censure ordinary offences, or to administer the ordinary acts of Church-power. 2. If the visible Catholic Church be considered, as totum integrale, which is such a whole as ariseth out of the aggregation of all particular Churches (as an Army is made up of all the several Regiments and Troops, or a Kingdom of all the Cities and Counties within it) it cannot be the first subject of the Keys, i. e. of all Church-power. For, 1. particular Churches are the Members, which give the essential causes, whence the integrity of this whole is made up; and therefore, in nature, before it, as the cause is before its effect. 2. Church-Officers, with their Offices, are set ordinarily, by Christ's Institution, only in such a Church, where they are called the Chosen; but that is a particular Church; Act. 14.23. Tit. 1.5. For that choice and calling is the foundation of the relation between Pastors and People, and of the duties both of the Rulers, and of the Ruled, mutually, Act. 20.28. 1 Pet. 5.2. Heb. 13.17. 3. If a Catholic integral Church ariseth from all particular Churches, as Members of it, joined together; than it must be distinct from them all, as the whole Body is a thing distinct from its several Members, than also there must be some Officer, and Ordinance, and Act belonging to it, which doth not appertain to particular Churches; as there is a General over an Army, besides the Captains and Officers of the several Regiments; and a Supreme Monarch in a Kingdom, besides the Governors in the several Corporations, and Counties: But no such Catholick-Church, distinct from all particular Churches, can be shown, nor Officers, or acts of it, besides those which are exercised in particular Churches. 4. Diocesan Bishops look at these words, as giving the Keys to them, as the Successors of the Apostles, whence they assume the power of Ordinathon and Jurisdiction, as belonging to them, jure divino. A claim, which King James, whether out of his policy (which he called his Kingcraft) or out of his insight into the Scripture, would not suffer them to pretend, in his time. Nor indeed is there any warrant for it in Scripture, as it hath been abundantly proved by sundry witnesses against that usurpation. We read of Bishops in the New-Testament, but what? Not one Bishop over many Churches, but many Bishops over one Church; not Diocesan, but Congregational Bishops. Phil. 1.1. Those whom Luke calls Elders, in Act. 20.17. Paul calleth Bishops, in v. 28. The Bishops which the Apostles acknowledge to be Christ's Ordinance, to continue in the Christian Church, are Congregational Elders, 1 Tim. 3. 1-8. Tit. 1.5, 7. 1 Pet. 5.1, 2. and all the Teaching-Elders are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, fellow-Elders, coequal in authority, above whom Paul acknowledgeth no Rulers in the Church, but rather sets these above all, 1 Tim. 5.17. 
Euseb. Eccles. hist. l. 6. c. 43. Cypr. Ep. l. 3. Ep. 10 & l. 1. ep. 3.  And, when, after the Apostles time, one of the Pastors was called Bishop, by way of eminency, for order's sake; yet, for many years, he did no act of power, but, 1. with consent of the Presbytery; 2. with consent, 
Dr. Cudw. on the Postscript to Galat.  and in the presence, of the People. What is pleaded from Titus his ordaining, Tit. 1.5. helps not their cause: for he did it, as an Evangelist, not as a Diocesan Prelate; and the Office of Evangelists, together with the Apostles, ceaseth. The Postscript of the second Epistle to Timothy, where he is called, the first Bishop of the Church of the Ephesians; and of that to Titus, where he is called, the first Bishop of the Church of the Cretians, are Apocryphal (as the rest are) and the first consisteth not with 2 Tim. 4.5. where Timothy is called an Evangelist, and therefore, not tied to personal residence, to abide in one place (as Bishops and Pastors are) but the Evangelists were to go from place to place, to set things in order, and confirm the Churches planted by the Apostles. The same may be said of Titus. Nor is the Postscript of that Epistle of more credit than the former, where the Scribe saith, it was written from Nicopolis. Hiperius justly disliketh the ground of that opinion in the Scribe, which, he saith, was from Tit. 3.12. Because Paul bade Titus come to him to Nicopolis, for he determined to winter there: whereas, if he were there at that time, he would have said, I purpose to winter here, not there; as Beza noteth.  
5. Others conclude from this Text, that the power of the Keys. i e. the power of Ordination and Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, is given in Peter, to Church-Officers only, especially to Pastors and Teachers. And that such only, or principally, are meant in this Grant, they endeavour to prove by five reasons, especially. We will examine them severally, and briefly.  
1. Reas. Because the Keys are given to Stewards by Office. 1 Cor. 4.1. 2 Cor. 4.5. 1 Tim. 3.15. Isa. 22.12.]  
Answ. 1. The three former Texts speak of the Apostles and Evangelists Office, and in them, of Pastors and Teachers, not of Ruling-Elders. But, I suppose they will not deny the Ruling-Elders to have a Key of Office also. The last Text proveth only, that the Key sometimes signifies Office-power given to a Steward, which none deny. But this toucheth not this Text, Mat. 16. which means not only Office-Power, but all Power, which serves to shut and open the House or City of God; not power of the Steward only, but the power of the Spouse and Wife of this great King, to whom the Lord Christ, as her Husband, being gone into a far Country, even to Heaven, hath given power to admit into the Family, and reject, as occasion shall require, and for those ends, to judge also; because such acts require judgement, and to call the Steward to his place, and to put him into it, and to put a Key of Office, by Election, into his hand: and therefore, though all power be not formally in her, yet it cometh originally from her.  
Reas. 2. Because, Christ here giveth the Keys only to those, to whom he giveth Official Warrant and Authority, for the actual exercise thereof, in opening and shutting, binding and losing, i. e. only to Teachers and Elders.] Answ. 1. Though it is true, that Official Warrant and Authority is given only to Teachers & Elders, only Teaching and Ruling Elders have that formally; Yet, 2. The power of the Keys is far larger than Office-power, viz. to admit, reject, etc. 3. They have their Office from the Church, and their Office-power, by the Church, originally: Therefore there was power in the Church, before Office-power, which did communicate and convey Office-power to its Officers.  
3. Reas. To bind and lose, are acts of the Office-power of Pastors, Rulers, Feeders by public and pastoral preaching, which doth not belong to Believers.]  
Answ. Binding and losing, taken in the largest sense, as in this Text, comprehend the exercise of all the acts of the Keys, or Church-power: and these acts are not only by public and pastoral preaching (for then, the Ruling-Elder should have no Key to bind or lose); but also by Admonitions, Excommunications, Admissions, which issue from a power of judging, not proper to the Pastors only, but common to the People with them. 2. Though the Keys be given to the Church; yet she may not exercise any act proper to Office-Power, without Officers, whom she doth and must call to that end, and submit to them in the due exercise thereof.  
4. Reas. If this place give not warrant and authority to Officers, what warrant have they for their Office-Power?]  
Answ. 1. This place gives warrant for the People to choose their Officers, according to Christ's appointment, and the Church doth accordingly call them to that place, and invest them with Office, with voluntary professed subjection to them, in the right exercise of that power of Office, which belongs unto them in the Lord. 2. The several acts of Office-power to be exercised by them, are abundantly warranted in other places of Scripture.  
5. Reas. They to whom the Keys are here given, do authoritatively forgive and retain sins, and their Acts are valid in Heaven: but the Church of Believers, wanting Officers, cannot by any warrant of Scripture, authoritatively forgive and retain sins.]  
Answ. The word, Authority, sometimes is taken more generally, for Power, sometimes more strictly and properly, for Ruling and Office-Power. In the first sense, the Church hath power to foregive judicially, in 2 Cor. 2.10. in reference to their former censure. The Officers forgive authoritatively, in the second sense. We proceed to the last interpretation.  
6. Others look at the Keys as given to Peter here, in the name of a particular visible Church, indefinitely taken; not of this or that particular definite Church, that all other Churches should receive the Keys from them, or be subject to the power of the Keys in their hands: For that will not stand with the parity of Churches among themselves: for, par in parem non habet imperium. Therefore the Church, here intended, must be taken generally, and indefinitely, as comprehending in it any particular visible Church, one as well as another, or the general Church as existing its particulars. If it be objected against this, that Peter was not a Member of such a Christian Congregation, when Christ spoke these words unto him. I answer, It is true: for no such Church was then constituted. No more was there a Presbytery then constituted, when Christ directed Peter and the rest, in case of private offence obstinately persisted in, after proceeding in the first and second step, to tell the Church, in Mat. 18. which yet they hold, but not truly, to be the Presbytery, as we shall evince hereafter, with the assistance of Christ. But, in the mean time, all grant that that Rule serveth to order Members, how to proceed in such cases, when particular Churches should be constituted. And the same reason is of force in this Text also. Some have thought that Christ giveth the Keys in this Text, not to the Church of Believers, of which he spoke in the former verse, but to the Elders; because he altereth the form of his speech: for, having spoken, in the former verse, of the Church, in the third person, saying, Upon this Rock I will build my Church, and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it; he saith not, in this verse, and I will give unto it the Keys, but varying the person, he turneth his speech to Peter, saying, and unto thee I will give the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven: but this is a mistake. Here is no changing of person, nor turning of speech, in Christ's giving the promise of the Keys; but, as Christ began, so he continueth his speech to Peter, upon occasion of his confession. In v. 17. Christ pronounceth Peter blessed, from the cause of his confession. In v. 18. he giveth a promise of reward to Peter's confession, that, upon this, as upon a Rock, he will build his Church, and establish it, as impregnable against the gates of Hell. In v. 19 he giveth unto Peter, upon occasion of his public confession in the name of the Church, a promise of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore this promise is given to the Church, in Peter, in such sort, as, though the use of the Keys be various, according to the variety of callings in the Church, yet the power itself of the Keys, is here originally and primarily committed to the 
* Toti Ecclesiae dedit Christus claves, sed ita, ut in Ecclesiâ certi essent qui clavibus utantur ad salutem Ecclesiae, honoremque Dei. Zanc. in praec. 4. quaest. 3. Vid. Park. de Polit. Eccles. l. 3 c. 3.  Church in general, existing in particular Churches. I might produce sundry Writers, both ancient and modern, of other Countries, and our own, if need required, to confirm this Exposition (yea, of the Authors quoted by Mr. P. not a few consenting herein;) but I shall only mention Cyprian and Augustine, who, in sundry places, speak the same with us. And these two I the rather name, because I find in approved Histories, that sundry Martyrs, being confirmed in this Truth, by their Testimonies, have sealed it with their blood. Hieronimus Savanarola, a Godly learned Preacher in Florence, a man endued with a Prophetical Spirit, 
Illyr. Catal. Test. verit. count. Papam. p. 565.  was there burnt, for denying the primacy of the Pope, teaching, that the Keys were given, Ecclesiae toti, non uni Petro, to the whole Church; and that the Communion should be administered sub utrâque specie, and against humane Traditions, and the Pope's indulgencies, and the wicked lives of the Cardinals and Priests; and for preaching free Justification by Faith in Christ, and that the Pope is Antichrist. This was about the year, 1499. In our own Land, John Lambert, in the year, 
Fox Martyrol. i'th' Reign of Hen. 8th.  1538, was burnt to death, by the sentence of King Henry the 8th, himself sitting in judgement upon him, with all his Nobles and Bishops, by the wicked counsel of Stephen Gardiner, upon 45 Articles, whereof this was the 43d Article, Whether he believed the Pope was Christ's Vicar, and had power on earth to bind and lose? He denied that the Pope was Christ's Vicar, and affirmed, that the Keys were given to Peter, not for himself alone, but in the name of the Church, and proved it out of Cyprian, 
Idem, ibid.  de simplicitate Clericorum, and Aug. de Ago Christiano. Also Sir John Borthwick, a Scottish Knight, in the year 1540, was condemned by the Arch Bishop of St. Andrews, than Cardinal of Scotland, and the Pope's Legate, with sundry Popish Bishops, upon ten Articles, of which this was the first, touching the Pope's Supremacy, grounded upon Mat. 16. To thee will I give the Keys: which he, from that place, confuted, affirming that the Keys were given to the Church in Peter, which name was given him upon his confession of Christ, in the name of the whole Church; and confirmed his assertion, out of Cyprian and Augustine. So that this is no new, nor singular exposition of these words, or practice taken up by some few of late. Not new; for Cyprian wrote about the year 250 after Christ; and Augustine, about the year 410; the last of them about 1200 years since, and the first above 1400 years past. I shall add hereunto, that, before Cyprian, Tertullian, about the year 200, shows us, that Church-censures were then performed by one particular Church within it self, and not in any combination of Churches; Tertull. Apolog. Cap. 39 Nor singular; for sundry sorts of Writers, in several Ages and Countries, have consented therein. I will not enter into that question, (about which there seems to be some difference in apprehensions between some Godly learned Brethren) Whether the Keys are given to Peter under several considerations, as an Apostle, and as an Elder, and as a professing Believer, all being taken jointly together? or to a single Society, or condition of men, under some special Relation, which share alike in the equality of this Power promised unto them? For in the substance of the matter they agree, 1. That the Keys are promised to Peter, in the name of a Congregational-Church. 2. That this power of the Keys cannot be given to one single Society formally, in all the kinds of it; because it requires several sorts of subjects formally different, viz. some Ruling, some Ruled, some Teaching, etc. 3. That, till a Congregational-Church be organised, and completed with all its Officers, it cannot completely exercise the Keys committed to it. 4. That, nevertheless, before it be completed, it hath power of the Keys, and is the first subject of them, either formally, or virtually, whereby all the Ordinances are administered, or administrable among them. I shall issue this point into one Doctrinal Conclusion.  

6. Concl.  The subordinate ordinary Power of acting Church-affairs, in the Order appointed by Jesus Christ, for attainment of the ends of Church-Communion, is given by Christ to a visible Congregation of confederate Believers, as the first and proper subject of it.  
In the handling of this point, I shall note somethings, 1. For Explication. 2. Confirmation of it. 3. Draw some Consectaries.  
1. For explication of it, I shall endeavour to clear five particulars.  
1. What I mean by Subordinate Power.] Subordinate Power is that which wholly dependeth on Christ's Ordinance and Institution, who is the Supreme and only Monarch and Head of the Church; and therefore his revealed Will must be attended in all Church-Administations, as the only Rule, from which they may not swerve to the right hand, or to the left, for any humane policies, or pretences whatsoever, by adding aught thereto, or taking any thing therefrom. To this Christ limited his Apostles, who were the highest Officers in the Church, Mat. 28.18, 19, 20. And, accordingly, Paul strictly charged Timothy, and, in him, all the Churches and Church-Officers, to keep this Commandment, without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, etc. 1 Tim. 6.13, 14, 15. They must assume to themselves only that power, which he hath allotted them, and not exercise it any otherwise than he hath allowed them.  
2. Why I add ordinary, to subordinate.] It is added, to difference that Power, which resideth in the Church for continual use in ordinary dispensations, from that which was in the Apostles for a time, by the gift of Christ. Both Apostolical-Power, and Church-Power agree in this, that they are received immediately from Christ. For, as he said to the Apostles, whose sins ye remit, they are remitted, etc. Joh. 20.23. So he said to the Church, both here, in Peter, and in Mat. 18.18. Whatsoever ye shall bind, or lose on earth, etc. So that, neither did the Apostles receive their Power from the Church, nor doth the Church receive its power from the Apostles, but both immediately from Christ: and therefore, as the Apostles had their Power, before visible Christian-Churches were constituted; so such Churches have and hold their Power, when Apostles cease to be on earth. But herein these two Powers differ; 1. That Apostolical Power was centred in one single Person, and extended itself to the circumference of all Churches. Each Apostle had the Power of the whole Church, and of all the Officers of the Church; when he was absent from the Churches, he could administer Seals and Censures, as if he had the presence and concurrence of the Church: and, if he was present in any Church that wanted Officers, an Apostle had power to execute every Office, for the Church. And this their Power extended itself as much to all Churches, as to any one. Their Line went out into all the World, Psal. 19.4. with Rom. 10.18. Mat. 28.19. For as the Father sent Christ the Mediator, with fullness of Soveragin Power; so Christ sent his Apostles with fullness of Ministerial Power, Joh. 20.21. But Church-Power is not in one man, but in a Society, and to be exercised variously by several persons in that society, according to variety of callings. Are all Teachers? 1 Cor. 12.29. Hence, 2. That was extraordinary, and to last but for a time: but this is ordinary, and to continue to the end. Rev. 4.1.  
3. What the Church-Affairs are, and what the acting them imports.] The Church-affairs are the Ordinances of Christ, called here the Keys, in a large-sense, the word of the Covenant, and the seals of the Covenant, and the Censures. These the Church may be said to act, by opening and shutting. 1. They open the doors of the Church subordinately, when they admit only such, and all such, to fellowship, whom Christ receiveth, Rom. 14.1, 3. 2. The doors of office in the Church they do open in the Church subordinately, when they elect and ordain such unto Offices, as Christ hath prepared and called thereunto, according to the rule in 1 Tim. 3. 1-14. and then only to such Offices as Christ hath set in his Church: which are only four, Rev. 4.6, 7, 8. For Widows are included in Deacons. These are reduced to two general heads, in Phil. 1.1. and so are their functions, in Rom. 12.6, 7. and yield unto them all, and only that power which Christ hath annexed to their Office, and particularly unto Teaching and Ruling Officers, that subjection and honour which the word calls for, Heb. 13.17. 1 Tim. 5.17, 18. 3. They shut the Doors of the Church, and bind men from Church— Ordinances, and Privileges; 1. By not admitting those to Church-fellowship, against whom they have just exceptions, Act. 9.26. 2. By judging and censuring scandlaous members, whether Brethren or Officers, according to Christ's Rules, Mat. 18.17, 18. and 1 Cor. 5. 3. By holding them under censure, without release, till their repentance be to satisfaction, according to Christ's Rules, 2 Cor. 2.6, 7.  
4. What the order is, wherein Christ will have these Church-affairs to be acted?] The order is this. First, a company of Believers, being satisfied concerning the spiritual state of one another, and their fitness for Church-fellowship, and thereupon confederating together, to walk together in all the Ordinances of Christ, with mutual watchfulness and submission one to another in the Lord, become a Congregational-Church. They have now the essentials of a Church. 2. Being such, they must look out from among themselves for such Officers as Christ hath given to his Church; these they must choose and ordain, professing their voluntary submission to their Office-Rule, and Authority, in the Lord. Till this be done, they cannot completely act all Church-affairs, in due order. Till they have Teaching-Elders, though there be gifted-brethrens among them that may Prophesy, 1 Cor. 14. yet they have none to give themselves continually to Prayer (according to the necessities and occasions of the Church) and to the Ministry of the Word, Act. 6.4. Such attendance being proper to Officers; Rom. 12.7. Nor, 3. to preach the word with authority, as an Officer must. Tit. 2.15. Nor, 4. to administer the Seals, which Christ hath annexed to the official preaching of the Word, Mat. 28.19, 20. Without Ruling-Elders, who shall call the Church together, as the Apostles did, on special weighty occasions, Act. 6.2? Who shall prepare matters for the Church, 1. By examining Officers or Members, before they be received of the Church, Rev. 2.2. 2. By stating and clearing the question and proofs, and trying, whether matters have been carried according to Rule, privately, in the first and second step, before any offence be presented to the Church, which was secret at first, according to Mat. 18.17. 3. By directing those that are to give satisfaction to the Church, in case of offence conceived against them, how to carry themselves, according to rule, to remove it, as the Apostles and Elders, being met at the House of James, did to Paul, Act. 21.18. To these heads, other like cases are to be referred. Who shall moderate debates in the Church Assembly, and order speaking and silence in the Church, according to Rules of order, and edification? 1 Cor. 14.26, 40. Who shall hold forth light from the Rule, to guide the apprehensions and judgement of the Brethren, in difficult cases? according to Ezek. 44.23, 24. Lastly, who shall dismiss the Church Authoritatively, with a Blessing, in the name of the Lord? Numb. 6. 23-26. and Heb. 7.7. And who shall take care of the humane affairs of the Church, if Deacons be not chosen and ordained? This Office-Power the Church indeed hath not formally in itself; yet it hath it virtually, and originally. As the stock of a Tree hath not immediate power to bring forth fruit, yet it hath power to produce branches which do bring forth fruit; so the Church of Believers, though it hath not immediate power to act an Office, in the things proper thereunto, yet it hath power to make such Officers as may perform the same in Christ's order.  
5. Why this Power is said to be given to a visible Congregation of confederate Believers, as the first and proper subject of it?] This expression serveth to show three particulars. 1. That I speak of a Congregational-Church, indefinitely, or the Church in its general nature, as it exists in particular Congregations, to each of which it communicates its whole nature, and with it all its privileges and power to them all, being species of it, firstly and equally; so that each particular Church hath all Church-Power, that is seated in the general nature of the Church, as completely conveyed to it, as any other: as this particular man, John, or Peter, or James hath all the nature of man equally communicated to them, and can put forth the operations of that nature, fully of themselves, and without the help of any other. 2. That this Power is given to the Church to be acted, in Admissions, Elections, and Censures, only by such in whose name Peter made this confession, viz. a Community of Disciples walking in the profession of the Faith, with consent; that is, to a Society of believing men: for Women, though Believers, are excepted by the Rule, 1 Tim. 2. 12-14. 2. Professing Believers; therefore Children and distracted persons are not capable of this power, being unfit to judge, 1 Cor. 5.12. and so are they that are Deaf and Dumb. 3. Such as walk in the profession of the Faith, with consent. Therefore such as are under public censure for scandals in Life or Doctrine, are disabled, as having, for the time, lost their privilege and power. Lastly, if the Church itself be generally corrupted or divided among themselves, as it were into two equal parts, it cannot act this power, nor claim an interest in this promise, which is given to a Church assembly in Christ's Name, with competent agreement among themselves. Mat. 18.17, 18, 19, 20. 3. That this Power is given to such a Church, not only objectively for their good, but subjectively and firstly, so that the Church is the first recipient subject of it. For Officers are given to the Church, Ephes. 4.8, 11. not as mere adjuncts are given to a subject, but as integral parts, for completing the integrity and perfection of the whole body of the Church: and, if they be so given to the Church, the Church is the recipient subject of them: and though the Church cannot by itself exercise the Teaching and Ruling-Elders Office; yet they may by their Officers; as the body, though it cannot see by itself, yet it may by the eyes which are given to it for that end.  
2. The Confirmation, or proof, that such a Church is the first and proper subject of this power; shall be double. 1. By Scripture. 2. By Reasons.  
1. By Scripture, it may be proved from sundry Texts. 1. This in hand clearly confirmeth it, if that good ancient rule of expounding Scripture be received, Dictorum intelligentia ex causis dictorum sumenda est. For Christ's question to the Disciples, which was the cause of Peter's confession here, was only concerning the Faith common to the Church. Whom say ye that I am? Hereupon Peter, in the name of the Disciples, made this confession of Faith. 
Quia Christus Petra, Petrus populus Christianus. August. in Matth. de verbis Domini, Ser. 13.  Christ testified his approbation of it, by calling him Peter, not so much in respect of his Office, as of his Faith thus publicly professed, whence also visible Believers are called lively stones, 1 Pet. 2.4, 5. and Christ added to this praise of Peter a twofold promise. 1. Of edifying and stablishing the Church, upon this Rock. 2. Of affording it sufficient means for the attainment of those ends, viz. the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, etc. Where the Kingdom of Heaven, or visible Church of Christ on earth, is compared to a City, or House, the Door or Gate whereof is Christ; the Keys are all instituted means, whereby an entrance into Christ and his Kingdom, visibly, is opened and shut, the subordinate power whereof is here given to the Church immediately.  
The second Text is in Mat. 18.17, 18. Tell the Church, &, if he hear not the Church, let him be as an Heathen and a Publican. For what you shall bind on Earth, shall be bound in Heaven, etc. This cannot be meant of Elders assembling together, and acting apart from the Brethren. For no such assembly is called the Church, in the New Testament, much less is this power given to them: for, in case of scandal given by them, they are under the power of the whole Church, as well as other Members, to be censured by them; though, when they keep the Rule, they are as Elders, Rulers in the Church. It must therefore be meant of a Congregational-Church. The third Text is in 1 Cor. 5. where Paul exhorted the Church at Corinth, to exercise this their power, which he calls the power of the Lord Jesus, v. 4. whereby they were to deliver unto Satan that incestuous person; v. 5. and were to purge out the old leaven; v. 7. and were to judge those that are within; v. 12. and to put away that wicked person from among them; v. 13. and this Paul calls a punishment inflicted by many, 2 Cor. 2.6. Thus he establisheth their power to bind, and teacheth them how to use it; and, in like manner, he exhorteth them, upon the man's repentance, to turn the Key, and to open the Door of Christian liberties to him, and to lose him from the former censure, by forgiving him, in a legal or judicial sense, 2 Cor. 2.7, 10. And that this Church at Corinth was a mere Congregational-Church, it may be evinced from hence, that the whole Church was no larger, than was wont to meet together in one place, 1 Cor. 14.23. for the ordinary worship of God.  
2. By Reasons.  
1. Because in such a Congregational-Church are all the causes of this power. 1. Efficient; the Institution and Ordinance of Christ, who delegateth this subordinate power, to whom it pleaseth him, by his own appointment. 2. The material cause; visible Believers. 3. The formal cause; Covenanting together to walk in all the Ordinances of Christ, and to submit mutually one to another in the Lord; to be reclaimed, if they err from the rules; or to be censured by the power of the whole, if they be found obstinate.  
2. Because there is no former subject of this power, from whence a Congregational-Church might derive it, but it is communicated, by means of the Church, to all that partake of it, and it remaineth in the Church, when others are removed. They choose their own Elders: therefore they had this power virtually in them before they had Elders, and so could not derive it from them. 2. All particular Churches are of equal power within themselves, not one of them subordinate to another. Therefore they derive it not from other particular Churches. 3. Synods, both lesser and larger, are made up of the Elders and Messengers sent from particular Churches, and have their being from them; nor do they send them to them, to borrow any Church-power, but only light from them; as the Church at Antioch did from the Church at Jerusalem, Acts 15. Therefore they derive no Church-power from them. Again, when the Elders of particular Churches are dead, or censured, or rejected by the power of the whole for obstinacy in scandalous evils, the Church still retaineth its power to choose others; as a Corporation hath its full power still, though the Magistrates be dead, or cast out. The same holds in Churches in Islands, by their own confession, when they cannot have the help of Synods. Thus we prove Fire to be the first subject of heat, because, if it be in other things, as in Water, or Wood; it is there by the means of Fire, and, when they are removed, yet still it remains in Fire. The like reason holds in this, as you see, to prove such a Church, as this of which we speak, to be the first subject of Church-Power, or of the Keys.  
3. Because all the acts done immediately by the Church, in opening and shutting, in binding and losing, flow from this power of the Keys given them by Christ, and hold it forth.  
1. Their admitting Members is an act of this Power, and holds it forth: for, till the Brethren be satisfied, and approve one's fitness, he cannot be received into their fellowship; Act. 9.26. and 10.47.  
2. Their choosing Officers is an act of this Power, which the Apostles would not violate, in adding Deacons, Act. 6.3, 5. and Ruling-Elders to the Church, Act. 14.23. and the same holds much more concerning Pastors and Teachers. This power Cyprian acknowledged to be in the 
* 
Plebs obsequens praeceptis Dominicis & Deum metuens, ipsa maximè habet potestatem vel eligendi dignos sacerdotes vel indignos recusandi.  
Quod & ipsum videmus de Divinâ authoritate descendere. Cypr. l. 1. ep. 4.   People principally, to accept or refuse Ministers, as they judged them worthy or unworthy.  
3. Their Ordination of Officers, by deputing some chosen out of their own Body thereunto (in the want of Officers) is an act of this Power of the Keys residing in them. For, though the Offices of Elders in general, and the Authority of their Office, as they are Rulers, is from Christ immediately; yet the investing of this or that elect person with this Office & Authority, in relation to this or that Church, by application of it to him in particular, rather than to another, this is by the Church.  

Ubi est vera Ecclesia, ibi esse necesse est jus eligendi, et ordi●ndi Ministros. Melanct. de potest. Episcop. Arg. 2.  4. Their Expostulating with any Member, in case of supposed offence, is an act of this Power, whereunto Peter submitted, though an Apostle, in the Church at Jerusalem. Act. 11.2, 3, 4.  
5. Their public Admonishing offenders, is an act of this Power, whether they be offending Brethren, or offending Officers, Mat. 18.18. Col. 4.17. Let him hear the Church, etc. Say to Archippus, Fulfil, etc.  
6. Their Excommunicating obstinate and scandalous sinners, whether a Brother, Mat. 18.18. 1 Cor. 5.4, 5. or an Officer, Gal. 5.12▪ is an act of this power in the Church.  
7. Their receiving again, or releasing from censure, those that have been under censure, upon their repentance, according to the Rule, 2 Cor. 2.7, 10. is an act of this ●ower. This also Cyprian acknowledged to be in the 
* Vix plebi persuadeo, imò extorqueo, ut tales patiantur admitti. Et justior factus est fraternitatis dolour, exeo, quod unus atque alius, obnitente plebe & contradicente, meâ tamen facilitate suscepti, priores extiterunt, quàm priùs fuerant, nec fidem poenitentiae servare potuerunt, quia nec cum verâ poenitentiâ venerant. Cypr. l. 1. ep. 3.  People, or fraternity, who, though they gladly received such as returned with repentance, yet he could hardly persuade them, yea, extort it from them, to receive such, in whom pride and obstinacy appeared, and he justified them herein, blaming himself for too much facility.  

1. Corollary.  
Then the Church is before its Officers, that is, it is a true Church, essentially, and hath all Church-Power, either formally, or virtually, before it hath Officers, and when the Officers are removed from it, by Death or Censure. For, 1. as a man is a true man, who is a living creature endued with a reasonable soul, because the definition of a man agreeth to him, though he wanteth some bodily Members; so a Church is a true Church, which consists of a Soc●● of visible Believers confederated together in one Congregation, to walk together in all the Ordinances of Christ, with mutual submission one to another, in the Lord; because the definition of a Church agreeth to it, though it wants Officers. 2. Such a Church can call their Officers, and thereby make them Officers to themselves: Therefore it must be before them, as the cause is before its effect. A Corporation hath its being and power of a Corporation within itself, before it hath Magistrates; because it can choose Magistrates, and, when they are dead, or put out, can put others into their stead and place. So it is with the Church.   

2. Corollary.  
Then though the Church hath its essential being and power, without Officers; yet it is defective two ways. 1. In respect of Members, it hath not its complete integrity of Members, without them. Bartimeus was a true man, without his eyes, but not perfect, with the integrity of his parts and members: so is the Church defective and maimed without Officers. 2. As it is defective in its members, so also, in its operations, if it want Officers. For some Ordinances cannot be at all administered in the Churches, without Pastors or Teachers as the outward Seals, or Sacraments, which are annexed, by the Ordinance of Christ, to the Word of the Covenant, and the administration of them is by him limited unto Preachers of the Word by Office, Mat. 28.19. and some acts of Rule, as, in ordering speech in public, in Church-debates, according to rules of order and edification, and the like, cannot be done without Ruling-Elders. The same may be said of Official watching, to prevent or remove private disorders in conversation among the Members. 3. Some cannot be so done by others, as by Officers. 1. Not with that attendance to them, as the need and good of the Church requireth. He that hath an Office is bound to wait on it, Rom. 12.7. to give himself to the duties of it continually, Act. 6.4. to be in it, 1 Tim. 4.15. and therefore must be freed by the Church from other distracting cares, which would disable him to it, 1 Tim. 5.17, 18. 2. Not with Authority, which belongeth to Ruling Officers in the Church, as in preaching the Word with Authority, Heb. 13.17. so in other acts, which be properly Official and Authoritative. Hence ariseth a difference between Officers and private Members, in their seve●●● manner of acting in things common to both. A Church wanting Officers, may appoint some of their Members to declare the mind of the Church, touching the admission of such into the fellowship of the Covenant, and Membership with the Church, in whose fitness thereunto the Church is satisfied; and in ordaining Officers, chosen by the Church, by imposition of hands and Prayer; and in gathering the suffrages of the fraternity; and in declaring the judgement of the Church in Censures: but these things they do, only at the appointment of the Church, pro hâc vel illâ vice. The same things are done by Teaching and Ruling-Elders in another manner, viz. by virtue of their Office, without particular leave of the Church: for, it belongs to them, as Officers, to attend unto their Work, not only to hold forth the Covenant, and to receive into Fellowship, in the name of the Church, those whom the Church approveth, but also to try the fitness of those that offer themselves unto Fellowship, before they propound them to the Church. The same holds in Officers to be called; and when the Church hath chosen them, and agreed to ordain them, the Eldership impose hands upon them, in the presence of the Church, by virtue of the●● Office. When offences are brought to the Church in the third step, as the Elders do propound the case, so it must first be notified to them, that they may try whether the Rule hath been attended in the two former steps, and that they may clear all difficulties, and then propound the case, when it is found to be fit for public cognizance, according to Rule. And being so, if they neglect to bring it to the Church, or assume any undue power to themselves, they that are offended may complain to the Church; and, as need may require, they are to hold forth light from Scripture, to guide the Church in judging: and, in the close, to propound the sentence (wherein the Church consenteth, and they concur with them) authoritatively.   

3. Corollary.  
Then the proper acts of Church-power, and of ordinary Office-power, are limited, by the Ordinance of Christ, to be put forth by the Church, and Officers respectively, within that Body, or particular Congregation, to which they have a particular memberly or official Relation. The members of one Church cannot act in admitting the Members, choosing the Officers, nor censuring Offenders of another Church▪ Nor may the Officers of one Church, administer the Seals, or ordain Officers, or perform other proper Acts of official Authority, out of their own body, in another Church. The Church may, by communion of Churches, upon orderly, recommendation, receive the members of other Churches unto fellowship of such Ordinances, as are for the comfort and strengthening of the Saints, as the Seals are, and the Officers may administer them to such, being accepted by the body: for we have a warrant for so much, from the Rule, Rom. 16.1. 3 Joh. 9 but not to act in judgement. For, the Church hath this privilege proper to be judged by, and to judge, only those that are within, 1 Cor. 5.12. whereas I alleged this Text against Mr. Paget, to prove, that Church-Ordinances belong only to the Members of some particular Church, Mr. Rutterf. meeting with that expression, saith, Mr. D. will have Pastors so far strangers to all Congregations, save their own, that (he saith) other Churches are without, and have nothing to do to judge them, and allegeth for this, 1 Cor. 5.12. But by those that are without, Paul meaneth, not those that were not of the Congregation, but he meaneth Infidels and Heathen, as in other Scriptures. For Paul judged and excommunicated Hymeneus and Alexander, 1 Tim. 1.20. who were without the Church at Corinth.] Had Mr. Rutt. been pleased to cast his eye upon my own defence of that passage, 
In my Apolog. Reply, pag. 312, 313.  printed sundry years before he put pen to paper in these disputes about Church affairs, he might have found that written by me, touching the sense, and my application of that Text, which might have prevented his exagitating that matter. Nor doth he with any congruity argue from Paul's Excommunicating Hymeneus and Alexander, who, he saith, were without the Church at Corinth, to prove that Pastors have any thing to do, to judge judicially, or excommunicate the members of other Congregations. For Paul was an Apostle, an extraordinary Officer, had an illimited commission, and a fullness of delegated power both in every Church, and to administer Church-Ordinances, without the fellowship of a particular Church, when it could not be had; and to execute all Offices in any Church, where Officers were wanting: But Pastors are ordinary Officers, have a limited commission, to do only the acts of the Pastoral Office, and those only to that particular Church by which they are called unto Office; Act. 20.28. 1 Pet. 5.2. Therefore, though Paul might excommunicate one that was not of that particular Church at Corinth, yet the Pastor to the Church at Corinth might not. Yet Paul could not excommunicate one that was no member of any Church, but without, as Infidels and Heathen are: For that implies a contradiction. To conclude. The Apostle doth so appropriate Church-judgment, to those that are within that particular Church, 1 Cor. 5.12. Ye judge them that are within; that he exempts from it in a due proportion, all that are not members of that Congregation; though there are degrees of being without, some being totally without all Church-communion, as Infidels and Heathen: others, though in Church-communion elsewhere, yet not in communion of membership of that Church, to whom he wrote to put away from them; not one that was a member of another Church, but him that was a member of that Church. And, in this sense, Mr. Rutt. saith, Hymeneus and Alexander were without the Church at Corinth, though members of some other Church: for which cause, the Church at Corinth could not excommunicate them, yet Paul might, and did, by his Apostolical Power Thus, by his own confession, some are without a particular Church, who yet are not Heathen or Infidels. To conclude, one may be said to be without this or that particular Church, two ways. 1. Simply and absolutely; so, Infidels and Heathen that are of no Church. 2. Comparatively, so the Members of other Churches, compared with those that are of this Body.   

4. Corollary.  
Then Churches gathered, and Officers ordained, in these days, without Apostles, are true Churches, and true Church-Officers, according to Christ; and Churches thus Organised, according to the Rules of the Word, are true, and entire Churches, and the first subject of all Church-power, as well as those Primitive Churches planted by the Apostles. For the concurrence of the Apostles is not put into this Charter, whereof we speak, as a conditional Clause; which might not have been omitted, if Christ had intended, that it should be always necessary. He doth not say, upon this Rock my Apostles shall build my Church, and to my Church built by them I will give the Keys of the Kingdom; but, upon this Rock I will build my Church (viz. by such Instruments as Christ will raise, and use, and bless in that work, in every Age;) and to this Church, thus built, he gives the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Object. But Christ gave the Commission of gathering Churches to his Apostles, in Matth. 28.18, 19 And, when he ascended up on high, he gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Ministry, and for the edifying of the Body of Christ, Ephes. 4.8, 11, 12. Answ. Those and the like Texts of Scripture do indeed show, that God used Apostles principally in this work, but not only: For as to Teach and Baptise is common to other Teaching-Officers, as well as Apostles; so the gathering of Churches, by making men Disciples of Christ, was done by others, besides Apostles, even in the Apostles days, Act. 11.20, 21. The dispersed Disciples planted the Church at Antioch, the Members whereof were first called Christians, a Church whose planting Barnabas approved, ver. 23. 2. They show, that God would use Apostles herein, for a time, but not always; which I prove, 1. From the proper work committed, to them, which was to make the first Models and Patterns of planting and gathering Churches, which ordinary Instrumentts are bound to attend in the gathering and constituting of Churches, 1 Cor. 3.6, 10. and, in that sense, their work continues to the end of the World, though their manner of working. viz. from an immediate Call, Inspiration, and Infallible assistance, proper to Apostles, in making those Patterns, was extraordinary, and ended with their Office, in the first Age, since when, there never have been Apostles in the World. For, though Mathias succeeded in the place of Judas, by God's Election, Act. 1.26. yet after James was beheaded, no Apostle was chosen to succeed him, though the Apostles lived long after. 2. The Apostle John, who lived longest of the Apostles, describeth, by Revelation from Christ, all the Officers that should be, by God's Ordinance, in Christian Churches, after that Age, under four sorts of living Creatures, which note the four sorts of ordinary Officers to continue in the Church after that Age, viz. Pastors, Teachers, Ruling-Elders, and Deacons, Revel. 4.1, 6, 7.    
Vers. 19 And whatsoever thou shalt bind on Earth, shall be bound in Heaven: Whatsoever thou shalt lose on Earth, shall be loosed in Heaven. 
THese words hold forth the Ratification of Christ's grant of the Keys unto a Congregational-Church, with the chiefty of power, under Christ, to manage the same within themselves, for the attainment of the ends of Church-Communion; And that this is spoken to Peter, in the name of such a Church, and, that Christ intended to establish, by this promise, the complete exercise of this power in such a Church, being completed with all it● Officers, is clear from Matth. 18.18. where the same promise is given, by name to such a Church. The words therefore, in sum, hold forth a grant from Christ to his Church of an indispensable power of Church-censures, within themselves: which may be thus evinced. The censure that is established in Heaven cannot be dispensed with, nor reversed by any power on Earth: But the censure, that is administered by a Congregational-Church, is established in Heaven: Therefore it cannot be dispensed withal, nor reversed by any power on Earth. The Proposition, a man would think might pass without opposition, but I find this Objection made against it. Obj. The sentence of an inferior Judge or Court proceeding rightly, is established in Heaven; yet we may appeal from it; Why will not the same hold in Church-censures also? Answ. 1. Because the promise of binding in Heaven, is not given by Christ to the censures of Civil Courts: For it is not a Civil, but a Spiritual binding that is here meant. 2. Because there is not par ratio between them. The reason why appeals may be made from the sentence of inferior Civil Courts and Judges, is, because there is a Supreme Court in being, to which the appeal may be brought, and there prosecuted, and thereby determined (as the inferior Courts in Israel stood under the highest Synedrion;) but there is no such Supreme Court ordained by Christ over particular Churches. The Assumption, That the censure that is administered by a Congregational-Church is established in Heaven, is expressly in the Text, as it hath been expounded. True, say some, what a particular Church binds on Earth, clavae non errante, is bound in Heaven, but the Church may err in Judgement, therefore appeal may be made, and then their binding power is gone. Answ. 1. If possibility of erring in Judgement be a warrantable ground of appealing from particular Churches; then the appeal must be made to such a Tribunal and Judge, as cannot err, which is to be found only in Heaven. 2. On this ground, the universal Church represented in a general Council (much more, inferior Synods and Classes) should not have power to bind, without appeals. For a general Council may err, and hath erred; not seldom, but often; not in small matters only, but in those of the greatest moment; yea they may be as much inclined to err, as particular Churches: For the greatest part of visible Churches in the World are for the most part corrupt. If it be said, There are more eyes, & plus vident oculi quam oculus? I answer; True, caeteris paribus, viz. if they are equally near the mark; but their sight is hindered more than particular Churches are in their proper concernments, as they are further from the mark, in such cases, than particular Churches. And if particular Churches have not full power of Excommunication, because they may err, be corrupt, be partial, be divided; upon the same ground, neither Classical, National, not Ecumenical Assemblies have any such power; for they may err, be corrupt, be partial, be divided also. 3. Christ, who well knew what is in man, and what is best for the good of his people, hath given unto his particular Churches, notwithstanding their possibility of erring, an indispensable power of judgement, in their own matters, within themselves. The Doctrinal Conclusion to be insisted upon, is this:  
A Congregational Church of Christ, 
7. Conclu.  being completed with Officers, hath, by the gift of Christ, within itself, complete subordinate Church-power in all Church-affairs proper to itself. When I say, 1. It hath complete, or sufficient Church-power] Thereby I mean, 1. That it needeth not the influence of the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of any other Church or Churches, or Classes, or Synods, to supply unto it any power that it wanteth, in its own matters; and 2. That it standeth not in subjection under any other Superior Ecclesiastical Judicatory, so as that thereby the judicial Acts of a particular Church may be hindered, or made void. In a word, Potestas uniuscujusque particularis Ecclesiae, in re propria, summa est. The power of such a Church is Chief, in things proper to itself. 2. I add, that this chiefty of power, in a particular Church, is subordinate] To show, that the absolute Supremacy of power is in Christ; that which the Church hath, is only delegated from Christ. When a particular Church is completed with all its Officers, the Government of it, in respect of Christ the Head, is perfectly Monarchical; in respect of the Elders, acting their Authoririty, or Office-power, it is Aristocratical; and in respect of the Fraternity, acting its Chuch-power in Judgement, it is Democratical; and, in the concurrence of all the Members, both Officers and Brethren, acting according to their several interests, it is Aristocratico-Democratical; above which, Christ hath not set any higher Ecclesiastical Judicatory on Earth, subjecting particular Churches thereunto, in re propriâ. A clear proof of such power, as that which hath been described, you may see in the Church at Corinth excommunicating that incestuous person, in 1 Cor. 5. 15. Say not, as some do, That was not an act of Judicial power in that Church, but of subjection to the Apostle who decreed it, and judged him before, and committed no more to the Church, but the publishing of the sentence; for, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 1 Cor. 5.3.  though Paul, as an Apostle, judged that he should be excommunicated, yet he so judged only dogmatically, by teaching the Church what they ought to do in that case, not judicially, by his own sentence, delivering him to Satan; and ac●ordingly the Church cast him out, by their own sufficiency of Church-power, within themselves, though in a way of subjection to the command of Christ delivered by Paul. For, 1. They delivered him to Satan, in the Name, and with the Power of the Lord Jesus, v. 4. and that is the highest Power. 2. The end and use of it was, for the destruction of the flesh, that his Spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus, v. 5. which argueth, that it proceedeth from a power of binding in Heaven, as well as on Earth. 3. When God blessed this sentence, by making it effectual to work Repentance in him, Paul exhorteth the whole Church to release and forgive him, 2 Cor. 2. 6-10. and doth not claim the Power over them of a Superior Judge, to absolve him by his own sentence, without them: Nor did he write to the Elders of sundry Churches, but only to that particular Church, both Elders and Brethren, and thereby acknowledgeth the Power of Ecclesiastical Judgement to be so fully in them, that, As their not putting it into act retarded the sentence before, and their putting of it into act was a Judicial Act in them all, ye judge them that are within, 1 Cor. 5.12. So, their forgiving him would be a Legal and Judicial acquitting him from tha● sentence, 2 Cor. 2. This Church is our pattern, and its practice in this is presidential to all particular Churches of Christ.  
Reas. 1 From the guilt which lieth upon every such Church, when any scandal given by their Members remaineth uncensured and unremoved. Therefore Paul applied this Reproof to the whole Church, Brethren as well as Officers, for their slowness to excommunicate that man, 1 Cor. 5.2. And in like manner, Christ reproveth the Angel, and Church, both of Pergamus, Rev. 2.14, 15. and of Thyatira, ver. 20. If these Churches had not sufficient power within themselves to purge out such Leaven, why are they blamed for tolerating the same? And why are not other Churches, or the Classes, blamed for neglect of exercising their power of Ecclesiastical Judicature over them, if they stood under any such? And what the Spirit speaketh to them, he saith to other Churches also, to beware of the like Remissness. Which Admonition all particular Churches are bound to attend; lest else the gates of Hell prevail against them, through their neglect of exercising that power which Christ hath given them, severally, and respectively, to preserve their Members and whole fellowship in Spiritual purity and safety, Heb. 12.15.  
Reas. 2 From the Analogy and agreement that is between the Spiritual power of a Congregational Church of Christ, and the civil power of the most free and perfect Cities, which Thucydides saith have three privileges, viz. to use, 1. Their own Laws. 2. Magistrates. 3. Judgements, (whence he calls every such City, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) other Cities were not accounted entire and perfect Cities of themselves, but less worthy Members of those great and perfect Cities, 
Grot. de jure bell & pac. l. 1. c. 3. p. 4, 5, 7.  under whose Jurisdiction they were. The summa potestas of those great and perfect Cities, is that, cujus actus alterius juri non subsunt, ita ut alterius voluntatis humanae arbitrio irriti possunt reddi. Now every particular Church of Christ, being completed with its Officers, is a most perfect and free City, the City of God, Psal. 48.1. The City of the great King, ver. 2. the visible Kingdom of the blessed and only Potentate, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, 1 Tim. 6.15. and therefore it must necessarily have sufficient and complete power within itself to manage the Keys, without dependence on Classes, etc. in its own concernments. Yet herein is a difference between such perfect Cities and the Churches of Christ, That such Cities may part with their Liberty, in some cases, 
Liv. Dec. 1. l. 1. Idem. Ibid. l. 7. Populum Campanum, urbemque delubra Deûm, divina, humanaque omnia in vestram, P.C. ditio●em dedimus.  as being overmatched by a Potent Enemy. In this case, the Collatives yielded up themselves, and their City and Liberties to Tarqvinius Priscus King of the Romans; or when they are in extreme danger by an Enemy, whom they would not have to rule over them, and cannot defend themselves by any other means, which was the case of Campani distressed by the Samnites, which forced them to yield up themselves, and all they had, with all their Liberties, unto the Romans; which when they had done, they were said to be facti alienae potestatis. Yet it was presupposed that they had power in themselves thus to do, as appears by that question, Estne populus Collatinus in suâ potestate? But Churches have not power to alienate from themselves their Church-Liberties, which Christ hath purchased for them with his Blood, and commanded them to stand fast in them, Gal. 5.1. and, to whom they must give an account, how they have kept and managed the same, Luke 16.2.  
Reas. 3 From the Concession of those that oppose this Truth. 
The power of Classes, and Syn. p. 33. ad Calcem.  Mr. Pag. acknowledgeth that if a particular Church of God should sojourn among the Indians, or among Heretics, where it could not obtain fellowship with other Churches out of itself: Or, if by violence, or other unavoidable inconveniences, any Church should be hindered from enjoying this benefit of combination with other Churches in Classical Government, yet notwithstanding this want, this Church should subsist still, and be reputed a true Church.] Others say the same of a Church in an Island, and add, 
Mr. Herle Indep. p. 2  that, in such cases a single Congregation must not be denied entireness of Jurisdiction. Mr. Rutterf. adds, that when Churches cannot enjoy the society of neighbouring Churches with that comfort and conveniency as their occasions may require, among them Ordination, and so Excommunication, may be performed by the Congregation.] From this Concession it will follow, that,  
1. A Congregational Church of Christ, quà talis, hath a lawful right in an entireness of Church-Government, within itself, by the gift of Christ, yea, that the Church-power, Natively and Naturally, lies in the Congregation, for such cases are ordinary; and the first Synod, which is looked at as presidential to all Synods, was a concurrence of two Churches, which were two hundred miles distant.  
2. The other Churches, or Classes, or Synods, have no right to take away this power from it. For none may put asunder what God hath joined, as well in this case, as in that noted in Mat. 19.7. God hath joined entireness of Jurisdiction, in re propriâ, to a particular Church, who then shall sunder it from such a Church, to place it in Classes, as Superior Judicatories, where God never put it?  
3. If the first Church in a Continent had this complete power within itself, before other Churches were gathered, and the rising up of other Churches there long after, should deprive them of it, by setting up a Classis, as a Superior Judicatory, over them; then the neighbourhood of Churches should not be a benefit, but a disadvantage to them, and would give them cause to complain unto God, Thou hast multiplied the Nation, 
Pow. of Class. & Syn. p. 33. Idem. p 34.  but not increased our joy. But they hold, that every Church is bound to seek this dependency and union with other Churches, as God shall give opportunity and means, and cannot, without sin, neglect the same. And, lest we should think it but a matter Arbitrary, at best; they tell us, it is of the same necessity, for a Church to combine unto Classe●, and Synods, for their Spiritual Government, if they have opportunity, as to join a man's self, as a Member, to a particular Church, if he hath means and opportunity to do it; and conclude, all that neglect to do it, sin against the Communion of Saints, and walk not as becometh the Body of Christ, Rom. 12.5. 1 Cor. 12.15. Ephes. 4.16.  
Answ. 1. The Proofs alleged do show, that the Communion of Saints ought to be preserved and exercised in Church-Communion by Believers, joining to a particular Congregation, and walking in a Memberlike affection and fellowship with their Brethren, unto mutual edification; but they speak nothing for the subjection of particular Churches to Classes and Synods, in re propriâ, but rather intimate the contrary: For the Apostle, by comparing a Congregational-Church completed with its Officers, unto the Body of a man entire in all its Members, showeth, that as the Body of a man, being entire and sound, hath complete power within itself, for all bodily actions; so a particular Church, being organised, and governed by Christ, the Head, from whom the whole Body fitly joined and compacted together, by Joints of supply, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body, unto the edifying of itself in love, Ephes. 4.15, 16. without the influence of any Jurisdiction out of itself, to supply a Superior Church-power, which was wanting in this Body of Chirist, a Congregational-Church; and as the Body Natural, being sound and of a good constitution, hath sufficient ability in itself, to purge out of itself Malignant Humours; so such a Church hath sufficient power in itself, to cast out vicious and hurtful Members, without the intervention of Classical Jurisdiction over them.  
2. It is a sin against the second Commandment in such, as having means and opportunity, neglect to join, as Members in a particular Congregation, because it is God's Ordinance, and revealed Will, 2 Cor. 8.5. But Classical Jurisdiction over particular Churches, and their subjection thereunto, is no Ordinance of Christ, and therefore it is so far from being necessary, that it is not lawful; but against the second Commandment, which forbiddeth men's inventions in God's worship, that it may establish only God's Ordinances therein. Others argue thus: As, though a Town or Family, being alone, may govern, as a complete Body; yet, when it stands in a Commonwealth, it may not be so independent, but must submit to Combinations: So, though when a particular Congregation is alone, it may govern as complete, yet not so, when it is among other Churches.  
Answ. 1. There is not a like reason of Churches, and of Towns or Families in this respect. For civil Societies are more left to Rules of Humane prudence, by the great Ru●●● of the World, than Churches are. Therefore civil Societies may be of several constitutions, have different Laws and Privileges, and admit various forms of Government; provided that they be not against Moral Rules and the good of the People. But in this Spiritual Kingdom of Christ, men may not alter the kind or Form of Church, which Christ hath Instituted, but must preserve inviolate the Laws, Administrations, Privileges, and Church-Government ordained by him, without Addition, Diminution, or alteration. Hence a particular Church may not alienate from itself, in whole, or part, any Right, Power or Privilege given it by Christ.  
2. If such a Town or Family hath complete power and Officers within itself, it is not bound to submit to such Combinations in a Commonwealth, except it be under a Superior Power that can command the same. Abraham, having a complete Family, was not bound to combine with the Governments he dwelled amongst, nor did he; though he joined in a League of amity, and for mutual help, with Aner, Eschol, and Mamre, yet not to submit to their Government: So neither is a particular Organical Church bound to submit to such Classical Combinations, till it can be proved by Scripture, that a Superior Power of other Churches can command the same.  
3. Though several Families, not having complete Government within themselves, must combine in a Commonwealth, yet not to yield up their Family-Government over their Wives, Children, and Servants, respectively, to rule them in common with other Masters of Families. Much less may several Congregational-Churches give up the Government of themselves to Pastors of sundry Churches, combined in a Classis, to govern them in their proper Affairs, such as Admission of Members, Election and Ordination of Officers, Administration of Seals and Censures.  

1. Corollary.  
Then the censure of Excommunication is not a light matter, but to be looked at, as very weighty and formidable. You see,  
1. That it is the Sovereign Remedy prescribed by Christ against the many Diseases, whereunto the Body is subject; the great preservative of the Church's peace, and safety against the gates of Hell.  
2. That it is such a Power given by Christ to his Church, as proveth Church-Societies to be the visible Suburbs of Heaven, yea, the Kingdom of Heaven begun on Earth, seeing such an Heavenly Power is committed to them. This is a greater work than Elijah did, when he shut up Heaven, that it reigned not, Jam. 5.17. For that was but an outward and temporal Judgement, for three years and six months: But this is Spiritual, and for ever, upon impenitent persons. It is greater than Earthly Kings and Magistrates can do; they can bind a Malefactor hand and foot, and deliver him to the Jailor, and sentence him to banishment out of their Dominions: but this Censure binds the Soul and Conscience, delivers them to Satan, and excludes obstinate impenitent sinners from the Kingdom of God; that when this Censure is applied by the Church according to Scripture-Rules, Jesus Christ is with them, to ratify his Censure according to this Promise, What you shall bind on Earth, shall be bound in Heaven; and to bless it to the attainment of its end, the destruction of the flesh, that the Spirit may be saved. This is a singular Privilege of Church-Members. If they that are out of Church-fellowship, bless themselves in their Liberty, because they cannot be touched with Church-censures, they show their extreme folly therein; for they are left to the Sword of the Magistrate, or to the immediate judgement of God, as forlorn Creatures, excluded from Spiritual helps suitable to their needs. They are as Sheep whom no man taketh up, or careth for, in a Spiritual way, Isa. 3.13, 14. It is therefore a special privilege of Church-Members, and much for the furtherance of their eternal Salvation, if they improve it aright, to the mortifying of those corruptions in them which could not be purged out and healed by easier means. And this is the proper end of it, that, seeing themselves, as Adam, driven from the Tree of Life, by the flaming Sword of a Cherubin; or, as Cain, cast out from God's face; or, as the Leper, shut out from the fellowship of God's people; or, as that Incestuous Corinthian, delivered up to Satan, they may be ashamed, humbled, and effectually brought to Repentance, and to hold it forth according to God's Rules. If it work not this effect, the fault is their own: Yet it will not be without effect. For as the Gospel is the savour of Death unto Death, when it is not the savour of Life unto Life; so this Gospel-Ordinance shall not be in vain, but shall work, one way, or tother, either the destruction of the impenitent, or the salvation of those that repent. That therefore it may be effectual for their eternal good, it is their duty, when the sentence proceeds, either according to the eighteenth of Matthew, upon their not hearing the Church, in less heinous offences; or, according to 1 Cor. 5. and Rev. 22.15. upon the heinous nature of scandals given by them against common light, to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt them in due time, 1 Pet. 5.6. and to cry mightily to him, to add efficacy to his Ordinance, by his Spirit, that their spirits may be duly and truly humbled, their corruptions powerfully mortified, and their souls eternally saved. Be sure, that you take not part with your sin against the Ordinance, but take part with the Ordinance against your sin; and account it your honour, to honour God, and exalt his Rules; and let others learn hereby to fear, not joining with the Church, but persisting obstinately in sin.   

2. Corollary.  
Then a Congregational Church (such as hath been described) is the highest Ecclesiastical Tribunal, under Christ, in its own matters. This was revealed to John, as that frame of Church-Government which should continue, from the Apostles time, unto the end of the World; when he saw a Throne set in Heaven, the Trinity sitting upon it, and the four living Creatures between it, and the four and twenty Elders who sat round about the Throne, Rev. 4.1, 9 Thither appeals must be made according to Christ his Ordinance, by an offended Brother, after the first and second step; or by any Member that finds himself over-rigorously deal● with by his Brethren in these steps; Matth. 18.17, 18. that there the Cause may be scanned, and Sentence proceed according to Christ. If the Church want sufficient light, or consent, for the sentence, they are to seek help from others by their Light and Counsel, but still preserving the power of Censure entirely in the Church, where Christ hath placed it. The wisdom of Christ, the good of the Church, and of every Member, and the nature of the thing require, that there be some chief Tribunal in the exerci●● of Church-Government, unto which Appeals must be last made, Juridically, and from which no Appeal may be granted and expected. 2. That this chief Tribunal must have no Ecclesiastical Power above it; and 3. That it may not be judially censured by any Power of the same kind. All the question is, which is the chief Tribunal? That, say some, must be the Classes, under which such Churches stand, and the Synods under which the Classes are subordinate; and they give this Reason: Because the end, for which the Keys are given to the Church, is, that all offences may be removed, Mat. 18.15, 16, etc. Which, they say, cannot be done, if you put the chief Power of Judgement into a Congregational Church. For, what if an Elder? what if the whole Edership? yea, what if the whole Church offend? The Church cannot censure their Elders; for that were to rule their Rulers, and to judge their Judges; nor will they censure themselves. But a Classis or Synod of many Elders may, and will, reform all, by judicially censuring all.  
Answ. 1. This Argument is built upon a mistake or error in the foundation of it. For the Rule prescribed in Matth. 18. is ●●t for removal of all offences, but of such private and less heinous offences as grow public and notorious, only by the obstinacy of the Delinquent. For, if offences be public and heinous in themselves, the Apostle doth not direct Churches to proceed by those steps, 1 Cor. 5.11. Rev. 22.15.  
2. Nor doth it make the People Rulers of their Rulers, or Judges of their Judges, when we say, that the Church hath a power over them, in case of Delinquency. For Excommunication is not an act of the highest Rule, or Authority, but of the highest Judgement; and therefore the Power of it may well be in the whole Church, as their Privilege, without any entrenchment upon the Rule and Authority of Elders, wherein, as Officers, they are above the Brethren, whilst they act according to Rule: But, if they become Delinquents, then as Members, they are under the Power of the whole. The Church must submit to them, as Rulers, whilst they rightly exercise the Authority of their Office, in Preaching, Administering the Seals, holding forth light from Scripture to guide them in censure, ordering Speech and Silence according to Rules of Order and Edification, and in other Official Acts: But they must submit to the Church, questioning, or proceeding to censure them with good advice of Neighbour-Churches and Elders; (who as they concurred in giving them the right hand of fellowship in their Ordination, so they should concur in approving this Censure, as justly inflicted by the Church, from parity of reason.) The Mayor in a free City, or Corporation, is, in the right Administration of his Office, above the Court, none but he can perform the Acts peculiar to his place; yet, if he corrupt the People, pervert Justice, or be, any way, grossly and scandalously delinquent, the Court can censure and despose him. For the whole hath Power over any Member, to preserve its purity, and peace, and safety against any in the Body, that would corrupt, disturb or destroy the same. And the Covenant binds every Member, to be subject to the Power of the whole, either to be reform, or removed from communion of it thereby.  
3. Their Plaster is not suitable to heal the Sores of the Church, but it is either too broad, when offences of Brethren may be healed by Church-censure, within themselves, or, it is too narrow.  
For, 1. Those Assemblies are too seldom, and cannot sit together long enough to remove the many offences that fall out frequently in Churches.  
2. Non can they Excommunicate a Church, nor any Officer or Member of a particular Church by warrant from Christ.  
3. Classes, and Synods, and general Councils may be under just offences, as well as Churches; and who shall censure them?  
4. This Plaster hinders the healing of the Sores of Churches. For, 
Appellatio est jus, per quod prima sententia tantisper extinguitur, donec de causae cognitione ad superiorem devolutâ, fuerit pronunciatum.  if a Delinquent, disliking the Churches proceeding, appeals from the sentence of the Church to the Classis, and, for the same reason, from the sentence of the Classis to a Provincial Synod, then, to a National Synod, then to an Ecumenical Council, which may not assemble in an Age; while the Appeal depends, he shall stand as uncensured. For this is the Law of Appeals. Now, how can that heal which is cross to the prescription of our Lord Jesus Christ, the only wise Physician? He saith, Tell the Church; and if he neglect to hear the Church, let him be unto thee as an Heathen & Publican. But he who appeals from the Church, doth not hear the Church. Therefore he that so doth, deserves to be cut off, by the sentence of Christ, which this Tradition of Appeals from Churches, in re propriâ, to Superior Ecclesiastical Judicatories, contradicteth, and so, maketh the Commandment of Christ void, and of none effect. It remaineth therefore, that the Church of a particular Congregation is the highest Tribunal under Christ, in such things as are proper to itself.   

3. Corollary.  
Then entireness of Church-Government, in a particular Church completed with its Officers, in re propriâ, will well consist with that communion of Churches which the Scripture establisheth. The reason is, because both are the Ordinances of Christ, and Christ's Ordinances do not interfere. As the Communion of Neighbour-Families doth not cross the complete Government of several Families within themselves, respectively, in things properly Domestical. And as communion among Kingdoms and Commonwealths, hindereth not the entireness of Jurisdiction in each Kingdom and Commonwealth within itself, in its proper concernments; So it is in the communion of Churches. Therefore Church-communion must be only, in a way of Brotherly association, for mutual helpfulness, in matters of this nature, but not in way of subordination, or subjection of one Church to the Ecclesiastical Government, whether of another Church, or of the Elders of several Churches assembled in Classes or Synods. The Communion of Churches, in the former way, is exercised according to Rule, in sundry cases, as 1. In mutual care. 2. In recommendation of Members. 3. In participation of such Ordinances as are for comfort and strengthening the Members of other Churches occasionally. 4. In relieving and succouring one another. 5. In countenancing, by giving the right hand of fellowship unto a Church in its first gathering, and unto Elders at their Ordination. 6. In consulting one with another, when we have occasion to require the Judgement and Counsel of other Churches, concerning any Person or Cause, 
See these particulars proved, in the Platform of Church-Discipline published-by the Synod at Cambridge in New-England, Anno. 1649. the eighth month, Chap. 15. & 16.  wherewith they may be better acquainted than ourselves. 7. In admonishing one another, in case of public scandal. All these (and if withdrawing fellowship upon just causes, be added to them) are no more than one Apostle may do to another, without exercising Church-Government over them. Communion of Churches in the latter way, of subordination or subjection to other Churches or Synods, in re propriâ, the Scripture no where approveth. Not of one Church to another; for there is a parity among Churches, and par in parem non habet imperium. Nor of one Church to a Synod made up of the Elders of sundry Neighbour-Churches. The Assembly in Act. 15. Is a pattern they say of such a Synod. Let us see how their Classical Assemblies answer it.  
1. That was no set meeting, monthly, or quarterly, but merely occasional, Act. 15.1, 2.  
2. If was not an Assembly of Elders meeting apart from the Brethren of the Church where they assembled, Vers. 22, 23.  
3. It was but a meeting of two Churches, that of Antioch sending their Messengers, with Paul and Barnabas, and that at Jerusalem, the Apostles (whose residence, for the present, was there) joining with them, Vers. 4, 6.  
4. That assembly gave their judgement, both of the Doctrine taught at Antioch, & of the persons that taught it, as troublesome and subverters, Vers. 24. but did neither Excommunicate them, nor command the Church to Excommunicate them.  
5. They directed and charged the Church from the Word, what they should do, Vers. 28, 29. but they did not do their Acts of Power for them.  
6. Nor did this Assembly exercise Church-government over that Church at Antioch, or any other Church or Churches, in admission of their Members, or in Ordination of their Officers, or in Administration of the Seals, or in Excommunicating, or in reversing or nullifying the censure inflicted by the Church. For these were res propria to every particular Church within itself. Yet, because I study peace, and consent with godly Brethren, so far as it may stand with Truth, I willingly grant, that other Churches, and Synods rightly gathered and ordered, have so much Power and Authority, even in these matters, as I can find any warrant for in Scripture; being willing also to yield further if it can be cleared from Scripture, that more is due unto them. There are two Cases, wherein the res propria of a particular Church, may fall under the cognizance and determination of other Churches or Synods.  
1. When they want sufficient light, or competent consent among themselves, which was the case of the Church at Antioch; provided, that they have liberty to choose such a Church or Churches, for this purpose, as themselves approve to be fittest for attainment of their end, in seeking light, as the Church at Antioch agreed to send to that at Jerusalem, though two hundred miles distant from them. But, if they have sufficient light within themselves, and hold it forth convictingly from Scripture, the Elders and Principal Members of the Church, and major part of the Brethren by far consenting therein, no Rule requireth or alloweth, that, for the wilfulness of a Delinquent, who will not hear the Church, or of two or three Brethren, who side with him, and refuse to join with the Church in censuring him, the Church should be hindered from proceeding, till other Churches or Elders have been consulted. For if this be granted, 1. It will disturb all Church-proceeding. 2. And if it be brought to a Classis, it must issue there by the Vote of the major part, if as many Elders in that Assembly dissent, as Brethren did before in the Church-meeting, so that nothing is gained thereby. And if the Delinquent, for the same reason, appeal to a Synod, there may be the same issue, and so appeals may be drawn further, till a Delinquent wrist himself at last from all power of censure. The second Case is, when that which is res propria, in the thing done, simply considered, becomes res communis in the Cause or ground of proceeding. For though receiving of Members, Election, and Ordination of Officers, and Administration of Seals and Censures, be Acts of the power given by Christ to particular Churches; yet it never was the mind of Christ, to establish, by that Grant, an absolute power in such Churches, to corrupt the Faith and Worship of God, in themselves, and in other Churches. If therefore a Church, that was planted a noble Vine, wholly a a right Seed, shall turn into the degenerate Plants of a strange Vine unto God, and become Heretical, or Schismatical, or scandalously corrupt, and therefore receive into their fellowship known Heretics, and Schismatics, and choose such into Office, and refuse to admit into fellowship or Office, such as are sound in the Faith, because they are sound in the Faith and Order of the Gospel, and cast out from their fellowship such as testify, according to Rule, against these evils, and refuse to consent with them therein; etc. the Neighbour Church, or Churches, or Elders, and Brethren Assembled in a Synod (if the evil spread to the disturbing, corrupting, or scandalising of many Churches) have power, and it is their duty, 1. To consider of this Matter, Act. 15.6. 2. To argue, debate, and determine according to the Word, Vers. 7. 23. 3. To publish the same to the Church or Churches whom it concerneth, vers. 23. to bear witness against their corruptions in Doctrine or Manners, and to give directions from the Word, for the Reformation thereof, vers. 24, 28, 29. 4. Such Determinations, and Directions being found consonant to the Word of God in Scripture, the Church to whom they are sent, are to receive them with due reverence and submission, as to the Ordinance of God. Or, 5. In case of obstinate persistance of such a Church or Churches in their scandalous evils against light convictingly held forth, the Churches so offended, or scandalised by them, are to withdraw from them the right hand of fellowship and Church-Communion, till they repent and reform. This follows, in proportion, from the contrary, Gal. 2.9. and à pari, 2 Thes. 3.6, 14. there being a like reason of Churches and Persons, in this respect. Yet such offended Churches and Synods, are not to exercise Church-censures, in way of Discipline, nor any other Act of Church-Government, as neither did that Assembly, in Act. 15.29.  
Here I shall crave leave to join with my Brethren in adding some caution touching the Communion and Consociation of Churches, To see that this Consociation of Churches be not perverted, 
Mr. Cotton of the Keys, p. 57  either to the oppression, or diminution of the just Liberty and Authority of each particular Church within itself, who being well supplied with a faithful and expert Presbytery of their own, do walk in their integrity, according to the Truth and Peace of the Gospel. Let Synods have their just Authority in all Churches, how pure soever, in determining such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as are requisite for the edification of all Churches,  to God: but in the Election and Ordination of Officers, and censure of offenders, let it suffice the Churches Consociate to assist one another with their Counsel, and right hand of fellowship, when they see a particular Church to use their Liberty and Power aright. But let them not put forth the Power of their Community, either to take such Church Acts out of their hands, or to hinder them in their lawful course, unless they see them thro●●● ignorance or weakness, to abuse their Liberty and Authority in the Gospel. All the Liberties of the Churches were purchased to them by the precious Blood of the Lord Jesus, and therefore may not the Churches give them away, nor many Churches take them out of the hands of one. 
Mr. Shepherd's & Mr. Allen's Defense of the 9 Positions, in answ. to Mr. Ball.   
Others express their apprehensions, in way of Caution, touching this matter, thus.  
Association of divers particular Churches, we hold needful, as well as the combination of Members into one Church; yet so, as there be no Schism of one from another, nor usurpation of one over another; that either one should deprive the rest of peace, by Schism, or many should deprive any one of its power by usurpation. Hence a Fraternal Consociation we acknowledge. Consociation; for mutual Counsel and help, to prevent, or remove, Sin, or Schism: Yet Fraternal only, to to preserve each others Power. Consociation of Churches we would have cumulatiuè (not in words, but in deed) to strengthen the power of particular Churches: Not privatiuè, to take away any power, which they had from the gift of Christ before. For, as on the one side, it may seem strange, that one Church offending should have no means of Cure by the conceived power of many; so, on the other side, the danger may appear as great, and frequently falls out, that, when many Churches are scandalous, one innocent Church may be hurt by the Usurpation of all. And hence we see not, but that Fraternal Consociation is the best Medicine to heal the Wounds of both.  
Hereunto I shall add, that, as these godly Learned Brethren speak nothing for the Classical Power of Elders, for which the Presbyterians contend, tanquam pro aris & focis; so in that Communion of Churches, which I with them look at as the Ordinance of Christ, due moderation must be exercised by Neighbour Churches, that their exercising brotherly Communion in testifying against such Acts in a particular Church, as they conceive to be aberrations from the Rule, be according to Scripture-Light, with Humility; and that,  
1. Held forth by them, they looking at themselves, though as Elders, yet not as Apostles, nor as infallibly assisted, or carried by the Spirit, above all possibility of erring, in their Determinations and Counsels, and therefore do not in a Masterly way impose their Determinations and Counsels upon others, but propound them in the fear of God, to be examined by the Scripture, and received only so far, as they shall be found to agree therewith. And, if that Church hold forth Reasons of their contrary apprehensions, let them be duly weighed, and answered convictingly; or let that Church be left at liberty, to walk according to their own light, in re propriâ, without offence, or disturbance.  
2. Godly Wisdom is to be exercised in such proceed, in making difference between Cause and Cause; which will not suffer Churches to connive at grosser scandals, nor to withdraw the right-hand of fellowship from any Church upon small differences in Judgement or Practice, much less, for Censuring, and holding under Censure impenitent persons, when the scandalous obstinacy of delinquents is res propriâ to that Church, though some other Churches (being misled by their Guides, who possibly may side, more than they ought, with the delinquent, out of some secret grudge against the Elders of that Church) declare it to be their Judgement, that the party should not have been laid under that Censure, or should now be released from it. To withdraw the right-hand of fellowship from a Church for such a cause, is contrary to Rules of true Wisdom. If a Church be found in the Faith and Order of the Gospel, greater matters than this will cause no breach of Communion between Churches, where brotherly Communion is exercised with true Humility and godly Wisdom. See the moderation of that African Synod, whereof Cyprian wrote thus to Stephanus. Caeterum scimus quosdam, quod semel imbiberint, 
Cypr. l. 2. Ep. 1.  nolle deponere, nec propositum suum facilè mutare, sed salvo inter collegas pacis & concordiae vinculo, quaedam propria, quae apud se semel sint usurpata, retinere. Quâ in re, nec nos cuiquam facimus aut legem damus, cum habeat in Ecclesiae administratione voluntatis suae arbitrium liberum unusquisque praepositus, rationem actus sui Domino redditurus. Yet these proper practices of some Churches, differed from the Decree of that Synod, which was established, as he saith, Consensu & authoritate communi. Nor will there ever be end of breaches among Churches, unless due moderation, in such Cases, be exercised, that love among Churches may be maintained.  
3. Unto these let it be added, that as the Foundation of the Communion of Churches is brotherly love, so all the Churches should show to any one Church, and before other Churches, the proof of their love, in not easily receiving suggestions against the proceed of it, though from some Elder or Pastor, or Teacher of another Church, who may possibly speak against them out of envy, or ill will; much more, in not countenancing a censured Delinquent, complaining against the Church and Elders, by whom he was censured, in a disorderly tumultuous manner, as desirous to beget reproach and trouble to that Church, and Contentions and Divisions among the Churches and Elders, 
Cyprian. lib. 1. Ep. 3.  from an evil spirit of revenge. The African Pastors were careful hereof, as Cyprian notes. Cum statutum sit omnibus nobis, & aequum sit pariter ac justum, ut uniuscujusque causa illic audiatur, ubi est crimen admissum, & singulis pastoribus portio egregis sit ascripta; quam regat unusquisque & gubernet, rationem sui actus Domino rediturus, oportet utique eos quibus praesumus, non circumcurdare, nec Episcoporum concordiam cohaerentem suâ subdolâ & fallaci temeritate, collidere, sed agere illic causam suam, ubi, & accusatores habere, & testes sui criminis, possint.  
Lastly, If the Elders and Messengers of Churches assembled in a Synod, shall determine any thing contrary to the Rule, and prejudicial to the entireness of the Church's Power, within itself, the Church may, and aught, to refuse such Sanctions, as not being sancited by the Lord. The Communion of Churches being rightly ordered, according to what hath been said, is a sufficient Spiritual Remedy against all those inconveniences, which some think cannot be redressed, unless Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction over particular Churches be established in Classes and Synods: As, if a Church fall into two Factions & Oppositions within itself, or, if there be scandalous contention between two Churches, or between the Eldership and Brotherhood of the same Church; or, if a whole Church be under scandalous Delinquencies: I say, these and the like inconveniencies will be better redressed, in this way, than in that of Classical Government. For, this way is grounded upon Divine Institution, so is not that: And the blessing of Christ follows and accompanies his own Institutions, not men's devices. If Vzzah put forth his hand to stay the Ark, his good intention could not justify his action, but his not acting according to God's order was his death. The Prelates had as plausible a plea for their Jurisdiction over Churches, and taking the Keys out of their hands, viz. for Unity, Peace, and Conformity; yet the vanity of it is now manifested unto all men. Lastly, The same inconveniences may befall Classical and Synodal Assemblies, yea, and Ecumenical Councils, and what remedy is there for them? Not so much, as this way of Communion of Churches affordeth to particular Churches.   

Corollary 4.  
Then entireness of Church-Government in a particular Congregation, in re propriâ, aught to be thankfully received, rightly improved, and faithfully preserved, without violation of it, both by the Members of particular Churches, and by other Churches, and their Officers.  
1. It must be thankfully received, as a blessing promised of God unto his people, whose hearts are engaged to approach unto him, Jer. 30.21. The grant by Charter, of entireness of Government within themselves, unto Cities and Corporations, hath ever been highly esteemed, as an Act of special grace from the Sovereign Power. It was for the enjoyment of this Privilege, with the consequents of it, that the chief Captain, in Acts 22.25, 26, 28. purchased his freedom in Rome with a great sum of money. This grant to particular Churches is advantageous to the Members of them, sundry ways. 1. For their ease, in having their Causes heard, examined and issued, at home, without chargeable, tiresome journeys to the Classical or Synodal Assembly, to have their matters determined there. 2. For encouragement and liberty of the spirit and speech of him that is to answer before his Brethrens and the Elders, who have a Memberlike and Pastoral care and respect of him, whereas the presence of sundry strange faces of persons of superior Rank and Quality, would not a little daunt him, which might occasion his falling in his Cause. 3. For their satisfaction concerning the Churches proceeding, where, as all circumstances can be best cleared, so more moderation may rationally be expected from their own Officers and Brethren, than from strangers, comparatively, and from such as are subject to the same censures, and the same either hath been, or may be, their own case, they know not how soon, (which are strong inducements to moderation, Exod. 23.9. Gal. 6.1.) than from a Judicatory of constant Judges, who think themselves out of that danger. 4. For common edification in the Congregational way, all may hear and be edified by their presence in Church-proceeding, Acts 5.11. This they lose, in the Presbyterial way, Classical Assemblies consisting only of Elders meeting and acting apart.  
2. It must be rightly improved, which is then done, when Church-proceeding are orderly carried according to Christ's Rules, both by the Eldership and Fraternity, acting the Power which Christ hath delegated to them, respectively, according to their several interests, in the due order, and with mutual consent, according to God.  
3. It must be faithfully preserved without violation. 1. By the Members of particular Churches, submitting to the Ordinance of Christ, whereby the Church, acting according to Rule, is made under Christ, the highest Ecclesiastical Tribunal, in its own matters, 2 Cor. 8.5. without appealing to other Ecclesiastical Judicatories, who have no power from Christ to dispense Church-censures, or to release men from them, Matth. 18.18.  
Object. What if the Brother be not satisfied in the equity of the Churches proceeding? Ans. The Elders having declared the mind of Christ from Scripture to guide their proceed, and the Brethren either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or the major part, by far, judging accordingly, let him suspect his own apprehensions, fearing that Satan's temptations, and his own corruptions, Pride, and self-flattery may darken and harden him, Prov. 28.14. 2. Let him attend seriously to the light held forth from Scripture, for his conviction, 2 Cor. 2.6. praying the Lord to make it effectual in him. 3. Let him thankfully close with the light that doth shine unto him, and answerably judge and condemn in himself the evil, which that light reproveth, and follow on to know the whole mind of Christ concerning the nature and compass of his guilt, seeking unto the Elders for further help, with a selfdenying spirit, that he may come up fully to the Rule. 4. If he cannot show convictingly to the Church some errors in the Elders expounding or applying the Rule to the Case, whereupon the Censure proceeded, let him fall under the Rule, or look at it as his great sin, and violation of his Covenant, which bond him to submit unto the judgement of the Church, if he find that, through sinful prejudice, he cannot receive the light held forth, when he hath no objection of weight against it.  
2. Other Churches and the Elders of them ought to preserve the entireness of Power of every particular Church, in re propriâ, inviolate. The Law of Love and Righteousness binds every man hereunto. One Corporation must uphold the just Rights, Liberties, and Power of another. If a man see his brother's Ox or Sheep go astray, he must in any case bring them again unto his brother, Deut. 22.1. much more if he see a Sheep of Christ go astray by sinful prejudice against the Church, he must in any case convince him of his error, and bring him again to the Church, as the Angel returned Hagar to Sarah her Mistress, Gen. 16.8, 9 For this purpose, 1. They must not receive an accusation against an Elder (much less, against the Church and Eldership) under two or three witnesses, 1 Tim. 5.19. therefore much less, from a Delinquent under public censure, and that in his one cause. 2. If more join with him attesting what he saith; they must see, 1 Whether they do it, in a way of faction, siding with a censured Delinquent against the Church, or no. If yea; they must testify against their way, as contrary to Rule, and avoid them, as disturbers of the peace of the Church, Rom. 16.17. If not; they must inquire, 1, whether they have pleaded with the Church itself, Hos. 2.2. in such manner as becometh such as would approve themselves to love the Truth and Peace, Zach. 8.21. before they become accusers of the Brethren unto others. 2 Whether they proceed peaceably, or tumultuously? and tumultuosly they do act, if they seek nor Light in the use of Means, first, at home, but refuse help that way, when it is offered them, that they may make trouble and disturbance to the Church, by spreading their complaints abroad, and those, not to some one Church, without whose help the question cannot be ended, as the Church at Antioch sent to the Church at Jerusalem, but to eight or nine Churches, some nearer, some far distant from the Church, some 40, 50, 100, 150 miles off, and that without giving notice of their purpose to the Church, or having their consent thereunto, or so much as to the stating of the question. If so, they may clearly see an evil spirit working in the business, with which, others should have no fellowship, 2 Cor. 12.20. 3 Whether they do positively justify the Delinquent in that, for which he was censured, and upon what grounds; or only declare their good Opinion of the Delinquent in some respects, and that they are not clear concerning the equity of the censure. If the latter, it is the duty of those to whom they thus speak, to convince them of the error of their way. 4 Whether they come only in a backbiting way, or are willing to speak the same things publicly before the Church, which they accuse privately. If not, they must be convinced of their sinning against common equity, Act. 25.16. 5 What the end is which they propound unto themselves in taking this course? whether it be for light only? or, for the nullifying of the censure by the power of others? If the former; they cannot safely conclude any thing, alterâ parte inauditâ, remembering what Solomon saith, Prov. 18.17. If the latter, they must profess, that they have no such Power, but all that they can do, is, to inform themselves from the Church, whether their report be true, or not, and to give such advice from Scripture, as the case requires, according to their judgement, exhorting them in the mean space, to attend the Rule in Memberlike submission to the Power of their Church, according to God.  
Quest. But suppose that the party censured think he can prove that he is wronged; is there no course to be taken for the freeing of him from a sentence that is unjust in his apprehension?  
Answ. If he hath held forth convincing light (as he conceiveth) to the Church, to prove that he is wronged, and hath waited patiently for redress, but can find none, and therefore desireth to join with some other Church; he may remove his dwelling, if no other Church be in the same place, or, without that, if there be, and he may offer himself to their fellowship, making known to them his case. If, in other respects, they approve him, as one, whose fellowship with them would be helpful, or comfortable to them; they will acquaint the Church, whence he came, with his desire, and crave their advice, which will draw from that Church a full Narrative of his Case: Upon examination whereof these, who desire his fellowship, will labour with him, to further his repentance, and his holding it forth to the satisfaction of that offended Church, according to Rule; which being done, the Church that was offended will be reconciled to him, and forgive him, and confirm their love to him, in the Lord, and recommend him to that fellowship where he desires to settle. But, if they will not; the Church that hath thus far laboured in the business, will acquaint other neighbour-Churches with the matter, and crave their advice, who finding, either that the Church did err in judgement, or that the Delinquent hath satisfied the Rule of Repentance, will signify their apprehensions to both the Churches, and accordingly the party is, either released by the one, or received by the other, each of them preserving its Church-power in re propriâ, according to their light, maintaining still Church-Communion, notwithstanding their different apprehensions touching this matter.  
2. If the case be reducible to what is noted in the third Corollary, there you may find a sufficient Remedy prescribed, according to Congregational Principles, without his remove.  
3. In some Cases, a mischief is to be chosen, before an inconvenience, as Lawyers speak. Better it is that the Church want a Remedy for a Case that may not happen in a man's life, than to be under the continual droppings of Classical Jurisdiction over them in all Cases.  
4. We have formerly proved, that Classical Jurisdiction is so far from being helpful to Churches, that it frustrates Christ's grant of Power to particular Churches in re propriâ.    
FINIS.