The Power of Congregational Churches Asserted and Vindicated

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.

Sunt certè libri Dominici, quorum Authoritati utri que consentimus, utri que credimus, utri que 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 Iumine, in cordis nostri marsupium recondatur.

p. 1The Churches Charter. Containing Two Parts,

1. The Constitution of particular visible Churches.

2. The Priviledges 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 politick, 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 p. 2direct and warrant: There we finde the grand Charter it self, and the ancient Presidents of the first Christian Churches 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, &c.] Whence Cyprian doth wel 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 commandements 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.

p. 2The 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 p. 3the more largely, that the strength of such objections as occurr, 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.

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, p. 4which should be built (after his Ascension) of Jews and Gentiles joyned into one body, upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, Jesus Christ being the Corner-Stone, &c. Ephes. 2.20, 21, 22. The Conclusion hence is,

That Jesus Christ our Mediatour is the only immediate Authour and Institutor of particular visible Churches.] That he speaketh here of a particular visible Church, and not of the Catholick Church, appeareth, by his giving to it the Keyes; 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 p. 5the visible Seals, Baptism, Col. 2.10, 11, 12. and the Lords Supper, 1 Cor. 11, 23, &c. 6. He is the Law-giver 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.