1[ This truth, that Jesus Christ is a king, and hath a kingdom and government in his Church distinct from the kingdoms of this world, and from the civil government, hath this commendation and character above all other truths, that Christ himself suffered to the death for it, and sealed it with his blood. For it may he observed from the story of his passion, this was the only point of his accusation, which was confessed and avouched by himself, Luke xxiii. 3; John xviii. 33, 36, 37; was most aggravated, prosecuted, and driven home by the Jews, Luke xxiii. 2; John xix. 22, 23; was prevalent with Pilate as the cause of condemning him to die, John xix. 12, 13, and was mentioned also in his superscription upon his cross, John xix. 19; and although in reference to God, and in respect of satisfaction to the Divine justice for our sins, his death was [Greek: lytron] a price of redemption; yet in reference to men who did persecute, accuse, and condemn him, his death was [Greek: martyrion] a martyr's testimony to seal such a truth.—Mr.G. Gillespie, in his Aaron's Rod Blossoming, &c., Epist. to the Reader.]
2[Cent. I. lib. 2, cap.7,p.407ad418,Edit. Basil. An.1624. De rebus ad Gubernationem Ecclesiae pertinentibus, Apostoli certos quosdam, Canones tradiderunt: quos ordine subjiciemus, &c.]
3[ Directions of the Lords and Commons, &c. Aug. 19, 1645, p. 10]
4[ (1) The ancient discipline of the Bohemian Brethren, published in Latin, in octavo,Anno1633, pages 99, 100.
(2) The discipline of Geneva,Anno1576, inArt.1, 22, 57, 86, and 87.
(3) The discipline of the French church at Frankfort,Edit.2, in octavo,Anno1555,in cap. de Disciplina et Excom.,p. 75, and the Ecclesiast. Discipline of the reformed churches of France, printed at London,Anno1642,Art.15, 16, and 24, p. 44. (1) The Synodal Constitution of the Dutch churches in England, chap. 4,Art.13, andTit.1,Art.2; and the Dutch churches in Belgia, (seeHarmonia Synodorum Belgicarum,)cap.14,Art.7, 11, and 15, p. 160. (5) The reformed churches at Nassau, in Germany, asZeopertestifies,De Politei Eccles.,printedHerborne, Anno1607, in octavo,Tit. de Censuris Ecclesiast., Part4,Art.64, p. 813. (6) The discipline in the churches constituted by the labor ofJoannes â Lasco, entitledForma ac ratio tota Ecclesiastici Miniterii, &c.,author Joannes â Lasco Poloniae Barone, Anno1555, p. 291. (7) The discipline agreed upon by the English exiles that fled from theMarianpersecution to Frankfort, thence to Geneva, allowed byCalvin; entitledRatio ac forma publicè orandi Deum, &c., Genevae, 1556,Tit. de Disciplina, p. 68. (8) The Order of Excommunication and Public Repentance used in the Church of Scotland,Anno1571,Tit.The offences that deserve public repentance, &c., pp. 87, 88.]
5[ See more in chap. 10, sect. 1.]
6[ R. Park, de Polit. Eccl. 1. 2, cap. 42.]
7[ Malcolm. Com. in loco.]
8[ Calvin in loco.]
9[ Chrys. wisheth—"But, O that there had not wanted one that would have delivered diligently unto us the history of the apostles, not only what they wrote, or what they spake, but how they behaved themselves throughout their whole life, both what they did eat, and when they did eat, when they sat, and whither they went, and what they did every day, in what parts they lived, and into what house they entered, and whither they sailed, and that would accurately have expounded all things; so full of manifold utility are all things of theirs."—Chrys., Argum. in Epist. ad Philem. And elsewhere he affirmeth,—"Nor hath the grace of the Holy Ghost without cause left unto us these histories written, but that he may stir us up to the imitation and emulation of such unspeakable men. For when we hear of this man's patience, of that man's soberness, of another man's readiness to entertain strangers, and the manifold virtue of every one, and how every one of them did shine and become illustrious, we are stirred up to the like zeal." Chrys. in Gen. xxx. 25. Homil. 57, in initio.]
10[ "For this cause, therefore, the conversation of these most excellent men is accurately related, that by imitation of them our life may be rightly led on to that which is good."—Greg. Nyssen, lib. de Vita Mosis, tom. i. p. 170, vid. tot. lib.]
11[ Perkins on Matth. vi. 16. See him also on Heb. xi. 6, p. 28, in fol. col. 2, B, C, &c., and on Heb. xi. 22, p. 131, col. 2, D, and notably on Heb. xii. 1, p. 200, col. 2, C, D, &c., and on Rev. ii. 19, p. 313, col. 1, B, and his Art of Prophesying, p. 663, col. 1 and 2. Vide Pet. Martyr in lib. Jud. p. 2, col. 1, and in Rom. iv. 23, 24. And Calvin in Heb. xii. 1; and in Rom. iv. 23, 24, and in 1. Pet. i. 21, &c.]
12[ Park. de Pol. Eccl. 1. 2, c. 42.]
13[ 2 Cor. x. 8, and xiii. 10.]
14[ Matt. xvi. 19, and xviii. 15-18; 1 Cor. v. 4, 5; 2 Cor. x. 8, and xiii. 10.]
15[ 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17; 1 Tim. iii. 14, 15, with all places that mention any thing of government.]
16[ Eph. iv. 8, 11, 12; 1 Cor. xii. 28; Matt. xxviii. 18-20; John xx. 21-23; Matt. xvi. 19; 2 Cor. x. 8.]
17[ Matt. xvi. 19, and xxviii. 19; John xx. 21, 23; 2 Cor. x. 8, and xiii. 10.]
18[ Matt, xxviii. 18-20; Acts vi. 4; 2 Tim. iv. 2.]
19[ Matt, xxviii. 18-20; 1 Cor. xi. 24.]
20[ Matt, xviii. 15-17; Tit. iii. 19; 1 Tim. v. 20; 1 Cor. v. 4, 5, 13; 2 Cor. ii. 6: 1 Tim. i. 20; 2 Cor. ii 7, 8, &c.]
21[ 1 Cor. iv. 1.]
22[ 2 Cor. x. 8, and xiii. 10.]
23[ [Greek: Ekklaesia], Acts xix. 32, 39, 40; Eph. v. 23; 1 Cor. xii. 98.]
24[ Cameron. Praelect de Eccles. in fol. pp. 296-298.]
25[ Who in relating such things can refrain from weeping?]
26[ See Mr. Edwards's Antapologia, page 201, printed in anno 1644, proving this out of their own books. Especially see a little book in 12mo. printed in anno 1646, styled a collection of certain matters, which almost in every page pleads for Independency and Independents by name: from which most of the Independent principles seem to be derived.]
27[ Let not any man put off this Scripture, saying, This is in the Old Testament, but we find no such thing in the gospel; for we find the same thing, almost the same words used in a prophecy of the times of the gospel, Zech. xiii. 3. In the latter end of the xii. chapter, it is prophesied that those who pierced Christ, shouldlook upon him and mourn, &c., having aspirit of grace and supplicationpoured upon them, chap. xiii. 1. "There shall now be opened a fountain for sin, and for uncleanness," ver. 3. "It shall come to pass that he that takes upon him to prophesy, that his father and mother that begat him, shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live, for thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord: and his father and his mother that begat him, shall thrust him through, when he prophesieth." You must understand this by that in Deuteronomy. The meaning is not that his father or mother should presently run a knife into him, but that though they begat him, yet they should be the means to bring him to condign punishment, even the taking away his life; these who were the instruments of his life, should now be the instruments of his death.—Mr. Jer. Burroughs in ills Irenicum, chap. v., Pages 19, 20, printed 1646.]
28[ But schismatics and heretics are called evil-workers, Phil. iii. 2; and heresy is classed among the works of the flesh, Gal. v. 20.]
29[ Mr. Burroughs in hisIrenicum, c.v. page 25; printed 1646.]
30[ See this evidenced upon divers grounds inAppollon. jus Majest., pp. 25, 26.]
31[ See M.S. to A.S., pages 55-60.]
32[ The civil magistrate is no proper church officer, as was intimated, Part 1 c. 1., and will be further evidenced in this chapter.]
33[ That the civil magistrate is not the vicar of Christ our Mediator, see abundantly proved by Mr. S. Rutherford, in his Divine Right of Church Government, &c., Ch. 27, Quest. 23, pages 595 to 647.]
34[ The formal difference or distinction betwixt these two powers, is fully and clearly asserted by that learned bishop, Usher, in these words: "God, for the better settling of piety and honesty among men, and the repressing of profaneness and other vices, hath established two distinct powers upon earth: the one of the keys, committed to the Church; the other of the sword, committed to the civil magistrate. That of the keys, is ordained to work upon the inward man; having immediate relation to the remitting or retaining of sins, John xx. 23. That of the sword is appointed to work upon the outward man; yielding protection to the obedient, and inflicting external punishment upon the rebellious and disobedient. By the former, the spiritual officers of the Church of Christ are inclinable to govern well, 1 Tim. v. 17. Tospeak, andexhort, andrebukewith allauthority, Tit. ii. 15. To loose such as are penitent, Matt. xvi. 19, and xviii. 18. To commit others to the Lord's prison, until their amendment, or to bind them over to the judgment of the great day, if they shall persist in their wilfulness and obstinacy. By the other, princes have an imperious power assigned by God unto them, for the defence of such as do well, and executing revenge and wrath, Rom. xiii. 4, upon such as do evil, whether by death, or banishment, or confiscation of goods, or imprisonment, Ezra vii. 26, according to the quality of the offence.
"When St. Peter, that had the keys committed unto him, made bold to draw the sword, he was commanded to put it up, Matt. xxvi. 52, as a weapon that he had no authority to meddle withal. And on the other side, when Uzziah the king would venture upon the execution of the priest's office, it was said unto him, 'It pertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the Lord, but to the priests, the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense,' 2 Chron. xxvi. 18. Let this therefore be our second conclusion: That the power of the sword, and of the keys, are two distinct ordinances of God; and that the prince hath no more authority to enter upon the execution of any part of the priest's function, than the priest hath to intrude upon any part of the office of the prince." In his speech delivered in the Castle-chamber at Dublin, &c., concerning the oath of supremacy, pages 3, 4, 5. Further differences betwixt these two powers, see in Gillespie's Aaron's Rod, Book 2, Chap. 4.]
35[ See this proposition for substance fully and clearly asserted by that acute and pious author, Mr. P. Bains, in his Diocesan's Trial, quest. 3, pages 83, 84, conclus. 3.]
36[ See Cotton's Keys, &c., pp. 31-33, and Mr. Thomas Goodwin, and Mr. Philip Nye, in their epistle prefixed thereunto, do own this book as being for substance their own judgment.]
37[ See that judicious treatise, Vindiciae Clavium, chap. III. IV. V., pp. 33-52.]
38[ John Cameron, Praelect. in Matt, xviii. 15, p. 149-151, in fol, and Baine's Diocesan's Trial, the third quest, pp. 79, 80, and D. Parcus in Matt. xviii. 15. This is fully discussed and proved by Mr. Rutherford in his Peaceable Plea, Chap. viii. p. 85, &c.]
39[ A difference arose betwixt two gentlemen in that church about singing of hymns: the second gentleman was complained of to the church by the first, and upon hearing of the whole business, and all the words that passed between them, this second gentleman was censured by the church, and Mr. Nyecharged sin upon him(that was the phrase) in many particulars, and still at the end of every charge Mr. Nye repeated, "this was your sin." After this censure, so solemnly done, the gentleman censured brings in accusations against Mr. Nye, in several articles, charging him with pride, want of charity, &c., in the manner of the censure; and this being brought before the church, continued in debate about half a year, three or four days in a week, and sometimes more, before all the congregation. Divers of the members having callings to follow, they desired to have leave to be absent. Mr. Goodwin oft professed publicly upon these differences, If this were their church fellowship, he would lay down his eldership; and nothing was more commonly spoke among the members, than that certainly for matter of discipline they were not in the right way, for that there was no way of bringing things to an end. At last, after more than half a year's debate, not being able to bring these differences to an end, and being come into England, they had their last meeting about it, to agree not to publish it abroad when they came into England, &c. Mr. Edwards's Antapolog., pp. 36, 37.]
40[ Mr. J. Cotton, in his Way of the Churches of Christ in New England, chap, ii. sect. 7, p. 43.]
41[ Were the power in the church, the church should not only call them, but make them out of virtue and power received into herself; then should the church have a true lordlike power in regard of her ministers. Besides, there are many in the community of Christians incapable of this power regularly, as women and children. Mr. P. Bain in his Diocesan's Trial, quest. 3, conclus. 3, page 84, printed 1621.]
42[ If spiritual and ecclesiastical power be in the church or community of the faithful, the church doth not only call, but make officers out of virtue and power received into herself, and then should the church have a true lordlike power in regard of her ministers. For, as he that will derive authority to the church, maketh himself lord of the church, so, if the church derive authority to the ministers of Christ, she maketh herself lady or mistress over them, in the exercise of that lordlike authority; for, as all men know, it is the property of the lord and master to impart authority. Did the church give power to the pastors and teachers, she might make the sacrament and preaching which one doth in order, no sacrament, no preaching; for it is the order instituted of God that giveth being and efficacy to these ordinances; and if the power of ruling, feeding, and dispensing the holy things of God do reside in the faithful, the word and sacrament, in respect of dispensation and efficacy, shall depend upon the order and institution of the society. If the power of the keys be derived from the community of the faithful, then are all officers immediately and formally servants to the church, and must do every thing in the name of the church, rule, feed, bind, loose, remit, and retain sins, preach and administer the sacraments; then they must perform their office according to the direction of the church, more or less, seldom or frequent, remiss or diligent; for from whom are they to receive direction how to carry themselves in their offices, but from him or them of whom they receive their office, whose work they are to do, and from whom they must expect reward? If their office and power be of God immediately, they must do the duties of their place according to his designment, and unto him they must give account; but if their power and function be from the church, the church must give account to God, and the officers to the church, whom she doth take to be her helpers, &c. Mr. John Ball, in his Trial of the grounds tending to separation, chap. xii. pages 252, 253, &c.]
43[ See Vindiciae Clavium, judiciously unmasking these new notions.]
44[ Here understand by this phrase, (over you in the Lord,) viz: Not only in the fear of the Lord, nor only in those things that appertain to God's worship, but also according to the will, and by the authority of the Lord Christ derived to them.]
45[ See the Apologetical narration by the five Independents, page 8; and Mr. Jo. Cotton, at large, asserts the divine institution of the ruling elder. Way of the Churches of Christ, &c., chap. 2, sect. 2, page 13-35.]
46[ Calvin, Beza, Pareus, Pagnin.]
47[ Arias Montan.]
48[ Tremel. out of the Syriac; so the old Geneva translation, and our new translation.]
49[ Field, of the Church, book 5, chap. 26.]
50[ Sutlive, who afterwards declared, that he was sorry with all his heart, that ever he put pen to paper to write against Beza as he had done, in behalf of the proud domineering prelates; and he spoke this with great indignation.]
51[ Mat. Sutliv. de Presbyterio, cap. 12, p. 87, edit. 1591.]
52[ Ibid. pages 72 and 87, edit. 1591.]
53[ Bilson's perpetual Government of Christ's Church, c. 10, p. 136, 137, 138, printed in Ann. 1610.]
54[ That the magistrate cannot be here meant, see fully evidenced in Mr. Gillespie's Aaron's Rod, &c., book ii. chap. 6, pages 218-224, and also chap. 9, p. 284.]
55[ Pareas in 1 Cor. xii. 28.]
56[ D. Field, Of the Church, book v. chap. xxvi.]
57[ Peter Martyr, Beza, Piscator, and Calvin.]
58[ Calvin in 1 Pet. v. 2, 3.Vid. etiam Jacob. Laurent. Comment, in1 Pet. v. 2, 3,ubi fusius de hac distinctione disserit, p. 322, ad. 325.]
59[ Mat. Sutliv. De Presbyterio, cap. 12, page 72 and 87: edit. Lond., an. 1591. Bilson's Perpetual Government of Christ's Church, chap. 10, page 141; in 4to. printed in anno 1610.]
60[VideCalv. in loc.]
61[ Sutlive.]
62[ Whitgift.]
63[ Coleman.]
64[ Who desire more full satisfaction touching this poor and empty gloss, that the civil magistrate should be meant by these governments, let them consult Mr. Gillespie's elaborate treatise, called Aaron's Rod Blossoming, book 2, chap, 6, pp. 218 to 224.]
65[ Bilson.]
66[ Mr. Rutherford in his Due Right of Presbyteries, p. 145.]
67[ Calvin, Beza, &c. on this place.]
68[ See Gillespie's Aaron's Rod, book 2, chap. 9.]
69[ Mr. Rutherford in his Due Rights of Presbyteries, chap. 7, sec. 7, pages 145-147.]
70[ Beza, Piscata, Calvin, on this verse.]
71[ Bilson's Perpetual Government of Christ's Church, chap. x. pages 130, 131.]
72[ Altar. Damas. cap. xii., page 918 and page 920.]
73[ B. King, in his Sermon on Cant. viii., Bilson in his Perpetual Government of Christ's Church, c. x. page 132, &c.]
74[ B. King, in his Sermon on Cant. viii., page 40.]
75[ B. Whitgift in his Defence against Cartwright's first Reply. This is one of D. Field's three glosses. Field, Of the Church, lib v., chap. 26.]
76[ Bishops that have no tolerable gift of teaching, are like idols, their cases, or rather coffins, set up in the church's choice. Cartwright Testam.Annot., in 1 Tim. v. 17.]
77[ Altar. Damasc. chap, xii., page 919.]
78[ Bridge, Hussey.]
79[ Altar. Damasc. chap, xii., page 919.]
80[ Sutlive.]
81[ Sutlive, De Presbyterio, cap. 12, pages 72, 73.]
82[ Bilson's Government of the Church, page 133.]
83[ Sutlive, De Presbyterio, c. 12, pages 72, 73.]
84[ Bilson, page 135.]
85[ Field, Book v.]
86[ Bilson, page 133.]
87[ Field, book v.]
88[ D. Downham. See Altar. Damasc. c. xii. page 924.]
89[ Chrysost. Homil. 15, in 1 Tim. 5, Hier. in 1 Tim. cap. 5, Ambr. in 1 Tim. cap., Calv. in 1 Tim. cap. 5, Bullinger in 1 Tim. cap. 5, Beza in 1 Tim. 5.]
90[ Bilson, Sutlive, and Downham.]
91[ The London ministers have here inserted the testimonies of these ancient writers in favor of the divine right of the office of the ruling elder, viz. Ignatius, Purpurius, Tertullian, Origen, Cyprian, Optatus, Ambrose, Augustine, and Isidorus; and of these three late ones, viz. Whitaker, Thorndike, and Rivet. The amount of their testimony, when taken together, appears to be simply this, that there have been ruling elders, as distinct from preaching elders, in the Church of Christ from the beginning. It is therefore judged unnecessary to give the quotations from these authors at large.—Editor.]
92[ Against the office of deacons, and the divine right thereof, fourteen objections are answered by Mr. S. Rutherford in his Due Right of Presbyteries, chap. 7, pages 159 to 175. To which the reader that shall make any scruple about the deacon's office, is referred for his further satisfaction.]
93[ Some of our brethren in New England, observing what confusion necessarily depends upon the government which hath been practised there, have been forced much to search into it within this four years, and incline to acknowledge the presbyters to be the subject of the power without dependence upon the people. "We judge, upon mature deliberation, that the ordinary exercise of government must be so in the presbyters, as not to depend upon the express votes and suffrages of the people. There hath been a convent or meeting of the ministers of these parts, about this question at Cambridge in the Bay, and there we have proposed our arguments, and answered theirs, and they proposed theirs, and answered ours; and so the point is left to consideration." Mr. Thomas Parker in his letter written from Newbury in New England, December 17, 1643, printed 1644.]
94[ Vid. Hen. Steph. Thes. L. Graec. in verb.]
95[ Piscator.]
96[ Beza.]
97[ Zanch. in loco.]
98[ Vid. Hen. Steph. Thes. ad verb.]
99[ Mr. Jo. Cotton's Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, chap. vii. in propos. 3, pages 44-46.]
100[ See Mr. Cotton's own words in chap. XIV. at the end, in the margin.]
101[ See John Calvin, in 1 Cor. v. 4.]
102[ Cameron, in Matt. xviii. 15.]
103[ Thus Mr. Bayne remarkably expounds this text, Matt. xviii., saying: Where first mark, that Christ doth presuppose the authority of every particular church taken indistinctly. For it is such a church as any brother offended may presently complain to. Therefore no universal, or provincial, or diocesan church gathered in a council. 2. It is not any particular church that he doth send all Christians to, for then all Christians in the world should come to one particular church, were it possible. He doth therefore presuppose indistinctly the very particular church where the brother offending and offended are members. And if they be not both of one church, the plaintiff must make his denunciation to the church where the defendant is. 3. As Christ doth speak it of any ordinary particular church indistinctly, so he doth by the name of church not understand essentially all the congregation. For then Christ should give not some, but all the members of the church to be governors of it. 4. Christ speaketh it of such a church to whom we may ordinarily and orderly complain; now this we cannot to the whole multitude. 5. This church he speaketh of then doth presuppose it, as the ordinary executioner of all discipline and censure. But the multitude have not this execution ordinary, as all but Morelius, and such democratical spirits, do affirm. And the reason ratifying the sentence of the church, doth show that often the number of it is but small, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name;" whereas the church or congregations essentially taken for teachers and people, are incomparably great. Neither doth Christ mean by church the chief pastor, who is virtually as the whole church.—Mr. Bayne's Diocesan's Trial.]
104[ Timothy received grace by the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. For that persons must be understood here, is apparent by the like place, when it is said, by the laying on of my hands, he noteth a person, and so here a presbytery. 2. To take presbytery to signify the order of priesthood, is against all lexicons, and the nature of the Greek termination. 3. Timothy never received that order of a presbyter, as before we have proved. 4. It cannot signify, as Greek expositors take it, a company of bishops; for neither was that canon of three bishops and the Metropolitan, or all the bishops in a province, in the apostle's time; neither were these who were now called bishops, then called presbyters, as they say, but apostles, men that had received apostolic grace, angels, &c. Finally, it is very absurd to think of companies of other presbyters in churches that Paul planted, but presbyteries of such presbyters as are now distinguished from bishops, which is the grant of our adversaries.—Bayne's Diocesan's Trial, page 82.]
105[ See Assertion of the Government of the Church of Scotland, Part I. Chap. 2, p. 122, &c.]
106[ Mr. Gillespie's Aaron's Rod Blossoming, book i. chap. iii. pages 8-38.]
107[ Vid. Joannis Seldeni de Anno Civili, and Calendario, &c. Dissertationem in Praefat., page 8. See also Mr. John Lightfoot's Commentary upon the Acts, c. x. 28, pages 235-239.]
108[ John Cameron, Praelect. in Matt. xviii. 15, page 143 ad 162, and Mr. G. Gillespie's Aaron's Rod Blossoming, &c., book i., chap. 3, page 8, &c., and book ii., chap. 9, page 294-297; and book iii., chapters 2-6, handling this elaborately, pages 350-423.]
109[ Assertion, &c., part 2, chap. 3, p. 139.]
110[ Basilius in Psal. cxv. Oecumenius in loc. Jerom. Chrysostome, hom. 33, in Matt. Irenaeus, lib. 1, chap. 11. Salmeron.]
111[ Euseb. Hist. Eccles. 1. 8 c. 1.]
112[ If Cenchrea be comprehended under the church of Corinth in this epistle, and the apostle writing to the Corinthians, wrote also to this church, called, Rom. xvi. 1,the church of Cenchrea, then have we more congregations than one at Corinth. Now, Cenchrea was a seaport or harbor of the Corinthians. It was a place near to Corinth, on the east of the Egean Sea. Rutherford, in his Due Right of Presbyteries, page 462.]
113[ Paget, Gillespie, and the four Leyden professors, unto whose judicious and elaborate treatises, the reader is referred for more full satisfaction against the usual cavils and exceptions that are made against synods, and their power.]
114[ This is the judgment of the learned Whitaker upon these words: other lawful councils may in like manner assert "their decrees to be the decrees of the Holy Ghost, if they shall be like to this council, and shall keep the same rule, which in this council the apostles did keep and follow. For if they shall decree and determine nothing but from Scripture, (which was done in this council.) and if they shall examine all questions by the Scripture, and shall follow the voice of the Scriptures in all their decrees, then they may assert, that the Holy Ghost so decreed," &c. Whitaker, Cont. page 610.]
115[ That there is an authoritative, juridical synod; and that this synod, Acts xv., was such a one; and that this synod is a pattern to us;—all this is most ingenuously acknowledged and asserted by that learned Independent, Mr. John Cotton, in these words, viz:
"IV. Proposition, in case a particular church be disturbed with errors of scandal, and the same maintained by a faction among them. Now a synod of churches, or of their messengers, is the first subject of that power and authority, whereby error is judicially convinced and condemned, the truth searched out and determined; and the way of truth and peace declared and imposed upon the churches.
"The truth of this proposition may appear by two arguments
"Argum. 1. From the want of power in such a particular church, to pass a binding sentence where error or scandal is maintained by a faction; for the promise of binding and loosing which is made to a particular church, Matt, xviii. 18, is not given to the church when it is leavened with error and variance. And the ground——If then the church, or a considerable part of it, fall into error through ignorance, or into faction; by variance, they cannot expect the presence of Christ with them according to his promise, to pass a blind sentence. And then as they fall under the conviction and admonition of any other sister church, in a way of brotherly love, by virtue of communion of churches; so their errors and variance, and whatsoever scandals else do accompany the same, they are justly subject to the condemnation of a synod of churches.
"2. A second argument to prove that a synod is the first subject of power, to determine and judge errors and variances in particular churches, is taken from the pattern set before us in that case, Acts xv. 1-28: when certain false teachers having taught in the church of Antioch a necessity of circumcision to salvation, and having gotten a faction to take part with them, (as appeareth by the dissension and disputation of Paul and Barnabas against them,) the church did not determine the case themselves, but referred the whole matter to theapostles and elders at Jerusalem, Acts xv. 1, 2. Not to the apostles alone, but to the apostles and elders. The apostles were as the elders and rulers of all churches; and the elders there were not a few, the believers in Jerusalem being many thousands. Neither did the apostles determine the matter (as hath been said) by apostolical authority from immediate revelation: but they assembled together with the elders,to consider of the matter, ver. 6, and amultitude of brethrentogether with them, ver. 12, 22, 23; and after searching out the cause by an ordinary means of disputation, ver. 7, Peter cleared it by the witness Of the Spirit to his ministry in Cornelius's family; Paul and Barnabas by the like effect of their ministry among the Gentiles: James confirmed the same by the testimony of the prophets, wherewith the whole synod being satisfied, they determine of a JUDICIAL SENTENCE, and of a way to publish it by letters and messengers; in which they CENSURE the false teachers as troublers of their church, and subverters of their souls; they reject the imposition of circumcision as a yoke which neither they nor their fathers were able to bear; they IMPOSE upon the Church none but some necessary observations, and them by way of THAT AUTHORITY which the Lord had given them, ver. 28: which PATTERN clearly showeth us to whom the key of authority is committed, when there groweth offence and difference in a church. Look as in the case of the offence of a faithful brother persisted in, the matter is at last judged and determined in a church: so in the offence of the church or congregation, the matter is at last judged in a congregation of churches, a church of churches; for what is a synod else but a church of churches?"—Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, pages 47-49.]