X f- 1 \-C s.v^,. <-^ DISCOURSE OF THE Vifible and Invifihk CHURCH O F CHRIST. In which it is ihewn^ That the Powers claim'd by the Officers of the Vifibli Church, are not inconfiftent with the Supremacy of Chrift as Head ^ or with the Rights and Liberties of Chriftians, as Members of the Invijible Church. for lack of diligent ohferving the Difference between the Church of God MyjHcal^ and Viftble^ the Over fights are neither few nor light that have been committed. Hooker Eccl. PoJ. L. 3. By John Rogers, b. d. Redor of JFrington in Somerfetjhre. The Second Edition. LONDON, Printed for Tho. Woodward, at the Inner Temple- Gate in fleetftreet, lyip. THE PREFACE. HERE is no Fallacy more dangerous, or by which common Under- Handings are more apt to be impofed on, than that which the Logicians call, A DiBo fecundiim Quid adDiBum ftmpliciter •, (i. e.) When from a Propofition of acknowledged Truth in a re- ftrain d Senfe, a general and unlimited Con- clufion is inferr'd. For in every fuch Argu- n}«ntation, it cannot be denied, that there is A 2 , Truth vi The Pre f a ce^ cileable to each other •, but from either, af- firm'd Univerfally, and without its proper Reftriftion, there follow Conclufions mani- feftly deftruftive of the other. For if it be univerfally true, that Chrift is the fole Judge in his Church, it cannot alfo be true, that feme Chriftians have Power of Rule and Ju- rifdidion in his Church ; and fo vice versL And uniefs the Perfon, to whom thefe Pro- pofitions are thus indefinitely offer'd, is able to afiign to each fuch Reftrictions as leave them confiftent, they muft appear to him as contradictory Pofitions, which cannot both be true , and his Alfent will naturally be dc- ^ termined to that which has the fortune to ap- pear beft Supported : And j^et 'tis certain, neither can be rejefted without great Preju- dice to Chriftianity. I cannot therefore but in general obferve, how nearly it concerns every one who would appear to teach thefe Doftrines with an ho- neft Intention, 'carefully to exprefs thofe Re- ftridions which may defend them from Mif-^ apprelienfions of fo much Danger to Reli- gion. Whetlier the unguarded Manner in which the former .of thefe Dodrines has been lately afferted by fome Authors, was intended by them The P R E F A e e.' vii tliem to miflead Men into Conclufions de- ftruftive of the Vifible Order and QEconomy of Chrift's Church, God only, who knows their Hearts, is able certainly to determine* But when it is affirmed, That Chrift is the ible Lawgiver, fole Judge of his Subjeds 5 In all Points relating to the Favom* or Difplea-* fure of God ^ Terms which comprehend all Things relating to Religion, and confequent- ly that no Chriftian has Authority to be Law-giver or Judge over others in fuch Points 5 When in AlTertion of thefe and o- ther Propofitions of the fame Import, all thofe Proofs, by which the Powers necelTary to the Vifible Officers of the Church have been ufually fupported, are expofed as incon- clufive, and all thofe Scriptures on which they are founded, are declared not only to imply no Internal Ahfolitte Authority over the Ccnfcien'ce^ but to imply no Authority at aU ; When the Jurij'diElion of the Church, and the Power of Extommunication^ always exer- tifed in virtue of it, is explained away into a ia^ot which all Chriftians have to avoid open and Scandalous Sinners , And at the fame time no exprefs Exception is made in Favour of any one Power claimed by the Vifible Of- ficers of the Church, and the very Suppofition, that there may be any fuch, fo cautioufly and A 4 ambigu- viii The Pre face. amHiguoufly fuggefted, that it appears rather as a Covert for an Author to retreat to, than a Di.reftion to his Reader , And hftly, when t6 all thefeprefamptive GIrcumftances are added Infipuations of the fuch Tyranny- of the Cler- ^y, ;and their Ufurpations upon the Authority of Chrift, and the Liberties of their Brethren, as tend to extinguiih all Reverence and Refped towards them : A very candid and chari- table 'Man may be permitted, 't6 enter- tain fome Sufpicions, That fiich "Authors mieht Intend thofe Inferences which their Dodtri'iies fo raanifeitiy fjggeft. '-f^^^^l^'^ -^ Bi|t however we may be inclined to excufe the'Int^nfion of the Authors, 'tis certainly a very tender Gbfervaticn upon their Do- ctrines 3 That they feem to deny all Authority to the Churchy and^ wider/ pretence of exalting the Kingdom cf Chrift^ to leave it without any vijlhle human Authority^ to Judge ^Cenfnre, or Tun'jh O/Tenders. We mPij fjrel}'' be allowed to apprehend that Thefe Doctrines, thus un- warily and fufpicioufly deliver'd, may be un-' derftood in a Senfe which m^y lead men to fuch Conclufions as thefe. But the Reafonabienefs of fuch Apprehen- fions can no longer be queftioned, when it appears that thefe Dodrines are in Fad fo un- derftood ^ and that all thofe Inferences, which The Pre FACE.' ix which it was fear'd they might fuggeft, are: avftually deduced, and profeffedly defended from them. When this is apparently the. Gafe, 'tis to no purpofe to tell us. That the Doctrines are true in a very important Senfe • That the Authors intended them in that Senfe j Arid that no one has a Right to Cenfure them in any other: Becaufe, 'tis evident. They are not fo clearly limited to their true Senfe, but that They are adually underftood and argued from in another : And therefore, whatever we may prefume of the Intentions of the Au- thor, we are as much concern'd to oppofe him, as if thefe Conclufions were his deckredr Doftrine, fince the Danger is the fame, and the Arrow thus direded will do the fame Mif- chief and Execution in its EfFeds, whether difcharged by the Hand of a Friend or an> Enemy. It may; perhaps be thought that the- eonclufions which thefe Dodrines fuggeft, even thus miftaken and mifapplied, are not fo dangerous to P.eligion as they are repre-' fented by thofe who oppofe them. But I think it cannot be denied, that they imm.edi- ately affed the Peace and Difcipline of the.. Church ;> and we cannot but apprehend the' Advantages they may give to the Enemies of our Religion, when we recoiled, that both Tapifts and ScBanes have, in their turns, ia- " bourse! t The P R E F A C E.' bour'd the Subverfion of it by tliefe very Principles : And efpecially when we obferve How ftudioufly they have been contended for by Men, who, we are well afTured, believe iiothing either of the Vifible or Invifihle Church qf Chrift, who could have no other Ends to ferve by them but the Deftruftion of Chri- flknity it felf. Upon the whole, the Dinger with which tliefe Doftrines threaten Religion, whenever they are mifapplied, is Great and Obvious j the Probability of their being mifapplied can- not be difputed, fince they aftually are- fo mifapphed , and therefore, under fo juft an Apprehenfion of fo great a Danger, the Go-' vernours of the Church, to whofe Care the Peace, Order, and Edification of It is commit- ed, cannot be thought to make an improper Ufe of their Authority, If they call upon the Teachers of thefe Doctrines to give cleat and diflhift Explications of their Pofitions f That if they have not intended to favour thefe evil Confequences, they may profelfedly difown them, and prevent their Authority from being farther abufed to the Support of them : Or if they have intended them, that they no longer may have the Advantage of attacking us in Difguife, but be reduced to open and dired: Aifertions j and proper Remedies may be ap- plied The P R E F A c E. xi {jlieij to, to prcferve Men from being feduced by their Arguments, or influenced by thek Authority. And every private Chriftian muft appear commendably employ'd, who endea- vours to allift Them in a Service of fo mucft Charity to his Brethren, and of fuch Import tance to the very Being of the Church o€ Chrift- The Zeal, with which our Venerable Synod have oppofed themfelves to the prefent Appre- henfion of this Danger, has been feconded by- many learned Ornaments of this Church j and I fliall efteem my felf happj^ if any Thing I fhall offer in the following Papers, may con- tribute to the Succefs and Influence of their Labours, I fhall not concern my felf with any par- ticular Authors to whofe Works the prefent Danger is imputed : But fince, as I obferved all the Appearances of Reafon by which they are either impofed on themfelves, or may mis- lead other Men, are in general reducible to that Fallacy, which from Principles of un- contefled Truth in a certain Senfe, leads Men to infer uniyerfal and unlimited Conclufions which are evidently falfe ; If we can fhew that, when the Principles they argue from are reflrained to that Senfe in which only they are true^ thefe Conclufions cannot be infer'd from. ^ii The P R E F A c £ from them, we may hope to apply a general and efFedual Prefervative againft the Illufion of this Fallacy, That the Method obferv'd in the following Difcourfe may appear conducive to this End, I beg leave to reprefent to the Reader the Procefs of this Falhcy in the Argument before us, fomewhat more diflinft-^ The Principles which I imagine have beeri either taught or underftood in too large a Senfe, are fuch as thefe : Chrift is the fole Ruler, fole Judge, &C4 in his Church. All Members of Chrift's Church are per- fedly equal, without any Preheminence or Authority in one over another. ; Thefe Propofitions we acknowledge to be true when reftrained to the Invifible Churchy. or to the Church of Chrift confider'd under the Idea or Notion of Invifible •, and from them we truly conclude. That whoever claims any Authority of Rule or Jurifdiftion over Chriftians, as Members of Chrift's Invifible Church, ufurps upon the Authority of Chrift, and the Liberties of his Difciples. But if from thefe Propofitions, which are true only when The Preface: xiii when reftrained to the Invifihle Church, it is infer'd. That whoever exercifes any Authority of Rule or Jurifdidion over Chriftians, as Members of the Viftble Church, ufurps upon the Authority of Chrift, &c. the Argument is fallacious and inconclufive: And if the Li- mitations were clearly and diftindy exprefs'd in each Propofition, the Inconfequence would ;be fo manifeft, that no one, who is capable .of reafoning at all, could be impofed on hy it. But when thefe Propofitions are either taught by an Author without any Limitation, or the Limitation is fo ob feu rely exprelfed, that 'tis not obferved by the Reader ^ He is led into the Fallacy above-mention'd : The Propofitions which he perceives to be true in iovcit Senfe, he is prevailed on to receive as univerfally true, and from them to infer that the Propofitions oppofite to thefe are univer- fally falfe. This is what we prefume to have happen'd in the prefent Controverfy. It ei- ther has been, or has appear'd to be, univer- fally affirm'd, that Chrijl is the fole Rztler, (3cc. in his Church ^ That all Chriftians are per^ feBly 'equals d\c , and in this unlimited Senfe, thefe Pofiitons have appear'd to be recom- mended by the Authority, and fupported by the Proofs of the Writer ; and fo far as any une ^iv The Preface^ one lias been convinced by them, fo far he ha^ been induced univerfally to rejedt this other great Truth, That Chrifl has appomted certam Officers in his Churchy with Authority of Rule nnd JiirifdiElio7i over his Difciples. The Diftrefs then into which the Mind is brought by this Fallacy, is the apparent Ne- ceflity of abandoning either one Truth or the other*, either of denying that Chrifl has any Authority in his Church, or of Deny- ing the whole external Polity of it. Now this Difcrefs can no way fo effeftualiy be relieved, as by afligning to each Propofition the juft Limits within which it is true ,. and then fhewing that, wirhin thefe Limits, they are perfedly confident with each other. By this it will be evident that it may with equal Truth be affirmed, with refped to the Invi- fihh Churchy That no Chriftian hath Autho- rity over another, and with refped to the Vifible^ That Chrifl: has appointed fome to Rule over others^ and that one of thefe Propofl- tions, when refl:rained to its proper Subject, does not in the leafl: clalh or interfere with the other. This is what is intended in the following Diicourfe-, in which I fhall diflinclly confi- der the Church of Chrifl under the two Idea's ■of Vifible and hwifible ^ and endeavour to Ihew The Preface^ xv fliew what is, and ought to be affirm'd of it under either. And when the Affertions con- cerning each are reduced withia their proper ^eftridions, I hope they will appear per- feftly confiftent and agreable to each: /O- ther» I affiire my felf. If this Defign were exe- cuted with a Sufficiency equal to the Impor- tance of it, it would effeftually put an end to this Contr.overfy. Men would be delivered from thofe Perplexities, in which a Confufion of thefe Idea's have been found to intangle them : The Powers claimed to the Vifible Officers of Chrift's Church would be cleared from thofe Reproaches with which they have been charged, as inconfiftent with the Supre- macy of Chrift : The Errors, into which many weak Men have been driven by the Terror of this Abfurdity, would be correded j and the Triumphs of thofe Enemies of our Religion, who have promifed themfelves fo much Advantage from the Succefs of this Fallacy, be intirely defeated. A fincere Defire to promote thefe good Ends, has inclined me to offer thefe Papers to the Publick. I have the Satisfadion to hope, that liothing is affirm'd in them, but what is agree- able to the Truth of Chriftanity, as taught by the OimQh oi EniUnd ; But if I ihall ap- pear xvi The Pre F ace. pear miftaken in any Notion, that Authority, which I affert to the Governours of the Church, I am prepared to fubniit to, my felf, with the Humility which becomes an Obedi- ent Subjed. INTRO. '^•r tnrf ^.xriyCjf &m^'^>^^^ THE CONTENTS. PARTI. Of the Invifible Church of Chrifi. Chap. I. QF Chrift as Head of the Invi- ^^ fible Churchy Pag. $ Chap. II. Of the Members of the Invifible Churchy J Chap. III. Of the Obedience due to Chrift, as our fole and immediate Priefi, Teacher, Law-giver, &c. And^ l/?, Of the Obedience due to Ht?n as our Prieft and Teacher, 1 2 Chap. IV. Of the Obedience due to Chrifl as our Law-giver. Andfrft^ of the Extent of our Obedience^ 18 Chap. V. Of the Kind or Meafure of our Obedience^ 2 1 Chap. Vi, 0/ Sincerity. q$ [a] PAR T The C O N T E N T s. P A R T II. Of the Vifible Chunh of Chnft. Chap. J. Of the Nature and Co7ipuution of the YiGblt. Church, p. 39 Chap. IJ. Of the Members of the Vifibie Churchy 41 Chap. III. Of the Superiors or Officers in the Vifibie Church, and the Powers committed to them^ 44 Chap. IV. Of the Nature and Extent of the Powers committed to the Vifibie Riders of the Church. And ift. Of their Authority to Teach, 50 Chap. V. Of the Authority commuted to the Riders of the Churchy to Mini- fler in the Publick Offices of Religion, 59 Chap. Vr. Of the\.^<^\S\'\i\vQ AiUthority com- wittcd to the Vifibie Raiders of the Church, 62 Chap. VII. Of theJun^Aidioii comnnrited to the Vifibie Rulers of the Church, 78 Ch A P. Vill. Of the Subjeas of the Vifibie Church, and the Obedience they owe the Superiors, 88 Chap. IX. Of the Obedience due to the Su- periors, as Teachers and Mi- iiillers, Chap. The Content s. Chap. X. Of the Ohedience due to the Si€- periors as Legiflators, V*9^ Gha?. XI. Of the Obedience due to the Ju- rifdiftiun of the Churchy and of the External EffcB of the Penal- ties infliEled by it^ ^o Chap. XII. Of the Internal EjfeEi of the Cenfures ^WAbfolution of the Churchy 104 v^ __, PART iir. 0/ thz Agreement hetw2cn the Vifible and Invifible Church. Chap. I. Of thk Agreement in £e?jeral, 119 Chap. 11. That the P ewers ajjignd to the Rulers of the Vifible Church, are conftftent with the Supremacy of Chrift, ' 12$ Chap. III. That the Powers affignd to the Rulers, and the Snbmiffion re- quired fro?n the SubjeSs of the VifihleChurch, are confifent with Chriftian Liberty, '' 142 Chap. IV. That the Powers ajfgnd to the Rulers,"" ^;z^ the Suhmijfwn requi- red from the Subjects, are agree- able to thofe Images under which the Vifible Church is reprefented in Scripture^ 154 Chap. The Contents. Chap* V. That the Idea given of the Vifible Churchy is not inconfifient with Principles of our Reformation, p. 159 P A R T i\r. Of the Abfurd and Deftrudive Confe- quences that follow from affirniing any thing of the Church under the Idea of In- vifible, tvhich is contrary to its Conjlitution as a Vifible Society. Chap. I. The Reafons of this Inquiry, 163 Chap. IL Of the Ahi^nrditks that follow from dejiyingi the Church to he a Vi- fible Society, 168 Chap. HI. Of the Advantage given to Popery hy thefe Principles^ 175 INTRO (O INTRODUCTION. HE Church of Chriftin the largeft Extent of th.it Idea, comprehends the whole (//) Family of God in Heaven and Earth 5 as well the (b) Spirits of jiift Men made perfeEi in JHeaven , as the Congregatiori of thofe who are (F) called by his Name on Earth : But I fhall at prefent confider it in a Sen^e reftrain'd to that Part of this Society which is here Militant on Earth. This has been diftinguilhed into Chrift's Invifihk and his Vifble Churchc- The former is called in Scripture, (b) The Chmch of the Firft-born which are written in Heaven , Q The Church without Spot or Wrinkle^ &cc. To the latter belong thofe Defcriptions, (d) And He hath fet [ome in the Church firfl Apo files, fecondatily Prophets. And in another Place, Some (e) Evangelifts, fome Pajlors and Teach- {a) Eph. iii. 15. Qfjb) Heb. xii. 25, (d) I Cor. xii. 2^, (e) Eph. iv. lo, li. B 'c) Eph. V. 27. ers, 2 INTRODUCTION. ers^ for the PerfeEiing of the Saints^ for the JForIz of the Miniftry^ for the Edfyhig of the BodyofChrif. Not that thefe are two Societies, for then, c6ntrary to an Article of our Creed, Chrift woii'd have two diflind Churches. They are one Catholick Church, one Society, of which Chrift is Head: But the Mind confidering this Society in different Refpeas, diftinguiflies it under Thefe two Idea's of VifibJe and In- ^^ifible. With regard ro that tjtward Commu- nion which this Society hath with Chrift the Head, which cannot be difcern'd by Men, it is called his Invifhle Church. And with re- gard to it's External Profiflion of Chriftian Faith, it's Participation in fuch Ordinances, and Obfcrvance of fuch Difcipline as He liath appointed iov the outward Order and Government of this Society/, it is called his Vifble Church. And agreably, the Members of this Society, confider'd as united to Chrift by Faith and Love, and to one another by internal Charity, are called Members of his Invifible Church : And when confider'd as in- corporated in that External Polity which He liatli ordain'd, The fame Perfons are called Members of his Vifible Church, Not that every one who is a P4ember of the Vifible Church, is ah'b a Memiber of the Invfible ^ neither is ever}'' one who is fepa- rated from the Cominunion of the Vifble Churchy cut off fromi his Interfial Union with Chrift : But it is evident, that the fame Per- fons INTRO'DUCTION. i, fons may be, and adually are, both inter- nally United to Chrifl:, and externally incor- porated in the Vifihle Society of his Church : And therefore that the fame Perfons, as con- fider'd in different Re'peds, are Members of the Invifihh and Vifible Church of Chrift. This Diftinftion hath in fome Difputes been ufed in another Senfe, to fignify the Different States of the Church of Chrift* When the Church is permitted to Exercife it's publick Offices, and ad as a Vifible Society, 'tis faid to be Vifible. When by Perfecution or Difperfion the Church is made uncapable of Affembling it felf together, or Admirii- ftring any external Polity, it is called Invijl- hle. But this is a Senfe wholly foreign to the Defign of thefe Papers. In the former Senfe they are taken in the prefent Inquiry, in which it is propofed, I. Diftindly to confider what we affirm of the Church, (?. ^.) of Chrift as Head, or his Difciples as Members of it, under one of thefe Denominations, and what under the othere And if, upon the Refult of this Inquiry, it fhall appear, IL That thefe two Ideas, and the Chara-- flers form'd by them, are perfedrly confiftentjt and agreeable to each other, B 2 k 4 INTRODUCTION. It muft be acknowledg'd, III. That no one can, without manifeft Ab- furdity and great Prejudice to Chriftian Reli- gion, affirm any Thing of Chrift as Head, or of Chriftians as Members of the Church, con- fider'd under one Idea, which is contrary to their Characters, as confider'd under the other* PART (5) PART I. the Tavijtble Church of Christ. ^^^mm^^mmm^mmik^mmm^mmm CHAP. L Of Chrlft as Head of the Invifible Chunh. HAT Vv'-e affirm of the Church of thrift, as diftinguifhed under this Denomination oi Invifible^ may be confider'd, Fir ft. With Relation to Chrift the Head, Secojidly With Relation to the Members of this Society. I. Under this Idea we confider Chrift alone as friejl and Intercejfor, as Teacher, haw ffver^ or fnJ^e of his Church j v/hich Offices B 3 he 6 Of the InviJiUe lie executes partly in his own Perfon, and partly by the Miniftry of the Holy Spirit* For tho* Chrift (as I hope to prove,) has appointed feveral Externd Officers and Rulers in this very Society, with Authority to offer up the Prayers of his People, to Intercede for them, to prefcribe certain Laws and Orders to them, and to Judge their Behaviour accor- ding to thofe Laws -^ yet when this Society is confider'd under the Idea of the Invifihle Churchy thefe Officers are not regarded : The Mind has no other Authority or Miniftry in view, but of Chrift and the Holy Spirit. It neither affirms nor denies any Thing concern- ing any External Teachers, Rulers, &c^ but wholly leaves them out of it's Idea, And therefore, in this Senfe, it may be truly faid, that Chrift is fole Teacher, J'ole Ruler, &c. of his Invifibk Church, (?• ^.) When the Church is imagin'd or fpoken of under this Charafter, the Mind confiders Chrifl only as prefiding in thefe Relations over it. '7. In the ftme Senfe it may be affirmed. That Chrift is the wimediate Judge, and, by his Holy Spirit, the wimediate Teacher, €^r* of his InvifMe Church. Becaufe in this Idea thq Af ind confiders the Dodrines alfented to by the Church, mmediately as received from the Authority of Chrift, and refer3 the Beha- yiour of Chriftians immediately to the Judg- ment of Cjiriff, without attending to any In- %'ermediate Inftructions, by which thefe Do- ilriri'cs are taught.' or any intertnediate Judg- ^'-'■^ ^' ■■ '.■ '-^ ■ ■■ ■ ' - ■ • ixicny Church of Christ. 7 iTient, to which the Adions of Chriftians, as Vifihle^ are Subjeft. For the fame Reafons, indeed, and in the fame Senfe, that Chrift is the fole Jadge, &c. He muft alfo be the Immediate Jadge, &c. And, La(lly^ Chrift, under this Idea, is conceiv'd as intimately united to his Church, as loving it, and cherifiifig it, as communicating the Influences of his Grace and Holy Spirit to it, and intitling it to the Proraifes of his GofpeL CHAP. IF. Of the Members of the Invifible Church. THE Memkrs of Chrift's Church, un- der the Denomination of hw'ifible^ are confider'd, Firfty As ftanding in fome fpecial Relations to Chrift. Secondly^ As discharging the Duties of thofe Relations, in a manner acceptable to Chrift. I. x^s Chrift, the Head^ is confider'd as the fple Interceffor, fole Prieft, fole Teacher, fole Lawgiver, and fole Judge of the Invifible Church, fo his Difciples, as Members of the hivifible Church, are confider'd Only as apply- ing through Him to God, as fubmitting Only to the Authority of his Dodrine, his Laws, and his Judgment. Neither the Perfons by __ B 4 whole B Of the InvifiMe wliofe Exter?ial Miniftry they offer up their Prayers, and by whom they are taught the DoBrines of Chrift, nor the Authority com- mitted to them to Minifter in the publick Of- fices of Religion, and to Teach the Dodrines of it, nor the Evidence of fuch Authority are at all attended to : But the Mind confi- ders the Chriftian, under this Charader, only as worfhipping God through Chrift, and as alTenting to the Dodrines of the Gofpel only upon the Authority of Chrift. For the fame Reafons alfo it may be af- firm'd, that the Members of the hivifible Church, are fubject 07ily to Ch rift's Laws and Judgment. For though the fame Perfons are pbliged to obey others, whom Chrift has ap- pointed to be RiAers and Judges over them 9 3^et, under this Charader, they are not confi- der'd with Relation to them, but with Relati- on to Chrift ; and their Submiffion to the Or- ders and Judgment of thefe Superiors, is not confider'd as an Obedience paid to them^ but as an Obedience paid to Chrift. And this is equally true, with Regard both to Civil and Ecclefiaftical Superiors, For though a confcientious Obfervance of all re- lative Duties to either of thefe Powers may be one Reafon why we efteem ■ any Perfon to be a Member of Chrift's Invifihle ( -hurch, yet the Mind, in making this Conciufion, per- fedly abftrads from thefe External Relations, and attends wholly to the Internal Relation between Him and Chrift ^ and affixes this Charader Church of Christ. 9 Charafter to Him, not as he has oheyM Men, but as, in obeying Men, he has obeyed Chrift. ' From hence it alfo follows, that the Sub- jeftion of Chrift's hivifihle Members is Imme* diately due to Him. For though, in any In- ftance of Obedience to a Prince or a Bifhop, the Adion is performed Immediately in compli-* ance with the Command of fuch Superior, yet when we conlGder the Man under this Invifible Charader, we have no regard to thefe intermediate Relations of the Perfon or the Aftion, but intirely pafs them over, and con- fider the Perfon tjnmediately as fubjeft to Chrift, and compare the Aftion immediately with his Will, From what has been obferved, then we are obliged to infer thefe Corollaries. I. That all Chriftians, as Meinhers of the Jnvifihk Church, are perfedly Equal. For lince they are confider'd as only and immedi-- ately fubjed to Chrift, all Political or Exter- nal Charaders, by which they are diftinguiflied into Inferiors and Superiors, muft be left out of the Idea. None muft be confidered as greater or lefs, but all as equally fubjed, equally accountable. When indeed we particularly apply this Idea to a Prince, a Prelate, &c. his Behavi- our in thefe Offices may be confider'd by us ; But we do not regard the Powers of his Of- fice, by which alone he is diftinguiflied as fu- perior to others, but the Duties of it, in re- fped lo Of the InviJiUe fpeft of which he is equally fubjeft to Chrift. the Head of his Church, with other Men. As when 'tis affirmed of any civil fubordi- nate Magiftrate, that he is a g^ood SubjeB to his Prince, he is not confider'd as veiled with certain Vowers^ but as obliged to certain fpecial Ditties ^ and this Charader of a g^ood StibjeB is apply'd to him merely under this common Notion, as one who has faithfully obey'd the Laws of his Prince : And though the good Mapftrate be a Part of this Chara- fl:er,^yet 'tis not the Porpe)\ but his Obedience in the Execution of this Power, which the Mind confiders. In like manner, when we affirm of a Bifliop, that he is a Member of Chrift's Invifible Church, he is confider'd purely as a SubjeB of Chrift 3 his Condud indeed is compared with more Laws of Chrift, than are conceived to affed other Men , but 'tis merely as we ap- prehend he has obey'd or tranfgrefs'd thefe Laws, that we affirm or deny this Idea of him 3 neither his Authority as Superior, nor the Subjedion of others as Inferiors, are at all regarded : But, in this Relation to Chrift, none is confider'd as Mafter or Servant, as Bond or Free (a\ but all as Co-members and Co-equals. 2. The Mind, in this Idea, regards only the hiteriial ReUgioiis Charafter of the Perfon : It cannot indeed be denied, that by the Ex- (.1) Gah iii. 28. ternal Church of Christ.^ if ternal Behiviour of the Perfon, we are led to Judge of his Internal Character. Rut then 'tis not with Refpeft to this outward Con- duft, that we affirm him to be a Mefnher of Chrift's Invifible Church, but folely with Re- fped to that Internal Charader, of which we conceive his outward Behaviour to. be an ]Evidence. II. The Members of Chrift's Church, under: the Denomination of Invlfihle^ are confider'd, as difcharging the Duties of thofe Relations they ftand in to him in fuch a manner, as renders them acceptable to Chrift : For if it is included in Chrift's Charafter, as Head of the Invifibh Church, that he loves it^ and chertjhes it (a) -^ it muft alfo be imply'd in the Charafter of the Members of the Inviftble Church, that they are loved and cherijJoed by Chrift, and Intitled to his Graces and Pro- mifes : And agreeably they are defcribed, as Th^ Church of the Firfl-born who are written in Heaven (b\ the few chofen out of the ma- ny called (c) j and by fome Fathers, as'^AS^^fcr- jjLct T W\ixro6v (^d)^ Corpus Domini quod cum illo erit in eternimr (^e) j and generally, as Perfons in a State of Grace and Favour with Chrift. (a) Eph. V. 29. (b) Heh. xii. 23. (c) Matt, xxii 14. (d) Clevu 'Alex. Strom, lib. 7. pag. 715. Edit. F.:) if. A. D. 1629. (e) St» Aug. lib, 3. de Doftr. Chrift. vid. eund. contra Crefc. lib. a. f^ 21. Item cor^tr. Pet. lib. 2, cap, ulto And 12 Of the Invijihle ^■ And hence appears a inanifeft Difference between the two Ideas of Chrift's Invifible Kingdom^ and his Invijihle Church. For when we confider him as a Khig^ we afcribe to him judicial Authority, equally extended over good and bad Subjefts , but when we repre- sent him as Head of his Invifible Churchy we confider him with Relation only to his good Subjects, fuch whom, as a Judge^ he acquits, approves, and will reward. And fince C hrift cannot be prefumed to ac- quit and approve any Servant, unlefs he has difcharged his Duty to him in fuch a manner as he has promifed to accept, it comes next to be inquired, what Obedience we owe him un- der the feveral Characters of Authority we have afcribed to him. CHAP. III. Qf the Obedience due to Chrij}^ as our fob Prieft, Teacher, Law^givcr, i^c. And ifi Of the Obedience due to him as our and Teacher. L /^A U R Duty to Chrift as our Prieft and V^ Mediator^ obliges us to rely only on that Sacrifice which he has oiFer'd for our Sins to atrone for the Guilt of them, and on that Ra?ifo7n which he has paid to the Divine Juftice, to deliver us from the Curfe denoun« ced Church of Christ. 12 ced againft them. ^ To prefent our Prayers to God only thro* him, and to expect the Suc- eefs of them only from his Merits and In-^ tercejjlon. 11. The Obedience we owe Him as a Tea-^ cher implies, !• A careful Attention, to acquaint our felves with his Dodrines. For he who do's not apply himfelf to know what this Divine Maffer teacheth him, cannot be prefumed to difcharge his Duty, as a faithful Difciph to him, 2. All that he Teaches muft be alTented to^ as an Oracle of God ^ and no Authority muft be hearkned to in Contradiction to him. 3. Every Difciple of Chrift, is obliged actually to affent tofo??te of hisDodrines -^ be- caufe it cannot be conceived, how he who affents to none of his Doftrines, can be called a Difciple taught by him, much lefs a Dif- ciple acceptable, and approved by him as his Teacher. And fince he who do's not affent to a Doftrine of Chrift in the fame Senfe in which he taught it, do's not alfent to a Do- Srine of Chrift, but to a Propofition of his own framing , it follows, that every Ghri- ftian, as a Difciple of Chrift, is bound to af- fent to fome of his Doftrines in the fame Senfe in which he taught them : And if Chrift obliges his Difcipies to affent to foms. of his Dodrincs in the fame Senfe in which he 1 4- Of the Invtjihle he tauglit them, we inuft conclude, that feme of his Doftrines are fo plain , that his Dif- ciples, by a due Attention, and the Ufe of fuch Affiflances as he has put in their Power, may certainly underftand them in that true Senfe intended in them. Jefus Chrift, a (a) Teacher fent froth God^ and who himfelf knew the Extent of Human Facukies, muft be prefnmed to have exactly adapted his Dodrines to thofe Faculties. The common Reafon and Apprehenfion of Man- kind therefore, are the Standard and Meafure to which his Dodrines were fuited 5 and con- fequently are the Rule by which we are to judge what is the true and plain Senfe of them. Thofe Doctrines which, to the com- mon Reafon of Mankind, appear to be plamly taught by Chrift, are to be efleem'd Vlam^ and fuch 3s his Difciples are obliged to aifent to: And that Senfe in which the common Appre- henfion of Mankind underftands them, is to be efteem'd that Vlain fenfe in which they are obliged to receive them : Neither is any one excufed, who in oppofition to the com- mon Sentiments of Mankind, will take thefe Dodrines in a private Senfe of his own. Every Author may with reafon think him- felf injur'd, if, when he has exprefs'd himfelf plainly and clearly to the comm.on Senfe of Mankind, any one fhall pretend that he has a Right to underftand him in his owh Senfe, {a) J /;. iii. 2. aiid Church of Cni^isrl 15 and impofe what Meaning on his Words he pleafes. If this be allowed, if there be no common general Standard of Interpretation to which we may Appeal, no certain Senfe in which we have a Right to be iinderftood, *tis to no purpofe to Write or Difcoiirfe : All our Converfations will be attended with the Confufion of Babel -^ and Words and Reafon be no longer of any Ufe. Neither is the Cafe at all different in Doftrlnes taught us by God. God fpeaks to us as rational Creatures : He addreffes himfelf to the fame Faculties of our Nature that Man doth, and the Words in which he delivers himfelf, are the fame in which we converfe with One another* and confequently we are obliged to underftand Him according to the fame Laws and Rules of Interpretation which we require to be ob- ferved in difcourfing with one another. This Obligation, indeed, to underftand the Doftrines of Ch rift in their true and precife Meaning, is not equally extended to all Men ^ but according to Mens different Capacities, or degrees of Knov>4edge, more Dodrines are plain to fome than to others, and confequently feme are obliged to underftand and alTent to more, in the Senfe intended by Chrift, than others : But all, as rational Creatures, and Difciples of Chrift, are thus obliged to under- ftand and receive fome. From hence it may appear how Impertinent that Challenge is, fo often made by the Pa- fifisj to produce our Catalogue of facli Doc- trines i6 Of the In^DifiUe trines as Chrift indifpenfably requires ever\^ one to believe. For this ObJigatioti being more or lefs extended, according to the diffe- rent Capacities or Inftruftions of Men, it is impoflible to affign any one common Meafure which Ihall equally ferve for a V^ide or Stan- dard to All. Some general Articles may be affign'd, without the Relief of which no one can be intitled to the Name of a Chriflian : Thefe every Difciple of Chrift, even of the loweft Capacities, is bound to underftand and alTent to : But this cannot be efteem'd all that is required from Perfons of greater Capacities, and who are more fully inftrucTred in Chriftian Religion. Every Dodrine taught in the Scri- ptures, was certainly intended to be believed by the Difciples of Chrift • and all Dodrines, which we know to be there taught and un- derftand, are equally to be believed by us • becaufe All are aiferted by the fame Autho- rity.^ But K\\ thefe Doftrines are not equally required to be aaitally known, underftood, or affented to by All. It is indeed Neceffary that fome common Form or Summary of Faith fliould be propofed, as a Qualification for Mens admittance into the External Society of the Church ; And agreeably, v/e find in the Primitive Church, that Creed which we. call the Apoftles, or others in Subftance the fame with that, required to be explicitly profeft by thofe wlio were receiv'd into the Communion of the Church. But the Qiieftion is not here, VVhat DcCtnnes it is fit to require an open Aflcnt Church of Ch R 1 s f. 1 7 Affent to, as a Qualification for Admittance into the Communion of the Vi^Me Church j But what Chrift precifely requires every Chr;- liian to underftand and believe, as internally related and accountable to Him. It was fit the Rulers of the vijil^le Chzivch fhould not, in the Summaries they required to be pro- fefs'd, defcend to the very lowefi of human Capacities -^ but adapt a Form of common Ufe to the common and ordinary Apprehenfions o£ Mankind. It is fit alfo, that thefe Summaries fhou'd comprehend fuch a Foundation of the Chriftian Faith as, if they are underftood and attended to, will lead us into i compleat Knovirledge of that Religion. But yet, I think, we may fafely affirm, that many whofe Capa- cities will not reach to underftand fome Arti- cles even of the Apoftles Creed, may nevex- thelefs know and affent to fo much of the Chriftian Faith, as may render them acceptable Difciples of Chrift, and approved by Him : And, on the other fide, that many of greater Knowledge and Capacities may be obliged ta affent to fome Dodrines which are not ex- prefsly containM in that Creed. 'Tis therefore (I fay) impoflible to aflign any common gene- ral Summary of DodrineSj to which, and td no more, Chrift precifely requires the internat Affent of every one of his Difciples* But Him we m.ay affirm to difcharge his Duty to Chrift as his Teacher or Mafter^ who aBually affents to all fuch Doclrines as every Chriftian, as fuch^ is obliged to underftand C an4 1 8 Of the Tnvijible and affent to, in the Senfe in which Chrift delivered them , and either to more or fewer Doftrines according to his Capacities and Op- portunities of Knov/ledge : Who alfents to all He doth underftand, whether He was pre- dfeJy obliged to imderftand them or not ^ and who believes no Authority affirming any thing contrary to them. CHAP. IV. Of the Obedience due to Chrift as our Law- giver. And firft of the Extent of our Ghedtcnce. WHAT has been obferved concerning the Duty of the Difciple to Chrift his Majler^ is alfo applicable to him, as a Subjed to Chrift his Lawg^wer : Properly fpeaking, indeed the Duties that arife from the former relation, are comprehended in thofe which be- long to us in the latter. For Faith, confider'd as a Duty, is an Obedience to a Law requi- ring us to believe , and is therefore a Debt we owe to Chrift as our Legijlator* I Ihall there- fore treat this more fully, and endeavour to fupply what may feem omitted under the former Head. ly?. Then, the fame Reafons that oblige our Attention and x^llent to Chrift 's DcBrhie, re- quire Church of C H R I s fl 19 quire us alfo diligently to apply our Selves to know and perform his Commands. 2dly, For the fame Reafons that we are ob- liged to AlTent to fome of his Dodrines, in the fame Senfe which He taught them, we are alfo obliged to obey fome of his Laws in the fame Senfe in which he prefcribed them. But our Obedience to Chrift as our Law-^ £iver^ may be confider*d more diftindly, ly?. With rjegard to the Extent of it. 7ly^ With regard to the Degree or Mea- fure of it. With regard to the Extent of it, the Obe- dience which Chrift approves , muft be p re- fumed to^ be an Obfervance of all thofe Laws which He has indifpenfably obliged his Ser- vants to Obey. That an Obedience to fome Laws of Chrift is indifpenfably necelfary is evident, becaufe it cannot be conceived how any Man can be a Chriftian, much lefs a Chriftian approved by Him, who obeys none of His Laws. And fince the Knowledge of a Law is neceffary to the Obfervance of it, it follows. That both the Knowledge and Obfervance of fome Laws of Chrift are indifpenfably required in any Perfon of whom we affirm, That he is an acceptable Stibjed to Chrift his Latv- giver ^ e 2 Firft, !20 Of the Invifihle Firft then, Every Chriftian as fuch is fup- pofed to TiCknowledge his Obligation to every Law of Chrift that is known to him 5 And fince fome Laws of Chrift, with refpect both to Faith and Practice, are fo obvious, that He, who is ignorant of them, can hardly be efteemM a Chriftian , and the Obfervance of them fo neceffarily required, that He whodif- obe^^s them, cannot be reputed a Good Chri- ftian '^ A¥e cannot affirm of any Perfon, that He is a SnbjeS (icceptahle to Cbr'/Jl his Law fjve}\ without prefuming both his Know- ledge and Obfervance of fuch obvious and neceffary Laws. But, Secondly, Becaufe the greater Application, Capacity, 'or Inftruclions of fome Perfons, lead us to confider them as either knowing, or obliged to know, more than others •, when we apply this Idea to Them, we include in it both the Knowledge and Obfervance of more Laws of Chrift, than when we apply it to others, who want thefe A- vantages. i\nd fo likewife becaufe the Stations, Offi- ces, or Relations of fome Perfons oblige us to confider them as fubjeil to fome certain Laws which do not concern other Men, not placed in thefe Circumftances :, when we af- firm this Cliaraclcr of them, befide the com- mon Laws of general Obligation to all Chri- ftians, we include in it an Obedience alfo to thofe fpccial Lavv^s. With Regard therefore to the Extent of our ObediencCj A SubjeB acceptable to Chrift as his Church of Christ. 21 his Lawgiver may be defcribed, as one who obeys all Laws of Chrift which he is oblip-ed to know, and all that He adually doth know, whether He was precifely obliged to know them or liot. With refped to fuch Laws of Chrift as the Perfon is not confider'd as ob- liged to know, in regard to the Equity and 'Mercy of the Lawgiver, we pre fume his Ig- norance pardonable j and therefore do not, on account of his Tranfgrefling them, exclude Him from the Number of Chrift's faithful Servants. C H A P. V- Of the Kind or Mcakire of our Ohedknce. LE X us then next inquire what Kind or Me a fur e of Obedience the Mind fup- pofes when it applies this Idea. And, I. The only Adequate and Pr^/7^r Obedi- ence to Chrift's Laws is obeying them in the Senfe and Meaning Chrift intended in them. For whenever we receive an Inter- pretation of any Law contrary to the Inten- tion of Chrift, and act according to it. We do not properly perform a Command of Cbrifiy but a Command of fuch Interpreter : and this is equally true, whether the Interpretation is our Own, or is given us by fome otlier Per- fon : For we no more Obey the Law of Chrift when we ad contrary to it in purfuance of C 3 our 22 Of the Invijible our own Miftake, than when we ad contrary to it in purfuance of another's Miftake : It cannot be faid, that in either Cafe the Com- mand of Chrift is perform'd. If therefore ( as I before proved ) we are indifpenfably bound to obey foine Laws of Chrift, It muft follow, that we are indifpenfably obliged to obey fome Laws of Chrift in the Senfe and Meaning which he intended in them. As fome Laws of Chrift are fo obvious that no Chri- ftian can be excufed who is ignorant of them, fo fome Laws of Chrift are fo Vlaiii and Perfpicuous to the common Reafon of Man- kind, that no Chriftian can be excufed who a£ts contrary to the true Meaning and Import of them. With refpeft therefore to fuch Flam Laws, The Mind cannot affirm of any Perfon, that He is a SuhjeEl acceptable to Chrift his Lazv-giver, who is fuppofed to ad contrary to the Intention of Chrift in them. And as the different Capacities or Inftru- ftions of Men oblige us to confider more Laws of Chrift, as plain to fome than to o- thers, fo when we apply this Charafter to them , that They are approved SubjeBs of Chrijl their Law-giver^ we confider them as bound to obferve more Laws of Chrift, ac- cording to the true Import of Them, than is precifcly requir'd from other Men. This therefore the Mind in general affirms of every Perfdn to whom it applies this Cha- raBer^ That he is one who obeys every Law of Chriftj v/hich he is obliged to underftand. Church of C H R I s T. 23 in a manner agreeable to the Intention of Chrift in that Law *, And according as we conceive him bound to underftand more or fewer Laws, in applying this Idea to him, we confider him as punftually obeying more or fewer. Thus, when we affirm of a Clergyman, That he is an approved SubjeB to the Legif- lature of Chrift, we include in that Idea the Knowledge and Underftanding of more Laws of Chrift ;, and confequently an exaEi Obe- Jknce to more, than when we apply the fame Characler to other Men. Not that the Laws of Chrift oblige him more than any other Man who is enter'd into the Covenant of the Gofpel -^ But, in regard to his particular Office and Profellion, he is confider'd as bound to Know and Underftand more, and ^ confe- quently -to obey more Laws of Chrift-, ac- corJi?i£ to the true hnport of them, than other Men. But whatfoever Laws any Perfon is fuppofed not obliged to Underftand, he is not conceiv'd bound to Obey according to the ftria meaning of them. ^. With regard to the Degree or Meafiire of our Obedience, even to thofe Laws which are fuppofed to be Known and Underftood, we do not require a conftafit undiverted Obe- dience '^ Becaufe if fuch an Obedience was necelfary to every approved SubjeB of Chriji^ we cou'd never affirm this Charader of any Perfon living. The many Infirmities which are infeparable from our Nature, and the fa- C 4 vourable 24 Of the Invijible vour^ble Declarations of the Gofpel concern- ing them, encourage us to prefume that when- ever the Adion can be accounted for by Sur- prize, Inadvertency, the fudden ferment of Paflion, &c. tho' a Law of Chrift be tranf- greffed, yet the Perfon is not excluded from the Number of thofe who are united to Chrift, as his Fahhful Members. And, Laftl5% Whatever Offences againft the Law of Chrift any Perfon hath been guilty of, yet if v/e conceive him to be truly Penitent for them. The Mercies of the Gofpel Cove- nant oblige us to confider him as reftored to a State of Favour, and intitled to the Grace and Promifes of the Gofpel. The Degree of Obedience therefore fup- pofed, when we affirm any Perfon to be a SiibjeB approved by Chr'ifi as his Law-giver,, is That, as for as Human Infirmities will per- mit, he Obeys all thofe Laws of Chrift to which he is necelTarily obliged, according to the true meaning and intention of them - and that wherever he has offended, he is heartily and truly Penitent for his Tranf- greflion. But becaufe neither our Obedience in thofe Duties we perform ^2\\ht rewarded, nor our Omiflion of tlrofe we negled exciifed, nor our Pvepentance for thofe Sins we have committed be accepted, unlefs in all thefeRefpeds we are &7^^^r^- therefore Sincerity is the principal Uiaahty confider'd in any Perfon's Obedience Qt whom we affirm, that he is an approved Stibje^ Church of C H R I s T. '25 SuhjeEl of Chrift. For tho' we perforin every Adion required of us by the Law of Chrift yet if we are confider'd as performing it merely upon temporal Motives of our own Pleafure, Reputation, or Intereft, the Action cannot be prefumed to intitle us to any Re- ward from Chrift ^ becaufe it is not perform'd in Obedience to him^ but to his Enemy. And fo if the Will be confider'd as knowingly and deliberately concurring in thofe Adlions which might be imputable to Ignorance or Infirmity, the Man cannot be efteem'd to have any Title to thefe Excufes. He is no farther a Servant of Chrift than he has endeavour'd to obey him, and he is no farther excufable for not aftually obeying him than his Endeavours are fmcere. For the fame Reafons if the Converfion of the Penitent be efteem'dfeign'd and fuper- ficial, it cannot be conceiv'd to reunite him to Chrift, or reftore him to a Charader ap- proved by him. CHAP. VI. Of Sincerity. BU T tho' Sincerity be confider'd as a ne- cefTary, and even the principal Quality, in fuch an Obedience as will approve us to Chrift as acceptable SubjeSs of his Legiflature ; ^et it is to be feared, too much is prefumed of 2d Of the Invijihle of this Quality, when it is affirmed that this alone^ and in all Cafes ^ is fufficient to recom- mn d our Aftions to the Approbation of our Judge. When indeed we are fuppofed either actu- ally to perform all the Duties required from us, or to be under fuch Circumftances as ex- ^ufe us not performing them, or to be pardon d upon our Repentance for tranfgrefling them ^ •*tis acknowledged, that the Sincerity of our Intention in thefe Particulars is alone fuffici- ent to afTure us we are Obedient^ Extiifed^ or Forgiven. But much more feems to have been affirmed in this Alfertion, viz. That though we mif- take any, or all the Laws of Chrift never fo much, and in Confequence of fuch Miftake fnall aft even diredly contrary to what in the common Apprehenfion of Mankind is the -Meaning of them, yet if we are fully per- ■fziadedt\\2Lt our Interpretation is agreeable to his Will, we are in all Cafes juftified in his Sight, and the Ac1:ion will be approved and "rewarded by him as Obedience : A Conclufion which cannot be admitted without taking away the Neceffity of any Obedience at all. I before obferv'd, that it was included in the Idea of a Subjeft to Chrift as his Lavpgi- ■ ■ver^ That he was obliged to know and obey ^ fome Laws of Chrift in tlie Meaning which '^Chrift intended in them , and that when we af- firm of any one, that he is approved in this *; Charafter by Chrift, he muft be confider'd as Church of G H R IS t. 27 aftually knowing, underftanding, and obey- ing all thofe Laws of Chrift, which every Chriftian, as fuch, is bound to know, under- ftand, and obey. t^rlt was obferv'd farther. That as lome Per- sons muft be confider'd as obliged to know, underftand, and obey more Laws of Chrift than Others •, fo the Idea in thefe Applications is proportionably enlarged, and the Perfoti confider'd as knowing, underftanding, and obeying more or fewer Laws, according as we conceive his Obligations to extend. But if a full Perfuafion of Mind, be A- lone, and in all Cafes fufficient, then no one is ftricSly bound to apprehend or obey any Laws of Chrift in the Meaning he intended in them : No Plainnefs is fufEcient to oblige us to underftand them, and there can be no fuch Thing as a culpable Miftake. He who Disbelieves the DoSrines, or Difobeys the Precepts of Chrift, if he ads upon a fuU Perftiafwn of Mind, is in as good a Condi- tion, as he who Believes and Obey?- Nay, farther it muft hence follow, that he who rejeds Chriftiamty becaufe he believes it to be falfe, is as acceptable to God as he who embraces it, becaufe he believes it to be true. This is certainly a juft Confequence, if the Acceptablenefs of our Faith doth not depend on the Truth, or Evidence of a Thing we affent to, but merely on the Strength of our perfuafion concerning it. But with what tuftice then could our Saviour denounce thofe *; (a) heavy ^^8 Of the Invijihle Xa) heavy Woes againfl: the Infidelity of thofe Cities which rejec^-ed him? Was this their Crime, that they knew him to be the MeJJlah^ and yet rejeded him? Or was it not manifeftly this. That notwithflanding the {a) Mighty Works he had done among them were fo clear a Proof of his Miflion that every rational Man was obliged to acknow- ledge it, yet contrary to this Obligation they refufed to receive him ? Or can we imagine that when our Lord exprefsly tells us, (J)) That he who believeth not fiall he damned^ he means no more than this, That he Ihall be damned who knows his Miflion and Do- Oixmt to be from God, and yet disbelieves it? Infidelity indeed is very fafe under this In- terpretation, fince, upon this Suppofition, the Penalty of it is affixed only to fuch a Crime as it implies a Contradiction in Terms for any one to be guilty of. The Cafe is the fame with refpect to any particular plain Direction of our Faith, or any other Practical Law of Chrift, (for Faith ^ as Obedience to a Law requiring us to believe, is as much a PraBicalDuty, a»any other Action.) For if in regulating our Conduft according to any fuch Law we are not obliged to under- iland it in fuch a Senfe, as the ordinary Rea- fon of Mankind tells us the Law-giver meant it in, the whole Law will, in the Language of the Papifts^ be only a Number of unfenfed {Aa) Mat. xi. 21. (b) Mar. xvi. i5. Cha- Church of Christ. 2^ CharaBers, without any certain Meaning •, fince no one could precifely fay, what was the Duty required by any Precept of it. Chrift certainly had a preafe Meaning in every one of his Laws ^nd in fome his Mean- ing isfo plain and obvious, that it requires on- ly a common unprejudiced Attention, and the ordinary Capacities of a reafonable Nature to acknowledge it ^ and confequently he who doth not underftand them is either incapable of any Law, or elfe he muft be guilty of Sin in not performing a Duty, which it was in his Power to perform. And agreeably our Lord afks, Qi) Why do you not of your Selves judge that which is Right ^ in which Words he not only afferts a Right of private Judgment^ but fuppofes alfo a Duty to attend us in the ex- ercife of that Power, and that Truth and Right are fometimes fo clear and obvious, that it muft be Sin in us hot to acknowledge them. With Refpect therefore to thefe plain Laws, both the Knowledge of them, and an exadt Obedience to them according to the Intention of Chrift, are confider'd as neceffary, and con- fequently are implied in the Idea of a Perfon approved hy Chrift as a SitbjeB of^ his Legijla- tare-: Neither can we conceive his ading ac- cording to thefe Laws to be excufable how- ever firmly he may appear perfuaded of the (a) Ink, xii. 57, Truth oS C>/ the InvifiUe Truth of thofe Miftakes, in Confequence of which he tranfgreffeth them. In all Human Laws it has always been thought equitable, to require the Perfons they are direded to, to underftand them in the fame Senfe in which the Legiflature intended them : And accordingly the Penalties of the Law are conftantly executed on him who tranfgreifeth them, without any regard to his Ferfuafion concerning the Meaning or Senfe of them : And the Equity of this Proceeding is founded on this Prefum prion, that the Law is fuch that a reafonable Being, with that Attention which is due to the Authority which enadts it, might and ought to have underftood it in its true Senfe. And are Chrift's Laws only fuch intri- cate unintelligible Prefcriptions, that no one is bound to underftand them, but every one is at liberty to obey them in what Senfe he pleafes > It may perhaps be faid, that the Ferfuafwn to which fo much Power and Value is afcribed, is fuch a Ferfuafwn as is the Refult of a full and impartial Inquiry, according to the beft Ufe of our Faculties, and in which no Means of Information in our Power have been unap- plied to. This indeed muft be acknowledged to excufe theMiftake: But then this Excufe cannot be extended farther than to fuch Laws as either in themfelves are of difficult Interpre- tation^ or from fome natural or unavoidable Incapacity of the Perfon are obfcure to hm^ and thus far we before allowed it. But then it Church of C H R I s T. 3! it miift alfo be remember'd, that the Intention of Chrift in fome Laws is fo plain, that nO Man who miftakes them can be fuppofed to have duiy attended to them. Some of thefe plain Laws every Chriftian, as a rational Be- ing, is obhged to underftand, and either more or fewer according to his Capacities and Op- portunities of Information , and all that he is obliged to underftand, he is bound to obey according to the true Import of them ^ and whatever Laws we are bound precifely to obey, no Strength of Perfuafion can excufe our not precifely Obeying , and confequently the Strength of our Ferfuajion cannot, Jlo?te and in alfCafeSy be a fufficient Security for us to ad upon. But I would here alfo farther obferve, That when it is affirmed, that a fincere Terfitajion of Mind is alone 2l fecure Principle of Faith and Aftion, and Men are bid to rely on this in all Cafes, as a fafe Title to the Favour of God, without regarding any other Confidera- tion 5 Thefe high Expreflions cannot be meant of fuch a Ferfuafwn as is the Refult of a full and impartial Inquiry -^ becaufe the Perfuafion here recommended, is propofed as the ultimate Rule of Faith and Aftion : A Rule by which if we ad we may always be fecure that we have done our Duty : Now whatever Chrift has ap- pointed to be the ultimate Rule, by which we may always Judge whether we believe or praftife agreeably to his Will, is certainly fuch a Rule as may be applied to the particular Oc- 32 Of the Itivi/lhle Occafions of Faith or Aftion ; But fuch a Sin^ cerity of Ferfuafwn as this, can never certainly be applied as a Rule to any Part of our Coh- duft i becaufe we can never be aifur'd we have neglected no Opportunity of Information in our Power, that we have read every Book or confulted every Perfon, whom we mi^ht have had, or may yet have Recourfe to, whofe Rea- fons might poflibly havealter'd our Judgment and convinced us of Error. And confequenrly fuch ^PerfuaJIon as this is fo far from being the Adequate or only fafe Rule of our Faith and Adtions, that in confequence of this Prin- ciple, we can never believe or praftife any I hing with Security as long as we li.ve- When therefore it is affirmed. That when- ever we Act under a fuU ferfuafwn that what we dojs Lawftd or a Duty, we may depend on the Acceptance of Chrift ; no other Aifurance can be meant, than a prefent firmPerfuafon of Mmd however founded: And becaufe this has been very much infifed on, as a fufficient De- fence of all Miftakes, in Belief or Practice, I Ihali beg Leave to confider it a little further. _ Now fuch a Perfuafwn, under fome Limita- tions, IS acknowledg'd to be a Rule of human Conduct. 1 hus far it is an Abfolme Rtde, that whatfoever we are perfuaded is contray to the Will of Chrift- how much foever we are mif- taken in fuch Perfuafion, we cannot aBml/y perform without Sin: For to him who believe's it to be Sin, to him it is Sin: and whoever commits wnat he thinks a Crime, has broken through Church of CuKisT. 39 through all Reverence for the Authority of tlie Legiflator, and would as certainly have committed it, if it had been really onei ^ But we cannot fo far depend on this ^s i pofitive Rule, as to aiSim that whatfoever we do in Confequencc of fuch a Perfuafwn is ac- ceptable to Chrift, and Intitles us to the Cha- rafter of his faithful Subjects j becaufe we are affured, that there are many Errors in Faith and Doflrine which Chrift /:?^^^j- f, though the Perfons who believe and Teach them, may be fully perfuaded it is their Duty fo to doo We are alfd told that Men may be fo miffakeii in their Expreflion of their Love to God or Chrift, as to think they are {a) doing him Sef^ vice, andfliewing their Affection to him, while they are killing his Servants : But be theic Love for him never fo hearty, or their Fei^ fuafion never fo ftrohg that they are bound to exprefs it in this Manner •, yet it cannot be imagin'd that this is fuch a Love of Chrift^ or Charity to his Members, as he v/ill approve and Reward. St4 Paid, indeed, who himfelf had been guil- ty of this Sin, tells us, x\i^t(b) he found Mercy from God^ becaufe he did it ignorantly in Vnbe*^ lief: But^ i^. The Apoftle never mentions this Part of his Life but with the deepeft Contitrion j hi^ D iscknow- 34 Of the Vifible acknowledges the Guilt of it, and when he reflcfts'on it, he confelTes himfelf not only a Sinner, but the {a) Chief of Sinners-^ and confequently , notwithfbnding the Strejigth ofhu Yerfuafion, the Anions were flill look'd on by him as Sins, and therefore, unlefs we admit the Notion of fom.e Sins, being in their Nature venial, thefe were fuch as put him under the Difpleafure of God, and were not pardonable without his Re- pentance, rifEv, It is acknowledg'd, that the Guilt of thefe Sins was very much abated in the Sight of God by this Confideration, that they were not committed in Compliance with Malice, Envy, or any bafe Paflion, but proceed- ed from a fincere Zeal for the Glory of God, and the Prefervation of what he thought the true Religion. The Principle upon which he afted was good and pleafing to God, the fame that he commends in the Jews, to whom he bears Teftimony, that they had Q?) a Zeal of GoJj but not according to Knowledge -^ but as he doth not free the Condudi of the Jews from Sin, tho' it proceeded frcm a Principle which he approves, but {c) prays for them as Men under God's Difpleafure ^ fo neither were his own Actions, proceeding from the fame Prin- ciple, excufed from Sin any more than Theirs* (^) I Tm, i. 15. (h) ^om, K, 2, (c) ibid r, St- Church of Cunts tI '^^ Su Peter offers, the fame Excufe for the Sin of the Jews who crucified our Lord, (^) J wot that thro Ignorance you did it, as did alfo your Riders \, but he doth not therefore think them juftified in the Sight of God, but imm.ediately exhorts them, (^) Repent ye therefore and he converted, tha^ your Sins may be blotted out : They finn d in Ipio- ranee and Unbelief as well as St. Raul, but unlefs they repented, their Sin could not be blotted out. The Sincerity of the Offender alleviated, but did not take away the Guilt : And therefore St. Reter mentions this as a Circumftance that might encourage them to hope for. Pardon- upon their Repentance, tut could not affure them that they were already pardon'd. And fo the Sincerity of ^M.Raid was an Inducement to the divine Compaffion, to propofe thefe powerful Mo- tives of Converfion to him- but it .was his Compliance with thofe Motives, and his fubfequent Repentance that acquitted hiiii of the Sin. x\nd agreeably Ananias, who attended him prefently after his Conver- fion, Exhorts, him to (J) anje and be bap- tised, and wapj away,- his Sins, calhfig on the 'Name of the Lord Jefus. Had^he^ re- fiftedl the Motives of Converficn ofterd tq Kim, as many of St. Reter ^ Auditors did thofe which He offcr'd, notwithftandmg his ra) AB, ill. 17. W ibi^. ^9^ (0 '^^- ^^^ '^' . . f 3^ Of the VifiUe Sincerity, he had remained in the fame State of Damnation that they continued un- der. It cannot therefore be infer'd from this Inftance, that ivhenever roe aB with a full Perfitafion of Mhul , we are fecitre from Shi 'j fince the Blaiphemies and Periecu- tions of St, Paul are confeifed by him to be Sins , notwithftanding the Sincerity of ferfuafion under which he committed them: and thefe Sins were no otherwife forgiven him, but upon the ordinary Condition of Repentance, If St. Paul indeed can be excufed from Sin in perfecuting the Church, becaufe (^) he was verily perfuaded he ought to do it ^ the fame Plea will equallv excufe all Hea- then or Popifli Princes who have at any time perfecuted the Church of Chrift. The Gun-powder Treafon, and the Rebellion of Forty one, and all the Villanies that have ever been committed from a Perfuafion of Confcience will be defended : For the Aftors in thefe Tragedies have declared, that w^hat they did they were perfuaded they were bound to do , neither can we convince them of Sin by any other Argument than this. That they aded contrary to fuch plairi Laws of God and Chrifl as they were bound to underftand. (n) A?. Kxvi. p. Church of Christ. 37 We may therefore refume our Conclufion, tliat a full Perfuafwn of Mind is iiot alone^ and in all Cafes ^ a fu^cient Security fro?n Sin -^ and that, in fome Parts of our Conduft, an exadt Conformity to the Rule prefcribed by Chrift is required from us : Neither can this be re- ftrain'd within narrower Bounds, than an Obe- dience to all fuch Laws as Chrift has deliver'd with fuch Phinnefs, as obliges the Perfon they are propofed to underftand them. For if the Strength of our Perfu^iion will juftify us acling contrary to one of thefeLaws, it will equally excufe us ading contrary to all , and then he who keeps ^riofie of his Commandments^ will,, contrary to our Lord's exprefs Declarati- on,; (a) be neverthelefs in the Number of thofe who love Him^ .and are beloved both by Km and his lather. From the whole I Infer, that an aHual Obe- dience to fome Laws of Chrift, according to the true Meaning and Import of them, muftbe confider'd as a necelTary Ingredient in his Cha- racter^ of whom we affirm that he is an accep- table SubjeB to Chrift as his Lawgiver : That in thefe neceffary Inftances, he muft not only fincerely think he Obeys, but fincerely muft Obey. Laftfyy As to the Judicature of Chrift, All that is implied in the Character of a faithful Subject to him, with relation to this Office, {it) Job, xiv. 21. D 3 is gS Of the hvifihle^ &c is That the Rewards promifed, and the Penal- ties rhreatned by Chrift, muft have the firft and governing Influence on all his Aflions •, and that he mud: do nothing that may expofe him to theDifpieafure of Chrift, either to pro- cure the Favour, or avoid the Refentments o£ Menc PART (39) •^^ 4- ^ ^* ^ -^^ -^ »^ ^ -^ H^ -^ -^ -^ -ij* -^ '^ -^ •9- -1^ -5^ -^ '^ 'T^ -^ -^ -^ PA R T IL Of the I^i/iMe Church of C H R I ,s T. C H A P. f. 0/ the Hature and Confiitution of the Vifible Church. S the Church, with refped to that Internal relation which it has to Chrift,is call'd his /wt'/T?/^/^ Church, fo, with refped to that External Polity in which it is incorpora- ted, and impower'd to aft as a Vifible Society, it is call'd his Vifible Church. Under both thefe Denominations Chrift is confider'd as Head of the Church; under tliQ Former, as prefiding over the Hearts and Confciences of his Difciples, and communicating Alfpiritual D 4 Gifts 4-0 Of the Vijihh Gifts and Graces to them by the Miniftry of the Koly Ghoft : Under the Latter as deriving the Graces of the Holy Spirit to them by the Ufe of external Ordinances, and Adminiftra- tions, and providing for their Inftruftion and good Government, by certain Officers, whom lie his appointed, for the outward Difcipline and Miniftry of his Church, to officiate in the publick Ordinances of his Religion, to teach govern and judge his Members, according to his Prefcription. For thus the Apoftle tells lis, He hath fet fome in the Churchy fir [I Apo- files Jecondarily Prophets^ — Helps, Governments^ Paflors and Teachers, for the Work of the Mi" mjlry for the Edifying the Body ofChrift^ (a) In the Fi//^/^ Church, therefore, Chrift is not the Iminediate and coijfequently not the fole Teacher, Ruler, &c. of his People ^ be- caufe Others are appointed to prefide over them in thef^ Offices to whom their Sub- iniffion is immediately due, tho' idtimately to the Authority of Chrift by whofe Com- miffion they ad. ' This Vifthle Church is confider'd either, as one large colleftive Body, comprehending all Societies of Chriftians difperfed ov^r the face of the Earth, which are therefore 'calJ'd one' Catholick Church, Jbecaufe they profefs the fame Faith to be faved by the Death and Me* diation of Chrift, and alfo becaufe they have (A I Cor. '^\\,2lc compared with £j)^<, iv. ii< Com« Church of C H R I s T. 41 a Community of Ordinances ^ fo that he who is lawfully baptized^ in one Church, is ac- knowledged as a baptized Perfon in all other: and he who is lawfully or dain'd in one Church, is acknowledged in the fame Cha- rafter by all others , and he who is regu- larly cut off and feparated from one Part of this Society, is cut off from the whole Church. Or this Church is confider*d as divided in- to particular Societies, each under their re- fpedtive Officers and Minifters ^ which, as Members, compofe together the whole Body of Chrift's Catholick Church. CHAP. IL Of tf?e Members of the Vifible Church. THIS riftl^Ie Church being a Society of Chrift's appointment, no Man can be efteem'd to difcharge his Duty as his Difci- ple, who is not a Member of it. And agree- ably, all the Benefits purchafed by Chrift for Mankin(|, are annex'd to our Initiation into this Society i, (a) He that Believeth and is Baptized Jhall be faved. And confequently it is not a Thing left to the Choice and Liberty of Men, whether they will belong to this ■'•''" Society 42 OfiheVifiUe Society or not : But we are obliged to be enter'd into it, on pain of forfeiting our U- nion withChrift, and our Title to all the Pri- vileges of the Gofpeh And fince our Relation to the Catholkk Church cannot otherwife ap- pear, than by our communicating with fome of thofe Particular Churches of which that General Society, is compofedj It follows, that every Chriftian is under the fame Obligation to be a Member of fome Particular Church ^r^^/^^n^^^'^^^^^f theCatholick Church of Chnft. And fince our Communion with zny Particitlar Church can no farther unite us to the Catholick Church, than as th^t par- ticular Society is it felf a Member of the Ca- tholick Church ; It concerns us well to be af- furd, that the Church, to whofe Congrega- tion we belong, is it felf a Member of the Catholick Church of Chrift. But the Nature and Duty of Church Com- munion I fhall leave with the Reader in the Words of a f Right Reverend Prelate of the Church of England. From thefe^ Expreffions of %t. Cyprian — There is but one Catholick Church, divided 7nto many Members, thro the whole World^ and one Epifcopacy diffufed in many Bifiops, agreeing: with one another. And again, There IS one Epifcopacy^ an iniire Part whereof is Gi4Se?p^^^^ ^^^^^"' ^^^'^"'^" ''^^^'^''^' held Church of Christ; 43 hehi hy every BiJIjop. — He obf'erves, ' That i vi^hoever becoities a Member of any Part o£ ' the CathoUck Church, is'^a Member of the ' whole Church.^ And on the contrary, Who- * ever is feparated from any found Part of f the Church; by wilfull Schifm or jnftEx- ' communication, is by that means feparated •^%6m the whole Church. Juft as we find ' in Natural Bodies, That in one Body there A are many Members, And whatever is uni- •'ted to any one of thefe, is thereby united * to the whole Body •, as on the. contrar^r; *■ whatever is cut off from any Member, do*s * by that Separation lofe its Union with the * whole Body. Neither can there be devifed * any way to be united to any Body, whe- * ther Natural or Civil, or 'of being feparated * from it, but by adhering to fome of its * Members, or being cut off from them. * Whence appears the NecefTity, which eye- ': ry Chriflian lies under , of maintaining * Communion with the particular Church, * wherein he lives, in order to his Commu- * nion v/ith the Church Catholick, and with ' Chrift the Head of it.' The General iJe as which we affix to any Perfon when we confider him as a Member of theWhole or any Part of Chrift'sr#/^Church, are That He is enter'd into this Society by Baftifm ', Profeffes the Faith of Chriftian Re- ligion taught in it j Communicates m the ex- iernal Ordinances , and is obfervant of the Pifcl^ne of it, CHAP. 44 Of the Vifihh CHAP. IIL Of the Superiors or Officers in the Vifibic Church^and the Powers committed to them. THE Members of Chrift's viftble Clmvch. are farther confider'd,as diftinguifli'd in- to Superiors and Inferiors,Rulers and Subjefts- and when to thofe general Marks of a Vifibll Chriftian before mention'd, we add what is ^iftinftiy imply'd in each of thefe Chara(5lers,' we Ihall comprehend all that can be affirm 'd of any Perfon, as a Member ofChrifs Vijibls Church. ^ That Chrifl did not leaye the Members of his Viftble Church in a State of perfed Equa- lity, appears from the Scriptures before cited, Eph\^.iu and i C?;-. xii. 28, And agree- ably, the Apoftle, in the preceeding part of that Chapter to the Corinthians^ teaches us, from a Comparifon of the Church to a Body and Its Members, that tho' Chrifl be \\it [ole and fupreme Head, who by the Influx of his. Grace moves and animates the whole Body, ^^ 12 5 Yet among the Members fome alfo are to be honour'd with the Title of Head : as is evident from v. 21. where he tells us, that T^ht He ad cannot fay to the Feet I have no need of you: For that this cannot be meant of Chrifl is plain ^ becaufe Chrifl can fay to his Members , / have no need of you. As the Head Church of Chuxst. 45 Head is the Source and Fountain of Animal Life to the Body, whence all the Members de- rive Spirits and Motion , fo alfo is Chrift the Fountain of Internal Spiritual Life to the Church. AnA the Head^ confider'd thus as a Principle of Life, exerts thefe internal Powers, without the Afliftance of the other Members. But when the Head is confider'd as a Member of the Body, to all its External Operations it has need of the other Members. In this View therefore it mufl: be confider'd by the Apoftle, when he tells us, The Head cannot fay to the Feet I have no need of you ^ and confequent- ly, to preferve any Analogy in the Similitude, he muft mean that feme Perfons in the Churchy though with refped to Chrift they are equal- ly Members with others \ yet with refped to the other Parts of this Society, they have the fame Preheminence, that the Head has over the other Members of the Body. And fo when the Church is compared to the Houlhold of an abfent Mafter, fome Ser- vants are reprefented as placed in Superior Trufts over the reft, To give them Meat in diic Seafon^ &c. And the fame will appear in all other AUufions made ufe of in Scripture. Of thefe Powers 'tis in general to be ofa- ferv'd. That no Authority can belong to any Member of Chrift's Church, but what is de-, rived from Chrift the Supreme Head of it, ei- ther by his own immediate Comm.iflion, or by the Ordination of thofe who had Power from him to appoint others : l^o Man taketh this 4^ Of the Vifihle this Honour to himfelf^ but he who is one of thefe ways call'd of God. The particular Powers by which thefe Su- periors were diftinguifhed from other Perfons, were, Firft, An Authority to Freach the Gofpel, ^and Teach others. That this was a Part of 'the Commiffion given to the Miniftrj^ is evi- dent : For thus our Lord fent forth the Se- venty to Preach to the Cities ofjitdea (a)-^ the Commiflion of the Apoftles was inlarg a, to Teach all Nations (J?). St. Paid tells Ti?nothy^ that he was ordaiiid and appointed a Preacher (c) and Teacher of the Gentiles (J). And not only the Apoftles, but the ordinary Officers of the Church were diftinguifh'd by this Com- iniflion : Whence «^^cr;caAoi (f) is commonly apply'd to them - and that they fhould be ^Mzli-rt^i (^eX and Ix^m (/^), or •t^r^Q^vci/ji (£) SiStl^o!^ is required, among the principal Qua- lifications of thofe who were ordain'd to the Miniftry. And though all Chriftiahs ,are commanded to teach and ad?nomJb o?ie another (/?), yet, that this Office was committed to the Minifry with diftind Powers, appears from St. P^w/'s De- termination, that none could Preach as a Mi- nifter except he was fent (?)• (^) Luke X. {b) Matt, y.\\\\u 19. (c)" i Tim. ii. 7. 2 T/w. a. Ii. (d)Ep\ iv. II. (e) 1 Tim. iii. 2. (f) iT'mu ii. £,' (g)Kom. i. 15. I Pet. V. 2. (/') CoL iii. i5. (i) Kom. x, ^5- ^- * ecorklly^ Church ef Christ. 47 Secondly, The Minifters of the Church were apDointed by Chrift to prefide in the publick Offices of Religion, to offer up the Prayers of the Congregation to God, and interceed with him to fend down his Graces and Bleffings upon them -^ and agreeably the twenty-four El- ders in the Revelations^ who are by all Com- mentators acknowledg'd to fignify the Chri- ftian Miniftry "^^ are reprefented as having every one of them golden Vials of Incenfe (a\ which are explained to be the Frayers of the Saints. And that a fpecial Efficacy may be expected from Prayers addreffed to God thro* their Miniftry^ is evident from that Direftion of St. James^ Is any Man fick among yen ^ 'Let him call for the Elders of the Church ^ and let them pray over him, a?iointi7ig him with Oil in the Name of the Lord : And the Prayer of faith fiall fave the Sick^ and the Lord Jljall raife him up *, a^id if he has committed Sins, they fljall be forgiven him (f). To the Mini- fters alfo of the Church were .committed the Office of Baptifm (c), and the Confecration of the Lord's'Supper (d). And that befides this Authority of r . - manded ^8 Of the VifMe manded to ohey and fuhmit to thein. If there- fore their Office implies no more than Gui- ding or Leadings this Authority muft be al^^ low'd them as Guides and Leaders , and if they have any Authority as diftinguifh'd by thefe Charaders, they cannot have lefs than we have afcribed to them. It is indeed abfurd to imagin any Perfon appointed by the CommiJ]jon of a Superior, to be a Guide to others without thus much Au- thority. For what fignifies his Commiffion to Guide us, if we are as much at Liberiy to- follow our own Sentiments, or to be guided by any one elfe as we were before. If in- deed this Guide jOhall attempt to lead us a way manifeftly contrary to his known Inftruftions, we are obliged not to follow him : Or if we have probable Reafons to fufped either that he has miftaken his Way himfelf, or induftri- oufly defigns to miflead us, we may with Hu- mility fuggeft our Apprehenfions : And for our greater Certainty, inquire of other credi- ble Perfons v/hom we meet. And if a great Number of thefe affure us we are out of our way, and agree in direding us to fome other, and fupport their Opinion and Direftion with good Reafons , we may conclude, we are mif- led, and if our Guide will not hearken to thefe Reafons, 'tis our Duty to leave him fo far as he thus errs, how much foever it may expofe us to his Difpleafure. But if we take upon us to oppofe our own mere Opinion to \ii% Judgment^ or follow every idle Perfori who Church of Chris t. 59 who calls us another way, or the bare Jutho^^ nty of any other Perfon, though equally cre- dible with him , we defeat the very End of his Commiflion, and are guilty of Rebellion againft that Superior who appointed him to lead us. CHAP. V. p/ thz Authority committed to the Rulers of the Ckurchj to Miniftet in the ^uhlick Offices of (Religion. f I ^ H E Authority which we afcribe to the J^ Rulers of the Church under this Branch of their Office, is, .'v/'!^ I. That they are fet apart and diftinguifh'd from the reft of the Congregation, as the proper Perfons to oifer up the Prayers and Supplications of the People to God. That in the publick Worfhip of the Con- gregation, fome Perfons fhould prefide over the reft, is not only agreeable to Order and Decency, but required by the Nature of the Adion it felf. For it cannot be conceived, how an AlTembly of Men can unite in their Devotions, any other way than by joining with fome one Perfon who offers up Prayers on the behalf of the whole Affembly, That the Mtnifters of the Church were the Perfons appointed to this Office, I before proved*. 'I ^ And 6o Of the VifiUe And fince *tis reafonable to believe that the Prayers of the Faithful are more acceptable to God when oiFer'd in the Manner which He has prefcribed, it muft follow that our Prayers will more effedually derive the Blef- fings of God upon us when offer'd thus ac- cording to his Inftitution by Perfons appoin- ted by Him to this Office, than when pre- fented by any other Perfon not thus appoin- ted. And confequently. They are to be ac- counted of as the Ordinary vifible Inter ceffors of the Church j or as fome of the Fathers have exprefs'd themfelves f/^'c^Tzu Mediators between God and his People. For tho' Chrift be our only Mediator in Heaven, the only Prieji who by the Merits of th^t Ohlation of himfelf once offer d inter- ceeds for us with God, and prevails for ac- ceptance and fuccefs to our Prayers , yet has he ordain'd that thefe Prayers fhou'd be of- fered in his Church by the publick Minifters of his Religion , Them has he appointed to Interceed for his People in his Name, and to Plead his Merits and Satisfaftion in their be- half. All Chriftians indeed are commanded to pray for one another, and whenever they do fo, they are properly Inter ceffors for one another ^ but this Office private Chriftians are to perform in the Clofet or the Family. In Publick x^fls of Worfhip this Office be- longs to the Mbiifler as the Mouth of the Congregation. And therefore with the fam.e Propriety that private Chriftians, who addrefs God Church of C H R I s T. ^i God according to their Station for the Hap- pinefs of their Brethren, may be faid to be hiterceffors for them. The Miniflers may be caird the Publick hitercejfors of the Church. The ordinary Officers by whom the Prayers of the Congregation are prefentedto God, and confequently the Perfons by whofe Miniftry the Bleflings pray'd for by the Congregation are ordinarily and regularly to be obtain'd from God. 2. Another Branch of their Authority in the publick Offices of Religion is the Admi-' niflration of the Sacraments* That this was fpecially committed to them is evident from the Scriptures before cited. It is not, I think, pretended by any Chriftian, that the Confe- cration of the Eiichartjl belongs to any but the Miniftry, much Difpute indeed has been rais'd concerning the Validity of Baptifm given by private Chriftians : But without entring into the Merits of that Controverfy, 'tis fufficient to my prefent Purpofe to ob- ferve, i. That the Scriptures plainly and ex- prefsly commit the Adminiftration of this Sa- crament to the MtJiiftry. 2. That they no where exprefsly commit it to any other Per- fons. 5. That they who contend for the Validity of Lay-Baptifm allow it to bej Irre- gular'^ and that tho' the Aft when done is valid, yet the Perfon had no Juthority to do it ^ from which Concefiion it follotys that this Office properly and regularly be^longs to the Mhii(Jers of the Churchy and t^nat they only 6i ^ Of the VifiUe only can a3: Authoritatively in the Aditiini- ilration of it. Which is as much as I aiii here concern'd to provcii CHAP. VL Of the Authority of Legiflature committed td the Vifible Rulers of the Church. f \ Mong the Powers committed to the Su- /\ periors of the Church, we are to ac- knowledge their Authority to 7nake Laws 5 but under thefe Limitations, that they relate only to Externals, and are not contradidory to the Laws of Chrift.- As to the Internal Behaviour of his Servants Chrift has left fo full and precife a Rule, that no Authority on Earth can add to or diminifh from it. iVnd what- ever External Ordinances he has appoin- ted to his Church, he has not intrufled any of his Minifters with Authority to reverfe or alte:r. But with regard to the Vifihle ASion He 1 las given Authority to the Rulers of his Church to injoyn fuch a Manner of perform- ing his Commands, as may promote Decency^ Feace and Edification : And as far as may be con ducive to the fame Ends, to Prefcribe or Prol libit fuch other Actions alfo as are in their nature Indifferent (/. ^.) neither comi- manded nor forbidden by Him. Thu^ Church of CuRi ST. 62 Til us we find the Council at Jernfalem^ fot Reafons of Peace and Expedience, prohibited Things fir angled^ and Blood (a). St. Paul alfo gave Laws or Rules to the Corinthians^ for the greater Decency of their Publick Affem- blies — That Women Jhoud not fpeak in them (F) — That they flmidbe cover d{c)^ and for the more orderly Celebration of the Lord's Slipper (J), It has been objeded indeed to this Argu-' ment. That the Power of the Apoftles was Extraordinary'^ That they were infallibly 2ind. immediately direded by the Holy Spirit^ and confequently that it cannot be inferred from their Practice, that the Ordinary Governours of the Church have this Power of prefcri- bing Rules, &c. Before we proceed therefore it concerns us to remove this Objeftion. Now 'tis acknowledged, I. That all thofe Miracidons Towers that were given to the Apoftles for the Converfion of the World were Extraordinary ^ and no Part of that Authority which was deriv'd by their Ordination on their Subftitutes and Succeifors : But that They adually commit- ted to the Ordinary Rulers of the Church fuch Powers as we contend for, has in part been Ihewn already ^ and I fhall endeavour farther to affert by dired Proofs. From which Proofs it muft alfo appear, that befide thofe {a) A^, XV. {b) I Cor, xiv, 24. (c) i Cor, xi. {d) Ibid, Extra- / (^4 Of the VifiUe Extraordinary and Temporary Powers which were Perfonal, the Apoftles were alfo invefted with an Ordinary Communicahle Authority of the fame Extent with what we now claim, fince they cou'd not tranfmit to others an Authority which they had not reeeiv'd them^ felves. 2. That the Apoftles in All, and even iri thefe Ordinary Parts of their Office, were aflifted with a Meafure of the Divine Spirit not afterwards continued to the Church, is eafily granted , They were the Mafter-buil- ders, who were firft to form and Model this Society : And not only the Pattern according to which it was to be framed , but many of thofe Rules alfo, which they prefcribed for the external Order and Edification of it, we believe were didated to them by the Spirits But the fame Promife of the Spirit is ex- tended alfo to their Succeflbrs unto the Ejid of the World '^ and we are affured is fulfilled to them in fiach Gifts as are necefl^ary to pre- ferve and continue that Order to the Church in which the Apoftles left it* But let us confider a little more attentively the Weight of this Objection as it aflFeds the Legijlatzire of the Church. The Medium by which it attempts to difparage our Infe- rence from the Praftice of the Apoftles, is™ That the Apoftles were immediately direBed by the Spirit to make Laws and Rules for the ojitward Peace and Order of the Church : Therefore (fay the Objeclers) it cannot be" Gonclude^i church of Christ. 6^ concluded from their Precedent, that other Perfons, not fo direBed^ have Authority to make fuch Rules, &c. But I beg leave to obferve, That the mofi obvious Conclufions from the Apoftles being immediately direHed hy the Spirit to make fuch Laws and Rules for the outward Peace and Order of the Church , Are, 1. That the outward Peace and Order of the Church are, in the Judgment of the Holy Spirit^ Things to be provided for by the Go- vernours of it. 2. That fach Kind of Rules and Prefciri- ptions as the Apoftle gave, are the beft Means to preferve thefe Bleilings to the Church^ Now the outward Peace and Order of the Church will always require the Care and Su- perintendence of fbme Perfons to provide for it. And fince the Apoftles, the Governdurs of the Church at that Time, were by the Holy Spirit appointed to this Care, this feems a Divine Defignation of the Governours of the Church as the proper Perfons to whom, this Ihou d at all times Belong, And if this be allow'd a Part of their Office, by what better and more eflFedual Provifions can they difcharge this Office, than by the fame to which the Infallible Wifdom of God dire^ aed the Apoftles, viz. by Prefcribing fuch Rules as fnall from time to time appear con- ducive to Feace and Ordevc It may perhaps be faid that the Rules prefcfi- feed by the Apoftles \i^ere intended to be a full F and- 66 Of the VtfiUe and perpetual Provifionfor thefe Ends to all A- ges af the Church, and that no Perfon may pre- fume to Prefcribe any other without the fame hnmed'iate DiyeBton of the Spirit which they had , But if the Rules prefcribed by the Apo- ftles were intended to be a full and perpetual Proviiion for the Peace and Order of the Church in all Ages, then thefe Rules are to remain of perpetual Ufe and Obligation to the Church in all Ages : But on the con- trary 'tis manifeft that a great Partofthofe Rules were only a Temporary Provifion adap- ted to the prefent State and Exigences of thofe Churches to which they were directed , as it muft appear to any one who obferves the Rules given by St. ?aul to the Church at Corinth 5 the greater Part of which were pro- per only for the State which that Church was then in, not yet fettled under a Regular Miniftry, but govern'd and inftrucled by Per- fons Occafionally and Extraordinarily infpi- re.' I, and accordingly the Ufe and Obligation of thofe Rules have not been thought by any, except a few Enthufiafts, to extend far- ther than to the particular Circumftances of that Church to which they were given. And the moft natural Inference, from the Apo- ftles being direfted by the Spirit to provide for the Peace and Order of the Church by fuch Rules as were adapted to the particular State and Exigences of it in their time^ is. That 'tis the Will of God, that their Suc- ceilbrs in the Government of the Church Ihou'd Church 5f C H R I s T. 67 fliou'd follow their Example, and prefcribe fuch Ktiles as appear conducive to tliefe Ends in the particular State and Circumftances of the Church in their time* So far as any Rules given by the Apoftles are at any time, and in any Circumftances of the Church, conducive to thefe Ends , fo far they are of Force and Obligation : But when thro' the different Circumftances of the Church, they either obftrud thefe Ends, or are no lon- ger necelfary to promote them, the Divine in- tention in prefcribing them is more effeftually comply 'd with by their Repeal, than by their Continuance. And agreeably the Rules given by St. Paul to the Corinthiajis for Fraying and Prophejyifig by tnrns^ £kc» which were expe- dient for that Church in the State it was then under, when a regular Miniftry came to be eftablifli'd would have difturb'd that Peace and Order which they were intended to promote* And fo the Decree, prohibiting things Jlran- gled and Blood , when it appear'd no longer necelfary to avoid Offence to the Jews^ was by the fucceeding Ages of the Church an- null'd, Notwithftanding the Apoftle fays He wrote tlie Former by xhQ Commandment of the Lord (a)^ and the Latter is exprefsiy called a Decree of the Holy Ghofi {h). So that the earli- eft and beft Ages of the Church did not think the Rules given by the Apoftles perpetually Binding, notwithftanding the Divine direftion by which they were prefcribed : or indeed ^^— — '■ — - I r — - — ^ — " — " (a) I CoYi. xiv. 37. (b) A^s xv. 2?, F 2 to (58 Of the Vifihle to be of any farther Obligation than as the Reafons for which they were prefcrib'd conti- nued to require them -^ Rut that when thefe Reafons ceas'd, the Governours of the Church had Authority, by x\'\tOrdmary Power com- jnitted to Them, to Superfede or Repeal them : And fince the fame Authority is required to Repeal a Law as to Enacl it, 'tis manifeft they thought the fam.e Authority by which the Apoffles made thefe Laws, was tranfmit- ted to Them ♦, (/. As to the Firft, 'tis manifeft St. ?aiil deli- vered Rules which he exprefsly tells us were not the Direction of the Spirit — To the re/i fpeak I ?iot the Lord, If any Brother hath a Wife that believeth not^ andjloe be pleas d to dwell with him, let hi?n not put her away(a)» Here we fee He fpeaks in the Style of Au- thority— L^iT Him 7iGt put her av:ay j and to the Woman, L^2^ Her not leave Him. But in prefcrib- ing thefe Orders, it mufl be allow'd that He afted only in Virtue of his General Commif- fion, as a Ruler of Chrift's Church, by which He was authorifed to make any fuch Laws as He faw convenient, provided they were not contrary to the Laws of Chrift. So that 'tis plain, the Apoftles prefcribed Rules for which They had not the exprefs DireBion of the Spirit 5 and fince the Ordinary Governours of the Church are not denied to have as much Authority as the Apoftles in all things in which They were not infpired, or which did not relate to their Miflion to convert the. World, their Precedent muft in thefe Inftan- ces be acknowledged conclufive for this Power in the Ordinary Miniftry. But Secondly^ The Inftances are numerous in Scripture in which this Authority was ex- (a) I Cor* vii, 12. F ? ercis'd 70 Of tie VifiUe ercifed by Perfons who were not Apoffles. In tlie Council at Jenifale7n, not only the Apoftles, but the Elders concurr'd in the De- crees of that Affembly (/r). St. Fard fer^ds a general Direftion to the Church at Corinth^ Let all Things be done decently and in order (P) ^ but the prefcribing fuch particular Rules a^ ihould be neceffiry to that end, he leaves to the Superiors of that Church. And fo he inforiiis Titus, that it was a Part of his Com- miffion in Crete, to Set in Order the Things that were wanting (r), which muft imply an Authority to make fach Rules as he in his Difcretion fhould think conducive to that Or- der which was wanting , fo that others alfo who were not Jpoftles, exercifed this Au- thorit}^ with their Approbation. And con- fequently, the crdiJiary Governours of the Church have fuflicient Ground from Scrip- ture for the Right they claim to prefcribe fuch Rules 3 though it Ihould be granted, this Power could not be inferr'd from the Practice of the Apoftlcs themfelves. /Vnd fince this Power was given to thefe Perfons by the Apoftles,' their being immediately direBed by the Spirit^ proves that it was the JJireBion of the Spirit^ that they Ihould have this Power. "As to l\iQ Extent oi this Legillative Power of the Church J before limited it to, &f^rWj*,and to fuch 'Actions as arc either com?ria?ided ox {a) Ai}s XV. 6, 22, (b) i Cor, xiv. 40. (cj Tip. i. $- ^ : • left Church of C H R I s T. 71 left undetermind by Chrift. It cannot extend to any Ad:ion forbidden by Chrift, or to im- pofe any Law on the Confcience^ or prefcribe any Thing to the Faith or Pradice of Men as a Cojidition of Salvatioji. The Rulers of the Church, therefore, as Legiflators, may not concern themfeives with the inward Belief oi the Mind, or the fecret Grace of the Heart in their Laws, tior affix the Penalty of Darn- nation to the Tranfgreffions of them. ^ Thefe are the peculiars of Chrift's Authority, but their Power is limited to the External Aftion, and this External Performance is not required by their Law as neceffary to Salvation, but as neceffary to Men's iVdmiffion or Continu- ance in the Churches outward Communion. ^ They Teach indeed, that the inward Belief of certain Truths, and the inward Obedience of the Soul in moral Duties, are neceffary to Salvation. But this is the DoEirine^ and not the Law of the Church. As a Law, 'tis re- ferr'd wholly to the Authority of Chrift : But thefe Things the Church teaches, and is ob- liged to Teach, hecaufe it believes them to be effential Parts of Chriftian Religion. But with Regard to the External Obfer- vance of all Chrift's Commands, and as Terms of outward Communion, the Governours of the Church may ordain Laws or Rides, and injoin fuch Adions as are agreeable to Chrift's Laws, and prohibit fuch as are contrary to them. They may order the Times of publick Prayers and Fafts, and the Behaviour to be F 4 obferved ^2 Of the VifiUe obferved in tliera , They may dired the pub- lick Exes-cife of our Charity, and other mo- raLDuties : And with refpeft to Faith and Poftrine,fince the publick V.rofefjion and Teach- ing of thofe are External Ads, they properly fall within the Diredion of the Church, and accordingly the Rulers of it may injoin the publick Frofeffion of fuch Articles, and the publick Teaching of fuch Dodtrines as are agreeable to Scripture, and forbid fuch as are contrary to it. To this Branch of their Office indeed it has been objefted, that it implies an Autho- rity of interpreting Scripture prejudicial to our Rights, as rational Men and Chriftians, to judge for our felves what we are to believe and profefs;, and to the Right of every Teach- er of the Gofpel, to judge for himfelf what he is to t^ach. And becaufe the Legijlatiire of the Church in thefe Points has been thought to be very much affeded by this Ob- jedion, it may be of ufe to confider it a little more diftindly. How far the Rulers of the Church, as Teachers^ have Authority to dired the in- ward Ajfent of the Mind, has been confider'd and flated in a former Inquiry, The Point here in Queftion is, how far they have Au- thority to dired and require our External fro- f-JJion^ or Fitbhck Teaching of the Dodrines of the GofpeL Noiv I prefume it will tiot be denied, io That Church of Christ^ yqj 1. That all Chriftians are indifpenfably obliged to believe fome Articles of Faith, on Pain of Damnation •, becaufe Chrift has ex- prefsly declared, That he who helieveth not fiall be damned* And fince he who believes thefe Propofitions in a different Senfe from what Chrift intended in them, does not be- lieve a Dodrine of Chrift, but a Propofition of his own framing , it follows, that we are bound to believe thefe neceffary Articles in the fame Senfe in which Chrift meant them : With Refped therefore to Chrift' s Laws, Men are not at full Liberty what to believe, or what not to believe, any farther than they are at Liberty to choofe, whether they will be faved or damned. 2. That every Preacher of the Gofpel is ftridly oblig'd by the Law ofChriJl, to preach thofe Dodrines only which Chrift has taught, and in that Senfe in which he taught them. 5. That the Rulers of the Church have Authority to require our External Obfervance of ail Chrift's Laws, at leaft of all Laws which he has ftridly oblig'd his Difciples in their feveral Stations to obey. And fince the only External Obfervance that can be paid to a Law, requiring us to Believe, or to Teach, is openly ?rofeJfing fuch Belief, and Teaching fuch Dodrines as are direded by that Law 5 it follows, that the Rulers of the Church muft have Authority to require us openly to profefs our Affent to fuch Arti- clesj and to teach fuch Dodrines as Chrift has 74 Of the VifiUe has required us according to our Stations to Believe and Teach, The Queftion then to be refolved in order to fatisfy this Objeftion is, whether the Ru- lers of the Church have Authority, as Lavo- givers^ to require fuch Articles to be profefl, and fuch Doctrines to be taught^ as they from their own hiterpretation of Scripture think Chrift has required us according to our Sta- tions to Profefs or Teach > Now, if the Rulers of the Church are al- low'd to have any Authority to require an open VrofeJJion of Faith, and to prefcribe what Doftrines Ihall be openly Taught •, it will be found to follow as a necelTary Confequence, that they have Authority to require fuch Profeflion to be made, and fuch Doftrines to be taught, as they from their own Interpret tation of Scripture believe Chrift has required to be profeft and taught : Becaufe, if this Au- thority would permit them td* dired: any Thing contrary to their own Interpretation of Scripture, they would have Authorify- to direft what they believe contrary to the Law of Chrift, and confequently to contradift what to them appears a Law of Chrift. Or if they may permit Men to profefs or teach any Thing contrary to what they believe Chrift has direfted, the Abfurdity will be the fame : For then they may permit Men to commit what they think Chrift has forbidden, and to be Partakers of their Sin, and moreover be guilty of a diftind Sin of their own in not Church of C H R I s T. 7^ not executing that Authority which Chrifi: h;is given them, to prohibit all open Violati- ons of his Laws. Either, therefore, we muft deny, th^it they hdive any Authority to require an open ProfeJ/?o7i of Faith to be made, or to prefcribe what Doftrines fliall be openly tatf^ht, or elfe we muft allow them to exer- cife" this Authority according to their own Senfe 2Lni Interpretation of Scripture. Now, that the Rulers of the Church have Authority to injoin a publick ProfeJ/?on of Faith, as a Condition of External Communi- on, 'tis evident , becaufe the Power of admit- ting Men into the Church by Baptifm, is committed to them. For an open ProfeJJion of Chriftian Faith, is a necelTary Condition of Baptifm •, and confequently they muft have Authority to require this Profeflion, which is the previous Condition of it. In the Exercife indeed of this Power, they are confined to require no Article to be pro- fejl, but what the Scripture plainly requires to be believd. But fince no particular Form is prefcribed in Scripture in which this Pro- feffion is to be made, it muft be left to the Rulers of the Church to extrad from Scrip- ture fuch plain Articles as every Perfon ftiall pr^/^/j- before he h Baptized^ and fo far to interpret Scripture as to judge what is plain and fit to be required. And confequently their Obligation to enjoin no Profeflion, but what is agreeable to Scripture, muft in the Execution of their Office be refolv'd into this, ^ tha^ 7<5 Of the VifiUe that They are bound to require no Article to be profefs'd, but what they in their Confci- ence think the Scripture plainly requires to be beltevd. But the Rulers of the Church are farther to be confider'd as Guardians of the Churches Teace and Ed'fication^ and vefted with Autho- rity to make fich Laws as are neceffary to promote and fecure thefe Ends. And fince the Peace and Edification of the Church is no way fo much endanger'd as by Men's openly teaching Dodrines contrary to thofe taught by the Church, which have therefore obtain'd the Name of Herefies or Divijions-^ They mufl: alfo have Authority^ to prefcribe what Do- drines Ihall be publickly taught : And tho* in the Exercife of this Power alfo, they are limited by the Laws of Chrift to require no- thing to be taught, but what is agreeable to Scripture, and prohibit nothing but what is contrary to it ^ yet the Application of this Rule mull be left to their own Judgment and Confcience. What, upon the Refult of their Inquiry, appears to them agreeable to Scrip- ture, that they mufl: command to be taught ^ and what appears repugnant to it, that they mafl: f jrbid : And if in executing this or the former Part of their Office, they fhall pre- fcribe any Thing which happens iiot to be agreeable to the Intention of Chrifl:'s Law, they have a Right to all that can be faid in excafe of any other Perfon, who ads upon a niiftaken Senfe of Scrip ture. In Church of Christ. 'jy In all indeed that they challenge in the Execution of either Office, they claim no other Right in their Station, but what is ear- neftly contended fcr by all private Chriftians in their Station. For the Governours of the Church are as much obliged in Confcience to perform the Duties of their Station according to the Rule of God's Word, as any inferiour Chriftian is to perform the Duties of his Sta- tion, And fince the Admiflion of Men into the Church by Bapt7f?n, and providing for the Peace and Edification of the Church, are Duties of their Station, no Reafon can exclude them from the fame Right of interpretiiig Scripture for the Diredion, of their Confci- ence, in the Difcharge of thefe Duties, which every private Chriftian demands for the Dire- aion of his Confcience, in the ordinary Du- ties of Life : And fince it is impoffible for them to perform, thefe Duties with good Con- fcience, without judging from Scripture what Articles they Ihouid require to be profefs'd, and what Doftrines they fnould require or forbid to' be taught , They muft confequent- ly have a Right fo far to interpret Scripture, as to judge what Articles are to be profeft, and what Doftrines are to be taught : And fince their Commiflion obliges them alfo to require fuch Profeffion to be made, and fuch Doftrines to be taught, as they from their own Interpretation of Scripture judge fit and neceffary , They mufl: alio have Authority by their Commiflion to injoin fuch Profeflions to 78 Of the Vifihle to be made, and fuch Dodrines to be taught ,; becaufe whatever they are bound by their Commiflion to perform, they have certainly Authority to perform. And laftly, fince the SubjeSion required from the Inferiors^ is ex- aftly proportioned to the Avithorhy intrufted with the Superiors -^ if the Superiors have Authority to prefcribe in thefe Inftances, their Subjedls are bound to obey fuch PrefcriptionSe All the Difficulty then that remains is, what Decree of Obedience is due to thefe Laws^ which will be confider'd under the Charader of^iSubjea of Chrift's Vifible Church. CHAP. vir. of the Jurifdidlion committed to the Rulers of the Vifible Chunk SINCE Laws without SanSions^ would be no more than an Advice ^ and a Legi- jlative Power, would be of little Ufe without Authority to execute the Penalties of its Laws on thofe vv^ho tranfgrefs them, the Riders of the Church muft be confider'd as veiled alfo with judicial Authority^ to cenfure or punifli Offenders. That this Authority was by our Lord com- mitted to his Apoftles , that in Virtue of that Commiflion, they executed this Authority j that during their Lives, other Ferfons alfo were Church of Christ. 79 were by them ordain'd to the fame Power, and That the fucceeding Ages of the Church did conftantly Exercife this Power, has been learnedly and inconteftably proved by the ve^ nerable Prelate (a) before cited. I fliall at pre- fent prefume, that in confequence of his Lord- fhip's Reafons, it will be granted, that the Governours of the Church have a rightful Claim to this Fower. If we confider the Nature of this Power, 'tis not improperly called a Spiritual Power , for though the Spirit, ftriftly fpeaking, fignifies the inner Man, or hidden Man of the Hearty who is Subjeft only to the JurifdiBion of Chrift ^ yet this Authority has obtain'd the Name of Spiritual, becaufe it is given for Spiritual Ends for Edification (^), &:c. and the Penalties it inflifts are different from thofe inflided by the Civil Magiftrate, which in oppofition to thefe are call'd Temporal. For though 'tis certain, that diverfe bodily Dif- eafes, and Death it felf, frequently attended the Cenfures of the Church in the firft Ages of the Gofpel ; ^^et this was a miraculous An-- nexion to the Ecclefiaftical Sentence, and no Part of the ordinary Power of the Church, which reaches no farther than to exclude'from fome or all the External Privileges of that Society, or reftore the Offender to them again^ (4) D-. PotterV D'lficHrfs of Church Oovernment, chap. S, (b) 2 Or, xiii. io. a Power 8o Of the Vifihle a Power which fundamentally belongs to eve- ry Society. But it doth not hence follow, that Temporal Penalties may not be lawfully, or ufefuUy annex'd to the Cenfures of the Church •, the contrary may rather be prefumed, fince God himfelf did miraculoufly joyn fuch to the Cenfures of the firft Ages. And the Civil Magiftrate to whom the ordinary Power of Temporal Penalties belongs, may hence con- clude it lawful and proper for him to add the fame kind of Penalties to the ordinary Sentences of the Church. That he may in- flicl temporal Penalties on thofe Adions which offend the Church, as far as the fame indanger the Peace of the State is not difputed , and that he may exert this Power with an imme- diate Regard to the outward Welfare of the Church, feems alto plain, becaufe he is not only the Guardian of the Civil Peace^ but alfo the Nurfmg Father of the Church (a) - v/hich Charafter cannot imply lefs than that he fliould protedt and incourage the Friends and Ornaments of it, and difcourage the Ene- jTiies and Scandals of it, which how he can efted: more than his meaneft Subjeft, any o- therwife, than by the Execution of his Civil Power is not eafily imagin'd. Neither, is the Ecdefiaflical Officer any way unqualified for this Delegation of Civil Power*' Church of Christ. 8i Power. For if the divine Wifdom thought the Rulers of the Church proper Perfons to be intruded with the Infliftion of thofe mha- ciilous Penalties, which attended the Primi- tive Cenfures of the Church , no Reafon can be given why they fhould be unfit to be vefted with that Civil Power which the Magiftrate may apply to the Proteftion of the Church, and which feems to have fucceeded in the Place of that former miraculous Power- but then neither of thefe are to belook'd on as properly fa/^/^- Jlical Powers, but as the one was the extraor- dinary Interpofition of God, fo the other is wholly derived from the Civil Magiftrate • and when both are taken away, the Eccle- fiaftical Power will never thelefs remain in- tire. ^ As to the Extent of this Judicial Power ^ 'tis under the fame Limitations with the Leg-i- Jlative Authority of the Church : The Perfons who are fubjeft to it are the vifihle Members of Chriffs Church, and the Anions that fall within its Cognizance are their vifihle and external Behaviour : Farther than this, either to Perfons or Adions it cannot extend, for thofe who are without Godjudgeth (ji) ^ and the interior Conduct of any Man can only be difcern'd by him who fees in Secret. But - as far as any Part of our Moral or Religious Behaviour is vifihle, fo far it is fubjecT: to the ( For fo far as the Superiour is limited in^ his Authority^ fo far alfo is the Subject li- mited in his Obedience. CHAP. IX. Of the Obedience due to the SuperiourSy as Teachers and Minifters. TH E Autliority of the Superiours as Teachers was confider'd with fo par- ticular a Regard to tht Obligations it laid on their Inferiors, that the Reftridions of their Obedience to it muft fufliciently appear from what has been already ofFer'd • and as to fuch Reandions as affed this in common with other Parts pcf Of the Vifihle Parts of their Charafter, they will be oca- fionally confider'd. With refpeft to their Authority as com- miflion'd to Mhufler in the pitblick Offices of Religioi, we may confider the Obedience or Submiflion of the Subjeft as limited, I. AVhen any Perfon ajjumes this Autho- rity to whom it is not committed. IL When Pcrfons duely ordain'd to this Authority exceed their Commiflion in the Execution of it* Both thefe Defeds indeed are to be con- fider'd by the Subjefl:, as either excufing or limiting his Obedience with refped to every Branch of the Superior's Authority : But the Limitations arifing from the former of thefe I wou'd obferve more efpecially with refpefl to this Office and that of Teaching : Becaufe thefe Offices are more frequently ufurp'd on, and Men are more eafily prevail'd on to ad- mit Impoftors in thefe Charaders, than either as Lawgivers or Judges over rhem. Now, whoever takes upon him to execute either of tiiefe Offices, without being duly call'd and appointed to them according to the Inltitution of Chrifi:, 'tis certain has no more Authority in them than any other private Chriftian, and confequentiy no more Regard or Submiffion is due to him, however he may appear diftin-, guiffi'd by his Gifts and Abilities, Thefe Qiialili-cations indeed may recommend him as" a fit Church of Christ. 91 a fit Perfoh to be admitted into the Miniftry - but 'till He is regularly admitted He has no publick Charafter , his Adminiftrations are null and void as to any Authority^ and all good Chriftians ought to deteft and oppofe him as a Thief and a Rohher. For it is not a Confideration of fo little Importance as fome Men imagine, by whofe Miniftry we ofFerup our Vrayers to God, or thro' whofe Hands we receive his Ordinances. What Allowance may be made for this Defect in the Miniftry where 'tis occafion'd by neceffary and unavoid- able Impediments, is not here in queftion : But ordinarily we are alfured the Bleflings and Graces which Chriftianity teaches us to ex- peft from thefe Ordinances, can only be de- rived to us by them when adminiftred accor- ding to Chrift's Inftitution by Perfons regu- larly call'd as He has direfted, and where fuch may be had, and we may lawfully join with them and ufe their Miniftry, to depart from them is to Rebell againft the Authority of Chrift wlio appointed them.- As for Morale or any other Perfonal Defects befides ivantofCommiJJwn^ tho' they are juft Reafons for which the Superiors of tlieChurcli may refufe any one Admiflion into the Mi- jiiftry, or depofe him from the Exercife of it \ yet thefe are not good Reafons for which any private Chriftian may withdraw himfelf from their Adminiftrations as we are taught by our Church in the Twenty fixtli Ar- ticle^ 1. Tho* 92 Of the VifiUe 2. Tho' the Minifler is duly CommllTion'd to thefe Offices, He may be guilty of fuch Irregularities or Defers in the Execution of them, as may excufe the Subjedl from join- ing with him or fubmitting to him. For in- ftance. He may call upon him to join in un- lawful Prayers , He may refufe to adminifter the Sacrameiits according to Ch rift's Inftitu- tion, either leaving out fome Eifential part of the Adion, or adding fomething Impious or Prophane to it : In fuch Inftances, 'tis evi- vident. He ads without Commiffion from Chrift, and therefore without any Authority, and the Subjed is not only at liberty, but obliged to withdraw himfelf from Him. How far the Subjed is bound to fubmit to the Judgment or Opmion of the Superior, as to the Lawfulnefs or Unlawfulnefs of fuch Pray- ers, or the Regularity of fuch Adminiftra- tions, ^ is to be determin'd by the Authority committed to Him as a Teacher, which was ftated in a former Inquiry : And how far the Subjed is obliged to fubmit to fuch Prayers^ and Adminiftrations as direded by the Laws of the Church, depends upon what Obedience he owes to the Legijlative Power of the Church 5 which comes next to be confider'd/ C H A P/ Church of Christ, p^ CHAP. X. Of the Ohedience due to the Superiors , as Legiflators. TH E Le£ijlative Power of the Church, I obferv'd was limited, L To dire(fl only the External Action. IL To prefcribe only fuch External Aftions as are agreeable to the Laws of Chrift. The Former of thefe Limitations proceeds from a natural Defed in the Subjefts of this Authority, whofe Power cannot extend to the Cognifance of Mens Interior Condud , and may therefore more properly be call'd an Ex- clufion or Nullity of their Power than a Li- mitation of it : For tho' they are Authorifed topropofe and inculcate the Laws of Chrift with refped to the internal behaviour of his Subjeds, yet in this They do not ad as Law- givers but as Teachers^ and the Obligations of the Subjed to fubmit to them in the Exercife of this Power have been already confider'd. But the Latter Limitation of their Power, to Prefcribe only fuch Adions as are agree- able to the Laws of Chrift, do's not proceed from a Natural Incapacity to prefcribe any other Adions, but from the Inftitution and Appointment of Chrift^who has thus leftrain'd '^ "' them. 94 Pf ^^^^ VtfiUe them. Thefe Bounds 'tis evident the Ruler may tranfgrefs either thro' Defign or Mif- take Ij and confequently 'tis of great Concern to the Subjeft to know how far he is obliged to obey Him in the Exercife of this Power. It is fuppofed then, that the Authority of the Rulers is limited to require nothing by their Laws, but what is agreeable to the Laws of Chrift-, whenever therefore they take up- on them to prefcribe any Aftion forbidden by Chrift's Law, they aft without any Gommif- iion, and the Subject cannot ABively comply with their Commands, becaufe he is under a prior Obligation to obey God rather than Man. And as it is allowed to the Governors of the Church to judge of the Senfe of Scri- pture in the enacting thefe Laws , fo it muft alfo be allow'd to the Subject to judge of the Senfe of Scripture, and of the Agreeablenefs of thefe Laws to ir, in order to determine how far he may aSiively obey them. In forming this Judgment indeed neither the Ruler nor the Subjed act properly as Members of the Vifible Church, but as Mem- bers of the Invifible. The Ruler in prefcri- bing the Law compares his Condud imme- diately with the Will of Chrift, and the Sub- jed in determining whether he may adively obey this Law compares it immediately with the Laws of ChrilL This is an hiternal A- dion, in which He is immediately and only Subied to Chrift ; and confequently whenever ■ He Church of Christ. 95 He believes that the Law of his vifible Su- periors is contrary to the Law of Chrift, He is bound to decline an aBive Compliance with it. Not that He is always free from Sin when he refufes his Obedience to fuch Laws as ap- pear to him contrary to the Laws of Chrifl • Recaufe He is indifpenfably obliged to obey fome Laws of Chrift in the fame Senfe in which Chrift intended them : When therefore his Superior prefcribes to him an External Obfervance agreeable to that Senfe and Inten- tion of the Law of Chrift in which He is bound to underftand and obey it *, It is not his Perfuafion will excufe him from Sin in not Obeying it, becaufe He is obliged by the Law of Chrift to obey it in the fame Senfe in which his Ruler propofes it to his External Obfervance : But fo far as his Miftake of the Meaning of Chrift's Law is excu fable, fo far is He excufed for not aEiively obeying fuch Prefcriptions of his Superiors as He thinks contrary to Chrift's Law. Where He only Boitbts whether the Aftion required be contrary to Chrift's Law, or not-, O*.^,) where the Appearances of Reafon are fo equal that he cannot refolve on either Side , There, I think, the Authority of his lawful Governours ought to turn the Scale and de- termine for an JBive Compliance : Becaufe by Obeying his Superiors He only runs the Hazard of Offending againft fome unknown Law, fome Law which by his doubting He confelTes ^6 Of the Vifihle confefTes He do*s not know whether Chrift has injoyn d or not, and confequently do's not know whether the Ad-ion commanded be contrary to a Law of Chrift or not : But by Difobeying his Superiors he breaks a dear and undoubted Law of Chrift. Neither has St. ?aid taught any thing con- trary to this Refolution, in the Rules which he gives the Corinthians concerning Doubtful things • Becaufe the Things he fpeaks of are fuch as were uncommandcd by any Autho- rity, Human or Divine : Whereas in the Cafe before us, the Action is fuppofed to be com- manded by the Authority of the Church^, an Authority which we are bound to obey in all things not contrary to the Laws of Chrift. To fuch Rules as the Governours of the Church claim. Authority to prefcribe for De- cency, Order, and Edification-^ when the Acliion, or Circumftance of Action which they direct, is acknowledg'd in its nature indifferent, an ABive Obedience is undoubtedly due. For thefe Actions cannot be contrary to Chrift's Laws, becaufe 'tis fuppofed that Chrift has neither commanded nor forbid them, but left them undetermin'd. Neither is the Subjeft j^t liberty to judge whether what is prefcribed be expedient or conducive to thefe Ends ; This is left wholly to the difcretion of the Supe- riors, and v/hoever refufes to obey them upon pretence of Inexpediency, ufurps upon their Office, and is no longer a 57/^;VS, but -^ Judge. Nothing farther is to be inquired by Him, but whether. Chirch f/' C H R I s T. ^j wlietlier the Affion is iti its nature lawful 2 If it appears contrary to the Law of Chrift, He cannot with 9;ood Cori/cience r/Ftively obey the Co'Tiinand which prefcribes it : If Indif- ferent or Doub ful, 'tis his Duty to perform it, for the Re^fons already fuggefted. But all thefe Laws of the Church, v/hat- ever oar Opinion may be of their Inconfiftency \vith the Laws of Chrift, or however we may be excufed from an jBive compliance with them, we are certainly obliged ?affively to obey ; Becaufe we are obliged to obey out lawful Superiors as far as we can do it with- out Sin 5 and fubmitting to the Penalties of thefe Laws is not a Sin againft any Command of Chrift. Neither can this be efteem'd art unreafonable hardfhip upon the Subjed ^ for lio more is impofed on the Subjed in his Sta- tion, than obliges the Ruler iii his. As the Ruler is obliged to fubmit to any prefent In- conveniences that may attend the Performance of his Duty, fo is the Subjecl: obliged to fub- mit to any that may attend the Performance of his. And fince Chrift has appointed Ru- lers in his Vifible Church, with Authofit}^ to prefcribe to Mens External Obfervahce fuch Rules as fliall appear to Them agreeable to Chrift's Laws, whenever they aft according to this Commjfliort, they do their Duty, and obey a Law of Chrift t And whatever Law they have A uthority to enad, They have al- fo Authority to Execute in the Punifhment of thofe who oiFend againft it ; And in what- pS Of the ViJlMe ever ca^e They have Authority to Punifh-, their Subjects are obliojed to fubmit to their In- flidions, iince (as I ohferv'd) the Subje'T:ion re- quired from the Inferiors is always exadly pro- pcrrion'd to the Aathority of the Superiors. This Submiflion is indeed neceifary to the very Being of the Church, as a Tlf^ble Society 5 For if the Laws of the Church are null an(l\ void as to all External Obligation as often as any Perfon thinks them not agreeable to the Lav/s of Chriflv They can never be exe- cuted upon any Offender at ail -^ for 'tis but his fay in 2; , he thinks them repugnant ta Thrift's Laws, and upon this Suppofition he is intirely exempted from their Power* And in this his Word is always to be taken, iince no ha man Scrutiny can judge whether his Perfuaiion be real or pretended : So that in the Event here will be Rulers without any Juthorhy ^ and Laws without any Obliga- tion (i. e,) there will be neither Rulers nov Laws, but ail will be equal, and every one left to do what is right in his own Eyes, and confequently there will be no vijihle So- ciety at all, fince a vifible Society cannot be conceived, without an Obligation to fome So- cial Laws, and a Magiftracy to inforce and execute thefe Laws. If therefore the Church be a vifible Society, the Magiftrates and Offi- cers of this Society muft have Authority to require an External Obedience to the Laws of it, and the Subjeds muft be obliged exter- 7ially to obey theie Laws : either to perform the Church ^ C H R I s i'« 99 the xAiaion requir'd, or fubmit to the Penal- ties impofed ^ fince this Society cannot fubfift without either an ABive or Pajjive Obedience to the Laws of it. Either therefore we inuft fay that the Church is not a vijihle Society inftituted by Chrift, but an arbitrary Combi- nation of Men to be difTolved at Pleafure ^ 6r elfe, we muft acknowledge that every Chri- ftian is bound in Confcience to pay this Sub- miflion to the Govern ours of it, which is {o necelTary to the very Being of fuch a So- cietye C H A P. il. bf the Ohediencc due to the Jurifdidion of the Churchy and of the external Ejf^H of f/?e Penalties iufiiSied hy it. WITH refpe^H: to the JurifdiBion of the Church, the Limitation of the Sub- jeds Obedience is alfo to be determin'd by the Extent of that Judicial Authority com- mitted to the Rulers of it. Two Points feein efpecially to offer tliemfefves to us in this Inquiry. I. How far the Subjeft is obliged to fuk- n/it to the Sentejice of his S jpenors. IT. How far he is ajfeBed by the Penalties which they inflid. H ^ As I do Of the Vifihh As to the F/>/?, where the Superiors take upon them to cenfure Aftions which are not fubmitted to their Cognifance, or to inflid fuch kind of Penalties as they have no Au- thority to inflia 5 the Subject cannot properly be bound by their Sentence. Thus for inilance flicu'd the Ecclefiajlual Ruler take cognifance of an OflFence purely Civil, or inflia Civil Penalties on an Offence purely Ecclefuiflical, unlefs he has received a Delegation of iuch Power from the Civil Ma- giftrate -^ The Inquiry is coram non Judice^ and the whole Procefs upon it is null and il- legal : And the Subject: without breach of any Djty he ow s to his EcclefuifticalS\\\)tnoxs may appeal for Relief to the Secular Power, to whom the Cognifance of his Caufe properly belongs, and to whom both he and his Ec- clefiaftical Superiors are in this refped equal- ly fubjed. But where the Adion falls properly within the Cognifance of the Rulers,and the Penalties which they adjudge are of fuch a Nature as.by their Origin-il Power and by the Diredion of their Law, Ihey have Authority to inflid ^ tho' the Perfon may be really Innocent of the Crime alledg'd againft him, yet if the pub- lick Evidence of his Guilt appears greater than the Proof of his Innocence, The Judge, who is obliged to proceed fecundwn allegata d^ probata^ do's him no Injury in infiiding the Penahies of the Law tipon him : He has had the advantage of the utmofl Provifion that ^ ■ • can Church of Chris t. ioi c^n be made for Innocence in any human Ju^ dicatory, and is obliged to fubmit to the Sen- tence. He has indeed a Rii^ht. to all farther i\ppeals for the Re-examination of his Canfe, which the Subordinations of Power in that Society will admit • Rut if in the ultimate Re- fort of Inquiry, the Sentence againft him is af- firm'd, He is obliged to acquiefce in it;, Be- caufe without this Submiffion, 'tis impoflible any Government can fubfift, or any Laws be executed. And this is no more than muft be afTer'ed, with refped to all Judicature, as well Cw'il as EcclefiafticaL If, upon the laft Refult of Inquiry, the Innocence of the Perfon arraign'd do's not Appear, the Judge is obliged to pro- ceed to Sentence, and the Perfon to fubmit to it. For if the inward Confcioufnefs of In- nocence were allow'd in either Judicature to Arreft the Sentence, no one cou'd ever be condemn'd, and confequently no Government adminifter'd, And fince the Evil is lefs that a Perfon really Innocent, tho' he cannot be proved fo, fliou'd fuffer, than that all the Ends of Government fliou'd be defeated, It muft be concluded that he is bound to fubmit and un- dergo the Penalty denounced. It remains to be inquired, Secondly, How far He is affeSed by thefe Penalties. It is to be obferv'd, Th^t fince we herecon- fider the Perfon only under the Gharafter of H 3 a Mem- I02 Cf the ViftUe a Member of the Vlfihle Church, we are con- cern'd only to inquire how far the Sentence of his EcclefiafLical Judges afFeils him under that Characrer , or in other Words, How far their Excommunication cuts him oif from his Relation to that Society. That he who obftinately refufes to fubmit to the Jufl Authority of the Church, or is unreclaimed by the Cenfures of it, is by Ex- communication effedlually cut ufF from that Society, is evident from our Lord's Determi- nation, If He hear not the Church let him be an Heathen Alan and a FiMhan. For in this Ca'^e He is not only an Offender againft the Laws of this Community, but a Rebel againft the Government of it, and fets up another Authority in oppofition to it, and is in the fame condition with One who .voluntarily de- parts from this Society and renounces the A;3thority of it, and confequently can no lon- ger be reputed a Subject of it. But He who for any real or apparent Of- fence againft the Laws of the Church ftands Excommunicated by the Cenfure of it, If He do's nor join himfelf to any Society op- poiite to this, but quietly fubmits to the Cen- fure, and flill acknowledges the Authority of his proper Governours and Paftors, and defires their x'\brolution ^ This Man is not eifeftually cut oft from the Society, but only excluded frcm'a prefent Participation of the Rights and Privijeges of it : And the Reafons of this Aifertion mu ft appear from what I before • ' • obfer- Church of Chr 1ST. 103 obfervM, Th^t He who fubmits to the Pe- nalties of the Law do's in fomeSerfo ohey it, at leaft acknowIedg;es himfe],? Subjefl to the Authority' that Enads and Executes it •, and confequently is not cut off from all Re- lation to the Society to which t-^K Authori 7 belongs. And agreeably St. Paul comman js us not to count fuch a Perfnn as an Enemy hut aJmonifi) htm as a Brother (a \ As a witlier'd Member is ftiJl a Part of the Body, tho' un- der a prefent Incapacity to partake of the Spi- rits and adive Influences that ufed to be de- rived to it •, So is He ftill a Member of the Vifible Church, tho' at prefent fufpended from the Privilei^es of it : And the Difcipline -of the Church when apply*d to fuch a Perfon, is intended principally to reftore and recover him : But when applied to an obftinate incor- rigible Offender, who refufes to fubmit to its Authority and puts himfclf in Rebellion a- gainft it;, 'tis an intire Amputation, and not fo much defign'd to be a Benefit to the Offen- der, as to preferve the other Members from Contagion. That the Perfon Abfolvd by the Church is reftored to its Communion in the fame proportion as by the Sentence of the Church he is excluded from it, I may leave as a Conclufion that wants no Proof. II M 1 .1 n mm (a) 2 TbejJ, iii. $. H4 c:hap. 104. Of the Vijible CHAP. xir. Of the Internal E^eB of the Cenfures or Abfolution of the Church. 1 "^H O' our Inquiry into the Charafter of a Member ofChriffs Vifible Churchy with refpeft to the JimfdiBion vefted in the Ru- lers of it, do's not oblige us ro confider any- other Effefl: of their Sentence or Abfolution than the Exclufion of the Offender from the external Communion and Privileges of that Soc'ety, or his Re-admittance to them j yet leciufe great Part of the Difputes on this Subjeft oi EccIefiaflicalJnrifdiBirm have been about the internal Effeds of the Cenfures or Abfolution of the Church, It will he expe- cted we fhou'd confider them with relation to thefe Eitects. Now when the Governours of the Church extend their Cenfures to Aftions that do not fall within their Cognifance, or miflake in the Application of their Power, and Excommu- nicate a Perfon really Innocent, or grant Ab- fohiticn to one who is not truly Penitent, or lefufe it to one who truly is, That the Jn- iernal ftate of the Man is not at all affefted by fuchExercife qf their Power, I fhall look upon as aConclufion- agreed to by all Par- ties concern'd in this Difpute. For 'tis I think un^verfally acknowledged, that He v/ho is ■ ^ • ■ ' ^ t|aus Church of C H R I S T. lO^ thus Excommunicated, or to whom x^bfoki- tion is thus refufed, if no other guilt hinder, is neverthelefs an upright Perfon in the Sight of God and a fahhful Member of Chrift : And that He who is thus unduly Abfolv'd is neverthelefs a Sinner. The Queftions then to be refolv'd are. Whe- ther the Abfolutions of the Church properly applied convey God's Pardon, or are either neceffary or effeilual Means to obtain it > and Whether the Cenfures of the Church rightly applied do retain our inward Guilt, and ex- pofe us to the eternal Penalties of Sin > I fhall treat thefe without Diftindion, becaufe the Cenfures and Abfolutions of the Church, both as to their Extent and Effeds, are exadly proportion'd to each other, and whatever is an Anfwer to one Queftion, will be found ap- plicable to the other. Now, The Adions cenfured by the Church may |3e confider'd as Sins againft God^ L As They are Offences againft thofe Laws of Chrift which require Obedience to the Juft Authority of the Church. II. As They are Offences againft fome Spe- cial Law of Chrift concerning Faith or Morality. I. That He who difobeys the Riders o£ the Church in the juft Exercife of their Au- thority offends againft a Law of Chrift and is guilty of Sin before Jiim, has I hope been already io6 Of the VifiUe already proved, and therefore befide the fpe- .cidl Crime for which He is cenfured, this is a diftin^ Sin, and muft be atoned for by a .particular Repentance \ and fince this is not only an Offence againft God, but aKo an In- jury to the juft Rights of his lawful Saperi- -ors, his Repentance cannot be fincere unlef? he endeavours to reconcile himfelf to them j and confequently he will not be forgiven by God, unlefs he obtains, or by all due Hu- miliations endeavours to obtain the Forgive- nefs and Abfolution of the Church, whom lie has offended. For if in any private In- jury it is a neceifary Part of our Re- pentance, and therefore a Condition of God's Forgivenefs, to fue for the Pardon of him whom we have offended \ no Reafon can be given why it fhoutd not be equally neceifary, in order to obtain God's Abfolution from our TrefTpafs againft the Rulers of his Church, to apply for, and defire their Abfol':tion. The Abfolution therefore of the Church, era fincere Defire of it, and Application for it. is neceffarv to obtain from God the Remif- fion of all our Offences againft the Authorny of the Church. And fince all external and vifible Violations of God's Laws are Offences againft the Author ty of the Church, by whofe Laws they are forbid, and by whofe Difci- 'pline, whenever it is duly executed, they are. cenfured ^ thefe Reafons oblige every one who is guilty of external vifihle Violati- ons of God's Laws, to confider himfelf as Church of Christ, i 07 as a Debtor or Trefpaffer againft the Church, and confequently to defire and apply for bet Forgivenefs as a Part of his Repentance necelfary to obtain the Forgivenefs of Godc But 2dly, I conceive the Difputes upon this Queftion have usually turn'd upon another view of it, and that the Thing principally inquired is not whether the Remiflion of the Church or Application for it be necelfary to obtain the Forgivenefs of God for Injuries done to the Rights and Anthonty of the Church 5 Rut whether the Abfolution of the Church is a Means or Condition of our Re- conciliation to God for the fpecial Offence committed againft him : Or in other Words, Whether the Cenfure of the Church puts us any more under God's E>ifpleafure, than the fpecial Sin we have committed and not re- pented does without her Cenfure , or the Abfolution of the Church from fuch Sin re- ftores us more to his Favour, than our fincere Repentance would do without her Abfolu- tion. As to the Cenfures of tlie Church, I before obferved, That the Authority of the vifible Rulers, with refped to the eternal Penalties of Sin, was declaratory, but not judicial or executive •, and confequently tho' they may and ought Xo declare^ xh^t if the Perfon be really as guilty of thofe Sins for which They cenfure him as he appears to be, He is in a State of Damnation^ and that their Sentence " upon I ©8 . Of the Vifihle upon him here, will be follow'd by a much heavier Infliclion in the World to come ^ yet he is not put in that State by virtue of that Sentence^ but by the Giult of his itnrepented Sin, which would render him obnoxious to Damnation without that Sentence. So likewife, though the AbfohittGn of the Church be a full Releafe and Acknowledgment of Satisfadlion for the Injury offered to the Churchy and the Penitent be obliged to apply for it as a necelTary Part of his Repentance for that Injury , and though it be farther con- feifed, that the Prayers and Interceffions which are joined with the Abfolution of the Church, and the Ordinances to which it reftores us, are properly Means of Grace and Reconcilia- tion to God ^ yet it does not appear that the judicial Aft of the Churches Abfolution, does by any Efficacy of its own remit the Sentence of God againfl the fpecial Sin com- mitted : In fhort, neither, that 'tis a necejfary Condition^ or it felf an effeBual Means of ob- taining God's Pardon for fuch Sin, I/?, That it is neither when adminiftred or witheld Clave Errante, is nqt difputed : And that even when the Power is rightly exercifed. It was not in the Opinion of the Primitive Church a neceffary Condition of God's Par- don, appears from the Anfwer of Acefnts the Novatian Bilhop before Conftantine in Defence of their Tenet ^ that Apoftates, who they pre- fumed had Cinncd the Sin unto Deaths were not to be relbred, vi^» " That they did not intend " this Church cf Christ. 109 " tins in Prejudice to their Salvation : No, they " left them to God, though they did not " think them fit to be reconciled to the " Church (ay For though this be a Decla- ration of Hereticks, yet fince 'tis given by them as a Defence of their Opinion from a Charge of Heterodoxy, it proves rather more, ftrongly than the Aflertion of any one Or- thodox could do, that it was the known Doftrine of the Church, that every one who was excluded from the Ahfolntion of the Churchy was not therefore excluded from the Mercy of GoU. For they could not be fd abfurd as to attempt to excufe one Error, by fhewing, that it was agreeable to another : And the learned Grottus affirms this to have been the Doctrine of the earlieft Ages of the Church. VetiifliJJimi Chri(l\anonim hi Idold- latrlam Homiddium ant Adulter mm lapfos J)ei qnidem miferi cordis commendabant nan tanien ut ad Communionem admitterent (a)^ We may therefore conclude, that the Abfolu- tidn of the Church is not a nece[j\iry Condition of God's Pardon. Neither, idly^ Is it an ejfeEhtal Means of obtaining it. That it is not a natural Means needs no Proof -^ and if it be an mfiitnted Melius, that Inftitution muft clearly appear in Scripture. ^hQ PlaceS' which are prefum'd to imply this^ (a) Socrat. Bed, HljU i. xo, Sj'^Qtn. i. 22^ (b) Grot* Com: In M-iU xviii, 22, are no Of the Vtfihle zve Mat. 18. 19. Whatfoever thou Jh ah loop on Earthy ftjall be loofed in Heaven-^ and John 20. 25. Whofe foever Sins ye re?n?t, they are remitted unto them. Now fuppofing the former PalTage not to relate to the Legijlati^re of the Church, as it probably did, but to the JurifJ'Bion \ and that the Senfe of St. John, as explained by St. Matthew^ may beexprefs'd thus, Whofe foever Sins ye re^nit on Earthy they are remitted in Heaven 5 it is not pretended that thefe Words are to be underftood abfo- hittly^ or without this Limitation^ that the Perfon be truly penitent for his Sins , and the Import of them even as placed in this View, feems to be fully exprefsM in this Paraphrafe^ *' Whomfoever you abfolve from the exter- " nal Offence he has committed, and from *' the Injury he has offer'd to that Authority '' I have committed to you , If his Repent- *^ ance be as fincere and perfed, as from out- " ward Signs it appears to you j You are *' hereby Authorized to declare, that he is ** pardon'd by God, and his Sin againft him " is remitted in Heaven." This lExpofition feems to comprehend the full Import of the Words, as reftrain'd by a Limitation which all Parties acknowledge neceffary, and the Dodrine which refults from it is free from Exception : Whereas the other Interpretation, which makes the Forgivenefs of God to fol- low as an Effeti of the Abfolution of the Church, is attended with Difficulties to me at ieaft inextricable. For if the Abfolution of Church cf C H R I s T. 1 1 1 of the Church, which is an external Ad, be thus effeBual to procure God's Pardon •, It will come within the Definition of a Sacrament given b7 our Church : It will be an Outward and vifMe Sign of an inward and fpiritual Grace, ordained by Chrift hinifelf as a Means whereby we receive the fame^ and a Pledge to affure us thereof. It is not denied that God may make an outward Ad and the Miniftra- tion of Men efFedual Means of Grace, Par- don, and Regeneration -^ for fuch are the Sa- craments, inftitzited Means of Grace^ outward Acts to which the Miniftration of Men is neceffary, and yet by the Appointment of God effeEiual Means of Grace, But we fay, that if the external Ad of the Churches Ab- folution is effe[li4al^ in the manner fometiraes 'contended for, to convey or afTure the Pardon and RemJflion of God , It is zfacramental Ad, and will come within the Definition of a Sacrament given by our Church : And fince our Church acknowledges but two Sacraments, ^this is a Dodrine which fhe cannot own. That the Prayers offer'd to God in behalf of the Penitent, by the Minifters of his Church, will prevail with a fpecial Efficacy for theRemiflion of his Sin againft God , and that 'tis the Duty of the Penitent to defire their Prayers^ are evident Conclufions from that Palfage of St, James before cited : But in offering thefe Prayers, the Minifters do not ad as Judges, but as Inter ccffonrs. And the Obfcurity that has uluaJJy attended Difputes on 112 Of the VifiUe on this Subjed, feeins principally to have been occafioned by Men's not diflinguifhing the feveral Branches of the facerdotal Office, which are exercifed together with the judicial Anthority of the Church. The pubHck Offi^ cers of the Church as Teachers, Declare, ac- cording to the external Signs of Repentance that appear in the Offender, that his Sin is either retained ox forgiven by God. As Priefls and Intercejfours, they offer up Prayers to God for the Penitent, and to thefe Prayers a fpe- cial Efficacy is promifed : But as Judges they only iniiid, or remit thofe external Penalties, which attend the Action as an Offence againfl the Laws of the Churchi Upon the whole, fince it appears, by the former Argument taken from the Confidera- tion of the Injury offer'd to the Rights and Authority of the Church by tSftvy^ external Tranfgreffion of God's Laws, that 'tis a XieceiTary Part of our Repentance for every outward Sin to apply to the Church for her Pardon and Reconciliation • this one Argu- ment proves the Duty of the Subjeft to fue for the Churches Ahfohtion, and the Im- portance of it to his Salvation : And if the Pradice be acknowledg'd neceifary, it feems not very material to difpute upon what Rea- fons it Ihould be confefs'd to be fo. And as to the Comfort and Satisfaftion of the Peni- tent, he who receives the Abfolution of the Chuich from a Perfuafion, that 'tis necejjary to his Repentcnce^ will find the fame fpiri- tuai Church of CnKisr. 113 tual Confokrion, and the faine Ccnfidencc towards God from it, as if he beUeved it effeEtnal to his Vardon \ fince under either Hypothefis the Hopes of the Penitent from the Abfolution of the Church can be affured only by the internal Sincerity of his Re- pentance : "I'he former reprefents it as an effe8ual Means to convey God's Pardon, if it be accompanied with Repentance : The lat- ter confefles it a necejjary Condition of obtain- ing it, as a Part of his Repentance. And fo far as the Offender is fincere in the difcharge of that Duty, fo far and no farther does either Perfuafion incourage him to rely on the Favour and Reconciliation of God. I hope nothing that has been offered on this cS'ubjed: will appear to dilTuade Men from a due Reverence for the JurifdiBion of the Church. The Cenfures of our lawful Si^r periors ought to be terrible to every good Chriftian, as Convidions of our Offence a- gainft an Authority derived from Chrift : As a Declaration of our Guides and Paftors, who watch for out Souls and are the proper Judges of our outward Behaviour, That they fee no Signs of true Repenfance in us , That they think us in a State of Guilt and Sin againft God;> and as they exclude us from the moft comfortable Participation of Chrift's Ordinances: And their Abfolution ought to be fued for with Prayers and Tears as a ne- ceffary Expreffion of our Repentance, and received with a fpiritual Joy as an Evidence I of 114 ^f ^^^ Vtfihle of their Reconciliation to us, and that irt their Judgment the Signs of a true penitent Charity appear in us. And though the fa- cer dotal Abfoliitwn be not it felf, or as 2ijndi^ cial AB^ an effeBnal Conveyance of God's Pardon to us, or a Remiffion of any but thofe external Penalties inflifted by the Cliurch 2 Yet the Prayers that accompany it, and the Ufe of thofe Ordinances to which it re- ftores us, are Means of great Efficacy with God, for procuring his Forgivenefs of the Sin againft him, and Remiflion of the eter- nal Penalties due to it ^ and with refped to thefe Attendants on it the Abfolution it felf ma}', in a remote and improper Senfe, be faid to be a Means of conveying to us God's Pardon. I fl:iall only obferye here farther, that thefe Notions of the facerdotal Abfolution are agreeable to the Determinations of fome of the belt Heads am^ong the Schoolmen them- felves. So Alex, ah Hales, Poteflas clavhm exten- dit fe ad cidpa?n delendam , fed per modwn J)epr.ecant7s d^ hnpetrantis abfolutwiicfHynon per modmn hnpertwntts (a). And again — Seciin- diini primwn fnodum potejl (facerdos) Gratiant hnpetrare^ d^ ad hoc eft Idoneus *, fecnndum fe^ ciindum modnni poteft: EcclefiA reconcdiare (b)^ And in another Place, Poena ater?ia a Deo (j) Alex, ab Kales. Pxr. 4. j^. 21, ^lem, i. (b) Ibid. tanttitny Church of C H R I s n 1 1 $ tantum, qui TnfiniU eft virtutis, quiq-^ foliH atlpam delet, remitti potefl, & nullatenus a fa- cerdote vel Clavibus (a). And fo Scotits-^ Aper- te oftendttur quod Deus ipfe ta^nitentem abfoU vit a dehito poen^. Non ergo per facer dotein^ cut confitetur, ah ira diterna liberatur, fed per Thminmn. And, Solus ergo Deus homhiem in- terms mundat a peccati macula^ et a debito Atern£ poendi folvit (h). And Bonaventure (eX though he expreffes himfelf fomewhat differently, yet in effeft he aiTerts the fame Thing : he affirms, indeed, that the Trie ft re- leafed the Penitent from the Penalties affixed by God to Si7i. But when he comes to ex- plain himfelf he determines, that this Remif- fion cannot extend to any future Pains of Sin, but only to temporal Infliftions of the Churchy which, in fupport of his former Aifertion, he makes to be a Part of God s Sentence, and the Execution of his Law a- gainft Sin. From this Miftake indeed, That the vi- fthle Rulers of the Church are impowered to execute God's Laws againft Sin, that Opmi- onfeemsto have taken its Rife, that the Cen- fures of the Church pid the Criminal in a State' of Damnation. For the Penalty of tranfgref- fins God's Laws being exprefsly declared to be Damnation, it appear'd to follow as a ra) Ihid.Q, 21. Memh, 2. (b) §cot. in Z4. SmUnUVijilnd. :) Bonay in Lib, 4. Sinmt. Diftin^, i§. 7. iS. I a ne- ii6 Of the Vtfible neceffary Confequence, that if the Rulers of the Church were impower'd to execute God*s Laws, they could adjudge the Of- fender to the Penalty of them, vtiz. Dam- nation • but the Penalties inflided by the Rulers of the Church, are not (as I before obferv'd) inflicted in Execution of God's Laws, but their own. The Authority to make thefe Laws, and to inflid: thefe Pe- nalties, they receiv'd from God , but when they inflid thefe Penalties, they do not exe- cute, but obey a Law of God. As when the Magiftrate of a fubordinate Corporation in any Civil State executes any Ey-Law of that Corporation on tliofe who tranfgrefs it , the Authority to make fucli By-Laws, and to inflid fuch certain PenaU ties on thofe' who offend againft them, is derived from the Prince or Supreme Pow- er in that State ^ but when he inflids thefe Penalties, he decs rot execute a Law of the Prince^ but bis owji or the Corporations Law. And the Rife of that Opinion, That the Sacerdotal Ahfolntioii cleanfes the iiizvard Guilt, and remits the eternal Penalties of Sin, is ver}^ probably accounted for by Dr. Field (a). He aflirms from good Authori- ty, that Abfolution in the Primitive Church was nothing eife but reftoring Men under the Difpleafure of the Church to the ^0 Dr. Field of ihc O'.urc), p. 53S. Edic. 5. Churches Church of C H R 1 s T. 117 Churches Peace again, and that Ahfohition was not given in thofe Times 'till Pen- nance was firft perform'd. But in Times of Perfecution or Peftilence, or when the Per- fon was in any other imminent Danger of fuddain Death, the Priefts were permitted to reconcile all who were under the Cen- fures of the Church, upon a Promife, that if they lived they fhould give the Church Satisfadion by open Pennance. For in fuch Circumftances they were confider'd, tanifviam in Aniciilo mortis^ in w^hich Cafe an Indul- gence was inferted in the greater Part of the Sentences of the Church for immediate Ab- folution. Hence, as he obferves, it came in time to be an ordinar^^ Cuftom to give x\bfo- lution firft, and impofe Pennance to be per- form'd afterwards. Now, becaufe it could not be conceiv'd from what this Abfolution freed Men not fubjed: to any Cenfure of the Church, fome began to think, that it freed them from the Stain of Sin, and from the Eternal Punifhments due to it* I 3 PART ( "9) PART III. Of the Harmony and Jgreement Between the Vifihh and Invifible Church. CHAP. I. Of this Agreement m General. HAT the Idea we form of the Church of Chrift when we con- fider it under the Denomination of Vt/il'le, or with refped to its external Conftitution as an out- ward Society, ought not to include in it any thing inconfiftent with the Idea we form ot it under the Denomination of Inv?ftMe, ot as Internally united with and dependmg on Chrift, is moft certain ^ becaufe thefe Ideas I 4 are war I20 Of tie Vijible and InviJiUe are fappofed to reprefent to us but one and the fame Society, depending on the fame Head^ and the fame Perfons are Memhers both of the one ^nd the other. For if Chrift the Head be reprefenred, as communicating any Powers to his Vifihle Church, which are in- confiitenr with that Supremacy with which he is acknowledged to prefide over the In- v'lfihle^ He muft appear as dividing his King- dom againfi it felf'^ and thefe two Terms will exprels, not only two diftind, but two op- pofite Societies. And fo, if any Duty be required of the Subjefl: under one Charafter, which is contrary to the Obligations he is under from the other, Thefe Charafters are render'd inconfiflent ^ and He who is a Mem- ber of the Vifihle Church, cannot alfo be a Member of the Invifible ^ fince no Man can difcharge the Duties of two inconiiftent Re- lations. But on the contrary. The Scripture has reprefented thefe two Ideas under which we conceive this Society, as agreeing in a perfed Harmony with each other. With re- fpeft to Chriff the Head, as by the Influence of his Holy Spirit, He folely and immediately prefides over his Invifible Church -^ fo we are allured that the fame {a) Spirit attends the external Ordinances and Adminiftrations of the Vifihle ( hurch, 3nd is derived to the faith- ful by the Participation of them. By which {a) iCor. xii. 13. J Tim. w. 16, 2 Tim, u 6» Inter- Church of C H R 1 s r. 121 Intercourre, as by a common Bond, the Vi/ihU and Invifible Church are conneded to eacli other. And with refped to the Members of this Society Chrift hath exprefsly told us. That the Initiation into his Vifible Church by the external Rite of Baptifm , a Partici- pation of the hordes Supper j and a publick Trofeffion of the Chriflian Faith, are neceifary Conditions of our internal Union with Him, and our Title to all the Privileges of the Go- fpel. Of the Firfl He aflures us, (a) That he who believeth and is Baptized floall be faveJ. Of the Second y That (Jf) Except we eat his FleJJjy and drink his Blood, we have no life tn us. Of the Laft^ (c) That by the Mouth Confejfion is made unto Salvation •, and it is plain that the Belief which in the Scripture before referred to He requires as necelfary to Baptifm^ and of which He affirms, that Ke who believeth not ^d all be damned, implies, not only an Inward Affent of the Mind, but alfo an oral and verbal Profeflion of Faith , be- caufe it is fuch a Faith as the Miniflers of the Church, to whom the Baptifm to be given upon this Faith is committed, cou'd be Judges of 5 and confequently it muft be an open and verbal Declaration of Faith, Thus far there- fore the Duties required from us as Members of the Vifible Q\iMic\\^ are not only confiftent with, but necelfary Conditions of our being ^A) iW^r.xvi. 16. (^) Jo/?, vi. 53. (c) Kom. x. 10. acmr 122 Of the Vijihle and Im^ifihle admitted or continuing Members of the hi" v'lfible. If we confider the Members of the Church in their relative Characters, as diftinguifhed into Superiors and Inferiors ^ all the lowers which are claim'd to the one, and the JDttties which are aflign*d to the other, as Members of the Vt/Ible Church, will be found confiftent with their Duty to Chrift as Head, and the Liberties they are intitied to as Members of the Invifible : But becaufe this has been prin- cipally difputed, this is what I think my felf more efpecially concern'd to prove. Now the fame Scriptures which plainly teach us, That as we are internally related and united to Chrift, we are to regard Him as our fole Teacher and fole Law-giver^ &C|, with equal clearnefs affirm. That Chrift has or-. dained his Church to be a Vifible Society, and has placed certain Officers in it, with Authority of Do&rine, Ritle^ &iC. and required his Difciples, according to their Stations, ei- ther to exercife or fubmit to fuch an Autho- rity. We cannot therefore doubt but that thefe Rehtions, and the Duties which flow from them, are confiftent with each other j Becaufe we are allured, that the Scripture hath not affign'd us any Powers, or injoyn'd us any Duties in one Precept, which it hath abfolutely forbidden in another : And confe- quently that we may perform our Duty as ^good SiibjeSts to Chrift, and as internallj rela- ted to him, and yQt fubmit our [elves to thofe who?}i Church &f Christ. 123 r^hom He hath appointed to Rule over its, ^5 Members of his Vifible Church, Nay fin<:^ our Submiflion to thefe Rulers is required by a Command of Chrift, we are bound, as his Immediate Subjeils, to obey this Com- mand : And if we will approve our felves as acceptable Subjects of his hwifthh Church, 10 be dutiful Members of his Vifible. In themfelves therefore, and according to the Inftitution of Chrift, thefe two Charafters and the Duties founded on them, are as re- concileable to one another, as it is to obey the Ki7ig as Supreme^ and Magijirates as thofe who are fent by him, and aft by his Commif- fion. All the Queftion is, Whether the Pow- ers ordinarily claim'd by the vifible Officers of the Church, do not exceed the Boundaries prefcribed to them by Chrift. For if the Sub- ordinate Powers claim an Independency on the Supreme, or pretend the Authority of his Com- mifEon for injoyning Aftions which He hath exprefsly forbidden, Thefe Powers become then Inconfiftent j and he who will obey the one, cannot alfo obey the other. Or if the Subordinate Magiftrate takes upon him to com- mand Aftions which he hath no Authority to command, or to prohibit what he hath no Authority to prohibit. He is guilty of Ufur* pation upon the Liberties of the Subjeft. This is what is objefted againft the vifible Officers of Chrift's Church, It is pretended, that the Powers claim'd by them are fo extended^ as to be inconfiftent v/ith the Supremacy of Chrift, 12^ Of the Vijihle and Invifihle Chrift, and the Rights and Liberties of his Difciples. Now in the preceeding Parts of this Dif- courfc, I have endeavour'd to (hew what are the Powers referved to himfelf by Chrift, as the Snpre?ne hwifible Head of his Church ^ and what Authority he hath delegated to his Minifters, for the Order and (S'-conomy of his Vifihk Church : And accordingly, what Duties He requires from us, as we are iimne- diately fttbjeB to Him , and what Obedience we owe to his Officers and Minifters^ as Mem- bers of that Ti/ible Society which He hath ap- pointed. In ftating the Supremacy of Chrift as Head, and the Rights or Duties of his Difciples as Members of the Invifible Church, I have allowed all that hath been afferted by thofe whofe Conclufions I oppofe, one Pro- pofition only excepted , Viz. That tphatfo- ever we do from a full Perfiiafw.n of Mind is acceptable to Chrift : As to the main Points of this Inquiry, — The fole and immediate Am- thority of Chrift as Teacher^ Law-giver^ 5cc, The Equality of all Chriftians as Members of the hiviftbk Church, &c. I will fuppofe we are pretty well agreed. I then confider'd the Powers vefted iii the Rulers of the Vi- ftble Church, which I hope will appear the fame that are claim'd to them, by the Do- ftrine and Conftitution of the Church of Eng- land : And if it can be ftiewn, that thefe Rowers are not inconfiftent with the Supre- macy of Chrift 5 nor the Obedience demanded to Church ojTChrist. 125 to them, any Abridgment of the Rights and Liberties of his Diftiples, we may hope to come to fome Agreement in this Point alfo. Now fince I have endeavour'd to prove, tint all the Authority afcribed to the vijihle Rulers of the Church, is either derived to them by the exprefs Inftitution of Chrift and his Apoftles, or evidently implied in the Na- ture of thofe Powers which are vefted in them by that Inftitution j I might prefume, that in confequence of what has been already of- fered, it muft appear, that the Authority afler- ted to the vifible Rulers of the Church, can- not be inconfiftent with the Authority referved to himfelf by Chrift, or the Liberties which He hath left his Difciples, All that can be ob- jeded in bar to this Inference, is that the Scriptures whence we argue are not truly interpreted. It is not I think pretended that thefe Scriptures are not, in an obvious Con- ftruftion, capable of the Meaning we aflign them 5 For it is well known that thus they have been underftood in all xAges of the Church 5 but our Interpretation is therefore objedted to , becaufe the Powers we afcribe to the Rulers of the Church in confequence of it, are incnnliftent with that Supremacy of Chrift, and thofe Liberties of his Difciples, which we acknowledge to be clearly affcrted in other Scriptures, li will not therefore be neccifary to re-eonfider the feverai Places we have alledg'd, but our Interpretation, and the Doctrine rais'd from it^ will ftand riee from Objc- 1 26 of the J^ijihle and InviJiUe Objeftion, If it can be fliewn, that all the Au- thority placed in the infible Officers of the Church is perfeftly confiftent with the &4- premacy of Chrift : And that the SiihmiJJion claim'd to this Authority^ may very well con- fift with the Hights and Ltherties of Chri- ftians. That this may more fully appear, it will be of ufe to place thefe Powers and Duties in a nearer View to each other, and confider particularly whether they are fo ir- rceoncileable as has been pretended : And I mull defire the Reader, to pardon fuch ne- ceffary Repetitions as this Review will ob- lige me to. CHAP. II. That the lowers affignd to the Rulers of the Vifible Church are conjtflent with the Supremacy of Chrift. AN D jF/>y?, Let us confider whether the Fowers claim'd to the Vifible Rulers of Chrift's Church, are inconfiftent with that Authority which He hath referved to him- felf. That Chrift did not leave his Difciples in a State of perfect Equality, but appointed fome to be Superiors over others, I Ihall look upon as already proved : x\nd 1 prefume it v/ill not be denied^that whatever Power Chrift hatU. Church of CjHkisf. 127 iiath aftually delegated to them is, in gene* ral, confiftent with that Authority which He hath referv'd toHimfelf. The Objeftion there- fore muft lie againft the Extent afcribed to their 'Commiffion. Now the Powers affign'd Them were, I. An Authority to Teach and Exhort Men to believe the Truths, and Pradife the Duties of the Gofpel. II. An Authority to minifter in the Pub- • lick Oifices and Ordinances of Religion. III. An Authority to make La^vs for the External behaviour of Chriltians, And, IV. To Pu?iifi Offenders againft thofe Laws* But in the Exercife of all thefe Powers, They are limited to Teach or Prefcrihe no- thing that is contrary to the Doftrines, or th« Laws of Chrift , To adminifter no OrJhiances but what He has Inftituted ^ and to Inflid no Penalties but Sufpenfion, or Exclufion from the external Privileges of the Church. On the other fide the Authoritj^ referv'd to Chrifl, is the fole Power of prefcribing an ade- quate Rule to the Faith or Praftice of his Ser- vants *, The fole Power of inftituting Ordinan- ces in his Church, The fole Power of obliging the confcience 2Lnd fe^r^z/?/ obedience of Men by his Laws , And of infiifting the Spiritual and Eternal Penalties of Sin on the Tranfgreffors of them. And one wou'd think there needs no more, than barely to fet thefe Powers the one 128 Of theVifiUe andlnviJiUe one by the other, to fhew not only the Con- fiftency, but the perfefl Agreement and Sub- fervieney of the one to the other. The fame Rule, ^nd no other, which Chrift hath pre- fcribed to the Faith and Adions of his Difci- ples, doth the Church claim Authority to Preach and inculcate. The fame Ordinances, and no other, that Chrift has inftituted do's the Church claim Authority to adminifter. What the Laws of Chrift have injoyn'd on the Confctence^ That and nothing elfe do's the Church require to be Externally per- form'd, as a neceifary Duty. And what Chrift hath declared He will Eternally punifti, on that are the Governours of the Church al- lowed to fhew their Refentment in Temporary Inflidions. And fo far as an Obligation to the External performance leads Men to a Senfe of their Internal Duty, fo far do the Laws of the Church further and promote Mens Obedience to the Laws of Chrift. But let us confider thefe Powers more diftinftly. I. That the Commiffion given by Chrift to the Rulers of his Church, to Teach and Inftruft others, implies fome Authority can- not be denied by an}^ who own Them to be at all diftinguiili'd from other Chriftians by their Commiflicn, And fince in the Exercife of this Authority we acknowledge them re- ftrain'd to Preach no other Doclrines but thofe taught by Chrift and his Apoftles, it is evi- dent we afcribe to them no Power but what is confiftent with the Supremacy of Chrift. So Church of C H R I s T. 1 29 So far as They exceed this Commijfwn, They are confeft to have no Authority : And while They aft within the Limits of It, They can iio more be faid to ufurp upon the Authority of Chrift, than an Embaffador, who punftu- ally delivers his Meffage, ufurps^ upon the Authority of the Prince who fent him* What weight there may be in that Objeftion, form'd againft the Authority of this Office, from the Power of Interpretation implied in it, fince it equally affeds the Legiflature of the Church, fhall be confider'd under that Head. ■ 2. That Chrift is our only Pri^/?, who cou'd offer up afuffici^nt Sacrifice, Oblation, and Sa- tisfaftion for our Sin to God, the fole Me- diator and Inter ceffor, who can effedually in- tercede for us with his Father and prevail for Succefs and Acceptance to our Prayers, we rea- dily own. But this is no way inconfiftent with the Acknowledgment of an External Vi- fMe Priefthood, appointed to minifter in his Name in fuch external Ordinances as He has prefcribed to his Church on Earth, to offer up the Prayers of his Servants to God in his Name, and in his Name to Intercede for them i Becaufe tho' the ultimate Succefs of our Pray- ers with God, and the Efficacy of thefe Ordi- nances to derive on us the Graces promifed in them depends on the Mediation and Intercef- fion of Chrift, yet we may reafonably believe and teach that He will be efpecially prevail'd on to intercede for this Succefs to our Prayers when they are offer'd in the manner He has K dirededj icp Of the Vijihle and InviJiUe direded, and by the Miniftry of thefe Perfons whom He has appointed to offer them ; That without any difrefped to Chrift, we may in all our Exigences defire their Prayers and In- terceflions for us, becaufe He has by his Apo- flle directed us to call for thefe Elders to pray for us, and promifed a fpccial Regard to their Interceflions *, and that the Ordinances He has prefcribed will more effeftually procure us the Graces annex'd to them when admi- nifter'd by Perfons appointed to that Office, tho' 'tis acknowledged that Chrift alone can confer thefe Graces. And I beg leave to ob- ferve. That tho' the internal Qualifications of the Receiver are m.ore ufually infifted on as iieceifary Conditions of rendring the Ordi- nances of Religion effeclual Means cf Grace ^ yet the Authority of the Perfon who admi- nifters them, is not a mere 'Nicety and Trifle : For as King James the Firjl judicioufly deter- min'd in the Hainpton-Coitrt Conference, tho* the Call of the Minifter be not of the EiTence of x\\Q Sacrament, yet 'tis of the Elfence of the Jdjninijlr avion. And 'tis certain an^^ Per- fon may, with juft the fame Authority, take upon him to Inftitute new Sacraments in the Chriftian Church, and pretend to convey Gra- ces by them, as He can take upon Him to ad- miniffer thofe inftituted by Chrift without a regular Commiflion to do it. And therefore with refped to the Point before us the Ufiir- pation on Chrift's Authority , He only ufurps upon the Supremacy of Chrift who alfumes a Power Church of C H R I s T, i^i a Power of either inftituting new Sacramenrs in his Church, or adminiftring thofe inftituted without being call'd to it according to his Appointment. But He who only Adminiflers- thofe which Chrifl has inflituted according to his Prefcription, and in Obedience to a regular Commiffion which He has receiv'd for this Office, do's not oppofe the Authority of Chrift but obey it; 3. In the Legiflative Authority afcribed to the Church was included a Power to prefcribe fuch Aftions, or fuch Modes or Circumflances i)f Adions as are left Indijferent, (i. e*) nei- ther commanded nor forbidden by Chrift That this Power belongs to Them, I have en- deavour'd to prove, from the general Com- miflions given them to provide for Decency^ Order ^ and Edification^ by prefcribing fuch ex- ternal indifferent Obfervances, as they fliall judge conducive to thefe Ends, That, in the Matter of fuch Rules, they do not contradic'l any Law of Chrift it is plain , becaufe the Things which they prefcribe are fuppofed td be neither commanded nor forbidden by his Law. It muft alfo be confeft. That in judg- ing of the Fitnefs and Expediency of fuch Pre- fcriptions to thefe Ends, They do not ufurp upon any Authority which Chrift hath re- ferv'd to himfelf ^ becaufe Chrift- hath not feferv'd this Judgment to Himfelf, but left it to their Difcretion : And fince v;^hatever pro- motes Decenc}^ Order, and Edification, tends alfo to quicken and diffafe internal Religiorl K '> thro" I c^2 Of the Vtfihle and Invijible thro' the Aflembly \ This Power, thus ap- plied, is not only confident with the Autho- rity of Chrift, but v^ery much promotes the Influence of it. Farther it was affirm'd, That whatever ex- r^f/vW Ordinances or Actions Chrift hath pofi- tively injoyn'd on the Obfervance of his Dif- ciples, to Thofe the Governours of the Church have Authority to demand a pubhck Com- pliance. Now this Power cannot contradid the Authority of Chrift -^ becaufe, as to the exter- nal Action, it is fuppofed to require preciiely the fame Things which Chrift commands. It was alfo affirm'd, that They had Au- thority to prefcribe a Vifihle Obedience to all Chrift's Laws concerning either Faith or Morality. But in no Inftance of their Lt- ^ijhnive Authority is any Power claim'd to them, which can be charged with any Di- 7fiimit}on of Chrift's Authority, or any In- f.roachment upon it. They are not allowed to alter, or reverfe any one of his Laws, or withdraw the Obedience of his Subjeds from them '^ and therefore, while they ad: within thefe Limitations , They cannot Itjfen His Authority : Neither can they Incroach upon it, becauie it is not pretended that their Laws are of the fame Extent^ have the fame Ohli- gduon, or are inforced with the fame Fend- ties that His are. The Subjed of Chrift's Laws is principally the Inner Man^ of whom they do not alfumie any Cugnifance in their Laws j and the A- dions Church 6f Christ. 133 flions which He commands, are Principally InternaL But the Laws of the Church re- gard only the External Condud : They do not require the Inward Belief of the Mind in Articles of Faith , or the fecret Grace of the Heart in Mural Duties. Thefe things the Minifters of Chrift Teach and Exhort, but do not Command. But the Anions which They prefcribe by their L^-^j-, are fuch ex- ternal Perf:)rmances, as are the yijible Signs, the natural and proper Expreflions of fuch Inward A6i:s and Difpofitions of the Soul as Chrift has commanded. And thefe Laws They do not affirm to have any farther Ob- ligation on the Confcience^ than as the Per- formance direded by them is a proper Sign and Expreffion of fuch an inward Difpofition of the Heart as Chrift requires , and confe- quenily is agreeable and fubfervient to his Law I, and even when the Adion is thus qua- lified, They do not pretend that the Con- fcmce is obliged to it by Their Law, but by Chrift's. And, Laftly, They do not Prefcribe thefe £r- ternal Obfervances as neceflary Conditions of the fecret Union of the Soul with Chrift , but as Terms of Communion with theF^- fible Church. Neither do they pretend to inflia the Eternal Penalties of Sin upon the Breach of their Laws, but only Sufpenfion from the Privileges, or Exclufion from the Society of that Vifible Church, of which Chrift hath ordained them Magiftrates. K 3 N^^w 1^4 Of the V^ifihle and Imijihle Now in thefe Powers there appears fuch a wife Connexion, and Subferviency of the Miniflerial to the Sovereign Authority, as we ini2;ht expect in a Conftitution frained by a Divine Law-giver ^ but not the leaft Jar- ring or Interference of the one with the other» To this it hath been Objeded, That the Power claim'd by the Viftble Rulers of the Church, of requiring fuch publick Profeflions of Faith, or cbiiging Men to the open Pra- ftice of fuch Duties, as They think Chrift has commanded, fuppofes an Authority to m- terpret Chrift's Laws, and propofe fuch In- ttrpretaticn to the Confcience as his Law : And fince whoever has a Power of hiterpret- in^ a Law, and declaring the Confcience ob- liged to that Interpretattoji^ has in effed the Power of making the Law, and obliging the Confcience to his own Law *, It follows that the Rulers of the Church, by ailuming this Authority, manifeitly ufurp upon the Le- gijl^nive Authority of Chrift. Now the Principle, from which this Ob- jection argues, we acknowledge to be true ; vt-z. That an Abfolute Power of Interpret tnt'ion obliging the Confctence^ and of Enad- ing Laws in confequence of it, with the fame Obligation, is Equivalent to the Legiflative Authority of Chrift : And whoever Claims it, we agree is juftly charg'd with ufurping upon tlie Authority of Chrift* But that we liave airerte4 no fuch Pov/ef to the Rulers Church of Christ. 135 of the Church, we may appeal to any one who obferves the Limitations of that Autho- rity ^fcribed to them. But becaufe this is an Objedion much infifted on , and from which the Adverfaries of t'ie Church promife them- felves the greateft Triumphs both over its DocTirines and its Laws, I Ihall confider it here diftindly, as it affecls, 1. The Authority of the Interpretation ^ 2. The Authority of the Law framed and enacted upon that Interpretation. As to the hiterpretation , That the Rulers of the Church have a Right of Interpreting Chrift's Laws, fo far as is necelfary to a Con- fcientious Difcharge of the Duties of their Station, was before proved, and cannot be denied by thofe who contend for this as a common Right belonging to all Chriftians, For Inftance ^ They are obliged by the Law of Chrift, to require a Publick Profeflion of Faith from every Perfon whom they admit into the Church by Baptifnu In order to o- bey this Law with good Confcience, They confuh the Scripture, and what it appears to Them Chrift has required Men to believe, as a Condition of entring into this Covenant with him, That they require them to Profefs : Now, fo far as They interpret thus for their own diredion, it is evident They do not aft with any Authority at all, but as upon a Le- vel with other Chriftians, who fearch the K 4 Scrip- 1 36 Of the VtfiUe and Invijihle Scriptures for the Rule and Meafure of their Duty, and confequently cannot ufurp upon the Authority of Chrift. When They come to propofe this hiterpretaticn as the Foun- dation of a Law which they en ad upon it, and a Reafon for Mens Submiffion to tliat Law ; They then indeed exercife Aitthorhy as Guides and Teachers, but not yet as Law- givers 5 But fuch an Authority as is perfeftly confiftent with the Supremacy of Chrift. For they do not propofe this Interpretation as ob- liging the Confcience, any farther than it is the true Senfe and Meaning of Chrift. The Jjiterpretation, indeed , tho' miftaken , binds their own Confcience^ and obliges them to pre- fcribe their Law according to it , becaufe it is to Them the Law of Chrift. But they do not propofe it as obliging thtConfcience of other Men, any farther than it is agreeable to the Intention of Chrift. And that it is thus agreeable to the Intention of Chrift, They do not teach that any one is required to believe in contradiction to his own, or others j^la'm Rcafons againft it , But only where no fuch Reafons appear, They prefume their Au- thority ought to be fubmitted to : Becaufe with jefs Authority than this, Their Com- niiflion (as has been faid) can fignify no- thing, nor any way diftinguifti Them from ether Men v/ho have no Commiilion, It is plain therefore, !• That the Authority claim'd to the In- terpretation of our Superiors is not an Ahfo- lute Church of Christ, iq^j kite Authority, obliging the Confcience : be- caufe it is confeft to have no Authority o- ver the Confcience^ any farther than it is a- greeable to the Meaning and Intention of Chrift. 2. If by Confcience we mean a Rational Cunfcience, a Conviction of Duty formed ■»jpon Reafons^ it is manifeft. Here is no Au- thority exercifed over the Confcie?ice at all : Becaufe it is fubmitted to every Man's Rea- fon to Judge, whether the Interpretation be agreeable to Chrift's Will or not, before he is obliged to receive it : And it is hard to imagine how the Confcience can be faid to be forced, where no rational Ccnvidion is pretended to be over-ruled. And even in that cafe, where we contend that the Au- thority of the Superior ought to be fubmit- ted to ^ Viz,, when no good Reafons appear againft his Interpretation , the Submiflion is therefore paid to his Opinion , becaufe the Opinion of one commiflion'd by Chrift to Inftru'-T: us is, in thofe Circumftances, the beft Reafon that can be given for our Affent. We are oblig'd in Confcience to receive his Interpretation in this cafe, for the fame Rea- fons that in others we may be obliged to rejedl it , Viz>. Becaufe we are oblig'd to ad according to the beft Light we can get into the Import of Chrift's Will. Where the Precept s Flain^ that Senfe which to the common Reafon of Mankind appears in- tended in it is the imm.ediate Rule of our Afl;ions ; 1^8 Of the VtfiUe and InvifiUe A<^ions : Where the Precept is of difficult or doubtful Interpretation, the Sentiments of our appointed Guides are our proper Rule* But the Obligation on the Confcience to be dire(^ed by their Judgment, is not derived from Them , but from the Law of Chrifi^ which, in this Cafe, requires us to fubmit to their Opinion. And the pradical Obe- dience paid to the Precept, wliofe Senfe we receive from their Interpretation, is not paid to Them, but to Chrift the Author of the Precept. Chrift has commanded us to follow our own Reafon, as far as that ferves clearly to inform us in his Will, where that doth not determine us. He has appointed Guides and InftruBers to lead and diredl us. Our Obli- gations to follow our own Reafon in the one Cafe, and their InftruB'wns in the other, sre equally derived from the Law of Chrift : And whatsoever, by either of thefe Ways, we come to know is the Will of Chrift, we are obliged in Confcience as Chriftians to per- form •, not becaufe it is commanded by our Reafon or our InftruBers j but becaufe it is the Law of Chrijfk It is evident, therefore, that notwithftanding the Authority of Inter- pretation which we have afcribed to the Ru- lers of the Church, the fole Power of obli- ging the Confcience is referv'd to Chrift ^ and confequently no part of that Authority referv'd to himfeif by Chrift is incroach'd upon by Ite IL Then Church of Cur 1ST. 1 39 11. Then as to the Legijlative Authority pf the Church, the Anfwer to this Objediou m^Y be prefumed to be already given. For fince the Medhdm, by which it attempts to prove the Lepjlative Power claim'd to the Church an Usurpation upon Chrift's Autho- rity, is that it implies a Power of hterpreta* tion which is inconfiftent with the Supremacy of Chrift 5 If the Authority of Chrift be no way infringed by the Interpretation, the Le* gijlative Power of the Church, or the Power of prefcribing External Obfervances agreeable to that Interpretation^ is intirely unaifeded by this Objedion : And we are at Liberty to re- alfume, that the Legijlative Power afferted to the Church, is not inconfiftent with the Au- thority referved to himfelf by Chrift. I can recoiled: nothing that I have affirm'd of the JimfdiBion of the Church, which can with the leaft Appearance of Reafon be thought iticonfiftent with the Supremacy of Chrift ; unlefs it be, that whenever the Authority of the Church is duly exercifed, if the Offender be really Guilty of the Crimes for which he is cenfured, and doth not atone for them by Repentance, the Sentence of the Church upon him Uere^ will be follow'd by a much hea- vier Sentence from Chrift in the World to come : And accordingly, that he who is Ab-^ folved from his Offence by the Churchy if his Repentance be really as fincere as it appears to be, is Ahfolved alfo by Chrift from his Of- fence againft his Law* And this the Rulers of 140 Of the VtJiUe and InviJiUe of the Church, as faithful Mmifters of Chri- ftian Religion, are certainly bound to Teach ; becaufe Chrift has exprefsly declared, that he will thus forgive the Penitent^ and thus a- venge himfelf on tlie impenitent Sinner. But at the fa 'Tie time it is confe^, That the Autho- rity of the Ecclefiaftical Rulers, as Judges^ reaches no farther than to punilh the Ov^rt- Adion, as a Breach of their Law, requiring the External Obfervance of Chrift's Com- mands : And agreeably their Abfolution is given upon the external and apparent Signs of Repentance. Now, though thefe outward Signs of Guilt or Repentance are not an if}- falUble Evidence of the inward State of the Man, yet are they Legal Prefumptions of it, and the only Marks by which a human Judg- ment can be form'd. And therefore the Ru- lers of the Church, as Teachers of the Go- fpel, commifiion'd by Chrift to watch over the Soids of the Flock, are bound, when thefe External Signs of Guilt appear, to declare the Man in an impeiikent State, and obnoxious to the Penalties of Chrift's Laws , and where the External Signs of Repentance appear, to declare him abfolved and forgiven. But it is not pretended, that by ^ny j id di- nal Ail of their own they can adjudge the Criminal to thefe /z/it//r^ Penalties, or abfolve him from them. : Or that Chrift will inflift them in Execution of their Sentence, or remit them in Confequence of their Abfolution : Or that their Cenfiive ftxes the Man in that State Church o/* C H R I s t. 141 State of inward Guilt, which they teach will be attended with thefe Penalties, or that their Abfolution reftores him to a State of internal Innocence : But his inward Guilt or Inno- cence they leave folely to be determin'd by Chrift '^ and thefe Penalties they leave folely to be inflided or remitted by him, in confe- quence of his own Sentence or Abfolution, and not of Theirs. xA.nd confequently they do not ufurp upon the proper Authority of Chrift 5 to whom it is intirely left to judge of the internal Sin or Contrition of the Per- fon, and either to inflid or remit the future Punifhment. It is indeed affirmed, and cannot, I think, without Impiety and direct Contradidion to Scripture be denied, that the Prayers of the faithful, and more particularly of thefe who are appointed by Chrift to minifter in the Of- fices of Religion, to intercede for his People, and blefs in his Name, are a Means of great Ef- ficacy to prevail with God to remit the Eter- nal Penalties of Sin, and reftore the Penitent to his Grace and Favour. But thefe Prayers (as was obferv'd) are not judicial Ads, and confequently no Incroachment on the y^/r;/- eliBion of Chrift. C H A P, 14.2 Of theVifiUe andlnvtfihle CHAP. Ill T^hat the lowers ajfigrid to the Rulers^^ and the Suhmijjion requird from the Suy* je£is of the Vifible Churchy are conftftmi with Chriftian Liberty, BUT it is objecled farther, that the Au- thority afcribed to the Rulers of the Church is inconfiftent with that Lihertyy which Chrift has left to all his Difciples : And if this Imputation is juft, it muft be ac- knowledg'd conclufive againft fuch Autho- rit}^ As to that Btanch of their Authority by which the\^ are commiilion'd to MiJiifter in the publick Offices of Religion^ fince it has been prov'd, that Chrifl has inftituted an Order of Men in his Church, with a fpecial Appoint- ment to attend on this Miniftry -^ This In- ftitution it felt excludes all others from this Power, and confequently by the mere Claim of this Authority they cannot ufurp upon any Right or Liberty belonging to other Chriftians* And the only Inftances in which they can ufurp upon our Liberty in the Exer- cife of this Authority, are either when they require us to believe certain Ordinances or Adminiftrations to be lawful or necelfary, ^^diieh are not fo j Or when they oblige under fome Church of C H R I s T. 12J.2 fome Penalties to conform to fuch Ordinances or Adminiftrations. But in thefe Inftances they aft not as Mtnifters but in quite different Charafters , in the former as Teachers^ in the latter as Law-givers or Judges. If therefore it can be (hewn, that the Powers aflign'd to them under thefe Charafters are no Abridg- ment of our Liberty, we may prefume that every Branch of their Authority will be ac- quitted from this Charge. In order to this it will be of ufe to obferve what that Liberty is which Chrift has left to all his Difciples. And this, if we examine all the Variety of Cafes in which this Liberty can be pleaded, will be found fully comprehended in thefe Exemptions : 1. That no Perfon has Juthorhy to oblige us to Believe any DoSrine^ which Chrift has not obliged us to Believe. 2. That no Perfon has Authority to oblige us to perform any AHion^ which Chrift h^"^ forbidden. 3. That no Perfon has Authority to impofe on us any indifferent Action, which Chrift has not impowerd him to im- pofe. If then we have afcribed no Authority to the Rulers of the Church, by v/hich they can ufurp upon our Liberty in any of thefe Inftances, we are fafe from this Objedion. As 144 Of the Vtfihle and Invijihle As to the /?r/? of thefe Exemptions, which guards us againft any Incroachment of our Superiours as Guides and Teachers '^ I muft obferve, that the x\uthority afcribed to them under this Character was reftrain'd within fuch Limits, as leave the Subjeft the free Ex- ercife of his Reafon to judge, whether the Doclrines which they teach are agreeable to thofe taught by Chriitl or not. The only In- ftance in which Submiffion was claim'd to their mere Authority, was when no good Rea- fons appear againfl their Affertions : And who- ever will pretend that this is inconfiflent with liis Liberty^ muft not objcLl againft the Extent aflign'd to their Commiflion, but muft deny that they have any Commiflion at all. Neither, Secondly^ is any Authority afcri- bed to the Rulers of the Church as Legijlators^ by which they can oblige us to any Action forbidden by Chrift. This indeed muft fol- low from what was before ofFer'd to prove the Authority of the Rulers confiftent with the Supremacy of Chrift. For if no Autho- rity is given to the Rulers to prefcribe an^r Thing contrary to what Chrift commands, it- is plain no Obligation is laid on the Subjed to perform any Thing in Obedience to them which Chrift has forbidden : And the fame Arguments that prove their Authority of Pre- fcribing v/hat, according to their Interpreta- tio?i of Scripture, is agreeable to Chrift's Will, to be confiitent with the Supreinacy of Chrift^ equally prcve^ that it is confiftent with that Liberty Church of Christ. 145 liberty which he has left his Difciples. For the Liberty claim'd by this ExemDtion is founded on, and exadly proportion'd to the referved Authority of Chrift ; and is in other Words nothing elfe but the Plea of a Prior and Superiour Obligation to the Authority of Chrift. But though this Authority of pre- fcribing Laws according to their Interpretati- on of Scripture, has been already confider'd, and I hope pretty clearly Eftabhfh'd •, yet, be- caufe this feems to be the Point of Diftrefs in all the Controverfies that have been rais'd concerning Ecclefiaftical Power, I am willing to take every Opportunity of inforceing what I have fuggefted concerning it. It will I prefume be allowed, that there are fome Laws of Chrift fo plain^ that every Chriftian, as fuch, is obliged to obey them according to the true Senfe intended in thern^ The Governours of the Church therefore do hot abridge our Chrifiian Liberty^ when they require a Vifible and External Compliance with fuch plain and neceftary Laws. Nei- ther are they without a Rule, by which they are warranted to Judge what Laws are thus plain and neceffary, viz>, the common Reafon and Apprehenfion of Mankind. For we are affured Chrift adapted his Laws to the com- mon Capacities of Man, as a reafonable Be- ing : The common Reafon of Mankind, there- fore, is a Meafure or Standard^ by which they are authorized to judge what Laws of Chriil: are plain and neceifary, and in what Senfe L they 1^6 Of the Vijihle and Imifihle they are fo , andxonfequently they do no In- jury to any one, when, without regarding any particular Man's Opinion, they require a Vi- fible and External Compliance with fuch Laws of Chrift as to the common Reafon 6f Mankind appear plain and neceffary, and in tliat Senfe'in which they appear to be fo. And as no Strength of Perfuafion will excufe any Perfon to Chrift, afting contrary to a Law which he was obliged to underftand and obey 5 fo neither will it excufe him ading contrary to the Law of his Superiours, requi- ring him Externally to obey it in the fame SenTe. The Rulers of the Church, therefore, do not abridge us of any Part of that Liberty^ Chrift has left us, in requiring an External Obfervance of thefe plain Laws, becaufe, in thefe Inftances, they requireor forbid the fame Aftions that are required or forbidden by Chrift, If indeed the Superiours prefcribe an x\c^i- on" which Chrift has manifeftly forbidden, they prefcribe without Authority ^ and the Subject is under no Obligation to perform it. Bat then the Subjcd is bound to judge by the lame Rule what Chrift has forbidden, by which the Superiours are to judge what he has commanded • vi^. the common Reafon and Apprehenfions of Mankind. As the Sn- perours may not prefcribe any AStion as re- quired by the Law of Chrift, which only m their own mere Opinion, and in Contradicti- on Lo the common Reafon and Apprehenfions of Church /Christ: 14;^ of Mankind, appears to be fo reqrnr'd -.Jd neither may the SuhjeB reMc to perfonn any Aaion as forbidden by Chrift, which only_ in his o'^n mere Opinion, and in ContradKfJion. to the common Reafon and Apprehenfions ot Mankind appears to be forbidden. In what- ever Inftance our Opinion contradi^s the com- mon Reafon and Apprehenfions of Mankind, theA^nonmuft be efteemd, at leaft, dot,^t- fui, and cannot be prefumed to be either plain- "ly commanded or plainly forbidden. , ^ But rieithef doth the Power afcnbed to the Rulers of the Church, of inurpreung fuch Laws of Chrift as are of difhcult or doubtful Interpretation, and injoining an Ex- ternal Obfervance according to fuch Interfre-^ tation, imply any Authority of obliging Men to perform what is forbidden them by Chrilt . Becaufe he cannot be faid to be obliged to perform an Aftion forbidden by Chrift, who is only required to perform an Aftion con- cerning which he is Hot determin d whether it be commanded or forbidden. To the Rulers it appears plainly command- ed by the Law of Chrift, and therefore tliey, by their Office, are obliged to mjoin the Lx- ternal Obfervance of it; To the Sul>jeil it doth not appear either plainly cotnmanded or plainly forbidden, and therefore by difobey- ina his Rulers, he runs an equal Hazard ot adiing contrary to the Law of Chrift, as by dbeymg them. At the fame time he is bound by another plain Law^ of Chrift, to obey his 1 4-8 Of the Vifihle and InviJiMe Rulers in all Things lawful -^ and confequent- ly, by difobeying in. fuch an Jnftance, he runs the hazard of ofFending againft a plain Law,, for fear he lliculd offend againfl: fome imkfwwu Law, fome Law which, by his doitbung, he confefles he doth not.know whe- ther^Chrift-.has injoin'd or not. 3. As to Actions in their Nature indifferem^ (u ^•) neither coinmarided nor forbidden by Chrifi: ^ "fince the Power of prefcribing fucli indifferent Aftions, whenever they are con- ducive to Decency, Orde}\ and Edification^ is exprefsly left by Chrifi to the Rulers of the Church 5 the Subject is not at Liberty whe- ther he will obey thefe,Frefcriptions, fo di- reded, or not , and confequentjy by being required to obey them, he is not deprived of any Liberty left him hy Chrifi, The Action, before it is commanded, he is at Liberty to perform or let alone : But after it is com- manded, though the AB'io7i be, in its Nature, or with Refpect to the Law of Chrifi, indif- ferent *, yet the Obedience h not (o, but ex- prefsJy injoin'd by Chrifi. Neither is it left to the Subject to determine vvdiether thefe Aftions are expedient or con- ducive to Decency, Order, &c. or not;, but this is left wholly to the Judgment and Dif- cretion of the Rulers. When therefore the Subject refufes to obey fuch Prefcriptions, upon pretence of Unfitnefs or Inexpediency, he exceeds the Bounds of that Liberty v/hich belongs Church o/^ G H R I s T. HP belongs to him, and ufurps upon the proper Authority of his Superiours. If the Adion indeed appears to him plain- ly Unlawful, (/. e.) forbidden by Chrift, tho' it may be in its Nature indifferent, yet he is bound not to perform it. But the Ruler, neverthelefs, doth him no Injury in prefcri- bing it, becaufe it appears to him in its Na- ture indifferent, and in its Ufe expedient \ and therefore fuch, as he is not only impow- er'd, but commanded by Chrift to prefcribe : And confeguently in prefcribing it, he only executes a Commaffion which he has received from Chrift. And by whatever AS of Au- thority he only performs his own Duty, he cannot uCurp upon another's Liberty *, be- caufe we are allured Chrift has not left any Liberties to fome of his Subjeas, which are inconfiftent with thofe Duties which he has required from others. But whatever the Verfnafwn of the Subjecl may be concerning either the Senfe of Chrift's Laws, or the Nature of the Aftions injoin'd, or how much foever the command of his Rulers may either in Appearance or Reality be contrary to the Law of Chrift •, yet the Liberty of the Subjed is perfectly fecured to him by that Limitation of his Obedience, which allows him to refufe his aBive Com- pliance with any Com.mand, which^ he has Reafon to believe inconfiftent with his Duty to Chrift. If his Objedions are fupported with good Reafons, or fuch as appear plainly L 3 conciufivc I ^o Of the Vifihle and InvifiMe qonclufive to liim, Authority is fubmitted to them, and he is excufed from Sin, in not aSively obeying lU And if he has no goqd Reafons againft it, the Command of a juft Authority is certainly it felf a good Reafon for an aBive Obedience. If the Power of JurifdiBwn afcribed to the Rulers, be thought an injurious Abridg- ment of the Subjefts Liberty, in Obedience to which we have obliged him to fubmit to the Penalties of his Refufal, when his Per- fuafion will not fuflFer him aBively to comply with the Command, we need only repeat, 1. That the Submiflion of the Subjed to the fe Penalties is not forbidden by Chrift ^ and confequently, by obliging him to fubmit to thefe Penalties, we do not oblige him to any thing forbidden by Chrift. 2, That' the Rulers are impowered by Chrift to inflia thefe Penalties, For if they are impowered to prefcribe fuch Laws to the external Behaviour of fuch Chriftians, as, according to their Interpretation of Scripture, are agreeable to the Laws of Chrift, they muft alfo be impower'd to inflict the Penal- ties of -fuch Law^s on thofe who oflFend a- gainft theme And whatever Penalties the Ru- lers are impower'd to inflid, the Subjed is bound to fubmit to , and confequently, by fuch Submiflion, he gives up no Liberty, w^iich belongs to him as a Chrifl:ian, Neither can it with Reafon be objeded, That the Certfures of the Church, by ex- ' ■'■' •- • eluding Church o/Christ. i^i , y .h» Offender from the Ordinances oflri r ve^t of any Privilege which he ot It, ci.eP"^ Becaufe he was, at his Bap^ has a Right to. Becaue privileges, tifm, ^^dmitted to defe exter ^^^^^,^^0^^ on certain C?f/^ ^i^f ^'pr^ife to obferve cer- certain Articles, and a Pr«in^^^^ ^^ ^^^ tam Duties Jh^";;,^ J-^^ ,„a Profeffions, 'arS 'any StatJ,n - 'oSce in the Gompaltion, inat % , pt^ „ch we un- from the Ordinances of I^e Church, w.^^^ charitably deprive him f^^'f}^^'''^^ con- flow from the Pa^""??^^^^" ronerTy' in fuch fequently injure him "^ ^ [jX ^hlm, the Circumftances the moft vaKiaf t ,^^^^^ very Means whereby he niight ue Grace depends on a P^^OP^^ ^/d St. Paul Perfon towhomthey^ ^;j^-^;-71gc^;?pi^cft, Chap. 3- ^^^^ 1^2 Of the J^ifihle and Invijihle has determined, That he who partakes of the Lord's Table imworthily^ eats and drinks BanmatiGn to hmfelf(a'). If therefore, the Rulers of the Church believe any Perfon unqualify'd for a due Participation of thofe Myfteries, by forbidding his Approach to them, they do not exclude him from a Means of Grace to Htm, but with great Charity re- ftrain him from doing himfelf a farther Pre- judice, by the additional Guilt of propha- ning thofe Holy Myfteries, 2dl}\ The Difcipline of the Church is for this very Reafon apply'd to Offenders, be- caufe it is an effeftual Means of Grace to them 5 the moft probable Method to convert and recover them, by awakening them to a juft Senfe of their Danger, and difpofing them to fuch an Humility and Contrition of Soul, as may (^) fave the Spirit in the Day of the Lord Jefus. And therefore the Cenfures of the Church are Ads of Compaffion, as well as Jufrice j and are equally excufed from Inva- iion on the Rights, and Cruelty to the Soul of the Criminal. Upon the whole 3 Since all the Authority which we afcribe to the Rulers of the Church, is no more than is derived to them from the Commijfion of Chrift, it muft be confiftent with the Liberty which he has left to the jeft of his Subjeds. For in whatever Inftan- ^a) I Cor. xi. 27. (h) i Ccr, v. 5. ce3 Church of QiiVL 1ST. i ^^ ces lie has given another Perfon Power tp prefide over us, to direft or command us, in thofe he has not left us free , and con- fequently, whatever Liherty they tak^ from us, while they aft within the Limits of that Comnnjfion^ can be no Part of that Liherty which Chrift. has left us. And if the Com- plaint be carried farther than this, and the Authority given them by this Commiflion be objefted to, as an Injury to Human Liberty^ the Difpute is no longer againft the Perfons who exercife this Authority, but againffi Chrift who gave it. But to follow this Objeftion would lead us into a Queftion foreign to the^ Subjeft which I am. engaged on 5 which obliges me only to fliew That the Ecclefiaftical Authority^ with the Limitations under which I have afferted it, is no Abridg- ment of our Chriftian Liberty. If in defending the Authority <)f the Church frmn This, or the Former Reproach, I have omitted the Confideration of any Ob- jeftion, which may be thought of Weight in this Controverfy, I am incHned to hope it will not be difficult to find an Anfwer to it, either from the Reftriftions under which I ftated the feveral Powers of the Church, in the preceeding part of this Difcourfe, o^ from what I have added in farther Explica^ tion or Support of my Affertions in this , and ithat from the Whole it will appear, that nothing has been affirmed of the Pow- ers of foinCj or the Duties of others, a,s Members 1 54 Of the Vijihle and Invifible Members of the Vijihle Church, but what is reconcileable to the Authority refery'd to Chrift as Kead^ and the Liberties that be- long to all Chriftians as Members of the In- vifihle. CHAP. IV. that the Towers ajjtgned to the Rulers, and the Submifflon required from the Subje(5ts, are agreeable to thofe Images under which the Vtftble Church is repre- fented in Scripture^ THE Vifible Church of Chrift is repre- fented to us, in Scripture, under feve- ral Emblems or Images ^ which have been ge- nerally referr'd to in this Controverfy ^ and it may, perhaps, be a farther Proof or Illu- ftration of what I have aiferted, to obferve, in one Inftance, which will comprehend all that can be inferred from the reft, That thefe Images reprefent to us the Frame and CKco- nomy of this Society, in a manner agreeable to what has been taught concerning ir. Let us then confider it as the Faintly of' an abfent Mafler^ who ha? left his Will for the general Recourfe and Diredion of all his Servants ^ by which Wtlly neverrhelefsj he has Church of Christ. 155 has placed fome in Stations of Superiority oveir others, with a particular Defignation to certain Offices, and a fpecial x\ppoint- ment to InJlruEi the Inferiors according to the beft of their Underftanding, in the true Meaning and Import of his Will , and has alfo given them Authority^ not only to Teach^ but Command fuch Performances as appear to them agreeable to his Wilh^ and to make fuch farther Rules or Orders, as Ihall from time to time appear conducive to the Peace and good Difcipline of the Family j provid- ed they in join nothing contrary to what he has prefcribed : " And has, at the fame time, vefted them with Power to correB and piintjt^ fuch as vifibly offend againft the Laws or- dained by the Matter, or fuch Orders as they are impower'd to make, either by Siifpenfton from certain Privileges of thie Family, or, if they continue obftinate and unreclaimed, by a total Exdiifion from the Society of it : And in the fame Will has commanded all the Inferior Servants to fubmit themfelves to their Superiors, in the juft Exercifes of thefe Powers and Offices, which he has committed to them -^ not, indeed, to do any thing in O- bedience to them, which is apparently con- trary to his Will '^ but to confult them in all Difficuhies, and to receive their Direftion, and obey their Commands, in all Things not manifeftly forbidden by his W?lh And even where they cannot comply with the Diredi- on, patiently to fubmit to xht Penalties of their RefufaL In f^(5 Of the VifthJe and Invifihle In this Image of a Fafnily, thus conftituted, we have an exad Reprefentation of the Clmrch of Chrift, and of the Author kv affigned to fome, and the Duties and Submiflion required from others of ^ the Members of it. And if in fuch a Family the Supremacy of the Ma- tter, and all Rights of the Subjed, confident with Peace and good Government, are pre- ferved, notwithftanding the Powers vefted in the fiiperior Servants of it. It will be difficult to affign any Reafon, why the fame Powers may not be exercifed by the Governours of the Church, without invading the Authority of Chrift, or the juft Liberty of any Chri- ftian. ^ It is impoffible, indeed, by the wifeft Con- ftitution, to prevent all Irregularities in a Society,^ where the Adminiftration muft be placed in the Hands of free, and yet weak and paflionate Agents : The Superiors will fometimes miflake in the Exercife of their Power, and fometimes, perhaps, defignedly pervert it. But fince the fecret Malice and intention of the Heart can be judged of by none but God, whenever the Adminiftration of the Rulers appears irregular, Charity obliges us to confider it only as mifiaken. Let the Cafe then be fuppofed, That the Superiors in fuch a Family miftake their Mafter's Direftion, and either Teach or C0771' piand any^ thing not agreeable to it : It can- not be (aid that they are guilty of a de- lign'd Ufurpation upon the Authority of their Church o/'Christ. 157 their Mafter, becaufe they think in their Confcience that they are obeying it- and that what they do is a Duty which their Station requires from them. The Qiieftion is, How the Inferior is tp behave himfelf with refpeft to fuch a Command > Now if lie perceives, and is perfiiaded in his Con- fcience, that the Adion required is contrary to the Will of the Mafter, it is his Duty not to perform it : But if he is not forbid by the Will to fubmit to the Penahies of his Incompliance, he is certainly bound to fub- mit, becaufe he is, by the plain Direftion of the Will, bound to fubmit to the iVutho- rity of thefe Superiors, as far as he can do it without ading contrary to the JVHL An Exemption, indeed, from all Penalties, in fuch a Cafe, wou'd in its Effeds vacate the whole Conftitution of the Family, and put an end to the very Being of it, as a Society* For it muft^ be remembred, that the Sul^jeB is alfo paflionate and fallible, as well as the Rtikr , and may either imagine an .Action to be contrary to the Will of the Matter v/hich is precisely direded by it, or, from a Spirit of Mutiny and Oppofi- fition, may pretend a Perfuafion of Confci- ence when he is not really fa perfuaded. But we will allow him the Favour of the fame charitable Suppofition that was chimed for the Ruler, and confider him only as ntiftaken. By this mutual Allowance the State of the Cafe is reduced to this -^ That the 1^8 Of the Vi/ihle and Invifihle the Superior thinks the Action commanded by the Mafler^ and the Inferior thinks it forhidden. Here then is the Reafon or O- pinion of the Inferior oppofed to the Rea- fon or Opinion of the Superior : And if one cannot convince the other, which muft take place > Shall the Superior aft againft his Confcience, and omit the Duty of his Sta- tion, becaufe the Inferior conceives it not to be his Duty? Whofe Conviction is he to be governed hy^ his own^ " or his Iriferi- crs ^ If by his own^ he raufl proceed to command the Action, and, upon Refufal of Obedience, to inflidt the Penalty, as his Du- ty appears to require him. If by his hife^- riors^ here is the Confcience of one Man fubjecSed arid over-ruled by the Sentiments of another , with this additional Abfurdity,^ that this Power is given to the Inferior o- ver the Superior. He who has a Commiffion to Teach and Govern^ is to receive his Dire- ftions how to execute this Commiflion from liim who is to be taught ^ni goverjied hy \x: The Refult, in ihort, will be this. That there will be no Commiflion or Superiority at ;^11 , but every one will be equal and indepen- dent '^ and confequently, the Family will be diffolved, and the Parts of it have no more Connedion v/ith one another, than any other Perfons who are no way related. We can- hot therefore fuppofe, that a wife Mafter wou'd leave fuch a Degree of Liberty or Ex- emption of the Inferiors from the Authority of Church of Chris t. 159 of the Superiors, as wouM, in its Confe- quences, deftroy the very Being of that So- ciety whibh he intended fhould fubfift till his coining again* Whereas, admit but this one Obligation on the Subjeft to' fubmit to the Penalties of his Refufal, when he can- not in Confcience perform the Aftion ^ re^ quired, and Peace and Order are ^provided for-, and yet no Violence is offer'd to the Confcience of any. The Ruler is not obli- ged to do any thing contrary to his Confci- ence, nor the Subjed: any Thing contrary to his • and both iTiay be intitled to the Appro- bation of the Matter. The Parallel between this Image and the Church is fo obvious, that I need not de- tain the Reader with a particular Applica- cation of it. CHAP. V. That the Idea given of the Vifiblc Church is not inconftjhnt with the frincipks of our ^efor7nation. BUT I am obliged to take notice of one Objeftion which has been made to the Dodrine I have afferted, which is, That the Authority placed in the Riders ot the Church, and the Submiffion required from the i 60 Of the Vtfihle and Invifihle the Subjeds to it, lay the Reformation of this^ Church under the Ch arge of a Rebellmi againft its fpiritual Paftors : But the Anfwer to this I think is very obvious •, vvz,. That the Reformation of this Church was not an Oppofition to any juft Authority, but a Vindication of its own Rights from the ufurped Tyranny of another Church, and confequently no Rebellion. Had the Church of Rome received a Com- million from Chrift to prefcribe Laws, and extend its Cenfures to all other Churches, tho' we might and ought to have refufed our Compliance with any Impofitions which we -vjtxt convinced were contrary to the Laws ■of Chrift-, yet we cou'd not, without Ji^/;^/- lion againft the Commiflion of Chrift, have totally rejefted the Authority which He had given that Church over us. But the Cafe was quite otherwife- we only refumed the juft Authority of which they had robb'd us : And as a Church equally independent on Them, as they on Us, we, by our own pro- per Power reform'd the Corruptions v/hich they had introduced among us. If the Objeclion be farther urged, That our Reformation was begun and carried on in od- polirion to the then Lawful Rafters and Riders of this Church, theAiTertion will be found contradifted by Hiftory • from whence it may be proved that the Reformation, now Efta- blifliM among us, and which alone I am con- cerned to defend, vras begun and derived down to Church of Chris r. t6i to us by the h^nds of a proper Eccle/iaftical Authority "^ .• And confequentiy it cannot, from the Principles I have laid down, be charged with Kebellioji againft thofe whofe Authcrky \ am obliged tb admit. As for the Methods, by ^^hich the Refor- matioji was introduced into any other Chur- ches , They are to anfwer for themfelves* Only I defire the Reader to obferve, from the few Citations referr'd to in the Margin {a)^ ^ Vide y^rchhifiop Laud againjt Fiflier, p. lOO, lOi. Dr. Bafieij Liberty of the Britannick Churchy pag. 45. Fuller, Church Hifi. pag. 188. 194. (a) Calvin Ep- ad FarelL Semper hoc in Ecclelia valuit, quod veteribus fynodis f uit decreturri ; ut qui fubjici communis Difciplinse le- gibus noluerit, munere abdicetur. Idem Epo ad FroteB. Angli^e, Expedit quidem profpicere defultoriis Ingeniis qu35 fi- bi nimium licere volunt. Ratio autem expcdita ad earn Rem una eft, li extet quaedam fumma Do6i:rin2s ab omnibus recepta, quam inter Praedicandum omnes fequantur, Sc ad quam obfervandam omnes Epifcopi St Parochi aftringantur. And afterwards^ in the fame £- fijlle^ Cerebroli Quidam qui fub Evangelii Nomine a!\ct^ta.v inve6lam voluntj ultoie gladio coerceri — *- Id. Com, in i Cor. 14. 10. Non poteft haberi qiiod Pauliis hie exigit, niH addi* iis conftitationibus, tanquam vinculis, quibus ordo 8c decorum fervetur. MdMihon Loc. Com. Cap. de To lit. Eccles. — — Nee regi nee Coerceri Homines poflunt, itaque fciamus diffipatis Ordinationibus Ecclenafticis pericli* tari etiam Eccleliam. Confejf. Bohem. C. 8. SeB. IC p, 1 2, Abfque Ordinis conftitutione & Adminiftratlone ex« tcrna Hon potelt bono effe loco (ecclefia) aut bene cuiii ipsj agij ficut nee cam alia, vel minima, communitate. M out 1 62 Of the Vijihle and invijible out of Multitudes which might be produced,^ That the mofl: confiderable of the Reformers abroad aflert the Neceflity of an ExemalDif" ctpline^ and the Juthorky belonging to the Pauleys of the Church in every Inftance of Power which I have afcribed to Them. And it cannot be imagin'd They cou'd be fo in- confiftent withThemfeives, as to affert Princi- ples with which their own Reformatio?i cou'd not be reconciled* From the whole that has been offer'd, I hope, it will appear that the Powers which I have afcribed to the Rulers of the Church, are' duly fubordinate to, and confiftent with the Sitpre?nacy of Chrift as Head of it , and that the SubjeSioji which I have required from ths Inferiors to thefe Powers, as Members of th^ V'lfihle Church, is perfeftly confiftent with thofe Duties which are injoyn'd them, and thofe Liberties which are referv'd to them by Chrift as Members of the Invifible. PART ^ ♦$♦ ^ 4- ^ *$• •^* -^ •'^ "^ "^ *^ •'^ *^ ''^ "^ "^ "^^ "^ *^ *^ *^ ''^ PART IV. Of the Ahfurd and DeflruEihe Confequences that follow from affirming any thing of the Church under the Idea of Invisible, n^hich is contrary to its Confii- tution as a Vilible Society. CHAP. I. The ^afons of this hiijuiry. ROM the View which has been taken of this Subjed in the fore- going Reflexions, I hope it will appear that the Church of Chrifc may be confider'd under the Di- ftinaion of n/iMe and Inviple and yet re- main a City at Unity in itsfilf, bmk upon the Fowulation of the Apo files andProphats ^ p- fiis Chrift hitnfelfbebtg the chief Cmier St^e.- 1 6^ Of the Vijihle and InviJiUe That Chrift has acftually given thofe Powers to theMinifters and Officers of his Church,which we have ailerted as Neceffary to its Po- lity under the former Idea, and that thefe are perfe(9"ly confiltent with his own Supremacy, and thofe Rights and hnmunities which belong to the Members of his Church confider'd un- der the latter. And whoever refleils with any attention ori this Subjed, cannot but obferve with what admirable Wifdom and GEconomy the Divine Author of this Society has adapted every Part of its Vifible and External Qon^XViMXion to pro- mote the Internal Influence of his own Laws and Authority on the Conrcienceof his Sub- jeds 5 and on the other fide, how naturally we arc led by a juifl Reverence for the Mafler to honour and obey the Commiffion He has given his Servants. And fince the only Ob- jedions that have been offer'd againfl: the Powers afcribed to the vifihle Ojjicers of the C^lhurch have been Suggeftions of their Incon- filrency with the Supremacy of Chrift, or the Rights and Liberties of his Difciples -^ Having ihewn that this Charge is without Founda- tion, and tliat the Powers claimed to the Vi^ fjhle Church are confiftent with what the ^Objeclers themfelves affirm of Chrift, or his- Meinbers, under the Idea of the Invifible ^ \ might now prefume my felf excufed from fol- lowing this Subjeft any farther. But It cannot but be obferved, That the Fcrfons who have lately revived this Difpute coil" Church of Christ. i6^ concerning Ecclefiaftkal Jnthorhy, have taken a great deal of Pains to loid tlxe Powers af- ferted to the Officers of the Church, v/ith a long Train of the moft invidious AhfnrdiueSy and\o expofc all who appear in Defence of them to the Jealoufy or x^verfion of Men, ^s Abetters of fpiritual Tyranny and inclined to Fopery. Now, tho' Thave the Satisfaction to hope that fome Anfwer may be found to every one of thefe Reproaches in the forego- ing Pages '^ yet becaufe a confiderable Part will be^always found among Mankind more capa- ble of influence from AddreiTes to their Paf- fions, than from Reafoning and Argument ^ and a much greater, who, without entring in- to the true State and Merits of a Qiieftion are determined agalnft that Side which is charg d with the mofl odious Confequences, 'tis to be fear'd that many may receive fuch Imprefiions from thefe Declamations deliver'd under the infinuating Difguife of a Zeal for Publick Li- berties, as may prejudice them againftall that can be ofFer'd on the other Side. It may there- fore be farther neceflary, in order to pro- cure an impartial hearing, To fhew that the Principles and Doarines aiTerted by the Au- thors of thefe Reproaches are attended with Abfurdities, at leaft equal to thofe which they impute to their Adverfaries. It is indeed a general, and perhaps a juft Complaint, that in Controverfies each Side is apt to charge the other with Abfurdities which they difown i and for which therefore they Ms "^"^^ 1 66 Of the Vtfible and Invijible ought not to be accountable. If They, who in the prefent Difpute have defended the vifi- iible G^'conomy of the Church, have commit- ed any Oifence of this kind, their Adverfaries have very liberally repaid it. Rut I afTure iTiy felf this Difference will be obferv'd be- tween them, that the Abfurdities charged on the Former are fuch as few (I believe none) have been aftually led into by any Doftrine they have taught in afTertion of their Prin- ciples* But 'tis notorious that the Principles and Doftrines advanced by the Latter are daily underflood, and publickly defended, as unanfwerable Proofs of thofe very ABfnrdi- ties which are charged upon them : And there- fore, tho' we fhou'd fuppofe the Intention of the Authors on both Sides equally innocent \ yet the Danger we are perO.iaded to fear from the One, cannot with reafon be fo much ap- prehended as what we actually feel from the Other. The Errors indeed of either Extreme equal- ly alter that wife Temperament and Subor- dination in which the Supremacy ofChrifl and the Anthorhy of his Minifiers are adjufted to each other, and are equally deftrudive of Chriflian Religion. Nay, we are farther ready to own, that whoever afcribes an exorbitant Power to the Vifihle Officers of the Church, who teaches that their Determinations are the vltzwate {lule of Mens Faith and Aftions, that they have an ahfolnte Power of with- holding or denying the Graces of the Go- Church of Christ. 167 Coel 5CC. ftrikes at the very Foundations of Sriftianity. Thefe are Ajs of xncommom- cable Supremacy, and the Reverence and Al- legiance of Men will terminate m thofe Per- S in whom thefe Powers are placed and confequently Chrift will be left only a Name in his^ SuJch without Power or Authority. Thefe Confequences we acknowledge, and Aef Doftrines we deteft ; and whenever they have appear'd among us, neither the Gover- nours nor the Members of T^ix Church, have wanted Vigilance to guard agarnft them or Zeal to oppofe them. But with refpeft to riie prefent Controverfy, fince we have no uft Reafon to believe that the Principles af- Sted bv thofe who defend the Ecclefiafltcal Shorhy have led, or can lead any one into diefe Abfurdities •, And the deftruftive Con- fejuencei chargd on the Doftrines of thofe who appear againft them, are not only aau- Tllv inferr'd from them, but contended for w Si warmth, applauded and encouraged ^ Prudence and Duty will oblige us. firft to guard againft thefe latter Adverfarie and Lt fufftr our felves to be amufed with the Purfuit of an imaginary Enemy, . while a real and prefent Danger is entring in at our Doors. M 4 C H A P. 1 68 OftheVifihleandlnvifibh CHAP. II. Of the Abfurdities that follow from denying the Church to k a Vifible Society. THE general AhfwJity with which I have charged that levelling Scheme of Rehgion which denies the Officers of the Church thofe Minifterial Powers which f have afcnbed to them is. That upon thefe Prinaples tis impoffible the Church of Chnft can fubfift a vifihle Society. That this is a neceffary Confequence from thefe Principles, is evident, becaufe a vifible ^oaety in the very Notion of it, is a Num- ber of Perfons whofe External Behaviour is govern d by the fame Syftem of ftated Laws: iNow Laws for external Behaviour without external Penalties affix'd to the Breach of them, and Penalties without fome Perfons authorized to inflid them, are ufelefs and mefteduai Provifions for that Order and U- mon which is the very Effence of every So- ciety. If, therefore, Chrift has left all his JJilciples in a State of perfeft Equality and Independence on one another, if none is di- eting uilhd by any Commiffwn or Juthority from another, the Church of Chrift muft, upon theie Principles, be a Number of loofe inconneded Perfons, without the leaft Ap- pearance of being form'd into a vifible So- my, ,£ Church of C H R I s T. 1 69 If it be thought no Abfurdity to affirm, that the Church of Chrift is no^ q v/Jii?k Se^ ciety, it might be fufficient to Ihew, that this Affertion is contradifted by the cleareft Proofs from Scripture and Antiquity, by which it appears, that the Church of Chrift was at firft inftituted, and in all fucceeding x'Vges go- vern'd as a vifiMe Society^ fome of which have been ofiFer'd to the Reader in the pre- ceeding Refledions. But I wou'd here only obferve the Inconvejiiences that muft follow from this Pofition. And, I. If all Chriftians are equal and undi- ftinguifh'd, by any Cominijjfion, from one ano- ther, as they muft be if the Church is not a vifihle Society , Then the Sacraments appoint- ed by Chrift cannot be adminifterd, nor the Word preached among them ^ for who fhall officiate in thefe Ordinances > If it be faid that all the Lord's People are Holy^ all equally Priefts, and may officiate in thefe Inftances to one another : It may be fuf- ficient, I think, to obferve that, among all the wild Schemes of Religion advanced in thefe latter Ages, and all the Experiments that have been made to Divide and Diffipate the Church of Chrift, tho' this has been offer'd in The- ory, yet this alone cou'd never yet be reduced to Pradice : And therefore they who contri- ved the Sed of the Quakers, which comes the neareft to this Scheme, found themfelves obliged to rejed the Sacraments as ufelefs and unneceilary, from a Convidion that it was im- ■ poflible 170 Of the Vifihle and Invtjthle poffible to retain thefe Ordinances without feleding fome Perfons from others to officiate in them. But even thefe Enthufiafts them- felves are manifeftly form'd into a viflble So- ciety, tho' of their own devifing, and with- out any Affinity to the Church inftituted by Ghrift 5 and, without fuch Cnrnhination, They had long fince difappear'dand come to nothing. It has been farther offer'd by fome. That any Number of Chriftians may agree toge- ther, and choofe one or more Perfons to Ex-> found the Scriptures, Baptise ^ &c. But I muft obferve, that this deftroys the Suppofition con- tended for : For the Authors of this Scheme agree with us fo far, that tlie Church is a vi- fible Society, and that vifihle Officers are ne- eeffary for the Adminiftration of Rehgion in it^ only in this we differ, That we affirm that this Society was at firfl: Inftituted and the Of- ficers of it appointed by Chrift and his Apo- ftles 5 and that this Authority was derived down by a xt%M\\x Ordination to their Suc- ceffors. They on the contrary affirm. That Chrift left it to the whole Multitude of his Subjefts, to form themfelves into a vifihle So- ciety, and choofe Officers for the Adminiftra- tion of it, and that no other Ordination is neceifary to thefe Offices but the choice of the People. Now it might eafily be Ihewn that this Hypotheiis is not only contrary to the plain Evidence of FacT:, but attended with the greateft Ahfurdities, and inconfiftent with the Wifdom and Goodnefs of Chrift, the Foun- der Church of Christ. 171 der of this Society. But what I am here principally concerii'd to obferve is. That this Scheme of Chriftianity equally fuppofes the Church to be a vifible Society with the former, and that not only when adually conftituted under Officers fo chofen, but as foon as ever the Members of it agree together, either to choofe fuch Officers, or obferve any common Rule, They ad as a Body^ and become a vtfihle Society. And therefore, 2. Unlefs we fuppofe the Church to be a vifible Society^ 'tis impoflible that any Num- ber of Chriftians fhou'd Aflemble together in a Congregation for the Worjhip of God , for this cannot be done without agreeing upon fome Rules to be obferv'd in it. And the firfl: moment Men confent to ad by the fame fa- cial Laws ^ they become a vifible Society. And if no publick Offices of Religion can be ad- minifter'd, and no Congregation alTembled for Divine Worfhip unlefs we admit the Church to be a vifible Society j I may be allow'd with- out inlarging farther in the Proof of it, to Infer a Q,d Conclufion , viz^. That fuppofing the Church to be no vifible Society^ the very Pro- feffion of Chriftianity muft foon be extin- guilh'd. It cannot but be obferv'd that all the Seds and Denominations of Religion, whofe Names have been ever heard of in the World, have appear'd under the Form of vifble Societies ; and if any particular Enthufiafts have pur- fued 172 Of the Vijihle and Imijihk fued any Chimerical Scheme of an invifible Church, their Projedl has perifli'd with them ,; And if Chrift had left his Church vv^ithout a- ny Obligation to external Union, as a vifible Society, his Religion had had .the fame Fate, and been long fince forgotten. It has been pretended that the Laws of Charity and Be?ievoIe?ice^ are fufficient Provi- fions for all the Union that Chrift ever in- tended among his Difciples : But Thefe unite us only as Men, and not as Chriflians : Thefe Duties are indeed prefcribed to us by the Gofpel with greater Accuracy and Refinement than by any other Inftitution , but ftill they are but a more correft Edition of the com- mon Rules of Humanity : Something more is required to Unite and Diftinguifh us as Chri- (liansj VIZ. Such a Profeffion of Faith, a Par- ticipation in fuch Ordinances^ and the Obfer- vation of thofe Laws which embody us as a vifihle Society^ and without thefe I refume that the Church of Chrift will quickly become Invifible, in a Senfe that will imply its utter Deftruftion. It is evident that all the Defigns which have been form'd againft Chriftianity, fince its firft Inftitution, have endeavour'd its Subverfion as a vifible Society -^ And that the prefent Ene- niiesof the Gofpel am.ong us purfuethe fame Maxims, appears from the Applaufe and Tri- umph with which they receive all Notions which tend to diffolve the External Polity of Xhe Church, and withdraw Mens refpefl: from thefe Church of Christ. 173 thofe Offices :\ni A clmi?ii fir at ions without which it cannot fubfift. They are contented that the Duties which flow from our internal Relation to Chrift, and belong to us as Members of his tnvijihle Church, fliou'd be prefs'd and recom- mended, provided the Submiflion we owe to thofe whom He has appointed to Rule over us^ be left out of the Catalogue, and all thofe Law^s, Duties, and Offices which incorporate and unite us as a vifihle Society be expofed as; Vriefl'craft and Impofture : Becaufe They fee plainly that thefe Principles will fo effedu- ally affift them in Subverting the Church as a vifihle Society, that not even a fingle Con- gregation can be form'd upon them : And they are very well fatisfied, that if They can once diltolve thofe Ties which unite us together as a Vifikle Church , our Invifthle Church will give them no trouble, but Expire of it felf. It deferves our Obfervation, That tho' thefe Principles were very much preach'd and in- culcated in the late Times of Confufion, and proved of excellent Ufe for perfecting the Root and Branch-work then in Hand , yet when this was accomplifh'd, it was foon found that the fame Tools which had been fo foc- ceflively irnploy'd in pulling down the Efta- hhfbd Religion, wou'd not ferve to build upi- any thing elfe in the place^ of it : And ac- cordingly all the various Schemes of Religion which were then offer'd to the World, how- ever diifc^rent in other refpeds, yet agreed AH I 74 Of the Vtfihle and tnvifihlt in propofing feme Form of a v?fible Society^ Among Others, indeed, we have a Projed of a Church which the Author (a) pretends to form upon thefe Principles. He lays down for iiis Foundation, (b) That the Church is not an Outward or vifible Society^ but a Spiritual and ijtvijible fellowfoip wholly hid from carnal Eyes^ not govern d by Outward and vifihle Officers^ according to outward vifible Forms and Order s— That Chrif^ and the Holy Spirit^ are the only Officers in it (c)^ That there is no DiftinBion of Clergy and Laity ^ (d) but all are Priejfs a- like^ have Tower alike^ 6cc, But when He comes to tell us how Religion is to be exer- cifed and x^dminifter'd in this Church, He is forced to allow it Power to gather it felf together to appoint Officers to Judge all Do- Brines (e), and in fliort defcribes as very a vifible Society^ with Officcvs^Legifative Autho- rity, and Jurifdiftion, as any of thofe which He had before oppofed and reviled as Chur- ches of Men and of Antichrifl^ with this on- ly Difference, that whereas They were either Monarchical, Ariftocratical, or mix'd of both, Jiis is form'd upon the Model of a Demo- cracy. From what has been obferv'd it appears, that the Praclice and Judgment of all Ages, paft and prefent, and of all Men, Friends, and Enemies concur in afiirming this Propo- (.?) Dei/'s Wav ofPeace aad Unity, Printed 1549. {k) P.g4» (0 jP.ii. C^) l\ 94- ("j i"- 55, 5"c5, t f^- fitiod. Church of Christ, 17$ fition, That the trofejfion and Exercife of Chriftian Religion cannot be prefervd^ nor the Church of Chriji fubjlfi^ itnlefs we allow It to aS as a vifible Society4 And if this be ac- knowledged a true Propofition, It necefTarily follows, That all Dodrines which tend to fub- vert the Church as a viftble Society equally tend to extirpate Chriftianity from the Earth* And fince the Church of Chrift cannot fubfift as a vifible Society^ without fome Perfons di- llinguilh'd by fuch Powers and Offices as are neceffary for the Adminiftration of its Polity ^ Whoever teaches that no Chriftian has thefe Powers, or is diftinguifli'd by any Office or Commiffion from another, advances aDodlrine which if it were univerfally receiv'd wou'd abolilh the Chriftian Religion. CHAP. III. Of the Advantage giVen to Popery hy thefe principles. AS a fufficient Ballance for thefe Abfur- dities, it is objeded againft the Prin- ciples and Doclrines of thofe who ailert the external Polity of the Church, That they ne- ceffarily lead us to Popery. It may therefore be worth our while to confider in a few Pa- ges which Side, in the condud of this Difpute, have given the greateft Advantages to that Re- ligion* 1 7(5 Of the VifiUe and Invifible ligbn. I alTure my felf it will appear froiri a Comparifon, that the Powers, which either the preceeding Difcourfe, or, fo fer as I know, any other Author of this Church who has engaged in this Controverfy afcribe to the vijible Oflicers of the Chrlftian Church, are no other than the Church of Englaud claims to herMinifters • and confequently this Charge is in Eifea laid againft the Dodrines and Con- ftitution of this Church, and can be look'd on as nothing elfe but a Revival of the old Cla- mours againft fopery and Prelacy. It miglit indeed have been hoped that this Church fhou'd for oiie Age at leaft have been fecute from this Calumny, and that none who remember'd with how refolute a Zeal flie op- pofed Fopery in a late Reign fliou'd fufpeft Her of any Inclination to return to that Com- munion. But becaufe this is a Slander un-^ der which fhe has often labour d, and by which fhe has been once de(lroydi, it more particu- cularly concerns us to defend her Doctrines or Difcipline from this Imputation. In order to this, I beg leave to obferve, that Topery is a Word of very ambiguous and un- certain Application : If we look with Atten- tion into that confufed Multitude v/ho join in this Our-crj.^ againft us, we Ihail find that the Mutiny is led on by a Sett of Beifts, Avi- ans , Socinians and other Hereticks, and the Rear of it is brought up by a Rabble of Se- Banes ^ *, and, I think, I need not trouble my felf with proving that by Fopery the Former of Church ^Christ. 177 of thefe mean Chriftiamty^ and the Latter the Church of England '^ and with thefe many honeft and good Chriftians, are pre- vail'd on to joyn, deceiv'd by an Equivo- cal Word, who by Popery mean the fame thing that we do, the Tyranny and Cor- ruptions of the Church of Ro?ne. Now we readily acknowledge, that after the Way which the two forrnsr of thefe call Popery, fo worfnip we the God of our Fathers, and his Son Jefus Chrift. And the Laft, we hope, will be perfuaded to feparate them- felves from the Counfels of thefe wicked i/itn, who by fuggefting Fears of Fopery, where no fuch fear is , wou d . drive them into Conclufions deftruclrive of this Prote- ftant Church, and of Chriftianity it felf. To refcue them from this Delufion I defire them to recollecl. Fir ft. That Popery has never been fo un- anfwerably baffled as by the Clergy of this Church, who have not found themfelves obliged by their Defence of it, to depart from any of thofe Dodrines which are now reprefented as favouring their Adver- faries (/)• Secondly, That all the Powers we claim to the Minifters of the Church are clearly (a) Vid. The two Anfwers to the Bilhop oi M^^iUxs Expo- f'C'oaof the Doftrine of the Catholick Church, .S";//. 20. Bo.h i^ruued in i5^'5. N preyed 178 CH^ the Ftfihle and Tnvifihle proved to have been deliver'd down to them by Chrift and his Apoftles, who we pre- fume will not be fufpefted of Inclinations to Popery. But, Thirdly^ I mufl efpecially obferve, That this very Charge of promoting Popery, may with much greater Juftice be return 'd on the Authors of it, than it can be imputed to thofe on whom they labour to fix it. We cannot give Popery a greater Advan- tage than by reckoning any of the Primitive Truths of Chriftianity among the Corrup- tions of the ChxUrch : Hoc Ithacus velit & rnagno mercentnr Jtrid^', For thefe Articles being capable of clear and inconteftable Proofs, 'tis eafy for the Mif- fwnaries of that Religion, by fhewing how much it is injured in thefe Imputations to perfuade Men that they are equally abu- fed in all other : And that all the Do- clrines objeded to, will, upon Examination, be found as well fupported as thefe. And fo again, when 'tis declared , that tlie Reformation cannot he defended but up- on fach Principles as are apparently deflru- dive of all Order and Polity in the Church of Chrift, fince it may be proved to any reafonable Man, that an External Order and Polity were inftituted in the Church by Chrift and Ins Apoftles, and that with- out Church ojT C H R I s T. 1 79 out them it could not fubfifl: , This Con- clufion muft ?ippear unavoidable to him, that the Reformatmi cannot be defended but up- on fuch Principles as contradid an Infti- tution of Chnft and his Apoftles, and are in their Confequences fubferfive of the Chriftian Religion j and what hi? next In- ference muft be need not be fuggefted. It certainly deferves a ferious Confide- ration from every good Froteftant, that our Enemies of the Church of Rome have la- bour'd for the Proof of no Point with more Application than that which is here in effed granted them, viz. That \ht Prin- ciples upon which the Reformation was foun- ded, are inconfiftent with all Order, Dif- cipline, and CEconomy in the Vijible Church. Whoever looks into the Chriftian Modera- tor (a\ Fiat Lux (b\ Rax vohis^ the Rrote- /}a?ifs Plea for a Socinian (c) , and many other Authors of the Romiflj Church in our own Language, will prefently fee that the fole aun and drift of thofe Books is to expofe the Reformation as form'd upon thefe Pofitions as its Principles, —That no Chriftian has Authority to be Ruler or Guide to another in Matters of Religion — That every one has a a Riqht to interpret Scripture as He pleafes^ to felieve what He pleafes, and to worjhip God in what way or manner He pleafes (a) ^r'mted Ann. i6$2* (b) Vtinttd Amu 1662, (c) Print- ed Ann. 16^6. . , K 2 And i8o Of the J^ijihle and Invifihle And upon this Suppofit'wn they proceed to Ihew, That no Herefy can be convinced, no Order, no Miniftry, no Difcipline, no Form or Appearance of a Vijihle Society be pre- ferv'd in the Church upon the Principles of the Reformatioiu And if the STtppofition be allowed, I am afraid it will be diffi- cult to avoid the Confequences they deduce from it. And therefore thofe worthy Per- fons who have Undertaken to anfwer any of thefe infidious Treatifes deny the Sup- pofttion , and prove contrary to it , That the Principles of the RefcrtnaUon acknow- ledge an Authority of Rule, Doftrine, and Jurifdiftion in fome Chriftians over others ^ That they do not allow every one to In- terpret as he pleafes, to Believe as he plea- fes, or to worfoip God as he pleafes. That the Scripture is a plain Rule in all Things necelfary, which every one is obliged to underftand in its plain Senfe. That in all difficult and doubtful Cafes, the Determi- nations of our appointed Guides are a Rule which we are bound to receive, and ad by, and that whoever profeifes or ads con- trary to plain Scripture, in one Cafe, or the Diredion of his proper Guides in the other, is juflly puniffiablp by the Cenfures and Aii- thorhy of the Church. But with what Triumph will their Ad" verf'iries novv^ reol]/ to thefe iVnTwers, and appeal in proof of their Suppofaion to the ConceffioDs- of thofe who profefs themfelves "the Church of Christ^ i8i the greateft Champions of the Proteflant Caitfd ^ How will they infult us with an Ex ore trio, when they can produce not a few Enthufiafts, but the Reverend and Right Reverend of our Church declaring in Terms, that Thefe are in Truth the Rrinciples of the Reformation , and that it cannot be de- fended upon any other > One would ima- gine thefe Perfons mufl: prevaricate in the Caufe they pretend to appear for, That the hand of the Jefviit was with them, and that they only purfued the Defign of the Authors abovementioned. For I think 'tis impoflible to ferve the Interefts of the Church of Rome more efFedually, than by repre- fenting the Reformation as founded on fuch Principles as the Rights of the Church, and other late Authors, who feem to Copy after the Sentiments of that Book have alierted. And whoever is convinced that the Reformation cannot be defended but up- pon fuch Rrinciples as Thefe, will eafily be prevailed on to make this Inference, That Salvation can only be had in the Church of Ry^cme. I do not know whether it may be thought an Objedion againfl: thefe Doctrines, that they Expofe the Church of England to the ^alice and Scorn of every petulant SeBary •, That they throw down all her Inclofures, trample her Articles, Orders, and Difcipline under Foot, and leave her naked and de- fencelefs , v/ithout Authority to Correft, "^ ' or 1 8 2 Of the Vtfihle and Invtfihle or even Rebuke her Enemies. But it cannot but raife the concern of her true Sons to fee Thofe who eat of her Bread, and are nou- riflied in her Bofom, lift up the fame Wea- pons againft her, by which all her Adver- faries labour her Deftruftion, and by Avhich, as I obfervM, they once accom.plilh'd it. He muft be a Stranger to the Hiftory of Forty One^ who has not obferv'd that the Church of England was not deftroy'd by oppofing any dated Scheme of Religion againft it, but by general Declamations againft the Tyranny of Impofitions^ and by Preten- ces of reftoring Chrift to his Kingdom^ and his Subjeds to their Liberty *, in fhort, by the very fame licentious Principles, al- moft word for word that are now contend- ed for. The Presbyterians, indeed, tho' they join'd at fiift in this common Cry of the Enthu- Jiaffs of thofe times, which They faw was of fuch excellent Ufe in pulling down and demoliftiing, that nothing could ftand before it, prefiuned They IhouTd be able to ferve themfelves out of the Effeds of it, and efta- blilh their own Projed of Religion upon the Ruins. But alas ! They found themfelves miferably deceived in the Event : For the fame Engines which they made ufe of in bartering down the Church, were immedi- ately turn'd againft them ^ and tho' they iftruggled hard againft the Stream, and preach- ed loudly for the Neceflity of Church Dif- ciplinej Church ofGnRisT. 183 cipline, yet they were forc'd to fabiiiit, and were carried down by the fame Tor- rent of Anarchy which had fwept away the EpifcGpal Church before -^ while the Fa- pifts flood by and laugh'd at the Confa- fion, telling us, that thefe were the necef- fary and unavoidable Fruits of the Princi- ples of the Reformation, prefs*d hoitie to their Confeqnences {a). That thefe were the Do- drines by which we fupplanted them, and which wou'd Supplant and Overturn every Church that fliould pretend to Ad as a V7pie Society to the End of the World. But bleffed be God we are able to defend our Reformation upon better Principles than thefe, fuch as are confiftent with that Order and Polity which Chrift inftituted in his Church 5 and fuch as will equally preferve it from the Tyranny of their UfurpatJons on the ont hand, and the confufion of Fa- 7iat2ck Aiiarchy on the other. And, in the Bowels of our Lord Jefus Chrift^ let me intreat thofe Authors who have put the IfTue of the Proteftant Caufe upon fuch Principles, as are deftruftive of all Order and Difcipline in the Church of Chrift, to confider what Advantages they give to the Enemies of the Reformation, of the Church of England^ and of our common Chrifianity. (a) Fiat Lux, p. iS8, iSp, ipi, 255. R. T» Anfvver to Dr . Boughen\ Account of the Cbu: ch CathoUck, p. i lOi .^ j The 1 84 Of the Vifihle and Invijihle The Papifts, we may reafonably fear, will be the greateft Gainers from the Confufion which this Scheme tends to introduce. For the Perplexity and Diftrefs which is brought upon tiie Mind by thefe Principles, arifes from their apparent Inconfiftency with the being of the Church as a viJiMe Society. Now. whoever is convinced that the Church of Chrill is a vi/iMe Society , and at the fame time believes what thefe iVuthors fo confidently afiirm, xhztt\\t Reformation can- tM he defended httt upon thefe Principles^ will want very little Perfuafion to con- clude, that this Reform'd Church cannot be the true Church of Chrift. All the Ad- verfaries indeed of our Church concurr in advancing this Scheme, which in its im- mediate Confequences tends to diifolve its Union , and deftro^^ its external Ci^iftitu- tion, and each have their feveral Views of Advantage from the Succefs of it.. For if once the Sheep can be deprived of their Shepherds V or which is all one, the Shep^ herds can be deprived of all Authority o- ver them ^ every Seel has its Profpecl of gathering up the difperfed and fcatter'd Fleck, and uniting them to themfelves, wliiift tlie common Enemies of Chriilianity hope, that the fame Arguments will, with equal Succefs, be applied to one after ano- ther, and in the End fubvert them All. In few words -^ He, who by thefe Do'^lrines is convinced tiiat the Church of Chrilf is not a n- Church of Christ, i 8 ^ a ViJIMe Society, will probably in a little time fall to the InfiJels ihare, and He who concludes no farther from them than that theReform'd Church cannot fubfift as a Ti- JiMe Society, will naturally fall a Prey to the Papifts. And iince it may be prefu- med, that the greater Part of thofe whom thefe Doftrines may unfettle in their Reli- gion, may be unwilling totally to depart from Chriftianity •, the Latter have the fair- eft Profpecl of being ferved by them. That they hope for uncommon Advan- tages from the Diftradions to which thefe Dodrines lead, appears from their lately Reprinting Eat Lux, and otlier Treatifes, whofe whole drift is to expofe the Refer- ?natwn as founded on thefe very Doclrines as its Principles • and I am allured, that In- ftances may be produced of Perfons who m.erely from reading feme late celebrated Defences of the Refcrmat?o?i upon thefe Prin- ciples, have imm.ediately, and without any Application from, the Miffionaries of Ro7rie, come out of their Clofets profeft Pap;/h. It may perhaps be faid, and I hope tru- ly, that thefe Authors did not intend that .•^ny of thefe Inferences Ihould be made from their Doclrines ^ That what they affert of the Equality of all Chriftians, Skc. Tliey meant only of ^ the hivifihle Church • ni which Application we acknowledge it to be true. Let all this be granted , yet tis evident, that this Limitation oi their Doftrincs does notap- O pear 1 86 Of the ViJiUe and Invtjihle pear to their Readers, both Friends and Ad- verfaries underftand them otherwife, and believe it to be exprefly taught in their Writings, that the Church of Chrifl: is not a Vifihle Society , and that the Powers or- dinarily claim'd to the Minifters of the Church, are Prieftcraft and Ufurpation, Let thefe Authors but fairly and explicitly de- clare themfelves to agree with us in thefe Points^ and we have no farther any Con- troverfy with them ^ Let them but re- nounce thofe Confequences, which the Weak- nefs of Some, and the Malice of Others, has drawn from their Affertions, and aifure us, that They themfelves believe thofe Prin- ciples by which the Viiible Society of Chrift's Church fubfiils, and we Ihall no longer ap- prehend any Danger from their Writings : But when nothing of this is done, when They are daily underftood in a Senfe from which Conclufions are inferred deftrudive of Chriftianity , we think our felves equally obliged to oppofe thefe Conclufions, and prevent the Mifchiefs v/ith which They threaten us, whether thefe Authors i?itended them or not. In the precedeing Difcourfe, I have en- deavour'd to {hew, that without any Incon- fiftency we may affirm of Chriftians, That as Members of the Invijible Churchy They are i?mneJiatelj! and only SubjeB to Chrifi : And that a^ Members of the Vifihle^ They are Sub- jeB to certain Officers whom Chri(i has ap- Church of Cur IS r. 187 pointed for the external Government of his Church. And if the Authors abovemention'd did not defign to reprefent thefe two Cha- rafters as inconfiftent with each other I may hope to receive their Thanks for 're- ftraining their Dodrines within fuch Limi- tations as leave them without Objedion : But if they have really intended by gene-^ ral and unreftrain'd AiTertions concerning the Rights or Duties of Chriftians to cafl: a Mifl before the Eyes of Men, and lead them into Conclulions deftrudive of the ex- ternal Conflitution of the Church • I hope what has been here fuggefted, wiJl 'in fome raeafure lay open the Fallacy, and prevent Mens being farther impofed on by it. I am fenfible that tliis Difcourfe cannot prefume to call it felf a conipkat Account of the Church of Chrift, as diffinguifh'd by thefe two Ideas of Vifible and InvifiMe-^ a SubjecT: of fuch Extent and Importance, that any one Man's Life would be very fully and ufefuUy imploy'd in the Confideration of it. But my Defign oblig'd me to confider it on- ly fo far as appear'd neceffary to infer this Conclufion, That what is affirm'd of the Church under One Idea, is not irreconcile- able with what is afErm'd of it under the Other. That a great Part of the Dangers and Di- ftraaions have either befaln or threatned this Church for fome Ages paft, and which par- ticularly alarm our Apprehenfions at prefent, may 1 88 Of the Vifihle and Invijihle ^^y be afcribed principally to the Confufion oJF thefe two Ideas, will appear to any one. who will trace the feveral Attempts that have been made upon our Peace and Con- ftitution back to their Principles. The ju- dicious . Mr. fl'^^fer faw plainly how dange- Touily this Stumbling-block lay in the Way of Mens Inquiries into the Nature and Con- ftitution of the Church. But many other even amiong the Ornaments and Defenders of our Church, tho' they had the good Fortune to pafs by it, yet feem not to have perceiv'd it. None, however, have appiy'd themfelves either to remove or caution Men of the Dan- ger 5 it has ftill lain in the Way, and Multi- tudes have fain upon it, . If any thing that has been fuggefted in this Difcourfe may place fo much Light up- on this Rock of Offence, that for the future it may more eafily be avoided, or may afiift any other Hand more equal to the Work in wholly removing it, I Ihall efteem my felf to have been happily imploy'd, FINIS. ERRATA. PPpf p. viii. 1. 5. r. fnch Infmu.'^th-As of the Tyranny, p. 3. 1 i^^ fortbev u thefe Tm/rj-, p.^7. L 10. after /^ro^v.ea' add to, vh'aA ic! 1 1 • ^' coiifeiPsthe A'^ o[ia^i of fiie C^^rdJ, or. a de^ ju-tof htoka nei^d^ ^nmm rf obiain^n^- Gds Par dm as a e. ,jft !W t' (t •ill