Justification of Separation from the Church of England, Treatise · Section 58
Your 3. Reason, that, bycause Christ speakes of a few, two, or three Mr. B.gathered together, therefore he meanes the officers of the Church, and not all the body, is of no force, if the body consist but of two, or three, asAnsw. it comes to passe, where Churches are raysed in persecution, as the most true Churches are. Yet if Christ do speak of two or three officers of a Church, gathered together in his name, he speaks against you, where all the power of the keyes over many 1000. Churches are in the hands of two Arch-Prelates, and from them delegated and derived to their severall vnderlings.
But the truth is, that gratious promise, which Christ here layes downe, for the comfort of all his saints, you do engrosse into the hands of a few Elders. You might aswel affirme, that onelyonly two or three officers gathered together, have a promise to be heard in their prayers, and not a communion of two or three brethren, for Christ, v. 19. 20. speakes principally, and expressely of prayer, though with reference to the binding, and loosing of sin, which (as all other ordinances) are sanctified by prayer. The very scope of the place, and reason of the speach is this. The Lord Iesus had v: 18. enfranchised the Church, with a most excellent, and honourable priveledge: now the disciples did already see with their own eyes, and were more fully taught by their Maister, that the Church should arise from small, and base beginnings, and that it was also, by reason of persequution, subject to great dissipation. Math. 7. 14. & 10. 17. 18. 22. 23. & 13. 31. 32. least therefore their harts should be discouraged, and they, or others, driven into suspition, that the Lord would any way neglect them, or his promise towards them for their paucity, and meannes, he most gratiously prevents, and frees them from that jealousy, & telles them and all others, for their comfort, that though the Church, or assembly consist but of two or three (as such beginnings the true Church of God had and have, (though your English Church begū with a kingdome in a day) Act. 16. 14. 15. & 17. 34. & 19. 7. yet that should no way diminish their power, or prejudice the accomplishment of his promise. And the reason hath been formerly rendred, bycause this power for binding, & loosing, being given to the fayth of Peter, depends not vponupon the order of office, multitude of people, or dignity of person, but merely vponupon the word of God. And hence is it that Christ thus gratiously descends even to two or three, wheresoever assembled in his name, yea though it be in a Cave, or Den of the earth: of which most gratious and necessary priveledge you would bereave them.
Now in your 4. Reason out of v. 19, you do most ignorantly erre in the grāmaticall construction: for you make a change of the person agayne, where there is no change at all. Christ speakes onelyonly in the third person, as the originall makes it plaine, though the English tongue do not so distinctly manifest it to an ignorant man. Christ sayth not, whatsoever you two shall agree of, shalbe given to them, that is to the Church, but whatsover two of you shall agree of, or consent in, they two that so agree shall obteyne it of God. Which words (Mr B.) you do most vnsufferably pervert, to the seducing of the ignorant: as if Christ had sayd, if two, or three of you officers, or you two or three officers, shall agree together of a thing, whatsoever they, that is the Church shall desire, namely of the Officers (for so you expound the words) it shalbe givē them. where it is most evident that they which are to agree vponupon the thing, they are to ask it, and that of God, who will give it them. And where the scripture sayth, that the brother offended (speaking indefinitely of any brother, and so of the Officers themselves) must complayn to the Church, M B. on the contrary (as if he would even beard the Lord Iesus) tells vsus the Church must complayn to the Officers.
Your 5. Reason followes with many litle ones in the womb of it, which you bring forth in order, to prove, that Christ speakes here figuratively, and that by the Church he means the governours.