Defense from the Imputation of Self Contradiction by Daniel Cawdry, Chapter 4
CHAP. 4.
Touching the seaventh, Contradiction and eighth.
The seaventh Contradiction is thus gathered.
| 7. It was a Sacrilegious Breach of Order, That Commissaries and Chancellours wanting the Key of Order (no Ministers) have been invested with Jurisdiction. Yea and more then Ministeriall Authority, above those Elders, who labour in word and Doctrine. The Keyes pag. 16. | 7. There is a Key of Power given to the Church (with the Elders) as to open a doore of entrance to the Ministers calling, so to shut the doore of entrance against them in some cases &c. The Keyes p. 9. Yea to Censure all their Elders (without Elders) The Way p. 45. as before. |
Ans. The power given to the Commissaries Chancellors &: I justly called a Sacrlegious Breach of Order in more Respects than one.
1. In that being no Ministers, they exercised more than Ministeriall Authority over the Elders. For Ministers doe not exercise Authority over Elders, no nor over any Brother, but with consent of the Church. But these doe it without, and against the Consent of the Church.
2. In that they exercise this Authority even in Churches wherein they have not Received the key of Order, and so stand not so much as in the Order of Members amngst them.
3. In that they proceed against them, not for crimes committed against the word of God, but for Neglect of Popish-Canons or Humane Traditions.
But now no Authority allowed to Brethren either in the Keyes or in the Way, cometh neere to this Breach of Order.
For 1. In Joyning with the Elders to open a doore of entrance to Minister's calling, They put forth no Act of Authority (properly so called) at all: but only exercise a liberty and Power orderly which they have Received from the Lord Jesus, to elect their own officers, As the Peoples election of Deacons (Act. 6. 2. to 5th.) And their lifting up of hands in the choice of Elders (Act. 14. 23.) doth declare. And when they doe shut them forth it is not without their Elders, where their Elders are not wanting, or not wanting to their Duty. And even then, they put forth no Act of Office Rule, or Authority (properly so called) as the Commissaries doe, but only an Act of Judiciall Power common to the whole Church, 1 Cor. 5. 12.
2. The People do exercise this Power only in their own Church where themselves are members, and have Received a key of Order.
3. They proceed not against any, much lesse against their Elders, but for notorious offences, committed against the word of God, in Doctrine or life, so that this Contradiction speaketh as little ad idem as any of the former.
Touching the 8th Contradiction.
The 8th Contradiction is represented thus.
| 8. We are so farre from Allowing that Sacrilegious usurpation of the Ministers office, That private Christians ordinarily take upon them to Preach the Gospell Publickly, The Keyes, pag 6. | 8. This is ordinarily Practised in England, and Allowed by the Independant Brethren. Yea they being but in the Notion of Gifted Brethren, no Ministers to other Congregations, doe it ordinarily themselves. |
Ans. 1. This Contradiction is not of me to my selfe, but of some others, who whether they be Independants truly so called, I doe not know: sure I am, that Presbyterians and Independants are not membra Dividentia, though I see, that all that are not for Popery, or Episcopacy, or Presbytery, doe commonly lurke under the style of Independancy. I hope the Replyer would be loth to Renounce the Protestant Religion, because there are found some contradictions, and greater than these, in one of them to another.
Ans. 2. When I call it a Sacrilegious usurpation for Private Christians Ordinarily to take upon them to Preach the Gospell Publickly, & to Administer the Sacraments; yet this latter of Administring the Sacraments the Replyer leaveth out, and so the Contradictiction is not ad idem: which is a Common failing in this, and the rest. For I would not say that it is a Sacrilegious usurpation, for well gifted Brethren (where ordained Ministers cannot be had) there to Preach ordinarily and Publickly, especially if they be Approved by those that have Power, and requested thereto by the People, wherein I goe further in giving way to the Prophecying of Private Brethren, than my Reverend Brethren (the Prefacers to the Keyes) doe, who only Allow them to Preach occasionally, and not ordinarily, which I speak only to this end, That the Replyer and others may know, there is more consent and Agreement in our Judgments, then they take notice of, or sometimes our selves either. But if Private Brethren doe Administer the Sacraments at all whether ordinarily, or Occasionally, It seemeth to me like the Fact of Uzziah in offering Incense.