Defense from the Imputation of Self Contradiction by Daniel Cawdry, Chapter 6
CHAP. 6.
Touching the 10th Contradiction with the 11th 12th 13th.
The 10th Contradiction is thus held forth.
| 10. Pastour and Flocke are Relates: and so he is a Pastour to none but his owne Congregation. This is the Common Tenent. | 10. The members of any Church we Adm…t t… the Lords Table (if they bring letters testimoniall.) and their Children to Baptisme. The Way p. 68. The Keyes, p. 17. | 10. Administration of Sacraments is a Ministeriall Act: and what Authority hath a Pastour to do it, or they to Receive it from him to whom he is no Pastour? Mr. Hocker Surv. Part. 2. 64, 65. Pastours and Teachers might Pray and Preach in other Churches besides their owne: but not Administer seales and Censures. Bartlets Modell pag. 63. |
Answer 1. That Appearance of Contradiction is easily Removed, if our Doctrine and Practise be knowne, as it is, what a Pastour doeth in his owne Congregation, and to his owne Flock, he doeth it by Pastorall Power, and Authority, what he doth to the members of other Churches, abroad, or out of his own Congregation, He doeth it not Authoritativè, but Precariò, and not in a constant, but in a transient way: which the communion of Churches doth not only Admit, but readily (as occasion serveth) Desire. What Mr Hooker doubted of in this Point, he Answereth himselfe in the end of the same Pag. 65.
If Paul, Apollos, and Cephas, things present and things to come, be all Given to the Particular Church of Corinth (1 Cor. 3. 22.) who yet had no peculiar Interest in them more then other Churches. By the same Right all the officers, and all their Gifts are theirs also, in the same way. Theirs they are not foreign, (for each Church hath his peculiar offices, as their owne propriety): Then they are theirs foreign, for their use, not Authoritatively, nor Ordinarily, but occasionally, as God giveth opportunity; Ordinarily as the Officers must attend to their owne Flock, so must the Flock Depend upon their owne Officers. The officers have no Authority over any Flock, but that which the Holy Ghost hath committed to them: Neither can any other Flock command the employment of any of their Gifts, or any act of their office amongst them. But upon occasion, in a transient way, as they may have need of their Gifts, so they may have need of some Act of their Office, and accordingly may Desire it, and Receive it.
The 11th Contradiction which is thus set forth.
| 11. We Receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper (say the same of 'Baptisme) as a se…le of Communion, not only with the Lord Jesus in our owne Churches but in all the Churches of the Saints, Keyes pag. 17. Del. of 9. Posit pag. 133, 134. | 11. Baptisme (and so the other Sacrament) sealeth up the Externall Communion with a Particular Church &c. Mr H. Surv. Part. 3. pag. 27. And he disputes against it, as to the Catholick Church. |
Answer: When we say, that the Sacraments are Seales of Communion with the Lord Jesus not only in our owne Church, but in all the Churches of the Saints, we do not meane that they seale up the same measure of Externall Communion with other Churches, as with our owne. They do not seale up this Communion, That their officers are our officers, and we their Flock: Or that we have the same Power over them, which we have over our owne members. This were to seale up not a Communion but a Confusion of Churches; And this is that which Mr Hooker in the place alledged doeth deny as our selves also do.
The 12th Contradiction is thus declared.
| 12. It is an Act of the Elders Power and Authority to Examine whether Officers, or members, before they be Received of the Church, Keyes pag 21. | 12. As for Admission, Election, Ordination of Officers, Admission or shutting out of Members, these things the Brethren may do without officers, The Way p. 45. 101 |
Answer: The Answer is Obvious, what the Elders do in this kind, Ex Officio, The Church may do the like in the want of Elders.
The 13th Contradiction is set before us thus.
| 13. Ordination is then Compleat when the People hath Chosen an Officer, and the Presbytery hath laied their Hands on him, Keyes p. 37. | 13. But if the Church want a Presbytery, for want of Elders they want a warrant to Repaire to the Presbytery of another Church to Impose hands upon their Elect Elders, Way, p. 50. |
Answer: In that Place of the Keyes, I only Assert and Prove, That a man of Sufficient Gifts chosen by the People of the Church, and Ordained by the Presbytery of his owne Church, wanteth nothing to the compleat Integrity of his calling. The Right hand of Fellowship given by the Elders of other Churches expresseth their Approbation of his calling, but addeth nothing to the essence, or Integrity of his calling.
But when I say that in want of a Presbytery of their owne, they want a warrant to Repaire to the Presbytery of another Church for his Ordination, I no where say, That the Officer Elected, wanteth the complete Integrity of his calling, for want of the Imposition of hand, of the Presbytery of another Church. And yet that had been requisite to make up a pretence of a Contradiction. The Replyer knoweth that a Church wanting a Presbytery of their owne to lay hands upon an Elect Officer in our Judgment, they may appoint some of the Elders and graver Members of their owne Body, to supply the Defect of their owne Presbytery; which we Account sufficient to the completing of his calling in such a case.
But when I said (in the Way) That the Church wanting a Presbytery, they wanted a warrant to Repaire to the Presbytery of another Church to Impose hands upon their Elect Elders, I meant in way of Subordination to an Extrinsecall Power. For it is against that which both the Reasons Plead, which I there Alleadged for that Purpose. But I no where dislike, That a Church wanting a Presbytery of their owne may send for Elders of other Churches, to Assist them, and to Joyne with them in the Ordination of their Elect Officers.