Defense from the Imputation of Self Contradiction by Daniel Cawdry, Chapter 5

Defense from the Imputation of Self Contradiction by Daniel Cawdry · Chapter 5

p. 48CHAP. 5.

Touching the 9^th Contradiction.

The 9^th Contradiction is layd out thus.

p. 49Ans: 1. This is one of those Differences, of which I spake before, that lyeth rather in Logicall Notion, than either in Doctrine of Divinity, or in Church Practise. Against which the exception made above, hath been Answered above, in clearing the first Contradiction.

Ans. 2. There is no colour of Contradiction betweene the two former Columnes. For when I say A Particular Church is the first Subject of all the Church Officers and their Gifts, I speak not of this or that particular Church, (which is but an Individuall) but of a Particular Church taken Indefinitely, which (by meere errour of the Printer) is without sence said, taken Independently, which is the Disadvantage of us, who live so far remote from the Presse, that we can neither prevent their mistakes nor correct them afterwards. But take a Particular Church Indefinitely & it comprehendeth all Particular Churches: And that God hath given to Particular Churches all spirituall officers together p. 50with their Gifts, for the Discharge of their offices, is Proved by evident Texts of Scripture, in that very Page of the Keyes 31. I doe not say (as some doe) that the Church meaning the Fraternity is the first subject of all spirituall Gifts (for then they had received them immediately without officers:) but I say the offices and Officers, not devoid of Gifts, but furnished with their gifts, are given by Christ to the Church freely, and not to any other Person or Society, from whom the Church Receiveth them.

But this no whit crosseth, what is said in the second Columne, That Elders are the first Subjects of ordinary Ministeriall Power, and Apostles of Apostolicall Power, and Synods, of Synodicall Power. A wife may be the first subject of her own Dowry, but yet her Husband is the first Subject Recipient of his wife with her Dowry.

Ans. 3. As for what is said differently by my Brother Hooker in the third Columne, as his Person and Gifts and p. 51Friendship were pretious and deare to me whilest he lived: so now that he resteth in Glory, his Name and memory, and labour (saving some very few private Notions) are honourable, and blessed, with me, and I suppose with all that knew him. But in this Logicall Notion, I crave leave, not so much to dissent from him (for he herein Dissented from me, who wrote first, rather than I from him) but leave I crave not to Retract what I formerly wrote in the Keyes touching this Point, though I should as much suspect mine own judgment, where he Dissenteth from me, as where any man. It is true he taketh the Church of Covenanted Believers to be the first Subject of the power of the keyes, vvhichwhich if he meane no more, than that they have all Church-Power either formaliter, or Radicaliter, and Virtualiter, then there is no Difference in our expressions; but if he meane that that they are the first Subject of all Church-Povver properly, two or three things Detaine me from consenting p. 52with him herein. 1. That vvhichwhich is the first Subject of any Povver Receiveth it immediately vvithout any other Intervening Subject. As fire being the first Subject of Heate, Receiveth not his Heate from any former Subject. But it is evident, That many a Church of Believers, hath not Received Pastorall Gifts, nor it may be any Gifts fit for office, 'till they fetch them from other Churches, and sometimes from some who are not members of any Particular Church at all.

2. The first Subject of any Power, as it hath immediately Received it: so it may immediately exercise it: as Fire (the first subject of Heate) can Heate without Intervention of any other subject.

But the Church hath not Power immediately to exercise Pastorall Preaching, or Administration of the Sacraments, 'till it have procured and chosen, and called forth some or other Gifted Persons to exercise the same.

3. I might Adde a third Reason to p. 53both the former. Whatsoever is properly the first Subject of any Power, It hath that same Power, or some other equivalent, and analogicall to it, not only radicaliter and virtualiter, but Formaliter also. And because formaliter, therefore radicaliter and virtualiter. For whatsoever is in any Subject Firstly, (whether it be proper Adjunct, or proper effect, or any other proper Argument) it either floweth from the forme, or from the matter so formed; As for instance, capacity of Learning, or Risibility is in Man, as in the first subject. The former floweth from the Reasonable soule: the latter from the matter of a man so formed. But neither of these are in man radicaliter or virtualiter, but only because they are in a man formally, and so either flow from the forme, or from the matter so formed. Take another Instance, and of another sort. The People that have power to elect a King, though they have not formally kingly power, yet have they a formall Power, to submit p. 54themselves to Kingly Power. And so haveing a formall Power to put one of the Relatives, they have an aequivalent and Analogicall Power to put the other Correlative. For, Posito uno Relatorum, Ponitur etiam & alterum.

As for that which is quoted by the Replyer from M^r Hooker, in the last clause of the third Columne of this contradiction, I see not how it concerneth me, or contradicteth any thing in the former Columnes. For I doe not make any first Subject of Church-Power, and yet others to share in that Power, but not by meanes of that. But as the keyes of the kingdome of heaven are diverse: So I see no Inconvenience, that the first Subjects to whom the severall keyes are committed, may be diverse also. Neither doth the letter of the Text seeme to me to gainesay that, Mat. 16. 18. For though it speak, not to Them but to Thee; a Representing one state or Condition of men: yet say that one condition to be believers and take Believers in a large sence, It comprehendeth p. 55all sorts of Professing Believers, whether Private members, or Elders, or Apostles, indeed all. But neither doe I see any convincing reason seeing Peter stood in a threefold Ecclesiasticall Relation (being both an Apostle, and an Elder, & a Profest Believer) why Christ committing the keyes to him (saying to Thee will I give them) might not Intend to give all the keyes; and the severall sorts of them, according to the severall Relations he stood in.

If it be said All that share in the subject to whom the keyes are Given (in these words, To Thee) they all share alike in the same equall Power of the keyes, because they have all the same Commission: I Answer it would indeed so follow, If there were no other severall Commissions, granted in Scripture else where, but only here; But cleare it is from other Scriptures, That Power of Authoritative Preaching, and Administering the Sacraments, is Given only to Apostles, Elders, and such like officers: but Power p. 56of Priviledge and Judgment, is given all the Fraternity.