The Due Right of Presbyteries, Chapter 10 · Section 15 · Objection 13 – Objection 15
Object. 13. Paul exercised the power of the Keyes of knowledge upon Barbarians, and might have preached to Indians, and did pres…h to the scefling Athenians. Ergo, hee might exercise power of jurisdiction over them, and judge those who are without, it is no consequence, and against the word of God, 1 Cor. 5. 12. Yea Paul by this power dogmaticall rebuked the Athenians, Act. 17. 22. I perceive that in Mr. Mather against Mr. Herle, c. 4 p. 43, 44.all things yee are too superstitious, yet Paul had no power to excommunicate the Athenians. Mr. Mather.
Answ. I deny not, but there is great odds betwixt a concionall rebukin…, by way of preaching, which may bee, and is alwayes performed by one, and a juridicall rebuking by a power juridicall of the Keyes, which is performed onelyonly by a Church-s…ci…tie: now it cannot bee denyed but the rebuking of men, because they subverted soules, v. 24. is not a meere concionall rebuking, which may bee performed by one; 1. it is a rebuking, v. 24. (2) it is a rebuking performed by many, by a whole Synod, v. 6. v. 22. (3) It is performed by a politicall societie and body having a dogmaticall power to judge and determine in a doct…inall way, as our brethren say, and consequently as wee say, having a juridicall power, v. 25. It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you, &c. which is undenyably a politicall body, an assembled company, as v. 6. met about a question which concerneth the Churches of Christ, as is cleare, v. 2. v. 6. v. 23. c. 16. 4, 5. c. 21. 25. compared with v. 22. hence a businesse of doctrine which troubleth the Churches of Antioch, c, 15. 2. and of Jerusalem, v. 5, 6, 7, 8. and Syria and Cilicia, v. 23, 24. must bee a Church-businesse in respect of the subject. 2. The question is a Church-question in the matter of practise, it cono…rneth the consciences of the Churches in the point of taking and giving offence, in a Church-societie as this doth, v. 19. That yee trouble not them which amongst the Gentiles are turned unto God, and v. 28, 29. compared with 1 Cor. 10. 24, 25, 26, 27, & c. Rom. 14. 14, 15. this was a Church-…candall or publick offence, as touching the matter, materia qu…nt. (2) The forme and manner of deciding the controversie was a publick Church-way by the Word of God, Act. 15. so … proveth, v. 7, 8. 9. and James, v. 15, 16, &c. maketh good. (4) The efficient causes and agents in the question, are 1. Church-…, v. 6. Apostles and Elders. 2. Church-officers conveened Church-wayes in a Church-body or societie, v. 6. c. 15. and The Apostles and Elders came together (in a Synod, foreign, a word which cur brethren acknowledgeth doth, 1 Cor. 5. 4. note a formall Church-assembly) to consider of this matter, and …, 25. It seemed good to us being assembled with one accord, foreign, and the very word Church is not wanting though with reverence of others, it seemeth not to bee the multitude, seeing the word foreign, beeing so generall, must have its signification from the action and end, for which the meeting is intended, as before I said) as is cleare, v. 22. It pleased the Apostles, Elders, and whole Church. 5. The action they performe, when they are met in a politicall body, is to decide a Church-controversie, that troubled many Churches, Act. 15. 2. v. 23, 24. (6) The end is the peace and edifying of the Churches, as that the Churches of the Gentiles bee not troubled with needlesse ceremonies, as James saith, v. 19. and the good of the Churches, v. 29. from which if you keepe your selves, yee shall doe well, c. 16. 4. And …s they went through the cities they delivered them the Decrees to …, v. 5. so were the Churches established in the faith. Consider … is the happy end and fruit of this Synod; The establish… of the Churches. Therefore have our brethren without reason (I speake with reverence of their learning and godlinese) denied the word Church to bee given to a Synod, or a meeting of Elders, which to mee is cleare, Act. 15. v. 6. The … sending is the Eldership of Antioch; the Church recei…, v. 4. is the Eldership at Jerusalem, and cannot conveniently bee exponed of the whole and numerous thousands that …e…ed at Jerusalem; the rebuking cannot then bee meerely … …inall by the power of the keyes of knowledge which is exercised by one, nor are the Apostles and Elders here considered as meerely Preachers and Teachers in the Act of teacher, for why then should they not bee formally a Church and a Church-assembly, as our Brethren say, if they bee an assembly meeting for preaching the Word? for the exercise of the keyes of Knowledge in the hearing of a multitnde is essentially an act of preaching the Word.
Object. 14. This Synod declares only in a doctrinall way what is necessary, what is scandalous, the same way, that Paul doth, Rom. 14. 14, 15. i Cor. 8. 1 Cor. 10.
Answ. This Synod and Paul declare one and the same thing, Ergo, with one and the same authoritie, it followeth not; Paul writeth, 1 Cor. 5. that the incestuous man should bee excommunicated, and this hee wrote as canonicall Scripture, by the immediat inspiration, of the holy Spirit, if then the Church of Corinth should have excommunicated him, shall it follow that they gave out the sentence of excomunication by the immediate inspiration of the holy Spirit? I thinke not, their Churches sentence had been given out by a meere ecclesiasticall authoritie, according to the wch Churches of Christ to the worlds end doth excommunicate, following the Church of Corinth as a patterne.
Obj. 15. Though these obtruders of ceremonies did pervent so…ks, v. 24. yet the Synod doth not summond them before them, nor excommuncite them, but remit them to the particular Churches to whom it properly belonged to censure, and not to any Synod, or superiour Judicature.
Answ. There was no need to summon them, for these subverters of soules were personally present at the Synod, and rebuked in the face of the Synod as perverters of soules, v. 24. for if they were not present; 1. to whom doth Peter speake, v. 10. Now therefore why tempt yee God to put a yoake on the necke of the disciples, &c. the Apostles and Elders did not impose the yoake of Moses Law upon the beleeving disciples, nor any other, save onelyonly the obtruders of circumcision. 2. Who were they in the Synod who made much disputing? v. 7. note the Apostles, not any save these obtruders. Ergo, they were personally present at the Synod, nor needed they to excommunicate them, for I judge that they acquiesced to the determination of James, which was the sentence of the Synod, and the great dispute spoken of, v. 7. ceased, v. 13. and the conclusion is agreed upon, 22. foreign then it seemed good to the Apostles, Elders and whole Church, and there was reason why these obtruders should acquiesce, so that there was no need of further censure, for there was satisfactiou in part given to both siddes. The question was, whether or no are beleevers now to keepe the Law and the ceremonies of Moses his Law? It was answered by the Synod, by a distinction which favoured, in part, both sides, 1. There is no necessitie that the beleeving Gentiles who are saved by grace as well as the Jewes bee troubled to keepe all the ceremonies, and this satisfied the Apostles who taught that the Gentiles were now made one people with the Jewes, and both are freed in conscience from Moses his yoake, the other part of the distinction it was this, yet there bee some ceremoniall commandements, as not to eate things offered to Idols, blood, and things strangled, (for fornication is of another nature, and abstinence therefrom is of perpetuall necessitie, 1 Cor. 6. 13, 14, 15, 16. 1 Thess. 4. 3. Col. 3. 5.) these must bee avoided, for scandals sake, by all the Jewes, but especially by the Gentiles, lest the weake Jewes, who take these to be divine commandements yet in force, take offence, and this was satisfactorie to the obtruders, and wee heare no more of their disputing, and there is an end of the controversie by the blessed labours of a lawfull Synod. 3. I could easily yeeld that there is no necessitie of the elicit acts of many parts of government, such, as excommunication, ordination, admitting of heathens professing the faith to Church-membership, in Synods provinciall, nationall or oecumenicall, but that Synods in the case of neglect of presbyteriall-Churches, command these particular Churches whom it concerneth, to doe their dutie, and in this sense the Synod, Act. 15. is to remit the censure of excommunication to the presbytery of Antioch and Jerusalem, in the case of the obstinacie of these obtruders of circumcision, but so some power of government is due to the Synod, as prescribing of Lawes and Canons for presbyteries and Congregations.