The Due Right of Presbyteries, Chapter 10 · Section 15 · Objection 4
Object. 4. But a Synod or a classicall presbytery hath more … and authoritie, then one private man, or one single Congregation. 1. Because they are a company of Elders, to whom, as to the Priests of the Lord, whose lips should preserve knowledge, the …yes of knowledge, and consequently a power and Synodicall authoritie is given, though they have no power of jurisdiction. 2. Because as a private mans power is inferiour to a Pastors, so is the power of classicall and Synodioall meeting of Elders above a man, or a single congregation; and a Synod, in dogmaticall power, ariseth so higher then these, … divine institution doth fall upon it.
Answ. The power of order and the key of knowledge doth elevate a Pastor, whose lippes doth preserve knowledge, above a private Christian, yea as I conceive above a multitude of beleevers; but I would know if a Synods dogmaticall power bee above the power of single congregations; I thinke it is not, by our brethrens …enents, for they say expresly aChurch. government. Answ. to qu. 14. pag. 43, 44.that every particular …, jus, to decide dogmaticall points, and this …ight the Church of Antioch had, Act. 15. and laboured to end that … in her selfe, which sheweth that they had right and … we, but they had not habilitie, and therefore in that case, they …, light and advise from other Churches, and they say blb Answ. … q. 18. pag. 64 So Mr. Mather and Mr. Thomson against Mr. Herlo, c. 2.The c…niociation of Churches into classes and Synods, wee … to bee lawfull, and in some cases necessary; as namely in things … not peculiar to one Church, but common to all. And likewise when a Church is not able to end any matter, that concernes onelyonly themselves, the… they are to seek advise & counsell from neighbour Churches: hence the power of Synods is only by way of counsel and advise, & a Pastors advise is but an advise, & he giveth not his advise, virtute …, as he is a Pastor, for then his advise should bee pastorall and auth…itative, and proceeding from the power of order, though not from the power of jurisdiction; hee onelyonly giveth his advise as a gifted and inlightned man, and so, to my poore knowledge, two hundreth, five hundreth holy and learned Pastors determining in a Synod any dogmaticall point, they sit all there not as in a court, not as Pastors, for then their Decrees should have pastorall authoritie, and some power formally ministeriall to determine, yea and to sway, in a ministeriall way, by power of the keyes of knowledge, all the inferiour Churches, whom the decree concerneth, even as the Eldership of Perg…mus, which to our brethren is a congregationall Church, doth decree by the dogmaticall power of the keyes of knowledge that the doctrine of Balaam is a false doctrine, therefore they sit there as gifted Christians, and so have no Church-power more then a private brother or sister of the Congregation hath toward, or over another: for though a multitude of counselling and advising friends be safer and more effectuall to give light, then a counselling friend, yet are they but a multitude of counselling friends, and the result of all counselling and advising men doth never rise higher then a counsell and advise, and can never amount to the nature of a command: as twenty sch…-fellowes, suppose as …udent and wise as the twentie masters of an Universitie, if these twentie schoole-fellowes give their advise and counsell … a weightie businesse that concerneth the practise and obedience of all the students, the result of their counsell and advise can never bee more then an advise, and cannot amount to the same determination of the twentie masters of the Universitie, the result of whose determination is a soveraigne commandement and an authoritative and judiciall decree and statute to all the whole Universitie. 2. Whereas these Godly brethren say the power of Synods in things which belong to particular Churches is but a counsell and advise, they should have told their mind, whether or no the Synod hath more then advise and counsell in things that are not peculiar to one Church, but common to all the Churches in that bounds, for it would seeme that a Synod is a colledge of commanders in dogmaticall points, that doe equally concerne all Churches (this should have beenespoken to) though in those things which are peculiar to each particular Church, they bee but a colledge of friendly advisers and counsellers.
2. If a Synod bee but a societie of counsellers, they have no more any authoritative power to pronounce the sentence of non-communion, against any single Congregation or private man, then a private man or a single Congregation hath authoritative power to pronounce that sentence against them: but 3. You make the Synodicall power so above the power of private Christians in counselling, as that this Synodicall power is of divine institution, as you say, but let me aske what to doe? to counsell and advise onelyonly? then that power of counselling in Abigail to David, in one brother or sister to another brother and sister is of divine institution, warranted by the Law of nature, Levit. 19. 18. by the Law of charitie, by the communion of Saints, Col. 3. 15. 1 Thes. 5. 14. Heb. 3. 13. Heb. 10. 24. Mal. 3. 16. Zach. 8. 21, 22, 23. for there is a divine institution, for one brother to counsell and teach another. But if our brethren give a positive power to a Synod, to advise and counsell, which private Christians have not, then this Synodicall power shall not bee different from the power of private Christians gradually onelyonly, as a lesser power to advise differeth from a greater power, but specifically and in nature. And indeed some of our brethren teach so, though I doubt if their brethren will returne them thankes; for this way, which to me is doubtsome. For then the members of the Synod at Jerusalem, seeme to mee, to bee more then counsellers, and there must bee a positive institution by our brethrens grounds to warrant a power Synodicall sentially different from a Church-power, and essentially above it: for wee teach that because a congregation is a part of a classicall Church, and a classicall Church a part of a provinciall Church, that this power in Congregations, Presbyteries, and Synods differ onelyonly gradually, in more or lesse extention, and by the way.
Whereas some derive all Church-power from a single congregation to presbyteries and classes, ascendendo, by ascending, Church-power in the Church intrinsecally, and not by other ascending or descending derived to any one part by another.others derive it from presbyteries to a Congregation, descendendo, yea and some from the Catholick visible Church to nationall assemblies, and from nationall assemblies to provinciall Synods, and from Synods to Presbyteries, from Presbyteries to Congregations; I, with reverence of the learneder, doe here conceive, that there is no such cursory derivation to bee dreamed of; but because the Catholick visible Church is the great organicall body whereof Christ Jesus God blessed for ever is head and King, & it is to…um integrale, therefore there is no derivation either by climbing up staires, or going downe, but Jesus Christ hath communicated his power to this great politicall body, and all its parts immediatly; to a Congregation hee hath given, by an immediat flux from himselfe, a politicall Church power intrinsecally in it, derived from none but immediately from Jesus Christ, and the object of this power is those things that concerne a Congregation; and that same head and Lord hath given immediatly an intrinsecall power to the Presbytery, in things that are purely classicall, and that without either the intervening derivation of either a Congregation that is inferior to the Presbytery, by ascending, or without any derivative flux of a Synodicall, nationall or Catholick visible Church, by descending; and the like immediatly conveyed power politicall commeth from this glorious head to a Synodicall, or nationall, or the Catholick visible Church, and the reason is, the very nature of the visible Church which is totum integrale, a great integrall intire body, now we know that life commeth to the thighes immediatly from the soule, neither by derivation from the feet and legs, by way of ascending, nor yet from the armes, brea…s, and shoulders, by descending. I deny not but here there may bee in other considerations, some order; as, if you aske which is t… first Church; I answer with these distinctions of primatus, firstnesse.
1. The first Church, by way of constitution, is a congregation, Constitution and Intention.in the family of Adam and E….
2. The first Church, by way of divine intention, is the Catholick Church.
Hence secondly, The first Church, by generation, or the order of generation, and so the lesse perfit, is a Congregation, and here is an ascension still from the part to the whole, from a Congregation to a Presbytery, from thence to a provinciall Church, from thence to a nationall, from thence to the Catholick Church.
And the first Church by way of perfection, is that Catholick Queen Generation and Perfection.and Spouse which Christ is to present to the Father, without sp… or wrinkle, and all parts are for this perfect whole, all the ministery, ordinances, the dispensation of the worke of redemption, Christ, his death, resurrection, intercession, &c. are for this as the end, the perfectum totum, Ephes. 5. 25, 26. Ephes. 4. 11. 12. 13. 1 Cor. 15. 23, 24.
Hence thirdly, if wee regard the order of operation; The Congregation Exercise of power, and power it selfe.is primum movens, and primum operans, for all the motions of the Catholick-Church beginneth at the inferior wheeles and at the lower spikes, if a generall councell bee to inact any thing, motions must begin at the single Congregation at Antioch, at Jerusalem, and from thence ascend to a Preshytery, and from thence a nationall Church is to send their Commissioners to act in a Catholick councell, though if wee looke to the power it selfe, it is intrinsecally in the whole and in every part of the Catholick Church.
The fourth distinction considerable here is, that wee are to regard either,
| 1. The order of nature, | Or 1. The order of the inhesion of this power. |
| or 2. The order of time. | Or 2. Of the reall derivation of … power. |
If wee respect the order of nature, the power, by order of nature, is given by Christ immediatly, first to the whole Catholick Church, as is proved before at length, and by this order of nat… … inhereth first in the whole Catholick Church, as mans organized intire whole body is, by natures order, the first adequat and principall subject of life and the reasonable soule, not this … this part, but in regard of order of time, or reall derivation of …, this whole power is immediatly conferred by Jesus Christ on the whole Catholicke visible Church, and to every part of it, and any reall derivation of power from one part of the Catholick Church to another by ascension or descension is not to bee dreamed of here. As Commissioners of cities and shires have from those cities and shires who choosed them a virtuall power Parliamentary, yet is it not formally a power Parliamentary while the Parliament receive them as formall members, and then, by Law of the State, there falleth on them a formally parliamentall power: so Commissioners have from their Churches which sent them, onelyonly a virtuall or radicall power, but they have never a formally Synodicall power, by virtue of a divine institution, while they bee convened in Christs name Syn dically. It is true, the members of a generall councell derive their virtuall power to voyce, and conclude from the na…n…ll Church that sent them to the councell, but give me leave, this is but a derived power of membership making them fit to bee incorporated in a Synod, but being once incorporated, they have by their power of order, and by Christs immediate institution, a power immediatly given by Christ, in whose …ames they conveene, to voyce and conclude as a formall coun…, and to say, It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to us; they cannot say, … good to the Churches that sent us.
The 5. distinction is, that the power is considered either …exercised ordinarily, or 2. occasionally. In regard of the …mer ordinary power is seated collaterally in the Congregation and Presbytery, in each according to its proportion of power, but because the power is compleater in the Presby…, which is a compleat body, and lesse compleatly in the Congregation, which is lesse compleat, it is more principally seated in the Presbytery; in regard of the latter Synods are the first subject of the occasionall Church-power, in things which …e in common belong to many Presbyteries, or to a nationall- Church. But to returne, if the Synodicall power bee different in essence and nature and not gradually onelyonly, from the counsell and advise of Christians, then, first, it is not a determination that bindeth, by way of counsell and brotherly advise onelyonly, but under some higher consideration, which is as like a Church-relation of Church-power, as any thing can bee, seeing here bee Pastors acting as Pastors; 2. formally gathered in a councell; 3. speaking Gods Word; 4. by the holy Ghost. But this shall bee against the Church-government of New England. aQuest. 18. pag. 64. 65.2. If it bee essentially different from an advise and councell and warranted by divine institution, why doe not our brethen give us Scripture for it? for if they give us Act. 15. then can they not say that the Apostles in this Synod did determine and voyce as Apostles by an Apostolick, and immediatly inspiring Spirit, for the spirit Synodicall is a spirit imitable and a rule of pertually induring moralitie in all Synods, and must leade us, for an Apostolick spirit is not now in the world.
3. As they require a positive divine institution, for the frame of a Presbyteriall Church in power above a Congregation, and will not bee satisfied with the light of nature, which upon the supposall of a spirituall government instituted by Christ in a Congregation which is a part, may clearely, by the hand, lead us to the inlarging of that same spirituall government in the whole, that is, to a number of consociated Churches which are all interessed, as one common societie in a common government, so they must make out, for their Synod endued with dogmaticall power a positive divine institution.
4. We desire a warrant from the Word why a colledge of Pastors determining by the Word of God as Pastors having power of order and acting in a colledge according to that power, should not bee a formall and ordinary great Presbytery.
5. How can they, by our brethrens determination, exercise such pastorall acts out of their owne Congregations towards those Churches to which they have no pastorall relation, virtute potestatis ordinis?
6. How can the wisedome of Christ, (who provideth that his servants bee not despised, but that despisers in a Church way should bee censured, 1 Tim. 1. 19, 20.) cloth his messengers in a Synod with a power dogmaticall and deny all power of i…diction to them, upon the supposall that their determinations be rejected? I feare there bee something under this, that none are to bee censured or delivered to Satan for heterodox opinions, except they erre in points fundamentall.
But farther it may bee made good that a power dogmaticall is not different in nature from a power of jurisdiction, for we read not of any societie that hath power to meet to make Lawes and decrees, which have not power also to backe their decrees with punishments: if the Jewish Synedry might meet to declare judicially what was Gods Law, in point of conscience, and what not, and to tie men to it, they had power to conveene and make Lawes, farre more may they punish contraveners of the Law, for a nomothetick power in a societie which is the greater power and is in the fountaine, must presuppose in the societie the lesse power, which is to punish, and the power of punishing is in the inferior judicature, so a nomothetick power ministeriall cannot want a power of censuring. It is true, a single Pastor may ministerially give out commandements in the authoritie of Christ, but hee cannot his alone censure or excommunicate the contraveners of those commandements, but it followeth well in an assembly hee hath power to censure and excommunicate, now here Pastors and Elders are in an assembly.
It is objected; Pastors in a Synod have no jurisdiction as Pasters; for what they doe as Pastors that they may doe there alone, and on; of a Synod: but they doe not, nor cannot determine and give out Canons there alone, and they cannot there alone determine juridically; therefore they doe not wholly and poorely as Pastors in relation to those Churches, give out these decrees, yet doe they not give out the decrees as privite men wholly, but in some pastor all relation, for Pastors as Pastors have something peculiar to them in all Churches whither they come to preach so as a speciall blessing followeth on their labours, though they be not Pastors in relation to all the Churches they come to, even as a Sermon on the Lords day is instamped with a more speciall blessing b…use of Gods institution imprinted on the day, then a Sermon preached in another day.
Answ. This argument is much for us, it is proper to acts of jurisdiction ecclesiasticall that they cannot bee exercised by one onelyonly, but must bee exercised by a societie, now a Pastor as a Pastor his alone without any collaterally joyned with him exerciseth his pastorall acts of preaching and of administrating the Sacraments, but those who give out those decrees, cannot give them out Synodically, but in a Synod and Court-wayes as forensicall decrees, and so in a juridicall way, and because Pastors, whither so ever they come, doe remaine Pastors. 1. The Apostles are not in this Synod as Apostles, Secondly, nor yet as gifted Christians to give their counsell and advise; nor, thirdly (as this answerer granteth) meerely as Pastors, then it must follow that, fourthly, they are here as such pastors conveened Synodically, by divine institution, and that this is the patterne of a Synod.