Plea for Pauls Presbytery in Scotland, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
Q. 7. If there be no true visible Church in the New Testament, but onelyonly a congregation meeting in one place, and no Presbyteriall or representative Church (as they call it) at all.
OVr Brethren hold that the only true publick visible Church in the New Testament is a Congregation of Believers joyned together by a voluntary profession of Faith, and meeting in one place to worship God. They deny 1. That the word (Church) doth ever signifie a Presbytery or Eldership. 2. They deny that there is any representative Church, properly so called, or that it hath the title of a Church in the New Testament. 3. They deny that there is any Provinciall or Nationall Church that can be called a visible politique body of Christ. 4. They deny any Church to have power of jurisdiction over a particular Congregation. For the decision of the present questions, these distinctions are to be observed,
1. There be odds betwixt a Church visible, and a Church ministeriall.
2. There be odds betwixt a Cathedrall or mother Church (and this we deny) and a Church Nationall and provinciall, which cannot meet to the worship of God in all the particular members therof.
3. The Church is termed representative three wayes (as we shall heare) 1. properly, 2. commonly, 3. most properly.
4. Suppose the name of Presbyteriall Church be not in the New Testament, yet if the thing it selfe be in it, it is sufficient.
The word Church is not taken here, 1. For the Temple or House where God is worshipped. 2. Neither for foure or five that worship God ordinarily within the walls of a Family, Rom. 16. 5. Salute the Church at their House, Piscetor. Thes. de Eccles.1 Cor. 16. 19. Philem. v. 2. It is termed Kahal, that is in the old Testament rendred Synagogue, Iuni… lib. sing. de Eccles. c. 10.and Kahal rendred Ecclesia. And Kahal, Deut. 5. 22. or Hehillah, Guide to Zion, p. 2. pos. 3, 4.Deut. 33. 4. signifieth a Congregation of people,Ioh. Ball Tryall of Separation. ch. 12. pag. 170, 171. and Gnedah a Congregation, Exod. 16. 1. Psal. 111. 1. is turned Ecclesia, Mat. 16. 18. Act. 7. 38. Kahal is either a multitude of Nations or People, Gen. 35. 11. so Jer. 50. 9. An Assembly of Nations, not a Church of Nations, came against Babylon; Somtimes the Tribes and Governours are called Kahal, the Church or Assembly, 1 Chron. 13. 2, 3. 1 Chron. 29. 6. 2 Chron. 1. 2, 3. See Piscator, Junius, Guide to Zion. The word Gnedah that signifieth the Assembly of the Judges, Psalm. 82. 1. is turned in the New Testament foreign; Act. 5. 27. and Act. 6. 12. M. Ball hath observed that the Arabick Interpreter useth four words, Gamhon, Act. 19. 31, 39. 2. Gamahaton, Acts 7. 38. both signifieth an Assembly, or an Assembly of Princes. 3. Kainsaton, Rom. 16. 1. Acts 11. 26. 4. Bihaton, Matth. 16. 18. and 18. 17. the Church that hath power to determine controversies.
1. Conclusion. A number of believers professing the truth is not presently a visible politick Church, 1 Because then every Christian Family should be a visible politick Church, 2 Peter offended, Mat. 18. and rebuking his offending brother, before three witnesses, and gaining his brother to repentance, v. 16. is a number of believers in that same act professing the truth, and convincing an offender, and so professing Gods worship, and yet they are not the judging governing Church, because if the offender will not heare Peter, then he is to tell the Church. Hence visibility of Profession agreeth both to a number of believers (if for example ten out of ten particular Congregations confesse Christ before a persecuting Judge) and also to a constitute Church of Believers and Elders. Then true Faith and the visible professing of true Faith is not enough to constitute a Church that ordinarily hath power and exercise of the keyes; neither find we any warrant in Gods Word, that the swearing of an oath, or making a covenant, by four or five or 10. or 40. believers to worship God together as he hath commanded in his word doth essentially constitute a visible ministeriall Church, 1. Because a ministeriall Church is a body of Pastor and People, of eyes, eares, hands, feet, wherof Christ is head, Rom. 12. 4. 1 Cor. 12. v. 14, 15, &c. but a number of sole and only believers are not such a body. 2. More is there required an oath and covenant, but this is and may be where there is no ministery.
2. Conclusion. We deny that Christ hath given power of jurisdiction to one particular Church over another particular Church, or to one Church to be a mother Church to give laws and orders,Baynes. Dioces. tryall. q 1. to little daughter-churches under it; for that jurisdiction is not to be found in the Word of God,Parker de polit. eccles l. 3. c. 13. &c. 14. and so is not lawfull. See Paul Baynes and Parker and Cartwright.Cartwright against Whytgi…t.
3. Conclusion. A Church may be a visible incorporation of guides and people meeting for the worship of God, and exercise of discipline, and yet not necessarily a Church of believers, for if there be twenty or thirty visible Saints, who are Saints in profession, they may meet for the worship of God, and consequently by our Brethrers grounds, independently and without any subordination to Synods or classes exercise discipline. I proove that they are not necessarily believers, 1. Because to make one or two formall members of a visible Church is not required that they be indeed believers, it sufficeth that they professe Faith, and be apparantly Saints; and our Brethren teach they may be Hypocrites, and often are, as Iudas was amongst the Apostles, now by that same reason all the thretty may be heart-hypocrites, and face-professors, for who seeth the heart? And our Brethren say the preaching of the word, and the administration of the Sacraments are not essentiall notes and markes of the Church, because the word is often preached to reprobates and unbeleevers, and by that same reason the power of the keyes and discipline is exercised by hypocrites and unbeleevers.Ames. Medul. Theol. l. 1. c. 3… n. 10 2. Amesius saith it is probable (he saith not it is necessary) where the Word and Sacraments are that there are some beleevers: And I say it is probable; but that at all times there should be beleevers, especially when it is first founded, it is not necessary. I say when it is first founded; because we cannot say it is possible that there should be never any beleevers there at all; for the Lord sendeth not a ministery to these where there are none chosen at all; it doth crosse the wisedome of God, who doth nothing in vaine, that he should light a candle where he had no lossed money; and the Shepheard should be sent through the fields, where there were no lossed sheep at all. Hence I inferre these consectaries. 1. that the claime and title that a people hath to Christ is not the ground why the keyes are given to that people, as to the originall subject, because they may have the Word, Sacraments and keyes a long time, and yet want faith in Christ, and so all title and claime to Christ: All which time they have the keyes, discipline, and Sacraments; and I beleeve their acts of discipline, censures, and Sacraments, are valide, therefore the Church redeemed and builded on the rocke Christ, is not the kindly subject of the keyes. 2. The keyes are given to professors cloathed with a ministeriall calling, whither they be beleevers or unbeleevers, howbeit God giveth them for the salvation and edification of beleevers. 3. There is nothing required to make a independant Congregation, but an profession of the truth, covenantwayes, and outward worshipping of God, suppose the members be unbeleevers.
4. Conclusion. There is a visible governing Church in the new Testament, whose members in compleat number of beleevers doth not meet in one place ordinarily for the worship of God, neither can they continually so meet. 1. The Church of Jerusalem was one Church, under one government, and called one Church in the singular number, which grew from one hundred and twenty, Acts 1. to three thousand one hundred and twenty, Acts 4. 41. and then added to these, Acts 4. 4. five thousand men, which is eight thousand one hundred and twenty. And Acts 9. 35. all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron turned to the Lord, v. 42. many in Joppa beleeved in the Lord, Acts 20. 21. many thousands of the Jewes beleeved, Acts 5. 14. multitudes of beleevers moe were added to the Lord, both of men and women, Acts 6. 1. their number were multiplyed. Now it was not possible they could all meet in one house, especially seeing that prophecye was to take its first accomplishment at Jerusalem, Isa. 405.where all flesh was to see the salvation of God. And that of Joel 2. I will poure my spirit on all flesh. Baynes Diocesantry. q. 1. p. 15.Its true Bayne saith, this Church was numerous by accident, at extraordinary confluences of strangers. Yet the multitudes of thousands which I have observed from the story of the Acts (granting the confluence, Acts 2. of nations to be extraordinary) did meet daily, Acts 2. 46. from house to house. Now so many thousands could not meet daily, that is, ordinarily. 2. From house to house in private houses, and so it is not possible all that people did make but one Congregation independent, where 1▪ all had voices in discipline. 2. all did breake bread, that is, receive the Sacrament in a private house: so that their meeting together must be taken distributively in diverse Congregations, not collectively, for that were against edification. 2. against the nature of congregationall worship. 2. There was a visible Church in Samaria under one government, that could not convene in all the members, in one place. The numerous people in Samaria converted to the faith is knowne to all, it being the head City of the ten Tribes: So huge that all Israel was named Samaria, They received the faith, Acts 8. and as ver. 10. They all gave heed to Simon Magus, from the least to the greatest. So ver. 6. with one accord they gave heed unto these things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles that he wrought, ver. 12. they beleeved and were baptized both men and women. And that on Philip might have preached to one single Congregation, who doubteth? but the number of beleevers were so many, that ver. 14. the Apostles behooved to send Peter and John to help to hold up the harvest. 3. That the Church of Ephesus could not be one single Congregation that met together is cleare. 1. There was there a Presbytery of Pastors or Bishops, Acts 20. 28. and these preaching or feeding Pastors, who were to watch and take heed to false teachers rising up amongst themselves. 1. teaching perverse things. 2. making Disciples to themselves: the teacher and scholler are relata, every one of them has respect to other. 2. That they were teaching Elders that did follow the Apostles doctrine is cleare, Rev. 2. 2. Thou hast tryed them that say they are Apostles, and are not, and hast found them to be lyars, and Christ termeth them one Church for their common government.Refut. Tylen. Par. ad Scot. sect, 11 c. …2 The answer of Tylen saith, Christ saith not foreign to the Churches, and therefore all the Congregation were one Presbyteriall Church at Ephesus. But it is without example in the word that one single Congregation with one Pastor onelyonly, and some ruling Elders doth try Ministers gifts, and finding them false teachers, authoritatively to cast them out, so that the harvest has been so great, that false teachers calling themselves Apostles resorted to Ephesus, to help the good number of Pastors who were there already, Acts 20. 28. By this it is cleare that Ephesus had many Congregations in it, and many preachers also, who in a common society fed the flocke, and exercised discipline, Rev. 2. 2. neither can we say, there was but one Angell there, except we make that one a Prelate contrary to the word of God, Acts 20. 28. 2. The multitude of converts there required a Presbytery, or a multitude of consociated Pastors, Acts 19. 20. Paul continued there by the space of two yeares, so that all they who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord, 1 Cor. 16. 8. there was a great doore, and effectuall open to him at Ephesus. 2. They were once madly devoted to their great Idoll Diana, and had a Temple for her that all Asia wondred at▪ therefore Ephesus was no small Towne. This Temple Herostratus saith, was built by all Asia, Herostratus.and was two hundred and twenty yeares in building, and had in it (as he saith) one hundred and twenty seven pillars, every one of them made by severall Kings, and every one of them sixty foot high. Now ver. 19. Pauls miracles were knowne to all the Jewes and Greeks at Ephesus, and feare fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified, and many of them that beleeved, came and confessed, and shewed their deeds. v. 19. And many that used curious arts brought their books, and burnt them before all men. And what wonder? it is said, ver. 20. so mightily grew the word of God. Paul fought with beasts at Ephesus, millions here were mad upon the Idoll Diana: If the beleevers had not been the manyest, they durst not professe the burning of their bookes, nor durst Paul stay there two yeers. Hence if there was a setled Church here above two yeares, a constituted Presbytery in this City, Acts 20. 17, 28. that had power of jurisdiction to ordaine teaching Elders, and reject hirelings, Rev. 2. 2. and so many thousands of Greekes and Jewes, such an effectuall doore opened to the Gospell, against so many thousands opposing, there was not here one onelyonly single independent Church, that met in one house only but a Presbyteriall Church. Now they could not all preach at one time to them, being a number of preachers, Acts 20. 36. Paul prayed with them all, and yet they were set over that flocke by the Holy-Ghost, Acts 20. 28. therefore they had each their owne Church, and one canot officiate or exercise Pastorall acts amongst the flock of another Pastor, as our brethren would prove from this same place, Acts 20.
4. What, shall we say the Church of Rome was onelyonly an independent single Congregation that met in one place, or house, seeing the faith and obedience of the Saints there, was heard through all the world, Rom. 1. 8. Rom. 16. 19. so that Tertullian in his time saith, halfe of the City was Christians. And Cornelius saith, beside himselfe there was forty and five Presbyters. Consider how many prime persons & families Paul saluteth, Rom. 16. Paul stileth them one Church, and one body that had jurisdiction common to all, Rom. 1…. 3, 4, 5, 6,
5. So Galatia is written too as to one Church, and had one government and discipline, Gal. 5. 9. A little leaven (of false doctrine) leaveneth the whole lump, as 1 Cor. 5. v. 6, 7. and Gal. 5. ver. 10. He that troubleth you shall beare his judgement, whosoever he be, ver, 12. I would they were even cut off (by the rod of discipline, as Pareus and Perkins expound it) that trouble you. Par…us▪ Perkin. on Gal.So Gal. 6. 1. the spirituall are to restore in meeknesse the weake falling in sinne, and yet they were many Congregations in Galatia, Gal. 1. 2▪ 1 Cor. 16. 1.
6. We finde a Presbyterie at Antioch of Prophets and teachers, Acts 13. 1. who laid hands on Paul and Barnabas, 2, 3. and ordained them to goe and preach. And a Presbytery at Lystra, Acts 16. 1, 2, 3. where Timothy was recommended to Paul, and received in his company, and laid hands on by him: Now that this imposition of hands was not done by the collective body of the Church, but by the Elders and Presbytery is cleare from,Iun. Eccles. l. 3. c. 1. 1 Tim. 4. 14. as Iunius collecteth, for that the people laid on hands, there is no ground.
7. And Acts 21. 18. There is a Presbytery at Ierusalem of Iames, and the Elders exercising jurisdiction; for before them Paul giveth account of his ministery amongst the Gentiles, v: 19, 20. and they enjoyn Paul for the believing Jewes sake to purifie himselfe, v. 23, 24. which Paul obeyed, v: 26, 27. and this Presbytery taketh on them the Canons of the Councell of Jerusalem made, Acts 15. at least as a part of that famous Councell.
8 To ordaine Elders in every city is all one, as to ordain Elders in every Church, Act: 14. 23. so doth Luke expone it,Parker de Polit. Eccles. l. 3. c. 23. as Parker confesseth, Act: 20. 17. And from Miletus hee sent to Ephesus, and called the Elders of the Church, he saith not of the Churches, Act: 16. 4. And when they went thorow the cities, they delivered them the decrees, &c. now what is meaned by cities is exponed in the next ver: 5. So were the Churches established: So Tit: 1. 5. That Thou shouldest appoint Elders in every city, as I appointed thee: Then that there bee an Eldership and Presbytery of Pastors in every city is an Apostolike Institution, and so the commandement of our Lord Iesus: for that Paul understandeth there especially preaching Elders in every city, is cleare by the words following, that sheweth what sort of men preaching Elders should be, ver: 9. able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gain-sayers, &c. Hence if an Eldership in a city as Ephesus and Ierusalem and Antioch, where all cannot meet for multitude, bee an Eldership in one Church,Discipline of Scotland. 2. book 7. c. as our book of Discipline hath it, then there was Presbyteries in great cities, where there were many Congregations, but the former is proved already, ergo, the Presbytery of many Congregations is the Apostles Presbytery.
9. If Gods word warrant a number of officers in Gods house, who ordaineth Pastors by laying on of hands, and who tryeth these who say they are Apostles and Pastors, and are lyars, and who hath jurisdiction to punish false teachers, as Balaam and Iezabel, and who appointeth Elders in cities and Churches; then is there a Presbytery and society of Pastors and Elders in moe consociated, and neighbour congregations appointed for this effect.
But there is such a number of officers in Gods House, of which number are no single believers, not cloathed with any Ministeriall calling. Therfore there must be a Presbytery, diff…rent from private Professours, that overseeth many Congregations.
I prove the proposition, First, that there is such a number, and that they are different from ordinary professors, 1 Tim: 4. 14. Neglect not the gist that is in thee, which was given by the laying on of the hands of the Elders, Re: 2. 2. Re. 2. 14, 20. Tit: 1. 5. 1 Tim: 5 22. now that ordinary professours who are not Elders, doe lay hands on Pastors, ordain or appoint Elders, and judicially try and choose, or refuse false Teachers, and censure or deprive them, wanteth precept, promise or practice in the Word of God, except we say the Epistles to Timothy and Titus are not written to Church-men, but to all professours that they should lay hands suddenly on no man, that they should appoint Elders in every city: Now also that this united Presbytery is a Presbytery of one single Congregation is, 1 Against that which we have prooved of the great Church of Ephesus, Act: 20. Act: 19. Rev: 2. as also against the necessity of Pastors labours, who are not to stay in numbers together upon one single Congregation, where two or moe cannot be had.
To the place 1 Tim: 4. 14. some answer that, Bucer against Dunam fortres. in I…edidocl. in alt. Dam…sc.that laying on of the hands of the Presbytery was extraordinary, and ceased with the Apostles: Others say, he speaketh of the office, not of the persons.
Answ: The latter is a devise of Prelates refuted by our Divines, an office neither hath hands nor feet, but persons only have hands.
2. Castalio calleth this with good warrant, Castal…o in l…c. Chrysost Hug. Cardinal.The Senate of Elders, Chrysost: and Hugo Cardinalis, a Colledge of Presbyters,Junius Thes. The…l. dis. 47 Thes 2. Iunius saith, it is all one with the Church, Mat: 18.
But thirdly, we deny not but there was an extraordinary laying on of hands by the Apostles by which the Holy Ghost was given, Act: 8. 18. But this is the laying on of the hands of the Apostles, as Presbyters, which is ordinary, and is limited, and ruled by the Word, and must not be done suddenly, 1 Tim. 5. 22. now no such rule is laid upon the miraculous laying on of hands, there is no feare that the Apostles in working of miracles should partake of other mens sinnes, and that the ordinary laying on of hands, such as this was, did not give the Holy Ghost is cleare, Act: 14. 3. The Elders layeth hands on Paul and Barnabas, who before had received the Holy Ghost, Act: 9. 17. 3. This answer is against the nature of this Epistle, where Paul setteth down a plat-forme of Church government to be keeped unviolably to the second comming of Christ, as is cleare, 1 Tim. 6. 14. and so he saith himself, 1 Tim. 3. 15. These things I write that thou mayest know how to behave thy selfe in the Church, Gerson: Bucer. These were written for ages to come, Bucer. …. D…wnam, p 495.so the Refutator of Tilen, and our own Rollock, and so the Fathers, Oecumenus say, he setteth downe the summe of Ecclesiasticke Discipline. Preslyteria futurerum saeculorum. Refut …il. Parenes. ad Sectos. ca. 18. sect. 9.So Chrysostome, Augustine, Enthim: Cyrillus.
10. Suppose we should grant a Presbyteriall Church be not expresly in the Word,Rol ad praeside… & presbytoros ecclesiae. Oecumen summā Oeconomiae ecclesiasticae Chrysost. as we thinke it is, Mat. 18. as we shall prove, yet the thing it self cannot be denied: hence take away a Presbytery, whose it is to ordaine and censure Pastours,Augustin. of necessity the government and power of the keyes must be in the hands of the people,Enthymius. against the arguments in the former Chapter,Cyrillus. that cannot be answered, for the multitude of believers cannot ordaine a Pastor, suppose we grant they are to chuse and elect their owne Pastor, yet it is not warranted by the Word that ruling Elders with one pastor should ordain pastors, seeing ordinations is given still to preaching Elders, Act: 14. 3. Tit: 1. 5. 1 Tim: 5. 22. 2 Tim. 2. 2. Rev: 2. 2. Act: 20. 29, 30. and to moe pastours then to one only.
But by the way, let us heare what is said against this.
1. The word Church signifieth alwaies a gathered together Church,Obiect. 1. or such as may gather together, Act: 11. 26. a whole yeare they assembled with the Church,Assertion of government of the Church of Scotland, par. 2. c… 3. p. 141, 14…. p. 150, … Act: 20. 7. The Disciples came together to breake bread, so Act: 1. 10. Act: 2. 44, 46. Act: 5. 12. Act: 15. 25.
An. Our brother M. Gillespi saith many Interpreters expound foreign, they were together, that is, of one accord in love and amity: and also Churches not being builded, and they meeting in private houses, as in Maries house, Act: 12. schoole of Tyrrannus, Act: 19. 9. in an upper chamber, Act: 20. 8. Pauls lodging at Rome, Act: 28. 13. What private houses could ordinarily contain so many thousands?
2. The Scripture speaketh so to give us an example of the publick meeting for publick worship, where it is not needefull, that all met in one place collectively, it is enough they meet all distributively.
3. Neither doth the word Church alwayes signifie a meeting of one single Congregation,Act. 12 5. as Act: 12. Prayers was made by the Church, 1 Cor 15. 9.that is by all professours.Act 8. 3. Herod vexed the Church, Act: 8. Saul made havocke of the Church, Act. 10. 11.I persecuted the Church. There is no necessity to expound these of people meeting ordinarily to worship God; for Herod and Saul persecuted all, whither Apostles or professours in houses, not respecting their meeting in one place; also it shall follow that prayers were not made in private, but only in the Church, that is, in the conveened Congregation for Peter, which is absurd: And that they were a visible Church is cleare, els Herod, and Saul could not persecute them.Obiect. 2. Parker answereth, The whole Nation of the Iewes did meet at one meeting, Act. 7. 38.and are called by Luke the Church, Lu, 12.and there came innumerable multitudes to heare Christ. Answ. That is for us, the Church of the Iews contained six hundreth thousand fighting men, beside women, children and aged persons, and the Levites that attended the Tabernacle and Arke; it were a wonder to make out of this an independent Congregation, all judging and governing both themselves and their governours: Therfore there may be a visible Church under one government that cannot ordinarily meet to heare the Word of God, and howbeit there met innumerable multitudes, Luke. 12 to heare Christ, and that with great confusion, that is forbidden in Church meetings, 1 Cor: 14. So that they trod on one another, that multitude could not be a Church, 1. Ordinarily meeting. 2. To heare one pastor. 3. To judge all the people and over-see their manners. 4. And to communicate ordinarily at one Table in the Lords Supper: this is against the nature and true use of a Congregation met in one place for the publick worship.
Thirdly, Obiect. 3.they reason; the Church visible in the New Testament are called the Churches in the plurall number,Act. 9. 31. the Churches of Judea,1 Cor. 16▪ 1, 19. Galatia,2 Cor. 8. 1. Asia, Macedonia. Hence it followeth there is no visible Church larger then a Church meeting in one house.Act. 1…. 41.
Answ: We reade of the Church of Hierusalem, Act: 15. where certainly there were moe particular Churches.
2 It followeth not, for moe Churches were visible and audible, Act: 15. at that famous councell, and are called so united, the whole Church, and yet separated, they were sundry churches; they are so named in opposition only to the Nationall and typicall Church of Iudea, not in opposition to provinciall and Nationall Churches and Synods.
5 Conclusion. A Church may be called representative three waies.
1 Properly, as if the Rulers stood in the persons of believers, judging for them, as if the believers were there themselves, as a deputy representeth the King: So Israel did sweare a covenant, Deut: 9. 14, 15. for their posterity not borne: this way the Eldership doe not judge for the Congregations, as if the Congregations did judge by them as by their instruments, as Robinson saith,Robinson in his Apology for separatists. because the multitude of believers should not judge at all, therfore Elders doe not in governing represent their persons:Bannes. Tom. 3. in 22. quest. 1. art. 10, conclus. 3. So Bannes said the Pope this way hath no Legate, for he cannot give an Apostolike spirit to his Embassadour, Presbyter gov examined, p 10, 11.for then he mi…ht leave (saith he) an apostolike spirit in legacy to some successour: We acknowledge no representative church in this sence, as the authour of presbyteriall government examined unjustly imputeth to us.
2 A representative Church may be thought a number sent by a community, and elected to give laws, absolutely tying, as if believers should say, We resigne our faith and conscience to you, to held good whatever you determine without repeale or tryall; that is blinde faith, that we disclaime: all our Rulers acts in our Assemblies do bind, 1 conditionally, if they be lawfull and convenient, 2 matters to be enacted are first to be referred to the congregations and Elderships of particular congregations before they be enacted.
3 A representative Church is a number having election and designation from the Church of believers, but ordination from the Eldership to voice, determine and command, as those who are over them in the Lord, to make constitutions and decrees according to Gods word, and this way we hold a representative Church, Mat: 18. and 1 Cor: 5. which made acts according to Gods word, tying the whole congregation, even the absents; for the presents representeth the absent: If the incestuous person had bin judicially excommunicated, the Apostle Paul and all the absents, that neither had bin actours, nor witnesses had bin tied to abstain from bortherly conversing with him, and this way the decrees of the Councell of Jerusalem tyed the absent Churches, Act: 16. 4. and Chr…sts power of the keyes, Iohn 20. were given to Thomas, howbeit absent, and Pauls Epistles to Collosse, Eph…sus, Galatia laid an Ecclesiasticall tye upon these Churches that consented not to the writing of these Epistles; not onelyonly because the matter is the Canonicke word of God, but also the tye was Ecclesiasticall, in so farre as the flocke is obliged to heare the Pastor, according to that (He that heareth you heareth me, and he that despiseth you despiseth me.) Any absent through sicknesse or other distractions, from the election of Matthias, Acts 1. the seven Deacons, Acts 6. and the Elders chosen in every City, Acts 14. 23. were tyed to stand to the election of Matthias, the seven Deacons, and the Elders in every City; else no act of the Church were valid, where one or two disassenteth, or where two or three are absent by sicknesse, and other distractions insuperable: And so here our brethren (I beleeve) cannot, in reason, deny but there is a representative Church, whose deed tyeth the absents. And the reason is cleare, that to make a Church-constitution oblige in conscience, and ecclesiastically, there is not required as an essentiall ingredient of obligation, that all, and every one who are tyed and obliged, be personally present, to voyce and consent to the constitution; for constitutions tye Ecclesiastically, as made by the Church, but not as made by all, and every one of the Church. And the lawfulnesse of Commissioners to represent the case of the Church is cleare in Gods Word; as Antioch sent Commissioners to Jerusalem, Acts 15. Jerusalem sent Barnabas their Messenger to Antioch, 11. 22. But Titus, Timotheus, Epaphroditus, and others were sent by the Churches, and to the Churches, as Commissioners, and Embassadours of the Church of Christ.