Plea for Pauls Presbytery in Scotland, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
Quest. 8. If our Saviour doth warrant a Church of Elders and Overseers in these words, Mat. 18. Tell the Church.
WE have an argument of weight for a Presbyteriall Church in our Saviours words, Mat. 18. 17. If thy brother (offending) neglect to heare them (the Christian witnesses before whom he is convinced of his …ault) tell the Church, but if he neglect to heare the Church, Let him be to thee as a heathen, and a Publicane. v. 18. Verily, I say to you, whatsoever ye bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye lose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
The Septuagint agreeth with Matthew, Septuagi…ta turn… it out of Syriacke. Aria…s. Mont. Tremel. Beza. Pare…, Mus…ul…. Lyra. Hug. Card. Caieta…. Aquinas. Casta. dicito R…ipub.foreign. So Arias Montanus, Tremell, Beza, Pareus, Musc…lus, Lyra, Hug. Cardinalis, Caieta…, Aquinas: It is not much matter that Castalio turneth (Tell the Assembly of the Commons) Augustine, Cyprian, Hyeronim, and all are against him. The scope of these words, is not,August. Cypr. Hier…n. as many beleeve, that our Saviour setteth downe a way how to remove private offences done betwixt brother and brother onelyonly. 1. Because the words then should not prove the lawfulnesse of excommunicating for publike and scandalous sinnes. 2. The scope is as large, as binding and loosing on earth, and proportionally in heaven. But our Saviours ayme is, to establish a Church consistory, for removing all scandals and offences out of the Church, private and publike, betwixt brother and brother, and betwixt Church and Church. Neither is there ground for the foresaid scope, because he saith (If thy brother offend) in the singular number; for what if three, sixe, tenne brethren offend, is not this course of our Saviours to be taken, if sixe offend sixe? Hence it followeth that the Church here signifieth not onelyonly the Eldership of a particular Congregation, but it signifieth respectively all Presbyteries, and Synods, Provinciall, Nationall, and Oecomenicke; for seeing Excommunication and Ecclesiasticall binding and loosing is Christs remedy, against all scandals private or publike in Christs kingdome, then by a brother, by a Synechdoche is meant all that offendeth; then if a sister-Church offend a sister-Church, or a Provinciall, or Nationall Church offend a neighbour sister-Church, Christs remedies being Catholike and universall, as farre as our diseases goe, the course must be to (Tell the Church) I purpose then first, to shew this interpretation to be agreeable to the mind of all Doctors, acknowledging one Church of Elders here,Chrys. Dic Presul. Aug. dic. Episc. Hier dicendum multis. and next to prove our interpretation. Chrysostome Tell the Overseers, Augustine Tell the Watchmen, Hieron. We must tell many. So Cyprian, so the Councell of Ancyra. Cypr. l 3 Ep. 14. Concil. Anchy. c. 18So Ambrose, Ball saith: The Aethiopicke Interpreter saith, Tell the house of Christians. Ambran 2 Tim. 5. Ball…ryall of separa. c. 12. p. …70.Boderian, Tell the house of Judgements. All our Divines say this, Calvin, Aethiop. Interp. domo Ch…istiano…ii. Boderian domo Iudiciorum▪Beza, Pureus, Chemnitius, Aretius, Erasmus, Polunus, Calvin com. Mat 18.Hemmigius, Hyperius, Musculus, Iunius, Piscator, Bucanus, Rivetus, Cartwright, Marlorat, Dan. Tossun, Bu…er, The harmony of confess. Helvet, French, English, Beza in Mat. 18.Vrsine, Whittaker. So Papists, Emanuel, S…. Victor, Parteus com. 16. Chemniti. Aretiu….Parisian Doctors, Fathers of Basill, and Constance, Joan Gerson, Iac. Almain, Simon Vigorius, Aquinas, Occam. Erasm in Nov▪ Te. Polan. Syn…. l. 7 Hemmig in Ro. … Hyper in 1 Tim. 2. Musc. in l…. co. 8. Iunius in disp. Theol. disp. 47 2. Piscator loc. com de Eccl. 23. Thes 9. Bucan. loc. com. loc. 44, q. 13. Rivet Catho. Ortho, tom. …. tract. 1. quest 8. 11. 6, Tyle… Syntag. disp. 38. Thes. 10. 11, 12. Cartwright against Whitgy…t, tract 17. c. 2. divis. 9. Mar…ra… Mat. 18. Dan. Tossa… in past. Evang. 48, Bucer in Rom. 12. Con…ess. Helvet. Gallic. Anglic. Vrsi…. Catech. exp. par. 2. pag. 534 Whittakerd. …ontif. Rom. contr. 4 quest. 1. Emmanuel, Sa. Victor. in Mat. 18, Doct. Paris. de Polit. Eccles. pag. 1, …. 3. Concil. Basil. Constant. Gerson, Alma…, Vigor. Aquin. Occam, Duvalli…, l 6. par 1▪ c. 60.What Bilson, Downam, Sutluvius saith against this is answered by Parker, Ant. Waleus and other worthy divines.
That the Church of Elders is here understood I prove. Christ here alludeth to the Synedry and Consistory of the Jewes, with which his hearers were well acquainted; for he was now speaking to the Jewes, who knew his language well, and knew these termes. Brother, witnesses, Sunedry, Assembly, Congregation; Heathen, Publicane, and knew what Church had power to cast out and repute men for Publicanes and sinners: For as Beza observeth, who would understand Christ here to speake of a Christian Presbytery, that has power to excommunicate, except we consider that Christ has a respect in this forme of speech to the Iewes Church-policy: And Christ in like manner, Mat. 5. 22. accomodateth his speech to the forme of the Jewes judicatories: For many learned note out of the Talmud that the Jewes had three judicatories noted there. 1. The Triumviri judged small matters. 2. Their Synedry consisting of twenty three judges, more weighty matters, and inflicted more weighty punishments; and 3. the great Councell of 71. Judges did handle questions about false prophets, the High-priest, and of other weightiest causes; and therefore he sheweth the punishment of an offending brother amongst the Iewes too darkly; but these judicatories were well knowne to them. And here excommunication is expressed in Jewish tearmes in use at that time. Let him be to thee as a heathen, that is, a stranger from the common wealth of Israel, not one of the true Chu…ch, but such a one as they called Goijm.Drus. …ot Beza … in Mat 18. So Drusius and Beza on this place. Now (Tell the Church) Kahal to those that know the Iewes forme of speech must be (Tell the Elders of the Congregation) amongst them, the multitude no more judged causes, then we would thinke him excommunicated who is esteemed one not … borne of Abraham, and so all the whole Church of the Gentiles should be excommunicated.Fran. Iohnson exposition of this plac… Mat. 18. So Franc. Iohnson. 2. The Church of beleevers convened together is still a Church met together,2. Arg. for hearing the Word, receiving the Sacraments, 1 Cor. 11. 18, 19. 1 Cor. 14, 19, 20, 21. In which none are to speake but Pastors, and as the Separatists say, Prophets, and not all private persons; but this is a Church not assembled to prophecying and praying, but to rebuking, to judiciall censuring by binding and loosing, where all private persons, as their witnesses, the offended brother, be they publike, or be they private persons (yea suppose a woman otherwise forbidden to speake in the Church met for worship, 1 Cor. 14.) may speake in this Church, for a woman may offend, and be excommunicate, or be offended, for scandals betwixt woman and woman is to be removed.
3. The Church spoken of here is such a superiour and judiciall seat,3. Arg. as ought to be obeyed in the Lord, under the paine of excommunication, and to whose voice and sentence coactive the contumacious is said to be disobedient,1 Sam. 2. 25. as foreign (and foreign and foreign to disobey in the holy tongues doth signifie.Deut. 17. 12. But a multitude of beleevers are no such superiour and judiciall seat as may be obeyed,Ier. 13. 10. or disobeyed by inferiours,Deut. 5. 1. under the paine of excommunication,Heare O Israel. for it is without the warrant of Gods Word,Luk. 10. 16. that all Christians,1 Ioh. 4▪ 6. Pastors, Ioh. … 28.Ioh. 8. 47.Elders, Ioh. 10▪ 3▪ 27.and Doctors are under the judiciall and coactive sentence of beleevers.Acts. 3. 23.
4. What ever Church may excommunicate,Heb. 3. 7. every member thereof convened with the Church may inflict all inferiour censures also;Heb. 13. 17. 4. Arg. for whosoever may inflict judicially the greater punishment, may inflict the lesse; but all the members of the Church of beleevers may not in this assembled Church inflict lesser punishments: For example, a woman, a sonne, a servant, who are all equally the true members of the true Church of beleevers, being beleeving professors may not in an assembled Congregation rebuke publikely her husband and Pastor, his Father and Master: For publike rebuking being a degree of teaching, and especially in the assembled Church, the Apostle will not have the woman to teach publikely, and usurpe authority over the man, nor any to exhort and rebuke in the Church but Pastors.
5. These to whom the essence and definition of a Ministeriall Church having power to excommunicate (as this Church hath that power, Mat. 18. 17.) doth necessarily and essentially belong, these, and these only are here understood under the name of the Church. But so it is, that the essence and definition of a Ministeriall Church having power to excommunicate, agreeth not necessarily and essentially to a company of true beleevers assembled Church-wayes, ergo, by the name of a Church here is no wayes understood the Church of true beleevers assembled Church-wayes. The proposition is undenyable, for out of the words may be gathered a definition of a Ministeriall Church, to wit, an Assembly that has power of preaching and binding and loosing, and so of all Church-censures. I prove the assumption, To have power to preach, convene before them, and judicially cognosce and sentence, and excommunicate a contumacious member doth agree to these that by no necessity are beleevers, because to have power to preach and excommunicate essentially require no more, but that persons be, 1. professors of the truth. 2. that they be gifted to preach and governe. 3. that they be duely called thereunto by the Church, as Judas and others are; but all these three are, and may be in a company in whom is no saving faith, as the word and experience cleare: For howbeit to be a called Pastor (the like I say of Elders, Park de polit. Eccl l 3 c. 13.Doctors, Deacons, and visible professors) require faith in Christ, as a gracious element and necessary ingredient to make him a saved man:Answorth positions of the Church, Thes. 30. p. 121. … and …hes. 35. Presb. govern. exam. p 10, 11. Yet it is not required to the essence of a Pastor. Yea Parker, Answorth, and authors of Presbyter, govern▪ ex. acknowledge professors to be members of a visible Church, and so to have power of the keyes who are but rotten hypocrites, and what wonder? seeing God onelyonly seeth the heart, and men cannot see farre in a milstone.
6. All the arguments proving that the power of the keyes is not given to all beleevers,6. Arg. but onelyonly to the overseers of the Church, and proving that the government of Christs house is not popular, but in the hands of the Elders proveth the same,Sup. cap. 1. q. 1. & q. 6. cap. 6. for this is a ruling, and authoritative and judging Church.
7. Pareus saith, 7. Arg.The Church here meaned is the Church to be complained unto, but none can complaine to a multitude.
8. The practise of the Apostolike Church,8. Arg. 1 Cor. 1. The house of Eloe being grieved with the schisme of Corinth, telleth not the whole beleevers, but telleth it to Paul, and in him to the Pastors, who had the rod of discipline in their hands, and the Spirit of God giveth rules about receiving complaints to the Eldership, Tit. 1. 13. and never to all beleevers; therefore the rebuking and excommunicating Church spoken of here must be the Church of Elders.
9. The Church here is those to whom the keyes are given,9. Arg. Mat. 16. 19. I will give to thee the keyes, whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven; but here the keyes are given to Peter, and in him, to the Apostles, and those to whom he said, Joh. 20. Whose sinnes ye forgive, they are forgiven, and whose sinnes ye retaine, they are retained; for that is to binde and loose in heaven, as they should bind, and loose on earth; and to whom he said (As my Father sent me, so send I you) but this Christ said to the Church of the Apostles and Elders, for he hath not sent every beleever as his Father sent him, for that is a Pastorall sending, as is cleare from Mat. …8. 18. All power is given to me in heaven and in earth. Hence he draweth a conclusion, v. 19. Goe therefore and teach, &c. Which clearly includeth the keyes and power of preaching, baptizing, and governing, which agreeth not to all beleevers in any tollerable sense:Theoph. in Ioh. 20. Chry. Cyryl. As Theophilact, Chrysostome, Cyrill, August. Hieron. Cyprian teach, and that this place, Ioh. 20. (As my Father sent me, so send I you) cannot be common to all beleevers, the Fathers teach Theophilact▪ in loc.
He saith to them, Enter ye in my ministeriall charge. Cyrill. in loc. & Chrysost. ibid. Creati sunt totius orbis Doctores. Aug.Aug. in Psal 44. Hier. Epist. ad E…ag in Psa. 44. Hieron. Epist. and Evagrin. Cyprian Epist. 41. in locum Pauli, omnes successisse.Cy…r …p. 41.
10. The onelyonly apparent Argument against this interpretation is weake,Arg. 10. and so our interpretation must stand: For they say that the word Church is never taken but for a company of beleevers, and the redeemed, Eph. 2. 20. builded on the rocke Christ. I deny not but the word Church is very sparingly taken for the overseers onelyonly; yet it is taken in that sense, and there is reason why it cannot bee otherwise taken in this place; for Revelation. 2. The Angell of the Church of Ephesus, Smyrna, &c. standeth for the whole Church, and the whole Church is written unto under the name of the Angell of such a Church: Which may be demonstrated thus, 1. because not only the Ministers, but the people that have eares to heare, are all and every one of them commanded to heare. 2, The promise of eating the tree of life, v. 7. of giving the hidden Manna, and the white stone, and the new name, and they shall be cloathed in white, and their names not blotted out of the booke of life who overcommeth, agreeth not to Ministers onelyonly. 3. The command of being faithfull to the death, of holding fast what they have, that none take away their crowne, of strengthening what remaineth, of being zealous, and of repenting, are not given to Ministers only. 4. The rebukes of falling from the first Love, of not watching, of lukewarmnesse are not laid upon Ministers onelyonly; therfore to the Angell of the Church of Ephesus, of the Church of Smyrna, must need force have this meaning, VntoUnto the Church of Ephesus, of Smyrna, and what is said to the Angels, is said to the Churches, as is cleare, comparing chap. 1. v. 20. and chap. 2. v. 1. with v. 9. 11, 17. So Acts 18▪ v, 21, 22. Paul is said to salute the Church, that must be the chiefe men and Elders of the Church; for the Church being so numerous at Jerusalem, as is proved, he could not salute the Church of beleevers, 1. his manner in writing his Epistles is to salute the prime persons onelyonly, and the rest in generall; and this being a reall salutation, or by all appearance verball, he could not salute them all man by man, seeing he saw them in the bye, and the Kirke of Jerusalem (for he landed at Cesarea) was more numerous,Also Isa. …0 9. O Sion that bringeth goodtydings, is an exhortation, as Junius saith, to the preaching Church whic … is expounded, Isa. 51 …. and Nah. 1▪ 15. and R…m. 10. 15. only of the Pastors sent of God to preach the Evangil of peace. then that he could salute them all, man by man. And also the Church is named from the Pastors, Isa. 40. 9. Sion that bringeth good tydings, and it is the Preachers that ordinarily preach the good tydings, and the woman that has many sonnes, Isa. 54. 1, 2. Gal. 4. 26▪ 27. Isa. 49. 21. the woman that bringeth forth the manchilde, Rev. 12. the bride who is made the keeper of the vineyard, Cant. 1. 6. Now it is the Pastors properly that travell in birth to beget children to God, Gal. 4. 19. to the policye of which Church respect is had in this forme of speaking, the word Kahal, Gnedah Ecclesia, a Church, an Assembly doth onelyonly signifie the Princes and Rulers, when the spirit is speaking of matters of government, discipline, commanding, complaints, or controversie, as he speaketh here, Psal. 62. 1. God standeth in the Church Gnedah, or Congregation of the mighty, Num. 35. 24. And the Congregation (Gnedah) shall Judge betwixt the slayer and the avenger of bloud, but it is expounded, Jos. 20. 4. and the slayer shall declare his cause before the Elders of that City. So Deut. 11, 12, 16, 17. th…se that are called the men of Israel, Josh. 9. 6. are called the Princes of the Church or Congregation, v. 15. So compare, 2 Sam. 7. 7. spake I one word with one of the tribes of Israel, with 1 Chron. 17. 6. spake I one word to any of the Judges of Israel? So compare Exodus …0. 18, 19. All the people saw the thunder, v. 19. And they said to Moses, speake thou to us, with Deutronom. 5. 23. And it came to passe, when yee heard the voyce, out of the middes of darknesse that ye came neare to me, even all the heads of your Tribes and Elders and said, compare Exod: 4. 29. with 30. 31. also compare 1 Chr. 28. And David assembled all the Princes of Israel, the Princes of the Tribes, and the captaines of the companies that ministred to the King, with chap. 29. 1. Furthermore David the King said to all the congregation.
Ainsworth acknowledgeth that the word (Congregation) is thus taken for the Elders only;Ainsworth counterpoyson against M. Berdnard, p. 113 Confess. art. 24. so the Separatists in their confession cite this, Psal: 122. 3. Lev: 20. 4, 5, &c. with Mat: 18. 17. Adde to these that 1. Judges and Priests in Israel might give sentence of death, and judge of Leprosie without the peoples consent, Deut: 1. 16. 2 Chron: 26. 16. Deut: 17. 8. and yet Israel as well as we, were Kings and Priests to God, Exod: 19. 5, 6. Psal: 149. 1, 2. And why may not we say (Tell the Church of Elders, as Judges) and in telling them, ye tell the believers, in respect that Elders are not to pronounce sentence of Excommunication, while they make declaration to the Church of believers.
11 Argument. That Church which the plaintiffe must tell, that is publickly to admonish the offender, but that is the Church of Elders, 1 Thes: 5. 12, 13, 14. 1 Tim: 5. 20. Luk: 10. 16. for they only are to receive publick delations, and to rebuke publickly, as is, Titus 1. 13. 1 Timothy 5. 1. and ver: 19. 2 Timothy 4. 2.
12 It shall follow, if Christ understand heere by the Church, the Church of believers, that in the case of an Elderships scandalous life, or if otherwise all the officers be taken away by death, that then a company of believing women and children being the Spouse of Christ, and so having claime and title to Christ, his covenant and all his ordinances, may censure, deprive and excommunicate the …lders, and ordain Elders and pastors with publick fasting and praying and laying on of hands. But this latter is unwritten in the Word of God. For 1. Private believers, farre lesse believing women and children cannot judge the watchmen, and those who were over them in the Lord. 2. In the Old Testament the heads of Families only excommunicated, Gen: 21. 10, 11, 12, 13. and the Priests judged the Leper, Levit: 13. 3, 4, 5. Deut: 24. 8, 9. Numb: 5. 1. not the people, and in the New Testament, the Apostles and Elders only ordained pastors and officers with praying and laying on of hands, Act: 6. 6. Act: 13. 3. Act: 14. 23. 1 Tim: 4. 14. 2 Tim: 1. 6. 1 Tim: 5. 22. Tit: 1. 5. and never the people: also if three be believers happen to be an independent Church, and then the plantiff rebuking the offender according to Christs rule, Mat: 16. 16. before the Brethren who are witnesses, he shall tell the Church, before he tell the Church, because three are an independent Church by the Doctrine of our Brethren, and moreover if these three being a Church, shall excommunicate the offending brother before the Church (of which Christ speaketh, when he saith, tell the Church) shall heare of the matter: Then shall 1. Christs order be violated: 2. The offending brother shall be excommunicated by a true ministeriall Church, …lave non errante, and that duly, because he is contumacious to them, and yet he is not excommunicated, because Christs order is violated, and the matter is never come before the Church, who hath power to binde and loose on Earth: 3. And certainly they must say three or foure believers doe not make a Church, and they must give some other thing to make up essentially one true visible Church, then a company of believers visibly professing one Covenant with God.
13. And we have here for us the testimony of learned Parker, 13. Arg.who is otherwise against us in this plea,Parker de politeia. l 3. c. 15. n. 1. who confesseth our Thesis, Ex hu q… eluctari cupit nobiscum, seutire necesse est ecclesiam fidelium à Christo intellectam esse (Mat: 18.) non qua simpliciter censi lera…, sed qua ais…pli… excicet, iuxta temperamentum a…l…ocroticum in pr… septerto, ecclesian quippe, primo loco, co…sideratam in his verbis dic ecclesiae, praec…se partem Aristocratic…m, ad est presbyterium, significare existimamus, quae vero postertore commemoratur, in his verb…, si ecclesian non audicrit, sic (ut Downamus docet) excommunicantem prepter contemptam ecclesiam includit, ac non decernentem tantum ac examinantem, tum & partem ecclesiae democraticam continet, quâ populi consensus ad excommunicationem necessarius est.that in these words (tell the Church) Christ doth understand the Presbytery or Eldership. Hence the word Church in the New Testament doth not alwayes signifie the Church of Believers, Disciples, Brethren, who pray in Christs name and are heard in Heaven, and are builded on the Rocke, and are the body and spouse of Christ, for a number may be and often is, an Eldership judicially excommunicating, and a Presbytery, yea and also including some externally professing Christ, who are not a company of redeemed ones, built by saving faith upon the Rocke Jesus Christ. Also it is insolent that the word Church here should signifie both precisely the Eldership, and also in that same vers: the whole Congregation of believers; because the same Church to the which the offended brother should put in his bill of complaint, is that very Church which must be heard, and obeyed under the pain of excommunication.
2. It is hard that the offender should be excommunicated for not hearing and obeying the Congregation of believers, who are not foreign, over him in the Lord.
3. By grant of M. Parker the Church of believers hath not power from this place Mat: 18. to ordaine pastors to themselves, when they want pastors, or to excommunicate their own Eldership in case of scandalous sins, which is against his grounds and our Brethrens principles, who ascribe this authority to the Congregation of believers, because a number of believers is not an Aristocraticall part and a select Presbytery and Eldership, as he saith is meaned in this word (tell the Church.)
14. The Church here cannot well mean a visible Congregation of believers and Elders conveened to heare the Word preached,14. Ar. so as he who contemneth two private admonitions should be accused and censured in the face of the Congregation conveened to hear Gods Word. Because the Church meeteth in Christs name for Gods worship, if they meet in faith and humble sense of sinne, with purpose of heart to worship God in spirit and truth, but there is some other thing required, that the excommunicating Church, meet for the actuall exercise of discipline, for beside meeting in Christs name, there is required that the Church meet with Pauls spirit, and the rod of discipline, 1 Cor: 5. 4. That yee meet in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ, and my spirit with power of our Lord Iesus Christ. Then Pauls spirit as an Elder, who hath power of the rod, a spirit and power of excommunication is required to this meeting. But I doubt not but the Church of believers did meet at Corinth, 1 Cor: 11. for hearing the Word and receiving the Lords Supper, and for ordinary wor…hip and praying and praysing when it was not needfull that Paul should write, That yee meet together in the name of our Lord Iesus and my spirit to heare the Word and to receive the Lords Supper: There was no need of Pauls spirit for that, therfore I conclude that this meeting of the excommunicating Church requireth another spirit and authoritative power to deliver to Satan (such as was in Paul) then is required in ten believers meeting in faith, without Pauls authoritative power, to heare Gods Word. For Paul saith of his authoritative meeting, I verily absent in body but present in spirit, have judged, &c. but Paul knew that they might meet as a number of believers to heare the Word, whither Paul be absent or present in spirit, and this I observe for their mistake who teach that two or three agreeing together upon Earth and praying for one thing, are heard of God, as it is said, Mat: 18. 19, 20. is an independent Church having the power of the Keyes, for first, Christ then hath not provided a sure way, for removing scandals. And when he saith (tell the Church) this (tell the Church) must be a definite, visible, conspicuously known Church; now in one congregation, one province, one nation there be three hundreth, six or ten hundreth threes or fours of professed believers, if every three and every foure be an independent Church, to which of all these many threes and fours, shall the plantiffe addresse himselfe, for they be all equally independent Churches, the plantiffe is left in the midst, and knoweth not his ordinary judge, there be so many tribunals in one Congregation, yea in one Family.
2. How many key-bearing Churches shall be within one independent Congregation, who may all meet in publike in one house, for the joynt worshiping of God together?
3. Christ in these words, where he is said to heare two who shall agree together upon earth as touching one thing, hath no purpose to erect visible Churches with the full power of the keyes, consisting only of three or foure believers, but he doth argue here from the lesse to the more,Bucer. com. ib. as Bucer saith, and as Musculus. God will not only ratifie excommunication,Muscul com. ib. but he will heare the prayers of his children universally;Calvin. com. ib. P and this promise,Paraus com. …b. ver. 20. of Christs presence amongst two or three is more large and generall, then his promise to ratifie the sentence of excommunication, even that Christ will be with his owne, howbeit they be not Church-waies conveened; or rather, as Paraeus saith, it is a generall promise of the presence of Christs grace in his Church, sive magnâ, sive parvâ, either great or small, and I grant it will prove the power of our Church sessions in Scotland very well, where there is often but one Pastor, and some few ruling Elders, but Christ cannot promise a Church-presence of his Spirit and grace, or such a presence wherby he ratifieth the censures of the Church, but where there is a Church consisting of Elders and people, but if the words be pressed according to the letter and definite number, then it shall follow that every two believers; yea suppose two women agreeing on earth to pray for one thing, shall be a Ministeriall Church, having the power of the keys, which is most absurd: For a number of believers make not a Church, having the power of the keys, for 1. They want the power of binding and loosing by preaching. 2. They are not a golden candlestick, in the which Christ walketh, as a visible Church is, Rev. 1. Christs meaning the… must be, I promise my presence to the smallest Church, suppose it were possible that a Ministeriall Church could consist of the least number, that is, even of two only: but Christs purpose is not to make every two believers a visible Ministeriall Church, and every believing Family a congregation having the power of the keys.Vasque…. in 3. Tho. tom. disp. …44 c. 5. Vasquez the Jesuite hath arguments and ancients to speak from the Text this which we say,Enchirid. which can hardly be answered.Christia. instit. See that Enchiridion of the Province of Cullen under Charles the V. See also Jansenius, Synod provin.Maldonat and others on this Text.C…loniae.Iansen. Maldonat. in Math. 18.