Survey of the Survey of that Sum of Church Discipline by Hooker, Book 4 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
A new device of Mr. H. his two sentences, the official and dogmatical sentence of officers, yet not concional, nor juridical, and another juridical of the male-Church, is examined.
MR. H. It is the office of Rulers dogmatically to discover the mind of God, and the mind of Christ, in convincing by witnesses Par. 3. c. 3. pag. 41.the offenders, and preparing the cause. And the brethren have no more power to oppose the sentence of the Censure thus prepared, and propounded by the Elders, then they have to oppose their Doctrine, for the Elders may preach it as the word of God, by vertue of their office.
Ans. 1. Scripture tells us nothing of two sentences.
2. Two Judicatures which lead witnesses.Two new Judicatures, one dogmatical, or official by the Officers, another Juridical by the male-Church, must be an unwarrantable … …
3. Two sorts of binding Judges. This then is will-worship.
2. No Scripture tells us of leading of witnesses to convince Delinquents concionally, by way of preaching, Old or New Testament, not Mr. H. must here speak, Rev. 2. 2, 14, 20. Acts 15. Matth. 18. 1. 1 Cor. 5 1, 2. 1 Tim. 5. 22. and elsewhere we read of but one juridical censure by the whole Court, and of one sentence: If he h…a… not the Church, &c. they are not Apostles but lyers, Rev. 2. 2. Iezabel should not be suffered to teach. Who can dream that these w… first concluded dogmatically, or ought to have been so c…ded by the officers in one Court, and then were concluded juridically by the male Church?
3. These words, T…l the Church, whether must they be then, t…ll the Officers, that they may dogmatically determine, or tell the male-Church that they may juridically determine? and yet, one of these bear the name of the Church, by our Brethrens way.
Or 3. Tell the Church of Redeemed ones, which is their only Church. The first is our Church of Rulers, which they cannot endure: the other two cannot subsist.
4. Who gave ruling Elders a joynt power to preach juridical sentences, which must binde the unofficed brethren as the preached Word of God, for they have no calling to labour in the word and doctrine, 1 Tim. 5. 17? and how can they preach, except they be sent, Rom. 10. 14, 15?
5. How can rude and unlettered men, who labour not in the word and doctrine, by vertue of their office dogmatically resolve deep points of Heresie, more than unofficed brethren, and predetermine their conscience? should the ruling Elders lips that way preserve knowledge? and should they as the Messengers of the Lord of Hosts, with the pastors, carry the Word of God so binding others? What they do in Synods is a far other thing, for there they act juridically rather than dogmatically, and joyntly with Pastors and Doctors.
6. This sentence must lay bands upon the consciences of the male Church, so that there is nothing left to them but to obey; and can obeying and submitting to the Word leave any room to judging in an authoritative way? sure, by this they must either hear and believe after a popular judging, or then reject, and so must women and children of age; and what place then is left to juridical sentencing by the Elders or Brethren? yea, so the Churches freedom of judging is none at all, when the Church may no more oppose that dogmatick sentence, than they may oppose the Word of God in the mouth of their officers? and what greater power can be given to any, then what is given to this Independent Eldership?
7. When there is a contradiction between the two sentences, which of the Judicatures must be supreme? If the dogmatick be supreme, they may dogmatickly determine, that the fraternity ought to be excommunicated for opposing the Word of God in their sentence; and who can excommunicate an Independent Church? And again, when the Elders themselves turn Wolves, who then can give out an official and dogmatick sentence against them? that must be wanting: and hath not the like of this brought forth among Brownists reciprocal excommunications?