The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, Title page – To the reader
THE KEYES Of the Kingdom of HEAVEN, AND Power thereof, according to the VVORD of GOD. BY That Learned and Judicious Divine, Mr. IOHN COTTON, Teacher of the Church at Boſton in New-England, Tending to reconcile ſome preſent differences about DISCIPLINE.
Gen. 13.7, 8.
And Abraham ſaid unto Lot, Let there be no ſtrife, I pray between thee, and mee; for we be Brethren.
Gen. 45.24.
And Joſeph ſaid to his Brethren (when they were going the third time out of Egypt) See that yee fall not out by the way.
Acts 7.26.
Sirs, yee be Brethren, why do ye wrong one to another?
Eph. 4.15.
foreign, &c.
Publiſhed By THO. GOODWIN. PHILIP NYE.
LONDON, Printed by M. Simmons for Henry Overton, and are to be ſold at his Shop entring into Popes-head Alley, out of Lumbard-ſtreet, 1644.
TO THE READER.
THE greateſt commotions in Kingdomes have for the moſt part beene raiſed and maintained for and about Power, and Liberties, of the Rulers and the Ruled, together with the due bounds and limits of either: And the like hath fallen out in Churches, and is continued to this day in the ſharpeſt contentions (though now the ſeate of the warre is changed) who ſhould bee the firſt adequate, and compleate ſubject of that Church-power, which Chriſt hath left on earth; how bounded, and to whom committed. This controverſie is in a ſpeciall manner the lot of theſe preſent times: And now that moſt parties (that can pretend any thing towards it) have in ſeverall ages had their turns & viciſſitudes of ſo long a peſſeſſion of it, and their pleas for their ſeverall pretences, have beene ſo much and ſo long heard, it may wel be hoped it is neere determining; & that Chriſt wil ſhortly ſettle this power upon the right heires to whom he primitively did bequeath it.
In thoſe former darker times, this golden Ball was throwne up by the Clergy (ſo called) alone to runne for among themſelves: And as they quietly poſſeſſed the name foreign, The Clergy, and of the Church, appropriated to themſelves; ſo anſwerably all manner of intereſt in power or cogniſance of matters of the Church, was wholly left & quitted to them: whilſt the People that then knew not the Law, having given up their ſoules to an implicite faith in what was to be beleeved, did much more ſuffer themſelves to be deprived of all Liberties in Church affaires. this royall donation beſtowed by Chriſt upon his Church, was taken up and And placed in ſo high thrones of Biſhops, Popes, Generall Councell, &c. not onelyonly farre above theſe things on earth, the people; but things in Heaven alſo, we meane the Angels and Miniſters of the Churches themſelves; in ſo great a remoteneſſe from the people, that the leaſt right or intereſt therein, was not ſo much as ſuſpected to belong to them. But towards theſe latter times, after many removalls of it downe againe, and this as the iſſue of many ſuits againe and againe renued and removed, and upon the ſentence (even of whole States) as oft reverſed. It hath now in theſe our dayes been brought ſo neere unto the people, that they alſo have begunne to pleade and ſue for a portion, and legacy bequeathed them in it. The Saints (in theſe knowing times) finding that the Key of knowledge hath ſo farre opened their hearts, that they ſee with their owne eyes into the ſubſtantialls of Godlineſse, and that through the inſtruction and guidance of their teachers, they are enabled to underſtand for themſelves ſuch other things as they are to joyne in the practiſe of. They doe therefore further (many of them) begin more then to ſuſpect, that ſome ſhare in the Key of power ſhould likewiſe appertain unto them.
It was the unhappineſſe of thoſe, who firſt in theſe latter times revived this plea of the peoples right, to erre on the other extreame (as it hath ever beene the fate of truth, when it firſt ariſeth in the Church from under that long night of darknes which Antichriſtianiſme had brought upon the world to have a long ſhadow of errour to accompanie it) by laying the plea & claim on their behalf unto the whole power; & that the Elders ſet over them did but exerciſe that power for them, which was properly theirs, & which Chriſt had (as they contended) radically and originally eſtated in the people only.
But after that all titles have been pleaded, of thoſe that are content with nothing but the whole, the finall judgement and ſentence may (poſſibly) fall to be a ſutable and due proportioned diſtribution and diſperſion of this power into ſeverall intereſts, and the whole to neither part. In Commonwelaths, it is a Diſperſion of ſeverall portions of power and rights into ſeverall hands, joyntly to concurre and agree in acts and proceſſe of weight and moment, which cauſeth that healthfull foreign and conſtitution of them, which makes them laſting & preſerves their peace, when none of al ſorts find they are excluded, but as they have a ſhare of concernement, ſo that a fit meaſure of power or priviledge, is left and betruſted to them. And accordingly the wiſedome of the firſt Conſtitutors of Common wealths is moſt ſeen in ſuch a juſt ballancing of power & priviledges, & beſides alſo in ſetting the exact limits of that which is committed unto each; yea and is more admired by us in this than in their other Lawes; and in experience, a cleare and diſtinct definement and confinement of all ſuch parcells of power, both for the kind and extent of them, is judged to be as eſſentially neceſſary (if not more) than what ever other ſtatutes, that ſet out the kinds and degrees of crimes or penalties.
So in that Politie or Government by which Chriſt would have his churches ordered, the right diſpoſall of the power therein (we humbly ſuppoſe) may lie in a due and proportioned allotment and diſperſion (though not in the ſame meaſure and degree) into divers hands, according unto the ſeveral concernments and intereſts that each rank in his Church may have; rather than in an intire and ſole truſt committed to any one man (though never ſo able) or any one ſort or kinde of men or officers, although diverſified into never ſo many ſubordinations under one another. And in like manner, wee cannot but imagine, that Chriſt hath been as exact in ſetting forth the true bounds and limits of what ever portion of power he hath imparted unto any (if wee of this age could attain rightly to diſcern it) as hee hath been in ordering what kinde of cenſures, and for what ſinnes and what degrees of proceedings unto thoſe cenſures; which wee finde hee hath been punctuall in.
Now the ſcope which this grave and judicious Author in this his Treatiſe doth purſue, is, to lay forth the juſt lines and terriers of this diviſion of Church-power, unto all the ſeverall ſubjects of it; to the end to allay the contentions now on foot, about it. And in generall hee layes this fundamentall Maxime, that holds in common true of all the particulars, to whom any portion of power can be ſuppoſed to be committed: That look what ever power or right any of the poſſeſſours and ſubjects thereof may have, they have it each, alike immediatly (that is, in reſpect of a mediation of delegation or dependance on each other) from Chriſt, and ſo are each, the firſt ſubjects of that power that is allotted to them. And for the particular ſubjects themſelves, hee follows that diviſion (in the handling of them) which the Controverſie it ſelf hath made unto his hands; To wit, 1. What power each ſingle Congregation (which is indowed with a Charter to be a body-politique to Chriſt) hath granted to it to exerciſe within it ſelf: And 2. What meaſure, or rather, kinde of power Chriſt hath placed in Neighbour-Churches without it, and in aſſociation with it.
For the firſt. As hee ſuppoſeth, each Congregation, ſuch, as to have the priviledge of injoying a Presbyterie, or company of more or leſſe Elders, proper unto it ſelf; ſo being thus Presbyterated, hee aſſerteth this incorporate body or ſociety to be the firſt and primary ſubject of a compleat and entire power within it ſelf over it's own members; yea, and the ſole native ſubject of the power of Ordination and Excommunication, which is the higheſt Cenſure. And whereas this corporation conſiſteth both of Elders and Brethren, (for as for women and children, there is a ſpeciall exception by a Statute-law of Chriſt againſt their injoyment of any part of this publique power;) His ſcopeis to demonſtrate a diſtinct and ſeverall ſhare and intereſt of power, in matters of common concernment, vouchſafed to each of theſe, and diſperſed among both, by Charter from the Lord: as in ſome of our towns corporate, to a company of Aldermen, the Rulers, and a Common-Councell, a body of the people, there uſeth to be the like: He giving unto the Elders or Presbytery a binding power of Rule and Authority proper and peculiar unto them; and unto the Brethren, diſtinct and apart, an intereſt of power and priviledge to concurre with them, and that ſuch affaires ſhould not be tranſacted, but with the joynt agreement of both, though out of a different right: ſo that as a Church of Brethren only, could not proceed to any publique cenſures, without they have Elders over them, ſo nor in the Church have the Elders power to cenſure without the concurrence of the people; and likewiſe ſo, as each alone hath not power of Excommunicating the whole of either, though together they have power over any particular perſon or perſons in each.
And becauſe theſe particular Congregations, both Elders and People, may diſagree and miſcarry, and abuſe this power committed to them; He therefore, ſecondly, aſſerteth an aſſociation or communion of Churches, ſending their Elders and Meſſengers into a Synod, (ſo hee purpoſely chooſeth to ſtile thoſe Aſſemblies of Elders which the Reformed Churches do call Claſſes or Presbyteries, that ſo hee might diſtinguiſh them from thoſe Presbyteries of Congregations before mentioned) And acknowledgeth that it is an Ordinance of Chriſt, unto whom Chriſt hath (in relation to rectifying Mal-adminiſtrations and healing diſſentions in particular Congregations, and the like caſes) committed a due and juſt meaſure of power, ſuited and proportioned to thoſe ends; and furniſhed them, not only with ability to give counſell and advice, but further upon ſuch occaſions with a Miniſteriall power and authority to determine, declare and injoyn ſuch things as may tend to the reducing ſuch Congregations to right order and peace. OnelyOnly in his bounding and defining this power, he affirms it to be. Firſt for the kinde and quality of it, but a dogmaticall or doctrinall power, (though ſtamped with authority Miniſteriall as an Ordinance of Chriſt) whether in judging of controverſies of faith (when they diſturb the peace of particular Congregations, and which themſelves finde too difficult for them) or in decerning matters of fact and what cenſures they doe deſerve: but not armed with authority and power of Excommunicating or delivering unto Satan, either the Congregations or the Members of them: But they in ſuch caſes, having declared and judged the nature of the offence, and admoniſhed the peccant Churches, and decerned what they ought to do with their offending members; they are to leave the formall act of this cenſure to that authority which can only execute it, placed by Chriſt in thoſe Churches themſelves; which if they deny to do, or perſiſt in their miſcarriage, then to determine to withdraw communion from them. And alſo for the extent of this power in ſuch Aſſemblies and Aſſociation of Churches, he limits and confines that alſo unto caſes, and with cautions (which will appear in the Diſcourſe) to wit, That they ſhould not intrench or impair the priviledge of intire Juriſdiction committed unto each Congregation, (as a liberty purchaſed them by Chriſts blood) but to leave them free to the exerciſe and uſe thereof, untill they abuſe that power, or are unable to manage it; and in that caſe only to aſſiſt, guide, and direct them, and not take on them to adminiſter it for them, but with them, and by them.
As for our ſelves, we are yet, neither afraid, nor aſhamed to make profeſſion (in the midst of all the high waves on both ſides daſhing on us) that the ſubſtance of this brief Extract from the Authors larger Diſcourſe, is That very Middle-way (which in our Apologie we did in the generall intimate and intend) between that which is called Browniſme, and the Presbyteriall-government, as it is practiſed; whereof the one doth in effect put the chief (if not the whole) of the rule and government into the hands of the people, and drowns the Elders votes (who are but a few) in the major part of theirs: And the other, taking the chief and the principall parts of that rule (which we conceive is the due of each Congregation, the Elders and Brethren) into this Juriſdiction of a common Presbyterie of ſeverall Congregations, doth thereby in like manner ſwallow up, not only the intereſts of the people, but even the votes of the Elders of that Congregation concerned, in the major part thereof.
Neither let it ſeeme arrogance in us, but a teſtimony rather to the truth, further to Remonſtrate, that this very Boundary platforme and diſpoſement of Church power, as here it is (we ſpeake for the ſubſtance of it) ſet out and ſtated; as alſo that the tenure and exerciſe thereof in all theſe ſubjects, ſhould be immediate from Chriſt unto them all, is now new unto our thoughts; yea it is no other than what our owne apprehenſions have beene moulded unto long ſince: And this many of our friends and ſome that are of a differing opinion having knowne our private judgements long, as likewiſe our owne Notes and tranſcripts written long agoe, can teſtifie; beſides many publike profeſſions ſince as occaſion hath beene offered: Inſomuch as when we firſt read this of this learned Author (knowing what hath been the more generall current both of the practice and judgement of our Brethren for the Congregationall way) we confeſſe we were filled with wonderment at that Divine hand, that had thus led the judgements (without the leaſt mutuall interchange or intimation of thoughts or notions in theſe particulars) of our Brethren there, and our ſelves (unworthy to be mentioned with them) here: OnelyOnly we crave leave of the reverend Author and thoſe Brethren that had the view of it, to declare: that we aſſent not to all expreſſions ſcattered up and down, or all & every Aſsertion interwoven in it; yea nor to all the grounds or allegations of Scriptures; nor ſhould wee in all things perhaps have uſed the ſame terms to expreſſe the ſame materials by.
For inſtance, wee humbly conceive Prophecying (as the Scripture tearmes it) or ſpeaking to the edification of the whole Church, may (ſometimes) be performed by Brethren gifted, though not in Office as Elders of the Church; onelyonly 1 Occaſionally, not in an ordinary courſe. 2. By men of ſuch abilities as are fit for Office; And 3. not aſsuming this of themſelves, but judged ſuch by thoſe that have the power, and ſo allowed and deſigned to it: And 4. ſo as their Doctrine be ſubjected (for the judging of it) in an eſpeciall manner to the Teaching Elders of that Church: And when it is thus cautioned, wee ſee no more incongruity for ſuch to ſpeake to a point of Divinity in a Congregation, then for men of like abilities to ſpeake to, and debate of matters of religion in an Aſſembly of Divines, which this reverend Author allows; and here, with us, is practiſed.
Againe, in all humility, we yet ſee not that Aſſembly of Apoſtles, Elders, and Brethren, Acts 15. to have beene a formall Synod, of Meſſengers, ſent, out of a ſet and combined aſſociation from neighbour Churches; but an Aſſembly of the Church of Jeruſalem and of the Meſſengers from the Church of Antioch alone; that were farre remote each from other, and electively now met: Nor are we for the preſent convinced that the Apoſtles to the end to make this a Precedent of ſuch a formal Synod, did act therein as Ordinary Elders, and not out of Apoſtolicall guidance & aſſiſtance; But we rather conceive (if we would ſimply conſider the mutual aſpects which theſe two Churches and their Elders ſtood in this conjunction, abſtracting from them that influence and impreſſion wch (that ſuperior Sphere) the Apoſtles who were then preſent had in this tranſaction) this to have been a Conſultation (as the learned Author doth alſo acknowledge it to have beene in its firſt originall, onelyonly riſing up to be a Generall Councell by the Apoſtles preſence, they being Elders of all the Churches;) or if you will, a reference by way of Arbitration for deciding of that great controverſie riſen amongſt them at Antioch, which they found to bee too difficult for themſelves; and ſo to be a warrant indeede for all ſuch waies of communion between all, or any, eſpecially neighbour Churches; and upon like occaſions to bee Ordinances furniſhed with miniſteriall power for ſuch ends and purpoſes. Our reaſons for this, wee are now many waies bound up from giving the accompt of, in this way, and at this ſeaſon; But however if it ſhould have beene ſo intended as the learned Author judgeth, and the Apoſtles to have acted therein as ordinary Elders, yet the lines of that proportion of power that could bee drawne from that patterne would extend no further then a Miniſteriall Doctrinall power, &c. in ſuch Aſſemblies, which we willingly grant. And it may bee obſerved with what a wary eye and exact ayme hee takes the latitude and elevation of that power there held forth, not daring to attribute the leaſt, either for kind or degree, then what that example warrants, which was at utmoſt but a Doctrinall decernement both of the truth of that controverſie they were conſulted in; as alſo the matter of fact in thoſe that had taught the contrary, as belyers of them and ſubverters of the faith; without ſo much as brandiſhing the ſword and power of Excommunication, againſt thoſe high and groſſe delinquents, or others, that ſhould not obey them by that Epiſtle.
OnelyOnly in the laſt place for the further clearing the difference of the peoples intreſt (which the reverend Author uſually calleth Liberty, ſometimes Power) & the Elders rule and authority (which makes that firſt diſtribution of Church power in particular Congregations) as likewiſe for the illuſtration of that other allotment of Miniſterial doctrinal power in an aſſociation or communion of Churches as ſevered from the power of Excommunication (which is the ſecond.) We take the boldnes to caſt a weake beame of our dimne light upon either of theſe; & to preſent how theſe have layne ſtated in our thoughts, to this end that wee may haply prevent ſome readers miſtake, eſpecially about the former. For the firſt, we conceive the Elders and Brethren in each Congregation, as they are uſually in the New Teſtament thus mentioned diſtinctly apart, and this when their meeting together is ſpoken of, ſo they make in each congregation two diſtinct intreſts (though meeting in one Aſſembly) as the intreſt of the Common-Councell or body of the people, in ſome Corporations, is diſtinct from that of the company of Aldermen; ſo as without the conſent and concurrence of both nothing is eſteemed as a Church act. But ſo as in this company of Elders, this power is properly Authority; but in the people is a priviledge or power. An apparent difference betweene theſe two is evident to us by this. That two or three or more ſelect perſons ſhould be put into an Office and betruſted with an intire intreſt of power for a multitude, to which that multitude ought (by a command from Chriſt) to bee ſubject and obedient as to an ordinance to guide them in their conſent, and in whoſe ſentence the ultimate formall Miniſteriall act of binding or looſing ſhould conſiſt: this power muſt needs bee eſteemed and a knowledged in theſe few to have the proper notion and character of Authority, in compariſon of that power (which muſt yet concurre with theirs) that is in a whole body or multitude of men, who have a greater and neerer intereſt and concernement in thoſe affaires, over which theſe few are ſet as Rulers.
This difference of power doth eaſily appeare in comparing the ſeverall intereſt of Father and child, in his diſpoſement of her in marriage, and her concurrence with him therein, (although we intend not the paralell between the things themſelves.) A virgin daughter hath a power truly and properly ſo called, yea and a power ultimately to diſſent upon an unſatisfied diſlike, yea, and it muſt be an act of her conſent, that maketh the marriage valid: But yet for her Parents to have a power to guide her in her choyce (which ſhe ought in duty to obey) and a power which muſt alſo concurre to beſtowe her, or the marriage is invalid, this (comparing her intreſt (wherein ſhe is more neerly and intimately concerned) with theirs) doth ariſe to the notion of an extrinſecall authority; whereas that power is in her is but ſimply the power of her own act, in which her own concernement which doth intreſt her free by an intrinſecall right. The like difference would appeare if we had ſeene a Governement tempered of an Ariſtocracy and democracy; in which, ſuppoſe the people have a ſhare, and their actuall conſent is neceſſary to all lawes and ſentences, &c. whereas a few Nobles that are ſet over them (whoſe concernement is leſſe generall) in whom the formall ſanction of all ſhould lye, in theſe it were Rule and Authority, in that multitude but Power and intreſt, and ſuch an Authority is to be given to a Presbytry of Elders in a particular Congregation, or elſe (as wee have long ſince beene reſolved,) all that is ſaid in the New Teſtament about their Rule, and of the peoples Obedience to them, is to be look't upon but as Metaphors, and to hold no porportion with any ſubſtantiall reallity of Rule and Governement.
And in this Diſtribution of power, Chriſt hath had a ſutable and due regard unto the estate and condition of his Church; as now under the New Teſtament, He hath qualified and dignified it. VnderUnder the Old Teſtament, it was in its infancy, but it is comparatively come forth of its nonage, & growen up to a riper age (both as the tenure of the Covenant of grace in difference from the old, runs in the Prophets, & as Paul to the Galatians expreſſeth it.) They are therefore more generally able, if viſible Saints (which is to be the ſubject matter of Churches under the N. Teſtāent) to joyn with their Guides & Leaders in judging & diſcerning what concernes their own & their Brethrens conſciences; And therefore Chriſt hath not now lodged the ſole power of all Church matters ſolely & intirely in the Churches Tutors & Governors as of old when it was under age He did: But yet becauſe of their weaknes & unskilfulnes (for the generality of them,) in compariſon to thoſe whō He hath aſcended to give gifts unto, on purpoſe for their guidance & the Government of thē; He hath therefore placed a Rule and Authority in thoſe Officers over them, not directing onelyonly but binding: ſo as not onelyonly nothing (in an ordinary way of Church government) ſhould be done without them, but not eſteemed validly done unleſſe done by them. And thus by meanes of this due and golden ballancing and poyſing of power and intereſt, Authority and Priviledge, in Elders and the Brethren, this Government might neither degenerate into Lordlyneſſe and oppreſſion in Rulers over the Flocke, as not having all power in their hands alone; nor yet into Anarchy and confuſion in the Flocke among themſelves; & ſo as all things belonging to mens conſciences might be, tranſacted to common edification, & ſatisfaction.
For the ſecond, Let it not ſeeme a paradoxe that a Miniſteriall Doctrinall Authority ſhould be found ſevered from that power of Excommunication, to ſecond it, if not obeyed. Every Miniſter and Paſtour hath in himſelfe, alone, a Miniſteriall Doctrinall authority over the whole Church that is his charge, and every perſon in it, to inſtruct, rebuke, exhort with all authority: By reaſon of which thoſe under him are bound to obey him in the Lord, not only vi Materiae by vertue of the matter of the commands, in that they are the commands of Chriſt (for ſo he ſhould ſpeake with no more authority then any other man, yea a Child, who ſpeaking a truth out of the word, ſhould leade us, as the prophet ſpeakes;) But further, by reaſon of that Miniſteriall authority which Chriſt hath endowed him withall, he is to be look't at by them as an Ordinance of His, over them and towards them: And yet he alone hath not the authority of Excommunication in him, to inforce his Doctrine if any doe gaineſay it: Neither therefore is this authority (as in him conſidered) to be judged vaine and fruitleſſe and ineffectuall, to draw men to obedience.
Neither let it ſeeme strange, that the power of this Cenſure, of cutting men off, and delivering them to Satan (in which the poſitive part (and indeed the controverſie betwixt us & others,) of Excommunication lyes) ſhould be inſeperably linked by Chriſt unto a particular Congregation, as the proper native priviledge hereof, ſo as that no Aſſembly or company of Elders juſtly preſumed and granted to be more wiſe & judicious, ſhould aſſume it to themſelves, or ſever the formall power thereof from the particular Congregations. For though it be hard to give the reaſon of Chriſts inſtitutions. Yet there is uſually in the wayes of humane wiſedom and reaſon ſomething analogous thereunto, which may ſerve to illuſtorate, if not to juſtifie this diſperſion of intreſts: And ſo (if we miſtake not) there may be found even of this in the wiſedome of our Anceſtours, in the conſtitutions of this Kingdome; The ſentencing to death of any ſubject in the Kingdome, as it is the higheſt civill puniſhment, ſo of all other the neerest and exacteſt paralell to this in ſpiritualls, of cutting a ſoule off and delivering it to Satan; yet the power of this high judgement is not put into the hands of an Aſſembly of Lawyers onelyonly, no not of all the Judges themſelves, men ſelected for wiſedome, faithfullneſſe, and gravity, who yet are by office deſigned to have an inereſt herein; But when they upon any ſpeciall Cauſe of difficulty, for councell and direction in ſuch judgements doe all meete (as ſometimes they doe): Yet they have not power to pronounce this ſentence of death upon any man without the concurrence of a Jury of his Peeres, which are of his owne ranke; and in Corporations, of ſuch as are Inhabitants of the ſame place: And with a Jury of theſe (men, of themſelves not ſuppoſed to be ſo skilfull in the Lawes, &c.) two Judges, yea one, with other Juſtices on the Bench hath power to adjudge and pronounce that which all of them, and all the Lawyers in this Kingdome together, have not without a Jury. And we of this Nation uſe to admire the care and wiſedom of our Anceſtors herein, & do eſteeme this priviledge of the Subject in this particular (peculiar to our Nation) as one of the glories of our Lawes, and doe make beaſt of it as ſuch a liberty and ſecurity to each perſons life, as (we thinke) no Nation about us can ſhew the like. And what ſhould be the reaſon of ſuch a conſtitution but this (which in the beginning we inſiſted on) the diſperſion of power into ſeverall hands, which in capitall matters, every mans tryall ſhould runne through; whereof the one ſhould have the tye of like common intreſt to oblige them unto faithfullneſſe; as the other ſhould have skill and wiſedome to guide them and direct therein.
And beſids that intreſt that is in any kind of Aſſociation, fraternity, yea or neighbourhood, or like wiſe, that which is from the common caſe of men alike ſubjected to an Authority ſet over them to ſentence them, there is alſo the ſpeciall advantage of an exact knowledge of the fact in the hainous circumſtances thereof, yea, and (in theſe caſes) of the ordinary converſation of the perſon offending.
We need not inlarge in the application of this: Although a greater Aſſembly of Elders are to be reverenced as more wiſe and able than a few Elders with their ſingle Congregations, and accordingly may have an higher doctrinall power, (a power properly, and peculiarly ſuited to their Abilities.) in caſes of difficulty, to determine and direct Congregations in their way; yet Chriſt hath not betruſted them with that power Hee hath done the Congregations; becauſe they are abstracted from the people: And ſo one Tribe of men concerned in all the forementioned reſpects is wanting, which Chriſt would have perſonally concurring, not by delegation or repreſentation alone, not to the execution only, but even to the legall ſentence alſo of cutting men off, as in the former paralell and inſtance may bee obſerved. Yea, and the higher and the greater the aſſociation of the Presbyteries are, the further are they removed from the people, and although you might have thereby a greater helpe, in that Juridicall knowledge of the Rule, to be proceeded by: yet they are in a further diſtance (and diſinabled therby) from that Preciſe practique knowledge of the Fact and frame of ſpirit in the perſon tranſgreſſing. And Caſes may be as truely difficult and hard to bee decided from obſcuritie, and want of light into the Circumſtantiation of the Fact, and perſon: in which it was committed, and by him obſtinately perſiſted in; as of the Law it ſelf.
Other conſiderations of like weight might here be added, if not for the proofe (which we do not here intend) yet the clearing of this particular; As alſo to demonſtrate that that other way of proceeding by withdrawing communion is moſt ſutable to the relation, that by Chriſts endowment all Churches ſtand in one towards another, yea and wherein the leaſt (being a body to Chriſt) doth ſtand unto all: But we ſhould too much exceed the bounds of an Epiſtle, and too long detayne the Reader from the fruitfull and pregnant labours of the worthy Authour.
The God of peace and truth, ſanctifie all the truths in it, to all thoſe holy ends (and through his grace much more) which the holy and peaceable ſpirit of the Author did intend.
THO: GOODVVIN. PHILIP NYE.