The cure of church-divisions, or, Directions for weak Christians to keep them from being…

Read these with judgement, and then believe if you can, that the power of the Keys or Government is in the People. Show us what text doth give them that power? and where the Scripture calleth them to exercise it by Votes? Or where God requireth ability in them for Church-government? or where he calleth them to leave their Callings and attend this work? When those that must perform it, he separateth to it as by office, and calleth them to give themselves wholly thereunto. 1 Tim. 4. 15, 16. Tell us when the people were authorized to baptize? or to rule the Church, that is, themselves.

Read these with judgement, and then believe if you can, that the power of the Keys or Government is in the People. Shew us what text doth give them that power? and where the Scripture calleth them to exercise it by Votes? Or where God requireth ability in them for Church-government? or where he calleth them to leave their Callings and attend this work? When those that must perform it, he separateth to it as by office, and calleth them to give themselves wholly thereunto. 1 Tim. 4. 15, 16. Tell us when the people were authorized to baptize? or to rule the Church, that is, themselves.

Obj. Mat. 18. 15. Tell the Church: if he hear not the Church, &c. Answ. Many Expositors think that by the Church there is meant the Ministers only, by this reason: The Church that m•st teach m•st be heard: the Church that must be heard must be told: But that is only the Pastors and not the People: Ergo—But I easily grant you, that the word [Church] there signifieth the whole Congregation (as Dr. Taylor in his Second Dissuasive ⟨p. 95⟩hath well showed) But it is as an Organized body only. And so the Office is to be performed only by the Organical part; and not by any of the rest. When I say to a man [Hear me] I do not mean that he should hear me with his eyes, but only with his ears: And when I bid him See or Read. I bid him not do it with his ears but with his eyes. Nor do the eyes receive this power from the feet or hands, but immediately from the Head: Though if they were separated from the body they could not retain it. So if another Kingdom send to England, to desire an Army of Men to help them, they mean the King only as the Commander of them, and the people as the executors of his Command. So when you are bid to tell the Church, it is qutnus aurita, that it must be told; And when you are bid to hear it, it is as Teaching that it must be heard. So that this talketh not of any Government in the people, either to use or to give.