Where men are designed by God to such an Office, and act by Commission, and with a promise of Direction, their Doctrines are of Divine Authority, though we find not where God did dictate, and their Actions done by that Commission are currant and Exemplary, so far as they are intended or performed for Example, and so Example may be equivalent to a Law, and the Argument, a facto ad jus, may hold. So Moses being appointed to the forming of the old Church and Commonwealth of the Jews, to the building of the Tabernacle, &c. his Precepts and Examples in these works, (though we could not find his particular direction) are to be taken as Divine. So also the Apostles having Commission to Form and Order the Gospel Churches, their Doctrine and Examples therein, are by their general Commission warranted, and their practice in stablishing the Lords Day, in settling the Officers and Orders of Churches, are to us as Laws, (still binding with those limitations as Positives only, which give way to greater▪) 43. The ground of this Position is, because it is inconsistent with the Wisdom and Faithfulness of God, to send men to a work, and promise to be with them, and yet to forsake them, and suffer them to err in the building of that House, which must endure till the end of the world. 44. Yet if any of these Commissioners do err in their own particular conversations, or in matters without the extent of their Commission,1 this may consist with the faithfulness of God; God hath not promised them infallibility and perfection: the disgrace is their own: but if they should miscarry in that wherein they are sent to be a rule to others, the Church would then have an imperfect Rule, and the dishonour would redound to God. 45. Yet I find not that ever God authorized any mere man to be a Lawgiver to the Church in Substantials, but only to deliver the Laws which he had given, to Interpret them, and to determine Circumstantials not by him determined. 46. Where God owneth mens Doctrines and Examples by Miracles, they are to be taken as infallibly Divine: much more when Commission, Promise, and Miracles do concur, which confirmeth the Apostles Examples for currant. 47. So that if any of the •ings or Prophets▪ had given Laws, and formed the Church as Moses, they had not been binding, because without the said Commission:
Where men are designed by God to such an Office, and act by Commission, and with a promise of Direction, their Doctrines are of Divine Authority, though we finde not where God did dictate, and their Actions done by that Commission are currant and Exemplary, so far as they are intended or performed for Example, and so Example may be equivalent to a Law, and the Argument, a facto ad jus, may hold. So Moses being appointed to the forming of the old Church and Commonwealth of the Jews, to the building of the Tabernacle, &c. his Precepts and Examples in these works, (though we could not finde his particular direction) are to be taken as Divine. So also the Apostles having Commission to Form and Order the Gospel Churches, their Doctrine and Examples therein, are by their general Commission warranted, and their practice in stablishing the Lords Day, in setling the Officers and Orders of Churches, are to us as Laws, (still binding with those limitations as Positives onely, which give way to greater▪) 43. The ground of this Position is, because it is inconsistent with the Wisdom and Faithfulness of God, to send men to a work, and promise to be with them, and yet to forsake them, and suffer them to err in the building of that House, which must indure till the end of the world. 44. Yet if any of these Commissioners do err in their own particular conversations, or in matters without the extent of their Commission,1 this may consist with the faithfulness of God; God hath not promised them infallibility and perfection: the disgrace is their own: but if they should miscarry in that wherein they are sent to be a rule to others, the Church would then have an imperfect Rule, and the dishonor would redound to God. 45. Yet I finde not that ever God authorized any meere man to be a Lawgiver to the Church in Substantials, but onely to deliver the Laws which he had given, to Interpret them, and to determine Circumstantials not by him determined. 46. Where God owneth mens Doctrines and Examples by Miracles, they are to be taken as infallibly Divine: much more when Commission, Promise, and Miracles do concur, which confirmeth the Apostles Examples for currant. 47. So that if any of the •ings or Prophets▪ had given Laws, and formed the Church as Moses, they had not been binding, because without the said Commission:
- 1As Peter, Gal. 2.11, 12.13.
