An enquiry into the original, nature, institution, power, order and communion of evangelical churches.…

Answ. (1.) Whose fault is it, that these Churches are not meet for the exercise of that Power which Christ hath granted unto such Churches? If it be from themselves, their Negligence, or Ignorance, or Wickedness, it is high time they were reformed, and brought into that state and condition, wherein they may be fit and able to answer the ends of their Institution. (2.) They are indeed sorry Churches, that are not as meet to exercise all Church-Power according to the mind ⟨p. 141⟩of Christ, as the Chancellors Court. (3.) There is no Power pleaded for in Congregational Churches, but what is granted unto them by the Word and Constitution of Christ. And who is he that shall take this from them, or deprive them of its exercise, or Right thereunto? (1.) It is not done, nor ever was, by Jesus Christ himself. He doth not pull down what himself hath built; nor doth any one Institution of his, in the least interfere with any other. It is true, the Lord Christ by his Law deprives all Churches of their Power, yea of their state, who walk, act, and exercise a Power not derived from him; but set up against him, and used unto such ends as are opposite unto, and destructive of the ends of Church •Order by him appointed. But to imagine, that whilst a Church claims no Power but what it receives from him, useth it only for him, and in Obedience unto his Commands, that he hath by any Act, Order or Constitution, taken away that Power or any part of it from such a Church, is a vain Supposition. (2.) Such Churches cannot by any Act of their own deprive themselves of this Right and Power. For (1.) it is committed unto them in a way of Trust, which they falsify, if by their own consent they part with it. (2.) Without it they cannot discharge many Duties required of them. To part with this Power, is to renounce their Duty, which is the only way whereby they may lose it. And if it be neither taken from them by any Law, Rule, or Constitution of Christ, nor can be renounced or forgone by themselves, what other Power under Heaven can justly deprive them of it, or hinder them in its Execution? The truth is, the principal means which hath rendered the generality of Parochial Churches unmeet for the exercise of any Church-power, is, that their Interest in it, and right unto it, hath been so long unjustly detained from them, ⟨p. 142⟩as that they know not at all what belongs thereunto;