letters are sent in the Churches name, charity sent to the distressed Saints in their name, officers chosen by their consent, but all this maketh no popular government, if we speak properly, seeing the multitude doth not judge, define judicially, nor sentence, nor command and give out Canons and Constitutions. But these of whom we now speak do constitute a popular government in the Church,1 which I prove, 1. Parker, the fore-said Authors, 2Best, M. Jacob, Smith, and these that are for independency of Congregations ascribe to the whole multitude,3 and from 1 Cor. 5. 4, 5, 12. a judicial exercise of the rod, 4and a judging of these that are within, Mat. 2. 18. The Church to be heard and obeyed that doth judicially excommunicate is not the Church of over-seers (say they) but the Church of all believers. 53. Binding and loosing and the keys of the Kingdom, and that is, both power and exercise is given to the Church ⟨p. 67⟩builded on the rock, against which the gates of Hell shall not prevail, Mat. 16. 18, 19. so they teach also. 4. All the power and jurisdiction that Presbyteries and Synods have, saith Parker, is from the Church of believers. 5. The Congregation of believers hath power of jurisdiction over the officers, and rulers of the Church,6 to make and unmake, ordain, censure, depose and excommunicate their over-seers (say they) Now all who have written Politics,7 as Aristotle, Bodin, Tholosanus, 8and our Divines disputing against the Popes Monarchy,9 Junius, Daneus, Keckerman, Chamier, 10Musculus, Sadeel say, these are properly Judges, who cognosce and authoritatively try, sentence, decree and punish delinquents, 11and all this the whole faithful do by the power of the keys, as is proved, ergo, there is a democratical or popular government brought into Christs house this way, and all necessity of overseers and officers taken close away.12 Smith saith,13 it is Antichristian to place Rulers and Elders over the whole body of the Church. 14Yea, 15he seeth not why all believers may not preach and administer the Sacraments: And if the Keys be given to them,16 and actual government to over-see and rule their over-seers, I see not how this will not follow from the fore-said grounds. See what Arnisaeus and Spalato saith,17 both acknowledge, that is popular government when the people ruleth themselves.
letters are sent in the Churches name, charity sent to the distressed Saints in their name, officers chosen by their consent, but all this maketh no popular government, if we speak properly, seeing the multitude doth not judge, define judicially, nor sentence, nor command and give out Canons and Constitutions. But these of whom we now speake doe constitute a popular government in the Church,1 which I proove, 1. Parker, the fore-said Authours, 2Best, M. Jacob, Smith, and these that are for independency of Congregations ascribe to the whole multitude,3 and from 1 Cor. 5. 4, 5, 12. a judiciall exercise of the rod, 4and a judging of these that are within, Mat. 2. 18. The Church to be heard and obeyed that doth judicially excommunicate is not the Church of over-seers (say they) but the Church of all believers. 53. Binding and loosing and the keyes of the Kingdome, and that is, both power and exercise is given to the Church ⟨p. 67⟩builded on the rocke, against which the gates of Hell shall not prevaile, Mat. 16. 18, 19. so they teach also. 4. All the power and jurisdiction that Presbyteries and Synods have, saith Parker, is from the Church of believers. 5. The Congregation of believers hath power of jurisdiction over the officers, and rulers of the Church,6 to make and unmake, ordaine, censure, depose and excommunicate their over-seers (say they) Now all who have written Politiks,7 as Aristotle, Bodin, Tholosanus, 8and our Divines disputing against the Popes Monarchy,9
- 1Parker de polit. eccl l. 3. c. 4.
- 2Best Church plea arg. 7. pag. 70. and pag. 88.
- 3English Puritanis▪ art. 2, 3, 4.
- 4Authors of Presb. gover examined, pag. 2, 13.
- 5Jacob. gover 70. Smith parallel. 65. 66, 67.Jacob. gover 70. Smith paralel. 65. 66, 67.
- 6Arist•t. polit. l. c. 1. Bodin. l. 6. c. 74.
- 7Tholosan. histor. polit. l. 1.
- 8Junius de politcia, q. 4.
- 9Daveus polit. l. 4. c. 5.
- 10Keckerm system. Theo. l. 3▪ c 6.
- 11Cha••ier. pa•strat. to 2. l. 9. c. 2. n. 4, P. Martyr. loc, come, pag. 783.Cha••ier. pa•strat. to 2. l. 9. c. 2. n. 4, P. Martyr. loc, com, pag. 783.
- 12Musculus.
- 13Sadeel.
- 14Smith parallel. pa. 54, &▪ p. •6.Smith paralel. pa. 54, &▪ p. •6.
- 15Arnisaeus de rep. l. 2. sec. 5. c. 5.
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