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ACT. XV.
A Patterne of a juridicall Synod.
THat the Apostles in that famous Synod, Act. 15. did not goe on by the assistance of an immediately inspired spirit and by Apostolick authority, but onely, as Elders, and the Doctors and Teachers assisted with an ordinary spirit, to me is evident from the course of the context.
1. Because Act. 15. when a controversie arise in the Church •••• Antiochia, a 1.1 Epiphanius saith, as also b 1.2 Hieronymus, by C••••mbus, and others, touching the keeping of Moses his Law, especially the Ceremonies, except they would bee losers in the bu••nesse of their salvation, Paul could not goe as sent by Ami••h to submit that Doctrine, which hee received not from flesh and blood, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ, Gal. 1. 12. to the determination of a Synod of Apostles and El∣ders for who would think that the immediatly inspiring spirit i•• P••ul, would submit himselfe, and his Doctrine to the im∣mediately inspiring spirit in Paul, Peter, Apostles, and Elders, therefore Paul and Birnabas, come as sent to Jerusalem, not •••• Apostles, or as immediately inspired, but as ordinary teach∣••••. Therefore saith c 1.3 Diodatus, Not because these two A•• 〈…〉〈…〉 were every wayequall to the rest in the light and conduct 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Spirit, and in Apostolicall authority, Gal. 2. 6. 8. had any 〈◊〉〈◊〉 instruction, or of confirmation, but only to give the weake 〈◊〉〈◊〉, who had more confidence in Peter and James, and in the Church at Jerusalem, and to stop false doctors mouths, and to esta∣••••••••, by common votes, a generall order in the Church. Hence when a controversie ariseth in the Apostolicke Church, and the Controversie is betwixt an Apostle as Paul was, and others, and both sides alledge Scripture, as here both did, out of all controversie, there is no reason, that the Apostle Paul, who was now a party should judge it: and when a sin∣gle