The accuser of our brethren cast down in righteous judgment against that spirit of hellish jealousie vented in a great confused book, falsly entituled, The Christian-Quaker distinguished from the apostate and innovator, in five parts ; the fallacy and force whereof being herein clearly detected & justly repelled.

Disaffect. XXVIII.

W. R. pag. 64. third part, Nay, in that very Case, Mat. 18. 15, 16. where 'tis said, If thy Brother trespass against thee, go tell him his Faults; if he hear thee not, take with thee one or two; if he hear not them, tell it to the Church; if he refuse to hear the Church, let him be unto thee as an Heathen man. The Scripture doth not say, that Sentence ought to be obligatory on all other Members of the Church of Christ (who might be no way concerned either in the Admonition or Sentence) to look upon him as an Heathen man; but it saith, Let him be unto Thee as an Heathen Man.

Observe.

This we do except against, as unsound Doctrine; the sentence in this place against that Brother that refuseth to hear the Church, was Christ's; and the offence for which he is sentenced as an Heathen man, is both against a Brother in particular, and against the Church, in his refusing to hear the Church; and therefore seeing its Christ's Admonition and Sentence, to let him be to thee as an Heathen man; how could the rest of the Members of the Church of Christ look on him otherwise than as an Heathen man, ha∣ving refused to hear the Church? Strange

Doctrine! that one Member of the Church of Christ should have occasion, and that ac∣cording to Christ's Doctrine, to look upon a Brother so offending against him and the Church, as an Heathen man, and yet other Members of the Church of Christ not to look upon him as an Heathen man; what then may they look upon him as a good Christian con∣trary to Christs own Sentence? And what though there be other Members of the Church of Christ, that are not immediately concerned in the Admonition or Sentence against the Offender, being not present in the Church when he refused to hear them? Does it therefore follow, that they must be so far di∣vided in their Sence and Judgment, either from the Sentence of Christ, the Sence of the Church (to whom complaint was made against the Brother Trespassing) or from the Sence of the Brother offended, as to look on him not as Christ, or the Offended Brother, or the Church (whom he refused to hear) have judged of him, that is, as an Heathen Man? What Confusion would this make in the Church, and Contradiction to Christ's own Sentence? Much might be said to shew the Absurdity of this; but W. R. in his own contradiction has granted, 3d part, pag. 36. viz. Since the case is stated between two Brethren, and that on an orderly Proceeding and Admoni∣tion of the Church, the Sentence for not hearing

the Church, is, Let him be unto thee as an Heathen Man.

Here he has granted both Authority, Order and Government in the Church of Christ, in respect to such Judicial proceeding as is con∣firmed by the Sentence of Christ himself. This is the man whose Work is, much of it, to oppose Church-Government, and to render the Sentence or Decision of the Church of Christ not obligatory on Believers: We have rarely known any of Truth's Adversa∣ries more confounded in their Attempts against the Truth and People of God, than he is; howbeit, we will grant him, that no∣thing that is Outward, whether it be Sen∣tence, Judgment, Order or Decree in the Church of Christ, that can be a Bond on such to forsake Sin, and embrace the Truth, as are run into Looseness, Evil Deeds, and are become hardned, as he saith, pag. 43. 3d part, Until their Consciences be awakened to hear Gods Witness in themselves. This is true, but then its no Proof against Church-Government, or that the just Sentence, Admonition or Judg∣ment of the Church of Christ is no wayes binding on Believers, who are Members of the same Church, but only that they are not obliging to such as are hardned through Sin, that they see not their Duty, whose part our Adversary has taken, and their cause he has pleaded against Church-Government, and a∣gainst

the Authority, Sentence, Judgment, Out∣ward Directions, &c. of the Church.

Again, W. R. grants, 1st part, pag. 48. That though we find the Author to the Hebrews, chap. 13. v. 7. saying on this wise, Remember them which have the Rule over you; yet he doth not say, Such who had the Rule were the Church; but describes them to be such who had spoken unto them the Word of God; so that if any Authority be given to any to Rule as Mem∣bers of Christ's Body, it appears from the Scrip∣tures of Truth to be unto such who had spoken the Word of God unto them, over whom they had the Rule: Thus far W. R. Whereby he has fairly given away his Cause; for here he has granted Authority of Rule or Government gi∣ven to such Members of Christ as had spoken the Word of God unto them, over whom they had the Rule; whence it follows, that all such Members of Christ's Body, whether Elders or Overseers, &c. as have the Word of God to speak, or a Testimony from him committed to them to bear to others, may have a share and right in Rule and Government in the Church of Christ, with respect to them, unto whom they speak the Word of God; and this may extend to as many faithful Members as grow up in Truth, and unto a Testimony, so as to have the Word of God to speak. But then we ask, If such be not of the Church, seeing he seems not to own

them that had the Rule to be the Church? What! were only the Hearers, and not the Preachers the Church? however, W. R. has granted Rule to the Preachers (which is not to be tyed up to the First Preachers, but also to extend to Others whom God shall raise up, and fit for his Service) though he has opposed and gainsay'd many faithful Ones in his Book, yet he grants such Preachers to be Members of Christ's Body; however, it appears, that the Inferiour Members, or Weaker part of the Church, owed a Submission to those Su∣periour in the Church, obey them that have the Rule over you, &c. yet all in the Lord in the Light and clear sight of their Duty, in Humbleness of Mind, submitting themselves one to another, as the Primitive Christians did: Also, the Members of the true Church were not come to the same Growth, to the same Dignity, to the same Degree of Judg∣ment, to the same Measure of the Gift of Christ, nor to the same Stature in him; some were more Eminently dignified for the Ser∣vice of the Church, than others were, and accordingly were required to be helpful to others, and a suitable Submission one to ano∣ther, according to the heavenly Order of the Gospel, Church and Body of Christ, and diversities of Gifts, Operations and Degrees of Growth through the same holy Spirit, do not oppose nor contradict, nor clash one

against another; and even they that were ap∣pointed Elders and Overseers in his Church, were to hold fast the faithful Word, as they had been taught, that they might be able by sound Doctrine, both to exhort and convince the Gainsayers.

Moreover, the Church of Christ, and every faithful Member thereof, hath Power to give Testimony, absolute Judgment and Sentence against all Loose, Disorderly and Scandalous Wayes and Conversations, when duely manifest among any Professors of Truth, which dishonour our holy Profession, and let up a Spirit of Ranterism and false Li∣berty, and these ought to be testified against, judged and condemned; and 'tis not justly in the Power of any Offender, in those cases, to make their own choice of any Person whatsoever, to evade or make void any such Judgment or Sentence; nor ought the Offen∣der to be at his own choice in such criminal Cases of Looseness, and Disorderly walking, but the Universal Judgment of Truth to be set over the Transgressors Head, in a Gospel Way and Order, on a Judicial hearing and discovery of the Offence; for the Church of Ephesus was commended, in not bearing them that were Evil, and hating the Deeds of the Nicolaitans, Rev. 2. 2, 6. But the Church in Pergamos was blamed for having them that held the Doctrine of Balaam, and the Doctrine

of the Nicolaitans, which tended to Ran∣terism, Fornication or Community of Women, (which was to be judged out with the Light of Truth forever) see Euseb. Hist. l. 3. c. 26.

W. R. is Impertinent also in his Gainsay∣ing, where in pag. 53. 1st part, he hath these words, viz.