Rome ruin'd by VVhite Hall, or, The papall crown demolisht

SECT. 5.

Obj. I Conf••••se that it doth appeare that Barnabas, and Matthias was chosen by the multitude, mentioned in the 15. ver. but whether that number of Disciples mentioned, were the reall,

or the representative Church, I am not yet satisfied.

Ans. Doe you read of any other part of the Church, then at Jerusalem, beside that number?

Obj. Suppose I grant you, that the election of Church Officers, doth belong to the promiscuous multitude, yet do•• I not hold, that they have any Ecclesiasticall power in Judicature.

Ans. I thought I had heretofore satisfied you, that the Church* 1.1 of Christ hath sufficient power in it selfe, and that by the autho∣rity of Scripture, to decide all matters of controversie touching it selfe, viz. of a spirituall cognizance, but if you scruple at it, I will further inlarge my selfe in the point; for proofe of which I could instance all Pauls Epistles, but for brevity sake, I will con∣sine my selfe to the passage of the Apostle to the Corinthians, in his first Epistle, and fifth Chapter, where writing touching the ejecting of the incestious person, doth not attribute the powes thereof, to his owne particular person, or to more Apostles, and Elders, joyned with him, but solely to that Church at Corinth, in these words; Doe not ye judge them that are within? vers. 12. he doth not say, Doe not we the Apostles of Christ judge them that are within, or we of the Classicall, Provinciall, and Natio∣nall Sinod judge them; but doe not yee, &c. viz. the reall body of the Church, to whom he writ his Epistles? yea he further ra∣tifieth it in the 13. ver. viz. therefore put away from your selves that wicked person. And the like order have they also sor his re∣ception, upon his humiliation, 2 Cor. 6, 7, 8. by which two texts of Scripture, the Apostle ••leerly sheweth whom they be, that the Church hath power over, and whom the civill Magi∣strate hath to rule over; as also, what have I to doe to judge them that are without; doe not ye judge them that are with∣in? Againe, them that are without God judgeth; intimating by the first, that Christ hath given the rule of such as are without, (viz. not members of the Church) to the rule of the civill Ma∣gistrate, as in Rom. 13. and the latter sort, (viz. such as are mem∣bers of the Church) to the rule and government of the Cove∣nanted members of the Church it selfe, viz. to the reall body whereof they are members.

Obj. Hath the Civill Magistrate nothing to doe in Church∣government?

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Ans. As he is meerly a civill Magistrate, he hath not, for his* 1.2 power, as a civill Magistrate, is confined without the Church, as I have formerly shewed; neither is the Law, (viz. the Morall Law) given to a righteous man, but for the unrighteous, Rom. 13. 3. and therefore so long as a member of the Church, continu∣eth his integrity, and without running himselfe into a Morall of∣fence, he is without the verge of the civill Magistrate.

Obj. Hath not a civill Magistrate, being a member of the Church, a greater power then the rest of the members?

Ans. Not at all, as he is a member of the Church, for there is no respect of persons with God, whether they be Jewes, or Gen∣tiles, bond, or free, rich, or poore, they are all one in Christ Je∣sus, Leut. 10. 17. Act. 10. 38. Rom. 2. 11. Gal. 2. 6. Ephes. 6. 9. Col. 3. 11. Rom. 12. 5. &c. 1 Cor. 12. 12, 13, 14, &c.

Obj. What things be they, which you ascribe as things proper to be done by the Church?

Ans. They chiefly consist in these particulars, viz. as in electi∣on* 1.3 of Pastors, and Church Officers, as I have proved; as also in matters of advice, and counsell, as I have also proved; as also in sending of Messengers, from Church to Church, to advise, and to hold correspondency together, as being all members of one uni∣versall Church, as in Act. 15. 2. 22. 2 Cor. 1. 18, 19. 1 Cor. 16. 3. 10. Act. 18. 37. As also in receptions of members, into the Church, as in Rom. 16. 1, 2. Act. 9. 26, 27. 2 Cor. 2. 6, 7, 8. as also in eje∣ctions of members, as in 1 Cor. 5. 4, 5. 12. 13. as also touching any matter of controversie, as in Mat. 18. 15, 16, 17. 1 Cor. 6. 1, 2, 3, &c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The reall Church hath power os Ju∣dicature.
• * 1.2

  The Civill Magistrate hath nothing to doe in Church go∣vernment.
• * 1.3

  The chiefe actions, which concerne the Church.