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Show 1m 3; o F A CH R IS TIA N can". Church, in this manner, Itfarmedgood to the Holy Glmff,ana'raw, to lay upon yormo greater hurt/m1 f/Jdfl tbefe waif/try things,g5e-c, which is altile that fignifieth a Power to lay a burtben on them that had received their Doctrine. Now to lay Murals" on another, feemeth the fame that to sélzge; and therefore the Aéts of that Councell were Laws to the then Chriftians. Neverthelelle, they were no more Laws than are theie other Precepts, Kept/rt -, Ba Baptized; Keep tbe Cammandememr 5 Eclectic III: Gaffe! , Come unto me-,Sc/1 all My t/Jou- lmthiw it to the Paar; and, Fallon: me; which are not Commands, but Invitations , and Callings of men to Chriftianity, like that of Efiw 55.1. H0,m)ery 7mm t/mrtbz‘rflet/J, romeyee to 1/72 nmterr, come,a;rd buy wme twdmz/lze wit/101M money. For firfl, theApofilcs power was no other than thatof our Savi. our, to invite mento embrace the Kingdome or God--7 which they themtElves acknowledged for a Kingdome ( not prelent, but )to come; and they that have no Kingdome, can make no Laws. And lecondly, if their Acts of Councell, were Laws, they could not without fin be dilbbeyedJ'rut we read not any where, thatthey who received not the Doctrine of Chrift, did therein fin, but that they died in their fins, that is , that their fins againi‘t the Laws to which they owed obedience,were not pardoned.And tho‘fe Laws were the Laws ofNature, and the Civill Laws of the State, whereto every Chrifiian man had by pact {ubmitted hiinfili‘. And therefore by the Burthen, which the Apoltles might lay on iiich rm. 3. c 0 MM 0 N--W}§ AL TH." chap": contrary to the Civill Law,whieh God hath exprefiely commanded us toobey. Seeing then the Acts of Councell of the Apofiles, were then no Laws, but Counfells; much lefl'e are Laws the Acts of any other Doctors, or Councells fince,ifafitmbled without the Authority of the Cirill Soveraign. And confequently,the Books ofthe New Teflament, though molt perfect Rules ofChriflian Doétrinexould not be made Laws by any other authority then that of Kim's or D J Soveraign Affemblies. The hrfi Councell, that made ofthe Scriptures we now have Ca- non,is not extant: Forthat Collection of the Canons of the :‘Xpo- llles, attributed to Clcmcrzr, the firfi Biihop of Rome after S.Peter is iubjeft to quellion: Forthough the Canonicall books bee there reckoned up-7 yet thefewords,$int who} ammézu Clerm'r (fi- Lair/5 L212); ewzerandr‘, or. containe adifiinétion ofClergy, and Laity that was not in ufe lb neer St.Pcters time. The firl'c Councell to; fetling the C‘anonical'l Scripture, thatis extant, is that of Laodicea, Carr. 59. which forbids the reading of other Books then rhole in the (.hurches, which is a Mandatethat is not addi‘efied to every Chiil‘tian, but to [hole onely that had authority to read any thing publiqucly in the Church, that is , to Ecclefial‘tiques onely. ' Of Eccltfiallicall Officers in the time of the Apoltlcs finne 0f the Right of, ran/iifirlnli', as they had converted, are not to be underflood I..aws,but Con- were Magilleriall , tome Minifleriall. Maniileriall were the Olhces or~ preaching of the Golbel or‘the Kingdom of God to In- ditions, propol‘ed to thofe that (ought Salvation; which they might accept,or refute at their own perill,without a new fin,though hdels -, or adminiflring the Sacraments, and Divine Service; and of teaching the Rules of Faith and Manners to thofe that Often in the time of the not without the hazard of‘being condemned, and excluded out or were Converted. Minilleriall was the Ofiiceof Deacons Il‘mflh‘i . the Kingdome of God for their fins paft. And therefore of lnfio dels, 8. john faith not, the wrath of God ihall come upon them, but the twat/J ofGad remained: 14120;: them, and not that theyihall .bc Condemned; but that they are condemns! Already. Nor can it be conceived, that the benefit ofFaith, i5 Rem/firm offiw, iiitleileit'c conceive withall, that thedammage of Infidelityns I/Jc fifth/[10)] af that is of them that were appointed to the adininillration of the feudai nectfiizxes or the Church, at iiich time as thevlived uponaconr rm" fink-trot monymui‘edoutorthe voluntary contributions or the iaithtiill. Atnongfithe Officers Magilleriall, the firll, and principall were But to what end is it ( may fome man aske), that the Apoitles, and other Pafiors of the Church, after their time, iliould meet together, the Apoflles, whereof there were at firll but twelve; and thele weir choien and conitituted by our Saviourhimlelie; andtheir Of- her was nOt onely tovl'reach, 'l‘each, and Bapdze , but alfi) to be Mar.yts,( Witnefies of our Savioiirs llelitrrcétion.)Tliis 'l‘ei'ti- to agree upon what Doctrine ihould be taught, bothfor Faith and mony, was lllC ipecihcall,and eflentiall mark, whereby the Apo- Manners,ifno man were obliged to obierve their Decrees? Torhis may be anfivered, that the Apofilcs, and Elders or that Councell, were obliged even by their entrance intoit, to teach the llleiliipii‘as dilhiiguilhed from Other Magifiracy Ecclefiailicall; as being neceilary for an Apofile , either to have fecn our Savrour 11:: [mmfins, airer his Rel‘iii'rec‘tionpr to have converfed with him before, and Doctrine therein concluded, and decreed to be taught, lb far forth, lecn his works, and Other arguments of his Divinity, whereby as no precedent Law,to which they were obliged to yeeld obedience, they might be taken for liifl'icient VViineiles. Andtheretorc at the election or anew Apoftle in the place of Judas Ifcarior , 8. Peter was to the contrary-, but no: that all other Chrifiians ibould be obli< ged to obferve,whar they taught. For though they might deliberate what each ofthem iliouldteach; yet they Could not deliberate what others {hould do,unlel‘s their Aficinbly had had a Legiilative l'owCr; WhICh none could have but Civil Soveraignsdor though God be IhC Soveraign of all the world, we are not bound torake for his Law; whatimver is propounded by every man in his name; nor anything, contrary ializhf (Iii; I. :1, 22.) 0f Illefe men [but luv: wmpzmyrd nut/r I": ml 1/}: tune that the Lord left" we»: in and out amung m, blfllfl' lung from the Baptifmc of Idlm unto t/Mt fame day I/Mt l1: whit/I- lzm up from m, muff onebe ordaincdraéea Witnefle 1111(1)!!! nil/r Rtjurredw»: where,bythis word rim/l, isimplyedaneceflltry pmPCP-Y 002 Etch/infirm]! |