MAster Gillespie seemeth in his Sermon to be much offended at Mr. Coleman: and telleth the Lords, the ignorant and scan­dalous must be kept from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, and with a flood of words, layeth on them as a very great sin if they doe it not by adding discipline to this Doctrine that is already taught in the Directory, That scandalous and ignorant ought not to receive the Sacrament, and therefore the Minister in the name of Christ must warne such that they pre­sume not to come: That the power of discipline may be added to the power of Doctrine: For my part I thinke it very derogatory to the word of God, and the commission of Christ, to think that any censure of man, should bee of more power and efficacy then the word of God: The authority of the Word is divine, the operation of it is mighty, the effect of it is perfection, it wor­keth upon the conscience, and if the word be able to make the man of God perfect, then nothing is wanting to him. Perfectum cui nihil deest: and it is a wonder how that conscience should be wrought upon by humane authority, with whom divine cannot prevaile; his arguments are, the scandalous perfons have profaned the Lords Table, and the Church of God shall be disabled to keep [Page 2]themselves pure, if discipline be not set up to keep the scanda­lous from the Lords Table, implying that wicked men by com­ming to the Sacrament do pollute the Sacrament, and pollute the holy; which he doth not prove, but some others doe endeavour to doe out of 1 Sam. 2.17. because the sinfull carriage of Elies sonnes caused men to abhor the offering of the Lord: but note the reason that the offering became abominable, was because they offered not the sacrifice according to the command of God, they would not have sodden flesh, but raw; if the doctrine of the Sacrament be corrupted, if it be celebrated under one kinde, if water be mingled with wine, if transubstantiation be taught, or if adoration of the elements, this is to pollute the Ordinance: and therefore Eph. 5.11. S. Paul doth command not to have felow­ship with the unfruitfull works of darknes, not workers of dark­nesse: I may not goe to Masse with the Papist, nor run with the ungodly unto the same excesse of riot, I may not be drunk with the drunkard, nor sweare with the swearer, but if these come and heare, or receive Sacraments with the beleevers they pol­lute not the Sacrament to them, he that beleeveth eateth of this bread of life, Joh. 6.33. and this shall be made good to the be­leever, though there were but one in the world; and this Beza himselfe is inforced to confesse in his tract against Erastus, his words are, Bonis manere bona Sacramenta etiamsi qui mali aà eadem accedunt ab sit ut inficiemur: The Sacraments remain effectuall to the good, though evill men come to them, farre be it from us to deny it. So that the Sacrament remaineth holy to the beleever, and they are pure notwithstanding the unpreparednesse of the wicked: Let a man examin himselfe, and so let him eat, 1 Cor. 11.28. But the Author would fix guilt of sin upon the Minister, if any come and receive that is scandalous: a necessity is laid upon us, and woe be to us if we doe it: this he proveth not presently, but after many rethoricall passages to the Lords, which deserve no answer: he citeth the Story, and noteth the sin of Ely, 1 Sam. 3.13. in that he restrained not his sonnes, and thereupon telleth us out of Thomas Aquinas, that we may consent to other mens sinnes; first directly counselling or approving. Secondly, indirectly by not hindring when we can; but note; when we can must re­ceive this limitation, that is, when of duty we ought and can; [Page 3]otherwise a man should be compelled to forsake his owne cal­ling, and watch him that he suspected to be a thiefe, or a drun­kard, and get company and seize on them; and imprison them to keepe them from offending, but this were to deny a free-man his liberty, and become a transgressour; all that is said to this point is, That if it were the duty of the Minister and Elder to hinder a scandalous sinner from the Sacrament, he were guilty of his sin if he let him come: when that is proved, it will re­quire some further answer; in the meane time, what is said is fal­lacious.

But then a particular application against Mr. Coleman: he will neither be active nor passive in establishing sin censuring government: I dare promise for him that if any means be used for the suppres­sing sinne, he shall endeavour the furtherance thereof; and if the State thinke fit to trust him, hee will bee as faithfull as he that pleadeth most stoutly for the Jus Divinum of Presby­teriall government; but here be high words, great offence and scandall is given; and the Author is confident every other godly Mi­nister will say, Let my tongue cleave to the roofe of my mouth before I say the like. Mr. Coleman scapeth very hardly being called knave, and in a rethoricall imitation of persons cursed for his paines, let his tongue cleave, and in the beginning of his Tract, every mans hand is against Mr. Coleman, and his against every man; the world is made beleeve a Monster is come abroad, if it be for his opinion only that all godly Ministers will leave him they must leave others, whom Mr. Gillespie will not deny the estimation of godly Ministers in their times. I shall be bold to name them be­cause Mr. Coleman shall not stand alone to be gazed at in these malitious times: they are Bullenger, Gualter, Musculus, Zuinglius, Aretius, Erastus. Bullenger and Gualter, in their letters to Era­stus testifie as much, but because those letters were put forth by some favourer of Erastus, and therefore may seem to be without credit, I shall be bold to cite what Beza in his Preface to his Tract against Erastus, concerning Bullenger, and Gualter doth confesse, of whom he saith: I doe not at all deny the opi­nion of those famous men, as also of Wolfgangus Musculus, Minime tamen nego maximes illos viros ut & Dominum Wolfgangum Musculū ex­istimasse excommunicationem penes Presbyterium fuisse & ad exclusionem usque à Coena Domini Presbyteros ideo fu­isse progressos. Quod Chri­stianum tunc Magistratum non haberet Ecclesiacujus au­thoritate capitalia judicia exercerenter (quod si Corinthi factum fuisset nulla fuisset o­pus Pauli de illo, Sathanae tradendo denuntiatione) tum alii, [...] levioribus offendi­culis peccantes citra exclusio­nem à coena satis coerceren­tur: quod cum utrumque prastare Christianus Magi­stratus, nunc possit ac debeat carere nunc posse Christianas ecclesias hae disciplinae severi­tate. to bee thus, excommunication is in the [Page 4]power of Presbytery, and that the Presbyters did proceed even to suspension from the Lords Supper, because the Church at that time had no Christian Magistrate by whose authority capitall censures might be exercised (which if it had been used, there had been no need of Pauls delivery of the man to Sathan) and also other disorderly men transgressing in smaller mat­ters, might well enough be restrai­ned without suspension from the Sacrament: both which, because the Christian Magistrate now may and ought to doe, The Christian Churches may wel be without this sharpe discipline; thus much he confesseth, Sed it a ut neque Scriptu­rae locos novis & ad hanc suam sen­tentiam accommodatis interpretatio­nibus applicarent. But so, as that they did not wrest Scripture texts with interpretations new, and fitted to their opinion whereby it appeareth that these mens opinions were, that the words of S. Paul 1 Cor. 5 were a denunciation of the sentence of excommuni­cation, but occasionall and particular; no universall precept, nor imitable by us, Nisi rebus omnimodo sic stantibus, but in the like condition, and this is enough to dash all contentions about the sentence of excommunication, this makes all further dispute meerly speculative, we have a Christian Civill Magistrate though the present differences have taken away much of our comfort we might enjoy in them, and these disputes render them of lesse use to us, and us to them; whatsoever they shall speake concer­ning the sentence of excommunication upon the severall places of Scripture, if they may stand with these words here acknowled­ged by Beza, let these men without more contention stand on Mr Colemans part, if otherwise they must be understood upon after [Page 5]thoughts to be bent about by Erastus his arguments, as Beza fur­ther confesseth, Illos aliquantum in excommunicationis usu & Presbyterii authoritate, non quod ista per se damnarent, sed quod co­rum abusum vererentur, ad Erasti sententiam de flexisse. That they did incline to the opinion of Erastus in the use of excommunica­tion and authority of the Presbytery, not because they simply condemned them, but because they feared their abuse. You see these men did fear the abuse, and though Beza will not acknow­ledge Erastus reason to be of any weight, yet with reason, or without he confesseth (take him in the mildest sense) that they bent or leaned a little toward Erastus; at least so far that in their Churches where they had to do they would not trust the Geneva discipline; Beza himselfe citeth these words out of an Epistle which he acknowledgeth to be Bullengers to Erastus, Neque putes nos ita esse dementes, ut hic omnia ad rigerem Genevensis Ecclesiae exigere, aut revocare velimus. Neither doe thou thinke us to bee so mad that we would reduce all things to, and exact them ac­cording to the strict discipline of Geneva: and this not in Bul­lingers owne name, but of the Tigurine Churches. I hope these men shall have Mr. Colemans favour, every other godly Minister will say, &c. I shall say nothing to Mr. Gillespies Preamble.

He excepteth against Mr. Colemans first rule, and seemeth to oppose a contrary rule, whereas indeed Mr. Colemans as little as may be, and his as much as may be, are both one: Mr. Colemans meaning is, that no more should be established then what was in the word, and his meaning is as much should be established as is in the word of God: this being doubtlesse both your meanings, yee need not fall out about that, greater difference will arise.

For my part, I thinke Mr. Gillespie understandeth Mr. Coleman aright, that he thinketh that no Church censures in the hand of Church officers are found in the word of God: but I am nor or his minde, ex supposito that they are jure divine, and in the word of God, that he, or any Minister ought to be satisfied with any thing the Parliament can doe, untill they have received it as the word of God, if it be jut divinum, it ought to be asserted, not by many, but by all.

As for Mr. Gillespies exception against Mr. Colemans word bias, & asserting they came biased for the truth, that is petitio prin­cipii, [Page 6]and deserves no answer. The second rule: let precepts, held out as divine institutions, have cleare Scriptures: that is the rule, a­gainst which Mr. Gillespie would not adventure to say any thing: a phrase upon the by; a thing named; are too weake grounds &c. when men may probably conclude different wayes. Mr. Coleman doeth not deny that which by necessary consequence is drawn from Scrip­ture, to be a divine truth, but ambiguous Scriptures, decided by a vote, if truth, (for they may possibly be errors) are but huma­no jure; let it be prooved, that the major part of an Assembly have an infallible gift of finding out ambiguous truth, and putting the stampe of divine authority upon their determinations. For my part, I wish much fearching the Scriptures were put in practice, which cannot be done but in Schooles of Divinity: men trust more to the opinion of piety, they can purchase by their Oratory, their places of trust, their votes in assemblies, then the strength of argument, but of that heereafter. He finds these words, let the Scriptures speake expresly, in Mr. Colemans second rule, not so, it was out of his rule; he explaneth his rule sufficiently, to take into it necessary consequences: and for ought I know, the word expresly, if extended, after a Rhetoricall liberty, to signifie plain­ly, apparently, may include what is apparently in praemissis, though in a most criticall sense, that may not be sayd to be expresse, that is not found in terminis: but grant, that the word had beene too strait to put into the rule, he put it not in there; but by way of amplification, if expresse in Scripture, all must bow, he sayth not till then, how necessarily soever it may be collected out of the Scripture, they shall not bow.

He reprehendeth Mr. Coleman for supercilious passing over in a Sermon, 1. Cor. 5. Mat. 18. without answering the arguments of the Learned, upon those places: and in a tract of purpose, ci­teth none of those learned arguments: for my part, I say with Mr. Coleman, and if such learned arguments, such plenty, it behoved Mr. Gillespie to have cited them; Mr. Coleman might have taken more paines, then he should have thankes, in finding out ten or twenty arguments, and yet be told at last, that he had concealed the weightiest, he had confuted the arguments in urging them: you ought to have the urging your owne arguments your selves, and you can demand no more, but answers for your arguments [Page 7]when you bring them. I am of Mr. Colemans minde, that one good argument to prove a Church censure, or officer, either from the Scriptures, or elsewhere, would doe me more good, then all I have ever seene. If Mr. Gillespie will affoord us any that be good, I shall returne him thankes for the benefits I re­ceive, or otherwise, in a brotherly way, return such answers as his arguments shall require. In the meane time he confuteth Mr. Colemans ignorance, that he doth not finde any coordinate go­vernments, but he meaneth supreame; hee doeth not meane the coordinate government of an Admirall and Generall, both under a superiour: parents and masters, all governed by superiours, and no way coordinate: the masters government superiour to the fa­thers, in his owne house: as for the master and captaine in a ship, the one he sayth, governeth the mariners, the other the sol­diers: and so the King of France and Spain are coordinate over their severall subjects.

He sayth the Minister is punishable by the Law of the Land: heere is the difficulty: if the Minister and Elder have power gi­ven of Christ, to censure all Christians, and they use this power, according as Christ hath committed it to them; what is the ma­gistrate above these officers? and can he make lawes to bound and limit the lawes of Christ? or if they have power to binde, may the magistrate loose? if they use this power, may the Chri­stian magistrate punish them? this were to allow Christ a very meane kingdome; that his owne subjects should controll him: but you will say, if he commit any thing worthy confiscation of goods, or life, or liberty, the magistrate may inflict it upon him; but if he attempt to doe it unjustly, he is ungodly, and the Mini­ster and Elders will excommunicate him, and their coordination maketh them their owne judges. As soone as the magistrate shall but distast any of their actions, presently he is ungodly, and send him to Satan, and then what party the eloquence of the Clergy may find against the magistrate, if he should go about to restrain them, let wise men judge.

It is the thing it self he speaketh against it is true: but he com­meth to the third rule, and Mr. Coleman saith, Lay no more burden of government then Christ hath laid upon them, which is none at all: and his reason is, because they have other work to do, and [Page 8]such as will take up the whole man; to this argument Mr. Gil­lespie maketh no answer at all, though Saint Paul useth the very selfe same argument, to discharge the Preachers from oversight of the poore, Act. 6.2. God forbid we should leave the care of the word of God, and serve at tables; though the government of the Church, and examination of crimes, both in private con­gregations, and in the classes, must either be sleighted, or it must take up ten times as much time, as the care of the poore; and if government doth belong to them, the care of the poore must likewise belong to them: but he telleth us, neither the Minister can keep himselfe, nor the Ordinances pure without Ecclesiasti­call government, and proveth it not: he excludeth Elders from go­vernment, he told you before he found no institution, of the El­der a Church officer: you should have proved the institution, The Elder that ruleth well is worthy of double honour, 1 Tim. 5.17. proveth not institution of an officer in the Church, which ap­peareth by this reason: the word Elder is either prima, or secunda notio; if prima notio, then yee must be content with his owne naturall signification, and in that sense it is apparently ta­ken in the 1 and 2 verses of the same Chapter, where he oppo­seth the elder to the younger, and reckoneth elder women and younger women; so that if the elder men be officers, I know not why the elder women should not be officers likewise: but if this elder be secunda notio, or vox artis or scientiae Theologicae, ye must finde out his definition in the Scripture, how should man know what genius and species were in Logick? what perpendi­culum, centrum, diameter, were in Mathematicks without their definitions? if therefore an Elder must signifie an officer, hee must have definition in Theologie that must be demonstrative in Scripture: the word Rule is too generall if it be not referred to knowne principles of nature, as a Father, a Master, a Civill Magistrate; the first is a governour by nature, the second by pri­vate contract, 3 by publicke consent of the people: and such ye make the Church officer, for ought I know, arising out of the consent of the people; and such governours were called Elders of the Tribes, and our Parliament men and governours are such Elders arising out of the publicke consent of the people; yea Kings and all Civill governours arise out of the same principle [Page 9]of publique consent: which power doth still remaine in man­kinde, to make choice of their company, and to erect private ar­biters at pleasure, to determine the differences that arise amongst them, with consent; remaining still sponsable to publique Laws, if they should call one another to account, as 1 Cor. 6. where Saint Paul blameth them, for going to Law, and willeth them to set up a wise man to judge their differences, and that in Civill, not in Ecclesiasticall matters, which is a difference no man un­derstandeth: I challenge the Assembly; nay, all the World, to bound causas Ecclesiasticas à civilibus: for my part I have ga­zed on that distinction this 30 yeares, and never finde any thing of plaine dealing in it, but non-sense, and fraud, the only diffe­rence that I could finde, that the proceeding of the Civill Ma­gistrate did pretend to be legall and regular; the Ecclesiasticall as far as they durst, to be illegall, irregular and arbitrary, all the go­vernment is in the officers that bind, and loose whom they list. I dare not leave this, lest I should be challenged for not dealing reverently with Scripture; binding and loosing must have a sense; I say, binding and loosing is meant by preaching of the Gospell, which none yet durst deny to be one of the keyes: and the other let him prove that can: though these keyes were never given to any of the Apostles, but to Peter; and he opened the doore of Gods Church to the Gentiles, which was never shut since, but shall stand open day and night continually, Esay 60.11. There­fore thy gates shall be open continually, they shall not be shut day nor night, that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their Kings may be brought.

And may not these exhortations be still seasonable? have fa­miliarity and keepe company with none but good, and such as ye may be [...]ered by: and doe not goe to Law one with ano­ther, but [...]er your differences to some honest, wise men, to de­termine; and that without setting up any new government; an arbitrator is no magistrate: but such as by force can put his judgements in execution, he only is a magistrate. Mr. Coleman sayth, Church government distinct from civill, maketh an irre­concilable difference betweene the Minister and the Magistrate, as two governments must needs do. Mr. Gillespie supposeth two governments must needs be, and then chideth with the argu­ment, [Page 10]and with Mr. Coleman; but letteth it alone without an an­swer.

But Mr. Gillespie falleth upon an argument against govern­ment, committed to Ministers taken from feare of ambition, and here he spendeth many words, about the words which Mr. Cole­man alludeth only unto; which I will not trouble my Reader withall: that Mr. Coleman in plaine tearmes aimeth at is; ambi­tion is to be feared in Ministers, and sheweth what great con­testation hath been for this censure of the Church, that some have preferred it before all acts of piety; and have ambitiously endea­voured, that all should passe through their fingers; and that this censure hath plunged the world in blood this many hundred years. Mr. Gillespies answer to the matter of ambition, is only by involving the Civill Magistrate in the same danger of ambi­tion: Now is this a good argument, government is necessary, but he that is imployed therein hath great temptations to ambition, therefore the Ministers of the word must be ensnared in the like temptation? that they may both contest one with another, and so imbroile the world in bloud, as the Popes have done, or else both joyne together to enthrall the people, as the Bishops in the Courts of Princes? and not rather in regard that government doth naturally lift up the heart of man, and therefore Ministers have the name of servants, and Lordship, and Dominion over the slocke denied them in Scripture, to keep them from the like temptation, that they may the more freely from God warn them that are in authority, that they take heed of that temptation: I am confident if this Assembly had stooke close to their commis­sion, which they received from Christ, which was to preach the Gospell, and spent themselves wholly in matters of doctrine, and told the Lords of the duty of their place, to doe justice in Parlia­ment without respect of persons, and put the Commons in mind of all their wholesome Ordinances, that they looke to carefull performance of them, without turning their thoughts after go­vernment; the Reformation had gone on much faster, and more comfortable then it hath.

Mr. Coleman saith, That Church government hath disquieted all the world in the hand of the Pope, and his Clergy, in the hand of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Mr. Gillespie telleth him, That these [Page 11]stories are not a little beside the warke: he should have told what hurt is had done in France, in Holland, in Scotland, in Reformed Churches. I answer, it was the same censure that raised the Pope so high, but it grew not to that height in one age: a young Lion will not bite; and you boast that your Churches are according to Primitive times; well what they will come to, after times will see: we are beholding to the Presbytery for throwing downe the Bishops, if they cast away their ambition with them, and take Mr. Colemans advice, and set up Schooles of Divinity, and move the Parliament for due encouragement; you shall then ap­peare to be men seeking the things of Christ, and not your own: but of this more by and by.

A word or two about that place, 1 Tim. 5.17. the Elder that ruleth well, is worthy double honour: from hence two sorts of Elders are proved, an Elder that ruleth well, & he that laboureth in word & doctrine: here two Elders are mentioned; but the diffe­rence whether officiall or personall, is very doubtfull; one office may comprehend both these duties, and the comparison may lye in their personall excellencies, one may excell in the governing part of the office, and the other person in the doctrinall part; one may heare the causes and differences of his brethren well, and yet be but a dull preacher: another may preach excellent well, and yet be an unpatient and peevish judge: or not to counte­nance your Ecclesiasticall government so farre: the Scripture hath these effects, it is profitable for doctrine, reproofe, cor­rection, instruction; one Ministers excellencie may lye in la­bouring in doctrine and instruction, and this may be his that laboured in word and doctrine: he that reproveth and corre­cteth may be said to rule, and then there is no place for your Lay-elders: but if this place doe set up your Lay-elder, and the dif­ference is in two distinct offices, that here is an Elder that doth governe, and doth not preach; then preaching and governing be the differences, and differences be convertable with their subjects: so that if one doe governe, and not preach; the other must preach and not governe: and this agreeth plainly with the 1 Pet. 5.3. not as governing the flock, [...], nique ut dominautes, not as Lords: for my part I know not how Lordship and government doth differ one from another, dominus [Page 12]and dominari, [...] and [...], be denominatives: he that go­verneth is a Lord, and he that is a Lord governeth: to imagine that ambition and pride, injury and oppression, or any such vice, did necessarily belong to a Lord, is very injurious unto the very title and honour of a Lord.

That more reckoning hath been made of this dominion, then acts of piety: to this Mr. Gillespie seemeth to adhere, that all the rest is worth nothing without this: further occasion will be given to speake of these things.

Mr. Coleman doth desire doctrine, and wisheth the Civill Ma­gistrate to take Government: Doctrine is committed to the Mi­nisters of the word, by Commission from Christ, Mat. 28. and that Commission is to last to the end of the world: this Mr. Cole­man had reason to challenge as due from Christ, not the Church: but to the Ministers of the word, the Church hath no where po­wer to preach the Gospell, but the Apostles and their successors unto the end of the world: and therefore, as before he had im­plied, that the preaching of the Gospel would take up the whole man, especially in our time: our knowledge of the Scriptures is to be acquired by ordinary means, tongues for the language, ex­ercise and art for the argument, that the word might be preached in the demonstration, and argument of the Scripture, and not in the enticing words of mens wisdome: well might Mr. Cole­man call for Schools of Divinity, that there might be unity found among the Preachers of the Gospell; nothing more conducing to unity, then the continuall exercise in Schooles: the very people complaine, women, and such as are well minded: why do not you Ministers meet, and dispute it out among your selves, one teacheth one thing, and another another thing, and we are much troubled and disquieted by it: there is use of Schooles, or otherwise it would never be set up in Universities: Paul dis­puted daily in the Schoole of one Tyrannus: Mr. Coleman tel­leth the Parliament that this would advance Religion, more in sewer years, then since the Reformation. Mr. Gillespie cannot but confesse, that this would bee a means to make a learned Clergie, but it seemeth more good will come by discipline, than by all that: and to let us know that learning and maintenance may be without purity of Religion, he instanceth in the Jesuits: [Page 13]it is true, when men have their judgements forest [...]led by cor­rupt education, and they employed, as the Popes vassals to bee serviceable to his, and their owne ambitious ends, they have all their learning and endeavours poysoned: but yet it may be said for the Jesuits, that we have our Comments from them, and our books are very mean, and not savouring of that industry which theirs doe; if we had taken the same course to maintaine the truth, that they have to maintaine their errors, their mouths had long ere this been stopped, and the world had beene as full of good books in defence of truth, as now it is with their poysoned labours: but they shail rise up in judgement against us in the day of the Lord.

Had learning flourished amongst us as it might have done, such heresies and divisions as we now languish under, had never appeared amongst us: our Sermons had not beene so full of words and empty of argument as now they are: all men vent­ing their owne private opinions, scarce two men found that state any Question in Divinity alike, all because Ministers are not ac­quainted with one anothers arguments and opinions, untill they vent them among the people, 1. Cor. 14.29. Let the Prophets speake two or three, and let the other judge: where ye see the Prophets must vent their opinions, first among the Prophets, and not among the people: what they preach among the peo­ple, ought to be digested among themselves, by argument from the word, not carried by vote; where major pars s [...]pe vincat me­liorem: for Christ Jesus gave his Commission to all the eleven jointly, and their successors, unto the end of the world; and ther­fore though they were guided by an infallible spirit, yet Gal. 2.2. Paul came up by the spirit to Jerusalem, with Barnabas and Ti­tus, and communicated the Gospell that he preached among the Gentiles, lest he had run in vaine: much more are we bound to use all meanes to preserve the unity of the spirit: nay, wee have no authority to preach, without the approbation of all that are in the commission, by authority of Christ: if any shall object that it is unpossible Ministers at this day are of so many mindes, I an­swer, it is a judgement fallen upon us, for that we have not used the meanes, nor doe know one anothers minde, and every man taketh upon him to make himselfe a Prophet, and be judge of his [Page 14]owne gifts; or which is worse, make the people judge, and give them power to make or choose their Pastor: from which principle, the Independents build all their Indepency: yet the Presbyters many, nay for ought I can learne, upon debate in the Assembly, the Independents have gained, that the people have right to choose their Minister: I am sure Mr. Herle for want of skill, and Theologicall disputations, hath granted it them: and then no reason can deny them Independent Church governe­ment, if any such thing be as Church government: as long as there be no Schooles, nor men, and matters, are not ripened there, the granting of a false principle is not very dangerous: few men can finde the fallacy; a Rhetoricall Sermon, and an Assembly vote will mend all; but a false principle is most rea­dy to seduce the most discussive and knowing people.

I am confident this one principle hath made all men of parts, and honesty, Independents, that are so; and were I satisfied that the people might elect their Minister, I should be Independent my selfe, though as I now stand affected, I thinke it the most de­structive opinion, both to humane society, and sound religion; most contrary to the doctrine of the Gospell, the mind and au­thority of Christ, as was ever broached since the Sun shone: as I am confident, if Schooles of Divinity were set up over all the Kingdome, in the Classes, and nothing but doctrine medled with, or such things as are in Scripture handled in a School way, would be made appeare unto the greatest defendents of that o­pinion; they would finde their quaint epithets, and fine figures, their apt similitudes and dainty allusions, would make no syllo­gismes: your plausible Preachers, that fill the world with these stirres, cannot endure the Schools; they wil tel you that Schools will spoile Preachers, best Schoolemen, worst Preachers: Schooles will fill the world with controversies and fallacies: they will tell you of Jesuits and Papists, and what not, to keepe off Schooles. But truth is, nothing but ignorance bringeth in diver­sities of opinions, and men may be very near and plausible Prea­chers, yet very ignorant: and his opnion and applause he hath gotten with the people, maketh him bold to vent some new opi­nion, and then defend it who can, for he cannot: he can preach it, and Print something for it, but for a concluding argument, he knoweth not what to make of any such thing.

As for those arguments against Schooles, that many School­men are bad Preachers, it is fallacia accidentis, non causa pro cau­sa: so few men have skill of argument, so little used in preaching, that the Schooleman will not take paines to preach: I mind such few men as are noted for famous Schoolemen, whereas if all men were both exercised in Schooles and Pulpits, Controver­sies would be silenced, and Pulpits filled, with such strength of argument out of Scripture, that tradesmen would keepe their shops, and coblers their stalles, and not adventure to get up into the Pulpit: whereas now they see that the using of allusions, and phrasing Scriptures, no otherwise then men may doe with na­turall wit, and a little diligence will performe, and this hath cau­sed them to turne Preachers: and if they should be silensed by force, they would thinke themselves wronged; but call them to their exercise, they will leave of themselves, and fall to their old imployments.

But Mr. Gillespie is very zealous for keeping ordinances pure, though he hath not, nor ever will be able to proove, that any man by his sinne, can pollute the Sacrament to any other, but himselfe. But if they might, cannot men of any ordinary educa­tion, if honest, be competent judges of such offences? but the Minister must be called from his Study to examine Drunkards, and Whores, and such notorious offences as these, as if none were fit to meddle with such matters but he. He adviseth the Par­liament to give Christ his due; I hope they will be commanded that, but what that is, he cannot, or will not proove; we must content our selves with a little sauce of Rhetoricke; Abraham said Gen. 14.23. That I will not take from a threed to ash [...]e latchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldst say, I have made Abraham rich. But no Logicke to prove government to be established by Christ in the Church different from civill.

The argument of the covenant is too low to be thought on in this Discourse: we are now in an higher region, then the words of the covenant; we are about Gods word, we hope there is no­thing in the covenant contrary to Gods word; if there be, that must be thought on in another consideration: we may not leave enquiring into the word of God, for feare of the oath: this were a point equall to the highest of Popish tyranny.

The fourth rule, A Christian Magistrate is a Governour in the Church. Mr. Gillespie denieth not this. I know not if the Chri­stian Magistrate governeth in the Church, what use there should be of any Governour beside him. I thought that the Church ha­ving no officers in it, but such as Christ had set up, had ele­cted elders, by the appointment of Jesus Christ: and that by your opinion Christ had beene the King of the Church, and had set up his kingdome, and set officers in his Church, and those had been officers in the Church, which Christ had appointed in it, and none other: if the Church be Christs Kingdome, surely such as governe in it, must receive commission from him, under the same apprehension, as he is King, which is as he is Mediator: their commission to governe in the Church, must be in this forme: Christ the Mediator, King of his Church, doth appoint Kings, and civill Magistrates to governe under him, or otherwise they cannot governe in the Church, if the Church be the Kingdome of Christ, for it cannot be imagined, that Christs Kingdome is ca­pable of any mixture, as humane governments are; if Christ be a King, he hath Lawes, not out of the consent of the people, but he can and doth dare leges, unto which all the world is subject, Rom. 2.16. Judge all the world according to my Gospel. 2. Thes. 7.8. Jesus Christ shall come with his mighty Angels, in flaming fire, rendring vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the Gospell of our Lord Jesus Christ; the Gospell is the Gos­pell of Christ, and the law by which Christ will judge all the world: if all the world be under the law of Christ, then the King­dome of Christ must needs reach over all the world.

2. Christ at his resurrection declared mightily to be the Son of God, Rom. 14. Act. 2.36. Let the house of Israel confesse, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom yee have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Mr. Gillespie confesseth, That this day have I begotten thee, in the 2 Psalm is to be understood of the stating him in his King­dome, which he prooveth out of Act. 13.33. If so, see, in the 2. Psal. 8. Aske of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost part of the earth for thy possessi­on. Where ye see, God giveth unto Christ, all the earth for his inheritance: and further commandeth Kings to serve him: and [Page 17]therefore is called under the appellation of the Lambe, tha [...] can agree to Christ but only as a Mediator, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords; and in 1 Tim. 6.15. our Lord Jesus Christ is said to bee the only Potentate, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords; Jesus Christ be names that agree to him only Mediator.

3. The Kingdome of Christ is as ample as his Prophesie; but the Prophesie of Christ is extended to all Nations, as may ap­peare by the Commission, Goe teach all Nations: the doctrine which they must teach commands: now commands have al­waies power and authority annexed to compell obedience; or otherwise they are but vaine commands, verball, and frustrate.

4. No calling can admit the appellation of pious, and godly which is not under Christ; and this is that enrichment of which St. Paul speaketh of 1 Cor. 1.5. where hee telleth them they were enriched in all things in Christ, and v.30. Christ is said to be made unto us wisdome, righteousnesse, sanctification, and redemption: no holinesse without Christ; all our holinesse doth consist in our obedience to Christ: if therefore Kings may bee called holy, if their offices may be accounted holy offices, or not sinfull, they must be held off, and under Christ, without whom they cannot be pleasing to God, Ps. 72.11. All Kings shall fall downe before him, all Nations shall doe him service: upon which Calvin hath these words, In ecclesia & grege Christi esse regibus locum ques hic David non exarmat gladio, nec diademate spo­liat, ut admittat in ecclesiam: sed cum sua dignitate venturos esse dicit, ut se coram Christo prosternant: Kings have place in the Church and flocke of Christ, whom David here doth neither disarme of their sword, nor spoile of their crowne to admit them into the Church: but saith that they shall come with their dignity, and cast themselves downe before Christ.

5. That office which Christ hath declared to be of God, and bounded and limited in his Gospell, that office is held under Christ as mediator; but the Civill Magistrate is so, Rom. 13.4. he is the Minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath on them that doe evill; thus far Christ hath to doe with the Civill Magi­strate, to declare the minde of God concerning him, and to com­mand every soule to be subject to him; here is as much, and more from Christ, then Mr. Gillespie will ever finde out for his Church [Page 18]officers for all the Scripture of the New Testament came from the Propheticall office of Christ; and he was promised at the gi­ving of the Law, Deut. 18.15. and thus Peter Act. 3. and Stephen Acts 7. preached: and John 4.25. the woman of Samaria knew that the Messia should teach all things: what Paul preached was in the name of Christ, for he was a vessell to carry the name of Christ before the Gentiles, and Kings, Acts 9.15. if Kings are not beholding to Christ for their offices, they are for the obe­dience of their subjects, without which the office of a Civill Ma­gistrate is little worth.

6. The Civill Magistrates office, and Christs office, both Kingdoms over the same subjects: either the office of the Media­tors Kingdome is superiors inferior, or coordinate, I leave to any Christian to determine; but it may be it will be answered that the Civill Magistrate and Christ are conversant about divers kindes of objects, though they be the same persons that are un­der Christ, and the King; yet it is in divers considerations, to divers ends, and by divers means, for the ends, Christs ends and the Kings ends are both one, 1 Tim. 2.2. that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godlinesse and honesty, as for divers means that the officers of the Church use when that censure or Church government which is talked of, is proved out of 1 Cor. 5. Mat. 18. or any place of Scripture, it shall be answered God willing.

I passe by Mr. Gillespies businesse of the little ewe lambe, that he would have kept, I say let the ewe lambe alone. It argues no­thing, and therefore I answer nothing: But Mr. Coleman can finde no other government instituted, but Civill, and this is laid to him as a great carelessenesse, that sought no better into the Scriptures then so: Mr. Gillespie hath found in many places the institution of the Church officers, he findes that more subjection and obe­dience is commanded as due, not only to civill, but spirituall go­vernours, to those that are over us in the Lord, 1 Thess. 5.12. Mr. Gillespie seeth more then the text yeeldeth, here is no men­tion made of obedience at all, here is know them, and esteeme them highly: but there is [...], which is translated over you: but Passor telleth us that [...], with a genitive case signifieth pracedo, and then it signifieth no more but them that [Page 19]goe before you, either by doctrine or example, here is no­thing of institution: whatsoever this person that is to be belo­ved, he is supposed, not instituted in this place, the subject is supposed, not handled in any science: love and honour is due to the Preacher of the Word, who is said to goe before them they teach: but what is this to government? Heb. 13.7. Remember them that rule over you, there is [...], which is ducum, them that lead you, here is not obedience, nor subjection, but remem­ber, and imitate their faith: yea but in the 17 verse, there is o­bey and rule over you, but that is (as before) them that lead you, the word is [...], which is no more but be perswaded: I deny not but it is often translated obey, but it commeth from [...], which is persuadeo to perswade. Passor telleth us, it is verbum forense, a word whereby the advocates perswade the Judges; I hope ye will not say when an advocate by pleading Law, doth perswade the Iudges, that the Iudges doe obey the advo­cate: but let the word stand as it is translated (yet when it is so rigorously wrought upon, it cannot be enforced, interpretation belongeth not to the disputant) Obey: yet is it not alway cor­rellative to the command of a superiour: obedience is some­times founded on the authority of the superior, sometimes on the good and benefit of him that doth obey, without any colour or claime of superiority or government: so the patient obeyeth the Physitian, so that master that imployeth a cunning work­man, must be ruled by his workman; yet neither the one, nor the other claime government over his patient or workmaster: and upon this ground the Holy Ghost requireth obedience here, not by an argument from the authority of him that leadeth them, but from the benefit that commeth to themselves, for that is unpro­fitable for you, Rom. 12.8. The argument that Mr. Gillespie draweth hence is not out of the place, but the interpretation of the place, and therefore nothing in confutation of Mr. Coleman; for he did not say he found no institution in Gualter and Bullen­ger, but in Scripture, though Gualter and Bullenger are for Mr. Coleman, as Beza confesseth, whatsoever they say upon the place, Mr. Gillespie should prove institution of Church government out of Scripture, the disputant may not interpret that is the answe­rers part, as before.

Mr. Coleman saith, Christ hath placed Magistrates in his Church, for which he citeth 1 Cor. 12.28. Eph. 1.3 last verses, to prove all government given to Christ, and Christ as Mediator: I have proved this a truth: though I have left out those argu­ments that Mr. Gillespie doth confute in answer to Mr. Coleman, because I shall have occasion to speake in his just vindicati­on of them.

Having recited Mr. Colemans words, he argueth against them ab incommodo, He cannot upon these grounds assert the authority of either Heathen or Christian Magistrate. For the Heathen Magi­strate, I say let Baall plead for himselfe: but it will be easier for Mr. Coleman to prove the Heathen Magistrate unlawfull, then for Mr. Gillespie to vindicate him.

First, it is sin for a man to be an Heathen, and such for which Christ will come, rendring vengeance in flaming fire, because they doe not know God, nor obey the Gospell of Jesus Christ, 2. Thess. 1.8. If any man shall say that Heathen doe know God, let Christ confute him: No man knoweth the Father, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveale him, Matt. 11.27.

And for his government, if sin be lawfull, it is lawfull: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin, Rom. 14.23. If yee speake of jus humanum, and usurpation in humane estimation: this is out of the question. But I wonder a Christian should doubt, whether it be the duty of all men to be Christians, and that it is sinne in them that are not, which yet it were not, if it were lawfull for them to enjoy their Heathen condition. Joh. 16.9. The Holy Ghost when he is come, will convince the world of sin, because they beleeve not in me, sayth our Saviour: Quod malum in so non potest esse modaliter bonum: That which is evill in it selfe, cannot be circumstantially good. If to be a Heathen be sin, to governe as a Heathen cannot be good.

Next, is a blow given to a Christian Magistrate, because the brother must proove a Deputyship, or Vicegerentship by com­mission from Christ; I conceive he hath commission from Christ to be Gods instrument to punish the evill doer, and doe good to him that doth well: againe, hath any Magistrate commission to be Christian, or may they be Christians, and not obey Christ? I conceive the Prophets are good Expositors of the condition of [Page 21]Christs Kingdome. Ps. 72.11. All Kings shall fall downe be­fore him, all Nations shall serve him. Esay 60.12. That Nation and Kingdome that will not serve thee shall perish.

But I follow Mr. Gillespie, God and Nature hath made Magi­strates, and given them great authority, but of Christ, as mediator, they have it not. There is the affirmation; see the proofe.

Church officers, sayth Mr. Gillespie, have their power from Christ, as mediator, and they are to manage their offices under, and for Christ. And this he proveth, for that they doe the duties of their offices, in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ. And the duties of Church officers he citeth, fowre: 1. come together: 2. Preach: 3. baptize: 4. excom­municate: and all these are done in the name of Jesus, but the Magi­strate is not to performe any part of his duty in the name of Jesus. And for all these he bringeth places of Scripture, to proove the affir­mative, which I shall endevour to examine according to lawes of disputation.

The first is, in his name we meet together, Matt. 18.20. We, sayth Mr. Gillespie, meet: and urgeth it to proove the institution of Church officers; he maketh short worke of it, but weake, no ar­gument. The Text sayth, when two or three are gathered together in my name, I am in the midst: It sayth not they are Church offi­cers, neither doth it say, none shall gather together in my name, but Church officers, or I am in the midst of none but Church offi­cers. Well, I excuse Mr. Coleman, if he see no institution of the Church officers out of that place, and I hope so will all men, e­ven Mr. Gillespie himselfe, upon due consideration.

2. In his name we doe preach; that is out of the question: of other governments, I find no institution, sayth Mr. Coleman: he spea­keth not of the commission to preach, and therefore let that go.

3. In his name we baptize, Act. 2.38. be baptized in the name of Iesus, Act. 19.5. These places he citeth, to proove we baptize in the name of Iesus, as mediator, as exclusively to Father, and Holy Ghost, (leaving out the words of the commission Matt. 28. baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost) for so the state of his question doth require; for he distinguisheth acutely, and accurately, betweene Christ as Mediator, and second person in Trinity, in all this argument: and so abuseth these places to proove, that we must baptize in the name of Christ, exclusive to [Page 22]the other persons of the Trinity, which is contrary to the words of the commission, and the practise of all Churches: but this is quite out of Mr. Gillespies businesse, which is to proove other go­vernment instituted besides civill.

4. In his name we excommunicate; this is to the purpose: proove that Mr. Gillespie 1. Cor. 5.5. to deliver such a one to Satan: he maketh great haste, no more adoe, but we excommunicate: heere is no argument; deliver to Sathan is not to excommuni­cate, at least they be different termes; which rules of disputation will not allow. But grant that it were excommunication, and that Paul did excommunicate, as in plaine termes he did deliver to Sathan Hymineus and Alexander, 1 Tim. 1.20. so in this place being well viewed it will appeare, that St. Paul saith, I have de­creed in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, with the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such a one to Sathan. The decree was Pauls, and not the Corinthians, though it might possible have been an act of the Corinthians, yet no way appertaining unto you, I mean under the notion of a Church, and yet officers of the Church is a terme somewhat more remote; and yet still far­thest of all from institution: for grant Paul had in termes said, let the Elders of the Church excommunicate, yet he had not instituted, but supposed an institution, this might have proved an esse, not the institution nisi remote. Thus have I examined his argument by rule. Give us Schooles of divinity, that wee may no more be troubled with such arguments.

But let us further examine what these mediums (or some of them) will yeeld being closer put: Mr. Gillespie doth appropriate the meeting in the name of Christ, to the officers of the Church, and that is his medium to prove their institution from Christ, as Mediator: we must come for the clearing of this point, to con­sider what it is to doe a thing in the name of Christ: it is true, much use is made of this comming together in the name of Christ, in the argument of generall Counsells; but this priviledge of comming together in the name of Christ appropriate to Bi­shops in a generall Councell, our Learned will not allow. Mr. Whittaker, Quis ferat cos sic loquentes, dum quae communiae sunt omnibus Christianis ad paucos restringunt, who can endure them to speake so while they restraine those things to a few, that be­long [Page 23]to all Christians? where you see he will not endure these two or three to be understood of Church officers, but of any Christi­ans. But let us see what he saith, it is to be gathered in the name of Christ: he saith,

To bee gathered in Christs name, In Christi nomine congregari due significat: Primum eos qui con­veniunt esse veros & sinceres Dei cultores, & sanae Religionis professores, quam non aliunde nisi Scripturae didiscerunt, nam qui alio modo Deum colunt quam quo ille coli vult, quantumvis max­insi praesules fuerint in ecclesia, non tamen in Christi nomine con­gregantur: secundum ut eo animo conveniant, ut Christi mandato per omnia obediant, ut que eas se­cum affectiones afferant, ea studia eas voluntates, quae pios Christi ministres deceant ut nihil propter Dei gloriam quaerant, aut sibi proponant, ut veritatem ex Scripturis inquirant, inventam aliis commendent, non ut suum regnum stabiliant, &c. signifieth two things: 1. That those that come toge­ther are true and sincere wor­shippers of God, and profes­sors of the true Religion, which they have not learned elsewhere but from Scripture: For who so worship God any other way then as he will bee worshipped, though they bee great Prelates in the Church, yet are not gathered together in Christs name. 2. That they come together with that mind, that they may obey the com­mand of Christ, that they bring with them those affecti­ons, those desires, those inten­tions, which become godly Ministers of Christ. That they seeke or propound nothing to themselves besides Gods glory, that they search for truth in Scri­pture, and having fonnd it, commend it to others, not for the e­stablishing of their owne Kingdome.

Thus far I hope ye will agree that others besides Church offi­cers, may be qualified to meet in the name of Christ: first, that they may be the true worshippers of God, that they may learne to worship God according to his will out of the Scriptures, they may have good affections to obey Christ, they may seeke Gods glory, and not the setting up their owne Kingdome: I hope the Parliament is so gathered, and Christ is amongst them.

Bishop Mourton saith, to bee duly gathered in the name of Christ, is with sincere hearts to invocate him, and to subscribe to [Page 24]his revealed truth; this may bee done by others beside Church officers; and I hope our Parliament doth so.

But see cleerely out of the Scripture, that a thing may be sayd to be done in the name of Christ, or of God, when men doe any thing in confidence that God will assist us: so Psal. 20.5. In the name of our God will we set up our banners, in confidence God will assist us: thus I hope the Parliament, and other Christians may undertake the businesse in the name of Christ, in confidence of Christs assistance, as mediator, for whose sake the worke they are employed about, shall be acceptable to God.

Secondly, in the name of Christ, a thing is sayd to bee done, that is done in the authority, roome, and place of Christ, as if Christ should doe it himselfe: and thus officers of the Church, Mr. Gillespie would have act, under Christ, and none but they. And this, if granted, will not proove a Church government, seeing a man may preach in the name of Christ, and yet not governe in the name of Christ; for preaching is the worke of Christ as well as government.

But as mediator, Christ hath given no such power and com­mission to the Magistrate: and this hee prooveth, because Christ hath none to give, as Mediator he would not judge, therfore he had no civill power, Luke 12.14. To this so farre as the argu­ment: it doth not follow that because Christ was not a judge, a­ctu exercito, therefore the originall right of government was not in him: and this objection may be answered thus; Christ did not say, he was not a judge, but who made me a judge? how doest thou know that I am a judge? and thus Christ in the time of his humiliation did often hide the manifestation of his power: and as for Joh. 18.36. My kingdome is not of this world, I know not how it argueth more for Church government then for civill: as if those governments that should be executed by Church offi­cers should favour lesse of the world then the civill government: but he falleth to an admiration, as if the thing were unpossible, that the power which Christ hath received of his father, should be derived to the civill Magistrate, but no reason to shew the wonder.

He confesseth that Christ as he is eternall God, doth with the Fa­ther and Holy Ghost, reigne over the Kingdomes of the earth: he that [Page 25]is the mediator, being God, hath of God all power in heaven and earth, and this power was given, Matt. 28.18. both by eternall generation, and declaration at his resurrection. These be phrases that doe asto­nish me, that any thing should be given to Christ, as God, if gi­ven it had beene robbery to have taken without leave; but any thing should be given him that should concerne his Godhead at the time of his resurrection, is more monstrous: but let be, if this place bee understood of the power that Christ hath as second Person in Trinity, and not as Mediator, then he had no authority as Mediator to send his Apostles: for by this authority, hee sent forth his, Apostles to preach the Gospell; and if that were not the authority that was given him as Mediator, than ye have lost your commission, which ye so much boast of, and had not so much as the right to preach under Christ as Mediator: All au­thority is given me in heaven and earth, goe yee therefore and preach: from this authority here spoken of, i [...] the authority to preach the Gospell; now it is most cleare that he had authority to preach the Gospell as Mediator, as I have formerly proved.

Mr. Gillespie saith, That hee that is the Mediator being God, hath power to subdue his Churches enemies but as Mediator, hee hath no other Kingdome, but his Church, as God and as Media­tor, those be termes strangely opposed the Mediator cannot be conceived but as God and man; and that Kingdome which be­longeth to the second Person in Trinity, cannot be said to be gi­ven to Christs, but is the Kingdome of God, because opera Trini­tat [...] ad extra sunt indivisae: but the Kingdome of Christ is admi­nistred by him, whilst he is at the right hand of the Father by the power of his Godhead: Christ the Mediator doth many things as God, which could not be performed by man, and many things performed by the humane nature, which were not agreeable to the divine: it became us to have a Mediator perfect God, and perfect man, and accordingly in the state of humiliation Christ, did work as God and man, he wrought his miracles, healed dis­eases, commanded windes and sea, and did manifest his divine power by knowing the hearts of men, and now in the state of glory: shall he have one Kingdome as Mediator, and another as God? as Mediator is used in an ambiguous sense, let it be spo­ken plaine, as Mediator hee worketh as God and as man▪ both [Page 24] [...] [Page 25] [...] [Page 26]which actions are actions of his person, per communication [...] [...] ­matu [...], Mediator is not a third nature, either he doth what Mr. Gillespie entendeth as God, or as man, the natures are not con­founded, hee doth nothing as Mediator, which he doth not as God, or as man, or as man assisted by God in more then an or­dinary manner; shall the Mediator be spoyled of his Godhead to set up a supposed Kingdome in the Church, different from the civill? He that is the Mediator being God, hath power to subdue his, and his Churches enemies, and to make his foes his footstoole; but as Mediator he is only the Churches King, head and governour: why doth Mr. Gillespie shuffle thus? why doth hee not speake plainly, and make his oppositions cleare, ad idem? and say, as Mediator he hath no such power, as Mediator he is God, but it seemeth God without power to subdue his enemies.

But when he had affirmed that Christ is King, head and go­vernour of his Church only (where is couched fallacia plurium interrogationum, the word head in a more peculiar sense, may bee ascribed to the Church, then King, and governour) he proveth that it is so, by branding those that deny it with Pho [...]inianisme; but if that be erronious, here Deodate upon Ezek. 1.26 speaking of the likenesse of a man, saith it was the Son of God, head of the Church, and King of the universe: and Rom. 10.12. by his death and resurrection, hath gotten him a title to be Lord over all men. And Calvin upon the Eph. 1.20. Sedere fecit in dextrae; dextra non locum, sed potestatem significat; quam pater Christo con­tulit, ut ejus nomine Coeli, & terrae imperium administret; he made him sit on his right hand, right hand doth not signifie place but power, which the Father bestowed on Christ, that in his name he might rule heaven and earth: and after, Cum dextrae Dei coe­lum, & terr [...] impleat, sequitur regnum Christi ubique diffusum, for as much as the right hand of God doth fill heaven and earth, it followes that the Kingdome of Christ is spread all over. If there­fore Christ as mediator sitteth at the right hand of God, his Kingdome as mediator is extended over heaven and earth.

Again, all mankind lost not only dominion, but all right to the use of the creatures, and Christ as mediator is made heire of all things. Heb. 1.2. where the state of Christs mediation, his Pro­pheticall, Priestly, and Kingly office, are at large set out, his hu­miliation [Page 27]to a lower condition then the condition of Angels by death: and after is exalted: and in the chap. 2.8. thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet, in that hee put all things under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. I hope no man dare say, that he was made lower then the Angells as the second person in Trinity: now if hee had spoken of Christ as mediator, that in that respect he had been humbled, and exalted in another respect, to wit, as the second Person in Trinity, all things had been put under him, the antythesis had not beene ad idem. Againe God is said to put all things under him, whereby it is implied that all things were not under him, before they were put under him, but as the second Person in Trinity; so nothing could be said to be put under him, because they were in that re­spect alwaies under him: And lastly, nothing is excepted from this subjection, 1 Cor. 15.28. the Son also himselfe shall be sub­ject to him that put all things under him, so Christ hath domini­on over all things, they are put under his feet in such a condition, in such a consideration, as he himselfe is subject to God, but in the consideration that Christ is the second person of Trinity, so he is not inferiour to God the Father, therefore he hath not all things put under his feet as second Person in Trinity.

Phil. 2.8.9.10. being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himselfe, and became obedient to death, even the death of the crosse; wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name, that in the name of Iesus every knee should bow; you see he that was in the forme of a servant, was exalted under that description, and so high that every knee should bow to him: but as second Person in Trinity, hee was not found in the forme of a servant, but as mediator, so he was God in the forme of a servant.

But Mr. Gillespie hath a distinction between, dignity, power, and kingdome, but proveth only a posse, that such a distinction is conceiveable, and may be found in earthly Kings, but a posse ad esse in Christ [...], non valet consequentia: but here I further note that Mr. Gillespie in the close of his brotherly examination, when hee commeth to apply this his distinction to the mediator; he saith, as mediator he exerciseth acts of divine power, and omnipotencie over all creatures in the behalfe, and for the good of his Church, and restrai­neth [Page 28]or diverteth, or destroyeth all his Churches enemies, notwith­standing in the 43 page, he denieth any such working to belong to Christ as mediator; but as God, whereby yee may see how weake these grounds are; and how small a matter it is for a Rhe­torician to forget himselfe in the following of an argument.

There remaineth now that something bee said in vindication of Mr. Coleman from the charge of mis-application of two Scri­ptures.

The first is the 1 Cor. 12.28. hee citeth to prove civill govern­ments in the Church; unto which Mr. Gillespie saith, first if by go­vernments in that plate, Civill Magistrates were understood, yet that place saith not, that Christ hath placed them, then à foreiori, you disclaime by that means any government in this place as officers under Christ. I thought Mr. Gillespie: would not have let goe the hold he hath under Christ, for his Church governments from this place so easie: Mr. Coleman need not trouble him false about proving that they were put in the Church under Christ: I hope if in the Church they will be content to be Christs Vicars, or else if Mr. Coleman will be ruled by me, so as Mr. Gillespie will not urge this for constitution of Church governments, hee shall let it goe. God hath placed governments in his Church, and if they be meant civill governments, hee hath gotten thus much, that civill governours are in the Church by Gods appointment; and then I hope Mr. Gillespie will not deny the roome that God hath given them in the Church, upon this ground that God hath nothing to doe to place them there, they should have come in by Christ.

Hee brings an argument out of Calvin, because the Apostle spake of such governments as the Church had at that time, but the Church had no civill Christian Magistrates at that time; on­ly the major of that argument wanteth proofe, that the Apostle speaketh of such officers as were in the Church in his time only: that cannot be proved; I shall urge some few arguments to the contrary: the word [...] will not enforce is, seeing that word will signifie proposuit or decre [...], as well as posuit, he hath appoin­ted: and that may take in, not onely such officers, the present state of the Church did affoord, but also hose as should hear cas­ter, by Gods appointment, come to the Church: and this is plain [Page 29]that in sundry places the word doth so signifie, as Joh. 15.16. I have ordained you, that you shall goe and bring forth fruit, Act. 19.21. Paul purposed, both made by [...] and [...], yet both are referred to time to come: and then that which you translate pla­ced, may be rendred, he hath appointed to his Church the exe­cution referred to the providence of God, when he shalbe plea­sed to affoord his Church the enjoyment of these severall en­dowments and gifts: for it is plaine, there is in that catalogue, some such as the Church shall not alwayes have; and why not some also, which at that time the Church had not? This cannot be a catalogue of such officers as are at all times necessary to the Church; for then Apostles, might not be mentioned; because the Church is, and long time hath beene without them, as work­ers of miracles.

2. At that time there were workers of miracles, which did supply the defect of civill Magistrates, which is to workt upon naturalls, to induce men to attend upon the means, Act. 8.6. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing, and seeing the miracles which he did.

Thus much a nationall covenant, and civill Magistrate, may require of the people, that they will attend upon the meanes, out of naturall principles, Deum esse, & [...]: in the maner of which worship, so farre as concerneth the externall education: from youth, and tradition, instruction of parents, and humane lawes, are the foundations and the bounds of nationall and pub­lique worship: and upon this ground the Israelites were com­manded to reach their children the Law of God; and God en­tred into covenant with the father, for the child, as with Abra­ham: and the same obligation lieth upon Christian parents to in­struct their children, Eph. 6.4. And you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the [...]urture and admonition of the Lord. Which yet they might not, if the doctrine of the Go­spell might not be received of the father, for the son, and the fa­ther might not require of his son the forme of doctrine.

Saint Paul calleth the doctrine of the Gospell, Rom. 6.7. a forme: God be thanked ye have obeyed the forme of doctrine, that was delivered unto you, 2. Tim. 1.13. Hold fast the so me of sound words which thou hast heard of me: this is called fides quō [Page 30]cr [...]dimus, and this may be the obligation of humans society: and God, and Christ, and Scripture, may be agreed on by naturall men, even as Idolaters set up their worship; yet if the Scripture be received for the rule, there is a sound forme of words, and he that heareth and beleaveth, and obayeth from the heart, shall be saved, though the Magistrate and Minister should drive on to po­litique and ambitious ends, yet the beleever shall bee saved; and this is the assistance and helpe the Church can have from a civill Magistrate: and how great a mercy is this to Gods people when all incouragement shall be given to the preaching of the Gospel? when the lust and riot of a people shall be restrayned by the civil Magistrate: men that refuse to heare the word punished in their persons and estates, and thereby for feare of the Magistrate bee brought to the meanes, God must judge of the successe, as like­wise give it. Compare this with the contrary motions of autho­rity, by fire and sword to suppresse the Gospel, and then see whe­ther this be not indeed helps to the Church, which though those times wanted, yet God appointed that after ages should have; and in the meane time did cause men to attend to the meanes by miracles. I have proved that the people were inclined to hear­ken to doctrine by miracles, which moveth naturall men to flock together to see strange things: if a mount chancke come and tell people be both medicines of strange operations, to cure and kill, to wound and heale, how will people flocks together to heare and see some strange thing? est natura heminum novimtis avids: I have likewise shewed you that people may and ought to re­ceive God, and Christ; and Scripture, by publique consent: and whatsoever it received by publique consent is an act of humane law, and to be acted by the civill Magistrate.

Now God doth not worke miracles, but to supply defect of naturall meanes, when they are wanting: Christ cured, when Physitians could not: maketh wine of water when they had no wine: provided Manna, when they were in the wildernes, and wanted provision, which coased when they enjoyed the provi­sion of the Land. When the Gospell was first, and nations were not converted, then miracles were necessary to cause attention: but after, when nations were converted, which Christ sent out his Disciples to doe, with all speed, then there will be no use of [Page 31]miracles: attention and use of meanes may be agreed upon, the effect of them every man is concerned to looke to for his owne salvation: and happy are we if we can enjoy the meanes with­out Inquisitions, and faggots, and bloud.

And to looke nearer into the Text, to see that this was but an appointment, and not a present execution: lye have not heere a continued catalogue, but ye have these interruptions, [...], then [...], then [...], all these might be present, and liable to view: then ye have [...], and to that ye have annexed miracles: they lasted somewhat longer then the Apostles and Prophets: and last ye have [...], and these may be ordinary gift: healing, if distinguished from miracles, is an ordinary gift: so are divers tongues; and there remayneth no more but helps, governments, and what these helps are, Calvin confesseth he cannot tell: hee thinketh they were some officers the Church hath lost: men are mightily troubled for want of officers, but being put both in one case without any conjunction copulative, why they may not belong both to one thing, and this [...] may not have some influ­ence upon the times and after age; seeing this catalogue is super­additum ecclesia, and the gifts mentioned, not limited by their ends, but onely noted as different gifts, to note that all have not the like qualifications: but in Eph. 4.11. there when the Apostle setteth downe officers, as meanes to the ends which in actions and moralls have a great influence upon the nature of the thing: he leaveth out helps and governments, and reckoneth only fowr: Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, and Teachers; all but Teach­ers imployed about the word it selfe, the foundation, penmen of the word, no more left to us but the Teacher, and he alone with the helpe of the labours, of the Apostles, Prophets, and Evan­gelists; for without them they can doe nothing: yet there this poore teacher is left alone to perfect the Saints, to performe the worke of the Ministry, to edifie the body of Christ: heere is nei­ther helpe, nor government, yet all these things done without them.

Besides in that very place where S. Paul by an induction doth demonstrate that God hath appointed diversities of gifts, rec­koneth all the rest, and skippeth over helpes, governments, and leaveth them wholly out, which of necessity he must doe where [Page 32]he was in his induction to deale with their experience, if none such were to be found at that time, they might tell him you aske us whether all be helps and governments, we see no such thing; we are so far from thinking all governments, that we finde none at all, but why otherwise they should be left out I know not see­ing they did cleerest set forth the difference that one member hath from another (especially to naturall men) which was S. Pauls argument, and therefore I thinke there were none then.

He hath two other arguments to shew the mis-application of this text, but are trifles not worth answer.

The first is the catalogue of Church officers.

The Magistrate is behinde the Minister.

Next he citeth Eph. 1.21, 22, 23. to prove that all govern­ment is given to Christ, and to him as mediator, and Christ as head of these, is given to the Church: Mr. Gillespie saith this place maketh more against him then for him; something for him by your confession, is the Scripture contrary to it selfe, in the same place pro and con, The Apostle saith not that Christ is gi­ven to the Church a head of all principalities and powers: The brother saith so, and in so saying, he maketh Christ a head to those that are not his body. 1 Is This a very nice exception, the text saith plainly that the power of God shewed it self in Christ; 1 in raising him from the dead. 2 In setting him at the right hand of God, which Calvin expoundeth to signifie the power which the Father be­stowed upon Christ: and further saith that these words of the 21 ver [...]e far above principality is an exegesis, explaining the right hand of God, the words are, hee set him at his owne right hand far above principalities, &c. but in 22, he gave him to bee head over all things to his Church; he saith not head over principali­ties, but all things; here is great cause of exception, here is farre above principalities, but not head; here is head of all things, but not principalities: may not hee that is farre above be called the chiefe or head; or may not he that is head of all things, bee well called head of Principalities: it is true, disputations doe require men to keep close to termes; but in Col. 2.10. ye have the very words, head of all principalities and powers; the brother is to blame for saying so: why may not the brother speake, as St. Paul speaketh; but it seemeth the Commissioner will confute St. Paul [Page 33] inso saying, hee shall make Christ head of them that are not his body. Well the Commissioner will not have Christ head of any but his body, then I trust he is not head of your Presbytery, for then he must be head of many that are not of his body; for howsoever men may by rules of charity have the estimation of members of Christ, yet certainly Christ is head of none but his elect; no vi­sible Church can challenge the priviledge of being the members of Christ, every faithfull man may, but the visible Church can­not; I desire this may be proved, that unbeleevers and hypocrites are members of Christ. If in the visible Church if Christ be con­sidered as head of the Church, which doth by his mediation con­vey the graces of justification and sanctification upon the faith­full; so the visible Church is not the body of Christ, as having many members that have no life of grace, nor any such growth as is mentioned, Eph. 4.15. in that argument, that government that Christ hath over the faithfull, is truly spirituall, and not of this world, and of this Kingdome he hath indeed no officers, but his Spirit; all these members have immediate union with Christ by faith. As for applying that distinction of the exaltation of Christ in respect of honour and dignity; but not his Kingly office to the interpretation of this text, that Christ is in more honour then any creature; but he executeth his Kingly office as mediator over the Church only; and the Apostle saith only he is far above them: he saith not he is head or King of them. I hope the Com­missioner will have the Holy Ghost speake sense, and make the comparison to bee made in all these things that he is preferred in, he sitteth nearer the right hand of God, then any principality: you will allow that Christ is here spoken of as mediator, as rai­sed from the dead, and set at the right hand of God the Father: See what the Apostle saith; he saith, he is above principality, in principality; power, in power; might, in might; dominion, in dominion; power and might are [...] and [...], the first is right, the other is power to maintaine that right; thus the words must bee understood if the comparison bee artificiall, and a due comparison. I hope you cannot deny that all these in any ac­ception, are under the right hand of God, and there Christ as mediator sitteth, and is nearer the right hand of God; in all these respects, he is above them, but not head: but if this had been to [Page 34]be understood above in dignity only, that is in estimation: only this must have beene limited to estimation with God, for wee all know that he hath no such estimation among many names on earth, which yet hee is above even in their owne greatnesse, whensoever he is pleased to make use of that right hand of God, where he is set.

For that his illustration as he called it, it is rather an aberra­tion from the matter in hand, then any thing toward the mani­festation of it; our excellencies, dignities and powers are so de­rivative, and in estimation only, that they yeeld us no govern­ment at all; no man can so far exceed another as to obtaine go­vernment by his excellencie, without some law or consent of others to bestow it; this is nothing to the interpreter of the place: if all this had no more but expressed the dignity of Christ; what need all this accumulation of words, when all might have been expressed in this word, Hee is far above all dignities? for though here is a preferring of Christ before rights, and powers, and dominions, yet hee hath none of all these but dignities, and these are all in this world, and that which is to come: if yee un­derstand the word World as many doe to make roome for the Church, he hath no dignity there neither: so all this majesty of words commeth to nothing in this world, and in the end of the world he layeth downe all to his Father. But volens, nolens, at last the Commissioner must come to it, Christ is head of princi­palities: in the place before cited, Col. 2.10. but that is in another sense, not as he is mediator, but only as he is God: and the A­postles meaning is nothing but this, that Christ is true God, doth he not meane also that he is true Christ, as well as that he is true God? and if Christ, doth he not meane that he is mediator? but the Commissioner saith, that in that place the Apostle sheweth is true God; doth that follow that speaketh not of Christ as me­diator, because he speaketh of him as true God: is not Christ true God as mediator? he teacheth the Collossians not to worship Angells, because servants: but may they not worship Christ as Mediator? yes doubtlesse they may. Now it is plaine that hee speaketh of Christ as mediator, as may clearly appear both in the 9 verse and beginning of 10 verse, in him dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily; that in Christ the mediator yee are com­pleat [Page 35]in him, that is as mediator: the text saith, that he is head of principality and power, that proveth that Christ is God, saith Mr. Gillespie, God not mediator? that is no consequence; yee ought not to worship Angells, who are but creatures, because ye are compleat in him that is God; and in him that is better then Angells, and is head over them, therefore not as mediator, but as second Person in Trinity? I see no consequence in this col­lection.

But it is plainly interpreted in the Colloss. 1.15.16.17. how Christ is head of principality and power: It is plaine in that place the A­postle speaketh of Christ in whom we have redemption through his bloud; that is, as mediator, the image of the invisible God: that is, we have the knowledge of God made knowne to us in him, Joh. 1.18. that is as mediator, if by communication of pro­perties the creation were attributed to Christ as God; is it there­fore denied to him as mediator? well let the Commissioner, acute Philosophari do Deo, and say as God and not as mediator, he did create the world, and together with other things did cre­ate principalities and powers: well, if it be not the office of the mediator to create the world: shall it not therefore bee in the compasse of the mediators office to governe any thing that was created? now here is a new distinction between the person and office of Christ, what kinde of division shall this bee? shall this be a lawfull distribution of Christs actions? some personall, some officiall, those things that prove Christ to be God, doe by no meanes belong to the office of Christ: he saith all this is to bee understood not of his governing and Kingly office, but to prove that he is true God: I formerly shewed that what doth belong to the second Person in Trinity, together with Father, and Holy Ghost, and is denied to belong to God man, doth in no sense belong to Christ: the person of Christ is God and man, no consideration of Christ but as God man; nothing can be said of Christ as second Person in Trinity in opposition to mediator, but in opposition to man, there may, as before.

But here something hath the shew of an argument, that Christ hath two Kingdomes, one as God, other as Mediator, and that is taken from the continuation; hee hath a Kingdome that he shall lay downe unto God his Father: there is another that he shall [Page 36]retaine together with God the Father, the first, he hath over the Church only; the second, over all the world: here is something said, but doth it appeare that the Kingdome that hee shall lay downe to God his Father is not over all the world? The laying open of this businesse will solve the whole knot, and lay the va­nity thereof to the view of all the world.

Christ hath a Kingdome which he will lay downe to God his Father, which Kingdom is also called eternall, 2 Pet. 1.11. which is understood of the Kingdome of grace; for he said, they should make their calling and election sure; then they should never fall, for so an entrance shall be made into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus: in this Kingdom he is sovereigne Lord, to none but those unto whom he is also a Saviour: now the word Kingdome is taken divers waies, sometimes for the subjects of the Kingdome, and in that sense, those that are the elect of God shall evermore be made subject to the government of Christ; sometime for the manner of administration, and so Christ in the day of judgement shall lay downe all the office of mediatorship; and that government by which now, and in the last day, not the Church only, but all the world shall be judged, Rom. 2.16. God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, and this is called the Kingdome of Christ, because by his media­tion hath obtained from the Father that he shall not judge any man according to rigor, but as they are in, or out of Christ, all deferring of judgement from the wicked, is in and for Christ, which otherwise the justice of God would not allow; all the admission of us into the presence of God, is by the humanity of Christ, all conveying of grace to us is by Christ, he is to us wis­dome, righteousnesse, sanctification, redemption: but when he hath overcome all his enemies, and presented all his elect to God his Father, and judged all that are out of him to eternall con­demnation; then shall all that dispensation of justice cease, which is therefore called the Kingdome of Christ because by his Gospell all shall be judged, and by him, and for him, all that reigne for ever with God, shall be presented to him.

Now this is not so to be understood, as saith Calvin, as if God the Father were idle while Christ reigned: that Majesty which God bestowed on Christ, was not convenient for bare man, but [Page 37]in the nature that he was humbled he was exalted by the Father, and he gave him a name before whom every knee should bow, Phil. 2.9.10. in the government of the world, he is as it were the Vicar of his Father; it cannot be that the Father should be idle, while he is imployed, seeing he is the wisdome of the Father, and of the same essence with him; but the Scripture doth tell us, that Christ hath the government of heaven and earth instead of the Father, that wee should not thinke of any other Lord and go­vernour but him, that we should looke for salvation only in him; we acknowledge God to bee governour but in the face of the man Christ: but then when Christ shall give up the Kingdome which he hath received, he shall not spoyle himself of his King­dome, but transferre it from his humane nature, to his divine; because wee shall then have accesse to God, whither our infir­mity will not now permit us to come; then the vaile being re­moved we shall see God reigning in glory, without the media­tion of the manhood of Christ.

Now it is true, none are in pace Domini Regis, but the Church, nor all them neither, if ye speake of the visible Church: but shall not men be judged by Christ, for not knowing God, and for dis­obedience to the Gospell? it is plaine, z. Thess. they shall; and the theeves, and disobedient transgressours, are under govern­ment, aswell as more legall, and better subjects.

But grant, that the Kingdome of Christ were in, and over his Church only, which will never bee prooved, nor dare I ever grant, but rethoricè, yet what is this for your different govern­ment, from the civill? Christs Kingdome is administred in dextra Dei; and you sayd Mr. Coleman must proove if the civill Magi­strate will be but King under Christ his deputation, may not the like be required of you, Mr. Gillespie? I pray proove any com­mission issuing out from the Kingly office of Christ: Christ had three offices, his Priestly office finished in offering himselfe: his Kingly office we read how it came to him, sitting at the right hand of his Father, but any commission for any man to governe under him in that Kingdome, we read none: Tanta Majestas non convenit Christo homini, sayth Calvin upon 1. Cor. 15. And there­fore, if the kingdome be such, as man cannot enjoy, it is such, as man cannot execute: and when Christ sayd, His kingdome was not of this world, be sayth, he had other maner of creatures then [Page 38]men: he could procure many Angels, though one were enough to vindicate that kingdome.

It is plaine Christ did delegate officers, to execute his prophe­ticall office, and granted a commission to his Apostles to last to the end of the world; but his Kingly office he executeth, by the right hand of his Father, where he sitteth at the right hand of the Majesty on high: his prophesie he executed himselfe on earth, as a man, and when he left the earth, deputed officers to execute that office in his absence, till he returne to judge in the last day: obedience is due as well to a Prophet, as to a King, nay Kings themselves ought to obay the voyce of Prophets. Our Saviour telleth the Disciples sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Is­rael, Matth. 10. That he that despiseth them, despiseth him: if he will beare it, let us content our selves. Paul was an elect ves­sel to carry the name of Christ before Kings, accordingly he doth in the name of Christ direct Kings, to doe their offices, as the in­struments of God, and commandeth their subjects to obey them: the very word instrument doth implie, that they are in the hand of God, and therefore though instrumenta animalia, nay rationa­lia, and so capable of an instruction, yet if they worke not ac­cording to the minde of God, the right hand of God will rule them where Christ also sitteth in majesty.

If Christ had three offices, let us take heed how we confound them: the office of his prophesie, is to teach: hee that will not heare the voyce of that Prophet, shall die the death: but the pas­sing that sentence of death belongeth to another office, namely the Kingly office, for which Christ hath appointed an assize, which is called the day of our Lord Jesus Christ, 1. Cor. 1.8. that ye may be blameles in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ: all trans­gressors are every where bound over, to answer their offences before Christ at his comming: but summons is the act of the Pro­pheticall office of Christ committed unto us his Ministers: now what reason is it that we preach the necessity of their appeare­ance to answer all their sinnes, infidelity, impenitency, before Christ, that we should without any commission of Oyer and De­terminer, take upon us to censure these that the Gospell summon­eth before the time come?

Or if we grant further, that Christ hath granted the execution [Page 39]of his Kingly office, to his Church, what is that to the Ministers? That is nothing to the Ministers, their worke is not dominion, but by the prophesie, and teaching to helpe sayth, which the ho­ly Ghost hath separated, 2. Cor. 1.24. not that we have domini­on of your faith, but are helpers of your joy. Let any man prove that a Minister hath any more to doe from Christ, then to teach and baptize, which of necessity you must if you imploy him jure divino, about government. God forbid wee should leave the word of God, and serve at Tables: the Bishops heeretofore did except counsell tables, and you must except consistory tables: or certainly, whether they have tables or no, your consistory im­ployment: for there is as much impediment in that, as in other imployments to preaching the word.

If then I say, this dominion be derived from Christ, though you must make as hard shifts to proove it, as the Pope to derive his authority from Peter: why should those that are the Ministers intermeddle? why should wee endevour to perswade men to make use of this sentence of excommunication, to set the people of God one against another? me thinkes our ayme should be to preach unity. St. Paul did every where preach this unity: and in the same Epistle wherein, upon occasion, he preacheth this ex­communication, as you will have it, hee beginneth his Epistle with an exhortation to unity, among the people, and among the teachers, 1. Cor. 1.10.13. Now I beseech you brethren by the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ, that ye all speake the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you: but that ye be perfectly joyned toge­ther in the same minde, and in the same judgement. For ought I see, heere is nothing preached that may binde up the breaches, but as though nothing were intended but division, excommunication is the only subject: let us preach unity, a good while, that so they may get footing, to excommunicate heereafter, if any such thing doe appeare out of the word of God. If meanes were made for this unity first, when we can all agree about excommunication, we may have piety and peace in the injoiment of it: but blessed be God, now they be the same persons, the same qualifications requisite to acting in Church and common wealth: why should the same man in the field electing a Knight of the Shire, be divi­ded against himselfe, as a Church man, and common wealths [Page 40]man? why should this man choosing a Knight, act, by other principles then in chusing an elder? should he make choice of an holy man to be an elder, a wicked man for the Parliament? how much better were it for all men, to comfort themselves in this, that they doe injoy this Christian liberty, that nothing is layd up­on them but by their owne consent (so as the consent of any hu­mane society can be procured) we are as free in our estates, as in our consciences? and thus Christian liberty is to be understood: you are free, 1. Pet. 2.16. is not so to bee understood, that they ought not to subject themselves to the necessary rules of humane society, that Christians might make covenants of subjection, as in the election of a member of the Parliament, and then breake that covenant by Christian liberty, or to imagine your selves not borne under the lawes of your Country, because Christians.

Thus far you are free by Christian liberty to obey parents in the Lord only: when your naturall parents, or parents of your country commands any thing against God, you are the Lords freee-men, God is above them.

Blessed be Almighty God, our Magistrates professe it is their duty to be guided by the word of God; and happy are we that we have such Magistrates: let not us have our liberty as a cloak of malice; why should a Commonwealth bee denied the appella­tion and priviledge of a Church? did Christ principally aime at Nations, and put their names only into the Commission? Teach all Nations, under that word comprehending all men, and refuse any Nation the admittance into the covenant of the Church: what must words of a Commission admit of a Rhetoricall sense, and have no literall truth, some of all Nations, not the represen­tative body of a Nation? But if the Parliament will give mee leave and such encouragement that I may make it my worke, I shall endeavour to make appeare the great mistake, the name and nature of the Church.

But now at last, Mr. Gillespie hath gotten ground, and adven­tureth more boldly upon these words, before they made more a­gainst him, then for him: now not one word in the text for him, before there was something for him, and something against him; now not one word for him.

Verse the 21 affordeth this argument against him: The honor [Page 41]and dignity that Christ there speaketh of, hath place not only in this world, but that which is to come: but the government that is given to Christ as Mediator, shall not continue in the world to come: therefore the government given to Christ as he is Me­diator cannot be meant in that place: This is ignoratio Elenchi, a plaine and obvious fallacie, here is government given to Christ in this world, and that which is to come; that which belongeth to him in reference to the world to come, belongeth not to him as Mediator, therefore that government that is given to him in reference to this world, is not given to him as Mediator; seeing the words doe yeeld this argument, I am glad they yeeld no better. I have already shewed the sense of Christ laying down his Kingdome to God his Father.

Verse 22. He hath put all things under his feet; that is, saith Zanchius, all things but his Church which is his body; and why must the Church bee excepted? Mr. Gillespie could see that all things yet were not put under in Heb. 2.8. the latter part of the verse, but could not see the words immediately going before, he hath left nothing that is not put under him: but the Church is not under Christ, then Christ doth not governe his Church: he hath so troubled the sense of these words, that truly I cannot under­stand what he meaneth: he citeth 1 Cor. 15.25. he must reigne till he hath put all his enemies under his feet; and in Act. 2.34.35. Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thy foes thy footstool. Now, saith Mr. Gillespie, When Christ bath put downe all rule, and all authority, and power, and put all his enemies under his feet: then he shall cease to reigne as Mediator, but till that bee done, hee shall reigne as Mediator: so that it can never bee proved, that the meaning of these words, hee hath put all things under his feet, is that, all government is given to Christ as Mediator. Here is great strug­ling to finde out a Kingdome for Christ, as Mediator over the Church only: and this putting all things under his feet, must signifie Christs Kingdome, after the Mediators Kingdome is gi­ven up to the Father; because as soone as Christ hath put all things under his feet he reigneth as Mediator no longer.

For answer to this argument, I say, that untill he hath put all his enemies under his feet in 1 Cor. 15.25. and he that hath put all things under, 27. have not the same antecedent; the former, hee is God man, the Mediator: the latter, is God the Father; in the for­mer [Page 42]the subject of this subjection is his enemies; this latter, all things: the former is an actuall putting them under; this latter, as Mr. Gillespie doth allow out of Jerome, is but in decree: put un­der his feet in the former, is finall destruction of death, a putting downe of all rule, authority and power, a confusion and destruction of all his enemies: in the latter, God put Christs enemies, under his feet; but under the common condition of all things, friends and foes are put under the govern­ment of Christ by God his Father; here he is set above princi­palities, but letteth them alone in their inferior condition; there he putteth them downe, here they are under him, but there hee [...]keth them quite away; here he receiveth the government of the Mediator, there he finisheth it: here God putteth all things under Christ, Church and all, whatsoever Zanchius saith to the contrary: there Christ, according to the power that is heere given him, putteth his enemies only under his feet: heere God giveth the right in recompence of his suffering, as Phil. 2. where­fore God hath exalted him, &c. There hee executeth his wrath upon his enemies: in the meane time he governeth as mediator, and keepeth off the destruction from the wicked, and confirm­eth his people, that they may be blamelesse in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The next words furnish Mr. Gillespie with another argument against Mr. Coleman: gave him to bee head over all things to his Church. I know not how Mr. Gillespie doth finde out his argu­ments; the words stand for Mr. Coleman still: the gift is given to his Church, or for the helpe and benefit of his Church: but hee was given to be head over all: he is head over none, sayth Mr. Gil­lespie, but his Church. Is this to argue out of Scripture, or rather to deny, and outface the Scripture? the Scripture, sayth he, is o­ver all, for the good and benefit of his Church: what good can he doe his Church, by an empty dignity, without any governe­ment or authority? but if he that hath power over all things bee given to his Church, this is a gift indeed full of comfort to his Church, that he that is head in respect of influence and life, is head of all things, or at least over them in government.

The last verse doth further confirme what I say, sayth Mr. Gillespie, for the Apostle continuing his speech sayth, which is his body, the fulnes [Page 43]of him that filleth all in all: he calleth the Church Christs fulnes, in re­ference to his headship: That seemeth tolerably to come from the Text: but see the fallacy comming after: that which maketh him compleat, so far as he is head or King: how commeth this word King in heere? Having his Church fully gathered, he hath his compleat Kingdome, his perfect body. Then as soone as he hath got­ten his Kingdome, he presently layeth downe; such a Kingdome scarce worth the name of a Kingdome, that exceedeth not the bounds of his owne body, and continueth no longer then he hath got the crowne; for Christs body not compleat till the last day. This is very great liberty, that Mr. Gillespie taketh in arguing more then poetica licentia, to put in King, when it is not in the Text, whence he will ground his argument: Doth not Christ, as me­diator, fill heaven and earth? sure as mediator he is God, what is he God as mediator, without the properties of God; I never heard of such argumentation: but in the question of transubstan­tiation, there is accidens, sine subjecto, and subjectum, fine acciden­tibus propriis: heere is Deus sine Deo: as for his [...], and [...], glory, power, and kingdome: glory, not derived from a Kingdome, I know none; a kingdome, without power and glory, a nominall empty thing; kingdome, power and glory, is nothing but a compleat Kingdome. Hee telleth us, that Christ as Mediator executeth acts of divine power over all creatures in behalfe of his Church, if he hath right to doe it then he is King, I thinke: I desire Mr. Gillespie to give us some descri­ptions of the termes of his division, of kingdome, power and glory; and see how by Scripture he can prove how they do agree or not, to Christ as Mediator, under his description; and see fur­ther how these termes may serve for interpreting of Scripture, and setting up of his opinion. But Mr. Gillespie is very angry with this opinion, that Christ as Mediator is King of Kings, and all doe governe under him, and ought to governe for him, I won­der he is so much offended, sure it is not because he would not have Christ have so much power; nay he is afraid that Ministers shall be deprived of some part of the office that Christ hath com­mitted to them: by my consent if Mr. Gillespie can prove that any part of government was given to the Ministers, by Christ; no man shall question Christs title; and I hope our Magistrates will not take any thing from us, Christ hath given us: I wish that [Page 44]men would looke impartially upon the word of God, and see how it can be proved that Christ hath given any government to Ministers immediately, or whether any to the Church: to give all disputants and godly men opportunity to deale clearly in these points, I wish these points might be decided among our selves in a candid dispute, rather then to fill the world with our diffe­rences.

Let these be the questions.

1. Whether Christ gave any more government to Ministers then is contained in preaching and baptizing? Neg.

2. Whether hee gave any government to the Church at all? Neg.

3. Whether Ministers have any right to those priviledges that are given to the Church more then another Christian? Neg.

4. Whether a Commonwealth professing the Gospell bee a visible Church? Aff.

5. Whether any member of such a Commonwealth rightly ordered where he hath his consent to making of Civill Lawes, may hold himselfe free from such Lawes in matters of consci­ence? Neg.

6. Whether Ministers have commission from Christ to preach? Aff.

7. Whether the people have any power to choose their Mi­nisters? Neg.

These things being candidly discussed, and we being all of one minde in them, I hope peace may be expected amongst all the members of the Kingdome,

Which God grant.