An Apologie againft Brownijlr. oil5, Excommunications, Ordinations, be performed by the whole multitude : Let A private Chrifiians (above the fir!l: rume, in extremity) agree to [etover themfelves aPa!l:or, chofen from among!l: them, and receive himwithPrayer,and (unldfe that Ceremonybe turned to pompe and Superfrition) by impofi tion ofhands. Let there beWidowe•(which you call R.eleevers) appointed every where to the Church-Service. Let cerrainedifcreet and ablemen which are not Mini!l:er!, beappointed to preach theGofpell, and whole truth ofGod to the people. ,,.,.,againft All the learned Divines ofother Churches are in thefe left , yea, in the mo!l:of r~:!;~;:~'t' them cenfured by you: HathGod fpoken thefe things toyoualone ? Plead notRe. '!Pi nil rho velations, andwe feare you not.Pardon fo homely an example : As foon, and by the conr.noryor fame illumination fhallG. John[. prove to your Confifrory the laceofthePaflors G• '"'· wivesOeeve,or ring,orWhale-bones,orothers amongfryou(as yourPallor confef- ;~t:,':('['d,~- feth)knit-ftockings, or cork-fh?es forbi~denflatly by Script~res, as thefe comman- B D•t<b and Fr. ded.We fee the lener oftheScnptureswnh you: you fhall fetch bloudofthemwith fh"~no. ~ {\raining, ere you fhall wringout this fenfe: No, no, (M.R.) nevermake God your ~,fi6J~~h"~ frale: Many ofyour ordinancescame from nohigherthan yourown brain: Others cann~ -" ofthemthoughGod acknowledges, yet he impofed not: Pretend wbatyonwill: &\\:;!: !f' Thefe arebut thecords ofyour own conceir, notbonds ofChrifrianobedience. theitOffi<u. ~ ~:f,~~~~~~~~~=ic~!~!A~ft~~~~~j~£:j:ft~O::ohi4~~:r~~ofSin ~inft t e Holy Ghon. Br,..,!fts 4• Thenttdlrry c£ the~r pretended ordmance. 'J{NfiA11tufF· t :u majn tft clunit•tt . Hitr. Apol.ad. RII/f. Fr.Jm:.dt £"1· Stdol" id1m1 prr{1pt wnJWr• qf#bJH4Ull!ttiA E~tk/ia gflltTikutr. • utlt/ur• pu1 hJttrrumpiiUr ([tiliut e(Ji f!'fi.J401 & ,.mt, Eul~~ fiarft. nan dtft· , t,fwmanimirum tfuuiali adbu& !trill• · nlntt. Al1.7. bcg. C]pJ-3 Ef·9· Mtmimfft Dit'- tMi dtbmti]UI.• niam .AyofltJios (id~)lipifropos & tr~tp<Jjitos DominH& tlqjt. Diurm11 auum p11flaft111[um Domllfi ~ C~[DJ .Apofltii{tbiumflitummtEti(- tup.zt.u[ui& b"ftfl~t mini- flm. Rom. r.S. t Cor, 1 .J. rTbt{. I •7• Ga!..f.. l 1• P#Xt.J.J. , SECTION XX. THefirfrofthefethen,iseafilyuntwifred : yourfecondisneceffiry : Than C which whatcan be lbonger ?what law, or what remedy is"8ainll necdlity ? Whatwemufrhavewecannor.want : Oppofebutthe puhlike neceffityto yours: your neceffityofhaving,tothe the publilceneceffity ofwithholding:and let one ofthe neceffities(\ikctwo nailes) driveout another : So they have done· and yourownReceffity(as the frronger) bathprevailed ; for thatother neceffityO:ight be eludedby flight 1 youhave fooght and found elf-where what theneceffitieofour laws denied, and the neceffitieofyourc?nfcienc: ~e911ired: ~eware lefrunjufrly: Sinne is as firong bond to agoodheart aSimpoffibdnJe; Chnll~anscannot doewhat theyought not : contrary to the laws of your .J?rinc_e a~d Country, you have fled notonly from ll!, but fromourCommumon. Either IS d1fobed1<ne< no fin ormight youdoe this evill, that good may comeofit?Butwhat neceffitie iuhis?fimple lie abfolute,or conditionall? Is there no remedy but youmufr needshave fuch Elders,Pa- D frors,Doctors,Releevers,fuchoffices,fiiCh execntiom? Can there be noChurch,no Chrifrians without them ? What fhall we fay ofthe familiesofthe patriarks, ofthe Jewi!h congr<gations undenhe Law, yea, ofChrifrandhis Apo!Ues? Eitherdeny them tohave been vifible Churches, or fhew usyourdillinaoffices amongll them : llut as yet(you fay) they were not:TherforeGod bath had a true Church(thoufands ofyeeres)without them: Therefore they are notof the elfenceoftheChurch: You callme to the timesfinceCbrifr: I demand then, was therenot aworthy Churchof God in Jerulilem from the timeofChri!l:s Afcenlion, till theeleltionofthe feven Deacons. Thofehundred and twenrieDifciples,A/1.1 .1 ;. and three thouliandCon· vem A/1.0.41 .Thofe continuallTroops that flocked to theApofrles,werethey no trueChurch?Let theApo!HesandEvangelifrs bePafrors andDofrors: wherewere E their Elders,Deacons,Releever;? Afterwards whenDeaconswere ordained, yet what news is thereofElders, ull A/1. 11 t yet thatofJerufalemwas moreforward than the refr: Wewill not (as you arewont)argue fromScripturesnegatively; no proofe, yetmuch probabilitic isin 9.P•Nisfilence : HewritestoRo.wt,Cori•th,and otherChurches· thofehisDivine letters in afweet Chriflian civilitie falutceven ordinary Chrifr;.,;s.Andwould hehaveutterlJ' palfed by allm<ntion ofthefeChunbofficers,amongft his fo precife acknowledgement ofleffertitlesinothers,iftheyhad been ere this ordained ? yet all thefe more than trueChurches, famous fame of them, rich, forward and exemplary. Onely the Philippiofl Church is friled withBiiliopsandDeacons,but noElders befides them. TheChurches ofChrifr fince thefe, (if
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