34. The Inf itution and Government whole of the Matter, wherein there was not a Word about the Power of the Church ver. 4, S. And the Apoflles came together to confider of the Matter, ver. 6. 3. We have the Refolution and the Anfwer fent them by the Apofiles, ver. 22. to 30. wherein they do, iß. De- clare that thole Men that came down from .7errflem, and troubled them with Words, fubverting their Souls, faying that they muff be circumcifed and keep the Law, had no Command from them topreach fuch DoCtrine among them. fly. That it feemed good to the Holy Ghofl and to them, to lay no other Burden upon them, than fome ne- ceflary Things to be abflained from, to wit, from Meats of- fered to Idols, from Things firangled, from Fornication and from Blood, ver. 29. But here obferve, the Holy Ghoft was Prefedent in this Council, it feemed good to the Holy Ghoft, and to them. Where is the Council now, that can make fuch a Determination, and declare it to be the Deter- mination of the Spirit of God ? This is no Precedent for Synods now to aCt by : nor is there the leaf} Precedent in all this for an Appeal to be made from one Church to an- other; for here was no Appealmade, as I have already de- clared, but only Meffengers fent by the Church for Ad- vice : A thing not denied by independent Churches, but owned and praCifed. (6.) It appears that Churches are independent, in that, whatever Power Chrift hath left behind him in the Word, he hath invefled each particular Church with it, for the right ordering and governing of themfelves, without depending upon any other Church or Churches. Either Jefus Chrift hath invefled each particular Church with full Power for the right ordering and governing of themfelves according to his Laws, or he hath not. If he hath, there is then no need to depend upon other Churches for authoritative AEts : If he have not, how (hall this De- feêt be fupplied, feeing he hath given no more Power to one Church than to another ? t. There is a Power given to each particular Church to organize themfelves. There are but two Sorts of Officers in the Church; and they are Elders and Deacons, or Bifhops and Deacons : an Elder and a Bithop is the fame Thing, fit.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=