of a vifible Church of Chrifl. 93 with an executive Power, and not endeavour to be Legif- la:ors. Chritl hath made better Laws already then ever Churches did or can make. It is true, Chrift hath not made Laws to imprifon the Body, nor yet to force Members to compound for their Offences for a Sum of Money ; there are no .Fees to be had by the Laws of Chrift : but be it fo, this thews it was never the Mind of Chrift that Church - Members Ihould be under, or that Churches Should go- vern by loch penal Laws. q.. If Churches make Laws to govern by, either they will be infignificant; or too fignificant; either they mull have a Penalty annexed to them, or not. If not, then they are toothlefs Laws, then no Body will regard them; the Confcience they cannot bind, being merely humane. So that they will be altogether infignificant. And if there be a Penalty annexed, then they will fignify too much ; they will be as a Net woven to catch fuch as are conics- entions, who cannot fubmit to any fuch Legiflative Au- thority, without letting fall their Teftimonyto the Kingly Authority of Chrift. Object. But fome may fay, that there were Decrees made by the Apoflles and Elders at the Council held at jerufalem, Aas xv. which Decrees. were fubmitted to and received by the Churches, though no Penalty was annexed to them ; Why then may not the Church make Decrees to be fubmitted to now? Ïanfwer, (1.) there was nothing pofitiveenjoinedby thofe Decrees, but fome necefl-ary Things to be abftained from, for the fake of others ; which Abitìnence was but pro tem- pore : for Mofes in old Time in every City hath them that preach him, being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath Day, AE`ts xv. 21. This is rendered as the reafon of it, which Realon was over when the Chriftians were feparated from their Synagogical Worfhip, .fl2s xix. 9. (2.) We find fonje of thofe Things which were not mo- rally evil afterwards allowed, i Cor. viii. 4, 8. Chap. x. 25 29. (3.) Thefe Decrees were made by the Apoftles and Elders, which Apoftles were immediately infpired. They could fay, It feemeth good to the Holy Ghoft and to Us. This is n,o precedent for the Churches now to at by, it would - be
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