Some things are, or may be, objected unto this course of proceed- ing amongst the churches of Christ; which shall therefore be briefly considered and answered.
Objection 1. This way of proceeding will abridge the liberty and
232 OF THE ADMINISTRATION
destroy the privileges of particular churclies, which ought to be care- fully preserved, as the ground and foundation of the whole super- struction of church-order.
Ans. 1. Particular churches have certainly no liberties or pri- vileges that are inconsistent with and do contradict either the light of nature, moral equity, general rules of the Scripture, or the rea- sons and ends of all institutions, and the edification of the whole body of Christ. And on these, as hath been declared, is this way and course of proceeding grounded.
2. Other churches taking care about their own concernments and duty, according to the will and appointment of Christ, — namely, in considering whom they receive into, and whom they are to deny communion unto, with the causes thereof, — do not, nor can trul}', abridge the liberties or privileges of any church whatever; for the duty of many churches will never interfere with the due liberty of any one. And this is all upon the matter that they do in this case ; which must be granted them, unless we will say that the actings of one church, and those it may be irregular, shall not only abridge all other churches of their liberty, bvit hinder them also from perform- ing their duty.
3. I do not see how counsel and advice can abridge the liberty of any church or person. Certainly to guide, direct, and assist any in the acting of their liberty, is not to abridge it, but rather to strengthen it; for liberty acted not according to rule is licentiousness. A man in the use of his liberty may be going to do himself some notable injury; he that shall stop him by counsel and persuasion, with the prevalency and authority of reason, doth not take away his liberty, but guide him aright in the use of it.
4. Wherein is the abridgment pretended? Is a church by this means hindered from the free use and acting of its own judgment, in taking in what members to it seems good, in watching over them according to the rule, in admonishing, reproving, or casting them out, if it find just and sufficient cause so to-do? To hinder or ob- struct a church in any of these acts or actings, by any authority, sen- tence, or determination, by any act or acts whatever, is utterly dis- claimed : so that this is but a pretence.
5. When a case hath difficulty in it, — and such mostly, if not uni- versally, have all cases wherein thei^e will be found the least aiDpear- ance of a grievance in the execution of censures, or pretence for seek- ing redress, — a church hath not liberty, hath no privilege, to secure it from previously seeking the advice of other churches; which is their duty by many rules of Scripture. We must not pretend unbounded liberty against known duty. And as a church doth not seek previous advice from other churches, that they may obtain power to execute
OF CHURCH-CENSURES. 233
their censures, ■wliicb they have in themselves, no more doth this fol- lowing advice any way cut them short in the use or execution of their power, but only direct them. And if a church have not this liberty by rule before censure in difficult cases, as it hath not, no more hath it after a censure, whereby the necessity of advice and counsel may be increased.
Ohj. 2. This way of proceeding will erect a jurisdiction or judica- ture in some churches over others; which is not to be allowed.
So some have spoken, who have not, it may be, duly weighed either what jurisdiction, properly so called, is, or how great an evil it is to cast a reproach upon the right ways of the Lord. In answer I say,—
Avs. 1. Excommunication itself, whatever men may suppose, is no proper act of jurisdiction; for jurisdiction in any sense is an adjunct of office, and the acts of it are acts of office and power. But so is not excommunication ; for it is not an authoritative act of the officers of the church, but a judicial sentence of the whole church. Now the whole church is not in office ; the whole body is not an eye. What is done, then, by it is no act of office-power, but a declaration of a judgment according to especial institution. And if excommunica- tion itself may be exercised without any jurisdiction, surely that exer- cise may be consulted and advised about without any pretence there- unto.
2. To constitute a jurisdiction, it is required that there be, first, an office-power stated in them that claim it, and a duty in others on the same account to submit unto them; secondly, an authoritative act- ing by virtue of that office-power, with an obligation from that au- thority, formally considered, unto obedience; with sundry other things, which in this matter are utterly disclaimed.
3. A right understanding of the true state of the question, of what is granted and what asserted in this matter, will, with them that love peace and truth, fully obviate such objections as these; for, —