and whole Church; and the whole Church, as well as the Apostles and Elders, did agree and order what was done in that matter. 3. That free Councel, confifting of the Apoftles, Elders and Brethren, did not determine any thing by their meer Power and Authority, but debated the business by the word, and by the word concluded it: And fo it was not the Authority of the Councel did any thing, but the Authority of the Word that did all in that matter, as you may fee in the fore-named place. And in thefe regards, that Councel differs from ours. obferved in Now if notwithstanding all this, the Church Rules to be upon fome occafions, defire a Councel (for herein calling a (as in all other outward things) it is free) it muft Counsel, mind these things. 1. That it hath power it felf to call one, as the Primitive Church had. And what men can object against this, of worldly Princes calling them; let them not fay, what they did, but what they ought to have done. 2. As the Church it felf is to chufe its Councel, *Ex ejufmo fo it is to chufe it, out of it felf; For the fidelium, di cœtu,i. c. Councels of the Church are to be. chofen out of delegendi the Church, and not of the World; out of erunt homithe Faithful, and not out of Unbelievers. cilium, hoc For the natural man that neither knows nor nes ad Con vero effet pulcherrimum conci um, quod ad ipfo Spiritu Sanão rogeretur. In banc fententiam & Lyra fcriptum reliquit, Ecclefiam non æftimandam effe ex fummis illis, aut fpiritualibus ordinibus, fed ex vere credentibus. Luth. Libel. de motis veræ Ecclef. Tom. 7. fol. 152. favours the things that be of God, can be fo the natural, carnal and literal man muft be declined here, where the things are wholly Spiritual and Divine; and the Spiritual man only, who fpeaks Spiritual things by a Spiritual Rule, must be heard and regarded; and fo a man must first be of the Church, e'er he can be of the Councel. 3. As the Church is to chufe men out of it self, for its Councel, fo likewife it is to chufe Brethren, as well as Elders; and Ecclefiaftical men are not to meddle alone in the matters of the Church, and to thrust out other Chriftians, as if they were neceffarily to be concluded in and by them. 4. In chufing Elders and Brethren to this work, great care is to be had, that they chufe not men of worldly Power or Place, left worldly Power, Authority, and Honour, might feem to bear sway in the things of the Kingdom of God; but they are rather to make choice of men deftitute of these things, that it may appear, whatever they do, is done only by the clear evidence of the word, and influence of the Spirit, and so only by the Law of Love, all Secular Power and Force being excluded. 5. The Church hath Power to judge of all Doctrines, and that both of its Officers, and Councels. The Clergy and Ecclefiaftical men have been wont to challenge to themfelves the knowledge and judgment of Doctrines, and have excluded ordinary Chriftians from it; whereas in truth, the judgment of doctrine belengeth to the people, and not to the Minifters. And all Chrifts Sheep have power to judge of the doctrine the Ministers teach, whether it be Chrifts Voyce, or a Strangers, John 10. and Chrift commanded them 7. to take heed of false Prophets, which come to them in fheeps cloathing, being inwardly ravening wolves, Mat. And the Apostle commands them, to try the Spirits, whether they be of God: and hath faid, Let one or two fpeak and the reft judge, 1 Cor. 14. &c. by which, with many other Scriptures it is evident, That Minifters are not to judge of doctrine for the People; but the People are to judge of the doctrine of the Minifters, and according as they find it to be of God, or not of God, to receive it, or reject it. For every one is to be faved by his own faith, and not by another mans; and fo is to take heed how he hear the things of faith, at his own peril; and he is not (if he will be wife to falvation) to take up things on truft, in a matter that concerns, either his eternal life, or eternal death. 2. As the Church is to judge of the Doctrine of its Officers, fo alfo of its Councels: For the Church judges of them, and their doctrine alfo by the word, and doth not take all, that they determine for truth, to be certain and unquestionable: Yea, in the firft Councel of the Apostles, Acts. 15. Other Churches and Chriftians, had both liberty and power, to try both the doctrine and Spirit of the very Apoftles, in that matter, and were not to fwallow it, down whole, as they fay, because the Apostles had determined it, and they were holy men; but the faithful were to judge, whether or no, they had judged according to the word; and if not, they might have refifted them, as Paul did Peter. And Paul gives this liberty to Chriftians; yea, we have it from Christ himself, whether Paul had allowed it or no, to try the very Apostles themselves, and the very Angels of Heaven, whether they bring the right word or no: for Chrift, commanded the Apostles, to teach the Nations, to obferve and do, what The Church is to keep it from the World. foever he had commanded them, and nothing else; and faith Paul, If 1, or an Angel from heaven, bring you any other doctrine, let him be accurfed. So that the Church hath power, to examine, try and judge, the doctrine of the Apostles and Angels, much more of other men, who have not received fuch an anointing, neither do live in fo clear a light of God. And thus I have declared, the things, which feemed to me both convenient and neceffary, for the true Church to know, for the preserving of that peace among themselves, which they have in Christ. Now as the judgment of the Church, is to be rectified in these things; fo the practice of it, is to be rectified, in other things, for the preferving it in peace. The things wherein the practice of the Chuh, is to be rectified in the Way of peace, are either, 1. More abfolute and general. Or, 2. More special and occafional, in cafe of difference among the faithful. Among the things that are more abfolute and general, which are to be done, to procure and preferve the peace of the Church: thefe nine things, that follow, have not the leaft place. 1. Practical Rule for Peace 1. The true Church is to preferve it self distinct felt diftinct from the world and is neither to mingle it felf with the world, nor to fuffer the world to mingle it felf with it. For if the Church and the world, be mingled together in one Society, the fame common Laws, will no more agree to them, who are of fuch different natures, principles and ends, shan the fame common Laws, will agree, to light and and darkness, life and death, fin and righteoufnefs, flesh and spirit. For the true Church are a fpiritual People, being born of God and fo they worship God in the Spirit, according to the law of the Spirit of life, that was in Chrift, and is in them: but the carnal Church, is of the world, and only favours the world, and fo will have a worldly Religion, Forms, Orders, Government, and all worldly as it felf is. Now whilst these two are mingled together, what peace can there be? for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness, and light with darkness, and Chrift with the Devil? And fo what agreement have Believers with unbelievers, or the true Church with the world? Wherefore it is not the way of peace, to mingle the Church and the world, but to feparate them, and to keep them diftin&t; that thofe that are of one nature and spirit, may be of one communion among themselves: and this way of peace God himself teacheth us by Paul, 2 Cor. 6. 17. faying, Come out from among them my People, and be ye feparate: for to separate the Church from the world in its communion of Saints, is the only way to preserve peace in both; feeing the Church will beft agree with it felf, and the world with it felf. The fecond Rule. The true Church is to be contented 2. The Church being thus diftin&t from the world, is to be contended with its own power, for its own affairs; and is not to introduce, or with its own entertain any power in it, that is not of it. power, for its own affairs. Wherefore, the true Church, being fuch a King-" dom as is not of this world, ftands in need of no worldly power; and being a fpiritual and heavenly kingdom, is only to have and exercife a fpiritual and heavenly power; feeing this power alone, and by it felf, is able to accomplish the whole good pleasure of God in the Church, and to |