John Cotton · 2 of 11

To the Reader.

THE greatest commotions in Kingdomes have for the most part beene raised and maintained for and about Power, and Liberties, of the Rulers, and the Ruled, together with the due bounds and limits of either: And the like hath fallen out in Churches, and is continued to this day in the sharpest contentions (though now the seate of the warre is changed) who should bee the first adequate, and compleat subject of that Church-power, which Christ hath left on earth, how bounded, & to whom committed. This controversie is in a speciall manner the lot of these present times: And now that most parties (that can pretend any thing towards it) have in severall ages had their turns and vicissitudes of so long a possession of it, and their pleas for their severall pretences, have beene so much and so long heard, it may wel be hoped it is neere determining; and that Christ wil shortly settle this power upon the right heires to whom he primitively did bequeathe it.

In those former darker times, this golden Ball was throwne up by the Clergy (so called) alone to runne for among themselves: And as they quietly possessed the name Κληρὸς, the Clergy and of the Church, appropriated to themselves; so answerably all manner of interest in power or cognisance of matters of the Church, was wholly left and quitted to them: whilst the People that then knew not the law, having given up their soules to an implicit faith in what was to be beleeved, did much more suffer themselves to be deprived of all Liberties in Church affaires. This royall donation bestowed by Christ upon his Church, was taken up and placed in so high thrones of Bishops, Popes, Generall Councells, &c. not only farre above these things on earth, the people; but things in heaven also, we meane the Angels & Ministers of the Churches themselves; in so great a remotenesse from the people, that the least right or interest therein, was not so much as suspected to belong to them. But towards these latter times, after many removalls of it downe againe, and this as the issue of many suits againe and againe renued & removed, & upon the sentence (even of whole States) as oft reversed. It hath now in these our dayes been brought so neere unto the people, that they also have begunne to pleade & sue for a portion, & legacy bequeathed them in it. The Saints (in these knowing times) finding that the Key of knowledge hath so farre opened their hearts, that they see with their owne eyes into the substantialls of Godlinesse, and that through the instruction and guidance of their teachers, they are enabled to understand for themselves such other things as they are to joyn in the practice of. They doe therefore further (many of them) begin more then to suspect, that some share in the Key of power should likewise appertain unto them.

It was the unhappinesse of those, who first in these latter times revived this plea of the peoples right, to erre on the other extreame (as it hath ever beene the fate of truth, when it first ariseth in the Church from under that long night of darknes which Antichristianisme had brought upon the world to have a long shadow of errour to accompanie it) by laying the plea and claim on their behalf unto the whole power; & that the Elders set over them did but exercise that power for them, which was properly theirs, and which Christ had (as they contended) radically and originally estated in the people only.

But after that all titles have been pleaded, of those that are content with nothing but the whole, the final judgment and sentence may (possibly) fall to be a sutable & due proportioned distribution & dispersion of this power into severall interests, and the whole to neither part. In Commonwealths, it is a Dispersion of severall portions of power and rights into severall hands, joyntly to concurre and agree in acts and processe of weight and moment, which causeth that healthfull κράσις and constitution of them, which makes them lasting and preserves their peace, when none of al sorts find they are excluded, but as they have a share of concernment, so that a fit measure of power or priviledge, is left and betrusted to them. And accordingly the wisdome of the first Constitutors of Commonwealths is most seen in such a just balancing of power and priviledges, and besides also in setting the exact limits of that which is committed unto each; yea and is more admired by us in this than in their other Lawes; and in experience, a cleare and distinct definement and confinement of all such parcells of power, both of the kind and extent of them, is judged to be as essentially necessary (if not more) than whatever other statutes, that set out the kinds & degrees of crimes or penalties.

So in that Politie or Government by which Christ would have his churches ordered, the right of disposall of the power therein (we humbly suppose) may lie in a due and proportioned allotment and dispersion (though not in the same measure and degree) into divers hands, according unto the severall concernments and interests that each rank in his Church may have; rather than in an entire and sole trust committed to any one man (though never so able) or any one sort or kinde of men or officers, although diversified into never so many subordinations under one another. And in like manner, wee cannot but imagine, that Christ hath been as exact in setting forth the true bounds and limits of whatever portion of power he hath imparted unto any (if wee of this age could attain rightly to discern it) as hee hath been in ordering what kinde of censures, and for what sinnes and what degrees of proceedings unto those censures; which wee find hee hath been punctuall in.

Now the scope which this grave & judicious Author in this his Treatise doth pursue, is, to lay forth the just lines and terriers of this division of Church-power, unto all the severall subjects of it; to the end to allay the contentions now on foot, about it. And in generall hee layes this fundamentall Maxime, that holds in common true of all the particulars, to whom any portion of power can be supposed to be committed: That look whatever power or right any of the Possessours and subjects thereof may have, they have it each, alike immediately (that is, in respect of a mediation of delegation or dependence on each other) from Christ, & so are each, the first subjects of that power that is allotted to them. And for the particular subjects themselves, hee follows that division (in the handling of them) which the controversie itself hath made unto his hands; to wit, 1. What power each single Congregation (which is indowed with a Charter to be a body-politique to Christ) hath granted to it to exercise within itself: And 2. What measure, or rather, kinde of Power Christ hath placed in Neighbour-Churches without it, & in association with it.

For the first. As hee supposeth, each Congregation, such, as to have the priviledge of injoying a Presbyterie, or company of more or lesse Elders proper unto itself; so being thus Presbyterated hee asserteth this incorporate body or society to be the first and primary subject of a compleat and entire power within itself over its own members; yea, and the sole native subject of the power of Ordination & Excommunication, which is the highest Censure. And whereas this corporation consisteth both of Elders &Brethren, (for as for women & children, there is a speciall exception by a Statute-Law of Christ against their injoyment of any part of this publique power;) His scope is to demonstrate a distinct & severall share & interest of power, in matters of common concernment, vouchsafed to each of these, and dispersed away both, by Charter from the Lord: as in some of our towns corporate, to a Company of Aldermen, the Rulers, & a Common Councell, a body of the people, there useth to be the like: He giving unto the Elders or Presbytery a binding power of Rule and Authority proper and peculiar unto them; and unto the Brethren, distinct and apart, an interest of power & priviledge to concurre with them, and that such affairs should not be transacted, but with the joynt agreement of both, though out of a different right: so that as a Church of Brethren only, could not proceed to any publique censure, without they have Elders over them, so nor in the Church have the Elders power to censure without the concurrence of the people; and likewise so, as each alone hath not power of Excommunicating the whole of either, though together they have power over any particular person or persons in each.

And because these particular Congregations, both Elders and People, may disagree & miscarry and abuse this power committed to them; He, therefore, Secondly, asserteth an association or communion of Churches, sending their Elders and Messengers into a Synod (so hee purposely chooseth to stile those Assemblies of Elders which the Reformed Churches do call Classes or Presbyteries, that so hee might distinguish them from those Presbyteries of Congregations before mentioned). And acknowledgeth that it is an Ordinance of Christ, unto whom Christ hath (in relation to rectifying Mal-administrations, and healing dissensions in particular Congregations, and the like cases) committed a due & just measure of power, suited & proportioned to those ends; and furnished them not only with ability to give counsell and advice, but further upon such occasions with a Ministeriall power and authority to determine, declare and injoyne such things as may tend to the reducing of such Congregations to right order and peace. Onely in his bounding and defining this power, he affirms it to be. First for the kinde and quality of it, but a dogmaticall or doctrinall power (though stamped with authority Ministeriall as an Ordinance of Christ) whether in judging of controversies of faith (when they disturb the peace of particular Congregations, and which themselves finde too difficult for them) or in decerning matters of fact and what censures they doe deserve; but not armed with authority and power of Excommunicating or delivering unto Satan, either the Congregations or the Members of them: But they in such cases, having declared and judged the nature of the offence, and admonished the peccant Churches, and decerned what they ought to do with the offending members; they are to leave the formall act of this censure to that authority which can only execute it, placed by Christ in those Churches themselves; which if they deny to do, or persist in their miscarriage, then to determine to withdraw communion from them. And also for the extent of this power in such Assemblies and Association of Churches, he limits and confines that also unto cases, & with cautions (which will appear in the Discourse) to wit, that they should not intrench or impair the priviledge of entire Jurisdiction committed unto each Congregation (as a liberty purchased them by Christs blood) but to leave them free to the exercise and use thereof, untill they abuse that power or are unable to manage it; and in that case only to assist, guide and direct them, and not take on them to administer it for them, but with them & by them.

As for ourselves, we are yet neither afraid nor ashamed to make profession (in the midst of all the high waves on both sides dashing on us) that the substance of this brief extract from the Authors larger Discourse, is That very Middle-way (which in our apologie we did in the generall intimate and intend) between that which is called Brownisme, and the Presbyteriall-gorernment, as it is practised; whereof the one doth in effect put the chief (if not the whole) of the rule, and government into the hands of the people, and drowns the Elders votes (who are but a few) in the major part of theirs: And the other, taking the chief and principall parts of that rule (which we conceive is the due of each Congregation, the Elders and Brethren) into this Jurisdiction of a common Presbyterie of severall Congregations, doth thereby in like manner swallow up, not only the interests of the people, but even the votes of the Elders of that Congregation concerned, in the major part thereof.

Neither let it seem arrogance in us, but a testimony rather to the truth, further to Remonstrate, that this very Boundry platforme and disposement of Church power, as here it is (we speake for the substance of it) set out & stated; as also that the tenure and exercise thereof in all these subjects, should be immediately from Christ unto them all, is not new unto our thoughts; yea it is no other than what our owne apprehensions have been moulded unto long since: And this many of our friends, and some that are of a differing opinion having knowne our private judgments long, as likewise our owne Notes and transcripts written long agoe, can testifie; besides many publike professions since as occasion hath beene offered: Insomuch as when we first read this of this learned Author (knowing what hath been the more generall current both of the practice and judgement of our Brethren for the Congregationall way) we confess we were filled with wonderment at that Divine hand, that hath thus led the judgments (without the least mutuall interchange, or intimation of thoughts or notions in these particulars) of our Brethren there, and ourselves (unworthy to be mentioned with them) here: Onely we crave leave of the reverend Author and those Brethren that had the view of it, to declare: that we assent not to all expressions scattered up and down, or all and every Assertion interwoven in it; yea nor to all the grounds and allegations of scriptures; nor should wee in all things perhaps have used the same terms to expresse the same materialls by.

For instance, wee humbly conceive Prophesying (as the Scripture tearmes it) or speaking to the edification of the whole Church, may (sometimes) be performed by Brethren gifted, though not in Office as Elders of the Church; onely 1. Occasionally, not in an Orderly course; 2. By men of such abilities as are fit for Office; and 3. not assuming this of themselves, but judged such by those that have the power, and so allowed and designed to it: And 4. so as their Doctrine be subjected (for the judging of it) in an espiciall manner to the Teaching-Elders of that Church: And when it is thus cautioned, wee see no more incongruity for such to speake to a point of Divinity in a Congregation, then for men of like abilities to speake to and debate of matters of religion in an Assembly of Divines, which this reverend Author allows; and here, with us, is practised.