"with that church, if they perceive that church doth "continue obftinate, having either for the manner pro"ceeded therein, against the common principles of equity "and right, or againft, and befide the principles where"by churches are to proceed which that church itself "hath, and doth hold forth and profefs." But does not this, whatever was intended by the author, plainly fanction an authoritative court of review? Is it not here declared, that when an improper decifion is paffed by the rulers of any particular congregation, the perfons who are aggrieved may appeal and complain to a meeting of the elders of a number of diftin&t and nominally independent congregations-That thefe minifters, met in this court, may, as an ordinance of Chrift, declare that fentence to be null and void, and enjoin that church to review their deed; and-that if the church which has erred perfifts in its error, these minifters of separate and distinct congregations may pafs a decifion, declaring that they fhall henceforth be cut off from their communion, which decifion, if ratified by the consent of their churches, fhall be confidered as binding? Does this declaration however of what the needs of the church at present demand (and the author cannot be supposed to have been partial to Prefbytery), correfpond with what you tell us should be the fituation of every congregation, and what you glory in as the boaft of every Independent society? Was it the opinion of this man, even though an Independent, that every particular congregation," as you allege, "should have the fole government of its own "affairs, and be amenable to no fociety of men under "heaven; and that while, in reference to its own mem"bers, its decifion was final, it should pretend to inter"fere with none else?" Or whatever might be the independency which he might afcribe to them in profeffion, does he not fubject them as really to the authoritative controul of this affembly of the paftors of other congrega

"

tions, if fupported by their churches, as any Prefbyterian congregation is to that of a Presbytery, or a Presbytery is to that of a Synod or Affembly *? The fame remark which is here offered upon Goodwin, may be also applied to the extract which was made from the papers of the rest of the Westminster Independents.

That fimilar fentiments were profeffed by the great Dr. Owen is evident from his book on the Nature and Government of the Gospel-church. "No church there"fore," fays he (p. 413.), “ is so independent, as that it "can always, and in all cases, observe the duties it owes "unto the Lord Chrift and the church catholic, by all "thofe powers which it is able to act in itself diflindly,

* Is it objected, that the case must undoubtedly be different, because the congregation which has erred may either obey or reject the decision of these pastors, even though fupported by their churches? It is replied, that if they do fo, according to Goodwin, even though an Independent, they must be cut off from their communion; and in what respect does this differ from the authority which is claimed by a Presbytery, or Synod, as a court of review? This convention of the pastors of Independent churches, though they profess merely to deliver an advice to the congregation which has erred, and require them fimply to review their fentence, tell them at the fame time, that if they do not pronounce it " null and void," and adopt the decifion which they point out, no fellowship can henceforth be granted to them with their churches. And to say that the congregations to which these paftors belong, must ratify this determination before it can be valid, does not alter the matter, but only demonstrates that this power of controul, and authoritative review, over a particular congregation, which Presbyterians affirm ought to be lodged in a Presbytery, or Synod, or Affembly, should be vested alfo in the members of these different churches as well as their paftors. The neceffity of the fubordination of this church to the review of these others is still admitted; and this fubordination, in opposition to you and the rest of your brethren, one of the wifest and best of the ancient Independents affirms to be indispensable for promoting the interests of the church of God.

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"without conjunction with others. And the church that "confines its duty unto the acts of its own affemblies, "cuts itself off from the external communion of the church "catholic; nor will it be safe for any man to commit the " conduct of his foul to fuch a church. Wherefore,” he adds, "this acting in Synods is an inflitution of Jefus "Chrift; not in an exprefs command, but in the nature "of the thing itself, fortified with apoflolical example. For "having erected fuch a church-ftate, and difpofed all ❝his churches into that order and mutual relation unto one another, as that none of them can be complete, or "discharge their whole duty without mutual advice and "counsel; he hath thereby ordained this way of their "communion in Synods, no other being possible unto that "end. And hereby fuch conventions are interested in "the promise of his presence, namely, that, where two 66 or three are gathered together in his name, there he "will be in the midft of them. For thefe affemblies "being the neceffary effect of his own conftitution in "the nature and ufe of his churches, are, or may be, in ❝his name, and fo enjoy his prefence."

Befides, he observes (p. 414.), that "the end of all "particular churches is the edification of the church "catholic unto the glory of God in Chrift. And it is ❝evident, that in many inftances this cannot be attained,

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yea, that it must be finfully neglected, unless this way for "the prefervation and carrying of it on be attended "unto. Truth, peace, and love, may be loft among "churches, and so the union of the catholic church in "them be diffolved, unless this means for their preferva"tion and reparation be made use of. And that parti"cular church which extends not its duty beyond its own

affemblies and members, is fallen off from the principal end

of its inflitution. And every principle, opinion, or perfua"fion, that inclines any church to confine its care and "duty unto its own edification only, yea, or of thofe

"only which agree with it in fome peculiar practice, "making it neglective of all due means of the edification ❝of the church catholic, is fchifmatical.

"There is direction hereunto included in the order "and method of church-proceedings in cafe of offence, "prescribed unto it by Christ himself. The beginning

and rife of it is between two individual perfons; "thence is it carried unto the cognizance and judgment "of two or three others before unconcerned; from them "it is to be brought unto the church; and there is no "doubt but the church hath power to determine con"cerning it, as unto its own communion, to continue "the offender in it, or reject him from it. This muft

❝abide, as unto outward order and the preservation of 66 peace. But no church is infallible in their judgment " absolutely in any case; and in many, their determi"nations may be fo doubtful as not to affect the con"fcience of him who is cenfured. But fuch a per"fon is not only a member of that particular church, "but by virtue thereof, of the catholic church alfo. `It ❝is neceffary therefore that he should be heard and judged 66 as unto his intereft therein, if he do defire it. And "this can no way be done, but by fuch Synods as we shall "immediately describe.

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Synods" (p. 416.) "are confecrated unto the use "of the church in all ages, by the example of the apoftles, "in their guidance of the first churches of Jews and "Gentiles; which hath the force of a divine inflitution, "as being given by them under the infallible conduct " of the Holy Ghost, Acts xv. which we shall speak "farther unto immediately.

"Upon the whole," he remarks, p. 419. " if it be "reported or known by credible teftimony, that any "church hath admitted into the exercise of divine wor

ship any thing fuperftitious or vain, or if the members "of it walk like those described by the apoftle, Philip.

"iii. 18, 19. unto the dishonour of the gospel, and of "the ways of Chrift, the church itself not endeavouring "its own reformation and repentance; other churches, "walking in communion therewith, by virtue of their "common intereft in the glory of Christ, and honour "of the gofpel, after more private ways for its reduc❝tion, as opportunity and duty may fuggeft unto their ❝elders, ought to affemble in a Synod for advice, either << as to the use of farther means for the recovery of fuch 66 a church, or to withhold communion from it in case of "obftinacy in its evil ways. The want of a due at"tendance unto this part of the communion of churches, "with refpect unto gospel-worship in its purity, and "gospel-obedience in its power, was a great means of the "decay and apoftafy of them all. By reafon of this

"Yet

negligence, inftead of being helpful one to another, "for their mutual recovery, and the revival of the things "that were ready to die, they gradually infected one "another, according as they fell into their decays, and "countenanced one another by their examples unto a "continuance in such disorders." And with refpect to the extent of these Synods, in p. 426. he says, "this I fhall fay, that whereas it is eminently ufeful unto "the church catholic, that all the churches profeffing "the fame doctrine of faith, within the limits of the "fame fupreme civil government, fhould hold conftant "actual communion among themselves unto the ends of "it before mentioned, I fee not how it can be any "abridgment of the liberty of particular churches, or inter"fere with any of their rights which they hold by "divine inftitution, if through more conftant leffer "Synods for advice, there be a communication of their "mutual concerns to thofe that are greater, until, if "occafion require, and if it be expedient, there be a "General Assembly of them all, to advise about any thing "wherein they are all concerned."