the Scripture willeth that one should admonish another it is not onely a command to every singular man towards his fellow but also to any whole company too another societie Bellarmine asketh quo jure unus populus Episcopum alterius populi elegere potest Junius answereth Certe charitatis jure communione sanctorum And Paul when he teacheth that all the faithfull are members of one mysticall body of Christ who ought to have a mutuall care one of another laid the foundation of this policie It is a blemish in the calling of a Minister if either the people be not fit to choose or being fit they be shut forth from the choice but this maime doth not make a nullitie in his calling for in every true Church where the word is preached and received and the Sacraments for substance rightly administred there is a true and lawfull Ministery and a true and lawfull calling of that Ministery though in some things defective In the Church of God all sound and saving truth is to be found for it is the pillar and ground of truth and where the true profession of all saving truth with the right use of the Sacraments for substance is to be found there is the Church which ordinarily cannot be had maintained and continued without a lawfull Ministery nor that without a calling The saving truth of God a lawfull Ministery are both essentiall to a true Church Something of this remaines in every compleat societie that hath any thing of the Church and for essence and substance they are true in every true lawfull compleat societie The profession of the truth may be true and sound in all necessary and fundamentall points though mixed with diverse errors and the Ministery for truth and substance lawfull though many wayes deficient In the true Church there is a true Ministery but the true Church hath continued there by the blessing of God where the election of Ministers hath been given away by the people or taken from them In the primitive Church when the people had a voyce in the choice of their Pastor oftentimes there were factions in the Church the people stood against their guides and challenged the whole power of election to themselves Sometimes they were divided among themselves Sometimes they gave away their power at least in part and sometimes Ministers were set over them without their councell and advice whose Ministery notwithstanding was not reputed voyde and of none effect If it be objected that many things were amisse in those primitive elections what will follow thence but that the Ministery may be lawfull and good where there be many wants in the manner of calling If this be not granted what shall be done when the people and their Elders be divided in the choice of a fit Officer If the people prevaile against their Elders he whom they choose is no Minister to them because not chosen by their suffrages if the Elders against the people he whom they approve is no Minister unto theirs because not chosen by their suffrage And so if there be dissention they must seperate from or excommunicate one another because he is no Minister to the one whom the others approve The Orthodox Pastors did professe so that the Donatists would returne to the true and Apostolicall doctrine they would not disallow their Bishops that they might understand that Catholiques did not detest Christian consecration as Augustine speakes by humane error The high Priesthood was bought and sold for money and sometimes made annuall and every yeare new high Priests created Sicut isti praefecti quos singulis annis promutant reges as Sol Jarchi saith That as every man would lay out more or lesse money he should get or lose the Priesthood which may be seene in the examples of Jason or Menelaus Neverthelesse so long as the Jewes continued the true Church of God the Priesthood was true also The reformed Churches who have seperated from the abhominations of Rome professe the first reformers among them received some ordinary calling in the Romane Synagogue They that thinke the basest of Rome will acknowledge Baptisme unduely administred by Priests or Jesuites to be for substance the holy Sacrament of Christ And if the Baptisme of God may be derived from the Ministery it is no absurditie to thinke that the first seekers of reformation derived authoritie from Christ to preach the Word and administer the Sacraments by them as Stewards used of God to set them in that office for the seekers of reformation derived their authoritie from God and that which is instituted by Christ is not made voyde by the corruptions of men The third and fourth consideration we will passe over because from what hath been spoken it is easie to understand in what sense they may be admitted and in what denyed and we have no desire to trouble you with the examination of that which falleth not into question As for the second branch of your Answer that in case the Church shall without cause or without sufficient weightie cause rashly or wilfully set him aside whom Christ hath set over them yet he still remaines a Minister of Christ untill he accepts of a call from another people in whose account notwithstanding such Depositions he hath true right of administring among that people We know not well your meaning if this be your minde that a Minister lawfully called and set over one Congregation is to be esteemed a Minister in the usuall Church as the particular Church hath unitie with and is part of the universall or Catholique and as a partie baptized is not baptized into that particular Congregation onely but into all Churches and that the Ministery is one Cujus à singulis in solidum pars tenetur as Cyprian speakes and therefore though the Minister be unjustly cast off by one Congregation yet he is not to be esteemed as no Minister we freely consent But if your meaning be that he is onely by right a Minister of that particular Congregation because unjustly deposed as formerly in the execution of his office he was a Minister to them onely and to none other societie whatsoever or in what respect soever your opinion is contrary to the judgement and practise of the universall Church and tendeth to destroy the unitie of the Church and that communion which the Churches of God may and ought to have one with another for if he be not a Minister in other Churches then are not the Churches of God one nor the Ministers one nor the flocke which they feed one nor the Communion one which they have each with other And if the Pastor derive all his authoritie to feede from the Church when the Church hath set him aside what right hath he to administer among that people If they erre in their deposition it is true they sinne against Christ But as they give right to an unworthy man to administer among them if they call him unjustly so they take
the many rich precious treasures of his grace wherewith the Lord hath furnished sandrie of you above your Brethren which causeth us with great reverence to accept and receive what further light God may be pleased to impart unto us by you But as we have beleeved so have we hitherto practised and so have most of us spoken this our Answer to your particulars most of us we may say because there wants not some Brethren amongst us who proceed further even to looke at all set formes of Prayer invented by men of another age or congregation and prescribed to their Brethren to be read out of a book for the prayers of the Church as Images or Imaginations of men forbidden in the second Commandement But as we leave them to their libertie of their own judgements without prejudice so do we also concurre with the rest of them so farre as we all goe in bearing witnesse against any set formes or the corruptions in them In dispatching whereof we have been the more slow because it behoved us first to inquire into and to settle some controversies amongst our selves before we could well attend to entertaine discourse about forraigne questions which do not so neerely concerne our present estate and practise Besides your Letters being sent to the Ministers of the Churches and some of us dwelling farre asunder it was not an easie thing for all of us often to meet together to consider of these Questions much lesse to resolve upon one just answer But having at length by the assistance of God brought our Answers to this issue we commend it to the blessing of the Lord and in him to your Christian and judicious consideration where if all things bee found safe and duely warranted from Scripture grounds do you also as seemeth vigilant Watchmen of the Lords flock and faithfull witnesses to God If any thing seeme doubtfull to you consider and weigh it very well before you reject it If any thing appeare to be unsound and dissonant from the Word which we for our parts cannot discerne we shall willingly attend to what further light God may send unto us by you In the meane while wee intreat you in the Lord not to suffer such apprehensions to lodge in your minds which you intimate in your Letters As if we here justified the wayes of riged separation which sometimes amongst you we have formerly borne witnesse against and so build againe the things we have destroyed you know they separate from your Congregations as no Churches from the Ordinances dispensed by you as meere Antichristian and from your selves as no visible Christians But wee professe unfainedly we separate from the corruptions which we conceive to be left in your Churches and from such Ordinances administred therein as we feare are not of God but of men And for your selves we are so farre from separating as from no visible Christians as that you are under God in our hearts if the Lord would suffer it to live and die together and we looke at sundrie of you as men of that eminent growth in Christianitie that if there by any visible Christians under heaven amongst you are the men which for these many yeeres have been written in your foreheads Holinesse to the Lord which we speake not to prejudice any truth which our selves are here taught and called to professe but we still beleeve though personall Christians may be eminent in their growth of Christianitie yet Churches had still need to grow from apparent defects to puritie and from reformation to Reformation age after age till the Lord have utterly abolished Antichrist with the breath of his mouth and the brightnesse of his comming to the full and cleare revelation of all his holy Truth especially touching the ordering of his house and publick worship as a pledge of this our estimation of you and sincere affection to you we have sent you these Answers to your demand and shall be readie by the help of Christ to receive back againe from you wise and just and holy Advertisements in the Lord. Now the Lord God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ your Lord and ours lead us all unto all Truths purge out all Leaven out of his Churches and keepe us blamelesse and harmlesse in his holy Faith and feare to his heavenly kingdome through him that hath loved us In whom we rest Your very loving Brethren the Elders of the Churches in New-England Reverend and dearely beloved Brethren IT is not to be doubted but while we live here we shall have just cause to search and try our ways look back upon former courses and call things done to more strict examination For being over-clouded with ignorance compassed about with infirmities and beset with many temptations to sinne knowing what we know best but darkly and in part no marvell if in many things we offend ignorantly of frailty for want of due consideration rashly mistaking Errour for Truth condemning Truth for Errour suspecting evill without cause and not suspecting where is just reason drawing erronious conclusions from sound principles and maintaining truths upon weak grounds so that in examination of our wayes and endevours of their Reformation wee had need to looke warily that wee turn not to the right hand or to the left for in the one we add to the Word of God as well as in the oother and of our selves are apt to strike aside to both A loose conscience will be profane a tender scrupulous It stands us therefore upon to have our selves in suspition in as much as experience teacheth that many have swerved from the path of sound peace and comfort on each hand Wherefore Beloved Brethren if since your comming into New England upon serious Review of former actions you have discovered any truths heretofore not taken notice of we shal be so far from rejecting them because of your former judgment and practice that we shall heartily desire to know and imbrace the same with you and blesse God for you as the happy instruments of his glory our Instruction the advancement of the truth But if the discoveries be of the like nature with the positions mentioned in the Letter as before so still we conceive them to be new opinions and not warranted by Scripture which is the true Antiquity Opinions we say not practices for not changing your opinion you might lawfully alter your practice nay what you did tolerate formerly as a burthen in case not free you might well forgoe being at your liberty Your judgement being the same you might use your liberty in forbearance of a set Liturgie and yet retaine the same judgement of a stinted Liturgie that you had before you might forbeare for a time upon speciall Reason such as present state and occasion might suggest to receive to the Sacrament approved Christians not set members of a particular Congregation as some Brethren do who yet dare not think it unlawfull to communicate with such in the act of worship or deem
it just and right altogether to debar them as having no right nor title to those priviledges of the Church It is your opinions whereto we had respect not simply your practice It never entred into us to perswade you to a set Liturgy much lesse to complain that you had not accepted ours But that all stinted Liturgies should be condemned as devised worship and so condemned as that none may lawfully be present at or pertake of the Sacraments administred in a stinted or devised forme this wee called a new opinion Neither do we mention it because we knew it to be the private opinion of some Brethren among you whom we had left to the liberty of their owne judgment so far as the maintenance of the Truth and a just call did not ingage us but because it was cryed up and advanced with all diligence and endeavour of some among us standing affected England-ward as if a chief point of holinesse consisted in separation You know how great a fire a little sparkle kindles And seeing this Distraction and Rent had its originall growth and continuance from some Brethren in those parts or affected to that way when in loving and friendly manner we could neither receive grounds at home for our conviction nor procure just satisfaction to the contrary what could wee doe lesse then call upon you joyntly to know your judgment and either by sound proof to be by you convinced if happily you should approve their separation which we esteem groundlesse rash unlawfull and prejudiciall to outward peace or being backed by a testimony of its dislike from you we might the better be both incouraged and furnished to endevour the quenching of that fire which was kindled but in too many places In other perticulars also wee conceive you goe beyond Commission given of God granting them authority to whom God hath not committed it debarring others from the priviledge of the Sacraments who have title thereto by the Covenant of grace Your love in that you were pleased to signifie first your kinde and respective acceptance of our Letter and now also to send us an answer thereto we acknowledge it with all thankfulnesse and shall endevour through the grace of God to return like affection in truth of heart if in measure we fall short Of your respect to us in particular we make no question your expressions are beyond that we could expect as also what we dare own But we humbly beseech the Lord to direct uphold and guide us that in some measure we may walk worthy of our vocation and approv our selves faithfull to your consciences It was one end of our writing to be satisfied in this point whether you approve the ways of Separation whereof wee complain and their courses who laboured with all their might when they conceived hope to be heard to perswade therunto Against which if we knew your judgment you testified among us You know they that separate are not all of one straine and temper Some deny all communion with us publick and private some admit of private but deny all publick and some joyne in Prayer before and after Sermon as also preaching of the Word because in their esteeme this may be done without communion in a Church-way but refuse to partake of the Sacraments All which Separations wee judge uncharitable contrary to the Commandement of Christ and have ever thought that you whilst with us and we were of one minde herein If of late we have conceived fears of some of you deere Brethren as leaning too much to what formerly you disliked we beseech you weigh what urgent and pressing Reasons forced us thereunto and we shall most gladly wee heartily desire you to rest assured lay hold of every line and syllable that may tend to dislodge such apprehensions For as we conceive the dispute to be unreasonably moved the Rent offensive the opinions themselves prejudiciall to the cause of God and the advancers thereof to have passed the limits prescribed by God so wee shall esteem it an inestimable blessing if now what hinders being removed wee might joyn with one heart and soule in one way of God to promote his glory and seek the good of his Church and people We trust in the Lord we should not draw back in any course wherein wee may see the Lord going before us nor be an offence to any to keep the Lords way wee seek the truth and are perswaded it is the cause of God which we defend we plead for Communion with the Churches of Christ no further then they hold communion with Christ still desiring to keepe the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace with your selves and all others who walke in the right way of truth peace and comfort How the Lord may be pleased to deale with us or dispose of us wee know not his blessed will be done But of this we are resolved through his grace not willingly to raise trouble or dissention among you if through ignorance or infirmity we shall not so fall in as to be of one minde with you in these matters And here we desire you to consider that in these particulars you dissent as much one from another as we dissent from you and that wherein we dissent from you and perhaps from the lesser part of you you dissent from the judgement and practice of all Reformed Churches This wee speake not to prejudice your cause but to intreat your serious re-examination of what you have sent us and this tryall thereof by the Touchstone of the Word For if we mistake not in many things it will not abide the Test You have written in great love and tendernesse that your Positions might be so scanned and wee shall endeavour with such affection to try all things and hold fast that which is good And now beseeching the guidance of the Spirit with your leave wee shall endeavour to deale fully and plainly as the nature of the cause requireth intreating you impartially to consider the grounds whereupon we go and weigh what wee shall say in the ballance of the Sanctuary The Lord of his rich mercy in Jesus Christ direct us in discerning what is right and pleasing in his sight Cast offences out of the Church close up Rents and Divisions reveal his Truth more and more set up and mayntain the purity of his own Ordinances unite the hearts of his people to the love and feare of his holy Name teach us self-deniall and keep us blamelesse to the comming of the Lord Jesus Christ Amen I POSITION That a stinted forme of Prayer and set Liturgie is unlawfull Answ BEfore we proceed to declare our selves concerning this position It will be needfull that some thing be premised for the explication of the terms thereof We suppose 1 By a Liturgy and forme of Prayer you mean not a forme of private Prayers composed for the helpe and direction of weaker Christians but the System or body of publike Prayers generally used in
relation to their flocks onely and must not meddle beyond their calling according to your tenent 11 There is no precept or example in Scripture more to warrant the admitting of a set member of one congregation unto the Supper in another or the baptising of his child occasionally in another assembly then there is for receiving of knowne and approved Christians and their seede that are not set members The Pastor is no more the pastor of the one then of the other nor the one more of his flock then the other neither of them set members and both sorts may be members for the time being and they most properly who are of longest abode among them But as we heare it is frequent among you as at Dorchester c. to baptise the children of another Assembly and usually you admit to the Supper of the Lord members of other Churches and therefore the Minister is not so limited to his particular Church or flock but he may dispence the seales to others which in this consideration is denyed 12 If the want of one Officer in a Congregation for a time may be supplyed by another as the want of the Doctor Ruling Elder or Deacon by the Pastor why may not the defects of some Congregation or Christians be supplyed by Pastors or Ministers of another Congregation when they are requested and desired the minde herein is godly and the means lawfull and well pleasing unto God 13 And if a Synod consisting of sundry members of particular Churches met together in the name of Christ about the common and publike affaires of the Churches shall joyn together in prayer and communion of the Supper wee can see no ground to question it as unlawfull although that Assembly be no particular Congregation or Church hath no Pastor over them make not one Ecclesiasticall body as a particular Congregationall Church unlesse it be for the time onely The Minister therefore may do an act of office to them that be not set members of his flock as he may stand in Relation to them for the time 14 Your comparison betwixt an Officer of a Town Corporate and of a particular Congregation is not alike unlesse you will say that a member of another Corporation occasionally comming into the Towne is thereby a member of that Society and subject to the authority of the Officer For so you professe that the members of one Society may occasionally communicate with another and so be subject to the Pastor for the time being which if you grant it overthrows the whole strength of this consideration Howsoever the comparison it selfe is very perilous if it be pressed For if the Officer of a Town Corporate presume to doe an act of power out of his owne Corporation it is a meer nullity but if a Minister of the Gospell dispence the Sacrament of Baptisme or the Lords Supper to believers of another Society though done without consent it was never deemed or judged a nullity in the Church of God Let the comparison hold good and most Christians have cause to question whether they be truly baptized or ever lawfully received the Sacrament of the Lords Supper If it may not be doubted whether ever the Sacraments of the New Testament were truly or by authority dispenced especially if we consider what follows in the other considerations This Argument from comparison is very usuall in the Writings of Brethren against communion with our Churches but for the most part greatly mistaken to say no more Answer 3 Consideration CIrcumcision and the Passoever were to be administred onely to the members of the Church Ergo Baptisme and the Lords Supper is so to be administred also The consequence is made good by the parity of these Ordinances For if the Argument hold strong for the proofe of Paedo-Baptisme which is taken from the circumcision of Infants why may we not as well infer a necessity of Church membership to Baptisme from the necessity of it to circumcision And that Circumcision was peculiar to the Church members of the Church may appeare in that persons circumcised onely they might eat the Passeover and they onely might enter into the Temple which were the priviledges of Church members In our answer to the second Objection against the first consideration we have shewed that Circumcision was not administred to all that were under the Covenant of Grace which all believers were but onely such of them as joyned themselves to the Church at first in Abrahams family whereunto Baptisme doth so far answer that the Apostle counteth these expresse equivalent to be circumcised in Christ with circumcision made without hands and to be buried with Christ in Baptisme Indeed in somethings they differ as onely the Males were circumcised whereas with us Females are also baptized The Reason is because God hath limited Circumcision to the Males but under the Gospel that difference is taken away Againe Circumcision was administred in the private family but Baptisme onely in the publick Assemblies of the Church The Reason of this difference is because they were bound to circumcise the Males on the eighth day but that could not stand with going to the Temple which was too far off for the purpose to bring every child thither from all parts of Judaea to be Circumcised the eighth day Nor had they alway opportunity of a solemne convention in the Synagogue on every eighth day when some child or other might be to be circumcised But there is no precise day set downe so Baptisme nor are opportunities of publick Assemblies so remote where Churches are kept in a congregationall frame but that every first day of the week Baptisme may be administred if it be required Again for the Aforesaid Reason Circumcision required not a peculiar Minister for ought we finde in Scripture but it is not 〈◊〉 in Baptisme as was shewd in the second Consideration But no good Reason can be given why in this they should not both agree viz. that they are both to be dispensed onely to members of the visible Church as it hath been proved in the first Consideration Reply THis whole Reason as it is propounded makes onely against it selfe who eveâ— thought that the Seals of the Covenant were not proper to confederates or thâ— Church of God But of old all visible Believers under the Covenant of Grace walking in holinesse were of the visible Church and in Church Order according to the dispensation of those times though not joyned in externall society with the Family of Abraham And to exclude Melchisedeck or Iob because they were nâ—â— members of the visible Church when yet they were visible Believers under the Covenant of Grace and in Church Order as those times required is well-nigh a contradiction And so it is to debar known and approved Christians members of ouâ— Congregation and their seed from the Seals because they be not of the visible Church for they are members of the Church and so to bee held and
fideles ab infidelibus discerni possunt 1. Cor. 5. 12. But herein Dr. Ames manifestly sheweth that by them that are without heathens and unbeleevers must be understood and not beleevers and godly men though of no particular setled societie for the time for thus we conceive he argueth The signes and evidences whereby the faithfull are to be discerned from unbeleevers must not be confounded but unlesse Christians make themselves actuall members of a Societie or Church the signes whereby the faithfull are discerned from unbeleevers will be obscured and darkned And if this be his reason how can that text of Scripture be alledged for confirmation unlesse by men without Infidels be understood Again Doctor Ames in the same book lib. 4. ca. 27. speaking of Infants to be received it is required he saith that they be in the covenant of grace in respect of outward profession and estimation in respect of their parents and that there is hope they shall be instructed and brought up in the same covenant 2. That Baptisme doth most properly belong to those infants whose parents at least one of them is in the Church and not without because baptisme is a signe and seale of the covenant of grace 3. That children that are cast forth are in charitie to be esteemed the children of Christian parents when there is no just cause of presuming the contrary that in admitting unto baptisme a difference must be put betweene the Infants of those who in some sort belong to the Church but openly break the covenant of God and the children of others 1. Because a distinction must be observed in holy things betweene the cleane and uncleane seeing else the ordinance of God cannot be preserved from all pollution To say nothing of that which he addeth touching the baptisme of Infants borne in fornication excommunication and Papists which is more then sufficient to cleare his meaning in the former passage To this may be added that he holdeth it not necessarie that Christians should gather themselves into a particular society but as opportunitie and occasion should offer it self So that it was never his mind to censure them who be not gathered into Church-Covenant because they want means or opportunitie as men without in the Apostles sense His judgement is further manifested in his second Manuduction pa. 33. So many parish Assemblies of England saith he as have any competent number of good Christians in them united to worship God ordinarily in one Societie so many have the essence and integrall forme of a visible Church and all they have intire right to Christ and to all the meanes of injoying him how ever they are defective in the puritie of their combination and in the compleat free exercising of their power whereupon a reverend Elder now among you draws this conclusion Ergo to dischurch them wholly and to separate from them as no Churches of Christ or to denie baptisme to the Infants of their known members is not warrantable by any rule of Scripture that I know nor justified by any assertion or practise Answ 5. Consideration VVE may adde hereunto for a fifth Consideration the evill and pernicious consequences of extending communion in Church priviledges beyond the bounds of Church fellowship for thus 1. The extraordinarie office of the Apostles and the ordinarie office of Pastors and Teachers will be much confounded if the latter be as illimited as the former in the execution of their office beyond the bounds of their own particular Churches 2. The distinction of Church assemblies from the confused multitude is abrogated if without membership in a particular Church the parents may communicate with the Churches in the Lords Supper and their seed in baptisme 3. The Church shall indanger the profaning of the seals and want one speciall meanes whereby the grace and pietie of men may be discerned and made known for if without respect to their Church estate men of approved pietie as you say are to be admitted to fellowship in the seales how shall their pietie be approved to the Church not by their own report of themselves alone without attestation of such as are approved by the Church and how can such beare witnesse to their approved pietie who against light refuse to professe subjection to the Gospel of Christ by orderly joyning themselves in fellowship with some approved Church of Christ as members thereof when they have opportunitie thereunto seeing such fellow-ship is an action of pietie required of all beleevers in the second Commandment and true pietie frameth mens spirits to have respect to all Gods Commandments And we have had much experience of it that men of approved pietie in the judgement of some have been found too light not onely in the judgement of others but even of their own consciences when they have come to triall in offering themselves to be members of Churches with such a blessing hath God followed this order of taking hold of Church-Covenant by publick profession of faith and repentance before men be admitted to the seales but this meanes of discoverie of mens pietie and sinceritie would be utterly lost if men should be admitted unto the Lords table without entring in Church-fellowship Reply IF it be repugnant to Divine Institution to admit of approved Christians lawfully baptized walking in the faith members of the visible Churches and partakers of Church priviledges among us to the Lords Supper or their children to baptisme because they be not entred into Church fellowship according to your order then it is unlawfull though no such evill consequences are to be feared But if by accident some abuse should fall out the evill is to be prevented by all lawfull meanes but the faithfull are not utterly to be debarred of the order of God whereto they have right and title by his free grant and gracious invitation And no question but the seales of the Covenant may be profaned many times when it is not in the power of the dispensers to put back or expell such as profane them If the Congregation shall admit of or tolerate an unworthy member the Churches priviledges are profaned and yet we conceive you will say the Pastor is not faulty in receiving him when the Church doth tolerate unworthily if he do what pertaineth to his office to keep the holy things of God from contempt But in the case propounded there is no feare or danger of such consequences necessarie to follow for the question is not of all sorts at randame but of Christians professing the faith intirely lawfully baptised known and approved to the consciences of the wise and judicious visible members of the Churches of Christ among us often admitted to the Lords Table whether these either sufficiently knowne unto you or orderly recommended may upon desire and suite themselves be admitted to communicate in the Lords Supper and their children to be baptized what feare is there now that the extraordinarie office of the Apostles and the ordinarie office of
receptacle of it and from it derived to others But this power must be in the communitie as the first subject from whom it commeth to the Officers As the power of seeing is not onely given in tuitu hominis as the end of it and the totum to whom it agreeth but is in homine as the first subject from which it commeth to the eyes The Apostles and other Governors were given of Christ for the Church as for their end and all their authoritie was given unto them for the Church as for the whole but the authoritie it selfe was immediately derived from Christ and is not in the Church as the immediate subject nor derived from the Church but from Christ the King of the Church The authoritie of Governors is given of Christ for a gift to the Church but not for a gift absolute that it may reside in the power of the whole Church to whom it is given but for a conditionall gift communicated to the Governors themselves for the good of the whole It is one thing then to aske for what end or use the keyes are given another to whom To every one is given the declaration of the Spirit for profit i. e. for the good of the Church But was this gift given to the communitie of the faithfull first and immediately No By gift and possession it was given to some but for use and profit it was publick After the Churches were established it tooke not effect for then it must be shewed where Christ committed the power of God first to the Apostles and after to the communitie of the faithfull But that is no where to be found in holy scripture The Ministers and guides of the Church were immediately of Jesus Christ from whom immediately they derive their power and authoritie by whom they are set over their charge in whose Name they must execute their office whose Stewards Legates and Ambassadors they are and unto whom they must give an account Yea Pastorship is the gift of Christ no lesse then Apostleship and that the more because it is perpetuall in the Church every Pastor is not immediately called but the Office and order of Pastors the calling authoritie and jurisdiction is immediately from Christ and not from the Church The Steward is appointed of the Master of the family alone and hath all his authoritie and jurisdiction from him Every Ambassador in the cause of his ambassage doth immediately depend upon him from whom he is sent But if the function order and authoritie of Pastors and Teachers be immediately from Christ then it is not received from the Church as the immediate receptacle Thus Protestant Divines dispute against Papists If Bishops receive their power and authority of exercising immediately from Christ by mandate mission and commission from him then they derive it not from the Pope And if Presbyters receive their order jurisdiction and power of execution from Christ by his mandate and Commission then they receive it not from the Bishop And by the same reason if the power of the keyes be the immediate gift of Christ to his Ministers then they derive not their power and authoritie from the people It is usually objected that the Church cannot convey what she never had but the people may Elect their Pastor Whereunto the answer is direct and plaine Nothing can give that which it had not formally or virtually unlesse it give it as an instrument ministring to one who hath it but so it may give what it never had nor is capable of A Steward may give all the offices in his Masters house as ministerially executing his Masters pleasure Electors have not evermore authoritie over him whom they elect but power and authoritie onely to apply that power to him whom they choose The power and authoritie whereunto a Minister is elected is not in the people that elect him but from Christ the King and head of his Church who out of power doth conferre that office upon him If we consider what men give or give not universally it must be deemed that any men can make Ministers because they give not the office gifts or authoritie which are from Christ alone 3. If Ecclesiasticall and spirituall power be in the multitude and community of the faithfull the Church doth not onely call but make Officers out of power and vertue received into her selfe and then should the Church have a true lordlike power in regard of her Ministers For as he that will derive authority to the Church maketh himselfe Lord of the Church so if the Church derive authoritie to the Ministers of Christ she maketh herself Lady and Mistris over them in the exercise of that authoritie over them For all men know it is the property of the Lord and Master to impart authoritie Did the Church give power and authoritie to the Pastors and Teachers she might make the Sacraments and preaching which one doth in order no Sacraments no preaching For it is the order instituted of God that gives being and efficacie to these ordinances And if the power of ruling feeding and dispensing the holy things of God do reside in the faithfull the Word and Sacraments in respect of dispensation and efficacie shall depend upon the order and institution of the Societie If the power of the keyes be derived from the community of the faithfull then are Officers immediately and formally servants to the Church and must do every thing in the name of the Church Rule feed bind loose remit and retaine sinnes preach and administer the Sacraments then they must performe their Office according to the direction of the Church more or lesse seldome or frequent remisse or diligent For from whom are they to receive direction how to carry themselves in their Office but from him or them from whom they receive their Office whose works they do and from whom they expect their reward If their power and office be of God immediately they must do the duties of their place according to his designement and to be accountable unto God But if their power and function be from the Church the Church must give account unto God and the Officers unto the Church whom she doth take to be her helpers If it be said that God will have the Church to chuse Officers to execute the power committed unto her The answer is either God will have her elect officers of his designement to do his work according to that power which he shall give them and by his direction and then they are God servants and not the Churches and receive their charge and function immediately from God and not from the people or he leaveth it to the arbitriment of the Church to chuse according to their pleasure such as must receive charge and authoritie from her And then they must execute their office in her name so as shall seeme good unto the Church and neither longer nor otherwise For if the Ministers of the Church
deliberately and mutually made to expresse to his brethren his desire of departing and the place and societie to which he tends whether to a godly Church where he may be edified or to some corrupt Assembly where he may be destroyed And 2. his grounds and reasons which move him so to do which if they hold good being scanned by the Word he may be not onely confirmed in his way by the consent and advise of many but counselled also how to manage his departure for his best comfort And so after all solemnly with the whole Churches prayers and blessings in the name of Christ dismissed But if his grounds either be none at all or weake and sinfull and that his desire of departing savours of self-will inordinate love of gaine rash precipitancie or a spirit of schisme more strongly then of sound reason then what can we do lesse without breach of Covenant then in love and tendernesse shew him his weaknesse disswade him from his purpose and refuse to consent Yet if after all this we see his spirit stedfastly and stiffely bent for a departure then though we dare not act against our light by consenting or counselling yet if his finne be not apparent and danger eminent we use rather through indulgence in cases of like nature to suspend our vote against him as not willing against his will to detain him abhorring to make our Churches places of restraint and imprisonment But if any should object that this argument holds firme where this Church-Covenant is allowed to be lawfull but with some it is questioned and with them it avails not Ans Some indeed have questioned the necessitie of our Church-Covenant but none we hope of these our reverend brethren that we write unto do question the lawfulnesse of such a Covenant being nothing else for the matter of it but a promise of doing such Christian duties as the Gospel of Christ requires of all Saints in Church-estate for we doe not herein promise to performe any new dutie to our brethren which was not before commanded us of the Lord but onely revive and renew our purposes afresh of performing such duties unto that particular body into which we are then incorporated as were before injoyned in the Word as to love each other and to watch over each other out of love for their good to be ready to give counsell to and to take counsell from each other to prevent sinne in them or to gaine them from sinne All which are plentifully and frequently held forth in the Scriptures for the defect of which care and watchfulnesse all the body shall be wrapt in the same guilt punishment with the member that commits the sinne as the whole Church of Israel was in Achans sinne and punishment Secondly It s a thing very reasonable and a knowne fundamentall rule in all societies that he that is incorporate thereto and so participates of the priviledges thereof should ingage himselfe to conforme to all such lawfull rites and orders as are expedient for the well being of that societie the contrary whereto will be a thing injurious in him to offer and confusion to themselves to accept The second ground is drawne from the necessitie that may fall upon the body if every particular member should depart at his owne pleasure For as every societie so much more a Church of Saints both from principles of nature and Christianitie also not onely lawfully may but in dutie are bound to endeavour the preservation of it selfe and Ergo timely to foresee and wisely to prevent all such things as would bring destruction to it selfe Now if any member might when whither and wherefore he please without consent of the Church depart away from it this may by unavoydable consequence dissipate the whole for if one man may so depart why may not another also though never so usefull in that body and whose absence might much shake the well-being of it and if one why not two six ten twentâ— as well For where will yee stop seeing any may plead the same libertie and if members may so doe why not the Pastor and Teacher also Seeing they are tyed to him by the same relation that he is to them and so the principalls falling the whole building must downe and if this may be so in one Church why not in all and so Christ should have no setled Church on earth Reply IT is one thing abruptly to breake away when and whither they please and forsake fellow-ship another thing not to depart or remove habitation unlesse the Congregation will give leave Also it is one thing mutually to compound and agree not to depart from each other without consent and approbation another to require a promise of all that be admitted into societie that they shall not depart without the Churches allowance If such a promise be required of all members to be admitted we cannot discerne upon what grounds your practise is warranted First you exclude all such as be not set members from the Sacrament of the Supper and their children from Baptisme and yet hinder them from entrance into Church societie because they cannot promise continuance in the place where they are resident for the present Here we desire to be satisfied from the word of God by what you require it Did the Apostles ever stipulate with such as desired to be baptized that they must abide in particular societie and not remove thence without approbation from the Church or did they deny the seales unto them because they could not make any such promise Was it ever heard of in the Church of God from the beginning thereof unto this day that any such thing was propounded unto or required of members to be admitted into Church-fellowship That Church Covenant which is necessary was not in use in the Apostles times but the Covenant they entred into bound no man to this condition for ought we reade They did not prescribe it no Church ever yet covenanted it as necessary to the preservation of the body Secondly It pertaines not to the whole Congregation to take notice of be acquainted with or judge of the cause of every particular members removall May not a servant remove from his Master to another Congregation or the father bestow his sonne or daughter in marriage to one of another Congregation but the whole Church must be called to councell in this matter If the Assembly once grow to be populous of necessitie they must be negligent in or weary of such an heavy taske and for the present for every one to challenge so much authoritie over other is usurpation Let it be shewed that ever by divine right this power was committed to the Church and then we will confesse it to be expedient and necessary But till then we thinke the Church is over ridged in exacting such a condition of the members and the members themselves goe beyond their measure as busi-bodies in other mens matters and things whereof they are not well able to
or repelled any that voluntarily submitted themselves upon that pretence It appeareth many wayes that when the Apostles planted Churches they made a Covenant between God and the people whom they received But they received men upon the profession of faith and promise of amendment of life without strict in quirie what sound work of grace was wrought in the soul In after ages strangers from the covenant were first instructed in the faith and then baptised upon the profession of faith and promise to walk according to the covenant of grace Now the profession at first required of all that were received to baptisme was that they beleeved in the Father Sonne and holy Ghost This was the confession of the Eunuch when he was baptised I beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Sonne of God The Creed is honoured of the ancients with glorious titles as the rule of faith the summe of faith the body of faith the perswasions of faith but by the Creed they understand that rule of faith and law of faith and institution of Christ which was then given when he was about to ascend into heaven and commanded his disciples saying Go teach all Nations c. It is true that in after times as occasion required some other Articles were added as explanations of the former to meet with the heresies of the times which began to trouble the Church But for substance of matter in things to be beleeved the Church never required other acknowledgement of them that were to be received into the congregation of Christs flock and admitted into her communion And for things to be done or the practicall part she requireth of them that were to be received to baptisme an abrenuntiation of the devill the world and the flesh with all their sinfull works and lusts The first principles then of the doctrine of Christ being received and the foresaid profession being made the Apostles and the Church following the example of the Apostles never denied baptisme unto such as sought or desired it If this be the Covenant that members admitted into Church-fellowship do enter into and this be all you require of them whom you receive you have the practise of the Apostles and the whole Church in after ages for your president But if you proceed further then thus and put men to declare what worke of grace God hath wrought in their soul in this or that way which perhaps is not determined by the word of grace at least not agreed upon among your selves we beseech you consider by what authority you do it and upon what grounds you stand But we will enter no further upon this matter because it comes not within the compasse of these Positions and to attribute so much to private letters as to make them the ground of another dispute we may not VII POSITION That a Minister is so a Minister of a particular Congregation that if they dislike him unjustly or leave him he ceaseth to be a Minister Answer OUr Answer to this consists in two branches 1. In case a Minister be set aside by the Church meerly through his own default 2. By the Churches default without any desert of his In the former case it is evident he ceaseth to be a Minister to them any longer as appears in foure conclusions 1. It is cleare from the Word that a Pastor or Teacher in these dayes hath no Apostolicall power over all Churches but onely limited to that one Church where God hath set him Paul gives not the Elders at Ephesus a generall Commission to go teach all Churches but to go feed that one flock over which the holy Ghost hath made them over-seers Act. 20. 28. So Peter gives direction to Elders to feed that flock of God onely which was among them and take the over-sight thereof 1 Pet. 5. 2. 2. It is as cleare that all this power of feeding which the Minister hath in that Church is nextly derived to him from Christ by the Church who hath solemnly called him to the work and promised to obey him therein for if he have it elsewhere it must be either from Christ immediately or from some other men deputed by Christ to conferre it on him or he must take it up of himselfe Not the first for that was proper to the Apostles or Apostolicall men therefore Paul proving his Apostleship saith he was called not of men nor by men but by Jesus Christ himself Gal. 1. 1. Not the second for we never read in Gods Word that any ordinary Officers or other besides the Church that had any Commission given them from Christ to call Ministers unto Churches Not the third for no man taketh this honour viz. of a Priest under the Law or of a Minister under the Gospel but he that is called of God Hebr. 5. 4. Therefore it must needs be from Christ by the Church 3. As the Church in the name of Christ gave this power to a Minister to be what he is and do what he doth amongst them when such a Minister shall make and manifest himself apparently unworthy and unfit to discharge the place which they thus called him unto so that they may discerne that Christ the head of the Church hath refused him from being a Minister unto him they may then upon as good grounds depose him from it as they called him to it 4. When a Church hath thus in Christs name put forth this power of shutting as before it did of opening to a Minister then he must cease to be a Minister unto them any more for we know no such indelible character imprinted upon a Minister that the Ministery ceasing the Minister ceaseth also 2. In case the Church shall without cause or sufficient weightie cause rashly or wilfully set him aside whom Christ hath set over them and whom they so solemnly called and promised before the Lord to submit unto and so abuse their power given them by Christ it is doubtlesse a very great wrong unto the Minister and sinne against Christ himselfe before whom it was done and not onely Christ himself will take it ill at their hands for such contempt done to him in his Ministers according to Christs speech Luke 10. 16. He that rejecteth you rejecteth me And Gods speech 1 Sam. 8. 7. They have not cast off thee but me But even other Churches also may admonish them And if they prove obstinate therein withdraw the right hand of fellowship from them and concerning the Minister himself thus deposed seeing it is done not by Christ but by the Church without Christ yea against the mind of Christ we conceive though he be by them deprived of the execution of his ministery among them yet untill he accepts of a call to another people he doth yet still remain a Minister of Christ in whose account notwithstanding such deposition he hath true right of administration among that people Reply THe question is of Ministers unjustly forsaken or driven from the Church or congregation and
your answer is for the most part of Ministers set aside or deprived through their own default We never purposed to speak one word for any unworthy Minister whom Christ hath put out of office and therefore your labour to prove that such justly rejected by the Church are no longer Ministers might well have been saved But sitting them aside we will in few words examine your conclusions upon which you bind the certainty of that sentence you passe against them First it is certain and clear from the Word that a Pastor or Teacher neither in these dayes hath nor in any other age of the Church ought to have Apostolicall power over all Churches The Apostles had onely power to serve the Church with the personall service of their Apostleship But pastorall power of ordinarie Ministers or Teachers they never had and if the Apostles had not the power of ordinarie Ministers much lesse can Pastors receive the power of Apostles for Christ gave both the one and the other order But as the Apostles were not Pastors of that Church to which they preached and among whom they continued for some space no more do Pastors become Apostles if they preach the Word or dispence the Sacraments to another flock or people beside their own whereof they have the speciall oversight But of this matter we have spoken before and of the texts of Scripture here alledged therefore we will not repeat what hath been said alreadie onely it seemeth somewhat strange that you should cite those texts of Scripture as if the Apostle had said feed one flock or feed that flock of God onely For we find the word one or onely neither in the text expresly nor in the sense for which it is here alledged viz. as if he might not perform any ministeriall act in another Congregation upon any occasion whatsoever Secondly the power of feeding which the Minister hath is neither confined to one societie onely nor nextly derived to him from Christ by the Church The office and authoritie of a Pastor is immediately from Christ The deputation of the person which Christ hath designed is from the Church ministerially but neither virtually nor formally The consent of the people is requisite in the election of Pastors and Teachers we grant the direction of the Elders going before or along with them but the authoritie office and gift of a Pastor is not from the people or Elders but from Christ alone When an Apostle was to be chosen in the place of Judas Act. 1. 22 23. no one had the handling of that businesse but Peter declared unto the brethren present what an one ought to be taken and they present two whereof one was elected by lot In this example somethings are extraordinarie for one onely was to be chosen and that immediately by God himselfe and somethings ordinarie for our imitation For if Peter would do nothing without consent of the disciples thenmay not ordinarie elections be passed without consent and approbation of the Church but it is not a popular election not governed by the fore-direction of Elders which is concluded from this passage of Scripture but a Church election by the free consent and judgement of the faithfull with the fore-leading of the Presbyterie When Deacons were to be chosen Act. 6. 1. 6. in the Church of Jerusalem it was done by the consent of the Church The mutinie of the Hellenists against the Hebrews occasioned that election but was no cause why it was made by free consent The Apostles shew what persons must be chosen and who ever thought the Church was left at libertie to chuse as she please without direction But in this election the people did first chuse the Apostles onely directing whom the people ought to make choice of when most commonly the Apostles instructed the people and went before them in the election and they consented Act. 14. 23. The Apostles by consent chose Elders and so in every matter of great importance belonging directly to the whole bodie of the Church whether severally in one congregation or joyntly in many the consent of the faithfull by observation of the Apostles was required Act. 11. 22. and 15. 22. and 16. 4. 1 Cor. 8. 19. But in the primitive times after the Apostles one Church might elect and chuse a Pastor for another As Ignatius exhorts the Phyladelphians that they would elect a Pastor for the Church of Antioch And so when the East Church was infected with Arrianisme Basil epist 69. 70. 74. thought it a fit meanes to remove the heresie if the Bishops of Italie being sent thither did condemne the heresie and he imploreth the aid of the Bishops of Italy France and all the East Cyprian saith all Bishops sunt mutuae concordiae glutine copulati that if any hold heresie the rest should help It would be too long to reckon up examples which in this case might be produced If here it be questioned whether your election of the people be essentiall to the calling of a Minister We answer 1. A thing is essentiall two wayes First as absolutely necessarie so that the thing can have no existence without it Secondly as necessarie to the integritie of the thing so that it is maimed without it Againe either the people be few in number and simple apt to be led aside unable to judge of the sufficiencie of their Minister or they be more in number increased in wisdome sound in faith and able to discern betwixt things that differ In the first sense the election of the people is not necessary or essentiall But in the second we cannot say he is no Minister that is not chosen by the people but his calling in that respect is maimed If the people be few and simple apt to be deceived they stand in more need of guidance and direction both from their own Elders and other Churches If the people be many in number full of wisdome and understanding their libertie to choose is the greater and it is the greater wrong to be deprived of it The practise of the Apostles and the primitive Churches for many ages will confirme this for sometimes men were propounded to the Church to be chosen Sometimes the choice was wholly left to them and was not that for our direction that more libertie is given where the danger is lesse and more restraint and caution used where the danger is more apparent that if they be left to themselves either an ill or unfit choice will be made In reason this is evident for the childs consent is required in marriage but the more able he is to choose for himselfe the more libertie may parents grant the lesse able the more watchfull must they be and so in this businesse Brotherly societie requires that we mutually exhort admonish reprove and comfort each other as occasion requires and as need requires It is a dutie of Neighbour-Churches to lend their helpe to their brethren in the choice and election of their Minister When