the direction of the Word Elders according to 1 Tim. 3.2 to 7. Tit. 1.6 to 9. Deacons according to Acts 6.3 1 Tim. 3.8 to 12. For the Church hath not absolute power to choose whom they list but ministeriall power onely to choose whom Christ hath chosen hath gifted and fitted for them If the Church can finde out none such in their own body they send to any other Church for fit supply and each Church looketh at it as their dutie to be mutually helpfull one to another in yeelding what supply they may without too much prejudice to themselves according to Cant. 8.8 9. Such being recommended to them for such a work they take some time of tryall of them partly by their owne observation and communion with them partly by consultation with the Elders of other Churches continuing there in so great a work to fulfill the command of the Apostle Lay hands suddenly on no man 1 Tim. 3.22 For every man of good gifts is not alwayes endowed with an honest and good heart and every good heart is not fitted to close so fully as were meet with every good people Every key is not fit to open every Lock nor every good mans gift fit to edifie every people But when upon tryall the Church doth finde every mans spirit among them desirous of the fellowship of the man and his gifts then they agree amongst themselves upon a certain day wherein in a solemne manner they intend to Elect him to office amongst themselves Of this they give notice to all the neare adjoyning Churches whom and when and to what office they intend to choose such a man whom they nominate to them intreating their presence and brotherly counsell and assistance at the day appointed They give notice also thereof unto the Governour and such other of the Magistrates as are near to them that the person to be chosen meeting with no just exception from any may finde the greater incouragement and acceptance from all When the day is come it is kept as a day of humiliation with fasting praying and preaching the Word according to the patterne Act. 14.23 13.1 2 3. Towards the end of the day one of the Elders of the Church if they have any if not one of the graver Brethren of the Church appointed by themselves to order the worke of the day standeth up and inquireth of the Church If now after this solemne seeking of God for his counsell and direction in this weightie work they still continue in their purpose to elect such a one for their own Pastor or Teacher or Ruling Elder whom before they agreed upon Then having taken their silence for a consent to their purpose He proceedeth to inquire into the approbation of the rest of the Assembly not onely the Messengers and Brethren of other Churches present but of all that stand by because and Elder is to be a man of good report of them that are without 1 Tim. 3.7 how much more well approved of the Churches of Christ He demandeth therefore of the Churches first and then of the rest whether any of them have knowne of any evill in the man presented before them either in judgement or practice which might give them just cause to forbeare his election If all keepe silence as usually they doe for if any have any just exception against the man he is wont to acquaint some or other of the Church with it before the day he turneth himselfe to the Church againe Now seeing all is clear for their free election of him to such an office he desireth all the Brethren of that Church to declare their Election of him with one accord by lifting up their hands which being done he desireth to know of the partie chosen whether he doth accept of that calling which the Church hath given him in the name of Christ unto that office He having expressed his acceptance upon such grounds as wherein he hath chiefly seene the hand of God leading him thereunto the Elder doth then admonish the Church what duties the Lord requireth of them all in his Word towards him whom they have thus chosen And afterwards advertiseth him what duties the Lord requireth of him in that place towards the Church And having taken the acknowledgements of them both of their mutuall dutie towards one another He then with the Presbytery of that Church if they have any if not two or three others of the gravest Christians amongst the Brethren of that Church being deputed by the body doe in the name of the Lord Jesus ordaine him unto that Office with imposition of hands calling upon the Lord who hath furnished him with spirituall gifts and bowed the hearts of the Church to call him to that office to accept and owne him therein to enlarge his heart and spirit according to all the duties thereof to breath in all his administrations and to guide and blesse all his going out and coming in before them And so turning his speech upon the person on whom their hands are imposed He as the mouth of the Presbytery expresseth their ordination of him to that office in the name of the Lord Jesus and puts a solemne charge upon him to looke well to himselfe and to the whole flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made him an overseer as one that must give account of all their soules unto the great Shepheard of the sheep at the day of his appearing After this the Elders of their Churches present observing the presence of God both in the duties of that day performed by the Officer then chosen and ordained and in the orderly proceeding of the Church to his Election and Ordination one of them in the name of all the rest doth give unto him the right hand of fellowship in the sight of all the Assembly testifying their Brotherly acceptance of him and their thankfulnesse to God for his gracious gift bestowed on him and doth exhort him in the Lord to fulfill the ministery which he hath received of the Lord. And so after publick praise given to God by him in the name of the Church he dissolveth the Assembly with a Blessing SECT V. FOr our calling of Deacons we hold it not necessary to ordaine them with like solemnitie of fasting and prayers as is used in the Ordination of Elders because wee doe not reade the Apostles gave any president thereof in the Ordination of the first Deacons at Jerusalem Act. 6. But the Brethren of the Church having looked out among themselves men fitly qualified for that calling according to the Scriptures formerly mentioned and having made some proofes of them according to the Rule 1 Tim. 3.10 the Elders with the consent of the Church upon some Lords day or other publick holy meeting doe ordaine them to the Office and appoint them over that businesse with prayer and imposition of hands SECT VI. OBject Two things are here demanded First by what warrant the People choose their Officers Answ From the President
Espousalls without a covenant and therefore they that will take hold of their Espousage must take hold of their covenant 3. The mutuall relation wherein all the members in the Church stand one to another members to members and all of them to their Officers and their Officers to them together with their mutuall interest one in another and mutuall power one over another doe all of them necessarily imply a mutuall confederacie one with another and that whosoever will partake herein must partake in their confederacie Suppose a godly Christian come over into these parts as every yeare some or other doe there is not any Minister of any of our Churches can usurpe Pastorall authoritie over him unlesse that Christian call him thereunto or professe his subjection to his Ministration according to God Nor can such a man expect any Ministers watchfulnesse over him as his Minister unlesse the Minister see just cause to accept such a charge and professe so much No Church in the Countrey nor all the members of any Church can take upon them to Censure any stranger though an inhabitant amongst them unlesse he give up himselfe to them and professe his subjection to the Gospel of Christ amongst them Nor can he challenge such watchfulnesse from them unlesse he have given them a just call to take upon them that care over him That Christian libertie which the Lord Jesus by his bloud hath purchased for his Church and for all his children giveth them all libertie to choose their owne Officers and their owne fellow-Members unto whom to commit the care of their soules according to the rules of the Gospel We speak not of Infants who make choice in their parents but of such who know their libertie and are called to stand fast in it till then that a man tender and offer himselfe to the Church to the Officers and Members of it they have no power to receive him For the Churches receiving a beleever which is the Apostles word Rom. 14.1 implyeth and presupposeth his offering and giving up of himselfe unto them in a professed subjection to the Lord and unto them according to the will of God and their receiving of him implyeth and holdeth forth no lesse then their professed acceptance of him unto all those holy liberties with them and performance of all such spirituall duties to him which belong to all the fellow-members of the same body and let men call this expression of mutuall agreement by what name they please this is no other then what wee call Church-Covenant SECT V. LEt us proceed then to give account of the third point why we communicate so much power to the people as to propound receiving of Members unto their approbation and consent our reasons are these 1. From the like power given unto them by Christ for the casting out of scandalous and corrupt members Matth. 18.17 1 Cor. 5.5 if the Church must be told of every member that is to be cast out and when he is to be cast out they are to deliver him to Satan then the Church must be told of every member that is received and when he is to be received they are to receive him into the fellowship of the Lord and of his Church but the former is cleare from those Scriptures and consequently the latter It is a received Maxime Ejusdem est potestatis aperire claudere instituere destituere as they call it they that have power to shut the doores of the Church by Excommunication they have power to open the doores of the Church by admitting to Communion 2. From the Example of the Church at Hierusalem Act. 9.26 who when Paul assayeth to joyne himselfe unto them did not at first receive him because the Disciples were not satisfied in his spirituall good estate untill Barnabas by his testimony of him had removed their scruple which argueth the private brethren in a Church as well as publique Officers must be satisfied in him who is to be received into Communion with them 3. From the Churches power in Electing and calling Ministers to office It hath been shewed above that it belongeth to the people the body of the Church to choose and call their owne Officers according to the speech of Cyprian Lib. 1. Epist 41. Plebs maxime potestatem habet vel sacerdotes dignos eligendi velindignos recusandi And if they have such power of choosing worthy Ministers and refusing the unworthy how much more of receiving worthy Christians and refusing of unworthy Yea in the Epistle going before he speaketh expresly he had much adoe to perswade the people to receive some whose repentance was not so cleare to them which argueth evidently their power in receiving Members CHAP. IV. Concerning our order and forme in administration of Gods publick Worship SECT I. THe Church being gathered and furnished with able helps Officers and Brethren they proceed to the administration of all the publick Ordinances in publick Assemblies especially on every Lords day wherein our principall care and desire is to administer and partake in all and no more then all the ordinances of Christ himselfe and in all those so farre as the Lord hath lent us light in their native puritie and simplicitie without any dressing or painting of humane inventions For as the first Commandement requireth us to worship him with his owne onely true worship as he hath appointed in his Word without adding ought thereto or taking ought therefrom Isa 29.13 Deut. 12.32 So we beleeve it to be unlawfull for any Church to take upon them to observe much lesse for the Officers of their owne or other Churches to impose upon them any institutions of their owne whether in doctrine or worship or government but what the Lord hath appointed in his Word Our reason hereof one in stead of many is taken from the extent of the Commission of the Lord Jesus given to his Apostles which is as large as ever was given to any Church-governours and yet reacheth no further then to teach the people to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Mat. 28.20 If the Apostles themselves teach the Churches to observe more then he hath commanded them they goe beyond the bounds of their Commission The Apostles in the Synod in Hierusalem laid upon the Churches no other burden then necessary things Acts 15.29 Necessary they were some of them in their own nature others for the present estate of things to avoid offence and when they ceased to be offensive the prohibition of them ceased to binde Object If any shall say the Apostles Commission reacheth onely to matters of substance not circumstances of worship and formes of necessitie not indifferency Wee answer let them shew us another Commission to authorize them to put lawes upon the Churches for matters of circumstance of formes and of indifferencie and wee shall submit but the Scripture holds forth no such Commission given to any of the sonnes of men since the world began That much urged place 1
offence from the spirits of their Brethren but if it do appear that the dissent whether of one or more Brethren do arise from such darknesse and intricacie of the matter in hand as that the officers and members of the Church do find themselves either unable to cleare the matter fully or at least unfit in regard of some prejudice which may be conceived against them which sometimes doth fall out though very seldome in such a case when the matter is weightie and the doubt great on both sides then with common consent wee call in for light from other Churches and intreat them to send over to us such of their Elders or Brethren as may be fit to judge in such a cause upon their coming the Church meeting together in the Name of Christ the whole cause and all the proceedings in it are laid open to them who by the help of Christ pondering and studying all things according to the rule of the Word the truth is cleared a right way of peace and concord discovered and advised and the spirits of the Brethren on all parts comfortably satisfied SECT IV. IN these transactions wee know not what might be subject to exception or controversie but only that we allow to the people so much power in the censures of the Church both in binding an offender to admonition and excommunication and in loosing of penitents from the same But the Reasons that prevail with us to take this course seems to us to have evident ground from Scripture-light and therefore may excuse us from following the pattern of such Churches as rather consult with humane wisdome then divine institution in this case Our first Reason is taken from the royall rule of Love and Wisdome in healing offences given by our Saviour Matth. 18.17 where he directeth a Brother offended for the healing of the spirit of an offender finally to referre the matter to the Church Tell saith he the Church Now we cannot finde throughout the new Testament that ever the word Church is taken any otherwise then for the Society and Congregation of the faithfull unlesse it be once where it is taken for a civill Assembly Act. 19.41 But never for one Bishop or Counsellor or Archdeacon for neither doth the Scripture acknowledge any of these offices in the Church at all as hath been shewed above taking a Bishop as now they stand nor can the Church which is a word of multitude hold forth a Bishop or his Commissary who is but one person For though one person may represent a whole Church when he is sent forth in the Churches name with instructions from the Church yet such is not the case here The Bishop cometh in his own name and the Commissary in the Bishops name but neither of them in the Churches name nor with instructions from the Church but rather with destructions or at least with disturbances to the Church Neither is the word Church taken throughout the new Testament for an Assembly of Presbyters the Consistory is a word unheard of there Nor are any complaints directed thither unlesse it be to prepare them for the hearing judgement of the Church As all the Elders are said to be assembled in the house of James to prepare and instruct Paul for the carriage of his matter before the Church Nor are any Censures of the Church committed to the Presbyters alone to be administred by them though they be to be administred by them in the presence and with the consent of the Church And therefore when the Angels of the Churches in Asia are blamed for neglect of proceeding against offenders whether Balaam or Jezabel or the Nicholaitans the charge is given not to the Angels of the Churches onely but to the Churches also themselves Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirit saith unto the Churches Rev. 2.17.29 And though the word Congregation which is all one with Church be sometimes put in the old Testament for Elders or Judges of the Congregation yet 1. It is farre more frequently put for the Elders and body of the people met together as he that observeth the severall places shall finde it 2. When it is put for the Elders and Judges of the Congregation as Numb 35.12.24 25. it is never understood of them sitting in a Consistory by themselves apart from the people but in the presence of the publick Assembly of the people who also had libertie in such cases to rescue an innocent from unjust punishment 1 Sam. 14.45 Object In Mat. 18.17 when Christ directeth the Brother offended to tell the Church he speaketh of such a Church to whom wee may orderly and ordinarily complaine now this wee cannot doe to the whole multitude Answ Wee willingly grant it will be orderly to tell any offence to the Elders of the Church before it be presented to the multitude of the Church both because they are the mouths and guides of the Church and also meet it is all things be prepared by them for the Churches cognizance that so the Church be not cumbered as sometimes it might with unnecessary and frivolous agitations But though the Elders in such a case have power to direct and perswade what were best to be done yet not power to judge and determine publick Cases without the consent of the Church unlesse the Brother offended be satisfied in their advise Answ 2. When a whole multitude is assembled in a body any offence may be orderly and ordinarily told unto them by a complainant especially in case any Officer amongst them shall call him forth to tell his complaint As the Levite orderly told his complaint to the whole multitude of the Congregation of Israel assembled at Mispah Judg. 20.3 4 c. Object 2. The Church Christ directeth unto he presupposeth to be the ordinary Executioners of all Discipline and Censures which the multitude is not And the reason ratifying the Censure of the Church doth shew the number of them to be small Mat. 18.20 where two or three c. Answ The multitude of the Church doth ordinarily execute all Discipline and Censures by the Presbyters and the Presbyters by their Consent The promise made to two or three ver 20. respecteth not the Judges of the cause when it is brought to the Church but the two or three Brethren who dealt in the Cause before it came to the Church As in like sort the promise of binding in heaven what the Church bindeth in earth ver 19. pertaineth to the ratifying of the Censure of the whole Church mentioned in the verse before to wit in vers 17. A second Reason why wee allow such power to the people in Church-censures is taken from the practice of the Church of Corinth in the case of the incestuous person and that according to the Apostles direction For in the 1 Cor. 5.4 5. he directeth the whole Church of Corinth to whom he writeth That they in the name of the Lord Jesus when saith he yee are gathered together
and my Spirit with the power of the Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such a one unto Satan Where Paul saying in the verse foregoing that he had judged already that so it should be done doth not argue that now the Church was at hand he took the power of judging the Cause wholly unto himselfe and the publication and declaration of it onely in the Church but that he had seene already evident cause to judge the partie worthy to be cast out but directed them to doe it with all the power that is requisite to that action As 1. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in whom the principall power of all Church-censures resteth 2. When they that is the whole Church are gathered together not the Bishops nor the Presbyters alone 3. And Pauls spirit with them to wit so much of Apostolicall Authoritie being committed to the Church and present with it in such cases 4. He speaketh of the power of the Lord Jesus with them in this action which holdeth forth their Authoritie 5. When the Excommunicate person was humbled under this Censure Paul beseecheth them to forgive him to comfort him to confirme their love unto him 2 Cor. 2.7 8. Now they who have power of forgiving an offender have power also of binding him under wrath Ejusdem potestatis c. ligare c. solvere Object 1. All this argueth no more but that some in the Church had this power to wit the Presbytery of the Church but not the whole body of the people Answ 1. There is no word in the Text that attributeth any power to the Presbytery apart or singularly above the rest But as the reproofe is directed to them all for not mourning and taking the offence to heart that the offender might be taken away from amongst them ver 1.2 so is Commandement directed to them all when they are gathered together to proceed unto the casting of him out In like sort in the end of the Chapter he exhorteth them all againe Put away therefore saith he from amongst you that wicked person ver 13. and that by a judiciall power to wit as under Christ doe not yee judge them that are within ver 12. And lest this Judgement should be restrained to the Presbyters onely he magnifieth the judgements of the Saints taking occasion from hence to stretch their Judicature in some cases even to Civill matters also Know yee not saith he that the Saints shall judge the world yea the Angels 1 Cor. 6.2 3. And thereupon he incourageth them to betrust the deciding of any Civill Cause depending between Brethren to the Judicature of the meanest Brother in the Church ver 4. rather then to fly suddenly unto Civill Magistrates especially amongst the Heathen Object 2. But if the power of Judicature be committed to the whole Church together with the Presbyterie then all the multitude shall be made Governours and who then shall be governed Answ The multitude of Brethren are governed by the Elders so long as they rule aright to wit whilest they hold forth the Word and voyce of Christ which the sheep of Christ are wont to heare Joh. 10.4 But in case the officers do erre and commit offence they shall be governed by the whole body of the Brethren though otherwise the Brethren are bound to obey and submit to them in the Lord Heb. 13.17 Object 3. A democraticall government might do well in Athens a city fruitfull of pregnant wits but will soone degenerate to an Anarchie a popular tumult amongst rude common people Answ 1. It is unworthy the spirit of so godly learned a man as maketh this objection to preferre Athens before Jerusalem pregnant wits before sanctified hearts Answ 2. Though the government were democraticall as it is not yet there is no tumultuous disorder where not the will of each man beareth the sway but the voyce of Christ alone is heard who is the Head and wise Monarch of the Church Object If it be said tumult and disturbance and confusion cannot be avoided where the multitude have all of them not only leave but power to speak and one will be ready to take the word out of the others mouth and one of them to thwart and contradict one another and will not this make the Church of Christ a confluence of Cyclops Answ All such disorder is easily and timely prevented by the Elders who have power from Christ to restrain any mans speech whilest another is speaking and to cut off any means speech that groweth either impertinent or intemperate the Elders having received in speciall manner the power of the keys they have power to open and shut the dores of speech and silence in which respect the government of the Church is not meerly democraticall but as the best governments be of a mixt temper in respect of Christ whose voyce only must be heard and his rule kept it is a Monarchy in respect of the peoples power in choosing officers and joynt power with the officers in admitting members in censuring offenders it is a Democracy in respect of the officers instruction and reproof of the people in the publike ministery and in ordering of all things in the Assembly it is an Aristocracy what is found good in any civill government is in Church-government and what is found evill is by the wisdome of Christ safely avoided and prevented But that we may more distinctly declare our selves wherein lyeth the difference of their mutuall authority both of the Church over the Elders and the Elders over the Church wee conceive the Church exerciseth severall acts of authority over their Elders to wit in three cases 1. In calling and electing them to office and in ordaining them also thereunto in defect of their Presbyterie 2. In sending them forth upon the publike service of Christ as the whole Church at Jerusalem sent forth chosen Ministers with letters of instruction to Antioch and other Churches Acts 15.22 Now the Ambassador is not greater then he that sent him but usually inferiour Job 13.16 3. In case of offence given by any Elder or by the whole Eldership together the Church hath authority to require satisfaction of them and if they do not give due satisfaction to proceed to censure according to the qualitie of the offence For wee see when some of the Church of Jerusalem tooke offence against Peter for communicating with the Gentiles and contended with him about it Peter condescended to give ample and due account of his actions to the fatisfaction of them all Acts 11.2 to 8. If admonition and in some cases excommunication be ordinances of God sanctified for the healing of the soules of Gods people gone astray it were a sacrilegious injury to the Elders to deprive them of the benefit of such wholsome medicines when the estate of their soules should come to stand in need thereof and it being a ruled case Cujus est instituere ejus est destituere If Plebs obsequens praeceptis Dominicis ipsa
THE Way of the Churches OF CHRIST IN NEW-ENGLAND OR THE VVAY OF CHURCHES walking in Brotherly equalitie or co-ordination without Subjection of one Church to another Measured and examined by the Golden Reed of the Sanctuary Containing a full Declaration of the Church-way in all Particulars By Mr. J. COTTON Teacher of the Church at Boston in New-England 1 THES 5.22 23. Prove all things hold fast that which is good Abstaine from all appearance of evill Published according to Order LONDON Printed by Matthew Simmons in Aldersgate-streete 1645. not in our apprehension be said to hold no analogie Yet with much sweat and wiles some messengers have got through that Court of Guard to anticipate or satisfie if it might be those clamourers for a larger Narration 1. The 32. Questions or Church-government and Church-Covenant done by some Elders of N. E. they have had with seconds of frequent intimations that wee hold with the Churches of New England 2. The Apologeticall Narration they have had with our generall approbation of it 3. Mr Cotton of the Keys of the Kingdome of heaven they have had with our Brethrens Epistle to it how farre they approve it 4. The Reasons of the dissenting Brethren are in Print 5. Wee have been enformed that those our Brethren formerly have tendered themselves that in case they might be put into a Committee or like meet posture for such a work they would bring in the whole frame of their judgements in a body with their grounds and reasons 6. That now very lately they gave in seven Propositions to be discussed with promise of more But neither of them was debated Which wee alledge rather to vindicate our particular charge then to blame men whose reasons wee know not 7. With much adoe wee have presented you with a fuller declaration of all our way according to the Scriptures in this learned yet modest Treatise of THE WAY OF THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST IN NEVV-ENGLAND c. Written and sent over by Mr. Cotton And wee doe in this Epistle certifie our assent thereunto saving that wee doe not yet fully close with some expressions passim in the Book before some of which wee minded it to note a * in the Margin This we could not but say and doe pace tanti authoris or wee could not assert the Booke If all things in this Treatise as now printed doe not answer punctually word for word to the first written Copie let the reverend Authour and the candid Reader pardon us because wee had not the fairest Copie nor knew wee till the Book was neer done that there was a better to be had nor to this day yet ever saw it Therefore wee were forced to shift with this so as to keep the mind of the Authour make it constare sibi and by an interpretative leave in his absence not onely to doe as wee would be done by but also as he himselfe would have done wee are confident if he had been in our case or present here Least any should imagine that every thing in the Keyes doth not fit all the wards in this Treatise to an haire wee will here insert Mr. Cottons own words in his Letter coming from him in New-England to our hands in the very nick of time whiles this Epistle lay under the Presse viz. If you think the Draught of ChuRCH-DISCIPLINE which was sent over in your Ship varieth from that of the POVVER OF THE KEKES sent over the yeare after you may have some occasion so to conceive from some difference of expression in LOGICALL TERMES but not a jote in any DOCTRINE OF DIVINITIE or CHURCH-PRACTISE So Mr. Cotton in his Letter to Mr. R. M. Diverse Objections formerly laid against the Printing of this Book to the sadding of the Authour Some whereof are now answered by the late season of printing it Others by the necessitie of them that conscientiously and candidly cry out for information Others by the fore-printing of the Keyes to open the full minde and whole sphere of the Authours judgement in this Others by that putting forth in print of an answer to this Book before this was mid-wised by the Presse into the world All reason therefore now it can speake that it should answer for it selfe Wee hope wee have satisfied the minde of the Authour as well as our owne and of others too of the other judgement especially of those that call for fuller Declarations The Lord root out of all our hearts the spirit of contradiction that wee call not for Books with a resolution rather to confute them as wee imagine then to throw downe our selves humbly under the power of truth Wee are now fighting Modo militari for reformation let us not therefore fight against it more ecclesiastico With how much gravitie soliditie and modestie have Mr. Cotton the Apologists the Authours of 32. Questions or Church Covenant and other milde and judicious Authours written in our cause But with what a different spirit have the adverse part replyed as if personall invectives and imbittring a stile were Gods way of bettering a cause or battering an opinion Here is a Booke so grave and solid that it cannot be justly despised by ingenuous learned men So full of necessary cases and truths that it cannot but be desired of those that would be knowing men And so milde and gentle that it cannot but be causlesly quarrelled if quarrelled by Cholerick men Had wee not been perswaded that it would prove a welcome Tract on all hands for the reasons afore-intimated wee could with our injoyment of the written Copie well have saved this great travell If it fall out otherwise as it hath with diverse of the like nature Golden Lavers or Vessels made Common-shores and receptacles to be filled with all filthy contempt wee shall then clearly and fully decerne mens spirits and descry their intents in challenging us for larger Narrations and shall beware for time to come how wee anger them with kindnesses But if this be candidly entertained of them then have they encouraged us in due time to impart if God permit a fuller Treatise of the same subject with amplior demonstrations by joynt consent of the Churches of Old and New-England and meane while they have abundantly recompenced the labour of love of theirs in the Lord. N.H. I.H. THE Way of the Churches of Christ in NEW-ENGLAND Measured by the Golden Reed of the SANCTUARY CHAPTER I. The Order of gathering dispersed Christians into a Church PROPOSITION I. SECTION I. THat the Church which Christ in his Gospell hath instituted and to which he hath committed the keys of his kingdom the power of binding and loosing the tables and seales of the Covenant the Officers and censures of his Church the administration of all his publick Worship and Ordinances is Coetus fidelium a Communion of Saints a Combination of faithfull godly men meeting for that end by common and joynt consent into one Congregation which is commonly called a particular visible Church For the
take up the function which the Apostles laid downe as over troublesome and incompatible to their Ministeriall imployment now that which they laid down was the serving of tables and distributing to every brother according to his need Acts 6.2 with 4.35 if then their own need require they may with the Churches allowance take themselves of that supply which they dispose to others But in respect of their office there is little cause they should expect maintenance from the Churches charge for their office takes them very little off from attendance to the maintenance of their own family Seeing by the Ordinance of Christ they spend no time to go in and out to collect monies but only receive what is brought to them as an oblation to the Lord laid down before them every Lords day in the face of the Church or else what is brought home to their own houses according to the bills they put in on the Lords day and look what time they may spend in keeping a just accompt of what they lay out or in visiting any sick or poore brethren their time and labour spent herein is sufficiently recompenced by the use of the Churches stock or treasury lying in their hands Secondly besides this Text calleth for maintenance to those Elders in respect of their office of ruling well but neither are Deacons stiled Elders in any place of Scripture neither is their office a place of rule but of service to Tables so that this Text will by no force be racked to bear this interpretation 2. Another interpretation is fetched from that which is said to be the proper and usuall force of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is more then simply to labour even to weary a mans self with labour so that this sense they make of the Apostles words the Pastors or Elders that discharge their places well are worthy of double honour chiefly they which weary themselves with labour and care to teach and admonish Answ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Apostles language doth not note out any intention or labour in some above others but simply such pains in a place somewhat parallel to this 1 Thes 5.12 where the Apostle exhorteth the Thessalonians to acknowledge their Ministers and Rulers with singular love for their works sake he calleth all their Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and maketh their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the common work and labour of them all not any intensive or eminent labour of some above others and in Rom. 16.12 when the Apostle speaketh of some godly women that either took pains about him or about other spirituall work when hee speaketh of intensive or eminent pains and labour he addeth another word to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that may expresse so much but if he speake simply and positively of labour henseth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alone Salute saith he v. 12. Tryphena and Tryphosa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is translated simply who labour in the Lord but when he speaketh of others that took more painfull labour salute Mary vers 6. saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which bestowed much labour upon us and ver 12. salute the beloved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is translated who laboured much in the Lord and therefore in this Text in Timothy if we strain not Pauls words beyond his wonted meaning he means no more by Elders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then such who labour in word doctrine and then he distinguisheth the Elders that rule well from the Elders that labour in word doctrine simply by their different acts about different objects some Elders being conversant about the well ruling of the lives manners of the people others being conversant in labours about the word and doctrine 3. A third interpretation is given of these words That by Elders ruling well should be meant Pastors and Teachers such as were resident and abiding in the Church affixed to the place for the rule of it and by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that travelled from place to place to visit and to confirm the Churches To confirm this sense of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the place 1 Cor. 15.10 is quoted where Paul saith of himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which if hee had meant of labour in Word and Doctrine it might have seemed arrogancy in him to preferre himself before the rest of the Apostles in that work and it would have imputed some aspersion of negligence to them but if it be meant of his labour and travell through many countreys and nations for the spreading of the Gospel so hee might speak truly and soberly that hee had laboured more abundantly then them all to the same purpose Maries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the labour of Tryphena Tryphosa Persis are alledged out of Rom. 16.6.12 as if the first had travelled much for Paul and all of them had laboured in the Lord in wayes of travell far and neer by private perswasions to propagate the Gospell Answ This interpretation is indeed travelled for and far fetcht but such is our nature willing enough to travell far and wide to avoid the authority of an unwelcome truth how much neerer at hand and fitter were it to fetch the Apostles meaning from himself and to take the sense of his words here according to the sense and use of the same words in a like place 1 Thes 5.12 where the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are not travellers abroad but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 labourers amongst you Their own Pastors and Teachers resident with them and labourers amongst them Pauls labouring more abundantly then all the rest of the Apostles if it were not in word and doctrine is impertinently alledged to shew the sense of the word in this place where he speakes expresly of labouring in word and doctrine Nor had it been arrogancy in Paul to have spoken of his own greater labours then of his fellow-Apostles in the Ministery of the Gospel without respect to his travels for his Ministery was accompanied more then all the rest with greater afflictions and wrastlings both within and without whether hee stayed in any place or travelled abroad and he might well think it necessary for him as indeed the law of righteousnesse and gratitude required it of him to take the more pains for Christ in preaching of the Gospel after his conversion who had laboured more busily then all the rest against Christ and against the Gospel before his conversion nor is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an usuall word in that language to expresse travelling to be more then any other labour either of body or mind The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or labour of Mary doth not appear to be in travell up and down with Paul but rather in some diligent hospitality and service unto him but whether in travell or in her house is not at all expressed in the Word Sure it is Paul denieth the taking of a sister or
Presbytery of any one Church yet that onely reacheth to make their counsell the more weightie and acceptable but not to invest them with more rule or more authoritie Thirdly If a Church shall send to the Presbyters of another Church for ordination of their Elders they may as well repaire and submit to them for censuring of their offenders And would not that be a manifest transgression of the royall law of Church-Government Matth. 18.15 16 17 18. If a Brother see his brother falne into a scandall and after dealing with him first himselfe alone and then with the conviction of two or three witnesses find him to give no satisfaction at all whither shall the offended brother repaire If to the Church whereof the brother offending is a member that is indeed according to the rule but what need is there then or what ground of repairing to the Presbyters of other Churches by what Authoritie shall they proceed to censure the offender that is a member of another Church Indeed if a Brother offended shall complaine to the Church whereof the offending brother is a member and the Church neglect to doe their dutie through prejudice or partialitie or other remisnesse it may then be lawfull to make use of the brotherly love and brotherly communion which one Church oweth and beareth to another The brother offended and not satisfied with the proceedings of his own Church against the offence may then repaire to the Elders of other Churches and crave their judgement and counsell in the case in hand and if they doe not approve upon good inquirie the proceedings of their sister-Church they may admonish the Elders of that Church touching what they judge amisse But if the Elders hearken not unto them the Elders who admonish them being unsatisfied may acquaint their own Church with the offence of their neighbour Church and then in the name of the Lord and of their own Church they may admonish them thereof by Letters and Messengers sent to them to that purpose If yet the Church admonished hearken not unto them the Church offended may and ought to acquaint their neighbour Churches therewithall who may joyne with them either in convincing the offending Church of their sin and so prevaile with them unto reformation or else if they persist in obstinacy they may from thenceforth withdraw all continuance of brotherly communion with them till they acknowledge their transgression which is as farre as Churches may goe in a Church-way in case of obstinacy of a neighbour-Church in any offence and so farre they may goe according to the proportion of the rule Mat. 18.15 16 17. Look what rule a brother is to attend unto in seeking to heale the offence of a brother the same rule may and ought a sister-Church to attend unto in seeking to heale an offending sister-Church And looke as Paul who had received the same equall power of the keys with Peter reproved Peter openly when he was to be blamed Gal. 2.11 so one Church who hath received the same equall power of the keys with another may reprove another Church openly when they are to be blamed And looke by what power they may reprove them by the same they may proceed to withdraw from them if they hearken not to their reproofe according to God But all this notwithstanding they will not allow a brother offended to complaine to the Presbyters of another Church till he see no hope of removall of the offence by his own Church at home CHAP. III. Of the Addition of Members to the Church SECT I. THe Church being thus gathered and furnished with such Officers in such manner as the Lord hath appointed looke as in the first Primitive Church the Lord added to them daily such as should be saved Acts 2.47 so doe wee admit and receive from the Lord such as he sendeth and addeth to us The first and lowest number of a Church to which the other members are added is not expresly limited in the Word onely it is not so low as some have conceived to consist onely of two or three it is a mistake of that place Mat. 18.20 where a promise of Christs presence is made to two or three to conceive it made to the lowest number of a Church-body for those two or three are not considered there as a Church-body but as a sufficient number of witnesses to joyne with a brother offended in convincing and admonishing the brother that gave the offence against whom if he doe not hearken to them they are then further to proceed and to tell the Church Which argueth that they themselves are not a Church but a smaller company agreeing in a dutie of brotherly love either to heale an offending brother by their own admonition or to witnesse against him before the Church and yet they have a speciall promise of Christs presence with them in the dutie lest they might thinke such a labour of love undertaken in vaine But the Church must needs be a greater number then two or three seeing these two or three are to referre the person and the cause to a greater body then themselves for though there might be a domesticall Church in Adam and Eve at the beginning yet such a Church which Christ hath instituted in the new Testament consisteth of a greater number The very Officers of a Church compleatly furnished are no lesse then foure a Pastor a Teacher an Elder a Deacon and therefore the body of the Church had need to be of a greater number then so And though the essence of a Church may consist without the integritie of all his members as a lame man that wanteth some of his members may have the essence of a man yet under seven a Church can hardly consist of so many members as doe performe any part of a Church-body To such a body how many members may be added is not limited expresly in the Word onely it is provided in the Word that they be no more then that all may meet in one Congregation that all may heare and all may be edified For as hath been noted above the Apostle so describeth the whole Church as meeting in one place 1 Cor. 14.23 But if all cannot heare all cannot be edified Besides the Apostle requireth that when the Church meeteth together for the celebrating of the Lords Supper they shall tarry one for another 1 Cor. 11.33 Which argueth the Church indued with onely ordinary Officers should consist of no greater number then that all might partake together of the Lords Supper in one Congregation and therefore such Parishes as consist of 15000. though they were all fit materialls for Church-fellowship yet ought to be divided into many Churches as too large for one When the hive is too full Bees swarme into a new hive so should such excessive numbers of Christians issue forth into more Churches Whence it appeareth to be an error to say there is no limitation or distinction of Parishes meaning of Churches jure divino for though
And then if Gods mercy to a thousand Generations may fetch in the Children of Excommunicate persons the same promise may fetch in all Turks and Infidels at this day wee dare not therefore improve the large extension of Gods mercy so farre as to give a thousand Generations right and title to the Covenant of God with his Church and to incourage the Ministers of the Gospel to set the seales of the Covenant thereunto The true meaning of the promise wee take to be That God out of his abundant grace and rich mercy may and doth extend thoughts of redeeming and converting grace and mercy unto thousand Generations But he never allowed his Church any warrant to receive into their Covenant and Communion the Children of godly parents who lived a thousand yeare agoe much lesse a thousand Generations Nay rather the Text is plaine that the holinesse of the children dependeth upon the faith of the next immediate parents or of one of them at least 1 Cor. 7.14 to wit such faith as denominateth them Christian-beleevers in opposition to Pagan Infidels and that holinesse of the children to such parents is called Federall which receiveth them into the Covenant and to the seales of it Object Lastly it is objected that children borne in fornication have right to Baptisme and why not then the children of Excommunicate parents The wickednesse of parents ought not to prejudice the children in things that pertaine to their salvation Answ The wickednesse of the Parent doth not prejudice the Election or Redemption or the faith of the childe Jephta a bastard is yet reckoned up in the Catalogue of Beleevers Heb. 11.32 But yet in the old Testament a Bastard was not admitted to come into the Congregation of the Lord to his tenth Generation Deut. 23.2 and that could not but prejudice all the base-borne children of Israel and that in the things which pertaine to their salvation And though God sheweth greater grace to them in the dayes of the Gospel yet greater grace cannot by proportion of any rules of the Gospel be expected for them from the Church then this that notwithstanding the sinne of their parents they may be received into the Congregation of the Lord and so unto Baptisme either when their parents repent and acknowledge their sin before the Lord and his Church or when themselves are able to make a better profession of better things in their owne persons It is generally knowne that our best Divines doe not allow the Baptisme of Bastards sine sponsoribus But whether they consider Sponsores as witnesses as some doe who fetch allowance of witnesses from Isa 8.2 3 4. or whether they consider them as Sureties the holy Scripture gives no warrant for either in such a case The place in Isaiah giveth no foothold for Witnesses in Baptisme The Prophet called not Vriah for a witnesse of the Circumcision of his childe but of the conception of a man-childe yet unbegotten and of the Prophecy of such events as were to fall out during the infancy of the childe nor was it meet the Prophet should honour so wicked a time-server as Vriah was to be a witnesse of the Circumcision of his childe though the more prophane and idolatrous he was the more fit and faithfull a witnesse of a miraculous prediction to the conviction of an incredulous King and people And as for Sureties the Covenant is not intayled to Sureties to such as for whom they undertake but to faithfull parents pertaining to the family of the Church and to their seed It is true indeed there is a large promise to Abraham stretching the Covenant to his seed not onely to the children of his owne body and to his proselyte servants but also to all that were borne in his house or bought with money Gen. 17.12 13. which happily may grant so much libertie to a Christian Sponsor that if a stranger or wicked man should give him his childe from his infancy to be brought up as his owne it may be baptized as his owne But that is the utmost bounds of libertie in this case And very doubtfull it is whether the promise pertaine onely to the children of Proselytes either strangers or borne in the house But wee know not any ground at all to allow a faithfull man libertie to entitle another mans childe to Baptisme onely upon a pretence of his owne promise to have an eye to his education unlesse the childe be either borne in his house or resigned to him to be brought up as his owne CHAP. V. Touching the Dispensation of the Censures of the Church SECT I. WEE proceed not to Censure but in case of knowne offence and such offence as cannot be healed without Censure Two sorts of offences there be some private between Brother and Brother some publick and notorious being knowne to the whole Church or at least to many And of them some are more grosse and hainous some lesse If the offence be private between Brother and Brother the Brother offended is to follow the Rule of Christ Mat. 18.15 16 17. That is first to goe and tell him of his fault or as the word signifieth Convince him of his fault and to admonish him of it privately So that the plaister may be no broader then the sore private admonition is most sutable to a private fault and expresseth both the wisdome and love of the Brother who in so doing both healeth and covereth the offence at once If the offender take the admonition in good part as taking part with the admonition against his owne sinne the Brother hath wonne and gained him both to God and himselfe to God by repentance to himselfe by this experiment of his brotherly love But if the offender heare not his Brother but takes part with his sinne against the admonition he then taketh one or two more with him such as in wisdome he thinketh to be most fit to prevaile with him that so by the mouth of two or three his word of admonition may be established or if the offender heare them not his word of accusation to the Church may be established And they coming to the offender and acquaint him with the cause of their coming to bring him to the sight of his sinne which they understand is committed by him they first call upon the name of Christ to be present with them in this dutie according to his promise Mat. 18.19 20. where he hath said he will be present with any two or three that are met together in his name to aske of him for it is upon this occasion and this chiefly upon which the promise is made And the brother offended laieth open the offence before them and declareth how ill the labour of his love was accepted before and desireth their helpe to assist him in the conviction of the offender If they can prevaile with him to acknowledge his offence and to be humbled for it the soule of the offender is healed thanks are given to God and
mutuall love renewed and increased amongst themselves But if the offender deny the fact and there is none to prove it but the Brother that brought them they can proceed no farther because the testimony of one against one will not stand in Judgement Deut. 19.15 If he acknowledge the fact but doe not acknowledge the sinfulnesse of it but stand stifly to justifie it then the Brother first offended telleth the Church of it to wit in Gods way He telleth the Elders who are the mouth of the Church that by them it may be presented before the Church and the cause heard and examined and judged by them Then one of the Elders either by himselfe or calling forth the Brother offended declareth the offence given to him by such a Brother and what course he tooke with him according to the Rule of Christ to heale his Brother First by private admonition but so he prevailed not to bring him to a sight and sense of his sinne then how he tooke a Brother or two more to assist him in the worke but neither so could he or they prevaile with him which they being present doe openly testifie before the Lord and his Church And so by the mouth of two or three the word of his accusation is established before the Church The Church being thus informed of the estate and carriage of the offence the Elders doe labour in publick with the offender to convince him both of his sinne and impenitencie under it notwithstanding all the faithfulnesse and love of his Brethren in seeking to heale his spirit in private It is free also for any of the Brethren leave and libertie being first desired and obtained of the Elders to help forward the conviction by any words of wisdome and zeale which God shall put into their mouths wherein if the convictions and perswasions of the Church doe prevaile to any kindly humiliation of the offender in the acknowledgement of his sinne before the Lord and his Church the offender is gained the sinne is subdued others discouraged from the like offence and the Church is satisfied But if on the contrary the offender stand out in defence of his sin as well against the whole Church as he did before against the Brethren who dealt with him in private the Church then entereth into consideration of the Nature and Quality of the offence whether it be grosse and hainous such as is condemned by the light of nature like those cast out by the Apostle 1 Cor. 5.11 or whether it be such as through some mist of ignorance or strength of present passion he doth not clearly discerne the sinfulnesse of it if it be of the former sort they proceed then to excommunication both in respect of the nature of the crime whereof more hereafter as also in respect of his contumacy to the Church If it be of the later sort the Church proceedeth not forthwith to excommunication of the offender but after once or twice admonition For in this case it is with the offender as with an Heretike who may erre at first and stand in his error for want of clear light and is therefore once and again according to the rule of the Apostle Tit. 3.10 to be admonished before he be rejected when therefore an admonition is judged seasonable one of the Elders with the consent of the whole Church doth recollect the offence and all the arguments of weight which have been publikely or privately used to convince the offender of his sinne and discovereth to him also that invalidity and shallownesse of all his answers and evasions and thereupon doth solemnly in the name of the Lord admonish and charge him to see the danger of such a sin and distemper of his soule in maintaining of it that so if it be the will of God he may be recovered out of the snare of the Tempter Whilst the Brother is thus cast and lyeth under the censure of admonition he standeth in the judgement of the whole Church as a convinced publike offender and therefore till hee be reconciled to the Church by the penitent and publique acknowledgement of his sin before them hee doth abstain from the Lords Table according to the direction of our Saviour who would not have an offender present himself nor his gift before the altar whilest the guilt of the offence of his brother lay upon him Mat. 5.23 24. or as the Priests in the Law did forbear to eat of the holy bread whilest they lay in uncleannesse Lev. 22.3 4. or as one who lying in his uncleanness did rather pollute the holy Ordinance of God by partaking of it then receive any holiness from it Hag. 2.12 13. The offender then by this publique admonition being debarred of his wonted fellowship in the Lords Table and withall being solicited and urged by his brethren and friends to consider his great distemper of spirit in standing out so long in that which is evill If hereupon by the grace of Christ he come to himselfe and see his sin and desire to reconcile himself to the Lord and his brethern he then acquainting one of the Elders with his desire is called forth in the face of the Church to make publike confession of his sin and to judge himself for it wherein if the Lord help him to hold forth an ingenuous and humble loathing of his sin and of himself for it they blesse God for his blessing upon his ordinance and readily receive him into wonted favour and brotherly fellowship with them in all the liberties of Gods house but if on the contrary the spirit of the brother grow more more hardened in his sin and stand out against all means publike and private of his reformation the Church having waited a convenient time and yet finding their brother wax worse and worse as is commonly seen in such cases wherein men are not humbled under such means then according to the rule of Christ Matth. 18.17 one of the Elders propounding the case first to the whole Church and they giving their consents as before for his admission so now for his expulsion hee setteth his sin in order again before him with all the circumstances and aggravations of it especially how hee hath taken in vain and made unprofitable all other means for his recovery and therefore now in the name and with the power of the Lord Jesus and with the consent of the whole Church he pronounceth him unto Satan as an Heathen or a Publican for the destruction of the flesh that his soul may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus and all this according to the direction of the Holy Ghost Matth. 18.17 2 Cor. 5.4 5. SECT II. ANd thus the Church proceedeth in case the offence be private at first and and lesse scandalous but if the offence be be publike and hainous and grosly scandalous such as is condemned even amongst the Heathens by the light of nature as those mentioned by the Apostle 1 Cor. 5.11 Fornication Adultery Incest
as Cyprian saith lib. 1. Ep. 4. maximè potestatem habet dignos Sacerdotes eligendi then as hee saith there also potestatem etiam babet Sacerdotes indignos recusandi abdicandi On the other side the Elders have rule over the Church and do expresse it in sundry acts of authority as 1. In calling the Church togethr upon any weighty occasion Acts 6.2 2. In opening the dores of speech and silence to any of the Assembly Acts 13.15 unlesse it be where the Elders themselves lie under offence or suspicion of offence and the offended parties may begin with them Acts 11.2 yet with due reverence observed as to their yeers so to their place 1 Tim. 5.1 3. In preaching the Word the Elders have power to teach and exhort to charge command to reprove and rebuke with all authority 1 Tim. 5.7 6.17 2 Thes 3.6 Tit. 2.15 4. In dispensing all the censures of the Church unlesse it be in their own cause for though they take the consent of the Church in dispensing a censure yet they set it on with great authority in the Name of the Lord yea it is no small power they put forth in directing the Church what censure is due according to the Word as in our native countrey though the Judge dispense no sentence but according to the verdict of the Jury yet his authority is great both in directing the Jury to give in their verdict according to the law and in pronouncing sentence with power and terror according to the law and their verdict The like do the Elders in dispensing Church-censures 5. The Elders have power to dismisse the Church and that with a blessing Numb 6.23 to 26. which is an act of superiority Heb. 7.7 6. In case of the Apostasie of the Church or of other notorious scandall committed by them and their obstinacy therein the Elders have power to denounce the Judgement of God against the Church and to withdraw themselves from it As upon the Idolatry of the Israelites Moses took the Tabernacle and pitched it without the camp Exod. 33.7 and Paul with Barnabas rejected the Jewes for their blaspemy and turned to the Gentiles Act. 13.45 46. CHAPTER VI. SECT I. WEE come now to that last part of our order which standeth in our communion with other Churches amongst our selves though one Church claim no power either of Ordination or Jurisdiction over another for we know of none such given us by Christ yet wee maintain Brotherly communion one with another so far as wee may also help forward our mutuall communion with the Lord Jesus The communion of Saints is accounted an Article of the Creed and communion of Churches is but a branch thereof Seven wayes there be wherein wee exercise holy communion one with another which for distinction and memories sake we may summe up in so many short names First by way of Participation secondly of Recommendation thirdly of Consultation fourthly of Congregation fifthly of Contribution sixthly of Admonition seventhly of Propagation or multiplication of Churches 1. For Participation wee have occasionally spoken of it before it is allowed by the consent of our Churches that when the members of any other Church are occasioned to rest with us on the Lords day when the Supper cometh to be administred and neither the persons themselves nor the Churches they come from lie under any publike offence wee do admit them to the participation of the Lords Table with us For wee look at the Lords Supper not only as a seal of our communion with the Lord Jesus but also of our communion with his members and that not only with the members of our own Church but of all the Churches of the Saints SECT II. BY way of Recommendation wee communicate one with another in this wise When any of our members by occasion of businesse is called to reside and continue for any time in another Towne wee give him Letters of recommendation unto the Church in that place giving testimony of him as of a Brother approved and intreating them to receive him in the Lord as becometh Saints unto holy Communion with them and to watch over him in Brotherly love to his building up in fellowship with the Lord Jesus The patterne whereof wee take from Pauls recommendation of Phebe a Deaconesse of the Church of Cenchrea unto the Church of Rome Rom. 16.1 2. Of which Letters he maketh mention also to the Church of Corinth though not as needfull for himselfe but for others 2 Cor. 3.1 But if a Brother have necessary occasion to remove himselfe and his family for all together unto another Church and there to take up his setled habitation for the necessary imployment of his calling or for other just ends he acquainteth the Elders of the Church and some of his intimate friends and brethren and it may be if conveniency permit the whole Church with the grounds of his removall which if they doe appeare to them to be just and weightie they then write more ample Letters of recommendation unto that Church in his behalfe wherein they doe recommend him wholly to their charge now not as one of themselves but as one of theirs to whom they doe resigne him and intreat them to receive him as a Brother beloved in the Lord unto all those Christian liberties and holy duties wherein they are wont to Communicate with their owne members unto all spirituall growth in Christ Jesus Which Letters because they doe so fully recommend a Brother unto another Church are to dismisse him from his owne wee therefore for distinction sake call them Letters of dismission which indeed doe not differ from the other but that the former recommendeth him to another Church for a time these for ever The Brother thus dismissed to another Church bringeth his Letters to the Elder of that Church who reading them before the Church demandeth the Churches consent for his acceptance If he be well knowne and approved of them they expresse their consent either by lifting up of hands or by silence but if the man be wholly unknowne and doubted of by them though they reserve due honour to the testimony of the Church which sent them yet for as much as Churches may erre sometimes as well in judgement of persons as of doctrines Hanc veniam perimusque damusque vicissim wee take libertie to take some tryall of his spirit and gifts and then either upon his just approbation of him wee receive him or if wee see just occasion of offence in him wee returne him with the cause back againe to his owne Church who receiveth him againe into her own fellowship and takes care for his healing for wee look at our Church-Covenant as an everlasting Covenant Jer. 50.51 And therefore though it may be translated or resigned from one Church to another as Gods hand shall direct yet it is not to be rejected or violated by us but onely by the members cutting off himselfe from the fellowship of the Church by such
demerit as exposeth him to the just censure of Excommunication But if a member be importunately desirous to remove wholly from the Church where he is unto another and yet the grounds of his removall favour of nothing but levitie or covetousnesse or schisme or the like according to their Covenant of brotherly love and faithfulnesse the brethren of his own Church labour to convince him of his sinfull weaknesse herein to disswade him from his purpose to which counsell God usually toweth his heart to stoop and submit But if after all their disswasions they shall see the bent of his spirit unremovably set upon removall in such a case if his sinne be not apparent and his danger imminent they use indulgence towards him as not willing to make the Church of God a prison to any man But when men thus depart God usually followeth them with a bitter curse either taking away their lives from them or blasting them with povertie or exposing them to scandall where they come or in entertaining them with such restlesse agitations that they are driven to repent of their former rashnesse and many times to desire to returne to the Church from which they had broken away SECT III. OUr third way of communion with other Churches is by way of Consultation whereof wee have given some touch before as 1. In time of the gathering of a Church the Brethren who desire to enter into Church-estate doe give notice to all the Churches about them and desire the presence of their Elders and of such other Brethren as they shall see meete to send to helpe them with their counsell in discovering the spirits and competent gifts of such members as should joyne with them in that worke And further to give counsell and direction in the ordering of that day as hath been shewed above 2. In the choice and ordination of Officers one Church is wont to send to all the rest about them for such Elders and Brethren as may give counsell and direction to their proceedings and approbation of the same as the matter shall require as hath been formerly delivered 3. In case of difference of judgement amongst the Brethren of a Church in the administration of Church-Censure and the like to prevent all suspition of partialitie or prejudice the Church is sometimes occasioned to send to the neighbour-Churches one or more for the assistance of some of their Elders and Brethren to helpe them with their counsell in discovering and judging of the causes depending amongst them who giving advice according to the Word doe by the blessings of Christ heale jealousies and compose differences and settle peace and love amongst them and this also hath been mentioned before 4. In doubtfull cases arising in the Church whether of judgement or practice where yet no difference hath risen but all or most are uncertaine what were fit to be done as whether a childe may be baptized by right of his Grand-fathers Covenant or the like the Church doth sometimes send Letters or Messengers to crave the counsell of other Churches who deliberate by considering and arguing the matter and agree upon what they conceive most agreeable to the Word each Church sendeth their judgements and their reasons either by Elders or by Messengers to the Church that sent to them SECT IV. A Fourth way of our communion with other Churches is by way of Congregation or gathering together many Churches or the messengers of many Churches to examine and discusse either some corrupt opinions or suspicious practices which being scattered and found in many Churches at once cannot well be healed in any one alone In which case the Elders of the Churches desirous to maintain verity and unity of judgement in matters of doctrine and integrity of life throughout all the Churches do both acquaint our Magistrates being nursing fathers to the Church with the necessary occasions and ends of a generall and a solemn assembly and do also solicit the Churches to send some fit persons at such a time to such a Church where the assembly be most seasonably held to consider and discern of the matter in question and agitation The assembly being met in the name of Christ and his presence called for by humble and earnest prayer the matters to be discussed and cleered are propounded by some or other of the Elders of that Church where we meet or by some other appointed by them and consented to by the assembly When the matters are propounded the Elders do declare their judgements of the points in order one after another together with their reasons from the Word at which time it is free for any man present and all may be present if they will as well the Messengers of the Churches as others after leave orderly craved or obtained to propound their doubts without offence whence disputation doth arise as in Act. 15.7 till all parties be either satisfied or convinced and so the matters in controversie are cleared and this course is taken for the clearing of all the points remaining which may seem to some not so fully cleared and agreed upon and the nature of them such as may admit further discussion yea and difference of apprehension without disunion of affection or disturbance of the Churches peace yet for satisfaction of Gods people the mean while in such things each man is left to his Christian liberty So farre as they are all come they judge and mind one thing If any be otherwise minded who in simplicity of heart seeketh the truth and in meeknesse of wisdome and love holdeth forth the same we hope God will in time reveale the same unto him in the mean time all agreeing in this one not to condemn nor to despise one another in differences of weaknesse according to the Apostles rule Rom. 14.2 3 4. SECT V. A Fifth way of communion with other Churches is by contribution or communication in yeelding supply to one anothers wants for according to the ancient president in the Primitive Churches if any of our Brethren should fall into such decay as not to be able to supply their onw necessities in outward things amongst themselves we should take it our bounden duty to minister to their wants according to our abilities Act. 11.29 30. Rom. 15.25 26. Hitherto the Lord hath been pleased out of his all-sufficient goodnesse so to supply us all each Church within it self as that we have had scarce any occasion never but once to exercise our mutuall love and liberality to one another in this kind but if need should require we consider afore-hand what mutuall help God requireth of us from one towards another in such a case Also if any of our Churches do want some fit members to imploy in some publike office amongst them and shall make known their want to some other Church who may abound in such blessings as sometimes the Church at Antioch had four or five Prophets among them Act. 13.1 when others wanted the Church that aboundeth in such helps