do not appropriate this priviledge of the Seals onely to the members of your own Churches excluding all other Churches of Christ from the same If your meaning be onely this that you deny not the Sacraments administred in other Churches to be the true Sacraments of Christ for substance then you ascribe little more to the Churches of Christ in this then to the Synagogue of Satan the Church of Rome For you will not deny Baptisme administred among them to be true for substance If you deny not to have fellowship with them in the Seals and to admit them to the Sacrament and to communicate with them then either your judgment is contrary to your practice or you exclude the Churches of England from the number of true visible Churches of Christ which is to destroy what you formerly builded and here professe All possible care to keep the Ordinances of God from contempt we allow and commend provided you go not beyond the Lords warrant and deny not the priviledges of the Church to them to whom they are due by divine appointment nor the name and title of Church to those societies which God hath plentifully blessed with means of grace have received the Tables and Seals and have entred into Covenant with his Highnesse Your liberty to receive such satisfaction as is meet is not called into question nor whether you are to keep the bond of the Spirit inviolate according to order But whether this be to keep the bond of the Spirit inviolate viz to exclude from the Sacrament true visible believers or knowne recommended Christians formerly members of visible Churches among us and their children because they are not members as you speak in Church Order And whether God alloweth to put this difference between Church mēbers of your societies other visible believers walking in holines though not admitted members of any society according to your Church order as to receive the one though members of another society unto the Seals and to debar the other and their children These are the things to be considered in these present positions And first we will examine your Reasons for your judgment and practice by themselves and then so far as we judge meet try your answers to the objections you make against it 1 Consideration THe Seals Baptism the Lords Supper are given to the Church as a priviledge peculiar therto in ordinary dispensation Indeed the preaching of the word is not so being an ordinance given not onely for the edifying of the Church already gathered but also for the gathering of men to the Churches that yet are without wheras the dispensing of the Seals is Gods Ordinance given onely for the edifying of the Church being gathered and not for the gathering of it And because there is now no universall visible Church on earth wherein the Seals are dispenced there being no place nor time nor Officers nor Ordinances appointed in the New Testament by Christ our Lord for any such Assemblies as the Iewes had under Moses It remains that the Christian Churches whereunto these priviledges were given are congregationall consisting onely of so many as may and do meet together ordinarily in one place for the publike worshipping of God and their own edifying Hence it is that we read so much in the New Testament of the Churches in the plurall number the Churches of Christ the Churches of God the Churches of the Saints and not onely when they were of divers Nations the Churches of the Gentiles but also of the same Nation The Churches of Iudea and not onely when that Country was of large extent and circuit the Churches of Asia but also of a small part of the Country The Churches of Galatia yea when congregations in severall Cities are spoken of They are called Churches as the Churches of Ierusalem the Churches at Antioch To wind up all seeing the Churches in the Gospell are congregationall and that Baptisme and the Lords Supper being Church priviledges belong onely to the Churches it will follow that as City priviledges belong onely to Citizens and their children so baptisme and the Lords Supper being Church priviledges belong onely to the members of particular Churches and their seed And that seeing sigillum sequitur donum to apply them to others what is it but to abuse them As a seal of a corporation is abused if added to confirme the grant of priviledges which are peculiar to any Towne corporate to one that being no free-man of that corporation is uncapable thereof Reply IF by the Church be understood the Society of men professing the entire faith of Christ the seales are given unto it as a peculiar priviledge but if by the Church you understand onely a congregationall assembly in Church order the seales were never appropriated to it But to examine every thing in order as it is propounded 1 The Seales Baptisme and the Lords Supper are given to the Church as priviledges peculiar thereunto not onely in ordinary as you say but also in extraordinary dispensation True baptisme is not without the Church but within it an ordinance given to it and they that are baptised must needes be of a Church The Sacraments are the seales of the Covenant to the faithfull which is the forme of the Church and when for substance rightly used tokens and pledges of our spirituall admittance and entertainment into the Lords family and Symbolls or testimonies whereby the people of God are distinguished from all other Nations This is most certain as in the ordinary so in the extraordinary dispensation of the Seales as is confirmed by the Texts of Scripture alleadged in the Margine For the Apostles as you say dispenced the seales in an extraordinary way but the seales dispenced by the Apostles were Seales of the covenant priviledges peculiar to the Church priviledges of spirituall admittance and entertainment into the Lords family And when you say the dispencing of the Seals is an Ordinance given onely for the edifying of the Church being gathered and not for the gathering of it must it not be understood in extraordinary dispensation as wel as ordinary To what pupose then are those words in ordinary dispensation added to the proposition if thereby you would intimate that the Sacraments be not the peculiar priviledges of the Church and Seales of the Covenant in extraordinary dispensation it is evidently crosse to the Text you cite and to your selves afterward If your meaning be that in ordinary dispensation the Sacraments doe of right belong to them onely who bee set members of a visible congregation it is all one with the conclusion that which is in question and should be proved and that which this very Scripture doth plentifully disprove for they that were baptised were not set members of a particular congregationall Church whereunto they were baptised nor in a Church way before baptisme as is evident and granted by the most of your selves but by baptisme
acceptation of the word is not unusuall in Scripture As God hath set some in the Church His bodies sake which is the Church The Church viz. whereof Paul was made a Minister and whereunto the rest of the Apostles were ordained which was the Catholike visible Church the society of men professing the faith of Christ throughout the world divided into many particular Churches whereof some are pure others impure some more others lesse sound Hereunto it may be added that every multitude and society of believers are indefinitely called the Church I persecuted the Church of God The house of God which is the Church of the living God In which sense all the Churches in the world may truly be called one And thus the Apostle Peter writing to many dispersed Churches who could not assemble in one place nor be fed by one Shepherd speaketh of them singularly as one flock Feed the flock of God which is among you But that flock are the strangers dispersed through Pontus Galatia Asia Cappadocia and Bythinia which could not possibly joine together in the Ordinances of Worship or make one distinct congregated assembly And if the Catholike Militant Church be one Society the Seals that are given as a prerogative to the Church are given unto it and the true Members of the Catholike Church have right and title to them in due order though they be not admitted into the Church fellowship you speak of For as the flock or society is one so is the Ministery Faith Covenant and Sacraments which are given as a communion prerogative unto the whole Church and not appropriated to this or that part or member as separated from the whole which is further evidenced hereby that sometime it hath and too often it may fall out that a Christian may be a true member of the universall visible Church i. e. he may hold professe and maintain that holy Catholike Faith pure and undefiled without which no man can be saved who for the present is no actuall member of any particular or visible society in Church order As for example a man may be cut off by Excommunication from all commerce with the present visible Church wherein hee was bred and born when hee is not cut off from the Catholike Orthodox all Church Hee may be deprived of participation of the Ordinance in every particular society when his right and title to them is much better then these who have most injuriously cast him out or debarred him of the means of salvation The communion of Saints whether visible or invisible is the effect and property of the Church Catholike and agreeth to the severall parts and members thereof as they be members of that body under the head and if particular Churches have communion together it must of necessity be that they bee parts and members of the whole body which is one 4. Though there be no universall congregation or assembly nor can be imagined yet there are and have beene many visible assemblies or societies true Churches of Christ to whom the Prerogative of the Seals is given which have not beene united and knit together in Church-order into one congregationall body or society For every society in covenant with God is the true Church of God for what is it to be the flock people or sheepe of God but to be the Church of God And where there is a Covenant there is the people of God They that are of the faith of Abraham are the children and seed of Abraham and within the Covenant of Abraham though but two or three and so of the same Church with him by that covenant The communication on and accepting of the tables of covenant is an undoubted token of a people in convenant or confederate but every society professing the true and entire faith joyning in prayer and thankesgiving receiving the truth of God to dwell among them and in some measure conforming themselves to the obedience of Gods Commandements is in covenant with God It is simply necessary to the being of a Church that it be laid upon Christ the foundation which being done the remaining of what is forbidden or the want of what is commanded cannot put the society from the title or right of a Church For Christ is the foundation and head corner stone of the Church and a people comming unto Christ united unto him built upon him having communion with him and growing up in him are the true Church of God and if the seals be annexed to the covenant by God himselfe as we cannot deny a people in covenant to be the Church so we must not deny their right and title to the Sacraments If therefore the meaning of the proposition be that the seales be given to the Church that is to true and sound Christians and people in covenant with God as a priviledge whether in ordinary or extraordinary dispensation we accept it as good and sound but it makes against your judgement and practice in keeping away such as have right and title to the ordinances If you meane the seales are given to the Church that is onely to set members of some particular society combined by covenant as it is among you we cannot receive it because it implieth a distinction not taught in Scripture and crosse to your selves And for the thing it selfe the Scripture hath nothing but many things against it as hath beene shewed 5 If it be granted that the seales are the prerogative of a particular visible Church known and approved Christians among us and their seed are members of true and visible Churches and so to be esteemed among you before they be entred into Church membership as you call it For every society professing the intire and true faith and joyning together in the right use of the Sacraments in matters substantiall is the true Church of God and every visible beleever receiving the word and professing the true intire faith admitted to the right and lawfull participation of the Sacraments is a visible member of the true Church if he have neither renounced that society nor deserved justly to be cast out by excommunication or Church censure For the intire profession of the truth the dwelling of the truth among men the right use of the Sacraments which is ever joyned with truth of Doctrine and to be esteemed by it is proper to them that be in covenant with God And they that truly partake of the Seales must needes be of a Church for the seales are not without but within the Church an ordinance given unto it and if they be true members of the true Churches of Jesus Christ other Churches are bound to hold communion with them in the ordinance of worship as divine providence shall minister occasion In answer to the ninth position you say the members of other Churches well known and approved by vertue of communion with Churches doe mutually and with
good acceptance communicate each of them at others Churches even so often as Gods providence leads them thereunto and themselves desire it In your preface to this consideration you say you admit to fellowship of the seales the known approved and orderly recommended members of any true Church and if knowne and approved Christians members of our Churches comming over into New England shall desire either to have their children baptized or to be admitted themselves to the Lords Supper before they be set members of any society theâ—e we desire to know upon what grounds from God you can deny them if you acknowledge our Churches Ministery and Sacraments to be true and of God as you professe and the members of the Church be known and approved orderly recommended unto you It is the priviledge of Christians baptised themselves and walking in the faith that their children should have right to baptisme in all true Churches in the world It is the priviledge of Christians lawfully and justly admitted to the Lords Supper in one visible Church and walking in covenant with God that they have right to this priviledge in all Churches professing their intire faith and you must shew just and sound reasons from God of your judgement and practice in debarring their seed from baptisme and parents themselves from the Supper or else to use the words of a reverend Elder among you in a case of lesse importance and not concerning so many you will be found guilty of adding to the words and making eleven Commandements and setting up humane customes and selfewill against Gods appointment For the Sacraments are given to the Church as a priviledge peculiar thereunto but you deny this priviledge to the true visible members of the Church as your selves confesse For if the Ministers be the Ministers of Christ and their congregations the Churches of Christ then knowne and approved Christians are members of the Church In your opinion the members of the Jewish Church might be received unto baptisme upon confession of the Christian faith before they were entred into Church fellowship and it is more then strange to us that you should not thinke the true visible members of the Churches of Christ to have as much title and interest to the Seales as the members of the Jewish Church to the Sacrament of Baptisme 6 The distinct Churches mentioned in the New Testament it is not certain that they were congregationall societies consisting onely of so many as might and did meete together ordinarily in one place at one time for the publike worship of God and their own edification and if this were granted it would not carry the weight that was laid upon it But because it may make way for the clearing of some other points pertaining to discipline and Church order we intreat leave to set downe and desire you to examine what may be objected against it We will not insist upon this that the least circuite wherein there is mention of Churches is ample enough to containe some diocesses and the least City populous enough to make many numbersome congregations Nor upon this that to meete at one time and one place as one assembly is a thing meerely accidentary to the unity of the Church and society Ecclesiasticall which is still one when they are dispersed asunder and no particular man of that society at first remaining now alive The number of beleevers was so great in some Cities as they could not conveniently meete in one place as one assembly to worship the Lord according to his will and for their edifying That there was a Church gathered in the City of Samaria by the ministery of Phillip will not be denyed for they received the word and were baptised but that the Church in that City was onely a congregationall assembly is more then can probably be concluded out of Scripture For the whole City or the greatest part could not ordinarily assemble in one place to their edification But the whole City of Samaria in a manner as it is probable imbraced the faith As the whole City from the least to the greatest had given heede to Simon Magus before so to Phillip now when he preached Christ And the Text saith expresly that Samaria received the Gospell The Christian Church at Ierusalem was one and distinct but it grew and increased first to 3000. then to 5000. afterwards multitudes of men and women were added and the multitude of Disciples increased it is also noted that a company of the Priests received the faith The Syriacke hath it of the Jews scil inhabiting Judea but the Greeke Arabian vulgar Chrisostoms Ethiopians approve the former and the number of the Priests was not small there is mention also of millions of beleevers And when all the Apostles or the greatest part of them remained at Jerusalem for a time continuing in the ministery of the word and prayer and that they might doe it the more earnestly and diligently left the care of the poore to others how can we thinke but that Church did grow exceedingly and the number of beleevers there to be more then could fitly meete ordinarily in one congregation Without question the number of beleevers in Antioch was not small of which it is said expresly that a great number beleeved turned to the Lord and that a great multitude was added to the Lord by the preaching of Barnabas and that Paul and Barnabas continued there one whole yeere preaching the word of God and teaching the multitude so that the Disciples were first called Christians at Antioch After that this Church was visited by Paul and Barnabas who continued there teaching and preaching the Word of God with many others also and may wee not thinke that this Church did quickly rise to such bignesse that they could not well assemble in one congregation as now wee call them It will easily be credited that the number of believers was not small at Ephesus if we call to minde that when Paul had been there but two yeers all they that dwelt in Asia had heard the word of the Lord both Iews and Grecians that a great doore and effectuall was opened to him at Ephesus That the art for making Shrines and Dianaes Temple was in danger to be set at nought and that those that had used curious arts came and burnt their books in the sight of all men which could not be done without great danger unto the Church unlesse a great part of the City had believed Where a Church did comprehend a City with its Suburbs and the Country circumjacent i. e. the believers who professed the faith within that circuit It might well be that the number did so increase through the extraordinary blessing of God which accompanied the preaching of the word in those primitive times and first planting of the heavenly Kingdome that they could not well meet ordinarily in one place and yet continued one Society For when a number is
Elders in every city or Church And so there was a Church before Elders were set over it but this Church was a societie of beleevers by baptisme admitted into Church-fellowship There can be no Church to call a Minister to feed the flock and dispence the seals till they have received the doctrine of salvation intirely and by the seale of initiation be solemnly received into the societie of men professing Christ A company of men converted to the faith being unbaptized may and ought to desire baptisme but they have not power to elect and chuse one among themselves to dispence the seales unto the rest for ought is to be found in Scripture The Churches constitution into which Christians are to gather themselves must be Apostolicall and not one day or houre younger in nature and forme of it thus the first Church of the New Testament But it can never be shewed in Scripture that any societie of unbaptised persons did first chuse from among them a Pastor or Teacher by whom they might be baptised you cannot produce one example or other proofe in the Scripture of one man teaching the Gospel ministerially but he was baptised and a member of a true Church or of a societie who made choice of a Pastor and teacher but they were baptised persons The third Proposition That the power of calling Ministers is given by Christ unto the Church must also be rightly understood For by the Church must be meant the societie of the faithfull not onely ingrafted into Christ set into the state of salvation and made heires apparent of everlasting blessednesse but solemnly entred and inrolled into the societie of Christs flock and acknowledged members by free admission into the Seales of the Covenant Againe by the Church if we speake of ordinary calling must not be understood of the faithfull alone but their guides and officers together with them who are to goe before the rest and to direct and governe them in their choice Neither can we say that any two or three beleevers linked together in societie doe make such a Church as to whom the calling of the Minister doth belong but that right was given by Christ to such Churches as were gathered and established by the Apostles The Church hath a Ministery of calling one whom Christ hath described that from Christ he may have power of Office given him in the vacant place But the office gift and power of the Ministery is immediately from Christ and not from the Church The Church doth neither virtually nor formally give power to her Officers but ministerially onely as ministring to him who hath power and vertue to conferre it And this right of election is so given to the communitie and body of the people that if they have consented to give away their right or if it be taken injuriously from them the calling of the Minister notwithstanding may be true and ministeriall acts done by him that is thrust upon the people without their consent may be effectuall to their salvation A wrong it is altogether to debarre the godly of their consent in the calling of such as must watch for their soules but it makes not the calling it selfe a meere nullitie for then many Churches in the world within a few hundred yeares after Christ should have wanted both ministery and Sacraments and they would have been altogether destitute of both ministery and Sacraments for many hundred yeares The fourth That all those who desire to partake in the Seales are bound to joyne themselves together in Church-state that so they may call a Minister to dispence the Seales unto them will not follow from the former rightly understood We deny not but Christians are bound to joyne themselves together in holy fellowship if God give them opportunitie but they must partake in the Seales before they can joyne themselves together in Church-state And such as for lack of meanes and opportunitie cannot joyne themselves into such an estate or be dispersed by persecution or be destitute of Pastors and Teachers may for a time desire and seek to have the seales dispenced unto them by the Pastors and Teachers of other Societies with whom they hold communion in the faith The people also who are deprived of right and libertie to choose their Pastor may desire and seek to have the Seales dispenced unto them by him who is set over them If a company of Infidells should be converted to the faith they must desire to partake in the ordinances of grace before they could joyne together in a Church-way to call a Minister of their own who might administer the Sacraments unto them To make Disciples and baptize are joyned together And if these Propositions be allowed for current a nation or people plunged into Idolatry or Infidelitie or otherwise dischurched cannot by ordinary meanes recover into a Church-estate wherein they may lawfully and according to Gods appointment desire or expect that the Seales of the Covenant should be dispenced to them The fifth Proposition riseth beyond measure that no Christian can expect by the appointment of God to partake in the Seales till he have joyned himselfe in Church-fellowship and the calling of the Minister Wee conceive you will not say that children and women have to doe in the call of the Minister for women they are debarred by their sex as from ordinary Prophesying so from any other dealing wherein they take authority over the man If some part of the Congregation doe not consent in the election of Pastors or Teachers have they not right to expect to have the Seales of the Covenant dispenced to themselves or their seede If the people be deprived of that libertie to choose or call their Minister must they seperate from the ordinances of worship there dispenced and from the Congregations as no true Churches If some persons by the providence of God live in such places where they cannot joyne in Church-fellowship and call of the Minister as suppose the Christian wife childe or servant nor lawfully remove to any such Societie must they and their children live as strangers and aliens from the Covenant of grace wherein they may not expect to partake of the Seales In Infidels be converted to the faith must they not partake in the Seales because they cannot joyne in Church-fellowship and call of the Minister before they be admitted to Baptisme Here you say the people must joyne together in the call of the Minister before they can lawfully desire to be admitted to the Seales And another hath zealously affirmed It is a presumptuous sin in any to choose an Officer not trained up and tryed scil in the debating discussing carrying and contriving of Church-affaires as also in admonition exhortation and comfort publickly occasioned and so manifested Lay these two together and let it be considered how long many a poore soule converted to the faith must be compelled to want the comfort of Gods ordinances Besides if a people be joyned
together in Church-fellowship and have called a Pastor to feed and watch over them wee desire not words but proofe why the poore dispersed Christians wanting means or opportunitie to joyn themselves together into societie ought not to desire and that others be not bound in conscience to afford them the comfort of Gods ordinances If the Propositions may stand for good I feare we shall scarce finde that ever in ordinary way the Sacraments were lawfully dispenced or received in the Christian Churches of God since the first foundation of them Now the premises being liable to so many exceptions the conclusion to be laid upon them will fall of it selfe And thereunto wee oppose the direct contrary That Infidels converted to the faith or godly Christians formerly visible beleevers knowne and approved members of Congregations professing the intire faith and joyning together in the lawfull use of the Sacraments for substance according to the Institution may and ought to desire and expect the Seales of the Covenant to be dispenced to them and to their seede though for the present they be not joyned into such Church-state and call of Ministers as you require Answer 7. Consideration THat our practise may not be censured as novell and singular give us leave to produce a President of the like care observed and approved by publick countenance of State in the dayes of Edward 6. of blessed and famous memory who in the yeare 1550. granted Johannes Alasco a learned Noble man of Poland under the great Seale of England libertie to gather a Church of strangers in London and to order themselves according as they should finde to be most agreeable to the Scriptures Among other godly orders established in that Church that which concerned the Administration of Baptisme to prevent the prophanation of it we will repeate in Alascoes owne words Baptisme in our Church saith he is administred in the publique Assembly of the Church after the publique Sermon for seeing Baptisme doth so belong to the whole Church that none ought to be driven thence which is a member of the Church nor to be admitted to it who is not a member of it truely it is equall that that should be performed publiquely in the Assembly of the whole Church which belongs to the whole Church in common Againe he addeth Now seeing our Churches are by Gods blessing so established by the Kings Majestie that they may be as it were one parish of strangers dispersed throughout the whole Citie or one body corporate as it is called in the Kings grant and yet all strangers doe not joyne themselves to our Church yea there are those who while they avoyde all Churches will pretend to the English Churches that they are joyned with us and to us that they are joyned to the English Churches and so doe abuse both them and us lest the English Churches and the Ministers thereof should be deceived by the impostures of such men and that under colour of our Churches wee doe baptize their Infants alone who have adjoyned themselves to our Churches by publique confession of their faith and observation of Ecclesiasticall discipline And that our Churches may be certaine that the Infants that are to be baptized are their seede who have joyned themselves thereto in manner aforesaid the father of the Infant to be baptized if possible he can or other men and women of notable credit in the Church doe offer the Infant to Baptisme and doe publickly professe that it is the seede of the Church yet wee suffer no stranger to offer Infants to Baptisme in our Churches who hath not made publique profession of his faith and willingly submitted himselfe to the Discipline of the Church lest otherwise they who present their children to Baptisme might in time plead that they belong to our Churches and so should deceive the English Churches and their Ministers To those which presented Infants to Baptisme they propounded three questions the first was Are these Infants which yee offer the seed of this Church that they may lawfully be here baptized by our Ministery c. Answer Yea. This Instance is the more to be regarded because Alasco affirmeth in the preface of that Book that this libertie was by the King granted to them out of his desire to settle alike reformation in the English Churches which in effect you see the same with out practise in this particular Reply THe practise of the Church of strangers in London recorded by John Alasco is farre different from your judgement and practise not in some by-circumstances but in the maine point in question for your judgement is that true visible beleevers baptized and partakers of the Lords Supper in other Churches not yet gathered into Church-estate or fellowship have no right or interest in the Seales they nor their seede But this Church of strangers held no such opinion as their own words which you have omitted doe plainly speake And Paul testifyeth say they that by Christs Ordinance the Church it selfe without exception of any member of it is to be accounted cleane or holy by the ministery of Baptisme Whence we may easily see that Baptisme doth neither belong to those who are altogether without the Church nor to be denyed to any member of the Church Secondly They held communion with the Church of England as one and the same with theirs For so they professe Yet neverthelesse that we may openly shew that the English Churches and ours are one and the same Church though we differ somewhat from them both in language and Ceremonies We doe not refuse that the English may as publick witnesses of the Church offer the Infants of our members to Baptisme in our Churches if they have both the use of our language and a certain testimony of their piety As in like manner our members are accustomed to offer the Infants of the English to Baptisme in the English Churches If your judgement be this of the English Churches your judgement in acknowledging us members of true Churches and practise in debarring visible beleevers and their seede from the Seales are opposite the one to the other Thirdly This order was observed by them to prevent the impostures of some who whilst they avoyded all Churches pretended to the English that they were joyned to the strangers and to the strangers that they were joyned to the English But you debarre knowne Christians who desire to joyne themselves with you not to prevent impostures of them who avoyde all Churches yea you debarre them as men having no right to the Sacraments because they be not in Church-fellowship and herein you can shew no president ancient or moderne either from Scripture or Monuments of the Church And as your practise is without example so without warrant from the word of God And this is the maine reason why we cannot consent unto you in this particular which we thus propound 1 Reason THat sacred order which God hath set in his visible Church for all his Saints to
the Virgin Mary Fourthly Put case the Minister in reading such prayers gives offence or attributes unlawfull honour to a thing abused to Idolatry and Superstition or suffer himself to be sinfully limited in the reading of them what is that to the faithfull This can be no just ground of the people 's not joyning with them in the worship of God for that offence is personall onely and not the sin of them that be present they joyn in prayer onely and not in his reading or limiting himself Not to say that every particular person must be herein both accuser and Judge If he give offence must they stumble at the stone and separate from the ordinance of grace wee should rather think it is their duty to look unto their feet that they goe not awry Let it be shewed out of the Word of God that either the Minister is guilty of giving unlawfull honour or that the people may lawfully withdraw themselves in case he should do so and we will then say as you do but untill that be proved being pressed and called to proffer our judgements we believe that separation is scandalous and sinfull never taught of God nor confirmed by the approved example of the godly in any age or time of the Church yea against the positive Law of God injurious to the Churches distracting Christians bringing contempt upon the Ordinances of God and defrauding believers of the spirituall food of their souls which is indeed to infringe their Christian liberty and what ever may be thought of it now in former times it hath been accounted no small offence Fistly if this and such like scruples make it unlawfull to joyn in the ordenance of worship we must hold communion with no society under heaven For may not the brethren which hold all stinted Liturgies and set forms unlawfull say with like strength of reason It is unlawfull to joyn in conceived prayer with others if either they give too little honour to it as deeming the other lawfull or sinfully limiting or suffering themselves to be limited to one stinted forme though conceived at first by them selves And may not the brethren who hold a stinted forme lawfull in like manner object It is unlawfull to joyn in prayer with them because they attribute too much honour to conceived prayer as making their device and method the worship of God And may not the Brethren which hold it lawfull to use some selected prayers according to the forms among us upon the same grounds condemne communion with both sorts and all of them one with another because they either limit themselves too much or too little You say in the exposition of the first position many Preachers constantly use a set form of prayer of their own making before their Sermons must you not say upon this ground that it is unlawfull to joyn with them because they sinfully stint themselves In probability a Christian may presume that in the publike worship of God there will be through humane ignorance infirmity somwhat amiss for matter or manner or both that upon this ground he must joyn with no society in any part of Gods worshipat all The advancing of every small difference to this height is that which will bring all to confusion if men walk uniforme to their own principles It is well observed by Master I. Da. that unlesse men will yield so much favour each to other in some difference of opinions a dissolving not onely of Churches but of humane societies also must necessarily follow not onely not two Ministers but not two men should live together which were to put off even humanity it selfe Sixtly wee have credibly heard that you hold fellowship with professed rigid Separatists without any acknowledgment of their errour and receive them as members or communicate with them in the priviledges of the Church though you professe you approve not their opinion or practice And if in godly wisdome you can see grounds to joyn with them we marvell you should be so timorous in this particular Seventhly if you judge the practice of such godly Ministers scandalous to them that separate from the ordinance because it is not administred in this or that but in a stinted form It is a scandall taken and not given and by forbearing if to confirme men in errour be to scandalize them they should offend them the more yea they should prejudice the truth and it might be an occasion to beget needlesse scruples in others and draw them ignorantly from the fellowship of the Saints in the holy ordinances of God and strengthen them who by your owne confession are run too far into Schisme already III POSITION That the children of godly and approved Christmas are not to be baptized untill their parents be set members of some particular Congregation IV POSITION That the Parents themselves though of approved piety are not to be received to the Lords Supper untill they be admitted as set Members Answ THese two Positions may be maintained with one and the same defence being somewhat coincident and therfore we joyn them as if they were but one Therefore to prevent all mistakes it may please you to take notice that we are not of their judgement who refuse all religious communion with such as are not Church Members nor doe wee appropriate communion in this priviledge of the seals only to the Members of our own Churches excluding all other Churches of Christ from the same though they may be through errour or humane frailty defective in some matters of order provided that the liberty of our Churches be preserved of receiving such satisfaction as is meet as well by Letters of recommendation or otherwise if it be requisite concerning those whom wee admit unto fellowship in the seals For as we account it our duty to keepe the unity of spirit inviolate with any in whom we discerne any fruits of the spirit so we hold our selves bound to discharge this duty according to order Spirituall cōmunion in prayers holy conferences other religious actions of like nature we maintain with al godly persons though they be not in Church order But Church communion we hold onely with Church members admitting to fellowship of the seals the known and approved orderly recommended members of any true Church But into fellowship of the censures admittance of members and choice of Officers onely the members of that particular Church whereof they and we any of us stand members These things being premised the considerations whereupon our judgement and practice is swayed for administration of the Seals onely to such as are in order of a true visible Church are these that follow Reply VVHat is here premised to prevent all mistakes doth seem more to raise then to abate scruples if we mistake not your meaning You refuse not all religious communion with all that are not Church members and so much they professe who formerly have gone for and professed themselves Separatists from our Assemblies You
credit in such cases our reasons must be weightie and convincing But for your exposition of this text of Scripture as yet we have not observed one substantiall ground or approved author to be alledged Doctor Ames shewing the necessitie of Christians joyning themselves to some particular Church giveth this reason Quoniam alias fieri non potest quum conturbentur signa illa quibus 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 abroagated 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 fellowship 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 Pastors and Teachers shall be much or little confounded Is this to take as illimited power as the Apostles did in the execution of their office How shal this tend to abrogate the distinction of Church Assemblies from the confused multitude or how is the profanation of the seals thereby indangered You aske if without respect to their Church estate men of approved pietie as we say are to be admitted into fellowship in the seals how shall their pietie be approved to the Church not by their own report of themselves alone c. Do not you say the same That there be many godly persons and of approved pietie among us who are not approved by their own report of themselves unlesse ye will take their wisedome faith patience courage constancie and holinesse of life for their report approved we say by as ample and sufficient testimonie as the Apostles exacted of them whom they received into Church fellowship or can be required of members admitted unto the priviledges of the Church if men will follow the Lords direction or as you can give to ordinances members of your societies You professe high respect of your brethren in old England but it seemes you judge them insufficient to give orderly testimonie of the sinceritie and uprightnesse of approved Christians well known unto them and living among them which two cannot well agree We speake not of such who against light refuse to professe subjection to the Gospel of Christ to joyne themselves orderly in fellowship with some approved Church But of such as do with all readinesse professe subjection and walk accordingly and heartily desire to joyn themselves to the most pure and compleat Churches so farre as they are taught of God or have opportunitie thereunto And if exception be taken against them onely who refuse against light to submit themselves to the Gospel by what rule do you proceed when you judge men to refuse against light or debarre them who do not refuse against conscience but for lacke of opportunitie No doubt as you say but now and then a man of approved pietie in the judgement of some may be found too light yea and in the judgement of his owne conscience when he hath come to triall And no question but many have been admitted by the Church who indeed and truth are much too light and some refused who deserved better then they that cast them off we will not dispute what errours have been committed nor what blessing ye have found upon your proceedings we heartily beseech the Lord to keep your congregation pure make his ordinances more and more effectuall go before you in the way wherein you should walk and multiply his mercies upon you in the same But this we are perswaded and therefore we speak that in debarring godly Christians from the Lords Supper and much more the children of those parents who are in covenant with God from holy baptisme you exceed your commission you have received from God and go beyond your due bounds And notwithstanding your circumspection more worthy and faithfull Christians have been denied when of lesse worth and meaner sufficiencies have passed and been by you received Answ 6. Consid NOne have power to dispence the Seales but they that are called to the office of Ministery and no man can be so called till first there be a Church to call him seeing the power of calling Ministers is given by Christ unto the Church and thence it follows that all those that desire to partake of the Seales are bound to joyne themselves in Church state that so they may call a Minister to dispense the Seales unto them And this dutie by the appointment of God lieth not onely upon some Christians but equally upon all ergo no Christian can expect by the appointment of God to partake in the Seals till he have joyned himselfe in Church fellowship and in the call of the Minister And indeed seeing a Church and a Minister called by the Church is of such necessitie for the dispensing of the seales it may seeme unreasonable that some Christians should be bound to become a Church and to call a Minister that so the seales may be dispensed and other men when this is done have equall libertie to the seals who refuse to joyne unto the Church Reply THis conclusion is not to the question propounded for we speake of such as cannot not of such as refuse to joyne themselves unto the Church or if they do not joyne it is not out of contempt or wilfull neglect of Gods ordinance or desire of carnall libertie and not to be in subjection to Christ but for lacke of opportunitie or through their fault that should admit them but do not For if in any of your Churches you shall require more of members to be admitted then Christ the chiefe Shepherd of the flock doth or presse that upon their consciences which they cannot consent unto if they shall fit downe quietly for the time and serve God in private when they cannot injoy Church priviledges it is your fault and not theirs And they may more justly challenge the Assemblie as injurious and tyrannicall then you them as wilfull despisers of Gods ordinance We accuse not the wisedome and discretion of your Chuches but we know the zealous multitude may sometimes be rash And when a reason is craved of your judgement why you do debarre the most knowne and approved Christians which come over and their children from the seals of the covenant we dislike you should put this note upon them as if against light they refused orderly to subject themselves to the Gospel of Jesus Christ What warrant you have thus to censure what use of this manner of dispute we leave it to your godly wisedome to judge In the Consideration it self there are many Propositions couched together which we must examine severally as they have reference to the conclusion intended and then try whether it can be raised from them The first Proposition That none have power to dispence the Seales but they that are called to the office of Ministery is freely granted The second That no man can be so called till first there be a Church to call him needeth explication For by the Church you must understand the community of the faithfull as they are one bodie without officers or guides And such a Church there cannot be without a Ministery to call and admit them into Church-fellowship The Apostles baptised not themselves but by the help of others those not called of the people to be baptised 1 Cor. 1. 17. The Apostles appointed by electiō
were assembled at that time in his house whilest he spake these words To him give all the Prophets witnesse that through the Name of Jesus whosoever beleeveth on him shall receive remission of sinnes Peter demanded Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptised which have received the holy Ghost as well as we In this catalogue we see profession of faith and repentance required in them that were admitted to partake in the seals but there is not a word of Church-Covenant either in the Institution or administration of the Seales before they were admitted to them That Christians are solemnly ingrafted into the body of Christ and into particular Societies by the Seales is a truth acknowledged on all sides but that ever it was deemed necessarie that a Christian should be a set member of a particular Congregationall Church before he were admitted to the Seales or that by divine institution any such thing is ordained as necessarie thereunto that upon the grounds before mentioned we denie and cannot account it lesse then an addition to the institution For if the Sacraments be seales of the Covenant of grace and baptisme by divine Institution belong to Disciples faithfull Saints who have gladly received the Word of grace are justified by faith sanctified by the Spirit adopted to be the children of God by grace and heires apparent to the kingdom of heaven then to debarre such from the Seales and their seed from Baptisme because they be not in Church-Covenant as you speake is an addition to the ordinance of grace and many wayes injurious to the people of God V. POSITION That the power of Excommunication is so in the body of the Church that what the Major part shall allow must be done though the Pastors and Governors and the rest of the Assembly be of another minde and that peradventure upon more substantiall reasons Answer IF the Question had been Whether the power of Excommunication lies in the body of the Congregation consisting of officers and members our Answer should be Affirmative and according hereunto is also our practise and wee hope your judgement and ours are not different herein But seeing the Question is Whether it is so in the body of the Congregation that what the Major part doth allow that must be done though the Pastors and Governors and the rest of the Assembly doe dissent upon more substantiall reasons Our Answer is Negative viz. that the power of Excommunication is not sealed in the Congregation neither ought it to be so in any of the Churches of the Lord Jesus who ought not to carry matters by number of votes against God as this Position implyeth but by strength of rule and reason according to God The power of the Apostles was not to doe things against the truth but for the truth 2 Cor. 13. 8 and not for destruction but for edification 2 Cor. 10. 8. And the same may be said concerning the power which God hath given to the Church and if any Church among us have swerved from the rule which is more then we know we doe not allow them in such a practise but should be ready as the Lord should helpe to convince them of their sin therein Reply THis Question is much mistaken for the demand is not whether in the Congregation matters should be carryed by number of votes against God as you interpret the Position but whether the power of Excommunication so lye in the body of the Congregation as that sentence must proceed in externo foro according to the vote and determination of the Major part and so whether power of admission of members doe so reside in the communitie as that they must be refused whom the Major part refuse though the Pastors and Governors and part of the Congregation be of another judgement and he admitted whom the Major part doth approve And though the Church hath received no power against God but for God yet in the execution of the power no doubt the members of that Church may be of different judgements and affections wherein the one side or other doth erre and is deceived Now the Question hereupon moved is whether the power of the keyes be so given and committed to the society of the faithfull as that in externall Court that act or sentence must stand and be in force which the greater part shall determine amongst them which hold the power of the keyes to be given to the Church Some distinguish betwixt the power it self which they give to the Church and the execution and exercise of it which they confine to the Presbytery Others give the power of the keyes with the exercise thereof to the whole body of the Church or if in the dispensation they attribute any thing to the Officers it is but as servants of the Church from whom they derive their authoritie By Church also some understand the communitie of the faithfull together with their officers and guides And here lyeth the stone at which they of the Seperation stumble and which we conceive to be your judgement and practise wherein we required your plaine answer with your reasons but have received no satisfaction You referre us to Mr. Parkers reasons to prove the power of the keyes to belong to the whole Church who are of farre different judgement from Mr. Parker in the point it selfe And if your judgement and practise be according to that of the Seperation which we feare you dissent from him and we cannot but dissent from you upon these considerations 1. No power agreeth to the multitude or communitie of the faithfull but that which is given them of the Lord by his positive Law For the whole spirituall power for the gathering and government of his Church is given to Christ as Mediator And if the power of the keyes be derived from and communicated by Christ unto his Church of necessitie it must draw its originall from divine positive Law and can agree to none but as it is communicated But the communicated power of the keyes with the execution thereof Christ hath not given immediately to the whole multitude but to some persons and Officers designed and appointed thereunto Peruse the severall passages of Scripture wherein power and authoritie of preaching the Gospel administring the Sacraments binding and loosing is given to the Church and it is apparent that distinct severall persons are spoken of and not the whole communitie Goe teach all Nations and baptize them c. Whose sinnes yee remit they are remitted c. Feed my Lambes feed my sheepe c. Were these things spoken to the whole communitie or to speciall persons 2. If Christ gave this power to the communitie was it from the beginning of the Church or tooke it effect after the Churches were planted and established by the Apostles Not the first for then the Apostles themselves should derive their power from the communitie and societie of the faithfull which they did not but
9. 15 6. Ioh. 2. 16. Math 5. 20 21. 15. 4 5. 23 1 3 14. Math. 16 6. 12. 15. 14. See Whitak de pontif q. 4. f 10. pag. 557. Phil. 1. 15. Hâ—s 4 6 7. 1 Sam. 2. 12 13 14 17 24. Ier 8. 8 9. Mic 3. 11 12. Phil. 1. 15. Helv cons cap. 18 § 11. 19 §. 9 Gal. conf art 28. Arg. conf Art 13 Saxon. conf Art 12 Zep de Saâ— l. 2. c. 6. Art of Religion Hybern Art 70 Carlton praelect de Ecclesia cap. 20. Beza de Presbyt et excoÌ„municat p. 25 26. Ista vero quia nonnulli à sacris caetib sacrament usu propter aliorum vitia ultro abstinent i. e. seipsos excommunicant magnam reprehensionem merentur We see no warrant why for every particular act that in a larger sence is Idolatrous adjoyned to Gods true worship we should forbeare our presence at the true worship it self Unreason of seperation answ to 6. argument Compare what Master I. D. hath written in defence or excuse in resorting to the Assemb of the Separatists called Brownists Apol. Sect. 5. exam p. 61. Apol. Sect. 28 exam pag. 246. Rom. 16 16. 1 Cor. 11 16. 14. 33. Rom 16. 4. Gal â— 22. 1 Thess 2. 14. 1 Cor 16 19. Gal. 5. 2. Act 15 2. 19 37 15. 25. 38. Eph. 4. 4 5. Acts 2. 38. 41. Gen 1. 10. Math. 28. 14 20. Robins against Bern. reas discus pa. 77. Lev 2. 13. Deut. 29. 12. 16. 17. 18. Rom. 3. 2 Deut. 4. 6. Psa 247 19 20 Neh. 9. 13. Act. 7. 38. Luk. 16. 29 2 Cor 5 19 114. Deut 33. 3. Io. 8. 30 Robin against Bern P 15. Act. 14 22. Tit. 1 5. Rob against Bern. Act 11 26. la the same verse the some persons are called the Church disciples and Christians pag. 126. 127. 211 c. Fo pag. 51 Ezeck 46. 10 See Lavater on Ezek Math 18. 20. Ier. 14. 9. Ios. 24. 14 Rom. 10. 14 Act 2. 42 As Christ is that one great Pastor so hath hee generally one fold and flock Iohn 10. 16. Ezeck 34 22. 23 which is his Church as he saith And ye my flock the flock of my pasture are men Ezek. 34. 31. Aynsw Cant 1. 8. Sure it is that hee is none of Christs sheepe visibly or in respect of men which is without Christs sheepfold for there is one sheepfold and one sheepheard Iohn 10. 16. Robins against Bern likelihoods p. 61. Hieron tom 2. Ep. 85. Nec altera Roma urbis Ecclesia altera totius orbis existimanda est Gallia Britannia Asia c. omnes barbarae Nationes unum Christum adorant unam observant regulam veritatis 1 Cor 12 28. Col. 1. 2â— 1 Cor. 12 13. 1 Cor. 15 9. Gal. 1. 13. Phil. 3. 6. 1 Tim. 3. 15. 1 Pet. 5. 2. Pastores sunt omnes sed grex unus qui ab Apostolis omnibus unanimi consensu pascatur Cypr. de unitate Ecclesiae Et si pastores multi sumus unum tamen gregem pascimus Cypr. l. 3. Epistola 13. Cum sit a Christo una Ecclesia per totum mundum in multa membra divisa item Episcopatus unus Episcoporum multorum concordi numero diffusus c. Cypr. l. 4. Ep. 7. Iohn 9. 22. 35. 12. 42 16. 2. Athanasius may be for an example Gen. 17. 7. Lev. 26. 12. Apo. 1. 11. 13. Heb. 16. 10. Rob. against Bern. pa. 127. Rom. 4. 12. 18. Gen. 12. 3. Gal. 3 6 7 8 15 16 17 Rob. against Ber. pa. 222. See Mr. I. D. Apol. 11. Sect. exam p. 117. I. D. Apol. 5. Sect. exâ—m pag. 61 18. Bucer diff ep 3. pa. 43. ep 48. pa. 226. Act. 8. 6. 15 4. Act. 8. 12. 14. 18. 12. Acts 2. 41. 4. 4. 5 14. 6. 1. 6. 7 Ezra 2. 36 37 38. Act. 6. 2 8. 1. 15. 2 4 6 22 23 16. 4. 21. 18. 18. Act. 11. 21. Act. 11 24 25 Act. 13 12 et 14 27 et 15. 30. 34 35. Acts 19 10. 16. 9. 19. 27. Acts 19. 19. Robinson against Bern p. 196. Euseb hist l. 6. c. 35. Lat 43. Graec. 33. Ruff. â—hit de Sacra contr de bapt qu 2 3. pag 237 238. Atters of the Sacr l. 2. c. 6 fol. 211. 〈◊〉 de Presbyt pag. 79. Act. 14 23. Col. 4. 17 1 Pet 5. 2 Act 20. 28. Ioh. 4. 2. 23 23. Mark 9. 15. Act 17 22 23 32. 19. 8. 9 Rob. against Bern. p 151 these Keyes in d. c. In the Corporation the Church there is alwayes the whole power of Christ to residing which you may call officers for the use of it selfe to which it is sufficient that it can without officers use this power for things simply necessary as for receiving in of members by profession of faith and confession of sins for edifying of them by exhortation and comforts in the ordinance of prophesying and so for excommunication Rob. against B. pag. 224. See Rob. against Ber. pag. 130. 131. 132. If you call it consultation in an assembly wherein all have equall power and voyce in determining things some one going before the rest Idem pag. 202 Robins against Bern. Coun. debated p. 32. ibid. p. 79. 1 Cor. 11 28. 2 Cor. 23. 5. Beza de Presbyt Excom pag. 32 Robins against Bern. pag. 252. Acts. 20 28 The Word of God and Cano is of Councels will have Pastors so to care for their own flock that they forbid them not to care for the whole Church especially in a time of common combustion The answer of some Brethren pag. 1â— Publica Dei invocatio non minima pars communis in unâ fide consensionis Beza contra Erastum de Presbyt pap 13. Euseb Hist 5. c. 26. Graec. Chamiâ—â— Panst â—om 2. l. 10. c. 8. Sect. 16. The Churches Plea pag 44. Apol. pag. 117 â—98 Orig. in Isa Hom. 6. Qui vocatur ad Episcopatum vocatur ad servitutem totius Ecclesiae Chrysost in 2 Cor. hom 18. Vniversae curam gerimus See Cham Panstr Tom. 2. pag. 10. cap. 12. Sect. 8 9 10. c. Jun. Animadv in Bellar. contro 5. lib. 1. c. 3. not 3. cap. 7 not 7. Act. 13. 15. Rom. 16 3 12. Phil. 2. 15 16. 4. â— Iam 5. 19 20. Act. 4. 16. 40 9 38. 10. 5. 11 19. 21 1 Cor. 14. 23 24. Esay 2. 3. Eza 8. 23. Io. 1. 41. 45. 42. 9. 12. 20. Revel 3. 9 What example have you but grounds for the baptising of infants or where read you of any officer excommunicated by any Rob. against Ber. p. 214. we may not expect examples of any Pastors in scriptures who did thus I. D. Apol. 9. Sect. exam p. 103. See I. D. Apol. texts exam pa. 288. Exod 12 48. Exod. 44 7. Col 2. 1 1 12. Erast so objects against Bern-Sicut a Circumcisione ad Baptismum
you as siding from the truth with by-respects whereof you complain verily we abhorre such rash harsh and presumptuous notoriousnesse we see as much cause to suspect the integritie of our own hearts as yours and so much the more as being more privie to the deceitfulnesse of our own hearts then to yours And we cannot but with much thankfulnesse of heart acknowledge the many rich precious treasures of his grace wherewith the Lord hath furnished sundrie 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 prescribâ—d 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 a sunder 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 doubtfall to you consider and weigh it very well before you reject it If any thing appeare to be unfound and dissnant from the Word which we for our parts cannot disterne 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 be any visible Christians under heaven amongst you are the men which for these many yeeres have been written in your foreheads Hoiinesse 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 other 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 found 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
whereof we stand not guilty whether the corruption be through humane frailty or not it is not in us to enquire but rather whether we be called to come and the faults such as one Christian cannot or must not tolerate in another without breach of charity For if the errour be such as may be tolerated and I am called to be present by such fault I am not defiled though knowne before If the error be such as in conscience may not be tolerated though not knowne before hand I am bound if present some way to professe against it This distinction of personall and ministeriall faults in this case untill it be cleared by some Text of Scripture or sound reason from the word must goe for the divise of man A Church a Minister or a Christian may be stiffe in an error being misperswaded it is a truth after many meanes long used to convince them with whom yet we must hold communion in the ordinances of Religion and the error may be such as we cannot without hypocrisy or denyall of the truth hold communion though such meanes of conviction have not gone before But the corruptions alleadged against our forme of prayer for matter or manner are such as one Christian may and must tolerate in another where he hath no power to redresse them Hath not Christian wisdome and experience of humane frailties lessoned you deere brethren to beare one with another in matters of greater consequence then any have or can be objected truly against the form of prayer in use among us And why such corruptions should not be ascribed to humane frailty we see not For if a godly Minister make use of a book in things which he judgeth lawfull for matter and manner the corruption in him that useth it according to his judgement from what cause can it spring but humane ignorance and frailty We rest assured you question not the integrity of many who make much more use of the booke then onely in a few select prayers From the bottome of our hearts we desire and pray that God would remove out of his Church and worship whatsoever offendeth for matter or manner and that all things may be so done not onely that they may be tolerated but that they might be approved in the conscience of all men But we are perswaded that not onely some few select prayers but many prayers other exhortations may lawfully be used with fruit and edification to Gods people To aggravate faults especially when it tends to draw away people from the Ordinances of God is no lesse fault then to excuse them it may be greater and therefore we dare not esteeme the prayers read by a godly and faithfull Minister according to the booke in use among us a corrupt sacrifice whether in such as read them or them that be present In them that join according to Christs command and liberty of absence from Christ hath not beene shewed notwithstanding the corruptions we hold the prayers to be an holy and acceptable sacrifice to God and pleasing to Jesus Christ The corrupt sacrifice is that which the deceiver bringeth voluntarily and out of neglect having a male in his flock but the faithfull bringeth himself and his godly desires according to the will of God and as for corruptions whether respecting matter or forme they are none of his they cleave not to his Sacrifice to staine or pollute it As for the Text of the Prophet Mal. 1. 13 14. it is cited by many in this businesse and to many purposes applyed but we cannot finde that in the Prophet for which it is here brought The deceiver is accursed that offereth a corrupt thing to the Lord. This we reade and beleeve but that a godly man being present at this forme of prayer among us read by a godly and faithfull Minister is the deceiver who offereth a corrupt thing unto the Lord that is not proved No argument can be brought from this place to the purpose but by analogy which is a kinde of arguing of all other most ready at hand but lyable to most exceptions and apt to draw aside if great care be not had which in this place we finde not to take the proportion in every materiall point just and right And we desire such as alleadge this passage of Scripture against simple presence at the prayers of our Liturgy advisedly to consider whether God allow them to make such application of his truth which wee much doubt of to say no more Your third proposition That as you are very tender of imputing sinne to those men that joyne in some select prayers read by an able and godly Minister so on the other side you are not without feare least such joyning may be found unlawfull unlesse it may appeare that the Ministers with whom the people have communion in reading those Prayers neither give any scandall by reading them nor give unlawfull honour to a thing abused to Idolatry and Superstition nor doe suffer themselves to be sinfully limited in the reading of them 1 We cannot conceive how you should imagine the practice of a godly Minister in reading some few select prayers to be scandalous or offensive in their congregations when the people generally not in their assemblies onely but throughout the whole land were perswaded of the lawfulnesse of that course till now of late some have beene drawne away to separate who yet by warrant of Scripture produce nothing of weight to countenance that practice 2 If the booke should be as you take it an idolathite latent offence doth not oblige If any man say unto thee this is sacrificed to Idols eat it not so that if it doe not manifestly appeare that this practice is scandalous it is not lawfull for the people to withdraw themselves 3 The book we speake of the Liturgie so far as it is sound and good by your confession is no Idolathite neither was it taken out of the Masse-book in such sense as you object but rather the masse other Idolatrous prayers were added to it for popery is as a scab or leprosie cleaving to the Church and many truths belonging to the Church as her proper legacie were stolen and heaped together in that denne And why the true man may not challenge his goods where ever he finds thē or the thiefe plead title to the true mans goods by prescription we know not It is no hard taske to shew that our Service-booke was reformed in most things according to the purest Liturgies which were in use in the Church long before the masse was heard of in the world And if that could not be shewed yet formes of speech generally taken we speak not of this or that speciall word or phrase is no more defiled by Idolatry then the light aire or place where Idolatry is committed It is not unlawfull to pray Lord helpe or Lord have mercy or to give thankes praised bee God because the Papists say Lady helpe or praised be God and
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 counsell 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 judge many times if they arrogate such power unto themselves wee allow not rashnesse or precipitancy pride or self-conceitednesse we know it is meete that weightie matters should be mannaged by Councell but it is not necessary to bring every particular thing to the whole Church In the multitude of Councellors there is peace but over many Councellors oft causeth distraction and different apprehensions breed delayes The nature of your Church-Covenant as you describe it inferreth not a necessitie of bringing every such businesse unto the Church for you binde your selves mutually to watch over one another and in love to admonish one another in the Lord to prevent sinne and to encourage in well-doing as it concerneth every man within the limits of his place and calling But this essentially tyeth not any man to a perpetuall residence in one place for then even occasionall absence should be a breach of Covenant unlesse it be by consent and approbation of the Church You say in your Covenant you promise to performe no new dutie to your brethren which was not before commanded of the Lord but onely revive and renew your purposes afresh of performing such duties to that particular body into which you are then to be incorporated as were before injoyned in the Word But in the word of truth it is not commanded either expresly or by consequent that no member of a Congregation should remove or occasionally be absent from the place of his habitation before he have acquainted the Church whither he goeth and upon what occasions and whether the place be dangerous where he is likely to be infected or safe where he may be edified These things are matters of weight and to be undertaken with advice but the knowledge thereof belongeth not to every particular member of the societie And the Church shall burden her selfe above measure if she take upon her to intermeddle in all such occasions Neither is it safe to commit the determination of such matters ever to the vote of the multitude or weight of reasons as they shall apprehend the matter And if such businesse must be determined on the Lords day and to goe before the administration of the Word Sacraments and almes least the holy things be polluted by notorious obstinate offenders wee feare the time appointed for the exercise of Religion shall be prophaned with unseasonable disputes Instances might be alledged if it were a matter to be insisted upon As for the Covenant it selfe which you mutually enter into if therein you exact nothing but what God requires both for tryall and stipulation far be it that we should disallow it but if yee constraine men to meddle with things that belong not to them and winde them up higher then God would and straine every thing to the pitch that you seeme here to doe in this branch a godly and sober minde may well pause before he make such promise All members of the Church are not equally necessary to the preservatiō of the whole body if to the removall of some it were expedient to have the cōsent not only of the whole society but of neighbouring societies Ministers especially it is very much to draw this to the removall or abode of every particular member And if any man shall not intermeddle with every businesse of this kinde as questioning whether it doth belong to him or no or not aske the advice of the whole societie as knowing the most to be unfit to counsell in such a case doth he break his Covenant therein and so commit a sinne in a sort like the sinne of Ananias and Saphira Judge your selves if in other cases you would not censure this to be an high incroachment upon Christian libertie and a strict binding of mens consciences by humane constitutions May you not expect to heare from your own grounds that herein you have devised an expedient or necessary rite or custome to preserve the unitie and prevent the dissolution of the body which never came into the minde of the Lord Jesus the Saviour of the Church and that in so doing if your exposition will hold good you breake the second Commandement Rites and customes expedient to prevent confusion for the time let them be observed as customes expedient and what God requires in the examination or admission of members let that take place according to the presidents given in the Scriptures and the constant practise of the universall Church in the purest times But to presse customes onely expedient for the time as standing rules necessary at all times and for all persons to put that authoritie into the hands of men which God never put upon them to oblige men to intermeddle further in the affaires of men then the Word doth warrant to binde the conscience and that under so heavy a penalty as the sinne of Ananias and Saphira where God hath not bound it and to debarre known and approved Christians from the Seales of the Covenant because they cannot promise as setled members to abide and stay in the societie unlesse they shall obtaine leave of the Congregation to depart and to charge them in the meane season to be men who against light refuse subjection to the Gospel this is that which we cannot approve which yet wee suspect will follow from your judgement and desire to be resolved of in your practise And here we intreat leave to put you in minde of that which you have considered already schil That the Church and every member thereof hath entred into Covenant either expresly or implicitely to take God for their God and to keepe the words of the Covenant and doe them to seeke the Lord with all their hearts and to walke before him in truth and uprightnesse but we never finde that they were called to give account of the worke of grace wrought in their soules or that the whole Congregation were appointed to be Judge thereof You stand all of you this day saith Moses before the Lord your God c. that thou shouldst enter into Covenant with the Lord thy God All