God the Father Son and Holy Ghost Let us therefore take up with this Description in our future Agreements and in the practice the Prudent and Charitable will not presume to censure any Mans Profession as Incredible coram Ecclesiâ without proof Let us therefore unanimously set up Confirmation or if you dislike the Name the Tryal and Approbation of the Profession of all that are entered among the Adult Church Members And if any are too loose on one side or too rigid on the other in the practical part the judging and accepting or refusing of the tryed let the Matter be debated at the Synods of the Consociate Pastors if there be any Accusatio◠put in 2. We are Agreed that Consent is necessary to Church-Membership And that it must be a signified consent And that the most express consent is best to the well being of the Church caeteris paribus but yet that a darker way of signifying may serve to the Being of the Church Let us therefore thank God that we live in days of Liberty wherein we may all use the most edifying way and accordingly let us Agree to call our people to an express consent But if any deny this let them not be thereupon disowned but forborn so be it they will perform the whole work of their Ministry faithfully towards all that they take for their Charge 3. We are Agreed that it 's lawful for a particular Church to consist of no more than can meet in one place And yet that it is not necessary to its Being that actually they do all meet in a place Let us therefore resolve to confine our particular Churches ordinarily to a Parish Unless it be where Parishes are so small or fit persons so few that it is fit to lay divers of them together as to Church ends Yet so that if any refuse this Agreement and will needs take four or five Parishes for distinct worshipping Churches and yet but one Governing Church in the Officers we bear with them and allow them the liberty of their way so be it they will faithfully perform the work both of Worship and Discipline to them all 4. We are Agreed that it is lawful and meet that Neighbour Pastors be advisers and helpers in the Ordinations of Presbyters and yet that they are truly Presbyters if they be Ordained but by the Presbyters of a particular Church And in cases of Necessity if unordained Let us therefore Agree in practice that Ordinations be ordinarily performed by the Advice and Assistance of the Synod of the Associated Pastors or some deputed Members of it The case of Ordination by Bishops I handle elsewhere and not here And if any refuse this let them be forborn so be it they be Ordained by Lawful Presbyters of their own Church or any other with whom we be not bound to avoid Communion And if any Congregation through Error have no true Officers in the judgment of the Synod for want of true Ordination yet let us hold such Communion with that Congregation if other things correspond as is due to a Neighbour Community of Christians though not as is due to a Political Society 5. We are Agreed that the Pastors are by Commission from Christ appointed to be the Rulors of the Churches and the people commanded to obey them And that it is they that are the Authorized Teachers of the Flocks and are to Administer the Sacraments and Ministerially to bind or loose And yet that the people are to be Governed as Freemen and are not to obey apparently unrighteous censures and therefore are by an Obediential Judgment to discern what is fit to be obeyed and what not Let us therefore practise according to this Agreement and let the Pastors Rule and let the people Obey but not Obey against Gods Word And therefore let the people have so far cognizance of the Cause and their conse be required as is necessary to their free discerning safe Obedience and to the Churches Peace And if any Pastors will make more use of the peoples consent and others less let us forbear each other till some ill consequents produce an accusation at the Synod and then let the case be heard and judg'd 6. We are Agreed that a Pastor of one Church may Exercise divers acts of the Pastoral Office in another if he be called to such Exercise pro tempore We need not therefore mention this in our further Forms of Concord but leave each Man to his Liberty If any Pastor think he may not Exercise his Pastoral Office abroad let him stay at home But let them have Liberty that are otherwise minded 7. We are Agreed that a particular Church that hath a Presbytery may Exercise all Acts of Worship and Government within it self that are appertaining only to it self And that Synods should be used for Communion of Churches where things that concern the Churches in common or their Communion with one another should be heard and judged Let us therefore give way to particular Churches to enjoy their Liberty and let all the Churches be link'd together and the Pastors associate and meet in Synods for such Communion Yet so that if any one in weakness shall refuse to Associate or be an Ordinary Member of such Synods being caetera sanus we shall not therefore withdraw our Brotherly Love nor that distant sort of Communion of which he is capable Though we must disown his way lest others be tempted to the like Division 8. We are Agreed that no Men should bury their Talents and that the Gifts of our people that are suited to the profiting of others should be used to as publick benefit as may be so it be orderly regularly in their Callings in a due subordination to the Ministry and under their direction for the helping and not the hindering of their Work according to the forementioned limitations There is no Difference therefore among us here that is needful to be taken notice of in our Form of Concord it being between particular persons and not parties that the difference lyeth And actual miscarriages are to be enquired after as other Crimes in the several Churches and Associations 9. We are Agreed that all Parishes that have in them a people professing Christianity and consent to live as particular Churches in Communion for Gods Worship are true Churches as that word doth signifie a Community of Christians And if they have true Pastors they are true Churches as the word Church doth signifie a Political Society of Christians capable of the ordinary actual worshipping of God in the publick use of all Church Ordinances But because it is not to be expected that we should all be acquainted with the qualifications consent or practice of the people in all the Parishes of the Land nor of the Ministers call it is not therefore to be expected that we be made Judges of the state of all Parishes nor that we put our judgment of all or any of them by Name into our Form of Concord
Church Concord CONTAINING I. A Disswasive from unnecessary Division and Separation and the Real Concord of the Moderate Independents with the Presbyterians instanced in Ten seeming Differences II. The terms Necessary for Concord among all true Churches and Christians The First Part written 1655. The Second Part 1667. And Published this 1691. To second a late Agreement of the London Protestant Nonconformists And a former Treatise called The true and only terms of Church-Concord By RICHARD BAXTER Mat. 5. 9. Blessed are the Peace-makers for they shall be called the Children of God 1 Thess. 5. 12 13. We beseech you Brethren to know them who labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and esteem them very highly in Love for their Works sake and Be at Peace among your selves Phil. 2. 1 2 3. If there be any Consolation in Christ If any Comfort of Love If any Fellowship of the Spirit If any Bowels and Mercies Fulfil ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same Love being of one accord of one Mind Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory but in lowliness of Mind let each esteem other better than themselves 1 Cor. 3. 1 2 3. And I Brethren could not speak to you as to spiritual but as to carnal to Babes in Christ For whereas there is among you envying and strife are ye not carnal and walk as men LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers Chapel 1691. THE PREFACE § 1. IOwe some satisfactory account to the Reader of the Reasons of my Publishing this Book which I have cast by about Thirty four Years It cannot be well understood without the knowledge of the Case we were then in and the Occasion of my Writing it The Ministers of the Churches were then as is usual of divers Opinions about Church-Government 1. Some men for our Diocesane Episcopacy as stated by the Reformation 2. Some were for a more Reformed Episcopacy described by Bucer in Script Angl. 1. Archbishop Usher c. 3. Some were for Diocesans in a higher strain as subject to a foreign Iurisdiction and as parts of an Universal Church Headed by a humane Head the Pope being Principium Unitatis 4. Some were for National and Classical Government by Presbyters only without Bishops 5. And some were for a parity of Ministers and Churches without any superior Bishops or Synods or Governours but to have every Congregation to have all Governing Power in their proper Pastors 6. And some were for each Congregation to be Governed by the Major Vote of the people the Pastor being but to gather and declare their Votes Among all these the 3d sort the Foreigners were utterly unreconcileable and of the 6th we had no great hopes But with the other four we attempted such a measure of Agreements as might be useful in a loose unsettled time to keep up Christian Love and so much Concord as that our Differences should not so much weaken us as to frustrate all our Ministerial Labours § 2. To this end I attempted a double work of Concord in Worcester-shire 1. For the willing Ministers Episcopal Presbyterian and Independent to Associate in the Practice of so much of the Ministerial Office as they were agreed did belong to Presbyters II. To Catechize or personally by Conference instruct all the Families and capable Persons in our Parishes who would come to us or admit us to come to them in order at due appointed times God gave our People in many Parishes willing Minds and encouraged us by unexpected great success The most laborious Ministers took the hint and seconded us in many Counties First and chiefly in Westmorland and Cumberland and then in Dorsetshire Wilâ—shire Hampshire and Essex and Dr. Winter and others in Ireland The terms of our Association the Reader may see Printed at large 1653. But theirs of Westmorland and Cumberland more large and worthy the Consideration of the present tolerated Churches I pray you read them § 3. But when it came to closest Practice As the Foreigners Prelatists and Popular called Brownists kept off so but few of the rigid Presbyterians or Independents joyned with us And indeed Worcestershire and the adjoyning Counties had but few of either sort But the main Body of our Association were men that thought the Episcopal Presbyterians and Independents had each of them some good in which they excelled the other two Parties and each of them some mistakes And that to select out of all three the best part and leave the worst was the most desireable and ancient Form of Government But that so much as might Unite them in the Comfortable Service of Christ was common to them all The most of our Ministers were Young men bred at the Universities during the Wars and engaged in no Faction nor studied much in such kind of Controversies but of solid Iudgment and zealous Preachers and eminently Prudent Pious and Peaceable And with them there joyned many that had Conformed and thought both the Common-Prayer and the Directory Episcopacy and Presbytery tolerable And these in 1660. did Conform but most of the rest were ejected and silenced Though of near Ten Thousand that the Parliament left in possession there were but Two Thousand cast out by the Prelates we strongly conjectured before hand who those would be Satan desired to have Power to sift us as wheat And the chaff and the bran stayed in and made that which some called the best in the World And indeed much of the bran is honoured by us as very useful But the simila was too fine and precise for the pallates of the Great Churchmen and was cast out in the sifting And the Sifters did but call the Similago Simulatio and such other names and out it went with Scorns and Devestation And the hatred of it is propagated as the natural Progeny of revived true simulation and revenge But though fur-fur be a name of no honourable sound or sence as it looks to Brethren and the Church yet for my part I do with thanks for England and with lamentation for other Lands consent with them that say Few Churches are so well fed God can use this for the cleansing and drying up the Hydropical tympanite of this Land And Christ I hope will Remember the Penitent part of them when he cometh in his Kingdom and they that rob'd others of their Civil and Church Rites may yet be with Christ in Paradise Furfure pinguescunt pulli si lacte madescat Even those that read this Praise with displeasure taking Repentance for a Disgrace and being loth to think they need it may yet by Grace repent and live Through God's great Mercy the excussed simila hath been Childrens food though the Milstones have made it unfit for seed But God will aliunde provide seed Though we cannot but dread the abundance and malignity of the Seminary Tares § 4. But our trouble next to the ignorance and badness
Chap. V. Difference III. Of the Extent of a particular Church THE third Point wherein they seem to differ is about the Extent of a particular Political Church viz. Whether it be a single Congregation or divers Congregations Whether the Ecclesia Prima or a particular Church of the first Generation as distinct from a Combination of Churches should be no more than can meet in One place and hold personal Communion in the Worship of God Here is an appearance of some difference but really none that will find a Reconciler work Some Presbyterians distinguish indeed between a Worshipping Church and a Governed Church and they would have a single Congregation to be one Worshipping Church but many conjoyned in their Pastors to be the first or lowest Governing Church But that is but in cases of necessity when there are not Elders enough in the single Worshipping Church So that really both Parties are agreed 1. That a particular Church may consist of One single Congregation if it be but furnished with more than one Elder for the work of Government Though for my own part I am quite out of doubt that where one man only is the Pastor or Governour of a Church that man only may Govern that Church and do the work of a Pastor to that Church 2. And they are agreed that a Church that doth not or cannot ordinarily meet in one place may yet be a true particular Church In times of Persecution when the Church dare not publickly appear or hath no capacious Rooms to meet in but are forced to meet dispersedly in Houses it may not only be lawful but most convenient for some that meet in one House and some in another and some in a third a fourth a fifth to be all united in the same Pastors that shall visit them severally as they see cause and have opportunity and rule them all And in a well ordered Church there is none denyeth but that in less Publick Meetings the Church may be distributed into several Houses and that the Aged Sick or Lame or any that by distance cannot frequently come to the same most Publick Meeting may yet have Chappels of Ease or be allowed to meet in Houses rather than not at all This all agree in And I think few Presbyterians if any will deny that it is most convenient regular and suitable to the Ends of a particular Church which is Personal Communion in Worship and Holy Order that where it can be procured the whole Church except the Sick or Lame or necessarilyhindered may frequently if not most usually meet in one Assembly So that either here is no work for a Reconciler or a very easie work For the Presbyterians say that a particular Church May consist of one Congregation and I believe they will say that ordinarily it is most fit and the Independents say It Must consist but of one Congregation or as many as May meet together for Personal Communion in Worship if they have Liberty but that this is not Essential to the Church Either then here is no Difference or if there be it is thus reconciled in a word The Presbyterians May be shall yield to the Independents Must be The Licet to the Oportet Secure them but of more than one Elder in a Church and I dare warrant you that all the sober Moderate Presbyterians shall readily and heartily yield to this They have no conceit that there Must needs go many Congregations to make a particular Political Church If any Presbyterians refuse to condescend so far for Reconciliation another easie remedy is at hand Let each have Liberty to hold that Church which in the extent is suited to their Judgment Let them that needs must have a Church of many Congregations hold it if the people do consent as few will so they will faithfully do the Pastoral work If they will joyn three or four Parishes together as the lowest Governed Church let them have their Liberty exercising just Discipline in them But let others also have their Liberty that think it meeter if not necessary that the Church be but of one Congregation The distance and quality of people may very much alter the case in this point In places where four Parishes at great distance would afford but enough for one particular Church if any such Parishes be it may be the more tolerable to have ordinary Meetings in the several Parishes for Worship and Discipline administred and sometime the Lord's Supper in a fuller meeting of all the Church But I hope we are in no necessity that this should be an ordinary case But Liberty in these cases may well be granted Chap. VI. Difference IV. THE fourth Point of Difference is Whether a particular Church hath Power in it self to Ordain and Impose hands on their chosen Pastors This Difference is easily Reconciled For 1. The Presbyterians hold that regularly it is fittest that the Pastors of divers Churches conjunct do Ordain because of the Interest and Relation which they suppose each Minister hath to the Church Catholick yet withal they deny not but he hath a true Ordination that is ordained by more than one Pastor of the same Church 2. Though they deny and justly that Imposition of hands in Ordination belongeth to the People yet they judge not an irregularity in that Ceremony of force to nullifie the calling of the Pastor 3. If a man that is duely elected and qualified be in Possession of the Ministry without a Regular just Ordination as if it were but by Ruling Elders or by one such with the people though such an Ordination is not to be it self approved of yet being upon a Doctrinal mistake we may well hold Communion with such Churches leaving the guilt of their Errour on themselves when we cannot remedy it 4. The Congregational Brethren hold that in case they have no Officers in that Church the Counsel and Help of other Pastors may and ordinarily ought to be made use of and that ordinarily they are not to be held true Pastors that be not Ordained by true Pastors and that in a constituted Church the Act of Ordination belongeth to the Presbyters and that the multitude confer not the Power of the Keys but Christ immediately And that the counsel of Neighbour Pastors is requisite not only to a weak Church because of their insufficiency to Judge but also for the safety of a well furnished Church by the Amplitude of Advice and in all Churches for the Communion of Churches And I think they grant it Lawful though not Necessary that these Neighbor Pastors lay on hands as well as counsel This much being Doctrinally agreed on our Practical Agreement is easie thus 1. Let the Doctrinal point of the Necessity of more Pastors to Ordain be let alone and left to each Mans Liberty it being no Article of our Creed nor a Credendum of absolute necessity and seeing the Congregational party hold that more from Neighbour Churches May
such as expect the very Syllables of the Assertions in the proofs Therefore for brevity I take it to be the better way â—â— this time to offer here a full sufficient proof of any one of these Assertions which shall be questioned to such as shall soberly demand it A Servant of Christ for his Churches Unity and Peace Richard Baxter Acton Nov. 2â— 1688. Q. SEeing you have oft affirmed publickly that the Terms of Concord among Christians are easie to be known if their unwillingness to practise them were not the hinderance you are desired to answer these Questions following 1. What are the necessary Terms of Catholick Communion of Christians as Members of the Church Universal 2. What are the necessary Terms of the Communion of Christians personally in a particular Church 3. What are the Terms on which Neighbour Churches may hold Communion with one another 4. What are the Terms of Communion between the Churches of several Kingdoms 5. What is the Magistrates Power and Duty about Religion and the Churches and Ministers of Christ I. It is to be understood that the Universal Church is considered as Spiritual or as Visible As Spiritual it is the Universality of true Spiritual or Regenerate Believers as Headed by Jesus Christ. As Visible it is the Universality of the Baptized or Professors of true Faith as Headed by Christ the Author and Object of that Faith And accordingly Christians are to be distinguished And that the Question is of the Visible Church and Christians 2. This being supposed I answer that Catholick Visible Communion consisteth 1. Fundamentally in being all Baptized or entered into the same Covenant of Grace with God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and so being joyned to the same Head and entered into the same Universal Body and professing the same Faith and Love and Obedience contained in that Covenant and not falling away from that Profession or any Essential part thereof 2. And consequently that we all acknowledge the extraordinary Ministry of the Prophets and Apostles and receive their Testimony and Doctrine recorded in the Sacred Scriptures At least the foresaid Essentials of the Covenant and so much more as we understand and are convinced to be Canonical Scriptures or written by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost 3. And also that we acknowledge a stated ordinary Ministry in the Church appointed by Christ to Disciple and Baptize the Nations of the World and then to teach them to observe all his Commands And that we profess our willingness to join in Christian Assemblies under the conduct of such Ministers for the worshipping of God and furthering our own and others Salvation if we have opportunity so to do And that we do accordingly II. Q. 1. We speak only of Visible Christians in this second Question also of Church Communion 2. A Particular Church signifieth either 1. A Community of Christians agreed to live under Pastoraâ— Guidance before they have a Pastor or have practised that agreement This is not the Church here meanâ— 2. Or a Political Society of Christian Pastor and People professedly associated for Personal Communion Exercise of these Relations as such in the publick worshipping of God and for the furtherance of Love and Obedience in each other The Ends difference it from all Civil Societies of Christians and from the associations of many Churches for Communion by delegates The necessary Terms of this Church Communion are these 1. The Pastor whether one or more must have all things essential to his Office 1. As to his Qualifications that is 1. That he understand at least the Essential Points of Christianity and Church Communion 2. That he be able to teach them to others in some competent degree 3. That he be willing to do it and this for Gods Honour the Churches Good and Mens Salvation 2. As to his Call that he have a true notification of the will of God that he should undertake this Office which is ordinarily done 1. By the Ordination that is the Approbation and Investiture of Bishops or Pastors 2. And in this case of his relation to a particular Church by the peoples consent All this in truth is needful before God and in Appearance and Profession before the Church 2. The People must be Baptized persons Sacramentally engaged into Covenant with God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and such as have not professedly deserted that Covenant by Apostasie nor are proved before a lawful Judicature to be deserters of any Essential part thereof Whether open professed Covenanting may not serve without Baptism in cases of Necessity where Baptism cannot be had is a case so extraordinary that we need not here meddle with it 3. He that was Baptized in Infancy and yet having opportunity at full age doth make no Profession of Christianity nor own his Baptismal Covenant openly by word or deed is to be numbered with Deserters 4. Though the most plain and open profession is usually best where it may be â—ad yet a profession less explicite may serve to the being of Church-members such as is their actual joyning with those Churches who purposely assemble to make publick profession of the Christian Religion Faith Love and Obedience 5. There must be also a signification of consent to their particular Church-Relation either more express and plain or at least by such actions which may be reasonably presumed to signifie it As ordinary joining in Church-worship with that particular Church and submitting to the necessary guidance of the Pastors 6. He that thus consenteth to his Relation to the Pastor and that Church is a Member though he consent not to the Membership or Presence of many particular Members thereof Because they are but Integral and not Essential parts of the Church 7. But if a usual mixture in the Assemblies of Hereticks or Strangers which are not Members of that Church or any other confounding cause do give the Pastors sufficient reason to call all or part of the people to an express signification of their consent to their Relation to put it out of doubt they that causelesly refuse such signification do seem to deny their consent and allow the Pastor and Church to judge of them accordingly 8. The office of the Bishops or Pastors is subordinate to the Teaching and Interceeding and Ruling office of Christ And their work is to Teach the people the Word of God to be their Mouth and Guide in publick Worship in Prayer and in Thanksgiving and Praise to God and to administer his holy Sacraments and to exercise that Power of the Keys which Christ hath committed to their trust in the Prudent and cautelous use of Church-Discipline And all this according to the Laws of Christ recorded in the holy Scriptures These therefore must be the Works and Ends for which these Churches must professedly assemble Especially on the Lord's Days which are separated to these holy Uses 9. The General Command in Nature and Scripture that all be done to Edification decently and
be cast out Norton Resp. P. 28. â—3 De Veritate talis Ecclesiae to nomine dubitare peccatum ducimus Q. 3. Quale saedus sufficit ad formam Ecclesiae R. Faedus implicitum sufficit ad esse faedus explicitam ad magis ordinatum esse desideratur Rutherford Plea Pag. 85 86. An explicite Vocal Covenant whereby we bind our selves by entring in a new Relation to such a Pastor and to such a Flock we deny not as if the thing were unlawful Nor deny we that at the Election of a Pastor the Pastor and People tye themselves by reciprocation of Oaths to each other the one to fulfil faithfully the Ministry he hath received of the Lord the other to submit to his Ministry in the Lord 5. Any Professor removing from one Congregation to another and so coming under a new Relation to such a Church or such a Ministry is in a tacite and virtual Covenant to discharge himself in all the Duties of a Member of that Congregation Norton Illius Ecclâ—siae constitutio quae uno in loco ordinario ad eultum Dei celebrandum convenire requeat ob suam multitudinem est illegitimâ— â— non tamen quoad â—jus Essentiam sed quoad adjunctum numerositatis Rutherford Due Right Pag. 301 302. 1. The ordinary Power of Jurisdiction because of nearest Vicinity and Contignity of Members is given by Jesus Christ to one Congregation in an Isle 1. Because that Church is a Church properly so called A Congregation is a Church wanting nothing of the Being and Essence of a Church Yet is it in compleat Lond. Minist Ius Div. Minist Part 2. P. 82. These Angels were Congregational not Diocesane Ib The Asian Angels were not Diocesane Bishops but Congregational Presbyters seated each of them iâ— One Church not any of them in more than One. See Mr. Hooker's Concession of many Meetings in one Church in Mr. Cawdrey's Review P. 148. Norton Resp. P. 99. Toti multitudini Ecclesiae competit examen Pastorum per mannuum impositionem eorundem ordinatio in Ecclâ—sia homogenea sed non in officium Ecclesiasticum quia officium Ecclesiasticum recipitur invocatione non ordinatione idque à Christo immediatè non à totâ multitudine Id. p. 100. Vicinis insuper ordinariè consultis in Ecclesia homogenea competit fraternitati auxilio Consilio Presbyterorum viciâ—orum prudentum aliarum Ecclesiarum P. 101. Populus in judicando dirigi potest ac ordinarie debet à judicio aliorum Pastorum Electionem vel praeâ—unte vel concomitante Requiritur Conâ—ilium aliorum Presbyterorum Prudentum propter insufficientiam in Ecclesia infirmiori Propter salatem in amplitudinâ— Consiliarii in Ecclesia instructiori in omnibus propter Communionem Ecclesiarum P. 103. Propositio illa Bâ—llarmini Non sunt veri Pastores qui non sunt à veris Pâ—storibus ordinati vera est ordinariè seâ— extra ordinâ—m minimè necessaria Juâ— Ib. p. 105. Quam vis in Ecclesia bene constituta non debet aliis quà m Presbyteris Ordinandi munus mandari in defectu tâ—â—eâ— idoneorum Presbyterorum potest non-Presbyteris mandari Ames In Ecclesia constituta actum ipsum ordinandi ad Presbyteros pertinere ultro concedimus P. 106. Toti multitudini Ecclesiae 〈◊〉 competit collatio potestatis claviuâ— in Ministrâ—s aut tota illa potestas quâ— Ministriâ— Officium Ecclesiasticum tribuit Against the peoples Power of the Keys Rutherford Peaceable Plea and in his Due Right of Presbyteries and many more have written at large and unanswerably taking the Keys for Government or Pastoral Administrations Rutherford's Plea p. 6. The Power of the Keys is given to the Church of Believers as to the end for the Edifying of the Body of Christ Eph. 4. * * Mr. Norton p. 45. Sin per Ecclesiam Representtaivam intelligitur Ecclesia talis proprie dicta h. e. Ecclesia virtualis vicâ—-Ecclesia Ecclesiam repraesentatam subjectivè repraesentans atque adâ—o vi delegationis habens potestatem â—arum negotia exâ—quendi jure Dâ—i hoc sensu simpliciter negamus Ecclesiam repraesentativam P. 4. Their Power of Chusing is a Power about the Keys but not of the Keys And it is common to all Believers who are not to take Pastors as the Market goeth upon a blind hearsay c. It 's commonly granted them that the people regularly should chuse their Officers where some unfitness of their own doth not forbid it but that necessarily they must consent to his Relation or else he cannot Exercise his Office on them And it is granted them commonly according to Cyprian's words that the people also have a great hand in the Rejection of unworthy Pastors and that in case they prove intolerable and they have no more regular way to depose them after sufficient patience and warning they must forsake them But none of these are Acts of Church Government no more than for a Corporation to chuse the Major or for the Servant while he is Free to chuse his Master or a Scholar his School-master or a Patient his Physicion or for the Soldiers to forsake a Traiterous Commander that would deliver up their lives unto the Enemy It 's one thing to be a Church Governor and another thing to chuse or refuse a Church Governor Dr. Owen was at last against all Governing Power in the people and for the Pastors Government only * * See Dr. Taylor 's 2d Disswasive very well on the Text Dic Ecclesiae Mr. T. Goodwin and Mr. Nye Pref. to Mr. Cotton's Keys p. 5. It 's no contemptible case that Mr. Cawdrey puts Review p. 151. Are not a company of Women with the Pastors a true Church having all things Essential to it And have they the Ordaining Admitting Governing power by Vote or not If not then is it not in a Church of Saints as such but in the true Governours by Office or in none ††Ibid p. 4. I must profess that Scripture and Reason speak so plainly that Pastors are Gods Officers to Rule Rulers must Rule and the Ruled obey that I admire that wise and good Men can find a temptation to err in so plain a case A Church in a Prince's or Noblemans House will consist of perhaps a Lord and Lady and their Children and a hundred or two hundred Servants Now can any Man think it agreeable to Gods Word that the Servants because they are the Major Vote and the Children aâ— Age with them shall question examine and censure by Excommunication their Parents and Rulers It 's a true and weighty Speech of Mr. Cawdrey ib. p. 155. These destructive courses of Levelling Church and State proceed from the placing of all Power Originally in the people It hath been made a Controversie whether Bishops or Pastors may Excommuâ—…te a Prince But if his own Family 〈◊〉 just and meet should be a Church â—…ave him Examined and Excommuâ—…ed by his own Servants out of that Family-Church methinks should seem a â—aâ—der case {inverted †} {inverted †} Jid. ibid p. 7. Coâ—ton Keys ' p. 33. The Brethren of the Church are the first Subject of Church Liberty and the Elders thereof of Church Authority And both together of all Church Power needful to be exercised within themselves * * Jid. ib. p. 3. Norton pag. 74 75. * * Iudicium de coercendo poenis corporalibus est Magistratus Iudicium de actionibus Pastoralibus praestandis an non est Pastoâ—um Iudicium de obediendo vel non obediendo est subditorum Dâ— Propriis actionibus unusquisque praejudicat officium discernendo See Mr. Norton at large proving that a Minister of a particular Church may not only by virtue of his Gifts and the common bond of Christian Charity but also by virtue of his Calling exercise in another Church the acts of his Office Charitativè non Authoritativè p. 76. c. 6. Of this see my Disput. of Ordination and 3d of Episcopacy * * Nort. P. 45. Si Ecclesia Representativa sumitur pro mutua consultatione consotiatione confoederatione Ecclesiarum particularium in Synodis per Legatos nova Ecclesiae forma non addita libertate Ecclesiâ— salvâ rem agnoscimus
that we found most Parishes in was Antichurches or Separatists that in great Towns and where they found Entertainment did gather Congregations out of the Parochial Congregations which being gathered on pretence that the Communion of our Churches was unlawful employed so much of their Preaching and converse in labouring to prove it so and in magnifying their own Opinions and ways and vilifying others as made many Towns become places of meer strife that I say not of almost hostility § 5. These separating Antichurches were of divers sorts But of these it was two Parties that most hindred our Concord and Success The Laudian Prelatists and the rigid Independents The former set up mostly in Great mens Houses that had been against the Parliament with whom they had the great advantage of the prejudice and exasperation of Minds that had suffered with and for them and of their Power over the People that as Tenants or Servants depended on them and the Countenances of their greatness and a comfortable and honourable entertainment with them These told the People that the Parish Ministers were Schismaticks and but Lay men except the old ones that were ordained by Diocesans The other sort pretended sometimes faultiness in our Churches as not so pure as they and sometime Liberty to gather the willing into Churches of their Conduct because Parish Bounds were not of Divine Right The Anabaptists also made us no small trouble But the Quakers that made the loudest noise by railing at us in our Assemblies and Markets did little harm being contemned because of the grossness of their Behaviour especially when we had admitted them to publick Disputes and shamed them before all the People § 6. Our care was therefore to offer Love and Peace to the Laudians and the rigid Independents To the first sort we offered to consine our Ministration to that which they had nothing against though we could not do all that they thought best we constantly used to read the Psalms and Scripture Lessons some Hymns the Creed Lord's Prayer Decalogue c. and offered them the Sacrament Kneeling that were capable and willing And some of us permitted and maintained the bare Reading Curates that in Chapels read the Liturgy to them And Petitioned that all intolerable Priests of what side soever might be removed for better but that no man might be ejected for being for the King But we spake to the Deaf and sought peace of the unpeaceable We would have had them to set up tolerated Bishops over all Volunteers that desired it But that they were utterly against as thinking that the Party that would constitute their Churches would but shame them by their ignorance and vice such a Leaden Sword did they take their Discipline to be laying all on the force of the Magistrates Sword when yet the Keys which they durst not bear without the Sword as it was done Three hundred Years must have the Honour and Name § 7. And as to the other Separatists we treated with their chief Leaders for Union and Concord and that occasioned the Writing of this Book But we little prevailed with the Old Conductors or the Young self-conceited sort of Novices I will not dishonour the Dead so far as to name them that I treated with and the terms offered to them and the pretences on which they by tergiversation refused it Their Confidence in the Soldiery that failed and shamed them I think was it that hardened them into that Errour And had not the Sword for a time upheld them all these Sects had quickly come to nothing as indeed most of them did by the Parts Interest and Concord of the United Ministry For my own part I had little hinderance nor any Antichurch nor striving Party § 8. The present Conformists I know will take occasion to call our Congregations such Antichurches now as I wrote against then And some on the other side will say What need was there now to publish your old Disswasives from Separation I will speak briefly to both these § 9. I. I know none now that are so much against Schism and sinful Separation as the moderate Nonconformists nor any more guilty of it than those Papists and Tories that most fiercely talk against it Had we not been greatly against Schism we had never done and suffered so much as we have done to have prevented or healed it and to have kept the Church from tearing Laws and Canons that have battered Peace and Concord we had never written and stoopt and humbly beg'd for Unity and Peace of malicious ambitious revengeful men that made all our Endeavours fuel to increase the flames of their Cruelty We foresaw what the Legion was like to do to make the Church and Land like the man among the Tombes that ragingly cut and tore himself But the cure is too hard for us Is it lawful and good to shut the Churches Doors against us and throw Stones at us to drive us away and banish us five Miles from all the Churches of the Cities and Corporations of the Land and all places where of long time we had Preached and to order the Iailers to keep us from the Churches and Informers to accuse us if we come there and then to call us Schismaticks for not coming And is it Schism for men thus used to worship God elsewhere Is there no Separation that is a Duty because some Separation is a Sin Is it Schism to separate from Heathens or Infidels or from the Papal Church or from Arrians The Case was not then as it hath been since The separating Party had nothing imposed upon them that they could themselves say was against the Word of God They had no Canons that excommunicated them ipso facto if they should call the Churches Practice sinful They were not cast out for not declaring Assent and Consent to all things contained in and prescribed by Three Books of fallible Imposers They were not forced to Covenant never to endeavour any alteration that is Amendment of the present Church Government Nor to subscribe that if a King should Commission a French or Irish Army to invade the Land to deliver it to a Foreign Prelate it is unlawful for the Land to resist such an Army The Corporations of England were not then constituted by means of an Oath that neither King Lords or any Person have any Obligation to be against Schism Popery or Prophaneness or to repent of Sin by Swearing and Vowing it if that Oath hath a Confederacy also against the English Prelacy and was imposed and taken against Law The Separatists that were against Bishops Liturgies and Ceremonies were then at liberty to forbear them and to disown them And what pretence had they then for Separation § 10. II. But to the other side I answer 1. The Loud Accusations of Schism or Separation published against us by such as then did separate themselves from the Publick Churches require us to undeceive those that are deceived by them by making them know
our constant enmity to Schism and that it is they that drive us away and not we that are driven that are the Schismaticks in England as I proved in a Writing called A Search for the Schismatick To humble them that are the Cause it is still necessary to shew the Evil of that Sin It made not the Apostles Schismaticks to be cast out of the Synagogues no nor Paul for separating the Christians from the blaspheming Iews into the meeting in Tyrannus School 2. And the surviving of the Old Sectarian spirit of Division maketh it a Duty to shew still the Evil of it Some cannot endure to hear those former Miscarriages blamed but by enmity to repentance make them their own and encourage the Evil spirit of Division And some still keep up the dividing Principle of the Peoples Power of the Keys and are ready to separate from those Pastors that will not allow the whole Congregation to be Tryers or Iudges of the State of all that are to be baptized or admitted to Communion And if we never have more admission into more publick allowance the World shall see that it was not long of us But if God have so much Mercy for this Land as to strengthen us by publick Concord and unlock to us the Doors of the publick Churches when I am dead I would leave this Testimony against such as shall then refuse or resist any lawful and desirable Concord And as to my terms of Peace then offered to the Independents I think it seasonable now to publish them when God in Mercy hath newly brought us to publish our Concord in a very hopeful and comfortable form and manner to drive home the Nail and to be a witness against them that yet will divide § 11. And because both old and late Experience telleth me who those be though I have hereafter spoken to their Case I will speak again though I seem guilty of repetition It is the raw ignorant flashy self-conceited sort of Reformers that we are in danger of as to frustrate our Concord and Reformation Such whether Ministers or People have torn us and continue so to do and are like to do so still Paul knew what he said and why when he told us a Bishop must not be a Novice or a young raw Christian lest being puft up with Pride be fall into the Condemnation of the Devil And Act. 20. Of your own selves shall men rise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them Ignorant unstudyed Preachers that attain to a laudable fervency in speaking what they know meet with injudicious Hearers that being of their own temper discern not their Ignorance but value their Zeal and these grow up into dividing Parties and Churches and cherish the Vices of each other as if it were Wisdom and holy Zeal The great Dividing Errour of these People is UNRULINESS 1 Thess. 5. 14. Warn them that are unruly Tiâ— 1. 10. There are many unruly and vain alkers Iam. 3. 8. Their tongueâ— are an unruly evil They take it for a Doctrine of Christ that they ought not only to be unruly but to be Rulers of the Church and of their Rulers and to usurp a chief part of the Pastors Office to the Churches Confusion and their own They think that the Tâ—yal of all that are received into the Church by Baptism or to it's Communion in the Lord's Supper and of all that are admonished suspended excommunicated or absolved belongeth to the Major Vote of the People And where this is denied them they will have â—o Peace It 's no time to palliate this mischievous Errour I resolve here to deal plainly though briefly with the guilty and therefore ask them § 12. Q. 1. If gross Ignorance deserve casting out do not you deserve it that are so grosly ignorant even in a Point so plain and of such practical moment Q. 2. Could you possibly be so proud as to think your selves capable of this if you had ever had true Humility or knowledge of your selves Q. 3. Do not you forfeit even the right of choosing your Pastors that know no better what a Pastor is and that to be your Rulers is essential to their office Q. 4. With what Eyes and Minds do you read the Scripture that cannot there see that you are commanded to Obey them that have the Rule over you for they watch for your Souls as those that must give account that they may do it with joy and not grief for that is unprofitable to you Heb. 3. 17. v. 7. Remember them which have the Rule over you who have spoken to you the Word of God And v. 24. Salute all them that have the Rule over you 1 Tim. 3. 5. A Bishop must be one that Ruleth well his own House else how shall he take care of the Church of God And as the Steward of God Tit. 1. 7. To give the Children their Meat in due season 1 Thess. 5. 12 13. Know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord c. 1 Cor. 4. 1 2. Let a man so esteem of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God It 's required of Stewaâ—â—s that a man be found faithful Q. 5. Do you know what the word Pastor signifyeth Do the Sheep Rule the Shepherd and themselves Q. 6. The Pastor being but one and you having the Major Vote are you not his Rulers And are you able to Rule him aright Why do you not tell him what and whom to reprove c. Q. 7. Is it not Sacrilege to usurp a sacred Office Like Uzzah's incense and Câ—rah's sin Q. 8. Who hath required this at your hands Who gave you Commission to Rule the Church Q. 9 Do you not tremble to think what a charge you usurp and what a dreadful account you undertake to give Will you answer for all that are unâ—neetly Baptized received to Communion Excommunicated Restored c. Do you not know that this is a greater and harder part of the Pastors Office than an hours Preaching which a well furnished man can do in the way that you like with little or no study If he must wholly attend this work must not you do so if you undertake it Do you know what it is to try so many Men and Womens Knowledge and Professions and Lives and to hear Witnesses and hear each personâ— Plea for himself and judge Must you not leave your Trades for it or be treacherous Even all of you because the Major Vote must judge O fearful Self-condemnation Q. 10. Do you not know how certainly this will turn Churches into Confusion and the scorn of the World Will you all agree in your Tryals Or will not one think that person not holy enough nor that profession of conversion satisfactory which another approveth Q. 11. And where hath God given the Major Vote the Government of the Minor If you can rest in â— wrong judgment of the Usurping Majority why not
against the Major Vote What if Twenty be of one Mind and Twenty one of another Will one Voice satisfie the Consciences of the rest to acquiesce Q. 21. You build all this on the foundation of Rebellion against God and Governours as if the People were the first receivers of ruling Power and were by Nature made the Rulers or Law-makers by a Majority over the Minor part which is so false that as People they have no Ruling Power to Use or Give All Power is of God and none have it but by his Gift And he never gave Power to the Children and Servants to Rule the Master of the Family nor to the People to rule the Pastor or Church nor to the People to Rule the Iustices or Iudges c. God made Governours so early as prevented the Peoples making them in the essential part of the office It 's enough that they choose him in Cases not Natural that shall receive it from God But I wonder not that Brownists and ignorant Sectaries receive this false Principle of the Bodies Ruling Power by a Major Vote when even Archbishop Laud and Dr. Beveridge yea and judicious Richard Hooker yea and many Papist and Protestant Authors of Politicks and some Lawyers have published it to the deceiving of the undistinguishing Ignorant and the confounding of Societies Civil and Ecclesiastical and the robbing God of his Prerogative and feigning all Government as a Mushroom to spring out of the Earth which cometh down from Heaven Power is by descent from above Q. 22. I will ask you but this Question more Whether now the Brethren called Congregational the most Able and Zealous have consented to a form of Concord which excludeth the Peoples Government can your Consciences chuse but accuse you as proud and Enemies of Concord if as wiser than all these you be so foolish as to continue the Divisions And also when it 's known that it was men of your Principles and Tempers that caused our former Confusions and pull'd down after the King the Parliaments of all sorts the Protector and one another till they set up their Quarters over the Gates and pluckt up the Floodgates that have these Thirty years overwhelmed us and hazarded all the Reformation Is there after all this any excuse for Dividers or any pretence to extenuate their Sin A Sin that hath cost England Holland Germany Poland and many other Nations dear Yea a Sin that tore the very Apostolick Churches and grieved the hearts of the Apostles and caused them to record their vehement obtestations against it If there be any consolation in Christ if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfil ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord and of one mind Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves Look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others Had you not been ignorant of Church History but known what the Churches from the Apostles days till now have suffered by an hundred sort of Sects and Heresies and what the woful effects of them have been and what a Scandal they proved to the beholders and how shamefully they all ended you would have feared the very appearance of so direful an evil and would not have cherished a worm of so many feet in your bowels even that IGNORANT PRIDE which hath caused all this What is there in this odious Sin and this contentions Church State that should make men professing Godliness love it and make the cure of it so hard Is Ruling a work of ease Is there nothing but Honour in it Is it not dreadful to be accountable for the ill managing of it Do you not reproach Pastors as dumb Dogs and treacherous that neglect their Duty Yea and Kings and Magistrates if they miscarry And are not you afraid of your account of a usurped mis-performed Government Can you judge whether your Pastors understand the Gospel in the Language that the Holy Ghost hath given it in and whether they rightly expound a thousand difficult Texts and whether they decide Doctrinal Controversies truly or erroneously Or do you not rather cry up men that are of your Opinion be it right or wrong and love those that are sick of your Disease and tempt such ignorant Teachers to speak and do that which pleaseth the People for fear of incurring their censure â—â—â—â—â— losing their maintenance It grieveth me â—o hear that some are drawn so far to concur in the Peoples guilt that they will reject from their Communion all that will communicate with the most Godly Conformists And make Adversaries say that the Question between us is Whether Bishops or Women or at least ignorant Voters should govern the Church They say The publick Churches have Faults and Forms And have you no Faults Had the Iews Church no Forms Is not the whole Bible a form of words for Instruction and Prayer and Praise Obj. But they are God's Words Ans. Then God was for Forms But your Bibles are all Man's words Do you think that Moses the Prophets or Christ were Englishmen Or was any of the Scripture written or spoken in English by them or by the Apostles Do you not take every word in your Bibles on trust from English Conformists or such men It was Conformists all save one that made the Translation of the Bible which you use The Papists say It is a false Translation How will you confute them and prove that you have any Gospel or Word of God And is not taking all your Bible as to the words on Trust from Conformists a greater degree of Communion with them than receiving the Sacrament at their hands in form I advise all sober Persons to be no Members of any such Church as will engage them to have no Communion with any others but to be as guilty of Separation aâ— they are themselves I mean that you make not or perform any such wicked Covenant or Condition of Communion with them though their Leader should seem the most Zealous and Devout To renounce Communion with all the Church of Christ save such à Schismatical Sect yea or with all that have not purer Worship than our Liturgy or that are not purer Churches is a Sin so heinous as should deter you from it Though better be to be preferred renounce not Communion with all that have not better lest yours prove worse Had not the Publick Church-men been guilty of Schismatical Separation calling men from all Churches and Worship save their own and appropriating all Church Title and Communion to themselves they had been more blameless than they are But while some silence and others separate Concord is banished more and more And if the Imposing Party well consider this late Agreement they will find that there is nothing in it that may make them think that the same men will be averse to any just terms
of a further Agreement with those that have been their Ejecters They have agreed to take no Members out of any of your true Pastoral consenting Churches without a just hearing and satisfactory Reasons to them But I hope you take not all your Parishioners even Atheists Papists and Infidels for your Church Members Noâ— yet all your Auditors and Catechumens but only your Communicants And is it not better that they be Members of Nonconformists Churches than of none I have elsewhere cited you the Canons of a Council decreeing That if the Bishop of the place convert not any Heathens or Unbelievers and another convert them they shall be his Flock that did convert them in my Hist. of Councils Would they but first admit the Excluded to Publick Lectures where the Incumbent consenteth it would prepare the way for further Concord The Great Reconciler will in due time reconcile and closely Unite his own Amen Apr. 11. 1691. Ri. Baxter To the UNITED Protestant Nonconformists IN LONDON THough I was by the Confinement of decrepit Age and Pain hindred from having any part in the Form or Contract of your Agreement I think it my Duty to signifie my Sence of what you have done and by the Publication of my old Endeavours of that Kind to promote the Execution I greatly rejoyce in your very Attempt That God exciteth you to a practical desire of speedy healing our pernicious shameful Strifes Much more that you have so Skilfully made the present Plaister for the Wound No man doth any thing so well but it might be better done You must look that it should be assaulted by Cavil and Reproach Those that these Thirty Years have denied you Brotherly Communion with them will be loth you should be thought to have any Union among your selves And the Potent Schismaticks that to divert the Infamy from themselves have Stigmatized you with their own Name will be loth that your Concord should confute them while you offer your Reasons to prove that what they make necessary terms of Ministration and Communion would be to you if obeyed not medling with them no less than deliberate Covenanted Perjury or Lying and renunciation of repentance and amendment of Church-Corruptions and of the Law of Nature and Nations and the Kingdoms Self-defence they must stretch their Wits and gift of Tongue to make all this seem but a melancholy or feigned Fear and that it is but things indifferent that you refuse As they call me Antiepiscopal and against the Church because I would have more Bishops over a Thousand or many Hundred Churches than One and would have as many hands to do the work at least as are necessary to the Hundredth part of it and would have more Churches in a Diocess than one and would have Incumbents to be Pastors and Rectors But dreaming Men that build Cities or Travel in their Sleep can build more or go further in an hour specially if they lye soft in a University or a Great man's House than a waking Man can do in a Year or in his Life My own Judgment of Episcopacy and Church Constitution I have oft Published and you may see it in Lascitius and Commenius Books of the Bohemian Waldenses Church-Government Brethren I hope you fix not your Bounds of Pacification in the words or limits of this Form of Concord with a ne plus ultra Either when I am dead the Publick Church Doors will be unlock'd to your lawful Communion or not If yea it will be so great a Mercy that the Prospect of a Possibility of it will justifie my Publishing my old Reasons against unnecessary Antichurches or Militant contentious Gatherings But if God have not so much Mercy for this Land but that the Doors be lock'd up against desired Concord or Venient Romani our Foreign Jurisdiction men will prevail to deliver up the Land to a pretended Universal Foreign Power and make all believe that it is Treason to resist either a French or Irish Army if they be but Commissioned to perform it Then your Concord with such as are not Enemies to Peace will be a comfortable help to your patient Sufferings and may keep up some sparks of the Reformed Religion from being utterly extinguished And while you dwell in the Secret of the most High you may lodge under the shadow of the Almighty And may enter into your Chambers and shut the Doors on you for a little moment till the indignation be over-past and God be known by the Judgments which he executeth when the wicked are insnared in the work of their own hands Thus praying God to save you from violating the Concord you consent to and from being perverted by the ignorant Dividing sort of Teachers or People and that you will study Mr. Meade's Reasons against Division well and seasonably urged I bid you Farewel Your Quondam Fellow-Labourer Ri. Baxter London April 23. 1691. The Contents of the First Part. Chap. I. THe Necessity of Concord and Mischief of unnecessary Separations manifested in Twenty of the ill Effects Pag. 1. Ch. II. What is Incumbent on the Pastors for the Prevention and Cure hereof p. 13. Ch. III. The first Difference with the Independents Reconciled viz. Of the necessary qualification of Church Members p. 15. Ch. IV. The second Difference reconciled Of a Church Covenant p. 19. Ch. V. The third Difference reconciled Of the extent of a particular Church p. 21. Ch. VI. The fourth Difference reconciled whether a particular Church hath Power in it self to Ordain and impose hands on their chosen Pastors p. 23. Ch. VII The fifth Difference reconciled Of the first subject of the Power of the Keys Or of Right to Govern and Censure p. 25. Ch. VIII The sixth Difference reconciled Whether a Pastor of one Church may do the work of a Pastor in other Churches for that time being called to it p. 32. Ch. IX The seventh Difference reconciled Whether each particular Church hath Power to exercise all Government and Church Ordinances within it self without subjection to Synods or any other Clergy Governours as over them p. 33. Ch. X. The eighth Difference reconciled Whether Lay-men may Preach in the Church or as sent to gather Churches p. 38. Ch. XI The ninth Difference reconciled Whether the Parish Churches are true Churches p. 41. Ch. XII The tenth Difference reconciled Of taking Members out of other Churches and of Gathering Churches in other mens Parishes p. 42. Ch. XIII The sum of this Agreement reduced to Practice p. 55. The Contents of the Second Part. Q. 1. VVHat are the necessary terms of Communion of Christians as Members of the Universal Church p 62. Q. 2. What are the necessary terms of the Communion of Christians personally in a particular Church Q. 3. What are the terms on which Neighbour Churches may hold Communion with one another Q. 4. What are the terms of Communion between the Churches of several Kingdoms Foreign Iurisdiction is confuted in another Book Q. 5. What is the Magistrates
agreed that the Pastors a the Rulers and the people the Ruled that must obey and that the peop must be governed as rational free Agents and have a Freedom from Arbitraâ—â— Government and from all Commands or Sentences that are contrary to 〈◊〉 Word of God but not a Freedom from Obedience nor from the Blessing of P storal Conduct And we are Agreed that in order to Unity the Major Vo in lawful things must be submitted to and that a Minister having enterâ—… his dissent may forbear such reproofs or censures of a Heretick or Impious ma as would break the Peace of the Church and do more harm than good becau of the peoples sinful adhering to him so be it they own not the sin it seâ—â— nor do thus ordinarily to the excluding of Discipline For then I would leaâ—… that people What farther need then of a Reconciliation in order to our Coâ—…munion If any will not take in or cast out a Member without the peopâ—â— Major Vote let them take their Liberty And if any people had rather trâ—… their Pastors and Delegates with this Care and will more acquiesce in thâ—â— Judgments till they see cause to suspect them let them also have their Libâ—â—ty we can do nothing against the peoples wills but by proposal And if the pastors and people consent in these modal or circumstantial things it little concerneth Associated Churches Let this therefore be unmentioned and we are Agreed Chap. VIII Difference VI. THE sixth Difference is whether a Pastor of one Church may do the work of a Pastor in other Churches when he hath their consent and call Some have made a stir about this and dream'd that a Pastor may Preach out of his own Church but only as a private man and therefore may not Baptize Administer the Lord's Supper or exercise Discipline in any other Church But the Learned and Sober part of the Dissenters are become Consenters in the most of this so that here is little work for a Reconcilement For they confess that Ministers may as Ministers Preach and Administer the Sacraments to other Churches Indeed they say that this is only Charitativè not Authoritativè Herein they mistake For though such have not a stated Authority over another Church yet have they a temporary Authority as they are called For he that hath the Call and Power of Office and a Call pro tempore to exercise that Office hath Authority to exercise it and doth exercise an Authority for the Office essentially is an Authority But every true Minister of Christ that pro tempore is called to the Ministerial work in another Church hath an Office which is Authority and a call to exercise it Therefore But saith Mr. Norton p. 83. Hence it would follow either that there are occasional and partial Ministers pro tempore or that the same man is the fixed Minister of many Churches at once or that he is not the Minister of that Church where yet he hath Ministerial Authority Ans. None of all these will follow But only this that he that is either a stated Minister in the Church Universal or also a fixed Pastor of a particular Church may also be the temporary Pastor of another particular Church As a fixed Physicion of one Hospital or Schoolmaster of one School may upon a Call both Charitativè Authoritativè be for a Day or a Week the Physicion of another Hospital or the Schoolmaster of another School It is a contradiction to say He may exercise his Office and not Authoritatively Obj. But saith Mr. N. the Minister of this Church is not the Minister of another Church by the constitution of the Holy Ghost by whom every Minister is tyed to one certain Flock Ans. 1. A great Errour There should yet be general Ministers in the Church that should be itinerant and no more fixed where the Churches state so requireth it than Paul Barnabas Apollo Titus Timothy and abundance more then were Your own Argument is Pag. 80 81. Ex analogia Potestatis Ministrorum erga alias Ecclesias cum Potestatè Ministeriali erga omnes gentes sive omnem Creaturam Si Ministri Ordinarii virtute instituti habent Potestatem Ministerialem non Ecclesiasticam modo debito erga omnem creaturam habent aliquam Potestatem Ministerialem Ecclesiasticam modo debito erga omnem Ecclesiam At c. What need we more Is not Potestas Ministerialis Authority Then I know not what Authority is Authority is either Rational ex virtute aestimatione donorum or it is Imperial or Official which in all subordinate Officers is Ius agendi actus ejus Officii Ministerial Power is Ius Ministrandi Ministerial Authority is Ius Ministrandi Therefore he that hath Ministerial Power hath Ministerial Authority 2. No Minister is so tyed by the Holy Ghost to one certain Flock any more than one Schoolmaster or Physicion as not to exercise his Office by Authority pro tempore in another Flock when he hath a Call Charity and Authority go together Charity obligeth him to exercise his Office that is his Authority The rest of the Objections there an ordinary Reader may answer without help But yet here is nothing to hinder our Communion For 1. They grant us in Substance what we desire that is the temporary exercise of the Ministerial Office to the World or to other Churches according to their Capacities 2. If yet there be any difference in Principles let them that think Ministers have no Power out of their Congregation practice accordingly and stay at home Let them give us our Liberty in this and take theirs and the matter need not hinder our Communion Chap. IX Difference VII THE seventh Difference is about the Power of a particular Church to exercise all Government and Church Ordinances within it self without Subordination to Synods or any other as extrinsick Ecclesiastical Superiour Governours This is Pleaded for by the Independents in ordinary cases whence Mr. Cotton owns the Name of Independency Keys P. 29. 53. saith he A Church of a particular Congregation consisting of Elders and Brethren and walking in the Truth and Peace of the Gospel as it is the first subject of all Church Power needful to be exercised within it self So it is Independent upon any other Church or Synod for the exercising of the same Some of the Episcopal and Presbyterians deny them this and affirm that Synods are a Superiour Power and that particular Congregations without the lower sort of Synods called Classes may not Excommunicate and that in an ordinary Regimental order Congregations are under the Government of Synods and consequently say the Episcopal of the Heads of those Synods But the more moderate both Episcopal and Presbyterians hold that Synods oblige directly but gratia Unitatis Communionis Ecclesiarum and not directly by a Superiour Governing Power So Bishop Usher profest his Judgment to me and that a particular Bishop or Church was not subject to a Synod as their Superiour Governour
Work of God But they would have bona bene God's Work done in God's Order On these Conditions we allow Private men to Preach 1. If they do it but ex Charitate and pretend not to the Ministerial Office 2. And if they do it occasionally and not as men separated to that work as their Calling for then they become Ministers indeed while they disclaim it in Name 3. If they do it not needlesly to a proud ostentation of their parts but only when Abler Men or Ministers are not to be had or else on some urgent weighty cause 4. If they make not themselves the Judges of their own fitness but expect the Approbation of the judicious faithful concordant Ministers that know them 5. If they undertake no more than they can perform and suppose not themselves fitter than they are and so run not beyond their Knowledge nor dishonour not the Work of God 6. If they thrust not themselves into any Church to Preach without a Call nor ordinarily without the Pastors consent 7. If they do it not unseasonably when by offending they are likely to do more hurt than good 8. If in the manner season and continuance they submit to the Guidance of the Pastors of the Church if it be more than ordinary Teaching and not such as every able Master of a Family may there do With these Cautions we grant that Private men may Preach Many Episcopal Divines grant it And the Presbyterians ordinarily permit it in their Expectants that are trained up for the Ministery A Maid begun the Conversion of the Iberians by Conference And interlocutory Preaching is truly Preaching Edesius and Frumentius converted the Indians Alexander Bishop of Ierusalem and Theoctistus of Caesaria maintained Origene's Teaching while he was a Private man and that in the Church before the Bishops And when Demetrius of Alexandria reprehended them affirming it to be an unknown case that a Layman should preach in the presence of a Bishop they gainsay him and produce the Examples of Neon a Bishop that required Evelpius to teach and of Celsus that set Paulinus to preach at Iconium and of Aâ—â—icus that set Theodorus to teach at Synnadorum And saith Dr. Fulke Demetrius himself doth seem to allow that when no Bishop was present a Layman might preach Euseb. Hist. li. 6. c. 20. But that every proud unworthy Man and every seducing Heretick should preach yea and thrust himself into other Mens Charges or that any should preach besides the forementioned Rules this we deny and take it for a dangerous Usurpation But are we not agreed in this Hear and Judge Mr. Cotton so downright denieth ordinary private Men to Prophesie interpreting 1 Cor. 14. 31. of extraordinarily Gifted Prophets of which see his Keys pag. 20 21. that Mr. Goodwin and Mr. Nye thought meet to signifie some Dissent Pref. p. 6. And yet they grant that this must be performed by private Men 1. Only Occasionally not in an ordinary Course 2. By Men of such Abilities as are fit for Office 3. And not assuming this of themselves but judged such by those that have the power and so allowed and designed to it And 4. So as their Doctrine be subjected for the judging of it in an especial manner to the Teaching Elders of that Church And I think that this is enough to signifie that here we shall have no cause of a breach with them Mr. Norton speaks to the same purpose pag. 123 124 125. and joins with Mr. Cotton in denying Prophesie to private Men and expounding 1 Cor. 14. of extraordinarily Gifted Prophets only In this therefore Doctrinally we agree 2. But the second seemeth the more dangerous difference That their Churches should presume to send abroad Preachers not in Office for the Conversion of Souls by setting them apart to that work and directing or allowing them to be stated Ordinary Teachers Their excuses are that Pastors are proper to particular Churches and it is not into Churches but Parishes that they send them not to Rule or Teach a Church but to Convert Souls and gather Churches Ans. But 1. It is not your calling Parishes no Churches that makes or proves them none You are not the Judges when they profess themselves Churches If others send Men to preach in your Churches it will not excuse them with you if they face you down that they are no Churches and therefore they may preach in them 2. But suppose they were all Heathens you have never yet proved that to be a stated Preacher for their Conversion is not to be a proper Ministerial Officer Contrarily 1. In the days of the Apostles and all their helpers it was part of the Office of a Minister yea and of the chief Ministers to be stated Preachers for the Conversion of unbelievers and gathering Souls to Christ But the Office of the Ministry is now the same as then Therefore 2. To go and Teach and Disciple the Nations is as true a part of the Ministers Commission as to teach the Church Matth. 28. 19. Therefore it is not common to private Mâ—n 3. Ordinary Baptizing is no work for private Men Therefore not preaching The reason of the consequence is 1. Because they are conjoyned in the Minsterial Commission Matth. 28. 19. 2. Because if Pastors go not abroad the World with these private Men to preach to Infidels then when they have converted any they must be unbaptized till Pastors can come to them Which is contrary to all Scripture example that Baptism should be so long delayed after Conversion ordinarily 4. To be separated to the Gospel of God is a chief part of the description of a Minister by Office Rom. 1. 1. But these private Preachers are by the Churches separated to the Gospel of God by right or by wrong therefore they are made Ministers by Office Indeed the first object of the true Ministerial Office in order of nature is the uncalled World and the calling of them is as Eminent a part of their Office as preaching to a Church This is the most Eminent Evangelizing to declare the Glad-tydings of Salvation to the World And this is the preaching that requireth sending Rom. 10. On this work were the Twelve and the Seventy sent on this work specially did the Apostles lay out themselves And not only they but Apollo Luke Mark Timothy Titus Silas and abundance of the chiefest Ministers of Christ. But yet we have no matter to excuse a Division or Alienation from this Difference For 1. I cannot prove it a Difference between the Parties For I know not that the Congregational Party have owned and espoused the Opinion which I here oppose though some particular persons do And therefore I do not charge it on them 2. If they did yet Infidels are so far from us that irregular endeavours to Convert them will be no matter of a breach And were we nearer them we might leave others to practise according to their Judgments as long as we are not guilty of the
under the general Laws of Christ. But the use of Synods is so ordinary and great that in sound and peaceable Countreys where Heresie or Church-Tyranny doth not turn them against their proper ends and where State-Iealousies cause not Rulers to forbid them the statedness and frequency of them will be of very great advantage to the Churches But in the contrary cases it may be quite contrary 7. Though no one of these Bishops or Pastors in Councils nor many conjunct be by Divine Right the proper Governour over the rest and therefore as to one another their Canons are Agreements for Union rather than the Laws of Superior Governours yet do they not by their Assembling lose their Governing Power over their Several Flocks but meet to exercise it with the greater consideration and force And therefore their lawful Determinations and Agreements may be truely obligatory to their several Flocks 8. The largeness of these Councils should be suited to the occasion and necessity As the Scandals Heresies Schisms or Contentions do require But to make proper Universal Councils to be the ordinary Supreme Governing Law-givers to a Body Politick called the Universal Church is a device of those who would do Christs work in their own mistaking way and for the preserving of the Churches Unity will desperately divide corrupt and injure it There is no necessity of it Christs Universal Laws being sufficient with the Civil Government of Princes and the Circumstantial Determinations of the particular Churches And it is pernicious if not impossible The many thousand Miles distance of the Churches the paucity of the Pastors and necessity of their presence in many Churches the many years that must be spent in Travel the opposition of Heathen and Infidel Princes whose Subjects they are or through whose Countreys they must Travel the Wars and Jealousies of Princes the probability of the death of the ablest Pastors in such a Voyage they being usually aged Men and weak their diversity of Tongues and unintelligibleness to one another their long continuance in such Councils their incapacity to meet and hear together in any one Room the probability that the numerousness of the nearest Bishops and paucity of the remote will make a Faction go for the Council the improbability that ever they will return to bring home the Decrees the unsatisfiedness of the Churches in their Decrees when a thousand or an hundred Pastors who chuse one single Delegate know not whether he will speak their sense or not with many such Reasons make it as pernicious as unnecessary Nor have the Christian Churches ever had such Councils the meetings of the Twelve Apostles being nothing to this purpose But as all Men know that the Roman Emperors had no power to Summon the Pastors who were the Subjects of other Princes so the recorded Suffrages of all the Councils certifie us that they were none such but the Subjects only of the Roman Empire or those that had been such with a very inconsiderable number of some adjacent Bishops and that but very seldom So that those Councils were Universal only as to the Empire of Rome and that but very rarely if ever but never as to the Christian World 9. If a plurality of Hereticks Schismaticks or ungodly Bishops or Pastors should by the advantage of their Councils oppress the Churches or the Truth the Sound and Faithful Pastors must hold on in the way of Duty and not forsake the Truth or the Flocks in Obedience to such Councils 10. If any Church or Pastor be accused or defamed to the Neighbour Churches of any Heresie Schism Scandal or Injury either to any Person of that Church or to any Neighbour Church or Person the general Precepts of Christian Charity Concord Humility Submission c. do oblige such accused Persons to tender to their offended Brethren especially if it be many Churches due satisfaction and to hear their Reasons and Admonitions and to acknowledge their own faults and amend if they have erred and in lawful things to yield to others for Peace and Concord and to avoid offence where greater accidents make it not then unlawful so to do 11. If any Pastors or Neighbour Churches remain impenitent under such proved Heresie Impiety or Crimes as are inconsistent with the true profession of Godliness the Synods or Neighbour Churches after due Admonition and Pationce should openly disown their sins and if they be inconsistent with the Essentials of Christian Communion should also disclaim Communion with them and should send to the innocent part to exhort them to save themselves by Separation from the rest or to forsake such Heretical and Impenitent Pastors And should motion them to better Pastors and send some to instruct them in the mean time if they be accepted But none of this must be done in case of tolerable infirmities or failings 12. A truely Ordained Minister of Christ being called or accepted by a Church for the present time to teach them and guide them in publick Worship and Sacramental Communion in the Sickness or Absence of their stated Pastors or in a vacancy ought to assist them and is to be esteemed as a Minister of Christ in those Administrations And when a Church is destitute of Pastors it is ordinarily the peoples Duty to desire the Faithful Neighbour Pastors to assist them for supply especially in the tryal of such parts of Pastoral sufficiency which they are unable to try themselves and to Ordain by Approbation and Solemn Investiture such a Person to the Ministry as they Consent to if he be not before Ordained or if he be yet by Prayer to desire God to Bless him in that special Charge Q. 4. What are the terms of Communion between the Churches of several Kingdoms A. This needs no more addition to the former Answer but this 1. That their Communion in the main must be the same in Faith and Love and Obedience to God as if they were under the same Civil Government 2. But they must not busie themselves needlesly with the distant and unknown cases and business of others Nor 3. Must they violate the lawful restraints of their civil Governours nor disturb the Peace of Kingdoms upon pretences of the Churches Privileges or Interest 4. And if they are offended at the Doctrine Worship or Practice of other Churches they should send to them for satisfaction and those Churches should send them the forementioned Confession of the Christian Religion and either purge themselves from the Crimes of which they are accused or confess them and forsake them But when the Pastors which in several Countries have drunk in differing Opinions shall expect that all others should speak as they do in all controverted Points of tolerable difference and by their odious imagined consequences shall slander other Churches or Pastors as holding that which they disclaim or as denying that which in their publick Confessions they profess as their very Religion and by their passions unskilfulness and uncharitableness shall make all differences though
join in Ordaining and the Presbyterians hold that they Must in point of Duty in all reason the May be should yield to the Must And therefore let the Congregational de facto on their own Principles admit of Neighbour Presbyters herein If they will not yield in a thing by themselves confessed Lawful for the Reconciliation and Communion of the Churches the guilt of unpeaceableness will be theirs Especially while they have the Election of their Offices and no detriment is like to arise by it to their Churches 2. But if any of them have not so much love to Peace and Communion of Churches as to yield to this the Presbyterians can in consistency with their Principles hold Communion with them for all this as Churches though deficient having first disowned their disorder And therefore their Pastors may join with us in our Assemblies and we may as Brethren hold a loving correspondency though we own not their defects Other differences Doctrinally not the least there are among us 1. Whether a Man may not be Ordained a Minister sine titulo without Relation to a particular Church but to the World and the Church Universal And so 2. Whether such may not be Ordained without popular Election And 3. Whether therefore a Man be not sometime in time A Minister of Christ before he be The Pastor of this particular Church 4. And so whether the peoples Election be not only to make him Their Pastor and not A Minister of Christ in general 5. And whether such an Unfixed General Minister may not Preach Baptize and also pro tempore administer the Lords Supper yea and Govern a particular Church that pro tempore calleth him thereto the peoples call or consent being necessary for the Exercise but not alway to the Being of the Office or Intrinsick power As a Physicion licensed to practise in general must have Mens personal consent before he be Their Physicion But 1. These I cannot call properly differences between the parties because I think the Congregational are not themselves agreed about them 2. If they were yet they are such whose practice our Reconciliation is not much concerned in Let every Man in these Opinions be left to his liberty and it need not hinder our Agreement or Communion For my own Opinion about most of them I have expressed it Disput. of Church Government 1. and 2. and about some more of this nature Chap. VII Difference V. THE Fifth point of Difference is about the first subject of the power of the Keys Or more plainly and limitedly of the Right of Church Government and in particular of Censures And here the difference seemeth greater than in any of the rest And with some it is so Some have made the Congregation by a Major Vote the Governours of the Church Against this as intolerable we have much to say 1. There is no power but of God But the power of Church Governing is not given to the people by God therefore it is none The Minor is good till a power be proved and the peoples Commission produced which never yet hath been attempted with any considerable appearance of Truth Obj. The Keys were given to the Church in Peter Mat. 16. Ans. 1. The most learned and moderate of these Brethren say that There is no such thing as a Lawful Representative Church therefore Peter was none 2. It lyeth on them to prove that Peter represented the Major Vote of a Congregation in receiving the Keys Till they have proved it we take them to have said nothing It sufficeth us for a disproof 1. That no such thing is spoken 2. That the Keys of the Kingdom are in Scripture phrase significant of Stewardly Government which is in Scripture assigned to the Pastors over the people 3. That Peter was not a private Member himself much less a Congregation but a Pastor and a single Pastor Bishop or Apostle 4. That the same power is elsewhere given to all the Apostles Iohn 20. 21. but not to private Members or to Congregations of such 5. That Iohn 20 21 22. the power is described to be a power of Remitting and Retaining Sins annext to their Ministerial Mission and therefore such as belongeth not to private Men. Obj. 1. Cor. 5 4 13. The Church is commanded to deliver the Incestuous person to Satan and to put away the wicked person from among them Ans. 1. That was but Executively Paul having himself most solemnly past the Sentence v. 3 4. For I verily as absent in Body but present in Spirit have judged already as though I were present concerning him that hath so done this deed Paul you see doth judge And that in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ when ye are gathered together and my Spirit What then doth he decree to do with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such an one to Satan c. which with the Excommunication it is most probable contained a Corporal miraculous penalty as Elimas was struck blind and Ananias and Saphira dead c. so that to deliver is the act that Paul himself resolved to perform at their meeting The Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not I have judged concerning him but I have judged him even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. to deliver such a one But if any will rather take delivering here to be the Churches act than Pauls yet it is plain that it is after his Judgment or Sentence or Condemnation as the Syriack hath it and therefore that it is but 1. The solemn declaration 2. And Execution of the sentence already past 2. But if Paul had left the Work to them he wrote to there would have been no proof that the Censure had been committed to the people Here are two works to be done The Sentence and the Execution that is avoiding Communion c. and accordingly two parts of the Church to do it the Pastors to Censure and the people to Execute it by actual avoiding or putting away Now if Paul write to an Organized Governed Society to deliver to Satan and put away no Man can hence prove that he committeth the same parts of the work equally to all the parts of the Society No more than he can prove if the Prince write to this Burrough to cast out a turbulent Member that he intendeth to equal the people with the Magistrates in the work or to commit the same part of the work to one as to another But rather it plainly importeth and no more that every Man in his place obey the command Obj. Matth. 18. Tell the Church authorizâ—th the people Ans. 1. It is incumbent on the affirmers to prove that it is the whole Body of the people that is there meant And some think this Argument disproveth it That Church which must be heard must be told If he hear not the Church But the whole Congregation is not the Church that is to be Heard therefore it is not the