committed on these occasions if all the envious slanderous censorious and other uncharitable words were open to our view that many that profess the fear of God are frequently guilty of It is a sad condition that tempteth Christians to so much Sin and quieteth their Consciences in it as if their horrid iniquity were their piety and that bringeth too many separated Churches under some such reputation as Alehouses are faln into I speak it not in contempt but lamentation which are taken to be lawful but places where so much Sin is committed that it is a suspicious sign for a Mâ—n to be oft seen in them especially near home As Swearing and Excess of Drink are the ordinary sins of Alehouses so Church dividing Censorious Envious words with more that I shall anon mention are the too common Sins of these Dividing Congregations And then as Love so Unity and Concord is importunately urged on us in the holy Scriptures and the contrary condemned O read and study that prayer of Christ that his Servants may be One Iohn 17. 11 21 22 23. how high he drives it and how much he insisteth on it His Church was then most spiritual and pure when it had the greatest Unity Act. 2. 1. They were all with One accord in One place when the Holy Ghost did fall upon them Act. 2 42. They continued stedfast in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and breaking of Bread and Prayer verse 44. All that believed were together yea and by the power of Love though not by Levelling destruction of Propriety had all things common Vers. 46. They continued daily with one accord in the Temple Act. 4. 31 32. They were together praying when the place was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost And the multitudâ— of them that believed were of one heart and soul. So Act. 5. 12. Many great faults we find had tainted the Church of the Corinthians the Galatians and too many more when yet we find not that any Separated Churches were gathered by the godly for the avoiding these corruptions nor that I remember on any other occasion No where do I read in the same Precincts or Cities of any Churches separated from the first Churches but only the Societies of Hereticks that are so much reprehended and branded with Infamy by the Spirit of God Not one that ever I could find of the true Believers did take this to be his duty Name any Church that was separated from a former Church in Scripture and held divided Assemblies in the same Precincts and was approved by the Lord. I find Divisions in the Churches too many some saying I am of Paul and some I am of Apollo but I find none but those condemned of Heresie that divided from the Churches Separation from the World was the practice of the Churches but separation from the Churches was the practice of Hereticks only as far as I remember or those that are charged with Schism at least though I remember not that meer Schism then rose so high They that had the Apostles among them could not easily fall to such a Crime till they fell from the Apostles And far were the Apostles when they reprehended the Corruptions of the Churches from perswading Men to separate from them Though it's possible for such a case to be when that may be a Duty yet all those faults enumerated by Paul did not make it so But contrarily they charge them not to forsake the Assembling of themselves together as the manner of some the Hereticks was Heb. 10. 25. and beseech them by the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ to speak all the same thing and that there be no Divisions among them but that they be perfectly joined together in the same Mind and in the same Judgment I Cor. 1. 10. 11. That they be all of one Mind having Compassion one of another loving as Brethren being pitiful and courteous not rendring evil for evil or railing for railing but contrariwise blessing c. 1 Pet. 3. 8 9. O how constant and how earnest were the Apostles in these Exhortations and in answerable Prayers to God Phil. 2. 1 2 3 4. If there be therefore any Consolation in Christ if any Comfort of Love if any Fellowship of the Spirit if any Bowels and Mercies fulfil ye my Joy and what was Paul's so much desired 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 Look not every one on his own things but every Man also on the things of others Rom. 15. 5 6. Now the God of Patience and Consolation grant you to be like minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus that you may with one Mind and one Mouth glorifie God Rom. 16. 17. Now I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause Divisions and Offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them For they that are such serve not the Lord Jesus but their own Bellies and by good words and fair speeches deceive the Hearts of the simple So 1 Thes. 5. 12 13. Study Iam. 3. throughout Abundance of such passages are before us in the Word which tell us that this Great and Necessary command of Love and Unity is not to be dispensed with nor Divisions among Christians to be accounted small things And shall men professing the fear of God go against such a stream of Holy Precepts And be sensible of a Swearers or a Drunkards Sin and not of so great a course of Sin of their own 3. The Nature of Gods Graces in his Servants Souls is contrary to a way of Separation and Division As Fire would to Fire and Water to Water so would Christian to Christian Grace is sociable and abhors Division as well as Nature Wounding is not its Delight Love is an Essential part of the New Man The living Members rejoyce together and suffer together and be not easily set against each other but it 's hurt to all that 's hurt to one 4. Divided Churches are the Seminaries of Private dividing Principles As they proceed from such Principles so do they cherish and increase them They espouse an Interest that 's contrary to Catholicism and Christian Concord and therefore we find that they make it much of their Business to propagate it Whatever Opinion drew from the Communion of the Church must be there pleaded for against the Peace of the Church And to have a Mutineer in the Army of our Lord is bad but to have Schools and Nurseries of Mutineers dispersed through the Land and favoured by Godly Men is far worse 5. And certainly so far to forsake the Catholick Principles and Interest and be so void of a Catholick Spirit and Love as to set a part against the whole or a smaller part against the Profit of the main part of Christ's Body is a thing much unlike the
Christian Nature and unbeseeming a sensible Member of Christ. With what hearts do such dividing Brethren read all those passages of Scripture that speak of the Unity of the Catholick Church We have all one End one Hope one Law There is one Body and one Spirit even as we are called in one Hope of our Calling one Lord one Faith one Baptism one Baptismal Coveanting with God Eph. 4. 4 5 6. one God and Father of all who is above all through all and in us all therefore must we endeavour to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace v. 3. For as the Body is one and hath many Members and all the Members of that one Body being many are one Body so also is Christ For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. And the Spirit and Ministry are given to this one Body for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come in the Unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect Man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ that we henceforth be no more Children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the fleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive but speaking the truth in Love may grow up in him in all things which is the Head even Christ from whom the whole Body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the Body to the edifying of it self in Love Eph. 4. 12 13 14 15. Note here the Unity of the Catholick Body and who is the Center of the Church and in what way it prospereth to perfection and all will tell you of Unity in Christ and Communion of the several parts in Love God hath tempered the Body together having given more abundant honour to that part that locked that there should be no Schism in the Body but that the Members should have the same care one for â—nother and whether one Member suffer all the Members suffer with it or one Member be honoured all the Members rejoyce with it Now ye are the Body of Christ and Members in particular 1 Cor. 12 24 25 26 27. O how much the Nature and Unity of the Church Universal even the Body of Christ is forgotten by most men that withdraw into separated Assemblies upon those grounds and terms as condemn or cost off most of the Universal Church of Christ. And how do they look upon the face of the World if indeed they know what state it is in and hath been in when they can find in their hearts to keep up our Divisions of which more anon 6. Moreover our Divisions and Separations do much destroy the Power of Godliness partly as is said by destroying Love and all the Operations of Love wherein it principally consisteth and partly by diverting Professors of Religion from Practical Doctrine Conference and Meditation and filling them with Fancies and Opinions and Passions So that when once in a Town there is Church against Church and Pastor against Pastor almost all or too much of their time is taken up in wrangling and contending and making their Cause good against each other and they strive not to overcome each other by Meekness Patience and Love It is the raising of an Ecclesiastick War through all the Quarters of the Land And few thrive by these Wars above any Wars Mark whether Holiness Love and Heavenliness appear as much in their Families and Lives where this War is raised and Fire kindled as it did before 7. Moreover it keepeth out too often a Saving work of Grace and turns off many that were coming on and crusheth fair hopes too often in the bud Many a Minister hath rejoyced in the Hopes of a Conversion which seemed to be begun on the younger sort especially of his Hearers And when they have seemed to be somewhat humbled changed resolved for a Holy Life suddenly some Divider or other layeth hold on them and turneth the stream of their Thoughts and Zâ—al upon Opinions and barren Controversies and spoileth our hopes of the work of Grace and formeth them up into Contentious Hypocrites And alas how apt are such separated Assemblies to â—empt men to this miserable case even as Ale houses are to make men Drunk Sober men may be there but there 's the Nursery of Opinionative Religion 8. But there is no effect so grievous to my thoughts as the common hardening of the ungodly Who sees not how it makes them think unbelievingly or contemptuously of all Religion when they see so many Churches and ways and hear them so condemn each other they think they may warrantably condemn them all and say as bad by them or speak as contemptuously of them as they do of each other They think they are as well already as turning to such a divided People can make them And when they think of turning the Tempter asketh them as the Papists use to do Which Party will you turn to Why rather to this than all the rest What a readiness did I see to entertain the way of Godliness presently after the Wars in many places that had before been under the Power that most reproacht it Till they saw us by the Ears among our selves and see us fall into so many Parties and then they turned their reverence into contempt Let no man fly to God's Decrees here and say that Offences must be and Heresies must arise that the approved may be manifested and that the Elect cannot be deceived to Perdition For Sin is Sin and Misery for all this They may on those Grounds as well let Physicions have leave to give men Poison or any mâ—n to set our Towns on fire because nothing can be done against God's Decrees It is as true among the Indians and Turks that the Elect cannot be deceived to Perdition and that God knoweth who are his as here and yet I hope all Christians will lament the Sin and Misery of the World of Infidels and Idolaters and pray and endeavour as far as they can their recovery by the Gospel We must fetch no such Conclusions from any Decrees of God as shall hinder from praying that his Name may be Hallowed his Kingdom come and his Will be done in the Earth as it is in Heaven Such as may encourage us to dig Pits for the Blind and cast such stumbling blocks in their way and be Servants to the Tempter and Enemy of Souls in hindering them from Salvation And what can we to hinder them more than to bring the Churches and Holy Worship and Ways of God into doubt or contempt among them 9. Our Divisions make us and the Cause of God to be our Adversaries Reproach and his Name is evil spoken of among them through
the unanimous Servants of the Lord did keep out all the obstinate Impenitent Persons from the Publick Communion and he that is cast out of one Church is cast out of all and none in any Country would entertain him Whereas now they have ordinarily a room in the most Publick Assemblies or if one Church reject them when they travail into other Parts they are as acceptable as others and so Communicatory Letters are made useless But the Principal thing that I here intend is that excellent Security of the Gospel and Godliness to our Posterity and the welfare of the Nation that might be happily promoted by this Unity For then the Church and Commonwealth might be so complicate and commensurate as would be the Strength and Glory of them both They may hold in Life but never attain that stability and Glory that God hath propounded to them and given them means for till for the generality the Members of the Church and the Freemen of the Commonwealth are the same I say not the Subjects but the Freemen that is those that shall be capable of Governing or electing Governors Then will not the Interest of Church and State be set in Opposition against each other nor Rulers keep up sinful jealousies against the Gospel and Ministers of Christ then will the Magistrate support and second the Ministry and Church and the Ministers and Church be the faithfullest obeyers and defenders of the Magistrate And then we shall not need to fear when one Parliament hath made us wholsom Laws and own'd the Gospel left a majority of malignant impious Choosers should give us another that will undo all and cast out the chief Blessing and Glory of the Land Were Church and Common-wealth but duly commensurate as aforesaid then sober men and faithful to the interest of Christ would choose our Parliaments and so a Succession of Righteous Governours might be secured to the Land A Mercy of inestimable Value that would advance Britain yet much higher above any Nation under Heaven And what clear Reasons could I give for this and how easily could I answer all considerable Objections and how easily might it be quickly put in execution if it were not for this one most lamentable Evil even the unreconciled Parties and the undisciplined Churches and Antichurches among us Till then we hold our precious Mercies on such slippery terms as should awaken all honest men to look after a better Security God can make Wolves befriend his Lambs and the Serpentine brood that are haters of Piety to choose Pious Governours But Wonders of Mercy are fitter for a grateful remembrance than for secure Expectations when we wilfully cause our peril 16. And it is an aggravation of the Sin of these Dividing ways that they are continued in such a time and place as this When men have nothing forced on them that they were wont to complain of and nothing wanting but what they have such more than ordinary helps to procure in the Publick Churches Formerly it was the Prelacy and Liâ—urgy and Ceremonies that by the Separâ—tists was pretended as a justifying Cause of their Separation And yet then the ancient Nonconformists themselves did write against them more than any did But now they can pretend no such things as these Who forceth any thing upon their Consciences which the tenderest Conscience of understanding People hath cause to refuse And if Discipline be wanting they have much encouragement to endeavour and hope for a supply If the Ministers be bad they may cast them out We all desire it If they be faithful they will be willing to go as far as they can in the exercise of Discipline and it is the discouragements Divisions and withdrawings of those that should help them that doth much disable them And it seems to me a great Aggravation that usually this Sin is the fruit of so many other Sine How oft is it brought forth by a proud over-valuing of mens own Opinions Parts and Piety and by uncharitable censoriousness of others and a vilâ—fâ—ing extenuation of all that is good in them And how ordinarily doth it bring forth disobedience murmuring and disdain of those that were their Teachers and evil speaking against the things that they understand not And too commonly it proceeds from laziness When they will not be at the trouble and cost of doing their parts to reform the Churches where they are they will lazily separate to save them a labour It is a harder work and requireth much more Self-denyal to joyn in the admonishing of the several Ungodly Persons in the Churches and follow it in God's way till they are reclaimed or cast out than to get in private among a few that will put us to no such trouble I see not but these Persons while they cry up Discipline would destroy it As some on one extream refuse to exercise it so these on the other extream will be Members only of such Societies when they shall have little or no use for it and consequently exclude it or at least where it shall not cost them much Lay this together and consider whether in such times as these when Godly Magistrates are ready to encourage us and Godly Ministers willing to do what they can in Reformation and no burdens are forced on their Consciences and we refuse not their Communion that differ from us in tolerable Points that yet in these times men will fly from our Assemblies and set up Antichurches as they do Alas what pievish Children are in the Family of God One part now separate into private Churches because we have not Prelacy Liturgy and Ceremonies and another part separate even when they are cast out because they be not pleased in all things that look to the other Extream Doubtless the Separatists in our days of Reformation and Liberty are much more unexcusable than they were in the times of Ceremonies and Violence What! cannot all the Endeavourâ— of Magistrates and Ministers by such a Reformation that many others think too much yet sweep the Churches clean enough for you to enter In other Ages it was the affliction of the Godly to be cast out of the Church by evil Governours But now how many do cast out themselves The Jews persecuted the Disciples by casting them out of their Synagogues Ioh. 16. 2. and 12. 42. And will you cast out your selves from the true Churches of Christ And that from such Principles and with such concomitant aggravating faults as those forementioned 17. And it is an aggravation of this Sin that it is continued against so much and long Experience Have we not long found by Experience how it quencheth Charity and hindereth the Gospel and cherisheth Errors and causeth the rest of the forementioned Evils And shall we love it when we have found it Evil 18. And it is no small aggravation of this Sin to consider what England is and what all the rest of the World is at this day and what it hath been from
the beginning until now Had it not been the greater Sin to have separated from the Jewish Church much worse than English Congregations when all the rest of the World were Aliens and much further from God than they Five Parts of the World are Idolatrous Heathens and Mahometans A Sixth part only make any Profession of the Christian Name Not a quarter I think of that Sixth part are Protestants How ignorant and rude the Eastern and Southern Churches are is lamentable to relate Few of them have any Preaching but only Homilies and Liturgies read What the Papists are I need not tell you Not the Twentieth part of the World â—â—â— admâ—â—â—nts And among these alas how few have so much of the life of â—ining thâ—â—â—mong them as the meaner sort of our English Congregations And hath Goâ— called this spot of Earth this narrow Island a corner of the World to honour with the greatest lustre of the Gospel and true Reformation and Godliness and yet will these men withdraw from the Publick Churches here as if no Publick Church on Earth but the few of their way were worthy of their presence Are they no more thankful for England's singular Privileges nor no more humbly sensible of their own unworthiness And would they separate from all the Publick Churches almost in the World 19. These continued Divisions among our selves are a great discouragement to our highest Rulers from seeking the healing of the Churches abroad The greatest Service they can do to God is to reconcile the Churches and bring them to Agreement and strengthen them thereby against their Adversaries And all good men desire this of them that they would improve their interest to this end But alas with what heart can they set upon it as long as they are unable to reconcile and unite the best of the Subjects here at home It was the Grecians Jest upon a great man among them that he went about to reconcile all the Princes and States of Greece and could not reconcile his Wife and her Maid that lived unquietly at home And do not we prepare such Entertainment for our Governours attempts in so good a Work 20. Lastly I heartily desire that our Divisions and Antichurches may not prepare renewed Wars and Calamities to the Commonwealth Certainly the Body of the Nation is much disaffected to them And I wish that for their sakes they grow not disaffected to the Government and ready for Enterprizes that beseem them not But I much more fear left animosities among the several Parties should make them busie and bold in their Enterprizes against each other and still seeking opportunities to oppress one another and to advance themselves And lest the several Parties be to their Prince like the many Wives that some of the Jews had to their Husbands that were still jealous of his Affections lest he loved this or that Wife better than the rest Every one looketh to be most esteemed And jealousie is apt to break its bounds But I will not Prognosticate but forewarn If Unity be our Strength and Division our Destruction let us pity the calamitous Church and not set fire on the Commonwealth And let all Christians that are such indeed lament our distances and lay to heart the Sin and Calamity of our long Divisions and at last let Catholick Principles and Affections be entertained by us and let us pray and study and seek and submit and deny our selves for the Unity of Christians and the Churches Peace For my part I have spoken much of this from certain Experience The Evils of Divisions and Antichurches I have seen abroad The Ease and Comfort of Unity and Peace I enjoy at home O what a Mercy is it to me and the poor Flock that Christ hath committed to my Charge what a help to my Labours and to their Souls that we have not Minister against Minister nor Church against Ch 〈…〉 any separating Parties to ensnare men but that we Serve the Lord â—â—â— to â—â— Heart and Soul one Mind and Mouth If I can procure the eâ—â—â—â—t of this Mercy no further I will compassionate the Church and rejoyce in it at home Chap. II. THE Second part of my Task I shall briefly dispatch which is to shew what is incumbent on the Pastors of the Church for the prevention of such Separations or their increase Having spoken the most that I think necessary of this in the end of my Catholick Key Part 2. I shall refer the Reader thither for the Rules of the Churches Peace and the terms on which they must be put in execution I shall only here reassume these few particulars suitable to our case I. If we would prevent our Peoples Separations we must not make the door of the Church so narrow as to shut out the faithful though infirm If we keep them ouâ— we cannot for shame childe them for not coming in The principal thing that here we must avoid is large and particular Professions of Faith containing Controvertible Opinions and Points that many true Believers are unsatisfied in and also the imposing of unnecessary Ceremonies The Holy Ghost hath decided this difficulty to our hands and left it us as a standing Rule Rom. 14. 1. That we must receive even him that is weak in the Faith but not to doubtful Disputations And that we must be like minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus and therefore receive one another as Christ also received us to the Glory of God Rom. 15. 6 7. Men must be called to no Profession but of Points plainly contained in the Holy Scriptures and the ancient simplicity must recover us to the ancient Charity and Unity And though more knowledge be necessary to the Pastors than to all the Flock yet must the Scripture sufficiency be maintained and necessary things distinguished from unnecessary and those that are necessary to the being of the Ministry from those that are necessary but to the Better being and nothing should be imposed on Pastors themselves as necessary to the Communion of Churches but Points that indeed are necessary to such Communion and those if possible in Scripture phrase But because Hereticks will subscribe to Scripture and to ancient Creeds and simple Confessions of Faith therefore many have thought that other kind of Confessions must be made which they cannot subscribe to But by that course the mischief of Heresie is not so much avoided as the mischief of Divisions caused and all because the right way of obviating Heresies is mistaken and overlookt Heresie in the Mind is cured only by Doctrine and is not it that we have here to obviate but Heresie in the Mouth must be corrected by Discipline and it is not a better Rule or Law than Scripture for them to Subscribe that is the Remedy but a careful Execution of that Law against them 1. By casting them out of our Communion after a first and second admonition when they are proved guilty and 2. By the Magistrates restraining them according to
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
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
whereby they are carried as for the interest of the truth to make their Adversaries be thought to be ignorant erroneous or bad and so to make one another seem less amiable to the ruine of Love and the division and danger of the Churches And because Love and Unity are so frequently and vehemently pressed in the Scriptures and Divisions or Schism so much forbidden 16. All these are sinful Schismatical Separations but in very different degrees 1. When the interest of some Heresie or lesser Errour and the disclaiming of some truth doth cause men to separate 2. When they slander a true Ministry as no true Ministry and so separate 3. When they slander a true Church as no true Church 4. When they separate because they accuse true worship to be Idolatry or lawful worship to be unlawful 5. When they falsly accuse the Churches Faith Worship or Order to be defective and to want some necessary part As the Papists do by the Protestants who take up with the Scripture-Religion alone 6. When they accuse some tolerable failing in the Church to be intolerable and such as maketh their Communion unlawful 7. When they separate from the Church because of the Holiness and Strictness of its Doctrine and just Discipline which crosseth them in their Sin or because they hate the Purity of its Worship and Obedience 8. When they separate because that they have not a part in the Government of the Church themselves in receiving Members or censuring them or because they may not be Teachers of the Church or otherwise invade the Pastoral Office 9. When Pride or Coveteousness maketh them separate through personal distaste at the Pastors or any Members for want of respect or honour or gain or upon supposed injuries 10. When the Minor part separate because they have not their own will against the Major part in the choice of Ministers or in other Church-Affairs in which they have just cause to acquiesce 11. When they over-value their own Conceits and doubtful Opinions and their own indifferent Modes or words of Circumstances of Worship or Order so that they think it needful to separate to enjoy them 12. When they expect that the Pastors should Excommunicate or deny the Communion of the Church to such as they account unfit without any accusation and proof or true Church-justice And do separate from the Communion where such are received as unlawful for themselves 13. When they separate upon this false Supposition that their presence maketh them guilty as Consenters of all the Ministers Errours in the Doctrine or Method or words of his Preaching Praying or other Administrations 14. When they separate because the Church will not forbear the Singing of David's Psalms the Baptizing of Infants or some other such part or order of God's Worship 15. When they separate because they will not consent to the lawful Circumstances of Time Place Translation Metre Tunes Utensils or Methods which the Church doth use These all are unlawful Separations But the great aggravations are when they separate to set up Heretical Doctrine and Teachers or false Church-Orders and Worship corrupted in the Essentials or to promote ungodliness or to rail at others from whom they separate and to cherish Divisions to the injury of the common Christian Cause 17. These following are lawful Causes of Separation 1. When the Pastors are really no Ministers of Christ but uncapable or uncalled Usurpers or Hereticks or Infidels or open Enemies to Piety who do more harm than good and set themselves to destroy the Church of God and the ends of their Ministry 2. When the Church maketh not Profession of the Christian Faith or are not baptized or visible Christians 3. When the worship of the Church is Idolatry or such for the Substance as God will not accept nor it is not lawful to joyn in 4. When the Church renounceth or omitteth any Ordinance of God which the whole Church must ordinarily perform and which all things considered it is not lawful to omit 5. When after due admonition the Church is turned into a Theatre of Contention and a School of Malignity and reviling the Brethren and of destroying Christian Love to others or of promoting Schism to the intolerable wrong of the people and of others and of the Cause and Churches of Christ. 6. When after due Admonition and Patience the Church so far renounceth Discipline as openly to own and justifie such wickedness or heinous Sins as are inconsistent with the true Profession of Christianity and Godliness 18. And if the unsoundness badness or weakness of the Pastors and the faultiness of the Worship Order or Discipline be not so great as to make Communion with the Church sunply unlawful yet any free man whose Edification is greatly hindered by it and can elsewhere have far greater helps for his Salvation and joyn with a Church which walketh more conformably to the Christian Rule may lawfully remove himself to such a Ministry and Church when it is not to the greater hurt of others than his own good Especially such whose ignorance weakness and deadness maketh a lively and convincing Ministry more needful to their safety and welfare than it is to others For it is a Sin Caeteris paribus to prefer the worse before the better and a sin to neglect the best means for our Souls which we can lawfully enjoy And the Soul is more precious than to be hazarded or left in sin and darkness for an unnecessary Circumstance Nor is it any sinful Separation or Disorder for the Members of one Church to communicate occasionally with other Churches of Christ seeing our relation to the Universal Church is more strict and inviolable than to any particular Church as such Also in case of removal of our Habitations or change of our Family Relations or other the like Reasons it is lawful to remove from one Church to another without any unjust censuring of that which we remove from And if the first Church will not consent after due means for their satisfaction we may remove without their consent 19. He that is denied Communion with the Church unless he will speak or subscribe some falshood or take any false Oath or make any unlawful promise or commit any other sin is sinfully cast out or repulsed by the Imposer and is not guilty of Schism or sinful Separation by denying to commit such imposed sin And he that only removeth from the place of meeting with the Pastor and Church when they remove and doth not withdraw from the Church it self or that adhereth to his lawful Pastor and part of the Church when the rest of the Church adhere to an Usurper is not to be judged guilty of Schism for such avoiding of Schism 20. The principal care for the avoiding of Schism and for maintaining Unity and Love is incumbent on the Pastors of the Church whose first work must be to preserve this Love and Unity in their particular Churches to prevent withdrawing into separating Churches
To which end their first care must be to give no just cause by corrupting of Doctrine Worship or Discipline to any to withdraw and not to impose any unnecessary thing as necessary to Communion but to unite in things necessary and to give liberty in things unnecessary A means approved in all Ages by Peacemakers And to guide the Church by the paternal Government of Reason and Love and not by Tyranny to make themselves hateful And to be much in preaching Love and Concord that the people may know the sin and danger of Factions and Divisions and to avoid all Factiousness and Contentiousness themselves And their next care must be to labour after a laudable if they cannot reach an eminent degree of ability in teaching and exemplariness in a holy and charitable Life that they may win the esteem and love of the Flock and may give them no occasion to think that the necessity of their Souls requireth them to seek for better helps But if differing though tolerable Opinions do so possess any of the peoples minds that no means can satisfie them to continue in the same Assemblies and their presence will be more hurtful than their absence or if the Pastor or Church be so over-rigid as not to tolerate their dissent the next thing to be done is to permit them to Worship in other Assemblies though their withdrawing may not be justifiable and to take care that Love and Peace be maintained with them as with Neighbour Churches though perhaps weak and faulty which bringeth us up to the next Question Q. 3. What are the Terms on which Neighbour Churches may hold Communion with one another A. What these particular Churches in the question are is shewed before The Communion in question consisteth 1. In holding the same Faith 2. In the same Worship of God in the necessary parts 3. In the same profession of Obedience to God 4. In a professed estimation of each other as Brethren and as true Churches of Christ. 5. And in a professed Love to one another as such 6. And in such Communion and mutual Assistance as tend to the preservation of the Church Universal and the benefit of each other The Terms therefore and means must be these following 1. They must publickly profess the same Christian Religion in all the Essential parts which is no more but That we continue our consent to our Baptismal Covenant with God the Father Son and Holy Ghost renouncing the Devil the World and the Flesh Particularly professing to believe all the Articles of the Ancient Creed and to Desire all that is contained in the Lords Prayer and sincerely to endeavour to live towards God and Men according to the Ten Commandments Believing also the Sacred Canonical Scriptures to be true and taking them for the intire Rule of our Divine Belief and Worship and Obedience And we renounce so far as we can know them all Heresies Errors and Practices contrary hereto This is all the Profession that is to be required of any person in order to the Catholick Communion of Christians as such or of the Members of a particular Church besides their consent to their particular Church relation or of Neighbour Churches for their Communion with each other Except when any scandal obligeth us to clear our selves whether it be suspected Heresie or wickedness of Life by a just Purgation or Repentance And the requiring of larger unnecessary Professions hath been the grand Engine of Church Divisions through many Generations 2. Yet as there are Christians of divers degrees of knowledge and soundness in the same Church so there are Churches also as different And though we must own them all as Christian Churches which are such indeed yet must we not judge them equally sound or pure but must disown the gross corruptions of Doctrine Worship or Discipline which are proved to be in any of them and must specially honour those that are more faithful pure and entire 3. No one particular single Church must claim or usurp a Right of Dominion or Government over other Churches as given them by God seeing that all such true Churches are as Cities or Corporations in one Kingdom which are all governed by one King but are none of them rightful Rulers of the rest Nor must any Men of their own heads set up such Forms of Government as of Humane right in Conformity to the Secular Governments of the World and this as Spiritual in the Exercise of the Keys which Christ committed to his Ministers tho' one eminent Minister may instruct and admonish many others and have some care of many Churches contrary to or inconsistent with the Orders setled by Christ or his Apostles who were commissioned by him for the setling of all Universally necessarily Church Government and infallibly guided therein by the Holy Ghost Much less may the Unity and Peace of the Church be laid upon such invented policies as it is by the Papists who make their forged Head Pope or Council a constitutive essential part of the Catholick Church and seign all the Christian World to be Schismaticks who will not be his Subjects 4. But Love and Concord and Peace must be maintained among the equal parts of the Catholick Church Seeing it is the strength of the Churches and their Beauty and the Exercise and help of the Life and Holiness of all the parts Therefore such correspondencies must be maintained among them as tend to a right understanding of each other and to a just furtherance of these happy ends And as in particular Churches the determinations of useful circumstances according to Gods general Rules is no sinful addition to Gods Word or Ordinances so neither is it here to be so judged if Magistrates by Laws or Churches by consent do determine of useful undetermined circumstances for the ordering of these Correspondencies and preventing Contentions Factions and Divisions 5. The ordinary means of these correspondencies are Messengers and Synods or Councils and Letters Testimonial or Certificates If one Church be offended with another upon suspicion of Heresie or scandalous Practices they may by Messengers admonish them and these may by Messengers make their Purgation or Confession As also if they desire Advice or Help from one another but if in common and weighty cases there be need of more common and judicious consultations or significations of Consent and Concord Synods are the means thereto And if one Member Travel into other parts or remove his dwelling or be to be received by other Churches especially in Suspicious Times and Cases Communicatory Letters and Certificates are the means that Hereticks and Deceivers abuse not the Churches 6. Whether these Synods shall be held at certain stated times or variously as occasions vary And whether they shall have a President And whether he shall be mutable or fixed And of how many Churches they shall be composed And how oft they shall meet and how long they shall sit with such like are circumstances left to Humane Prudence
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
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
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
Error 3. They do not pretend to sorce themselves into our Parish Churches ordinarily against his will that is the allowed Teacher there 4. While they do in Name disclaim Ordaining them they actually Ordain them For they set them apart to the Office of the Ministry and it is Pastors that do it And this is the substance of Ordination Imposition of Hands is but the Investing Ceremony And if they say that A stated Preacher is no Officer that makes him not to be none And if they say that they Ordain him not when they Approve and Appoint him by an Instrument to that Office that makes it not to be no Ordaining no more than if they should Appoint Men to a Pastoral Charge in one of their own Churches and say It is no Office or Ordination 5. And when the peoples consent is afterward added the Man is more fully separated to the Work 6. But however as long as they allow us our liberty of Ordination and thrust none upon our Communion as Pastors that are no Pastors we have no pretence to make this a stop to our Communion Let us close together and pass this by and God will further inform us and dispel our darkness when we walk together in holy Love and Peace Chap. XI Difference IX THE Ninth seeming Difference is about our Parishes in England whether they are true Churches of Christ or not But here is little or no difference that is stood to whatever any particular persons may think it is not a difference between the parties For 1. It is not desired of them to grant that a Parish as a Parish that is the people yea the Christians inhabiting such a space of ground is a Church It 's possible they may be of many Churches or of none but the Universal 2. Nor is it desired that they take every Member of the Parish no nor every Hearer for a Member of the Church Men of several Churches or of no Church may live in the Parish and hear together 3. Nor are they desired to take any Parish for a true Political Church that hath not a true Pastor with a competent number of professed Christians joined together for personal Communion in Gods Worship But that our ordinary Parishes in England that have true Ministers are true Churches is so familiarly granted by the Congregational party that to recite their words seems needless And therefore they utterly disclaim separating from us as no true Churches 1. That our want of a Church Covenant nullifieth not these Churches I told you before they grant because our consent is our Covenant And our ordinary practice tolerably signifieth that consent Saith Mr Norton p. 21. Siuna externa fidei professione veritatis sanctitatis praxi eodem baptismate uniantur eundem publicum cultum uno in loco frequentent iisdem inspectoribus Ecclesiae subsint c. See the place where he acknowledgeth this a Church without an Explicit Covenant 2. And that the impiety of our Parishes or other incapacity of the Members is not such as to nullifie our Churches they confess Because a good Church may have some bad Members And where the greater number are bad the Pastor and the better smaller part may denominate the Church and it may be true though polluted What Doctrinal and Practical Corruptions were in the Churches of Corinth Galatia and divers of the Asian Churches Rev. 2. and 3. is so plain and hath been so often mentioned that it 's needless to recite the Texts Saith Mr. Norton 28 29. Immo tantum abest ut ob defectum foederis expliciti salva vel ungulae religione in rebus Iesu Christi ullas Congregationes ex Ecclesiarum albo expungamus ut Caetus multò graviora passos essentialibus Dei gratia adhuc in tuto positis tanquam non Ecclesias judicare salvâ conscientiâ nullos posse sanctè testemur Distinguendum inter Ecclesiam puram impuram impurissimam nullam Fundamentalia sive Essentialia sunt materia forma Ecclesiae particularis Materia sunt homines profitentes Doctrinam salutaris fidei Forma est mutuus consensus politicus ad incedendum in illa fide vel verbis vel factis modo aliquo visibiliter significatus Adeo ut non sufficit subitanea aliqua conjunctio sanctae communionis exercitium ad Ecclesiam constituendam nisi constantia illa accedat saltem quoad intentionem quae statum adfert Corporis Membrorum in spirituali quadam politia Qualem consensum nos foedus vocare jam toties diximus As this proveth our Parishes true Churches so that greater corruptions than the Vices of some even Fundamental Errors in the Church it self doth not presently destroy the Church is his Opinion and Parker's cited by him Ibid. saith he Neque tamen Ecclesiam errores fundamentales statim destruunt donec eis addatur contumacia in foro exteriori Ecclesia in fundamento aberrans tamdiu manet Ecclesia quamdiu non est pertinax Certainly here is as large a judgment of Charity as we can reasonably expect and so large as without some distinction will be liable to controversie We easily confess that most of our Churches need much Reformation and that all in our Parishes are not Church Members But yet I may well suppose that we are Agreed that those of them that have true Pastors are true Churches and that this is the case of our Parishes ordinarily or very many at least yea some such Dissenters think that they may be true Churches without Pastors so that here between the parties there is no disagreement whatever particular persons hold Many are more afraid lest a great many Parishes should be Made no true Churches in a Political sense by setting over them such as are no true Ministers than be proved none before they are made None But I see no danger of this while we have liberty of Election and Ordination Chap. XII Difference X. THE Tenth Controversie is about 1. Taking Members out of other Churches 2. And separating from the Parish Churches by gathering out of them a select number to be a distinct Church And here there is a Practical Difference to our woe But in order to Reconcilement I should hope that I might suppose our Agreement in all the other points of Difference to be sufficient and that being satisfied in those the Brethren that have been for withdrawing from our Churches will be satisfied to join with us for their Reformation and not do as they have some of them done For we have therefore come as near them as we can in the rest that they might have no just occasion to depart from us And if that yet they will depart when the offence is removed then it would be as if they should say We are against Concord and Unity as such And our judgment for Division as such that is for Dividing without cause When we have answered all that our Brethren alledge for their withdrawing we may expect that
they should return to an Orderly Communion This Controversie is de fine and seeing we grant them much in the rest for this therefore we cannot grant them this If in War we grant all that is desired for Peace it is supposed that we will not grant the continuance of the War nor in reason must that be one of the demands I speak all this but of unjust Separations For there is a Separation which we are all agreed to be lawful as far as I know as 1. We all agree that where Christians live in the midst of Infidels they must come out from among them by Faith and Repentance and be separated by the Baptismal Engagement first and the Communion of Saints after and not touch the unclean thing The Church must be separated from the World or it is no Church 2. We are agreed that when a true Church Visibly ceaseth to be a true Church by loss of its Essentials statedly it is our Duty to judge it to be no true Church that is but to judge it as it is and forsake it accordingly 3. When we cannot hold local Communion with a true Church without committing some sin which they would force upon us and which we may escape by leaving them we ought to withdraw from the local Communion of that Church for we must not wilfully sin nor do evil that good may come by it Yet so as that still we must hold Internal and also External distant Communion by owning them as a true Church and corresponding with them as a Neighbour Church 4. If a true Church in the corruption of the Materials become uncapable of its Ends and we have with sufficient patience tryed the means of its Reformation without success it is ordinarily unless some greater matter hinder accidentally our Duty to forsake it Yea and to esteem it no more a true Church if it be the Principal Ends that it 's become uncapable of As if the Body were fallen into an Opinion against Communion and Publick Worship and yet should think they might hold their Relations This were a contradiction If they would in Publick worship God with a Worship false in the Essentials and which is no Church-worship but Impiety or Deceit And though I will not now determine how far Discipline is necessary to a Church more than to say that the Power is Essential to the Pastors Office yet I may boldly conclude that in point of Duty if a Church be so corrupted by Heresie or Impiety that Discipline cannot be exercised in it because the greater part do own the Heresie or Sin or the Sinners in their Sin and this be not in one or a few Acts but they are against the course of Discipline in the main and Vote for Wickedness or against Piety or the publick Censures of the Church or refuse to execute them and if after sufficient patience I cannot reform them I shall take it to be my Duty to take with me the better part of the Church and forsake the rest as to local Communion and perhaps first to cast them out from us as to their Relation though we are the lesser part Unless in some cases where Publick Good requireth a delay and suspendeth my Duty for the time 5. If a Pastor be despised by the Church and refused or if they desire his stay and yet wilfully disobey him and his Labours are unprofitable among them that are like to be profitable elsewhere we doubt not but he may remove as being rejected and forsaken first by them 6. If a Pastor and some choice Members with him have a Call to a far more Eminent Service of God conducing much more to the publick Good we doubt not but they may remove though the rest dissent God is the Master of his Ministers and people more than Men are 7. If the Necessities of a Mans Family Ministers or people require him to remove his Habitation I doubt not but he may remove though the Church dissent unless in some Cases where by accident his removal may more dishonour God or hinder publick Good than his Estate or the preservation of his Family can countervail The Church hath not power to tye Men to Ruine their Families nor to continue with them during Life nor during their pleasure Nor is it implied in the consent of Membership which is to be no more but that I will hold Communion with this Church as a Member while I here Cohabit or I have no call from God to remove It is so in Civil Corporations Cohabitation is an antecedent part of our Aptitude for Church Communion and many just Causes may deprive us of that Aptitude and make the persons to be materia indisposita incapax and so destroy his Relation of it self 8. If persons that have a weak Pastor or a corrupt Society can to the great advantage of their Souls remove they may do it whether the Church will consent or not in case their removal do not accidentally do more hurt against the honour of God and the publick Good than their profit can countervail And still supposing that the Churches consent be first orderly sought 9. The same I say of them that have Pastors that will not exercise any competent Discipline though with sufficient patience importuned thereunto In one word in no case is a Man bound to stay with any Church to the certain prejudice or danger of his Soul or the Souls of his Family unless in the foresaid case if such a case there be when the publick Good and the Cause of God will receive more detriment by our removal than our benefit will countervail 10. Lastly If we be unjustly cast out of any Church and persecuted by them and have no just redress at home no doubt but we may joyn with another Church As if a Pastor that is for Rebaptizing would take none but who will be Rebaptized or having taken some in will cast them out Or if a Pastor be set over us of an uncharitable Spirit that will take in none for Godly but those of his Opinion or some few of a higher Form and denieth Communion to all the rest in this case it is he that doth the wrong and they are necessitated to join with another Church that will receive them and another Church may justly receive them if first they cannot prevail for their reception at home All this we grant for a removal from a Church without the guilt of Schism or sinful Separation But on the other side we must needs desire 1. That Men will not rashly and self-conceitedly judge any of these Cases to be where they are not And therefore that they will take the advice of the next unanimous peaceable faithful Pastors And for this saith Mr. Norton p. 167. But when this or that Congregation is to be taken for No Church let the judgment be in the hands of a Council or in an Ordinate state of the Churches 2. We desire that whole Churches may not be taken
Young Men exalt themselves over the Faith of their Ancients 9. Some are sent to their Graves frustrate of their hopes we being in a way to admit no more in many years than were admitted by the Apostles in one day 10. To grieve such as ought to be comforted to defame such as deserve honour to judge one another for infirmities is unjust Rom. 14. The Apostle thought it just to think well of all Phil. 1. 17 c. The Apostles were diligent and faithful in directing and exhorting and rebuking And why are they then so silent in point of admission Yea when the Churches were corrupted and pestered with corrupt Members such as made their Bellies their Gods Phil. 3. Jude 4. 1 Cor. 15. and 13. Surely admission hath never been deemed in the Churches so momentous as with us And yet we commit it to the dissident and multiformons fancies of Members without a Rule The Apostles were never acquainted with those Questions How when where and whereby and by whom Conversion was wrought The Church is a tender Mother Cant. 7. and speedily embraceth her Infant by admission into her Arms and layeth it to her Breasts of consolations Experience telleth us that a Man will not easily make Protestations before God and subject himself to Discipline unless it be resolved with him If it be resolved he shall be saved Happy is he that is resolved to slee from the wrath to come to the Ark to Zâ—ar to the Cities of Refuge And open we the Gate readily without many expostulations to rescue him from the avenger of Blood Yea the way is to be made easie to encourage him to come We must not have such a Rule of admission as may in an ordinary way disinherit Saints of their Right and Priviledges in the Kingdom of God So far Mr. Noyes 3. We crave and expect our Brethrens consent that we may not have the Gospel hindered through the Land by unnecessary sinful private Antichurches That every Town or City where are Men professing Godliness may not be as a pitcht Field and holy Exercises turned into Contendings nor Christian Assemblies turned into Schools of War or scolding places Let us not be many Masters lest we receive the greater condemnation The wisdom from above is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated c. where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work This wisdom descendeth not from above but is earthly sensual devilish Iam. 3. Let us agree then to do what lyeth in our power that the Churches may be reduced to the Primitive patterns that met all in One place and there were of one Heart and Soul Where find you in all the Scriptures that there were two distinct Churches especially distinguished or divided by differences in one City and that when for the number they might have joyned in one Where find you that the worst Church had any good men that separated from it into a distinct Church in that place Is Scripture our common Rule I beseech you then be able well to resolve these Questions before you venture in your practice to contradict the word If we drive you from our Churches causelessly the Shame be on us But if you causelessly depart into Antichurches the blame shall lye on you Do not stagger and confound our poor People by shewing them in each Town Minister against Minister and Church against Church and entice not young Novices into an opinionative Religiousness and draw not the Nation from the Power of Godliness and Practice of Charity into doting about Questions 4. For order sake let Parishes be the ordinary bounds of Churches not so as if all in the Parish are therefore of the Church but so as that ordinarily we take none out of others Parishes Let us not do it without just cause nor do it when it will tend more to publick hurt than any persons good can compensate If you could prove Parishes no Churches yet they that Preach to them for their Conversion caeteris paribus are fittest to be their Guides when they are converted Tell us if you can wherever you found one instance in Scripture or the Primitive times of one Soul that forsook the Church that was Congregated in the City of his Habitation and was a Member of any other Church in a place where he dwelt not Except the Hereticks that Iude saith did separate themselves being sensual having not the spirit whose manner it was to forsake the Assemblies Heb. 10. 25. Cohabitation is requisite to the Ends of Churches even the exercise of Communion and the offices of Members one towards another How can we watch over men that live out of our reach How know we what their conversation is But especially when a Parish hath a faithful Minister that undertaketh to prove the Members that you receive to be part of his Pastoral Charge or Church it will no more warrant any man irregularly to receive them because he affirms that it is no Church or they no Members than such an Affirmation concerning your own Churches or Members will warrant others to receive your Members 5. And that justice may be exercised and order observed let no Member remove till he have sought the Consent of the Church where he is or heard them give their Reasons against it And let none be received from another Church or Parish but either upon Communicatory Letters or Certificates or else after a just discussion of the Cause with the Church or Teachers from whom they do withdraw 6. And as it is agreeable to our several Principles and the great thing that is now desired that we may all correspond in Brotherly Associations and have Synods at fit Seasons for the Communion of the Churches that are link'd together let us there be Responsible not as to our Governours but as to Associated Brethren and Churches for our Actions that are of Publick offence or of which we shall be there accused and in particular for this of taking Members out of other Churches that the Cause may have an equal hearing 7. Or if any of you shall refuse to meet in constant Synods yet do this much at least Let your Churches and ours be so far Consociate as to Own each other for true Churches though we take the Liberty to disown any notable Distemper that we may see each other guilty of and let Communicatory Letters be necessary for any that be received from one Church to another unless in special cases And deny not to appear at least on such an extraordinary occasion at a Synod to satisfie the Churches when you are accused 8. And let us agree on such Rules for the peaceable management of our remaining Differences as are necessary to the Security of the common Truths and the common cause of Christianity and Piety which we own that we hinder not God's Work and harden not the Ungodly and weaken not each others hands and prove not at last the unwise Destroyers of the Church
and Betrayers of the Gospel and our Liberties to the Enemies by our obstinate Divisions and Contentions If the worst be supposed of a resolved distance which we dare not be so uncharitable as to suppose we may yet expect an Agreement to such terms as are here after offered to the Anabaptists If yet it be insisted on by any that by holding Communion with us in Synods and being there responsible for offences you shall be proceeded against to a Non-Communion I further answer 1. Will you choose a Non-Communion to escape it yea to escape a possibility of it And shall it be by your own act and guilt lest it should be by other mens 2. Again I tell you they can declare their avoiding your Communion whether you Associate or not And will have the more occasion when you wilfully divide and refuse to be responsible than when you live among them as Brethren in Charitable Correspondencies and Communion and walk in order And there will be far more probability that things will be carried on against you in their Synods in your absence than in your presence when you speak for your selves 3. They will allow you in any of the ten fore-allowed Cases to take Members out of other Parishes and Churches and also out of all those Parishes that have no tolerable Pastors or where the People have any warrantable cause to depart yea in case the person will but remove his Habitation they will not contend though he do it causelesly And surely the Publick Order and Peace of the Churches is of greater moment than the Riches and worldly Accommodations of a particular man and therefore in most cases reason it self will tell us that it is fitter such incur some incommodity by removing their Habitations than that the Church incurr dammage by their breaking Order and crossing all the Scripture Presidents where men were ever Members of the Church that was in the Places where they lived or next to them and there none but Hereticks had Antichurches or separated Assemblies Moreover if you do disorderly receive any Members out of other Churches the Brethren associated may by Evidence of Reason satisfie and reduce you If they do not so they will understand on what account you do it and so if it be but on some tolerable Mistake or Infirmity they will be satisfied in the disowning your Sin without disowning your Communion But if it be on an intolerable ground and such as signifieth you to be uncapable of their Communion as if you â—hould cherish Heresie or Ungodliness and cast out men for sound Belief and Piety they can but in the extremity declare you uncapable of their Communion and warn your People to take heed of you and so they can do whether you associate or not So that I may conclude 1. That difference in Practice will necessitate a Toleration of Postors taking Members in certain cases out of other Parishes 2. But differences in any Principles between the several Parties will occasion none if we could exactly practise our own Principles 1. That difference in Practice will is evident 1. Because it is impossible that all men of the same Parties should have the same degrees of Prudence Moderation Charity Zeal c. which will make some to exclude abundance of persons that others of the same Party will admit 2. Because if the Pastor should be moderate he cannot promise that his Congregation will be so And if they too rigorously refuse any Members he is not able alone to retain them 3. And if abundance of tolerable Christians be refused there is no reason that for the rigour of others they should wholly be deprived of the Communion of the Church and the Ordinances of God I easily foresee that whoever was first guilty of it it is the more Charitable Churches that will be put most upon the receiving of Members out of other Parishes For the uncharitable will take perhaps an Hundred and leave out and reject two Hundred of their Parishioners that should be accepted And then the next adjoyning Church cannot conscionably refuse their Entertainment But let us have these three Points at least agreed on 1. That the Neighbour Pastors and Churches may be consulted with and heard before such rejections be made or at least afterward upon the Complaint of the rejected 2. That those that are refused in one Parish joyn with the Publick Church in the next and that without necessity they do not either draw into private Churches nor yet joyn themselves to publick Churches so distant as are uncapable of holding such Communion with them as Church-ends require 3. And that the Neighbour Pastors do not promiscuously receive all that are rejected by the Publick Pastor at home but only such as upon just tryal are found fit Q. But what shall the people of the Parish do that are put upon such straits as to joyn with another Parish far off because they have a Minister at home that refuseth them as possibly an Anabaptist that requireth them to be rebaptized or an uncharitable rejecter of all except such as have voluble Tongues c. Answ. 1. He that is chosen to be the Pastor is chosen to the Pastoral work and therefore is trusted with the oversight and government of the Church which must not be taken out of the Pastors hands because of the Miscarriages of some 2. But this must be prevented in the choice Patrons must choose none but Prudent Pious men that will not intolerably wrong the Church And the Approvers must let no others in But if Patrons or People choose such men and the Approvers let them in there 's no Remedy but shift for your selves unless you can get them out again 3. If therefore they be so grosly injurious procure the Magistrates to punish such for maleadministration For to them it doth belong Though it should be a very gross and proved abuse that must warrant them to punish the Pastors Let the Cause be heard and the Commissioners have Power to remove them if after warning they are uncurable 4. And if the Magistrates will not do so but keep them in all that the Neighbour Churches can do is to hear the Case and if it be gross and intolerable to disclaim Communion with them and receive such Christians as the uncharitable do reject This is all that can be done But the best way is to be careful in the Choice For it is an intolerable course that some are harping on that Pastors should not be trusted with Church Guidance and Administrations that is to do the work of Pastors any further than Magistrates make them Rules because they may possibly be too imprudent or injurious to the People Surely as long as the Patrons or People choose and the Magistrate Guards the Door and also may punish or reject maleadministrators as the Cause requireth there needs no more 2. And that difference in Principles between the Parties as thus principled cannot be here a cause to break us I
shall further evince when I have given you the Concessions of the Independent Brethren which I shall do in Mr. Norton's words Englished Pag. 156 157 c. Cap. 16. A Believer may lawfully adjoyn himself into the Communion of that Church in which he cannot enjoy all God's Ordinances or in which some Corruption is tolerated in God's Publick Worship without due Reformation or when such are admitted to the participation of Sacraments that give no evident signs or works of Repentance and Faith but in many things hold forth the love of the World and if he joyn himself to such a Church he is not therefore involved in guilt and defiled with the impurities of others nor must he therefore depart that is separate from such a Church Schism is an unlawful Separation from the Communion of the Church it 's always a great Sin This he proveth Pag. 158 c. 1. In case of inculpable want of Ordinances 2. Of culpable want by Negligence 3. Of culpable want by refusal of God's Ordinances saith he In the Iewish Church God's Ordinances could not be enjoyed for the Priests and Elders rejected not only John but the Doctrine and Baptism of John and yet it was then lawful for men to joyn themselves to them Matth. 21. 25. The Scribes rejected John's Baptism Mark 11. 27. 31. and yet the Scribes sitting in Moses Chair are to be heard Mat. 23. 2 3. the hearing of whom such as is meant in that place importeth a Conjunction to the Iewish Church By comparing a Church that tolerateth the rejection of an Article of Faith with a Church rejecting an Ordinance of God A temporary rejection of an Article of Faith tolerated in a Church is a greater evil than the rejection of some Ordinance In the Church of Corinth many denyed and derided the Resurrection of the Dead and this Corruption is tolerated in the Church and yet in the Reformation of that Church the Apostle doth neither presently forbid Union with the Church nor Command Separation from the Church In the Churches of Galatia the rejection of the Doctrine of Iustification by Faith was tolerated at least there being such as judged that beside Faith Moral and Ceremonial Works were necessary to Salvation which other Doctrine he calls another Gospel Gal. 1. 6. But this was a greater evil than not to have granted the Enjoyment of some Ordinance and yet they did not therefore cease to be Churches And therefore it was yet lawful to be a Member in a Galatian much more in the Corinthian Church and consequently they were not bound under the guilt of Sin to present Separation but might with a good Conscience in their Station yet expect a Reformation And why might not a man in the same hope with a safe Conscience adjoyn himself either to the Galatian Churches or that at Corinth even in that time of their Defection especially if an opportunity of Communion with other Churches were shut up 2. We say that a Believer may lawfully adjoyn himself into the Communion of that Church in which some Corruption in God's Publick Worship is tolerated without due Reformation The Children of Israel going a Whoring Judg. 8. 27. after the Ephod set up by Gideon was a tolerated Corruption of worship The custom of Sacrificing in the high Places from the days of Solomon till the times of Hezekiah was a tolerated Corruption in Publick Worship The same is to be iudged of the Translation of the Passover to the following next Sabbath lest they should feast on two days together Which Translation appeareth in the Paschal Observation by Christ different from the Iews Observation The wrong Ministry of the Scribes and Pharisees sitting in Moses Chair was such a corruption for the Chair of Moses that is the office of publick teaching Moses Law and the Books of the Prophets in the Church was by God's institution ordinarily proper to the Priests and Levites yet Christ commandeth to hear them but not to separate from them To this may be added the observation of Circumcision and the Ceremonial Law after Christ's resurrection and with an opinion of necessity to Salvation Gal. 4. 21. 10. 5. 2. But all these were corruptions in God's publick Worship tolerated without due Reformation And who in those times did judge either the Churches Union to be Not-lawful or Non-separation to be unlawful To one bears witness the Pious Practice of so many Proselites coming to the Church and of the Church receiving them to the other the very state of the Godly remaining in the Church By comparing the Corruption in an Article of Faith with Corruption in Publick Worship c. Here he repeateth the Argument forecited adding P. 161. It is the Duty of every Believer to adjoyn himself to some Church By adjoyning our selves to the Church we adjoyn not our selves to the impurities of the Church A believer joyning himself to a Church not pure specially when he cannot enjoy a purer sinneth not The sin of the Church exempteth not a Believer from Duty which may be performed without sin or grievous incommodity As some corruption of the Communicants must not drive away from the Supper a Believer prepared worthily to Eat So neither must some corruption in the Church drive away the faithful from Union with that Church 3. Believers may joyn themselves lawfully into the Communion of that Church in which such are admitted to partake of the Sacraments that hold forth no evident Signs or Works of Repentance and Faith but shew in many things the love of the World 1. Whatever others do it is the Duty of every Member at Age to examine themselves and so to eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. 2. The Sin of one cannot deprive another Brother that communicateth not in his Sin of his Benefit much less absolve him from his Duty 3. If trying our selves and coming worthily as much as in us lyeth we do in our Places endeavour by lawful means that the old leaven may be purged out and we may be a new lump the Communion is not defiled by other mens coming unworthily though our comfort be diminished The Church of Corinth was not pure in Worship Women spake that is taught in the Church It was corrupt in Doctrine many denied the Resurrection of the Dead Most corrupt in Manners when besides Fornication Sects and many other Vices some also shewed the love of the World whence strifes before Heathen Iudges about corporal things Yet the Apostle commands not the prepared to abstain from the Supper but he correcteth the abuses about the Supper commanding every man to examine himself and so to eat So he proceeds to other Proofs from the Church at Jerusalem where holy things were administred by Priests that were stark naught and very many arrant Knaves were present and yet Christ and his Apostles go into the same Temple for the Publick exercises of Religion they use the same Worship with the rest of the people neither the desperate
ungodliness of the Pharisees nor the dissolute licentiousness of the rest of the peoples lives could drive them from Communion with the rest of the people in holy things And why Because the Lord and the Apostles well knew that the Consciences of the Godly are not defiled with the Society of the wicked if with a pure Conscience they Communicate in the same holy things Next he proveth the 4th Branch that he that joyneth to such a Church doth not therefore Sin nor is defiled with other mens Impurities p. 163 164. Then p. 164 165. he prâ—… the 5th Branch that a Believer that hath joyned himself to such a Church must not therefore depart that iâ—s separate from such a Church and that under this danger of guilt but it is too long to recite all It is not men of such Principleâ— and Practices as these that we account Separatists What do Presbyterians say more than this eminent Independent Brother in a Writing purposely written in Latin by the perswasion of others in New England to Vindicate their Churches against Apollonius and commended to us by Mr. T. Goodwin Mr. P. Nye and Mr. S. Simpson Yet lest any think him too loose I will add his last leaf of Rules How in a less pure Church Communion must be continued with a safe Conscience Answ. 1. We must still aim and endeavour according to our Places that the Church may be purifieâ—â— according to Christ's Mind Not without seasonable and due warning the Church of its Defects The Defects are to be lamented with holy sighs and sorrows In no way approving but prudently and patiently tolerating Defects in that Church which we câ—n neither cure nor depart from without a greater Evil. When singular Evils cannot be cured without a greater publick Evil that must be born which cannot be amended In the Churches Reformation this Doctrine must be observed Paraeus in Matth. 13. that those that press for too much exactness or strictness do more hurt the Church than profit it The Spirit of our Lord Iesus Christ is a Spirit of Truth Peace and Communion so loving Peace that he commandeth Communion with a true Church though impure and so loving Truth that he forbiddeth impurity in every Church We reject the Separatists that distinguish not between a Church and the Impurities of a Church Schism is a grievous Crime We reject the Formalists not sufficiently distinguishing a Church from no Church not separating the pretious from the vile what is this but Confusion Confusion and Schism are the Scylla and Charybdis Peace and Truth are the Jachin and Boaz of the Christian Cause the obtaining of which must be endeavoured under him and implored and expected from him who is Peace Way and Truth alone able among so many and alas too hot Contentions and differing opinions of the Learned and Godly to reach us the mete-wand and direct his Servants into Concord and into the perfect measure of the Temple Altar and Worshippers Preserving us Men Brethren searching after truth in Love both from the left hand of Confusion and the right hand of Separation So far Mr. Norton and so ends his Book And thus I have shewed the Nearness of both Parties and easiness of Reconciliation as to their Principles and that there is nothing among them owned by either Party that should hinder a loving Consociation Correspondency and Communion of the Churches for their mutual strengthening and the healing of the Mischiefs that Divisions Emulations and Contentions have long caused among us Nothing remains then to be feared but lest mens Minds are further distant than their Principles and that Charity doth not effectually dispose them to Agree in Communion as far as their professed Principles will permit them But though Experience make this undeniable yet their Piety and their Professions do put us in hope that there are such Habitual Principles of Charity as better Encouragements and Opportunities will undoubtedly revive to our Reconciliation The Congregational men profess their desire of Reconciliation Read but Mr. Cotton's Preface to Mr. Norton and Mr. Norton's Epistle to Apollonius But especially the Practice of such moderate men as Mr. Firmin and divers that of late hence Associated with the Presbyterians doth give us a more certain Demonstration of their readiness for Peace And if many are otherwise minded it should be no prejudice to the peaceable And for the Presbyterians readiness to the Works of Peace besides the many motions that they have made and the joyning of some in Associations with their Brethren I shall now add but the affectionate Profession which they make of their desire of Reconcilement both with the Congregational and Moderate Episcopal Party in the Epistle to their Ius Divinum Minist 1. Concerning them of the Congregational way they say That this disagreement shall not hinder us from any Christian accord with them in affection That we can willingly write upon our Study Doors that Motto which Mr. Jeremiah Burroughes who a little before his Death did ambitiously endeavour after Union amongst Brethren as some of us can testifie perswades all Scholars unto Opinionum varietas opinantium Unitas non sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that we shall be willing to entertain any sincere motion as we have also formerly declared in cur Printed Vindication that shall further a happy accommodation between us Then speaking of the Godly moderate Episcopal men they add Though herein we differ from them yet we are far from thinking that this Difference should hinder a happy Union between them and us Nay we crave leave to profess to the World that it will never as we humbly conceive be well with England till there be an Union endeavoured and effected between all those that are Orthodox in Doctrine though differing among themselves in some Circumstances about Church Government And the Lord hath strangely made way for this long desired Union by the bitter woful and unutterable fruits of our Divisions which have almost destroyed not only the Ministry but even the very heart and life of Religion and Godliness Read there the rest You see then that we are all resolv'd for Peace and Concord and devoted to it and intent upon it And you see how small a matter will do it yea that it is done already except the actual execution of our Doctrinal Agreements What then is wanting but that we be up and doing and practice as we profess and that Magistrates and especially the Protector and Parliament now Assembled that have so fair an opportunity and from whom it is commonly expected do call them to the work and help to remove the hinderances and further them by the Countenance and Assistance of their Authority The Sum of our Agreement reduced to Practice 1. WE are Agreed that Adult Church Members must be such as make A Credible Profession of Faith and Repentance and so of Holy Resolved Obedience Or such as personally own and accept the Covenant of Grace and give up themselves to
But if practically any of us shall either slander any particular Church to be No Church or shall use it as no Church the case must be heard and judged of in our Churches and Associations 10. We are Agreed that no Member should forsake a Church and be received into another without sufficient Reason to be given to the Church that he forsaketh if they require it And that much less should any part of a Church make an unnecessary Separation from the rest and become a distinct Church by themselves And we are Agreed that private Antichurches I mean separated Assemblies set up against the publick Assemblies and as Rivals drawing persons to themselves and keeping up Faction and Contention in the place should be carefully avoided by us all unless there were a certain Necessity of such Separations We are Agreed also that no publick Pastors or Churches should refuse the Communion of any of their Neighbours that are Credible Professors of Faith and Repentance and Holiness of Life much less should they cast off the greatest part of their Parishes that are such And yet we are Agreed that there are several cases in which Persons may withdraw from Churches or for those of one Parish to join with a Church in another Parish though the bounds of our Habitations are usually meet to be observed for the bounding of our Churches not that all in the Parish be therefore of the Church but that ordinarily none be of the Church that is not in the Parish Let us therefore put only the necessary Generals into the Form of our Agreement and leave the particular cases of any that shall be accused of any violalation thereof to be heard at the Synods of the Associations Where if the Accused will appear they may have a Brotherly hearing if not the case may be judged according to the Evidence that shall be given in and the Associated Brethren proceed accordingly in admonishing the Offenders and holding or not holding Communion with them and declaring this The yet Briefer Sum of our Agreement is 1. To avoid Unnecessary Separations and Contentions 2. To hold an Ordinary course in Synods for the Communion of Churches and strengthning each other for the work of God For the attainment of these we must yield as far as Lawfully we may in lesser things But to deny us these viz. Union and Communion and Peace is to-deny us our end and all Yet Note that it is not our Intention to impose upon all others all points that these two parties are agreed in nor to put all their Agreements into our Form of Concord as if we regarded Agreement with no others For instance both parties are Agreed of the Divine Institution of meer Ruling Elders But so are not all others that are fit for their Communion And therefore let that point be left out to the liberty of each Church So both parties are Agreed that the Moderators or Presidents of the Associated Synods should rather in point of convenience at least be temporary than stated and that they should have no Negative Voice in Ordination But others that are fit for our Communion think otherwise And therefore let this be left out of the Form of Concord to our Brethrens Liberty If they will hold Communion in the Associations that have but temporary Presidents let them be received And if those that own not stated Presidents or at least such as Exercise a Negative Voice in Ordination will yet hold Communion in Synods with a signification of their dissent in that point with them that are of a contrary mind they are to be received and will be by such as more regard the honour of God and the Churches peace and the Interest of Christian Charity Piety and common Truths than their own conceits and carnal Interests I shall therefore next adjoin the Necessary Terms of an Universal Concord between all the Faithful Pastors and Churches of Christ in these Nations which yet need not be subscribed but taken as presupposed there being in the following Form of Concord for the General Peace and Communion of the Churches enough for Subscription or Express Consent Church Concord ABOUT Government and Order The Second Part. The Just Terms of Agreement between all Sober Serious Christians by what Names soever now distinguished In point 1. Of Catholick Communion 2. Of particular Church Communion 3. Of the Communion of Neighbour Churches 4. And of Churches of several Kingdoms 5. And of their Duty as good Subjects to their Prince Humbly offered to all the Christian Churches as the true and sufficient remedy of their Divisions if not rejected or neglected And as a standing Witness before God and Man against Dividing Zeal and Church Tyranny By RICHARD BAXTER a Servant of the God of Love and Peace We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please our selves Let every one of us please his Neighbour for his good to edification That ye may with One Mind and One Mouth glorifie God Wherefore receive ye one another as Christ also received us to the Glory of God Rom. 15. 1 2 6 7. Be of One Mind Live in Peace and the God of Love and Peace shall be with you 2 Cor. 13. 11. LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers Chapel 1691. To the READER Countreymen MY Saviour having made me Believe that every Kingdom divided against it self is brought to desolation Mat. 12. 25. I shall the less regard the Ministers of Satan who will say that such attempts to unite the true Subjects of Christ and the King is a dangerous Plot to strengthen Rebels against the King by their Union If such Fiends should do their will upon me as Faith is but a means to the final perfective Grace of Love so I shall as much rejoice to be a Sacrifice or Martyr for Christian Love as for the Christian Faith And if Peacemakers shall be called the Children of God by those that are his Children at least I am contented with that blessedness Mat. 5. 9. and envy not their kind of Honour or Prosperity If this attempt shall speed no better than many which I have formerly made have done as to any publick Reconciliation I shall not yet think it vain while the private minds of many Christians are formed into more peaceable Apprehensions and Dispositions But if it should succeed for any publick or common healing how great would be my Ioy While the Conciliatory Writings and Precious Names of Usher Hall Davenant Dury Bergius Burroughs c. are so sweet to me Let Envy gnash the Teâ—th and dividing Malice do its worst I hope in this delightful work to live and die One thing I must warn the Reader of that I have omitted Scripture proofs of my Assertions because they are self-evident or past Controversie and because that the proofs which are fetcht from two or three Texts compared will not be understood by the usual sleighty Readings of