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
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
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
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
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
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
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