since the Reformation to be as sound and healthful a part of the Catholick Church as any in the world For we know no Place nor Nation where the Gospel for so long a season hath been preached with more Diligence Power and Evidence for Conviction nor where it hath obtained a greater Success or Acceptation Those therefore who perish amongst us do not do so for want of Truth and a right belief or Miscarriages in Sacred worship but for their own Personal Infidelity and Disobedience For according to the Rules before laid down we do not judge that there are any such Errors publickly admitted among them nor any such Miscarriages in Sacred Administration as should directly or absolutely hinder their eternal Salvation That they be not any of them through the Ignorance or Negligence of those who take upon them the conduct of their Souls encouraged in a State or way of Sin or deprived of due Advantages to farther their spiritual Good or are lead into Practices in Religion neither acceptable unto God nor tending to their own Edification whereby they may be betrayed into Eternal Ruine is greatly incumbent on themselves to consider Unto this Catholick Church we owe all Christian Love and are obliged to exercise all the Effects of it both towards the whole and every Particular Member as we have Advantage and Occasion And not only so but it is our Duty to live in constant Communion with it This we can no otherwise do but by a Profession of that Faith whereby it becomes the Church of Christ in the notion under Consideration For any failure herein we are not that we know of charged by any Persons of Modesty or Sobriety The Reflections that have been made of late by some on the Doctrines we teach or own do fall as severely on the Generality of the Church of England at least until within a few years last past as they do on us And we shall not need to owne any especial Concernment in them until they are publickly discountenanced by others Such are the Doctrines concerning Gods Eternal Decrees Justification by Faith the Loss of Original Grace and the Corruption of Nature the Nature of Regeneration the Power and Efficacy of Grace in the Conversion of Sinners that we say not of the Trinity and satisfaction of Christ. But we do not think that the Doctrines publickly taught and owned among us ever since the Reformation will receive any great dammage by the impotent assaults of some few especially considering their mannagement of those assaults by tales railing and ralliery to the lasting reproach of the Religion which themselves profess be it what it will Thirdly The Church of Christ or the visible Professors of the Gospel in the world may be considered as they are disposed of by Providence or their own choyce in Particular Churches These at present are of many sorts or are esteemed so to be For whereas the Lord Christ hath instituted sundry solemn Ordinances of Divine Worship to be observed joyntly by his Disciples unto his honour and their edification this could not be done but in such Societies Communities or Assemblies of them to that purpose And as none of them can be duly performed but in and by such Societies so some of them do either express the Union Love and common Hope that is among them or do consist in the means of their preservation Of this latter sort are all the wayes whereby the Power of Christ is acted in the Discipline of the Churches Wherefore we believe that our Lord Jesus Christ as the King Ruler and Lawgiver of his Church hath ordained that all his Disciples all persons belonging unto his Church in the former notions of it should be gathered into distinct Societies and become as Flocks of Sheep in several Folds under the eye of their Great Shepherd and the respective Conducts of those employed under him And this conjunction of Professors in and unto particular Churches for the celebration of the Ordinances of sacred Worship appointed by Christ and the participation of his Institutions for their edification is not a matter of accident or meerly under the disposal of common Providence but is to be an act in them of choice and voluntary obedience unto the commands of Christ. By some this Duty is more expresly attended unto than by others and by some it is totally neglected For neither antecedently nor consequentially unto such their Conjunction do they consider what is their duty unto the Lord Christ therein nor what is most meet for their own edification They go in these things with others according to the custome of the Times and Places wherein they live confounding their Civil and spiritual Relations And these we cannot but judge to walk irregularly through ignorance mistakes or prejudices Neither will they in their least secular concernments behave themselves with so much regardlesness ot negligence For however their Lot previously unto their own choyce may be cast into any place or Society they will make an after-judgment whether it be to their advantage according to the Rules of prudence and by that judgment either abide in their first station or otherwise dispose of themselves But a Liberty of this nature regulated by the Gospel to be exercised in and about the great concernments of mens souls is by many denyed and by most neglected Hence it is come to pass that the Societies of Christians are for the most part meer effects of their Political Distributions by Civil Lawes aiming principally at other ends and purposes It is not denyed but that Civil Distributions of Professors of the Gospel may be subservient unto the ends of Religious Societies and Assemblies But when they are made a means to take off the minds of men from all regard to the Authority of the Lord Christ instituting and appointing such Societies they are of no small disadvantage unto true Church-Communion and Love The Institution of these Churches and the Rules for their disposal and Government throughout the world are the same stable and unalterable And hence there was in the first Churches planted by the Apostles and those who next succeeded them in the care of that work great Peace Vnion and Agreement For they were all gathered and planted alike according unto the Institution of Christ all regulated and ordered by the same common Rule Men had not yet found out those things which were the Causes of Differences in after-Ages and which yet continue so to be Where there was any difference it was for the most part on the account of some noysom foolish Phantastical Opinions vented by Impostors in direct opposition to the Scripture which the generality of Christians did with one consent abhor But on various occasions and by sundry degrees there came to be great variety in the conceptions of men about these Particular Churches appointed for the Seat and Subject of all Gospel Ordinances and wherein they were authoritatively to be administred in the Name of Jesus Christ For
when upon lesser Differences men judge Churches to be no true Churches and their Ministers to be no true Ministers and consequently all their Administrations to be invalid So do some judge of Churches because they have 〈◊〉 Bishops and so do more of others because they have none But the Validity or Invalidity of the Ordinances of Christ which are the Means of Union and Communion with him unto all his Disciples depend not on the determination of things highly disputable in their Notion and not inconsistent with true Gospel-Obedience in their Practice And we are unduly charged with other Apprehensions God forbid that any such thought should ever enter into our heorts as though the Churches constituted in all things according unto our Light and the Rules we apprehend appointed in the Scripture for that purpose should be the only true Churches in the world They do but out of design endeavour to expose us to popular envy and hatred who invent and publish such things concerning us or any of us But whatever be the Judgment of others concerning us we intend not to take from thence any such provocation as might corrupt our Judgments concerning them nor to relieve our selves by returning the like censures unto them as we receive from them Scripture Rule and Duty must in these matters regulate our thoughts on all occasions And whilst we judge others to be true Churches we shall not be much moved with their judgment that we are none because we differ from them We stand to the judgment of Christ and his Word We cannot but judge indeed that many Churches have missed and do miss in some things the precise Rules of their due constitution and walking that many of them have added useless superfluous Rites to the Worship of God among them that there is in many of them a sinful neglect of Evangelical Discipline or a carnal Rule erected in the stead of it that Errors in Doctrines of importance and danger are prevalent in sundry of them that their Rulers are much influenced by a spirit of bitterness and envy against such as plead for Reformation beyond their measure or interest yet that hereupon they should all or any of them immediately forfeit their Church-State so as to have no lawful Ministers nor acceptable sacred Administrations is in it self a false Imagination and such as was never by us entertained In particular as to those Churches in Europe which are commonly called Reformed we have the same thoughts of them the same Love towards them the same readiness for communion with them as we would desire any Disciples of Christ in the world to have bear or exercise towards our selves If we are found negligent in any Office of Love towards them or any of their Members in compassion help or assistance or such supplies in outward or inward things as we have opportunity or ability for we are willing to bear the guilt of it as our Sin and the reproach of it as our shame And herein we desire to fulfil the Royal Law according to the Scripture thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self The same we say concerning all the Churches in England of the same mould and constitution with them especially if it be true which some say that Parochial Churches are under a force and power whereby they are enjoyned the practice of sundry things and forbidden the performance of others wherein the compliance of some is not over-voluntary nor pleasing to themselves Neither is there a Nullity or Invalidity in the Ordinances administred in them any otherwise than as some render them ineffectual unto themselves by their unbelief And this is the Paganizing of England which some of us are traduced for We believe that among the visible professors in this Nation there is as great a number of sincere Believers as in any Nation under Heaven so that in it are treasured up a considerable portion of the invisible Mystical Church of Christ. We believe that the Generality of the Inhabitants of this Nation are by their Profession constituted an eminent part of the Kingdome of Christ in this world And we judge not we condemn not those who walking according to their Light and Understanding in Particularities do practise such things in the Worship of God as we cannot comply withal For we do not think that the things wherein they fail wherein they miss or out go the Rule are in their own nature absolutely destructive of their particular Church-state And what more can reasonably be required of us or expected from us in this matter we know not The causes of the Distance that doth remain between us them shall be afterwards enquired into For our Duty in particular presential communion at the celebration of the same individual Ordinances with such Churches as are remote from us in Asia or Africa we shall we hope be directed to determine aright concerning it when we are called thereunto In the mean time what are our Thoughts concerning them hath been before declared To love them as Subjects of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ in the world to pray for them that they may have all needful supplies of Grace and the Holy Spirit from above that God would send out his Light and Truth to guide them in their Worship and Obedience and to help them in things spiritual and temporal as we have opportunity is the Sum of the Duty which is required in us towards them Those we are more concerned in who are within the Lines of our ordinary Communication among whom we walk and converse in the world Unto any of these it is in the Liberty and power of every Believer to join himself by his own consent And no more is required hereunto in the present constitution of Churches among our selves but that a man remove his habitation to comply with his own desires herein And this choice is to be regulated by a judgment how a man may best improve and promote his own Edification We see not therefore how any man with the least pretence of Sobriety or Modesty can charge us with the want of an esteem and valuation of Evangelical Vnity For we embrace it on all the Grounds that it is in the Gospel recommended unto us And we do know within what narrow bounds the Charity and Vnity of some are confined who yet advantage themselves by a noise of their pretence But that we do not in the least disturb break or dissent from the Catholick Church either as it is invisible in its internal form by Faith and the Renovation of the Holy Ghost or as visibly professing necessary Fundamental Truths of the Gospel we have sufficiently evinced And the Principles laid down concerning particular Churches Congregations Assemblies or Parishes have not as yet been detected by any to spring from want of Love or to be obstructive of the exercise of it Having therefore thus briefly given some account of what we conceive to be our duty in relation unto the whole Church of
the Peace and quiet of the Nation and not from any Scripture or Religious Rules And were these Prohibitions only temporary or occasional suited unto such Emergencies as may give countenance unto their necessity there might be a proportionable compliance with them But whereas they respect all times alike it is no doubt incumbent on them who act any thing contrary unto such Prohibitions to secure their own Consciences that they no way interfere with the Intention and End of the Law by giving the least countenance or occasion unto civil disturbances and others also by their peaceable deportment in all they do But whereas they have received a Talent from the Lord Christ to trade withal have accepted of his Terms and engaged into his Service without any condition of exception in case of such Prohibitions it is not possible they should satisfie their Consciences in desisting from their work on such Occurrences any farther than in what they must yield unto outward force and necessity It is pretended by some that if such a Legal Prohibition were given unto all the Ministers of the Gopel it would not be obligatory unto them For if it should be so esteemed it were in the power of any Supream Magistrate lawfully to forbid the whole work of Preaching the Gospel unto his Subjects which is contrary to the Grant made by God the Father unto Jesus Christ that all Nations should be his Inheritance and the Commission he gave thereon unto his Apostles to teach all Nations and to preach the Gospel to every creature under heaven But it being some only that are concerned in this Prohibition it is their duty for Peace sake to acquiesce in the will of their Superiors therein whilst there are others sufficient to carry on the same work That Peace is or may be secur'd on other Terms hath been already declared But that one mans Liberty to attend unto his Duty and his doing it accordingly should excuse another from that which is personally incumbent on himself is a matter not easily apprehended nor can be readily digested Besides what is pretended of the sufficient number of Preachers without any contribution of aid from the Non-conformists is indeed but pretended For if all that are found in the Faith gifted and called to the work of the Ministry in these Nations were equally encouraged unto and in their work yet would they not be able to answer the necessities of the Souls of men requiring an attendance unto it in a due measure and manner And those who have exercised themselves unto compassionate thoughts towards the multitudes of poor Sinners in these Nations will not be otherwise minded Wherefore these things being premised we shall shut up these Discourses with a brief Answer unto the foregoing Objection which was the occasion of them And we say 1. That Schism being the Name of a Sin or somewhat that is evil it can in no Circumstances be any maes Duty But we have manifested as satisfactorily unto our own Consciences so we hope unto the minds of unprejudiced persons that in our present condition our Assemblies for the Worship of God are our express Duty and so can have no Affinity with any sin or evil And those who intend to charge us with Schisme in or for our Assemblies must first prove them not to be our Duty 2. Notwithstanding them or any thing by us performed in them we do preserve our communion entire with the Church of England that is all the visible Professors of the Gospel in this Nation as it is a part of the Catholick Church in the Unity of the Faith owned therein provided it be not measured by the present Opinions of some who have evidently departed from it Our Non-admittance of the present Government and Discipline of the Church as apprehended National and as it is in the hands of meerly Ecclesiastical persons or such as are pretended so to be we have accounted for before But we are One with the whole Body of the Professors of the Protestant Religion in a publick avowment of the same Faith 3. Into Particular Churches we neither are nor can be admitted but on those terms and conditions which not only we may justly but which we are bound in a way of Duty to refuse And this also hath been pleaded before Besides no man is so obliged unto communion with any Particular or Parochial Church in this Nation but that it is in his own power at any time to relinquish it and to secure himself also from all Laws which may respect that communion by the removal of his Habitation It is therefore evident that we never had any relation unto any Parochial Church but what is Civil and Arbitrary a relinquishment whereof is practised at pleasure every day by all sorts of men Continuing therefore in the constant Profession of the same Faith with all other Protestants in the Nation and the whole Body thereof as united in the Profession of it under one Civil or Political Head and having antecedently no Evangelical Obligation upon us unto Local communion in the same Ordinances of Worship numerically with any particular or Parochial Church and being prohibited from any such communion by the Terms Conditions and Customes indispensibly annexed unto it by the Laws of the Land and the Church which are not lawful for us to observe being Christs Freemen It being moreover our duty to assemble our selves in Societies for the Celebration of the Worship of God in Christ as that which is expresly commanded we are abundantly satisfied that however we may be censured judged or condemned by men in and for what we do yet that he doth both accept us here and will acquit us hereafter whom we serve and seek in all things to obey Wherefore we are not convinced that any Principle or practice which we own or allow is in any thing contrary to that Love Peace and Unity which the Lord Christ requireth to be kept and preserved among his Disciples or those that profess Faith in him and Obedience unto him according to the Gospel We know not any thing in them but what is consistent and compliant with that Evangelical Vnion which ought to be in and among the Churches of Christ the terms whereof we are ready to hold and observe even with them that in sundry things differ from us as we shall endeavour also to exercise all Duties of the same Love Peaceableness and Gentleness towards them by whom we are hated and reviled FINIS ERRATA PAg. 3. line 21. read from him p. 5. l. 9. r. train of l. 12. for seriousness r. fierceness p. 16 l. 26. for security r. severity l. 33 of it add which we have hitherto professed p. 19. l 23. r. searcher p. 31. l. 23. r. 18. p. 32. l. 29 r. principles p. 38. l. 9. r. Church state p. 49. l. 1. r. in this p. 66. l. 4. r. lost us p. 87. l. 19. for particularities r. particular Rites p 98. l. 12. for this r. their p. 100 l 10 for according r. avoiding p. 116. l. 2. r. could p. 130. 17. r. Ascadius p. 152. l. 20. for your r. their p. 155. l. 6. r. gender p. 156. l. 16. r. occasions p. 159. l. 12. r. this p. 167. l. 21. r. their 186. l. 2. for erected r. enacted p. 190. l. 28. r. Easter was p. 198. l. 13. r. indeseazable p. 202. l. 20. r. expressed Judges 5. 15. 2 Sam. 19. 41 42 43. 2 Sam. 16. 4. 2 Chron. 20. 23. Heyl. Hist of Presb. Phil. 2. 2. 1 Cor. 1. 10. Heb. 12. 14. Rom. 11. 13. Ephes. 2. 12 1 Cor. 8. 5 6. Acts 12. Mark 16. 15. 16. 1 Thess. 2. 16. Luk. â— 18. Acts 26. 18. Eph. 2. 1 2 3. Ch. 4. 18. Rom. 8. 8. Heb. 11. 6. Joh. 3. 15 36. Gal. 5. 6. 1 Joh. 5. 11 12. Act. 4. 12 1 Cor. 3. 11. Rom. 8. 29 30. Rom. 10. 13 14 15 2 Cor. 10 4 5. Rom. 10 10. Ephes â— 26 27. 1 Joh. 3 16. Rom. 14. 3. John 15. 18 19 25. Ps. 35. 19 Acts. 18. 9 10 11. Mat. 24. 14. 2 Cor. 2. 16. Jam. 2. 13. Heb. 12. 14. Rev. 21. 8. 1 Joh. 3. 15. Act. 14 23. Chap. 20. 28. 1 Pet. 5. 1 2 3. Act. 15. 2 Phil. 1. 1. Rev. 2. 3. Mat. 28. 20. John 15. 10 14. 2 Chron. 11. Chap. 13. 1 Kings 12. Chap. 13. Rev. 18. 4. Ephes. 4. 3 4. John 17. 21 22. Eph. 5. 30 2 Pet. 1. 4 Gen. 5 2. 3 1 Cor. 12 12 13. Eph. 4. 15 16. Col. 2. 19 Rom. 14. 5. Phil. 3. 15 1 Cor. 10. 12. 1 Tim. 4. 13 14 15 16. 2 Tim. 3. 15 16 17. 1 Pet. 1. 10 11. Mat. 28. 19 20. Ephes. 4. 8 9 10 11 12 13. John 17. 20 21 22. 2 Cor. 10 4 5. Mat. 28. 20. Joh. 14. 16. Heb. 13. 27. Rev. 3. 17. 1 Pet. 5. 1 2 3. Acts 20. 18 19 20 21 31. Lnk. 22. 24 25. 26. 2 Thes. 2. 1 Cor. 12. 14 15 16 17 18 19 20. 1 Cor. 1. 11. Chap. 3. 3. 1 Thess. 4. 11. Mat. 6. 1. 2. Luke 6. 37. Rom. 14. 3. 4. 10. Jam. 4. 12. 2 Cor. 1. 24. 1 Pet. 5. 3. Rom. 12 3. 1 Cor. 8. 1. 2 Cor. 10 12. 1 Cor. 3. 18. Mat. 28. 19 20. Gal. 6. 1. â—ct 6. 4. Sâ—crat Hâ—st lib. 5. Acts 15. 1 Cor. 11. 23. 3. Joh. 9 10. Ro. 14. 1. Phil. 3. 15. He. 5. 12 13 14. 1 Tim. 2. 1. Acts 20. 28. 1 Pet. 5. 2. Act. 6. 4. Acts 20. 17. 28. 1 Tim. 3. 5. 1 Pet. 5. 1 2 3 4 5. Heb. 5. 17. Eph. 5. 25 26 27. Acts 9. 26 27 28. Ro. 14. 1. 1 Cor. 5. 1 6 7. 2 Cor. 2. 6. 2 Cor. 7. 11. Mat. 16. 18. Mat. 18. 15 16 17 18 19 20 Rev. 2 2. Lev. 19. 17. 1 Joh. 2. 9 10. â— 15. 1 Cor. 5. 6 9 10. 2 Thess. 3. 6. Isa. 26. 2. Ezek. 43. 12. Chap. 44. 9. Levit. 11. 44. Rom. 1. 6. 1 Cor. 1. 1 2. Chap. 12. 13. Phil 1. 4 Col. 2. 11. 2 Tim. 2. 22. Ezek 44. 1. 1 Cor. 5. 6. Heb. 12. 15 16.
a continual sorrow and trouble unto us so we acknowledge it to be our Duty and shall be willing to undergo any blame where we are found defective in the Discharge of it unto the utmost of our Power to endeavour after the strictest Communion with them in all Spiritual things that the Gospel doth require or whereof our condition in this world is capable In the mean time until this can be attained it is our desire to mannage the Profession of our own Light and Apprehensions without Anger Bitterness Clamours Evil speaking or any other thing that may be irregular in our selves or give just cause of offence unto others Our Prayers are also continually for the spiritual Prosperity of this Church for its increase in Faith and Holiness and especially for the healing of all breaches that are among them that belong thereunto throughout the World And were we not satisfied that the Principles which we own about the right Constitution of the Churches of Christ and the Worship of God to be observed in them are singularly suited to the furtherance and Preservation of Vnion and due Order among all the members of this Church we should not need to be excited by any unto their Renunciation But our main design in all these things is that both they and we with them may enjoy that peace which the Lord Christ hath bequeathed unto us and walk in the way which he hath prescribed for us And these things we mention neither to boast of nor yet to justifie our selves but only to acknowledge what is our conviction concerning our Duty in this matter And might there any sedate peaceable unprejudicate endeavours be countenanced and encouraged for the allaying of all occasional distempers and the composing of all differences among them who belong to this Church of Christ so as that they might all of them at least in these Nations not only keep the unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace but also agree and consent in all wayes and Acts of Religious Communion we doubt not but to manifest that no rigid adherence unto the practise of any conceptions of our own in things wherein the Gospel alloweth a condescention and forbearance no delight in singularity no prejudice against persons or things should obstruct us in the promotion of it to the utmost of our power and ability Upon the whole matter we own it as our duty to follow and seek after peace unity consent and agreement in holy worship with all the members of this Church or those who by a regular profession manifest themselves so to be and will with all readiness and alacrity renounce every principle or practise that is either inconsistent with such communion or directly or indirectly is in its self obstructive of it Secondly The Church of Christ may be considered with respect unto its outward Profession as constitutive of its Being and the formal Reason of its denomination And this is the Church Catholick visible whereunto they all universally belong who profess the invocation of the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ their Lord and ours under the limitations that shall be mentioned afterwards And this is the visible Kingdome of Christ which on the account of its profession and thereby is distinguished from that world which lyeth in evil and is absolutely under the power of Satan And so in common use the Church and the world are contradistinguished Yet on other accounts many who belong unto this Church by reason of some kind of profession that they make may justly be esteemed to be the world or of it So our Lord Jesus Christ called the generality of the professing Church in his time The world saith he hateth me And that we may know that he thereby intended the Church of the Jewes besides that the circumstances of the place evince it he puts it out of question by the Testimony which he produceth in the confirmation of his Assertion concerning their unjust and causless hatred namely It is written in their Law they have hated me without a cause which being taken out of the Psalms was part of the Law or Rule of the Judaical Church only Now he thus terms them because the generality of them especially their Rulers although they professed to know God and to worship him according to his Word and the Tradition of their Fathers yet were not only corrupt and wicked in their Lives but also persecuted him and his Disciples in whom the Power and Truth of God were manifested beyond what they were able to bear And hence a General Rule is established that what Profession soever any men do make of the Knowledge and Worship of God to what Church soever they do or may be thought to belong yet if they are wicked or ungodly in their Lives and Persecuters of such as are better than themselves they are really of the World and with it will perish without Repentance These are they who receiving on them a Form or Delineation of Godliness do yet deny the Power of it from whom we are commanded to turn away But yet we acknowledge that there is a real difference to be made between them who in any way or manner make profession of the Name of Christ with subjection unto him and that Infidel world by whom the Gospel is totally rejected or to whom it was never tendred In the Catholick visible Church as comprehensive of all who throughout the world outwardly own the Gospel there is an acknowledgment of one Lord one Faith one Baptism which are a sufficient Foundation of that Love Union and Communion among them which they are capable of or are required of them For in the joynt Profession of the same Lord Faith and Baptism consists the Union of the Church under this consideration that is as Catholick and visibly professing and in nothing else And hereunto also is required as the principle animating that Communion and rendring it acceptable mutual Love with its occasional Exercise as a fruit of that Love which we have unto Jesus Christ who is the Object of our Common Profession And setting aside the consideration of them who openly reject the Principal Fundamentals of Christian Religion as denying the Lord Christ to be the Eternal Son of God with the use and efficacy of his death as also the Personal subsistence and Deity of the Holy Spirit and there is no known Community of these Professors in the world but they own so much of the Truths concerning one Lord one Faith and one baptism as are sufficient to guide them unto Life and Salvation And hereon we no way doubt but that among them all there are some really belonging to the Purpose of Gods Election who by the means that they do enjoy shall at length be brought unto everlasting Glory For we do not think that God by his Providence would maintain the Dispensation of the Gospel in any Place or among any People among whom there are none whom he hath designed to bring
they may be laid aside and made use of in another way Much more may any refuse the communion of such Churches if they impose on them their Corruptions Errors Failings and Mistakes as the coudition of their Communion For hereby they directly make themselves Lords over the Faith and Worship of the Disciples of Christ and are void of all Authority from him in what they so do or impose And it is so far that any mens withdrawing of themselves from the communion of such Churches and entring into a way of Reformation for their own good in obedience to the Laws of Christ should infer in them a want of Love and Peaceableness or a Spirit of Division that to do otherwise were to divide from Christ and to cast out all true Christian Love embracing a Cloud of slothful negligence and carelesness in the great concernments of the Glory of God and their own Souls in the room thereof We are neither the Authors nor the Guides of our own Love He who implants and worketh it in us hath given us Rules how it must be exercised and that on all emergencies It may work as regularly by sharp cutting Rebukes as by the most silken and compliant expressions by manifesting an aversation from all that is evil as by embracing and approving of what is good In all things and cases it is to be directed by the Word And when under the pretence of it we leave that Rule and go off from any Duty which we owe immediately unto God it is Will Pride and Self-conceit in us and not Love And among all the Exhortations that are given us in the Scripture unto Unity and Concord as the Fruits of Love there is not one that we should agree or comply with any in their sins or evil practices But as we are commanded in our selves to obtain from all appearance of evil so are we forbidden a participation in the sins of other men and all fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness Our Love towards such Churches is to work by Pity Compassion Prayer Instructions which are due means for their healing and recovery not by consent unto them or communion with them whereby they may be hardned in the Error of their way and our own Souls be subverted For if we have not a due respect unto the Lord Christ and his Authority all that we have or may pretend to have unto any Church is of no value Neither ought we to take into consideration any terms of Communion whose foundation is not laid in a regard thereunto Moreover as hath been declared there is no such society of Christians in the world whose Assemblies as to Instituted Worship are rejected by Christ so that they have a Bill of Divorce given unto them by the Declaration of the Will of the Lord Jesus to that purpose in the Scripture but that until they are utterly also as it were extirpate by the Providence of God as are many of the Primitive Plantations we are perswaded of them that there are yet some secret hidden ones among them that belong unto the purpose of Gods Grace For we do judge that where-ever the Name of Jesus Christ is called upon there is salvation to be obtained however the wayes of it may be obstructed unto the most by their own Sins and Errors They may also retain that Profession which distinguisheth them from the Infidel world In these things we are still to hold communion with them and on these accounts is our Love to be continued unto them Some kind of communion we may hold with them that that are of no Instituted or Particular Churches or whose Church-State is rejected even as a person excommunicated is to be admonished as a Brother And some kind of communion we may lawfully refuse with some true Churches Instances whereof shall be given afterwards There is therefore no necessity that any should deny all them to be true Churches from whom they may have just reason to withdraw their communion For such as are so may require such things thereunto as it is not lawful for them to accept of or submit unto What Assemblies of Christians we behold visibly worshiping God in Christ we take for granted to be true visible Churches And when we judge of our own communion with them it is not upon this Question whether they are true Churches or no as though the determination of our practice did depend solely thereon For as we are not called to judge of the being of their Constitution as to the substance of it unless they are openly judged in the Scripture as in the case of Idolatry and Persecution persisted in so a determination of the Truth of their constitution or that they are true Churches will not presently resolve us in our Duty as to communion with them for the Reasons before given But in such a cà se two things are by us principally to be considered 1. That nothing sinful in it self or unto us be required of us as the condition of communion 2. That we may in such Churches obtain the immediate end of their Institution and our Conjunction with them which is our Edification in Faith Love and Obedience And the things whereof we have discoursed comprize our Thoughts concerning those Societies of Christians whose degeneracy from their primitive Rule and Institution is most manifest and notorious Whilst there is any Profession of the Gospel any subjection of Souls unto Jesus Christ avowed or any expectation of help from him continued among them we cannot but hope that there are in all of them at least some few Names that are written in the Lambs Book of Life and which shall be saved eternally For as a Relation unto a particular visible Church walking according to the Order and Rule of the Gospel is the Duty of every Believer to give himself up unto as that which is a means appointed and sanctified to the furtherance of his Edification and Salvation so where it cannot be obtained through invincible outward Impediments or is omitted through ignorance of Duty or is on just Causes refused where opportunities make a tender of it or where the being and benefit of it is lost through the Apostasie of those Churches whereunto any persons did belong the utter want of it and that alwayes is not such as necessarily infers the eternal loss of their Souls who suffer under it Other Churches there are in the world which are not evidently guilty of the Enormities in Doctrine Worship and Discipline before discoursed of These all we judge to be true Churches of Christ and do hope that his promised presence is with them in their Assemblies Answerable hereunto is our Judgment concerning their Officers or Rulers and all their Sacred Administrations It becomes us to think and believe that the one have Authority from Christ and that the other are accepted with him For it is most unwarrantable rashness and presumption yea an evident fruit of Ignorance or want of Love or secular private Interest
was ordained or for which Pastors and Teacher's are granted unto the Church Eph. 4. 8 9 10 11 12. And the Scripture abounds in the Declaration of what skill and knowledge in the Mystery of the Gospel what Attendance unto the Word and Prayer what Care watchfulness and diligent Labour in the Word and Doctaine are required unto a due discharge of the Ministerial Duty Where it is omitted or neglected where it is carelessly attended unto where those on whom it is incumbent to act more like Hirelings than true Shepherds where they want skill to divide the Word aright or wisdom and knowledge to declare from it the whole Counsel of God or diligence to be urgent continually in the Application of it there the principal end of all Church-Communion is ruined and utterly lost And where it so falls out let any man judge what thoughts they are like to be exercised withal who make Conscience of the performance of their own Duty and understand the necessity of enjoying the Means that Christ hath appointed for their edification And it is certain that such Churches will in vain or at least unjustly expect that Professors of the Gospel should abide in their particular communion when they cannot or do not provide food for their Souls whereby they may live to God Unless all the Members of such Churches are equally asleep in security Divisions among them will in this case ensue Will any Disciple of Christ esteem himself obliged to starve his own Soul for the sake of communion with them who have sinfully destroyed the principal end of all Church-communion Is there any Law of Christ or any Rule of the Gospel or any Duty of Love that require them so to do The sole immediate end of mens joyning in Churches being their own edification and usefulness unto others can they be bound in Conscience alwayes to abide there or in the communion of those Churches where it is not to be attained where the means of it are utterly cast aside This may become such as know not their duty nor care to be instructed in it and are willing to perish in and for the company of others But for them which in such Cases shall provide according to the Rules of the Gospel for themselves and their own safety they may be censured judged and severely treated by them whose Interest and Advantage it is so to do they may be despised by Riotous Persons who sport themselves with their own Deceivings but with the Lord Christ the Judge of all they will be accepted And they do but encrease the dread of their own Account who under pretence of Church-Power and Order would forcibly shut up Christians in such a condition as wherein they are kept short of all the true ends of the Institution of Churches To suppose therefore that every voluntary departure from the constant Communion of such Churches made with a design of joyning unto those where the Word is dispensed with more diligence and Efficacy is a Schisme from the Church of Christ is to suppose that which neither the Scripture nor Reason will give the least Countenance unto And it would better become such Churches to return industriously unto a faithful Discharge of their Duty whereby this occasion of Divisions may be removed out of the way than to attempt their own Justification by the severe prosecution of such as depart from them Thirdly In pursuit of the Doctrine of the Gospel so improved and applyed it is the known and open Duty of Churches in their Guides or Ministers by all means to countenance and promote the Growth of Light Knowledge Godliness strictness and fruitfulness of Conversation in those Members of them in whom they may be found or do appear in an especial manner Such are they to own encourage and make their companions and endeavour that others may become like unto them For unless men in their ordinary and common conversation in their affections and the interest which they have in the Administration of Discipline do uniformly answer the Doctrine of Truth which they preach it cannot be avoided but that it will be matter of offence upto others and of Reproach to themselves Much more will it be so if instead of these things those who Preside in the Churches shall beat their fellow servants and eat and drink with the drunken But by all wayes it is their duty to separate the precious from the vile if they intend to be as the Mouth of the Lord even in their Judgments Affections and Conversations And herein what Wisdome Patience Diligence Love Condescention and Forbearance are required they alone know and they full well know who for any season have in their places conscientiously endeavoured the Discharge of their Duty But whatever be the Labour which is to be undergone therein and the trouble wherewith it is attended it is that which by the appointment of Christ all Ministers of the Gospel are obliged to attend unto They are not by contrary actings to make sad the hearts of them whom God would not have made sad nor to strengthen the hands of them whom God would not have encouraged as they will answer it at their peril The hearts of Church Guides and of those who in an especial manner fear God thriving in Knowledge and Grace under the Dispensation of the Word ought to be knit together in all holy affections that they may together grow up into him who is the Head For where there is the greatest evidence manifestation of the power and presence of Christ in any there ought their Affections to be most intense For as such persons are the Crown the Joy and rejoycing of their Guides and will appear to be so in the Day of the Lord so they do know or may easily do so what Obligations are on them to honour and pay all due respects unto their Teachers how much on all accounts they owe unto them whereby their mutual Love may be confirmed And where there is this Vniformity between the Doctrine of the Gospel as Preached and the Duties of it as practised then are they both beautiful in the eyes of all Believers and effectual unto their proper ends But where things in Churches through their negligence or corruption or that of their Guides are quite otherwise it is easie to conjecture what will ensue thereon If those who are forwardest in Profession who give the greatest evidence that they have received the power of that Religion which is taught and owned among them who have apparently attained a growth in spirituol Light and Knowledge above others shall be so far from being peculiarly cherished and regarded from being loved liked or associated withal as that on the other side they shall be marked observed reproached and it may be on every slight provocation put even to outward trouble whilst men of worldly and prophane Conversations ignorant perhaps riotous and debauched shall be the delight and companions of Church Guides and Rulers it cannot be that
such Churches should long continue in peace nor is that peace wherein they continue much to be valued An Agreement in such wayes and practises is rather to be esteemed a Conspiracy against Christ and Holiness than Church Order or Concord And when men once find themselves hated and it may be Persecuted for no other cause as they believe but because they labour in their Lives and Professions to express the power of that Truth wherein they have been instructed they can hardly avoyd the entertainment of severe thoughts concerning them from whom they had just reason to expect other usage as also to provide for their own more peaceable encouragement and edification Fourthly Hereunto also belongeth the due exercise of Gospel Discipline according to the mind of Christ. It is indeed by some called into question whether there be any Rule or Discipline appointed by Christ to be exercised in his Churches But this doubt must respect such outward forms and modes of the Administration of these things which are supposed but not proved necessary For whether the Lord Christ hath appointed some to Rule and some to be ruled whether he hath prescribed Lawes or Rules whereby the One should govern and the other obey whether he hath determined the Matter Manner and End of this Rule and Government cannot well be called into Controversie by such as profess to believe the Gospel Of what nature or kind these Governours or Rulers are to be what is their Office how they are to be invested therewith and by what Authority how they are to behave themselves in the Administration of the Laws of the Church are things determined by him in the Word And for the Matters about which they are to be conversant it is evidently declared of what nature they are how they are to be mannaged and to what end The Qualifications and Duties of those who are to be admitted into the Church their deportment in it their removal from it are all expressed in the Lawes and Directions given unto the same end In particular it is ordained That those who are unruly or disorderly who walk contrary unto the Rules and wayes of holiness prescribed unto the Church shall be rebuked admonished instructed and if after all means used for their amendment they abide in impenitency that they be ejected out of Communion For the Church as visible is a Society gathered and erected to express and declare the Holiness of Christ and the power of his Grace in his Person and Doctrine And where this is not done no Church is of any advantage unto the interests of his Glory in this World The Preservation therefore of Holiness in them whereof the Discipline mentioned is an effectual means is as necessary and of the same importance with the preservation of their Being The Lord Christ hath also expressly ordained That in case Offences should arise in and among his Churches that in and by them they should be composed according to the Rules of the Word and his own Lawes and in particular that in sinful miscarriages causing offence or scandal there be a regular proceeding according unto an especial Law and Constitution of his for the removal of the offence and recovery of the offendor as also that those who in other cases have fallen by the power of temptation should be restored by a spirit of meekness and not to instance in more Particulars that the whole Flock be continually watched over exhorted warned instructed comforted as the necessities or occasions of the whole or the several Members of it do require Now supposing these and the like Laws Rules and Directions to be given and enjoyned by the Authority of Christ which gives Warranty for their Execution unto men prudent for the ordering of affairs according to their necessary circumstances and Believers of the Gospel doing all things in obedience unto him we judg that a compleat Rule or Government is erected thereby in the Church However we know that the exercise of Discipline in every Church so far as the Laws and Rules of it are expressed in the Scripture and the Ends of it directed unto is as necessary as any Duty enjoyned unto us in the whole course of our Gospel Obedience And where this is neglected it is in vain for any Churches to expect Peace and Vnity in their Communion seeing it self neglecteth the principal means of them It is pleaded that the mixture of those that are wicked and ungodly in the sacred Administrations of the Church doth neither defile the Administrations themselves nor render them unuseful unto those who are rightly interested in them and duly prepared for the participation of them Hence that no Church ought to be forsaken nor its Communion withdrawn from meerly on that account many of old and of late have pleaded Nor do we say that this solely of its self is sufficient to justifie a separation from any Church But when a Church shall tolerate in its Communion not only evil men but their evils and absolutely refuse to use the Discipline of Christ for the Reformation of the One and the taking away of the other there is great danger least the whole Lump be leavened and the edification of particular persons be obstructed beyond what the Lord Christ requires of them to submit unto and to acquiesce in Neither will things have any better success where the Discipline degenerates into an outward forcible Jurisdiction and Power The things of Christ are to be administred with the Spirit of Christ. Such a frame of heart and mind as was in him is required of all that act under him and in his Name Wherefore Charity Pity Compassion Condescention Meekness and Forbearance with those other Graces which were so glorious and conspicuous in him and in all that he did are to bear sway in the minds of them who exercise this Care and Duty for him in the Church To set up such a Form of the Administration of Discipline or to commit the exercise of it unto such persons as whereby or by whom the Lord Christ in his Rule of the Church would be represented as furious captious proud covetous oppressive is not the way to honour him in the world nor to preserve the peace of the Churches And indeed some while they boast of the Imitation of Christ and his Example in opposition to his Grace do in their Lives and Practises make unco the world a Representation of the Devil But an account of this Degeneracy is given so distinctly by Peitro Suave the Author of the History of the Council of Trent lib. 4 ad Ann. 1551. that we think it not unmeet to express it in his own words He saith therefore that Christ having commanded his Apostles to preach the Gospel and administer the Sacraments he left also unto them in the person of all the faithful this principal precept to love one another charging them to make peace between those that dissented and for the last Remedy giving the care thereof to the
with men because they peaceably seek the savation of their own souls or do that in order thereunto which they cannot but do unless they will cast off all sense of Gods authority over them it is to seek occasion of offence against them where none are given But when any persons are acted by a Pragmatical Curiosity to interpose themselves in the Wayes Affairs and Concerns of other men beyond what the Laws of Love usefulness and mutual Christian aid do require tumults disorders vexations strife emulations with a world of evils will ensue thereon especially will they do so when men are prone to dwell on the reall or supposed faults of others which on various pretences of pity for their persons or a detestation of their evils or publick reproof of them they will aggravate and so on all occasions expose them to publick censures perhaps as they think out of zeal to Gods glory and a desire for the Churches good For the passions and interests of such persons are ready to swell over the bounds of modesty sobriety and peace though through the blindness which all self-love is accompanied withall they seldome see clearly what they do Would we therefore labour to see a beauty desireableness and Honour in the greatest confinement of our thoughts words and actions unto our selves and our own occasions that express Duty will admit of it might tend very much to the preservation of Love and Peace among Professors for unto this end it is prescribed unto us Secondly it is strictly commanded us that we should not judge that we be not judged There is no Rule for mutual Conversation and Communion in the Scripture that is oftner repeated or more earnestly inculcated Nor is there any of more Vse nor whose Grounds and Reasons are more evident or more cogent Judging and determining in our selves or divulging Censures concerning others their Persons States and Conditions towards God their Principles as to truth and sincerity their ways as to Righteousness and Holiness whether past or present any otherwise than by the perfect Law of Liberty and that only when we are called thereunto in a way of Duty is the Poyson of common Love and Peace and the ruine of all Communion and Society be it of what Nature it will For us to judge and determine whether these or those Churches are true Churches or no whether such Persons are Godly or no whether such of their Principles and actions are regular or no and so condemn them in our Minds unless where open wickedness will justifie the severest Reflections is to speak Evil of the Law and to make our selves Judges of it as well as of them who together with our selves are to be judged by it Nor is a judgment of that Nature necessary unto our Advantage in the Discharge of any Duty required at our hands We may order all our Concernments towards Churches and Persons without making any such Judgment concerning them But so strong is the Inclination of some Persons unto an Excess in this kind that no consideration can prevail with them to cast it out according to its desert Whether they do it as approving and justifying themselves in what they condemn in others or as a thing conducing unto their Interest or out of Faction and an especial Love to some one Party of Men or some secret Animosities and hatred against others it is a matter they seldome well quit themselves of whilst they are in this world Yea so far do some suffer themselves to be transported as that they cannot restrain from charging of others with the Guilt of such things as they know to be charged on themselves by them who pretend to be the only competent Judges in such Cases And so will they also reflect upon and complain of other men for Miscarriages by severities in Instances exceedingly inferior as by themselves represented unto what it is known they were ingaged in But men are apt to think well of all they do themselves or those whom they peculiarly regard and to aggravate whatever they conceive amiss in such as they dislike Were it not better by Love to cover a multitude of faults and to leave the Judgment of Persons and things wherein we are not concerned unto him who judgeth Righteously and will render unto every Man according to his works However certain it is that untill the Evil Fountain of bitter waters be stopped untill we cease to bless God even the Father and at the same time to curse Men made after the Similitude of God the wounds that have been given to the Love and Peace of Professors will not be healed Thirdly unto the same End are all Men forbidden to think that they have a Dominion over the Faith of others or that the ordering and disposal of it is committed unto them It is Christ alone who is the Lord of the Consciences of his Disciples And therefore the best and greatest of the Sons of Men who have been appointed by him to deal with others in his Name have constantly disclaimed all thoughts of Power or Rule over the Consciences or Faith of the meanest of his Subjects How many ways this may be done we are filled with Experiences for no way whereby it may be so hath been left unattempted And the Evil of it hath invaded both Churches and Particular Persons Some whereof who have been active in casting of the Dominion of others seem to have designed a Possession of it in themselves And it is well if where one Pope is rejected many do not rise in his Place who want nothing but his Power and Interest to do his work The Indignation of some that others do not in all things comply with their Sentiments and subject themselves unto their Apprehensions and Dictates ariseth from this Presumption And the Persecutions wherein others ingage do all grow out of the same bitter Root For men can no otherwise satisfie their Consciences herein but by a supposition that they are warranted to give measures unto the Minds and Practices of others that is their Faith and Consciences in Sacred things And whilst this Presumptious Supposition under any Pretence or colour possesseth the Minds of Men it will variously act its self unto the Destruction of that Gospel Unity which it is our Duty to preserve For when they are perswaded that others ought to give up themselves absolutely to their Guidance in the things of Religion either because of their Office and Dignity or because they are Wiser than they or it may be are only able to dispute more then they if they do not immediately so do especially seeing they cannot but judg themselves in the Right in all things they are ready to charge their Refusal on all the Corrupt Affections Principles and Practices which they can surmize or their supposed just indignation suggest unto them That they are proud ignorant self-conceited wilful factious is immediately concluded and a semblance unto such Charges shall be
as necessary Conditions of Communion in or among the Churches of Christ. We dispute not now about the Lawfulness or Vnlawfulness or things in themselves nor whether they may be observed or no by such as have no conviction of any Sin or Evil in them Neither do we judge or censure them by whom they are observed Our Enquiry is solely about our own Liberty and Duty And what concerneth them is resolved into this one Question as to the Argument in hand Whether such Things or Observances in the Worship of God as are wholly unscriptural may be so made the indispensible Condition of Communion with any particular Church as that they by whom they are so made and imposed on others should be justified in their so doing and that if any Differences Divisions or Schismes do ensue thereon the guilt and blame of them must necessarily fall on those who refuse submission to them or to admit of them as such That the Conditions proposed unto us and imposed on us indispensibly if we intend to enjoy the Communion of this Church are of this nature we shall afterwards prove by an induction of Instances Nor is it of any concernment in this matter what place the things enquired after do hold or are supposed to hold in the Worship of God our present Enquiry is about their warranty to be made conditions of Church-Communion Now we are perswaded that the Lord Christ hath set his Disciples at liberty from accepting of such terms of Communion from any Churches in the world And on the same Grounds we deny that he hath given or granted unto them Authority to constitute such Terms and Conditions of their Communion and indispensibly to impose them upon all that enjoy it according to their several capacities and concerns therein For First The Rule of Communion among the Disciples of Christ in all his Churches is invariably established and fixed by himself His Commission Direction and Command given out unto the first Planters and Founders of them containing an obliging Rule unto all that should succeed them throughout all Generations hath so established the Bounds Limits and Conditions of Church-Communion as that it is not lawful for any to attempt their Removal or Alteration Go ye saith he to them and teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alwayes even unto the end of the world All the Benefits and Blessings all the Comfort and use of Church-Assemblies and Communion depends alone on the promise of the Presence of Christ with them Thence doth all the Authority that may be exercised in them proceed and thence doth the efficacy of what they do unto the edification of the Souls of men arise and flow Now that any one may thus enjoy the Presence of Christ in any Church with the Fruits and Benefits of it no more can be required of him but that through the Preaching of the Gospel and Baptism being made a professed Disciple he do or be ready to do and observe all whatsoever Christ hath commanded This hath he established as the Rule of Communion among his Disciples and Churches in all Generations In all other things which do relate unto the Worship of God he hath set them and left them at liberty which so far as it is a Grant and Priviledge purchased for them they are obliged to make good and maintain We know it will be here replied that among the Commands of Christ it is that we should hear the Church and obey the Guides and Rulers thereof Whatever therefore is appointed by them we are to submit unto and observe even by virtue of the Command of Christ. And indeed it is certainly true that it is the Will and Command of the Lord Jesus that we should both hear the Church and obey the Guides of it But by virtue of this Rule neither the Church nor its Guides can make any thing necessary to the Disciples of Christ as a condition of Communion with them but only what he hath commanded For the Rule here laid down is given unto those Guides or Rulers who are thereby bound up in the Appointments of what the Disciples are to observe unto the Commands of Christ. And were a Command included herein of obeying the Commands or Appointments of Church-Guides and the promise of the Presence of Christ annexed thereunto as he had given them all his own Power and placed them in his Throne so we had been all obliged to follow them whither ever they had carried or led us although it were to Hell it self as some of the Canonists on this Principle have spoken concerning the Pope Here therefore is a Rule of Communion fixed both unto them that are to rule in the Church and them that are to obey And whereas perhaps it may be said that if the Rulers of the Church may appoint nothing in and unto the Communion of the Church but what Christ hath himself commanded then indeed is their Authority little worth yea upon the matter none at all For the Commands of Christ are sufficiently confirmed and fixed by his own Authority and to what end then serves that of the Rulers of the Church We must say that their whole Authority is limited in the Text unto Teaching of men to observe what Christ hath commanded And this they are to do with Authority but under him and in his Name and according to the Rules that he hath given them And those who think not this Power sufficient for them must seek it elsewhere for the Lord Christ will allow no more in his Churches To make this yet more evident we may consider that particular Instance wherein the Primitive Christians had a Trial in the Case as now stated before us And this was in the Matter of Mosaical Ceremonies and Institutions which some would have imposed on them as a condition of their Communion in the Profession of the Gospel In the determination hereof was their Liberty asserted by the Apostles and their Duty declared to abide therein And this was the most specious Pretence of imposing on the Liberty of Christians that ever they were exercised withal For the Observation of these things had countenance given unto it from their Divine Original and the condescending Practice of the Apostles for a good season That other Instances of the like nature should be condemned in the Scripture is impossible seeing none had then endeavoured the Introduction of any of that Nature But a general Rule may be established in the determination of one Case as well as in that of many provided it be not extended beyond what is eminently included in that case Herein therefore was there a Direction given for the Duty and Practise of Churches in following Ages and that in pursuit of the Law and Constitution of the Lord Christ before-mentioned Neither is there any force in
make his choice of the Measure he will comply withal at least if he will make the choice of his habitation subservient unto his Edification Hereby the Peace and Duty both of Churches and private Persons are secured And this Rule of Church Admission and Communion furnished Christians with Peace Love and Unity for many Ages setting aside the Ruffle given them in the rashness of Victor before mentioned It was also rendred practicable and easie by vertue of their Communion as Churches among themselves For from thence Commendatory Letters supplyed the Room of actual Profession in thâ—m who having been admitted into one Church did desire the same Priviledge in any other And on this Rule were Persons to be received though weak in the Faith thought it may be in some things otherwise minded than the generality of the Church though babes and unskilful as to degrees in the word of Truth But this Rule was alwayes attended with a Proviso that men did not contradict or destroy their own Profession by an unholy Conversation For such Persons never were nor ever are to be admitted unto the especial Ordinances of the Church and a neglect of due Attendance hereunto is that which principally hath cast us into all our Confusions and rendred the Institutions of Christ ineffectual And if this warranty which the Lord Christ hath given unto his Disciples of claiming a Participation in all the Priviledges of his Churches and an Admission unto a joynt-performance of all the Duties required in them may upon the supposition of a Power left to impose other Conditions of Communion on them be rejected and rendred useless all Church Communion is absolutely resolved into the variable wills of Men. The Church no doubt may judge and determine upon the Laws of Christ and their due Application unto particular Occasions as whether such Persons may according to them be admitted into their Fellowship To deprive Churches of this Litberty is to take away their Principal Use and service But to make Laws of their own the subject matter whereof shall be things not commanded by Christ to make them the Rule of admitting professed Christians unto their Communion is an Assumption that cannot be justified And it is certain that the assuming of an Authority by some Churches for such like Impositions is that which hath principally occasioned many to deny them so to be so at once to overthrow the foundation of all that Authority which in so many Instances they find to be abused And although the Church of Rome may prevail on weak and credulous Persons by proposing unto them an absolute Acquiescency in their Dictates and Determinations as the best readiest and most facile means of satisfaction yet there is nothing that doth more alienate wise and conscientious persons from them than doth that unreasonable Proposal Moreover it is highly probable that endless Disputes will arise on this supposition about what is meet and convenient and what not to be added unto the Scripture-Rules of Communion They have done so in the Ages past and continue yet so to do Nor can any man on this Principle know or probably conjecture when he hath a firm station in the Church or an indefensable interest in the Priviledges thereof For supposing that he hath concocted the Impositions of one Church on the first removal of his habitation he may have new conditions of communion prescribed unto him And from this perplexity nothing can relieve him but a resolution to do in every place whereunto he may come according to the manner of the place beit good or bad right or wrong But neither hath the Lord Christ left his Disciples at this Vncertainty which the Case supposeth nor will accept of that Indifferency which is in the Remedy suggested They therefore who regulate their Communion with any Churches by the firm stated Law of their Right and Priviledge if they are not received thereon do not by their abstinence from it contract the Guilt of Schisme or any blameable Division Moreover upon a supposition of such a Liberty and Power to prescribe and impose unwritten conditions of Church-communion on Christians who or what Law doth or shall prescribe bounds unto men that they do not proceed in their Prescriptions beyond what is useful unto edification or unto what will be really burdensome and intolerable unto Churches To say that those who claim this Power may be securely trusted with it for they will be sure not to fall into any such Excesses will scarcely give satisfaction For besides that such a kind of Power is exceedingly apt to swell and extend it self unmeasurably the common Experience of Christendom lies against this Suggestion Was not an Excess of this kind complained of by Austin of old when yet the observation of Ecclesiastical Customes was much more voluntary than in after Ages neither were they made absolutely conditions of communion unless among a very few Do not all Protestants grant and plead that the Papal Church hath exceeded all bounds of moderation and Sobriety herein so that from thence they take the principal warranty of their secession from it Do not other Churches mutually charge one another on the same account Hath not a charge of this Exâ—â—ss been the Ball of Contention in this Nation ever since the Reformation If then there be such a Power in any either the exercise of it is confined unto certain Instances by some power superior unto them or it is left absolutely as unto all Particulars whereunto it may be extended unto their own Prudence and Discretion The first will not be asserted nor can be so unless the Instances intended can be recounted and the confirming power be declared If the latter be affirmed then let them run into what Excesses they please unless they judge themselves that so they do which is morally impossible that they should none ought ever to complain of what they do For there is no failure in them who attend unto their Rule which in this case is supposed to be mens own Prudence and Discretion And this was directly the state of things in the Church of Rome whence they thought it alwayes exceedingly unequal that any of their Ecclesiastical Laws should be called in question since they made them according to their own Judgment the sole Rule of exercising their Authority in such things Where is the certainty and stability of this Rule Is it probable that the communion and peace of all Churches and all Christians are left to be regulated by it And who will give assurance that no one Condition directly unlawful in it self shall be prescribed and imposed by persons enjoying this pretended power Or who can undertake that the number of such Conditions as may be countenanced by a Plea of being things in their own nature indifferent shall not be increased until they come to be such a burden and yoke as are too heavy for the Disciples of Christ to bear and unlawful for them to submit themselves
who make that refusal Other groundless Accusations and Charges we value not for this is but Mans Day the Judgment whereof we neither stand nor fall unto Yea we esteem our selves obliged in all peaceableness and sobriety to bear witness against such impositions and unto that Liberty wherewith the Lord Christ hath made his Churches and Disciples free And if once things were come unto that state that men would assign no other Terms of Church Communion than what Christ hath appointed it would quickly appear where the guilt of our Divisions would remain if any such Divisions would yet remain But so long as there is a desire to make the Wills and Wisdomes of some men fallible even as others the Rule and measure of obedidience in spiritual things an end of strife and contention among Christians will be expected in vain And this we say with hearts in some measure sensible and pained to see the Body of Christ torn in pieces by the lusts passions and carnal interests of men Could we contribute any thing to the healing of the Wounds and Ruptures that are amongst Christians provided it may have a consistency with the mind of Christ aud the Duty we owe unto him as indeed nothing else will really contribute any thing thereunto we should with all readiness and faithfulness give up our best endeavours therein And where we can do nothing else we hope we shall bear with Patience those disdainful Reproaches which the Pride of men blown up by a confluence of secular perishing advantages prompts them to pour out upon us for our non-compliance with their Impositions Secondly By the Conformity required of us we must consent unto the Omission of sundry Duties which are made so unto us by the Command and Appointment of Jesus Christ. If we are at any time hindred in the discharge of any necessary Duty by others we have somwhat to plead in our own excuse But if we our selves voluntarily consent to the neglect or omission of them we cannot avoyd the guilt of sin And the worst way whereby such a consent may be expressed is by compact and agreement with others as though it were in our Power to bargain with other men what Duties we will observe aâ—d what we will omit in the Worship of God Now in the Conformity required of us we are to give this consent and that as it were by Compact and Agreement which deprives us of all pretence of excuse in our omissions It is no time afterward to plead that we would discharge such Duties were we not hindred or forbidden We have our selves antecedently and voluntarily renounced a concern in such forbidden Duties For no man can honestly conform but it is with a declared Resolution to accept of all the Terms and Consequents of it with an Approbation of them Under this Notion it is that we look on Conformity and what others apprehend thereby or understand therein who seem to press men to conform unto what they do not approve we know not If then there be any omission of known Duties inseparably accompanying our Conformity that thereby we solemnly consent unto This therefore we are obliged to refuse because without sin in the voluntary neglect and omission of Duty we cannot comply with it which therefore can be no Schism in us nor what might in any way render us blameable The Lord Christ hath prescribed no such Law of Vnity and Peace unto his Churches as that his Disciples should be bound constantly to neglect any known Duty which they owe to himself for their sakes Nor do his Institutions interfere that the observance of any one should exclude a due attendance unto another Neither doth he by his commands bring any one into a necessity of doing that which is evil or of omitting any thing that is required of him in the way of Duty However therefore we value Church-Peace and Union we dare not purchase it by an Abrenunciation of any Duty we owe to Jesus Christ nor would an Agreement procured on such Terms be of any use unto us or of advantage to the Church its self Wherefore that complyance in Church communion which would be obstructive of any necessary Dutyes is not by the Lord Christ enjoyned us and therefore its omission cannot be culpable in us but it would its self be our sin Especially would it be thus where the Duties so to be omitted are such as are incumbent on us by virtue of especial Office wherein we are peculiarly required to be faithful It remaineth therefore only that we declare wherein we should by conformity engage unto the omission of such Duties as are indispensibly required of us And this we shall do in some few Instances 1 Every Minister of the Gospel hath by the Appointment of Jesus Christ the whole immediate Care of the Flock whereof he is Overseer committed unto him That no part hereof which belongs unto their Edification is exempted from him the Charge that is given unto him and the Account which will be expected from him do sufficiently evidence For as Ministers are called Overseers Rulers Guides Pastors and the like so are they commanded to feed the Flock to take the Oversight of it and to Rule the House of God a discharge of all which must come into their Account Nor is there any word spoken in the whole Scripture relating to the Rule and Government of the Church which is not spoken principally with respect unto them Nor is there the least Intimation of an Exemption of any Part of the Discipline of the Gospel from their Office or Care If it be pretended that there is let the Places be produced wherein such an Exemption is made or any Instances of it among the first Churches and they shall be considered for hitherto no such thing hath been attempted that we know of Nor is it at all concluded from the Plea that some are appointed unto a Superior Degree above others in the Rule of the Church For a man may have the whole Rule of his Flock committed unto him although he should be obliged to give an Account unto others of his Discharge thereof It is therefore the Duty of all Ministers of the Gospel not only to to Teach Instruct and Preach to their Flocks but to go before them also in Rule and Government and in the Exercise of the Spiritual Discipline appointed in the Gospel in the Order wherein it is appointed for their Edification The keys of the Kingdome of Heaven are committed unto them or they are not If they are not by what Authority do they take upon them to open and shut in the House of God in Ministerial teaching and authoritative Administration of sacred Ordinances For these things belong unto the Authority which is given by Christ under the Metaphorical Expression of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven the Reason of the Allusion and its Application being obvious And if these are not received by any they are Usurpers if they
made for them and allows unto them in due season so also to keep off those from partaking in them who without his Masters Order and Warrant would intrude themselves into his Family and unjustly possess themselves of the Priviledges of it In these things doth the Faithfulness of a Steward consist And the same is required in Ministers of the Gospel with respect unto the Houshold of their Lord and Master and the Provision that he hath made for it These therefore being undeniably parts of of the duty of faithful Pastors or Ministers it is evident how many of them we must solemnly renounce a concernment in upon a compliance with the conformity in matter and manner required of us Neither are these Duties such as are of light importance or such as may be omitted without any detriment unto the Souls of men The Glory of Christ the Honour of the Gospel the Purity of the Church and its Edification are greatly concerned in them And they in whose minds a neglect of these things is countenanced by their attendance unto some outward Forms and Appearances of Order have scarcely considered him aright with whom they have to do Some therefore of these Duties we shall instance in First It is the Duty of all faithful Ministers of the Gospel to consider aright who are so admitted into the Church as to obtain a Right thereby unto a Participation of all its Holy Ordinances Take care they must that none who have that Right granted them by the Law of Christ be discouraged or excluded nor any altogether unworthy admitted And hereunto as it is generally acknowledged a credible Profession of Repentance Faith and Obedience that is of those which are sincere and saving is required To neglect an Enquiry after these things in those that are to be admitted unto the Table of the Lord is to prostitute the Holy Ordinances of the Gospel unto contempt and abuse and to run cross to the constant practice of the Church in all Ages even under its greatest degeneracy And the Right Discharge of this Duty if we may be allowed to be in earnest in spiritual things if it be believed that it is internal Grace and Holiness for the sake whereof all outward Administrations are instituted and celebrated is of great weight and importance to the Souls of men For on the part of persons to be admitted if they are openly and visibly unworthy what do we thereby but what lies in us to destroy their Souls It cannot be but that their hardning and impenitency in sin will be hazarded thereby For whereas they have granted unto them the most Solemn Pledge of the Lord Christ's Acceptance of them and of his Approbation of their state towards God that the Church is authorized to give what reason have they to think that their condition is not secure or to attend unto the Doctrine of the Church â—ressing them to look after a change and relinquishment of it For although the administration of the Sealing Ordinances doth not absolutely set the Approbation of Christ unto every individual person made partaker of them yet it doth absolutely do so to the Profession which they make They witness in the Name of Christ his Approbation of it and therewithal of all persons according to their real Interest in it and answering of it But those who in no considerable Instances do answer this Profession can obtain nothing unto themselves but an occasion of hardning and rendring them secure in a state of Impenitency For tell men whilst you please of the necessity of Conversion to God of Reformation and a holy Life yet if in the course of their Vnholiness you confirm unto them the Love of Christ and give them Pledges of their salvation by him they will not much regard your other Exhortations And thence it is come to pass in the world that the conformity worth that we contend about ten thousand times over which ought to be between the Preaching of the Word the Adninistration of the Sacraments and the Lives of them who are Partakers of them is for the most part lost The Word still declares that without Regeneration without saving Faith Repentance and Obedience none can enter into the Kingdom of God In the Adninistration of the Other Ordinances there is an abatement made of this rigorous determination and men have their salvation assured unto them without a credible profession yea or a pretence of these Qualifications And the Lives of the most who live in the enjoyment of these things seem to declare that they neither believe the one nor much regard the other In the mean time the Church it self as to its Purity and the holiness of its communion is dammaged by the neglect of a careful inspection into this Duty For it cannot be but that Ignorance Worldliness and Prophaneness will spread themselves as a Leprosie over such a Church whence their communion will be of very little use and advantage unto Believers And hereby do Churches which should be the Glory of Christ by their expression of the Purity Holiness and excellency of his Person and Doctrine become the principal Means and Occasions of his Dishonour in the world and he that shall read that Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word that he might present it unto him self a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish will be much to seek after the Effects of this Design of Christ in his Love and Death if he measure them by what appears in Churches under the power and influence of this neglect Nor do those who plead for the continuance of things in such a state without Reformation sufficiently consider the Representation that the Lord Christ made of himself when he was about to deal with his Churches some of which were overtaken with carelesness and negligence in this matter And yet hath he therein laid down a Rule as to what kind of proceedings Particular Churches are to expect from him in all Generations And it is a matter of no small Amazement that any Churches dare approve and applaud themselves in such a state of impurity and defection as is evidently condemned by him in those primitive patterns Do men think he is changed or that he will approve in them what he judged and condemned in others Or do they suppose he minds these things no more and because he is unseen that he seeth not But we shall all find at length that he is the same yesterday to day and for ever and that as the Judge of all he stands at the door Now this Duty by conformity we renounce a concernment in so as to attend unto it by virtue of Ministerial Authority whence the guilt of all the evil consequents thereof before mentioned must fall on us For it is known that a meer shadow of the work of this
for the preservation of outward Order And whatever Arbitrariness may be supposed in making a judgment upon the Rule of the Word or in the Application of its rule unto the present Case it must abide in some or other And who shall be thought more meet or able to make a right determination thereon than those whose Duty it is and who have the advantage to be acquainted with all Circumstances belonging to the Case proposed Besides there is the Judgment of the Church or the Congregation it self which is greatly to be regarded Even in the Church of England a suspension of any from the Lords Supper is allowed unto the Curate upon the Offence of the Congregation which is a sufficient evidence that a Judgment in this Case is owned to be their due For none can take Offence but upon a Judgment of the Matter at which he is offended nor in this case without a right to determine that some Offences ought to debar Persons from a participation of the holy Ordinances as also what those Offences are This therefore is to be considered as an Aid and Assistance unto Ministers in the discharge of their Duty It is the Church into whose communion persons are to be admitted And although it be no way necessary that determinations in this Case should be always made by Suffrage or a Plurality of Votes in the Body of the Church yet if the Sense or Mind of the Congregation may be known or is so upon the Enquiry that ought to be made unto that purpose that any persons are unmeet for their communion it is not convenient they should be received nor will their Admission in this case be of any advantage to themselves or the Church The Light of Reason and the Fundamental constitutive Principles of all Free Societies such as the Church is ascribe this Liberty unto it and the Primitive Church practised accordingly So also is the judgment and Desire of the Congregation to be considered in the admission of any if they are made known to the Guides of it For it is expected from them they should confirm their Love unto them without dissimulation as Members of the same Body and therefore in their approbation of what is done their Rulers have Light and Encouragement in their own Duty Besides there is appointed and ought to be preserved a communion among Churches themselves By virtue hereof they are not only to make use of mutual Aid Advice and Counsel antecedently unto a actings of Importance but each particular Church is upon just demand to give an account unto other Churches of what they do in the Administration of the Ordinances of the Gospel among them and if in any thing it hath mistaken or miscarried to rectifie them upon their Advice and Judgment And it were easie to manifest how through these Means and Advantages the Edification of the Church and the Liberty of Christians is sufficiently secured in that discharge of Duty which is required in the Pastors of the Churches about the Admission of persons unto a Participation of holy ordinances in them 5. This Duty therefore must either be wholly neglected which will unavoidably tend to the corrupting and debauching of all Churches and in the end unto their Ruine or it must be attended unto by each particular Church under the conduct of their Guides and Rulers or some others must take it upon themselves What hath been the issue of a Supposal that it may be discharged in the latter way is too well known to be insisted on For whilst those who undertake the Exercise of Church-Power are such as do not dispense the Word or preach it unto them towards whom it is to be exercised but are strangers unto their spiritual state and all the Circumstances of it whilst they have no way to act or exercise their presumed Authority but by Citations Processes Informations and Penalties according to the manner of Secular Courts of Judicature in Causes Civil and Criminal and whilst the Administration of it is committed unto men utterly unacquainted with and inconcerned in the Discipline of the Gospel or the preservation of the Church of Christ in Purity and Order and whilst herein many the most or all of them who are so employed have thereby outward Emoluments and Advantages which they do principally regard the due and proper care of the right Order of the Churches unto the Glory of Christ and their own Edification is utterly omitted and lost It is true many think this the only decent useful and expedient way for the Government of the Church and think it wondrous unreasonable that others will not submit thereunto and acquiesce therein But what would they have us do or what is it that they would perswade us unto Is it that this kind of Rule in and over the Church hath Institution given it in the Scripture or countenance from Apostolieal Practice Both they and we know that no pretence of any such Plea can be made Is it that the first Churches after the Apostles or the Primitive Church did find such a kind of Rule to be necessary and therefore erected it among themselves There is nothing more remote from Truth Would they perswade us that as Ministers of the Gospel and such as have or may have the care of particular Churches committed unto us that we have no such concernment in these things but what we may solemnly renounce and leave them wholly to the mannagement of others We are not able to believe them The Charge that is given unto us the Account that will be required of us the nature of the Office we are called unto continually testifie other things unto us Wherefore we dare not voluntarily engage into the neglect or omission of this Duty which Christ requireth at our hands and of whose neglect we see so many sad Consequents and Effects The Lord Christ we know hath the same Thoughts and makes the same Judgment of his Churches as he did of old when he made a solemn Revelation and Declaration of them And then we find that he charged the Failings Neglects and Miscarriages of the Churches principally upon the Angels or Ministers of them And we would not willingly by our neglect render our selves obnoxious unto his Displeasure nor betray the Churches whereunto we do relate unto his just indignation for their declension from the Purity of his Institutions and the vigour of that Faith and Love which they had professed We should moreover by the Conformity required of us and according to the Terms on which it is proposed engage our selves against the exercise of our Ministerial Office and Power with respect unto them who are already Members of Particular Churches For this we carry along with us that by Conforming we voluntarily consent unto the whole state of Conformity and unto all that we are to do or not to do by the Law thereof Now it is not to be expected that all who are duly initiated or joyned unto any Church
shall always walk blameless according unto the Evangelical Rule of obedience without giving offence unto others The state of the Church is not like to be so blessed in this World that all who belong unto it should be constantly and perpetually inoffensive This indeed is the Duty of all but it will fall out otherwise It did so amongst the Primitive Churches of old and is not therefore otherwise to be expected amongst us on whom the ends of the world are come and who are even pressed with the Decayes and Ruines of it Many Hypocrites may obtain an admission into Church Societies by the strictest Rules that any can proceed upon therein And these after they have known and professed the wayes of Righteousness may and often do turn aside from the holy Commandment delivered unto them and fall again into the Polutions of the world Many good men and really sincere Believers may through the power of Temptations be surprized into faults and sins scandalous to the Gospel and offensive to the whole Congregation whereof they are Members Hath the Lord Christ appointed no Relief in and for his Churches in such Cases no way whereby they may clear themselves from a participation in such impieties or deliver themselves from being looked on as those who give countenance unto them as they who continue in this Communion may and ought to be no Power whereby they may put forth from among them the old Leaven which would otherwise infect the whole no way to discharge themselves and their Societies of such Persons as are impenitent in their Sins No Means for the awakening conviction Humiliation and Recovery of them that have offended no way to declare his Mind and Judgment in such Cases with the Sentence that he denounceth in Heaven against them that are impenitent If he hath done none of these things it is evident that no Churches in this world can possibly be preserved from disorder and Confusion Nor can they by Love and the Fruits of an holy Communiou be kept in such a condition as wherein he can be pleased with them or continue to walk amongst them For let men please themselves whilst they will with the Name of the Church it is no otherwise with them where Persons Obstinately and impenitently wicked and whose Lives are wholly discrepant from the Rule of the Gospel are suffered to abide without controll But if he hath made the Provision enquired after in this Case as it is evident that he hath both the Authority he hath granted unto his Church for these Ends his Commands to exercise it with Care and Watchfulness with the Rules given them to proceed by with the known End of all Instituted Churches for the Promotion of Holiness being all open and plain in the Scripture it must then be enquired unto whom this Trust is firstly committed and of whom these Duties are principally required For Private Members of the Church what is their Duty and the way how they may regularly attend unto the Discharge of it according to the Mind of Christ in case of scandalous Sins and Offences among them they are so plainly and particularly laid down and directed as that setting aside the Difficulties that are cast on the Rule herein by the extreamly forced and unproveable exceptions of some interested Persons that none can be ignorant of what is required of them Mat. 18. v. 15 16 17 18 19 20. And a Liberty to discharge their Duty herein they are bound by the Law of Christ in due Order to provide for If they are abridged hereof and deprived thereby of so great a Means of their own Edification as also of the usefulness required in them towards the Church whereof they are Members it is a spiritual Oppression that they suffer under And where it is voluntarily neglected by them not only the Guilt of their own but of other Mens sins also lies upon them Neither is their own Guilt small herein For suffering sin to abide on a Brother without reproof is a fruit of hatred in the Interpretation of the Law and this hatred is a sin of an heynous Nature in the sense of the Gospel The Duty also of the whole Church in such Cases is no less evidently declared For from such Persons as walk disorderly and refuse to reform on due Admonition they are to withdraw and to put from amongst them such obstinate Offenders as also previously thereunto to watch diligently least any root of bitterness spring up among them whereby they might be defiled And hereunto also are subservient all the Commands that are given them to exhort and admonish one another that the whole Church may be preserved in Purity Order Holiness and Faithfulness But the chief enquiry is with whom rests the Principal Care and Power according to the Mind of Christ to see the Discipline of the Church in Particular Congregations exercised and to exercise it accordingly If this should be found to be in the Ministers and through their neglect in the Administration of it Offenders be left in their sins and Impenitency without a due Application of the means for their Healing and Recovery if the Church its self come to be corrupted thereby and to fall under the Displeasure of Jesus Christ as these things in one Degree or other more or less will ensue on that neglect it will not turn unto their Comfortable Account at the great Day That this is their Duty that this Authority and Inspection is committed unto them the Reasons before insisted on in the Case of Admission do undeniably evince And if those Ministers who do Conscientiously attend unto the Discharge of their Ministerial Office towards particular Flocks would but examine their own hearts by the Light of open and plain Scripture Testimonies with the Nature of their Office and of the work they are ingaged in there would need little arguing to convince them of what Trust is committed unto them or what is required from them If the Consciences of others are not concerned in these things if they have no Light into the Duty which seems to be incumbent on them their Principles and Practices or as we think mistakes and neglects can be no Rule unto us What we may be forbidden what we may be hindred in is of another Consideration But for us voluntarily to ingage unto the Omission of that Duty which we cannot but believe that it will be required of us is an Evil which we are every way obliged to avoid There are also sundry Particular Duties relating unto these that are more general which in like manner on the Terms of Communion proposed unto us must be foregone and omitted And where by these means or neglects some of the Principal ways of Exercising Church Communion are cast out of the Church some of the means of the Edification of its Members are wholly lost and sundry Duties incumbent on them are virtually prohibited unto them untill they are utterly grown into
Empire under himself by their common consent In the mean time by the Original Divisions of the Empire and the Revolutions that happened afterwards amongst the Nations of the World the greatest number of Christians were wholly inconcerned in this new Church Soveraignty which was erected in the Western Provinces of that Empire So was the Mystery of Iniquity consummated for whereas the Pope to secure his new Acquisitions endeavoured to empale the Title and Priviledges of the Catholick Church unto those Christians which professed Obedience unto himself unto an exclusion of a greater number there ensued such a confusion of the Catholick and a particular Church as that both of them were almost utterly lost Concerning these several sorts of conceited particular Churches it is evident that some of them as to their nature and kind have no Institution in nor warrant from the Scripture but were Prudential Contrivances of the men of the Dayes wherein they were first formed which they effected by various degrees under the conduct of an Apprehension that they tended unto the increase of Concord and Order among Christians Whether really and effectually they have attained that end the event hath long since manifested And it will be one day acknowledged that no Religious Vnion or Order among Christians will be lasting and of spiritual use or advantage unto them but what is appointed and designed for them by Jesus Christ. The truth is the mutual intestine Differences and Contests among them who first possessed the Rule of such Churches about their Dignities Pre-eminences Priviledges and Jurisdictions which first apparently let in Pride Ambition Revenge and Hatred into the Minds and Lives of Church-Guides lost in the peace of Christendome and the degeneracy of theâ—r Successors more and more into a secular Interest and worldly frame of Spirit is one great means of continuing us at a loss for its retrival How far any man may be obliged in Conscience unto communion with these Churches in those things wherein they are such and as such behave themselves in all their Rule and Administrations may be enquired into by them who are concerned What respect we have unto them or what Duty we may owe them as they may in any place be established by the Civil Laws of the Supream Magistrate is not of our present consideration But whereas in their Original and Rise they have no other warrant but the Prudential contrivance of some men who unquestionably might be variously influenced by corrupt Preâ—udâ—ces and Affections in the finding out and mannagement of their Inventions what ground there is for holding a Religious communion with them and wherein such communion may consist is not easie to be declared For the notion that the Church-communion of the generality of Christians and Ministers consists only in a quiet subjection unto them who by any means may pretend to be set over them and claim a right to rule them is fond and impious In the mean time we wholly deny that the Mistakes or Disorders of Christians in complying with or joyning themselves unto such Churches as have no warrantable institution ought to be any cause of the diminishing of our Love towards them or of withdrawing it from them For notwithstanding their Errors and Wanderings from the Paths of Truth in this Matter they do or may continue interested in all that Love which is due from us unto the Church of Christ upon the double account before insisted on For they may be yet persons born of God united unto Christ made partakers of his Spirit and so belong to the Church Catholick Mystical which is the first principal Object of all Christian Love and Charity The Errors wherewith they are supposed to be overtaken may befal any persons under those Qualifications the admittance of them though culpable being not inconsistent with a state of Grace and acceptation with God And they may also by a due profession of the fundamental Truths of the Gospel evince themselves to be professed Subjects of the visible Kingdom of Christ in the world and so belong to the Church Catholick vâ—sibly professing under which notion the Disciples of Christ are in the next place commended unto our Love And it is the fondest imagination in the world that we must of necessity want Love towards all those with whom we cannot join in all acts of Religious Worship or that there need be any Schisme between them and us on the sole account thereof taking Schisme in the common received notion of it If we bear unkindness towards them in our minds and hearts if we desire or seek their hurt if we persecute them or put them to trouble in the world for their Profession if we pray not for them if we pity them not in all their Temptations Errors or Sufferings if we say unto any of them when naked be thou cloathed and when hungry be thou fed but relieve them not according unto our abilities and opportunities if we have an aversation to their Persons or judge them any otherwise than as they cast themselves openly and visibly under the sentence of Natural Reason or Scripture-Rule we may be justly thought to fail in our Love towards them But if our Hearts condemn us not in these things it is not the difference that is or may be between them and us about Church-Constitutions or Order that ought be a cause or can be an evidence of any want of Love on our parts There will indeed be a distinct and separate practice in the things wherein the difference lies which in it self and without other avoidable evils need not on either side to be Schismatical If by censures or any kind of power such Churches or Persons would force us to submit unto or comply with such things or ways in Religious Worship as are contrary unto our Light and which they have no Authority from the Lord Christ to impose upon us the whole state of the Case is changed as we shall see afterwards As for those Particular Churches which in any part of the world consist of Persons assembling together for the worship of God in Christ under the Guidance of their own Lawful Pastors and Teachers we have only to say that we are full well assured that where-ever two or three are gathered together in the name of Christ there he is present with them and farther than this there are very few concerning whom we are called to pass any other Censure or Judgment So we hope it is with them and so we pray that it may be And therefore we esteem it our Duty to hold that Communion with all these Assemblies when called thereunto which is required of any Christians in the like cases and Circumstances Unless we are convinced that with respect unto such or such Instances it is the Mind of Christ that neither among our selves nor in Conjunction with others nor for the sake of present Communion with them we should observe them in his worship we judge our selves under an Obligation
from him Instead hereof some have invented bonds of Ecclesiastical Vnity which may outwardly bind men together in some appearance of order whilst in the mean time they live in envy wrath and malice biting and devouring one another or if there be any thing of Love among them it is that which is meerly natural or carnal and sensual working by a joynt consent in delights and pleasure or at best in Civil things belonging unto their conversation in this world The love that is among such persons in this world is of the world and will perish with the world But it is a far easier thing to satisfie Conscience with a pretence of preserving Church Unity by an acquiescency in some outward Rules and Constitutions wherein mens minds are little concerned than to attend diligently unto the due exercise of this Grace of Love against all Oppositions and Temptations unto the contrary For indeed the exercise of this Love requires a sedulous and painful labour Heb. 6. 10. But yet this is that alone which is the Bond of Perfection unto the Disciples of Christ and without which all other pretences or appearances of Unity are of no value with him Secondly This Love acts it self by forbearance and condescention towards the Infirmities mistakes and faults of others wherein of what singular use it is for the Preservation of Church Peace and Order the Apostle at large declares 1 Cor. 13. Fourthly The Lord Christ by his Kingly Authority hath instituted Orders for Rule and Ordinances for Worship to be observed in all his Churches That they be attended unto and celebrated in a due manner belongs unto the unity which he requires among his Disciples To this end he communicates supplyes of spiritual ability and wisdome or the Gifts of his Spirit unto the Guides and Rulers of his Churches for their administration unto edification And hereon if a submission unto his Authority be accompanyed with a due attendance unto the Rule of the Word no such variety or difference will ensue as shall impeach that Unity which is the Duty of them all to attend unto In these things doth consist that Evangelical Church Vnity which the Gospel recommends unto us and which the Lord Christ prayed for with respect unto all that should believe on his Name One Spirit one Faith one Love one Lord there ought to be in and unto them all In the possession of this Vnity and no other were the first Churches left by the Apostle And had they in succeeding Generations continued according to their Duty in the preservation and liberty of it all those scandalous Divisions which afterwards fell out among them on the account of Pre-eminences Jurisdictions Liturgies Rites Ceremonies violently or fraudulently obtruded on their Communion had been prevented The ways and means whereby this Vnity may be obtained and preserved amongst Christians are evident from the Nature of it For whereas it is Spiritual none other are suited thereunto nor hath the Lord Christ appointed any other but his Spirit and his Word For to this end doth he promise the presence of his Spirit among them that believe unto the consummation of all things And this he doth both as to lead and guide them into all Truth necessary unto the Ends mentioned so to assist and help them in the orderly performances of their Duties in and about them His Word also as the Rule which they are to attend unto he hath committed unto them and other ways and means for the compassing of this end besides the due improvement of spiritual Assistances in a compliance with the holy Rule he hath not designed or appointed This is that Gospel-Vnity which we are to labour after and these are the means whereby we may do so But now through the mistake of the minds of men with the strong influence which carnal and corrupt Interests have upon them we know how it hath been despised and what hath been set up in the room thereof and what have been the means whereby it hath been pursued and promoted We may take an Instance in those of the Church of Rome No sort of Christians in the world as we have already observed do at this day more pretend unto Vnity or more press the necessity of it or more fiercely judge oppose and destroy others for the breach of it which they charge upon them nor more prevail or advantage themselves by the pretence of it than do they But yet notwithstanding all their Pretenâ—es it will not be denied but that the Vnity which they so make their boast of and press upon others is a thing utterly forreign to the Gospel and destructive of that Peace Union and Concord among Christians which it doth require They know how highly Unity is commended in the Scripture how much it is to be prized and valued by all true Believers how acceptable it is to Jesus Christ and how severely they are condemned who break it or despise it These things they press and plead and make their advantage by But when we come to enquire what it is that they intend by Church-Vnity they tell us long Stories of Subjection unto the Pope to the Church in its Dictates and Resolutions without farther examination meerly because they are theirs Now these things are not only of another nature and kind than the Unity and Concord commended unto us by Jesus Christ but perfectly inconsistent with them and destructive of them And as they would impose upon us a corrupt confederacy for their own secular Advantage in the room of the spiritual Unity of the Gospel so it was necessary that they should find out means sutable unto its Accomplishment and Preservation as distant from the means appointed by Christ for the attaining of Gospel-Vnion as their carnal Confederacy is from the thing its self And they have done accordingly For the enforcing men by all wayes of deceit and outward violence unto a compliance with and submission unto their Orders is the great Expedient for the establishment and preservation of their perverse Union that they have fixed on Now that this Fictitious Vnity and corrupt carnal pursuit of it have been the greatest occasion and causes of begetting fomenting and continuing the Divisions that are among Christians in the world hath been indeniably proved by Learned men of all sorts And so it will fall out where-ever any reject the Union of Christs Institutions and substitute in the room thereof an Agreement of their own Invention as his will be utterly lost so they will not be able to retain their own Thus others also not content with those bounds and measures which the Gospel hath fixed unto the Vnity of Christians and Churches will have it to consist almost wholly in an outward Conformity unto certain Rites Orders Ceremonies and Modes of Sacred Administrations which themselves have either invented and found out or do observe and approve Whoever dissents from them in these things must immediately be branded as a
as yet openly to oppose Such are the Causes and such are the Occasions of the Differences and Divisions in and about Religious Concerns that are among us by such means have they been fomented and encreased Heightned they have been by the personal faults and miscarriages of many of all sorts and parties And as the reproof of their sinful failings is in its proper season a necessary duty so no Reformation or Amendment of persons will give a full relief nor free us from the evil of our Divisions until the Principles and ways which occasion them be taken out of the way CHAP. V. Grounds and Reasons of Non-Conformity HAving briefly declared our Sense concerning the general Causes and Occasions of our Differences and that present want of Christian Love which is complained of by many we shall now return to give some more particular account concerning our Inconformity unto and Non-compliance with the Observances and Constitutions of the Church of England It is acknowledged that we do in sundry things dissent from them that we do not that we cannot come up unto a joint Practice with others in them It is also confessed that hereon there doth ensue an appearance of Schisme between them and us according as the common notion of it is received in the world And because in this distance and difference the Dissent unto Compliance is on our parts there is a semblance of a voluntary relinquishment of your Communion And this we know exposeth us in Vulgar Judgments and Apprehensions unto the Charge of Schisme and necessitateth us unto self-defence as though the only matter in question were whether we are guilty of this evil or no. For that advantage have all Churches which have had an opportunity to fix terms of Communion right or wrong just or unequal the Differences which ensue thereon they will try out on no other terms but only whether those that dissent from them are Schismaticks or not Thus they make themselves Actors oft-times in this Cause who ought in the first place to be charged with Inâ—ury and a Trial is made meerly at the hazard of the Reputation of those who are causelesly put upon their Purgation and Defence Yea with many a kind of Possession and Multitude do render Dissenters unquestionably Schismatical so that it is esteemed an unreasonable Confidence in them to deny themselves so to be So deals the Church of Rome with those that are Reformed An open Schisme there is between them and if they cannot sufficiently fix the Guilt of it on the Reformed by confidence and clamours with the advantage of Prepossession yet as if they they were perfectly innocent themselves they will allow of no other Enquiry in this Matter but what consists in calling the Truth and Reputation of the other Party into question It being our present condition to lie under this Charge from many whose Interest it is to have us thought guilty thereof we do deny that there is any culpable secession made by us from the Communion of any that profess the Gospel in these Nations or that the blame of the appearing Schisme that is among us can duly or justly be reflected on us which in the Remainder of our Discourse we shall make to appear What are our Thoughts and Judgments concerning the Church-state and Interest of the Professors of the Gospel in this Nation we have before declared And we hope they are such that in the Judgment of persons sober and impartial we shall be relieved from those clamorous Accusations which are without number or measure by some cast upon us Our Prayers are also continually unto the God of Love and Peace for the taking away of all Divisions and their Causes from among us Nor is the satisfaction which ariseth from our sincerity herein in the least taken off or rent from us by the uncharitable Endeavours of some to rake up pretences to the contrary And should those in whose power it is think meet to imitate the Pastors and Guides of the Churches of old and to follow them in any of the wayes which they used for the Restauration of Vnity and Agreement unto Christians when lost or endangered we should not decline the contribution of any assistance by Counsel or Fraternal Compliance which God should be pleased to supply us withal But whilst some whose advantages render them considerable in these matters seem to entertain no other Thoughts concerning us but what issue in Violence and Oppression the principal duty incumbent on us is quietly to approve our Consciences unto God that in sincerity of heart we desire in all things to please him and to conform our Lives Principles and Practises to his Will so far as he is graciously pleased to make it known unto us And as for men we hope so to discharge the Duty required of us as that none may justly charge us with any Disorders Vnpeaceableness or other evils For we do not apprehend that we are either the cause or culpable occasion of those Inconveniences and Troubles which some have put themselves unto by their endeavours for our disturbance impoverishing and ruine Let none imagine but that we have considered the Evils and evil Consequents of the Schismes and Divisions that are among us and those who do so do it upon the forfeiture of their Charity We know how much the great work of Preaching the Gospel unto the Conversion of the Souls of men is impeded thereby as also what prejudice ariseth thence against the Truth wherein we are all agreed with what Temptations and mutual exasperations to the loss of Love and the occasioning of many sinful Miscarriages in persons of all sorts do hereon ensue But we deny that it is in our power to remove them or take them out of the way nor are we conscious unto our selves of any Sin or Evil in what we do or in what we do not do by our not doing of it in the Worship of God It is Duty alone unto Jesus Christ whereunto in these things we attend and wherein we ought so to do And where Matters of this nature are so circumstanced as that Duty will contribute nothing towards Unity we are at a loss for any progress towards it The Sum of what is objected unto us as hath been observed is our Non-Conformity or our forbearance of actual personal Communion with the present Church-Constitutions in the Modes Rites and Ceremonies of its Worship Hence the Schisme complained of doth ensue Unless this Communion be total constant without endeavour of any Alteration or Reformation we cannot in the judgment of some be freed from the guilt hereof This we deny and are perswaded that it is to be charged elsewhere For First All the Conditions of absolute and compleat Communion with the Church of England which are proposed unto us and indispensibly required of us especially as we are Ministers are Vnscriptural such as the Word of God doth neither warrant mention nor intimate especially not under any such consideration
disuse it is no wonder if in such Churches where these Evils are inveterate and Remediless Particular Persons do peaceably provide for their own Edification by joyning themselves unto such Societies as wherein the Rule of the Gospel is more practically attended unto It is taken for granted that the Church is not corrupted by the wicked Persons that are of its Communion nor its Administrations defiled by their Presence and Communication in them nor the Edification of others prejudiced thereby because it hath been so said by some of the Ancients though whether suitably unto the Doctrine of the Apostles or no is very questionable But suppose this should be so yet where wicked Persons are admitted without Distinction or Discrimination unto the Communion of the Church where they are tollerated therein without any procedure with them or against them contrary to express Rules of the Scripture given to that purpose so that those who are really Pious among them can by no means prevail for the Reformation of the whole they may not only without breach of Charity impairing of Faith or Love or without the least suspition of the Guilt of Schism forsake the Communion of such a Congregation to joyn unto another where there is more Care of Piety Purity and Holiness but if they have any Care of their own Edification and a due Care of their Salvation they will understand it to be their Duty so to do And we may a little touch hereon once for all The General End of the Institution of Churches as such is the visible mannagement of the Enmity on the part of the seed of the Woman Christ the Head and the Members of his Body mystical against the Serpent and his Seed In the pursuit of this End God ever had a Church in the world separate from persons openly profane doing the work of the Devil their Father And there is nothing in any Church Constitution which tends unto or is compliant with the mixing and reconciling these distinct seeds whilst they are such and visibly appear so to be And therefore as the Types Prophecies and Promises of the Old Testament did declare that when all things were actually brought unto an Head in Christ Jesus the Churches and all things that belong unto it should be Holy that is visibly so so the Description generally and uniformally given us of the Churches of the New Testament when actually called and erected is that they consisted of Persons called sanctified justified ingrafted into Christ or Saints Believers faithful ones purified and separate unto God Such they professed themselves to be such they were judged to be by them that were concerned in their Communion and as such they ingage themselves to walk in their Conversation By what Authority so great a Change should be now wrought in the Nature and Constitution of Churches that it should be altogether indifferent of what sort of persons they do consist we know not Yea to speak plainly we greatly fear that both the Worship and Worshipers are defiled where open impenitent sinners are freely admitted unto all sacred Administrations without controul And we are sure that as God complaineth that his Sanctuary is polluted when there are brought into it strangers uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh so the true Members of the Church are warned of the Evil and dangers of such defiling mixtures and charged to watch against them We might yet further insist on the great evil it would be in us if we should give a seeming outward Approbation unto those things and their use which we cannot but condemn and desire to have removed out of the Worship of God And moreover there is as we believe an Obligation upon us to give a Testimony unto the Truth about the Worship of God in his Church and not absolutely to hide the Light we have received therein under a Bushel Nor would we render the Reformation of the Church absolutely hopeless by our professed compliance with the Things that ought to be reform'd But what hath been pleaded already is sufficient to manifest that there neither is nor can be a Guilt of Schism charged either on Ministers or People who with-hold themselves from the Communion of that Church or those Churches whereof the things mentioned are made Conditions necessary and indispensible and wherein they must be denyed the Liberty of performing many Duties made necessary unto them by the Command of Jesus Christ. And as the rigid Imposition of unscriptural Conditions of Communion is the principal Cause of all the Schisms and Divisions that are among us so let them be removed and taken out of the way and we doubt not but that among all that sincerely profess the Gospel there may be that peace and such an Agreement obtained as in observance whereof they may all exercise those Duties of Love which the strictest Union doth require These we profess our selves ready for so far as God shall be pleased to help us in the Discharge of our Duty as also to renounce every Principle or Opinion whereof we may be convinced that they are in the least opposite unto or inconsistent with the Royal Law of Love and the due exercise thereof If men will continue to charge accuse or revile us either out of a causeless distast against our persons or Misunderstanding of our Principles and wayes or upon uncertain Reports or meerly prompted thereunto through a vain elation of mind arising from the Distance wherein through their Secular Advantages they look upon us to stand from them as we cannot help it so we shall endeavour not to be greatly moved at it For it is known that this hath been the Lot and Portion of those who have gone before us in the Profession of the Gospel and sincere endeavors to vindicate the Worship of God from the Disorders and Abuses that have been introduced into it and probably will be theirs who shall come after us But the whole of our care is that in godly simplicity and sincerity we may have our conversation in the World not corrupting the Word of God nor using our Liberty as a cloak of maliciousness but as becomes the Servants of God But perhaps it will yet be pleaded that this is not the whole which we are charged withall For it is said that we do not only withdraw our selves from the communion of the Church of of England but also that we assemble in separate Congregations for the Celebration of the whole Worship of God whereby we evidently make a Division in the Church and contract unto our selves the guilt of Schism For what can there be more required thereunto But what would those who make use of this Objection have us to do would they have us starve our souls by a wilful neglect of the means appointed for their nourishment Or would they have us live in a constant omission of all the Commands of Christ By them or those