their God can alter what he has spoken or lic Psal. 89 33 34 35. They can no more cease from being in Gods Favour or be cast off of God then the ordinances of Heaven can depart from before God then Heaven can be measured above or the foundations of the Earth searched out beneath Jerem. 31. 35. 36 37. Nor the Mountaines and Hills can be removed out of their places Esa. 54. 10. Or the World can be destroyed with the waters of Noah againe Or then God can retract his Oâ—th and promise Heb. 6. 18 19 20. But the visible Church of 〈◊〉 or that congregation or parish as our Brethren say of Rome Corinth Colosse Thessalonica Philippi and the seven Churches of Asia shall not endure as the dayes of Heaven yea they are all this day under horrible defection of Antichistian Idolatry and Turcisme and Judaisme if it be said the faithfull and believing of the visible Churches at Rome Corinth Colosse c. could no more fall away then the house of Israel and seed of David could cease to be Gods people I answer this is to flee to the invisible Church but the Professors of these visible Churches as Professors and in Church-state might fall away from the Church profession If they say they cannot fall from the sincerity of a true profession now yet they are aside and flee from the visible Professors and Churches visibility agreeing to the Church as visible to the Churches sincerity and invisible grace of constancy proper to the invisible Church and by this meaning none are the true visible Church nor members thereof but only such as have profession and withall sincerity of profession so Hypocrites though never so fairely inchurched have no power of the Keyes of censures of excommunication of admitting of Church members of Baptizing c. All which is very Anabaptisme that there is no visible Church on Earth but a company of truely and in foro Dei regenerated and converted persons and the onely redeemed of God and. 2. Our Divines in vaine contend with papists anent the visible Churches failing on Earth for most certaine it is except we hold with Arminians Socinians and Papists the apostacy of Believers neither the catholick Church nor a particular congregation of sincere Believers can fall into heresies and lose true and saving Faith But we hold that there is not a visible Church consisting of only visible professors never so orthodox but it may fall into fundamentall heresies and we give instance in the sometime orthodox and visible Church of Rome which hath fallen from the sound Faith and is become Bâ—bel and a whore and mother of fornications 3. A Church consisting of seven professors which our Brethren in this place say is a visible Church may have foure or five yea six hypocrites in it and yet the essence of a visible Church the nature of a Church-state Church-covenant the power and use of the keyes is 〈◊〉 in such a Church of seven for it is certaine Professon 〈◊〉 uniting themselves together in one Church-state are not led by an infallible and apostolick Spirit that they cannot erre inconstituting a visible Church but if they be fallible and obnoxious to error then in erecting a Church of seven five six and by the same reason all the seven may be in foro Dei in Gods Court yea and in an ordinary providence now with relation to the state of man fallen into sin often are unbelievers and unconverted persons and yet a visible Church performing all Church-acts of a visible profession Now if our Brethrens grounds hold good seven unbelievers are a company in covenant with God and can no more fall from the covenant and grace thereof then God can lie or alter that which is gone out of his mouth 2. The Church with whom the covenant is made and to whom the promises of the covenant are made is the Spouse of Christ his mysticall body the Sons and Daughters of the Lord God Almighty a royall priest-hood a chosen generation Kings and Priests to God but this is the invisible Church of elect believers not the visible Church of visible professors Therefore the invisible and not the visible Church is the first subject of all the priviledges of Christians and all the promises of the covenant The proposition is not doubted I prove the assumption The visible Church as it is such is a company of professors of the truth and connot be as it is such the Spouse of Christ and his Body 1. Because then Professors as Professors should be Christs redeemed Body which is openly false and against the Word of God for Rom. 9. 6. for they are not all Israel which are of Israel 2. Our Brethrens argument is strong to prove that the Church of Elders are not the true Church spoken of in the Word For say they the true Church is a flock that Christ hath Redeemed with his Blood Acts 20. 28. The Temple of the living God 1 Cor. 3. But the Church of Elders is not a flock of redeemed ones and Temples of the holy Spirit but in so far as they believe and are elected to glory and not as a flock of Elders are they redeemed so they say true Elders as Elders are not a part of the true Church nor the Church to whom Christ gave the keyes Mat. 16. But the Church making Peters confession So say wee the Church of visible professors as they are such are not the redeemed of Christ and Temples of the holy Spirit but in so far as they are Believers and the elect of God For if our Brethren say the Church as it is a company of visible Professors is also essentially the Church of Redeemed ones then only the Church of visible Professors and all the Church of visible Professors are redeemed of God but this is absurd and false Quod convenit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 convenit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Brethren acknowledge there may be an hundred Believers and Temples of the holy Spirit who are a flock of redeemed ones and yet not be a company of visible Professors 1. Because they are not united say they covenant-wayes into a Church-body 2. Say they because of weakenesse and for feare of persecution men may hide their profession as many doe in the Church of Rome and yet be the redeemed of God and be the seven thousand who have not bowed their knees to Baal and our Brethren cannot say that all the visible Church are the flock redeemed of God for then should there be no hypocrites in the visible Church 3. In this our Brethren maintaine one of the â—â—ossest poynts of the Arminian Popish and Socinian Doctrine even that all visible Professors are chosen to glory redeemed of God and the children of the promise and that in Gods purpose the coveâ—ant of grace and the promises of the covenant are made to all and every one in the visible Church and that God hath an intention that Christ shall die for all and
every one of the visible Church and that he inteneth to save all and every one of the visible Church This I prove for if thâ— covenant and promises of the covenant if the stiles of Christs Body his Love his Spouse his Sister and Dâ—ve if the revelation of Christ made not by flesh and blood but by Christs Father the ground of that blessed confession of Peter Mat. 16. 17. For which the keys were given to the visible Church if I say all these be proper to the visible Church as visible and due to her as to the first principall and prime subject and not to the chosen redeemed and invisible Church as such then the promises of the covenant and all these styles belong to the visible Church and God promiseth and intendeth a new heart and a new spirit to all visible Professors as such and so he intendeth redemption in Christ and salvation and Christs Righteousnesse and Forgivenesse of sins to all the visible Church But our Brethren do not I hope thinke that Gods intentions are castles in the Aire and new Ilands beyond the Moone as if his intentions could be frustrated and he could misse the white of the scope he shooteth at for certainly these to whom the covenant and promises thereof belong as to the prime and first subject these are his covenanted people now the orthodox and reformed Church holdeth that the covenant and promises are preached to the whole visible Church but for the elects sake and that howsoever externally the covenant of grace and promises be promulgated to every one and all within the lists of the visible Church yet they belong in Gods Intention and gratious purpose only to the Elect of God and his reseemed ones to that invisible Body Spouse Sister whereof Christ alone is Lord Head Husband and Brother and the first begotten amongst many Brethren Hence let me reason thus The Church whose gathering together and whose unity of Faith knowledge of the Son of God and growth of the measure of the stature of the fulnes of Christ the Lord intendeth by giving to them for that end some to be Apostles some Prophets some Pastors and Teachers Eph. 4. 11 12 13. must be the Church to which all the promises of the covenant and priviledges do belong But the Lord intendeth the gathering together the unity of Faith the knowledge of the Son of God and growth of the measure of the stature of Christ only of the invisible Elected and Redeemed Church not of the visible professing or consesing Church nor doth the Lord send Pastors and Teachers up-on a purpose and intention of gathering the visible Church and visible Israel except you flie to the Tents of Arminians I conceive these arguments cannot be answered If any say that Christ in giving Prophets Pastors and Teachers to his Church intendeth to save the true visible Church of the chosen and redeemed in so far as they are chosen and redeemed now they who answer thus come to our hand and forsake the Doctrine of their visible Church and say with us that the Ministery and the keys are given only upon a purpose on Gods part to save the invisible Church and that all these promises of the covenant the styles of Christs Spouse Sister Faire one are not proper to the visible Church nor any ground or argument to prove that the keys the power of excommunication ordaining of officers are given to the visible Church as to the prime and principall subject 4. The invisible Church and not the visible Church as it is such hath right to the Sacraments because these who have right to the covenant have right to the seales of the covenant and this is Peters argument to prove the baptizing of Infants to be lawfull Acts 2. 38 39. But only the invisible Church hath right to the covenant For God saith only of and to the invisible Church and not of the visible Church in his gratious purpose Jerem. 32. 38. And I will be their God and they shall be my people Jer. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their inward parts 34. They shall all know me all within the covenant I will forgive thâ—ir iniquity Now the visible Church as the visible Church is not within the covenant therefore the visible Church as the visible Church and being no more but the visible Church hath not right to the Seales of the covenant but in so far as they are within the covenant and in so far as God is their God and they his pardoned and sanctified people as it is Ierem. 31. 33 34. 5. It is knowen that our Brethren here joyne with Papists for Papists ignorant of the Doctrine of the visible Church labour to prove that the visible Church on Earth the Ministeriall Teaching and Governing Church cannot erre but that she converâ—ed in a visible Synod and met in Christs Name hath a promise of an infallible assistance And by what argumunts do they prove it You know here Bellarmine Pererius Tolet Stapleton Bailâ—â—s Suarez Vasquez Harding Gretsirus Costerus Turrecremata Salmoron Locinus Cajetan and an host of them say because the Church is builded on a Rock and against it the Gates of Hell shall not prevaile because Christ saith I have prayd to the Father that thy Faith faile thee not because Christ saith I will send you the holy Spirit and he shall leade you into all truth Now our Divines say that the invisible Church of Elect believers cannot fall off the Rock and cannot fall from saving Faith and cannot erre by falling into fundamentall heresies but it followeth not Ergo the visible ministeriall and Teaching Church either out of a Synod or convened in a Synod have an infallible and Apostolick Spirit to lead them so as in their determinations they cannot erre Just so our brethren take all the places for the priviledges covenant promises stiles of Sister Love Dove Spouse mysticall Body of Christ c. Which are proper only to the invisible redeemed chosen sanctified Church of God and they give all these to their only visible ministeriall and right constituted Church in the New Testament and say that this visible church gathered in a church-state because of the foresaid priviledges and stiles hath the supreame and independent power and authority of the keys above all Teachers and Pastors whatsoever and that the right visible church consisteth only of a Royall generation Temples of the Holy Ghost a people in covenant with God taught of God partakers of the Divine nature c. And that all visible churches that meet not in a materiall House in a visible and conspicious Society as on visible Mount Zion and not consisting of such a covenanted sanctified and separated people are a false church false in matter not an ordinance of Christ but an Idoll an antichristian device a Synagogue of Satan voyd of the power of the Keys 6. A church in covenant with God and the Spouse of Christ and his mysticall Body and a church which
God that persons notoriously wicked should be admitted into the Church then should God directly crosse himselfe and his owne ends and should receive into the visible covenant of grace such as were out of the visible estate of grace and should plant such in his Church for the glory of his Name as served for no other use then to cause his Name to be blasphemed Answ. This argument proveth that the visible Church is not a visible Church except it consist of onely holy and gratious persons without any mixture and so not only holinesse in profession but holinesse reall and before God is required essentially to a visible Church Then Pastors Doctors and Professors binding and loosing clave non errante are not a visible Church Yea this is downe right Anabaptisme that no visible Churches are on Earth but such as consist of reall Saints only 2. It is most ignorantly reasoned that God in creating Man and Angells good did not intend that they should fall by his permission but that they should continue holy and then God was frustrated of his end as Arminians and Socinians Teach So sayth Arminius Antiperk Corvinus The Remonstrants at Dort and Socinus that God intendeth and purposeth many things which never come to passe 2. His Decrees faile and are changed 3. Men may make Gods Decrees of election fast and sure or loose and unsure as they please 3. Here is much ignorance that God intendeth nothing that may be against the glory of obedience due to him as Law-giver as if sinners and hypocrites being in the Church because they are dishonorable to God should crosse Gods end and purpose so Tertullian bringeth in some whom he calleth dogges thus reasoning against providence which suffereth sinne to be in the World so contrary to his Will and goodnesse And who denieth but Christ commanded Judas to preach and that the Apostles according to Gods Will and Cammandement received Ananias Saphira Simon Magus in the visible Church by baptizing them for I hope the Apostles sinned not against Gods revealed Will in admitting them to the visible Church And shall we say that God directly in that crosseth himselfe and his own ends because God gathered hypocrites into his Churcch and yet they dishonour and blaspheme the Name of God Whiles Robinson saith Gods maine end in gathering a visible Church is that they being separated from the World may glorifie his Name he speaketh grosse Arminianisme that God faileth in his ends Lastly he saith that God cannot will that persons notoriously wicked should be in his visible Church for then he should crosse himselfe and his owne ends advert notoriously is vainely added seeing we teach that notoriously wicked ought to be cast out of the visible Church as also if he shall will wicked persons let alone notoriously wicked or latent hypocrites to be in the Church yea or in this visible World he should by this Arminian argument crosse himselfe and his owne ends Do you believe with Arminians that Gods end is that Angells and men should have stood in obedience and that a Redeemer should never come to save sinners And that blasphemy and sinne is against Gods purpose and intended end and that sinne crosseth him but when all is done it is his intention and revealed will that hypocrites be invited to the visible and preached covenant and yet he knoweth that they are out of the visible yea and invisible state of grace Robinson In planting the first Church in the seed of the woman there were only Saints without any mixture now all Churches are of one nature and essentiall constitution and the first is the rule of the rest Answ. Though God planted Adam and Eve two restored persons to be the first repenting Church from Gods fact you cannot conclude a visible Church gathered by men should be voyd of all mixture so as it is no visible Church if it be a mixed company of good and bad this is contrary to his owne commandement Mat. 22 9. Go and call as many as you finde 2. Gods acts are not rules of morall duties his Word and Commandement doth regulate us not his Works God hardeneth Pharaos heart should Pharao harden for that his owne heart God forbid Robinson Cajan that evill on was broken off and cast out of the Church and by Moses it is imputed for sin that the sonnes of God married with the daughters of men Ergo it is far more unlawful to contract with the wicked in a religious covenant of the communion of Saints Answ. Wee grant such as Cain are to be excommunicated but what then Ergo none can be members of a visible Congregation but such as Abel we love not such consequences a Though God forbade his people to marry with the Canaanites yet he forbade not that the Godly and ungodly should come to the Temple together and that Noah and cursed Cham should be in one Arke together 3. Though it be a sinne that the wicked should mix themselves with the godly and come unto the Kings supper without the wedding garment yet that is not the question but if the pastors inviting all to come to the supper do sin and 2. If the Church be not a true visible Church though it consist of good and bad Robinson Circumcision is a seale of the righteousnesse of Faith Gen. 17. 10. Rom. 4. 11. Now to affirme that the Lord will seale up with the visible seale of Faith any visibly unrighteous and faithlesse person were that God should prophane his own Ordinance Answ. God doth by this argument profane his owne seale when a visibly wicked person is sealed with the seale as when one visibly unrighteous is sealed for the latent hypocrite profaneth the seale of Righteousnesse as the open and visibly unrighteous and faithlesse person doth Yet it is Gods command that the latent hypocrite have the seales of Righteousnesse since the Church conceiveth him to be a sound professor Ergo by your Doctrine God commandeth to prophane his owne seales but this is the wicked reasoning of Arminians and Socinians So Arminians against Perkins Corvinus against Molinâ—us the Arminians at the synod of Dort would prove an universall grace accompanying the Word and Sacraments and they say that Sacraments doe not seale remission of sins redemption in Christ and that they be empty and toome ordinances yea and mocking signes except all who receive the seales both elect and reproâ—ate be redeemed in Christ and have grace to believe But the truth is God doth not prophane his owne seales because he commandeth that they be received with Faith and let us see where any male child reprobate or elect borne amongst the Iewes but he is by Gods Commandement to be circumcised yet that seale was an empty ordinance to thousands in Israel 3. Nor is the seale a seale of righteousnesse actu secundo sed actu primo it is a seale of righteousnesse as the Word of God is the power of
of these congregations as where there is not a head of a Family and members there is not a Family and so you prove not Jerusalem a presbyteriall Church over many fixed and formed Churches as they are in Scotland and if the Apostles were pastors in a circular and fluid way to many congregations every one was a pastor to many congregations and so elected by many congregations which is absurd Ans. 1. Fixed or not fixed cannot vary the essence of the government 1. The Priests Levites and Prophets teaching in the wildernes from place to place and the people by war scattered to sundry Tribes doth not make these meetings not to be under the government of the great Sanedrim more then if the meeting made a fixed Synagogue divers members and dverso heads in one Family occasioned by death and pestilence diverse Souldiers and new Commanders in a Regiment diverse Inhabitants yea and weekly altered rulers and watchmen in a City doth not infer that that family Regiment and City is not under one government of the City one of the whole army and one parliamentary law of the whole kingdome no more then if all were fixed in members and heads 2. Churches their persecution may have both members and teachers removed to a corner and altered yet they remain the same single Congregation having the same government 3. Officiating in the same word seales censures by Peter to day and by Andrew to morrow though members also be changed is of the same species and nature even to the worlds and if we suppose the Church of Ierusalem to be one Congregation induring a patterne these sixteen hundred yeares members and officers must be often altered yet it is one Congregation in specie and one single Church in nature though not in number and the government not altered through the fluidity and alteration of members and officers as it is the same Parliament now which was in the raigne of King Iames though head and members be altered fluidity and alteration of rulers and members must be by reason of mortality accidentall to all incorporations and yet their government for all that doth remaine the same in nature if these same Lawes and Government in nature by these Lawes remaine CHAP. 4. SECT 5. Why we doe not admit the Members of the Churches of Old England to the Seales of the Covenant Quest. I. VVHether the Seales of the Covenant can be denyed to professors of approved piety because they are not members of a particular visible Church in the New Testament Our Brethren deny any Church Communion and the seales of the Covenant Baptisme to the children of Beleevers the Lords Supper to beleevers themselves who come to them from Old England because they be not members of the particular Congregation to which they come and because there is no visible Church in the New Testament but one particular Parish and all who are without a particular Parish are without the visible Church and so are not capable of either Church censures or the Seales of the Covenant because 〈◊〉 have right to the seales of the Covenant but onely this visible Church We hold all who professe faith in Christ to be members of the visible Church though they bee not members of a visible Congregation and that the seales of the Covenant should not be denyed to them And for more full clearing of the question let these considerations be observed First Dist. All beleevers as beleevers in foro Dei before God have right to the seales of the Covenant these to whom the Covenant and body of the Charter belongeth to these the seale belongeth but in foro Ecclesiastico and in an orderly Church-way the seales are not to be conferred by the Church upon persons because they beleeve but because they professe their beleeving therefore the Apostles never baptized Pagans but upon profession of their faith Second Dist. Faith in Christ truely giveth right to the seales of the Covenant and in Gods intention and decree called voluntas beneplaciti they belong onely to the invisible Church but the orderly way â—f the Churches giving the seales is because such a society is a professing or visible Church and orderly giving of the seales according to Gods approving will called voluntas signi revelata belongeth to the visible Church Third Dist. The Church may orderly and lawfully give the seales of the Covenant to those to whom the Covenant and promises of grace doth not belong in Gods decree of election Fourth Dist. The Church may lawfully adde to the Church visible such as God addeth not to the Church invisible as they may adde Simon Magus and the Church may lawfully cast out of the visible Church such as Christ hath not cast out of the invisible Church as the Church may excommunicate regenerate persons for scandalous sinnes Fift Dist. Then the regenerate excommunicated have right to the seales of the Covenant as they have to the Covenant and yet the Church doth lawfully debarre them hic nunc in such a scandalous case from the seales of the Covenant Wee hold that those who are not members of a particular Congregation may lawfully be admitted to the seales of the Covenant First Because those to whom the promises are made and professe the Covenant these should be baptized But men of approved piety are such though they be not members of a particular Parish The proposition is Peters argument Act. 2. 38. Secondly Those who are not Members of a particular Church may be visible professors and so members of a visible Church Ergo the seales of the Covenant belongeth to them Thirdly The contrary opinion hath no warrant in Gods Word Fourthly The Apostles required no more of those whom they baptized but profession of beleefe as Act. 10. 47. Can any forbid water that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Ghost as well as we Act. 8. 37. If thou beleevest with all thy heart thou mayest he baptized no more is sought of the Jaylor Act. 16. 31. 34. The Authour saith To admit to the Seales of the Covenant is not an act of Christian liberty that every Christian may dispense to whom he pleaseth but an act of Church power given to the Ministers to dispense to those over whom the Holy Ghost hath made them overseers but we have no Ministeriall power over those of another Congregation and who are not members of a particular Congregation Answ. First To dispense the Seales to whom we please as if mens pleasure were a rule were licentiousnesse not Christian Liberty There may be a communion of benefits where there is no communion of punishment Beneficia sunt amplianda Secondly It is false that Pastors have no Ministeriall power over those who are not of their Congregation for if so all communion of Churches should fall for Letters of recommendation from other Churches whereof they are Members cannot make Pastors of New England to have a Ministeriall power over those of another
Jewish entry in the visible Church Gen. 17. 13. It being the Covenant of God in the flesh the uncircumcised being commanded to be cut off from Gods people v. 14. 4. This is according to the Scriptures and the doctrine of the fathers Augustine Cyrill Basilius Tertullian Hieronymus Theophylact Theodoret Ambrose Cyprian who constantly so teach so doe our Divines Calvin Beza Buâ—nus Pareus Piscator Anton. Wallaeus Tilenus Kickermanus So Zanchius Polanus Sihrandus Rivetus Fennerus Whittakerus Raynoldus Willetus and the professors of Leyden 〈◊〉 Our Brethren say it is the opinion of the Anabaptists that the Church is made by baptisme and Papists have the same conceit and therefore place their Font at the Church doore to signifie mens entry into the Church by baptisme but we beleeve not that baptisme doth make men members of the Church nor to be administrated to them who are without the Church as the way to bring them in but to them that are within the Church as a seale to confirme the Covenant of Grace to them Answ. 1. Anabaptists deny that any ought to be baptized while thy come to age and while they beleeve and be regenerated and they say not farre from your selves in this who teach it to bee absurd to put a blanke seale upon a falshood and so you presuppone all to be regenerated and truly within the Covenant before they can be sealed to be within the Covenant by baptisme and yet you do not think all Infants of beleeving parents to be regenerated and truly within the Covenant then is the seale blanck Also you say baptisme is not to be administrated to those who are without but onely to those who are within the Church you meane not within the Church by profession for Infants have no profession and you say the Sacrament cannot be put on a blanke or a falshood Ergo you thinke all that are baptized ought to be within the Church really and not in profession ouely Ergo they must all come to age and beleeve before they can be baptized 2. We say not that baptisme maketh a Church mysticall and the true and lively body and Spouse of Christ but that it is a seale confirming us of our entry in the visible Church 3. The placing of the Font at the Church doore as a mysticall signe of our entry in the Church is an Antichristian ceremony of mens devising which wee disclaime 4. If Infants baptized must bee within the Church before they can be baptized how deny you to receive them to the Lords Supper when they come to age while they bee againe by your Church-oath received within the Church then are they both within the Church because they are baptized and without the Church because they are not received in by your Church-oath againe 5. If baptisme be a seale of grace to confirme the Covenant of grace to those who are within the Church that is onely a single Congregation for you deny that there be any visible Churches in the New Testament save these onely then are persons baptized persons and confirmed in the Covenant of grace onely within a single Congregation I would know if baptisme should not then be repeated and reiterated in every ones person as they come to a new Congregation for they are confirmed in the Covenant of grace by baptisme onely in one single Congregation as you teach Their second and third reason is Baptisme and all ordinances are priviledges given to the Church so it maketh not the Church but the Church is before baptisme and all ordinances the use also of baptisme is to be a seale of the Covenant now a seale is not to make a thing which was not but to confirme a thing which was Answ. 1. The Church is indeed the Church mysticall and the invisible body of Christ before baptisme but this proveth not but baptisme is a seale of our entry in the visible Church for if this be a good argument your Church-covenant which to you is an ordinance of God falleth to the grrund for persons are the true Churches of Christ before all the ordinances of Christ Ergo by your Church-covenant men doe not become Christs visible Church 2. The argument hath no feet for the ordinance of preaching the Word is a priviledge of the Church and ordinance of God yet is not the Church before the preaching of the Word for birth is not before the seed but the seed before the birth the preaching of the Word is the seed of the Church 1 Pet. 1. 23. and a meane of gathering the Church Rom. 10. 14. and it is also a priviledge of the Church for hee dealeth not so with every nation to send his Gospell to them Psal. 147. 19 20. 3. When you say that a Seale doth not make a thing that was not but confirme a thing that was while you would seeme to refute Papists who vainely teach that Sacraments doe confeâ—re grace ex opere opâ—rato by the deed done yet doe you make the Sacrament but a naked signe and take part with Arminians and Socinians whose very arguments in expresse words you use for Socinius goeth before you in this argument and so doth Smalcius follow him 〈◊〉 and sealing there is required the trying of the thing and some â—â—â—hing or document but that ceremony a baptisime and that rite though it bee â—â—ly doth nothing to the remission of sins but it doth onely shadow out and as it 〈◊〉 delineâ—ue and point forth remission of sinnes by the washing of water â—xpâ—ned in the Word of God You say Sacraments 〈◊〉 make a thing that was not but confirme a thing that was before you can have no other meaning then to deny all cansalitie and all reall exhibition of grace in the Sacraments for if a Sacrament make not a thing that was not before or if God give nâ—t and really produce conferre and exhibite grace and a stronger measure of faith and assurance of remission of sinnes at the due and right use of the Sacrament the Sacrament is a naked signe and not an exhibitive Seale But if Christ give and in the present exhibit as surely remission of sinnes as the infant is washen with water as our Divines and the Palatinate Catechise teacheth yea and the confession thereof and the Synod of Dort teacheth then by the Sacrament of Baptisme a thing is made that which it was not It is true a civill seale as I said before addeth no new lands to the owner of the Charter but if Christ by his Seales rightly and in faith used doe not onely confirme grace and pardon but also really exhibite and give grace and pardon in a further degree and a new measure of assurance to the conscience which there was not before you goe not a streas breadth from Arminians and Socinians especially seeing Episcopius Henricus Welsingius saith that remission of finnes is not sealed by
Ministery and the Minestery before the Church p. 175 176 177. The Keys and power of ordaining Officers not committed to the Church of believers destitute of Elders p. 180. 181. 182. Robinsons reasons on the contrary siding with Arminians and Socinians who evert the necessity of a Ministery are dissolved p. 182. 183. No Ordination of Elders by a Church of onely Believers but by Elders in a constituted Church p. 184. 185. seq Ordination and Election differ ibidm Corrupt rites of the Romish Church added to ordination destroy not the nature of Ordination though such an Ordination be unlawfull yet is not invalid and null p 186. 187 188. The various opinions of Romanists anent Ordination ibid. Election may stand for Ordination in case of necessity p. 187. Of the succession of Pastors to Pastors p. 185. 186. Calling of Pastors seems by our Brethrens way not necessary p. 200 Arguments for Ordination of Elders by a Church of onely Believers dissolved p. 189. 190 191 seq Believers because not the successors of the Apostles have not power of Ordination p. 192. 193 194. seq The Keys by no warrant of Gods word are given to Pastors as Pastors according to the Doctrine of our Brethren p. 197. seq They side with Sociaians who ascribe Ordination to sole Believers p. 200. Election belongeth to the people p. 201. 202. seq In the ancient Church this was constantly taught till Papists did violate Gods Ordinance p. 203. Election of a Pastor not essentiall to his calliâ—g p. 205. The calling of Luther how ordinary and how extraordinary p. 205 206 207. seq The essence of a valid calling p. 208. 209. How it may be proved by humane testimonies that the now visible Church hath been a visible Church since the dayes of the Apostles p. 229. 230. seq Since the long continuance of the Waldenses p. 235 236. seq A calling frow the Papists Church as valid as Baptisme from the same Church p. 237 238. seq Robinsons arguments are removed p. 239. 240. Of addition of members to the Church p. 241. What sort of Professors whether true or seeming believers doe essentially constitute a visible Church divers considerable distinctions anent a visible Church p. ib. 242. 243 seq The invisible not the visible Church the prime subject of the Covenant of grace and of all the priviledges due to the Church and of all title claime and interest in Jesus Christ and how by the contrary doctrine our brethren imprudently fall into a grosse poynt of Arminianisme p. 244. 245 246 247 248. seq The invisible Church hath properly right to the seales of the Covenant our brethren in this poynt joyne with Papists whom otherwise they sincerely hate p. 242 205 251. seq What sort of profession doth constitute a visible Church p. 356. That Christ hath provided no Pastors as Pastors for converting of soules and planting visible Churches is holden by our Brethren p. 256. The arguments of our brethren for a pretended Church of visible Saints not only in profession but also in some measure of truth and sincerity as the author saith are disolved p. 256. 257 258. Robinsons arguments at length are discussed p. 268. 269 seq The Lords adding to the Church invisible no rule for our adding p. 256. The places Mat 22. Mat. 13 of the man without his wedding garment comming to the feast and of the tâ—res in the Lords Field discussed p. 261 262. 263. The typical Temple no ground for this pretended visible Church p. 263 264. Nor the place 2 Tim. 3. 5. p. 261. Nor Rev. 22. 15. without are Dogs p. 267. 268. And of diverse other places and persons at length in seq Ordinary and prosessed hearing is Church-Communion p. 268 269 270 seq Excommunicated persons not wholy cut off from the visible Church p. 272 273 274 seq Sundry distinctions thereanent collected out of the Fathers and Schoolemen p. 277 278 279 282. Some Separatists deny that the regenerated can be excommunicated as Robinson some say onely the Regenerated are capable of excommunication as Peter Coachman p 279 280 281. Of the diverse sorts of excommunication and the power thereof p. 282 283 295. The reason why Papists debar not the excommunicated from hearing the word p. 275 276. How the Seals are due to the visible Church only in foro Ecclesiastico properly p. 281. In what diverse considerations the word preached is a note of the visible Church p. 283 284. seq The difference betwixt nota and signum p. 301. And nota actu primo notificativa and nota actu secundo and notificans p. 285. Arguments of Robinson and others answered p. 286. 287. Whether discipline be a note of the true church diverse distinctions thereanent p. 287 288. The order of Gods publick worship p. 228. Of the Communion of the visible Catholik Church p. 289 290. The Ministery and Ordinances are given principally to the guides of the Catholick Church and to and for the Catholick Church p. 289 290 291. And not to a Congregation only ibid 292. Congregations are parts of a Presbyteriall Church p. 293 294. Christ principally the head of the Catholick Church and secondarily a Spouse Head Lord King of a praticular Congregation p. 295. The excommunicated is east out of the Catholick visible Church p. 295 296. A sister Congregation doth not excommunicate consequenter only but antecedenter also p. 297. How Presbyteriall Churches excommunicate not by power derived from the Catholick visible Church p. 299 300. Of the power of the Catholick visible Church p. 300 301. A Congregation in a remote I le hath power of Jurisdiction p. 302. A Presbyteriall Church is the first and principall subject of the Ordinary power of Jurisdiction p. 302 303. What power generall councells have and how necessary p. 304. Power of excommunication not in a single Congregation consociated with other Churches p. 205 206. Synods or councels occasionall rather then ordinary p. 307. A Congregational Church how it is by divine right p. 307. 308 Tell the Church Mat. 18. not restrained to a single Congregation only p. 310 311. The place Mat. 18. 17. Tell the Church considered p. 310 311 312 313 seq An appeale from a Church that hath lawful power p. 315. A representative Church p. 316. The power of a single Congregation p 320 321 322. Matthew 18. Tell the Church establisheth a Church Court p. 322 323 324. What relation of Eldership do the members of the classicall Presbytery beare to the whole Presbyteriall Church and to all the congregations thereof p. 325 326 327 328 329 seq They have power of governing all Congregations in those bounds and not power of Pastorall teaching in every one of them ibidem Oncrousnesse of ruling many Churches whereof the Elders of the classicall Presbytery are not Pastors no more then the onerousnesse of advising that is incumbent to sister Churches p. 331 332 333. The power of Presbyteries Auxiliary not destructive to the power of Congregations p 334. 335.
meanes and the people lovâ—d to have it so Jer. 5. 31. Then in Synagogues there was Church-government as at â—erusalem for where the Lord rebuketh any sinne he doth recommend the contrary duty Now Prophets and Priests are rebuked tor their ruling with force and rigour every where and not at Ierusalem onely for that they were not compassionate to carry the Lambs in their bosome as Iesus Christ doth Esai 40. 11. their ill government every where must be condemned 3. Luk. 4. 16. Christ as his custome was went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day Paul and Barnabas were requested to exhort in the Synagogue as the order was that Prophets at the direction of the Rulers of the Synagogue if they had any word of exhortation they should speake and consequently their order was that every one should not speake Ergo they had customes and orders of Church-Discipline to the which Christ and his Apostles did submit themselves And to tie all Church-government to the Temple of Ierusalem were to say God had ordained his people elsewhere to worship him publickly but without any order and that Christ and his Apostles subjected themselves to an unjust order I further argue thus Those Churches be of the same nature frame and essentiall Constiutions which agree in the same essentials and diffâ—r only in accidents but such are the Church of the Iewes and the Christian Churches Ergo what is the frame and essentiall constiâ—â—tion of the one Church must be the frame and essentiall constitution of the other Ergo c. the major is of undeniable certainty I prove the assumption These which have the same Faith and the same externall profession of Faith these have the same frame and essentiall constitution but they and we be such Churches for we have the same covenant of grace Jer. 31. 31. Jer. 32. 39 40. Heb 8. 8 9 10. Therefore that same faith differing only in accidents their faith did looke to Christ to be incarnate and our faith to that same very God now manifested in the flesh Heb. 13. 8. They were saved by faith as we are Heb. 11. Acts 10. 42 43. Acts. 11. 16 17 18. and consequently what visible profession of faith doth constitute the one visible Church doth constitute the other I know Papists Arminians Socinians doe make the Doctrine and Seales of the Iewish and Christian Church much different but against the truth of Scripture The onely answer that can be made to this must be that though the Church of the Jewes wanted not congregations as our Christian Churches have yet were they a nationall Church of another essentiall visible frame then are the Christian Churches because they had positive typicall and ceremoniall and carnall commandements that they should have one high Priest for the whole nationall Church the Christian Churches have not for that one visible Monarch and Pope they had an Altar Sacrifices and divers pollutions ceremoniall which made persons uncapable of the Passover but we have no such legall uncleannesse which can make us uncapable of the Seales of the New Testament and therefore it was not lawfull to separate from the Jewish Church in which did sit a typicall High Priest where were Sacrifices that did adumbrate the Sacrifice of our great High Priest c. not withstanding of scandalous persons in that Church because there was but one visible Church out of which was to come the Redeemer Christ according to the flesh but the Christian Churches under the New Testament be of another frame Christ not being tyed to one Nation or place or Congregation therefore if any one Congregation want the Ordinances of Christ we may separate therefrom to another Mount Sion seeing there bee so many Mount Sions noâ— Answ. 1. If the Church of the Iewes was a visible Church in its essentiall constitution different from our visible Churches because they were under the Religions tie of so me carnall ceremoniall and typicall mandats and Ordinances that we are not under then doe I inferre that the Tribe of Levy was not one visible Church in the essentiall frame with the rest of the Tribes which is absurd for that Tribe conteyning the Priests and Levites was under the obligatory tie of many typicall Commandements proper and peculiar to them only as to offer Sacrifices to wash themselves when they were to officiate to weare linnen Ephods to beare the Arke of the Covenant now it was sinne for any that were not of the Sonnes of Aaron or of another Tribe to performe these duties yet I hope they made but one nationall Church with the rest of the Tribes Secondly I infer that the Christian Church that now is cannot be of that same essentiall frame with the Apostolick Churches because the Apostolick Church so long as the Jewish ceremonies were indifferent in statu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and mortall but not mortiferae deadly was to practice these ceremonies in the case of scandall 1 Cor. 10. 31 32 33. and yet the Christian Church that now is can in no sort practice these ceremonies yea I inferre that the Eldership of a Congregation doth not make one Church of one and the same essentiall frame and constitution with the people because the Elders be under an obligatory tie to some positive Divine Commandements such as are to administer the Seales Baptisme and the Lords Supper and yet the multitude of Believeres in that same congregation are under no such tie and certainly if to be under ceremoniall and typicall ordinances doth institute the whole Jewish Church in another essentiall frame different from the Christian Churches reason would say that then if the members of one Church be under Divine positive commandements which doth in no sort tie other members of the same Church that then there be divers memberships of different essentiall frames in one and the same Church which to me is monstrous for then because a command is given to Abraham to offer his sonne Isaak to God and no such command is given to Sarah in that case Abraham and Sarah shall not bee members of one and the same visible Church But the truth is different positive commandments of ceremoniall and typicall ordinances put â—o new essentiall frame of a visible Church upon the Jewish Church which is not on the Christian Churches These were onely accidentall characters and temporary cognizances to distinguish the Jewish and Christian Churches while as both agree in one and the same morall constitution of visible Churches for first both had the same faith one Lord one covenant one Iesus Christ the same seales of the covenant in substance both were visibly to professe the same Religion the differences of externals made not them and us different visible Churches nor can our brethren say they made different bodies of Christ different Spouses different royall Generations as concerning Church-frame Yet are wee not tied to their high Priest to their Altars Sacrifices Holy dayes Sabbaths new Moones c. no more then any one private
Christian in such a congregation or a beleeving woman is tied to preach and baptize and yet her pastor Archippus in that congregation is tied both to preach and baptize Secondly the Jews were to separate from B thaven and so are we Thirdly they were not to joyne with Idolaters in Idol-worship neither are we 2 Whereas it is said that it was not lawfull to separate from the Jewish Church because in it did sit the typicall high Priest and the Messiah was to be borne in it and because they were the onely Church on earth but now there be many particular Churches All this is a deception a non causiâ— pro causâ for separation from that Church was not forbidden for any typicall or ceremoniall reason not a shadow of reason can be given from the Word of God for this Because there can be no ceremoniall argument why there should be communion betwixt light and darknesse or any concord betwixt Christ and Belial or any comparting bètwixt the beleever and the infidell or any agreement of the temple of God with idols nor any reason typicall why Gods people should goe to Gilgal and to Bethaven or to be joyned with idols or why a David should sit with vaine persons or goe in to dissemblers or why he should offer the drinke offerings of these who hasten after a strange god or take up their names in his mouth This is then an unwritten tradition yea if Dagon had beene brought into the Temple as the Assyâ—ian altar of Damascus was set up in the holy place the people â—ught to have separated from Temple and Sacrifices both so loâ—g as that abomination should stand in the holy place Nor can it be proved that communicating with the Church of Israel as a member thereof was typicall and necessary to make up visible membership as ceremoniall holinesse is for to adhere to the Church in a sound worship though the fellow-worshippers be scandalous is a morall duty commanded in the second Commandment as to forsake Church-assemblies is a morall breach of that Commandment and forbidden to Christians Hebr. 10. 25. who are under no Law of Ceremonies And it is an untruth that those who were legally cleane and not ceremonially polluted were members of the Jewish visible Church though otherwise they were most flagitious For to God they were no more his visible Israel then Sodome and Gomorrah Isaiah 1. 10. or the children of Ethiopia Amos 9. 7. and are condemned of God as sinning against the profession of their visible incorporation in the Israel of God Jerem. 7. 4 5 6 7. But shall we name and repute them brethren whom in conscience we know to be as ignorant and void of grace as any Pagan I answer That if they professe the truth though they walke inordinately yea and were excommunicated Paul willeth us to admonish thâ—m as brethren 2 Thes. 3. 15. and calleth all the visible Church of Corinth for he writeth to good and bad amongst whom were many partakers of the table of devils pleaders with their brethren before heathen deniers of the resurrection yea those to whom the Gospell was hidden 2 Cor. 4. brethren and Saints by calling But say our brethren to be cast out of the Iewish Church was to be cast out of the Common-wealth as to be a member of the Church and to be a member of the state is all one because the state of the Jewes and the Church of the Jews was all one and none is said to be cut off from the people but he was put to death Answ. Surely Esay 66. vers 5. these who are cast out by their brethren and excommunicated are not put to death but men who after they be cast out live till God comfort them and shame their enemies but he shall appeare for your joy Secondly that the state of Gods Israel and the Church be all one because the Jewish policie was ruled by the judiciall Law and the judiciall Law was no lesse divine then the Ceremoniall Law is to me a wonder For I conceive that they doe differ formally though those same men who were members of the state were members also of the Church but as I conceive not in one and the same formall reason first because I conceive that the State by order of nature is before the Church for when the Church was in a family state God called Abrahams family and by calling made it a Church Secondly the Kingdome of Israel and the house of Israel in covenant with God as Zion and Jerusalem are thus differenced That to be a State was common to the Nation of the Jewes with other Nations and is but a favour of providence but to be a Church is a favour of grace and implieth the Lords calling and chusing that Nation to be his owne people of his free grace Deut. 7. 7. and the Lords gracious revealing of his Testimonies to Jacob and Israel whereas he did not so to every Nation and State Psal. 147. 19 20. but say they The very state of the Iewes was divine and ruled by a divine and supernaturall policie as the judiciall Law demonstrateth to us But I answer Now you speake not of the state of the Jewes common with them to all States and Nations but you speake of such a state and policie which I grant was Divine but yet different from the Church because the Church as the Church is ruled by the morall Law and the Commandments of both Tables and also by the Ceremoniall Law but the Jewish State or Common wealth as such was ruled by the judiciall Law onely which respecteth onely the second Table and matters of mercy and justice and not piety and matters of Religion which concerne the first Table and this is a vast difference betwixt the state of the Jews and the Church Thirdly when Israel rejected Samuel and would have a King conforme to other Nations they sought that the state and forme of governmnent of the Common-wealth should be changed and affected conformity with the Nations in their state by introducing a Monarchy whereas they were ruled by Judges before but in so doing they changed not the frame of the Church nor the worship of God for they kept the Priesthood the whole Morall Ceremoniall and Judiciall Law entire and their profession therein Ergo they did nothing which can formally destroy the being of a visible Church but they did much change the face of the state and civill policie in that they refused God to reigne over them and so his care in raising up Judges and Saviours out of any Tribe and brought the government to a Monarchy where the Crowne by divine right was annexed to the tribe of Judah Fourthly it was possible that the State should remaine entire if they had a lawfull King sitting upon Davids throne and were ruled according to the Judiciall Law but if they should remaine without a Priest and a Law and follow after Baal and change and alter Gods worship as the ten
The state of the question to be explained 3. The truth to be confirmed In the answers to the questions sent to New England they require of all persons come to age before they be received members of the Church 1. A publiquâ— vocall declaration of the manner and soundnesse of their conversion and that either in continued speech saith the Apologie or in answer to questions propounded by the Elders 2. They require a publick profâ—ssion of their faith concerning the articles of their religion the foresaid way also 3. An expresse vocall covenanting by oath to walke in that faith and to submit saith the Authour themselves to God and one to another in his feare and to walke in a professed subjection to all his holy Ordinances cleaving one to another as fellow members of the same body in brotherly love and holy watchfulnesse unto mutuall edification in Christ Iesus 4. And a covenanting not to depart from the said Church without the consent thereof This Church-covenant saith the Apologie is the essentiall or formall cause of a visible Church as a flocke of Saints is the materiall cause and so necessarily of the being of a Church that without it none can claim Church-communion and therefore it is that whereby a Church is constituted in its integrity that whereby a fallen Church is againe restored and that which being taken away the Church is dissolved and ceaseth to be a Church and it is that whereby Ministers have power over the people and people interest in their Ministers and one member hath interest and powerover another fellow-member The manner of entring in Church-state is this 1. A number of Christians with a gifted or experienced Elder meet often together saith this Authour about the things of God and performe some duties of prayer and spirituall conference together till a sufficient company of them be well satisfied in the spirituall good estate one of another and so have approved themselves to one anothers consciences in the sight of God as living stones fit to be said on the Lords spirituall Temple 2. They having acquainted the Christian Magistrate and neerest adjoyning Churches of their purpose of entring into Church-fellowship convene in a day kept with fasting and praying and preaching one bâ—ing chosen with common consent of the whole in name of the rest standeth up and propoundeth the covenant in the foresaid four Articles above named 3. All the rest declare their joynt consent in this covenant either by silence or word of mouth or writing 4. The brethren of other Churches some specials in name of the rest reach out to them the right hand of fellowship exhorting them to stand stedfast in the Lord. Which done prayers made to God for pardon and acceptance of the people a Psalm is sung But when a Church is to be gathered together of Infidels they must be first converted believers and so fit materials for Church fellowship before any of those things can be done by them 5. Baptisme maketh none members of the visible Church 6. A Church fallen cannot be accepted of God to Church fellowship till they renew their Church covenant Thus shortly for their mind about the gathering of a visible Church Let these distinctions be considered for the right stating of the question 1. Distinct. There is a covenant of free grace betwixt God and sinners founded upon the surety Christ Iesus laid hold on by us when we believe in Christ but a Church Covenant differenced from this is in question sub judice lis est 2. Distinct. There is a covenant of baptisme made by all and a covenant vertuall and implicite renewed when we are to receive the Lords Supper but an explicite positive professed Church covenant by oaâ—h in-churching a person or a society to a State-church is now questioned 3. Distinct. An explicite vocall Covenant whereby we bind our selves to the first three Articles in a tacite way by entring in a new relation to such a Pastor and to such a Flocke we deny not as if the thing were unlawfull for we may sweare to performe Gods commandements observing all things requisite in a lawfull oath 2. But that such a covenant is required by divine institution as the essentiall forme of a Church and Church-membership as though without this none were entered members of the visible Churches of the Apostles nor can now be entered in Church-state nor can have right unto the seales of the covenant we utterly deny 4. Distinct. We grant a covenant in Baptisme which is the seale of our entry unto the visible Church 2. That it is requisit that such Heretickes Papists Infidels as be received as members of our visible Church from which Papists have fallen having received baptisme from us doe openly professe subjection to God and his Church in all the Ordinances of God And that Infidels give a confession of their faith before they be baptized 3. Nor deny we that at the election of a Pastor the Pastor and people tie themselves by reciprocation of oathes to each other the one to fulfill faithfully the ministery that he hath received of the Lord the other to submit to his ministery in the Lord but these reciprocall oathes make neither of them members of a visible Church for they were that before these oathes were taken 5. Distinct. Any professor removing from one congregation to another and so comming under a new relation to such a Church or such a Ministery is in a tacite and vertuall covenant to discharge himselfe in all the duties of a member of that Congregation but this is nothing for a Church-covenant for when six are converted in the congregation whereof I am a member or an excommunicated person heartily and unfainely repenteth there ariseth a new relation betwixt those converts and the Church of God and a tie and obligation of duties to those persons greater then was before as being now members of one mysticall and invisible body Yet cur brethren cannot say there is requisite that the Church renew their Church-covenant towards such seeing the use of the Covenant renewed is to restore a fallen Church or to make a non-Church to be a Church and if those six be converted by my knowledge there resulteth thence an obligation of a vertuall and tacite covenant betwixt them and me but there is no need of an explicite and vocall covenant to tie us to duties that we are now obliged to in a stricter manner then we were before for when one is taken to be a steward in a great family there may be a sort of Covenant betwixt that servant and the Lord of the house and there resulteth from his office and charge a tie and obligation not onely to the head of the family but also to the children and fellow-servants of the house but there is no need of an expresse vocall and professed covenant betwixt the new steward and the children and servants yea and strangers also to whom he owes some acts of steward-duties
though there doe result a vertuall covenant Farre lesse is there a necessity of an expresse and vocall covenant before that steward can have claime to the keyes or be received in office So when one entereth into covenant with God and by faith layeth hold on the covenant there resulteth from that act of taking the Lord to be his God a covenant-obligation to doe duty to all men as the covenant of God doth oblige him yea and to doe workes of mercy to his beast for a good man will have mercy on the life of his beast and he is obliged to a duty by that covenant with God to his children which are not yet borne to servants who are not yet his servants but shall hereafter be his servants to these who are not yet converted to Christ now it is true a vertuall and tacite covenant resulteth toward all these even toward the beast the children not yet borne c. when the person first by faith entereth in covenant with God but none master of common sense and judgement will say there is required a vocall and explicite and professed covenant betwixt such an one entered in covenant with God and his beast and his children not yet borne or that the foresaid tacite and vertuall covenant which doth but result from the man his covenanting with God is either the cause or essence or formall reason whereby he is made a formall contracter and covenanter with God So though when I enter a member of such a congregation there ariseth thence an obligation of duty or a tacite covenant tying me in duties to all members present or which shall be members of that congregation though they should come from India yet in reason it cannot be said that there is required an expresse vocall covenant betwixt me and all who shall be fellow-members of this congregation and farre lesse that such a covenant doth make me a member of that congregation yea because I am already a member of that congregation thence ariseth a tacite covenant toward such and such duties and persons 6. I understand not how our brethren doe keepe Christian and religious communion with many professours of approved piety and that in private conference praying together and publiquely praising together and yet deny to have any Church-communion with such approved professors in partaking with them the seales of the covenant and censures of the Church I doubt how they can comfort the feeble minded and not also warne and rebuke them which are called acts of Church-câ—nsure Then the question is not if there be a tacit and vertuall covenant when persons become members of such a visible congregation 2. Nor doe we question whether such a Church-covenant may be lawfully sworne We thinke it may though to sweare the last article not to remove from such a congregation without their consent I thinke not lawfull nor is my habitation in such a place a matter of Church-discipline 3. But the question is if such a church-Church-covenant by Divine or Apostolick warrant not onely be lawfull but the necessary and Apostolick meane yea and the essentiall forme of a visible Church so as without it persons are not members of one visible Church and want all right and title to a Church-membership to the seales of grace and censures of the Church Our brethren affirme we deny Concl. The former considerations being cleare we hold that such a Church-covenant is a conceit destitute of all authority of Gods Word Old or New Testament and therefore to be rejected as a way of mens devising 1. Argum. All will-worship laying a band on the Conscience where God hath layed none is damnable but to tye the oath of God to one particular duty rather then another so as you cannot without such an oath enter into such a state nor have title and right to the seales of grace and Gods Ordinances is will-worship and that by vertue of a divine Law and is a binding of the Conscience where God hath not bound it The major is undeniable Papists as Alphonsus à Castro and Bellarminâ— lay upon us that which was the errour of Lampetians that we condemne all sorte of voweâ— â—â— snares to the Consciences of men But Bellarmine saith that Luther and Caâ—â—in acknowledge We thinke vowes of things commanded of God lawfull the truth is we teach it to be will-worship to a person to vow single life where God hath not given the gift of continency because men binde with an oath that which God hath not bound us unto by a command So Origen Gregory Nazianzen Ambrose Augustine say Those which want the gift of continency cannot live without wives and so should not burne See how Bellarmine and Maldonat contending for will-worship prescribe the contrary I prove the assumption for a Minister to sweare the oath of fidelity to his flocke is lawfull but to tye an oath so to his Ministery as to say the Apostles teach he cannot be a minister who sweareth not that oath is to lay a bond on the Conscience where God hath laid none That a father swear to performe the duties of a father a master the duties of a master towards his servant is lawfull but to lay a bond on him that he is in Conscience and before God no father no master except he sweare to performe those duties is to lay a bond on the Conscience where God hath laid none So to sweare subjection to such a Ministery and visible Church is lawfull but to tie by an Apostolike Law and practice the oath of God so to such duties as to make this Church-oath the essentiall forme of such membership so as you cannot enter into Church-state nor have right to the Seales of the Covenant without such an oath is to binde where God hath not bound for there is no Law of God putting upon any Church-oath such a state as that it is the essentiall forme of Church-membership without the which a man is no Church-member and the Church visible not swearing this oath is no Church 3 That way are members to be in-Churched and to enter into a Church-fellowship which way members were entred in the Apostolike Church But members were not entred into the Apostolike Church by such a Covenant but onely they beleeved professed beleefe and were baptized when the incestuous person is re-entred it is said onely 2 Cor. 2. he was grieved and testified it and they did forgive him and confirme their love to him 7 8. there is here no Church-Covenant and Samaria 8. 12. received the Word gladly beleeved and was baptized when Saul is converted Acts 9. Simon Magus baptised Acts 8. Cornelius and his house baptized Acts 20. the Church of Epheâ—us planted Acts 19. of Corinth Acts 18. 8. of Berea Acts 17. 10. Philippi Acts 16. Thâ—ssalonica Acts 17. of Rom Acts 28. We heare no expressed vocall Covenant So Acts 2. three thousand were added to the visible Church now they were not gathered nor in-Churched
as you gather First they did not meet often together for prayer and spirituall conference while they were satisfied in Conscience of the good estate one of another and approved to one anothers Consciences in the sight of God as living stones fit to be laid in the Lords spirituall Temple as you require because frequent meeting and satisfaction in Conscience of the regeneration one of another could not be performed by three thousand all converted and added to the Church in one day for before they were non-Converts and at one Sermon were pricked in heart that they had slaine the Lord of glory Acts 2. 37. 42. and the same day there were added to them three thousand souls Our brethren say It was about the Pâ—ntecost when the day was now the longest and so they might make short confessions of the soundnesse of their conversation before the Apostles who had such discerning spirits Answ. Truly it is a most weake and reasonlesse conjecture for all the three thousand behoved to be miraculonsly quicke of discerning for they could not sweare mutually one to another those Church-duties except they had beene satisfied in Conscience of the regeneration of one another Surely such a miracle of three thousand extraordinarily gifted with the spirit of discerning would not have beene concealed though it be sure Ananias and Saphira who deceived the Apostles were in this number Secondly how could they all celebrate a day of fasting and prayer and from the third houre which is our ninth houre dupatch the confessions and evidences of the sound worke of conversion of thirty hundred all baptized and added to the Church Capiat qui volet because this place is used to prove a Church-covenant I will here once for all deliver it out of our brethrens hands The Author of the Church-covenant saith There was hazard of excommunication John 9. 22. and persecution Acts 5. 3. and therefore the very profession of Christ in such periâ—â—us times was a sufficient note of discerning to such discerning spirits as the Apostles Answ. If you meane miraculous power of discerning in the Apostles that was not put forth in this company where were such hypocrites as Ananias and Saphira Secondly this miraculous discerning behoved to bee in all the three thousand for the satisfaction of their Consciences of the good estate spirituall of all of them And if it be miraculous as it must be if done in the space of sixe houres as it was done the same day that they heard Peter vers 41. then our brethren cannot alleadge it for ordinary inchurching of members as they doe Secondly if it be an ordinary spirit of discerning then at one act of profession are members to be received and so often meeting for the satisfaction of all their Consciences is not requisite Thirdly if profession for feare of persecution be an infallible signe then those who are chased out of England by Prelates and come to New England to seeke the Gospell in purity should be received to the Church whereas you hold them out of your societies many yeeres Fourthly suffering for a while for the truth is not much Iudas Alexander Demas did that for a while The Apologie and discourse of the Church-covenant saith These converts professed their glad receiving of the VVord vers 37 38. in saving themselves from that untoward generation else they had not beene admitted to baptisme But all this made them not members of the Church for they might havereturned notwithstanding of this to Pontus Asia Cappadocia c. but they continued stedfastly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the doctrine of the Apostles Secondly they continued in fellowship this is Church-fellowship for we cannot say That it was exercise of Doctrine and Sacraments and confound this fellowship with doctrine no more then we can confound doctrine and sacraments which are distinguished in the Text and therefore it is a fellowship of holy Church-state and so noteth 1. A combination in Church-state 2. In gifts inward to edification and outward in reliefe of the poore by worldly goods Answ. 1. They could not continue stedfast in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship before they were added to the Church for stedfastnesse in Doctrine and saving themselves from the froward generation could not be but habituall holinesse not perfected in sixe houres Now that same day vers 41. in the which they gladly heard the VVord they were both baptized and added to the Church and therefore their stedfast continuing in Church-state can no wayes make them members in Church-state Secondly though they should have returned to Pontus and Asia c. they returned added to the Church Church-state is no prison-state to tie men to such a congregation locally as you make it Thirdly there is no word of a Church-covenant except when they were baptized they made it and that is no Church-covenant and that should not be omitted seeing it conduceth so much first to the being of the visible Church in the which we must serve God acceptably Secondly and is of such consequence to the end that the holy things of God be not prophaned as you say Thirdly that the Seales of the Covenant be not made signes of falshood Fourthly wee would not be stricter then God who received upon sixe houres profession three thousand to Church state Fifthly the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellowship is no fellowship of Church-order which made them members of the visible Church because the first day that they heard Peter they were added to the Church and being added they continued in this fellowship and in use of the Word Sacraments and Prayer as a reasonable soule is that which makes a man discourse and discoursing is not the cause of a reasonable soule Beza calleth it fellowship in Christian charity to the poore And the Syrian interpreter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Arablan interpreter saith the same The ancient Latine interpreter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fourthly if Baptisme bee the Seale of our entry into the Church as 1 Cor. 12. 13. as Circumcision was the Seale of the members of the Jewes visible Church then such a Covenant is not a formall reason of our Church-membership but the former is true as I shall prove hereafter Ergo so is the latter The Proposition standeth because all the baptized are members of the visible Church before they can sweare this Covenant even when they are Infants 5. Argu. This church-Church-covenant is either all one with the Covenant of grace or it is a Covenant divers from the Covenant of grace but neither wayes can it be the essentiall forme of a visible Church Ergo First the Covenant of grace cannot be the forme of a visible Church because then all baptized and all beleevess should be in Covenant with God as Church members of a visible Church which our brethren deny If it be a Covenant divers from it it must be of another nature and lay another obligatory tie then either the Covenant of workes
or the Covenant of grace and so must tie us to other duties then either the Law or Gospell require of us and so is beside that Gospell which Paul taught and maketh the teacher though an Angell from Heaven accursed and not to be received The Apologie answering this saith First We call it a church-Church-covenant to distinguish it from civill Covenants and also from the Covenant of grace for the Eunuch and godly strangers Isaiah 56. 3. were in the covenant of grace by faith and yet complained that they were separated from the Church and not in Covenant with Gods visible Church Answ. 1. No doubt an excommunicated person whose spirit is saved in the day of Christ may be in the Covenant of grace and yet cut off from the visible Church for enormous scandals but this is no ground to make your church-Church-covenant different from the Covenant of grace A beleever in the Covenant of grace may not doe a duty to father brother or master but it is a weak consequence that therefore there is a Covenant-oath betwixt brother and brother sonne and father servant and master which is commanded by a divine Law of perpetuall equity under both old and new Testament as you make this Covenant of the Church to be which persons must sweare ere they can come under these relations of brother son and servant The Covenant of grace and the whole Evangell teach us to confesse Christ before men and to walke before God and be perfect and so that we should joyn our selves to the true visible Churh But none can in right reason conclude that it is a divine Law that necessitateth me to sweare another Covenant then the Covenant of grace in relation to those particular duties or to sweare over againe the Covenant of grace in relation to the duties that I owe to the visible Church else I am not a member thereof And that same Covenant in relation to my father brother and master else I cannot be a sonne brother or servant this were to multiply Covenants according to the multitude of duties that I am obliged unto and that by a divine commandment The word of God layeth a tie on Pastors to feed the flock and the flock to submit in the Lord to the Pastors But God hath not by a new commandment laid a new tie and obligation that Timothy shall not be made a Pastor of a Church at Ephesus and a member thereof nor the Church at Ephesus constituted in a Church-state having right to all the holy things of God while first they be all perswaded of one anothers regeneration secondly while all sware those duties in a Church-oath thirdly and all sweare that they shall not separate from Church followship but by mutuall consent Heare a reply againe to this of the Apologie such promises as leave a man in an absolute estate as he was before and ingage onely his act not his person these lay no forcing band on any man but as every man is tied to keepe his lawfull promise are tied But yet such promises or covenants as are made according to the Ordinances of God and doe put upon men a relative estate they put on them a forcing band to performe such duties such as are the promises of marriage betwixt man and wife master and servant magistrate and subject minister and people brother and brother in Church-state these put on men a divine tie and binde by a divine Ordinance to performe such duties But these Scriptures make not these relations these places make not every man who can teach a Pastor to us except we call him to be our Pastor indeed if we call him we ingage our selves in subjection to him you might as well say It is not the câ—venanting of a wife to her husband or the subject to the magistrate that giveth the husband power over his wife and the magistrate power over his subject but the word of God that giveth power to both and yet you know well the husband cannot call such an one his wife but by covenant made in marriage Answ. This is all which with most colour of reason can be said But these places of Scripture are not brought to prove the Pastors calling to the people or their relative case of subjection to him but onely they prove that the covenant of grace and whole Gospell layeth a tie of many duties upon us which obligeth us without comming under the tie of an expresse vocall and publique oath necessitating us by a divine Law because in this that I professe the faith of Christ and am baptized I am a member of the visible Church and have right to all the holy things and seales of grace without such an oath because the covenant of grace tieth me to aâ—joyne my selfe to some particular congregation and a called Pastor who hath giâ—â—â— and a calling from the Church is a member of the visible Church before he be called to be your Pastor though he be a member of no particular congregation for you lay down as an undeniable principle and the basis of your whole doctrine of independent government that there are no visible Churches in the world but a congregation meeting in one place to worship God which I have demonstrated to be most false for if my hand be visible my whole body is visible though with one act of the eye it cannot be seene if a part of a medow be visible all the medow thought ten miles in bredth and length is visible so though a congregation onely may be actually seene when it is convened within the soure Angles of a materiall house yet all the congregations on earth make one visible Church and have some visible and audible acts of externall government cummon to all as that all pray praise fast mourne rejoyce one with another and are to rebuke exhort comfort one another and to censure one another so farre as is possible and of right and by Law meet in one councell and so by Christs institution are that way visible that a single cong egation is visible which meeteth in one house though many be absent de facto through sickenesse callings imprisonment and some through sinfull neglect and therefore you doe not prove that we are made members of the visible Church having right to all the holy things of God by a Church-oath or covenant as you speake neither doe we deny but when one doth enter a member to such a congregation under the ministery of A. B. but he commeth under a â—ew relative state by an implicite and vertuall covenant to submit to his ministery yea and A. B. commeth under that same relative state of Pastorall feeding of such an one But you doe not say that A. B. entereth by a vocall Church-covenant in a membership of Church order and that by a commanded covenant of perpetuall equity laying a new forcing band upon both the person and the acts of A. B. just as the husband and the wife come under
a marriage covenant So C. D. sometime excommunicated now repenteth and is received as a gained brother in the bosome of the Church all the members of the Church come by that under a new relation to C. D. as to a repenting brother and they are to love reverence exhort rebuke comfort him by vertue of the covenant of grace but I conceive not by a new Church covenant entering them as in a Church membership and Church order towards him So a new particular Church is erected and now counted in amongst the number of the visible Churches all the sister Churches are to discharge themselves in the duties of imbracing loving exhorting edifying rebuking comforting this sister Church new elected But I thinke our brethren will not say That all the sister Churches are to make a new expresse vocall Church covenant with this sister Church and such a Church covenant as maketh them all visible Churches which have right to all the holy things of God in and with this new sister Church it is the covenant of grace once laid hold on by all these sister Churches which tieth them to all Christian duties both one toward another and also toward all Churches to come in I thinke there is no necessity of an expresse covenant of marriage betwixt this new Church and all the former sister Churches as there is a solemne marriage oath betwixt the Husband and the Wife and a solemne covenant betwixt the supreame Magistrate and the King and his Subjects when the King is crowned all we say is this if for new relations God laid a bond and compelling tie of conscience and that of perpetuall equity whereby we are entered in every new relative state beside the bond that Law and Gospell lay on us to doe duties to all men both in Church and Common-wealth then when a person is converted unto Christ and another made a Lawyer and another a Pastour another a Physitian another a Magistrat another a learned Philosopher and President of an Academy another a skilled Schoolemaster and so come under new relations many and diverse in the Church and State I should not be obliged to love honour and reverence them all by vertue of the fifth Commandement but I behoved by vertue of a particular Covenant I know not how to name it to come under some new relative marriage toward all these else I could not performe duties of love and reverence to them and though there be a convenant tacite betwixt a new member of a congregation and A. B. the Pastor and they come under a new relation covenant waies which I grant is not the point in question but this new covenant is that which by necessity of a divine Commandement of perpetuall equity maketh the now adjoyner a member of the visible Church and giveth him right and claime to the seales of the covenant so as without this covenant he is without and not to be judged by the Church but left to the judgement of God as 1 Cor. 5. 12 13. one who is without Thirdly the Apologie saith and Author of the Church covenant The covenant of grace is done in private in a mans closet betwixt the Lord and himselfe the other in some publique assembly 2. The covenant of grace is of one christian in particular the other of a company joyntly some call the one personall the other generall Answ. Though the covenant of grace may be layd hold on in a closet or private chamber yet the principall party contracter is God on the one part and on the other not a single man but Christ and all his seed yea the Catholique church all the House of Israel But our brethrens mind is that conversion of soules to Christ is not a Church act nor a Pastorall act but a worke of charity performed by private christians yet by the Pastorall paines of Peter three thousand Act. 2. were converted and this is a depressing of publique ministery and an exalting of popular prophecying which is the onely publique and ordinary meane blessed of God for conversion 2. By this all the covenants sworne in Israel and Iudah were not a swearing of the covenant of grace but of a Church covenant which we must refute hereafter 3. We desire an instance or practice of receiving any into the publique assembly by this Church covenant publique receiving by baptisme we grant in Cornelius Act. 10. the Eunuch Act. 8. Lydia and her house Act. 16. the Iayler Act. 16. but we never read of Sauls Churchâ—covenant and Church confession wherby he was publiquely received into Church membership nor of such private tryall of Church members and therefore wee thinke it to bee a devise of men 6. Arg. If this Church-covenant be the essence and forme of a visible Church which differenceth betwixt the visible and invisible Church then there have beene no visible Churches since the Apostles dayes nor are there any in the Christian World this day save only in New England and some few other places for remove the forme and essence of a thing and you remove the thing it selfe now if this be true and if Ministers have Ministeriall or pastorall power over people and the people no relation unto them as to Pastors except they mutually enter into this Church-covenant then are they no Pastors to the people at all and so all Baptised in the reformed Churches where this covenant was not are as Pagans and Infidels and all their Baptisme no Baptisme and all their Church Acts no Church Acts and they all are to be Rebaptized The Author of the Church-covenant saith there is a reall implicite and substantiall comming together and a substantiall professing of faith and agreement which may preserve the essence of the Church in England and other places though â—hers be not so expresse and formall a covenanting as neede were The eternity of the covenant of God is such that it is not the interposition of many corruptions that may arise in after time that can disanull the same except they willfully breake the covenant and reject the offer of the Gospel which we perswade our selves England is not come unto and so the covenant remaineth which preserveth the essence of the Churches to this day and he giveth this answer from learned Parker and he alleadgeth Fox who out of Gilda saith England received the Gospell in Tiberiâ—â— his time and Joseph of Arimathea was sent from France to England by Philip the Apostle an â—2 Answ. I deny not but Tertullian and Nicephorus both say the Gospell then came to the wildest in Brittaine and no doubt be â—â—ved to come to Scotland when Simon Zelotes camâ— to Brittaine but so did the Gospell come to Rome Philippi Corinth will iâ— follow that the covenant is there yet And 1. If the not wilfull rejecting of the Gospell save the essencâ— of a visible Church in England which charity we command in our Brethren Rome may have share of the charity also and there
may be a true visible Church there as yet and we then wronged them in separation from them Because Gods people in Babel did never wilfully reject the covenant 2. Our brethren professe they cannot receive into their Church the godly persecuted and banished out of Old England by Prelates for the truth unlesse saith he they be pleased to take hold of our Church-covenant Now not to admit into your Churches such as cannot sweare your Church covenant in all one as to acknowledge such not a true Church and to separate from them and so the want of an explicite and formall Church-covenanting to you maketh professors no Church-visible and unworthy of the seales of grace but reverend Parker saith that there is such a profession of the covenant in England sic ut secessionem facere salvâ conscientiâ nullus possit that no man with a safe conscience can separat therefrom 3. The ignorants and simple ones amongst the Papists have not rejected the Gospell obstinately in respect it was never revealed to them yet the simple ignorance of points principally fundamentall maketh them a non-Church and therefore the want of your Church-covenant must un-Church all the reformed Churches on Earth It is not much that this Author saith the primitive Church never did receive children to the communion nor any till they made a confession of their Faith What then a confession of their Faith and an evidence of their knowledge is not your Chuoch-covenant for by your Church-covenant the parties to be received in the Church must give testimony of their conversion to the satisfaction of the consciences of all your Church The old confirmation of children was not such a thing 2. The tryall of the knowledge of such as were of old not yet admitted to the Lords Supper is not an inchurching of them because if â—ny not that way tryed in the ancient Church did fall into scanâ—alcus sins they were being come to yeeres lyable to the censures of the Church which said certainly the ancients acknowledged them to be members of that visible Church but you say expresly they are without and you have not to doe to judge them 1 Cor. 5. 12. And let the author see for this the counâ—ell of Laodicea Gregorius Leo Augustine Tertullian Cyprian Ambrose the councell of Elibert Perkins Martine Bucer Chemnitius Peter Martyr who all teach that confirmation was nothing lesse then your Church-covenant 2. That it had never that meaning to make persons formll members of the visible Church 3. That that was sufficiently done in Baptisme 4. That comfimation was never the essentiall forme of a visible Church but rather the repetition of Baptisme so Whitgift a man much for confirmation confirmatio apud nos usurpatur ut pueri proprio ore proprioque consensu pactum quod in Baptismo inibant coram Ecclesiâ confirment Pareus sayth they were in the Church before Sed impositione manuum in Ecclesiam adultorum recipie bantur Beza saith the same Calvin liberi infidelium ab utero adoptati jure promissionis pertinebant ad corpus Ecclesiae Bullinger acknowledging that in Baptisme infantes were received into the Church saith Pastorum manus illis impone bantur quorum fidei committebatur Ecclesiarum cura 7. Argum. A multitude of unwarrantable wayes partly goeth before partly conveyeth this Church-covenant As. 1. It is a dreame that all are converted by the meanes of private Christians without the Ministery of sent Pastors by hearing of whom Faith commeth all are made materialls and convertes in private without Pastors judge if this be Christs order and way 2. How it is possible a Church shall be gathered amongst Infidells this way Infidells cannot convert Infidells and Pastors as Pastors cannot now be sent by our Brethrens Doctrine for Pastors are not Pastors but in relation to a particular congregation therefore Pastors as Pastors cannot be sent to Indians 3. They must be assured in conscience at least satisfied in every one anothers salvation and sound conversion were the Apostles satisfied anent the conversion of Anainas Saphira Simon Magus Alexander Hymeneus Philetus Demas and others 4. By what warrant of the word are private Christians not in office made the ordinary and onely converters of Soules to Christ conversion commeth then ordinarily and solely by unsent Preachers and private persons Ministery 5. What warrant have the sister Churches of the word to give the right hand of fellowship to a new erected Church for to give the hand of fellowship is an authoritative and pastoriall act as Gal. 2 9. When Iames Cephas and Iohn perceived the grace that was given unto me they gave unto me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship that is saith Pareus they received us to the colledge of the Apostles so Bullinger and Beza now this is to receive them in amongst the number of Churches as Pareus and members of the catholick Church but Churches being all independent and of a like authority the Sister Churches having no power over this new erected Church what authority hath Sister Churches to acknowledge them as Sister Churches For 1. They cannot be upon two or three houres â—â—ght of them hearing none of them speak satisfied in their consciences of their Regeneration 2. By no authority can they receive them as members of the catholick Church for this receiving it a Church-act and they have no Church-power over them 3. What a meeting is this of diverse Churches for the receiving of a new Sister Church It is a Church I believe meeting together and yet it is not a congregation and it is an ordinary visible Church for at the admitting of all converts to the Church-order this meeting must be surely here our brethren acknowledge that there is a Church in the New Testament made up of many congregations which hath power to receive in whole Churches and members of Churches unto a Church-fellowship this is a visible provinciall or nationall Church which they other wayes deny 6. We see no warrant why one not yet a Pastor or Elder should take on him to speake to a congregation though they all conseâ—t that he speak exhort and pray we desire a warrant from Gods Word that such a thing should be here is preaching and Church-preaching Church-praying and praysing and yet there is no Pastor nor man called to office we see not how this will abide the measure of the Golden-neede especially in a constituted Church 7. We desire to see such a Church-action Acts 2. Where three thousand were added in one day to the Church 8. If it be enough that all be silent and testify their consent to the Church covenant by silence how is the Church-Magistrate and these of other Churches satisfied in conscience of the conversion of all for all consent to this the Magistrate may be a King and he cannot acknowledge these as a Church whose faces he never
saw before 9. They sweare to be good stewards of the manifold graces of God and so to publick prophecying for converting soules here be men sworn in a Church-way to feede the flock and yet they are not Pastor◠10. Here are Church-acts and the power of the Keyes exercised in preaching and praying and discipline and yet no stewards nor Officers of the house who have received the keys to feede Quest. 2. Whether it can be proved from the Old Testament that Christs visible Church was gathered and being fallen restored to a visible Church-state by this Church-covenant Our Reverend Bretheren contend that the Church was ever gathered by this Church-covenant The Author saith that the Lord received Abraham and his children into the Church by a covenant Gen. 17. 7. Then when they violated the covenant he renewed this covenant Exod. 19. 1. 5. whence they were called the Church in the VVildernesse Acts 7. 38. Answ. 1. The covenant Gen. 17. 7. is not a church-Church-covenant such as you dreame off 1. That covenant is the covenant of grace made with all the people of the Jewes yea with children of eight dayes old v. 7. I will establish my covenant betwixt me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant to be a God to thee and to thy seed Your covenant is not made with infants for to you infants are not members of the Church visible none are in your Church-covenant but believers of whose sound conversion you are satisfied in conscience 2. This is the everlasting covenant made with Job Melchisedech and many Believers not in Church-state as you grant your Church-covenant made with a visible Church is no everlasting covenant 3. Infants can make no confession ere they be receied in a visible Church 4. If by this covenant Abrahams house was made a visible Church and all his children circumcised then every family in the New Testament professing the Faith and covenant made with Abraham and baptised as Abrahams children were circumcised are the visible Church and the place is for us 5. Abraham and his house before this when they were first called out of Aegypt were a Church of called ones professing the Faith of the Messiah to come 6. The Lord had a Church visible before the renewing of the covenant at Mount Sinai Exod. 19. even in Aegypt and when he brought them first out of that Land of bondage Jerem. 31. 31 32. 33 and before this they did celebrate the Passover the very night that they came out of Egypt Exod. 12. and therefore it is false that for that covenant renewed Exod. 19. They are called the church in the VVildernesse all the forty yeares that they were in the Wildernesse they were the Church in the VVildernesse The apology and Author of the Church-covenant and Manuscript alledge Deut. 29. 10. Yee stand all of you this day before the Lord c. v. 12. that thou mightest enter in covenant with the Lord thy God and the Oath which the Lord thy God maketh with thee v. 13. That He may establish thee to day a people to Himselfe Hence they argue That which maketh a society a people to God to serue Him in all His Ordinances that is that whereby a society is constituted in a Church-state but by a covenant God maketh a society a people to God to serve Him in all his Ordinances Ergo. Now that those were a true visible Church they prove though the word say they had eyes and see not c. yet they were not in a carnall estate but only dull and slow of hearkening to discerne sundry gracious dispensations which sinfull defects were in the Lords Apostles Mat 8. 17. dull and slow of Heart for this was the Generation which was not excluded out of Canaan for their unbeliefe whose carcasses fell not in the wildernesse and they were now within the space of a moneth or thereabout to enter into the promised Land Deut. 1. 3. and it was they who entred by Faith and subdned Kingdomes and kept their children poore and constant in Gods worship all the dayes of Josuah 24. 31. It is true say they God entered also into a covenant with their Fathers 40 yeares before but not till he had humbled them to a conscionable though a legall feare of His great Name and even some of them also it may be remembred that they were borne under the covenant of grace from the Loynes of Abraham though needfull it was that God should enter with them into a new covenant and lead them from the Law to Christ because they had so long degenerated from the spirit and wayes of Abraham during their abode in Egypt Exod. 20. 7 8. Answ. This place maketh both against the constitution of a visible Church and against the Church-Oath framed by cu◠brethren Therefore once for all it must be vindicated and 1. I answer the swearing of a covenant in truth by sound faith putteth person◠in state of membership with the invisible and true body of Christ it is true but not in the state of a Church as visible and therefore the Major of the first syllogisme it false it is one thing to be a member of the Church as true and of the people internally in covenant with God or a Iew in the Heart and another thing to be in covenant externally and a member of the visible-Church to be borne a Jew and circumcised and to professe the doctrine of Moses his Law did formally make persons members of the Jewish visible Church though they should never sweare this covenant as many died in Egypt and lived and died members of the Jewish Church and did eate the Passover and were circumcised whose carcasses fell in the Wildernesse because of their murmuring these did never sweare neither this covenant Deut. 29. nor the covenant Exod. 19. 2. Here is a people in carnall estate and cannot be a covenanted and churched society of Saints for v. 3. the Lord objecteth to them habituall hardnesse 3. The great temptations that thine eyes have seene the signes and these great miracles 4. Yet the Lord hath not given you an Heart to perceive and eyes to see and eares to heare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to this same day this is an habituall blindnesse propagated from fathers to sonnes as Ez◠2. 3. They and their fathers have rebelled against mee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even to the body of this day Jerem. 25. 3. and Jeremy 3. 25. we have sinned we and our fathers from our youth to this day Now this is not the state of the Disciples Mar. 8. for Christ is not judging them of their state as if they were yet carnall but of their faithlesse actions in some particular when they wanted bread they distrusted the Lord when I brake the five Loaves amongst many thousands how many baskets took yee up Christ rebuketh them that they were yet hardened notwithstanding some great miracles which might have induced
Christ have no Church on earth for the laying hold on the covenant giveth being and life to the Church as the body of Christ and his true spouse as well as it giveth being to the visible Church according to ouâ— brethrens doctrine and if this covenant cease there is not a Church of Christ on earth 8. We have heard nothing here as yet but the covenant of grace and no church-Church-covenant But saith the Authour of the church-Church-covenant g Though it be indeed the covenant of grace and made principally with God it followeth not hence that it is not a covenant of the members amongst themselves for the covenant of God tyeth us to duties to our neighbour and to watchfulnesse and edification one of another Levit. 19 17. Deut. 29. 18. the neglect whereof in the matter of Achan brought sinne on all the congregation Josh. 7. yea it tieth us to duties to children not yet borne who shall after become members of the Church when Iehojadah made a covenant betwixt the King and the people it was but a branch of the Lords covenant obliging the King to rule in the Lord and the people to obey in God Answ. 1. But if particular duties to our brethren bind us by a new Church-covenant because Gods covenant commandeth these duties then because Gods covenant commandeth sobriety toward our selves and righteous dealing toward our brethren there is required a selfe-covenant towards your selves for temperance and sobriety toward your selves as there is required a Church-covenant to binde you to duties to those who are in Church membership with you this no man can say nor can severall duties require severall covenants 2. It is true when we enter into covenant with God we sweare duties to all to whom we are obliged but then we are made members of the visible Church before we sweare this church-Church-covenant and this is as if Abraham were made a living man before he have a reasonable soule and as if Abraham were Israel his father before Israel be Abraham his sonne for if Abraham be in-Churched when he did sweare the covenant of grace as the Authour granteth then he must be a member of a visible Church while as yet there is not a visible Church to which Abraham is tied I deny not but Israel may sweare obedience to all Gods covenant and all duties therein and that he may sweare also in particular to performe all duties to Abraham his father in another oath but that he cannot enter in the state of relation of sonneship to his father while he sweare that oath in particular is a dreame which hardly can be conceived 3. The peoples finne in not warning Achan was a finne against a duty of the covenant exacting obedience of all in brotherhead though not in a Church-state Levit. 19. 17. and Iob and his friends who were members of no visible Church as you say did performe this one to another Iob 4. 3 4. Iob 2. 11. Iob. 4. 1. 4. The covenant that Jehojadah made betwixt the King and the people will prove the lawfullnesse of a covenant to performe Church-duties beside the generall covenant of grace which we deny not but doth not prove that a covenant to Church-duties is the essentiall forme of Church-membership and the onely way by Divine precept of entring persons in a Church-state for persons already in Church-state may upon good reasons sweare a covenant to these duties yet are they not of new inchurched to that congregation whereof they were members before Their next principall argument as the Apology saith if a Church-covenant be the essentiall forme of a Church as a stock of Saints is the materiall cause then the Church-covenant is necessary to the being of the Church and it is that wherby Ecclesia integra constituitur collapsa restituitur quo sublato Ecclesia dissolvitur destituitur that is it is by this covenant a Church is instituted in its integrity and when it is fullen it is restored to its integrity and when this covenant â—easâ—th the Church is no longer a visible Church Answ. When a Church falleth it is not restored to the state of a visible Church by circumcision and yet circumcision is given as a signe of a covenant betwixt God and his Church Gen. 17. 11. nor is a Church restored by Baptisme or Baptizing over againe and yet Baptisme is that whereby we are entered members of the visible Church 2. When persons faile in omitting Church duties I thinke they faile against your Church-Oath yea when they fall into any sinne that may be a scandall to others yea the finne of adultery yet if they repent and heare â—he Church they are not excommunicated neither doe they â—ose the right of Church-membership and right to the seales of the covenant nor is it needfull they be restored by renewing a Church-covenant but we desire to heare from Gods word proofes of the singular vertues of this Church-covenant 3. Discipline is by all Divines thought necessary to the well being of a Church but not to the simple being thereof and for this we apeale to the learned Parker who denieth Discipline to be an essentiall note of the visible Church and citeth Cartwright for this and therefore saith that Calvin Bortrandus de Logues Mornaeus Martyr Marloratus Galusius and Beza omitteth discipline amongst the notes of the Church The apology addeth if the nationall Church of the Jewes was made a nationall Church by that covenant and therby all the Synagogues had Church-fellowship one with another in the Temple then the congregationall Church is made a visible Church by that covenant 2. Also the fallen Church of the Jewes was restored to a Church-state say they by renewing a covenant with the Lord in the dayes of Asah Hezekiah and these who fell to Judah 2 Chron. 9. 25. are commanded not to stiffen their necks or as in the originall to give their hand unto the Lord that so they might enter into the sanctuary 2 Chron. 30. 8. Answ. Is it credible or possible that all the Synagoues of so many hundred thousand people as were in the 12. Tribes were all satisfied in conscience anent the regeneration one of anotherâ— and this is required of you to the right swearing of a Church covenant else how could they in the Oath joyne themselves to all Israel as to a Generation of Saints â—â— Israel before this Oath was circumcised and had eaten the Passoyer and so was a visible Church before yea then God had no Church visible before this Oath which is against Gods promise made to David and his seed Psal. 89. 28. â—9 Also in Abijahs dayes Judah was the true Church of God 2 Chron. 13. 8. And now yâ—t think to withstand the Kingdome of the Lord in the hands of the sonnes of David 10. But as for us the Lord is our God and we have not forsaken Him 3. The inchurching of members is a Church-action as all the Church casteth out so all
in the Church assembly this Church-swearing is not rewarded so for how is it proved that a name even an everlasting name better then the names of sonnes and daughters is the name of a fellow-member in some obscure congregation or parish is this better then the name of a borne Jew who was also a member of the visible Church and if he believed in Christ had also the everlasting name of a member of the Jewish Church Surely there is no ground for this in Gods Word the everlasting name must be some spirituall remembrance and some invisible honour beyond the externall honour of being named the sonne or daughter of a Jew and by what warrant also of Gods word is Gods holy mountaine and his house of Prayer v. 7. which in the New Testament can no more be literally expounded then offering of burnt offerings by what warrant is this called a parochiall visible congregation where visible saints meets in one materiall house ordinarily and in one visible Church-way The house of Prayer there is Joh. 2. expounded of the typicall Temple which spiritually did typifie Christs body as he expoundeth it himselfe Ioh. 2. 18 19 20. deare brethren doe no violence to Gods Word 2. There is no ground that the Eunuch and stranger had no other complaint but want of visible membership for his laying hold on the Lords Sabbaths saith the contrary and though he should complain of that it is a small comfort promised thâ—â— he shall be a member of a visible congregation which membership many Iudasses and Hypocrites injoy also 3. Though there were a visible Church-membership here promised as no intepreter that ever yet saw it but your selves yet it should onely follow before heathen who are come to age be Baptized and so inchurched they should externally lay hold on a professed covenant and so that they might be members of the invisible Church before they be members of the visible Church which is much for our Baptisme-covenant and nothing for your Church-covenant 4. Church-membership by your exposition is promised to none but these who inwardly by true faith are joyned to the covenant then all Church-Acts performed by pastors and professors not converted though they proceed clave noâ— errante following Christ his rule are null and no baptiâ—ing no binding in heaven for a promise conditionall is no promise say reason and lawyers where the condition is not fulfilled The Author of the Church-covenant citeth that of Ezâ—k 16. 8. I entred into covenant with thee and thou becamest minâ— Eze. 20. 37. I will cause you to passe under the rod here is a covenant not of a person but of the whole House of Israel v. 30. 39. This covenant is called a band and Junius observeth well takes from shepheards who went amongst their sheep with a Rod and selected and poynted out such as were for the Lords sacrifice Lev. 26. 31. Ergo under the New Testament men enter not into the Church hand over head but they passe under the Rod of due tryall and then being â—ound meet are inchurched Answ. He entered into covenant with Hierusalem dying in her owne blood v. 6. v. 8. your covenant is made with a people washed and converted 2. All are taken in promiscuously in this covenant externally good and evill who prospered to a kingdome and were renowned amongst the Heathen v. 13. 14. Your Church covenant is of persons who passe under the rod of proâ—ation and passe for sound converts The other place is not to a purpose for God is not speaking of gathering his people to a visible Church but as Calvin Polanus Iunius God is meeting with the peoples wicked conclusion who said v. 34. They were banished and capâ—ives mixed amongst the Nations and so free from Gods corâ—ecting rod or band of Discipline and God saith and I will make you to passe under the Rod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and I will bring you under the â—and of my covenant The Word is also Psal. 2. 3. and it is true â—hat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a staffe and a rod Prov. 10. 13. but it signifieth also a Kings Scepter Gen. 49. 10. but the band of the covenant signifieth no union of a visible Church nor is the Lord in that place promising the mercy of a gathered Church but by the contrary he threatneth an evill as v. 35. And I will bring you unto the wildernesse of the people and there will I plead with you face to face 36. Like as I peaded with your Fathers 37. And I will cause you to passe under the Rod c. To select you out from amongst the Heathen as sheep for sacrificing as the next verse 38. and I will purge out from amongst you the Reâ—â—lls c. This place is violently brought to witnesse unjustly And what though God would have them tryed who were taken under his covenant of protection it should be the covenant of grace and not a Church-covenant for he meaneth no such thing They alleadge Jerem. 50. 4. And in those dayes and at that time the children of Israel shall come they and the children of Judah together saying let us be joyned to the Lord in a perpetuall covenant that shall not be forgotten Answ. 1. Israel and Judah together cannot be a parochiall congregation nor 2. Can Sion be a parish Church nor 3. is the church-Church-covenant from which a man is loosed when upon good warrants and the consent of the congregation he removeth cut of that Church to another A perpetuall Covenant that shall never be forgotten for eternity is proper to the covenant of grace betwixt God and man Jerem. 31. 33 37 38. Jerem. 32. 40. Isal. 54. 10. Isai. 55. 3. Isai. 59. 21. and there is no covenant betwixt mortall men who shall dâ—e an eternall covenant The Author saith There is nothing more plaine then Isai. 44. 5. One shall say I am the Lords and another shall call himselfe by the name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his hand and sirname himselfe by the name of Israel These words are so plaine as nothing can be more plaine Answ. This is a cleare place that under the Mâ—ssiah all people shall professe themselves in covenant with God and the children of God and the Church and Calvin citeth Psal. 87. 5. and of Sion it shall be said This and this man was borne in her but this is not plaine at all that these professe themselves sworne members of a particular Parish yea the contrary is most plaine that they shall call themselves by the name of Jacob and Israel that is children of the whole visible Church for Jacob and Israel is not restricted to one particular congregation Before the peoples captivity saith Musculus The names of Bâ—â—l and idoll gods sounded in their mouthes but then they shall professe the true God and that they are his people Now Gods covenant is made principally not with one single congregation not is
the blood that sealeth the covenant shed for one single congregation nor are the promises of the covenant Yea and Amen is Christ for one single flocke onely and primò principaliter but for the whole Catholike Church and therefore they shall name themselves Christians The Author addeth Every Church is Christs married Spouse united to Christ by covenant the violation of marriage is the violation of a covenant yea and there is a marriage betwixt the Church members Isa. 62. 5. as a young man marrieth a Virgin so shall thy sonnes marry thee Answ. A marriage betwixt Christ and his Church we grant and betwixt Christ and every particular soule beleeving in him in respect of the love 2. mutuall interest and claime one to another Cant. 2. 16. and what holdeth betwixt Christ and a Church catholick or particular holdeth also betwixt Christ and every soule and to extort a Church covenant betwixt Christ and a particular soule who may be and often is a beleever yet out of Church-state from the borrowed phrase of marriage is â—oo violent blooding of comparisons and therefore from marriage belonging to the catholike Church principally how can a marriage visible be concluded 2. the sonneâ— are the whole Church of the Gentiles too large a Pâ—rish incolaeterrae saith Musculus and excellently Calvin Christ so is the husband of his Church that he marrieth upon his Church all people and Nations which are gathered to her because while the Church wanteth children she is as it were a widow now this is nothing for a Church-covenant Thirdly there is a relative obligation of mutuall duties of love betwixt fellow members of a visible Church and betwixt sonnes and the mother congregation but this is first done in Baptisme expresly secondly in our comming to be members of such a congregation but the person is before a member of the visible Church The Author addeth If dissolving a covenant be that which dissolveth a Church as Zach. 11. 9. 10. then the making of a covenant is that which constituteth a Church if dissipating of stones unbuild the house then compacting of them together doth build the house but the breaking of the covenant under the name of breaking of the two staves beauty and bands Zâ—ch 11. is the inchurching of the Iewes Ergo Answ. The dissolving and breaking of the covenant of grace and the removing of the Candlestick and the Word of God Revel 2. 5. Amâ—s 8. 11 12. taketh away the being of a Church both as a true Church and as a true visible Church and of such a breaking of the covenant doth the Lord speake Zach. 11. v. 9. and I said I will not feed you that which dieth let it die and that which perisheth let it perish c. and it taketh away the union of brotherhead amongst the members verse 14. so the thing in question is not hence concluded for the question is if a Church-covenant make a Church as visible and the breach of that Church-covenant unmake and dissolve a Church as visible and this place proveth what maketh and unmaketh a Church simply as a Church not as visible and under that reduplication Quest. 3. Whether by testimonies from the new Testament and good reasons a Church-covenant can be evinced Our Author alleageth 2 Cor. 11. 2. I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ so also the Apologie this was nothing else but the planting of the Church at Corinth if you say this Paul did while he converted them to the grace of Christ by his ministery if this were true saith he then should Christ have many thousands hundreds and scores at least of spouses in one Church which we thinke inconvenient Secondly it is plaine he speaketh of the whole Church as of one spouse and as it were one chaste Uirgin which argueth he perswaded them all as the friend of the bridegroome to give up themselves with one accord as one man into one body to the fellowship and worship of the Lord Jesus Answ. it is a weake cause that hangeth upon the untwisted thred of a misapplied metaphor For 1. espoufing into Christ in the Text is opposed to being deceived and corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ as Evah was deceived by the serpent and opposed to the receiving of another spirit and another Gospell so then to be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ and to receive another Gospell must have this meaning as Evah was deceived by the Serpent so I feare that your simple minds be un-Churched and loosed from the visible Church of Corinth and that you forget your covenant wherein ye sweare to take Christ for your husband and me for the friend of the Bridegroome and that you be remisse in the duties of externall discipline and Church-fellowship and in excommunicating scandalous persons c. Aâ— brethren let not our Lords word be thus tortured and wrested 2. He expoundeth this espoufing the presenting of them to Christ in the day of God as a washed redeemed and saved wife of Christ and not of their Church continuing in visible society Yea all interpreters ancient and moderne as Augustine Theophylact Chrysostome Oecumenius Cyrillus Ambrose Our latter Calvin Bullinger Beza Pomâ—ran Pellicanus Sarcerius Marlorat Paraphrastes Erasmus and Papists Aquinas Haymo give this sense Paul as the friend to the Bridegroome finding the Corinthians despising him and in love with false teachers grew jealous of them for his Lords cause that though he had betrothed them to Christ as a virgin hand fastned by promise to a husband left they should be drawne away to other lovers by the cunning of false teachers as Evah was led from her Lord by subtill Satan 3. Though he speake of them as of one body spouse virgin how doth it follow that he speaketh of them as of a ministeriall and a parochiall body for the marriage the betrothing to Christ and the acts contrary the receiving of another spirit the corrupting of their simple minds are acts altogether spirituall internall invisible and acts of a Church as a true Church the contrary are acts of a false Church as false and not acts of a Church as visible in a visible meeting in a visible external act of marrying nor is their any insinuation that Paul feared the dissolving of the Church oath and visible order of government 4. It is not inconvenient that there be many Spouses as in every true beleever there be many single acts of marriage love and of beleeving and so of taking Christ for their husband and Lord. A visible Church is the House of God 1 Tim. 3. 15. the Temple of God Rev. 3. 12. and yet every beleever is a Temple 1 Cor. 3. 17. and every one His House seeing he dwelleth in them by saith Ephes. 3. 17. also if this be a good reason he speaketh of them all as of one chaste virgin Ergo he speaketh of
of writing was that it might be a part of the Canon of faith So also the Covenant of Grace and the Gospell was made upon this occasion by reason that the first Covenant could not save us Heb. 8. vers 7. Rom. 8 2. 3. Gal. 3. 21 22. is therefore I pray you the Covenant of grace but a temporary and a prudentiall peece Upon the occasion of the death of Zelophead who died in the wildernesse without a male-childe whose name thereby was in danger to be delete and blotted out of Israel the Lord maketh a generall Law through all Israel binding till the Messiah his comming Numb 27. 8. If a man die and have no sonne then shall you cause his inheritance to passe unto his daughter this was no prudentiall Law I might alleage infinite Ordinances in Scripture the like to this Yea most of all the Ordinances of God are occasioned from our spirituall necessities are they therefore but humane and prudentiall Statutes that are onely to endure for a time I thinke no. Ob. 3. But if the civill Magistrate had been a friend to the Church Acts 6. his place had beene to care for the poore for the law of nature obligeth him to take care of the poore therefore did a woman in the famine at the siege of Samaria cry Helpe O King and if this were done by Christian Magistrates Pastors should be eased thereof that they might give themselves to the Word and Prayer and there should be no neede of a divine positive institution of Deacons for this charge Answ. That the godly Magistrate is to take care of the poore as they are members of the Common wealth I could easily grant But this is not now in question but whether or not the Church as it is an Ecclesiasticall society should not have a treasure of the peoples Eâ—angelike free-will-offering for the necessity of the Saints as Heb. 13. 16. 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. 2 Cor. 9. 5 6 7 8 and concequently whether or not Christ hath ordained not the Pastors but some officers besides to attend this worke VVee affirme he hath provided for his poore members even their bodily necessi ies Secondly if this be true that there should be no Deacon but the Christian Magistrate then were these seven Deacons but the Substitutes and Vicars of the Emperour and King Now certainly if Apostolike benediction and laying on of hands in the wisdome of God was thought fit for the Vicars and Deputies of the Magistrates it is like that beside the coronation of the Roman Emperour the twelve Apostles ought to have blessed him with prayer and separated him by laying on of hands for this Deaconrie for what Apostolike calling is necessary for the temporary substitute is more necessary and at least that same way necessary for the principall But that civill Magistrates ex officio are to be separated for this Church-office so holden forth to us 1 Tim. 3. 12. I can hardly beleeve Thirdly I see not what the Magistrate doth in his office but he doth it as the Minister of God who beareth the sword Rom. 13 4. and if he should compell to give almes then should almes be a debt and not an almes and free-will-offering It is tâ—uâ— there may intervene some coaction to cause every man to do his duty and to force men to give to the poore but then I say that forcing with the sword should not be an act of a separated Church-officer who as such useth no carnall weapons Fourâ—â—ly the law of nature may lead to a supporting of the poore but that hindreth not but God may ordaine it as a Church-duty and appoint a Church-officer to collect the bounty of the Sainâ—â— 1 Cor. 16. 3. 5. I see not how the Apostle 1 Tim. 3. should not hold forth his Cannons concerning a Deacon to the King if he ex officio be the Church-treasurer but the Apostle doth match him with the Bishop Acts 6. the appointing of the Deacon is not grounded Acts 6. upon the want of a Christian Magistrate but on another ground that the Apostles must attend a more necessary worke then Tables Object 4. But the occasion of appointing Deacons was to disburden the Pastor who was to give himselfe wholy to preaching and praying Ergo at the first the Apostles and so also Pastors were Deacons if therefore the poore be fewer then they were at Ierusalem Act. 6. where the Church did exceedingly multiplie this Office of Deaconry was to returne to the Pastors as its prime and native subject and therefore is not essentially and primarily an Office separated from the Pastors Office And if the poore cease to be at all the Office ceaseth also Ans. I cannot well deny but it is apparent from Act. 6. 4. that the Apostles themselves were once those who cared for the poore but I deny that hence it followes in the case of fewer poore that the Office can returne to the Pastors as to the first subject except you suppose the intervention of a divine institution to place it againe in the Pastors as the power of judging Israel was once in Samuel but upon supposition that Saul was dead that power cannot returne backe to Samuel except you suppose that God by his authority shall re-deliver and translate it backe againe to Samuel For seeing God by positive institution had turned the power of judging over from Samuel into the person of Saul and changed the same into a regall and Kingly power that same authority who changed the power must rechange it againe and place it in and restore it to its first subject 2. The fewnesse of poore or no poore at all cannot be supposed Joh. 12. 8. for the poore you have alwaies with you And considering the afflictions of the Churches the object of the Deacons giving and shewing mercy as it is Rom. 12. 8. cannot be wanting as that the Churches fabricke be kept in good frame the poore the captives of Christian Churches the sicke the wounded the stranger the distracted be relieved yea and the poor Saints of other Churches 1 Cor. 16. be supported 3. Not onely because of the impossibility that Pastors cannot give both themselves to praying and the Word and to the serving of Tables but by reason of the wisdome of Christ in a positive Law the Pastor cannot be the Deacon ex officie in any case For 1. Christ hath made them distinct Offices upon good grounds Act. 6. 4. 2. The Apostle hath set downe divers qualifications for the Bishop 1 Tim. 3. 1. and for the Deacon V. 12 13. And 3. the Pastor who is to give the whole man to the preaching of the Gospell cannot entangle himselfe with Tables 1 Tim. 4. 15. 2 Tim. 2. 3 4 5. if we should say nothing that if there were need of Officers to take care of the poore when there was such grace and love amongst the Saints and Apostles able and willing to acquit themselves toward the poore and when all things were common Act.
if you meane in Church-communion take heed that the keys of every christian family and the keys of the Kingdome of Heaven be not by this made all one Also it is saith he unequall dealing to make a prophane multitude under a diocesian prelate a Church and to deny that a company of faithfull believers is a Church 2. God hath not tied his power or presence to any order or office of the world but accepteth of them that feare him and worke Righteousnes 3. A power to enjoy the officers is seated in the body as an essentiall property 4. Th◠Lord calleth the body of the Saints the Church excluding the Elders Acts 20. 17. 28. 1 Tim. 3. 15. because the Church is essentially in the saints as the matter and subject formed by the covenant unto the which the Officers are but adjuncts not making for the being but for the welbeing of the Church and so the furtherance of their faith and their service Answ. A profane multitude under a diocesian prelate is not a Church mysticall of redemed ones as a company of Believers are but professing the truth and consisting of a flock of called Officers they may wel be a Ministeriall Church which foure Believers cannot be It is true God hath not tied his power and presence to any order or office as Anabaptists say and so speaketh the Catech. of Raccovia and Smalcius and Nicolaides say there is no necessity of a Ministery after that the Evangel i◠preached by the Apostles and confirmed by miracles and that a Ministery is onely profitable ad benè esse and not necessary The Arminians teach so the Remonstrantes praedicationem verbi ad id simplicitèr necessariam negant quid clarius So Eipscopius pastoris actio non tam necessaria est quam utilis ad edificationem postquam Scriptura omnibus singulis legenda data est ut ex ca suopte Marte discat quisque quantum satis est But Paul maketh it in the ordinary way necessary for salvation to believe to call on the Name of the Lord and to heare a Prophet sent and the presence and power of God in the Seales of Righteousnes is tyed to lawfull Pastors who onely can administrate those Seales Mat. 28. 19. as to meanes ordained of God not as if God could not save without them and accept the righteous doers without them but see how this man would beare us in hand that the comfort of pastorall preaching and the Sacraments cannot be tyed to called Ministers exccept we call God an accepter of persons which is denied Acts 10 I believed Teachers and Doctors and Elders had beene the Eyes Eares and Hands and so integrall parts of the visible Church as Christ is the head of the catholick church And this man maketh integrall parts adjunctes of the church thereby declaring Ministers may be well wanted and that they are passements ad bene esse and things of order Never did Anabaptists speake louder against the Ordinances of Christ and Socinians and Arminians are obliged to him Thirdly the beleevers have right to the Officers and this right is an essentiall property of the Church then also because beleevers have right to the Keys the Keyes are onely an adjunct of the visible Church which our brethren must deny 4. Acts 20. 17. 1 Tim. 3. 15. The Church excluding the Officers is saith Robinson called the Church as the Elders of the Church and Timothy was to behave himselfe well in the Church of God This is answered they are first a mysticall Church not a governing Church Secondly a man is called a man excluding his soule if your soule were in my soules stead Therefore a man is a thing living and a reasonable man without his soule what vanity is here Fifthly if the Church-Covenant be the essentiall forme of the Church it is as accider tall to the well being of beleevers as Officers are for they are the light of the world the salt of the earth which is more necessary then a church-Church-Covenant And Robinson saith further Two or three have received Christ and his power and right to all the meanes of grace and Christ and his power are not divided also the wife hath immediate right to her husbands person and goods for her use Answ. Two or three yea one beleever and these not entred in Church-state but beleeving in Christ have received Christ and his power in all Christian priviledges due to that state True They have received Christ and his power in all ministeriall and Church-priviledges it is false nor can our brethren admit of this by their grounds for then should they have right in their owne person to preach pastorally and administrate the Sacraments if Christ and the pastorall power to such acts cannot be divided and if they have as immediate right to use the keys in pastorall acts as the wife hath to the husband and goods Also saith he Of the Churches of the Gentiles some were converted to God by Apostles others by private Christians Acts 8. 12. and 10. 36 44 47 48. and 11. 19 20 21. and 13. 1 12 48. and 14. 1 7. Can we in reason thinks during the Apostles absence that the Churches never assembled together for edification in praying prophesying and other ordinances were not all they converts who desired to be admitted to their fellowship Had they not use of excommunication The Apostles came but occasionally to the Churches where they appointed Elders Acts 14. 25. Why did Paul leave Titus at Crete save onely that men of gifts might be trained up in prophesying Answ. All here said is conjecturall he cannot give us an instance of a Church exercising Church-power and destitute of Officers onely he saith Can we conceive that in the Apostles absence there was no Church meetings for edification But were there no Elders and Officers in the Apostolike Church but onely Apostles I thinke there have beene Pastors and when the Apostles first left the planted Churches can we conceive that they left new converted flockes without Pastors and if without Officers they met for prophecying can wee conceive that they wanted the Seales of the Covenant certainly Sacraments without Officers are no rules for us to follow Secondly of conversion by private persons I purpose to speake hereafter if they preached it is not ordinary nor a rule to us Thirdly at Crete there have beene Preachers but of government without them I see nothing since Elders Timothy and Titus are limitted in receiving accusation against Elders and are forbidden to lay hands suddenly on any man I see not how the people without Officers did this It is good that this Church that they give us is all builded upon conjectures and an unwritten Church is an unwritten tradition If the Apostles appointed Elders in the Church for this end to governe wee gather the contrary of your collections Ergo there was no government in the Churches before there were governours for the
is before any officers be ordained in it the accidents of a subject and a subject make not multiplication Peter his learning and whitenesse make not two Peters And therefore seeing three believers may be united in your Church-covenant they must be a Church and seeing these foure officers a Pastor an Elder a Doctor and a Deacon must be chosen by the Church yea and ordained also by your Doctrine neede they must have their ordination and lawfull calling from three and so these three must be their Church electing them and a numerous congregation we dislike with you Author These who are to be added are to make knowen to the Elders their desire to be added that they may be tryed if he be found graceles or scandâ—lous he is not to be presented to the Church if no exception be against him he confesseth his Faith publickly and sheweth the grace of God to his soule in drawing him out of the State of sin Answ. 1. Wee reade not that three thousand added to the Church at one Sermon Acts 2. Nor any other that we reade of were in this manner and order added and therefore this way we suspect 2. You require in one to be added that he be not graceles and scandalous to be free from scandals is visible and is required in a visible Church member but grace is invisible and can be a note of a member of the invisible Church but no wayes a note of a member of the visible Church The Apostles required it not in Simon Magus The Author in the same place proceedeth to prove that none can be members of the visible Church but such as be regenerated so far as the Church can discerne Hence our 1. Quest. Whether the members of the visible Church be only visible saints sons and daughters of the Lord God Almighty temples of the holy spirit c. 1. Distinct. Any who blamelesly professeth Christ is Ecclesiastically in foro Ecclesiae a true and valid member of the Church visible having Ecclesiasticall power valid for that effect but except he be a sincere Believer he is not morally and in foâ—o Dei a living member of the invisible Church 2. Dist. That which is unseene is the forme and essence of an invisible Church and that which is visible must be the essentiall forme of a visible Church 3. Dist. The invisible Church Catholick is the principall prime and native subject of all the priviledges of Christians the covenanâ— premises titles of Spouse bride redeemed Temple of the holy spirit c. And the Church visible as she is such is no wayes such a subject the non-consideration whereof we take to be the ground of many errors in our reverend brethren in this matter which also deceived Papists as our Divines demonstrate 4. Dist. A seene profession is the ground of members admission to the visible Church Hence there is a satisfaction of the conscience of the Church in admitting of members either in the judgement of charity or in the judgement of verity 5. Dist. There is a satisfaction in the judgement of charity positive when we see signes which positively assure us that such an one is regenerate and there is a satisfaction negative when we know nothing on the contrary which hath a latitude for I have a negative satisfaction of the regeneration of some whose persons or behaviour I know neither by sight nor report This is not sufficient for the accepting of a Church-Membership therefore somewhat more is required 6. Dist. There be three rankes of men here considerable 1. Some professedly and notoriously flagitious and wicked little charity may exclude these 2. Some professedly sanctifyed and holy little charity may accept and welcome such to the visible Church 3. Some betwixt these two of whom we have neither a certainty full and satisfactory to the conscience that they are regenerate nor have we any plerophory or persuasion that they are in the State of nature 7. It is no lesse sin to sadden the heart of a weake one and to break the bruised reed then out of overplus of strong charity to give the hand to an Hypocrite as a true Church-member 8. Materially it is all one not to admit members of such a Church to your Church as to separate from such a Church and to Excommunicate such members for it is a negative and authoritative leaving of such to Satan if it be not a positive Excommunication 9. There is a visibility of the Church by writing 2. By Synods which meete for consultation as our Brethren teach 3. By Martyrdome 4. The seene profession of many Churches and these being without the bounds of a Congregation it is not Iustice to restrict all visibility to one single Congregation 10. Visible security backslyding over swaying predominants tolerated may consist with the Church membership of a visible Church 1. Conclus These two be farre different Hic vel in hoc satu est Ecclesia vera there or in this company there is a true Church And this Haec est Ecclesia vera this determinat company of such persons by name is a true Church the former is true where ever God setteth up his Candle there be their Church-members of Christs Body either actually or potentially for asmuch as if their be no converts there at all yet in respect of Gods Decree which Hee beginneth to execute while as Hee erecteth a Ministery certainly there must be some converted there at last But as concerning the latter proposition none can say certainly such visible persons by name Iohn Paul Anna Mary c. Are the true Spouse and redeemed of Christ because as Divines answer to Papists we believe the Church of Christ rather then see it Yea the Spouse of Christ as the true Spouse is all glorious within Psal. 45. 13. and that which essentially constituteth a Spouse of Christ is not visible but the hidden man in the heart 2 Pet. 3. 4. Neither is there any Union of believers as believers visible 2. Faith and true grace are not the essence of a visible Church as it is visible because nothing simply invisible can essentially constitute that which is visible 2. Con. The invisible and not the visible Church is the principall prime and onely proper subject with whom the covenant of grace is made to whom all the promises doe belong and to whom all Titles Stiles Properties and priviledges of speciall note in the Mediator doe belong If our reverend Brethren would be pleased to see this they should forsake their Doctrine of a visible constituted Church of separation of popular government of independency of parochiâ—ll Churches which they conceive to be the only visible Churches under the New Testament 1. The Church to whom the covenant and the promises of the covenant are made is an Church and a seed which shall endure as the dayes of Heaven Psal. 89. 35 36. and such as can no more fall away from being Gods people in an eternall covenant with him then
Christ to be their Head though we cannot conceive whether they be sound believers or not for a profession is sufficient to make them members of the visible body though indeed to be souâ—d Believers maketh them members of Christs Body invisible 2. That Christ is the Head of the visible Church as visible iâ— not in all the Word of God he is the Head of the Church catholick and invisible by influence of the Life and Spirit of Christ Eph. 1 22 23. Eph. 4. 16. Coloss. 1. 18. and in a large sense may be called the Head of the church-visible as visible in regard of the influence of common graces for the Ministery government and use of the keys but because of such a degree of Christs Head-ship it followeth only that these are to be admitted members under Christ the Head whom we conceive to be â—t members of the Church as it is a Ministeriall and a governing society and for this there is not required an union with Christ as head according to the influence of the life of Christ but only an union with Christ as head according to the influence of common gifts for the governing a Ministeriall Church in which respect Christ may be called the Head of Judas the Traitor and of some other hypocriticall Professors and also though the promiscuous multitude that is a multitude of prophane Atheists and scandalous mockers be not members of Christ nor are to be acknowledged as his members but to be Excommunicated yet the promiscuous multitude of Professors whereof there be Reprobate and Elect good and bad are to be received and acknowledged as members of Christs visible body wherof he is Head in the latter sense 2. The Argument proceedeth upon the false ground before observed and discovered that Christ is Head of the Church and the Spouse redeemer and Saviour of the visible Church as it is visible which is the Arminian Doctrine of universall grace 3. If these who are conceived to be members of Christ the Head and sound Believers are to be admitted why doe you professe that Brethren of approved piety and so conceived to be Believers by you and consequently members of Christ the Head cannot be members of your Church except they sweare to your Church government which you cannot make good from Gods Word Now to refuse communion to these who are knowen to be members of Christs body and to separate from them is all one and therefore in this you separate your selves from Christs Body The Author addeth The visible Church is said to be the habitation of God by the Spirit Eph. 2. 22. to be the Temple of the Holy Ghost and the Spirit of God to dwell in them 1 Cor. 3. 16 17. To he espoused to Christ as a chaste Virgin 2 Cor. 11. and sonnes and daughters of the Lord God Almighty 2 Cor. 6. 18. And are exhorted to be followers of him as deare children Eph. 5. 1. Now how can the visible Church be the members of the Body and the Spouse of Christ c. Except they be in charitable discerning as indeed the Holy Ghost discribeth them to be Saints by calling 1 Cor. 1. 2. and faithfull Brethren Gal. 1. 2. and that not only in externall profession for these are too high stiles for hypocrites but in some measure of sincerity and truth Answ. The argument must be thus These only we are to admit members of the visible Church who in the judgement of charity are conceived to be such as were the members of the visible Church of Corinth and Ephesus But only such as are the habitation of God by his Spirit and the sons and daughters of the living God not only in profession but in some measure of truth and sincerity were the members of the visible Church of Corinth and Ephesus Ergo such onely are we to admit to be members of the visible Church Now this argument concludeth not what is in question Ergo only these are to be admitted members of the visible Church whom we conceive to be the Spouse of Christ and truely regenerated Now if our conception be erroneous as it cannot be infallible then we may admit these who are not regenerated to the Church-membership if we conceive them to be regenerated and so our Brethren say falsely that the admitted must be Saints and faithfull not only in profession but in some measure of sincerity und truth for these are members of the invisible Church who are truly and in a measure of sincerity regenerated if our conception be not erroneous yet it is by accident that they are admitted de facto who are not Saints in truth for the Church may be deceived and receive in for members of the Head Christ hypocrites and such as are not the Habitation of God by his Spirit but of Satan as is cleare in Ananias and Saphira admitted by the Apostles to Church-fellowship Acts 5. 1. 2. and in Simon Magus Acts 8. admitted to the Church and baptized by the Apostolick Church who was yet in the Gall of bitterness But. 1. The assumption is false for the Apostle admitted to be members of the Church visible of Corinth and Ephesus not only Saints by true profession but also carnall men deniers of the Resurrection partakers of the Tables of Divells and in Ephesus false Apostles and Liers Revel 2. 3. But Paul speaketh of Corinth according to the best part for the Epistle and Doctrine of the covenant is written and preached for the Elects sake and for Believers neither is the covenant of grace made with the Reprobate and Unbelievers nor doe the promises of the covenant indeed and in Gods Intention belong to the visible Church though the Word be preached to carnall men for their conviction 3 This proposition is false these onely we are to admit to the visihle Church whom we conceive to be Saints and are in the judgement of charity perswaded they are such for the Apostles admit all Professors even three thousand at one Sermon in one day Acts 2. and they could not be perswaded in the judgement of charity that they were all Saints 4. This argument sayth that all the visible Church of Ephesus was a Spouse betrothed to Christ and Saints by calling which the Word of God sayth not For were all the carnall in Corinth betrothed as one chaste Virgin to Christ were these who called themselves Apostles in Ephesus and tryed by Church censures to be Liers Revel 2. 2 3. betrothed to Christ as a chaste Virgin were all the visible Church the sinnes and daughters of the Lord God Almighty and that not only in profession but in some measure of sincerity and truth It is true the stiles given to the Church of Corinth are too high to be given to hypocrites but these stiles are not given to that Church precisely as visible and as a professing Church as you suppose but as an visible and true Church of Believers for a Church of Believers and a Church of Professors of beliefe
We say not that baptisme is imposed on all who beleeveth as they are such for God saveth divers beleevers who are not baptized but Gods will the supreme I aw-giver here is to be looked into God would have no circumcision from Adam to Abraham and would himselfe have the people want circumcision in the Wildernesse fortie yeares and would have it administrated in private houses it being a bloody and painefull Sacrament but we have an expresse Commandement of God to baptize all ordinarily of the visible Church yet not because they are members of one single Congregation but because they beleeve testifie themselves to be members of the visible Church in generall we deny that the want of membership in a particular CongregatioÌ„ is that strong band that should hinder baptisme or the seales of the Covenant God hath appointed no lawfull calling such as traffiquing by Seas â—equent travelling ordinary to transient members of the visible Church to be inconsistent with the lawfull partaking of the ordinances of grace seales of the Covenant for only those who doe not try and examine themselves and are prophanely scandalous are excluded as swine from the holy things of God and from the Lords Supper not men because they are necessarily busied in a lawfull calling and must ordinarily travell to farre countries and so cannot be members of a single parish 1. This is a physicall impediment and not a sinne nor a morall impediment excluding any from the Seales of grace yea and an unwritten tradition 2. I speake against that difference which the author maketh betwixt the seales of grace in the Old Testament and the seales of grace in the New Testament for there were Physicall and civill defects in the Old Testament which by a divine Law made some incapable of the Passeover as if any were Lepers bastards borne Moabites and Ammonites or typically uncleane or had touched the dead they could not eate the Passeover though otherwise they did beleeve in Christ to come and were morally cleane but by the contrary under the New Testament there be no Physicall or ceremoniall defects no callings no civill relations but onely morall defects and sinfull scandals which doth exclude men from the Seales of grace except you bring in ceremonies in the New Testament of your owne devising for all Nations so they beleeve in Christ Jew or Gentile Barbarian or Scythian bond or free male or female are to be baptized Matth. 28. 19. God is no accepter of 〈◊〉 or Nations or callings Act. 10. 34 35. compare this with ver 46 47. and Gal. 3. 27. For as many of you as have beene baptized unto Christ have put on Christ v. 28. There is neither Iew nor Gâ—â—ek there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for 〈◊〉 all me in Christ Jesus so Gal. 6. 15. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcisionâ— waileth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature I must then say it is boldnesse in men to say that there is a lawfull calling in the New Testament which our Brethren are pleased to call the strong hand of God which maketh persons who are new creatures and baptized unto Christ uncapable of the seales of grace Deare Brethren yeeld to the cleare and evident truth of God And for this cause the seales of the New Testament must be more necessary in this respect then were the Seales in the Old Testament Our Brethren say All circumcised might eate the Passeover though I doubt much of it and might enter into the Temple if they were not legally uncleane but all baptized may not caâ—e the Lords Supper and all baptized though excommunicated may enter into the congregation for the publicke worship hearing the word praying praising c. But all circumcised might not enter into the congregation The places 1 Cor. 10. 17. and 12. 13. prove not that the Seales of grace are administrated to a Church body of a particular congregation only as they are such for these seales are common to all the visible Churches on earth We many are one body it is not to be exponed We many are of one Parishionall Congregation and onely are one body but We many of all the visible Churches on Earth are one body in Christ. This you must say except you deny all visible communion of sister Churches The Object They who are not capable of Church censures are not capable of Church Priviledges But those that are not within the Church covenant of a particular congregation are not capable of Church censure The proposition being evident the assumption is proved 1 Cor. 5. 12. What have I to doe to judge those who are without that is without the communion of a particular congregation So Amesius de consc l. 4. c. 24. quest 1. resp ad Answ. First I answered before the major is false by your owne doctrine those of another Congregation cannot be censured but by their owne congregation yet by Letters of recommendation they may receive the Lords Supper in another Congregation Also strangers of approved piety may be capable of Church rebukes which are Church censures Secondly The place 1 Cor. 5. 12. is manifestly abused for by those who are without are meant onely the Insidels and Heathens who are without the whole visible Church and not those of approved piety who are baptized and professe the truth sincerely for Peter Martyr Beza Calvin Marlorat Pareus Zwinglius so also Haymo Aquinas expone it with us which is cleare first by the phrase of speaking What have I to doe being a note of estrangement as Joh. 2. 4. Woman what have I to doe with thee and 2 Sam. 16. 10. David said What have I to doe with you ye sonnes of Zerviah now Paul and the faithfull at Corinth are not estranged from those of approved piety of other Congregations he tooke care to edifie and rebuke them and so are all the Saints to edifie censure and rebuke one another Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwayes those who are without are taken in an ill part in the Word of God as Mark. 4. 11. Those who are without are the blinded and hardned and Rev. 22. 15. for without are dogges our Brethren expone it of the visible Church Now not to be in Membership of such a particular congregation is not a sin nor a just ground of Pauls estrangement of his Ministeriall power from them it may be caused by persecution when the flocke are scattered by Wolves Fourthly Those who are here without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are left by Paul to the immediate judgement of God and not to be judged of the Church ver 13. But them that are without God judgeth Now those who are members of another congregation then the Church of Corinth or members of no particular congregation and yet of approved piety are not left to the immediate judgement of God because they are without The banished servants of God who suffer for the Truth or transient members who
because their calling is ordinarily traffiquing and so not consistent with a membership in a setled congregation are they I say without not to be edified by the censures of the Church but left to the immediate judgement of God this is contrary to Gods Word and an insolent interpretation and I find iâ— not in your place of Amesius They reason from inconveniencies Hence say they Church assemblies shall be confused meetings if all out of Church membership â—e admitted Answ. If by confused meetings you meane meetings of sound beleevers and hypocrites then Christs Kingdome compared to a draw-net wherein are good and bad are confused meetings and unlawfull which none can say but Anabaptists But if you meane meetings of these of your owne Congregation and strangers of approved piety these are not confused meetings but you begge what is in question and utterly abolish all Communion of Churches They adde the Church shall endanger the propbaning of the Seales and want a speciall meanes whereby their grace and piety shall be disâ—erned if without respect of their Church estate men be admitted to the seales for their owne testimony is not enough also how can they be of approved piety who against light refuse to professe subjection to the Gospell by an orderly joyning themselves with some approved Church when they have opportunity seeing Church-fellowship is an action of piety required in the second Commandement and this meane of tryall hath beene so blessed that many approved men have beene after tryall found light to others and to their owne consciences Answ. Meanes of discovering sincerity or hypocrisie would be warranted by Gods word and meanes of eschewing the prophaning of the Seales also Simon Magus was not so tryed yea when Peter found him in the gall of bitternesse we sinde not that he cast him out of the visible Church in respect his sinne was not that publikely scandalous as to offend the whole Church 2. We grant that strangers are not rashly to be admitted to the Seales but you prove them not to be of approved piety because they will not sweare your Church-oath and your discipline as the onely true way and in so doing you say they refuse Church-fellowship commanded in the second Commandement but this is to be proved and not to be nakedly averred by you they beleeve and can give evidences of their beliefe so should by the word of God be admitted to the Seales Act. 10. 47. Act. 8. 37. Act. 16. 14 15. ver 31 32 33. 1 Cor. 11. 38. you deny them the Seales as iâ— they were dogges and unworthy prophaners of the Seales onely because they cannot sweare to your Church-government which you cannot prove from the word of God 3. You deny them to be of approved piety who will not joyne to an approved Church you meane your owne onely But you adde if they have opportunity but what if they want opportunity then the strong hand of God deharreth them their seed from the Seales of Grace now if any be to traffique by Seas and to travell to farre Countries in a lawfull calling he is legally uncleane and incapable of the Seales to himselfe or his seede for he cannot in Conscience and through necessity of his lawfull calling sweare your Church-oath for he must sweare to observe the manners of his fellow-members to edifie them by exhortation consolation rebuking to joyne himselfe in an eternall Covenant to that visible Church yea never to remove thence except the Congregation consent so your oath obligeth him to all these now this is impossible because of his lawfull calling and because he cannot be a Church-member for ever while he traffiqueth in his lawfull calling the comfort of the Lords supper is denyed to him and Baptisme to all his seede and that by a strong hand of providence without any fault in him shew us a warrant from the Law and the Testimony where any are to be debarred from the Seales of the Covenant and that ordinarily where sicknesse and some other Physicall impediments doth not occurre where there is no morall unworthinesse or guiltinesse in the persons debarred Will you debarre all from Church-comforts the presence of Christ in his Church the comfort of his walking beside the Candlestickes and his influence in the word Preached the power of the keyes the rebukes of the Saints their exhortation and private comforting of sinners the comforts of the Ordinances of Baptisme and the supper of the Lord because a strong hand of providence in a lawfull calling doth perpetually debarre them 4. You say your trying of Church-members is a meane blessed of God to try many mens sincerity I answer Unlawfull meanes as the persecution of Tyrants may have this successe what then is it a lawfull meane 2. I would Gods name were here spared it is not a meane blessed of God it chaseth away many from the net of the Gospell and the Pastorall care of the Shepheards and is not a conquering way to gaine Soules John Alasto say they in the dayes of Edward the sixth would bapize none but such as were members of that Church and therefore pâ—â—paned this question to the Fathers Are these infants that you 〈◊〉 the seede of this our Church that they may lawfully be Baplized Answ. John Alasto had reason because of some present abuse some indifferent Atheists infidels in heart refused to joyne to either Churches either Protestant or Papists and sought Baptismeto their children in either Churches as they might have it and therefore was that question proponed to the Fathers but it proveth not your point Alasto excluded the Children of Atheists who would joyne to no Church as his words cited beare Ergo approved Christians and their seede are to be excluded from the Seales of the Covenant How weake is your reasoning If the Rechabites say they the Posterity of Jethro shall live in the â—idst of the Common-wealth of Israel some of them prove true beleeters as Jonadab the sonne of Rechab yet if they shall refuse to take bold of the Covenant of Israel to become Prâ—selytes it is no sinne for Israel to withold the Passeover from them circumcision from their Children Answ. You might have proved your point a nearer way many legally uncleane and yet sound beleevers because of leprosie for no sinne were debarred from the Seales amongst the Jewes but have you any law to debarre any from the Seales of the Covenant of grace under the New Testament and that ordinarily for no sinne 2. Calvin thinketh their Vow not lawfull Bucanus Polyander and Willet think it the lawfull Vow of the Nazarites commanded Numb 6. What then If by Gods Law of the Nazarites they abstained from wine and the Passeover God is above his owne Law Ergo you may debarre men from the Seales under the New Testament for no sinne it doth not follow 3. How prove yee they abstained from the Passeover being so divine a Law might not their Vow suffer
an exception for a greater Law in eating the Passeover I thinke it might for in case of necessity they came and dwelt at Jerusalem for feare of the Army of the Chaldeans Jer. 35. 11. and yet their vow was to dwell in Tents From these ariseth Quest. I. If Pastors may performe Ministeriall Acts in any other Congregation than their owne This is answered unto by a Manuscript If you take a Ministeriall act improperly when a Minister doth exercise his gift of praying and preaching being required so to doe so hee may exercise some Ministeriall acts but this he doth not by vertue of any calling but only by his gifts and occasionally but if you meane by a Ministeriall act an act of authority and power in dispensing of Gods Ordinances as a Minister doth performe to the Church whereunto he is called to be a Minister then we deny that he can so performe any Ministeriall act to any other Church than his owne Hence though he may preach to another congregation yet may he not administer the Sacraments to an other then to his owne Answ. First We hold that by a calling or ordination he is made a Pastor by election he is restricted to be Ordinarily the Pastor of his flocke Secondly A Pastor is a Pastor of the Catholike Church but he is not a Catholike Pastor of the Catholike Church as were the Apostles Thirdly The Reformed Churches may send Pastors to the Indians for that which Acosta saith of Jesuites wee may with better reason say it of our selves That Pasiors are as Souldiers and some souldiers are to keepe order and remaine in a certaine place others run up and don ne in all places So some are affixed to a Congregation to feed them others may be sent to those people who have not heard of the Gospel Which sending is ordinary and lawfull in respect of Pastors sending and the Pastors who are sent because in Pastors even after the Apostles be dead there remaineth a generall Pastorall care for all the Churches of Christ. Thus sending is not ordinary but extraordinary in respect of those to whom the Pastors are sent yet is it a Pastorall sending This opinion of our Prethren is against the care of Christ who hath left no Pastorall care on earth by this way now since the Apostles dyed to spread the Gospell to those Nations who have not heard of the name of Christ but a Pastorall care for the Churches is not proper to Apostles onely but onely such a Pastorall care by speciall direction from Christ immediately to Preach to all 2. Backed with the gift of tongues and of miracles and this essentially differenceth the Apostle from the ordinary Pastor but the former Pastorall care to Preach the Gospell to all Nations and to convert is common both to the Apostle and Pastor 2. Our Brethren distinguish betwixt office and the calling and they say that the office extendeth no further then the call and by 〈◊〉 he is onely a Pastor of this determinate flocke But if he be a Pastor essentially in relation to none but to his owne Congregation from which he hath all his calling as is supposed by that same reason a Christian is a Baptized Christian to none but in relation to that particular Church in whose society he is admitted and he doth partake of Christs body and blood in the Lords Supper in relation to no visible professors on earth but onely to the Parish Church whereof he is a Member 1 Cor. 10. 17. for they expone that onely of a Parishionall Communion within one single independant Congregation And he must be a Heathen or as a Pagan in all Congregations on earth but in his owne yea and he is a visible professor of the Covenant of grace which is one in substance as they say with the Church-Covenant and hath claime to Christ and all his Ordinances in no Congregation save in his owne I prove the consequence for by Baptisme the Baptized person is incorporated in Christs visible Church 1 Cor. 12. 13. If this be true when one removeth from one Congregation to another hee must bee re-baptized and incorporated a visible member of a body visible with them And I see not how one can be in-churched to another Congregation and made one body therewith while he eate of one bread with them as they expone 1 Cor. 10. 17. if he be not also a member of all visible Churches on earth 3. If a Pastor can exercise no Pastorall acts toward any Congregation save toward his owne then a Pastor as a Pastor cannot pray for the whole visible Churches of God but the latter is absurd Ergo so is the former I prove the major The praying for the whole visible Churches is a Pastorall Act due to a Pastor as a Pastor 1. Because every visible Church is oblieged as it is a Church to pray for all the visible Churches on earth for as a Christian is oblieged to pray for all Churches visible so farre more is a Church now a visible Church doth not pray but by the Pastor who is the mouth of the People to God and that this is a Pastorall duty due to a Pastor I thinke is said Isa. 62. 6. I have set watchmen on thy Tower O Jerusalem which shall never hold their peace day nor night Yee that make mention of the Lord keepe no silence till he establish and tâ—ll â—â— make Jerusalem the praise of the whole earth Also Pastors as Pastors are to pray for the King though the King be no member of that Congregation whereof they be Pastors 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. every Pastor as a Pastor is to Preach against the sinnes of the Land else how can the People mourne for these sinnes Ergo the Pastor doth exercise Pastorall acts upon all the visible Churches on earth upon the King and upon the whole Land to which he is not a Pastor by speciall election 4. If a Pastor be oblieged to Preach in season and out of season and that as a Pastor and because he is a Pastor 2 Tim. 4. 2. Ergo he is to Preach as a Pastor in any Congregation where he shall be desired They answer He may Preach the word in another Congregation not by vertue of a calling or office but by vertue of his gifts I answer First if he Preach by vertue of a gift onely he Preacheth in that case not as sent of God and so intâ—udeth himselfe and runneth unsent and a meere gift to be a King or a Magistrate maketh not a Magistrate as Master Robinson granteth Ergo one cannot warrantably exercise a Pastorall act by vertue of a meere gift 2. He may in another Congregation preach with Pastorall authority and use the keyes by binding and loosing sinnes according as hearers doe repent and harden their nockes against the Gospell Ergo he may preach as a Pastor to another Congregation 3. There shall be no Communion betwixt Sister Churches in Pastorall acts as Pastorall which is
professor at Rome Joan. de Lugo teach that the Sacraments are morall causes of grace but not physicall It is grosse that Henricus saith that God createth grace per tactum Sacramentorum by the touch of the Sacraments as Christ cured the Leper by the touch of his hand for Sacraments are not miracles as Papists say Phisicke worketh upon a mans body when he sleepeth so doe Sacraments justifie and worke grace ex opere operat◠though the faith of the Sacrament-Receiver doe worke nothing at all 4. Sacraments are considered 1. As holy signes 2. As Religious seales 3. As instruments by which faith worketh 4. As meanes used by us out of conscience of obedience to Christs commandement who hath willed us to use them Sacraments as signes are objective and morall causes exciting the mind as the word doth in a morall way they represent Christ and him crucified and this Sacraments have commune with the word The Sacrament is a visible word teaching us 2. Sacraments have the consideration of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tantum they be seales and not teaching and representing signes onely this way also they have no reall or physicall action in them or from them for a seale of a Prince and State as it is such conferreth not an acre or rigge of land but it is a legall Declaration that those lands written in the body of the Charter doe duely belong to the Person to whom the Charter is given But Arminians do here erre as Episcopius and also Socinus and Smalcius who teach that the Sacraments be nothing but externall rites and declarative signes scadowing out Christ and the benefits of his death to us because they find a morall objective working in the Word of God but a substantiall and Physicall working betwixt us and Christs bodie they say is ridiculous but they would remember that this is an insufficient enumeration the seale of a Kings Charter hath besides a morall action on the mind by bringing to the mind such lands given to such a man and so the seales worketh upon the witnesses or any who readeth the Charter as well as upon the owner of the Charter I say beside this the seale hath some reall action I grant not in it but about it and beside it for it sealeth that such lands are really and in effect given by the Prince and State the action is about the seale not in or from the seale When a Generall of an Army delivereth the keyes of a Castle to a Keeper thereof he saith I deliver the house to you when he delivereth the Keyes onely Physically and not the stones walls or timber of the house by a Physicall action or Physicall touch contactu Physico yet in delivering the keyes he doth really deliver to him the Castle but in a legall and morall way Arminians and Socinians may see here that there is neither an action by way of naked representation and teaching for the Sacrament is a teaching signe to the beholders who receive it not nor is it a Physicall action as if Christs Physicall body in a Physicall way were given yet it is an action reall and morall so the Sacraments are signes exhibitive and not naked signes Our brethren doe side with Arminians and Socinians who so often teach that Sacraments make nothing to be what they were not but onely declare things to be what they are It is true the formall effect of a Sacrament is to seale and confirme to seale and confirme is but a legall strengthning of a right and not the adding of any new thing Yet in this the Sacrament differeth from a seale 1. That to a civill seale there is not required the beleeving and faith of the owner of the Charter to make the seale effectuall for whether the Lord of the lands beleeve that his seale doth confirme him in the lands or not the seale of it selfe by the Law of the Prince State maketh good his right to the lands but Sacraments doe not worke ex opere operato as civill seales doe worke even as Physicke worketh upon the body without the faith of the mind though the man bee sleeping Hence the third consideration of a Sacrament as an instrument Faith in and through the Sacrament being wakened and stirred up layeth hold upon Christ his death and benefits and for this cause there is a reall exhibition of the thing signified and the Sacrament is an exhibitive seale 4. The Sacrament in the use is considered as wee use it in obedience to God who saith in the Lords Supper Do this in remembrance of me and in this it differeth from a civill seale also The Prince doth not conferre a seale to confirme a man in his land upon condition that he will make use of it otherwayes it shall be to him as no seale But God hath given the scale of grace upon condition that wee make use thereof in Faith else the Sacrament is blanke and null Therefore if you beleeve and not otherwayes the Sacrament of the Supper sealeth and confirmeth you in this that Christ is given already and is in the present given to be nourishment to your soule to life eternall and so oft as you eate the certioration and assurance groweth and the faith is increased and a further degree of a communion with Christ confirmed but it is not so in civill seales though yee repeate and reiterate the same seale of lands ten thousand times it never addeth one aker more to the in heritance because the repetition of a civill seale is not commanded under the promise of addition of new lands nor is it commanded as obedience to the owner of the Charter that hee should make use of the seale but from the using in faith the Sacrament we receive increase of Grace and a Sacramentall Grace Hence Baptisme is a seale of our incorporation in Christs visible Church 1 Cor. 12. 13. For by one spirit we be all baptized into one body whether we be Jew or Gentile or whether we be bound or free Act. 2. 41. Then they that received the word were baptized and the same day there were added unto them three thousand souls so Matth. 28. 19. the taught Disciples are to bee baptized in his name Act. 8. 38. Philip was this way received in the Christian Church and Cornelius Act. 10. 47. and Lidia Act. 16. 15. and the Jaylor vers 23. 2. That which distinguisheth by a visible note the Church as visible from the invisible Church and from other visible societies and sealeth our visible union with Christs body that is the seale of our entry in the visible Church but baptisme is such Ergo. 3. What circumcision was to the Church of the Jewes that baptisme is to the Christian Church because in re significatâ in the thing signified and inward substance of the Sacrament they were both one Col. 2. 11. 12. Phil. 3. 3. But circumcision was a seale of the
baptisme but signified onely and the Remonstrants in their Apologie while they expone our Communion with Christ in the Lords Supper and will reject a Physicall union of our soules with the Physicall substance of Christs body which we also reject they say that communion signifieth onely a profession of one and the same worship whereby Christians solâ—mnly testifie that they adhere to Christ as to â—â— partaker of the Table of devils and of devils themselves 1 Cor. 10. 18 20. is a testimony of a communion with the Devills but the Word of God saith more Gal. 3. 17. As many of you as are baptized have put on Christ So Rom. 6. 3. Therefore we are buried with â—im by baptisme unto his death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walke in newnesse of life Ephes. 5. 26. That he might sanctifie and cleanse his Church with the washing of water by the word T it 3. 5. and 1 Pet. 3. 21. The like figure whereunto even baptisme doth also now save us c. all this is more then a naked signification otherwise Manna saved Israel and the water of the rocke did wash them from their sinnes and the sacrifice of bulls and goates did cleanse from sinne and open heaven to sinners Therefore by baptisme and the Lords Supper something is made what it was not before as by partaking of the Table of Devils the partaker is really made a partaker with the devill and an Idolater and his Idolatry that he committed before was not onely confirmed and signified to be what it was before And in this civill Seales and Sacraments differ as I observed before Argu. 4. God say they had a Church when there was neither baptisme nor circumcision yea baptisme hath beene administrated and no Church-members made thereby and men have beene made members of Christ and not then baptized and John and Christs Disciples baptized Matth. 3. 6. John 4. 1. but neither Christ nor John made new Churches they all living and dying members of the Jewish Church of which they were before and if any of them after became members of Christian Churches they were not then baptized when they were so admitted having beene baptized before Answ. We teach not that baptisme constituteth the Church simply as the Church but that it is a seale of a visible membership and all baptized by John Baptist and the Disciples of Christ were thereby entred in a visible profession that they beleeved in Christ already come and so were made members and citizens by that publicke symbole and seale that they were members of the Christian Church though as yet it received not that name of a Christian Church and they were members both of the Jewish and Christian Church For these are not contrary incorporations and they needed not to bee baptized againe when they were added to the Christian Church for they were never added to the visible Christian Church nor needed they to be added seeing they were members of that Church before Argu. 5. These inconveniences say they should follow 1. Baptisme should be administrate by such as are not ministers at all for who should baptize them who are converted without the Church extraordinary officers are ceased and ordinary are limited onely to their owne fâ—â—ks also the Church is before the ministers for the Church hath power to choose ministers now if baptisme make the Church then must â—â—n be baptized before there be ministers to baptize them Answ. You see to what absurdities your owne grounds drive you for if none can baptize but these of a fixed Congregation and if they can baptize none but their owne Congregation none as a sent Pastor whose feet is pleasant on the mountaines can preach and beget faith in a company of unbeleevers not in a Church-state which is a limiting of the wise God who by Pastors as Pastors can beget faith in men without a parishionall Church which is contrary to Gods Word Rom. 10. 14. 2. It is false that the Church ministeriall which only can baptize is before the officers for they should then be before themselves which is absurd nor is there such necessitie of baptisme as that those who are no ministers should baptize 2. Inconvenient It should follow that Papists should be members of the Church for they have baptisme so farre right as that it cannot be repeated Answ. If your Church-covenant bee that which essentially constituteth a Church-member then Papists Atheists and Hypocrites may be Church-members also by this reason because they may sweare your Church-oath Hypocrites doubtlesse doe it And this argument is as much for the Anabaptists as against us for it should prove that none should be baptized but members of the true Church and sound beleevers now by baptisme none aâ—e made members of the true Church except where baptisme is received by true faith which is more nor can bee done by a Papist nor is it inconvenient to say that Papists as baptized under that reduplication are members of the visible Church though as baptized thus and thus they be not members of the true visible Church professing the sound faith Also say they baptisme may remaine where as Church-membership is dissolved as in the case of excommunication Matth. 18. 17. or of voluntary and unjust departure 1 Job 2. 19. Jude 19. Heb. 10. 25. in which case such Schismaticks are no members of the visible Church as Amâ—sius saith and if the Church bee dissolved the Church membership ceaseth for Relata se mutuo ponunt tollunt Answ. This is against your selves and doth as well prove that baptisme is not a seale of the covenant of grace for an excommunicate person may remaine externally without the covenant to the visible Church when baptisme remaineth a seale and may be a seale of a grace or priviledge which is interrupted or removed in act but remaineth in habite as to bee the eldest sonne of a King may be a seale of the sonnes heiâ—eship and yet he may for a fault be disherited and cast out of his place The Church and Church-membership are Relata secundum esâ— not secundum dici onely or relata 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but baptisme and Church-membership are not so perfect relatives but baptisme doth remaine and the Church-membership may bee dissolved as the Burgesse ticket whereby a man hath right to all the citie priviledges may remaine when the man for some crime committed against the citie hath lost all his citie priviledges and is not now a free citizen in which case his Burgesse ticket sealeth nothing to him so baptisme sealeth not actuall membership in case of excommunication yet remaineth baptisme valid in the acts of sealing other things As for Schismatickes who onely for Schisme are out of the Church and doe hold no erroneous point of doctrine and are not yet convinced they are yet members of the visible Church as Morton saith from
unto the Church was as the profession of a publike person receiving him and his children who could make no profession but by his mouth unto the Church so his violation of his profession by a scandalous criâ—â— was as a publike violation thereof for himself and his seed who stand or fall before the Church in his name and his person Answ. 1. It is true Christ giveth right to baptisme to the child by the Fathers right I distinguish that by the nearest father onely I deny by the right of fathers in generall true but then it will follow that no infant is to be debarred from baptisme for the sinnes of his nearest parents for if these who are descended of Abraham and David many generations upward from them were within the Covenant and so had right to circumcision for the Covenant made with David and Abraham and the nearest fathers sinne is not the cause of taking away the right to the Covenant from the child and right to the Church Communion 2. I much doubt if the child have right to the seales of the Covenant for the faith of the father and so I deny that hee loseth right to the seales of the Covenant for the fathers scandalous crime which is a violation of the Covenant I doe reverence grave and learned divines who speake so Oecolampadius and Zuinglius say that Insants are sanctified by their parents faith but I conceive they take the word faith objectively for the doctrine of faith profeffed by the father and not subjectively But I think that great Divine Beza saith well that no man is saved by another mans faith nor can the parents faith be imputed to the children which is no lesse absurd nor to say that one man liveth by the soule and life of another man and that he is wise by the wisedome of another man how then are Infants within the Covenant for their parents I answer for the faith of their fathers that is for the Covenant of their fathers they have right to baptisme for that I will be thy God and the God of thy seed Galat. 3. 8. comprehendeth all the beleeving Gentiles And for this cause the children of Papists and excommunicate protestants which are borne within our visible Church are baptized if their forefathers have beene found in the faith and I thinke the reason is given by Doctor Morton who saith The children of all Papists Anabaptists or other Hereticks are to be distinguished from the children of Turkes and Pagans because the Parents of Papists and Anabaptists have once beene dedicated to Christ in baptisme and the child saith he hath onely interest in that part of the Covenant which is sound and Catholike while as the parents themselves stand guiltie of heresie which by their owne proper and actuall consent they have added unto the Church And I thinke the Scripture saith here with us that the nearest parents be not the onely conveyers and propagators of federall holinesse to the posteritie Psal. 106. 35. They were mingled with the heathen and learned their workes 36. and they served their Idols c. 44. Neverthelesse he regarded their affliction 45. and he remembred for them his covenant What Covenant His Covenant made with Abraham and yet their nearest fathers sinned v. 6. We have sinned and our fathers v. 7. Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt they remembred not the multitude of thy mercies but provoked him at the Sea even at the red Sea v. 8. Neverthelesse be saved them for his names sake His name was the glory of the Covenant made with Abraham by which his name and truth by promise was ingaged Esa. 63. 10. But they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit therefore hee was turned to bee their enemy and hee fought against them v. 11. Then he remembred the dayes of old Moses and his people saying Where is he that led them and brought them out of the red Sea So also Esay 51. 1 2 3. and most evidently Ezek. 20. 8. They rebelled against me c. But I wrought for my names sake that it should not be polluted before the heathen among whom they were in whose sight I made my selfe knowne unto them in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt Now this name is to be expounded his Covenant Jerem. 31. 32. which he made with them when hee brought them out of the land of Egypt which Covenant is extended unto the Christian Church Heb. 8. 8. 9 10. Now if God gave right unto the sonnes of the Jewes I meane federall right to temporall deliverance and the meanes of grace for the Covenant made with Abraham though their nearest parents rebelled against the Lord that same Covenant in all the priviledges thereof indureth yet yea and is made to all the Gentiles â—al 3. 8. Heb. 8. 8 9 10. for it is the covenant nationall made with the whole race not with the sonnes upon the condition of the nearest parents saith as is cleare after Christs ascension unto heaven Act. 2. 39. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are afarre off even to as many as the Lord our God shall call Now it is cleare that their fathers killed the Prophets Matth. 23. 30 31 32 33 34 35. they were a wicked generation under blood v. 37. 2. It is cleare that these externally and in a federall and Church profession have right ecclesiastick to the Covenant to whom the externall calling of the preached Gospell doth belong while he saith the promise of the Covenant is made to as many as the Lord our God shall call so the called nation though the nearest parents have killed the Prophets and rejected the calling of God Matth. 23. 33. 34. 37. is the nation which have externall and Church-right to the promises and Covenant and Rom. 11. 28. As concerning the Gospell they are enemies for your sake but as touching the election they are beloved for the fathers sake now their nearest fathers maliciously opposed the Gospell therefore it must be for the election of the holy nation in which respect the nation of the Jewes v. 16. was a holy seed and a holy root and the children were also the holy branches holy with the holinesse of the Covenant and Joshua had no reason to circumcise the people at Gilgal for the holinesse of their nearest parents whose earcasses fell in the wildernesse yet he circumcised them to take away the reproach of his people now this reproach was uncircumcision in the flesh the reproach of the Philistims so Goliah is called an uncircumcised Philistim and of all the nations without the Covenant of God yea by this there were no reason to circumcise the sonnes of Achab and Jezabel whose nearest parents were slaves to Idolatry and who were bloody persecutors of the Prophets nor was there reason to circumcise Jeroboams sonne in whom there was some good for both father and mother were wicked Apostates and very often by
Minister cannot administer the Lords Supper to any but his owne flocke see you to this 6. If the sister Church lie under any offence you will not admit any of their members to the Lords Supper though these members be of approven piety and why What a separation is this What if these members do not consent to that offence as some of the godly in Corinth might be humbled and mourne that the Church did not cast out the incestuous person shal they be debarred by you from the seales because they separate not from that infected lump the Apostle alloweth communicating so that every one examine himselfe 1 Cor. 11. 21. 30. with drunken persons and where many were stricken of God with death and diverse diseases as eating and drinking their owne damnation 7. You looke at the Lords Supper as a seale of communion with all the Churches of the Saints What communion meane you invisible no. You deny that the seales are given to the invisible Church and the members thereof but to the visible Church as you say If you meane a visible communion of all the visible Churches of the Saints why then brother doe you call the universall visible Church a Chimera or a dreame as you say and if all the visible Churches have a visible communion it is to deny Christs wisdome and care of his Church to deny the lawfulnesse of a Oecumenick and generall councell of all the Churches of the Saints We recommend saith the Author Brethren for a time to other Churches as Paul recommended Phoebe to the Church of Rome Rom. 16. 1. 2. or we give letters dismissorie to such as are for ever to reside in another congregation but members are not to remove from their congregation but upon just and weighty reasons made knowne and allowed by the whole Church for wee looke at our Church Covenant as an everlasting Covenant Jerem. 50. v. 5. And therefore though it may be resigned and translated from one Church to another as Gods hand shall direct yet it is not to be violated and rejected by us if members cut off themselves by excommunication it is their owne fault if any upon light reasons be importunately desirous to remove the Church is to use indulgence as not willing to make the Church of God a prison but often the hand of God in poverty and scandall followeth such and driveth them to returne when a person recommended by letters commeth to another congregation the Church by lifting up their hands or by silence receive him if he â—e altogether unknowne and doubted of because the Church may erre be is not received till due triall be taken of him Answ. We see not how letters of recommendation most lawfull as we judge and necessary can resigne ministeriall power a liberty bought with Christs bloud as you say to any other Church for we think all the visible Churches are one Catholike visible Church and should have a visible communion and so that there is no resignation of ministeriall power in these letters but they are declaratory of the Christian behaviour of the dismissed Christian. We aske if dimissory letters be authoritative and done by the Church as the Church and how can a Church usurp authority by your way over a sister Church to recommend a sojourner to a Church state and Church liberties and seales of the Covenant one Church hath no authority over another If these letters be meerely private and meerely declaratory to manifest and declare the sojourners Christian behaviour only then he had power and right without these letters or any act of resignation or giving away ministeriall power to be a Church-member of the visible Church to the which he goeth Ergo he was a member of the visible Church to which he goeth before the dimissory letters were written and the letters doe resigne no right but onely notifie and declare the sojourners preexistent right and so there is a visible Church and a visible communion of all congregations on earth and most be an externall power and authority in all for Synods Let our brethren see to this 3. The person to remove must be dismissed and loosed by the consent of the whole congregation it conveniency permit else he is not exonered of his Church-oath made to that congregation What if conveniency doe not permit then is he loosed from an oath without consent of the Church which did by oath receive him I thinke ejuâ—dem pâ—testatis est as the Law saith ligare solvere that Church power which bindeth must loose 4. If the Church-Covenant be an everlasting Covenant as Jer. 50. 5. tying the man to the membership of that particular congregation for ever I see not how the Church can use indulgenees and Pope-like dispensations against the oath of God to breake it upon light and frivolous reasons for if God punish Covenant breaking so also should the Church and can by no indulgence be accessory to the breach of Gods oath there is too great a smell of Popery Arminianisme and Socinianisine in this way in my weake judgement But if the man be not sworne a member of that particular Church by his oath he is sworne a member of the visible Church universall which our brethren cannot well say Neither is any Covenant called an everlasting Covenant in the Scripture but the Covenant of grace Jer. 31. 33. c. 32. 40. Isa. 54. 9 10. and that is made with the invisible Catholike Church of beleevers as is the Covenant Jer. 50. 5. and not a Covenant with one visible congregation and what warrant hath the Church to dispense with the breach of such an everlasting Covenant 5. The testimony of other Churches if it be a warrant to you in faith to receive into the Church such a one as a Saint and a Temple of the holy Spirit how should it not also be a warrant to you to cast out and excommunicate also 6. The person comming from another Church if of approven piety is received by lifting up of the hands or silence of the Church as you say 1. Have we a warrant from Gods word for such a new inchurching 2. Why is he not received by a Church oath as a Minister transplanted to another Church must have ordination and election of new for to you there is alike reason 3. If there be no need of a new Church oath to make him a member of that visible Congregation seeing now he is loosed from the former you inâ—inuate his former Church-oath did make him a member of a visible Church and so â—e that is a visible member in a Church is a visible member of all and so there must be a visible Church-Catholike if there be a Catholike visible membership in any one member and so you destroy what you build Manuscr 16. A third way of Communion with other Churches saith the Author is by seeking their helpe and presence 1. In admitting of members 2. In case of differences of judgments 3. In