this troubled and grown Sea of the State betwixt these two hidden rocks which are beset with dangerous quicksands on all sides then they shall by Gods grace helpe to save the weather-beaten ship of the Church from shipwrack and bring her to a safe harbour in the quieted state of the Kingdome And in hope that the good hand of God may be upon them to helpe the furtherance of so good a Worke I will suppose that the Apostolicall Rule of composing differences Phil. 3.16 may be practised in this case amongst those that are professedly Brethren The Apostle sai h then Whereunto we have attained already let us walke by the same rule let us be like minded or minde the same things To such then as are spiritually disposed let me speake in the words of the Apostle as a joynt member of the body of Christ I would entreat them to set down that whereunto they are attained and wherein they fully agree in the profession of the Gospel Then when this is known let Rules be thought upon to walke by and let these be received on all sides for the ordering of their course without offence one towards another and for the setling of the bounds of their mutuall freedome and of the ingagement to mutuall subjection and yielding to one another in the Communion of Saints These Rules being taken from the cleere precepts of the Word the tye of the Conscience binding every one â—o minde the same thing or to be like minded each towards another should be superadded thereunto The thing then which should be minded unanimously by all is the duty of Mutuall Edification by serving each other through love This duty is to be tyed upon the Conscience by some Speciall Promise which is to be taken by all in the presence of God as being profestedly subject to his will by the tenour of the New Covenant which he hath made with us in Jesus Christ that we being all bound over to him in Christ may by the same tye of love be knit each to other as members of Christs mysticall body by our spirituall Relations These Relaâ—ions then are to be setled in the acknowledgement of the duties which one member oweth to another as they stand jointly under the same head Christ Jesus And verily me thinkes this were no difficult matter for Men of Spirituall and impartiall dispositions to doe freely amongst themselves without troubling the Secular Magistrate with debates of the Formes of Spirituall Government as matters meerely Ecclesiasticall whereof he is no competent Judge But if these Spirituall Relations cannot be setled by the Wisdome and loving Affections of Spirituall Office-bearers within the Church amongst themselves then it is just that they should forfeit their Spirituall Right and Libertie which Christ hath conferred upon them and fall under the arbitrement of a Secular Power which ought to looke unto its own Safetie lest those that make divisions and multiply breaches in the Church about small matters disturbe also by that meanes the Publick Peace of the State and then the Magistrate in his Charge over the Visible and Outward behaviours and actions of Men as well Religious so far as they are Publick as Civill in respect that they are Naturall ought to become a Zorobabel and take the plummet of just Authoritie in hand to interpose and make Ordinances of Innocencie and harmlesse Carriage amongst those that in their strife about Spirituall Matters forget their Morall dutifulnesse unto the lawes of Nature and Civility If then these Men that pretend a freedome of Non-Communion should gather every one their owne Churches and get followers unto themselves which would have the same priviledge to be under no Authority resulting from the Spirituall Combination of Church officers and if the State should finde it necessary to Tolerate such Non-Communionists for a time to avoid greater Publike Evills then I thinke that the Second Question should be taken into consideration Namely What latitude of difference from others should be permitted unto these in their Publike Worship and What limitations of behaviour should be laid upon them to avoid disorder and trouble in that Church which is Principally allowed in the State For if a Christian State should have but one only Church which it shou d owne as the childe whereof it is a nursing Mother and if the owning of many Churches alike will be an inevitable cause of division within it selfe then it followeth that all the Churches which wee Tolerated publikely besides that which it owneth should be so Tolerated as may be no prejudice unto that whereof it selfe is professedly the nursing Mother And because the Substantiall Truth of Christianity is but one the Wisdome of a State should Tolerate nothing that may darken oppose or eat out the Substantiall Truth But because all those that make true profession of Christianity doe it for conscience sake towards that which they conceive to be substantiall in that Truth and for this cause also desire to have the Liberty of their Profession as thinking it an injury to have their Conscience restrained from serving Christ or any thing forced upon it which it cannot acknowledge to be Christs therefore as it is with the Conscience of every honest hearted Christian in this Case so it ought to be with the Conscience of a State For as no honest hearted Christian would have his conscience at perpetuall uncertainties in matters of Divine Worship nor would he have any thing which is not agreeable to the Will of God forced upon it nor would he be obliged to give assent thereunto before he should know it to be of God or at least no way contrary to his undoubted Ordinance So in like manner the Conscience of a State should not be suffered to be at perpetuall uncertainties nor should it suffer any thing to be forced upon it selfe which it is not sure is of God and subordinate unto his will but in case to avoid a greater evill it be found aâ—solutely necessary to admit a doubtfull profession in Puâ—like then a good conâ—cience of two unavoidable evills mâ—â— chuse the least as we see David did 1 Sam. 21. and 2 Sam. 3 39. and at other times yet it will endure that evill no longer then it needs must but it will take it up onely as a burthen to bee laid downe againe as soone as it may be with conveniencie Thus then if the Non-Communion Way be found unavoidable and yet not knowne to be Gods Ordinance it may be admitted till it câ—n be either laid downe or rectified or approved to be of God all which the Conscience of the State should declare in the Act of Toleraâ—ion Nor doe I thinke that the Non-Communionists themselves if they will not goe from their Principles will desire a Toleration upon other termes And that it may be determined whether it be the Way of God or no a course of O derly Coâ—ference should â—e setled which may not turne to any heat or breach of Brotherly Affâ—ctions
property of every member wherewith God hath endued it as the eye the eare the nose the tongue the hand the feet are all members and as in one body and moving by one spirit are bound all to have the same care each for another yet their care is in a different way according to the place and property which they have in the body For some of these members have a more eminent place and property then others and according to the nature of it their care is commanded The members then which have their property and place in the head are commanded to care in the nature of the head which in comparison of the rest of the members is Authoritative thus the property of the eye is towards the foot and hand Authoritative namely to direct it by judging and discerning the way wherein to walke or the matter that is to be felt Now the property of the hand is not of this nature yet it careth for the body and it hath the faculty of feeling to none other end but the propertie of the facultie is not Authoritative and directing further then it is directed by the superiour Members or the faculties of the head By all which I intend to intimate thus much First that the Commandement of mutuall care doth not give to Members of an inferiour facultie any power to act above that which is in the nature of their place in the body far lesse to oversee or overrule the Rulers as the custome of some is or hath been And secondly that this same Commandement doth give to the Members of a superiour facultie a Charge to act lovingly according to the nature of their place and office in the body For the office of every Member doth make the actions done therein according to the Rule and to the end of Common good Authoritative and as it is in the Naturall so it is in the Spirituall and Mysticall body Therefore as in the head of the Naturall body there is a Senate of superiour Senses which in the acts of their Charges cannot be without Authority towards inferior Members so in the Mysticall body of the Church these Officers which partake of the Senses of the Head cannot be without Authoritie in the Acts of their Charges and their care which is recommended to them for the body in their charge is to be understood different herein from that which belongeth to the rest of the Members and if the looking to and caring thus for one another be an expresse Commandement of God as well to Ministers one towards another in their Charges and places as to Members each to others then it must be granted that the best Meanes to performe this duty is also commanded and if this be found to be the Presbyteriall Conjunction of Ministers then I must conceive that a Combination of the Ministers of many Churches is the compleat and entire seat of Church power over each Congregation so combined which is the thing whereof they made a question Now if this Relation of Ministeriall Authoritie and Respective Subjection for mutuall Edification be once setled then all other matters tending to Publike Edification will easily be determined in matters of Publike Worship for Uniformitie therein according to the Rules of the Word which to prevent scandals and divisions is absolutely necessary and that this Uniformitie may be obtained I conceive that these things should be taken notice of 1. That in and about the Acts of the Publike Worship of God some things are his own immediate Ordinances some things are not of that nature 2. His own immediate Ordinances as they are unalterable so they are of necessitie to be observed and must be done in his name 3. All things of another nature are not necessary but alterable and may not be done in his name 4. The things of an Alterable nature relate the bodily and Outward part of the Worship as it is clothed with Outward Circumstances For whatsoever is Spirituall and relating the inward truth and substance of the Worship is determined in the Word and not subject to Outward Circumstances 5. The power to determine what is Alterable and How it is to be altered for Publike Edification doth belong to those that have a Publike Charge in the Church 6. Yet in some Cases which may relate the Rights of the Civill Magistrate his power is not to be neglected but respected joyntly with the Church Officers 7. The limits of the joynt powers in cases of a mixt nature are to be taken from their different Objects Ends and Properties of Fundamentall Rights and Lawes of Government by which they attaine their End severally 8. No particular Church loseth her Right to order within her selfe matters of Particular Edification onely the occasions of Scandall to others must be avoyded and may be prevented by a Brotherly Communication of Reasons why things must be so ordered in a private way 9. Therefore the Uniformitie of Publike Worship is not to be esteemed by meere Circumstantials which ought not to be too precisely determined but by the Fulnesse of Substantials agreeing and by the consent of a Latitude under certaine Rules of Brotherly Correspondencie therein â—etwixt United Churches 10. The Manner of introducing new Orders to be observed or of altering any thing which hath been observed should not be without a due preparation of the understandings of that flock towards which the Alteration is to bee applied If these Positions be not denied I suppose that most of the Scrupulosities of the Non-Communionists may be resolved thereby in matters of Publike Order Decencie and Government about which they seeme to intend a Scholasticall disputation but I would entreat every one whose ayme is Publike Edification to beware of the disputes of that nature which may easily breed heat and needles contradictions about matters of no great consequence Or if they undertake them to agree with those with whom matters are to be discussed of the manner of debating which ought to be limited and regulated and free from all Personall reproaches which lay open the nakednes of other Infirmities or censure faults prejudicially For except these cautions be prudently used those that take in hand to dispute will lose their way and be taken off from the maine worke of the Ministerie which is to declare the Testimonie of Jesus without partialitie as it may be for the Edification of all We know and that experimentally that Knowledge doth puffe up the spirit but it is Charitie that doth edifie Now to maintaine the affections of Charitie in the bonds of Spirituall Unitie there is nothing so effectuall as the Way of Brotherly Consultation by which all can be said which in a Scholasticall or disputative way can be proposed and with more force by how much the ayme is more friendly and insinuating then that of a Contradictorie debate Thus I have briefly done with the last point of this Discourse where many other things might be insisted upon which I purposely omit as not being willing to descend unto Particulars which may be observed in the severall passages of the Apologeticall Narration Hereafter if it be found expedient and you require it I may adde an Appendix to this Discourse containing the same Till then and ever I commend you to the Grace and love of the God of Peace in whom I am Your faithfull friend and servant JOHN DVRT Hague 17 7 March 1644. FINIS
only determinable by Spirituall discretion For even as one member in the naturall body will be swayed by the joynt inclination of the rest so it ought to be in the Ministeriall society of Spirituall Office-bearers in the Senate of Christs Kingdome Now that they ought to be joyned in a Spirituall Senate and Ministeriall Society amongst themselves is cleare from the necessary end of Mutuall Edification from the evident and constant Practice of the Primitive Church from the precept of Christ who commandeth a Brother offended at an incorrigible Brother after private admonition to tell the Church and from the Precept commanding all to endeavour to keepe the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Eph. 4.3 which cannot be effected without some joynt care to walke uniformally in the Publike Worship of God as it becommeth the Members of the same body whereof Christ is the head that the world may see that they all belong unto him For this is that which Christ prayed for unto his Father Joh. 17.21.23 That all beleevers may be one and if all beleevers then farre more all Ministers of the Word because they are sent forth to edifie the body of the Church till we all come unto the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God Eph. 4.13 if then they are appointed to bring others unto the Unity of faith and love it is cleare that to doe this they are obliged to maintaine the bonds of Ministeriall Communion amongst themselves which cannot be done more effectually then by such Consultations as are used in Consistories Presbyteries and Synods the true intention and nature of which is not Coactive but Auxiliary And if to make up one single Congregation they require a Covenant betwixt each Beleever and his Brother and betwixt them All and the Pastor that should watch over their Soules I see not why they should refuse the like Covenant to be established amongst the Pastors of severall Flockes who are bound as Officers in the same houshold of Faith to watch one over another under the direction of the supreme head of the Family and Shepheard of soules Jesus Christ I will not say that the tye is alike strong or the Relation equally binding betwixt Pastors and Pastors as it is betwixt Member and Pastor or betwixt Member and Member in one Congregation I say I will not positively affirme it but that it ought to be made as strong as a Covenant of Brotherly love and care for one another in Christ can make it and as the aime of strengthning one anothers hands in the worke of the Lord and of standing joyntly in a fight against the world can require it I doe strongly assert and thinke those that doe not minde this aime and the true meanes of entertaining the same guilty of a great sinne against the Communion of Saints because they seem to seek a Particular Interest of their owne rather then the good of others whom they are bound to serve for their edification although it may be with some inconvenience to themselves by stooping to their infirmities and bearing of their burthens But this duty is little minded on all sides and therefore the wayes of Peace are so difficult If then it cannot be denyed that Gods Servants in his House and worke should not live at a distance as strangers but stand together as Members of the same body in a Sociable Relation to entertaine the Unity of the Spirit in the Communion of Saints and if this Sociable Relation in matters belonging to their charge of Mutuall and Publike Edification is a meanes to maintaine that Authority towards their particular Congregations which in matters of doubt is necessary to come to a decision thereof and if this be the most naturall and milde way of Government when every Church is directed by its owne Officers through the consent of the whole I say if these things cannot be denied I see not what can be excepted against the Presbyteriall Way of Church Government and Discipline and if the Authoritie of one Pastor to whom the Charge of Soules is committed is such that his flock is bound by expresse Commandement of the Word to obey and submit unto him Hebr. 13.17 and if the Non-Communionists will not exempt any of their flocks from this Subjection to their Pastors though they stand by themselves alone I cannot imagine why they should exempt those same flocks from the Authority of the same Pastors when their Authority is strengthened by the consent of all their Brethren For to use their own words If it be a most abhorred Maxime that any single and particular Societie of men professing the name of Christ should arrogate unto themselves an exemption from giving account or being censureable by any other neighbour Churches about them then it followeth that the Meanes as well of giving an account and inflicting of a Censure if need be as of preventing Scandals which may deserve Censures ought to be used amongst neighbour Churches which meanes is none other then the Conjunction of Brotherly Counsels in the Ecclesiasticall Senate of a Presbyterie or Synod Now the Authoritative sway which such Councels and Censures should beare is no extrinsecall matter but a thing intrinsically inherent and the immediate result of the combined body of the Senate wherein all the Authority of the whole Ministerie is cast together in one nor can it be imagined that the decrees of such a Senate can be without that Authoritie which the Charge of every member thereof doth yield unto him by Gods appointment towards those over whom he hath a Charge Except then it be thought that Christ never intended that any such Senate should be convocated or established in his Church to prevent or rectifie Scandals I am not able to conceive what can be excepted against the Authoritative sway of the Decrees thereof supposing matters to be fairely and openly scanned But if otherwise there should be any fault in the Manner of proceeding of those that belong unto the Senate then the cause and the effect thereof should be meekly discovered and a way proposed to rectifie it but the bond of Brotherly Unitie amongst themselves and the ground of their Authority towards their Churches should not be shaken Now the ground of their Authority is their Unity in their Charges and the bond of their Unity is the sincerity of their Intentionâ— to care and looke one to another according to the Commandements which are expressely given Heb. 3.12 13. and 10.24 and 12.15 But here it may be said that these Commandements belong unto all the Members of the Body and are not peculiar unto the Pastors and Elders more then to others I answer that it is true all are bound unto the same care for one another as Members of each other But although the Principle of this duty which is their Co-membership and Covenant in Christ be the same yet the discharge of the duty is to be differently performed according to the distinct