comforteth them with this promise that such as are joyned to the Lord he will hereafter bring them to his house no bodily infirmitie as that of the Eunuch nor nationall pollution as that of some strangers should hinder their admittance into his Church onely this the Lord requireth both of the Eunuches ver 4. and of the strangers ver 6. who had joyned themselves to the Lord before that they doe also take hold of his Covenant as antecedent to their entrance into Church-fellowship to wit take hold of it by solemne profession of their acceptance of it and of their subjection to it Object 2. It is not credible that the Lord would ever separate or debarre such from Church-fellowship as were joyned to himselfe by faith who can thinke it what reason can you give for it Answ The text is plaine that Eunuches Moabites and Ammonites were separated from the Church or Congregation of Israel for ever without exception of godlinesse or ungodlinesse Some indeed make a doubt whether the Law against Moabites and Ammonites reached to the women of those Nations but against men the Law is cleare But if the Law had excluded them onely upon point of their own ungodlinesse that was no singular curse to them No Nation under heaven could expect admission into the Church of Israel unlesse they beleeved in the God of Israel What reason God might have for excluding the Eunuches wee leave to his soveraigne wisdome But yet himselfe giveth a plaine reason for it against the Moabites and Ammonites taken from their malignant enmitie against Gods people Deut. 23.4 5 6. Against the Eunuches he giveth no expresse reason the authoritie of the Law-giver is reason sufficient who can tell whether God would not thereby type out the debarring of barren Christians from Church-fellowship Object 3. The word separation implyeth they had been sometime of the Church for it cannot be said in common sense that any can be separated from that societie of which they never were Answ Why not What is separated but severed May not England be severed from Scotland by the river of Tweed and from France and Germany and Holland by the Sea though they were never joyned to any of those Nations Did not God make the Starres to separate between the day and the night for it is the same word in the Originall Gen. 1.14 and yet day and night were never joyned in one societie So that from the place in Isaiah wee have two passages of our practises in admitting Church-members witnessed unto and confirmed by the Lord. 1. That those whom the Lord joyneth to the Church in the new Testament are such as have been joyned to himselfe to love him and to serve him and keep his Sabbaths 2. That they doe also take hold of his Covenant with his Church before he bring them into his holy Mountaine which is his Church Both which are the more to be observed in this place because the place is a prophesie of what the Lord will doe in the dayes of the new Testament to wit when his house shall be called an house of prayer unto all Nations ver 9. which is proper to the times of the Gospel Object 4. But the Covenant here spoken of hath nothing to doe with the Church Covenant for the Covenant is the Lords between him and his people but the Church Covenant is between the members of the Church one towards another Answ This objection was prevented before in the first point for when the Lord entreth into covenant with his people that is with his Church his Church either expresly or by silent consent covenanteth with him and also one with another to yeeld professed subjection to him as hath been shewed above But though this place prophecying of the dayes of the new Testament speak expresly of taking hold of the Covenant before entring into the Church yet let no man wonder why there is so little expresse mention of the poeples taking hold of the Covenant in the new Testament when this promise commeth to be accomplished In the old Testament where the Church and Common-wealth grew up together in divine institution and administration there is expresse mention of this Covenant and the Church being nationall and all the Magistrates being members of the Church from the first plantation of it the Covenant of the Lord with his Church was not at all suspitious to them who were parties to it themselves but very acceptable but in the dayes of the new Testament the Magistrates and Princes of the earth being Aliens and enemies to the Church the Apostles thought it meete to speake of this Covenant not plainly but as it were in Parables and similitudes as knowing the name of Covenants and Covenanters might breed no small jealousies in Civill States as seeming most dangerous to civill peace but yet in apt similitudes they so describe the estate of Churches as doth necessarily imply a joynt Covenant both between the Lord and them me with another which may serve for a second argument to prove the point in hand the receiving of Members by way of Covenant for 1. they so describe every Church of God as a Citie of God as the new Hierusalem as the Church of the Jewes at their first conversion is styled Rev. 21.4 and the Church of the Jewes though it may be a more glorious Church then any of the Churches of the Gentiles yet it partaketh in the common nature of them all every true Church is as well a Citie of God as the Church of the Jewes and hence the Members of the Church of Ephesus are called fellow-Citizens with the Saints as being of the houshold or Church of God Eph. 2.19 Now every Citie is founded in some confederacy by oath or such like bond and every Citizen is received into the same Citie by taking the same oath or entring into the same bond wherein the whole Citie standeth ingaged which holdeth forth to an intelligent heart that if every Church of the new Testament be a Citie and the Members thereof fellow-Citizens then as the whole Church is planted and founded in some Covenant or Confederacie so every Member of the Church is implanted and received into the same body by taking hold of the same Covenant and professing subjection thereunto Againe when the Apostle speaketh of the planting of the Church of Corinth calleth it espousing of it as a chaste Virgin unto Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 It implyeth plainly that he drew them all as one body to professe their acceptance of Christ as an husband to them all and of one another as member of the same body if he had spoken of his conversion of their particular soules unto Christ he would not have spoken of them as one virgin but so many soules so many virgins but now speaking of them all as one virgin it plainly argueth he joyned them all as one virgin into one body and that one body into a Covenant of Espousalls with Christ Jesus for there are no
offered up to God either by the Pastor or Teacher and the Word read and expounded by them who preached in the morning if there be time and preached by the other and the Sacrament of Baptisme administred if any of the Church doe offer their children thereunto the Deacons who sit in a seate under the Elders yet in sundry Churches lifted up higher then the other pewes doe call upon the people that as God hath prospered them and hath made their hearts willing there is now time left for contribution presently the people from the highest to the lowest in sundry Churches do arise the first pew first the next next and so the rest in order and present before the Lord their holy offerings For in the old Testament at their solemne feasts none was to appeare before the Lord empty Deut. 16.16 And the Lords day is onely unto Christians the ordinary solemne feast of the Lord in the new Testament the Christians laid downe their oblations at the Apostles feete Acts 4.35 into whose place for that service Deacons were substituted Acts 6.3 And to that purpose the Apostle gave order unto the Churches that upon the first day of the weeke every one should lay by him into the treasury as the word signifieth for the supply of the Saints as God had prospened them 1 Cor. 1.2 Which ordinance Justin Martyr speaketh of in his time that the abler sort on the Lords day did contribute to the necessities of the brethren in the end of the second Apologie And Cyprian rebuketh a wealthy rich widow for beleeving shee could celebrate the Lords day as holy and yet neglect to contribute to the Lords treasurie in his first Sermon de Eleemosynâ Locuples dives Dominicum celebrare te credis quae Corbonam omnino non respicis After the contribution ended the time left is taken up in sundry Churches in the publike tryall and admission of such as are to be received Members into the Church in such manner as hath been before declared and so after a Psalme of praise to God with thanksgiving and prayer to God for a blessing upon all the ordinances administred that day and a blessing pronounced upon the people the Assembly is dismissed Besides the celebration of the Lords day every weeke we sometimes upon extraordinary occasions either of notable judgements doe set a part a day of humiliation or upon speciall mercies wee set apart a day of thankesgiving The grounds whereof wee conceive are generally knowne and approved amongst Christians Moreover every weeke in most of our Churches Lectures are kept on some or other of the weeke dayes so that such whose hearts God maketh willing and his hand doth not detaine by bodily infirmitie or other necessary imployments if they dwell in the heart of the Bay may have opportunitie to heare the Word almost every day of the weeke in one Church or other not farre distant from them SECT IV. IN all these administrations onely two or three things may seeme to require clearing from the Word of God as 1. Why in our publick prayers wee forbeare to use set formes of prescript Liturgies 2. Why in our Sacraments wee doe not admit the members of the Church of England to the fellowship of the Lords Table and their children to Baptisme as was said before wee did receive the Members of other Churches in this Countrey For the former the reasons usually given may suffice 1. From the patterne of all the Churches both in the old and new Testament God never gave leave to any ordinary Officers of his Church neither did any of them take leave to impose any formes of Liturgie upon any Church And yet if ever there had been place for prescribing set formes to any it had been most seasonable in the Jewish Synagogues whose members being as children under age Gal. 4.2 3. might stand in most need of such a help It is easily acknowledged Moses prescribed a forme of blessing Nunb 6.23 to 26. and David sundry Psalmes of praise and prayers and the Lord Jesus taught his Disciples not onely to pray after this manner but thus or these words Luk. 11.2 But neither were these ordinary Officers of the Churches neither did they prescribe any use but arbitrary and occasionall of these formes as they might suite our occasions God by immediate revelation and by the hand of his extraordinary Messengers may prescribe this or that forme to his Church but will not warrant ordinary Officers who have onely received a common measure of the Spirit to doe the like God who forbad his people to make to themselves Images or imaginations inventions and formes of worship hath not restrained himselfe to set up what images or formes himselfe seeth good Object These formes of prayer or praise though as they be parts of holy Scripture they are of God yet as they are applyed without speciall commandement to be the matter or forme of a prayer or thanksgiving at this time so they are the device of man c. Answ They are not applyed to be matter and forme of prayer or thanksgiving without commandement or at least without such directions as amount to a lawfull warrant from God for Moses expresly saith On this wise shall yee blesse the Children of Israel and say unto them Numb 6.23 The 102. Psalme is expressed in the title not onely to be a prayer of one that was afflicted but of any in like estate And the Apostles exhortation is generall concerning all the Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs of David as well as of others that wee should sing them with holy melody unto the Lord Eph. 5.19 and Christs words Luk. 11.2 When yee pray say our Father c. A second reason why wee forbeare a set forme of prescript Liturgies is taken from the meaning of the second Commandement which wee conceive prohibiteth such prescript Liturgies It is a rule generally knowne in the exposition of the Commandements that all sinnes forbidden in the Word of God are reduced to the ten Commandements and fall under the prohibition of one of them or other for there is no sinne but is a transgression of some or other commandement of the law 1 Joh. 3.4 and upon the two Tables of the Law hang all the Law and the Prophets Mat. 22.40 Now it is plaine that all sinnes are not contained in the letter of the ten Commandements and therefore there is no judicious Expositor of them but openeth the letter of the Commandements by Synecdoches and Metonymies Synecdoches to comprehend all sinnes of the like kinde and all the degrees thereof and Metonymies to comprehend all causes and meanes and occasions thereof so that for opening the second Commandement which forbids both making and the worshipping of any image or similitude it is requisite to consider in what sense or respects Images or similitudes are forbidden Images or similitudes are forbidden in the second Commandement not as objects of worship for all false objects of worship are the
Church to the which Christ committed the power of binding and loosing was a company of such as whereof Peter was one Beleevers professing that faith on Christ whereon as on a rock the Church is built Mat. 16.18 19. and such as unto whom Peter or any brother offended might in due order tell the offence which any brother had given him persisted in Mat. 18.17 And the Church of Corinth to which the Apostle commendeth the casting out of the Incestuous Corinthian 1 Cor. 5. was such a Church of which the Apostle saith They were Saints by calling sanctified by Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.2 and all of them even the whole Church did meet together every Lords day in one place for the Administration of the holy Ordinances of God to publick Edification 1 Cor. 14.23 16.1.2 Which frequent meeting every Lords day in one place to such ends cannot possibly be compatible to any Diocesan Provinciall or Nationall Assembly PROPOS 2. It is the part of all Christians who look for salvation by Christ Jesus to joyn themselves if God give them opportunitie to some one or other such a particular visible Church of Christ for of such a Church as continued in such Church-fellowship Act. 2.42 it is written The Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved Act. 2.47 And seeing there is no holy Ordinance of Christ but every Christian standeth in need thereof for his spirituall edification in holy fellowship with Christ Jesus or else Christ ordained them in vaine and seeing withall Christ hath committed all his publick holy Ordinances to his Church it will be needfull for every good Christian to whom God giveth opportunitie to joyne himselfe to some one or other Church of Christ that so he may not deprive himselfe of the benefit and comfort of any of Gods holy Ordinances PROPOS 3. For the joyning of faithfull Christians into the fellowship and estate of a Church we finde not in Scripture that God hath done it any other way then by entering all of them together as one man into an holy Covenant with himselfe To take the Lord as the head of his Church for their God and to give up themselves to him to be his Church and people which implyeth their submitting of themselves to him and one to another in his feare and their walking in professed subjection to all his holy Ordinances their cleaving one to another as fellow-members of the same body in brotherly love and holy watchfulnesse unto mutuall edification in Christ Jesus For thus the Lord accepted and entered Abrahams family into Church estate by receiving them and their children into such a Covenant with himselfe though In generall termes yet such as imply the substance both of Christians and Church duties Gen. 17.7 And after that when the posteritie of Abraham had violated this Covenant in Aegypt the Lord againe made another Covenant with them whereby he took them to be a peculiar people unto himselfe in the Wildernesse and Mount of Sinai Exod. 19.1.5 Whence they were called the Church in the Wildernesse Act. 7.38 And by reason of this Covenant God calleth the whole body of that people as his owne Spouse I entered saith he speaking of that time into a Covenant with thee and thou becamest mine Ezek. 16.8 Moreover the next generation after them he established them to be his Church and people by entring them againe into a Covenant according to the Covenant made with Abraham Isaac and Jacob Deut. 29.10 to 13. By vertue of which Covenant as well as by the former they were joyned not onely to the Lord and to the Officers the Priests and Levites which he had given them Deut. 12.19 but also to mutuall watchfulnesse over one another Levit. 19.17 Deut. 29.18 In so much that through their neglect thereof the sinne of one Achan was the sinne of all Israel Josh 7.11 Which kinde of Covenanting with God we finde diversly translated in Scripture and every way sufficient for the constituting of a godly society or company to become a Church unto God Sometimes God or his Messengers in his stead propoundeth and giveth a Covenant unto a people and they accept it though not in expresse words yet by silent consent Gen. 17.7 Deut. 29.10 to the end of Chap. 30. Sometimes the people declare their consent and restipulation by expresse words Exod. 19.8 Deut. 5.27 and Josh 24.16 17 18.21 22 24 25. Sometimes they writing and sealing Neh. 9.38 In all which Covenants sometimes they make no expresse termes of cleaving to their brethren but onely in generall termes submitting themselves to every Ordinance and Covenant of God as in the places alledged sometimes they expresly declare their stedfast cleaving to their Brethren also and to their Officers Neh. 10.28 29. ver 35. to the end the rest of the people every one might have knowledge they cleave to their Brethren and entred into an Oath c. In some we account it all one and of like value when a Covenant of God is propounded and given on Gods part to a people whether they receive it by silent consent or by expresse termes either by word of mouth or by writing and seale and whether their cleaving to their Brethren and Officers and mutuall watchfulnesse over one another be expresly mentioned or included onely in their generall profession of subjection to all Gods holy Ordinances and Covenant For we see it evident by comparing the former Scriptures that by any one of these wayes a people is received and established to be a peculiar people and Church unto the Lord and each of them lay hold of the same spirituall priviledges and hold forth the same holy duties Neither is there any colour to conceive this way of entring into Church estate by Covenant to be peculiar to the Paedagogy of the old Testament for it is evident by the light of nature that all civill Relations are founded in Covenant For to passe by naturall Relations between Parents and Children and violent Relations between Conquerours and Captives there is no other way given whereby a people sui Juris free from naturall and compulsory engagements can be united or combined together into one visible body to stand by mutuall Relation fellow-members of the same body but onely by mutuall Covenant as appeareth between husband and wife in the family Magistrates and subjects in the Common-wealth fellow Citizens in the same Citie and therefore in the New Testament when a people whom the Apostles by their ministery had converted were to be gathered by them into a Church estate what did the Apostles else but combine them into one body as one chaste Virgin and Spouse unto Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 And how could that not universall but particular Church of Corinth be offered up in one body not as many Spouses as all the particular members of that Church were by their conversion but as one Spouse unto-Christ but onely by joyning all together in one Covenant or Espousage to
of fellowship and so receive them to all Brotherly communion in the Lord amongst the rest of the Churches and this agreeth with the last part of the fift Proposition So when the day appointed for the Church-gathering is come the persons deputed from the neighbouring Churches are present who commonly be the teaching and ruling Elders and as many also of all sorts as are willing to partake with them at that time the whole day is kept as a day of humiliation especially the former part of it in seeking the face of God in prayer and preaching the Word according to the former part of the fift Proposition the Brethren of the Church to be gathered selecting some chiefe one among themselves to be their mouth for those services which done then on the latter part of the day one of them appointed and chosen by themselves to order the worke of the day standeth up and addresseth himselfe with the rest of his Brethren to make profession of their faith and repentance before the Lord and before the whole Assembly according to the fourth Proposition This done with the silent approbation of the whole Assembly he propoundeth the Covenant of promise Eph. 2.12 denying also any sufficiency in themselves to keepe Covenant with God as having been transgressors from their youth up they professe in the name of Christ their acceptance of the Lord for their God and the Lord Jesus the head and Saviour of his Church to be their King Priest and Prophet and give up themselves in professed subjection unto all his holy Ordinances according to the Rules of the Gospel withall they professe their full purpose of heart to cleave one to another in Brotherly love and mutuall subjection according to God not forsaking their Assembly but as the Lord shall call and ministring one to another as becometh good Stewards of the manifold graces of God till they all grow up to a perfect man in Christ Jesus Having thus or to the like purpose propounded the Covenant himselfe with the rest of the Brethren who are to joyn in Church-estate they all declare their joynt consent in this Covenant either by silence or word of mouth or writing Then the Brethren of other Churches finding the presence of God accepting them by the heavenly fire of his Spirit come downe amongst them in their performance of their holy duties they appoint some from amongst them in the name of all the Churches from whence they come to reach forth unto them the right hand of fellowship testifying their proceedings to have been according to God and the Churches acceptance of them into brotherly fellowship and exhorting them to stand stedfast in the Lord and to grow up in holy fellowship with him and one with another and with the rest of the Brethren of all the Churches according to these beginnings And so prayers being made unto God for the pardoning and acceptance of this people and of all the duties of the day as also for his blessing upon themselves and all the Churches both in this Countrey and throughout the world especially in England a Psalme of praise is sung Quest What could be done more if a Church were to be gathered out of Infidels Answ 1. If a Church were to be gathered out of Infidels they were first to be converted that they might become beleevers and so fit materialls for Church-fellowship before any of these could be done by them whereas these here spoken of are persons converted already If it be said againe But are not all Baptized persons fit for Church-fellowship as all Circumcised persons were admitted to the Passeover Answ There is a difference between the Passeover whereto all Jewes were admitted young and old unlesse defiled with some pollution and the Lords Supper whereto persons of growner yeares and fit to examine themselves are invited and therefore neither children nor ignorant persons nor prophane nor scandalous persons are admitted to the Lords Table nor into Church-fellowship If it againe be Objected But are not all Baptized persons Church-members already by their Baptisme Answ No. 1. Papists and other notorious Hereticks are Baptized 2. And many in other Churches have cut themselves off from the Covenant by their notorious wickednesse and prophanenesse Psal 50.16 3. A Church Relapsed with all the members of it before they can be accepted with God in their Church-fellowship are bound to renew their Covenant which is as it were a new entring into Covenant the same which in effect is done with us 4. Though godly men Baptized members of a pure Church are to be accounted Church-members as long as they continue their habitation and election to that Church yet severall Baptized persons broken off from their severall Churches to which sometimes they did belong and now meeting accidentally in one place are not therefore one Church anew amongst themselves unlesse they will imagine that Chimaera of an universall visible Church CHAP. II. Touching Church-Officers with their election and ordination SECT I. THE Church being thus gathered as hath been described our next care is that it may be supplyed with all those Officers and members which Christ hath ordained to continue in his Church untill his second comming for they are all given for the edifying and perfecting of his body untill we all grow unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Eph. 4.11 12 13. The Apostles Prophets and Evangelists they still continue in their writings to be Master-builders of the Churches in all ages and therefore the Church is said to be built upon their foundation that is upon the foundation which they by their writings have laid Eph. 2.20 but in their Successors in the same eminent calling they continue not whence the Apostle speaketh of himselfe and Barnabas as the last Apostles 1 Cor. 4.9 And when the new Jerusalem the Church of the Jewes commeth to be planted it is not said to be planted by new Apostles but by the former twelve Apostles of the Lambe Rev. 21.19 to wit by them in respect of their Doctrine still left behinde them in their writings It remaineth therefore that the ordinary Officers of the Church which are to continue to the comming of Christ Jesus are either Elders whom the Apostle calleth also Bishops Tit. 1.5.7 Act. 20.17.28 or Deacons of Elders he maketh two sorts one sort he calleth them that rule the other them that labour in the Word whether of Exhortation as the Pastors or of Doctrine as the Teachers 2 Tim. 5.17 For the two sorts of ordinary preaching Elders the Apostle calleth Pastors and Teachers Eph. 4.11 And such severall kindes of labouring in the Word by the one in a word of Exhortation by the other in a word of Doctrine the Apostle expresly holdeth forth Rom. 12.7 8. He that teacheth saith he let him waite on teaching and he that exhorteth on exhortation which argueth a difference of their functions by the distinction of their proper or especiall actions If it be said the
take up the function which the Apostles laid downe as over troublesome and incompatible to their Ministeriall imployment now that which they laid down was the serving of tables and distributing to every brother according to his need Acts 6.2 with 4.35 if then their own need require they may with the Churches allowance take themselves of that supply which they dispose to others But in respect of their office there is little cause they should expect maintenance from the Churches charge for their office takes them very little off from attendance to the maintenance of their own family Seeing by the Ordinance of Christ they spend no time to go in and out to collect monies but only receive what is brought to them as an oblation to the Lord laid down before them every Lords day in the face of the Church or else what is brought home to their own houses according to the bills they put in on the Lords day and look what time they may spend in keeping a just accompt of what they lay out or in visiting any sick or poore brethren their time and labour spent herein is sufficiently recompenced by the use of the Churches stock or treasury lying in their hands Secondly besides this Text calleth for maintenance to those Elders in respect of their office of ruling well but neither are Deacons stiled Elders in any place of Scripture neither is their office a place of rule but of service to Tables so that this Text will by no force be racked to bear this interpretation 2. Another interpretation is fetched from that which is said to be the proper and usuall force of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is more then simply to labour even to weary a mans self with labour so that this sense they make of the Apostles words the Pastors or Elders that discharge their places well are worthy of double honour chiefly they which weary themselves with labour and care to teach and admonish Answ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Apostles language doth not note out any intention or labour in some above others but simply such pains in a place somewhat parallel to this 1 Thes 5.12 where the Apostle exhorteth the Thessalonians to acknowledge their Ministers and Rulers with singular love for their works sake he calleth all their Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and maketh their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the common work and labour of them all not any intensive or eminent labour of some above others and in Rom. 16.12 when the Apostle speaketh of some godly women that either took pains about him or about other spirituall work when hee speaketh of intensive or eminent pains and labour he addeth another word to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that may expresse so much but if he speake simply and positively of labour henseth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alone Salute saith he v. 12. Tryphena and Tryphosa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is translated simply who labour in the Lord but when he speaketh of others that took more painfull labour salute Mary vers 6. saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which bestowed much labour upon us and ver 12. salute the beloved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is translated who laboured much in the Lord and therefore in this Text in Timothy if we strain not Pauls words beyond his wonted meaning he means no more by Elders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then such who labour in word doctrine and then he distinguisheth the Elders that rule well from the Elders that labour in word doctrine simply by their different acts about different objects some Elders being conversant about the well ruling of the lives manners of the people others being conversant in labours about the word and doctrine 3. A third interpretation is given of these words That by Elders ruling well should be meant Pastors and Teachers such as were resident and abiding in the Church affixed to the place for the rule of it and by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that travelled from place to place to visit and to confirm the Churches To confirm this sense of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the place 1 Cor. 15.10 is quoted where Paul saith of himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which if hee had meant of labour in Word and Doctrine it might have seemed arrogancy in him to preferre himself before the rest of the Apostles in that work and it would have imputed some aspersion of negligence to them but if it be meant of his labour and travell through many countreys and nations for the spreading of the Gospel so hee might speak truly and soberly that hee had laboured more abundantly then them all to the same purpose Maries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the labour of Tryphena Tryphosa Persis are alledged out of Rom. 16.6.12 as if the first had travelled much for Paul and all of them had laboured in the Lord in wayes of travell far and neer by private perswasions to propagate the Gospell Answ This interpretation is indeed travelled for and far fetcht but such is our nature willing enough to travell far and wide to avoid the authority of an unwelcome truth how much neerer at hand and fitter were it to fetch the Apostles meaning from himself and to take the sense of his words here according to the sense and use of the same words in a like place 1 Thes 5.12 where the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are not travellers abroad but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 labourers amongst you Their own Pastors and Teachers resident with them and labourers amongst them Pauls labouring more abundantly then all the rest of the Apostles if it were not in word and doctrine is impertinently alledged to shew the sense of the word in this place where he speakes expresly of labouring in word and doctrine Nor had it been arrogancy in Paul to have spoken of his own greater labours then of his fellow-Apostles in the Ministery of the Gospel without respect to his travels for his Ministery was accompanied more then all the rest with greater afflictions and wrastlings both within and without whether hee stayed in any place or travelled abroad and he might well think it necessary for him as indeed the law of righteousnesse and gratitude required it of him to take the more pains for Christ in preaching of the Gospel after his conversion who had laboured more busily then all the rest against Christ and against the Gospel before his conversion nor is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an usuall word in that language to expresse travelling to be more then any other labour either of body or mind The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or labour of Mary doth not appear to be in travell up and down with Paul but rather in some diligent hospitality and service unto him but whether in travell or in her house is not at all expressed in the Word Sure it is Paul denieth the taking of a sister or
weak beleever because the Lord hath received him Rom. 14.1 2 3. Thirdly The Lord Jesus maketh the profession of the faith of his name and such a profession as flesh and bloud hath not revealed to a man but his heavenly Father to be the rocke on which his visible Church is built for he speaketh of such a Church whereunto he committeth the keys of his kingdome and that is the visible Church Mat. 16.16 to 19. Now if such a profession be the rocke and foundation of a visible Church then wee shall build a Church without a foundation if wee receive such members into the Church as doe not hold forth such a profession but either through ignorance make no profession at all or such a verball profession as savoureth not of any blessed worke of the Father by his Spirit upon their hearts And doth not the lord expostulate with such a guest as comes into the fellowship of his Church even unto his Table not having a wedding garment Mat. 22.12 And doth not expostulation intimate a Taxation also of them by whose connivence he came in where he saith how comest thou in hither And doth not Christ in the parable impute it to the sleepinesse that is to the remisnesse and negligence of his servants that tares were sowen in his field amongst the wheate Mat. 13.25.38.39 Fourthly Such as have onely a forme of godlinesse and deny the power of it wee are forbidden to joyne with and commanded to turne from them 2 Tim. 3.5 Fiftly Can any man judge such persons fit materialls for the constituting and edifying of a Church who are more fit for the ruine and destruction of the Church such as leave their first love as all hypocrites will at length They procure the removall of the candlestick Rev. 2.4 Wee passe by the types of the old Testament which yet are not without their due weight it was touched above that rough stones were not laid in the building of Solomons Temple till they were hewen and prepared before 1 King 6.7 and behold a greater then Solomon is here and a greater Temple then that of Solomons the attendance and watchfulnesse of the porters suffering none to enter into the Temple that were uncleane in any thing 2 Chro. 23.19 doth it not evidently type forth the watchfulnesse of the Officers of the Church of Christ to suffer none uncleane uncleane in estate or course of life to enter into the fellowship of the Church which ought to be a Communion of Saints Well then if all the members of the Church ought to be Saints by calling and faithfull brethren it cannot be thought an unseasonable curiositie but rather held a due and faithfull watchfulnesse in the Officers and body of every Church of Christ to take a due triall of men by a confession of sinnes as John Baptist did Mat. 3.6 and by a profession of their faith as Philip did Act. 8.37 before they receive them into the church as members of the body of the Lord Jesus neither was it an excessive austeritie in John but an holy faithfulnesse and godly zeale not onely to repulse the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 3.7 but the prophane people also from his Baptisme Luk. 3.7 as those who were a generation of vipers and had not yet brought forth fruit meet for repentance ver 7 8. and therefore themselves were not meete for his Baptisme which was a baptisme of repentance Luk. 2.3 Neverthelesse in this triall wee doe not exact eminent measure either of knowledge or holinesse but doe willingly stretch out our hands to receive the weake in faith such in whose spirits wee can discerne the least measure of breathing and panting after Christ in their sensible feeling of a lost estate ☞ for we had rather 99. hypocrites should perish through presumption then one humble soule belonging to Christ should sinke under discouragement or despaire and by reason of these hypocrites received into the Church it is that the Church is said to have in it good and bad wheate and tares for tares as Hierome saith are like to wheate SECT IV. COme wee now to give account of the second point why wee receive such into the Church by way of Covenant 1. Meete it is that as the whole Church was received as one body unto Christ by professing their entrance into covenant with God as hath been shewed above in the third Proposition of the fift part so every member of the Church should be received into the same fellowship by profession of their taking hold of the same Covenant Eadem estratio partium totius there is the same reason of the whole and of the parts in such things as concerne the common nature of both And as all relatives doe they mutually argue one another Hence it is that when godly strangers who had joyned themselves to the Lord to wit by faith to serve him to love his name and keep his Sabbath were to be brought into the fellowship of the Lords house they added this dutie over and above the former they took hold of the Covenant of the Lord Isa 56.3 4 5 6 7. Surely not by faith onely for their personall salvation for so they took hold of the covenant before when they joyned themselves to the Lord ver 3. but by their profession of their acceptance of the Covenant and subjection to it which the Lord maketh with his Church and people whom he causeth to passe into the bond of the Covenant Ezek. 20.37 Object It is objected first that the place in Isaiah speaketh of such strangers as were proselytes who in joyning themselves to the Lord were therein also joyned unto the Church for so joyning to the Lord implyeth joyning to the Church Jer. 50.5 Zech. 2.11 Ans 1. They that joyned to the Lord in those Texts of Jeremie and Zachary did indeed in so doing joyne in a Church-body also for they who are there spoken of were a multitude concurring and consenting in the same Covenant to joyne to the Lord and to become his people but here in Isaiah the Eunuch and strangers are said to be joyned to the Lord who yet were not joyned to the Church but ready to complaine that the Lord had utterly deprived them of that libertie of joyning to the Church and had utterly separated them from his people ver 3. As indeed he had by expresse Law separated them that is prohibited them from entring into the Congregation of the Lord for ever Deut. 23.1 2 3. Against which Law the Lord comforteth them with this promise of the Gospel that in the new Testament neither their Eunuchicall estate nor the alienation or strangernesse of any Nation shall be an impediment unto their entrance into the Lords house which is the Church The joyning there spoken of is not their joyning to the Lord and his people as Proselytes of the Church for though they were joyned to the Lord yet they complained of their disjoyning and separating from the Lords people but the Lord
Espousalls without a covenant and therefore they that will take hold of their Espousage must take hold of their covenant 3. The mutuall relation wherein all the members in the Church stand one to another members to members and all of them to their Officers and their Officers to them together with their mutuall interest one in another and mutuall power one over another doe all of them necessarily imply a mutuall confederacie one with another and that whosoever will partake herein must partake in their confederacie Suppose a godly Christian come over into these parts as every yeare some or other doe there is not any Minister of any of our Churches can usurpe Pastorall authoritie over him unlesse that Christian call him thereunto or professe his subjection to his Ministration according to God Nor can such a man expect any Ministers watchfulnesse over him as his Minister unlesse the Minister see just cause to accept such a charge and professe so much No Church in the Countrey nor all the members of any Church can take upon them to Censure any stranger though an inhabitant amongst them unlesse he give up himselfe to them and professe his subjection to the Gospel of Christ amongst them Nor can he challenge such watchfulnesse from them unlesse he have given them a just call to take upon them that care over him That Christian libertie which the Lord Jesus by his bloud hath purchased for his Church and for all his children giveth them all libertie to choose their owne Officers and their owne fellow-Members unto whom to commit the care of their soules according to the rules of the Gospel We speak not of Infants who make choice in their parents but of such who know their libertie and are called to stand fast in it till then that a man tender and offer himselfe to the Church to the Officers and Members of it they have no power to receive him For the Churches receiving a beleever which is the Apostles word Rom. 14.1 implyeth and presupposeth his offering and giving up of himselfe unto them in a professed subjection to the Lord and unto them according to the will of God and their receiving of him implyeth and holdeth forth no lesse then their professed acceptance of him unto all those holy liberties with them and performance of all such spirituall duties to him which belong to all the fellow-members of the same body and let men call this expression of mutuall agreement by what name they please this is no other then what wee call Church-Covenant SECT V. LEt us proceed then to give account of the third point why we communicate so much power to the people as to propound receiving of Members unto their approbation and consent our reasons are these 1. From the like power given unto them by Christ for the casting out of scandalous and corrupt members Matth. 18.17 1 Cor. 5.5 if the Church must be told of every member that is to be cast out and when he is to be cast out they are to deliver him to Satan then the Church must be told of every member that is received and when he is to be received they are to receive him into the fellowship of the Lord and of his Church but the former is cleare from those Scriptures and consequently the latter It is a received Maxime Ejusdem est potestatis aperire claudere instituere destituere as they call it they that have power to shut the doores of the Church by Excommunication they have power to open the doores of the Church by admitting to Communion 2. From the Example of the Church at Hierusalem Act. 9.26 who when Paul assayeth to joyne himselfe unto them did not at first receive him because the Disciples were not satisfied in his spirituall good estate untill Barnabas by his testimony of him had removed their scruple which argueth the private brethren in a Church as well as publique Officers must be satisfied in him who is to be received into Communion with them 3. From the Churches power in Electing and calling Ministers to office It hath been shewed above that it belongeth to the people the body of the Church to choose and call their owne Officers according to the speech of Cyprian Lib. 1. Epist 41. Plebs maxime potestatem habet vel sacerdotes dignos eligendi velindignos recusandi And if they have such power of choosing worthy Ministers and refusing the unworthy how much more of receiving worthy Christians and refusing of unworthy Yea in the Epistle going before he speaketh expresly he had much adoe to perswade the people to receive some whose repentance was not so cleare to them which argueth evidently their power in receiving Members CHAP. IV. Concerning our order and forme in administration of Gods publick Worship SECT I. THe Church being gathered and furnished with able helps Officers and Brethren they proceed to the administration of all the publick Ordinances in publick Assemblies especially on every Lords day wherein our principall care and desire is to administer and partake in all and no more then all the ordinances of Christ himselfe and in all those so farre as the Lord hath lent us light in their native puritie and simplicitie without any dressing or painting of humane inventions For as the first Commandement requireth us to worship him with his owne onely true worship as he hath appointed in his Word without adding ought thereto or taking ought therefrom Isa 29.13 Deut. 12.32 So we beleeve it to be unlawfull for any Church to take upon them to observe much lesse for the Officers of their owne or other Churches to impose upon them any institutions of their owne whether in doctrine or worship or government but what the Lord hath appointed in his Word Our reason hereof one in stead of many is taken from the extent of the Commission of the Lord Jesus given to his Apostles which is as large as ever was given to any Church-governours and yet reacheth no further then to teach the people to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Mat. 28.20 If the Apostles themselves teach the Churches to observe more then he hath commanded them they goe beyond the bounds of their Commission The Apostles in the Synod in Hierusalem laid upon the Churches no other burden then necessary things Acts 15.29 Necessary they were some of them in their own nature others for the present estate of things to avoid offence and when they ceased to be offensive the prohibition of them ceased to binde Object If any shall say the Apostles Commission reacheth onely to matters of substance not circumstances of worship and formes of necessitie not indifferency Wee answer let them shew us another Commission to authorize them to put lawes upon the Churches for matters of circumstance of formes and of indifferencie and wee shall submit but the Scripture holds forth no such Commission given to any of the sonnes of men since the world began That much urged place 1
And then if Gods mercy to a thousand Generations may fetch in the Children of Excommunicate persons the same promise may fetch in all Turks and Infidels at this day wee dare not therefore improve the large extension of Gods mercy so farre as to give a thousand Generations right and title to the Covenant of God with his Church and to incourage the Ministers of the Gospel to set the seales of the Covenant thereunto The true meaning of the promise wee take to be That God out of his abundant grace and rich mercy may and doth extend thoughts of redeeming and converting grace and mercy unto thousand Generations But he never allowed his Church any warrant to receive into their Covenant and Communion the Children of godly parents who lived a thousand yeare agoe much lesse a thousand Generations Nay rather the Text is plaine that the holinesse of the children dependeth upon the faith of the next immediate parents or of one of them at least 1 Cor. 7.14 to wit such faith as denominateth them Christian-beleevers in opposition to Pagan Infidels and that holinesse of the children to such parents is called Federall which receiveth them into the Covenant and to the seales of it Object Lastly it is objected that children borne in fornication have right to Baptisme and why not then the children of Excommunicate parents The wickednesse of parents ought not to prejudice the children in things that pertaine to their salvation Answ The wickednesse of the Parent doth not prejudice the Election or Redemption or the faith of the childe Jephta a bastard is yet reckoned up in the Catalogue of Beleevers Heb. 11.32 But yet in the old Testament a Bastard was not admitted to come into the Congregation of the Lord to his tenth Generation Deut. 23.2 and that could not but prejudice all the base-borne children of Israel and that in the things which pertaine to their salvation And though God sheweth greater grace to them in the dayes of the Gospel yet greater grace cannot by proportion of any rules of the Gospel be expected for them from the Church then this that notwithstanding the sinne of their parents they may be received into the Congregation of the Lord and so unto Baptisme either when their parents repent and acknowledge their sin before the Lord and his Church or when themselves are able to make a better profession of better things in their owne persons It is generally knowne that our best Divines doe not allow the Baptisme of Bastards sine sponsoribus But whether they consider Sponsores as witnesses as some doe who fetch allowance of witnesses from Isa 8.2 3 4. or whether they consider them as Sureties the holy Scripture gives no warrant for either in such a case The place in Isaiah giveth no foothold for Witnesses in Baptisme The Prophet called not Vriah for a witnesse of the Circumcision of his childe but of the conception of a man-childe yet unbegotten and of the Prophecy of such events as were to fall out during the infancy of the childe nor was it meet the Prophet should honour so wicked a time-server as Vriah was to be a witnesse of the Circumcision of his childe though the more prophane and idolatrous he was the more fit and faithfull a witnesse of a miraculous prediction to the conviction of an incredulous King and people And as for Sureties the Covenant is not intayled to Sureties to such as for whom they undertake but to faithfull parents pertaining to the family of the Church and to their seed It is true indeed there is a large promise to Abraham stretching the Covenant to his seed not onely to the children of his owne body and to his proselyte servants but also to all that were borne in his house or bought with money Gen. 17.12 13. which happily may grant so much libertie to a Christian Sponsor that if a stranger or wicked man should give him his childe from his infancy to be brought up as his owne it may be baptized as his owne But that is the utmost bounds of libertie in this case And very doubtfull it is whether the promise pertaine onely to the children of Proselytes either strangers or borne in the house But wee know not any ground at all to allow a faithfull man libertie to entitle another mans childe to Baptisme onely upon a pretence of his owne promise to have an eye to his education unlesse the childe be either borne in his house or resigned to him to be brought up as his owne CHAP. V. Touching the Dispensation of the Censures of the Church SECT I. WEE proceed not to Censure but in case of knowne offence and such offence as cannot be healed without Censure Two sorts of offences there be some private between Brother and Brother some publick and notorious being knowne to the whole Church or at least to many And of them some are more grosse and hainous some lesse If the offence be private between Brother and Brother the Brother offended is to follow the Rule of Christ Mat. 18.15 16 17. That is first to goe and tell him of his fault or as the word signifieth Convince him of his fault and to admonish him of it privately So that the plaister may be no broader then the sore private admonition is most sutable to a private fault and expresseth both the wisdome and love of the Brother who in so doing both healeth and covereth the offence at once If the offender take the admonition in good part as taking part with the admonition against his owne sinne the Brother hath wonne and gained him both to God and himselfe to God by repentance to himselfe by this experiment of his brotherly love But if the offender heare not his Brother but takes part with his sinne against the admonition he then taketh one or two more with him such as in wisdome he thinketh to be most fit to prevaile with him that so by the mouth of two or three his word of admonition may be established or if the offender heare them not his word of accusation to the Church may be established And they coming to the offender and acquaint him with the cause of their coming to bring him to the sight of his sinne which they understand is committed by him they first call upon the name of Christ to be present with them in this dutie according to his promise Mat. 18.19 20. where he hath said he will be present with any two or three that are met together in his name to aske of him for it is upon this occasion and this chiefly upon which the promise is made And the brother offended laieth open the offence before them and declareth how ill the labour of his love was accepted before and desireth their helpe to assist him in the conviction of the offender If they can prevaile with him to acknowledge his offence and to be humbled for it the soule of the offender is healed thanks are given to God and
mutuall love renewed and increased amongst themselves But if the offender deny the fact and there is none to prove it but the Brother that brought them they can proceed no farther because the testimony of one against one will not stand in Judgement Deut. 19.15 If he acknowledge the fact but doe not acknowledge the sinfulnesse of it but stand stifly to justifie it then the Brother first offended telleth the Church of it to wit in Gods way He telleth the Elders who are the mouth of the Church that by them it may be presented before the Church and the cause heard and examined and judged by them Then one of the Elders either by himselfe or calling forth the Brother offended declareth the offence given to him by such a Brother and what course he tooke with him according to the Rule of Christ to heale his Brother First by private admonition but so he prevailed not to bring him to a sight and sense of his sinne then how he tooke a Brother or two more to assist him in the worke but neither so could he or they prevaile with him which they being present doe openly testifie before the Lord and his Church And so by the mouth of two or three the word of his accusation is established before the Church The Church being thus informed of the estate and carriage of the offence the Elders doe labour in publick with the offender to convince him both of his sinne and impenitencie under it notwithstanding all the faithfulnesse and love of his Brethren in seeking to heale his spirit in private It is free also for any of the Brethren leave and libertie being first desired and obtained of the Elders to help forward the conviction by any words of wisdome and zeale which God shall put into their mouths wherein if the convictions and perswasions of the Church doe prevaile to any kindly humiliation of the offender in the acknowledgement of his sinne before the Lord and his Church the offender is gained the sinne is subdued others discouraged from the like offence and the Church is satisfied But if on the contrary the offender stand out in defence of his sin as well against the whole Church as he did before against the Brethren who dealt with him in private the Church then entereth into consideration of the Nature and Quality of the offence whether it be grosse and hainous such as is condemned by the light of nature like those cast out by the Apostle 1 Cor. 5.11 or whether it be such as through some mist of ignorance or strength of present passion he doth not clearly discerne the sinfulnesse of it if it be of the former sort they proceed then to excommunication both in respect of the nature of the crime whereof more hereafter as also in respect of his contumacy to the Church If it be of the later sort the Church proceedeth not forthwith to excommunication of the offender but after once or twice admonition For in this case it is with the offender as with an Heretike who may erre at first and stand in his error for want of clear light and is therefore once and again according to the rule of the Apostle Tit. 3.10 to be admonished before he be rejected when therefore an admonition is judged seasonable one of the Elders with the consent of the whole Church doth recollect the offence and all the arguments of weight which have been publikely or privately used to convince the offender of his sinne and discovereth to him also that invalidity and shallownesse of all his answers and evasions and thereupon doth solemnly in the name of the Lord admonish and charge him to see the danger of such a sin and distemper of his soule in maintaining of it that so if it be the will of God he may be recovered out of the snare of the Tempter Whilst the Brother is thus cast and lyeth under the censure of admonition he standeth in the judgement of the whole Church as a convinced publike offender and therefore till hee be reconciled to the Church by the penitent and publique acknowledgement of his sin before them hee doth abstain from the Lords Table according to the direction of our Saviour who would not have an offender present himself nor his gift before the altar whilest the guilt of the offence of his brother lay upon him Mat. 5.23 24. or as the Priests in the Law did forbear to eat of the holy bread whilest they lay in uncleannesse Lev. 22.3 4. or as one who lying in his uncleanness did rather pollute the holy Ordinance of God by partaking of it then receive any holiness from it Hag. 2.12 13. The offender then by this publique admonition being debarred of his wonted fellowship in the Lords Table and withall being solicited and urged by his brethren and friends to consider his great distemper of spirit in standing out so long in that which is evill If hereupon by the grace of Christ he come to himselfe and see his sin and desire to reconcile himself to the Lord and his brethern he then acquainting one of the Elders with his desire is called forth in the face of the Church to make publike confession of his sin and to judge himself for it wherein if the Lord help him to hold forth an ingenuous and humble loathing of his sin and of himself for it they blesse God for his blessing upon his ordinance and readily receive him into wonted favour and brotherly fellowship with them in all the liberties of Gods house but if on the contrary the spirit of the brother grow more more hardened in his sin and stand out against all means publike and private of his reformation the Church having waited a convenient time and yet finding their brother wax worse and worse as is commonly seen in such cases wherein men are not humbled under such means then according to the rule of Christ Matth. 18.17 one of the Elders propounding the case first to the whole Church and they giving their consents as before for his admission so now for his expulsion hee setteth his sin in order again before him with all the circumstances and aggravations of it especially how hee hath taken in vain and made unprofitable all other means for his recovery and therefore now in the name and with the power of the Lord Jesus and with the consent of the whole Church he pronounceth him unto Satan as an Heathen or a Publican for the destruction of the flesh that his soul may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus and all this according to the direction of the Holy Ghost Matth. 18.17 2 Cor. 5.4 5. SECT II. ANd thus the Church proceedeth in case the offence be private at first and and lesse scandalous but if the offence be be publike and hainous and grosly scandalous such as is condemned even amongst the Heathens by the light of nature as those mentioned by the Apostle 1 Cor. 5.11 Fornication Adultery Incest
as Cyprian saith lib. 1. Ep. 4. maximè potestatem habet dignos Sacerdotes eligendi then as hee saith there also potestatem etiam babet Sacerdotes indignos recusandi abdicandi On the other side the Elders have rule over the Church and do expresse it in sundry acts of authority as 1. In calling the Church togethr upon any weighty occasion Acts 6.2 2. In opening the dores of speech and silence to any of the Assembly Acts 13.15 unlesse it be where the Elders themselves lie under offence or suspicion of offence and the offended parties may begin with them Acts 11.2 yet with due reverence observed as to their yeers so to their place 1 Tim. 5.1 3. In preaching the Word the Elders have power to teach and exhort to charge command to reprove and rebuke with all authority 1 Tim. 5.7 6.17 2 Thes 3.6 Tit. 2.15 4. In dispensing all the censures of the Church unlesse it be in their own cause for though they take the consent of the Church in dispensing a censure yet they set it on with great authority in the Name of the Lord yea it is no small power they put forth in directing the Church what censure is due according to the Word as in our native countrey though the Judge dispense no sentence but according to the verdict of the Jury yet his authority is great both in directing the Jury to give in their verdict according to the law and in pronouncing sentence with power and terror according to the law and their verdict The like do the Elders in dispensing Church-censures 5. The Elders have power to dismisse the Church and that with a blessing Numb 6.23 to 26. which is an act of superiority Heb. 7.7 6. In case of the Apostasie of the Church or of other notorious scandall committed by them and their obstinacy therein the Elders have power to denounce the Judgement of God against the Church and to withdraw themselves from it As upon the Idolatry of the Israelites Moses took the Tabernacle and pitched it without the camp Exod. 33.7 and Paul with Barnabas rejected the Jewes for their blaspemy and turned to the Gentiles Act. 13.45 46. CHAPTER VI. SECT I. WEE come now to that last part of our order which standeth in our communion with other Churches amongst our selves though one Church claim no power either of Ordination or Jurisdiction over another for we know of none such given us by Christ yet wee maintain Brotherly communion one with another so far as wee may also help forward our mutuall communion with the Lord Jesus The communion of Saints is accounted an Article of the Creed and communion of Churches is but a branch thereof Seven wayes there be wherein wee exercise holy communion one with another which for distinction and memories sake we may summe up in so many short names First by way of Participation secondly of Recommendation thirdly of Consultation fourthly of Congregation fifthly of Contribution sixthly of Admonition seventhly of Propagation or multiplication of Churches 1. For Participation wee have occasionally spoken of it before it is allowed by the consent of our Churches that when the members of any other Church are occasioned to rest with us on the Lords day when the Supper cometh to be administred and neither the persons themselves nor the Churches they come from lie under any publike offence wee do admit them to the participation of the Lords Table with us For wee look at the Lords Supper not only as a seal of our communion with the Lord Jesus but also of our communion with his members and that not only with the members of our own Church but of all the Churches of the Saints SECT II. BY way of Recommendation wee communicate one with another in this wise When any of our members by occasion of businesse is called to reside and continue for any time in another Towne wee give him Letters of recommendation unto the Church in that place giving testimony of him as of a Brother approved and intreating them to receive him in the Lord as becometh Saints unto holy Communion with them and to watch over him in Brotherly love to his building up in fellowship with the Lord Jesus The patterne whereof wee take from Pauls recommendation of Phebe a Deaconesse of the Church of Cenchrea unto the Church of Rome Rom. 16.1 2. Of which Letters he maketh mention also to the Church of Corinth though not as needfull for himselfe but for others 2 Cor. 3.1 But if a Brother have necessary occasion to remove himselfe and his family for all together unto another Church and there to take up his setled habitation for the necessary imployment of his calling or for other just ends he acquainteth the Elders of the Church and some of his intimate friends and brethren and it may be if conveniency permit the whole Church with the grounds of his removall which if they doe appeare to them to be just and weightie they then write more ample Letters of recommendation unto that Church in his behalfe wherein they doe recommend him wholly to their charge now not as one of themselves but as one of theirs to whom they doe resigne him and intreat them to receive him as a Brother beloved in the Lord unto all those Christian liberties and holy duties wherein they are wont to Communicate with their owne members unto all spirituall growth in Christ Jesus Which Letters because they doe so fully recommend a Brother unto another Church are to dismisse him from his owne wee therefore for distinction sake call them Letters of dismission which indeed doe not differ from the other but that the former recommendeth him to another Church for a time these for ever The Brother thus dismissed to another Church bringeth his Letters to the Elder of that Church who reading them before the Church demandeth the Churches consent for his acceptance If he be well knowne and approved of them they expresse their consent either by lifting up of hands or by silence but if the man be wholly unknowne and doubted of by them though they reserve due honour to the testimony of the Church which sent them yet for as much as Churches may erre sometimes as well in judgement of persons as of doctrines Hanc veniam perimusque damusque vicissim wee take libertie to take some tryall of his spirit and gifts and then either upon his just approbation of him wee receive him or if wee see just occasion of offence in him wee returne him with the cause back againe to his owne Church who receiveth him againe into her own fellowship and takes care for his healing for wee look at our Church-Covenant as an everlasting Covenant Jer. 50.51 And therefore though it may be translated or resigned from one Church to another as Gods hand shall direct yet it is not to be rejected or violated by us but onely by the members cutting off himselfe from the fellowship of the Church by such
spirit wee crave leave to beare witnesse to them and with them That if the Lord be pleased to prosper his worke amongst them it is possible to reduce the estate of the Congregations in England to such a reformation as is sutable to the patterne revealed in the Gospel according to the way of Primitive simplicitie described above Foure things wee observe in the estate of the Churches in England which make way for Reformations amongst them First The efficient instruments of their first plantation which were either Apostles or Apostolicall men whether Philip or Joseph of Arimathea or Simon Zelotes as any of our Countrymen may reade in Mr. Foxes booke of Acts and Monuments in the beginning of it next after the story of the ten Primitive Persecutions out of Gildas Tertullian Origen Beda Nicephorus Which being so wee cannot but conceive the Churches in England were rightly gathered and planted according to the Rule of the Gospel and all the corruptions found in them since have sprung from Popish Apostasie in succeeding ages and from want of through and perfect purging out of that leaven in the late times of Reformation in the dayes of our Fathers So that all the worke now is not to make them Churches which were none before but to reduce and restore them to their Primitive Institution Secondly The publick Service-booke acknowledgeth That in the Primitive Church there was a godly Discipline That notorious sinners were put to open penance and punished in this world that both their soules might be saved in the day of the Lord and others admonished by their example might be the more afraid to offend Which godly Discipline is a thing saith the Booke much to be desired that it might be restored againe See the beginning of the Comminations against sinners It is therefore acknowledged by the very state of the Churches of England that the present estate of Church discipline is not perfect but defective and swerving from the Primitive godly discipline Thirdly In the publick Rubrick before the Catechisme it is ordered That when children come to yeares of discretion and have learned what others promised for them in Baptisme they should then themselves with their own mouth and with their own consent openly before the Church ratifie and confirme the same And also promise that by the grace of God they will evermore endeavour themselves faithfully to observe and keep such things as by their own mouth and confession they have assented to Which course the Booke in a few words after acknowledgeth to be agreeable with the usage of the Church of times past That children coming to perfect age having been instructed in Christian Religion should openly professe their own faith and promise to be obedient to the will of God Which direction if it were as duly observed as it is expresly ordered doth plainly hold forth that the Church of England as they call it doth not acknowledge any to be confirmed members of the Church and so unfit to partake of the Lords Supper till they have expresly confessed their faith openly before the Church and promised obedience to the will of God Which if it be seriously done and not perfunctorily is somewhat of like nature with our receiving of members into the Church and joyning them by Covenant Fourthly In the Exhortation before the Communion the Minister is directed to denounce unto the people That if any of them be a blasphemer of God an hinderer or slanderer of his Word an adulterer or be in malice or envie or in any other grievous crime they should bewaile their sinnes and not come to that holy Table lest after the taking of that Sacrament the Devill enter into them as he entered into Judas c. Which plainly argueth they would allow no scandalous person to partake in the Communion of the Lords Table All these things presupposed really performed and seriously attended to might open a doore to sundry passages of a more full and perfect Reformation SECT II. Tendering certain Propositions tending to the Reformation of the Churches in England Propos 1. WHere godly Ministers be already planted in any Congregations let them with due encouragement from the State call the people to solemne humiliation before the Lord for their own sins those of their fathers they have imitated So did Ezra and Nehemiah with the Levites and Priests and upon the like occasions Nehem. 9.2.2 3 4. Ezra 10.1 2.9 10. For though the Parliament the whole Kingdome have protested and Covenanted Reformation for the time to come yet they have cause also to be humbled and that throughly for the time past 2. Let such of the people as are of good knowledge in the wayes of God and of approved conversation take up that course which the Service-book as hath been said giveth an hint of Renue their Covenant formerly made in Baptisme professing their faith and repentance and promising Reformation of life not onely in their private conversation but also in their publick Communion in the Church of God yeelding professed subjection to the Gospel of Christ in the fellowship of all his holy Ordinances 3. Let no Minister that loves the Lord Jesus better then his own belly stand upon his advocation from his Patron but rather expect his vocation from his people 4. For this end let every Patron restore his jus patronatus to the Church Or if it seeme too hard a thing for them to part so freely with their freehold though they ought freely to give unto Christ who have received freely from him the Parliament may be pleased to give them a competent part of the revenues of the Benefice as they call it and annex it to their own private inheritance reserving so much to the use of the Church as may strengthen their hands in a sufficient maintenance of their Ministery for though things dedicated to sacred use cannot be alienated or diverted to private use without sacriledge yet that holdeth in such things as are so dedicated to sacred use as that the Lord accepteth as sacred to himselfe But God no where in the new Testament hath expressed his acceptance or allowance of lands dedicated to the ministery but onely to the service of the whole Church and then for the Churches service they may be disposed of by their consent as sometimes the Kings and Princes of Israel gave away the treasures of the Temple to save themselves from captivitie 2 King 18.15 16. 5. The people having called or chosen their Minister one or more unto office in a day of humiliation let them in the presence of the Ministers of other Churches depute some of the gravest and godly members of the Church to lay their hands upon him with prayer over him in the name of the Lord setting him apart to that office The whole Congregation are said to anoint Zadok to the office of an high Priest as well as Solomon to be King 1 Chron. 29.22 Which is a sacred right as Imposition of hands and this