Commonwealth So that he that retreats at any Alarm or Summons of God for the common affaires of the Church to enjoy himselfe in his solitary ends runs himself on the shelves of that rough censure of Athanasius Athanasius ad Dracont Part 2 Edit ult Vereor ne dum propter te fugis propter alios sis in periculo apud Dominum To stand by and to give aime only whilst others shoot proclaimes thy lazinesse if not thy impotency If therefore this thy mother implore thy aide so Augustine counsels his Eudoxius on the one side hand not with Ambition August Epist 81. on the other lean not to a lazie refusal Weigh not thine own idlenesse with the necessities and greatnesse of her burthens to which whilst she is in travel if no good men will administer their help Certe quomodo nasceremini non inveniretis God must then invent new ways for our new birth CHAP. III Parochial Church-communion is a Duty implanted by Nature and a Moral and Solemn part of Divine Worship § 1 AND here I professe and I would not say any thing in which I am singular I have so much childish fear as scarce to dare to walk in publick where I am alone The Topick therefore whence I intend God willing to raise my Reasons for a due and dutiful observation of Parochial Church-communion shall be the same threefold cord with which Tertullian prosecuted another Subject Eccles 4.12 that is according to Scripture Nature and Discipline By these three I hope to demonstrate that Scripture enacteth this Duty for a Law Nature establisheth it and Discipline exacteth Obedience to it As Nature Tertul. de Veland Virg. c. 16. Scripture and Discipline are the Lords saith Tertullian so whatever is contrary to them is not the Lords Let that be unto thee Scripture Nature and Discipline which thou findest ratified by God as thou art commanded 1 Thes 5.21 To prove all things and to hold fast that which is good Cui ex his consuctudo opinionis profit vel quis diversa sententiae color est What can custom of opinion profit any of these or what pretence is there for any contrary judgment saith that Father And first I begin with the Testimony of Nature because God hath premised Nature to be thy Teacher Tertul. de Resurrect Carn c. 12. Tertul. de Cor. Milit. c. 5. being afterwards about to send the Scripture that thou mightest the more easily believe the Scripture being first Natures Scholar and whatsoever is against Nature deserveth by all men to be called a Monster but we will call it Sacriledge against God the Lord and Author of Nature § 2. That Honour and Reverence which is the proper Act of Religion Ames de Consc lib. 4 cap 1. is due only to God Nature teacheth 1. Because it is the greatest Honor that can be given to him 2. It is the honor that is due to the sole Lord of Life and Everlasting Felicity 3 Religious honour directly submitteth and subjecteth the soul and conscience to the Lord alone 4 In Religious honour God only is acknowledged to be our absolute Lord and to have absolute right to require our Obedience Thus Nature teaching us that every Religious Act is due unto God then Parochial Church-Communion being a Religious Act is a Natural or Moral Duty commanded by the Law of Nature Now Moral or Perpetual relating to a Law signifies in the Notation of the word any Precept serving to regulate the Manners of men Sabbatum Redivivum part 1. pag. 9 There are two kinds of Moral Lawes Moral-Natural and Motal-Positive which agreeing in Perpetuity do differ in their distinct Properties as may appear by their several descriptions which are these 1 A Law Moral-Natural is a Law of things necessary to be done or forborn toward God or Man our selves or others which the nature of man now though corrupt cither doth acknowledge or may at least be convinced of to be such even without Scripture by Arguments drawn from those Principles which are now in the hearts of all men generally 2 Lawes Moral-Positive are Lawes clearly laid down in Scripture in words expresse Naturae majestatem recogitare nulli frivolum videre potest Tertul. de Testim Animae c. 5. or certain consequence which Nature though corrupted cannot reasonably deny to be Just Good and so convenient to be perpetuated according to the Law-givers pleasure though antecedent to his will some way revealed to them it would not nor could have judged them to be of themselves altogether necessary The distinction of Moral Laws into Natural and Positive being clear in their descriptions their agreement is manifest in two things besides perpetuity 1 In their Authority and force of Obligation a Positive Law in force doth as strongly bind the conscience as a Natural aequè though not aequaliter 2 In their independance both depend upon God and not upon the will of man and so are indispensable by humane Authority These things premised I conclude that as all Solemn and Religious worship of God is Natural-Moral so Parochial Church-Communion is a Duty implanted by nature § 3. But lest I should be thought to neglect in effect any other Solemn Worship beside this publick Worship in Church-Communion which the Ancients in severest manner did prescribe and require I will briefly declare Concil Gangren cap. 5. 6 that all Solemne Worship is Moral-Natural in all the parts thereof and so by consequence this Worship in Church-Communion Though the nature of man be much defaced by the Fall of Adam yet are there as all men do acknowledg some Principles of Religion found in every soul which can never be blotted out Among which there are these two most legibly upon the Tables of the heart 1 That there is a God which even the most barbarous people in all ages and the worst of Atheists have beene forced to acknowledge 2 That this God must be worshipped by all reasonable Creatures Rom. 1.20 capable of his divine knowledg This is that natural Homage and Alegeance due to God from all mankind by the very law of Nature in their Creation 1 Cor. 6.20 whereby they are bound to perform all Duties that he prescribes to them both with soul and body Our life then regulated by nature is the honour of nature but things done against Nature do hinder the Solemn Worship of God Euseb Orat ad Caet Sanct. c. 1. said Constantine the great § 4 The Worship of God may be distinguished into Ejaculatory and Solemn Ejaculatory Worship is that which a man may tender unto God either with the Heart alone or with the Tongue also in Prayer and Praises even in the midst of worldly imployments To this kind of Worship every one is undoubtedly bound as much as it is possible for us to perform it and that by those general precepts which bind Semper Psal 1.2 62.8 1 Thes 5.16 17 18 as the Schools
speak that is â—n all opportunities though not ad semper at all moments without intermission But indeed it is both our sin and our misery that in our ordinary Callings we seldom remember God as we might and should it being too true of all in a degree To forget God Psal 10.4 and not to have him in our thoughts Solemn Worship is the presenting the whole man soul and body together unto God Now this Solemn Worship is distinguished into solitary and conjoyn'd worship which usually though not properly is expressed by the terms of Private and Publick Worship but we had rather call it Solitary or Conjoyned because it is presented to God either by any one singular person alone or by divers joyning together in the tendring of it That Solitary Worship is a necessary Duty Sabbat Red part 1. c. 6. Sect. 12. appeares from the grounds of Nature 1 It is altogether unreasonable to imagine that God should lose any of his honour from any man single because there is none other company to joine with him in the Solemnity of Worship 2 It is likewise unreasonable to think that a man is not bound to seek the recovery of his souls lost happiness in his enjoying God induties of Worship because he is alone Next Solemn Conjoyned Worship is Domestical or Ecclesiastical That the Lord requires Domestical Worship from all such jointly as live in Families appears to be Moral-Natural because it being the Lord that hath placed men in a Community it cannot be justly conceived that he should do this meerly for their worldly conveniences but rather chiefly that they should improve their Society one with another to his Glory Psal 68.6 Zech. 12.12 Esth 4.16 Exod. 12.3 who is the Lord of them altogether as well as of every one of them single and so that they should worship him jointly together as wel as each of them apart § 5 Now all Ecclesiastical Worship is so assuredly of the Law of Nature that all Nations that have ever been heard of have had their joynt Publick Solemn Worship and have had Persons set apart purposely for it No man denyeth this for no man is ignorant of that which nature freely doth suggest Tertul. de Spectac c. 2. saith Tertullian Moreover Reason and Experience declare that the good of souls calls for Solemn Ecclesiastical Worship and commends it as absolutely necessary and profitable not only in that men are hereby yet more affected by a more general example Sabbat Rediv part 1 c. 6. Sect. 15. recommending the Worship of God but also because by the solemn Ordinances of Prayer Preaching Sacraments Sabbaths c. multitudes are at once taught minded of and provoked to many Duties they owe to God and Man better then their owne solitary thoughts or endeavours could ordinarily have attained to And this so much the rather because of the gifts which God to this purpose hath endued his Ministers with who by his appointment are set apart mainly for the Publick Worship exceeding those which others have usually or ordinarily yet by the advantage of Publick Worship every particular person present enjoyes the benefit of the Ministers gifts 2 Cor. 4.23 for the Edification and Consolation of every one from whom it is not hid and so may reap in one hour the strength of that which hath been growing divers years and feed upon that which hath beene gathering many dayes This Ecclesiastick Worship is so natural to man that Tertullian wondreth Tert. de Cor Milit. cap. 6. How any man can ask for Gods Law seeing it is written openly in the Creatures and naturally in the Tables of Hearts unto which the Apostle doth appeal 1 Cor. 11.14 Rom. 2.14 1.26 27. § 6. This Ecclesiastical Worship is either determined or indetermined That thing is said to be Determined which hath bounds and limits prescribed Determinare Deut. 19.14 Job 14.13 est terminos constituere saith Ravanel As that Worship then may be said to be Determined which is limited with certaine Circumstances and circumscribed so that may be said to be indetermined whose Administration and Performance is Casual Occasional Arist Eth. l. 3. c. 1. Accidental The Philosopher telleth us That Circumstances are the particular Conditions of singular Acts. Now circumstances are determined in Scripture but in general and left to Humane determination in specie Therefore Aquinas concludeth That the consideration of circumstances Aquin. 12.7 2.0 12.18.3.0 doth chiefly belong unto Divines and that they make any Action either good or bad And Scotus teacheth Scot. Sent. l. 1. d. 28 quaes 4. n. 12. That the Determination of a thing is twofold opposite unto a twofold Indetermination namely a Determination unto Contradictories or Positive Diversities and thence concludeth that Determinatio ad alteram partem Contradictionis stat cum indeterminatione ad diversa And therefore the determination of Solemn Worship to Parochial Church-communion on the Lords Day doth consist with his Indetermined Worship at other times and places on certaine occasions The sum of all is That Determined and Parochial Church-Communion is a Duty implanted by Nature otherwise it were not absolutely a Moral-Natural Duty to worship God solemnly at all for every such Duty which we by the Law of Nature owe unto God cannot but be perpetually and universally possible to all he being perpetually existent and present with us and we with him And so by the Law of Nature it is sacriledg against God to separate from determined Church-Communion chiefly without cause But I pass from Nature to Scripture CHAP. IV. All Christians are to joyne themselves to some particular visible Church when the Lord offereth Occasion § 1. MY second sort or kind of Reasoning against the Practice I oppose is deduced from plaine Scripture And here though I might plead as Tertullian did Tert. de Monogam c. 4. Scriptura negat quod non notat That the Scripture denyeth that which it teacheth not And seeing this practice hath no Scripture-warrant for any thing that I ever yet saw or heard the Practisers of it should fear that Woe denounced not only against them that adde or diminish but likewise that adulterate the sense of Scripture Tertull. de Praescr c. 17 For according to Tertullians Rule the Scripture is as much wronged by perverting the sense as by corrupting the words of it But to deal with them with their own weapons Where is it said That you are not to joyne in a determined Church Communion to hear your own Pastor Where are those words written If they answer Negatives cannot be proved To this we reply And where is that said for we find it no where in Scripture Luk. 24.39 Matth. 4.7 that Negatives cannot be proved Yea we find that Christ proved Negatives for he proved that himself was not a Spirit That God was not to be tempted c. If Negatives are not to be proved then Negatives are not to be
notes that to the Sanctification of that Day exercises of publick Worship in a Church well constituted and enjoying her Liberty ought to bee held forth forenoon and afternoon Halfe the Lords Day spent in Religion will not suffice to discharge from the second due attendance on that Day Sabb. Red. part 1 c. 11. Sect. 5. For if the Law of Nature determine for every worky-day of mans life at least a double attendance upon God as necessary unto all men much more on the Lords day The continuance being not here determined the service may be so suddenly dispatched as nothing but want of will and Devotion can be assigned as the cause of not tendring that double proportion on the most busie day that any man hath in his whole life § 3. Furthermore reverend Mr. Collings proves by four Arguments Vindiciae Minist Evang quaest 5. p. 82. that it is the duty of private Christians who have set themselves under particular Pastors not to neglect them when they do preach For 1. To what purpose made they choice of him 2. He hath a particular oversight over them committed to him Act. 20.28 1 Pet. 5.2 1 Thess 5.12 Hebr. 13.17 14. 3 A Pastors more especial tye to his own Flock then another Act. 20.28 1 Pet. 5.2 argues that they are more especially tied to him and that he is appointed to feed them 4 Christians own Pastors have a more special dispensation of the grace of God given them to them-ward Eph. 3.2 Of which more fully Chap. 6. Now then lay these together Is it the duty of private Christians who have set themselvs under their particular Pastors to attend divine Ordinances on the Lords day delivered forenoon and afternoon But see the times Dr. Harrie Peters Enlargm in Prefat Reader It is lamentable to consider the little use that is made of Gods Ordinances in most places Preachers too often I tremble to speak it or write it be used like Post-horses spurred on till they be spent and then a fresh is called for in the mean time the world sits stil and thinks to be saved for hearing Reader mourn for this weep for this for this boads a Judgment the Lord will surely reckon for the blood of his servants spent Nazian ad Bas as well as shed See Nazianzen his complaint Epist 31. CHAP. VI. God assigneth unto every ordinary Pastor a portion of his people to be instructed by him § 1. THirdly Rav. in voce Gratia num 3. dist 3. A Ministers Calling is termed in Scripture The Grace of God as Rom. 1.5 Ephes 3.2 And it is so termed in a twofold respect 1. Because the designing to the Ministerial Calling is of grace 2. And the faculty qualifying us for it is from the free favour of God The Ministerial Function then hath these two properties 1 It is founded in the free pleasure of God Gal. 1.15 2. All the sufficiency which enableth any man to dispence the mysteries of the Gospel it is the meer grace of God 1 Cor. 15.10 From these premisses I infer That as God giveth Ministers their Calling so also their people toward whom he will blesse their labours It is true the care of all the Churches was laid on the Apostle 2 Cor. 11.28 but not so now for wheresoever God now giveth a Ministerial Calling there he giveth a people of whom the Minister may say Towards you grace is given me of God Bains ad locum This is Mr. Bains his observation on Ephes 3.2 That Christians own Pastors have a more special dispensation of the grace of God given them to them-ward Whence he concludeth This should instruct people to depend especially on those who are set over them for those are they who are furnished from God in an eminent manner with grace towards them They are foolish Pigeons that know not their owne Lockers and foolish sheep that know not their shepherds voice and foolish people that know not their Minister § 2. Hence then it is evident That God assigneth to every ordinary Minister a portion of his people This is the difference between Ordinary and Extraordinary Pastors For ordinary Ministers the Lord commanded to fasten them to certain places Ordain Elders in every City Tit. 1.5 Conc. Chalce l. c. 6. An. 451. Epaunen c. 2. An. 515. Megunt c. 22. An. 829. Tribur c. 27 An. 895. And in the Councel of Chalcedon it is decreed Nemo ordinetur absolutè Let none be Ordained at large lest he prove a wandring Jonathan Caranza addeth three other Councels that decreed a wandring Levite not to be admitted into communion the reason is rendred by the Canonists Ne dicatur Mendicat in palaestra infelix Clericus Every Minister then must be separated authorized and have allotted to him a certaine portion of people which may bee instructed by him which the diminutive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may seem to insinuate in the Scripture Now as God giveth to every Pastor his several Flock so he will that we take pains in leading them We must not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be Bishops in other mens Diocesses lest God say Who requireth this at your hand When the Lord lighteth Candles he findeth candlesticks on which to set them and when hee giveth a Calling he giveth a people amongst whom this Function should be exercised in whose consciences unlesse they be scared he giveth his Minister a peculiar report § 3. Indeed if any come to our Congregations as wanting their spiritual food by the Word and Sacraments then it is good for a Minister to bee like a young woman saith Mr. Bains so full brested that shee can both feed her owne child fat Bains ubi supra and lend a draught to her neighbours Ruther Due Right of Presbyt c. 4. Sect. 5. p. 185 Especially the Seales of the Covenant are not to be denyed to approved Professors of another Congregation for wee hold all who professe the Faith of Christ to be Members of the Visible Church though they bee not members of a visible congregation and that the Seals of the Covenant should not be denyed them But to let an itch of vain glory carry us so far as to affect this that cometh from without and be cold at home this is to forget where our grace principally lyeth Ministers are Stars and the best shine is in our own Sphere This I say not as if it were not lawful in some cases to lend our labour elsewhere For due circumstances considered we may say as he Act. 16.9 Come help us in Macedonia And it was a custome in the Primitive times as Clemens testifieth that if any Presbyter or Bishop came to another Constit l. 2. c. 48. they shall be entreated to preach because it falleth out as Christ saith Mat. 13.57 A Prophet is not without honor save in his own Country and in his own house Pastors then do warrantably performe Pastoral