W. B. telleth us the learned bring these allegations to this purpose But the authour in alledging the consent of the learned was very carelesse or much abused for there is not one that speaketh to the purpose I. D. disclaimeth that position and for the rest it is a matter notorious they were never thought to be of that opinion and wee doubt not if any could be named to free this allegation from suspition of Novelty you would have cited one or more as you have done in that which followeth Feed the flock of God saith Peter But he speaks of all those dispersed Churches to whom he writes which he calls a chosen Generation a Royall Priesthood a peculiar people And in some respect of reason under which we may apprehend them are one flock but not really as combined under the same Pastor or meeting in one place And as these dispersed believers or socieities make one Flock so the Ministers attending their flocks or societies and the Ministery exercised by them is or maketh one 4 A Minister chosen and set over one society is to looke unto his people committed to his charge and feed the flock over which the Lord hath made him overseer but he is a Minister in the Church Universall for as the Church is one so is the Ministery one of which every Minister sound or Orthodox doth hold his part and though he be Minister over that flock onely which he is to attend yet he is a Minister in the universal Church The functiō or power of exercising that Function in the abstract must be distinguished from the power of exercising it concretely according to the divers circumstances of places The first belongeth to a Minister every where in the Church the latter is proper to the place and people where hedoth minister The lawfull use of his power is limited to that congregation ordinarily The power it self is not so limited and bounded In Ordination Presbyters are not restrained to one or other certaine place as if they were to be deemed Ministers there onely though they be set over a certain people And as the faithfull in respect of a community betwixt them must and ought to performe the Offices of love one to another though of different societies so the Ministers in respect of their communion must and ought upon occasion to performe ministeriall Offices towards the faithfull of distinct societies 5 If this be not so what shall become of the poore flock when the Pastor is driven away by personall persecution so that he cannot if others may not afford them helpe and succour what when the congregation it selfe is dispersed must no sheepherd receive them into fold when they are driven from their own or neglected by him 6 If the Pastor may be absent from his flock upon necessary just and weighty occasion respecting his own good the good of that society or the common good of Churches consociate then may the Pastor the society the Churches procure some man to supply the defect and doe the office of a Pastor preach the Word pray and as occasion is offered administer the Sacrament in that Congregation unto that Assembly untill their Sheepheard shall returne Shall the people be left as sheepe without a sheepheard because for the good of the Churches their owne sheepheard is called from them for a time that he might returne with greater joy and comfort The Pastor is appointed to feed his own flock and yet for the good of the whole Church he may be called to leave if not the care yet the over-sight of his flock fot a while and by the same reason a pastor of another flock or congregation may performe the office and doe the acts of a Minister in his congregation during absence Yea if for the good of the Churches he be called away doe not the Churches stand obliged in conscience to provide that the flock sustain no hurt by his absence which possibly yee cannot doe if one Minister may not performe a Ministeriall act in another Congregation 7 If the Prophets of one Church may prophesy in another and apply their doctrines exhortations and prayers to any of the occasions of the Churches where they speake whereof they are not set members what hinders why the Pastor of one congregation may not preach and pray administer the Sacraments in another The pastor of one congregation is appointed to his peculiar charge but he is a Minister in the universall Church as well as the Prophets of one Church may bee called Prophets of the universall Church by vertue of that Communion which all true Churches have one with another Without consent the Prophet may not prophesie by exhortation and with consent the Pastor may administer the Sacraments 8 In the Primitive Churches when Elders were ordained in every City they were not onely to looke to their flock but indeavour the conversion of poore Infidels among whom they lived and the inlargement of Christs Kingdome for the worke of the Lord must be done in its season and then was the time of the calling of the Gentiles It was not their office proper and essentiall to travail from Countrey to Countrey as did the Apostles nor were they pastors of the Infidels but by private instruction and publique teaching if any of them would bee penitent they were to labour the comming of them to God And these Infidels converted to the saith were to be baptised of the Elders ordinarily in those Cities though the number might bee so great as they could not well meete in one Congregation nor be subject to the same Pastor for either they must bee baptized by the pastors among whom they lived being converted to the faith or continue unbaptized untill they were a number convenient to make a distinct society or grow together into one body and to elect and choose their own Minister by whom they may be baptised But that either they must stay so long without baptisme or that a society of unbaptised men had power in those times to elect and choose their Minister by whom they should be baptised is contrary to all presidents in Scripture 9 And so if a Pastor may not performe a ministeriall act to any other person or people but his own flock onely then a company newly converted from infidelity which cannot joyne themselves as set members to another assembly must remain unbaptised till they have chosen their Minister to doe that office Then must the people thus converted want officers til there be among themselves able men to pray preach exhort in the congregation at the ordination of their Minister or if that may bee omitted till there be fit men among them to examine the fitnesse of him that is chosen 10 If subtile Heretikes arise and seduce and draw away many from the faith and the body of the society be not able to convince them either they must be let alone or cast out without conviction for neighbouring Ministers stand in peculiar
fideles ab infidelibus discerni possunt 1. Cor. 5. 12. But herein Dr. Ames manifestly sheweth that by them that are without heathens and unbeleevers must be understood and not beleevers and godly men though of no particular setled societie for the time for thus we conceive he argueth The signes and evidences whereby the faithfull are to be discerned from unbeleevers must not be confounded but unlesse Christians make themselves actuall members of a Societie or Church the signes whereby the faithfull are discerned from unbeleevers will be obscured and darkned And if this be his reason how can that text of Scripture be alledged for confirmation unlesse by men without Infidels be understood Again Doctor Ames in the same book lib. 4. ca. 27. speaking of Infants to be received it is required he saith that they be in the covenant of grace in respect of outward profession and estimation in respect of their parents and that there is hope they shall be instructed and brought up in the same covenant 2. That Baptisme doth most properly belong to those infants whose parents at least one of them is in the Church and not without because baptisme is a signe and seale of the covenant of grace 3. That children that are cast forth are in charitie to be esteemed the children of Christian parents when there is no just cause of presuming the contrary that in admitting unto baptisme a difference must be put betweene the Infants of those who in some sort belong to the Church but openly break the covenant of God and the children of others 1. Because a distinction must be observed in holy things betweene the cleane and uncleane seeing else the ordinance of God cannot be preserved from all pollution To say nothing of that which he addeth touching the baptisme of Infants borne in fornication excommunication and Papists which is more then sufficient to cleare his meaning in the former passage To this may be added that he holdeth it not necessarie that Christians should gather themselves into a particular society but as opportunitie and occasion should offer it self So that it was never his mind to censure them who be not gathered into Church-Covenant because they want means or opportunitie as men without in the Apostles sense His judgement is further manifested in his second Manuduction pa. 33. So many parish Assemblies of England saith he as have any competent number of good Christians in them united to worship God ordinarily in one Societie so many have the essence and integrall forme of a visible Church and all they have intire right to Christ and to all the meanes of injoying him how ever they are defective in the puritie of their combination and in the compleat free exercising of their power whereupon a reverend Elder now among you draws this conclusion Ergo to dischurch them wholly and to separate from them as no Churches of Christ or to denie baptisme to the Infants of their known members is not warrantable by any rule of Scripture that I know nor justified by any assertion or practise Answ 5. Consideration VVE may adde hereunto for a fifth Consideration the evill and pernicious consequences of extending communion in Church priviledges beyond the bounds of Church fellowship for thus 1. The extraordinarie office of the Apostles and the ordinarie office of Pastors and Teachers will be much confounded if the latter be as illimited as the former in the execution of their office beyond the bounds of their own particular Churches 2. The distinction of Church assemblies from the confused multitude is abrogated if without membership in a particular Church the parents may communicate with the Churches in the Lords Supper and their seed in baptisme 3. The Church shall indanger the profaning of the seals and want one speciall meanes whereby the grace and pietie of men may be discerned and made known for if without respect to their Church estate men of approved pietie as you say are to be admitted to fellowship in the seales how shall their pietie be approved to the Church not by their own report of themselves alone without attestation of such as are approved by the Church and how can such beare witnesse to their approved pietie who against light refuse to professe subjection to the Gospel of Christ by orderly joyning themselves in fellowship with some approved Church of Christ as members thereof when they have opportunitie thereunto seeing such fellow-ship is an action of pietie required of all beleevers in the second Commandment and true pietie frameth mens spirits to have respect to all Gods Commandments And we have had much experience of it that men of approved pietie in the judgement of some have been found too light not onely in the judgement of others but even of their own consciences when they have come to triall in offering themselves to be members of Churches with such a blessing hath God followed this order of taking hold of Church-Covenant by publick profession of faith and repentance before men be admitted to the seales but this meanes of discoverie of mens pietie and sinceritie would be utterly lost if men should be admitted unto the Lords table without entring in Church-fellowship Reply IF it be repugnant to Divine Institution to admit of approved Christians lawfully baptized walking in the faith members of the visible Churches and partakers of Church priviledges among us to the Lords Supper or their children to baptisme because they be not entred into Church fellowship according to your order then it is unlawfull though no such evill consequences are to be feared But if by accident some abuse should fall out the evill is to be prevented by all lawfull meanes but the faithfull are not utterly to be debarred of the order of God whereto they have right and title by his free grant and gracious invitation And no question but the seales of the Covenant may be profaned many times when it is not in the power of the dispensers to put back or expell such as profane them If the Congregation shall admit of or tolerate an unworthy member the Churches priviledges are profaned and yet we conceive you will say the Pastor is not faulty in receiving him when the Church doth tolerate unworthily if he do what pertaineth to his office to keep the holy things of God from contempt But in the case propounded there is no feare or danger of such consequences necessarie to follow for the question is not of all sorts at randame but of Christians professing the faith intirely lawfully baptised known and approved to the consciences of the wise and judicious visible members of the Churches of Christ among us often admitted to the Lords Table whether these either sufficiently knowne unto you or orderly recommended may upon desire and suite themselves be admitted to communicate in the Lords Supper and their children to be baptized what feare is there now that the extraordinarie office of the Apostles and the ordinarie office of
a word of Church-Covenant either in the Institution or administration of the Seales before they were admitted to them That Christians are solemnly ingrafted into the body of Christ and into particular Societies by the Seales is a truth acknowledged on all sides but that ever it was deemed necessarie that a Christian should be a set member of a particular Congregationall Church before he were admitted to the Seales or that by divine institution any such thing is ordained as necessarie thereunto that upon the grounds before mentioned we denie and cannot account it lesse then an addition to the institution For if the Sacraments be seales of the Covenant of grace and baptisme by divine Institution belong to Disciples faithfull Saints who have gladly received the Word of grace are justified by faith sanctified by the Spirit adopted to be the children of God by grace and heires apparent to the kingdom of heaven then to debarre such from the Seales and their seed from Baptisme because they be not in Church-Covenant as you speake is an addition to the ordinance of grace and many wayes injurious to the people of God V. POSITION That the power of Excommunication is so in the body of the Church that what the Major part shall allow must be done though the Pastors and Governors and the rest of the Assembly be of another minde and that peradventure upon more substantiall reasons Answer IF the Question had been Whether the power of Excommunication lies in the body of the Congregation consisting of officers and members our Answer should be Affirmative and according hereunto is also our practise and wee hope your judgement and ours are not different herein But seeing the Question is Whether it is so in the body of the Congregation that what the Major part doth allow that must be done though the Pastors and Governors and the rest of the Assembly doe dissent upon more substantiall reasons Our Answer is Negative viz. that the power of Excommunication is not sealed in the Congregation neither ought it to be so in any of the Churches of the Lord Jesus who ought not to carry matters by number of votes against God as this Position implyeth but by strength of rule and reason according to God The power of the Apostles was not to doe things against the truth but for the truth 2 Cor. 13. 8 and not for destruction but for edification 2 Cor. 10. 8. And the same may be said concerning the power which God hath given to the Church and if any Church among us have swerved from the rule which is more then we know we doe not allow them in such a practise but should be ready as the Lord should helpe to convince them of their sin therein Reply THis Question is much mistaken for the demand is not whether in the Congregation matters should be carryed by number of votes against God as you interpret the Position but whether the power of Excommunication so lye in the body of the Congregation as that sentence must proceed in externoforo according to the vote and determination of the Major part and so whether power of admission of members doe so reside in the communitie as that they must be refused whom the Major part refuse though the Pastors and Governors and part of the Congregation be of another judgement and he admitted whom the Major part doth approve And though the Church hath received no power against God but for God yet in the execution of the power no doubt the members of that Church may be of different judgements and affections wherein the one side or other doth erre and is deceived Now the Question hereupon moved is whether the power of the keyes be so given and committed to the society of the faithfull as that in externall Court that act or sentence must stand and be in force which the greater part shall determine amongst them which hold the power of the keyes to be given to the Church Some distinguish betwixt the power it self which they give to the Church and the execution and exercise of it which they confine to the Presbytery Others give the power of the keyes with the exercise thereof to the whole body of the Church or if in the dispensation they attribute any thing to the Officers it is but as servants of the Church from whom they derive their authoritie By Church also some understand the communitie of the faithfull together with their officers and guides And here lyeth the stone at which they of the Seperation stumble and which we conceive to be your judgement and practise wherein we required your plaine answer with your reasons but have received no satisfaction You referre us to Mr. Parkers reasons to prove the power of the keyes to belong to the whole Church who are of farre different judgement from Mr. Parker in the point it selfe And if your judgement and practise be according to that of the Seperation which we feare you dissent from him and we cannot but dissent from you upon these considerations 1. No power agreeth to the multitude or communitie of the faithfull but that which is given them of the Lord by his positive Law For the whole spirituall power for the gathering and government of his Church is given to Christ as Mediator And if the power of the keyes be derived from and communicated by Christ unto his Church of necessitie it must draw its originall from divine positive Law and can agree to none but as it is communicated But the communicated power of the keyes with the execution thereof Christ hath not given immediately to the whole multitude but to some persons and Officers designed and appointed thereunto Peruse the severall passages of Scripture wherein power and authoritie of preaching the Gospel administring the Sacraments binding and loosing is given to the Church and it is apparent that distinct severall persons are spoken of and not the whole communitie Goe teach all Nations and baptize them c. Whose sinnes yee remit they are remitted c. Feed my Lambes feed my sheepe c. Were these things spoken to the whole communitie or to speciall persons 2. If Christ gave this power to the communitie was it from the beginning of the Church or tooke it effect after the Churches were planted and established by the Apostles Not the first for then the Apostles themselves should derive their power from the communitie and societie of the faithfull which they did not but from Christ immediately both in respect of gifts and graces their calling it selfe and the designation of their persons It is said the power of the keyes given to the Apostles was given to the Church In tuitu ejusdem tanquam finis totius And it is true the Apostles were given to the Church and the power they received was for the good of the whole but this is not enough That power may be said to be received immediately by the Church as the first
be subject to God and Christ by the intervention of the people onely they have it from them and not from God but they preach or administer the Sacraments rule or feed and if they depend immediately upon the faithfull viz. two or three gathered together in covenant they must draw what in order they are to preach unto them in the name of the Lord For from him must the Ambassadour learne his arrand from whom he receiveth his Commission We forbeare to presse the confessions and reasons of such as maintaine this opinion that the officers of Christ be both of and for the people and that in relation as the officers are called servants the Church may be called Lord. 4. Moreover if the power of the keyes be given first and immediately to the community of the faithfull what reason can be alledged why in defect of Officers the Church might not rule governe feed bind loose preach and administer the Sacraments or if any faile in any office why she might not supply that want by her power For the power of the keyes doth containe both authority and exercise power being given to this end that it might be exercised as it is vouchsafed But the Church when she is destitute of Officers cannot exercise those acts of rule nor by her power supply the want of any Officer Onely she hath a ministery of calling one whom Christ hath described that from Christ he may have power of office given him in the vacant place For these reasons not to insist on any more we judge the multitude or community of the faithfull not to be the immediate receptacle of Ecclesiasticall authoritie and so the power of excommunication not to belong to them If consent of the Churches of God be asked in this point to omit others the Churches of Scotland speake fully and expresly for us in the second book of Disci cap. 1. The Church as it is taken for them that exercise spirituall functions in the congregation of them that professe the truth hath a certain power granted by God according to which it useth a proper Jurisdiction and government exercised to the comfort of the whole flocke Power is an Ecclesiasticall authority granted by God the Father through the Mediator Jesus Christ unto his Kirke gathered and having its ground in the word of God and to be put in execution by them unto whom the spirituall government of the Church by lawfull calling is committed The policie of the Kirke flowing from this power is an order or spirituall forme of government which is exercised by the members appointed thereto by the Word of God and therefore is given immediately to the office-bearers by whom it is exercised to the weale of the whole body Vt universam scripturam evolvat D. Erastus nunquam tamen inventurum verba Ligandi Solvendi aliis quam publico ministerio fungentibus quidem met aphoricè divinae videlicet spiritualis potestatis respectu tribui Sunt enim judicialia haec verba c. Beza de Presb. p 60. See Helvet conf ca. 18. Sect. Nunc ergo c. Belgic confess art 3. Argentinens conf art 13. Bohem. confes art 14. VI. POSITION That none are to be admitted as members but they must promise not to depart or remove unlesse the Congregation will give leave Answer OUr Answer hereto is briefly this We judge it expedient and most according to rule that such brethren as are in covenant with the Church and ours as fellow-members and have committed their soules to our charge as Ministers should not forsake our fellowship nor obruptly breake away from us when and whither they please but first approve themselves therein to their brethrens consciences and take their counsell in so weightie a matter For which we propound to confider these two reasons following The former is drawne from the nature of the Church-Covenant which consists in these foure particulars 1. Every member at his admission doth openly professe and solemnly promise that by Christs helpe assisting he will not onely in generall give up himselfe as to the Lord to be guided by him so to the Church according to God to be directed by it which is no more then the members of the Church of Macedonia did in a parallel case 2 Cor. 8. 5. but also in particular that he will performe all duties of brotherly love and faithfulnesse to all the members of the body as of diligent watchfulnesse over all his brethren thereby to prevent sin so of faithfull admonition after their falls to regaine them to the Lord from their sinne the former being injoyned Hebr. 3. 13. And the want thereof deeply condemned in Cain that would not acknowledge that duty of being his brothers keeper Gen. 4. 9. the latter given in charge to the Church-members of Israel by the hand of Moses Levit. 19. 17. and so by Christ himself Matth. 18. 15. And by Paul also to the Galat. c. 6. 1 2. Secondly the ingagements are not made onely by the members admitted into the Church but by the Church back again to the member So that thereby the whole Church in generall and every member thereof in particular stand as well in conscience bound to performe all duties of love and watchfulnesse to him as he doth to them And this we do according to the golden rule of love and equitie injoyned by our Saviour Matth. 7. 12. fearing that contrary practise of Scribes and Pharisees so much condemned by Christ of laying greater burthens upon others then we our selves are willing to undergo Matth. 23. 4. 3. These promises thus lawfully and mutually made that member as also the whole Church are bound not onely every one for himselfe actively to performe them but passively also to suffer his brethren to do those offices upon and towards himself If he neglect the former he shall falsifie his covenant so solemnly before God Angels and men made and so not onely breake promise to his brother contrary to Psal 15. 4. but also in some sort commit the sinne of Ananias and Saphira in lying against the holy Ghost condemned and punished severely by Gods own hand Act. 5. 3. 5. 10. If he faile in the latter he shall not onely be guiltie of the same sinne of breach of Covenant with God and man as in the former but shall also be guilty of this folly of despising counsell so much condemned Prov. 12. 15. and 1. 7. and shall also proclaime this his folly and pride by shewing to all the Church that he is wise in his own eyes and leanes to his own wisedome both reproved Prov. 3. 7. and 23. 4. Seeing need of no further light to be held forth by his brethren then what he apprehends himselfe which is one of the greatest properties of folly 4. From all these things premised it appears that we can do no lesse and yet we do no more then require a member before he depart according to our covenant thus lawfully
or repelled any that voluntarily submitted themselves upon that pretence It appeareth many wayes that when the Apostles planted Churches they made a Covenant between God and the people whom they received But they received men upon the profession of faith and promise of amendment of life without strict in quirie what sound work of grace was wrought in the soul In after ages strangers from the covenant were first instructed in the faith and then baptised upon the profession of faith and promise to walk according to the covenant of grace Now the profession at first required of all that were received to baptisme was that they beleeved in the Father Sonne and holy Ghost This was the confession of the Eunuch when he was baptised I beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Sonne of God The Creed is honoured of the ancients with glorious titles as the rule of faith the summe of faith the body of faith the perswasions of faith but by the Creed they understand that rule of faith and law of faith and institution of Christ which was then given when he was about to ascend into heaven and commanded his disciples saying Go teach all Nations c. It is true that in after times as occasion required some other Articles were added as explanations of the former to meet with the heresies of the times which began to trouble the Church But for substance of matter in things to be beleeved the Church never required other acknowledgement of them that were to be received into the congregation of Christs flock and admitted into her communion And for things to be done or the practicall part she requireth of them that were to be received to baptisme an abrenuntiation of the devill the world and the flesh with all their sinfull works and lusts The first principles then of the doctrine of Christ being received and the foresaid profession being made the Apostles and the Church following the example of the Apostles never denied baptisme unto such as sought or desired it If this be the Covenant that members admitted into Church-fellowship do enter into and this be all you require of them whom you receive you have the practise of the Apostles and the whole Church in after ages for your president But if you proceed further then thus and put men to declare what worke of grace God hath wrought in their soul in this or that way which perhaps is not determined by the word of grace at least not agreed upon among your selves we beseech you consider by what authority you do it and upon what grounds you stand But we will enter no further upon this matter because it comes not within the compasse of these Positions and to attribute so much to private letters as to make them the ground of another dispute we may not VII POSITION That a Minister is so a Minister of a particular Congregation that if they dislike him unjustly or leave him he ceaseth to be a Minister Answer OUr Answer to this consists in two branches 1. In case a Minister be set aside by the Church meerly through his own default 2. By the Churches default without any desert of his In the former case it is evident he ceaseth to be a Minister to them any longer as appears in foure conclusions 1. It is cleare from the Word that a Pastor or Teacher in these dayes hath no Apostolicall power over all Churches but onely limited to that one Church where God hath set him Paul gives not the Elders at Ephesus a generall Commission to go teach all Churches but to go feed that one flock over which the holy Ghost hath made them over-seers Act. 20. 28. So Peter gives direction to Elders to feed that flock of God onely which was among them and take the over-sight thereof 1 Pet. 5. 2. 2. It is as cleare that all this power of feeding which the Minister hath in that Church is nextly derived to him from Christ by the Church who hath solemnly called him to the work and promised to obey him therein for if he have it elsewhere it must be either from Christ immediately or from some other men deputed by Christ to conferre it on him or he must take it up of himselfe Not the first for that was proper to the Apostles or Apostolicall men therefore Paul proving his Apostleship saith he was called not of men nor by men but by Jesus Christ himself Gal. 1. 1. Not the second for we never read in Gods Word that any ordinary Officers or other besides the Church that had any Commission given them from Christ to call Ministers unto Churches Not the third for no man taketh this honour viz. of a Priest under the Law or of a Minister under the Gospel but he that is called of God Hebr. 5. 4. Therefore it must needs be from Christ by the Church 3. As the Church in the name of Christ gave this power to a Minister to be what he is and do what he doth amongst them when such a Minister shall make and manifest himself apparently unworthy and unfit to discharge the place which they thus called him unto so that they may discerne that Christ the head of the Church hath refused him from being a Minister unto him they may then upon as good grounds depose him from it as they called him to it 4. When a Church hath thus in Christs name put forth this power of shutting as before it did of opening to a Minister then he must cease to be a Minister unto them any more for we know no such indelible character imprinted upon a Minister that the Ministery ceasing the Minister ceaseth also 2. In case the Church shall without cause or sufficient weightie cause rashly or wilfully set him aside whom Christ hath set over them and whom they so solemnly called and promised before the Lord to submit unto and so abuse their power given them by Christ it is doubtlesse a very great wrong unto the Minister and sinne against Christ himselfe before whom it was done and not onely Christ himself will take it ill at their hands for such contempt done to him in his Ministers according to Christs speech Luke 10. 16. He that rejecteth you rejecteth me And Gods speech 1 Sam. 8. 7. They have not cast off thee but me But even other Churches also may admonish them And if they prove obstinate therein withdraw the right hand of fellowship from them and concerning the Minister himself thus deposed seeing it is done not by Christ but by the Church without Christ yea against the mind of Christ we conceive though he be by them deprived of the execution of his ministery among them yet untill he accepts of a call to another people he doth yet still remain a Minister of Christ in whose account notwithstanding such deposition he hath true right of administration among that people Reply THe question is of Ministers unjustly forsaken or driven from the Church or congregation and
the English Parishes compiled for the Churches use by other men not infallibly guided by God to be said or read out of a Book by their Ministers as the Churches Prayers And that this is your meaning may appeare from your Letter it self wherein you complain that divers in many parts of that Kingdome have left their Assemblies because of a stinted Liturgy Now we know not of any other stinted Liturgy from which the people do absent themselves but onely that which is in use in the English Churches For as for a forme of Prayer in generall wee conceive your meaning cannot be of that For it is evident that many Preachers constantly use one set form of Prayer of their own making before their Sermons with whom the people refuse not to joyn 2 By stinted and set you mean such Prayers as are so imposed upon the Churches and Ministers as that they are limited to that very form of words expressed in the Book without addition diminution or alteration for that Liturgy and forme among you is in this sense set and stinted 3 By unlawfull you mean that we looking at that form as swerving from the Rule neither dare first practice it our selves nor secondly approve the use of it by others This being the true state of the question so far as it appears to us from the letter We answer 1 For our own practice the Churches here doe not use any stinted forme of Prayer and set Liturgy for these and other such Reasons 1 Because we finde no necessity of any stinted Liturgy to be used among us by vertue of any divine precept And seeing the Commission of the Apostles limited them to â—each men to observe and do onely what Christ did command them in matters of this nature Math. 28. 20. Who are we and what are our Churches that we should presume above this Commission And we hope it will not be offensively taken by any godly Brethren That we stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free in this as well as in all other things Secondly because the lawfulnesse of set forms and stinted Liturgies is questioned and doubted of by many faithfull servants of God whereas for Church-officers to edifie the Churches by their own gifts as well in praying as in preaching all sorts without controversie grant it to be lawfull Now spirituall prudence guideth believers when two ways are set before them one doubtfull though ventured on by some the other certainly safe and good though neglected by many to choose that which is safe declining the other Thirdly Because Primitive paterns of all the Churches of God in their best times when as touching this point they kept the rule in their eye whether Jewish before Christ or Christian above a 100 yeers after Christ yield not the least footstep to shew us another safe way to walk in then this which we have chosen As for after times towards the end of the second and beginning of the third Century we know how far the Churches were then degenerated and declined from the first purity neither do we marvell at it seeing in the Apostles time the mystery of iniquity began to work and it was then foretold that the power of godlinesse would be in aftertimes exchanged for empty formes In which respect we look not at them as our guides neither in this nor other particulars not warranted by the Rule herein following the advise of Cyprian who himself saw the corruption of those times Non est attendendum quid aliquis ante nos faciendum putaverit sed quid qui ante omnes est Christus fecerit faciendum praeceperit To conclude seeing our Christian liberty freeth us from binding our selves to any religious observances whereunto the written word doth not bind us And seeing spirituall prudence directs us to choose those ways which on all hands are confessed to be sâ—fe avoiding those that be doubtfull and hazardous And seeing it will not be safe for us needlesly to swerve from the constant practice of all Churches that are recorded in Scripture and there held forth as a cloud of Witnesses for us to follow in matters of this nature wee therefore may not doe not dare not use set forms of Prayers and stinted Liturgies in these Churches More particularly in that we doe not use that forme of Prayer and stinted Liturgy which is in use among your selves these and such other like Reasons have induced us thereunto 1 The many and just exceptions whereunto that Liturgy is lyable both for matter and manner for the proofe whereof wee referre you to those faithfull servants of God who have gone before us in witnessing against the same Amongst others to Master Cartwright and the Abridgment 2 In as much as that Liturgy was never commanded of God and hath been greatly abused to Idolatry and Superstition and is not of any necessary use and therefore we are affraid to bring it into the Worship of God as knowing the jealousie of the Lord in matters of this nature Exod. 20 and how strictly hee commandeth his people that all monuments and remnants of Idolatry and Superstition should be abolished from among them Deut. 5. 25 26. Exod. 23. 13. Esay 30. 2â— 2 Cor. 6. 17. In which respect the holy Ghost hath greatly commended Iacob David Iehu Hezechia and Iosiah for taking away the remembrance of such things Gen. 35. 2 4. Psal 16. 4. 2 King 10. 26 27. 18. 4. 2â— all the Chapter And where other Kings of Iudah came short of the like zeale the Scripture notes it as a blemish in them that the high places were not taken away albeit the people did not sacrifice in them to false gods but onely to the Lord 2 Chron. 15. 17. 20. 33. 33. 17. Yea moreover it appeareth by the Scripture that somethings that had a good Originall and use if they be not still necessary and commanded of God are unlawfull when once they are knowne to be defiled by Idolatry and abused to it 2 King 18. 4. Hos 2. 16 17. As the brazen Serpent was at the first an Institution though but temporary but when the children of Israel burned Incense to it Hezechiah is commended for breaking it in pieces and the Lord witnesseth of him that he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and according to his Commandement which he commanded Moses 2 King 18. 3 6. how much more in the like case ought other things to be removed which never were commanded of God but onely were devised by men And that that Liturgy hath been superstitiously abused may be cleer to any that shall consider that it is the same for substance that was used in the days of Popery And therefore when the Papists in Devonshire and Cornwall had made a Commotion and Rebellion upon the change of Religion in the days of King Edward the Sixth It was told them by the King for the pacifying of them That it was the self-same
to bignesse more then ordinary an increase of places for their assembling when the essence of the visible Church is not changed nor one multiplied or divided into many And it is more available for the good of the Church and further removed from all ambition if the Society shall assemble occasionally in divers places as parts and members of the body then to constitute a distinct free Society consisting of a few Believers not fit to make up an intire body contrary to the precedent examples of the Apostles In times of grievous and hot persecution the Churches of God could not assemble in any great number in publick places but have been compelled to meet in Woods Caves Dens and dark corners as the Lord hath offered opportunity one and the same Society in sundry places So that either it is not essentiall to the Church to meet together in one place ordinarily or their Society is broken off by persecution when their meeting together in one place is interrupted It is said by some where the Church grew greater sometimes by the suddain and extraordinary conversion of more then could well so assemble then was there presently a dispersion of the former and a multiplication of more particular Assemblies But in the Scriptures quoted no such thing doth appeare but rather the contrary as hath been proved In aftertimes when the Church was within the Cities as of Rome Ephesus Alexandria Carthage Ierusalem c. the number of Believers did greatly exceed the bignesse of a convenient and fitting assembly which might ordinarily congregate in one place to worship God according to his appointment when the Church was but one Seventhly Seeing then both the Seals in ordinary and in extraordinary dispensation belong to the Church id est to the faithfull and repentant taught made Disciples who have received the word believe and professe the faith have received the holy Ghost and walke in obedience who are members of other visible Churches or to be made members of a visible Church for the time being by admittance unto the Sacraments and not unto set members of congregationall assemblies only And seeing the godly and faithful Ministers among us are the true Ministers of Christ and their godly congregations true Churches and knowne and approved Christians true members of visible Churches formerly baptized and admitted to the Lords Supper This consideration is of no weight to justifie your opinion and practice in debarring known and approved Christians professing the faith members of the true visible Churches amongst us from the Lords Supper or their seed from Baptisme because they be not yet received as set members of some particular cōgregation amongst you And if such Believers are not to be received to the Seals we desire you to consider if ever the Sacraments of the New Testament were rightly dispensed in the Church of the New Testament from the first Plantation thereof unto this day The Seale doth follow the grant and as the Seale is prophaned if it be put to a false grant or Charter so are the faithfull wronged if the Seale in a lawfull way desired be denied to them that have received the grant i. e. have right unto Jesus Christ and communion with him But the faithfull who have received the word with gladnesse believe and professe be members knowne and approved by other visible Churches or such as desire to be admitted members of that visible Society for the time by communicating in the ordinance are already partakers of the grant or charter have right and interest in Christ may lawfully desire the Seals and may be admitted as members for the time being of that particular Society Therefore to debar such from the Lords Supper and their seed from Baptisme is against the Law of nature and the positive Law of God an injury to the faithfull and their seed a wrong to the Catholike visible Church that particular society and the Pastors themselves that so debar them They sinned grievously who deferred Baptisme to the end of their life and the negligence of Pastors and Teachers who did not instruct the ignorant and reprove the superstitious was great And is not the severity in debarring such as crave and desire to be admitted to the Seals an injury to be reprehended Answ 2 Confider the ordinary administration of the Seales is limited to the ministery and the ministery to a particular Church therefore the seals also must necessarily be proper to the Church and to the members thereof 1. That the administration of the seales is limited to their Ministery is evident from the first institution Math. 28. 19. where God hath joyned to preach viz. by office and to baptize together therefore wee may not separate them For howsoever any man may by the appointment of the Lord and Master of the family signifie his minde and deliver his message from him to the family yet the dispensing of a fitt portion of food to everie one of the houshold is a branch of the stewards office Indeed the keies are given to the whole Church yet the exercise and dispensation of them in this as well as in other particulars is concredited to the Ministers who are called to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 4. 1. And no Church office can be orderly performed by any but one that is called thereunto nor will God vouchsafe his presence and blessing wherupon all spirituall efficacy depends in an ordinance dispensed but when it is dispensed by those whom he hath ordayned and appointed therunto 2. That the ministery is limited to the Church appeares as from evident texts of Scripture so also upon this ground 1 The office is founded in the relation betweene the Church and the officer wherfore take away the relation and the office and the worke ceaseth For where he hath not power he may not doe an act of power and he hath no powerwhere he hath not a relation by office Herein the proportion holdeth between an officer of a towne corporate and of a Church that as the power of the former is only within his owne corporation so the power of the latter is confined to his owne congregation Reply THe proposition is granted that the dispensation of the Sacraments in the New Testament both ordinary and extraordinary is limited to the Ministery But in that you alleadge for confirmation somethings may be noted 1 The first institution of Baptisme is not contained in that passage Math. 28. 19. but confirmed For the seales of the New Testament were instituted by Christ before his death and his disciples had baptized many which they could not doe before the institution of the Sacrament Secondly we see not how you can apply that text to Preaching by office which according to our exposition must bee a dispensing of a fit portion of food to everie one of the houshould For it is plaine the Apostles were sent forth to preach to everie Creature or unto the world to convert men unto
God to make them disciples and not to preach unto disciples only or members of the houshould The Apostles certainly had authority and preached by authority but they preached not to Infidells and Heathens as to disciples or members of the Church much lesse did they give a portion to them as to the houshold which is the preaching by office which you acknowledge Thirdly if under the power of the keyes you comprehend preaching by office dispensing the seales casting out and receiving againe into the bosome of the Church wee deny the power of the keyes to belong to the Church or community of the faithfull we cannot find in Scripture that Christ ever granted such power to the faithfull as faithfull joyned together in Covenant in those passages which speake of this power the execution of this authority is given to them to whom the authoritie is committed If the power of the keyes be given to the whole Church the Apostles themselves must derive their authoritie immediatly from the Church and not from Christ for the power must be derived from them unto whom it was given but their power and authority was not from the Church but from Christ immediatly And if the dispensation and exercise of the keyes be concredited to the Ministers Doth it hold in all things or onely in the dispensation of the Sacraments and preaching by office Doe they dispense the seales as the Stewards of Christ from whom they receive their authority immediately or as the servants of the Church from which they derive their authority If in the first sense the power of the keys is not in the community of the faithfull If in the second the office of a Minister is not the immediate gift of Christ nor the Minister so much the servant of Christ as of the Church from whom he must receive lawes in whose name he must doe his office and to whom he must give an account We could wish you had explained in what sense you hold the dispensation and execution of the power of the keyes is concredited to the Ministers and by whom For if the community of the faithfull have to doe in all matters concerning the body to admit members and cast them out to make and depose Ministers to bind and loose by authority derived from Christ wee cannot see how in your judgement the dispensation and execution of the power of the keyes is concredited to the Ministers Fourthly That which you add that God will not vouchsafe his presence and blessing to an ordinance but when it is dispenced by those whom hee hath ordayned and appointed thereunto must bee warily understood or it may occasion errors and distractions not a few You know what corruptions soone entred into the Church of God both in respect of Doctrine Worship Offices and entrance thereunto and how ready and apt is the conclusion from your words That Christ hath not vouchsafed his presence and blessing in his Ordinances to his Church But of this before And on the contrary seeing God hath vouchsafed his blessing in his Ordinances dispensed by your selves when you stood as visible Ministers in the congregation and Churches of old England you must confesse did approve both your standings and his Ordinances dispensed by you Secondly as for the Assumption that Pastors and Teachers are limited to a particular charge or society but that flock is not ever one congregationall assembly meeting in one place neither the band so streight whereby they are tied to that one society that they may not upon occasion performe some Ministeriall Act or Office in another congregation or to them that be not set members of their proper assembly For first to dispence the Seals of the covenant is a ministeriall act an act of Office and not an exercise of gifts onely But the Pastors of one Assembly may dispence the Sacrament to the set members of another society upon occasion as you confesse in this and in your answer to the ninth position And if the members of one Church may lawfully upon occasion receive the Sacrament of the Supper in another society from the Pastor thereof then may the Pastor of one congregation performe a Ministeriall act to the members of another and if to the members of another then in another congregation with consent and upon occasion Secondly As the Ministers are exhorted to feed their fleek so is every Christian and Minister to try and examine himselfe whether hee be in the faith but you will not allow this conclusion I must examine my self Ergo no man is debarred from the Sacrament for his unworthinesse or to be tried or examined by others to be observed admonished and brought to repentance for notorious sin No more can it be rightly gathered from the former passages of Scripture that the Minister is not upon occasion to performe any Ministeriall act to any other people or society because ordinarily he is to attend his own flock Thirdly As the Ministers have peculiar relation to their particular flocks so the people unto their particular Ministers unto whom they are ried in speciall manner as to their Overseers who must give account for theirsculs And if this peculiar relation betwixt the people the Minister doth not hinder the people from receiving the Lords Supper at the hands of another Minister nor the minister from performing the Ministeriall act to the members of another congregation Neither doth his peculiar Relation to his own flock hinder him from administring unto others upon just occasion being intreated thereunto As the combining of the people to their peculiar Minister doth not quite cut off their communion with other Ministers so neither doth the restraining of a Minister to a peculiar flock quite cut him off from administring upon occasion unto another people Paul appointeth the Ephesian Elders unto the care charg onely of their own particular flock but so to attend them ordinarily according to the rules of the Scripture that as occasion was offered might performe some Ministeriall acts in another congregation The taking heed unto their flocks which Paul requires in this place doth cōprehend under it the administration of the Word Prayer and Sacrament and if it must be restrained to their owne particular Churches onely it is unlawfull for a Pastor to preach or call upon the name of God in any publike Assembly save his own upon any occasion as these be duties prtaining to common confession or profession of faith Ordinary Pastors and Teachers it is true are not Apostles who are to go from place to place from Country to Country to plant and erect Churches but they are tied ordinarily to one flock as the Text proveth and to which purpose it is commonly cited But that a Pastor is so tied to his flock that he can perform no ministeriall act to any other upon any occasion that it proveth not nor can we find that it was ever so understood by Divines ancient or modern
the Covenant of promise Thus a learned and reverend divine Circumcision was a seale of the covenant that God made with Abraham concerning Christ that should come as concerning the flesh of Isaac and so of Iacob of whom were the 12 tribes who were the Israelites c. Rom. 9. 4. 5. So that as in Abrahams time none were bound to be Circumcised but those that were of his family as being borne there or bought and so brought thither which were not of his seed So afterwards none were bound to be Circumcised which were not borne in the family of Jacob and Patriarchs or joyned to them And after their comming out of Egypt none were bound to be Circumcised but the children of the Iewes then the only Church of God and those that desired to joyne unto them The summe is thus much God gave circumcision to Abraham as a seale of the Covenant but whether it was given to other beleevers in his time it is at least a thing uncertaine And if they were not Circumcised it was by reason of the speciall Institution of God and peculiar manner of administration of the Covenant of promise which in some respect was proper to the family of Abraham and not common to all the visible members of the Church at that time in Church fellowship and order Afterwards when there were none in covenant but the seed of Iacob or strangers professing the faith of Abraham circumcision was not to be administred to any man who was not in Covenant nor any man to bee admitted to the Passeover who was not circumcised This is the most that can be said with any probability But hence it will not follow by iust analogie or proportion that the seed of the faithfull must not bee admitted to Baptisme or visible beleivers be received to the Lords Supper unlesse they bee set members of some particular congregation united in Church order Thirdly presupposing therefore that Melchizedeck Lot and Iob were not Circumcised we say there is not the like reason of Circumcision and Baptisme in this particular For first if Circumcision was ever appropriated to the family of Abraham and might be communicated to other visible Beleevers it was in the first Institution and administration but in the first Institution and administration of Baptisme it was not observed that beleevers should be first gathered into a politicall body or Christian church membership and then baptized Iohn the Baptist baptized such as came to him confessing their sins The Apostles baptized Disciples such as gladly received their doctrine beleeved in Jesus Christ and received the gifts of the holy Ghost before they were gathered into Christian Church order or made fit members of a Christian congregationall Assembly 2 If Circumcision was by speciall Institution given as a priviledge to the Males of Abrahams Familie Melchizedecke Iob Lot and other visible Beleevers were not bound to joyne themselves as members to Abrahams familie or desire and seek to be circumcised But they that have received the doctrine of salvation beleeve Christ and professe the faith are bound to seek and desire the priviledge of the seals in an holy manner 3. Melchizedech Job and Lot were not onely visible beleevers but visible members of the Church according to the manner of dispensing in those times but the Seals as you confesse belong to all beleevers knit together in Church-Covenant 4. If circumcision be appropriated to the family of Abraham it is because the Covenant sealed by circumcision is peculiar to Abrahams posteritie sc that Christ should come as concerning the flesh of Isaac But Baptisme is the seal of the Covenant of grace without any peculiar or speciall tye or respect 5. You contend that Baptisme did belong to such beleevers as were members of the then Jewish Church which cannot stand if Abrahams familie did answer to a Christian societie or congregationall Assembly Just reason therefore may be given why circumcision was dispensed onely to the males of Abrahams familie when baptisme is not to be limited onely to the set members of a particular societie and if this consideration be applied to the purpose instead of saying Circumcision and the Passeover were to be administred onely to the members of the Church you must say Circumcision was to be desired of or administred unto all the true approved visible members of the Church And if there be the same reason of both then all visible approved members of the Church must not desire nor be admitted to the seals but this conclusion you will not acknowledge Answ 4. Consideration THey that are not capable of the Church censures are not capable of the Church priviledges but they that are not within Church-Covenant are not capable of Church censures Ergo. The proposition is evident The Assumption may be proved 1 Corinth 5. 12. What have I to do to judge them that are without Now to be without is not onely the case of Heathens and Excommunicates but of some beleevers also who though by externall union with Christ they are within the Covenant of grace yet being not joyned externally to the visible bodie of Christ a particular Church are in regard of visible Church communion said to be without To this purpose is this text alledged by other Divines also as Dr. Ames Cas of consci l. 4. c. 24. q. 1. resp 5. Reply FIrst men are capable of Church censures in two respects either in having the power of the keyes and authoritie to dispense them according to God or as subject to the censures of the Church In the first sense many are capable of Church priviledges that are not capable of Church censures as the seed of Christian parents children and women You say you admit to the seales the knowne and approved and orderly recommended members of any true Church but to fellowship in the censures admittance of members and choice of Officers onely the members of that particular Church whereof they and we any of us stand members In the second sense also many are capable of Church priviledges who are not subject to Church censures as the children of Christian parents are capable of baptisme the known and approved members of any true Church are capable of the Seales in other Congregations among you who are not subject to the censures of that other Society Spirituall communion in publick prayer is a Church priviledge which is not denied to visible beleevers and godly persons though not in Church order and so not in subjection in your sense to Church censures Secondly a person baptised is not baptised in that particular congregation onely but into all Churches and every particular Church where he cometh he hath all the priviledges of a baptised person in respect of his baptisme and is so to be esteemed by them Now the priviledge of a baptised person who is able to examine himself and walketh in the truth is to be admitted to the Lords Supper All circumcised persons had right thereby to eat the
Passeover in any societie in the place which God should chuse to put his Name there Exod. 12. 4. 47. Deut. 16. 1 2. So all baptised persons have true and intire right to the Lords Supper in everie true Church where God hath set his Name Thirdly there is not the same reason of every Church priviledge for one may have right to some who is not to meddle with others The members of one society may hear the Word joyne in Prayer and receive the Sacraments in another when they are not to meddle in the election and ordination of their teachers The Ministers of the Gospel may preach the Word and administer the Sacraments in another congregation and hereto he needs no other calling but that God offers an opportunitie there is much need of his help and he is intreated or hath leave from them in place or office but he is not to admit members into the societie or cast them out that be admitted And if the Pastor of one Church shall preach or administer the Sacraments in another contrary to the liking and approbation of the Society and Governours though the act be irregular it was never esteemed a nullitie but if he shall presume to excommunicate the members of another societie without the consent oâ— the Church and approbation of Pastors and Teachers under whose charge and jurisdiction they live it hath been judged a meer nullity Therefore the proposition is not so evident as to be taken without proofe that they have no power to admit a beleever into communion in any Church priviledge who have no power to excommunicate Fourthly that visible beleevers baptised into a true Church professing the true faith and walking in holy obedience and godly conversation that they and their seed should be judged such as are without in the Apostles sense because they be not externally joyned as set members to some particular congregation in Church-Covenant is affirmed not proved 1. It hath and may fall out many times through the ignorance rashnesse or pride of a prevailing faction in the Church that the true members of the Catholique Church and the best members of the orthodox visible flock or congregation of Christ may be no members of any distinct visible societie And shall their posteritie be esteemed Aliens and Strangers from the Covenant and debarred from the Sacraments because their parents are unjustly seperated from the inheritance of the Lord Surely as parents unjustly excommunicated do continue still not onely true members of the invisible body but visible members of the flock of Christ so the right of Baptisme doth belong to the Infants of such parents though not actuall and constant members of this or that present assembly in Church order 2. If they be without because no members of a politike bodie or spirituall fellowship then all members which are of one societie are without to another For they that be not of the bodie are not capable of Church censures or subject to the authoritie one of another And so not being under the judgement of that particular Church to it they are without whereas in ancient and moderne times distinct Societies did communicate together admit and receive each other as brethren to testifie their fellowship in the faith If the reason whereupon the Apostle saith the Church of Corinth was not to judge them that were without was because they were not within the Church of Corinth and so not under their censure or judgement this holds true of them that be of another society admitted to the Sacrament as well as of such as be no set members desiring to be received to the Lords Supper 3. The fornicators of this world do they not explaine whom the Apostle pointeth unto by the title of being without ver 10. 11. such as had not received the covenant of grace 4. Church order is necessarie we denie not but this order that a man should be a constant and set member of a particular societie by covenant to make him a true member of the visible Church or to give him title or interest to the publick order this is not taught of God 5. Paul divides all men into two ranks the first and greater without the last and lesser within but that beleevers who have received the holy Ghost and have been baptised into Jesus Christ that they and their children should be reckoned among them that are without that we read not in this nor any other Scripture but in phrase of Scripture hereticks themselves are within the Church 6. The beleevers not yet gathered as the godly learned think into a certain distinct body are called beleevers brethren disciples but that they should be comprehended under them that are without it hath not been beleeved in the Church 7. Without saith the Apostle whether alluding to this place or not let others judge are dogs inchanters whoremongers not such as are called faithfull and holy walking in integritie beleeving in and professing Jesus Christ to be their Saviour 8. They that are without in the Apostes sense are Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel strangers from the covenant of promise having no hope and without God in the world but we hope you will not passe such rash and unadvised censure upon your brethren who be not gathered into your societie as set members 9. Let the interpretation stand and he is without not onely who is no set member of some congregationall Assembly but he that is not subject to the censure of the community of that particular combination few or many with or without Officers And so all the reformed Churches in the world who ascribe the power of the keyes to the Presbitry or Classes and not to the community and some amongst your selves if not the most shall be without also And therefore we cannot think approved Christians desiring to be received unto the Sacrament either to be without or uncapable of Church censures for the time being if they should offend though not set members of any particular congregation for desiring baptisme for their children or themselves to be admitted to the Lords Supper for the time they put themselves under the ordinance of Jesus Christ there And as they are members for the time so they might be proceeded against according to the rule prescribed by our Saviour as they would proceed with an offending member 10. If upon just and good reason a passage of Scripture can be cleared to prove that for which it was never alledged by any writer we are not to except against any truth of God because it wanteth mans testimonie Onely if we desire credit in such cases our reasons must be weightie and convincing But for your exposition of this text of Scripture as yet we have not observed one substantiall ground or approved author to be alledged Doctor Ames shewing the necessitie of Christians ioyning themselves to some particular Church giveth this reason Quoniam alias fieri non potest quâ—â— conturbentur signa illa quibus
Pastors and Teachers shall be much or little confounded Is this to take as illimited power as the Apostles did in the execution of their office How shal this tend to abrogate the distinction of Church Assemblies from the confused multitude or how is the profanation of the seals thereby indangered You aske if without respect to their Church estate men of approved pietie as we say are to be admitted into fellowship in the seals how shall their pietie be approved to the Church not by their own report of themselves alone c. Do not you say the same That there be many godly persons and of approved pietie among us who are not approved by their own report of themselves unlesse ye will take their wisedome faith patience courage constancie and holinesse of life for their report approved we say by as ample and sufficient testimonie as the Apostles exacted of them whom they received into Church fellowship or can be required of members admitted unto the priviledges of the Church if men will follow the Lords direction or as you can give to ordinances members of your societies You professe high respect of your brethren in old England but it seemes you judge them insufficient to give orderly testimonie of the sinceritie and uprightnesse of approved Christians well known unto them and living among them which two cannot well agree We speake not of such who against light refuse to professe subjection to the Gospel of Christ to joyne themselves orderly in fellowship with some approved Church But of such as do with all readinesse professe subjection and walk accordingly and heartily desire to joyn themselves to the most pure and compleat Churches so farre as they are taught of God or have opportunitie thereunto And if exception be taken against them onely who refuse against light to submit themselves to the Gospel by what rule do you proceed when you judge men to refuse against light or debarre them who do not refuse against conscience but for lacke of opportunitie No doubt as you say but now and then a man of approved pietie in the judgement of some may be found too light yea and in the judgement of his owne conscience when he hath come to triall And no question but many have been admitted by the Church who indeed and truth are much too light and some refused who deserved better then they that cast them off we will not dispute what errours have been committed nor what blessing ye have found upon your proceedings we heartily beseech the Lord to keep your congregation pure make his ordinances more and more effectuall go before you in the way wherein you should walk and multiply his mercies upon you in the same But this we are perswaded and therefore we speak that in debarring godly Christians from the Lords Supper and much more the children of those parents who are in covenant with God from holy baptisme you exceed your commission you have received from God and go beyond your due bounds And notwithstanding your circumspection more worthy and faithfull Christians have been denied when of lesse worth and meaner sufficiencies have passed and been by you received Answ 6. Consid NOne have power to dispence the Seales but they that are called to the office of Ministery and no man can be so called till first there be a Church to call him seeing the power of calling Ministers is given by Christ unto the Church and thence it follows that all those that desire to partake of the Seales are bound to joyne themselves in Church state that so they may call a Minister to dispense the Seales unto them And this dutie by the appointment of God lieth not onely upon some Christians but equally upon all ergo no Christian can expect by the appointment of God to partake in the Seals till he have joyned himselfe in Church fellowship and in the call of the Minister And indeed seeing a Church and a Minister called by the Church is of such necessitie for the dispensing of the seales it may seeme unreasonable that some Christians should be bound to become a Church and to call a Minister that so the seales may be dispensed and other men when this is done have equall libertie to the seals who refuse to joyne unto the Church Reply THis conclusion is not to the question propounded for we speake of such as cannot not of such as refuse to joyne themselves unto the Church or if they do not joyne it is not out of contempt or wilfull neglect of Gods ordinance or desire of carnall libertie and not to be in subjection to Christ but for lacke of opportunitie or through their fault that should admit them but do not For if in any of your Churches you shall require more of members to be admitted then Christ the chiefe Shepherd of the flock doth or presse that upon their consciences which they cannot consent unto if they shall sit downe quietly for the time and serve God in private when they cannot injoy Church priviledges it is your fault and not theirs And they may more justly challenge the Assemblie as injurious and tyrannicall then you them as wilfull despisers of Gods ordinance We accuse not the wisedome and discretion of your Chuches but we know the zealous multitude may sometimes be rash And when a reason is craved of your judgement why you do debarre the most knowne and approved Christians which come over and their children from the seals of the covenant we dislike you should put this note upon them as if against light they refused orderly to subject themselves to the Gospel of Jesus Christ What warrant you have thus to censure what use of this manner of dispute we leave it to your godly wisedome to judge In the Consideration it self there are many Propositions couched together which we must examine severally as they have reference to the conclusion intended and then try whether it can be raised from them The first Proposition That none have power to dispence the Seales but they that are called to the office of Ministery is freely granted The second That no man can be so called till first there be a Church to call him needeth explication For by the Church you must understand the community of the faithfull as they are one bodie without officers or guides And such a Church there cannot be without a Ministery to call and admit them into Church-fellowship The Apostles baptised not themselves but by the help of others those not called of the people to be baptised 1 Cor. 1. 17. The Apostles appointed by electiō Elders in every city or Church And so there was a Church before Elders were set over it but this Church was a societie of beleevers by baptisme admitted into Church-fellowship There can be no Church to call a Minister to feed the flock and dispence the seals till they have received the doctrine of salvation intirely and by the seale of initiation be solemnly received into the
societie of men professing Christ A company of men converted to the faith being unbaptized may and ought to desire baptisme but they have not power to elect and chuse one among themselves to dispence the seales unto the rest for ought is to be found in Scripture The Churches constitution into which Christians are to gather themselves must be Apostolicall and not one day or houre younger in nature and forme of it thus the first Church of the New Testament But it can never be shewed in Scripture that any societie of unbaptised persons did first chuse from among them a Pastor or Teacher by whom they might be baptised you cannot produce one example or other proofe in the Scripture of one man teaching the Gospel ministerially but he was baptised and a member of a true Church or of a societie who made choice of a Pastor and teacher but they were baptised persons The third Proposition That the power of calling Ministers is given by Christ unto the Church must also be rightly understood For by the Church must be meant the societie of the faithfull not onely ingrafted into Christ set into the state of salvation and made heires apparent of everlasting blessednesse but solemnly entred and inrolled into the societie of Christs flock and acknowledged members by free admission into the Seales of the Covenant Againe by the Church if we speake of ordinary calling must not be understood of the faithfull alone but their guides and officers together with them who are to goe before the rest and to direct and governe them in their choice Neither can we say that any two or three beleevers linked together in societie doe make such a Church as to whom the calling of the Minister doth belong but that right was given by Christ to such Churches as were gathered and established by the Apostles The Church hath a Ministery of calling one whom Christ hath described that from Christ he may have power of Office given him in the vacant place But the office gift and power of the Ministery is immediately from Christ and not from the Church The Church doth neither virtually nor formally give power to her Officers but ministerially onely as ministring to him who hath power and vertue to conferre it And this right of election is so given to the communitie and body of the people that if they have consented to give away their right or if it be taken injuriously from them the calling of the Minister notwithstanding may be true and ministeriall acts done by him that is thrust upon the people without their consent may be effectuall to their salvation A wrong it is altogether to debarre the godly of their consent in the calling of such as must watch for their soules but it makes not the calling it selfe a meere nullitie for then many Churches in the world within a few hundred yeares after Christ should have wanted both ministery and Sacraments and they would have been altogether destitute of both ministery and Sacraments for many hundred yeares The fourth That all those who desire to partake in the Seales are bound to joyne themselves together in Church-state that so they may call a Minister to dispence the Seales unto them will not follow from the former rightly understood We deny not but Christians are bound to joyne themselves together in holy fellowship if God give them opportunitie but they must partake in the Seales before they can joyne themselves together in Church-state And such as for lack of meanes and opportunitie cannot joyne themselves into such an estate or be dispersed by persecution or be destitute of Pastors and Teachers may for a time desire and seek to have the seales dispenced unto them by the Pastors and Teachers of other Societies with whom they hold communion in the faith The people also who are deprived of right and libertie to choose their Pastor may desire and seek to have the Seales dispenced unto them by him who is set over them If a company of Infidells should be converted to the faith they must desire to partake in the ordinances of grace before they could joyne together in a Church-way to call a Minister of their own who might administer the Sacraments unto them To make Disciples and baptize are joyned together And if these Propositions be allowed for current a nation or people plunged into Idolatry or Infidelitie or otherwise dischurched cannot by ordinary meanes recover into a Church-estate wherein they may lawfully and according to Gods appointment desire or expect that the Seales of the Covenant should be dispenced to them The fifth Proposition riseth beyond measure that no Christian can expect by the appointment of God to partake in the Seales till he have joyned himselfe in Church-fellowship and the calling of the Minister Wee conceive you will not say that children and women have to doe in the call of the Minister for women they are debarred by their sex as from ordinary Prophesying so from any other dealing wherein they take authority over the man If some part of the Congregation doe not consent in the election of Pastors or Teachers have they not right to expect to have the Seales of the Covenant dispenced to themselves or their seede If the people be deprived of that libertie to choose or call their Minister must they seperate from the ordinances of worship there dispenced and from the Congregations as no true Churches If some persons by the providence of God live in such places where they cannot joyne in Church-fellowship and call of the Minister as suppose the Christian wife childe or servant nor lawfully remove to any such Societie must they and their children live as strangers and aliens from the Covenant of grace wherein they may not expect to partake of the Seales If Infidels be converted to the faith must they not partake in the Seales because they cannot joyne in Church-fellowship and call of the Minister before they be admitted to Baptisme Here you say the people must joyne together in the call of the Minister before they can lawfully desire to be admitted to the Seales And another hath zealously affirmed It is a presumptuous sin in any to choose an Officer not trained up and tryed scil in the debating discussing carrying and contriving of Church-affaires as also in admonition exhortation and comfort publickly occasioned and so manifested Lay these two together and let it be considered how long many a poore soule converted to the faith must be compelled to want the comfort of Gods ordinances Besides if a people be joyned together in Church-fellowship and have called a Pastor to feed and watch over them wee desire not words but proofe why the poore dispersed Christians wanting means or opportunitie to joyn themselves together into societie ought not to desire and that others be not bound in conscience to afford them the comfort of Gods ordinances If the Propositions may stand for good I feare we shall scarce finde that
or that the parents should be actuall visible set members of some particular distinct body before their children be baptised They that beleeve in Jesus Christ have received the word of promise and walk therein they and their children are within the Covenant and have right and title to the Seales of the Covenant but in their order the infants to baptisme parents baptised to the Lords Supper And if in that state by divine grant they have interest to the Sacraments the Church in debarring them because they be not yet grown into one distinct separate societie of mutuall covenant doth exceed the bounds of her commission For a ministeriall power onely is committed to the Church to admit or refuse them who are to be admitted or refused by authoritie from God But the Church if she thrust beleeving parents from the Supper of the Lord and their seed from baptisme she denieth these benefits to them who by the grace and gift of God have lawfull right and title thereto 1. For first the baptisme of John was true baptisme and truly administred by him And they that were baptized by him received the seales of the Covenant and were esteemed members of the visible Church But John never demanded of them who came to his baptisme whether they were entred into spirituall fellowship by mutuall covenant one with another This was not then knowne to be a necessarie and essentiall point in the lawfull due and orderly administration of the Sacrament The disciples of our Saviour made and baptised disciples professing the faith but not combined into Church-state or fellowship The Apostles commission was first to teach the Gentiles and then to baptise them having received their doctrine And this they carefully observed in the execution of their ministery upon grounds and reasons common to them and us for as soone as any man or number of men gladly received the doctrine of salvation and gave their names to Jesus Christ if they desired to be baptised forthwith they accepted them never excepting that they were no set members of a distinct visible congregation When the first 3000. converts being pricked in their consciences came to Peter and the rest of the Apostles saying Men and brethren what shall we do Peter returns this answer Repent and be baptised every one of you in the Name of Jesus c. For to you is the promise made and to your children and to all that are afar off c. As soon as the Samaritanes beleeved Philip who preached the things that concerned the kingdom of God they were baptised both men and women When the Eunuch asked of Philip See here is water what doth let me to be baptised he answereth not if thou beest first received as a set member into a visible congregation thou mayest but if thou beleevest with all thy heart thou mayest Can any man forbid water saith Peter speaking of the Gentiles upon whom was powred the gift of the holy Ghost that these should not be baptised who have received the gift of the holy Ghost as well as we At that time it was not held a bar sufficient to keep them from the Sacrament of baptisme because they were not set members of a distinct societie which had it been essentiall to the lawfull and orderly administration of the Sacraments questionlesse it had been observed in the first Institution and administration of them Annanias baptised Paul before he was any set member of a congregationall Assembly Lydia and her houshold the Jaylor and his house were baptised without regard to their Church-estate For in the same night which he was converted he was baptized with all his houshold And this was done not by the Apostles onely upon speciall dispensation but by others upon grounds and reasons common to them and all ages viz. because they were disciples beleeved gladly received the Word had received the holy Ghost were called and the promise was made to them and to their seed even to all them that were afarre off Now if the Apostles dispensed the seales to them that were not in Church-fellowship upon common grounds it is not essentiall to the lawfull dispensation of the seales that all partakers should be under such a covenant If the baptised disciples beleevers such as gladly received the Word and had received the gift of the holy Ghost then the seals of the Covenant belong unto such and by the grace of God they have right and title unto those priviledges 2. As we received the Sacraments from God by divine Institution so must we learne from him how and to whom the same are to be administred observing what he hath commanded without addition or diminution But we have learned from Christ the Author of Baptisme and the constant practise of the Apostles the first dispensers of these holy seales who best understood the mind and pleasure of the Lord herein that such as be called of God to whom the promise is made who have received the gifts of the holy Ghost beleeved in the Lord Jesus professed their faith in him and repentance for sins past with purpose of amendment for the time to come that such have right unto and desiring it ought to be received unto Baptifme and are greatly wronged if they be deprived of that unspeakable benefit 3. By a lively faith a man is made a living member of Jesus Christ and hath internall communion with him by the intire profession of Christian faith joyned with conformity of life in righteousnesse and holinesse and fellowship of love he is a member of the visible congregation or flock of Christ though no set member of a free distinct independant Societie And Baptisme is the seale of our admission into the congregation or flock of Christ but not evermore of our receiving into this or that particular societie as set members thereof This latter is accidentall to baptisme not essentiall It may fall out to be so but it is not ever necessarie nor is the Sacrament to be denyed nor can we say it is imperfectly administred where it cannot be attained For the Catholique Church is one intire bodie made up by the collection and agregation of all the faithfull unto the unity thereof from which union there ariseth unto every one of them such a relation to dependance upon that Church Catholique as parts use to have in respect of the whole And this holds true not onely of sound beleevers in respect of internall fellowship with Christ their head and so one with another but of all men professing the true and intire doctrine of faith and salvation in respect of them that hold and professe the same faith of Christ and worship God according to his will whereupon it followeth that neither particular persons nor particular guides nor particular Churches are to worke as severall divided bodies by themselves but are to teach and be taught and to do all other duties as parts conjoyned to the whole and members of the
receptacle of it and from it derived to others But this power must be in the communitie as the first subject from whom it commeth to the Officers As the power of seeing is not onely given in tuitu hominis as the end of it and the totum to whom it agreeth but is in homine as the first subject from which it commeth to the eyes The Apostles and other Governors were given of Christ for the Church as for their end and all their authoritie was given unto them for the Church as for the whole but the authoritie it selfe was immediately derived from Christ and is not in the Church as the immediate subject nor derived from the Church but from Christ the King of the Church The authoritie of Governors is given of Christ for a gift to the Church but not for a gift absolute that it may reside in the power of the whole Church to whom it is given but for a conditionall gift communicated to the Governors themselves for the good of the whole It is one thing then to aske for what end or use the keyes are given another to whom To every one is given the declaration of the Spirit for profit i. e. for the good of the Church But was this gift given to the communitie of the faithfull first and immediately No By gift and possession it was given to some but for use and profit it was publick After the Churches were established it tooke not effect for then it must be shewed where Christ committed the power of God first to the Apostles and after to the communitie of the faithfull But that is no where to be found in holy scripture The Ministers and guides of the Church were immediately of Jesus Christ from whom immediately they derive their power and authoritie by whom they are set over their charge in whose Name they must execute their office whose Stewards Legates and Ambassadors they are and unto whom they must give an account Yea Pastorship is the gift of Christ no lesse then Apostleship and that the more because it is perpetuall in the Church every Pastor is not immediately called but the Office and order of Pastors the calling authoritie and jurisdiction is immediately from Christ and not from the Church The Steward is appointed of the Master of the family alone and hath all his authoritie and jurisdiction from him Every Ambassador in the cause of his ambassage doth immediately depend upon him from whom he is sent But if the function order and authoritie of Pastors and Teachers be immediately from Christ then it is not received from the Church as the immediate receptacle Thus Protestant Divines dispute against Papists If Bishops receive their power and authority of exercising immediately from Christ by mandate mission and commission from him then they derive it not from the Pope And if Presbyters receive their order jurisdiction and power of execution from Christ by his mandate and Commission then they receive it not from the Bishop And by the same reason if the power of the keyes be the immediate gift of Christ to his Ministers then they derive not their power and authoritie from the people It is usually objected that the Church cannot convey what she never had but the people may Elect their Pastor Whereunto the answer is direct and plaine Nothing can give that which it had not formally or virtually unlesse it give it as an instrument ministring to one who hath it but so it may give what it never had nor is capable of A Steward may give all the offices in his Masters house as ministerially executing his Masters pleasure Electors have not evermore authoritie over him whom they elect but power and authoritie onely to apply that power to him whom they choose The power and authoritie whereunto a Minister is elected is not in the people that elect him but from Christ the King and head of his Church who out of power doth conferre that office upon him If we consider what men give or give not universally it must be deemed that any men can make Ministers because they give not the office gifts or authoritie which are from Christ alone 3. If Ecclesiasticall and spirituall power be in the multitude and community of the faithfull the Church doth not onely call but make Officers out of power and vertue received into her selfe and then should the Church have a true lordlike power in regard of her Ministers For as he that will derive authority to the Church maketh himselfe Lord of the Church so if the Church derive authoritie to the Ministers of Christ she maketh herself Lady and Mistris over them in the exercise of that authoritie over them For all men know it is the property of the Lord and Master to impart authoritie Did the Church give power and authoritie to the Pastors and Teachers she might make the Sacraments and preaching which one doth in order no Sacraments no preaching For it is the order instituted of God that gives being and efficacie to these ordinances And if the power of ruling feeding and dispensing the holy things of God do reside in the faithfull the Word and Sacraments in respect of dispensation and efficacie shall depend upon the order and institution of the Societie If the power of the keyes be derived from the community of the faithfull then are Officers immediately and formally servants to the Church and must do every thing in the name of the Church Rule feed bind loose remit and retaine sinnes preach and administer the Sacraments then they must performe their Office according to the direction of the Church more or lesse seldome or frequent remisse or diligent For from whom are they to receive direction how to carry themselves in their Office but from him or them from whom they receive their Office whose works they do and from whom they expect their reward If their power and office be of God immediately they must do the duties of their place according to his designement and to be accountable unto God But if their power and function be from the Church the Church must give account unto God and the Officers unto the Church whom she doth take to be her helpers If it be said that God will have the Church to chuse Officers to execute the power committed unto her The answer is either God will have her elect officers of his designement to do his work according to that power which he shall give them and by his direction and then they are God servants and not the Churches and receive their charge and function immediately from God and not from the people or he leaveth it to the arbitriment of the Church to chuse according to their pleasure such as must receive charge and authoritie from her And then they must execute their office in her name so as shall seeme good unto the Church and neither longer nor otherwise For if the Ministers of the Church
your answer is for the most part of Ministers set aside or deprived through their own default We never purposed to speak one word for any unworthy Minister whom Christ hath put out of office and therefore your labour to prove that such justly rejected by the Church are no longer Ministers might well have been saved But sitting them aside we will in few words examine your conclusions upon which you bind the certainty of that sentence you passe against them First it is certain and clear from the Word that a Pastor or Teacher neither in these dayes hath nor in any other age of the Church ought to have Apostolicall power over all Churches The Apostles had onely power to serve the Church with the personall service of their Apostleship But pastorall power of ordinarie Ministers or Teachers they never had and if the Apostles had not the power of ordinarie Ministers much lesse can Pastors receive the power of Apostles for Christ gave both the one and the other order But as the Apostles were not Pastors of that Church to which they preached and among whom they continued for some space no more do Pastors become Apostles if they preach the Word or dispence the Sacraments to another flock or people beside their own whereof they have the speciall oversight But of this matter we have spoken before and of the texts of Scripture here alledged therefore we will not repeat what hath been said alreadie onely it seemeth somewhat strange that you should cite those texts of Scripture as if the Apostle had said feed one flock or feed that flock of God onely For we find the word one or onely neither in the text expresly nor in the sense for which it is here alledged viz. as if he might not perform any ministeriall act in another Congregation upon any occasion whatsoever Secondly the power of feeding which the Minister hath is neither confined to one societie onely nor nextly derived to him from Christ by the Church The office and authoritie of a Pastor is immediately from Christ The deputation of the person which Christ hath designed is from the Church ministerially but neither virtually nor formally The consent of the people is requisite in the election of Pastors and Teachers we grant the direction of the Elders going before or along with them but the authoritie office and gift of a Pastor is not from the people or Elders but from Christ alone When an Apostle was to be chosen in the place of Judas Act. 1. 22 23. no one had the handling of that businesse but Peter declared unto the brethren present what an one ought to be taken and they present two whereof one was elected by lot In this example somethings are extraordinarie for one onely was to be chosen and that immediately by God himselfe and somethings ordinarie for our imitation For if Peter would do nothing without consent of the disciples thenmay not ordinarie elections be passed without consent and approbation of the Church but it is not a popular election not governed by the fore-direction of Elders which is concluded from this passage of Scripture but a Church election by the free consent and judgement of the faithfull with the fore-leading of the Presbyterie When Deacons were to be chosen Act. 6. 1. 6. in the Church of Jerusalem it was done by the consent of the Church The mutinie of the Hellenists against the Hebrews occasioned that election but was no cause why it was made by free consent The Apostles shew what persons must be chosen and who ever thought the Church was left at libertie to chuse as she please without direction But in this election the people did first chuse the Apostles onely directing whom the people ought to make choice of when most commonly the Apostles instructed the people and went before them in the election and they consented Act. 14. 23. The Apostles by consent chose Elders and so in every matter of great importance belonging directly to the whole bodie of the Church whether severally in one congregation or joyntly in many the consent of the faithfull by observation of the Apostles was required Act. 11. 22. and 15. 22. and 16. 4. 1 Cor. 8. 19. But in the primitive times after the Apostles one Church might elect and chuse a Pastor for another As Ignatius exhorts the Phyladelphians that they would elect a Pastor for the Church of Antioch And so when the East Church was infected with Arrianisme Basil epist 69. 70. 74. thought it a fit meanes to remove the heresie if the Bishops of Italie being sent thither did condemne the heresie and he imploreth the aid of the Bishops of Italy France and all the East Cyprian saith all Bishops sunt mutuae concordiae glutine copulati that if any hold heresie the rest should help It would be too long to reckon up examples which in this case might be produced If here it be questioned whether your election of the people be essentiall to the calling of a Minister We answer 1. A thing is essentiall two wayes First as absolutely necessarie so that the thing can have no existence without it Secondly as necessarie to the integritie of the thing so that it is maimed without it Againe either the people be few in number and simple apt to be led aside unable to judge of the sufficiencie of their Minister or they be more in number increased in wisdome sound in faith and able to discern betwixt things that differ In the first sense the election of the people is not necessary or essentiall But in the second we cannot say he is no Minister that is not chosen by the people but his calling in that respect is maimed If the people be few and simple apt to be deceived they stand in more need of guidance and direction both from their own Elders and other Churches If the people be many in number full of wisdome and understanding their libertie to choose is the greater and it is the greater wrong to be deprived of it The practise of the Apostles and the primitive Churches for many ages will confirme this for sometimes men were propounded to the Church to be chosen Sometimes the choice was wholly left to them and was not that for our direction that more libertie is given where the danger is lesse and more restraint and caution used where the danger is more apparent that if they be left to themselves either an ill or unfit choice will be made In reason this is evident for the childs consent is required in marriage but the more able he is to choose for himselfe the more libertie may parents grant the lesse able the more watchfull must they be and so in this businesse Brotherly societie requires that we mutually exhort admonish reprove and comfort each other as occasion requires and as need requires It is a dutie of Neighbour-Churches to lend their helpe to their brethren in the choice and election of their Minister When
the Scripture willeth that one should admonish another it is not onely a command to every singular man towards his fellow but also to any whole company too another societie Bellarmine asketh quo jure unus populus Episcopum alterius populi elegere potest Junius answereth Certe charitatis jure communione sanctorum And Paul when he teacheth that all the faithfull are members of one mysticall body of Christ who ought to have a mutuall care one of another laid the foundation of this policie It is a blemish in the calling of a Minister if either the people be not fit to choose or being fit they be shut forth from the choice but this maime doth not make a nullitie in his calling for in every true Church where the word is preached and received and the Sacraments for substance rightly administred there is a true and lawfull Ministery and a true and lawfull calling of that Ministery though in some things defective In the Church of God all sound and saving truth is to be found for it is the pillar and ground of truth and where the true profession of all saving truth with the right use of the Sacraments for substance is to be found there is the Church which ordinarily cannot be had maintained and continued without a lawfull Ministery nor that without a calling The saving truth of God a lawfull Ministery are both essentiall to a true Church Something of this remaines in every compleat societie that hath any thing of the Church and for essence and substance they are true in every true lawfull compleat societie The profession of the truth may be true and sound in all necessary and fundamentall points though mixed with diverse errors and the Ministery for truth and substance lawfull though many wayes deficient In the true Church there is a true Ministery but the true Church hath continued there by the blessing of God where the election of Ministers hath been given away by the people or taken from them In the primitive Church when the people had a voyce in the choice of their Pastor oftentimes there were factions in the Church the people stood against their guides and challenged the whole power of election to themselves Sometimes they were divided among themselves Sometimes they gave away their power at least in part and sometimes Ministers were set over them without their councell and advice whose Ministery notwithstanding was not reputed voyde and of none effect If it be objected that many things were amisse in those primitive elections what will follow thence but that the Ministery may be lawfull and good where there be many wants in the manner of calling If this be not granted what shall be done when the people and their Elders be divided in the choice of a fit Officer If the people prevaile against their Elders he whom they choose is no Minister to them because not chosen by their suffrages if the Elders against the people he whom they approve is no Minister unto theirs because not chosen by their suffrage And so if there be dissention they must seperate from or excommunicate one another because he is no Minister to the one whom the others approve The Orthodox Pastors did professe so that the Donatists would returne to the true and Apostolicall doctrine they would not disallow their Bishops that they might understand that Catholiques did not detest Christian consecration as Augustine speakes by humane error The high Priesthood was bought and sold for money and sometimes made annuall and every yeare new high Priests created Sicut isti praefecti quos singulis annis promutant reges as Sol Jarchi saith That as every man would lay out more or lesse money he should get or lose the Priesthood which may be seene in the examples of Jason or Menelaus Neverthelesse so long as the Jewes continued the true Church of God the Priesthood was true also The reformed Churches who have seperated from the abhominations of Rome professe the first reformers among them received some ordinary calling in the Romane Synagogue They that thinke the basest of Rome will acknowledge Baptisme unduely administred by Priests or Jesuites to be for substance the holy Sacrament of Christ And if the Baptisme of God may be derived from the Ministery it is no absurditie to thinke that the first seekers of reformation derived authoritie from Christ to preach the Word and administer the Sacraments by them as Stewards used of God to set them in that office for the seekers of reformation derived their authoritie from God and that which is instituted by Christ is not made voyde by the corruptions of men The third and fourth consideration we will passe over because from what hath been spoken it is easie to understand in what sense they may be admitted and in what denyed and we have no desire to trouble you with the examination of that which falleth not into question As for the second branch of your Answer that in case the Church shall without cause or without sufficient weightie cause rashly or wilfully set him aside whom Christ hath set over them yet he still remaines a Minister of Christ untill he accepts of a call from another people in whose account notwithstanding such Depositions he hath true right of administring among that people We know not well your meaning if this be your minde that a Minister lawfully called and set over one Congregation is to be esteemed a Minister in the usuall Church as the particular Church hath unitie with and is part of the universall or Catholique and as a partie baptized is not baptized into that particular Congregation onely but into all Churches and that the Ministery is one Cujus à singulis in solidum pars tenetur as Cyprian speakes and therefore though the Minister be unjustly cast off by one Congregation yet he is not to be esteemed as no Minister we freely consent But if your meaning be that he is onely by right a Minister of that particular Congregation because unjustly deposed as formerly in the execution of his office he was a Minister to them onely and to none other societie whatsoever or in what respect soever your opinion is contrary to the judgement and practise of the universall Church and tendeth to destroy the unitie of the Church and that communion which the Churches of God may and ought to have one with another for if he be not a Minister in other Churches then are not the Churches of God one nor the Ministers one nor the flocke which they feed one nor the Communion one which they have each with other And if the Pastor derive all his authoritie to feede from the Church when the Church hath set him aside what right hath he to administer among that people If they erre in their deposition it is true they sinne against Christ But as they give right to an unworthy man to administer among them if they call him unjustly so they take
right from the worthy if wrongsully they depose him The Minister is for his Ministery the office for the execution and so the Pastor and the flocke are relatives And therefore if their Election gave him authoritie among them to seed their casting him off hath stripped him of the same power which formerly they gave him And his ministery ceasing he should cease to be their Minister if he stood as Minister onely to that Congregation in every respect Whit. depont q. 4. Sec. 10. pa. 559. Certe lex naturae ratio clamitat cujus est instituere ejus est destruere sive destituere ad quem institutio pertinet ad eundem destitationem seu destructionem pertinere Rob. aga B. p. 214. If the Congregation may chuse and elect their Governours then they may refuse and reprobate them VIII POSITION That one Minister cannot performe any ministeriall act in another Congregation Answer IF you take ministeriall act improperly as sometimes it is taken by some onely when the Minister of one Church doth exercise his gifts of praying and preaching in another Church being by themselves so desired Then we answer in this sense a Minister of one Church may do a ministeriall act in another which he doth not perform by vertue of any calling but onely by his gifts and thus upon any occasion we mutually perform those acts one in anothers Churches But if you meane by ministeriall act such an act of authoritie and power in dispensing of Gods ordinance as a Minister doth perform to the Church whereunto he is called to be a Minister then we deny that he can so perform any ministeriall act to any other Church but his own because his office extends no further then his call For that solemne charge Act. 20. 28. is not to feed all flocks but that one flock onely over which the holy Ghost hath made them over-seers If the question were propounded to any Minister so exercising in an others Church which was once to our Saviour by the chief Priests and Elders By what power doest thou these things and who gave thee this authoritie let that Minister whosoever he be study how to make an answer Reply THe preaching of the Word publick prayer in the congregation met together solemnly to worship God and the administration of the Sacraments are acts properly ministeriall if any other to be performed by power and authoritie from Christ as you acknowledge for the preaching of the Word and dispensation of the Seales in your second Consideration But these acts one Minister may performe in another Congregation or towards the members of another Church You know by whom your question hath been propounded touching one Ministers exercising in another Ministers Church and how it hath been answered and if you see more light and truth then formerly we would desire you substantially to confute what answers some of you have returned to that demand To admit saith Mr. J. D. those that are known members of another Church to Communion in the Sacraments upon fitting occasions I hold lawfull and do professemy readinesse to practise accordingly Again I conceive that besides my membership else where and the right which those Churches give to known passants of being admitted to the Communion for a short time both himself and the whole Church acknowledge me for a member with them for the time of my abode in that service which they testified by desiring the help of my publick labours and their cheerfull admittance of me to that ordinance during that time without the least scruple And if a Minister may pray preach blesse the congregation in the name of the Lord and receive the Sacrament with them being thereunto requested we doubt not but by consent of the Pastor and the Congregation he may lawfully dispense the Seals amongst them also as need and occasion requires That distinction of preaching by office and exercising his gifts onely when it is done by a Minister and desired of none but Ministers and that in solemne set constant Church-assemblies we cannot find warranted in the Word of truth and therefore we dare not receive it FINIS It is truly observed by Master Davenport out of Ambros Offic. l 1. c. 1. Et quantum libet quisque profecerit nemo est qui doceri non indigeni dum viâ—it Appoll Preface to the Reader Wrence these men saith Cann against Robi superstitiously addicted to their new devise that beware how to reject the unanimous judgment and practice of all learned men and true Churches Stay against straying pag. 47. I am and shall be always ready to give all due respect to those good customes of Churches which are taken upon good warrant and ground and long continued among Gods people I. D. Apol. p. 31. Good customes taken up by the Churches upon good grounds should not lightly be broken or laid downe wherein I doe fully agree with the Authour of that elaborate Commentary upon the fourth Chapter of Iohn I. D. Apol. Sect. 12. Examina p. 251. This Argument is used by the Abridgment against conformity to the Ceremonies and we do not see but it is as strong against this Liturgy Whereas the publisher of this answer to the six Positions refers the reader to Mr. Cottons answer unto Mr. Ball for satisfaction in this point concerning set formes of prayer The reader is earnestly intreated to compare Master Balls Treatise and Mr Cottons answer with seriousnesse and indifferencie because Mr Ball having received that answer before the publishing of his Treatise being much enlarged whereof Mr Cotton was ignorant was confident that with addition of some marginall noâ—es which in reference thereto he added his Treatise would sufficiently defend it selfe against all the assaults which that answer made against it We may not Communicate at all in that ministery which is exercised by an unlawfull Person or in an unlawful place Robinson against Bern. Counsell debated p 17 Ibid. pag 79 Esa 56. 10. Ezech 4â— 7 8. Mic 3. 11 12. Ier. 5. 31. Esa 9 15 6. Ioh. 2. 16. Math 5. 20 21. 15. 4 5. 23 1 3. 14. Math. 16 6. 12. 15. 14. See Whitak de pontif q 4. f 10. pag. 557. Phil. 1. 15. Hos 4 6 7. 1 Sam. 2. 12 13 14 17 14. Ier. 8. 8 9. Mic 3. 11 12. Phil 1. 15. Helv conf cap 18 § 11. 19 §. 9 Gal. conf art 28 Arg. conf Art 13. Saxon. conf Art 12 Zep. de Sac l. 2. c. 6. Art of Religion Hybera Art 70 Carlton praelect de Ecclesia cap. 20. We see no warrant why for every particular act that in a larger sence is Idolatrous adjoyned to Gods true worship we should forbeare our presence at the true worship it self Unreason of seperation answ to 6. argument Compare what ' Master I. D. hath written in defence or excuse in resorting to the Assemb of the Separatists called Brownists Apol. Sect. 5. exam p. 6â— Apol. Sect. 28 exam pag. 246. Rom 16
16. 1 Cor. 11 16. 14 33. Rom 16 4. Gal â— 22. 1 Thess 2 14. 1 Cor 16 19. Gal. â— 2. Act 15 2. 19 37. 15. 25 38. Eph. 4. 4 5. Acts. 2. 38. 41. Gen 1. 10. Math. 28. 14 20. Robins against Bern. reas discus pa. 77. Lev 2. 13. Deut. 29. 12. 26. 17. 18. Rom. 3. 2 Deut. 4 6. Psa 247 19 20 Neb. 9. 13. Act. 7. 38. Luk. 16. 29. 2 Cor 5 19 11. 2. Deut 33. 3. 10. 8. 30 Robin against Bern P 159. Act 14 22. T it 1 5. Rob against Bern. Act 11 26. In the same verse the same persons are called the Church disciples and Christians pag. 106 107. 211 c. also pag. 51 Ezeck 46. 10 See Lavaâ—er on Ezek Math 18. 20. Ier. 14. 9. Ios. 24. 14 Rom. 10. 14 Act 2. 42 As Christ is that one great Pastor so hath hee generally one fold and flock Iohn 10. 16. Ezeck 34 22 23 which is his Church as he saith And ye my flock the flock of my pasture are men Ezek 34. 31. Aynsw Cant 1. 8. Sure it is that hee is none of Christs sheepe visibly or in respect of men which is without Christs sheepfold for there is one sheepfold and one sheepheard Iohn 10 16. Robins against Bern likelihoods p. 61. Hieron tom 2. Ep. 85. Nec altera Romae urbis Ecclesia alteratotius orbis existimanda est Gallia Britannia Asia c. omnes barbarae Nationes unum Christum adorant unam observant regulam veritatis 1 Cor 12. 28. Col. 1. 21. 1 Cor. 12 13. 1 Cor. 15. 9. Gal. â— 13. Phil. 3. 6. 1 Tim. 3. 15. 1 Pet. 5. 2. Pastores sunt omnes sed grex unus qui ab Apostolis omnibus unanimi consensu pascatur Cypr. de unitate Ecclesiae Etsi pastores multi sumus unum tamen gregem pascimus Cypr. l. 3. Epistola 13. Cum sit a Christo una Ecclesia per totum mundum in multa membra divisa item Episcopatus unus Episcoporum multorum concordi numero diffusus c. Cypr. l. 4. Ep. 7. Iohn 9. 22 35. 12. 42 16. 2. Aâ—â—anasius may be for an example Gen 17. 7. Lev. 16. 12. Apo. 1 11. 13. Heb. 16. 10. Rob. against Bern. pa. 127. Rom. 4. 12. â—8 Gen. 12. 3. Gal. 26 7 3 15 16 17 Rob. against Bâ—r. pa. 2â—2 See Mr. I. D. Apol. 11. Sect. exam p. 117. I. D. Apol. 5. Sect. exem pag. 61 18. Bucer diss ep 3 pa 43 ep 48. pa. 226. Act. 8. 6. 15 4. Act 8. 12. 14. 18. 12. Acts 2. 41. 4. 4. 5 14. 6. 1. 6. 7 Ezra 2. 36 37 38. Act. 6. 2 81. 15. 2 4 6 22 23 16. 4. 21 18. 28. Act 11. 21. Act. 11 24 26 Act. 13 12 et 14. 27. et 15. 30 34 35. Acts 19 10. 16. 9 29. 27. Acts 19. 19. Robinson against Bern p. 196. Euseb hâ—st l. â— c. 35 â—at 43. Gâ—aeâ— 33. Raff 1 hit de Sacra contr de bapt qu 2 3 pag 237 238. Aâ—â—ers of the Sacr l. 2 c 6 fol. 211. 〈◊〉 de Pâ—esâ—yâ— pag. 79. Act. 14 â—3 Col. 4. 17 1 Pet 5. 2 Act 20. 28 Ioh. 4. 2. 23 23. Mark 9. 15. Act 17 22 23 32. 19. 8. 9 Rob. against â—ern p 151 these Keyes in d. c. In the Corporation the Church there is alwayes the whole power of Christ to residing which you may call officers for the use of it selfe to which it is sufficient that it can without officers use this power for things simply necessary as for receiving in of members by profession of faith and confession of sins for edifying of them by exhortation and comforts in the ordinance of prophesying and so for excommunication Rob. against B. pag. 224. See Rob. against Ber. pag. 130. 131. 132. If you call it consultation in an assembly wherein all have equall power and voyce in determining things some one going before the rest Idem pag 202 Robins against Bern. Coun. debated p 32. ibid. p. 79. 1 Cor. 11 28. 2 Cor. 23. 5. Beza de Presbyt Excom pag. 32 Robins against Bern. pag. 252. Acts 20 28 The Word of God and Canons of Councels will have Pastors so to care for their own flock that they forbid them not to care for the whole Church especially in a time of common combustion The answer of some Brethren pag 12. Publica Dei invocatio non minima pars communis in unâ fide consensionis Beza contra Erastum de Presbyt pap 13. Euseb Hist 5. c. 26. Graec. Chamâ—â—â— Panst Tom 2. l. 10. c. 8. Sect. 16. The Churches Plea pag 44. Apâ—l pag. 117 298. Orig. in Isa Hom. 6. Qui vocatur ad Episcopatum vocatur ad servitutem totius Ecclesiae Chrysoft in 2 Cor. hom 18. Vniversae curam gerimus See Cham Panstr Tom. 2. pag. 10. cap. 12. Sect. 8 9 10. c. Jun. Animadv in Bellar. contro 5. lib. 1. c. 3. not 3. cap. 7 not 7. Act. 13. 15. Rom. 16 3. 12. Phil. 2. 15 16. 4. 2. â—am 5. 19 20. Act. 4. 26. 40 9 38. 10. 5. 11. 19. 21 1 Cor. 14. 23 24. Esay 2. 3. Ezr. 8. 23. 10. 1. 41. 45. 42. 9. 12. 20. Revel 3. 9 What example have you but grounds for the baptising of infants or where read you of any officer excommunicated by any Rob. against Ber. p. 214. we may not expect examples of any Pastors in scriptures who did thus I. D. Apol. 9. Sect. exam p. 1â—3 See I. D. Apol. texts exam pa. 288. Exod 1248. Exod. 447. Col 2. 11 12. Erast so objects against Bern. Sicut a Circumcisione ad Baptismum argumentamur ut probemus infantes esse baptizandos ita etiam licet ab agno Paschatis ad Coenam Domini c. whereto hee truly replyeth Ego vero non negolicere c. at non temere universaliter Beza contra Erast pag. 23. â—ev 12. 23. 22. 7 Exo. 22. 30 Eph. 215. Etiam si daremus nullam legi ab Apostolis excommunicationem non tamen sequeretur ita esse quum satis constet non omnium singularia Apostolorum gesta perscripta fuisse Bez. de Presb. p. 7. Et si de Melchizedeck Iobo quae huc adferuntur non sunt extra controversiam Nam foedere cum Abra. inito non excluduntur ij qui ante erant in foedere sed accensentur foederi Ita autem se habuit Melchizedeck c. omnino enim consors promissionis divine fuit ante foedus cum eo initum Gen. 17. Job vero credens fuit promissionibus foederis de sententia veterum fuit circumcisus etiam haereditarià circumcisione a paterno maternaque sanguine Vt elegantèr scribit author libri de verà Circumcisione qui Hieron ad scribitur Iun. anim adv in Bellar contrav 4. lib. 3. cha 16. not
13. 1◠D. exam 〈◊〉 tents p 309. Mat. 3. 7. 10 42. Act. 2 37 38. 41. 8 37. 10. 47. 48. 1. Cor. 5. 12. 1. Job 2. 19. 1. Cor. 11. 19. Rev. 22. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Tim. 3. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Script ethnici apud patres audiunt 01 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 8. 11. Ephes 2. 12. Rob. against Ber. p. 101. * Mr. 10. D. Apol. Sect. 40. exam p. 182. What though this inconvenience do arise sometimes through mans corruption it should be otherwise and we must ever consider of the nature of Gods ordinances in their right use c. Rob. against Ber. pa. 213. Respondit caam nullam fuisse cur 10. Bapt. istos accedentes rejiceret ut qui ad ejus bapt venirent cum peccatorum agnitione nec ipse potestatem haberet eos excommunicandi etiamsi fuissent excom digni Beza de Presb. p 23. Recte sane quis illos à sacris prohibuerat c. etsi sit tam sceleratus quispiam quam esse exist imatur tum si tale judicium sibi quisque sumat quae mox fuerit Ecclesie facies sed pretered tenendum est istud in hoc negotio inita cujuspiam cons non probabillas rectam alterius consciam Id. pa. 26. Id in privatorum arbitrio relinquere ut alibi diximus periculosum nimis toti Ecclesiae valde damnosum fuisset Id. p. 80. Demonstr of Disc ca. 4. Rob. against Bern. likely veiwed p. 40. John 4. 2. Math. 28. 19. 1 Cor. 14. 34 35. Tit. 2. 11 12. Rob. ag Ber. pa. 206. Rob. ag Bern. pa. 239. Matth 3 6 7. Iob. 4 2. and 3. 22. Matt. 28 19. 20. Act. 2. 37 38. Act. 8. 12. Act. 8. 47. 11. 16. 17. Act 8 37. Act. 10 47. and 11. 16. 17. Act. 9. 18. Act. 16 14. 33. 1. Cor. 1. 17. Matth. 28. 19. Act. 2. 41. and 8. 12 13 37. Helv. conf c. 20. Gallic Sect. 35. Anglic. ab eo neminem qui velit profiteri nomen Christi ne infantes quidem Christianorum hominum c. Scot. conf c. 23. Belgi◠act 34. Zengerm conf de Bapt. insant pro. 44. Argent conf ca. 17. Saxon confes ca. 14. Palab conf Sect. ad usum vero ipsum c. Rob. against Ber. pa. 92. Matth. 28. 19. Act. 2. 41. 8. 12 13 37. and 10. 47. and 2. 39. 1 Cor. 7. 19. Act. 8. 27. Act. 4. 15. Joh 4. 2 3. 3. 27. Act. 10. 48. Whit. de Sacra q. 3. de Bap. cap. 2. pa 260. Act. 8. 12. 9. 18. 1 Cor. 1. 17. Against B. pa. 88. See J. D. Ap. Sect. 12. pa. 152 153 154. Deut. 30. 6. Rom. 10. 6 7 8 9. Rom. 4. 11. Gen. 17. 11 12 and 26. 4. Act. 2. 38. Gal. 3. 26. 27. Tit. 3. 5. Mat. 20. 23. 1 Pet. 3. 21. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Matth. 3. 6. 7. Mark 1. 4. 5. Luk. 13. 3. 16. Matth. 28. 19 20. Mar. 16. 15 16. Act. 2. 37. 47. Act. 8. 12. 14. Act 9. 11-17 Act. 10. 43-48 Vid. Park Pol. Ecclesiastica l. 3. c. 1 2 c. a Fen. Theol. lib. 7. Park de Pol. lib. 3. c. 1. J. D. Apol. 27. Sect. exam p◠238 239 240. b Rob. against Ber. pa. 182. By two or three are meant the meanest communion or societie of Saints with or without Officers Rob. against Ber. Certaine observations p. 4. Onely he that is of the true visible Church and furnished with the power of Christ the keyes of the kingdome for the Censure can admonish his brother in order and those degrees which the word prescribeth Mat. 28. 15. 17. Id. pa 99. The power as to receive in so to cut off any member is given to the whole body together of every Christian Congregation and not to any one member apart or to more members sequestred from the whole using the meetest number for pronouncing the Censures Id. pa. 124-126 If the brethren have libertie in the ordinance of Prophesying they have also libertie in the other ordinance of Excommunication for they are both of the same nature Looke to whom Christ gave the one key of Knowledge to them he gave the other key of Discipline Rob. against Bern. pa. 238 239. Mat. 28. 19 28. Joh. 20. 21 22. 21. 15 16. Gal. 1. 1. Ioh 21. 22. Whit. de pont q. 8. c. 2. 3. 1 Cor. 3. 22. 4. 1. 1 Tim. 3. 15. Authoritas rectorum pro dono quidem ecclesiae à Christo data est sed non pro dono absoluto ut penes totam Ecclesiam resideat cui datur sed pro dono conditionali ut rectoribus ipsis communicetur ad totius aedificationem Park de Polit. lib. 3. cap. 8. 1 Cor. 12. 7. 1 Cor. 3. 12. 1. Tim. 3. 15. 1 Cor. 4. 1. Act. 20. 28. Eph. 4. 8. 11. 1 Co. 12. 28 29 2 Co. 5. 19 20. Tit. 1. 7. Successor habet jurisdictionē ab eo a quo praedecessor alioqui non verè succedit But Pastors and Teachers are the Successors of the Apostles Whit. de pont q. 8. c. 3. Fr Victor rel 2. de potest Ecclesiae q. 2. Alphons de Castr li. 2. c. 24. de insta baret Whit. de pont q. 8. c. 1. Cham. panstr tom 2. lib. 11. c. 18. sect 11. In the Church the Officers are the Ministers of the people whose service the people is to use for administration and executing their judgements that is pronouncing the judgement of the Church and of God first against the obstinate Rob. against Ber. p. 136. The Officers in the Church are both Christs and the peoples Servants and Ministers Id. p. 165. Ames Bel. enerv tom 2. l. 3. c. 1. Ministri Ecclesiastici sunt Ecclesie tanquam objecti circa quod versantur ministri sunt Christi tanquam principalis causae Domini à quo pendent ministri sed nullo modo episcoporum Omnis legatus in causâ legationis suae immediatè pendet ab eo à quo mittitur instrumento mandatorum in corrupto est indelebili a We denie the order of Elders to be superiour to the order of Saints since it is not an order of mastership but of service Rob. against Bern. pa. 201. It were a strange thing that men could have no command over their servants as I have oft shewed the Church-officers to be her servants Id. p. 214. The order of servants is inferiour to the order of them whose servants they are but the order of Church-officers is an order of servants and they by office to serve the people Id. p. 215. 227. Heb. 13. 1. Pro. 12. 19. 1 7. 23. Gen 4. 4. 9. Levit. 19. 17. Mat. 18. 15. Gal. 6. 1. Rob. ag Bern. pa. 230. Exod. 24. 37. Deut. 2. 14. 4. 3. 4. 9. 7. Ezek. 16. 6. 8. Nū 23. 48. 50. Deut. 29. 10. 11 12. Josh 24. 1. 14. 23 24 25. Iudg. 2. 8. 11. 3. 9. 15. 6. 7. 10. 10-17 2 Chr. 15. 12 2 Kin. 11. 17. 23. 3. 2 Chr. 34. 31. Heb. 10 29. 30 Act. 2. 38. 8. 37. 19. 17 18 19. Act. 8. 37. Whit. de pontq 1 ca. 1. p. 14. Ep. 13. li. 3. Rom 15. 14. Heb. 3. 13. Bel. de Cler. li. ◠c. 7. Jun. animad contr 5. l. c 7. no◠13. Rom. 12. 12. Theod. hist l. 4. c. 6. Aug Epist 110. 225. Socrat. hist l 7. c. 34 35. 39. Zozom hist l. 2. c. 18 19. Nazian in Epitaphium patris Evagr. l. 2. c. 5. 8. Theod. hist l. 5. c. 23. Jun. animadver in Bel. cont 5. l. 1. c. 7. nor 16 17. Cartur reply 2d part 1. pa. 212. Illiris catal test li. 2. tit Ecclesiae gubern Jos Antiq. l. 20. c. 18. c. 4. See Ambros de officijs l. 1. c. 50. Hieron ad Ocean Epist. ad Nepotian T. C. Reply 1. pa. 41. a Rever Cathol orth tract 2. q. 8. Sect. 3. Cartw. Reply 2. par 1. pa. 273. To baptise is a duty of the Pastors pastoriall office ◠D. Apol Ser. exam pa. 287. Exam. of texts pa. 290. Apol. exam of texts p. 288.
deliberately and mutually made to expresse to his brethren his desire of departing and the place and societie to which he tends whether to a godly Church where he may be edified or to some corrupt Assembly where he may be destroyed And 2. his grounds and reasons which move him so to do which if they hold good being scanned by the Word he may be not onely confirmed in his way by the consent and advise of many but counselled also how to manage his departure for his best comfort And so after all solemnly with the whole Churches prayers and blessings in the name of Christ dismissed But if his grounds either be none at all or weake and sinfull and that his desire of departing savours of self-will inordinate love of gaine rash precipitancie or a spirit of schisme more strongly then of sound reason then what can we do lesse without breach of Covenant then in love and tendernesse shew him his weaknesse disswade him from his purpose and refuse to consent Yet if after all this we see his spirit stedfastly and stiffely bent for a departure then though we dare not act against our light by consenting or counselling yet if his finne be not apparent and danger eminent we use rather through indulgence in cases of like nature to suspend our vote against him as not willing against his will to detain him abhorring to make our Churches places of restraint and imprisonment But if any should object that this argument holds firme where this Church-Covenant is allowed to be lawfull but with some it is questioned and with them it avails not Ans Some indeed have questioned the necessitie of our Church-Covenant but none we hope of these our reverend brethren that we write unto do question the lawfulnesse of such a Covenant being nothing else for the matter of it but a promise of doing such Christian duties as the Gospel of Christ requires of all Saints in Church-estate for we doe not herein promise to performe any new dutie to our brethren which was not before commanded us of the Lord but onely revive and renew our purposes afresh of performing such duties unto that particular body into which we are then incorporated as were before injoyned in the Word as to love each other and to watch over each other out of love for their good to be ready to give counsell to and to take counsell from each other to prevent sinne in them or to gaine them from sinne All which are plentifully and frequently held forth in the Scriptures for the defect of which care and watchfulnesse all the body shall be wrapt in the same guilt punishment with the member that commits the sinne as the whole Church of Israel was in Achans sinne and punishment Secondly It s a thing very reasonable and a knowne fundamentall rule in all societies that he that is incorporate thereto and so participates of the priviledges thereof should ingage himselfe to conforme to all such lawfull rites and orders as are expedient for the well being of that societie the contrary whereto will be a thing injurious in him to offer and confusion to themselves to accept The second ground is drawne from the necessitie that may fall upon the body if every particular member should depart at his owne pleasure For as every societie so much more a Church of Saints both from principles of nature and Christianitie also not onely lawfully may but in dutie are bound to endeavour the preservation of it selfe and Ergo timely to foresee and wisely to prevent all such things as would bring destruction to it selfe Now if any member might when whither and wherefore he please without consent of the Church depart away from it this may by unavoydable consequence dissipate the whole for if one man may so depart why may not another also though never so usefull in that body and whose absence might much shake the well-being of it and if one why not two six ten twentâ— as well For where will yee stop seeing any may plead the same libertie and if members may so doe why not the Pastor and Teacher also Seeing they are tyed to him by the same relation that he is to them and so the principalls falling the whole building must downe and if this may be so in one Church why not in all and so Christ should have no setled Church on earth Reply IT is one thing abruptly to breake away when and whither they please and forsake fellow-ship another thing not to depart or remove habitation unlesse the Congregation will give leave Also it is one thing mutually to compound and agree not to depart from each other without consent and approbation another to require a promise of all that be admitted into societie that they shall not depart without the Churches allowance If such a promise be required of all members to be admitted we cannot discerne upon what grounds your practise is warranted First you exclude all such as be not set members from the Sacrament of the Supper and their children from Baptisme and yet hinder them from entrance into Church societie because they cannot promise continuance in the place where they are resident for the present Here we desire to be satisfied from the word of God by what you require it Did the Apostles ever stipulate with such as desired to be baptized that they must abide in particular societie and not remove thence without approbation from the Church or did they deny the seales unto them because they could not make any such promise Was it ever heard of in the Church of God from the beginning thereof unto this day that any such thing was propounded unto or required of members to be admitted into Church-fellowship That Church Covenant which is necessary was not in use in the Apostles times but the Covenant they entred into bound no man to this condition for ought we reade They did not prescribe it no Church ever yet covenanted it as necessary to the preservation of the body Secondly It pertaines not to the whole Congregation to take notice of be acquainted with or judge of the cause of every particular members removall May not a servant remove from his Master to another Congregation or the father bestow his sonne or daughter in marriage to one of another Congregation but the whole Church must be called to councell in this matter If the Assembly once grow to be populous of necessitie they must be negligent in or weary of such an heavy taske and for the present for every one to challenge so much authoritie over other is usurpation Let it be shewed that ever by divine right this power was committed to the Church and then we will confesse it to be expedient and necessary But till then we thinke the Church is over ridged in exacting such a condition of the members and the members themselves goe beyond their measure as busi-bodies in other mens matters and things whereof they are not well able to
judge many times if they arrogate such power unto themselves wee allow not rashnesse or precipitancy pride or self-conceitednesse we know it is meete that weightie matters should be mannaged by Councell but it is not necessary to bring every particular thing to the whole Church In the multitude of Councellors there is peace but over many Councellors oft causeth distraction and different apprehensions breed delayes The nature of your Church-Covenant as you describe it inferreth not a necessitle of bringing every such businesse unto the Church for you binde your selves mutually to watch over one another and in love to admonish one another in the Lord to prevent sinne and to encourage in well-doing as it concerneth every man within the limits of his place and calling But this essentially tyeth not any man to a perpetuall residence in one place for then even occasionall absence should be a breach of Covenant unlesse it be by consent and approbation of the Church You say in your Covenant you promise to performe no new dutie to your brethren which was not before commanded of the Lord but onely revive and renew your purposes afresh of performing such duties to that particular body into which you are then to be incorporated as were before injoyned in the Word But in the word of truth it is not commanded either expresly or by consequent that no member of a Congregation should remove or occasionally be absent from the place of his habitation before he have acquainted the Church whither he goeth and upon what occasions and whether the place be dangerous where he is likely to be infected or safe where he may be edified These things are matters of weight and to be undertaken with advice but the knowledge thereof belongeth not to every particular member of the societie And the Church shall burden her selfe above measure if she take upon her to intermeddle in all such occasions Neither is it safe to commit the determination of such matters ever to the vote of the multitude or weight of reasons as they shall apprehend the matter And if such businesse must be determined on the Lords day and to goe before the administration of the Word Sacraments and almes least the holy things be polluted by notorious obstinate offenders wee feare the time appointed for the exercise of Religion shall be prophaned with unseasonable disputes Instances might be alledged if it were a matter to be insisted upon As for the Covenant it selfe which you mutually enter into if therein you exact nothing but what God requires both for tryall and stipulation far be it that we should disallow it but if yee constraine men to meddle with things that belong not to them and winde them up higher then God would and straine every thing to the pitch that you seeme here to doe in this branch a godly and sober minde may well pause before he make such promise All members of the Church are not equally necessary to the preservatiō of the whole body if to the removall of some it were expedient to have the cōsent not only of the whole society but of neighbouring societies Ministers especially it is very much to draw this to the removall or abode of every particular member And if any man shall not intermeddle with every businesse of this kinde as questioning whether it doth belong to him or no or not aske the advice of the whole societie as knowing the most to be unfit to counsell in such a case doth he break his Covenant therein and so commit a sinne in a sort like the sinne of Ananias and Saphira Judge your selves if in other cases you would not censure this to be an high incroachment upon Christian libertie and a strict binding of mens consciences by humane constitutions May you not expect to heare from your own grounds that herein you have devised an expedient or necessary rite or custome to preserve the unitie and prevent the dissolution of the body which never came into the minde of the Lord Jesus the Saviour of the Church and that in so doing if your exposition will hold good you breake the second Commandement Rites and customes expedient to prevent confusion for the time let them be observed as customes expedient and what God requires in the examination or admission of members let that take place according to the presidents given in the Scriptures and the constant practise of the universall Church in the purest times But to presse customes onely expedient for the time as standing rules necessary at all times and for all persons to put that authoritie into the hands of men which God never put upon them to oblige men to intermeddle further in the affaires of men then the Word doth warrant to binde the conscience and that under so heavy a penalty as the sinne of Ananias and Saphira where God hath not bound it and to debarre known and approved Christians from the Seales of the Covenant because they cannot promise as setled members to abide and stay in the societie unlesse they shall obtaine leave of the Congregation to depart and to charge them in the meane season to be men who against light refuse subjection to the Gospel this is that which we cannot approve which yet wee suspect will follow from your judgement and desire to be resolved of in your practise And here we intreat leave to put you in minde of that which you have considered already schil That the Church and every member thereof hath entred into Covenant either expresly or implicitely to take God for their God and to keepe the words of the Covenant and doe them to seeke the Lord with all their hearts and to walke before him in truth and uprightnesse but we never finde that they were called to give account of the worke of grace wrought in their soules or that the whole Congregation were appointed to be Judge thereof You stand all of you this day saith Moses before the Lord your God c. that thou shouldst enter into Covenant with the Lord thy God All the people that were borne in the Wildernesse Joshua circumcised but it is incredible to thinke that among that great multitude there was not one who did not give good testimony of the worke of grace in his soule We reade often times that Israel after some grievous fall and revolt renewed their Covenant to walke with God to serve him onely and to obey his voyce as in the dayes of Joshua the Judges David Samuel Also Joash Josiah and Nehemiah c. But no particular enquiry was made what worke of grace God had wrought in the hearts of every singular person But the confession and profession of obedience was taken When John Baptist began to preach the Gospel and gather a new people for Christ he admitted none to Baptisme but upon confession of their sinnes but we reade of no question that he put forth unto them to discover the worke of grace in their soules