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
it just and right altogether to debar them as having no right nor title to those priviledges of the Church It is your opinions whereto we had respect not simply your practice It never entred into us to perswade you to a set Liturgy much lesse to complain that you had not accepted ours But that all stinted Liturgies should be condemned as devised worship and so condemned as that none may lawfully be present at or pertake of the Sacraments administred in a stinted or devised forme this wee called a new opinion Neither do we mention it because we knew it to be the private opinion of some Brethren among you whom we had left to the liberty of their owne judgment so far as the maintenance of the Truth and a just call did not ingage us but because it was cryed up and advanced with all diligence and endeavour of some among us standing affected England-ward as if a chief point of holinesse consisted in separation You know how great a fire a little sparkle kindles And seeing this Distraction and Rent had its originall growth and continuance from some Brethren in those parts or affected to that way when in loving and friendly manner we could neither receive grounds at home for our conviction nor procure just satisfaction to the contrary what could wee doe lesse then call upon you joyntly to know your judgment and either by sound proof to be by you convinced if happily you should approve their separation which we esteem groundlesse rash unlawfull and prejudiciall to outward peace or being backed by a testimony of its dislike from you we might the better be both incouraged and furnished to endevour the quenching of that fire which was kindled but in too many places In other perticulars also wee conceive you goe beyond Commission given of God granting them authority to whom God hath not committed it debarring others from the priviledge of the Sacraments who have title thereto by the Covenant of grace Your love in that you were pleased to signifie first your kinde and respective acceptance of our Letter and now also to send us an answer thereto we acknowledge it with all thankfulnesse and shall endevour through the grace of God to return like affection in truth of heart if in measure we fall short Of your respect to us in particular we make no question your expressions are beyond that we could expect as also what we dare own But we humbly beseech the Lord to direct uphold and guide us that in some measure we may walk worthy of our vocation and approv our selves faithfull to your consciences It was one end of our writing to be satisfied in this point whether you approve the ways of Separation whereof wee complain and their courses who laboured with all their might when they conceived hope to be heard to perswade therunto Against which if we knew your judgment you testified among us You know they that separate are not all of one straine and temper Some deny all communion with us publick and private some admit of private but deny all publick and some joyne in Prayer before and after Sermon as also preaching of the Word because in their esteeme this may be done without communion in a Church-way but refuse to partake of the Sacraments All which Separations wee judge uncharitable contrary to the Commandement of Christ and have ever thought that you whilst with us and we were of one minde herein If of late we have conceived fears of some of you deere Brethren as leaning too much to what formerly you disliked we beseech you weigh what urgent and pressing Reasons forced us thereunto and we shall most gladly wee heartily desire you to rest assured lay hold of every line and syllable that may tend to dislodge such apprehensions For as we conceive the dispute to be unreasonably moved the Rent offensive the opinions themselves prejudiciall to the cause of God and the advancers thereof to have passed the limits prescribed by God so wee shall esteem it an inestimable blessing if now what hinders being removed wee might joyn with one heart and soule in one way of God to promote his glory and seek the good of his Church and people We trust in the Lord we should not draw back in any course wherein wee may see the Lord going before us nor be an offence to any to keep the Lords way wee seek the truth and are perswaded it is the cause of God which we defend we plead for Communion with the Churches of Christ no further then they hold communion with Christ still desiring to keepe the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace with your selves and all others who walke in the right way of truth peace and comfort How the Lord may be pleased to deale with us or dispose of us wee know not his blessed will be done But of this we are resolved through his grace not willingly to raise trouble or dissention among you if through ignorance or infirmity we shall not so fall in as to be of one minde with you in these matters And here we desire you to consider that in these particulars you dissent as much one from another as we dissent from you and that wherein we dissent from you and perhaps from the lesser part of you you dissent from the judgement and practice of all Reformed Churches This wee speake not to prejudice your cause but to intreat your serious re-examination of what you have sent us and this tryall thereof by the Touchstone of the Word For if we mistake not in many things it will not abide the Test You have written in great love and tendernesse that your Positions might be so scanned and wee shall endeavour with such affection to try all things and hold fast that which is good And now beseeching the guidance of the Spirit with your leave wee shall endeavour to deale fully and plainly as the nature of the cause requireth intreating you impartially to consider the grounds whereupon we go and weigh what wee shall say in the ballance of the Sanctuary The Lord of his rich mercy in Jesus Christ direct us in discerning what is right and pleasing in his sight Cast offences out of the Church close up Rents and Divisions reveal his Truth more and more set up and mayntain the purity of his own Ordinances unite the hearts of his people to the love and feare of his holy Name teach us self-deniall and keep us blamelesse to the comming of the Lord Jesus Christ Amen I POSITION That a stinted forme of Prayer and set Liturgie is unlawfull Answ BEfore we proceed to declare our selves concerning this position It will be needfull that some thing be premised for the explication of the terms thereof We suppose 1 By a Liturgy and forme of Prayer you mean not a forme of private Prayers composed for the helpe and direction of weaker Christians but the System or body of publike Prayers generally used in
Service in English which had been before in Latine and if the Service of the Church was good in Latine it remayneth good in English for nothing is altered Fox Acts and Monuments Edward 6. And Pope Pius the fifth did see so little variation in it from the Latine Service that had been formerly used in that Kingdome that he would have ratified it by his authority if Q. Elizabeth would have so received it And many of the people put such holinesse in it that they think God is not rightly worshipped nor his Sabbath well observed nor the Sacraments sufficiently administred if there be no reading of that Service And others put such holinesse and necessity in it that they preferre it before Gods holy Ordinance of preaching the Word In so much as the Ministers are in the danger of being called in question and of being censured if they doe not read that Liturgy every Lords day without omitting any part thereof either in respect of preaching or otherwise 3 In regard of the many wofull scandals and dangerous consequences of using that Liturgie of which we suppose you are not ignorant To mention but two Viz. The hardning of Papists who are imboldned to think better of their own Breviaries Masse-Books Portuisses seeing that Liturgie hath bin extracted out of those books and rather fetched from them then from the forms used in any of the reformed Churches 2 The conntenancing and establishing of an unlearned Idol Ministery of not-Preaching curates Non-residents Pluralities c. in whose skirts is to be found the blood of so many mens souls living and dying in their sins while they ignorantly content themselves with and harden themselves in some empty forms of Religion and blinde devotion which are begotten and cherished chiefely by such prayers and ministers Neither is there lesse scandall hereby we meane not onely taken but given then by the eating of an Idolathite in the Idols Temple condemned by the Apostle 1 Cor. 8. 7 10. For if the eating of an Idolathite by him that had knowledge and knew that an Idol was nothing and that all meats were lawfull did imbolden others to honour the Idol and therefore was a scandall given so also it is in this case 4 Seeing that booke is so imposed as that the minister in reading of it is limited to the very words set downe without any diminution addition or alteration therefore we dare not use it For 1 The Lord himselfe hath not limited his people to his own formes and therefore we see not how it can be lawfull to be limited to other mens formes For in thus doing we should subject our selves to the exercise of such an authority and power of the Prelates as in this case puts forth a stronger act of limiting power then Christ himselfe who doth not limit us to those formes which himselfe hath set downe in Scripture For though we acknowledge the Lords prayer and other formes set down in Scripture may be lawfully used as prayers due cautions being observed yet there is not a limitation lying upon the Churches in the use of those prayers And therefore we do not find that the Apostles ever used that form taught by Christ in those very words much lesse limited themselvs to it when they prayed nor did they teach the Churches so to doe 2 If the Lord would not have us limit our selves in our own forms whiles we are exercising our own gifts which he hath specially sanctified to edify his Church Act. 6. 4. Eph. 4. 8. 1 Cor. 12. 7. least we should quench or at least straiten his spirit in prayer 1 Thes 5. 19. would he then have us limited to other mens forms which have not beene in like sort sanctified of God but will rather quench or straiten the spirit of God whiles we are so limited to them 3 The entertainment of this form hath been a manifest snare unto the Churches who upon the same ground on which they have received this forme into the desks have beene limited to others in the pulpit by meanes whereof the poore Church of Christ hath bin wholly deprived of the publike use of the Ministers gifts in prayer and the spirit of prayer in the Ministers in publike hath beene greatly restrained As for our Judgement concerning the practice of others who use this Liturgie in our native Countrie we have alwayes beene unwilling to expresse our mindes there against unlesse we have been necessarily called thereunto and at this time we thinke it not expedient to expresse our selves any further concerning this matter as loath to intermeddle with the affaires of other Churches but contenting our selves with and blessing the Lord for those liberties which we by the mercie of God do here enjoy reserving also due reverence to the judgements of our beloved brethren and deere Countreymen who may concerning this matter be otherwise minded Reply THis position cannot beare that meaning which you give it if you take it according o our mindes and the plain construction of the words We never questioned why you made not use of a stinted Liturgy much lesse why you did not wholly and in every part tye your selves unto and approve of that forme in use amongst us You might well thinke we had little to doe to put forth such a demand viz. whether you thinke it lawfull to approve in others and practice your selves what swerveth from the rule and we thinke it strange you should give our words such a meaning The thing we craved resolution in was whether in your judgements all stinted and set formes of prayer and Liturgies be unlawfull The reason hereof was because in writings from New-England we had seene all set liturgies and set formes of prayer condemned as devised worship which God would not accept and partaking in the Sacraments of the Supper in our assemblies therefore disallowed because administred in a stinted Liturgie which things were received with such likeing among some brethren with us and by them imparted and recommended to others that they occasioned that rent and distraction whereof we complain It is true the people among us separate from our forme of prayer or liturgy but the reason hereof is because it is stinted not because this or that or ours in particular You confesse you want not some brethren among you who look at all set formes of Prayer invented by one of another age or congregation and prescribed to their brethren to be read out of a booke for the prayers of the Church as Images and Imaginations of man forbidden in the second Commandement and that the lawfulnesse of Liturgies and set formes is questioned and doubted of by many faithfull servants of God such also as come over occasionally who withdraw themselvs from the Sacraments in the congregation doe it on this pretence that a stinted Liturgie is a humane invention And if we examine the reasons brought against stinted formes and Liturgies we shall finde them to strike at all formes and Liturgies though devised
Scribes and Pharisees to let them alone because they were the blind leaders of the blind but he never forbade to communicate with them in the ordinances of God It is not then for private Christians to withdraw themselves from the ordinance of worship and communion of the Church because such are permitted to deale in the holy things of God whom they judge or know unfit when men joyne in the worship of God with unworthy Ministers they doe not countenance them in their place and office but obey the commandement of God who requires their attendance upon his highnesse in that way and meanes To goe no further then the text you quote Because thou hast despised knowledge I will also reject thee c. Properly the text is spoken of the ten tribes called Israel and the Priests among them who worshipped the Calves which Ieroboam had set up whom the Lord threatneth to reject because they had rejected knowledge being either wilfully ignorant or withholding the truth in unrighteousnesse Whether they were for the present absolutely rejected or the Lord threatens only to reject them we will not dispute This may suffice that it is not to be found either in this or any other Text of Scripture that the people joyning in the true Worship of God with unworthy Ministers do countenance them in their place thereby On the contrary if you will extend this Text to all unworthy Ministers of what sort soever whom the word of truth doth condemne as not approved Ministers of God the Scripture teacheth evidently not onely that the people by joyning do not countenance them in their place and office but that they must and ought to joyne with them in the worship of God and in separating from the Ordinance they shall sinne against God much lesse then do they in such joyning set those Idols and meanes of worship which God never appointed in his Word For the worship is of God and the Ministery is of God the person unworthily executing his place is neither set up by some few private Christians nor can by them be removed And warrant to withdraw themselves from the worship of God because such as ought not are suffered to entermeddle in the holy things of God they have none from God Dumbe Dogs greedy Dogs Idol-sheepheards false Prophets Strangers are unworthy Ministers but they that communicate with such in the ordinance of worship are never said to set up Idols or means of worship which God never appointed The sheep of Christ will not heare strangers in the Lords sense but outwardly they heard those strangers preach if the Scribes and Pharisees were such and by hearing them discovered them to be strangers i. e. false Prophets Some strangers at least of whom our Saviour speaks were of the true Church and of Israel but brought false doctrine tending to kill the soule such strangers none should heare that is believe and follow but as they be tolerated in the Church so they may hear them so long as they bring the truth Unworthy Ministers are no Ministers for themselves but they are Ministers for the people of God that is so long as they be in the place of Ministers the acts of their administrations are of force to the faithfull if they observe the forme of administration prescribed by Christ for Christs Ordinances have their efficacy from him not from them that serve about them and evill Ministers minister not in their own name but in Christs and by his Commission It hath evermore bin held for a truth in the Church of God that although somtimes the evill have chiefe authority in the ministration of the Word and Sacraments yet for as much as they doe not the same in their own name but in Christs and minister by his Commission and Authority wee may use their Ministery both in hearing the Word and receiving the Sacraments neither is the effect of Christs Ordinance taken away by their wickednesse nor the grace of Gods gifts diminished from such as by faith and rightly doe receive the Sacraments administred to them which are effectuall because of Christs institution and promise although they be ministred by evill men Beza de Presbyt et excōmunicat p. 25 26. Ista vero quia nonnulli à sacris caetib sacrament usu propter aliorum vitia ultro abstinent i. e. seipsos excommunicant magnam reprehensionem merentur The reasons whereby the ancient Churches condemned the Donatists and Catharists for their voluntary and seditious separation and the moderne Churches condemne the Anabaptists for their unwarrantable departure from and so renting of the body of Christ will hold against separation from the prayers of the congregation because they are read by an ungodly minister The second proposition Where the whole Liturgie is used though by an able and godly Minister it is not lawfull to joyne in prayer in that case Herein wee cannot be of your judgement for in the times of the Prophets and our Saviour Christ as great abuses no question were found in the Church of the Jews in the administration of holy things of God as can be imagined in our Liturgie or forme of prayer but the Prophets and our Saviour who taught the people to keepe themselves pure and undefiled never taught them to separate from the administration of the holy things of God And if the presence at our forms of prayer be not lawful by reason of the corruptions alleaged there can be no visible society named throughout the world since 200. yeeres after Christ or thereabouts wherein a Christian might lawfully joyne in Prayer reading the Scripture hearing the word or participation of the Sacraments For compare the doctrines prayers rites at those times in use in the Churches with ours and in all these blessed be the name of the Lord wee are more pure then they But no man will be so bold we hope as to affirme the state of the Churches within 200. yeeres after Christ to be so miserably decayed that the faithfull could not without sin hold communion with them in the aforesaid ordinances The prayers of the Minister whether conceived or stinted in a set forme be not his private prayers but the publike prayers of the whole assembly whose mouth he is to God both in the one and the other But you will not say the people ought not to joyne with their Pastor in the publique assembly if ought bee amisse in his prayer for matter or manner or both It is all one to the people in this case whether the fault be personall as some distinguish or otherwise knowne beforehand or not knowne For if simple presence defile whether it was knowne beforehand or not all presence is faulty And if simple presence defile not our presence is not condemned by reason of the corruptions knowne whereof we stand not guilty whether the corruption be through humane frailty or not it is not in us to enquire but rather whether we be called to come and the
faults such as one Christian cannot or must not tolerate in another without breach of charity For if the errour be such as may be tolerated and I am called to be present by such fault I am not defiled though knowne before If the error be such as in conscience may not be tolerated though not knowne before hand I am bound if present some way to professe against it This distinction of personall and ministeriall faults in this case untill it be cleared by some Text of Scripture or sound reason from the word must goe for the devise of man A Church a Minister or a Christian may be stiffe in an error being misperswaded it is a truth after many meanes long used to convince them with whom yet we must hold communion in the ordinances of Religion and the error may be such as we cannot without hypocrisy or denyall of the truth hold communion though such meanes of conviction have not gone before But the corruptions alleadged against our forme of prayer for matter or manner are such as one Christian may and must tolerate in another where he hath no power to redresse them Hath not Christian wisdome and experience of humane frailties lessoned you deere brethren to beare one with another in matters of greater consequence then any have or can be objected truly against the form of prayer in use among us And why such corruptions should not be ascribed to humane frailty we see not For if a godly Minister make use of a book in things which he judgeth lawfull for matter and manner the corruption in him that useth it according to his judgement from what cause can it spring but humane ignorance and frailty We rest assured you question not the integrity of many who make much more use of the booke then onely in a few select prayers From the bottome of our hearts we desire and pray that God would remove out of his Church and worship whatsoever offendeth for matter or manner and that all things may be so done not onely that they may be tolerated but that they might be approved in the conscience of all men But we are perswaded that not onely some few select prayers but many prayers other exhortations may lawfully be used with fruit and edification to Gods people To aggravate faults especially when it tends to draw away people from the Ordinances of God is no lesse fault then to excuse them it may be greater and therefore we dare not esteeme the prayers read by a godly and faithfull Minister according to the booke in use among us a corrupt sacrifice whether in such as read them or them that be present In them that join according to Christs command and liberty of absence from Christ hath not beene shewed notwithstanding the corruptions we hold the prayers to be an holy and acceptable sacrifice to God and pleasing to Jesus Christ The corrupt sacrifice is that which the deceiver bringeth voluntarily and out of neglect having a male in his flock but the faithfull bringeth himself and his godly desires according to the will of God and as for corruptions whether respecting matter or forme they are none of his they cleave not to his Sacrifice to staine or pollute it As for the Text of the Prophet Mal. 1. 13 14. it is cited by many in this businesse and to many purposes applyed but we cannot finde that in the Prophet for which it is here brought The deceiver is accursed that offereth a corrupt thing to the Lord. This we reade and beleeve but that a godly man being present at this forme of prayer among us read by a godly and faithfull Minister is the deceiver who offereth a corrupt thing unto the Lord that is not proved No argument can be brought from this place to the purpose but by analogy which is a kinde of arguing of all other most ready at hand but lyable to most exceptions and apt to draw aside if great care be not had which in this place we finde not to take the proportion in every materiall point just and right And we desire such as alleadge this passage of Scripture against simple presence at the prayers of our Liturgy advisedly to consider whether God allow them to make such application of his truth which wee much doubt of to say no more Your third proposition That as you are very tender of imputing sinne to those men that joyne in some select prayers read by an able and godly Minister so on the other side you are not without feare least such joyning may be found unlawfull unlesse it may appeare that the Ministers with whom the people have communion in reading those Prayers neither give any scandall by reading them nor give unlawfull honour to a thing abused to Idolatry and Superstition nor doe suffer themselves to be sinfully limited in the reading of them 1 We cannot conceive how you should imagine the practice of a godly Minister in reading some few select prayers to be scandalous or offensive in their congregations when the people generally not in their assemblies onely but throughout the whole land were perswaded of the lawfulnesse of that course till now of late some have beene drawne away to separate who yet by warrant of Scripture produce nothing of weight to countenance that practice 2 If the booke should be as you take it an idolathite latent offence doth not oblige If any man say unto thee this is sacrificed to Idols eat it not so that if it doe not manifestly appeare that this practice is scandalous it is not lawfull for the people to withdraw themselves 3 The book we speake of the Liturgie so far as it is sound and good by your confession is no Idolathite neither was it taken out of the Masse-book in such sense as you object but rather the masse other Idolatrous prayers were added to it for popery is as a scab or leprosie cleaving to the Church and many truths belonging to the Church as her proper legacie were stollen and heaped together in that denne And why the true man may not challenge his goods where ever he finds thē or the thiefe plead title to the true mans goods by prescription we know not It is no hard taske to shew that our Service-booke was reformed in most things according to the purest Liturgies which were in use in the Church long before the masse was heard of in the world And if that could not be shewed yet formes of speech generally taken we speak not of this or that speciall word or phrase is no more defiled by Idolatry then the light aire or place where Idolatry is committed It is not unlawfull to pray Lord helpe or Lord have mercy or to give thankes praised bee God because the Papists say Lady helpe or praised be God and the Virgin Mary Fourthly Put case the Minister in reading such prayers gives offence or attributes unlawfull honour to a thing abused to Idolatry and Superstition or suffer himselfe
then the words are more then superfluous Added they were to prevent the objection which you foresaw might be made from the Apostles practice and example but so as they cut asunder the sinews of the consideration it selfe and make it of no force For as those beleivers were of the Church so are approved Christians and their seed among us therefore the priviledges of the seales belong unto them 2 And as the seales so is the word of salvation preached and received a priviledge of the Church If by the preaching of the word you understand nothing but the tender of salvation or the publishing of the will of God concerning the salvation of man whether by private or publike persons it is not proper to the Church but an ordinance given for the gathering of men to the Church and not only for the edifying of the Church For the Apostles first preached to the Gentiles when Infidels that they might be converted And we doubt not but a Minister or private Christian comming into a country of Infidells may as occasion is offered and as they shall be inabled instruct and perswade them to receive the faith of Christ but if by the preaching of the word be meant the giving of the word to a people to abide and continue with them and consequently their receiving of it at least in profession then it is proper to the Church of God The word makes disciples to Christ and the word given to a people is Gods covenanting with them and the peoples receiving this word and professing their faith in God through Iesus Christ is the taking of God to bee their God The lawes and statutes which God gave to Israell was the honour and ornament to that Nation and a testimony that God had separated them from all other people even the Gentiles themselves being Iudges The word of reconciliation is sent and given to the world reconciled in Iesus Christ and they that receive the doctrine law or word of God are the Disciples servants and people of God In your second consideration you intimate that there is a two fold preaching the one by office and authority the other in Common charity or how ever else it may be called For thus you write God hath joyned to preach viz by office and to baptize together therefore we may not separate them Now to preach unto that is to instruct or counsell in charity is a duty which may be performed to an infidell but to preach by office is proper to them that are called to that office and so to be taught and instructed by Officers in the Church is proper to the Church To have pastors who shall feed with knowledge and understanding is a gift of matrimoniall love which God vouchsafeth unto his Church The Apostles first gathered Churches and then ordained elders in everie Citie or Church so that it is proper to the Church to be fed and guided by true spirituall pastors who teach and blesse in the name of the Lord. And if the word preached and received bee a certaine note of the true Church they that have intyrely received the word of salvation and have Pastors godly and faithfull to feede and guide them they and their seed have right and interest unto the seales in order Moreover the true worship of God is an inseparable and infallible marke of the true Church of God for where Christ is there is his Church This is the prerogative of the church The Prince shall be in the midst of them and he shall go in when they goe in c. And Christ saith where 2. or 3. are met together in my name there am I in the middest among them And for certain they are gathered in the name of Christ that being lawfully called doe assemble to worship God and call upon his name in the mediation of Iesus Christ In times past the Church was acknowledged by the feare of God and entyre Service of his Majestie by the professing of the true faith and faithfull calling upon Gods name The signes of Apostolike Churches are these The continuance in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayer And if faith true and lively though mixed with many doubtings and errors make a man a living member of Iesus Christ the entyre profession of true faith joyned with holynesse of life in some measure answerable thereunto makes a man a true member of the visible Church And if the feales belong to the Church in right and orderly dispensation they that joyne together in the true worship of God according to his will with godly and faithfull pastors they have right and title to the Sacraments according to divine institution Thirdly that there is now no visible Catholike Church in your sense will easily bee granted i. e. there is no universall society consisting of all such as are accounted or to bee esteemed Christians subjected to one or many vniversall Pastors or guides wherwithall subordinates must communicate in some sacred things which may make them one Church and which may and can be performed by that vniversall and head Church only Such an vniversall Christian Church Christ never ordained no not in the dayes of the Apostles to whom all the care of all the Churches was committed The Churches planted by the Apostles had all the same substantiall lawes and customes the same guides and officers for kinde the same ordinances of worship and meanes of Salvation But one flock or Society in the fore mentioned acceptation they were not because they were but subordinate to one visible head Christ with which they were to hold union and communion in some worship to be performed by them all jointly assembled at some speciall solemnity nor subjected to the government of any supreame tribunall constantly to be erected and continued among them Neverthelesse in some respects of reason the visible Church may be called the Church sheepfold or flock of Christ for if the whole society or body mysticall of Christ be one this Church militant in like sort is one the unity of which society consists in that uniformity which all severall persons thereunto belonging have by reason of that one Lord whose servants they all are and professe themselves that one Spirit whereby they are animated as the body by one soul whereby they believe in Christ and which they acknowledge and professe that one Baptisme inward and outward whereby they put on Christ and are initiated This society is one in the inward fruition and enjoying of the benefits of Christs Death and Resurrection and in outward profession of those things which supernaturally appertain to the very essence of the Church and are necessarily required in every Christian this acceptation of the word is not unusuall in Scripture As God hath set some in the Church His bodies sake which is the Church The Church viz. whereof Paul was made a Minister and whereunto the rest of the Apostles were ordained
which was the Catholike visible Church the society of men professing the faith of Christ throughout the world divided into many particular Churches whereof some are pure others impure some more others lesse sound Hereunto it may be added that every multitude and society of believers are indefinitely called the Church I persecuted the Church of God The house of God which is the Church of the living God In which sense all the Churches in the world may truly be called one And thus the Apostle Peter writing to many dispersed Churches who could not assemble in one place nor be fed by one Shepherd speaketh of them singularly as one flock Feed the flock of God which is among you But that flock are the strangers dispersed through Pontus Galatia Asia Cappadocia and Bythinia which could not possibly joine together in the Ordinances of Worship or make one distinct congregated assembly And if the Catholike Militant Church be one Society the Seals that are given as a prerogative to the Church are given unto it and the true Members of the Catholike Church have right and title to them in due order though they be not admitted into the Church fellowship you speak of For as the flock or society is one so is the Ministery Faith Covenant and Sacraments which are given as a communion prerogative unto the whole Church and not appropriated to this or that part ormember as separated from the whole which is further evidenced hereby that sometime it hath and too often it may fall out that a Christian may be a true member of the universall visible Church i. e. he may hold professe and maintain that holy Catholike Faith pure and undefiled without which no man can be saved who for the present is no actuall member of any particular or visible society in Church order As for example a man may be cut off by Excommunication from all commerce with the present visible Church wherein hee was bred and born when hee is not cut off from the Catholike Orthodoxall Church Hee may be deprived of participation of the Ordinance in every particular society when his right and title to them is much better then these who have most injuriously cast him out or debarred him of the means of salvation The communion of Saints whether visible or invisible is the effect and property of the Church Catholike and agreeth to the severall parts and members thereof as they be members of that body under the head and if particular Churches have communion together it must of necessity be that they bee parts and members of the whole body which is one 4. Though there be no universall congregation or assembly nor can be imagined yet there are and have beene many visible assemblies or societies true Churches of Christ to whom the Prerogative of the Seals is given which have not beene united and knit together in Church-order into one congregationall body or society For every society in covenant with God is the true Church of God for what is it to be the flock people or sheepe of God but to be the Church of God And where there is a Covenant there is the people of God They that are of the faith of Abraham are the children and seed of Abraham and within the Covenant of Abraham though but two or three and so of the same Church with him by that covenant The communication and accepting of the tables of the covenant is an undoubted token of a people in covenant or confederate but every society professing the true and entire faith joyning in prayer and thankesgiving receiving the truth of God to dwell among them and in some measure conforming themselves to the obedience of Gods Commandements is in covenant with God It is simply necessary to the being of a Church that it be laid upon Christ the foundation which being done the remaining of what is forbidden or the want of what is commanded cannot put the society from the title or right of a Church For Christ is the foundation and head corner stone of the Church and a people comming unto Christ united unto him built upon him having communion with him and growing up in him are the true Church of God and if the seals be annexed to the covenant by God himselfe as we cannot deny a people in covenant to be the Church so we must not deny their right and title to the Sacraments If therefore the meaning of the proposition be that the seales be given to the Church that is to true and sound Christians and people in covenant with God as a priviledge whether in ordinary or extraordinary dispensation we accept it as good and sound but it makes against your judgement and practice in keeping away such as have right and title to the ordinances If you meane the seales are given to the Church that is onely to set members of some particular society combined by covenant as it is among you we cannot receive it because it implieth a distinction not taught in Scripture and crosse to your selves And for the thing it selfe the Scripture hath nothing but many things against it as hath beene shewed 5 If it be granted that the seales are the prerogative of a particular visible Church known and approved Christians among us and their seed are members of true and visible Churches and so to be esteemed among you before they be entred into Church membership as you call it For every society professing the intire and true faith and joyning together in the right use of the Sacraments in matters substantiall is the true Church of God and every visible beleever receiving the word and professing the true intire faith admitted to the right and lawfull participation of the Sacraments is a visible member of the true Church if he have neither renounced that society nor deserved justly to be cast out by excommunication or Church censure For the intire profession of the truth the dwelling of the truth among men the right use of the Sacraments which is ever joyned with truth of Doctrine and to be esteemed by it is proper to them that be in covenant with God And they that truly partake of the Seales must needes be of a Church for the seales are not without but within the Church an ordinance given unto it and if they be true members of the true Churches of Jesus Christ other Churches are bound to hold communion with them in the ordinance of worship as divine providence shall minister occasion In answer to the ninth position you say the members of other Churches well known and approved by vertue of communion wich Churches doe mutually and with good acceptance communicate each of them at others Churches even so often as Gods providence leads them thereunto and themselves desire it In your preface to this consideration you say you admit to fellowship of the seales the known approved and orderly recommended members of any true Church and if knowne and
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
relation to their flocks onely and must not meddle beyond their calling according to your tenent 11 There is no precept or example in Scripture more to warrant the admitting of a set member of one congregation unto the Supper in another or the baptising of his child occasionally in another assembly then there is for receiving of knowne and approved Christians and their seede that are not set members The Pastor is no more the pastor of the one then of the other nor the one more of his flock then the other neither of them set members and both sorts may be members for the time being and they most properly who are of longest abode among them But as we heare it is frequent among you as at Dorchester c. to baptise the children of another Assembly and usually you admit to the Supper of the Lord members of other Churches and therefore the Minister is not so limited to his particular Church or flock but he may dispence the seales to others which in this consideration is denyed 12 If the want of one Officer in a Congregation for a time may be supplyed by another as the want of the Doctor Ruling Elder or Deacon by the Pastor why may not the defects of some Congregation or Christians be supplyed by Pastors or Ministers of another Congregation when they are requested and desired the minde herein is godly and the means lawfull and well pleasing unto God 13 And if a Synod consisting of sundry members of particular Churches met together in the name of Christ about the common and publike affaires of the Churches shall joyn together in prayer and communion of the Supper wee can see no ground to question it as unlawfull although that Assembly be no particular Congregation or Church hath no Pastor over them make not one Ecclesiasticall body as a particular Congregationall Church unlesse it be for the time onely The Minister therefore may do an act of office to them that be not set members of his flock as he may stand in Relation to them for the time 14 Your comparison betwixt an Officer of a Town Corporate and of a particular Congregation is not alike unlesse you will say that a member of another Corporation occasionally comming into the Towne is thereby a member of that Society and subject to the authority of the Officer For so you professe that the members of one Society may occasionally communicate with another and so be subject to the Pastor for the time being which if you grant it overthrows the whole strength of this consideration Howsoever the comparison it selfe is very perilous if it be pressed For if the Officer of a Town Corporate presume to doe an act of power out of his owne Corporation it is a meer nullity but if a Minister of the Gospell dispence the Sacrament of Baptisme or the Lords Supper to believers of another Society though done without consent it was never deemed or judged a nullity in the Church of God Let the comparison hold good and most Christians have cause to question whether they be truly baptized or ever lawfully received the Sacrament of the Lords Supper If it may not be doubted whether ever the Sacraments of the New Testament were truly or by authority dispenced especially if we consider what follows in the other considerations This Argument from comparison is very usuall in the Writings of Brethren against communion with our Churches but for the most part greatly mistaken to say no more Answer 3 Consideration CIrcumcision and the Passoever were to be administred onely to the members of the Church Ergo Baptisme and the Lords Supper is so to be administred also The consequence is made good by the parity of these Ordinances For if the Argument hold strong for the proofe of Paedo-Baptisme which is taken from the circumcision of Infants why may we not as well infer a necessity of Church membership to Baptisme from the necessity of it to circumcision And that Circumcision was peculiar to the Church members of the Church may appeare in that persons circumcised onely they might eat the Passeover and they onely might enter into the Temple which were the priviledges of Church members In our answer to the second Objection against the first consideration we have shewed that Circumcision was not administred to all that were under the Covenant of Grace which all believers were but onely such of them as joyned themselves to the Church at first in Abrahams family whereunto Baptisme doth so far answer that the Apostle counteth these expresse equivalent to be circumcised in Christ with circumcision made without hands and to be buried with Christ in Baptisme Indeed in somethings they differ as onely the Males were circumcised whereas with us Females are also baptized The Reason is because God hath limited Circumcision to the Males but under the Gospel that difference is taken away Againe Circumcision was administred in the private family but Baptisme onely in the publick Assemblies of the Church The Reason of this difference is because they were bound to circumcise the Males on the eighth day but that could not stand with going to the Temple which was too far off for the purpose to bring every child thither from all parts of Judaea to be Circumcised the eighth day Nor had they alway opportunity of a solemne convention in the Synagogue on every eighth day when some child or other might be to be circumcised But there is no precise day set downe so Baptisme nor are opportunities of publick Assemblies so remote where Churches are kept in a congregationall frame but that every first day of the week Baptisme may be administred if it be required Again for the Aforesaid Reason Circumcision required not a peculiar Minister for ought we finde in Scripture but it is not 〈◊〉 in Baptisme as was shewd in the second Consideration But no good Reason can be given why in this they should not both agree viz. that they are both to be dispensed onely to members of the visible Church as it hath been proved in the first Consideration Reply THis whole Reason as it is propounded makes onely against it selfe who eveâ— thought that the Seals of the Covenant were not proper to confederates or thâ— Church of God But of old all visible Believers under the Covenant of Grace walking in holinesse were of the visible Church and in Church Order according to the dispensation of those times though not joyned in externall society with the Family of Abraham And to exclude Melchisedeck or Iob because they were nâ—â— members of the visible Church when yet they were visible Believers under the Covenant of Grace and in Church Order as those times required is well-nigh a contradiction And so it is to debar known and approved Christians members of ouâ— Congregation and their seed from the Seals because they be not of the visible Church for they are members of the Church and so to bee held and
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
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
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