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A89790 A declaration of the faith and order owned and practised in the Congregational Churches in England; agreed upon and consented unto by their elders and messengers in their meeting at the Savoy, Octob. 12. 1658. Congregational Church in England and Wales. Savoy Meeting (1658).; Owen, John, 1616-1683.; Nye, Philip, 1596?-1672. 1659 (1659) Wing N1488; Thomason E968_4; ESTC R203024 44,014 43

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and regular obedience are so far from being degrees of higher perfection that they are superstitious and sinful snares in which no Christian may intangle himself CHAP. XXIV Of the civil Magistrate GOD the supreme Lord and King of all the World hath ordained civil Magistrates to be under him over the people for his own glory and the publique good And to this end hath armed them with the power of the Sword for the defence and incouragement of them that do good and for the punishment of evil-doers II. It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the Office of a Magistrate when called thereunto in the management whereof as they ought specially to maintain Justice and Peace according to the wholsome Laws of each Common-wealth so for that end they may lawfully now under the New Testament wage war upon just and necessary occasion III. Although the Magistrate is bound to incourage promote and protect the Professors and Profession of the Gospel and to manage and order civil administrations in a due subserviency to the interest of Christ in the World and to that end to take care that men of coroupt minds and conversations do not licentiously publish and divulge Blasphemy and Errors in their own nature subverting the faith and inevitably destroying the souls of them that receive them Yet in such differences about the Doctrines of the Gospel or ways of the worship of God as may befal men exercising a good conscience manifesting it in their conversation and holding the foundation not disturbing others in their ways or worship that differ from them there is no warrant for the Magistrate under the Gospel to abridge them of their liberty IV. It is the duty of people to pray for Magistrates to honor their persons to pay them Tribute and other dues to obey their lawful commands and to be subject to their Authority for conscience sake Infidelity or difference in Religion doth not make void the Magistrates just and legal Authority nor free the people from their obedience to him from which ecclesiastical persons are not exempted much lesse hath the Pope any power or jurisdiction over them in their dominions or over any of their people and least of all to deprive them of their dominions or lives if he shall judge them to be Hereticks or upon any other pretence whatsoever CHAP. XXV Of Marriage MArriage is to be between one man and one woman neither is it lawful for any man to have more then one wife nor for any woman to have more then one husband at the same time II. Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife for the increase of mankind with a legitimate issue and of the Church with an holy seed and for preventing of uncleanness III. It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry who are able with judgment to give their consent Yet it is the duty of Christians to marry in the Lord and therefore such as profess the true Reformed religion should not marry with Infidels Papists or other Idolaters neither should such as are godly be unequally yoaked by marrying with such as are wicked in their life or maintain damnable Heresy VI Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity forbidden in the Word nor can such incestuous Marriages ever be made lawful by any law of man or consent of parties so as those persons may live together as man and wife CHAP. XXVI Of the Church THe Catholique or Universal Church which is invisible consists of the whole number of the Elect that have been are or shall be gathered into one under Christ the Head thereof and is the Spouse the body the fulness of him that filleth all in all II. The whole body of men throughout the world professing the faith of the Gospel and obedience unto God by Christ according unto it not destroying their own profession by any Errors everting the foundation or unholiness of conversation are and may be called the visible Catholique Church of Christ although as such it is not intrusted with the administration of any Ordinances or have any offices to rule or govern in or over the whole Body III. The purest Churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error and some have so degenerated as to become no Churches of Christ but synagogues of Satan Neverthelesse Christ always hath had and ever shall have a visible Kingdom in this world to the end thereof of such as believe in him and make profession of his name IV. There is no other Head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ nor can the Pope of Rome in any sence be Head thereof but it is that Antichrist that man of sin and son of Perdition that exalteth himself in the Church against Christ and all that is called God whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of his coming V. As the Lord is in care and love towards his Church hath in his infinite wise providence exercised it with great variety in all ages for the good of them that love him and his own Glory so according to his promise we expect that in the latter days Antichrist being destroyed the Jews called and the adversaries of the Kingdom of his dear Son broken the Churches of Christ being inlarged and edified through a free and plentiful communication of light and grace shall enjoy in this world a more quiet peaceable and glorious condition then they have enjoyed CHAP. XXVII Of the Communion of Saints ALL Saints that are united to Jesus Christ their Head by his Spirit and Faith although they are not made thereby one person with him have fellowship in Graces Sufferings Death Resurrection and Glory and being united to one another in love they have communion in each others gifts and grace and are obliged to the performance of such duties publique and private as do conduce to their mutuall good both in the inward and outward Man II. All Saints are bound to maintain an holy fellowship and communion in the Worship of God and in performing such other spiritual services as tend to their mutual edification as also in relieving each other in outward things according to their several abilities and necessities which communion though especially to be exercised by them in the relations wherein they stand whether in Families or Churches yet as God offereth opportunity is to be extended unto all those who in every place call upon the Name of the Lord Jesus CHAP. XXVIII Of the Sacraments SAcraments are holy Signs and Seals of the Covenant of Grace immediately instituted by Christ to represent him and his benefits and to confirm our interest in him and solemnly to engage us to the service of God in Christ according to his Word II. There is in every Sacrament a spiritual relation or sacramental union between the signe and the thing signified whence it comes to pass that the names and effects of the one are attributed to the other III. The grace
more perillous then the hottest seasons of persecution We have sa●led through an Aestuation Fluxes and Refluxes of great varieties of Spirits Doctrines Opinions and Occurrences and especially in the matter of Opinions which have been accompanied in their several seasons with powerful perswasions and temptations to seduce those of our way It is known men have taken the freedom notwithstanding what Authority hath interposed to the contrary to vent and vend ●heir own vain and accursed imaginations contrary to the great and fixed Truths of the Gospel insomuch as take the whole Round and Circle of Delusi●ns the Devil hath in this small time ran it will be found that every Truth of greater or lesser weight hath by one or other hand at one time or another been questioned and called to the Bar amongst us yea and impleaded under the pretext which hath some degree of Justice in it that all should not be bound up to the Traditions of former times nor take Religion upon trust Whence it hath come to pass that many of the soundest Professors were put upon a new search and d squisition of such Truths as they had taken for granted and yet had lived upon the comfort of to the end they might be able to convince others and est blish their own hearts against that darkness and unbelief that is ready to close with error or at least t● doubt of the truth when error is speciousl● presented And hereupon we do professedly account it one of the greatest advantages gained out of the Temptations of these Times yea the honour of the Saints and Ministers of these Nations That after they had sweetly been exercised in and had improved practical and experimental Truths this should be the r forther Lot to examine and discuss and indeed anew to learn over every Doctrinal Truth both out of the Scriptures and also with a fresh taste thereof in their own hearts which is no other then what the Apostle exhorts to Try all things bold fast that which is good Conversion unto God at first what is it else then a savory and aff●ct●onate application and the bring●ng home to the heart with spiritual light and life all truths that are necessary to salvation together with other lesser Truths All which we had afore conversion taken in but notionally from common Education and Tradition Now that after this first gust those who have bin thus converted should be put upon a new probation and search out of the Scriptures not onely of all principles explicitely ingredients to Conversion unto which the Apostle referreth the Galatians when they had diverted from them but of all other superstructures as well as fundamentals and together therewith anew to experiment the power and sweetness of all these in their own souls What is this but tryed Faith indeed and equivalent to a new conversion unto the truth An Anchor that is proved to be sure and stedfast that will certainly hold in all contrary storms This was the eminent seal and commendation which those holy Apostles that lived and wrote last Peter John and Jude in their Epistles did set and give to the Christians of the latter part of those primitive times And besides it is clear and evident by all the other Epistles from first to last that it cost the Apostles as much and far more care and pains to preserve them they had converted in the truth then they had taken to turn them thereunto at first And it is in it self as great a work and instance of the power of God that keeps yea guards us through faith unto salvation Secondly let this be added or superadded rather to give full weight and measure even to running over that we have all along this season held forth though quarrelled with for it by our brethren this great principle of these times That amongst all Christian States and Churches there ought to be vouchsafed a forbearance and mutual indulgence unto Saints of all perswasions that keep unto and hold fast the necessary foundations of faith and holiness in all other matters extrafundamental whether of Faith or Order This to have been our constant principle we are not ashamed to confess to the whole Christian world Wherein yet we desire we may be understood not as if in the abstract we stood indifferent to falshood or truth or were careless whether faith or error in any Truths but fundamental did obtain or not so we had our liberty in our petty and smaller differences or as if to make sure of that we had cut out this wide cloake for it No we profess that the whole and every particle of that Faith delivered to the Saints the substance of which we have according to our light here professed is as to the propagation and furtherance of it by all Gospel-means as precious to us as our lives or what can be supposed dear to us and in our sphere we have endeavored to promote them accordingly But yet withall we have and do contend and if we had all the power which any or all of our brethren of differing opinions have desired to have over us or others we should freely grant it unto them all we have and do contend for this That in the concrete the persons of all such gracious Saints they and their errors as they are in them when they are but such errors as do and may stand with communion with Christ though they should not repent of them as not being convinced of them to the end of their days that those with their errors that are purely spiritual and intrench and overthrow not civil societies as concrete with their persons should for Christs sake be born withall by all Christians in the world and they notwithstanding be permitted to enjoy all Ordinances and spiritual Priviledges according to their light as freely as any other of their brethren that pretend to the greatest Orthodoxity as having as equal and as fair a right in and unto Christ and all the holy things of Christ that any other can challenge to themselves And this doth afford a full and invincible testimony on our behalf in that whiles we have so earnestly contended for this just liberty of Saints in all the Churches of Christ we our selves have no need of it that is as to the matter of the profession of Faith which we have maintained together with others and of this this subsequent Confession of Faith gives sufficient evidence So as we have the confidence in Christ to utter in the words of those two great Apostles That we have stood fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free in the behalf of others rather then our selves and having been free have not made use of our liberty for a cloak of error or maliciousness in our selves And yet loe whereas from the beginning of the rearing of these Churches that of the Apostle hath been by some prophecyed of us and applyed to us That whiles we promised unto others liberty we our selves
upright towards those that are planted in his house And that as the Faith was but once for all and intentionally first delivered unto the Saints so the Saints when not abiding scattered but gathered under their respective Pastors according to Gods heart into an house and Churches unto the living God such together are as Paul forespake it the most steady and firm pillar and seat of Truth that God hath anywhere appointed to himself on earth where his truth is best conserved and publiquely held forth there being in such Assemblies weekly a rich dwelling of the Word amongst them that is a daily open house kept by the means of those good Housholders their Teachers and other Instructers respectively appropriated to them whom Christ in the vertue of his Ascension continues to give as gifts to his people himself dwelling amongst them to the end that by this as the most sure standing permanent means the Saints might be perfected till we all even all the Saints in present and future ages do come by this constant and daily Ordinance of his unto the unity of the Faith and Knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ which though growing on by parts and piecemeal will yet appear compleat when that great and general Assembly shall be gathered then when this world is ended and these dispensations have had their fulness and period and so that from henceforth such a provision being made for us we be no more children tossed too and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine And finally this doth give a fresh and recent demonstration that the great Apostle and High-priest of our profession is indeed ascended into heaven and continues there with power and care faithfull as a son over his own house whose house are we if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end and shews that he will as he hath promised be with his own Institutions to the end of the world It is true that many sad miscarriages divisions breaches fallings off from holy Ordinances of God have along this time of tentation especially in the beginning of it been found in some of our Churches and no wonder if what hath been said be fully considered Many reasons might further be given hereof that would be a sufficient Apology without the help of a retortion upon other Churches that promised themselves peace how that more destroying ruptures have befallen them and that in a wider sphere and compasse which though it should not justifie us yet may serve to stop others mouths Let Rome glory of the peace in and obedience of her Children against the Reformed Churches for their divisions that occurred especially in the first rearing of them whilest we all know the causes of their dull stupid peace to have been carnal interests worldly correspondencies and coalitions strengthened by gratifications of all sorts of men by that Religion the principles of blind Devotion Traditional Faith Ecclesiastical Tyranny by which she keeps her Children in bondage to this day We are also certain that the very same prejudices that from hence they would cast upon the Reformed if they were just do lye as f●lly against those pure Churches raised up by the Apostles themselves in those first t●mes for as we have heard of their patience sufferings consolations and the transcending gifts powred out and graces shining in them so we have heard complaints of their divisions too of the forsakings of their Assemblies as the custom or manner of SOME was which later were in that respect felones de se and needed no other delivering up to Satan as their punishment then what they executed upon themselves We read of the shipwrack also of Faith and a good Conscience and overthrowings of the faith of SOME and still but of some not all nor the most which is one piece of an Apologie the Apostle again and again inserts to future ages and through mercy we have the same to make And truly we take the confidence professedly to say that these tentations common to the purest Churches of Saints separated from the mixture of the world though they grieve us for who is offended and we burn not yet they do not at all stumble us as to the truth of our way had they been many more We say it again these stumble us no more as to that point then it doth offend us against the power of Religion it self to have seen and to see daily in particular persons called out and separated from the world by an effectual work of conversion that they for a while do suffer under disquietments vexations turmoils unsettlements of spirit that they are tossed with tempests and horrid tentations such as they had not in their former estate whilst they walked according to the course of this world For Peter hath sufficiently instructed us whose businesse it is to raise such storms even the Devil's and also whose designe it is that after they have suffered a while thereby they shall be setled perfected stablished that have so suffered even the God of all Grace And look what course of dispensation God holds to Saints personally he doth the like to bodyes of Saints in Churches and the Devil the same for his part too And that consolatory Maxim of the Apostle God shall tread down Satan under your feet shortly which Paul utteteth concerning the Church of Rome shews how both God and Satan have this very hand therein for he speaks that very thing in reference unto their divisions as the coherence clearly manifests and so you have both designs exprest at once Yea we are not a little induced to think that the divisions breaches c. of those p●imitive Churches would not have been so frequent among the people themselves and not the Elders onely had not the freedom liberties and rights of the Members the Brethren we mean been stated and exercised in those Churches the same which we maintain and contend for to be in ours Yea which perhaps may seem more strange to many had not those Churches been constituted of members inlightned further then with notional and traditional knowledge by a new and more powerfull light of the Holy Ghost wherein they had been made partakers of the holy Ghost and the heavenly gift and their hearts had tasted the good Word of God and the Powers of the world to come and of such Members at lowest there had not fallen out those kindes of divisions among them For Experience hath shewn that the common sort of meer Doctrinal Professors such as the most are now a days whose highest elevation is but freedom from moral scandal joyned with devotion to Christ through meer Education such as in many Turks is found towards Mahomet that these finding and feeling themselves not much concerned in the active part of Religion so they may have the honour especially upon a Reformation of
his Spirit unto honour and be made conformable to his own glorious Body CHAP. XXXII Of the last Judgment GOD hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the World in righteousnesse by Jesus Christ to whom all Power and Judgment is given of the Father in which day not onely the Apostate Angels shall be judged but likewise all persons that have lived upon earth shall appear before the Tribunal of Christ to give an account of their thoughts words and deeds and to receive according to what they have done in the body whether good or evil II. The end of Gods appointing this day is for the manifestation of the Glory of his Mercy in the eternal salvation of the Elect and of his Justice in the damnation of the Reprobate who are wicked and disobedient for then shall the righteous go into everlasting Life and receive the fulnesse of joy and glory with everlasting reward in the presence of the Lord but the wicked who know not God and obey not the Gospel of Jesus Christ shall be cast into eternal torments and be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his Power III. As Christ would have us to be certainly perswaded that there shall be a Judgement both to deter all men from sin and for the greater consolation of the godly in their adversity so will he have that day unknown to men that they may shake off all carnal security and be alwayes watchful because they know not at what hour the Lord will come and may be ever prepared to say Come Lord Jesus come quickly Amen OF THE INSTITVTION OF CHURCHES And the ORDER Appointed in them by Jesus Christ I. BY the appointment of the Father all Power for the Calling Institution Order or Government of the Church is invested in a Supreme and Soveraign manner in the Lord Jesus Christ as King and Head thereof II. In the execution of this Power wherewith he is so entrusted the Lord Jesus calleth out of the World unto Communion with himself those that are given unto him by his Father that they may walk before him in all the wayes of Obedience which he prescribeth to them in his Word III. Those thus called through the Ministery the Word by his Spirit he commandeth to walk together in particular Societies or Churches for their mutual edification and the due performance of that publique Worship which he requireth of them in this world IV. To each of these Churches thus gathered according unto his mind declared in his Word he hath given all that Power and Authority which is any way needfull for their carrying on that Order in Worship and Discipline which he hath instituted for them to observe with Commands and Rules for the due and right exerting and executing of that Power V. These particular Churches thus appointed by the Authority of Christ and intrusted with power from him for the ends before expressed are each of them as unto those ends the seat of that Power which he is pleased to communicate to his Saints or Subjects in this World so that as such they receive it immediatly from himsel● VI Besides these particular Churches there is not instituted by Christ any Church more extensive or Ca holique entrusted with power for the administration of his Ordinances or the execution of any authority in his Name VII A particular Church gathered and compleated according to the minde of Christ consists of Officers and Members The Lord Christ having given to his called ones united according to his appointment in Church-order Liberty and Power to choose Persons fitted by the Holy Ghost for that purpose to be over them and to minister to them in the Lord VIII The Members of these Churches are Saints by Calling visibly manifesting and evidencing in and by their profession and walking their Obedience unto that Call of Christ who being further known to each other by their confession of the Faith wrought in them by the power of God declared by themselves or otherwise manifested do willingly consent to walk together according to the appointment of Christ giving up themselves to the Lord and to one another by the Will of God in professed subjection to the Ordinances of the Gospel IX The Officers appointed by Christ to be chosen and set apart by the Church so called and gathered for the peculiar administration of Ordinances and execution of Power or Duty which he intrusts them with or calls them to to be continued to the end of the World are Pastors Teachers Elders and Deacons X. Churches thus gathered and assembling for the Worship of GOD are thereby visible and publique and their Assemblies in what place soever they are according as they have liberty or opportunity are therefore Church or Publique Assemblies XI The way appointed by Christ for the calling of any person fitted and gifted by the Holy Ghost unto the Office of Pastor Teacher or Elder in a Church is that he be chosen thereunto by the common suffrage of the Church it self and solemnly set apart by Fasting and Prayer with Imposition of Hands of the Eldership of that Church if there be any before constituted therein And of a Deacon that he be chosen by the like suffrage and set apart by Prayer and the like Imposition of Hands XII The Essence of this Call of a Pastor Teacher or Elder unto Office consists in the Election of the Church together with his acceptation of it and separation by Fasting and Prayer And these who are so chosen though not set apart by Imposition of Hands are rightly constituted Ministers of Jesus Christ in whose Name and Authority they exercise the Ministery to them so committed The Calling of Deacons consisteth in the like Election and acceptation with separation by Prayer XIII Although it be incumbent on the Pastors and Teachers of the Churches to be instant in Preaching the Word by way of Office yet the work of Preaching the Word is not so peculiarly confined to them but that others also gifted and fitted by the Holy Ghost for it and approved being by lawful ways and means in the Providence of God called thereunto may publiquely ordinarily and constantly perform it so that they give themselves up thereunto XIV However they who are ingaged in the work of Publique Preaching and enjoy the Publique Maintenance upon that account are not thereby obliged to dispense the Seals to any other then such as being Saints by Calling and gathered according to the Order of the Gospel they stand related to as Pastors or Teachers yet ought they not to neglect others living within their Parochial Bounds but besides their constant publique Preaching to them they ought to enquire after their profitting by the Word instructing them in and pressing upon them whether young or old the great Doctrines of the Gospel even personally and particularly so far as their sterngth and time will admit XV Ordination alone without the Election or precedent consent of the
Church by those who formerly have been Ordained by vertue of that Power they have received by their Ordination doth not constitute any person a Church-Officer or communicate Office-power unto him XVI A Church furnished with Officers according to the mind of Christ hath full power to administer all his Ordinances and where there is want of any one or more Officers required that Officer or those which are in the Church may administer all the Ordinances proper to their particular Duty and Offices but where there are no Teaching Officers none may administer the Seals nor can the Church authorize any so to do XVII In the carrying on of Church-administrations no person ought to be added to the Church but by the consent of the Church it self that so love without dissimulation may be preserved between all the Members thereof XVIII Whereas the Lord Jesus Christ hath appointed and instituted as a means of Edification that those who walk not according to the Rules and Laws appointed by him in respect of Faith and Life so that just offence doth arise to the Church thereby be censured in his Name and Authority Every Church hath power it it self to exercise and execute all those Censures appointed by him in the way and Order prescribed in the Gospel XIX The Censures so appointed by Christ are Admonition and Excommunication and whereas some offences are or may be known onely to some it is appointed by Christ that those to whom they are so known do first admonish the offender in private in publique offences where any sin before all and in case of non-amendment upon private admonition the offence being related to the Church and the offender not manifesting his repentance he is to be duly admonished in the Name of Christ by the whole Church by the Ministery of the Elders of the Church and if this Censure prevail not for his repentance then he is to be cast out by Excommun cation with the consent of the Church XX As all Believers are bound to joyn themselves to particular Churches when and where they have opportunity so to do so none are to be admitted unto the Priviledges of the Churches who do not submit themselves to the Rule of Christ in the Censures for the Government of them XXI This being the way prescribed by Christ in case of offence no Church-members upon any offences taken by them having performed their duty required of them in this matter ought to disturb any Church-order or absent themselves from the publique Assemblies or the Administrat on of any Ordinances upon that pretence butto wait upon Christ in the further proceeding of the Church XXII The Power of Censures being seating by Christ in a particular Church is to be exercised onely towards particular members of each Church respectively as such and there is no power given by him unto any Synods or Ecclesiastical Assemblies to Excommunicate or by their publique Edicts to threaten Excommunication or other Church censures against Churches Magistrates or their people upon any account no man being obnoxious to that Censure but upon his personal miscarriage as a Member of a particular Church XXIII Although the Church is a Society of men assembling for the celebration of the Ordinances according to the appointment of Christ yet every Society assembling for that end or purpose upon the account of cohabitation within any civil Precincts or Bounds is not thereby constituted a Church seeing there may be wanting among them what is essentially required thereunto and therefore a Believer living with others in such a Precinct may joyn himself with any Church for his edification XXIV For the avoiding of differences that may otherwise arise for the greater Solemnity in the Celebration of the Ordinances of Christ and the opening a way for the larger usefulness of the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Ghost Saints living in one City or Town or within such distances as that they may conveniently assemble for divine Worship ought rather to joyn in one Church for their mutual strengthening and edification then to set up many distinct Societies XXV As all Churches and all the members of them are bound to pray continually for the good or prosperity of all the Churches of Christ in all places and upon all occasions to further it Every one within the bounds of their Places and Callings in the exercise of their Gifts and Graces So the Churches themselves when planted by the providence of God so as they may have opportunity and advantage for it ought to hold communion amongst themselves for their peace increase of love and mutual edification XXVI In Cases of Difficulties or Differences either in point of Doctrine or in Administrations wherein either the Churches in general are concerned or any one Church in their Peace Union and Edification or any Member or Members of any Church are injured in or by any proceeding in Censures not agreeable to Truth and Order it is according to the mind of Christ that many Churches holding communion together do by their Messengers meet in a Synod or Council to consider and give their advice in or about that matter in difference to be reported to all the Churches concerned Howbeit these Synods so assembled are not entrusted with any Church-Power properly so called or with any Jurisdiction over the Churches themselves to exercise any Censures either over any Churches or Persons or to impose their determinations on the Churches or Officers XXVII Besides these occasioned Synods or Councels there are not instituted by Christ any stated Synods in a fixed Combination of Churches or their Officers in lesser or greater Assemblies nor are there any Synods appointed by Christ in a way of Subordination to one another XXVIII Persons that are joyned in Church-fellowship ought not lightly or without just cause to withdraw themselves from the communion of the Church whereunto they are so joyned Nevertheless where any person cannot continue in any Church without his sin either for want of the Administration of any Ordinances instituted by Christ or by his being deprived of his due Priviledges or compelled to any thing in practice not warranted by the Word or in case of Persecution or upon the account of conveniency of habitation he consulting with the Church or the Officer or Officers thereof may peaceably depart from the communion of the Church wherewith he hath so walked to joyn himself with some other Church where he may enjoy the Ordinances in the purity of the same for his edification and consolation XXIX Such reforming Churches as consist of Persons sound in the Faith and of Conversation becoming the Gospel ought not to refuse the communion of each other so far as may consist with their own Principles respectively though they walk not in all things according to the same Rules of Church-Order XXX Churches gathered and walking according to the mind of Christ judging other Churches though less pure to be true Churches may receive unto occasional communion with them such Members of those Churches as are credibly testified to be godly and to live without offence FINIS Rom. 15. 6 8 9. Ver. 9. This perswasion cometh not of him that calleth you Gal. 5. 8. 1 Pet. 1. 5. 1 Pet. 3. 15. 2 Cor. 8. Gal. 1. 6. Heb. 5. 12. Eph. 4. 12. 14. Heb. 3. 6. Heb. 10. 22. June 20. 1648. Aug. 1647. Session 786. Ordinance of March 14 1645. Considerations and cautions from Sion Coll. Jun. 19. 1646. Jus divinum Min. pub by the Provost of London in the Preface Puritanis Ang. by Dr. Aims near 50 years since as the Opinions of Whitehead Gilbe Fox Dearing Greenbam Cartwright Venner Fulk Whitaker Rainold Perkins c.