and that without Question the wrong is not to be tolerated but to be testified against however specious its Appearance may be and that it must and ought to be judged The Question will arise who is the proper Judge or Judges in whom resideth the Power of deciding this Controversie and this is that which I undertook in the next Place to treat of as being the Specifick Difference and Distinguishing Property of the Church of Christ from all other Antichristian-Assemblies and Churches of man's building and framing To give a short and yet clear and plain Answer to this Proposition The only proper Judge of Controversies in the Church is the Spirit of God and the Power of deciding solely lies in it as having the only Vnerring Infallible and Certain Judgment belonging to it which Infallibility is not necessarily annexed to any Persons Person or Places whatsoever by Virtue of any Office Place or Station any one may have or have had in the Body of Christ that is to say that any have Ground to reason thus because I am or have been such an Eminent Member therefore my Judgment is infallible or because we are the greatest Number or that we live in such a Noted or Famous Place or the like though some of these Reasons may and ought to have their true Weight in Case of Contradictory Assertions as shall hereafter be observed yet not so as upon which either mainly or only the Infallible Judgment is to be placed but upon the Spirit as that which is the firm and unmoveable Foundation And now if I should go on no further I have said enough to vindicate us from Imposition and from the Tyranny whether of Propery Prelacy or Presbytery or any such like we have or may be branded with as shall after appear But to proceed herein lies the Difference betwixt the Dispensation of the Law and the Gospel or New Covenant for that of old all Answers were to be received from the Priests in the Tabernacle for he that appeared betwixt the Cherubims there spoke forth his Mind to the People and there was also Families of the Prophets to whom they resorted for the Answer of the Lord though sometimes as a Signification of the further Glory that was to be revealed it pleased God to reveal his Mind to some even to them who were neither Prophets nor Prophets Sons but under the Gospel we are all to be taught of God that is none are excluded from this Priviledge by not being of the Tribe of Levi or of the Children of the Prophets though this Priviledge is as truly exercised in some by assenting and obeying to what God commands and reveals through others they feeling Vnity with it in the Life as by such who by the Revelation and Command of God's Spirit hold forth his Will to his People in certain Particulars which the same Spirit leads and commands them to obey So that we say and that with very good Ground that it is no ways inconsistant with this Sound and Unerring Principle to affirm that the Judgment of a certain Person or persons in certain Cases is infallible or for a certain Person or Persons to give a positive Judgment and pronounce it as obligatory upon others because the Foundations and Ground thereof is not because they are infallible but because in these Things at that Time they were led by the Infallible Spirit therefore it will not shelter any in this Respect to pretend I am not bound to obey the Dictates of Fallible Man is not this Popery I not being perswaded in my self because it is not disobedient to them but to the Judgment of Truth through them at such a Time and one or more their not being perswaded may as probably proceed from their being hardned and being out of their Place and in an Incapacity to hear the Requirings as that the Thing is not required of them which none can deny but it may as well be supposed as the contrary but for the further clearing of this Matter before I conclude I shall not doubt both to affirm and prove these following Propositions First That there never will nor can be wanting in Case of Controversie the Spirit of God to give Judgment through some or other in the Church of Christ so long as any assembly can properly or in any tolerable supposition be so termed Secondly That God hath ordinarily in the communicating of his Will under his Gospel imployed such whom he had made Use of in gathering of his Church and in feeding and watching over them though not excluding others Thirdly That their de Facto or effectually meeting together and giving a positive Judgment in such Cases will not import Tyranny and Vsurpation or an Inconsistency with the Universal Priviledge that all Christians have to be led by the Spirit neither will the Pretences of any contradicting them or refusing to submit upon the account they see it not or so excuse them from being really guilty of disobeying God For the First to those that believe the Scripture there will need no other Probation then that of Mat. 28 20. And lo I am with you alway even unto the End of the World And ver 18. And the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Now if the Church of Christ were so destitute of the Spirit of God that in Case of Difference there were not any found that by the Infallible Spirit could give a certain Judgment would not then the Gates of Hell prevail against it for where is Strife and Division and no effectual Way to put an End to it there not only the Gates but the Courts and Inner Chambers of Darkness prevail for where Envying and Strife is there is Confusion and every Evil Work but that there may be here no Ground of mistake or supposition that we were annexing Infallibility to certain Persons or limiting the Church to such I understand not by the Church every particular Gathering or Assembly circumscribed to any particular Country or City for I will not refuse but divers of them both apart and together if not established in God's Power may err nor yet do I lay the absolute Stress upon the a General Assembly of Persons as such picked and chosen out of every one of these particular Churches as if what the Generallity or Plurallity of those conclude upon were necessarily to be supposed to be the Infallible Judgment of Truth though to such an Assembly of Persons truly stated as they ought in God's Power he hath heretofore revealed his Will in such Cases and yet may as the most probable Way which shall be spoken of hereafter yet such as a meer Assembly is not conclusive nor yet do I understand by the Church every Gathering or Assembly of People who may hold Sound and True Principles or have a Form of Truth for some may lose the Life and Power of Godliness who notwithstanding may retain the Form or Notion of Things but yet are to be
for the Exaltation and Propagation of his Everlasting Truth and Gospel in the Earth we have not been wanting with the Hazard of our Lives to seek the scattered ones holding forth the Living and Sure Foundation and inviting and perswading all to obey the Gospel of Christ and to take Notice of his Reproofs as he makes himself manifest in and by his Light in their Hearts so our Care and Travail is and hath been towards those that are without that we may bring them into the Fellowship of the Saints in Light and towards those that are brought in that they may not be led out again or drawn aside either to the left Hand or the right by the Workings and Temptations of the Enemy These Things being thus cleared and opened we do positively affirm that we being a People gathered together by the Power of God which most if not all of those that arising among our selves do oppose us herein have acknowledged into the Belief of certain Principles and Doctrines and also certain Practices Performances by which we are come to be separated and distinguished from others so as to meet apart and also to suffer deeply for our Joint-Testimony there are and must of Necessity be as in the gathering of us so in the preserving of us while gathered Diversities of Gifts and Operations for the edifying of the whole Body Hence saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 5. 17. Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double Honour especially they who labour in the Word and Doctrine this we suppose neither to be Popish nor Antichristian let our Opposers say it as oft as they can without reckoning the Apostles such Secondly Forasmuch as all are not called in the same Station some rich some poor some Servants some Masters some married some unmarried some Widdows and some Orphans and so forth it is not only convenient but absolutely needfull that there be certain Meetings at certain Places and Times as may best sute the Conveniencies of such who may be most particularly concerned in them where both those that are to take Care may assemble and those who may need this Care may come and make known their Necessities and receive help whether by Counsel or Supply according to their respective Needs This doth not at all contradict the Principle of being led inwardly and immediately by the Spirit else how came the Apostle in that Day of the Powerful pouring forth of the Spirit of God to set apart Men for this Purpose sure this was not to lead them from their inward Guide yea of the contrary it is expresly said Look ye out among you Seven men of honest Report full of the Holy Ghost and Wisdom whom we may appoint over this Business Sure they were not to undertake a Business being full of the Holy Ghost which might import a contradiction to their being led by it So we see it is both fit and suitable to the Apostles Doctrine to have Meetings about Business Now if any should be so whimsical or conceited as to scruple their being at set Places and Times though these be nothing relative to the Essential parts but only Circumstances relating to the Conveniency of our Persons which we must have Regard to so long as we are cloathed with Flesh and Blood and such Notionists as are against this Godly Care work far more in their vain Imaginations than they reduce to Practice being like unto such of whom the Apostle James testified who content themselves with saying to the Naked be clothed and to the hungry be fed while they offer not in the least to minister to them those Things which are needful for clothing and Feeding of them yet shall we not scruple to make it appear that it is not without very good Ground that we both appoint Places and Times and First as to the Place I say as before it is with our Bodies we must meet as well as with our Spirits and so of Necessity we must convey our Bodies unto one Place that we may speak and act in those Things we meet for and that must be in some certain Place where all must know where to find it having herein a regard to the Conveniencies and Occasions of such as meet Were it fit that those of the Church of Corinth should go do their Business at Antioch or the Church of Jerusalem at Rome Nay surely God hath not given us our Reasons to no Purpose but that we should make use for his Glory and the good of our Brethren yet alwayes in Subjection to his Power and Spirit and therefore we have respect to these Things in the appointing of our Meetings and do it not without a Regard to the Lord but in a Sense of his Fear And so the like as to Times which is no contradicting of the inward Leading of the Spirit else how came the Apostle to appoint a Time to the Corinthians in their Contributions desiring them 1 Cor. 16. 2. To lay by them in store upon the first Day of the Week yea saith he not that he gave the same Order to the Church of Galatia I know not how any in Reason can quarrel Set-Times for outward Business it being done in a Subjection to God's Will as all Things ought to be or else how can such as so do but quarrel the Apostle for this Imposition at that Rate upon the Churches of Corinth and Galatia We appoint no set Times for the Performance of the Worship of God so as to appoint men to preach and pray at such and such Set-times though we appoint times to meet together in the Name of the Lord that we may feel his Presence and he may move in and through whom he pleaseth without Limitation which Practice of meeting together we are greatly encouraged to by the Promise of Christ and our own blessed Experience and also we are severely prohibited to lay it aside by the holy Apostle and also on the other Hand by the sad Experience of such as by Negligence or Prejudice forsake the Assemblies of God's People upon many of which is already fulfilled and upon others daily fulfilling the Judgments threatned upon such Transgressors read Heb. 10. from ver 23. to the End where that Duty is so seriously exhorted to and the Contempt of it reckoned a wilfull Sin almost if not altogether unpardonable yea a Treading under Foot the Son of God and a Doing Despite to the Spirit of Grace which is fulfilled in our Day and proves the lamentable Fruits of such as have so backsliden among us and therefore having so much good and real Ground for what we do herein together with the Approbation and Encouragment of Christ and his Apostles both by Command and Practice we can as that which both the Alpha and Omega the Foundation and Cap-stone faithfully affirm in good Conscience That God hath led us by his Spirit both to appoint Places and Times where we may see the Faces one of another and
THE ANARCHY OF THE RANTERS And other LIBERTINES The Hierarchy of the Romanists and other Pretended Churches equally Refused and Refuted in a Two-fold Apology for the Church and People of God called in Derision QUAKERS Wherein they are Vindicated from those that accuse them of Disorder and Confusion on the one hand and from such as Calumniate them with Tyranny and Imposition on the other shewing that as the true and pure Principles of the Gospel are restored by their Testimony so is also the ancient apostolick ORDER of the Church of Christ re-established among them and setled upon its Right Basis and Foundation By Robert Barclay Phil. 2. 3. Let nothing be done through Strife or Vain-glory but in Lowliness of Mind let each esteem another better then themselves Hebr. 13. 7. Remember them that have the Rule over you who spoke unto you the Word of God whose Faith follow Printed in the Year 1676. THE PREFACE TO THE READER SUCH is the Malignity of man's Nature in his fallen State and so averse is he from walking in the Straight and even Path of TRUTH that at every turn he is inclinable to lean either to the Right Hand or the Left yea such as by the Work of God's Grace in their Hearts and powerful Operation of his Spirit have obtained an Entrance in this Way are daily molested and set upon on all hands some striving to draw them the one way some the other and if through the Power of God they be kept faithful and stable then are they calumniated on bothsides each likening or comparing them to the worst of their Enemies Those that are acquainted with the holy Scriptures may observe this to have been the Lot of the Saints in all Ages but especially those whose place it hath been to Reform and Restore the Ruins of the House of God when decayed or any considerable time have been lyable to such Censures hence those that set about Repairing of the Walls of Jerusalem were necessitated to Work with the one hand and Defend with the other Christ is accused of the Jews as a Samaritan and by the Samaritans quarrelled for being a Jew The Apostle Paul is whipped imprisoned by the Gentiles and upbraided with being a Jew and teaching their Customs the same Paul is haled and ready to be killed by the Jews for breaking the Law and defiling the Temple with the Gentiles The like hath also befaln these faithful Witnesses and Messengers whom God has raised up in this day to witness for his Truth which hath long been in a great Measure hid but now is again revealed and many brought to be Witnesses of it who thereby are come to walk in the Light of the Lord. This People thus gathered have not wanted those Tryals that usually accompany the Church of Christ both on the right hand on the left each characterizing them in such Terms as they haâ—e judged would prove most to their Disadvantage from whence as the Testimony of the false Witnesses against their Lord did not agree neither do these against us some will have us to be foolish mad Creatures others to be deep subtil Polititions some to be illiterate ignorant Fellows others to be learned cunning Jesuites under a meer Vizard divers Professors will have us to be only Pensioners of the Pope undoubtedly Papists but the Papists abhor us as Hereticks Sometimes we are a disorderly confused Rabble leaving every one to do as they list against all Good Order and Government at other times we are so much for Order as we admit not men to exercise the Liberty of their own Judgments Thus are our Reputations tossed by the Envy of our Adversaries which yet cannot but have this Effect upon sober-minded people as to see what Malice works against us and how these men by their Contradictory Assertions concerning us save us the Pains while they Refute one another True it is we have laboured to walk amidst these Extremities upon our appearing for the Truth we have found things good in themselves abused upon both hands for such hath alwayes been the Work of an Apostacy to keep up the Shadow of certain Truths that there-through they might shelter other Evils Thus the Jews made use of the Law and the Prophets to vindicate their Abuses yea and to Crucifie Christ And how much many Christians abuse the Scriptures and the Traditions of the Apostles to uphold Things quite Contrary to it will in the general be readily acknowledged by most But to descend more particularly There be Two Things especially both of which in their primitive Use were appointed and did very much contribute towards the Edification of the Church The one is The Power and Authority which the Apostles had given them of Christ for the Gathering Building up and Governing of his Church by Vertue of which Power and Authority they also wrote the holy Scriptures The other is That Priviledge given to every Christian under the Gospel to be led and guided by the Spirit of Christ and to be taught thereof in all things Now both these in the primitive Church wrought effectually towards the same End of Edification and did as in their Nature they may and in their Use they ought to do in a good Harmony very well consist together but by the Workings of Satan and Perversness of Men they are made to fight against and destroy one another For on the one hand the Authority Power that resided in the Apostles while it is annexed entailed to an Outward Ordination and Succession of Teachers is made use of to cloak and cover all manner of Abuses even the height of Idolatry and Superstition for by Vertue of this Succession these men claiming the like Infallibility that was in the Apostles though they be Strangers to any inward Work or Manifestation of the Spirit in their Hearts will needs obliege all others to acquiesce and agree to their Conclusions however different from or contrary to the Truths of the Gospel and yet for any to call such Conclusions in Question or examine them is no less then a Hainous Heresie deserving Death c. Or while the Revelation of God's Mind is wholely bound up to these things already delivered in the Scriptures as if God had spoke his last words there to his People we are put with our own natural Understandings to Debate about the Meanings of it and forced to interpret them not as they plainly speak but according to the Analogy of a certain Faith made by Men not so much contrived to answer the Scriptures as the Scriptures are strained to vindicate it which to doubt of is also counted Heresie deserving no less then Ejection out of our native Country and to be robbed of the common Aid our Nativity entitles us to and on this hand we may boldly say both Papists and Protestants have greatly gone aside On the other hand some are so great Pretenders to inward Motions and Revelations of the Spirit that
there are no Extravagancies so wild which they will not cloak with it and so much are they for every ones following their own Mind as can admit of no Christian-Fellowship and Community nor of that good Order and Discipline which the Church of Christ never was nor can be without this gives an open Door to all Libertinism and brings great Reproach to the Christian-Faith and on this hand have foully faln The German Anabaptists so call'd viz. John of Leiden Knipperdoling c. in case these monstrous things committed by them be such as they are related and some more moderate of that kind have been found among the People in England called Ranters as it is true the People called Quakers hath bin branded with both of these extreams it is as true it hath been and is their Work to avoid them and to be found in that even and good Path of the primitive Church where all were no doubt led and acted by the holy Spirit and might all have prophesied one by one and yet there was a Subjection of the Prophets to the Spirits of the Prophets There was an Authority some had in the Church yet it was for Edification and not for Destruction there was an Obedience in the Lord to such as were set over and a being taught by such and yet a knowing of the Inward Anointing by which each Individual was to be led into all Truth The Work and Testimony the Lord hath given us is to restore this again and to set both these in their right place without causing them to destroy one another to manifest how this is accomplished and accomplishing among us is the Business of this Treatise which I hope will give some Satisfaction to men of sober Judgments and impartial and unprejudicate Spirits and may be made useful in the good Hand of the Lord to Confirm and Establish Friends against their present Opposers which is mainly intended and earnestly prayed for The 17th of the 8th Moneth 1674. By Robert Barclay THE CONTENTS Section First THe Introduction and Method of this Treatise page 9. Section Second Concerning the Ground and Cause of this Controversie p. 12. Section Third Whether there be any Order or Government in the Church of Christ p. 18. Section Fourth Of the Order and Government we plead for p. 31. Section Fifth In what Cases and how far this Government extends p. 37. Section Sixth How far this Government extends in Matters spiritual and purely conscientious p. 47. Section Seventh Concerning the Power of Decision p. 66. Section Eighth How this Government altogether differeth from the Oppressing and Persecuting Principality of the Church of Rome and other Antichristian Assemblies p. 75. The Conclusion p. 84. Page 20. line 18. for Gatherng read Gathering p. 21. l. 17. f. Chucrch r. Church l. 19. f. Persecutiton r. Persecution p. 24. l. 22. f. dding r. adding p. 42. l. 2. f. Go d r. God SECTION First The Introduction and Method of this Treatise AFter that the Lord God in his own appointed time had seen meet to put an End to the Dispensation of the Law which was delivered to the Children of Israel by the Ministry of Moses through and by whom he did communicate unto them in the Wilderness from Mount Sinai divers Commandments Ordinances Appointments and Observations according as they are testified in the Writings of the Law it pleased him to send his own Son the Lord Jesus Christ in the Fulness of Time who having perfectly fulfilled the Law and the Rigâ—teousness thereof gave witness to the Dispensation of the Gospel and having approved himself and the Excellency of his Doctrine by many Great and Wonderful Signs and Miracles he sealed it with his Blood and triumphing over Death of which it was impossible for him to be held he cherished and encouraged his despised Witnesses who had believed in him in that he appeared to them after he was raised from the dead comforting them with the Hope and Assurance of the pouring forth of his Spirit by which they were to be led and ordered in all things in and by which he was to be with them to the End of the World not suffering the Gates of Hell to prevail against them by which Spirit come upon them they being filled were emboldned to preach the Gospel without Fear and in a short time Thousands were added to the Church and the Multitude of them that believed were of One Heart and of One Soul and great Love and Zeal prevailed and there was nothing lacking for a season But all that was caught in the Net did not prove Good and Wholsom Fish some were again to be cast in that Ocean from whence they were drawn of those many that were called all proved not chosen Vessels fit for the Master's Use and of all that were brought into the great Supper and Marriage of the King's Son there were that were found without the Wedding Garment some made a Shew for a Season and afterwards fell away there were that drew back there were that made Shipwrack of Faith and of a Good Conscience there were not only such as did backslide themselves but sought to draw others into the same Perdition with themselves seeking to overturn their Faith also yea there were that brought in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and also of those Members that became not wholely corrupt for some were never again restored by repentance there were that were weak and sickly and young some were to be fed with Milk and not with strong Meat some were to be purged when the old Leaven received any place and some to be cut off for a season to be shut out as it were of the Camp for a time until their Leprosie were healed and then to be received in again Moreover as to Outwards there was the Care of the Poor of the Widdow of the Fatherless of the Strangers c. therefore the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Head of the body the Church for the Church is the Body of Christ and the Saints are the several Members of that Body knowing in his infinite Wisdom what was needful for the good ordering and disposing all things in their proper Place and for preserving and keeping all things in their right Station did in the Dispensation and Communication of his holy Spirit minister unto every Member a Measure of the same Spirit yet diverse according to operation for the Edification of the Body some Apostles some Teachers some Pastors some Elders there are Old Men there are Young Men there are Babes for all are not Apostles neither are all Elders neither are all Babes yet are all Members and as such all have a Sense and Feeling of the Life of the Body which from the Head flows unto all the Body is the Oyntment of Aaron ' s Beard unto the Skirts of his Garment and every Member has its place and Station in the Body so long as it keeps in the Life of the Body and
13. 7. Remember them which have the Rule over you who have spoken unto you the Word of God whose Faith follow considering the End of their Conversation 17. Obey them that have the Rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls as they that must give Account that they may do it with Joy and not with Grief for that is unprofitable for you Jude 8. Likewise also these filthy Dreamers defile the Flesh despise Dominion and speak Evil of Dignities I might at length enlarge if needful upon these Passages any of which is sufficient to prove the Matter in Hand but that what is said may satisfie such as are not wilfully blind and obstinate for there can be nothing more plain from these Testimonies then that the Ancient Apostles Primitive Christians practised Order and Government in the Church that some did appoint and ordain certain Things condemn and approve certain Practices as well as Doctrines by the Spirit of God that there lay an Obligation in Point of Duty upon others to obey and submit that this was no Encroachment nor-Imposition upon their Christian-Liberty nor any Wayes contradictory to their being inwardly and immediately led by the Spirit of God in their Hearts and lastly that such as are in the true Feeling and Sense will find it their Places to obey and be one with the Church of Christ in such like Cases and that it 's such as have lost their Sense and Feeling of the Life of the Body that dissent and are disobedient under the false Prentence of Liberty so that thus is sufficiently proven what I undertook in this Place Thirdly I judge there will need no great Arguments to prove the People of God may do well to exercise the like Government upon the very like Occasion for even Reason may teach us that what proved good wholsom Cures to the Distemper of the Church in former Ages will not now the very like Distempers falling in prove hurtful and poysonable especially if we have the Testimony of the same Spirit in our Hearts not only allowing us but commanding us so to do It is manifest though we are sorry for it that the same Occasions now fall in we find that there are that have eaten and drunken with us at the Table of the Lord and have been Sharers of the same spiritual Joy and Consolation that afterwards fall away we find to our great Grief that some walk disorderly and some are puffed up and strive to sow Division labouring to stumble the weak and to cause Offences in the Church of Christ What then is more suitable and more christian then to follow the Foot-steps of the Flock and to labour and travail for the good of the Church and for the removing all that is hurtful even as the holy Apostles who walked with Jesus did before us If there be such as walk disorderly now must not they be admonished rebuked and withdrawn from as well as of old or is such to be the Condition of the Church in these latter Times that all Iniquity must go unreproved Must it be Heresie or Oppression to watch over one another in Love to take Care for the Poor to see that there be no corrupt no defiled Members of the Body and carefully and christianly deal with them for restoring them if possible and for withdrawing from them if incureable I am perswaded that there are none that look upon the Commands of Christ and his Apostles the Practice and Experience of the primitive Church and Saints as a sufficient President to authorize a Practice now that will deny the Lawfulness or Usefulness hereof but must needs acknowledge the Necessity of it But if it be objected as some have done Do not you deny that the Scripture is the adequate Rule of Faith and Manners and that the Commands or Practices of the Scripture are not a sufficient Warrant for you now to do any thing without you be again authorized and led unto it by the same Spirit and upon that Score do you not forbear some things both practised and commanded by the primitive Church and Saints Well I hope I have not any thing weakned this Objection but presented it in its full Vigour and Strength to which I shall clearly and distinctly answer thus First Seasons and Times do not alter the Nature and Substance of Things in themselves though it may cause Things to alter as to the Usefulness or not Usefulness of them Secondly Things commanded and practised at certain times and seasons fall of themselves whenas the Cause and Ground for which they were commanded is removed as there is no need now for the Decision about Circumcision seeing there are none contend for it neither as to the Orders concerning Things offered to Idols seeing there is now no such Occasion yet who will say that the Command enjoyn'd in the same Place Acts 15. 20. To abstain from Fornication is now made void seeing there is daily need for its standing in Force because it yet remains as a Temptation man is incident to We confess indeed we are against such as from the bare Letter of the Scripture though if it were seasonable now to debate it we find but few to deal with whose Practises are so exactly squared seek to uphold Customs Forms or Shaddows when the Use for which they were appointed is removed or the Substance it self known and witnessed as we have sufficiently elsewhere answered our Opposers in the Case of Water-Baptism and Bread and Wine c. so that the Objection as to that doth not hold and the Difference is very wide in respect of such Things the very Nature and Substance of which can never be dispensed with by the People of God so long as they are in this World yea without which they could not be his People for the Doctrines and fundamental Principles of the Christian Faith we own and believe originally and principally because they are the Truths of God whereunto the Spirit of God in our Hearts hath constrained our Understandings to obey and submit In the second Place we are greatly confirmed strengthned and comforted in the joint Testimony of our Brethren the Apostles and Disciples of Christ who by the Revelation of the same Spirit in the Dayes of old believed and have left upon record the same Truths so we having the same Spirit of Faith according as it is written I believed and therefore have I spoken we also believe and therefore we speak and we deny not but some that from the Letter have had the Notion of these Things have thereby in the Mercy of God received Occasion to have them revealed in the Life for we freely acknowledge though often calumniated to the contrary that whatsoever Things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures may have Hope So then I hope if the Spirit of God lead me now unto that which is good profitable yea and
absolutely needful in order to the keeping my Conscience clear and void of Offence towards God and Man none will be so unreasonable as to say I ought not to do it because it is according to the Scriptures nor do I think it will savour ill among any serious solid Christians for me to be the more confirmed and perswaded that I am led to this Thing by the Spirit that I find it in it self good and useful and that upon the like Occasions Christ commanded it the Apostles and Primitive Christians practised and recommended it Now seeing it is so that we can boldly say with a good Conscience in the Sight of God that the same Spirit which leads us to believe the Doctrines and Principles of the Truth and to hold them and maintain them again after the Apostacy in their primitive and ancient Purity as they were delivered by the Apostles of Christ in the holy Scriptures I say that the same Spirit doth now lead us into the like holy Order and Government to be exercised among us as it was among them being now the like Occasion and Opportunity ministred to us therefore what can any Christianly or Rationally object against it for that there is a Real Cause for it the thing it self speaketh and that it was the Practice of the Saints and Church of old is undeniable what kind of Ground then can any such Opposers have for to such as scrupling at this do notwithstanding acknowledge our Principle that this were done by Imposition or Imitation more then the Belief of the Doctrines and Principles seeing as it is needful to use all Diligence to convince and perswade People of the Truth and bring them to the Belief of it which yet we cannot do but as Truth moves and draws in their Hearts it is also no less needful when a People is gathered to keep and preserve them in Unity and Love as becomes the Church of Christ and to be careful as saith the Apostle That all Things be done decently and in Order and that all that is wrong be removed according to the Method of the Gospel and the good cherished and encouraged so that we conclude and that upon very good Grounds that there ought now as well as heretofore to be Order Government in the Church of Christ that which now cometh to be examined in the third Place is First What is the Order and Government we plead for Secondly In what Cases and how far it may extend and in whom the Power decisive is Thirdly How it differeth and is wholely an other then the oppressive and persecuting Principallity of the Church of Rome and other Antichristian Assemblies SECTION Fourth Of the Order and Government which we plead for IT will be needful then before I proceed to describe the Order Government of the Church to consider what is or may be properly understood by the Church for some as I touched before seem to be offended or at least afraid of the very Word because The Power of the Church the Order of the Church the Judgment of the Church and such like Pretences have been the great Weapons wherewith Antichrist and the Apostate Christians have been these many Generations persecuting the Woman and warring against the Man-child and indeed great Disputes have been among the Learned Rabbies in the Apostacy concerning this Church what it is or what may be so accounted which I find not my Place at present to dive much in but shall only give the true Sense of it according to Truth and the Scriptures plain Testimony The Word Church in it self and as used in the Scriptures is no other but a Gathering Company or Assembly of certain People called or gathered together for so the Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies which is that the Translators render Church which Word is derived from the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. evoco I call out of from the Root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 voco I call Now though the English Word Church be only taken in such a Sense as People are gathered together upon a Religious Account yet the Greek Word that is so rendered is taken in general for every Gathering or Meeting together of People and therefore where it is said The Town-Clark of the Ephesians dismissed the Tumult that was gathered there together the same Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used Acts 19. 41. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he dismissed the Assembly or the Church A Church then in the Scripture Phrase is no other then a Meeting or Gathering of certain People which if it be taken in a religious Sense as most commonly it is are gathered together in the Belief of the same Principles Doctrines and Points of Faith whereby as a Body they become distinguished from others and have a certain Relation among themselves and a conjunct Interest to the maintaining and propagating these Principles they judge to be right and therefore have a certain Care and Oversight over on another to prevent and remove all Occasions that may tend to break this their conjunct Interest hinder the Propagation of it or bring Infamy Contempt or Contumely upon it or give such as on the other Hand are or may be banded together to undo them just Occasion against them to decry and defame them Now the Way to distinguish that Church Gathering or Assembly of People whereof Christ truly is the Head from snch as falsly pretend thereto is by considering the Principles Grounds upon which they are gathered together the Nature of that Hierarchy Order they have among themselves the Way and Method they take to uphold it and the Bottom upon which it standeth which will greatly contribute to clear all Mistakes Forasmuch as Sanctification and Holiness is the great and chief End among true Christians which moves them to gather together therefore the Apostle Paul defines the Church in his Salutation to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 1. 2. Vnto the Church of God which is at Corinth them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints so the Church is such as are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints The Power and Authority Order and Government we speak of is such as a Church Meeting Gathering or Assembly claims towards those that have or do declare themselves Members who own believe and profess the same Doctrines and Principles of Faith with us and go under the same Distinction and Denomination whose Escapes Faults and Errors may by our Adversaries justly be imputed to us if not seasonably and christianly reproved reclaimed or condemned for we are not so foolish as to concern our selves with those who are not of us far less who stand in Opposition to us so as to reprove instruct or reclaim them as Fellow Members or Brethren yet with a Respect to remove the general Reproach from the Christian Name with a tender Regard to the good of their immortal Souls for the Zeal we owe to God's Glory and
to take Care one for another provoking one another to Love and good Works and our Faith and Cofidence herein cannot be staggered by a meer Denial in our Opposers which no man of Conscience and Reason will say it ought seeing the Thing it self hath such a solid and real Cause and Foundation so good and suitable a Patern and Example and that it is constantly confirmed to us both by the Testimony of God's Spirit in our Hearts and by the good Fruits and Effects which we daily reap thereby as a Seal and Confirmation that God is well pleased therewith and approveth us in it Having thus far proceeded to shew that there ought to be Order and Government among the People of God and that that which we plead for is that there may be certain Meetings set apart for that End it is next to be considered in what Cases and how far it may extend SECTION Fifth In what Cases and how far this Government extends and first as to Outwards and Temporals I shall begin with that which gave the first Rise for this Order among the Apostles and I do verily believe might have been among the first Occasions that gave the like among us and that is The Care of the Poor of Widdows and Orphans Love and Compassion are the great yea and the chiefest Marks of Christianity Hereby shall it be known saith Christ that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another And James the Apostle places Religion herein in the first place Pure Religion saith he and Vndefiled before God and the Father is to visit the Fatherless and Widdows in their Afflictions c. For this then as one main End do we meet together that Inquiry may be made if there be any poor of the Houshould of Faith that need that they may be supplied that the Widdows may be taken Care of that the Orphans and Fatherless may be bred up and educated Who will be so unchristian as to reprove this good Order and Government and to say it is needless but if any will thus object May not the Spirit lead every one of you to give to them that need What needs meeting about it and such Formalities I answer The Spirit of God leads us so to do what can they say to the contrary nor is this a Practice any ways inconsistent with being inwardly and immediately led by the Spirit for the Spirit of God doth now as well as in the Dayes of old lead his People into those Things which are orderly and of a good Report for he is the God of Order and not of Confusion therefore the Holy Apostles judged it no Inconsistency with their being led by the Spirit to appoint Men full of the Holy Ghost and of Wisdom over the Business of the poor Now if to be full of the Holy Ghost be a Qualification needfull for this Imployment surely the Nature of their Imployment was not to render this so needful a Qualification useless and ineffectual as if they were not to be led by it Moreover we see though they were at that Time all filled with the Spirit yet there was something wanting before this good Order was established There was a Murmuring that some Widdows were neglected in the daily Ministration and we must not suppose the Apostles went about to remedy this Evil that was creeping into the Church without the Counsel of God by his Spirit or that this Remedy they were led to was stepping into the Apostacy neither can it be so said of us we proceeding upon the like Occasion If then it be thus needful and suitable to the Gospel to relieve the Necessities of the poor that as there was no Begger to be among Israel of old so far less now must there not be Meetings to appoint Contribution in Order to the performing these Things which is no other but the giving of a general Intimation what the needs are that every one as God moves sheir Hearts and hath prospered them without Imposition Force or Limitation may give towards these needful Uses in which Case these Murmurers at our good order in such matters may well think strange at the Apostle How pressingly how earnestly doth he reiterate his Desires and Provocations so to speak in this Respect to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 16. 1 2 and the 8th and 9th Chapters of the 2d Epistle throughout Now though he testifies to them elsewhere that they are the Temples of the Holy Ghost and that the Spirit of God dwells in them yet ceaseth he not to intreat and exhort yea and to give them certain Orders in this Matter Besides all these Reasons which are sufficient to convince any unprejudicate man the Secret Approbation of God's Spirit accompanying us in this Thing together with the Fruits and Effects of it which hundreds can witness to whose Needs have been supplied and themselves helped through divers Difficulties and the Testimonies of some already of many more Orphans and Fatherless Children who have found no want neither of Father nor Mother or other Relations through the tender Love and Care of God's People in putting them in Trades and Imployments and giving them all needfull Education which will make it appear ere this Age pass away to those that have an Eye to see that these are not the meer Doings and Orders of Men but the Work of him who is appearing in ten Thousands of his Saints to establish not only Truth but Mercy and Righteousness in the Earth And for that End therefore in the second Place this Order reacheth the taking up and composing of Differences as to outward Things which may fall out betwixt Friend and Friend for such Things may fall out through the Intricacies of diverse Affairs where neither hath any positive Intention to injure and defraud his Neighbour as in many Cases might be instanced or if through the Workings and Temptations of him whose Work is to beset the Faithful and People of the Lord and to engender so far as he can Strise and Division among them any should step aside as to offer to wrong or prejudge his Neighbour we do boldly aver as a People gathered together by the Lord unto the same Faith and distinguished from all others by our Joint Testimony and Sufferings that we have Power and Authority to decide and remove these things among our selves without going to others to seek Redress and this in it self hath so much Reason that I cannot tell if any that are not wholely prejudicate or obstinate can blame it for if we be of one Mind concerning Faith and Religion and that it be our Joint-Interest to bring all others unto the same Truth with us as supposing them to be wrong what Confidence can we have to think of reclaiming them if the Truth we profess have not Efficacy as to reconcile us among our selves in the Matters of this World if we be forced to go out to others for Equity and Justice because we cannot find it among our selves
how can we expect to invite them to come among us when such Virtues as which still accompany the Truth are necessarily supposed to be wanting should we affirm otherwise it were to destroy the Truth and Faith we have been and are in the Lord's Hand building up and indeed the Spirit and Practice of such as oppose us herein hath no less Tendency Moreover besides the Enforcing and Intrinsick Reason of this Thing we have the Concurrence Approbation and Comfort of the Apostles Testimony 1 Cor. 6. Dare any of you having a matter against another go to Law before the Vnjust and not before the Saints If it be objected Do you reckon all Vnjust that are not of you Think ye all other People void of Justice I answer Though the Apostle useth this Expression I am perswaded he did not reckon all others Unjust that had not received then the Christian Faith there was no doubt Morall and Just Men among the Heathen and therefore the same Paul commends the Nobility of Festus he reckons them there Unjust in Respect of the Saints or comparatively with them as such as are not come to the just principle of God in themselves to obey it and follow it and therefore though he accounts them who are least esteemed in the Church capable to decide such Matters yet he supposeth it safer to submit to their Judgment in such Cases though it were by taking wrong or suffering wrong then to go before others to the greater Reproach of the Truth We hope though many Occasions of this kind have fallen in among us since we have been a People none have had just occasion to decline our Judgment and though some should suppose themselves to be wronged yet if they should go bring their matter before others we might say as the Apostle saith in the forementioned Chapter ver 7. This were thereby a Fault in them and would evidence a greater Care of some outward Concern then of the Honour and Interest of Truth and therefore such as have a tender Regard that Way would rather suffer what to their Apprehensions may seem wrong for in matters wherein two Parties are opposite in the Case of Meum and Tuum it is somewhat hard to please both except where the Power of Truth and the Righteous Judgment thereof reaching to that of God in the Conscience hath brought to a true Acknowledgment him that hath been mistaken or in the wrong which hath frequently fallen out among us to the often refreshing and confirming our Souls in the certain Belief that Christ was fulfilling his Promises among us In restoring Judges as at the first and Counsellors as in the Beginning Now suppose any should be so pettish or humorous as not to agree in such Matters to the Judgment of his Brethren and to go before the Unbelievers for though I reckon them not such Unbelievers as the Heathen of old because they profess a Faith in God and Christ yet I may safely say they are Unbelievers as to these Principles and Doctrines which we know are the Truth of God and in that Sense must be Unbelievers as to him that so appealeth to them from his Brethren I say such as so do first commit a certain Hurt and Evil in staining the Honour and Reputation of the Truth they profess which ought to be dearer to us then our Lives and even in that outward Matter for which they thus do they run a Hazard not knowing whether things shall carry as they expect if they loose they have a double prejudice if they gain it is a too dear Rate even with the Hurt of Truth 's Reputation which their outward Advantage cannot make up If then it be unlawfull to do evil that good may come of it even a Spiritual Good far less is it lawful to do a positive Evil of so deep a Dye as to bring an Evil Report upon the good Land and give the Uncircumcised an Occasion to rejoyce out of the Uncertain Hope of an outward Gain it is far better to suffer Loss as the Apostle very well argues in the Place above mentioned Indeed if there be any such have been or appear to be of us as suppose there is not a wise Man among us all nor an honest Man that is able to judge betwixt his Brethren We shall not covet to meddle in their Matter being perswaded that either they or their Cause is naught thought Praises to Go d among all those that have gone from us either upon one Account or other I never heard that any were so minded towards us but the most part of them having let in the Offence of somethings or persons have had this Unanimous Testimony concerning us that generally we are an honest and upright-hearted People but whatever Sense our Enemies or Apostates have of us who look asquaint on the Face of Truth and can see nothing aright in those they love not or are prejudicate against This we can say in the last Place besides the Reasons and Scripture above declared that the good Fruits and Effects which daily abound to the Houshold of Faith in this as well as the other Parts of the Government the Lord is establishing among us doth more more commend it unto us and confirmeth our Hearts in the certain Belief of that which we can confidently testifie in good Conscience that God hath led us hereunto by his Spirit and we see the Hand of the Lord herein which in due Time will yet more appear that as through our faithful Testimony in the Hand of the Lord that Antichristian and Apostatized Generation the National Ministry hath received a deadly Blow by our discovering and witnessing against their Forced Maintenance and Tythes against which we have testified by many cruel Sufferings of all kinds as our Chronicles shall make known to Generations to come so that their Kingdom in the Hearts of Thousands begins to totter and loose its Strength and shall assuredly fall to the Ground through Truth 's prevailing in the Earth so on the other Hand do we by coming to Righteousness and Innocency weaken the Strength of their Kingdom who judge for Rewards as well as such as preach for Hire and by not ministring Occasion to those who have heaped up Riches and lived in Excess Lust and Riot by feeding and preying upon the Iniquities and Contentions of the People for as Truth and Righteousness prevails in the Earth by our faithful witnessing and keeping to it the Nations shall come to be eased and disburdned of that deceitful Tribe of Lawyers as well as Priests who by their many Tricks and Endless Intricacies have rendered Justice in their Method burdensom to honest Men and seek not so much to put an End as to foment Controversies and Contentions that they themselves may be still fed and upheld and their Trade kept up Whereas by Truth 's Propagation as many of these Controversies will dye by Mens coming to be less contentious so when any Difference ariseth the
Saints giving Judgment without Gift or Reward or running into the Tricks and endless Labyrinths of the Lawyers will soon compose them and this is that we are perswaded the Lord is bringing about in our Day though many do not and many will not see it because it is indeed in a Way different and contrary to Man's Wisdom who are now despising Christ in his inward Appearance because of the Meanness of it as the Jews of old did him in his outward yet notwithstanding there were some then that did witness and could not be silent but must testifie that he was come even so now are there Thousands that can set to their Seal that he hath now again the second time appeared and is appearing in Ten Thousands of his Saints in and among whom as a first Fruits of many more that shall be gathered he is restoring the Golden Age and bringing them into the Holy Order and Government of his own Son who is ruling and to rule in the midst of them setting forth the Counsellors as at the Beginning and Judges as at first and establishing Truth Mercy Righteousness and Judgement again in the Earth Amen Halelujah Thirdly these Meetings take Care in the Case of Marriages that all things be clear and that there may nothing be done in that Procedure which afterwards may prove to the Prejudice of Truth or of the Parties concerned which being an outward Thing that is acknowledged in it self to be lawful of the greatest Importance a Man or a Woman can perform in this World and from the suddain unwary or disorderly Procedure whereof very great Snares and Reproaches may be cast both upon the Parties and the Profession owned by them therefore it doth very fitly among other things when it occurs come to be considered of by the People of God when met to take Care to preserve all things right and savoury in the Houshould of Faith We do believe our Adversaries that watch for Evil against us would be glad how promiscuously or disorderly we proceeded in this weighty Matter that so they might the more boldly accuse us as Overturners of all Humane and Christian Order but God hath not left us without his Counsel and Wisdom in this Thing nor will he that any should receive Just Occasion against us his People and therefore in this weighty Concern we who can do nothing against the Truth but all for and with a Regard to the Truth have divers Testimonies for the Lord and First That we cannot marry with those that walk not in and obey not the Truth as being of another Judgment or Fellowship or pretending to it walk not suitably and answerably thereto Secondly Nor can we go to the Hireling-Priests to uphold their false and usurped Authority who take upon them to marry People without any Command or President for it from the Law of God Lastly Nor can we suffer any such Kind of Marriages to pass among us which either as to the Degrees of Consanguinity or otherwise in it self is unlawfull or from which there may be any just Reflection cast upon our Way As to the first two they being Matter of Principles received and believed it is not my Work here to debate them only since they are received and owned as such for which we can and have given out sufficient Reasons else-where as for our other Principles we ought to care how any by walking otherwise bring Reproach upon us Yet not to pass them wholely by as to the First Besides the Testimony of the Spirit of God in our Hearts which is the Original Ground of our Faith in all Things we have the Testimony of the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 6. 14. Be ye not unequally yoked together c. Now if any should think it were much from this Scripture to plead it absolutely unlawful in any Case to joyn in Marriage with any however otherwise Sober because of their not being one with us in all Things I shall speak my Judgment To me it appears so and to many more who have obtained Mercy and we think we have the Spirit of God but whether it be lawful or not I can say positively it is not expedient neither doth it edifie and as that which is of dangerous Consequence doth give justly Offence to the Church of Christ and therefore no true tender Heart will prefer his private Love to the Good and Interest of the whole Body As for the Second In that we deny the Priests their assumed Authority and Power to marry it is that which is no wise we can resile from nor can we own any in the doing of it it being a part of our Testimony against the Usurpations of that Generation who never yet that I ever heard of could produce any Scripture-proof or Example for it and seeing none can pretend Conscience in the Matter for they themselves confess that it is no part of the Essence of Marriage if any pretending to be among us should through Fear Interest or Prejudice to the Truth come under and bow to that Image have we not Reason to deny such Slavish and Ignoble Spirits as mind not Truth and its Testimony Lastly Seeing if any walking with us or going under the same Name should hastily or disorderly go together either being within the Degrees of Consanguinity which the Law of God forbids or that either Party should have been formerly under any Tye or Obligation to others or any other vast Disproportion which might bring a just Reflection upon us from our Opposers Can any blame us for taking Care to prevent these Evils by appointing that such as so design make known their Intentions to these Churches or Assemblies where they are most known that if any know just Cause of Hinderance it may be mentioned and a timous Let put to the Hurt either by stopping it if they can be brought to condescend or by refusing to be Witnesses and Concurrers with them in it if they will not for we take not upon us to hinder any to marry otherwise then by Advice or disconcerning our selves neither do we judge that such as do marry contrary to our Mind that therefore their Marriage is null and void in it self or may be dissolved afterwards nay all our meddling is in a holy Care for the Truth for if the Thing be right all that we do is to be Witnesses and if otherwise that we may say for our Vindication to such as may upbraid us therewith that we advise otherwise and did no wayes concur in the Matter that so they may bear their own Burden and the Truth and People of God be cleared Now I am confident that our Way Herein is so answerable to Reason and Christianity that none will blame us therefore except either such whose Irregular and Impatient Lusts cannot suffer a Serious and Christian Examination and an advised and moderate Procedure or such who watching for evil against us are sorry we should proceed so orderly and would rather we
cannot be denied that there may arise Persons in the true Church that may do such Things from such a Spirit though pretending Conscience and Tenderness then it must also be acknowledged that such to whom God hath given a true Discerning by his Spirit may and ought to judge such Practices and the Spirit they come from and have no Unity with them which if it be owned in the General proves the Case to wit that some pretending Conscience in Things seeming indifferent but yet it proceeding in them from a Spirit of Singularity Emulation or Strife those that have received a Discerning thereof from the Lord may and ought to judge the Transgressors without being accounted Imposers Oppressors of Conscience or Inforcers of Uniformity contrary to the Mind of Christ against which the Apostle also guardeth the Churches of old Phil. 2. 3 4. Let nothing be done through Strife or Vain-Glory but in Lowliness of Mind let each esteem other BETTER THEN THEMSELVES Look not every Man on his own Things but every Man also on the Things of others Now if it be an Evil to do any Thing out of Strife thus such Things that are seen so to be done are they not to be avoided forsaken So that we are confident our Judgment herein cannot be denied or reputed Erroneous except it be said that none will or can arise in the Church of Christ pretending such things from such a Spirit which I know not any that will it being contrary to the express Prophecies of the Scripture the Experience of the Church in all Ages as may appear from Mat. 24. 24. Acts 15. 24. 1 Tim. 4. 5. 2 Tim. 3. 8. Mark 13. 21 22 2 Pet. 2. 19. Or on the other Hand that those that abide faithful and have a Discerning of those Evils ought to be silent and never ought to reprove and gainst and them nor yet warn and guard others against them and that it is a part of the commendable Unity of the Church of Christ to suffer all such Things without taking Notice of them I know none will say so but if there be any so foolish as to affirm it let them consider these Scriptures Gal. 2. 4. 1 Tim. 1. 20. 2 Tim. 2. 24 25. Tit. 1. 9 10 11. Now if none of these hold true but on the contrary such Evils have been and may be found to creep in among the People of God and that such as see them may and ought to reprove them then necessarily the doing so is neither Imposition Force nor Oppression As to the third concerning the Consequence and Tendency of them it is mostly included in the two former for whatsoever tendeth not to Edification but on the contrary to Destruction and to beget Discord among Brethren is to be avoided according to that of the Apostle Rom. 16. 17. Now I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause Divisions and Offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them And since there is no greater Mark of the People of God then to be at Peace among themselves whatsoever tendeth to break that Bond of Love and Peace must be testified against let it be observed I peak always of the Church of Christ indeed and deal with such as are of another Mind not as reckoning only false Churches not to have this Power but denying it even to the true Church of Christ as judging it not fit for her so to act as in relation to her Members for though Christ be the prince of Peace and doth most of all commend Love and Unity to his Disciples yet I also know he came not to send Peace but a Sword that is in dividing Man from the Lusts and Sins he hath been united to and also it is the Work of his Disciples and Messengers to break the Bonds and Unity of the Wicked wherein they are banded against God his Truth the Confederacy of such as stand in Unrighteousness by inviting and bringing as many as will obey unto Righteousness whereby they become disunited and separated from their Companions with whom they were centered at Peace in the contrary and cursed Nature and indeed blessed are they that are sent forth of the Lord to scatter here that they may gather into the Unity of the Life and they are blessed that in this Respect even for Righteousness Sake are scattered and separated from their Brethren that they may come to know the Brotherhood and Fellowship which is in the Light from which none ought to scatter nor to be scattered but be more and more gathered thereunto this leads me to what I proposed in the third Place under this Head of the true Church's Power in Matters Spiritual or purely Conscientious which may be thus objected If thou plead so much for an Oneness in the smallest Matters wherein consisteth the Freedom and Liberty of the Conscience which may be exercised by the Members of the true Church diversly without judging one another In answer to this Proposition I affirm first in general That whatsoever Things may be supposed to proceed from the same Spirit though divers in its Appearance tending to the same End of Edification and which in the Tendency of it layeth not a real Ground for Division or Dissension of Spirit Fellow Members ought not only to bear one another but strengthen one another in them Now the Respects wherein this may be I can describe no better then the Apostle Paul doth principally in two Places which therefore will be fit to consider at length for the opening of this Matter this being one of the weightiest Points pertaining to this Subject because as on the one Hand due Forbearance ought to be exercised in its right Place so on the other the many Devices and false Pretences of the Enemy creeping in here ought to be guarded against The first is 1 Cor. 12. from 4. to 31. thus 4 Now there are Diversities of Gifts but the same Spirit 5 And there are Difference of Administrations but the same Lord. 6 And there are Diversities of Operations but it is the same God which worketh all in all 7 But the Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the Word of Wisdom to another the Word of Knowledge by the same Spirit 9 To another Faith by the same Spirit to another the Gifts of Healing by the same Spirit 10 To another the Working of Miracles to another Prophecy to another Dâ—scerning of Spirits to another divers kinds of Tongues to another the Interpretation of Tongues 11 But all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit dividing to every Man severally as he will 12 For at the Body is one and hath many Members and all the Members of that one Body being many are one Body so also is Christ 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be bond or free
made up of Bishops or Presbyters or Commissâ—oners from the several Orders being of the Clergy Fourthly That what is concluded on by Plurallity of Votes and agreed to by the Pope and his Legates must necessarily be supposed to be the Judgment of the Infallible Spirit Fifthly That all the Members of the Church are bound implicitly to receive and believe it because it proceeds from a Council to be accounted lawful in the Respects above mentioned without Regard to the Intrinsick or Real Truths of the Things prescribed or bringing them in any Respect to the Test or Examination of the Spirit of God in themselves or the Scriptures Testimony or their Agreement or Disagreement with Truths formerly believed and receiv'd for so much as to prove or try them by Way of Doubt they reckon a Breach of the first Command as on the other Hand a matter of Merit implicitly to receive and believe them however inconsistent with the Testimony of the Spirit in ones own Heart Scripture Truth and Reason Sixthly That no Man as a member of the Church of Christ in that simple Capacity unless a Clergy-man or the Embassadour of some King c. can be admitted to sit vote or give his Judgment Seventhly that it is in no Respect to be supposed that any Members especially Laicks whether in a particular City Country or Nation may meet concerning any Things relating to the Faith and Worship of the Church and give by the Spirit of God any Judgment but that all such Meetings are to be accounted Schismatical and Unlawful And Lastly That the Promise of Infallibility and the Gates of Hell not prevailing is necessarily annexed to the Pope and Council called and authorized in the Manner above expressed Now if to deny every one of these Propositions wherein all Understanding Men know the errors abuses of the Romish Church consist be to be Popish then indeed may we be supposed to be one with the Papists in this Matter but no otherwise so that the very mentioning of these things is sufficient to shew the Difference betwixt us and them but if any will needs plead our Agreement with them thus The Papists affirm an Infallibility of Judgment in the Church of Christ and so do you therefore you are one with Papists I answer That proves no more our Oneness in this Matter then if it should be said the Papists plead that God ought to be worshipped and so do you therefore ye agree notwithstanding of the vast Differences as to that which is known not only betwixt us and them but betwixt them and all Protestants who agree more with them in the matter of Worship then we do Next again Infallibility in the Church according as we hold it I have above defined it no man upon our Supposition or Hypothesis can deny it for since we first assert as a Principle that no Gathering no Church nor Assembly of People however true their Principles be or however exact their Form are to be accounted the Church of Christ except the infallible Spirit lead and guide what can be the Hazard to say that in such a Church there is still an infallible Judgment indeed this is so far from Popery that it resolves in a Proposition quite contradictory to them The Romanists say That the infallible Spirit alwayes accompanies the Outward Visible Professors and is annexed to the external Suceession of Bishops and Pastors though ever so vitious as to their Lives yea though perfect Atheists and Infidels in their private Judgments yet if outwardly professing the Catholick Faith and Subjection to the Church we say on the quite contrary that where there is either Vitiousness of Persons or Unsoundness of Judgment in the particular Members these cannot by Virtue of any outward Call or Succession they have or any Profession they make or Authority they may pretend to so much or claim an Interest in any part of the Church of Christ So then if we admit none to be Members of the Church but such as are led and guided by the Spirit it will be no Popery in the Second Place to affirm that where there is a Company of People so gathered who are not any longer to retain justly the Name of the Church of Christ then they are led and guided by his Spirit or a Church so qualified and designed there is still an infallible Judgment so that this Infallibility is not annexed to the Persons to the Succession to the bare visible Profession though true which the Church of Rome is denied to be or to any Society because of its Profession but singly and alone to the true real and effectual Work of Sanctification and Regeneration the New Creature brought forth in the Heart and this is the Spiritual-Man which the Apostle faith judgeth all Things 1 Cor. 2. 15. To affirm there is an Infallibility here cannot well be condemned by any or whoso doth must needs say the Spirit of God is fallible for we place the Infallibility in the Spirit and in the Power not in the Persons and so these are the Degrees we ascend by because such and such Men are led by the Spirit of God and are obedient to the Grace in their Hearts therefore are they Members Officers in the Church of Christ and because they are Members of the Church of Christ in the Respect before declared therefore there is an Infallible Judgment among them We do not say because such men profess the Christian Faith and have received an outward Ordination and so are by a lawful Succession formally established Officers in the Church when they meet together according to certain Rules above declared there is an Infallibility annexed to their Conclusions and they cannot but decide what is right or rather what they decide must needs be supposed to be right who seeth not here a vast Disproportion Now we differ herein fundamentally that is as to the very Basis and Foundation upon which we build and that not only from the Church of Rome but also from the Generallity of Protestants in this matter All Protestants do acknowledge a General Council to be useful yea necessary in the Case of Division or Debate let us consider the Basis upon which they proceed and the Stress they lay upon it First All jointly both the Prelatical and Presbyterial will have this Synod or Council to consist of a Convocation of the Clergy chosen and sent from the particular Congregations with some few laick Elders called together by the Civil Magistrate in case he be one in Judgment with them They decide by Plurallity of votes and though they assume not an absolute Infallibility in that they reckon it possible for them to err yet do they reckon their Decisions obligatory upon their supposed Consonancy to the Scripture and however do affirm that the Civil Magistrate hath Power to constrain all to submit and obey or else to punish them either by Death Banishment Imprisonment Confiscation of Goods or some other
not hold Suppose a People really gathered unto the Belief of the true and certain Principles of the Gospel if any of these people shall arise and contradict any of those fnndamental Truths whether has not such as stand good right to cast such a one out from among them to pronounce positively this is contrary to the Truth we profess and own and therefore ought to be rejected and not received nor yet he that asserts it as one of us And is not this obligatory upon all the Members seeing all are concerned in the like Care as to themselves to hold the right and shut out the wrong I cannot tell if any man of Reason can well deny this however I shall prove it next from the Testimony of the Scripture Gal. 1. 8. But though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed As we said before so say I now again If any man preach any other Gospel unto you then that ye have received let him be accursed 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. Holding Faith and a Good Conscience which some having put away concerning Faith have made shipwrack Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander whom I have delivered unto Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme 2 John 10. If there come any unto you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your House neither bid him Rejoyce for so the Greek hath it These Scriptures are so plain and clear in themselves as to this Purpose that they need no great Exposition to the Unbyassed and Unprejudicate Reader fore-seeing it is so that in the true Church there may men arise and speak perverse things contrary to the Doctrine and Gospel already received what is to be the place of those that hold the pure and ancient Truth Must they look upon these perverse men still as their Brethren Must they cherish them as Fellow-Members or must they judge condemn and deny them We must not think the Apostle wanted Charity who will have them Accursed and that gave Hymenaeus and Alexander over to Satan after that they had departed from the true Faith that they might learn not to Blaspheme In short If we must as our Opposers herein acknowledge preserve and keep those that are come to own the Truth by the same means they were gathered and brought into it we must not cease to be plain with them and tell them when they are wrong and by sound Doctrine both exhort and convince Gainsayers If the Apostles of Christ of old and the Preachers of the Everlasting Gospel in this day had told all people however wrong they found them in their Faith and Principles our Charity and Love is such We dare not judg you nor separate from you but let us all live in Love together every one injoy his own Opinion all will be well how should the Nations have been or what way now can they be brought to Truth and Righteousness Would not the Devil love this Doctrine well by which Darkness and Ignorance Error and Confusion might still continue in the Earth unreproved and uncondemned If it was needful then for the Apostles of Christ in the dayes of old to reprove without sparing to tell the High Priests and great Professors among the Jews That they were stubborn and stiff-necked and alwayes resisted the Holy Ghost without being guilty of Imposition and Oppression or want of true Love and Charity And also for those Messengers the Lord raised up in this day to reprove and cry out against the Hireling Priests and to tell the World openly both Professors and Prophane that they were in Darkness and Ignorance out of the Truth Strangers and Aliens from the Common wealth of Israel if God has gathered a People by this means into the Belief of one and the same Truth must not they that turn and depart from it be admonished reproved and condemned yea rather then those that are not yet come to the Truth because they crucifie afresh unto themselves the Lord of Glory and put him to open Shame It seems the Apostle judged it very needful they should be so dealt with Tit. 1. 10. when he sayes There are many unruly and vain Talkers and Deceivers especially they of the Circumcision WHOSE MOUTHS MUST BE STOPPED c. Were such a Principle to be received or believed That in the Church of Christ no man should be separated from no man condemned or excluded the Fellowship and Communion of the Body for his Judgment or Opinion in Matter of Faith then what Blasphemies so horried what Heresies so damnable what Doctrines of Devils but might harbour it self in the Church of Christ What need then of sound Doctrine if no Doctrine make unsound what need of convincing and Exhorting Gainsayers If to Gainsay be no Crime where should the Vnity of the Faiâ—h be Were not this an Inlet to all manner of Abominations and make void the whole tendency of Christ and his Apostles Doctrine and render the Gospel of none effect and give a Liberty to the unconstant and giddy Will of Man to innovate alter and overturn it at his Pleasure So that from all that is above-mentioned we do safely conclude that where a People are gathered together into the Belief of the Principles and Doctrines of the Gospel of Christ if any of that People shall go from their Principles and assert things false and contrary to what they have already received such as stand and abide firm in the Faith have Power by the Spirit of God after they have used Christian Endeavours to convince and reclaim them upon their obstinacy to separate from such and to exclude them from their spiritual Fellowship and Communion for otherwayes if this be denyed farewel to all Christianity or to the maintaining of any sound Doctrine in the Church of Christ. But secondly Taking it for granted that the Church of Christ or Assembly of Believers may in some Cases that are Matter of Conscience pronounce a positive Sentence and Judgment without hazard of Imposition upon the Members it comes to be inquired In what Cases and how far this Power reached I answer First As that which is most clear and undenyable in the fundamental Principles and Doctrines of Faith in Case any should offer to teach otherwayes as is above declared and proved but some may perhaps acknowledge that indeed if any should contradict the known and owned Principles of Truth and teach otherwayes it were fit to cast out and exclude such But what judgest thou as to lesser matters as in Principles of less Consequence or in outward Ceremonies or Gestures whether it be fit to press Vniformity in these things For Answer to this it is fit to consider First The Nature of things themselves Secondly The Spirit and Ground they proceed from And Thirdly The Consequence and Tendency of them But before I proceed upon these I affirm and that according to Truth That
as the Church and Assembly of God's People may and hath Power to decide by the Spirit of God in Matters fundamental and weighty without which no Decision nor Decree in whatever Matters is available so the same Church and Assembly also in other Matters of less Moment as to themselves yet being needful and expedient with a Respect to the Circumstance of Time Place and other things that may fall in may and hath Power by the same Spirit and no otherwayes being acted moved and assisted and led by it thereto to pronounce a positive Judgment which no doubt will be found obligatory upon all such who have a Sense and Feeling of the Mind of the Spirit though rejected by such as are not watchful and so are out of the Feeling and Unity of the Life and this is that which none that own immediate Revelation or a being inwardly led by the Spirit to be now a thing expected or dispensed to the Saints can without contradicting their own Principle deny far less such with whom I have to do in this Matter who claiming this Priviledge to Particulars saying That they being moved to do such and such things though contrary to the Mind and Sense of their Brethren are not to be judged for it adding Why may it not be so that God hath moved them to it Now if this be a sufficient Reason for them to suppose as to one or two I may without absurdity suppose it as well to the whole Body and therefore as to the first to wit The Nature of the things themselves If it be such a thing the doing or not doing whereof that is either any Act or the Forbearance of any may bring a real Reproach or Ground of Accusation against the Truth professed and owned and in through which there may a visible Schism and Dissension arise in the Church by which Truth 's Enemies may be gratified and it self brought into disesteem then it is fit for such whose Care is to keep all right to take Inspection in the Matter to meet together in the Fear of God to wait for his Counsel and to speak forth his Mind according as he shall manifest himself in and among them and this was the Practice of the primitive Church in the Matter of Circumcision for here lay the Debate some thought it not needful to circumcise the Gentiles others thought it a thing not to be dispensed with and no doubt of these for we must remember they were not the Rebellious Jews but such as had already believed in CHRIST there were that did it out of Conscience as judging Circumcision to be still obligatory for they said thus Except ye be Circumcised after the manner of Moses ye cannot be saved Now what Course took the Church of Antioch in these Cases Acts 15. 2. They determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain other of them should go unto Jerusalem unto the Apostles and Elders about this Question We must not suppose they wanted the Spirit of God at Antioch to have decided the Matter neither that these Apostles neglected or went from their inward Guide in undertaking this Journey yet we see they judged it meet in this Matter to have the Advice and Concurrence of the Apostles and Elders that were at Jerusalem that they might be all of one mind in the matter for there is no greater Property of the Church of Christ then pure Unity in the Spirit that is a consenting and oneness in Judgment and Practices in Matters of Faith and Worship which yet admits of different Measures Growths and Motions but never contrary and contradictory Ones and in these Diversities of Operations yet still by the same Spirit the true Liberty is exercised as shall be declared hereafter Therefore prayeth Christ That they all may be one as he and the Father is one to which Purpose also let these following Scriptures be examined Rom. 12. 16. Be of the same Mind one towards another 1 Cor. 1. 10. Now I beseech you Brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no Divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same Mind and in the same Judgment Ephes. 5. 21. Submitting your selves one to another in the Fear of God Phil. 2. 2. Fulfil ye my Joy that ye be like-minded having the same Love being of one accord of one Mind And yet more remarkable is that of the Apostle Paul to the Philippians Chap. 3. Vers. 15. Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in any thing ye be otherwayesâ—minded God shall reveal even this unto you Nevertheless whereto we have already attained let us walk by the same Rule let us mind the same thing Brethren be Followers together of me and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an Example So here though the Apostle grants Forbearance in things wherein they have not yet attained yet he concludes they must walk so as they have him for an Example and so consequently not contrary or otherwayes and therefore we conclude that whereas any in the Church of God pretending Conscience or Revelation shall arise to teach and practise however insignificant or small in themselves whether Principles or Practices yet if they be contrary to such as are already received as true and confirmed by God's Spirit in the Hearts of the Saints and that the introducing of these things tend to bring Reproach upon the Truth as such as are not edifying in themselves and so stumble the Weak those who have a true and right Discerning may in and by the Power of God authorizing them and no otherwayes condemn and judge such things and they so doing it it will be obligatory upon all the Members that have a true Sense because they will feel it to be so and therefore submit to it And thus far as to the Nature of the things themselves Secondly As to the Spirit and Ground they proceed from Whatsoever Innovation Difference or diverse Appearance whether in Doctrine or Practice proceedeth not from the pure Moving of the Spirit of God or is not done out pure Tenderness of Conscience but either from that which being puft up affecteth singularity and there through would be observed commended and exalted or from that which is the Malignity of some Humours and natural Tempers which will be contradicting without Cause and secretly begetting of Divisions Animosities and Emulations by which the Unity and unfeigned Love of the Brethren is lessened or rent I say all things proceeding from this Root and Spirit however little they may be supposed to be of themselves are to be guarded against withstood and denyed as hurtful to the true Church's Peace and a Hindrance to the Prosperity of Truth If it be said How know ye that these things proceed from that Ground For Answer I make not here any Application as to particular Persons or Things but if it be granted as it