it just and right altogether to debar them as having no right nor title to those priviledges of the Church It is your opinions whereto we had respect not simply your practice It never entred into us to perswade you to a set Liturgy much lesse to complain that you had not accepted ours But that all stinted Liturgies should be condemned as devised worship and so condemned as that none may lawfully be present at or pertake of the Sacraments administred in a stinted or devised forme this wee called a new opinion Neither do we mention it because we knew it to be the private opinion of some Brethren among you whom we had left to the liberty of their owne judgment so far as the maintenance of the Truth and a just call did not ingage us but because it was cryed up and advanced with all diligence and endeavour of some among us standing affected England-ward as if a chief point of holinesse consisted in separation You know how great a fire a little sparkle kindles And seeing this Distraction and Rent had its originall growth and continuance from some Brethren in those parts or affected to that way when in loving and friendly manner we could neither receive grounds at home for our conviction nor procure just satisfaction to the contrary what could wee doe lesse then call upon you joyntly to know your judgment and either by sound proof to be by you convinced if happily you should approve their separation which we esteem groundlesse rash unlawfull and prejudiciall to outward peace or being backed by a testimony of its dislike from you we might the better be both incouraged and furnished to endevour the quenching of that fire which was kindled but in too many places In other perticulars also wee conceive you goe beyond Commission given of God granting them authority to whom God hath not committed it debarring others from the priviledge of the Sacraments who have title thereto by the Covenant of grace Your love in that you were pleased to signifie first your kinde and respective acceptance of our Letter and now also to send us an answer thereto we acknowledge it with all thankfulnesse and shall endevour through the grace of God to return like affection in truth of heart if in measure we fall short Of your respect to us in particular we make no question your expressions are beyond that we could expect as also what we dare own But we humbly beseech the Lord to direct uphold and guide us that in some measure we may walk worthy of our vocation and approv our selves faithfull to your consciences It was one end of our writing to be satisfied in this point whether you approve the ways of Separation whereof wee complain and their courses who laboured with all their might when they conceived hope to be heard to perswade therunto Against which if we knew your judgment you testified among us You know they that separate are not all of one straine and temper Some deny all communion with us publick and private some admit of private but deny all publick and some joyne in Prayer before and after Sermon as also preaching of the Word because in their esteeme this may be done without communion in a Church-way but refuse to partake of the Sacraments All which Separations wee judge uncharitable contrary to the Commandement of Christ and have ever thought that you whilst with us and we were of one minde herein If of late we have conceived fears of some of you deere Brethren as leaning too much to what formerly you disliked we beseech you weigh what urgent and pressing Reasons forced us thereunto and we shall most gladly wee heartily desire you to rest assured lay hold of every line and syllable that may tend to dislodge such apprehensions For as we conceive the dispute to be unreasonably moved the Rent offensive the opinions themselves prejudiciall to the cause of God and the advancers thereof to have passed the limits prescribed by God so wee shall esteem it an inestimable blessing if now what hinders being removed wee might joyn with one heart and soule in one way of God to promote his glory and seek the good of his Church and people We trust in the Lord we should not draw back in any course wherein wee may see the Lord going before us nor be an offence to any to keep the Lords way wee seek the truth and are perswaded it is the cause of God which we defend we plead for Communion with the Churches of Christ no further then they hold communion with Christ still desiring to keepe the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace with your selves and all others who walke in the right way of truth peace and comfort How the Lord may be pleased to deale with us or dispose of us wee know not his blessed will be done But of this we are resolved through his grace not willingly to raise trouble or dissention among you if through ignorance or infirmity we shall not so fall in as to be of one minde with you in these matters And here we desire you to consider that in these particulars you dissent as much one from another as we dissent from you and that wherein we dissent from you and perhaps from the lesser part of you you dissent from the judgement and practice of all Reformed Churches This wee speake not to prejudice your cause but to intreat your serious re-examination of what you have sent us and this tryall thereof by the Touchstone of the Word For if we mistake not in many things it will not abide the Test You have written in great love and tendernesse that your Positions might be so scanned and wee shall endeavour with such affection to try all things and hold fast that which is good And now beseeching the guidance of the Spirit with your leave wee shall endeavour to deale fully and plainly as the nature of the cause requireth intreating you impartially to consider the grounds whereupon we go and weigh what wee shall say in the ballance of the Sanctuary The Lord of his rich mercy in Jesus Christ direct us in discerning what is right and pleasing in his sight Cast offences out of the Church close up Rents and Divisions reveal his Truth more and more set up and mayntain the purity of his own Ordinances unite the hearts of his people to the love and feare of his holy Name teach us self-deniall and keep us blamelesse to the comming of the Lord Jesus Christ Amen I POSITION That a stinted forme of Prayer and set Liturgie is unlawfull Answ BEfore we proceed to declare our selves concerning this position It will be needfull that some thing be premised for the explication of the terms thereof We suppose 1 By a Liturgy and forme of Prayer you mean not a forme of private Prayers composed for the helpe and direction of weaker Christians but the System or body of publike Prayers generally used in
as erroneous we hope you will not be offended You know how oft it hath beene objected that Non-conformists in practice are Separatists in heart but that they goe crosse to their own positions or smother the truth for sinister ends They of the Separation boast that they stand upon the Non-conformist's grounds A vainglorious flourish and sleight pretence But both these are much countenanced by your sudden change if you be changed as it is reported How shall your brethren bee able to stand up in the defence of their innocencie and the uprightnesse of their cause when your example and opinion shall be cast in their dish Must they leave you now with whom they have held society Or will you plead for Separation which you have condemned as rash and inconsiderate You know that thy who have run this way have fallen into manifold divisions and may not you justly feare lest the same befall you Some warnings you have had already and have you not cause to feare every day more and more Errour is very fruitfull and will spread apace A cracke in the foundation may occasion a wide breach in the building where there will not be means or mind to amend it Experience every day may tutour us herein But to let passe all inconveniences our request in all meeknesse and love is that if these or any of the forementioned opinions be indeed your Tenants you would be pleased to take a second review of your grounds and send us your strongest reasons that have swayed you in these matters and if we shall find them upon due examination to be such as will carry weight we shall be ready to give you the right hand of fellowship if otherwise you shall receive our just and modest animadversions in what we conceive you have erred from the truth You will not judge if we cannot apprehend the strength of your grounds it is because we love not the truth or bee carryed with by-respects though these conceipts prevaile too much Such rigid and harsh censures cannot lodge in meeke and humble breasts Weighty reasons promote the truth not unadvised judging You your selves have judged that to be errour which now you take to be truth when yet you were not blinded with by-respects nor hudwinked your eyes that you might not see the light And if you have just warrant from God to pull downe what you have builded and to build what you have pulled downe we desire you would lovingly and maturely impart it for as yet we have scene none which we are not ready to prove and shew by the rule of truth to be too weake to carry any burthen We adore with you the fulnesse of the Scripture and we know the Counsell of the Lord shall stand if you can shew that you walke in the wayes of God we shall heartily rejoyce to walke with you but if you have turned aside we shall earnestly desire that you would be pleased seriously to consider the matter and speedily reforme what is out of order Thus not doubting of your favourable interpretation of this our motion for the preventing of distraction maintenance of peace and searching out of the truth whereby we may be directed to live to the praise of God the good of his people and comfort of our soules beseeching God to lead and guide us into all truth and holinesse and keepe us blamelesse untill his glorious appearance we rest Your loving Brethren An Epistle written by the Elders of the Churches in NEW-ENGLAND to those godly Ministers fore-mentioned that sent over the Positions Reverend and beloved Brethren IN these remote Coasts of the earth whereunto the good hand of God hath brought us as we doe with much comfort of heart call to mind the many gracious blessings which both with you and from you we injoyed in our Christian and holy communion the memory and fruit whereof we hope shall never be blotted out so we have also seen cause to looke back to our former administrations there and to search and trie our wayes that wherein soever we have formerly gone astray we might judge our selves for it before the Lord And that seeing now God hath set before us an open doore of libertie wee might neither abuse our libertie in the Gospel to runne out into any groundlesse unwarrantable courses nor neglect the present opportunitie to administer by the helpe of Christ all the holy ordinances of God according to the patterne set before us in the Scripture In our native Countrey when we were first called to the Ministery many of us tooke some things to be indifferent and lawfull which in after-times we saw to be sinfull and durst not continue in the practise of them there Afterwards some things that we bare as burthens that is as things inexpedient though not utterly unlawfull we have no cause to retain and practise the same things here which would not have been not onely inexpedient but unlawfull such things as a man may tollerate when he cannot remove them hee cannot tollerate without sinne when he may remove them Besides some things we practised there which wee speak to our shame and griefe which we never took into serious consideration whether they were lawfull and expedient or no but took them for granted and generally received not onely by the most Reformed Churches but by the most godly and judicious servants of God amongst them which neverthelesse when we came to weigh them in the ballance of the Sanctuarie we could not find sufficient warrant in the Word to receive them and establish them here of one of these three kinds will these our present practises appeare to be which you call our new opinions or Innovations here except it be some few of them which though they have been reported to you to be our Judgements and practises yet are indeed farre from us The partieulars are too many and too weightie to give you account of them and the ground of our proceedings about them in a Letter But to give you if it be the will of God the better satisfaction we have sent you a short Treatise touching each particular that according to your desire you might understand from us how farre we do acknowledge any of these tenents and upon what ground hoping that according to your promise if upon due examination you shall find any weight in them you will give us the right hand of fellowship But if otherwise you will send us your just and faithfull animadversions and we doe not suspect your loves to the truth or your sincere speaking according to your conscience in the sight of God Neither taxe we you as siding from the truth with by-respects whereof you complain verily we abhorre such rash harsh and presumptuous notoriousnesse we see as much cause to suspect the integritie of our own hearts as yours and so much the more as being more privie to the deceitfulnesse of our own hearts then to yours And we cannot but with much thankfulnesse of heart acknowledge
the many rich precious treasures of his grace wherewith the Lord hath furnished sandrie of you above your Brethren which causeth us with great reverence to accept and receive what further light God may be pleased to impart unto us by you But as we have beleeved so have we hitherto practised and so have most of us spoken this our Answer to your particulars most of us we may say because there wants not some Brethren amongst us who proceed further even to looke at all set formes of Prayer invented by men of another age or congregation and prescribed to their Brethren to be read out of a book for the prayers of the Church as Images or Imaginations of men forbidden in the second Commandement But as we leave them to their libertie of their own judgements without prejudice so do we also concurre with the rest of them so farre as we all goe in bearing witnesse against any set formes or the corruptions in them In dispatching whereof we have been the more slow because it behoved us first to inquire into and to settle some controversies amongst our selves before we could well attend to entertaine discourse about forraigne questions which do not so neerely concerne our present estate and practise Besides your Letters being sent to the Ministers of the Churches and some of us dwelling farre asunder it was not an easie thing for all of us often to meet together to consider of these Questions much lesse to resolve upon one just answer But having at length by the assistance of God brought our Answers to this issue we commend it to the blessing of the Lord and in him to your Christian and judicious consideration where if all things bee found safe and duely warranted from Scripture grounds do you also as seemeth vigilant Watchmen of the Lords flock and faithfull witnesses to God If any thing seeme doubtfull to you consider and weigh it very well before you reject it If any thing appeare to be unsound and dissonant from the Word which we for our parts cannot discerne we shall willingly attend to what further light God may send unto us by you In the meane while wee intreat you in the Lord not to suffer such apprehensions to lodge in your minds which you intimate in your Letters As if we here justified the wayes of riged separation which sometimes amongst you we have formerly borne witnesse against and so build againe the things we have destroyed you know they separate from your Congregations as no Churches from the Ordinances dispensed by you as meere Antichristian and from your selves as no visible Christians But wee professe unfainedly we separate from the corruptions which we conceive to be left in your Churches and from such Ordinances administred therein as we feare are not of God but of men And for your selves we are so farre from separating as from no visible Christians as that you are under God in our hearts if the Lord would suffer it to live and die together and we looke at sundrie of you as men of that eminent growth in Christianitie that if there by any visible Christians under heaven amongst you are the men which for these many yeeres have been written in your foreheads Holinesse to the Lord which we speake not to prejudice any truth which our selves are here taught and called to professe but we still beleeve though personall Christians may be eminent in their growth of Christianitie yet Churches had still need to grow from apparent defects to puritie and from reformation to Reformation age after age till the Lord have utterly abolished Antichrist with the breath of his mouth and the brightnesse of his comming to the full and cleare revelation of all his holy Truth especially touching the ordering of his house and publick worship as a pledge of this our estimation of you and sincere affection to you we have sent you these Answers to your demand and shall be readie by the help of Christ to receive back againe from you wise and just and holy Advertisements in the Lord. Now the Lord God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ your Lord and ours lead us all unto all Truths purge out all Leaven out of his Churches and keepe us blamelesse and harmlesse in his holy Faith and feare to his heavenly kingdome through him that hath loved us In whom we rest Your very loving Brethren the Elders of the Churches in New-England Reverend and dearely beloved Brethren IT is not to be doubted but while we live here we shall have just cause to search and try our ways look back upon former courses and call things done to more strict examination For being over-clouded with ignorance compassed about with infirmities and beset with many temptations to sinne knowing what we know best but darkly and in part no marvell if in many things we offend ignorantly of frailty for want of due consideration rashly mistaking Errour for Truth condemning Truth for Errour suspecting evill without cause and not suspecting where is just reason drawing erronious conclusions from sound principles and maintaining truths upon weak grounds so that in examination of our wayes and endevours of their Reformation wee had need to looke warily that wee turn not to the right hand or to the left for in the one we add to the Word of God as well as in the oother and of our selves are apt to strike aside to both A loose conscience will be profane a tender scrupulous It stands us therefore upon to have our selves in suspition in as much as experience teacheth that many have swerved from the path of sound peace and comfort on each hand Wherefore Beloved Brethren if since your comming into New England upon serious Review of former actions you have discovered any truths heretofore not taken notice of we shal be so far from rejecting them because of your former judgment and practice that we shall heartily desire to know and imbrace the same with you and blesse God for you as the happy instruments of his glory our Instruction the advancement of the truth But if the discoveries be of the like nature with the positions mentioned in the Letter as before so still we conceive them to be new opinions and not warranted by Scripture which is the true Antiquity Opinions we say not practices for not changing your opinion you might lawfully alter your practice nay what you did tolerate formerly as a burthen in case not free you might well forgoe being at your liberty Your judgement being the same you might use your liberty in forbearance of a set Liturgie and yet retaine the same judgement of a stinted Liturgie that you had before you might forbeare for a time upon speciall Reason such as present state and occasion might suggest to receive to the Sacrament approved Christians not set members of a particular Congregation as some Brethren do who yet dare not think it unlawfull to communicate with such in the act of worship or deem
up those Idolls and means of worship to edifie themselves by which God never appointed in his holy word Ezeck 11. 17. But if the question be of joyning in some few select prayers read by an able and painfull Minister out of that booke as on the one side wee are very tender of imputing sin to the men that so joyne so on the other side we are not without feare least that such joyning may be found to be unlawfull unlesse it may appeare that the Ministers with whom the people have communion in reading those prayers doe neither give any scandall by reading of them nor give unlawfull honour to a thing abused to Idolatry and superstition nor doe suffer themselves to be sinfully limited in the reading of them Reply SUfficient hath been spoken of the meaning of the position and the grounds thereof and if we have not mistaken your judgment practice both you have born witnesse against both that you call the rigid seperation and this more moderate also And we humbly wish the moderate doe not degenerate into the rigid ere long It is very strange if they take not great incouragement upon your grounds The truth of our ministery Churches Ordinances and calling is questioned and where men will stay the Lord knoweth and what more common then that our Liturgie is unlawfull because it is the devise of man The Author or publisher at least of a letter against our Service booke beginneth with such like distinction Against this Prayer-booke saith he divers have pleaded in a different manner First some arguments are proper to the Separatists qua tales viz. that it is offered in a false Church 2. By a false minister 3. In the behalfe of the subjects of the Kingdome of Antichrist These are properly theirs being the grounds whereupon they make a totall separation from all the Churches in this Land as no Churches of Christ These I approve not yet note them that yee may see upon what different grounds the same Position is maintained by severall persons and that yee may be delivered from the prejudice which hinders many from receiving those truths because they feare the reproach of Brownisme Secondly there are other grounds which are common to all that plead for the the puritie of Christs ordinances and which doe not necessarily inferre such separation but only serve to shew the unlawfulnesse of that practise and our communicating therein Thus the Epistle wherein the same distinction of separation is noted but how truly let the indifferent judge If none must be counted Separatists but such as have pleaded against the booke of Common prayer as unlawfull because offered up in a false Church c. then are there none such in the world that we have knowne or heard of for it is apparent they cast us off as no Churches of Christ because our Service is a humane devise will-worship Idolatry And not on the contrary that our Service is will-worship or Idolatry because our Churches are false Churches Against all Communion with us they plead because we are a false Church but against our stinted Liturgie they argue not in that manner The grounds on which that Authour builds which he saith are common to all that plead for the purity of Gods ordinances are one and the same with the grounds of the Separatists shafts taken out of the same quiver and peculiar to them some few brethren onely excepted who of late have looked towards that opinion See how affection will transport Those reasons shall be common to all that plead for the purity of Christs Ordinances which were never taken to be sound and true either by the reformed Churches abroad or by the godly Brethren at home whether now at rest with the Lord or for the present living or yet by the most of the brethren among whom they live and with whom they hold societie or by any minister or Societie which did hold the unitie of the spirit in the bond of peace for the space of this 1400 yeares and upwards by your owne confession unlesse within these few dayes and that by a few onely If this be not to strengthen the hands of the Separatists or at least to lay blocks of offence in their way what is As yet we thinke most of them that have separated are not so farre gone as to condemne all our Assemblies as no Churches of Christ but we judge they have proceeded further then Christ the Lord and Saviour of his Church hath given them commission or allowance that the grounds whereon they build are unsound and such as make way for further danger if the Lord prevent not And that the reasons mentioned in the letters are the proper grounds of Separatists and not common to all them that seeke the purity of religion for they are not approved by your selves and if all this tend not to turne them who halt out of the right way wee heartily intreate you to consider Your judgement concerning the Position you deliver in three propositions for so many they be for substance In respect of the persons reading the Liturgie or the thing it selfe that is read As if any part of the Liturgie bee read put case some few selected prayers onely by an unable and ungodly minister it is unlawfull say you for the people to joyne in that case But if it be unlawfull for the people to joyne when an ungodly minister readeth some few select prayers it is either in respect of the Minister or the prayers themselves Not of the prayers themselves for they be select and choyce faultlesse both in respect of matter and manner as it is taken for granted unlesse this distribution be to no purpose if in respect of the Minister then it is not lawfull to joyne with such a one in any ordinance of God whatsoever For if the Minister make it unlawfull then all communion in any part of Gods worship with such Ministers is unlawfull and so the Church in all ages of the world the Prophets our Saviour Christ the Apostles and the faithfull in the primitive Churches sinned in holding Communion with such when the Priests were dumbe dogges that could not barke and greedy dogges that could never have enough when the Prophets prophesied lies and the Priests bare rule by their meanes when the Priests bought and sold Doves in the Temple and tooke upon them to provide such things for them that were to offer when the Pharisees corrupted the Law by false glosses taught for doctrines mens precepts made the commandements of God of none effect through their traditions under pretence of long prayer devoured widowes houses taught the Law but practised it not when they were such and did such things they were ungodly Ministers But we never find that the Prophets our Saviour the Apostles did either forbeare themselves or warne the faithfull not to communicate with such in the ordinance of worship We reade our Saviour charged his Disciples to beware of the leaven of the
Scribes and Pharisees to let them alone because they were the blind leaders of the blind but he never forbade to communicate with them in the ordinances of God It is not then for private Christians to withdraw themselves from the ordinance of worship and communion of the Church because such are permitted to deale in the holy things of God whom they judge or know unfit when men joyne in the worship of God with unworthy Ministers they doe not countenance them in their place and office but obey the commandement of God who requires their attendance upon his highnesse in that way and meanes To goe no further then the text you quote Because thou hast despised knowledge I will also reject thee c. Properly the text is spoken of the ten tribes called Israel and the Priests among them who worshipped the Calves which Ieroboam had set up whom the Lord threatneth to reject because they had rejected knowledge being either wilfully ignorant or withholding the truth in unrighteousnesse Whether they were for the present absolutely rejected or the Lord threatens only to reject them we will not dispute This may suffice that it is not to be found either in this or any other Text of Scripture that the people joyning in the true Worship of God with unworthy Ministers do countenance them in their place thereby On the contrary if you will extend this Text to all unworthy Ministers of what sort soever whom the word of truth doth condemne as not approved Ministers of God the Scripture teacheth evidently not onely that the people by joyning do not countenance them in their place and office but that they must and ought to joyne with them in the worship of God and in separating from the Ordinance they shall sinne against God much lesse then do they in such joyning set those Idols and meanes of worship which God never appointed in his Word For the worship is of God and the Ministery is of God the person unworthily executing his place is neither set up by some few private Christians nor can by them be removed And warrant to withdraw themselves from the worship of God because such as ought not are suffered to entermeddle in the holy things of God they have none from God Dumbe Dogs greedy Dogs Idol-sheepheards false Prophets Strangers are unworthy Ministers but they that communicate with such in the ordinance of worship are never said to set up Idols or means of worship which God never appointed The sheep of Christ will not heare strangers in the Lords sense but outwardly they heard those strangers preach if the Scribes and Pharisees were such and by hearing them discovered them to be strangers i. e. false Prophets Some strangers at least of whom our Saviour speaks were of the true Church and of Israel but brought false doctrine tending to kill the soule such strangers none should heare that is believe and follow but as they be tolerated in the Church so they may hear them so long as they bring the truth Unworthy Ministers are no Ministers for themselves but they are Ministers for the people of God that is so long as they be in the place of Ministers the acts of their administrations are of force to the faithfull if they observe the forme of administration prescribed by Christ for Christs Ordinances have their efficacy from him not from them that serve about them and evill Ministers minister not in their own name but in Christs and by his Commission It hath evermore bin held for a truth in the Church of God that although somtimes the evill have chiefe authority in the ministration of the Word and Sacraments yet for as much as they doe not the same in their own name but in Christs and minister by his Commission and Authority wee may use their Ministery both in hearing the Word and receiving the Sacraments neither is the effect of Christs Ordinance taken away by their wickednesse nor the grace of Gods gifts diminished from such as by faith and rightly doe receive the Sacraments administred to them which are effectuall because of Christs institution and promise although they be ministred by evill men Beza de Presbyt et excōmunicat p. 25 26. Ista vero quia nonnulli à sacris caetib sacrament usu propter aliorum vitia ultro abstinent i. e. seipsos excommunicant magnam reprehensionem merentur The reasons whereby the ancient Churches condemned the Donatists and Catharists for their voluntary and seditious separation and the moderne Churches condemne the Anabaptists for their unwarrantable departure from and so renting of the body of Christ will hold against separation from the prayers of the congregation because they are read by an ungodly minister The second proposition Where the whole Liturgie is used though by an able and godly Minister it is not lawfull to joyne in prayer in that case Herein wee cannot be of your judgement for in the times of the Prophets and our Saviour Christ as great abuses no question were found in the Church of the Jews in the administration of holy things of God as can be imagined in our Liturgie or forme of prayer but the Prophets and our Saviour who taught the people to keepe themselves pure and undefiled never taught them to separate from the administration of the holy things of God And if the presence at our forms of prayer be not lawful by reason of the corruptions alleaged there can be no visible society named throughout the world since 200. yeeres after Christ or thereabouts wherein a Christian might lawfully joyne in Prayer reading the Scripture hearing the word or participation of the Sacraments For compare the doctrines prayers rites at those times in use in the Churches with ours and in all these blessed be the name of the Lord wee are more pure then they But no man will be so bold we hope as to affirme the state of the Churches within 200. yeeres after Christ to be so miserably decayed that the faithfull could not without sin hold communion with them in the aforesaid ordinances The prayers of the Minister whether conceived or stinted in a set forme be not his private prayers but the publike prayers of the whole assembly whose mouth he is to God both in the one and the other But you will not say the people ought not to joyne with their Pastor in the publique assembly if ought bee amisse in his prayer for matter or manner or both It is all one to the people in this case whether the fault be personall as some distinguish or otherwise knowne beforehand or not knowne For if simple presence defile whether it was knowne beforehand or not all presence is faulty And if simple presence defile not our presence is not condemned by reason of the corruptions knowne whereof we stand not guilty whether the corruption be through humane frailty or not it is not in us to enquire but rather whether we be called to come and the
the Covenant of promise Thus a learned and reverend divine Circumcision was a seale of the covenant that God made with Abraham concerning Christ that should come as concerning the flesh of Isaac and so of Iacob of whom were the 12 tribes who were the Israelites c. Rom. 9. 4. 5. So that as in Abrahams time none were bound to be Circumcised but those that were of his family as being borne there or bought and so brought thither which were not of his seed So afterwards none were bound to be Circumcised which were not borne in the family of Jacob and Patriarchs or joyned to them And after their comming out of Egypt none were bound to be Circumcised but the children of the Iewes then the only Church of God and those that desired to joyne unto them The summe is thus much God gave circumcision to Abraham as a seale of the Covenant but whether it was given to other beleevers in his time it is at least a thing uncertaine And if they were not Circumcised it was by reason of the speciall Institution of God and peculiar manner of administration of the Covenant of promise which in some respect was proper to the family of Abraham and not common to all the visible members of the Church at that time in Church fellowship and order Afterwards when there were none in covenant but the seed of Iacob or strangers professing the faith of Abraham circumcision was not to be administred to any man who was not in Covenant nor any man to bee admitted to the Passeover who was not circumcised This is the most that can be said with any probability But hence it will not follow by iust analogie or proportion that the seed of the faithfull must not bee admitted to Baptisme or visible beleivers be received to the Lords Supper unlesse they bee set members of some particular congregation united in Church order Thirdly presupposing therefore that Melchizedeck Lot and Iob were not Circumcised we say there is not the like reason of Circumcision and Baptisme in this particular For first if Circumcision was ever appropriated to the family of Abraham and might be communicated to other visible Beleevers it was in the first Institution and administration but in the first Institution and administration of Baptisme it was not observed that beleevers should be first gathered into a politicall body or Christian church membership and then baptized Iohn the Baptist baptized such as came to him confessing their sins The Apostles baptized Disciples such as gladly received their doctrine beleeved in Jesus Christ and received the gifts of the holy Ghost before they were gathered into Christian Church order or made fit members of a Christian congregationall Assembly 2 If Circumcision was by speciall Institution given as a priviledge to the Males of Abrahams Familie Melchizedecke Iob Lot and other visible Beleevers were not bound to joyne themselves as members to Abrahams familie or desire and seek to be circumcised But they that have received the doctrine of salvation beleeve Christ and professe the faith are bound to seek and desire the priviledge of the seals in an holy manner 3. Melchizedech Job and Lot were not onely visible beleevers but visible members of the Church according to the manner of dispensing in those times but the Seals as you confesse belong to all beleevers knit together in Church-Covenant 4. If circumcision be appropriated to the family of Abraham it is because the Covenant sealed by circumcision is peculiar to Abrahams posteritie sc that Christ should come as concerning the flesh of Isaac But Baptisme is the seal of the Covenant of grace without any peculiar or speciall tye or respect 5. You contend that Baptisme did belong to such beleevers as were members of the then Jewish Church which cannot stand if Abrahams familie did answer to a Christian societie or congregationall Assembly Just reason therefore may be given why circumcision was dispensed onely to the males of Abrahams familie when baptisme is not to be limited onely to the set members of a particular societie and if this consideration be applied to the purpose instead of saying Circumcision and the Passeover were to be administred onely to the members of the Church you must say Circumcision was to be desired of or administred unto all the true approved visible members of the Church And if there be the same reason of both then all visible approved members of the Church must not desire nor be admitted to the seals but this conclusion you will not acknowledge Answ 4. Consideration THey that are not capable of the Church censures are not capable of the Church priviledges but they that are not within Church-Covenant are not capable of Church censures Ergo. The proposition is evident The Assumption may be proved 1 Corinth 5. 12. What have I to do to judge them that are without Now to be without is not onely the case of Heathens and Excommunicates but of some beleevers also who though by externall union with Christ they are within the Covenant of grace yet being not joyned externally to the visible bodie of Christ a particular Church are in regard of visible Church communion said to be without To this purpose is this text alledged by other Divines also as Dr. Ames Cas of consci l. 4. c. 24. q. 1. resp 5. Reply FIrst men are capable of Church censures in two respects either in having the power of the keyes and authoritie to dispense them according to God or as subject to the censures of the Church In the first sense many are capable of Church priviledges that are not capable of Church censures as the seed of Christian parents children and women You say you admit to the seales the knowne and approved and orderly recommended members of any true Church but to fellowship in the censures admittance of members and choice of Officers onely the members of that particular Church whereof they and we any of us stand members In the second sense also many are capable of Church priviledges who are not subject to Church censures as the children of Christian parents are capable of baptisme the known and approved members of any true Church are capable of the Seales in other Congregations among you who are not subject to the censures of that other Society Spirituall communion in publick prayer is a Church priviledge which is not denied to visible beleevers and godly persons though not in Church order and so not in subjection in your sense to Church censures Secondly a person baptised is not baptised in that particular congregation onely but into all Churches and every particular Church where he cometh he hath all the priviledges of a baptised person in respect of his baptisme and is so to be esteemed by them Now the priviledge of a baptised person who is able to examine himself and walketh in the truth is to be admitted to the Lords Supper All circumcised persons had right thereby to eat the
Pastors and Teachers shall be much or little confounded Is this to take as illimited power as the Apostles did in the execution of their office How shal this tend to abrogate the distinction of Church Assemblies from the confused multitude or how is the profanation of the seals thereby indangered You aske if without respect to their Church estate men of approved pietie as we say are to be admitted into fellowship in the seals how shall their pietie be approved to the Church not by their own report of themselves alone c. Do not you say the same That there be many godly persons and of approved pietie among us who are not approved by their own report of themselves unlesse ye will take their wisedome faith patience courage constancie and holinesse of life for their report approved we say by as ample and sufficient testimonie as the Apostles exacted of them whom they received into Church fellowship or can be required of members admitted unto the priviledges of the Church if men will follow the Lords direction or as you can give to ordinances members of your societies You professe high respect of your brethren in old England but it seemes you judge them insufficient to give orderly testimonie of the sinceritie and uprightnesse of approved Christians well known unto them and living among them which two cannot well agree We speake not of such who against light refuse to professe subjection to the Gospel of Christ to joyne themselves orderly in fellowship with some approved Church But of such as do with all readinesse professe subjection and walk accordingly and heartily desire to joyn themselves to the most pure and compleat Churches so farre as they are taught of God or have opportunitie thereunto And if exception be taken against them onely who refuse against light to submit themselves to the Gospel by what rule do you proceed when you judge men to refuse against light or debarre them who do not refuse against conscience but for lacke of opportunitie No doubt as you say but now and then a man of approved pietie in the judgement of some may be found too light yea and in the judgement of his owne conscience when he hath come to triall And no question but many have been admitted by the Church who indeed and truth are much too light and some refused who deserved better then they that cast them off we will not dispute what errours have been committed nor what blessing ye have found upon your proceedings we heartily beseech the Lord to keep your congregation pure make his ordinances more and more effectuall go before you in the way wherein you should walk and multiply his mercies upon you in the same But this we are perswaded and therefore we speak that in debarring godly Christians from the Lords Supper and much more the children of those parents who are in covenant with God from holy baptisme you exceed your commission you have received from God and go beyond your due bounds And notwithstanding your circumspection more worthy and faithfull Christians have been denied when of lesse worth and meaner sufficiencies have passed and been by you received Answ 6. Consid NOne have power to dispence the Seales but they that are called to the office of Ministery and no man can be so called till first there be a Church to call him seeing the power of calling Ministers is given by Christ unto the Church and thence it follows that all those that desire to partake of the Seales are bound to joyne themselves in Church state that so they may call a Minister to dispense the Seales unto them And this dutie by the appointment of God lieth not onely upon some Christians but equally upon all ergo no Christian can expect by the appointment of God to partake in the Seals till he have joyned himselfe in Church fellowship and in the call of the Minister And indeed seeing a Church and a Minister called by the Church is of such necessitie for the dispensing of the seales it may seeme unreasonable that some Christians should be bound to become a Church and to call a Minister that so the seales may be dispensed and other men when this is done have equall libertie to the seals who refuse to joyne unto the Church Reply THis conclusion is not to the question propounded for we speake of such as cannot not of such as refuse to joyne themselves unto the Church or if they do not joyne it is not out of contempt or wilfull neglect of Gods ordinance or desire of carnall libertie and not to be in subjection to Christ but for lacke of opportunitie or through their fault that should admit them but do not For if in any of your Churches you shall require more of members to be admitted then Christ the chiefe Shepherd of the flock doth or presse that upon their consciences which they cannot consent unto if they shall sit downe quietly for the time and serve God in private when they cannot injoy Church priviledges it is your fault and not theirs And they may more justly challenge the Assemblie as injurious and tyrannicall then you them as wilfull despisers of Gods ordinance We accuse not the wisedome and discretion of your Chuches but we know the zealous multitude may sometimes be rash And when a reason is craved of your judgement why you do debarre the most knowne and approved Christians which come over and their children from the seals of the covenant we dislike you should put this note upon them as if against light they refused orderly to subject themselves to the Gospel of Jesus Christ What warrant you have thus to censure what use of this manner of dispute we leave it to your godly wisedome to judge In the Consideration it self there are many Propositions couched together which we must examine severally as they have reference to the conclusion intended and then try whether it can be raised from them The first Proposition That none have power to dispence the Seales but they that are called to the office of Ministery is freely granted The second That no man can be so called till first there be a Church to call him needeth explication For by the Church you must understand the community of the faithfull as they are one bodie without officers or guides And such a Church there cannot be without a Ministery to call and admit them into Church-fellowship The Apostles baptised not themselves but by the help of others those not called of the people to be baptised 1 Cor. 1. 17. The Apostles appointed by electiō Elders in every city or Church And so there was a Church before Elders were set over it but this Church was a societie of beleevers by baptisme admitted into Church-fellowship There can be no Church to call a Minister to feed the flock and dispence the seals till they have received the doctrine of salvation intirely and by the seale of initiation be solemnly received into the
judge many times if they arrogate such power unto themselves wee allow not rashnesse or precipitancy pride or self-conceitednesse we know it is meete that weightie matters should be mannaged by Councell but it is not necessary to bring every particular thing to the whole Church In the multitude of Councellors there is peace but over many Councellors oft causeth distraction and different apprehensions breed delayes The nature of your Church-Covenant as you describe it inferreth not a necessitle of bringing every such businesse unto the Church for you binde your selves mutually to watch over one another and in love to admonish one another in the Lord to prevent sinne and to encourage in well-doing as it concerneth every man within the limits of his place and calling But this essentially tyeth not any man to a perpetuall residence in one place for then even occasionall absence should be a breach of Covenant unlesse it be by consent and approbation of the Church You say in your Covenant you promise to performe no new dutie to your brethren which was not before commanded of the Lord but onely revive and renew your purposes afresh of performing such duties to that particular body into which you are then to be incorporated as were before injoyned in the Word But in the word of truth it is not commanded either expresly or by consequent that no member of a Congregation should remove or occasionally be absent from the place of his habitation before he have acquainted the Church whither he goeth and upon what occasions and whether the place be dangerous where he is likely to be infected or safe where he may be edified These things are matters of weight and to be undertaken with advice but the knowledge thereof belongeth not to every particular member of the societie And the Church shall burden her selfe above measure if she take upon her to intermeddle in all such occasions Neither is it safe to commit the determination of such matters ever to the vote of the multitude or weight of reasons as they shall apprehend the matter And if such businesse must be determined on the Lords day and to goe before the administration of the Word Sacraments and almes least the holy things be polluted by notorious obstinate offenders wee feare the time appointed for the exercise of Religion shall be prophaned with unseasonable disputes Instances might be alledged if it were a matter to be insisted upon As for the Covenant it selfe which you mutually enter into if therein you exact nothing but what God requires both for tryall and stipulation far be it that we should disallow it but if yee constraine men to meddle with things that belong not to them and winde them up higher then God would and straine every thing to the pitch that you seeme here to doe in this branch a godly and sober minde may well pause before he make such promise All members of the Church are not equally necessary to the preservatiō of the whole body if to the removall of some it were expedient to have the cōsent not only of the whole society but of neighbouring societies Ministers especially it is very much to draw this to the removall or abode of every particular member And if any man shall not intermeddle with every businesse of this kinde as questioning whether it doth belong to him or no or not aske the advice of the whole societie as knowing the most to be unfit to counsell in such a case doth he break his Covenant therein and so commit a sinne in a sort like the sinne of Ananias and Saphira Judge your selves if in other cases you would not censure this to be an high incroachment upon Christian libertie and a strict binding of mens consciences by humane constitutions May you not expect to heare from your own grounds that herein you have devised an expedient or necessary rite or custome to preserve the unitie and prevent the dissolution of the body which never came into the minde of the Lord Jesus the Saviour of the Church and that in so doing if your exposition will hold good you breake the second Commandement Rites and customes expedient to prevent confusion for the time let them be observed as customes expedient and what God requires in the examination or admission of members let that take place according to the presidents given in the Scriptures and the constant practise of the universall Church in the purest times But to presse customes onely expedient for the time as standing rules necessary at all times and for all persons to put that authoritie into the hands of men which God never put upon them to oblige men to intermeddle further in the affaires of men then the Word doth warrant to binde the conscience and that under so heavy a penalty as the sinne of Ananias and Saphira where God hath not bound it and to debarre known and approved Christians from the Seales of the Covenant because they cannot promise as setled members to abide and stay in the societie unlesse they shall obtaine leave of the Congregation to depart and to charge them in the meane season to be men who against light refuse subjection to the Gospel this is that which we cannot approve which yet wee suspect will follow from your judgement and desire to be resolved of in your practise And here we intreat leave to put you in minde of that which you have considered already schil That the Church and every member thereof hath entred into Covenant either expresly or implicitely to take God for their God and to keepe the words of the Covenant and doe them to seeke the Lord with all their hearts and to walke before him in truth and uprightnesse but we never finde that they were called to give account of the worke of grace wrought in their soules or that the whole Congregation were appointed to be Judge thereof You stand all of you this day saith Moses before the Lord your God c. that thou shouldst enter into Covenant with the Lord thy God All the people that were borne in the Wildernesse Joshua circumcised but it is incredible to thinke that among that great multitude there was not one who did not give good testimony of the worke of grace in his soule We reade often times that Israel after some grievous fall and revolt renewed their Covenant to walke with God to serve him onely and to obey his voyce as in the dayes of Joshua the Judges David Samuel Also Joash Josiah and Nehemiah c. But no particular enquiry was made what worke of grace God had wrought in the hearts of every singular person But the confession and profession of obedience was taken When John Baptist began to preach the Gospel and gather a new people for Christ he admitted none to Baptisme but upon confession of their sinnes but we reade of no question that he put forth unto them to discover the worke of grace in their soules