they should return to an Orderly Communion This Controversie is de fine and seeing we grant them much in the rest for this therefore we cannot grant them this If in War we grant all that is desired for Peace it is supposed that we will not grant the continuance of the War nor in reason must that be one of the demands I speak all this but of unjust Separations For there is a Separation which we are all agreed to be lawful as far as I know as 1. We all agree that where Christians live in the midst of Infidels they must come out from among them by Faith and Repentance and be separated by the Baptismal Engagement first and the Communion of Saints after and not touch the unclean thing The Church must be separated from the World or it is no Church 2. We are agreed that when a true Church Visibly ceaseth to be a true Church by loss of its Essentials statedly it is our Duty to judge it to be no true Church that is but to judge it as it is and forsake it accordingly 3. When we cannot hold local Communion with a true Church without committing some sin which they would force upon us and which we may escape by leaving them we ought to withdraw from the local Communion of that Church for we must not wilfully sin nor do evil that good may come by it Yet so as that still we must hold Internal and also External distant Communion by owning them as a true Church and corresponding with them as a Neighbour Church 4. If a true Church in the corruption of the Materials become uncapable of its Ends and we have with sufficient patience tryed the means of its Reformation without success it is ordinarily unless some greater matter hinder accidentally our Duty to forsake it Yea and to esteem it no more a true Church if it be the Principal Ends that it 's become uncapable of As if the Body were fallen into an Opinion against Communion and Publick Worship and yet should think they might hold their Relations This were a contradiction If they would in Publick worship God with a Worship false in the Essentials and which is no Church-worship but Impiety or Deceit And though I will not now determine how far Discipline is necessary to a Church more than to say that the Power is Essential to the Pastors Office yet I may boldly conclude that in point of Duty if a Church be so corrupted by Heresie or Impiety that Discipline cannot be exercised in it because the greater part do own the Heresie or Sin or the Sinners in their Sin and this be not in one or a few Acts but they are against the course of Discipline in the main and Vote for Wickedness or against Piety or the publick Censures of the Church or refuse to execute them and if after sufficient patience I cannot reform them I shall take it to be my Duty to take with me the better part of the Church and forsake the rest as to local Communion and perhaps first to cast them out from us as to their Relation though we are the lesser part Unless in some cases where Publick Good requireth a delay and suspendeth my Duty for the time 5. If a Pastor be despised by the Church and refused or if they desire his stay and yet wilfully disobey him and his Labours are unprofitable among them that are like to be profitable elsewhere we doubt not but he may remove as being rejected and forsaken first by them 6. If a Pastor and some choice Members with him have a Call to a far more Eminent Service of God conducing much more to the publick Good we doubt not but they may remove though the rest dissent God is the Master of his Ministers and people more than Men are 7. If the Necessities of a Mans Family Ministers or people require him to remove his Habitation I doubt not but he may remove though the Church dissent unless in some Cases where by accident his removal may more dishonour God or hinder publick Good than his Estate or the preservation of his Family can countervail The Church hath not power to tye Men to Ruine their Families nor to continue with them during Life nor during their pleasure Nor is it implied in the consent of Membership which is to be no more but that I will hold Communion with this Church as a Member while I here Cohabit or I have no call from God to remove It is so in Civil Corporations Cohabitation is an antecedent part of our Aptitude for Church Communion and many just Causes may deprive us of that Aptitude and make the persons to be materia indisposita incapax and so destroy his Relation of it self 8. If persons that have a weak Pastor or a corrupt Society can to the great advantage of their Souls remove they may do it whether the Church will consent or not in case their removal do not accidentally do more hurt against the honour of God and the publick Good than their profit can countervail And still supposing that the Churches consent be first orderly sought 9. The same I say of them that have Pastors that will not exercise any competent Discipline though with sufficient patience importuned thereunto In one word in no case is a Man bound to stay with any Church to the certain prejudice or danger of his Soul or the Souls of his Family unless in the foresaid case if such a case there be when the publick Good and the Cause of God will receive more detriment by our removal than our benefit will countervail 10. Lastly If we be unjustly cast out of any Church and persecuted by them and have no just redress at home no doubt but we may joyn with another Church As if a Pastor that is for Rebaptizing would take none but who will be Rebaptized or having taken some in will cast them out Or if a Pastor be set over us of an uncharitable Spirit that will take in none for Godly but those of his Opinion or some few of a higher Form and denieth Communion to all the rest in this case it is he that doth the wrong and they are necessitated to join with another Church that will receive them and another Church may justly receive them if first they cannot prevail for their reception at home All this we grant for a removal from a Church without the guilt of Schism or sinful Separation But on the other side we must needs desire 1. That Men will not rashly and self-conceitedly judge any of these Cases to be where they are not And therefore that they will take the advice of the next unanimous peaceable faithful Pastors And for this saith Mr. Norton p. 167. But when this or that Congregation is to be taken for No Church let the judgment be in the hands of a Council or in an Ordinate state of the Churches 2. We desire that whole Churches may not be taken
the beginning until now Had it not been the greater Sin to have separated from the Jewish Church much worse than English Congregations when all the rest of the World were Aliens and much further from God than they Five Parts of the World are Idolatrous Heathens and Mahometans A Sixth part only make any Profession of the Christian Name Not a quarter I think of that Sixth part are Protestants How ignorant and rude the Eastern and Southern Churches are is lamentable to relate Few of them have any Preaching but only Homilies and Liturgies read What the Papists are I need not tell you Not the Twentieth part of the World â—â—â— admâ—â—â—nts And among these alas how few have so much of the life of â—ining thâ—â—â—mong them as the meaner sort of our English Congregations And hath Goâ— called this spot of Earth this narrow Island a corner of the World to honour with the greatest lustre of the Gospel and true Reformation and Godliness and yet will these men withdraw from the Publick Churches here as if no Publick Church on Earth but the few of their way were worthy of their presence Are they no more thankful for England's singular Privileges nor no more humbly sensible of their own unworthiness And would they separate from all the Publick Churches almost in the World 19. These continued Divisions among our selves are a great discouragement to our highest Rulers from seeking the healing of the Churches abroad The greatest Service they can do to God is to reconcile the Churches and bring them to Agreement and strengthen them thereby against their Adversaries And all good men desire this of them that they would improve their interest to this end But alas with what heart can they set upon it as long as they are unable to reconcile and unite the best of the Subjects here at home It was the Grecians Jest upon a great man among them that he went about to reconcile all the Princes and States of Greece and could not reconcile his Wife and her Maid that lived unquietly at home And do not we prepare such Entertainment for our Governours attempts in so good a Work 20. Lastly I heartily desire that our Divisions and Antichurches may not prepare renewed Wars and Calamities to the Commonwealth Certainly the Body of the Nation is much disaffected to them And I wish that for their sakes they grow not disaffected to the Government and ready for Enterprizes that beseem them not But I much more fear left animosities among the several Parties should make them busie and bold in their Enterprizes against each other and still seeking opportunities to oppress one another and to advance themselves And lest the several Parties be to their Prince like the many Wives that some of the Jews had to their Husbands that were still jealous of his Affections lest he loved this or that Wife better than the rest Every one looketh to be most esteemed And jealousie is apt to break its bounds But I will not Prognosticate but forewarn If Unity be our Strength and Division our Destruction let us pity the calamitous Church and not set fire on the Commonwealth And let all Christians that are such indeed lament our distances and lay to heart the Sin and Calamity of our long Divisions and at last let Catholick Principles and Affections be entertained by us and let us pray and study and seek and submit and deny our selves for the Unity of Christians and the Churches Peace For my part I have spoken much of this from certain Experience The Evils of Divisions and Antichurches I have seen abroad The Ease and Comfort of Unity and Peace I enjoy at home O what a Mercy is it to me and the poor Flock that Christ hath committed to my Charge what a help to my Labours and to their Souls that we have not Minister against Minister nor Church against Ch 〈…〉 any separating Parties to ensnare men but that we Serve the Lord â—â—â— to â—â— Heart and Soul one Mind and Mouth If I can procure the eâ—â—â—â—t of this Mercy no further I will compassionate the Church and rejoyce in it at home Chap. II. THE Second part of my Task I shall briefly dispatch which is to shew what is incumbent on the Pastors of the Church for the prevention of such Separations or their increase Having spoken the most that I think necessary of this in the end of my Catholick Key Part 2. I shall refer the Reader thither for the Rules of the Churches Peace and the terms on which they must be put in execution I shall only here reassume these few particulars suitable to our case I. If we would prevent our Peoples Separations we must not make the door of the Church so narrow as to shut out the faithful though infirm If we keep them ouâ— we cannot for shame childe them for not coming in The principal thing that here we must avoid is large and particular Professions of Faith containing Controvertible Opinions and Points that many true Believers are unsatisfied in and also the imposing of unnecessary Ceremonies The Holy Ghost hath decided this difficulty to our hands and left it us as a standing Rule Rom. 14. 1. That we must receive even him that is weak in the Faith but not to doubtful Disputations And that we must be like minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus and therefore receive one another as Christ also received us to the Glory of God Rom. 15. 6 7. Men must be called to no Profession but of Points plainly contained in the Holy Scriptures and the ancient simplicity must recover us to the ancient Charity and Unity And though more knowledge be necessary to the Pastors than to all the Flock yet must the Scripture sufficiency be maintained and necessary things distinguished from unnecessary and those that are necessary to the being of the Ministry from those that are necessary but to the Better being and nothing should be imposed on Pastors themselves as necessary to the Communion of Churches but Points that indeed are necessary to such Communion and those if possible in Scripture phrase But because Hereticks will subscribe to Scripture and to ancient Creeds and simple Confessions of Faith therefore many have thought that other kind of Confessions must be made which they cannot subscribe to But by that course the mischief of Heresie is not so much avoided as the mischief of Divisions caused and all because the right way of obviating Heresies is mistaken and overlookt Heresie in the Mind is cured only by Doctrine and is not it that we have here to obviate but Heresie in the Mouth must be corrected by Discipline and it is not a better Rule or Law than Scripture for them to Subscribe that is the Remedy but a careful Execution of that Law against them 1. By casting them out of our Communion after a first and second admonition when they are proved guilty and 2. By the Magistrates restraining them according to
Work of God But they would have bona bene God's Work done in God's Order On these Conditions we allow Private men to Preach 1. If they do it but ex Charitate and pretend not to the Ministerial Office 2. And if they do it occasionally and not as men separated to that work as their Calling for then they become Ministers indeed while they disclaim it in Name 3. If they do it not needlesly to a proud ostentation of their parts but only when Abler Men or Ministers are not to be had or else on some urgent weighty cause 4. If they make not themselves the Judges of their own fitness but expect the Approbation of the judicious faithful concordant Ministers that know them 5. If they undertake no more than they can perform and suppose not themselves fitter than they are and so run not beyond their Knowledge nor dishonour not the Work of God 6. If they thrust not themselves into any Church to Preach without a Call nor ordinarily without the Pastors consent 7. If they do it not unseasonably when by offending they are likely to do more hurt than good 8. If in the manner season and continuance they submit to the Guidance of the Pastors of the Church if it be more than ordinary Teaching and not such as every able Master of a Family may there do With these Cautions we grant that Private men may Preach Many Episcopal Divines grant it And the Presbyterians ordinarily permit it in their Expectants that are trained up for the Ministery A Maid begun the Conversion of the Iberians by Conference And interlocutory Preaching is truly Preaching Edesius and Frumentius converted the Indians Alexander Bishop of Ierusalem and Theoctistus of Caesaria maintained Origene's Teaching while he was a Private man and that in the Church before the Bishops And when Demetrius of Alexandria reprehended them affirming it to be an unknown case that a Layman should preach in the presence of a Bishop they gainsay him and produce the Examples of Neon a Bishop that required Evelpius to teach and of Celsus that set Paulinus to preach at Iconium and of Aâ—â—icus that set Theodorus to teach at Synnadorum And saith Dr. Fulke Demetrius himself doth seem to allow that when no Bishop was present a Layman might preach Euseb. Hist. li. 6. c. 20. But that every proud unworthy Man and every seducing Heretick should preach yea and thrust himself into other Mens Charges or that any should preach besides the forementioned Rules this we deny and take it for a dangerous Usurpation But are we not agreed in this Hear and Judge Mr. Cotton so downright denieth ordinary private Men to Prophesie interpreting 1 Cor. 14. 31. of extraordinarily Gifted Prophets of which see his Keys pag. 20 21. that Mr. Goodwin and Mr. Nye thought meet to signifie some Dissent Pref. p. 6. And yet they grant that this must be performed by private Men 1. Only Occasionally not in an ordinary Course 2. By Men of such Abilities as are fit for Office 3. And not assuming this of themselves but judged such by those that have the power and so allowed and designed to it And 4. So as their Doctrine be subjected for the judging of it in an especial manner to the Teaching Elders of that Church And I think that this is enough to signifie that here we shall have no cause of a breach with them Mr. Norton speaks to the same purpose pag. 123 124 125. and joins with Mr. Cotton in denying Prophesie to private Men and expounding 1 Cor. 14. of extraordinarily Gifted Prophets only In this therefore Doctrinally we agree 2. But the second seemeth the more dangerous difference That their Churches should presume to send abroad Preachers not in Office for the Conversion of Souls by setting them apart to that work and directing or allowing them to be stated Ordinary Teachers Their excuses are that Pastors are proper to particular Churches and it is not into Churches but Parishes that they send them not to Rule or Teach a Church but to Convert Souls and gather Churches Ans. But 1. It is not your calling Parishes no Churches that makes or proves them none You are not the Judges when they profess themselves Churches If others send Men to preach in your Churches it will not excuse them with you if they face you down that they are no Churches and therefore they may preach in them 2. But suppose they were all Heathens you have never yet proved that to be a stated Preacher for their Conversion is not to be a proper Ministerial Officer Contrarily 1. In the days of the Apostles and all their helpers it was part of the Office of a Minister yea and of the chief Ministers to be stated Preachers for the Conversion of unbelievers and gathering Souls to Christ But the Office of the Ministry is now the same as then Therefore 2. To go and Teach and Disciple the Nations is as true a part of the Ministers Commission as to teach the Church Matth. 28. 19. Therefore it is not common to private Mâ—n 3. Ordinary Baptizing is no work for private Men Therefore not preaching The reason of the consequence is 1. Because they are conjoyned in the Minsterial Commission Matth. 28. 19. 2. Because if Pastors go not abroad the World with these private Men to preach to Infidels then when they have converted any they must be unbaptized till Pastors can come to them Which is contrary to all Scripture example that Baptism should be so long delayed after Conversion ordinarily 4. To be separated to the Gospel of God is a chief part of the description of a Minister by Office Rom. 1. 1. But these private Preachers are by the Churches separated to the Gospel of God by right or by wrong therefore they are made Ministers by Office Indeed the first object of the true Ministerial Office in order of nature is the uncalled World and the calling of them is as Eminent a part of their Office as preaching to a Church This is the most Eminent Evangelizing to declare the Glad-tydings of Salvation to the World And this is the preaching that requireth sending Rom. 10. On this work were the Twelve and the Seventy sent on this work specially did the Apostles lay out themselves And not only they but Apollo Luke Mark Timothy Titus Silas and abundance of the chiefest Ministers of Christ. But yet we have no matter to excuse a Division or Alienation from this Difference For 1. I cannot prove it a Difference between the Parties For I know not that the Congregational Party have owned and espoused the Opinion which I here oppose though some particular persons do And therefore I do not charge it on them 2. If they did yet Infidels are so far from us that irregular endeavours to Convert them will be no matter of a breach And were we nearer them we might leave others to practise according to their Judgments as long as we are not guilty of the
shall further evince when I have given you the Concessions of the Independent Brethren which I shall do in Mr. Norton's words Englished Pag. 156 157 c. Cap. 16. A Believer may lawfully adjoyn himself into the Communion of that Church in which he cannot enjoy all God's Ordinances or in which some Corruption is tolerated in God's Publick Worship without due Reformation or when such are admitted to the participation of Sacraments that give no evident signs or works of Repentance and Faith but in many things hold forth the love of the World and if he joyn himself to such a Church he is not therefore involved in guilt and defiled with the impurities of others nor must he therefore depart that is separate from such a Church Schism is an unlawful Separation from the Communion of the Church it 's always a great Sin This he proveth Pag. 158 c. 1. In case of inculpable want of Ordinances 2. Of culpable want by Negligence 3. Of culpable want by refusal of God's Ordinances saith he In the Iewish Church God's Ordinances could not be enjoyed for the Priests and Elders rejected not only John but the Doctrine and Baptism of John and yet it was then lawful for men to joyn themselves to them Matth. 21. 25. The Scribes rejected John's Baptism Mark 11. 27. 31. and yet the Scribes sitting in Moses Chair are to be heard Mat. 23. 2 3. the hearing of whom such as is meant in that place importeth a Conjunction to the Iewish Church By comparing a Church that tolerateth the rejection of an Article of Faith with a Church rejecting an Ordinance of God A temporary rejection of an Article of Faith tolerated in a Church is a greater evil than the rejection of some Ordinance In the Church of Corinth many denyed and derided the Resurrection of the Dead and this Corruption is tolerated in the Church and yet in the Reformation of that Church the Apostle doth neither presently forbid Union with the Church nor Command Separation from the Church In the Churches of Galatia the rejection of the Doctrine of Iustification by Faith was tolerated at least there being such as judged that beside Faith Moral and Ceremonial Works were necessary to Salvation which other Doctrine he calls another Gospel Gal. 1. 6. But this was a greater evil than not to have granted the Enjoyment of some Ordinance and yet they did not therefore cease to be Churches And therefore it was yet lawful to be a Member in a Galatian much more in the Corinthian Church and consequently they were not bound under the guilt of Sin to present Separation but might with a good Conscience in their Station yet expect a Reformation And why might not a man in the same hope with a safe Conscience adjoyn himself either to the Galatian Churches or that at Corinth even in that time of their Defection especially if an opportunity of Communion with other Churches were shut up 2. We say that a Believer may lawfully adjoyn himself into the Communion of that Church in which some Corruption in God's Publick Worship is tolerated without due Reformation The Children of Israel going a Whoring Judg. 8. 27. after the Ephod set up by Gideon was a tolerated Corruption of worship The custom of Sacrificing in the high Places from the days of Solomon till the times of Hezekiah was a tolerated Corruption in Publick Worship The same is to be iudged of the Translation of the Passover to the following next Sabbath lest they should feast on two days together Which Translation appeareth in the Paschal Observation by Christ different from the Iews Observation The wrong Ministry of the Scribes and Pharisees sitting in Moses Chair was such a corruption for the Chair of Moses that is the office of publick teaching Moses Law and the Books of the Prophets in the Church was by God's institution ordinarily proper to the Priests and Levites yet Christ commandeth to hear them but not to separate from them To this may be added the observation of Circumcision and the Ceremonial Law after Christ's resurrection and with an opinion of necessity to Salvation Gal. 4. 21. 10. 5. 2. But all these were corruptions in God's publick Worship tolerated without due Reformation And who in those times did judge either the Churches Union to be Not-lawful or Non-separation to be unlawful To one bears witness the Pious Practice of so many Proselites coming to the Church and of the Church receiving them to the other the very state of the Godly remaining in the Church By comparing the Corruption in an Article of Faith with Corruption in Publick Worship c. Here he repeateth the Argument forecited adding P. 161. It is the Duty of every Believer to adjoyn himself to some Church By adjoyning our selves to the Church we adjoyn not our selves to the impurities of the Church A believer joyning himself to a Church not pure specially when he cannot enjoy a purer sinneth not The sin of the Church exempteth not a Believer from Duty which may be performed without sin or grievous incommodity As some corruption of the Communicants must not drive away from the Supper a Believer prepared worthily to Eat So neither must some corruption in the Church drive away the faithful from Union with that Church 3. Believers may joyn themselves lawfully into the Communion of that Church in which such are admitted to partake of the Sacraments that hold forth no evident Signs or Works of Repentance and Faith but shew in many things the love of the World 1. Whatever others do it is the Duty of every Member at Age to examine themselves and so to eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. 2. The Sin of one cannot deprive another Brother that communicateth not in his Sin of his Benefit much less absolve him from his Duty 3. If trying our selves and coming worthily as much as in us lyeth we do in our Places endeavour by lawful means that the old leaven may be purged out and we may be a new lump the Communion is not defiled by other mens coming unworthily though our comfort be diminished The Church of Corinth was not pure in Worship Women spake that is taught in the Church It was corrupt in Doctrine many denied the Resurrection of the Dead Most corrupt in Manners when besides Fornication Sects and many other Vices some also shewed the love of the World whence strifes before Heathen Iudges about corporal things Yet the Apostle commands not the prepared to abstain from the Supper but he correcteth the abuses about the Supper commanding every man to examine himself and so to eat So he proceeds to other Proofs from the Church at Jerusalem where holy things were administred by Priests that were stark naught and very many arrant Knaves were present and yet Christ and his Apostles go into the same Temple for the Publick exercises of Religion they use the same Worship with the rest of the people neither the desperate
our constant enmity to Schism and that it is they that drive us away and not we that are driven that are the Schismaticks in England as I proved in a Writing called A Search for the Schismatick To humble them that are the Cause it is still necessary to shew the Evil of that Sin It made not the Apostles Schismaticks to be cast out of the Synagogues no nor Paul for separating the Christians from the blaspheming Iews into the meeting in Tyrannus School 2. And the surviving of the Old Sectarian spirit of Division maketh it a Duty to shew still the Evil of it Some cannot endure to hear those former Miscarriages blamed but by enmity to repentance make them their own and encourage the Evil spirit of Division And some still keep up the dividing Principle of the Peoples Power of the Keys and are ready to separate from those Pastors that will not allow the whole Congregation to be Tryers or Iudges of the State of all that are to be baptized or admitted to Communion And if we never have more admission into more publick allowance the World shall see that it was not long of us But if God have so much Mercy for this Land as to strengthen us by publick Concord and unlock to us the Doors of the publick Churches when I am dead I would leave this Testimony against such as shall then refuse or resist any lawful and desirable Concord And as to my terms of Peace then offered to the Independents I think it seasonable now to publish them when God in Mercy hath newly brought us to publish our Concord in a very hopeful and comfortable form and manner to drive home the Nail and to be a witness against them that yet will divide § 11. And because both old and late Experience telleth me who those be though I have hereafter spoken to their Case I will speak again though I seem guilty of repetition It is the raw ignorant flashy self-conceited sort of Reformers that we are in danger of as to frustrate our Concord and Reformation Such whether Ministers or People have torn us and continue so to do and are like to do so still Paul knew what he said and why when he told us a Bishop must not be a Novice or a young raw Christian lest being puft up with Pride be fall into the Condemnation of the Devil And Act. 20. Of your own selves shall men rise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them Ignorant unstudyed Preachers that attain to a laudable fervency in speaking what they know meet with injudicious Hearers that being of their own temper discern not their Ignorance but value their Zeal and these grow up into dividing Parties and Churches and cherish the Vices of each other as if it were Wisdom and holy Zeal The great Dividing Errour of these People is UNRULINESS 1 Thess. 5. 14. Warn them that are unruly Tiâ— 1. 10. There are many unruly and vain alkers Iam. 3. 8. Their tongueâ— are an unruly evil They take it for a Doctrine of Christ that they ought not only to be unruly but to be Rulers of the Church and of their Rulers and to usurp a chief part of the Pastors Office to the Churches Confusion and their own They think that the Tâ—yal of all that are received into the Church by Baptism or to it's Communion in the Lord's Supper and of all that are admonished suspended excommunicated or absolved belongeth to the Major Vote of the People And where this is denied them they will have â—o Peace It 's no time to palliate this mischievous Errour I resolve here to deal plainly though briefly with the guilty and therefore ask them § 12. Q. 1. If gross Ignorance deserve casting out do not you deserve it that are so grosly ignorant even in a Point so plain and of such practical moment Q. 2. Could you possibly be so proud as to think your selves capable of this if you had ever had true Humility or knowledge of your selves Q. 3. Do not you forfeit even the right of choosing your Pastors that know no better what a Pastor is and that to be your Rulers is essential to their office Q. 4. With what Eyes and Minds do you read the Scripture that cannot there see that you are commanded to Obey them that have the Rule over you for they watch for your Souls as those that must give account that they may do it with joy and not grief for that is unprofitable to you Heb. 3. 17. v. 7. Remember them which have the Rule over you who have spoken to you the Word of God And v. 24. Salute all them that have the Rule over you 1 Tim. 3. 5. A Bishop must be one that Ruleth well his own House else how shall he take care of the Church of God And as the Steward of God Tit. 1. 7. To give the Children their Meat in due season 1 Thess. 5. 12 13. Know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord c. 1 Cor. 4. 1 2. Let a man so esteem of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God It 's required of Stewaâ—â—s that a man be found faithful Q. 5. Do you know what the word Pastor signifyeth Do the Sheep Rule the Shepherd and themselves Q. 6. The Pastor being but one and you having the Major Vote are you not his Rulers And are you able to Rule him aright Why do you not tell him what and whom to reprove c. Q. 7. Is it not Sacrilege to usurp a sacred Office Like Uzzah's incense and Câ—rah's sin Q. 8. Who hath required this at your hands Who gave you Commission to Rule the Church Q. 9 Do you not tremble to think what a charge you usurp and what a dreadful account you undertake to give Will you answer for all that are unâ—neetly Baptized received to Communion Excommunicated Restored c. Do you not know that this is a greater and harder part of the Pastors Office than an hours Preaching which a well furnished man can do in the way that you like with little or no study If he must wholly attend this work must not you do so if you undertake it Do you know what it is to try so many Men and Womens Knowledge and Professions and Lives and to hear Witnesses and hear each personâ— Plea for himself and judge Must you not leave your Trades for it or be treacherous Even all of you because the Major Vote must judge O fearful Self-condemnation Q. 10. Do you not know how certainly this will turn Churches into Confusion and the scorn of the World Will you all agree in your Tryals Or will not one think that person not holy enough nor that profession of conversion satisfactory which another approveth Q. 11. And where hath God given the Major Vote the Government of the Minor If you can rest in â— wrong judgment of the Usurping Majority why not
committed on these occasions if all the envious slanderous censorious and other uncharitable words were open to our view that many that profess the fear of God are frequently guilty of It is a sad condition that tempteth Christians to so much Sin and quieteth their Consciences in it as if their horrid iniquity were their piety and that bringeth too many separated Churches under some such reputation as Alehouses are faln into I speak it not in contempt but lamentation which are taken to be lawful but places where so much Sin is committed that it is a suspicious sign for a Mâ—n to be oft seen in them especially near home As Swearing and Excess of Drink are the ordinary sins of Alehouses so Church dividing Censorious Envious words with more that I shall anon mention are the too common Sins of these Dividing Congregations And then as Love so Unity and Concord is importunately urged on us in the holy Scriptures and the contrary condemned O read and study that prayer of Christ that his Servants may be One Iohn 17. 11 21 22 23. how high he drives it and how much he insisteth on it His Church was then most spiritual and pure when it had the greatest Unity Act. 2. 1. They were all with One accord in One place when the Holy Ghost did fall upon them Act. 2 42. They continued stedfast in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and breaking of Bread and Prayer verse 44. All that believed were together yea and by the power of Love though not by Levelling destruction of Propriety had all things common Vers. 46. They continued daily with one accord in the Temple Act. 4. 31 32. They were together praying when the place was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost And the multitudâ— of them that believed were of one heart and soul. So Act. 5. 12. Many great faults we find had tainted the Church of the Corinthians the Galatians and too many more when yet we find not that any Separated Churches were gathered by the godly for the avoiding these corruptions nor that I remember on any other occasion No where do I read in the same Precincts or Cities of any Churches separated from the first Churches but only the Societies of Hereticks that are so much reprehended and branded with Infamy by the Spirit of God Not one that ever I could find of the true Believers did take this to be his duty Name any Church that was separated from a former Church in Scripture and held divided Assemblies in the same Precincts and was approved by the Lord. I find Divisions in the Churches too many some saying I am of Paul and some I am of Apollo but I find none but those condemned of Heresie that divided from the Churches Separation from the World was the practice of the Churches but separation from the Churches was the practice of Hereticks only as far as I remember or those that are charged with Schism at least though I remember not that meer Schism then rose so high They that had the Apostles among them could not easily fall to such a Crime till they fell from the Apostles And far were the Apostles when they reprehended the Corruptions of the Churches from perswading Men to separate from them Though it's possible for such a case to be when that may be a Duty yet all those faults enumerated by Paul did not make it so But contrarily they charge them not to forsake the Assembling of themselves together as the manner of some the Hereticks was Heb. 10. 25. and beseech them by the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ to speak all the same thing and that there be no Divisions among them but that they be perfectly joined together in the same Mind and in the same Judgment I Cor. 1. 10. 11. That they be all of one Mind having Compassion one of another loving as Brethren being pitiful and courteous not rendring evil for evil or railing for railing but contrariwise blessing c. 1 Pet. 3. 8 9. O how constant and how earnest were the Apostles in these Exhortations and in answerable Prayers to God Phil. 2. 1 2 3 4. If there be therefore any Consolation in Christ if any Comfort of Love if any Fellowship of the Spirit if any Bowels and Mercies fulfil ye my Joy and what was Paul's so much desired Joy That ye be like minded having the same Love being of one Accord of one mind Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves Look not every one on his own things but every Man also on the things of others Rom. 15. 5 6. Now the God of Patience and Consolation grant you to be like minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus that you may with one Mind and one Mouth glorifie God 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 For they that are such serve not the Lord Jesus but their own Bellies and by good words and fair speeches deceive the Hearts of the simple So 1 Thes. 5. 12 13. Study Iam. 3. throughout Abundance of such passages are before us in the Word which tell us that this Great and Necessary command of Love and Unity is not to be dispensed with nor Divisions among Christians to be accounted small things And shall men professing the fear of God go against such a stream of Holy Precepts And be sensible of a Swearers or a Drunkards Sin and not of so great a course of Sin of their own 3. The Nature of Gods Graces in his Servants Souls is contrary to a way of Separation and Division As Fire would to Fire and Water to Water so would Christian to Christian Grace is sociable and abhors Division as well as Nature Wounding is not its Delight Love is an Essential part of the New Man The living Members rejoyce together and suffer together and be not easily set against each other but it 's hurt to all that 's hurt to one 4. Divided Churches are the Seminaries of Private dividing Principles As they proceed from such Principles so do they cherish and increase them They espouse an Interest that 's contrary to Catholicism and Christian Concord and therefore we find that they make it much of their Business to propagate it Whatever Opinion drew from the Communion of the Church must be there pleaded for against the Peace of the Church And to have a Mutineer in the Army of our Lord is bad but to have Schools and Nurseries of Mutineers dispersed through the Land and favoured by Godly Men is far worse 5. And certainly so far to forsake the Catholick Principles and Interest and be so void of a Catholick Spirit and Love as to set a part against the whole or a smaller part against the Profit of the main part of Christ's Body is a thing much unlike the
Christian Nature and unbeseeming a sensible Member of Christ. With what hearts do such dividing Brethren read all those passages of Scripture that speak of the Unity of the Catholick Church We have all one End one Hope one Law There is one Body and one Spirit even as we are called in one Hope of our Calling one Lord one Faith one Baptism one Baptismal Coveanting with God Eph. 4. 4 5 6. one God and Father of all who is above all through all and in us all therefore must we endeavour to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace v. 3. For as 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 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. And the Spirit and Ministry are given to this one Body for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come in the Unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect Man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ that we henceforth be no more Children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the fleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive but speaking the truth in Love may grow up in him in all things which is the Head even Christ from whom the whole Body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the Body to the edifying of it self in Love Eph. 4. 12 13 14 15. Note here the Unity of the Catholick Body and who is the Center of the Church and in what way it prospereth to perfection and all will tell you of Unity in Christ and Communion of the several parts in Love God hath tempered the Body together having given more abundant honour to that part that locked that there should be no Schism in the Body but that the Members should have the same care one for â—nother and whether one Member suffer all the Members suffer with it or one Member be honoured all the Members rejoyce with it Now ye are the Body of Christ and Members in particular 1 Cor. 12 24 25 26 27. O how much the Nature and Unity of the Church Universal even the Body of Christ is forgotten by most men that withdraw into separated Assemblies upon those grounds and terms as condemn or cost off most of the Universal Church of Christ. And how do they look upon the face of the World if indeed they know what state it is in and hath been in when they can find in their hearts to keep up our Divisions of which more anon 6. Moreover our Divisions and Separations do much destroy the Power of Godliness partly as is said by destroying Love and all the Operations of Love wherein it principally consisteth and partly by diverting Professors of Religion from Practical Doctrine Conference and Meditation and filling them with Fancies and Opinions and Passions So that when once in a Town there is Church against Church and Pastor against Pastor almost all or too much of their time is taken up in wrangling and contending and making their Cause good against each other and they strive not to overcome each other by Meekness Patience and Love It is the raising of an Ecclesiastick War through all the Quarters of the Land And few thrive by these Wars above any Wars Mark whether Holiness Love and Heavenliness appear as much in their Families and Lives where this War is raised and Fire kindled as it did before 7. Moreover it keepeth out too often a Saving work of Grace and turns off many that were coming on and crusheth fair hopes too often in the bud Many a Minister hath rejoyced in the Hopes of a Conversion which seemed to be begun on the younger sort especially of his Hearers And when they have seemed to be somewhat humbled changed resolved for a Holy Life suddenly some Divider or other layeth hold on them and turneth the stream of their Thoughts and Zâ—al upon Opinions and barren Controversies and spoileth our hopes of the work of Grace and formeth them up into Contentious Hypocrites And alas how apt are such separated Assemblies to â—empt men to this miserable case even as Ale houses are to make men Drunk Sober men may be there but there 's the Nursery of Opinionative Religion 8. But there is no effect so grievous to my thoughts as the common hardening of the ungodly Who sees not how it makes them think unbelievingly or contemptuously of all Religion when they see so many Churches and ways and hear them so condemn each other they think they may warrantably condemn them all and say as bad by them or speak as contemptuously of them as they do of each other They think they are as well already as turning to such a divided People can make them And when they think of turning the Tempter asketh them as the Papists use to do Which Party will you turn to Why rather to this than all the rest What a readiness did I see to entertain the way of Godliness presently after the Wars in many places that had before been under the Power that most reproacht it Till they saw us by the Ears among our selves and see us fall into so many Parties and then they turned their reverence into contempt Let no man fly to God's Decrees here and say that Offences must be and Heresies must arise that the approved may be manifested and that the Elect cannot be deceived to Perdition For Sin is Sin and Misery for all this They may on those Grounds as well let Physicions have leave to give men Poison or any mâ—n to set our Towns on fire because nothing can be done against God's Decrees It is as true among the Indians and Turks that the Elect cannot be deceived to Perdition and that God knoweth who are his as here and yet I hope all Christians will lament the Sin and Misery of the World of Infidels and Idolaters and pray and endeavour as far as they can their recovery by the Gospel We must fetch no such Conclusions from any Decrees of God as shall hinder from praying that his Name may be Hallowed his Kingdom come and his Will be done in the Earth as it is in Heaven Such as may encourage us to dig Pits for the Blind and cast such stumbling blocks in their way and be Servants to the Tempter and Enemy of Souls in hindering them from Salvation And what can we to hinder them more than to bring the Churches and Holy Worship and Ways of God into doubt or contempt among them 9. Our Divisions make us and the Cause of God to be our Adversaries Reproach and his Name is evil spoken of among them through
join in Ordaining and the Presbyterians hold that they Must in point of Duty in all reason the May be should yield to the Must And therefore let the Congregational de facto on their own Principles admit of Neighbour Presbyters herein If they will not yield in a thing by themselves confessed Lawful for the Reconciliation and Communion of the Churches the guilt of unpeaceableness will be theirs Especially while they have the Election of their Offices and no detriment is like to arise by it to their Churches 2. But if any of them have not so much love to Peace and Communion of Churches as to yield to this the Presbyterians can in consistency with their Principles hold Communion with them for all this as Churches though deficient having first disowned their disorder And therefore their Pastors may join with us in our Assemblies and we may as Brethren hold a loving correspondency though we own not their defects Other differences Doctrinally not the least there are among us 1. Whether a Man may not be Ordained a Minister sine titulo without Relation to a particular Church but to the World and the Church Universal And so 2. Whether such may not be Ordained without popular Election And 3. Whether therefore a Man be not sometime in time A Minister of Christ before he be The Pastor of this particular Church 4. And so whether the peoples Election be not only to make him Their Pastor and not A Minister of Christ in general 5. And whether such an Unfixed General Minister may not Preach Baptize and also pro tempore administer the Lords Supper yea and Govern a particular Church that pro tempore calleth him thereto the peoples call or consent being necessary for the Exercise but not alway to the Being of the Office or Intrinsick power As a Physicion licensed to practise in general must have Mens personal consent before he be Their Physicion But 1. These I cannot call properly differences between the parties because I think the Congregational are not themselves agreed about them 2. If they were yet they are such whose practice our Reconciliation is not much concerned in Let every Man in these Opinions be left to his liberty and it need not hinder our Agreement or Communion For my own Opinion about most of them I have expressed it Disput. of Church Government 1. and 2. and about some more of this nature Chap. VII Difference V. THE Fifth point of Difference is about the first subject of the power of the Keys Or more plainly and limitedly of the Right of Church Government and in particular of Censures And here the difference seemeth greater than in any of the rest And with some it is so Some have made the Congregation by a Major Vote the Governours of the Church Against this as intolerable we have much to say 1. There is no power but of God But the power of Church Governing is not given to the people by God therefore it is none The Minor is good till a power be proved and the peoples Commission produced which never yet hath been attempted with any considerable appearance of Truth Obj. The Keys were given to the Church in Peter Mat. 16. Ans. 1. The most learned and moderate of these Brethren say that There is no such thing as a Lawful Representative Church therefore Peter was none 2. It lyeth on them to prove that Peter represented the Major Vote of a Congregation in receiving the Keys Till they have proved it we take them to have said nothing It sufficeth us for a disproof 1. That no such thing is spoken 2. That the Keys of the Kingdom are in Scripture phrase significant of Stewardly Government which is in Scripture assigned to the Pastors over the people 3. That Peter was not a private Member himself much less a Congregation but a Pastor and a single Pastor Bishop or Apostle 4. That the same power is elsewhere given to all the Apostles Iohn 20. 21. but not to private Members or to Congregations of such 5. That Iohn 20 21 22. the power is described to be a power of Remitting and Retaining Sins annext to their Ministerial Mission and therefore such as belongeth not to private Men. Obj. 1. Cor. 5 4 13. The Church is commanded to deliver the Incestuous person to Satan and to put away the wicked person from among them Ans. 1. That was but Executively Paul having himself most solemnly past the Sentence v. 3 4. For I verily as absent in Body but present in Spirit have judged already as though I were present concerning him that hath so done this deed Paul you see doth judge And that in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ when ye are gathered together and my Spirit What then doth he decree to do with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such an one to Satan c. which with the Excommunication it is most probable contained a Corporal miraculous penalty as Elimas was struck blind and Ananias and Saphira dead c. so that to deliver is the act that Paul himself resolved to perform at their meeting The Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not I have judged concerning him but I have judged him even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. to deliver such a one But if any will rather take delivering here to be the Churches act than Pauls yet it is plain that it is after his Judgment or Sentence or Condemnation as the Syriack hath it and therefore that it is but 1. The solemn declaration 2. And Execution of the sentence already past 2. But if Paul had left the Work to them he wrote to there would have been no proof that the Censure had been committed to the people Here are two works to be done The Sentence and the Execution that is avoiding Communion c. and accordingly two parts of the Church to do it the Pastors to Censure and the people to Execute it by actual avoiding or putting away Now if Paul write to an Organized Governed Society to deliver to Satan and put away no Man can hence prove that he committeth the same parts of the work equally to all the parts of the Society No more than he can prove if the Prince write to this Burrough to cast out a turbulent Member that he intendeth to equal the people with the Magistrates in the work or to commit the same part of the work to one as to another But rather it plainly importeth and no more that every Man in his place obey the command Obj. Matth. 18. Tell the Church authorizâ—th the people Ans. 1. It is incumbent on the affirmers to prove that it is the whole Body of the people that is there meant And some think this Argument disproveth it That Church which must be heard must be told If he hear not the Church But the whole Congregation is not the Church that is to be Heard therefore it is not the
with them Yea and they will no doubt take it to be their Duty if they have proof of the Heresies or Scandals of any Neighbour Minister aggravated by the shunning of their Brethrens Communion to disown them and warn their people of the danger If you joyn with us you are more like to escape such Censures or injurious Reflections than by keeping from us For familiarity kindleth Love and your presence may awe many and your words satisfie those that could not be so well satisfied if they had not heard you speaking for your selves 2. Moreover you have opportunity to prevent such abuse as you fear in your terms of entring the Association 3. Surely Brethren that so earnestly desire your Communion for the Churches Peace will not be hasty to renounce Communion with you 4. By their Accepting you they are engaged not to Reject you for any Opinion or Practice which they knew you guilty of when they Accepted you For if it were not of weight to hinder your Reception it may not be of weight to cause your Rejection Obj. But under the Name of a Communion of Churches you seem to set up a Provincial Church with a Discipline of taking in and casting out Ans. Is it the Name of a Church that you fear or the Thing Not the Name for we use it not nor do you charge this on us If the Thing tells us what you mean by a Church If such a thing as you use to define it to be we deny that we set up such a Church But if you will call the Officers and Delegates of the Churches met for Communion by the Name of a Church you may use your Liberty we hold this Communion for no higher ends than your own forecited words allow and therefore it is but such an Assembly as you may allow Take Mr. Norton's yet larger Concessions Pag. 110 c. Ecclesiae particulares mutuam Communionem inter se inire possunt in eis causae Communes omnium Ecclesiarum i. e. talis res quae omnibus Ecclesiis particularibus Communes sunt quamvis immediatè unam tantum Ecclesiam tangunt ut sunt Pastorum vocationes Membrorum excommunicationes c. Vel etiam tales res quae immediatè omnes Ecclesias ex aequo tangunt communiter Communi consensu Ecclesiarum dijudicentur discernantur Pag. 111. Solummodò inde Colligimus ei potestatem supremam decidendi quaestiones fidei debitam quod promptè damus Pag. 112. De necessitate Synodorum Tametsi Concilia non sint ita absolutè necessaria ut Ecclesia sine illis nunquam bene esse possit tamen in tantâ hominum malitia temporum perversitate non tantum insigniter sunt utilia sed etiam quodammodo necessaria ita ut Ecclesia salutari hoc remedio non possit carere sine insigni veritatis pietatis Concordiae Christianae detrimento Nemo inquit Parkerus quod sciam Ecclesiae alicujus reformatae alumnus ante Hugonem Grotium negavit Synodos esse necessarias quibus nos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 libenter profitemur sequentibus freti rationibus 1. A Natura duce Cujus dictamine in Controversiis difficilioribus grandioribus à judicio inferiori ad praecellentius confugimus Hinc jus appellationum in causis gravioribus ab inferiori ad superiorem sententiam Parker Cum in causis Personis Ecclesiasticis multae lites oriantur jus appellationum necessariò concedendum quis neget Appellationes sunt juris Divini naturalis in omni societate admodum necessariae propter multorum judicum iniquitatem ignorantiam 2. A fine Concilii 3. Ab exemplo c. 4. A Praecellentia Concilii c. 5. A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ecclesiarum quam valde tuetur unio sententiarum in Synodis unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suavissima diuturna cum doctrina mores probantur ad invicem sin autem singulis Ecclesiis particularibus juxta sententias proprias incedere licet nulla habita vicinarum ratione quam facilè in partes dissidia abiturae sunt 6. A fructu administrationum quae si caeteris Ecclesiis consentientibus fiant spes est etiam fore efficaces sin dissentientibus timendum ne inefficaces sint E. g. in casu excommunicationis vicinis comprobantibus excommunicatus argutus ab omnibus dijudicatus ab omnibus procidens c. Pag. 118. Quatenus particulares Ecclesiae sâ—se subjicere debent sententiae Synodi R. Legitimis Synodi decretis ab omnibus Ecclesiis h. e. à majori parte Ecclesiarum receptis à Magistratu Christiano approbatis tenentur particulares Ecclesiae acquiescere 1. Sub periculo reatus ordinis publici turbati 2. Sub poena non Communionis cum aliis Ecclesiis 3. Sub poena correctionis per poenas civiles à Magistratu Then he comes to the Q. What if the Synod conclude against the Truth and the Church stand for it And answereth 1. That it 's not easily to be supposed in reformed times And 2. Uti in Civilibus est Veritas absoluta Iudicialis sententia supremi judicis vera est quoad homines licet non sit vera absolutè Ita in Ecclesiasticis Veritas est absoluta Synodalis Synodus autem cum sit supremus judex quaestionis sententiâ— Synodalis licet non sit vera absolutè est tamen vera Ecclesiasticè Si in foro exteriore Pag. 119. Statuendum est ordinem publicum praeâ—erendum esse praesenti obedientiae ergo praeceptum affirmativum non fundamentale Hîc obtinet illud Ames Gravissima in commoda facâ—unt aliquando ut praeceptum affirmativum desinat obligare quod alià s non possit non observari sine peccato Ordini igitur taliâ— Ecclesia in hoc casu sese subjicere potest debet sed tamen sine peccato Is not here enough for our Agreement in this Point I should have feared Censures if I had said as much But I hope you deny not the Power of Christian Kings nor that a Christian Soveraign and Christian Subjects are a Christian Kingdom and de nomine may be called a National Church And Moses David Solomon Iosiah had a Governing Power over the Priests though not to change the species of their Office And if I and others think that Apostles and Evangelists have Successors to the End of the World in the ordinary parts of their Office and in Superiority you may with Peace hold your Opinion and leave us to ours Of which elsewhere Chap. X. Difference VIII THE Eighth supposed Difference is about Private mens Preaching and it hath two Parts 1. Whether Private men may Preach in the Church 2. Whether the Church may send them out as private men unordained to Preach in the Parishes of England or to the Heathens or Unbelievers The Presbyterians deny not but Private men may Preach in some cases None that fear God do desire any to bury their Talent nor would hinder men from doing the
such as expect the very Syllables of the Assertions in the proofs Therefore for brevity I take it to be the better way â—â— this time to offer here a full sufficient proof of any one of these Assertions which shall be questioned to such as shall soberly demand it A Servant of Christ for his Churches Unity and Peace Richard Baxter Acton Nov. 2â— 1688. Q. SEeing you have oft affirmed publickly that the Terms of Concord among Christians are easie to be known if their unwillingness to practise them were not the hinderance you are desired to answer these Questions following 1. What are the necessary Terms of Catholick Communion of Christians as Members of the Church Universal 2. What are the necessary Terms of the Communion of Christians personally in a particular Church 3. What are the Terms on which Neighbour Churches may hold Communion with one another 4. What are the Terms of Communion between the Churches of several Kingdoms 5. What is the Magistrates Power and Duty about Religion and the Churches and Ministers of Christ I. It is to be understood that the Universal Church is considered as Spiritual or as Visible As Spiritual it is the Universality of true Spiritual or Regenerate Believers as Headed by Jesus Christ. As Visible it is the Universality of the Baptized or Professors of true Faith as Headed by Christ the Author and Object of that Faith And accordingly Christians are to be distinguished And that the Question is of the Visible Church and Christians 2. This being supposed I answer that Catholick Visible Communion consisteth 1. Fundamentally in being all Baptized or entered into the same Covenant of Grace with God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and so being joyned to the same Head and entered into the same Universal Body and professing the same Faith and Love and Obedience contained in that Covenant and not falling away from that Profession or any Essential part thereof 2. And consequently that we all acknowledge the extraordinary Ministry of the Prophets and Apostles and receive their Testimony and Doctrine recorded in the Sacred Scriptures At least the foresaid Essentials of the Covenant and so much more as we understand and are convinced to be Canonical Scriptures or written by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost 3. And also that we acknowledge a stated ordinary Ministry in the Church appointed by Christ to Disciple and Baptize the Nations of the World and then to teach them to observe all his Commands And that we profess our willingness to join in Christian Assemblies under the conduct of such Ministers for the worshipping of God and furthering our own and others Salvation if we have opportunity so to do And that we do accordingly II. Q. 1. We speak only of Visible Christians in this second Question also of Church Communion 2. A Particular Church signifieth either 1. A Community of Christians agreed to live under Pastoraâ— Guidance before they have a Pastor or have practised that agreement This is not the Church here meanâ— 2. Or a Political Society of Christian Pastor and People professedly associated for Personal Communion Exercise of these Relations as such in the publick worshipping of God and for the furtherance of Love and Obedience in each other The Ends difference it from all Civil Societies of Christians and from the associations of many Churches for Communion by delegates The necessary Terms of this Church Communion are these 1. The Pastor whether one or more must have all things essential to his Office 1. As to his Qualifications that is 1. That he understand at least the Essential Points of Christianity and Church Communion 2. That he be able to teach them to others in some competent degree 3. That he be willing to do it and this for Gods Honour the Churches Good and Mens Salvation 2. As to his Call that he have a true notification of the will of God that he should undertake this Office which is ordinarily done 1. By the Ordination that is the Approbation and Investiture of Bishops or Pastors 2. And in this case of his relation to a particular Church by the peoples consent All this in truth is needful before God and in Appearance and Profession before the Church 2. The People must be Baptized persons Sacramentally engaged into Covenant with God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and such as have not professedly deserted that Covenant by Apostasie nor are proved before a lawful Judicature to be deserters of any Essential part thereof Whether open professed Covenanting may not serve without Baptism in cases of Necessity where Baptism cannot be had is a case so extraordinary that we need not here meddle with it 3. He that was Baptized in Infancy and yet having opportunity at full age doth make no Profession of Christianity nor own his Baptismal Covenant openly by word or deed is to be numbered with Deserters 4. Though the most plain and open profession is usually best where it may be â—ad yet a profession less explicite may serve to the being of Church-members such as is their actual joyning with those Churches who purposely assemble to make publick profession of the Christian Religion Faith Love and Obedience 5. There must be also a signification of consent to their particular Church-Relation either more express and plain or at least by such actions which may be reasonably presumed to signifie it As ordinary joining in Church-worship with that particular Church and submitting to the necessary guidance of the Pastors 6. He that thus consenteth to his Relation to the Pastor and that Church is a Member though he consent not to the Membership or Presence of many particular Members thereof Because they are but Integral and not Essential parts of the Church 7. But if a usual mixture in the Assemblies of Hereticks or Strangers which are not Members of that Church or any other confounding cause do give the Pastors sufficient reason to call all or part of the people to an express signification of their consent to their Relation to put it out of doubt they that causelesly refuse such signification do seem to deny their consent and allow the Pastor and Church to judge of them accordingly 8. The office of the Bishops or Pastors is subordinate to the Teaching and Interceeding and Ruling office of Christ And their work is to Teach the people the Word of God to be their Mouth and Guide in publick Worship in Prayer and in Thanksgiving and Praise to God and to administer his holy Sacraments and to exercise that Power of the Keys which Christ hath committed to their trust in the Prudent and cautelous use of Church-Discipline And all this according to the Laws of Christ recorded in the holy Scriptures These therefore must be the Works and Ends for which these Churches must professedly assemble Especially on the Lord's Days which are separated to these holy Uses 9. The General Command in Nature and Scripture that all be done to Edification decently and
To which end their first care must be to give no just cause by corrupting of Doctrine Worship or Discipline to any to withdraw and not to impose any unnecessary thing as necessary to Communion but to unite in things necessary and to give liberty in things unnecessary A means approved in all Ages by Peacemakers And to guide the Church by the paternal Government of Reason and Love and not by Tyranny to make themselves hateful And to be much in preaching Love and Concord that the people may know the sin and danger of Factions and Divisions and to avoid all Factiousness and Contentiousness themselves And their next care must be to labour after a laudable if they cannot reach an eminent degree of ability in teaching and exemplariness in a holy and charitable Life that they may win the esteem and love of the Flock and may give them no occasion to think that the necessity of their Souls requireth them to seek for better helps But if differing though tolerable Opinions do so possess any of the peoples minds that no means can satisfie them to continue in the same Assemblies and their presence will be more hurtful than their absence or if the Pastor or Church be so over-rigid as not to tolerate their dissent the next thing to be done is to permit them to Worship in other Assemblies though their withdrawing may not be justifiable and to take care that Love and Peace be maintained with them as with Neighbour Churches though perhaps weak and faulty which bringeth us up to the next Question Q. 3. What are the Terms on which Neighbour Churches may hold Communion with one another A. What these particular Churches in the question are is shewed before The Communion in question consisteth 1. In holding the same Faith 2. In the same Worship of God in the necessary parts 3. In the same profession of Obedience to God 4. In a professed estimation of each other as Brethren and as true Churches of Christ. 5. And in a professed Love to one another as such 6. And in such Communion and mutual Assistance as tend to the preservation of the Church Universal and the benefit of each other The Terms therefore and means must be these following 1. They must publickly profess the same Christian Religion in all the Essential parts which is no more but That we continue our consent to our Baptismal Covenant with God the Father Son and Holy Ghost renouncing the Devil the World and the Flesh Particularly professing to believe all the Articles of the Ancient Creed and to Desire all that is contained in the Lords Prayer and sincerely to endeavour to live towards God and Men according to the Ten Commandments Believing also the Sacred Canonical Scriptures to be true and taking them for the intire Rule of our Divine Belief and Worship and Obedience And we renounce so far as we can know them all Heresies Errors and Practices contrary hereto This is all the Profession that is to be required of any person in order to the Catholick Communion of Christians as such or of the Members of a particular Church besides their consent to their particular Church relation or of Neighbour Churches for their Communion with each other Except when any scandal obligeth us to clear our selves whether it be suspected Heresie or wickedness of Life by a just Purgation or Repentance And the requiring of larger unnecessary Professions hath been the grand Engine of Church Divisions through many Generations 2. Yet as there are Christians of divers degrees of knowledge and soundness in the same Church so there are Churches also as different And though we must own them all as Christian Churches which are such indeed yet must we not judge them equally sound or pure but must disown the gross corruptions of Doctrine Worship or Discipline which are proved to be in any of them and must specially honour those that are more faithful pure and entire 3. No one particular single Church must claim or usurp a Right of Dominion or Government over other Churches as given them by God seeing that all such true Churches are as Cities or Corporations in one Kingdom which are all governed by one King but are none of them rightful Rulers of the rest Nor must any Men of their own heads set up such Forms of Government as of Humane right in Conformity to the Secular Governments of the World and this as Spiritual in the Exercise of the Keys which Christ committed to his Ministers tho' one eminent Minister may instruct and admonish many others and have some care of many Churches contrary to or inconsistent with the Orders setled by Christ or his Apostles who were commissioned by him for the setling of all Universally necessarily Church Government and infallibly guided therein by the Holy Ghost Much less may the Unity and Peace of the Church be laid upon such invented policies as it is by the Papists who make their forged Head Pope or Council a constitutive essential part of the Catholick Church and seign all the Christian World to be Schismaticks who will not be his Subjects 4. But Love and Concord and Peace must be maintained among the equal parts of the Catholick Church Seeing it is the strength of the Churches and their Beauty and the Exercise and help of the Life and Holiness of all the parts Therefore such correspondencies must be maintained among them as tend to a right understanding of each other and to a just furtherance of these happy ends And as in particular Churches the determinations of useful circumstances according to Gods general Rules is no sinful addition to Gods Word or Ordinances so neither is it here to be so judged if Magistrates by Laws or Churches by consent do determine of useful undetermined circumstances for the ordering of these Correspondencies and preventing Contentions Factions and Divisions 5. The ordinary means of these correspondencies are Messengers and Synods or Councils and Letters Testimonial or Certificates If one Church be offended with another upon suspicion of Heresie or scandalous Practices they may by Messengers admonish them and these may by Messengers make their Purgation or Confession As also if they desire Advice or Help from one another but if in common and weighty cases there be need of more common and judicious consultations or significations of Consent and Concord Synods are the means thereto And if one Member Travel into other parts or remove his dwelling or be to be received by other Churches especially in Suspicious Times and Cases Communicatory Letters and Certificates are the means that Hereticks and Deceivers abuse not the Churches 6. Whether these Synods shall be held at certain stated times or variously as occasions vary And whether they shall have a President And whether he shall be mutable or fixed And of how many Churches they shall be composed And how oft they shall meet and how long they shall sit with such like are circumstances left to Humane Prudence
the unanimous Servants of the Lord did keep out all the obstinate Impenitent Persons from the Publick Communion and he that is cast out of one Church is cast out of all and none in any Country would entertain him Whereas now they have ordinarily a room in the most Publick Assemblies or if one Church reject them when they travail into other Parts they are as acceptable as others and so Communicatory Letters are made useless But the Principal thing that I here intend is that excellent Security of the Gospel and Godliness to our Posterity and the welfare of the Nation that might be happily promoted by this Unity For then the Church and Commonwealth might be so complicate and commensurate as would be the Strength and Glory of them both They may hold in Life but never attain that stability and Glory that God hath propounded to them and given them means for till for the generality the Members of the Church and the Freemen of the Commonwealth are the same I say not the Subjects but the Freemen that is those that shall be capable of Governing or electing Governors Then will not the Interest of Church and State be set in Opposition against each other nor Rulers keep up sinful jealousies against the Gospel and Ministers of Christ then will the Magistrate support and second the Ministry and Church and the Ministers and Church be the faithfullest obeyers and defenders of the Magistrate And then we shall not need to fear when one Parliament hath made us wholsom Laws and own'd the Gospel left a majority of malignant impious Choosers should give us another that will undo all and cast out the chief Blessing and Glory of the Land Were Church and Common-wealth but duly commensurate as aforesaid then sober men and faithful to the interest of Christ would choose our Parliaments and so a Succession of Righteous Governours might be secured to the Land A Mercy of inestimable Value that would advance Britain yet much higher above any Nation under Heaven And what clear Reasons could I give for this and how easily could I answer all considerable Objections and how easily might it be quickly put in execution if it were not for this one most lamentable Evil even the unreconciled Parties and the undisciplined Churches and Antichurches among us Till then we hold our precious Mercies on such slippery terms as should awaken all honest men to look after a better Security God can make Wolves befriend his Lambs and the Serpentine brood that are haters of Piety to choose Pious Governours But Wonders of Mercy are fitter for a grateful remembrance than for secure Expectations when we wilfully cause our peril 16. And it is an aggravation of the Sin of these Dividing ways that they are continued in such a time and place as this When men have nothing forced on them that they were wont to complain of and nothing wanting but what they have such more than ordinary helps to procure in the Publick Churches Formerly it was the Prelacy and Liâ—urgy and Ceremonies that by the Separâ—tists was pretended as a justifying Cause of their Separation And yet then the ancient Nonconformists themselves did write against them more than any did But now they can pretend no such things as these Who forceth any thing upon their Consciences which the tenderest Conscience of understanding People hath cause to refuse And if Discipline be wanting they have much encouragement to endeavour and hope for a supply If the Ministers be bad they may cast them out We all desire it If they be faithful they will be willing to go as far as they can in the exercise of Discipline and it is the discouragements Divisions and withdrawings of those that should help them that doth much disable them And it seems to me a great Aggravation that usually this Sin is the fruit of so many other Sine How oft is it brought forth by a proud over-valuing of mens own Opinions Parts and Piety and by uncharitable censoriousness of others and a vilâ—fâ—ing extenuation of all that is good in them And how ordinarily doth it bring forth disobedience murmuring and disdain of those that were their Teachers and evil speaking against the things that they understand not And too commonly it proceeds from laziness When they will not be at the trouble and cost of doing their parts to reform the Churches where they are they will lazily separate to save them a labour It is a harder work and requireth much more Self-denyal to joyn in the admonishing of the several Ungodly Persons in the Churches and follow it in God's way till they are reclaimed or cast out than to get in private among a few that will put us to no such trouble I see not but these Persons while they cry up Discipline would destroy it As some on one extream refuse to exercise it so these on the other extream will be Members only of such Societies when they shall have little or no use for it and consequently exclude it or at least where it shall not cost them much Lay this together and consider whether in such times as these when Godly Magistrates are ready to encourage us and Godly Ministers willing to do what they can in Reformation and no burdens are forced on their Consciences and we refuse not their Communion that differ from us in tolerable Points that yet in these times men will fly from our Assemblies and set up Antichurches as they do Alas what pievish Children are in the Family of God One part now separate into private Churches because we have not Prelacy Liturgy and Ceremonies and another part separate even when they are cast out because they be not pleased in all things that look to the other Extream Doubtless the Separatists in our days of Reformation and Liberty are much more unexcusable than they were in the times of Ceremonies and Violence What! cannot all the Endeavourâ— of Magistrates and Ministers by such a Reformation that many others think too much yet sweep the Churches clean enough for you to enter In other Ages it was the affliction of the Godly to be cast out of the Church by evil Governours But now how many do cast out themselves The Jews persecuted the Disciples by casting them out of their Synagogues Ioh. 16. 2. and 12. 42. And will you cast out your selves from the true Churches of Christ And that from such Principles and with such concomitant aggravating faults as those forementioned 17. And it is an aggravation of this Sin that it is continued against so much and long Experience Have we not long found by Experience how it quencheth Charity and hindereth the Gospel and cherisheth Errors and causeth the rest of the forementioned Evils And shall we love it when we have found it Evil 18. And it is no small aggravation of this Sin to consider what England is and what all the rest of the World is at this day and what it hath been from