the Sacrament Secondly we see not how you can apply that text to Preaching by office which according to our exposition must bee a dispensing of a fit portion of food to everie one of the houshould For it is plaine the Apostles were sent forth to preach to everie Creature or unto the world to convert men unto God to make them disciples and not to preach unto disciples only or members of the houshold The Apostles certainly had authority and preached by authority but they preached not to Infidells and Heathens as to disciples or members of the Church much lesse did they give a portion to them as to the houshold which is the preaching by office which you acknowledge Thirdly if under the power of the keyes you comprehend preaching by office dispensing the seales casting out and receiving againe into the bosome of the Church wee deny the power of the keyes to belong to the Church or community of the faithfull we cannot find in Scripture that Christ ever granted such power to the faithfull as faithfull joyned together in Covenant in those passages which speake of this power the execution of this authority is given to them to whom the authoritie is committed If the power of the keyes be given to the whole Church the Apostles themselves must derive their authoritie immediatly from the Church and not from Christ for the power must be derived from them unto whom it was give but their power and authority was not from the Church but from Christ immediatly And if the dispensation and exercise of the keyes be concredited to the Ministers Doth it hold in all things or onely in the dispensation of the Sacraments and preaching by office Doe they dispense the seales as the Stewards of Christ from whom they receive their authority immediately or as the servants of the Church from which they derive their authority If in the first sense the power of the keys is not in the community of the faithfull If in the second the office of a Minister is not the immediate gift of Christ nor the Minister so much the servant of Christ as of the Church from whom he must receive lawes in whose name he must doe his office and to whom he must give an account We could wish you had explained in what sense you hold the dispensation and execution of the power of the keyes is concredited to the Ministers and by whom For if the community of the faithfull have to doe in all matters concerning the body to admit members and cast them out to make and depose Ministers to bind and loose by authority derived from Christ wee cannot see how in your judgement the dispensation and execution of the power of the keyes is concredited to the Ministers Fourthly That which you add that God will not vouchsafe his presence and blessing to an ordinance but when it is dispenced by those whom hee hath ordayned and appointed thereunto must bee warily understood or it may occasion errors and distractions not a few You know what corruptions soone entred into the Church of God both in respect of Doctrine Worship Offices and entrance thereunto and how ready and apt is the conclusion from your words That Christ hath not vouchsafed his presence and blessing in his Ordinances to his Church But of this before And on the contrary seeing God hath vouchsafed his blessing in his Ordinances dispensed by your selves when you stood as visible Ministers in the congregation and Churches of old England you must confesse did approve both your standings and his Ordinances dispensed by you Secondly as for the Assumption that Pastors and Teachers are limited to a particular charge or society but that flock is not ever one congregationall assembly meeting in one place neither the band so streight whereby they are tied to that one society that they may not upon occasion performe some Ministeriall Act or Office in another congregation or to them that be not set members of their proper assembly For first to dispence the Seals of the covenant is a ministeriall act an act of Office and not an exercise of gifts onely But the Pastors of one Assembly may dispence the Sacrament to the set members of another society upon occasion as you confesse in this and in your answer to the ninth position And if the members of one Church may lawfully upon occasion receive the Sacrament of the Supper in another society from the Pastor thereof then may the Pastor of one congregation performe a Ministeriall act to the members of another and if to the members of another then in another congregation with consent and upon occasion Secondly As the Ministers are exhorted to feed their flock so is every Christian and Minister to try and examine himselfe whether hee be in the faith but you will not allow this conclusion I must examine my self Ergo no man is debarred from the Sacrament for his unworthinesse or to be tried or examined by others to be observed admonished and brought to repentance for notorious sin No more can it be rightly gathered from the former passages of Scripture that the Minister is not upon occasion to performe any Ministeriall act to any other people or society because ordinarily he is to attend his own flock Thirdly As the Ministers have peculiar relation to their particular flocks so the people unto their particular Ministers unto whom they are tied in speciall manner as to their Overseers who must give account for theirsouls And if this peculiar relation betwixt the people the Minister doth not hinder the people from receiving the Lords Supper at the hands of another Minister nor the minister from performing the Ministeriall act to the members of another congregation Neither doth his peculiar Relation to his own flock hinder him from administring unto others upon just occasion being intreated thereunto As the combining of the people to their peculiar Minister doth not quite cut off their communion with other Ministers so neither doth the restraining of a Minister to a peculiar flock quite cut him off from administring upon occasion unto another people Paul appointeth the Ephesian Elders unto the care charg onely of their own particular flock but so to attend them ordinarily according to the rules of the Scripture that as occasion was offered might performe some Ministeriall acts in another congregation The taking heed unto their flocks which Paul requires in this place doth cōprehend under it the administration of the Word Prayer and Sacrament and if it must be restrained to their owne particular Churches onely it is unlawfull for a Pastor to preach or call upon the name of God in any publike Assembly save his own upon any occasion as these be duties prtaining to common confession or profession of faith Ordinary Pastors and Teachers it is true are not Apostles who are to go from place to place from Country to Country to plant and erect
of their Minister or if that may bee omitted till there be fit men among them to examine the fitnesse of him that is chosen 10 If subtile Heretikes arise and seduce and draw away many from the faith and the body of the society be not able to convince them either they must be let alone or cast out without conviction for neighbouring Ministers stand in peculiar relation to their flocks onely and must not meddle beyond their calling according to your tenent 11 There is no precept or example in Scripture more to warrant the admitting of a set member of one congregation unto the Supper in another or the baptising of his child occasionally in another assembly then there is for receiving of knowne and approved Christians and their seede that are not set members The Pastor is no more the pastor of the one then of the other nor the one more of his flock then the other neither of them set members and both sorts may be members for the time being and they most properly who are of longest abode among them But as we heare it is frequent among you as at Dorchester c. to baptise the children of another Assembly and usually you admit to the Supper of the Lord members of other Churches and therefore the Minister is not so limited to his particular Church or flock but he may dispence the seales to others which in this consideration is denyed 12 If the want of one Officer in a Congregation for a time may be supplyed by another as the want of the Doctor Ruling Elder or Deacon by the Pastor why may not the defects of some Congregation or Christians be supplyed by Pastors or Ministers of another Congregation when they are requested and desired the minde herein is godly and the means lawfull and well pleasing unto God 13 And if a Synod consisting of sundry members of particular Churches met together in the name of Christ about the common and publike affaires of the Churches shall joyn together in prayer and communion of the Supper wee can see no ground to question it as unlawfull although that Assembly be no particular Congregation or Church hath no Pastor over them make not one Ecclesiasticall body as a particular Congregationall Church unlesse it be for the time onely The Minister therefore may do an act of office to them that be not set members of his flock as he may stand in Relation to them for the time 14 Your comparison betwixt an Officer of a Town Corporate and of a particular Congregation is not alike unlesse you will say that a member of another Corporation occasionally comming into the Towne is thereby a member of that Society and subject to the authority of the Officer For so you professe that the members of one Society may occasionally communicate with another and so be subject to the Pastor for the time being which if you grant it overthrows the whole strength of this consideration Howsoever the comparison it selfe is very perilous if it be pressed For if the Officer of a Town Corporate presume to doe an act of power out of his owne Corporation it is a meer nullity but if a Minister of the Gospell dispence the Sacrament of Baptisme or the Lords Supper to believers of another Society though done without consent it was never deemed or judged a nullity in the Church of God Let the comparison hold good and most Christians have cause to question whether they be truly baptized or ever lawfully received the Sacrament of the Lords Supper If it may not be doubted whether ever the Sacraments of the New Testament were truly or by authority dispenced especially if we consider what follows in the other considerations This Argument from comparison is very usuall in the Writings of Brethren against communion with our Churches but for the most part greatly mistaken to say no more Answer 3 Consideration CIrcumcision and the Passoever were to be administred onely to the members of the Church Ergo Baptisme and the Lords Supper is so to be administred also The consequence is made good by the parity of these Ordinances For if the Argument hold strong for the proofe of Paedo-Baptisme which is taken from the circumcision of Infants why may we not as well infer a necessity of Church membership to Baptisme from the necessity of it to circumcision And that Circumcision was peculiar to the Church members of the Church may appeare in that persons circumcised onely they might eat the Passeover and they onely might enter into the Temple which were the priviledges of Church members In our answer to the second Objection against the first consideration we have shewed that Circumcision was not administred to all that were under the Covenant of Grace which all believers were but onely such of them as joyned themselves to the Church at first in Abrahams family whereunto Baptisme doth so far answer that the Apostle counteth these expresse equivalent to be circumcised in Christ with circumcision made without hands and to be buried with Christ in Baptisme Indeed in somethings they differ as onely the Males were circumcised whereas with us Females are also baptized The Reason is because God hath limited Circumcision to the Males but under the Gospel that difference is taken away Againe Circumcision was administred in the private family but Baptisme onely in the publick Assemblies of the Church The Reason of this difference is because they were bound to circumcise the Males on the eighth day but that could not stand with going to the Temple which was too far off for the purpose to bring every child thither from all parts of Judaea to be Circumcised the eighth day Nor had they alway opportunity of a solemne convention in the Synagogue on every eighth day when some child or other might be to be circumcised But there is no precise day set downe for Baptisme nor are opportunities of publick Assemblies so remote where Churches are kept in a congregationall frame but that every first day of the week Baptisme may be administred if it be required Again for the Aforesaid Reason Circumcision required not a peculiar Minister for ought we finde in Scripture but it is not so in Baptisme as was shewd in the second Consideration But no good Reason can be given why in this they should not both agree viz. that they are both to be dispensed onely to members of the visible Church as it hath been proved in the first Consideration Reply THis whole Reason as it is propounded makes onely against it selfe who ever thought that the Seals of the Covenant were not proper to confederates or the Church of God But of old all visible Believers under the Covenant of Grace walking in holinesse were of the visible Church and in Church Order according to the dispensation of those times though not joyned in externall society with the Family of Abraham And to exclude Melchisedeck or Iob because they were no members of
from Christ immediately both in respect of gifts and graces their calling it selfe and the designation of their persons It is said the power of the keyes given to the Apostles was given to the Church In tuitu ejusdem tanquam finis totius And it is true the Apostles were given to the Church and the power they received was for the good of the whole but this is not enough That power may be said to be received immediately by the Church as the first receptacle of it and from it derived to others But this power must be in the communitie as the first subject from whom it commeth to the Officers As the power of seeing is not onely given in tuitu hominis as the end of it and the totum to whom it agreeth but is in homine as the first subject from which it commeth to the eyes The Apostles and other Governors were given of Christ for the Church as for their end and all their authoritie was given unto them for the Church as for the whole but the authoritie it selfe was immediately derived from Christ and is not in the Church as the immediate subject nor derived from the Church but from Christ the King of the Church The authoritie of Governors is given of Christ for a gift to the Church but not for a gift absolute that it may reside in the power of the whole Church to whom it is given but for a conditionall gift communicated to the Governors themselves for the good of the whole It is one thing then to aske for what end or use the keyes are given another to whom To every one is given the declaration of the Spirit for profit i. e. for the good of the Church But was this gift given to the communitie of the faithfull first and immediately No By gift and possession it was given â—o some but for use and profit it was publick After the Churches were established it tooke not effect for then it must be shewed where Christ committed the power of God first to the Apostles and after to the communitie of the faithfull But that is no where to be found in holy scripture The Ministers and guides of the Church were immediately of Jesus Christ from whom immediately they derive their power and authoritie by whom they are set over their charge in whose Name they must execute their office whose Stewards Legates and Ambassadors they are and unto whom they must give an account Yea Pastorship is the gift of Christ no lesse then Apostleship and that the more because it is perpetuall in the Church every Pastor is not immediately called but the Office and order of Pastors the calling authoritie and jurisdiction is immediately from Christ and not from the Church The Steward is appointed of the Master of the family alone and hath all his authoritie and jurisdiction from him Every Ambassador in the cause of his ambassage doth immediately depend upon him from whom he is sent But if the function order and authoritie of Pastors and Teachers be immediately from Christ then it is not received from the Church as the immediate receptacle Thus Protestant Divines dispute against Papists If Bishops receive their power and authority of exercising immediately from Christ by mandate mission and commission from him then they derive it not from the Pope And if Presbyters receive their order jurisdiction and power of execution from Christ by his mandate and Commission then they receive it not from the Bishop And by the same reason if the power of the keyes be the immediate gift of Christ to his Ministers then they derive not their power and authoritie from the people It is usually objected that the Church cannot convey what she never had but the people may Elect their Pastor Whereunto the answer is direct and plaine Nothing can give that which it had not formally or virtually unlesse it give it as an instrument ministring to one who hath it but so it may give what it never had nor is capable of A Steward may give all the offices in his Masters house as ministerially executing his Masters pleasure Electors have not evermore authoritie over him whom they elect but power and authoritie onely to apply that power to him whom they choose The power and authoritie whereunto a Minister is elected is not in the people that elect him but from Christ the King and head of his Church who out of power doth conferre that office upon him If we consider what men give or give 〈◊〉 universally it must be deemed that any men can make Ministers because they give not the office gifts or authoritie which are from Christ â—â—ene 3. If Ecclesiasticall and spirituall power be in the multitude and community of the faithfull the Church doth not onely call but make Officers out of power and vertue received into her selfe and then should the Church have a true lordlike power in regard of her Ministers In the Church the Officers are the Ministers of the people whose service the people is to use for administration and executing their judgements that is pronouncing the judgement of the Church and of God first against the obstinate Rob. against Ber. p. 136. The Officers in the Church are both Christs and the peoples Servants and Ministers Id. p. 165. For as he that will derive authority to the Church maketh himselfe Lord of the Church so if the Church derive authoritie to the Ministers of Christ she maketh herself Lady and Mistris over them in the exercise of that authoritie over them For all men know it is the property of the Lord and Master to impart authoritie Did the Church give power and authoritie to the Pastors and Teachers she might make the Sacraments and preaching which one doth in order no Sacraments no preaching For it is the order instituted of God that gives being and efficacie to these ordinances And if the power of ruling feeding and dispensing the holy things of God do reside in the faithfull the Word and Sacraments in respect of dispensation and efficacie shall depend upon the order and institution of the Societie If the power of the keyes be derived from the community of the faithfull then are Officers immediately and formally servants to the Church and must do every thing in the name of the Church Rule feed bind loose remit and retaine sinnes preach and administer the Sacraments then they must performe their Office according to the direction of the Church more or lesse seldome or frequent remisse or diligent For from whom are they to receive direction how to carry themselves in their Office but from him or them from whom they receive their Office whose works they do and from whom they expect their reward If their power and office be of God immediately they must do the duties of their place according to his designement and to be accountable unto God But if their power
and function be from the Church the Church must give account unto God and the Officers unto the Church whom she doth take to be her helpers If it be said that God will have the Church to chuse Officers to execute the power committed unto her The answer is either God will have her elect officers of his designement to do his work according to that power which he shall give them and by his direction and then they are Gods servants and not the Churches and receive their charge and function immediately from God and not from the people or he leaveth it to the arbitriment of the Church to chuse according to their pleasure such as must receive charge and authoritie from her And then they must execute their office in her name so as shall seeme good unto the Church and neither longer nor otherwise For if the Ministers of the Church be subject to God and Christ by the intervention of the people onely they have it from them and not from God but they preach or administer the Sacraments rule or feed and if they depend immediately upon the faithfull viz. two or three gathered together in covenant they must draw what in order they are to preach unto them in the name of the Lord For from him must the Ambassadour learne his arrand from whom he receiveth his Commission We forbeare to presse the confessions and reasons of such as maintaine this opinion that the officers of Christ be both of and for the people and that in relation as the officers are called servants the Church may be called Lord. 4. Moreover if the power of the keyes be given first and immediately to the community of the faithfull what reason can be alledged why in defect of Officers the Church might not rule governe feed bind loose preach and administer the Sacraments or if any faile in any office why she might not supply that want by her power For the power of the keyes doth containe both authority and exercise power being given to this end that it might be exercised as it is vouchsafed But the Church when she is destitute of Officers cannot exercise those acts of rule nor by her power supply the want of any Officer Onely she hath a ministery of calling one whom Christ hath described that from Christ he may have power of office given him in the vacant place For these reasons not to insist on any more we judge the multitude or community of the faithfull not to be the immediate receptacle of Ecclesiasticall authoritie and so the power of excommunication not to belong to them If consent of the Churches of God be asked in this point to omit others the Churches of Scotland speake fully and expresly for us in the second book of Disci cap. 1. The Church as it is taken for them that exercise spirituall functions in the congregation of them that professe the truth hath a certain power granted by God according to which it useth a proper Jurisdiction and government exercised to the comfort of the whole flocke Power is an Ecclesiasticall authority granted by God the Father through the Mediator Jesus Christ unto his Kirke gathered and having its ground in the word of God and to be put in execution by them unto whom the spirituall government of the Church by lawfull calling is committed The policie of the Kirke flowing from this power is an order or spirituall forme of government which is exercised by the members appointed thereto by the Word of God and therefore is given immediately to the office-bearers by whom it is exercised to the weale of the whole body Vt universam scripturam evolvat D. Erastus nunquam tamen inventurum verba Ligandi Solvendi aliis quam publico ministerio fungentibus quidem metaphoricè divine videlicet spiritualis potestatis respectu tribui Sunt enim judiâ—ialia haec verba c. Beza de Presb p 60. See Helvet conf ca. 18. Sect. Nunc ergo c. Belgic confess art 3. Argentinens conf art 13. Bohem. confes art 14. VI. POSITION That none are to be admitted as members but they must promise not to depart or remove unlesse the Congregation will give leave Answer OUr Answer hereto is briefly this We judge it expedient and most according to rule that such brethren as are in covenant with the Church and ours as fellow-members and have committed their soules to our charge as Ministers should not forsake our fellowship nor obruptly breake away from us when and whither they please but first approve themselves therein to their brethrens consciences and take their counsell in so weightie a matter For which we propound to consider these two reasons following The former is drawne from the nature of the Church-Covenant which consists in these foure particulars 1. Every member at his admission doth openly professe and solemnly promise that by Christs helpe assisting he will not onely in generall give up himselfe as to the Lord to be guided by him so to the Church according to God to be directed by it which is no more then the members of the Church of Macedonia did in a parallel case 2 Cor. 8. 5. but also in particular that he will performe all duties of brotherly love and faithfulnesse to all the members of the body as of diligent watchfulnesse over all his brethren thereby to prevent sin so of faithfull admonition after their falls to regaine them to the Lord from their sinne the former being injoyned Hebr. 3. 13. And the want thereof deeply condemned in Cain that would not acknowledge that duty of being his brothers keeper Gen. 4. 9. the latter given in charge to the Church-members of Israel by the hand of Moses Levit. 19. 17. and so by Christ himself Matth. 18 15 And by Paul also to the Galat. c. 6. 1 2. Secondly the ingagements are not made onely by the members admitted into the Church but by the Church back again to the member So that thereby the whole Church in generall and every member thereof in particular stand as well in conscience bound to performe all duties of love and watchfulnesse to him as he doth to them And this we do according to the golden rule of love and equitie injoyned by our Saviour Matth. 7. 12. fearing that contrary practise of Scribes and Pharisees so much condemned by Christ of laying greater burthens upon others then we our selves are willing to undergo Matth. 23. 4. 3. These promises thus lawfully and mutually made that member as also the whole Church are bound not onely every one for himselfe actively to performe them but passively also to suffer his brethren to do those offices upon and towards himself If he neglect the former he shall falsifie his covenant so solemnly before God Angels and men made and so not onely breake promise to his brother contrary to Psal 15. 4. but also in some sort commit the sinne of Ananias and Saphira in lying against the holy Ghost
abused may be cleer to any that shall consider that it is the same for substance that was used in the days of Poperty And therefore when the Papists in Devonshire and Cornwall had made a Commotion and Rebellion upon the change of Religion in the days of King Edward the Sixth It was told them by the King for the pacifying of them That it was the self-same Service in English which had been before in Latine and if the Service of the Church was good in Latine it remayneth good in English for nothing is altered Fox Acts and Monuments Edward 6. And Pope Pius the fifth did see so little variation in it from the Latine Service that had been formerly used in that Kingdome that he would have ratified it by his authority if Q. Elizabeth would have so received it And many of the people put such holinesse in it that they think God is not rightly worshipped nor his Sabbath well observed nor the Sacraments sufficiently administred if there be no reading of that Service And others put such holinesse and necessity in it that they preferre it before Gods holy Ordinance of preaching the Word In so much as the Ministers are in the danger of being called in question and of being censured if they doe not read that Liturgy every Lords day without omitting any part thereof either in respect of preaching or otherwise 3 In regard of the many wofull scandals and dangerous consequences of using that Liturgie of which we suppose you are not ignorant To mention but two Viz. The hardning of Papists who are imboldned to think better of their own Breviaries Masse-Books Portuisses seeing that Liturgie hath bin extracted out of those books and rather fetched from them then from the forms used in any of the reformed Churches 2 The conntenancing and establishing of an unlearned Idol Ministery of not-Preaching curates Non-residents Pluralities c. in whose skirts is to be found the blood of so many mens souls living and dying in their sins while they ignorantly content themselves with and harden themselves in some empty forms of Religion and blinde devotion which are begotten and cherished chiefely by such prayers and ministers Neither is there lesse scandall hereby we meane not onely taken but given then by the eating of an Idolathite in the Idols Temple condemned by the Apostle 1 Cor. 8. 7 10. For if the eating of an Idolathite by him that had knowledge and knew that an Idol was nothing and that all meats were lawfull did imbolden others to honour the Idol and therefore was a scandall given so also it is in this case 4 Seeing that booke is so imposed as that the minister in reading of it is limited to the very words set downe without any diminution addition or alteration therefore we dare not use it For 1 The Lord himselfe hath not limited his people to his own formes and therefore we see not how it can be lawfull to be limited to other mens formes For in thus doing we should subject our selves to the exercise of such an authority and power of the Prelates as in this case puts forth a stronger act of limiting power then Christ himselfe who doth not limit us to those formes which himselfe hath set downe in Scripture For though we acknowledge the Lords prayer and other formes set down in Scripture may be lawfully used as prayers due cautions being observed yet there is not a limitation lying upon the Churches in the use of those prayers And therefore we do not find that the Apostles ever used that form taught by Christ in those very words much lesse limited themselvs to it when they prayed nor did they teach the Churches so to doe 2 If the Lord would not have us limit our selves in our own forms whiles we are exercising our own gifts which he hath specially sanctified to edify his Church Act. 6. 4. Eph. 4. 8. 1 Cor. 12. 7. least we should quench or at least straiten his spirit in prayer 1 Thes 5. 19. would he then have us limited to other mens forms which have not beene in like sort sanctified of God but will rather quench or straiten the spirit of God whiles we are so limited to them 3 The entertainment of this form hath been a manifest snare unto the Churches who upon the same ground on which they have received this forme into the desks have beene limited to others in the pulpit by meanes whereof the poore Church of Christ hath bin wholly deprived of the publike use of the Ministers gifts in prayer and the spirit of prayer in the Ministers in publike hath beene greatly restrained As for our Judgement concerning the practice of others who use this Liturgie in our native Countrie we have alwayes beene unwilling to expresse our mindes there against unlesse we have been necessarily called thereunto and at this time we thinke it not expedient to expresse our selves any further concerning this matter as loath to intermeddle with the affaires of other Churches but contenting our selves with and blessing the Lord for those liberties which we by the mercie of God do here enjoy reserving also due reverence to the judgements of our beloved brethren and deere Countreymen who may concerning this matter be otherwise minded Reply THis position cannot beare that meaning which you give it if you take it according o our mindes and the plain construction of the words We never questioned why you made not use of a stinted Liturgy much lesse why you did not wholly and in every part tye your selves unto and approve of that forme in use amongst us You might well thinke we had little to doe to put forth such a demand viz. whether you thinke it lawfull to approve in others and practice your selves what swerveth from the rule and we thinke it strange you should give our words such a meaning The thing we craved resolution in was whether in your judgements all stinted and set formes of prayer and Liturgies be unlawfull The reason hereof was because in writings from New-England we had seene all set liturgies and set formes of prayer condemned as devised worship which God would not accept and partaking in the Sacraments of the Supper in our assemblies therefore disallowed because administred in a stinted Liturgie which things were received with such likeing among some brethren with us and by them imparted and recommended to others that they occasioned that rent and distraction whereof we complain It is true the people among us separate from our forme of prayer or liturgy but the reason hereof is because it is stinted not because this or that or ours in particular You confesse you want not some brethren among you who look at all set formes of Prayer invented by one of another age or congregation and prescribed to their brethren to be read out of a booke for the prayers of the Church as Images and Imaginations of man forbidden in the second Commandement and that the lawfulnesse of Liturgies and set
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 ordinance 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 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
that there are Christians among the Barbarians at this day we finde none must be admitted to the Passeover that was not first Circumcised but nothing was required of a stranger to circumcision but that he professe the true faith and avouch the God of Abraham to be his God which of necessitie must be done before he could be reputed a visible Beleever or under 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 believers be received to the Lords Supper unlesse they bee set members of some particular congregation united in Church order Thirdly presupposing therefore that Melchizedeck Lot and Iob were not Circumcised we say there is not the like reason of Circumcision and Baptisme in this particular For first if Circumcision was ever appropriated to the family of Abraham and might be communicated to other visible Beleevers it was in the first Institution and administration but in the first Institution and administration of Baptisme it was not observed that beleevers should be first gathered into a politicall body or Christian church membership and then baptized Iohn the Baptist baptized such as came to him confessing their sins The Apostles baptized Disciples such as gladly received their doctrine beleeved in Jesus Christ and received the gifts of the holy Ghost before they were gathered into Christian Church order or made fit members of a Christian congregationall Assembly 2 If Circumcision was by speciall Institution given as a priviledge to the Males of Abrahams Familie Melchizedecke Iob Lot and other visible Beleevers were not bound to joyne themselves as members to Abrahams familie or desire and seek to be circumcised But they that have received the doctrine of salvation beleeve Christ and professe the faith are bound to seek and desire the priviledge of the seals in an holy manner 3. Melchizedech Job and Lot were not onely visible beleevers but visible members of the Church according to the manner of dispensing in those times but the Seals as you confesse belong to all beleevers knit together in Church-Covenant 4. If circumcision be appropriated to the family of Abraham it is because the Covenant sealed by circumcision is peculiar to Abrahams posteritie sc that Christ should come as concerning the flesh of Isaac But Baptisme is the seal of the Covenant of grace without any peculiar or speciall tye or respect 5. You contend that Baptisme did belong to such beleevers as were members of the then Jewish Church which cannot stand if Abrahams familie did answer to a Christian societie or congregationall Assembly Just reason therefore may be given why circumcision was dispensed onely to the males of Abrahams familie when baptisme is not to be limited onely to the set members of a particular societie and if this consideration be applied to the purpose instead of saying Circumcision and the Passeover were to be administred onely to the members of the Church you must say Circumcision was to be desired of or administred unto all the true approved visible members of the Church And if there be the same reason of both then all visible approved members of the Church must not desire nor be admitted to the seals but this conclusion you will not acknowledge Answ 4. Consideration THey that are not capable of the Church censures are not capable of the Church priviledges but they that are not within Church-Covenant are not capable of Church censures Ergo. The proposition is evident The Assumption may be proved 1 Corinth 5. 12. What have I to do to judge them that are without Now to be without is not onely the case of Heathens and Excommunicates but of some beleevers also who though by externall union with Christ they are within the Covenant of grace yet being not joyned externally to the visible bodie of Christ a particular Church are in regard of visible Church communion said to be without To this purpose is this text alledged by other Divines also as Dr. Ames Cas of consci l. 4. c. 24. q. 1. resp 5. Reply FIrst men are capable of Church censures in two respects either in having the power of the keyes and authoritie to dispense them according to God or as subject to the censures of the Church In the first sense many are capable of Church priviledges that are not capable of Church censures as the seed of Christian parents children and women You say you admit to the seales the knowne and approved and orderly recommended members of any true Church but to fellowship in the censures admittance of members and choice of Officers onely the members of that particular Church whereof they and we any of us stand members In the second sense also many are capable of Church priviledges who are not subject to Church censures as the children of Christian parents are capable of baptisme the known and approved members of any true Church are capable of the Seales in other Congregations among you who are not subject to the censures of that other Society Spirituall communion in publick prayer is a Church priviledge which is not denied to visible beleevers and godly persons though not in Church order and so not in subjection in your sense to Church censures Secondly a person baptised is not baptised in that particular congregation onely but
into all Churches and every particular Church where he cometh he hath all the priviledges of a baptised person in respect of his baptisme and is so to be esteemed by them Now the priviledge of a baptised person who is able to examine himself and walketh in the truth is to be admitted to the Lords Supper All circumcised persons had right thereby to eat the Passeover in any societie in the place which God should chuse to put his Name there Exod. 12. 4. 47. Deut. 16. 1 2. So all baptised persons have true and intire right to the Lords Supper in everie true Church where God hath set his Name Thirdly there is not the same reason of every Church priviledge for one may have right to some who is not to meddle with others The members of one society may hear the Word joyne in Prayer and receive the Sacraments in another when they are not to meddle in the election and ordination of their teachers The Ministers of the Gospel may preach the Word and administer the Sacraments in another congregation and hereto he needs no other calling but that God offers an opportunitie there is much need of his help and he is intreated or hath leave from them in place or office but he is not to admit members into the societie or cast them out that be admitted And if the Pastor of one Church shall preach or administer the Sacraments in another contrary to the liking and approbation of the Society and Governours though the act be irregular it was never esteemed a nullitie but if he shall presume to excommunicate the members of another societie without the consent or the Church and approbation of Pastors and Teachers under whose charge and jurisdiction they live it hath been judged a meer nullity Therefore the proposition is not so evident as to be taken without proofe that they have no power to admit a beleever into communion in any Church priviledge who have no power to excommunicate Fourthly that visible beleevers baptised into a true Church professing the true faith and walking in holy obedience and godly conversation that they and their seed should be judged such as are without in the Aposles sense because they be not externally joyned as set members to some particular congregation in Church-Covenant is affirmed not proved 1. It hath and may fall out many times through the ignorance rashnesse or pride of a prevailing faction in the Church that the true members of the Catholique Church and the best members of the orthodox visible flock or congregation of Christ may be no members of any distinct visible societie And shall their posteritie be esteemed Aliens and Strangers from the Covenant and debarred from the Sacraments because their parents are unjustly seperated from the inheritance of the Lord Surely as parents unjustly excommunicated do continue still not onely true members of the invisible body but visible members of the flock of Christ so the right of Baptisme doth belong to the Infants of such parents though not actuall and constant members of this or that present assembly in Church order 2. If they be without because no members of a politike bodie or spirituall fellowship then all members which are of one societie are without to another For they that be not of the bodie are not capable of Church censures or subject to the authoritie one of another And so not being under the judgement of that particular Church to it they are without whereas in ancient and moderne times distinct Societies did communicate together admit and receive each other as brethren to testifie their fellowship in the faith If the reason whereupon the Apostle saith the Church of Corinth was not to judge them that were without was because they were not within the Church of Corinth and so not under their censure or judgement this holds true of them that be of another society admitted to the Sacrament as well as of such as be no set members desiring to be received to the Lords Supper 3. The fornicators of this world do they not explaine whom the Apostle pointeth unto by the title of being without ver 10. 11. such as had not received the covenant of grace 4. Church order is necessarie we denie not but this order that a man should be a constant and set member of a particular societie by covenant to make him a true member of the visible Church or to give him title or interest to the publick order this is not taught of God 5. Paul divides all men into two ranks the first and greater without the last and lesser within but that beleevers who have received the holy Ghost and have been baptised into Jesus Christ that they and their children should be reckoned among them that are without that we read not in this nor any other Scripture but in phrase of Scripture hereticks themselves are within the Church 6. The beleevers not yet gathered as the godly learned think into a certain distinct body are called beleevers brethren disciples but that they should be comprehended under them that are without it hath not been beleeved in the Church 7. Without faith the Apostle whether alluding to this place or not let others judge are dogs inchanters whoremongers not such as are called faithfull and holy walking in integritie beleeving in and professing Jesus Christ to be their Saviour 8. They that are without in the Apostles sense are Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel strangers from the covenant of promise having no hope and without God in the world but we hope you will not passe such rash and unadvised censure upon your brethren who be not gathered into your societie as set members 9. Let the interpretation stand and he is without not onely who is no set member of some congregationall Assembly but he that is not subject to the censure of the community of that particular combination few or many with or without Officers And so all the reformed Churches in the world who ascribe the power of the keyes to the Presbitry or Classes and not to the community and some amongst your selves if not the most shall be without also And therefore we cannot think approved Christians desiring to be received unto the Sacrament either to be without or uncapable of Church censures for the time being if they should offend though not set members of any particular congregation for desiring baptisme for their children or themselves to be admitted to the Lords Supper for the time they put themselves under the ordinance of Jesus Christ there And as they are members for the time so they might be proceeded against according to the rule prescribed by our Saviour as they would proceed with an offending member 10. If upon just and good reason a passage of Scripture can be cleared to prove that for which it was never alledged by any writer we are not to except against any truth of God because it wanteth mans testimonie Onely if we desire
keep and walk by that is religiously to be observed But for men to set up that as a necessarie order which God never allowed approved or commanded is great presumption Now the Lord hath not ordained that a man should be a set member of a particular Societie or body politique of faithfull people joyned together in spirituall Church-fellowship by Covenant before he be admitted unto the Lords Supper or that the parents should be actuall visible set members of some particular distinct body before their children be baptised They that beleeve in Jesus Christ have received the word of promise and walk therein they and their children are within the Covenant and have right and title to the Seales of the Covenant but in their order the infants to baptisme parents baptised to the Lords Supper And if in that state by divine grant they have interest to the Sacraments the Church in debarring them because they be not yet grown into one distinct separate societie of mutuall covenant doth exceed the bounds of her commission For a ministeriall power onely is committed to the Church to admit or refuse them who are to be admitted or refused by authoritie from God But the Church if she thrust beleeving parents from the Supper of the Lord and their seed from baptisme she denieth these benefits to them who by the grace and gift of God have lawfull right and title thereto 1. For first the baptisme of John was true baptisme and truly administred by him And they that were baptized by him received the seales of the Covenant and were esteemed members of the visible Church But John never demanded of them who came to his baptisme whether they were entred into spirituall fellowship by mutuall covenant one with another This was not then knowne to be a necessarie and essentiall point in the lawfull due and orderly administration of the Sacrament The disciples of our Saviour made and baptised disciples professing the faith but not combined into Church-state or fellowship The Apostles commission was first to teach the Gentiles and then to baptise them having received their doctrine And this they carefully observed in the execution of their ministery upon grounds and reasons common to them and us for as soone as any man or number of men gladly received the doctrine of salvation and gave their names to Jesus Christ if they desired to be baptised forthwith they accepted them never excepting that they were no set members of a distinct visible congregation When the first 3000. converts being pricked in their consciences came to Peter and the rest of the Apostles saying Men and brethren what shall we do Peter returns this answer Repent and be baptised every one of you in the Name of Jesus c. For to you is the promise made and to your children and to all that are afar off c. As soon as the Samaritanes beleeved Philip who preached the things that concerned the kingdom of God they were baptised both men and women When the Eunuch asked of Philip See here is water what doth let me to be baptised he answereth not if thou beest first received as a set member into a visible congregation thou mayest but if thou beleevest with all thy heart thou mayest Can any man forbid water saith Peter speaking of the Gentiles upon whom was powred the gift of the holy Ghost that these should not be baptised who have received the gift of the holy Ghost as well as we At that time it was not held a bar sufficient to keep them from the Sacrament of baptisme because they were not set members of a distinct societie which had it been essentiall to the lawfull and orderly administration of the Sacraments questionlesse it had been observed in the first Institution and administration of them Annanias baptised Paul before he was any set member of a congregationall Assembly Lydia and her houshold the Jaylor and his house were baptised without regard to their Church-estate For in the same night which he was converted he was baptized with all his houshold And this was done not by the Apostles onely upon speciall dispensation but by others upon grounds and reasons common to them and all ages viz. because they were disciples beleeved gladly received the Word had received the holy Ghost were called and the promise was made to them and to their seed even to all them that were afarre off Now if the Apostles dispensed the seales to them that were not in Church-fellowship upon common grounds it is not essentiall to the lawfull dispensation of the seales that all partakers should be under such a covenant If the baptised disciples beleevers such as gladly received the Word and had received the gift of the holy Ghost then the seals of the Covenant belong unto such and by the grace of God they have right and title unto those priviledges 2. As we received the Sacraments from God by divine Institution so must we learne from him how and to whom the same are to be administred observing what he hath commanded without addition or diminution But we have learned from Christ the Author of Baptisme and the constant practise of the Apostles the first dispensers of these holy seales who best understood the mind and pleasure of the Lord herein that such as be called of God to whom the promise is made who have received the gifts of the holy Ghost beleeved in the Lord Jesus professed their faith in him and repentance for sins past with purpose of amendment for the time to come that such have right unto and desiring it ought to be received unto Baptisme and are greatly wronged if they be deprived of that unspeakable benefit 3. By a lively faith a man is made a living member of Jesus Christ and hath internall communion with him by the intire profession of Christian faith joyned with conformity of life in righteousnesse and holinesse and fellowship of love he is a member of the visible congregation or flock of Christ though no set member of a free distinct independant Societie And Baptisme is the seale of our admission into the congregation or flock of Christ but not evermore of our receiving into this or that particular societie as set members thereof This latter is accidentall to baptisme not essentiall It may fall out to be so but it is not ever necessarie nor is the Sacrament to be denyed nor can we say it is imperfectly administred where it cannot be attained For the Catholique Church is one intire bodie made up by the collection and agregation of all the faithfull unto the unity thereof from which union there ariseth unto every one of them such a relation to dependance upon that Church Catholique as parts use to have in respect of the whole And this holds true not onely of sound beleevers in respect of internall fellowship with Christ their head and so one with another but of all men
were assembled at that time in his house whilest he spake these words To him give all the Prophets witnesse that through the Name of Jesus whosoever beleeveth on him shall receive remission of sinnes Peter demanded Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptised which have received the holy Ghost as well as we In this catalogue we see profession of faith and repentance required in them that were admitted to partake in the seals but there is not a word of Church-Covenant either in the Institution or administration of the Seales before they were admitted to them That Christians are solemnly ingrafted into the body of Christ and into particular Societies by the Seales is a truth acknowledged on all sides but that ever it was deemed necessarie that a Christian should be a set member of a particular Congregationall Church before he were admitted to the Seales or that by divine institution any such thing is ordained as necessarie thereunto that upon the grounds before mentioned we denie and cannot account it lesse then an addition to the institution For if the Sacraments be seales of the Covenant of grace and baptisme by divine Institution belong to Disciples faithfull Saints who have gladly received the Word of grace are justified by faith sanctified by the Spirit adopted to be the children of God by grace and heires apparent to the kingdom of heaven then to debarre such from the Seales and their seed from Baptisme because they be not in Church-Covenant as you speake is an addition to the ordinance of grace and many wayes injurious to the people of God V. POSITION That the power of Excommunication is so in the body of the Church that what the Major part shall allow must be done though the Pastors and Governors and the rest of the Assembly be of another minde and that peradventure upon more substantiall reasons Answer IF the Question had been Whether the power of Excommunication lies in the body of the Congregation consisting of officers and members our Answer should be Affirmative and according hereunto is also our practise and wee hope your judgement and ours are not different herein But seeing the Question is Whether it is so in the body of the Congregation that what the Major part doth allow that must be done though the Pastors and Governors and the rest of the Assembly doe dissent upon more substantiall reasons Our Answer is Negative viz. that the power of Excommunication is not sealed in the Congregation neither ought it to be so in any of the Churches of the Lord Jesus who ought not to carry matters by number of votes against God as this Position implyeth but by strength of rule and reason according to God The power of the Apostles was not to doe things against the truth but for the truth 2 Cor. 13. 8 and not for destruction but for edification 2 Cor. 10. 8. And the same may be said concerning the power which God hath given to the Church and if any Church among us have swerved from the rule which is more then we know we doe not allow them in such a practise but should be ready as the Lord should helpe to convince them of their sin therein Reply THis Question is much mistaken for the demand is not whether in the Congregation matters should be carryed by number of votes against God as you interpret the Position but whether the power of Excommunication so lye in the body of the Congregation as that sentence must proceed in externo foro according to the vote and determination of the Major part and so whether power of admission of members doe so reside in the communitie as that they must be refused whom the Major part refuse though the Pastors and Governors and part of the Congregation be of another judgement and he admitted whom the Major part doth approve And though the Church hath received no power against God but for God yet in the execution of the power no doubt the members of that Church may be of different judgements and affections wherein the one side or other doth erre and is deceived Now the Question hereupon moved is whether the power of the keyes be so given and committed to the society of the faithfull as that in externall Court that act or sentence must stand and be in force which the greater part shall determine amongst them which hold the power of the keyes to be given to the Church Some distinguish betwixt the power it self which they give to the Church and the execution and exercise of it which they confine to the Presbytery Others give the power of the keyes with the exercise thereof to the whole body of the Church or if in the dispensation they attribute any thing to the Officers it is but as servants of the Church from whom they derive their authoritie By Church also some understand the communitie of the faithfull together with their officers and guides And here lyeth the stone at which they of the Seperation stumble and which we conceive to be your judgement and practise wherein we required your plaine answer with your reasons but have received no satisfaction You referre us to Mr. Parkers reasons to prove the power of the keyes to belong to the whole Church who are of farre different judgement from Mr. Parker in the point it selfe And if your judgement and practise be according to that of the Seperation which we feare you dissent from him and we cannot but dissent from you upon these considerations 1. No power agreeth to the multitude or communitie of the faithfull but that which is given them of the Lord by his positive Law For the whole spirituall power for the gathering and government of his Church is given to Christ as Mediator And if the power of the keyes be derived from and communicated by Christ unto his Church of necessitie it must draw its originall from divine positive Law and can agree to none but as it is communicated But the communicated power of the keyes with the execution thereof Christ hath not given immediately to the whole multitude but to some persons and Officers designed and appointed thereunto Peruse the severall passages of Scripture wherein power and authoritie of preaching the Gospel administring the Sacraments binding and loosing is given to the Church and it is apparent that distinct severall persons are spoken of and not the whole communitie Goe teach all Nations and baptize them c. Whose sinnes yee remit they are remitted c. Feed my Lambes feed my sheepe c. Were these things spoken to the whole communitie or to speciall persons 2. If Christ gave this power to the communitie was it from the beginning of the Church or tooke it effect after the Churches were planted and established by the Apostles Not the first for then the Apostles themselves should derive their power from the communitie and societie of the faithfull which they did not but
be acquainted with or judge of the cause of every particular members removall May not a servant remove from his Master to another Congregation or the father bestow his sonne or daughter in marriage to one of another Congregation but the whole Church must be called to counsell in this matter If the Assembly once grow to be populous of necessitie they must be negligent in or weary of such an heavy taske and for the present for every one to challenge so much authoritie over other is usurpation Let it be shewed that ever by divine right this power was committed to the Church and then we will confesse it to be expedient and necessary But till then we thinke the Church is over ridged in exacting such a condition of the members and the members themselves goe beyond their measure as busi-bodies in other mens matters and things whereof they are not well able to 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 necessitie 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
not onely Christ himself will take it ill at their hands for such contempt done to him in his Ministers according to Christs speech Luke 10. 16. He that rejecteth you rejecteth me And Gods speech 1 Sam. 8. 7. They have not cast off thee but me But even other Churches also may admonish them And if they prove obstinate therein withdraw the right hand of fellowship from them and concerning the Minister himself thus deposed seeing it is done not by Christ but by the Church without Christ yea against the mind of Christ we conceive though he be by them deprived of the execution of his ministery among them yet untill he accepts of a call to another people he doth yet still remain a Minister of Christ in whose account notwithstanding such deposition he hath true right of administration among that people Reply THe question is of Ministers unjustly forsaken or driven from the Church or congregation and your answer is for the most part of Ministers set aside or deprived through their own default We never purposed to speak one word for any unworthy Minister whom Christ hath put out of office and therefore your labour to prove that such justly rejected by the Church are no longer Ministers might well have been saved But setting them aside we will in few words examine your conclusions upon which you bind the certainty of that sentence you passe against them First it is certain and clear from the Word that a Pastor or Teacher neither in these dayes hath nor in any other age of the Church ought to have Apostolicall power over all Churches The Apostles had onely power to serve the Church with the personall service of their Apostleship But pastorall power of ordinarie Ministers or Teachers they never had and if the Apostles had not the power of ordinarie Ministers much lesse can Pastors receive the power of Apostles for Christ gave both the one and the other order But as the Apostles were not Pastors of that Church to which they preached and among whom they continued for some space no more do Pastors become Apostles if they preach the Word or dispence the Sacraments to another flock or people beside their own whereof they have the speciall oversight But of this matter we have spoken before and of the texts of Scripture here alledged therefore we will not repeat what hath been said alreadie onely it seemeth somewhat strange that you should cited those texts of Scripture as if the Apostle had said feed one flock or feed that flock of God onely For we find the word one or onely neither in the text expresly nor in the sense for which it is here alledged viz. as if he might not perform any ministeriall act in another Congregation upon any occasion whatsoever Secondly the power of feeding which the Minister hath is neither confined to one societie onely nor nextly derived to him from Christ by the Church The office and authoritie of a Pastor is immediately from Christ The deputation of the person which Christ hath designed is from the Church ministerially but neither virtually nor formally The consent of the people is requisite in the election of Pastors and Teachers we grant the direction of the Elders going before or along with them but the authoritie office and gift of a Pastor is not from the people or Elders but from Christ alone When an Apostle was to be chosen in the place of Judas Act. 1. 22 23. no one had the handling of that businesse but Peter declared unto the brethren present what an one ought to be taken and they present two whereof one was elected by lot In this example somethings are extraordinarie for one onely was to be chosen and that immediately by God himselfe and somethings ordinarie for our imitation For if Peter would do nothing without consent of the disciples then may not ordinarie elections be passed without consent and approbation of the Church but it is not a popular election not governed by the fore-direction of Elders which is concluded from this passage of Scripture but a Church election by the free consent and judgement of the faithfull with the fore-leading of the Presbyterie When Deacons were to be chosen Act. 6. 1. 6. in the Church of Jerusalem it was done by the consent of the Church The mutinie of the Hellenists against the Hebrews occasioned that election but was no cause why it was made by free consent The Apostles shew what persons must be chosen and who ever thought the Church was left at libertie to chuse as she please without direction But in this election the people did first chuse the Apostles onely directing whom the people ought to make choice of when most commonly the Apostles instructed the people and went before them in the election and they consented Act. 14. 23. The Apostles by consent chose Elders and so in every matter of great importance belonging directly to the whole bodie of the Church whether severally in one congregation or joyntly in many the consent of the faithfull by observation of the Apostles was required Act. 11. 22. and 15. 22. and 16. 4. 1. Cor. 8. 19. But in the primitive times after the Apostles one Church might elect and chuse a Pastor for another As Ignatius exhorts the Phyladelphians that they would elect a Pastor for the Church of Antioch And so when the East Church was infected with Arrianisme Basil epist 69. 70. 74. though it a fit meanes to remove the heresie if the Bishops of Italie being sent thither did condemne the heresie and he imploreth the aid of the Bishops of Italy France and all the East Cyprian saith all Bishops sunt mutuae concordiae glutine copulati that if any hold heresie the rest should help It would be too long to reckon up examples which in this case might be produced If here it be questioned whether your election of the people be essentiall to the calling of a Minister We answer 1. A thing is essentiall two wayes First as absolutely necessarie so that the thing can have no existence without it Secondly as necessarie to the integritie of the thing so that it is maimed without it Againe either the people be few in number and simple apt to be led aside unable to judge of the sufficiencie of their Minister or they be more in number increased in wisdome sound in faith and able to discern betwixt things that differ In the first sense the election of the people is not necessary or essentiall But in the second we cannot say he is no Minister that is not chosen by the people but his calling in that respect is maimed If the people be few and simple apt to be deceived they stand in more need of guidance and direction both from their own Elders and other Churches If the people be many in number full of wisdome and understanding their libertie to choose is the greater and it is the greater wrong to be deprived of it The
unjustly deposed as formerly in the execution of his office he was a Minister to them onely and to none other societie whatsoever or in what respect soever your opinion is contrary to the judgement and practise of the universall Church and tendeth to destroy the unitie of the Church and that communion which the Churches of God may and ought to have one with another for if he be not a Minister in other Churches then are not the Churches of God one nor the Ministers one nor the flocke which they feed one nor the Communion one which they have each with other And if the Pastor derive all his authoritie to feede from the Church when the Church hath set him aside what right hath he to administer among that people If they erre in their deposition it is true they sinne against Christ But as they give right to an unworthy man to administer among them if they call him unjustly so they take right from the worthy if wrongfully they depose him The Minister is for his Ministery the office for the execution and so the Pastor and the flocke are relatives And therefore if their Election gave him authoritie among them to feed their casting him off hath stripped him of the same power which formerly they gave him And his ministery ceasing he should cease to be their Minister if he stood as Minister onely to that Congregation in every respect Whit. de pont q. 4. Sec. 10. pa. 559. Certe lex naturae ratio clamitat cujus est instituere ejus est destruere sive destituere ad quem institutio pertinet ad eundem destitutionem seu destructionem pertinere Rob. aga B. P. 214. If the Congregation may chuse and elect their Governours then they may refuse and reprobate them VIII POSITION That one Minister cannot performe any ministeriall act in another Congregation Answer IF you take ministeriall act improperly as sometimes it is taken by some onely when the Minister of one Church doth exercise his gifts of praying and preaching in another Church being by themselves so desired Then we answer in this sense a Minister of one Church may do a ministeriall act in another which he doth not perform by vertue of any calling but onely by his gifts and thus upon any occasion we mutually perform those acts one in anothers Churches But if you meane by ministeriall act such an act of authoritie and power in dispensing of Gods ordinance as a Minister doth perform to the Church whereunto he is called to be a Minister then we deny that he can so perform any ministeriall act to any other Church but his own because his office extends no further then his call For that solemne charge Act. 20. 28. is not to feed all flocks but that one flock onely over which the holy Ghost hath made them over-seers If the question were propounded to any Minister so exercising in an others Church which was once to our Saviour by the chief Priests and Elders By what power doest thou these things and who gave thee this authoritie let that Minister whosoever he be study how to make an answer Reply THe preaching of the Word publick prayer in the congregation met together solemnly to worship God and the administration of the Sacraments are acts properly ministeriall if any other to be performed by power and authoritie from Christ as you acknowledge for the preaching of the Word and dispensation of the Seales in your second Consideration But these acts one Minister may performe in another Congregation or towards the members of another Church You know by whom your question hath been propounded touching one Ministers exercising in another Ministers Church and how it hath been answered and if you see more light and truth then formerly we would desire you substantially to confute what answers some of you have returned to that demand To admit saith Mr. J. D. those that are known members of another Church to Communion in the Sacraments upon fitting occasions I hold lawfull and do professe my readinesse to practise accordingly Again I conceive that besides my membership else where and the right which those Churches give to known passants of being admitted to the Communion for a short time both himself and the whole Church acknowledge me for a member with them for the time of my abode in that service which they testified by desiring the help of my publick labours and their cheerfull admittance of me to that ordinance during that time without the least scruple And if a Minister may pray preach blesse the congregation in the name of the Lord and receive the Sacrament with them being thereunto requested we doubt not but by consent of the Pastor and the Congregation he may lawfully dispense the Seals amongst them also as need and occasion requires That distinction of preaching by office and exercising his gifts onely when it is done by a Minister and desired of none but Ministers and that in solemne set constant Church-assemblies we cannot find warranted in the Word of truth and therefore we dare not receive it It is truly observed by Master Davenport out of An. bros Offic. l 1. c. 1 Et quantum libet quisque profecerit 〈◊〉 est qui doceri non indigeâ—â— dâ—m vivit Appoll Preface to the Reader Were not these men saith Cann against Robin superstitiously addicted to their new devise that beware how to reject the unanimous judgment and practice of all learned men and true Churches Stay against straying pag. 47. I am and shall be always ready to give all due respect to those good customes of Churches which are taken upon good warrant and ground and long continued among Gods people I. D. Apol p. 31. Good customes taken up by the Churches upon good grounds should not lightly be broken or laid downe wherein I doe fully agree with the Authour of that elaborate Commentary upon the fourth Chapter of Iohn I. D. Apol. Sect. 12. Examina p. 151. This Argument is used by the Abridgment against conformity to the Ceremonies and we do not see but it is as strong against this Liturgy Whereas the publisher of this answer to the six Positions refers the reader to Mr. Cottons answer unto Mr. Ball for satisfaction in this point concerning set formes of prayer The reader is earnestly intreated to compare Master Balls Treatise and Mr. Cottons answer with seriousnesse and indifferencie because Mr Ball having received that answer before the publishing of his Treatise being much enlarged whereof Mr Cotton was ignorant was confident that with addition of some marginall notes which in reference thereto he added his Treatise would sufficiently defend it selfe against all the assaults which that answer made against it We may not Communicate at all in that ministery which is exercised by an unlawfull person or in an unlawful place Robinson against Bern. Counsell debated p 17 Ibid pag 79. Esa 56. 10. Ezech 41. 7 8. Mic. 3. 11 12. Ier. 5. 31. Esa