thing is found there follow all necessarie requisites to the true and complete being thereof But a prescript from of prayer sound and fit for matter grave for the manner of penning and read or uttered as our prayer with knowledge faith reverence and fervencie of affection hath the true matter and form of prayer For the matter of our prayers are those common blessings and speciall good things which according to the will and pleasure of God we are to beg of him for our selves and others The true form of prayer I speak of prayer uttered with the voice is the outward disposition and frame of words and the inward elevation and lifting up of the heart to God by the holy Ghost Will any man say that all these things cannot be observed in a stinted form of prayer common experience will confute him Who knoweth not the matter of many prescript forms of prayer to be good and necessary for all men All our wants and particular occasions are not mentioned or laid open in the prayers conceived by the minister or governour of the family and yet no man judgeth them for that cause unlawfull though imperfect It is not then prejudiciall to the lawfull use of a prescript form that many particulars which we stand in need of are not therein mentioned Can it not be read or uttered with right disposition of heart how then can we sing with joy or praise God with cheerfulnesse in a stinted or set form of words Is it not easier to cry for what we need with feeling then to return praise with love and joyfulnesse for what we have obteined He that will confesse it possible to give thanks aright in a set form of words devised by others or invented of himself cannot deny the same in prayer with any shew of truth or colour of reason Men may read it viz. the Lords prayer and humane liturgies with understanding and feelling saith M r Ainsworth Again If in the ordinary use of the Lords prayer publick and private without addition or variation all things required in prayer by the word of God may be observed then a stinted form of prayer may have the true matter and form of prayer or all things required in prayer may be observed in a stinted form But in the ordinary use of the Lords prayer publick and private without addition or variation all things required in prayer by the word of God may be observed For the matter there is no word in the Lords prayer which doth not ordinarily in great measure and in the main alwayes concern every Christian mans estate though he cannot reach unto all things comprehended in this prayer And all our wants are conteined within the compasse of the Lords prayer and may be deduced thence though they be not in â—lat terms expressed Infinite things are included in the Lords prayer which the weak and imperfect faith of the godly cannot reach unto but such and so much reach the weak faith hath that the child of God doth and may with comfort and profit use the Lords prayer as a prayer The Lords prayer is both the foundation of our godly prayers and the prayer of prayers Some weights and measures may be as rules to others and used as weights and measures themselves Concupiscence is both sin and the cause of sin Of ancient times the Lords prayer was used in all publick Liturgies and was of frequent use among private Christians Tertullian fitly calleth it The law of prayer and breviary of the Gospel Calvine The rule That it may be used with right disposition and affection of soul is confessed by them that dislike all stinted forms and testified by the experience of all Christians Therefore the Lords prayer may lawfully be used as a prayer both in publick and private by ministers and people weak and strong But first we are willed to note That the forms mentioned in scriptures of the old Testament are but for some speciall occasions and commanded to the church not from every ordinary church-officer priests and Levites but onely from the Prophets who had an extraordinary immediate calling from God who might as well deliver for scripture-oracles the truth of God taught by them as any forms of prayers and praises This we have observed and do acknowledge the forms of psalmes prayers and praises given by the Prophets immediately called and chosen of God to be parts of the sacred Canon to which it is not lawfull for particular churches or the whole church in generall to adde the least jot or tittle But this is not to the point in hand For we do not reason thus That seeing the Prophets by extraodinary and immediate calling gave speciall forms of prayer or praises to the church upon speciall occasion which are parts of the Canon therefore the church may do the like But thus we conclude and that according to the truth That seeing holy men have prescribed and the faithfull have used these forms not by extraordinary inspiration or speciall prerogative but upon grounds common to them and us the like forms may be prescribed and used without speciall commandment And seeing the Prophets and holy men of God by inspiration gave certain psalmes or forms of prayer and praise unto the church to be use upon speciall occasion which have the true matter and form of prayer and praise when they be used as a prayer or thanksgiving in faith reverence humility c. according to the present occasion therefore prayer uttered in a stinted form of words or read upon a book as a prayer may come from the spirit and be tendred to God with right affection A man may reade when he prayeth and the eye may guide the heart when the holy Ghost doth lift up and make it able to poure forth its desires unto the Lord. And if those forms of prayers and praises which are parts of the scripture may have the true nature matter form of prayer c. when they be used in faith and by the power of the holy Ghost enabling us to pray or praise the Lord in that form other forms of prayers or praises fit for matter may have the true matter form of prayer or praise when they be used in faith by the power of the holy Ghost as occasion requireth For the prayers recorded in holy scripture have not the true nature and form of prayer in respect of us because they are recorded in scripture but as they are used by us in holy manner upon fitting occasion and other forms fit for the matter used in such manner as God commandeth in faith humility reverence c. by the quickening power of the Spirit have the true matter and form of prayer as well as they But those forms are not the devise of man as be the other True as they be part of holy scripture they are of God both in respect of matter and form but as
quench the Spirit Why so Because the Spirit is straitned by forms devised by men which is as much in plain terms as to say It is stinted in our sense because it is stinted And the like might be noted in other arguments Where is the consideration of the people had when the forms now are the same for matter and manner that they were almost an hundred yeares ago and at the first dawning of the Gospel the same for the Court Universities and the meanest congregation in the Countrey Might not the same be objected against the use of a set translation singing of psalmes the use of the Lords prayer for this fifteen hundred yeares without alteration for these are the same now that they were many yeares agone or at least may be the same for Citie Countrey Court Universitie and the meanest villages There are some common blessings which we and others dayly stand in need of and those it is lawfull to ask dayly in a set form of words Thus we may pray euery day for encrease of faith patience love meeknesse the forgivnesse of sinnes the continuance of those outward blessings which we enjoy freedom from or victory over temptations c. Thus there is no petition in the Lords prayer which doth not alwayes in the main concern every Christian mans estate And if the matter of our prayers may be the same daily in the Citie the Countrey Court and Universitie in this and former ages the same phrase of speech method and form externall may be lawfull fit and expedient For it is not the repetition of the same words in prayer every day that displeaseth the Lord but the ignorant rash cold customary superstitious and irreverent pouring out of words before him that is distastfull to his Majesty Variety of phrase doth not delight the Lord neither will he reject the desires of an humble and contrite heart because they are tendred often in one and the same phrase of speech And if the matter of prayer be the same in places of greatest wealth and poorest condition and the same form of blessing baptizing singing of psalms and putting up their petitions to God be fit and decent for them all it can be no prejudice to a stinted Liturgie that it is the same in all places and throughout all ages if the language be the same For this doth argue it to be the more not the lesse fit and that the greater not the lesse regard is had to the people The reason in brief is this It is lawfull to ask the same common blessings of God every day in all assemblies and congregations both of the City Country Court and University met together to call upon God therefore the same stinted form of prayer or Liturgy may be lawfull in the greatest city and meanest village in this and the ages following whether read or uttered out of memory for pronouncing cannot make an evil matter good nor reading simply make prayer good and holy to become sinfull Publick prayers offered up by the minister in the church-assemblies must be framed according to the present and severall occasions of the church and people of God which cannot be done when men are stinted to those forms Occasions are ordinary and common or more speciall In a stinted form prayers may be offered up by the minister according to the common and ordinary occasions of the church and people of God assembled though not according to the speciall occasions which may happen now and then or more particularly concern this or that person For if the same blessings are dayly to be craved he prayeth according to the present occasions that asketh the same blessings of God If it be said There be many occasions of particular use for the congregation and others which are not mentioned expressely that proveth not That a man cānot in a stinted form pray according to the severall occasions but that some stinted forms do not meet with all and every particular occasion which is easily granted But if a stinted form meet not with every mans occasions or not so particularly as it ought doth it hence follow that in a stinted form a man cānot pray according to the present occasions at all If this be the conclusion I fear we shall find few conceived prayers which must not come under the same sentence It may argue the imperfection of a stinted form not the unlawfulnesse it maketh somewhat against the sole use of a set form at all times against the simple use it maketh nothing It is found by lamentable experience that when men began to observe that custome there was great quenching of the Spirit and very few there were who did know and observe the true nature and the manner of prayer How is this confirmed by experience If ever the Christian church had no stinted form of prayer lamentable experience will testifie what great coolings and decayes there was in the church before a stinted form was in use If ever the faithfull did by the Spirit of adoption cry Abba Father they have learned to pray by the Spirit since the use of a stinted form as well as before Whatsoever may be thought of the two first ages for the space of fourteen hundred yeares the churches have had their stinted Liturgies The reformed churches since God was pleased to restore light again to the world have approved a stinted Liturgie Was there none or few in all this tract of time who did know or understand the true nature or manner of prayer none or few that in spirit or truth did call upon the name of the Lord The securitie of all ages hath been lamentable both before and since the use of a stinted form but that a stinted form was the cause of securitie and dulnesse can never be proved CHAP. VI. In scripture there be prescript forms of blessing prayers salutations c. which may lawfully be used IN scripture we find prescript forms of blessing prayers and thanksgiving both ordinary and extraordinary approved of God which might be used by the priests Levites and Saints or faithfull people and that upon deliberation usually constantly as occasion was offered and not by the immediate motion of the Spirit I say not that the preists in blessing or the Saints in prayer were necessarily bound to those very words and syllables But they might lawfully use them and without sinne We find also stinted forms of salutations valedictions and blessing which have been often used and may lawfully be used still without variation though we be not necessarily obliged thereunto Our Saviour also prescribed a set form of baptizing which we observe constantly without addition or variation though we be not tied by absolute necessity to rehearse the same words in the same syllables No substantiall change is to be admitted which may alter the sense but the very form of speech
in their meal lest they be sowred with their leaven The comparison of the leaven used by the Apostle is to be understood in likenesse of nature not in their equality of effecting For leaven sowreth naturally and cannot but sowre the meal the godly may be hurt by the wicked but it is not necessary Therefore every member must look warily to himself and do his endeavour to reclaim other or that he may be cast out if notorious and incorrigible but not withdraw himself from the ordinances of grace The doctrine of the Gospel is compared to leaven in respect of its efficacy but all that heare it are not seasoned by it though it be a good means of seasoning The corrupt doctrine of the Pharisees is compared to old leaven but every one that heard it was not necessarily tainted with it It is true if the whole church shall bear with scandalous notorious offenders and do not their endeavour to bring them to repentance or to have them cast out they are polluted and stained by their remissenesse indulgence and this is that which the Apostle presseth upon the Corinthians that they should give all diligence to clear themselves and prevent the danger which might come by their negligence But if the church be remisse or slack the private men who mourn for what they cannot amend and labour conscionably to discharge their duties may not separate from the communion or withdraw themselves from the Lords table For the Apostle who blameth the Corinthians because they suffered the incestuous person doth never blame the faithfull for communicating with him before he was cut off nor intimate unto them that unlesse he did amend they must absent themselves from their assemblies and holy exercises or depart away being come together They that have authority to debarre men from the sacrament sin if wittingly or negligently they allow such to approch as worthy guests to the Lords table who are known unto them notoriously to be unworthy but if authoritie be wanting if we have done the office of private Christians or publick ministers to communicate with the wicked outwardly in the worship of God is none offense And thus the minister may reach the sacrament to an unworthy communicant and yet be innocent For he doth not so much give it him as suffer his communion because he hath not power or authority to put him back He reacheth him the signes as that which he cannot withhold because he is held in by the most prevailing power without which he cannot be debarred In this case the minister is neither actour nor consenter in his admission because he doth it not in his own name but according to the order established by God who will not have any member of the congregation publickly denied his interest and right to the holy things of God by the knowledge will and pleasure of one singular minister If a minister know a man to be unworthy he must yet receive him because he cannot manifest it to the church And for the same reason if his unworthinesse be notorious if it be not so judged by them that have authority he must administer the sacramentall signes unto him not as unto one worthy or unworthy but as unto one as yet undivided from them A man is not onely bound in his place to do his best for the reclaiming of his brother but to see his place be such as wherein he may orderly discharge the duties of admonition otherwise both his practice and place are unlawfull This is not sufficient that we labour by the best means to have manifest evils amended except our places be such and we in such churches as wherein we may use the ordinary means Christ hath left for the amendment of things otherwise our places and standings themselves are unwarrantable and must be forsaken If all places and standings be unwarrantable wherein we may not use the ordinary means God hath left for the amendment of things then all places are unlawfull wherein the greatest part of the church at least do not conscionably discharge their duties and of them which have greatest authority Then the Levites might not abide in their standings when the priests neglected their office nor the prophets when the priests and Levites had corrupted their wayes Then the people might not sacrifice nor receive spirituall blessings by their hands when Eli's sons had notoriously corrupted their wayes nor the faithfull remain in society when the priest and people both had corcupted the law worship offices and manners To speak no more of abuses if this rule hold no place or standing in the church is lawfull wherein three or more private persons who can make Peters confession of faith have not power of the keyes to receive into and shut out of the church to censure and determine authoritatively And so it may well be questioned to say no more whether ever there was any lawfull standing in a constituted church Since the death of the Apostles if they be put unto it according to this position they must confesse there was never any And considering the ignorance infirmities diversities of opinions that be amongst the godly passions distempers and corruptions how is it possible but that the church must fall into as many schismes almost as there be men if each man must renounce others standing as unlawfull wherein he conceiteth he is restrained of some power or hindred of some ordinary means which Christ hath left for the amendment of things No church in the world now hath that absolute promise of the Lords visible presence which the church then had till the coming of Christ It was simply necessary that Messiah should be born in the true church wherein he might have communion and fulfill the law The Lord did afford the Jews even in their deepest apostasie some or other visible signes of his presence and those extraordinary when ordinary failed thereby still declaring himself to remember his promise There was that onely visible church upon the face of the earth tyed to one temple altar sacrifice priest hood in one place and no man could absolutely separate from that church but he must separate from the visible presence and from all solemn worship of God Moreover the Jewish church had not that distinct ecclesiasticall ordinance of excommunication which we now have but that the obstinate or presumptuous offender was by bodily death to be cut off from the Lords people the same persons namely the whole nation being both church and common-wealth according to that speciall dispensation These observations rightly applyed do manifestly overthrow what hath been and is by others objected against communion with us in the worship of God For if it was absolutely necessary that the Messias should be born in the true church wherein he might have communion then a church corrupted in officers and offices doctrine worship and manners may be a true
and intire profession of the truth is to be found in the church alone and is conteined in the belly of the church as light in an house whereby it may be discerned The law shall go forth of Sion it is not elsewhere to be found My word shall not depart out of the mouth of thy seed c. The sacraments are seals of the covenant of grace and symboles or testimonies whereby the people of God are distinguished from all other nations The sacraments when for substance they be rightly used are tokens and pledges of our admittance into and spirituall enterteinment in the Lords family This is my covenant that I make with thee Go teach all nations and baptize them into the name of the Father c. Amend your lives and â—e baptized The sacraments do necessarily presuppose a church constituted unto which they are committed as the oracles and ordinances of God unto Israel Baptisme rightly used is within and not without the church It is a seal of the covenant which is the form of the church as some call it to the faithfull and to their seed It is the sacrament of initiation whereby members are solemnly admitted into the body of Christ To have Pastours which feed with spirituall knowledge and understanding is a gift of matrimoniall love which God vouchsafeth unto his church And I will give you Pastours according to mine own heart And though all that heare do not receive the love of the truth yet where God giveth his word it is a signe that some in those places belong to the kingdome of heaven The Apostles first gathered churches and then ordained elders in every citie So that it is proper to the church to be fed and guided by true spirituall Pastours who do both teach and blesse in the name of the Lord. The true worship of God is an inseparable and infallible mark of a people in covenant with God For where Christ is there is 〈◊〉 church but Christ saith Where two or three are met together in my name there am I in the midst among them This is the priviledge of the saints that Christ the prince of his people is in the middest of them and goeth in when they go in And for certain they are gathered in the name of Christ who being lawfully called do assemble to worship God and call upon his name in the mediation of Jesus Christ In times past the church was acknowledged by these signes of continuance in the apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayer of true fear intire service holy profession and religious prayer The weightiest matter therefore in religion that concerneth a Christian is to know God and Christ to repent heartily and believe unfeignedly which is ever accompanied with holinesse of conversation if God give time and opportunity because without these there is no salvation to men of age and discretion It is a matter of weight and importance also to know where and how God is to be worshipped and the right use of his ordinances as of prayer and the sacraments because otherwise we cannot know how to joyn our selves in holy communion with the people of God in the ordinances of worship which is a necessary duty if God give opportunity But to know the externall order or constitution of a particular ministeriall politicall church is not a matter of weight or importance to be matched with either of the former And if M r Jacob comprehend all these things under the name of the church his speech is false deceitfull and confused because he distinguisheth not things that be of different kinds If the latter it is most inconsiderately spoken and weakly proved For out of the catholick invisible church or society there is no salvation but out of a particular visible ministeriall church salvation is to be had Internall society with the members of Christ and communion with Christ himself which is invisible is necessary externall not so Christ is the Saviour of his body and saved he cannot be by Christ that is not a live-member of his body Noahs ark builded by Gods appointment for the safety of all such as were obedient to his preaching was a type and figure of this onely holy catholick church not of a visible particular ministeriall church for as none of the sonnes of men besides such as entred into Noahs ark were saved from the deluge so whosoever entred into the ark were saved from the deluge And so Noahs ark was a type of that church into which whosoever entreth he shall be saved But this cannot be affirmed of the visible church Peter speaking of the ark wherein few that is eight souls were saved by water he saith The like figure whereunto even baptisme doth also now save us not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience inwards Gods by the resurrection of Jesus Christ His meaning is that Noahâ— ark was a type of that church out of which there is no salvation in which there is most certain salvation and the waters by which such as entred into the ark were saved a type of baptisme But of what baptisme Externall No Externall baptisme and the ark of Noah were types of the same rank both types and signes of that internall baptisme which is wrought by the holy Ghost by which we are incorporated into the body of Christ and become more undoubtedly safe from the everlasting fire then such as entred Noahs ark were from the deluge of water If the ark which Noah built did save all such from the deluge as entred into it how much more shall that holy and catholick church which Christ hath built and sanctified by his most precious bloud give eternall life to all such as in this world become live-members of it Such members they are made not by becoming meÌ„bers of the visible church but by internall grace or sanctification There is not the same reason of externall and internall communion with the church The inward is and was ever necessary the externall necessary when it may be enjoyed Some may be of the church in respect of the profession participation of the ordinances and other inferiour priviledges who are not of the invisible church that is do not communicate in the most perfect work force and effect of saving grace And some that be not full members of the true orthodox and visible church may notwithstanding be found and live members of the mysticall body of Jesus Christ For all that truly believe are in the state of salvation and all that be in the state of salvation be members of that church out of which no salvation is to be hoped for or can be obteined which doth comprehend all the faithfull and them that shall be saved They are in act and in deed both in and of that church and not in desire and wish onely
worshipping God which he hath appointed Again That these stinted and devised forms do quench the spirit of prayer which God would have them use stinting the minister yea all the ministers of the kingdome to the same measure of the spirit not onely one with another but all of them with him that is dead and rotten and so stinting the spirit which the Lord giveth to his ministers for his church and that so strictly as till the stint be out it may not suggest one thought or word otherwise or when it is out one more then is prescribed Neverthelesse his drift is plainly to disprove all stinted forms as it is evident by that he writeth in answer to some objections For Grant saith he that these words of Christ PRAY AFTER THIS MANNER AND VVHEN YE PRAY SAY are to be interprâ—ted as these men would have it yet do I except against their service-book in a double respect The first is That the reading of prayers upon a book hath no justification from them If it be said that to commit a certain form of words to memory and from it to utter them and to reade them upon a book be all one I deny the consequence and though I approve not the former yet is the latter farre worse And in another place You speak not properly no nor truly in saying you Pray stinted prayers for you Read them and who will say Reading is Praying or if you so say or do is it agreeable either to his ordinance or common reason And in the page cited last before He that readeth hath another speaking to him as it were even him whose writing he readeth and himself speaketh not to God but to the people Thus also he speaketh concerning the Lords prayer We may use a petition two or more or all in or of it even word for word if so the holy Ghost by whose immediate teachings and suggestions all our requests must be put up do direct us and that we apply the same words to our needs And in the same section So neither is the reading of this prescript or repeating it by memory praying Now let the indifferent consider and give sentence whether this be not to condemn all set forms of prayer to be used as prayer And if more then down-weight be required his fourth reason against the stinted form of service in use in our church will put this beyond all exception For thus he disputeth As it were a ridiculous thing for a child when he would ask of his father bread fish or any other thing he wanted to reade it to him out of a paper so it is for the children of God especially for the ministers of the Gospell in their publick ministrations to reade unto God their requests for their own and the churches wants out of a service-book wherein they are also stinted to words and syllables So that all other respects and considerations laid aside for what advantage soever alleadged the simple use of a stinted Liturgie or form of prayer to be used as a prayer is disallowed of them And if this be once accorded the other respects will easily be wiped away at least in regard of the users and them that joyn in prayer and participation of the sacraments In the copie of a letter lately published against stinted Liturgies the Authour willeth us to consider That the Liturgie he excepteth against was devised by men viz. other men whom God hath not called to such a work as to invent forms of prayers which should be used by all the churches in the land for their prayers and That it is imposed upon the minister and the people of necessity That it is stinted both in matter and words to be used without variation and That the service is read out of a book many wayes faulty and corrupt But look to most of the reasons brought to shew the justnesse of this exception and they make against all sorts of stinted forms used as prayers and not against a form corrupt and faulty imposed in such or such a manner as namely these God did never command to use nor promise to accept such a worship in which respect it is the manifest breach of the second commandment God hath appointed other helps for prayer which are sufficient without this Publick prayers offered up by the minister in church-assemblies must be framed according to the present and severall occasions of the church and people of God as also mens private prayers ought to be ordered which cannot be done when men are stinted to forms If you draw any conclusion from these premises it must be That all stinted forms are unlawfull not That a form corrupt and faulty is to be disallowed But if the foresaid cautions be added by way of distinction or limitation as if all stinted Liturgies were not disliked but such onely as be imposed as necessary to be used without variation and for matter or form corrupt and faulty then the reasons fight directly with the conclusion and hang no otherwise together then if a man should thus dispute All stinted forms of prayer are not to be disliked but corrupt onely imposed as necessary because God did never command nor promise to accept any stinted service or devised worship For what purpose therefore these cautions were added let others judge whether by way of aggravation onely or to set the greater lustre upon the position or for some other advantage Some others professe That they oppose not all nor any set form simply as such but are perswaded in many cases there is a lawfull use to be made of them but such a set form as is prescribed amongst us for matter and manner they affirm to be against the second commandment and a sin in the maker and deviser of it to such an use and a sin in the user of it according to that devise or making But the lawfull use of such forms publick or private they allow onely in some case of necessity which cannot fall out in a minister of the Gospel or any man else who deserveth the name of a strong Christian For they suppose abilities in all ministers and in every man else who hath his wits exercised to discern good and evil and deserveth to be esteemed a strong man in Jesus Christ Their words be these Set forms have their proper place and lawfull use onely where abilities are not as a naturall means and help to further some branch or other of that we call Prayer or conceived prayer as to supply defect of invention memory utterance or the like So the lawfulnesse of it lieth onely in a case of some necessity The difference then betwixt them so farre as I can gather standeth in this one thing That these latter allow some lawfull use of a stinted private form of prayer in some cases of necessity which the others altogether condemned But whether they dissent in any other particulars or no it is needlesse to enquire
they be applyed without speciall commandment to be the matter of form of a stinted prayer or thanksgiving at this time they are the devise of man that is they are so applyed by man without the extraordinary guidance direction of the holy Ghost Let us suppose a stinted form of Liturgie or prayer to be framed of the very words and sentences of scripture wherein nothing is to be read by way of prayer praise exhortation or declaration of the end and use of the sacraments but the very text of scripture if it be demanded whether this stinted Liturgie be the devise of man or no I conceive our brethren will answer That the matter and form both is of God as they are parcells of holy writ but as they are prescribed and used as a stinted form it is the devise of man This may be concluded from their grounds for all stinted forms of prayer and administration to be used in the publick congregation not commanded of God be the devises of men as they hold But this foresaid stinted form is not commanded of God as they affirm Therefore it is the devise of men There is now no form commanded of God as they professe and therefore to prescribe any text of scripture to be read in the administration of the sacraments or the Lords prayer to be used as a prayer is the devise of man What is more constantly affirmed by them then this That a stinted form of Liturgie is no necessry means of Gods worship because in time of the Law God prescribed none to his people when they were in their minority In times of the Gospel our Saviour Christ who would not be wanting to his church in the necessary means of worship hath given no form to be used of all churches throughout the world nor tyed any one member of the church precisely to this or that form of words in prayer and none others That we are not necessarily bound to the very words of the Lords prayer because the Evangelists do not tie themselves to the same words or number of words in recording that form of prayer the Apostles did not bind themselves to those words but used others according to their severall occasions nor do we reade in scripture that they laid any bond upon the churches to repeat over those very words Though therefore the prayer it self was taught by Christ the matter be of God and the form as it is canonicall scripture and though it be left as a perfect and genuine rule of prayer yet the application and use of it in such and such manner at such or such times in prayer in respect of the words themselves that is of men and not of God by particular institution Thus the reason may be contracted briefly the ordinary use of the Lords prayer without variation or addition is either commanded of God and so necessary or devised by men and so free and arbitrarie either it is a naturall help as some speak to supply some defect or taken up upon free choice But it is not commanded of God it is not necessary necessitate praecepti or medii nor an help naturall to supply some defect Therefore it is free and arbitrarie as that which may be done onely but it is not necessary to be done This being observed it will easily appear how little that distinction of using forms inspired by the holy Ghost but not of forms devised by men will avail because there is no form at all prescribed by God as they maintein Secondly if that distinction be granted it is here impertinently alleadged because it cannot be applyed to any part of the reason For forms of prayer inspired by the holy Ghost and recorded as parts of the sacred Canon be not of necessary use for us because they are recorded have not the true matter and form of prayer as they are there registred but as they are put up in faith to God being suitable to our occasions and a devised form of prayer fit for the matter tendred unto God in holy affiance by the work of the holy Ghost hath the true matter and form of prayer God never gave commandment that all our petitions should be presented unto his Majesty in a form of words inspired by the holy Ghost immediately God never disallowed the prayers of the faithfull because the externall form or phrase of speech was devised by man If the devised form of prayer before and after sermon be worship acceptable to God because it is devised of him who is called of God to devise and endite it then all men living are called and commanded to devise the worship of God and not for themselves alone but others in some cases Then the forms of prayer publick or private morning and evening the forms of thanksgiving before and after meals is devised worship but acceptable for the foresaid reason But that God hath called and authorized every man living or all in the church to devise a worship acceptable to his Majesty is most strange And so this first reason stands firm That all things essentiall to prayer or necessarily required in prayer by the word of God may be observed in a stinted from devised by men CHAP. III. A stinted Liturgie or publick form of prayer is no breach of the second commandment THat which is the breach of no commandment which is no where disallowed in the word of God either in expresse words or by necessary consequence that is no sin For sin is a transgression of the law and where there is no law there can be no sin But a prescript form of prayer of Liturgie is the breach of no commandment is no where disallowed in the word of God The exposition of the commandments is to be found in the Prophets and Apostles but the Lord by his Prophets and Apostles doth in no place restrain us to the use of conceived prayer so to call it Prayer is Gods ordinance but whether our prayers be uttered in our own or others words whether by pronouncing or reading that is not appointed God requireth that we lift up our hearts unto him and ask of him in the name of Christ whatsoever we stand in need of and is agreeable to his will But when spake he one word of praying within book or without in this or that precise form of words More particularly a stinted form of prayer for matter and externall form lawfull and pure fit in respect of our occasions and the necessities of the church read or uttered with knowledge affiance and intention of heart is not a breach of the second commandment either in the deviser or user For if all stinted forms of publick prayer be a transgression of the second commandment then in their common nature such stinted forms agree with images devised for worship But stinted forms or prayer agree not in their common nature with images devised for worship False worship forbidden in the second commandment is
not uttered without premeditation settled and digested or at least which is not immediately suggested by the Spirit in respect of words and phrase of speech If the latter then devised worship is not forbidden in the second commandment but worship devised by another For that prayer which should be pure worship if devised by a mans self is unlawfull worship when devised by another And so devised worship or prayer is not condemned but worship or prayer devised by another man And if this be not the devise of man I know not what is Can this alter the nature of the worship in the hearer or him that joyneth that the words in prayer are invented by another studied by the governour or more suddenly conceived In the judgement of some Divines the three first commandments are thus distinguished each from other That the first commandment conteineth all those our duties towards God which are naturall The second all those duties in Gods speciall worship which are instituted and either of these is both inward and outward The third commandment requireth the well using of both these and of all other things which come of God If this distinction be allowed a stinted form as such doth not at all belong to the second commandment For instituted worship and not the order or manner of performance is the matter of the second commandment Stinted prayer is unlawfull because a man in devising it doth not exercise his own gifts Though he exercise not his gifts in devising it in reading or uttering it as a prayer he may set his understanding judgement faith hope love humility fervency and other graces of Gods Spirit on work And if the minister do not may not the people exercise their gifts in hearing and so though it be unlawfull to him it is not so to them Stinted prayer voluntarily taken up upon a mans self is not so much unlawfull but prayer imposed upon men because in such case they subject themselves to mans ordinance in Gods worship This is a strange description of mans ordinance in the worship of God or of worshipping God after the ordinances of men For thence it will follow that the same devised worship voluntarily taken up hath some allowance as the ordinance of God and ceaseth onely to be of God when it is imposed Whereas the ordinances of men in Gods worship condemned in scripture are not mere matters of order forms of words and phrases circumstances of time and place determined by men according to the generall rules but matters of worship devised besides and against the word of God and are unlawfull whether voluntarily taken up and devised of our selves or imposed by others A prescribed set form is not agreeable to the word of God for circumstance because the prescribing of it is to set apart or sanctifie it for such an use without Gods command and so to idolize it above other prayers In what sense a stinted form of prayer is or may be set apart hath been shewed before But this description of setting apart or prescribing is a mere devise barely affirmed without any shew of reason What is here objected against a prescribed form may be affirmed of a prescribed place time and order for the celebration of Divine ordinances which are of the same nature with it and no more determined by the word of God And suppose the minister or governour maintein some erroneous conceit touching the prescribed form of prayer are the people children or servants hereby authorized to withdraw themselves from such prayers or the prayers themselves made unacceptable to such as know how to use them aright One man is of opinion that a prescribed form is better then another another that a prescribed form is unlawfull one that it is best ordinarily to use a stinted form another that he is to pray alwayes according to the present occasion in a different order and phrase of speech In these cases if the least errour do stain the prayers to others that they may not lawfully joyn together with whom shall the faithfull joyn at all Is not this to fill the conscience with scruples and the church with rents Errours and abuses personall they rest in the persons so erring and stain not others It is harsh to affirm that such hath been the estate of the church ever since the death of the apostles almost if not before that a Christian could not without sinne joyn with any publick assembly in prayer or participation of the sacraments that he must either separate from the prayers of the assembly and depart from the sacraments or derogate from the authoritie of God and worship him after the ordinances of men For if such was the state of the Christian church from that time what is become of those great and pretious promises made to the church in the times of the Messias Did the church begin to draw and give up her breath both in one day Many things were amisse in the church many corruptions did begin to bud in the apostles times and after their departure did put forth with greater vigour and the saints of God I doubt not offended many wayes through ignorance and infirmity which God in mercy was pleased to pardon unto them But that the state and condition of the church was such that a Christian could not hold communion in prayer and the sacraments with the churches of God is contrary to the many promises in scripture made to the churches of the New Testament It is true the scripture doth forewarn us of an apostasie from the faith and the mystery of iniquity began to work in the apostles dayes and after their death things declined more and more But that within an age or two after the apostles departure out of this life things were so corrupted that the godly might not hold communion with the church in prayer and participation of the sacraments is more then an advised Christian will dare to affirm or think But if a stinted form of prayer be unlawfull both to minister and people to him that administers according to it and them that joyn a Christian might not safely joyn in any church-assembly or congregation in prayer or participation of the sacraments within few ages after the death of the apostles if at all Unlawfull commands in matters of religion especially cannot be obeyed without sinne Hos 5. 11. and it is a sinne to walk after them many wayes In matters of religion if the commands of men be contrary to the commands of God for substance or matter of the thing commanded we must obey God rather then men But if the command of man be for substance of matter agreeable to the rules of scripture pressed onely with too great strictnesse or severitie it is not evermore against God nor our superiours nor the present age and posterity nor ourselves to yield obedience If it be an holy form of baptisme voluntarily to baptize into
the due esteem of the great mercy the Lord hath shewed unto his church No particular member of a church may voluntarily break off externall communion with the church or refuse to communicate in the publick service and worship of God unlesse the Lord Jesus go before him therein and be his warrant that is unlesse Christ hath withdrawn the presence of his grace or the party cannot be present without the guilt of hypocrisie or approbation of somewhat that is evil For the members of the visible church must hold fellowship in faith and love not onely one with another but with all other visible churches and all others intirely professing the faith of Christ so farre as they hold communion with Jesus Christ And therefore no member can lawfully break off externall communion with the true church of Christ but in that onely wherein and so farre as it hath broken off fellowship with Christ For where Christ is there is his church and where two or three are met together in his name there is he in the midst among them He is that Prince that is in the midst of his people who goeth in when they go in And when Christ calleth his free voluntaries to assemble in prayer or to partake at his table and promiseth to be present with them to heare their prayers and refresh their souls with grace it is not lawfull for a Christian to withdraw himself But in a congregation where a stinted form is used and that in some respects faulty here or there Christ may be and is present in the midst among them Christians are called to come and may be present without guilt of hypocrisie or approbation of the least evil To leave communion when we be obliged by God to continue in it is no lesse then schisme according to the nature of it Obliged by God we are to hold communion with the true churches of Christ in his true worship and service so farre as it may be without sin and wickednesse on our parts So that though there be some errours or ignorances in the publick administration yet if our belief of some errour or approbation of disorder be not required to that communion it is not lawfull to depart from the society of that church which professeth the saving truth of Christ intirely for substance rightly mainteineth the dispensation of the sacraments soundly calleth upon God in the mediation of Jesus Christ and plentifully enjoyeth the means of grace When corruption and externall communion be so involved that it is simply impossible to leave the corruptions unlesse we leave the externall communion of the church a necessity of separation from that externall communion then lyeth upon us But though errours or corruptions of some kind be not onely tolerated but established mainteined and pressed yet if we can hold communion without approbation of the said errours or corruptions Separation in that case is unjust rash and unadvised because the Lord therein doth not go before us The sin of Separation if unjust is so great and heinous the ill consequences and mischiefs so many and fearfull that all Christians should be well advised neither to lay stumbling-blocks before the feet of others which might occasion their turning aside nor to seek or catch occasions of departure but rather to wait and tarry till they be assured that the Lord goeth before them For the first when the Anabaptists in Helvetia opposed humane inventions as unlawfull they were by publick authority and with common consent abolished And that of Irenaeus is well known Variety of ceremonies commend the unitie of faith For the other part the faithfull have ever tolerated weaknesses and infirmities in each other and abuses in the church so long as the foundation was held and they agreed in the main In the primitive church not onely some persons but whole congregations have doubted of many books of scripture and yet lost not their dignity of true churches of Christ How long did the faithfull wait and bear before they departed or rather were driven by excommunication sword and sire out of Babylon This hath been the judgement of the godly learned in all ages of the church They that for trifling and small causes saith Irenaeus divide the body of Christ c. these can make no reformation of such importance as to countervail the danger of a division When good men tolerate bad men saith Augustine which can do them no spirituall hurt to the intent they may not be separated from those who are spiritually good then there is no necessity to divide unity And in another place These two things reteined will keep such men pure and uncorrupted that is neither doing ill nor approving it Although faith be one funiculus colligantiae yet variety of opinions without pertinacy standeth with unity but nothing is so contrary to the church as schisme and departure This matter I will shut up with the saying of Zaga Bishop of Aethiope and embassador of Prester John It is a miserable thing that Christian strangers should be so sharply reproved as enemies as I have been here and other things which concern not the faith But it should be farre more convenient to support all Christians be they Grcaeians be they Armenians be they Aethiopians be they of any one of the seven Christian churches with charity and love of Christ and to permit them to live and converse amongst other Christian brethren without any injurie because that we are all infants of one baptisme and do hold truly the true faith The conclusion is That the externall communion of the church in publick worship is not to be forsaken for some faults neither fundamentall nor noxious which may be espied in her Liturgie Though the bearing and forbearing not onely of small but even of great sinnes also must be for a time yet it must be but for a time and that is whilest reformation be orderly sought and procured Lev. 19. 17. But what time hath wrought in the church of England all men see growing dayly by the just judgement of God from evil to worse and being never aforetime so impatient either of reformation or other good as at this day Moreover a man must so bear an evil as he be no way accessory unto it by forbearing any means appointed by Christ for the amending of it Errours or faults be of two sorts Some grosse notorious manifest such as a man cannot but see to be amisse unlesse he will shut his eyes against the light and must amend or there can be no hope of salvation Others of quotidian incursion frailty and infirmity ignorance or mere weaknesse such as godly men are not convinced of or if they see them at some times to be amisse yet in ordinary course they be overtaken with them from which the most holy be not altogether free In these latter though Christians must labour the help cure and support of each
other by all means lawfull yet they must bear one with another not for a time onely but continually For such are the ignorances and frailties of all men that if they bear not one with another of necessity they must break off all society one with another If all that dissent in opinion in any circumstances of religion if all that be judged too remisse or over-zealous or if every one that is waspish rash stiff in his own opinion or laboureth under such like infirmity must be cut off I know not where we shall find a church upon earth Besides it is one thing to bear with faults for a season when we have power in our hands to reform them another to hold communion with the church in the worship of God where such abuses are continued Such as have power in their hands to reform should tolerate abuses for a time onely sc untill there be opportunity of reformation But such as have not power in their hands to redresse abuses may and ought to hold communion with the church of God in the publick worship of God notwithstanding such abuses continued for the continuance of such corruptions is not the sin of him who hath used all good means for their removall but cannot obtein it The Lord never gave commandment to his people to depart from and forsake his ordinances because such as ought did not reform but maintein abuses in his sanctuary If they abode still in that corrupt society and joyned in the publick worship of God because they had not authority to redresse them then it followeth that communion in Gods ordinances is not sin to them who mislike the corruptions that are allowed and practiced pray desire and by all other good means seek reformation but break not off society because the Lord hath given them no authority so to do goeth not before them therein they should walk by their own light and not by Gods commandment nor the approved examples of the Saints recorded in scripture For one or a few private Christians to break off society with the church in prayer or participation of the sacraments because they are administred in a stinted Liturgie or the corruptions pretended therein is a greater disorder and corruption then any they can alledge in the Liturgie concerning prayer or administration of the sacraments because in so weighty businesse they challenge that authority which Christ never committed to them and go directly crosse to the order established by our Saviour Christ But of that more at large in the chapters following CHAP. X. It is lawfull to communicate in a mixt congregation where ignorant and prophane persons be admitted to the sacrament THis is made an exception against communicating in our assemblies that we are a mixt congregation and that ignorant and prophane persons are admitted unto the Lords table To trie the weight of this reason the better we must remember that sinners which may come into question are either secret that is not of publick note though one or other perhaps the minister himself may know them in their course scandalous or else notorious such as are commonly defamed and known for evil by evidence of fact and course if not juridicé The first sort sin in coming prophanely unto the Lords ordinances and they pollute the holy things of God unto their own destruction if they come without repentance and purpose of amendment But they are not to be repelled if they offer themselves because though one know them to have sinned thus and thus it is unknown to others and so the sin is private and not openly known Christ knew Judas his fetches yet he suffered him and though his treason was hidden and there were no witnesses of his intendment yet his theft was acted and not purposed onely De secretis non judicat ecclesia Et privata scelera non habent vindictam When it is not notorious and manifest that such a man hath lost his right to the sacrament it ought not to be denied unto him in the face of the congregation otherwise liberty should be granted to wicked ministers to punish with this punishment whomsoever they please The law of God in all ecclesiasticall and civil punishments requireth either confession by the party of the fault which is committed or else proof by witnesses Augustine tom 9. lib. De medicin poen cap. 3. is clear of this opinion Nos à communione quenquam prohibere non possumus nisi aut spontè confessum aut in aliquo judicio ecclesiastico vel seculari nominatum atque convictum as he is cited by the glosse ad 1. Cor. 5. and by Aquinas in the place above mentioned It is requisite for the common good and convenient order both of church and common-wealth that all common favours which are publickly to be disposed and distributed according to the dignity of private persons should be dispensed by publick ministers designed thereunto not according to the private knowledge of this or that man neither of that minister but according to a publick and notorious cogniscance And whosoever doth by his offense against God lose his right and interest to the holy things of God he must lose it in the face of the church before it can be denied him in the face of the congregation And he is to be judged as in all other cases not by any man 's nor by any ministers private knowledge but according to proofs and allegations For the common good necessarily requireth that such publick actions of this nature should be regulated by a kind of publick and not private knowledge which once admitted into judicature would soon fill up the church and state with a world of scandals injuries and inconveniences Grosse notorious scandalous sinners should be excluded from the sacrament but yet according to the order and appointment of the Lord. Cast not pearls before swine give not holy things to dogs Therefore the primitive church about to administer the Deacon cryed out against flagitious persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with which the charge in our Liturgie well suteth Amongst the heathen some were accounted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who were admitted into the entrance but not into the temple Whence among the Latines they are called profane because they stood before but might not enter the temple Hence also was that question amongst the Heathen in their services 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Who is here to which it was answered of the assembly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Many and good Hence that of Callimachus in hymnis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Virgil expresseth thus Procul ô procul este profani Conclamat vates And amongst the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are thought to have their name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is because they did restrain ar drive the profane from them And if the heathen had such care of their idolatrous services that they
should not be prophaned what conscience should Christians make neither to prophane themselves nor suffer so farre as lyeth in them the supper of the Lord to be prophaned It was a worthy saying of Chrysostome Animam priùs tradam meam quà m Dominicum corpus alicui indigno sanguinémque meum effundi potiùs patiar quà m sacratissimum illum sanguinem praeterquam digno concedam Neverthelesse it perteineth not to every man to debarre the impenitent from the Lords table but it must be done by them and in such manner as the Lord hath appointed For private Christians may not usurp the authority of the church nor the church execute her authority in undue manner That is necessary to them that have received commission from God which is unlawfull to them that want authority In the common-wealth the execution of justice is necessary but private persons must not challenge the sword of the magistrate In a corporation no one must take that upon himself which belongeth to the common councel Holy things must not be given to prophane persons but every one at his pleasure must not deny holy things to unholy persons but unholy persons must be debarred from holy things in such order as God hath prescribed It is a thing illegall altogether and unreasonable that a Christian man laying open claim to his right in the sacrament should by the mere discretion of a minister or private Christian be debarred from it Men would be loth to put their lands nay their goods and cattels and shall we think the Lord hath put their interest in the body and bloud of Christ to a private discretion So should it fare ill with the deserving members of the church and such as most deserved should least feel the severity of this censure The precept then of debarring scandalous offenders bindeth them to whom God hath given this power and them onely so farre as God hath put it in their power But God regularly doth not leave that power in the hand of one singular steward or some few private Christians to discommon one from the Lords table by publick censure And therefore the steward may not by any means keep back the fat ones of the earth from his masters table but warn them fairly of the danger ensuing as Gratian noteth out of Augustine And if one or few private Christians cannot debarre the unworthy from the Lords table it is manifest the ordinance of God is not defiled to them by the presence of the wicked whom they desire to reform or expell but cannot because power is not in their hand to do it lawfully For if it be lawfull for the faithfull to hold spirituall communion together in the ordinances of worship where the wicked and ungodly are tolerated as outward members of that society and have externall society with them in those ordinances then the presence of scandalous men doth not defile the sacrament to the worthy receiver The consequence is evident from the reason given to disswade communion in the sacrament sc because they that partake are one body Now if the same communion for substance be in other ordinances and yet it is lawfull for the faithfull notwithstanding the wicked be permitted to hold communion in those ordinances then it is lawfull to partake at the Lords table though the scandalous and prophane be received But it is lawfull for the faithfull to hold spirituall communion and fellowship together in the ordinances of worship where the wicked and ungodly are suffered as outward members For Moses calleth Israel a chosen people an holy nation the peculiar people of God whom he calleth a stiff-necked people foolish and unwise The Lord protesteth that Israel did rebell against him that they did not understand but were a most sinfull nation yea as Sodom and Gomorrah and yet he calleth them his children and people yea passing Sodom in iniquity and yet the daughter of his people and daughter of Sion his pleasant plant and a noble vine Israel then was the true church of God and the people true members of that society and yet many of them not truly sanctified nor true Saints And if the priests and Levites were set over a people unconverted for the truth of sanctification though holy by externall covenant which they for their parts had broken by their iniquities but on Gods part was undissolved and the faithfull had spirituall communion together in the ordinances of worship when the unwise foolish perverse uncircumcised in heart and life sinfull and laden with iniquity were admitted as members of the same body or society then the faithfull are not defiled with the presence of the ungodly at the sacrament though they that communicate together make one body in externall communion As the common-wealth of Israel consisting of men uncircumcised in heart perverse rebellious obstinate as well as faithfull and obedient was separated into covenant and so one body in externall communion and might lawfully have fellowship together in the ordinances so the faithfull and scandalous received into covenant and living in society do partake in the same ordinances without tincture or infection to the better part As the rebellious and perverse in Judah so the scandalous in the church are separated into covenant and though in course of life they be dogs yet in publick esteem they are not to be reputed dogs nor used as dogs till the church have so pronounced of them Peter calleth the Jews that had crucified Christ Brethren not according to the flesh because his kinsmen but as children of the prophets and of the covenant And if the Apostles might hold spirituall brotherhood with them who were impenitent perverse rebellious yea murderers of the Lord of life why should it be unlawfull to hold externall communion in the participation of the sacraments with persons scandalous and offensive in course of life The common-wealth of Israel was a religious politie and God established them a people unto himself by covenant without exception and so long as the covenant stood undissolved on Gods part though broken on theirs by their iniquity they might hold communion one with another Religion ever since the fall of Adam is one and the same for substance though different in the manner of dispensation the church from the beginning one and the same in common nature and essence though different in the manner of government and measure of gifts fitted to severall ages thereof The mysteries are varied according to the times but the faith whereby we live is in every age invariable As God is unchangeable so is his covenant one and the same that excepted which was peculiar to the manner of dispensation the confederates or members of the church by Gods approbation one and the same and so the common nature and essentiall constitution of all true churches from the beginning of the world to the end thereof In all ages of the church the members of
church wherewith the faithfull may hold communion without sin or at least the faithfull may lie hid in such a corrupt society and hold communion with them in the exercises of religion without sin And if the Jews had not power to cast out an offender the materiall part of that church was not visible Saints whom God was pleased to take into covenant but the whole body of the Jewish nation ignorant impenitent prophane obstinate even all that were not cut off by bodily death the sacraments must not be dispensed according to the promise made to the faithfull and their seed but promiscuously to all that came of the loins of Jacob according to the flesh the faithfull might and ought to have communion as one body with the wicked and prophane who remain in unbelief and both revile and persecute the truth Then a company of impenitent sinners might and did remain the true church being to the judgement of men irrecoverable then such as are altogether averse to the end of their holy calling may be received into covenant and though the society be never so much sowred with the unclean conversation of the ungodly yet the faithfull may dip in their meal and live in that society without fear of pollution dishonour to God encouragement to the wicked or scandal to the brethren And what then is become of the heaps of quotations whereby they would prove that the members of the church must be holy visible saints a people converted in covenant separated to the Lord and that the church is onely true whiles it continueth such and false when it degenerateth from this disposition and of their confident arguing That if it were the will of God that persons notoriously wicked should be admitted into the church then should he directly crosse himself and his own ends and should receive into the visible covenant of grace such as were out of the visible state of grace and should plant such in his church for the glory of his name as served for none other use then to cause his name to be blasphemed That all true churches from the beginning to the end of the world are one in nature and essentiall constitution and the first the rule of the rest and if it was not lawfull for the godly to contract with the wicked in the civil covenant of marriage how much more in the religious covenant of the church That God gave unto Abraham and to his family the covenant of circumcision which the Apostle calleth the seal of the righteousnesse of faith And to affirm that the Lord would seal up with the visible seal of the righteousnesse of faith any visible unrighteous and faithlesse person were a bold challenge of the most High for the prophanation of his own ordinances These and many the like are broken to pieces by this observation That the whole nation of the Jews sinfull laden with iniquity corruptours revolters in course of life were Gods separated people by covenant and might lay claim unto and could not be debarred from the visible seals of the righteousnesse of faith though in themselves faithlesse and unrighteous And if it was no pollution to the Jews to suffer notorious wicked ones amongst them so they discharged such other duties as were enjoyned them by the Lord because they had not power to cast them out it is no pollution for private and particular Christians who have not the power of excommunication in their hand given unto them by Christ to suffer such as be ignorant and scandalous to communicate in the ordinances of grace with them if they perform all other duties which God requireth at their hands Moreover if the Jews had not power to cast out a wicked person they had power to cut off the presumptuous and the neglect of the one is as inexcusable as of the other And so the whole controversie turneth upon this one hinge Whether one or two or some few private Christians have power to cast out and excommunicate whole societies churches for some remissenesse or abuse in bearing with or admitting scandalous offenders in the societies so long as the doctrine of grace is purely taught the sacraments rightly administred for substance Christ is pleased to tolerate and bear with their manners continueth the visible signes of his presence among them and is present by speciall grace to blesse his ordinances to the worthy receiver A few words one would think might suffice in this matter but seeing the strength of the cause lieth therein in the chapters following it shall be handled more at large In the church of Corinth there were divisions fects emulations contentions and quarrels and going to law one with another for every trifle and that under the infidels Pauls name and credit was despitefully called in question there whom they should have honoured as a father the resurrection of the dead which is the life of Christianity was denied that wickednesse was winked at there which is execrable to the very heathen the Lords supper was horribly profaned in that some came to it drunken there was fornication and such like sins not repented of things indifferent were used with manifest offense and idolatry committed in eating at the tables of idoles meats sacrificed to devils Notwithstanding all which abuses that societie is called and was the church of God and the faithfull did and might communicate with others without pollution The Galatians had so farre adulterated the Gospel of Christ that the Apostle telleth them they were removed to another Gospel pronounceth that they were bewitched and if they still persisted to joyn circumcision and the works of the law with Christ they were fallen from grace and Christ could not profit them and yet they are called churches of Galatia Ephesus was extremely decayed in her first love she was not onely cooled a little but had left it In Pergamus there were some that held the doctrine of Balaam and of the Nicolaitanes In Thyatira the woman Jezebel was suffered to teach and seduce the servants of Christ Of Sardis the holy Ghost saith she had a name to live but was dead her works were not perfect before God there were but a few there who had not defiled their garments Of Laodicea it is recorded that she was neither hot nor cold and then it is not hard to conceive how she was overgrown with disorders and yet Christ was present with her by his grace and the faithfull are exhorted to repent or beware of her sinne and not to forsake her society Of the abuses in the church of Rome something hath been noted before Of corruptions and disorders in other churches the scriptures give plentifull testimony But you shall never find that the faithfull are warned to separate from the worship of God in these assemblies but to keep themselves pure and undefiled and labour the reformation of others by all means lawfull In the
primitive church after the apostles the discipline of the church was in some cases very severe partly to prevent the abuse of Gods ordinances partly to maintein the dignitie and authority of the censures neverthelesse the godly were compelled to tolerate many disorders which they could not redresse not in doctrine and worship but in manners and conversation For as soon as Christians began a little to breathe from the fear of bloudy persecution they fell into dissolute idlenesse and began to nourish debate strife hatred emulation pride c. to heap sinne upon sinne as might be proved at large by the complaints of the Fathers made of the sinnes of the times in all sorts ministers and people men and women But it was and ever hath been the judgement of them who did so grievously complain of the sinnes of their times that the godly did not communicate with others in their sinnes although they did continue with them in the communion of the sacraments If a church depart from the Lord by any transgression and therein remain irrepentant after due conviction and will not be reclaimed it manifesteth unto us that God also hath left it and that as the church by her sinne hath separated from and broken covenant with God so God by leaving her in hardnesse of heart without repentance hath on his part broken and dissolved the covenant also The Lord Jesus threatneth the churches for leaving their first love and for their lukewarmnesse that he will come against them speedily and remove their candlestick that is dischurch them except they repent and spue them as lothsome out of his mouth It is true the Apostles mention corruptions in the churches with utter dislike severe reproof and strait charge of reformation and the Lord Jesus threatneth the churches for lukewarmnesse and leaving their first love But neither Christ nor his Apostles did ever blame the faithfull for holding communion in those churches in the ordinances of worship or give them charge to depart if disorders and abuses were not forthwith corrected and amended Not to enquire what is due conviction Not to enquire what is due conviction or when a church is to be deemed obstinately impenitent it is most untrue that the toleration of disorders or maintenance of corruptions of some kind by some yea by many in the church is to us a manifest token that God hath left it The history of the church from the very first plantation thereof unto this very day doth evidence that many and foul abuses disorders and corruptions have continued in the churches of God when yet the Lord did not utterly take from them all tokens of his visible presence This is confessed of the church of the Jews And if they continued the church of God when they had broken covenant for their part so long as the Lord continued the signes of his visible presence among them how dare any man think or say that God hath utterly left or forsaken that people amongst whom he dwelleth plentifully by the means of grace and unto whom he imparteth the graces of his Spirit though for their sinnes they deserve to be cast off The Lord is God and not man therefore the sonnes of Jacob are not confounded The Jews at first were chosen to be the people of God not for their righteousnesse but of the rich grace and mercy of God They continue to be his church not for their righteousnesse but according to his free and gracious promise And so long as Christ doth of his mere grace and love bear with the manners of his church and giveth her not a bill of divorce it is not for men to say or judge that he hath utterly left and forsaken her And seeing the faithfull must follow Christ dwell with Christ and abide with him so long as Christ doth dwell in the assembly by his presence and plentifull means of grace it is not lawfull for them voluntarily to depart and break off communion CHAP. XI Of holding communion with that assembly in the worship of God where we cannot perform all duties mentioned Matth. 18. 15 16 17. VVHosoever neglecteth Christs rule in proceeding with his minister or others of the church both partaketh in their sin and sinneth against Christs command Matth. 18. If he be ignorant of Christs rule and order yet he sinneth but if he know it and do it not then his sin remaineth Now the rule prescribed by Christ is That one brother offended should warn any member of the same church whereof he is a member if he offend him yea though it be his minister And if he reform not he must proceed to warn him more solemnly taking two or three with him doing it in the name of Christ If this admonition take not effect for reformation he must tell the church If the church then will not do their duty he must clear himself protesting against their neglect therein Hos 2. 12. The brief and plain meaning of this objection is That every Christian is bound to perform all those offices mentioned to every delinquent brother in society or communion and that it is not lawfull to abide in society or communion where a man cannot perform all those duties without defiling or undoing himself And therein is implyed that seeing the Jews had no such order for excommunication established amongst them therefore they might hold communion not withstanding the corruptions that were found amongst them To trie the strength of this argument let it be granted that our Saviour speaketh not of private managing of civil affairs and private injuries whereby we might recover what we lost by the injurie of our brother for that is an indulgence or benefit no commandment of rule and duty yea sometimes it is a fault not to suffer wrong but of church-admonitions and censures and that order which he hath set for the winning or punishment of offenders But then by a delinquent brother we must not understand onely one of the same particular society or fellowship but any one of what countrey or condition soever with whom we have religious fellowship If thy brother If any man that is called a brother thy brother that is a Christian For our Lord hath appointed no such course to be taken with them that are out of the church Suppose Christians of distinct societies living remote one from another do trespasse one against the other is not the innocent party bound to hold the course here prescribed with the delinquent brother The rule of our Saviour is not That one brother offended should admonish any member of the same church whereof he is a member that is an addition which the text will not acknowledge but If thy brother trespasse against thee Christ speaketh here unto his Apostles but not unto them simply as Apostles but as disciples Christians and followers of Christ because the things here commanded are common to all
Thyatira Laodicea Pergamus and Sardis are all reprehended What then must the faithfull do leave their standings and depart from the ordinances of grace whilest God is pleased to dwell amongst them or neglect the duty which God calleth them unto and so partake in other mens sin The community or congregation it self is oft divided remisse the greatest part many times the worst so that the best cannot be heard amongst them truth cannot take place In Corinth there were so many sects and divisions that the house of Chloe was constrained to complain of them to the Apostle most of them were puffed up in the case of the incestuous man that it had been in vain for the better sort to seek his casting out if the Apostle had not sharply admonished them of their duty And their disorder in coming to the Lords supper was generall so that the better sort might bewail but could not redresse it In the primitive church there was such contention oftentimes about the choise and election of ministers the Pastours divided from the people and the people one from another to the committing of many outrages that if the godly must not hold any place in the church but where they could perform all offices injoyned in the text of scripture before alledged they must welnigh go out of the world In this and such cases then what should the faithfull do Tell the church they cannot for that is divided and it may be the greatest part holdeth the worst cause Depart they must not for the Lord doth not go before them and if they depart without him they depart from the Lord himself What remaineth then but that with mercifull affection they dislike reprove and correct as much as in them lieth what they find to be amisse what they cannot amend that they should patiently endure and suffer and in loving sort bewail and lament till God do either correct and amend it or make way for their enlargement as they may see the Lord to go before them But in the mean space it will be said they do not their duty in telling the church Nay rather the Lord requireth not that particular duty at that time because they have no opportunity or means to do it The rule prescribed concerneth visible and particular churches as a solemn ordinance of Christ for the humbling and saving of an obstinate sinner but a Christian may be a true member of a visible church when he is hindred and cannot do the thing that is there prescribed For our Saviour speaketh of a brother that doth justly truly and according to equity reprehend admonish or complain and of them who being set in office do rightly and lawfully perform the office whereunto they are appointed of God of the church who doeth what becometh her keepeth herself within the bounds prescribed of God and rightly executeth what is committed to her trust But in the true church of God which Christ is pleased to grace with the visible tokens of his presence all things may fall out clean contrary that such as be in office do not truly discharge their office that the church doth not keep herself to the rule nor fulfill the trust committed unto her In the Law they that were thought unclean were to be restrained from the sacrifices the eating of the passeover entrance into the temple And not onely legall pollutions but sinnes of all kinds whether by errour or ignorance of the law or fact or voluntarily committed were to be expiated according to the prescript of the law which doth necessarily presuppose uncleannesse and that accompanied separation from the altar and the participation of the holy things The legall ceremonies which were outward and carnall did represent spirituall and internall to the minds of the faithfull as the uncleannesse of the body did the inward filth of the soul The wicked are oftentimes upbraided that they durst come into the presence of God The scriptures testifie that the Lord acceteth the sacrifices of righteousnesse of a broken and contrite heart that he is not pleased with the sacrifices of wicked men whose hands are full of bloud And the Lord often giveth commandment that he which shall do so or so or shall not do this or that shall be cut off from his people All which whether they conclude the use of excommunication amongst the Jews let the learned judge But howsoever this is most certain Many things were required which the wicked altogether neglected the godly could not redresse nor complain of to them that should or if they did no regard was had thereunto no reformation followed and yet the godly left not their standings as unlawfull nor the society as left and forsaken of God because they had broken covenant with him nor the ordinances of God as if externall communion with the wicked as one body had polluted and defiled them Put case a brother offended make a complaint to the church of some private injury or wrong received by one of the same or another socity and the church to whom the complaint is brought deal remissely either through ignorance partiality carelessenesse or the like must the innocent party stand to the decision of the church although they do not see right exactly restored and the delinquent brought to repentance or must he protest against their neglect and depart from the society as not to be communicated with because they tolerate a wicked and ungodly person among them If the first then simply to be present at the worship of God where wicked men are tolerated is not to partake in their sin If the latter then the accuser may be judge in his own cause and not onely hold him an heathen whom the church esteemeth holy and honest but hold the church it self heathen then because they account him not so blame-worthy whom he accuseth then which what is more contrary to the rule of our Saviour And so if true examination be made they that leave our societies because they cannot observe the rule prescribed by Christ do of all others most neglect it in their separation because they challenge that authority which Christ never gave them and wait not upon him to go before them If iniquity be committed in the church and complaint and proof accordingly made and the church will not reform or reject the party offending but will on the contrary maintein presumptuously and abett such impiety then by abetting the party and his sin she maketh it her own by imputation and enwrappeth her self in the same guilt with the sinner and remaining irreformable either by such members of the same church as are faithfull if there be any or by other sister-churche wipeth herself out of the Lords church-rolle and now ceaseth to be any longer the true church of Christ And whatsoever truths or ordinances of Christ this rebellious rout still reteineth it but usurpeth the same without right unto them or
promise of blessing upon them both the persons and sacrifices are abominable This peremptory censure is as directly crosse to that which followeth immediately in the same authour as any thing that can be spoken For if the toleration or maintenance of one sinner against reproof and conviction do necessarily dischurch a society how then did the church of the Jews continue the true church of God wherein sinne was generally impudently impenitently committed and that by such as should have censured it in others where the offenders were countenanced and the reprovers persecuted imprisoned put to death If no church in the world now hath that absolute promise of the Lords visible presence which that church then had till the coming of Christ if the Messiah must be born in the true church and the Lord did ever afford the Jews some or other visible signes of his presence in the greatest apostasie this is nothing to the purpose For if the maintenance of one wicked ungodly wretch wipeth a church out of the Lords church-roll then the Jews who did both countenance offenders and commit wickednesse themselves and that with greedinesse had blotted themselves out of that book And if the Jews continued the church of God notwithstanding their great impiety and obduratenesse because the Lord continued the visible tokens of his presence among them then if a church or some in the church shall tolerate or countenance iniquity in others or practice it themselves so long as God shall be pleased to bear with their manners and vouchsafe unto them the signes of his gracious presence and holy ordinances it is to be reputed the true church of God wherewith the faithfull may hold communion in the branches of worship If therefore the authour had well pondered his own words or consulted the rule of our Saviour this labour might well have been spared But more fully to open the weaknesse of this objection Errours as in doctrine so in practice are of two sorts some fundamentall or bordering thereupon which concern the very heart and life of religion and cannot stand with faith and holinesse others not fundamentall which strike not directly at the soul of religion though they hinder the working somewhat or stain the work In matters fundamentall as the profession of faith must be intire in all points of simple belief so must the doctrine of the church in all things concerning practice but errours of inferiour alloy wherein godly men dissent pardonably one from another both concerning faith and practice may be found and mainteined in the true church Again sin and iniquity is mainteined either by teaching or by doing in our own persons and tolerating in others whom we should reform but do not If the church by doctrine maintein fundamentall evils as the worshipping of angels murder adultery c. she is to be esteemed hereticall But if the life be corrupt not from corrupt doctrine but contrary to the doctrine received the church is not to be accounted false because wicked ones which should be cast out are nourished in her bosome It is true the service which wicked men tender unto God is abomination as were the sacrifices which the Jews brought when their hands were full of bloud but the worship which the faithfull offer unto God in that corrupt society is pleasing and acceptable unto his majesty The prayer of the wicked is abomination to the Lord but the prayer of a wicked minister in respect of his office as the prayer of the congregation is effectuall and accepted for the faithfull who seek unto God with lips unfeigned The prophet commandeth us Plead or Contend with your mother contend with her because she is not my wife nor I her husband that she take away her whoredomes from before my face c. therefore if the church be remisse in her duty the children of the church must protest against her The meaning of the prophet is That the godly whether in Judah or Israel should contend with the ten tribes who by their idolatry had fallen from the conjugall covenant which God had contracted with them and had deserved to be put away with a bill of divorce because they had transgressed their matrimoniall troth and forsaking the true God had sought them other Gods whom they did love and worship And in like case no question but the faithfull may publickly and sharply rebuke the abominable idolatries of a false-claiming church such as Israel was at that time But if this be applyed to the true church in respect of every abuse or remissenesse we shall pervert the words of the prophet and run our selves upon the rocks True it is all abuses may and ought to be reproved in the time and place according to the nature and quality thereof but for every offense we cannot say truly in the name of God The church is not the spouse of Christ nor Christ her husband Every abuse in worship is not the adultery of the ten tribes If this had been the meaning of the prophet the prophets had gone most contrary to their own rules of all others for they sharply rebuked the personall sinnes of Judah as they received commission from the Lord other sinnes they touched but sparingly if at all but they never protested against her as no church of God they never charged the faithfull to depart from all communion with her lest they be partakers of her sinnes Here the Lord goeth before the faithfull in their contention with their supposed mother they must say what the Lord putteth into their mouthes and behave themselves toward her as the Lord is pleased to give them precedent by the tokens of his presence But they that take liberty to break off communion with their true mother and spouse of Christ because of some abuses sport and blemishes they speak of themselves when they charge her to be an adulteresse and not the spouse of Christ to maintein an idolatrous antichristian devised worship and they run of themselves without commission or authority when they voluntarily withdraw themselves from the ordinances of grace and communion with Christ in the same Therefore to conclude this point as corrupt and unworthy members can be no cause why those that are whole should forsake the body or neglect the offices perteining to the body though they be hindred in their working so no open grosse communicants can be any cause why the faithfull should forsake the church or communion with Christ or neglect the duties which in particular concern themselves though they cannot do all things that pertein to them with the whole body as being overborn or restrained by others without whom they cannot work CHAP. XII The community of the faithfull much lesse two or three separated from the world and gathered together into the name of Christ by a covenant are not the proper and immediate subject of power ecclesiasticall POwer might or efficacious force is not all one with authority or power Matter Sense
Understanding Will are called faculties or power Magistracy Principalities Governments we call powers or authorities which import not only might or power to an action but preeminence jurisdiction authority and government Ecclesiasticall power or administration of government is twofold proper to Christ and communicated to his church The proper government is that which Christ hath reserved onely to himself as not being shut up within any bounds of laws or orders revealed unto the creature but is executed according to his infinite wisdome by the secret hand of his Divine power and that both extraordinarily and ordinarily And this power is Lordly and Regall power absolute and of excellency which is called Power of right Communicated government is that which being limited within the compasse of certain laws and canons of his holy word he hath committed to be outwardly executed by the hand of his ministers and churches designed and appointed thereunto This power is ministeriall onely which consisteth in the outward using of the word sacraments c. and in the politicall guiding of the church concerning both the manners and necessities of all and every of them Though this latter part onely of the communicated government which is the politicall guiding of the church is that discipline which generally all ecclesiasticall writers speak of yet is not that all nor the principall of his authority And though Christ useth it many times as a chariot for his holy word to ride upon to subdue rebellious spirits yet it is neither the chief nor the most ordinary means but the simple preaching of the word is his continuall sword and sceptre whereby he saveth his people and conquereth his enemies beateth down strong holds and judgeth the very thoughts and conceits of the heart And this he doth by his word when it is not assisted by the discipline strictly taken for the word may stand without the discipline so cannot the discipline without the word But this ordinary power of the keyes or government with the execution thereof is not given to the community of the church or whole multitude of the faithfull much lesse to two or three separated from the world and gathered together by covenant so as they be the immediate and first receptacle thereof receiving it from Christ and virtually deriving it to others For no power agreeth to the multitude of the faithfull virtuall or formall but that which is given them of the Lord by his positive law The whole spirituall power for the gathering and government of his church is given to Christ as Mediatour and hath Christ our Lord the King of Saints Saviour of Sion the head of all principality and power the sole authour which he received not of the church but from the Father And if the power of the church be derived from and communicated by Christ unto his church of necessity it must draw its originall from Divine positive law and can agree to none but as it is communicated For although the light of nature teach that God is to be worshipped yet in substantiall things reason teacheth not how this worship of God is to be administred nor the house of God to be governed but in all this we must depend upon the mind and pleasure of Christ the King of his church and Saviour of his body The Apostles had none other authority but what was given them from Christ and the church is to derive all her authority from the same fountain from which the Apostles received theirs 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 the power and authority of preaching the Gospel administration of the sacraments binding and loosing is given unto the church and it is apparent distinct severall persons are spoken of and not the whole community Go teach all nations and baptize them Whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted and Feed my sheep Feed my lambs were these things spoken to the whole community or to speciall persons If Christ gave this power to the community or society I desire to know the date of this commission whether was it universall from the very beginning of the church or took it effect aftect churches were planted and established by the Apostles themselves Not the first for then the Apostles themselves should derive their power from the community and society of the faithfull which they did not but immediately from Christ and that both in respect of gifts and graces their calling it self and designation of their persons What Paul saith of himself That he was an Apostle not of man neither by man but by Jesus Christ and God the Father that is true of all the Apostles who were sent of Christ as the Father sent him and are called Apostles of Jesus Christ not onely because they were to preach Christ but because they received their commission from him Not in after-times for then they must shew where Christ committed the power of government first to the Apostles and afterwards to the community of the faithfull for which they can bring no record out of holy scripture The ministers and guides of the church are immediately of Jesus Christ from whom immediately they derive their power and authority by whom they are set over their charge in whose name they must execute their office unto whom they must give an account and whose ministers they are Take heed to your selves and to the whole flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you overseers the Apostle speaketh unto the Presbyters of Ephesus and saith they were appointed overseers of the holy Ghost that they might govern the church of God They were chosen and ordained of men and so by immediety of person were not of God but their gifts office and authority was immediately of God In conferring those offices God useth the ministery of men but the office or authority it self is not from men but from God alone God onely in regard of authority doth ever apply all power ecclesiasticall unto every particular person his sole authority doth all in it though sometimes as in ordinary callings the ministery of others doth concurre When Christ ascended up on high he gave gifts unto men some to be Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastours and teachers The Pastourship is the gift of Christ no lesse then the Apostleship and that the more because it is perpetuall in the church Every Pastour is not immediately called but the office and order of Pastours is immediately from Christ and not from the church The person is not immediate but the calling or vocation and so the order and authority and all the jurisdiction But if the calling order and authority be immediately from Christ then it is not
first subject from whom it cometh to the officers As the power of seeing is not onely given intuitu hominis as the end of it and the totum to whom it agreeth but is in homine as the first subject from whom it cometh to the eye The Apostles and other governours were given of Christ for the church as for the end and all their authority was given unto them for the church as for the whole but the authority it self was immediately derived from Christ and is not in the church as the immediate subject thereof The authority of the Apostles and other guides was for the church given for the good of the whole society and so may be called the authority of the church but the authority is not immediately in the church as the subject nor derived from the church but from Christ the King of the church The authority of governours 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 that it may be communicated to the governours themselves for the edification of the whole It is one thing then to ask for what end or whose use the keyes are given another to whom To every one is given the declaration of the spirit for profit that is the good of the church But was this gift given to the community of the faithfull first and immediately No by gift and possession it was given to some but for use and profit it was publick As the Saints are not priests onely for themselves but for their brethren for whom they offer up the spirituall sacrifices of prayer and thanksgiving so neither are they kings for themselves alone but for their brethren also having the power of Christ whereby to judge them 1. Cor. 5. 4 12. the keyes of the kingdome to bind and loose them Matth. 16. 19. in the order of him prescribed The order of kings is the highest order or estate in the church but the order of Saints is the order of kings and we are kings as we are Saints not as we are officers Exod. 19. 6. 1. Pet. 2. 9. Rev. 1. 6. Christ maketh every believer a king priest and prophet to teach exhort reprove comfort offer up spirituall sacrifices of prayer and praise and to guide and govern in the wayes of godlinesse But this belongeth not to the spirituall ministeriall power and authority which Christ hath given for the conservation and government of his church For every Christian man and woman is made a king priest and prophet unto God to perform all offices required in that relation but the spirituall power of government with the execution thereof is not committed to every believer in particular nor to any one The officers of Christ do neither feed and teach as prophets nor govern as kings nor offer sacrifices as priests The word it self teaching and feeding is one thing which floweth from Christ as Prophet the administration of the word whence also floweth the act of governing is from Christ as King It is from internall communion with Christ that the sound sincere faithfull and they onely are made spirituall kings and priests unto God but it is from Christ as King governing externally as be beareth the similitude of a politicall head that his servants do feed rule and censure in his name They onely are made true kings and priests unto God who have received from Christ the life of grace but they have received authority from Christ to do service in his church who have not received life of grace nor are made kings or priests unto God The Kingdome Priesthood or Prophesie of Christ doth make no man politically either priest or king or prophet for then all believers should exercise the office of politicall priests kings and prophets in the church which is opposite to the nature of Christs kingdome Christ according to his Person is neither externall King nor Pastour but doth govern his church externally by pastours and ministers yet not as by kings or priests politicall but as servants onely Pastours and teachers are but officers in the church and in no kingly authority by participation of Christs kingly office neither are they as civill governours though the Lords servants yet the peoples lords and masters But it is one thing to be a spirituall king or priest unto God another to be a pastour or teacher in Gods church for that is common to all Christians this peculiar unto them that have received authority of function from Christ The Saints therefore as spirituall kings have not received power from Christ by function or authority to censure their brethren or externally to rule or govern but this belongeth to them who are designed of Christ the King unto this office Every Christian woman may exhort or reprove without any designement of the church is every woman made a prophet externally in the church Is power to administer the sacraments and authoritatively to censure offenders se autoritate muneris not officii generalis or charitatis committed to every member of the society because every believer may exhort and admonish not onely his brother of the same or another society but even them that are without By the keyes of the kingdome power and jurisdiction is noted and not the bare duty of instruction or admonition The power of the keyes is given by Christ as the King of his church as is evident by the generall institution of ecclesiasticall politie and the particular narration of politie instituted but that every Christian was sent forth with authority and commission we never read And if this reason be of any force every believer man or woman is of equall authority to the Apostles in matters of ecclesiasticall government because the order of saints is the order of kings and that is the highest which is directly corsse to the holy scripture and the order appointed by Christ the King and Head of his church They that have received Christ have received the power of Christ and his whole power for Christ and his power are not divided nor one part of his power from another But every company or communion of faithfull people have received Christ John 1. 12. Rom. 8. 32. Isa 9. 6. and with him power and right to enjoy him though all the world be against it in all the means by which he doth communicate himself unto his church This objection is not to be understood of the essentially Divine power of Christ which is proper to him as the Sonne of God nor of the uncommunicated power of Christ given to him as Mediatour nor of that communion and fellowship which every sincere Christian and faithfull soul hath with him in his death and resurrection but of the communicated power of Christ which he hath given to his church or certain officers in the church for the
good government of all and every memeber of that society And in this sense it is not true that Christ hath given his whole power first and immediately to every person or every company two or three gathered together who receive him Every believer man or woman hath received Christ as well as every company or communion of people hath every one received power to preach the word administer the sacraments feed rule bind and loose censure and absolve women and children as well as men two as well as two hundred private persons as well as guides with or without consent of the rest as well out of as in case of necessity Every sound believer is knit to Christ as a branch to the Vine as a live-member to the Head or a wife to the Husband and receiveth the sap of grace sense living and motion immediately from Christ the true Vine and Head of his church But every believer or company of believers must not challenge that power and authority immediately which Christ doth communicate to his ministers and guides for the right managing of all things in his church or to the church with the guides and officers for the edification of the body All power of the naturall body must be together but it is not so in the spirituall And if it was the society must grow up into a perfect body complete in all parts before it can have or exercise the power of the whole which two or three gathered together ordinarily cannot be in politicall order as may be shewed hereafter The church is a Queen a Mother a Lady a Spouse and to whom should Christ first commit his power but to his Queen we know well the church is the wife and spouse of Christ and the Ministers stewards Cant. 8. 9. Ephes 5. 29 30 32. 1. Cor. 4. 1. To let passe that this title of Spouse or Queen may be applyed to one believer as well as two or three and that the guides and officers are known by those titles and relations as well as believers not in office Considering this power is not a Lordly power but a power of doing service to the church for Christ his sake and his kingdome therefore it is fit it should be committed to some persons and not to the whole community which is the Queen of Christ For Christ the King of his church hath not committed power to his Church or Queen to serve her self properly but to have persons who in this relation should stand distinguished from her who are in his name to do her service The power of priesthood was not first in the church of Israel and so derived to the priests but immediately from Christ seated in Aaron and his sons The community of the faithfull have neither the power of government nor the use of that power Not the power for it is immediately from Christ seated in such officers or principall members as Christ himself the King of his church shall authorize and not in the body considered apart from the officers Nor the use of that power because that cannot be enjoyed without officers And if it may stand with the honour of the church to want the exercise or dispensation of that power or authority it derogateth nothing from the prerogative of the faithfull to want the power it self For it is as much for the welfare and good of the church that Christ out of respect to his Spouse hath given her commandment as his steward to elect and choose officers according to his appointment who should receive power and authority from him for such and such offices and services in the church as that he should seat the power it self in a few or many believers to be derived from them unto others according to pleasure For though their authority and power be from Christ and not from the church yet the service and authority is for the church in the name of Christ and in that sense they are subject to the church In the church the officers are the ministers of Christ to execute and administer the judgements and censures of God against the obstinate but for the church They are for the people but not ministers of the people as if they drew their authority from them and were to execute their judgements But though the community hath not power given unto them yet such estate is put upon them by Christ the King and Husband of his church that all power is to be executed in such manner as standeth with respect to their excellency If spirituall and ecclesiasticall power be in the church or community of the faithfull the church doth not onely call but make officers out of virtue and power received into herself and then should the church have a true lordlike power in regard of her ministers For as he that will derive authority to the church maketh himself Lord of the church so if the church derive authority to the ministers of Christ she maketh herself Lady or Mistresse over them in the exercise of that lordlike authority For as all men know it is the property of the Lord and Master to impart authority Did the church give power to the Pastours and Teachers she might make the sacrament and preaching which one doth in order no sacrament no preaching for it is the order instituted of God that giveth being and efficacy 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 sacrament in respect of dispensation and efficacy shall depend upon the order and institution of the society If the power of the keyes be derived from the community of the faithfull then are all 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 retein sinnes preach and administer the sacraments then they must perform 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 work they are to do and from whom they must expect reward If their office and power be of God immediately they must do the duties of their place according to his designement and unto him they must give account But if their power and function be from the church the church must give account to 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 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 arbitrement of the church to chuse according to pleasure such as must receive charge and authority from her and then they must execute their office in her name so as shall seem 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 faithfull onely that they preach or administer the sacraments rule or feed they have it from the people and not from God And if they depend immediately upon the faithfull to wit two or three gathered together in covenant they must derive and draw from them what in order they are to preach unto men in the name of the Lord For from him must the embassadour learn his errand from whom he receiveth his commission Moreover if the power of the keyes be given first and immediately unto the community of the faithfull what reason can be given why in defect of officers the church might not rule govern feed bind loose preach and administer the sacraments or if any fail in any office why she might not supply that want by her power For the power of the keyes doth contein 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 execute those acts of rule nor by her power supply the want of any office 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 In the church of Christ the officers are called servants and in that relation the church may be called a Lord And if Christ truly call the Sonne of man Lord of the Sabbath because the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath we may also call the church in a respect Lord of the officers for the officers are for the church and not the church for them The church-officers are the church-servants and it is strange men should have no command over their servants If the officers of Christ be both of and for the church or people and community the people may not onely in some respects be called their Lords but indeed they have a true lordlike power over them But the church hath no lordlike power over the ministers of Christ whom he hath set over his house to rule and guide it by authority received from him and according to his direction whose ministers properly they are who is the Prince of Pastours The object about which the ecclesiasticall ministery is exercised is the church and their function is for the good of the church but the principall cause and Lord of the ministers upon whom they depend is Christ and not the church When our Saviour saith The Sonne of man is Lord of the Sabbath he speaketh of himself alone rather then of man in generall For to be the Lord of the Sabbath that is to have the Sabbath in his power so as he might dispense or do contrary to the law is proper to the Law-giver But not to insist thereupon the ministers are appointed for the good of the flocks committed to their charge in the name of Christ but the flocks neither are nor ought to be called Lords or Masters of their Pastours or Teachers As in the naturall body all power is first in the community or totum and afterwards in a particular person or part so it is in the body ecclesiasticall All that is true in the body naturall or politick cannot be applyed to the mysticall body of Christ For analogum is not in omni simile for then it should be the same with the analogatum All the power of hearing seeing c. are in the whole man which doth produce them effectually though formally and instrumentally they are in the eare and eye and the reason is because these powers are naturall and whatever is naturall doth first agree to the community or totum and afterward to a particular person or part But all that is in these bodies cannot hold in Christs mysticall body In a naturall body the power is first in the community in a particular person from it but all ecclesiasticall power is first in our King before any in the church from him In naturall bodies the power of seeing is first immediately in the man and for the man in the eye In the mysticall body the faith of the believer is not first immediately in all then in the believer but first of all and immediately in the personall believer for whose good it serveth more properly then for the whole every man being to live by his own faith One man is capable of grace which cannot agree to the whole community immediately The power of Apostleship or of ordinary ministery was not first in the church and so derived to the Apostles and ministers but immediately from Christ seated in the Apostles and ordinary Pastours and Teachers For seeing power ecclesiasticall was first in Christ as in a prince not subject to the church or dependent upon her consequently it perteineth to him as prince to take order concerning his embassadours and substitutes whose power is derived from him not from the church who of her own nature is not a mistresse in spirituall things but the servant of Jesus Christ redeemed by him Christ is the first authour of this spirituall power upon whose will and institution all things depend as for the church she can give no spirituall power to few or many one or more as please herself for what time she will but must submit to that which Christ hath left for her spirituall good and comfort The words are as clear as the sun Tell the church that is the congregation or assembly whereof the offender is a member which rule concerneth all the visible churches in the world since the power of excommunication is an essentiall property one of the keys of the kingdome the onely solemn ordinance in the church for the humbling and saving of an obstinate offender and as necessary as the power to receive in members without which a church cannot be gathered or consist But what are we to understand by the church or assembly A company consisting though but of two or three separated from the world whether Unchristian or Antichristian and gathered into the name of Christ by a covenant made to walk in the wayes of God made known unto them though they be without any officers among them which company being a church hath interest in all the holy things of Christ within and amongst themselves immediately under him the head without any forrein aid or assistance For a set company of believers must needs be a constituted visible church Two or three or more people making Peters confession Matth. 16. are the church There were churches
before olders ordained and a company of faithfull people without officers may be in covenant with God and have him dwell amongst them and may have communion one with another and their children have right to baptisme And it must be considered that two or three gathered together have the same right with two or three hundred By two or three having this power of binding or loosing cannot be meant two or three ministers considered severally from the body which alone are not the church for any publick administration but the officers of the church but by two or three are meant the meanest communion or society of Saints whether with officers or without officers This then is that which he would clearly evince out of this text of scripture That spirituall power is essentially and primarily given to the society of the faithfull few or many though but two or three to the faithfull without their guides or officers who are added to the church and derive their authority from the church to whom it agreeth secondarily and by accident and so by the church understand any collection of the faithfull united in covenant great or small few or many with or without guides or officers The church is sometimes put for believers few or many But to the making up of a visible distinct society or congregation properly so called or body politicall furnished with the power of Christ for government and the exercise of all religious duties and ordinances of worship a competent number is requisite and necessary At first Adam and Eve were the church when there were none other persons in the world and might perform all the officers of a church at that time required of them But two or three are no sufficient number to make up that society which now we speak of There is a twofold church as the society of Christians is twofold publick or private The private society may be in one family though small The publick society is a convenient number of such as do in one uniform agreed course of outward joynt worship of God professe that righteousnesse which is by the faith of Jesus Christ The number of men worshipping God aright is a church be it few or many be it few or many but two or three cannot make up an intire society consisting of all its parts fitted to the execution of all substantiall offices perteining to the body or corporation A competent and fit number there must be to make up this body but no precise number is or can be determined it may be more or lesse according to the circumstances of time place and other occurrences Therefore for our direction in this case it is good to look at their pattern who first planted the churches of God according to the wisdome of God and by the direction of his Spirit And to begin with the Apostles because we speak of Christian churches first by comparing passages of holy scripture together we shall find that to ordain elders city by city and to ordain elders church by church are used as phrases adaequate and aequipollent not that the whole multitude of the one and locall bounds of the other should make but one congregation but because the Christians or believers within those bounds or limits were framed into one Christian society or church For Presbyters were not given but to Disciples and Christians now converted out of the multitude and locall limits wherewith cities were bounded Now though the Apostles framing the cities with their suburbs and territories into one church or society on the present occasion doth not exclude the constituting of any other society or congregation within the same locall bounds when the multitude of believers should be encreased yet it doth evidently confirm that the number of believers requisite to the making up of a perfect or complete church in all parts and offices must not be small The Apostles never comprehend the multitude of citizens unconverted to the profession of the faith under the name of the church neither can it be imagined that the whole multitude within those locall circuits united in civil society was linked by any spirituall bond or tie but the city had the reason of an ample continent the church of a thing conteined Neverthelesse the blessing of God considered which did extraordinarily accompany the labours of the Apostles according to the prophesies foregoing touching the calling of the Gentiles the number of believers we may well think within that circuit was very great But if we take a view of particular churches the matter will be more plain The Christian church at Jerusalem was one distinct society which did congregate upon occasion and held communion in the ordinances of worship But it grew and encreased first to three thousand then to five thousand afterward multitudes of men and women were added and then it came to millions It may be in this last number such believers are reckoned as had no fixed habitation in Jerusalem but came thither upon occasion and were there in transitu and not as fixed members of this church viz. such as came up by occasion of the Passeover or Pentecost or other like feast and were onely there for the present It may be the Apostles tolerated them though more then could fitly meet together ordinarily in one congregation because they foresaw such times to ensue wherein many of them should translate themselves and be dispersed hither and thither It may be also God let it grow more rank and abundant then ordinary churches because it was ecclesia surcularis many of whose branches were to be translated in their time But whatsoever might be the reason of this great number this is certain the multitude was great for after it was grown to five thousand and multitudes of men and women were added it encreased daily The number of disciples encreased greatly in Jerusalem and a great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith The Syriack Interpreter hath it of the Jews sc inhabiting Judea but the Greek Arabick Ethiopick Vulgar and Chrysostom approve the former And the number of Priests was not small as the scripture witnesseth And when all the Apostles or the greatest part of them remained at Jerusalem continuing in the ministery of the word and prayer and that they might do it the more earnestly and diligently left off the care of the poore to others how can we think that the whole church did not multiply and encrease It is most probable that the whole city of Samaria in a manner embraced the faith The people gave heed with one accord unto those things which Philip spake As the whole city from the least unto the greatest had given heed to Simon Magus before so to Philip now when he preached Christ It is said also that Samaria received the Gospel which argueth that it had universall enterteinment among them In
is not in fault as here we may well think some in Corinth mourned and endeavoured to have the incestuous person removed who else should inform the Apostle now far absent of this abuse and their grosse security but could not prevail and yet the Apostle rebuketh the whole society And the same may be observed in the Prophets they rebuke the common sinnes of many as if all had corrupted their wayes Again the Apostle might rebuke the whole society that he was not cast out when yet the authority to cast him out perteined to some onely Some he might rebuke because they were puffed up and did not sorrow nor admonish governours to do their office others because they did not cast him out or rebuke him earnestly to bring him to repentance Both the brethren and the officers might be remisse the one to stirre up by grief and just indignation the others to do the duties of their place and so both sorts worthily incurre rebuke So he might admonish them all not to be commingled with fornicatours but every one according to his place not the brethren by private familiarity and conversing not the guides by their remissenesse suffering him to abide in the society whom they ought to expell and cast out He might decree and command that when they were assembled together in the name of Christ they should deliver him to Satan some by their authority derived from Christ whereunto the rest must give free and willing consent It perteined unto them all to endeavour his casting forth but to every man in his order to the officers to cast him forth by their authority to the faithfull by admonition sorrow free consent and just indignation if upon rebuke he did not testifie repentance It concerned the people as well as the preists to put away leaven out of their houses and so every man was to put leaven out of his own house and every Christian man and woman is to purge sinne out of their hearts and do their endeavour to reform others But if this be applied to the purging and casting forth of the incestuous man then it must be remembred that similitudes hold not in every thing For otherwise every prticular man and woman in Corinth being a member of that society had authority of himself actually to thrust out the incestuous person which is directly contrary to the Apostles admonition For when they were assembled together in the name of Christ the Apostle willeth them to deliver up to Satan him that had done that wicked deed He designeth none other authour of this sentence but the Lord Jesus Christ in whose name that is by whose authority and commandment received from him he would have it to be administred For nothing can be done prosperously in the church unlesse all things we undertake be ordered according to the prescript of the chief and supreme Lawgiver But God never gave authority to every particular believer two or three to thrust every notorious offender out of the congregation as he charged every master of a family to put away leaven out of his house By the power of Christ is understood the incommunicable power or virtue of Christ whereby he worketh powerfully by his Spirit in the ministery of the word and confirmeth the sentence of the church rightly pronounced according to his promise That virtue or efficacious power by which he is with his church to the end of the world and promiseth to be in the midst of two or three that should be so gathered together in his name And Paul encourageth the Corinthians to minister the discipline of excommunication upon the incestuous man arming them thereunto by the mighty presence of Christ by which it should be made effectuall Or if by the power of Christ we understand both that which is proper to Christ and that which is communicated to his officers for the good and benefit of the church which is lesse probable yet there is no syllable that this power is given immediately to the whole community and from them derived to the officers much lesse that it is given originally and executivè both to a small company of believers without officers For the Apostle speaketh not of the power but of the execution of that power which God hath given and that by a church completely furnished with officers for that purpose The principall cause of that casting forth was the power that is the commandment and authority of Christ who is the authour of ecclesiasticall power the near cause the commandment of the Apostle Let him be delivered to Satan the next cause the authority of the governours to whom Christ hath committed the care of his flock But as the authority of Christ doth not take away the judgement of the Apostle nor the judgement of the Apostle the authority of the governours no more doth the authority of the governours the due regard and respect which must be had of the people in the execution of that dreadfull sentence To this purpose is the distinction of a twofold excommunication or power of the keyes used by Divines The first concionalis per modum doctrinae which is the first part of the power of the keyes and so the pastour alone may excommunicate the impenitent according to the commandment of Christ The second judicialis per modum sententiae which is not in the power of every pastour but of the church sc of the rulers or officers in respect of authority derived but to be exercised with due regard had to the communitie as the flock and sheep of Christ When the Apostle writeth to the Corinthians in behalf of the incestuous person to confirm their love towards him he saith it is sufficient that he had been rebuked of many thereby understanding not the whole society but the chief or governours to whom the care of ecclesiasticall discipline was committed And if the congregation was freely and deliberately to consent to his excommunication the authority of many was sufficient for his rebuke by whom it was performed to whom belonged the authority of binding and loosing ministerially It is true the word many is now and then put for all when the subject matter requireth it be so understood but there is no reason so to take it in this passage and if all had received authority immediately to rebuke by way of censure and ministerially we can give no reason why the Apostle should not rather have said of all then of many The question then is not whether all due regard should be had of the congregation or church in a matter of such weight and importance before the governours proceed to the sentence of excommunication but whether the power of excommunication and exercise thereof be primarily in the people and from them derived to the ministers which is not proved by this nor any other text of scripture Two or three met together in the name of Christ are the church that hath power to excommunicate But
that agreeth to the whole community and not to the officers alone Moreover the power of excommunication is an essentiall property one of the keyes of the kingdome and as necessary as the power to receive in members without which a church cannot be gathered or consist Every society consisting of two or three believers met together to pray is not that church which hath power to excommunicate for then in many Christian congregations and in divers families there should be many churches invested with this authority No one example can be alledged out of scripture or ecclesiasticall story of the ancient church in which the multitude of the faithfull no guides or officers moderating the action did lawfully excommunicate or judge as the Apostle speaketh any member of the society No promise can be shewed in holy writ wherein any such authority is bequeathed to two or three private believers disciples or brethren The sentence of excommunication is to be concluded and denounced by men met together in the name of Christ that is by the commandment and authority of Christ and with the power of Christ but it will never be proved that Christ hath authorized two or three Christian people without officers or guides to meet in his name and by his power to denounce that grave and fearfull sentence The church to whom this power perteineth is an assembly gathered in the name and by the power of Christ for such a purpose which agreeth to them onely who have received power from Christ to do that service and not to every society nor to every one in any complete society of believers And thus the words of our Saviour must be expounded if they have such reference to the precedent matter But they may contein a reason drawn from the lesse to the greater thus If Christ be present with two or three gathered together in his name to ask things agreeable to his will he will much more confirm in heaven whatsoever his officers and servants assembled in his name shall determine and conclude and what sentence they shall denounce upon mature deliberation according to his will If we speak of complete churches such as the Apostles planted it hath power of excommunication which is one part of the power of the keyes but the execution of that power is not essentiall to the church either constitutively or consecutively It is neither the matter nor form of the church nor that which doth necessarily flow from them as an inseparable property The moderate use of excommunication is necessary to the well-being of a church but there may be a true church where there is no discipline of excommunication and where that censure is not put in practice He may be a good physitian who never used section a good chirurgian who hath no saw and the body sound which never suffered the cutting off of a member The conclusion is That all spirituall power is immediately derived from Christ to be exercised by his direction and appointment for the good and benefit of the whole church The power of preaching the word authoritatively and administration of the sacraments perteineth to the Pastours and Teachers onely which power they have received from Christ must exercise for the edification of the flock The power of excommunication formaliter exsecutivè is proper to the company or assembly of guides and rulers in the church derived from Christ to be exercised as Christ shall go before them but with the notice of and due regard had unto the whole society CHAP. XIII An examination of sundry positions laid down by M r Jacob in his Exposition of the second commandement tending to Separation TO know the true sense and meaning the just scope and purpose of the second commandment is of continuall and necessary use and rightly conceived might be a means of unity and peace amongst brethren in matters of worship In this regard M r Jacob as he saith compiled a brief exposition of that commandment and with a mind desirous to maintein and keep the people of God within the bounds of truth and peace I purpose a brief plain and modest examination of his exposition in some particulars concerning the speciall object of the commandment and positions taken by some to be just grounds of Separation By the second commandment we stand bound to embrace all the instituted holy doctrines means and ordinances both inward and outward appointed of God to bring us life to believe that we have to bring us to eternall life a Mediatour and Saviour given us and that he is a Priest Prophet and King These things are not in the first but in the second commandment although they be inward actions of the mind and inward worship This is a private conceit affirmed without ground or reason to support it crosse to the commandment and M r Jacob himself Contrary to the commandment for the first commandment enjoyneth us to take the true Jehovah to be our God as in covenant he hath bound himself unto his Israel But God is not our God in covenant but in and through a Mediatour And therefore the first commandment bindeth us to take the true God in and through a Mediatour that is Jesus Christ to be our God M r Jacob holdeth the tables of the law to be the Lords testimony and convenant wherein all duties whatsoever even the Evangelicall as faith hope and repentance are commanded But in the covenant of grace in what commandment the Lord hath bound us to know believe hope or call upon him in the same he hath obliged us to know him in Christ to believe in him through Christ and to call upon him in and through a Mediatour For God in Christ or God and Christ is the object of Christian religion and since the fall of Adam there is no throne erected unto which man can come no way prepared no liberty granted for man to come no good successe to be expected but in the name of a Mediatour It is impossible to conceive how Christians should believe that God is or that he is a rewarder of them that seek him diligently but according to his covenant of mercy how they should believe in his free grace and mercy for the remission of sinnes but in and through Jesus Christ our onely Saviour The selfsame precept which bindeth Christians to take the true God to be their God King Father Judge and Saviour bindeth them also to take Jesus Christ to be their sole Mediatour Redeemer Saviour King and Priest and Prophet Not to believe in or worship Jesus Christ is a breach of the first commandment so the profession of Turcisme is against the first commandment To believe in or pray unto Angels or Saints departed as mediatours is a breach of the first commandment All honour and service whatsoever inward or outward which is due unto God by virtue of the first commandment it must be done unto God in and through Jesus Christ
uniting themselves in covenant should be reputed the onely visible and ministeriall church independent from whom the officers should as their servants derive their authority This kind or form of a visible church is so farre from being the onely lawfull and allowed form of a church in scripture as if we speak of a church complete in respect of the inward substance and externall order furnished for all duties and offices required of the church it is not so much as warranted in scripture To the constitution of a visible distinct society or church there is required First an intire profession of one and the same faith and holynesse intire in all fundamentall articles of faith to be believed as necessary to salvation and main precepts and morall laws for practice to be acknowledged A lively operative faith maketh a man a true member of the church invisible and the profession of faith and holynesse a member of the church visible Profession of Divine verities revealed in Christ whom onely the companies and societies of Christians acknowledge to be the Sonne of God and Saviour of the world doth distinguish Christians from Jews The intire profession of faith according to the rule left by Christ and his first disciples and scholars the holy apostles doth separate the multitude of night-believing Christians which is the sound part of the Christian church from all seduced hereticall combinations Secondly there is required an union and communion in the true worship of God and ordinances belonging thereunto appointed of God himself sc prayer administration of the sacraments and dispensation of the word But the time may fall out that the preaching of the word may be omitted and reading or meditation may possesse the place thereof nay mere desire conjoyned with manifold sighs So the administration of the sacraments may be left off as it was in the church of the Israelites for the space of fourty yeares in the wildernesse But though the being of a church is not absolutely destroyed by the want or omission of these exercises for a time yet they are actions necessary to the well-being of a church and such as flow from the very nature of a church if they be not hindred Thirdly there must be subjection to lawfull guides officers or pastours appointed authorized and sanctified to lead and direct the flock in the happy wayes of eternall life Companies of believers were gathered before elders were ordained amongst them and the church may continue when guides are wanting as in case they be taken away by death persecution banishment but it is not complete or perfect without them neither can it hold communion in many ordinances of worship nor execute many offices which belong to the church consisting of all its parts Fourthly to the making up of an intire visible distinct society orders laws and discipline is required for the perventing of abuses and scandals the preservation of the holy things of God from contempt the recovery of them that fall and suppression of prophanenesse Discipline is needfull in every society without which it cannot long continue but all things will run into confusion It is necessary the members of the church should live Christianly otherwise the profession of faith and administration of the holy things of God must needs be polluted Discipline put for the censures hath no practice but in an united body or church which must needs have a being before it can exercise its power But the excercise of that power in a body complete is necessary not simply to the being but to the well-being of the whole As a city so the church cannot be without those things which belong to the necessary being thereof but it may be without those that belong unto her safety alone though not so well Fifthly the members of a visible church must hold fellowship in faith and love not onely one with another but with all other visible churches and all others intirely professing the faith of Christ and walking in holynesse so farre as they hold communion with Jesus Christ For all visible churches though distinct societies be sisters one in profession fundamentall laws and ordinances and should be one in hearty love and affection And no particular church can be called or be the true church of Christ but as it holdeth union with the catholick From the relation whereby Christ is referred to his members these things flow sc That Christ doth expound to them his word for the food of eternall life and doth hang seals to his word whereby he doth confirm and ratifie it From the relation whereby the members of Christ are referred to him their Head these things flow That whosoever would be accounted for true members of Jesus Christ they must acknowledge and receive that food and those seals appointed by Divine institution If the faithfull must assemble to heare the word of God call upon his name and receive the sacraments then there must be some to preach the word administer the sacraments and blesse in the name of the Lord and that by authority from God If they must receive the word and avouch themselves to be the people of God then they must walk before him in holynesse and maintein the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace If the temple of God must be kept from pollution and the holy things of God from contempt then there must be authority communicated from Christ to censure such as offend to repell the notorious to comfort the afflicted and receive the penitent If all promiscuously may not meddle with the dispensation of the holy things of God to that purpose then there must be order for their election and admission into that office and for the execution thereof being admitted thereunto Where all these things are to be found purely the church is excellent for degree pure and famous Where any of these are wanting or impure the church is so much defective or impure though it may be pure in comparison of others Wheresoever we see the word of God truly taught and professed in points fundamentall and the sacraments for substance rightly administred there is the true church of Christ though the health and soundnesse of it may be crazed by many errours in doctrine corruptions in the worship of God and evils in the life and manners of men Profession of the true faith alone in matters fundamentall and holy prayer with exhortation to obedience is a mark of the true church though the sacraments upon occasion be not there administred so that they be not neglected upon any contempt or erroneous conceit of their not being necessary Where most of these notes are wanting or impure the church is of lesse account in dignity excellency and credit coming short of others according to the degrees of impurity in the marks the deficiency of some marks and the nature of the marks themselves in which the impurity is As impurity in doctrine or administration of the sacraments is worse then disorder in matter of
government onely Therefore to the full complete constitution of a visible church many things are required and that of divers kinds in themselves and of divers degrees of necessity all which cannot be referred to the second commandment but many and they most necessary to the first some to the third some to all And though in things essentiall and unchangeable belonging to the being of the church and matters positive determined by God nothing must be done besides the rule yet in things not determined concerning externall order and the better exercise of that authority which Christ hath committed to his servants some things are permitted to the wisdome of the church according to the generall rules of scripture And if the church holding the true faith as it hath formerly been said shall exceed or fall short in some particulars for such superfluity or defect she is not to be rejected as no true visible church of Christ Every church-ministery made and devised by the policy of men and not instituted of God is against the second commandment c. And all offices and ministeries in the church which are found in the scripture as instituted by God are in the affirmative part of this second commandment The church-ministery in respect of the main and substantiall duties belonging thereunto doth pertein to the second commandment in part not wholly or onely but in respect of things circumstantiall annexed to the ministery it belongeth not to the second commandment And if we consult scripture that is a new or devised ministery which for substance of the office is not of God be the outward calling never so orderly or legall and that ministery is not new or devised which for the substance of the office is of God though the entrance was disordered in the person admininistring many things be amisse and in the execution many defects or superfluities If a minister orderly chosen and ordained shall preach false and corrupt doctrine in points fundamentall or administer false sacraments his ministery is new devised false notwithstanding his lawfull entrance If a minister enter unlawfully either by the tumult of the people partiality of the overseers or corruption of patrones if he preach Christ crucified soundly and rightly administer the sacraments his ministery is true and of God though his entrance be of men If a minister preach sound doctrine in the main though mixed with some errours and administer the holy sacraments though with some superstitious rites his ministery is not to be esteemed new or devised for these weaknesses If some things humane be mixed with Divine a sound Christian must separate the one from the other and not cast away what is of God as a nullity fruitlesse unprofitable defiled because somewhat of men is annexed unto them In the body we can distinguish betwixt the substance and the sicknesse which cleaveth unto it betwixt the substance of a part and member and some bunch or swelling which is a deformity but destroyeth not the nature of that part or member Which of the prophets doth not cry out against the pride oppression covetousnesse tyranny of the priests in the time of the law Their offices were bought and sold they themselves despised knowledge opposed the prophets of the Lord strengthened the hands of the wicked and were enemies to all piety and yet their ministery was not false and devised for the main substance of it It is objected by the rigidest Separatists with great confidence That to communicate in a false ministery is certainly a breach of the second commandment For what do they else but set up an idole yea and bow down unto it which serve God in and by a devised ministery But if first they would consider what a false or devised ministery is and then what it is to communicate in the worship of God with them they would soon forsake this fort wherein they trust For the ministery may be true and of God when the election is disordered and the person unmeet and the execution maimed If this be not granted there was neither church nor sacrament nor ministery in the world for many hundred yeares yea if every superfluity or defect make a nullity of the ministery they that think themselves the onely ministers will be found none at all because they derive their authority from the community of the faithfull it may be two or three onely united in covenant which hath none authority to communicate it as hath been proved before For so we may reason as they do That is no ministery which is derived from them and executed in their name who have none authority to give it What is it to communicate in a false ministery Is it to communicate in the worship of God with them whose calling is not in every respect appointed and approved of God I might entreat them to look to their own standing before they accuse others and justifie their own calling before they seek to draw others from the communion of the church upon such pretenses But if that be their meaning the proposition is weak it can neither stand alone nor be underset with any props For when the prophets prophesied lies and the priests bare rule by their means was their ministery true or false When the priests were dumb dogs that could not bark and greedy dogs that could never have enough was their ministery true or false When the priests bought and sold doves in the temple or took upon them to provide doves and such like things for them that were to offer was their ministery true or false When the scribes and Pharisees corrupted the law by false glosses taught for doctrine mens precepts made the commandment of God of none effect by their traditions and set themselves against Jesus Christ was their ministery true or false If true then an ignorant idole prophane idle ministery which despiseth knowledge opposeth godlinesse prophaneth the holy things of God corrupteth the law polluteth his worship strengtheneth the hands of the wicked leadeth the blind out of the way may be a true and lawfull ministery If false then to communicate in a false ministery is not a breach of the second commandment For the true prophets forbad not the people to heare the priests nor our Saviour his followers to communicate with the scribes and Pharisees in the worship of God He charged them to beware of their leaven to let them alone because they were the blind leaders of the blind but he never laid his commandment upon the faithfull not to communicate with them in the worship of God And therefore to communicate with ministers no better then Pharisees in the true worship of God is neither a vain worship nor an abetting of the party in his sin nor to rebell against the Lord nor to commit spirituall whoredome but on the contrary it is to worship God aright to reverence his ordinances to relie upon his grace to hearken unto his voice and submit unto
a portion of the prophets instead of the law Elias Thisb in verb. Pat. Hooker Eccl. pol. lib. 5. § 20. Cartwr Reply 1. part pag. 157 158. In the christian assemblies they had lectures out of the prophets and apostles Justin Apol. 2. pag. 162. Cypr. l. 2. Ep. 4. lib. 4. Ep. 5. Ambr. l. 1. Offic. cap. 8. Ep. 75. Concil Laodic cap. 16. Grahan dist 15. cap. 3 The writings of the apostles are otherwise distinguished by the Russians then by us For in their language there is in S. Matthew an hundred and sixteen chapters the most of them so little that sometimes there is but three little verses therein according aâ— the sense of the discourse requireth and all that was done by one Cyrillus a priest of the church of Constantinople See Cathol Trad. qu. 9. In times past the Greeks divided Matthew into sixtie eight titles and three hundred fiftie five chapters Mark into fourtie eight titles and two hundred thirty five chapters as Sixtus Senâ—nsis hath it John into eighteen titles and two hundred thirtie two chapters See Causabon initio suar in Evangel Not. In 〈◊〉 the Apoc. in distinguished into seventy two chapters of Andreas Cesariensis into four and twentie parts and each of these subdivided into three chapters Amongst the Latines the Gospel of Matthew was divided into ninety four chapters of Luke into one hundred an seven the Epistle to the Romans into fiftie The first author of that division which we now follow some would have Hugo Cardinalis to be about the year of the Lord 1254. See Rivet Isagog ad Script cap. 29. § 21. usque ad 3â— No man put the verses in the latine bibles before Robert Stephan and for the new Testament he performed that first being holpen by no book greek or latine 〈◊〉 Stephan Lector in Concordant Graec. N. T. Thou shalt not make to thy self sâ— without commandment from God expresse and particular As by his commandment Moses made the Câ—rubims in the Sanctuary Ex. 25. 1â— the brasen serpent in the wildernesse Numb 21. 8. If we speak of humane inventions forbidden in the second commandment they are such devised worship as is not commanded determined by God and caâ—not be opposed to such things as have warrant and allowance onely from the generall rules of sâ—ripure Object 4. All 〈…〉 for 〈◊〉 is idolatry Greenwood pag. 8. Johnson ubisupâ—â— Answ Object 5. Johnson 〈…〉 God not as himself commandeth but after your 〈…〉 Ainsw Considerat exam pag 4. Answ Aug. in epist 121. cap. 12. Quam libèt 〈◊〉 verba dicimus nihil aliud dicimus quam in ista Dominica oratione positum est si reetâ— congruenter â—ramus 〈◊〉 ubi 〈◊〉 pag. 29. 〈◊〉 certum est Deum ipsum 〈◊〉 requi◠〈◊〉 neque acceptaâ—e superstitionem 〈…〉 Object 6. Answ Smith Difference of the church chap. 10. pag. 6. Idem cap. 17. Object 7. Answ It is not from God by particular institution as a substantial means or help of worship that this or that division of scripture be observed much lesse that which the Jews used or is now observed in our church But the division is of God as that which is done according to the generall rules of scripture may be said to be from him which is not to the purpose The scriptures of God are not all of one sort some partâ— be easie some parts be hard Direction where to begin in reading and how to proceed is not altogether superfluous â—ustinian the Emperour appointeth an order for the reading of the Laws what books and titles he would have read the first yeare and what the second c. Justinian in Prooem Pandect Caluin epist. 87. Quod ad formulam precum c. valâ—è probo ut illa certa exstet à qua pastoribus discedere in functione non liceat tam ut consulatur quorundam simplicitati imperitiae quà m ut certiùs ità constet omnium inter se ecclesiaruÌ„ consensus c. See Calvin Opuse epist catechis epist 87. Object 8. Answ Privilegia quaedam causae sunt quaedam personae et idâ—o quaedam ad haeredem transmittuntur quae causae sunt quae personae sunt ad haeredem nontranseunt Pandect lib. 50. tit 17. reg 196. See Jun. in Jud. v. 6 7. Append. parall sacr par 11. Rainold Censur tom 2. praelect 188 189 190 c. Object 9. Answ Willeâ— Contr. 11. qu. 1. Append Cont. 12. qu. 2. Piscat in Matth. 28 19. Schol. Mâ—ldonat in Matth. 28. 19. Cham. Panstr tom 4. De Bapt. l. 5. c. 3. §. 5. Johnson De prec â—turg pag. 28 29. Jer. 7. 31. 19. 5. Col. 2. 22 23. Deut. 12. 30 31 32. Deut. 12. 8. 9. Gen. 8. 20. 12. 7 13 1â— 20. 15. 26. 2â— 33. 20. â—xod 17. 15. 24 4 Deut. 12 5 6 11 1â— 14. Lev 1. 2 3. 2. 1. Deut. 12. 5 6 26 27. Ex. 12. 6. Nuâ—a 9 3. Omnia sunt 〈…〉 Conâ—essa Gloss ad Dâ—g â—o 47. tit 2j lâ—g 3. 〈…〉 sunt permissâ—quae non invenâ—untur prohibita Gloss ad Dig. l. 4. tit 6. leg 2â— Object 10. Answ Lex cessâ—t ubi necessitas venit Gratian. Decr. p. 2. q. 1. can 1. cap. 41. Matth. 12. 1 2. vers 5 â— 3. Arg. Object 1. Robins Justis against Bern. pag. 467. Copy of a Letter pag. 7 8. Johnson De prec liturg pag. 14 15. Greenwood Against Giff. pag. 13. You speak like an ignorant man to say that singing is prayer c. Answ Quicquid convenit tali quà tale convenit omni talâ— Object 2. Copy of a Letter pag 8. Answ Eph. 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. Euseb Hist lib. 2. cap. 17. sheweth out of Philo that the first Christians were accustomed to sing propâ—ios hymnos Et hist lib. 5. cap. 28. The primitive church had certain hymnes composed and sung to the honour of Christ Theodoret lib. 4. cap. 29. Ephrem made hymnes and psalmes in the Syrian tongue and the same were sung at the solemn â—easts of martyrs And Sozomen saith plain the same hymnes and psalmes were sung in the churches of Syria See Concil Laod. can 59. Concil Toletan 4. can 12. Object 3. Robinson Against Bern. pag. 46â— Copie of a Letter pag. 7. Answ Tot penè psalleâ—â—um chori quot gentium diversitâ—â—es Hieron ep 17. ad Marc. cap 6. Of singing by course Euseb l. 2. cap. 17. Socrat. lib. 6. cap. 8. Theodoret l. 2. cap. 24. lib. 4. cap. 2â— Plin. Epist lib. 10. ep 97. Basil epist 63. ad Cleric Neocesariens Nâ—zâ—anz Funebr orat de Basil August Confess lib. 9 c. 7. Tertull. ad uxor l. 2. extr dicit psalmum inter duos sonare The councell of Laodicea can 15. forbiddeth any to sing but him to whom the office of singing doth pertein Hieron in epist ad Rustic Dicas psalmum in ordine tuo Hieron coâ— 1â— Eph. l. 2. ad cap. 5. Gratian. Dist 92. cap. 1. 3.
Against Berr. pag. 67. As in a true church in respect of outward order there may be many false doctrines taught so in a church false in respect of outward order there may be many sound and seasonable truths taught Robins Treatise Of the lawfulnesse c. The printers to the Christian reader Deut. 19. 15. Epiphan in Ancorato Nihil sine duobus tribusve testibus getâ— potest Joseph Antiq l. 4 c. 8. See Aquin. Summ. 3. qu. 81. art 2. qu. 80. art 6. Hieron lib. 2. contra Ruff. Uni testi nè Catoni quidem est creditum Justinian Novell 123. c. 11. Omnibus autem Episcopis Presbyteris interdicere aliquem à sacra communione antequam causa monstretur c. Matth. 7. 6. * q. porrò à fano Macrob. Saturn l. 3. cap. 3. Trebatius profanum id pro priè dici ait quod ex religioso vel sacro in hominum usum proprietatémque conversum est Capta ab hostibus loca sacra vel religrosa esse desinunt Aeneid 6. Claudian De rapt Proserp Gressus removete profani Ovid. Met. 7. Procul hinc jubet ire ministros Haec autem sacra dicebantur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plinio Operanea Chrysost in Matth. Hom. 83. Galvin epist 178. Ut unus altis in consilium non adhibitis quiequam tentes autor esse non audeo Adde quòd nunquam utile putavi jus excommunicandi permitti singulis pastoribus Grat. part 3. De consecrat dist 2. c. 67. Argum. 1. Deut. 14. 2 3. 29. 10 11 12. 7. 6 7. Deut. 32. 5 6. Isai 1 2 3 4 10. Lam. 4. 6 22. Ezek. 16. 46 47. Isa 5. 1 2 3 5. Jer. 2. 21. Acts 2. 29. 3. 17 18 19 25. Object 1. Robins Against Bern. pag. 101. 82. Answ Robins Agaâ—â—â—st 〈◊〉 pag. 284. Robins Against Bern. pag. 114 211. Psal 50. 5. vers 1â— Luke 20. 26. Gen. 4. 26. Matth. 5. 16. 1. Pet. 2. 12. Acts 2. 47. Lev. 14. 46 47. 15. 4 11 12. Hagg. 2. 12 13 14. 1. Cor. 5. 6 7. Lev. 19. 17. Ger. 17. 7. 26. 4. Jer 5. 31. Jer 9. 2 3. John 2. 16. Matth. 15. 7 8. 9. Isa 57. 3. 1. 4. Jer. 11. 14. Isa 50. 1. Jer. 3 11. 13. 11. Object 2. Acts 17. 22 23. 32. Acts 19. 8 9. Answ Robins Against Bern. pag 79. Argum. 2. One of the church committeth some notable sinne known to me alone which being dealt with by me he denieth without two or three witnesses the church may not proceed against him I must therefore still communicate with the church so with him as a member of it Robins Treat c. pag. 437. Eph. 2. 15 16. Heb. 10. 25. Jude 19. verse Phil. 2. 4. See Lanch De Eccl. pag. 129. Object 1. 1. Cor. 5. 11. Robins Against Bern. pag. 258. Answ Ephes 5. 6 7 11. Psal 41. 9. Our Saviour commandeth us to let the Pharisees alone Matth. 15. 16. and yet to heare them and do as they say while they teach the truth Matth. 23. 1 2. Rainold Cons with Hart ch 7. div 4. It is an offense taken and not given seeing the thing is in it self good and in its kind commanded by God and in that particular by men in authoritie and directly tending to mine edification Robins Treat pag. 20. Object 2. 1. Cor. 5. 6. Robins Against Bern. pag. 16. Answ Gal. 5. 9. Matth. 13. 33. Matth 16. 6 12. If the church see not that to be sin vvhich I see to be a sin I having informed the church thereof according to my place I have discharged my duty and the sinne lieth upon the church if it be a sin and not upon me Robins Treatis Of the laws c. The printers to the Christian Readers I partake not in the â—ins of any how great or manifest soever the sins be or how near unto me soever the persons be except the same sins either be committed or remain unreformed by my fault Othervvise Christ our Lord had been inwrapped in the guilt of a world of sins in the Jewish church with which church he communicated in Gods ordinances living and dying a member thereof Robins Treat pag. 18. I answer to the examples of Christ and his Apostles who as they abstained from corruptions in the Jewish church so were they quite separated from all false churches as the Samaritanes and others Ainsworth Consid exam pag. 8. Object 3. Robins Against Bern. pag. 246. Idem pag. 16. Answ 1. Sam. 2. 12 15 16 17 18 19 20. Our Saviour provided beforehand that we should not refuse good doctrine because it was delivered by wicked men Aug. Epi. 165. Tract in Joan. 46. De doctr Christ. l. 4. cap. 27. The followers of M r Robinson complaining of some foure or five who left their society write thus Which proceeding of theirs if it were approved of and followed no church could long continue together in peace For what these foure or five men have done that may any other man do so that if any man do conceive any of his brethren to walk in any such sin which he judgeth doth deserve excommunication if the church will not thereunto consent he may rent himself from the same Robins Treat Of the lawfulnesse c. The printers to the Christian readers Object 4. Robins Against Bern. pag. 248. Idem pag. 250 Answ Argum. 3. 1. Cor. 3. 3. 1. Cor. 6. 1 2. 2. Cor. 10. 10. 1. Cor. 15. 12. 1. Cor. 5. 1. 1. Cor. 11. 19 20. 2. Cor. 12. 20 21. 1. Cor. 1. 2 4 9. â— 23. Gal. 1. 6. 3. 1 5. 4. Gal. 1. 2. Revel 1. 4. Revel 2. 14 15 Revel 2. 20. Revel 3. 1 2. Revel 3. 20 21 4. Col. 2. 11 16 18. 3. John 9 10. Jam. 2. 1 2. 3. 1 2. 4. 1 2 3. Jude 12 13. Iusâ—b Hist lib. 8. cap. 1. Cypr. De laps §. 4. Quia traditam nobis Divinitus disciplinam paâ— longa corruperat jacentem fidem penè dixeâ—â—m dormientem censura coelestis erexit Cypr. De laps studebant augendo patrimonio singuli c. Cypr. Epist 51. ad Maxim Etsi videntur in Ecclesia esse zizania non tamen impediri dedet aut fides aut charitas nostra ut quoniam zizania esse in Ecclesia cerniâ—â—â—â— ipsi de Ecclesia recedamus And Epist 52. Nobis autem secundùm fidem nostram Divinae praedicationis datam formam competit ratio versicatis unumquemque in peccato suo ipsum teneri nec posse alterum pro altero reum fieri cùm Dominus praemoneae dicat Justitia justi super eum erit et scelus scelerati super eum erit Aug. lib. 2. Contr. Crescon Gram. cap. 32. Non est Ecclesia deserenda tanquam frumenta propter paleam vel zizania sicut nec domus magna propter vaâ—â— in honorata cap. â—7 August Contr. Donatist cap. 20. Toleramus quae nolumus ut perveniamus quò volumus